TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty ImagesElton John, Rod Stewart, Celine Dion and Diana Ross will all be playing the Palace this summer: Buckingham Palace, that is. Their music is part of a special commemorative exhibit paying tribute to the late Princess Diana.

According to the Times of London, the exhibit is located in the Music Room, one of the State Rooms you can visit as part of Buckingham Palace's annual summer opening hours, which start Saturday and run through October 1. Diana's sons, Harry and William, have chosen some of their mother's personal items for a display marking the 20th anniversary of her death, and among the items is her collection of music cassettes.

The small suitcase includes cassettes like Elton John's Greatest Hits (Volume Two) and Diana Ross' Ultimate Collection, as well as Celine Dion's The Colour of My Love, and cassettes by George Michael, Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie, The Three Tenors and more.

Other items in the exhibit include Diana's ballet shoes, a wooden trunk she took to boarding school, and her writing desk, decorated with photos of her sons and a silver Cartier calendar that was a gift from former President Ronald Reagan.

In life, Diana was a big fan of pop music, and even became friendly with some of her musical idols, especially Elton. His tribute to her, "Candle in the Wind '97," is among the best-selling songs of all time.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
If you look closely at the buildings in downtown Beatrice, you can see a lot of history.

For instance, down the alley between Court and Market streets in Beatrice, you can spot the ghosts of old advertisements painted directly on the bricks, terracotta adornments along the edges of roofs and old, ever-so-slightly unfinished limestone blocks.

The storefronts and facades may have changed since the 1800s, but the limestone and brick backs of the buildings remain very similar to when they were built.

Next Tuesday will mark the first anniversary since downtown Beatrice was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 25, 2016. Its official designation is the Beatrice Historic Downtown District and, city organizations hope, its a new beginning for an old part of the city.

The designation marked a bit of a first for the National Register of Historic Places, said Laureen Riedesel, director of the Beatrice Library. Where the National Register had previously been aimed at celebrating late 19th and early 20th century buildings, Beatrice went in a different direction.

Of course, there are buildings dating back to the 1870s, but in the 1950s and 60s, the definition of a downtown was changing. People were moving away from the city centers in favor of sprawling suburbs. That meant fewer people were choosing to live downtown, said Michael Sothan, executive director of Main Street Beatrice.

The upper floors of many downtown buildings that once held apartments were closed off and the windows bricked up. Some upper levels were used for storage, some were completely closed off.

For example, theres no staircase leading up to the second level above Browns Shoe Fit and theres no electricity up there either, Sothan said.

Downtown businesses, in an attempt to stay afloat, changed their look. Old storefronts were replaced with large bay windows. Heavily-adorned roof lines and facade walls were toned down with flat stucco over the original face.

When the city first tried for the National Register in the 1980s and 1990s, it was decided that the downtown Beatrice had changed too much from the original look. The changes made in the 1950s and 1960s were too new for the 50-year cutoff that was in place.

Riedesel knew shed have to wait---most new construction was complete by 1966, meaning 2016 would mark 50 years. The paperwork was readied and verified.

When you wait 17 years, Riedesel said, you're eager to be first in line for something.

They brought the National Register a novel idea, she said. What if a historic downtown isnt something thats based on the original intent, but rather what it evolved into as the years went by?

As it turned out, representatives from the National Register came through and agreed. They decided that the downtown area contained 120 buildings, structures and lots that conformed to the time period of 1872 through 1966, there were just 13 that didnt conform. That was groundbreaking, Riedesel said.

With this designation, Beatrice is setting a new precedent, Riedesel said. It's no longer the east coast or the west coast that was leading this precedent, but right here in Beatrice. We were one of the first downtowns that really included those mid century modifications to a downtown. To our knowledge, we're the first ones to actually go on the register using that historical section as history and saying 'this is worthy of note,' she said.

You can read the history of downtown Beatrice through the different styles of architecture, Sothan said. Theres the high Victorian-style of the original buildings, prairie school, art deco, international style, mid-century modern, futurist, post-modern and plenty of other architectural fads and fashions.

Its pretty fascinating, Sothan said. Beatrice has an example of almost every architectural style there is.

With the designation come tax breaks on renovations for building owners wishing to better their sites, which is good for business, Sothan said.

Downtown is a starting place, he said. Its where businesses are born and grow. Some will grow and expand, and some might fail, but thats the nature of the beast.

In the past year and half, 24 businesses have opened and 17 have closed. Some of those businesses moved into different buildings, some owners retired and some went out of business, but its still a net gain, Sothan said. There are about 170 businesses currently operating in downtown, he said, and there are about 800 people living there. Theres a vibrancy back in downtown, even if its just starting to show, he said.

Thats not to disparage non-downtown businesses, Sothan said. Whats good for downtown, he said, is good for all of Beatrice, and vice-versa.

The idea isn't that downtown operates in some sort of a vacuum, Sothan said. There's no doubt that by having a stronger downtown we have a stronger Beatrice. By having a stronger Beatrice community, we have a stronger downtown. It's all interconnected.
CARBONDALE  With plans for a new housing facility declared dead on arrival, Southern Illinois University Carbondale must develop another strategy to update its aging housing stock in order to reel in students.

In the wake of the state budget crisis that financially crippled the institution for two years, SIUC finds itself in a difficult position: its overabundant housing isnt attracting a new generation of prospective students who tend to be picky about accommodations.

At an SIU Board of Trustees work session in Springfield last Wednesday, a consulting firm enlisted by SIUCs University Housing department delivered the news that the east-campus housing project, intended to freshen the universitys image, was not financially viable enough to get off the ground.

System President Randy Dunn suggested that maybe it was time to rethink the universitys overall housing strategy by moving all campus housing to the west side of campus.

Representatives from consulting firm Blue Rose Capital Advisors said they had reached the conclusion that the planned private-public partnership, or P3, housing project would lead to negative cash flow. In April, the universitys credit rating sunk to the sub-investment-grade BB category due to the state budget crisis.

With the universitys standalone rating being downgraded to below investment grade, it is extraordinarily difficult, nearly impossible, to get an investment-grade rating for a standalone project, said Erik Kelly, president of Blue Rose Capital Advisors.

The firm commissioned an independent feasibility study, which assessed market demand by surveying students.

This study suggested there is no net new demand, said John Wendling, senior vice president at the firm. Basically what that means is, the demand that was expressed by students was from students that already live within the system  already live on campus. So to the extent those students sign up for and will pay the premium to live in the new housing project, should it be P3 or otherwise, you would actually be subtracting one-to-one from the system, and that has financial consequences.

The rent premiums tested were 30 percent above current levels available to students, Wendling said. Those prices were required to cover operations, debt service and subordinate costs.

Its a really high hurdle to clear to even go to developers and solicit proposals, because they would look at it and sort of scratch their heads and say, Why do you want to build this project? Wheres the demand and at what levels? Wendling said.

70 percent of survey respondents said housing was either important or very important to their decision to attend SIUC.

I know students nowadays, they have washers and dryers and a garbage disposal, microwaves, internet, Netflix, said trustee J. Phil Gilbert. I mean, its different than when we were going to college and we just needed a bed and a  

Stone tablet? trustee Amy Sholar interjected.

And a key to the outhouse! Gilbert said. So I understand how, especially with the market that were trying to attract, students expect more. Because they grow up in that in their own home.

The new housing would have replaced either one or two of the Tower residence halls, 17-story high rises that are nearly 50 years old. Even with two Towers razed, there would still be plenty of housing available to students, the firm said.

I guess Im kind of scratching my head, because weve been tackling this issue for two years, said trustee Joel Sambursky. I didnt need a study to tell me we had an abundance of housing in Carbondale. I mean, we used to be a university of 25,000 students and we still have the structure of that. I think the thing that were trying to tackle is, how does our housing  as were competing for the same very students that Illinois State is, that Northern Illinois is, that SIU Edwardsville is  do we have competitive housing for those first-year students?

Dunn conceded that SIUCs housing stock poses a problem but said fixing it is a question of timing.

You could take the position that this is lousy housing stock. Weve got to get rid of it and replace it one-for-one with new stock. OK. No problem. The difficulty at this point is that were kind of frozen in, given where we are economically, to be able to move, Dunn said.

Kelly said to allow some time for the universitys finances to stabilize.

 If there is an overabundance of on-campus housing, then an interim step that can be taken that will demonstrate progress to parents and students, to the community at large, is to in fact tear down a Tower or two, Kelly said.

Tearing down the Towers would raise net new demand, making the campus more attractive for developers, Kelly said. The annual cost of maintaining each occupied Tower is about $1.5 million; each would cost between $3 and $4 million to tear down.

Dunn said that if the board manages to put money together to raze the Towers, perhaps it should also look at bringing down vacant facilities on Greek Row and shifting housing to the west side of campus.

If this is what were looking at in terms of overall housing needs, maybe we take this time we have and think about a pivot on this, and just go to all west-side housing, he said.

After the meeting, Dunn said that the west-side strategy would benefit the campus by centralizing student housing. In the future, he said, the university could repurpose the east side of campus for student life and student recreation.

Thered have to be a lot of questions answered, but given where the campus will probably settle in enrollment-wise over time, its worth looking at, Dunn said. If youre a campus of 30,000 students and 18,000 are living on (campus), its tough to do. You cant get that many people crammed into a geographic space. Given our numbers, its possible and theres probably some efficiency that comes from it too.
Growing up, Anthony Coleman was passionate about history, especially African-American history.

With him majoring in history at the University of South Carolina, Colemans family expected him to become a teacher.

It was not to be.

College honestly stripped my creativity, Coleman says. I felt like I was being forced to fit my personality and creativity into a box.

Born Anthony Q. Coleman Jr. to Phyllis Riley-Coleman (she is a 1983 Calhoun County High School graduate and 1987 University of South Carolina graduate), he realized in college that he wanted to push to become the person he wanted to be and take more risks.

Coleman decided to become a DJ, landing in Philadelphia by way of New Jersey and making quite a name for himself.

Going by the alias Anthony Somebody, Coleman built his DJ career through networking by traveling and performing a variety of music at underground events, house parties, art exhibitions, major hip-hop performances and concerts throughout major cities.

(Through) prayers, close friends and networking, most of my first DJ equipment was given to me, Coleman said. Most of his funds came from throwing events and doing odd jobs, he said.

His mothers initial reaction to his career choice was not very positive.

I had never seen him in this profession, Riley-Coleman said. His younger years, he always spoke about being a history teacher.

As a high school history teacher in Trenton, New York, she said she spoke often with him about African-American history, current events and social issues.

Growing up, Coleman spent summers with his grandparents, the Rev. Copelyn and Anna H. Riley of Orangeburg. He often attended his grandfathers church, and with every opportunity he received to be in the spotlight, he sang.

Maybe this was the beginning of his profession, and as a mother, I did not recognize it, Riley-Coleman said. Often we have plans for ourselves, but God's plans for our lives are different.

Colemans mother has supported him in his career by praying for him constantly, picking him up or taking him to the airport and giving him sound motherly advice.

After three years as a DJ, Coleman is currently a Reebok ambassador and a DJ for Lil Yatchy. Reebok, a global footwear and apparel company, liked his authentic culture and decided to name him an ambassador after he interviewed with them.

Lil Yatchy, an Atlanta rapper who has taken the music industry as well as the fashion industry by storm, has been described by The New York Times as a 19-year-old internet supernova. Coleman was recommended by a friend to audition to be Lil Yatchys official DJ. They ended up liking me, and it grew into the relationship we have now, he said.

Apart from being a DJ, Coleman has other businesses. He started a record label, QuiteHype, with two other partners, and he is also the co-founder of Cult Classics, a clothing line. Both businesses have been successful.

At first we didnt know if both could exist, Coleman said, noting that one his partners is part of both set-ups. Now we are glad we stuck to the brands, and we continue to grow.

As to whether there is a possibility that he would return to his initial dream of being a history teacher, Coleman said he would like to teach kids in his own way and by his own rules.

Nothing generic; I want kids to be able to apply what they learn about the past so it can help their future, he said.

Coleman has a younger brother, Anfernee D. Coleman, who is a rising junior at Claflin University.
OMAHA, Neb.  The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday rejected a death-row inmate's call for his murder convictions in one of the deadliest bank shootings in U.S. history to be overturned because he said the lawyer defending him was incompetent.

The state's high court agreed with a lower court that refused Erick Vela's request to void the convictions.

Vela and two other men were sentenced to death for killing five people at a U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk on Sept. 26, 2002. A fourth man who served as a lookout was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.

Vela pleaded guilty in June 2003 to five counts of first-degree murder in the killings of bank customer Evonne Tuttle and bank employees Lisa Bryant, Lola Elwood, Jo Mausbach and Sam Sun. Vela was sentenced to death in 2007 for the botched heist at the bank about 90 miles northwest of Omaha.

The high court found no merit to Vela's claims, including one in which he faulted his attorney for not advising him to plead guilty earlier in the case. Vela asserted he would not have been subject to the death penalty had he pleaded guilty earlier, because Nebraska enacted a revised death penalty law in late 2002 to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said juries  not judges  should determine whether a defendant is eligible for the death penalty.

Previous Nebraska Supreme Court rulings in the bank killings case undermined that argument, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman wrote.

Those rulings rejected arguments that Nebraska effectively had no valid death penalty before the law was amended in 2002.

Vela's attorney did not return a message left Friday seeking comment. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office declined to comment.
The Arabian Business Community (ABC) Bahrain Edition has generated over three quarters of a million business referrals in the first six months of 2017 for Bahrain companies listed on the rapidly growing business portal.

ABC Bahrain promotes 160 popular business categories covering the consumer, commercial, construction, industrial and oil and gas sectors of the economy.

ABC Bahrain has in the first six months of 2017 generated more enquiries than the total number of business referrals to companies in Bahrain in the whole of 2016  said Ronnie Middleton, managing director of Al Hilal Group, the driving force behind the ABC Portal.

According to Google Analytics over 780,000 enquiries have been registered to the 8,000-plus company profiles on our Bahrain database between January and June this year with many companies receiving hundreds of visits to their individual profile pages. This compares with a total of 779,638 enquiries generated in the whole of 2016, added Middleton.

ABC Bahrain is an interactive marketing database which enables companies to add or edit their corporate information on the portal free of charge. Companies wishing to raise their profiles and enhance their search capability can elect to become Premium Partners. The portal also provides users with the latest business news as well as updates from Premium Partners on their business activities as well as details of any promotions.

In addition, ABC provides Premium Partners access to the portals extensive mailing lists, coverage on ABCs social media platforms and the Gulf Daily News online platform.

More and more companies are taking advantage of the business referral opportunities of ABC as Premium Partners. For a very small investment ABC Bahrain allows companies to track interest in their products and services through regular feedback of visitor numbers to their profile pages ensuring a quantifiable digital marketing and promotional experience, noted Middleton.

Arabian Business Community Bahrain was launched in 2014 and has seen a steady year on year growth through organic promotion within the digital sphere. ABC Bahrain is accessible online at www.abc-bahrain.com. TradeArabia News Service
The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced that it is hiring seven nursing students who got their Bachelors degrees and completed their four-year studies under the enhancing the attractiveness of nursing as a profession initiative.



Also 17 nurses who were part of the Nursing Bridging Program and another eight from the Master's Program in Nursing will be joining back from their educational leave, said the ministry in a statement.



Additionally, the ministry will grant 45 scholarships to qualified female and male secondary students in general and advanced branches planning to take up a Bachelor's degree in Nursing.



Interested students must have a 70 per cent average in the advanced section and 75 per cent in the general branch, it added.



The ministry said in addition to monthly stipends of Dh4,500 ($1224), these scholars will be assigned to a ministry-run hospital after graduation.



Dr Yousef Al Serkal, the assistant undersecretary for the hospitals sector, pointed out that the ministry was committed towards achieving the national initiative of enhancing the attractiveness of the nursing profession.



"We are encouraging citizens to enter the profession of nursing and join the health sector through providing many incentives and advantages that contribute to strengthening the health institutions to be active and provide an important addition to the countrys health sector," noted Dr Al Serkal.



"We are keen on increasing the number of nursing professionals to improve the quality and efficiency of health care services and meet the needs of the health sector in the country," he added.



Dr Sumaya Mohammad Abbas, the director of nursing department at the ministry, said it is working towards developing the skills of all citizens who aspire to become nurses.



"It seeks to attract both male and female students to the profession to increase the number of qualified nursing staff in the country. One of our most important achievements so far is to raise the interest of male students in this particular field. In fact, our program has five additional male students this year to reach a total of seven with the Ministry aiming to increase the number further along with their female counterparts," stated Dr Abbas.



According to her, the ministry also provides scholarships to nurses working in the ministry-run facilities to encourage them to join the Nursing Bridging and Masters Programs as part of their continuous training and development.



About 13 female nursing students, 22 nurses in the Nursing Bridging Program, and eight nurses in the Masters Program are expected to graduate next year and will be assigned in various Ministry-run hospitals located across the country, she added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Opec/non-Opec deal has had a meaningful impact on crude grade differentials across the world, a report said, highlighting that light versus medium or heavy grades have continued to tighten substantially in the past six months.



The narrowing light-heavy crude spread is tightly linked to recent changes on the upstream front, added the Global Energy Weekly from Bank of America (BofA) Merrill Lynch.



First, crude production coming from countries involved in the deal has been curtailed, and we believe that these producers favoured cutting medium to heavy grades rather than light, to maximize their revenues in this low price environment.



Second, production from US shale oil, one of the lightest grades on earth, started to grow again. The trend has been exacerbated by the recent return crude output from Libya and Nigeria, countries producing rather light and sweet grades.



>>>>>Saudi favours exports of light crude to Asia, not EU or US



The Opec/non-Opec deal has also reshuffled the cards of crude exports from Saudi. US imports from the Kingdom, which are typically medium to heavy grades, have slowed substantially over the past five months. As for light crude exports, Saudi pricing of Arab light has favoured the Asian channel rather than the US and Europe. In addition, we find that the Arab light crude differential to Asia and crude oil prices are well correlated.



Perhaps more interestingly, we find that most of the impact of a change in Saudi pricing on the WTI or Brent price level occurs two months later. On the refining front, we find that a change in the Brent-Dubai spreads has a negative correlation with US gasoline yields one week later, the report said.



>>>>>Light-heavy spreads are poised to widen structurally again



We now believe light-heavy spreads have bottomed and see them widening again. Spreads could widen again on two key dates, BofA Merrill Lynch said.



First, if Opec convinces Nigeria and Libya to comply with an output cap on July 24, incremental light barrels will be curbed, setting the stage for wider light-heavy spreads. Second, Libyan and Nigerian output will likely reach a natural ceiling before year end anyway. The tail risk scenario would be another geopolitical crisis in Libya or Nigeria, forcing major disruptions of light sweet output. In any event, the Opec/non-Opec deal expires in March 2018.



We then expect Saudi and Russian production, mostly medium grades, to pick up gradually again throughout the rest of 2018. Meanwhile US shale production (light sweet) is likely to stabilize from 2Q18. The light-heavy spread is poised to widen more severely than what the current forward market is pricing, in our view, the report concluded. - TradeArabia News Service
An Omar Air flight bound for Bangalore experienced a technical glitch on takeoff and returned safely to its home base, Muscat.



Flight WY 283, operated by a Boeing 737  800, took off from Muscat at 10.25 hrs local time with 154 passengers, three infants and six crew members on board. All passengers onboard disembarked smoothly and were accomodated on an alternate flight with the same flight number that took off at 15.00 hrs local time from Muscat.



"Oman Airs over-riding priority is to safeguard the well-being of all its customers and staff, and the airline is proud of its unblemished safety record. Oman Air provides extensive training for its crew on how to effectively manage problems when they arise, and ensure passenger safety. It also works closely with all the airport authorities throughout its network. This incident illustrates the effectiveness of that training and co-operation," the airline said in a statement.



Oman Air thanked the staff at the Muscat International Airport, Royal Oman Police, Oman Airport Management Company and the Public Authority for Civil Aviation for their cooperation and assistance. - TradeArabia News Service


W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, has unveiled W Shanghai  The Bund, located in the heart of one of the world's most energetic cities.



With limitless views overlooking the Huangpu River, W Shanghai will set the scene on the North Bund. Owned by Sinar Mas Group, the hotel features a blend of bold design and decadent style which combines to create a captivating contrast of Shanghai's past and its avant-garde present.



"Shanghai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and its engaging nightlife, spirited fashion scene and passion for what's new/next makes it an ideal destination for the W brand," said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand leader, W Hotels Worldwide. "Our hotels across the world are incredibly unique- each reinterpreting its destination through design that is both hyper-local and yet, clearly W. The electrifying design of W Shanghai  The Bund is no exception, solidifying its position as a global flagship for W that is sure to attract both guests and savvy locals alike."



Designed by the acclaimed GA Design, the hotel showcases an exciting combination of historic and modern influences, such as Hai Pai  the art of combining the old and the new, East and West. This is evident in both the hotel's location, perfectly positioned between the Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River, as well as the surrounding locale, where Art Deco buildings sit alongside opulent Chinese mansions. W Shanghai  The Bund draws upon colonial glamour and futuristic motifs, with nearly all guestrooms featuring views of the Huangpu River due to the uniquely curved frame of the building's edifice.



"Over the past few years we have seen incredible growth worldwide across our brands, with the China market becoming increasingly important for Marriott International," said Stephen Ho, chief executive officer, Greater China, Marriott International. "The opening of the W Shanghai  The Bund underscores the ambitious expansion of Marriott International's Luxury Brands in Greater China."



Upon arrival, guests will be greeted by neon light installations throughout the hotel's Living Room (the W brand's take on the staid hotel lobby). For centuries, Shanghai-locals have honored the Lilong tradition, in which wet laundry is hung on lines to dry at varying heights down narrow laneways. This installation was designed as a modern reinterpretation of this classic scene. The Welcome Desk (reception area) features a kaleidoscopic fixture, mirroring the constant flow of guests through the area. The 'Melting Qipao' pattern, a representation of Shanghai as a melting pot of cultures, can be seen on the walls of the WC (restroom).



W Shanghai  The Bund features 374 stylish guestrooms and suites, each appointed with the signature W bed adorned with a cheeky pillow in the shape of Shanghai's famous Xiaolongbao (soup) dumpling and chopsticks. Thirty-five of the rooms are suites, including the Cloud on the Bund, which includes highlights such as a LED wall and a hanging bed. The duplex Extreme WOW Suite (the brand's take on the presidential suite) boasts more than 4,000-sq-ft of living space, along with a hanging neon installation in the shape of lips blowing out dragon smoke. In addition to the epic views of the Huangpu River and iconic Pudong skyline, all rooms also feature switchable privacy glass and Nespresso Coffee machines.



W Shanghai  The Bund offers five intriguing places to socialize and dine. The Kitchen Table, with its interactive open kitchen, is inspired by a modern New York bistro and celebrates the legacy of Shanghai's flourishing trade. YENshowcases the next evolution of Cantonese dining where traditional dishes are reinterpreted. Pre-dinner cocktails at Liquid at Yen, a hidden speakeasy, is the perfect evening prelude to transport guests to the glamorous golden years of Shanghai's 1920s cocktail scene featuring a handcrafted selection of concoctions mastered by the on-site "Cocktail Professor". The playfully elegant WooBar transforms from a daytime lounge into a vibrant evening cocktail bar. And finally, Wet (the hotel's pool) and Wet Bar offer incredible sweeping views of the electric Shanghai skyline.



"We are infusing so much energy into this city with W Shanghai  The Bund," said Christian Humbert, general manager, W Shanghai  The Bund. "We are bringing guests closer to the music, design, fashion and Fuel (the brand's take on fitness) scenes in Shanghai while providing our signature Whatever/Whenever service, delivering whatever guests want, whenever they want it, in this incredible city."



Mixing work with play, guests will be captivated by nearly 6,000 square meters of meeting and events space. At more than 2,000-sq-m, the Great Room is the largest hotel event space in Western Shanghai, and boasts 6.2-meter ceilings in a setting inspired by an opulent expression of the Golden Age. The entrance to the Great Room features a series of oversized mirror collages with a Qipao motif, overlaid by a delicate Art Deco-inspired screen, reflecting the tension and contrasts between old and new Shanghai. The 660-sq-m Mega Room, in addition to the Studios and Strategy spaces, all cleverly adapt their industrial charm to perfectly suit each event.



The Away Spa offers massages, body treatments, facials and quick fixes, all set to leave guests glowing. Guests can also step into the ultra-modern Fit gym that offers 24/7 access to the newest Technogym equipment, or take part in a yoga or tai chi class on the hotel's wooden deck. - TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based destination management services company Holiday Moments said it has launched a new interactive digital marketing and ecommerce platform featuring online tour booking services, as well as credit card and PayPal payment and live chat options, with all excursions bookable up to six months in advance on its website.



The company has over 15 years of experience and six years of successful operations as a destination management company in the UAE.



Holiday Moments is continuously updating the tours and activities offered to visitors and local residents throughout the emirates, said a top official.



The recently relaunched website features a crisp new format designed for ease of navigation and provision of comprehensive information for business partners and visitors to the UAE, remarked Radek Strejcek, the managing director.



Tours and activities can now be booked and paid via the website for up to six months in advance, allowing visitors to plan their trip and budget accordingly, he added.



According to him, the group's success is based on a customer-centric business model, where the personal touch is paramount.



Ten tour categories offer over 100 different sightseeing trips and activities, with more than 20 exciting excursions specifically for the younger family members.



From desert safaris to island cruising, helicopter flights to camel rides, outdoor and indoor activities, and options for the young and old alike, Holiday Moments offers a complete holiday experience for every age, taste and budget, said Strejcek.



"With the newly developed website and online payment solutions we are creating a hassle-free booking and information system for our tours, enabling our team to focus on the guest rather than the administration," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
One hundred years ago, W.F. Wilkerson and his son began building an automotive supply empire in Wyoming that would eventually be nearly dismantled because of a bold run for governor.

In 1967, the business was half the size it was in 66, said Paul Meyer, the current owner of Wyoming Automotive. Meyer is himself no stranger to politics: He was Caspers mayor in 2014 and spent his share of time in the hot seat during his tenure in City Hall.

But on Tuesday, he was sitting in a lawn chair (it was too warm in the back office, he explained) facing the stores front windows, which look out onto the historic Old Yellowstone District. He was talking  and gesturing  about Ernest Wilkerson, the son. Hed run for governor on the platform of instituting a severance tax on the mineral industry. To come out and call for that back then, well ...

He was soundly defeated, he said. Ernest had to sell off pieces of the business to fund his campaign, and on top of that, everybody boycotted him.

But Ernest was right. Wilkerson deserves credit for the fortune the severance tax has brought to the state, Meyer says adamantly. He staked his business to it because he knew it was the right thing to do.

Meyer talks  and gestures, and smiles, and laughs  a lot, and he typically does all four as he keeps coming back to the Wilkersons and his admiration for them. How W.F., Ernests father, started in Wyoming Automotive in Lusk, then a mover-and-shaker railroad town, but had the foresight to move to Casper when oil began to move.

As Meyer celebrates the shops 100th birthday this year, its place in Wyomings history is clear to him. It was the launching pad and piggy bank for a political campaign that influenced the state forever. Its had hundreds of employees and once boasted 18 locations, plus a warehouse in Denver. The Wilkersons helped shape Wyoming, Meyer said, and both state and shop have endured long after W.F. and Ernest are gone.

Thats why Im so proud of this heritage, he said. That Im the last one that can speak of Ernest Wilkerson.



Some of that heritage is scattered about the store. Model cars line shelves along the walls. W.F. Wilkersons young face stares up from a magazine cover inside a glass case, and a 1944 calendar  heralding the businesss 27 years of service  hangs on a wall behind the back counter. Meyer stood up recently from his lawn chair and the cardboard box hed been using as a desk to point it out.

But there are signs of the seismic changes Meyers made, too. Customers wont find brake pads here anymore, he said. Instead, paint cans fill an entire wall. Its a painting and refinishing store now, not an auto parts one.

Meyer began working at Wyoming Automotive in 1968, he said, and 10 years later, he was running the shop. Ernest had sold the shop to a group of former employees (great old guys, Meyer remembers fondly), who then sold the place to Mel Meyer, Pauls uncle.

Paul Meyer explained that Mels son, Joseph, was a rising star in Wyoming government and wanted nothing to do with Wyoming Automotive. So it eventually fell to Paul in 1978. He was 24 years old.

The guys that had owned this store, they were all over 70, he said of the men who sold the business to Mel. Speaking in a voice that sounds like Goofys, he mocked his younger self: I was sweeping the floors, now Im your boss!

He learned that being a business owner required some restraint. More than 20 years ago, the store was down the street in another building closer to downtown, Meyer exchanged words with a well-known investment banker. The man told him to move his truck out of the way.

Meyer laughs, recounting his reaction to the mans demands using the same Goofy voice.

Sir, I dont know who you are in your brand-new Lincoln and your business suits, but my rent is paid in full. Not only are you not coming through here, but Im not moving this truck. Whatre you going to do about it?

The man left but was back about 10 minutes later. Hed bought the building and planned to double the rent.

Now what are you going to do?

Meyer was still laughing after he finished the story, standing again and gesturing down Old Yellowstone where the building used to be. A tree towers over the parking lot where customers used to pull up in their cars, and he said he has a picture of Native Americans camping beneath it.

Fortunately, a barber owned a tire store in Wyoming Automotives current location and Meyer could move in. Thats been home ever since.

***

Meyer made other, more deliberate changes. Bigger stores, like NAPA and OReilly Autoparts, were starting to muscle out locally owned auto supply shops. Meyer decided to make a change and offer refinishing instead.

It wont be as competitive, he remembered thinking. That was a hard thing to do after 75 years.

Would he do it again?

Theres no way, he said. At 24, didnt even think about it. Whateverll keep this business alive till its 100.

Well, check that box. So what now?

Right on time, Ben, Meyers son, walked by. Ben is the fuel that runs the engine, Meyer said, and will take over soon.

But Meyer acknowledged the difficulty of running a small business, the energy it takes to keep it afloat and the mental fortitude to hinge your familys future on your company.

Its his. Im ready to retire at this point, Meyer said. But Ben has said I dont want my son and his son and my mom that works here, their lives depending on every decision I make.

Paul Meyer said the family had received some inquiries about buying the building and businesses (they also own Casper Auto Supply across town).

If the right offer came along, if I dont take it, I know he will, Meyer said of his son.

But for now, for the next month at least, Meyer is focused on celebrating the business and the Wyoming families that built it. There wont be a big to-do, he said: Sept. 1 and 2, the store will close at noon Friday, and an 18-wheeler full of paint samples will chug into town and, hopefully, park across the street for people to peruse.

If it doesnt sound flashy, thats intentional. Hes adamant that he wants to honor the Wilkersons legacy. But Meyers voice still bounces with enthusiasm when he describes the paint colors that will be on display.

Thatll be our way of a 100-year celebration, Meyer said. No trade shows. Were just here to celebrate that people have showed up to work for 100 years here and made our city and state a better place to live.
Casper has dramatically scaled back downtown parking restrictions during the Wyoming Eclipse Festival in August.

Police originally planned to close 30 blocks in the city core to on-street parking to increase access for emergency vehicles. That plan has now been scrapped in favor of closing just Second Street to all east-west traffic between Oak Street and Park Street and perhaps restricting access to the other streets surrounding David Street Station.

Traffic will still be able to cross Second Street traveling north and south.

Thered essentially be no restriction to downtown parking, Sgt. Scott Jones told City Council on Tuesday.

Parking will also be barred along David Street in front of the Hall of Justice and City Hall to allow space for vehicles belonging to out-of-town law enforcement in Casper to help with the festival.

About 35,000 visitors are expected between Aug. 18 and 21.

Jones said that the original plan to bar parking in most of downtown would have crowded residential neighborhoods nearby. That plan restricted parking roughly between A Street to the north, Fifth Street to the south, Park Street to the east and Spruce Street to the west, while also closing Second Street to east-west traffic.

Despite police removing the other restrictions, Downtown Development Authority officials, who are overseeing the plazas operation, requested that David and Ash streets on either side of the plaza be closed to traffic for pedestrian safety.

It would allow people to freely go back and forth across the street to access things going on near the David Street Station, Jones said.

But police spokesman Det. John Hatcher said on Friday those closures were still tentative and that as of now the only confirmed street closure is Second Street.

City Council agreed to grant Interim Police Chief Steve Schulz the authority to close any streets or intersections as necessary for safety during the eclipse festivities. Jones said that, along with the ability to stage equipment needed to close streets, was important because it was impossible to predict exactly where choke points and traffic problems would emerge during the festival.

At some point in time it may become necessary to add further barricades, Jones said.

Councilman and former police chief Chris Walsh gave his hearty blessing to Jones request.

You know what youre doing, he said. Dont worry about our approval on stopping anything else that becomes a problem.

City Attorney Bill Luben said Caspers parking regulations would be amended by a simple vote of Council to allow Schulz to close additional streets.

While the Casper Police Department has not requested additional officers from other jurisdictions, employees will be barred from taking vacation during the festival, and special patrols have been created for officers on bicycle downtown and at special events.

Hatcher noted that plans are subject to change as the festival moves closer.
After the failure of the U.S. Senate Republicans to agree on a replacement for Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said he would seek a vote on a bill that would simply repeal Obamacare.

Wyomings two Sens., Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, signaled earlier this week that they might support such a move.

But the Cowboy States lone Rep. Liz Cheney expressed skepticism about a straight repeal in an interview on Thursday.

I think its really important we dont pull the rug out from people, Cheney said. Weve got to replace it with something.

The House would have to approve any Obamacare repeal passed by the Senate.

Cheney emphasized what she believes is the importance of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and cautioned that she could not comment definitively on how she would vote on a repeal bill without first seeing the legislation.

Id like to see the Senate take action, she said.

Both Barrasso and Enzi have been closely involved in drafting the Senate version of the American Health Care Act, which passed the House with Cheneys support in May. Cheney praised their work on the legislation.

Wyoming couldnt have two better people in the position theyre in to make sure we get something that works for Wyoming, Cheney said.

The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday that the latest bill put forward by McConnell would produce 22 million additional uninsured people by 2026 and drive up premiums for many older Americans. Congress nonpartisan fiscal analyst said Wednesday the repeal-only bill would leave 32 million additional people uninsured over a decade and double average premiums.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHEYENNE  Funding troubles are leading to a variety of difficulties when it comes to caring for the intellectually and developmentally disabled in Wyoming.

Advocates for those populations have gone to the state to address what they see as potentially inappropriate institutionalizations because of reduced funding levels for community-based programs.

Additionally, as plans continue rolling out for new state-owned mental health facilities, uncertainty about the future of Medicaid is causing those same advocates to urge caution in how the state moves forward.

The Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston and the Life Resource Center in Lander are mental health facilities owned by the state Department of Health. The facilities age and capacity limitations necessitated upgrades, which are currently still in the design process.

In the last 40 years, Wyoming Protection and Advocacy Systems has provided legal services for people with disabilities throughout Wyoming. CEO Jeanne Thobro said the organizations staff have encountered several instances where people without a primary psychiatric diagnosis  meaning they had an intellectual or developmental disability but did not have a mental disorder as a forefront ailment in their needs for care  were placed inappropriately at the Wyoming State Hospital, a primary psychiatric facility.

She said it raises a number of concerns regarding treatment, as well as the legal appropriateness of that placement. In response, Thobro said they raised that concern with the state.

We want people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in programs and services in community settings, or, in some limited instances, theres a group of people at the Wyoming Life Resource Center that are more geared to that population, she said. Services need to be tailored to the individual needs of people based on their diagnosis.

Thobro said shes aware of up to 15 cases Protection and Advocacy handled where its alleged intellectually and developmentally disabled people might have been institutionalized inappropriately. And she said the problem has dramatically worsened in recent years, leading to a dialogue in the last year with the state to try to come up with solutions.

We had seen some situations even three years ago, but its really come to our attention in the last couple of years, and spiked, which resulted in us going to the state a year ago saying, This has reached a level of extreme concern. Something needs to change, Thobro said.

One of the contributory factors to the increased number of institutionalization incidents, Thobro said, is community services for intellectually and developmentally disabled Wyoming residents are seeing historic cuts in recent years.

People who used to be served in community settings as individuals were placed either on waiting lists or their services were scaled back, she said. And suddenly, if they had an emergency situation that was affecting their health and safety  and in some instances, became a danger to themselves or whatever  they might be put unnecessarily at the State Hospital. I think that has been a huge factor in terms of what were seeing.

It has been and continues to be a situation where a perfect storm of factors are compounding an already troubling situation for those populations, Thobro said. The states economic downturn from a decline in its breadbasket mineral commodities resulted in state budget cuts, including devastating reductions at the Wyoming Department of Health. Tremendous demands on that agencys increasingly limited budget have affected support for disabled residents.

Its not an overnight thing, Thobro said. This has gone on year after year after year. I think its an accumulative effect that has resulted in that (support) being scaled back.

As Republicans in the U.S. Senate continue to make attempts at reforming health care, the future of Medicaid is uncertain at best, though the most recent proposal would call for significant reductions in federal spending for the program in coming years. Medicaid spending by enrollment group sees the most going toward the disabled.

Thats also true in Wyoming, where Medicaid for the disabled accounted for more than 46 percent of the programs spending in fiscal year 2014, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Based on the recently failed Senate bills provisions, the cost of caring for the disabled could shift to the states.

Compound that with Wyomings increasingly aging population  Wyoming Department of Health Director Tom Forslund said the number of people entering the aged category that will need Medicaid could triple in the next 13 years  and Thobro said theres reason for serious concern.

None of us know today whats going to happen to Medicaid in the future, she said. We all just scratch our heads and wonder, but I think the message all of us are hearing is Medicaid is under the microscope. I dont know what that will look like, nobody does, but the message is clear from (Washington, D.C.) that Medicaid may well have to be contained.

The Life Resource Center is a residential community with therapeutic and medical support services for adults. For patients transferring from the State Hospital, it is a less restrictive environment that focuses on intermediate care looking to discharge patients so they can reintegrate stably into their communities.

A new pilot project at the Life Resource Center, Pathways, is taking clients that would have otherwise been placed at the state hospital under Title 25, the state program that allows law enforcement or medical professionals to involuntarily commit people if they are a danger to themselves or others, or if they cant care for themselves.

Currently, the Department of Health is working with Protection and Advocacy to develop facility admission criteria thats expected to help ensure appropriate client placements and minimize unnecessary institutionalization at the Life Resource Center. It would also give flexibility to the department director for emergency placements, client safety and appropriateness of care.

But theres another danger for the disabled population with regard to Medicaid coming from how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services defines institutions for mental diseases.

An institutions status as one for primarily treating mental illness can affect whether it receives federal matching funds. Changes in the Department of Healths mission could result in different population mixes at the new facilities. This could put the current federal match the department receives at risk.

Currently, the Life Resource Center receives about $21 million per biennium in federal matching funds. If the Life Resource Centers population mix evolves to where the designation changes, it could stand to lose around $7 million to $8 million each year in federal funding.

Theres probably 30 different factors that are all intertwined with how that designation would happen, but if in the future that facility were designated as an (institution for mental diseases) those funds could be at risk, said Stefan Johansson, Wyoming Department of Health administrator.

Until theres more certainty as to what will happen with Medicaid, Thobro said shes urging the state to not aggressively overbuild the Life Resource Center campus.

Start slow, get the lay of the land in Washington, D.C., and see whats going on so you dont end up paying 100 percent of the cost thats now shared between the feds and the state, she said.

Buck Gwyn, senior staff attorney for Protection and Advocacy, said the clear motivation to shift Medicaid costs from the federal level to the states means the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could see the designation as a chance to remove a significant portion of federal funding.

Its a shark in the water, he said. Theres no safe harbor that exists. That is a real danger.
Ive always been interested in third political parties because of the wrench they can toss in an election even if they cannot win it.

The potential has always existed that a third-party candidate, like Ross Perot or Ralph Nader, could sway the outcome of an election. They could be spoilers, too.

Wyomings third-party movement seemed ripe after Taylor Haynes, did so well in the 2010 governors election.

But it hasnt gained much traction.

Haynes, a rancher and retired physician, was a write-in candidate for governor. He had the support of the tea party and the new Constitution Party.

He received nearly 14,000 votes to come in third in the general election for governor.

With 7 percent of the vote, Haynes outpolled libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Wheeler of Casper, who received 5,362 votes.

After the election, Wheeler said he expected some Libertarian Party members to defect and start another third party.

That is what happened. The new Constitution Party gained ballot access as a minor party for the 2012 election cycle through a petition campaign.

Don Wills, a former Libertarian Party president, led the support for the Constitutional Party.

The Wyoming Libertarian Party, Wheeler said, suffers because the national Libertarian Party has such a stigma for its positions on legalizing drugs. National party members, he said, are considered anarchists.

The Wyoming Libertarian Party (WLP) has been active in Wyoming for years.

In the 2014 general election, when the five elected state offices were up for grabs, the WLP was on the ballot with candidates for governor and secretary of state as well as for U.S. senator and U.S. representative.

The party had no legislative candidates in 2014 or 2016.

In 2016, the Libertarians had a candidate for president, Gary Johnson, and one for U.S. representative.

Johnson was expected to do exceptionally well, but it didnt happen.

A former member of the Wyoming Libertarian Party, Barry Turner of Cody said Johnson and the previous libertarian candidate for president, Bob Barr, were basically Republicans.

He said he would like to see the national party come up with a genuine libertarian candidate for president.

Wyoming has often been called a libertarian-type state for the philosophy of many residents in favor of limited government and a general live-and-let-live attitude.

That political inclination hasnt been reflected at the polls, however.

The loose-knit tea party and the Trump phenomena has siphoned off voters to the Republican Party.

The Wyoming Constitution Party has picked up votes that previously would have gone to Libertarian candidates.

The Libertarian Party members, nationally and in Wyoming, moreover, have wrangled over their basic philosophies, such as the degree of resistance to government and taxes.

In Wyoming they have struggled in recent years just to keep the party going.

Despite all the inner conflicts, the WLP has grown substantially over the last decade. In 2006, only 452 residents identified themselves as libertarians. In July 2017, the number of registered libertarians totaled 2,389, according to the secretary of states office.

This compares with 797 members of the Constitution Party, 176,336 Republicans, 47,125 Democrats and 35,973 unaffiliated.

The national Libertarian Party also experienced growth in registration but not in votes at the polls.

The percentage of the American public that identifies as libertarian has steadily increased over the last few years.

A survey by Gallup showed that 27 percent of respondents identified themselves as libertarians, a new high.

Yet they cannot shake their image as a fringe party with some wacky ideas.

Johnsons campaign didnt help. The candidate couldnt explain the significance of Aleppo, Syria, in foreign affairs or identify a world leader he admired.

The libertarians marred their image as a serious political party by their weird silliness at their national convention, according to published sources.

They also were hurt by lack of coverage by the news media, which was focused on the Republican and Democratic candidates for president.

The Wyoming Libertarian Party, meanwhile, has a new president: Howard Kit Carson of Cheyenne. He was the partys candidate for secretary of state in 2014.

Carson said last week that he and other members are working on a platform that the people need to see.

Well find out more about that later.
I was invited to Barnes & Noble in Cheyenne to be part of its book signing events during Cheyenne Frontier Days. I will sign my latest resort romance, Escape Clause, on July 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In an effort to support my community bookstore, I thought Id provide 10 reasons to attend.

While my signature is free, Ive been known to misspell my own name.

When someone bought an electronic version of my book and showed it to me, I accidentally signed their Kindle  in permanent marker. True story.

My chair at the signing table has a booster seat so I can be seen above the stacks of books.

When my publisher told me book signings increased royalties, I thought it meant Kate Middleton gets pregnant.

In seven months I wrote almost as many pages as there are in the classic novel Gone With The Wind. And despite what my older brother believes, my writing doesnt blow like the wind.

Cheyenne Frontier Days is called the Daddy of em all, while my book signings are called Oh Momma, what were you thinking?

Theres nothing quite like visiting Wyomings capital city during Cheyenne Frontier Days, and theres nothing quite like avoiding long lines and huge crowds  neither of which will be at my book signing.

Swag. I always hand out good swag. So even if you dont win a prize at the carnival, you wont go home empty-handed.

Sometimes to escape a bad situation, you have to grit your teeth and bare your clause. Thats the tagline for my latest release, which is also what my husband has to do on a daily basis when I ask him to edit my latest writing. And also how I felt as the deadline was fast approaching, but the ending of my book wasnt.

And the last reason to attend is youll truly come away with the notion that anyone can write a book if they just put their mind, energy and devotion to it. Besides, being a wife and mother is entirely overrated  ignore both and soon you, too, will be a published author!
For at least 125 years, give or take a year, theres been a military band posted to Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista.

But on Oct. 15, 2018, the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Band (62nd Army Band)  the only active-duty military band in Arizona  will deactivate and its remaining members will be reassigned to other Army bands across the country, according to Fort Huachuca officials.

The move is part of a broader overhaul effort by the Army that goes back to the Obama administration. In summer 2015, the Army announced it would eliminate 40,000 troops from its ranks, which at the time numbered 490,000, according to published reports. The drawdown was expected to be completed this year and would bring the Army  the largest branch of the U.S. military  to its smallest force since World War II, the New York Times reported at the time.

Commander Michael J. Moore, the chief warrant officer who leads the Fort Huachuca band, said the 62nd Army Band was originally scheduled to be inactivated last year, but because of some other research, they decided to push it off another year.

As part of its deactivation, the 62nd Army Band is no longer accepting band recruits, Moore said. Its ranks have shrunk from 37 authorized members to 26 or 27 actual members, he said. Some of the vacancies are due to retirements or reassignments that were never filled.

The 62nd Army Band, which came to Arizona from Fort Bliss, Texas, in 2011, regularly performs at ceremonial events on base and community events, including the annual Sierra Vista Fourth of July and Memorial Day parades. The ensembles smaller groups, including a jazz band and rock band, also put on community concerts, Moore said.

As the only active-duty military band in Arizona, the U.S. Military Intelligence Corps Band at Fort Huachuca fostered morale and connected the community to the troops as it played at Fourth of July events, parades, summer concerts in the park and ceremonial military events, along with other community engagements, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, whose Congressional District 2 includes Sierra Vista, said in a written statement released through her spokeswoman, Kelly Schibi. It has been a cultural staple in our community and will be remembered fondly and missed greatly.

Glenn Hohman, who served at Fort Huachuca from 2008 to 2011, said not having the band will be a loss. But it is something that he and his fellow veterans at Sierra Vistas VFW Post 9972 were anticipating.

Hohman, who retired from the Army in 2013 after nearly 21 years and now commands the VFW post, said his 2,100 members first learned of the move more than a year ago.

Its been a little bit of frustration, but on the other hand, I think people want to be fiscally responsible at the same time, said Hohman, who works on the base as a civilian. Theres a balance and its a tough loss, but I dont think anyones surprised by it.

Sierra Vista Mayor Rick Mueller said his city is used to changes at the base, which is the citys primary economic driver. Fort Huachucas economic impact on the area tops $1.3 billion annually, he noted.

Mueller said the Army has been talking about downsizing since he served as a field artillery officer in the late 1990s. Thirty days before he retired in 1995 or 1996, he said, he was transferred to Fort Knox, Kentucky, after his base, Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana, was shuttered.

Even back then they were looking at downsizing, he said. When you hear reports that the armed forces are at the lowest level since World War I, that should tell you that everyone is being downsized, not just the bands.

But the bands have been hit especially hard, Moore acknowledged. When he enlisted in the Army as a trombone player in 1998, there were about 35 Army bands. Today there are 17.

In the past four years, seven military bands have been deactivated and the Army has found itself at times posting two band commanders to one unit, he said.

Moore, who arrived at Fort Huachuca in May, said Army band soldiers have served dual purposes throughout history, including being deployed with fighting troops.

Fort Huachucas band does not deploy, he said, but those that do have historically been part of the medical teams that removed the dead from the field, he said.

In modern times weve been part of the security detail, he explained, adding that the bands primary role is to boost morale for the soldiers serving in hot spots.

Typically we will be stationed at a specific outpost and we will travel out to the forward bases ... to provide concerts for the troops, Moore said.

Fort Huachuca media relations officer Tanja M. Linton said the post has had a permanent band since the late 1800s. In 1890, it was commanded by Achille La Guardia, father of New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia who wrote of his Arizona experiences in his 1948 book, The Making of an Insurgent: An Autobiography, 1882-1919.

In addition to performing at Sierra Vista events, the 62nd Army Band performed recently at a jazz festival in Nogales, Arizona, and earlier this year at an Arizona Cardinals game in Glendale.

As an Army community, we are very blessed to have a military band ... because they provide community concerts throughout the year and they are very well-attended, Mayor Mueller said. Its a shame that the Army is not going to be able to provide that service to our community.

Commander Moore said Fort Huachuca will call on Army Reserve bands to fill in for post ceremonies, but Hohman said it wont be the same.
Despite what you may have read on the internet, one of Tucsons most beloved fast-food landmarks is not about to be torn down by an angry mob of dinosaur deniers.

The snarling Tyrannosaurus rex in front of the McDonalds at Tanque Verde and Grant isnt going anywhere, according to Lizzeth Alvarez, area supervisor for Dias Management Inc., which owns the bustling franchise.

Absolutely not, Alvarez said. People really seem to like it. Its a landmark really.

Concern for the life-size replica cropped up earlier this month when a post targeting the T. rex on Tanque Verde showed up on the Facebook page of a group called Christians Against Dinosaurs.

According to the page  as well as the groups website and occasional YouTube videos  CAD is dedicated to the belief that dinosaurs never existed at all but are, in fact, a scam perpetrated by scientists, possibly as part of some liberal plot against religion.

Theres nothing factual about any of this, of course. It flies in the face of mountains of fossil evidence collected, studied and cataloged since the 17th century.

On the other hand, it is on the internet. And since Aug. 15, so, too, is the following post on the Christians Against Dinosaurs Facebook page:

Please help! This McDonalds has this dinosaur and refuse to remove it! This is in Tucson, Arizona. Call the manager and demand the removal of this blasphemy!

The post from a CAD page member named Josh Brown then gives the address and phone number for the offending burger joint.

It can be hard sometimes to separate the faithful from the frauds on social media sites, and this seems doubly true in the case of Christians Against Dinosaurs. Though there seems to be an underlying earnestness to CADs website, the majority of people posting on its Facebook page seem to be there to get into arguments, spectate or mock the whole thing.

Attempts to reach those in charge of Christians Against Dinosaurs were unsuccessful. According to several articles written about the group since it first gained fame about five years ago, the movement has no clear leadership or agenda beyond trying to contradict centuries of science, including literal tons of actual, physical specimens.

If taking down fiberglass replicas of dinosaurs is something the group actually endorses, its not clear from its messaging.

But CAD poster Josh Brown insists he isnt joking around. Reached through his Facebook page Tuesday night, he said he lives and works in Tucson, and he doesnt see anything funny about lying to our children.

It seems to me that every dinosaur story and display or dinosaur themed event is furthering the myth that the Earth is much older than the Bible says it is, Brown said via Facebook Messenger. Yes, the dinosaur should go unless theyre willing to compromise with a plaque of some kind stating that its a fictional character.

Dias Management owns 18 McDonalds restaurants in Arizona, 15 of them in the Tucson area.

Alvarez said staff members at the Tanque Verde location first found out about the possible dinosaur dispute from a few customers who mentioned the post or called in to ask if it was for real.

Some employees wondered if there would be a protest of some kind in front of the restaurant, but Alvarez said she wasnt aware of anyone even calling in to complain about the dinosaur so far, though several people on Facebook claimed they did.

The T. rex dates to when the restaurant first opened in 1994  part of an all-around dinosaur theme aimed squarely at kids and inspired by the wild success of the first Jurassic Park movie.

Alvarez said the restaurants owners have taken to dressing their dino up in different holiday costumes throughout the year. In early May, she said, the statue got all this extra attention when they covered its nose and mouth with a giant mask to promote pandemic safety.

Most Facebook users responded to Browns call to (tiny?) arms with jokes or messages of support for the Tanque Verde T. rex.

Since he posted about the statue, Brown said hes been harassed and threatened online. Someone even tried to hack into his personal Facebook account.

He said a lot of the comments directed his way have come from people who wanted to save the dinosaur or to message me personally and spew insults and threats.

In a later post to the CAD community, Brown took aim at a different drive-thru dinosaur, this one in front of the McDonalds off I-10 in Benson. He called it a conduit of lies and dinoporn that are corrupting our childrens minds.

Sometime after that, Christians Against Dinosaurs kicked him off its page.
What would it take for the city of Tucson to allow a farmers market to set up in Udall Regional Park?

An act of Congress.

A 28-year-old bureaucratic mistake related to land exchange between the city and the Bureau of Land Management has limited the growth and development of the northeast-side park and blocked nearly any type of commercial enterprises inside the park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road.

The city, which operates the park, has been quietly lobbying Congress to remove the BLM restriction on the park, but stepped up its efforts last week with City Manager Michael Ortega and U.S. Rep. Martha McSally testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, the bill was approved by the committee and will be sent to the House for a floor vote.

The bipartisan bill authored by McSally, the Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act, would complete a 28-year-old land exchange and allow the city to own outright the land where the 173-acre park sits.

Documents from the 1989 land exchange indicate it was the intention of the BLM to transfer full title to the city for land where Udall Park is located without any constraints on how to develop it.

As part of the agreement, the city in 1989 negotiated to transfer 297 acres of city land worth about $4 million adjacent to Saguaro National Park to the BLM for the title of the land where Udall Park is sited.

The deal was never finalized because of staff changes at the BLM, the city and other involved parties, and commercial activity is prohibited at the park, according to the city.

My legislation would formally complete the long-overdue agreement on land that has already been exchanged at fair market value, McSally testified at the hearing.

Udall Park is a beautiful place for our Southern Arizona community to gather, but the city of Tucson has been unable to improve and expand the park to its full potential, McSally told the committee.

Federal red tape should not stand in the way of communities developing local parks.

Ortega said the city has long had its hands tied in terms of commercial opportunities to supplement park funding.

The legislation is needed to complete what should have been completed almost 28 years ago and to provide an enhanced recreational and economic future for the citizens of Tucson, Ortega said.

With the restrictions lifted, the city could allow for part-time leases like a farmers market or something more permanent, like cell towers.

Councilman Paul Cunningham says a developer approached him a few years ago about a possible partnership at the park, but it never went past the preliminary stages due to the BLM restriction.

Ortega cautioned that while the bill is a good first step, he didnt expect companion legislation to be heard in the Senate until sometime next year.

Any large-scale changes to the park are likely years away, he said.
A small group of Republican senators has finally released the health care bill they have been concocting in secret. They plan to ram it through with a vote as soon as they legally can  with no committee hearings, no chance for a full debate, no amendments allowed, and no chance for most of the public to be represented in the decision. This is legislation that will be imposed on us, not carefully decided on by the representatives of the people. This is not what representative democracy looks like.

Our Republican senator, Steve Daines, has a chance to stand up to these shenanigans and vote no on this bill. He was not allowed in on the process of writing the bill. He will not be allowed to propose amendments. Montanans were not represented in any way by the crafting of this policy that will have such devastating effects on so many of us.

The bill is a disaster for Montanans. It will slash Medicaid, which will mean that $4.8 million dollars in health care aid to the poorest, youngest, sickest and oldest Montanans will be taken away. It will mean that rural hospitals and nursing homes across the state will be in danger of closing. The cuts to Medicaid in this bill almost exactly equal the tax reductions to the wealthiest people in the country. Montanans are not being asked to give up the health care they need because everyone must tighten their belt for the sake of reining in the budget deficit. No, they are asked to suffer in order for the rich folks to get a little richer. How does that seem just or moral in any way?

Daines' staff assures me that he would not support a bill that ended coverage for pre-existing conditions. But this bill will allow states to stop requiring pre-existing conditions to be covered by insurers as long as the states have a "high-risk pool." Montana had a high risk pool before Obamacare. Coverage was ruinously expensive and covered only catastrophic costs. Increases in premiums are the reason Daines gives for dismantling Obamacare. If Montana ends the requirement for pre-existing coverage in insurance plans, anyone who has ever had a serious illness will see their premiums either skyrocket (if they join the high risk pool) or go to zero because they are no longer covered at all.

Will Daines have the courage to vote no as he claimed he would? The man has failed to show any signs of courage or backbone up to now, so there is very little hope that he will. Still, this is his chance to change his cowardly reputation. Which does Daines represent: Montana or the National Republican Party? We shall see.

Linda Kenoyer

Livingston
A husband and wife who applied to be sheriffs deputies are barred from working in law enforcement in Arizona after an investigation revealed they were subjects in a prostitution inquiry, records show.

Jason and Julie Drogsvold accepted a consent agreement with the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for the voluntary denial of their peace officer certifications, said Lori Wait, a compliance specialist with the AZPOST.

It is a permanent denial so they will never be able to gain certification, and because of that fact no law enforcement agency will be able to employ them in a sworn status capacity, Wait said.

Without a peace officer certification, a person cannot work as a law enforcement officer in Arizona.

In April 2016, the Drogsvolds enrolled in the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy as deputy recruits from the Cochise County Sheriffs Office, according to the AZPOSTs case overview. On April 13, a detective with the Tucson Police Department was at the academy signing up recruits for community college credits, the overview said. After Julie Drogsvold completed her application, the detective recognized her name from an investigation the detective conducted into unlicensed massage parlors that were advertising on the internet.

The investigation revealed the Drogsvolds operated a massage business that included sexual activity, according to the case overview.

Julie Drogsvold told Cochise County investigators that she and her husband started the business in 2012 after not being able to find work.

While looking for work, the couple came across internet ads for body rubs and massages and Julie, 40, started working in that business.

She became very popular, was booked solid every day, all day, seven days a week, Jason Drogsvold, 43, told investigators.

Jason also revealed the workings of the business, in which a man would get a massage followed by a masturbation release at the end, according to the case overview.

After about eight months, the couple decided Julie wouldnt continue to service clients, and they opened their own business, hiring two women to work at their house and advertising on internet sites. As the business grew, they employed six women and began operating out of two additional apartments, Jason told investigators.

Julie said she didnt know if the women engaged in sexual activities, but Jason said the topic came up during job interviews, when the women were told that they only had to touch the clients genitals at the clients request and if they felt comfortable doing so, according to the overview.

Jason also told investigators he and his wife were aware one of the women working for them was performing sexual intercourse and sexual contact with clients, the overview said.

The Drogsvolds said they closed the business in 2014 after one of their employees called TPD to report that she had been assaulted by another employee, according to the overview. The Drogsvolds were concerned when this girl involved law enforcement and they knew what they were doing was wrong, so they decided to stop, the overview said.

The couple told investigators they didnt reveal the information on their pre-hire background forms because they wanted to leave that life behind. Julie said while she was ashamed of her behavior, they needed the money .

The Drogsvolds statements to investigators cant be used in criminal prosecution.
The most interesting number in Martha McSallys latest finance report isnt the $1 million she raised for her re-election campaign.

It is the $663,000 that her campaign team doled out roughly 18 months before voters go to the polls in Congressional District 2.

The McSally for Congress campaign went through cash much faster than in previous election cycles, spending roughly $2 for every $3 the campaign raised.

In a 579-page filing with the Federal Election Commission, the two-term Republican reported paying off $186,200 in campaign debt.

The Arizona Daily Star has identified that the McSally for Congress campaign spent at least $429,320 between April 1 and June 30 to pay for the design, printing, postage and mailing of fundraising letters.

By the end of June, the campaign had only added $356,373 to its war chest.

However, with a six-figure amount leftover from the first quarter of the year, the McSally campaign has $987,000 in its campaign coffers with no debt.

Outside political observers say CD2 will be very competitive in the 2018 midterm elections, despite the fact that McSally won the district spanning most of Cochise County and part of Pima County with nearly 57 percent of the vote in 2016.

The Cook Political Report, a well-respected, nonpartisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns, lists CD2 as leans Republican, giving McSally a slight advantage.

McSally is facing mounting criticism from both well-funded political action committees as well as a grass-roots group that has staged dozens of demonstrations outside her midtown offices.

For example, a group calling itself Save My Care bought a number of 30-second ads to air in the Tucson media market in April, criticizing the Republican lawmaker for her stance on health-care reform.

Locally, a grass-roots group called Represent Me AZ has formed a political action committee after growing frustrated with McSally.

The group plans on using funds it raises to pay for ads, billboards and to host candidate forums.

Adding to the heat in the Southern Arizona political climate are eight candidates, so far, vying for the Democratic nomination.

With some candidates either newly announced or still in the exploratory phase, only three filed with the FEC for the last quarter.

Emergency room physician Matt Heinz  who ran against McSally last year and lost  has the largest campaign war chest among the Democratic candidates.

He raised $201,086 in the last reporting cycle and has $181,145 in cash reserves, according to recent filings with the FEC.

Heinz has spent a fraction of what McSally spent  $19,941 on election-related expenses.

One of his biggest expenses was a phone poll, which cost $4,500.

The poll, performed by Public Policy Polling in June, suggested that local Democrats gave an edge to Heinz over former U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in a hypothetical race.

At the time of the poll, Kirkpatrick had not formally announced she was entering the race.

Kirkpatrick, who has moved to Tucson and filed to run in the Democratic primary on Friday, did not have to file a report for the last quarter.

Retired assistant secretary of the Army Mary Matiella raised $31,214 in the three-month period but only spent $615.

Businessman Billy Kovacs received $12,733 in the same period but spent $14,678. He had $5,492 in cash reserves at the end of June.

Other CD2 Democratic candidates, former state Rep. Bruce Wheeler, small-business owner Charlie Verdin, pilot Jeff Latas and consultant William Foster, did not have to file paperwork with the FEC.
The more than 20 public pools in Pima County and the city of Tucson have fared well in safety inspections this summer, according to officials and county health department reports.

There have been about 100 public pool inspections so far in 2017, with each public facility receiving at least one visit, and just six inspections have resulted in a failed rating. Most of those had to do with fences, gates, railings and other structural issues, and just two stemmed from water-quality issues, which were resolved.

Since 2015, there have been nearly 500 visits and 16 failed health inspections at public pools, according to records provided to the Star through a public-records request.

One of the facilities to fail this year for water-quality issues was the Kennedy Park pool, where disinfectant concentrations were below established levels during a June 9 inspection. The county inspector also found there were loose handrails and no ring buoy on site, according to the inspection report.

Billy Sassi, aquatics program manager at the city of Tucson, said all issues at the Kennedy facility were resolved the same day. The low disinfectant level was related to an automatic disinfectant feeder, which was reset, the handrails were fixed and there is now a buoy.

The water in the therapy pool at the Edith Ball Adaptive Recreation Center was cloudy when inspectors visited in late April, but the facility passed a follow-up inspection several days later. Though it passed, the tile around the main pool had cracks that could be a tripping hazard, and the pool supervisor told the inspector they would be fixed.

Most recently, the Ajo Pool in Ajo failed an inspection June 28 for a gate that didnt properly self-close and latch. The health code requires pools to have a gate that swings backward and locks into place after each person walks through. In this case, the gate in question was not used by the public to access or leave the pool.

The gate is now in compliance, and additional gates that were deemed by the countys risk management department as not being up to code will remain locked, used only for utility purposes by the pools staff.

If there is something, we immediately follow the health code and work to get it addressed, said Grant Bourguet, recreation program manager at Pima County.

While we are working with the health department to get this little issue addressed, theres not an urgent fear that somebody could pull on that gate and walk to the pool, fall in and drown, he said. Its a covered, lifeguard-facilitated pool.

Several other pools received violations for fencing and gate issues, including the Menlo Pool, 1060 W. Fresno St., and Archer Center, 1665 S. La Cholla Blvd.

On June 26, an inspector found the Menlo Pool had a gate that didnt self-latch, as well as holes in different parts of the exterior fence. The pool was closed for the day to address the issues, which Sassi said were fixed the same day.

Our fences have been a fairly big issue, because they keep getting cut, he said. Somebody hops the fence or cuts it at night, has a party at the pool, then they will trash it.

While fencing issues were corrected at both Menlo and Archer Center, Sassi says vandalism is the worst problem facing city of Tucson pools. Along with cut fencing and trash, everything from dog food to cereal has been thrown in the pool. It can take hours to properly clean it, sometimes causing the pool to open late or community programs like swim lessons to be canceled.

It happens several times over the course of the summer, Sassi said. We just had an occurrence at one of our pools this weekend where a bunch of dishwashing detergent was emptied into the pool, and we spent all morning trying to de-suds it.

Such issues are not new. Sassi said that one of the strangest pool pranks was when someone released 50 goldfish into a public pool about 25 years ago. Sassi said only a few of the fish died, and a local pet store took in the survivors.

Both Pima County and the city of Tucson strive for diligence in ensuring the proper water quality, officials said. Staff members are required to test chlorine or bromine levels and pH at least hourly during business hours. The county health department inspects city and county pools at least once a month during the summer.

Though a few pools have received violations for not meeting water-quality standards, the issues were typically resolved the same day, often involving adjusting the chlorine levels before opening the pool. Bourguet said safety at the pools is ensured through daily procedures, and lifeguards are constantly trained on proper water testing.

Summer-session pools in the city of Tucson will remain open until Aug. 2; Pima County pools will be open until Sept. 4.
A man defending his pets killed a rabid bobcat northeast of Mount Lemmon in a rural area along the Pima and Pinal county border, according to health officials.

On July 20, officials with Pima Animal Care and the Pima County Health Department were notified that the bobcat tested positive for the rabies virus, said officials Friday, July 21, in a news release.

The bobcat was killed a week earlier by the pet owner. The man was notified and appropriate precautions are being taken to ensure his safety and that of his pets, said officials.

Authorities urge residents to be mindful of the dangers encountering wildlife outdoors. A wild animal that is sick or feels threatened can cause physical harm and expose people and their pets to rabies.

"This incident was isolated to a rural part of Pima County where it is highly unlikely that the bobcat had contact with anyone other than this person and their pets," said Kristen Auerbach, director of Pima Animal Care Center.

"We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone who spends time outdoors to do their best to avoid wildlife they may encounter," said Auerbach in the release.

Wildlife in Southern Arizona that are most commonly found to test positive for rabies includes bats, skunks and foxes, authorities said. It is unusual for these animals to interact with people or their pets. However, an animal with rabies may be more likely to approach or even attack people or pets.

Humans and pets can get rabies from direct physical contact, such as a bite or scratch from an infected animal, said authorities. Rabies exposures are taken seriously because once a person starts developing symptoms that person will not survive, officials said.

Officials ask that people do not approach wild animals and that parents talk to their children about avoiding unknown or wild animals. Pet owners need to keep their pets current on rabies vaccinations.

Authorities also advise that if an animal is acting oddly or is on the ground do not touch it and call the animal care center at 724-5900. A person who comes in contact with a wild or unknown animal is asked to call the health department at 724-7797.

More information can be found at www.pima.gov/health and updates will be posted on the Pima County Health Department and Pima Animal Care Center Facebook pages.
If you have a job, you may have labored under the same misunderstanding that I have for the last few months about Tucsons job market.

But if you werent laboring, you probably did understand.

Ive been thinking Tucsons economy had finally turned the corner, as they say. That we had finally shaken off the Great Recession blues. That jobs were becoming plentiful and better-paid.

Its easy to see why. Here in downtown, where Im writing this, there are five construction projects within a couple of blocks, suggesting a boom time. And even beyond this construction zone, there has been great economic news for the region.

Caterpillar announced it is moving a regional headquarters here, adding up to 600 well-paying jobs.

Two space companies, Vector Space Systems and World View Enterprises, announced they plan to stay and grow here. Over five years, Vector and World View hope to add up to 900 good jobs.

And most importantly, Raytheon Missile Systems announced last year it plans to add at least 1,900 jobs on land near its current plant at Tucson International Airport, potentially drawing other suppliers to the site as well.

These were all big psychological boosts and created a welcome sense of momentum for Southern Arizona. I wrote a column in May 2016 headlined Be careful  economic optimism is in Tucsons air. I cited some of these economic-development wins as well as findings by UA economist George Hammond that the local economy was growing faster than expected.

But that perception has run into a wall called reality. And coincidentally, I started noticing that about a month ago at a presentation by Hammond, the director of the economic and business research center at the UAs Eller College of Management.

The third slide in that presentation showed Tucsons job growth versus comparable cities in the broader Southwest. At 1.3 percent growth, Tucson was last by a long shot. Only Albuquerque was close, at 1.7 percent. Phoenix: 3.1 percent.

Our wages, too, were well below the median, Hammond reported, helpfully adding that this is not explained just by cost of living. In other words, yes, its relatively cheap to live here, but no, thats not why our pay is so low.

Even our one seeming advantage  higher levels of college attainment  is a bit of a mirage, Hammond reported. Its skewed by the high number of retirees with bachelors degrees who move here. Working-age residents have a lower rate of college attainment than the overall population.

The overall feeling of Hammonds presentation was meh.

Now, six weeks, after that uninspiring forecast, the state is reporting similarly blah news about the Tucson metro areas economic performance. While the number of jobs in Arizona grew by 2.4 percent from June last year to June this year, that growth happened mostly in Maricopa County.

The Tucson area added just 1,900 jobs in the same year, for 0.5 percent growth. Thats not enough to keep economic optimism afloat.

The problem seems to be that what boosted our optimism were announcements of relatively small projects that will be spread out over years. They dont necessarily reflect a robust underlying economy.

The scale of the announcements has seemed to me to be pretty small relative to the overall size of the Tucson economy, Hammond told me Friday.

Bill Assenmacher, CEO of steel-fabricating company Caid Industries, told me his company hit some new heights last year, but its growth has leveled off.

Right now were feeling a little lull in the general economy, he said.

Hammond noted the Tucson area, which includes all of Pima County, would need to add 7,500 jobs per year just to come close to the state growth rate at 2 percent.

Also, we have had some surprising shrinkage in an important category of good-paying jobs, professional and business services. That category includes engineers, architects, accountants and others who usually have a professional degree and make good salaries.

We lost 2,100 of those jobs in the Tucson area between June of 2016 and June this year, the latest state reports say. Hammond called it a puzzling weakness that I cant explain.

You might apply that phrase to the local economy overall. Even after a hopeful 2016, it remains puzzlingly weak.
A two-week trial questioning whether a law banning Tucson Unifieds Mexican American Studies program was crafted with racist intent came to a close Friday without a ruling.

The bench trial in the U.S. District Court in Tucson was the latest development over a 2010 state law that bans ethnic-studies programs that promote resentment toward another race or ethnic solidarity.

The trial sought to determine whether state officials, including former schools chiefs Tom Horne and John Huppenthal, who openly spoke against the program, had racist or discriminatory intent in enacting and enforcing the law.

Former Mexican American Studies teachers and students brought the lawsuit in 2010, saying the law violated their constitutional rights. Their claim was dismissed in 2013, but a federal appeals court remanded the case to district court.

In closing arguments and rebuttals, attorneys for both the plaintiffs and defendants called each other desperate, trying to discredit evidence they each presented .

Steve Reiss, an attorney for the plaintiffs, argued the law was created specifically to target TUSDs MAS program, saying an education department staffer under Horne worked with legislators to craft the language.

He also said the law was not needed in the first place if the motive was to eliminate some problematic class material, because an existing law would have done that.

Reiss also pointed out that the department disregarded an independent audit it commissioned and paid for $110,000 for, while issuing its own findings based on a questionable investigation.

The plaintiffs pointed to comments Huppenthal made online, including referring to MAS as KKK in a different color and calling for the elimination of Spanish billboards, television or newspapers, as proving raw, unadulterated racist intent.

But the evidence plaintiffs attorneys presented were a boatload of red herrings, said Leslie Cooper, a state attorney. They simply havent substantiated their claims.

Cooper said private comments Huppenthal made did not influence public decisions, adding that there were legitimate pedagogical concerns from experienced educators who were department staffers over biased and controversial material. MAS was teaching students what to think, not how to think, she said.

She also pointed out that Curtis Acosta, a former Latino literature teacher who testified in the trial, showed disrespect and defiance for authority, as evidenced by a Che Guevara poster on his classroom wall and the fact that he wrote a rap song referring to public officials as butt-kissing wangsta and Neanderthals.

U.S. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima, who oversaw the trial, is expected to issue a ruling in the next few weeks.
Every public defender is asked the same questions nearly every day, and at least twice at cocktail parties. How can you do it? How can you defend those people?

I have been a public defender and criminal defense attorney my entire career. I have defended men, women and children charged with selling drugs, robbing banks, rape and murder. In all that time, and throughout all those cases, I have never lost one minute of sleep wondering if I should be defending those people, even when my clients have confessed or been caught on video. I have never doubted that public defenders exemplify what is best about our country and our form of government.

Public defenders protect and defend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We are what stands between the average person and a government that has the power to choose who lives and who dies. We exist to protect the foundational concepts of our republic; that all people have a right to due process, equal protection of the law, and the presumption of innocence any time a government agent wants to take away their freedom or their lives.

What public defenders dont do, what we never do, is get those people off on technicalities. There are no such things as technicalities; only rights guaranteed to all of us since the founding of this country, rights that millions of Americans have fought for and died while protecting. Public defenders protect our Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches of our bodies and homes as passionately as the NRA protects our Second Amendment right to bear arms. The U.S. Constitution is not a technicality, and public defenders fight every day to make sure no one forgets that.

Those people are not so different from you and me. Most are regular men and women who stole something or hurt someone, often out of ignorance, substance abuse, lack of opportunity, mental illness and one thousand other reasons that are too complicated and morally ambiguous for Nancy Grace and her ilk to rail against.

Thankfully our founders conceived the United States as a nation of reason and laws rather than one of fear and chaos. All people deserve the same rights and privileges, regardless of the mistakes theyve made, the amount of money they earn, or the color of their skin. Public defenders exist to make sure that no one is left behind. We exist to protect the Constitution and fight for it to apply to those people and all people. We dont protect criminals. We protect liberty. We protect what it means to be an American.

Recently one of our public defenders received a letter from a former client. He was charged with several counts of armed robbery, and was looking at possible life in prison until a jury found him not guilty. The client wrote to thank his lawyer.

You did a great thing by not only saving my freedom, my life, but you gave me knowledge, better vision of the world, hope and overall made me a better man. I am not some criminal with poor moral character. Now at 25 years old I still have the opportunity to do things, to be a part of things and hopefully things that are meaningful. The point of this letter is to thank you and let you know that you truly saved and improved my life.
Help India!

By Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood

[In his closing remarks the author requested Prof Michael Calabria to use his good offices and extend a heartfelt invitation from Interfaith Coalition for Peace to Pope Francis to visit India and bless its people]

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In mid July 2017, the Interfaith Coalition for Peace organized a talk at India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), New Delhi by Prof. Father Michael Calabria, Director of the Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies at St. Bonaventure University of USA. The topic was Pope Francis and Muslims.

Father Michael informed the audience that the original name of the present Pope is Jorge Mario Bergoglio and that he had adopted Francis as his papal name on becoming Pope evoking the memory of St. Francis of Assisi. In 1219, during the fifth Crusade, St. Francis had insisted and travelled to Damietta in Egypt. He tried to prevent the European Crusaders from attacking Muslims but had failed in the attempt; the Crusaders had to face defeat.

After this, St. Francis crossed the line of war, following which he was arrested and brought before Sultan Malek Al-Kamil. Thereafter, for twenty days he and the Sultan had a lengthy exchange of views on issues relating to worship and the mystical way of life, which led St. Francis to discover that both Muslims and Christians are fellow devotees of God. When St. Francis was leaving, the Sultan gifted him an ivory trumpet, which is still preserved in the crypt of basilica at Assisi.

By adopting Francis as his papal name, the present Pope has thus sent a clear message to the world that Christians should extend a warm hand of friendship to Muslims and that all issues should be settled through dialogue. The Pope has clearly stated that Christians should respect the customs of Muslims and should win their trust. They must look upon them as fellow human beings and seriously listen to their views.

In his presentation at the IICC, Fr Calabria said that during the Holy Week, during 2013 (and later again in 2016), when Pope Francis washed the feet of the poor and needy people at the Vaticanwhich is an annual ritualit was for the first time that women and Muslims were also included among those whose feet the Pope decided to wash. In an encyclical statement issued from the Vatican in 2014, viz Proclamation of the Gospel, the Pope included some supplications (dua) that Muslims usually make and stressed the need for practical efforts across the world to promote love and brotherhood between Muslims and Christians. On that occasion Pope Francis advised the Christian-majority countries to embrace Syrians fleeing their homeland and to give them refuge.

In 2014, Pope Francis accompanied a Muslim imam and a Jewish rabbi to the Dome of the Rock and the Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, where he addressed Muslims, referring to them as brothers. The same year in Turkey, the Pope joined the Islamic congregational worship known as Salah or Namaz led by the Imam. In 2015 in Sri Lanka, Pope Francis called for mutual respect, cooperation and friendship among people of different faiths, declaring this as the only route for the welfare of humanity. Appealing for observing 2015 as the Year of Peace, the Pope mentioned that, according to the Quran, the mercy and the compassion of God are among the most exalted attributes of God.

Continuing with his narration of some of the major steps that Pope Francis has taken, Father Calabria mentioned the Popes critique of the oppression of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, which he said was one-sided violence based simply on account of the victims religion being Islam. In the same year during September 2015 the Pope visited Ground Zero in New York along with a Muslim imam and a Jewish rabbi.

In 2016, Pope Francis went to Egypt and met with the Imam of Al-Azhar, one of the leading centers of Islamic learning in the world. When asked by media persons what message he wanted to give on this occasion, the Pope replied that this meeting itself was his message to the world. Building and maintaining good relations with Muslims was the most important priority. Later, when journalists asked him what he might like to say about Islamic terrorism, Pope Francis replied that in Italy, there is violence every day, which is done by people who call themselves Christians, but no one calls it as Christian terrorism. Hence, to talk of Islamic terrorism is wrong. Prof Calabria reminded the audience that in his eight years of presidency, US President Barak Obama never used the term Islamic terrorism. He reiterated that we dont say Christian violence and Jewish violence though both do exist.

Prof Calabria emphasized that vast numbers of people have been excluded from the benefits of the present global economic system and hence this economic system is itself a root cause for violence. In 2016, while in Azerbaijan, the Pope mentioned that ones self-enrichment lies in opening ones doors to others with the goal of human good. In the same year, in Rome, the Pope mentioned that in both Arabic and Hebrew, the word rahm or compassion or mercy is derived from the 3-letter root R-H-M that means the mothers womb where the infant develops and from there it enters the world. So, peace in the world begins from Rahm, meaning both womb and kindness. Thus, mercy & compassion are among the foremost attributes of God and He expects the same from human beings, too.

Dr Calabria remarked that US President Donald Trump has talked about building a wall between the USA and Mexico, while Pope Francis talks of demolishing walls and building bridges. The Pope has sent a message to the world to convert conflicts into mutual cooperation through interfaith dialogue. The whole world needs to emulate the Popes exemplary work.

Prof Michael Calabria stressed that it was very important to spread the Popes message in India today and to draw lessons from it. Religious diversity should be the basis of Indias unity, for which hatred and so-called feelings of revenge in the name of religion need to be uprooted. Political conflicts must not be given a religious color.
By all accounts, 2017 was never supposed to be a banner year for Idaho steelhead.

The A-run is forecast to be a little better than last years dismal return  which some biologists called a complete year-class collapse  but still well below average. The B-run is expected to be terrible.

Its too early to freak out, but counts of steelhead passing Bonneville Dam already are lagging behind those of 2016. Steelhead from the A-run, those that tend to spend just one year in the ocean, are arriving now and will be followed by the B-run in late August and September.

From June 1 through July 11, just shy of 4,000 steelhead had passed the dam. Last year, one of the worst on record for the A-run, more than 20,000 steelhead passed the dam in the same time period.

If the counts dont improve and we go along for three more weeks like we have been, then its time to start telling people this year is bad and it might be worse than we forecast, but we are nowhere near there yet, said Alan Byrne, an Idaho Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologist at Boise. The counts could still improve. The facts of the matter are the Bonneville counts are way below what our average counts are this time of year. But we are only a couple of weeks into the run. We wont know the strength of the run until the first week of August.

The preseason forecast calls for a return of 112,100 A-run steelhead to Bonneville Dam, including 33,000 wild fish and 79,100 hatchery fish. Those steelhead will be bound for various parts of the Columbia Basin, and about 50 percent of them are expected to head up the Snake River and pass over Lower Granite Dam.

Fisheries managers are expecting only 7,300 B-run steelhead to pass Bonneville Dam, including just 1,100 wild fish. About 70 percent of them are expected to return to the Snake River, which works out to about 4,340 hatchery and 770 wild Bs at Lower Granite Dam.

We were fully expecting a very down B-run and not that great of an A-run, but better than last year, said Joe DuPont, regional fisheries manager for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Now it makes me a little uneasy.

While the numbers of A-run steelhead counted at Bonneville are depressing, DuPont said there may be a glimmer of hope when you single out Idaho-bound hatchery fish. The numbers show the early part of the run is about average compared to those since 2010. But he cautioned the math is based on just two hatchery fish implanted with PIT tags that have passed Bonneville.

What bothers me more is the big picture, when its more than just Idaho fish, when you are looking at all steelhead, counts over Bonneville are way down, DuPont said.

Its so low that you have to retreat to 1950 to find a year with a lower to-date steelhead count. Washington has implemented special rules in the Columbia River and many of its tributaries designed to protect B-run fish returning later this year, as well as A-run steelhead destined for the upper Columbia River. Idaho is monitoring the run and is prepared to implement restrictions designed to protect B-run steelhead in both the Clearwater and Salmon rivers.

Ron Roler said the low steelhead numbers mimic other data from this years salmon and steelhead runs. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist at Olympia said spring chinook numbers were down, the Columbia River sockeye count is well below forecast and ocean fishing indicates a poor run of coho can be expected. A-run steelhead, coho and sockeye tend to spend just one year in the ocean before returning to fresh water to spawn. Last year, the poor ocean conditions and warm water blob of 2015 were blamed for the low returns. The ocean conditions have improved some, but Roler said it appears the change wasnt fast enough to help fish returning this year.

Ocean anglers are catching good numbers of fall chinook, which Roler said may offer another glimmer of hope for fall fisheries.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Indian Catholic bishops organised a seminar with spiritual leaders from various religions to discuss fears which have risen in the society since the last couple of years. The seminar, which was held on July 16, was named as Collective Action for Dialogue and Social Harmony. Meeting in Delhi under the aegis of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the group of 40 leaders called upon the Government to end impunity which was at the root of the atmosphere of fear that stalks the land today. It was felt that these developments threatened not just secularism, but the Constitution and the democratic fabric of the country. Social activist John Dayal said, I think it was a very important initiative. It is time to stand up to the hate, and to the lynching.

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A five-point program of action was put forward in the meeting:

1. The ideology of hate is a reality and needs to be challenged by Governments, political parties, civil society activists, the criminal justice system and religious communities in a concerted manner.

2. Religious leadership must act at the grassroots to assert the inherent unity of the people. This will help restore public confidence and remove the mutual suspicion that had started growing.

3. The leadership must generate literature as well as content for the traditional, mainstream and social media to challenge falsehood and hatred. Social media can indeed also be used to defeat hate and strengthen bonds between communities.

4. Community leaders must come together at various levels so that tensions can be diffused and trust restored and strengthened. Similarly, national institutions including the National and State Minorities Commissions and other structures must be encouraged to actively work in restoring peace and help strengthen the rule of law. This would also go a long way in ensuring the devolution of development efforts under the 15 point programme and other government measures.

5. A National Inter-Faith and Civil society convention will be held as soon as possible to discuss the developments and the measures that the government needs to take at the national and state levels. The leaders asked people to seek strength from Indias deep spiritual reservoirs to end the increasing environment of hate, violence and disregard for the rule of law in which many innocents of religious and marginalised communities have been lynched in recent weeks. CBCI also welcomed Prime Minister Modis remark in which he said that law and order are the responsibility of the state governments and asked them to deal sternly with cow vigilantes. Referring to the murder of Pastor Sultan Masih, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of the Diocese of Jalandhar said, The murder of Pastor Sultan Masih was an attack on the Christian community.

Bishop Mulakkal told Crux Now, Pastor Sultan Masih was targeted by the killers, with the full knowledge that he was a pastor and this anti-Christian incident has deeply wounded and caused insecurity and disturbances in the Christian community. Not only religious minorities have been attacked in the past, but Hindu population has also suffered the violence up to some extent. Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, the secretary general of the CBCI, called the Amarnath attack dastardly and cowardly, and described it as another sign of the flames of violence that seem to be unfortunately engulfing the country.

The meeting was attended by Goswami Sushil Ji Maharaj, Vivek Muni, Umer Iliyasi, Sardar Paramjeet Singh Chandhok, Mohinder Singh, Manzoor Alam, Zafar Ullah Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minority Commission Navaid Hamid, Delhi Minority Commission Member Anastasia Gill, Rabbi Ezekiel Malekar, TK John, Denzil Fernandes, Michael Williams, Rev Vijayesh Lal, Rev Richard Howell, D K Manavalan IAS, Fr Alarico Carvalho, Fr Bento Rodrigues, Delhi Vicar General Msgr Susai Sebastian, Fr Freddy DSouza, AC Michael, John Dayal, Msgr Chinnayyan Joseph and Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India who had convened the meeting.

(With inputs from Crux Now)
Optimus Prime is frozen in space after travelling through the galaxy searching for his 'Creators'. He eventually crashes onto Cybertron, only to learn that it has been destroyed. His Creator, Quintessa, is inhabiting the planet and commands Optimus, who becomes Nemesis Prime, to retrieve Merlin's staff used during the reign of King Arthur to destroy Unicron.

Meanwhile on Earth, the humans continue their mission to destroy all Transformers. Major Lennox's team called TRF trace Cade Yeager and a young girl called Izzy, who is living in the ruins of Chicago with Squeaks.

Cade and Bumblebee return to a junkyard where they are living with the surviving Autobots and Dinobots. Cade encounters an amulet that followed him to the junk yard. Megatron invades it with other Decepticons he released by bartering with General Lennox. However, they are outnumbered by the Autobots and Dinobots and retreat. A British Autobot called Cogman asks Cade to briefly abandon Izzy and his Autobot and Dinobot friends to meet Sir Edmund Burton at Dover.

When they arrive at Dover, Sir Edmund Burton introduces Vivien Wembley, who was kidnapped in Oxford by Autobot Hot Rod. Sir Edmund informs Vivien that she is the only one who can command the staff that is essential to kill Quintessa and control Autobot Dragonstorm.

They learn when they visit London that Stonehenge is the location of Unicron's heart.

Nemesis Prime follows Cade, Vivien, Bumblebee and TRF underwater to trace Unicron. He stole the staff from Vivien after they found it in Merlin's tomb. When he rises from the sea, Nemesis tries to kill Bumblebee and Cade until the former communicates with him in his actual voice.

Nemesis remembers he is Optimus Prime and returns to his usual self. The Autobot Knights attempt to kill Optimus for his betrayal until Cade uses King Arthur's sword to control the Knights and prevent them from murdering him. Optimus teams up with the Knights, Autobots, humans and former Transformers murder squad TRF, who abandon their mission to hunt them, and destroy Quintessa.

The Decepticons protect Quintessa from the Autobot-human invasion and are defeated. Bumblebee assists Optimus and destroys Quintessa, preventing her from destroying Unicron. Vivien also uses the staff to help them do this.

Transformers The Last Knight features an all-star cast. Mark Wahlberg returns as Cade Yeager and Nickelodeon actress Isabelle Moner plays herself. Peter Cullen reprises his role as Optimus Prime. Josh Duhamel makes a surprise appearance as General Alex Lennox. Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Sir Edmund Burton. Sir Anthony Hopkins performs a brilliant job as Sir Edmund Burton and was by far the strongest actor. He was naturally suited to the role of Sir Edmund Burton and played an excellent job as the narrator throughout the beginning.

This was an incredibly fast-paced movie that left fans like me wanting more. The best scene was the final battle at the end when Cybertron and Earth collide. The humans finally cast aside their differences with the Autobots and ally with them once again to destroy a mutual enemy. They manage to prevent Cybertron from being annihilated and rescue Earth at the same time. But the reason why this final scene was so powerful was because it left a cliffhanger at the end, which you will notice if you watch the film.

This sequel was almost as strong as Transformers (2007). It makes you realise that Megatron's purpose on Earth all this time was to murder Unicron through innovative ways that he experimented with in the previous stories.

However, like its predecessors, it left some significant plot holes. For example, how did Galvatron become Megatron since The Age Of Extinction (2014)? What happens generally in between this film and The Age of Extinction? How did the Autobots retrieve Lockdown's ship when it was flying off in The Age of Extinction? Where did the junior Dinobots originate from and why were Slug and Grimlock only featured in the film? Where were Strafe and Scorn? Hopefully with a new director for the next two films, they can use a fresh pair of eyes to solve all these plot holes, although The Last Knight helped solve most of the mysteries from the previous films by explaining what Megatron's purpose on Earth was all this time.

Transformers The Last Knight was a superb film and a fine edition to the collection. I would rate it 7/10 because even though the special effects were spectacular and the story was a substantial improvement from the last three films, the plot holes let it down. But I would still recommend you go and see it immediately. Like all Michael Bay movies, it was explosive.
The Dutch and British navies are keeping watch on military naval exercises being played out in the Baltic Sea. The operation features 10 Russian warships which are of interest to NATO but another nation taking part is of interest to NATO also.

Sy News reported that China is taking part in the week long war games in European waters and this is the first of its kind for China. A Chinese destroyer, a type 052D together with a tug and frigate is the Chinese contribution to the exercises. China has launched its first home grown aircraft carrier as China has blue water ambitions.

China militarily is becoming a big player on the stage and wants to match Russia, US and NATO Naval Forces. China has opened a new naval base on the Horn of Africa in Djibouti and this may be the beginning of many such bases once China has truly blue water global capability.

In the 21st Century, China is a regional super power but it knows having a truly global navy will make it a world super power.

Enter the Dragon

It seems power is gradually shifting away from the west to the east with the rise of the Chinese economy and its military strength. China has been flexing its muscles around disputed ownership of islands like the Spratley Islands and other land areas with its neighbours like Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, and others.

Then there is the tense situation with Taiwan that mainland China believes should return to the motherland and of top that a potential clash with the USA in those areas.

In history, Chinese civilisation goes back many thousands of years in one form or another begun by Emperor Chinn who conquered all other rival kingdoms. His mausoleum is still being excavated and is famous for the terracotta warriors and surprising technology for the time in weaponry, agriculture, and art.

China has been conquered in the past by the Mongols and then later exploited by European powers. Who can forget the Great Wall of China to stop invaders from attacking China although with the Mongols it was not always full proof?

It is the ambition too of the Chinese president to re-open the silk route - the old trade link from east to west.

But instead of merchants riding on camels or horses, he intends to make it a super-fast rail link.

Chinese cultural conquest?

One has to ask, with China becoming a global player both militarily and economically if Chinese pop culture will become dominant too? Just as American art, music, and culture have dominated the latter part of the 20th Century and beginning of this one.

Will the world population be listening to the latest Chinese popular music, admiring art and appreciating Chinese culture as time goes on?

China and its rise in the fields discussed in this article is a growing reality in the 21st Century that is for sure.
Donald Trump has been the President of the United States for just over six months and there has been no shortage of controversy on a daily basis. In an attempt to vent his frustrations, the president lashed out on a variety of issues on social media.

Trump on Twitter

The Donald Trump presidency has been unlike any other that came before it. It all started just over two years ago on the floor of the famous Trump Tower in New York City. With his family behind him and hundreds of members of the media in front of him, the former host of "The Apprentice" announced his plans to run for president.

At first, Trump's candidacy was viewed as nothing more than a joke and possible stunt to generate higher ratings for his reality show. However, as time went on, Trump was able to garner a massive amount of popularity, riding that momentum to the GOP primary an eventually to an upset win over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Following his election victory, Trump was sworn into office last January, but has been hit with an onslaught of criticism ever since. From his political opponents to the media, Trump and his team have been on the hot seat over issues ranging from the growing Russian investigation, to his questionable policy proposals, to his controversial rhetoric. As seen on his Twitter account on June 22, the president is speaking out.

Former Homeland Security Advisor Jeh Johnson is latest top intelligence official to state there was no grand scheme between Trump & Russia.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017

Taking to his Twitter feed on Thursday morning, Donald Trump decided to cover many topics and didn't hold back his thoughts. "Former Homeland Security Adviser Jeh Johnson is latest top intelligence official to state there was no grand scheme between Trump & Russia," Trump tweeted out.

By the way, if Russia was working so hard on the 2016 Election, it all took place during the Obama Admin. Why didn't they stop them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017

"By the way, if Russia was working so hard on the 2016 Election, it all took place during the Obama Admin. Why didn't they stop them?" Donald Trump rhetorically asked about former President Barack Obama.

Not stopping there, Trump then shifted his focus to the entire Democratic Party.

...Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). It's all a big Dem HOAX!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017

Trump's rage

"Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). It's all a big Dem HOAX!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter. In a follow-up tweet, the president continued his rant. "Why did the DNC REFUSE to turn over its Server to the FBI, and still hasn't? It's all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!" Trump posted.

...Why did the DNC REFUSE to turn over its Server to the FBI, and still hasn't? It's all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017

Moving forward

With the pressure mounting on Donald Trump and the White House, it appears that the president will not be backed into a corner without defending himself. While it's unknown how the Russian scandal and investigation plays out, the president is well aware of the trouble that could follow.
In a span of 24 hours, the White House was rocked on Friday by sudden resignations as Press Secretary Sean Spicer quit over the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financier, as communications director. Hours earlier, President Donald Trumps legal team shrunk by two after Mark Corallo, the spokesman of his legal team, resigned, while reports indicate Marc Kasowitz, the personal lawyer of the billionaire, was fired.

One of the first acts of Scaramucci as communications director was to announce the promotion of Sarah Huckabee Sanders as press secretary from deputy press secretary.

While both Trump and Scaramucci praised the outgoing press secretary, Spicer actually left with a heavy heart.

Double function

Prior to his resignation, Spicer functioned both as press secretary and communications director. He took over the role vacated by Mike Dubke who quit in early June, Reuters reported. After Trump decided to hire Scaramucci, he informed Spicer of the new appointment. It did not sit well with the 45-year-old Spicer who told the president he did not want to remain in the White House.

Trump, who saw Scaramucci on TV, saw in the financier a way to make the unpopular president a top TV surrogate. He wanted Spicer to keep his job since the power would still remain with the press secretary, while the communication directors position is a ceremonial title with no responsibility.

Besides the hiring of Scaramucci, Spicer disliked Trumps recent interview with The New York Times that was published on Wednesday. Spicer was not informed about the interview, and he believes the result was a disaster, The New York Post reported. Huckabee Sanders read a statement of Trump that stated the president was grateful for the work done by Spicer on behalf of his administration and the American people.

Scaramucci, in turn, called the just resigned-press secretary as a true American patriot. Spicer lasted six months on the job, but his resignation, in turn, made comedian Melissa McCarthy  known for her impersonation of the press secretary  jobless for now.

Lawyers say goodbye too

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Corallo resigned, CBS News reported.

The reason behind the resignation of Corallo  a Republican operative who was part of the House committee that invested then-President Bill Clinton in the 1990s  is unknown. He used to be in charge of the presidents defense in the ongoing Russia probe.

Kasowitz, the longtime personal lawyer of Trump, had been representing the real estate billionaire since the early 2000s. Some of the prominent Trump lawsuits he handled were the university fraud cases. Kasowitz recently threatened an ex-PR professional when he wrote F*** you in an email. The lawyer was angry at the PR practitioners recommendation that Kasowitz should resign. It seems the former was right because Trump reportedly just told his longtime lawyer, Youre fired.
Donald Trump has just completed six months as the 45th president of the USA, but there have been more upheavals in his administration than before him. Many of these changes are because of the so called Russian connection that is refusing to die away.

The latest news on this issue is the resignation of Sean Spicer from the post of White House Press Secretary. He has been replaced by Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The White House also announced the appointment of New York Financer Anthony Scaramucci as the communications director.

This was the catalyst that triggered the resignation.

It is reported that Trump had asked Sean Spicer to stay on, but he is supposed to have told the President that the appointment of Scaramucci was amistake This has been reported by the NYT which labeled the source as anonymous.

The appointment of Scaramucci was expected as the vacancy of Communication Director was lying vacant, after Mike Dubke resigned in May.

Sean Spicer

Spicer, a reserve naval officer had a short stint of six months as the communication director. He was the public face of the White House but during his press briefings committed many gaffs. He was criticized for making many false or controversial statements, as well as for displaying combative behavior with the press. His relationship with the White House press corps was contentious.

The first instance occurred after Trump's inauguration when Spicer claimed that the crowds at the ceremony were the largest and that the press had deliberately reported fewer numbers.He once even gave a clean chit to Hitler regarding use of gas

Spicer had a checkered career and was the Communications Director on the House Government Reform Committee in 2000.

He was the communications director and spokesman for the House Budget Committee during the period 2003-5.When George Bush was president he was assistant for media and public affairs at the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Comic

The resignation of Spicer has been commented upon by many people. Some of the comments are laced with humor.

Prominent talk show hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel offered condolences to Melissa McCarthy who portrayed Spicer in Saturday Night Live comedy sketches. Spicers going was long expected but yet it comes as surprise. He had been asked to scale down his appearances and now has finally quit. One wonders whether his going will be a help to president Donald Trump in his battle with the Russian connection.
Scientists using the gigantic radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico have reported that they picked up strange signals from a nearby star in May. Meanwhile, a different team of scientists at the Instituto de Astrofiscia de Canarias in the Canary islands has discovered one of the brightest galaxies ever, the Cosmic Eyebrow.

Strange signals from Ross 128

On May 12 a team of scientists picked up what they described as strange signals that seem to be coming from the direction of a small, dim star named Ross 128. This itself is interesting since this red dwarf star about 11 light-years from Earth is not yet known to have any planets orbiting it. Plus, the star is around 2,800 times dimmer than our Sun.

Ross 128 was observed for 10 minutes with the radio telescope, with the signal being picked up during observation and being almost period throughout that time.

The Search For Extraterrestrial Life (SETI) groups have been made aware of the strange signals. The possibility of intelligent life being the cause of the signal is low, but it cannot be ruled out. Abel Mendez, an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico, originally said he thought the signal was from a human satellite that passed through the telescope's line of sight and was using the same frequency.

However, he now says that we have never seen satellite emit bursts like that. A solar flare could also be the cause, as they can send out powerful radio signals.

On July 16, the Arecibo Observatory started the process of looking at Ross 128 and its surroundings to see if they can find the signal again.

The Cosmic Eyebrow is very bright

A newly discovered galaxy, which has been named the Cosmic Eyebrow, is one of the brightest galaxies that humans have ever discovered. It is about 1,000 times brighter than the Milky Way, has an extremely high rate of star formation and is 10 million light years away from Earth.

The team behind the discovery has published their findings in the scientific journal, 'Astrophysical Journal Letters.'

https://t.co/CvDTwQFaVT shows the ATA observing Ross128, in the Virgo constellation, then Barnard's Star at 01:45UTC #ATASETI pic.twitter.com/zAUoiqzcw5  Jon Richards (@jrseti) July 16, 2017

Researchers discover one of the brightest galaxies ever seen https://t.co/EmgpCgL2Q3 pic.twitter.com/l5aA48XF0U  Engadget (@engadget) July 17, 2017

The discovery was made by using the gravitational lensing effect, which takes large objects in space and warps and enhances the light of smaller objects near them.

This caused the Cosmic Eyebrow to look 11 times bigger than it actually is, with it appearing as several different images. Scientists will now be able to study and analyze more information about the composition of the galaxy in the future by using these images.
The Baltic Sea is thousands of miles away from the Chinese coast, yet the Chinese Navy is conducting a joint exercise with the russian navy. This exercise is a sign of close cooperation between Russia and China. A navy flotilla sailed from China into the Baltic to join the Russian Navy in war games that will continue till July 31. Such an exercise has never taken place before and the US will be wary of this development. The ability of the Chinese navy to operate thousands of miles away from its shores cannot be a good omen for the USA and its allies.This news is reported by BBC News.

Chinese warships and aim

China has sent its most advanced warships for the exercise. They will be berthed at Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave on the Baltic. The warships deployed by the Chinese are a destroyer, a missile frigate, and a supply ship. For the record, Chinese media have described the destroyer as a very advanced guided missile warship.The Chinese purpose is twofold. Firstly, they wish to show solidarity with Russia, and secondly they wish to show the world, and the West, the global reach of Chinese naval power. The flotilla sailed through the English Channel under escort of the Royal Navy. The Russian navy has also committed its advanced warships for the exercise. In addition, the SU-27 fighters based at Kaliningrad will take part.

This war game is cause for alarm to the USA and the peripheral nations who will wonder as to what is the aim of this exercise.China has claimed the exercise is not directed against anyone.

Joint China-Russia naval maneuvers not aimed at anyone, expert says https://t.co/wvdH6eWdSO pic.twitter.com/U2AzewIaAv  China News  (@Echinanews) July 21, 2017

The exercise

The exercise will run for a week and will feature all aspects of sea warfare.

They will also practice anti-piracy drills and hone search and rescue operations. The Chinese flotilla for the exercise is bigger than the Russian.The Dragon is expanding its military reach by building up its naval forces. It has also established its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a small country located in the Horn of Africa.

The base gives the Chinese navy a foothold to make its presence felt in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

The war games in the Baltic Sea with the Russian navy is a show of force by the two allies. This exercise could be a reaction to a joint navy exercise between the United States, India, and Japan  in the Bay of Bengal earlier this month.Yahoo news has reported that many observers feel that the exercise is directed against NATO.The United States European Command is closely tracking the Baltic Sea exercises with China.
After the failure of the U.S. Senate Republicans to agree on a replacement for Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said he would seek a vote on a bill that would simply repeal Obamacare.

Wyomings two senators, Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, signaled earlier this week that they might support such a move.

But the Cowboy States lone representative, Liz Cheney, expressed skepticism about a straight repeal in an interview on Thursday.

I think its really important we dont pull the rug out from people, Cheney said. Weve got to replace it with something.

The House would have to approve any Obamacare repeal passed by the Senate.

Cheney emphasized what she believes is the importance of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and cautioned that she could not comment definitively on how she would vote on a repeal bill without first seeing the legislation.

Id like to see the Senate take action, she said.

Both Barrasso and Enzi have been closely involved in drafting the Senate version of the American Health Care Act, which passed the House with Cheneys support in May. Cheney praised their work on the legislation.

Wyoming couldnt have two better people in the position theyre in to make sure we get something that works for Wyoming, Cheney said.

The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday that the latest bill put forward by McConnell would produce 22 million additional uninsured people by 2026 and drive up premiums for many older Americans. Congress' nonpartisan fiscal analyst said Wednesday the repeal-only bill would leave 32 million additional people uninsured over a decade and double average premiums.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Some fans have said that they feel like Chad Johnson and Corinne Olympios are a Perfect Match. Now Chad is speaking out and sharing his thoughts about dating her. The thing is Chad recently shared that she has a new girlfriend, but that isn't the only reason that he doesn't want to date Corinne. Chad actually revealed that if they were on the same season of "Bachelor in Paradise" then they wouldn't hook up at all. Some fans are surprised to hear that he felt this way.

What did Chad have to say about dating Corinne?

Chad Johnson said that he has a certain type that he likes when it comes to attitude and looks, but Corinne just doesn't fit his type at all.

She isn't someone that he would want to date. Chad said it is nothing against her at all though. Chad went on to explain saying, "She's just not my type. I thought if I did go on we would have had some funny banter, but it's not like we would have come out of that married, you know what I mean? We could have been friends." It doesn't look like the two are going to get to know each other, though. They are not even on the show this season. Chad doesn't seem to have been invited back.

Where can you watch Chad Johnson?

Chad Johnson won't be on the upcoming season of "Bachelor in Paradise," but it turns out that he will be on the upcoming season of "Famously Single." This new season will start airing on E!

on Sunday night. Chad will work with professionals to try and figure out why he can't find a lasting love. He has found a girlfriend since then, so maybe he learned a lot on the show. Chad seems to be happy and living a great life right now.

"Bachelor in Paradise" has resumed filming after some drama went down between DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios.

It sounds like neither one of them are coming back to the show. For now, fans are going to have to just pay attention to their social networks for updates. Corinne has a new boyfriend as well, but she actually went on the show and left a boyfriend at home. Considering that this show is supposed to hook up single people that is a bit odd that she would be on the show while already having someone.

Reality STeve actually shared that several people on this season have a boyfriend.

Are you surprised to hear that Chad Johnson said he wouldn't hook up with Corinne Olympios? Do you think they would be a good match? Sound off in the comments section below on your thoughts, and don't miss watching Rachel Lindsay as "The Bachelorette" on Monday nights on ABC.
Brendan Dassey's life has been in limbo since he received a life sentence, along with Making a Murderer Season 2s Steven Avery in 2007, for the murder of Teresa Halbach. The 27-year-old convict was supposed to be freed, but the court of appeals refused his release from prison.

When the victim died in 2005, the suspect was just 16 years old and too young to stand trial in any criminal justice system. Take a look at the life of the man from Manitowoc County who allegedly helped his uncle to rape and kill the female photographer.

Dasseys arrest and charge

Ever since the case of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey was documented on Netflixs Making a Murderer, it quickly became a global phenomenon.

In fact, a lot believed that they were just wrongfully accused as some even doubted the legal processes they had been through, The Sun reported. Teresa Halbach went missing in 2005, following her visit to Avery's Auto Salvage located at Steven Averys home in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Thus, he became the prime suspect.

Brendan Dassey was then invited for an interrogation as a witness to the case against his uncle.But, when his cousin Kayla revealed that he told her how they killed the photographer, he was once again invited for an interview that led to his arrest in March 2006.

He was later charged with being party to first-degree murder, sexual assault, and mutilation of a corpse. After nine days of trial, he and Steven Avery received the verdict of life-long sentences in April 2007.

Taking his statements back

Moreover, the police revealed that Brendan Dassey allegedly confessed how he helped Steven Avery to rape, kill, and butcher Teresa Halbach.

His statement was used against them, even though they had no physical evidence linking him to the murder. But, in June 2006, he took back all of his confessions in a formal letter to the judge.The younger convicted revealed that he had been forced to say everything he had told in the interrogation. He never testified against his uncle.

He even revealed that most of what he uttered were from a book.

His fight for freedom

With that, after the released of Making a Murderer in 2015, Brendan Dasseys lawyers filed a lawsuit saying he had been detained and arrested illegally.

In August 2016, a judge ordered his conviction to be overturned so he could be released. But, in September of the same year, prosecutors made an appeal to the ruling that made the order overthrown.
The UN Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) has indicated that due to poor rainfall, North Korea is facing a drought situation. It could be worse than the one witnessed in 2001 and could result in a possible shortage of food. The situation is not likely to improve unless there is adequate rainfall in the main 2017 cereal production season.

The country went through a prolonged period of dry weather between the months of April to June which is the important growing season. This has, in turn, affected production of rice and maize which are staple crops.

From the standpoint of FAQ, the world cannot remain a silent spectator. Countries should send humanitarian aid to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

The ground realities

CNN reports that if the drought conditions continues, it would lead to loss of food security in North Korea. The country is living in isolation and has not yet come out of the deadly famine it faced in the late 1990s. An estimated two million people died in the period 1995 to 1999 from that famine and tons of food aid was sent from countries around the world, including the United States, to check the spiraling death toll.

The UN's World Food Program has made a shocking revelation that majority of North Koreans do not get proper food.

The main cereal producing areas have received rainfall which is below the level of 2001 and the problem aggravates when monsoons begin and there are floods. FAO has said that natural disasters take a heavy toll on North Korea and it should take measures to protect itself against climate change. FAO also wants countries to rise to the occasion and send assistance in the form of irrigation equipment and food aid.

Will the United States step in?

It may be recalled that, in 2012, the Obama administration had extended a helping hand in the form of humanitarian aid to North Korea. The U.S. had struck a deal with Kim Jong-un to send tons of food assistance provided it put a stop to its nuclear activities. However, it did not materialize because of the insistence of the Kim's government to go ahead with its plans to develop missiles.

Incidentally, the US also provided food assistance to North Korea in 2016, according to a report by VOA News.

President Donald Trump is now in the chair and he wants to neutralize the looming threats of a nuclear attack from North Korea. He has impressed upon the Chinese President to intervene and exert pressure on the regime through control over its economy. The United States has an ally in the President of South Korea who wants to improve relations with the North. Under the circumstances, the Trump administration could repeat the previous offer of extending humanitarian aid in the form of food supplies. It could step in and become the savior of the drought stricken country.
Top comedians Fan Wei (left) and Dong Chengpeng team up in the comedy Father and Son. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Top comedians Fan Wei and Dong Chengpeng team up for the first time in the upcoming comedy Father and Son, which will open across Chinese mainland on July 21.

The movie is about a cheater who plans to use a fake funeral of his father to earn money, but is drawn into a series of troubles. But the adventures unexpectedly ease his tension with his father.

Fan, who has won several best actor awards in some international film festivals, stars the father. Dong, more popular known as Da Peng, plays the cheater.

The cast also includes actress Zhang Tian'ai and up-and-coming actor Qiao Shan.

Yuan Weidong, a former musical director who is recognized by the West, helms the feature-length comedy.

Yuan said the movie will help more audiences to mediate their relationship with parents, during a recent event in Beijing.

Echoing the views, Fan said most Chinese fathers are shy to show their love to the children, and are also shy to accept love from their children.
Salt-water goose [Photo provided to China Daily]

Yangzhou is the birthplace of Huaiyang cuisineone of China's four major cooking stylesthat is famous for its light, fresh taste and exquisite knife work.

But you don't have to visit to enjoy the cuisine.

The ongoing Yangzhou Food Festival at the Beijing Minzu Hotel lets you enjoy a Yangzhou feast in Beijing through July 31.

The festival menu includes signature dishes cooked by chefs from the Yangzhou State Guesthouse, one of the most celebrated hotels in Yangzhou.

One of the must-haves is wensi tofu, a dish which represents the knife skills of Yangzhou fare.

Wensi tofu [Photo provided to China Daily]

It is said that the dish was created by a monk called Wensi during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

To prepare the dish, a small block of soft and tender tofu is shredded into more than 5,000 pieces.

Chefs feel rather than see what is being cut, especially because when they cut the tofu, they must do it with same frequency and at a fast speed, so that the cuts sound like a monk using a wooden fish during Buddhist rituals.

The shredded tofu, which can pass through the eye of a needle, is placed in water to fan out like a flower, and then poached in chicken stock before being served.

Lion's Head [Photo provided to China Daily]

Another must-have is a giant meatball known as shizitou, or the Lion's Head.

The dish is made with fatty and lean pork.

The pork is hand cut, not minced, and then shaped into meatballs and simmered in stock for at least four hours.

Squirrel fish [Photo provided to China Daily]

Squirrel fish is also a must-have. Here, chefs fillet a whole mandarin fish, and then fry it in boiling oil so that it curls up like a squirrel's tail.

The crispy fish is served with a homemade sauce.

Jicai tangyuan, or shepherd's purse rice dumpling, is also very delicious.

The rice dumpling is soft and tender, with a strong fragrance.

The city's famed baozi (steamed buns with stuffing), and its namesake fried rice are also on the festival menu.

Stir-fried shrimp [Photo provided to China Daily]
Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia, Canada, is located on Vancouver Islands rugged southern end and boasts magnificent natural surroundings. The citys museums showcase its complex history, including its ethnic mix and native origins. The waterfront, especially lively Fishermans Wharf, is popular with both locals and tourists and Victorias Chinatown is one of the oldest in North America.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1. Royal BC Museum, Victoria, BC  Royal BC Museum

Located next to Victoria's Inner Harbour, the Royal British Columbia Museum was established in 1886, with the archives added in 1894. Today, it houses British Columbias provincial museum and archives, which aim to collect and safeguard artifacts, specimens, and documents pertaining to British Columbias human and natural history. The museum has three permanent galleries: modern history, natural history, and BC First Nations history. The collections comprise about seven million objects, including artifacts, natural history specimens, and archival records. The natural history gallery has about 750,000 specimens, mostly from BC and neighboring provinces, states, or territories. The museum also offers touring exhibitions and some notable previous exhibitions have focused on the RMS Titanic, Egyptian artifacts, Leonardo da Vinci, the Vikings, and many others. The museum also houses the IMAX Victoria theater, which offers films that are both educational and entertaining. 675 Belleville St, Victoria, British ColumbiaV8W 1A1, Canada, Phone: 250-356-7226

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2. Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of Leonart's - Fotolia.com

A favorite of Victoria residents and deeply connected to the citys history, Beacon Hill Park spreads over 75 acres along the shore of the Juan de Fuca Strait. Formalized in 1882, Beacon Hill Park is an oasis in the midst of a busy urban setting, consisting of a mix of natural areas and artfully landscaped parks. The views from all corners of the park are breathtaking, whether the fields are covered with miles of seasonal wildflowers or a storm is painting the sea and sky all shades of gray. Beacon Hill Park has sports fields, a childrens petting zoo, miniature golf, several playgrounds, a cricket pitch, a lawn bowling club and a water park. Cameron Bandshell hosts many concerts during the warm summer evenings and the wind carries the smell of flowers from Victorian flowerbeds and a rose garden, while trees, lakes, and bridges provide lovely walking paths. As you stroll through the park, you can spot herons, otters, raccoons, and squirrels, and the waterways offer home to turtles and crays. 100 Cook St, Victoria, BC V8V, Canada, Phone: 250-361-0600

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3. British Columbia Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of alpegor - Fotolia.com

British Columbia Parliament Buildings is a magnificent cluster of buildings in ornate Neo-baroque style located north of Belleville street and facing the Inner Harbour. Its construction was completed in 1897 and it started operating a year later. The whole complex is on a grand scale - the facade is 500 feet across, with two wing pavilions and an enormous central dome. The combination of Baroque symmetry, brilliant white marble, several domes, and the rusticated surfaces of the Romanesque Revival style made the buildings an impressive seat of legislature for the young province. There is a statue of Queen Victoria on the front lawn as well as a statue of a soldier in honor of the province's dead soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Perched on top of the central dome is a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver. There are free daily tours of the buildings and visitors are also invited to observe debates while the House is sitting as well as dine in the parliamentary dining room 501 Belleville St, Victoria, BC V8V 2L8, Canada, Phone: 250-387-3046



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4. Scenic Marine Route, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of Melissa - Fotolia.com



The Pacific Marine Circle Route is the perfect way to see much of the Cowichan region and southern Vancouver Island, from the sheltered east coast to the wild, rugged west coast. The picturesque 255-kilometre paved route passes through dozens of diverse communities. Between Cowichan Lake and Port Renfrew is a 55-kilometer long section that is a wild landscape of grand mountain vistas, ancient old-growth forests, and cold, clear rivers. Along the way, you can explore wine country, visit some of the most beautiful West Coast parks and beaches, learn about First Nations history and visit a range of colorful villages, towns, and cities, all on one spectacular road trip.

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5. Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Craigdarroch Castle  Courtesy of vdvtut - Fotolia.com



Perched on top of the hill in Victoria's Rockland neighborhood, Craigdarroch is a massive Victorian castle built in the 1890s for the coal baron Robert Dunsmuir and his family. It was a proud symbol of his wealth, which he had newly acquired from Vancouver Island coal. Today, the four-story building is a house museum that is beautifully restored and open to the public, showing how the rich lived in the era of Queen Victoria. Spread over 25,000 square feet, Craigdarroch Castle has 39 rooms and no expense was spared in its construction. Granite was brought from British Columbia, an oak staircase came from Chicago, and the tiles were shipped from San Francisco. Originally, the castle was surrounded by 28 acres of landscaped land, but now the majority has been sold. Most of the lavish furniture, intricate woodwork, and magnificent stained glass have been preserved, as well as much of the original furniture, making tours of the castle a pure pleasure. 1050 Joan Cres, Victoria, British Columbia, V8S 3L5, Canada, Phone: 250-592-5323

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6. Fisherman's Wharf, Victoria, BC, Canada  Courtesy of Bill Perry - Fotolia.com



Located next to Victoria's Inner Harbour, Fisherman's Wharf is the place where locals bring their visitors. Theres great food on every corner, live music, a wonderful atmosphere, stunning views, a whole floating city next door, expensive pleasure yachts moored in the harbor, and sturdy fishermens vessels bringing in the catch of the day. Grab an ice cream, a plate of fish and chips, or a cup of coffee and sit on one of many benches or picnic tables to enjoy the feel and buzz of a true working harbor. Fishermans Wharf is also where you can book kayaking and whale watching trips or board one of many ferries to the neighboring communities. 1 Dallas Rd, Victoria, British Columbia V8V 0B2, Canada, Phone: 250-383-8300

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7. Ogden Point Breakwater, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of vdvtut - Fotolia.com

The Ogden Point Breakwater is a narrow 800-foot-long walkway not far from the Inner Harbor that ends with a beautiful lighthouse and offers incomparable views of the harbor and surrounding landscape. The walk starts at the Ogden Point Cafe on Dallas Road where you can find an interesting interpretive exhibit that tells the story of the construction of the breakwater and the local marine life. The breakwater was completed in 1916 and is made of concrete and concrete blocks on a rock base. A recently added attraction is the Na Tsa maht or Unity Wall mural, a huge public piece of art painted on the inside of the breakwater portraying the relationship between First Nations and settlers, creating a symbolic bridge between cultures. Dallas Rd, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada



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8. Miniature World, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of rob3rt82 - Fotolia.com

Located on the north side of the Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria, Miniature World lets you immerse yourself in a bit of fantasy and history and bring out your inner child with more than 80 miniature yet very detailed displays of places, events, and themes, all accompanied with appropriate sounds, making the experience both exciting and real. You can see the smallest operational sawmill in the world, which took eleven years to make, two of the worlds largest doll houses, and one of the worlds longest model railways. There is also a very detailed Circus World, Frontierland, Space 2201, Fantasyland, King Arthur's Camelot, and so much more. 649 Humboldt St, Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1A6, Canada, Phone: 250-385-9731



9. Robert Bateman Centre, Victoria, BC  Robert Bateman Centre

Located on the second floor of the historic 1924 neoclassical Steamship Terminal in Victoria's Inner Harbour, the Robert Bateman Centre is an art gallery featuring a collection of paintings by Robert Bateman, the legendary Canadian nature and wildlife artist and naturalist who devoted his life to painting natures magnificence. The collection houses more than 100 of Batemans works, covering seven decades of his life and ranging from large dramatic paintings of natures close-ups to his smallest drawings, and is the largest ever assembled. There is also a multi-media video about his life as well as a fascinating interactive bird song gallery. The center has floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Victorias Inner Harbour that vividly reflect Batemans paintings. 470 Belleville Street, 2nd Floor, Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1W9, Canada, Phone: 250-940-3630

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10. Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours, Victoria, BC  Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours

Whale watching is a rare pleasure that cannot be enjoyed in that many places and going with a reputable and highly acclaimed tour company such as Eagle Wing makes that pleasure even greater. Aboard their comfortable and safe open or closed boats, you can spend about three hours looking for and following these magnificent creatures that frequent the waters around Vancouver Island. All staff members are highly trained and experienced, and certified marine naturalists and biologists and will help you learn and understand both this unique marine ecosystem and the animals that live here. You can see orca whales, humpback whales, several kinds of seals, bold eagles soaring above, sea lions, and much more. And just in case it isnt your lucky day and no whales show up, you can come back for free and try again. 12 Erie St | Fisherman's Wharf, Pier #2, Victoria, British Columbia V8V 4X5, Canada, Phone: 250-384-8008



11. Victoria Bug Zoo, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of mashiro 2004 - Fotolia.com

For lovers of creepy-crawlies, the Victoria Bug Zoo is the ultimate thrill. Since opening its doors in 1997, this downtown Victoria mini zoo has seen a steady stream of kids both big and small. There are about 40 species of live tropical bugs from all over the world safely living in large transparent boxes, so that you can observe them and their habitats without disturbing them. You can see fascinating walking sticks, mesmerizing glow-in-the-dark scorpions, elegant praying mantises, giant hairy tarantulas, and the largest ant colony in Canada. Knowledgeable guides will tell you all about bugs, their habitats, and habits, and will teach you how to handle them safely. There is always a new bug in the museum so every visit is different and unique. 631 Courtney St, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1B8, Canada, Phone: 250-384-2847

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12. Abkhazi Garden, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of seaonweb - Fotolia.com

Once upon a time in 1946, a young prince named Nicolas Abkhazi wanted to create the most beautiful garden for his princess Peggy. He bought a narrow piece of land covered in weeds and created what is today called the garden that love built. After the couple died, their ashes were scattered among their beloved rhododendrons. The Abkhazi Garden is a fairytale 1.4-acre garden that overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the distant Olympic Mountains. It is one of Victorias favorite spots to escape from the noise and rigors of urban life. There is an interesting interplay between the wooded areas and the rocks, some of which are bare and some are planted with rock plants. Small pools between the larger rocks are a playground for the local mallard ducks, and in the lower part the garden is forested with old oaks and dense rhododendron bushes, as magnificent as when prince and his princess lovingly tended them. 1964 Fairfield Rd, Victoria, British ColumbiaV8S 1H4, Canada, Phone: 250-598-8096



13. Royal Theatre, Victoria, BC, Canada  Royal Theatre

A stage that has seen Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sarah Bernhard, Luciano Pavarotti, and many other great artists of our time, the Royal Theatre is one of Victorias most treasured performance venues and tourist attractions. The intimate 1416-seat theatre decorated in the Rococo/Renaissance Revival style opened its doors in 1913 and was used as a cinema between 1917 and 1981. The theater is home to the Pacific Opera Victoria and the Victoria Symphony. Managed by the Royal & McPherson Theatres Society, the Royal Theatre is Vancouver Island's main venue for visiting attractions, such as concerts by Beach Boys and Celtic Thunder, and can be rented for social events. 805 Broughton St, Victoria, BC V8W 1E5, Canada



14. Chinatown, Victoria, BC, Canada  Courtesy of Jenny Thompson - Fotolia.com

As you pass through the Gate of Harmonious Interest on Fisgard Street, you enter Victorias Chinatown, one of the oldest North American Chinatowns and the oldest in Canada. It started growing in the mid-19th century as a large number of miners and railroad builders came to Vancouver from China. At the time, Chinatown was known for its narrow dark alleyways and small courtyards and was always buzzing with life in its shops, theaters, massage parlors, and gambling and opium dens. It is still a popular place for Chinese Canadians to live and work and is the heart of the cultural community, with a Buddhist temple, community organizations such as the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, the Chinese public school, well-maintained residences, and shops. It is a popular spot for locals who crave good Chinese food and tourists who are curious about this unique neighborhood of Victoria. Fisgard St., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada



15. Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Maritime Museum of British Columbia  Maritime Museum of British Columbia



The Maritime Museum of British Columbia tells the story of the rich maritime heritage of British Columbia through extensive collections, a large library and archives, and a range of community and educational programs. The collection contains about 35,000 artefacts, with 800 model ships and various items linked to the provinces maritime heritage. The reference library contains 6,000 volumes, including 200 historically significant titles, records of ship ownership and shipbuilding, naval records, logbooks, plans for 1,800 vessels, charts and maps, an art collection and more than 36,000 photographs. Most of the collection is protected in a climate-controlled space and a small number of artifacts is displayed in the Humboldt Avenue gallery and in travelling exhibits. Three small historic vessels that are part of the museum collection are stored in the outer harbor at Ogden Point. 634 Humboldt, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1A4, Canada, Phone: 250-385-4222

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16. Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Bastion Square  Courtesy of R. Stelmachowicz - Fotolia.com



Bastion Square is Victorias historical epicenter. Having once been part of Fort Victoria and later the hub of city life during the gold rush, its legacy continues as a historical, cultural, and commercial centerpiece. Visitors pass through its iconic ceremonial entry arch to find some of the best pubs and eateries in Victoria, many with patios overlooking the Inner Harbour. During the summer months, the square is also home to a popular daily artisan market featuring jewelry, leatherwork, handmade moccasins, and other crafted works of art. On Sundays, the market swells to include even more artists and an abundant farmers market. Between Government and Wharf Streets, Phone: 250-885-1387



17. Tea at the Empress, Victoria, BC  Tea at the Empress



Tea at the Empress has been a tradition at British Columbia's iconic Fairmont Empress hotel for over a century, bringing the classic Victorian British tradition to diners in Canada. Afternoon tea service is served for more than 80,000 annual guests, offering 21 splendid international teas on the menu at any given time, showcasing the best products of the world's top growing regions. All menu items are crafted fresh daily from locally-sourced ingredients, including freshly-baked scones with strawberry jam, honey, and lavender and a variety of delicious tea sandwiches and tarts. Unique tailored children's tea service is also available for young diners ages five to 12 years old. 721 Government Street, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1W5Phone: 250-384-8111

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18. Mount Tolmie Park, Victoria, BC  Mount Tolmie Park



Mount Tolmie Park is prized for its panoramic views. In fact, it has been dubbed The Best Place to View the City. Visitors can hike or bike over 1,500 meters of park trails that meander through tranquil meadows and up rocky terrain to the summit. Along the way, there are quiet natural areas that are perfect for contemplation, bird watching, picnicking, or enjoying the view. Those who venture as far as the summit can stand among rocky outcrops from the Jurassic period and see slickensides from the Ice Age. Panoramic highlights include the city of Victoria, the Olympic Mountains, and the San Juan Islands. 3486-3492 Mayfair Drive, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-475-1775



19. What to Do in Victoria, BC: Emily Carr House  Courtesy of chutima - Fotolia.com



The Emily Carr House is a National Provincial Historic Site dedicated to the lifes work of its namesake, Emily Carr. Visitors can wander through the meticulously restored downstairs rooms of her childhood home and learn more about her art, relationship with nature, and passion for First Nations. The iconic Canadian artist and writer is celebrated for her legacy of social justice in art and literature, including her book Klee Wyck, which was the winner of the Governor Generals Gold Medal for Literature. Guests are invited to tour the gardens, take refreshments on the veranda, and visit the gift shop. The visitor season runs from May to September. 207 Government Street, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-383-5843

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20. Empress Hotel National Historic Site of Canada  Empress Hotel National Historic Site of Canada



The Empress Hotel National Historic Site of Canada was awarded its historic places designation because of its Chateau-style architecture that once dominated the railway hotel era. The hotel was among other Chateau-style hotels built along the transcontinental railways for the Canadian Pacific Railway to accommodate the traveling public in style. Known for their elegant decor and comfort, these hotels quickly grew in popularity. The massive six-story Empress Hotel has original architectural elements that exemplify the era, such as asymmetrical design, polygon turrets, brick cladding, steep copper roofs, and ornate landscaping. The 1904 hotel has been gracefully restored and guests have unimpeded views of Victorias Inner Harbour. 721 Government Street, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-384-8111



21. Save On Foods Memorial Center, Victoria, BC  Save On Foods Memorial Center



Save On Foods Memorial Center is home to the Victoria Royals hockey team, and one of the citys biggest event centers. When the Royals arent entertaining fans with big wins, the center hosts a variety of big name events where musical acts like Grammy-winning country singer Dwight Yoakam and Canadas iconic Blue Rodeo take the stage. Guests can catch other high-energy favorites from comedian Gabriel Iglesias to the Harlem Globetrotters to WWE Wrestling. The Memorial Center facility offers private ice rink rental and provides an upscale buffet service before games and events at the third floor Lions Den; catering is upon request. 1925 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC, Phone: 250-220-2600



22. St. Anns Academy National Historic Site, Victoria, BC  Courtesy of Alexander Maximov - Fotolia.com



St. Anns Academy National Historic Site offers visitors a glimpse into Victorias elegant past. What was once the citys first Roman Catholic cathedral was transformed into a Catholic girls school and is now open to public self-guided and customized group tours. The historical highlight is the 1858 chapel, which has been meticulously restored with original gold leaf finishes, stained glass windows, altar paintings, Stations of the Cross, statuary, and a magnificent 1913 Casavant pipe organ. Other points of interest are the restored foyer, sisters parlor, pupils parlor, and unrestored priests breakfast room. Temporary era exhibits and the surrounding gardens round out the tours. 835 Humboldt Street, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-953-8829

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23. Victoria, BC Points of Interest: Lone Tree Hill Park  Lone Tree Hill Park The biggest draw to Lone Tree Hill Park is the epic view from its 364-meter summit. Hikers are rewarded with the sight of the Malahats rugged terrain, the Highlands surrounding the park, the city of Victoria on the southern edge of Vancouver Island, and even the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Visitors should expect the trail to the summit to be moderate at times and challenging at others. The park is great for bird watching and photographing springtime wildflowers. The Lone Tree moniker came from an ancient Douglas-fir tree on a hillside in the park that looked like a bonsai. Millstream Road, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-360-3000



24. Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Victoria Eco-Adventure Tours for Kids  Victoria Eco-Adventure Tours for Kids Victoria Eco-Adventure Tours for Kids is passionate about introducing children to nature in immersive experiences that develop responsible tourism and a love for the outdoors. They offer three tours for kids aged 5 to 13. Tour Option One is 90 minutes and explores local flora and fauna, Tour Option Two is two hours and adds the Childrens Farm, while Tour Option Three is three hours focusing on First Nations, a wildlife scavenger hunt, and the interactive Childrens Farm. Guides are certified by the Canadian Red Cross in CPR and emergency childcare first aid. Tours depart from the Royal B.C. Museum. 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-882-6687



25 Best Things to Do in Victoria, BC

More ideas:

Finnerty Gardens

Located at the southwestern corner of the University of Victoria campus, Finnerty Gardens are the epitome of botanical splendor. Visitors may take self-guided tours along a web of winding pathways and dozens of benches scattered throughout the garden provide a place to rest or simply admire a particularly lovely view. Highlights include a vast array of rhododendrons representing 200 species, spectacular azaleas, and numerous complementary plants among the three ponds and 4,000 shrubs and trees.

The garden has been purposefully designed to provide guests with the ultimate multi-sensory seasonal experience all year round. It is free and open to the public.

University of Victoria, University Drive, Victoria, B.C., Phone: 250-721-7014

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On Friday morning from her spot at the Four Dances Recreation Area trailhead, Skye Borden had two thoughts: lobbying Montanas U.S. senators on climate change and Environmental Protection Agency funding, and taking a hike herself.

Borden, of Missoula, is director of Environment Montana, a statewide, citizen-funded advocacy group and a project of Environment America.

Shes on a statewide tour to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change on Montanas public lands. Previous stops included Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, the Hyalite Day Use Area near Bozeman and the Pine Creek Lake Trailhead near Livingston.

Shell conclude her tour Tuesday at the Albright Visitor Center at Mammoth Hot Springs.

At the Four Dances trailhead, Borden was distributing postcards that hikers can fill out and mail to U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana. The postcard asks Tester to work to restore proposed cuts to the EPAs research and clean air regulatory programs.

An Alabama native, Borden said Environment Montana is holding its Trailhead Tour on federal lands to focus attention on the 2017-18 EPA budget in which President Donald J. Trump has proposed a $3 billion reduction, with about one-fourth the agencys employees losing their jobs.

Im not expecting a big day. Its pretty hot, she said Friday. Ive had some 100-postcard days and some days where I passed out four. The best part, she added, is that I get to be outside in this gorgeous place.

Early on in her statewide tour, I was a little nervous, she said. Climate change is kind of a controversial topic.

But shes received an overwhelmingly positive response on the tour so far.

Theres some disagreement about how we protect our public lands, she said, but its hard to find people in Montana who dont love to be outside.

When she talks to people who are recreating, she stresses what she calls the three main threats that climate change brings to public lands: the reduction of snowpack and stream flows, habitat loss and worsening wildfire seasons.

That causes problems for outdoor recreation, she said, including shortened ski seasons, longer fishing restrictions, fewer big game kills and fewer days with clear summer skies.

Recreation and tourism, according to Environment Montana, pumps $2.3 billion annually into the Montana economy. The sectors are responsible for nearly 90,000 Montana jobs.

Sen. Tester and Sen. (Steve) Daines (R-Montana) need to stand up to this disastrous (EPA) budget and protect our public lands from climate change, she said.

At the close of her Friday lobbying efforts, Borden said she planned to hike at least part of the Four Dances trail.

"Billings is beautiful," she said. "Y'all are doing great."

Learn more at www.environmentmontana.org/home.
Phnom Penh, July 21 (VNA)  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on July 21 afternoon left Phnom Penh for the next stop in his State visit to Cambodia - Preah Sihanouk province in Cambodias southwest coastal region.



Before leaving, the Party leader visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh where he talked to representatives from Vietnamese businesses and overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia.



General Secretary Trong listened to the aspirations and proposals of the business representatives and overseas Vietnamese. He stressed that while the two countries have maintained good relations, there are many things to do to facilitate the life of Vietnamese living in Cambodia



The Party chief said during his meetings with Cambodian leaders, the two sides discussed measures to create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia, particularly their legal status, with the aim of helping them stabilise their life to contribute to Cambodias development as well as the friendship between the two countries.



He also requested the Embassy to work harder to fulfil its mission of foster the ties between Vietnam and Cambodia.

VNA/VNP
Preah Sihanouk, July 21 (VNA)  Cooperation between localities of Vietnam and Cambodia will help deepen ties between the two countries, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong told Governor of Preah Sihanouk province Yun Min on July 21.



Meeting with the Governor after arriving in Preah Sihanouk, the Party leader welcomed the Cambodian provinces proposal on encouraging Vietnamese investors to do business in the province and working with Vietnam in building transport infrastructure.



He said that relevant agencies and localities should discuss plans to realise the proposal in the time ahead.



Trong praised the great potential of Preah Sihanouk and noted that the province has good relations with many Vietnamese localities, wishing the relations will grow across the fields.



Governor Yun Minh recalled his vivid memories of the time he fought side by side with Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts to liberate Cambodia from the genocidal regime.



He said the Vietnamese community in the province live in harmony with the local people and administration, adding that the province pays attention to enhancing the friendship with many Vietnamese cities and provinces such as Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Hai Phong.



He expressed the wish that Vietnam will continue to assist Preah Sihanouk province in infrastructure construction, and called on Vietnamese businesses to invest in the province.



Preah Sihanouk is the second stop of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his State level visit to Cambodia from July 20-22.

VNA/VNP
The 125,000-acre fire burning in Eastern Montana prompted the partial closure of Highway 200 on Saturday afternoon due to the fire crossing the roadway, according to the Garfield County Disaster and Emergency Services.

The closure is in effect from Jordan to Winnett, according to Al Nash, a spokesperson with the Bureau of Land Management.

Initially the closure was announced for Highway 200 between Mosby and Sand Springs. The closure was later expanded in order to allow easier, safer detours of travelers, Nash said.

"They just recognized it wasn't the best decision to let people get as far as those two communities and have them turn around," Nash said.

Speaking at about 4:30 p.m., Nash said it was his understanding the highway from Sand Springs to Mosby remained an area of concern "due to increased fire activity."

In a Facebook post to the Garfield County DES page at about 3 p.m. on Saturday, the initial closure was announced "due to fire crossing" the highway "with erratic behavior."

People are asked not to enter the area "unless directly related to fire suppression and communicating with officers on the perimeter."

Friday evening and Saturday morning the fire resulted in the temporary closure of Highway 200, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group website InciWeb. Drivers were urged to continue slowly through the area because of the fire and smoke conditions.
A NANG  More than 2,000 businesses, speakers and students joined the second International Start-up Conference and Exhibition in the central city yesterday, sharing experiences and ideas in panel and round-table discussions, talks and fireside charts among domestic and international experts.

The event, entitled Surf-the Start-up Wave 2017, also featured local government leaders, partners, investment funds, investors, entrepreneurs, enterprises, start-up support organisations, authorities, students from universities and residents from Ha Noi, HCM City, Hue, Quang Nam, Binh inh, Can Tho, ong Thap, a Nang and representatives from 27 countries and territories.

a Nang has launched its business start-up programme eco-system from now until 2020, with a vistion to 2030.

We are looking to make the city into a start-up destination and international innovation hub of ASEAN in 2030. The 2017 International Start-up Conference and Exhibition will be a significant chance for the city and partners forming development of the citys start-up ecosystem in the future, said chairman of a Nangs Start-up Network Council and a Nang Business Incubator, Vo Duy Khuong.

Its also an opportunity for young businesses in a Nang seeking fund investors, he said.

The event drew the participation of 70 pavilions from start-up projects and businesses, institutes, colleges and sponsors in panel discussions, roundtables, pitching competitions, and exhibitions.

Motivational speaker Jeff Hoffman, the cofounder of Priceline.com and of ColorJar, also shared experience and suggestion for young start-up businesses during the two-day event.

Young start-up businesses share their ideals and experience at the International Start-up Conference and Exhibition in a Nang.  VNS Photo Cong Thanh

Earlier this year, the city and the Ireland Embassy in Viet Nam agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on high quality human resource education, management skills for the citys personnel and start-up programme for students in a Nang.

The MoU will include Master Education programme, education exchange among a Nangs Economics College and Iris universities and humanitarian programme in supporting the disabled persons in a Nang.

Cait Moran, Ambassador of Ireland to Viet Nam, said Ireland looks forward to a burgeoning partnership with a Nang City.

She said the MoU aims to boost the relationship between Ireland and the central city and foster co-operation between a Nang with locals and cities in Ireland.

Participants also focussed on the start-up ecosystem, support policies and investment as well as sharing experience and technology.

The conference, which was sponsored by the Asia Development Bank, the Mekong Business Initiative, Swiss EP and the Innovation Partnership Programme in Viet Nam, will close today.

Last year, the central citys Song Han Incubator launched a tourism start-up programme.

a Nang has 18,000 businesses, 95 per cent of which are small and medium-sized enterprises.  VNS
The central bank on Friday held an online conference to prepare for the implementation of the scheme to settle non-performing loans (NPL) and restructure credit institutions in the 2016-20 period. Photo vietcombank.com.vn

HA NOI  The central bank on Friday held an online conference to prepare for the implementation of the scheme to settle non-performing loans (NPL) and restructure credit institutions in the 2016-20 period.

Addressing the discussion, State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) Governor Le Minh Hung talked about the implications of the National Assembly resolution on NPL settlement approved last month and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs Decision 1058/Q-TTg on credit institutions restructuring in the 2016-20 period issued on Wednesday, which gave the scheme the green light.

Besides bad debt settlement, the scheme lists objectives, principles, solutions and itineraries to restructure the system of credit institutions in the period.

To implement it, Hung has asked all credit institutions to map out their own restructuring plans and submit it to relevant management agencies for approval.

In their restructuring plans, institutions have to look at and assess their own finances, corporate governance, shareholders and charter capital ownership status. They have to also detail the objectives, orientations and solutions proposed for their restructuring and for bad debt settlement for each year.

Hung has instructed all credit institutions to set up steering committees focused on these issues so that they can spot and report hurdles in the implementation process to the central bank without any delay.

As the process of restructuring credit institutions and settling bad debts is linked to many ministries, agencies and organisations, Hung said he expected support and co-operation from all concerned so that the scheme can be implemented successfully.

Under the scheme, all credit institutions will be restructured. The SBV will categorise solutions to restructure credit institutions into groups based on the type of credit institution. The countrys system of credit institutions currently includes State-owned banks, joint stock banks, finance companies, financial leasing companies, foreign credit institutions, co-operative banks, Peoples credit funds and microfinance institutions.

Methods and measures to restructure credit institutions will be applied in accordance with the specific nature of each institution and in line with the market mechanism based on caution, ensuring the rights of depositors, and maintaining stability and system security under the Governments policies on restructuring the financial market.

The disposal of bad debts in the next few years must be linked to the implementation of measures to prevent and minimise new bad debts, improve the credit quality of credit organisations, and promote the role of Viet Nam Asset Management Company (VAMC) in bad debt settlement. This is to ensure that the NPL ratio, including debts sold to VAMC, are maintained at a safe and sustainable level of less than 3 per cent of the total outstanding loans.

The country finalised the first phase of bank restructuring in the 2011-15 period, which has helped the sector become more secure, and gained the trust of people and investors.

Since the end of 2011, the SBV has dealt with nine weak banks. Some names have disappeared from the financial market through mergers and acquisitions, such as HabuBank (merged with SHB), Western Bank (merged with PVFC), Tin Nghia Bank and FicomBank (merged with Saigon Commercial Bank-SCB), and DaiABank (merged withHDBank).

After five years of restructuring, the central bank has still spotted out bad debts and fragile lenders issues to introduce more effective settlement measures. This shows that the process of restructuring the banking system still requires a lot of hard work. - VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has given the northern province of Quang Ninh the go-ahead to develop the Van on Economic Zone as a special administrative-economic unit. Photo quangninh.gov.vn

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has given the northern province of Quang Ninh the go-ahead to develop the Van on Economic Zone as a special administrative-economic unit.

The province has been asked to use the local budget and other sources to fund and implement the project.

The PM has also agreed in principle to selecting and hiring foreign consultants for the project, in line with the Law on Bidding and Decree 30/2015/N-CP, dated March 17, 2015.

The Quang Ninh Peoples Committee will discuss and negotiate the contract value and payment with foreign consultants.

Van on District comprises over 600 islands, and is located around 175km from Ha Noi, 80km from Hai Phong City and 50km from Ha Long City. The district encompasses the World Heritage site Ha Long Bay. It covers a total area of 2,171sq.km, of which natural land is 551sq.km.

The district is sparsely populated and its total population is 41,645 people. With the variety and uniqueness of the archipelago, rich ecosystems and beautiful beaches, the islands have the potential to become a world-class maritime tourism destination. Its favourable transport infrastructure, much better compared to the countrys 14 coastal economic zones, is an added benefit.

The provinces leaders have also asked the government to promulgate the circular on casinos, which will lay guidelines for Vietnamese citizens, and contribute towards attracting more investments into Van on, where luxury resort complex projects and a casino are being planned.

Quang Ninh is working towards developing the required infrastructure for the special administrative-economic unit, even as it draws up detailed plans of the project.

The unit will also help in the development of the Mong Cai-Hai Ha border economic area and inh Vu-Cat Hai Economic Zone.

Van on (Quang Ninh), Bac Van Phong (Khanh Hoa) and Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) are all to be developed as special administrative-economic units, once the draft law is passed by the National Assembly (NA), according to the Government Office.

Special administrative-economic units are magnets for investment, high technology and advanced management, becoming high-growth areas that generate more resources and motivation and accelerating the development and economy of the province, the region and the country.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment expects that the three special administrative-economic units of Van on, Van Phong, Phu Quoc will contribute billions of dollars annually to the local GDP from 2020.

The average income per capita in the units will be $12,000 to $13,000 per person per year after 2030.  VNS
The Government has assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to build a development roadmap for a competitive coal market as there are new coal suppliers. Photo dautu.vn

QUANG NINH  The Government has assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to build a development roadmap for a competitive coal market as there are new coal suppliers.

The State would gradually reduce its control in the market while ensuring supply and demand balance.

Deputy minister Hoang Quoc Vuong held a meeting with the Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) and ong Bac Corporation in the northern province of Quang Ninhon on Thursday to study the roadmap to ensure national energy security for socio-economic development.

The ministry would submit the proposal to the Government for approval with an aim to have a coal market which ensures local households consumption, prices follow supply and demand and export markets are actively built.

Following the meeting, the ministry would also work with coal consumption households to resolve the industrys difficulties. It would submit documents to the Government instructing Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) and Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to continue buying coal from Vinacomin and ong Bac Corporation this year.

The ministry would also allow the export of coal that does not depend on quota to help Vinacomin and the corporation balance their finances.

Vuong said coal demand has been diversified. EVN and PetroVietnam have developed several thermo-power plants with consumption of some 10 million tonnes of coal. Vinacomin also has its own thermo-power plants and BOT projects.

It is forecast that coal demand for electricity production could reach more than 100 million tonnes by 2030. Viet Nam would have to import some 80 million tonnes of coal, while local production would be 50 million tonnes per year.

Therefore, the ministry said the Government should have new policies for market development.

Vinacomins general director ang Thanh Hai said the group has signed nine long-term contracts to provide coal for thermo-power plants.

Vinacomin suggested that the Government allow it to be active in building production and business plans based on long-term contracts to ensure suitable inventory and effectiveness.

Hai proposed to export on a long-term basis coal which local thermo-power plants do not need for electricity production to help Vinacomin be active in consumption markets.

He added that Vinacomin and EVNs power plants have not yet reached an agreement on coal selling prices for the period of December 26, 2016 to February 28, 2017, which was why the two sides have not signed a coal purchasing contract this year.

Earlier, EVN proposed to reduce two million tonnes of coal buying from Vinacomin to choose from two new units.

The reduction according to EVNs proposal would make Vinacomins coal production costs increase and reduce effectiveness, he added.

The group asked the ministry to tell PetroVietnam and EVN not to buy anthracite coal from other units this year to avoid losses for Vinacomin.

In addition, the ministry should have policies to encourage use of locally produced anthracite coal and limit imported coal as Vinacomin has claimed unfairness in taxes and fees.

Phuong Kim Minh, deputy general director of the ong Bac Corporation, also proposed that the ministry stop new suppliers from being added for thermo-power plants to ensure national energy security.

Minh also asked the Ministry of Finance to provide guidance o EVN, Vinacomin and the corporation to agree on coal prices sold for power production.

The corporation also asked to export inventory coal for which there is no demand in the local market.  VNS
Hoan Kiem Lake is a very important place in the capital city.

Sadly, it has become very dirty and many fish and other creatures that once lived in there are no longer able to do so.

However, there are now plans to clean up Hoan Kiem Lake.

It will be done very carefully so that the places fish and other creatures need to live in are not destroyed.

HA NOI  Ha Nois iconic Hoan Kiem Lake has been severely polluted through the years and must be cleaned to save the threatened living creatures there, experts said.

Hoang Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology under the Ha Noi University of Technology, said the lake was contaminated and had lost the ability to clean itself.

The thick mud at the bottom of the lake contains heavy metals and toxic gases, affecting the habitats of creatures, she was quoted as saying by Kinh te va o thi (Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaper.

The high density of algae means there is not enough oxygen and dredging work is a must to protect the lakes ecosystem and restore its beauty, she said at a public consultation on the environmental impact assessment report conducted by her institute, co-organised by the Ha Noi Sewage and Drainage Ltd and the Peoples Committee of Hoan Kiem District.

While most scientists and residents living in the areas around the capitals central pivot agreed on the need to improve the lakes water quality, scientists said the environmental improvement plans for the lake should be conducted prudently to redress its pollution while protecting its ecosystem and biodiversity.

Duong uc Tien, a biological expert, said the process of rehabilitation and dredging must be carefully considered to make sure it does not badly affect the lakes habitats. The types of fish and algae living in the lake must be catalogued in detail, he added.

Alien species

Mai inh Yen, another expert, agreed, saying mud layers should be maintained during the dredging process since it is the habitat for many species.

Nguyen Ngoc Ly, director of the Centre for Environment and Community Research, proposed that Hoan Kiem District set forth regulations to prevent residents from releasing fish into the lake. "Hoan Kiem Lake has many kinds of alien species. Some people even bring sacks of eel and snails to the lake," she said.

Trinh ang Khoa, who resides on inh Tien Hoang Street, said that despite efforts in recent years to improve the lakes water quality, the results did not meet residents expectation.

Nguyen Thi Minh Ha, chairwoman of the Ly Thai To Fatherland Front, stressed the need to raise the awareness of local residents about the lakes ecosystem protection.

Phan Hoai Minh, Deputy General Director of Ha Noi Sewage and Drainage Ltd, the cleanup projects investor, said the company would instruct the consultants to review all suggestions, particularly those on biodiversity in the environmental impact assessment. Once completed, the report would be submitted to the scientific council at ministerial and municipal level for approval.

Covering about 12ha, Hoan Kiem Lake (also known as Returned Sword Lake) is located in the centre of the capital. Apart from its spiritual and cultural values, it is considered a scenic venue, a hub for weekend relaxation from the chaos and bustle of the city. VNS



GLOSSARY

Hoang Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology under the Ha Noi University of Technology, said the lake was contaminated and had lost the ability to clean itself.

Contaminated means polluted with poison.

If the lake has the ability to clean itself, it is able to do so. If the lake loses its ability to clean itself it can no longer do so.

The thick mud at the bottom of the lake contains heavy metals and toxic gases, affecting the habitats of creatures, she was quoted as saying by Kinh te va o thi (Economic and Urban affairs) newspaper.

Toxic means poison.

A habitat is a place where a plant or animal has the correct amount of food and shelter to live.

To quote someone means to record what that person has said. This can be done by writing it down, filming it or taping it.

The high density of algae means there is not enough oxygen and dredging work is a must to protect the lakes ecosystem and restore its beauty, she said at a public consultation on the environmental impact assessment report conducted by her institute, co-organised by the Ha Noi Sewage and Drainage Ltd and the Peoples Committee of Hoan Kiem District.

If there is a high density of algae, there is a lot of it.

Algae is a very simple type of plant that does not have leaves or stems and usually grows in water.

Dredging means digging up soil from the bottom of a river, lake or ocean to make it deeper.

An ecosystem is a community of living things that need and use one another to survive. It can be an area as small as a pot plant or as huge as the entire world.

Co-organised means organised together.

While most scientists and residents living in the areas around the capitals central pivot agreed on the need to improve the lakes water quality, scientists said the environmental improvement plans for the lake should be conducted prudently to redress its pollution while protecting its ecosystem and biodiversity.

The citys pivot is the centre point round which the city moves.

Prudently means wisely and keeping the future in mind.

To remedy something means to correct it.

If a place, like a lake, has biodiversity, it has many different types of living things such as plants and animals living in it.

Duong uc Tien, a biological expert, said the process of rehabilitation and dredging must be carefully considered to make sure it does not badly affect the lakes habitats.

Someone who is a biological expert is an expert in biology, which is the study of living things, including plants and animals.

Rehabilitation is the process of bringing something that is damaged back to how it was when it worked properly.

The types of fish and algae living in the lake must be catalogued in detail, he added.

If all things living in the lake are catalogued, they are identified and listed in a special place in a very ordered and organised way.

Mai inh Yen, another expert, agreed, saying mud layers should be maintained during the dredging process since it is the habitat for many species.

Maintained means kept.

Trinh ang Khoa, who resides on inh Tien Hoang Street, said that despite efforts in recent years to improve the lakes water quality, the results did not meet residents expectation.

A person who resides in a place lives there and is a resident of that place.

A persons expectations are what they expect of something.

Nguyen Thi Minh Ha, chairwoman of the Ly Thai To Fatherland Front, stressed the need to raise the awareness of local residents about the lakes ecosystem protection.

To raise awareness about something means to make people think more about it and know more about it.

Phan Hoai Minh, Deputy General Director of Ha Noi Sewage and Drainage Ltd, the cleanup projects investor, said the company would instruct the consultants to review all suggestions, particularly those on biodiversity in the environmental impact assessment.

An investor is someone who puts money into something in the hope of making more money from it.

A consultant is someone with lots of knowledge about a certain topic who gives advice.

To review suggestions means to take another look at them to check that they are good enough.

An environmental impact assessment is a test that a big project idea must go through before it is carried out, to make sure that it does not harm the environment.

Once completed, the report will be submitted to the scientific council at ministerial and municipal level for approval.

To submit a report means to hand it in.

WORKSHEET

State whether the following sentences are true, or false:

Phan Hoai Minh is director of the Centre for Environment and Community Research. Hoan Kiem Lake is in Ha Noi. Hoan Kiem Lake is also known as Returned Sword Lake. The lake is contaminated but still has the ability to clean itself. Hoan Kiem Lake covers 12ha.

ANSWERS:

 Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2017

1. False; 2. True; 3. True; 4. False; 5. True.
by Nguyen Thuy Binh

HA NOI  An ongoing exhibtion at Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum take visitors back to the glorious years of national resistance through 50 artworks by different generations of Vietnamese artists.

Titled Nhung Nam Thang Khong The Nao Quen (The Unforgettable Years) the exhibition displays works of diverse mediums and styles sketched, drawn and painted during and after wars.

"The artists capture moments of heroism and resilience in times of war, and recreate true and honest moments of a soldiers life, capturing both its ferocity, and the faith and hope that can be seen in the faces of both civilians and soldiers," said Nguyen Anh Minh, director of the museum, at the exhibitions opening ceremony on July 20.

The exhibition is a good opportunity to see works of artists across several generations educated at the Indochina School of Fine Arts, including To Ngoc Van, Nguyen Van Ty and Nguyen Quang Phong as well as key figures who followed, like o Son, Le Duy Ung and Le Tri Dung.

Many of these artists were early recruits to the revolutionary cause and a significant number lost their lives or were injured in the war.

Artist Phongs lacquer painting Thu o Khang Chien (Capital during the time of resistance) was painted in 1999, more than 50 years after residents of the capital city joined soldiers in a 60-day battle against French colonialists (December 19, 1946 - February 17, 1947), turning streets into trenches.

Artist Phong (1924-2013) could not finish his studies at the Indochina School because it closed due to the political chaos in the early 1940s.

Le Tri Dungs work is also a lacquer painting. Called Vuot Song (Crossing the River), it uses an expressionist style. It was done in 1989, three years after the national renewal process called oi moi was initiated. Dung, an art student joined the Vietnamese army just as he was about to graduate from Viet Nam Fine Arts College in 1971.

The painting was inspired by his memories about of the Quang Tri battle  one of the fiercest during the American War  that he directly participated in.

There are also glimpses of the aftermath of war, as artists depict the the quiet endurance of mothers and wives whose role in the final victory was just as critical as that of their serving sons and daughters.

Fond farewell: A 1954 lacquer painting by Nguyen Hiem shows a soldier taking leave from his family before going to the battlefield.

Tam Long Nguoi Me (A Mothers Heart), an oil-on-canvas painting by o Son, is the portrait of an old mother and her grandchild standing before an altar, paying tribute to her children who sacrificed their lives for national independence. Born in 1943, Son was one of the nations leading artists in the period before the national renewal process.

"All the paintings at the exhibition are very familiar. They remind me of the nations resistance against the French and Americans," said Nguyen Hai Yen, member of Viet Nam Fine Arts Associations Art Criticism Council.

"The artists sketched during their journeys to the battlefields, because they didnt have materials to paint. Almost all the paintings at the exhibition are drawn from the sketches and the artists memories."

Natalia Kutyreva of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Ha Noi said: "The artworks here are really amazing," she said.

"For me its very interesting to see how the tradition of art and ideas about the past and future days is connected in culture.

"And of course it is very important for the society to remember the glorious period of history ."

The museum is organising the exhibition in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of National War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27. The exhibition will be open until July 30 at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ha Noi.  VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese Women Museum in Ha Noi received war mementoes from writer and journalist Colonel ang Vuong Hung during a ceremony on Friday.

This event is part of activities held to celebrate the 70th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27.

The mementoes belonged to well-known Vietnamese soldiers who took part in the American war and doctors and nurses who treated wounded soldiers.

The documents include the original manuscript of the first English translation of doctor ang Thuy Trams diary, translated by the Vietnamese wife of Carl W Greifzu  a US veteran, in the 80s in the US.

While visiting Viet Nam in March 2016, Greifzu presented the 102-page translation to Hung after he had kept it for more than 30 years.

His wife Tran Thi Kim Dung translated the diary into English by pencil. From this translated version, Greifzu edited it and typed the text. The complete typewritten version of the diary is currently on display at the War Remnants Museum in HCM City.

Greifzu also made hundreds of copies of his translation of the diary and sent them to other US war veterans who would recognise its value.

Penned by doctor ang Thuy Tram in the 1960s while working in a field hospital in central Quang Ngai province, the diary reveals her emotional tumult and personal aspirations.

She was killed by US troops in June 1970 at the age of 27.

Makes vases not war: The vase made by Ha Thi Que from the carcass of the 2,700th US airplane that was shot down by the army and people of Ninh Binh province . VNS Photo Bach Lien

On the occasion, Colonel Hung also donated to the museum one vase made by Ha Thi Que, a female leader of the Viet Minh, from the 2,700th US airplane that was shot down by the army and people of Ninh Binh province .

Que later offered this vase to Hungs father who was one of four first members of the Communist Party in Yen The District of Bac Giang Province.

My family highly valued this object and used to place it on our altar with fresh flowers for many years, recalls Hung.

Colonel Hung also donated to the museum 20 war-time letters that doctor Ta Luu (former director of 110 Military Hospital in Bac Ninh province) and his wife, nurse Cao Thi Nhu, sent to each other from 1956-1972.

Those donated mementoes are much more significant as we have opened a permanent exhibition on the life and works of ang Thuy Tram, Ha Thi Que and war-letters in our museum, in Women in History section. We will continue to enrich the information about the countrys female heroes through such precious donated objects to bring more meaningful historic stories to the young Vietnamese generation to teach them about patriotism, said Nguyen Hai Van, the museums deputy director.  VNS
July 27 is observed as the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs. On this occasion, ao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, speaks to the Vietnam News Agency about the countrys policies for people who have rendered service to the nation.

Peace returned to Viet Nam 42 years ago, but the contributions of some 5,900 people to the nation in the course national liberation and unification have not been officially recognised. Does your ministry plan to solve this problem as quickly as possible so that these people can enjoy the special benefits the nation has granted them?

According to statistics, there are about 28,500 dossiers of people who rendered service to the nation. Most are war martyrs, wounded soldiers and those affected by toxic chemicals along with their immediate kin; and people who joined the young shock force units in the war for national salvation but have not yet enjoyed the Governments policies.

Among the 28,500 dossiers, some 5,900 need further information in order to be recognised as war martyrs, wounded soldiers or other types of beneficiaries. We, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Security have tried our best to solve this problem. But until now we have not been able to find original documentation or anything else testifying to the eligibility. This has tormented us immensely and we consider it a debt which will never be paid if we dont find a way to solve the problem.

MOLISA has initiated a new idea piloted in the five provinces of Long An, a Nang, Bac Kan, Lai Chau and Thai Binh. We hope to report the lessons learned from the pilot provinces to the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Government and then develop a seven-step procedure to certify people who have met all the criteria for Government benefits. Of course, in implementing the procedures, we consider consultation with the local revolutionary veterans and mass communication outlets a very important step.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs Day, the MOLISA has requested the Prime Minister to confer the Certificate of Merit on 498 people who had rendered great service to the nation but their personal documents have been lost. Ninety-four of them are war martyrs who died more than 60 years ago. We think this is an occasion for us to show our deep gratitude to those who have laid down their lives for the nation.

Has the MOLISA adopted any measures to prevent the falsifying of documents by war martyrs and invalids to seek profits?

The problem has caused anxiety. Though the number of people who sought such profits illegally only accounted for 0.04 per cent, it has created indignation among the general public.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has instructed the MOLISA to launch an investigation in 29 provinces, cities and five military regions to bring these bad people to court and to return the money to the State budget.

The MOLISA vows to take strong action against these bad people and we hope, with strong support from the general public, any illicit acts to seek profits from the tax payers money will be duly punished.

Does MOLISA have any plan to speed up the identification of war martyrs?

Until now, some 300,000 martyrs bodies have not been identified, and more than 200,000 others have not been moved to the cemeteries dedicated to them. More recently, the Party Politburo, the Party Secretariat, the Government and the Prime Minister raised this issue, and 21 groups have been established to regroup the war martyrs into cemeteries dedicated to them.

Under the instruction of the Prime Minister, the MOLISA and the Ministry of Information and Communications have joined efforts in developing an information management system of war martyrs steles and cemeteries to help their relatives find them.

Meanwhile, the MOLISA has launched a project to establish a gene bank to help define the genes of the war martyrs and that of close relatives. We hope by 2018, the two projects will be completed and be available for use.

Are there any new policies for people who rendered services to the nation?

We have a plan to include Vietnamese nationals who are now residing abroad but contributed their share to the two wars for national liberation on the list of social beneficiaries.

In addition, we also plan to grant the third generation affected by chemical agents through their grandparents who fought in the war and people who participated in the war for national salvation in the period from 1974-75.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang receives Bangladeshi parliament speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  Viet Nam and Bangladesh have agreed to lift two-way trade to US$1 billion, said President Tran ai Quang during talks with the Bangladeshi parliament speaker yesterday.

Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury is on a four-day official visit to Viet Nam, at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

In order to reach the $1 billion target, speaker Shirin believes that the two countries should promote mutual trade and commercial activities as well as encourage favourable conditions for businesses investing in either country.

She suggested Viet Nam look for investments in sectors like electronics, consumer goods or agricultural products.

Bangladesh hopes Viet Nam will be a gateway into the ASEAN market for Bangladeshi products, she told President Quang.

Quang affirmed that Viet Nam encourages the two sides to co-operate in fields like chemistry, mechanical engineering and food production as well as textiles, communications and transportation.

He also stressed the need to look for co-operation opportunities in other fields like security-defence, science-technology, and education and training.

Stronger ties

President Quang valued the speakers visit, which promotes co-operation between the Vietnamese and Bangladeshi congresses.

He asked that Viet Nam and Bangladesh continue to co-operate and support each other in regional and international forums.

Quang also asked for Bangladeshs support in Viet Nams bid for non-permanent member status at the UN Security Council for the period of 2020-2021 as well as Viet Nams candidacy for the post of UNESCO Director General.

Quang extended his invitation to the Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid to visit Viet Nam in the near future.

On her part, Shirin said that Bangladesh wishes to strengthen the relationship with Viet Nam, and committed to supporting Viet Nam in regional and international forums.

Notifying Quang about her meeting with the NA Chairwoman Ngan, Shirin said that the two sides agreed to continue high-level delegations to share experience in lawmaking and inspect the implementation of co-operation agreements.  VNS
PHNOMPENH  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday praised the Cambodia-Viet Nam Friendship Association (CVFA) for fostering solidarity and friendship between the nations with diverse, creative activities.

Meeting with association Chairwoman and Deputy PM Men Som On in Phnom Penh yesterday, he said the robust growth of Viet Nam  Cambodia relations over the past 50 years was made possible by efforts of localities and agencies of both countries at all levels, including the CVFA.

He asked the CVFA and its Vietnamese counterpart to strengthen co-ordination and organise more practical and effective activities for the prosperity of each nation and the sustainability of the bilateral ties.

Men Som On highlighted some of the associations activities, including exchanges between former soldiers and experts of both countries who once fought side by side for Cambodias freedom, as well as events to boost co-operation and friendship between border provinces.

She expressed her gratitude for the invaluable assistance that Viet Nam provided for Cambodias security and development.

Buddhist monks

Earlier yesterday, the Party chief called on the Most Venerable Monk Tep Vong at the Unalom pagoda and Most Venerable Monk Bukri at the Svay Pope Pagoda in Phnom Penh.

The monks welcomed the Vietnamese Party leader, saying his visit showcased the solidarity and strong growth of Viet Nam-Cambodia ties in all fields. They wished Trong and the Vietnamese delegation good health and luck.

Trong expressed his delight in seeing the important role that the Buddhist community in Cambodia plays in fostering solidarity within the nation.

He noted that throughout history, Buddhism has made great contributions to the national defence and construction and hoped Cambodias Buddhist community would further diversify its activities in contributing to the countrys growth.

He also expressed his wish that the Buddhist communities of Viet Nam and Cambodia will strengthen their connections, sharing experiences and promoting relations between the two nations.

Border co-operation

During the Party chiefs visit, Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Thanh held talks with Minister of State at Cambodias Ministry of Interior Ouk Kim Lek to discuss measures to build a border of peace, order and security.

Thanh suggested that relevant ministries and departments on both sides step up co-ordination to realise contents of documents already signed.

He noted that the two countries police forces have exchanged information to crack down on a number of cross-border crimes including drug smuggling and human trafficking.

The two sides have also worked together to defeat all plots hatched by hostile forces, not allowing them to use either countrys territory to undermine peace, stability and security of the other, he said.

Ouk Kim Lek also spoke highly of the two countries accomplishments in enhancing security as well as the strong determination shown by law enforcement forces, especially in shared border areas, to beat all plots by hostile forces to destroy order and political stability in either nation.  VNS




QUANG NGAI  Its 6am on a summer morning, and a group of children are doing warm-up exercises to prepare their muscles for a special kind of swimming class.

This class is unique, as it takes place in a partitioned-off river section running through Tra Thuy Commune in central Quang Ngai Provinces Tra Bong District, and its goal is survival.

The free-of-charge swimming class was launched by Tra Xuan Secondary School teachers to provide as many as 60 students aged between 12-15 with basic techniques to survive in the water, the Tuoi tre (Youth) reported.

Witnessing that most cases of drowning were students, the school teachers in the mountainous Tra Bong District decided to spend their summer teaching survival skills for the students in the region, which is home to many rivers, lakes, springs and dams.

Field studies were conducted to find a section of the Tra Bong River in Tra Thuy Commune that is suitable for swimming practice. Here, the river bed is hollow and flat, while the surface area is wide and the water is transparent.

Teacher Nguyen Anh Vu, a swimming instructor, always comes to the class an hour early to wait for the children.

"It starts at 6am, but I come first to prevent children from spontaneously jumping into the water, its dangerous. These children are at a hyperactive age," Vu said.

"That even one more child is able to swim makes us happy. I do hope that our modest job helps reduce the number of drowning deaths."

Little deed, big joy

A recent survey of Quang Ngai Provinces Youth Union reported 17,000 among a total of 173,000 primary and secondary-school pupils can swim, equal to 10 per cent.

Tran Minh iep, Head of Tra Bong Districts Education Department, said "Hopefully this model will be maintained and expanded in the whole province. Local children can enjoy a safe summer vacation.

Drowning is still one of the leading causes of mortality among children in Viet Nam, particularly during the summer time, despite efforts to deal with the problem.

Facing such situation, Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) ao Hong Lan once said that schools should teach swimming skills for students. He suggested that swimming training could even be conducted in rivers.

For the safety of the Tra Bong school teachers and students joining the field swimming pool, safety work was also cared for with lifebuoys being tied around the river section.

To facilitate safe teaching and learning, 60 students of Tra Xuan Towns secondary school are divided into two classes and required to wear life-jacket during the lesson.

Prior to underwater practice, they learn swimming theory and techniques. Sometimes, the schools health workers are also present to support the class.

The swimming class on the Tra Bong River is not just educational; it is also filled with smiles of both instructor and trainees. Many parents also come to see the children practise.

Ho Thi Ha, mother of a 12-year old boy, said "I am afraid to send children to the river. Now seeing teachers are guiding from the basic swimming techniques, to emergency first-aid skills, I really think its a precious lesson.

Not only providing basic skills for children, the swimming lessons are also the ideal summer playground. "My family is close to the river, but had taught me how to swim, said Pham Thanh Tai, a student of Tra Xuan Town Secondary School.

Attending the class, Im taught basic skills, and I learn how to deal with dangerous situations on the water by instructors. Its very useful. Its really a fun time, and we are no longer afraid of water," said Tai.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam wastes at least VN23 trillion (US$1 billion) annually on fertilisation, experts said and called for replacement of conventional fertiliser with more hi-tech products.

Le Nhu Kieu, vice head of Soil and Fertilisers Research Institute under Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Science, said that about half of the amount of nitrogen fertiliser fed to plants gets released to environment, 70-80 per cent of phosphorus fertiliser amount was kept in soil and 50-60 per cent of urea fertiliser amount was either evaporated or eroded.

On average, in Viet Nam, plants and crops received only 35-40 per cent of the fertiliser given to them, he said.

About 11 million tonnes of inorganic fertilisers are used in the country on a yearly basis, he said.

The leaked fertiliser pollutes water, impoverishes soil and makes it hard to restore the soils quality.

Overuse of chemical fertilisers also threatens human and other living beings genes, as it could cause genetic mutations, which will bring diseases for crops, Kieu said.

Kieu told khoahocphattrien.vn that it is time to promote hi-tech fertilisers to increase productivity and be safer to the environment.

Compared with conventional fertilisers, the hi-tech fertilisers can help increase productivity up to 20 per cent.

Using conventional nitrogen fertiliser on rice, farmers usually lose about half of the fertiliser amount. The loss can drop 20 per cent when hi-tech fertilisers are used.

Mai Van Quyen, former vice head of Institute of Agricultural Science for southern Viet Nam, said that major fertiliser producers are using new technologies. For examples, scientists are applying urea liquefying technology makes high-nutrient NPK (Nitrogen  Phosphorus  Postassium) and working to produce other substances that can be easily absorbed and released more slowly to the environment.

The slow-release fertilisers -- or controlled-release fertilisers -- are polymer-coated. The thickness of polymer coats allows different absorption speeds.

Quyen said that some polymer-coated fertilisers can be used for five months to nine months, which helps reduce the frequency of fertilizing.

Proper fertilisation also helps avoid diseases and eutrophication  an excessive richness of nutrients in soil.

Despite of advantages, hi-tech fertilisers have not been used widely in Viet Nams farms.

Trinh Thi iep  a fertiliser seller in Thieu Duy Commune, Thieu Hoa District in central Thanh Hoa Province said that her customers preferred conventional fertilisers because of lower prices and quick visible affects.

They use nitrogen fertiliser today and see its effect in tomorrow, as the leaves growth much greener, iep said.

Experts say that farmers lack proper understanding about new fertilisers.

Business and relevant agencies need to boost communication to show farmers the effectiveness of hi-tech fertilisers.  VNS
Thousands gathered at the old Quang Tri C itadel yesterday morning for a requiem for soldiers who died during a 81-day battle here during the summer of 1972. VNA/VNS Photo Van iep

QUANG TRI  Thousands gathered at the old Quang Tri Citadel yesterday morning for a requiem for soldiers who died during a 81-day battle here during the summer of 1972. This years event also marks the 70th War Invalids and Martyrs Day and the battle of Quang Tri Citaldels 45th anniversary.

Fierce fighting for control of the citadel, the central provinces symbol of power, started from June 28 and ended on September 26, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.

The fight contributed to Viet Nams triumph at the Paris Conference and was a prerequisite for the General Offensive and Uprising in the spring of 1975, which completely liberated the south and reunified the country.

The old citadel, just under 3,000sq.m, and a small area around it were bombarded by the combined fire power of American B52 strategic bombers, the 7th Fleet and thousands of artillery pieces.

An estimated 328,000 tonnes of bombs were dropped on the old citadel and a small town of some 10,000 houses around it. By the time the fighting ended, the town was almost leveled. No houses remained intact.

The requiem, held on a yearly basis in July, allows war veterans, families of fallen soldiers and countrymen to gather and pray for the souls of the dead from both sides.

It is also meant to be a reminder to the countrys young generation of their forefathers determination and sacrifice during their struggle for freedom and independence, according to organisers of the event.

At the ceremony, people also pray for lasting peace and the souls of their loved ones, who lost their lives during the battle. Historians believe that the number of casualties from both sides may total twenty thousand with thousands of others injured. Many were maimed for life.

Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, other officers and thousands of war veterans and soldiers from across the country laid wreaths and offered incense at the war martyrs altar, built at the centre of the ruins of the old citadel as a shared grave for fallen soldiers who were never found. The defence minister also visited the Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery and Road No 9 National Martyrs Cemetery.

Earlier on Thursday night, 30,000 paper lanterns were floated down the Thach Han River, which runs along the northern wall of the old citadel. Buddhist monks and thousands gathered by the river in a prayer, while an incense burning ceremony was held in Truong Son Cemetery, the final resting place for thousands of Vietnamese soldiers who died during the American War in Viet Nam.  VNS
CEDAR FALLS  Its been 106 years since Danish immigrant Jens Nielsen built a pump to pump out a quarry in Cedar Falls.

Now, his legacy, Viking Pump, has finished its largest expansion in quite some time, under the leadership of someone who may be one of the few if not only internationally born company presidents since Nielsen himself.

The industrial pump manufacturer has finished a $1.7 million expansion and renovation of its lab testing area at its downtown location at 406 State St.  around the corner from the first building in the companys complex.

About 3,500 square feet were added and another 1,600 square feet renovated for the project, said company President Derrick Goddard, a 27-year Viking employee, and Scott Kunkle, a 39-year Viking employee and lab manager.

Goddard had been interim president for about a year and previously manager of Viking Canada and its European operations.

Its exciting, Goddard said. It always comes down to people. You have to have a superior product. You have to have the processes. But as Ive always told people, its the people that make the difference for Viking.

The company employs about 425 people in Cedar Falls  it has more than 500 total internationally  and that has remained steady since April 2016, Goddard said.

Goddard is a native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, who joined the Canadian operation out of college as a cost accountant and worked his way up the ladder.

The controller at Viking Canada went to the same school as me. I got an interview and started as a cost accountant right out of school. And never had a reason to leave, with new assignments every few years, including positions in materials, information technology, administration and a stint at Viking corporate owner IDEX Corp.

Asked what he likes about the job, Goddard said, Again, its the people  the senior leadership team, down to middle management, down to the guy on the shipping floor. Theyre an engaged force. They care about community, citing workers involvement in a food backpack program for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank and contributions to the Cedar Valley United Way.

Theyre about giving back to the community, he said, employees have rallied to protect company facilities during periodic flooding, particularly in the flood of 1993.

Viking has a phenomenal future in Cedar Falls, he said, concentrating on targeted growth with specific customers, such as the petroleum industry, improving channel management with product distributors and simplifying processes to reduce production turnaround times.

It comes down to getting faster, leaner, getting closer to our end user and taking growth very, very seriously, Goddard said.

One doesnt go to a store to buy a Viking Pump, but theyre used by manufacturers to produce a wide variety of consumer products, Goddard said. Its asphalt. Chocolate. Toothpaste. Food. Honey. Foam for car seats. Lube oils. Our pumps can pump a lot of different things. Caulk, insulation and prescription drug ingredients also go through Viking pumps.

The recently completed renovation has resulted in one of the top labs around Goddard said. It consists of dynamometers with test pumps with various types of fluids and viscosities.

Its used for new product development, Goddard said. When were testing a new pump, it assures it endurance wise, and with the viscosities and pressures that we need, its working to do what we say its going to do. Visiting customers who are purchasing pumps expect specific tests on their product. So its got to meet specific requirements of whatever test that they require. This capability is fantastic for our customers.

This was bare dirt, Kunkle said, standing in the addition. Most of our equipment are dynamometers. They actually power the pump, and torque cells manage the horsepower, RPM.

Certainly from an expansion standpoint, its been the biggest change in our floor plan for many years, company spokeswoman Debbie Kleitsch said, though the company is continually adding and replacing machines and updating equipment.

The expansion is the end result of about two years of work, Kunkle said. Cardinal Construction of Waterloo was the general contractor.

And were working on another phase, he said. Were going to invest more money this year. Were going to hopefully expand our software, do some other renovations. Were looking at probably another $900,000, over the next year.

We knew we needed to invest some money. Our goal was to make it more customer friendly, Kunkle said. Also we do a lot of inspections  we have government inspectors, third-party inspectors to certify our pumps. We wanted to be a little more inviting place to them.

The work included a welcome area. We wanted to teach people how our pumps work, he said, for customers and distributors. DisTEK of Cedar Falls will partner with the company in that software work. Theyve been a great company to work with.

Every year were reinvesting back in the company, Kunkle said. People dont realize all the things we pump. We have a very broad customer base. Its amazing the things we have to test for.

Its ironic, Kleitsch said. The only thing we dont really pump anymore is water  which is what we pumped to create the company.
WATERLOO -- A man wanted on charges of eluding police tried escaping from them again, with no success, on Tuesday.

Richard Sturdivant, 29, of 122 Leland Ave., Waterloo, was arrested July 18 after a brief chase and charged with reckless driving, eluding police and habitual offender. He was also picked up on warrants for eluding police, interference, habitual offender, failure to appear and violation of parole.

According to Waterloo Police, officers who knew Sturdivant had outstanding warrants attempted to stop his vehicle just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday near Sunnyside Avenue and West Wellington Street.

Sturdivant did not stop, and led officers on a brief chase at speeds topping 60 miles per hour down 25-mile-per-hour neighborhood streets, according to Capt. Dave Mohlis.

Sturdivant was taken into custody in the 900 block of West Wellington Street. He remains in the Black Hawk County Jail on a no-bond hold for several of the charges.

At the time of the chase, police were looking for Sturdivant in connection with a June 22 pursuit. Officers have been looking for him for a parole violation when he was spotted in a Tahoe at West Mullan and Leland avenues around 7:20 a.m. One officer pulled in front of the Tahoe, but Sturdivant allegedly drove around the squad car and headed down Mullan. He jumped out of the vehicle at Locust Street while it was still in drive, and he disappeared into yards, according to court records.

Sturdivant had previously run from police in 2013 during a snowstorm. In that instance, officers had to call off the chase but later found Sturdivant by following vehicle tracks and footprints left in the snow.

Staff writer Jeff Reinitz contributed to this report
INDEPENDENCE  A truck driver remains missing after his vehicle was found in the Wapsipinicon River outside Independence on Friday.

No one witnessed the single-vehicle crash that resulted in the delivery truck careening into a U.S. Highway 20 barricade before hitting the water, and it wasnt clear when the accident occurred, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

Kayakers discovered the mostly submerged straight truck in the water around 11:48 a.m. Friday, but there was no sign of the driver.

Authorities declined to release the drivers name, and when he was last seen remains part of the investigation. Authorities searched the area Friday, and the truck was removed from the river with the help of volunteer drivers with Cedar Valley Underwater Search and Recovery.

The search ended Friday evening, and didnt continue Saturday, possibly due to flooding in other parts of Buchanan County.

A preliminary investigation determined the truck was headed west on Highway 20 when it left the roadway just before the Wapsi River bridge. It clipped a guardrail, traveled down the grass median and vaulted off the embankment between the east- and west-bound spans of the bridge, landing in the river.

The truck is owned by Taylor Made Express, an out-of-state company. A message left at the company seeking comment on Saturday hasnt been returned.
WATERLOO  The Waterloo City Council is poised to consider additional measures required to install automated traffic enforcement cameras.

Council members are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall to vote on the second reading of an ordinance which would allow the installation of cameras designed to catch motorists running red lights or speeding.

The first reading of the ordinance, modeled on one used for years in Cedar Rapids, passed unanimously last week.

Council members also will be asked to approve an agreement with Gatso USA Inc., of Beverly, Mass., to install and operate the traffic cameras. The company would get $36 of each paid citation, while the city would keep the balance.

Police Chief Dan Trelka has said the cameras are designed to reduce crashes by discouraging reckless driving. But opponents of automated traffic enforcement contend cities use them to generate revenue.

The ordinance requires someone designated by the police chief to review images captured by the Gatso cameras before a citation is issued. The citation goes to the owner of the vehicle, whether or not they were the driver, and is a municipal infraction that does not count against a persons state driving record.

The proposed three-year agreement with Gatso USA involves the company providing and installing the cameras at its own expense and at locations designated by the city.

Trelka has said he initially wants to place red light cameras at six high-crash intersections and deploy handheld and mobile speed cameras. He has suggested a fine of $60 to $70 for a violation, which is something the City Council would need to establish by resolution.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety noted a number of Iowa cities currently utilize automated traffic enforcement cameras, including Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Muscatine and Sioux City.
SUMNER  Heavy rains Friday night and Saturday deluged the community of Sumner, and basement flooding and sandbagging were taking place in several Northeast Iowa communities.

As much as 10 inches of rain fell near Fredericksburg during the stretch, according to one calculation. Fairbank and other area communities also were hard hit, many receiving 5 or more inches of rain Friday night and Saturday.

By Saturday evening, the waters had peaked or receded, but cleanup comes next.

In Sumner, everything was being done in the dark.

It has receded. I havent heard whether we are going to get more water from the Wapsi coming south, said City Clerk Lisa Oberbrockling as she sat in her office Saturday morning, illuminated only by a patch of light coming in through a window and the glow of her cellphone screen.

The Little Wapsipinicon River wasnt so little as it wound through the city. How much rain Sumner got was not available Saturday, but some reports stated Fredericksburg to the north received 10 inches Friday.

The phones were out at City Hall in Sumner. The whole city was without electricity. Oberbrockling was routing everything through her cell, which is (563) 578-5609, for anyone with questions or needing assistance.

In addition to the power outage  the citys main electrical carrier is down, and the municipal light plant that acts is a backup flooded  the city is under a mandatory boil order, and travel on city streets isnt advised.

Bremer County Emergency Management set up a shelter before down Saturday as the second round of storms drove people from their homes.

Kip Ladage, with Emergency Management, said officials had planned to open the shelter at the school, but when the power failed they moved the operation to the chapel at the Hillcrest long-term care facility, which is powered by a backup generator.

As of Saturday morning, the shelter had about a dozen people, but Ladage expected more to arrive because of the lack of power.

Also on Saturday, the Sumner Post Office was forced to close due to the flooding. Officials said there is no timetable as to when it will reopen Postal operations were relocated to the Fayette Post Office at 201 E. Water St., Fayette. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The water alone had a very sizable footprint that we have not seen before. But then once we lost power, that shuts off sump pumps. So we may see a large portion of the community has been impacted, Ladage said

He said the American Red Cross was assisting county officials. Staff and volunteers of The Salvation Army of Waterloo/Cedar Falls sent sandwiches, snacks and more than 1,500 bottles of water to aid flood victims and emergency service workers in the community. Additional resources were being brought in from Cedar Rapids to dispense food, water and flood kits throughout the evening and overnight hours.

Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels in Waterloo donated coffee and several hundred bagels for a breakfast for Sumner residents this morning.

Problems started around 8 a.m. Friday with flash flooding due to heavy rains, said Jeff Smith, a captain with the Sumner Fire Department.

The sandbagging operation started Friday outside the fire station. Volunteers said they went through three cement trucks worth of sand between Friday and Saturday.

The worst of the storms hit Friday night, and by early Saturday several homes had basements filled with water, and three or four suffered collapsed foundations.

Some reports estimate as much as 11 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period, Oberbrockling said.

Smith said no injuries were reported, but firefighters executed one rescue - a disabled woman whose home was surrounded by the flood.

We used a Tommy lift on a pickup truck. We were still able to get in there. The water wasnt that deep yet. We were able to get her out on her wheelchair, and got her to safety, Smith said.

Fredericksburg

In Fredericksburg, numerous residents ended up with flooded basements when the storm passed through Friday night, said Ray Armbrecht, the citys fire chief and wastewater superintendent.

Heavy rains overtook streets in town and pushed a creek east of town out of its banks, forcing water over the U.S. Highway 18 bridge and closing the roadway. Firefighters blocked the road until the water withdrew. The highway was later reopened, and Saturday Iowa Department of Transportation crews were working on repairs.

City pumps were working to clear water from storm sewers.

The American Red Cross headed to Fredericksburg with cleanup kits for residents who suffered flooding, Armbrecht said.

Fairbank

Flooding in Fairbank meant a couple had to alter their wedding plans.

The couple had planned a Saturday ceremony on the small island park in the Wapsi River in the middle of town with a reception to follow at nearby Costas Sport Bar and Grill, said Brittany Youngblut, whose mother, Denise Youngblut operates Costas with Kevin Kaufman.

If felt terrible for them. They came yesterday (Friday) and set up. ... In here, they had a cake table, they had a backdrop set up. All the tables were decorated, she said.

By Saturday morning, the river was starting to overtake Costas. The outcome of the nuptials wasnt clear, and Youngblut said the couple was seeking a new venue.

As of Saturday evening, Costas had been spared the worst. Volunteers helped sandbag the establishment and a handful of businesses along the river banks  Dons Trucks across the street, the historical society, the food bank and the funeral home upriver.

From first thing this morning, all day long, more people showed up as the day went on, Youngblut said. She said Costas lower level got water, but the upper level was dry, and employees had enough time to move items upstairs.

Jason Kayser with the Fairbank Fire Department said the community showed up to help their neighbors.

Everybody is secure. We sandbagged the place, all the businesses and residences along the river. I think we are holding, and I think its dropping, said Kayser and he and other residents gathered along the river on Main Street to relax after a day of hard work.

Crews prepared about 100 pallets worth of sandbags, with about 60 to 70 bags per pallet, Kayser estimated. He said there is a 12-pallet reserve for those who need it.

With the river cutting the city in half, and with the route to travel from one side to the other involving a 30-minute detour, the Dunkerton Fire Department agreed to assist with emergencies on the west side of town, Kayser said.

We are not going to take our rig across this. We could probably drive a fire truck through, but an ambulance, it aint going to happen, he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a $17 million expansion and enhancement to Anacondas cleanup that would include waiving state water quality standards for Willow Creek and about seven tributaries flowing into upper Mill Creek, both south of Anaconda.

The creeks flows eventually wind up in the Clark Fork River.

The additional work, which comes with the $17 million price tag for Atlantic Richfield Co., would involve steep slope reclamation and other engineered features to create storm water controls. Contaminated sediment is sending heavy metals into the waterways under consideration. While EPA is proposing that state water quality standards be waived, the creeks would still have to meet federal water quality standards.

Federal water quality standards are a little different from the states water quality standards, which are tougher to meet.

The changes are necessary because Willow Creek and the tributaries south of Cabbage Gulch flowing into upper Mill Creek have never met federal water quality standards during heavy rains and spring runoff, EPA project manager Charlie Coleman said Thursday.

The areas where rain and snow melt create contaminated sediment running into the waterways are well vegetated. Coleman said that to try to meet Montanas more conservative water quality standard, EPA would have to rip up a mountain.

The reason to implement a waiver now is because EPA is inching toward its legal settlement, called a consent decree, with Atlantic Richfield Co. over Anacondas Superfund site. As part of that preparation, the company needs to know what its liabilities will be, Coleman told The Montana Standard.

The soils carry heavy metals due to aerial emissions from around 100 years of smelting activity. The Washoe Smelter shut its doors for good in 1980.

Coleman held a meeting Thursday evening at the Metcalf Senior Center in Anaconda to allow the public the opportunity to comment on the proposed change to EPAs cleanup plan for the Smelter City. The public has until August 4 to voice opinions on EPAs proposal. (See information box.)

About 15 members of the public attended, as did county and state officials. There were many questions from the public about why EPA wasnt doing more to make Atlantic Richfield meet the states tougher water quality standards.

Clark Fork Coalition representative Andrew Puckett called the waiver inappropriate. The nonprofit organization works to restore and sustain the Clark Fork River and its tributaries.

Targeted removals (of contaminated soil) could be practical and its unclear whether that was considered. Aquatic life in the Clark Fork suffers due to metals, Puckett said.

Coleman said one alternative EPA looked into was building a treatment plant to treat the metals. But officials decided that hundreds of acres would be wiped out in the process of creating water storage areas for a treatment plant site.

Coleman said that during most of the year, the creeks meet federal water quality standards. The new expanded and enhanced cleanup on the hills that send runoff into Willow Creek and upper Mill Creeks tributaries would reduce sediment from coming down the hillsides.

Former Department of Environmental Quality project manager Joe Griffin called this waiver fairly conservatively done. He also called it practical.

But Griffin offered some suggestions.

He encouraged EPA to consider testing fish to keep an eye on how the new cleanup plan would be affecting the aquatic life in the creeks. He also said that some of the tributaries in question are on wild land and wildlife could come into play.

It may be better to ensure that there are stable beaver populations, Griffin said. They do a better job of capturing sediment than any engineer.
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Many do not like how and why I write. Many tell me so in very nasty words, actions and expressions. The anti Russian demons have made life very interesting, especially for someone who really knows Russia like I do. I am a serious threat to the anti Russia crowd. Yet I should not be a threat, I should be a voice to help span the gap created by piss poor politics and ignorance between two wonderful countries

I received: interaction email with donation that made me think

Keep writing. Whether I agree or not, doesnt matter. You have an unique voice, from an unique place, with an unique perspective, at an unique time.

Strange thing to me is that neither side uses my uniqueness within my situation and perspective and tries to garner some sort of connection to twine the two countries together. This is a fact that while Russia does not attack me for things I say, nor do they embrace me for anything I say. America hates me for what I say and are unable to embrace me for my ability to span a chasm of antipathetic feelings

Other words I do not meet the agenda on either side

What I do meet is my agenda and I simply write whatever I feel like and or about writing. I really do not take in consideration if you care to read it or not. I simply write what bothers, interests and irritates me. and or what is happening around the Russia I live in

Believe you me, there is a bunch less things about Russia that irritates me than America. Why should Russia? If I was happy with America 60 years ago, then I am darn for sure happy with a Russia, literally like the past America. That is the point I have made many times. Russia is very safe and secure within its peoples rights and freedoms. This cannot be said anymore about an America that jolts at its own shadow, when even the light is turned on

But

All that and whatever said, I do not feel unique in anyway. I feel worried, tired and just want to see the world get along. I want to see the rich get off their high horse and come out of the clouds. I want to see people on welfare get off their ass and work for a living. I want to see militarys stop attacking others just to propagate its own existence. I want (But yes we do live in a very unique time in history. lets hope that uniqueness does not kill us all!)

Does not matter does it? What I want, no more than it matters what you want. Maybe you want twenty locks on your door to protect against the boogeyman? I do not! For my beliefs are that if I live in a world that needs twenty locks, walls, fences and guards? Then my world is not right and I need a change to a better world

I guess in one way I am unique

I do truly love Russia. That statement alone makes me unique. It also makes me hated and hate is such a harsh word and a word we use too lightly at any given moment in life, within the western aspect of things

I love my Russian girl who has stood by my side through thick and thin. I love the freedom I have in Russia. I love the liberty that abounds in Russia. I love to watch people that are walking, talking and living in that freedom. They (Russians) really do not know how good they have it right now in this moment of history. They are very intellectual, but they are like most on the worlds surface, the trees are in the way of the forest. For I have seen the lose of freedoms first hand and watched Lady Liberty being stripped searched, unto her death



I like this quote as a closing thought

He would see civilization in danger of perishing under the oppression of a gigantic paradox: he would see multitudes of people starving in the midst of plenty, and nations preparing for war although pledged to peace.  Arthur Henderson

Yes he would. and yes we do just that; everyday of our lives

WtR
ABC/Heidi GutmanZedd spent Friday morning onstage in New York City's Central Park, rocking ABC's Good Morning America Summer Concert Series with his hits. He was joined by Liam Payne, his collaborator on the new single "Get Low," and Alessia Cara, his duet partner on the smash hit "Stay." After the show, Zedd told ABC Radio that the success of "Stay" has surprised him.

While Zedd has scored quite a few hits in the past few years, "Stay" has become his biggest single ever. While he knew it was special, he said, "The fact that it became so big is crazy!"

"And also so fast," he added. "People latched onto it so quickly and they don't really seem to get tired of it. It was on the radio at #1 for six weeks and it's still #2 for I dunno how many weeks. It's crazy!"

On a sad note, Zedd was among the many musicians -- from the fields of rock, rap, pop and dance -- who were shocked and upset by the death of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, who took his own life this week at the age of 41.

"I was just with them not long time ago, we did a charity event together," Zedd told ABC Radio. "I've known the guitar player for a little while but I met Chester for the first time [there]. And I mean, I don't know what was going on, of course I don't know details but he seemed really happy at that moment."

"I'm friends with people they're friends with and then hearing something like that was really shocking," he added. "I didn't even know if it was true or not. And yeah, it's really tragic."

Zedd will launch his Echo tour this September.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A former U.S. military contractor already serving prison time for stealing secrets was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for preying on young Honduran girls for sex.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola highlighted 37-year-old Christopher Glenn's total lack of remorse as he issued the maximum punishment. He was convicted by a jury of eight counts, including sex crimes involving girls between the ages of 13 and 16 while working as a computer contractor at a U.S. military base in Honduras.

Female victims and others who testified against Glenn described him as a smart, shrewd man whose crime was to take advantage of some of the worlds poorest people.

They asserted that Glenn recruited several Honduran village girls in their teens with the enticement of money, shelter and food, then exploiting them for sex. They also said he forced a couple of the girls to marry him in fake ceremonies conducted but did not file any paperwork with Honduran officials.

Authorities also found photos and videos of him having sex with minors that he had hoarded on his computers. Some of the girls were reportedly drugged.

In court, Glenn insisted that there was nothing criminal about what he did, saying the girls were in consensual relationships with him, despite the differences in age and education.

Ive had bad luck with relationships, Glenn told the judge. I cared for these people, I treated them well.

Glenn was already serving a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to stealing U.S. military secrets. He represented himself during the sentencing, after first firing his assistant federal public defender and then dismissing another defense attorney appointed by the judge.

Glenns formerly-assigned attorney Joe Rosenbaum told the Miami Herald that the punishment, which fell within the sentencing guidelines for his offenses, could not have been harsher.

Its a sad day when someone gets life, regardless of the crime, Rosenbaum said, lamenting that Glenn should have followed the advice of his counsel.

Scola issued life sentences for Glenns five offenses involving sex-trafficking minors, along with terms from 10 to 30 years for three other related counts  all to run concurrently. The judge said he had no confidence that Glenn would abide by the law if he was ever released.

I have to worry about what happens if you get out of prison, Scola told Glenn.

Not only have you not shown any remorse but you continually blame everyone but yourself.
Saudi Arabia has spent over US$4 billion in arms deals including the purchase of fighter jets, bombs, armored vehicles, rifles, and ammunition.

The U.K. has been selling arms to 20 of the 30 nations on its list of "Human Rights Priority Countries" including Saudi Arabia, Israel, China, and Bahrain.

RELATED:

UK Court Rules Sale of Arms to Saudi Arabia Is Legal

In the government annual report's foreword, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, wrote, the country has been making efforts to advance global human rights, Promoting the values that Britain holds dear is not an optional extra, still less a vainglorious addition to our diplomacy; it is in keeping with centuries of tradition. This is part of who we are".

The U.K. based advocacy group Campaign Against Arms Trade, CAAT, says just over US$1Billion of arms were sold to 20 countries on the list.

Whitehall has particularly come under scrutiny for supplying arms to Saudi Arabia, the world's largest buyer.

Since May 2015, Riyadh has been leading a conflict against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

It has spent over US$4 billion on arms deals with the U.K. including the purchase of fighter jets, bombs, armored vehicles, rifles, and ammunition.

"UK weapons are used in the devastating bombing of Yemen, in clear violation of the UK's own rules on arms sales, and European and international law," CAAT's website stated.

"Saudi Arabias contracts with the UK government and BAE Systems are the UKs biggest ever export deals and successive governments have stopped at nothing to protect them. The governments campaign to sell the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft now bombing Yemen has involved interventions at the highest level," the website reads.

Last year, in a leaked draft report, the Committee on Arms Exports Control echoed both the European Parliament and the Commons International Development Select Committee in calling for arms sales to Saudi Arabia to end, The Independent reported.

Yemen now has the worst cholera outbreak in history & the value of arms sales continues to exceed bilateral aid. https://t.co/xgSgydzOFH  Kate Osamor (@KateOsamor) July 21, 2017

Andrew Smith, a spokesperson with CAAT told paper: These are the countries where even the Government accepts that serious human rights abuses and conflicts are taking place, yet it is still pushing arms to these regimes."

We have no way of knowing what abuses these arms may fuel, or who they will be used against. The Government will no doubt tell us how rigorous and robust its system supposedly is, but it is actively arming and supporting many of the most brutal dictatorships in the world. If [Theresa] May and her colleagues want to promote human rights and democracy then they must stop selling arms to unstable and repressive regimes," Smith said.

In response, a Department of International Trade spokeswoman insisted "The UK Government takes its defense export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every application on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria".

We draw on all available information, including reports from NGOs and our overseas network, and our export licensing system allows us to respond quickly to changing facts on the ground. We have suspended or revoked licenses when the level of risk changes and we constantly review local situations," the spokeswoman added.
A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product  a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals.

This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup.

What is no-code?

No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development.

No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality.

A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers.

No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself.

Benefits of no-code for a startup founder

There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology:

a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment  already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential;

cost  no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt;

speed is the main advantage over classical development  no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly;

low entry threshold  to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology;

ease of use  no need to write hundreds of code lines  just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers;

flexibility  with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs.

Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder

As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages:

no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future).

Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice.

Types of no-code platforms

Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth).

The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design.

If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual.

If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier.

Adalo

An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic.

Bubble

It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users.

Integromat

It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP.

Zapier

This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions).

Directual

The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services.

AppMaster.io

No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core.

No-code perspectives for startups

No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications.

According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes.

The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface.

Conclusion

No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code.

The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools.

No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application.

If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential.
Welcome home, Capt. Robert Holton.

And what a hero's welcome it was.

Forty-eight years after Butte's Bob Holton was killed when his F4 Phantom fighter jet was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War, his recently verified remains made it back to his hometown on Friday.

His casket arrived on a commercial flight into Bozeman Friday afternoon and, in a procession of Butte-Silver Bow police, Montana Highway Patrol troopers, more than 70 motorcycle riders, and 20 other vehicles, came into Butte off of Homestake Pass on Interstate 90 about 5:45 p.m.

Scores of people  young and old alike  greeted the procession as it came onto Harrison Avenue, many clutching American flags, big and small.

People cheered and waved and clapped and honked horns as the procession and white hearse passed by on its way to Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home, where services are scheduled Saturday morning. Some stood silently, hands over their hearts.

Gilbert Herrera, an Army veteran from Butte, rode his motorcycle to the airport near Bozeman and was part of the procession from the start. He said there were people waving flags from every overpass on I-90 from there to Butte, where there were even more.

"If that doesn't choke you up, I don't know what would," he said.

It was only last month when someone from the U.S. Air Force called Bill Holton in Butte to say that remains recently excavated in Laos were indeed those of his brother, Bob. The crash site was only pinpointed this past January.

After the service Saturday, Holton will be buried at Sunset Memorial Park 13 miles west of Butte with full military honors, including an honor-guard gun salute and fly-over by the Air Force.

Friends and relatives from Montana and elsewhere came to say goodbye, including Ray Blewett, who went to grade school with Holton in Butte.

They ran into each other at an officers club in Thailand in 1968 during off hours one night, neither knowing until then that the other, too, was flying fighter and bomber missions over North Vietnam.

"We hung out together after that," Blewett said. "Bobby was really a nice buddy. He liked country music. He wasn't much of a drinker, but we hung out at the club and talked shop  what we were doing and where we were flying and close calls.

"We made plans to see each other, but we never did hook up back in the states," Blewett said.

Blewett was able to come home in late 1968, but Holton never made it back. His plane was shot down on Jan. 29, 1969. He was MIA for decades, even though the military presumed him dead starting in 1972.

Blewett moved to Arizona with his wife, Donna O'Hara, in 1989 but usually makes return visits to Montana every summer. He made Butte his destination Friday and Saturday and was there as the procession arrived at the funeral home.

"When I found out that Bobby was coming home, I said, 'I am definitely going to be there,'" he said.

Unlike Blewett, the scores of people along Harrison Avenue, including high school students who held up a giant "Welcome Home Capt. Robert Holton" banner, never met the man. Many hadn't even heard about him until this week.

The Montana Standard had stories about his planned arrival this week, and DJs on several radio stations encouraged people to be along Harrison Avenue to pay their respects. They included KAAR and all three stations owned by Butte's Ron Davis  KBOW, KOPR, and KGLM.

"Here is a man who in 1969 gave his life for what his country felt was right, and he was left out there all alone," Davis said Friday. "We had so many of our soldiers left behind in that war, and here is one of ours coming home. Not the right way, but he's coming home and can be laid to rest."

Like Hererra, Leroy Collins, a Navy veteran from Manhattan, Montana, was at the airport near Bozeman and rode his motorcycle in the procession from there to Butte. The number of bikers grew along the way, he said.

"At least now he's home," Collins said. "The family doesn't have to worry anymore. They can get closure."

Herrera said it was an honor to help escort Holton home.

"Never leave a fallen soldier behind," he said.
In the video, the narrator recounts how Not long ago on Capitol Hill, Congress cooked up their new health care bill.

And a great cry rose up from across the land: This new bill is terrible and it should not stand!

The video then stresses how AARP is working closely with a wide range of health care and consumer organizations to urge the Senate to vote down the bill: Doctors came together to say, arm in arm, we all took an oath to first do no harm. But this bill will hurt those who need medical care, so they all marched in protest to the towns central square.



The video is part of AARPs full-court press  in the Senate, the media and communities across the country  to stop the Senate from enacting the latest version of a bad health care bill. This legislation would repeal the Affordable Care Act but delay any replacement. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the measure would leave 17 million more Americans without health insurance in the first year and 32 million without coverage by 2026.

In a letter sent to the Senate yesterday, AARP announced it would make the bill an accountability vote, telling its members how their senators voted via advertising, publications, website, direct alerts and the media.
Courtesy Capsula Mundi

Another rare way to be entombed is in an organic, egg-shaped pod created by Capsula Mundi. Designed in 2003 by Italian designers Raoul Bretzel and Anna Citelli, the pods hold a persons ashes, and are then buried below sapling trees. The biodegradable plastic caskets break down, providing nutrients to the saplings. The ultimate goal is to replace tombstones with trees to create new life out of death.

Offbeat requests are changing the basic nature of the funeral business. Wade Funeral Home in St. Louis has a cookie-scented viewing room affectionately known as Big Mammas Kitchen, with a stove, refrigerator, dishes, a can of Crisco, and even faux food. Another space resembles a den with a recliner, television, and remote control.

Clients want more control. They want a service to reflect their lives, said Debora M. Kellom, a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association. Kellom pointed to a particularly memorable 84-year-old, no-pun-intended die-hard Rams fan who asked for a streamer-laden, Super Bowl-style service. Artificial turf marked with yard lines was laid over the carpet. Attendees entered on the 50-yard line with the casket set in the end zone.

Another of Kelloms clients wanted a barbecue theme complete with cooler, picnic table, lawn chairs, and a grill rigged with dry ice so that smoke would pour out. In East Pittsburgh, Penn., funeral director Patrick Lanigan recalls a procession for a cancer-stricken volunteer fireman. His casket was placed on a fire truck, and with sirens blaring, was driven to the crematory.

A memorable good-bye can be as simple as using the U.S. Postal Service. Over the recent Christmas holidays, media outlets reported the tale of the deceased, 88-year-old prankster Chet Finch of Oregon, who (with a little help from his barber) mailed 34 handwritten cards to friends two months after his death with heaven as the return address.
UPDATE at noon Saturday: The BLM announced there will be a community meeting Saturday at 5 p.m. at the VFW hall in Jordan.

UPDATE as of 9 a.m. Saturday:

The Bridge Coulee Fire crossed Highway 200 Friday night, according to Al Nash with the Bureau of Land Management. The road, temporarily closed, has reopened to travel. Expect limited visibility due to smoke. Travelers need to drive slowly through the fire impacted area and obey all signs and flaggers, Nash said.

Evacuations remain in place for residents north of Highway 200 to Fort Peck Lake and west of Edwards Road in Garfield County. The Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at the VFW Hall in Jordan.

Garfield County and the Incident Management Team are making plans for a community meeting. Details will be released later Saturday.

The Western Montana Type 2 Incident Management Team took over management of the Lodgepole Complex at 6 a.m.

The Lodgepole Complex, made up of multiple wildfires burning a total of 69,000 acres of land in Garfield and Petroleum Counties, prompted evacuation orders on Friday night, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

The evacuation order is for "the entire area north of Highway 200 from the Petroleum County line and west of Edwards Road," said BLM spokesman Al Nash.

Some areas included are Big Bart Coulee, Haley Coulee, Benzien School area, Benzien Road to Steve Forks Road and the Battle Coulee area.

The fire is made up of four fires. The largest of the fires is the Bridge Coulee fire burning 16 miles north of Mosby and estimated at 50,000 acres. The Barker fire 20 miles north of Sand Springs is estimated at 12,000 acres. The South Breaks fire 27 miles northeast of Mosby is estimated to be 7,000 acres. The Square Butte fire 19 miles north of Sand Springs is estimated at 808 acres.

"Early Thursday we estimated it at 2,500 acres," Nash said of the Bridge Coulee fire. "Now that individual fire is 50,000 acres."

According to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group website InciWeb, the Bridge Coulee fire has crossed the Musselshell River into Petroleum County.

No containment has been reported for the complex of fires yet, Nash said. The Lodgepole Complex is the largest fire this summer in Montana.

The fire began on Wednesday at approximately 3:20 p.m., and Nash said a cause has yet to be determined.

Fuels for the fire include timber, foot-tall short grass and 2-feet tall brush. "A lot of open range with pockets of timber, that'd probably be the best way to describe it," Nash said of the fire's fuels. The fire is burning a mixture of public, state and private land, Nash said.

"Things are extraordinarily dry. We've had several days of hot temperatures, very low humidity and dusty wind," Nash said. "All of those lead to very critical fire weather conditions and can result in extreme fire behavior."

Nash said firefighters have been working on the blaze and aided by air tanker drops of retardant. "It's not for lack of trying he said," Nash said of the difficulty halting the fire's progress so far. So far, 153 firefighting personnel have been assigned to the Lodgepole Complex.

Speaking Friday night, Nash said he did not have any confirmed reports of structural damage.

Rick Connell's Western Montana Type 2 Incident Management Team was scheduled to try and take control of the fire Friday night. Connell was incident commander for the July Fire that burned 11,000 acres earlier this summer near the towns of Zortman and Landusky in Phillips County.
School board, county commission and zoning meetings are this week

Here's a look at who's meeting this week and what's on the agenda.
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 22, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The officers of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, President Rick Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder, congratulate Jerry Oleksiak, President of the Pennsylvania State Education Association on his nomination as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. President Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder issued the following joint statement:

"Governor Tom Wolf has nominated Jerry Oleksiak to serve as secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry. Pennsylvanians need an advocate that understands the unique challenges facing working families and communities. The secretary of labor and industry represents all the Commonwealth's working people regardless of their profession or employment sector. Through his decades of service as an educator and labor leader, Jerry has remained committed to improving the lives of children and working families across the state. We believe that Jerry will continue this commitment to Pennsylvania's working people as the secretary of labor and industry."

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pennsylvania-afl-cio-congratulates-jerry-oleksiak-on-nomination-to-secretary-of-labor-and-industry-300492567.html

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
For its work supporting veterans and their families, Missoula will be designated a Purple Heart city during a ceremony on Sunday.

Veterans from the Montana chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart will present Mayor John Engen with the official designation during an event at Tamarack Brewing Company that starts a 1 p.m.

Retired Army Ranger and Purple Heart recipient Char Gatlin, who also heads up the Montana district of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, said the city has made strides in recognizing everything returning veterans have to offer the community.

A lot of the young men and women are working on moving forward, shifting gears and working to make themselves better, he said.

Gatlin said Engen  who spoke at the Montana convention for Purple Heart recipients last month  and the city as a whole have been reaching out to veterans and in particular Purple Heart medal winners and recognizing both the issues they return to civilian life with and the potential they have.

Ive seen more and more of my peers, fellow Purple Heart recipients, who are going back to school, applying to board positions, working to help out in their community, Gatlin said.

Missoula is the first in the state to receive the Purple Heart city designation.

During a ceremony in 2015, the University of Montana was designated a Purple Heart university for its work supporting veterans.

Sundays event will also feature a stop by the 2017 Purple Heart Truck Run. The truck run  put on by the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Wounded Warriors Family Support  features a 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor truck that has been mobility-adapted to accommodate wounded veterans who have been paralyzed or lost limbs.

Throughout July and August, the truck will be driven by amputee veterans more than 8,500 miles across the country and back to raise awareness and thank veterans. On Aug. 13, the truck run will arrive in Dallas at the national convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, where it will be presented to retired Marine Sgt. Marshall Kennedy, a Purple Heart recipient from Arkansas.

Kennedy lost both of his legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2011 on his fourth deployment.

An estimated 1.8 million service members who were wounded in combat have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
Note: ...and today? Your children....



We are well past the canary in the coalmine stage. The frog in the pot is well and truly cooked. As children in first world nations fall further behind their parents' and grandparents' generation and plummet into Special Education, the demographics for the future are rapidly shifting. This article below confirms Anne Dachel's post about the skyrocketing expulsions in the UK.

From the Irish Times. Read the full article here.



A sharp increase in the numbers of school pupils diagnosed with autism since 2011 is among the factors that has led to a huge jump in the budget for special needs education, according to a Government report.

The report has prompted alarm about the rising costs in Government. A spending review carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure published yesterday finds that spending on special educational needs now accounts for almost one-fifth of the total education budget.

Spending on special education has grown by almost half a billion euros since 2011, a rise of 38 per cent. In the period since 2004, spending on the area has grown by 260 per cent. Special needs education now costs the exchequer more than third-level education.

Almost 90 per cent of special education funding goes on pay for teachers and special needs assistants.

Concerns about the costs and efficiency of the special needs assistants (SNAs) scheme have prompted the department to order a comprehensive review of the scheme, which is due to be completed next year. The number of SNAs has grown from 2,988 in 2001 to more than 13,000, an increase of 336 per cent. Expenditure on the scheme has grown by almost 1,300 per cent.

The increase in costs of the SNA scheme has been driven by a huge jump in the numbers of pupils being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Between 2011 and 2016, the numbers of pupils presenting to schools with a diagnosis of ASD has increased by 83 per cent, the report says.

This is driving almost all of the increase in the number of pupils in special classes, in special schools and 50 per cent of the increase in mainstream classes. SNA support for children with ASD tends to be primarily around behaviour or communication, the report finds.

There have also been significant increases in the numbers of students accessing other supports for children with special needs.... Read more here.
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ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo.  The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has approved a five-year plan that aims to advance academic quality, enrollment, statewide engagement and economic contributions.

The university's strategic plan was approved unanimously Friday by the board during a meeting in Rock Springs.

The plan was crafted during a nine-month process involving statewide and campus meetings, public input and multiple revisions.

Specifically, the draft plan targets increasing student recruitment, retention and graduation; degree programs offered through distance technologies; collaborations with community colleges and K-12 schools; research funding; and private contributions to the university, among other measures.

UW President Laurie Nichols says the plan will take the college to new levels of excellence and sets the stage for further breakthroughs for the benefit of our state, the nation and the world.
Turkey's Parliament Bans the Use of the Term 'Armenian Genocide'

ANKARA -- As part of a package of measures aimed to change internal procedural rules of the Turkish parliament, the legislature's constitutional committee on Thursday approved a provision banning the use of the word "Armenian Genocide" from being used in legislative body. Also banned are the terms "Kurdistan," and "Kurdish regions." The bill, initiated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), stipulates a punishment for those lawmakers who break the rule by "insulting the history and common past of the Turkish people" that is using the term "Armenian Genocide" while speaking about the "events of 1915." Members of the People's Democratic Party (HDP) walked out of parliament in protest. Garo Paylan, a member of the Turkish Parliament representing the HDP called the bill "a nationalist authoritarian coalition proposal of the AK and NMP parties." The opposition Republican People's Party lawmaker of Armenian origin Selina Dogan also opposed to the bill, saying that nobody should insult Turkish people's history but neither should other peoples' history be insulted. Dogan described the measure as an attempt to silence the opposition, sources from her press service told Tert.am. Dogan accused the Turkish authorities of spreading hatred against ethnic and religious minorities. "If those speaking about Genocide are to incur fines for insulting Turkey's historical past, then what should be the punishment for those who insult the Armenians from the same podium?" she asked the Majilis. "While the Armenians pray for those regions' prosperity, the Turks keep characterizing Armenians as fast-foes," added Dogan. "Nobody can and must insult the shared past of the peoples who ever resided or reside on Turkey's territory. What about the other nations? Is insulting the Armenians' historical past permitted? Can any parliament member use insulting remarks about the Jews? Do they enjoy freedom when it comes to the Greeks or Assyrians?" said Dogan. Before enacting such a rule, however, the Turkish Parliament in January suspended Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament representing the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) after he spoke about the Armenian Genocide during legislative debate for the now approved Turkish constitution. In his speech, which angered the AKP members, Paylan said the from 1913 to 1923 the Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks and Jews registered in the country were "exiled from these lands or subjected to tortures as a result of large massacres and genocide." "At one time we comprised 40 percent of the population," Paylan said at the time despite an uproar by AKP members. "Today we are one among 1000. Something happened to us, and I call it genocide whatever you call it. The Armenian people know very well what happened to them. I know very well what happened to my father, grandfather. Let's face [history] together," he added.
French Charity Replaces Virgin Mother Statues Destroyed By ISIS in Iraq

A Assyrian priest in Ainkawa blesses new statues of the Virgin Mary brought by L'
CHEYENNE  Cheyenne Regional Medical Center's discharge of a blind patient to a shelter unequipped to deal with the person's needs resulted in an investigation that will lead to increased oversight by the state Department of Health.

Laura Hudspeth, the administrator and state survey agency director for the department of health, said the hospital had lost its deemed status for Medicare and Medicaid but that it is still certified for the services, meaning it will continue to receive payment for patients covered under them.

That could change, she said, and the hospital could lose that funding if it doesn't take action to correct the discharge-related issues identified by state regulators.

Essentially, she said, the loss of status means the hospital will face increased oversight by the department of health, rather than by a federal joint commission, which is the typical overseer.

The complaint

A complaint prompted a state investigation of the hospital on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. According to the state report, law enforcement brought a blind patient to the hospital on May 2. The hospital discharged the patient, whose name and gender is not identified in the report, on May 19.

The patient had suffered a stroke in his or her past and had a history of not taking medications. The hospital had been in contact with three family members, who ultimately declined to take in the patient, at least in part because no one was available to care for him or her, the report said.

Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Baker said the hospital has appealed the decision. She said that the hospital believes health department surveyors could return to Cheyenne Regional in the coming weeks, though she stressed that's far from certain. If surveyors were to return and make a favorable recommendation to CMS, the hospital's status could be restored shortly after, she said.

Hospital staff told one of the family members that the patient would be sent to a shelter on May 19 because "there is no medical reason to continue to hold the patient."

The hospital made arrangements with the shelter for the patient to take his or her medications, and a taxi took the person first to a pharmacy and then to the facility. Hospital staff made follow-up appointments for the patient to meet with support agencies and physicians.

Prior to admission to the shelter, "the hospital reported the patient was independent," the report said. "At the shelter, the patient required assistance, monitoring and care that the staff at the shelter were not trained to provide."

The patient would leave the facility to smoke and then would be unable to find his or her way back in, the report said.

"The patient was reliant on the other residents at the shelter to assist him/her to the bathroom and when no one was available the patient was incontinent," the report said.

The shelter's case manager called the Cheyenne hospital on May 22 and 23 "and reported that staff at the shelter were unable to provide the care the patient needed. The hospital was unable to help."

Hospital's actions

In an interview with state investigators, hospital officials said that staff tried to convince the patient to stay, but that he or she was determined to leave. "The medical necessity had expired and the patient was his/her own responsible person," the officials told investigators, according to the state report.

The report concluded that hospital staff knew three days prior to discharge that family wasn't able to take care of the patient but did not pursue options other than the shelter. It also charged that the "staff did not complete a thorough safety assessment of the post-hospital discharge destination" and that "there was no evidence of staff providing the patient with information about the safety risks associated with residing at the shelter."

It's unclear when the report was given to the hospital. It was filed online Friday and is dated June 21.

The report includes the hospital's plan to address the concerns. The plan includes revising the discharge policy to include one step that staff "research and present all options of placement destinations" and another that requires staff "verify a community based destination has the capability ... to meet the patient's needs prior to discharge."

The plan also calls for the hospital's director of case management to monitor discharges for patients who have mental health concerns. An audit of discharges will be conducted every quarter beginning Sept. 1 and ending in September 2018. It will continue periodically after that.

Hudspeth said that if action is not taken by the hospital, it could lose its Medicare and Medicaid funding, she said.

"Our goal isn't to remove the funding," she said. "Our goal is to come back into compliance."

She said the loss of deemed status "does happen at times" but that she couldn't remember the last time it happened in Wyoming.

Star-Tribune staff writer Arno Rosenfeld contributed to this report.
July 20, 2017

BAGHDAD  In a military parade July 15 in central Baghdad, Iraq celebrated its victory against the Islamic State (IS) in Mosul. In what many people view as an intentional snub of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, one regiment of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) wore what appeared to be the uniform of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iraqi satellite channels broadcast the prerecorded video of the parade, showing a number of members not wearing the same uniform as the rest of the security formations parading in front of Abadi and the families of veterans who were killed in combat. This generated controversy on social media.

Abadi rivals  those close associates of Iran  seemingly intended to embarrass him or send him the message that they are not at his disposal at all times. This has prompted the question: What does Iran want from Abadi?

Abadi's ties to Iran don't seem to be flourishing. Tehran believes Abadi stands in the way of its projects and allies in the country. This is while Abadi believes his eastern neighbor is seeking full control of the country.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy of Iran's Shura Council, said July 2, Terrorists will be able to rule over Damascus and Baghdad if they are not [protected by] the Quds Force," which is the special forces unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In a June 20 meeting with Abadi, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against the implementation of any measure that would weaken the PMU. As Abadi is often accused of wanting to incapacitate or dissolve the PMU, Khamenei's message wasn't just an offhand remark.

Khameneis and Boroujerdis statements mark a new chapter of Iran's policy toward Iraq. The strategy that was in place to control Shiite political parties is no longer enough. Iran wants to expand its geographic and political influence to the Sunni areas that have been retaken from IS.

Abadi backers stand in the way of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's supporters, who are close to Iran and enjoy political and military support as they run the so-called deep state that appears to be conducting Iraqi state affairs.

Fallah Mishaal, former editor-in-chief of al-Sabah newspaper, told Al-Monitor, Iran perceives Iraq as a precondition for its national security. Through [Iran's] support for Shiite political parties in power, it seeks to prevent any attempt at disrupting the presence of these parties within the Iraqi state institutions.

He continued, In light of the Iranian strategy inside Iraq, Abadi is required to take stances not intersecting with the Iranian project, by abstaining from suspending the PMU's role in the Iraqi security and military dossier. This is given that many of its factions succumb to the instructions of Khamenei.

Abadi and Iran disagree over a critical point about the PMU. Abadi believes the demand for some armed Shiite groups within the PMU to join the fighting in Syria to be unconstitutional, contrary to the Iranian stance that encourages fighters to stand alongside the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Abadi is a member of the Islamic Dawa Party, which is closely linked to Iran. Since he became prime minister, however, he has sung a tune different from those partisans and friends of Iran. For this reason, Iran believes Abadi is working to neutralize Tehran's influence and partisans in Iraq.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran seeks to regain influence in Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut and will reap significant gains in that regard from the recent battles against IS.

Abdul Rahman al-Jubouri of the National Endowment for Democracy told Al-Monitor, There are three Iranian paths in Iraqs near future: The first is to preserve the influence acquired over the past 14 years; second is to preserve a particular influence in the western parts [the Sunni areas]; and third is to look for Shiite liberals on the Iraqi political map." Since Iraq is a secular state constitutionally, Iran's Shiite government needs liberal Shiites in the Iraqi government to maintain its influence there.

He added, Iran has warned against taking measures such as dismissing the PMU or making do without them. In contrast, Abadi wants to disavow from forces fighting in Syria. This is in itself a point of divergence between both sides.

Irans military influence has expanded since IS took control of Mosul in June 2014. Nevertheless, it has faced obstacles placed by Abadi, unlike Maliki when he ran the government. Iran is dissatisfied with Iraqi moves to get closer to the Arab region in general, and the Gulf in particular.

Iran will not support a second term for Abadi and will probably seek to oust him or weaken his political efforts before and during the elections, which are tentatively set for April. Iran wants the return of its ally Maliki, who is disappointed with Abadi. This will probably result in an election race even more fierce than the last one.

Iran's stance toward Abadi is not personal. Rather, it is a message to London and Washington, as the main supporters of his government. This is why Iran wants the next prime minister to be closer to Maliki than to Abadi. Iran will not content itself with merely looking for a Shiite prime minister, but will go further, to the point of backing up the nomination of a candidate from the PMU to lead the next government.
July 21, 2017

The first meetings of the new chairman of the Labor Party, Avi Gabbay, left staffers perplexed. The new boss wasted no time on pleasantries. The meetings were cold and businesslike, according to one of the participants.

Gabbay got straight to the point and made clear that he expects a minimum of disruptions from us, because his goal is to double the number of party members to a 100,000 and get 30 seats for Labor. Obviously we also want to see him succeed, but the way he behaved with us, as though running a business and not a party, is foreign to us, Al-Monitor learned from a second participant who like everyone else asked to remain anonymous.

These accounts express a common sense of uncertainty regarding the future of the party under the leadership of Gabbay, who is polling well for now. Since he was elected July 10, Gabbay has met with all 24 Knesset members from the Zionist Camp (of which Labor is a partner). He told them that he intends to bring 30 seats to the party, but they all seem to have left with a strange feeling that they dont know the man.

Gabbay entered his new role with gusto. He arrives every morning at the office vacated by former leader Isaac Herzog in the office building on Yigal Alon Street in Tel Aviv, and leaves work at a late hour. Gabbay projects a sense to those around him that theres a new boss in town and that he has a well-ordered work plan.

After the surprising election of a man who never voted for the party and joined it only eight months ago, Gabbay is in many ways an enigma  to Knesset members from the party, its veteran activists and party operatives, who have all known each other for many years. Most of them are unfamiliar with his style of management, his character, his opinions, his temperament or even his political identity.

Gabbay is a strange bird in politics. He grew up in a Likud home. In the last election in 2015 he established the right-wing Kulanu with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. He was appointed minister of the environment and quit the government after less than a year and a half before popping up out of nowhere in the Labor Party.

Gabbay took over the party in the blink of an eye, beating the entire party apparatus, including four Knesset members who ran against him in the primaries. One of these rivals defeated was sitting Chairman Isaac Herzog and another, Amir Peretz, was a former chairman and minister of defense. His contenders were all of Labor's flesh and blood. None of them is a yes-man, and Gabbay will have a painful lesson to learn that Labor is the complete opposite of Kulanu, which coalesces around Kahlon. In Labor, every member of the central committee acts as if he has a share of the party, and if the polls stop flattering Gabbay hell discover that with all due respect to his business management methods, his life could get hard, a source from the party told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

Labor has experienced many shake-ups in the past two decades since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Chairs came and went after losses in election cycles until the party's identity was no longer clear.

Since the election of Shelly Yachimovich as chairperson in 2011, the party has been branded with a social democratic agenda, and many of its Knesset members are identified with parliamentary activity on social justice issues. Gabbay is the antithesis of this agenda. He's a businessman who got rich from his work at a public company that privatized  one of the targets of the 2011 social justice protests identified with Labor. His diplomatic-security agenda can be summed up in declarations of intent and slogans. Gabbay has never had an official position on these issues.

Gabbay doesnt have much in the way of political history and so his opinions arent well-known  not to the wider public nor to the members of the party he now heads. While Gabbay has spoken about many topics, in most cases he offers an opinion on a particular topic or event, and does not sound like someone with a well-formed and well-reasoned philosophy that he has held for years.

On July 19, Gabbay visited Tiberias to meet with a few hundred residents. Tiberias is a city in the northern periphery, where the party received barely 7.5% of the vote in the 2015 elections. Its one of the Likud strongholds that Gabbay has marked as a source from which to draw new constituents. He wrote in a Facebook post, We said well start the campaign to change our government precisely in the places that dont vote for Labor, and were doing that. Gabbay intends to continue to all the towns identified with the Likud.

In the meantime, the Gabbay phenomenon is creating shockwaves in the political establishment, especially in the left-center camp. The first to suffer was Yair Lapid, the chairman of centrist Yesh Atid who until Gabbays election seemed the most likely to go head-to-head with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The polls showed an immediate effect, and Lapid found himself lagging behind the new kid in politics. For the first few days it seemed Lapid was losing his focus. Since then Lapid has gotten hold of himself, started attacking Netanyahu again and relaunched his anti-corruption campaign aimed at the prime minister's soft underbelly following the submarine affair and the arrests of his associates.

Lapid is working to win back the voters that the polls showed would choose Labor after Gabbays election. He has no intention of surrendering, with a well-oiled party, active branches and an apparatus he controls. Gabbay, on the other hand, will have to spend his energy on political concerns within his own party including perceived offenses, arm-twisting, score-settling and rivals waiting for him to fall.
July 21, 2017

Gen. Khalifa Hifter declared full victory over a coalition of Islamists in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, after nearly three years of fighting that left much of Libyas second largest city in ruins.

In his July 6 victory speech, Hifter appeared confident that his mission to liberate the rest of Libya from what he called terror is going well, but he did not say if this means there will be more fighting in western Libya, including the capital Tripoli. Noteworthy, though, Hifter appeared to be reconciliatory toward other military opponents as he called the recent liberation of Sirte from the Islamic State (IS) a national achievement instead of dismissing it as a game, as he did before. When rival forces from Misrata, who are aligned with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), liberated Sirte from IS in December 2016, Hifter dismissed the victory as nothing but a game between different militias.

In 2014 when Hifter first launched his fight against Islamists, no one thought that the little-known general would get so far given his difficult and dismal start, which lacked almost everything needed to conduct a successful war against myriad Islamist militias, including IS.

This military victory comes against the background of fast-moving events in the region, including the crisis between a Saudi-led coalition made up of Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on one side and Qatar on the other. The Saudi axis accused Doha of supporting terrorism and destabilizing many countries in the region, including Libya, where IS lost its stronghold of Sirte and now almost all Islamist groups have been driven out of Benghazi. Doha has long been accused of being the main supporter of different Islamist militias in Libya, particularly in Benghazi.

Since early 2014, the war in Libya has increasingly become a proxy war between countries vying for influence and interests in post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya. On the one hand, Egypt and the UAE have supported Hifter, who is backed by Libyas elected parliament based in Tobruk. On the other hand, Turkey and Qatar, who played a major military role in deposing Gadhafi in 2011, supported various Islamist groups, including the Libyan Brotherhood.

Hifters main problem has been the internationally recognized government in Tripoli  the GNA set up by the United Nations former envoy to Libya, Bernardino Leon, in 2015 after the main Libyan factions accepted and signed the deal in December 2015.

Hifter does not recognize the GNA mainly because it does not recognize him and his self-styled Libyan National Army, which he commands and sees as the cornerstone of any future Libyan army. Despite his meeting with GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj in March in Abu Dhabi, Hifter still believes the GNA is controlled by illegal militias in Tripoli. He also sees the GNA as a failure in terms of improving the living situation for millions of Libyans.

For its part, the GNA and many of its supporters, along with some armed militias in western Libya, do not trust Hifter. The majority believes he is eyeing power and would very much like to be Libyas next president  despite his assurances on many occasions that he is only fighting to make the country safer for everyone. At times, Hifter is likened to his backer, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led a military coup against Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohammed Morsi and then capitalized on his popularity to win the presidential election in Egypt in 2013.

Whatever the case, Hifter now is a force to be reckoned with and cannot pass for the little general he was years ago. His popularity in eastern Libya and some cities in the western and southern regions of the country make him even bigger than the elected parliament that supports him. This has been demonstrated in his increasingly public political role. He recently visited the UAE, one of his main regional backers. At home, he received different diplomats, including the Italian ambassador to Libya. Many European countries, including France, praised Hifters forces' efforts in liberating Benghazi.

As a major military player in Libya, Hifter has been around for a while, but lately, he seems to score much better than before. Forces loyal to him have gained foot in many parts of western and southern Libya  including Sabha, the capital of the south  after taking the strategic military base in al-Jufra in June 2017. The advances came a few weeks after 141 people, including civilians and soldiers loyal to Hifter, were killed in a surprise attack by Islamists aligned with his enemies in Benghazi.

Sarraj recognized the liberation of Benghazi but refused to congratulate Hifter. The GNA only issued a statement congratulating Benghazis residents on liberating their city from Islamists without any reference to the Libyan National Army by name. Many social media sites from eastern Libya made an issue out of it, accusing the GNA of hypocrisy.

On July 15 and in a surprise move, Sarraj appeared on a prerecorded message on national TV to announce a nine-point road map to solve the current political impasse. The main points in the Al-Sarraj initiative  as it became known in the media  are: implementing a cease-fire across the country, holding presidential and legislative elections in March 2018, and the return of all armed groups to their headquarters.

On the face of it, the initiative appears to be a mere maneuver to move forward without any realistic chance of success. First, it is almost impossible to organize any legitimate and fair elections given the lawlessness in many parts of the country, particularly in the Tripolitania and Fezzan regions where militias are still very influential. It is also unlikely that the Tobruk-based parliament and Hifter are ready to accept the initiative  meaning that if elections go ahead without their approval, the parliament and Hifter will have the means to interrupt the election process in eastern Libya.

Cessation of hostilities to give elections a chance to take place in peace is very unlikely since the GNA does not have full control over the armed militias backing it in the greater Tripoli area, let alone in the rest of the country.

It all now depends on what the new UN envoy, Ghassan Salame, will bring to the table. What is widely expected is a limited change to the Libyan Political Accord to include the new facts on the ground about the support Hifter enjoys. The man is here to stay, and this is a fact that has to be seen as it is.
July 21, 2017

There is a relative calm in southern Syria in the wake of the July 7 US-Russian-brokered cease-fire agreement backed by Jordan. The deal came against the backdrop of increased clashes between pro-regime militias and the Syrian opposition, as well as escalating strikes by Israel on Iranian interests in the region. Yet the cease-fire will be difficult to hold in the long run given the strategic importance southern Syria holds for Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah. Such local dynamics mean that the possibility of a future showdown between Hezbollah and Israel is increasingly strong in southern Syria  more than in nearby Lebanon, Hezbollahs bastion.

Russian troops in charge of monitoring the cease-fire appear to have deployed on July 17 in the Daraa province, according to Syrian Masdar News. The recent US-Russian deal included establishing de-escalation zones along Syrias borders with both Jordan and Israel.

In early June, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime ramped up efforts to capture Manshiya in the Daraa region after the neighborhood almost completely fell into rebel hands after months of infighting.

We are dealing with the new cease-fire positively, because it will put an end to the daily massacre of the Syrian people by the regime using barrel bombs and rockets, Maj. Issam Al Reis, spokesman for the Syrian Southern Front rebel group, told Al-Monitor.

The southern insurgency is regrouped for the most part under the Southern Front label, which is a military and command structure that includes dozens of rebels opposing the Assad regime. Southern Syria is also home to a small Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the Yarmouk basin known as the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army. On the other end of the spectrum, Reis said that pro-Iran militias are also fighting alongside the Syrian regime forces in the Daraa province, namely Lebanese Hezbollah, Iraqi Al-Nujaba'a Brigades and the Afghan Liwa Fatemiyoun.

While both Russia and the United States appear to be determined to maintain the cease-fire, Islamist factions including the former al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) have rejected it. Islamist machinations are not alone in endangering the long-term viability of the US-Russian deal. For Syria expert Sinan Hatahet  a researcher at Omran Dirasat, a Turkey-based think tank  who spoke to Al-Monitor, the Assad regime's priorities in the region could be met if the opposition agrees to share the control of the border with Jordan. However, Hezbollah and Iran have other calculations, and it will be interesting to see if Russia can curb them, he added.

Tensions have, after all, only been mounting between Israel on the one hand and Iran, Syria and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, on the other. On April 23, Israeli airstrikes killed a number of Syrian soldiers at a weapons depot in rural Quneitra province concurrently with the targeting of the Golan Heights under Israeli control. On June 23, Israel attacked artillery positions and an ammunition truck that belonged to the Syrian army.

The recent US-Russia-Jordan understanding resulting in a cease-fire in southwest Syria complies with both Jordan and Israel's needs to keep away the Iranians and their proxies from the Syrian-Jordanian border as well as the Golan Heights, Avi Melamed, the Salisbury Fellow of Intelligence and Middle East Affairs at the Eisenhower Institute, told Al-Monitor.

Hezbollah and Iran have worked on building their presence in southern Syria, which they have eyed with great concern since the beginning of the Syrian revolution. The region is home to several communities  namely Sunnis, Christians and Druze  and is located on the strategic border of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Southern Syria is an entry door to Damascus  the regimes stronghold  which is highly important for both Iran and Hezbollah, Lebanese Hezbollah expert Kassem Kassir told Al-Monitor.

Southern Syria also provides access to the Arab-Israeli conflict," he added, in reference to its proximity to Israel.

In January 2015, Jihad Mughniyeh, Hezbollah member and son of Hezbollahs military leader Imad Mughniyeh, was killed in the Syrian province of Quneitra near the Israeli Golan Heights. Four other Hezbollah fighters were killed in the strike, including Cmdr. Mohammad Issa, an Iranian commander in the Syrian Golan Heights, Abu Ali al-Tabtabai and Ismail al-Ashhab. According to Lebanese website Now Lebanon, in February 2015 Hezbollah spearheaded a military drive into a rebel-held triangle of territory in southern Syria between Damascus, Daraa and Quneitra. The campaign was named Operation Martyrs of Quneitra.

In December 2015, Syrian reports claimed Israel killed Hezbollah member Samir Kuntar using surface-to-surface missiles. It was believed Hezbollah was training militiamen and Syrian government forces near the area of the strikes to be led by Kuntar. The training was dovetailed by Shiification efforts in the region, according to the work of Syria expert Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi published on Syria Comment in March 2016.

Iran is not alone in attempting to create its own networks in this strategic area. According to a piece published by Syria Deeply, Israel has worked on creating a safe zone that runs 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep and 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) beyond the demarcation line of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Still, according to Syria Deeply, Israel has funded and supported its own Free Syrian Army faction, which is known as the Knights of Golan Brigade (Liwa Fursan al-Joulan).

Israels major interest is to make sure that Iran will not use the Golan Heights as yet another base [similar to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip] to launch attacks on Israel through proxies in the excuse of liberating the occupied Golan Heights, said Melamed.

While the cease-fire seems to be holding for now, it remains to be seen if it can hold for the long term given the Israeli-Iranian rivalry in this particular region. Russia is taking all the necessary measures to defuse the situation. It has deployed 400 separation forces in the last week in southern Syria. Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, declared July 19 on Al-Arabiya that Hezbollah had started to retreat from southern Syria.

Yet the Russian and Iranian agendas are on opposite sides of the spectrum. In March, an Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militia, the Al-Nujaba'a Brigade, announced it had formed a military force to free the occupied Golan Heights. In addition, Israeli officials have also criticized the deal, telling the Israeli Haaretz newspaper that the Americans and Russians had ignored Israels position almost completely. One official explained that the agreement was bad and doesn't take [into account] almost any of Israel's security interests," and it creates a disturbing reality in southern Syria because it doesnt include a single explicit word about Iran, Hezbollah or the Shiite militias in Syria.

Such a volatile context increases the chances of war in southern Syrian unless Russia is capable of reasoning with its two eternally at-odds allies, namely Iran and Israel. While many experts have been predicting a war between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon, the danger of a conflict may loom farther to the east in southern Syria.
I have 50 years-plus of hiking, hunting, riding and packing on U.S. Forest Service trails, much of it in wilderness areas in several western states, not to mention Alaska, Canada and the Yukon.

I know from experience that just because someone drew a squiggly line on a map does not mean that trail is usable or even exists. It may have never been where the line shows or more likely it hasnt been cleared or maintained in years. There may be large areas of overgrown timber and brushy undergrowth along with lots of Tiddlywinks deadfall. In many places, you cant even find the trail. So much for our USFS maintaining trails that have steadily deteriorated and disappeared in the last 30-40 years. Plus, in some areas USFS policies carried out by employees or contractors using heavy equipment have closed and destroyed thousands of miles of logging roads, trails and ATV trails.

Often times trail crews are inexperienced (a bunch of kids from out of state) or nonexistent due to budgetary or other constraints. The only ones clearing many of these trails are individuals, hunters or volunteer groups like Backcountry Horsemen or, gasp, outfitters who use these trails more than anyone else in pursuit of their business and livelihood.

With this brief testimony, I wonder why the USFS and certain activist groups are so adamant about forcing access across several miles of private land on a no-longer-existing trail to get to a steep 400 acres of USFS land. Why not dwell on the bigger issue of all the other trails and roads being closed and that loss of access to many groups of users instead of one trail that hasnt been maintained since 1988 and leads to nowhere? Plus, it seems that no one including the USFS, can produce any record or paperwork proving that a trail easement ever existed. In my opinion, the best solution in this case would be a land trade between the USFS and the adjacent landowners and construction of a new trail that would then be all on USFS property and it would block up several sections of public land that would then be huntable.

While were at it, lets talk about the removal of the forest ranger involved, Alex Sienkiewicz. He moved here from Vermont so he is not a native Montanan.

According to standards applied in the last election he therefore cant be trusted and is not credible. So why the double standard in this case? Plus, accusations by the landowners that he cut their fence, tore down their no trespassing signs and destroyed a trail camera, threatened them with arrest on their own land, and tried to cut a new trail in the wrong but easiest place because you cant find the old trail anymore. He has had multiple confrontations with other locals and landowners, plus his emails telling people to not ask permission to cross private land. This doesnt sound like the definition of a public servant just doing his job to me! If he had been a private citizen, some of the things he did could be subject to criminal charges. Plus, the recent picture of Sienkiewicz in the Billings Gazette on June 20 shows him next to a big road closed sign across a well-maintained gravel road. So much for public access in that area.

Under the Obama administration, many USFS policies changed and this aggressive approach to forcing access was one of them. Private property rights are protected by the U.S. Constitution and the Montana Constitution and government agencies and private individuals have to follow the law and regulations to gain access.
July 21, 2017

The Turkish governments massive crackdown since last years attempted coup has targeted not only the putschists, but also the media, Kurdish politicians, as well as leftist, liberal and conservative oppositionists. The latest developments in this crackdown show that the regime is proceeding fast to the lowest point on its path to autocracy.

One particularly alarming omen is the arrest of six human rights activists, including Amnesty Internationals Turkey director, following a July 5 police raid on a gathering of civic activists on an Istanbul island. The move indicates that Ankaras suppression campaign has reached a new phase, turning to local and international human rights groups and civic society.

For Amnesty International Secretary-General Salil Shetty, the arrests represented a watershed. This is a moment of truth for Turkey and for the international community. Leaders around the world must stop biting their tongues and acting as if they can continue business as usual, he said, slamming the arrests as a politically motivated persecution that charts a frightening future for rights in Turkey.

The events have already had a chilling effect on civic society. The Citizens Assembly, for instance, postponed a summer school with Turkish and Armenian participants in Turkey, while the Berghof Foundation canceled a roundtable on the Kurdish problem.

The arrest of the six activists demonstrates how arbitrariness is increasingly permeating the justice system in Turkey. After the police raid on the meeting, a journalist asked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to comment on the calls for the release of the activists during a press conference at the G-20 summit in Germany. Erdogan claimed the purpose of the gathering was to plan subversive activities similar to the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, which Ankara blames on the Fethullah Gulen religious community. Upon [a tipoff] received by intelligence services, the police carried out the raid and detained those individuals. They [the activists] are calling for what [the putschists] called. And by asking me this question, you, too, are supporting this call, he said, adding that it was up to the judiciary to decide the fate of the detainees.

Obviously, Erdogan had already made his decision. While passing judgment, proclaiming it to the world and even accusing the journalist who posed the question, he mentioned not the judiciary but the intelligence, which raises myriad questions over the rule of law. How Erdogans statement affected the courts subsequent decision to incarcerate the activists is another serious question.

Now, a brief account of the events that led to the activists imprisonment. Back in April, about 30 activists from various associations gathered in the Mediterranean city of Antalya to discuss the human rights violations and political situation in Turkey as part of an initiative by the Human Rights Joint Platform, which brings together a number of leading advocacy groups, including Amnesty Internationals Turkey branch. Given the prevailing climate in Turkey, they opined that rights activists could also face prosecution, which would increase the importance of communication between fellow groups and the security of their websites and digital data. They decided to organize a special meeting on the issue. So that was the meeting the police raided. German national Peter Steudtner and Swedish national Ali Gharavi were present as consultants.

The police stormed the gathering on its fourth and last day, detaining all participants. Someone had reportedly tipped off the police. That person and the police apparently attributed secretive intentions to issues such as the protection of digital data and encryption. According to press reports, the prosecution reached a similar conclusion at the end of the 12-day detention period. Asking the court to remand the activists in custody, the prosecution wrote, The suspects have followed the secrecy rules of terrorist organizations and talked about police seizing their phones, preserving the data in those phones, concealing the data even if the phones are seized and preventing the data from being seized by the police or others as well as encryption.

The prosecutions opinion may have seemed to be a joke to the activists, but soon it turned into a nightmare. Even worse, no direct link was drawn between the raided meeting and the reasons the prosecution put forward for the arrest of the activists. According to defense lawyer Meric Eyuboglu, The meeting allegedly constituted a crime, but looking to the reasons put forward to justify the arrests, we dont see a single word about the meeting.

What constituted the evidence here was the interpretation of information obtained from the activists computers and telephones rather than the content of the meeting they held. According to defense lawyers, one activist was questioned about a telephone call with a person who was being investigated for belonging to the Gulen community, while another was accused of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after a banned book was found in his home.

In sum, the judicial investigation took for granted the tipoff or the intelligence report that incriminated the activists and embarked on an effort to dig out pieces of information to back it up. In other words, it was not following evidence to uncover a crime, but looking for evidence to suit the accused. As a result, six of the 10 detained activists were jailed pending trial, with some being linked to the PKK, some to a radical leftist group and another to the Gulen community, all considered to be terrorist groups in Turkey.

According to the Sozcu daily, the prosecution argued that the suspects held a meeting aimed at creating movements that would lead to social chaos in line with the goals of terrorist organizations, noting that most of the suspects had links with terrorist organizations and were able to influence society due to their areas of activity. The prosecution then concluded that the suspects had acted with a deliberate intention to aid [terrorist groups] and had thus committed the alleged crimes, demanding that the court jail the activists pending trial.

Nothing is left to say. The law is finished, defense lawyer Murat Dincer said in comments on the prosecutions stance. Anyone who comes up with such a demand is after something else.

And what could this something be? An effort to vilify human rights groups that struggle against rights violations and reach out to the victims? A move to intimidate anyone who might think of engaging in such activities?

Ozlem Dalkiran, one of the imprisoned activists, was one of my closest co-workers from 2008 to 2015, when I chaired the International Hrant Dink Award Committee, an initiative against violence. From 2001 to 2004, we co-managed a large international project called New Tactics and Strategies in Human Rights. A big symposium, which attracted some 400 rights campaigners from seven continents, was held in Ankara as part of the project, backed by a $400,000 contribution from the Turkish government. Erdogan, then prime minister, and then-Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul made the opening speeches at the event, hailing human rights defenders and the importance of their work for a new Turkey. The audience, including Dalkiran and myself, greeted the speeches with applause. It was at this gathering when we had met Gharavi. Now he and the others are behind bars for defending human rights. A dramatic reversal, indeed.
Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Endo to close Huntsville operation, cut 875 jobs

Endo International plc announced this morning it will close its Huntsville manufacturing and distribution operation, resulting in about 875 layoffs.

Don't Edit

Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

MidCity Huntsville to unveil new concepts at old mall site

More details will be known next week about MidCity Huntsville, the much anticipated mixed-use project at the former Madison Square Mall site. RCP Companies, the real estate firm developing the property, said it will announce the first new MidCity concepts since the demolition of Madison Square earlier this year.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Regions earnings up 8 percent in 2nd quarter

Birmingham's Regions posted an 8 percent increase in earnings for the second quarter of the year, the company announced this morning. Earnings per diluted share from continuing operations were $0.25, an increase of 9 percent from the first quarter of 2017.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Warren Averett firm taps Mary Elliott as new CEO

Accounting firm Warren Averett has named Mary Elliott as its new chief executive officer. Elliott succeeds Jim Cunningham, who is retiring at the end of this year. She will be Warren Averett's first female CEO and one of only three female CEO's among the top 35 accounting firms in the country.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

El Palacio selling 50 years of memories from Huntsville restaurant

Fans of El Palacio in Huntsville will have one last chance to take home a souvenir from the beloved Mexican restaurant before it's gone forever. El Palacio owner Doug Davis said they will hold an everything must go sale from noon to 6 p.m. July 26-29 and Aug. 2-5 at the eatery.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Walmart bringing giant pickup kiosks to more stores in Alabama

More giant self-service kiosks will arrive soon at Walmart stores in Alabama. The big-box retailer said it will soon roll out 100 Pickup Towers to Walmarts across the U.S. Spokesman Justin Rushing said they haven't released locations, but several more will appear at locations in Alabama over the next several months.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Kenny Payne found wife, career at Jack's: 'I love what I do'

Kenny Payne will be at Jack's new location in Fort Payne Saturday, as it reopens for breakfast business. It's a place he's more than familiar with. He started there and now oversees stores in Henager, Scottsboro, Stevenson, Lookout Valley, Tenn., and will soon supervise the Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. location.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Regions closing, consolidating 2 Alabama locations

Regions is closing and consolidating two Alabama locations, according to the company. In Prattville, Regions' drive-thru location, at 744 East Main St., will close and consolidate into the Regions branch at 1901 E. Main St.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Telemedicine firm AlternaVisit launches web services

Birmingham firm AlternaVisit has announced a new service - website and email development, hosting, and management. AlternaVisit specializes in asynchronous telemedicine - where technology is used to provide health care that does not require the patient and physician to be in the same place at the same time. The company won the Birmingham Venture Club's 2016 best pitch competition.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Battle brewing between United Auto Workers, Nissan in Mississippi

The United Auto Workers faces a strong anti-union campaign from Nissan Motor Co. as it tries to gain a foothold in the union-averse South by organizing workers at the Japanese automaker's Mississippi plant.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Alabama's June unemployment rate drops to 4.6 percent

Alabama's unemployment rate continues to plummet. The state's preliminary June jobless rate was 4.6 percent, down from 4.9 percent in May. A year ago, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

These 25 bars bought the most liquor in Alabama in 2016

Just how much liquor does Alabama drink? We requested data from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to find out. These 25 bars bought the most liquor wholesale in 2016 for on-premise consumption. This doesn't include beer or wine, and it doesn't include single bottle sales.

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Brian Kelly | bkelly@al.com

'A little bit like Disney World': OWA amusement park opens today

As Camille Keomanivong waited for husband to brave the Rollin' Thunder Thursday, she couldn't help but think about Mickey Mouse. "It looks a little bit like Disney World," said Keomanivong, an Atmore resident in comparing "The Park at OWA" with the famed Walt Disney World amusement park in Orlando. "It's more accessible, which is awesome. It's very family-friendly. It's clean and well-organized. It's great."

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

10 surprising tax-free things during Alabama sales tax holiday

Alabama's Back to School Sales Tax Holiday is underway, lasting through the weekend until midnight on Sunday, June 23. It's the first time Alabama has held its tax-free weekend in July, a change that accommodates early school starts.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

A sneak peek of 2 new restaurants opening in Birmingham's Elyton Hotel

Opening night has arrived for the two new restaurants in downtown Birmingham's recently opened Elyton Hotel. Both the ground-floor restaurant The Yard and the rooftop restaurant and bar Moon Shine will be open for dinner starting tonight, July 21.

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Lee Roop | lroop@al.com

Bolta opens $48.7 million Tuscaloosa plant

The Bolta Group opened its $48.7 million manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa County today, with state and local officials celebrating the consummation of a long-sought project.
Three longtime Alabama Department of Education attorneys sharply deny a report that they conspired to undermine Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Craig Pouncey's bid for the job of state superintendent last year.

General Counsel Juliana Dean and Associate General Counsels James Ward and Susan Crowther wrote letters to the state Board of Education (see below) responding to the report by a co-worker, Associate General Counsel Michael Meyer.

"Let me be very clear, Mr. Meyer's 'defamatory' report is a work of fiction and is due to be rejected by the board," wrote Dean, who has worked for the department since 2005 and has been general counsel since 2015. "My colleagues and I absolutely did not conspire with anyone to harm Dr. Pouncey, and I sincerely believe Dr. Pouncey knows that, having worked with me for nearly ten years."

Meyer's report accused the lawyers of intentionally allowing anonymous allegations made against Pouncey to hurt his chances of becoming state superintendent.

"I did not write the anonymous letter about Dr. Craig Pouncey, defame him, participate in any conspiracy or scheme of any type against him, or take any other action designed to hurt him," wrote Ward, who has worked for the department for almost 10 years.

The three lawyers asked the state board to reverse its decision, made last month, to accept Meyer's report. They also said they would welcome an objective investigation.

"I ask that you rescind your acceptance of Meyer's written report, which contains unsubstantiated and malicious conclusions, or, in the alternative, also publicly accept our responses," wrote Crowther, who has worked for the department since 2002 and been a lawyer there since 2008.

Meyer did not respond to a request for comment submitted to the state department's public information office.

"The Alabama State Department of Education does not comment on matters currently involved with litigation or that may involve future personnel actions," department spokeswoman Erica Pippins Franklin said in an email.

Meyer's report came at the request of State Superintendent Michael Sentance based on a resolution passed by the state board asking for an investigation into the origin and handling of the anonymous allegations against Pouncey.

Board members said Meyer's report would be sent to the attorney general's office, which had requested an internal review by the department before deciding whether to investigate.

Meyer concluded that the alleged conspirators intentionally let the allegations against Pouncey linger while the state Board of Education considered him and other finalists for state superintendent.

Besides the three lawyers, Meyer's report accused board member Mary Scott Hunter of Huntsville and former interim Superintendent Philip Cleveland of conspiring against Pouncey.

Meyer did not accuse any of the five of being the author of the unsigned letter. That remains unknown. Meyer also did not interview any of the five for his report. Sentance said that would have been outside of the scope of the investigation. Sentance said he asked Meyer only to review documents. Meyer also took a deposition from David Pope, chief of information security for the department.

On June 21, the state board heard a presentation from Meyer about the report and voted 6-1 to accept it. Hunter voted against accepting it and called it "garbage."

Pouncey has filed a lawsuit against the same five people named in Meyer's report in February, making allegations similar to what's in the Meyer report.

Dean and Crowther said it appeared the Meyer report was intended to influence the outcome of the lawsuit.

Both Pouncey and his attorney, Kenny Mendelsohn, said today they had not seen the letters from the three lawyers. Mendelsohn declined comment about them.

Pouncey said, "Obviously, the process is supposed to be guided in a very professional manner and certain protocols should always be exercised anytime there is a search for a new superintendent. It's obvious with what occurred, those were not safeguarded."

Last August, the state board voted to hire Sentance, a former education official from Massachusetts, over Pouncey and the other finalists.

The decision came after board members received the unsigned letter accusing Pouncey of ethics violations when he was a top official at the state department back in 2009. Pouncey and former employees familiar with what was alleged said the claims were baseless.

In his report, Meyer's report said evidence collected showed Pouncey did not do what was alleged.

Pouncey and others said the publicity about the allegations crippled his chance of getting the job. He said he filed the lawsuit to clear his name.

A legislative panel, led by state Sens. Gerald Dial and Quinton Ross, has held hearings to question state board members and department employees about the way the anonymous complaint was handled. They have scheduled a hearing for Tuesday. It will be their first meeting since the Meyer report.

Ward's letter to the board says his main job is to investigate teachers accused of misconduct, such as inappropriate relationships with students.

"It has been painful to have my character called publicly into question by people who have not even bothered to talk with me about what I did or to learn who I am -- a man of sincerity and integrity," Ward wrote.

Crowther wrote that she has worked for the department since 2002, first as a legal research assistant. Crowther said her main responsibility since she became a lawyer for the department in 2008 has been to prosecute educators for misconduct.

"As a prosecutor, I have carried out my responsibilities with integrity and fairness, working to ensure that respondents are afforded due process while also protecting students from educators who pose a threat to their safety," Crowther wrote.

She also noted that the ongoing dispute is "yet another time-consuming distraction from providing services to Alabama public schools."

Dennis Bailey, an attorney for Dean, Crowther and Ward, said he submitted to Dial's legislative committee the letters from his three clients. Bailey said he also provided to the committee a written evaluation of Meyer's report conducted by former state Supreme Court Associate Justice Bernard Harwood.

Harwood reviewed the report at the request of Sentance, who did not agree with Meyer's conclusions. Harwood wrote that he reviewed Meyer's report from the perspective of an appeals court judge. Harwood wrote that the information in the report and the attached documents did not appear to support the conspiracy conclusion.

Harwood made similar comments in an oral presentation to the board before it voted to accept the Meyer report on June 21. The board decided not to make his comments part of the record.

State board Vice President Stephanie Bell, asked today whether the board would consider publicly accepting the responses from the three lawyers, said the letters do not constitute a formal request for action by the board. Bell said a formal request would have to be made before the board at a meeting.

Bailey, the attorney for Dean, Crowther and Ward, said, "I thought a letter to every board member making that request was a formal request."

Bell said if there were a formal request to the board, board members would not consider taking any action without consulting with their attorney because of related litigation.

Bell said, on the other hand, it was appropriate for the board to accept Meyer's report because it came as a result of a board resolution.

Meyer, in his presentation to the board last month, said Dean had filed a complaint against him in retaliation for doing the investigation.

Dean disputed that in her letter, saying that she recommended in January that Meyer be disciplined or transferred for insubordination. Dean said she did not know about the investigation at that time.

Corrected at 11:12 p.m. to change references to Ward in last two paragraphs to Dean.

by

on Scribd
A Gadsden man wanted for kidnapping his former girlfriend and her 6-year-old daughter was caught in Ohio on Friday after more than a month on the run, Decatur police said.

According to authorities, 21-year-old Trevonne Monte Jackson tried to kidnap the victims twice in May and early June. Jackson's former girlfriend told police that the suspect forced her into her vehicle on May 29 at 9:32 a.m. Jackson then tried to injure her by crashing the car intentionally, police said. The former girlfriend escaped without injuries and called police. Jackson fled from the scene before police arrival.

On June 1, officers said Jackson forced his way into an apartment with a handgun and then forced the victim into a white Nissan Altima. The victim's 6-year-old daughter was present at the time. Police said Jackson put the child in the car while trying to force the victim in the car as well.

The victim was able to grab Jackson's handgun. Police said she fired several shots into the air to create a disruption. The victim was able to grab the child out of the car and run to safety. Police said Jackson left the scene. That same day, police obtained a warrant for his arrest.

U.S. Marshals located Jackson in Dayton, Ohio. He has been extradited to Alabama and was booked into Morgan County Jail without bond.
A youth counselor who works at a residential treatment facility in Madison was arrested Friday for engaging in sexual acts with two students, Madison police said.

Amanda Williams, 28, of Huntsville, works at Sequel Youth Services, which is also known as Sequel TSI and Three Springs. The facility serves males who are assigned to the program by the Alabama Department of Youth Services.

The Alabama Department of Human resources investigated allegations of Williams having sexual relations with the two students at the facility. The victims' names were not released due to their ages.

Williams was arrested and charged with two counts of school employee engaging in sex with a student under 19 years of age. She was transported to Madison County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
The Priceville Police Department has identified the officer who fatally shot a 15-year-old who police say led them on a multi-county, high-speed chase in a stolen car before trying to "crush" the officer with the car.

Priceville's acting police chief Rick Williams said in a news release that the officer who fired the shots was Patrolman Bryan Smith, a 10-year veteran on the force.

"Officer Smith was treated and released from Decatur Morgan Hospital for injuries he sustained from being crushed by the driver's door of his patrol car when the suspect backed the stolen vehicle into the patrol car as Officer Smith was emerging from it," Williams said in the news release. "We did not release Officer Smith's identity initially to afford him time to recover from his injuries and return to duty."

File

Smith returned to active patrol duty on Monday.

Police say the teenager stole a Ford Mustang from a gas station in Falkville and led police on a 30-mile chase in which he reached speeds of 100 miles per hour. The chase continued on I-65 and I-565, ending at a gas station in Huntsville.

"At the end of the pursuit, the car driven by the offender struck another vehicle and came to a stop," Williams said in a statement released shortly after the incident. "The officer's vehicle came to a stop behind the stolen vehicle. The offender then suddenly backed the stolen car into the driver's side door of the patrol vehicle just as the officer was emerging from the vehicle to apprehend the offender. The officer was crushed between the door and the body of his vehicle, putting his life in immediate danger."

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigation of the shooting is still ongoing.

WHNT has identified the deceased as Gabriel Sage Barnes, from Madisonville, Tenn.

Original law enforcement reports said the deceased was 16 years old, but Barnes' family told WHNT that he had not yet turned 16. Barnes' aunt told WHNT the teen had been placed in state custody after his mother died last year.

*Updated at 8:58 a.m. with additional information.
The Alabama Attorney General's office will handle the prosecution of three suspects charged in the death of Jennifer Raven Nevin, a 23-year-old mother found dead after being shot and beaten in Tuscaloosa County earlier this month.

Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb said his office is recusing itself from the case because of personal connections to the victim, according to the Tuscaloosa News.

Webb told the paper that Nevin's sister-in-law worked in his office as an assistant district attorney, and that he had represented Nevin in the past when he worked as a criminal defense attorney.

The suspects charged in the case are Rashad Lewis, 23, Kendrick Ky'Andre Marshall, 16, and Vida Milagros Confetti-Duena, 20.

According to court documents, the suspects left a party in Cottondale with Nevin, but feared she was setting them up to be robbed.

All three, according to a deposition and charging documents, admitted to being involved in the killing of Nevin.

Nevin had a 5-year-old son with a boyfriend she referred to as her husband, and operated a residential cleaning business in Tuscaloosa.

Her brother, Will Nevin, said she suffered from mental illness and substance abuse.

"We had hoped that her story would have a better end, but we know she had her problems,'' he said. "We tried and tried to get the help she needed, but we didn't get it in time."
President Donald Trump lashed out Saturday morning at a new Washington Post report of previously undisclosed alleged contacts between allies of his campaign and Russian government officials, calling the disclosures "illegal leaks" as he continues to try to shift the public focus to what he has said is a partisan attempt to undermine his presidency.

"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!"

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

The Washington Post reported late Friday that U.S. intelligence officials had collected information that Russia's ambassador to the United States had told superiors that he had discussed campaign-related matters and policies important to Moscow last year with Jeff Sessions, then a senator who had endorsed Trump.

Sessions, who is now attorney general, had initially failed to disclose his meetings with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his confirmation process; when they were made public in news reports, he insisted he had met with Kislyak only in his capacity as a senator and had not discussed campaign issues. But U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted communications that showed Kislyak indicated he had "substantive" discussions on matters including Trump's positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Trump has denounced what he has called illegal leaks in the ongoing FBI investigation into his campaign's contacts with Russian officials. U.S. intelligence agencies have said Moscow meddled in the campaign, stealing thousands of emails and other documents from Democratic Party officials and releasing them publicly to embarrass Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and to assist Trump. Trump has said repeatedly that he did not collude with Russian officials and called accounts of the meetings between his campaign and Russian operatives a partisan attack by Democrats to avenge their loss in the election. But he and some of his top aides have hired private criminal defense lawyers to deal with the probe.

In his tweet, Trump was referring to former FBI director James Comey, whom the president fired over his handling of the Russia probe. Comey later testified to Congress that he had felt pressure from Trump over the investigation and, after he was dismissed, released memos of his encounters with Trump to the media. The public disclosures helped lead to a special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, taking over the investigation. (Trump's tweet also refers to Amazon, the online retailer led by Jeffrey P. Bezos, who also owns The Post.)

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on what she called a "wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept" and reiterated that Sessions had not discuss interference in the election. Trump has been angered by Sessions' role in the Russia probe after the attorney general recused himself. The president told The New York Times this week that he would not have named Sessions to the post if he had known he would do so.

Trump also alluded to another Post report this week that he has inquired of his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself. Trump aides said the president is merely curious about his powers and the limits of Mueller's investigation.

"While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS"

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

As he has before, Trump also reiterated on Twitter his view that Clinton's campaign should be under greater scrutiny and he contended that his son, Donald Trump Jr., "openly" disclosed emails concerning a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign -- even though Trump Jr. did so after The New York Times obtained the emails and was preparing to publish a story on them.

And in another tweet, Trump attacked the Times for reports that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, whose death in a Russian airstrike had been speculated last month, is still alive, according to Pentagon officials. It is not clear why the president holds the Times responsible.

"The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security"

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Trump is scheduled to participate Saturday in a commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald Ford in Norfolk. His tweets came a day after Sean Spicer resigned as press secretary in the wake of Trump's hiring of New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as his communications director. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was promoted to the press secretary role.
Montanans sent me to Washington to work hard, hold government accountable, and fight for responsible policies that create high-paying jobs and strengthen our way of life. So when plans were announced to shorten the traditional August recess to pass more legislation, I started jotting down a to-do list with all the things that Congress must tackle right now.

Instead of passing a secretly written, irresponsible health care bill that raises premiums, imposes an age tax on folks in their 50s and 60s, and kicks children and seniors off health insurance, Ive offered a few solutions that will help drive down the cost of health care.

Ive got a bill that will force pharmaceutical companies to publicly disclose when and why they are raising the costs of life-saving drugs, knowing this accountability will help lower prices. I have another bill that will ensure the Department of Health and Human Services makes their payments on time to keep out-of-pocket costs from spiking. And Im pushing a bill that will help lower costs for folks who are stuck in the middle and paying way too high of premiums.

Congress must vote on these bills in the coming weeks.

But health care isnt the only thing on the to-do list. Lets get to work on powering our economy and passing a responsible budget that doesnt saddle the next generation with heaping debt. Lets get to work protecting our public lands, strengthening local control of our schools, and doing right by our nations troops and veterans.

As ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Ive proudly worked with Republicans, Democrats and Independents to pass several key bills that will improve the lives of our nations veterans. President Trump just signed my bills to improve the Veterans Choice Program and allow the VA to fire bad employees more quickly. Our Committee has been the most productive in Congress  holding the VA accountable, passing bills, and working with the president.

The rest of Congress could learn a thing or two from our kind of bipartisan, get-er-done work ethic as it drafts the nations budget.

On the farm, we live within our means, dont spend more than we take in, and invest in the future of our operation. Washington needs to do the same, because we cant afford a budget that saddles our kids with debt and turns off the lights in rural America.

Congress also needs to pass my Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Protection Act to increase public access to hiking, biking, and snowmobiling, and my Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act to ensure our nations first National Park will remain an economic driver for all of Montana.

Washington needs to stop dragging its feet on my legislation that will help recruit teachers to rural school districts with workforce shortages. As a former teacher, I know our kids deserve the very best education and this bill will help deliver.

I could go on about the need to invest in our roads and bridges, cut taxes and red tape for small businesses, and ensure education is affordable and accessible for all. But Montanans are tired of politicians in Congress who talk the talk. They have to walk the walk and get to work. Thats how we do it in Montana.
New Israeli measures of control will fuel the uprising in the occupied Palestinian territories, experts say.

The new measures of control implemented by Israeli forces in Jerusalems Old City after a deadly gun battle will only lead to more attacks and an escalation in violence, analysts say.

The installation of metal detectors and turnstiles at the entrance to al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the site of the attack, has enraged Palestinians, who believe the new measures are an attempt by Israel to change the status quo at the holy site.





For a week, Palestinians have refused to enter the compound through the detectors and have resorted to praying on the streets. Over the weekend, Israeli forces responded to their protest with assaults and beatings. After Friday prayers, three Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured, further aggravating the heightened tensions.

The July 14 attack that killed two Israeli policemen, carried out by three Palestinian citizens of Israel who were shot dead, came in the context of what has been termed the Jerusalem Intifada (uprising), which began in October 2015.

Since the uprising began, some 285 Palestinians have died in alleged attacks, protests and raids. Simultaneously, 47 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in car-ramming and knife attacks.

But the new measures at al-Aqsa, taken by Israel to confront such attacks  which are widely seen by Palestinians as legitimate armed resistance to the 50-year occupation  are expected to only feed the cycle of violence, according to those on the ground.

Israel is restricting freedom of movement through security checks for all Palestinians as a punishment for the action of some individuals, Zakaria Odeh, director of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, told Al Jazeera.

We believe that this action by the Israeli government will lead to more violence rather than stability. It will increase the protest and resistance of the Palestinians to the Israeli occupation.

READ MORE: Who are the guardians of al-Aqsa?

Over the past two years, Israel managed to curb the wave of attacks against its forces in the occupied Palestinian territories by increasing its nightly raids of Palestinian towns, embarking on mass arrests, and maximising the number of soldiers in occupied areas. But the perceived quiet has started to crumble with the crisis over al-Aqsa.

Since the metal detectors were installed last Sunday, Palestinians have carried out three alleged attacks against Israeli soldiers. Following Fridays events, a Palestinian stabbed three Israelis to death at an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Nisreen Alayan, a lawyer with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel  East Jerusalem, believes the new measures will only add fuel to the fire.

Thousands of Palestinians come in from the West Bank during Ramadan and on Fridays, so the metal detectors will lead to more congestion and more tension and pressure on people, Alayan told Al Jazeera.

As weve seen in the past, these measures have only led to more attacks and deaths on both sides. In the history of Jerusalem, such measures have never calmed things down, she added.

Jamal Zahalka, a member of the Israeli Knesset, agreed.

No one can rationally expect that the more than six million Palestinians who currently live in the occupied Palestinian territories will eternally endure dispossession, injustice, denial and humiliation without reacting to the violence they face. by Yara Jalajel, former legal adviser to the Palestinian minister of foreign affairs

There is no way that tens of thousands of people will be able to enter through such detectors in reasonable time. So that people can enter, you will need long hours to enter  especially at times like Ramadan, Zahalka told Al Jazeera. Entry is already difficult through wide gates. So how do you think they would be able to coordinate passage through these detectors one by one?

It is clear that what Israel is doing is causing popular anger among the Palestinian people in all the places they are present. And I think that this will continue to enrage Palestinians, whether or not that necessarily leads to more armed operations against the occupation, Zahalka added.

On Wednesday, the Awqaf, the Islamic Authority in charge of the compound, warned that the longer Israel delays the removal of the metal detectors, the worse it is going to get.

Israeli authorities closed off the Old City, including al-Aqsa Mosque compound, for two days after the attack, barring anyone except those who lived there from entering. They also forced Palestinian shopkeepers to close their businesses, for the first time since 1969.

While Jordan retains control over the compound itself through the Islamic Waqf that administers the holy site, Israel imposes control on areas outside the compound through its occupation of East Jerusalem, where the Old City lies.

Israel already restricts Palestinian entry to the site through its separation wall, which cuts off the West Bank from Jerusalem. Of the three million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, only those over a certain age limit are allowed access to Jerusalem on Fridays, while others must apply for a hard-to-obtain permit from Israeli authorities.

By adding the metal detectors, experts say Israel is further changing the status quo of the holy site and restricting freedom of worship. As an occupying power, Israel is forbidden from doing so under international law.

INFOGRAPHIC: Al-Aqsa and the Old City of Jerusalem

It is much bigger than the issue of the electronic gates. Everything Israel is doing in East Jerusalem is a clear violation of international law, said Khalil Shaheen, a Ramallah-based political analyst at the Masarat think-tank.

Under the 1947 United Nations partition plan for Palestine, Jerusalem was meant to be internationally controlled by the UN for its importance to the three monotheistic religions. But Israel claimed the holy city to be its eternal, undivided capital after it illegally annexed East Jerusalem in 1967 and extended its law there.

The illegal Israeli control of East Jerusalem, including the Old City, violates several principles under international law, which outlines that an occupying power does not have sovereignty in the territory it occupies.

In those two days, Israel had full control over al-Haram al-Sharif; it had the keys to the mosque, and now it is taking control over the entry of Palestinians into the site. It is violating the freedom to worship, Shaheen said.

Yara Jalajel, a former legal adviser to the Palestinian minister of foreign affairs, called the new measures of control discriminatory.

The measure also limits the exercise of many human rights such as freedom of movement, and access to a place of worship. In consequence, it is safe to conclude that placing these electronic detectors on the entrance of al-Haram al-Sharif entrances is unlawful, Jalajel said.

The issue of al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Israeli control over it is a red line for Palestinians, as was recently reaffirmed by Palestinian religious leaders  which means that an escalation in violence is not unlikely.

The issue of al-Haram al-Sharif stands as a symbolic, but very strong catalyser of the routine of injustice and oppression that Palestinians in Jerusalem are facing, and that causes a continuous eruption of popular anger and uprisings, Jalajel said.

No one can rationally expect that the more than six million Palestinians who currently live in the occupied Palestinian territories will eternally endure dispossession, injustice, denial and humiliation without reacting to the violence they face.
Three years since the 2014 Israeli massacre, Palestinians in Shujayea are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

Shujayea, Gaza City  With shells falling every few seconds, the streets of Shujayea were packed with dead bodies as residents attempted to escape the massacre on the evening of July 19, 2014.

Israeli F-16s, tanks and mortar fire attacked the neighbourhood while dozens of one-tonne bombs razed the area until late afternoon the next day. It has been estimated that 72 Palestinians were killed.

The massacre was part of the Israeli armys 2014 military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which killed more than 2,000 Palestinians and injured thousands more. Shujayea, one of the most densely populated areas of Gaza, was hit especially hard.

A United Nations commission concluded in 2015 that the Israeli army deliberately targeted civilians in their homes, with strong indications of a war crime. However, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, three years after the 51-day war on Gaza, no measures have been taken by the United Nations or other bodies to hold the government of Israel to account.

Al Jazeera spoke with three families who lost family members in the Shujayea massacre, discussing what they witnessed in the summer of 2014 and how they have tried to rebuild their lives in the ensuing years.

READ MORE: Remembering Shujayea

An ongoing quest for justice

I only have one demand: I want to meet the killer, Amina Shamaly said, sighing heavily in the living room of her rebuilt home.

I want to meet with the killer who shot my son to ask him  Why? Why did you kill him? Dont you have a mother, a father, a brother? Why did you kill him? You shot him once in the leg; why did you finish him? He didnt make an attempt to harm you, didnt shoot you; he was an innocent civilian, walking. So why did you do that?

It has been three years since Khalil and Amina Shamaly found out through a viral YouTube video that their 22-year-old unarmed son, Salem, had been shot dead by an Israeli sniper during a ceasefire  but the pain has not eased one bit for the family.

The family believed they had strong evidence for a war-crimes prosecution; their cousin, Mohammad al-Qattawi, met a UN investigator shortly after Salems murder to launch a case. Three years later, they still have not heard back.

The UN made a lot of promises, but they did nothing, Qattawi said.

During the ceasefire in the afternoon of July 20, Salem returned to his destroyed neighbourhood in Shujayea, searching for his missing cousins. He knew they had not evacuated the area and was worried they might have been killed.

A group of international activists met Salem along the way and accompanied him. They later disseminated the video of his killing.

Muhammad, Munir, Mazen! Salem shouted, calling out his cousins names as he made his way through the pile of rubble. In the process, he unknowingly stepped across an imaginary red line drawn by the Israeli army and into a kill-free zone, according to testimonies by Israeli soldiers collected by Israeli military researcher Eran Efrati.

Under the pretext of the so-called security threat soldiers were directed to carry out a preplanned attack of revenge on Palestinian civilians for losing their fellow soldiers, Efrati wrote.

In the video, a sniper shot is heard, and Salem falls to the ground, shot in the leg. As he struggles to get up, he is shot again in the chest. The third shot to his neck kills him.

Salems body lay amid the rubble for six days, as no one was willing to approach him for fear being attacked.

INTERACTIVE: 24 Hours in Gaza

It was a shock for the family to discover Salems fate through the notorious video. Salems siblings suffered from nightmares and took medication to overcome their post-traumatic stress disorder. The family remains traumatised.

May Allah accept him as a martyr, Khalil said in a soft voice, his fingers trembling. Israel and the international community is responsible for his death  I demand justice for all Palestinians, not just for my son.

As his voice starts to crack, Khalils brother, Faraj, speaks up.

Theres no other occupied people in the world except for Palestinians, Faraj said. Countries and institutions around the world brag about freedom and democracy, but theyve forgotten about Gaza and Palestine. They say we deserve this damage and deserve occupation and that this is not our land. Why? Are we not humans? The free world accepts this aggression committed against us. 

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights filed a case for compensation in Israeli courts, which is still pending. But according to human rights lawyer Khalil Alwazir, the case will be dropped, as Israeli law dictates that any lawsuit regarding an incident that occurred during military operations in an enemy entity, such as Gaza, is inadmissible.

Im burning inside, Amina said, distraught. Only God can bring justice  only God.

The lone survivor

By all odds, Naser Shamaly should have died.

An Israeli soldier shot him and his family members in his living room from three metres away; Naser was the only one to survive. He made it to al-Shifa hospital on his own, after bleeding for three days.

This is normal for me, said Naser, 60, sitting outside of his house. In normal conditions, you wouldnt accept [the massacre of your family members], but during wartime, youre traumatised. The war reduced the shock for me; I wasnt aware of the size of my loss.

On the evening of July 19, Naser was in his house in eastern Shujayea, about 500 metres from the Israeli border. Joining him was his brother Muhammad, 63; sister-in-law Hamdiya, 60; and nephews Issam, 28, and Arafat, 25. Nasers wife and children had already moved to their other apartment, about a half-kilometre west towards the city.

We were sitting inside my home. The whole place was besieged; there was no place to run away or hide, Naser said. Israeli soldiers  there were about six of them  arrived at the back of the house and started pounding at the wall with large hammers. Once they demolished the wall and stepped inside, we all stood up and put our hands up immediately, but it didnt matter; the soldier shot all of us instantly.

The soldier was three metres away from me; I was the first one to get shot, he added. He aimed for my chest but shot me in the arm. I hit the floor and faked my death. He shot dead the rest of my family; I was the only one to survive. The soldiers searched the house, didnt find anything and left.

Having nowhere else to go amid heavy bombardment, and with all traffic  including ambulances  unable to enter Shujayea, Naser stayed in his house for three days, using only headscarves to stem the bleeding.

On Wednesday morning, an Israeli bulldozer came to raze the house. I was still inside, waiting for my death. I had two choices  either to die from a gunshot or by a bulldozer, he said. I chose gunshot. The bulldozer was at the back of my house, so I stepped out the front door and started walking westwards. Luckily, no one saw me.

By the time he reached the Shifa hospital, his arm was barely attached. He was overjoyed when doctors said it could be saved.

Naser explained that living in a place such as Gaza, his strong belief in God is the only thing that helps him to move forward.

If God wants something to happen, it will happen. Its Gods will, he said.

My injury didnt happen in vain; I will get something in return, Naser added. My injury will be added to other injuries until the day of liberation. The Palestinian cause is just.

The endless nightmare

Sana al-Areer is at peace when she is with her five grandchildren. Although she lost her son, Fathi, in the Shujayea massacre, his daughter, Dana, born five months after his death, has made it a little easier for her to cope with her loss.

Dana reminds me of my son. [My loss] is something that I live with every day; its not something I can forget, Sana said while holding Dana in her lap. We live with the hope that the children will get a proper education.

Sanas eldest son, Muhammad, came back to their home after the bombing of Shujayea to discover that his younger brother, 20-year-old Fathi, and two of his uncles had been shot dead. The family found bullet casings next to the decomposing bodies in their garage.

Were still in shock. We think its a nightmare that were going to wake up from eventually, Muhammad said.

On the evening of July 19, Sana begged her husband, Sami, and Fathi to leave Shujayea and move with the rest of the family to her parents house, but they refused.

After Iftar that night, the bombardments were intense everywhere. There was artillery, F-16s, everything; it was so intense. We witnessed nothing like that before, since the beginning of this war and in previous wars, Sana said.

At 11pm, Sami, 50, called his family to say that he was injured in the stomach and leg and needed help  but at that point, vehicles were already blocked from entering Shujayea. The family called all the contacts they had, but the area was unreachable.

They lost contact with Sami around 3am. He set out to their neighbourhood mosque to make a phone call when a missile hit. Eight days later, during the ceasefire, locals found his body on the street.

His brothers, Hasan and Abdel Karim, and his son were also injured by the missile but survived until Israeli ground troops arrived and started breaking into peoples homes. They were then shot dead in the garage. Hasan was mentally disabled, Sana said.

READ MORE: A decade under siege  Gaza health sector nears collapse

Since the end of the 2014 offensive, Sana has been protesting in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross every week with other families, demanding financial compensation from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. With her husband gone and all four of her sons unemployed, her struggle is a financial one.

Theres no income to live; theres no help from organisations; theres no one to talk to, Sana said.

Finally, two weeks ago, a lawyer responded and said he would launch a lawsuit for financial compensation for affected families. The lawyer takes 200 shekels ($56) for each person killed, but he agreed to take only 300 shekels for Sami and Fathi, considering their financial situation, Sana said. Now, they just have to wait.

If this is Gods will, I just need to be patient, Sana said. This is our fate, and we have to live with it.
Israel has been using the pretext of security to quietly continue the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land.

Yesterday, thousands of Palestinians came to Jerusalem to perform the most simple, most peaceful act: prayer. Palestinians  Muslims and Christians, women and men, young and old  prayed in the streets after refusing to enter through the new metal detectors and barricades erected by Israel in front of the al-Aqsa compound. Israeli forces, armed with live ammunition, stun grenades, sound bombs, water cannon and tear gas, came prepared to kill.

And they did: by the days end Israeli forces and armed settlers had killed three young Palestinian men and injured more than 450 others, some of them very seriously. Israeli forces even raided a Palestinian hospital in an attempt to arrest those injured by their weaponry.





Israel claims that the metal detectors are necessary for Israels security following an incident last week in which two armed Israeli officers were killed. These metal detectors are not about security, but rather about deliberately attempting to bar Palestinians from their places of worship. Contrast, for example, Israels recent stance towards the Temple Mount Faithful  a group of Jewish extremists who have openly announced that they seek the destruction of the al-Aqsa compound in order to build a Jewish temple in its place.

Yet, while openly advocating for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the destruction of Muslim holy sites, the Israeli government continues to allow this group to enter the al-Aqsa compound (including with arms) under the guise of freedom of religion.

In 1990, this group attempted to lay a cornerstone for a Jewish temple at the compound triggering protests in which some 20 Palestinians died.

The demand for freedom of religion for Palestinians  the ability to worship without the interference of Israels armed forces  is conveniently ignored. The metal detectors must be viewed in their proper context: as another of Israels settler-colonial acts of erasing us, the indigenous population, erasing our homes, our culture and our religious sites and replacing us with settlers.

For his part, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is happy to see Jerusalem erupt in violence. Facing a corruption investigation for a submarine scandal, Netanyahu is refusing to remove the metal detectors so as to ensure that attention is deflected from this deal and instead focused on violence. You see, in Israel, security sells  it ensures votes and ensures that corruption charges are deflected.

To be clear, no Palestinian wants to see their holy sites turned into places of armed conflict. But using the guise of security, Israel has ensured that we, Palestinians, live as prisoners in our homeland.





In the name of security, Israel expropriates Palestinian land. In the name of security, Israel builds Israeli-only settlements on stolen Palestinian land. In the name of security Israel demolishes Palestinian homes and schools and in the name of security Palestinians are besieged in Gaza, forced to live without electricity, adequate medical supplies or water and even barred from accessing the sea.

And, when Palestinians are gunned down by mass murderers, as they were in the 1990s in Hebron by Baruch Goldstein, in the name of security, Palestinians  and not Israelis  are subject to increased security restrictions. In short, Israel seeks to turn Jerusalem into Hebron: blocked off from Palestinians, with convenience for Israeli Jews taking precedence over Palestinian rights. So as Israel continues to gun down Palestinians, who will provide security to Palestinians?

This security will not come from the current unelected Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, who spent four days in China as Palestinians were barred from accessing al-Aqsa compound and as Gazans suffered under a siege that he has openly supported. Nor, of course, will it come from a silent international community that only knows how to wring its hands and meekly condemn Israel.

Rather, Palestinians will continue to bravely stand and defend themselves, bowing down only to the God they worship and never to Israeli diktats.

Diana Buttu is a Palestinian lawyer and analyst who served as a legal adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team from 2000 to 2005.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Late Friday night, the Polish parliament completed the adoption of a set of laws that amount to the executive taking control of the judiciary. The Constitutional Tribunal, the highest appeals court, and the body responsible for appointing judges  all three  will be largely in the hands of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), when these laws come into effect.

Technically, Polish President Andrzej Duda can still veto the laws. A few days ago, he asked that one of the laws be changed, calling for a larger parliamentary majority than that initially proposed by PiS to dictate changes to the body appointing judges.

Its unclear whether Dudas gesture was part of a larger PiS calculation to appear compromising to the protesting crowds, or an attempt by the president to gain political capital by resisting unpopular laws. So far, Duda has been a faithful PiS soldier. While tens of thousands protested this week, he went on vacation to the seaside (the demonstrators marched to him on his resort on the Baltic Sea coast anyway).

Resisting authoritarian policies

Ever since it came to power in the fall of 2015, PiS has been systematically dismantling the rule of law. The first step was attacking the powers of the Constitutional Tribunal just a month after taking power, followed by monopolising state bureaucracy, state media and the military, and now moving on to the rest of the justice system. Critics say opponents of the regime will lose the right to fair trial, making politically motivated harassment  if not repression  possible. PiS is likely to change the electoral law, too, to increase its chances of winning another mandate.





Poland has seen large demonstrations in opposition to PiS since its takeover of the Constitutional Tribunal, but they never coalesced into a serious challenge to the governing party.

Organised mainly by the Committee to Protect Democracy (KOD), they were driven by the Solidarity generation that fought communism in the 1980s, alarmed at the early signs of democracy withering away. They were numerous, but lacked political influence.

The sole instance PiS seemed seriously intimidated by protests was when Polish women took over the fight.

Last year, the womens Black Protest (Czarny Protest) forced PiS to step back from a law that would have made abortion almost entirely illegal (Poland already has one of Europes strictest abortion laws).

WATCH: Poles Apart: Are Polands freedoms at risk? (24:59)

In the last two weeks, with PiS working to finalise its control of the judiciary, popular resistance has taken on a different character. Unlike in KOD demonstrations, this time around theres a lot of youth in the streets. Theres more diversity in the protests, with various force  from the main opposition parties to feminists and the alternative left calling people to the streets  gathering under the pro-democracy banner.

And theres more energy in the streets: Protesters move from one institution to another and stay out on the streets late into the night. Friday evening, while the Polish Senate was voting the last piece of the legislative puzzle that would suffocate the independence of the judiciary, people stayed outside the building all night calling out each senator by name and shouting to them, You can do it! (You can vote against the law).

Unwavering support for PiS

Recent polls show that a majority of Poles would like the president to veto the judiciary laws. But, at the same time, support for PiS remains high, with close to 40 percent of people saying they would vote for them  a percentage similar to that which brought the party to power. PiS violating the rule of law does not seem to dissuade most of its electorate.

For the last decade, in power and opposition, PiS has been propagating the idea that the post-1989 liberal democracy is illegitimate. by

The reasons for this unwavering support are generally known in Polish society. PiS is following a nationalistic recipe thats proved popular around the world, from the United States and UK to Hungary: They are using socioeconomic woes and instigating fears to control the people.

Poland may be known in the West as the success story of post-communist transition, but its also the country with the largest percentage of workers on precarious contracts in Europe, where working families often cannot afford to pay housing or basic living costs.

For the last decade, in power and opposition, PiS has been propagating the idea that the post-1989 liberal democracy is illegitimate. According to their paranoid reading of reality, concocted by PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski and supported by right-wing elites hungry for a piece of the pie, communists continued to control power in Poland after 1989, which is allegedly why things are not going the right way for the Polish people.

In the same vein, PiS coming to power was a victory of the Polish nation against its oppressors  communists, liberals, leftists (all of them mashed together) and their Western allies. Its a reading of reality that has been built up meticulously, using historical denialism and symbolic rituals, with the help of Polands prodigious right-wing media and part of the powerful Catholic Church. It gives grounds for PiS to implement regime change  get rid of liberal democracy in the name of the Polish nation.





Even if some of PiS voters might be bothered by its assault on the judiciary, there is no viable alternative for them on the Polish political scene. One of PiSs trademark measures has been giving a monthly payment of over $100 to families with more than one child (that translates into better shoes, summer camp or much needed private doctor visits). The policy proved quite popular with the electorate, while no major opposition party supported any measures benefitting the poor.

These days the leaders of the two main centre-right opposition parties, Civic Platform and Modern (Nowoczesna), are trying hard to position themselves as heads of a united opposition against PiS.

But there is increasing resistance to that in the streets. Theres increased recognition that parties like Civic Platform, which have been in power repeatedly since 1989, have contributed to the division of Polish society between liberals and PiS supporters. Unlike in 2016, when KOD welcomed the centre-right opposition to its demos, no party logos are accepted at most protests this time around. In society at large, theres a sense of expectation that someone else will emerge as a leader  a fresh figure, potentially more inclusive.

The survival of democracy in Poland is at stake. At a time, where Hungarys Viktor Orban is no longer a freak but a leader illuminating the path to illiberal democracy for others, the Polish people will find it that much more difficult to fight for it unless they figure out a way to overcome their divisions. An effective leader of the opposition will have to care about PiS voters too.

Claudia Ciobanu is a Romanian freelance reporter based in Warsaw. Her articles have appeared in the Guardian and Reuters among others.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Officials say 16 dead in strike confirmed by US military as having killed friendly Afghan forces in a compound.

An errant US air raid has killed Afghan police in the southern province of Helmand, the US military and local officials said.

The aerial attack on a compound took place on Friday afternoon after Afghan police had retaken a checkpoint captured by the Taliban a day earlier in Gereshk district, north of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah.

Sixteen Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded, Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the governor of Helmand, told Al Jazeera.

It was most probably a miscommunication or the coordinates were not correct, which resulted in the US air strikes. An investigation has been launched.

READ MORE: Man and two sons killed by US troops in Nangarhar

A statement from the US military confirmed the killings, saying, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound.

The US military did not provide the number of casualties.

We are not winning in Afghanistan right now

The deaths of Afghan police came amid increased fighting in Helmand, a southern province.

The United States has carried out 52 air raids in Helmand over the past five days, including 10 in Gereshk on Thursday, according to the US military headquarters in Kabul.

Fridays incident underlines the complicated security situation in Afghanistan as President Donald Trumps administration weighs sending more troops as part of a new strategy for the region.

READ MORE: NATO troop increase plan draws criticism in Afghanistan

Earlier this week, Afghan security forces backed by US aerial bombardment retook Nawa district south of Lashkar Gah.

The US has been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly 16 years.

In June, James Mattis, the US defence secretary, said: We are not winning in Afghanistan right now.

Taliban leaders son conducts attack

On Thursday, the son of Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada died after driving a vehicle laden with explosives into an Afghan military base in the town of Gereshk, Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, the Talibans main spokesman for southern Afghanistan, said.

Ahmadi said Abdur Rahman had been a student of an Islamic school but had wanted to carry out a suicide attack. He succeeded in his mission last Thursday, he said.

Taliban fighters drove three captured Humvee vehicles into checkpoints during heavy fighting around Gereshk.

One senior Taliban member, close to Haibatullahs family, said Abdur Rahman had enrolled as a suicide bomber before his father became leader of the Taliban last year and had insisted on continuing after his father took office.

Mullah Haibatullah took over leadership of the Taliban after his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour died in a US drone attack in Pakistan in May 2016.

Before this, a number of close relatives and family members of previous supreme leaders had conducted suicide bombings but Sheikh Haibatullah has become the first supreme leader whose son sacrificed his life, the senior Taliban member said.
I was born and raised in Havre and have spent a significant amount of time recreating in the Upper Missouri River Breaks. I recall the robust public process that the Breaks went through 16 years ago. We do not need to spend time and taxpayer money repeating that process for the Breaks or other National Monuments earmarked for review.

The drastic changes being proposed for our National Monuments could cause irrevocable harm to these wild places. This action is out of touch with Montana values as reflected in the recent poll, which showed that 77 percent of Montanans support the Upper Missouri Breaks and other existing monuments.

Changes to the national monument system will have huge consequences for families and small businesses, like mine, who work in and enjoy the wild spaces of our National Monuments.

Conservation for kids

I am the co-founder and program director for the Montana Wilderness School. We provide empowering expeditionary wilderness courses to kids that foster personal growth and cultivate a conservation ethic through connecting with remote landscapes and wild places. MWS is an authorized outfitter and guides youth on 15-day canoe expeditions through the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. As the Department of Interior reviews certain National Monuments, I ask Secretary Ryan Zinke to remember future generations, and think deeply about the type of nation you want to leave for future Americans.

When Zinke was in Whitefish late last month, he said that his likely recommendation will be to leave the Missouri Breaks as is.'' This is good news if he stays true to his word. Shrinking the Breaks (as Zinke recommended for the Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah) would forever damage one of MWS best classrooms for outdoor learning.

Recently I watched a group of 14- and 15-year-old Montanans struggle against a strong headwind and paddle canoes to the confluence of the Judith and Missouri rivers. I cannot express in words the pride and accomplishment those young people felt as they made camp that night, knowing they had summoned the grit to paddle 20 miles in a single day.

Zinke and our entire congressional delegation often speak openly about the importance of outdoor recreation and the influence it has upon their lives. Studies show kids are now spending about half as much time outdoors as they did in the 1990s. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average American boy or girl spends as few as 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play, but more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen. These two facts are a stark reminder of the separation between our youth and the outdoors. Research by the Montana State Parks Office suggests that a lack of access to public lands is the No. 1 factor that keeps Montana youth from enjoying the outdoors.

On our last expedition to the Breaks, as the first rays of sun reflected off the mighty Missouri River and the only sound was distant call of a blue heron, the young paddlers of MWS floated down the river. They followed in the canoe wake of Lewis and Clark, full of anticipation and wonder about what would be around the next river bend. Dont take that sense of awe and adventure away from our kids; dont rob them of the opportunity to develop perseverance and challenge themselves in wild Montana.

Leave the Breaks and all our National Monument designations in place to protect these wild and historic landscapes for future generations. Sen. Jon Tester and Gov. Steve Bullock  have already publicly expressed their support for leaving the Breaks unchanged. If you want these wild places to remain protected, please contact Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Greg Gianforte and request they hold Zinke to his pledge of keeping the Upper Missouri River Breaks as it is  a national monument.
UN chief calls for probe into deaths of two teenagers and young man as tension grows over al-Aqsa restrictions.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he deeply deplores the killings of three Palestinians  one of whom was shot by a settler  as anger boiled over increased Israeli restrictions at Jerusalems al-Aqsa compound.

Guterres condemned the killings and called for an investigation early on Saturday, hours after mass protests by Palestinians around the holy site turned deadly.

He urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to refrain from actions that could further escalate the volatile situation in Jerusalems Old City, saying that religious sites should be spaces for reflection, not violence.

Citing Guterres, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the organisation understands legitimate security concerns, but on the other hand, it is important that the status quo at the site be retained.

Israeli security forces violently clamped down on Fridays demonstrations, firing live ammunition, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at crowds of Palestinians protesting against the new measures, which include the barring of Muslim men under the age of 50 from the holy site and the installation of metal detectors.

Israel tightened its grip on the compound on July 14 after two Israeli security officers were killed in an alleged attack by three Palestinians, who were themselves killed by Israeli police following the violence.

Deaths and arrests

In the first fatal incident a week later on Friday, an Israeli settler killed 18-year-old Muhammad Mahmoud Sharaf in the Ras al-Amud neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem.

A second Palestinian, 20-year-old Muhamad Hasan Abu Ghanam, was killed by live fire during the demonstrations in Jerusalem.

And Israeli forces killed a third victim, 17-year-old Muhamad Mahmoud Khalaf, in clashes in the West Bank.

According to the Red Crescent, there were 450 wounded by Israeli forces during the protests in Jerusalem and the West Bank, with at least 215 injuries caused by tear gas inhalation.

Police say a Palestinian attacker also killed three Israelis at a West Bank settlement.

READ MORE: World reacts to Israel-Palestinian fallout over al-Aqsa

The Palestinian Prisoners Club said that at least 21 Palestinians were arrested at Fridays protests in the West Bank, including at least 10 from Jerusalem.





Israeli media reported that four Israeli police officers were injured during the protests after Palestinians threw rocks and flares at them.

Palestinians view the Israeli measures at al-Aqsa as collective punishment for the July 14 incident and an infringement on the status quo, which gives Muslims religious control over the compound and Jews the right to visit, but not pray there.

Excessive use of force

Several countries have condemned Israels increased control, including Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

In a statement released on Friday night, Egypts foreign ministry called upon the Israeli government to be rational and not let the situation get into a dangerous swamp that endangers attempts to revive peace talks.

The statement condemned Israel for the civilian deaths and what it described as an excessive use of force.

Egypt warned that Israel was in danger of fuelling tension among the Palestinian people and the entire Muslim nation by restricting religious freedom.

Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, while making a rare public address over the GCC crisis, called for unity.

I cannot end this speech without expressing solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people, especially our people in Al Quds [Jerusalem], and denouncing the closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque, he said.

[I hope] that what is happening in Al Quds [can] be an incentive for unity and solidarity instead of division.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the suspension of all contact with Israel until it cancels its measures at al-Aqsa Mosque and preserves the status quo.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett said this means ending security cooperation between Palestinian security forces and Israel, a popular demand by most Palestinians.

But Abbas statement could set off a standoff that is even more difficult to bridge in the short-term, Fawcett said.
Court hands death sentences to 28 and jails 38 others over the killing of Hisham Barakat in 2015.

An Egyptian court has sentenced 28 people to death over the killing of a top prosecutor two years ago, security and judicial officials said.

The court on Saturday handed other defendants a variety of jail terms up to life in prison.

Hisham Barakat was killed in 2015 when a car bomb struck his convoy in Cairo, an attack for which Egypt blamed the Muslim Brotherhood and Gaza-based Hamas. Both groups denied having a role.

The court sentenced 15 defendants to life in prison, while a further eight received 15 years, and 15 others were handed 10 years, the officials said.

The verdicts were shocking today, said Ahmed Saad, one of the defence lawyers.

READ MORE: What is it like to live under President Sisi?

Others who had nothing to do with the assassination of martyr Hisham Barakat received life sentences. They had nothing to do with the incident.

The rulings can still be appealed.

The death sentences have already been approved by the mufti, Egypts official interpreter of Islamic law, whose opinion is legally required but not binding.

Of the 67 defendants, 15 are still at large.

Egypt has struggled to quell violence by armed groups since the military overthrew Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and cracked down on his supporters.

Egyptian courts have sentenced hundreds of Morsi supporters to death since his overthrow, but many have appealed and won new trials.

Morsi and other top figures of his Muslim Brotherhood have also faced trial.
Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee says activists and journalists continue to be followed and questioned by state agents.

Activists and journalists in Myanmar continue to be followed and questioned by state surveillance agents, a UN envoy said on Friday, at the conclusion of a visit she said was beset by official snooping and access restrictions.

Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee told a news conference at the conclusion of her 12-day visit that she faced increasing restrictions on her access.

Lee said the government, citing security concerns, had prevented her from visiting parts of the northeast where the military is accused of abuses against civilians in its conflict with ethnic rebels.

She was also not allowed to visit three journalists detained last month by the army and charged with contacting a rebel group, despite the site of their detention being a popular tourist spot, the human rights envoy said.

Myanmar regularly blocks monitors and journalists from travelling to areas near the conflicts, citing concerns over safety. Security officials say monitoring prominent people is a normal part of their work.

Lee said it was unacceptable that people meeting her were watched and even followed by agents she suspected to be from the police Special Branch that once stalked political opponents during almost half a century of dictatorship.

I have to say I am disappointed to see the tactics applied by the previous government still being used, she said.

In the previous times, human rights defenders, journalists and civilians were followed, monitored and surveyed and questioned. Thats still going on, Lee added.

National League for Democracy led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi came to power last year after a landslide in the landmark November 2015 elections.

She does not oversee the police or the military, which ruled the country for decades and retains its powerful position under a constitution drafted by the former military government.

Aung San Suu Kyis office did not directly address the issues of access or surveillance, but said it was disappointed with Lees end of mission statement, which contains many sweeping allegations and a number of factual errors.

We had hoped that the Special Rapporteurs statement would reflect the difficulties of resolving the problems that are a legacy of decades of internal conflict, isolation and underdevelopment, it said in a statement released early on Saturday.

Myanmar is also refusing entry to a separate UN fact-finding mission appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva to look into allegations of abuses by the security forces.

The panel has a special focus on the western state of Rakhine, where the army led an operation late last year in response to attacks by rebels caused an estimated 75,000 Rohingya Muslims flee across the border to Bangladesh.

About 1.1 million Rohingya are denied citizenship and face restrictions on their movements in Rakhine.

Lee visited the state and credited Myanmar for attempts to implement some recommendations made in March by an advisory panel led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, including the issuing of birth certificates to 20,000 children not previously registered.

Buddhist officials in Muslim-majority areas have in the past refused to draw up such documents for Rohingya newborns.

However, Lee said: The general situation for the Rohingya has hardly improved since my last visit in January and has become further complicated in the north of Rakhine.
Turkeys president to discuss Gulf crisis with Saudi king and crown prince before heading to Kuwait and Qatar.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on a two-day trip to the Gulf in an effort to help resolve the dispute between Qatar and four other Arab states.

Erdogan arrived in Saudi Arabias port city of Jeddah on Sunday and met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman separately.





Details about the discussions were not made public.

He later departed for Kuwait  the main mediator in the Gulf crisis  and will travel to Qatar on Monday.

No one has any interest in prolonging this crisis any more, Erdogan said at Istanbul airport before leaving.

He accused enemies of seeking to fire up tensions between brothers in the region.

Erdogan praised Qatars behaviour in the crisis, saying it had sought to find a solution through dialogue.

I hope our visit will be beneficial for the region, he said.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shia rival Iran. Doha denies the claim and has been strongly backed by Ankara throughout the standoff.

The four countries imposed an air, sea and land blockade on Doha last month.

They also issued a list of 13 demands that included the closure of a newly opened Turkish military base.

Erdogan has said the demands are unlawful and has called for an end to the crisis, citing the need for Muslim solidarity and strong trade ties in the region.

The dispute has so far proven intractable and Erdogan has said Saudi Arabia should solve the crisis.

On Friday, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for dialogue to resolve the crisis but stressed that any talks must respect his countrys sovereignty.
Pro-Assad forces capture several strategic hills on second day of assault to drive rebels from the border, say reports.

Syrian troops and members of Lebanons Hezbollah have advanced against Syrian rebels on the second day of an assault to drive them from their last foothold along the Syria-Lebanon border, pro-Damascus media reported.

The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media (SCMM) said Shia Hezbollah fighters and Syrian troops captured several strategic hills on Saturday in areas between the Lebanese town of Arsal and the Syrian village of Fleeta.

The offensive began on Friday and targets Sunni Muslim fighters from the former al-Nusra Front, a group that was aligned to al-Qaeda.

It is now known as Hayet Tahrir al-Sham and controls the barren zone of Juroud Arsal in the Qalamoun Mountains.

READ MORE: Syrias civil war explained from the beginning

SCMM said Syrian warplanes struck rebel positions on the Syrian side of the border on Saturday.

A military unit run by Hezbollah said its forces captured a strategic hilltop area called Dhahr al-Huwa, previously a key al-Nusra Front base, and other areas in southern Juroud Arsal.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has fought alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces in Syrias civil war since 2013.





Lebanons National News Agency reported that the former deputy mayor of Arsal, Ahmad Fliti, was killed when a rocket fired by rebel fighters hit his car.

He was killed while on a mediation mission with Hayet Tahrir al-Sham.

A security source put Hezbollahs death toll at 15 early on Saturday, and told Reuters news agency that at least 43 Syrian rebels had been killed.

Footage on Hezbollahs Al Manar TV channel showed fighters on a hilltop firing assault rifles and wire-guided missiles at rebel positions.

Some rebel fighters had raised white flags in surrender, it reported.

The Lebanese army, which is not taking part in the offensive, has taken up defensive positions around Arsal town, ready to fire at Sunni fighters trying to break through its lines.

It was also facilitating the passage of Syrian refugees fleeing the area, with UN supervision, a security source told Reuters.

Several thousand Syrian refugees occupy camps east of Arsal, a mainly Sunni town.

In 2014, it was the scene of one of the most serious spillovers of the Syrian war into Lebanon when fighters briefly overran the town.
Senior Iranian official vents anger over fresh US sanctions which it says violates terms of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has accused the United States of not living up to its side of the 2015 landmark nuclear deal after Washington slapped fresh sanctions on Tehran over its ballistic missile programme.

Abbas Aragchi, Iranian deputy foreign minister, said on Friday that the sanctions violate the terms of the agreement Washington and five other world powers signed with Tehran.

The nuclear deal does not cover Irans ballistic missile programme.

The US had imposed sanctions on 18 Iranian individuals and entities on Tuesday, after accusing Iran of testing ballistic missiles and contributing to regional tensions.

We talked in detail about the sanctions and the instances that the Americans had delayed in fulfilling their commitments, the instances where they violated the deal, Araqchi told reporters in Vienna after a review of the pact by the seven nations that signed it.

READ MORE: Iran accuses Saudis of supporting terrorist groups

We showed one by one the instances where the American side in the last year and a half acted without good will and even acted with ill intention.

Araqchi said the US was trying to sabotage the situation, to threaten or scare off foreign companies to invest in Iran.

The regular quarterly meeting to review the deal heard that Iran is sticking to its side of the pact with US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.





Under the deal, Tehran agreed to massively scale back production of nuclear-making material in return for sanctions relief.

But the pact has not eased tensions between Tehran and Washington, which continue to clash over conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Iran can use the so-called Joint Commission meetings to trigger a formal dispute resolution mechanism set out for cases where one party feels there is a breach of the deal.

Araqchi declined to answer whether he had used the meeting to trigger the mechanism.

But he said: We were not satisfied with Americas  broken promises and  announced that were not convinced that America has properly carried out its duties.

Araqchi added that he had expressed his concerns in bilateral talks with the US after Fridays main meeting.

US President Donald Trump has criticised the nuclear accord, which was signed under his predecessor, Barack Obama as the worst deal ever.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also said on Wednesday that new US economic sanctions contravened the nuclear accord and pledged that Tehran would resist them while respecting the deal itself.
Tehran calls for release of Iranians imprisoned in the US as it criticises White House demands to free US citizens.

The Iranian government has rejected Washingtons demands to free detained US citizens, saying it had no control over the judiciary and calling for the release of Iranian prisoners from the United States.

Bahram Ghasemi, Irans foreign ministry spokesman, in a statement on Saturday that the judiciary, courts and judges in Iran are completely independent, as in any other country.





Any interventionist and threatening statement by American officials and institutions has no effect on the will and determination of the countrys judicial system to try and punish criminals and violators of the countrys laws and national security, he said.

Ghasemi also said America should quickly release Iranian prisoners in the country, claiming the US has convicted several Iranians in recent years on baseless and unfounded grounds.

He was responding to a White House statement issued on Friday, which said: President (Donald) Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned.

It followed the 10-year sentence for espionage given to a Chinese American researcher from Princeton, Xiyue Wang, earlier in the week.

The statement mentioned Wang, along with jailed US-Iranians Siamak and Baquer Namazi, and ex-FBI agent and CIA contractor Robert Levinson who went missing in March 2007.

As announced to American officials several times, the person called Robert Levinson travelled to Iran many years ago and Iran holds no new information on his fate after he left Iranian territory, Ghasemi said.

Washington and Tehran severed diplomatic relations in 1980 when US embassy staff were taken hostage for 444 days.

Trump has taken an aggressive approach to Iran, but has so far stopped short of annulling the nuclear deal that eased sanctions on the country, as he had threatened on the campaign trail.
Iran has announced the launch of a new missile production line, according to its state media, against a backdrop of tension between the United States and Tehran.

The Sayyad 3 missile can reach an altitude of 27km and travel up to 120km, Irans Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said at an undisclosed location of an inauguration ceremony on Saturday.

The missile can target radar evasive fighter planes, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and helicopters, he said.

Dehghan also said that the recent $110bn military deal between the US and Saudi Arabia was intended as a threat to Iran.

We recently witnessed an immense purchase that some countries in the region paid as a ransom to America and they intend to bring weapons into the region, and this purchase was done with the goal of threatening Islamic Iran, Dehghan said according to the website for state TV.

READ MORE  US announces new sanctions over missile programme

Last week, the US imposed new economic sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile programme, and said Tehrans malign activities in the Middle East undercut any positive contributions coming from a 2015 Iran nuclear accord.





The measures signalled that the administration of US President Donald Trump was seeking to put more pressure on Iran while keeping in place the agreement between Tehran and six world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.

The US government said it was targeting 18 entities and people for supporting what it said were illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity.

Those sanctioned had backed Irans military or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by developing drones and military equipment, producing and maintaining boats, and procuring electronic components, it said.

Others had orchestrated the theft of US and Western software programs sold to Irans government, the Treasury Department said.

On Monday, the Trump administration said Iran was complying with the nuclear agreement but that it was in default of the spirit of the accord.

It was the second time Trump has certified Iranian compliance with the agreement since he took office in January, despite having described it as the worst deal ever during his 2016 presidential campaign, criticising then-President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the accord.
At least 16 women, including a 16-year-old German girl who ran away from home, found in Mosul face terror charges.

Sixteen women, including a 16-year-old German girl who ran away from home, have been arrested in Mosul as Iraqi forces recaptured the northern city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Three Iraqi intelligence officials told the Associated Press news agency on Saturday that the women were among 26 foreigners taken into custody in Mosul. Two were men and eight were children.

Speaking to the AP on the condition of anonymity, the officials said some of those arrested were from Chechnya, and the women were from Russia, Iran, Syria, France, Belgium and Germany.

They said the women allegedly worked with ISIL in the police department. Their husbands were ISIL fighters, but their fates are not clear.

READ MORE: ISIL families lament harsh treatment in Iraq

The children will be handed over to the countries they belong to, while the women will be tried on terrorism charges in Iraq, according to the officials.

They could face the death penalty under Iraqi counterterrorism laws for belonging to ISIL, also known as ISIS.

Linda W.

Lorenz Haase, senior public prosecutor in the eastern German city of Dresden, said he could confirm that the German teenager, named only as Linda W., had been located and identified in Iraq.





She had converted to Islam shortly before she ran away from home last year.

We, as the public prosecutors office Dresden, have not applied for an arrest warrant and will therefore not be able to request extradition, Haase said.

There is the possibility that Linda might be put on trial in Iraq. She might be expelled for being a foreigner or, because she is a minor reported missing in Germany, she could be handed over to Germany.

The Iraqi officials said she was at a prison near Baghdads airport together with the other foreign women found in Mosul.

They said Linda W. had met a Muslim Arab online and married him after her arrival in Iraq from her hometown of Pulsnitz in eastern Germany.

She was apprehended in a basement of Mosuls Old City earlier this month.

In addition to Linda W., the Iraqis found three other women from Germany, with roots in Morocco, Algeria and Chechnya.

Iraqi officials said the German-Moroccan woman has a child and both were arrested in Mosul about 10 days ago.

READ MORE: Mosul in ruins: I see only despair around us

French and German embassy personnel have already visited the arrested women, they said.

More than 930 people have left Germany to join ISIL in Syria and Iraq in recent years, according to estimates by the BfV domestic intelligence agency. About 20 percent of them are women.

Minors account for about 5 percent of the total number, of which half are female, it estimated.
At least three Israelis dead in West Bank settlement of Neve Tsuf in knife attack, Israeli radio says.

At least three Israelis have been stabbed to death and a fourth was wounded in a knife attack in the occupied West Bank settlement of Neve Tsuf.

The Israeli army said in a statement on Friday that the four victims were Israeli civilians and that the assailant was also shot. It was not known whether he was killed or wounded.

Israel Radio identified the attacker as a 19-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank village of Khobar near Ramallah.

The attack came after a day of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces over new security measures at al-Aqsa Mosque compound  the third holiest site in Islam. Three Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded in the clashes.

Israeli police fired live ammunition, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at Palestinians protesting against the new measures, including the barring of Muslim men under the age of 50 from the holy site and the installation of metal detectors.

In one incident, an Israeli soldier, who was carrying a firearm, kicked an unarmed worshipper while he was praying.

The protests come a week after a deadly gun battle at the occupied East Jerusalem compound, which triggered tensions.

Tensions have risen since police installed the metal detectors in a move Palestinians and other Muslims perceive as a means for Israel to boost its control over the compound containing the al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock.

The controversy has resonated beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories, with the United States and the UN Middle East envoy expressing concern.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke with US counterpart Donald Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, urging the White House to intervene, the Palestinians official Wafa news agency reported.
In a recent Gazette guest opinion, Montana Public Service Commission Chairman Brad Johnson touted the commissions recent decisions that affect Montana electricity customers and made questionable claims about progress toward securing Montanas clean energy future. But by any credible measure, the commissions irresponsible decision last month to kill small-scale commercial solar energy development in Montana was a leap backward and will hurt both consumers and future business development in Montana.

On June 22, the commission voted to slash by 40 percent the amount that our largest utility, NorthWestern Energy, must pay to small-scale, commercial solar power developers. These solar developers put electricity onto the grid so NorthWestern can sell it to us. As Commissioner Bob Lake unknowingly admitted on a live microphone, Just dropping the rate that much probably took care of the whole thing. But in case the low payments dont take care of Montana solar development  in a Godfather kind of way  the commission effectively guaranteed that outcome by reducing the maximum contract length for solar projects from 25 years to just five years. In doing so, the commission eliminated the kind of market certainty that solar developers need to make sound business decisions, which makes securing financing for such projects in Montana all but impossible.

Consider how the PSC has treated other NorthWestern Energy production sources recently in pricing and contract length: The price for power from various coal sources has ranged from about $64 to $67 per megawatt hour, over terms of 30 years or more, from hydro almost $60/MWh and 30 years, and from the Judith Gap wind farm about $32/MWh and 20 years. Yet the PSC just set the rate for solar projects at $20/MWh for 5 years.

This decision of the PSC  a regulatory, not policy-making body  is a clear attempt to discourage solar development, and it goes against long-established federal law. Since the PSC is a quasi-judicial body, this can best be described as legislating from the bench. The Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act is a 39-year-old law that requires states to encourage the development of renewable power when it is cost-competitive with traditional energy resources. The PSCs decision does the opposite.

The commission has tried to defend its decision, but in fact, it is a horrible outcome for consumers. Montanans overwhelmingly want clean energy  and not just because its far better for our health, water, air and climate. Its also good for our wallets. Solar energy has never been cheaper. When solar is fairly valued based on real market economics, it is cost-competitive with other, dirty forms of energy. And because it is independent of volatile natural gas and coal markets, solars affordability is reliable into the future.

As NorthWestern Energy customers, we have almost no choice in where our power comes from or how much we pay. We are captive customers of NorthWesterns monopoly. Because NorthWestern earns greater profit on energy sources it builds and operates itself, it has every incentive to shut out independent producers of power  which is exactly what the PSCs recent decisions do. We depend on our elected PSC to ensure that producers of solar and other forms of renewable energy that benefit consumers have a fair opportunity to compete. Consumers demand it; and as The Billings Gazette recognized in its July 5 editorial, the law requires it.

When it comes to providing Montanans access to clean, affordable solar energy, the Public Service Commission has let us down. Our commissioners have an opportunity to reconsider their decision, and if they care about consumers and Montanas economic future, they should.
Joko Widodo supports increasing use of force against suspected drug traffickers as country faces narcotics emergency.

Joko Jokowi Widodo, Indonesias president, has instructed police to shoot suspected drug dealers to combat what he considers a narcotics emergency facing the country.

His remarks have drawn comparison to that of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a controversial anti-drug crackdown about a year ago that saw many alleged drug dealers killed in an operation widely condemned by the international community.

Be firm, especially to foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist arrest. Shoot them because we indeed are in a narcotics emergency position now, Widodo said in a speech at an event held by one of Indonesias political parties on Friday.

Indonesia has tough laws against drugs. Widodo has previously been criticised for ordering executions against convicted drug traffickers who were given a death penalty by the court.

READ MORE: Ignoring appeals, Indonesia plans to execute 14

Widodos shooting order came a week after Indonesian police shot dead a Taiwanese man in a town near the capital Jakarta.

The man, who was part of a group trying to smuggle one tonne of crystal methamphetamine into the country, was killed for resisting arrest, police have said.

A ssault on the rule of law

New York-based Human Rights Watch on Saturday criticised Indonesias police chief after he said that shooting suspected drug dealers had proven to be an effective deterrent.

From experience on the ground, to be honest, when we shoot drug traffickers, they go away, national police chief General Tito Karnavian was quoted as saying by local news websites.

Karnavian also cited Dutertes so-called war on drugs in the Philippines as a successful example.

READ MORE: UN urges Indonesia to halt looming executions

The rights group said Karnavian should denounce the Philippines war on drugs for what it truly is: a brutal, unlawful assault on the rule of law, human rights, and basic decency.

Widodo should send a clear and public message to the police that efforts to address the complex problems of drugs and criminality require the security forces to respect everyones basic rights, not demolish them, it said.

Since Joko took office in 2014, Indonesia has executed 18 people for drug trafficking, defying international calls for mercy.

Rights activists and some governments have called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty.
Official data shows authorities nationwide recorded more than 12,100 homicide probes in the first six months of 2017.

Authorities in Mexico have recorded 2,234 murders in June, making it the countrys deadliest month in at least 20 years, according to government data.

Killings rose in states ranging from the tourist haven of Baja California Sur to the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and even in Mexico City, long considered a relative oasis from drug cartel violence.

For the first six months of 2017, authorities nationwide recorded 12,155 homicide investigations, 31 percent more than the 9,300 during the same period last year.





Just on Friday, the same day the report was released, a marine and four other people were killed when armed forces moved against the leader of the principal fuel-theft ring in the central state of Puebla.

Four of the dead were alleged members of Los Bukanas, a violent gang that sells petrol stolen through illegal taps in the government oil companys pipelines.

It is a business that has been estimated to cost the government $1bn annually and which has grown increasingly violent as authorities try to control it.

Also on Friday, the top prosecutor in the western state of Jalisco, Eduardo Almaguer, said authorities discovered two drug cartel training camps where they believe about 40 people had been trapped and trained after being tricked by online job advertisements. An unknown number of human remains were also found.

On Thursday, a neighbourhood on the south side of Mexico City exploded in gunfire and eight people were killed as marines tried to capture the leader of a drug gang that controlled street-level drug sales in part of the city.

Growing struggles

The events underscore the growing struggles between or against organised crime groups from one end of the country to the other.

Murders remain high in states that have traditionally struggled with violence like Guerrero and Mexico state.

But they have also shot up in states unaccustomed to such bloodshed, like Baja California Sur, the home of the Los Cabos tourist resorts, and the Pacific coast state of Colima.

The border state of Chihuahua, which had found some relief from the violence that peaked in 2010, has found its murders in 2017 running about 55 percent ahead of where they were last year.
Congress backs bid by President Duterte to give army further powers in order to clear fighters from troubled region.

The Congress of the Philippines voted to extend martial law on the southern island of Mindanao until the end of the year, giving President Rodrigo Duterte extra time to quell fighters allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, known as ISIS) group.

In a special joint session of the House and the Senate on Saturday, the overwhelming number of 261 legislators, accounting for more than two-thirds of Congress membership of more than 300, agreed to extend military rule in Mindanao region until December 31.

Just 18 voted against the motion.

In advance of the voting, security officials told members of parliament that martial law was needed to stabilise a region where ISIL fighters were gaining influence, and supporters could be inspired to stage uprisings in areas on Mindanao, joined by foreign fighters.

READ MORE: Residents mourn battle-ridden Philippine city of Marawi

Duterte imposed 60-day martial rule  the maximum period allowed by the constitution  over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage.

On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.

Fears of  Philippines-wide martial law

Opposition dragged out the debate, questioning why martial law was needed for the whole of Mindanao when the fighting was limited to only one city.

I fear that the plan to extend the martial law in Mindanao will pave the way for a Philippines-wide martial law, Senator Risa Hontiveros told AFP news agency before the vote.

At the hearing, defence and security officials justified the extended martial law, saying that aside from Marawi, fighters were planning attacks in other parts of Mindanao.

READ MORE: Philippines military  Death toll in Marawi tops 500

They said almost 1,000 pro-ISIL fighters, holding 23 hostages, were still active elsewhere in the south.

The military said only about 60 gunmen were left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.

I cannot afford to be complacent, Duterte told reporters on Friday, adding the military would be conducting further mopping up operations even after they recapture Marawi.

If there is a spillage, it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap, he added.

Never again

Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes.

The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines, decades after the late leader Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term.

READ MORE: Duterte draws criticism for Miss Universe rape joke

About a dozen protesters in the gallery interrupted Saturdays hearing, chanting never again, never again to martial law before being escorted out.

Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal.

The conflict in Marawi City has left more than 600 people dead, including 105 government soldiers and 428 fighters. Forty-five civilians have been executed by the pro-ISIL forces while 40 displaced residents have died from illness.

More than half a million people have been forced to flee their homes in Marawi City and surrounding towns due to the crisis.
Protesters aged 17 and 18 die of their wounds from separate incidents in the occupied West Bank.

Two Palestinians have died in separate incidents after clashes with Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Oday Nawajaa, 17, died of his injuries on Saturday after being hit by Israeli live fire at al-Eizariya town east of Jerusalem, the ministry said.





Another Palestinian aged 18 died in the West Bank village of Abu Dis when a petrol bomb he was planning to throw at Israeli security forces exploded prematurely, according to the ministry.

In Jerusalem, Israeli police said they used riot gear to disperse dozens of Palestinians who threw stones and bottles at them.

Television footage showed police throwing stun grenades and using water cannon to break up the crowd.

Israel sent extra troops into the West Bank on Saturday and raided the home of the Palestinian attacker in the village of Kobar who stabbed to death three Israelis on Friday.

The troops also detained one of his brothers and measured the house in preparation for demolition, the army said.

Fridays Israeli deaths occurred hours after three Palestinians were killed in violence prompted by Israels installation of metal detectors at entry points of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

According to Israeli television Channel 2, Israeli police decided to remove the detectors as of Saturday night and use handheld detectors instead.

The Israeli authorities have not commented on the issue yet.

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss the bloodiest spate of Israeli-Palestinian violence for years, diplomats said on Saturday.

Sweden, Egypt and France requested the meeting to urgently discuss how calls for de-escalation in Jerusalem can be supported, Carl Skau, Swedens deputy UN ambassador, said on Twitter.
Besieged Eastern Ghouta near Damascus is one of the last strongholds of rebels fighting Bashar al-Assads forces.

A new deal designating a de-escalation zone in the Syrian province of Eastern Ghouta has been signed with Syrian rebels, the Russian Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.

The de-escalation agreement was signed with Egyptian mediation after representatives of Syrian opposition groups and the Russian military held talks in Cairo.

The agreement provides for a ceasefire in the zone, allowing food and humanitarian aid to be brought in and the ill and wounded to be evacuated for treatment elsewhere, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.

With many of its towns and villages ravaged by bombardments in the six-year conflict, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus is one of the last strongholds of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assads forces and was the scene of a chemical weapon attack that killed hundreds in August 2013.

IN PHOTOS: How life goes on in a besieged town

The Syrian armed forces also announced halting hostile activities in several areas in Eastern Ghouta, starting Saturday.

In a statement published by Syrias state-run press agency, SANA, the Syrian army said that an agreement of cessation of hostilities takes effect as of noon [09:00 GMT] on Saturday.





It also warned that any breaches of the agreement will be properly responded to.

The Russian military explained that the documents fix borders of the de-escalation zone, locations and authorities of the forces observing the de-escalation, as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of the civilians, as cited by Russian press agency TASS.

It added that the first humanitarian aid convoy is due in the coming days, as well as convoys to evacuate the injured.

Al Jazeeras Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from the Turkish city of Kilis close to the Syrian border, said that several rebel factions fighting inside Ghouta had confirmed the cessation of hostilities but had not signed any deal.

In essence, this was sort of a surprise to them that this happened today, he said.

Nonetheless, they tell us that they are certainly welcoming of this  that this is a long time in coming and that they do hope that the Russian government will press on Syria and the Syrian military to ensure that this cessation of hostilities actually keeps going.

READ MORE: Syrias civil war explained from the beginning

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights deemed the situation in Ghouta to be largely calm since the announcement of the agreement.

However, the watchdog accused the Syrian government of breaching the deal twice since it took effect.

According to the Observatorys report, government tanks shelled a village inside Ghouta, leaving material damage but no casualties.

One of four de-escalation zones

Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed de-escalation zones designated in a deal reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

The accord specified four initial areas: Idlib in the north, Homs in the east, Eastern Ghouta and southern Syria.

Regions controlled by Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaeda-linked alliance, are exempt from the deal.

But the accord has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on policing the safe zones, and Eastern Ghouta is just the second zone to see a ceasefire come into force.

More than 2.5 million people are believed to live in the four zones.

The May accord roughly laid out the areas where rebels and government forces should halt hostilities, including air attacks, for six months.

However, Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to meet a June 4 deadline to set exact boundaries for the zones.

One major stumbling block appeared to be who would ensure security in all four areas, with Turkey and Iran in particular reportedly wrangling to bolster their influence.

OPINION: Syria and the case for editorial accountability

A new meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana is expected during the last week of August, with rebels as well as representatives from Turkey and Iran to attend, Russia has said.

Following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Hamburg early July, a ceasefire agreement was declared in south-western Syria. It affected the provinces of Suweida, Deraa and Quneitra.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Senior US army official says decision was tough but not related to Syria ally Russia, as previous reports claimed.

The CIA did not end its programme to support rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a bid to appease Russia, the head of the US militarys special operations said.

General Tony Thomas confirmed that the CIA is shutting down four-year-old operation, which armed and trained rebels, but denied the move was aimed at improving US relations with Assads ally Russia  a claim made by the Washington Post which first reported the suspension on Wednesday.

It was a tough, tough decision but absolutely not a sop to the Russians, Thomas said at a forum in Aspen, Colorado.

It was, I think, based on an assessment of the nature of the programme, what were trying to accomplish, the viability of it going forward, he said on Friday.

The chairman of the Russian upper house of parliaments international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev, had welcomed the long-awaited, excellent news that the United States was ending the programme.

This change of affairs will, without any doubt, create additional opportunities for Russian-American collaboration in anti-terrorism in the country, Kosachev said on his Facebook page, earlier this week.

READ MORE: Syrias Bashar al-Assad calls US forces invaders

The CIA declined to comment on Thomas comments.

Former US President Barack Obama approved the rebel aid programme in 2013 as various opposition groups sought external support in a general uprising against the Assad regime.

Thousands of Syrian anti-government fighters were trained and armed.

But US commitment remained ambiguous amid doubts in some quarters that the rebels could actually manage to depose Assad, and as attention turned to the rising power of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

Support for the programme further eroded last year after the rebels lost the areas they held in the Syrian city of Aleppo, under a Russian-backed government assault.

US President Donald Trump has said the main US focus in Syria should be to eliminate ISIL, rather than opposing the Assad government.

US officials said this week that some of the anti-Assad forces could be absorbed into US military-supported groups fighting ISIL.

Meanwhile, a Syrian military source said Syrian warplanes carried out air raids against ISIL in an area of countryside east of Raqqa near the provincial boundary with Deir Az Zor.

Syrian state TV reported that the attacks destroyed several bases and vehicles belonging to the group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it was the first time in several weeks that the Syrian military had launched an attack in that area, which is close to where US-backed anti-ISIL forces are operating.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the last years presidential race, a claim Sessions has denied various times, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The paper quoted on Friday current and former administration officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of Sergey Kislyaks accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to Trump, during the campaign.

Sessions at first failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.

The new claim is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump criticised him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.

Trump said he regretted the hiring because Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling to favour Trump during the US presidential election.

Sessions had denied claims

Sessions recused himself after it was disclosed that he had, in fact, met the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met any Russian officials during that period.

Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the US election campaign with the ambassador.

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, he said at the time.

READ MORE: Jeff Sessions calls Russia claims a detestable lie

However, Kislyak, in briefing his superiors on the meetings, said he and Sessions discussed campaign-related matters including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.

It quoted one former official as saying the intercepts suggest Sessions and Kislyak had substantive talks on issues including Trumps positions on Russia-related subjects and prospects for bilateral relations in a Trump administration.

Al Jazeeras Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington, DC, said Sessions was now challenged having already denied having discussions with Russians about the Trump campaign, at his confirmation hearing in the Senate.





If the report is true, he is in real trouble. He had to correct his account before. If he does it again, essentially it will be the end for Sessions, he said.

A US official also confirmed to the Reuters news agency on Friday Kislyaks intercepted accounts of two conversations with Sessions.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was nothing automatically inappropriate about Sessions discussing policy matters, or even Trumps views about them, with a foreign diplomat.

The question is whether he crossed the line and discussed classified information or talked about deals like lifting sanctions, if the Russians were interested in investing in the US, or had dirt on Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, said a second official familiar with the intercepts, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. His memory is another matter.
A state of emergency has been declared in the three New Zealand cities of Christchurch, Timaru Otago and Dunedin, where a severe storm has led to the evacuation of hundreds of homes.

Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealands South Island declared a state of emergency on Saturday, July 22, amid a severe storm which has already seen hundreds of homes evacuated.

There has been widespread disruption, as highways have been cut off, requiring soldiers to be called in to help provide emergency services.

The New Zealand defence force has deployed at least a dozen trucks and 140 personnel to provide assistance to emergency services and help rescue those trapped by rising flood waters.

Christchurch declared the state of emergency after the Heathcote River burst its banks and flooded southern parts of the city on Saturday morning, becoming the fourth area to do so after a severe weather event  which has lashed the South Island over the past 24 hours  caused extensive flooding.

Local media reports that about 1,500 people in settlements further north were told to leave their homes as water levels rose overnight, while more than 100 homes were evacuated outside of Dunedin, the south islands second largest city.

Parts of the region and areas of Canterbury had more than an average Julys worth of rain in eight hours. At Swampy Spur in the Dunedin region, 223mm of rain fell in the first seven hours of Friday morning.

Swampy Spur recorded 254mm in just 40 hours. The city of Dunedin averages 56mm for the entire month of July.

Emergency services are now focused on the Taieri River near Dunedin, after predictions it would rise to near-record. Local rescue services are working around the clock to help those affected.
Clashes erupt in Caracas as security forces fire tear gas to block opposition march on Venezuelas supreme court.

Police on motorbikes have fired tear gas to break up an opposition march on Venezuelas supreme court to stop President Nicolas Maduro from proceeding with his plans to rewrite the constitution of Venezuela.

Thousands gathered in the capital Caracas on Saturday to march on the supreme court, but security forces blocked their way with armoured vehicles and riot shields.

Clashes ensued, injuring several people including student protester Wuilly Arteaga, who has become famous for playing his violin in front of security lines.

Repression is the only way this regime keeps itself in power, opposition legislator Luis Florido said at the march, blaming the Maduro government for the latest violence.

The rally was also meant as a show of support for a slate of 33 magistrates appointed by the opposition-controlled congress to replace Venezuelas supreme court, which is closely allied with Maduro.

Saturdays protest appeared to be smaller than previous anti-government demonstrations.

READ MORE: Venezuela has reached the zero hour  Whats next?

Venezuelas opposition also announced on Saturday it would hold a two-day strike next week among other protests designed to put more pressure on Maduro.

As well as the intended shutdown for Wednesday and Thursday, mass marches would be held on Monday and Friday, officials for the Democratic Unity coalition told reporters.

The opposition coalition launched protests in early April against Maduro, who they accuse of turning Venezuela into a dictatorship and wrecking its economy.

Maduro has accused demonstrators of seeking a coup with the support of the United States.

Venezuelan authorities have routinely responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to nearly four months of street protests. At least 100 people have died in the unrest and thousands more have been injured or detained.





Maduro has shown no sign of giving in, instead promoting the constitutional rewrite as a solution for Venezuelas political standoff and dire economy.

The government plans to hold a vote next weekend to elect a special congress to overhaul Venezuelas charter.

The new assembly could disband the existing opposition-led legislature

The opposition, emboldened by a nationwide strike that paralysed parts of Caracas and other Venezuelan cities, has vowed to escalate street tactics to block the July 30 vote.

The government said it would to put 232,000 soldiers on the streets to ensure the vote goes ahead.

In recent days Maduro and pro-government leaders have also warned that once the special assembly is elected, those they brand as fascists and terrorists could face justice.

In Washington, President Donald Trumps administration has threatened to take strong and swift economic actions if Maduro proceeds with the constitution rewrite.

The people voted and they rejected this constituent assembly, read the sign of one man who marched through the streets with a stream of people.

We are at zero hour,' metropolitan Caracas Mayor Helen Fernandez said, referring to the oppositions protest plan. We will elevate our protest to wherever necessary.
We discuss whether the UKs divorce from the European Union could come at the cost of food security.

As round two of Brexit talks kicked off this week, how much will Britain have to cough up for 44 years of EU membership? And how will Brexit affect food security and farming in the UK?

Theres a lot of noise about whats likely to be a very big divorce bill. But theres been relative silence about food security since the Brexit referendum.

A new report published by the University of Sussex calls this lack of focus astonishing  criticising that British consumers have not been informed about the enormous implications of Brexit for agriculture and farming.

According to the report, the Food Brexit is happening at a time when Britains food system is already vulnerable, with self-sufficiency in decline. It warns that, after decades of EU regulation, the British government is sleepwalking into a future of insecure, unsustainable, unsafe and expensive food supplies.

Food is the largest single UK manufacturing sector, and one-third of its workforce comes from overseas. About one-third of Britains food is currently imported from within the European Union.

David Coker, a lecturer in finance at Westminster University, talks about food security post-Brexit and explains why he thinks the UK and the United States could strike a trade deal on food.

President Trump has gone on record saying that a deal with the UK could happen very quickly and also NAFTA renegotiations have just opened up in Washington. Theyre going to take the seats on August 16, and we feel there could be a case put forward by the Americans at that point for the UK to join NAFTA, says Coker.

It's in the UK's best interest to have a very strong agricultural sector. by David Coker, lecturer in finance, Westminster University

Coker believes the possibility of the UK joining NAFTA would yield positive results and raise the standards of American farmers.

Much like the US raised Mexican standards of food when they started trading with the United States, the UK could have a positive impact upon the United States, in the sense that some producers of food, in order to trade with the UK post-Brexit, will have to adopt these very, very stringent [food]

standards that the UK and the EU have collectively designed. In fact, theyre some of the most strongest in the world.

Asked about the future of British farming and food security post-Brexit Coker says, We get farm subsidies via the EU and theyre distributed by DEFRA. We feel that in the UK post-Brexit definitely will maintain those subsidies. Its in the UKs best interest to have a very strong agricultural sector. Theyre not going to do anything thatll destroy the viability of British farming.

Also on this episode of Counting the Cost:

Digital zombies: Is internet addiction real? Our online addiction has increased dramatically since the dot-com era. Internet users worldwide now spend on average two hours each day on social media and messaging services alone. And the internet is capturing more and more of our time each day.

Our connected lives drive digital advertising revenues, which has some people wondering whether all of this is good for our mental health.

Matthew Knight, head of strategic innovation at digital communications firm CARAT, takes a look at the techniques technology companies use to keep us online for longer.

South Korea employment: Getting a job can be challenging for young people in South Korea, where the youth unemployment rate is higher than 10 percent. Many potential employers ask candidates to include a photo with their application, making the process even more competitive in a country obsessed with appearance.

Now, President Moon Jae-in is trying to change that practice with a campaign called blind hiring, as Kathy Novak reports from Seoul.

The cost of Nigerias oil production: Oil production in southern Nigeria is at its highest level in the last two years, but it seems to be coming at a cost. Theres growing anger over pollution thats affecting local communities. Ahmed Idris reports from the Niger Delta

Armstrongs moon dust bag: Space astronaut Neil Armstrongs bag that was used to carry the very first lunar samples back to Earth was sold for $1.8m at an auction in New York. Kristen Saloomey reports from New York.
I was concerned by the fear-mongering perspective the author of a July 16 letter to the editor used in her attempt to persuade readers against the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Id like to set the record straight.

First, to level-set the discussion, for many decades to come, America is going to rely more on oil and natural gas than all other energy sources. That is according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and it includes aggressive development of renewables and alternative sources.

Second, lets remember there are millions of miles of pipelines in America, and they are by far the safest and least expensive way to transport oil and natural gas with a 99.999 percent safety record. So, saying the KXL would have a high potential to contaminate, or that it would be damaging to our air and our world, turns this more into an elementary debate than a serious conversation.

In reality, KXL would utilize new technologies. It includes 59 safety measures that go above current government safety requirements and comes with 24/7 monitoring. Importantly, it will be built by American professionals who are the best laborers in the world and care as much about this land as anyone.

Lastly, as for the authors negative attitude about the number of construction jobs Keystone XL will create: It will be thousands of good-paying jobs. Ask any Montanan looking for a good-paying job what this project would mean to them and their family.

Jennifer Hart

Billings
With the publication of The Strange Death of Europe, Douglas Murray has made a significant contribution to a crucially important, if still niche genre: the Islamization of Europe. A small number of writers (given the huge impact of this development) have focused on the issue: Bat Yeor, Oriana Fallaci, Mark Steyn, Christopher Caldwell, Bruce Bawer, Soeren Kern, Giulio Meotti, Guy Milliere, Ingrid Carlqvist. This small band is all that confronts the blatant and pervasive coverup by politicians and mainstream media.

Murrays contribution takes several forms. He brings the story of Europes civilizational suicide up to date. He provides a chronological tale of the debacle from the post-World War II importation of what were imagined at the time to be temporary workers from Muslim countries needed to fill labor shortages to the disastrous decision by Angela Merkel in August 2015 to throw open Germanys borders without limits, with the slogan We can do it. He sets forth Muslim terrorist actions in Europe in punctilious sequence, including those targeting individuals, like the murder of Theo van Gogh and the Charlie Hebdo staff; the attacks against Jews, and the terror aimed at the general public, for example, the Bataclan massacre and the mowing down at random of people celebrating Bastille Day at the Nice beach. He describes the broader challenge to European society posed by Muslims who do not resort to terror, but espouse values wholly at variance with those of their host countries. Most important, he seeks to explain Europes strange behavior, why Europe is committing suicide with its elites leading a reluctant but passive public over the cliff.

In part, Murrays explanation does not differ much from that advanced by several of those cited above. In Murrays words, The world was coming into Europe at precisely the moment that Europe has lost sight of what it is. It was a Europe that had lost faith in its beliefs, traditions, its very legitimacy. But Murray is especially good in focusing on the importance of guilt, what he calls Europes unique, abiding, and perhaps fatal sense of and obsession with guilt in shaping its behavior. While not ignored by others, the role of guilt has not been given the attention it deservedly gets here.

To this reviewer, that the Holocaust should shake Europes faith in its civilization is only right and fitting. In the current issue of Commentary Terry Teachout points out how Europes great orchestras dutifully fired Jewish members and banned music by Jewish composers even as the music-loving Hitler in 1938 declared Germany has become the guardian of European culture and civilization. It can be no surprise if Europeans ask, How could what Hitler conceived himself as zealously guarding be worth preserving?

But as Murray sees it, guilt has become a moral intoxicant -- Europeans have become high on it. They cannot fall back on their Christian faith because their foundational story was fatally weakened in the nineteenth century by the combination of Biblical higher criticism and Darwinism. The replacement beliefs in multiculturalism (and Murray quotes Samuel Huntingtons apt observation that multiculturalism is essentially an anti-Western ideology), tolerance, diversity, and human rights (as those who have seized control of the issue define them) are no substitute for the fervent divinely-grounded convictions of Islam.

Murray addresses the puzzling question: why there has been so little pushback from Europeans as they have been inundated by millions committed to ideologies anathema to their own? One reason is that the penalties for speaking out are high. Murray writes that those who have shouted fire over the years have been treated as arsonists. They have been ignored, defamed, prosecuted or killed. The media has been swift to silence those among them who dared to so much as raise the issue. Murray cites the fate of Erik Mansson, editor-in-chief of the Swedish paper Expressen, who as far back as 1993 published the results of an opinion poll showing 63% of Swedes wanted immigrants to return to their countries of origin. Noting the difference between those in power and public opinion, Mansson said he thought the subject should be discussed. The only result was that the papers owners promptly fired Mansson.

Being fired is the least of it. Those who are deemed to have blasphemed against Islam, whether cartoonists or filmmakers or forthright politicians, are hunted down by Islamists. All the government does in response is put them in hiding, provide guards or force them out of the country. The last is what the government of Holland did to Ayaan Hirsi Ali by taking away her citizenship. As far as government elites are concerned these people are not heroic champions of free speech but nuisances who have brought their troubles on themselves. Indeed the government is likely to join in the persecution, as Tommy Robinson of the English Defense League discovered in Britain and Geert Wilders in Holland, where he has twice been prosecuted by the state for inciting discrimination and hatred.

And the Holocaust again intrudes. When movements or political parties form to challenge the establishment parties on immigration, they are promptly labeled racist and anti-Semitic by the media and as a result neo-Nazis flock to them, making them off-limits to decent people. Murray points out that Geert Wilders is the only member of his party for precisely this reason. He fears that if he makes it a membership party skinheads will join and although he forfeits state funding (which depends on party size), he sees it as a necessary price to prevent neo-Nazis from possibly ruining the party.

The leadership of a few EU countries (all of them in Eastern Europe) have dared to confront the majority on Muslim immigration. Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and now, the Czech Republic, have all refused to take in what the EU has determined is their quota of immigrants. The most articulate member of the dissidents, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has been defiant and blunt, saying the immigrant wave masquerades as a humanitarian cause but its true nature is occupation of territory. And he reminds the EU (although Murray surprisingly does not mention this) that Hungary was dominated by Islam for 150 years -- and knows far better than Western elites what it is like to live with Muslim communities. The response of EU leaders is to treat Orban as a moral pariah and to punish the rebellious countries financially in the hope of forcing them to back down.

Murray is not optimistic about the future. He offers reforms -- for example, finding ways to settle would-be migrants closer to their home countries, processing asylum requests abroad, evicting those whose claims to asylum have been rejected (most remain after they have been ordered to leave), ceasing and desisting the automatic demonization as racists of any party that raises objections to existing policy, among others.

But Murray sees scant chance of the reforms he suggests being enacted. Instead he sees the gap between political leaders and public opinion becoming more explosive. Murray reports on a survey of public opinion in 10 European countries released by the British think tank Chatham House in February 2017. In eight out of the ten (including Germany) a majority agreed with the statement All further migration from Muslim countries should be stopped. In Britain, one of the two where the majority disagreed, only 47% were in favor of halting all Muslim immigration. Ignoring public opinion as morally deficient, the governing elite go on its merry way. Murray offers a telling anecdote from the small city of Kassel in the state of Hesse. Eight hundred immigrants were due to be deposited on Kassel and residents organized a meeting to ask questions of their politicians. A video of the meeting shows calm, polite but concerned citizens. At one point, the district president Walter Lubcke tells them that anyone who does not agree with the policy is free to leave Germany. Like those assembled who gasp and then hoot in anger, Murray is astounded: A whole new population is being brought into their country and they are told to leave if they dont like it?

Thus far politicians have been able to beat back all challenges to their policies by tarring political parties that rise to oppose them as racist, neo-Nazi, or fascist. Murray fears precisely because of this success in marginalizing even those parties that seek to bar extremist elements, when the reaction finally comes it will be ugly. His last words: Prisoners of the past and of the present, for Europeans there seem finally to be no decent answers to the future. Which is how the fatal blow will finally land.

There are a few omissions in this excellent book. Murray does not sufficiently emphasize the coming together of Islamic elements with the far left, despite the huge differences between them on social issues. It is the radical left that passes out flyers telling failed asylum seekers how to outwit the system. Claiming the moral high ground, it is the radical left that organizes the boats that hug the Libyan shore, so that traffickers dont even have to bother filling gas tanks on the miserable receptacles loaded with humanity they push out to sea. Murray refers to the way elites ignore the deep-seated anti-Semitism of the Muslim arrivals, even as they are quick to discredit anti-immigration parties with automatic charges of anti-Semitism. But Murray fails to point out the huge irony: largely on the basis of a sense of guilt for the Holocaust, Europes elites are embracing a population which in short order will make it impossible for the Jewish communities of Europe, rebuilt since the Holocaust, to remain there.

Lamenting the vacuum left by the retreat of Christianity, Murray writes that it is unlikely anyone is going to be able to invent an entirely new set of beliefs. He overlooks completely the movement that has provided a substitute set of beliefs to a significant part of the European public. That movement is environmentalism, a resurgence of paganism (with the earth as mother goddess) which has the great advantage of being antagonistic to Western culture -- for its sin of despoiling the earth. The global warming apocalypse is the most recent environmental dogma. Professor emeritus of atmospheric sciences at MIT Richard Lindzen, who unlike most of those who hold forth on the climate, is an expert on the subject, compares the pseudoscience of global warming to Lysenkoism. Lindzen writes: A surprisingly large number of people seem to have concluded that all that gives meaning to their lives is the belief that they are saving the planet by paying attention to their carbon footprint.

Europe hangs in the balance. For all the chatter about terror by politicians and media (with caveats that this has nothing to do with the religion of peace, of course), the seismic changes, including the population replacement by proponents of a sharply different culture, are all but ignored. Murrays clear and humane exposition of the seismic changes and the abject failure of political elites to face up to them gives those not willfully blind an opportunity to see.
Former CIA Director John Brennan has given an interview in which he made three points about the Russians and President Donald Trump. In reverse order:

Mr. Trump is a very selective consumer of U.S. intelligence and rejects what he does not like or support. This creates problems within the U.S. intelligence establishment and, to some degree undermines the CIAs credibility abroad.

Regarding cyber operations to respond to Russian attacks on the U.S. electoral system, he noted that it was important in the Obama administration to avoid a cycle of actions and retaliation that in the end would just be disruptive.

Russias intention in attacking Hillary Clintons campaign, in Brennans view, was to bloody Mrs. Clinton before she was elected in the hope of making her a weaker President. Though unstated, it appears that Director Brennan, who says the Russian operation was directly ordered by Vladimir Putin, believes that Putin regarded Trump as much less of a threat to Russian interests than Mrs. Clinton.

It is a rather odd conclusion, but one that has merit nonetheless. It is odd because unlike Mrs. Clinton, Donald Trump favored a very strong U.S. military and significant increases in U.S. defense spending. That was not a position of Mrs. Clinton or of the Obama administration, though she claimed she wanted to do more than Obama. Why is it, then, that Putin would favor a president leading a reinvigorated U.S. military?

The answer may lie with Russias perception of its own standing vis a vis the United States. From the Russian point of view, the United States could defeat Russia just by spending more and by using its industrial might to turn out ever more sophisticated weapons. While Russia has clearly modernized its military and its weapons, it is a long way from being able to deploy any significant number of weapons systems, especially front-line aircraft (such as the stealthy Su-35), and land forces, including its new tank (the T-14 Armata), which would be important if the Russians had any military ambitions in Europe.

Putin could and has, therefore, put on a pretty good show in Syria against an enemy with little ability to stop the Russian air force. But outside of that, despite shows of bravado, Russias military is not in good shape. From this point of view, Trumps investment in the U.S. military really doesnt change anything much for a Russia that sees itself already unable to take on the U.S. militarily.

Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, was seen as a political hardliner and troublemaker, especially regarding Russian operations in Ukraine. The Russians would believe that when she was president her team would include such people as Victoria Nuland, who was especially hostile to Russia and its Ukrainian operations. Weakening Hillary as much as possible would have made sense to Russia.

On the economic level, Russia depends for its well-being on the sale of oil and gas, and other commodities in the world market. Oil prices have been low for some time, making it hard for the Russians to meet their budget requirements. And the Russians realize that the U.S. is the newest emerging oil and gas power in the world. Fracking will make America a future major exporter of oil and natural gas (in the form of LNG).

This goes back to the question of President Trump. It is clear that Mr. Trump has an agenda in his head regarding Russia, but there are serious doubts that he can do much with it under the current political circumstances.

The Trump agenda appears to start with the idea that Mr. Trump as a successful businessman, which the President attributes largely to his negotiating skills, can find a modus vivendi on many bilateral U.S.-Russia issues including Syria, cyber issues, and Ukraine. Already he has begun to change things regarding CIA support for opposition groups in Syria, and Russia and the United States are working on some sort of cooperative alliance on cyber security. It is just as likely that the Ukrainian issue is also within their discussions and  to venture a guess  it is some sort of lease deal for the Crimea and a settlement of the insurgency in east Ukraine that may well be under active discussion.

Mr. Trumps problem is that he is a very weak president, torn by internal dissension including from his National Security Advisor and his Defense Secretary, and without any real Congressional support. Any deal with the Russians could cause a furor and expose Mr. Trump to public humiliation over his efforts at negotiation with an international rival, particularly if the deal was on Ukraine. Therefore, Trump is walking on grenades, any one of which can explode at any time.

The surprise for the Russians is that Mr. Trump won the election. In an effort to demonstrate his skill in foreign affairs, Trump is now working to reorder Americas policy in various ways, particularly as regards the Russians. But if he continues to pursue his agenda without building support inside his own administration and on Capitol Hill, he will lose. The result is all of this may backfire on the Russians and Putin. Instead of bloodying Hillary, Putins nose may be bleeding as Russia faces a militarily stronger United States with an energy surplus and a president increasingly frustrated but determined to find a success.
The current debate over government-subsidized health care seems unsolvable -- there is just not enough money to give everyone what they demand. Nevertheless, this circle can be squared, at least partially, and in a way that will satisfy both free market conservatives and champions of helping the poor. The solution depends on is how health care is viewed and what constitutes accessibility. Moreover, this could be accomplished quickly and, in fact, much of it already exists without budget-busting machinations. While admittedly far from perfect, it will certainly help millions of Americans gain better and more affordable health care.

Health care should be viewed as a consumer product comparable to food, housing, clothing and other marketplace commodities. So, just as some people of equal incomes daily patronize McDonalds for cheap burgers, others will skimp for monthly steakhouse filet mignon. In medical terms, some with a medical problem will insist on costly physician at a university-based hospital for their upset stomach; others just buy Pepto-Bismol and pray. Yes, the latter choice might be ill-advised, but choice is choice and its the consumer, not a government bureaucrat, who ultimately decides, and this autonomy deserves respect. If there is to be a role for government in this marketplace, it ought to be educational, perhaps warning those with chronic stomach disorders to visit an MD.

Second, health insurance availability should not be conflated with improved quality of life (one might mistakenly gather from the mainstream media that legislators still enamored of ObamaCare believe that its repeal will deprive Americans of eternal life). Even single-payer Medicare-for-all, the Lefts disingenuous socialized medicine, will not improve the nations health if consumers disdain treatment. Put graphically, how many older Americans demand, and will actually use, free colonoscopies? One might predict that even generous free health care will not entice millions to no-cost annual check-ups. Again, subsidized health insurance does not automatically translated into better health.

Third, despite the heated rhetoric about how the cancer-stricken face certain death if the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is repealed, most illnesses are far more humdrum and these should be an important element for government-assisted medical care, particularly for those on limited budgets. Yes, these maladies seldom kill and being generally exempt from government compilations of illnesses, rarely draw much attention, but they are the day-to-day conditions that can make life miserable. Just ask a parent whose child is suffering from a throbbing ear infection. Everybody is familiar with low-level injuries such as sprains, back pains and lacerations, minor burns, insect bites and rashes, allergic reactions, coughs and flu, nausea, diarrhea, asthma reactions, ear infections, severe headaches, urinary tract infections and multiple other minor illnesses whose numbers go unnoticed in congressional debates over government-subsidized health care.

Fortunately capitalism has come to the rescue with thousands of neighborhood min-clinics that handle those maladies, usually quickly and at a reasonable price. This is a rapidly growing industry with many of the firms organized into the Convenient Care Association (founded in 2006 but with the first businesses going back only to 2000). The Urgent Care mini-clinics are typically located in malls, stand-alone buildings on highways (often nicknamed Doc-in-a-Box) and in high-traffic stores such as Walmart and Target. The drugstore chain CVS is making convenient care central in its expansion.

According to 2015 data, there were some 6400 such facilities and they are growing at the rate of 700 per year. Regarding care quality, the tough-minded American College of Physicians (ACP) endorses the role of these mini-clinics though the ACP warns about over-relying on them.

They are truly the McDonalds of health care, some even more so since they are available 24/7 and require no advance appointments. Moreover, their upfront price list is a godsend to patients unable to navigate complicated hospital bills where an itemized invoice continue for pages and the sum typically paid after negotiations may not reflect the initial charge. A 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers study reported that the average urgent-care visit, for patients with or without insurance, averaged $121, and can include blood tests, urinalysis, X-rays, and basic metabolic analysis. An emergency room visit, by contrast, averaged $499, and this figure excluded the cost of lab work, which can run into the thousands. Many hospitals appreciate Doc-in-a-Box for this very reason -- they free up already overburdened ERs.

As in the restaurant business, a wide range of quality exists. In some instances, the clinic is associated with a leading full-service hospital (and here) while more down-market facilities supply only a nurse practitioner who might refer you to a hospital if the illness is beyond his or her competency. Also as is true in the restaurant industry, clinics target the local clientele, for example, if lots of gays reside nearby, the available menu would features test for HIV/AIDS and shots for sexual transmitted diseases. And for good measure, urgent care facilities, like restaurants, are often rated by previous customers.

Such localism also facilitates decent care for populations (including those who avoid government facilities) all too often underserved by megahospitals or specialized MDs. In fact, many of these customers might be fearful of applying for insurance. A CVS facility in an Hispanic neighborhood will probably employ Spanish-speaking doctors better acquainted with illnesses that disproportionately afflict Hispanics, for example, asthma. These local CVS employees may also cultivate personal ties with their clientele and families not possible in impersonal hospitals with dozens of staff doctors.

Ironically, the very existence of these readily available, low-cost facilities may well discourage buying insurance and such rationality undermines the coerced coverage characteristic of government-subsidized health care plans. After all, why pay hundreds per month in premiums and with large deductibles when an unexpected illness can be treated cheaply at the nearby Walmart? Yet again, capitalism defeats what is government run or mandated.

Lastly, if Washington wants to subsidize health care for the low-income, it can be accomplished quickly and cheaply -- adjust Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards (the same cards that provide food stamps) to allow charges at government-certified convenient care facilities. This straightforward needs-based solution would be dramatically cheaper and less cumbersome than the current system of private, paperwork-heavy insurance and would be totally transparent. If you have a pesky rash, just Google for a local Doc-in-the Box (or use the Yellow pages), request open hours, if they treat this condition and for how much? No worry about co-pay or if Cigna will eventually send the payment -- cash or credit cards eliminates all the hassles and cuts waiting time to a minimum.

This does not, of course, provide solutions for catastrophic illnesses such as cancer or stroke. Those comparatively rare though fiendishly expensive illnesses are far beyond convenient care and must be addressed differently. In the meantime, however, the market-driven urgent care solution dramatically improves health care to those in need and at a reasonable cost with barely any costly bureaucracy and paperwork. Not even Rand Paul or Bernie Sanders can object to that.
When attacking an epistemological structure, it is a often a waste of time to attack the consequences of a belief system when one can cut it down at the root. Islam has such a bizarre problem. And Muslims avoid it, for fear it would cause the whole religion to collapse.

Islam, like Judaism, is monadic. It only admits of a hard absolutely unitary deity.

However, Islam makes an amazing contradictory statement: the Koran is eternal.

This introduces a real problem. Anything which is eternal is, by definition, deity. And that strikes at the very core of Islam's claim to a hard monotheism.

[T]he Noble Quran, as is, is forever Preserved by Allah Almighty, and therefore Its Holy Words are Eternal. -- Answering Christianity, an Islamic site. This... sums up the doctrine of the massive majority of the Muslims, namely the People of the Sunna and the Congregation, concerning the pre-existent, pre-eternal, beginningless, and uncreated nature of the Divine Speech Allah Most High has named al-Qur'an -- Sunnah.org

Here is their disaster. If the Koran is uncreated, the Koran is a deity. Think about it. But if the Koran is God, and Allah is God, the Islamic doctrine of hard monadic monotheism falls apart.

This is no mere sleight of hand. A few early Muslims noted the inconsistency and met an unhappy fate for bringing it up.

He said about someone who said that the Qur'an is created, "He is an unbeliever, so kill him." He said in the version of Ibn Nafi', "He should be flogged and painfully beaten and imprisoned until he repents." In the version of Bishr ibn Bakr at-Tinnisi we find, "He is killed and his repentance is not accepted." -- Answering Islam, a Christian site.

To understand this issue, one must put on his thinking cap, and use it for more than superficial speculation.

Anything, whether thing or thought, which is good, must ultimately be a mere reflection of some aspect or quality found in the deity. If something exists, whether thought or thing, which is totally independent of the deity, then it stands apart from the deity, and must be co-divine.

Of course, someone will answer, what about horses? Are you saying horses are divine?

No! But think for a second: Why are horses admired? Because they are a reflection of simultaneous gracefulness with power. The latter two: grace and power, are aspects of the divine, and if the deity wanted to create something which reflected His grace and power, He could not do better than to make a horse. The concept of the horse, and the horse itself, do not stand as fully independent from the deity, even though the horse, itself, is clearly not divine.

But what about love? Isn't love eternal?

Herein lies the problem. If love exists apart from the deity, love would be a deity. The Christian scripture says God is love (1 John 4:8), but it does not say Love is God.

So even love is not eternal, except that it is an aspect of God.

Herein lies the next problem. If love is an aspect of the deity, it signifies that there must be someone to love. If there was no one to love, then love would be a concept that stood apart from the deity itself. Hence, a philosophical argument for the existence of the other to love inside the deity, itself. And, if one is paying attention, we have just backed into a philosophical proof why the deity cannot be a hard monad or in layman's terms, we have just laid the philosophical foundation for more than one person or personality within the deity; hence, the justification for the Trinity. This is the major difference between present day Judaism and Christianity as well as between Islam and Christianity.

Coming back to Islam, this bizarre monadic view of the deity strikes at the very Koran they claim to revere. If their Word of Allah (the Koran) is eternal, then the Koran is deity.

In Christianity, we see a reflection of this tension; but unlike Islam, we draw the proper conclusion.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -- John 1:1 (KJV) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us... -- John 1:14 (KJV)

Christianity admits that if God's Word is eternal, he is co-deity, a personality: Jesus Christ. And we understand a difference between the personal Word of God (Jesus) who is eternal, and the written word of God (The Bible) which is not eternal, but whose books had a point of creation in time.

There will be those who ask, didn't Jesus say, My words will never pass away? (Matthew 24:35  NIV). However, forever is not eternal. Eternal is apart from time. Forever means without end in the future. Jesus said his words would live on. He did not say they were eternal.

This is not mere word games. The whole gospel of John depends on this. It is written in Greek to a people who were the founders of philosophy. (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc.). John was walking into a minefield when he wrote. The Romans might give the gospel a glance, and take it or leave it; but Greeks would dissect it and tear it to shreds, if it was not logically consistent. The Greeks understood such problems. So John dealt with them right up front, in the opening of his gospel.

Paul understood this, too. Early in his ministry, he walked onto Mars Hill in Athens (See Acts 17:22-31), where the Greeks had set apart a place for philosophers and wannabe philosophers to contest in their ideas. In Rome, if a philosopher stood up and started speaking, a centurion would have stepped over and said, Move on, citizen. You are blocking the forum. In Greece, they prided themselves on listening. In America, our discussions are more inside, but I believe London has a similar area at Speaker's Corner.

So Christianity, aware of the root foundational issue, addressed it head on. In Paul's case, he walked right into ground zero for world philosophy: Mars Hill, while John started off his gospel with the declaration of the Word in the first verse.

Islam, however, is so sloppily constructed that they probably did not realize the problem until later on, when some intellects among them -- almost certainly schooled in Greek philosophy -- stood up to say, Hey, habibi! We have a real problem, here.

The Muslim response, as ever, was to kill the messenger.

This is not a mind game. If properly stated, one can explain this to a Muslim in two to three minutes; and one can then tell them that Christianity solves the problem by having an Eternal Word, who is co-deity: Jesus Christ.

The reader will ask: Isnt the Christian promised eternal life, and the Christian is not deity?

Yes: but the life promised is Christs life, not our own. Hence we are Christs body.

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (NIV) Col 1:27  Christ in you, the hope of glory.

By the way, it would be fallacy to conflate this Islamic problem with Mormonism. Though both Mohammed and Joseph Smith both claimed to have been told to read tablets from angels, Mormonism never said the Book of Mormon was eternal. That is a uniquely Islamic problem.

The astute will notice that Judaism is also monadic, and will ask: Doesn't Judaism have the same problem?

Not exactly! Judaism never said that the Tenach (Old Testament) was co-eternal with God; and they admit that the written word had a creation point in history.

Ah, but some will say: You're fudging. Okay maybe Judaism does not have the problem of an eternal text, but what about the problem of love that you brought up earlier? If God is a monad, then where did love come from?

Well, that is a major reason why I am Christian, not a Jew nor a Noahide.

Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish in high school, lo those many decades ago. He writes on the Arabs of South America at http://latinarabia.com. He also just started a website about small computers at http://minireplacement.com.
Let's talk of court news: who loses and who wins, who's in and who's out. Sometimes this is hazardous. In the Soviet Union, when ruled by Josef Stalin, truth was determined from one dictator's edicts to the next. One of the few witticisms to originate from that period indicated wariness: "In the rest of the world, it's impossible to predict the picture, but in the Stalinist Soviet Union, it's politically dangerous to predict the past."

On July 16, 2017, Friedrich Engels, friend and collaborator of Karl Marx and co-author of The Communist Manifesto in 1848, returned to Manchester, England. At a ceremony in the city, he was honored by the installation of a bust, a visual symbol of the man who had lived in the city for more than twenty years and who helped shaped the political and social thinking that underlay the old Soviet Union.

In the United States and in Britain, reassessment of the past has become not only a political tool, but also a reminder of the complexities of history. Everyone can recognize that invidious discrimination is unacceptable, but so is a conviction of historical certainty. Tension between those extreme views is now familiar in the United States  mostly in the American South, where many are concerned with removing symbols, primarily Confederate monuments and flags, that are seen as representing racism and discrimination.

The American South is thus consciously reassessing history. The mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, has asserted that the Confederacy was on the wrong side of history and on the wrong side of humanity. Accordingly, the New Orleans City Council on December 17, 2015 voted 6-1 to remove four monuments, built between 1884 and 1915, from their prominent perches in the city. They included statues of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. PGT Beauregard, and Confederate president Jefferson Davis, and also the obelisk dedicated to the Battle of Liberty Place. This obelisk commemorated the uprising in 1874 by a white group to overthrow the racially integrated governance set up in the city after the Civil War.

In all the eleven former Confederate states, controversy has ranged over the

official honoring of the past, which, for the critics, represented ideologies, favoring segregation and slavery, in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the U.S. and which did not meet current standards of equality and non-discrimination.

Each area in the South has chosen those who are currently unacceptable. The city council in Charlottesville, Virginia, in February 2017, voted 3-2 to remove the 95-year-old equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee from Lee Park, which is to be renamed. The state of Tennessee in 2017 rejected the monument to Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, slave trader and early member of and perhaps grand wizard of Ku Klux Klan.



Nathan Bedford Forrest.

The city of Baltimore expressed willingness to remove memories of those considered undesirable, the most important of whom is Justice Roger B. Taney, whose statue is in Mount Vernon Place in the city. As chief justice of the Supreme Court, Taney delivered the majority opinion in the famous Dred Scott case of 1857. The opinion included the argument that the framers of the Constitution believed that blacks "had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."

Historical complexities abound. Princeton University considered whether to change the name of its Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, in spite of Wilson's political and historical importance, because he had expressed views now considered racist. Yale University debated if its college named after John Calhoun, former vice president and supporter of slavery and states' rights, was to be renamed but decided not to do so.

Similarly, Oriel College at Oxford decided that its statue of Cecil Rhodes should not fall in spite of accusations of imperialism, colonialism, white supremacism, and racism by today's standards. The university decided, however, that Oxford, one of the world's great universities, was not based on an imperialist legacy. One of the ironies in this particular situation is that the leader of the Rhodes Must Fall movement was himself a recipient of a Rhodes Fellowship, funded by the mining magnate and considered one of the world's most prestigious scholarships.

Two recent developments are relevant to this story. One is the curious story, mentioned above, of the successful effort by the noted British artist Phil Collins to obtain a statue of Friedrich Engels, erected in 1970, from a village, Mala Pereshchepina in northeastern Ukraine, and bring it on a flatbed truck to Manchester, England.

Inherent in the story is the paradox that Manchester, once the embodiment of 19th-century capitalism, and where Engels lived as representative of his family's cotton business, housed the man who had written a polemic on the conditions of the working class.

Karl Marx is still honored, at least in London, where he is buried in a large tomb, always covered with flowers, at Highgate Cemetery, and by an annual procession on the anniversary of his death. By contrast, Engels, polyglot, cultured, hunter, lover of poetry, is less honored, though there a housing development on a council estate named after him in Manchester, and there is a statue of his beard, a climbing wall at Salford University, near Manchester. Now, contrary to current political trends, he is honored and on a pedestal.

By contrast, Kings College, in the center of London, has acted in accordance with anti-establishment sentiment and is succumbing to student pressure. Its world famous Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience is moving busts and portraits of its founding fathers from its main entrance and replacing them with those of blacks, Asians, and ethnic minorities. According to officials, portraits of whites are too intimidating for ethnic minorities, and their substitutes are less alienating for students from a diverse cultural background.

This example of discrimination against whites is all the more disconcerting because of the stature of those removed. Missing in what is the largest center for research in its stated fields in Europe will be Dr. Henry Maudsley, a leading psychiatrist whose donation led to the founding of the medical school in 1924, and Sir Frederick Mott, who in 1896 proposed university training courses in psychiatry and who was responsible for important research on syphilis and its treatment. This discrimination follows that of two years ago, when Kings College removed a photograph of the former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, because of his opposition to the redefinition of marriage.

Changes of this kind  the removal of portraits of outstanding scholars and the change of teaching materials to feature a range of ethnic groups  may have a tone of moral uprightness, but they also smack of political correctness gone mad. One can understand the sentiments of the American South, but in the case of King College, anxious to take account of the diversity of its student body, it is difficult to see how the college offerings become more inter-cultural and international by changing the diagrams of the human anatomy.

Where do the changes end? Perhaps removing Nelson from his column in Trafalgar Square because it offends French visitors?
Katie Gollop, Q.C. is lead attorney of the Great Ormond Street Hospital legal team, which has been fighting for eight months to terminate the life of Charlie Gard. Mrs. Gollop represents the legal position that Charlie Gard needs to die. Her team successfully argued that case in the British courts and then submitted the ruling in favor of killing Charlie to a higher European territorial judicial system.

Mrs. Gollop is neither a physician nor a member of Charlie's family, but she has concluded that further treatment would leave the boy in a "condition of existence," which she indicates is distinct from having a human life. Mrs. Gollop and the mindset she represents have an economic interest that sick babies should be deprived of medical treatment. And they have a political interest that the government gain final and ultimate control over the lives of children.

The claim of administrative law to determine whether a living person has not life, but mere existence is morally and philosophically identical to slavery.

It is often said that the cruelest aspect of slavery as it was practiced in the United States was the right of a slave owner to separate children from their parents whenever it served the owner's economic interest. There were complicated regulations regarding the treatment of slaves. But because slaves were understood to have not lives or families of their own, but mere existence, there was no law preventing slave owners from separating babies from their mothers and fathers. Historians estimate that one third of children in slavery were removed from their parents before the age of six.

The most famous formerly enslaved abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, wrote that slave owners purposefully separated children from their mothers to prevent the development of affection. This extreme inhumanity was used to instill utter helplessness and impose absolute power over the mind of the enslaved person. Harriet Beecher Stowe emphasized the immorality of separating families in her famous novel and in other writings.

The Magna Carta states, "No free man shall be seized [arrested] or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions ... except by the lawful judgment of his peers." The person of Charlie Gard has been seized by Great Ormond Street Hospital. Christopher Gard and Connie Yates have been stripped of their rights to care for their son without any charges preferred against them and without lawful judgment of their peers. The only reasonable conclusion is that the Gard parents are not free men.

Britons never, never, never shall be slaves? Whatever the next step for Charlie Gard may, Britons are slaves already.
Most of us beyond a certain age have long been looking forward to the Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk. The film depicts the nine-day rescue of more than three hundred thirty thousand British and Allied troops stranded in the French city of Dunkirk, May 26 to June 4, 1940. Poland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium had all surrendered. The troops were trapped, with Germans on three sides, leaving only the sea as a possible escape route. Churchill ordered their evacuation by sea, enlisting 861 small personal boats skippered by British citizens. They sailed from all over the south of England to Dunkirk as part of Operation Dynamo. They pulled men from the water, off sinking ships, and off the beach. This was accomplished under constant air attacks by the German Luftwaffe.

The film begins with the fliers dropped over Dunkirk by the Germans advising surrender, as the British are surrounded and have no possibility of escape. There is no information given as to what came before, what led to the predicament of the British and Allied forces. The film does not relate the details of the operation, that the small boats were rescuing men and returning them to England, a journey of 39 to 87 miles, depending on the route. Churchill himself is barely mentioned in the film. Some words of his "We will fight them on the beaches" speech are read from the newspaper at the end.

One might learn more about the tension leading up to the battle at Dunkirk from the second episode of the first season of Foyle's War, "White Feather" (available on Netflix). It is an equally personal account of the dedication and spirit of the British small boat operators who risked their own lives, many of whom were lost, to rescue the stranded soldiers.

The film shows what happened but explains almost nothing. The actors are all quite good, but there is precious little dialogue. While the enormousness of the undertaking is fully realized, even those who know the history of this major event might be hard pressed to follow the action as shown. There is almost no way to know time passed or who is shooting at whom. So, before seeing it, brush up on the details. Viewers will need to be armed with the facts if they are to grasp the dire predicament in which those troops found themselves and the tremendous selflessness that pulled off one of the greatest rescue operations all time.
The lawyer for the co-founder of Fusion GPS, the firm that compiled a dossier on president Trump's activities in Russia, has informed the Senate Judiciary Committee that his client, Glenn Simpson, will invoke his 5th Amendment rights rather than testify.

Fox News:

Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., confirmed in a statement that they subpoenaed Simpson to appear before the committee Wednesday as part of a hearing about the influence of foreign lobbying in last year's presidential election.

"Simpson's attorney has asserted that his client will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in response to the subpoena," Grassley and Feinstein said.

During the campaign, Fusion GPS contracted former MI-6 agent Christopher Steele to look into rumors about Trump's financial and social connections in Russia. The resulting "dossier," which was leaked to the media following Trump's victory in November included a number of sordid allegations about the president's sexual proclivities.

Last week, Fox News reported that Fusion GPS had ties to Russian efforts to undermine U.S. sanctions that were led by attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Investment manager Bill Browder claims Simpson was hired by one of Veselnitskaya's clients, Prevezon Holdings, as part of an effort to repeal the Magnitsky Act, named for Sergei Magnitsky  an attorney for Browder who was beaten to death in a Moscow prison after accusing Russian authorities of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars through tax refunds and then laundering the money through New York banks.

Veselnitskaya became the center of a political storm earlier this month after Donald Trump Jr. made public emails indicating that he had taken a meeting with her on the promise of receiving damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Grassley and Feinstein also noted that both Trump Jr., who met with Veselnitskaya in June of last year, and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who sat in on the meeting, are negotiating their appearances and the possibility of turning over documents, but left open the possibility that the pair would be subpoenaed.

Fusion GPS has said it had nothing to do with the Trump Jr.-Veselnitskaya meeting.

"Fusion GPS learned about this meeting from news reports and had no prior knowledge of it. Any claim that Fusion GPS arranged or facilitated this meeting in any way is absolutely false," the company said in a statement.
A suspect in the plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist who depicted the prophet Mohammed has been extradited from Spain to be tried in U.S. federal court.

Washington Examiner:

The Trump administration has transferred an al Qaeda suspect to the United States to face trial in federal court for terrorism charges. The move goes against President Trump's position during the presidential campaign for holding and prosecuting terrorism suspects at the naval prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Attorney General Jeff Sessions also has advocated for prosecuting terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay. Ali Charaf Damache, the first foreigner to face terrorism charges in the U.S. under Trump, was transferred from Spain and appeared Friday in federal court in Philadelphia, The New York Times reported. He was charged with assisting in a plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad in cartoons. The Obama administration had begun the process of seeking his extradition to the U.S., the Times said, and Trump continued that effort. Former Attorney General Eric Holder, a leading advocate for using civilian courts for terrorism suspects, credited the Trump administration for its decision to prosecute Damache in the U.S.

More anti-Trump nonsense by the media on this issue. It would have been more trouble to halt extradition of the suspect to federal court and petition the Spanish government to transfer Damache to Guantanamo  with no guarantee Madrid would acquiesce.

Also, Damache is a minor player in AQ, and it is likely that most of the evidence against him is not classified. One of the major reasons to try terrorism suspects at Guantanamo is that the highly classified evidence gathered against the suspects would put intelligence sources and methods at risk if the trial took place in a civilian court. The argument that judges and prosecutors would be able to keep that intel secret is unconvincing.

There is also the possibility that terrorists would look to attack venues where suspects are being tried. Even Democrats were extremely reluctant to support civilian trials for terrorists in American cities, given the threat.

The Trump administration bowed to logic in this case, not the Obama administration policy of bringing terrorists to the U.S. for trial.
Joy Reid joins the pack of progressive pundits unmasking themselves as ignoramuses in their fury at President Trump. Reid, MSNBC national correspondent and host of that network's weekend morning show, AM Joy, attempted to connect a nonexistent dot and link President Trump to Russia, in its USSR incarnation, by marriage. On Twitter:

@JoyAnnReid Donald Trump married one American (his second wife) and two women from what used to be Soviet Yugoslavia: Ivana-Slovakia, Melania-Slovenia. 8:21 AM  Jul 21, 2017

I guess that to Ms. Reid, those Slavs all look alike. Twitterers rapidly ridiculed the multiple mistakes embedded in those twenty words. Ivana was Czech, not Slovak, neither of which was part of Yugoslavia. "Soviet Yugoslavia" is a misnomer, indicating that Reid knows nothing about the Cold War.



Joy Reid checks her phone (photo credit: Phil Roeder)

Ms. Reid is a graduate of Harvard, the daughter of two highly educated professionals  in other words, a product of the elite education system of this country for two generations. Her story, as she told it to the Daily Beast two years ago, is almost eerily reminiscent of President Obama:

"My father was from the Congo, and my mother was from British Guiana," says Reid, who was born Joy-Ann Lomena (but later took her husband's surname and, even later, for the purposes of her cable show and casual socializing, dropped the "Ann"). "They met in grad school at the University of Iowa in Des Moines. He's an engineer. My sister was born in Iowa. I was born in New York. They had my brother, got divorced a long time ago, and he went back to the Congo. He lived with us maybe a total of a year or two. Now he's the guy on the phone." Reid continues: "He wasn't really part of our lives. Yet the first person to call me after Obama won the presidency was my father calling from Kinshasa [the capital of Zaire, today's name for the Congo, where Reid's dad runs an environmental non-governmental organization]. I had some ambivalence about it. It's difficult. He's a charming, funny guy on the phone. But he didn't help us in any way as a father. It's interesting, because he's become a presence for the first time."

For all his academic pedigree and biographical claim to worldliness, President Obama also was an ignoramus when it came to the details of European civilization, publicly referring to people speaking "Austrian" in Austria.

I am not certain what this indicates, since I cannot read the mind of either Obama or Reid. But they both grew up with absent fathers in faraway Africa, fighting the legacy of white colonialism. An intense curiosity about Africa and less interest of the details of the colonizers' civilization would be understandable. But the broader problem is that neither of them seems to know that they are missing some important details and make clowns of themselves.

Extreme hatred has caused a lot of purported thought leaders of the Democrat media to expose themselves as empty suits and empty dresses, attacking Trump on bogus grounds, and too lazy to check their facts.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky
A few weeks ago, many of us supported President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris accords for a couple of reasons.

First, President Obama did not send the accord to the U.S. Senate for a treaty ratification, and second, what's the point of having an accord that requires nothing from China? Why do a manufacturing surrender and throw U.S. workers under the bus?

Well, the N.Y. Times' editorial is making President Trump's point about China. I'm not sure that this was their intention, but their attack on China should have come when this deal was being negotiated.

As the editorial points out:

While President Trump rolls back environmental protections and announces the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate accord, China is trying to position itself as the world's climate leader, pledging to cooperate with other countries to build an "eco-civilization." China has established the largest solar panel farm in the world, plans to close over 100 coal-fired power plants, and is committed to spending at least $361 billion on renewable energy by 2020. All of this is laudable and sorely needed. But if China truly wants to be a climate leader it needs to address its global climate footprint, not just pollution within its borders. China's lending in Latin American and Caribbean countries provides a telling example of how the country has outsourced its emissions. The Chinese Development Bank and the China Export-Import Bank provided more than $141 billion in loan commitments to Latin America and the Caribbean from 2005 to 2016, far surpassing lending from multilateral banks to the region. These loans have gone mainly to projects with significant environmental effects like oil drilling, coal mining, hydroelectric dam construction and road building. Over half of all public-sector lending from China to Latin America, some $17.2 billion in 2017, went to the fossil-fuel industry.

Thank you for making our case against the Paris accords. The editorial's last paragraph is great:

A true climate leader would invest in the preservation of areas of global ecological importance rather than destroy them.

Are you kidding me? China is not a climate leader any more than it is a democratic country. China was simply willing to pretend because politicians like President Obama were more interested in signing an accord than anything else. Like the Iran deal, President Obama was simply looking for a resume entry so that he could go around and pretend he led the world to some kind of climate improvement.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter.
The appalling spectacle of Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodge's press conference taken over by radical black protesters, nationally televised live on Fox News, has exposed the inevitable degeneration of identity politics there. The mayor must have expected that her announcement of her firing of the city's "mold-breaking" openly lesbian police chief would calm the waters.

Instead, the insurgents who had gathered for a rally in Loring Park and marched to City Hall created a circus and made the mayor the sad clown.



Photo: Tony Webster/Flickr

You can watch the entire agonizing 17 minutes below, or just click, and within seconds, the chaos erupts.

The city I grew up in has been radically transformed, with approximately one hundred thousand Somalis imported through a State Department initiative taken because of the state's generous welfare expenditures. An entire African, Muslim community was grafted onto what had been the most heavily Caucasian major metropolitan area in the country  perhaps the first ever diversity graft onto an American metropolis, engineered by the federal government.

I can only hope that the worldwide attention the story of the shooting of pretty blonde Australian immigrant Justine Damond by Somali immigrant cop Mohammed Noor opens the door to exposing the P.C. madness that has gripped Minneapolis to worldwide ridicule. As Scott Johnson of Powerline ruefully headlines, "The whole world is watching our clown show."
Said the president: "For some time I have been disturbed by the way CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational and, at times, a policy-making arm of the Government. ... [T]his quiet intelligence arm of the President has been so removed from its intended role that it is being interpreted as a symbol of sinister and mysterious foreign intrigue."

This dire warning about the propensity of the Central Intelligence Agency to go rogue came from Harry S. Truman.

Truman's call to "limit the CIA role to intelligence" was published in December 22, 1963, by the Washington Post (WaPo). The same newspaper is now decrying President Trump's decision to "end the CIA's covert program to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels battling the government of Bashar al-Assad, a move long sought by Russia, according to U.S. officials."

The move is a good one. The WaPo threw Russia into the reportorial mix purely to sully President Trump (and due to the intellectual deficiencies of correspondents incapable of teasing apart policy from political intrigue).

The 33rd U.S. president, a Democrat before the great deformation of that party, was first to issue the warning against the agency he had established. Not only was the newly founded intelligence arm of President Truman mutating into "a policy-making arm of government," but it was "a subverting influence in the affairs of other people," he cautioned.

In 1963, Truman was meditating on restoring the monster he had created "to its original assignment" of intelligence-gathering in the raw. The CIA's sole purpose was to keep the president apprised of information, unfiltered and un-politicized.

In 2017, Trump is dealing with a genie too powerful to beat back into the bottle.

So is this a screeching U-turn in Trump's foreign policy? Who knows, but in Syria, at least, President Trump is inching closer to delivering on a campaign promise. The president finally appears to be seeking a solution sans regime change, with strongman Bashar Assad still at the helm.

Curtailing this "symbol of sinister and mysterious foreign intrigue"  stopping the CIA and the National Security Council (another of President Truman's metastatic creations) from fomenting more war in Syria and confrontation with Russia  is a start. In ending the "covert CIA program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria," Trump, hopefully, has disassociated from the "rebels." The little we know about these people is not good.

For one thing, they play Americans like a fiddle. For another, they can't be trained.

One U.S. training program for these prized Syrian fighters  for whom John McCain is plumping from his sickbed  cost the American taxpayer one billion dollars. The program yielded "four or five" trained people on the battlefield! Not "four or five" battalions, but "four or five" individuals. That's not a bad return on an investment; it's a scandal. For corruption on this scale in China, the politicians in charge are executed.

The Swamp  the generals, the CIA, and the NSC  is roiling. Try as they may, their arguments for unseating Assad are poor, best encapsulated in the angels-and-demons worldview of Nikki Haley, Trump's U.N. ambassador. The president has hired individuals who don't articulate the principles he ran on  Haley, for example.

"In no way do we see peace in that area with Assad at the head of the Syrian government," thundered Haley. Her Disneyfied production at the U.N. stars an evil dictator who was killing his noble people until, high on paternalism, our heroic Haley (and Hillary before her for Libya) rode to the rescue.

Our bickering wards in the region aren't about to forget their religious jealousies and join forces, and certainly not under American guardianship. The conflict is regional, tribal, ancient. Syria is impervious to outside, top-down intervention.

For their part, the marionette media and their political puppet-masters detest Donald Trump. For them, an honest examination of the merits of his decision to divest from anti-Assad rebels is out of the question.

Instead, a decision to terminate what Truman himself would view as a rogue CIA operation is refracted through the distorting prism of America's "reigning Russophobia."

Ilana Mercer is the author of The Trump Revolution: The Donald's Creative Destruction Deconstructed (June 2016) and Into the Cannibal's Pot: Lessons for America from Post-Apartheid South Africa (2011). Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, and YouTube.
The purpose of a special counsel is to investigate if a federal crime was committed. There has been no charge or allegation that Trump or his campaign workers violated any federal law. The authorization by Assistant Attorney General Rosenstein to Mueller read:

(a) Robert S. Mueller III is appointed to serve as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice. (b) The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation confirmed by then-FBI Director James B. Comey in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 20, 2017, including: (i) any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and (ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; and (iii) any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R.  600.4(a). (c) If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the Special Counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.

What are "links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump?" "Links and Coordination" is not a specific charge of violation of federal law. It is not like the Russians and others paying hundreds of millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation and $500,000 in speech fees to Bill Clinton in connection with Hillary approving the sale of 20% of our uranium by a Canadian company to the Russians.

The authorization given by Rosenstein is broad and vague, which allows Mueller to investigate anything he wants under the guise that it is a "link" or "coordination." Rosenstein should have given a specific authorization to investigate any Russian or other foreign efforts that affected the results of the election. Of course, we know there is no evidence that voting machines were hacked to change votes, or that thousands of Russians illegally came to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan to vote for Trump. There is no such evidence because these things did not occur.

It is basic criminal law that a criminal statute must be specific and clear to define the conduct that is declared illegal so that one knows that the conduct is illegal. Similarly, if one is being investigated, the investigators must be authorized to seek out some specific conduct that is illegal and have probable cause to believe that the target of the investigation is involved illegally. There is no such evidence here.

It appears that Mueller is using the "link and/or coordination" authority to investigate matters totally unrelated to whether the Russians affected the 2016 election. For example, according to the latest leaks, most likely from the Obama-Clinton attorneys on the Mueller staff:

FBI investigators and others are looking at Russian purchases of apartments in Trump buildings, Trump's involvement in a controversial SoHo development with Russian associates, the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and Trump's sale of a Florida mansion to a Russian oligarch in 2008.

If this is true, then Rosenstein must immediately clarify the authorization to state that Mueller will investigate:

1. Whether the Russian government hacked the DNC servers, and why the DNC refused to allow the FBI to investigate. If so, what information was obtained? Was this information accurate, or was it fabricated by the Russians with the participation of the Trump campaign?

2. Whether the Russian government hacked the emails or John Podesta. If so, what information was obtained in the emails? Were the emails accurate or fabricated by the Russians with the participation of the Trump campaign?

3. Whether there is evidence that voting machines were tampered with by anyone to change the voting results.

4. Whether anyone not a validly registered voter voted in the 2016 election.

Trump is absolutely correct that Attorney General Sessions erred in recusing himself from the "Russia" investigation. This matter has been investigated by Comey, Congress, and the Destroy Trump Media for the past year, and there is no evidence that Trump or his campaign violated any federal laws.

But with Sessions's recusal and Rosenstein's broad, vague warrant to Mueller, the Justice Department, which is responsible as part of the Executive Branch to enforce the laws of the United States, has no control over the investigation. Mueller is creating his own Justice Department, staffed with attorneys who donated to Hillary and Obama or who worked for Hillary's foundation, that is not accountable to the actual Justice Department  and worse, seems to leak daily to the Destroy Trump Media.

Mueller's investigation seems like Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation into the Valerie Plame leak, where Fitzgerald (Comey's pal) knew within days that it was the office of Colin Powell that had leaked. Yet he continued his "investigation" to jail a reporter and hound Scooter Libby, who was convicted of perjury because his testimony differed from Tim Russert's.

Mueller knows there is no crime but will continue to investigate, hoping to nail a witness for "perjury" like Scooter Libby. If there was evidence of criminal conduct against Trump for the 2016 election, he would be impeached. There is no such evidence.

The Destroy Trump Media are excited about the Donald Trump, Jr. meeting, but again, there is no crime. It was legitimate to see if the Russians had any evidence about Hillary, such as more evidence about her approval of the uranium deal or more speaking gigs for Bill Clinton.

Simply stated, there is no federal crime here.

If Mueller is the honest FBI man and prosecutor as portrayed, then he should close shop. If he does not, then Rosenstein should issue a detailed order specifying the conduct to be investigated, remove all attorneys who contributed to Hillary and worked for her foundation, and fire those leaking to the Destroy Trump Media.

Rosenstein should give a clear order about criminal conduct, not a fishing license.
Gospel music ministry shared

Mike and Dana Hammontree will be sharing their gospel music ministry at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Capital Christian Center in Bismarck.

Mike Hammontree has been performing on the piano since age 4 and sang with the Blackwood Quartet for several years. He is known for his virtuoso piano performance and lists Liberace as one of his piano influences.

The Hammontree family has a music ministry that can be defined as a diverse musical blend of traditional, contemporary and Southern gospel music, bridging the gap of generations. Mike and Dana Hammontree are also powerful speakers, mixing gospel music with the gospel message.

There is no cost to attend this event. All ages are welcome. Find out more information at cccbismarck.com.

Vacation Bible School starts next week

Mandan United Methodist Church, 610 12th St. N.W., is having a free Vacation Bible School from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for children age 3 through fifth grade.

The theme is Maker Fun Factory, with singing, crafts, snacks, games and stories. For more information, call 663-8909. Registration is welcome, but not required.

Care center marks 50 years

Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, 2425 Hillview Ave. in Bismarck, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a worship service and open house at 2:15 p.m. Sunday.

Bishop Mark Narum, of the Western North Dakota Synod, ELCA, will lead the worship service with an open house following from 3 to 5 p.m.

In July 1967, Missouri Slope Lutheran Home opened its doors beginning a solid tradition of care. In these five decades of service, the facility has expanded to provide care for 258 skilled nursing residents, 64 assisted-living apartments and an Adult Day program.
Angelo States international ties with Asia continue to increase in both strength and number.

The latest program that is fostering these relationships, titled the English Language Teachers Training Institute (ELTTI), provides intensive training for international educators in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). The pilot group of 19 educators from China and Vietnam arrived July 16 for a three-week stay on the ASU campus.

The group was made up of 11 educators from the Zhuhai College of Jilin University in China, four from the Zhuhai campus of the Beijing Institute of Technology, and four from various English education institutes in Vietnam. They underwent TESOL training with ASU faculty from the Department of English and Modern Languages and Department of History, as well as with instructors and students in ASUs English Language Learners Institute.

ELTTI Educators Visit



















The ELTTI program was developed by Dr. Won-Jae Lee, ASUs executive director of Asian relations, and is directed by Dr. Laurence Musgrove, chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages.

Dr. Laurence Musgrove As we continue to develop relationships with other colleges, universities and education partners internationally, particularly in Asia, Musgrove said, it opens avenues to our graduates for employment in other areas of the world. It also allows us to recruit students from those areas.

This particular program creates a synergy, he added, where we bring teachers here and provide the training that they need, in this instance it is English teaching. They then go back home and spread the good news of Angelo State University and the opportunities that exist here for their students. So we are creating mutually beneficial relationships.

In addition to their campus training, the international educators attended several campus events, including Planetarium shows and Dinner Theatre performances. They were also taken on cultural excursions to San Antonio, San Marcos and Fredericksburg, and were treated to a wide array of local cuisine, including Rosas Cafe, Texas Roadhouse, Cheddars, Twisted Root, Packsaddle Bar-B-Que and Henrys Diner  and a couple of karaoke nights at Whiskey River.

The group departed from San Angelos Mathis Field Airport on Aug. 5.
BUCHANAN, Liberia  Imagine an elementary school where students show up, but teachers dont. Where 100 students squeeze into a classroom but dont get any books. Where teachers are sometimes illiterate and periodically abuse students. Where families pay under the table to get a free education, yet students dont learn to read.

Thats public education in many poor countries.

And its why the hostility of American teachers unions and some of their progressive supporters to trials of private management of public schools abroad is so misconceived. This country, Liberia, is leading an important experiment in helping kids learn in poor countries  and its undermined by misguided Americans, including some of my fellow liberals.

The status quo has failed, George Werner, Liberias education minister, told me. Teachers dont show up, even though theyre paid by the government. There are no books. Training is very weak. School infrastructure is not safe.

We have to do something radical, he added.

So Liberia is handing over some public schools to Bridge International Academies, a private company backed by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, to see if it can do better.

So far, it seems it can  much better. An interim study just completed shows Bridge schools easily outperforming government-run schools in Liberia, and a randomized trial is expected to confirm that finding. It would be odd if schools with teachers and books didnt outperform schools without them.

If the experiment continues to succeed, Liberias education minister would like to hand over as many schools as possible to private providers. Countries in Asia and others in Africa are also interested in adopting this model.

The idea of turning over public schools to a for-profit company sparks outrage in some quarters. Theres particular hostility to Bridge, because it runs hundreds of schools, both public and private, in poor countries (its private schools in other countries charge families about $7 a month).

Bridges for-profit educational model is robbing students of a good education, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, the largest U.S. teachers union, declared last fall. Education International, which represents the NEA and other teachers unions around the world, similarly excoriates Bridge and the Liberian government.

I understand critics fears (and share some about for-profit schools in the U.S.). They see handing schools over to Bridge as dismantling the public education system  one of the best ideas in human history  for private profit.

But Ive followed Bridge for years, my wife and I wrote about it in our last book, and the concerns are misplaced. Bridge has always lost money, so no one is monetizing children. In fact, its a startup that tackles a social problem in ways similar to a nonprofit, but with for-profit status that makes it more sustainable and scalable.

More broadly, the world has failed children in poor countries. There have been global campaigns to get more children in school, but that isnt enough. The crucial metric isnt children attending school, but children learning in school.

Here in Liberia in the village of Boegeezay in Rivercess County, I dropped in on a regular public school that officially had 16 teachers assigned to it. Initially, I saw four; a couple more trickled in hours later.

I asked one girl in the schools third grade if she could read the word hands (which was on her T-shirt); she couldnt. I asked her what 8 plus 5 equals. After a while, she guessed 12. Finally, I asked her to write the letter E in my notebook. She couldnt.

Americans wonder why 60 million elementary school-age children worldwide dont go to school. Its no wonder if you have to pay under-the-table school fees and know that years of education will get your children nothing.

In contrast, the Bridge schools I visited were functional. The teachers can themselves read. School begins on time, at 7:30 a.m., and continues until 3:30 instead of letting out around noon, as at many government-run schools. And students have books.

Since Bridge arrived here, the difference is so great, explained Prince Yien, the PTA chairman in one school I visited.

Ruth Yarkpawolo, 9, a third-grader, told me that the biggest difference since Bridge took over is that the teacher is present. Ruth is the first girl in her family to attend school, she loves science class, and she has ambitions that an education could facilitate. I want to be a nurse, she said.

We can all agree that the best option would be for governments to offer better schools, with books and teachers in the room. Indeed, Liberia is trying to improve all schools, and it is winnowing out payments to ghost teachers, who dont exist except on paper.

But my travels have left me deeply skeptical that government schools in many countries can be easily cured of corruption, patronage and wretched governance, and in the meantime we fail a generation of children.

In the United States, criticisms of for-profit schools are well grounded, for successive studies have found that vouchers for U.S. for-profit schools hurt children at least initially (although the evidence also shows that in the U.S., well-run charters can help pupils).

The situation in countries like Liberia is different, and when poor countries recognize that their education systems are broken and try to do the right thing for children, it doesnt help to export the United States toxic education wars.

So, a plea to my fellow progressives: Lets worry less about ideology and more about how to help kids learn.
"Our mantra is innovation not regulation."

 Gov. Doug Burgum, addressing The Bakken Conference & Expo. He asked those attending to double oil production and eliminate spills.

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"I never thought just because I'm a North Dakotan I'd be in it. I knew that people came from all over and I knew that competition was steep and these people were really, really good."

 Bismarck native Taylor Leet, who is a member of the Medora Musical cast this year.

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"There's a great amount of frustration about not being able to get the trained personnel to be able to hydraulically fracture wells as fast as they can drill them."

 Department of Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms, on the difficulty oil companies are having finding qualified workers.

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"It connects to everything we've been learning all throughout the summer."

 Biology teacher Andee Woodmansee, on how participating in a fossil dig at Medora was a great experience for Bismarck students.

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"Put the phones down, put the distractions away and just allow a little more time to drive. If it'll help save lives, then it will help us all."

 North Dakota Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Michael Roark, urging motorists to heed a new distracted driving law.

q q q

"You can decriminalize things, but that's just a way to me to sit them in county jail and not provide them any services. We don't have addiction counselors and psychiatrists and all those things that these people need."

 Mercer County Sheriff Dean Danzeisen, voicing concerns about changes made by the Legislature.

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"The unwarranted delay between August 2016 and February 2017 in allowing the pipeline to go forward imposed serious costs and other hardships on Dakota Access and others who now benefit from a safer and more economical way to meet our nation's energy demand. A shutdown while the corps provides additional explanation for its determinations, under a statute that calls only for a process and not a particular substantive outcome, would add insult to injury."

 Dakota Access Pipeline, arguing in a court filing that the company should be allowed to operate while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes an environmental review.

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"In Bismarck, we have a response for the cold, so I asked (the Missouri Valley Coalition for Homeless People) what is our response to extreme heat? And I kind of found there wasn't one, and so we just talked about it and said we've got to get people inside."

 Sister Kathleen Atkinson of Ministry on the Margins, explaining why they extended their hours during the heat wave.

q q q

"We're trying to turn over every stone to find regulatory relief."

 Gov. Doug Burgum, telling farmers and ranchers in Golden Valley that the state is trying to find drought help.

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"I still believe that they should pay for it all because it was on federal land and the federal government did nothing to make the protesters move. However, we'll be thankful for every dollar we get."

 Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, arguing the federal government should pay the law enforcement costs for the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. So far North Dakotas requests have been rejected.
FARGO -- The next time you see a state trooper zipping down the road with lights and sirens on, it may not be for the reason you think.

Troopers deal with traffic crashes, speeders and drunk drivers on a regular basis, but they also play another important lifesaving role -- delivering blood.

Those law enforcement officers in North Dakota and Minnesota perform dozens of blood relays each year between blood banks and hospitals to help patients in urgent need of transfusions.

Capt. Bryan Niewind, commander of the North Dakota Highway Patrol Southeast Region, said its something troopers have been doing for years.

Weve been tasked with this mission and its something were happy to do, Niewind said.

From last July to this July, North Dakota troopers have made approximately 30 blood runs.

So far in 2017, the Minnesota State Patrol has completed 47 of them.

Sometimes, its sheer volume of blood thats needed; other times, it might be a certain blood type thats required.

Recent blood runs in both states involved women hemorrhaging after giving birth.

Last September, when North Dakota law enforcement were spread thinly statewide due to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the patrol received an urgent request from a Williston hospital. A woman had gone through four units of blood in less than half an hour after delivering a baby.

Three troopers formed a relay to get blood to the hospital, where a doctor told them, You guys saved a life today.

Saving one of their own

A similar situation in May had Minnesota troopers scurrying to save a mom whod given birth to her first child.

Lisa Jaeger suffered a massive hemorrhage during what seemed a routine Cesarean section.

During a State Patrol news conference in June, she talked about the doctor asking her to turn her head to look at her healthy, newborn son, then chaos erupting.

It was kind of bizarre, Jaeger said. I could hear everything that was going on around me but I was not responding to anything the doctors were saying or asking me to do.

Shed lost 3 liters of blood, and the blood needed for a transfusion was 45 miles away.

Troopers did a three-person relay from a St. Paul blood bank to the hospital in Red Wing, covering the span in 30 minutes.

Most often, troopers dont know the recipient of the blood-- only the hospital and a brief description of the type of medical emergency.

In the Red Wing case, they learned midway through that it was Jaeger, a vehicle fleet manager for the State Patrol.

Trooper Jacob Letourneau, who did one leg of the relay, said it got him thinking about his own family.

Im recently married and I thought about my wife, if she had a child and needed the blood. It made it personal, Letourneau said.

Speedy synchronization

On blood runs, troopers most often deliver whole blood, but also move platelets and plasma. Occasionally, they will transport organs or tissues for transplant.

The run usually starts with an urgent call from a hospital.

They make that call to the American Red Cross, the Red Cross calls us and state troopers leap into action and get that blood as fast and as safe as possible to the location, said Col. Matt Langer, Minnesota State Patrol Chief.

In North Dakota, requests go through state radio dispatch, and supervisors at both ends begin coordinating immediately.

At the blood bank, workers scramble to get the blood product ready.

Caroline McGuire, donor recruitment representative at United Blood Services in Fargo, said they pack it in layers of dry ice and plastic wrap in a cardboard box.

Everything is kept cool and its good to transport, McGuire said.

Troopers in both states use a relay system, rather than having one trooper drive the whole way.

That way, troopers remain in their assigned stations, where theyre familiar with the roads and the quickest routes, and no area is left without a trooper. It also means a blood run wont be interrupted by a gas stop.

The process is done with swift synchronization, and Jaeger is grateful to the medical personnel, troopers and blood donors who make it happen.

It hits you hard, just how many things came together and worked out right, she said.
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MadridMariano Rajoys government has taken further measures to prevent Catalonias referendum on independence from going ahead at all costs. For the first time and in an unprecedented move, Madrid has stopped hiding behind the courts and has taken the initiative to try its hardest to prevent the 1-O [1 October] vote from being held, no matter what. The Delegate Commission of the Spanish Government for Economic Affairs (CDGAE) has approved a measure ordering all Catalan ministry auditors, the Catalan governments other financial managers, the general director of Budgets and the general director of Finance, Social Security and the Treasury, to submit weekly reports proof of payment for expenditure to Madrid to prove that not one euro is being spent on 1-O.

If they fail to comply with the order, the Spanish Treasury will withdraw the Regional Liquidity Fund (FLA, in Spanish), the funding scheme that ensures the Catalan governments finances stay afloat in the absence of the reform of an out-of-date system of financing Spains regional governments. Referring to the FLA, the Spanish governments spokesman, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, declared that the state has used it to pay out more than 63 billion since 2012, with a further 3.6 billion planned for this year. According to Mendez de Vigo, the Spanish government hopes the measure wont be necessary but, if it is, "the Catalan authorities will be held accountable in front of the Catalan people".

The announcement came during the press conference held after Fridays cabinet meeting in Madrid. The Spanish vice president Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, informed the press of the decision the government made during its weekly meeting at the Moncloa. In Mendez de Vigos words, "not one euro of Catalan money will be spent on an illegal referendum that only a few people actually want. There will be a weekly audit of the entire budget to ensure those responsible provide the Treasury with the relevant information".

A "preventative" measure

With its latest decision, the Spanish government is placing all those responsible for the Catalan governments finances directly in the firing line. Mendez de Vigo was reluctant to go into detail as to the possible penalties they might have to face. He insisted that, more than anything, it is a "preventative measure to safeguard the Catalan peoples prosperity and welfare", to ensure that the Catalan governments funds are spent on key services. However, sources close to the Spanish government suggest that the officials will face fines if they fail to send their weekly reports or if these include funds earmarked for the referendum, regardless of whether the relevant minister has signed off on them.

According to the same sources, the initiative originated from within the Treasury, who are convinced that it as a measure by which they finally have the Catalan government where they want them before the summer recess. The measure had not been mentioned until now and, in practice, implies a full takeover of the Catalan governments finances. Two years ago, Madrids oversight of the expenditure of money originating from the FLA was tightened with monthly checks. Now, however, the "surveillance" extends to all government accounts, on a weekly basis.

Budget takeover

In an official statement about its decision, the Spanish Treasury stated that "Recent events highlight the need to strengthen control over Catalonias financial information". In the event of the "failure to provide the information requested or if the content of such is shown to have directly or indirectly financed the referendum, the committee may decide to take the appropriate measures in order to impede the execution, continuation or repetition of this activity and undertake any measures it sees fit, including the suspension of the corresponding funds transfer, in order to restore Catalonias financial status to lawfulness.

This measure will remain in place until "the general situation of risk comes to an end in Catalonia, in order to guarantee the provision of public services in the region".

The first report, next week

The agreement will be published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) tomorrow, so that Catalan government officials can prepare the first report next week. The measure not only affects ministries, but all public bodies. The Spanish authorities have decided to react in this manner to what it views as a change in the attitude of Carles Puigdemonts government, which it sees as having taken a more "authoritarian", "radical" turn. It arrives just two days after the Court of Adutors ruling that those who were banned from office over the 2014 vote will have to personally foot the bill of the unofficial independence ballot. It is yet another means to frighten Catalan government employees and cabinet ministers.

The Spanish government argues that its decision stems from the Constitutional Courts ruling which annulled additional item 40 of the Catalan governments budget for 2017, in other words, the funds earmarked for the independence referendum.
The Spanish governments spokesman, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, made a highly significant announcement: his government is prepared to allow Spain to default on its debt repayments, a situation which would have unpredictable consequences for everyone concerned, not least for Spain itself.

Mendez de Vigo made the announcement last Friday. The Catalan governments finances will be subject to weekly audit, and if it is revealed that money is being used to organize the referendum on 1 October, Madrid will no longer finance Catalonias government via the Regional Liquidity Fund (FLA, in Spanish). If this were to occur, it remains to be seen whether the Catalan government, in the absence of state funding, would be able obtain money from the financial markets. As ARA reported some time ago, the Catalan government has been considering the possibility of pulling out of the FLA for several months, but it is not clear whether it could do so at such short notice.

If central government were to cut off funding via the FLA and the Catalan government were unable to obtain financing from international debt markets, the Catalan regional administration would almost inevitably default on its repayments.

Such an exceptional situation would have multiple consequences.

First of all, the Catalan governments employees and suppliers might stop receiving a part (or all) of the monies owed to them. The government would continue to owe them money, but due to a shortfall in funding, it would be unable to pay them on time.

Meanwhile, the Catalan governments creditors would cease to receive some (or all) of the money owed them. This is where things begin to get complicated: the Catalan governments debt currently stands at 7.5 billion, two thirds of which (slightly over 50 billion) is owed to the Spanish state, according to Bank of Spain figures. Therefore, if Spain were to cease to fund the Catalan government via the FLA, the latter would stop paying its creditors, the largest of which is Spain itself.

To give one an idea of just how much cash 50 billion is: it is the same amount Spain asked the so-called troika for, to bail out its banks.

There is yet another factor. Although it would mean the Catalan administration was failing to repay its debts, the debt issued by the Catalan government is underwritten by the Kingdom of Spain. As a result, it is highly likely that if repayments of Spanish public debt were halted, it would end up affecting the issue of debt financed by Spain itself. Spains reputation in the financial markets would be tarnished. As a result, the interest it pays would rise.

One detail must not be overlooked: at present, such an event remains nothing more than a threat, since its objective is to deter the Catalan authorities. However, having examined the consequences, it is hard to imagine that such a decision would actually be taken.

All this fuss over a referendum.
A symptom of modern living, but a no less inevitable one, require we live in a state of constant negotiation: between the pull of the world and ones own conditioned desires. The writer Jenna Wortham, in 2013, described selfies as part of a timeless delight in our ability to document our lives and leave behind a trace for others to discover. If social media first intended to connect us, its promise has taken a sharp, inauspicious turn inward: the self has become paramount, the correspondence second.
While Isha described product features, Akash showcased detailed workings of JioPhone on stage.

Mumbai: Ambani family scions Akash and Isha debuted before RIL shareholders today, introducing 4G-enabled feature phone -- an offering by its telecom arm which is the company's biggest bet after petrochemicals.

Accompanied by a fellow director on the Reliance Jio board, Kiran Thomas, the 25-year-old twins introduced a new cheaper handset JioPhone that was announced by their father and RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani at the AGM.

While Isha restricted to describing the product features, Akash and Thomas showcased the detailed workings like how the phone, which is available at an "effective" cost of zero, operates on voice commands.

In the process, there were calls and texts exchanged between Akash and Thomas while standing on Isha's either side. Both the scions of the family, which owns around 45 per cent of the country's biggest corporate, are reported to be educated in American universities.

To be sure, this was not the first outing for the duo, who had first introduced the company's offerings in late 2015. Apart from utilising the AGM to chart out the company's roadmap for ten years, the 60-year-old chairman Mukesh Ambani had a unique request for shareholders which spoke volumes about the twins' importance.

"As a new generation of leadership emerges at our company, I seek your blessings for them to take Reliance to new heights of success and glory," the father said. Before this, he called Jio as a young company with 1 lakh employees led by the 25-year-old twins.

"Jio is a young organisation and Akash and Isha, our directors at Jio, both 25, lead a large contingent of success-hungry and highly talented professionals," he said. The chairman called the next ten years as a "golden decade" for RIL, which will be completing fifty years as a listed entity in 2027.

He said the company will achieve more in this decade than what it has done in the last 40 years. Mukesh had joined the company in 1981, while he was still

pursuing MBA at Stanford, to help erect the company's biggest bet at that time -- a polyester plant at Patalganga on the outskirts of the financial capital.
ITAT claims NDTV, promoters laundered Rs 1,100-cr black money beween 2007-08 to 2009-10.

Mumbai: The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in its latest ruling has revealed that ministry of corporate affairs had in 2009 acted in collusion with NDTV founder Prannoy Roy and hid certain information related to shell companies set up by the news media firm to launder Rs 642 crore.

"The ITAT held Dr Prannoy Roy personally responsible in tax evasion and laundering of 642 crore of rupees," a report on DNA has claimed. ITAT ruling states that NDTV and its promoters laundered Rs 1,100 crore worth black money during 2007-08 to 2009-10.

The tax appellate authority has confirmed that Rs 642.54 crore out of total amount of laundered money was black money.

The ITAT confirmed the finding of the income Tax Department that Prannoy Roy made conscious attempt to hide financial details of foreign paper subsidiary companies of NDTV by not attaching audited profit loss account, balance sheet and annual report of these foreign shell companies along with annual report of NDTV, DNA quotes the ITAT order as saying.

The order also states that on NDTV's appeal, the ministry of corporate affairs under UPA regime back in 2009 had granted certain exemptions to the news media company.

The request included an exemption from making "disclosure of financials of foreign companies", the report added.

The tribunal also observed, "It is for other regulatory and supervisory agencies to get alarmed with such an act. In view of these glaring facts, we do not have any hesitation to say that the conduct of the assesse shows that they never had intention to disclose the details of its subsidiary companies and financial transactions to its stakeholders and to regulatory authorities including Income Tax Authorities.
Tariffs are currently under forbearance  operators virtually have a free hand in fixing call rates

Telecom regulator Trai said the industry has reached a consensus that there is no need for a floor price for telecom services as of now.

New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Friday said the industry has reached a consensus that there is no need for a floor price for telecom services as of now.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman R S Sharma said he met representatives of all service providers today and arrived at a consensus that fixing the floor price "is not a workable idea".

"The consensus is that as of now, we don't need to pursue the idea of a floor price. We had detailed discussions for over two hours today. There will be no further discussion or consultation on the issue," he added.

Trai met operators after a section of incumbent telecom companies demanded fixation of a minimum floor price for data and voice calls. If a minimum floor price had been set, it could have meant an end to freebies in the market.

The tariffs are currently under forbearance  operators virtually have a free hand in fixing the rates and report tariff plans to Trai in 7 days of launch -- and, hence, a floor price setting would have implied a shift from that regime.

"Consensus at the end of the meeting was that there is no need to pursue the idea and it has been collectively decided not to forego the principle of forbearance," Sharma said.

During the meeting, Idea Cellular is learnt to have batted for fixation of a minimum floor price through a one-hour presentation, while newcomer Reliance Jio termed the proposal as a regressive and anti-competitive step.
The superstar was snapped on the sets of the film in Morocco, as he geared up for some intense action sequences.

Mumbai: It seems post the debacle of 'Tubelight', Salman Khan is leaving no stone unturned for his next film 'Tiger Zinda Hai.'

Salman had rushed all the way from New York to Morocco with no sleep for the shoot of the film and the superstar is definitely giving it his all for the film.

After his training in horse-riding, Salman has put it to good use during the actual shoot, as he got snapped on the sets.

Straight from New York , with no sleep @BeingSalmanKhan jumps in for horse riding training @TigerZindaHai #morocco  pic.twitter.com/mfOgbuUlDY  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 17, 2017

His famous scarf from the first instalment naturally makes a comeback, and his cool jacket and his tense look will definitely send his die-hard fans into frenzy.

Hollywood stunt director Tom Struthers was also seen goofing around as Salman geared up for the scene.

Behind the scenes a very serious #tom Struthers working really hard as #Sk chills on the horse behind  pic.twitter.com/GCOJCSGI0x  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 20, 2017

The director Ali Abbas Zafar also shared a brilliant picture from the shoot from back view, which adds to the style and mystery associated with the film.

When you see a picture from @TigerZindaHai and say " please Palto Na" :) pic.twitter.com/NjgHMBL9lq  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 21, 2017

Tiger Zinda Hai, also starring Katrina Kaif, gears up for release during Christmas this year.
Each PoV character is isolated against his vast, expansive background, compounding the loneliness of each soldier.

Rating:

Cast: Fionn Whitehead, James DArcy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy

Director: Christopher Nolan

Ten years ago, Joe Wrights Atonement offered a long tracking shot of the protagonist meandering through hundreds of thousands of men on the beaches of Dunkirk. That scene never fails to bring a tear to the eye as it evokes the loneliness and endless waiting of the soldier amidst the chaos of war. It is about his despair, his desire for deliverance, not about a collective sense of survival rooted in nationalism. The first words uttered in Christopher Nolans Dunkirk are English! I am English! as Tommy, a private, is about to get shot by French soldiers. The sense of identity is indispensable as it was the British army that was evacuated first, while the Allied forces comprising French, Belgian, and Canadian soldiers were rescued later.

However, Nolan undercuts the toxicity of worshipping nationhood by eschewing the nostalgic, emotionally manipulative self-aggrandisement  a standard Hollywood feature best exemplified by Oliver Stones Platoon and Spielbergs Saving Private Ryan, the latter redeemed only by its first 27 minutes. The technical achievement of that scene notwithstanding, Nolan is careful to keep his film as clutter-free as possible. There are no piled up bodies in pain that overwhelm the screen, no gruesomely dismembered figures. More significantly, there is no mention of Germany or the Nazis; no sign of the swastika. The enemy is simply that  the enemy.

Where Nolan does complicate matters  and interestingly so  is the narrative structure. Three different points of view are presented. Tommy, on land, makes desperate attempts to flee but because rank entails privilege in the army, he, a private, must await his turn. On the sea, Mr Dawson, one of the thousands of civilians who offered their private boats for the rescue mission, helps a shell-shocked survivor of a U-boat attack. Farrier and Collins, two surviving RAF pilots, struggle to bring down enemy aircrafts (although this part looks like a PoV video game.) These three perspectives are non-linear; the revelation of where one ends and the other begins makes a suspense thriller out of the war film. To add to the suspense is Hans Zimmers score; a pocket watch relentlessly keeps ticking, a sign of the advancing enemy troops while the Allied forces are trapped between hell and high water.

Each PoV character is isolated against his vast, expansive background, compounding the loneliness of each soldier. It is a collective effort, of course, but the fear for survival is uniquely personal. When a few soldiers question the morality of their fellow Englishmen in leaving the French behind, one man replies, Survival is fear. Survival is greed. Greed. Even as the film celebrates the heroics of its men, it is conscious enough to scrape at the flaws of the armed forces. Were regimental brothers, mate. It is just the way it is, says Alex, as he tries to abandon his rescuers on the grounds that they belong to a different regiment. No war film can accurately depict the horrors of war, but what it can offer in its stead is nostalgia, which is almost inevitable given how much of history is the narrative of the victors.

With all the desire for a home which is practically visible across the channel, Dunkirk comes perilously close to catering to a pro-Brexit sentiment. Much is made about the isolation that haunted the British during this period, and yet they successfully executed Operation Dynamo. But when the character who mistreats the French and his fellowmen alike is portrayed by a much admired figure of pop-culture (Harry Styles), the unfairness of the situation becomes all the more striking. To my mind, this was a rather clever casting decision, something that perennial do-gooder Tom Hanks should learn from.

Another salient feature of Dunkirk is the use of very little dialogue. The ticking clock does most of the job in conveying the tension, and the vast space against which we see a plane or a boat emphasises the grand and nearly insurmountable scale of this war. No pompous, soul-stirring speeches are made. Mr Dawson articulates his loss in one small sentence. The threat of a fast approaching enemy plane is seen in the rising horror on Kenneth Branaghs face. In a remarkable feat, Churchills sonorous, desk-thumping speech, which is never shown, is stuttered over by a young soldier as he reads it from a newspaper. Quite like Kubrick, Nolan is not afraid to puncture the glorious nature of war as despair and cowardice take over the soldiers, and that is the highest praise I can heap.

The writer is programmer, Lightcube Film Society
The band has cancelled the first leg of the North American leg of their tour, following the death of Chester.

London: Linkin Park has cancelled its North American tour following frontman Chester Bennington's death.

The band was supposed to begin the North American leg of their 'One More Light' tour on July 27, in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

"We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington. The Linkin Park One More Light North American Tour has been canceled and refunds are available at point of purchase. Our thoughts go out to all those affected," Live Nation, the concert producer, posted on Twitter.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed on Friday that Bennington died by hanging, reports The Guardian.

"He was found hanging in his bedroom. No note was found," coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said.

Winter added that there was an open bottle of alcohol in the bedroom, but no drugs had been found.
6 women and 3 men were killed in the accident, said the SP, adding that those injured were rushed to a government hospital in Udaipur.

The bus carrying pilgrims had started its journey from Ahmedabad Thursday night. (Photo: Representational/PTI)

Jaipur: Nine people, including six women, were killed and 22 injured when a bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat overturned near Udaipur on Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred near Nehla village, around 10 km from Rajasthan's lake city Udaipur, when the driver of the private bus lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a two-wheeler, Rajendra Prasad, Superintendent of Police (SP), Udaipur, said.

The bus carrying pilgrims had started its journey from Ahmedabad Thursday night. It was on a 16-day tour of religious places, including Pushkar and Haridwar.

Six women and three men were killed in the accident, said the SP, adding that those injured were rushed to a government hospital in Udaipur.

Most of the deceased were above 45 years, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.
Mayawati had tendered her resignation on Tuesday, after the Chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on Dalit violence in UP.

The BSP chief will be issuing directives on how to go about in the changed atmosphere arising out of her resignation from the Upper House. (Photo: PTI | File)

Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati has convened a meeting of senior party leaders in the national capital on Sunday to capitalise on her recent resignation from the Rajya Sabha and chalk out fresh strategy.

All important leaders of the party, including its coordinators, MLAs , MLCs and Rajya Sabha members have been invited for the meeting, a party leader said in Lucknow.

The BSP chief will be issuing directives on how to go about in the changed atmosphere arising out of her resignation from the Upper House.

"The party president is likely to tell the leaders as to how to apprise her supporters about the reasons leading to her resignation," a party insider said.

Mayawati had tendered her resignation on Tuesday, hours after the chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech against Dalit violence in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh.

"I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits," she had said.

"Mayawati was forced to resign when she was not allowed to speak about the issues relating to Dalit atrocities in the BJP-ruled state (of Uttar Pradesh)...when she, as the Rajya Sabha member, was not given an opportunity to speak about their problems, there is a slim chance that these problems will be redressed by this government," a party leader said.

"It is the duty of the party leaders now to redraw their strategy so as to uphold the dignity and honour of the Bahujan Samaj," the leader said, requesting anonymity.

Mayawati (61) will also be taking feedback from her party leaders about her decision to quit the Upper House. She might also decide on holding a rally or a meeting so as to directly communicate with her supporters, party sources said.

On the mood in the party over her resignation, the BSP leader said workers were very happy as "they feel she will now be able to give her full time to organisational matters, which would definitely help in strengthening the party".

Mayawati's action is seen as an attempt to consolidate her core Dalit support base and re-establish herself as the community's pre-eminent leader, after facing a massive defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year, with the BSP finishing a poor third.

Her party could win only 18 seats, while the BJP came to power by winning more than 300 of the 403 Assembly seats. The BSP had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha

elections.

Back home in Uttar Pradesh, her resignation has evoked mixed response from different political parties, with the BJP terming it a "political stunt", and the Congress and Samajwadi Party holding the Centre's attitude responsible for her abrupt decision.

"Mayawati is unable to digest the results of the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 UP Assembly elections," UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, adding people of the state have rejected partisan and communal politics.

Apna Dal (Sonelal), an ally of the BJP-led NDA, attributed her decision to "massive erosion" in her support base.

The Congress said the Dalit leader took the sudden decision as the BJP had unleashed "autocratic rule" throughout the country.

Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said Mayawati's right to speech and expression was violated in the Rajya Sabha.
The govt told the court that no vigilante group has any space in the country as per the procedures of law.

New Delhi: The Centre categorically said on Friday that it did not support any form of cow vigilantism as the Supreme Court sought to know the governments stand on gau raksha violence.

A three-judge Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, A.M. Kanwilkar and M.M. Shantanagouder was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a ban on cow vigilante groups allegedly killing innocent people.

Solicitor general Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, said, The governments stand is clear, it is a state subject and it is for the states to deal with the issue. Union of India has no role to play, but the government has told Parliament that it does not support any form of vigilantism.

Mr Kumar said the governments position would be spelt out in its affidavit to be filed soon. The hearing will continue on September 6.

When Justice Misra told the solicitor general, You say that law and order is a state subject and states are taking actions as per law. You dont protect any kind of vigilantism, Mr Kumar said, Yes, our stand is clear.

The Union of India is of the view that no vigilante group has any space in the country as per the procedures of law, he added.

Counsel appearing for BJP-ruled Gujarat and Jharkhand informed the court that appropriate action had been taken against those involved in violent activities related to cow vigilantism.

The petitioners likened gau rakshaks to the now-disbanded Salwa Judum, a vigilante group formed by the Chhattisgarh government by arming civilians to kill the Maoists.

The petitioners alleged that some states like Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra had given licenses to vigilante groups to check trucks carrying meat.

The petitioners submitted that state laws and the protection granted, therewith, act as a catalyst to the violence perpetrated by these vigilantes group.

The actions of cow vigilante groups were in complete violation of Article 21 of the Constitution as they took away the victims right to life and personal liberty, the petitioners said.

The bench asked the Centre and other states to file their responses and posted the matter for hearing on September 6.
Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of Bhutan for over a month.

New Delhi: In another highly provocative move, the Chinese language edition of the Communist Party-run Global Times on Friday accused external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj of lying in her statements on the Doklam stand-off. It also snubbed her suggestion of a simultaneous withdrawal in the disputed region describing it as Indias fantasy. The editorial also hinted that New Delhi had become nervous over the stand-off. It threatened military action and maintained that the capabilities of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) was far superior to that of the Indian Army. Indias current number of soldiers may be higher, but they do not know the PLAs strong delivery capacity can change the number of forces within a day. China also has a long-range strike capability. China and Indias military spending scale is four to one, and our GDP is five times larger than Indias. Such a gap in strength will shape the actual outcome on the border, it said. While refusing to recognise the Bhutanese authority over Doklam and Indias locus standi, the editorial said, Not one inch of Chinese land can be lost.

Ms Swaraj had said in Parliament on Thursday, Their (Chinas) intention was to reach the tri-junction so that they can unilaterally end the status of the tri-junction. It was only then that India came into the picture. If China unilaterally changes the tri-junction point, then Indias security is challenged ... Indias position is not wrong on the tri-junction and all nations are with it. The law is with our country.

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese PLA from building a road in Bhutanese territory which China covets.

According to news and website reports from Beijing, the editorial stated, The lady foreign minister was lying to the parliamentarians in India, because firstly, India invaded the territory of China and it is a fact that New Delhis adventures made the international community surprised that no country would support it. Secondly, Indias military power is far behind China, and once things go to a military solution, there is no doubt India will lose. It added, If New Delhi does not withdraw its troops, the last option for China is fighting against India and ending the conflict without diplomatic means.

It further said: We noticed that the tone of the statement by India has been fractionally changed. They started to claim that Donglong (Doklam) is a trijunction and have presented the proposition of withdrawing the troops of both sides to feel out Chinas response. It reflects that New Delhi has begun to be diffident.

It went on to say that if India still holds on to its confrontational attitude, they should be prepared to bear the consequences of the escalation of the conflict. The logistics and manoeuvrability of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is far superior to that of India. The editorial asked India to abandon the long-term fantasy of the Doklam area. China will never engage with what India calls double withdrawal. Confrontation is in the territory of China, and India must unilaterally withdraw, it said, adding that the Chinese government would never allow Chinas public sentiment to be violated. China cherishes peace. But peace cannot be achieved at the expense of Chinas lost territory, and 1.4 billion Chinese people will not accept that peace, it said.

Claiming that India would not receive support from the United States or Japan in the event of a conflict  in the wake of the recent Malabar exercises  the editorial said, Their support is virtual, adding, If India imagines it has a strategic card in the Indian Ocean, then it is being naive. China has a lot of cards than can hurt Indias soft underbelly. On what happened during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, the editorial said India had then made a wrong assessment of Chinas determination to defend territory. We hope this time New Delhi does not repeat the same mistake, it concluded.

Further, according to other reports from Beijing, former Chinese consulate general in Mumbai Liu Youfa was quoted as telling an English TV channel in China that Indian troops in Doklam have three options. First, they can go out voluntarily, or they may be captured, or when the border dispute should escalate, they may be killed.
Zeliang was sworn in as Nagalands 19th CM on Wednesday, hours after Mr Acharya dismissed Mr Liezietsu.

T. R. Zeliang being sworn-in as the new chief minister of Nagaland by Governor PB Acharya at a ceremony in Kohima. (Photo: AP/File)

Guwahati: Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang on Friday proved his majority in the Assembly, two days after he replaced Shurhozelie Liezietsu.

In a 59-member House, Mr Zeliang was supported by 47 MLAs, including four from the BJP. However, 11 MLAs of his party, Naga Peoples Front (NPF), voted against the motion.

Mr Zeliang, who was forced out of office in February following protests over holding of urban local bodies election with 33 per cent reservation for women, had staked claim earlier this month to form the government.

Following Mr Zeliangs claim to have the support of a majority of the MLAs, Mr Liezietsu, who is also from the NPF, was asked by governor P.B. Acharya to face a floor test by July 15. Mr Zeliang was sworn in as Nagalands 19th CM on Wednesday, hours after Mr Acharya dismissed Mr Liezietsu.
The court fixed the matter for further hearing on September 6 as the bench was likely to pronounce its verdict on right to privacy by then.

The bench also observed that such platforms cannot impose conditions which violate rights of citizens as choice of the users cannot be 'curtailed'. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it will come out with a regulatory regime for data protection, asserting that data involved fundamental rights of individuals.

This submission was made before a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra which was examining the contentious issue of the 2016 privacy policy of popular messaging platform WhatsApp.

During the arguments, Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha contended that data of users was "integral" to the Right of Life and Personal Liberty guaranteed under the Constitution.

"Data of user is connected to the personality and it is an integral part of Article 21 (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty of the Constitution). If any contractual obligation impinges upon that, it will have ramifications. We will come out with regulations (on data protection)," he said.

The bench also comprising Justices A K Sikri, Amitava Roy, A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar observed that it would have to "draw a line" on where data could be used and where it could be "misused".

During the hearing, the court said "arbitrary" conditions could not be imposed on the users and though the Centre has said it would come out with a regulatory regime, the issue was how to control it till the time the regulatory measures were put in place.

"We have already said that do not link privacy issue with this. This case can be argued on another platform. I have a choice. You have a facility. When you are giving a facility, you cannot impose arbitrary conditions," Justice Misra said.

The bench also observed that such platforms cannot impose conditions which violate rights of citizens as choice of the users cannot be "curtailed".

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, told the bench that the mobile application was not at all against a regulatory regime and no user data was shared on the instant messaging platform.

He, however, told the court that since a nine-judge bench of the apex court is adjudicating the issue whether right to privacy is a fundamental right, this matter should be heard after the judgement is pronounced by the larger bench.

The court, after hearing the submissions, fixed the matter for further hearing on September 6 as the nine-judge bench was likely to pronounce its verdict on right to privacy by then.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for two students Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi who have challenged the 2016 WhatsApp privacy policy, argued that their plea was maintainable as they have sought a direction to the Centre that regulations should be put in place to deal with the issue of data sharing.

"Merely because you (WhatsApp) are a service provider, you cannot say that I will open your letter and read it," he said, adding, "This court has the jurisdiction to hear this matter. Where is the question of maintainability?".

Sibal raked up the issue of why only WhatsApp has been targeted in the petition, saying that the platform has an end-to-end encryption and messages or data shared cannot be accessed by anyone.

"It is an indirect way for telecom companies to stop WhatsApp," he said, adding, "Take any platform, data is shared. Why a petition has been filed against WhatsApp only. Our data is secured. It is not a PIL (public interest litigation) at all."

Salve took exception to Sibal's contention that "agents" of telecom companies have come to the court and said, "You cannot say that youngsters, who are students and have come to the court, are agents of telecom companies."

However, Sibal said, "Students and youngsters are not (agents), but there are some agents. Millions and billions of users have no objection. Only two people on the planet have a complaint."

He said that a regulatory regime of the government should be applicable to all platforms which are operating in India and this may have huge economic implications.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Facebook which had acquired WhatsApp in 2014, told the bench that nothing was shared on the messaging platform.

Sibal submitted that issue in hand was a serious one and it must be understood first as to how these platforms operated otherwise it would be akin to opening a Pandora's box which would be hard to control.

The Centre told the court that it would come out with a regulatory regime on data protection, but how far it would cover the aspect would depend on the arguments advanced by the parties in the court.

The apex court had in May asked the government to ensure that 160 million Indian subscribers were not "entrapped" in any manner by service providers like WhatsApp.

The petitioners have claimed that after the 2016 privacy policy, personal data was shared and other data were collected by WhatsApp which were used for commercial purposes.

The apex court was hearing the appeal assailing the Delhi High Court verdict on the ground that no relief was granted for the data shared by the users after September 25, 2016 which amounted to infringement of the fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
Sushma along with MJ Akbar and MoS MEA Gen. (Retd.) VK Singh met families of 39 Indians who are missing in Iraq since 2014 on July 16.

Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party's decisive and the transparent ideology. (Photo: PTI | File)

Jaipur (Rajasthan): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Saturday defended External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and said that the search operation of 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul is underway and the Centre is not misleading the nation.

"The search is underway to locate 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul. The Government is not misleading the nation," he said, while addressing the media on the second day of his three-day Rajasthan tour.

The BJP has organised Akhil Bharatiya Pravas Yojana - Shah's 110-day visit to all states in the nation - with an aim to take "party's ideology to booth," he said.

Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party's decisive and the transparent ideology.

"India has become the fastest growing economy in the world due to the party's most decisive and transparent ideology," he added.

Amit Shah added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje's Government are working together as a growth engine to take this nation forward.

Iraq's Ambassador to India Fakhri-H-Al-Issa on July 20 had said that he has no information regarding the 39 Indians, who were abducted by the Isalmic State (IS) even as EAM Swaraj said that they were last located in a prison in Badush.

"I don't want to say anything. I have no information. Sometimes no news is good news. They might be in Badush prison," Issa said.

Sushma, along with Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) MJ Akbar and MoS MEA Gen. (Retd.) VK Singh, met families of 39 Indians who are missing in Iraq since 2014 on July 16.

Sushma had assured, "Once fighting stops in Badush and the area is cleared, we can probably find out about the whereabouts of the missing nationals."
Reacting to the arrest, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said govt was committed to provide equal justice and protection to women.

A case was registered on Thursday against Congress MLA M Vincent, who represents the Kovalam segment, on charges of stalking, rape and abetment of suicide based on the statement given by the woman. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): A Congress MLA in Kerala was on Saturday arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody on a rape charge filed against him on the basis of a woman's complaint.

The first time MLA, M Vincent, who represents Kovalam constituency, was booked for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide of a housewife at nearby Balaramapuram.

Vincent has maintained throughout that the allegation against him was baseless and was "politically motivated."

"The MLA has been arrested in the case," Kollam Police Commissioner Ajeetha Begum, who is heading the investigation team, said.

The case was registered against the legislator for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide, police sources said.

The incident came to light on July 19 after the 51-year-old woman attempted suicide by consuming an overdose of pills and her husband filed a police complaint against the MLA, alleging that he used to repeatedly call her over the phone and harass her.

Police said the MLA had allegedly made more than 900 calls to the lady in the past few months. She later filed a statement before the magistrate and police, levelling serious allegation of rape against the MLA.

Police had questioned Vincent for over three hours at the MLA's hostel here after which he was arrested.

Reacting to the arrest, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said government was committed to provide equal justice and protection to women.

"Government will ensure that the accused, however high, will get the punishment he deserves," he said in Delhi.

No mercy would be shown to those committing atrocities against women, he said, adding the government views such cases very seriously.

The development, which has stunned the Opposition Congress-led UDF, comes hardly a week before the state assembly is to meet.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former KPCC President K Muraleedharan said that a transparent and impartial probe was needed.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson MC Josephine said the statement of the woman victim was very clear.

In such cases, the statement of the victim is important. The MLA also moved an anticipatory bail before a court in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

Activists of DYFI, the youth wing of CPI(M), took out a march demanding his resignation and burnt his effigy in front of the MLA hostel here.

The CPI(M) has also said that the party would launch agitations till he resigns and also boycott his public functions in his constituency.

Following Vincent's arrest, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) on Saturday stated that the Congress should take disciplinary action against him and ensure that he resigns from his post.

"It's a very serious case, especially after the MLA getting arrested. It is a shame to the party. The Congress must take an action as it is necessary for them to know what is right or wrong. They should also ensure that Vincent resigns. This is the least that they can do", CPM leader Brinda Karat said.
Waghela alleged that there was a conspiracy to remove him from the Congress.

Leader of opposition in Gujarat assembly Shankarsinh Vaghela at a public meeting of his supporters on his 77th birthday, where he announced he was expelled from the Congress, in Gandhinagar. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: A day after the party was hit by cross-voting in favour of NDAs presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind in Gujarat, tremors continued to rock the Congress with senior party leader and former Gujarat chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela quitting the party on Friday.

While Mr Vaghela claimed that he was expelled from the party, the Congress refuted the charge saying that no action was taken against him and quitting the party was Mr Vaghelas own decision.

Mr Vaghela, who turned 77 on Friday told the media in Gujarat; Congress party ne mujhe 24 ghante pehle nikal diya yeh soch ke ki pata nahi main kya kehta; Vinaash kal vipreet buddhi, (The Congress party sacked me 24 hours ago as they did not know what I was going to say at this rally. When ones destruction is imminent, they begin to lose their mind).

Mr Vaghela was apparently mouting pressure on the Congress to replace the current Gujarat state unit chief Bharat Sinh Solanki and project him as its chief ministerial candidate. The party had refused to do so. Congress spokesman Mr Randeep Surjewala while confirming Mr Vaghelas attempts to replace the state unit chief, said, A party is always bigger than individuals.

Speaking at a celebration to mark his 77th birthday, Mr Vaghela alleged that there was a conspiracy to remove him from the Congress. While speculation was rife that Mr Vaghela was inching closer to the BJP, he claimed that he would not join any political Party, but work for the people of Gujarat. He then added; Today, I free myself from Congress and I set Congress free.

There are rumours in the state that Mr Vagehla has been holding parlyes with NCP, JD(U) and Hardik Patel to take on the BJP in the state. The alliance, Mr Vaghelas camp Felt, could project him as the CM face.

While the party continued to put up a brave front, sources said that Mr Vaghelas move to quit the Congress could hit the party hard in Gujarat, which would heading for Assembly polls in December. The Congress strategists were working on a plan to join hands with Hardik Patels Patidar Anamat Andolan Samity had felt that Mr Vagehla being a Kshatriya would pool in his caste votes. Things worsened for Congress in the state as of its 57 MLAs, eight had voted in favour of Mr Kovind in the Presidential polls. As for the artihmetic, Mr Vaghela, who is an MLA himself has the support of only two more legislatures, which included his son.

In a related drama in the Congress, general secretary in-charge of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand Ambika Soni, who reportedly had asked the party high command to reduce her responsibilities told the media there that there is no question of resigning. Ms Soni claimed that she herself had told the party high command to lighten her duties for health reasons.

However, sources revealed that Ms Soni was apparently upset following reports that former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was set to replace her as Himachal Pradesh in-charge. Referring to Himachal Pradesh, Ms Soni claimed that she had told the party leadership last year that it would be difficult for her to criss-cross hill states due to her health.
BJP governments do not take decision that people like, but they take decisions that are good for the people, says Shah.

Jaipur: The BJP is the only party with principles and internal democracy, claimed party chief Amit Shah here on Friday. Mr Shah was addressing a gathering of prominent citizens from across the state.

This is the only party where a booth-level worker like me can rise through the ranks and become national president and son of a tea vendor can become Prime Minister, Mr Shah said.

Taking a dig at the partys main opponent Congress, the BJP president asked the audience if it knew who was going to replace him as the next president of the BJP. When the people replied no, he then asked them if they knew who will be the next Congress president, the crowd said Rahul Gandhi.

A party that cant ensure internal democracy cannot safeguard democracy in the country, he quipped while emphasising that this was key difference between the BJP and the Congress, whom he also accused of corruption. There was Rs 18 lakh crore worth of scam during the UPA government but not a single case has taken place since the BJP government lead by Narendra Bhai Modi has come to power, he claimed.

The BJP chief said in its 60 years of rule, the Congress can hardly boast three achievements whereas the Modi government has taken 50 important decisions, including surgical strike, GST and demonetisation.

BJP governments do not take decision that people like, but they take decisions that are good for the people, said the BJP president.

Shah alleged that in the six decades of Congress rules there was no development saying that it was lack of development and administrative discipline that experts came up with word BIMARU for Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. According to Mr. Shah, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have come out of BIMARU status while Bihar was on the verge of it till there was coalition government of JD (U) and BJP but has fallen back on development scale while five years later Uttar Pradesh where the BJP has formed the government will also come out of BIMARU status.

Mr. Shah who is on a three day visit as part of his countrywide programme asked party workers to work for the next 25 years instead of preparing for just the next elections. He said that he didnt come to review state governments work but he would like to see that how the governments functioning can benefit the party.
EJ Hersom/Department of Defense(WASHINGTON) -- Hundreds of service members lined the halls of the Pentagon on Friday to welcome three of the five remaining survivors from the USS Arizona, 75 years after their ship was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor.



Lauren Bruner (Fire Controlman), Donald Stratton (Seaman First Class), and Ken Potts (Coxswain) traveled to Washington, D.C. to posthumously honor a fellow sailor who saved their lives -- and those of four others -- that fateful day.



During the attack, Bruner and Stratton, trapped on the burning Arizona, caught the attention of a man named Joe George, who was on a neighboring Navy vessel. George helped secure a line to the Arizona, which the men climbed some 70 or 80 feet to safety, 95-year-old Stratton said.



"And we finally got all six of us over there, and Joe George coaxing us saying, 'Come on sailor, you can make it, you can make it,'" Stratton told ABC News.



Potts, uninjured in the attack, assisted in the recovery of his shipmate's bodies. Over 1,000 Americans died on the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941.



After the grand welcome to the Pentagon, the men and their wives met with Defense Secretary James Mattis, followed by a lunch with the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Steven Giordano, as well as enlisted sailors.



They then headed to the White House to visit with President Trump, who delivered remarks in the Oval Office.



For these three World War II veterans, Dec. 7, 1941, the brutal attack on Pearl Harbor, is forever seared into their memories," Trump said. "It's also seared into America's memory, because on that grim day this mighty nation was roused to defend freedom itself."



"There are many remarkable things that I witness as president, but nothing can take the place of meeting heroes like those with us today," he added. "In them we see the strength of our nation, the courage of our men and women in uniform, the resolve to never accept failure, and the belief that justice will always triumph."



Stratton told Trump that the country was "coming together again."

"All the people we met today, and all the people that were lined along as we went along, you can tell with the military and everything that this country's coming together again, and we're going to be there," he said.

USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton's emotional comments during WH visit: "This country's coming together again" https://t.co/HCWaCN5oK1 pic.twitter.com/EGpcWDFeTS  ABC News (@ABC) July 21, 2017

Mattis told reporters later that the sailors are a reminder of those who have endured so much during their time in military service.



"It's a reminder why you need physical fitness standards in the military," Mattis added. "Only way they saved themselves going from one ship to another."



Stratton and Bruner, while severely injured during the Pearl Harbor attack, later returned to military service and deployed to the Pacific to fight in World War II.



"So we started the war and we finished it," Stratton said.



For these men, the visit to the nation's capital was an important way to finally honor George.



"We're not heroes, we just got lucky and with the help of God and the good Lord we're here today," Stratton said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
On Wednesday, the discussion on the farmers plight had continued till 10.30 pm into the night.

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed vehement exchanges on Friday between the ruling BJP and Congress MPs over the miserable plight of farmers in the country.

While the Congress accused the government of doing nothing to help farmers, the government said the Congress was shedding crocodile tears. The sloganeering included Kisan hatya bandh karo (stop the murders of farmers), Kisan karza maaf karo (waive off farmers loans), etc.

The Congress protests began in the Question Hour and continued about 18 minutes into the Zero Hour with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan stressing repeatedly that the protests were not proper. Among the most vocal Congress MPs were Deepender Hooda, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury and Sushmita Deb. At about 12.18 pm, the Congress staged a walkout with Sonia Gandhi leading the trooping out before stepping into the House again after seven minutes.

Mr Hooda said the farmers had hit the streets from Andhra Pradesh to Haryana and Madhya Pradesh and his party was not satisfied with the governments reply at which parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said the Congress was only shedding crocodile tears and trying to garner false sympathy and that it had walked out of the House on Wednesday when other members sat for hours to debate the issue.

Where were Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi? Where were you? Now you are shedding crocodile tears... You are now showing false sympathies, he said.

On Wednesday, the discussion on the farmers plight had continued till 10.30 pm into the night.

While the BJP MPs asked what the Congress government did for farmers in the past 60 years, Mr Hooda said farmers were deeper into debt in the last three years of the NDA government than they were ever earlier.

Raising the Darjeeling issue, Md. Salim (CPM) sought a tripartite meeting between the Centre, West Bengal and the Gorkhas for a resolution while Thokchom Meinya, Congress MP from Manipur, raised the spectre of devastating floods that is ravaging the Northeast region.

The Assam floods issue was also raised by Ram Prasad Sarma.
The BJP govts failure to follow its counterparts in other states has given the Congress opportunity to step up pressure on loan waiver.

Jaipur: From a seemingly invincible position, the ruling BJP in Rajasthan suddenly finds itself on a slippery wicket. As Assembly election draws near, the party that set itself an over ambitious target of winning 180 seats, looked vulnerable in wake of protests by farmers and members of the Rapt community, which is its traditional vote bank.

In fact, the recent turn of events has revealed chinks within as the problems left at the doorstep of chief minister Vasundhara Raje. This was particularly evident in case of dreaded gangster Anandpal Singhs encounter. Even as the state government grappled with violent protests from Rajputs alleging political conspiracy and demanding CBI inquiry; senior ministers, including the CMs loyalists, did not appear to make an effort to address the crisis.

Home minister Gulab Chand Katarias first instinct was to distance him from the police action. I was sleeping when the CM called me in the midnight to break the news, he said.

Whether the home minister was smarting from past experiences when he faced a CBI inquiry in the Sohrabuddin encounter case during his previous stint as home minister, or it was an innocuous statement from a minister, who prides himself being a RSS swayamsewak, was indication of Sanghs often strained ties with Ms Raje is, anybodys guess.

Not to be left behind  following violent protests in Anandpals village, Sanwr-aad, after his cremation  another detractor, former minister Narpat Singh Raj-vi, who also happens to be the son-in-law of former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, did not miss the opportunity to make things difficult by shooting off a letter to BJP national president Amit Shah complaining discrimination and harassment of Rajputs.

However, what baffled everyone was the CM loyalists  especially Rajput leaders and ministers  who instead of using their influence in the community, remained silent or took side with the agitators. Ministers who owed their existence to Ms Raje maintained a stony silence while those in the party like Lokendra Singh Kalvi and former minister Devi Singh Bhati openly took side of the agitators.

Although the government finally managed to buy peace by accepting to the communitys demand of a CBI inquiry, now her own ministers and MLAs were caught on camera criticising the move claiming that it would open a Pandoras box.

Another potential threat to the BJPs 2018 campaign in the desert state is agrarian crisis, which has taken centre stage even at the national level. The BJP governments failure to follow its counterparts in other states has given the Congress opportunity to step up pressure on loan waiver claiming that 10 distressed farmers have committed suicide in last one month. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has already addressed a rally in tribal-dominated Banswara to be followed by a padyatra by PCC president Sachin Pilot in Ms Rajes constituency.

Interestingly, the Congress was late entrant to the farmers agitation that was started by RSS affiliated Bhartiya Kisan Sangh and Kisan Mahapanchayat, which is headed by Rampal Jat, again a BJP man who was not only a general secretary of the state unit but close to Ms Raje.

As things stands, not only the target of 180 appears in jeopardy but also repeating its 2013 performance, when it won 163 Assembly seats, would be a tough task. For Ms Raje, the situation is throwback to 2008, when she narrowly lost despite fighting a twin battle against the Opposition outside and within.
The CM raised the issue with Jalandhar-born Canadian MP Rameshwar Singh Sangha, who called on him on Friday.

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday stressed the need for Canada to rein in the radical elements trying to use the Canadian soil to spread strife and divisiveness in India.

The CM raised the issue with Jalandhar-born Canadian MP Rameshwar Singh Sangha, who called on him on Friday.

Mr Singh said that while such elements, including Khalistani supporters, could not have any impact on the Canadian political environment, they could influence the people of India and vitiate the atmosphere here.

Unfortunately, these elements were successful in spreading divisive messages in India through social media, he said, adding Canada should crack down on these forces and ensure that they do not have a free run on the social media and other social platforms.

The CM said his government is trying to revive Punjabs economy by wooing industry and investment into the state but such efforts can be derailed by the nefarious designs of radical elements operating from outside India. These handfuls of people, with their vicious propaganda, are negating the efforts of all the NRIs, including Punjabis, who were contributing immensely to the development and progress of India and Canada, said the CM.

Mr Singh and Mr Sangha also discussed various issues of NRI concern. Pointing to the increasing number of cases of the harassment of NRIs, especially over property related matters, Mr Sangha, who represents Brampton Centre, urged the CM to take steps to protect the interests of the Indian community settled abroad.

Capt. Amarinder Singh promised all support to safeguard the interests of NRIs, an official spokesperson said after the meeting. He told the MP he had taken up with the chief justice a proposal to set up NRI courts, which his government now plans to establish as part of the ex-servicemen courts since there arent enough NRI cases to merit separate courts.
Opposition leaders wore black bands and masks to mark their protest against being gagged.

Lucknow: The standoff between the Yogi Adityanath government and the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh continued for the second day on Friday.

The Budget Session of the state Assembly is now expected to wind up on Monday, cutting short the budget session by four days because of the Opposition stand.

While parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna slammed the Opposition for boycotting the assembly proceedings and accusing the government of muzzling their freedom of expression, the Opposition parties went and submitted a memorandum to the statue of former Prime Minister late Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Opposition leaders wore black bands and masks to mark their protest against being gagged.

The memorandum pleaded with the former Prime Ministers statue to give better sense to the BJP government in the state. When the House convened on Friday, the Opposition benches were empty as the parties continued their boycott for the second consecutive day.

The behaviour of the Opposition is condemnable. We want to ask them as to what they did not like was it because we recommended CBI probe into UPPSC recruitment during the in previous Akhilesh Yadav regime? he asked.

The minister said that even though the Speaker had invited Opposition leaders for talks, they preferred to talk through newspapers.

They have not said what they did not like or what they feel was unparliamentary in the speech of CM Yogi Adityanath on July 19, he stated.

Mr Khanna reiterated that those who have done something illegal will go to jail and certainly not to a temple.

The Samajwadi Party members have forgotten how policemen were beaten up in their regime. We are trying to set things right in the state which has been pushed backwards in the past 15 years, he said.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary said that the Opposition would remain firm on its decision to continue with the boycott of the house because they had done no wrong.

We are not beggars. The BJP is trying to intimidate us but we are not afraid of them. We can lay down our lives for the sake fo democracy and will not cow down before fascist forces, he said.

When asked about the CBI probe into the UPPSC recruitments, Mr Chaudhary said, The government should order a probe into all appointments since 1990. The BJP keeps talking of 15 years of misrule because the governments during this time were led by either OBCs or Dalit. The BJP wants to crush Dalit and OBC leaders from moving ahead in politics.
According to researchers teenagers who are bullied in school are more likely to suffer from sleep bruxism.

Sleep bruxism is when you grind your teeth in your sleep and over time can lead to major oral health problems, including migraines, sensitive and worn teeth (Photo: Pixabay)

London: Teeth-grinding in teenagers during sleep could be a sign that they are being bullied at school, a study suggests.

The study by an oral health charity in the UK found that adolescents who suffer from bullying are far more likely to grind their teeth in their sleep, a sign which could help parents identify victimised children sooner.

The research, published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, found that teenagers who were subjected to verbal bullying in school were almost four times as likely to suffer from sleep bruxism (65 per cent) compared to those who were not (17 per cent).

Sleep bruxism is when you grind your teeth in your sleep and over time can lead to major oral health problems, including migraines, sensitive and worn teeth, chipped or cracked teeth, loosing of teeth and severe oral pain and can lead to irreparable damage.

The researchers urge parents, carers and schools to be alert to students complaining of oral health problems and symptoms related to bruxism as a signifier of them being bullied so that they help can tackle to issue.

"Bullying of any form is absolutely abhorrent and can have a both physical and psychological impact, and when experienced in childhood, can lead to trauma that might last throughout adulthood," said Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, which carried the study.

"Grinding teeth may not sound like priority within the wider picture but it could prove to give a vital insight into a child's state of mind and could be an important sign for us to identify bullying at an earlier stage," said Carter.

"Both children and adults tend to grind their teeth when suffering from stress, and bullying is a significant contributor here," he said.

Sleep bruxism can be particularly damaging. Many times, we learn that we grind our teeth by a loved one who hears the grinding at night, researchers said.
In trying to find meaning in life, Archana switched tracks several times and the final one changed the lives of those around her as well...

Working for an oil company in the public sector, she wanted to do something that felt more real and switched over to documentary filmmaking. But while shooting on the field, Archana Kapoor was not satisfied being a distant viewer. The abysmal situation of people ignited a flame in her that tranformed her life as well as of those around her. Archana founded SMART (Seeking Modern Application for Real Transformation), a non-governmental organisation that works for social reform.

She is working with the marginalised section of society, especially women, by using modern means of technology. While describing her NGOs agenda she emphasises more on real transformation and says, Real change can only be achieved when the beneficiaries become stakeholders and take ownership.

She adds, Being a documentary filmmaker I got many opportunities to travel across the country. I even went to places like Siachen. The themes I covered varied from suicides of farmers, plight of craftsmen and weavers to the work of border road organisations and more. Exposure to all these stories made me realise that there was a lot to be done to achieve equality, justice and opportunity for those ignored by mainstream media. She also visited Bangladesh where she got a chance to see the work of BRAC (Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee), an international NGO. Inspired by their work she decided to set up an NGO on her own. Though headquartered in Delhi, the NGO has managed to make its presence felt all over India. The foundation has worked in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, Jharkhand, Assam and Kashmir.

At the age of 40, she started working toward improving the quality of education in neglected regions of India with a small team. But she soon realised that in order to introduce effective change, she needs a holistic approach. Today, we work on diverse issues including health to empower communities. We also work for financial inclusion to help people get access to banks, on panchayati raj for transparency as well as consumer awareness, says Archana.

The social activist adds, Poverty has a womans face. To eliminate poverty, women have a crucial role to play. Therefore, we run several programmes on women empowerment, particularly in conflict zones.

The NGO believes in long term sustainable programmes and not projects, and has launched Radio Mewat  a community radio in Mewat (Harayana), that seeks community participation. Archana explains, Through this project, we have tried to make people comfortable with technology. Now they work with computers and learn how to operate different software. Today, women in Mewat are using narrow casting equipment and have become quite comfortable with this technology.

While Archana finds this work extremely satisfying, she also calls it a constant struggle. Resources are a huge issue. There are constant technical challenges. Some frequency clashes with other community radio stations also happen.

But she concludes, It is so important to be heard. There are millions who feel they are voiceless because no one wants to listen to them, not that they cant speak. I have also learnt that changing your mindset is a slow process and takes its own time.
In 2016, taking note of the use of 'Chinese Manja' inflicting fatal injuries on birds and humans as well, the Delhi government banned it.

The 35-year-old was off to work when the hapless incident took place. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: A motorcyclist escaped death by inches on Friday after he almost lost his life by getting his neck slit by a 'chinese manja'

The incident took place on Friday at Geeta Colony flyover in the national capital.

The 35-year-old was off to work when the hapless incident took place. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was out of danger post medical attention.

In 2016, taking a serious note of the use of 'Chinese Manja' inflicting fatal injuries on birds and humans as well, the Delhi government banned the Chinese Manja in the national capital.
Mamata also announced that the Trinamul Congress would launch BJP Bharat Charo (BJP Quit India ) programme from August 9 to August 30

Kolkata: Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday called for a national alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, giving an Oust BJP from India call.

Stating that her party will stand by all those political parties who fight against the saffron brigade, Ms Banerjee, addressing a mammoth rally to commemorate July 21 Martyrs Day said, Bengal is with Soniaji (Congress chief Sonia Gandhi). We are with Nitishji (Nitish Kumar), we are with Arvind (Arvind Kejriwal), Laluji (Lalu Prasad), Navinji( Navin Patnaik). We will support anyone who opposes BJP. There will is a grand alliance formed before the Lok Sabha polls. Barda (big brother Narendra Modi) will be ousted from power in the next Lok Sabha polls.

She also announced that the Trinamul Congress would launch BJP Bharat Charo (BJP Quit India ) programme from August 9 to August 30

Asserting that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls would not be a cakewalk for the BJP, she said that 18 Oppostion parties had joined hands against the BJP in support of Presidential candidate Meira Kumar in the recently concluded Presidential elections.

We will be getting support of two more Opposition parties for the ensuing vice president elections. This support will expand further. Those who are thinking 2019 (Lok Sabha) is in their pocket are wrong. There will be a big hole in that pocket. Modi will get less than 30 per cent of the votes. We take it as a challenge to drive the BJP out, she said.

She added, We will launch the movement in every Lok Sabha and assembly constituency, block, city and village. I urge all my ministers, MPs, MLAs and block leaders to take part in the programme, she said.
The list of countries that are coming within Chinas strategic orbit appears to be growing.

China has always understood that if push came to shove, India is bound to act on the side of Bhutan, specially as its own security is vitally dependent on it. (Photo: PTI/File)

The ongoing Doklam standoff between India and China has to be seen in the larger context. The event was clearly precipitated by Chinas sudden move to shift the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. There has been a long-standing dispute between Bhutan and China on the Doklam plateau. Tibetan and Bhutanese herdsmen have, for long, peacefully grazed their livestock on the grassy plain, till a few years ago, Chinese horsemen wearing Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) tunics and with military issue binoculars, started accompanying the Tibetan herdsmen. Thats when the Bhutanese objected and it became a dispute between their militaries.

The subsequent meetings between the PLA and Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) officials in Thimphu and New Delhi have always been in the presence of Indian military officers. India has always had a special relationship with Bhutan, which is underscored by a treaty. India stations a brigade in Bhutan and substantially trains, arms and funds the Bhutan military.

India and China also have an Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China Border Areas signed in 1993 by President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. This agreement specifies that both sides will not try to alter the status quo by building permanent structures. Both sides can undertake patrolling but cannot hunker down for a length of time. It is this agreement that has ensured peace, if not tranquility, on the border. This agreement implicitly applies to the Tibet-Bhutan border. China has always understood that if push came to shove, India is bound to act on the side of Bhutan, specially as its own security is vitally dependent on it.

So why did China choose to disturb the tranquility now? Clearly the impetus to this situation came from China. Suddenly raising the ante has been central to Chinas diplomacy and quest for primacy, be it on land or sea boundaries, with all its neighbours. China has now coupled this creeping aggressiveness with aggressive soft power diplomacy, which has been widely seen as arguably the most important element in shaping the regional strategic environment, transforming the entire regions dynamics. By providing large loans on generous repayment terms, investing in major infrastructure projects such as the building of roads, dams, ports, power plants and railways, and offering military assistance and political support at the UN Security Council through its veto powers, China has secured considerable goodwill and influence among countries in the region around India.

The list of countries that are coming within Chinas strategic orbit appears to be growing. Sri Lanka, which has seen China replace Japan as its largest donor, is a case in point  China was no doubt instrumental in ensuring that Sri Lanka was granted dialogue partner status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. China has made major inroads in Nepal and has forged ideological and pecuniary relationships with many leading Nepalese politicians and opinion-makers. Anti-Indianism, always a given in Nepali domestic politics, is growing more legs now. Most recently China has been attempting to bring a change in Indias historical and treaty relationship with Bhutan. The Doklam incident must be seen through this prism. By coming quickly and decisively on the side of Bhutan, India has, for now, thwarted Chinese designs. If this situation is settled, there will surely be others.

The rise of China as the worlds greatest exporter, its largest manufacturing nation and its great economic appetite poses a new set of challenges. At a meeting of South-East Asian nations in 2010, Chinas foreign minister Yang Jiechi, facing a barrage of complaints about his countrys behaviour in the region, blurted out the sort of thing polite leaders usually prefer to leave unsaid. China is a big country, he pointed out, and other countries are small countries and that is just a fact.

But history tells us again and again that victory is not assured by superiority in numbers and even technology. If that were to be so, Alexander should have been defeated at Gaugamela, Babur at Panipat, Wellington at Waterloo, Russia at Leningrad, Britain in the Falklands, and above all Vietnam who defeated three of the worlds leading powers  France, the US and China  in succession. Numbers do matter, but numbers are not all. Technology does matter, but technology alone cannot assure you victory. Its always mind over matter. As the old saying goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Now comes the dilemma for India. Robert Kaplan writes: As the United States and China become great power rivals, the direction in which India tilts could determine the course of geo-politics in Eurasia in the 21st century. India, in other words, looms at the ultimate pivot state. At another time Alfred Thayer Mahan noted that India, located in the centre of the Indian Ocean littoral, is critical for the seaward penetration of both West Asia and China.

The Tibetan desert, once intended to be Indias buffer against the north, has now become Chinas buffer against India. The planner will not be looking at all if he or she were not looking at the Indian Ocean as a theatre. After all, it is also Chinas lifeline and its lifeblood flows here. Now if one were a Chinese planner, he or she would be looking with concern over Indias growth and increasing ability to project power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The planner will also note what experts are saying about Indias growth trajectory  that it is the ultimate pivot state in the grand struggle for primacy between the West led by the US and Japan, and China. What will this planner be thinking, particularly given the huge economic and military asymmetry between China and India now?

Tacitus tells it most pithily, that peace can come through strength or Si vis pacem, para bellum (If you want peace, prepare for war). India might be behind China but it must keep building strength, always be ready and never flinch.
Pakistan may see this as a temporary glitch in relations and its highly unlikely its stance on terror groups will change any time in the near future.

Pakistan will not receive $350 million from the US coalition support fund for 2016 of the budgeted $900 million that was to be offered. For a second year running, the defence secretary was unable to certify that Pakistan was willing to act against Islamist groups like the Haqqani network and the Afghan Taliban. This may lead to further fraying of ties between the allies. Pakistan may see this as a temporary glitch in relations and its highly unlikely its stance on terror groups will change any time in the near future. The country has received $14 billion of such grants over the last 15 years. A cut of $350 million now can only be seen as a drop rather than as definitive action on freezing of funds, most of which basically go to arming the Pakistan military though these funds are earmarked for the fight against terrorism.

Confirmation of cutting funds came in a state department annual report on terrorism released two days earlier. It said that Pakistan is among nations providing safe havens to terrorists and that terror groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continued to operate, train, organise and fundraise inside the country in 2016. This message is far more significant, particularly from Indias point of view as the statement went beyond the old US grouse of Pakistan not doing enough to contain the terror groups that operate in Afghanistan against US interests. Pakistan was upbraided for not taking sufficient action against LeT and JeM, which while continuing to operate, train, organise and fundraise in Pakistan, are focused on attacking India in cross-border terrorism.

The Trump administration was prepared to go beyond the matter of the hurt caused by the body bags of American soldiers being flown home from Afghanistan. It has chastised Pakistan for fomenting terror in the region, across two frontiers. It has recognised the fact that India has been experiencing terror attacks mostly due to Pakistan-based terrorists. While the cynical view is that Pakistan will emerge unscathed from this round of serious charges, as it has always done, the difference may be in the occupant of the White House. Donald Trumps actions are unpredictable. He could be swayed by America First, which could mean the policy shift may not happen as quickly. However, US downgrading Pakistan from a close non-Nato ally is not on the cards yet.

The US state departments reports accuracy in listing the UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed organising large rallies and open fundraising is endorsement of Indias position that terror in Jammu and Kashmir springs from Pakistan  not only encouraging it but actively assisting it in getting operators across the frontier. Pakistans chagrin at being a victim of terrorism fails to cut ice because of its duplicitous stand. If the latest US words and action nudge it in the direction of opposing terrorism in any form without designating it as good and bad, there may be fewer deaths to deal with in the region.
Samsung has confirmed to release its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8, on August 23.

Samsung has sent out invitation to the Galaxy Note 8 launch event with a tagline: " Do bigger things"

Samsung has confirmed to launch its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8, on August 23, this year. The phone will be launched at an event named Unpacked in New York City.

In a recent Twitter post, the company has teased the phone with a slogan: Do bigger things, reaffirming earlier reports which suggested the device would feature a bigger display in comparison to previously launched Galaxy smartphone models. Some reports had cited that Galaxy Note 8 screen will potentially be larger than even the Galaxy S8 Plus phone, which features a 6.2-inch display.

In the post, Samsung uses a stylus pen to tout the bigger display to be featured by the Galaxy Note 8.

The phone is also rumoured to sport a dual-camera set-up.

Despite all the teasing, the firm still hasnt said anything on Galaxy Note 8s release date. However, it is expected to hit shelves sometime around September, in the month when Apple is scheduled to launch the iPhone 8.

In terms of pricing, Galaxy Note 8 has been speculated to be Samsungs most expensive smartphone till date, with a price tag of approximately Rs 72,000.

Fans can watch live streaming of the Galaxy Note 8 launch event here.
The Chinese technology giant is holding a Mi anniversary sale that offers its budget smartphones  Redmi 4 and Redmi 4A at just Re 1.

The two-day sale was announced on July 20 at 10 am and will end today. During the sale the company offered discounted price on products like Redmi Note 4, Mi headphones, Mi Selfie Stick Black, power banks, Mi VR Play, Mi earphones and others.

Xiaomi is celebrating its third anniversary and to add to the celebration, the company is come up with some great deals for its fanatics. The Chinese technology giant is holding a Mi anniversary sale that offers its budget phones  Redmi 4 and Redmi 4A at just Re 1.

The two-day sale was announced on July 20 at 10 am and will end today. During the sale the company offered discounted price on products like Redmi Note 4, Mi headphones, Mi Selfie Stick Black, power banks, Mi VR Play, Mi earphones and others. The highlight of the sale was obviously the recently launched Mi Max 2.

Xiaomi claims that the Redmi Note 4 will be the most shipped phone in the first quarter this year. The smartphone can only be purchased via the flash sale, however the Mi anniversary sale allows consumers to buy the product. The sale only offers the Matte Black variant with 4GB RAM for a price of RS 9,999.

Other products on sale include the Mi Headphones Comfort which is originally available at Rs 2,999, but can be purchased at a discounted price of Rs 2,699. The Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD are also available for Rs 1,799.

For users looking out for a VR headset, the sale is offering the Mi VR Play for Rs 699, down from Rs 999. The sale is also offering Mi powernbanks at a discounted price.
US envoy's trip to Myanmar underlined continuing US worries over North Korean links that back to Myanmars decades of military rule.

Washington: Myanmar's military has maintained ties with North Korea, even though the civilian-led government denies any cooperation, and the Trump administration is pressing for a complete break-off of remaining links, current and former US officials said.

Washington made its case to Myanmars de facto leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during a visit to the country this week by the US special envoy for North Korea.

US Ambassador Joseph Yun's trip to Myanmar underlined continuing US worries over North Korean links that date back to Myanmars decades of military rule, according to a senior State Department official on Friday.

"It was an opportunity to message that any engagement with North Korea, particularly military engagement, is counterproductive to trying to end this threat that North Korea poses to the region and to the globe, the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He declined to specify what kind of military cooperation had continued between North Korea and Myanmar.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Myanmar's embassy in Washington.

The official said US sanctions leveled this year against the Myanmar army's procurement body were meant to reflect long-standing concerns about the military's dealings with Pyongyang.

Myanmar insists that arms deals and other military relations with North Korea stopped before Myanmar's transition to a nominally civilian government in 2011.

Myanmars military was believed in the past to have imported North Korean-made weapons and North Korean personnel also worked in Myanmar, two former U.S. officials said.

Any residual ties may be unfinished business between the two armies dating back to Myanmar's previous military-led government, one of the former officials said, adding there was no indication of a "nuclear component to the relationship."

Relying on Diplomacy

The State Department official did not rule out the possibility of imposing further North Korea-related measures on Myanmar, saying: If a situation becomes so egregious and serious for our national security interests, there are a variety of tools, including sanctions.

For now, though, Washington was relying mostly on diplomacy with Myanmar, a resource-rich and strategically placed country that Washington wants to keep out of China's orbit.

He stressed, however, that it would be difficult to proceed toward full normalization of US relations with Myanmar until Washington was convinced of a halt to ties with North Korea.

Yun's trip followed North Korea's test on July 4 of an intercontinental ballistic missile that Pyongyang says can carry a large nuclear warhead, and which experts believe can reach Alaska.

As Yun arrived in Yangon for talks on Monday, Kyaw Zeya, permanent secretary at Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, insisted Myanmar no longer had military ties with Pyongyang and was complying with UN resolutions banning such links.

"It's normal relations between the two countries," he told reporters. As I understand, there's no such relations between military to military. Definitely not."

The State Department official told Reuters that Myanmar authorities did not explicitly deny that some vestiges of the previous North Korea relationship remained but said those ties are not what they were in the past.

Myanmar's former ruling junta, which, like North Korea, was widely shunned by the outside world over its suppression of human rights, was known to have ties to Pyongyang. This included sending missile experts and material for arms production to Myanmar.

Myanmar's Directorate of Defence Industries (DDI) was sanctioned in March under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act.

The DDI was previously sanctioned in 2012 and accused of materially assisting North Korea but had fallen off the sanctions list in October after the Obama administration dropped most measures against Myanmar in recognition of a successful political transition.
Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by ISIS, after the army ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (ISIS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces. (Photo: Representational/AFP)

Cairo: Egyptian forces have killed 30 extremists during several days of security operations in the Sinai Peninsula involving the army, air force and police, the military said Saturday.

The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (ISIS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces.

The military did not specify to which group the 30 extremists belonged but described them as "extremely dangerous".

Five others were arrested as Egyptian forces imposed a "tight siege" on the North Sinai provincial capital El-Arish and the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, a military statement said.

Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by ISIS, whose local branch is based in North Sinai, after the army ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The bombing by ISIS of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a South Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and severely damaged the country's tourism sector.
Israeli policemen restrict access for men under 50 to Old City for Friday prayers.

Palestinians hurl stones towards Israeli security forces during clashes outside Jerusalems Old City following the prayers. (Photo: AFP)

Jerusalem: Three Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Friday as clashes erupted between protesters and Israeli forces over new security measures at an ultra-sensitive Jerusalem holy site where police restricted access for Muslim prayers.

One Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli gunfire in the A-Tur neighbourhood of east Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian health ministry. A second Palestinian was killed by gunfire in east Jerusalems Ras al-Amud neighbourhood while a third was shot dead in Abu Dis in the occupied West Bank, the ministry said.

Israels Army confirmed it was involved in clashes in Abu Dis. The unrest came after Israeli ministers decided not to order the removal of metal detectors erected at entrances to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following an attack nearby a week ago that killed two policemen.

In anticipation of protests on Friday, Israeli police barred men under 50 from entering Jerusalems Old City for prayers while all women were allowed in. Police said later in the day that discretion could be applied in the use of the metal detectors instead of forcing everyone to go through them.

But Palestinian and religious leaders were still calling on worshippers not to enter until they were removed. Hundreds held midday prayers near the gates of the Old City in protest. According to police, dozens of people entered the compound.

Crowds gathered outside Jerusalems Old City found shops closed and streets around Damascus Gate  the entrance most heavily used by Palestinians  blocked.

A group of several hundred people, including Muslim leaders, marched towards the Lions Gate entrance to the mosque compound. Police later fired stun grenades and tear gas towards protesters outside the Old City while Palestinians threw stones and other objects at security forces.
Shehbaz Shraif is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- would have to contest elections.

Islamabad: Beleaguered Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report.

Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.

Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) yesterday.

It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.

The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court.

According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case. Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports.

"The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue".

The Supreme Court on Friday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.

The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.

A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has recommended that the reports Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.

So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.
No response to foreign journalists ' request for news. Friends say they have no information about Liu Xiaobo's wife and believe sh is being kept under police control in the southern Yunnan province

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Liu Xia, Liu Xiaobo's wife, is officially free. On July 15, authorities also released a video of her near the sea in the coastal city of Dalian, with the ashes of the late Nobel Peace Laureate. But since then, her friends say they have had no news and believe she is being kept under police control in the southern province of Yunnan.

However, despite the fact her home (in the picture) in Beijing is empty, is being guarded by plain clothes police agents. Four are located in the small park outside the house. They are around a stone table surrounded by shrubs and check all those who approach the gate.

"Where are you going?" asked one of them, wearing a "special" uniform of two middle-aged women who approached yesterday. "We live here," replied one, with the tone of someone used to the question. And what are you doing here? You do not live in this neighborhood," said a uniformed officer to the journalist who had approached, motioning him to leave.

First, a four-person foreign TV crew, coming through one of the main gates of the complex, was surrounded by men in black and green uniforms. "Do you know who Liu Xia is?" one of the journalists asked. The response he received was : "I've never met anyone more rude than you." At the same question, a young man who lives in the complex answered "I do not know who she is".

An AFP photographer was detained by the police who asked him to cancel three photographs he had taken from the outside of the apartment. He did not do it and was released shortly thereafter.

On the riverfront overlooking Liu Xia's apartment, everything is quiet, with joggers, bikers and fishermen, unaware of the chaos evolving around the gate.
The ban is the direct consequence of the death of Otto Warmbier, the American student who died after more than a year in North Korean prisons. The restriction will be published next week in the Federal Register and will come into effect within 30 days. The interim period needed to regularize the situation of those who are already in Pyongyang.

Washington (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The United States is set to place a travel ban on North Korea. Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the US Department of State, said yesterday that the new trump administration announcement will be released next week in the Federal Register and will come into effect within 30 days.

The decision is the direct consequence of the tragic story of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American student arrested by the Pyongyang authorities in March 2016 and sentenced to 15 years of forced labor on charges of stolen propaganda material. For his part, Warmbier had "confessed" in tears, saying he had only taken a propaganda sign to give it as a souvenir to a methodist friend in the United States. Released in June this year after 15 months in prison, his health conditions were severely compromised. The family reported that the boy was "terrified and brutalized" by Kim Jong-Un's regime. Otto's parents, Fred and Cindy, stated that their son was in coma since March 2016, most likely after having contracted botulism from medication. The young man died at home one week after his release.

Once it comes into force, American citizens who wish to travel to Korea for tourism will have to obtain a special consent from the authorities. The interim period will be used by local humanitarian organizations and tourists who are present on North Korean soil to regularize their position. Explaining the motives of the initiative, which comes at a time of particular tension between the two countries, mainly due to the Pyongyang missile program, spokeswoman Nauert said: "Due to growing concerns about the serious risk of arrest and long term detention under North Korea's forced labor system, the Secretary has authorized a Geographical Travel Restriction to all US citizens to use a passport to travel through or travel to North Korea. "

At times of great tension, Kim Jong-Un's regime often uses the arrests of US or South Korean citizens as a diplomatic levers (or blackmail) to obtain concessions or reductions in tension with the countries of origin of the arrested. Three other US citizens are in Pyongyang Prison: Kim Dong-chul, 62, sentenced to 10 years of forced labor; Kim Sang-duk, detained since last April; Kim Hak-song, arrested in May last year.
The Californian welcomes your comments and suggestions. To offer your input, please call 661-395-7649 and leave your comments in a voicemail message or send an email to soundoff@bakersfield.com. Please include your name and phone number. Phone numbers wont be published.
Harold Pierce covers education and health for The Californian. He can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter @RoldyPierce
Xanda, pictured above, was four years old when Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer killed his father, Cecil, with an arrow. Xanda survived the loss and grew into a mature male who mated and had cubs of his own. Photo by Fish Eagle Safaris USA

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This week, Vietnam agreed to the rescue and relocation of 1,000 bears who live on bear farms. These Asiatic sun bears are held in deplorable settings and milked in extraordinarily inhumane ways for their bile (used in tonics and in traditional Chinese medicine). The shut-down of this industry is a big moment in the global campaign to protect these predators, and we salute the Vietnamese government and also Animals Asia Foundation, which drove the outcome. We hope this policy advance creates more pressure on China to replicate the policy.

In Africa, on the other hand, theres jarring news on the treatment of predators. Theres been an eerily familiar slaying in Zimbabwe: a trophy hunter shot and killed Xanda the lion, whose primary range consisted of a portion of Hwange National Park. Xanda was the son of Cecil, who was also killed two summers ago after a hunting guide lured him outside of Hwange as a set-up for his fee-paying client.

Xanda was four years old when Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer shot Cecil with an arrow, wounding him and allowing him to suffer through the night before finishing him with a second shot approximately 10 hours later. No one knew what would become of Cecils progeny, since trophy hunting disrupts social relationships among family members. Lions live in communities where males sometimes work together to protect their mates and cubs; when a dominant male is lost, new male coalitions may seize the moment and try to take over prides. When they succeed, they are known to kill the cubs to ensure the females continue only their lineage. Xanda survived the loss of his father and grew into a mature male who mated and had cubs of his own.

The professional hunter who led his client to kill Xanda handed over his collar to Oxford University biologists, who were tracking Xanda. His death has the potential to disrupt the pride again. What will become of Xandas cubs, Cecils grandchildren? Will they, too, share the same fate as their father and their grandfather?

The scientists at Oxford University, who have been studying the lions in Hwange for decades, have data to show that lion hunting is not sustainable in the Hwange area, and have pressed for lower hunting quotas and, more recently, a no-hunting buffer zone, around the park. The scientists data reveal that trophy hunters are exploiting the lions who live most of their lives in the park. They lure the lions from the park, baiting them with prey species who are strung up in trees as a setup for the kill.

Treating our national parks as incubators for trophy animals is also happening in the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is aligned with state fish and wildlife officials in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, and with the trophy hunting lobby to delist grizzlies so that hunters can shoot them outside of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. And a recent study in and around the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve showed massive mortality among wolves who spent most of their time in the preserve but then occasionally wandered outside, where they were shot or trapped. Conversely, a study of wolves in the United States, in Denali and Yellowstone national parks, found that sightings of wolves increased significantly in the years that trapping and hunting buffer zones were created around Denali and when no hunting was permitted in Wyoming.

Throughout all of Africa, perhaps as few as 20,000 lions survive  their number halved in the last two decades. Trophy hunting is, without question, one of the greatest threats to lions. Most lion trophy hunters are American and until last year, these Americans imported an average of nearly 600 lions a year into the United States. That stopped when, in response to a petition from The HSUS and Humane Society International to list the lions under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) prohibited lion trophy imports, including imports from Zimbabwe. Now the USFWS may be buckling to Safari Club International, which is clamoring to resume such imports. Our best tribute to Xanda right now would be to ensure that we keep this ban in place. American trophy hunters should create no more mayhem, and must stop shooting lions as a headhunting exercise, including lions living in the supposed, protected confines of national parks.
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With about 8,000 fewer students expected to attend the Chicago district next school year, schools will receive approximately $43 million less than they last year, according to the district.

That projected drop in enrollment, along with a decline in federal funds for poverty programs, means that district-run schools will get about $2.28 billion in FY 18or about $43 million less than this year, according to the district. The district expects federal funding for poverty programs to decrease by about $40 million, which will affect both district and charter schools.

The enrollment decline stems from a number of factors, including ongoing state population lossin 2016, the state lost about 37,000 residents lower birthrate, and a decline in immigration, according to the district.

City education leaders said that schools will receive a nearly 5 percent increase per student, with the per-student spending increasing to $4,290 from $4,087, the rate at the beginning of the 2016-17 school year. The increase will largely go toward personnel, according to the district.

The district is also retooling how it allows principals to spend money meant for special education students. It is also adding 34 new teaching positions and 68 paraprofessionals across the city for cluster classrooms to serve students with the most severe disabilities.

The school budget highlights were released as Illinois lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner remain at odds over a revision to the states school funding formula. Rauner has threatened to veto a portion of a school funding bill , which the Democratically-controlled House and Senate passed in May but have not sent to the governors desk.

The bill would send about $215 million to Chicago for its teachers pension and preserve a $250 million block grant the district currently receives, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Rauner has said the rewrite is a bailout for Chicago at the expense of rural and suburban districts that could benefit from that money.

The state funding formula was the subject of a lawsuit the district filed in February, alleging that the way Illinois funds its schools violated the states civil rights act and discriminated against the districts primarily low-income Hispanic and African American students. A judge dismissed the lawsuit in April.

Chicago school district officials dispute that the new school funding bill is a bailout for the citys schools and argue that it would more equitably distribute state education funds. The district has said that a veto by Rauner would exceed his powers under the constitution.

Governor Rauner is holding children across the state hostage as bargaining chips for his political agenda, but we wont let Chicago children be used as pawns in his game, Forrest Claypool, the district CEO, said in a press release. We will do what is necessary to keep our schools open and maintain the historic academic gains we have made these past few years, including continuing our efforts to reduce bureaucracy while investing money directly in classrooms.

In recent years, the district has lurched from one budget crisis to another and has counted on state money that has not always materializedor materialize in the amount that it expected.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the district told investors that it anticipates a $544 million deficit next year without additional state funding.

Related stories:
GRIFF Aviation North America celebrated its grand opening in Lakeland on Friday by showing off what its current prototype drone can do.

GRIFF Aviation is a Norwegian manufacturer

Parts for products built in Lakeland to come from Norway

Company to open assembly plant at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

The demonstration featured the GRIFF 135 prototype carrying a box. The company said the 135 is capable of carrying up to 170 pounds.



The company is in the process of designing a drone that can carry up to a ton. Such drones could potentially replace cranes on industrial or construction sites.



GRIFF Aviation North America President Mark Boyd said the company's drones are currently in demand by the military, and farmers for crop dusting.



We feel that we have an advantage because we are pioneering the heavy lift aspect of the commercial drone, said Boyd.



Boyd believes the drones will also be useful for search and rescue, and movie production.



The company plans to open an assembly plant at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.



Probably within 30 to 60 days well be cranking drones out of this location, explained Boyd.



GRIFF Aviation chose Lakeland because of its close proximity to Tampa International airport, and the area's existing aviation community.



Its so rural. We love that," said Boyd. "But from an operating standpoint, this airport was perfect for what we wanted to do."



GRIFF Aviation North America is the North American distributor for GRIFF Aviation, the Norwegian manufacturer. Future drones will be assembled in Lakeland, but the parts and technology will come from Norway.



Atlantic Airlines owner Mark Blanton was one of the people who came to watch the demonstration. He wants to buy a drone that can lift air conditioners, so he can sell the service to construction companies.



There are probably about 750 drone manufacturers out there, and whoever gets to the finish line first is going to win our business, because I know the construction guys want to lower their cost. Speed is everything, said Blanton.



Boyd said there are still a lot of challenges to overcome with this new technology. Their focus currently is increasing the drones flight time.



Thats the biggest drawback to drones right now, they cant fly very long," Boyd explained. "A helicopter can fly for a couple of hours. A drone can fly for 30 min."



Also, GRIFF aviation is waiting on the FAA to release its regulations regarding heavy lifting drones. The companys president said right now customers can apply for a waiver, which the FAA issues on a case by case basis.


School funding, teacher pay, school choice, and the rights of transgender education all are on the agenda in the 30-day special legislative session now underway in Texas.

Educators, along with advocates of all stripes, have all bombarded the state capital since the session began July 18. The legislature, which meets every other year, left many items on the table at the end of this years regular session, prompting Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to call the special session, which is estimated to last an entire month.

Heres a rundown of the issues that will be considered during the session. During a special session, any sort of bill can be added to the legislatures agenda.

Transgender students rights: Lawmakers will consider Senate Bill 3 and Senate Bill 91, both of which would require people to use the public restrooms in public schools and government buildings that conform with the sex listed on their birth certificates. Texas is one of a handful of Republican states that went to battle with the federal government over Obama-era guidance on the rights of transgender students, which has since been rescinded by the Trump administration.

School funding formula: A state supreme court ruling last year declared the legislature as having the ultimate control over school spending, sparking a statewide debate over how to overhaul the states K-12 funding formula. Legislators killed a proposal earlier this year that wouldve provided poor districts with more money and allowed mineral-rich districts to keep locally generated revenuethe proposals died after opponents attached a voucher component to it. The legislature could surprise everyone and come up with and pass a new funding formula. Much more likely, though, is that the legislature will create a commission like several other states have done to come up with a new funding formula to be voted on in 2019.

Teacher Pay: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has proposed a bill that would use state lottery money to provide rural and financially struggling districts with $150 million extra this year, give some retired and new-to-the-job teachers bonuses, and add a $200 million contribution to the Teacher Retirement System. But the proposal got fierce pushback from teacher groups that said more fundamental changes need to be made to the school funding formula so that all the states teachers receive pay raises. Every teacher and education retiree has earned and deserves a real pay raise, paid for with real state dollars, not a mythical, pie-in-the-sky promise, said Noel Candelaria, the president of the Texas State Teachers Association said in a statement.

School Choice: Abbot has tasked the legislature with coming up with a way to provide tax-credit scholarships to special education students to attend private schools. But tax-credit scholarships and vouchers in the state have had a politically difficult time getting to the governors desk.

Photo: Protesters gather in the Texas Capitol Rotunda in Austin as State lawmakers begin a special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on July 18. Immigrant rights groups plan to increase protests of a new law that allows police to inquire about peoples immigration status, while LGBT activists bitterly oppose bathroom bill proposals.

--Eric Gay/AP
Reality TV is coming to St. Petersburg.

TLC's "The Little Couple" stars Dr. Jennifer Arnold, husband Bill Klein

Show's new season will focus on couple acclimating after move to St. Petersburg

"The Little Couple" Season 9 starts Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. EST



Dr. Jennifer Arnold, star of TLCs The Little Couple has come home to St. Petersburg to work as Medical Director of the Simulation Center at Johns Hopkins All Childrens Hospital.

The nationally-known pediatric expert is happy to be home.

"I was born here, so its always going to be home, said Arnold. Secondly, I was a baby in the NICU at All Childrens after I was born, so briefly in the hospital that Im now working, said Arnold.

In addition to that, I spent every summer vacation I could here because I love the beach, I love the water," Arnold added. "Its sort of my happy place."

In fact, the Bay area is a "happy place" for both Arnold and her husband, Bill Klein. The two were married at St. Mary Our Lady of Grace, and had their reception at the Don CeSar.

Thus, the Bay-area will be happy place for Arnold professionally, as well as personally, as she will lead the Simulation Center and its staff into a brand new facility.

"What I love about the value of simulation is thats its an opportunity for a team to make a mistake and learn from it, and then prevent that mistake from happening in the real world," said Arnold.

Arnold views the Simulation Center as an educational and safety tool for providers and parents.

"Our goal is to actually bring the parents who may have a child with medical complexity to the Simulation Center in a homelike environment thats part of that new space where they can practice how to manage care of their child," Arnold explained. "So they can practice before its on their real child and learn from their mistakes."



Continuing with another season of "The Little Couple" also adds to Arnold's excitement about being home.

"As our show continues to follow us and our move to St. Petersburg, they're gonna get to see us not only acclimating to our new environment and the kids, as well," Arnold explained. "Just doing so many things that we might not have been able to do previously in Houston, going to the beach more, more water sports, seeing family more because we have so many family in the area."

The new Simulation Center at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital is expected to open in July 2018. You can see Arnold on the new season of The Little Couple on TLC starting Tuesday, September 19 at 9 p.m.
At least two people were killed and about 200 were injured after an earthquake rattles Greece and Turkey early Friday morning.

Earthquake rattles Greece, Turkey

2 men killed were from Turkey and Sweden

Epicenter of quake was 10 miles off of coast of Kos

Rescue crews say two men from Turkey and Sweden were inside a bar on the Greece Island of Kos when the building collapsed and they were killed.

The epicenter of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake was located about 10 miles off the coast of Kos in the Aegean Sea.

People in the Turkish port city of Bodrum also felt the quake.

It interrupted a birthday party, causing the ground to shake and the power to go out. There were also several aftershocks, causing chaos for visitors.

The Associated Press reported tens of thousands of tourists spent the night outdoors in Kos.
Numerous healthcare organizations recently received donations to fund research, advance treatments, improve patient care and start renovations.

Here are 15 recent donations, grants or gifts given to healthcare organizations by various entities in the past week, beginning with the most recent.

1. Beebe Healthcare receives record-setting $10M gift from the Ma-Ran Foundation

Lewes, Del.-based Beebe Healthcare received a record-setting $10 million donation from the Rollins family's Ma-Ran Foundation to support a $180 million facility expansion.

2. Marin General Hospital receives 2 record-setting gifts in 2 weeks

After disclosing a record-setting gift of $10 million last week, Kentfield, Calif.-based Marin General Hospital received a bequest twice the amount, according to the Marin Independent Journal.

3. NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn receives $25M gift from Bezos Family Foundation

NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn received a $25 million pledge from the Bezos Family Foundation to advance health initiatives, establish partnerships and create new staff positions to improve health outcomes for children.

4. Kaleida Health receives $17M grant to save two cash-strapped hospitals

The state of New York granted $17 million in funding to Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kaleida Health to help save two financially strained hospitals, according to Buffalo News.

5. Running group donates shoes to Providence Medford Medical Center to help homeless patients

Providence Medford (Ore.) Medical Center received over 100 pairs of running shoes from the Oregon Running Enthusiast Group to help homeless patients have shoes on their feet, according to NBC 53.

6. New York allocates $7.9M in funding for new hospital in Hornellsville

The state of New York awarded $7.9 million in funding to Hornell, N.Y.-based St. James Mercy Hospital to support the construction of its planned new facility, according to the Evening Tribute.

7. Glen Falls Hospital receives $20M grant

Glen Falls (N.Y.) Hospital received a $20 million grant from the state of New York to construct a 30,000 square-foot comprehensive outpatient facility to cut down on emergency room visits, according to WNYT.

8. Children's Hospital of LA to rename inpatient floor after donation from Panda Express

The Children's Hospital of Los Angeles received a $10 million pledge from Panda Express to maintain services at the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion, which opened in 2011.

9. Holyoke Medical Center receives $100k

Holyoke (Mass.) Medical Center obtained a $100,000 gift from the Hazen Paper Company to help fund the hospital's recently opened emergency department, according to MassLive.com.

10. TLU nursing program receives $1.9M grant

Seguin-based Texas Lutheran University's nursing program received a $1.9 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to sustain a project that expands BSN career opportunities for disadvantaged groups, according to the Seguin Gazette.

11. National nonprofit hands out millions to seven states to improve rural healthcare: 3 things to know

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust's Rural Healthcare Program has donated over $300 million to seven states to improve rural healthcare since the program was established in 2010, according to the StarTribune.

12. Shaggy donates $529k worth of equipment to Bustamante Hospital for Children

Orville Richard Burrell, known by his stage name Shaggy, donated approximately $529,000 worth of equipment, hospital furniture, parts and accessories to Kingston, Jamaica's Bustamante Hospital for Children, according to DanceHallHipHop.com.

13. Carilion Clinic receives $53k from Virginia Health Care Foundation to expand children's access to care

Roanoke, Va.-based Carilion Clinic received a $53,237 Project Connect grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation to hire an application assistant that will help enroll more than 350 children in the state sponsored health insurance program, FAMIS, according to TheRoanokeStar.

14. Mary Kay Foundation awards $1.2M total to 12 healthcare organizations for cancer research

The Mary Kay Foundation's Scientific Review Committee selected 12 medical schools and research organizations to receive $100,000 grants to advance research projects in the fight against cancer affecting women.

15. Vermont bank awards $25k to Southwestern Vermont Health Care

Bennington-based Southwestern Vermont Health Care received a $25,000 donation from The Bank of Bennington to establish several interactive, child friendly waiting areas, according to the Bennington Banner.
The following hospital and health system rating and outlook changes and affirmations took place in the last week, beginning with the most recent.

1. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on Munson Healthcare

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Traverse City, Mich.-based Munson Healthcare's revenue bonds issued by the Grand Traverse County Hospital Authority, affecting $155 million of debt.

2. S&P downgrades North Broward Hospital District's bond rating to 'BBB+'

S&P Global Ratings downgraded the rating on Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Hospital District's series 2005A, 2007 and 2008A variable-rate revenue bonds to "BBB+" from "A-."

3. Fitch affirms 'AA-' on SCL Health's revenue bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "AA-" rating on Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health's revenue bonds issued by the Colorado Health Facilities Authority, Kansas Development Finance Authority and Montana Facility Finance Authority, affecting $1.3 billion of outstanding debt.

4. Moody's revises Agnesian HealthCare's outlook to negative

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A2" rating to Fond du Lac, Wis.-based Agnesian HealthCare's proposed $58 million series 2017 revenue bonds to be issued by the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority. The expected sale date is July 27.

5. Fitch affirms 'BBB' rating on Methodist Hospitals' revenue bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed its "BBB" rating on Gary, Ind.-based The Methodist Hospitals' series 2014A revenue refunding bonds issued by the Indiana Finance Authority.

6. Fitch affirms 'AA' rating on Texas Children's Hospital's

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "AA" rating on a number of Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital's revenue bonds, including series 2015-1, series 2015-3, series 2015-4, series 2010, series 2009 and series 2008-2, all issued by the Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. These rating actions affect a total of $683 million of debt.

7. Moody's affirms 'Baa1' rating on Cooper Health System

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Camden, N.J.-based Cooper Health System's revenue bonds issued by the Camden County Improvement Authority and New Jersey Economic Development Authority, affecting $240 million of outstanding debt.
Despite the focus on President Donald Trump's tweets about fake news and Russia leaks, an analysis by The Washington Post reveals the president tweets about healthcare a lot more.

The Washington Post examined 750 tweets from when the American Health Care Act was introduced on March 6 to mid-July. It found President Trump tweeted about healthcare 67 times within that time period, accounting for about 8.3 percent of his tweets. Comparatively, he tweeted about fake news 46 times and Russia or leaks 49 times.

However, the Post analysis notes of the 67 tweets, just five reference specific policy. The majority of his healthcare tweets are more general, referencing meetings about the bill or the ACA's demise. The five times he tweeted about policy, the president referenced interstate insurance sales, drug pricing, deductible and premium prices, past inaccuracies of reports from the Congressional Budget Office and Medicaid spending.

Read the full analysis here.

More articles on leadership and management:

How does McCain's absence affect planned healthcare vote?

Senate plans healthcare vote early next week  on what remains unclear

Lutheran Health Network physicians: CHS isn't entitled to profit at expense of communities' healthcare
From patients filing lawsuits alleging hospitals in Memphis, Tenn., engage in illegal billing practices to a Miami physician pleading guilty in a kickback scheme, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.

1. UnitedHealth seeks dismissal in whistle-blower case alleging Medicare fraud

Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group requested a whistle-blower case alleging the payer inflated Medicare reimbursements by providing false information on members' health statuses be dismissed.

2. Lawsuits allege Memphis hospitals engage in illegal billing practices

Former patients filed lawsuits against several hospitals in Memphis, Tenn., alleging the hospitals attempt to collect payment from patients for debts that have already been satisfied by payers.

3. VNS Choice to pay $4.4M for improper collection of Medicaid payments

New York City-based VNS Choice will pay $4.4 million to settle a civil fraud lawsuit alleging it collected payments from Medicaid beneficiaries that should have been removed from its managed long-term care plan.

4. California Supreme Court rules Medical boards can obtain patient records without warrant

The California Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state's medical board can acquire and examine patient records without a warrant.

5. Miami physician pleads guilty to role in $4.8M Medicare, opioid kickback scheme

A Miami physician pleaded guilty in federal court for participating in a $4.8 million Medicare false claims and kickback scheme.

6. Anthem sues Insys Therapeutics for alleged $19M in fraudulent opioid payments

Indianapolis-based Anthem sued Insys Therapeutics in Chandler, Ariz., for allegedly issuing kickbacks to physicians and misrepresenting diagnoses to inflate reimbursement.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

15 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements

DOJ charges 412 in $1.3B healthcare fraud sweep

Former hospital executive admits stealing $391k from medical association
CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn., part of Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives, will close Westside Health Center on Aug. 1, according to the Times Free Press.

The hospital said several factors led to the decision to close the primary care clinic, including dwindling patient volumes.

"As we have expanded the capabilities of our CHI Memorial Community Health Hixson facility  laboratory, X-ray, pharmacy, and social workers  we have seen a diminished demand for the CHI Memorial Community Health Westside facility," President Larry Schumacher wrote in a memo to physicians this week, according to the report. "We have also seen the positive effect of the Affordable Care Act, in that many individuals who previously came to Westside for care due to lack of health insurance, are now covered by insurance and able to establish with a primary care physician."

A hospital spokeswoman told the Times Free Press the clinic's staff will be transferred to other CHI facilities.

More articles on patient flow:

Idaho hospital to cease inpatient services

Texas hospital reopens ED after 3-year closure

Bankrupt Florida hospital closes ER
Business / Companies

by Staff reporter

TOP managers at DCK Supermarket's Gweru branch appeared in court yesterday charged with failing to bank their daily cash receipts in contravention of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's (RBZ) Bank Use Promotion Act.The retail shop, which was represented by its general manager, Elimon Kwande appeared before regional magistrate, Morgan Nemadire, who reserved judgment in the matter to today.According to the State, on June 22 last year, DCK was served with a disclosure order by RBZ representative, Simbarashe Taruvinga, compelling the retail shop to submit returns on cash sales and deposits on a daily basis as required by the RBZ Act.The shop, through one of its managers, Aldin Mutariri acknowledged receipt of the disclosure order by signing at the back of it.However, between June 22 last year to July 6 this year the shop failed to submit returns to RBZ, as required by the law.Several retail shops, in most parts of the country have been dragged to court on similar charges, with the central bank accusing them of fuelling the cash shortages by not banking their daily takings.Section 11 of the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act (Chapter 24) requires all traders and parastatals to bank their money at the close of business.
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Saphyre and Kris Turnbull studios are both housed in Ulsterville Church

The former Rose and Crown pub in Carrickfergus

A Co Antrim pub is to replace bar stools with bibles in a 'pint to pews' transformation that's bucking the trend for the popular church to bar revamp.

The former Rose and Crown pub on the Albert Road and Queen Street in Carrickfergus should begin its transformation in September, if planning permission is obtained.

The bar, which closed over 10 years ago, was sold in 2015 to the church for an undisclosed figure.

Thomas Reid, a deacon at Carrickfergus Congregational Church and part of the team behind the scheme, said the purchase price was not in the region of the original 300k asking price during the property boom.

He said that the church had a modest budget.

"We are not a rich church. The first phase would possibly take one year or 18 months to complete.

"The second and third phases would happen over a six or seven-year period and that timeline is purely down to financial costs, so we are exploring different avenues in terms of funding," he added.

Belfast-based architect Hall, Black and Douglas has come up with designs for what Mr Reid describes as a social hub for the community.

The property extends to around 2,477 sq ft over two floors. Inside, there is a ground floor public bar, keg room and two stores, together with a first-floor three-bedroom flat.

The plans are to convert the bar into a cafe while the space upstairs will be used as meeting rooms.

Mr Reid said: "Part of the existing pub will be knocked down to give way to an enclosed courtyard.

"The building that will be left will have two storeys; the ground floor which will be used as a cafe for different ministries in the church and the first floor which will offer rooms for church activity."

He is confident that plans will be approved given the project's objectives of deterring antisocial behaviour and providing a space for all generations.

"We are trying to reach out to the community and hope to appeal to older and younger people.

"We want to make it a place that will help get people off the streets," Mr Reid said.

"That area is probably like a lot of places with a bit of an anti-social aspect to it. But the other aspect is the pub in its current state is an absolute eyesore and I can't see anyone objecting to this redevelopment as it will only add to the town."

Mr Reid added that the Rose and Crown had operated as a pub for over 90 years and pulled its last pint over 10 years ago.

In recent years, many churches have been purchased and transformed into hospitality establishments.

The Ulsterville Presbyterian Church on the Lisburn Road was converted into restaurant Saphyre and Kris Turnbull studios, which is an interior designers.

The 'pews to pint' trend is something that was led by JD Wetherspoon throughout the UK.

In 2014, the company purchased a former Methodist church in the university area of Belfast for an estimated 1.2m.

The project has faced significant difficulties and delays due to its listed building status.

Company chairman Tim Martin told the Belfast Telegraph last year that delays were likely.

He said: "It can take a long time, but there's no alternative but to comply."

Elsewhere, hospitality group Tullymore House confirmed plans to transform Holy Rosary Church on the Ormeau Road through a 1m investment.
The scene outside the plane after the evacuation

A Co Down father who dislocated his elbow while fleeing a smoke-filled plane with his wife and 10-year-old son has described the "chaos" that unfolded on a Thomas Cook flight from Egypt.

Trevor Kane (32) from Bangor was on board Flight MT519 to London Gatwick after spending a nightmarish fortnight in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

He was forced to evacuate with 251 other passengers and nine crew when smoke began filling the cabin following a loud explosion seconds before take-off.

"There was a bang a few rows behind us and then all you could smell was burning metal," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"Within seconds the entire plane had filled with smoke. I couldn't see much, but passengers had already been instructed to open the emergency doors.

"My first thought was terrorism, and for all we knew the plane was about to blow up, I was waiting on a flash."

The family man was infuriated when other passengers, trying to get their hand luggage from overhead cabins, blocked off the aisles as people were desperate to escape the plane.

"I couldn't believe it because my main concern was getting my wife and son off," he explained.

"I started screaming at people to just get off and I dislocated my elbow going down the slide, those things are made for the water, not a hard runway."

Thomas Cook described the incident as a "controlled evacuation", but Mr Kane claimed the holiday company's description was inaccurate.

"There was nothing controlled about it," he claimed.

"If it had have been two or three minutes later we would have been in the air - it could have been a disaster."

Mr Kane, his wife June (29) and son Lewis had already had a disastrous holiday before the drama unfolded on Tuesday.

After spending five days in bed after taking sick, the family ventured out and enjoyed a day on the beach, optimistic that their fortunes had changed.

Then, within 24 hours, terrorists stabbed six female tourists on the same beach they had been on the day before, killing two German holidaymakers.

"We were obviously fine, but it did ruin the atmosphere and put us off going back to the beach, it was traumatising," he said.

Mr Kane said that he was also left in a state of disbelief as his family ended up stranded on the runway as another plane approached for landing.

"People started using the flash on their phones to alert the pilot that we were on the runway," he said.

"You couldn't make it up."

by brett campbell
A nationalist bonfire constructed in the New Lodge in north Belfast has been removed after the local community raised concerns.

The anti-internment pyre at Victoria Parade off North Queen Street sparked fears among residents as it was being built in a confined area close to several blocks of high-rise flats and a children's nursery.

Sinn Fein had criticised the bonfire as "anti-social" and a "misery" for locals.

To highlight the potential hazards, Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee pointed to the recent Grenfell Tower tragedy in London and another Belfast apartment building that was damaged due to a loyalist bonfire on the Eleventh Night.

Mr Magee said: "It brings it all home to everybody how dangerous these bonfires are, not just what happened in London, but what happened in Sandy Row. It is not just a myth that these bonfires are dangerous."

Bonfires are lit annually in some nationalist areas to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment on August 9, 1971.

Mr Magee condemned those responsible, stating it was young people who were not building it out of respect for the anniversary of mass arrests without trial.

The PSNI had a hand in removing material from the bonfire in the past because it was obstructing traffic in Victoria Parade. The dismantling of the pyre began early yesterday and it was cleared within a few hours.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph yesterday, councillor Magee said: "I was down working hard with a lot of other agencies to get it all removed and there was no resistance from anyone. I am very pleased for the local residents, hopefully they can sleep a bit easier now."

However, he expressed concern it could be rebuilt. "There is a long way to go until it is finished, we have it cleared for now, but that won't stop kids coming back and dumping things or trying to hide materials until closer to the time," he said.

I would like to encourage all local businesses, from where these kids might be getting wood, to tell staff not to give out pallets to them.

"Also, they are stealing trolleys from local supermarkets to add to the pile, so I would urge these businesses to make sure that all trolleys are secure to deter this anti-social behaviour."

Meanwhile, residents of the 10-storey Sandy Row apartment block damaged by a loyalist bonfire were assured on Wednesday night that it would not be allowed to happen again. Last week a bonfire caused windows on the block to crack, and firefighters had to douse the building with water to prevent it catching fire.

But hours after the high-profile meeting on Wednesday night involving 30 residents and statutory agencies, including representatives of Belfast City Council and PSNI, the Victoria Place apartments were attacked.

The PSNI said: "A group of youths caused damage to the entrance of a car park at Welwood Street. The youths did not gain entry to the car park and made off in the direction of Great Victoria Street."
A DUP MP says Northern Ireland could be heading for direct rule to fill the vacuum left by the absence of a functioning Stormont Executive.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking after the Conservative Party said the 1bn additional funding for Northern Ireland from the DUP-Tory Westminster agreement did not depend on the restoration of the devolved institutions.

Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Sir Jeffrey said: "We can't hang around forever.

"The pressures on our health service and education system are critical, and we believe that if an Executive is not formed in the summer the Secretary of State will need to act to allocate these monies."

Unless a functioning Executive is formed "we are heading for direct rule", he warned.

There has been a lack of clarity over the conditions attached to the 1bn deal, which will provide additional funding to Northern Ireland's health service, schools and roads.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire had suggested that the money may only be available should there be an Executive. However, the DUP has said that was not a condition of the deal it signed up to.

The Lagan Valley MP, who signed the deal between the two parties, said the 1bn additional funding would be spent regardless of whether an Executive was formed from the current Stormont talks process.

"Let me be crystal clear," the MP told the Talkback programme.

"If there is no Executive the money will be delivered, and it will be delivered from Westminster."

Sir Jeffrey said that the DUP-Tory agreement provided for a Westminster committee of MPs to be formed, which would advise on how the money would be spent.

And given that his party and independent unionist Lady Hermon were the only sitting representatives in the House of Commons for Northern Ireland due to Sinn Fein's abstentionist policy, they would "obviously have an influence" on how the 1bn was allocated. The 1bn is "sitting and waiting to be spent", according to Westminster officials.

Before his suggestion that the money may be delivered on the condition of the Executive's restoration, Mr Brokenshire had told the Commons that further steps would be taken to provide the "necessary political decision-making in the best interests of everyone in Northern Ireland".

"I reaffirm that the UK Government remains prepared to take forward legislation at Westminster to give authority for the expenditure of Northern Ireland departments should an Executive not be restored," Mr Brokenshire told MPs.

In a statement welcomed by Sir Jeffrey yesterday, the Conservative Party implied the restoration of devolved institutions was not a precondition for release of the 1bn funding.

"Both the Conservative Party and the DUP are committed to getting the Executive re-established, because we both believe that decisions about funding for different public services in Northern Ireland should be taken by politicians in Northern Ireland," a party spokesman said.

"We want the additional funding identified in this agreement to go to a new Executive.

"However, if despite our collective efforts it proves impossible to re-establish the Executive, the Conservative Party, in signing this agreement, has recognised the case for the higher funding Northern Ireland needs."
Attack took place in the Argyll View area of Larne

A man is recovering in hospital following a paramilitary style assault and arson attack in Larne.

The attack took place in the Argyll View area of town at 12.40am on Saturday, 22 July.

Responding to a report of a car on fire, police discovered one vehicle was on fire and two other cars with damaged windows. One vehicle was completely gutted.

A male occupant in a house had sustained serious injuries as a result of an attack by a group of males. He has been taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.

A number of homes were evacuated during the incident.

Detective Sergeant Peter Crothers would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or have information which could assist with police enquiries to contact Detectives at Larne Criminal Investigation Branch on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 51 22/07/17.
Clifford Mooney outside the police station, just yards from his Kilkeel home where he was brutally attacked by thugs

A pensioner who was beaten and robbed by hammer-wielding thugs in March has said he still feels terrified in his own home, despite living yards from a police station.

On March 28, Clifford Mooney (69) awoke in his terraced home in the Slieveshan Park area of Kilkeel to find three men in his bedroom.

In the sadistic attack, he was beaten five times on the head with a hammer, had a towel shoved down his throat and a belt tied around his neck.

He pleaded with the thugs: "Take what you want, just don't hurt me."

The thieves also made off with a large sum of his money, leaving the disabled pensioner for dead.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph in his home yesterday, Mr Mooney said he felt let down by police, frequently feels too afraid to sleep and said he often passes his attackers on the street.

In a statement yesterday, police confirmed that on April 4: "Three males aged 22, 24 and 25 were arrested in relation to an aggravated burglary that occurred at an address in the Slieveshan Park area of Kilkeel at around midnight on Tuesday, March 28." Police say a guardian alarm, or panic button, was also installed in his home following the incident.

All three men have since been released on police bail pending ongoing enquiries.

"If I hear any noise at all at night now, I think it's maybe somebody coming up my stairs," said Mr Mooney. "I'll try to get back to sleep but the attack is on my mind again and I'll be up then most of the night."

"I definitely know who it was, they weren't wearing masks and I gave full descriptions, but the police say they can go no further because they have no finger prints and the men arrested have an alibi."

"Since then, they've got their hair cut. One has shaved his moustache and the other has grown one.

"One of them actually lives across the road there.

"I see them on the street and I just turn my head away, I wouldn't want to be talking to them or seeing them because of what happened." He recalled the night of the mindless assault, which left him hospitalised and unable to eat due to bruising on his throat.

"I came home from a prayer meeting and said cheerio to my mates at my gate. I came in to make tea, but just decided to go to bed," he said.

"I turned on the TV but there was nothing on, so I fell asleep. The next thing I know these three ones pounced on top of me on the bed. One fella had big frizzy hair, the other was tall and thin and one of them was a stoutish build.

"Then they left me in the bed after hitting me with a hammer five times in the head. They didn't check if I was alive or dead, they just left with what they had."

Mr Mooney said there was no forced entry to his home that night. "They didn't break the door, they must have had a skeleton key of some sort. It's a mystery to me how they even got in," he said.

Stepping outside his house, a 20-second walk is all it takes for Mr Mooney to reach Kilkeel police station, which boasts a towering mast with numerous surveillance cameras.

"Living beside the police station you think you would be safe, wouldn't you?" he said, looking across the street.

"I'm a few yards away with so many cameras, but what good are they doing?"

"I feel they've let me down and I don't believe there was a massive search for them at the time. I would say they're not really doing a very good job when they know these people are at large. With the descriptions I gave them, I'm sure they know who they are. But what have they done, apart from arrest them and let them go again?"

He continued: "I feel they could have at least made the effort to search their houses to see if there was any money in there and ask where did they get it?"

Mr Mooney said the attack has left him in constant fear for his safety.

"I don't know what to do really. I don't want to let them put me out of my house and even if I did leave, they'd find out where I am." My neighbours and friends aren't very happy this has happened, but what can they do?

"If the police who are paid to help people can't do anything about it, then what can they do to stop it happening?"

Addressing his attackers, he said: "All I would say to the people who did this is, 'come forward, admit what you've done.'

He said many people in the area were scared to speak out.

"Nobody really wants to get too involved, as they think of their own place too. People would ask me how I'm doing, but they don't want to inform on the ones that did it.

"Somebody's bound to know who did it, they're somebody's child and why do they not admit who did it?"
Entertainment / Music

by Staff reporter

Wicknell Chivayo and his fiancee Sonja Madzikanda after the marriage ceremonyMusic guru Oliver Mtukudzi serenaded guests at the marriage ceremony of businessman and socialiate Wicknell Chivayo and his fiancee, Sonja Madzikanda in Harare on Saturday.Tuku had everyone dancing-including energy magnet Chivhayo and his fiancee when he played an array of ballads and yesteryear hits from his wide discography.The private musical show turned out to be one of the musician's best private gigs when family members got on the dancefloor to celebrate the occasion. Although the marriage ceremony was kept a secret, Tuku's beats floated in the neighbourhood of Chisipite, giving the ceremony the much needed spills and thrills, befitting such an occasion.The big family later posed for a photo-shoot with the revered musician, who wished the couple well. Having previously expressed disdain for Zimbabwean women, the Harare-based Madzikanda has apparently stolen Chivayo's heart.According to close sources, she is an accountant at a city firm located close to where Chivayo's Mercedes Benz got clamped last month. His fiancee's father, David Madzikanda works at the University of Zimbabwe's School of Commerce while her mother, Tabitha, is a manager with FBC bank. The family lives in Chisipite.Without giving out whether he was made to pay more than $50 000 as per his desire, Chivayo described the day as best in history. "Till death do us apart. A good woman is the greatest thing a man can have in his life. Glory be to God in the highest. Thanks to you my Facebook followers, your strong criticism and comments always give me strength to make good decisions like this'" posted Chivayo."My roora (bride price) function was the best in history (credit to my amazing in-laws and brand new wife) This is why I chose the Peter House and University of Edinburgh class, with my Unit M Seke background where and how would I have ever planned this? I hope to invite you all of you (sic) to my big wedding soon. We give thanks and praise," read his posts.
The son of a Co Tyrone pensioner who was killed in a farming accident at his home said the family are deeply "traumatised" by the incident

The son of a Co Tyrone pensioner who was killed in a farming accident at his home said the family are deeply "traumatised" by the incident.

Peter O'Neill was involved in the accident while working on an off-road buggy vehicle, often used on farms.

The 75-year-old, who was a beef farmer, used the quad everyday to get around his family farm in Carrickmore.

His son Aidan, who works at Campsie Veterinary Centre in Omagh, issued a safety warning to other farmers, saying they are not "invulnerable" when carrying out their job.

He also said the family have been "overwhelmed" by the support from the community following his sudden death.

"It was horrifically traumatic - things are quite upsetting for the family," he said.

"He had the Kubota utility vehicle for the past few years and it was his pride and joy. He would drive around the farm and to various out-farms every day. It made a very distinctive noise, so you would hear him before you saw him.

"He could be spotted going up and down the road three or four times a day on it. It suited him down to the ground. It wasn't fast, but gave him plenty of opportunity to get about," he said.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service was called to the farm on Wednesday last week, however, the emergency services were unable to save him.

In an interview with the Tyrone Constitution, Mr O'Neill said his late father has been in "excellent health" and the family expected him to continue working for years.

He added: "We tried to get him to slow down a little and keep fewer cattle, as we were a bit worried he might be injured by an animal at some stage, but he refused to accept he needed to take things a little easier."

He said that this reflected his father's generation of farmers, who often didn't realise old age was slowing them down.

"He, and others, believe they could keep going on forever and nothing was going to happen to them," he said.

Mr O'Neill described how his family have been touched by the support they have received in recent days.

"Because of his occupation, and my occupation, huge numbers of the farming community came out.

"And when you talked to them it was striking how so many knew exactly how you felt, because they had been in similar situations themselves," he added.

"Car loads landed almost immediately when the news got out and they couldn't have done enough.

"There was more than one person offering to do anything we needed or wanted, from both sides of the community.

"They understood what it meant and how it felt.

"They just wanted to come and show their support and respect," he said.
Education minister Nick Gibb has vowed to stamp out homophobic playground bullying as he opened up about his personal battle to publicly admit his sexuality.

The Tory MP, who kept his relationship a secret for 29 years, wants to wipe out the use of the word gay as a term of abuse in schools.

Mr Gibb, who married his long-term partner Michael two years ago, said widespread intolerance and discrimination meant it had been easier previously not to tell people they were together.

But he told the Mail On Sunday the secrecy of his past had made him determined to make a difference for LGBT people.

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In an article for the newspaper, he wrote: Having felt the need to be silent for decades about my sexuality, I am determined to make a positive difference. I will be tireless in ensuring that all gay, lesbian, bi and trans people can live free, happy and fulfilling lives.

Mr Gibb said he expected teachers to discipline pupils who use the word gay in a bullying manner.

Expand Close Education Minister Nick Gibb is determined to eliminate homophobic schoolyard bullying (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Education Minister Nick Gibb is determined to eliminate homophobic schoolyard bullying (PA)

Around 3 million is being spent on anti-homophobic and transphobic programmes.

A national survey is being launched that will ask 1.5 million LGBT people in the UK to give their views on public services to help inform government policy.

Mr Gibb wrote: As a gay man who has been in a loving and stable relationship for more than 30 years, I have seen social attitudes change significantly. I met Michael in a different era, and one that was much harder than today. There was widespread intolerance, discrimination in the professions and a very hostile press  not least towards politicians.

It was easier for us to have a relationship that wasnt known about. This meant we missed out on things that most people take for granted. Having children was out of the question. We didnt go to parties or attend family dinners as a couple. We spent every Christmas apart. Many other LGBT people had a much more difficult and challenging time.

He added: Bullying at school is cruel, particularly as LGBT pupils are coming to terms with their sexuality or gender. I am determined that we stamp out the use of the word gay as a pejorative term.
Charlie Gard's father yelled "evil" after a lawyer representing Great Ormond Street Hospital broke the news that a report on the terminally-ill baby's latest scan made for "sad reading".

The boy's mother burst into tears as barrister Katie Gollop QC told a judge analysing the latest stage of a legal battle over Charlie's treatment what specialists thought of fresh scan results.

Parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard told Mr Justice Francis that they hadn't seen the report. The judge was analysing issues at a hearing in the family division of the High Court yesterday when news of the scan results emerged.

Earlier this week American specialist Dr Michio Hirano travelled to London to examine Charlie for the first time and discuss the case with Great Ormond Street doctors.

Lawyers have said they will look at reports from Dr Hirano's examination and data from new scans carried out on Charlie over the weekend.

Mr Justice Francis has told Charlie's parents that he will not re-run the case but will consider any "new material''.

Ms Gollop told the judge that specialists had produced a report on the scan and said: "It makes for sad reading."

Ms Yates began to cry and said: "We haven't even read it."

Mr Gard yelled "evil" before walking out of court.

The couple want Mr Justice Francis to rule that their 11-month-old son, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, should be allowed to undergo a therapy trial overseen by a specialist in New York.

Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, said the therapy is experimental and will not help and that life support treatment should stop.

Charlie's parents have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London.

They have also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene.

However, the couple have said there is new evidence and want Mr Justice Francis, who in April ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity, to carry out a fresh analysis.

The judge is due to consider their claims at a hearing starting on Monday. He was examining preliminary issues yesterday when told about the scan results.

Ms Gollop told the judge: "Almost all the medical evidence in this case makes for sad reading. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to cause distress."

Barrister Grant Armstrong, who represents the couple, said Ms Gollop should not have broken news about the scan before Charlie's parents had seen it.

Lawyers said Dr Hirano and Charlie's parents could give evidence at next week's hearing.
Silly season is here again - this is the name given to the few weeks in summer when so many people are away on holiday that nothing much happens and proper news stories are few and far between. For the same reason, advertising is also limited too, which means that news editors have more space than usual to fill with fewer stories than usual.

Now, rather than succumbing to the pressures of silly season myself, I thought it would be much more fun to do a round-up of this weeks finest examples from the press and broadcast news.

Titles and authors shall remain nameless, so as to avoid any accusations of the pot/kettle/black variety. I am, however, beginning each with its actual headline.

"Aliens were present at crucifixion of Jesus - and here's the proof"

Yes, you read that correctly. And no, it's not from National Enquirer or another comedy comic, but a reputable Fleet Street daily.

The "story" is all centred around a fresco painting on the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Georgia which depicts Jesus on the Cross; but in the background the artist has placed two objects which appear to be flying saucers with a flume of smoke or some other fuel emission propelling them through the sky. Errr... well of course to conspiracy theorists and ET watchers this, quite simply, is "proof" that UFOs do exist. End of story. And hey presto, there's another empty page filled!

"The planet and our civilisation will DIE"

And this is the cheery message (from another reputable daily newspaper) that there is going to be a colossal collision with another planet and we are all going to be wiped out. But it's ok, because it won't happen until October.

According to Brazilian senator Telmario Mota, he has it on good authority from NASA that a planet called Niburu is about to enter our solar system and wreak almighty havoc: "The history of human civilisation will soon end," he announced.

Apparently no one can actually see this pesky rogue planet though, because it's approaching via the South Pole. Ah....riiiiight....gotcha. All I can say is don't you just hate it when that happens? And I was planning on going on a nice trip to Majorca in October too. I don't suppose I could get a full refund, could I?

"Man who's collected over 9,000 beer cans in 40 years is finally getting rid of them"

Stop press! This is the, ahem, story that a man who collected over 9,000 beer cans in 40 years is getting rid of them. And that's about the height of it, although the newspaper did of course provide countless photographs of the empties all lining the walls of his house, thus filling a double page spread in the process.

"Library seeks witches to translate 17th century spell book"

This one appeared this week in a notable New York publication, thus proving they celebrate silly season across the pond too. Three books have been found, dating from the 17th century, which appear to show spells in pictures and writing, but they need to find someone to translate them into modern English.

So far experts have figured out that one of them, 'The Book of Magical Charms' was written by two anonymous witches (probably) in England in the 1600s and may contain formulae to cheat at dice, ease menstrual cramps and communicate with spirits.

So, by the pricking of my thumbs, if anyone reading this is partial to a spot of recreational witchcraft, then please do get in touch.

"Man stuck in ATM feeds 'help' notes through the receipt slot"

No explanation needed with this one, as the catchy headline just about covers it. Apparently he was a bank worker who was replacing the money when the door banged shut.

But silly as it may seem (for a serious news programme) it does go to prove something that I've always suspected, ie that each cash machine does contain a tiny man employed to count up your balance, change your pin and issue statements, all very very quickly.
The agony of waiting to hear of the whereabouts of a missing family member is graphically underlined in our interview today with Karen and Rod McIlwaine, whose son Dean disappeared on July 13.

He was last seen in the Carnmoney Road area, and despite extensive inquiries by the police, and by his family and friends, he has not yet been located.

It is almost impossible for any of us who are not in that awful situation to be able to comprehend the suffering of Dean's parents and wider family.

His mother said, in her grief: "You have to keep going because I have to find him, how can I live like this, if I don't find him? Not knowing is worse than a death."

His distraught dad Rod added: "I just want him home. If he's out there, please don't be frightened to come home, son. You have nothing to worry about - we'll take care of you."

In a particularly poignant gesture, his girl-friend is leaving her door unlocked during the night just in case Dean may walk in, and she and her friends are taking turns staying awake to make sure no unwanted intruder enters the front door.

There are so many stories of people missing, over the long term, that it is easy to forget the trauma of those most closely involved.

The details of Dean's story would melt a heart of stone, and people who are touched by this will want to help as best they can.

The police and Dean's family and friends are doing everything possible, but there is one way you might help.

The police are carrying out a search today in the Cave Hill area of north Belfast, so if you are available to join, you would be welcome.

You might already live in the area, or you might happen to be somewhere nearby, for the day. Either way, you could consider helping by joining in the search for as long as you can.

In the meantime, Dean McIlwaine and his parents, and his wider family and friends, are in all our thoughts and prayers.
ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions has no plans to resign after a report emerged that he engaged in campaign and policy-related conversations with Russia during the 2016 campaign, and he would only leave his position if President Trump were to fire him, a person familiar with the matter has told ABC News.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) denied Friday evening that Sessions had meetings or discussions with foreign officials "concerning any type of interference" with the 2016 election.

The denial comes in response to a Washington Post report that the Russian ambassador to the U.S. told Russian officials that he and Sessions engaged in campaign and policy-related conversations during the period Sessions served as an adviser to Trump's campaign.

The report, published by the Post on Friday, does not accuse Sessions of discussing interference, as the DOJ release states, but reports that "he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow" with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The Post cites "current and former U.S. officials" familiar with the intercepted communications of Russian government officials.

There was no discussion regarding Russia's attempts to influence the election, and there were not any discussion of cooperation or collaboration between Trump associates and the Russians, the source says.



In March, responding to an earlier Washington Post article that publicly disclosed his encounters with Kislyak, the attorney general said that he "never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign." The DOJ portrayed these meetings as a regular activity for a U.S. senator on the Armed Services Committee.



The DOJs statement on Friday, and the refutation that Sessions spoke of "interference," mirrors testimony Sessions gave before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June. In that testimony, he also said that meetings and conversations "with any Russians" or foreign officials were not about "interference with any campaign or election."



Questions of Sessions honesty regarding his interactions with Russia stem from his January confirmation hearing. There he was questioned by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., regarding what he would do as the head of the DOJ if he discovered "evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government" during the campaign.



Sessions did not directly answer the question, instead saying that he wasn't aware of such activities, and that he, personally, never made contact with representatives of the country.



"I didn't have... communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it," said Sessions.



Giving misleading information regarding the nature of conversations with Kislyak led to the resignation of Michael Flynn, who stepped down as national security adviser in February after denying he spoke with the ambassador. Flynn's stance was repeated publicly by Vice President Mike Pence before the truth became public.



Friday's revelations about the subject of Sessions' discussions with Kislyak come following an interview by the New York Times with Trump Wednesday, in which he admitted regret over nominating Sessions to be attorney general after his recusal from matters related to the election.



Committees in both the House and Senate, as well as a special counsel appointed by Sessions' deputy, are investigating Russian meddling in the election and any potential links to or collusion with the Trump campaign.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Mystery surrounds the car which was involved in a horrific accident with a biker who was leading President Robert Mugabe's motorcade last Saturday.On Saturday, one of the bikers leading the motorcade was involved in a crash with an Isuzu truck near the One Commando military base along Airport Road as Mugabe was making his way from the Harare International Airport upon his return from a medical visit in Singapore.The biker suffered multiple injuries and was admitted to hospital.Before that had happened, Mugabe's wife, Grace, had been injured at the airport in a freak accident that occurred when the presidential chauffeur moved the car before the First Lady had been fully onboard.The Daily News can report that in the case of the biker's accident, nothing is known about the driver of the Isuzu truck, nor the owner despite the mysterious car having a registration, AAX 3166, whose search at the Central Vehicle Registry last week presented more questions than answers.Despite having a number plate, the Isuzu did not exist in the registration books, further adding curiosity to ownership and authenticity of the registration number displayed by the car.Police refused to comment, insisting that the investigative officer who attended the scene would be the best person to handle our enquiries.It was not clear who had attended the scene of the accident as it happened on the borders of Hatfield, Cranborne and Braeside police stations.Authorities have zero tolerance for motorists who obstruct or fail to pave way for the presidential motorcade.Protocol demands that motorists - including vehicles that may belong to other security arms not part of the presidential motorcade - pave way for Mugabe.In fact, according to the law, it is an offence not to pull from the road when Mugabe's speeding motorcade approaches.Several people have either been fined or jailed for falling foul of the laws governing Mugabe's motorcade.One classical example is of a Victoria Falls man, Trinity Gonongono, who was jailed 30 years when he failed to make way for the presidential motorcade.Last Saturday's crash was not the first time that Mugabe's motorcade has been involved in crashes with motorists.In May this year, one of Mugabe's motorcade outriders was left badly injured in Harare during the evening rush hour, after he crashed into a motorist while trying to clear traffic for the Zanu-PF leader who was on his way to State House where he was hosting Lesotho king, King Letsie III.In May last year, Mugabe's motorcade was involved in a similar accident when another of the outriders crashed into a commuter omnibus whose driver was later charged with negligent driving.And in one of the most horrific crashes to involve the presidential motorcade in 2012, one of Mugabe's outriders met a horrific death when his bike caught fire near Sam Levy village in Borrowdale, Harare.Traumatised eyewitnesses watched helplessly then as the outrider writhed on the side of the road in agony, battling for dear life as his motorbike - which was lying by his side - was consumed by a raging fire, which also killed him moments later.This was after some passing motorists had desperately tried to put out the fire using their fire extinguishers.Also in 2012, a police lead vehicle sent to clear traffic ahead of the president's oncoming convoy, rammed into a commuter minibus carrying 22 passengers.A male passenger in the minibus died on impact with a police Mercedes, while 15 other people - including two police officers - were seriously injured.On another trip to Zvimba in the same year, the presidential convoy was also involved in two accidents.In the first crash, a homeless man was knocked down by a police motorbike in Harare - with the police outrider and the victim both being hospitalised, and the homeless man dying later.And as the president's convoy left Kutama on the return journey, an open-top army Land Cruiser carrying members of the presidential guard burst a tyre and overturned - killing Jeoffrey Mukotekwa and wounding several others.
After an 18-year run in Goose Creek and unforeseen challenges presented by COVID-19, Dreamalot Books has gradually  but decidedly  gained a steady foothold in the Moncks Corner community as a welcoming haven of second-hand books for both area bibliophiles and those traveling in from Myrtle Read moreThe 'happy place' for used books: Dreamalot Books emerging as a go-to hot spot in Moncks Corner
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News / National

by Staff reporter

A RUSAPE man allegedly force-marched his wife to a mountain before fatally assaulting her with an unknown object.James Sikila (33) of Muradzi Village in Chief Tandi's area who has been on the run since April was arrested last weekend while hiding at his brother's House Number 3027, Magamba Extension in Rusape.Sikila appeared in court on Monday and was not asked to plead by Rusape magistrate, Mr Shane Kubonera, who remanded him in custody to July 31.Mr Kubonera also advised Sikila to apply for bail at the High Court as he was facing a serious offence.State prosecutor, Mr Tafara Chawatama, told the court that the skeletal remains of Sikila's wife whose name was not provided in court papers were discovered in the mountain two weeks after her callous murder and were taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare for post-mortem."On April 14 at around 10pm, Sikila had a misunderstanding with his wife while they were in their bedroom hut."Sikila later force-marched his wife to a nearby mountain where he assaulted her with an unknown. The wife sustained serious head injuries resulting in her death."Her remains were discovered scattered all over the scene of the murder after two weeks. A post mortem was carried at Parirenyatwa Hospital," said Mr Chawatama.
For Immediate Release, July 21, 2017 Contact: Amaroq Weiss, (707) 779-9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org Washington Wildlife Agency to Gun Down Wolves 3-month-old Pups Likely to Die From Kill Operation OLYMPIA, Wash. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on Thursday announced it will kill members of the Smackout wolf pack after confirmation that a calf was injured by one or more wolves on public grazing land in Stevens County on July 18. The kill operation will likely result in the deaths of the 3-month-old wolf pups from this year's litter. The kill order was issued under a new wolf-livestock interaction protocol adopted by the department in June. The protocol allows the Smackout wolves to be killed because they were previously involved in several livestock losses or injuries 10 months ago. However, in September nonlethal conflict-deterrence measures were implemented, successfully stopping any further attacks until recently. Instead of gunning down wild wolves, state officials should be ramping up nonlethal conflict-prevention measures, said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer for the Center for Biological Diversity. Killing 3-month-old wolf pups is an appalling way to resolve this issue. We're extremely concerned and upset that a kill order has been issued after a 10-month period of no livestock injuries or losses due to this pack. The new protocol  plus the fact that wolf-management policies are being developed through the Department of Fish and Wildlife's own Wolf Advisory Group  has been criticized by several conservation groups and the public because it provides no adequate opportunity for citizens to weigh in and undertakes no environmental review in establishing new wolf-management policies. Under the protocol, wolves can be killed if there are either three depredation events within a 30-day rolling window of time or four depredation events within a 10-month rolling window of time. The protocol establishes limited requirements that nonlethal conflict-deterrence measures be used before resorting to killing wolves, and it mandates agency transparency about wolf-related activities. The Smackout pack kill order raises additional concerns because the protocol is being applied retroactively. In addition, the agency failed to inform the public of known increased wolf activity in the area and what additional steps  if any  were being taken to prevent the conflicts. This is the fourth time in five years that state-endangered wolves have been slated for death due to the grazing of privately owned cattle on publicly owned lands, and each time this has happened, the kill operations have sparked enormous public outrage. By the end of 2016, Washington's wolf population was confirmed to be 115 wolves, but a report recently issued by the state wildlife agency indicates that five wolves have already been killed in Washington this year: Two were struck by cars, two are suspicious deaths (still the subject of investigations), and one was a wolf killed in late June by a range rider monitoring cattle after catching the wolf in the act of attacking livestock. Under Washington's wolf plan, livestock owners who have had wolf-caused losses are eligible for taxpayer-funded compensation, and  as is the case here  are eligible for double compensation when the livestock were grazing on areas of 100 or more acres. We should all question a policy that was developed without public input and allows the killing of wildlife on publicly owned land, even though the livestock owner can already collect double compensation for the losses, said Weiss.
Starting your day with a cup of mushroom coffee can give a much-needed twist to your daily regimen. Many speak of its benefits, and some even prefer it to regular coffee. But given its unique
Afruibana, a pan-African association of fruit producers and exporters from Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana was officially launched during Cameroon Trade Minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana's visit to European institutions on 19 July 2017. The minister, as a representative of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) during the various Councils of Ministers addressing the banana industry, was lauded for this initiative. The association will allow fruit producers on the continent to combine their efforts with a view to having their voices heard better in international trade.

Afruibana, an association established under Cameroonian law, gathers several representatives of producers and exporters from different sub-Saharan countries, notably Assobacam, the Cameroon banana industry association, and OBAMCI, an Ivory Coast organisation of producers and exporters of bananas, pineapples, mangoes and other fruits. Afruibana is an open platform with a mission to defend the interests of African fruit farming.

In Brussels, Afruibana has thus become the permanent representative of a community of fruit producers and exporters across Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana. The association will take steps to support competitiveness and export fruits to EU countries. It will also serve as an interface between producers in the sector and European institutions to secure financing and support for African fruit growers. Afruibana also has a key role in the representation and advocacy for asserting the quality and importance of agro-industrial value chains across the African continent in terms of economy, social affairs and environmental impact.

Reinforcing ties with the EU

"The European Union is the main outlet for African bananas, for historical and geographical reasons," says Joseph Owona Kono, Chairman of Afruibana. In the Ivory Coast and Cameroon, the agricultural sector makes up approximately 60% of the economy in these two countries.

Gratisography via Pexels

"Farming is thus one of the main sources of jobs and income for most of the rural population. For this reason, Afruibana has an essential role in reinforcing our ties with European agencies, favouring trade between Africa and Europe, promoting socioeconomic development and contributing to the fight against migration."

"A number of future European political decisions are of a strategic importance for African producers. Afruibana's role is, therefore, to raise awareness among European decision-makers about the interest of maintaining and developing African farming not only to continue exporting quality bananas but also to develop the economy in our countries by shoring up rural employment and family-run farms," explains Jean-Marie Kacou Gervais, vice-chairman of Afruibana.

Several important meetings will be on Afruibana's institutional agenda in the coming months, namely the EU-Africa Summit in Abidjan at the end of November 2017, with the adoption of a new road map for relations between the two continents, the preparation of the post-Cotonou Agreement as of January 2018, or even the provisions for meetings between the EU and Latin American producers during the first quarter in 2018.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Shona adage, shiri ine muririre wayo haiuregeri best describes the MDC-T when it comes to elections, as the party seizes any opportunity to grumble over the possibility of losing an election to rigging or any imaginary unfair play.As usual, MDC-T is up in arms with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) after it announced that of the 9 600 voter registration centres being set up in the country, 1 100 had been earmarked for Harare (700) and Bulawayo (400).MDC-T's paranoia stinks to high heavens bearing in mind that they never took any effort to understand ZEC's criterion in coming up with these allocations, since the electoral board certainly goes through some intensive research to come up with the best suitable workable decision. It is folly to admit MDC-T's argument which is merely cemented on a professed idea that rural areas are Zanu PF strongholds, neglecting all other factors which had to be considered before settling for these centres.The registration centres were based on scientific research which included population density, settlement patterns, expansiveness of provinces and districts according to ZimStat 2012 census projections.As such, due to aspects such as distance and proximity to the next station in relation to where one stays, ZEC saw it prudent to increase centres in rural areas as one ended up having to travel for more than 15km on foot to the nearest registration centre, a situation which is not applicable to urban dwellers.In an effort to avoid such and encourage voting, ZEC increased the registration centres in rural areas.Contrary to this, urban registration centres are easily accessible by transport and the population density of people per square metre as compared to their rural counterparts, hence the reason why ZEC resolved that 1 500 people be registered per centre.Commenting on the announcement, the MDC-T National Executive member, Murisi Zwizwai said that his party was shocked that the two metropolitan provinces had fewer centres, yet had high population densities."We don't understand the rationale why registration centres in Harare are not equal to the number of polling stations in the province like what happened to other provinces," he claimed.Voters in urban areas will not by any chance be disenfranchised through the registration process since the BVR registration process will be conducted in 72 days, a reasonable period for anyone intending to vote to register, after having conducted a 70-day public awareness campaign for the voter registration prior to the registration process. In the spirit of inclusiveness, ZEC responded that the election board welcomed any objections, as long as the concerns were based on facts, objective and scientific reasoning, seeing that they had conducted their own research before settling for these registration centres. The opposition party seems to be on a fault finding mission, in an effort to discredit the electoral process, before they even run for the elections.Initially they made noise on ZEC's alleged reluctance to start on the Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) process. When it commenced, the opposition had reservations on the Zimbabwean Government purchasing the kits instead of UNDP. Again they had issues with the awarding of tender to the Laxton Group of Companies to supply the BVR kits' claiming they had links with Government for a mere fact that they are Chinese and the two countries have amiable relations.They later moved a motion to object requirement for one to produce proof of residence in order to vote and now they are having issues with the number of registration centres. Clearly, this is just but one of MDC-T's shrewdness in trying to garner sympathizers in the event of losing in the upcoming elections, a situation which seems highly inevitable bearing in mind the Afro barometer survey which has just confirmed Zanu PF's presidential candidate as the one with the highest potential and popular.
News / National

by Staff reporter

SIX Nyanyadzi High School students and a primary school teacher appeared before Headman Gudyanga's court last Saturday to answer allegations of their involvement in acts of Satanism.An unprecedented crowd of more than one thousand people attended the court session.One Form Four student was accused of being a key member of the Satanism cult by her colleagues while the primary school teacher from neighbouring Dirikwe Primary School professed ignorance about Satanism activities, and said she might have been used unknowingly.One of the school teachers goes through the screening and cleansing ceremonyWhile testifying, one of the girls said: "I saw her (the Form Four student) on a number of occasions coming to me in my dreams, offering me food but I flatly refused. I did not report the matter to my parents or teachers but I told my friends about it."That happened during the first term. This term I had swollen eyes and the problem persisted even after consulting several medical practitioners. My parents sought help from spiritualists and that is where we were told that there were attempts to initiate me into Satanism. I would see her (the Form Four student) coming to me with apples and strawberries but I consistently refused."Another school girl told the headman's court that she saw the same girl coming to her with a crown, which she wanted her to put on but she refused."It actually happened last Tuesday when we had finished having dinner at home and I had a terrible headache. When I closed my eyes I saw her (the Form Four student) coming to me in the company of three other girls. She was holding a crown that she handed over to me to put on but I refused. I struggled like I was in a nightmare until I woke up," she said.A Nyanyadzi High School student collapses during the cleansing ritualThe girl's mother, who is also teacher at the same school, said it had been a while since she discovered her child's problems."I have been having problems because of my daughter's behavioural change as well as inexplicable health conditions such as during the times that she would collapse and suddenly wake up without complaining about any ailment. At times, she would come home being held by her friends and after a short period she regains her consciousness."We tried all avenues in the medical health sector but they could not find any problems on her until as a parent I then consulted spiritualists who told us the real problem that she was facing," she said.Part of the crowd takes vantage positions on trees to witness the ritualsThe other three girls who also appeared before the court professed ignorance about acts of Satanism. However, the female teacher at Dirikwe High School, who had been named as part of those that had been recruited, said she was not part of the Satanism cult unless if she was involved unknowingly."I am here to hear about the allegations levelled against me being involved in Satanism. I know nothing about it unless if I was initiated unknowingly and I am involved unknowingly. That is all I want to know," she said.The court adjourned to Sunday when apostolic exorcists carried out a cleansing ceremony to screen and cleanse the victims. Hundreds of students from Nyanyadzi High School, as well as surrounding schools underwent the screening and cleansing ceremony, including some among the six teachers and school children who had initially been implicated.The alleged Satanism ring leader and two other female teachers did not attend the cleansing ceremony at the headman's court.But onlookers were taken aback when one Nyanyadzi High School teacher and the Form Four student, both of whom were implicated as key players in the cult passed the test and were deemed clean.Emmanuel Banga Sithole, a popular figure in the Nyanyadzi community, felt that the cleansing ceremony was not authentic, questioning why known suspects passed through the screening.However others interviewed by The Weekender said that the cleansing ceremony helped resolve the issue that had created tension in the community.Last Tuesday, anti-riot police descended on Nyanyadzi High to restore calm after angry pupils and parents demanded the sacking of the female teacher accused of masterminding the initiation of three colleagues and 400 children into Satanism.Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Dr Lazarus Dokora, has since dismissed reports of pupils being initiated into Satanism at the school as mere hysteria.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A MUTARE diamond dealer, who made rich pickings at the height of diamond mining in Chiadzwa and acquired a fleet of vehicles and a house in a leafy suburb, lost his bid to send his erstwhile wife away empty-handed.In a typical "rags to riches" case, Mr Garikai Sigauke and Ms Portia Mhurushomana moved out of a single rented room in a high-density area to a "mansion" of their own in a plush suburb of Mutare.The couple bought 13 vehicles, among them top-of-the range models and other properties after their business flourished.After the great transformation, Mr Sigauke, who was customarily married to Ms Mhurushomana, gave the woman a token of divorce and literally sent her away empty-handed.Ms Mhurushomana together with her two minor children were evicted from the matrimonial home.Just before the divorce, Mr Sigauke sold a vehicle he had bought for Ms Mhurushomana for $3 000.Through her lawyers, Gonese & Ndlovu Legal Practitioners, Ms Mhurushomana filed an application at the High Court seeking a fair distribution of the property acquired during the subsistence of the 10-year marriage.Justice Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa ruled that Ms Mhurushomana contributed to the acquisition of the matrimonial home, No. 12 Taylor Avenue, Morningside, Mutare, and that she was entitled to a 50 percent share.The judge ordered Mr Sigauke to pay $3 000 to Ms Mhurushomana as compensation for the Toyota Caldina he unilaterally sold.The two were customarily married in 2007 but they did not solemnise the marriage.Two children were born out of wedlock.However, the pair parted ways at the end of last year after Mr Sigauke served Ms Mhurushomana with a traditional token of divorce.Ms Mhurushomana had been a teacher since the time she first met Mr Sigauke who was unemployed in 2003.Being a teacher, the woman told the court that she used to fend for the family and she even raised $4 800, which Mr Sigauke used as capital for the diamond business."The plaintiff gave the defendant US$4 800 that she had saved as capital and ZW$200."This, according to her evidence, was a turning point as the defendant successfully engaged in the diamond business. He would bring money ranging from $50 000 to $80 000 and at one time he brought $180 000," reads part of the judgment.The court also considered that Ms Mhurushomana also contributed professionally in the diamond business."As the diamond business thrived, she (Ms Mhurushomana) was the one doing books of accounts and would keep records of the amounts taken to buy diamonds, profit and rough record of the amounts used by the family . . ."At one point, the couple ventured into the transport business and they bought two haulage trucks. The court found Ms Mhurushomana to be a credible witness."She struck the court as an honest witness who even admitted that despite her husband failing in other business endeavours, he was successful in the diamond industry and took over the burden of paying rentals and began to provide for the family," reads part of the judgment.
News / National

by Staff reporter

WAR veteran George Mlala has challenged the Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-Political Detainees and Restrictees, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, to report him to the police after he was branded a "corrupt thief of the highest order."Addressing hundreds of war veterans at Stanley Square in Bulawayo last Sunday, Rtd Col Dube alleged that Mlala was extorting cash from a businessman in the city who was externalising the much-needed foreign currency.The Minister said the war veteran was working with a Pakistani businessman who owns a company that smuggles and packages rice, mealie-meal and then externalises profits to Pakistan through Botswana.He said at one time the businessman externalised $4 million and Mlala was paid $30 000 as protection fee and there are documents to prove that.However, addressing some Zanu-PF supporters at Davies Hall on Thursday, Mlala said Rtd Col Dube should stop politicking and provide evidence to the police."He has evidence where he says he is prepared to go to court. You are telling the newspaper, you are telling the constituency, you are not telling the rightful people."From Stanley Square to Ross Camp, I think it's about 500 metres but you are failing to go there and say here is someone who has smuggled so much, this is the evidence, can you investigate?"You go to the press and tell the people that our monies are not in the banks because of these thieves," said Mlala.He said Rtd Col Dube should not align himself with any groups of war veterans as his mandate is to ensure that freedom fighters are catered for."The Ministry cannot speak on behalf of the association."The Ministry speaks on behalf of war veterans, collaborators and ex-detainees irrespective of political affiliation. But these organisations have their own structures," said Mlala.He said it was unfortunate that Rtd Col Dube was aligning himself with a group of war veterans whose members have been expelled from the party.Mlala claimed that his life was in danger as his opponents had placed him under surveillance."There are cars that go around following me but I'm not worried. They wanted to poison me in Harare and I know that there are thugs who have been told to stab me," he said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A ZIMBABWEAN woman based in the United Kingdom who allegedly deserted her husband in 2000, has dragged his second wife to court in a fight over his estate following his death in February.Ms Andie Khupe (67) is challenging the appointment of Ms Sibusisiwe Nzombe, her late husband's second wife who lives in Plumtree, as executor of his estate.Ms Nzombe, who was customarily married to Mr Levie Moyo in 2004, was in February appointed executor of the estate. Ms Khupe, who was legally married to Moyo under the Marriage Act, wants the Magistrate Court to reverse Ms Nzombe's appointment.In her application, Ms Khupe said she was the late Moyo's only surviving spouse.Ms Khupe said Ms Nzombe did not inform her of Moyo's death in order to unlawfully assume control over the estate.She said she was not aware that her husband was customarily married to another woman."I have been based in the UK for the past 15 years as I work there but I was still legally married to my husband, Levie Moyo at the time he passed away. I was periodically visiting my husband at our home in Plumtree while he was still alive and I wasn't aware that he was married to another woman customarily," Ms Khupe said."I only heard rumours about the matter while I was in the UK. When my husband died in February, Ms Nzombe didn't inform me and I only learnt about it a week later. As a result I failed to apply to be appointed as an executor of my late husband's estate on time."She said she learnt that Ms Nzombe had lied to the court that she was the only surviving spouse and was appointed as the executor."I beg with the court to disqualify Ms Nzombe from being the executor of my husband's estate because I'm the legal wife. I don't recognise Ms Nzombe as his wife at all as she is just a chancer trying to gain ownership of my late husband's property," Ms Khupe said.In her opposing affidavit, Ms Nzombe, who is being represented by Mr Kenneth Lubimbi of Lubimbi and Partners Legal Practitioners, insisted that she was the rightful executor of her late husband's estate as "the only surviving spouse."She said when she was customarily married to Moyo in 2004, he told her that Ms Khupe deserted him and relocated to the UK. Ms Nzombe said she was not aware that Moyo was still legally married to his first wife and she had never seen her during the course of their marriage.Ms Nzombe said Ms Khupe abandoned her husband and was now coming back because she was greedy."Ms Khupe never set foot at our matrimonial home since 2004 and she didn't oppose my marriage to Moyo. She abandoned her ex-husband for the past 12 years and is only resurfacing for purposes of inheritance."When I moved in with Moyo, the relatives of his first wife took out all the movable property and we started building our home from scratch. I have been living in my home for the past 12 years and I won't allow Ms Khupe to rob me of my inheritance because of her greediness," she said.Ms Nzombe begged the court to dismiss Ms Khupe's application.Plumtree magistrate, Mr Taurai Manwere, referred the matter to the High Court.
Opinion / Columnist

Sometime last year Job Sikhala, an MDC senior official challenged Mthwakazi activists to take him into their confidence and explain why they wanted to secede from Zimbabwe. I am not sure if he got the response he wanted. Here is my succinct response to those with similar questions, not as a member of PDP but as a member of the Mthwakazi nation. Mthwakazi is the collective name of all regions that once fell under the Ndebele Kingdom and that region roughly covers the Midlands province together with present day Matabeleland, parts of Masvingo and parts of Mashonaland West. It is the official name King Mzilikazi gave to his kingdom.Mthwakazi people want out of Zimbabwe because they are being crushed to death by the weight of Shona tribal oppression. However, it would be unfair to attempt to project all the Shona people of Zimbabwe as oppressors of Ndebeles by virtue of being members of that nation. Indeed many of them have dissociated themselves from the Gukurahundi ideology and even condemned it as an evil practice in much more elaborate ways than some Ndebeles have done. By Gukurahundi ideology we are not merely referring to the events of the 1980s. We are referring to the ongoing collective attitude of an entire ethnic group who have wittingly or unwittingly barricaded all access to power, opportunities and resources in Zimbabwe by members of the Ndebele nation. That there is tension between these two national groupings cannot be denied; cannot be ignored. The string of events that culminated with the breakup of the united MDC in 2005 is a case in point. Even Joshua Nkomo, the biggest catch and captive of the Shona so far, speaks about it in his book published in 1984 while he was in exile in London fleeing the same Gukurahundi architects. However, this tension is not at individual level; it is at political level. At individual level people can make friends, fall in love or even intermarry.My personal view is that Ndebele-Shona relations are not an intertribal affair; they are a subterranean xenophobia between nationals of two rival nations forced to live within the same borders of one country by history. Just like the Ndebele, the Shona are also a great people who have demonstrated incredible bravery in fighting for their freedom from colonial oppression. Unfortunately, because of the deep distrust borne by the Shona against their Ndebele counterparts, they have devoted much of their creative genius in keeping Ndebeles down and out of power instead of developing the country. In the process they have severely messed up the country to the extent that even their blind beggars have fled it. All this is unnecessary.I know many people who read this article will immediately conclude that the views expressed here represent or promote hatred against the Shona as a people. Much to the contrary, these views emphasize how detestable tribalism is as ensconced in the Gukurahundist system that is being executed in the name of the Shona, articulated in their language, implemented through their agency, for their benefit and prosperity at the expense of the Ndebele. Just as there were many good whites who disagreed with Ian Smith's racial discrimination against blacks in Rhodesia but quietly enjoyed the privileges of whiteness, there are also many good Shona people today who do not agree with Gukurahundism but quietly enjoy the privileges of being Shona in Zimbabwe. They unwittingly do this through their linguistic chauvinism when they expect all Ndebeles to know Shona. They do this when they fix two different leadership aspiration ceilings for themselves as Shonas against Ndebeles. To illustrate this point, just recently, when someone mistook Dr Nkosana Moyo for an Ndebele, they posted an article asking: "Is Zimbabwe ready for an Ndebele President?" My question is: "Who the hell is this stupid Zimbabwe who has to be ready for a fresh and healthy Ndebele speaking president when she is being screwed by an obnoxious, sick and old Shona speaking president for nearly 40 years but doesn't mind being repeatedly infected with gonorrhoea?" Why can't VP Phelekezela Mphoko or Prof Jonathan Moyo aspire to become President Robert Mugabe's successor, respectively? Why can't we have a Ndebele National Army Commander, Air Marshal, CIO Boss, Prison Services Head or Reserve Bank Governor?The Ndebele want to enjoy full citizenship in their own country too where they will not be made to feel foreign and unwanted. A country where they will aspire for and occupy any position of authority without being told that 'their' country is not yet ready for 'their' presidency. Ndebeles are tired of being told to go back to KwaZulu-Natal whenever they complain of marginalisation, violation of their languages and heritage; when they demand justice or want to install a king as their cultural embodiment in terms of Chapter 15.1(1) and (2) of the Zimbabwe Constitution. Remember the Ndebele are the only people in Zimbabwe (if not the entire continent) who lost their institution of the king through European colonisation and never regained it after independence. They do not need a referendum for this just like the resuscitation of abolished chieftaincies does not need any referendum. Now tell me, are Ndebeles full citizens of Zimbabwe? My opinion is that both nations can benefit much from a peaceful coexistence as two independent neighbouring states than by engaging in mutual futile contests for supremacy over Zimbabwe.
Opinion / Columnist

In an explosive interview with the Bulawayo24 News journo, Mr Mqondisi Moyo, the President of Mthwakazi Republic Party broke the CIO spell and released Mthwakazi activists from the CIO stranglehold. Allegations and accusations against Mthwakazi activists of being CIOs when they stand up to the bully which is Zimbabwe, Mugabe and ZANU PF have effectively damaged many good and promising leaders' political careers.I am happy that Mr Moyo robustly bravely tackled this taboo subject and I encourage him to continue doing the same.The Central Intelligence Organisation is the security and intelligence agency of the Zimbabwean government which looks after the interests of the Shona people, it is widely known for its brutality, particularly towards the Mthwakazi citizens. If you don't believe me, please the ZAPU and ex-ZIPRA cadres of Mthwakazi origin who went through the hands of the CIO, they will tell you, and you will comprehend what I am talking about.This brutality earned the CIO a badge of hatred from the Mthwakazi people and therefore if you are seen or perceived to be one of them you automatically become and an outcast. I am tired of hearing of baseless accusations of many Mthwakazi gallant fighters being labelled CIOs without any evidence. The people like Mqondisi Moyo, Paul Siwela, David Magagula, Fidelis Moyo, Dr Brilliant Sigabade, Mqondobanzi Magonya, and many others have been besmirched by the CIO insult. Nobody has ever come forward and offered any credible evidence, for example a man like Dr Sigabade has been vilified due to his relationship with Prof Jonathan Moyo and has been accused of being sponsored by ZANU PF to study abroad. This I can categorically dispel as a liar, I have had deep and wide-ranging conversations with Dr Sigabade and he has provided me with email evidence of how he came to be in the UK for his studies. No matter what people say, we will work with our freedom fighters, nobody shall make us turn against Magonya, nobody shall make us turn against Mqondisi, and absolutely nobody shall make us turn against any Mthwakazi freedom fighter by labelling them CIOs.Allow me to quote verbatim what Mr Moyo said in his wide-ranging interview:"SJ: You have on several occasions been accused of being a CIO operative, where did those allegations emanate from and how do you feel about that?MM: This is just a myth, it is surprising that people never doubted or challenged leaders like Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe and other nationalists including my father who was a former teacher under Ian Smith regime, people like Mugabe who is so highly decorated was a teacher under Smith Regime, Joshua Nkomo a social worker at Rhodesian Railways but no one ever called them CIOs but today Mqondisi Moyo stand up to challenge Shona hegemony he is called a CIO by the cowards and people with selfish agendas trying to smear campaign me and soil my name. Zimbabwe history has to be rewritten because it means people like Robert Mugabe and Nkomo were also CIOs of that time.There are people who believe that what they can't do, nobody else can do it. This is why anyone who raises up, whether in civil society or in politics is called a CIO. Those who are quick to point fingers are themselves doing nothing always waiting to criticize those who choose to stand up and be hands on in solving Matabeleland issues. The other reason being the impact of Gukurahundi, people was made to have fear, the people of Matabeleland fear even their own shadows, and there is no leader who is not a CIO suspect. We have learnt to leave with it and continue to pursue what we believe is right regardless of consequences and challenges involved".Mr Moyo was 100% accurate to equate his predicament to the nationalists who worked for the Smith regime but were never called CIOs. If Mr Moyo is a CIO, then he is the only sensible CIO and we love him. It is out of order to accuse Moyo of being a CIO just because he worked for a government department before he resigned. How many civil servants do we know today that worked for the government but belonged to opposition parties? Mqondisi Moyo has grown right in from of our eyes, leaders grow in the battlefield, Mr Moyo is almost there. Even when Mr Moyo started his political journey he was far much better than Tswangirayi. In a year or so we would be talking about a well-polished leader. Mqondisi has put the Mthwakazi struggle on a different level and from here there is no going back, particularly when all other pro-Mthwakazi organisations are all systems ready and complementing each other in a beautiful and special way.The CIO curse has been broken and the Mthwakazi activists should never again be petrified and feel isolated due to being labelled CIO. We now need our own CIOs to work fully for Mthwakazi.The restoration of the Monarchy in September is undoubtedly going to be a game changer. Time is right for Mthwakazi to roar. Enough is enough. In our millions, we are ready to liberate ourselves with love. We call for peace and peaceful political processes to be initiated by Zimbabwe and Mthwakazi to seriously engage with the Mthwakazi liberation question. The Mthwakazi liberation question is going nowhere until Mthwakazi is free. It would be a grave mistake for Mugabe and ZANU PF to resort to violence to stop the Mthwakazi liberation train. The truth is that the train is in motion, it cannot be derailed, the destination is one and make no mistake the train will reach its destination right in our lifetime.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/07/2017 (1939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A military court trial is expected to be set next month in the case of a still-practising medical physician at CFB Shilo who is accused of sexual and physical assault.

The scheduling conference will take place 22 months after the allegations were presented to the military.

The accuser, a former Canadian Armed Forces officer, shared her frustration with delays in the military justice system in an interview that aired nationally on CTV. The segment aired earlier this month.

The accuser, who the broadcaster agreed not to identify, claimed Capt. Steven James Nordstrom sexually assaulted her at a work-related event at a hotel in February 2015. The victim said the doctor harassed her for weeks after and physically assaulted her.

He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

According to a Canadian Armed Forces spokesperson, the complaint was first lodged in October 2015. The accused was arrested by Canadian Forces National Investigation Service officers in January 2016, and later released on conditions. Charges were laid on July 20, 2016, and were approved by the director of military prosecutions last December.

The charges occurred at or near the Greater Toronto Area.

The woman told CTV she feels the military has kept her in the dark. They provided her few facts about the case, only revealing some details after she hired a lawyer.

Michel Drapeau, her Ottawa-based lawyer, declined to speak to The Brandon Sun about her clients concerns, stating he had nothing new to report.

As a physician at CFB Shilos 11 Canadian Forces Health Services, there are currently restrictions on Nordstroms practice.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons in Manitoba indicates on its website that a female attendant must be present as a chaperone whenever Nordstrom meets a female patient.

The college would not reveal why this stipulation was imposed.

The military introduced a stricter limitation last July by preventing Nordstrom from seeing female patients.

A military spokesperson said Canadian Forces Health Services completed a review of the officers patient care privileges in response to the assault accusations.

Their investigation deemed the direct risk to patients is low, as the allegations are not proven, did not involve patients or happen in a patient care setting.

However, given the nature of the allegations, the Deputy Surgeon General has directed that the Medical Officer in question shall only see male patients, the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Nordstrom replied via text message to The Brandon Sun that though he would love the opportunity to rebuke the claims made against me, the appropriate time and place to do that will be in court.

I look forward to that day, allowing me and my family to put this behind us.

In addition to the military court proceeding, Nordstrom is involved in a family court matter with a woman he was previously in a relationship with. She declined comment when contacted by the Sun.

In court documents obtained at the Brandon Court of Queens Bench, Nordstrom briefly alluded to the military charges.

He explained he was in a course with the woman in question and they went for drinks one night. He was invited up to her room, where they engaged in foreplay but not sexual intercourse.

The woman asked me to stop and informed me that she was married. I immediately stopped and left, we remained friends for the remainder of the course, Nordstrom said in the affidavit.

While I am hopeful that this matter will be stayed in the near future, I am obviously deeply embarrassed, particularly given the fact that I am a father to a young daughter.

Nordstrom went on to state he informed various departments of the allegation. He added he continues to act in place of the bases senior medical authority/acting base surgeon when this person is not in the office.

Drapeau, the lawyer of the woman who accused Nordstrom of assault, told CTV the proper reflex on the part of the military should have been to suspend this individual instead of allowing him to see only male patients.

A few months after the alleged sexual assault, the Canadian Armed Forces launched a program called Operation Honour to stamp out sexual misconduct within the military.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
Opinion / Columnist

Dr Moyo and his APA party wants to be the Emmanuel Macron of France who started his own En Marche party from scratch and a year later was swept into the Elysee Palace, defeating all the established traditional parties with a landslide 66% victory. Dr Moyo is so engrossed in what he would do as the great statesman the world has ever seen; he is promising to "fix" Zimbabwe's economy in five years; it is not clear, whether the "fix" will take us back to where we were 10 years ago or, better still, in 1980.He says he has a plan to defeat Zanu PF in next year's election but, again, he will not say what this master plan is."We would not be doing this (contesting the elections and win) if we did not have a plan," answered Dr Moyo. "But what we not going to do and continue to refuse to do, is put it on a public platform so that everyone else can dismemb3r it!"A clever answer but it will not wash! The electorate, whose votes you are after, are supposed to judge you worthy of their vote on the basis of something concrete and not just your word. Anyone; even those with a proven track record of blundering incompetence and failures, like Morgan Tsvangirai, Joice Mujuru and President Mugabe himself; will promise the moon on a silver platter only to deliver hell-on-earth.On the economic front, Dr Moyo will probable do a hell lot better than what Zanu PF has done; indeed, ever Tsvangirai will probably do better than what Mugabe has done. Given Zimbabwe's present position with 90% unemployment rate, vast material and human resources and economic potential, a competent government should easily achieve an average yearly economic growth rate 15% plus in the first two decades.If the dysfunction GNU of Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai could achieve such impressive economic growth rates of -9.9% in 2008 to 5.3%, 11.4%, 11.9% and 10.6% in 2012 with the scrapping of the worthless Z$ in late 2008 and one or two policy changes. A government with a bit more common sense will do a lot better.The challenge before us in Zimbabwe is not so much one of failing to get a regime with common sense to replace this Zanu PF regime but rather the failure to remove this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe regime. We are stuck with Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs; have been these last 37 years and counting!In his almost narcissist zeal to emulate President Macron, Dr Moyo has forgotten that Zimbabwe is not France is one very important aspect  elections in Zimbabwe are not free, fair and credible. Zanu PF rigs elections and has been doing so for the last 37 years. Dr Moyo is not only being naive to ignore this political reality but, worse still, he is being down-right criminal because of the political, social and economic consequences of his failed political adventure is yet another Zanu PF rigged election, another five years of chaos, misery and hopeless despair."Over the last three elections, only about 43% of eligible voters have turned out to vote," argued Dr Moyo. "Our approach to politics is to get those who have been staying away. Who have been saying 'There is no option out there that I find attractive.'"But that is exactly the point, Dr Moyo, you are assuming the elections were free, fair and credible which nonsense because the elections were rigged.Yes, many Zimbabweans have failed to vote in the past but not because they did not consider whatever opposition there was a viable alternative to Zanu PF. Many people would rather vote 'for a donkey than Mugabe', Professor Jonathan Moyo once said; just to underline how desperate the people of Zimbabwe have been for regime change. Mugabe has been rigging the vote to deny many Zimbabwean a meaningful vote.There is documentary evidence showing that the voter registration in opposition strongholds was slow and laborious and so many did not register. Last time, near one million people were denied the vote because their details were not in the constituent voters' roll they expected. The regime stubbornly refused to release the voters' roll at least one month before voting day as is required by law. Many of the voters would have discovered the mix up in time for them to vote, which is why many believe the mix up was a deliberate act.The 2013 voters roll has not been released even to this day! The regime must know a close scrutiny of the voters roll will uncover the extend of the vote rigging, the voters' roll is the smoking gun.There is less than a year to go before next election and yet the task of voter registration has not even started, for example. The regime is dragging its feet on this to justify a stampede later. No doubt many people will once again fail to register, there will be many irregularities in the voters roll, etc. In short, the vote rigging has already started!Dr Moyo cannot just assume that everyone who voted for President Mugabe in his 62% victory did so out of their free will and that the vote count is true. Zanu PF has used its tried, tested and trusted carrot and stick vote rigging trick to win elections for years. The trick is a blend of vote buying; giving away food and farming inputs to povo and cars and bicycles to traditional leaders with the left hand, whilst wielding the stick in the right hand.Many rural voters were frogmarched to attend Zanu PF rallies and then to vote for the party candidates in the past and this continues to happen even now. Indeed, Dr Moyo has said he would not hold any public rallies himself because he fearful of these attending his rallies would be beaten by Zanu PF thugs or worse.In the 2013 elections, the number of polling stations was increased from 2 000 to a staggering 9 000 just days before voting day. Everyone has seen YouTube videos of hooded Zanu PF youths bussed from one polling station to the next to vote. Again, nothing has been done to stop this happen again next year.There are many, many other ways giving Zanu PF the competitive advantage over everyone else such as the party have the total monopoly of the country's public media; having unfettered access to the country's resources and State machinery; etc. Zimbabwe's electoral field is definitely tilted in favour of Zanu PF.The cost of nation going through next year's election is that Zanu PF will rig the vote and another five years of the economic chaos and political tyranny is a nightmare. But worse still the nation would forfeit yet another chance to get the reforms implemented and put to bed this scourge of vote rigging at the heart of the country's political paralysis and economic meltdown.Dr Moyo have no plan to stop Zanu PF rigging the vote. And so, he is working on the assumption that Zimbabwe elections are free, fair and credible; we will be foolish to go along with that because that is the one thing we should know by now is not true. The last thing we want is Dr Moyo admitting at the press interview the day after the elections that the elections "were stolen" just as Tsvangirai did after the July 2013 elections.We know the 2018 elections will be stolen unless we implement the reforms BEFORE the elections. After 37 years, it is madness to keep contesting elections knowing fully well Zanu PF will rig the vote and expecting a different result!
The brother-in-law of murdered Limerick man Jason Corbett has filed a separate lawsuit in the US.

The Irish Daily Mail reports David Lynch is bringing a civil suit of wrongful death against Molly Martens and her father Tom, who are facing a criminal charge of second degree murder.
The crew of the LE Eithne are returning home to a hero's welcome in Cork this morning.

During the ship's deployment in the Mediterranean, they rescued 1,187 people.
Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have been bombarded with death threats over the case of terminally-ill Charlie Gard.

Doctors and nurses have been subjected to abuse in the street and received thousands of threatening messages in recent weeks, GOSH chairwoman Mary MacLeod said.

The hospital is in close contact with the Metropolitan Police over the incidents, she added in a statement.

The 11-month-old boy, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, is currently the subject of an intense legal battle between his parents and medics over his treatment.

Ms MacLeod said in a statement: "Charlie Gard's case is a heart-breaking one. We fully understand that there is intense public interest and that emotions run high.

"We recognise the tireless advocacy of Charlie's loving parents, and the natural sympathy people feel with his situation.

"However, in recent weeks the GOSH community has been subjected to a shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance.

"Staff have received abuse both in the street and online.

"Thousands of abusive messages have been sent to doctors and nurses whose life's work is to care for sick children.

"Many of these messages are menacing, including death threats.

"Families have been harassed and discomforted while visiting their children, and we have received complaints of unacceptable behaviour even within the hospital itself.

"Whatever the strong emotions raised by this case, there can be no excuse for patients and families to have their privacy and peace disturbed as they deal with their own often very stressful situations or for dedicated doctors and nurses to suffer this kind of abuse.

"Great Ormond Street Hospital is in close contact with the Metropolitan Police, and we will do everything possible to hold to account anybody involved in this kind of deplorable behaviour."

Charlie's parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates are campaigning for their son to be allowed to undergo a therapy trial overseen by a specialist in New York.

Specialists at GOSH say the therapy is experimental and will not help. They say life support treatment should stop.

The case is due back before a High Court judge on Monday.

Keir Starmer, the constituency MP for the hospital, said: "Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world's leading hospitals for children.

"The staff at the hospital work tirelessly and with total dedication.

"Charlie Gard's case is truly tragic, and the whole nation sympathises with his parents. It is understandable that people feel very strongly about the case.

"But the abuse of staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital outside the hospital and online is totally unacceptable. There is no place for this abuse, and it has to stop."
An errant US airstrike has killed 12 Afghan National Police officers who were fighting the Taliban and wounded two others.

Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said on Saturday that the death toll in Friday's airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in Gereshk District.

The Pentagon confirmed the airstrike on the Security Forces compound happened during a US-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area, and offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory.

Nato and US troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Mr Safi told The Associated Press that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area.

He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred.

The Helmand governor, Hayatullah Hayat, said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan in northern Badakhshan province, Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said on Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a fierce battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

He said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Friday's firefight. It was not immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and even telephone contact is erratic.

And a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents in western Farah province has left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed.

The battle on Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district.

The fighting continued for five hours, Mohammad Naser Mehri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed.

Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area made it impossible to independently verify.

AP
US president Donald Trump has declared that the most advanced aircraft carrier to join the US Navy, the USS Gerald R Ford, will cause America's enemies to "shake with fear" whenever they see it.

Mr Trump gave a speech at the commissioning ceremony for the 100,000-tonne, 12.9 billion dollar (9.9 billion) warship, in which he praised the US military and the American labour that went into building it.

Mr Trump said at the event in Norfolk, Virginia: "I hereby place United States Ship Gerald R Ford in commission. May God bless and guide this warship and all who shall sail in her."

He was followed by Susan Ford Bales, the ship's sponsor and daughter of the 38th president, whom the ship honours.

She said: "There is no-one, absolutely no-one, who would be prouder of the commissioning of this mighty ship than the president of the United States, Gerald R Ford.

"I am honoured to give the command: 'Officers and crew of the United States Gerald R Ford, man our ship and bring her to life.'"

Mr Trump arrived aboard the carrier's steamy flight deck by the Marine One presidential helicopter and was greeted by defence secretary Jim Mattis and other officials.

Mr Trump, who visited the carrier in March to promote his plans for a military build-up, told Time magazine this year that the Navy should revert to using steam catapults to launch fighter jets because some of the state-of-the-art systems and technology aboard the USS Ford "costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it's no good".

Construction on the USS Ford started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of 10.5 billion dollars.

The US Navy has attributed the delays and budget overruns to the ship's state-of-the-art systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

The warship also has a smaller island that sits farther back on the ship to make it easier and quicker to refuel, re-arm and relaunch planes, and a nuclear power plant designed to allow cruising speeds of more than 30 knots and operation for 20 years without refuelling.

The vessel completed sea trials in April but still faces a battery of tests at sea before becoming operational and ready for deployment, work that is expected to cost nearly 780 million dollars (600 million) and take more than four years to complete, according to auditors.

The USS Ford is named after the country's 38th president, who rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy during the Second World War. After military service, Mr Ford was elected to the House of Representatives, serving Michigan until he was tapped by then-president Richard Nixon to become vice president.

Mr Ford became president after Mr Nixon resigned during the Watergate scandal.

Docked at Naval Station Norfolk, the USS Ford will eventually house about 2,600 sailors, 600 fewer than the previous generation of aircraft carriers. The Navy says that will save more than four billion dollars (3 billion) over the ship's 50-year lifespan.

The vessel was built at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

AP
US president Donald Trump has fired off a volley of tweets displaying his anger over multiple investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump sent the tweets, which touched on a number of topics, hours before he was due to help commission a new aircraft carrier at a ceremony on the Virginia coast.

His 10 tweets, all sent within two hours, addressed subjects as diverse as the Russia investigation, his attorney general Jeff Sessions, Hillary Clinton, health care reform efforts and his newly-appointed White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci.

Mr Trump said in one missive: "While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS."

The Washington Post recently reported that Mr Trump has inquired about the authority he has as president to pardon aides, relatives or even himself in connection with the widening investigation into Russian interference in last autumn's election and whether any Trump associates were involved.

The president has long criticised leaks of information about the investigation and has urged authorities to prosecute anyone found to be responsible.

Mr Trump maintains that no crimes have been committed.

One of his attorneys, Jay Sekulow, said the president has not discussed the issue of pardons with his outside legal team.

Next week, Mr Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, his son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, a former campaign chairman, are scheduled to appear before US Senate committees investigating Russian meddling.

Mr Trump defended his son, saying he "openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!"

Mr Trump's son has become a focus of the investigation after it was revealed that he, Mr Kushner and Mr Manafort met Russian representatives at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Mr Trump Jr later released email exchanges concerning the meeting on Twitter, after learning that The New York Times was about to publish them.

The FBI investigated Mrs Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state. She turned thousands of emails over to the government but deleted thousands of others that she said were personal or unrelated to her work as the nation's top diplomat.

Mr Trump also complained about a Washington Post report that the Russian ambassador to the US said he discussed election-related issues with Jeff Sessions when the men met during the 2016 presidential race.

Mr Sessions, who is now the attorney general, was a US senator at the time and foreign policy adviser to Mr Trump.

Mr Trump tweeted: "A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post ,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!"

The Post cited anonymous US officials who described US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's descriptions of his meetings with Mr Sessions.

The Justice Department said Mr Sessions stands by his previous assertion that he never had conversations with Russian officials about any type of interference with the election.

Mr Trump also said: "Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace" the Obama-era health care law.

An effort to advance legislation collapsed in the Senate earlier this week after several Republicans said they would not vote for the bill.

Mr Trump ended the tweet with: "Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!"

AP
A Canberra law student has been ordered to pay the legal costs of a Cambodian philanthropist after her defamation defence was struck out in court.

Juanita Zankin must now rethink how she will fight allegations she defamed Geraldine Cox in a February Facebook post.

Geraldine Cox. Credit:Lindsay Murdoch

Ms Zankin is being sued by Ms Cox for a 27-word comment she made on the social media page of Canberra law firm, Ben Aulich and Associates.

Court papers, filed in the ACT Magistrates Court, say the law firm posted an image of proprietor Ben Aulich and his business partner, Peter Woodhouse, with Ms Cox at a fundraiser, with the caption: "An excellent time raising funds for Sunrise Cambodia with Geraldine Cox".
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has applauded Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for offering "unequivocal support" for his bid to overhaul the way the NSW Liberal Party preselects its candidates.

Defying predictions of a showdown between the two men, Mr Turnbull used a speech to the Liberal Party faithful on Saturday to back his predecessor's key demand: giving every member a say in party preselections.

"As the party of freedom and of the individual, we must give every member a say," Mr Turnbull told the Party Futures Convention to cheers from the crowd.

"It is fundamental.
Phone boxes can come in handy for people with multiple identities.

Ask Savas Guven, or Savas Yucel, as the controversial Sydney businessman was known before a stint in jail for armed robbery with a knife a decade ago.

More recently, the property developer and scaffolding operator has been caught on video manhandling two women as workers illegally felled trees on a Lane Cove property, while he's been cleared in court of intimidation charges over a separate confrontation on the same site.

But controversies both big and small continue to follow Mr Guven.
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The House and Senate have struck a deal that could send to President Trump's desk this summer a bill that slaps new sanctions on Russia.



In addition to the new sanctions on Russia for its interference in the U.S. 2016 election and its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria, the bill also gives Congress the power to review any effort by the Trump administration to ease or end sanctions against Moscow.



The bill also includes stiff economic penalties against Iran and North Korea.



"The legislation ensures that both the majority and minority [parties] are able to exercise our oversight role over the administration's implementation of sanctions," said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 House Democrat.



The deal on the legislation comes amid concerns expressed by both Democrats and some Republicans that the Trump administration may be considering returning to Russian control two compounds in Maryland and New York that were seized by the Obama administration in December as punishment for the election meddling.



House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced Saturday morning that a vote on the bill -- the Russia, Iran and North Korea Sanctions Act -- will take place Tuesday.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Opinion / Columnist

Tshaka Mgazo Ndlovu is a writer based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

People living in that country currently called Zimbabwe are going through what can be at best be called troubling times and at worst tyranny. As things stand we look at artists to not only to sing the "we are not politicians" or the "music is business" songs but to also take part in our quest for freedom from the rule of the strongman Mugabe. This is not a selfish request of failed political formations as some have put it but because one basic prerequisite of art is freedom. The first freedom we should all aspire for as citizens of that country is political freedom. It is not possible to be free in your head as an artist but be chained politically to the extent that you seek political and economic refuge in another neighbouring country.Yet an anomaly of mostly artists from Matabeleland provinces going to perform at a Zanupf rally in Lupane is being defended by some people as those artists putting bread on their tables. Really? Do those artists want to be remembered as being part of the people who helped Zanu-PF continue its stranglehold on the country just for the sake of a few dollars? Could it be that in our time artists are so blinded by seeking money because they have lost a sense of the true significance of art? If someone offers to pay you even if they are the ones oppressing you and stopping your music from getting significant airplay they automatically become more important than the ones who stood by you when you were selling your first poorly edited DVDs? Are artists supposed to forget the history, tragedies and injustices perpetuated by their newly found benefactors?Art is the measure of our intelligence, our wisdom and our freedom. We must not let anyone control what we as artists sing about, what we write and what we see as worthy art as Zanu-PF has done over the years and still support it in its endeavour to stay alive and relevant to the general populace. "The aim of art," wrote Aristotle, "is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Art and artists should and can do better than to foster and protect tyrants like Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his Zanupf.
A man has died and two others have been injured after a truck ran through a pair of front yards in Merrylands, on Saturday afternoon.

The truck collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction on Burnett Street in the western Sydney suburb, before leaving the road, police said.

One man was hit in front of a nearby property, before the truck hit two other people after running into an adjacent front yard.

Emergency services found an elderly man dead by the time they arrived. They rushed two others to Westmead Hospital - one in a critical condition.
Somewhere in the Coral Sea, hundreds of kilometres off the Queensland coast, a floating American city is humming with activity.

Thousands of its inhabitants are working around the clock to keep it running, often in shifts of 14 hours.

F/A-18F Super Hornets on board the USS Ronald Reagan in the Coral Sea 650 klm's off the coast from Brisbane. Credit:AAP/Dave Hunt

And when it's time for action, the crew of the flagship aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan can launch attack jets at an amazing frequency.

Using four steam-powered cable catapults they fire one F/A-18 Super Hornet into the air every minute.
A man has been robbed, tied to a chair and beaten in a Deception Bay house on Saturday morning, according to police.

It will be alleged a 21-year-old local man was invited into a Lockyer Parade home about 9.30am, where a man known to him and another unknown man attacked and robbed him.

Police have charged a man with armed robbery, deprivation of liberty and torture. Credit:Marina Neil/Fairfax Media

Police will also allege the victim was then bound to a chair, beaten and choked, before being led outside and ordered into the boot of a car.

However, the man managed to escape and find a nearby resident who raised the alarm. Paramedics treated the man for facial and hand injuries.
Queensland Nurses and midwives in remote and aged care facilities are exposed to more violence than their colleagues in major cities and more than 1000 had experienced workplace violence in a three-month period, a survey has found.

Your Work, Your Time, Your Life report was presented at the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union conference this week in Brisbane to help address issues of workplace violence and staffing issues at aged care facilities across the state.

Half of those surveyed said they had experienced workplace violence in the past three months. Credit:Joe Armao

CQUniversity research fellow Desley Hegney led the research team, made up of a number of different universities and the QNMU, that studied a survey of 2397 nurses and midwives.

It was the sixth study of QNMU members and provided an overview of working conditions and the well-being of a cohort of nurses across multiple sectors, Professor Hegney said.
Police have arrested an alleged car thief, after the owner of the vehicle stolen from a Brisbane business accessed a tracking device.

The ute was allegedly stolen from Corunna Street in Albion during the early hours of Sunday, after a man broke into its tool box and found a spare key inside.

Police arrested the alleged thief and he was assisting with inquiries at the Ipswich Watch House. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The owner of the work vehicle accessed the internal tracking device, which led officers to a Collingwood Park address in Ipswich about 11am.

Police said when officers arrived at the Collins Street address, the alleged thief fled in the stolen ute, driving through a neighbouring front yard to avoid pre-deployed stingers.
A brawl outside Crown Casino in Melbourne has sent two men to hospital and two others to court on criminal charges.

The violence between the two groups broke out near the corner of Whiteman and Queensbridge streets in Southbank just before 10pm on Saturday.

Police said three people were injured.

But paramedics took just two people to hospital: a 29-year-old man with a stab wound to his upper body while another man, aged in his 20s, suffered minor injuries, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said.
Honolulu: The state of Hawaii is formulating a preparedness plan for a North Korean missile attack, much to the dismay of the state's tourism boosters.

"We do not want to cause any undue stress for the public," Vern Miyagi, Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency administrator said in a statement reported on Thursday by the state's news media, but "we cannot wait to begin our public information campaign to ensure that Hawaii residents will know what do if such an event occurs".

Jeffrey Wong, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's current operations officer, shows computer screens monitoring hazards at the agency's headquarters in Honolulu on Friday. Credit:AP

The state announced the new public education campaign on Friday.

The preparation, while not involving the sort of duck and cover drills of the early Cold War era across the United States, will include evacuation drills for school students and public service announcements that say "get inside, stay inside, and stay tuned," the Honolulu Star Advertiser said, quoting officials.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges tries to talk to the media as she is shouted at by protesters demanding her resignation on Friday. Credit:Star Tribune/AP The latest police killing victim might have been white, but the voices of passion were black - and when prominent African-American activist John Thompson called for a clenched fist salute, it seemed the entire crowd obliged, repeating after him: "We have a duty to fight for our freedom." The black speeches were about years of black suffering and abuse that, because of Damond's death, were now a white problem. Rachel Jackson holds a sign as she participates in a march against police violence to the Minneapolis City Hall on Friday. Credit:Star Tribune/AP When one of the speakers mentioned that five black protesters had been shot after last year's killing in Minneapolis of Castile, a young black man in the crowd leapt to his feet - and identified himself as one of the five.

BLM was making its point - dramatically. Because African Americans had been the habitual victims of police brutality, they had a well-oiled protest machine; and now they would put it at the disposal of the white Minneapolis community - many of whom had previously seen police killings as a black issue. And just as it made a difference that Damond was white, blonde and beautiful, it also mattered that she was a foreigner. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's charge that her death was "shocking" and "inexplicable" was a level of official criticism not often heard in American discourse on police killings. And the presence of an Australian media pack at press conferences in Minneapolis presented local officials with new challenges. Fairfax Media's incredulity at what the bizarre circumstances of Damond's death revealed of an entrenched police culture resistant to change was picked up by CNN; and the hammering by Australian TV crews of police chief Janee Harteau's absence at a time of crisis, probably was a catalyst for her abrupt resignation on Friday, US time.

So it came as no surprise, that protesters stormed City Hall, celebrating the announcement of Harteau's ousting by Mayor Betsy Hodges. But Hodges is under pressure too. "Bye, bye, Betsy," the protesters chanted. And leading the charge was the lanky, excitable activist Thompson, a friend and work colleague of the dead Castile, who has made protesting his new life's mission. Inserting Damond's name in place of Castile's, they chanted one of last year's slogans - "If Justine don't get it, shut it down". Their surge forced Hodges to abandon her press conference - not a good look, because the harried mayor seemed to be on the run. Hodges and Harteau have the same credibility problem - for all their talk of reforming the city's police department, they have presided over a series of killings and other ugly incidents of police misconduct. They claim they have changed the department for the better, but that argument is killed by the record on their watch. And both have appeared to be covering their arses by heaping all the blame for Damond's death on the officer who pulled the trigger - instead of seeing it as a departmental failing.

That the officer is refusing to co-operate with investigators is problematic - for him and the department. But that he is a Somali-American Muslim also makes it look as though he is being scapegoated by officialdom. Even the city's police union, always quick to defend officers in trouble, has remained silent. Is that because the investigation is not concluded or because the force's dominant white culture sees him as an expendable outlier? Even as the investigation into Damond's death continues, both the mayor and the police chief as good as convicted the officer - rookie Mohamed Noor. Their mantra has been that this was an individual who went off the reservation, not a police department that can't, or won't, get its act together. But in tackling Harteau, one of Hodges' challengers for the city leadership seemed to have the mayor in her sights too. Endorsing the demise of the police chief, mayoral challenger and civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy-Pounds said it had been "a slap in the face to people of colour" that Harteau had spoken out about the death of the white Damond but in the recent past had defended officers involved in shooting black people.
Delhi: The oppressive rules of Indian society that dictate what a woman wears, where she goes, who she meets and marries and what she does with her life and sexual desires, are rarely challenged by Bollywood movies.

Increasingly, though, a new generation of independent film makers are beginning to tell stories around strong, independent women. The only problem is the censor doesn't like it.

In Lipstick Under My Burkha, Aunty (Ratna Pathak Shah) is a widow who reads erotic novels and summons up the courage to learn to swim.

A new film, Lipstick Under My Burkha directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, has finally been released after a five-month delay caused by the Central Board of Film Certification's refusal to give it a certificate. It has won critical acclaim and, on its opening on Friday, praise from film goers.

Phulkit Kattar, a 20-year-old freelance engineer, said he liked it for tackling the taboo subject of female desires, whether for careers, a husband of their choice, or sex.
Madrid: When the remains of Surrealist painter Salvador Dali were exhumed in Spain, forensics experts made a startling discovery: The artist's trademark moustache was still intact.

"The moustache kept its classic 10-past-10 position," Lluis Penuelas, secretary-general of the foundation that oversees Dali's estate, told reporters on Friday, referring to the artist's waxed and gravity-defying bristles, which Dali kept pointed upward, like the hands of a clock.

Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali pictured in New York in 1942. Credit:AP

"Finding this out was a very emotional moment."

Narcs Bardalet, Dali's embalmer, said that upon opening the crypt, his body was found to be exactly as it was when it was interred 28 years ago.
Best Mattress Toppers

Quit Sleeping On A Subpar Bed - Upgrade It Instantly With One Of These

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

While sleep might come second fiddle to pulling an all-nighter to turn in a big report or a sexy date leads to sunrise, getting an adequate amount of rest is essential to your health and overall mood. Without shut-eye, your body misses out on the necessary opportunity to regenerate, regroup and cleanse itself for the day of hectic meetings, workouts and foods it needs to process before hitting the hay again. For many people - especially men who might not put as much effort into shopping as their female friends - the wrong mattress can be the culprit that is causing you to toss and turn.

In fact, a four-year study conducted by Research Triangle International and Dr. Andy Krystal and Dr. Jack Edinger from Duke University discovered that many factors contribute to the satisfaction you have with your mattress choice. After studying more than 16,000 nights of sleep on 128 subjects, the answer was clear: what you sleep on not only impacts how many hours you log, but your overall health, too.

While you might not have a stash of cash to purchase a new mattress, adding a topper that alleviates your issues can be the middleman you need to stop counting sheep and start catching Zzzs. Here's where to start your search:

SensorPEDIC Slumber Supreme 2-Inch 5-Zoned Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Best For: People who have children

As much joy as those little tykes bring to your life, once they made their grand entrance, any chance of having crisp, pressed gray sheets didn't just go out the window, but they raced. And hey, maybe on a lesser scale, but the same could be true for having dogs, especially if you never quite worked out how to get the pup to stop sleeping on your pillow. This great buy will not only transform your old mattress into one that feels fresh off the presses, but it features a circular knit fabric cover with an anti-statement treatment, ensuring that if apple juice, crayons or paw prints make their way into your bedroom, your topper won't be ruined. Available in every size you could want, the added stretch-to-fit polyester skirt will keep it in place and help your sheets to fit better, too.

$135 at Amazon.com

Novaform Serafina Collection 3-Inch Gel- Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Best For: People in a new relationship

A trusted brand in the world of mattress toppers, Novafoam is an American-made company that features a variety of heights and materials to give you all of the Zzzs you need to carry on a happy, active life. This 3-inch gel pick is among the thickest, but for those who are calmed by the texture of gel, it's the right buy. And if you are in a new relationship where you are sharing your bed for the first time in years, it's a happy compromise between the plush feeling she wants and the semi-soft vibe you are aiming to find. The temperature-activated pearls in the foam also help you cool down after all that action you might be enjoying these days, too.

$120 at Amazon.com

Zen Bamboo Ultra Soft Bamboo Mattress Topper

Best For: People with allergies

As much as you've always dreamt of having a dog (and heck, maybe even a cat), being prone to allergies is a tough lifelong diagnosis. If your nose and eyes can tell when there is anything from smog and pollen to dust mites and even peanuts, then you'll want to be extra mindful when selecting a mattress topper. Because many are made with feathers, especially the higher-end ones, stick with a hypoallergenic pad, like this one to be on the safe side. Not only is this topper overfilled with down alternative fibers to create what many reviewers call a 'cloud-like' napping bed, but the cooling, natural microfiber and natural bamboo will regulate your body temperature, too. But our favorite feature? This topper is machine-washable, so you won't have to waste any hard-earned dough on dry cleaning (that let's face it: you'll never find time to pick up).

$64 at Amazon.com

Zinus 1.5 inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Best For: Sensitive sleepers

Close your eyes and think about when you tried to fall asleep last night: did you hear the cars outside? Or maybe your neighbor in the apartment next door blaring their television? Or when your partner moved even a slightest nudge, it was enough to send you wide awake. This cool gel memory foam mattress will cater to the unique angles of your body, helping you to relax into those feel-good sleepy vibes easier. Certified for durability, performance and comfort, this brand offers size twin, queen and king, so it's ideal for size home or apartment-living complex. And hey, do you prefer to shower in the morning instead of before bed? The topper is infused with green tea extract and castor natural seed oil to eliminate odor-inducing bacteria. Gross but practical!

$30 at Amazon.com

Pinzon Hypoallergenic Overfilled Microplush Mattress Topper

Best For: People who like a plush sleeping experience

Though the majority of men will claim they prefer a tougher surface to lay their noggin on at night, if you are in the softer-is-better camp, we won't tell your dad. Everyone has a different preference for sleeping. It doesn't matter if you prefer a slab of marble or a ridiculously plush pillow - whatever works, works. This appropriately-named find features microplush fabric that is overfilled with loft-retaining, polyester filling for extra comfort. This bad boy also has deep pockets that fit mattresses up to 18-inches deep, making the mattress pad moonlight as a mattress protector, too. Plus, the end-to-end box stitched with a mitered border will ensure it stays put, no matter how many wild, crazy dreams you have during the night.

$50 at Amazon.com

PharMeDoc Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Best For: People who work out

Major props for hitting that gym circuit regularly. But fair warning dude: recovery is just as important as the weight you are benchpressing or the time it takes you to run a mile. In fact, Olympic-level athletes know better than anyone how essential it is to prioritize your health above anything else. This brand makes many mattress toppers, all of which serve different ailments you might suffer from, thanks to burning the night oil at the CrossFit box. The supportive memory foam mattress topper will align your spine as it shapes to your body, relieving pressure or stress you may be feeling post-workout. The impact-resistant material also helps soften your nighttime ebbs and flows, helping you to sleep more soundly, too. After all, you do have that 7 a.m. outdoor bootcamp to get to!

$43 at Amazon.com

Dorm Topper

Best For: People sleeping in a dorm

aNever thought you'd be back in college, eh? Life has a way of surprising you and if you find yourself shopping for dorm room essentials, yet again, bring this pad to your new, ahem, pad. Though this dense, soy-based cooling gel foam covered in sustainable fabric and moisture-wicking wool is intended for dormitory-style living, if you were able to snag a small apartment near campus, the brand offers pad all the way up to California King.

$119 at Dormtopper.com

Lux Living PurChill 2-Inch Ventilated Cooling Memory Foam Topper

Best For: People who tend to run hot

While your girlfriend might be chilly near the air conditioner on the hottest, most humid day of summer, you might suffer from a bad case of the sweats in the dead, darkest night of winter. Depending on your personal, internal thermometer, you need a ventilated cooling system to keep you from overheating while you are sleeping. What's super-cool about this memory foam topper is its 'Phase Change Material (PCM) that when paired with gel, creates a cooler and deeper sleeping experience, throughout all your rems.

$250 at Mattressfirm.com

Snuggle Home 2" Blended Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Best For: Outfitting the guest bed

When you are at that stage in your life where having pals, in-laws or your folks stay over is the norm, you want a nice bed for them to rest their head on after long travel days (or drunken nights). This trustworthy pick is ideal for any type of sleeper - especially the older crowd - as the memory foam relieves pressure points. The open cell foam construction also helps promote healthier circulation, too.

$109 at Sleepys.com

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday asserted the "complete power to pardon" relatives, aides and possibly even himself in response to investigations into Russia's meddling in last year's election, as he came to the defense of Attorney-General Jeff Sessions just days after expressing regret about appointing him.

In a series of early morning messages on Twitter, Trump suggested that he had no need to use the pardon power at this point but left the option open. While presidents have the authority to pardon others for federal crimes, legal scholars debate whether a president can pardon himself. Trump's use of the word "complete" seemed to suggest he did not see a limit to that authority.

"While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us," he wrote on Twitter. "FAKE NEWS."

The Washington Post reported in recent days that Trump and advisers had discussed pardons as a special counsel intensifies his investigation into whether associates of Trump and his campaign conspired with Russia to intervene in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Over 1,200 mail-in votes added to Montco totals; Bucks still in limbo

Two of Montgomery County's three commissioners said they did not support disenfranchising more than 1,200 voters because of a handful of rule breakers
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...
Teen visits South Jersey in 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to vets

Preston Sharp of Calif. visits veterans graves in Cinnaminson cemetery in South Jersey on 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to their sacrifices
After shutting down its Faridabad unit last year, which has freed 11 acres of land and other tangible assets, is mulling over the future of its closed plant. Among other options, the company is also considering an outright sale of the land parcel freed up with the closing of the factory.
Hopes of a normal monsoon means good for Godrej Agrovet, which filed its draft IPO paper to the market regulator on Wednesday. (IPO is initial public offering of shares.) A subsidiary of Godrej Industries, the nearly Rs 5,000-crore company is seen sharpening focus on animal feed, crop protection, dairy and poultry segments. The IPO move for one of India's largest agri-businesses comes as farmers increasingly turn to organised players for animal protein and agri-inputs.
India, the unit of the UAEs largest retailer Lulu Group, is in talks to bring around six global brands to India and expand its stores in fashion, toys and ice cream in the country.
Japanese auto major Yamaha is expecting to sell around 900,000 units in India during the current calendar year. The company, which is betting big on scooter segment growth, is planning to launch one more product.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating Yamaha Scooter Boutique, Roy Kurian, senior vice-president of Sales & Marketing, Yamaha Motor India, said that the company sold 750,000 units in the last calendar year and this year, it plans to sell around nine lakh units.
Three years ago, Christina DAmbrosio went to her first spin class, pedalling fast on a stationary bike to the rhythms of popular music as an instructor shouted motivation.
Indian Security Adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing for a meeting of NSAs from BRICS countries may be key to ease tensions between India and China over the military standoff in Dokalam, a Chinese analyst said.

Doval is scheduled to visit China for the meeting on July 27-28.

The meeting is hosted by his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi. It is part of a series of meetings with officials from BRICS countries  Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa  ahead of this year's summit of the five-member bloc of emerging countries in Xiamen city in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit.

Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum thinktank, said Doval's visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.

His comments came in a piece in The Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party media group, which generally reflects the views of the ruling party, today. The tabloid has unleashed a barrage of anti-India rhetoric in recent weeks amid tensions between the two countries.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Dokalam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

Both Doval and Yang are also the Special Representatives for India-China boundary talks. The two sides have held 19 rounds of boundary talks to resolve their differences.

Chinese officials say Doval and Yang may have informal talks to resolve the standoff in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.

"China would lodge solemn representation with the Indian side during Doval's visit, hoping it could take measures to ease the tension. India may make some requests as a bargaining chip for its pulling out troops," Ma, who specialises in India-China studies, said.

He, however, cautioned that if the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the issue, the China-India ties would be severely damaged.

(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.)
US officials have acknowledged that there have been inconsistencies in the American description of but insisted there was no change in its policy saying the "pace, scope and character" of any discussion on Kashmir is for India and Pakistan to determine.

"Our policy on Kashmir has not changed," a State Department spokesperson told PTI.

The clarification came after questions were raised about the different ways the US has described .

Recently in one of its statements, the US described it as "Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir" and this week it said the "Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir".

In June while designating Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "specially-designated global terrorist", the State Department had said the militant group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 attack in "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir".

India, however, had played down the nomenclature by the US, saying similar terms had been used previously too.

In the past, the US had also used "India-held Kashmir".

In the latest "Country Report on Terrorism 2016", released on Wednesday, the US used "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" to describe Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The use of the word "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" by the State Department was strongly opposed by the Indian Government.

US officials acknowledged that there has been inconsistency in the American way of describing Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there has been no change in its policy.

"Our policy on Kashmir has not changed.The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," the spokesperson 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.)
As a nine-judge Constitution bench in the Supreme Court decides whether right to privacy is a basic right of citizens, economist and social scientist Reetika Khera speaks to Ranjita Ganesan on how this relates to the debate and social media. Edited excerpts:
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PM expresses grief on loss of lives due to bus accident in Udaipur.

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The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has expressed grief on loss of lives due to bus accident in Udaipur. .

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The Prime Minister extended condolences to the families of the deceased. .

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He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the accident in Udaipur. .

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Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani addresses a meeting on GST- a tool to Inclusive Growth" at Ahmedabad today There will have been no punishment for being honest says Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani terms GST as a Great step towards Transparency"

The Union Minister for Textiles and Information & Broadcasting Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani says that no one can harass a person who wants to come into formal economy through GST Addressing a seminar on GST a Tool for Inclusive Growth organised in Ahmedabad today, the Minister said past transactions are not to be checked under this system. There will be no punishment for being honest.Smt. Irani said if government agencies or officer will ask about past transactions or harasses anyone, direct action will be taken against them. The Minister asked traders and business persons to draw attention of MPs and central ministries, if any such incident occurs.

She said that GST is not just Good and Simple Tax but it also a Great step towards Transparency. Beauty of the GST is it is a Destination tax and it gives money back through Tax credit", she added. Textiles minister said that implementation of GST is an historic event and we are proud to be a witness of such historic event. She said that all parties came on a single platform in GST council for its successful implementation. The Minister said that no one wants to be a Tax evader, if the system is transparent and simple. She said and that this is the change that the Union Government is bringing in, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Government has taken a number of pro poor steps in its three (3) years, to make system more transparent and simpler through Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Direct benefit transfer etc. and GST is also a part of this.", she added. Smt. Irani along with other government officers gave answers of the queries raised by traders and businessmen. Minister assured them that for those who want to remain honest; there is no reason to be worried. The Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare of Government of Gujarat, Smt Nirmala Wadhwani, Members of Parliament Shri Paresh Rawal, Dr. Kirit Solanki and several other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.
A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two in Helmand province, officials said on Friday.

The incident took place yesterday around 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.



"In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded," he said.

Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman confirmed the strike and gave the same account.

The death toll in yesterday's airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in Gereshk District, he said.

The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound happened during a US-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area.

In the statement, the US offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. NATO and US troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Safi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area.

He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred. Yesterday, the Helmand Governor Hayatullah Hayat said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan in northern Badakhshan province, Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a roaring battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

Bigzad said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following yesterday's firefight.

It wasn't immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and even telephone contact is erratic.

(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.)
The $10,000 watches are a tough sell for Richemont these days, but shoppers are snapping up $2,000 Marcie handbags and ruffled blouses from the companys fashion and leather label Chloe.
Nearly one young person a week has been stabbed to death in London so far this year, leaving British authorities hunting for ways to stop the increasing violence.

Twenty-seven people under the age of 25 have been stabbed to death in London since the start of 2017, according to figures from city hall.

The alarming figure is but "the tip of the iceberg" according to Patrick Green from the Ben Kinsella Trust, an educational organisation set up in memory of a teenage stabbing victim.

Police registered more than 12,100 knife attacks which left 4,400 people injured between April last year and March, the highest figure in five years.

"Many of the victims of stabbing are left with permanent disabilities, permanent scars, and the awful disability which isn't reported is the mental trauma," Green told AFP.

"The fact that you recover doesn't mean that you return to your normal life," he added.

In contrast to widely held perceptions, the majority of attacks are unrelated to organised crime. Three out of four cases involve individuals who carry a knife because they believe it will make them feel safer.

"This can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, where young people equip themselves with a knife and in doing so significantly up the ante of their chances of becoming a knife victim," said Bernard Hogan Howe, the former head of London's Metropolitan Police who retired last year.

One proposal to cut knife crime was announced on Tuesday by Interior Minister Amber Rudd, who wants to ban the possession of outlawed weapons such as zombie knives - often curved blades inspired by horror films - and knuckledusters on private properties.

As part of a planned consultation on knife crime, the government will also examine whether to extend a ban on possessing a knife in public places and schools to include universities.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has spearheaded a 7-million pounds programme (7.9 million euros), which includes schools where knife crime is prevalent being given metal detectors.

In announcing the plans last month, the mayor hit out at government cuts which he said had led to the closure of 30 youth centres that could have stopped young people turning to crime.

"The only way we can truly beat the scourge of knife crime on our streets is by properly funding youth services," Khan said.

Police have been visiting hundreds of schools as part of their "Operation Sceptre", involving everything from quizzes on criminal responsibility to self-esteem classes.

The operation to tackle knife crime was launched in July 2015 and also sees officers carry out checks on businesses selling knives, in addition to confiscating weapons sold illegally.

Bins have been left in public places for people to dump any banned weapons without fear of being arrested.

(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.)
No matter how well-regarded a particular airport happens to be, the slog from curb to cabin is pretty much the same wherever you go. A decades-old paradigm of queues, security screens, snack vendors, and gate-waiting prevailsthe only difference is the level of stress. Transiting a modern hub such as Munich or Seoul is more easily endured than threading your way through the perpetual construction zones that pass for around New York.
The $2 million fine that the Treasury Department levied on this week for violating sanctions against Russia is just a sliver of the oil companys $7.8 billion in profit last year. But Exxon has decided nonetheless to wage a legal battle  one that could make President Trumps cabinet meetings decidedly awkward.
Linkin Park has cancelled its North American tour following front man Chester Bennington's death.

The band was supposed to begin the North American leg of their 'One More Light' tour on July 27, in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

"We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington. The Linkin Park One More Light North American Tour has been canceled and refunds are available at point of purchase. Our thoughts go out to all those affected," Live Nation, the concert producer posted on Twitter.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed on Friday that Bennington died by hanging, reports The Gaurdian.

"He was found hanging in his bedroom. No note was found," coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said.

Winter added that there was an open bottle of alcohol in the bedroom but no drugs had been found.

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Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officers on Saturday intercepted a person over seizure of a Narcotics kit worth Rs. 2 crore at the Mumbai Airport.

It was alleged that a passenger, Suresh Kumar Nagarajan, who was departing to Kuala Lumpur by the Malaysia Airlines was stopped at the Baggage Screen Machine (BSM) over some suspicious psychotropic substance which was later identified as Methaqualone.

Nagarajan, who has worked as a vegetable vendor in Chennai, was arrested under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985 and was produced before the Mumbai Court. The court has sent the accused to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail on judicial custody.

Further details are awaited.

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister on Saturday expressed confidence about returning to power in the state for a third consecutive term.

"I am hopeful for 2018, as I think the party has performed better than the previous government in the state and there are BJP governments in both the state and at the centre. I have made plans till 2025 and this road-map will lead the state to being the top three states of the country," Ram Singh said.

In an interview with ZEE, CEO, Jagdish Chandra, Singh said his government is more concerned about the upliftment of the poor and the development of rural areas.

"As a chief minister, I am answerable to the entire 2.5 crore people living in the state. I have never differentiated between the constituencies of the Congress leader and that of a BJP leader. Both constituencies are important for me and have always tried to carry out development work in both areas equally," Singh said.

Singh said his government is managing the finances of the state very well and is spending a big share of the budget in development works, focusing primarily on the rural areas, the poor and the farmers.

Speaking about Naya Raipur, the chief minister said it is being developed as a smart capital and thanked Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for his support in the development works.

"We have taken loans from the ADB and NABARD to expand roads in the state and the road corporation is looking after these works," he said.

The chief minister also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision and said that the latter knows how to mobilise workers and how to implement schemes very well.

Further commenting on the issue between Odisha and Chhattisgarh on the sharing of the waters of the Mahanadi River, Singh said there is no tension between both states and added that Raipur is using only that quantity of water that has been permitted by the Water Commission.

The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections will be held in 2018 to elect members from 90 constituencies.

The tenure of the current government will end on January 5, 2019.

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Asserting that differences can be resolved through dialogue and political differences should not burden civilians, Qatar's ruling emir said he is open for dialogue to solve the boycott by the four powerful Arab neighbours.

In his first public address since the crisis erupted, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stressed that he is ready to find a solution to the lingering problem, but within the framework of respect for the sovereignty of each state.

Stating that Qatar is not afraid to correct its errors, the Emir added that "this crisis has helped us identify and overcome the shortcomings and obstacles in determining Qatar's national, political, economic and independent identity."

He also appreciated the spirit of solidarity, harmony and defiance that prevailed among the people of Qatar, both citizens and residents, since the beginning of the blockade imposed by fellow GCC countries.

The nation's leader further assured that day-to-day life in Qatar has continued as normal since the onset of the blockade.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and its allies have now backed down from their list of specific demands which included shutting down the Al Jazeera news network, closing a Turkish military base, cutting ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with Iran.

Instead now they want Qatar to include commitments to combat terrorism and extremism, and to end acts of provocation and incitement.

Earlier, continuing attempts to diffuse the gulf crisis, U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, called on Qatar's Gulf neighbours to take some positive action by lifting their economic blockade on the oil-rich state.

"I hope as a sign of good faith they will lift that blockade. That would be a positive development," the Guardian quoted Tillerson as saying.

Earlier this week, the UAE said it expected an extended impasse in the ongoing dispute and gave no indication of lifting the blockade to let dialogue begin.

Last week, Tillerson praised Qatar for becoming the first state in the region to sign a new memorandum of understanding with Washington on tracking the flow of terrorist financing.

Speaking in Washington on Friday, he said Qatar had been aggressive in implementing the agreement to address concerns over terrorism and terror financing.

"So we are satisfied with the effort they are putting it forward. I think they have also indicated a willingness to sit with the four parties and negotiate and discuss the four demands. They have indicated that the sovereignty and dignity of all five countries most be preserved," Tillerson said.

Tillerson pressed on saying that would be "a good sign" if the four countries lifted their blockade, which has closed air routes, land border, forced Qatar to arrange emergency food supplies from elsewhere.

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An Iranian official has said that Tehran is ready to hold talks with Riyadh despite all mistake made by Saudi Arabia.

"We know they have made many mistakes in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria, but we are still for dialogue," IRNA news agency quoted Kamal Kharrazi, as saying in an interview to a TV channel on Friday.

He called the new US sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities as violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

However, Kharrazi assured that Iran would remain committed to the agreement and won't quit unless the U.S. withdrew from it.

Emphasizing that Tehran has always been struggling with terrorism, Kharrazi reiterated Iran's determination in fighting against it.

He said Iran rushed to the help of the Syrian and Iraqi governments due to concerns about security as the terrorists were very close to their borders.

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After resigning as the White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer said his six months serving in the White House was an honour and a privilege.

Spicer resigned suddenly from his top White House post on Friday, citing concern with Donald Trump's decision to hire Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director, reports the Independent.

President Donald Trump reportedly asked Spicer to stay on as press secretary after he hired Scaramucci, but Spicer maintained his stand that the appointment was a major mistake.

Scaramucci's appointment follows months after the resignation of Mike Dubke, who was the original communications director in the White House.

Hours after Spicer announced his resignation, Trump thanked him for his services.

"I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. Just look at his great television ratings," Trump was quoted as saying, by Sara Huckabee Sanders, who was appointed the new press spokeswoman.

Spicer served a dual role as head of the communications team and press secretary following the May 2017 resignation of Mike Dubke, who stayed for only three months.

Talking about Spicer's resignation, Sanders said the former understood that the President wanted to "bring in and add new people to the team" and said it "speaks volumes about who he is" in stepping down and letting the communications team to start anew.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has strongly supported Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's attack on the Centre over inaction in the .

Speaking to ANI, NCP leader Majeed Memon said that he agrees with Rahul Gandhi that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's government is a "failure".

Rahul Gandhi in a series of tweet talked about Kashmir saying "Kashmir is India, India is Kashmir (this is our) internal matter. Nobody has the right to interfere.

Memon to this added, "The state government and Mufti's government have been ineffective in doing anything about the condition in J&K. The Modi government and the Central Government's helplessness in taking care of Kashmir, is also visible."

He further added that violence has been erupting in Kashmir for months where many businesses have stopped.

"Nor can we can talk to Pakistan, nor are we ready to talk to separatists, and nor are we trying to find a way so that life becomes normal and law and order is restored in Kashmir," he said.

Talking about the same issue, NCP leader Tariq Anwar said that Rahul Gandhi was correct in saying whatever he said and added that Modi government's policy in Kashmir makes it seem like "he doesn't want peace in Kashmir."

"The way terrorism and violence is increasing in Kashmir, kids are coming on street, and this makes it seem like the Government wants conditions to remain the same in Kashmir," he said.

Reacting on Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah's statement that India needs third party mediation in Kashmir, Memon supported the suggestion saying it is okay for him to say so, as he belongs from Kashmir.

"They know the needs of the people of Kashmir and so if to get back normalcy in Kashmir they have to talk to China, it won't be a big deal," he added.

Farooq Abdullah's son Omar Abdullah came in defence of his father and said that parties and politicians commenting on or condemning on his so-called "third-party intervention" assertion are giving a different spin to his statement.

"Talk about spinning a statement. Dr Abdullah has said friends can be used to facilitate a dialogue with Pakistan, to facilitate a solution. Dr Abdullah didn't call for mediation he said "Trump offered to help & CHINA OFFERED to mediate". How is that the same as him asking for it? There is a difference between facilitation & mediation," Omar said, in a series of tweets.

"India has used Int. facilitation-during Kargil war, after Parliament attack Etc. BJP's ally @jkpdp has welcomed Dr Abdullah's statement. I guess that makes the BJPDP anti- as well. This is what I mean - twist remarks out of shape so that the original intent & message is completely distorted," he added.

Earlier in the day, Farooq Abdullah said that India should approach third parties, such as the United States and China, to mediate in the .

Adbullah said India has so many allies across the globe, which can be approached for settling the to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan.

"For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns. The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. U.S. President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," Abdullah 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.)
Criticising the new political coalition, Afghanistan's second vice President Sarwar Danish on Saturday said that "holding early elections or coups are impossible in the current situation" as they are a violation of the law.

"The National Unity Government led by Ashraf Ghani must run the country until its term is completed and holding early elections or establishing an interim government are impossible in the current situation as that will not help in overcoming Afghanistan's challenges, Danish told at a gathering in Daikundi province.

"Nor coup neither other options like interim government or early election is possible. All these plans are in violation to the law, against the national interests and for weakening of the incumbent government," he said.

Danish's remarks come amid recent political tensions inside government. Political affairs analysts said the nation must come together in order to overcome the current problems in the country.

Apparently pointing to the recent alliances, Danish said opposition groups formed by those from inside government "are not justifiable from a political point of view".

"No one and non of us can justify the act to weaken government from within the government," he stated.

In reaction to the first vice president's remarks, the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan,said Sarwar Danish "must be aware of realities on the ground".

"We did not expect such remarks from Danish. He as the second vice president should be aware of the Afghanistan's realities. The term coalition is the demand of millions of people and the stance of the alliance is the stance of millions of Afghans," Khaama Press quoted spokesman for the Islamic National Movement of Afghanistan, Bashir Ahmad Tayanj as saying.

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Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Affairs Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar has said there is no possibility of the Constitution Amendment before the third phase of local level elections scheduled to be held on September 18.

Speaking to media on Friday, Gachhadar said that all demands put forth by the disgruntled Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal would be addressed before the elections except the constitution amendment.

He said a conducive environment is being created by the government for RJP-N's participation in the third round of civic polls.

However, Gachhadar claimed that the third phase of local polls in Province 2 would not be postponed even if the RJP-Nepal boycotts the elections.

He also expressed hope that the Constituency Delimitation Commission would work without prejudice.

Gachhadar said that the successful completion of all three phases of local level polls would pave the path for development in the country.

"Young leaders have got the opportunity to lead the local levels after the civic polls held after two decades. The new energy and determination of the youth will lead the country towards prosperity," the Himalyan Times quoted Gachhadar as saying.

He noted that a significant role was played by him in drafting the new Constitution Amendment which would bring stability in the country.

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Mamata Banerjee's statement that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would launch the 'BJP Bharat Chhodo' movement has created quite a stir, with Janata Dal United saying that the almost all political parties have been trying to do the same.

Speaking to ANI, JD (U) leader KC Tyagi said that it is only Bihar's coalition that can end BJP's reign.

"Talks of opposition's union have been going on for quite a while, but it was Nitish Kumar's Government that won against BJP and by defeating them Bihar has showed that only Bihar's coalition can end BJP's reign," he said.

Speaking on the same, JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav said that what Mamata Banerjee is trying to do, parties from all over the nation are attempting for the same.

"Inside and outside the Parliament parties are trying to make a coalition which is still going on and will keep going on," he added.

Addressing the Martyr's Day rally commemorating the 1993 Kolkata firing, Mamata said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would launch the 'BJP Bharat Chhodo' movement on August 9 and accused the Union Government of not allowing the State Governments to work.

Attacking the BJP Government on demonetisation, Mamata called it one of the "biggest scams".

Mamata also accused the Left of supporting the BJP secretly and blamed the Centre for the unrest in Darjeeling by saying that the unrest in the hills "is a game played by Delhi.

The Trinamool hold the Martyrs' Day rally annually on this day in memory of the 13 youth who were killed in the police firing on this day in 1993.

(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.)
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday said that the talk of appointing a new Prime Minister is just a speculation.

His statement comes amidst fears that Pakistan's Supreme Court is set to ask Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down over the Panama Papers case.

Specifically stating that Prime Minister Sharif's name was not mentioned in the Panama Papers, Asif said, "The option of a new prime minister is not under consideration."

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who has escaped indictment in the JIT report, is the front-runner for the Prime Minister's job, that is, if Prime Minister Sharif is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged graft and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case.

The Pakistan Premier chaired a high-profile meeting of party leaders on Saturday and clearly stated that he would not tender his resignation.

Asif said that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was being held accountable when the names of his children were mentioned in the scandal.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that the premier presented himself for accountability when he could have taken diplomatic immunity, the Samaa TV reported.

Asif stated, "Politicians have gone to extreme lengths to defame the characters of one another.

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The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to accept the Supreme Court verdict in the Panamagate case, even if it goes against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

The decision was taken in an informal consultative meeting of PML-N's top leadership on Friday after a three-judge bench of the apex court reserved its judgment in the case, reports the Express Tribune

Sharif presided over the session where attendees included his top aides and cabinet ministers.

The legal team of the Prime Minister gave a briefing to participants about the hearing and the possible judgment. The team said there were slim chances of the Prime Minister being disqualified.

The meeting also rejected the opposition's demand for Sharif's resignation.

They assured the prime minister of their 'full support' and said the government's allies are also backing him.

According to the report, the members expressed the resolve that the government would complete its constitutional term of five years and "in case of disqualification of the prime minister, the option for an in-house change will be exercised".

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan did not attend the meeting because he was not satisfied with the ongoing consultative process and handling of the situation.

Depending on the court verdict, the PML-N has kept the option of in-house change open and names of party stalwarts - including Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi - are under consideration.

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Continuing attempts to diffuse the gulf crisis, U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has called on Qatar's Gulf neighbours to take some positive action by lifting their economic blockade on the oil-rich state.

"I hope as a sign of good faith they will lift that blockade. That would be a positive development," the Guardian quoted Tillerson as saying.

Earlier this week, the UAE said it expected an extended impasse in the ongoing dispute and gave no indication of lifting the blockade to let dialogue begin.

Last week, Tillerson praised Qatar for becoming the first state in the region to sign a new memorandum of understanding with Washington on tracking the flow of terrorist financing.

Speaking in Washington on Friday, he said Qatar had been aggressive in implementing the agreement to address concerns over terrorism and terror financing.

"So we are satisfied with the effort they are putting it forward. I think they have also indicated a willingness to sit with the four parties and negotiate and discuss the four demands. They have indicated that the sovereignty and dignity of all five countries most be preserved," Tillerson said.

Tillerson pressed on saying that would be "a good sign" if the four countries lifted their blockade, which has closed air routes, land border, forced Qatar to arrange emergency food supplies from elsewhere.

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A new form of protest was witnessed in Coimbatore when members of the Revolutionary Youth Front attempted to parcel sanitary napkins to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as a sign of agitation against the levying of 12 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on it.

The protesters claimed that the earlier tax was only five percent, but now 12 percent has been imposed.

One of the protesters said that it was a conspiracy reflecting Hindutva.

"It looks like a well-plotted conspiracy reflecting Hindutva. This is a very high price and violates women's rights," One of the protesters Kanmani said.

On July 18, the Delhi High Court had sought reply from the Finance Ministry by November 15 on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed on the imposition of 12 percent on sanitary napkins.

The PIL also sought to exempt goods like kajal, kumkum, bindis, sindur, alta, plastic, glass bangles, hearing aids, passenger baggage, puja samagri of all kinds and all types of contraceptives, including condoms; from the purview of taxation.

Earlier on Monday, the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Government of India, Delhi Government, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCDs) on the PIL filed to ensure availability of sanitary pads for free or at subsidized rates.

The court also directed to conduct workshops on menstrual hygiene for school girls.

The next date of the hearing is on November 7.

Meanwhile earlier, sanitary napkins attracted a of 12 percent, a shade lower than 13.7 per cent in the previous indirect tax regime.

Clarifying on the reports of tax incidence on sanitary napkins under GST, a finance ministry statement said, "The tax incidence on this item before and after is the same or less."

In pre-GST, they attracted concessional excise duty of 6 per cent and 5 per cent VAT.

The total tax incidence on sanitary napkins was 13.68 per cent after considering cesses.

"Therefore, 12 per cent GST rate had been provided for the sanitary napkin," it said.

Raw materials used for the manufacture of sanitary napkins attract GST of 12 per cent and 18 per cent.

If the GST rate on sanitary napkins was reduced to 5 per cent, it will further accentuate the tax inversion and result in even higher accumulated input tax credit (ITC), with correspondingly higher financial costs on account of fund blockage and associated administrative cost of refunds, putting domestic manufacturers at even greater disadvantage vis-a-vis imports.

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India's plans to create 100 new 'smart cities' to support its rapidly growing urban population could hurt the environment unless greater emphasis is placed on providing new supporting infrastructure and utilities, according to a major new study.

Hugh Byrd, a specialist in urban planning from the University of Lincoln, UK, conducted a detailed analysis of the environmental implications of the planned developments, which would see medium-rise housing (between three and five storeys) replaced with high-rise towers of 40 to 60 storeys.

When announcing its plans in 2015, the Indian government said that this type of development would be sustainable, environmentally friendly and 'smart.'

Byrd's latest research suggests that the resulting increase in population density is likely to place significant extra demands on resources, including electricity and water, while simultaneously increasing the output of waste in the form of drainage, solid waste and greenhouse gasses.

The predictions are based on analysis of the Indian government's exemplar development, Bhendi Bazaar, a 16.5-acre site in Mumbai that has been put forward as a flagship of the proposed new 'smart' cities.

The study used an 'extended urban metabolism model' as a means of analysing the area, providing a basis for measuring flows of resources that are both consumed by and flow from the city. It compared the existing urban form with the proposed form, considering factors such as numbers and heights of buildings, density of dwelling and population, parking provision, open space, landscaping and street frontages.

The analysis was then extrapolated to predict the overall impact on the city if similar developments were to be carried out, as are proposed, across all of the Island City of Mumbai.

The results suggested that in a city such this, where repeated electricity black-outs, water rationing and inadequate waste and sewage treatment are commonplace, increasing population density will have a significant further detrimental effect on the environment.

Byrd noted that "the pursuit of cities to become 'smart,' 'world-class,' 'liveable,' 'green' or 'eco,' has been promoted alongside increased population densities and urban compaction. This planning goal must reach a point where resources are inadequate for the fully functioning metabolism of a city."

"In this case, the results indicate that metabolism does not increase linearly with density but accelerates instead, so the detrimental environmental impact will increase at a greater rate than the population increase," he added.

Byrd continued that while case studies such as Bhendi Bazaar offer an exemplar for the 100 'smart' cities planned by the Indian Government in terms of increased density, improved image and urban regeneration, they do not offer an answer to the problems of providing an adequate infrastructure to support the metabolism of such developments if they were to be significantly replicated.

"On this basis the exemplar development does not support the case for calling the proposals for Mumbai 'smart' or 'sustainable'."

The study is published in the Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs.

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Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre (TRAC) from the University of Toronto, Canada agreed to license MedGenome's patented cancer immunotherapy solution OncoPept to develop biomarkers for their drug candidates against immune modulators to treat cancer.

The licensing will form the basis of a larger partnership between the two organizations that can be leveraged to bring novel antibody drugs to the Indian market. The announcement was made at the one day Symposium held today at the Hilton Mumbai and was attended by Scientists from over 25 Pharmaceutical companies including Sun Pharma, Biocon and Glenmark. The Symposium was inaugurated by Mr.Jordan Reeves, the Canadian Consul General in India.

India adds over one million new cancer cases every year with greater than 60 percent mortality due to lack of effective therapies. Highly effective antibody drugs take years before they become available in India, and when available, have limited market uptake because of the price barrier.

For example, the cost of treatment for the new cancer immunotherapy drugs can be as high as Rs. One crore for a year of therapy. This provides a great opportunity for the Indian pharma companies to take advantage from the partnership between MedGenome and TRAC to bring new cancer immunotherapy drugs to the Indian market at affordable prices and further enhance the effectiveness of therapy by using the OncoPept platform to identify patients who will benefit maximally from the treatment.

Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre based in Donnolley Centre at the University of Toronto has developed a state-of-the-art phage display platform with validated screening technologies, and created a portfolio of over 200 antibodies focusing on cancer and cancer immunotherapy.

"TRAC has the best platform in the world for producing novel biologics. We are proud to partner with them by providing our OncoPept solution which can also help Pharmaceutical companies select the right patients for their clinical trials," said founder of MedGenome, Sam Santhosh.

MedGenome is a leader in genomics-based research and diagnostics capturing over 80 percent of NGS-based diagnostics market in India. It has developed patented algorithms and pipelines to identify cancer vaccines to select tumors that will respond to cancer immunotherapy drugs, such as checkpoint inhibitors.

The partnership will strengthen TRAC's drug discovery and development pipeline by incorporating genomics data to advance understanding of diseases at a molecular level, thereby creating better drugs and biomarkers for personalized therapies.

"MedGenome's pipeline to dissect the tumor microenvironment at a molecular level will help in identifying new targets for which novel antibodies can be made," said Dr. Sachdev Sidhu, Professor at University of Toronto.

"MedGenome's unique knowledge in analyzing diseases at a population level through its research arm in India provides an unprecedented opportunity to create drugs that can be more effective in certain population groups," added Sidhu.

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At least 16 Afghan policemen were mistakenly killed and two others injured in U.S. airstrikes in southern Helmand province's Gereshk district.

The airstrike was carried out in Gereshk district's Parchaw village on Friday.

Tolo news quoted a source as saying that Afghan security forces had asked for an airstrike to support its ground forces in retaking a security outpost in the district but the area was retaken before the airstrike took place and that the U.S. airstrike targeted the Afghan forces gathered in the area.

The United States Forces in Afghanistan confirmed the casualties resulting in the airstrike.

"We can confirm local security personnel aligned with Afghan government forces were killed in an airstrike in Greshk district of Helmand province," the US Forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A) statement said.

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by the unfortunate incident," statement added.

The U.S. forces will conduct an investigation to determine the specific circumstances that led to the incident.

However, the exact number of casualties in the airstrike was not mentioned in the statement.

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The United States is set to forbid American citizens from traveling to North Korea in the wake of "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention."

The step comes after U.S. college student Otto Warmbier died following his captivity in North Korea.

Warmbier was arrested last year while on the sightseeing tour. After being held prisoner by North Korea for 17 months, Warmbier in June was handed over to the US in a vegetative state. He died a few days later in Ohio.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson authorized a "geographical travel restriction" on all US nationals' use "of a passport to travel in, through, or to North Korea," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

The notice will be placed in the Federal Register on Thursday -- 64 years to the day after a cease-fire agreement ended fighting in the Korean War -- and the restriction will go into effect 30 days after that.

"Once in effect, US passports will be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea. Individuals seeking to travel to North Korea for certain limited humanitarian or other purposes may apply to the Department of State for a special validation passport," she said.

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The United States has withheld the disbursement of USD 350 million aid to Pakistan after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis informed the Congress that Islamabad has not taken sufficient measures to counter the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network, a top U.S. official said on Friday.

According to reports, Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said that U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis informed the congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network as per the requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act to permit full reimbursement of Coalition Support Funds.

Pakistan was allotted USD 900 million aid through the special fund by the United States.

Pakistan has already received USD 550 million funds out of the allotted USD 900 million aid.

Mattis's latest decision will now lead to USD 50 million aid to Pakistan being withheld as the Congress last year had rescinded the remaining USD300 million funds.

However, Mattis also said that Pakistan still has time to influence the secretary's certification decision in FY17 by taking action against the Haqqani network.

This comes as the Donald Trump administration retained Pakistan's name in its list of nations and regions providing "safe havens" to terrorists.

In its annual 'Country Report on Terrorism', as mandated by the Congress, the State Department said that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) continue to operate, train, organise and fundraise inside Islamabad and Pakistani military and security forces undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan.

"Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan, although Pakistan supported efforts to bring both groups into an Afghan-led peace process," the State Department said.

"Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan," the report said.

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With effect from 21 July 2017

Ashok Leyland announced that Shardul S Shroff has stepped down from the Board of Directors of the Company as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company after the conclusion of the sixty eighth Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 21 July 2017, due to his pre-occupation with other professional engagements in his firm.

A K Das has stepped down from the Board of Directors of the Company as Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company after the conclusion of the sixty eighth Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 21 July 2017, due to his pre-occupation with Hinduja Group Limited.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

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With effect from 21 July 2017

India Infraspace announced the resignation of Kintu M. Raichura, Non Executive, Independent Director from the directorship of the Company with effect from 21 July 2017.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

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With effect from 21 July 2017

Torrent Pharmaceuticals announced that Prof. Ashish Nanda, Independent Director, has resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company with effect from 21 July, 2017 on account of his proposed relocation to USA.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

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Up to 56 insurgents have been killed and 30 others injured during military operations conducted by Afghan security forces across the country, the Defense Ministry said.

"In past 24 hours, Afghan National Security and Defense Forces launched several cleanup and military operations to clear some of the areas from enemies. As a result, 56 armed militants were killed and 30 others were wounded," the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The raids were conducted in parts of Nangarhar, Kapisa, Ghazni, Logar, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Kunduz, Faryab, Baghlan, Badakhshan and Helmand provinces, Xinhua news agency cited the statement as saying.

Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations recently as militancy and counter-militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in the Central Asian country.

--IANS

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Nairobi, July 22 (IANS/MAP) The African Union (AU) electoral observation mission has called for free, fair and peaceful general elections in Kenya on August 8.

In meetings earlier this week with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is running for a second term, and Chief Justice David Maraga, the mission led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki praised the judiciary over the preparations for the elections and the settlement of disputes between the various parties concerned.

The meetings were also attended by AU Commission President Moussa Faki Mahamat.

The electoral observation mission of the Pan-African organisation expressed confidence that the next elections will be peaceful. The official campaign for the August general elections (presidential, legislative and county assemblies) began on May 28.

About eight candidates are competing in the presidential election and about 10,000 candidates are registered as parliamentarians, governors and members of local assemblies.

--IANS/MAP

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West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee on Saturday hit out at the BJP for making disparaging comments about party supremo and state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "out of spite".

"It is because they suffer from an inferiority complex due to Mamata Banerjee's popularity, charisma. They come here some times, eat on banana leaf, dine in five star hotels, make disparaging comments and go.

"This popularity is not even enjoyed by Modi in India. So they suffer from inferiority complex," said Chatterjee, also the state Education Minister.

"Since Modi is doing the work, the union ministers have no work. They are roaming around. They are attending seminars etc. They are not trying to understand the problems of the people," he said.

He was referring to Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar's comments on Banerjee on Saturday, a day after the Trinamool Congress Martyr's Rally where the party supremo had pledged to remove the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the next general elections.

Javadekar said at an Indian Chamber of Commerce event that Banerjee's speech highlighted her "frustration" and accused her of "disturbing" communal harmony.

"They do not know history. Who had hit the streets with Mother Teresa (during the religious violence in 1990s)? You are playing the communal card. Your affiliates are trying to divide Bengal through this communal card. What Javadekar said is ridiculous and has no link with reality," retorted Chatterjee.

Attacking the BJP for "saffronising" education in the country, Chatterjee condemned the Centre's move to thrust policies on the state without consultations.

"There is an attempt to saffronise education and every other sphere. They are planting their own people everywhere. They have the habit of imparting bad education.

"What can we expect from them. They didn't consult us before tabling the bill (no-detention) in Lok Sabha. They are creating confusion over pass-fail policy. They are playing to the galleries. We condemn the attempt to thrust on us policies without consultation.

"We strongly protest this behaviour against Trinamool and the party supremo," he said.

Chatterjee also took on the BJP's claims that more people in Bengal were coming ahead and meeting its members.

"He (Javadekar) has no understanding of the situation in Bengal. He is talking about the numbers...we can see only four people in the BJP (in Bengal). They are giving away flags with money. He should pay attention to that," he said.

"No party in India has ever spread such lies and canards."

Asked on Javadekar's statement that the Trinamool is "distributing poverty only, not prosperity", Chatterjee took a swipe at the saffron party over farmer suicides and reining in black money post demonetisation.

"How did thousands of farmers commit suicide? The poor is becoming poorer and the rich is getting richer. Is this prosperity? He must have mixed the two (prosperity and poverty).

"They are envious because Bengal is surging ahead despite the fund crunch and the Centre's non-cooperation," he added.

--IANS

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Describing as "disturbing" the CAG report which highlighted that the Indian Army is battling critical shortage of ammunition, especially for its tanks and artillery, the Congress on Saturday accused the NDA government of taking defence very lightly.

"The Prime Minister and his government have to answer definitely since when he assumed this office he took defence very lightly," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters.

"Now if the country is not prepared or under prepared and the requirements, the critical needs of ammunitions and spares have not been met for three years then this government is definitely in the dock," he added.

Sharma was responding to the Comptroller Auditor General report that revealed no significant improvement was made in the availability of War Wastage Reserve (WWR), which is ammunition needed to meet the requirements of 40 days of intense war or a full-scale war.

"The report of the CAG is revealing and disturbing amid tension on both the borders," Sharma said pointing out that there was a stand-off on the northern borders with China and on the western frontier with Pakistan.

He also said that on the international border and across the Line of Control there has been heavy artillery firing and exchange of firing for a long period of time.

The Congress leader said there have been attacks and cross-border attacks on Indian defence establishments and on strategic bases of the Indian Army and Air Force.

Sharma said the government has to ensure that the genuine needs of the army are met.

"And for any professional army, particularly when you have to guard such large frontiers against nuclear power neighbours, there is no room or luxury for shortages of critical spares and repairs," he said.

Lamenting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not appointed a full-time Defence Minister, Sharma said, "India does not have a full-time Defence Minister. When he took oath there was no full-time Defence Minister. Then (Manohar) Parrikar came who was non-serious and a non-performer. Now he has gone back to Goa and again the country is back with no full-time Defence Minister."

"So it is for everyone to see concerning India's defence, and the security of our borders is not a question of . But we as a opposition have a duty to ask questions and we will ask questions about it," he said.

Lashing out at the government, Sharma said, "This government and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) believes in talking all the time."

--IANS

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The CBI on Saturday took up the sensational gang rape and murder case of a school girl in Shimla that has led to massive protests in the hill state.

The investigation agency said it has registered two cases on the July 19 orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in connection with the gang rape and murder of the girl and into the custodial death of an accused.

"On order dated July 19 of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation of murder and rape of a minor girl in Shimla," the agency said in a statement.

The investigating agency said that it has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has left for the crime scene in the state.

The agency's action comes in the wake of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the state High Court. The HC ordered a CBI probe into the case on July 19.

The 16-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang-raped on July 4 after she was offered a lift in a vehicle by the accused when she was returning home from school.

On the way, the accused gang-raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her body was found two days later by police from Halaila forests of Kotkhai.

The autopsy report mentioned injuries on the girl's body.

Earlier, the police arrested six accused in connection with the case. The arrested accused have been identified as Rajinder Singh, who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Surat Singh and Lokjan.

However, a new twist in the case came after Rajinder Singh allegedly murdered a fellow accused Surat Singh in the police lock-up in Shimla on July 19.

Following the gang rape of the girl, people held massive protests in Himachal Pradesh. The family of the victim alleged that the 'real culprits', who belong to high-profile families, have gotten away 'scot-free'.

Last week, the state government agreed to recommend a CBI probe into the case.

--IANS

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It's been a year since famed Indian artist S.H. Raza's death on July 23. A legend in the true sense of the word, he popularised Indian concepts and iconography globally and built an impressive legacy of modern art.

He passed away at the age of 94 after a prolonged illness but his luminous legacy remains undminished, thanks to the Raza Foundation that the artist himself established.

The Foundation was set up in 2001 with the aim of promoting visual arts, poetry and music, among others. Initially, there were only three founding trustees -- Raza, Arun Vadehra (of Vadehra Art Gallery) and poet and critic Ashok Vajpeyi.

The generosity of the artist was such that even after funding the organisation, he did not wish his name to be used. It was Vajpeyi who had to convince Raza to allow his name in the Foundation's title.

"He was such a genuine and simple man... It took me three days to persuade him before he agreed," Vajpeyi, the Foundation's current managing trustee, told IANS.

"Because he was such a towering personality and renowned globally, I thought his name would help it in becoming a brand in itself. It would have perhaps not risen to this height if it was just called by any other name."

Today, the Raza Foundation is one of the most active cultural organisations in the country and besides organising a plethora of events, discussions, seminars and exhibitions, it also supports individuals and organisations by offering resources and grants.

Its immensely popular "Art Matters" series -- panel discussions on contemporary issues -- is a complete sellout. So far 46 editions have been held and it has become an integral part of our culture space and activities.

"There are three or four basic aspects of his legacy. One is the physical or artistic aspect, which includes the place where he lived, where he worked, his artworks and books. We have made sufficient efforts to ensure that all of these aspects are preserved.

"Then, there was his willingness to help others. As long as he was alive, he did not allow a single penny from the Foundation's fund to be spent on him. We are carrying forward this legacy by giving grants and supporting young artists and institutions promoting arts in the country," Vajpeyi said.

He also said that the Raza Foundation is playing a particularly crucial role -- especially at this point in time.

"We are living in times when state support for the arts is negligible and corporate support is still to blossom. It is because of this that the Foundation's role is all the more crucial," he maintained.

Raza was born in 1922 in Mandla in what is now Madhya Pradesh. He moved to Montparnasse in Paris aged 28 after securing a French government scholarship in 1950. His work on pictorial research won him the "Prix de la Critique" in 1956.

In the years that followed, he travelled across Europe and widely exhibited his works in France, where he lived for six decades. In 2015, he was conferred the "Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur", the highest French honour, for his artistic contributions.

Cut to the present: Nestling in the lap of Narmada river, the picturesque town of Mandla will be soaked in sublime remembrance as it observes the first death anniversary of its famous son. A series of events have been planned on Sunday, July 23, to commemorate Raza's memory and perpetuate his legacy.

A unique participatory artist workshop and a concert of nirgun music are among the programmes that have been lined up by the Foundation to pay tribute to the artist, who lies buried next to his father in Mandla.

Terry Pratchett, in his acclaimed novel "Reaper Man", famously wrote: "No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away."

Raza's afterlife personifies this. Death hasn't intervened as the rich legacy that Raza left behind lives on and continues to give direction to numerous lives.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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An Egyptian court on Saturday confirmed death sentences against 28 people over the murder of a former public prosecutor in 2015, the media reported.

The Cairo Criminal Court also sentenced 15 persons to life term -- 25 years -- eight to 15 years in prison and 15 others to 10-year imprisonment in the same case, Xinhua news agency reported.

The defendants were convicted of premeditated murder, association with a terrorist organisation and possessing weapons and explosives.

The court last month referred the sentence of 31 persons to the Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic official who gives the religious judgment of all preliminary death sentences.

Though the Mufti's opinion is non-binding as it is usually considered a formality, he confirmed death sentences against only 28.

Former prosecutor Hisham Barakat was killed in a car bombing in Cairo on June 29, 2015.

Some 67 defendants were charged in the case, but one of them passed away before the sentence was confirmed.

A little known group calling itself "the Giza Popular Resistance" claimed responsibility for the attack.

Before the attack, the Islamic State affiliate group in Sinai, then known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis urged followers to attack judges.

--IANS

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New Zealand on Saturday declared a state of emergency in several parts of South Island that have been affected by heavy floods.

Emergency has been declared in Christchurch, Dunedin, Selwyn and Otago region, which has received the highest rainfall, measuring some 200 mm in 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Civil Defence.

In Timaru, a port city with nearly 29,000 inhabitants, the state of emergency was active earlier in the day and lifted once the water level receded, reports Efe news.

Authorities have evacuated the residents from areas considered dangerous, such as in the case of some 100 families from Outram, in Dunedin.

Evacuations have also been carried out in Christchurch, the most populous city on South Island, where the waters of the Avon and Heathcote rivers have overflowed their banks in several sections.

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English expressed solidarity with those affected and advised them to follow authorities' instructions and help their neighbours, according to a local television channel.

The country's weather service forecast said temperature would reach below zero degrees Celsius on Saturday night on South Island.

--IANS

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An Airbus A380 flight of Emirates Airways nearly collided in mid-air with an Air Seychelles passenger jet when the Dubai-based carrier was about to land in Mauritius, local media reported on Thursday.

The near-collision was reportedly due to the Emirates crew members' incorrect report of the plane altitude, when the Emirates A380-800 descended to land at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius, according to Dubai daily Gulf News.

UAE daily The National reported that the double-decker aircraft -- which can carry 498 passengers aboard -- almost crashed into the Air Seychelles Airbus A320-200 plane, which had just taken off from the same airport.

The Air Seychelles flight veered "sharply to the right" after it ran directly into the path of the Emirates A380, the world's biggest passenger jet.

No passenger was injured on the Emirates flight, said the report, adding that further investigation about the incident was underway.

--IANS

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The Indian and Bangladeshi governments have undertaken an ambitious project to establish a new waterway between the two neighbours using the mighty Brahmaputra river, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said here on Saturday.

"India and Bangladesh governments have signed an agreement to establish the news waterways between the two countries using the Brahmaputra river," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Mandaviya told the media.

"Indian government would dredge the Brahmaputra river on its side and the Bangladesh authority would dredge the river on their side. We expect that within the next one year. The new waterway would be operational and it would boost the trade and people to people contact."

India is prioritising multi-modal connectivity in the northeastern region, including water connectivity, and already 16 waterway projects, mostly involving Bangladesh, have been approved.

India and Bangladesh have a 2,979 km land border and 1,116 km of riverine boundary. They also share 54 common rivers, including the Brahmaputra.

According to Tripura Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik, the state government had submitted proposals to develop waterways between Tripura's Gomati and Howrah and Bangladeshi rivers.

The Shipping Ministry has recently sanctioned Rs 12 crore and asked the state government to submit detailed project reports to develop waterways between Tripura's Gomti and Bangladesh's Meghna rivers.

Since 1972, four inland water routes between India and Bangladesh are currently operational : Kolkata-Pandu (in southern Assam) via Bangladesh, Kolkata-Karimganj (in southern Assam) via Bangladesh, Rajshahi (in Bangladesh)-Dhulian (in southern Assam) and Karimganj-Pandu-Karimganj via Bangladesh.

Mandaviya, who came here on Saturday on a day's visit, met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Governor Tathagata Roy and discussed about various ongoing projects of his ministries.

The Minister, who is also Minister of State in the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry, discussed with Sarkar the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana with a view to provide quality medicine at affordable prices to all sections of the society, an official said.

He also held a meeting with the officials of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation and Tripura PWD Department to discuss ongoing roadway projects.

According to the minister, currently Tripura has six national highways with a total length of 854 km.

--IANS

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The Indian government's vision to create 100 new smart cities to support the rapidly growing urban population could have a significant detrimental impact on the environment, a study has warned.

Researchers led by Hugh Byrd, professor and a specialist in urban planning at the University of Lincoln, UK, said the detrimental environmental impact would increase at a greater rate than the population.

They asked for greater emphasis to be placed on providing new supporting infrastructure and utilities, if the harmful impact was to be reduced.

The study is based on an analysis of the environmental implications of the planned developments in Bhendi Bazaar -- a 16.5-acre site in Mumbai -- put forward as a flagship of the proposed new "smart" cities.

According to the proposal, Bhendi Bazaar would see medium-rise housing (between three and five storeys) replaced with high-rise towers of 40 to 60 storeys, which the government had said is "sustainable, environmentally friendly and 'smart'".

However, the research suggests that the resulting increase in population density was likely to place significant extra demands on resources, including electricity and water.

"The pursuit of cities to become "smart", "world-class", "liveable", "green" or "eco" has been promoted alongside increased population densities and urban compaction," the researcher said.

"This planning goal (will) reach a point where resources are inadequate for the fully functioning metabolism of a city," said Byrd.

Simultaneously, it will also increase the output of waste in the form of drainage, solid waste and greenhouse gases, the research paper, published in the Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, contended.

"In this case, the metabolism does not increase linearly with density but accelerates instead, so the detrimental environmental impact will increase at a greater rate than the population increase," Byrd said.

The Bhendi Bazaar case study offers an example in terms of increased density, improved image and urban regeneration.

However, it does not offer an answer to the problems of providing an adequate infrastructure to support the metabolism of such developments if they were to be significantly replicated, the study said.

"On this basis the exemplar development does not support the case for calling the proposals for Mumbai "smart" or "sustainable"," Byrd noted.

--IANS

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Iran will continue full support to Iraqi government and nation to establish security and stability, Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan said.

"We have cooperated and will cooperate with the Iraqi government and nation and will continue our support," Dehqan said in a meeting with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Erfan al-Hiyali on Saturday.

"We will also use our utmost political, economic and military capabilities along with Iraq's capabilities to establish sustainable security and stability in the country and create a powerful Iraq," he added.

The Iranian minister hailed the Iraq's recent achievements in the fight against terrorism and liberation of the northern city of Mosul, Xinhua news agency reported.

"A regional and international consensus must be achieved against terrorism and its supporters," Dehqan stressed.

National unity and integrity in Iraq would guarantee stability, security and interests of all ethnic groups in the country, he said, adding that Iran would never accept disintegration of Iraq.

For his part, the Iraqi Defence Minister hailed Iran's full support for the Iraqi government, nation and the armed forces and called for the further development of defence and military cooperation with the Islamic republic.

Iran has been providing military advisory assistance to Iraq in its counter-terrorism campaign.

--IANS

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Actress Kriti Sanon, rumoured to be dating her "Raabta" co-star Sushant Singh Rajput, is super excited to see him "flying high" and he being in space.

Sushant tweeted his photo, which seems to have been taken at a NASA facility in the US, on Saturday.

He captioned it: "From a miniature rocket to a life size one, this grown up kid will never cease to dream. My mother always wanted her 'Sushant in Space'!"

Kriti was thrilled. "Woah! Flying high literally? I'm sure your mom will be really proud! Keep shining Sush. Super excited to see Sushant in Space."

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also went down memory lane and shared his dreams as a child.

"My dream as a kid was to be an astronaut, staring at the night skies for hours, dreaming of finding friends in the milky way. So take me there," he wrote.

Sushant had earlier shared his excitement about heading to a NASA centre to prepare for his next film, "Chanda Mama Door Ke" -- a space adventure.

--IANS

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Nigeria's army chief Lt General Tukur Buratai on Saturday directed his troops to capture Abubakar Shekau, self-styled leader of the Boko Haram sect, "dead or alive", a statement said.

According to the official statement, Buratai directed Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, to do so within 40 days, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the commander should employ all arsenal at the disposal of the Theatre Command to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria.

He appealed to the public to assist by providing information that would rid the society of these insurgents.

In November, 2016, the Nigerian Army declared the leader of the Boko Haram sect and 54 insurgents wanted for various "terror acts".

The development comes two months after Sani Usman, an army spokesman, claimed Shekau was fatally wounded during a raid in Sambisa forest.

In September, 2014, security forces announced that one Mohammed Bashir, who had been posing as the "eccentric character" Shekau, had been taken down.

It maintained that the sect leader was killed during a military raid on Sambisa forest.

But Shekau later in videos debunked the report of his death.

--IANS

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In one of the Nithari serial rape and murder cases, a local CBI court on Saturday held businessman Maninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surender Koli guilty of rape, murder, abduction and criminal conspiracy in a case relating to the killing of a 20-year-old woman.

The case, the eighth of the several lodged in the serial rape-murders, was registered by the CBI under sections 302, 376, 364, 201 and 120 (B) of the IPC on December 29, 2006.

CBI special judge Pawan Kumar Tiwari pronounced the judgment and held the two guilty.

Both Koli and Pandher who were present in the court were taken in to custody. Pandher was earlier out on bail.

The court is to pronounce the quantum of sentence on July 24.

The court took stock of the arguments from prosecution lawyer J.P. Sharma who argued that scientific evidence has proved that Koli abducted, killed and raped the woman and tampered with the evidence.

On October 5, 2006, the woman was returning home from work and passed by the road outside the D-5 residence of Pandher.

Koli after killing her, beheaded her and threw the skull behind the house, which was recovered by the CBI.

The DNA of the skull matched with the parents of the deceased.

Her clothes, which were recovered from Koli, were identified by the parents.

Pandher was involved in the conspiracy of the crime, the court ruled.

Defence lawyer Devraj Singh contradicted the prosecution argument and said that on the date of crime Pandher was not present at the crime spot. He said Pandher's presence has been proved that on that date he was in Dehradun.

However, after taking stock of arguments from both sides the court held them guilty.

The gruesome cases came to light in 2006 when the police discovered the skulls and bones of 16 persons, mostly children, from near Pandher's house in the Noida village of Nithari.

Earlier, many children had gone missing from the nearby slums of Nithari and their parents alleged that police had ignored their complaints.

It was alleged that Koli would lure the children to the house, offering them sweets and chocolates, murder them and have sex with the corpses. He was also accused of cannibalism. He would throw the bones and other belongings into a ditch behind the house.

--IANS

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced a freeze of all contact with Israel until it commits to cancel measures in Jerusalem, especially at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"We reject the so-called e-gates as political measures that are covered by a false security cover," Abbas said in a speech on Friday after an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership.

The meeting included members of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the central committee of its Fatah movement and security chiefs, Xinhua news agency reported.

Abbas said that these gates "aim to impose control on Al-Aqsa Mosque and evade the peace process and its entitlements".

He called East Jerusalem their "eternal capital", and said will "continue to protect it and work for its liberation from the occupation".

He added that the Palestinian leadership will remain adjourned until further notice, urging Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Arab League, UN and other world powers "to shoulder their responsibility towards Jerusalem".

Abbas called on Palestinian factions, especially Islamic Hamas Movement to "unite the compass towards Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa and defend our sanctities and our national project".

He also pointed to a goal of allocating $25 million to strengthen the steadfastness of Jerusalem residents, citizens, institutions, merchants and others.

Abbas urged unity effort of Palestinian businessmen and other national institutions, as well as the Arab and Islamic funds related to Jerusalem towards the goal.

Palestinian Health Ministry said three Palestinians were killed Friday and nearly 400 others injured in clashes with Israeli forces after the Friday prayers.

--IANS

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Of the 1,650 political parties registered with the Election Commission (EC), only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communists to an extent have upheld internal democracy, BJP President said on Friday.

"All the other parties are dynasties," Shah told a meeting of prominent citizens in Jaipur.

The BJP, he said, was a party with a difference. It was the only party that was based on principles and it had internal democracy in place, he added.

Shah, on a three-day trip of Rajasthan, traced the history of the party and tried to convey how the BJP was different from all others.

"Can anyone of you say who will be the BJP President after me? No one. But regarding the Congress, anyone can predict who will become the President after Soniaji," he said, referring to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The BJP is the only party where a 'booth karyakarta' can become a President, Shah said, he added, referring to himself.

"Internal democracy in any party is important. It is because of this that in the BJP a tea seller became the Prime Minister."

Political parties without internal democracy and principals cannot govern the country and the states in the right manner, he said.

"Political parties who do not have internal democracy can never contribute towards making democracy stronger in the country."

He said the BJP was the only party where decisions were made on merit. "There are only a few parties which work on principals... The BJP is the main."

He added: "Because of BJP government policies, Rajasthan is out of BIMARU status... Soon you will see Uttar Pradesh coming out of BIMARU status as now we have a BJP government there."

Shah said that although the Congress ruled the country for 70 long years, there were villages even today without electricity.

"Now we will see to it that there is no village left without electricity."

Earlier, Shah presided over a meeting of Rajasthan ministers. It was also attended by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and BJP state President Ashok Parnami.

"He took feedback from the ministers and listened to them patiently as each minister gave details of the work done by their ministries," a BJP functionary told IANS.

Shah told the ministers to spread awareness about the Modi government's programmes among the masses.

He also met MLAs, MPs and party leaders and inaugurated an e-library at the BJP office in Jaipur.
Oxygen leakage from a torpedo led to the fire on board Naval submarine Sindhurakshak in 2013, and the submarine was holding ammunition that was near expiry, an official report said.

A CAG report, tabled in Parliament on Friday quoted the Board of Inquiry (BoI) that looked into the accident, after scientific analysis and careful consideration inferred leakage of oxygen from a torpedo as a primary initiator of the incident.

The oxygen leak was attributed to material failure of oxygen flask or its associated pipelines.

The BoI proceedings also brought out that the operational deployment of the submarine in August 2013 by Indian Navy was not justified due to the following as the laid down Ships Operating Standards (SHOPS) for the submarine had not achieved the requisite Harbour and operational evolutions.

Complete 'Work Up' of the submarine was not conducted when the submarine was prepared for operational deployment as the 'Work Up' was completed within one week instead of prescribed two weeks.

The trials and calibration of Navigational aids and sensors should be completed prior to deployment of a submarine for 'Work Up' with any consorts. However, in the case INS Sindhurakshak, the Sea Acceptance Trials of two critical equipment were not completed even at the time of its preparation for operational deployment, the CAG report said.

"Submarine authorities concerned did not properly assess the crew fatigue, besides, the submarine was holding ammunition nearing life expiry," the report said.

Indian Navy appraised told the national auditor that as the acceptance trials are extremely stringent, however due to advent of monsoon the acceptance trials were not attempted as the sea state was appreciated to be beyond the limits laid down in the protocol.

For inadequacies in completion of SHOPS, Indian Navy stated that with the submarine's sound material state, satisfactorily completing Task-II and accomplishing a torpedo firing, the inadequacy of not having completed SHOPS was not overwhelmingly weighing against embark on a deployment.

INS Sindhurakshak was Russian-made Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy which cost Rs 404.54 crore, and was commissioned in December 1997.

The submarine suffered a minor fire incident in 2010 and a major one on 14 August 2013, which resulted in its sinking at Mumbai's naval dockyard.

The report added that between 2007-08 and 2015-16, Indian Navy ships and submarines were involved in 38 accidents, primarily attributable to fire, explosion, and flooding.

"The Indian Navy since inception, had no institutionalised framework to deal with safety issues. A dedicated organisation for dealing with safety issues was setup by the Indian Navy only in 2014, however, it awaits government's sanction," it added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police on Saturday made the first arrest in connection with the brutal hacking of a notorious criminal Rafiuddin Shaikh alias Guddya in Dhule, an official said here.

"He was arrested by a police team from a hideout in Kamshet in Pune district this afternoon and will be brought to Dhule on Sunday," said an official at the Dhule police control room.

The 33-year-old gangster was killed around 6.15 a.m on July 18 as he was having tea at a teashop on the busy Parola Road in the central part of Dhule.

Shortly after the incident, Dhule police had formed multiple teams to trace the assailants.

That morning, at least 10 members of a rival gang barged into the teashop and first shot him thrice with a country-made revolver. After he was incapacitated, they dragged him out of the shop, hacking him with curved swords.

Within a few minutes, the attackers inflicted at least 40 sword wounds and continued hacking him even after he had succumbed, eyewitnesses said.

Shaikh, who was out on bail, had several cases pending against him of extortion, attempt to murder, rape and murder in several districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the official said.

Some of the attackers identified by police included Vilas Goyar, his sons Vicky Goyar, Shyam Goyar and Vijay Goyar, and their associates Rajendra Devare, Bhima Devare and Dadu Devare.

The entire incident was recorded on the CCTV of a neighbouring building. The police took the footage into their custody to prevent it from going viral.

But the video somehow leaked out on Wednesday. Police are conducting a separate probe into the video leak.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A prisoner in Hardoi jail of Uttar Pradesh was badly injured after a fellow inmate bit his private part, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place in barrack 7 on Friday night when the prisoners were joking with each other and all of a sudden an inmate bit the penis of Noor Mohammad, who is in jail for the past four months on rape charges, Jailer Mritunjaya Narayan Pandey said.

Mohammad was immediately rushed to the district hospital as he was bleeding profusely. A prison official said his condition was critical.

The jailer said a probe has been initiated into the matter and the prisoners present at the scene were being questioned on what led to the incident.

Officials said the man who bit the private part was mentally disturbed.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said that the crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led Arab alliance would only be resolved with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Al-Jubeir made the remarks on Friday in Rome, Italy, after meeting with his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano, Xinhua news agency reported.

Al-Jubeir said the Saudi-led bloc, which also includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, hopes Qatar would accept and commit to six principles it has tabled.

The principles include demands for Doha to commit to fighting terrorism and extremism and preventing their financing, prohibit inciting propaganda against its neighbours, and stop interfering in their internal affairs, the state-run Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, as well as Qatar, are all members of the six-nation GCC, whose members also include Oman and Kuwait, which have not joined the anti-Qatari bloc. Kuwait has been playing the role of mediator to broker an end to the Gulf standoff.

The crisis started early last month when the Saudi-led alliance abruptly cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a blockade on the tiny rich Gulf nation, citing its support of terrorism and interference in their internal affairs.

Initially, the Saudi-led bloc issued a list of 13 demands for Doha to correct its policies, including closing the Al-Jazeera TV, stopping financial support to terrorism and downgrading its ties with Iran, as preconditions for resuming diplomatic ties.

Qatar has rejected the charges while refusing to accept the demands, citing the right to defend its sovereignty.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major embarrassment to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a state-government panel on Saturday questioned the massive delays in disbursing Rs 10,000 'immediate relief' as part of a farm loans waiver scheme announced to protesting farmers over a month ago.

The Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalambi Mission (VNSSM) Chairman Kishore Tiwari has said that contrary to claims made by the government to provide 'immediate assistance' to all the eligible nine million farmers, barely a fraction - or 3,200 peasants - have been handed over the amount so far.

"This has made a mockery of the farmers, who are running from pillar to post since nearly 40 days for the promised emergency assistance of Rs 10,000. Now, the sowing season is ending and even the monsoon will depart soon," Tiwari told IANS.

The remaining farmers who did not get aid continue to suffer or commit suicide, he pointed out.

"Despite the state government offering a guarantee to the Reserve Bank of India, a majority of the public sector banks have not initiated steps to disburse this small amount which could provide big relief to farmers in this critical sowing season," Tiwari said.

So far, only the Vidarbha-Konkan Gramin Bank, Maharashtra Gramin Bank and DCCBs have disbursed the Rs 10,000 to around 3,200 farmers.

The financial aid announcement was made by the state government on June 11 after an unprecedented 11-day strike by farmers shook the political establishment. Tiwari said on June 14 the government issued an order asking farmers to collect the Rs 10,000 from banks the following day (June 15).

However, till date the farmers have been making rounds of the banks and return empty-handed, he said.

He pointed out that "Strangely, the government provided the bank guarantee only on July 4."

He demanded that the government must fix accountability for this on the bureaucrats who briefed the ministers at the time of negotiations with the farmers leaders, "to avoid similar humiliation in future".

Each bank was required to get the board's approval for the July 4 guarantee and then initiate the process to disburse the money.

Accusing the banks and bureaucracy of "a hostile attitude" towards farmers, Tiwari said that so far the PSU banks have disbursed barely 15 per cent of the crop loans targeted by RBI-NABARD for the current Kharif season, compared to 80 per cent which was achieved by July 21 last year.

This year, the crop loans outlay is likely to be around Rs 58,662 crore, an increase of nearly Rs 7,000 crore over last year's outlay of Rs 51,235 crore.

"This year, however, the insensitive banks and bureaucrats have made a joke of even the small amount of Rs 10,000, and owing to their negative temperament, farmers' suicides continues unabated," Tiwari said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A leopard strayed into a village in Tanzania's Handeni district and inflicted injuries on 3 people, police said.

Benedict Wakulyamba, Tanga regional police commander, confirmed the attack of the leopard on the three villagers on Saturday, saying the animal disappeared after the night raid, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The animal raided Gole village on Friday at night and attacked the villagers," said Wakulyamba.

Twahibu Hassan, one of the victims, said the leopard found its way in Gole village on Friday at night and started attacking residents it came across.

Hamisi Rashidi, another victim, said when he heard the noise from Hassan he came out of his house on a rescue mission only to end up being attacked by the leopard.

"I started to fight the animal until other villagers came and attacked the animal using every arsenal they had," said Rashidi.

"But before it disappeared, the leopard attacked another villager," said Rashidi.

Hudi Shehedadi, the Handeni district hospital medical officer, said all the three victims were treated at the health facility and he described their conditions as satisfactory.

The Handeni district wildlife officer, Mussa Rajabu, said they suspected the leopard sneaked from the nearby Saadan National Park in Bagamoyo district in Coast region.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The son of the Taliban chief was one of the three suicide bombers who died earlier this week while attacking Afghan security checkposts in Helmand province, the terror group's spokesperson confirmed on Saturday.

Abdul Rahman, son of Mullah Haibatullah, was one of the insurgents who carried out three car bomb attacks in Geresk district and launched coordinated attacks on the Afghan forces which prompted the US air support and security reinforcements, reports Efe news.

According to the provincial governor's spokesperson Omar Zwak, between Thursday and Friday, 67 Taliban members were killed and another 80 injured in clashes in the area, where Afghan troops have regained control of three important areas of the district.

Last year, Mullah Haibatullah became the leader of the Taliban, succeeding Mullah Mansur who was killed in a US airstrike in May 2016.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 17-year-old girl, who had been repeatedly raped by a neighbour, prematurely delivered a baby in her school bringing the crime to light, police said on Saturday.

The 50-year-old auto-driver who raped her was arrested on Saturday morning, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Mahadeo Dumbere told IANS that the class 10 student gave birth in the bathroom of a government school in north Delhi on Thursday.

He said the girl had disclosed that the auto driver had raped her six-seven times in the past six months.

He said her family didn't know that she was pregnant, adding that "it looks like she didn't tell the auto driver also about the pregnancy".

On Thursday, the girl had gone to the school to give her class 10 compartment examination where she prematurely delivered the baby, Dumbere said.

The mother and the baby were taken to a nearby hospital and the condition of both is said to be stable.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A minor girl is missing and three others were injured -- all aged 16 to 17 years -- after they tried to escape from a shelter home here, the city police said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said one of the girls was being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre while two of them were sent back to the shelter home from the hospital.

The officer said that the four girls tried to escape from the shelter home in south Delhi late on Friday by scaling the walls with the help of a 'dupatta' and sustained injuries in the process.

"Three girls were traced and admitted to AIIMS Trauma Center while one of them is still missing," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the four Arab countries to lift a land blockade on Qatar considering the tiny Gulf country's latest "positive movement" on counterterrorism.

The Qataris have continued to move forward and have been "very aggressive" in implementing the agreement, Tillerson told reporters Friday before his meeting with visiting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in Washington.

He also said that Qatar has indicated "a willingness" to sit with the four countries and "discuss the demands", Xinhua news agency reported.

Tillerson urged the four Arab parties to begin to take positive action and lift the land blockade as "a sign of good faith".

Last month, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, cut diplomatic ties and imposed sanctions on their neighbour, accusing it of supporting extremism and terrorism, an allegation denied by Qatar.

The incident has spiralled into one of the worst regional disputes in years.

Last week, Tillerson travelled to the Middle East. During his trip he signed an agreement with Qatar on combating terrorism financing in an effort to ease the tension in the region.

On June 23, the four countries issued a list of 13 demands to end the rift with Doha, including closing Al-Jazeera television and cutting Qatar-Iran diplomatic ties.

Since Qatar's response seemed unsatisfactory, the Arab quartet have decided to maintain their sanctions against Qatar.

Earlier this week, the four seemed to have modified their demands, urging the Gulf nation to commit to six principles on combating extremism and terrorism and negotiate a plan with specific measures to implement them.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of "new and serious consequences" if it does not release imprisoned American citizens, a White House statement said.

The statement on Friday said Trump is willing to take new measures "unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned", reports Voice of America news.

The President's remarks come after a Chinese American, Xiyue Wang, was sentenced in Iran this week to 10 years in prison over espionage charges.

"The US condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process," the statement said.

The statement urged the release of Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran; and US businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer.

"Iran is responsible for the care and well being of every US citizen in its custody," the Voice of America quoted the statement as saying.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration put new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Trump has called the agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader, freedom fighter and former Maharashtra Minister Shivajirao Girdhar Patil, who was father of late National Award winning actress Smita Patil, died at a private hospital here on Saturday. He was 92.

A widower, Patil's wife had died in 2015 after 77 years of marriage. He is survived by two daughters, Anita Deshmukh and Manya Seth and grandson, Bollywood actor Pratiek Babbar - the son of Smita who had died in 1986.

Plunging into in his teens, the young firebrand Patil was attracted to communism in his school days in Dhule. At the age of 15, he was elected president of the Communist Party of India's student wing, All India Students Federation (AISF) in 1939.

Through the AISF and the CPI, he took part in several agitations during the struggle for Independence and was imprisoned for 12 years for various subversive activities.

After Independence he switched over to the Congress and was elected thrice to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, to the Legislative Council and served one term in the Rajya Sabha (1992-1998).

Handling various ministries during the tenures of Chief Ministers Vasantrao Naik, S.B. Chavan and Vasantrao Patil in the 1950s-1970s, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2013 for services to the cooperative movement in Maharashtra.

In between, he briefly flirted with the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, but remained a Congressman at heart and committed to the cause of the cooperative sectors.

In 1996, on the 10th death anniversary of his actress daughter, he set up the 'Smita Patil Charitable Trust' which runs a public school in Dahiwad village of his native Dhule district imparting quality education to rural children.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences on his demise.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also condoled Patil's death, describing him "a stalwart of the cooperation movement" in the state.

"He made a significant contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. After Independence, he played a major role in politics, social, cooperation movement and education fields. His role in the development of the sugar cooperative sector brought international laurels," Fadnavis said in a message.

Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan expressed grief over Patil's death and said the masses have lost "a committed" leader who contributed immense to the political, social, cooperation and education sectors.

Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar described him as a leader who "represented a generation, which was socially aware."

"He never let go of his commmitments to the cooperative movement and democratic idology," Pawar said in his message.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde also condoled the death of Patil in a message and said the state has lost a leader who developed society through agriculture and cooperation movement.

Condolence messages have come from the Congress's party units and Chief Ministers all over India and prominent leaders of different political parties.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. DAVID BRIAN MAGNAN, Defendant - Appellant. No. 16-7046 Decided: July 20, 2017

Before BRISCOE, McKAY, and BALDOCK, Circuit Judges.**

ORDER AND JUDGMENT*

In January 2000, Defendant David Magnan, a Native American, pleaded guilty in federal district court to arson in violation of 18 U.S.C.  1153 & 81, and simple assault in violation of 18 U.S.C.  1153 & 113. The district court sentenced Defendant to twenty-five months in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 2, 2004, while on supervised release, Defendant was arrested in Oklahoma and charged with murdering three individuals and attempting to murder a fourth. On May 13, 2004, in response to the state charges, the Government filed a petition to revoke Defendant's supervised released. Defendant was subsequently convicted (pursuant to a plea of guilty), and sentenced to death in Oklahoma state court because prosecutors mistakenly believed the residence where the murders occurred was located outside Indian Country. The federal petition to revoke his supervised release was never adjudicated, presumably because Defendant had been continuously in state custody and sentenced to death. On federal habeas review, we vacated Defendant's state convictions and sentence for want of state court subject matter jurisdiction. Magnan v. Trammell, 719 F.3d 1159 (10th Cir. 2013).

Shortly thereafter, in July 2013, the Government charged Defendant with three counts of murder in Indian Country in violation of 18 U.S.C.  1153. Around that time, state officials transferred custody of Defendant to federal authorities. On April 22, 2014, the Government filed an amended petition to revoke Defendant's supervised release. Following a trial in October 2015, a jury found Defendant guilty on all three murder counts. In May 2016, immediately after sentencing Defendant to three consecutive life sentences, see United States v. Magnan, No. 16-7043, slip op. (10th Cir. July 20, 2017) (affirming federal murder convictions), the district court held a revocation hearing. Taking notice of the facts presented at his murder trial, see id. at 210, the court found by a preponderance of the evidence that Defendant had violated the terms of his supervised release. The court sentenced Defendant to thirty-six months in prison, to be served consecutive to his three life sentences. Defendant appeals. We exercise jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  1291. Now before us is the assistant federal public defender's Anders brief accompanied by his motion to withdraw as counsel. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).

Counsel represents that he finds nothing in the court records or applicable law that arguably might justify reversal of Defendant's supervised release revocation. Neither do we. Only one point counsel makes is even worthy of discussion. Counsel points out that at his revocation hearing, Defendant objected on the basis that the delay in the hearing violated his right to due process. According to counsel, Defendant's objection stems from the twelve year delay in the original filing of the petition to vacate his supervised release and the hearing taking place. Anders Brief at 6. To be sure, the conditional freedom of a parolee generated by statute is a liberty interest protected by the Due Process Clause. Moody v. Daggett, 429 U.S. 78, 85 (1976). But importantly, Defendant's continuous confinement and consequent loss of liberty since March 2, 2004, the date of the murders, in no sense derive from the violations of his supervised release. Moreover, given the three life sentences ultimately imposed upon Defendant for those murders, the prospect that Defendant will ever be incarcerated as a result of those release violations is highly improbable to say the least. See id. at 8687. Because the hearing delay had no present or inevitable effect on Defendant's liberty interest, that delay has not deprived him of anything. See id. at 87; Hough v. Alderden, 236 F. App'x 350, 352 n.2 (10th Cir. 2007) (recognizing that where a defendant is in custody for a crime independent of any supervised release violation, he is not, for the time being, entitled to due process protection because his present confinement derives solely from his separate conviction quite apart from any supervised release violation).

Accordingly, Defendant's appeal from the judgment revoking his supervised release is DISMISSED. Defense counsel's motion to withdraw is GRANTED as to appeal no. 16-7046, i.e., so far as it pertains to representation of Defendant on his supervised release violations.

Entered for the Court,

Bobby R. Baldock United States Circuit Judge
The new White House Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, whose hiring led to the resignation of Press Secretary Sean Spicer, has wasted absolutely no time in getting on the President's good side by expressing his "love" for Donald Trump, whom he called a "hack politician" in 2015.

Hours after it was announced that he was appointed, Scaramucci stood behind the podium during Friday's White House press briefing and proclaimed his "love" for Trump and his administration.

"I love the President and I'm very, vey loyal to the President and I love the mission that the President has," Scaramucci, who is also called "the Mooch", said.

"The President has really good karma."

Scaramucci, 53, currently serves as the senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at the Export-Import Bank. He will officially begin in his new role on August 15.

A Wall Street personal, Scaramucci reiterated his admiration for Trump and his administration over and over again during the briefing while speaking to reporters about his excitement level in taking over the job. He referenced the word "love" so much during the briefing that CNN compiled a mashup and played it on air.

Scaramucci called Trump a "hack politician" in 2015 as at that time he was supporting Republican presidential candidates Scott Walker and Jeb Bush.

During an appearance on Fox Business in 2015, Scaramucci called Trump a bully whose campaign would "eventually implode". He had also accused Trump of engaging in "anti-American rhetoric". Scaramucci had also challenged Trump to criticise him, saying he'll be the president of the "Queens County bullies association".

On Friday, Scaramucci apologised for his earlier comments, estimating that it was the "50th time" he had done so because the President brings it up "every 15 seconds".

"It was one of the biggest mistakes I made," Scaramucci said. "I was an unexperienced person in politics, I was supporting another candidate. I should have never said that about him."

Talking about Spicer, Scaramucci said: "I love the guy, I wish him well, and I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money." Scaramucci worked the press room for more than 30 minutes, ending it by blowing a kiss at reporters as he walked out.

The new Communications Director's continuous use of the word "love" bothered some, who reacted sarcastically on the social . "Scaramucci loves 'loves,'" wrote one Twitter user.

"OH in the WH basement: we should all find someone who loves us as much as Scaramucci loves the President," said another Twitter user.

A report from The New York Times said that Spicer "vehemently disagreed" with the decision to hire Scaramucci because of his background in finance, not communications. Spicer will continue in the role through August, after which Sarah Huckabee Sanders will take over as the new Press Secretary.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government is considering setting up a regulatory structure to oversee trading of bitcoin, the digital crypto-currency. This would treat the virtual currency in a manner akin to gold, which is digitally traded on registered exchanges run under the oversight of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). A move to formalise the thriving desi trade in bitcoin would not only bring it under the tax ambit but also help prevent its use in ransomware hacks, money-laundering and hawala transactions.
The salaried class accounts for the bulk of the total collection of the individual income tax. More than 50 per cent of the income declared in individual tax returns are by this class. The government has introduced new provisions under the General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR) and goods and services tax (GST) that can impact salaries.
In the four months since he was sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath has turned the spotlight on a number of projects announced by his predecessor, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on launched scathing attack on Congress Vice-President and said he is the sure shot route to Congress Mukt Bharat (Congress Free India).

The ruling party's attack on the Gandhi scion came a day after Rahul slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre while digging out issues including Rohith Vemula suicide case, Dadri lynching case and demonetisation drive.

Speaking to ANI, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said is sure shot route for achieving BJP's Congress Mukt Bharat (Congress Free India) aim.

"If there is one leader who has not been told the reality that is staring on the face of Congress then that is . He has failed his party repeatedly elections after elections," said Rao.

The BJP spokesperson further added that due to the dynasty politic, the leader and workers of the Congress have not told Rahul to step-down to save the party.

"His party men have simply not mustered the courage to tell him to simply step out and stay out of to help the party," said the BJP leader.

Union Agriculture Minister Giriraj Singh took a dig at the way of Congress' functioning while castigating Rahul Gandhi.

"Congress does not appear to be a democratic party because of its hierarchical and dictatorial . Today, Congress is on the verge of collapse because of its dictatorial politics," Giriraj said.

He further added that Congress should introspect why its numbers in the Parliament have reduced to below 50.

The BJP leaders were reacting to Rahul's statements during his address at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Conference in Bengaluru on Friday.

Raising the Rohith Vemula suicide case, the Congress vice president said that he didn't commit suicide and was murdered for being a Dalit.

Rahul also alleged that most of the institutions in the country have been captured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the bureaucrats and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Gandhi also took a dig at the Centre over its demonetisation drive which was introduced on 8 November last year.

"Publicly they called it a stroke of genius and privately they called it insanity," he said.

Without naming PM Modi, the Congress vice-president said, "The emperor is completely naked but nobody around him has the courage to tell him.

(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.)
A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two others in Helmand province, officials said today.

The incident took place yesterday around 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.

"In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded," he said.

Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman confirmed the strike and gave the same account.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Superstar Aamir Khan took time off from his shooting schedule of "Thugs of Hindostan" to spend some quality time with his family.

The 52-year-old actor, who was in Malta to film the first schedule of the Yash Raj Films project, flew to Rome for a vacation.

He posted two pictures on Twitter. In the first photograph Aamir posed for a selfie with wife Kiran Rao and in the second picture the couple were seen with their son Azad.

In the pictures, Aamir was seen sporting the movie's look. The actor has got his ears and nose pierced for his role.

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharaya, "Thugs of Hindostan" also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Sheikh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today demanded action against the army personnel for allegedly thrashing and injuring seven policemen in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

"Why would the army beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification/action by the authorities," Omar wrote on Twitter.

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and six police personnel were injured after they were allegedly thrashed by armymen in Ganderbal after policemen deployed on the Amarnath yatra duty stopped them at a check point.

Police have filed a case against the Army personnel, an official said, adding that records kept at a police station were also damaged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union minister Prakash Javadekar today said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call to 'oust BJP' was a "daydream" and it showed her "frustration and despair" at the growing support for the party.

However, Trinamoool Congress hit back saying that BJP was scared after seeing yesterday's massive turnout at the chief minister's rally and her popularity.

"Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have so much popularity," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

Commenting on Banerjee's call at the rally yesterday to oust BJP from the country for its "failure on all fronts", Javadekar said, "Modiji has the connect with the poor people of the country. So the poor is with us. We are getting stronger by the day, but we want to be humble".

He said Banerjee's tirade against the party "only demonstrated her frustration and despair as a growing number of people are coming to the BJP's fold every day in West Bengal".

"Her campaign to dislodge Modiji is a daydream," he said.

He alleged that her only agenda was to speak against the BJP and the prime minister and also accused her of practising "divisive politics".

"What is the most worrisome feature is that Mamataji is dividing societies, she is dividing communities," he claimed.

"This is not acceptable. Communal harmony is the essence of democracy. It is important in democracy," the HRD Minister said.

He claimed that her regime was spreading poverty across West Bengal instead of distributing prosperity which was the motto of Centre.

Javadekar also slammed the TMC government, accusing it of "doing politics" with education.

"Education is not a political agenda, it is a national agenda. Education should be the top priority of all political parties," Javadekar said at a programme here.

"When we organise inter-state meets, West Bengal is at times absent. Everybody must participate (in such meets). I hope good sense will prevail," he said.

However, Chatterjee, who is also the state education minister, accused the Modi government of "safronising education" system in the country.

"We condemn their (Modi government) move to saffronise education," he said.

On Javadekar's charge that at times, the state was absent at inter-state meets, Chatterjee retorted, "Our officers had attended all such meetings and presented West Bengal's view".

He also criticised the union minister for accusing Banerjee of dividing the people and said, "It is the BJP and its other organisations which are dividing the people on communal lines".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. HAROLD B. ROTTE, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant-Appellee. No. 16-12364 Decided: July 21, 2017

Before TJOFLAT, HULL and WILSON, Circuit Judges.

Harold Rotte proceeds pro se in this appeal in Rotte's civil action against the government over a withdrawn IRS tax lien. Rotte's notice of appeal, liberally construed, seeks to appeal the district court's dismissal of his claims for deceit and abuse of process, grant of summary judgment to the government on his 26 U.S.C.  7432 and 7433 claims, and denial of his motion for reconsideration. On appeal, Rotte argues that the IRS wrongfully filed a lien against him, he was denied affordable counsel because no attorneys were interested in taking on the IRS, and the district court should have suggested that the IRS settle the case.

We review de novo a district court's grant of a motion to dismiss based on sovereign immunity. Motta ex rel. A.M. v. United States, 717 F.3d 840, 843 (11th Cir. 2013). The United States is immune from suit absent an unequivocal waiver of sovereign immunity. United States v. Sherwood, 312 U.S. 584, 586 (1941). In the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), Congress enacted a limited waiver of the United States's sovereign immunity for tort claims, as that statute allows the government to be sued for claims arising from torts committed by federal employees acting within the scope of their employment. 28 U.S.C.  1346(b); Motta, 717 F.3d at 843. However, the FTCA's waiver of sovereign immunity does not apply to [a]ny claim arising out of, inter alia, abuse of process, libel, slander, misrepresentation or deceit. 28 U.S.C.  2680(h). We review a district court's order granting summary judgment de novo. Brooks v. Cnty. Comm'n, 446 F.3d 1160, 1161-62 (11th Cir. 2006). Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, viewing all of the facts in the record in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Id.; see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a).

Pursuant to 26 U.S.C.  7432, a taxpayer may bring a civil action for damages against the United States if any officer or employee of the IRS knowingly, or by reason of negligence, fails to release a lien under 26 U.S.C.  6325 on the property of the taxpayer. 26 U.S.C.  7432(a). According to  6325, the IRS has 30 days to issue a certificate of release of lien once the IRS determines the unenforceability of the underlying tax liability. 26 U.S.C.  6325(a)(1). A finding that the tax liability became legally unenforceable under  6325 is based on the earlier of (1) the date on which the district director of the district in which the taxpayer resides or in which the lien was filed finds legal unenforceability, or (2) the date on which the district director receives a request for a certificate of release of lien, together with any information which is reasonably necessary for the district director to conclude that the lien is legally unenforceable. 26 C.F.R.  301.7432-1(b).

Even construing Rotte's appellate brief liberally, he failed to meaningfully challenge the district court's rulings, and so he abandoned any challenges to those rulings. Timson v. Sampson, 518 F.3d 870, 874 (11th Cir. 2008); Hamilton v. Southland Christian Sch., Inc., 680 F.3d 1316, 1319 (11th Cir. 2012). Nevertheless, the district court did not err by dismissing his claims for deceit and abuse of process because the government was entitled to sovereign immunity. The district court also did not err by granting summary judgment on his  7432 claim because the IRS did not knowingly or negligently fail to release his tax lien. The district court did not err by granting summary judgment on his  7433 claim because Rotte did not allege that the IRS failed to follow a specific provision of the tax code in trying to collect his tax liability, merely that the IRS wrongly filed a lien against him because it miscalculated his tax liability.

The district court also did not abuse its discretion by denying Rotte's motion for reconsideration because Rotte did not offer any new evidence or identify any manifest errors of law and fact. Arthur v. King, 500 F.3d 1335, 1343 (11th Cir. 2007). Finally, to the extent Rotte argues that he was denied counsel and that the district court should have directed the IRS to settle, these arguments fail because Rotte had no right to counsel, and never moved for the appointment of counsel or showed exceptional circumstances. Bass v. Perrin, 170 F.3d 1312, 1320 (11th Cir. 1999). Additionally, Rotte failed to identify any obligation or agreement by which the district court could compel the IRS to settle the case.

AFFIRMED.

PER CURIAM:
Kevin Smith, James Tucker, Ralph Garman and Lee Meriwether were among thousands fans who paid tribute to Adam West at Comic-Con in San Diego.

West played the role of the caped crusader in the 1960s television series and later voiced the character of Mayor West on "Family Guy". He died last month.

Smith said he was about 4 years old when he first saw West in Batman.

"He defined my youth. He gave me my morality. Everything I learned about being good, I learned from watching Adam West play the Bright Knight," Smith said.

Meriwether said that when she played Catwoman and Kitka opposite West in "Batman: The Movie", she could hardly maintain her character's accent because she was so overwhelmed by him.

"I had a little crush, just a little one," the 82-year- old actress said, blushing at the memory.

The presentation also included highlight reels of West's work on "Batman" and "Family Guy".

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Mathura Prasad Pal, the BJP MLA from Sikandra in Kanpur Dehat district in Uttar Pradesh, today passed away following a prolonged illness. He was 72.

Pal, a cancer patient, was on his way to Delhi for treatment when he breathed his last near Mathura in the wee hours.

On July 17, the BJP MLA was brought to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on a wheelchair for casting his vote in the presidential election. NDA's Ramnath Kovind won the election against opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The BJP leader's body would be kept in his native village, Maidupur-Barhapur, in Kanpur Dehat for the people to pay their last respects.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over Pal's demise and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.

In a message issued here, he said Pal had always been sensitive towards the problems of the poor and deprived sections of the society.

The chief minister is scheduled to visit Maidupur- Barhapur later in the day, a government official said here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tirupur Exporters' Association today requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami to announce new state textile policy.

In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister, who was in Tirupur today, TEA President Raja M Shanmugham emphasised the need for a new policy for the growth of textile industry and exports from Tamil Nadu.

The memorandum also requested the chief minister to address issues like revision of GST rate fixed for job working units from 18 per cent to five per cent, reduction of Man Made Fibre yarn GST rate from 18 to 12 per cent and construction of ESI hospitals in Northern and Southern areas of Tirupur.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress MLA M Vincent was today arrested on a rape charge filed against him on the basis of a woman's complaint.

"The MLA has been arrested in the case," Kollam Police Commissioner Ajeetha Begum, who is heading the investigation team, told PTI.

Police questioned Vincent for over three hours at the MLA's hostel here after which he was arrested.

Earlier, a case for abetting suicide had been registered against the MLA on the basis of the complaint of the 51-year-old woman, who had attempted suicide at nearby Balaramapuram last week after she was allegedly harassed by Vincent.

Two days back, he was charged with a fresh case of rape and stalking after a detailed statement of the woman was taken and she had recorded her statement before the magistrate,



Vincent, a first time MLA, represents Kovalam segment in Thiruvananthapuram.

The statements of witnesses had been taken yesterday.

Vincent has alleged that there was a "political conspiracy" behind the charge and filed a complaint with police, demanding a detailed probe into the matter.

He also moved an anticipatory bail before a court here today.

Police had at first registered an abetment of suicide case against Vincent after the woman's husband filed a complaint with police, alleging that the MLA used to repeatedly call her over the phone and harass her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Congress MLA in Kerala was today arrested on a rape charge filed against him on the basis of a woman's complaint, in an embarassment to the opposition party.

The first time MLA, M Vincent, who represents Kovalam constituency, was booked for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide of a housewife at nearby Balaramapuram.

Vincent has maintained throughout that the allegation against him was baseless and was "politically motivated."



"The MLA has been arrested in the case," Kollam Police Commissioner Ajeetha Begum, who is heading the investigation team, told PTI.

The case was registered against the legislator for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide, police sources said.

The incident came to light on July 19 after the 51-year-old woman attempted suicide by consuming an overdose of pills and her husband filed a police complaint against the MLA, alleging that he used to repeatedly call her over the phone and harass her.

Police said the MLA had allegedly made more than 900 calls to the lady in the past few months.

She later filed a statement before the magistrate and police, levelling serious allegation of rape against the MLA.

Police had questioned Vincent for over three hours at the MLA's hostel here after which he was arrested.

Reacting to the arrest, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said government was committed to provide equal justice and protection to women.

"Government will ensure that the accused, however high, will get the punishment he deserves," he told reporters at Delhi.

No mercy would be shown to those committing atrocities against women, he said, adding the government views such cases very seriously.

The development, which has stunned the Opposition Congress-led UDF, comes hardly a week before the state assembly is to meet.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former KPCC President K Muraleedharan said that a transparent and impartial probe was needed.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson M C Josephine said the statement of the woman victim was very clear.

In such cases, the statement of the victim is important.

The MLA also moved an anticipatory bail before a court here today.

Activists of DYFI, the youth wing of CPI(M), took out a march demanding his resignation and burnt his effigy in front of the MLA hostel here.

The CPI(M) has also said that the party would launch agitations till he resigns and also boycott hispublic functions in his constituency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A total of 35 spinning mills, members of Indian Texpreneurs Federation, an apex body of textile mills in the region, have formed a consortium to purchase quality cotton from ginners of Maharashtra and Telangana.

On a trial basis, the consortium, which required 11 lakh bales per year, has purchased two lakh bales this year, with zero trash and low level contamination, ITF Convenor Prabhu Dhamodharan told reporter here today.

Considering fruitful results, it was planned to buy four lakh bales during this cotton season, starting October, since raw material cost was the major factor in spinning mills manufacturing cost, ranging from 60 to 70 per cent, Prabhu said.

Even one per cent savings by way of good quality, better pricing, timely purchase will help spinning sector reduce its cost of manufacturing, he said.

On advantage to ginners, he said they can reach the top performing mills on a single platform and get a guarantee on professional transactions and timely payments and honoring contracts.

As the consortium was able to partner with more than 50 ginners in Telangana and Maharashtra, some 25 ginners are on a visit of mills in and around the city to know the trend and purchase plans.

Raveender Reddy from Telangana said the state is expected to have cotton crop of 70 lakh bales and Maharashtra 100 lakh bales this season.

With more than one crore bales cotton requirement, Tamil Nadu mills need stronger partnership with cotton growing states, Reddy said, adding, the visit here was to evaluate a strategy to focus more on contamination controlled cotton.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HRD minister today said education is a national agenda and should be the top priority of all political parties.

The Union minister also expressed his firm resolve to not compromise with the quality of teachers at any cost.

"Education is not a political agenda, it is a national agenda. Education should be the top priority of all political parties," Javadekar told an Indian Chamber of Commerce discussion- 'Way forward For Education Sector In Eastern Region', here.

"When we organise inter-state meets, West Bengal is at times absent. Everybody must participate (in such meets). I hope good sense will prevail," he said.

While talking to reporters later, Javadekar said he had referred to a recent specific brainstorming programme on education which was attended by all important officials of state governments, prominent NGOs and teachers who had innovations to their credit.

"I myself sat through the deliberations. But unfortunately one state (West Bengal) was not there. It is for you to decide," he said.

Stating that the government is keen on ensuring quality of teachers, Javadekar said, "I have asked affidavits from 15,000 odd BEd colleges all over the country and gave July 15 deadline."



Between 10,000-11,000 institutions have submitted the affidavits and those who have not will not be allowed to function any more, he said.

"All such teaching shops will go out of business, we will drive them out. We will not compromise on quality," he added.

He said there are a large number of untrained teachers and 11 lakh teachers are not properly qualified.

"In the next two years we are going to give them a last chance to get qualified. We will give free education to them - online and offline and only ask for examination and workshop cost," he said.

Javadekar said, "The three priorities of our government in school education is quality, quality, quality. In Right to Education we ensured expansion of education, since the casualty was quality.

"In the next two years, our aim is to bring every child into the education system and we plan to make it a community movement," he 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.)
An Egyptian court has sentenced 28 people to death for their involvement in the assassination of the country's prosecutor general in 2015.

Today's sentences come after consultation with the Grand Mufti, Egypt's top religious authority, over preliminary death sentences handed to the defendants in June. The consultation is a formality followed by courts in the cases of capital punishment.

The sentences are subject to appeal.

The court handed other defendants a variety of jail terms up to life in prison. Of 67 defendants, 15 are still at large.

Hisham Barakat was the most senior government official killed by Islamic militants since the 2013 military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president whose one-year rule proved divisive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today denounced as "excessive" the use of force by Israeli security forces in deadly clashes over sensitive Jerusalem holy site.

"I condemn Israel's insistence on its position despite all warnings... And the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against our brothers gathered for Friday prayers," he said in a statement.

Erdogan said that he was speaking in his capacity as the current chairman of the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) whose chairmanship Turkey currently holds.

The clashes the day earlier left three Palestinians dead. Three Israelis were stabbed to death in the West Bank by a 19 -year-old Palestinian who was then shot by a neighbour.

Tensions have risen to boiling point over new metal detectors installed by Israel as security measures around the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Turkey and Israeli had last year ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead.

But Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy and his comments were among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal.

Erdogan on Thursday had urged his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to swiftly remove metal detectors to end the tensions.

Israel began installing metal detectors at entrances to the site on Sunday following an attack that killed two police officers.

Erdogan reaffirmed in the statement that the restrictions were "unacceptable" and should be removed "immediately".

"I urge the international community to immediately take action to remove practices that restrict freedom of worship at Haram al-Sharif," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are top stories at 2300



hours today:



DEL 12 JK-CEASEFIRE



Jammu: An Army jawan was injured when the Pakistan Armyfired at Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir last night, says a senior Army officer.

DEL 14 JK-POLICE-LD ARMY



Srinagar: Seven policemen were injured when they were allegedly thrashed by Army personnel after the cops stopped private vehicles carrying the soldiers in civil dress last evening at a checkpost in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, says police.

DEL 24 PM-SINGAPORE



New Delhi: Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam discusses the potential for cooperation in areas like banking, digital finance, tourism and innovation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

DEL 35 PM-PREZ-FAREWELL



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts a farewell here for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee.

DEL 18 POL-NITISH-RAHUL



New Delhi: Amid speculation over a rift in the 'grand alliance' in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meets Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and is learnt to have discussed the current political situation.

DEL 19 POL-IRANI-RAHUL



New Delhi: Union minister Smriti Irani hits back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for drawing a parallel between the prime minister and Adolf Hitler, saying there were "no prizes for guessing" who was inspired by the dictator and imposed the Emergency.

DEL 25 AVI-LD LALU



New Delhi: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi will no more be able to drive straight to their aircraft at Patna airport as the central government has withdrawn tarmac access for their vehicle, according to officials.

DEL 9 BIZ-JAITLEY-CASH



New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says demonetisation and GST will make cash transactions a lot more difficult and lead to greater compliance as well as expansion of tax base.

(Pix PTI7_22_2017_000007A)



CAL 6 WB-LD JAVADEKAR



Kolkata: Union minister Prakash Javadekar says West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call to 'oust BJP' was a "daydream" and it shows her "frustration and despair" at the growing support for the party.

BOM 13 GJ-LD RAINS



Ahmedabad: Heavy rains since last night creates a flood- like situation in several parts of the state, leaves three persons dead, says the state government.

MDS 6 KA-KING



Bengaluru: American civil rights activist Martin Luther King III says the "state or central" administration of the day "should be held" responsible for incidents against Dalits and poor in India.

LGD 1 DL-HC-PUSHKAR



New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's stepson Shiv Menon moves the Delhi High Court opposing BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea for a court-monitored CBI-led SIT probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar.

FGN 13 US-INDIA-LD CHINA



Washington: India and China should engage in direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects" to reduce the tension over a military standoff in Dokalam, says the Pentagon.By Lalit K Jha



FGN 11 US-KASHMIR



Washington: US officials acknowledge that there have been inconsistencies in the American description of Jammu and Kashmir, but insist there is no change in its policy, saying the "pace, scope and character" of any discussion on Kashmir is for India and Pakistan to determine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. SINGH KAMALPRET, AKA KAMALPREET SINGH, AKA KAMALPRET SINGH, Petitioner, v. JEFFERSON B. SESSIONS III, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL, Respondent. 15-4053 NAC Decided: July 20, 2017

PRESENT: ROBERT A. KATZMANN, Chief Judge, JON O. NEWMAN, PIERRE N. LEVAL, Circuit Judges. FOR PETITIONER: Joshua E. Bardavid, New York, N.Y. FOR RESPONDENT: Benjamin C. Mizer, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General; Cindy S. Ferrier, Assistant Director; Kimberly A. Burdge, Trial Attorney, Office of Immigration Litigation, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

UPON DUE CONSIDERATION of this petition for review of a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) decision, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the petition for review is GRANTED, and the case is REMANDED for further consideration.

Petitioner Kamalpret Singh, a native and citizen of India, seeks review of a November 23, 2015, decision of the BIA, affirming an April 28, 2014, decision of an Immigration Judge (IJ) denying Singh's application for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). In re Singh Kamalpret, No. A201 153 487 (B.I.A. Nov. 23, 2015), aff'g No. A201 153 487 (Immig. Ct. N.Y. City Apr. 28, 2014). We assume the parties' familiarity with the underlying facts and procedural history in this case.

Under the circumstances of this case, we have reviewed both the IJ's and the BIA's opinions for the sake of completeness. Wangchuck v. Dep't of Homeland Sec., 448 F.3d 524, 528 (2d Cir. 2006). The applicable standards of review are well established. See 8 U.S.C.  1252(b)(4)(B); Xiu Xia Lin v. Mukasey, 534 F.3d 162, 165-66 (2d Cir. 2008); Li Yong Cao v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 421 F.3d 149, 157 (2d Cir. 2005).

I. Adverse Credibility Determination

For asylum applications like Singh's, governed by the REAL ID Act, the agency may, [c]onsidering the totality of the circumstances, base a credibility finding on an applicant's demeanor, candor, or responsiveness, the plausibility of his account, inconsistencies in his statements and evidence, and any other relevant factor, without regard to whether those inconsistencies go to the heart of the applicant's claim. 8 U.S.C.  1158(b)(1)(B)(iii). However, we have noted that purported inconsistencies must have at least minimal significance, Feng Yue Li v. Lynch, 656 F. App'x 563, 565 (2d Cir. 2016), and that minor date inconsistencies need not be fatal to an applicant's credibility, Bi Xiang Zheng v. Holder, 574 F. App'x 24, 25 (2d Cir. 2014).

The agency relied on a one-day inconsistency concerning the date Singh's family's home was allegedly attacked by Hindus. Singh's written statement, his father's affidavit, and an affidavit by Mohinder Singh all reflect that the attack on his family's home occurred on June 10, 2011, after Singh had left India. Balwinder Singh, the family's neighbor, wrote in an affidavit that the incident occurred on June 11, 2011. The neighbor's one-day variation from the account supplied by the petitioner and two others is too trivial to provide a cogent reason, Wu Lin v. Lynch, 813 F.3d 122, 129 (2d Cir. 2016), for finding the petitioner not credible, even allowing for the highly deferential standard of review that is applicable.

The agency also relied on the fact that one paragraph in petitioner's March 2012 asylum application concerning a May 5, 2010, attack was identical to one paragraph in an affidavit prepared by Sucha Singh on January 3, 2013.

We have previously noted the plausible significance of substantially similar language appearing in two documents submitted by an asylum applicant. The strongest case for such a circumstance tending to adversely affect an applicant's credibility is where his language is submitted after the submission of similar language submitted by a previous applicant. See Mei Chai Ye v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 489 F.3d 517, 519 (2d Cir. 2007). A different, but nonetheless troubling, circumstance is where an applicant submits affidavits with similar language ostensibly prepared by two different people. See Surinder Singh v. BIA, 438 F.3d 145, 148 (2d Cir. 2006). As we explained in Mei Chai Ye, it is reasonable to infer that an applicant who herself submits the strikingly similar documents is the common source of those suspicious similarities. 489 F.3d at 519.

However, where, as in this case, another person prepares an affidavit after a petitioner submits his application and both documents contain similar or even identical language, the basis for drawing an adverse credibility inference is weaker, and a plausible inference is that the other person is not credible. It is also possible, as the petitioner contends in this case, that, without his knowledge, his application was sent to the other person to use as a template as to form and the other person inadvertently copied the language in one paragraph of the petitioner's application.

It remains the task of the IJ, as fact-finder, to draw a reasonable inference as to how the duplication of language in this case bears on the petitioner's credibility. Nevertheless, because cases involving such language arise in different circumstances, the IJ's obligation to provide a cogent reason, Wu Lin, 813 F.3d at 129, for his adverse credibility finding requires more of an explanation than this record reveals. Further, in light of our conclusion regarding the one-day discrepancy, an explanation is required as to whether and why the submission of another person's subsequently prepared language is sufficient to sustain an adverse credibility inference in the specific circumstances of this case.

We thus conclude that a remand is warranted for reconsideration of the petitioner's credibility, without regard to the date issue. And, although we have no doubt that the IJ could reconsider the matter impartially, putting the date issue out of his consideration, we believe there is a risk of an appearance of partiality if the same IJ reconsiders the matter. We therefore direct that reconsideration occur at a new hearing before a different IJ. See Qiuyun Zheng v. Holder, 530 F. App'x 87, 89 (2d Cir. 2013).

II. Motion to Remand

In view of our decision to remand, we need not consider whether the BIA exceeded its discretion in declining to remand to the IJ for consideration of allegedly new evidence claimed not to have been previously available.

For the foregoing reasons, the petition for review is GRANTED, and the case is REMANDED for further consideration before a different IJ.

FOR THE COURT:

Catherine O'Hagan Wolfe, Clerk
The healthcare sector in India requires increased research and indigenous technology to make medical facilities affordable for the masses, according to a group of Indian doctors here.

Though there are many health programmes in India, people do not get timely treatment and have to visit private hospitals and pay higher costs, Ashok Arbat, chairman and managing director of Nagpur-based KRIMS Hospital, said here at the 'Connected Health and Disruptive Technology Summit 2017'.

He underlined the need to build indigenous technology and increase research in the healthcare sector in India.

"We need technology to make healthcare cheaper for average man in the country. But research is not progressing in India, especially for medicine. We need funding for research programmes to support technologies," he said.

"Private hospitals are not getting any subsidy and are paying commercial rates for utilities. For that they have to charge higher medical consultant fees," Arbat said after getting an award for his expertise.

Indian doctors are exploring new digital technologies to cater to the needs of tech-savvy youngsters and girls aged 15 years when most of them drop out of school and are married off to start a family life, said Hema Divakar, former president of Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecologists of India.

Indian doctors need to increase the use of digital technologies and telemedicine to reach out to youngsters, said Divakar, whose Divakar's Speciality Hospital received Icon of Healthcare Awards from Singapore-based Business Excellence and Research Group.

A large number of doctors have adopted technologies but in "pocket sizes" while the country needs to develop an across the board medical support, she said, adding that efforts are being made to reach out to women in remote regions through non-governmental organisations including Rotary.

Sreejoy Patnaik, the chairman of the 120-bed Shanti Omni Super Speciality Hospital in Odisha, told PTI that "The cost of medical services in India is lower than Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka".

"We can form a network with dispensaries across Odisha for use of such systems as part of our telemedicine offering in the future," he said.

Sharad Sharma of Meta Bariatrics in Mumbai said: "Some kind of balance is required as the industry is corporatised. A doctor needs to fit into a more consumer-based ecosystem. We need to be more sensitive to the patients and more bothered about their satisfaction. There are follow-ups and we have to be more comprehensive in the management of patients".

The awards, supported by healthcare groups including Napier and industry specific consultants PwC, recognised expertise of Indian doctors including H M Prasanna of Prestine Hospital in Bengaluru and Chandandeep Sandhu of Mohali.

Other award winners in the list of Asian hospitals and medical experts were R Padmakumar of Kochi, Hiren Parikh of Baroda, Manish Khaitan and Dhaval Naik of Ahmedabad, and Indus Healthcare of Punjab and Murli Krishna Pharma of Pune.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
today lashed the southern and western districts of West Bengal swelling several rivers, but the authorities ruled out any immediate flood threat.

were reported from Howrah, Hooghly, West and East Midnapur, and parts of Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura districts, besides Kolkata, officials said.

While water logging was reported from various locations, any immediate flood situation was ruled out by the district administrations.

"We have opened two control rooms to monitor each of the districts. Though there are heavy rains, the situation has improved and we have instructed not to release water from dams," state Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee told PTI.

The Damodar Valley Corporation officials said the Maithon dam was at the comfort level and there was no need for water release now as there was not much rain in the upper catchment area.

The East Midnapur district administration has issued alert to fishermen for not to venture into the sea.

"The monsoon trough is passing through the southern and western districts of West Bengal and as a result, isolated places in this region are likely to receive in the next five days," Regional Meteorological Centre Director G K Das 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.)
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today underlined the contribution of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) cadre in "keeping the (Non Residential Indians) NRIs connected with their roots."



The chief minister made these remarks while personally congratulating Amritsar's Anmol Sher Singh Bedi, who called on him at his official residence here this evening, for securing the all India second rank in the prestigious UPSC civil services examination in his first attempt.

Anmol was accompanied by his parents at the meeting, facilitated by Raveen Thukral, Media Advisor to CM.

The chief minister offered sweets to the youngster and his family to celebrate Anmol's remarkable achievement, which he said had done the state proud.

Amarinder was optimistic that Anmol, with his enthusiasm and commitment, would bring more glory to Punjab.

The 23-year-old youngster, who wants to join IFS with the aim to play an important role in the country's global growth, shared his aspirations with the chief minister.

A humble Anmol said he applied for IFS as he was not sure of getting the IAS home cadre.

His father Dr Sarabjit Bedi revealed family's apprehensions about Anmol's prospects, recalling that Anmol did not prepare as hard as people normally do for the country's toughest exam.

Anmol told the chief minister that he wants to study Mandarin, which has emerged as an important language of South-East Asia.

Amarinder said his government is planning to start foreign language classes soon in state's schools.

The chief minister added that his government is commited to improve the poor education standards in state-run schools through series of initiatives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A jeweller was shot dead by armed miscreants, who fled with his bag, in Satautha village under Harpalpur police station here, the police said today.

The incident occurred yesterday when the motorcycle-borne miscreants opened fire at the jeweller, Satyendra Pandey (44), behind the Katiyari degree college and fled with his bag containing jewellery and other valuables, said a police officer.

Pandey succumbed to the injuries while being rushed to the district hospital, he said, adding that an associate of the jeweller was also injured when the miscreants attacked him with a blunt weapon while fleeing.

A case was lodged and a hunt launched to nab the culprits, said the officer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Restoration of Katchatheevu islet to India is the only permanent solution to a long-standing issue of Indian fishermen being apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami said today.

In two separate incidents in last few days, 12 fishermen from the state were apprehended by the island nation.

"The heightened intolerance of the Sri Lankan navy can be seen from the fact that fishermen were apprehended even when they were engaged in traditional fishing using gill nets in Palk Bay waters," the chief minister said in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Palaniswami said the only solution to the long-standing issue "on a permanent basis" was restoration of Katchatheevu back to India and redrawing the International Maritime Boundary Line.

He also said that the Sri Lankan government keeps on "irritating the fishermen with continuing apprehension of their boats and arrests".

The chief minister requested the prime minister to use all diplomatic channels available with the Centre to find a permanent solution to the issue.

He also sought Modi's intervention to secure the release of 72 fishermen along with 148 fishing boats apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man has been arrested from the ISBT in Anand Vihar for allegedly kidnapping a five-year-old boy, police said today.

Amaan was kidnapped yesterday wile playing near his house in New Seemapuri, following which his mother informed the police. Later, she received a call demanding a ransom of Rs 8 lakh.

A team was formed to nab the accused, who had told the boy's mother to go to the ISBT in Anand Vihar with the ransom amount, police said.

She left the bag at the designated spot and as soon as the accused, Asadul, came to collect it, he was arrested. The child was later rescued from the accused's residence in Tahirpur Kodhi colony, they said.

Asadul is being questioned to ascertain the motive behind kidnapping the boy, police said.

The boy's father works in Kuwait while his mother does odd jobs here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr Somesh Mittal has been appointed as the CEO of Vikram Hospital, a leading multi-specialty health facility here.

The appointment is with immediate effect, a hospital release said.

Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru is owned by Multiples, a US 1 billion private equity platform spearheaded by Renuka Ramnath.

Mittal is an alumnus of Faculty of Management Studies and was, until recently, the Zonal Director of Fortis Escorts Institute overseeing 4 hospitals and 5 heart command centres across the Asia Pacific region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American civil rights activist Martin Luther King III today said the "state or central" administration of the day "should be held" responsible for incidents against Dalits and poor in India.

King, the son of Martin Luther King Jr was responding to a query as to how the present central government could be held responsible for lynching incidents like in Dadri, when incidents against Dalits and poor had been taking place under different state and central governments for decades and that law and order was a state subject.

"When incidents against Dalits, oppressed and the poor take place, whoever is in power, he or she at the state or central level, should be held accountable for such incidents," he told PTI in an interview here.

However, the facts show that such incidents against the oppressed and poor people have risen and the Indian Prime Minister should address the issue, he said.

On the popularity of Modi still going up as reflected in repeated election victories, he said it is for the people of India to choose their rulers.

"I think the real and biggest question is what do the people want. People in the last election chose the Modi administration. Whether people of India will rechoose Modi in the next election, I don't know. If they are against, they need to rise up in numbers to oppose his rule," he said.

"India still has a long way to go to solve the problems of poverty and incidents against the oppressed and poor people," he added.

Referring to the Trump administration, King said the US president has to acknowledge the enviornment of hatred in the country and address it, something which he has not done so far.

He said that in 2015, there was not much enviorment of hatred in the United States.

"When Donald Trump started running his rhetoric in 2016, things started going up. By the time he got elected, it kept going further up. He has to acknowledge this, but he hasn't so far. He should acknowledge," he said.

Yesterday, in his inaugural address at BR Ambedkar International Conference - Quest For Equity - 2017, King drew a parallel between India and the US, saying both the countries are ruled by people who have "little regard" for the poor, and where there is no respect for the rule of law.

King had said both India and the US are seeing a rise in hate crimes.

"If my father were here, he would have stood by the Dalit demonstrations that the country is seeing in different places," he added, drawing a parallel between the values espoused by Ambedkar and civil rights movement icon Martin Luther King Jr.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Medecins Sans Frontiers in Afghanistan today reopened a small medical clinic in northern Kunduz province where nearly two years ago a US airstrike destroyed their hospital, killing over 40.

The new facility, which has one doctor and five nurses, will only provide outpatient treatment of minor and chronic wounds and is not located at the site of the bombed hospital.

"We decided to restart medical activities in Kunduz, because the needs are big in the conflict context... And this clinic is the first step," Silvia Dallatomasina, MSF head of programmes in Afghanistan told AFP.

The organisation stopped its activities in Kunduz after the October 2015 bombing that killed 42, including 24 patients and 14 staff, seeking assurances from the US and Afghan military, as well as the Taliban, to protect their facilities.

"We are finalising the commitment of every stakeholder of the conflict," Dallatomasina said, adding she hoped work would start on a new trauma centre in Kunduz next year.

The 2015 bombing drew criticism from several quarters, with the United Nations human rights chief saying it could amount to a war crime.

Casualties caused by US airstrikes have always been a sensitive issue in the US-led war against a Taliban insurgency and have often been the cause of tense relations between Kabul and Washington.

In an incident yesterday, a US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two others in southern Helmand province, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New ISL franchise Jamshedpur FC will exercise their rights for the first pick in the Indian player draft.

Delhi Dynamos, who have not retained any player, will go second in the 1st round and third in the 2nd round to pick their set of players.

Pune City FC, who have retained only 1 senior player, will join the above two in the second round pick. The rest of the six clubs, except Chennaiyin FC, will join the player draft from 3rd round onwards.

Chennaiyin FC will be the only club to join the draft from 4th Round.

The 2015 champion have retained promising youngster Jerry Lalrinzuala - a capped Indian player under the U21 category, in addition to their two senior players retention and hence will have to miss the first three rounds.

The draft will witness a total of 15 rounds. It will also feature Instant Trading Card which allows teams a second chance to trade an already picked player.

From the third round onwards, any club may, within 15 seconds of another club announcing its draft pick, can press the buzzer to activate the "Instant Trade" process.

Representatives of the clubs will have three minutes to propose, negotiate and close the deal within a stipulated time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit. LESBIA NUNEZ-BAQUEDANO, Petitioner v. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Respondent No. 16-3684 Decided: July 21, 2017

Before: SMITH, Chief Judge, FUENTES, Circuit Judge, and STARK,  Chief District Judge

OPINION*

Lesbia Nunez-Baquedano petitions for review of a decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) dated August 23, 2016, which affirmed and adopted a decision by the Immigration Judge (IJ) that denied asylum and withholding of removal and deemed Nunez-Baquedano to have waived review of the IJ's decision to deny protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). For the reasons that follow, we will deny the petition in part and grant it in part.

I.

Nunez-Baquedano is a native and citizen of Honduras who entered the United States in March 2013. She was served with a notice to appear in April 2013. She conceded removability and sought asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT protection.

At a hearing before the IJ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nunez-Baquedano testified that, while in Honduras, she and her husband worked for a trucking association. In 2009, she and her husband conducted an internal audit and discovered certain anomalies, which they ultimately attributed to a theft by three other members of the trucking association. Nunez-Baquedano and her husband attempted to report the theft to the trucking association's board of directors and to the police, but the evidence of their findings was stolen from her husband's car before they could do so. According to Nunez-Baquedano, [s]ince we lacked the actual files or the evidence, the police did nothing. J.A. vol. II at 25.

After accusing the three association members, Nunez-Baquedano and her husband resigned and began to do business on their own. She and her family thereafter experienced three serious incidents.

First, in 2011, Nunez-Baquedano's oldest son was hit by a car while walking along a road; the driver fled the scene. Her son suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures to his leg that required surgery and a ten-day hospitalization. Nunez-Baquedano testified that she did not witness this incident, but others told her that the driver actually aimed the car at [her] son. J.A. vol. II at 26. She attributes the incident to the three members of the trucking association whom she had accused of theft. According to the police report of the incident, the mother of the driver later had an attorney contact Nunez-Baquedano's husband to offer a settlement but, because the amount was too low to cover the medical expenses, he refused.

Second, in 2012, Nunez-Baquedano's husband, while driving a truck, witnessed narcotraffickers shooting and killing the occupants of the vehicle immediately in front of him. J.A. vol. II at 2829. Apparently in order not to have witnesses of the criminal event, the shooters took aim at Nunez-Baquedano's husband and shot him in the shoulder. Id. at 2829, 60. Nunez-Baquedano testified that she cannot say whether this event is tied to the three individuals involved in the theft from the trucking association, but she and her husband started to think that it ha[d] to be them because she and her husband had never experienced a similar event before. Id. at 29.

Third, in January 2013, Nunez-Baquedano was shopping with a friend. She was approached by an individual who said, You know everything of what's going on. If you don't leave the house in which you live, you know exactly what's coming to you. J.A. vol. II at 30. Nunez-Baquedano took this as a threat. She made her way to the United States shortly thereafter.

II.

In a decision issued on February 3, 2015, the IJ concluded that Nunez-Baquedano had been a credible witness and had provided adequate corroboration of significant portions of her testimony, including a police report regarding her son's injury, an affidavit from her husband summarizing the shooting, and an affidavit from the friend who was with her when she was threatened. The IJ further concluded that the central issue in this case, is whether there is a nexus between any harm that the respondent may have suffered in the past or may suffer in the future, and one of the five protected grounds. The issue, therefore is nexus. J.A. vol. I at 14.

Ultimately, the IJ concluded that Nunez-Baquedano failed to establish a nexus between her membership in any particular social group (PSG) and the harm she and her family experienced. Accordingly, he denied her claims for asylum and withholding of removal. The IJ then denied her CAT claim on the ground that she failed to meet her burden of proof, having put forth no evidence to demonstrate that the Honduran government would more likely than not inflict torture upon her or be willfully blind to torturous conduct directed at her should she return to Honduras.

Nunez-Baquedano appealed to the BIA. Counsel filed a Notice of Appeal on her behalf, which reads in relevant part: Respondent claims error in IJ's decision denying her claim for asylum, withholding and CAT protection. Respondent claims Particular Social Group membership of business owners; family member [sic]; and prosecution witness. IJ found no recognizable PSG. Respondent claim [sic] series of events of persecution with acquiencense [sic]. A.R. 025. Although counsel sought, and was granted, an extension of time in which to file a brief, no brief was filed.

In a decision issued on August 23, 2016, the BIA adopted and affirmed the IJ's decision to deny Nunez-Baquedano asylum and withholding of removal, concluding that, even accepting that any of her PSG definitions could be cognizable, Nunez-Baquedano failed to demonstrate the required nexus between the harm she fears and her membership in any PSG. The BIA also observed that she failed to meaningfully challenge the IJ's conclusion that she had not established a nexus between the proposed social group and her fear of harm. Finally, the BIA determined that her CAT claim was waived and therefore did not address its merits.

Nunez-Baquedano timely filed a petition for review in this Court.

III.

We have jurisdiction to review the BIA's final order of removal pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)  242(a)(1), 8 U.S.C.  1252(a)(1). Where, as here, the BIA adopts or defers to portions of the IJ's decision, we will review those aspects of the IJ's decision as well. See Voci v. Gonzales, 409 F.3d 607, 612 (3d Cir. 2005); Abdulai v. Ashcroft, 239 F.3d 542, 549 n.2 (3d Cir. 2001). We review legal determinations de novo, subject, where appropriate, to principles of Chevron deference. Kaplun v. Att'y Gen., 602 F.3d 260, 265 (3d Cir. 2010). We review factual determinations for substantial evidence, upholding them so long as the evidence does not compel a contrary conclusion. Sheriff v. Att'y Gen., 587 F.3d 584, 58889 (3d Cir. 2009).

A.

To obtain a grant of asylum, Nunez-Baquedano bears the burden of demonstrating that she is a refugee within the meaning of INA  101(a)(42), 8 U.S.C.  1101(a)(42). See 8 C.F.R.  208.13(a); Abdulrahman v. Ashcroft, 330 F.3d 587, 59192 (3d Cir. 2003). To qualify, she must be unwilling or unable to return to Honduras because of [past] persecution or well-founded fear of [future] persecution on account of  membership in a particular social group. INA  101(a)(42), 8 U.S.C.  1101(a)(42); Chavarria v. Gonzales, 446 F.3d 508, 516 (3d Cir. 2006). Similarly, to be granted withholding of removal, Nunez-Baquedano bears the burden of establishing that her life or freedom would be threatened in Honduras because of [her]  membership in a particular social group. INA  241(b)(3)(A), 8 U.S.C.  1231(b)(3)(A); Gonzales-Posadas v. Att'y Gen., 781 F.3d 677, 684 (3d Cir. 2015). To qualify for either form of relief based upon membership in a PSG, she must: (1) identify the PSG within the meaning of the INA; (2) establish that she is a member of that PSG; and (3) establish a nexus between membership in the PSG and any claimed persecution. Fatin v. I.N.S., 12 F.3d 1233, 1240 (3d Cir. 1993).

Nunez-Baquedano claimed to have suffered past harm and to have a well-founded fear of future harm based upon her membership in three proposed PSGs: (1) business owners; (2) family members of those who have been targeted; and (3) potential cooperating witnesses against criminal elements. The IJ concluded that Nunez-Baquedano's family membership could potentially qualify as a PSG, as it is a socially distinct group, and membership in it is an immutable characteristic. See Gonzales v. Thomas, 547 U.S. 183, 186 (2006); see also, e.g., Sanchez-Trujillo v. I.N.S., 801 F.2d 1571, 1576 (9th Cir. 1986) (Perhaps a prototypical example of a particular social group would consist of the immediate members of a certain family ); Gebremichael v. I.N.S., 10 F.3d 28, 36 (1st Cir. 1993) (There can, in fact, be no plainer example of a social group based on common, identifiable and immutable characteristics than that of the nuclear family.). Yet, harm to one's family members, without more, does not automatically extend asylum protection to the entire family. See In re AK, 24 I. & N. Dec. 275, 278 (B.I.A. 2007) (Automatically treating harm to a family member as being persecution to others within the family is inconsistent with the derivative asylum provisions, as it would obviate the need for these provisions in many respects.). Accordingly, it was appropriate to focus, as the IJ and BIA did, on the issue of whether there is a nexus between Nunez-Baquedano's membership in any PSG, including her family, and any past or future harm she may face.

The IJ concluded that Nunez-Baquedano's proof in this case was woefully short of establishing that the reason for any potential threat or harm to her in the past or in the future is because she is a member of this family. J.A. vol. I at 15. Specifically, the IJ determined that the two disparate incidents experienced by her son and husband were not shown to be linked to each other, or to Nunez-Baquedano herself. Among other things, the IJ noted that the driver's subsequent attempt at a settlement was inconsistent with her belief that her son's injuries resulted from a plan to deliberately harm him. In addition, her husband described the shooting event as an attempt to silence him as a witness to that event, not as retribution for reporting members of the trucking association to police. Thus, the IJ determined there was no basis to believe that there is a concerted assault upon members of this family. J.A. vol. I at 16.

As to the threat against Nunez-Baquedano herself, the IJ concluded that this single incident was unrelated to the harm suffered by her husband and son, and did not, without more, qualify as past persecution or give rise to a well-founded fear of future persecution. See Li v. Att'y Gen., 400 F.3d 157, 164 (3d Cir. 2005) (threats, standing alone, qualify as persecution in only a small category of cases, and only when the threats are so menacing as to cause significant actual suffering or harm). The IJ observed that Nunez-Baquedano experienced only this isolated threat, and that her husband remained in Honduras for almost a year and a half without experiencing further threats or harm.

The IJ concluded by recognizing that the respondent deeply believes these are connected incidents, and by acknowledging that he had no satisfying explanation for the terrible events that befell Nunez-Baquedano and her family members. But, he observed a vacuum of evidence [of] actual linkage between the events. J.A. vol. I at 18. He also noted that Honduras has a great deal of crime, and that respondent is, for lack of a better term, unlucky. Id. at 19. The IJ thus determined that, while her fears of harm are real, they are not within the asylum law of the United States. Id. at 20.

Upon review, it is clear that the record contains substantial evidence to support the IJ's conclusion, adopted by the BIA, that Nunez-Baquedano failed to demonstrate that the two instances of serious injury to her family members and one instance of a threat to her were linked to one another or to her membership in any PSG. Nunez-Baquedano does not identify any evidence compelling a conclusion that the IJ and BIA erred in this regard. Indeed, she fails to address the nexus issue entirely. Accordingly, we will deny Nunez-Baquedano's petition for review as to her claims for asylum and withholding of removal.

B.

Next we consider Nunez-Baquedano's CAT claim, which the BIA deemed waived and therefore did not consider on its merits. A court may not review a final order where the alien has failed to exhaust all administrative remedies available as of right. INA  242(d)(1), 8 U.S.C.  1252(d)(1). The exhaustion requirement attaches to each issue that a petitioner raises. See Lin v. Att'y Gen., 543 F.3d 114, 120 & n.6 (3d Cir. 2008). Accordingly, where an issue was not presented to the BIA, it has not been administratively exhausted, and we lack jurisdiction to consider it. Castro, 671 F.3d at 365 (A petitioner's failure to exhaust an issue by presenting it to the BIA deprives us of jurisdiction to consider that issue.). Where, however, the petitioner made some effort to exhaust, albeit insufficient, we will exercise jurisdiction over the petitioner's claims. Lin, 543 F.3d at 122 (quoting Bhiski v. Ashcroft, 373 F.3d 363, 367 (3d Cir. 2004)).

Here, Nunez-Baquedano presented a CAT claim to the IJ, which the IJ denied for a failure to meet the burden of proof. On appeal to the BIA, she submitted only a Notice of Appeal stating, inter alia, that the IJ erred because Respondent claim series of events of persecution with acquiencense [sic]. A.R. 025. The BIA concluded that this vague reference, without a brief to elaborate the point, constituted a waiver. See J.A. vol. I at 4 n.1 (citing Matter of R-A-M-, 25 I. & N. Dec. 657, 658 n.2 (B.I.A. 2012)).

Nunez-Baquedano now argues that she should prevail on the merits of her CAT claim, while the government responds that we lack jurisdiction to review that claim because it was not exhausted before the BIA. Under these circumstances, we decline to adopt either approach. While no surrogate for proper briefing, the reference to the CAT claim in Nunez-Baquedano's Notice of Appeal to the BIA constitutes some effort to exhaust, albeit insufficient to present that claim. Lin, 543 F.3d at 122. Her mention of acquiencense [sic], while far from satisfactory, nonetheless put the BIA on notice that she intended to contest the IJ's conclusion that she put forth no evidence that the Honduran government would acquiesce in her torture. Because Nunez-Baquedano's minimal effort to present the CAT claim preserved it for administrative exhaustion purposes, we must remand her claim to the BIA to consider its merits in the first instance. See I.N.S. v. Ventura, 537 U.S. 12, 17 (2002).

IV.

For the foregoing reasons, we will deny the petition for review as to Nunez-Baquedano's claims for asylum and withholding of removal. We will grant the petition as to her CAT claim and remand to the BIA for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

FOOTNOTES

. Nunez-Baquedano's husband entered the United States illegally in 2014 and was separately placed in removal proceedings in Texas. Her two teenage children continue to reside in Honduras.

. J.A. refers to the Joint Appendix filed in this matter. Because the page numbering re-starts with each volume, each citation to the J.A. refers to both a volume and page number.

. A.R. refers to the Administrative Record in this matter.

. There is nothing in the record explaining counsel's failure to file a brief on Nunez-Baquedano's behalf. Nunez-Baquedano continues to be represented by the same attorney who represented her before the BIA.

. The IJ rejected Nunez-Baquedano's claim for protection based on business ownership, concluding that business ownership is not an immutable characteristic. See Matter of Acosta, 19 I. & N. Dec. 211, 233 (B.I.A. 1985) (social group identity must be determined on a case-by-case basis but must be defined by a common characteristic that members of the group either cannot change, or should not be required to change because it is fundamental to their individual identities or consciences); see also Valdiviezo-Galdamez v. Att'y Gen., 663 F.3d 582, 59798 (3d Cir. 2011) (discussing this Court's adoption of the Acosta formulation). As Nunez-Baquedano correctly observes, however, the BIA has recognized that past experiences, such as past business ownership, might be a sufficiently immutable characteristic to qualify. See Acosta, 19 I. & N. Dec. at 233 ([I]n some circumstances it might be a shared past experience such as former military leadership or land ownership.). The IJ did not address whether Nunez-Baquedano's past business ownership could qualify. The IJ also did not address Nunez-Baquedano's proposed PSG consisting of potential cooperating witnessesalthough we observe that the BIA has held that confidential informants do not qualify because their group membership is not socially visible. See Valdiviezo-Galdamez, 663 F.3d at 599 (citing In re CA, 23 I. & N. Dec. 951, 960 (B.I.A. 2006). In addition, on appeal, Nunez proposes an additional PSG: that she is a family member of a prosecution witness (her husband). This seems to be a hybrid of the two previously-proffered family and cooperating witness PSGs, and does not appear to have been presented to the IJ and BIA as a separate PSG. Because it was not previously presented to the agency as an independent PSG, we lack jurisdiction to consider it here. See Castro v. Att'y Gen., 671 F.3d 356, 365 (3d Cir. 2012). In any event, because we agree with the agency's assessment that Nunez-Baquedano did not satisfy the nexus requirement, we need not consider whether any of her additional proposed PSGs could potentially qualify.

. Recently, in Serrano-Alberto v. Att'y Gen., 859 F.3d 208 (3d Cir. 2017), this Court sharply criticized the BIA for frequently declining to consider a petitioner's proposed PSG and, instead, disposing of the appeal by finding an absence of nexus. Id. at 219 n.5. In this case, however, because Nunez-Baquedano put forth a PSG that could qualify under some circumstances, it was appropriate for the agency to consider whether or not she satisfied the nexus requirement.

SMITH, Chief Judge.
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McFarlane has written the first draft of the script and is set to direct the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Spawn" was adapted into a 1997 New Line horror-action movie that starred Michael Jai White.

The comic told of a black-ops agent who is betrayed and killed, his soul sent to hell for all the innocents he killed. While there, he makes a deal with a demon who allows him to return to the earthly plane and his wife.

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The order by Mangaluru sub division executivemagistrate and assistant commissioner A C Renuka Prasad willbe in force from 12 AM today till 9 AM on July 26 in the entire taluk.

Ban orders issued in the other three taluks of Belthangady, Sullia and Puttur in the district have been lifted.

Ban orders under the police act invoked by city police commissioner T R Suresh, covering the jurisdiction of Mangaluru Police Commissionerate limits is in force till July 30 midnight.

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In another incident, Sarath Madivala, an RSS worker, was attacked by unidentified assailants on July 4 at Bantwal.

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English heavy metal band Judas Priest star Rob Halford is set to be honoured with the Lemmy Lifetime Achievement Award.

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"At long last the metal stars are aligned and I'm stoked to attend this year's Loudwire Awards show," the 65-year-old rocker said.

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Judas Priest will be joined by Body Count, Halestorm, Starset and Power Trip at the ceremony held at The Novo in downtown Los Angeles on October 24.

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Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy today met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take stock of the progress of skill initiatives in the state.

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"He brings it up every time. I personally apologise," the 53-year-old smooth-talking Wall Street financier said and called it one of his "biggest mistakes."



"Mr. President, if you're listening, I personally apologise for the 50th time for saying that," Scaramucci added as he looked into the cameras.

Scaramucci, who currently serves as the senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the Export-Import Bank, will officially start his new role on August 15.

During his introductory appearance at the White House, Scaramucci appeared relaxed and expressed a desire to improve the Trump administration's relationship with the US media.

He praised Trump and said he was "proud" to join his administration. "The ship is going in the right direction. I think we've got...The direction very, very clearly," he told reporters at the White House after his appointment yesterday.

He said Trump would ultimately win the healthcare fight.

"The president has really good karma. And the world turns back to him...I think as members of Congress get to know him better and get comfortable with him, they're going to let him lead them to the right things for the American people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP national president Amit Shah returned here tonight after a brief visit to the national capital.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and state BJP chief Ashok Parnami received him at the airport here.

Tomorrow, Shah will meet members of the BJP's state core committee, the party's MPs and MLAs from Rajasthan and others on the final day of his three-day visit to the state.

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The remains of a couple, found on a receding glacier in the Swiss Alps 75 years after they had disappeared, were at long last buried today near their native village.

Their two surviving daughters were present at the funeral service in the church at Saviese in Valais canton, a few kilometres from Chandolin where Marcelin Dumoulin and his wife Francine were living when they disappeared on August 15, 1942.

The funeral was held in the church where the couple had attended mass on the August 15 feast day before setting out on their trek, a priest Jean Varone told the ATS press agency.

Dumoulin, then 40, and his 37-year-old wife had left their home that morning hoping to check on their cattle, which were being kept in an alpine pasture in neighbouring Bern canton.

The fastest route at the time was via a glacier footpath. The sky was clear when the couple set out, but clouds later worsened visibility and the couple vanished, likely after falling into a crevasse, orphaning five sons and two daughters.

"I saw them leave that Saturday morning," recalled Monique Gautschy, one of the surviving children who was 11 years old at the time. "They were supposed to spend the night in the alpine pasture at Grilden and come back on Sunday."



After two months of fruitless searching for the couple, the seven children, then aged 2 to 13, were placed in foster care.

After more then seven decades the remains of their parents were discovered on July 13 -- preserved in the Tsanfleuron glacier at an altitude of 2,600 metres (8,500 feet) -- by an employee of a local ski resort.

Backpacks, a watch and other personal belongings had been preserved in the ice nearby.

Gautschy told AFP that police called to inform her of the definitive identification early on Wednesday.

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A 33-year-old man was seriously injured when a fire broke out at a plastic factory in northwest Delhi's Bawana area tonight, the fire department said.

"A call was received at 7:35 pm. Six fire tenders were rushed to the spot which brought the blaze under control," a Delhi Fire Services official said.

Three persons, including two minors, have been injured in the incident, he said.

"The 33-year-old injured man has been sent to Maharishi Valmiki Hospital in a serious condition," the official said.

Police is investigating the incident.

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The White House says President Donald Trump will host Lebanon's prime minister next week.

A statement yesterday from newly-named Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Lebanon's Saad Hariri will visit the White House on July 25.

The statement says the two leaders "will discuss issues of mutual concern, including the fight against terrorism, the economy, and refugees."



Concerns are mounting over the implications of escalating clashes at Lebanon's doorstep between Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that his government will freeze contacts with Israel with regard to tensions over a major Jerusalem shrine.

Trump and Hariri's meeting may also address concerns over the support Lebanon-based Hezbollah is providing to Syria's President Bashar Assad in his crackdown on civilians.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. United States of America Plaintiff - Appellee v. Robert J. Daniels Defendant - Appellant No. 16-4402 Decided: July 21, 2017

Before LOKEN, MURPHY, and MELLOY, Circuit Judges.

Robert J. Daniels pled guilty to conspiring to receive and possess a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C.  371, 922(g)(1). The district court sentenced him to 40 months imprisonment, based in part on its determination that his prior conviction for assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree was a crime of violence under the sentencing guidelines. Daniels appeals his sentence, and we affirm.

I.

Daniels pled guilty to conspiring to receive and possess a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C.  371, 922(g)(1). The presentence investigation report recommended a base offense level of 20 under U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(4) because Daniels had committed the current offense after having a felony conviction for a crime of violence (a 2008 Missouri conviction for assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree). See Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.082.1 (2008).

Daniels argued at sentencing that this prior conviction is not a crime of violence because the state court records did not clearly indicate the subsection of the statute to which he pled guilty. Daniels claimed that if the court could not discern the subsection under which he was convicted, it would have to apply the categorical approach to determine if his prior second degree assault conviction qualified as a crime of violence. Daniels argued that under the categorical approach his prior conviction would not qualify as a crime of violence.

In the state court proceeding, Daniels was initially charged with two counts of assault of a law enforcement officer in the first degree, in violation of Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.081 (2008). He later pled guilty to two counts of assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree, in violation of Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.082 (2008). None of the state court documents entered into evidence at sentencing indicate the subsection of Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.082 (2008) to which Daniels pled guilty.

The prosecutor's statements at the state plea hearing are the only record of the subsection to which Daniels pled guilty. Daniels argued at his federal sentencing hearing that the state prosecutor's statements had not sufficiently clarified the specific subsection to which Daniels pled guilty because they conflated first degree and second degree assault of a law enforcement officer. A person is guilty of assault of a law enforcement officer in the first degree if he attempts to kill or knowingly causes or attempts to cause serious physical injury to a law enforcement officer. Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.081.1 (2008). A person is guilty of assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree if he:

(1) Knowingly causes or attempts to cause physical injury to a law enforcement officer  by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; 

(3) Recklessly causes serious physical injury to a law enforcement officer  ; or

(4) While in an intoxicated condition or under the influence of controlled substances or drugs, operates a motor vehicle  and when so operating, acts with criminal negligence to cause physical injury to a law enforcement officer 

Id.  565.082.1 (2008).

At Daniels' state court plea hearing the prosecutor stated, as to the first count of second degree assault, that Daniels had knowingly caused serious physical injury to Officer Blay, by means of a dangerous instrument. As to the second count of second degree assault, the prosecutor stated that Daniels had attempted to kill or knowingly attempted to cause physical injury to that law enforcement officer, by attempting to hit him with an automobile. Daniels admitted at the state plea hearing that those facts were correct.

At the federal sentencing hearing in the present action, the district court acknowledged that the state prosecutor's recitation of the assault charges had been a little garbled and that there had been sort of a conflating of the two degrees of assault of a law enforcement officer, which was wrong. The district court nevertheless overruled Daniels' objection and determined that the prosecutor's recitation of the facts supported a finding that Daniels had pled guilty to subdivision 1(1) of the statute. After adjusting his offense level, the district court calculated an advisory guideline range of 37 to 46 months and sentenced Daniels to 40 months. Daniels appeals, arguing that the district court erred by overruling his objection that his prior conviction did not qualify as a crime of violence.

II.

To determine whether a prior conviction was for a crime of violence, we apply a categorical approach, looking to the elements of the offense as defined in the  statute of conviction rather than to the facts underlying the defendant's prior conviction. United States v. Dawn, 685 F.3d 790, 794 (8th Cir. 2012) (quoting United States v. Parks, 620 F.3d 911, 913 (8th Cir. 2010)) (alteration in Dawn). If the statute of conviction is divisible in that it encompasses multiple crimes, some of which are crimes of violence and some of which are not, we apply a modified categorical approach to look at the charging document, plea colloquy, and comparable judicial records to determine which part of the statute the defendant had violated. Id. at 79495 (quoting Parks, 620 F.3d at 913). We then determine whether a violation of that statutory subpart is a crime of violence. See id. at 795. Here, the assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree statute is divisible because it covers multiple crimes, and subdivision 1(4) is not a crime of violence because it criminalizes negligent conduct. See Leocal v. Ashcroft, 543 U.S. 1, 9 (2004). We thus apply the modified categorical approach to Daniels' prior conviction.

Daniels initially argues that our review should be de novo because questions of what documents a district court may rely on to determine the nature of a prior conviction are reviewed de novo. United States v. Rosa, 507 F.3d 142, 151 (2d Cir. 2007). This appeal does not question which documents a district court may rely on, however, because all parties agree that a district court may rely on a plea colloquy to determine the nature of a prior conviction. Dawn, 685 F.3d at 795. We are instead reviewing the district court's factual determination that Daniels was convicted for violating section 565.082.1(1), and that is reviewed for clear error. See United States v. Twiggs, 678 F.3d 671, 674 (8th Cir. 2012).

Daniels next argues that the district court clearly erred by determining that he was convicted of subsection 1(1) of the second degree assault statute because the prosecutor's statements at the plea hearing did not identically track that subdivision. He argues that because of this uncertainty, the district court should have applied the categorical approach under which his prior conviction would not have qualified as a crime of violence. We disagree.

Courts are allowed to make reasonable inferences based on the state court record in order to identify the discrete statutory subdivision at issue. United States v. Thomas, 838 F.3d 926, 929 (8th Cir. 2016) (per curiam) (quoting United States v. Ossana, 679 F.3d 733, 736 (8th Cir. 2012)). As to the first count of second degree assault in this case, the prosecutor stated that Daniels knowingly caused serious physical injury to officer Blay, by means of a dangerous instrument. Under subsection 1(1) it is a crime to [k]nowingly cause[ ]  physical injury to a law enforcement officer  by means of a  dangerous instrument. Mo. Rev. Stat.  565.082.1(1) (2008). The only difference between the prosecutor's recitation and subsection 1(1) is the addition of the word serious before physical injury.

On this record it was not clear error for the district court to conclude that Daniels pled guilty to subdivision 1(1) of the second degree assault statute because the prosecutor's factual recitation as to the first count was nearly identical to the language of that subsection. See Thomas, 838 F.3d at 929.

III.

For these reasons, we affirm the district court's judgment.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Carol E. Jackson, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri.

PER CURIAM.
US President Donald Trump will host Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the White Housenext week, during which the two leaders would discuss a wide range of issues including fight against terrorism.

"The two leaders will discuss issues of mutual concern, including the fight against terrorism, the economy, and refugees," the White House said in a statement.

Hariri would visit the White House on July 25.

"This meeting will serve as an important opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship and will encourage other international and regional partners to support Lebanon as it faces a wide range of challenges," the statement said.

A day earlier, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, accused Lebanon's Hezbollah of amassing weapons.

"Ambassador Haley expressed alarm over the build-up of weapons by Hizballah, a situation that demands the international community's attention to prevent the further escalation of regional tensions," a US statement said after Haley met with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag.

Haley and Kaag discussed the political, security, and humanitarian challenges that Lebanon faces, as well as the importance of increasing the capacity of Lebanese state institutions



Trump and Hariri's meeting may also address concerns over the support Lebanon-based Hezbollah is providing to Syria's President Bashar Assad in his crackdown on civilians.

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Two kawariyas have died in two separate accidents in the district, police said today.

Monu, 28, a Delhi resident, died after his motorcycle skidded and he fell down from the vehicle near Rampur Tiranga on Delhi-Haridwar highway in the district last evening while returning to Delhi from Haridwar, they said.

In the second incident, a 25-year-old kawariya China, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, was killed when his bike collided with a vehicle near here.

He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead, police said.

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Britain's Prince George turned four today as his parents, Prince William and Kate, released a new official portrait showing the future British king beaming with a happy smile.

The great grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and third-in- line to the British throne, beams out of the portrait taken at Kensington Palace in London ahead of his birthday, which the youngster will celebrate tomorrow.

Prince George Alexander Louis - known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge - was born on July 22, 2013.

"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received," Kensington Palace said in a statement.

The prince spent the run-up to his big day on an official tour of Poland and Germany with his parents.

The photo was taken last month by Getty Images royal photographer Chris Jackson.

Jackson tweeted that he was honoured the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released his photo.

"I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday. He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot," Jackson said.

In September, Prince George is due to start school. He will go to Thomas's Battersea, a private preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in Kensington Palace in London, where the family will be based.

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The state government in Delhi told Philip Morris International Inc and other tobacco companies on Saturday to remove all advertisements from tobacco shops in the city, warning them of legal action if they do not comply.

The order, sent by Delhi state's chief tobacco control officer S. K. Arora, comes days after Reuters reported that Philip Morris was promoting Marlboro cigarettes, the world's best-selling brand, by advertising them at tobacco shops and distributing free cigarette samples. Government officials say such tactics flout the law.

The strategy was laid out in hundreds of pages of internal Philip Morris documents reviewed by Reuters that cover the period from 2009 to 2016.

Indian officials have previously said tobacco advertising using brand names or promotional slogans is illegal under the country's Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act and its accompanying rules. But Philip Morris and India's leading cigarette maker ITC Ltd say they comply with regulations and that the law allows advertising inside a kiosk.

Arora said the central health ministry had told him that all brand advertisements, irrespective of where they were placed, were not allowed in the country.

Philip Morris and ITC did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

Tobacco companies have continued to advertise at sale points despite repeated warnings from the Delhi state government in recent years. Philip Morris has been paying a monthly fee to some tobacco vendors to display the company's colourful advertisements, the Reuters investigation found.

Arora also told Reuters he "will investigate and conduct raids" to check on the distribution of free cigarettes at social events. "If violations are found, action as per law will be taken," Arora said.

India enacted its tobacco control law in 2003 and has since added rules to strengthen it, but government officials say companies get away with violations because law enforcement is weak.

The central health ministry on Friday said it planned to seek an explanation from Philip Morris and other tobacco companies about their marketing practices following the Reuters investigation that was published earlier this week. Philip Morris and ITC did not respond to requests for comment.
A file photo of Baidus robot, Xiaodu, at the 2015 Baidu World Conference in Beijing, China. PwC found that China stands to gain more than any other country from AI because of the high proportion of output derived from manufacturing. Reuters
A new talking sidekick arrived Wednesday on millions of Samsung Galaxy S8 phones. To understand what makes chatting with different from Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, Samsung would like us to picture Iron Man.
It has been three years since the Islamic State abducted 39 Indian labourers from Mosul city in Iraq. Informing the Parliament, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently said: "Sources there told VK Singh that the missing Indians are most probably in a jail in Badush where fighting is still going on."

After Swaraj's statement which suggested that missing Indians may be alive in prison in Iraq, India Today travelled to Mosul. However, it did not find any sign of the unfortunate missing Indians.

By some account, these abducted people were construction workers from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal who were captured from the University Lake Towers, Mosul on June 11. Out of 40 labourers, one could manage to flee and contact Indian embassy paving way for his safe return.

The person who escaped the Mosul city was identified as Harjit Masih who later claimed that the IS fighters shot them all dead. However, the government refuted Masih's claim and maintained that the missing Indians are alive.

India Today's investigation suggest that there could be three possibilities. The 39 missing Indians may be as Sushma Swaraj has suggested in Badush jail under IS captivity. The construction workers might have been killed as Harjit Masih claimed.

The third possibility is that they are still working somewhere as bonded labourers under the IS as some reports suggest that they were sighted near a church. Swaraj's still insists that the missing Indians in Iraq are alive.

When India Today visited Badush prison where, as per the intelligence information that Sushma Swaraj received, it found no such jail as it had been already destroyed by the ISIS and the area was liberated a few months ago by the counter-terrorism unit of Iraq.

"What is left are the remnants of what was once a prison where ISIS had come to get some of their Islamist brothers released from and in the process also ended up occupying Mosul," the report noted.

The question hence continues to be where are the 39 Indians? 63 km west of Mosul lies Tal Afar which is still firmly under ISIS's control.


PROVIDENCE  Our Schools Now is an organization asking voters in 2018 to approve a half-percent increase in the personal income and state sales tax rates. Those in the organization claim the plan would raise $700 million dollars more each year for public education.

A local legislator, Republican Curt Webb of Providence, said there is no question that Utah schools need more money, but said the proposal would actually increase the income tax and hes not sure if people would accept that.

Webb said tax policy is very complicated, and gave an example.

They also want to raise sales tax, he said. If you raise sales tax our brick-and-mortar businesses in the state are disadvantaged by having that, if you dont have to pay taxes online. The more you raise it then the more disadvantaged they are. That is just one of the slight complications. Im not sure that tax law is best made in an initiative form.

Webb said he believes the freedom to do that is much more flexible if done in a legislative session than if done by an initiative.
LOGAN  There is a lot most people need to know about taxes, according to Utah Republican State Senator Lyle Hillyard. He said it is also important to learn more about tax reform.

An opportunity to learn about both is coming up.

Local legislators have planned a public meeting for Tuesday, July 25 at 7 p.m. that will be held at the Mount Logan Middle School. Hillyard said everybody is invited to attend and that there will be time for questions and answers.

I have invited Jonathan Ball who is our fiscal analyst, Hillyard said. He is going to talk about the general tax structure and some of the real challenges we have putting budgets together and trying to solidify what the revenues really are. I think people will find an interesting discussion of some of the things we always take for granted.

Hillyard said tax reform is going to be a major priority for the legislature during its next session.
The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission heard updates on chronic wasting disease (CWD), Tennessees In Need of Management, Threatened, and Endangered Wildlife Listing, boating statistics, and budget process during its July meeting.

The two-day session concluded Friday and was held at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencys Region II Ray Bell Building.

Chuck Yoest, assistant chief of the Wildlife and Forestry Division, provided a follow-up presentation to previous presentations on CWD.

Mr. Yoest shared that 25 states now have CWD, but, thankfully, after many years of ongoing sampling by TWRA, the disease is still not known to exist in Tennessee. While CWD is not known to be present in Tennessee, the potential threat it poses to deer and elk populations and to hunting, is momentous.

CWD is passed through the environment to deer and elk, and by direct contact with bodily fluids of positive animals. There are no known cases of humans contracting CWD.

Mr. Yoest informed the commission on risk factors for spreading CWD including: captive deer and elk, infected, hunter-killed carcasses being transported into Tennessee by out-of-state hunters, and the potential of hunters accidentally introducing CWD through the usage of deer urine-based lures commonly used for hunting. Also, regarding these risk factors, Yoest shared regulatory actions taken in other states which, if adopted by the commission, may reduce the likelihood of the disease reaching Tennessee.

Pandy English, the acting chief of TWRAs Biodiversity Division, made a presentation to the commission. The TWRA is updating its state list of In Need of Management, Threatened, and Endangered Species. She explained each of these categories to the commission.

In Need of Management species are those animals that need research conducted to determine their rareness. Threatened species are those animals in jeopardy of becoming endangered. Endangered refers to species that may become extinct or extirpated from the state. Wildlife biologists from universities, non-government organizations, zoos and TWRA have compiled the list using best available science, expert opinion and the federal list of endangered species,

The list includes 219 species (96 state endangered, 39 state threatened and 84 in need of management species). The purpose of this list is to guide the work of nongame biologists across the state. It prioritizes the species which need the most management. The ultimate goal is to remove Tennessee species from the federal Endangered Species List and to prevent further listing of Tennessees Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Glenn Moates, assistant chief in the Boating and Law Enforcement Division, gave an update on boating statistics that included two of the major weekends for the boating season, Memorial Day and Independence Day. There were no boating-related fatalities during the holidays.

The Independence Day holiday was a five-day period that began on Friday, June 30 and continued through Tuesday, July 4. There were five accidents reported during the period, resulting in four injuries. TWRA officers made 20 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests during the period.

Thus far in 2017, there have been eight boating-related fatalities. Three of the fatalities were paddle craft incidents.

TWRA Executive Director Ed Carter explained the lengthy process involved in establishing the agencys annual budget. The commission has six new members this year. The budget committee will hold a meeting at the Nashville Office conference room on Monday, Aug. 14 beginning at 7:30 a.m. The 2018-19 budget will be presented at the regular TFWC meeting Aug. 29-30 at the TWRA Region II Building.
Christian Bennett, CPA, of Hixson, was elected Secretary of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), the professional association for more than 10,000 CPAs residing and practicing in Tennessee. Bennetts term began on June 25 at TSCPAs 87th Annual Meeting & Convention in Nashville.



Mr. Bennett is a partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC in Chattanooga. He has been a member of TSCPA for 15 years, holding various leadership positions at the state and local level. He has served on the Financial Institutions Committee, TSCPA Council and held various leadership positions within the Chattanooga Chapter, including most recently serving as Chattanooga chapter president.



As secretary, Mr. Bennett will serve on the TSCPA Board of Directors and Council, which is the governing body of the association and establishes policy for all society activities. He will concurrently serve as a member of the board of trustees of TSCPAs Educational & Memorial Foundation, which provides comprehensive continuing education for CPAs and awards academic scholarships to deserving accounting students attending Tennessees colleges and universities.



Other TSCPA members serving as officers with Bennett are: Chair Douglas E. Warren, CPA, of Madisonville, managing partner of Warren & Tallent CPAs PLLC in Sweetwater; Chair-Elect Mark Steadman, CPA of Johnson City, professor of accountancy at East Tennessee State University; Vice Chair Robert K. Weatherly, CPA, of Brentwood, partner with Frasier, Dean & Howard, PLLC; and Treasurer Anita Hamilton of Medina, partner with HORNE LLP in Jackson.
"The service is very important because this was one of the most barbaric acts I've remembered in my life, and innocent people were shot down over our territory," he said.
It comes as the airline has unveiled more details about the flights ahead of their launch next year, which will be the second international route to fly out of Canberra Airport.
"This is just about the criminal activity they're engaged with and the violent behaviour we've been seeing, that's what's concerning to me."
I was born in another country, coming to Australia when I was four years old. I know that I hold dual citizenship because I never renounced my foreign citizenship. When I applied for a security clearance, I had to declare that I was a citizen of a foreign country. A person who is nominating for the House of Representatives or the Senate is required to sign a declaration on the nomination form that he is qualified under the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth to be elected to the Commonwealth Parliament.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is taking another step to change the way ash and other coal combustion residuals are stored at Gallatin Fossil Plant in Gallatin, Tn.

TVA plans to build a dewatering facility to remove moisture from bottom ash created by the burning of coal at the plant. Bottom ash is particles of ash that are too large to be captured in the air and are instead collected at the bottom of the steam furnace. Water is currently used to move the ash into ponds for storage, but TVA is moving to a dry storage system at Gallatin and all its fossil sites.

As part of the process, TVA completed an assessment of potential environmental impacts for two types of dewatering facilities. Both would remove the moisture, but one would discharge the water from the facility to the river through a permitted location while the other would recycle the discharge water back into the powerhouse for continued use.

A Finding of No Significant Impact was issued on July 19, stating that neither option would have a significant impact on the environment. TVA also looked at the option not to construct a dewatering facility and continue to store the ash in on-site ponds.

TVAs preferred alternative is the facility which includes a recirculated discharge water system. The dry product would then be stored at the onsite landfill.

The Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact are available online at www.tva.com/nepa or in hard copy by contacting Ashley Farless, Tennessee Valley Authority, 1101 Market St., BR 4A, Chattanooga, TN, 37402.

TVAs Gallatin Fossil Plant is located on the north bank of the Cumberland River in Sumner County, Tn. Its four coal-fired generating units have a combined summer net capacity of 976 megawatts, enough to supply power to more than 500,000 homes.

For more information about TVA and its 83-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley, click here.
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.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has promoted Dr. Crescent Moore to director of clinical pharmacy.

In this role, she is responsible for strategic direction for clinical pharmacy programs for all BlueCross lines of business. This includes overseeing approved lists of prescription drugs for members as well as the medication management for their medical and pharmacy benefits.

Dr. Moores experience in managed care, research, analytics and clinical and retail pharmacy will help guide our pharmacy programs in providing the best service for our members, said Dr. Natalie Tate, BlueCross vice president of pharmacy management.

Dr. Moore joined BlueCross in 2015 as a clinical pharmacist for government programs. Shes previously worked as a retail pharmacist, clinical pharmacist, and assistant professor at Lipscomb University.

She has a Doctor of Philosophy degree and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Rhodes College. Dr. Moore completed a residency at the Tennessee Pharmacist Association and is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist.






Savas Beatie announced the release of the latest in their Emerging Civil War series, Battle Above the Clouds: Lifting the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain, October 16 - November 24, 1863, by author David A. Powell, which looks at the beginning of the struggle for Chattanooga through the iconic Battle of Lookout Mountain.

Review for the book:

In October 1863, the Union Army of the Cumberland was besieged in Chattanooga, all but surrounded by familiar opponents: The Confederate Army of Tennessee. The Confederates, once jubilant at having routed the Federals at Chickamauga and driven them back into the apparent trap of Chattanoogas trenches, found their own circumstances increasingly difficult to bear. In the immediate aftermath of their victory, the South rejoiced; the Confederacys own disasters of the previous summerVicksburg and Gettysburgwere seemingly reversed. Then came stalemate in front of those same trenches. The Confederates held the high ground, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, but they could not completely seal off Chattanooga from the north.

The Union responded. Reinforcements were on the way. A new man arrived to take command: Ulysses S. Grant. Confederate General Braxton Bragg, unwilling to launch a frontal attack on Chattanoogas defenses, sought victory elsewhere, diverting troops to East Tennessee.

Battle Above the Clouds is the first stand-alone treatment of what is perhaps one of the most famous events of the American Civil War - the storming of Lookout Mountain by Union troops on November 24, 1863, said Mr. Powell. Lookout Mountain was not the most decisive event of the war, but it certainly ranks as one of the most dramatic, witnessed by tens of thousands in both armies.

Mr. Powell is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (1983) with a BA in history. He has published numerous articles in various magazines, and more than 15 historical simulations of different battles. For the past decade, Mr. Powell's focus has been on the epic battle of Chickamauga, and he is nationally recognized for his tours of that important battlefield. The results of that study are the volumes The Maps of Chickamauga (2009) and Failure in the Saddle (2010), as well as The Chickamauga Campaign trilogy. The Chickamauga Campaign: A Mad Irregular Battle was published in 2014, The Chickamauga Campaign: Glory or the Grave appeared in September 2015, and the final volume, Barren Victory, was released in September 2016. Mr. Powell and his wife Anne live and work in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. He is vice president of Airsped, Inc., a specialized delivery firm.
As the world of electric cars continues to develop, BMW is planning to update the i3 hatchback and offer it with an improved range.



Under the NEDC test cycle, the latest i3 with its 94 Ah battery pack has a theoretical range of 300 km (186 miles). However, the German carmaker is looking to improve that range by installing the i3 with a larger 120 Ah battery.

BMW Blog suggests that this could increase the cars electric driving range by about 60 per cent and will likely debut after the facelifted i3 S premieres at Septembers Frankfurt Auto Show.

Its difficult to say if BMW intends on offering the larger battery pack as an option or if itll become standard in the 2019MY i3. However, if Nissan and Tesla achieve their range goals with the Leaf and Model 3, BMW would be wise to make it the only available battery.

PHOTO GALLERY
Good news for pickup truck lovers in the UK, as they now have the chance to own a brand new Shelby F-150 Super Snake through luxury car dealer Clive Sutton.



Theyll have to hurry, though, because the London dealer, who is the official UK distributor for Shelby-tuned cars and trucks, announced that they will import just two examples of the limited Super Snake into the country, priced at a rather hefty 120,000 each (around $155k in current exchange rates).

Shelby will build just 150 Super Snake versions, which are powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 750hp and a whole raft of upgrades that includes a polycarbonate bonnet and carbon-fibre air intake, Shelby-exclusive Fox shock absorbers, 18-inch Shelby engraved wheels and a Shelby-tuned Borla exhaust system.

Clive Sutton will also import the 50th anniversary European Mustang Super Snake with up to 750hp, with all Shelby American models supplied to the UK coming with a three-year, 50,000km (31,000-mile) warranty on the complete car and its Shelby components.

We are excited to be working with Clive Sutton, a connoisseur of American vehicles who has decades of experience in buying and selling cars and trucks from the US, said Volkhard Juergens, General Manager International Operations for Shelby EU. With new opportunities to assemble Shelby vehicles in Europe, we look forward to working with our partners to further build the brand in the region.

Clive Sutton will also continue offering its Bespoke Mustang program as well, giving the chance to customers to create their personalized vehicle. The dealer will also continue to offer Mustang GT350 and GT350Rs as direct imports from the US.

PHOTO GALLERY
11/8/2022

The M. C. Headrick Free Enterprise Award is the highest and most prestigious award given by the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the award is to focus on the Free Enterprise ... more
Nissan has already started demonstrating its semi-autonomous ProPilot Assist technology to the press, with the system expected to be launched in the US later this year.



The company points out that the ProPilot Assist system is tuned specifically for U.S. roads and drivers, after more than 50,000 miles of development across the country.

The system combines Steering Assist and the companys Intelligent Cruise Control for use in both heavy and flowing traffic conditions but Nissan calls it a hands-on system rather than a self-driving feature, as the drivers hands must remain on the steering wheel at all times.

ProPilot Assist always gives priority to the drivers inputs, with the Steering Assist feature to be disabled if the windshield wipers are in the low or high position  if lane lines can be detected, the system can remain active when the wipers are in the intermittent mode or if the mist function is activated.

ProPilot Assist has the ability to track curving lanes, helping the driver stay centered in the lane as well as adjusting for various traffic flow conditions, said Takeshi Yamaguchi, senior VP, Research and Development . However, just as non-autonomous vehicles today, ProPilot Assist requires the driver to remain engaged in the task of driving at all times  though the technology can reduce driver fatigue and increase driving enjoyment.

At this stage, Nissan describes it more like an enhanced version of their Intelligent Cruise Control, providing steering assistance when lane markers are consistently detected by the front camera.

PHOTO GALLERY
A number of companies are, according to an Autoblog report, vying to take control of Ducati from the Volkswagen Group. Currently valued at $1.2 billion, the Italian motorcycle brand has remarkable heritage in the industry and is controlled by Audi.



However, the worlds largest automaker intends on selling Ducati in the midst of a radical strategic overhaul in the wake of 2015 diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Reuters reports that one bid has been received by the investment company of Italys Benetton family, Edizione Holding. Additionally, sources close to the sale say that U.S.-based buyout fund Bain Capital, owner of two Indian motorbike companies, has made a bid for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer.

Private equity funds including Investindustrial, Advent, PAI and CVC Capital Partners are also eager to snap up the company, while both Harley-Davidson and Chinas Loncin Motor have expressed interest in the sale, but havent submitted bids.

PHOTO GALLERY
Cartoon Brew spoke with Sebastien Laudenbach at the Anima festival in Brussels, about expressing feelings through lines, offering your audience freedom, and his exploration of cryptokinographie (a.k.a. the art of animation that only takes on its meaning in motion).

Cartoon Brew: As crazy as it sounds for a feature-length film,The Girl Without Hands was largely improvised, correct?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I drew the film from the beginning to the end, without any line testing, so without seeing the results. Only at the end of the first month I shot the first sequences to see if the style worked, to see if it was okay for me. For the rest of the residency that I had in Italy, I drew and drew and drewit was insane.

This way to make an animation film, I think its visible in the end. Because its very much based on sketch, the movement of the hand. There is a kind of energy. Also I worked with music on; I was in kind of a trance. Different kinds of music  like electro pop music, French bands, like Sexy Sushi. Each day I began with this song Je Refuse De Travailler, which means, I refuse to work.

GKIDS is distributing the film in North America. What kind of American audience do you think could connect with the film?

Sebastien Laudenbach: Well see, I dont knowIn France the target audience was from 8 years old [and above]. When I told that to GKIDS they were like, Wow, no, thats not possible. I remember [Kirikou and the Sorceress director] Michel Ocelot said that the job of the kids is to understand the world. And I like the idea to propose a film for kids that is not for them, but they can reach itA film for kids, for me, should not be at the same level, but a little bit higher. Because kids need to understand and to learn.

The way you animated the characters, with their lines fading when they breathe heavily, and using rough, aggressively-drawn moving holds to express anger, is almost closer to the art of painting than to live-action film

Sebastien Laudenbach: Yes. Actually, when I returned to France, shooting the drawings to see what Id done, it was a surprise to discover everythingand I thought that this way of animating was a kind of graphical writing. The film taught me some beautiful things. An important thing for me is when you do animation, you dont have any of the skin, you dont have the eyes, you dont have human beings. You only have drawings, or puppets, or materialsIn The Girl Without Hands I saw that, for instance, the characters breathe with the lines, not with the chest. Because my girl, she has no chest; she has lines and colors.

In animation theres no human beings, but you have a huge palette to express a lot of things and sensations and everything. And I think that when you make a short film, you use this palette, this rainbow. But when you do feature, this palette is more tiny. The cinematographic language doesnt use the whole rainbow that animation offers, I think.

Whats your thought process like while animating this way? Did you decide on a set of animation style variations upfront?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I dont decide anything actually; I think that this film decides for me. But its not a good answer. [laughs] The fact is, I was in the film when making it. I was seeing the film and drawing it at the same time. So I felt the film.

When the girl has to be dirty, because the devil wants her dirty, the problem was that my lines are already dirty. I didnt want to animate, I dont know, some scratches  I wanted to find a way to make my drawing more dirty than they were. So I thought, maybe I can explode it, make it like theres no shapeWhen I saw [the recorded animation], it was like, shes dirty, but shes also troubled. So at the beginning it was a way to show how dirty she is, but in the end it was a feeling. It is an intimate trouble more than a dirty skin. It was very interesting, but it was not thought out before. It was one of the things the film taught me.

Your animation method for this film is quite unconventional. Can you explain its approach?

Sebastien Laudenbach: The key frames are full, and the inbetweens are partly empty. In some drawings theres quite nothing.

This cryptokinographie is a way to make an animation using limitations. The purpose is to do an animation of a figure, and in each frame you cant see the figure. For instance, you see a cat walking, but if you press pause, theres no cat. So only movement gives the sense of [its meaning]. I was very interested in this limitation. It makes me free thinking about this cryptokinographie.

In your view, what is the beauty of minimalism in animation design?

Sebastien Laudenbach: Minimalistic  what does it mean? Because theres a lot of ways to do minimalistic design. The Girl Without Hands is minimalistic, but its rich. Its not empty, even though there are a lot of holes and blanksIm focused on the essence of the movement, and the essence of the shapes. I leave a lot of space for the audience, so the audience has to dialogue with the film as to enter it, as to occupy this free space.

I think that its the same for the story, because its a fairy tale. The strength is this free space. I let the audience be free.

What can they do with this freedom?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I dont know; anything they wantAs a spectator I want to feel when I see a movie. I dont like movies that bring me by the hand and explain everything to me. I need to be free. With movies, but also with art and books in general.

Speaking about the audience, are you happy with the responses toward the film up until now?

Sebastien Laudenbach: Some women told me, You know, the girl without hands, thats me. You told my story. And it moved me, obviously. Im very happy with this kind of reaction, because I myself was moved by this fairy tale. Because I am the girl without hands as well. But Im also the prince, and Im also the miller, but not the devil But Im also the trees Maybe thats why I cant see the film. Ive never seen it. Even when I was in Annecy, the French minister of culture was in the theater to see the film, so I had to be there, but I [had my eyes closed] during all of the screening. Watching the film is like seeing myself in the mirror. Obviously, The Girl Without Hands is the story of a girl, but I think it can talk to men; it can talk to the female part in everybody.

Why did you find it important to re-tell this fairy tale?

Sebastien Laudenbach: For me the most important thing is to be free. And this fairy tale told this. When I read it, I liked the fact that this girl has to go away from this mans world, to be alone, but only for a time, only for a moment, to exist completely, to be full. And that she chooses again the prince, even though the prince is quite clumsy. Hes in love, but he doesnt see this girl as she is, and as she would like to be. He offers her some jewels  the golden hands to me are jewels  so its futile. She doesnt need jewels, she needs to be herself.

But even if this prince is clumsy, she can choose him. Because you can love a clumsy person. So I like the idea that this girl, this woman, chooses this man. For me this tale tells the fact that it is better to be a woman than a princess. And that you can be independent and free, and also in love with someone else. Thats why I wanted to make this film.

Animation and fairy tales go way back to the beginnings of the animated medium; what do you think makes them such a good match for animation?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I think fairy tales are a way to understand human feelings. There is a space between reality and fairy tales, because fairy tales are metaphors. And its the same thing in animation. There is a space between reality and animation. You have to interpret the world and the reality.

What were the creative challenges of adapting the fairy tale into an animated feature film?

Sebastien Laudenbach: At the beginning the film was more dryThe characters needed to be more present. Because, you know, in fairy tales you have figures and archetypes, and I needed to make them characters with psychology. So the adaptation work was to see how to change the archetype into characters, but maintaining the metaphors. So the girl is still the metaphor of purity and youth, but she has a psychology.

How did your very first vision for The Girl Without Hands look like, compared to how it ended up?

Sebastien Laudenbach: It began like 15 years ago, in 2001. A French producer proposed me to adapt a play called The Girl, The Devil and the Mill. It is based on this Grimms tale. The project was quite different than it is today. It was a normal project, with filled shapes and colors, and everything normal, with a script and a storyboard  everything we had to do to develop a project like that.

The first project was to be made in Folimage (A Cat in Paris, Phantom Boy), with a real studio. It was very different, and less interesting. [Editors note: One animation test was produced at Folimage, and two tests at Bibo Films, producer of A Monster in Paris. One of the tests can be seen below.] But we couldnt find the money to make the film, because the budget was like 4.5 million euros. In 2008 [the film in that form] was completely abandoned.

What was the films budget in the end?

Sebastien Laudenbach: Including the development budget of the first project, at the end its 415,000 euros. So its very cheap. I dont know if I want to make a film again for this amount. I lost some years of my life. Im interested in finding some way to [make a feature] with a small team. But I think that when youre poor, youre free. So I dont want to be rich, because I want to be free. [laughs]

If you were to work with a team on your next feature, how would you preserve the artistic approach of The Girl Without Hands?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I dont know if its possiblebut Im not happy when Im alone. I like people, and I like working with people. So Id like to try with a little team, giving each of them a responsibility. Because in animation you make a script, a storyboard, and then the animation is the execution of what is planned before. So Id like to re-introduce the animation in the creative process. Maybe without a storyboard it is possible to work together. But with a little team  with a big team its not possible. With a kind of improvisation, a responsibility for each animator.

What are your thoughts on the European animated feature film in general?

Sebastien Laudenbach: I think that in Europe theres a kind of freedom, and at the same time a kind of shyness with producers and directors and people who make films They explore only one way, I think; its the graphic way. All films are [visually] different in Europe, more I think than in Japan or in the U.S. In France if you take Long Way North, My Life as a Zucchini, Louise en Hiver, The Red Turtle  these films are very different. But this past year has been quite exceptional. These films are also different actually in their way to tell a story. Theyre not based on classical scripts and also the themes of the films are quite new, I think.

Animation is very late compared to live-action films We have a great forest to explore and were just at the beginning. I think animation is not a mature art and I think that we are all teenagers. We are in the teenage [phase] of animation. So its great because we have a lot of things to do. And maybe the audience is more open than we think. Obviously, if you want to make money, its not possible. But if you want to make art, it is. And making a low-budget film is actually a way to explore this terra incognita.

For more information about the U.S. release of the film, visit TheGirlWithoutHands.com.
Photo: Rutland Waterworks Rutland Waterworks will use water cops to enforce outdoor water regulations.

Rutland Waterworks are taking the unusual step of sending out water cops to ensure citywide sprinkling regulations are adhered to.

In a news release sent out by the water utility, assistant general manager Kevin Reynolds stated a combination of extremely hot conditions and property owners not obeying water regulations, the Rutland Waterworks system is running above normal levels.

"Rutland Waterworks District will be utilizing water patrollers to enforce city wide sprinkling regulations, said Reynolds.

"This means that they will be circulating throughout local neighbourhoods, ensuring that watering is being used properly and regulations are being followed."

Under normal circumstances, he said year round watering is permitted up to three days a week.

Odd numbered addresses are allowed to water Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Even number addresses on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Outside watering is prohibited Mondays.

On your watering day, the following restrictions apply:

Automatic underground irrigation systems may run between midnight and 6 a.m. on your scheduled odd/even days.

Manual sprinklers can occur between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. and midnight on your scheduled odd/even days. One sprinkler at a time.

Hand watering (using a spring loaded nozzle) can occur at any time.

To ease the pressure on the water systems, and enjoy the highest quality water, it is important that residents follow the sprinkling regulations.

We need our customers to be very aware that outside watering accounts for 80% of total water demand in the hot summer days."
Photo: Nicholas Johansen Sandbags pile up in the Apple Bowl parking lot.

Sand has been working overtime in the Okanagan this year.

About two million sandbags were distributed from Peachland up to Lake Country this spring, as widespread flooding threatened thousands of homes and businesses in the region.

As Okanagan Lake levels recede, now down to 342.64 metres above sea level, sandbags are being removed from properties by local governments and collected at several locations in the region, including the Cook Road boat launch outside the Hotel Eldorado, the Apple Bowl parking lot on Burtch Road and the Beasley Park parking lot in Lake Country.

Carrie O'Rourke, information officer with the Emergency Operations Centre, says some of the sand from the sandbags will be used on roads across the Central Okanagan come winter, when icy roads require the extra grip.

Sand that is not saved for road maintenance will be returned to the companies it came from. O'Rourke says the majority of the sand originally came from local sources.

Unfortunately, a lot of the bags themselves will end up in the landfill.

Both burlap and plastic sandbags were used in the region this spring. O'Rourke says all the plastic bags will end up in the landfill, as they would need to be completely dry and clean for them to be recycled.

The burlap bags will decompose, and the ones used in Kelowna are being pulverized into the sand, to aid in that decomposition.

They do have equipment in Kelowna where they're working on the foreshore now, it's a concrete pulverizer, so they're throwing those bags in and they're being pulverized together with the sand, she said.

Meanwhile, burlap bags used in West Kelowna will be thrown out. O'Rourke believes the resources aren't available to pulverize all the burlap bags that were used across the region.

Those looking to have sandbags picked up can use this Emergency Management BC application form.

For those who are removing sandbags from their property themselves, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations recommends wearing N95 respirators, nitrile gloves and rubber boots while working, as the sandbags could contain mould.
Photo: John Rodall Planes work the Okanagan Centre fire.

The province has lost more timber to wildfires to this point in 2017 than over the previous four years.

Since the start of the current fire season, 700 wildfires have been reported across the province. Those fires have resulted in more than 410,000 hectares of timber going up in flames.

About half of those were human caused.

The only year close was two years ago.

In 2015, there were more than 1,250 fires reported, however the amount of forests burned was half of this years total to date.

To date, the province has burned through $111.8 million to fight the fires. In 2015, the province had spent $127.7 million.

The other years over the five year period were relatively tame in comparison.

2016 - 545 fires burned 93,596 ha. Cost, $76.4 million

2014 - 640 fires burned 166,222 ha. Cost, $70.8 million

2013 - 455 fires burned 5,410 ha. Cost, $39 million.

Firefighting costs are not available for the Kamloops Fire Centre alone, however, the amount of forest burned so far in 2017 is comparable to provincial numbers.

To date in 2017, 120 fires have started in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes the Okanagan. More than 60,000 hectares of forest has burned. That's almost seven times the previous four years combined.

Traditionally, August is the worst month for fires in the province.

Well over half of the fires reported in the province over the past four years started after August 1.
Photo: Home Deopt Home Depot raised funds for Okanagn Boys and Girls Club

Kelowna and West Kelowna Home Depot Stores have raised $40433 for local youth through the Orange Door Campaign.

Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs will use the donations to support their Downtown and Westside Youth Centres. The Centres provide the basic needs and life skills to help youth to find safer, stable living arrangements, and make healthy decisions to help with successful transition to adulthood.

Between June 1 and July 2, Home Depot customers supported the campaign by donating $2 in exchange for paper orange doors. All 182 Home Depot Canada stores took part and raised a record total of nearly $1.3 million for 121 youth shelters, drop-in centres and aid organizations across Canada.

Both the Kelowna and West Kelowna stores worked hard to raise awareness of the campaign. The West Kelowna store conducted a bottle drive and bake sale while the Kelowna store hosted a barbeque fundraiser and bake sale.

The Home Depot in West Kelowna also planned a renovation day at the Westside Youth Centre. West Kelowna Assistant Manager Debbie Boros organized 20 volunteers from the West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Vernon Home Depot stores for the project. The Team Depot renovation is one of many that have taken place in the Okanagan.

Local Home Depot staff teams work alongside our staff teams so youth in our community have the best chance at a great future, said Diane Entwistle, CEO of Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs.

We are thankful for our partnership with the incredible teams at The Home Depot stores, he added. 
Photo: CTV Police have arrested 31-year-old Stephen Farmer in connection with a murder at the Savoy Hotel in Vancouver.

Vancouver police have arrested two people in relation to a Lower Mainland homicide earlier this year.

Surrey RCMP and the Vancouver Police Emergency Response Team arrested Stephen Farmer, 31, on an outstanding warrant for second-degree murder in relation to a homicide at the Savoy Hotel in Vancouver.

On Jan. 27, around 10:30 p.m., the VPD received a report of shots fired inside the East Hastings hotel.

When police arrived, they found 62-year-old Joseph Billy Bustinski suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital, but died a short time later, said Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham. Todays arrest follows an arrest that took place on July 13, when 29-year-old Marnie Marie Scow turned herself in after she was charged with manslaughter.

Farmer, the subject of a June 1 appeal by Surrey RCMP, was also wanted on outstanding warrants out of Surrey, including three charges of driving while prohibited, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop at an accident, and breach of probation.
Contributed

Kelowna documentary producer Adam Scorgie was in the Okanagan earlier this week.

During his visit, he sat down with Castanet reporter Wayne Moore to discuss his effort, and take a look into the future.

A future which could include his first dramatic film, shot in Kelowna.
Photo: Nicholas Johansen Shelden Harris was sentenced to three years in jail Friday for five counts of trafficking drugs.

A 33-year-old father-to-be will be serving a three-year jail sentence when his child is born for trafficking large amounts of five different types of drugs in 2014.

Shelden Harris was arrested in the early hours of Oct. 10, after police had staked out his home on Crawford Road the night before and witnessed him packaging powder into baggies in his kitchen.

After his arrest, police searched his home and in the trunk of an Audi A8 parked in the garage, they found 1.1 kilograms of cocaine, 210 grams of heroin, 306 grams of methamphetamine, 403 grams of hash and 464 grams of a drug known as TFMPP.

TFMPP is sometimes sold as an alternative to MDMA or ecstasy, and was first made illegal in Canada in 2012.

The total street value of the drugs found totalled just under $230,000.

Police also found ammunition for several different types of guns, but no firearms were found. Additionally, an industrial pill press, two electronic scales and phenacetin, which can be used to cut cocaine, were all found in the house.

Harris was released on bail following his arrest and has been living in Surrey, where he grew up, for the past two and a half years.

Harris's defence lawyer, Cory Armour, told the court Harris had been employed as an operator of oil rigging equipment in Brooks, Alta., but lost his job sometime between 2010 and 2012 when the downturn in the economy impacted oil jobs.

He had been making very good money up there ... he got used to living a certain lifestyle, Armour said.

When he lost his job in Alberta, he turned to the drug trade in Kelowna to maintain his lifestyle.

While Harris apologized to the court for his actions, Justice Gray said she didn't feel Harris had a real appreciation of the impacts of his crimes.

You may well have distributed drugs which resulted in one or more people dying from an overdose, Justice Gray said. You may have distributed drugs which led a casual or first-time drug user to become a drug addict, leading to the desperate life of a drug addict, which usually involves crime and often involves violence.

Since his arrest, Harris met his now-fiance, who is pregnant with their child.

You must stay away from the criminal lifestyle and the lure of easy money raised by preying on the misery of drug addicts, Justice Gray told Harris following her sentencing. I hope that the pleasures of fatherhood and family will help you maintain a law-abiding lifestyle once you're released from prison.

Despite the Crown's position that Harris should serve four years, Justice Gray sentenced Harris to three years, along with a 10-year weapons prohibition. She also ruled that Harris will forfeit the Audi A8, where the drugs were found, as it is offence-related property.

Harris hugged his fiance, mother and sister following his sentencing, and was then taken into custody.
With the beginning of a new school year right around the corner, State Representative Kevin Brooks is encouraging the families who live in House District 24 to utilize the states annual sales tax holiday to save on items such as clothing, school and art supplies, as well as computer purchases.The states annual Tax Free Weekend is set for July 28-30. It begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 28 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 30. The holiday was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2006 and has been held every year since; tax-free purchases include clothing valued at $100 or less, school supplies costing $100 or less, and computers priced at $1,500 or less.Our annual sales tax holiday is another way we are helping the industrious men and women of our community to meet their familys needs and also save more of their hard-earned money, said Rep.Brooks. This event also supports our local businesses and sparks the economy right here in our community.I have worked very closely with Rep. Brooks during his time as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly to lower taxes for our hardworking Tennesseans, said Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell. We encourage the citizens of our state to utilize this holiday weekend to make purchases that will not only prepare their children to go back to school but also save them money."Over the last several years, the Republican-led House has reduced state tax rates by several hundred million dollars, including cuts to the tax on groceries, reducing taxes on Tennessees manufacturers in order to promote economic growth, reductions to the Hall Tax that dis-proportionally affects seniors living on a fixed income, as well as repealing the state gift tax and death tax. During the 2017 legislative session, Republican lawmakers also fought to decrease the amount of property tax owed by veterans, the disabled, and the elderly," officials said.The cost of school supplies can truly restrict a familys budget, Rep. Brooks said. It is my hope that this opportunity will give our families a little more financial flexibility moving forward.
Trying to get life-saving care Summerland - 4:00 am
Photo: Twitter

Alberta's political landscape faces a potentially seismic shift this weekend as two right-of-centre parties vote on whether to join forces to try to defeat Premier Rachel Notley's NDP government.

The Progressive Conservatives led by Jason Kenney and Brian Jean's Opposition Wildrose will wrap up voting on a proposal to merge as the new United Conservative Party.

A merger has been kicked around in various forms for a decade, but caught fire a year ago when Kenney launched his successful bid for the Tory leadership.

"It is the culmination of a year of incredibly hard work, " Kenney, a cabinet minister under former prime minister Stephen Harper, said Friday in an interview.

"But it's come down to a very clear choice: do we unite free enterprisers into one big party that can ensure the defeat of the NDP? Or do we continue with pointless division that could lead to their re-election?"

More than 50,000 Tories and about 40,000 in the Wildrose have signed up to vote.

Wildrose members will vote online, by phone, or in person at an event in Red Deer on Saturday. PC members have been casting ballots electronically since Thursday.

Results for both are to be announced in the late afternoon or early evening Saturday. The Tories require a simple majority to approve unification, while the Wildrose needs at least 75 per cent.

Jean says he's confident Wildrose members will meet the 75 per cent threshold.

"I'm very optimistic," he said Thursday at a unity rally outside an Edmonton school.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A B.C. man's beachcombing trip turned into a harrowing fight for survival against a grizzly bear that flailed him around "like a puppet."

Randal Warnock, 57, said he was walking on Brown Island on B.C.'s central coast for about 15 minutes Monday when a bear suddenly appeared.

"I heard a noise behind me, like a cracking sound out of the bush, and this bear was charging full bore out of the bush and was on me in a couple of seconds," he said Friday.

The bruiser began biting at Warnock's legs, shredding his jeans at the knees, then latching onto his right knee.

"I tried to grab my knife out of my back pocket to hit him in the head or something or fend him off, but I dropped (it)," Warnock said. "I thought, 'fight back, fight back.'"

That's when Warnock decided to punch the bear in the nose.

"He let go and stood back (on) two feet, just looking at my legs. He seemed high on adrenalin. It was like a video on high speed, it was just so amazingly fast," he said.

"His head was bobbing around and he looked like he was going to lunge at me. I grabbed a log and was going to throw it at his head, but it slipped out and landed between us and then he just turned around and ran off."

When the bear left, Warnock said he hobbled to his skiff to get to his boat, leaving behind a bloody trail.

He bandaged himself up on his boat as he headed toward the nearest hospital in Port Hardy and called the Canadian Coast Guard, which sent a couple of vessels that arrived two hours later.
Photo: City of Williams Lake Canadian Forces vehicles in Williams Lake.

A prolonged downpour is needed to put a dent in the 167 fires burning across B.C. as of Friday.

Up to 15 millimetres of rain fell in parts of the province on Thursday, but "unfortunately, the weather forecast continues to call for warm and dry conditions," said fire information officer Navi Saini.

Saini said winds are difficult to predict, but officials are expecting moderate gusts on Saturday and "significant winds" on Sunday.

Members of a federal ad hoc committee co-ordinating Ottawa's response to the fires, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, are expected to be meeting with provincial officials this weekend.

The federal government said committee members will also be visiting affected communities to determine what help is needed in addition to current support from departments and agencies including the Canadian Armed Forces, Public Health Agency, RCMP and Canada Post.

About 225 soldiers from Edmonton arrived in Williams Lake on Thursday to help with road closures and ground evacuations, bringing the total number of military members in the area to 375.

More than 3,400 firefighters and other personnel are currently battling the blazes in B.C., including 836 from out of the province.

The Cariboo Regional District said officials from the district, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House and First Nations are combining their efforts to work towards a safe return for residents currently out of their homes.

The district said 100 Mile House is the community closest to having priority services in place, including emergency health care, 911 service, power, food services, waste management services and security.

It said preparations for Williams Lake are not far behind.
Photo: Facebook Thomas Padmore living life to the fullest.

"It is with heavy and aching hearts we announce the sudden passing of Thomas (Tom) Padmore on July 15, 2017," wrote Tom's mother, Carol, and his sisters, Amanda and Nicole.

Padmore was killed last weekend when he lost his footing climbing Mt. Sir Donald, a peak in Rogers Pass.

"His indescribable passion for the outdoors has taken his precious life way too soon," said the obituary. "Our beloved son, brother, uncle and friend left us while living his passion, climbing Mt. Sir Donald, reaching heights most of us only see in pictures."

Padmore was an electrician by trade. He was a dedicated employee and leader.

A comment on the Castanet Obituaries said, "Tom was our electrician in the building of our new home. My heart broke when I heard the news - you're right, he had a huge heart and a ready smile."

"With a heart bigger than the mountains he climbed, Thomas will be forever missed by all who knew him," the obituary read.



Padmore's celebration of life will be held at the Springfield Funeral Home at 1 p.m. on July 28.

The family is asking that In lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Climbers Access Society of BC. www.access-society.ca/Donate.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.springfieldfuneralhome.com, or calling 250-860-7077.
Photo: Contributed

The Town of Oliver is honouring Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band with the Freedom of the Municipality.

The honour is for citizens outstanding contributions to the community, and has only been granted three times in the history of the Town of Oliver.

Louie is being recognized for his significant contribution to the development and growth of greater Oliver.

This is the highest honour the municipality can give an individual, said Mayor Ron Hovanes. This award comes with recognition and thanks for the tremendous contribution that Chief Louie has made to our community.

Those who hold the Freedom of the Municipality may vote in Oliver elections no matter where they live, and whether or not they own real estate in the Town. Past recipients include Senator Ross Fitzpatrick, George Bowering and Bill Barisoff.

An invite-only ceremony is planned for September at the Frank Venable Theatre.

Louie was named to the Order of Canada late last year.
Photo: Dawn Goerlitz

UPDATE: 8:35 P.M.

Highway 3 is reopened two kilometers West of Keremeos.

ORIGINAL 7:30 P.M. Highway 3 Westbound is closed two kilometers west of Keremeos because of vehicle Incident.

An estimated time of opening is currently not available;

Next update is at 8:30 p.m.
Photo: Canadian Press Armed Forces in Willimas Lake

The BC Wildfire Service wants to remind the public that access to Williams Lake, Watson Lake, Lac La Hache and Horse Lake has been restricted since July 14.

This area restriction order was needed to keep people off these lakes and assist with wildfire suppression efforts.

Aircrafts such as airtankers or helicopters, need plenty of room to pick up water from nearby lakes to help put out wildfires.

Recreational boaters or people using other watercraft who try to get a close-up look at these aircraft present a serious safety risk for air crews and anyone else in the area.

Firefighting aircraft take water out of the four lakes listed above, to support fire suppression operations.

The rain in parts of the Cariboo Fire Centre over the past few days has helped decrease fire behaviour to a degree. However, the weather forecast is calling for a return to dry and warm conditions similar to what's been experienced in the past few weeks, which is expected to increase fire activity.

To report a wildfire or open burning violation, please call 1 800 663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit www.bcwildfire.ca
Photo: Stefan Kuznia Crash on Harvey and Cooper

A white Mustang and a black SUV collided on Harvey and Cooper just after 9:45 p.m.

Emergency crews are on scene.

It is unknown if there are any injuries at this time.

Send your video and pictures to [email protected]
Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced Friday Senior Judge Don Ash, serving as special judge for the Davidson County Circuit Court, has granted the States Motion for Partial Summary Judgment in its lawsuit against HRC Medical Centers, Inc. and the companys principals, Dan Hale, Don Hale, and Dixie Hale. The Order is a significant step in concluding the case, officials said.According to the ruling, HRC, Dan Hale, Don Hale, and Dixie Hale are ordered to pay consumers who purchased HRCs bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) a total of $18,141,750 for violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act.Additionally, the Court issued a permanent injunction barring the Defendants from engaging in conduct the Court has found unlawful.The Order is subject to review by an appellate court. If the appellate court agrees with the trial court ruling, HRC consumers will be paid from Defendants remaining available assets. However, company assets are likely to be significantly less than the court ordered amount, officials said.HRC and its principals made deceptive statements about the safety and efficacy of its hormone replacement therapy and omitted facts that were important to consumers, General Slatery said. It took years of hard work from our attorneys, but the trial court has sent a clear message about Defendants advertising practices.The States original complaint, filed Oct. 8, 2012, alleged in part that HRC, Dan Hale, and Don Hale withheld important information concerning health risks and side effects from consumers and made a series of false, deceptive, and/or unsubstantiated claims about their alternative regimen of BHRT. For women, HRCs BHRT consisted of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. For men, HRCs BHRT consisted of testosterone.In 2015, the Court found HRC violated the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act by deceptively claiming their products to be absolutely or completely safe, had no side effects, and restored a users hormones to prime levels. The Court also found HRC violated the TCPA by making false claims regarding FDA approval and by using company employees and family members in customer testimonial advertisements without disclosing that relationship to consumers.It is extremely important that consumers receive truthful information about the benefits and risks of any purchase, said Director Cynthia Wiel of the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. We are pleased that the courts decision recognizes this principle.HRC Medical Centers, Inc. operated clinics in Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis that sold BHRT. HRC is not currently operating in Tennessee.
Photo: The Canadian Press The area of Boston Flats, B.C. is seen after a wildfire ripped through the area earlier in the week on Tuesday, July 11.

Federal officials visiting wildfire-affected communities in British Columbia are expected to give an update today on the state of the response.

Members of a federal ad hoc committee leading the government's fire response, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, will be meeting with provincial officials in Prince George this morning.

They're expected to deliver an update on the government's support for communities in Kamloops later in the day.

Some areas received rain earlier in the week, but officials are concerned warm weather and strong winds in the forecast this weekend could reinvigorate the fires.

Cariboo Regional District Chairman Al Richmond says officials are continuing to prepare for evacuees from Williams Lake and 100 Mile House to return home with plans to get emergency medical facilities running and to stock up grocery stores.

But he says there is still no timeline in place for when residents can finally go back, and if Mother Nature brings more fires this weekend, that could add to the uncertainty about how long evacuation orders will remain in place.
Photo: Contributed Israel's defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman talks to army chief Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot at an Israeli military base in the West Bank. Israel has sent more troops to the West Bank.

Israel's military sent more troops to the West Bank and placed forces on high alert Saturday, a day after a Palestinian stabbed to death three members of an Israeli family and Israeli-Palestinian clashes erupted over tensions at the Holy Land's most contested shrine.

The father of the 20-year-old Palestinian assailant said he believes his son was upset over the loss of Palestinian lives and wanted to protect the "honour" of the Jerusalem holy site.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited the site of the attack, the Israeli settlement of Halamish, and consulted with top commanders. Lieberman said the attacker's home would be demolished swiftly. He called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn what he said was a "slaughter."

Disputes over the shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, have set off major rounds of Israeli-Palestinian confrontations in the past. They were also at the root of the current violence which began last week when Arab gunmen fired from the shrine, killing two Israeli policemen.

In response, Israel installed metal detectors at the gates of the 37-acre (15-hectare) walled compound, saying the devices were a needed security measure to prevent more attacks.

Muslims alleged Israel was trying to expand its control at the Muslim-administered site under the guise of security  a claim Israel denies  and launched mass prayer protests.

On Friday, anger boiled over and several thousand Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the West Bank and in Jerusalem after noon prayers  the congregational prayers of the Muslim religious week. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen wounded by live rounds and bullets in some of the worst street clashes in two years.

On Friday evening, a Palestinian identified as Omar al-Abed jumped over the fence of the Halamish settlement and entered a home, surprising a family during their Sabbath dinner.

The Israeli military said the assailant killed a man and two of his adult children, while a woman was wounded. A neighbour heard the screams, rushed to the home and opened fire, wounding al-Abed who was taken to an Israeli hospital, said the head of Israel's rescue service.

Itai Orayon, a medic, said he found "blood everywhere" in the house. He told Israel Army Radio that three people were on the floor, unconscious "with deep stab wounds all over their bodies," and that the medical team was unable to save them.

On Saturday morning, Israeli troops searched the assailant's family home in the West Bank village of Kobar and detained one of his brothers, the army said. Video footage released by the military shows soldiers leading away a handcuffed and blindfolded man
Photo: The Canadian Press Ancient columns lie on the ground following an earthquake at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22.

Hundreds of people on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region in Greece and Turkey.

Residents and tourists were too afraid to return to their homes and hotels, camping out instead in parks and olive groves, or slumbering in their cars or on lounge chairs.

The most seriously injured in Greece were airlifted to hospitals on the mainland and the southern island of Crete, and at least two were listed in critical condition Saturday.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake, which struck early Friday, as being of magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men, one from Turkey and one from Sweden, were killed when a collapsing wall smashed into a popular a bar in the Old Town of Kos.

The Turkish man's parents were on the island Saturday making arrangements to repatriate his body.

Panagiotis Bekali, a 30-year-old who has lived on Kos for several years, spent the night sleeping in an olive grove with his entire family. His 5-year-old son and 16-year-old nephew slept in the family car.

"There were cracks in the house (from the earthquake) so we went straight out," he said. "We were afraid to stay indoors so the whole family slept outside."

Dozens of aftershocks have shaken the island, further rattling residents and tourists.

John Grant, a 60-year-old tourist from Britain, said he felt safer sleeping outside.

"I think coming from somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, you don't understand," he said from his makeshift bed set up on a lounge chair. "So to me it was very frightening being in the building, but being outside I know I'm safe."

About 350 of the injuries occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as the sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore. Seismologists said the shallow depth of the undersea quake was to blame for the damage.
Photo: Contributed Fallon Aubee

A transgender inmate in British Columbia has won a years-long battle to serve the remainder of her sentence for first-degree murder at a women's prison.

Fallon Aubee is one of the first federal prisoners to relocate under policy changes at Correctional Services Canada that allow inmates to transfer facilities based on gender identity and not physical anatomy, said Jennifer Metcalfe, a spokeswoman for the West Coast Prison Justice Society.

"It's a really big deal," she said.

Metcalfe is a lawyer who heads the organization's legal-aid clinic that advocates for transgender inmates.

"I've had a number of transgender women prisoner clients who have been held in men's prisons and who faced a lot of day-to-day discrimination, such as name calling and harassment from both correctional staff and other prisoners."

Transgender women living in men's prisons are also particularly vulnerable to sexual assault, she said, adding that the transfer would take place on Tuesday.

Aubee, whose first name was Jean Paul, was convicted in 2003 for a gang-related killing that took place in Saskatchewan about 10 years earlier.

Aubee's ex-wife told police in 1997 that Aubee and a man had killed Gordon Spears.

However, officers laid charges only after staging an undercover sting operation entangling Aubee in a supposed crime syndicate.

Metcalfe said Aubee has been working for at least 10 years to transfer to a women's prison.

"We're just really happy to finally see it happening federally," she said, adding that similar policies are already in place for provincial institutions in Ontario and British Columbia.

The West Coast Prison Justice Society is still advocating for private shower and washroom facilities for transgender inmates held in prisons that don't match their gender.
Photo: Contributed Surrey RCMP responded to a number of 911 calls of shots fired Friday night.

There has been more gun play in Surrey.

Surrey RCMP responded to a number of 911 calls of shots fired in the 12300 Block of Pattullo Place at approximately 11:30 p.m. July 21.

Officers attended and found evidence that supported shots had been fired, but no victims were located at the scene, or at area hospitals.

A black-coloured S.U.V. was seen fleeing from that area.

Surrey RCMP will be conducting neighbourhood canvassing and speaking with witnesses.

The investigation is still in its early stages, but initial indications are that this is a targeted incident.

Anyone with further information who has not already spoken to police is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.c
Photo: File photo There have been no significant changes on fires in the B.C. Interior according to BC Wildfire officials.

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.

As opposed to the chaos of leaving, no problems have been reported as people return to their homes in Princeton following a wildfire evacuation order.

Dawn Roberts, with the RCMP, said additional officers have been brought in to assist local police and Highway 5A remains closed except for those returning to their homes.

Navie Saini, fire information officer with the Kamloops Fire Centre, said the Princeton fire is 100 per cent contained and crews are now turning toward mop up.

There are still 161 fires burning in the province, including 14 new fires since yesterday.

Of the new fires, 13 were caused by lightning and one was human caused. They are not currently threatening any communities.

Chris Duffy, with Emergency Management B.C., said 44,000 evacuees have registered with the Red Cross and 52 evacuation orders remain in place as do the 39 evacuation alerts.

It's a very dynamic and fluid situation, but there has been very good progress over the past few days, said Duffy, adding BC Hydro has restored power to 44,000 homes.

Saini said while fire activity has slowed, there are some concerns about predicted winds this weekend.

The winds are something we will continue to monitor. Winds could lead to increased fire behaviour. We did see some rainfall this week, but a lot of the larger fires we are dealing with in the Cariboo saw little or no rainfall, she said, adding there is still a lot of summer to come before the fire threat eases.

It is very early in the fire season to have seen the level of activity we have had in the last couple of weeks. We are encouraging people to be very cautious in the back woods. There is a hot dry summer ahead of us.

No news is good news.

There have been no significant changes on fires in the B.C. Interior according to BC Wildfire officials.

Navie Saini, fire information officer with the Kamloops Fire Centre, said there has been no changes in fire actvity since yesterday.

Mother Nature is also helping the cause in some areas.

Saini said some areas of the Cariboo region received up to 15 mm of rain earlier this week, but other areas were missed altogether.

Thousands of people remain on evacuation alert, with many of them hunkering down in the Okanagan. Some evacuation orders have been reduced to alerts, allowing people to return home.

According to the Salvation Army, the charitable organization has served more than 80,000 meals, drinks and snacks as of July 20.
The Trump/'They Live' Billboard Is Up, Right Where Trump Is Least Popular

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 19, 2017 3:57PM



Photo provided by Mitch O'Connell

It lives... finally.

Back in 2015, Chicago artist Mitch O'Connell first realized what he saw as visual and philosophical connective tissue between Donald Trump and They Live, John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic satire of the media-manipulated masses cowed by aliens in disguise. He soon had a design, then a plan: poster Washington D.C. with as many Trump/They Live billboards as possible. But perhaps unsurprisingly, it turns out that billboard companies pretty much nationwide don't want to touch anything so political. But their cold feet might be the project's best coup. The billboard at long last went up this week where Trump remains perhaps least popular of all: Mexico.

It didn't take O'Connell long to crowdsource nearly all the necessary funds (more than $3000), but the gatekeepers were quite a bit less enthusiastic about the artist's cheeky concept than his many backers.

"I reached out to every single billboard company I could possibly find [in America]," O'Connell told Chicagoist. He estimates calls or emails to at least 30 such companiesseveral of which didn't respond to inquires. When he did connect, the sales folks that he first encountered rarely quashed it out of hand, "but then it goes further along the ladder, and they realize there's no upside to putting up a billboard with the president, because it's only gonna bite them in the rear end."

After the unfulfilled search trudged for three months, O'Connell decided to think international. With some brokering help from Vertigo Galeria, a Mexico City gallery where O'Connell had previously exhibited, he said he finally found a "yes."

And now if you drive along the Norte 69, in Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City, at some point within the next month, you'll catch a glimpse of Trump, shot through with that distinct John Carpenter-style jaundiced sci-fi wit. And there's a sense of kismet in the forced-hand location since, as O'Connell notes, "Trump based his campaign on bashing Mexico right off the bat."

Still, as before, O'Connell underlined his love of public art and grand-scale amusement as more than politically motivated vehemence.

"I love the concept of installations that are out there for the public... It's a big, fun art project that seemed to grab the imagination of people. It's a fun thing, to make people smile and scratch their heads," he said.

"As long as I dont get a notification that I'm being audited, everything went great," he added.
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2 In Custody After Chicago Police Officer Shot In Back Of The Yards

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 21, 2017 9:35PM



Crime scene tape (Photo by LukaTDB via Shutterstock)

Two people are in custody after a Chicago police officer was shot on Friday afternoon in an "armed confrontation" at a cellphone store in Back of the Yards, according to a police spokesperson and reports.

The officer is "conscious and alert," according to Chicago Police Department spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. Her injuries are reportedly not life-threatening.

The shooting happened near West 46th Street and South Ashland Avenue, Guglielmi said.

The officer suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was taken to Mercy Hospital and later transferred to Stroger Hospital, where her condition stabilized.

One suspect and one person of interest are in custody in connection with the shooting, according to police.

A man who owns a restaurant near where the incident happened told the Tribune that two more shootings had occurred not far from the corner within the past month.

More details are expected at a press conference this afternoon.
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The death toll has risen to four after an accident during the demolition of a multi-story building in Shanghai Friday afternoon, the local government said.

A total of six people have been rescued and sent to hospital, and four died after medical treatment failed.

The accident occurred when a multi-story building in Jiading District was being demolished and fell onto a neighboring hotel, trapping an unknown number of people.

Police and firefighters are currently undertaking rescue operations.
Q: I'm a senior with a 2001 Buick LeSabre with 73,000 miles. It has a habit of hard starting when the engine is warm. It went through two independent shops and one dealer. The first replaced the temperature sensor, the air filter, spark plugs and wires, the second replaced the idle switch, mass airflow sensor and air temperature sensor and cleaned the throttle. The dealer replaced the air filter and cleaned the fuel injectors. I still have the same problem. I'm on Supplemental Security Income and can't afford a new car, let alone being taken for a ride.

 E.Y., Bolingbrook

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A: When is the last time you filled your tank? That may sound weird, but some vehicles may still have sufficient winter blend gas in the tank to cause countless drivability problems as soon as the weather warms up. Since you seem to drive less than 5,000 miles a year, your car may be a prime candidate. Taken for a ride? We think not. But it bothers us no end when shops just throw stuff at the car in hopes of fixing the problem. How would they like it if their doctor did the same?

Q: I own a 2015 Honda Accord with 11,000 miles. Recently I noticed that the rear backup camera was loose and wiggled when you moved it. When I brought the Accord to the dealership service department, I was told that the repair/replacement would not be covered by the manufacturer's warranty or the extended protection plan for which I paid extra. They couldn't replace the mount alone; they had to replace the entire camera and mount together. Second, the service adviser told me that they see "a lot of these break. It's due to the car wash." Have you ever heard of rear backup cameras breaking because of going through a car wash?

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 P.A., Delray Beach, Fla.

A: Although we are unaware of routine damage due to car washes, that does not mean it could not happen. Although unlikely, careless customers or employees might back the car into the one behind or rear-end the vehicle in front. Carmakers extensively test nearly everything before releasing the car for sale. They test the outside mirrors, antennas, hoods and trunk lids and so on. Most subject the vehicles to rain chambers to make sure there are no leaks. Carmakers consult with car wash manufacturers to be sure that the wheels and tires will not be damaged by the car wash guides. Careless drivers in parking lots present a greater problem.

Q: I suspect you'll receive other inquiries like this after a recent letter and your answer: Where is the "black box" located? Can it be disconnected by the consumer? Will it harm the vehicle's computer if it is disabled or removed? Are there any laws prohibiting disabling the black box?

 B.R., Crystal Lake

A: What many of us call the black box is the event data recorder. Different carmakers install them in different locations. Often they are located under the passenger seat or somewhere behind the dash. Disconnecting it may impair some other system. Although we are unaware of any federal or state laws preventing it, we would suggest that you don't. Some states limit what insurance companies can obtain while others require law enforcement to obtain a search warrant before tapping into the car's data link to download the info. If switching the EDR off becomes an option, insurance companies may hike rates for those who do so.

Send questions along with name and town to Motormouth, Rides, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Fourth Floor, Chicago, IL 60611 or motormouth.tribune@gmail.com.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders visit a major exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing, capital of China, July 21, 2017. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, also visited the exhibition. [Xinhua]

Top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, on Friday visited a major exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for unremitting efforts to build the army into a world-class military.

Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, also visited the exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution.

Xi hailed outstanding feats made by the army under the leadership of the CPC in the past 90 years for national independence, people's liberation, national prosperity and people's happiness.

"We should remember the glorious history, inherit the red gene, and advance the great cause initiated by the older generations of revolutionaries from a new starting point," he said.

The president encouraged people to strengthen their confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive for the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition Friday morning, Liu Yunshan said the exhibition aimed to make good use of history as a textbook, while calling on people to rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core.

The exhibition features major PLA battles, historical events, decision-making processes and achievements throughout its 90-year history.

Models of the PLA's major military equipment in active service are exhibited, while interactive subjects that simulate the drills are also available.

More than 1,000 photos and 1,300 relics, as well as paintings, military gear and other items are on display.

The items include photos of China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning in training in the South China Sea, models of China's first hydrogen bomb and first air-drop atomic bomb.

Aug. 1 marks the PLA's 90th anniversary.
Susanna Malkki conducts at Ravinia on July 20, 2017. The two concerts she led with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra showed her and the orchestra once again operating on a high plane of musical understanding. (Patrick Gipson photo)

The remarkably gifted Finnish conductor Susanna Malkki must figure prominently in the short list of world-class conductors the Chicago Symphony Orchestra management is considering to succeed Riccardo Muti as music director, if he decides not to renew his contract when it expires in August 2020.

Now 48 and affiliated with both the Helsinki Philharmonic (last season was her first as chief conductor) and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where this fall she will assume the post of principal guest conductor), Malkki formed an instant bond with the musicians at her CSO debut in 2011. Subsequent appearances downtown and at Ravinia appear to have only strengthened that bond.

The two concerts she led with the CSO on Thursday and Friday nights at Ravinia showed her and the orchestra once again operating on a high plane of musical understanding. Malkki kept her focus on elucidating the music, seemingly oblivious to a raging thunderstorm that sent the few hardy souls encamped on the lawn scurrying for cover on Friday.

The absolute integrity of her music-making, her clear, unmannered command, her knack for clarifying the densest orchestral textures, for inspiring players to give something extra, showed in pairings of standard symphonic works by Beethoven and her compatriot Jean Sibelius.

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Those pairings  Sibelius' Violin Concerto with Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica") on Thursday, Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto with Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 on Friday  looked unremarkable on paper but offered revelations in the hearing, lacking only an indoor concert setting for maximum effect.

The juxtaposition of basic repertory pieces pointed up unexpected musical connections. Beethoven's music exerted a crucial formative influence on the young Sibelius. With both composers, musical events are dictated by inner necessity. I was struck by the similarity between Sibelius' paring down of his thematic material in parts of his Second Symphony and similar procedures Beethoven employs in the "Eroica."

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Malkki was trained at the national conservatory that bears Sibelius' name. Yet the mere fact that she is a native Finn does not necessarily make her a great or idiomatic Sibelius conductor; it's her sure, instinctive response to the music that makes her so. In an interview included in the program book, she speaks of a conductor's having to master "these different moving parts" of Sibelius' layered orchestral writing: "Your movements have to convey an illusion of precision and constant flow at the same time."

Her movements did just that. It's what made both her Sibelius Second, as well as her accompaniment to Vadim Repin's impassioned account of the Violin Concerto, so compelling.

Malkki's pacing honored the symphony's sweeping rhetorical breadth and musical originality, even as it brought forward a wealth of enlivening detail. She scaled climaxes deftly, illuminated inner voices lucidly, defined rhythms exactly. The finale carried powerfully thrusting forward motion, building to a majestic blaze of D major at the end.

In his fourth Ravinia appearance, Repin went to the stillness and melancholy at the heart of the Sibelius concerto. The throb of the Siberian virtuoso's vibrato and the strength of his bow arm made the slow movement feel like a continuous cantabile line stretching to infinity. One could imagine a more note-perfect reading but few as communicative as this.

If there was nothing startlingly new or different about Malkki's "Eroica," the familiar music felt freshly reconsidered. The sharp, decisive chords of the opening movement (its exposition repeat duly observed) foreshadowed a reading of tremendously propulsive drive, lean sonorities and firmly controlled harmonic tensions. What a pleasure it was to watch this conductor: One moment her arm movements were as fluid as those of a Balanchine dancer, the next moment as firm as a rapier's. She rescued a much-battered masterpiece from overfamiliarity, no mean accomplishment.

The following night's Beethoven was rather more mundane in effect, though not for lack of authority or sensitivity in the orchestral framework Malkki and the CSO gave the soloist, Kirill Gerstein. On the plus side, it was good to hear the brilliant Russian pianist extending himself beyond the Russian romantic concertos for which he is best known in Chicago. There was little to fault technically in his Beethoven on Friday. All the notes were there, but one failed to detect a great deal of personality beyond the blunt urgency of his playing. Nuance was missing in action.

John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.

jvonrhein@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @jvonrhein







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)
Mexican craft brewer Error de Diciembre is rolling out a new line of beers with labels bearing unflattering cartoons of past Mexican presidents and of current U.S. chief executive Donald Trump.

Fernando Rendon, owner of the brewery, brewmaster Isaac Aroche  a gold medalist at the World Beer Cup  and political cartoonist Antonio Helguera collaborated on the initiative, which aims to humiliate the politicians, "just as they did to us."

The company's name, Error de Diciembre, meaning December's Mistake, refers to the month that marks the start of each Mexican president's six-year term and, more specifically, to the economic and currency crisis of December 1994.

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In view of the current political climate, Error de Diciembre teamed up with Cru Cru brewery to create Amigous, a beer that mocks Donald Trump, showing him dressed as a frowning mariachi wearing a swastika belt buckle.

The beer purposely misspells "amigo" and pokes fun at the administrator's constant negative rhetoric about Mexico, Luis Enrique de la Reguera, chief executive of brewery Casa Cervecera Cru Cru, told Reuters.

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The labels and images on the bottles are meant "to be a reminder that the problems the country has have a name," Helguera said.

"Mexico is always surrounded by misfortunes. We need to take them with humor and laugh a little at those who exploit them, drinking to their health," said the award-winning cartoonist for La Jornada newspaper and Proceso magazine.

The first of the presidential beers spotlights Carlos Salinas de Gortari, who governed from 1988 to 1994, and is described by Rendon as "the politician that most represents the evils of the Mexican political system "

Salinas was "truly evil, [and a] corrupt person who didn't know how to run the country and sold us smoke," the brewery owner added.

"We believed that Gustavo Diaz Ordaz (president from 1964-1970) deserved to be next for the 1968 student massacre," Rendon said, recounting the creation of the Tlatelolco beer, named after the Mexico City plaza where protesters were gunned down as Mexico prepared to host the 1968 Olympics.

Another in the series is the Calderona, a 15% alcohol content beer with a skull on the label, inspired by the 2006-2012 term of Felipe Calderon, whose militarized war on drugs led to more than 100,000 deaths in six years.

The team behind the series is already preparing to mark the final day of Enrique Pena Nieto's administration, Nov. 30, 2018, with the release of several new beers, as "one wouldn't be enough to reflect all of his mistakes," Helguera said.



-With reporting from EFE


Pascuala Santamaria sets up her food stand on 26th Street in Little Village. (Jacqueline Serrato)

Dozens of Chicago street vendors are pooling their funds to open a commercial kitchen near the Little Village neighborhood that will permit them to meet new sanitation requirements imposed by the mayor's office to regulate street food.

In February, the City Council amended the ordinance regulating street vendors and changes went into effect July 1, prohibiting vendors from preparing fresh food in the open, for instance by cutting fruit on a cart.

Vendors also can no longer boil corn or prepare tamales at home, as has been traditionally done for decades.

In addition, carts must be covered, be easily washable, control the foods temperature with thermometers and provide a menu of their offerings.

That's why the Street Vendors Association of Chicago (SVAC), which has a membership of 60 vendors, was organized: to help eloteros, tamaleros and others operate as legally as possible, said SVAC director Vicky Lugo.

To advocate for their rights as entrepreneurs, SVAC members partnered with the University of Chicago's Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship with the goals of becoming a non-profit organization and acquiring an appropriate site for the shared kitchen.

After lobbying from the group, the city recently reduced the cost of individual street vending licenses from $350 to $100 for a two-year term, according to Beth Kregor, IJ Clinic director.

That was a relief for people like Pascuala Santamaria, a vendor who sets up her stand near 26th St. and Avers Ave., in Little Village, who inspectors had previously fined for not having a license, she said.

The ordinance also stated that each vendor must obtain a second permit to use the commercial kitchen, which originally cost $330 for two years, but was eliminated earlier this year, after street vendors lobbied City Council with the support of aldermen, SVAC and the Clinic.

Santamaria got her permits with the help of her SVAC colleagues, and has already begun to use the commercial kitchen to chop her fruit as part of her daily routine, before going out to sell.

The businesswoman added that she's just waiting for the rest of the kitchen equipment to arrive to begin making her tamales there, too.

Immigrant eloteros are leading the movement to organize street vendors locally and nationally, Kregor said.

The kitchen was inaugurated last month in the North Lawndale neighborhood with a celebration featuring street vendors, Alderman Roberto Maldonado (D-26), who sponsored the measure to legalize street food, and representatives of the IJ Clinic.

"Our work has paid off," Maldonado said when the kitchen opened. It was an honor to work with the Illinois Policy Institute, street vendors, and the Institute for Justice to pass legislation that removes nearly $600 from each food cart vendor (in the form of permits and payments required to do business)."

Before the amendments to lower the costs of operating were approved, only five businesses throughout the city operated with the necessary licenses.

Advocates hope the cost reduction will increase the number of vendors working under city regulations.
Many words have been written about "Dunkirk," the film by Christopher Nolan about hundreds of thousands of soldiersmost of them Britishtrapped on that long beach in Northern France with the German Army coming to slaughter them.

"Riveting" and "Oscar worthy" and "stunning" and so forth, and they're all appropriate for this worthy film.

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And because it is a great film, it should be seen in a theater. Don't wait for it to show up on your home TV. You'll only cheat yourself.

This one requires a theater screen to appreciate the span of it all, that long beach, the tiny men on it yearning for home, and that short ride across the English Channel; the rescue ships of the British Navy smashed by the German bombers, the British Spitfires knifing out of the sky.

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So, there are many praiseful words for the movie, but after watching "Dunkirk," I wanted to add another:

Decency.

Yes, decency is an odd word to pair with war. Nothing human beings have ever created and unleashed is more murderous than war, with death beyond measure, and so there's nothing decent about the cost of it.

And yes, as "Dunkirk" is a film about the war, there is death in it, death that comes randomly, or is delivered with surgical dispassion, which makes it all the more horrible.

Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" stars Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Mark Rylance. (Warner Bros.)

But a great film always leaves me quiet and spent when it's over, and in a quiet moment leaving the theater, I thought about the decency in what I'd seen.

The decency of the young British soldiers waiting in impossibly long lines, quietly, standing out in the wind, searching the sky for enemy planes, praying for a chance at a boat to take them home.

The decency of their officers, who cared for them and who kept them calm.

The decency of British civilians, weekend sailors who answered the call and took their own fishing boats and pleasure craft, crossing the English Channel in a motley armada and approaching the murderous beach to save their soldiers, their countrymen, their boys.

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The decency of a middle-aged father played by Mark Rylance, the owner of a small yacht "Moonstone" with his teenage son, played by Tom Glynn-Carney.

They crossed the channel because they had a job to do and they weren't about to shirk responsibility. They didn't do a lot of talking. They made no big speeches. But they did share a look. And that was enough.

And the decency of a British fighter pilot, finally out of fuel, making one last desperate run in the hopes of knocking down a German plane to save more lives.

The pilot was played by actor Tom Hardy; the commander who kept them calm was played by Kenneth Branagh. Yes they are great stars, but they were not the true stars in "Dunkirk."

The star of "Dunkirk" is the character of the British people at that time, in the worst days of the war, long before America joined in, when the British Expeditionary Force was humiliated in Europe and almost destroyed.

And so it is a movie about a people of a certain time, a people who knew who they were, a people who firmly understood their culture and their obligations to it, and to their nation, and to each other.

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You don't see or hear Winston Churchill in this film. You hear some of his words read by a solider on a train, but you don't see his genius. All that happened after the troops were rescued.

The withdrawal at Dunkirk and what led to it was a terrible military defeat for the British Expeditionary Force. And yet, Churchill was somehow able to convince the British people that they had won a great victory by rescuing their men on the beach. He rallied his people. And that kind of leadership is pure genius, indeed.

If you see "Dunkirk," please don't go expecting a typical Hollywood formula war film, with plenty of character exposition and back story. This is not a movie about cliched archetypes. You won't find a platoon of Brits passing around photos of their sweethearts; and you won't see the joker, the farmer, the ladies' man or the upper-crust failure seeking to redeem himself. You won't see a Cockney urchin who teaches the lads to survive.

"Dunkirk" isn't built that way. It expects more of its audience. It does not condescend. It anticipates your intelligence and respects it.

And so it presents stories on the beach, and stories in the water, and stories in the air and expects you to follow without a guide book.

Though you won't get to know the men by what they say, you'll know them by what they do. Actions, not words.

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And you'll see details as death comes, the sound of paper in the wind, sea foam on the beach, the scratching of chalk on the dashboard of a fighter plane, the ping of a bullet, the panic of those trapped on a ruined ship as it tips, the sound of bubbles underwater, and of boys breaking the surface to find a sea of fire.

Not many films are worth the price. This one is.

But please don't cram it into the end of a day when you're tired or rushed. See it when you're at your best. Respect it as much as it respects its audience.

And I know you'll find the decency in it, too.

Listen to a new episode of "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and Jeff Carlin, at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway.
An elderly woman was among two people injured early Saturday in an extra-alarm fire in a residential building in the city's West Town neighborhood, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

Just before 1:45 a.m., firefighters responded to the 2000 block of West Huron Street for a fire inside the second floor of an apartment building, according to fire officials. The response was elevated to a 2-11 alarm about 2:30 a.m.

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A 79-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man were take to Stroger Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, fire officials said. Their conditions were stabilized at Stroger.

The fire caused damaged to two nearby buildings. Damage was reported to about seven units, but officials did not know how many people were displaced because of the fire.

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Check back for updates.
Hazardous weather is hitting the area, prompting a flash flood and severe thunderstorm watch, according to the National Weather Service.

The flash flood watch is in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday while the thunderstorm watch expires at midnight, according to the NWS.

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Additionally, a flash flood advisory for the area is in effect until 8:15 pm. Friday.

The hazardous weather outlook, for Northeast Illinois, Northwest Indiana and North Central Illinois, could include hail, "significant'' thunderstorms, possibly "torrential' rainfall and damaging winds that may gust up to 70 miles an hour, the NWS said.

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Additionally, there is a significant flooding risk and an excessive heat risk.

Check back for details.
Police work the scene where a man barricaded himself inside a house on the 6800 block of South Cornell Avenue on July 23, 2017 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Updated July 26, 2017 10:40 a.m.  Three people were fatally shot and at least 21 others were wounded in Chicago attacks from Saturday morning to early Sunday.

One fatal shooting happened about 2:05 a.m. Sunday in the 3600 block of West Chicago Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

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Michael Carter, 35, was sitting in a parked white sedan in the parking lot of a restaurant when the shooter approached and opened fire.

He was shot multiple times, including in the head, police said. Carter was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital.

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Officers placed more than a handful of evidence markers near the rear of the white sedan. Near Chicago and Central Park avenues, a second vehicle had crashed into construction equipment.

In the Marquette Park neighborhood, an 18-year-old man was fatally shot and a 59-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting about 9:40 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

They were standing in the 7100 block of South Artesian Avenue when a man approached and opened fire. The younger man was shot in the back and chest. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m.

He was identified as Tayvion Roberson, 18, of the 10400 block of Major Avenue in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The 59-year-old man was shot in the side. He was in serious condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

As detectives scanned the neighborhood for potential witnesses, ranchera music could be heard coming from one backyard. At another home, hip-hop music could be heard coming from the backyard.

Deflated balloons hung for what appeared to be a memorial on one of the street poles. "I miss you G," a sign stated.

Quadruple shooting in Avalon Park

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Four people were shot, including a 40-year-old man who later died, about 5:15 a.m. Sunday in the 1500 block of East 82nd Street in the Avalon Park neighborhood, according to police.

A 31-year-old man was walking when someone inside a white sedan opened fire, striking him in the groin and the back, according to initial information. Police later learned that there were three other people wounded in the shooting.

"All victims gave differing accounts of the incident," police said in a media notification.

A 23-year-old man was shot in the face, and a 40-year-old man was shot in the neck and right hand. Both men went in private vehicles or a vehicle to South Shore Hospital, and they had initially indicated that they were shot in the 7900 block of South Phillips Avenue. They were both transferred to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.

The 40-year-old, Lavondell Noble, later died from his injuries, police said about 10:15 a.m. Sunday. He was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. He had lived nearby, in the 7800 block of South Phillips, the medical examiner said.

A fourth man, a 34-year-old, was shot in the left forearm. His condition was stabilized at Ingalls Memorial Hospital.

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Detectives were sorting out the differing accounts about what led to the shooting.

Double shooting in Archer Heights

During a 5-hour period from Saturday to Sunday, there were four double shootings. That included two people who were shot about 2:50 a.m. Sunday in the 4500 block of South Karlov Avenue in the Archer Heights neighborhood, according to police.

A 21-year-old man and a 46-year-old man were wrestling with a gun when they were both shot. The 21-year-old was shot in the right arm, and his condition was stabilized at Advocate Christ Medical Center. The 46-year-old was shot in the chest, and his condition was stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Outside the home where the shooting took place, a woman was seen walking out with the younger man who had been shot. The man pointed at the ambulance as he was carried on a stretcher by paramedics.

The older man slowly walked out of the home on his own and sat down on one of the stretchers. He raised his right arm as paramedics placed him into the ambulance.

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Nearby, Jose Gutierrez smoked a cigarette as officers went into the home after the victims were taken away by paramedics.

Gutierrez had just arrived home from giving a friend a ride home when he heard a noise. He didn't initially realize the noise was gunshots, but then he heard a woman screaming.

"Get out of here, get out of here," he remembers the woman screaming.

He then called police and went into his home. He later saw officers go into the home where the shooting had taken place.

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Gutierrez has lived in the neighborhood for about 12 years and said the shooting was out of character for the block.

"It's a nice neighborhood over here," he said.

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Man shot during attempted carjacking

A 32-year-old man was in critical condition after he was shot during an attempted carjacking in the Douglas Park neighborhood on the West Side, police said.

About 5:45 a.m. Saturday, the man was shot in the groin and in the abdomen during an attempted carjacking in the 1200 block of South California Avenue, police said. He had been driving a car when the incident happened. The passenger of the car drove him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

In other shootings:

About 6:35 a.m. Sunday, a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the torso while he was in the 5400 block of South Michigan Avenue in the Washington Park neighborhood on the South Side, police said. He took himself to Mercy Hospital, and he was expected to be transferred to Stroger Hospital. His condition had been stabilized. Police did not release additional details about the shooting.

Just before 5:40 a.m. Sunday, a 56-year-old man was shot in the right leg while he was in the 6600 block of South Evans Avenue in the West Woodlawn neighborhood, police said. The shooter got out of a white sedan and opened fire. The man's condition was stabilized at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

About 4:45 a.m. Sunday, a 29-year-old man was shot in the left shoulder while he was in the 6000 block of South Vernon Avenue in the West Woodlawn neighborhood, police said. He took himself to the University of Chicago Medical Center, and he was later transferred to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the left leg about 3:55 a.m. Sunday while he was walking through a vacant lot in the 300 block of South Cicero Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood. His condition was stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Two people were shot just before 2:50 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of East 75th Street in the Park Manor neighborhood, police said. They were standing on the street when the shooter approached them and opened fire. A 30-year-old man was shot in the left leg, and his condition was stabilized at the University of Chicago Medical Center. A 23-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and the buttocks. The younger man's condition was stabilized at Stroger Hospital.

Two people were shot while they were standing on the front porch of a home about 10:25 p.m. Saturday in the 6600 block of South Campbell Avenue in the Marquette Park neighborhood, police said. A 21-year-old woman was shot in the left leg, and her condition was stabilized at Advocate Christ Medical Center. A man was shot in the right hand, but he declined medical attention.

About 9:30 p.m. Saturday, someone inside a gray sedan shot a 21-year-old man in the left leg in the 1600 block of North Natchez Avenue in the Galewood neighborhood on the city's Northwest Side, according to police. His condition was stabilized at Loyola University Medical Center.

In the Lawndale neighborhood about 8:05 p.m. Saturday, a 34-year-old man was shot in the groin in the 1300 block of South Troy Street. He was standing outside when someone inside a white sedan shot him. The man's condition had stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to police.

In the West Englewood neighborhood about 7:35 p.m. Saturday, someone shot a 29-year-old woman in the right shin, police said. The shooting happened in the 5700 block of South Paulina Street. She was in good condition after being taken to Stroger Hospital.

Around 7:50 p.m. Saturday, someone shot a 20-year-old man's left side and left arm in the 6700 block of South Ashland Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood, police said. He was taken to St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center, where he was in serious condition, according to police.

A 29-year-old man was in the 900 block of North Long Avenue in the Austin neighborhood when someone inside a light-colored truck fired shots, hitting his foot, about 10:10 a.m. Saturday, police said. The man got himself to West Suburban Medical Center, where he was in good condition, police said.

An attack about 7:30 a.m. Saturday in the 8700 block of South Sangamon Street in the Gresham neighborhood left a 19-year-old man wounded. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where his condition had stabilized, police said. No one was in custody, and detectives were investigating.

Check back for updates.
Daniel M. Garcia, 27, of the 3200 block of West Evergreen Avenue, is charged with kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual assault and vehicular hijacking in connection to Friday's incident. (Cook County sheriff's office)

A Humboldt Park neighborhood man who prosecutors said kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman before driving her home and giving her his cellphone number has been sentenced to 100 years in prison.

Daniel M. Garcia was convicted in February of multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping after a jury trial, the Cook County state's attorney's office said.

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On Friday, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Sheehan handed Garcia, who is now 30, the 100-year sentence during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

The charges stemmed from an October 2014 attack on a woman who prosecutors at the time said had attended a fashion show and after-party in downtown Chicago.

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She left with a friend, and they stopped to get gas en route to the friend's lakeshore home in Wisconsin, prosecutors said during his bail hearing in October 2014.

The male friend entered the station to purchase some items, while the woman was looking at her cellphone in the car. Suddenly Garcia, of the 3200 block of West Evergreen Avenue, entered the car and sped away, prosecutors said at the time.

The victim tried to stop the car, grabbing the steering wheel, but Garcia punched her in the face, prosecutors said. The victim's nails were broken as she tried to ward off Garcia's punches with her hands, according to prosecutors.

Garcia took the woman's cellphone and told her that he had a gun and that he was supposed to kill her, prosecutors said at his bail hearing.

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"I'm part of a cartel," Garcia told her, according to police reports.

Garcia drove around with the woman, who lived in a southwest suburb and was unfamiliar with the area, prosecutors said.

After she pleaded with him not to rape her, Garcia parked the car in an isolated area and choked the woman before sexually assaulting her, prosecutors said.

He then drove her to her home, stopping at an Orland Park bank to take $100 out of an ATM with her debit card, prosecutors said.

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"We can work this out," Garcia told the woman, according to court records.

He then put his number in her cellphone, told her, "I'll see you tomorrow," and drove away in her car, prosecutors said.

When she got into her home, the woman told her roommate what had happened, and the police were called.
A driver of a ride-sharing service appeared in court Friday on charges that he kidnapped a customer, physically restrained her with a zip tie, and sexually assaulted and robbed her, all at knifepoint, according to prosecutors.

Angelo McCoy, 48, is being held in lieu of $900,000 bail in the July 7 crime, in which a 25-year-old Chicago woman was restrained and attacked, authorities said.

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McCoy was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery and unlawful restraint, police and prosecutors said.

The woman used the Lyft app on her phone to order a ride home from a bar because she felt she had had too much to drink and was picked up near the intersection of Hubbard and Clark streets about 11 p.m., Assistant State's Attorney Melissa Howlett told the judge.

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Investigators would later learn the driver entered a pickup time of 11:06 p.m. and the system showed a drop-off time of 11:11 p.m., when in actuality the woman would be held against her will until after 1 a.m., Howlett said.

The woman's friend walked out to the curb with her and watched as she got into a white 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV that matched the description of the Lyft vehicle that appeared on the woman's mobile app, according to Howlett.

The woman fell asleep in the back seat of the SUV, and when she awoke, she realized the vehicle wasn't headed in the direction of her home. She asked to get out of the vehicle, but McCoy wouldn't let her, court documents show.

He pulled into an alley and stopped the vehicle. The woman saw three people in the distance and screamed for help, but no one responded. McCoy then entered the back seat of the SUV, grabbed the woman from behind by her throat and pushed her down on her seat, according to Howlett.

He tied the woman's hands together behind her back with a zip tie, police said, and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

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The driver is additionally accused of sexually assaulting the woman, stealing her cellphone and driver's license and demanding she give him money despite her pleas that she didn't have any, prosecutors said.

After about two hours as a captive, she saw a chance to jump out of the SUV, near Belmont and Ashland avenues. She got out at a red light and ran straight to a car behind them, and that driver came to her aid, according to Howlett.

The stranger not only allowed her into his car but also offered to drive her home and persuaded her to first report the attack and took her to the 19th District police station. The woman was taken to Thorek Memorial Hospital, where she was examined for her injuries.

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McCoy's next court appearance was set for Aug. 9, according to records from the Cook County sheriff's office.

"These allegations are sickening and horrifying,'' Lyft spokesman Scott Coriell said in an emailed statement. "As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we deactivated the driver's account and did everything we could to assist law enforcement,'' he said in the statement. "Our concern is with the victim and her well-being. We stand ready to assist law enforcement in their investigation.''

kdouglas@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @312BreakingNews
China is looking to recruit more college students for its armed forces in 2017, officials said at a teleconference on this year's recruitment plan Friday.

According to the officials, recruiters should supervise and guide college students in the process, including student registration, pre-recruitment requirements and preferential recruitment conditions, in order to raise both the quantity and quality of recruited students.

Armed forces on all levels should also enhance quantified assessment in their recruitment methods to ensure a high quality of students, the officials continued.

Those young people with outstanding performance in disaster relief, and those who are the children or siblings of soldiers who have died while on active duty, should be the priorities for recruiters.

This year's recruitment period is set to start on Aug. 1 and conclude on Sept. 30, as those with a high school education or above will make up the majority of the recruitment.
Chicago police investigate a fatal shooting in the 5400 block of South Indiana Avenue on May 8, 2017. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

A 16-year-old boy who felt his slain friend was "disrespected" on Facebook fatally shot the poster, in what became this year's 200th homicide, according to prosecutors and records.

Landon Allen, 16, appeared Friday before Judge Donald Panarese Jr., who set bail at $1 million during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

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Allen, who is charged as an adult with murder, is accused of fatally shooting Jermaine Brown, 23, on May 8 in the 5400 block of South Indiana Avenue, authorities said.

An ongoing dispute erupted after Brown posted something on Facebook about a mutual friend of theirs who had been slain weeks before, prosecutors said.

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Allen and a second person were angry with Brown because they felt the post disrespected their deceased friend, "Honcho,'' according to Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Santini.

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Witnesses and Brown were standing in the 5400 block of South Indiana about 7:45 p.m. that night when Allen and another person began arguing. After a witness stepped in to stop them, the witness told Allen that he should just "talk it out" with Brown, according to Santini.

So Allen walked over to Brown and they spoke briefly. Allen extended his hand and they shook, but moments later, Allen reached into his hoodie and pulled out a gun and began firing multiple times at Brown, who began running away, Santini said.

Allen, kept firing "until he ran out of bullets,'' and then told a second uncharged suspect to "blow the 40," and that suspect also fired as Brown fled, according to Santini.

Brown made it about a block before collapsing on the street in the 200 block of East 55th Street. He suffered five gunshot wounds from Allen and the other shooter to his shoulder, neck, abdomen, forearm and buttocks, prosecutors said.

A witness who came forward identified Allen by name as one of the people he saw shoot Brown, who was unarmed.

Detectives also obtained cellphone data that placed Allen in the area of the slaying at the time it happened, according to prosecutors.

Brown, of the 5100 block of South Wabash Avenue, was Chicago's 200th homicide this year, according to data kept by the Chicago Tribune. The city reached that grim milestone just four days later than it did last year, which was the most violent in decades.

Allen is scheduled to appear again in court Aug. 10.
Police are warning people looking for apartments in the West Lawn neighborhood to look out for a man who calls himself Byron Dean or Joseph Grant because he has taken off with victims' security deposits.

The crime has happened four times in the same block  the 6000 block of South Pulaski Road  during the month of July, according to a community alert from Area Central detectives.

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In the scam, potential renters respond to an ad and give the man their security deposit with the promise of an apartment but then can't find him again, police said.

The thefts occurred at 10 p.m. July 18, 9 p.m. July 13, and twice on July 11  at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., police said.

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The man police are looking for calls himself Byron Dean or Joseph Grant. He is black, about 5-foot-10, in his mid-30s, and weighs about 200 pounds, police said. He has black hair and a medium complexion.

Anyone with information should contact Area Central detectives, 312-747-8382, or Financial Crimes, 312-746-9661.
One of the constants during Gov. Bruce Rauner's 2 1/2 years in office has been his belief in the power of messaging: If only people understood his agenda, the resulting groundswell of public support would be enough to pressure Democrats to get on board with his ideas.

It's a notion so central to the Republican governor's philosophy that it's common for him to ask supporters, onlookers and even journalists to "help get the message out."

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"We just need to get our friends and our neighbors and our allies to stand up together and message on this issue," Rauner said last week during remarks at a gathering of road builders in Oak Brook. "Everything we're fighting for is a win for the people of Illinois, and we've got to message that together."

Since the start of the year, Rauner's focus on messaging intensified as a temporary budget expired and pressure built for the Republican governor to strike a budget deal with Democrats who control the General Assembly, according to people familiar with the operations of the governor's office who spoke to the Chicago Tribune on condition of anonymity.

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Dissatisfied with his government staff, Rauner took the unusual step of hiring outside consultants, the sources said. Among them was a public relations expert who was supposed to help him with his image, and a digital marketing guru whose charge was to boost the governor's social media presence.

At the same time, heat was building on lawmakers to end the impasse. Eventually, more than a dozen Republicans broke ranks with Rauner, joined with his nemesis, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, and passed a major income tax increase. Rauner viewed it as yet another sign his messaging effort was failing, the sources said.

So the governor cleaned house, firing his chief of staff and other top aides, leading to a big wave of departures that rid his administration of what was left of the mainstream Republican operatives the governor had borrowed from former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in winning the governor's office in 2014.

To retool his administration, Rauner turned to the Illinois Policy Institute, a think tank with a free-market message that aligns with the governor's worldview and has spent years developing a public relations infrastructure via newspapers, radio and the internet.

The switch also means Rauner's messaging no longer is constrained by staff familiar with the process of government. The moves had one policy institute ally rejoicing that Rauner would be brought "back to his original branding and his original position."

The stakes are high: A governor who's focused on getting his message out now needs to get that message right because achieving his economic agenda so far has proved elusive, the tax hike that was approved over his objections means he's lost major leverage at the Capitol for the remainder of his term, and his re-election campaign already has begun.

Message challenge

During his last campaign, Rauner ran on the slogan "Shake up Springfield," an easy-to-grasp theme that helped him to victory.

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As governor, Rauner is pushing what he's called his "turnaround agenda." The policy details, however, are complex, focusing on topics like union-weakening right-to-work legislation and workers' compensation changes. That makes translating the message to voters more of a challenge.

In addition, the nitty-gritty of those ideas  the workers' comp proposal would raise the bar for employees injured on the job to get paid, for example  may play better with factory owners than factory workers.

In return, Rauner has offered the promise of a "booming economy" if his policies are implemented. Democrats who oppose Rauner's economic agenda, however, have found it easy to coin slogans about it, with Speaker Madigan continually using the shorthand of calling it "extreme" and hurtful to the middle class.

The governor also has pursued changes in the political system, which include putting term limits on elected officials and removing politicians from the political map-drawing process. While popular, they aren't the kind of pocketbook issues that gain taxpayers' attention.

This spring, though, Rauner started to highlight his call for a property tax freeze, an issue that polls well. Even if the property tax system is hard for people to grasp, homeowners understand that a freeze could save them money.

Republicans stayed with Rauner for better than two years, but at the start of the month, 15 House Republicans decided that continuing to hold out for his agenda items wasn't worth the pressure they were getting back home to resolve the budget stalemate. An income tax increase the governor vetoed is now law.

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Still, Rauner remains committed to his agenda, opting to replace his messengers.

Even before this month's staff changes, Rauner brought in two outside consultants to help distribute his message. In April, he hired Jon Morris, founder and CEO of Rise Interactive, a Chicago digital marketing agency, and Anne Kavanagh, a former TV reporter who now does media training, crisis management and publicity work.

Morris was hired to help Rauner's office with its digital media strategy, while Kavanagh was brought on to assist with the administration's "earned media" strategy  industry-speak for free publicity that usually comes in the form of coverage on television or in print.

According to "engagement letters" drawn up by Dennis Murashko, Rauner's general counsel, Morris and Kavanagh were both hired for an initial period of three months. The letters, obtained by the Tribune though a public records request, detail how Morris and Kavanagh are to interact with the governor's office. Both were required to report to Rauner's then-communications staff, but were not paid using taxpayer dollars.

Morris declined to comment. Kavanagh acknowledged she had been doing work for the governor, but said she wasn't part of the decision-making process regarding the recent shake-up in the governor's office.

Rauner spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said the governor was "trying to bring additional resources into his communications office, but not at the taxpayers' expense."

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"As you are likely aware, the governor has been willing to invest his personal resources in other projects, such as the renovations to the executive mansion," Patrick said in an email.

Kavanagh said she thought the governor's messaging concerns were legitimate.

"He felt there was a serious message to get out there, maybe it wasn't getting out there in the way that it should," she said. "I do not think that he was being paranoid. Most people, no matter where they are politically, would think that the messaging could be better."

One-stop shop

Rauner found a willing and well-prepared one-stop shop in the Illinois Policy Institute, which, along with a web of affiliate organizations, has spent the past decade building an operation aimed at swaying public opinion in favor of many of the ideas Rauner has been pushing.

"Our side must fully engage in culture (media, public opinion, influences) and must also fully engage in the political arena (legislation and elections)," CEO John Tillman wrote in an opening letter for the organization's 2015 annual report, which boasted of creating a media operation that's partnered with more than 250 TV, radio and print media outlets across the state. "That's because public policy must pass through a political process to become law. And most big policy ideas become ripe in culture first. Thus, turning policy into law requires a two-front strategy."

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To that end, Tillman and other conservative activists have created a vast network of media-oriented organizations that, put together, amplify Rauner's messaging efforts.

Take, for example, the Sunday afternoon radio show "Illinois Rising," which is broadcast on WIND 560-AM, sponsored by the policy institute and hosted by Dan Proft, whose Liberty Principles PAC spent more than $10 million in last year's election to help Rauner-backed legislative candidates, including $2.5 million from the governor himself.

Last Sunday, Proft had Pat Hughes on his show. The two are co-founders of the Illinois Opportunity Project, an advocacy organization that last year funneled more $1.3 million to a Democratic representative who'd bucked Madigan in support of Rauner on key votes. The policy institute lists Hughes as external relations officer, and Proft lists himself as a policy institute senior fellow in his opportunity project bio. Talk turned to Rauner's selection of former policy institute executive Kristina Rasmussen as the governor's new chief of staff.

"This is a really good move. Kristina is extremely bright," Hughes, a failed 2010 U.S. Senate candidate, told Proft, who lost a governor bid the same year. Hughes added: "This is a very responsible, very smart person who is going to help the governor go back to his original branding and his original position."

Also there to help is Proft's network of 11 weekly print newspapers and multiple websites. They're now owned by an entity called Local Government Information Services. Proft's own publications indicated he is a principal of LGIS. On the announcement of Rasmussen's hire, Local Government Information Services published an article headlined, "Policy institute exec joins Rauner in crusade to save taxpayers."

Meanwhile, the policy institute has sought to tap into traditional media rather than go around it.

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In late 2015, the organization acquired the Illinois Radio Network, which had supplied four dozen radio stations across the state with news reports on state government and local politics. The radio network was absorbed into the Illinois News Network, a policy institute arm that produces articles and opinion columns, and allows news organizations to republish them for free. In addition, the Chicago Tribune had an independent arrangement with the policy institute's Diana Rickert to write columns for the newspaper. Rickert recently left to become Rauner's deputy chief of staff of communications.

The policy institute already was in Rauner's corner  the Rauners had given the group at least $500,000 before he became governor  and institute articles and essays routinely promoted the governor's agenda. Until recently, Rauner had tried to keep a public distance from the organization, often deflecting questions about its publications and actions taken by its political advocacy arm.

Now, he's brought some of the organization's people into the governor's office. On Friday, Rauner was asked about lawmakers' concerns about those hires.

"Nobody tells me what my policies are, nobody," Rauner said. "I work for the people of Illinois. And if anybody wonders what I will fight for, you can look up what I stood for for five years. And you can see my 44-point turnaround for the state. You can see the legislation I introduced. And that ain't changing. Nobody's changing me."

Campaign comfort zone

For Rauner, the decision to put his political future in the hands of IPI advocates who lack government experience reflects a continued progression of the campaign-style approach he's taken to governing since his narrow defeat of Democrat Pat Quinn three years ago.

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In early 2015, as Rauner rolled out an ambitious legislative agenda, the rookie governor took his ideas directly to the people, embarking on a statewide road trip where he asked voters to mobilize in support of his ideas.

"This is a critical summer, critical votes needing to occur in the General Assembly," Rauner said during a June 2015 visit to Vernon Hills. "And we're asking all of your viewers, all of your listeners to get involved, to reach out. Encourage the members of the General Assembly, state senators, state representatives, to take votes that are difficult but that will help change the direction of the state."

Over time, the governor became disillusioned with the traditional news media. In a rare admission of error, Rauner conceded last July that he had "underestimated how much most of the standard media just doesn't care about this and ignores it and won't send our message out."

Indeed, when the governor talks to reporters, they often focus on the news of the day, usually surrounding the gridlock at the Capitol.

"We've been too slow in creating our own media channels through social media and other outlets," Rauner told the editorial board of The News-Gazette in Champaign. "We're doing that now."

The governor started holding Facebook Live question-and-answer sessions, which allowed him to answer pre-screened inquiries culled from viewers. And he started using the social network to disseminate news as well. Rauner's announcement that he'd vetoed the budget lawmakers sent him last month came in the form of a status update on Facebook.

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Still struggling

So far, it's been Rauner's staff shake-up that's caught the most attention, particularly as some of the newcomers quickly generated their own headlines.

A newly hired assistant whose job was to shadow Rauner during his travels was let go Monday after revelations that he'd posted racially insensitive and homophobic statements on Twitter before he joined the governor's office.

Later in the week, attention turned to a just-hired public relations aide who had blogged before becoming part of Rauner's team. The aide penned a post that compared abortion to the eugenics of Nazi Germany, saying the procedure was being used to "rid the world of disabled and other 'unwanted' persons."

Rauner's view that his ideas are popular with voters and would be easily enacted were it not for "special interests" influencing the "political class" in Springfield is what propelled the governor through the bruising two-year budget stalemate.

"I never give up, I mean, I'm a son of a beachball and I just never, never give up," Rauner told the road builders last week during a discussion of workers' compensation changes, a key item on his agenda. "It's hard politically to talk about, because the trial lawyers are burrowed in there. Nobody knows what a trial lawyer is, let alone you say workers' comp to your average person on the street, they think you've got a gum disease or something. They don't know what you're talking about. It's hard to message politically, but we've got to get the stories, the anecdotes of the business owners."

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Over the years, Rauner indeed has collected signs of encouragement from people he's encountered along the way, often offering them up as evidence that he's on the right side of the fight. The anecdotes become part of his regular stump speeches and sometimes even materialize as living proof.

Bob Wisz, a frozen pizza company owner from Hegewisch, is one example. Wisz was among several speakers at a May groundbreaking for a new auto parts factory that's expected to bring 300 new jobs by 2019.

Wisz, representing the Southeast Side neighborhood and its largely union-friendly workforce, gave a brief speech in which he thanked the company for choosing to locate its factory there but also lamented the years of lost jobs locally.

"We've got to bring jobs back. Gov. Rauner, Mayor Emanuel, that job isn't done," Wisz said. "What we need is the investment.  We've got too much development going across the state line."

Wisz's words echoed one of the staple pieces of Rauner's argument, that his policies need to be put in place in order to lure businesses back to Illinois and keep people in the state. Rauner quickly latched on, remarking to reporters moments later that they should "think about what he's saying."

Rauner left the event fuming at his staff, according to one source who asked not to be named in order to speak candidly.

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"He threw a fit about how we didn't get him in front of the cameras more that day, and we should have him everywhere," the source said. "This is a union guy, saying our message."

Before long, Wisz had become part of the governor's regular media routine, making appearances with Rauner at a business roundtable and a local tavern.

In early June, Rauner invited the cameras to trail him and Wisz as they walked the streets of Hegewisch to point out empty storefronts as proof of the area's struggles to compete with Indiana. Rauner, speaking to the news cameras, said even union jobs in Indiana are growing faster than in Illinois.

"Now I want you to think about that, in the media," Rauner said. "Think about this."

kgeiger@chicagotribune.com

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com

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Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy on Saturday recounted his iconic political family's victimization by gun violence, as the son and nephew of two slain politicians unveiled his plans on the issue.

He discussed a series of initiatives that included improving education, increasing the number of Chicago police, toughening gun control, making widespread mental health services available and involving the state's prisons in extensive rehabilitation for inmates.

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He blamed gun violence on a lack of quality education and economic opportunity caused in part by what he called an unfair property tax system.

Kennedy labeled gun violence "a scourge everywhere" in Illinois that needs to be addressed as a "state issue."

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Asked how much his plans would cost, particularly in shifting the burden off property taxes to state taxes, Kennedy said he was speaking about "solutions that drive our costs down."

Asked what his plan to add up to 2,000 police officers in Chicago with benefits and pensions would cost city taxpayers, Kennedy responded: "Tell that to the thousands of people who were shot last year. Tell that to the people of the families that lost a loved one. Tell that to the children who will be unproductive adults because they can't process the trauma. Tell that to the taxpayer who's going to have the burden of those families for their entire lives because we didn't pay for a few extra police officers today."

Kennedy made his 39-minute speech on gun violence at the Windsor Park Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Shore. It marked the second of what he has called "deep dives" into major issues in the race for governor. In his first address at the end of May, he likened the property tax system to legalized "extortion."

On Saturday, he sought to draw the two topics together by contending properties in poorer city neighborhoods were unfairly assessed and taxed more heavily, while wealthier areas were not assessed as heavily and have owners with legal clout to seek assessment reductions.

"We are using strategic gentrification as a weapon against the poor and people of color. We're underfunding the schools because we pay for them with property taxes," said Kennedy, who said education should be funded with "a basket of taxes" including a graduated income tax that levies a higher tax rate based on wealth.

"This is the root of fundamental unfairness, not just in Chicago but across the entire state as well," he said of the property tax system. "Not only does it cause our kids to be undereducated, it contributed clearly to the violence in our communities. People are dying. They're being killed because we are not providing them alternative economic opportunities simply because they are undereducated."

Kennedy once again added a veiled shot at some of the state's most powerful Democrats, saying, "We don't abandon a property tax system because a handful of elected officials make their money on the side at outside jobs as property tax appeals lawyers." House Speaker Michael Madigan, the state's Democratic chairman, and veteran Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, have property tax appeals firms.

Kennedy's remarks about the assassination of his father, U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy, in 1968 and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963 marked the first time he had addressed the subject at a public campaign event.

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Kennedy was only a few months old when his uncle was killed and had not yet turned 5 years old when his father was slain. But he recounted the struggle his family faced growing up that included drug use and legal issues. He said he struggled with grade and high school, overcoming problems with the help of family and social advocates.

"I understand how difficult it is to go to class, to go to school, to recover from that, to try to excel. The notion that 45 years ago when I was going through kindergarten and first grade, the notions around social learning and the impact of trauma were so primitive at that time. We really haven't made great strides," he said.

Kennedy said when hundreds are killed and thousands are shot in Chicago, "the ripple effect in the community is devastating. There'll be thousands of children who fail to thrive in those early years. The cost of providing the help to help them is far, far higher than the cost of creating a safe city where those things don't happen in the first place."

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Palestinians run away from tear gas thrown by Israeli police officers outside Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, July 21, 2017. Israel police severely restricted Muslim access to a contested shrine in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday to prevent protests over the installation of metal detectors at the holy site. (Mahmoud Illean / AP)

JERUSALEM  Escalating Israeli-Palestinian tensions over the Holy Land's most contested shrine boiled over into violence on Friday that killed six people  three Palestinians in street clashes in Jerusalem and three Israelis in a stabbing attack at a West Bank settlement.

After nightfall, a Palestinian sneaked into a home in the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank and stabbed to death three Israelis.

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The military said the attacker apparently jumped over the fence and infiltrated the family's home, surprising them as they ate the traditional Sabbath evening meal. It said the Palestinian killed a man and two of his children, while a woman was wounded and taken to hospital. The man's grandchildren were present but not harmed, it said.

The army released footage showing a blood-covered kitchen floor. It said senior military officials are meeting overnight to discuss how to proceed.

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A military spokesman called the Palestinian attack "a massacre."

Israel TV's Channel 10 said the assailant was in his late teens and had posted on Facebook that he was upset by the events at the Jerusalem shrine. Eli Bin, the head of Israel's rescue service MDA, said an off-duty soldier next door heard screams, rushed to the home and shot the attacker through a window. Bin said the wounded attacker was taken to a hospital.

An Israeli border policeman takes a selfie during clashes in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Friday, July 21, 2017. Israel police severely restricted Muslim access to a contested shrine in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday to prevent protests over the installation of metal detectors at the holy site. (Nasser Shiyoukhi / AP)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, announced that he is freezing ties with Israel, dealing a blow to fledgling Trump administration efforts to try to renew long-dormant peace talks.

Abbas said contacts with Israel would be suspended on "all levels." It was not immediately clear if this means long-standing security coordination between Israeli troops and Abbas' forces will be halted.

At issue in the current round of violence are metal detectors Israel installed at the Jerusalem shrine this week in response to an attack by Arab gunmen there.

The metal detectors are perceived by the Palestinians as an encroachment on Muslim rights and portrayed by Israel as a needed security measure following the attack that killed two Israeli policemen.

Earlier Friday, several thousand Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank clashed with Israeli troops, burning tires or throwing stones and firecrackers. Troops fired live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen hospitalized with live or rubber bullet injuries.

White clouds of tear gas rose from Jerusalem streets and West Bank flashpoints. In one neighborhood, Palestinians threw stones from behind a mattress used as a shield.

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Israel also faced growing criticism from the Muslim world, and thousands staged anti-Israel protests after Friday prayers in Jordan and Yemen. Turkey and Egypt also condemned the violence.

A Palestinian uses a slingshot against Israeli soldiers during clashes in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Friday, July 21, 2017. Israel police severely restricted Muslim access to a contested shrine in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday to prevent protests over the installation of metal detectors at the holy site. (Nasser Shiyoukhi / AP)

The confrontations could escalate in coming days as both sides dig in.

Israel said the metal detectors would remain in place. Lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel would not surrender to what he said was "violence and incitement" by those "attempting to drag us into a religious war."

Jerusalem's top Muslim cleric, Mohammed Hussein, said protests, including mass street prayers outside the shrine, would continue until the devices are removed. He told worshippers Friday that they should prepare for a "long test of wills" with Israel.

"We will not back off," he said.

The shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, sits at the emotional epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, symbolizing the rival religious and national narratives of the two sides.

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Disputes over the 37-acre walled hilltop platform in Jerusalem's Old City have repeatedly triggered major confrontations in the past.

Muslim leaders have portrayed the metal detectors as part of a purported Israeli campaign to expand its control over the shrine  a claim Israel denies. Muslim clerics urged worshippers to pray in the streets near the shrine, rather than submit to the new security procedures.

The faithful complied. Thousands flocked to the Old City each day this week for street prayers, kneeling on mats spread on cobblestone and asphalt.

On Friday, the highlight of the Muslim religious week, Israeli police severely restricted Muslim access to the Old City to prevent mass protests.

Some 3,000 officers were deployed at checkpoints in and around the city, turning away Muslim men under the age of 50, including those trying to reach the city from Israel and the West Bank.

In the end, only a fraction of the typical Friday turnout of tens of thousands of worshippers reached the Old City.

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After peaceful prayers, clashes erupted in several areas of Jerusalem and across the West Bank.

Palestinian health officials said three Palestinians were killed by live fire in different areas of Jerusalem.

The Red Crescent said 390 Palestinians were hurt, including close to 100 who were hospitalized for live fire or rubber bullet injuries. Israeli police said five officers were wounded.

The perceived threat to the shrine, home to the Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, has galvanized Palestinians  especially those in east Jerusalem which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly annexed.

Since 1967, Israel has increasingly cut off east Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland, leaving the city's Arab residents without a political leadership.

Muslim clerics stepped into the void this week, taking the lead in prayer protests.

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Under the post-1967 arrangements, Muslims administer the compound. Jews can visit, but not pray there. For decades, the status quo held, in part because leading rabbis, citing religious purity laws, banned Jews from entering.

In recent years, religious opinion has shifted, and growing numbers of Jews are visiting the compound. This shift has stoked Muslim fears that Israel may try to expand Jewish control there. Israel has reiterated that it has no intention to change the status quo.

Fakhri Abu Diab, a 55-year-old worshipper, said he feels Muslims must stand their ground.

"If we let them, they (Israelis) will take over the mosque completely," he said, standing near the Old City. "If we resist them, they will stop."

The compound is the third holiest site of Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. It is also Judaism's holiest site, once home to biblical Temples.

Jordan, the custodian of the Jerusalem shrine, has repeatedly appealed to Israel to remove the devices. The two countries cooperate closely on regional security issues, but frequently disagree on Israel's policies at the shrine.

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On Friday, several thousand Jordanians protested against Israel in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

Demonstrators chanted, "the people want to liberate Al Aqsa," referring to one of the mosques in the compound.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country is in touch with Israeli officials to try to end the crisis. Speaking in Ankara after Friday prayers, he called Israel's security measures "radical," saying limits imposed on Muslim prayers would not contribute to a solution.

Laub reported from the West Bank. Associated Press writer Ian Deitch in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
It's not rare for presidents to dole out pardons. Theyve pardoned friends and felons, political donors and even a former president.

But can a president pardon himself? Well, weve now reached that question, six months into President Trump s administration.

As a special counsels investigation into possible collusion between Trump s presidential campaign and Russia continues, reports have surfaced in recent days that the president has inquired about pardoning family members and even whether he can give himself a pardon. Trump, in a report first published by the Washington Post, has questioned aides about the scope of his pardoning powers.

But could this happen? Here are some answers:

First, what is a presidential pardon?

The U.S. Constitution grants a president the power to pardon anyone of a federal crime. An individual, courts have ruled, does not have to be charged or convicted to receive a presidential pardon.

The presidents pardon power, however, does not extend to state-level crimes. Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, is far from detailed, but also notes another exception to the presidents power, noting the chief executive can grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

So can Trump pardon himself?

No president has attempted to give himself a pardon, and the views among constitutional law experts are mixed.

The language of the Constitution embraces the idea that there is one person who grants a pardon and a different person who accepts that pardon, said Jessica A. Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. There is also a principle of so-called natural law, which provides that no person should stand as her or his own judge.

Even so, Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, said a textual reading of Article II would support a president asserting the right to pardon himself.

Turley added: There is nothing in the text and little in the historical record to contradict that assertion of power. There are good-faith arguments on the other side, however, that the natural reading of the power excludes such self-dealing.

Turley said, however, that a president pardoning himself would raise serious questions of an abuse of power.

It is also important to keep in mind that such a pardon would not protect against either an impeachment or state charges, he said. It would also not stop the investigation.

The language of the Constitution embraces the idea that there is one person who grants a pardon and a different person who accepts that pardon.  Jessica A. Levinson, professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles

What have the courts and federal government said about the issue?

There is no court precedent, because no president has sought to pardon himself. In theory, a president could test the matter.

In the Ex Parte Garland case of 1866, the Supreme Court ruled that the president has full power to pardon anyone, either before, during or after prosecution.

During the height of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, the Department of Justice provided legal guidance to President Nixon. In a memo, the agencys Office of Legal Counsel said that under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the president cannot pardon himself.

But this assessment was not binding and, of course, law experts say, could be challenged in the courts.

Have pardons been controversial?

Yes. And thats putting it mildly.

In 1973, the House Judiciary Committee launched the impeachment process against Nixon for his involvement in Watergate. He resigned in August 1974 before a vote by Congress on his impeachment.

A month later, President Ford, who replaced Nixon, granted the former president a full unconditional pardon for any crimes he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during his tenure in office. Democrats and Republicans alike castigated the move as a corrupt bargain of sorts.

Nearly two decades later, President George H.W. Bush, in 1992, pardoned six members of former President Reagans administration for their roles in the Iran-Contra affair, in which officials secretly made illegal arms sales to Iran to support the Contras fighting the Sandinista government of Nicaragua.

And in January 2001, on his last day in office, President Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, a prolific Democratic donor. Rich, a former hedge fund manager, had been indicted on several counts of tax evasion. That same day, Clinton pardoned his half-brother, Roger Clinton Jr., for federal drug crimes in the 1980s.

Who could Trump look to pardon other than himself?

There are several figures  family, friends, political advisors  close to Trump who are believed to be targets of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III s investigation.

Among them: Donald Trump Jr., the presidents oldest son, and Jared Kushner , the presidents son-in-law.

This month it was revealed that both Trump Jr. and Kushner, along with then-campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, visited with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. The lawyer, who has close ties to the Russian government, offered to provide compromising information on Hillary Clinton, Trumps Democratic opponent, on behalf of the Kremlin, according to emails released by Trump Jr.

In February, Trumps national security advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned after administration officials said he had misled them about his contacts with Russians officials.

None of these individuals has been indicted. Even so, all, including Trump, are under investigation by Muellers team.

There is no timeline for when Muellers investigation will be complete or any indication whether charges will be filed against anyone.

Is accepting a pardon an admission of guilt?

Some say yes.

In my view, I think the president can pardon [him-] or herself, but should expect to get impeached and removed from office for doing so, said Susan Low Bloch, professor of constitutional law at Georgetown University Law Center. Accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt. And even if the president can pardon [him-] or herself, it can only be for federal offenses. The president, she noted, would still be subject to prosecution by states for any state offenses.

She added: It's likely that the only way we will get a definitive answer is if a president pardons [him-] or herself and then, after leaving office, gets indicted by federal officials. Then the former president would challenge the indictment in court, and the court would rule on the validity of the pardon. Until then, we will all just keep debating the question.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference in Washington. Congressional Democrats announced July 22, 2017, that a bipartisan group of House and Senate negotiators have reached an agreement on a sweeping Russia sanctions package. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)

The Republican-led House is set to vote soon on a sweeping Russia sanctions package that defies the White House by demanding that President Donald Trump get Congress' permission before lifting or easing the economic penalties against Moscow.

Lawmakers are scheduled to consider the sanctions package as early as Tuesday, and the bill could be sent to Trump before Congress breaks for the August recess. The legislation is aimed at punishing Moscow for meddling in the presidential election and its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

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Congressional Republicans and Democrats announced Saturday that they'd settled lingering issues with the bill, which also includes stiff economic penalties against Iran and North Korea. The sanctions targeting Russia, however, have drawn the most attention due to Trump's persistent push for warmer relations with President Vladimir Putin and ongoing investigations into Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign.

"North Korea, Iran and Russia have in different ways all threatened their neighbors and actively sought to undermine American interests," according to a joint statement by California Republicans Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, and Ed Royce of California, the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman. The bill the House will vote, they said, "will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions."

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But the bill's pending passage by the House and Senate puts Capitol Hill on possible collision course with Trump. The White House has objected to a key section of the bill that would mandate a congressional review if Trump attempts to terminate the sanctions against Moscow. Top administration officials have said the provisions infringe on the president's executive authority and may tie his hands as he explores avenues of cooperation between the two former Cold War foes.

If Trump were to veto the bill, he risks sparking an outcry from Republicans and Democrats and having his decision overturned. Indeed, the sanctions review was included in the bill because of wariness among lawmakers from both parties over Trump's affinity for Putin.

Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, the top ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump has been unwilling to respond seriously to Russia's belligerence, "leaving Congress with the urgent responsibility to hold Vladimir Putin accountable."

McCarthy had pushed to add the North Korea sanctions to the package. The House had overwhelmingly passed legislation in May to hit Pyongyang with additional economic penalties, but the Senate had yet to take up the bill.

The Senate last month passed sanctions legislation that targeted only Russia and Iran. Congressional aides said Senate Republicans may resist adding the North Korea penalties, but it remained unclear whether those concerns would derail the legislation. The aides were not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Although the legislations has widespread support, the bill stalled after clearing the Senate more than five weeks ago due to constitutional questions and bickering over technical details.

The House and Senate negotiators addressed concerns voiced by American oil and natural gas companies that sanctions specific to Russia's energy sector could backfire on them to Moscow's benefit. The bill raises the threshold for when U.S. firms would be prohibited from being part of energy projects that also included Russian businesses.

McCarthy and Royce said other revisions resolved concerns that the sanctions could have unintentionally complicated the ability of America's European allies to maintain access to energy resources outside of Russia.

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The congressional review requirement in the sanctions bill is styled after 2015 legislation pushed by Republicans and approved in the Senate that gave Congress a vote on whether then-President Barack Obama could lift sanctions against Iran. That measure reflected Republican complaints that Obama had overstepped the power of the presidency and needed to be checked by Congress.

According to the bill, Trump is required to send Congress a report explaining why he wants to suspend or terminate a particular set of sanctions. Lawmakers would then have 30 days to decide whether to allow the move or reject it.

The North Korea sanctions bill included in the package bill cleared the House by a 419-1 vote, and House Republicans became frustrated the Senate didn't move quickly on the measure given the vast bipartisan support it received. The measure bars ships owned by North Korea or by countries that refuse to comply with U.N. resolutions against it from operating in American waters or docking at U.S. ports. Goods produced by North Korea's forced labor would be prohibited from entering the United States.

The sanctions package imposes mandatory penalties on people involved in Iran's ballistic missile program and anyone who does business with them. The measure would apply terrorism sanctions to the country's Revolutionary Guards and enforce an arms embargo.
In this July 11, 2017, file photo, Donald Trump Jr. is interviewed by host Sean Hannity on his Fox News Channel television program, in New York. President Donald Trump's eldest son and his former campaign chairman are agreeing to discuss being privately interviewed by a Senate committee investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. (Richard Drew / AP)

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner is set to make a second appearance on Capitol Hill next week to speak with the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, one day after he is scheduled to speak with Senate Intelligence Committee investigators behind closed doors.

The interview, which is also expected to take place behind closed doors, was announced by House Intelligence Committee's ranking Democratic member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, who is running the committee's Russia probe.

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Word of the interview came as the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Friday that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., had agreed to turn over documents and speak to panel members behind closed doors as part of its ongoing probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The date for their closed-door interviews has not yet been decided.

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Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., still expect Manafort and Trump Jr. to speak to the committee publicly. But because both are cooperating, the panel leaders said in a statement they would not issue subpoenas requiring their presence at Wednesday hearing, only "reserve the right to do so in the future."

"Both Donald Trump, Jr. and Paul Manafort, through their attorneys, have agreed to negotiate and provide the committee with documents and be interviewed by committee members and staff prior to a public hearing," they said in a statement.

The focus on top Trump surrogates indicates the panels' respective probes have entered a new phase of their investigations, as lawmakers seek answers about various meetings with Russian officials. Lawmakers of both parties have focused particular attention on a June 2016 meeting that Kushner, Manafort and Trump, Jr. held in Trump Tower with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer who once represented a Russian intelligence unit in a court dispute.

In letters to Trump Jr. and Manafort this week, the Judiciary committee leaders asked them to furnish all documents related to that June 2016 meeting , as well as any communications or records of attempts to obtain information from Russians about Hillary Clinton or the 2016 presidential campaign. Those documents are due to be delivered to the committee by Aug. 2.

But Grassley and Feinstein did issue a subpoena Friday night for Glenn Simpson, the chief executive of Fusion GPS, a firm behind the production of a dossier depicting salacious but unverified details of Donald Trump's experience in Moscow. Simpson was slated to appear on a panel with Manafort and Trump Jr. on Wednesday, but in a Friday letter from his lawyers, Simpson turned down the committee's invitation, claiming Simpson could not attend "due to long held vacation plans."

They also wrote that they would challenge a subpoena by asserting "applicable privileges ... under the First and Fifth Amendments."

Grassley has focused acutely on Fusion over the past few months, asking the Justice Department why the research firm has not been required to register as a foreign agent.

Simpson was invited to testify before the judiciary committee this week at a hearing on enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but the hearing was postponed until next Wednesday. Manafort and Trump Jr. were scheduled to appear on a panel with him; their appearance at the hearing is no longer expected.
Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, appearing July 18, 2018, before County Board to answer questions regarding the fairness of his offices property assessments, maintained that we value properties fairly and accurately. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune )

Start with three points that are obvious, especially for anyone whose payment is due this month:

Illinois local governments collect some of the very highest property taxes in the nation. A huge share of the money that runs Illinois schools and other crucial services comes from these same property taxes. And the rising public outcry is so loud, the burden on employers so egregious, that the governor of this state has demanded a temporary property tax freeze.

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And here's what ought to be obvious to Illinois legislators and local officials but evidently isn't: If you're going to be this reliant on a locally run tax system, it had better be accurate, transparent and fair.

Cook County's property tax scheme is none of the above. That raises several agenda items for taxpaying voters. High on that list: dumping county Assessor Joe Berrios.

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The system Berrios oversees is so opaque that it easily can be gamed, mismanaged and abused by politicians and their cronies. Why doesn't he acknowledge how unjustly his number-crunching disadvantages many citizens? Well, Berrios did boast in 2015 about his office's new and improved property valuation system. But as we've all read in 2017, he quietly abandoned that system.

That was only one maddening finding of a Tribune investigation published last month. Another: Berrios' methodology perpetuates inequities between wealthy and low-income communities. Pricier homes have been chronically undervalued by the assessor while lower-priced homes have been overvalued. Even though property owners can appeal their assessments, that process, too, typically rewards the owners of higher-priced homes.

Berrios' office also has resisted Tribune reporters' efforts to learn precisely how his system works. His methodology should be as transparent as that of an income or sales tax scheme. Of course, if Berrios did publish his actual protocols for determining a property's value, then reporters from this and other news shops would compare what assessments should be with what assessments really are  after the politically connected lawyers who shower campaign contributions on Berrios finish lobbying his office for lower assessments.

This debacle playing out in Cook County, with Berrios being grilled by county commissioners, comes at a terrible time for Illinois Democrats. Berrios is the county Democratic chairman, reporting to House Speaker Michael Madigan, the state party chairman and, by purest coincidence, a lawyer whose firm specializes in appealing property tax valuations to Berrios' office.

Democratic county commissioners who, like Berrios, are up for re-election next year represent many of the working-class and poor communities victimized by Berrios' system. Berrios' best county ally, Board President Toni Preckwinkle, will spend the next 16 months trying to explain why she won't call for his ouster.

Some of the Democrats running for governor are exploiting or trying to get ahead of the property tax issue, which should grow only more volatile as the election cycle intensifies. None of them wants to offend Madigan, but each of them knows he had better not wind up in a campaign photo clutching Berrios' paw.

Gubernatorial hopeful Chris Kennedy calls the property tax system a racket similar to extortion, citing all the political donations an assessor rakes in. State Sen. Daniel Biss, another candidate for governor, has introduced legislation to make the assessment process more transparent. Then there's candidate J.B. Pritzker, who may never live down his purchase of a mansion and his successful valuation appeal because the mansion supposedly is uninhabitable.

Ousting Berrios is only a first step. The next assessor has to be someone whose behavior in office justifies local governments' heavy reliance on the property tax. Voters, remember what Cook County and its current pols don't give you: a system that's accurate, transparent and fair.

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A former Aurora priest charged with sexually abusing two young girls at their Catholic church appears to have eluded deportation to his native Colombia  for now.

Alfredo Pedraza Arias entered a courtroom late Friday morning in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and left in the custody of the Kane County judicial center in St. Charles.

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A June 14 deportation order signed by a federal immigration judge cast uncertainty on whether Arias, 50, would be in the U.S. when his felony trial on the sexual abuse charges was scheduled to begin July 31. The case has been continued,with a status hearing scheduled for Aug. 10.

On Friday, Kane County Judge Linda Abrahamson remanded Arias to the county judicial center's custody based on a bond increase ordered earlier this month. That change stipulates that he must post 10 percent toward an additional $100,000 in bail in order to be re-released.

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Abrahamson increased Arias' bail on July 14 after prosecutors asked the judge to revoke or increase it in order to keep Arias in the country to stand trial. He'd been free on the original $50,000 bail when federal immigration officials took him into custody May 4.

Arias' attorney, David Camic, described agents apprehending his client outside the Kane County courtroom where he'd just had a hearing, saying Arias wouldn't be leaving the courthouse except in immigration service custody. Since then, Camic said immigration officials have brought Arias back for two other hearings, but Friday was the first time they left him with the jail.

Records showed immigration officials were holding Arias at a facility in Kenosha, Wis.

Immigration officials have not responded to an inquiry about the case. Camic said he believed Arias' visa had expired, but wasn't sure if that or the criminal charges were why immigration officials wanted him deported.

If Arias were deported, prosecutors could ask to have him tried in absentia, but it's unclear if that would work or if he could be extradited for proceedings, said Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Reagan Pittman.

Arias has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving two girls, who were both younger than 6 at the time of the alleged abuse at Sacred Heart Church in Aurora between 2012 and 2014, according to Kane County prosecutors.

Charged in February 2016, Arias had been out of the ministry since October 2014 while police and the Rockford Diocese investigated allegations against him. Arias also worked in Aurora at Our Lady of Good Counsel and with DeKalb's Hispanic Ministry, according to the diocese.

Prosecutors are seeking to introduce a previously uncharged incident involving Arias and a 3-year-old girl during his time in DeKalb, a recently filed motion states.

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The girl claimed Arias fondled her while her mother attended church, an encounter prosecutors believe is "substantially similar" to the charges against him in Kane County.

Before the hearing Friday, Camic said Arias probably wouldn't be there. Afterward, he said he was surprised to see his client.

Though Camic said he wants Arias to stay in the country because they want to prove he's not guilty, he said he thought the bail increase wasn't fair. But he left the remand order up to the court.

"I thought it was an unenforceable order," Camic said, adding that even in the jail, "the government could take him at any time."

Pittman said she didn't know whether federal agents could simply take Arias from the jail.

Freelance reporter Dan Campana contributed.

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hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
 Flash

Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort are scheduled to appear before U.S. Senate committees next week.

Their hearings are part of the ongoing probes into a possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential election.

Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump and a senior White House adviser, intends to testify in a closed-door hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday, July 24, his attorney confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

"He has been and is prepared to voluntarily cooperate and provide whatever information he has on the investigations to Congress," said Abbe Lowell representing Kushner.

"He appreciates the opportunity to assist in putting this matter to rest," Lowell said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee said on Wednesday that it had called Trump's eldest son, Trump Jr., and his then-campaign manager Manafort to testify before a panel on July 26.

The requests for their appearance before Senate lawmakers were reportedly received on late Wednesday. Neither Trump Jr. nor Manafort has announced an intention to testify so far.

The three men have been repeatedly linked together for attending a meeting with a Russian lawyer in the hope of getting hands on previously-promised "damaging information" about Trump's then-opponent, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The eight-person meeting, which took place on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in New York, also involved a Russian-born American lobbyist, a senior executive of a Russian real estate developer, an interpreter, and a British music publicist who proposed and later arranged the meeting via emails with Trump Jr.

The U.S. intelligence community alleged that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential race last year and there were connections between the Russian government and the Trump campaign. A federal special counsel and several congressional panels are investigating these allegations.
People who receive a parking ticket in Geneva now have more time to pay the fine before incurring additional penalties.

As part of the 2016-17 budget process, the City Council directed staff to research Geneva's parking fine structure with surrounding communities, according to a press release from the city. After months of studying, an ordinance was adopted last year that increased the fines and additional fees for late payment. Those issued parking violations had 10 days to pay the initial ticket with increasing fine amounts up to a maximum of an additional $125 in administrative fees.

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After evaluating the new fee structure for one year and receiving feedback from the community and staff, a revised ordinance was approved by the City Council which provides people 30 days to pay their ticket and scales back the fees charged for late payment, the release stated.

For example, a $25 parking ticket issued last year went up to $150 after 45 days of non-payment. Now, the amount would just reach $100 after 60 days.

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"The city of Geneva and police department hope these changes are easier to understand and will continue to allow us to balance the parking needs of residents, merchants, employees, commuters and shoppers who visit our incredible community," Police Chief Eric Passarelli said in the release.
Advocate Sherman Hospital paramedic Ken Snow and Christina Jackson, an advanced practice nurse with Shermans outpatient heart failure clinic, discuss Snows job with Shermans Mobile Integrated Healthcare program, in which Snow makes house calls. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News )

Ken Snow, a paramedic with Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, since December 2015 has been making free house calls throughout the area.

Snow's services are offered through Advocate Sherman's Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program. Snow said that the effort is modeled on similar programs across the country, some of which have been going on for a decade with many of them run in rural areas where people may not live near hospitals.

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The Advocate Sherman MIH was the first to be approved by the Illinois Department of Health, Snow said. And while there now are 10 to 15 such programs across the state, Elgin's remains the only one that is hospital-based.

"The two main goals of the program are to reduce readmissions and to cut down on the number of unnecessary visits to the emergency room," Snow said.

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According to statistics provided by the hospital, 155 people have taken part in its MIH program thus far, 89 from December 2015 through December 2016, and 66 so far in 2017. For 2016, only seven of those patients were readmitted again within 30 days of their discharge.

While most participants have been discharged Advocate Sherman patients, Snow said others have been referred by doctors, by clinics at the hospital and by home health care service providers. About two-thirds are 65 or older, Snow said, and there are more men taking part than women.

"Most are high-risk for readmission," Snow said.

Currently the MIH program is limited to people people dealing with six conditions and who aren't already getting home health service or skilled nursing home service. Snow said those conditions include asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart failure, pneumonia and post-heart attack recovery.

Advanced practice nurse Christina Jackson works in the hospital's outpatient heart failure clinic, which staggers appointments with some patients who Snow visits at their homes.

"Being in their homes, Ken gets to see a patient's reality," Jackson said.

That allows caregivers to note what, if any, type of support network someone has, as well as if they are living in a safe environment, Jackson said. Such information can help health care professionals tailor a course of care and to work with patients to make sure they are following through with doctor's instructions and taking prescribed medicines properly.

Getting doctor's orders and medicines to be taken in order when being discharged can be overwhelming for many patients, particularly the elderly, Jackson said. Following up with a home visit gives people a chance to better understand what they should be doing.

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Snow said with the program he has also been able to connect participants with resources they might need. In one case, he learned a man had no transportation of his own, so Snow helped him find a pharmacy that makes deliveries.

Michael Berger, 64, of Elgin used the program after doctors found blood clots in in his left leg.

For a time, Snow was visiting him every two weeks for more than six months, in part to measure levels of prescribed blood thinners in his system but also to check up on issues related to his diabetes.

Berger said he was diagnosed with diabetes in 1997 and by 2008 he went on disability because of the effects of the disease.

"I really appreciate what (Snow) did for me. It really helped me a lot," Berger said. "It's a very wonderful program."

Vivian Scott, 80, of West Dundee is a current participant in the MIH program. Scott said she had congestive heart failure, has asthma and other respiratory issues and occasionally has to be admitted to the hospital because of her conditions.

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Snow has visited more than a half-dozen times in the last 20 months or so, Scott said.

"When I get released from the hospital, he comes to see me," Scott said. "His visits rotate with visits with the doctor and nurses."

Scott said that on visits Snow checks her heart, takes her blood pressure, and can do blood tests, if needed. Visits typically have run about an hour.

"He has access to all my medical records, and he is always able to send a doctor a report," Scott said.

Scott said she's been very well taken care of through the program, which she recommends to those who qualify.

"I could call on (Snow) any day, and he would be there," Scott said.

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"You get to meet a lot of nice people with this program," Snow said.

Snow said he typically makes three scheduled stops each day with an equipped hospital van, with visits running between 1 and 2 hours and Snow reporting to the hospital's EMS department. Both Snow and Jackson said they would like to see Advocate Sherman expand the program.

"I'd like it if it could be standard for every patient discharged from the hospital," Jackson said.

For information, call 224-783-1818 or email Sher-community-wellness@advocatehealth.com.

mdanahey@tribpub.com
Riders canoe on a stretch of the Fox River from Yorkville to Silver Springs State Park. That stretch is one of 10 along the Fox featured on a website recently launched by conservation group Openlands. (Openlands)

Recent torrential rains have meant instances of flooding along the Fox River from the Tri-Cities area to points north and closure of that portion of the river for use by boaters, canoers and kayakers.

But when the river reopens for recreational use, there now exists the first comprehensive online guide for paddling the waterways Northeastern Illinois that includes information on 10 sections of the Fox, from the Wisconsin border to the Yorkville area.

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Launched earlier this month by Chicago-based metropolitan conservation organization Openlands, paddleillinoiswatertrails.org provides detailed information about more than 500 miles of water trails for non-motorized boating on 10 of the region's waterways.

"This resource makes the region's waterways more accessible to everyone, even individuals new to paddling who might not own their own equipment," Laura Barghusen, Openlands Associate Greenways Director, said. "This builds upon our work and the work of our partners to make water trails inclusive and to allow people to explore some of the most diverse habitats in Illinois."

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Barghusen said Elgin's Grand Victoria Foundation funded "a lot of work for a lot of years" on the project, providing about $600,000 used toward the project. The website grew out of Openlands' Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trail Plan that developed in the late 1990s.

The Fox River near Montgomery holds one of 10 river trails from the Fox that are featured on a website launched by conservation group Openlands. (Openlands)

Other organizations involved in what led to the website include the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, regional planning groups, the Illinois Paddling Council and the National Park Service, along with forest preserve districts, park districts and municipalities. All told, Barghusen estimated about 100 organizations took part in the effort.

Along with the Fox, other trails include those in the Lake Calumet area, the Chicago River, the Des Plaines River, the DuPage River, the Kankakee River, the Kishwaukee River, Lake Michigan, Nippersink Creek and Salt Creek.

Barghusen explained that a water trail is defined as stretch on a waterway where someone can put a canoe or kayak in upstream and take it downstream for several miles. She said she has paddled the Fox, including the Ferson Creek area and in Kendall County from Yorkville to Silver Spring State Park,

"It's very beautiful," Barghusen said of the latter. "The river there is wide, shallow, and with lots of birds to see. I've made trips there with my son since he was 4, and he's 9 now."

Barghusen said the site offers information for touring the areas as well as for what skill level a stretch of any waterway may be suitable. People are also welcome to leave comments on the site, particularly those that will help keep the site update on conditions along the various trails.

"We're hoping the site will encourage people to go out and use a waterway," Barghusen said.

Barghusen hopes the site might inspire some to get involved in conversation and efforts such as the cleanup the Illinois Water Trailkeepers will be hosting Sept. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Algonquin's Cornish Park.

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This canoe is traveling the Fox River near Cornish Park in downtown Algonquin on a trail that is one of 10 from the Fox featured in a website recently launched by conservation group Openlands. (Openlands )

Cindy Skrukrud is the McHenry County-based Clean Water Program Director for the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club and also a fan of trekking down the Fox.

"It's a great river to paddle on," she said.

She enjoys traveling the stretch from Buffalo Park in Algonquin to Voyageur's Landing in unincorporated Elgin. That journey involves getting past the Carpentersville dam, "but the portage isn't too bad there," Skrukrud said.

Fox Waterway Agency Executive Director Joe Keller said that when the buoys marking a dam come into paddlers' lines of sight is when they they should head toward the shore to take the craft out of the water.

Of the art of the Fox between Algonquin and Carpentersville, Skrukrud said, "You get the feeling you're in Appalachia or somewhere in the wilderness. It lets you see your surroundings differently."

Skrukrud said such trips offer evidence that conditions have improved dramatically along the Fox River's shores in the last 20 years. The river's cleanliness remains a work in progress she said, with issues facing it including removing nutrients from the ecosystem and taking out dams to improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

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Once the Fox's water levels are back to safe levels, "It's a great time to get out and enjoy the river," Skrukrud said. "And the website helps you experience Northeastern Illinois in a different way."

Karen Ann Miller, Executive Planner with Kane County Development Department noted that the Fox also is looking for another water trail designation.

She is part of a team putting together the WIsconsin-Illinois Fox River Water Trail Initiative. The group is receiving technical help from the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, Miller said.

"The ultimate goal is to apply for and receive designation from the National Park Service Water Trails System," Miller said. "So this paddling season we are working on collecting data on access sites and dams and experiences along segments of the Fox."

mdanahey@tribpub.com
Naper Settlement has signed a three-year contract with the organizer of Christkindlmarket to hold the holiday market on the museum grounds. ( Naper Settlement / Naper Settlement )

It's like Christmas in July.

Naper Settlement has signed a contract with the organizers of Christkindlmarket to hold the holiday bazaar on the grounds of the history museum for the next three years.

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"We were really accepted last year and it's such a beautiful location," said Kate Bleeker, manager for Christkindlmarket organizer German American Events. "It's a beautiful town with a lot of exciting things going on and we're excited to help people experience Naperville as a whole, not just the market."

The schedule will be the same as it was in the inaugural year, with the market opening on Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving, and running through Dec. 24. The market will be open Thursday through Sunday until Dec. 14, after which it will switch to daily hours through Christmas Eve.

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Market organizers this year expect to increase the number of booths and vendors selling such items as glass ornaments, roasted nuts, wooden decorations and the famed Gluhwein  hot spiced wine. It's not been determined how many new booths will be added, Bleeker said.

"It depends on how many booths we can get and the space and the amount of power we'll be able to use at the Settlement," Bleeker said.

There's no shortage of vendors seeking to sell goods both the Naperville Christkindlmarket and its sister market in Chicago's Daley Plaza, she said.

"We have a long list of vendors who apply every year to get into both of the markets," Bleeker said.

The 2016 Naperville market had 33 vendors from several countries in addition to the U.S., including Germany, Israel, Krgyzstan and Canada.

About 208,000 people  more than originally projected  visited over the 21 days it was open.

Sod and dirt repairs on Naper Settlement grounds from the 2016 market cost a total $36,000, according to minutes from an April 17 Naperville Heritage Society Board of Directors meeting. The cost was split between Naper Settlement and Christkindlmarket organizers, said Rena Tamayo-Calabrese, president and CEO of Naper Settlement.

"It was an unexpected cost given the incredibly large attendance," Tamayo-Calabrese said. "We are not expecting a similar expense in 2017."

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German American Events paid Naper Settlement $30,000 to rent the facility for the month-long market in 2016. It is unclear how much Naper Settlement will charge the German American Events to rent the museum grounds under the new contract.

"The cost is similar to last year though there is a slight incremental cost," Tamayo-Calabrese said in an email. "The amount is a matter between two private nonprofits and so I am not able to disclose it."

According to minutes from an April 17 Naperville Heritage Society Board of Directors meeting, a rental fee of $50,000 was being discussed. Annual incremental increases in rental costs was a goal, according to minutes from the meeting.

"Though this does not provide a larger margin, it ensures we remain in the black," according to the meeting notes.

To help cover costs, Naperville City Council members awarded German American Events a $45,841 grant from the Special Events and Cultural Activities fund. The grant will cover the cost of Naperville police officers, who provide security at the market.

Money in the activities fund comes from dollars the city receives from its 1 percent tax on food and beverages. Grants from the fund support events that celebrate Naperville heritage, diversity and character, according to the city's website.

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And since admission to Christkindlmarket is free, Naper Settlement has been considering ways to generate its own revenue from the event.

"We are very excited to participate as a vendor this year," Tamayo-Calabrese said in an email. "Our plan is to sell non-alcoholic warm cider to the public."

ehegarty@tribpub.com
The Howard Crouse Education Center in Aurora serves as the district offices for Indian Prairie School District 204. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)

Indian Prairie School District 204 is at a crossroads.

Faced with large class sizes, deteriorating buildings and reduced funding from local, state and federal sources, school board members and district administrators are apprehensive about making any decisions until they have a better understanding of what are the community's priorities.

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"What is the tipping point? When do we  engage our community in these discussions so that they give us input into where we go?" Superintendent Karen Sullivan said.

To get past this juncture, District 204 is considering hiring a consultant to help them survey the community on which way to proceed.

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Rod Wright, president of St. Louis-based UNICOM ARC, told the school board this past week how his company has helped school districts canvass residents  via focus groups, telephone or email/mail surveys and internet panels  to either prepare for referenda or develop priorities for strategic plans.

Board member Justin Karubas said before the board considers hiring Wright, it first must determine what's at the end of the road and the purpose of asking for community insight.

School policy allows the board to inquire about how much people are willing and able to pay for education; the community's expectations for its schools; and the effective use of resources, Karubas said.

"And part of the community engagement piece is to assess what the public opinion is on these varying goals," he said. "I think developing the charge, purpose, objective  whatever you call it  is going to be our charge moving forward if we want to go down this path."

While no one on the school board or administration has mentioned the word referendum or the need to ask voters for additional money to operate schools, Wright's company has worked with numerous Illinois school districts achieve their goals, like neighboring Naperville School District 203 and Wheaton Warrenville School District 200 .

For example, in District 203 Unicom ARC was hired prior to the 2002 and 2008 referendums. The company also worked with District 203 on its framework for its Future Focus and Focus 203 community engagement sessions that recently assisted administrators in developing a districtwide social emotion curriculum that is being implemented in the coming year.

Sullivan said while the budgetary talks are frequent at school board meetings, District 204 residents might not know the dire straits the district is facing.

Among the issues, Sullivan cited budget deficits projected next year and the years beyond because of declining revenues and increasing expenses.

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Besides reductions in state and federal money, Chief School Business Official Jay Strang said District 204's declining enrollments and rising property values will continue to reduce the amount of state funding the district receives.

Those budget shortfalls could be even greater if a state property tax freeze is instituted or school districts are required to cover teacher pension costs.

On the other side of the equation are the rising general operational costs, including staff salaries and benefits, and that doesn't include many parents' desire to reduce class sizes.

For more than two years, Sally Glavin of Naperville, has appealed to the school board to hire more teachers in elementary classrooms that accommodate in upwards of 28 pupils or high school classes that exceed 30 students.

Also, like many of the homes constructed in the 1980s and '90s, Indian Prairie schools built during the same housing boom are showing signs of age.

Each year the district tackles the most urgent needs  leaky new roofs, elementary school air-conditioning, outdated kitchen equipment, broken exterior walls, pot-holed parking lots  while postponing regular maintenance work to another year.

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In the upcoming school year, Strang budgeted $6 million for repairs despite a consultant's recommendation the district spend $14 million annually to keep up on general maintenance.

"We're basically borrowing from our buildings in order to make this budget. That's not sustainable," Karubas said.

Wright told the District 204 board the process of surveying residents takes months of preparation and just as long to process the information collected. School districts that approach him now about having a March referendum need to consider waiting, he said.

"Doing community engagement takes time," Wright said.

The board must define what it wants first to ensure whatever information is gathered "comes back to us right," Karubas said.

"Before you start running down the path, we can give you the line," Karubas said. "There's no sense in trying to be urgent about it. We want to start it right."

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subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
What to expect next in the Frisch vs. Boebert CD-3 race

Final results in the race won't be known until Friday, Nov. 18, after clerks in all 27 counties upload final counts. So what happens between now and then?
 Flash





Travelers wait in line at Los Angeles International Airport, the United States, June 30, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong)

The U.S. State Department said on Friday that American citizens will soon be banned from travelling to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The ban on all U.S. citizens' use of a passport to travel to, through or in the DPRK resulted from "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention" of Americans there, said State Department spokesman Heather Nauert in a statement to Xinhua.

According to Nauert, the ban was expected to be formally declared next week and would take effect 30 days after the formal declaration.

For Americans seeking to travel to the DPRK for "certain limited humanitarian or other purposes," they may apply to the State Department for a special validation passport, Nauert added.

Before the introduction of the travel ban, the State Department had for long strongly warned Americans against travelling to the DPRK.

"The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities," said Nauert.
After graduating from Tsinghua University this summer, Xu Yingqiang left Beijing to work for a chemical trading company in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"In cities like Chengdu, I can still pursue my dreams, but without all the struggling," said the 24-year-old graduate.

This year, the number of China's college graduates is expected to reach 7.95 million, an increase of 300,000 on last year, according to the Ministry of Education.

Other than swarming into megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, more students want to start their careers in second-tier cities, including the provincial capitals and coastal cities, according to a recent survey.

The survey carried out by Zhaopin.com, one of China's leading recruitment websites, showed that 37.5 percent of China's new college graduates in 2017 wanted to work in second-tier cities, while 29.9 percent preferred top-tier cities.

"A few years ago, only a couple of students graduating from universities outside Chongqing came for our job interview, but this year we have a long queue of people with master's and doctoral degrees from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou," said Huang Zuge, an HR official in a Chongqing Internet company.

BOOMING ECONOMY

Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that besides Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, eight smaller metropolises stepped into China's 1-trillion-yuan (148 billion U.S. dollars) GDP club in 2016, including Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Suzhou and Hangzhou.

The rapid economic development of second-tier cities was the main factor attracting fresh graduates, said Su Hainan, vice president of the China Association for Labor Studies.

Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province and host city of the 2016 G20 summit, hit a record with double-digit GDP growth for seven consecutive quarters in 2015 and 2016.

As the city where China's e-commerce giant Alibaba is located, Hangzhou is famous for its online business development. The export of its cross-border e-commerce reached 5.27 billion dollars from January to November of 2016.

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is home to offices for 278 Fortune Global 500 companies, and also a key city in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

"I think Chengdu will continue to benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, and I see ample opportunities in trades with the advent of the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone," Xu said.

Sichuan's free trade zone was launched this April, and over 7,000 new companies have registered in Chengdu during the past three months.

FAVORABLE POLICY

Besides economic growth, the implementation of favorable employment policy in these cities is appealing to new college graduates.

Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan Province, provides housing and living subsidies from 6,000 to 15,000 yuan per year for graduates with different types of degree.

Those with doctoral degrees who work in Changsha can get 60,000 yuan of subsidies when they purchase their first residence in the city.

Liu Xuezhi, an analyst with the Bank of Communications, said adopting favorable employment policies met the need for innovative development in second-tier cities.

The government of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has financed 595 entrepreneurial programs, disbursing 16 million yuan of subsidies and reducing 30 million yuan of guarantee fees since 2015, according to the city's Employment Service and Administration Department.

High-quality human resources are becoming a strong drive in the industrial transformation and upgrading of middle-level cities, said Liu Yuanchun, an economist and vice-president of Renmin University of China.
Two police officers have gone missing after being sent to evacuate villagers from a flood-hit region of northeast China's Jilin Province on Friday.

The two, Cao Zhiyu and Wang Yansong, fell from their moving vehicle into floodwater at around 2:40 a.m. Friday, while driving over a bridge in Antu County, Yanbian Korean Prefecture.

The men were returning from evacuating villagers after torrential downpours since Thursday night caused two rivers to flood threatening the safety of nearby villages, said Ding Weicai, deputy chief of the local police bureau.

As of Saturday noon, their vehicle had been retrieved, but Cao and Wang had not been located, Ding said.

"The two officers, both born in the 1990s, had just graduated and started working. They were both diligent workers. We will find them no matter how much it costs," he said.
BISHKEK  A delegation of China's Silk Road Fund was here Thursday for a meeting to discuss establishing a cooperation fund between Kyrgyzstan and China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Kyrgyzstan's first Vice Prime Minister Muhametkaly Abulgaziev stressed at the meeting the need to create a financial instrument of cooperation for both sides.

Kyrgyzstan's location in Central Asia is key to implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

The initiative China proposed in 2013 aims to build infrastructure and trade networks connecting Asia, Africa and Europe along ancient Silk Road trade routes to seek common development and prosperity.

"Kyrgyzstan participates in the integration of the initiative to create the Silk Road Economic Belt with the development strategy of Kyrgyzstan and the Eurasian Economic Union," Abulgaziev said.

"China is a leading investment partner, which has been making various investments for many years," he said, adding that his country and China have seen active cooperation in sectors including the service industry, mining and agriculture.

At the meeting, the Chinese side said it is ready to make efforts to develop a model of mutual benefit for establishing the Kyrgyzstan-China cooperation fund, while stressing the fund should be set up on the basis of commercial principles.
Locals pose for a photo before welcoming participants at the Conference for the Revival of Chinese Villages in Taijiang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, on June 16. [Photo by Hou Liqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

The country needs to deepen reforms in rural areas to bring fresh impetus to the rural economy, which has seen growth rates slow, experts said after the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences published a report on Friday on China's rural development.

There has been a slowdown in farmers' income growth with the increase of agricultural costs, the decrease of job opportunities for migrant workers and the slowdown in the growth rate of land rights transfers, which hinders economies of scale, according to the report.

Per capita disposable income for rural residents increased by 6.2 percent in 2016. The growth rate was down by three percentage points from 2014. Over the same period, the growth rate of per capita disposable income for urban residents decreased by only 1.2 percentage points, said the report.

It also said wages, farmland operations and property income cover 40.6 percent, 38.4 percent and 2.2 percent of rural residents' per capita disposable income respectively.

In recent years, the rapid growth in agricultural costs has severely affected the competitiveness of China's grain in the international market and the industry's efficiency, said Professor Wei Houkai, lead author of the annual report.

In 2015, the average national cost of a hectare of rice, wheat or corn was 16,350 yuan ($2,410), more than double that in 2007, and the profit from some agricultural products, including corn, soybean and cotton, were negative, he said.

The low returns from agriculture has slowed the growth of land transfers since 2013. According to the report, rights for 31.4 million hectares of farmland were transferred from the owners to other operators in 2016, an increase of 1.8 percent year-on-year, far lower than the 4 percent growth experienced from 2012 to 2014.

The slowing growth of work opportunities for farmers in urban areas due to the sluggish economy and the reduced need for labor after industrial upgrading also affects farmers' wages, he said.

Many previous reforms are short-term ones meant to handle immediate problems and lack forward-looking and overall strategic consideration and system planning, said the report.

Ye Xingqing, head of the Agricultural Economy Department of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said new impetus for rural development depends on government policy.

Scaling up agricultural operations has been made possible by the departure of many farmers to urban areas, however, many of those remaining are either too old or not knowledgeable enough, said Ye, adding that the government needs to draft preferential policies to keep well-educated young farmers in agriculture.
WASHINGTON  The first China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) saw the world's two largest economies resolve a number of issues in their trade relationship while agreeing to work together to solve outstanding problems.

China and the United States discussed a one-year action plan for economic cooperation during the dialogue, which concluded on Wednesday, and agreed to cooperate in areas such as finance, trade, investment and global economic governance.

The two sides also agreed to address the trade imbalance between the two countries, highlighting the willingness to expand trade cooperation in services, in civilian high-tech sectors and in agriculture.

Given the difference in size between China and the United States in the services industry, it remains possible for both sides to exploit their own comparative advantages and complement each other, a Chinese delegate said Thursday in a statement, noting that "expanding bilateral trade in services can also promote balanced trading relations between the two sides."

"Despite a huge deficit in services trade with the United States, China nevertheless believed that trade in services between China and the United States is mutually beneficial," the statement said.

David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former official with the U.S. Treasury Department, believed a high-quality US-China bilateral investment treaty would help US export its services to China and build a foundation for a better bilateral trading relationship.

On the CED, the two countries agreed to create a more open investment environment in their respective territories.

There are growing calls from the US and Chinese business communities to sign the investment treaty as soon as possible, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said Wednesday.

The two countries also pledged to relax export controls and protect intellectual property rights.

"If the United States were to liberalize its export barriers against China to the same level as those applicable to Brazil or France, the US trade deficit with China would narrow by up to 24 percent and 34 percent respectively," Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang quoted an article published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace when delivering a speech at a China-US business luncheon on Tuesday in Washington.

On agriculture, the two countries have reached an agreement on inspection and quarantine protocols for US rice exports to China, said the statement.

According to an announcement by the US Department of Agriculture, US rice exports to China can begin following the completion of an audit of US rice facilities by China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. It will be the first time for the United States to export rice to China, said the department.

China and the United States exchanged views on issues such as the removal of the ban on Chinese and US poultry products on a reciprocal basis and the export of China's dairy products and aquatic products to the United States.

The CED is one of the four major dialogues established by the two countries in April during the Mar-a-Lago meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
A researcher helps a boy play with Charlie Robot at the Gelderse Vallei hospital in Ede, the Netherlands, June 28, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

The drive to develop artificial intelligence technology will lead to China having greater cooperation and communication with global institutions, governments and enterprises to benefit from their experience, a senior government official said on Friday.

Li Meng, vice-minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said China welcomes leading multinational AI companies such as Google and Amazon to set up research and development centers in China and cooperate with Chinese enterprises, especially in nurturing high-end professionals and laboratories.

The State Council unveiled a national AI development guideline on Thursday, calling for developing technology, research and educational resources in AI to achieve major breakthroughs by 2025 and make China an AI innovation center by 2030. It is China's first comprehensive guideline on AI development, Li said.

Nurturing and attracting high-end professionals in developing artificial intelligence will be of high priority, the vice-minister said.

"For now the biggest gap between China and global leaders in AI is our severe lack of AI professionals, and we are ready to work with education departments to nurture young professionals in the field," Li said. He said China's current reserve of AI expertise, especially at the high end, falls short of meeting the pressing demand for AI as the country undergoes rapid social and economic progress.

The value of China's core AI industries is expected to exceed 150 billion yuan ($22.15 billion) by 2020 and 400 billion yuan by 2025, the guideline said.

Li said China is falling behind in areas of basic AI theory, and existing research institutions and companies in China have not formed an AI industrial chain.

The growth of AI will inevitably bring challenges to employment and social ethics, Li said, but such challenges can be addressed through a clear vision and adjustment in the design and implementation of workforce training.

Li said that while technological upgrades to assembly lines have put "large numbers of workers out of work, in the long term, the development of technology has created far larger employment opportunities than expected".

According to Li, prioritization of AI will benefit emerging areas such as the internet of thingsinvolving the networking of devicesand facial recognition. It also will help in upgrading traditional industries such as through smart manufacturing and connected farming.
A landmark demonstration farm modeled faithfully on a Midwestern farmstead situated in the US state of Iowa, is set to start construction in September near Beijing with the aim of helping advance the technology of modern mechanized agriculture in China.

The farmcalled the Sino-US Friendship Model Farmwill cost an estimated $1 billion and will cover 3,300 acres (1,336 hectares) outside the town of Hushiha in northern Hebei province, according to a senior official.

The town in Luanping county, which is administered by the city of Chengde, is about 150 kilometers to the northeast of Beijing. A section of China's Great Wall, Jinshanling, passes through it.

Last year, an agreement on building the model farm near Chengde was signed in Hebei, when Iowa's former Governor Terry Branstad visited the province.

The farm will introduce crop varieties, and use farming equipment and techniques as well as management experience from Iowa, according to Ye Changqing, executive deputy head of the Hebei People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

It will also invite US farmers to run it, Ye said.

In addition, the farm will act as an educational base for agricultural development and become a draw for eco-agricultural tourism.

A delegation led by Chengde officials visited Iowa in April, to learn more about the farmstead and to make preparations for the creation of a similar one in China.

At the moment, the land requisition for the farm is underway.

By the end of the month, basic preparation work should be finished, including overall planning and design of the farm, said Wang Xiaodong, deputy governor of Hebei province.

He was speaking earlier in the month at Luanping, where he hosted a meeting to discuss the process.

A company, Rongsheng Group, is in charge of the planning and design work.

No specific schedule about the farm, however, has so far been disclosed.

The Midwestern state of Iowa, with which Hebei has been a sister province since 1983, is a major producer of corn and soybean in the US.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd announced on Friday it has inked partnership agreements with Chinese content providers and developers, to speed up its localization in the Chinese market amid mounting competition from local rivals.

The company will join hands with content providers such as internet giant Tencent's online video service platform v.qq.com, video-streaming site iQiyi.com, online news aggregator Toutiao and the country's largest online travel agency Ctrip.

The South Korean chaebol announced its move at its first-ever developer conference in China. Wang Tong, president of Samsung's product strategy and R&D in China, said the company will increase investment in R&D related to artificial intelligence, the internet of things and pre-5G mobile telecom technology.

"There are a large number of Chinese developers and we see huge potential here. China is one of the most important markets for us around the world, so we pay much attention to closer cooperation with local content providers and developers," said Chen Liren, vice-president of Samsung's content strategy department in China.

Chen added that Samsung Pay, a mobile payments tool, has partnered with Alibaba's mobile wallet app Alipay and UnionPay's built-in QuickPass. It will include financial services and utility bills in its mobile payment tool in the future.

The strategy is Samsung's response to its sagging fortunes in the China market.

In March, it unveiled its flagship smartphones Galaxy S8 and S8+, aiming to restore consumer confidence and rejuvenate sluggish sales affected by the battery fiasco related to its Galaxy Note7 smartphone last year.

However, the company still faces fierce competition from local smartphone players such as Huawei Technologies Co, which launched its P10 and P10 Plus models with enviable features, Oppo Electronics Corp and Vivo Mobile Communication Technology Co Ltd, all of which have been steadily increasing their market share.

A report from Counterpoint Technology Market Research said Samsung sold only 3.5 million smartphones in China in the first quarter of this year, down 60 percent from 8.7 million units sold in the same period last year.

The market share of Samsung in China has shrunk to 3.3 percent from 8.6 percent last year, slipping to sixth place behind its Chinese competitors and Apple.

Roger Sheng, research director at consultancy Gartner Inc, said, "The shipment of Samsung's smartphones has witnessed a decline in China as the domestic vendors have stepped up efforts to launch a series of high-quality smartphones and expand offline stores."
BEIJING  An expo to facilitate trade between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will take place in September this year, according to trade promotion agencies from the three countries.

The expo, with a focus on regional cooperation in smart manufacturing, the beauty industry and food, will be held in Weifang in East China's Shandong province from September 23 to 25.

According to Guo Yinghui, head of the exhibition and events department of China Chamber of International Commerce, the expo will push the development of a free trade agreement between the three countries and speed up regional integration.

"The world economy is still going through a downturn after the financial crisis. The stable economic and trade development of East Asian countries, including these three, will be crucial for Asia's growth," Guo said.

According to Zhang Daolan, chief representative of the Beijing office of Tokai Japan-China Trade Center, a trade promotion agency, the medium-high speed of economic growth in China has added to the confidence of Japanese companies in China.

As the business environment in China has continued to improve in recent years, the agency has seen increased investments by Japanese enterprises in China, especially in high-end manufacturing fields such as automobiles and machine tools, Zhang said.

This will be the third year that China has co-hosted the expo. Around 1,000 companies, 55 percent of them from overseas, attended the previous expos.
Graduates from normal universities in Hunan province interact with their potential employers at a job fair in Hengyang in March. [Peng Bin/For China Daily]

BEIJING  After graduating from Tsinghua University this summer, Xu Yingqiang left Beijing to work for a chemical trading company in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province.

"In cities like Chengdu, I can still pursue my dreams, but without all the struggling," said the 24-year-old graduate.

This year, the number of China's college graduates is expected to reach 7.95 million, an increase of 300,000 on last year, according to the Ministry of Education.

Other than swarming into megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, more students want to start their careers in second-tier cities, including the provincial capitals and coastal cities, according to a recent survey.

The survey carried out by Zhaopin.com, one of China's leading recruitment websites, showed that 37.5 percent of China's new college graduates in 2017 wanted to work in second-tier cities, while 29.9 percent preferred top-tier cities.

"A few years ago, only a couple of students graduating from universities outside Chongqing came for our job interview, but this year we have a long queue of people with master's and doctoral degrees from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou," said Huang Zuge, an HR official in a Chongqing internet company.

Booming economy

Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that besides Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, eight smaller metropolises stepped into China's 1-trillion-yuan ($148 billion) GDP club in 2016, including Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Suzhou and Hangzhou.

The rapid economic development of second-tier cities was the main factor attracting fresh graduates, said Su Hainan, vice president of the China Association for Labor Studies.

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province and host city of the 2016 G20 summit, hit a record with double-digit GDP growth for seven consecutive quarters in 2015 and 2016.

As the city where China's e-commerce giant Alibaba is located, Hangzhou is famous for its online business development. The export of its cross-border e-commerce reached $5.27 billion from January to November of 2016.

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is home to offices for 278 Fortune Global 500 companies, and also a key city in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

"I think Chengdu will continue to benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, and I see ample opportunities in trades with the advent of the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone," Xu said.

Sichuan's free trade zone was launched this April, and over 7,000 new companies have registered in Chengdu during the past three months.

Favorable policy

Besides economic growth, the implementation of favorable employment policy in these cities is appealing to new college graduates.

Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan province, provides housing and living subsidies from 6,000 to 15,000 yuan per year for graduates with different types of degree.

Those with doctoral degrees who work in Changsha can get 60,000 yuan of subsidies when they purchase their first residence in the city.

Liu Xuezhi, an analyst with the Bank of Communications, said adopting favorable employment policies met the need for innovative development in second-tier cities.

The government of Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has financed 595 entrepreneurial programs, disbursing 16 million yuan of subsidies and reducing 30 million yuan of guarantee fees since 2015, according to the city's Employment Service and Administration Department.

High-quality human resources are becoming a strong drive in the industrial transformation and upgrading of middle-level cities, said Liu Yuanchun, an economist and vice-president of Renmin University of China.
BUENOS AIRES  The Southern Common Market (Mercosur) should have a bigger share in China's food imports, said Diego Guelar, Argentina's ambassador to China, on Friday.

Mercosur, which groups Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, has been the leading farm product exporter to China, representing 24 percent of China's total imports, followed by the United States with 20 percent, said Guelar.

However, Mercosur's share could be bigger by having a common agenda and sitting down with China to negotiate free trade terms, Guelar added.

"It is a market with a robust appetite for foreign products, especially for food," said Guelar, indicating China is home to more than 300 million high-end consumers, presenting exporters with untapped opportunities.

Guelar was in Buenos Aires for a presentation on meat and poultry exports during an agricultural expo.

China is Argentina's leading agricultural trade partner, its second largest trade partner overall, and its third-largest foreign investor.
SHANGHAI  China has become the world's second-largest market for cruise travel, according to industry reports.

Since Italian cruise liner Costa Cruises came to China in 2006, annual growth for the cruise tourism market has exceeded 40 percent. By 2030, China will become the world's largest cruise market, with 8 to 10 million customers each year, according to figures by the Shanghai International Shipping Institute.

In 2016, more than two million people boarded cruises for overseas travel, according to the China Communications and Transportation Association.

Ten Chinese ports, including Shanghai and Guangzhou, registered 996 tours by cruise liners in 2016, up 58 percent.

Global cruise operators see great business opportunity in China, and more overseas cruises will operate in the country, said Wang Ping, deputy manager of the China district of Princess Cruises.

"There has been extremely fast growth in the Chinese market. But on the other hand, its market penetration is still low compared to North America and Australia, so there is great market potential," said Wang.

According to Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel agency, cruise customers are expected to grow by 30 percent year-on-year in July.

Since the beginning of this year, ports have been renovated to accommodate more cruise liners, and companies have also increased the number of ships serving the Chinese market, said Ctrip in a statement.

Cruise travel is becoming popular not only in larger cities like Shanghai, Tianjin and Guangzhou, but also in smaller cities such as Chengdu, Qingdao and Xiamen, according to Ctrip.

"There have been many bookings from third- and fourth-tier cities, and we will see more bookings from mid-western cities like Guiyang in the next three years," said Wang.

It is important to improve service for tour operators to cater to the growing needs of Chinese travellers, she said.

The Chinese tourism market has been developing rapidly as people have more money to spend.

According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy and online travel agency giant Tuniu.com, around 4.7 billion domestic, inbound and outbound tourists spent 5.5 trillion yuan ($816 billion) in 2016.

China's tourist spending is expected to exceed 6 trillion yuan ($890 billion) in 2017, it said.

China plans to raise tourism revenue to 7 trillion yuan by 2020, according to the country's five-year tourism plan (2016-2020).
WASHINGTON  The just-concluded inaugural China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) has charted the right course for economic cooperation between the world's two largest economies as the two sides eye a one-year plan to deepen pragmatic cooperation and resolve outstanding problems.

Chart course for economic cooperation

"The two sides shared the view that the most important outcome of this round of dialogue is that it has charted the course for China-US economic cooperation," the Chinese delegation attending the one-day dialogue said in a statement after the conclusion of the talks Wednesday.

The two sides agreed to take "win-win cooperation" as the basic principle for developing bilateral economic relations, "dialogue and consultation" as the basis means to tackle differences, and "regular communication on major economic policies" as the basic way of dialogue and cooperation, the statement said.

Although the high-level talks, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, ended with no joint statements, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao described the talks as "very candid, very friendly and very constructive" with positive outcomes.

Both sides "spoke highly" of the significant and balanced outcomes achieved under the 100-day economic cooperation plan, an important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April, Zhu said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Major outcomes of the 100-day plan includes US beef returned to the Chinese market after 14 years of suspensions, and policy restrictions on US liquefied natural gas exports to China began to be loosened.

After the US presidential election last year, many fretted that China-US trade relations would "enter a stormy season of winter and even run the risk of a trade war," Wang recalled Tuesday at a luncheon to the Chinese and US business communities.

But the recent fruitful cooperation between the world's largest two economies has proven that China-US economic cooperation is sailing on the right course, he said.

The CED is one of the four major dialogues the two sides established in April. The first round of the dialogue allows the two sides to focus not only on concrete economic and trade issues, but also on long-term and strategic policies that are important to bilateral economic relations.

One-year cooperation plan

China and the United States discussed a one-year plan of economic cooperation in areas such as macro economy, trade, investment, and global economic governance during the dialogue, Zhu introduced.

Both teams would take follow-up actions to identify issues of the one-year plan, and look forward to determining the substance of an early harvest as soon as possible, he said.

"I don't think there's been enough negotiation to have a lot of concrete results," David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former official with the US Treasury Department, told Xinhua, expecting the two sides to develop specific plans within the year.

He also noted that a high-quality US-China bilateral investment treaty would help US export its services to China and build a foundation for a better bilateral trading relationship. "The US primarily exports services. It's hard to export services if you cannot invest," he said.

China has agreed to further open up its service sector and expand bilateral trade in services with the United States, as the country is shifting its economy toward a growth model powered by consumption, services and innovation.

"Despite a huge deficit in services trade with the United States, China nevertheless believed that trade in services between China and the United States is mutually beneficial," said the statement from the Chinese delegation.

Given the differences between China and the United States in the size and structure of their services industry, it remains possible for both sides to exploit their own comparative advantages and complement each other, the statement said, adding that "expanding bilateral trade in services can also promote balanced trading relations between the two sides."

In order to address trade imbalance, a top priority of the Trump administration, China has also urged the United States to remove its outdated regulations on export control and increase the exports of high-tech products to China, said Zhu, stressing that China will push for this demand in the one-year plan.

If the United States were to liberalize its export barriers against China to the same level as those applicable to Brazil or France, the US trade deficit with China would narrow by up to 24 percent and 34 percent respectively, according to a research from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Steel excess capacity

Talks on steel excess capacity between China and the United States are watched closely by the international community as the Trump administration is about to release a report on the national security implications of steel imports in the coming weeks.

China shared the same view with the United States that steel overcapacity is a global issue, which requires a global collective response, Zhu said, adding China also emphasizes that the excess steel capacity has been a result of sluggish global economic recovery.

Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation told the US side that China has actively taken measures to cut steel overcapacity, Zhu said, citing China's plans to reduce steel capacity by 100 million to 150 million metric tons from 2016 to 2020.

In defense of the US steel industry, the Trump administration in April invoked a decades-old, rarely used trade tool, known as a Section 232 investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, to look into all foreign steel imports.

If the investigation concludes that steel imports would undermine US national security, the trade law would allow the US government to impose tariffs, quotas, or other measures to restrict the imports.

"I think an honest assessment of the national security issue would conclude that there is no national security issue because we mostly produce steel ourselves or we get it from Canada and Mexico, which are close allies of the United States," said Dollar.

In his view, it won't have much effect on China if the Trump administration imposes new tariffs on imported steel, as the United States only imports "a tiny percentage of" steel from China.

As the world's two largest economies and co-chairs of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity, China and the United States have maintained policy dialogue and communication regarding the steel glut, according to Zhu.

At the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany earlier this month, G20 leaders called on the forum to fulfill their commitments on enhancing information sharing and cooperation by August, and to rapidly develop concrete policy solutions that reduce steel excess capacity, he added.
A Chinese-American scientist and his team discovered a particle that can be both matter and antimatter, which can potentially lead to more advanced quantum computers.

The particle, called Majorana fermion, is named after Italian theoretical physicist Ettore Majorana, who first predicted its existence in 1937. Typically, when a particle  the basic building block of matter  and an antiparticle  its identical twin but with an opposite charge  collide, they will annihilate each other, releasing a burst of energy.

The Majorana fermion, however, is a strange exception that can simultaneously exist both as a particle and as its own antiparticle. This hypothesis has fascinated and puzzled scientists ever since.

The latest discovery "concludes one of the most intensive searches in fundamental physics, which spanned exactly 80 years," said Zhang Shoucheng, a Stanford University physicist and a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who proposed the experiment plan.

The research team, led by Associate Professor Jing Xia of the University of California, Irvine, and UCLA Professor Kang Wang, dubbed the fermion the "angel particle" in reference to Dan Brown's 2000 thriller novel Angels & Demons, which involves a bomb made from a combination of particle and antiparticle.

"Our team predicted exactly where to find the Majorana fermion and what to look for as its 'smoking gun' experimental signature," Zhang said in a news release from Stanford University. The team published its findings on Thursday in Science magazine.

In the future, Majorana fermions could be used to build quantum computers that are more resilient to environmental disturbance, which has been a major obstacle in their development.

Unlike conventional computers that store data in 1 or 0 binary bits, quantum computers use qubits  subatomic particles that can be both 1 and 0 at the same time.

Since each Majorana fermion can behave like half of a subatomic particle, a single qubit could theoretically be stored in two widely separated fermions, decreasing the chance of both fermions being disturbed and losing their data, Zhang said.

This could lead to new and more stable quantum computers, he said. However, research on the famous fermion is largely theoretical, and practical applications are still decades away.

Frank Wilczek, a theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in an evaluation of the experiment: "It's not fundamentally surprising, because physicists have thought for a long time that Majorana fermions could arise out of the types of materials used in this experiment.

"But they put together several elements that had never been put together before, and engineering things so this new kind of quantum particle can be observed in a clean, robust way is a real milestone."

Stanford physicist Thomas Devereaux called Zhang's research a "landmark" in the field of condensed matter physics.
XIAMEN - More than 200 swimmers crossed the one-kilometer LuJiang Bay in Xiamen on Saturday to celebrate Gulangyu island entering UNESCO world heritage list.

They started from the beach of Gulangyu island and finished at the dock of Xiamen.

Chen Tianci, a Gulangyu island resident, told Xinhua that ocean swimming was important memories for many Gulangyu residents, as many islanders chose to swim across the sea in the past instead of taking ferries for saving money.

"My family have resided on the island for four generations. Many islanders are very familiar with cross-bay swimming," the 50-year-old Chen said. "We know the tide and it is very easy to swim to the opposite bank."

Gulangyu, famous for its historic settlements, representing a variety of local and international architectural styles, and natural sceneries, was announced as UNESCO World Heritage on July 8 at the 41th session of the World Heritage Committee.

Cross-Lujiang swimming was initiated in 1931 and only 54 swimmers attended the first edition. Xiamen last held the event in 1995.
Via Roma, the Italian restaurant at Kempinski Hotel Beijng Lufthansa Center, is offering a new menu featuring simple but authentic flavors from northern Italy.

Starting this month, the restaurant has launched a new a la carte menu and business lunch menu developed by new Italian head chef Andrea Rumere.

Originally from Piedmont, Rumere has "a rich international background and knowledge of fine Italian cuisine", according to the hotel.

His cooking philosophy is "simplicity is the best".

"I want Beijingers to know that good food can be simple," the chef said.

That is indeed reflected in a starter of homemade buffalo ricotta cheese, tomato aspic and basil sauce, at a recent tasting. It is a secret cheese recipe by Rumere, presenting a pure, clean taste with quality ingredients.

That is followed by a flavorful chicken-filled ravioli with micro green and demi-glace. The chicken is roasted and tastes smooth, paired with chewy pasta and aromatic thyme jus.

Another signature dish on the menu is steamed codfish with leek, lemon sauce and asparagus. The cod goes through a heavily marinated steam vacuum process and presents a very tender taste.

The cod is paired with rosemary and thyme, besides lemon juice, sea salt and olive oil. Most dishes on the menu are paired carefully with herbs, jus, or green vegetables.

With his dishes looking natural and tasting pure, the new chef's interpretation of northern Italian cuisine is beautiful and healthy.

But like many other European or Mediterranean cuisines, it is best appreciated by someone who knows the original taste of the ingredients.

The foods might not taste as savory as Chinese people are used to, as the foods do not use their familiar ingredients, and they are considerably less salty.

Also, Chinese cuisines tend to be more complicated, with flavors from seasoning and a mixture of ingredients well blended, often by powerful wok-frying.

Yet Rumere's new menu does include some dishes even the Chinese will find flavorful. Those include foir gras brulee with Parmesan cheese foam, risotto with bolete, and stewed shortrib in Barolo wine sauce.

It would be better for Chinese customers who are not so familiar with Italian cuisine to have some knowledge of pairing to better enjoy the dishes. For example, cod fish with leek tastes much better if one squeezes the lemon juice on it. And diners can add more flavor to the ricotta cheese if they apply the pairing pesto sauce.

Nevertheless, the new chef's debut in the capital's dining scene has proved his creativity and ability to adopt local ingredients (such as the leek). It can be trusted that he'll be familiar with local taste preferences in time. A meal in Via Roma with the new chef should still be eagerly anticipated.

(China Daily 07/22/2017 page10)
The government of the Republic of Korea has offered to talk with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to ease animosities along the military demarcation line and resume the reunions of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53). If the talks were to happen they would be the first between the two sides since December 2015.

That there hasn't been a war on the Korean Peninsula since the signing of the Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, can perhaps be considered an accomplishment in itself.

However, the rising turbulence in the region over the decades, particularly recently, as a result of the progress the DPRK has made in its nuclear/missile program, has once again highlighted that efforts to negotiate a permanent settlementwhich date back to the Geneva Conference in 1954have all ended in failure.

The fundamental problem has been the division of the peninsula, which was intended as a temporary military expedient at the end of hostilities, and the subsequent desire of both sides of the divide to achieve reunification at the expense of the other.

Neither Pyongyang nor Seoul has been able to pursue its own course in attempting to achieve that goal, because China, Japan, Russia and the United States all have a stake in the developments on the peninsula, as it is an area where their strategic and geopolitical interests converge.

And since the US security commitment to the ROK represents a trip wire that would trigger the involvement of all these outside powers in any military conflict between the two Koreas, the fear of sparking a full-scale war involving these big hitters has acted as a brake on the ambitions of Pyongyang and Seoul to pursue reunification by force. Of course, neither is willing to voluntarily give up its status for the other.

Thus a delicate balance has been maintained, based on the respective support of the outside powers. However, the delicacy of the balance has exacerbated the two Koreas' sense of insecurity, which has led to the DPRK accelerating its nuclear weapons program and the ROK strengthening its military ties with the US; two trends that have become self-perpetuating, and which have accelerated as a result of the US' strategic and military rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific.

For all the Donald Trump administration's talk of an end to strategic patience, consecutive US administrations have looked at a wide range of military options over the decades, including nuclear strikes, and each time concluded that there is none that can achieve the US' desired objectives without provoking retaliation and escalation, and this remains the case today.

The DPRK and the US are the parties directly concerned in the nuclear issue on the peninsula, and they hold the key to resolving it. Beijing has encouraged Washington to make efforts to engage directly with Pyongyang. However, the US' strategic competition with China and Russia means it has been using the DPRK nuclear issue as a means to bolster its alliances with the ROK and Japan, and deploy more military assets in the region.

Thus, despite the US' repeated declarations that China shoulders the responsibility for peace on the peninsula, the onus for that falls on the shoulders of the US. That the US is unwilling to give up its leveraging of the DPRK nuclear issue in its strategic calculations is evident from its reluctance to engage with China's "double freeze" proposalthe simultaneous halting of the DPRK's nuclear missile tests and US-ROK military drillsand the parallel advancement of denuclearization and the replacement of the armistice with a long-overdue peace agreement.

These proposals address the most pressing concerns of the different parties and, along with necessary non-aggression pacts and security guarantees for both Koreas, would create the conditions for an agreement to be reached on cross-recognition on the peninsula.

The ROK's offer of talks, if accepted, would open a window of opportunity to improve relations between Seoul and Pyongyang, and restart the process of seeking reconciliation and cooperation through dialogue.

The international community should make clear its firm opposition to the DPRK's violations of the UN Security Council resolutions, while the US and Japan, instead of saying the necessary conditions have not been met and the time isn't right for talks, should give their support to Seoul's initiative.

The author is a writer with China Daily. hannayrichards@chinadaily.com.cn
Trade ministers of the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries attend a press conference after negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement in Atlanta, the United States, on Oct 5, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Negotiators from the 11 remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement held a meeting in Japan's hot-spring resort town of Hakone last week where they decided to push ahead with the agreement without any significant changes.

The two-day meeting shows some countries, especially Japan, are desperate to revive the TPP after US President Donald Trump pulled out of it in January. But, sooner or later, Japan will realize it has set out on mission impossible because without major revisions, the pact may remain good only on paper.

In its present state, the TPP agreement can come into force only after being ratified by at least six countries which together account for at least 85 percent of the bloc's GDP. Given that among the original members, the US alone accounts for more than 60 percent of the GDP, enforcing the TPP agreement without modifications is impossible.

But last week's meeting and the one among chief negotiators in Toronto, Canada, in May both stopped short of proposing major changes. Perhaps Japan believes that by effecting only minor changes it can still lure the US back into the TPP.

But since Trump still prefers bilateral trade deals and sticks to his "America First" credo, there is no reason to believe the US will make another U-turn.

Unlike Trump, however, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has developed a penchant for multilateral trade arrangements. On July 6, Japan and the European Union announced they had reached consensus on a Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. Abe called it "a model for 21st century economic order".

Considering that Japan has vowed to increase its exports under free trade deals to account for 70 percent of its overall export volume in 2018, Abe is also looking to the TPP and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, along with the outline free trade deal with the EU, to fulfill his economic goal.

However, compared with economic factors, political concerns play a larger role in Japan's endeavor to revive the TPP. In fact, political calculations in the TPP have far outweighed its economic objectives, as major economies such as China and India were deliberately kept out of it to enable the US to regain its waning global influence. And ever since China overtook Japan to become the world's second-largest economy in 2011, Tokyo's ambition to play a bigger role on regional and global platforms has grown by the day.

Given these facts, it is no surprise that Japan is desperate to use the TPP to widen its influence in the region, because once the TPP agreement comes into effect, Japan would be one step closer to achieving its goal of writing the global economic rules. Besides, considering the icy Beijing-Tokyo relations in recent years, Japan could also use the TPP card to contain China's economic influence in the region.

This also explains why Japan has been insisting the TPP agreement be used as a model for the RCEP, in total disregard of the huge differences in the economic levels of participating countries and the fact that the RCEP is a broader free trade arrangement covering more economies in the Asia-Pacific than the TPP.

Needless to say, Japan's stance has markedly slowed down the RCEP process. China has always supported inclusive and open multilateral economic arrangements, because the exclusiveness and overlapping nature of some existing multilateral trade mechanisms are to blame for imbalanced globalization.

As an advocate of balanced globalization, China has actively pushed for negotiations on the RCEP, which involves 16 countries including Japan. And as the world's third-largest economy, Japan needs to make the right choice and follow the trend of the times.

By refusing to change its confrontational mindset, Japan will lose (as well as make other countries lose) the opportunities presented by more inclusive regional economic arrangements such as the RCEP. It's time Japan woke up from its TPP dream.

The author is a senior writer with China Daily. wanghui@chinadaily.com.cn
Villagers in Bishan visit a show displaying products made by local artisans and designers at an exhibition center that used to be a barn. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As dusk falls on Bishan village in Anhui province a bar is crammed with villagers downing bloody marys and margaritas after a hard day's toil on the farm. The bar's name, Dog's Bistro, and the interior decorating are straight out of England, yet of the many locals enjoying the evening here, some have never crossed the borders of Anhui province.

Outside the bar, the rest of the village, made up of several hundred white houses with black-tiled upturned eaves, Hui-style architecture common in the area, falls into slumber.

Li Guoyu, owner of the bistro, says the cocktails ritual is the way villagers indulge their fantasies about living like city slickers, and one of the kicks this gives them is knowing that no other villages in these parts can claim to have a bar.

Yet at one stage it seemed that the days of Bishan village, like many similar villages in China, were numbered, many of their inhabitants moving away into cities and leaving an increasingly elderly population to tend to traditional houses, many of them hundreds of years old that had fallen into disrepair.

Migratory flow

Then, about 10 years ago, the nature of that migratory flow, until then a one-way torrent, began to change as urban dwellers, not quite happy with their lot in the urban jungle, began to see the beauty and attractions of the likes of Bishan village.

Thus people like Li began to move to the village, at the foothill of Bishan Mountain, and their desire to be closer to nature turned into something else: a mission to revive the village.

Li came from Shanghai in 2007 and renovated a house about 400 years old, transforming it into a family hotel, and it eventually attracted travelers from home and abroad.

In that regard she was a pioneer, and three years ago she and her husband bought a run-down oil factory and transformed it into another hotel furnished with local-style items, and it is now rated a must-see spot in the travel guide Lonely Planet.

Later, Ou Ling, an artist, moved to the village as a member of the Bishan Project, a plan to revive the traditions and artisanship of Bishan. A bookshop specializing in arts opened at an ancestral hall in the village center and an exhibition center was set up in a barn.

Dog's Bistro [Photo provided to China Daily]

Bamboo products

A show displaying products made by designers and artisans in Bishan opened in the exhibition center early this year and attracted hundreds of curious locals. Yao Jiaju, a craftsman who makes articles using bamboo strips, has his products on display in the exhibition.

"I never realized products made of bamboo strips could really be treated as works of art," Yao, 65, says. Like the village as a whole, he had to adapt over the years as the urban exodus took hold. He lost the three apprentices he used to employ, and he was forced to do something else to make a living.

"With bamboo it was next to impossible to support my family," he says.

However, a year ago several designers suggested he could work with them in producing goods made of bamboo. Years ago many in the village made their living that way thanks to the abundance of bamboo in the area, but Yao was convinced that any potential buyers of such goods in cities had written off the craft as not worth the candle.

Now Yao's products include a Chinese chessboard, covers and caps for cups and bottles, all made with bamboo strips.

"They're different to what I used to do. These designs are more delicate and refined."

If these items sell well his children who live in a town may even be able to return to the village and learn the craft from him, he says.

Zhou Yi, who stayed at Bishan for several months and helped organize the exhibition, says most villagers seemed a little dubious when they were told items made by ironsmiths, carpenters and lacquer workers in their village would be on displayed in the show.

In fact, at first locals regarded the show in the exhibition center as alien as a bar that sells margaritas and a bookshop in the village whose wares include a biography of the American pop art exponent Andy Warhol.

Explaining the raison d'etre for the exhibition, Zhou says: "Travelers are intrigued by the local culture and landscape. At the same time, villagers can make a living out of crafts and tourist-related business."

It is also a public space for locals to read books, listen to lectures and visit shows, she says.

With a plethora of cultural activities, Bishan has attracted attention from media and tourists from around the world to visit the village.

Bamboo chess made by Yao Jiaju and designers. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Industry awards

Many locals have got into the hospitality industry, and for many of them Li's hotels and how they are decorated and run serve as a reference point. However, in many cases those looking for clues to how they can succeed do not get Li's drift.

"They come and look at the way the hotels have been done up, and they don't like it," he says. "They think they are ugly and they don't understand why travelers would like them."

Thankfully for Li, that skepticism is not universal, and her hotels, decorated old furniture bought locally and made to give a traditional Hui-style feel, have won a bundle of industry awards.

"Villagers think streets in big cities like Beijing are beautiful, and that houses with big rooms and fancy furniture have got a lot of charm," she says.

Li, who has lived in Bishan for 12 years now, has seen the village change over the years as more people have moved in, and she seems to be skeptical about whether that has been to the village's benefit, although for the moment she is withholding a definitive verdict.

Earlier this year, Ou Ning, an artist who started the rural development project in Bishan, sold his house and moved out.
Like Westerners, an increasing number of Chinese are adopting the new lifestyle of caravanning to enjoy their leisure. Ge Minwei is one of them. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Konstantin Abert, along with a group of 40 Europeans, were excited to arrive at Beijing after a two-month drive in their recreational vehicles from Dusseldorf. They were just in time to visit All in Caravaning 2017, China's largest exhibition of RVs and motor homes, which was recently held in Beijing.

More than 650 exhibitors from home and abroad showed products there, ranging from RVs to accessory parts.

"China is a safe country for caravanning, but the procedures are complicated for foreigners. I like China's beautiful landscapes such as deserts and mountains and its delicious food," says the 50-year-old from Germany, who has traveled to China regularly in his RV since 2006.

The groupcomprising Germans, Swiss and French aged between 50 and 65traveled to nine countries along the Silk Road.

"The Chinese are very friendly and helped us when we were in need," he says.

Meanwhile, just like Westerners, an increasing number of Chinese are adopting this new lifestyle to enjoy their leisure.
The first Chinese Sichuan Food Festival held in Celakovice, a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic last Friday, introduced locals to Oriental cuisine and facilitated people-to-people and cultural exchanges between both countries.

The food festival, jointly held by China's Chengdu Restaurant and the government of Celakovice, invited Sichuan chef Xie Junxian to the scene to introduce the cooking concepts of Chinese food.

"Healthy is the nature of Chinese food, and pursuing excellent color, smell and flavor is the soul of Chinese cuisine," he said.

Xie also performed cutting food blindfolded, food carving and other cooking skills, which were eye-openers for the local audience.

Sichuan food features bold flavors, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from the liberal use of garlic and chili peppers, while Czech food is known for its thickness, white color and diverse flavors, yet is seldom spicy.

"Every nation has its own food culture, but we have pursuing good flavor in common. Delicious cuisine binds us together. Only the most outstanding chefs can create the best flavor, and Mr Xie is one of them. I feel so honored to have Mr Xie here to provide us with Chinese delicacies," Mayor of Celakovice Petr Patek said at the opening ceremony of the food festival.

The visitors took an active part in various activities organized by the food festival, such as making dumplings, a kind of food enjoyed by people in both the Asian country and the Central European country that are thousands of miles apart.

"This is the first time for Chinese restaurants and the local government to jointly hold a Chinese food festival in the Czech Republic. The next food festival will also include Czech food and even cooking contests between Chinese and Czech chefs, to make the festival more fun and abundant, thus building a platform for China-Czech cultural exchanges," said Wang Yong, the CEO of Chengdu Restaurant, co-host of the food festival.

Bridges of communication

Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Liu Yunshan arrived in Romania on July 12 for a weeklong official goodwill visit both to Romania and the Czech Republic.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, invited by Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of the Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, also speaker of the Czech lower house of parliament, stayed in the Czech Republic until July 19.

China and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries need to promote institutionalized people-to-people exchanges and help people of both sides to gain a better understanding of one another, Liu said at the China-CEE countries' political parties dialogue held in Romania last Friday.

"The CPC is willing to work together with political parties of the CEE countries to build bridges of communication to facilitate cooperation between the localities and businesses of China and the CEE countries," he said.
WASHINGTON - White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned Friday, shortly after US President Donald Trump appointed New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

Spicer stepped down after telling President Trump he strongly disagreed with the appointment of Scaramucci, US media outlets reported.

The New York Times said Trump had asked Spicer to stay on but Spicer believed that hiring Scaramucci was a major mistake.

Should Spicer have stayed on, he would have worked under Scaramucci.

"It's been an honor & a privilege to serve @POTUS @realDonaldTrump & this amazing country," Spicer tweeted after the multiple US news outlets broke the news of his abrupt resignation.

"I will continue my service through August," Spicer said.

Spicer has been a controversial figure in the White House since he started his early press briefings with a confrontational manner toward journalists.

Spicer was also known for giving the cold shoulder to the traditional mainstream media and calling on previously lesser known outlets more often.

The rocky start with the press have led to mockery and criticism from the media and spurred rumors of his possible departure just weeks entering the new administration.

Spicer, 45, has served as the communications director of the Republican National Committee. He was brought into the White House by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus after Trump was elected president.

Scaramucci, 53, is a US political figure and financier who have taken jobs in various banks and other financial institutions.

He was previously involved in a story released by CNN, which linked him to a Russian investment fund. CNN later retracted the story citing unmet editorial standards.

Scaramucci is set to fill in the position vacated by the previous communications director Mike Dubke in early June.
By May Zhou in Houston and Paul Welitzkin in New York | China Daily | Updated: 2017-07-22 07:30

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is leading a trade mission to China that will feature officials from groups representing the state's major agricultural producers.

"We believe as a united Iowa agricultural delegation, we can find opportunities that are beneficial to both China and Iowa," Reynolds said.

"We will have representatives from our corn, soybean, beef, egg, poultry, dairy and turkey sectors seeking an opportunity to expand their footprint in China as the country's middle class grows," Reynolds said of the 10-day trip, which began on Wednesday.

Reynolds, who succeeded Terry Branstad as governor when he became the US ambassador to China on May 22, noted that agricultural "is the backbone of Iowa's economy and contributes about $112 billion to our economy annually".

Last year, nearly $6 billion worth of US pork was exported to China, including more than $1 billion from Iowa.

Meetings are planned for the delegation with Chinese government officials, industry partners and Branstad in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

"Relationships are especially important in China, and we are fortunate that Governor Branstad welcomed a then local agricultural official from China over 30 years ago into Iowa named Xi Jinping, who is now the nation's president," said Reynolds.

Xi first visited Iowa in 1985.

Even though Iowa is best known for its agricultural products and services, Reynolds said that advanced manufacturing is "actually the largest sector of our GDP. Agriculture of course drives a lot of that."

When Branstad was receiving a Chinese trade delegation as Iowa governor in March, he remarked that he would like to be able to enjoy a bite of US beef at the US embassy in Beijing. His wish came true on June 30 in Beijing when Branstad had prime rib from Nebraska to celebrate the return of US beef to China after 13 years.

US beef had been banned from China since 2003 due to a mad cow disease scare.

Iowa's ties with China had already shown signs of increasing.

According to Allen Williams, the business development manager at the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the state has had more inquiries from China in recent months than in the previous two or three years.

Reynolds said last month when announcing the trip that "there is no better time than now to market and pitch our products in China. Our relationship with the country is strong, and their growing middle class means increasing purchasing power, and Iowa stands to gain significantly as a result."
Jack Ma (4th from left), founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, is photographed with Mukhisa Kituyi (right), secretary general of UNCTAD, and some of the attendees of the Youth Connekt Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, on July 21. Liu Hongjie/China Daily.

Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, challenged young African entrepreneurs, congregated at the youth Connect Africa summit on July 21, to think big and about the future. The event was held in Kigali, Rwanda.

"Instead of sitting down and whining about the many problems your country is facing, you should think out of the box about what you can do to provide a solution," he said.

Ma challenged young people to start businesses with a long-term vision if they dream of building companies which will grow to become multi-billionaire enterprises.

He said one of his driving forces to establish an e-commerce company was from his desire to solve the e-commerce poor infrastructure China was grappling with. While nobody believed in his idea at its nascent age, including his close family members, Ma did not give up.

Today, the $42 billion dollar worth man now enjoys the fruits of his patience, passion and hard work, and is an inspiration to many upcoming techpreneurs.

"When the infrastructure is poor, its an indication of many unexploited opportunities, but when everything is in order, you have no chance," Ma said.

"While I spent 18 years to building Alibaba, you can spend five years building the African version of Alibaba."

He added the simplest key to have in succeeding at entrepreneurship was a willingness to learn through failures and mistakes.

"No matter how knowledgeable you are you will never have enough," Ma said.

"The most important knowledge is knowing how to face failures.

"Ten years ago, I was not like this. I have learned that 100 mistakes equals to one success.

"Through my experience I would like to encourage the young people to spend more time studying the failure stories instead of successful ones. If you learn why people failed and how they solved a problem, that is the most important lesson.

"If Jack Ma and his team have been successful, 80 percent of young people can be successful too."

Ma added opportunities always lie where people are complaining.

"If you can solve the problem, you can be successful. Dont work towards being number one because you will be disappointed; look at being the first one," he said.

"Be the first one to take the challenge; by changing yourself and solving a problem for others, you will have a chance."

At the event, Ma told entrepreneurs to spend more time with customers and employees, and less time with shareholders.

"Let the customer be number one, the employee number two and the shareholders number three," he said.

"Spend more time on your customers  listen to them and make them happy, and they will pay you. The second one is the employee because they are innovators, and if the employee and customer are happy, you will be happy too."

Isaro L ise Katangulia, founder, CEO and senior architect at Creative Work Limited, a Rwanda based company, said Mas insights opened her eyes and mind a great deal.

The 23-years-old said she particularly learned success was not something which happens overnight, and added she should focus on long-term investments.

"I was encouraged by Mas advice to go out and face any challenge courageously," Katangulia said.

"After listening to Ma, I got a different perspective of how I thought about success, that it means not giving up and trusting in oneself."

Isaac Habimana, another event attendee, said he was equally as motivated by listening to Ma.

"I was so much motivated by Ma, and Im ready to start and grow a future business empire," he said.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn
Jack Ma gives entrepreneurial insights during the Youth Connekt Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, on July 21. [Photo by Liu Hongjie/chinadaily.com.cn]

Jack Ma, founder and executive director of the Alibaba Group, announced the launch of three company-based projects aimed at empowering African youth on July 21.

Ma, who also doubles as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) special advisor on youth entrepreneurship and small business, made the announcement during the Youth Konnect Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda.

Expressing his strong believe about how Africa is the hope and solution for global sustainable economy, Ma said his company was committed to empowering young entrepreneurs to drive the change.

He said the Alibaba Group will sponsor 200 young African entrepreneurs to study e-commerce at its headquarters in the East China's Zhejiang province, Hangzhou city.

"Entrepreneurs will use acquired knowledge and skills to develop their businesses as well as share knowledge with other young entrepreneurs," Ma said.

He added the entrepreneurs would also get the precious opportunity to interact closely with Alibaba's staff, as well as get first-hand experience on how the company operates. Ma said this would play a critical role in demystifying some of their major challenges they have been encountering in an effort to build online businesses.

"From their visit and trainings, if the young entrepreneurs understand what they want to do as far as growing their businesses is concerned, then we will come in to support them," Ma said.

He added the company would also work with several African universities in collaboration with governments to develop training programs on e-commerce, the internet, big data and cloud computing.

"The objective is to train as many young people as possible across Africa," Ma said.

"We are currently negotiating with several universities."

In addition, Ma added he would personally contribute $10 million to establish a development fund aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs to execute their ideas.

"I decided to contribute the money from my own pocket as way to demonstrate the confidence I have in Africa," he said.

"The money is already in place. We are now working at getting the team."

Ma confirmed the other project will involve the launch of conservation awards for rangers in an effort to promote wildlife conservation in Africa.

Throughout the program, 50 African game rangers will receive cash awards annually for the next 10 years in a bid to motivate them to do their best in protecting environment.

The project will be spearheaded by a China-based nonprofit organization, Paradise International Foundation, an environmental group Ma and Zeng Fanzhi, a contemporary Chinese artist, co-founded in April 2015.

"We are committed to investing in Africa's human capital without looking at how Alibaba is going to benefit," Ma said.

"Our aim is to empower young people and give them hope in running successful businesses online businesses despite their current situations."

He also added any company not connected to the internet was doing worse than 100 years ago.

"I urge all companies in Africa, including the small and medium enterprises, to be connected to the internet," he said.

"It's the only way they are going to grow and even survive.

"Kenya and Rwanda, the two countries that I have visited so far, have high speed internet. Young people should take advantage of the internet to create online businesses."
It is difficult to back out of or even change a China employment contract once it has been signed, especially its most important terms like wages and position. China employers that try to change employment contracts often find themselves in arbitration or in court.

A case in Zhejiang province illustrates the difficulties employers face when they try to change an employee contract. In this case, the employer and an employee entered into a fixed-term employment contract that was to run from April 2012 until April 2015. The contract stated the employees position as assistant to the general manager, with pre-tax monthly wages set at 11,000 RMB. The contract also provided that if the employee met certain evaluation criteria at the end of the calendar year, he would get an additional 30% in monthly wages, which would make his annual wage 190,000 RMB. In July 2013, the employer unilaterally demoted the employee to HR administrative staff and reduced his monthly wage to about 3800 RMB. The employee handed over his unfinished tasks to his colleague immediately after he learned of this decision and filed for labor arbitration the very next day. The following month, the employer issued a written decision terminating this employees contract on the basis that he had failed to show up at work for six consecutive days.

The employers policy stated that employees would receive periodic evaluations (with A being the highest score, and E the lowest) and if an employee received 2 Ds or 3 Cs or 1 E during a 6-month period, the employer would consider the employee incompetent at his/her current position, and would then have the right to demote or adjust the employees position and reduce or adjust the employees pay.

The employer argued that the demotion of this employee was because of poor evaluation results: the employee had received three Ds three months in a row, from April 2013 to June 2013. However, the court said that because the evaluations conducted concerned the employees fundamental rights, including labor remuneration and work position, the employer must come forward with definitive and strong evidence to justify the demotion and salary reduction. The court ruled that it was inappropriate for the employer to make such significant changes based solely on three poor evaluation sheets and the evidence supporting the employers unilateral decision was not sufficient.

The employer also argued that even though it unilaterally amended the employment contract, it did not give the employee the right to unilaterally terminate the contract without prior notice and if the employee had wanted to terminate the contract, he should have given 30 days written notice, his failure to provide such notice constituted absenteeism justifying his terminating for failing to show up at work for several consecutive days. The court did not side with the employer on these arguments either, finding that because the employer had received notice of the employees labor arbitration claim it had no basis for issuing a termination notice based on the employees not showing up at work.

The court held that an employer may in some circumstances amend an employment contract, but amendment of significant issues such as an employees salary or work position should be done through mutual consultation. The court also stated that under ordinary circumstances an employee must give 30 days written notice for unilateral termination, that was not the case here since the employer unilaterally amended essential employment terms without first consulting with the employee, where the employer had failed to provide the labor conditions or protections required by Article 38 of the PRC Labor Contract Law. According to the court, the employee had every right to unilaterally terminate his employment contract without notice. As expected, the court also held that the employers inappropriate conduct was the basis for the employees departure and the employer must pay severance to the employee.

The employee also brought a claim for 30% of his wages from January through July; which according to his contract, he would be entitled to receive only if he passed the year-end evaluation. The court ruled that because the employee had to leave his employment because of employer abuse, he could not receive his year-end evaluation and for that reason, the employer must pay the full amount of the employees wages, including the 30% bonus. Long story short, the employer lost big time.

Even though unilateral salary reduction is possible in China, there are many hoops to jump through to accomplish this and the evidentiary burden for an employer to succeed with this is quite high. This case is yet another instance showing how Chinese courts are very protective of employees basic rights.

Bottom line: You as employer need to think long and hard before you take any unilateral action involving your employees in China. Unilateral amendment of an employment contract is just as difficult and risky as unilateral termination of an employee and it rarely is the most effective solution to employee problems. As Confucius said, more haste, less speed (). Or as our employment lawyers are always telling our clients, please, please, please come to us before you make your employment decisions, not after!
A 46-year-old man from rural Chippewa Falls was killed in a two-vehicle crash at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at County G and 170th Avenue in the town of Colburn, Chippewa County Sheriff James Kowalczyk said.

The deceased was identified Sunday as Jeremy L. Goodwin of 12123 CTH X, Chippewa Falls. His passengers, two juvenile siblings, were also injured. The girl is age 9 and the boy is age 15.

The driver of the other vehicle, Miranda Jo Miller, 18, of Curtis, was also injured. The juveniles, as well as the adult female, were air-lifted to area hospitals.

Kowalczyk said Goodwin, driving a 2002 F-350 Ford pickup, was southbound on County G. As he passed through the intersection of 170th Avenue, he was hit by a westbound vehicle, a 2000 Ford Taurus driven by Miller, on 170th Avenue. Miller either failed to yield at the posted stop sign at the intersection or did not stop for the stop sign, the sheriff said.

Both Miller and Goodwin were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Both juvenile females were belted in at the time of the crash. Alcohol does not appear be a factor in the accident at this time.

The crash investigation is being done by the sheriffs office and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
home World Hungary donates $1.7 million for restoration of churches in Lebanon

The Hungarian government is donating $1.7 million to help with the restoration of Christian churches in Lebanon, government records revealed.

The donation, which will help fund the restoration of 31 churches, is part of the Hungarian government's efforts to support Lebanon's Christian community so that they could continue living in their own country, and help preserve the Christian identity and presence in the Middle East.

Apart from funding the project, Hungary will also be involved in coordinating the restoration of the churches. According to Hungarian Free Press, the project will be overseen by the Embassy of Hungary in Beirut, as well as Hungarian academics from PAzmAny PAter Catholic University and Lebanese specialists from the UniversitA Saint-Esprit de Kaslikot.

The government is also funding the restoration of Christian minority places of worship in Hungary. A total of 100 million forints (about US$381,000) has been allocated for the restoration of an Orthodox church in Budapest and 2.4 billion forints (about US$9 million) has been pledged to support properties in Hungary that are associated with the Moscow Patriarchate.

The conservative publication Magyar Nemzet has suggested that the government's support for the Russian Orthodox Church stems from the political alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who closely follows the fate of Orthodox communities outside Russia.

Hungary has shown its eagerness to support Christians in the Middle East, and it was the first country in the world to create a government office that aims to support persecuted Christians in the region.

In January, the Hungarian government announced that it wants the country to become a "hub and supporter" of groups that assist Christians who are being persecuted for their faith.

The announcement was made during an international conference in Budapest where leading advocacy groups gathered to discuss the persecution of Christians across the globe.

Bence RAtvAri, the state secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources, told the delegates attending the event that "more Christians are being persecuted today throughout the world than during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero."

He said that religious leaders in the Middle East have asked to help persecuted Christians in the region by providing humanitarian aid "rather than taking them in."

"When I travelled through Iraq I also met with numerous church leaders. Everybody asks that we don't help the Iraqis and the persecuted get into Europe. Instead we should help locals start up their lives again," he stated.

During the conference, RAtvAri also announced that Hungary will launch a traveling exhibition throughout Europe about the persecution of Christians.
Every year Drake and his record label travels to the Bayou City to host Houston Appreciation Weekend (HAW), which is three days loaded with events and parties celebrating the rapper's favorite home away from home.

The Canadian native traveled to H-town with Lil Wayne and the rest of his entourage to get the party started with a charity BBQ on Thursday July 20 at Jet Lounge.
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Bobbing alongside rowdy crowds of floaters on the Guadalupe River was one special, lonely tube, set off into the water by a grieving mom in honor of her teen son.

Tracey Corum recounted a spontaneous mother-son tubing trip she and her oldest son, Justin Hernandez, took last year on the Guadalupe during a phone conversation with mySA.com. That memory of spending the days bonding with her 17-year-old sticks with the mother, who lost her son a year later on May 17, 2017.

"That trip was very special to the both of us," she said, fighting back tears.

Last Sunday, she made the same trip from Bellville to New Braunfels, this time with a few friends.

That's when she got the "perfect" idea to memorialize her eldest child by releasing his tube into the same water where they had shared one of her favorite memories.

Corum said she scribbled messages all over Justin's tube that she hoped strangers would read. "I wrote 'If you find me, float me,'" the mom said.

She found a "peaceful" spot of the waterway, off River Road, and released her son's tube to be found by other visitors.

Her intent was for strangers to take photos of themselves floating in Justin's tube and then send them to her, so she added her phone number and Facebook name.

Within 15 minutes, Corum said she received her first message from a group of women. She found comfort knowing people were enjoying their time at the river in honor of the teen. But then, things went silent.

RELATED: For the love of her late mother and baseball, this Texas woman visited every MLB ballpark

Corum figured the tube had gotten caught along the banks until she received a message from a San Antonio woman who said she had taken the tube because her son wanted one of his own.

Disheartened that her floating memorial was gone, Corum reached out to the woman, mom-to-mom, asking her to return it.

Glorea Valdez Cabrera, the woman who has Justin's tube, told mySA.com that she and her family are taking a trip to the Comal River on Saturday and she will put the tube back in the water at 9 a.m.

Now that a Facebook post explaining the mother-son story has gone viral, Corum says a "few hundred" people are looking for the tube. She said it doesn't matter to her that the tube won't be at its original spot  she just wants to see others enjoying it.

"It could travel the world for all I care," she added. "I just wanted people to know that it mattered."

She said strangers as far as Hawaii and friends of Justin have reached out to her  a testament to his character.

"He was just viral that way in life  he made friends everywhere," she said. "He never met a stranger."

The mom said she's still in awe of how many friends he made during his short life, before he was killed "recklessly."

According to CBS Austin, Justin was shot and killed in Fayette County. His uncle, Eduardo Hernandez, 22, was charged with manslaughter.

Corum spoke of the life he lead before his death  of school days at Bellville High School, how he helped his dad on the ranch and how he loved children.

His heart for kids leads Corum to believe it was no accident that Justin's tube temporarily granted a little boy's wish.

"The little boy wanted his own tube and Justin came and gave him one to ride on," she said. It's not the only story Corum has heard since her act of love has gone viral. She said others have told her how Justin's tube saved their trips, like Shane Leger.

Leger told the mom he was in Wimberley last weekend for a family reunion when he saw Justin's memorial.

"When I went over the first set of rapids, my tube finally gave out and that is when I found the lone tube," Leger wrote in a message to Corum. "So I went up and saw all the beautiful messages left by you and others who rode. I just wanted to let you know that your son's tube helped me continue tubing with my family."

Leger said he was able to have a "blast."

Corum said her inbox has been inundated with "hundreds" of similar stories.

"That's my sweet boy, always helping others," Corum said.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
Q: I'd love to start my own small business, but I just don't have the financial or other resources I would need right now. I'm a millennial, and sometimes I think someone of my generation just isn't ready to take on the responsibility of small-business ownership.

But I also hate the thought of working for someone else until I can accumulate enough money and experience to strike out on my own.

Any suggestions?

A: You may be hung up on misconceptions about your generation, as well as a lack of knowledge about how to find the tools and resources you need.

A recent study conducted by America's SBDC and The Center for Generational Kinetics revealed insights into the entrepreneurial mindset of different generations of Americans, including the millennials, defined as those born between 1977 and 1995.

The study showed that 59 percent of millennials would start their own business within the next year if they had access to the right resources. So it's not a question of not being ready for the responsibility.

As to hating the thought of working for someone else, depending on your role, doing so can in fact be a good way to gain the experience you'll need to be your own boss. Although you may not want to do it for the long term, think of it as a training ground and try to pick up all the management tips you can.

Also try to save as much money as you can while doing it. The study showed that most respondents of all generations rated money high on the list of things holding them back from starting a business. The more you can save, the better off you'll be. It's tough to get outside financing in the early stages of business startup; in many cases lenders look for a track record before they'll take the risk.

In the meantime, take advantage of the tools and resources at your fingertips.

America's SBDC advisers provide free one-on-one help with market and industry research, writing a business or marketing plan, putting together a loan application package and more.

Entrepreneurs can also attend a wide variety of affordable business workshops and seminars on topics ranging from basic business startup to attracting more customers through social media. In the Houston area, find your local SBDC at sbdcnetwork.uh.edu. With the SBDC's help, you may be ready to strike out on your own sooner than you think.

As Charles "Tee" Rowe, president of America's SBDC, said: "The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in America, and ... people of all generations are eager to find help to build their dream business."
By championing property tax reform as the No. 1 priority during the Texas Legislature's special session, Gov. Greg Abbott and state Senate leaders have diverted everyone's attention from the most urgent issue  public school funding, which is our largest property tax burden.

School funding didn't make the governor's original top 20 list for the special session, and on Thursday it was lumped in with some additional items that might be addressed this summer.

During the regular session, the House of Representatives put forth a plan that would have added $1.5 billion for school funding. However, the Senate killed that bill by trying to force a private school choice program into it and slashing the increase.

Now, Abbott and many state legislators, including our local ones, are attempting to distract taxpayers from that issue by peppering local government regarding property appraisals and tax revenue growth. They want to lower the cap on annual appraisal increases while requiring a rollback election if a government's property tax revenue grows too much year over year.

If state legislators don't fix school funding, they won't cure local property tax woes  no matter the appraisal amount.

Montgomery County property taxpayers must recognize where their tax dollars are going. While property owners pay tax bills to the county, only a portion of that actually is levied by county government. A majority of the property taxes are going toward the public school district.

For example:

A home valued at $516,680 in The Woodlands, accounting for exemptions, had a tax bill of $10,636, with $6,203 (58.3 percent) going to the Conroe Independent School District. Only 22.4 percent ($2,378) went to the county and 11 percent ($1,172) was paid to The Woodlands Township, which also collects sales tax, unlike the county.

In Crown Oaks, a home valued at $616,200 had a property tax burden of $11,897. Of that, $8,036  a whopping 67.5 percent of the tax bill  went to the Montgomery ISD, while 24 percent was paid to the county.

In the Willis ISD, a $256,000 home paid $5,458 in property taxes, with 65.2 percent ($3,560) going to the Willis ISD and 21.9 percent ($1,195) to Montgomery County.

And in the West Fork community of Conroe, a home valued at $358,400  that has an over-65 homestead exemption  paid $7,298 in property taxes, with 53.7 percent ($3,917) going to the Conroe ISD, 20.3 percent ($1,482) to the county and 19 percent ($1,390) to the City of Conroe, which also benefits from sales tax revenue.

The fact is that Montgomery County's property tax rate of 46.67 cents per $100 valuation is basically one-third the tax rate of school districts, with Willis ISD at $1.39, Magnolia ISD at $1.38, Montgomery ISD at $1.37 and Conroe ISD at $1.28.

Spending is no different. The county's 2016-17 budget for expenditures is around $352 million, while the six public school districts in Montgomery County have a combined budget for expenditures of over $1.1 billion. Conroe ISD's expenditures alone topped $746 million for the 2016-17 school year, with a general fund of $447.6 million, debt service of $88.1 million, capital improvements of $192.7 million and food service at $18 million.

The Courier supports the state's public school system and believes Texas legislators must solve this funding issue and recognize it as the biggest burden on our local property tax dollars. They're wasting their time  and our money  trying to siphon off public school dollars for private school choice programs.

While the state's funding for public education sits at $42.7 billion of the $216.8 billion budget for 2018-19, that is actually a decrease of more than $1 billion from the previous biennium. Local property tax dollars make up a growing percentage of public school funding and now pay for around 50 percent of that education, with state funding around 40 percent and the federal government 10 percent.

Solving Appraisal Hikes

If state lawmakers want to fix the property appraisal games that are sucking money out our pockets coming and going, they should consider acquisition-based appraisals that freeze the value of a residential property at the purchase price. Acquisition-based appraisals eliminate one element of this property tax scheme and place the responsibility solely on local elected officials to rely on new growth and the property tax rate to generate revenue.

The appraisal process is brutal, as good folks pay for increases as well as the protests  in time and money.

In 2015, there were over 1.35 million protests to appraisal review boards statewide, including more than 750,000 concerning single-family residential properties. Of those 1.35 million, more than 56 percent of the properties were involved in protests the prior year, and 40 percent of those properties' values were protested for three consecutive years from 2013-15. The 2015 protests resulted in property value reductions of more than $41.6 billion, including $8.6 billion for single-family homes.

In Montgomery County alone, there were 39,297 protests that year, including 27,037 for single-family homes. There were 20,338 repeat protests from 2014 and 13,249 that protested for three straight years. The 2015 protests in Montgomery County resulted in property valuation reductions of more than $950 million, with more than $238 million accounting for single-family homes.

It's a trying process that drains our pocketbooks, with our hard-earned dollars, in many cases, going to professional protesters year after year.

After solving the appraisal problem, lawmakers can start working on creating a local option for county sales tax revenue that can help phase out at least a portion of our property taxes.

Our county government relies solely on property tax revenue and other fees to pay for all of its services. A county sale tax certainly could offset some of that property tax burden, as it does for cities and emergency services districts.

So next time readers want to make Montgomery County Commissioners Court the whipping boys for all of our property tax problems, remember where the tax dollars are flowing. And, remember that our commissioners and county judge were the leaders in passing a 20 percent homestead exemption  which was only matched by the Montgomery County Hospital Districts, not any other taxing entities  and will be the biggest new break homeowners receive on their next tax bill.
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Houstonians can expect the week ahead to be both hot and wet - but not at the same time.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Harris County and areas to the north, including Aldine and Jersey Village. There could be winds up to 60 mph and penny-sized hail, though the warning is set to expire at 6:15 p.m.

Through the Houston region, most of the rain should die down in the evening, and isn't expected to cause any major flooding. There may be some ponding or street flooding in some area, according to the NWS.

STAY UP-TO-DATE: Check out the Chron.com weather page for real-time details

Showers should pick up again on Sunday, but most parts of Harris County aren't expected to see more than a total of 1 inch of rain over the remainder of the weekend. Isolated spots could see heavier downpours, and areas north of the Beltway had already gotten up to 2 inches of rain by Saturday early evening.

But the weekend's rainstorms will move out on Monday, to be replaced by hot summer weather with heat indexes over 100 degrees.

"Right now the reason we're having this precipitation is because of an upper level low pressure system," said Nikki Hathaway a meteorologist with the NWS. "Behind it on Tuesday is an area of high pressure with drier and warmer conditions."

That could mean daytime highs in the upper 90s, with heat indexes in the low 100s.

"Our heat index criteria for heat advisory is 108, so whenever we flirt with those numbers we like to stress heat safety," Hathaway said.
To the editor:

Most Montgomery County residents have always thought that they were getting a MoCo homestead exemption, simply because that's "common sense" and taxing authorities typically offer that to their taxpayers.

The Texas Legislature authorized the local exemptions years ago, but our county chose not to exercise that option, although most, if not all, other local taxing entities do offer it. Earlier this year, several local activists asked the court to provide the 20 percent homestead exemption. Most of the commissioners voted no to that exemption. The issue was raised in later Commissioners Court sessions and, eventually, the court agreed to the 20 percent exemption on a 4-1 vote.

Most of the commissioners will benefit personally from their vote. Based on the methodology provided by our county tax assessor/collector, Judge Craig Doyal will see an annual tax reduction of approximately $535. Noack will save $556. Riley will save $172. Clark will save $55. The only commissioner who will see a zero tax reduction is also the only commissioner who voted against the exemption. That would suggest that the court fully understood how the exemption would apply to seniors.

Dennis Tibbs and most MoCo seniors will also see a county tax savings of zero. This would also apply to other taxing entities that use this technique.

For decades, taxing authorities have offered seniors, many of whom live on a fixed income, an exemption and an all-important tax ceiling (which "freezes" certain taxes at the amount of the tax in the year they turn 65). What the new exemption does is to give all resident taxpayers an exemption that is the rough equivalent of the Senior Freeze which, essentially, negates the benefit that, traditionally, has gone to those fixed-income seniors.

Exemptions are discussed, in very wordy detail, in the Texas Constitution, Article 8, Sec. j, sec.1-b through 1-h and further clarified by the 84th Legislature, S.B. 1, SECTION 2, Section 11.26(a). Whether or not this implementation could be spun to comply with the letter of the Texas law is unclear but, surely, it does not comply with the spirit of the law concerning the elderly exemptions.

We need to let our local and state officials know that we are not satisfied with an exemption that is withheld from the folks who worked so hard to make this state great.

Dennis Tibbs

Magnolia

Education Spending out of control

To the editor:

Isn't it great that the state Legislature is back in special session? I'm so happy that No. 1 on their list is the bathroom bill when the item that affects all of us the most is property tax reform. Praise the day that our tax increases are limited to 5 percent (requiring a vote from "we the people" to approve a higher number). Then there is the idea of appraisers being voted into their positions rather than being appointed. While this all may be helpful in the long run, property taxes will continue to raise and appraisals will continue to run rampant. Here's a simple idea. Limit property tax increases to the same amount that the U.S. government provides each year to Social Security recipients. That would force budget control, just like it does for the rest of us.

However, once again the real issue is being hidden from us by the smoke-and-mirror proposals that mask the real culprit  spending. In particular, spending on education. Blasphemy, it's for the children, how can I be so callus. Easy, demand that education be managed like a business rather than an entitlement. Pay for and expect results. The reform needs to happen with the way we dole out money for the education system that ranks as one of the lower in the country. Throwing more money at it has done more to line pockets of posers promoting new approaches that have proven to degrade our education system rather than improve it. There is something wrong when ISD taxes consume more than 60 percent of our tax bill.

It's time to get back to basics and fix the root cause of why our property taxes continue to escalate. The cause is runaway spending. How about challenging the ISDs to cut spending by 10 percent and raising (honest) test scores by 25 percent or more. We are a great nation with great people with great ideas, I'm confident that teachers, principals and ISD heads could put their minds to it and figure out how to do that and achieve results. That would stabilize our property tax pretty quickly.

Don't whine, respond with a better solution. This is how we bring attention to issues and help our representatives bring about change. Saying nothing helps none of us.

Arron Angle

The Woodlands
Harris County Sheriff's Office officials are investigating what caused a Saturday police chase that ended in a suicide on the Sam Houston Parkway near Katy Freeway.

The incident started in a north Harris County parking lot in the 16000 block of Hollister.

"A male was waving a gun around threatening suicide," said Capt. Joe Ambriz with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "Citizens called in and when our units responded to the scene, the individual had already left."

Officials had a good description of the vehicle and were able to locate the white pickup truck. The units pursued the man and initiated a traffic stop.

"The individual did not stop. He continued south on Sam Houston," Ambriz said.

Deputies continued the chase until about 11:30 when the truck slammed into a concrete barrier while approaching the I-10 exit ramp.

"The vehicle was then approached by our deputies who found one male individual with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," Ambriz said.

Paramedics responded. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver's name was not released and officials are investigating what caused the man to kill kimself.

No deputies discharged their weapons and no other injuries were reported.

Southbound Sam Houston traffic in that area was temporarily shut down.
A Houston Police officer was unharmed after a suspect opened fire at him early Saturday morning, hitting the windshield of his cruiser.

"Some people say luck. I say blessed," Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner said at the scene. A bullet went through the window of the sergeant's cruiser. He had minor injuries from the windhield glass and possibly bullet fragments, but it OK, authorities said.
The founders of a clinic with locations in Texas were sentenced to prison Friday for submitting $9.6 million in false worker's comp claims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Team Work Ready vice president Frankie Lee Sanders, 55, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for conspiracy, health care fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to pay $13.4 million in restitution.Pamela Rose, a TWR founder and chief financial officer, was sentenced to 120 months and ordered to pay $14.5 million in restitution.

"The sentence issued today should be an explicit deterrent to those healthcare providers engaging in illegal activity in order to receive undeserved monetary payments. Fraud committed against federal benefit programs is a serious offense that will not be tolerated," U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr., said in a prepared statement.

TWR had clinics in five states, including Federal Work Ready in Houston and Alamo Work Ready in San Antonio.

According to testimony during the 16-day trial, the company billed for skilled one-on-one physical therapy provided by a chiropractor, but patients were ordered to exercise independently on treadmills, bicycles and elliptical machines with the Nintendo Wii game. A Houston patient testified that she felt that some of the exercises she was asked to do had nothing to do with her carpal tunnel wrist injury, specifically the treadmill.

The jury also heard testimony from 11 former employees, including unlicensed therapy technicians in Houston, who reported 30 to 60 patients a day came to the clinic. Employees testified that they did not perform all the one-on-one services documented on patient treatment notes and admitted they frequently completed the patient treatment notes at the end of the day by following a "cheat sheet."

Two federal agents went undercover as "injured federal employees" at the Houston and New Orleans clinics. The jury watched portions of video recordings covertly made by the undercover agents that showed patients independently exercising and receiving care from unlicensed and obviously untrained staff, according to the Department of Justice.
A Houston police officer was injured early Saturday when his cruiser was rear-ended by an alleged drunk driver.

The incident happened around 3:50 a.m. as the officer was on patrol in downtown Houston.
The Rosenberg Police Department recently announced the arrest of several suspects charged with the delivery of a controlled substance in a drug free zone.

The arrests were conducted in two separate raids within the same trailer park, near the 1700 block of 3rd Street. During the first raid, on July 7, police said they seized $2,500 worth of illicit substances and arrested 29-year-old Rodrigo Villafranco.
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AKRON, Ohio - A Summit County sheriff's deputy had never been seriously disciplined during his career before he was indicted Thursday in a rape case, records show.

Lt. Antonio Williamson was disciplined once since joining the sheriff's office in 1999, according to records included in his personnel and disciplinary files. He was given a one-day suspension for failing to follow the office's policy on senior checks on Aug. 3, 2006.

Williamson, 46, is now on unpaid administrative leave after a 26-year-old woman accused him of sexually assaulting her March 19 in a parking lot on Romig Road in Akron, according to a police report.

The woman said she did not know the man who sexually assaulted her when she filed a police report March 20. The Summit County Sheriff's Office placed Williamson on leave April 12 after the Akron Police Department identified him as a suspect, records show.

Williamson served in the U.S. Army and worked at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and Cleveland Clinic Police Department before he joined the sheriff's office Feb. 16, 1999, according to his personnel file.

He worked in the patrol division, corrections division and crime scene unit through the years, and earned a promotion to lieutenant in 2015.

Williamson received positive performance reviews through the years. Supervisors noted his professionalism and work ethic, records show.

Summit County Sheriff Steve Barry declined to comment on Williamson's tenure with the sheriff's office after Williamson was arrested Thursday.

Williamson was wearing his sheriff's office uniform but was not on duty on March 19, the night the woman said the sexual assault took place, a Summit County Prosecutor's Office spokesman said. He had just left a second job, working security, and was driving a sheriff's office cruiser, the spokesman said.

Williamson turned himself in Thursday after a grand jury handed up its indictment, prosecutors said.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, kidnapping, sexual battery and gross sexual imposition during his arraignment Friday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

A Summit County magistrate set Williamson's bond at 10 percent of $100,000 and ordered him to remain on house arrest and wear a GPS-enabled ankle monitor.

Williamson's defense attorney, Walter Madison, declined to comment on the case after the arraignment.

Williamson's next court appearance will be a pretrial hearing scheduled Aug. 1.

To comment on this story, please visit Friday's crime and courts comments page.
AKRON, Ohio -- Two brothers who shot at a 19-year-old man several times are at large and are considered armed and dangerous, police say.

The incident happened about 11:30 p.m. Thursday on Amherst Street near Bowdoin Lane in the city's Summit Lake neighborhood, Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

Christopher Hackney, 28, and Spencer Hackney, 30, are wanted on warrants charging them with felonious assault, Edwards said.

A man told police he was in an argument with a man who tried to pull out a gun from his pocket, police say.

He wrestled with the armed man and took his gun.

The Hackney brothers, who came with the armed man, fired several shots at the 19-year-old man, Edwards said.

The man was not shot, but a car in the driveway was hit.

The three men ran from the scene. Police did not name the third man involved.

Anyone with information on where the Hackney brothers are is asked to call Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490; the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-4-WANTED; or the Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Burglary (forced entry), Fairmount Boulevard: A home was broken into July 18 after an intruder forced open a rear sliding door sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. making off with cash and assorted jewelry, with a dollar amount still being compiled as the investigation continues.

Drug abuse, drug paraphernalia; Shaker Boulevard: After receiving a report of a driver who appeared to be sleeping while stopped at Richmond Road around noon on July 17, the vehicle was found heading east on Shaker near Brainard Circle, where it struck the curb and blew out a tire across from the police station.

A Painesville man, 26, was arrested after police found a bag containing a white powder that field-tested positive for cocaine, which the suspect said he had not used since July 14, although he had smoked marijuana the day before, with additional evidence seized.

Harassing communications, Shaker Boulevard: An office worker at Park Synagogue reported July 13 that for an extended period of time, a clergy member has been receiving unwanted phone calls and voicemail-consuming messages from a man who has been warned about it in the past by police.

At times, he has responded by leaving police long voicemails. After a hiatus, the suspect is again affecting day-to-day operations in the synagogue office, with charges being considered.

Warrant served, Lander, Chagrin Boulevard: A Woodmere man, 31, was taken into custody around 12:30 a.m. on July 19 after a patrol officer noticed him and another man walking east in the center of Lander Circle.

Upon further questioning, the man stated that he may have an arrest warrant for a probation violation through the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office.

The warrant was confirmed by dispatch and the male was transported to Beachwood Jail to await transfer to the CCSO Euclid branch.

Possession of marijuana, Lander Road: A Highland Heights man was cited during a July 20 traffic stop near South Woodland Road after police found a cigar containing suspected marijuana.

Damage to property, Landerwood Drive: A resident reported July 17 that a post had been hit in their yard.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio -- The Lorain County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man who tried to abduct a 4-year-old girl in LaGrange Township.

The incident happened about 5:30 p.m. Friday on Whitney Road near Indian Hollow Road, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

The 4-year-old girl was playing with her 7-year-old sister in the driveway of their home when a man driving a silver four-door sedan pulled in the driveway, the release says.

The man offered the girls candy which they declined, the release says.

He got out of the car, grabbed the 4-year-old girl and tried to get her in his car, the release says.

A family member came out of the home and told the man to let go of his sister, the release says.

The man got back into his car and drove east towards Indian Hollow Road.

A witness said the car could be a Honda sedan.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lorain County Sheriff's Office at 440-329-3710.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio -- A 63-year-old man died after an SUV crashed into his utility trailer, pinning him under it in Monroe Township.

The crash happened about 7 a.m. Saturday on Ohio 7 just south of Hammond Corners Road, according to a news release from the State Highway Patrol.

Theodore English, of Conneaut, was pronounced dead at the scene, the release says.

English was driving southbound on Ohio 7 when his 1999 Ford F350 lost a tire. He pulled over on the side of the road.

A 2011 Toyota Rav4 southbound on Ohio 7 didn't move over and around English and struck the back of his trailer as he stood near the truck, the release says.

He ended up pinned beneath the trailer, the release says.

The Toyota, driven by a 55-year-old-woman, overturned, ran off the side of the road and ended up on its right side in a ditch, the release says.

The woman was taken to the hospital, but her injuries are unknown, Highway Patrol Sgt. Christopher Thayne said.

Monroe Fire Department, Pierpont Fire Department assisted on scene.

The crash is under investigation.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
Investors frequently ask Jim Cramer what to do with a stock after it has had a hideous decline.

His first response is always to ask why they bought the stock in the first place.

One of Cramer's cardinal rules is to never turn a trade into an investment. If there is one thing he wants investors to take away from "Mad Money," it is to never confuse these two concepts.

That means understanding the purpose of why you are buying a stock.

If you bought it for investment purposes, that could mean you should buy more. If you bought it for trading purposes, then that means you waited for a specific event to occur and should only buy it once.

Sometimes an investor will buy a stock for one reason, and then another reason happens. Then they decide to turn the trade into an investment and buy more as the stock goes down. Or perhaps the reason for the trade never happens, so they end up holding the stock.

"What's the worst thing that can happen? The answer, of course, is plenty, and almost all of it bad," Cramer said.

When Cramer wants to invest in a company, he will buy a small amount of it to start and then hope that the stock market will knock it down so that he can buy more at a better price. He loves a good market-wide correction to get a better price on buys.

Trading is exactly the opposite. He puts the maximum on at the beginning, because he believes that the data point or event is about to occur. He will never buy anything for a trade without a defined catalyst and he will never just hope it goes higher. There can be no hope in the equation when you buy a stock for a trade.

"I buy down when I am investing. I cut my losses immediately when I am trading if the reason I am trading the stock doesn't pan out," Cramer said.

So, don't fool yourself. If you know you purchased something for the purpose of trading, cut your losses quickly when it starts to go awry. Sure, there might be a time here and there where you could turn it into a long-term trade. But most of the time, you'll be on the wrong side of the trade.
When Jim Cramer first started trading, he didn't like rules. He believed they either weren't helpful or would cut into his upside and prevent him from making more money.

After getting burned too many times, he learned the value of discipline.

"The rules protect you against your own bad judgment about what's going on at the companies you own or what's happening in the market overall," the "Mad Money" host said.

In order to really make money in the market these days, investors need discipline. Mistakes can cost you in trading, but if you do nothing with your money, you will have a whole lot of nothing to show for it.

Cramer constantly worries about the stocks in his charitable trust. He sees danger when the stocks in his portfolio go down as the market goes up. That tells him that someone knows something he doesn't.

One nightmare scenario is what professionals refer to as being "too long." This means the price of a stock is falling, and investors can't buy any more stock because they are out of money. Then they decide to make the terrible decision to borrow money to finance your portfolio, a move that Cramer thinks is a terrible idea.

"Stocks aren't houses. You can't fall back and live in them if you have mortgages on them. They just get taken away," Cramer said.

So, what is the magic trick to bail you out of a bad situation?

"Discipline trumps conviction," Cramer said.

He recommended that investors find their own form of discipline to watch their stocks and have a game plan for when things go wrong. For instance, Cramer has a system of ranking his stocks when things are good, so this way he can hedge himself when they go awry.

He also thinks it is important to "circle the wagons" on a few high-quality stocks, and be willing to buy them when they fall so you can get a better average price for your earnings.

Cramer's ranking system will get you through the chaotic times and allow you to remain cool and methodical when everyone is scrambling in chaos.

At the end of the day, Cramer wants investors to recognize that things will go wrong. There will be a stock that you own one day where there is something wrong with the company, and you don't know about it. Events will come that you cannot foresee.

The trick to reducing the damage to your portfolio is to be ready with a game plan that will bail you out in the short term and keep you in the market long term. This way, your money is ready to work for you when you need it most.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed key Trump campaign issues with the former Russian ambassador to the United States during the 2016 presidential race, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing current and former American officials.

Sessions and ambassador Sergey Kislyak talked about matters of interest to the Kremlin, including President Donald Trump's stance on Russia-related issues, a former official told the Post. That allegation directly contradicts the attorney general's assertion that he "did not have communications with the Russians."

Current and former U.S. intelligence officials told the newspaper that the conflicting information came from intercepted communications between Kislyak and Moscow. While it's possible Kislyak could have inflated or misconstrued his conversations, officials told the Post that the former ambassador had a reputation for accuracy.

Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 election after he failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak during his confirmation hearing.

When reached for comment, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores responded:

"Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me."

Flores also said that Sessions stands by his statement that he "never met with or had any conversations with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election."

Read the full report in The Washington Post.
In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, sailors aboard the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) man the rails as the ship departs Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding for builder's sea trials off the U.S. East Coast on April 8, 2017 in Newport News, Virginia. Getty Images

The newest and most expensive aircraft carrier ever built entered the U.S. Navy fleet Saturday, but almost three years behind schedule and billions of dollars over its estimated budget. With Saturday's commissioning, the carrier will go back into testing and training, and isn't expected to be fully operational until 2020 at the earliest. The ship's catapult has yet to launch an actual aircraft at sea and the vessel has only had helicopters land on its deck. Although it has yet to be put to the test, some already say the USS Gerald R. Ford is an example of the Navy's costly and risky bet on "immature" technology. Experts say the Navy's decision to roll out some untested technologies in its next-generation classes of ships has been a costly lesson. For example, the new Ford aircraft carrier going into the Navy fleet cost nearly $13 billion, or around $2.4 billion above plan. Proud day for @USNavy and nation as we commission #USSGeraldRFord (CVN 78) - new capabilities Ford brings will transform naval warfare The Navy "made a significant bet on the newest and latest cutting-edge technology, and it bet that all of those technologies would mature as these platforms were scheduled to come online," said Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow and director of the Defense Strategies and Assessments Program at the Center for a New American Security, a non-partisan Washington think tank. Hendrix added, "Unfortunately some of those technologies did not mature. Hence, we're seeing some delays in some critical programs, including the new Ford-Class carrier." Although years behind schedule, the Ford carrier was formally commissioned into the Navy's fleet Saturday in a ceremony in Virginia, which was attended by President Donald Trump. The president had previously visited the carrier in March. In remarks Saturday, Trump called the Ford carrier "the newest, largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the history of this world." When building the new Ford carrier, the Navy ditched the steam-powered catapult system found on the older Nimitz-Class carriers and went instead with a electro-magnetic aircraft launch system. Similarly, the Navy went with an updated arresting gear to catch planes landing on the ship's deck.

We want the best equipment but we want it built ahead of schedule and we want it built under budget. President Donald Trump

The Ford is the first new design of an aircraft carrier in 40 years. Last month, acting Navy Secretary Sean Stackley conceded costs of the carriers were tough to swallow, but insisted the service (and shipbuilding industry) planned to learn from past missteps. Meanwhile, the maker of the new digital catapult, General Atomics, claims on its webpage the system's benefits include a "reduced manning and life-cycle cost." The technology replaced the battle-tested steam catapult that had been used for decades to launch planes. As it turns out, though, the commander-in-chief is not at all a fan of the supercarrier's technology. In a May interview, Trump told Time magazine in an interview that the new digital power system "costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it's no good." Similarly, the Navy has faced cost overruns and other problems with other new classes of warships, including internal electrical issues with the Zumwalt-class destroyer, and struggles with the controversial Littoral Combat Ship program. Trump alluded to military costs and program delays in his remarks Saturday, but didn't single out the Ford carrier. "We do not want cost overruns," the president said. "We want the best equipment but we want it built ahead of schedule and we want it built under budget."

'Going for broke'

Mandy Smithberger, director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Project On Government Oversight, said some of the mistakes made by the Navy on big-ticket programs have been self-inflicted. The service's tendency to "develop really complex technology that's expensive to maintain and not reliable," has been a major drawback. Added Smithberger, "It's not necessarily that it's new technology but it's immature  so it has to be proven technology." Some analysts said the new ideas for the next-generation ships originated in the 1990s, when there was a "go for broke" mindset by some decision makers. In the case of the Ford-Class carrier, the Navy decided to make all of the key changes in new technology upfront on the first ship in the class, rather than wait for successive carriers. The Navy plans to spend around $43 billion on the first three Ford-Class aircraft carriers. At the same time, the Navy and other services have faced fiscal challenges due to the ongoing effect of the budget caps signed into law six years ago. "The Budget Control Act, as far as it pertains to defense, was wrong-minded and that should not have been systematically reducing defense spending," said Brian Slattery, a policy analyst for national security at Washington-based Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. He also said the inability of Congress to pass regular budgets is "very disruptive" to Navy and other service programs. For the Navy, though, the budget situation is particularly pressing because of Trump's stated goal for a larger Navy fleet. As a GOP candidate last year, Trump pledged the Navy would build 350 surface ships and submarines. He has since accepted the Navy's new force structure goal of a fleet of 355 ships  up from the battle force of 276 ships as of Friday. However, reaching the Navy goal could cost approximately $400 billion more over 30 years than the service's previously stated force goal of 308 ships, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Based on CBO's calculations, the Navy would need to buy around 329 new ships over 30 years to reach the 355-ship fleet. That compares with the 254 ships it estimates would be bought under the Navy's prior force goal. "Cost is probably the biggest challenge reaching the larger fleet size," said Smithberger. "You'd have to increase Pentagon spending a lot to afford everything that they're trying to buy. It will require cutting other services or other Navy priorities, including airplanes."

Geopolitical concerns
American record producer and entrepreneur Khaled Mohamed Khaled, professionally recognized as DJ Khaled, is known for broadcasting positive messages, especially on social media.

Former President Barack Obama once even used DJ Khaled's song "All We Do Is Win" as his entrance music at a White House Correspondents' Dinner.

With a net worth valued at $15 million, as reported by Forbes in 2016, Khaled has found success as an author, restaurateur, CEO of We the Best Music and advocate for higher education, among other ventures.

Notably, he has his parents to thank for his business savvy.

Despite a recent 360-degree video feature on his $9.9 million Beverly Hills mansion published by the New York Times earlier this month, Khaled acknowledges his family came from much more humble beginnings.

DJ Khaled tweet

When they emigrated from Palestine to New Orleans in their 20s, his father reportedly only had $20 with him, according to Ryan Pfeffer's cover story in the Miami New Times. Khaled would often help his parents when they sold clothes out of their van at a flea market.

"They worked every day, seven days a week, 24 hours a day," Khaled says to Pfeffer. "If I wanted to hang out with my mother and father, I had to hang out with them hustling."

After moving to Orlando, Khaled started collecting vinyl records and began DJing at age 13. Although others doubted his musical endeavors, his parents supported him. But after facing issues with the IRS, his family moved back to New Orleans, with the 16-year-old Khaled moving with them shortly after, Pfeffer reports.

"I've seen my family work so hard and come up, and I've seen it all get taken away," Khaled says in an interview with Mary H.K. Choi for Complex Magazine.
Debug project is among the efforts to breed the Zika-carrying

watch now

Three times a week, on a quiet block of Stock Island on the Florida Keys, 25,000 of the world's deadliest creatures are released into the wild. Not to fear. While these are mosquitoes  the creature responsible for more human deaths each year than any other on the planet  they're all males: It's only the females that bite. And if they do their jobs, these male mosquitoes will contribute to a significant suppression of the female bugs that do biteand, more importantly, spread disease. "This is a very robust mosquito that is causing crazy diseases that are very impactful on people's lives," said Andrea Leal, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. "Aedes aegypti is the most difficult mosquito to control." The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for spreading diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, and, most recently, Zika. It's not the deadliest of all the mosquitoesthat title goes to the species that carry malariabut it's causing the most grief here in the United States. Through traditional methods, including aerial and on-the-ground spraying of pesticides and very intense vigilance, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District has been able to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti by 60 percent or more, Leal said. To do that, the district spends about 10 percent of its $10 million annual budget on that one mosquito. But, Leal said, that level of suppression isn't enough; they're aiming for 90 percent. "One mosquito out there could be the means of transmitting diseases to multiple people," she said.

Beth Ranson of the Florida Keys mosquito district releasing Wolbachia mosquitoes in Stock Island, Florida. Jodi Gralnick | CNBC

That's where those 25,000 mosquitoes come in. The Keys is running a trial to see if it can reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through what may seem like a counterintuitive method: by releasing more Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These experimental bugs carry a secret weapon: they're infected with a bacteria called wolbachia that interferes with reproduction, essentially aiming to spread infertility through Aedes aegypti in the area. "Wolbachia [is] found in many insect species," explained Linda O'Connor, a senior scientist at MosquitoMate, the Kentucky-based developer of wolbachia-mosquitoes that's partnered with the Keys and others to run the trials. "It's found in the reproductive system and it helps them produce eggs. It's a symbiotic bacteria in insects." But it's not found naturally in Aedes aegypti. So when these males infected with wolbachia are released into the wild, they mate with uninfected females, and the resulting eggs don't hatch. The test in the Keys is relatively small; 25,000 male mosquitoes released three times a week in a 10-acre area for 16 weeks. Three thousand miles away, in Fresno, California, a bigger trial just started, with the help of one of the world's largest technology companies.

watch now

Google's debug

When Alphabet 's Google says it's working on a project called Debug, one could logically assume it's referring to software. But it's actually working on real bugs: the Aedes aegypti mosquito. "There are thousands of different mosquitoes, but just one is responsible for spreading almost all of the cases of those four diseases that sicken hundreds of millions of people a year," said Linus Upson, vice president of engineering at Google's health subsidiary Verily, and leader of the Debug project. Previously the overseer of Google's browser products including Chrome, Upson may not seem the most obvious person to lead a mosquito trial. But he said mosquitoes have been a problem that have stuck with him since he did an undergraduate internship at the National Institutes of Health years ago. "While working there I learned that mosquitoes are the number one cause of human misery and death for otherwise healthy people of anything else on the planet," Upson said. "I've been fascinated by the problem ever since." So, he turned from browsers to bugs.

The history of mankind tells you mosquitoes are bad news. Dr. Anthony Fauci director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"It's exciting to be able to use a lot of the technology and engineering expertise that we have at Verily to really see if we can solve this problem," Upson said. Specifically: Rearing millions of mosquitoes at a relatively low cost, and sorting them efficiently into males and females. Because it's only the females that bite, the goal is to release only males into the wild. This avoids increasing the number of disease-spreading mosquitoes, but also solves a more banal problem, according to Stephen Dobson, the University of Kentucky entomologist who founded MosquitoMate: People are much more likely to let you release thousands of mosquitoes in their yard if the bugs are not going to bite them. "We've developed automation that can automatically rear mosquitoes, separate the males from the females, and then release them in the field," Upson said. "We've lowered the cost of being able to do this, tremendously."

'Computers can do this better than humans can'

Among the technology Verily's applying to the mosquito-sorting problem: Computer vision algorithms. "We actually take a picture of every single mosquito that we're going to release," Upson said. Computers then determine whether the mosquito is male or female, and only release the males.

Getty Images

The technology is still in the validation phase, Upson said. He personally had spent the previous weekend reviewing more than 30,000 mosquito images to make sure no females were being released. "But ultimately," he explained, "the computers can do this much better than humans can." Descriptions of the Verily/MosquitoMate approach scrupulously point out the wolbachia mosquitoes are not genetically modified organisms. That may be because of some local pushback to that method in the Florida Keys. Oxitec, a British biotechnology company recently acquired by synthetic biology firm Intrexon , has developed a genetically modified mosquito that works similarly to wolbachia: Modified male mosquitoes are released to mate with wild females, and the resulting offspring are unable to survive. In field trials in Brazil, the Cayman Islands and elsewhere, Oxitec says it's been able to suppress Aedes aegypti populations by more than 90 percent. It, too, had planned to conduct a trial in the Florida Keys. But a countywide vote on the general election ballot in November presented a speed bump: of 33 districts, 31 voted in favor of a GMO mosquito trial. One of the two districts that didn't was Key Haven, the area where the trial was planned. Oxitec's Derric Nimmo said the company is now waiting on Food and Drug Administration clearance to conduct a trial in a different area of the Keys, hoping to start this year. The FDA last year released an environmental assessment declaring the Oxitec trial was unlikely to have a significant impact on the environment. More from Modern Medicine:

AI's expanding role in monitoring patient health

The race to place synthetic DNA inside people

Prepping vaccines is only way to prepare for next pandemic The GMO and wolbachia approaches are on separate regulatory paths; while Oxitec's GMO mosquitoes are currently being overseen by the FDA, MosquitoMate's wolbachia bugs are under Environmental Protection Agency oversight, being characterized as a microbial pesticide. Nimmo said the FDA may consider transferring oversight of the Oxitec mosquitoes to the EPA. But the public pushback against the GMO approach, however small, has had an impact. "We looked at all of the different options," Verily's Upson said. "The wolbachia approach was very attractive from a regulatory and public acceptance standpoint ... It was just the easiest way for us to get started."

Why not 'Kill em All?'
Local author Lorena Hughes signs and discusses her generational saga that mixes historical fiction with the romance and intrigue of a Latin soap opera.

NEW MEXICO AUTHOR DEBUTS FIRST NOVEL 4:00 PM SATURDAY, JULY 22, AT PAGE ONE

New Mexico author Lorena Hughes, who lived in Ecuador until she was 18 years old, will be at Page One Books 4:00 pm Saturday, July 22, to talk about and sign her first novel, "The Sisters of Alameda Street."

This debut effort is described as such: "A generational saga that mixes historical fiction with the romance and intrigue of a Latin soap opera. When Malena Sevilla's tidy, carefully planned world collapses following her fathers mysterious suicide, she finds a lettersigned with an Awhich reveals that her mother is very much alive and living in San Isidro, a quaint town tucked in the Andes Mountains. Intent on meeting her, Malena arrives at Alameda Street and meets four sisters who couldnt be more different from one another, but who share one thing in common: all of their names begin with an A. To avoid a scandal, Malena assumes another womans identity and enters their home to discover the truth. Could her mother be Amanda, the iconoclastic widow who opens the first tango nightclub in a conservative town?"

Hughes was born and raised in Ecuador until moving to the United States at eighteen. She has a degree in fine arts and mass communication & journalism from The University of New Mexico. Her first unpublished novel, "The Black Letter," took first place in the 2011 Southwest Writers International Writing Contest (historical fiction category), and an honorable mention at the 2012 Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition. She lives in New Mexico, and once worked at Page One Books.

Page One Books is located at 5850 Eubank Blvd NE, Suite B-41, in Albuquerque's Mountain Run Shopping Center (southeast corner of Eubank and Juan Tabo). The Hughes event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 294-2026 or visit www.page1book.com.

-------------------------

Lorena Hughes website: http://www.lorena-hughes.com
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Police in Connecticut pull over a significant amount of minorities, a report from Central Connecticut State University indicated.

The universitys Institute for Municipal and Regional Police researchers published a report in May 2016 on police profiling from Oct. 2014 to Sept. 2015. A supplemental study was presented to a state advisory board Thursday.

There were several departments and one state police troop identified in the supplemental report as exhibiting a statistically significant racial or ethnic disparity that may indicate the presence of racial or ethnic bias.

More News New Milford racial profiling data examined

15.1 percent of traffic stops in New Milford were for minorities, 43 percent in Norwalk, 38 percent in West Hartford and Trumbull, 47.4 percent for Wethersfield, 62 percent for Blommfield and 42.4 percent for Connecticut State Police Troop H.

Following the analysis of those statistics, the researchers said the results of theses analyses indicate that further investigation into the source of the observed statistical disparity ... is warranted.

In the original report, the researchers looked at data for all 106 departments in Connecticut.

Statewide, the report showed 14 percent of all traffic stops by police involved black drivers  which only make up about 9 percent of the statewide population, the report indicated. And nearly 13 percent of traffic stops, statewide, involved Hispanic drivers  which make up about 12 percent of the Connecticut population.

The researchers mainly focused on why traffic stops where made, where they were made and who was pulled over.

The report indicated that most white drivers were pulled over for hazardous driving violations, such as speeding. But black and Hispanic drivers were more likely to be pulled over for vehicle equipment violations, such as a broken tail light.

Some minority drivers, according to the original report, were more likely to be searched, but less likely to actually be found with contraband.

Public Act 99-198, also known as the Alvin W. Penn Racial Profiling Prohibition Act, was first enacted in 1999. This law prohibits racial profiling in the state of Connecticut.

The law prohibits law enforcements agencies in the state from stopping, searching or detaining motorists on the sole basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation.

The Connecticut General Assembly changed the law in 2013 and required police agencies to collect data on traffic stops.

But is the information revealed in the two university reports enough to be labeled as racial profiling?

The report indicated that, based on the research, the disparities found among departments may indicate bias, but dont entirely prove racial profiling.
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BRIDGEPORT  Dr. Richard Greiner had been working full-time in Bridgeport Hospitals emergency department for a short time when he noticed a lot of patients were coming to the department looking for prescription narcotics to ease their chronic pain.

We really were having a disproportionate problem, said Greiner, an emergency physician at Bridgeport Hospital. The prescription numbers, I thought, were higher than they should be.

Research eventually showed that the emergency department had the highest number of narcotic prescriptions in the Yale New Haven Health System, of which Bridgeport Hospital is a part.

But, even before then, Greiner knew something had to be done to help control prescription rates, particularly since overdoses from opioids  including prescription narcotics  was becoming an epidemic.

This was a little bit before (opioid addiction) became headline news, Greiner said. But we did notice too many people were coming into the emergency room looking for medication for their chronic pain, and getting it.

Earlier this year, the hospital began instituting guidelines to help curb unnecessary prescriptions. Between January, when the effort began, and April, the number of narcotic prescriptions declined by 35 percent, and the number of pills prescribed went down by 42 percent.

The progress is encouraging, but necessary given how pervasive opioid addiction has become, said Dr. Rockman Ferrigno, associate chief medical officer and chair of emergency medicine at Bridgeport Hospital.

We thought (by adding prescription guidelines) we could make a significant contribution to reducing opioid prescriptions all along the I-95 corridor, he said. Operating on that scale for the public good is something were very interested in.

A rising epidemic

In Connecticut, the state office of the chief medical examiner reports that, in 2016, there were 917 accidental overdose deaths in the state  up from 495 in 2013. Of the 2016 deaths, 853 involved opioids in some way.

Opioids are a class of drug that includes illegal drugs, such as heroin, but also legal pain medications available by prescriptions, including oxycodone (sold under the brand name OxyContin), hydrocodone (sold as Vicodin) and others. Greiner and other physicians said narcotic painkillers can be necessary if a patient in some situations, as when a patients is suffering from acute pain  for example, from broken ribs.

But experts have said, when these medications are prescribed for too long or in too high doses, the risk for addiction, overdose and death increases. In 2015, opioids killed more than 33,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid, according to the CDC.

In 2016, the CDC published recommendations for primary care clinicians prescribing opioids for chronic pain outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. These include prescribing opioids only when benefits are likely to outweigh the risk, and starting with the lowest of effective dose of opioids.

Though the number of opioid prescriptions nationwide decreased every year between 2010 and 2015, according to the CDC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that, on an average day in the United States, more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed.

Gaining control

Given this, Bridgeport Hospital and others in the state are doing what they can to try and limit unnecessary prescriptions. At Bridgeport, the guidelines they instituted in January include not refilling lost or stolen prescriptions, limiting prescriptions of narcotic medications for chronic pain, and, in cases of acute pain, only prescribing enough for three days  at least initially.

If someone has four broken ribs and we send them home, theyre probably going to need more than three days worth of pain pills, Greiner said.

Ferrigno said doctors still try to be compassionate about the pain each patient is feeling, and make decisions with the need of individual patients in mind.

Both doctors said theyre pleased with the progress made to date, but added this isnt an issue thats going away overnight. Change is hard, Ferrigno said.

Meanwhile, other hospitals said theyre trying to address the problem in their own way.

That includes Greenwich Hospital, which, like Bridgeport, is part of the Yale New Haven Health System. Several years ago, the Greenwich began a multi-modal pain initiative, which treats pain using non-narcotic methods, including local anesthetics and non-opioid painkillers, such as Tylenol.

For instance, patients who deliver babies by Cesarean section almost never go home with an opioid prescription, said Dr. Mark Chrostowski, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at Greenwich Hospital.

In addition to being addictive, narcotic painkillers carry with them many side effects, including constipation and drowsiness, Chrostowski said. Thus, he said, patients on non-narcotic pain medications often feel better. What weve shown regularly is that (patients) are more able to participate in physical therapy, they recover faster and theyre able to get back to normal faster.
Great Allegheny Passage improvements coming

The bids were opened Nov. 1 and Adam Eidemiller's was the lower of two bids received. The project will take two weeks starting within the next week.
Richard W. Martin II was sworn in as 2017-2018 President of the Rotary Club of Coconut Grove on July 11 by Past District Governor Ellen Blasi; the ceremony took place at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Above,from left: Joe King VP, Randy Lakel Past President, Bob Gombosh Secretary, Richard W. Martin II President, Ellen Blassi Past District Governor, Phil Everingham Treasurer, Tim Crowther Sergeant at Arms.

Richard W. Martin II, President; Helene Dudley, Casa Colibri Board Member with a photo of the Mobile Medical Van purchased by the Rotary Club of Coconut Grove that is being used in Guatemala.





In his remarks to the assembled Rotarians, Martin emphasized Service Above Self, the spirit of Rotary. It is an honor to be President of the Rotary Club of Coconut Grove; during my tenure I plan to continue our ongoing support of the Casa Colibri clinic and, on a local level, of Casa Valentina," he said.





The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove has provided missions and financial support to the Casa Colibri clinic in Nuevo Eden, Guatemala, serving the indigenous Mayan population. Last year, the club donated a medically equipped van to provide pre-natal care to the residents of the highlands of northwest Guatemala. The van is operated by a nurse practitioner who speaks the local dialect and who provides midwife training and performs free pre-natal care including screenings for birth defects such as club foot and cleft palate.





Casa Valentina, located in Coconut Grove, serves youth who have aged out of the foster care system, giving them the care and support they need to reach their full potential. It provides safe housing in its residential facility as well as life skills training and support services so that they can transition to independent living. The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove has provided financial support as well as hours of hands-on volunteer work.





The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove provides service and financial support to initiatives within the community as well as to various international humanitarian projects. Locally, it has funded after-school programs, youth sports, and health initiatives. Meetings are held every Thursday at 12:15 pm at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, 2990 S. Bayshore Drive.



Photos by Don Kesler
COLUMBUS  Local cable television subscribers will see a change next month in how they receive their services.

Charter Communications, the Stamford, Connecticut-based conglomerate that acquired Time Warner Cable and now provides services through Spectrum, plans to go fully digital in Columbus beginning the week of Aug. 14.

The digital conversion will usher in improved picture and sound quality and an expanded menu of HD channels and on-demand offerings, said Wes Shirley, senior manager of communications for Charter, in a company release touting the transition.

All cable subscribers must have a digital receiver for each television. Televisions currently getting service directly from a cable connected to the wall will go blank following the digital conversion.

Shirley said Spectrum is communicating with customers about their scheduled upgrade date via direct mail, bill messages, phone calls and messages that will appear on their television prior to the changeover.

Customers in the Columbus area should start receiving those notifications soon, if they havent already, Shirley said.

Although Spectrum doesnt release information on the percentage of subscribers who already have digital receivers or the number who plug the cable into their TVs right from the wall, Shirley said the vast majority have at least one digital receiver.

Shirley said Spectrum plans to make it easy for customers to receive digital receivers at no cost for one, two or five years, depending on the customers programming package and other qualifying factors.

Customers are encouraged to take action now, prior to the scheduled transition, Shirley said.

The digital receiver monthly fee for customers with Spectrum packages is $4.99. Those customers who opted to keep their Time Warner packages when Charter acquired the company will pay more than $11 a month for each receiver.

The Spectrum office in Columbus is located at 2453 39th Ave. The office is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
An Australian mother-of-three had to face what no parent should when her two-month-old baby suffocated in her cot.

Carly Wowk, 21, had put Zara Skye down for an afternoon nap and soon fell asleep herself before being woken by her partner's screams.

'I woke up to screaming, I jolted awake. My honest first thought was he's chopped his thumb off, he's been using knives and something's detached,' the mother, from Canberra, told Daily Mail Australia.

'The pain in his cry was undeniable and he brought her into the lounge room. He held her in such a way as if to say "look at her".

Carly Wowk, 21, from Canberra had to face what no mother should when her two month old baby (pictured) suffocated in her cot

Ms Wowk had put Zara Skye down for an afternoon nap and soon fell asleep herself before being woken by her partners screams

'He was screaming, then I started screaming, I flipped the table because it was a quicker route and ran up to them.'

Ms Wowk told her partner to start CPR as she had noticed that Zara was blue.

'She was still warm, she was stiff. It was like she was still sleeping but she just had a blue tinge to her,' she said.

'I knew she wasn't breathing, he started the newborn CPR with two fingers and I called triple zero.'

She said that she screamed 'where are you, why aren't you coming right now' but it was only four minutes until the ambulance arrived.

Ms Wowk told her partner to start CPR as she had noticed that Zara was blue

'I honestly expected them to fix her like 100%. There wasn't even a tiny part of me that thought she was going to die, that came as a complete shock' (Zara pictured left, Aaliyah right)

'It was the longest four minutes of my whole life... I remember the guy saying that I needed to prepare yourself the worst. Until this point, I know this is going to sound funny, but I really didn't them expect to say that.

'I honestly expected them to fix her like 100%. There wasn't even a tiny part of me that thought she was going to die, that came as a complete shock.'

'I said "what? You have to promise me you're not going to give up" and I made the poor man promise - I probably ruined his day.'

As the paramedics worked on Zara, Carly and her partner just had to stand by and watch.

'I sat there screaming and crying but there were no tears, it was like this sound I've never heard before and never want to hear again come out of my mouth.'

Although Ms Wowk was in a 'messed up state' she managed to call her partner's parents to come pick up her oldest daughter Aaliyah, who is now four.

Ms Wowk said it was a coincidence that her step father also turned up to pick up Ms Wowk's younger brother at the same time.

'At this point they were still working on her and the ambos had spoken to my father in law and said "look mate she's not coming back",' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Although Ms Wowk was in a 'messed up state' she managed to call her partners parents to come pick up her oldest daughter Aaliyah

As the paramedics worked on Zara, Carly and her partner just had to stand by and watch

'They were being brutally honest with him to be brutally honest with someone because they couldn't tell us.

'As much as they were trying to they couldn't really say that at that time.'

Ms Wowk jumped into an ambulance and was the first to arrive at the hospital.

She said that they were still trying to bring back her daughter and she couldn't help the multiple chords, tubes and needles coming out of her baby.

'I knew they were trying everything to bring her back, they just couldn't... It was when I was introduced to a social worker I knew there was no way she was coming back.

'The doctors exact words were "we have to give up now". At this point they had been working on her for two hours.

'Her brain had been so deprived of oxygen so if she was brought back she would be severely disabled,' Ms Wowk explained.

'My partner and I held one hand of her hands each as they stopped working on her, as she passed away, and I held her for seven hours after that. It was the worst ten hours of my life.'

'Her brain had been so deprived of oxygen so if she was brought back she would be severely disabled,' Ms Wowk explained

It turned out baby Zara had rolled over onto her stomach, which her mother and father didn't know she could do yet.

She had pushed herself up onto the corner of the bed and suffocated inside it.

She was just two months and five days old when she was declared dead on November 19, 2015.

Ms Wowk said she had put her baby to sleep that day in a portable soft cot insert, which she had also used with her first-born. She now wants such inserts taken off the market.

'I only found out recently through asking questions and through morticians I've met, because she was still warm and she was blue but she hadn't gone into rigor mortis or anything like that she had passed away 20 minutes before we found her,' she said.

'We think she died around 2.30/3 o'clock and she was declared dead at 5 o'clock.'

'I would do anything I could to have her back, which I can't, but I can prevent this from happening to another family,' she said

'I've been searching for answers ever since. When we got the autopsy results back and it said SIDS asphyxiation... SIDS two is unsafe bedding.

Ms Wowk said that this is a similar design to the bed that caused her daughter Zara to suffocate

'That's what happened with Zara she had asphyxiation and she actually did suffocate in the bed.'

Ms Wowk said that it took her five months for it to sink in that her daughter was no longer with her.

'Finding out information does help. I'm not going to say it heals me... but the more I know the more I feel like I'm there for her through that.'

'I wasn't able to save her and there's nothing on this earth I would have loved more to have done that. I can't, but there are kids out there I might be able to in her name.'

Ms Wowk said the main thing she wants to do now is raise awareness about these beds.

'I wasn't able to save her and there's nothing on this earth I would have loved more to have done but I can't but there are kids out there I might be able to in her name'

'I want them banned from shelves or I want a massive label on all the brands saying "do not you leave baby unattended in this bed as there's a possible suffocation risk".'

'You never think its going to happen to you and I didn't know it was suffocation hazard. If I hadn't have used it I would have had a two year old walking around.'

She explained that through her Facebook page Awareness for Zara Skye she has had people reach out from across the world saying that her message has probably saved their baby's life.

'Since having my beautiful baby [Charlotte Hope] I'm not dreading the future. My mum said it best, I think it broke her heart to see me suffering so much' (Calry pictured with Charlotte)

'I would do anything I could to have her back, which I can't, but I can prevent this from happening to another family.'

Since the death of her daughter Ms Wowk gave birth to her third daughter, Charlotte Hope, who she says is the spitting image of Zara.

'Since having my beautiful baby [Charlotte Hope] I'm not dreading the future. My mum said it best, I think it broke her heart to see me suffering so much.

'She said there was a light in my eyes that just wasn't there anymore but as soon as I had Charlotte that light came back.'

Ms Wowk said that although Zara is no longer with her, she continues to give her hope and purpose.
Dear Bel,

I have been married for 27 years. Weve had really good times and some tough ones. Im writing because of what occurred about three years ago and how it still makes me feel today.

Over the years, I have suspected (on several occasions) that she was cheating, but never knew exactly what to do and never confronted her. Three years ago, suspicious again, I found online articles that listed signs to look out for when your spouse is cheating. All fitted.

I still wasnt convinced so I located her phone with Find My iPhone (the first time I had ever used this) and it was in a hotel down the street.

Thought for the week You cannot pardon someone for a crime he has not committed. Only after a guilty verdict can there be a pardon. From Further Along The Road Less Travelled, by M. Scott Peck (American psychiatrist, 1936-2005) Advertisement

The GPS location stayed there for an hour and I called her with no response. I followed the GPS signal as it came to our driveway and into our house. At this point, I still hadnt let her know I knew what was up and I didnt confront her.

I didnt sleep  one of the toughest nights of my life. Next morning, she left for her part-time job, but this time I followed her by way of GPS and, sure enough, she did go to work.

But after her car pulled into the parking place, the GPS signal started moving again and didnt stop until it went into a house in a nearby neighbourhood. However, the signal became skewed so I couldnt tell exactly which house (in a group of three) it could be.

I probably should have hired an investigator, but didnt. Instead, I confronted her and to my total shock she denied the whole thing.

We split up for two months and have now been back together for about two-and-a-half years. She still denies any wrongdoing, but I cant get over what happened and it gets in the way of our life.

I want to trust her again, but just cant seem to get there.

Mostly, Im happy and think she is, too, half the time, because she says she loves me and I tell her the same  until the no-trust monster knocks on my door.

Then Im miserable. Do you have any suggestions?

Dan

Last weeks lead letter was a story of infidelity, headlined, What can I do to get my husband to forgive my cheating?

Now your story is the other side of the coin, and you will have much sympathy with that wronged husband. The wife, Jayne, told me: I regret my affair so much I could die. I wish I could make Joe believe me, but why should he?

One regular reader called Val commented on Facebook: That letter really shocked me. I think shell cheat again and again. Poor bloke.

So here we are with you, another poor bloke tortured by the no-trust monster  enduring the jealous agonies that caused Joe to banish Jayne from their bed.

But obviously your stories are different, for Jayne confessed and was truly (I hope) sorry, whereas your wife is still declaring her innocence.

Is she lying? I agree the circumstances were suspicious, but how can we know?

Your letter left me conflicted  understanding your reasons for sleuthing (or stalking?), yet feeling rather uneasy about this tracking phone business, as well as your historic inability to face up to issues head-on.

Since you felt suspicious of your wife on several occasions over 27 years, why on earth did you never think this a fit subject for conversation? You say you never knew exactly what to do, when the obvious thing would have been to be honest.

Many people reading this (men and women alike) might think your silence astonishingly feeble.

If she was, indeed, cheating, that rabbit-in-the-headlights paralysis gave her carte blanche. If she wasnt, you missed the chance to look seriously at your own desperate insecurity.

Ignoring the whole issue gave it plenty of time to fester, and youre paying the price now. I dont mean to sound unsympathetic, because I do feel very sorry for you.

Had you hired a private investigator, you might have garnered absolute proof of infidelity, but it would have cost you money to feel even worse than you do now.

One thing Im sure of: your marriage has deep cracks at its heart that cant be healed by mutual declarations of love and a fake show of reconciliation.

The monster will always be lurking on your doorstep and rattling the letterbox on dark nights. That monster is called Loss and represents the ideal of happy marriage you once had.

N ow, I suggest this is too big for you to handle alone. You need to sit down with your wife and explain that you have felt suspicious of her for years. She will be angry, perhaps, but your tone must remain calm.

Tell her that the trial separation of two months gave you time to think and that you know you want to spend the rest of your life with her, but not like this.

You cannot live like this, waiting for the next time you feel you must scurry around like a pathetic victim, wondering if she is in bed with somebody else.

Insist that you need to go to couple counselling (see relate.org.uk) and work out the way forward. I see no alternative.

I'm scared my daughter's going blind



AND FINALLY... The magic of a teddy bear hospital The friendly stranger glanced into my trolley with a smile (oh, the vodka!), praised this column and added: I love it when And Finally gives us good news. She was referring to last weeks column about my parents, the local ceilidh and cross-generational fun. With her wish for uplifting stories in mind, heres another. A few weeks ago, walking through Lyme Regis, I spotted a board advertising a teddy bear hospital over the shops. Thats sweet, I thought, walking on. But on my way back, I decided to brave the steep stairs (the new hips still giving me twinges) and check it out. I entered an enchanted world. In the narrow upstairs room were shelves of teddy bears (vintage and new) for sale, rag dolls and kits for making them, and a table where one lady and one large tattooed guy were painstakingly restoring old bears back to life. On the shelves behind these doctors were about a dozen dolly-beds, each containing a named patient  beloved and battered bears, sent from far and near, awaiting treatment. The owner, author and toy-lover Rikey Austin, didnt draw breath in telling me about their magical work and the need of every child for play. I was entranced by her enthusiasm. Visit its website, alicesbear shopuk.com, and dont forget to click on the Teddy Bear Lost & Found Map, which people worldwide use to trace missing toys. Yes, really. There in Dorset Id found a small enterprise offering free patterns to download (when they can make money selling the packs), online tutorials, a free tracing service and a passion for childhood and toys. Most of all, children need time from their parents, said Rikey. Who can deny such wisdom? I left, oddly moved, and thinking: All good . . . and only in England. I also clutched paper patterns for toys. So now, shall I create a ragdoll and a teddy for the grandchildren  or a new book? You tell me! Advertisement

Dear Bel,

I love my daughter Anna so much. At 38 (the youngest of my three children) shes battled depression, anxiety, weight and fertility problems and made us very proud that she never gives up.

At the moment, she is doing well in her job. After years of heartache, she is now married to a lovely guy but struggling to become pregnant.

I understand how this has become all-consuming, but she is burying her head in the sand over a much more pressing problem.

In early 2015, Anna was diagnosed with Keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease. She was prescribed special contact lenses to slow the disease, but felt she was not given the time at the hospital to practise using them before being sent home.

Her wedding was looming, so she said shed try again in the New Year. Her next appointment was in March 2016, but it was cancelled by the hospital and she has never made a new one.

I have tried several ways to persuade her, offering to go with her, asking her sister and a couple of her close friends to ask how its going  all to no avail.

Recently, I told her Im afraid because she will go blind without treatment and how would she cope with a baby then? Her response was a text saying its none of my business  that much as she loves me and knows how much I love her, she must make her own decisions.

I lay awake at night with worry. I have tried talking to her husband, but he gets nowhere either. I feel as if I should be able to fix this  that Im a failure as a mother. What do you advise?

Wendy

The anxiety we feel over our children starts when they are born and never ends. My own mother (aged 93) will bear witness to that, and earlier this year I tossed and turned for about two weeks because I was so concerned about my daughter and her husband, who were at that time having some serious work-related problems.

Since 1974, Ive discovered that being a good parent goes hand in hand with acute worry, some frustration and self-sacrifice, too  and this is the (somewhat tarnished) setting within which jewels of love, pride and joy are set. This, your daughter will discover if she fulfils her dream of parenthood.

Let me ask you this: did you ever give advice to your children that they welcomed? Once in a while theyll listen, but they usually dont want it  and the rejection can be hurtful.

You have to watch them make mistakes, time and time again, but when they do things that you know are wrong/stupid/self-damaging/wilful, its essential for you to realise that its not your fault.

The other week, I was talking to a clinical psychologist friend who was adamant that we mothers have to ditch our tendency to blame ourselves. We do our best, but can do no more. How can you believe you are a failure as a mother when you love Anna so much and care so deeply about her future?

Of course, the eye problem is worrying and she needs to use the lenses. People often resist treatments they know are good for them  they dont put hearing aids in, fail to take pills etc. Its careless and foolish, but as the saying goes, you can take a horse to water  but you cant make it drink.

It was certainly a mistake (though understandable) for you to send her a text designed to frighten her into action. You are the last person she will listen to; the one person in this story who ought to be able to influence Anna is the man trying to support her through these efforts to get pregnant.

You write: I have tried talking to her husband, but he gets nowhere either.

Thats not good enough. I would try to meet him alone, to spell out your concerns and work out a strategy. He has a right and a duty to tell her that her health impinges on his happiness, and even if they never have a child, he looks forward to their life together.

And thats why she needs to learn to wear those lenses  which is not a hard thing to do. Its no longer your job to fix her life, but it is his.
AS PERSONAL protection officer to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Ken Wharfe was in charge of round-the-clock security at home and abroad, from 1987 until 1993. He retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2002, after 35 years service, nearly half of it in royalty protection. He was then appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order, an honour in the Sovereigns personal gift. Here, in an exclusive excerpt from his new book, he describes life with the dazzling but unpredictable Diana . . .

Dressed down in jeans, T-shirt and her favourite blue blazer, Princess Diana imagined she looked inconspicuous as she joined a line of holidaymakers at a Gatwick check-in desk.

It was probably the first time shed queued since her marriage. But she was determined to be normal for once  and that meant going on a budget flight in what she laughingly called goat class.

Unfortunately, she was recognised by some rowdy girls from Essex on their way to a hen party weekend in Ibiza. At first, they could barely believe who was standing in front of them.

With a few well-thumbed novels of the Jackie Collins-type, Diana could relax in the sun in her bright bikini, working on her tan

Its bloody Diana! Look, its the Princess! said one in a stage whisper.

Bloody hell, so it is! said another.

Shouldnt she be in first class? chipped in another.

Within seconds, we were surrounded and more heads were turning in Dianas direction.

Can we have a photo together, your ighness? Its her hen weekend, another of the party said, pointing towards one of her friends.

How would we get out of this? Diana was looking disconcerted, but as her personal protection officer, I knew she wasnt in any danger.

So, mischievously, I let the situation unfold a little longer . . .

It had been the Princesss own hare-brained idea to take a budget flight to Aix-en-Provence, just like any other member of the public.

Left: Princess Diana is greeted by Luciana Pavarotti in 1995. Right: The princess is shadowed by her detective, Inspector Ken Wharfe

I want to go away on holiday but I dont want any special treatment, no fuss. I want to be just like everyone else. I want to be like normal people, shed told me.

The curveball came from nowhere, and I knew it would be particularly tricky to manage.

Really? Are you sure, Maam? I asked. It will present some . . . well, shall I say, logistical challenges. Of course I can make the arrangements as you wish, Maam, but to be frank . . . well, youre not like everyone else.

This was not what she wanted to hear. She flushed and puffed out her cheeks.

Ken, said Diana, breathing deeply  always a sign that I might have overstepped an invisible mark when she was in one of her moods  can you please just make the arrangements as I said. That is what I want.

When she was on top form, there was no one better; when she wasnt, it was best to give her a wide berth  not that easy when you were her protection officer with a duty to keep her safe. The Princess is pictured with her son Prince William and Inspector Wharfe in the background

At this point, in the spring of 1989, Id already been guarding her for two years. And Id learned to my cost that Diana, Princess of Wales could be a difficult woman to please.

When she was on top form, there was no one better; when she wasnt, it was best to give her a wide berth  not that easy when you were her protection officer with a duty to keep her safe. This time, her heels were well and truly dug in.

I knew full well that her madcap scheme would go one of two ways: either it would result in a total calamity, for which Id doubtless be blamed, or it would be scrapped altogether and normal service would be resumed.

Because, of course Diana was not like any other passenger. She did have a passport, but that was as close to normal as she got. Hers  number 125580  had Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales emblazoned across the front.

The Princess' passport  number 125580  had Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales emblazoned across the front

And instead of stating her nationality, it simply read Princess of the Royal House, which always made her giggle. Plus, shed signed it with the single name Diana, and boldly underlined it.

Travelling can be dreary: standing in line at security, luggage allowances, plane delays, jet lag and strange hotels. But it wasnt like that for the Princess of Wales, who was used to private jets, royal helicopters and billionaires yachts.

Even when she took a commercial flight, the Princess was driven straight to the plane by limousine, or wed be temporarily entertained in one of the VIP lounges.

Her documents would be dealt with separately, and her luggage  emblazoned with the letter D and a crown  handled by the airport Special Services. Anyway, the big day arrived when the Princess would be voluntarily downgraded to goat class. I arrived early at Kensington Palace so we could head off to catch the Gatwick Express from Victoria.

Why do we have to leave so early? she complained. The flight isnt until 3pm and I have a hair appointment at 11.30am.

Her favourite pastime, especially around December, was flicking through upmarket holiday brochures to find an escape from the formality of a royal Christmas

Well, I cant see how you can make that appointment, Maam, and queue for luggage, then go through security in time, I replied. We will miss the flight as we have to take public transport, too.

She looked at me quizzically. Really, as long as that?

We compromised: I asked her chauffeur to take us to Gatwick as soon as the hair appointment was over. So by the time we arrived, we were running late and the queues were horrendous.

Soon, we were ringed by around 20 people, all vying to get a better look at the Princess. After a minute or two, Diana shot me a look. Without her having to say a word, its meaning was clear: Im a Princess . . . Get me out of here!

Fortunately, I had a Plan B. Without telling Diana, Id contacted airport Special Services the day before and explained the situation. Theyd promised to help out, if I needed them.

The Princess and I began walking away. Where are you going, Di? I wanted just one more photo! cried one of the hen party girls. Seconds later, normal service had been resumed, and we were being whisked through security.

Diana was offered a glass of water in the sanctuary of the VIP area, which she accepted with a smile. She didnt say a word about what had just happened.Yet Diana was always dreaming or conniving at an escape from the strictures of life as a Royal.

Yet Diana was always dreaming or conniving at an escape from the strictures of life as a Royal. Diana is pictured in 1985 during a royal visit to Italy

Being at the centre of a gathering of hen party revellers was an anecdote she told many times, accompanied by screeches of laughter. She usually concluded it by saying she would have been happy to join in the girls fun. In reality, I knew that nothing could be further from the truth.

Yet Diana was always dreaming or conniving at an escape from the strictures of life as a Royal.

Her favourite pastime, especially around December, was flicking through upmarket holiday brochures to find an escape from the formality of a royal Christmas at Sandringham. She always felt suffocated there, she told me.

In fact, it wasnt her husbands family she really wanted to escape from, but Prince Charles. At this point, both had taken lovers and they were often barely on speaking terms.

Surfing through holiday brochures was a form of escapism that made Diana feel normal, as though she, too, could just jet away on a package holiday, like other people. And without Charles.

Even a three-day private visit to the ancient Italian city of Verona could make all the difference to her mood. It was August 1990 and I had seldom seen her so happy.

Surfing through holiday brochures was a form of escapism that made Diana feel normal, as though she, too, could just jet away on a package holiday, like other people

Diana and her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, were staying with Francess old friend, the Contessa Maria Cristina Loredan Guerrieri-Rizzardi. One evening, we all slipped out to an ancient arena to hear Luciano Pavarotti perform Verdis Requiem.

The great tenor held his audience spellbound. Then, about halfway through the Requiem, the heavens opened, and even our umbrellas failed to stop the torrential rain from soaking us to the skin.

Nothing, however, could dampen Dianas spirits. She was elated, by the music, the atmosphere and the dramatic setting, and wanted the evening to go on for ever.

Pavarotti had spotted the Princess during the performance, and as he left the rain-drenched arena, he invited our entire party back to his dressing-room. There, in his broken English, he flirted outrageously with the already smitten Diana.

When she left, she was on fire. As we stood beneath a tarpaulin, waiting for the cars, she suddenly declared that she wanted to go to Venice. Ken, weve got away with it. Nobody knows were here, not even the local Press. Lets live a little, she said, beaming.

It was close to 10pm, but I knew from her expression and her manner that nothing was going to stop her seeing Venice that night  even if she had to walk there.

In minutes, Diana, her mother and I were heading for Venice, along with the flabbergasted British Consul, Martin Rickerd, who seemed bemused by our lapse into insanity.

We arrived at the police headquarters of Venice just after midnight. Jumping out of the car, Diana starting kicking the puddles, as if she were Gene Kelly in Singin In The Rain.

She then announced she wanted to walk through St Marks Square. It was a surreal experience. Apart from a couple of vagrants dossing down, we were the only people there

The Venice police arranged for two motorboats to take us to see the city by moonlight.

For the next hour, we saw Venice as few have been privileged to do. We sailed along the Grand Canal, armed with a bottle of chilled Pinot Grigio, from which Diana would take the occasional swig.

She then announced she wanted to walk through St Marks Square. It was a surreal experience. Apart from a couple of vagrants dossing down, we were the only people there.

As she took another swig from the bottle, Diana  eyes alight with pleasure  turned to me. If only I could have this freedom once a month, it would make the job worth it all the more, she said.

The Princess knew she had a life of great privilege, and she didnt blame anyone for the restrictions placed on her. But she often longed to do the things so-called ordinary people took for granted.

A couple of years after her Venice expedition, in May 1992, Diana asked if I could allow her to take a long walk along a beach, without me at her side. My Scotland Yard superiors would have gone potty if theyd known, but I promised Id make it happen.

From my childhood, I recalled the sandy beaches of Studland Bay on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, and thought theyd be ideal for her cherished solo stroll.

Less than a week later, we drove to Sandbanks ferry at Poole in a saloon car. Diana was hugely excited, and fortunately none of the passengers recognised her.

The Princess knew she had a life of great privilege, and she didnt blame anyone for the restrictions placed on her

Half a mile from the ferry landing point, we crossed a wooden bridge to the deserted beach of Shell Bay. There was no one around except a few oystercatchers and other birds stabbing at the wet sand.

I gave Diana a two-way radio and a map Id sketched of the shoreline, and said Id meet her at the far end of the bay in a pub car park. Then she left  a tall, slim figure in denim jeans, a suede jacket and a scarf wrapped around her face to protect her from the chilly wind.

I watched as she disappeared into the distance. It was a strange sensation, watching the wife of the future King walk away by herself.

As the Princess disappeared from view, I radioed her. Her voice was bright and lively and I knew she was revelling in her freedom.

Knowing the walk would take around 40 minutes, I sat on a wall in the spring sunshine. Suddenly my radio crackled into life.

Its me, can you hear me? she said. Its amazing! I cant believe it, she said, sounding exhilarated. You could have told me about the nudist colony!

She burst out laughing and I did, too. It simply hadnt occurred to me that nudists would venture out on such a crisp spring day. As she finished her walk, I saw her throwing sticks for two dogs that had joined her at the waters edge.

There were no crowds, no security apart from me, no over-attentive officials, no servants. For once, Diana felt truly normal.

Normality was certainly lacking in her private life. As her personal protection officer, I was often in the unenviable position of witnessing her rows with Prince Charles.

THAT WAS A DAMNED STUPID THING TO DO, MA'AM A year after her official separation from Charles, Diana did a bunk. It was March 1993 and she was on a skiing holiday in Lech, Austria, along with William and Harry. As always, they were guarded round the clock. The first I knew about her latest drama was when the night-duty police officer, Mark, woke me at 6am with a loud knock on my hotel room door. He looked agitated. Is everything OK? I asked, as he stood nervously at the foot of my bed. The Princess is OK now, sir, was Marks response. As I threw on my dressing-gown, he told me what had happened. At about 5.30am, the doorbell had sounded at the entrance to the exclusive Arlberg Hotel. Mark had gone to the door and, to his utter horror, found Diana standing there  fully dressed and wearing a scarf and hat. Thoroughly alarmed, I realised there was only one way the Princess could have got out: she had bloody well jumped She looked him straight in the eye, said good morning politely and went straight up to her suite. Where on earth had she been? My blood ran cold at the thought of her wandering about alone in the dark. And I could just imagine the headlines  Princess Evades Police Protection  Gone For Hours. After grilling the policeman further, I learned that all the outside doors of the hotel had been locked at 1am  and hed been on duty all night in the lobby, carrying the only set of keys. Thoroughly alarmed, I realised there was only one way the Princess could have got out: she had bloody well jumped. But how could that be possible? Her suite was on the first floor and there was a 20ft drop. I went outside to check. And when I reached the point directly beneath Dianas balcony, I found a perfect impression of her body in the deep snow below. From there, her footprints led away into the town of Lech itself. After being out all night, she slept in that morning. So it wasnt until some hours later that I confronted her about her leap to freedom. Maam, I said calmly, my face a blank, its about last night. What on earth were you thinking? Anything could have happened. At this, she flushed scarlet. She knew that shed been completely out of order  not only putting herself at risk but placing me, as her personal protection officer, in a deeply compromising position. After being out all night, she slept in that morning. So it wasnt until some hours later that I confronted her about her leap to freedom But she said nothing. I then reminded the Princess that our relationship was based on mutual trust, and told her shed abused it. Ken, I just needed some air, Diana said at last, her speech somewhat higher-pitched than usual. She was still red with embarrassment. Yes, I did jump from the balcony. It was deep, soft snow, and I knew it would be all right. I pointed out that she could have landed on a rock and hurt herself badly: It was a damned stupid thing to do! But lecturing Diana about anything was never wise, even when she knew shed done wrong. I changed tack and asked where shed gone. I know what Im doing, was her only response. By now thoroughly rattled, I snapped back: No, Maam, I really dont think you do. What Diana actually did for some four or five hours that night remains a mystery. But the Leap of Lech gave a clear insight into her state of mind at the time  she wanted to be free of the trappings of her position. It was an act of independence, but also one of defiance. Advertisement

Normality was certainly lacking in her private life. As her personal protection officer, I was often in the unenviable position of witnessing her rows with Prince Charles

One memorable occasion made a particular impression, not least because it had its lighter moments  but also because it summed up the distance between the couple, as well as Dianas absolute lack of appreciation of her husband and his sense of humour.

It was the evening of the state banquet for the King of Norway, and I was handling security for both the Prince and Princess.

Diana was in a particularly impatient mood. She was tapping her feet in frustration  at having to attend this formal function, at her husband, at having to dress to the nines, at delays and any other irritations that came to mind.

In complete contrast, the Prince was extremely relaxed. He knew the form on state occasions like this, when all senior  and many of the so-called minor  members of the Royal Family were on parade. Everything had to be done in almost military fashion.

Royalty would arrive according to ascending order of rank, with the most senior, the Queen herself, arriving last, at exactly the time listed in the programme.

It might sound absurd, but this is how the business of monarchy works  and state banquets, when the principals turn out in all their finery, tiaras, dress uniforms, evening dress, decorations and all, are when the business of royalty becomes very serious indeed.

One memorable occasion made a particular impression, not least because it had its lighter moments  but also because it summed up the distance between the couple, as well as Dianas absolute lack of appreciation of her husband and his sense of humour

But Diana did not quite see it like that. As far as she was concerned, a state banquet was an irritation, something to go to, to be seen at, and get home from as early and unscathed as possible.

In the mood she was in tonight, this was doubly, or trebly, the case.

The Princess and I, in evening dress, were in the hall of the apartments at Kensington Palace, waiting to set off in the car according to the order of precedence.

She sighed and turned to me. Can we go early? I dont want to hang around here any more, she said. There was a faintly childish whine in her voice.

Maam, its really not as simple as that, there is an order . . .

She snapped back: I know all about their bloody orders, I know all about them! I want to go now. Simon [her chauffeur] is ready and I want to go now.

Fortunately, Charles, also in evening dress, appeared in the hall right on cue, tugging on his cuffs in his slightly nervous manner, like an actor in a West End comedy. He clearly sensed an impending tantrum from his volatile wife.

Are we ready to go? he asked me. There was a stony silence from both of them as I pointed out that it was not our slot yet. Have I got time for another Martini then? he asked politely.

I couldnt help smiling broadly. It struck me as vaguely absurd that the future King was asking me if he had time for another drink.

In fact, it wasnt her husbands family she really wanted to escape from, but Prince Charles. At this point, both had taken lovers and they were often barely on speaking terms

I told him that he probably did have time. The frost emanating from his wife became icier.

Is anything the matter? he asked, not directing his question to anyone in particular.

Well, Charles, there is, actually, said Diana, spoiling for a fight. I want to go now, I dont want to hang around here. There was a dangerous edge to her voice.

You know the system, he replied reasonably. We have to go at the set time, so that we arrive just before Her Majesty.

Diana, drawing herself up in her high heels (or tarts trotters as she called them), turned on him: But Charles, why cant you go on your own? I can get there earlier. Nobody will worry about me.

Of course she knew that if she turned up without her husband, the waiting media would plaster it all over the front pages, speculating, quite rightly, that the Prince and Princess had had another row.

Charles, who clearly did not want a fight, retreated, asking the butler, Harold Brown, for another Martini.

When he left, I told the Princess I thought the whole row was silly. It was not what she wanted to hear, and she sounded off again.

I was actually trying hard not to laugh, partly at the ridiculousness of the situation and partly at her husbands antics.

A few minutes later, the Prince re-emerged, as his wife paced up and down like a caged animal.

When he left, I told the Princess I thought the whole row was silly. It was not what she wanted to hear, and she sounded off again

Charles, I have really had enough of this. Im off, she fumed.

No, Diana, we really have to wait, he rightly insisted.

Charles ordered another Martini and departed again, and at this point I let out a little chortle.

What is the reason for the delay? the Prince asked, reappearing.

Actually, Sir, the Princess Royal is stuck in traffic at Hammersmith, I told him, to which he replied with a wry smile, Oh, not again! He carried on with his drink.

Do you find my husband funny? Diana snapped, by now extremely irritated. Well, do you?

I paused for a second, then said: Actually, I do, Maam. I think he has a great sense of humour. Foolishly, I then added: Its not too far removed from my own.

So, what kind of humour is that? she retorted curtly.

Too late I realised I had said the wrong thing. Diana did not find her husband funny, nor should her protection officer. For the rest of that night she said not a word to me, other than perfunctory answers to my necessary questions.

That summer, the Princess reluctantly agreed to join her husband and children on a Mediterranean cruise on a super-yacht owned by billionaire John Latsis

As for Charles, no one at the banquet could have guessed from his calm demeanour that hed survived a domestic sniping attack. Or, indeed, that he was already a good few Martinis down.

That summer, the Princess reluctantly agreed to join her husband and children on a Mediterranean cruise on a super-yacht owned by billionaire John Latsis.

A couple of weeks before we were due to sail, she suddenly refused point-blank to go, and told the Prince shed also stop their sons from joining him. This seriously irritated Charles, who was looking forward to a holiday with the boys. In fact, Diana had every intention of going on the cruise  she just took considerable pleasure in unsettling her husband.

From the moment they boarded the yacht, they saw very little of each other. Diana, however, suspected he was spending hours on the satellite phone, chatting to Camilla, and this irritated her.

Soon the atmosphere became extremely tense. Diana wanted nothing to do with Charles and even her sons became concerned about her strange behaviour.

This culminated with a bad scare when a colleague told me she hadnt been seen for two hours. Had she jumped overboard?

She had a point. Although Diana had been unfaithful, too, she at least had the decency not to flaunt her affairs under her husbands nose

We launched a thorough search, but there was no sign. Panic set in. Then I recalled she had spent some time by the lifeboats. In one of them, I found her crouched beneath the canvas cover in floods of tears. Shed been there for two hours.

I spent the next couple of hours in the lifeboat locked in conversation with Diana under the cover.

Hes on the phone to the Rottweiler, and everybody knows it. They are all in it with him. They think Im mad and feel sorry for me, but they have no idea what Im going through, she sobbed.

She had a point. Although Diana had been unfaithful, too, she at least had the decency not to flaunt her affairs under her husbands nose.

Having worked herself up into a fury, Diana demanded I arrange for her to be flown home immediately. She wasnt staying on this floating hell for one second longer than she had to.

Her plan was to fly by helicopter to Cyprus and board a scheduled flight. But I pointed out that all the flights would be booked solid.

In the end, she agreed to remain. Despite her occasional immaturity, she knew that to make a show of defiance in front of her beloved sons would be unforgivable.

Come on, she said, wed better get back to the rest of them. Otherwise that bloody husband of mine will be cracking open the champagne, hoping I did actually jump overboard and he can make that hideous woman his princess.

Four months later, soon after the official announcement of her separation in December 1992, we flew to the tiny Caribbean atoll of Nevis with William, Harry and Dianas friend Catherine Soames. It was a perfect setting, with turquoise waters, lush rainforests and sandy beaches.

For all her fame, Diana recognised her success was dependent on the court of public opinion. If she did not appear in the British newspapers, her star might wane

With a few well-thumbed novels of the Jackie Collins-type, Diana could relax in the sun in her bright orange bikini, working on her tan.

She knew it wouldnt be long before the media pack arrived, and she was determined to look her best. For all her fame, Diana recognised her success was dependent on the court of public opinion. If she did not appear in the British newspapers, her star might wane.

Being popular with the masses required hard work and dedication, and she shirked neither.

She often told me she felt a duty to the countless schoolchildren, elderly women, star-struck girls and infatuated men whom she counted among her army of fans.

They dont want to see me looking dowdy, they want to see me out there doing my thing, she would say.

After a couple of days sunbathing, she looked magnificent on the morning of the first photocall.

One memorable shot caught her as she emerged from the Caribbean surf, her bronzed skin contrasting with her orange bikini, looking absolutely sensational. Not only would this ensure wide media coverage, but it was a perfect opportunity to send her estranged husband a glad-youre-not-here postcard, in the form of stunning bikini shots dominating the front pages back home.

She often told me she felt a duty to the countless schoolchildren, elderly women, star-struck girls and infatuated men whom she counted among her army of fans

After a week in the sun, Diana, relaxed and refreshed, returned to Britain. That was the best holiday Ive ever had, she said.

It was then that something wholly unexpected happened which strengthened her position still further  Camillagate.

At the end of January, news-papers published extracts from an illicitly recorded telephone conversation between her husband and Camilla Parker Bowles, said to have taken place on December 18, 1989.

It was intimate and distasteful, and the backlash was savage. Loyal Establishment figures were appalled, and some questioned the Princes suitability to rule.

The Princess, however, enjoyed the moment. Game, set and match, she said.
Choosing a best man can be a tricky task for any groom, but for Paul Rogers there was no contest.

Despite having met only eight years ago, the bond that the 51-year-old engineer has forged with retired boat-builder Brett Dingwall is stronger than a lifetime of shared experiences.

Just over ten years ago Brett, now 67, was given the devastating news that he had life-threatening acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.

His last chance of survival was a stem-cell transplant  but he needed to find a donor with matching tissue type.

Despite having met only eight years ago, the bond that Paul Rogers (right) has forged with retired boat-builder Brett Dingwall (left) is stronger than a lifetime of shared experiences

The transplant would involve stem cells being extracted from the donor's bone marrow and then infused into Brett, to grow into healthy new blood cells and replace his failing immune system.

Brett and his wife Janice, 61, were told that if a suitable donor wasn't found, any infection could kill him within weeks.

His shock diagnosis came after weeks of mild flu-like symptoms, a strong metal taste in his mouth and a pain in his side.

Acute myeloid leukaemia strikes about 3,000 people a year in the UK  most over the age of 65.

'It was a total nightmare,' recalls Brett, a father of six. 'I thought I might have some kind of infection  I never imagined cancer.'

In October 2006, he began intense chemotherapy. By the start of February 2007 the treatment had worked, but Brett was still staring death in the face.

As an only child with no siblings to turn to for stem cells, he would need donor cells from a stranger.

He was put in touch with Anthony Nolan, a charity that matches people in need of stem cells with others willing to donate them.

Incredibly, just a week later Brett and Janice were overjoyed to hear there was a perfect match.

The procedure involves a bag of specially treated blood, rich with stem cells from the anonymous donor, being fed into the patient.

Brett says: 'It took just half an hour. I couldn't believe it was so simple.'

One hundred days after the transplant, he was given the news he had been hoping for: he was completely cured.

'It somehow didn't feel real, that I'd been given this second chance,' he recalls. 'Every day felt so precious and I really wanted to thank that stranger who'd saved my life.'

Patients and donors are allowed to communicate anonymously through Anthony Nolan for two years, after which, if both parties consent, they can swap details.

Two years is considered long enough to ensure the recipient is healthy and well.

Brett sent a letter and a few weeks later received a reply. He says: 'The donor said his dad had died of leukaemia, so it was amazing to know he'd saved a life.'

Shortly after the two-year anniversary, Brett met his donor  an occasion he describes as 'incredibly emotional'.

For Paul, the meeting brought back poignant memories of his father Tommy, who had died from the same disease in 1991, at just 48, before a donor could be found.

Paul says: 'Having Dad taken from us so young was devastating. I vowed I'd do everything I could to save a life in his memory and joined the Anthony Nolan register straight away.

'When I got the call to help, I jumped at the chance. And meeting Brett was surreal  it was like Dad was alive again in some way.'

When someone needs a transplant, Anthony Nolan scans its registers around the world to find a matching tissue type. Two weeks after being matched with Brett, Paul attended hospital to donate.

He recalls: 'I sat on a bed with a tube in each arm, one taking blood out and treating it in a machine to remove stem cells, then returning it back into the other. It was all over in four hours and wasn't painful at all.'

Just over ten years ago Brett, now 67, was given the devastating news that he had life-threatening acute myeloid leukaemia and his only hope of survival was a stem cell transplant

A few weeks later Paul, who has a 23-year-old daughter, was delighted to hear the transplant was a complete success. 'I had no idea if this was a small child, a man or a woman  all I cared about was that I'd helped someone, maybe even saved a life. Finally meeting Brett and his lovely family made me realise what an amazing process this is.'

Incredibly, both men lived in Hertfordshire: Paul in Hitchin, a 25-minute drive from Brett, in Bricket Wood. They met regularly and over the years their families became firm friends.

So when Paul proposed to his girlfriend Laura, 29, he knew immediately who his best man would be.

He says: 'To have Brett at the wedding in May, telling our story in the speech, was perfect. Dad would have loved that.'

Brett says he has Paul to thank for him meeting his five grandchildren. 'Never mind being his best man, I owe him more than that  I owe him everything,' he says.

People aged 16 to 30 can join the Anthony Nolan register. For details, visit anthonynolan.org.
A British destroyer built in the Thirties, three working Spitfires, 50 period boats and stars made to lace their boots just as the Tommies did. Event goes behind the scenes of this summers blockbuster Dunkirk to reveal the full, painstaking detail that went into recreating this miraculous deliverance from hell

On his very first day working on the set of the new movie Dunkirk, indeed on his very first day working on any film set, Harry Styles had a swift introduction into what was expected.

The former One Direction star had just emerged from the wardrobe departments trailer when he encountered the films director Christopher Nolan, who had cast him as one of the 340,000 Allied troops who were evacuated from a French beach in May 1940, even as the German forces pincered in around them.

Soldiers scattered on the beach in a scene from the film. As the men waited to be evacuated, over the Channel a full-scale air battle was under way

Allied troops desperately try to reach the rescue ship from which this photo was taken in 1940

Id put my uniform on and walked out and Chris checks me over, the movie debutant recalls. And he says to me: Your boots are laced wrong. He explained that the British soldiers did them looped rather than criss-cross.

Welcome to Dunkirk. When it came to re-telling the story of the most extraordinary evacuation in military history, for Nolan this was personal. The 46-year-old Briton had long nurtured an ambition to bring the events of May 1940 to the big screen. After the success of Interstellar, The Dark Knight and Inception, he had credit among the big studios who would be prepared to back him. But for him it had to be on his terms. He would not allow the story to be diluted, bastardised, in any way undermined by Hollywood norms. He had seen too many World War II movies into which American heroes had been shoe-horned. This was a British film with a Hollywood budget. And to deliver it properly, for him there could be no compromise. This was a moment of profound significance in our collective past, the moment that defined Britains refusal to yield. Consequently nothing in the film  from the ships and planes to the manner in which Styles laced his boots  was to be incorrect, nothing affected, nothing contrived. His insistence that the memory of this most telling chapter in our island story was to be appropriately respected meant, too, that there was to be no computer-generated imagery, no blue screen action, no background filling in the editing suite. None of the tropes and tricks of modern film-making were to be adopted. Every last second was to be  as the movie jargon has it  in camera.

We want to put people on the beach at Dunkirk, on the deck of one of the little ships and in the cockpit of a Spitfire, Nolan explains. We want to take the audience on a very intense ride, and make them feel that theyre actually there.

So it was that Nolan, after gathering a fine ensemble cast including Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphy as well as Styles, instructed his production crew to go out and find the tools to help him depict precisely what had happened. And for Nathan Crowley, the visual effects coordinator, that meant starting with the location.

Left: Harry Styles plays soldier Alex. Right: Kenneth Branagh as Commander Bolton

The first thing was to go to Dunkirk and take a look; Id never been before, he says. Its a huge beach. I think the first day I went I walked about 12 miles. And I realised as I walked, everything had to be filmed there. We couldnt do the wide shots there and fill in with the rest on some beach in California. There was nothing else we could do but re-stage the whole thing there.

Re-stage is a bit of an understatement. Rebuild might be more accurate. Take the mole. This was the 250-yard pier heading out from the beach into the foaming waters of the Channel. For the majority of the troops massing on the sand back in May 1940, this was the only route home. And it provides the backdrop for the sequence that defines the film.

We see thousands of men lined up on the pier, waiting patiently their turn to embark on to the boats moored alongside it, when we hear an ominous drone buzzing in the distance. A dive bomber has just appeared on the horizon and the look on the upturned faces of the men is one of abject terror.

Its an incredibly stark image, says Crowley. They are at the end of the road. On a pier to nowhere.

And there was just one problem for Crowley about staging it: as Dunkirk restored its bomb-damaged industrial port after the war, the jetty fell into disrepair and much of it was washed away.

I remember standing there on the beach thinking, Oh God, weve got to build an entire pier, he recalls.

The mole was a 2ft-high stone breakwater, which had been topped off in the tall-ship era by white, wooden boards. And during the 12 weeks it took Crowley and his team to build a new version, the weather turned raw. In the midst of one storm, the tide ripped the filmmakers newly installed structure to pieces.

The films recreation of the mole, the long pier that extended into the Channel from Dunkirk beach. Over 6,000 extras were needed during the 106-minute production

The longest wait: Of the nearly 340,000 troops saved during the week-long evacuation, over 230,000 were saved from the Harbour and mole while 98 ,000 were lifted directly from the beach. Not everyone was so lucky  3,500 British troops were killed during the evacuation and a further 40,000 became German POWs. Its estimated that around 579,000 tons of equipment was left to the Germans, including tanks, artillery and an assortment of ammunition, supplies and motor vehicles

French destroyer Bourrasque sinking after hitting a mine on the way back from Dunkirk, with some 1200 men aboard, many of whom died

Survivors of the French warship Bourrasque. Incredibly, 14 of the little ships audiences will see in the film were actually there at Dunkirk. These are the living ghosts of the evacuation

The sea was pretty rough, says Crowley. The only plus was that every time the water peeled boards off, it would always deposit them on the same bit of beach. So we knew where all our parts were, and could go and get them. It was a constant repair job.

A repair job, Crowley adds, that only enhanced his respect for the men involved in the evacuation. We had all these problems, he says. And we werent being bombed.

Meanwhile, as set-builders scrabbled around in pursuit of flying gangplanks, other members of the team were scouring Europe for the floating stars of the movie: the civilian little ships that answered the call to cross the Channel to bring the troops home. There were to be no CGI boats steaming in the distance: Neil Andrea had been charged by Nolan with sourcing an entire flotilla.

We found them in the most unexpected places  Holland, Denmark, we got a couple in Norway, he says of the boats. We wanted working boats not museum pieces. A lot of it was word of mouth. We ended up with about 50 boats, all of them from the time. During the shoot, Pier 7 in Dunkirk looked like a museum. Every day, hundreds of people would turn up just to look at the boats.

Incredibly, 14 of the little ships audiences will see in the film were actually there at Dunkirk. These are the living ghosts of the evacuation.

The owners were incredibly excited to be part of the project and were really generous about lending us their boats, says Andrea. They gave so much input into how the craft were used, how they manoeuvred.

The films maritime hero, the boat the camera follows on its journey from the Kent coast across the channel, is Moonstone, a tiny little cabin steamer. Although not involved in the evacuation, Moonstone, built in the Thirties, is an exact contemporary of many of those that provided unlikely rescue. And Mark Rylance, who plays her captain, found himself inexorably drawn to this aquatic character.

Soldiers in the film awaiting rescue from the water. The destroyer that filmgoers will see anchored just beyond the mole is no stage set. It is the real thing, a genuine British naval destroyer built in the Thirties

Tom Hardy as Spitfire pilot Farrier. To recreate the dog fights, Nolan did not want models or facsimiles. He wanted the real thing

I really fell in love with her, Rylance says. I spent many hours sitting down in the cabin. Shes got a beautiful cabin, which the art department decorated with books on the shelf and all this stuff from the period. Even when you opened the drawers, they had these beautiful old tins and things from the Forties. But she didnt have a deep keel, so she rocked about like anything in the water.

It wasnt just little ships Andrea found. The destroyer that filmgoers will see anchored just beyond the mole is no stage set. It is the real thing, a genuine British naval destroyer built in the Thirties.

We found her in a museum in Nantes, says Andrea. As it happens, she was the only ship we used that isnt working any more. So we had to tow it all the way from Holland.

As the men waited to be evacuated, over the Channel a full-scale air battle was under way. To recreate the dog fights, Nolan did not want models or facsimiles. He wanted the real thing. So Crowley found three Spitfires  two Mark Is and one Mark V  as well as a Spanish HA-1112 Buchon to double for the German ME-109s. However, Nolan acknowledges, here was a rare moment of cheating.

Meals on wheels: Trains played an important role in ferrying the rescued soldiers out of Kent, away from the busy ports and to their barracks. Multiple operators pooled 2,000 carriages to hastily form the transports, which were nicknamed Dynamo Specials. To avoid delay, it was decided that the soldiers, many of whom had not eaten properly for days, would be fed on the trains from designated feeding stations along the route, manned by a mixture of volunteers and military personnel

Wounded soldiers travelled on a hospital train

Harry Styles as Alex in the film

We did take certain liberties with historical accuracy for narrative reasons. For example, our ME-109 Messerschmitts have yellow noses, when at that point, they had not yet started to paint the ME-109s like that. But it allows the audience to more easily distinguish the enemy from the Spitfires.

What Nolan wanted was to shoot the dogfight sequences from the pilots point of view, as if they had go-pro cameras attached to their flying jackets. It meant the planes were put through their paces, flying sortie after sortie over the Channel to ensure that every possible angle was covered.

Those Spitfires are so brilliantly engineered, theyre well looked after and are incredibly reliable, says Crowley. But boy do you feel a sense of responsibility working with them.

The unseen battle: The soldiers being bombed and strafed by the Luftwaffe while awaiting transport in 1940 were largely unaware of the efforts of the RAF to protect them, as most of the dogfights took place far from the beaches. As a result, many British soldiers bitterly accused the airmen of doing nothing to help

This was a moment of profound significance in our collective past, the moment that defined Britains refusal to yield

Indeed the venerable nature of the aircraft was a constant of the filming process.

I remember when we landed a Spitfire  painted in the markings it would have had at the time  on the beach at Dunkirk, everyone there stood to attention. It was so moving, says Crowley.

With all the vessels and vehicles in place, and the pier built, and hundreds of Dunkirk locals drafted in to act as extras, the formidable cast Nolan had assembled gathered on the beach for what turned out to be less a shoot and more a full-on battle reenactment. One conducted in particularly inclement weather, as the boats dipped and bobbed on the Channel swell.

Cillian Murphy, who plays a character identified simply as Shivering Soldier, was working with the director for the fifth time. So he had an idea of the demands that would be made. And of the requirements of doing things for real.

I remember on Inception, shooting on the side of a mountain in a snowstorm, and Chris continued to shoot even when it became total white-out conditions, he says. If you want to get the most authentic reactions, or the most truthful responses from actors, throw em into the real sea or fly real Spitfires over them. The audience will feel the reality of that  the actors certainly do.

Clambouring aboard the barge Xylonite in a scene from the film

Two of the little ships, packed with troops for the journey home

When it came to re-telling the story of the most extraordinary evacuation in military history, for Christopher Nolan this was personal

In the air battle to defend the beach, the RAF lost 145 planes, while the Luftwaffe, which Hitler was relying on to stop the evacuation, lost 156. The pilots of the RAF flew over 3,500 sorties between them

Though Kenneth Branagh, who plays Commander Bolton, the naval officer who was one of those in charge of organising the evacuation, cautions that, whatever the conditions that might have prevailed during the shoot, whatever the grit and grime and difficulty, he and his colleagues were engaged in making a movie. Nothing could ever properly compare to what had happened in that place 80 years before.

It was only a distant hint of what it might have been like in reality, he says. For the real people who stood on that mole, home was so close they could see it  just 26 miles away  and yet they were stuck in this kind of hell. They didnt win medals, it wasnt considered a victory but, nevertheless, it was a miraculous deliverance. It delivered us to the world were living in now.

Dunkirk is in cinemas now
She was the Queen of the British Empire. He was a young servant from India. Here, the author of the book behind a remarkable new film starring Judi Dench reveals the truth about a relationship that scandalised the Royal Household... and ended in lonely ignominy

Barely hours after Queen Victorias funeral at Windsor Castle in February 1901, a small group of people could be seen making their way through the dawn mist to a house in the grounds. They were Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII; Princess Beatrice, Queen Victorias youngest daughter; and several tough-looking guards. The Royal party was heading for Frogmore Cottage, the home of Abdul Karim, the Queens Munshi, or teacher. They were on a mission.

Judi Dench as Queen Victoria with Ali Fazal as Abdul Karim in the forthcoming film, Victoria & Abdul

For 13 years Queen Victoria had taken the young Indian to heart, giving him land, houses, titles and her unquestioning love. Now was their chance to get back at him. They banged loudly on Abduls door, waking up the sleeping family.

Within moments they had stormed into his house, violating his space. His wife ran in panic to put on her burka as the guards entered. The Queen demanded that all the letters Victoria had written to Karim be handed over. As he pleaded with them, they tore open the drawers in his study, removing letters and correspondence. They ordered his terrified 12-year-old nephew to find more letters, piled them up outside the cottage and lit a bonfire.

As the Dear Abdul letters burnt in the cold February air, the guards went back for more. Postcards and notes were seized and thrown into the blazing fire. Abduls distraught wife wept as the black-lined notepaper, covered with the late Queens handwriting, crackled in the flames. She begged them to stop. Abdul stood near the fire, fighting back his tears, watching as the flames curled around Victorias signature and turned it to ash.

Victoria used to write to Abdul several times a day, signing her letters variously as your dearest friend, your true friend, and even, your dearest mother. She would put little crosses after her signature. Sometimes, she would sign in Urdu, at other times it was just her initials: VRI. There were letters written to him from Windsor, Balmoral, Osborne House  her holiday home on the Isle of Wight  the Royal yacht Victoria & Albert and hotels across Europe. Soon, everything was consumed in the flames.

The next day, King Edward asked Karim to pack his bags and return to India; he wanted Karim erased from history. The fairy tale that had begun 13 years earlier was over.

Abdul Karim had intrigued me ever since Id seen his portrait in the Indian corridor of Osborne House. I knew that Victoria enjoyed curries and that she had some Indian servants who cooked for her. The portrait, painted by the Austrian artist Rudolf Swoboda, showed a handsome young man in a reflective mood, holding a book in his hand. He looked more like a nawab (nobleman) than a servant. In Victorias dressing room at Osborne were framed photographs of John Brown, her Scottish gillie, and Karim hanging one below the other. The guide told me they had always been there, placed by the Queen herself. It was gradually becoming clear to me that Karim was someone as special to the Queen as Brown had been. The elaborately carved Durbar Room at Osborne showed Victorias love of India.

Queen Victorias Indian servants Abdul Karim and Mohammed Buksh

The burning of letters is never a good starting point for a researcher, but over the next four years I managed to piece together the story. I read Victorias journals in Windsor Castle and pored through her Hindustani Journals. Few people knew that the elderly Queen had learnt to read and write in Urdu from Abdul and kept a diary for 13 years. These had never been translated. They brought the relationship alive before my eyes. A few letters written by Victoria to Abdul had miraculously survived the bonfire and were kept at the Royal Archives. I read the personal diaries of her physician, Sir James Reid, the letters of members of the Royal Household, the Viceroys of India and the letters of Queen Victoria to all her officials. It was clear that Karim was causing considerable tension in court. I felt I needed to know more about him. I needed to go to his home city, Agra.

No one had heard of Karim when I visited Agra in the winter of 2006. Yet he had once been an important person. I was sure he would have a large gravestone. With the help of a local journalist, we found the grave after three days. It was in a neglected burial ground, overrun with stray dogs and bramble, with an elderly caretaker in charge. Once it had been grand and embedded with precious stones. Over the years, these had all been looted. Carved on the headstone were words of praise for the man who had become the Queens Munshi (teacher). All the honours and titles bestowed on him were listed. The place was desolate, forgotten by time. More than ever, I felt I had to tell his story.

I found the house built on the land that Victoria had given Karim in a prime area of Agra. A Hindu family was living there. I was told that Karims family had left India after Partition and independence in 1947 and gone to Pakistan. Karim had no children and the trail had gone cold.

Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim in 1893

Undaunted, I published my book about him, Victoria & Abdul: The True Story Of the Queens Closest Confidant, in 2010, knowing that someone would contact me once the story was out. Within a month I received a call. It was from the grand-nephew of Karim, who lived in India. He told me that Abduls diary was with the family in Karachi. I took the next flight to Pakistan and could barely breathe as the family handed me the journal filled with Karims familiar handwriting. At last, I had his voice. His remarkable story could now finally be told.

Working Title, the team behind Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill, has now turned this story into a film, and this September sees Dame Judi Dench starring in the role of Queen Victoria alongside Eddie Izzard and Michael Gambon, with Bollywood actor Ali Fazal playing Abdul Karim.

The film begins  much as the book does  in 1887, when Queen Victoria was celebrating her Golden Jubilee, the longest-reigning monarch of her time. The Empire was at its height, stretching across nearly one-fifth of the globe. The British authorities thought it would be a good idea to invite some Indian princes to the celebrations. At her party the Empire would be on display before the world. The Queen expressed the wish that she would like some Indian servants as well. And so it was that two Indians, Abdul Karim and Mohammed Buksh, were sent to the Queen as Jubilee presents. Their job was to stand behind her, waiting at table.

Strikingly dressed in a scarlet tunic and white turban, the young and handsome Karim made an immediate impression on the Queen as he kissed her feet and presented her with a gold mohur (Mughal coin). The 24-year-old had arrived from Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, the worlds most beautiful monument to love. The Queen wanted to know more. She gave instructions that Karim should have extra English lessons so she could have longer conversations with him.

Karim told the Queen that he had been a clerk in an Agra jail and had never done menial jobs. He wrote to the Queen that he wanted to return to Agra, but she begged him to stay, saying she so enjoyed his company.

The youth from Agra gradually started telling Victoria about his country, the customs and festivals, and his wife and family. Soon he was helping her with her letters. The Queen wanted to learn Hindustani and asked Karim to teach her. He gave her a pocket-sized phrase book in Hindustani, which she carried around all the time. She began filling the first of the 13 volumes of her Hindustani Journals.

One day Karim carried his spice box to the royal kitchen and cooked the Queen a curry. She was instantly won over. Victoria pronounced the curry to be excellent and ordered that curries were to be cooked every day and served for lunch. Victorias favourites were chicken curry and dal.

As Karim spoke to her in his soft voice, describing Agra and the beauty of the Taj Mahal, Victoria was entranced. Karims tales were as sad as they were beautiful and the Queen travelled with him in this Mughal wonderland experiencing India like she had never done before.

Within a year of Karims arrival at court, the Queen decided to promote him. She made him her teacher and Indian secretary and gave him the title of Munshi. All photos of Karim waiting at table were destroyed and the household was instructed to address him formally as the Munshi. She had his portraits painted by the Austrian court artists, Rudolph Swoboda and Heinrich von Angeli, and missed him terribly when he went on leave to India.

The Queen gave him houses in Windsor and Osborne and built a cottage for him in Balmoral, named Karim Cottage. On the Royal train, the Munshi was given a private carriage next to the Queen. She took him away to the remote cottage in Glassalt Shiel on Loch Muick in Scotland, a place she had often visited with John Brown, and where she had sworn she would never go after his death, fuelling gossip in the household.

The Queen sensed that her family and household would come down heavily on Karim after her death and she wanted to provide for him. She wrote to the Viceroy, Lord Lansdowne, asking him to give a large grant of land to Karim. When Karim asked for a pension for his father, who had served the British loyally for nearly 40 years, the Queen immediately wrote to the Viceroy about it. Karims father was invited to England, taken on a tour of the hospitals of Edinburgh, and was the only person allowed to smoke a hookah (water-pipe) in Windsor.

The incensed Royal Household began to plot against Karim. A whispering campaign was started that implied he was a spy, and when Karim travelled to India, he was followed by intelligence officers.

BRINGING THE MUNSHI TO THE BIG SCREEN Shrabani Basus remarkable story of Queen Victorias scandalous friendship with Abdul will be brought to life on the big screen by the BBC and Working Title, the award-winning British production team behind Billy Elliot and Bridget Joness Diary. Judi Dench reprises her role as Queen Victoria, who she famously portrayed in the 1997 film Mrs Brown, with Ali Fazal as Abdul, and a whos who of big British stars. Director Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons and High Fidelity), who was Oscarnominated for his 2006 film The Queen, about our current reigning monarch, was able to film in some of the storys original settings, including Durbar Hall and the Indian Corridor in Queen Victorias holiday home on the Isle of Wight, Osborne House. The dining hall at Windsor Castle was recreated at Greenwichs Royal Naval College. The producers also filmed in the Indian city of Agra, using a local college to stand in as the central jail, and a team of 40 tailors used images from the British library to ensure the period designs were accurate, right down to the last gold thread. Victoria & Abdul is released on September 15 Advertisement

The plotting came to a head in 1897, the Queens Diamond Jubilee. Members of the household had learnt that Karim was being treated for venereal disease and they were determined that he would not travel with the Queen when she went on her holiday to the South of France. They decided that if the Queen took the Munshi with her, they would collectively resign. The chief lady-in-waiting, Harriet Phipps, was chosen to take a clear message to the Queen, who flew into a rage and angrily swept all the contents of her writing table onto the floor. A tearful Phipps ran from the room, but the Queen won the argument. The household did not resign and Victoria and the Munshi went on holiday.

The Prince of Wales threatened to step in, declare his mother insane and take her place. But the Queen was not to be bullied. She stood firmly by her Munshi and sent a stern memo to her household and family chastising them for their behaviour and accusing them of racism and class snobbery. They were all instructed to be courteous to the Munshi. She even considered giving him a knighthood, but stopped short and gave him an MVO (Member of the Victorian Order) instead.

As the Queen crossed her 80th year, the household began to realise they were losing the fight against Karim. Victoria was slowly becoming frail but her spirit continued. Not for a day would she take a break from her Hindustani lessons.

After Victorias death in 1901, Karim was the last person to see her before the coffin was shut. At her funeral he walked with the household and the family behind the coffin.

But it was all to end very swiftly for him. Edward VII had his revenge, the letters were destroyed and Karim was unceremoniously deported. All the Indian servants were asked to leave. There were no more colourful turbans in the court and no curries from the kitchens. The Edwardian era had begun.

Karim returned to Agra in 1901 and lived a quiet life, but he was a broken man. After years of service to the Queen, he had been treated like a common criminal. Eight years later, he died in his home city of Agra aged 46. The man who had been Victorias closest companion was forgotten by history and now lies in a derelict graveyard in Agra. In the violence of Partition and the riots following Indias independence, his descendants left for Pakistan, leaving behind the house and acres of land that the Queen had given him. The presents given to Karim by the Queen were lost in the looting. The Munshis wife died on the boat to Karachi.

Edward VII had attempted to erase Karim from history. But his diary survived. With the film being released in September, the unusual story of Victoria and Abdul will receive a worldwide audience. For me, it all began with a portrait and a lonely grave.

Victoria & Abdul by Shrabani Basu is published by History Press, priced at 9.99. Offer price 7.49 until August 6. Order at www.mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over 15
Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of UP

If the BJP gets its way, Hinduism and Hindutva will be protected and propagated by an army of online keyboard warriors.

RSS-BJP affiliated think tank Bharat Niti has planned a massive 'Hinduism and Social Media Conclave' in November in the holy city of Kashi, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi is also known.

The right-wing aims to raise a dedicated unit of virtual soldiers from among its Internet and social media savvy cadre to 'protect Hinduism from being deprecated and its symbols desecrated on online platforms by people inspired by leftist ideologies or Islamism'.

The online route seems in line with the social media presence of the BJP-RSS complex of organisations and the fact that the PM is currently one of the most followed people on Twitter.

The gathering will discuss how Hinduism can be protected and propagated via online and social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.

'It has become the order of the day that miscreants post defiling material on social media websites so as to hurt the feelings of the Hindus,' Shailendra Sengar, member of the management team of Bharat Niti, told Mail Today.

Indian devotees participate in a ritual as they take blessings from a seven year old holy cow 'Ganga' at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad

966 million Hindus in India yet many feel that their religion is unfairly treated

'They make fun of our Gods and Goddesses. At times it has been seen that more than making fun, they post things that are directly sacrilegious.

'We shall be discussing at the Kashi meet how we can stop and counter such propaganda as also we shall put our heads together to find ways to propagate Hinduism through high-tech means such as social media and online platforms.'

Unfairly Treated

Despite there being 966 million Hindus in India, many feel that their religion is unfairly treated and is the subject to abuse online. 'Hindutva' is a term popularised by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1923 before India's Independence. It is an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus but has been accused of merely being a front for 'Hindu supremacism'.

Sengar, who is also the newly appointed vice president of BJP's Kisan Morcha, told Mail Today that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who has come to be seen recently as the new and more aggressive face of Hindutva politics, is the designated chief guest for the event.

A statue of a cow is seen during a protest and fast by Indian Hindu devotees against the slaughter of a cow in the southern state of Kerala on June 1, 2017

BJP-RSS ideologues such as Murlidhar Rao would also be attending the meet. Rao is a leading right-wing economic ideologue and the mentor of Bharat Niti initiative.

'We have accorded our invitation to the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and he has expressed his desire to attend.

He was very happy at the initiative,' Sengar said. Academics, such as commentator on Hinduism David Frawley, will motivate the web soldiers on the occasion, Sengar said, adding, 'Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation along with such luminaries as Acharya Balkrishna of Patanjali Ayurveda and columnist Advaita Kala will also grace the meeting with their presence and share their insights for what we want to achieve.'

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath (left) has come to be seen recently as the new and more aggressive face of Hindutva politics, is the designated chief guest for the event

Cows are revered in the Hindu scriptures as the 'mother' of civilisation

There will be a special session to focus on the subject of cow and the sanctity it carries in the Hindutva belief system.

Bharat Niti is an initiative to encourage objective study and in-depth analysis by citizens, policymakers, domain experts, researchers and commentators, on varied issues of national and international importance.

It is a wide platform to bring various stakeholders together to deliberate and propose public policy in the wider national interest.
COLUMBUS  The seriousness of the sexual assault of his female roommate was what persuaded a district court judge to sentence a 23-year-old Columbus man to prison after rejecting the possibility of probation.

This was a serious crime involving your non-consensual sexual behavior, Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke told Martin D. Fowler Jr. before sentencing the local man to two to four years in prison on a reduced charge of first-degree sexual assault.

Your victim asked you to stop and you didnt, said Steinke, noting that the fact that the sexual assault conviction was Fowlers first offense as an adult and a presentence investigation rated him as a low risk to re-offend were mitigating factors in his favor at sentencing.

The judge gave Fowler credit for 165 days already served in jail since his arrest in early February.

Fowler pleaded no contest in mid-June to the Class 2A felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, after reaching a plea agreement with the county attorneys office. He was initially charged with first-degree forcible sexual assault, a Class II felony that carries a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.

A Columbus Police investigation began shortly after midnight on Feb. 6 with a report of a sexual assault victim showing up at the hospital emergency room.

Investigator Greg Sealock wrote in his probable cause arrest statement that the victim reported the assault occurred about 12 hours earlier and identified Fowler as her attacker.

Sealock wrote that the victim reported she repeatedly told Fowler no and stop during the assault.

During a subsequent interview with Fowler, the investigator said the suspect initially denied having any sexual contact with the victim.

Sealock wrote the suspect later stated that he did have consensual sex with the victim, but refused to offer further details and later ended the interview.
CentralNic is a big player in a vital part of the internet. The firm owns and sells top-level domain name suffixes, the letters that immediately follow the dot on website addresses. Its share price is 51p and this should rise considerably as the business expands.

The first top-level domain (TLD) was .mil for the US military. Then American universities were given .edu and the US department of commerce .com. That was back in 1984. Country codes were also established, such as .fr for France.

Few people back then had any idea how integral the internet would become to everyday lives, so a number of countries sold their codes to the first available buyer.

Internet player: Centralnic owns and sells top-level domain name suffixes, the letters that immediately follow the dot on website addresses

By the mid-1990s, a brisk trade had developed in these codes, and the founders of CentralNic  UK property developers by profession  spotted an opportunity.

Over the years, they built a registry of top-level domains, such as .fm  originally for the Federated States of Micronesia, a country of 600 islands in the Western Pacific, but popular with radio stations  and .la  originally for Laos, but popular with firms in Los Angeles.

The business ticked along nicely, but in 2012, the domain name industry began a process of radical change, when the powers that be  under the auspices of a global body called The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers  allowed people and organisations to create their own top-level domains.

The process is long and arduous to deter rogue or foolish requests.

Applicants must pay $185,000 (140,000) just to apply for a new, top-level domain, and must pass rigorous checks to ensure they are bona fide.

Today there are about 1,200 new, top-level domains and CentralNic is the worlds leading distributor, with six of the top 20, such as .online, .website and .xyz.

The company was listed on AIM, Londons junior stock exchange, in 2013 when the domain name revolution was just starting. The shares were priced at 57p and CentralNic was purely a distributor.

In other words, it sold the right to use these suffixes to website registrars such as the American firm Go Daddy or the German firm 1&1, which then sold them to individuals and firms.

Today, there are 100 million websites worldwide, most run by North Americans or Western Europeans. But firms in emerging markets are rapidly moving online

Recently, however, CentralNic has expanded into the end-user market, becoming both a wholesaler and retailer. At the end of 2015, the firm paid 18 million for Instra Group, an Australian-based domain name registrar aimed at emerging markets.

The acquisition was astute. The rules surrounding domain names may sound complex and arcane, but no one can set up a website without licensing a top-level domain from a registrar.

Today, there are 100 million websites worldwide, most run by North Americans or Western Europeans. But firms in emerging markets are rapidly moving online. As they do, they need a reliable registrar.

Having acquired Instra, CentralNic is well positioned to benefit from this as thousands of businesses in regions such as Asia and the Middle East launch websites.

The acquisition is already reaping returns. In 2016, CentralNics turnover rose 113 per cent to 22 million, while underlying profits were up 68 per cent to 5.5 million. Further rapid growth is expected over the next few years, both organic and from future acquisitions.

Annual costs for licensing a website address are modest, but firms tend to stick with the same provider and pay in advance, so revenues are solid and predictable. Most providers offer related services too, helping customers build and manage websites, for a fee.

There are hundreds of small firms operating in the top-level domain industry  some owning the names, some distributing them, some selling them to end-customers. But the sector is expected to consolidate over the next few years, creating a handful of dominant players.

CentralNic, run by ambitious Australian Ben Crawford, is keen to participate in the consolidation process. If all goes well, that should mean expanding to a certain size before being taken over by a giant in the industry.

Midas verdict: CentralNic did not have the easiest debut on AIM. The shares doubled in the first few months, only to collapse to 25p as enthusiastic buyers came and went. Today, however, at 51p the stock is a bargain. Crawfords strategy is entirely logical and the shares should go far. Buy.
Britain's food and drink industry has issued a warning to Brexit negotiators that a special relationship must be maintained with Ireland, the UKs biggest source of food imports.

The warning comes as the UKs trade deficit in food and drink widens, even as British exports rise.

Ian Wright, director general of the Food and Drink Federation, said: From our point of view, Ireland is the most obvious example of how Brexit will or wont work  60 per cent of the food we eat, we grow ourselves, 40 per cent we import.

Turf wars: Experts fear post- Brexit tariffs on food imported from the Irish Republic

'By far the biggest source of those imports is the Republic of Ireland. So it is our critical food trading partner.

Some ingredients in Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, for example, cross the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland three times before it is exported to Britain, potentially incurring high tariff charges if Britain undergoes a hard Brexit.

Meanwhile, in the three months to March, the gap between imports and exports of agricultural and manufactured food and drink products rose 19 per cent to 6.2 billion on the same period in the previous year, according to the federation.

Exports of British food rose 8 per cent to 4.9 billion.

But imports rose 14 per cent to 11.1 billion  closely reflecting the Brexit-related rise in the euro and dollar over sterling in that period.
NYPD Habor officials have recovered a full human leg floating in the Hudson River off of Manhattan's West 66th Street, police say.

Officials are waiting for the results of a forensic autopsy to see if they leg belongs to a woman whose dismembered body parts were discovered in the same area earlier this month.

A leg of 31-year-old bartender Jennifer Londono, of Edgewater, New Jersey, was found floating near the Boat Basin at 79th street, while her torso was found in Brooklyn's Red Hook Channel.

NYPD Habor officials have recovered a full human leg floating in the Hudson River (pictured) off of Manhattan's West 66th Street, police say

Londono's 40-year-old boyfriend, Raphael Lolos, was charged in the woman's death last week, more than a week after she went missing on June 25.

Londono's torso was found floating in Brooklyn on June 27 and she was identified by her mother, who noted the Sanskrit tattoo on the woman's right hip.

Leading up to Lolos' arrest, officials said he had been using his dead girlfriend's Amex and Visa credit cards, and Londono's blood had been found in his bathtub.

Assistant District Attorney Demetra Maurice claimed that Lolos stalked Londono between June 13 and 25, making her fear for her life and causing her emotional distress, reported NJ.com.

Police have arrested Raphael Lolos, the boyfriend of dismembered Jennifer Londono (right). Lolos was charged Friday with the murder of his 31-year-old girlfriend, who was found floating in Brooklyn on June 27

Blood from the Englewood, New Jersey, woman was discovered in Lolos' bathtub. Pictured: Police recovering a severed leg from the Hudson last month

Lolos was charged on July 7 with murder, stalking, desecration of human remains, in addition to hindering apprehension and using a stolen credit card.

Authorities said Lolos dismembered Londono in her home state before tossing her remains into the Hudson River, according to PIX 11.

The news outlet reported the man had repeatedly used Londono's Visa and American Express credit cards up until he was arrested.

An earlier source told the New York Post there had been some 'inconsistencies' in Lolos' story before he was arrested.

The same source claims that a search of his apartment uncovered blood which belonged to Londono in the boyfriend's bathtub.

Londono's headless and decomposing body was found floating near the rocks off Pier 44 in Red Hook, Brooklyn on June 27.

The body was identified after police released a photo of a tattoo the corpse had on its right hip.

Londono's body parts were dumped into the Hudson River, with limbs found at different times

Londono's mother came to the 76th Precinct station house, saying her daughter had the same tattoo in the same place.

She told police the tattoo, the name 'Lily' or 'Lilyann written in Sanskrit surrounded by stars, was a tribute to her daughter's dead aunt, the New York Post reported.

A few days later, a leg was found floating in the Hudson River near the Upper West Side, near the W 79th Street Boat Basin by a passing female jogger who called the police around 12.35pm.

It had pink painted toenails and did not appear to be decomposed, New York Daily News reported.

DNA from the leg will be compared with DNA from the torso to confirm that the leg is from the same woman.

Witnesses who saw the torso in the Red Hook channel on June 27 said the 'butchered' corpse looked as though it was deliberately mutilated.

'The woman wasn't just murdered  she was butchered,' the man who found the body told the Post.

The torso had been cut at the knees and the woman's intestines were out.

Her headless and decomposing body was found floating near the rocks off Pier 44 in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Police are pictured at the scene in Red Hook

He and his wife saw the dismembered and naked body floating in the water as they walked their dog at around 11am.

Cops are still searching for the rest of her body, police said last Monday.

Londono was last seen closing up the Luna Lounge, on Armory Street in Englewood New Jersey. She was reported missing on June 25.

Family and friends have posted tributes to the beautiful 31-year-old victim, and demanded justice.

Linda Kennedy wrote:'May God help find those responsible for such an atrocity', with the hashtag #justiceforjennylondono.

Londono's niece Kate added: 'My aunt that i wish i could of known better did not deserve to go the way she did #ripjenny.'

Carlos, under username twinlos4422, added: 'I can't believe u are gone. You did not deserve to leave the way you did!!! R.I.P. Jenny may u rest in peace #justiceforjennylondono.'

Others asked for prayers for Londono, who was described as being 'part of our Englewood family'.

A friend of the victim said in Spanish that her 'heart was shattered' by the loss.

'We love you so much I'm going to miss you. Rest in peace and I hope that who was able to make you pay for what you did.'
A lawyer has been convicted of possessing ice and refusing to give his details to police during a traffic stop.

Steven Welch Rollo, of Christchurch, was found guilty by Judge Josephine Bouchier at Christchurch District Court on Thursday.

Judge Bouchier was brought in from out of town to consider the well-known lawyers case, stuff.co.nz reports.

Steven Welch Rollo (right) was fined for refusing to give his details to police and possession of methamphetamine

He was fined $350 for possession of methamphetamine and a further $100 for not giving his details.

The trial heard Rollo had been approached by police officers who saw him fill up his motorbike at a service station in Hoon Hay in July last year.

The officers asked Rollo for ID when he went inside the service stations shop and paid for his petrol without taking off his helmet, despite a sign asking patrons to do so.

Rollo was warned of being arrested when he argued with the police about their request.

He was reportedly taken to a police car and had agreed to get his drivers license but instead, he apparently began filming on his iPhone.

Rollo was arrested and a search at the police station later revealed he had less a 1g of methamphetamine in packages in his jeans and jacket pockets.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that he's not planning to step down from his post, less than a day after President Donald Trump told reporters he had second thoughts about hiring him in the first place.

'I have the honor of serving as Attorney General. It's something that goes beyond any thought I would have ever had for myself,' he said, appearing with other law enforcement officials at an event to publicize the results of a major international cybercrime investigation.

'We love this job. We love this department,' said Sessions. 'And I plan to continue to do so as long as that is appropriate.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that he's not planning to resign, less than a day after President Donald Trump told New York Times reporters that he would never have hired him if he knew he would later recuse himself from the Russia investigation

Sessions appeared with officials from the FBI, DEA and EUROPOL to announce arrests in an international takedown of an illicit 'dark web' narcotics, firearms and human trafficking website

Trump, pictured Thursday at the Pentagon, slammed Sessions on Wednesday as he took part in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times

Sessions was asked how he could continue to serve in his job without the full confidence of the president.

'We're serving him right now,' he responded, referring to the array of talent standing behind him.

'The work we're doing today is the kind of work that we intend to continue. ... I'm totally confident that we can continue to run this office in an effective way.'

Asked Thursday if Trump still has confidence in Sessions, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that the president had been 'disappointed,' but 'clearly he has confidence in him or he would not be the attorney general.'

Sessions reportedly offered to resign his post in early May, but Trump declined.

The White House appeared to maintain that position on Thursday.

'I think you know this president well to know that if he wanted somebody to take an action he would make that quite clear,' Sanders said during her daily press briefing.

The president took aim at Sessions during a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday.

Sessions, pictured with Trump in February at his swearing-in ceremony, offered to resign in May but was rebuffed

Speaking to The New York Times, he admonished Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, and said he never would have given him the position had he known that would happen ahead of time.

'Jeff Sessions takes the job, gets into the job, recuses himself, which frankly I think is very unfair to the president,' Trump said.

'How do you take a job and then recuse yourself? If he would have recused himself before the job, I would have said, "Thanks, Jeff, but Im not going to take you." Its extremely unfair  and thats a mild word  to the president.'

He went on to describe Sessions' testimony before a Senate House Committee investigating the issue as 'bad.'

'Jeff Sessions gave some bad answers. He gave some answers that were simple questions and should have been simple answers, but they weren't,' he said.

Next in the firing line was ousted FBI director James Comey.

Trump said he believed Comey, who he fired unceremoniously in May, of leveraging the now infamous 'dirty dossier' of made-up material that was supposed to incriminate the president and his connections to Russia in order to keep his job.

Two weeks before his inauguration in January, Comey attended a meeting at Trump Tower where he warned the president of the dossier's existence.

'In my opinion, he shared it so that I would think he had it out there,' he said. Asked specifically if he believed Comey used it 'as leverage', he replied: 'Yeah I think so, in retrospect.'

Among Trump's comments was that he never would have hired Attorney General Jeff Sessions if he had known he would recuse himself from the Russia investigation

The dossier contained false information about the president and his alleged connections to Russia. It was compiled by a former British spy.

Trump claimed he fired Comey over his poor handling of the Hillary Clinton email scandal last year.

After being fired, Comey revealed that he feared the president let him go because after he carried out the investigation into the administration's ties with Russia after a private conversation during which he claimed the president asked him to ease off.

Trump insists he never directed Comey on how to conduct the investigation and claims he did not, as it was suggested by the former FBI director, ask him to go easy on disgraced National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who resigned earlier this year.

In his interview on Tuesday, however, the president did not shy away from discussing the investigation's new leader, Robert Mueller.

While Trump insisted to the Times that he would never instruct the Justice Department to fire Mueller, he did warn that if he turned the investigation towards his family's finances beyond Russia, he would consider it going too far.

'I think thats a violation. Look, this is about Russia,' he said.

He also claimed that Mueller's office was rife was conflicts of interest and said confidently: 'I dont think were under investigation. Im not under investigation. For what? I didnt do anything wrong.'

Trump said ousted FBI Director James Comey (left) used the dirty dossier of made-up material about him as leverage in an attempt to keep his job back in January, before the president's inauguration. Elsewhere in the interview he warned Robert Mueller, (right) the special prosecutor now leading the Russian investigation, not to go too far with it by looking in to his family's resources

The president also addressed his meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in July. He claimed their informal meeting lasted just 15 minutes and that they spoke about 'adoptions'. Others say the secret meeting went on for an hour. They are pictured shaking hands at a scheduled sit-down at the same event

The president also touched on his meeting with Vladimir Putin after the G20 summit, claiming the pair only spoke for 15 minutes and that the conversation was about Russia's ban on US citizens adopting children from the country.

Interestingly, the same subject was given as the reason for an ill-fated meeting which his son Donald Trump Jr. attended last summer during his election campaign.

A string of emails - released by Donald Jr. before to preempt it being released by the media - has since proved that the real reason for it was for Trump to be given dirt on his opponent Hillary Clinton.

Whether or not that meeting was discussed was not in the Times's report on Wednesday night.

The interview took place in the Oval Office and Hope Hicks, Trump's long-serving aide, was present. It marked a change in the president's discourse with The New York Times, a liberal newspaper which he regularly categorizes as 'fake news media'.

During the 50-minute conversation, the president's daughter Ivanka appeared with her six-year-old daughter Arabella.

Arabella ran to her grandfather to give him a kiss then showcased her command of Chinese for the reporters present.
A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday refused to reinstate President Donald Trump's executive order to cut funding from cities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

The U.S. Department of Justice had asked U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick to reverse his own injunction in April against Trump's executive order. The injunction was issued in response to lawsuits by San Francisco and Santa Clara County.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote a memo in May saying the executive order should be applied narrowly to a small number of grants and to very specific violations of immigration law.

The memo said cities that 'willfully refuse to comply' with federal law could lose grants from the Justice and Homeland Security departments, but not other federal funding.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was dealt a blow when a judge refused to lift an injunction against an executive order denying federal funds to 'sanctuary cities' that harbor illegal immigrants who are in the criminal justice system

The Justice Department said the memo negated the need for Orrick's injunction.

Orrick said he found this unconvincing because Sessions could reverse himself at any moment.

The judge's injunction stops enforcement across the country of the executive order, and allows the lawsuits to go forward.

And Orrick's refusal to reverse it strikes another blow at Trump's attempt to punish cities that give safe haven to those in the country illegally.

Sessions is scheduled to visit Philadelphia on Friday  one of those 'sanctuary cities' whose leaders say they will not help the federal government enforce immigration law.

President Donald Trump, shown Thursday at the Pentagon, has said repeatedly that he wants a broad ban on funding, so Judge William Orrick didn't buy the argument that the administration would limit the order to grants from a narrow list of federal agencies

The attorney general recently criticized the City of Brotherly Love for 'protecting criminals' by 'advertising' its policy publicly.

Orrick's April injunction including bold criticism of the Trump administration's motives and what he said was a plan to deny broader funding to cities that shield criminal illegal immigrants.

'If there was doubt about the scope of the Order, the President and Attorney General have erased it with their public comments,' Orrick wrote.

'The Constitution vests the spending power in Congress, not the President, so the Order cannot constitutionally place new conditions on federal funds.'
Not many people can write like Ernest Hemingway, but a surprising number of folks resemble him.

For proof, check out the Hemingway look-alike contest, which takes place annually in Key West on the authors July 21st birthday. On this day scores of wannabe Hemingways compete in manly activities, including fishing, arm wrestling and a running of the bulls.

Richard Filip has competed in the look-alike contest seven times, and seven times hes been runner-up. But this year hes pulling out all the stops to be crowned Papa.

Scroll down for video

Richard Filip (left) rented a rare replica of author Ernest Hemingway's (right) beloved boat Pilar to compete in the Hemingway look-alike contest for the seventh time in Key West

Filip, a 71-year-old real estate executive from Houston, Texas, docked this Pilar replica at the Conch Republic Seafood Company in Key West after he arrived there Tuesday afternoon

Hemingway fishes from his boat Pilar somewhere near Cuba in this undated photo. The famed author bought the 38-foot vessel in April 1934 and named it after his second wife Pauline

Filip, a real estate executive from Houston, Texas, assembled a three-man crew and rented a rare replica built in 2015 of Hemingways beloved boat Pilar to cruise in style to the contest. Its part of the week-long Hemingway Days festival that celebrates what would have been the authors 118th birthday.

Filips decision to rent the Pilar replica from the Shannon River Foundation was simple: I thought, Miami is only 140 miles from Key West, so why not?

Filip and his crew set sail from Texas to Key West on Sunday and, after making a few stops along the way, they arrived on the island Tuesday afternoon.

Hemingway aboard his boat Pilar during an international fishing contest in this undated photo. The restored original vessel sits unused in the Finca Vigia in Havana, Cuba

Filip (third right) stands aboard the Pilar replica with his three-man crew on their journey to the look-alike contest, which is the highlight event of the annual Hemingway Days festival

Hemingway owned a 38-foot fishing boat named Pilar, acquired in April 1934 from Wheeler Shipbuilding in Brooklyn and was named after his second wife Pauline. The restored original sits on blocks unused in the Museo Hemingway Finca Vigia in Havana, Cuba.

The Pilar would be Hemingways refuge for the remainder of his life. Its also Filips way to delve into Hemingways mystique  and his inspiration to win the look-alike contest.

Filips team of supporters will once again don their orange campaign T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of the bearded 71 year old and Hemingway on the front and Whos your Papa? on the back.

Filip, seen standing inside the Pilar replica on his journey to Key West for the week-long festival, said the boat is his inspiration to win the Hemingway look-alike contest

During the contest, held since 1981, spectators cheer, dance and wave signs while the contestants imitate Hemingway. They do this by wearing cable-knit sweaters, mimicking the author later in life.

These bearded hopefuls with a penchant for day drinking descend at Sloppy Joes Bar, a frequent hangout of Hemingways during his Key West residency in the 1930s, to compete for the title of Papa.

Like the author, Filip said he likes to fish, is a rebel-rouser like he was and I look like him. So hopefully this is my year.

Like Hemingway, Filip (pictured) said he's an avid fisherman and 'rebel-rouser'

Here Hemingway stands with a fishing rod and marlin in this undated photo from Key West. The author lived on the island in a Spanish colonial-style home for many years in the 1930s

To win though Filip will have to prove hes more than just a pretty face.

Much like a traditional beauty pageant, looks will only get the contestants so far. Theres a talent portion where each man, outfitted in a white and red uniform complete with beret and handkerchief, runs amidst wooden bulls in a simulation of the famous event in Pamplona, Spain.

Hemingway became fascinated by bullfighting after vacationing in Spain with his first wife Hadley Richardson. Its at this time that at the age of 24 he began to be referred to as Papa.

The nickname has stuck, decades after Hemingway fatally shot himself at 61, a violent end to what can only be described as a turbulent and over-the-top life. He had four wives, wrote seven novels and six short-story collections and drank enough booze to float his beloved boat Pilar.

Hemingway, pictured standing with a shotgun indoors in the 1950s, is known for his masculine writing style and his numerous novels such as The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms

The Hemingway look-alike contest attracted 160 entrants and was held at Sloppy Joe's Bar, a frequent hangout of the author's during his Key West residency in the 1930s

While living in a Spanish colonial-style home in Key West in the 1930s, Hemingway wrote several works including To Have and Have Not and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

In a novel coincidence, last years Papa was a real Hemingway, Dave Hemingway of Macon, North Carolina that is. Although hes not related to the author and doesnt write, he shares other traits the Nobel laureate besides his beard and last name.

I like to fish, I like to drink a little bit, I like women and I just like having a good fun time, Dave Hemingway told CBS Miami at the time.

Hemingway look-alike contestants participate in an offbeat 'Running of the Bulls' in celebration of the author's birthday on July 21, 2001, in Key West

Here Hemingway look-alike contest semi-finalists acknowledge the audience at Sloppy Joe's Bar on July 20 in Key West. Some 160 contestants registered for this year's competition

Although this was the first time a man with the surname Hemingway won the contest, this wasnt Daves first time entering the competition. Hes competed seven times for the bronze bust of the literary figure.

Previous Papa winners judge the following years contest and have formed the Hemingway Look-Alike Society, which has established a scholarship program for students in the Florida Keys. In 14 years the society has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships.
Six months ago little Zuhoor lay on bloodstained hospital bed fighting for life after being dragged from the rubble of a house struck by warplanes in Yemen.

The toddler, one, suffered appalling injuries to her face and body and doctor's feared she might lose her right arm and an eye.

In a nearby bed in intensive care another little girl Eman's hands had to be tethered to the bed to stop her scratching her wounds.

The little girls were the innocent victims of an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition where mourners had gathered after a funeral days after an attack on a house north of the capital Sana'a.

But these new pictures from the heart of the conflict zone show the girls' remarkable recovery from their physical injuries as their pretty dresses and smiles contrast to their dark days in hospital.

Stricken: One-year-old Zuhoor is pictured laying on a bloodstained hospital bed, her right arm bandaged after she had four fingers amputated following an airstrike on a wake in Yemen

Recovery: Now, six months on, although she is psychologically scarred from the attack that killed her grandmother, Zuhoor has made a remarkable recovery as she plays with her dolls

But while they have returned to their villages and are beginning to play again with other children, the psychological problems remain to haunt them.

Surgeons had to amputate four fingers from Zuhoor's dreadfully damaged right hand and doctors say she cannot understand why her hands are so different.

Specialists from the British-based charity Save the Children, which has provided psychological care for the girls, say Zuhoor is struggling to adapt, she can't hold things tightly and keeps looking at both her hands wondering why one has five fingers, but the other only has one.

Zuhoor's father Faisal, who pulled his wife Nadia from the same rubble in the village of Ashira, said his daughter is suffering awful nightmares and is terrified by the sounds of planes overhead.

'Although Zuhoor is slowly regaining her physical health, she remains severely shocked following the horrific experience she witnessed,' he said.

'I have noticed that she eats much less than before  her body is getting thinner by the day, and she refuses to eat even her favourite meals.

'Her psychological condition has deteriorated as well. When she hears a loud sound, such as a bang or a door slam, she panics, covers her ears and cries. She used to sleep throughout the night but she cannot sleep properly now. She recalls what happened in her nightmares and wakes up shouting and shaking.'

Fight for life: In the hospital bed opposite Zuhoor was Eman, with her body pock marked with shrapnel and her hands tethered to the bed to stop her scratching her wounds

Fighting back: But 16 weeks on from those shocking pictures of Eman's badly bruised body in a hospital bed with a tube in her neck, the one year old is slowly recovering

He continued : 'Zuhoor's brothers and sisters have become scared of the sound of aircraft like everyone in the village. When they hear an aircraft, they run outside the house to the street fearing that an aerial attack may target them. They also have constant nightmares and do not sleep at all when they hear an aircraft flying.'

Seven women in the village, including Eman's mother and Zuhoor's grandmother, died in the attack and Faisal said: 'I do not understand why we were targeted, and why we need to pay the price for this war: my mother was killed, my daughter lost her fingers, and my wife is injured.

'I wish this war ends soon. I call upon all parties to this conflict to find peaceful solutions for the sake of the innocent children, women and men. I wish all sides would stop the killing and destruction.'

The controversial air campaign by the Saudi-led Coalition targets rebels of Yemen's Houthi movement but it has been accused of killing and maiming hundreds of civilians.

More than 4,000 children have been killed or injured during the two years of bloody, bitter conflict.

The cases of Zuhoor and Eman are detailed in a devastating new investigation and report by Save the Children and Watchlist which chronicles 23 cases of 'grave violations' by the Coalition against children in Yemen.

The report warns : 'Yemen's children are under attack from all sides. For more than two years now, they have been killed and injured in their homes, on their way to school and at the marketplace with their families. They have been bombed in hospital and at funerals.

'Armed forces and groups have forcibly recruited children as soldiers with boys deprived of an education put to work on frontlines.

'All sides in Yemen's war have blocked access to basic goods like food and fuel leading to a situation in which a staggering 1.8million children under five are acutely malnourished. Now a massive cholera epidemic which is a direct consequence of the conflict is spreading across the country.'

More than 360,000 suspected cases have been reported in the past three months  a record  and aid workers fear it could rise to 600,000.

Surgeons had to amputate four fingers from Zuhoor's dreadfully damaged right hand and doctors say she cannot understand why her hands are so different

Zuhoor's father Faisal said she suffers awful nightmares and is terrified by the sounds of planes overhead. 'Although Zuhoor is slowly regaining her physical health, she remains severely shocked following the horrific experience she witnessed,' he said.

Care: Emans burns have now healed and she has returned to the village to live with her grandmother, Khadija, who is taking care of four more orphaned children

Over 2,000 have died. The report adds : 'All this takes place against a backdrop of apathy and inaction from the international community.'

The charity is calling on the United Nations to place the Saudi-led Coalition on a 'list of shame' alongside all other parties to Yemen's conflict and groups like ISIS and the African-based Al Shabaab and Boko Haram.

Last year the Coalition was briefly put on the 'list of shame'  but was removed after claims of intensive back-room lobbying. Stigma attached to the list acts as an international 'naming and shaming' process.

To date, it has compelled 27 parties from across the world's conflicts to sign up to UN-monitored action plans to end violations against children.

The Coalition, which began military operations in March 2015 to try to restore the administration of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who the Houthis ousted, insists it does not target civilians and does everything possible to avoid casualities.

Britain has faced strong criticism after weapons and munitions sold to Saudi Arabia were found to have been used in coalition airstrikes.

There have also been claims that UK military advisors have been working with the coalition, helping to plan the strikes  allegations denied. End.
A federal judge on Friday approved an $11.2 million settlement between the marital infidelity website Ashley Madison and its hacked users.

Two years ago, private details including personal information, financial data and sexual proclivities of millions of members were released by hackers.

Lawsuits stated that Ashley Madison misled consumers about its security measures and safeguards.

The company denied wrongdoing but said in a statement that it settled to 'avoid the uncertainty, expense, and inconvenience associated with continued litigation'.

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Extramarital affair website Ashley Madison will be paying $11.2million to users who were the victims of a July 2015 hacking, which leaked the personal information, financial data and sexual proclivities of millions

Lawsuits from around the country were consolidated in the Eastern District of Missouri, with the statement being read US District Judge John Ross in St Louis

A final approval hearing is scheduled for November 20.

Douglas Dowd, an attorney representing users of the website, said the settlement is 'fair and reasonable' for both sides.

Robert Atkins, the lead attorney for Toronto-based Ruby Corp, the parent company of Ashley Madison, declined comment after the hearing.

Ashley Madison is marketed to people seeking extramarital relationships. Its slogan is: 'Life is short. Have an affair.' At one time, it purported to have about 39 million members.

The case is unique in that many website users not only want to remain anonymous but registered using false names, said James McDonough III, an attorney for the users.

As a result, those eligible for the settlement won't be contacted directly. Instead, they will reach out to those who could benefit via magazine and web ads.

Ross agreed with that plan, saying: 'There's just no way to give direct notice to class members.'

McDonough said there is no estimate on how many people will seek part of the settlement money, which could range from as little as $19 for those victimized by the hack up to as high as $2,000 for those who were victims of identity theft.

Among those revealed to be a member of the website was TLC reality star Josh Duggar (pictured in February 2015). The breach revealed that Duggar's credit card was used to pay $986.76 for two subscriptions starting on February 2013, which were canceled in May 2015

Ashley Madison's systems were hacked in July 2015. Hackers posted the details a month later after the company didn't comply with their demands to shut down.

The release of evidence of infidelity triggered extortion crimes and unconfirmed reports of suicides.

Among those who were revealed to be a member of the site was 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar.

The breach revealed that Duggar's credit card was used to pay $986.76 for two Ashley Madison subscriptions starting on February 2013, which were canceled in May 2015.

In December, Ruby Corp agreed to pay $1.6million in settlements with the US Federal Trade Commission over the data breach. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia joined the FTC in the investigation that found lax data security practices.

The investigation also found Ashley Madison created fake female profiles to entice male users.

In addition to monetary penalties to the FTC, Ruby Corp agreed in December to end certain deceptive practices, to not create fake profiles, and to develop a stronger data security program.

The company has said that since the initial hack it has implemented several measures to make customer data more secure.
The bold moment an aspiring police officer brazenly snatched $125,000 worth of casino chips under the nose of a Crown employee was caught on camera.

CCTV footage shows Gunawan Akay, 39, casually strolling to the baccarat table before lunging forward, grabbing handfuls of chips and running off.

Akay told a court he was financially desperate and pleaded guilty to stealing 25 chips, valued at $5,000 each, from a baccarat table in the exclusive Maple Room on December 23 before fleeing to a taxi.

Bold moment aspiring police officer brazenly snatched (pictured) $125,000 of casino chips

Gunawan Akay, 39, (pictured top) lunged across the table and grabbed handfuls of chips before running off to flee in a Taxi

The Melbourne man (pictured centre) told a court he was financially desperate at the time

The unsophisticated crime was committed in desperation caused by Akay drowning in debt and had lost his girlfriend's pay, reported 9News.

'How this could have ever worked is beyond comprehension,' his barrister, Kristina Kothrakis told Melbourne Country Court on Friday.

The court heard Akay lost most of the chips during his escape, none of which have been recovered.

'When he got home he saw he had only three chips left,' Ms Kothrakis said.

'He got home and felt absolutely sick about what he'd done, and the next day he threw them away.'

Judge Claire Quin replied: 'Twenty-two chips, of $5000 chips, and I understand they're reasonably large in size and they just disappeared?'

'Yes,' Ms Kothrakis said.

At the time, Akay lacked an income and place to live.

He and his girlfriend had just been served an eviction notice due to late rent and lost an apartment in a bad investment.

Akay (pictured right) stole 22 chips worth $5000 each but lost most of them in his escape

After a first visit to the casino in 2011, he got a 'false impression' he could multiply the money he obtained on credit to pay for the apartment, Ms Kothrakis said.

In the month before the theft, he was approached by staff to become a Crown Gold Rewards member, giving him free parking and vouchers, which he accepted.

On the day of the theft, he argued with his girlfriend about gambling away more money when he saw an opportunity to take a row of casino chips to solve his problems.

The gold member of Crown Casino (pictured far right) saw the chance to steal row of chips

Akay pinched the chips right off the table from the hands of a Crown Casino dealer (pictured)

Akay (pictured far right) faced court last week and will be sentenced in Melbourne Wednesday

'He just grabbed a handful and ran,' Ms Kothrakis said.

But his foolish plan was destined to fail, with his snatch and escape captured on CCTV.

The court heard Akay arrived in Australia in 1997 after growing up in a small Indonesian village.

He spent years living with different families, where he would do chores in exchanged for accommodation.

Ms Kothrakis said his crime was at the lower end of the scale, given his guilty plea and lack of criminal history.

Akay was ashamed and had not gambled since the day of the crime.

'It's a situation he regretted since the moment it happened,' she said.

Prosecutor Adrian Trotman said the offending was brazen and there had been no attempt to compensate the casino.

Akay, of South Yarra, will be assessed for a Community Correction Order and sentenced on Wednesday.
OMAHA  The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday rejected a death-row inmate's call for his murder convictions in one of the deadliest bank shootings in U.S. history to be overturned because he said the lawyer defending him was incompetent.

The state's high court agreed with a lower court that refused Erick Vela's request to void the convictions.

Vela and two other men were sentenced to death for killing five people at a U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk on Sept. 26, 2002. A fourth man who served as a lookout was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.

Vela pleaded guilty in June 2003 to five counts of first-degree murder in the killings of bank customer Evonne Tuttle and bank employees Lisa Bryant, Lola Elwood, Jo Mausbach and Sam Sun. Vela was sentenced to death in 2007 for the botched heist at the bank about 90 miles northwest of Omaha.

The high court found no merit to Vela's claims, including one in which he faulted his attorney for not advising him to plead guilty earlier in the case. Vela asserted he would not have been subject to the death penalty had he pleaded guilty earlier, because Nebraska enacted a revised death penalty law in late 2002 to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said juries  not judges  should determine whether a defendant is eligible for the death penalty.

Previous Nebraska Supreme Court rulings in the bank killings case undermined that argument, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman wrote.

Those rulings rejected arguments that Nebraska effectively had no valid death penalty before the law was amended in 2002.

Vela's attorney did not return a message left Friday seeking comment. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office declined to comment.
A man suffering a gunshot wound to his leg was found in a suburban street by local residents and taken to hospital.

The 25-year-old man was not carrying identification when he was discovered shortly after 10:30pm in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda on Friday.

The victim may also have been assaulted and it is believed he is being treated for injuries to his upper body.

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A man from Melbourne's northern suburbs was found with a gunshot wound to the leg in St Kilda (pictured) on Friday night

The 25-year-old was discovered by local residents on a St Kilda street (pictured) at 10:30pm on Friday night

Police now know the shooting victim is from Airport West in Melbourne's northern suburbs, Nine News reported.

They are now trying to determine what led to the shooting and what the man was doing in St Kilda.

Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia no one has been arrested or charged over the shooting, and the investigation is continuing.
If you're in the hunt for a new best friend, scientists say the first place you should look is down.

Researchers discovered that we are likely to look at the feet of people we want to befriend, as shoes can give away tell-tale signs about the wearers personality.

Using eye-tracking technology, US researchers followed where 105 heterosexual participants looked when they met someone.

Researchers discovered that we are likely to look at the feet of people we want to befriend, as shoes can give away tell-tale signs about the wearers personality

With members of the same sex, scientists at Kansas University and Wellesley College found the volunteers would look to the feet.

In journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, they wrote: [Recent research] found shoes to be an accurate artificial sign used to make judgments about a persons personality.

'Our finding extends this work by suggesting that people might use artificial signs, like shoes, to inform their judgments.

Relationships counsellor Pauline Brown said: All this makes perfect sense.

With members of the same sex, scientists at Kansas University and Wellesley College found the volunteers would look to the feet

When looking for a friend, subconsciously, you want to see signals that this person is perhaps part of the same social peer group.

With the opposite sex, the study found women focused on the top half of a mans body, while male attention drifted to a womans chest.
Embattled US Attorney General Jeff Sessions reportedly discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the presidential race

Embattled US Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the presidential race - something Sessions has insisted he did not do, The Washington Post reported late Friday.

The paper quoted current and former administration officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to President Donald Trump, during the campaign.

The report is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after Trump criticized him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.

Trump said he regretted the hiring because Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Trump's favor and whether the Trump team colluded in that effort.

Sessions recused himself in March after it was disclosed that he had in fact met with the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian officials during that period.

The Washington Post quoted current and ex-officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's (above) accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to Trump, during the campaign

The report is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump (left) criticized him because Sessions recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Trump's favor

But Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the US election campaign with the ambassador.

'I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign,' he said at the time.

However, Kislyak, in briefing his superiors on the meetings, said he and Sessions discussed campaign-related matters including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.

It quoted one former official as saying the intercepts suggest Sessions and Kislyak had 'substantive' talks on issues including Trump's positions on Russia-related subjects and prospects for bilateral relations in a Trump administration.

Sessions' account - he has said he recalls meeting only once with the ambassador - provided 'misleading' statements that are 'contradicted by other evidence,' a separate US official said.

A Justice Department spokesperson repeated Sessions' earlier denial that he did not discuss election-related matters with Kislyak.

'Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me,' said the spokesperson, Sarah Isgur Flores.

There is speculation in political and media circles that the Kislyak intercepts which make Sessions look bad were intentionally leaked by Trump as a way of expediting the attorney general's exit.

The feeling is that Trump is eager to push Sessions out so that he can then appoint an attorney general who would not need to recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation.

At that point, Trump would have cause to dismiss the special counsel investigating his campaign's ties to Russia, former FBI director Robert Mueller.

Garrett M. Graff, a journalist currently attending a security conference in Aspen, tweeted: 'Every GOP figure I've spoken to assumes Trump leaked this to force Sessions out.

'"Certainly not a Mueller leak," one said.'

'Well, here's Trump's excuse to fire Sessions and get a stooge successor who'll fire Mueller,' GQ Magazine's Keith Olbermann tweeted on Friday.

Joy Reid of MSNBC tweeted: 'Irresistible question: Could Trump team have leaked the Kislyak intercepts to push Sessions out after he failed to resign yesterday?

'After all, removing Sessions and installing a lackey AG with no Russia recusal would be the easiest way for Trump to have Mueller fired.'
Audi is recalling 850,000 diesel cars to fit new software to cut toxic gas emissions.

The German car giant, which is part of the scandal-hit Volkswagen group, said the move will counteract possible bans on vehicles with diesel engines.

The worldwide recall applies to cars with six-cylinder and eight-cylinder diesel engines and aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines.

Audi is recalling 850,000 diesel cars to fit new software to cut toxic gas emissions

The voluntary offer to motorists follows a similar move by Mercedes-Benz, which is recalling 3million diesel cars.

Industry analyst Arndt Ellinghorst said that there could be many more fixes to come. What Audi and Mercedes have announced is just the tip of the iceberg, he said.

All other carmakers will follow and offer improvements to the engine management software.

Since the dieselgate scandal, when it was revealed diesel VW cars had defeat devices fitted to make them seem less polluting, diesel motors have been under intense scrutiny.

The worldwide recall applies to cars with six-cylinder and eight-cylinder diesel engines and aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines

In a further development last night, it was alleged that VW, Audi, Porsche, BMW and Daimler formed secret working groups from the 1990s onwards on issues including emissions from diesel vehicles, costs and suppliers.

The news magazine Der Spiegel said VW, which is facing tens of billions of pounds in compensation and fines, had reported the cartel to German competition authorities in a letter, as did Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler.

The companies involved would not comment on the report last night.
A man has been taken into custody after a dispute with a taxi driver ended with him allegedly assaulting police.

The 37-year-old man allegedly refused to get out of a taxi and became aggressive before turning on police and punching a sergeant several times.

He was then treated under guard at St Vincent's hospital for a head injury suffered during the arrest that followed the violent scuffle.

Police say a 37-year-old man (pictured) punched a sargeant several times during a violent scuffle over a taxi in Sydney's CBD on Friday night

The man (pictured) suffered a head injury during the arrest and was taken to St Vincent's hospital under guard before being taken into custody

The taxi driver involved said the man refused to obey police instructions before attacking them, 9News reported.

'He start to attack police, and when he attack police, police spray him with white things,' the driver said.

The dispute started when the accused attempted to take a taxi near the corner of King St and Castlereagh St in central Sydney at 10pm on Friday.

The taxi driver (pictured, left) said the man refused to obey police (pictured, right) instructions and attacked them

Police (pictured) managed to bring the 37-year-old man (pictured) under control and he now faces multiple charges

The man allegedly demanded to be taken further than he was prepared to pay and when the driver refused he became aggressive.

During the arrest the man received a laceration to his head, and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The police sergeant was treated at the scene for a soft tissue knee injury and a cut finger.

NSW Police charged the man with resist police in execution of duty, assault police in execution of duty, and offensive language in a public place.

The accused was granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 9 August 2017.
Police are searching for a monkey in Texas that allegedly attacked a teenage girl on Tuesday, leaving her with multiple scratches.

Mariah Schliesing, 16, says she was sitting in the passenger seat of her grandfather's truck in South Houston when they saw the animal in the street.

Her grandfather, Michael, wanted to take a picture so Mariah's window was rolled down. That's when the monkey attacked.

Mariah Schliesing, 16 (left), and her grandfather, Michael (right), were driving in their truck in South Houston, Texas, when they spotted a monkey in the road to take a picture

The passenger window, Mariah's side, was rolled down. That's when the monkey leapt in and allegedly attacked the teen, leaving scratches on her head (pictured), neck and shoulders

'Out of nowhere, it's just so fast, it just hops on this,' Mariah told KTRK, motioning to the window sill.

'It's able to take up the whole space crouching. And that's when it bares its teeth.'

Mariah was then scratched several times on her shoulder, neck and head.

The attack only stopped after her grandfather hit the monkey.

The attack stopped after Michael hit the primate. The monkey did not bite Mariah, so she didn't have to get a rabies shot. But her doctor did give her antibiotics for the scratches (pictured, scratches on Mariah's head)

The city of South Houston's Humane Department is trying to locate the monkey. Officials warn residents not to approach the monkey if it is spotted, but to instead call in its location to South Houston Animal Control (Pictured, Mariah's shoulder scratches bandaged up)

'I hollered at it and I hit it right in the head right in the face and knocked it out the window,' said Michael.

The monkey did not bite Mariah, so she didn't have to get a rabies shot. But her doctor did give her antibiotics for the scratches.

The city of South Houston's Humane Department is trying to locate the monkey.

Officials warn residents not to approach the primate if it is spotted, but to instead call in its location to South Houston Animal Control.
Remain-supporting Tory MPs are gathering support for a letter designed to pressurise Theresa May into accepting continued free movement of people for years after Britain leaves the EU.

Former education secretary Nicky Morgan is among those attempting to gather signatures for the letter, which demands that the UK stays in both the EU single market and customs union after 2019.

A text of the letter, which has been seen by the Daily Mail, warns of the complexity of unwinding 45 years of EU membership and argues that a comprehensive agreement cannot be completed by 2019.

Remain-supporting Tory MPs are gathering support for a letter designed to pressurise Theresa May into accepting continued free movement of people

A Government source said the letter was deeply unhelpful and disloyal. It was drawn up this week after Mrs Morgan  nicknamed Ms U-turn in government after changing her mind on issues and adopting a politically correct stance  was elected chairman of the Treasury select committee. She beat pro-Brexit Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Details of the letter emerged amid signs that Brexiteers in Cabinet have softened their approach to any implementation phase after Britain formally leaves the EU.

Yesterday, a government source said the Cabinet had now agreed to a soft-landing that could see free movement continue until 2022.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove later appeared to confirm the report by admitting that the Cabinet was united on the need for a transitional deal when Britain leaves. But there is still considerable debate about what such an agreement might look like.

And Downing Street insists there would still be significant restrictions on free movement during any transitional period.

Former education secretary Nicky Morgan is among those attempting to gather signatures

The letter proposed by Mrs Morgan says that Britain should stay in both the single market and the customs union during this time  which would almost certainly mean continued open borders with the EU.

The letter states that businesses have real concerns they will take a hit if Britain leaves without a deal.

The economic dislocation that would result from a sudden and incomplete negotiation poses a serious risk to investment, profitability, operations and the livelihoods of the people they employ, it says.

They are particularly concerned about an immediate exit from the single market and customs union.

The existence of the letter suggests that Mrs Morgan  who was sacked by Mrs May last year  will continue to be a thorn in the Prime Ministers side over Brexit. Mrs Morgan did not respond to requests for comment.

But some Brexit-backing Tory MPs expressed fears about the possibility of free movement continuing beyond the date of separation from the EU. Peter Bone told Radio 4s World At One: Free movement has to end no later than March 31, 2019.
Public sector workers could have pay rises linked to where they live, under plans being examined by the Treasury.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has asked officials to look at the case for linking pay awards to the cost of living as he tries to balance demands for higher pay against the need to keep public spending under control.

The move could see public sector workers in areas such as the North East offered lower pay increases than those living in more costly areas like the South West.

Ministers acknowledge that any proposal for regional pay rises will be resisted by the big public sector unions, which are fiercely protective of the idea of national pay structures.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has asked officials to look at the case for linking pay awards to the cost of living as he tries to balance demands for higher pay against the need to keep public spending under control

But a senior government source said there was a compelling case for looking at the idea again.

The source said: In some parts of the country public sector pay is very competitive, in others it is less so.

If you talk to private businesses in the North East they will tell you they find it hard to compete with the pay on offer in the public sector.

But in other parts of the country the gap is much smaller, and there are some genuine hotspots where recruitment and retention is a problem.

Mr Hammond is under pressure from some Conservatives to ease the 1 per cent cap on public sector pay, which affects more than 5 million workers and is due to run until 2020.

He is resisting the move, arguing it would wreck plans to bring the deficit under control. But he is now investigating whether specific recruitment problems can be addressed by targeting resources on the most acute areas.

Speaking at a civil service conference this week, Mr Manzoni said he was very conscious of the impact of the 1 per cent cap, adding: Personally, I dont think it can go on for ever

Civil service chief executive John Manzoni has also argued for regional pay rises to be considered.

Speaking at a civil service conference this week, Mr Manzoni said he was very conscious of the impact of the 1 per cent cap, adding: Personally, I dont think it can go on for ever.

But Mr Manzoni said that, despite seven years of pay restraint, public sector pay remained very competitive in some parts of the country.

He added: Weve got to think regionally at some stage.

Last weekend Mr Hammond had to slap his colleagues down after Sunday newspapers were filled with accounts that the Chancellor had said public sector workers still earned a premium once pensions were taken into account.

Theresa May had to intervene to warn the Cabinet against the briefing of private discussions as she reaffirmed her support for the 1 per cent pay cap

Theresa May had to intervene to warn the Cabinet against the briefing of private discussions as she reaffirmed her support for the 1 per cent pay cap.

A 2014 report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies identified large variations in the gap between the pay of public and private sector workers in different parts of the country.

It found that nationally, hourly wages among women were more than 7 per cent higher in the public sector than the private sector.

But the national average masked huge regional differentials. In the North East and Scotland, womens wages were more than 17 per cent higher if they worked in the public sector.

The report found that nationally, hourly wages among women were more than 7 per cent higher in the public sector than the private sector

But in London the gap was negligible. And in the South East, where housing costs are high, women in the private sector earned slightly more. Men enjoyed a lower pay premium outside the South East for working in the public sector.

But men in London and the South East were 5 per cent worse off if they worked in the public sector.

Former chancellor George Osborne considered a move to regional pay structures in the public sector, but abandoned it five years ago in the face of opposition from the unions and the Liberal Democrats, who were then part of the Coalition government.
Passengers flying to the UK from six countries in the Middle East will be allowed to carry laptops and iPads in their hand luggage within a week, it has been reported.

A controversial ban, introduced amid fears of terrorist developing bombs that could be hidden in computers and tablets, looks set to be lifted.

The move will follow the decision of the US to end its ban on laptops on flights from Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon, The Telegraph reports.

The United States has ended its ban on passengers carrying laptops on-board US bound flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa

Government sources told the newspaper that the UK's ban is likely to be lifted imminently.

Since March, people on flights from the six countries have not been allowed to carry electronic devices which are larger than a smartphone.

The US Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday that all 180 airlines serving the US have now taken the security steps needed to avoid being forced to implement the inflight bans on laptops.

It brings an end to a four month ban that became one of the controversial travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump's administration.

The ban was introduced as a result of an unspecified security threat.

The US imposed restrictions in March on carrying laptops and other large electronic gear in cabins on flights from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa

DHS spokesman David Lapan said that as of midnight Wednesday all airports and airlines with flights to America had all implemented the first phase of tough new security protocols announced by US authorities on June 28.

The protocols were not detailed to the public.

Officials said the protocols involve a range of measures including more sniffing dogs, explosive trace detection, swapping of luggage for chemical traces and physical inspection of electronics.

The measures came in response to increased worries that Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups are plotting to attack international flights with bombs hidden in consumer electronics.

Airlines and airports were warned that their US services would be cut off if they did not immediately begin toughening their pre-boarding inspections.

Ten the airports in the Middle East and North Africa have now installed new equipment or strengthened procedures to protect against a laptop bomb, and the restrictions have been lifted.

DHS Secretary John Kelly said on Wednesday that officials had tested a laptop bomb on a real airplane and that the result was that 'it destroyed the plane.'

Given the constant threat of ever-changing technologies, Kelly said DHS decided to take a more sweeping approach to security.

'Globally, we are raising aviation security as opposed to going after one single threat,' he said, speaking in Aspen, Colorado.
President Donald Trump's eldest son and his former campaign chairman have reached an agreement to be privately interviewed by a Senate committee investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, it was reported Friday.

The committee initially called for Donald Trump Jr and Paul Manafort to appear publicly next week.

But the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee now say the men are negotiating the terms of their appearances, and lawmakers don't currently plan to issue subpoenas to force them to publicly testify.

In a joint statement, Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., also said they are negotiating with Trump Jr and Manafort about possibly turning over documents.

Both men face questions about attending a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 that was described to Trump Jr in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Jr (right) and his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort (left), have reached an agreement to be privately interviewed by a Senate committee investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election

Trump Jr was told the lawyer had damaging information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and top White House aide, also attended the meeting.

He is scheduled to speak behind closed doors with the Senate intelligence committee Monday and with the House intelligence committee Tuesday.

The revelation of the Trump Tower meeting renewed questions about the Trump's campaign's possible connections with Russia and put some of Trump's inner circle at the forefront of ongoing federal and congressional probes.

Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni declined to comment on the committee's announcement.

In a joint statement, Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., of the Senate Judiciary Committee said they are negotiating with Trump Jr and Manafort about possibly turning over documents

Trump Jr attorney Alan Futerfas did not respond to several attempts by The Associated Press to contact him this week, including calls and emails Friday.

Also Friday, The Washington Post reported that the Russian ambassador to the US has said he discussed election-related issues with Sen. Jeff Sessions when the two men met during the 2016 presidential race.

The Post cited anonymous US officials who described US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's descriptions of his meetings with Sessions, who was then a foreign policy adviser to Trump and now serves as attorney general.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions stands by his previous assertion that he never had conversations with Russian officials about any type of interference with the election.

Word of the negotiations with Trump Jr and Manafort comes as the president's legal team evaluates potential conflicts of interest among members of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

Mueller's probe into Russia's election meddling also appears likely to include some of the Trump family's business ties.

Both men face questions about attending a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya (above), in June 2016 that was described to Trump Jr in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and top White House aide, also attended the meeting

Attorney Jay Sekulow, a member of the president's external legal team, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the lawyers 'will consistently evaluate the issue of conflicts and raise them in the appropriate venue.'

Two of the people with knowledge of that process say those efforts include probing the political affiliations of Mueller's investigators and their past work history.

The people insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Trump himself has publicly challenged Mueller, declaring this week that the former FBI director would be crossing a line if he investigated the president's personal business ties.

The White House push against the special counsel's probe and the attempts to put the focus on potential conflicts with Mueller's team may well be an effort to distract from snowballing federal and congressional investigations into possible election-year coordination between Trump's campaign and Russia.

While Trump has assailed the probes as a partisan 'witch hunt,' the investigations have increasingly ensnared his family and close advisers.

Since the 2016 Trump Tower meeting became public, Trump Jr has faced tough questions from lawmakers about why he agreed to participate.

He and his father have downplayed it as politics as usual, saying they believe most people would have taken the meeting to learn about damaging information on an opponent.

Manafort had attracted scrutiny for months from congressional committees and Mueller.

The Associated Press reported in June that Mueller's probe has incorporated a long-standing federal investigation into Manafort's financial dealings.

Word of the negotiations with Trump Jr and Manafort comes as the president's legal team evaluates potential conflicts of interest among members of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team. Mueller is seen above at the US Capitol in Washington on June 21

That investigation is scrutinizing political consulting work he did for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych.

Manafort has denied any wrongdoing related to his Ukrainian work, saying through a spokesman that it 'was totally open and appropriate.'

Manafort also recently registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for parts of Ukrainian work that occurred in Washington.

The filing under the Foreign Agents Registration Act came retroactively, a tacit acknowledgement that he operated in Washington in violation of the federal transparency law.

That law was scheduled to be the topic of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which he was called to appear.

The committee also is looking at the work of Glenn Simpson, a political operative who was involved in the compilation of a dossier of unsubstantiated and sometimes salacious information about Trump and his associates and their interactions with Russians.

Grassley and Feinstein said Friday that they have issued a subpoena for Simpson to appear before the committee next week.




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.
British troops targeted by drones in Afghanistan are being protected by a new weapon that uses radio waves to zap the unmanned aircraft out of the sky.

Dozens of drones have been sent over a base which is home to UK and US soldiers carrying out a security mission in the capital Kabul.

So far the drones, of the type that can be bought easily online, have only been used to spy on the troops.

But it is feared they could be adapted to carry explosives  a tactic already being used by Islamic State in Iraq.

When the drones in Afghanistan are spotted over the New Kabul Compound they are disabled by US soldiers using the AR-15 Drone Defender, which looks like a rifle with an antenna mechanism to the front and has a range of more than 1,300ft.

Instead of firing bullets, its radio waves disrupt the signal controlling the drones, forcing them to fall to the ground.

Major Paul Martin, of the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, said there had been 68 drone sightings in the past two years over the Kabul compound where a total of 150 British troops are based.

It is not clear, however, if the drones are being sent by civilians or insurgents.

The regiments commanding officer, Lt Col Graham Shannon, said: They could be rich kids or they could be the bad guys.

There are several Drone Defenders on the base which US soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division are trained to use.

UK troops have other defence mechanisms but were not able to share the details for security reasons.

When the drones in Afghanistan are spotted over the New Kabul Compound they are disabled by US soldiers using the AR-15 Drone Defender, which looks like a rifle with an antenna mechanism to the front and has a range of more than 1,300ft. Pictured: File photo of a drone in flight

Sergeant Major David Dyess, a US marine on the base, said in reference to Islamic States use of drones in Iraq: It starts in one place and eventually migrates. Drones with bombs will be coming here in the next couple of months.

Major Paddy Pratt, the UK chief of operations for the Kabul Security Force, said: Weve had multiple sightings of drones and weve developed a counter drone strategy. If and when there is a sighting they would then deploy the Defender to try to engage the drone.

He added: They are readily available across the world. We are aware of it, we are well equipped to be able to counter it.

There is a suggestion it could (be the enemy), or it could be grown men who receive the drone as a present.

Islamic State started using camera drones armed with grenades in Iraq to blast Iraqi forces and target refugees trying to flee Mosul.

The drones carry enough explosive to kill or injure within a 16ft radius, according to experts.

RAF pilots were tasked with hunting down the weaponised devices amid fears they could be used to find the locations of UK troops and target them.
A high-flying fitness entrepreneur and the partner of a global social media fitness sensation has been blasted for his 'appalling' driving.

Tobias Pearce, 25, was nabbed speeding at twice the legal limit in his $500,000 Lamborghini along one of Adelaide's busiest roads in February last year.

A court heard Pearce tried to hide illegal prescription drugs linked to steroids from undercover police when he was pulled over, reports The Advertiser.

Tobias Pearce (pictured with Kayla Itsines) has been blasted for his 'appalling' driving

Pearce was nabbed speeding at twice the legal limit in his $500,000 Lamborghini

The businessman was caught with Cabolin, an 'anti-oestrogen' pill which reduces hormones and is 'often used with steroids', the court heard.

The partner of Kayla Itsines, 26 told police they were not his pills and an unnamed person left them in his customised luxury car.

Cabolin was fined $1500 and banned from driving for a year after admitting driving in a reckless or dangerous manner, as well as $150 after pleading guilty to possessing a prescription drug.

Magistrate Brett Dixon declined to convict Pearce because it would damage his booming health and fitness business.

'The manner of driving was appalling, it was dangerous and clearly there were a number of people who were embarrassed by the  behaviour.'

Pearce said in a statement he gravely regretted his actions and had learned his lesson from the ordeal.

Pearce (pictured with Malcolm Turnbull) tried to hide illegal prescription drugs linked to steroids from undercover police

Pearce previously drew notoriety after images of his Lamborghini circulated parked in a disabled parking zone and non-designated parking bay

The fitness businessman escaped conviction because it would damage his booming health and fitness business, the court heard

'I fully understand the potential ramifications and gravity of my actions and I would never want to put anyone in harm's way,' he said.

Pearce previously drew notoriety after images of his Lamborghini circulated parked in a disabled parking zone and non-designated parking bay.

He and Itsines  estimated to be worth $46 million  built a global fitness empire on the sale of Kayla Itsines' Bikini Body Guides and smartphone app Sweat with Kayla.
Advertisement

It's that time of the year again when revellers gear up for the most anticipated music festival of the year.

Thousands of festival-goers have been captured donning bras, velvet body suits, crowns, glitter and revealing bums in an extravagant fashion bonanza that comes hand in hand with Splendour in the Grass.

Every year, all eyes are on the exuberant fashion choices at the Byron Bay music event, on the NSW North Coast, including sequinned jackets, shimmery mermaid tops, 70s inspired numbers, metallic goggles paired with velvet singlets, pink tresses, fur boob tubes and oversized fur jackets.

Eye-catching printed outfits were spotted throughout the festival grounds as thousands embraced the sunny weather

This festivalgoer chose to go topless with bright gold glitter painted across her chest

The eye-catching fashion choices were once again in full force at this year's festival with one rule seeming to come into play, the more outrageous the better

if festivalgoers weren't wearing any shimmer on their clothes, you can bet they doused themselves in everything glitter from body stickers to face jewels

With outfits meticulously planned for the festival, those at this year's Splendour in the Grass were keen to have a photo taken in their festival attire

Thousands of festivalgoers have been captured revealing bums in an extravagant fashion bonanza that comes hand in hand with Splendour in the Grass

And if festival-goers weren't wearing any shimmer on their clothes, you can bet they doused themselves in everything glitter from body stickers to face jewels.

The eye-catching fashion choices were once again in full force at this year's festival with one rule seeming to come into play, the more outrageous the better.

More than 150 police officers patrolling the hugely popular Byron Bay music event were joined by counter-terrorism police, near Byron Bay in NSW, as the three-day festival kicked off on Friday.

Dazzling full-length outfits were part of this year's fashion bonanza at the Splendour in the Grass festival

Thousands of festivalgoers have been captured embracing the fun of this year's Splendour in the Grass

The unique fashion choices ddidn't disappoint as the three-day festival got under way for its second day

Every year, all eyes are on the exuberant fashion choices at the Byron Bay music event, Splendour in the Grass

Shimmering attire was matched with shimmering glitter, which proved to be the must-have accessory at this year's festival

Colourful printed outfits with an abundance of flowers were teamed with equally colourful printed handbags

There were hues of pink scattered throughout the festival as the colour proved a popular choice for many festivalgoers

Custom-designed attire was on display throughout the festival, with this woman matching her hat with her outfit

The sunny skies and music line-up had festivalgoers in good spirits, with smiles shining just as brightly as the sun

Red was another striking colour seen throughout the festival grounds, with some choosing the colour for their complete outfit and others for part of their outfit

Friends who gathered for the festival on the NSW North Coast joined hands as they grooved away to the music

With thousands of people attending the Splendour in the Grass festival, many opted for a higher vantage point to take in all the festivities

Some festivalgoers chose to coordinate their outfits with others, such as these women who all opted for tu-tus

Although there were bright blue skies for the second day of the festival, as it is still winter many opted for a warm jacket

A velvet backless pant suit and body and hair stickers is nothing out of the ordinary at the fashion frenzy festival

Festivalgoers were seen dressed in sheer, glittery gowns, fishnet stockings and the ultimate sensible shoe choice-gumboots

Punters bared all in showing a little bit of cheek with backless jeans and fishnet stockings

Donning flower chains with majestic white capes gave this festival goer a bit of warmth at the winter festival

Many music lovers opted for soft pinks like this festival goer on Saturday who wore a handy bum bag

Blast from the past: A '70s inspired duo were captured at the popular Byron Bay festival on Saturday

Nothing says fun more than two pairs of metallic goggles, velvet two piece and a shimmery mermaid-esque body suit

Thousands of music lovers flooded to Byron Bay to enjoy Splendour in the Grass in eye-catching numbers

Striking outfits were accompanied by intricate earrings, necklaces and face jewels mixed in with colourful glitter

This dress design made it ideal for conditions and allowed this festivalgoer to take a twirl as they embraced the music

Festivalgoers grooved to the music and while boots were a must-have accessory for many, others chose to go bare foot

Sunglasses, head pieces and hand bags were crucial to piecing together the complete festival outfit

Hats and sunglasses were important accessories for many to keep the sun at bay

Festivalgoers were keen to strike a pose as they basked in the winter sun which blessed Byron Bay on Saturday

Daring outfits were seen right across the festival grounds as people embraced the Splendour in the Grass spirit

While fishnet stockings were the choice for many of those at this year's Splendour in the Grass, others chose colourful printed pants

Outfits were accessorised with neck and hand jewellery and colourful hats which sported an intricate printed design

It may be winter but with the temperature reaching a mild 18C in Byron Bay on Saturday, festivalgoers did their best to soak up the sun

Police were seen with drug detection dogs and patting down festival-goers upon entry.

There have been reports of a 16-year-old and 17-year-old private catholic school girl allegedly smuggling ecstasy pills for older men into the festival.

It is suspected the teenagers were wrapping ecstasy pills in condoms and using peanut butter before inserting the drugs into their backsides to evade police sniffer dogs, according to News Corp.

Hundreds of people lined up on Friday, the first day of the three day event, while early-arriving campers posed and took selfies with an inflatable rainbow Kanye West.

Many festival goers wear captured on Saturday dressed in glitter or were seen with glitter and body jewels stuck on their body

Every year, the fashion statements at Splendour in the Grass don't disappoint, like these exuberant crowns

Although it's techincally winter, the fresh air didn't stop many of the music fans from rugging up, instead bearing skin

Many festival goers captured selfies with the huge Kanye West infaltable (pictured in the background) or with their friends

Three women, one wearing a sheer top that exposed her bra, pose with peace signs for the camera

Denim overalls were a popular fashion item for women at this year's Splendour in the Grass, accessorised with denim jackets and headwear

Glitter featured prominently on the faces of many festivalgoers, some of whom had chosen to wear matching outfits

There were smiles aplenty as happy festivalgoers enjoyed the music on offer and soaked up the winter sun

One committed reveller even showed up with 'Splendour in the Grass' shaved chest hair logo on the first day.

This year's line-up includes musical guests Vance Joy, The xx, Queens of the Stone Age, LCD Soundsystem, Peking Duk, RL Grime, Two Door Cinema Club, Tove Lo and Haim.

The festival ends on Sunday.

Fans enjoy a performance of Dune Rats from the front row of the mosh pit, dressing down despite the chilly weather

Fans bounced around a beach ball in the shape of a Yong Henry's craft beer can during the show

Three men gave their friends a better view of the Dune Rats performance as they settled on their shoulders

A group of friends perched on each other's shoulders turned around from the stage to pose for a jubilant photo

The Young Henry's beer can-shaped beach ball bounced around while fans enjoyed the show

Thousands of eager music lovers rallied together (pictured Saturday) in the mosh pit to enjoy their favourite bands

While many festival-goers danced on two feet, others took to using other people's feet with shoulder rides (pictured)

Nothing is off limits at Splendour in the Grass mosh pits, including skipping through a giant hoola hoop (pictured Saturday)

Many fans rocked out to some of the musicians lined up for the weekend

Bust a move: the dusty dirt dance floor doesn't stop music fans from grooving

Festival-goers couldn't control their excitement for the musicians on stage of the second day of the music festival

People power: everyone worked together at this mosh pit Saturday afternoon

Musician Tyler Richardson of Luca Brasi (pictured) entertained crowds at the 2017 Splendour in the Grass

Patrick Marshall (pictured) gave the mosh pit some great tunes to rock out to on Saturday

Festival goers in their sheer tops and bras arrive at Splendour in the Grass 2017 on Friday in Byron Bay

Festival goers take a selfie in front of an inflatable rainbow Kanye West during Splendour in the Grass

Fans watch Kingswood perform during Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay on Friday

A man shows his shaved Splendour in the Grass chest hair logo during the festival's first day

A man in overalls and a fedora, and a woman in an all-white outfit arrives at Splendour in the Grass

High security: Police and drug detection dogs are seen at the entry to Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay on Friday

Festival goers are checked by security on entry at Splendour in the Grass 2017

A girl with red hair, choker and tattoos shows off her festival look as attendees arrive during Splendour in the Grass 2017

Festival goers dressed in fur tube tops embrace the fresh winter sun as people arrive at Splendour in the Grass 2017 on Friday

Festival goers pose next to a Splendour in the Grass sign during the festival on Friday in Byron Bay

Festival goers take a selfie next to the rainbow letters during Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay

Festival goers arrive at Splendour in the Festival in Byron Bay, located in the far-northeastern corner of NSW

Festival goers arrive at Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay on Friday

Festival goers queue for entry at Splendour in the Grass on Friday

Fergus Linacre of Kingswood performs on stage with a tambourine during Splendour in the Grass on Friday

Kingswood perform on stage at a packed out first day of Splendour in the Grass 2017 in Byron Bay

Vera Blue performs during Splendour in the Grass 2017 on Friday in Byron Bay

Vera Blue performs in an extravagant silver costume with drums attached during Splendour in the Grass on Friday

A Splendour in the Grass sign is seen during the festival on Friday in Byron Bay

Festival goers line up with camping gear at Splendour in the Grass on Friday, the first day of the popular Byron Bay festival

Campers arrive with an esky for Splendour in the Grass on Friday in Byron Bay
First Lady Melania Trump may have just moved into the White House back in June, but she was spotted spending some time in her former home in New York City.

The former model was all smiles as she left Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York on Thursday to head to New Jersey after spending three days there.

As she left the city, the mother was escorted by eight Secret Service vehicles that got caught in midtown traffic.

First Lady Melania Trumpl was all smiles as she left Trump Tower in New York to head to New Jersey after spending three days there

But the First Lady was all smiles as she made her way through Lincoln Tunnel after a lane was made for her.

Talking on her phone, she looked to be pleased by the conversation as the rest of her face was hidden behind large shades.

She appeared to be alone on the trip while her husband was at the White House where he promoted products made in America.

She looked to be alone on the trip

The First Lady was all smiles as she made her way through Lincoln Tunnel after a lane was made for her

As she left the city, the mother was escorted by eight Secret Service vehicles that got caught in midtown traffic

The First Lady spoke with 'Fox & Friends' host Ainsley Earhardt in a segment during the annual Congressional picnic, and revealed that she could not be happier after moving into the White House with son Barron.

'We are enjoying it very much,' Melania said of her time thus far at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

When asked how her 11-year-old son was handling the move, Melania said: 'He loves it, yes all settled. He loves it here.'

Melania and Barron made the move to Washington DC soon after President Trump's youngest son finished school for the year in Manhattan.

Barron will be attending St Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland come September.
An 18-year-old cheerleader was arrested after her child's remains were found buried in the backyard of her home as authorities reveal the baby was alive at birth.

Brooke Skylar Richardson was charged with reckless homicide on Friday after evidence revealed the child 'was not a stillborn baby', Warren County prosecutor David Fornshell said.

The infant's remains were discovered last week in the backyard of Richardson's home in Carlisle, Ohio, according to theDayton Daily News.

Brooke Skylar Richardson (pictured in court on Friday), 18, was arrested after her child's remains were found buried in the backyard of her Ohio home as authorities reveal the baby was alive at birth and not a stillborn

Warren County Sheriff's Deputy Brandi Carter wrote in the complaint that 'on or about May 7, 2017' Richardson (left in court and right) 'did recklessly cause the death of another, or the unlawful termination of another's pregnancy'

Warren County Sheriff's Deputy Brandi Carter wrote in the complaint that 'on or about May 7, 2017' Richardson 'did recklessly cause the death of another, or the unlawful termination of another's pregnancy'.

Authorities determined the infant died more than two months ago and only found the child's remains because of a tip from a doctor's office.

Before Friday's court appearance, Richardson's attorney Charles Rittgers had already entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Rittgers praised Richardson for being a good student who just graduated high school and is planning to go to college at the University of Cincinnati.

'She didn't drink. She wasn't a partier or a smoker. By all measures a very good girl who helped children She's by all means a very good person,' Rittgers told the Dayton Daily News.

Rittgers also said Richardson helped children with disabilities at a cheer camp and worked at the YMCA with kids.

The infant's remains were discovered last week in the backyard of Richardson's home in Carlisle, Ohio. Authorities are seen carrying a bucket of evidence from the home's backyard

Officials are still waiting for the final report from the coroner regarding the death of the baby. On Thursday, investigators revisited the home (pictured) where the baby's remains were found to get more soil samples and additional evidence

Officials are still waiting for the final report from the coroner regarding the death of the baby.

On Thursday, investigators revisited the home where the baby's remains were found to get more soil samples and additional evidence.

Richardson was booked into the Warren County Jail, where she was released on $15,000 bond.

She faces one to five years in prison, if convicted.

DailyMail.com reached out to the prosecutor's office for additional information, but the office declined to give any more details.
A woman has recalled the harrowing moment a mother drenched in her own blood knocked on her door for help after a vicious stabbing.

The woman, 33, was rushed to hospital from the Salisbury Downs home, north of Adelaide, about 8pm on Friday and remains in a critical condition.

A 40-year-old man was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder after a tense two-hour siege, The Advertiser reported.

Police enter a house after a woman was stabbed in Adelaide's Salisbury Downs

Janice Johnstone was watching television with her husband when the woman's horrified son knocked on the door.

'When I brought the little boy in he said, "He's stabbing her",' she said.

Mrs Johnstone said she feared the children would be scarred after witnessing the stabbing frenzy.

'Once I called the police I went back down to the front of the house and (the woman) was walking into my home and she just had blood pouring down her face and her chest,'

She said paramedics arrived soon after and the woman was rushed to hospital.

The charged man was refused police bail and will remain in custody until he appears in court on Monday.
A man has died and two others have been taken to hospital following a truck crash in western Sydney.

NSW Police said the truck was travelling along Burnett Street, Merrylands, at about 12.40pm Saturday when it collided with a Hyundai car travelling in the opposite direction.

The truck left the road and drove through one front yard and hit a man who was in the yard of a nearby property, before travelling into another front yard and hitting two other men.

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A man's truck ploughed into the front yard (pictured) of several houses killing one elderly man

Two other men (pictured) were sent to Westmead Hospital at about 1.40pm Saturday

A Hyundai car (pictured) collided with the truck from the opposite direction before the crash

Emergency services (pictured) found the elderly man dead at the scene at Merrylands

The truck crashed into a the front yards at Burnett St (pictured), Merrylands, west of Sydney

The truck also caused substantial damage to the front yards of the properties (pictured)

An elderly man was found dead at the scene and two other men were treated at the scene.

NSW Ambulance spokesman told Daily Mail the two other men were taken to Westmead Hospital at about 1.40pm.

One man is in a critical condition.

The male truck driver and male Hyundai driver didn't suffer injuries after the crash (pictured)

The truck driver and driver of the Hyundai, both male, have been taken for mandatory blood and urine tests and did not suffer any injuries.

Burnett Street is closed between Blackwood Road and Merrylands Road.

Paramedics (pictured) rushed the two men to hospital where one is in a critical condition

The truck crash happened just after midday during the busy lunch period at Burnett St

Atleast two yards were ploughed through by a truck (pictured) causing damage to properties
Steve Bannon, who was once a constant presence in the Oval Office, has 'largely disappeared' from President Donald Trump's inner circle for 'self-preservation'.

Bannon's disappearing act hasn't gone unnoticed, especially since he was once seen as the man behind Trump's presidential victory last year.

Several White House advisers told POLITICO that Bannon is in a self-imposed exile for the sake of self-preservation.

The officials also said Bannon is more comfortable operating in the shadows between government, money and right-wing media.

Steve Bannon, who was once a constant presence in the Oval Office, has 'largely disappeared' from President Donald Trump's inner circle for 'self-preservation'

Bannon's (far right in January 2017) disappearing act hasn't gone unnoticed, especially since he was once seen as the man behind Trump's presidential victory last year.

Several White House advisers said Bannon is in a self-imposed exile for the sake of self-preservation. Bannon pictured with Trump in April

They described him as 'invisible,' 'AWOL,' and 'missing in action'. But despite his absence from Trump's recent trips to Europe for the G-20 summit his Bastille Day visit with French President Emmanuel Macron, Bannon is still very much tuned in.

'He follows everything closely. He knows what's going on,' Sam Nunberg, a former Trump political adviser told Politico.

On Monday, Bannon attended a meeting of the National Security Council's Principals Committee.

Despite being removed from the NSC by Trump in April, a White House aide told Politico that Bannon has been to at least 20 per cent of the meetings since then.

Officials did say that Bannon now spends a lot of his time at the conference table in the office of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.

While he's there, a White House aide said, he reads the news or works from his phone.

Officials are trying to determine if Bannon is trying to protect his job amid reported talks of a White House staff shakeup in August. Bannon was removed from the NSC by Trump in April. Bannon is pictured with Trump during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh in May

But officials are trying to determine if Bannon is trying to protect his job amid reported talks of a White House staff shakeup.

'If there is a big staff shakeup, it will be in August,' a senior White House aide told Politico. 'My guess is that Bannon probably sees that and doesn't want to be in the press.'

It's expected that Trump will decide whether or not there will be a White House staff purge during his planned vacation next month.

But Bannon's attempt at trying to stay out of the press for the sake of job security went up in flames earlier this week when Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Joshua Green published his book, The Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency.

In outbursts, Trump's chief strategist and now one of his most senior White house officials, said Clinton was a 'joke', a 'total phony' and an 'apple-polisher who couldn't pass the DC bar exam'.

In June, Bannon took a seat behind the president and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a cabinet meeting

Most recently Bannon (center) was spotted walking to the South Lawn with White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner for a visit to the Pentagon on Thursday

The book even claims that Bannon called the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is also one of his advisers, 'a cuck'.

The term is short for 'cuckservative', a blending of 'cuckold', meaning fool, and 'conservative'.

A White House official told Politico that the president is 'livid' about the book and he's 'back to giving Bannon the cold shoulder'.

According to the source, since the book's release Bannon is simply exhausted and 'doesn't look well'.

The former chief of right-wing website Breitbart News also 'irritated' Trump when he appeared on the cover of Time magazine as 'The Great Manipulator' earlier this year.

Trump reportedly resented the media attention Bannon received and complained that he was stealing credit for his presidential victory.
A woman is making history training with other potential officers this summer to hopefully become the first female Navy Seal.

The candidate is a midshipman - a Navy officer cadet - and she is joined by another woman who hope to be the first to join the Navy's special operations teams.

The second woman is training for the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman program (SWCC).

A female midshipman is working to become the first woman Navy Seal officer. Another training to be in the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Creman program

While they've already marked a momentous occasion, the women still have many roadblocks and test to overcome before things are official.

Women just recently in January 2016 were allowed to serve in combat roles.

The women's identities have been protected to ensure their personal safety and security along with 'career viability as future special operator,' claimed Lieutenant Commander Mark Walton, a spokesman for Naval Special Command, to CNN.

According to a Naval Special Warfare Center briefing last month for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, eight SEAL and seven SWCC classes made entirely out of males have graduated since March 2016.

Walton said that the SWCC candidate will undergo months of Navy training and screening evaluations.

The potential SEAL will undergo three weeks at a SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection process in California before moving to a SEAL Officer Selection Panel in September.

Eight SEAL and seven SWCC classes made entirely out of males have graduated since March 2016

Aspiring SEALs and SWCC candidates also have to withstand rigorous Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training.

It is both physically and mentally challenging, beginning with two months of brutal training in Illinois. If candidates don't pass a physical screening test, then they risk being kicked out.

Afterwards is basic conditioning, combat diving and land warfare training. According to the SEALs website, this culminates with what is known as Hell Week - 'the ultimate test of man's will.'

The training aims to 'weed out the weak' and considering 73 and 63 per cent of SEALs and SWCC candidates don't meet the mark, the description is accurate. This was according to the Naval Special Warfare briefing in June.

Walton said their are about 1000 SEAL candidates but only 200 to 250 make it through.
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Of the 30 comic book conventions held around the US each year, San Diego's Comic-Con International is the largest, bringing in an annual pilgrimage of the most devoted fans.

And while there are many notable guests, it's the thousands of attendees who get the praise - dressed up as their favorite film or comic book characters, complete with full-face makeup and intricately designed costumes.

Among the most popular at this year's event were Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and various Star Wars roles - with some choosing to create their very own characters.

What started as a comic-book convention with 300 participants in 1970 has grown into a corporate-heavy media showcase that draws more than 130,000 attendees.

Netflix, Warner Bros, Fox, HBO and Marvel Studios are among the companies hosting large-scale presentations with top-name talent. But while Hollywood has raised Comic-Con's profile, comic book enthusiasts say it keeps edging out the book buyers and sellers at the heart of the event.

Among the fan obsessions on view this year are Stranger Things 2 and Marvel's The Defenders, both from Netflix, which also held a surprise screening Thursday night.

This year's Comic-Con, held at the San Diego Convention Center, began on Wednesday with Preview Night and will run through to this Sunday, promising to be the most extensively planned of the annual event to date.

Here we showcase some of the festival's most enthusiastic and dedicated participants.

Minnie Dmoocha (right), dressed as a female version of Marvel Comics character Groot, and Ludella Hahn (left), dressed as a female version of Marvel Comics character Rocket Raccoon, pose during the second day of Comic-Con International, Friday

Two members of comedy singing group The Boobe Sisters (left); Haley Schildgen (second from the right), dressed as a beach-going Harley Quinn, and Miranda Romero (right), as DC Comics villain Poison Ivy, pose on Friday

Alex Waldron dresses as a more traditional Harley Quinn from DC Comics on Friday during Comic-Con 2017

Mariah Cletus dresses as Wonder Woman in front of a poster showcasing Wonder Woman through the years at Comic-Con 2017 on Friday

A cosplayer by the name of Dr Artemus Peepers, dressed in all-black ensemble complete with wings, poses during Comic-Con on Thursday

Heather Stewart (left), Karen Volpe (center) and Leah Finkelstein (right) pose as members of comedy singing group The Boobe Sisters on Friday

Four friends play the parts of (from left to right) Wasp from Marvel Comics, Pixie from X-Men, Red Sonja from Marvel Comics, and Samus from Nintendo, on Thursday

Rivals collide as cosplayers dressed as Batman and The Joker pose together (left), while Superman cosplayer Kenneth Lipman rides on a Segway, on Thursday

Attendees pose in hot pink and purple costumes, complete with full face paint and wigs, during Comic-Con on Friday

Alina Tran (right), dressed as Wonder Woman, participates in an all-Wonder Woman gathering during Comic-Con International on Friday

Even men got into the Amazonian spirit as Christopher Alagna, of New York, dressed up in a Wonder Woman costume

Frank Terando Jr, dressed as a wounded Scooby Doo (right), and his wife, Kimberly Terando (left), wait to enter the San Diego Convention Center on Friday

Andre Rhoden, dressed as the Hobgoblin (second from right), takes some of the children attendees to lunch on Friday

Cosplayers, dressed as Batgirl and a chimney sweep, pose (left), while three women give a colorful take on Star Wars character Chewbacca (right)

An attendee named Miss Mayhem, complete with yellow face paint, blue lips, and a pink wig, attends Comic-Con on Friday

Tala Alleyne, of Florida, dresses as Sardonyx from animated television show Steven Universe at Comic-Con on Friday

Steph Cozza, of New York, dresses as a punk version of the character Sailor Moon - the title character of the Japanese animated cartoon - on Friday

Sheila Noseworthy is covered in complete body paint with a skull-like face, flames going from her chest to neck, and multi-colored hair, on Friday

An Iron Man, modified as an Iron Renaissance Man (left) accompanies a Captain America character (right) who became frozen in ice as occurred during the movie Captain America: The First Avenger, on Friday

Jordan Quinzon plays the character The Joker, dressed as the character was during Batman: The Animated Series, on Friday

Chris Carter, dressed as the Star Trek character Geordi La Forge, gets a high five from a person passing by outside the San Diego Convention Center, on Friday

A convention goer dressed as Buddy Thunderstruck, the title character from the Netflix TV show, poses on Friday

Benn Smith (left) and Becca Smith (right), both of Portland, Oregon, play the parts, respectively, of an older Luke Skywalker from Star Wars and Magnus Burnsides from the podcast Adventurous Zone, on Friday

Adam Van Driest, 16, of Nashville, Tennessee, plays an original role of an intergalactic bounty hunter formed from the combination of the characters Boba Fett of Star Wars and Jesse McCree from the game Overwatch, on Friday
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On 14 June 2017, professionals from around Europe will meet at the Committee of the Regions to gather discuss an innovative way to support child victims of violence in their own countries.

The innovation is called the Barnahus. In the Nordics, this multi-disciplinary and interagency service model forms an integral part of the welfare and judicial system. It provides support to child victims and witnesses to violence, giving them access to justice, avoiding re-victimisation and ensuring recovery. The Barnahus model was founded in Iceland in 1998. A number of countries followed suit by launching their own Barnahus or comparable models.

Barnahus puts the childs story at the centre. In a child-friendly environment, the many sectors involved in a civil or criminal investigation work in coordination under one roof. This helps the child to be able to tell a complete story. When the story is recorded and submitted as evidence to a court proceeding, the child does not need to face the accused in court. As part of the process, victims have direct access to care and support services at the Barnahus.

High level speakers will give their support to the European Barnahus Movement, including Ms Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, and Ms Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children. Mr Bragi Gubrandsson, Lead Expert in the PROMISE project, will present the Icelandic experience and how it has inspired the European Barnahus Movement. Panels of experts will discuss multi-disciplinary and interagency response to violence against children in Europe and how the Barnahus model embodies childrens rights. The Barnahus Quality Standards document will be launched.

The Brussels conference is the final conference of the PROMISE Project, co-funded by the European Union through the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020). The co-organizers include Barnahus Linkoping, Child Circle in Brussels, Belgium, and Linkoping University. The meeting is additionally supported by the Barnahus in Stockholm and Iceland, the Verwey-Jonker Institute in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and the Kenter Jeugdhulp in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

The conference is kindly hosted by the European Committee of the Regions.
It has been less than a week since the decomposing bodies of an elderly couple were found in their beachside mansion.

But that has not stopped realtors from trying to get their foot in the door for a sale.

Geoffrey and Anne Iddon, aged in their 80s, were found dead in their Palm Beach home, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, on Tuesday when a worried neighbour noticed they had not collected their mail.

It is not clear how long the couple have been dead inside the home but it had been reported Mr Iddon died first before his blind and dementia-suffering wife, whose full-time carer was her husband, passed away from starvation.

Less than a week after the deceased previous owners were found in their home (pictured) realtors are sending prospective buyers to 'check it out'

One man who stopped by the property (pictured) on Saturday morning told Daily Mail Australia his real estate agent had directed him to the address

The potential buyer was told the home (pictured) was 'newly empty' and could probably be bought in the near future

The tragic deaths have not stopped interested buyers from 'checking out the potential' of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

One man who stopped by the property on Saturday morning told Daily Mail Australia his real estate agent had directed him to the address noting it was 'newly empty' and could probably be bought in the near future.

'I just sold my own property in town and I am under a bit of pressure to buy up,' he said.

The man said visiting the house was his agent's idea.

The home (pictured) in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Palm Beach, could be worth up to $3.3million

Neighbours have said that the home (pictured) is a 'mess inside' and it may be in need of interior work

'I'm not too sure about it but she kept saying "go have a look it is in a great spot just get a feel for it",' he said.

The man peered through a few windows and looked down the side of the home before coming to the street and gazing on the old sandstone home from afar.

'It looks pretty original in there and she did tell me it had great potential - but renovating isn't really my thing,' he said.

The man was not the only person to check out the home, with many cars slowing down to inspect the property from the road.

According to suburb information, it is worth up to $3.3million.

But neighbours predict it could fetch much less as it was 'a mess inside'.

The sparsely furnished house has a library up stairs as well as a deck which has spectacular views of the ocean, according to neighbours.

The home also has a double garage, a kitchen overlooking the water and manicured lawns.

Mr and Mrs Iddon are survived by a daughter who lives in England - their home country.

Anne and Geoffrey Iddon were both found dead in their home in Sydney's Palm Beaches on Tuesday

Ivor Burgess, one of the two neighbours who helped care for the couple in their final years, said the Iddons were devoted to one other.

'They were a very loving couple,' Mr Burgess told AAP on Thursday.

'Totally wrapped around each other.'

Ms Iddon was a familiar figure in the northern beaches suburb a decade ago, often spotted walking the streets. But she retreated into her home when her eyesight deteriorated.

Her husband would play music on a record player and read to her from the English Times newspaper.

The home had no microwave, internet or television, the bills were paid with posted cheques and everything was written by hand, Mr Burgess said.

Pictures of the home show a perfectly manicured garden, but signs of disarray can be seen inside the home

According to neighbour Ivor Burgess, the pair were very much in love, and 'totally wrapped around each other'

Mr Iddon fell about a year ago and was unable to get up for more than a day. His wife sat dutifully by his side and comforted him.

Mr Burgess' friend David, who reportedly became the couple's primary carer, called an ambulance when he found them.

'They went in the ambulance together to Mona Vale Hospital and when doctors saw them they were admitted together,' he said.

The hospital's social workers were worried about them, Mr Burgess said.

Support workers were sent to clean the house, deliver meals and take the Iddons shopping.

But, when Mr Iddon lost his license he became totally isolated and frustrated by their reliance on the neighbours.

'Then he cut off all the services, said he could do it all himself,' Mr Burgess said.

Mr Iddon lost his license (pictured is his MG convertible) and became frustrated at his level of reliance on other people

He said the Iddons defiantly refused almost all offers of assistance as they tried to maintain their independence in the years that followed, but that became their undoing.

'Geoffrey never thought he'd go first. That's the tragedy,' Mr Burgess said.

'He had no plan if he went first.'

He is convinced Ms Iddon would not have wanted to go on living without her life-long partner.

'Geoffrey could be funny. He was very stubborn, clearly,' he said.

'Anne was quiet. She didn't say much. She just hung off his every word.

'She wouldn't have wanted to live without him.'
A woman caught stealing more than $40,000 of parents' money to fund her gambling addiction has been jailed.

Lisa Jillian McLeod, who also goes by the name of Lisa Jillian Rae, was sentenced to two years behind bars when she appeared before Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast but will serve just six months.

The 39-year-old had taken the donated money while president of the Helensvale State School Parents and Citizens Association, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

A former president of the Helensvale State School (pictured) Parents and Citizens Association has been jailed after stealing more than $40,000 worth of parents' money

Lisa Jillian McLeod, who also goes by the name of Lisa Jillian Rae, had intended to hand the stolen money back, a court heard (stock image)

McLeod, who had headed up the association over an 18-month period, was nabbed after another P&C member spotted the school's uniform and tuckshop had made more purchases than normal.

She had authorised payments from an association account into one she was signatory of and uploaded fake invoices for a vice-president to sign, it was reported.

The court heard McLeod had intended to hand the stolen money back, which was used to fund a gambling addiction to make her feel closer to her deceased mother who used to play slots.

McLeod, who had pleaded guilty to 10 charges including fraud of more than $30,000, was ordered by the court to pay more than $40,000 in restitution to the school.
British holidaymakers face painful holidays as airport exchanges offer the worst rate ever - just 88 euro cents to the pound.

Travellers flying out of Gatwick,Luton and Birmingham yesterday were being offered less than a euro for pound, the worst rate in eight months.

But they weren't as unlucky as those hoping to change their money at Cardiff airport, who received just 88 euro cents to each pound.

This means as Britons descend on Europe for the holidays, they facing an expensive trip.

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British holidaymakers face painful holidays as airport exchanges offer the worst rate ever - just 88 euro cents to the pound

On the flip side, those visiting Britain are finding their money stretch even further - resulting in a mini tourism boom, according to experts.

The pound has suffered a tough week on the foreign exchange markets, falling to its lowest level in eight months to 1.11.

The rate described as terrible by economic experts has given airport foreign exchange providers the opportunity to slash prices even further.

For unlucky holidaymakers flying from Cardiff yesterday, they were caught out if they didn't change their money ahead of their trip.

The Forexchange was offering a walk-up rate to the pound that would buy just 88 euro cents.

Experts say this is possibly the worst exchange rate ever seen at the UK airport.

Meanwhile booths at Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow were offering almost exactly 1 to the pound.

Speaking to The Guardian, Ian Strafford-Taylor, chief executive of the currency firm FairFX, said economic uncertainty since had weakened the pound, and British holidaymakers are now paying the price.

He told the newspaper: 'Time and time again, we have seen how the pound has been subject to volatility since the Brexit referendum and how some currency providers look to be taking advantage of it. Our analysis of airport rates today shows that consumers are routinely being offered as low as 0.96 euros to the pound, well below parity. It couldn't come at a worse time just as the nation heads off for the great summer holiday getaway.'

In the first week of the school summer holidays in 2015, Britons travelling to Europe received more than 1.41 for each pound.
Moped gangs are robbing 54 times a day across London and are even holding training sessions on how to snatch phones before they hit the streets.

Shocking new figures show police are facing unprecedented numbers of organised scooter crimes with incidents up a staggering 1766 per cent since 2014.

Up until the end of May there were 8,192 crimes involving scooters - almost as many recorded in 2016.

Shocking new figures show police are facing unprecedented numbers of organised scooter crimes with incidents up a staggering 1766 per cent since 2014. Pictured: Police wanted to trace two youths carrying a machete earlier this week

If crooks continue to offend at the same rate, 2017 will see around 19,710 thefts in total - up 116 per cent from last year.

And with criminals acting unpredictably - police say they are concerned about the rise in acid attacks in conjunction with moped riders.

Superintendent Mark Payne, of the Metropolitan Police, said thieves were mainly after mobile phones and would practice training before striking.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: 'The thieves practice snatching phones from each other on stolen mopeds before heading on to the streets.

A grainy image captured from CCTV footage (above) shows two men riding pillion on a moped with helmets on. Mr Pearce was reportedly approached by two men on a moped in the attack at 12.15am in Greenwich, south-east London. One was armed with a gun; the other with a knife

'They aim to snatch a phone while a victim is talking so the device is unlocked and they can reset it and sell it on.

'Or they will steal a phone which is locked and sell it for its parts. It is a big market.

'A large proportion of thefts are carried out around train stations where people will look at their phone for emails and messages before and after journeys.'

The rise in moped crime contributed to a seven per cent rise in overall theft in England and Wales last year.

A week ago two teens on a moped doused five riders with acid while trying to steal bikes in North London.

Last week, a 41-year-old fashion executive told how she broke her leg fighting off eight moped attackers who targeted her as she walked her dog in London.

And last month a group of delivery drivers tracked down a thief and a bloody brawl ensued.
Anjem Choudary was put behind bars in August after being found guilty of inciting support for the terror group in a series of sick online lectures

Britain's most notorious hate preacher has received more than 140,000 in taxpayer-funded legal aid in his attempt to dodge jail for supporting ISIS.

Anjem Choudary was put behind bars in August after being found guilty of inciting support for the terror group in a series of sick online lectures.

He is believed to have inspired at least 110 Britons into committing terrorist acts and encouraged up to 850 fanatics to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State.

And today MailOnline can reveal he billed the taxpayer 140,557 for his unsuccessful court battle - and the figure is set to rise as his lawyers continue to file claims.

The data, revealed in a freedom of information request, includes 98,122 to pay for a solicitor, 23,569 for another court lawyer, and 18,866 in legal firm expenses.

After an Old Bailey trial shrouded in secrecy, Choudary was found guilty of 'inviting support for a proscribed organisation' under the Terrorism Act 2000.

His deputy, Mizanur Rahman, was convicted of the same offence, and the pair were each sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

Choudary has long served as the smug public face of radical Islam, organising protests against British troops and spouting his bile in TV interviews.

Choudary billed taxpayers 140,557 for his court battle - and the figure is set to rise as his lawyers continue to file claims. Pictured here with Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo

The father-of-five milked the state throughout his campaign of hatred, claiming up to 500,000 in benefits, which he referred to as 'Jihadseeker's allowance'.

He urged supporters to follow his example, saying 'the normal situation is for you to take money from the kuffar [non-Muslim]'.

Choudary's now-banned radical group, Al-Muhajiroun, has links to 15 terror plots, including the murder of Lee Rigby and the 7/7 attacks.

As leader, he repeatedly provoked the British public with a series of stunts in which his followers burned remembrance poppies and disrupted Armistice Day events.

Choudary also called for Buckingham Palace to be turned into a mosque and paraded a picture of his vision which was made by a man now fighting for ISIS.

For his trial anti-terror police investigated 20 years worth of material, with more than 333 electronic devices containing 12 terabytes of storage data analysed.

Choudary called for Buckingham Palace to be turned into a mosque and paraded a picture of his vision which was made by a man now fighting for ISIS

For his trial anti-terror police investigated 20 years worth of material, with more than 333 electronic devices containing 12 terabytes of storage data analysed

His conviction could be revealed only after the case had concluded due to court orders banning reporting.

Their trial heard Choudary swore an oath of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in an East London pub after the so-called 'caliphate' was declared.

He and his deputy then pressed upon Muslims their supposed obligation to 'make hijrah', meaning to travel to ISIS-occupied lands, the court heard.

In Choudary's incendiary speeches, he told his followers ISIS had met the theological conditions for a legitimate caliphate.

At a time when the ISIS executioner Jihadi John was beheading hostages and posting the videos online, Choudary quoted a saying of the Prophet: 'Whoever comes to dispute with him, strike his neck.'

A Legal Aid Agency spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Anyone facing a crown court trial is eligible for legal aid, subject to a strict means test.

'Those who do meet the relevant thresholds may still be required to pay a significant contribution towards the costs of their defence.'
Greg Doran said there was clues about Shakespeare's sexuality in his sonnets

A top theatre director has suggested that William Shakespeare might have been gay.

Greg Doran, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, suggested that the playwright's 'outsider' perspective might offer clues about his sexuality.

He added that Victorian academics were embarrassed by the possibility of England's most celebrated bard being gay, so they 'whitewashed' his sonnets.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Doran said: 'I guess a growing understanding of Shakespeare as I have worked with him over the many years that I have, makes me realise that his perspective is very possibly that of an outsider.

'It allows him to get inside the soul of a black general, a Venetian jew, an Egyptian queen or whatever and perhaps that outsider perspective has something to do with his sexuality.'

He added that clues can be found in the 154 sonnets that Shakespeare wrote, which focus on themes like love and beauty.

Out of the 154, 126 are addressed to a young man.

Mr Doran accused Victorian academics of heterosexualising the playwright and changing the pronouns in his sonnets.

He said: 'It wasn't somehow kosher for the great national bard to possibly have affectations for his own sex and therefore that process, to kind of whitewash through the sonnets.

Doran claimed the playwright's poems were heterosexualised by Victorian academics, who were embarrassed the national literary hero might have had male affectations

'I am just aware of how many times Shakespeare has gay characters, and how sometimes those gay characters are not played as gay, and I think in the 21st century that's no longer acceptable.'

Debate about Shakespeare's sexuality has raged for years, despite records showing the bard married at 18 and fathered three children with his wife Anne Hathaway.

Academics and scholars clashed about the issue in the Times Literary Supplement three years ago.

A performance of Othello at the National Theatre with Olivia Vinall (left) and Adrian Lester (right). Doran said Shakespeare's 'outsider' status allowed him to get inside the 'soul' of his characters

Sir Brian Williams provoked the argument by claiming that sonnet 116 appeared in a 'primarily homosexual context'.

But Sir Stanley Wells, a Shakespeare scholar at the University of Birmingham, told the Telegraph: 'Shakespeare was certainly not exclusively gay.

'But he was pretty certainly bisexual and actively so. The strongest evidence comes from the sonnets, in some of which he writes of a triangular relationship with a man and a woman.'
Emily Maitlis' agent has lashed out at the BBC saying they 'have not been telling the truth' about pay inequality 'for years'.

Alex Armitage, chief executive of Noel Gay agency, described the situation at 'beyond madness'.

On Wednesday the BBC was forced to declare that only a third of its 96 top earners were women  and the top seven were all men.

Emily Maitlis' (left) agent has lashed out at the BBC saying they 'have not been telling the truth' about pay inequality 'for years'. Strictly's Claudia Winkleman (right) is the highest paid woman

Highly rated presenter Maitlis earns less than 150,000 a year  and therefore did not feature on the corporation's highest earners list  while Newsnight co-host Evan Davis, 55, earns up to 299,999 a year.

Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that at least ten female BBC presenters are considering taking legal action against the Corporation over its gender pay gap despite the offer of 'hush money'.

Mr Armitage said the BBC's unwillingness to discuss salary comparisons had 'risen up and bitten them on the a***,' according The Times.

Discussing his negotiations with the BBC over pay comparisons, Mr Armitage added: 'What is now absolutely clear beyond any argument was that that was untruthful.

'The BBC have not been telling the truth about this for years.'

In a Tweet, Armitage added: 'I wish the BBC had been able to resist the salary publication, but if it serves to destroy the #genderpaygap then fine and welcome.'

Womans Hour host Jane Garvey (pictured) said: 'I have heard of at least two prominent women presenters who have been offered pay rises within the last couple of weeks'

A BBC spokesman said: 'Emily is one of the brightest stars in British journalism. Emily has been off rota for several weeks now while we negotiate a new contract and we hope to reach an agreement soon.

'We won't be conducting a contract negotiation via the press. However, discussions are going well and Emily will be on air next week.'

Ms Maitlis is understood to be 'furious' at revelations that she is paid significantly less than Evan Davis, her fellow Newsnight presenter.

Channel 4, Sky and ITV executives are said to be lining up a potential move for 46-year-old Ms Maitlis  with Sky understood to be the most likely to land her should a prospective BBC deal fall through.

Mr Armitage (pictured) said the BBC's unwillingness to discuss salary comparisons had 'risen up and bitten them on the a***'

The presenter also took on the issue while speaking to the TechUK conference, telling the audience: 'You're an industry [that's] doing so well, soon you'll be able to afford a BBC man.'

This came as the BBC reportedly offered 'hush money' to prevent a pay row with female presenters.

Womans Hour host Jane Garvey said: 'I have heard of at least two prominent women presenters who have been offered pay rises within the last couple of weeks,' according to the Mirror.

One source said: 'The BBC might describe them as contract negotiations, but it looked like hush money to me.'

A BBC spokesman said: 'This is complete and utter nonsense. It is simply untrue - we've already said we're closing the gender pay gap and going further and faster than government and other companies, and the idea we'd offer someone a pay rise on condition they don't speak out is ridiculous.'

Chris Evans was the corporation's top earner last year on 2.25million, followed by Gary Lineker on 1.79million and Graham Norton on 899,999.

Strictly's Claudia Winkleman is the highest paid woman but she took home 1.75million less a year than Evans and no women earned more than her 500,000 salary.

One senior BBC broadcaster earlier told MailOnline that the atmosphere inside Broadcasting House was 'frosty' as staff saw what colleagues were earning for the first time.

He said: 'It's fair to say morale is very low and people are understandably struggling when they see people are getting paid more for what is essentially the same job'.

In a Tweet, Armitage added: 'I wish the BBC had been able to resist the salary publication, but if it serves to destroy the #genderpaygap then fine and welcome.'
It is one of the most hotly anticipated blockbusters for years - boasting a swathe of star names and receiving a string of glowing five star reviews.

But while Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk seems destined for success in Britain, it has come under fire from French critics, who claim their compatriots' involvement in the evacuation has been downplayed.

And the Russians have also been critical, mocking it as a celebration of British cowardice - despite the fact they had a non-aggression pact with Hitler at the time.

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While Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk(pictured) seems destined for success in Britain, it has come under fire from French and Russian critics

Writing in France's Le Monde newspaper, Jacques Mandelbaum slammed the 'witheringly impolite' film for its 'purely British' plot. Pictured: Harry Styles in the movie

Writing in France's Le Monde newspaper, Jacques Mandelbaum slammed the 'witheringly impolite' film for its 'purely British' plot and 'distressing indifference' towards his country.

Arguing that the film, which was released yesterday (FRI), portrays the events of 1940 in a 'spectacular but incomplete manner', he wrote: 'A dozen seconds devoted to a group of French soldiers defending the city... does not account for the indispensable French involvement to this mad evacuation.'

Mr Mandelbaum continued: 'Where are the 120,000 French soldiers also evacuated from Dunkirk in this film?

'Where are the other 40,000 who sacrificed themselves to defend the city against a superior enemy in arms and in numbers?'

Mr Mandelbaum continued: 'Where are the 120,000 French soldiers also evacuated from Dunkirk in this film? Pictured: Newly colourised images showing the Dunkirk campaign

French troops numbering some 30,000 helped Operation Dynamo by holding off Nazi divisions near Lille so Dunkirk could take place. Pictured: British soldiers at Dunkirk

These sentiments were echoed by French journalist Gary Assouline, who wrote on Huffpost France: 'Anglo-Saxons have an unpleasant tendency to put forward the feats of the British army and pass over those of the French army.'

British historians said Nolan had a right to interpret history. Pictured: A soldier at Dunkirk

French troops numbering some 30,000 helped Operation Dynamo by holding off Nazi divisions near Lille so Dunkirk could take place.

Meanwhile, a number of Russians took to social media to mock the depiction of the evacuation, with one writing, 'it was not a miracle, but showcases a defeat'.

Mirf.ru, a Russian-language fantasy and culture magazine, noted that it was 'not Nolan's best film', adding: 'It is not such a glorious page in history'.

British historians said Nolan had a right to interpret history.

Max Hastings, referring to French criticisms, told The Times: 'Nolan's film is as shamelessly British as many of Steven Spielberg's are shamelessly American.

'The French will have to make their own film if they want their national story properly told.'
A famous Indian TV presenter died after she was crushed by a falling palm tree.

Kanchan Nath, 58, had been returning home from a yoga class in Chembur, Mumbai, at 8am on Thursday morning.

CCTV footage of the tragic event shows her wearing a blue top as she walks in the middle of the road past a row of shops and food stalls.

Suddenly a 25ft-high coconut tree comes crashing down on to the celebrity, who was a host on the government-run Doordarshan channel.

Mrs Nath was pinned down by the weight of the tree, suffering catastrophic internal injuries and fractures.

Onlookers rushed to help her by lifting the tree off her and carrying her several feet away before she was rushed to hospital where she died this morning from brain injuries.

Resident Arjun Singh, who ran over after hearing the noise, said: 'There was a lot of shouting and calling for help and I saw the woman on the ground.

'I didn't know at the time it was Kanchan until after somebody said later. It's a shock that could happen, it could have been anybody who was in the wrong place at that time.'

Tragic: Indian TV presenter Kanchan Nath

TV colleague Rekha Rao paid tribute to Ms Nath.

He said: 'My dear friend Kanchan Nath renowned anchor of our music world has died. I will always miss you.''

Mrs Rath's devastated husband Rajat blamed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the civic body that governs Mumbai, for the accident.

He said officials had been informed that the tree could fall anytime had allegedly refused permission for the society to cut it.

But local ward representative corporator Asha Marathe said permission was not given because officials found the tree in good condition after an inspection.

Meanwhile, colleagues at the Rangmanch Ke Sitare music awards which Kanchan had been due to host later this month, have postponed the event in light of the tragic news.

A statement from organisers said: 'We at Team RKS and all the other members are really shocked and shattered at this point of time hence we have decided to postpone our celebration date.'

CCTV footage shows the presenter, wearing a blue top, walking home in the middle of the road
A male model who has worked for Cavelli and Versace was attacked and robbed in Shoreditch, east London.

Jon Kortajarena, originally from Bilbao in Spain, told followers on Facebook this week that his phone had been stolen in the attack, leaving him unable to contact anyone.

The 32-year-old was not hurt.

Jon Kortajarena was attacked and robbed in Shoreditch, east London, earlier this week

He shared a plain black picture on Instagram and Facebook as he told fans what had happened but said he wasn't hurt

He shared a plain black image on social media and wrote: 'Yesterday I was attacked and robbed in London streets (sic). I have no way to contact my people.

'I'm fine, but I just want to report any kind of violence, physical or verbal. It's never justified. For any reasons... to anyone.'

Kortajarena was reportedly returning to his home in London from a holiday on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza when the mugging happened.

He also shared a series of pictures from his holiday on social media, where he has 1.3 million followers, many of whom expressed sympathy for the attack.

Kortajarena was discovered in Barcelona as a teenager and has worked on campaigns for Armani and Versace

Mariemilligan said: 'Sorry to hear that. Some crazy acid attacks happening in the area so hope it wasn't serious and you are ok!'

It is not known whether or not the incident was reported to police.

Kortajarena was discovered on holiday in Barcelona, Spain, when he accompanied a friend to a fashion show and was spotted by a booker.

His big break came at the age of 18 when he became the face of Just Cavalli for designer Roberto Cavalli.

He has also appeared in film and television series in Spain and is due to appear in a new TV series soon

It isn't clear if the Spanish model reported the incident to police afterwards. It is thought he was coming back from holiday when the attack happened

Soon he was appearing on runways all over the world for top labels including Emporio Armani, John Galliano and Versace.

Kortajarena has also worked as an actor in both cinema and television, including Spanish movies Pieles (Skins) and Un Hombre Soltero (A Single Man), as well as the Los Pasajeros del Tiempo (Time Passengers) TV series.

He is shortly due to star as a police inspector in a new series called La Verdad (The Truth).
Corrie McKeague has been missing since a night out in Bury St Edmunds last September

The mother of missing airman Corrie McKeague has claimed her son may have been killed before being dumped in landfill.

Nicola Urquhart, 48, blasted police on Facebook after they dramatically ended the search of a landfill site in Cambridgeshire after 20 weeks.

Specialist search teams have sifted through more than 6,500 tonnes of waste but found 'no trace' of Corrie

They've now admitted that the 23-year-old's body is now never likely to be found.

But on Saturday, Nicola revealed the dig started at the site in Milton, on the outskirts of Cambridge, after a call to the reward hotline claiming Corrie has been killed.

Writing on the Find Corrie site, Nicola said: 'Somone (sic) claimed to me on a reward phone to have been told who killed Corrie and put him in the landfill.

'The police know this and that is why they started looking at the process of the landfill and went on to search the landfill, yet they are not exhausting all lines of enquiry by completing the search.

'Effectively what we have been told by Suffolk and Norfolk police is if anyone wishes to dispose of a body be that your child or mine.

'Put it in a bin and let it go to landfill because they will simply walk away.'

Corrie's mother Nicola Urquhart (pictured) said she wanted police to continue searching the landfill site on the outskirts of Cambridge where Corrie's body is believed to be

A petition has now been set up calling for the landfill search to continue until Corrie's body is found.

Within hours, thousands of people had signed the document, which asked: 'Why start a job if you are not going to complete it?'

But Nicola also revealed she is seeking legal advice on obtaining an injunction to stop the landfill site being filled in until she gets more answers.

She said: 'I am getting advice about the possibility about an injunction to stop them filling the landfill in at least until there is more honesty and plain speaking from the police.

Police have sifted through roughly 6,500 tonnes of waste over the last twenty weeks looking for the RAF gunner, but with no luck

'I think it would help if everyone did write to Tim Passmore the crime commissioner and the chief constable as if we don't tell them we are unhappy they can simply carry on walking away.

'Suffolk and Norfolk joint MIT team have been searching the landfill for 20 weeks. It is there belief that Corrie is in there.

'This is there strongest line of enquiry and as such they are not looking at other possible lines or have dismissed them already as they so firmly believe Corrie is in the landfill.

Ms Urquhart claimed that police had not yet exhausted all lines of enquiry and it would take only a few more weeks to definitely establish whether McKeague's body was in the landfill

'Yesterday's decision to stop searching at the landfill means they have now given up on finding Corrie.

'Suffolk Police have handed back the landfill and are trying to have it filled back in this week.

'For clarity there is possibly only a few more weeks with help of searching that would allow police to find Corrie or to be able to say he is not in that landfill.'

Police called off the search despite revealing they knew Corrie regularly climbed into bins to go to sleep after a night out.

McKeague was last spotted on CCTV after a night out in Bury St Edmunds on September 24

It is feared he fell asleep in an industrial bin following a night out with friends in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on September 24 last year.

Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott, of Suffolk Police, said: 'Corrie had been known to go to sleep in rubbish.

'We've explored every other reasonable hypothesis and there is nothing to support any other explanation.

Martin McKeague (left), Corrie's father, said he didn't think the search would end this way while Ms Urquhart (right) is now hoping to legally stop the landfill being reused

'All the work we have carried out points to Corrie being taken to the landfill site. There is nothing to support any theory other than Corrie was in that bin.

'We had compelling information that directed us to this area, however we haven't found Corrie and this is bitterly disappointing.

'It's never been about money in this investigation. We have searched the areas where we have information where that waste was deposited.

'Beyond that it's very difficult to establish exactly where we would search for Corrie.'

Ms Elliott said any new lines of inquiry would be pursued 'vigorously', and added she still believed Corrie's body was somewhere in the landfill.

Speaking on Friday, Corrie's dad Martin McKeague, 54, said: 'At no point did we think that the search would end this way.

'All the evidence tells us that Corrie is somewhere in that landfill site.

'We are heartbroken at the thought we may not be able to bring Corrie home.

Corrie's girlfriend, April Oliver, gave birth to his baby daughter last month

'But we are, as a family, somehow going to get through this together.'

An independent review is to take place into Suffolk Police's handling of Corrie's disappearance.

Corrie is originally from Fife in Scotland and moved down to Suffolk to live at RAF Honington where he worked as a gunner and team medic in the air force.

His girlfriend April Oliver gave birth to his baby daughter, Ellie-Louise Oliver, last month.
A shocking video shows the moment a vicious brawl broke out at a tram stop on the Gold Coast, leaving two young men bloodied and bruised.

Passengers getting off a tram at Broadwater Parklands on the Gold Coast about 3.30am on Saturday were approached by a group of men.

Witnesses said the group became aggressive and started pushing and shoving them on the platform in Southport.

Two young men were bloodied and bruised after group of 'aggressive' thugs started a brawl at a Gold Coast tram stop, viciously punching and kicking them until one was taken to hospital

They then viciously punched and kicked two men, aged 19 and 20, one of whom was taken to hospital with serious facial injuries.

Video shot by a witness showed several figures trading blows on the platform, while another seemed to be helping someone to their feet.

More people could be seen brawling in the background on the other side of the platform with appearing to be laying into someone on the ground.

Video shot by a witness showed several figures trading blows on the platform, while another seemed to be helping someone to their feet

Kevin Byun, who witnessed the shocking brawl, said the alleged attackers 'seemed aggressive, like they were looking for a fight'

Kevin Byun, who witnessed the shocking brawl, said the alleged attackers 'seemed aggressive, like they were looking for a fight'.

'It was three against eight or nine, [the victims] were bleeding, one had a concussion and couldn't walk by himself,' he told 9 News.

Police were hunting a group of five men they believed were responsible for assaulting the pair.
NRL fans were outraged after the referee failed to send Sia Soliola off the field following his sickening tackle on Billy Slater.

Melbourne's NRL premiership hopes have taken a hit with Billy Slater and Cameron Smith injured in the Storm's 20-14 victory over Canberra.

Slater was taken from GIO Stadium on a medicab 10 minutes into the second half of Saturday's match, after being knocked out by a high shot from Sia Soliola who was lucky not to be sent off.

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NRL fans were outraged after the referee failed to send Sia Soliola off the field following his sickening tackle on Billy Slate (tackle pictured)

Billy Slater of the Storm is knocked out by Sia Soliola of the Raiders

Ouch: Billy Slater was KO'd by Sia Soliola in a sickening tackle

The Raiders' forward was placed on report over the incident, but apologised to Slater who had regained consciousness by the time he left the field.

Fans made themselves heard on social media, labeling Soliola's tackle a 'cheap shot', and slammed the referee for not sending him off the field.

'How is this not a send off? @NRL you might wanna (sic) educate your refs on late head high contact,' wrote one person on Twitter.

'What do you have to do to get sin-binned?! Was verging on a send off. What a disgrace,' said another.

One of the competition's most-durable players, Smith left the ground earlier in the second half with a suspected pectoral strain.

It was the first time since 2009 the Storm skipper had featured in less than 50 minutes of a match for Melbourne.

'What do you have to do to get sin-binned?! Was verging on a send off. What a disgrace,' said one Twitter user

Fans made themselves heard on social media, labeling Soliola's tackle a 'cheap shot', and slamming the referee for not sending him off the field

NRL fans were outraged after the referee failed to send Sia Soliola off the field following his sickening tackle on Billy Slater

Cameron Munster extended the Storm's lead to 14-6 with a penalty goal after the Slater hit but, without their superstar fullback and hooker, the Raiders sensed their chance.

Young gun Nick Cotric scored a try with less than 15 minutes remaining to reduce the deficit to four points.

But the Storm showed grit to stem the tide with Dale Finucane scoring his second try of the night by diving on a grubber which trickled under the posts.

The Raiders' forward (right) was placed on report over the incident, but apologised to Slater who had regained consciousness by the time he left the field (Slater pictured in stretcher)

Billy Slater of the Storm is attended to by medical staff after being knocked out during the Round 20 NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and the Melbourne Storm

Munster added the conversion to give the visitors a 10-point buffer.

He was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul in the final minute and, moments, later Raiders halfback Aidan Sezer completed a try-scoring double.

But they ran out of time and suffered another close loss.

The loss keeps Canberra two wins out of the top eight, but that could be extended to three on Sunday if St George Illawarra can beat Manly.
A state of emergency has been declared in the New Zealand city of Christchurch after flooding lashed the country's South Island.

Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel made the declaration at 11.20am local time on Saturday after the Heathcote River burst its banks and flooded southern parts of the city.

It was the fourth South Island area to do so after Dunedin, Timaru and Otago made the call in response to a severe weather event which caused widespread flooding.

Civil Defence workers gesture to an army rescue vehicle as they prepare to evacuate residents from their flooded homes in Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday

Residents are rescued from their flooded homes in Christchurch on Saturday

A resident paddles an inflatable canoe in his flooded street in Christchurch

A resident walks through flooded streets in Christchurch, where a state of emergency was declared on Saturday morning

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from their homes, roads have been closed and the New Zealand Defence Force has been brought in to assist emergency services.

An update posted on the Christchurch City Council website at 10pm local time [AEST 8pm] on Saturday read: 'Flood waters are receding slightly and rain is expected to reduce significantly overnight'.

'However, there is still significant flooding in the Heathcote river area and the flood waters are expected to rise again at the next high tide at 3.42am [Sunday],' the post said.

'With this in mind, and for safety reasons now that it is dark, we recommend that people who have not yet evacuated remain in their homes, and those that have evacuated do not try to return overnight.'

Civil Defence workers walk through flooded streets to evacuate homeowners in Christchurch on Saturday

A steward works to dry the stands due to heavy rainfall prior to the Super Rugby Quarter Final match between the Crusaders and the Highlanders in Christchurch on Saturday

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English took to social media earlier on Saturday to say his 'thoughts are with the people affected by the weather events in the South Island'.

'I'm getting regular updates on the situation from Civil Defence Minister Nathan Guy. Please follow official advice and take care of each other,' Mr English wrote.

Local media reports that about 1500 people in settlements further north of Christchurch were told to leave their homes as water levels rose overnight, while more than 100 homes were evacuated outside of Dunedin, the South Island's second largest city.

'Residents who were evacuated overnight and earlier today need to stay out of their homes tonight as well. This affects residents in areas such as the Henley township, the lower part of Outram, and other parts of the Taieri Plain and Mosgiel,' a post on the Dunedin City Council website on Saturday night said.

The city of Dunedin also copped heavy rain with floodwaters creating hazards for motorists

A state of emergency was also declared in Otago after it was hit with heavy rains which caused flooding in the middle of the university city

'The situation will be re-assessed on Sunday morning.'

The New Zealand Defence Force mobilised additional troops overnight on Friday, bringing its total deployment to at least a dozen trucks and 140 personnel to provide emergency services and help rescue those trapped by rising flood waters.

New Zealand's MetService said the South Island's Oamaru received 173.88mm of rain between midnight Thursday and 4pm Saturday, while Swampy Spur was inundated with 254mm over the same period.

Christchurch received more than 38mm on Saturday and Dunedin about 62mm.

Rural areas in New Zealand's South Island are also flooded after the area was hit by a severe weather event
The president defended his son Donald Trump Jr. and highlighted his 'complete power to pardon' while lashing out at the investigation into his presidential campaign's possible ties to Russia in a Twitter rant on Saturday morning.

Trump, who has continually used his presidential campaign rival Hillary Clinton as a foil, tried to throw the heat off his son, questioning why his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, and special counsel Robert Mueller were not investigating Clinton instead.

'So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Counsel looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 emails deleted?,' he wrote on Twitter.

'What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc.

'My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & the authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (&acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!'

The FBI decided last year not to recommend criminal charges against Clinton for her use of a private email server. Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey in May.

President Donald Trump (pictured Saturday) went on a Twitter rant to complain about the investigation into possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia

Trump highlighted the presidential pardoning power and reprised his attacks on Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in defending his son Donald Trump Jr.

Earlier this month, Donald Trump Jr. released emails that showed he eagerly agreed to meet Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June 2016 after he was told she might have damaging information about Clinton.

As the investigation closes in on Trump's closest associates, the president has inquired about his authority to issue pardons to aides, family members, and perhaps himself, according to the Washington Post.

Trump then cited his power to pardon in the series of tweets on Saturday that once again focused ire on leaks to the news media.

'While all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS,' he wrote.

The president also appeared to confirm the Washington Post report on Friday night that Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

Sessions (left) recused himself from the Russia investigation after failing to disclose at his confirmation hearing that he held meetings last year with Russia's ambassador (right)

Sessions had been Trump's first supporter in the Senate before being named attorney general.

But he has since become a lightning rod for Trump's anger over the probe into allegations of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

In an interview with the New York Times this week, Trump said he never would have appointed Sessions had he known the attorney general would recuse himself from the Russia investigation.

Sessions removed himself from the probe in March after failing to disclose at his confirmation hearing that he held meetings last year with Russia's ambassador.

Just last night, news broke that Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential race - something he insisted he did not do, the Washington Post reported.

And Trump appeared to confirm the reports when tweeted: 'A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!'

Trump then turned up the heat on Republican senators, who failed to come together to repeal and replace Obamacare

Trump also addressed Scaramucci, the newly appointed Communications Director, whose old tweets gained widespread attention for his support for Hillary Clinton

Trump also had words for Republican senators who have not been able to agree on a way forward to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's healthcare law in what has been a major legislative defeat for the GOP.

'The Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace. Next, Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!' he tweeted.

In the sprawling rant, Trump appeared to take issue with the fact that his newly appointed Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci had previously criticized him and tweeted his support for Clinton.

Scaramucci, whose new position was announced the same day White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned, quickly deleted his old tweets after they picked up steam on social media.

Trump went on a short trip to Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday morning where he will be present for the commissioning ceremony for an aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford.

TRUMP SLAMS NYT FOR 'FOILING' BID TO CAPTURE ISIS CHIEF ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi President Donald Trump on Saturday attacked The New York Times and its 'sick agenda,' alleging that one of the paper's reports thwarted a US bid to take out Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 'The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security,' Trump wrote in one of a barrage of early morning tweets. Trump did not expand on his charge against The Times, or explain what revelation by the daily is supposed to have hampered Baghdadi's capture. The New York Times told the Politico news site in a statement: "We have asked the White House to clarify the tweet." Trump may have been referring to a Fox News report about comments made by a top general at a security conference on Friday in Aspen, Colorado. At that gathering, General Tony Thomas - head of the US military's Special Operations Command - reportedly said that American forces at one point came 'particularly close' to Baghdadi after a 2015 raid recovered information about the Islamic State group. Fox News reported that Thomas said US troops had 'a very good lead,' on the IS leader's whereabouts. 'Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead,' Thomas reportedly said at the forum. Advertisement

Trump went on a short trip to Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday morning where he will be present for the commissioning ceremony for an aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford

Pictured, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and senior adviser Stephen Miller walking to Marine One to accompany Trump to Virginia

Pictured, Trump at the commissioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship

President Donald Trump helped commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that was officially turned over to the Navy after delays and cost overruns.

In his speech, Trump heralded the US' military might and urged the Senate to pass his budget proposal, which would boost military spending by $20billion.

Construction on the USS Ford started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion.

The Navy has attributed the delays and budget overruns to the ship's state-of-the-art systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.
A hotel owner has been fined 5,000 for leaving an out-of-date star rating on his history country house.

Paul Williams boasted a three-star AA and Wales Tourist Board rating the outside of his 16th Century hotel to entice tourists inside.

But his Grade II-listed Radnorshire Arms Hotel in Powys, Mid Wales, had dropped out of the tourism ratings schemes up to 15 years ago meaning the ratings were out of date.

Paul Williams with his wife Rowenna. He was fined 5,000 for leaving a lapsed three-star rating on display in his hotel

The Radnorshire Arms Hotel had dropped out of the scheme and the rating had lapsed but was still shown around the country house

Trading standards chief were tipped off from officials from the Visit Wales tourism body that the hotel's last grading had lapsed in 2011.

Despite warnings to remove the tourism ratings, the hotel carried on displaying a 'Visit Wales Walkers Welcome Award' and a 'Visit Wales Cyclers Welcome Award.'

A spot check on the hotel in Presteigne, Powys, found out-of-date star gradings were still on the front door of the hotel and a certificate in the foyer.

The court heard trading standards took down the Visit Wales sign along with an AA three-star sign - after AA officials said it had dropped out as far back as 2002.

Williams admitted misusing tourism logos in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations

The hotel has been regraded since and has been awarded two stars. He was fined 1,250 and ordered to pay more than 4,000 costs

Williams, a director of Rural Retreats and Leisure Ltd, admitted misusing tourism logos in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

He was fined a total of 1,250 and ordered to pay 4,250 costs.

The hotel boss has since reapplied to the scheme, and was awarded two stars.
Boris Johnson admitted he was wrong over a tetchy radio interview with Today presenter Mishal Husain that sparked complaints of bias, according to reports.

Tory tensions with the BBC boiled over on June 6 after Husain was accused of acting like a 'spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn' in an interview with the Foreign Secretary.

The pair were embroiled in a bad-natured exchange that saw Husain ask Johnson to 'please stop talking'.

A clearly frustrated Boris replied: 'Stop talking? You invited me onto this show to talk.' The appearance sparked off a storm of complaints from Tory MPs.

However, Today editor Sarah Sands has since claimed Mr Johnson apologised after the encounter.

Tory tensions with the BBC boiled over on June 6 after Husain(right) was accused of acting like an 'spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn ' in an interview with the Foreign Secretary

She told The Times Magazine: 'Boris himself told me later she wasn't rude and admitted he was a bit hectoring.

'I think many woman will love her saying, "please stop talking".'

In the same interview, Sands described the show's presenters as 'like racehorses', adding: 'They are competitive'.

Much of the tension in Johnson's interview with Husain surrounded claims over Labour's policy on shoot to kill.

Mr Corbyn said in an interview in November 2015, days after the Bataclan terror attack in Paris, that he was 'not happy with the shoot to kill policy in general'.

But as Mr Johnson laid into the Labour leader for his consistent refusal to back counter-terrorist measures over the past three decades, Husain insisted on breaking in to 'set the record straight'.

After being told by Husain she was 'setting straight' his 'political rhetoric', a clearly angry Mr Johnson said Mr Corbyn had 'changed his mind' during the election campaign

Mr Johnson said: 'He has sent out a signal that he is personally opposed to the use of shoot-to-kill tactics that were invaluable in saving people's lives on Saturday night.'

'Mr Johnson I don't know why you are saying that ... rather than some political rhetoric let me put the record on what he has said.

'He has said in the wake of the London Bridge attack - this is not a one-off what he has said - but I want to put it to you directly to set the record straight.

'He will take whatever action is necessary to protect the security of our people and that includes full authority for the police to use whatever force is necessary to protect and save life as they did on Saturday night and as they did in Westminster in March.

Mr Johnson said Mr Corbyn had 'changed his mind' during the election campaign.

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'Are you denying, Mishal Husain, that Jeremy Corbyn has in the past and actually in the quite recent past said he is opposed to the use of shoot to kill?' he said.

The presenter replied: 'I am setting the record straight on what he has said in the wake of the Westminster attack and the wake of what happened at London Bridge.'

But Mr Johnson insisted: 'He is opposed to shoot to kill.'

Tory MP Philip Davies said the interview was 'outrageous'.

'Husain was acting as if she was the official spokeswoman for Jeremy Corbyn,' he told MailOnline.

'The BBC is terribly biased but this was a new low even for the BBC.'

A BBC spokeswoman said at the time: 'Today listeners expect robust, impartial and challenging questioning of politicians across the political spectrum.

'Mishal Husain was quoting Jeremy Corbyn's most recent comments on the 'shoot to kill' policy, and gave Boris Johnson ample opportunity to respond to them.

It is entirely reasonable for a journalist to put the Opposition Leader's words to the Foreign Secretary for his reaction.'
A top US general has blamed leaks to the New York Times for giving ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the ability to evade American forces seeking to kill him.

General Raymond 'Tony' Thomas, who leads Special Operations Command, said Friday at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado that his teams were 'particularly close' to al-Baghdadi after a 2015 raid, Fox News reported.

That operation, a Delta Force commando raid in eastern Syria, killed ISIS oil minister Abu Sayyaf and captured his wife, yielding a trove of information about the terror group's operations and logistics.

'That was a very good lead. Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead,' said Thomas, in an apparent reference to a New York Times report about the raid from June 2015.

A top US general has blamed leaks to the New York Times for giving ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured in 2014) the ability to evade American forces seeking to kill him

General Tony Thomas, who leads Special Operations Command, blamed this 2015 report in the New York Times for tipping off al-Baghdadi to the insights gained from a Delta Force raid

The ruins of the Grand al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, where al-Baghdadi declared his caliphate, are seen earlier this week. A US general is blaming leaks for allowing the ISIS leader to escape

That report read in part: 'New insights yielded by the seized trove  four to seven terabytes of data, according to one official  include how the organizations shadowy leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, operates and tries to avoid being tracked by coalition forces.'

General Tony Thomas leads the US Special Operations Command

The New York Times report even detailed knowledge gained about al-Baghdadi's security precautions for meeting and communicating with his lieutenants, including the use of wives to pass messages.

'The challenge we have [is] in terms of where and how our tactics and procedures are discussed openly,' Thomas said.

'There's a great need to inform the American public about what we're up to. There's also great need to recognize things that will absolutely undercut our ability to do our job,' he continued.

President Donald Trump seized on the remarks early Saturday morning, tweeting: 'The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security'.

The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

President Donald Trump seized on Thomas' remarks, tweeting about them Saturday morning

A US-backed fighter is seen on the front line of Raqqa on July 17. Thomas said that the US and allies had killed 60,000 to 70,000 ISIS fighters, but leader al-Baghdadi remains on the loose

Thomas offered a 'conservative' estimate that US forces and allies had killed 60,000 to 70,000 ISIS fanatics, saying of al-Bagdadi that 'everyone who worked for him initially is dead or gone'.

Meanwhile, amid conflicting reports last month that Russian forces had killed al-Baghdadi, US Defense Secretary James Mattis has said he believes the ISIS leader is still alive.

'I think Baghdadi is alive, I think he's alive and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him,' Mattis told Pentagon reporters on Friday.

'We are going after him, but we assume he is alive.'

Asked whether al-Baghdadi still plays a command role in ISIS, Mattis mused: 'To define that role, is it operational? Is it strategic? Is it propaganda? Is it spiritual? Is it physical? I can't define it, but until I see his body, I'm going to assume he is alive.'

There have been persistent rumors that Baghdadi has died in recent months.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime conflict monitor, last week said it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

There have been conflicting reports as to whether al-Baghdadi has been killed or remains at large. Pictured: Iraqi soldiers celebrate the liberation of Mosul on July 10

Russia's army said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed the ISIS chief in a May air strike in Syria.

With a $25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but was rumored to move regularly throughout ISIS-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

The Iraqi native has not been seen since making his only known public appearance as 'caliph' in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul, which was destroyed in the battle for Iraq's second city.

But last week, a top Kurdish counter-terrorism official claimed he is alive and hiding in Syria.

Lahur Talabany said he was 99 per cent sure that al-Baghdadi is still in the group's de-facto capital of Raqqa, Syria.

He said: 'Don't forget his roots go back to al-Qaeda days in Iraq. He was hiding from security services. He knows what he is doing.'

Talbany also warned that despite recent setbacks and loss of territory, ISIS is preparing for a 'different fight' and will soon be an 'Al-Qaeda on steroids'.



He added: 'They are getting ready for a different fight I think. We have a lot tougher days ahead of us than people think.

'We saw why they were smarter. Al Qaeda never controlled any territory. They will be smarter.'
Its called the Old Manor House, but an alternative name might be the Old Executioners House  because the 700-year-old property was the home of John Bradshaw, the man who authorised the beheading of Charles I in 1649, and, a few years later, of hanging judge George Jeffreys, who sentenced dozens to death for treason.

Local legend has it that the death warrant of Charles I was actually signed at the Old Manor House, as Bradshaw  who, as President of the High Court of Justice, had declared Charles I Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer, and a public enemy  was leasing the property at the time. Bradshaws fellow signatory on the warrant, Oliver Cromwell, lived in nearby Ashley Park.

The Old Manor House (pictured), in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, is for sale for 1.85million

Then, in 1685, Judge Jeffreys, as Lord Chief Justice, presided over the Bloody Assizes, trials of more than 1,000 people who had rebelled against the monarchy. Of those who werent executed, many died in jail or were transported.

It was the home of John Bradshaw (pictured), the man who authorised the beheading of Charles I in 1649

Not unsurprisingly, given the political turbulence in that period, both men had ignominious ends, although Bradshaws public disgrace happened after his death when his body, along with Cromwells, was exhumed, the corpses beheaded and the heads displayed on pikes at Westminster Hall.

Jeffreys died in the Tower of London after James II was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

But little of the Old Manor Houses macabre past is evident today. The property, in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, is for sale for 1.85million through Purple Bricks and owner Rebecca Scorer, who lives there with her husband and two children, says it feels warm and nice.

The four-bedroom, Grade I listed home, registered as a Building of Historic Interest, is built in an H shape, with two gabled wings connected by a great hall with a charmingly crooked roof.

Rebecca has consulted experts about the house and has been told it is one of the most authentic examples of early 16th Century architecture there is  although she points out that parts of it date from the 14th Century.

Local pub talk has it that one feature of the building, a minstrels gallery in the South Wing, which overlooks the great hall, was fashioned from wood taken from ships that fought the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Hanging judge George Jeffreys (pictured) who sentenced dozens to death for treason all lived in the property

Intent on preserving her home for future generations, Rebeccas first act on acquiring the property in 2008 was to call in the conservation officers.

We knew it needed a lot of work, as in the North Wing we had water pouring down from a bedroom every time it rained, she says.

Two years later, she hired the same master craftsmen who helped restore Windsor Castle and reconstruct Shakespeares Globe, and lavished 300,000 to 400,000 on the house (which she bought for 1.275million), having the timber framework pulled apart, reconditioned and reassembled, to help the building survive the next 700 years.

AT A GLANCE Price: 1.85 million Location: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey Bedrooms: 4 Unique features: Grade I listed, dates from the 14th Century, grand reception hall, minstrels gallery, vaulted ceilings. Advertisement

Rebecca says: The engineering and carpentry was incredible to watch. They were here for 18 months as everything had to be made on site.

At the same time, all the mod cons have been installed, making this ancient home surprisingly comfortable, with central heating throughout, a high-pressure water system, en suite bathrooms and a contemporary kitchen.

Rebecca is selling because I want to live on the Thames  Im a river fanatic. I row and run alongside it.

The Scorers are offering to pay the stamp duty, which would be 135,750 on the asking price.

Houses at this level are suffering, says Rebecca. The housing stock here is priced so high I think its very unfair that people think youre living in a palace. If someone needs to get a mortgage on this, then I will pay the stamp duty for them. Which is an offer, perhaps, almost as rare as this exceptional historic house.

purplebricks.co.uk
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Iran has begun a production line for a new version of an air defense missile.

The new weapon is called the Sayyad-3, which means 'hunter' in Farsi, and has range of roughly 75 miles. It is allegedly capable of hitting targets at altitudes of up to 17 miles.

The country's air defense chief, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, said during a ceremony that the missile is 'a completely indigenous technology.'

The new missile, which translates as 'hunter-3', is allegedly capable of tracking up to 30 targets simultaneously

The country's Defense Minister claimed it was capable of engaging with threats including drones and stealth aircraft

Iran's Defense Minister, General Hossein Dehghan, told local media the weapons system can track 30 targets and engage 12 of them simultaneously.

He said: 'Sayyad-3 is designed based on the latest technologies in the world and is capable of fighting with various types of threats including drones, stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters and various types of other aircraft.

'We regret that our neighbours consider Iran's capabilities and power as threats to themselves, while we are the protector of peace and security in the region.'

The Sayyad-3 joins Iran's formidable arsenal of Surface to Air Missiles, which includes the Russian-built S-300 air defense system - installed last August around the Fordo nuclear site, south of the capital Tehran.

Iran commonly boasts about its indigenous military technology, but it has not been verified by outside experts

NATO considers the missiles system to be one of the most advanced in the world. Israeli Air force commander Major General Amir Eshel said the S-300 could pose a 'significant but not insurmountable challenge'.

Iran has long been preoccupied with potentially having to defend its nuclear weapons programme from Israeli or American fighters.

In 2016 it agreed to dismantle major parts of its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, however tensions remain.

Iran's Defense Minister, General Hossein Dehghan, said the country was the 'protector of peace and security in the region'

Iran occasionally announces production of sophisticated homegrown weapons that cannot be independently verified.

In 2013, the Iranian Air Force announced that it had built a prototype for a single-seat stealth aircraft called the Qaher-313. However independent experts widely ridiculed the plane.

In 1992 the country began a military self-sufficiency program under which it produces mortars to missiles and tanks to submarines.

Iran's Air Force, however, still comprises of Cold War-era aircraft, liken the F-14 Tomcat and the MiG-29.

In 1992 Iran began a military self-sufficiency programme to produce everything from tanks to planes and missiles
John Heard, was found dead in a hotel

The actor best known for playing the father in the Home Alone movies has died at the age of 72.

John Heard, was found dead in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, on Friday, according to TMZ, quoting family sources.

The Washington DC native was reportedly discovered by the maid service and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Heard's rep told the gossip website the actor had minor back surgery on Wednesday and he was at the hotel to recover.

A Palo Alto Police Department spokesman told People: 'I can confirm that our officers responded with the Fire Department to a hotel in our city yesterday on a report of a person in need of medical aid.

'The person was determined to be deceased. While still under investigation, the death is not considered suspicious at this time.'

John Heard is best known for playing the father in the Home Alone movies (pictured in Home Alone 2)

Heard played Peter McCallister - Macaulay Culkin's character's father (pictured together) - in the Home Alone movies

The cause of death is not known.

Heard played Peter McCallister - Macaulay Culkin's character's father - in the Home Alone movies.

He also starred in Big with Tom Hanks, Gladiator, The Sopranos and Battlestar Galactica.

Heard had been married three times and is survived by three children.

In 1991 he was arrested and charged with third-degree assault for allegedly slapping his former partner Melissa Leo, according to Fox News. Then in 1997, he was found guilty of trespassing at her Baltimore home.
Residents have been cleared to return to a north London estate which was evacuated a month ago because of fire safety risks.

The Chalcots Estate in Camden has been given the all-clear to move back into, after the buildings failed fire inspections on June 23.

But many residents have voiced concerns about the safety of the building.

The Chalcots estate in Camden were given the all-clear a month after being evacuated for fire safety reasons

Shirley Phillips told Sky News: 'They reckon it's going to take another six weeks to get the fire doors and possibly another nine months before the cladding's removed, so how is that safe?'

Georgia Gould, leader of Camden Council, said: 'We have now carried out the urgent works needed so that some residents of the Chalcots can start going home after what has been an extremely distressing time.

'We will go over and above these works to enhance safety measures, but the London Fire Brigade have informed us that they are content that sufficient progress has been made to allow a phased return home for residents.

'The ongoing reoccupation of the blocks will be dependent on the completion of works to each floor of the buildings, from the lower floors up to the top. We'll be in touch with residents to let them know when they can go home.'

Residents of the north London estate have been given the all-clear to move in, but have been told it will be several weeks before fire safety doors are installed

The buildings were found to have the same type of flammable cladding that was present on Grenfelll

More than 800 households were evacuated from tower blocks across London after it emerged they were clad in a similar combustible material to Grenfell Tower.

Some 4,000 people were evacuated from the Chalcots Estate in Camden alone and placed in temporary accommodation, hotels or with family.

Shocked residents claimed at the time they were only told at 8.30pm that they would have to leave their homes for up to three weeks while 'urgent fire safety works' were carried out.

Some 4,000 people in Camden alone had to be placed in temporary accommodation

The cheap cladding on Grenfell Tower was blamed for the fire spreading from one fourth floor flat and engulfing the entire building in the early hours of June 14.

The Grenfell Tower disaster, in which at least 80 people are believed to have died, raised questions about cheap, flammable cladding. The plastic panels that were fitted to the outside of the 24-storey tower block were blamed for the rapid spread of the fire.

The cheap cladding was blamed for the rapid spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower

Several other tower blocks in London, as well as building in Manchester and Plymouth were found to contain flammable cladding, the Department for Communities and Local Government confirmed.

At least 79 people are believed to have died in the fire that ripped through the west London tower block in the early hours of June 14.
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Soldiers smashing bricks with hammers, goose-stepping in camouflage paint and firing rifles.

These were some of the activities that Vladimir Putin's crack troops took part in while celebrating the opening of a theme park dedicated to the Russian military in Vladivostok's Patriot Park, which is located on Russky Island less than 100 miles from the border with North Korea.

Soldiers lined up in formation and pulled off a variety of manoeuvres designed to showcase their macho prowess and encourage Russian pride and the cult of the military.

Meanwhile, over in Zhukovsky, in the Oblast region, 'The Russian Knights' were seen taking to the skies as part of an aerobatic demonstration team of the Russian Air Force.

The pilots were performing at the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon.

Patriot Park, run by the Russian Defence Ministry, was also visited by scores of children, who handled huge guns and played around on tanks.

Members of the Young Army, Yunarmiya, looked stern as they stood on a stage in bright red berets as their proud parents watched on.

Although the park officially opened at midday, crowds began queuing to get the first look by 10am.

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The Russian Knights are seen taking to the skies during an aerobatic demonstration by the Russian Air Force earlier today. Pictured is the Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter aircraft

The planes were performing at the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2017 in the city of Zhukovsky, outside Moscow

The United Arab Emirates Air Force Al Fursan are pictured flying the Aermacchi MB-339 jet aircraft this afternoon

One boy was spotted waving a Russian flag with the slogan 'Russia forward' as the jets flew in formation through the skies

Russian Air Force aerobatic team 'The Strizhi' (Swifts) flying the Mikoyan MiG-29 a twin-engine jet fighter aircrafts perform during the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2017 in the city of Zhukovsky

The park is located on Russky Island less than 100 miles from the border with North Korea. It opened today with a series of macho displays, such as the one pictured

Soldiers lined up in formation and pulled off a variety of manoeuvres designed to showcase their prowess in front of hundreds of spectators, who caused traffic jams in their rush to reach the venue

The site, run by the Russian Defence Ministry, was also visited by scores of children, who handled huge guns and played around on tanks

Although the park officially opened at midday, crowds had already begun queuing to get the first look by 10am. Pictured: A boy climbs on an artillery cannon

Members of the Young Army, Yunarmiya, looked stern as they stood on a stage in bright red berets as their proud parents watched on

Soldiers fire blanks from their rifles as they pull together for an acrobatic manoeuvre in one of many displays at the military park

A child looks through the range finder of a cannon during the opening of the military park on Russky Island near the border of North Korea

A young boy grimaces as he gazes through the viewer of a rifle with a wooden handle, one of the many exhibits at the event

The park also includes a variety of historical reenactments, showing different periods of Russian military history. In this image, a boy eats at a soup kitchen

Teaching the next generation about the importance of the military is one of the ways the Russian government helps to boost national prestige

A woman walks hand in hand with two children on a sandy track in front of a fearsome-looking artillery installation complete with three cannons

This little girl looked to be enjoying herself as she sat in an armoured car and played around with the machinery

Soldiers from the Russian Pacific Fleet's naval infantry perform at the opening of Vladivosok's Patriot Park on Russky Island

Two servicemen perform a roll on the dirt ring as their comrades sit in wait in the background. Large hoardings were put in place to decorate the complex

These soldiers puffed as they goose-stepped their way through the exercise yard in one of the many coordinated displays

Actors were fitted out in period dress for many of the displays. In this scene, a man in full military regalia sits on top of an armoured motorcycle

This is an aerial view of the Patriot Park, which is set within a large area of woodland and features an artillery piece at its heart

An aerial view of the artillery mount at the centre of the park. Local media reported there were traffic jams at the opening of the park attraction
Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer was spotted outdoors walking his dog near his home in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday, a day after his quitting his post at the White House.

Exclusive photos taken by DailyMail.com show Spicer with his rescue dog, Billy, during an early morning run through the quiet streets of his suburban neighborhood.

Spicer, a naval reservist, can be seen wearing a Navy T-shirt, running shorts and with a leash in hand as he got some fresh air alongside his trusty pooch.

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Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer is spotted early Saturday morning getting some fresh air with his rescue dog, billy (pictured)

Spicer abruptly resigned from his post Friday after a major shakeup in the White House communications team

Spicer's resignation was in protest of President Donald Trump's decision to tap a camera-ready financier to lead White House communications team

Spicer, a naval reservist, was photographed while walking his dog around his Alexandria neighborhood (pictured: Spicer's residence, left)

Spicer resigned on Friday after spending six-months as President Donald Trump's Press Secretary

Spicer had spent several years leading communications at the RNC before helping Trump's campaign in the general election (Spicer pictured near his home in Virginia 7/22/2017)

Spicer abruptly resigned Friday over President Donald Trump's decision to tap a camera-ready financier to lead the beleaguered White House communications team.

The departing spokesman said the president 'could benefit from a clean slate' as he seeks to steady operations amid the Russia investigations and ahead of a health care showdown.

Spicer, whose daily briefings once dominated cable television and delighted late-night comics, quit in protest over the hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

Spicer denounced what he considered Scaramucci's lack of qualifications, according to people familiar with the situation.

As his first act on the job, Scaramucci, a polished television commentator and Harvard Law graduate, announced from the White House briefing room that Sarah Huckabee Sanders would take Spicer's job. She had been Spicer's deputy.

Spicer will be replaced by Deputy White house Press Secretay Sarah Huckabee Sanders (pictured Spicer and Sanders exchange pleasantries on Twitter 7/21/2017)

The shake-up among the president spokespeople comes as Trump (pictured Saturday) is suffering from dismal approval ratings

Trump, who watches the press briefings closely and believes he is his own best spokesman, saluted Spicer's 'great ratings' on TV (pictured Saturday)

Spicer later posted a tweet to express his appreciation for Sanders, who he said would do a 'fantastic' job as the next face of the White House.

'I could not have asked for a better deputy that @SHSanders45 - she will be fantastic @PressSec and serve @POTUS & @WhiteHouse very well.'

Sanders replied by praising her former boss and said she was 'proud' to call him a friend.

'Thank you @PressSec! Such an honor to work with you and proud to call you my friend.'

The shake-up among the president spokespeople comes as Trump is suffering from dismal approval ratings and struggling to advance his legislative proposals.

Incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, right, blowing a kiss , July 21, 2017 (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer waves outside the West Wing of the White House on Friday

As his effort to replace Barack Obama's health care law crumbled this week, the president continued to vent frustration about the attention devoted to investigations of allegations of his election campaign's connections to Russia.

Trump has blamed his own messengers - as well as the 'fake news' media - for his woes.

Trump, who watches the press briefings closely and believes he is his own best spokesman, saluted Spicer's 'great ratings' on TV and said he was 'grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people.'

Friday night, Trump tweeted: 'Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!'

Spicer's decision to quit took advisers inside and outside the White House by surprise, according to people with knowledge of the decision.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the personnel matter publicly.

Spicer had spent several years leading communications at the Republican National Committee before helping Trump's campaign in the general election. He is close to White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, the former RNC chair.

Back in January, Spicer's tenure got off to a rocky start. On Trump's first full day in office, he lambasted journalists over coverage of the crowd size at the inauguration and stormed out of the briefing room without answering questions.

Spicer remained loyal to Trump but frequently battled perceptions that he was not plugged in to what the president was thinking.
A teenage German schoolgirl who ran away to join ISIS could face trial in Iraq, it has emerged today.

Linda Wenzel, 16, was found alone, hurt and screaming for help in a bombed out house in Mosul this week, a year after she vanished from her home near Dresden, Eastern Germany.

She was married to a Chechen Islamic State fighter and 'admitted' to killing Iraqi troops, it has been claimed.

Haase, the German prosecutor, said the girl ran away from her family home in Pulsnitz in eastern Germany last summer. He could not confirm her current whereabouts, saying that was still part of the ongoing investigation.

It's also not clear yet whether she will return to Germany, he said.

Linda was found on her own, injured and screaming as Iraqi soldiers made their way through the bombed out houses of Mosul, Iraq's war-torn second city, according to Iraqi Mohammed Shuraf, (circled) who used an alias when describing the moment they found the 16-year-old

Linda is thought to have left eastern Germany last July after the breakdown of her parents' marriage. By the time her mother noticed she was missing, Linda (pictured left after she was found and right before leaving Germany) had already flown to Turkey and vanished

'We, as the public prosecutor's office Dresden, have not applied for an arrest warrant and will therefore not be able to request extradition,' Haase said.

'There is the possibility that Linda might be put on trial in Iraq. She might be expelled for being a foreigner or, because she is a minor reported missing in Germany, she could be handed over to Germany.'

Earlier this week, an officer in Iraq's elite counter terrorism unit told The Telegraph said she was a sniper for ISIS.

Speaking anonymously, he said: 'We found her with a gun in her hand next to her Chechen husband, who was then killed by Iraqi forces in a firefight. She said she had killed a number of our men in the battle.'

'She was a Daesh sniper, but maybe her husband pressured her into it. She looked scared.'

The Telegraph said it is thought Linda and the fighter formed a relationship after meeting in a chat room, where he convinced her to join ISIS.

Iraqi MP Vian Dakhil backed up the claims, adding that she was found with explosives and was 'ready to attack the advancing troops.'

An Iraqi soldier told Germany's Bild newspaper that he and his comrades mistook her at first for a sex slave of Islamic State terrorists.

Talking under the alias Mohammed Shuraf for protection, the soldier told the newspaper he and his comrades thought at first she was a Yazidi sex slave.

IS warriors routinely kidnapped and abused women of the minority Christian sect.

Linda (pictured, after she was captured) was among 20 ISIS followers seized after Mosul fell following a ten month battle which left 25,000 Jihadists dead

Describing the moment they found her, he said: 'We entered a shattered house, which was previously under fire. There we heard someone screaming for help. It was the girl, she was alone, injured on the left arm and chest, lying on the floor. '

He said her clothes were filthy and around her neck she wore a thick scarf which she could also use as a headscarf.

She was found alongside members of the terror group's fearsome all-female police force, some of whom were wearing suicide vests.

'We fought in the old town last Friday and liberated more houses,' he says. 'At that time, there were still a few hundred ISIS fighters in town.

He added: 'We were very happy, everyone wanted to take a picture. Only when the commander was there and the girl intensely interviewed did it become clear that she could not speak Kurdish. We asked for other ISIS fighters, but she just looked at the floor.'

The commander asked other Iraqis present if they knew the girl. But they didn't want to answer.

Linda (pixilated, before fleeing to Syria) was unhappy at home and turned to Islam and soon began engaging with ISIS followers in the Middle East on Internet chat rooms

'I could see at the glances that they were afraid of her. It was clear to us that she must be an ISIS follower, 'says Shuraf.

'One of our commanders can speak a few words of German. Then she responded immediately.'

The teenager, described as 'a brilliant student' is said to have become 'lonely and withdrawn' after her parents' marriage broke down and her mother Katharina began a new relationship with a caretaker at a local school.

She is thought to have met a Muslim man online who enticed her to join ISIS after the breakdown of her parents' marriage.

She fled the country using her mother's passport and flew from Berlin to Turkey before making her way to Syria.

This week her neighbours in the village of Pulsnitz, near Dreseden, south-east Germany, told of their shock and anger that the promising youngster left home to join the extremist group.

School friends have described the quiet teenager as becoming increasingly withdrawn.

Another neighbour Angela Ehrenberg, 65, said: 'She was a very quiet, sensitive child. But there was an aura of loneliness about her that I could not understand.'

Linda (pictured before fleeing to Syria) used the counterfeit bank authorisation and her mother's forged identification papers to buy a plane ticket to Istanbul

In 2015 she was confirmed into the local church. Female priest Maria Gruener said: 'She was a very placid girl who did not want to take part in confirmation instruction.'

But unbeknownst to her, Linda was falsely adopting the faith of the Christian church while secretly giving her heart to Islam.

As she attended the church, her parents' marriage broke down and she moved with her mother to Pulsnitz.

There, Katharina moved in with Thomas Weiss. Unhappy and insecure, Linda suddenly found herself with a new stepfather - and an older stepsister called Dana.

In May last year the troubled teenager made contact on the internet with an Islamist preacher in Hamburg who sent her a copy of the Koran.

'It seemed to offer her answers in a confused life,' said Christina, 16, a fellow pupil at the town's Ernst-Rierscher-Comprehensive school.

'Last summer, shortly before we broke up, she began leaving home with a small bag in which she had an Islamic headscarf and long flowing robes which she donned to cover up all her skin. There were some arguments with staff.'

She stole her mother's credit card and secretly bought an airline ticket to Istanbul. Until six months before she fled she had never even travelled by train alone, it has been reported.

But on Friday July 1 last year she told her mother and father she was going to spend the weekend with a friend called Caroline and would be back in Sunday.

She never came home - and was never at her friend's.

Instead she travelled to Frankfurt and caught a plane to Istanbul before being smuggled into Syria.

Eventually, she ended up in Mosul where she changed her name to Umm Mariam, and was taken as a 'jihadist bride'.

Behind her she left baffled friends and parents as well as teachers who said she was in course for impressive A level results.

Speaking from the schoolgirl's hometown last July, her mother said she was devastated.

Iraqi security forces recently ended three years of ISIS rule in the Iraqi city of Mosul (pictured) and the terror group is under growing pressure in Raqqa

Footage reportedly showing ISIS fighters crawling out of their tunnels to surrender to Iraqi counter-terror units after Mosul was reclaimed from jihadists

Around 900,000 people fled the fighting in Mosul, with more than a third sheltered in camps outside Iraq's second largest city

She said: 'When she did not come back and then I found out she had never even been there, I called the police. In her room they found a print of a plane ticket to Istanbul under the mattress.

'I was shocked, my daughter has never stolen or lied about anything before.

'I am devastated by the fact that she was apparently completely brainwashed and persuaded to leave the country by someone and that she managed to hide it from me.'

A search of her room by police unearthed a copy of her airline ticket bought on her mother's credit card and assorted Islamic literature.

She was found in Mosul where pockets of the city remain insecure after ten months of heavy fighting.

Around 900,000 people fled the conflict, with more than a third sheltered in camps and the rest living with family and friends in other neighbourhoods.
Those travelling from Manila to Australia are being watched particularly closely, after direct flights from Turkey to the Philippines began in May.

Australian intelligence agencies highlighted concerns the risk of returning ISIS fighters had increased as a result of the new flights, News Corp reported.

Reports claim Australian Border Force has been sending agents to high-risk airports, such as Manila, to help reduce the risk of terrorists entering the country.

Heightened security follows ISIS-linked Islamic militants taking over the city of Marawi in the country's south in May, killing at least 550 peop

Turkey is the main point of egress for jihadists fleeing ISIS losses in the Middle East, who may continued the fight in the Philippines

The 'airport liaison officers' spend three months in airports from Manila to Eastern Europe checking travel documents and ID to prevent threats from entering.

Agents have reportedly turned away suspects such as potential terrorists, bikies, drug runners and organised crime figures before they boarded planes for Australia.

Security agencies like ASIO and ASIS became more concerned about Manila after direct flights from Turkey started in May.

Turkey is the main point of egress for jihadists fleeing ISIS losses in the Middle East, who may continue the fight in the Philippines.

Members of the Maute Islamist group overran Marawi on Mindanao island in May leading to hours of pitched gun battles in the streets

Members of the Maute Islamist group overran Marawi on Mindanao Island, in the south of the Philippines, in May.

The invasion led to hours of pitched gun battles in the streets and killed at least 550 people.

A police chief was beheaded, 21 people killed and a Catholic priest taken hostage when more than 100 fighters stormed the city.

Australian airline Qantas have reportedly increased their security at Manila airport, as well as Bali and Jakarta, over fears of importing terrorists.

A police chief was been beheaded, 21 people killed and a Catholic priest taken hostage when more than 100 fighters stormed the city

The airline is even conducting its own bag searches at Manila Airport departure gates as a last line of defence after upgrading it to the highest risk level

The airline refused to confirm or deny any change, with a spokesman telling Daily Mail Australia they were unable to comment in any detail.

'For obvious reasons we dont comment on security matters other than to say we work closely with government agencies and the intelligence community to make sure we have the right security measures in all the destinations we fly to,' he said.

'The safety of our passengers and our crew is always paramount.'

A sign has reportedly been placed in Manila Airport dictating that no alcohol could be brought on board Qantas or Royal Brunei Airlines flights to Australia as part of raised security measures.

But a spokesman for Qantas says there have been no changes to the duty free regulations on international flights and says the sign is not endorsed by the airline.

Reports that Qantas had recently commenced bag searches at the gate of Manila Airport were also denied, with the airline claiming this has been its policy since new government regulations came in 10 years ago.
A 20-year-old woman has been arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy she met through a mutual friend, police said.

Taylor Ashton Moseley, a college student who works at the bar JM's Place in Surf City, North Carolina, met the teen through a coworker, ABC reported.

The boy's mother found out about the alleged relationship, and Moseley now faces statutory rape among other charges.

Taylor Ashton Moseley, a college student who works at a bar in Surf City, North Carolina, was arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy

She is charged with statutory rape, statutory sex offence with a a child, and indecent liberties with a child

Moseley, who is a student at East Carolina University, worked at JM's Place with a friend who introduced her to the 14-year-old boy, police said.

The two had a sexual relationship in May before the teen's mother found out and contacted social services, according to police.

Moseley, who turned herself in to the magistrate's office, is held on $225,000 bond.

She is charged with statutory rape, statutory sex offence with a a child, and indecent liberties with a child.
A top political rival to John McCain has called upon the US senator to resign following his diagnosis with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Republican Kelli Ward, a medical doctor who ran a primary campaign against McCain in the 2016 election, said in a Friday statement that 'the medical reality of his diagnosis is grim.'

'As a doctor, Ive counseled people in similar situations and these end-of-life choices are never easy,' Ward said.

'I usually advise terminal patients to reduce stress, relax, and spend time laughing with loved ones.'

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Republican Kelli Ward, a medical doctor who ran a primary campaign against McCain in the 2016 election, called upon the ailing senator to resign in a Friday statement

McCain, 80, has signaled that he has no intention to step down, taking to Twitter on Thursday to vow his speedy return

'When the time comes that Senator McCain can no longer perform his duties in the Senate at full capacity, he owes it to the people of Arizona to step aside,' Ward's statement said.

McCain, 80, has signaled that he has no intention to step down, taking to Twitter on Thursday to vow his speedy return.

'I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support - unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, I'll be back soon, so stand-by!' tweeted the six-term Republican senator, who ran for president in 2008.

McCain was recently diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, who had removed a blood clot above his left eye last Friday.

He and his family are weighing his treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy.

Ward, an ally of President Donald Trump, is running a 2018 primary campaign against Arizona's other US Senator, and top Republican opponent to Trump, Jeff Flake.

The 80-year-old John McCain was recently diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix

She met with White House officials regarding her campaign in June, a signal that Trump may throw support to Ward in ousting Flake in the primary.

Flake blasted Ward's remarks in a statement to CBS News, calling McCain a hero and saying he hoped to see he colleague return soon to the Senate.

'I'm dumbstruck by Kelli Ward's comments,' Flake said.

Congress has a longstanding tradition in which no one questions ailing lawmakers taking time to recover.

Julie Tarallo, McCain's spokeswoman, said Friday that 'further consultations with Senator McCain's Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate.'

Ward in her statement said that her prayers were with McCain's family, adding: 'I hope and pray that Senator McCain will be comfortable as he battles this terrible disease.'
Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have received death threats and online abuse in relation to the Charlie Gard case, the chairman of the hospital has said.

Mary MacLeod released a statement today saying doctors and nurses have been subjected to a 'shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance' during a legal battle between the hospital and his parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard.

She added that parents visiting their children at the London hospital have been 'harassed and discomforted' and they have contacted the police for assistance.

A spokesperson for Charlie's parents said they do not condone abusive or threatening behaviour to GOSH staff.

Staff at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, have received death threats in relation to the Charlie Gard case

The 11-month-old boy, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, is currently the subject of a legal battle between his parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard (above), and the hospital

File photograph shows protesters outside the High Court on July 13 who support the continued medical treatment for Charlie (It is not thought anyone in this photograph is involved in the harassment)

File photograph of #CharliesFight supporters outside GOSH as a petition of signatures supporting continued treatment of Charlie was delivered on July 9 (It is not thought anyone in this photograph is involved in the harassment)

Charlie's parents are currently fighting for permission to take their 11-month-old son, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, over to New York to receive experimental therapy.

But specialists at GOSH argue the therapy will not help and his life support treatment should stop.

In a statement Ms MacLeod said: 'Great Ormond Street Hospital cares for many thousands of seriously unwell children every year, providing outstanding treatment for those who need it most.

'Charlie Gard's case is a heart-breaking one. We fully understand that there is intense public interest, and that emotions run high.

'We recognise the tireless advocacy of Charlie's loving parents and the natural sympathy people feel with his situation.

'However, in recent weeks the GOSH community has been subjected to a shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance. Staff have received abuse both in the street and on line.

'Thousands of abusive messages have been sent to doctors and nurses whose life's work is to care for sick children. Many of these messages are menacing, including death threats.

'Families have been harassed and discomforted while visiting their children, and we have received complaints of unacceptable behaviour even within the hospital itself.

Miss Yates and Mr Gard are pictured at Charlie's bedside at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Connie and Chris are pictured arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London yesterday as the hearing about their son's future resumes

'Whatever the strong emotions raised by this case, there can be no excuse for patients and families to have their privacy and peace disturbed as they deal with their own often very stressful situations or for dedicated doctors and nurses to suffer this kind of abuse.

'Great Ormond Street Hospital is in close contact with the Metropolitan Police and we will do everything possible to hold to account anybody who involved in this kind of deplorable behaviour.'

A spokesperson for Miss Yates and Mr Gard said: 'We too get abuse and have to endure nasty and hurtful remarks on a daily basis. People have different opinions and we accept that but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed as it makes a stressful situation worse and is very upsetting for all involved.'

Earlier this evening Alasdair Seton-Marsden, who has represented the family in the past, told Sky News the statement was a 'cynical ploy', however they have distanced themselves from his comments.

Keir Starmer, the constituency MP for the hospital, said: 'Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world's leading hospitals for children.

'The staff at the hospital work tirelessly and with total dedication.

'Charlie Gard's case is truly tragic and the whole nation sympathises with his parents. It is understandable that people feel very strongly about the case.

'But the abuse of staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital outside the hospital and online is totally unacceptable. There is no place for this abuse and it has to stop.'

Over the past week, the youngster had two MRI scans - one on his brain on Sunday and another on his body on Thursday - to help the judge determine if Charlie should be allowed experimental therapy in the US for his rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, or if, as the hospital says, he is beyond hope and should be allowed to die with dignity.

Charlie has also had an EEG scan  monitoring brain activity  to assist the judge.

During a hearing on Friday, Mr Gard dubbed the lawyer for the hospital, Katie Gollop QC, 'Evil!' after she informed Mr Justice Francis that Charlie's MRI report 'makes for very sad reading'.

Miss Yates, who had not read the report, broke down and sobbed: 'That's not how we are supposed to read it'.

Grant Armstrong, for Charlies family, protested at the hospital telling the court of the scan results, which he said was medical information that should not have been put in the public domain.

Miss Gollop said: I dont want to make a bad situation worse, but it seems to me all the medical evidence in this case is sad. What I should possibly have said is that it is of a piece with the depletive condition that Charlie suffers.

Miss Yates, 31, by now back in the courtroom, shouted: We havent read it ourselves.

Mr Gard shouted We shouldnt have to deal with this s***.

The couple stormed out.

Miss Gollop told the court: I am very sorry. I didnt mean to cause upset and am very sorry if I used an adjective out of turn.

The case is due back before the High Court judge on Monday.
The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting.

It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. But 11,000 Britons were killed during the operation - and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned.

Smiling troops make their way back to Britain following the dramatic evacuation of Dunkirk during the Second World War

Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war.

The Second World War began after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, but for a number of months there was little further action on land. But in early 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway and then launched an offensive against Belgium and France in western Europe.

Hitler's troops advanced rapidly, taking Paris - which they never achieved in the First World War - and moved towards the Channel.

Troops involved in the evacuation of British soldiers from Dunkirk, which was one of the largest military operations of the war

Troops wade through the sea toward a rescue boat as 338,000 men were rescued from the beaches in Operation Dynamo

They reached the coast towards the end of May 1940, pinning back the Allied forces, including several hundred thousand troops of the British Expeditionary Force. Military leaders quickly realised there was no way they would be able to stay on mainland Europe.

Operational command fell to Bertram Ramsay, a retired vice-admiral who was recalled to service in 1939. From a room deep in the cliffs at Dover, Ramsay and his staff pieced together Operation Dynamo, a daring rescue mission by the Royal Navy to get troops off the beaches around Dunkirk and back to Britain.

On May 14, 1940 the call went out. The BBC made the announcement: 'The Admiralty have made an order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.'

Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves.

They sailed from Dover, the closest point, to allow them the shortest crossing. On May 29, Operation Dynamo was put into action.

British troops in Dunkirk. The failed attempt to set up a base saw the Allied armies abandon huge amounts of equipment

When they got to Dunkirk they faced chaos. Soldiers were hiding in sand dunes from aerial attack, much of the town of Dunkirk had been reduced to ruins by the bombardment and the German forces were closing in.

Above them, RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters were headed inland to attack the German fighter planes to head them off and protect the men on the beaches.

As the little ships arrived they were directed to different sectors. Many did not have radios, so the only methods of communication were by shouting to those on the beaches or by semaphore.

Space was so tight, with decks crammed full, that soldiers could only carry their rifles. A huge amount of equipment, including aircraft, tanks and heavy guns, had to be left behind.

The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England. The evacuation lasted for several days.

Prime Minister Churchill and his advisers had expected that it would be possible to rescue only 20,000 to 30,00 men, but by June 4 more than 300,000 had been saved.

The exact number was impossible to gauge - though 338,000 is an accepted estimate - but it is thought that over the week up to 400,000 British, French and Belgian troops were rescued - men who would return to fight in Europe and eventually help win the war.

But there were also heavy losses, with around 90,000 dead, wounded or taken prisoner. A number of ships were also lost, through enemy action, running aground and breaking down. Despite this, Dunkirk was regarded as a success and a great boost for morale.

In a famous speech to the House of Commons, Churchill praised the 'miracle of Dunkirk' and resolved that Britain would fight on: 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!'
Government to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana

Published: July 22, 2017

The Union Ministry of Rural Development will launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY), a sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana  National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

AGEY aims to provide an alternative source of livelihood to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas.

Key Features of AGEY

AGEY will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services like e-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages. These transport vehicles will connect villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area.

The scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Under it, Community Based Organisation (CBO) is proposed to provide interest free loan from its own corpus to SHG member for purchase of the vehicle.

About DAY-NRLM

DAY-NRLM is a poverty alleviation scheme implemented by Union Ministry of Rural Development. It was launched as NRLM in 2011 but was succeeded by Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana in 2016. The scheme aims at promoting self-employment and organization of rural poor.

The basic idea behind this programme is to organize the poor into SHG (Self Help Groups) groups and make them capable for self-employment. It has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas.

The scheme helps rural poor to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. It is implemented across the country in all States and Union Territories (except Delhi and Chandigarh). It is one of the worlds largest initiatives to improve the livelihood of poor. It is supported by World Bank.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017

Topics: Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana  Government Schemes  National  National Rural Livelihoods Mission

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US forces have a less credible military foothold in Syria than the Russians do, and could be expelled from the country after the defeat of ISIS, a top US general has said.

Russia, unlike the US, operates in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government, said General Raymond 'Tony' Thomas, the head of the Special Operations Command, at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday.

'Here's the conundrum: We are operating in the sovereign country of Syria. The Russians, their stalwarts, their backstoppers have already uninvited the Turks from Syria. We're a bad day away from the Russians saying, "Why are you still in Syria, US?" Thomas said, according to Newsweek.

'If the Russians play that card, we could want to stay and have no ability to do it,' Thomas continued.

US forces have a less credible military foothold in Syria than the Russians do, a top US general has warned. Pictured: Iraqi soldiers pose with a captured ISIS flag in western Mosul on June 17

Unlike Russian forces, US troops are not present in Syria at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (pictured in March)

The US has several hundred special operators in Syria under Thomas' command, mostly Marines and Army Rangers.

Like the US, Russia is involved in the fight against ISIS, which holds dwindling territory in Syria.

General Raymond 'Tony' Thomas, the head of the Special Operations Command

But Russia has entered the fight at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the US has backed separatists fighting both ISIS and Assad.

Thomas also revealed that the US has halted a CIA program to equip and train certain rebel groups fighting the government, adding that the decision was not made to appease the Russians.

The US now exclusively backs the Syrian Democratic Forces, the new name for Kurdish militias in northern Syria.

Thomas said that the group 're-branded' at his urging, due to tensions with NATO ally Turkey, which has grappled with Kurdish separatist movements.

'I thought it was a stroke of brilliance to put democracy in there somewhere. But it gave them a little bit of credibility,' Thomas said.

Separately, Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress have reached agreement on legislation that allows new sanctions against Russia.

Congress has reached an agreement on legislation that allows new sanctions against Russia. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) with the Azerbaijani President on Friday

The bill would also give Congress veto power over easing existing sanctions, and could be sent to President Donald Trump for approval by the end of this month.

Many lawmakers hope the bill would send a message to Trump to keep a strong line against Russia.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a strong sanctions bill 'is essential'.

'I expect the House and Senate will act on this legislation promptly, on a broad bipartisan basis and send the bill to the President's desk,' Schumer said in a statement.

Senator Ben Cardin, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the agreement was reached after 'intense negotiations.'

'A nearly united Congress is poised to send [Russian President Vladimir] Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message,' he said in a statement.
A former escort who tried to hire a hitman to murder her new husband was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Friday.

Dalia Dippolito thought she was dealing with a hitman in 2009 when she told him she was '5,000 percent sure' she wanted her husband Michael Dippolito killed.

But Dippolito was speaking to an undercover detective who recorded the conversation, and she was found guilty of solicitation of first-degree murder in Palm Beach County, Florida, last month.

Michael, himself a convicted conman who said he fell in love after he first hired Dalia for sex, took a dig at his ex-wife when he said he was '5,000 percent happy' with her conviction.

She was first convicted and sentenced to 20 years in 2011, before it was tossed out on an appeal. The retrial resulted in a 3-3 hung jury.

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Dalia Dippolito (pictured during her sentencing on Friday), who tried to hire a hitman to murder her newlywed husband, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Friday

Michael Dippolito, who divorced another woman and married Dalia after four months, said the ensuing case ruined his life

Courtesy of WPLG

Prosecutors argued Friday that she should be sentenced to 30 years while her attorneys pushed for two years and probation.

Her lawyers chalked it up to a one-time mistake and said it was important for Dalia to raise her son, who is only 14 months old.

Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley said Dalia acted in a 'cold and calculated manner' and Michael said his life was ruined when his ex-wife plotted to have him killed.

Michael said Dalia and her attorneys falsely portrayed him as a wife beater and tried to make him look bad to somehow justify her actions.

But Michael, who divorced another woman and married Dalia after four months, told the judge, 'Listen, when I met her, it was very exciting,' ABC reported.

'We got along really well. Our sex life was amazing and that was part of the whole reason, you know, I was so into her and I thought she was into me.'

The prosecution presented a 23-minute video in which Dippolito agreed to pay undercover officer Widy Jean $7,000 to have her husband killed

The prosecution presented a 23-minute video in which Dippolito agreed to pay undercover officer Widy Jean $7,000 to have her husband killed.

She also discussed various plots before Jean said he would kill her husband at the couple's home, making it look like a botched burglary while she was at the gym.

Prosecutors also called Michael, who believes his wife twice planted drugs in his SUV before calling the police so he might land back in prison for violating his probation.

According to the Palm Beach Post, prosecutors also read for the jury X-rated text messages Dalia exchanged with a now-deceased lover, Mike Stanley, in 2009 after she got married.

She had Stanley impersonate a doctor to help her hide the $100,000 she stole from her husband. He then pretended to be a lawyer to trick her husband into thinking he had completed probation, prosecutors said.

In one text message, she rejoiced after persuading her husband to put their town house in her name only; in another, she complained after learning she still couldn't sell it without his signature.

Prosecutors also showed video of her interview with detectives at the police station after being made to believe her husband had been killed.

She volunteered potential killers, including her husband's former crime partners, and denied knowing Jean when he was brought before her in handcuffs as the killer.
Holidaymakers are being hit by airport currency firms exploiting the rock-bottom value of the pound against the euro and charging punitive exchange rates.

In the worst example, tourists flying to Europe are being offered just 87 cents to the pound  though the actual exchange rate is 1.11 to 1.

The woeful deals  offered as thousands of families fly out for their summer holidays  have been condemned as a rip-off.

Last night, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable called for firms to be investigated.

Victoria Willis (right) with her mother Juliet (left). The 16-year-old changed just over 75 at the Moneycorp counter at Stansted Airport - and was shocked to get just 66

He said: Holidaymakers heading abroad this weekend are being ripped off. Their week in the sun is already 20 per cent more expensive due to the weak pound caused by the Governments damaging insistence on an extreme Brexit, but these operators are cashing in by giving as little as 87 cents in the pound.

These firms should be investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority whose job is to stand up for the consumer in the face of unscrupulous practices of this kind.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said: 'These firms should be investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority whose job is to stand up for the consumer in the face of unscrupulous practices of this kind

At Cardiff Airports Forexchange outlet, travellers yesterday were getting 87 after changing up 99.60  or the equivalent of 87 cents to the pound after they had paid a 4.99 commission.

At a Moneycorp booth at Stansted Airport, Essex, 100.66 would buy you just 90  equal to just 90 cents for 1  after a 4.99 commission was paid. By comparison, on the Post Office website, holidaymakers who order more than 500 can get 1.09 for every pound.

Apprentice hairdresser Victoria Willis, 16, of Harwich, Essex, who was heading from Stansted to the Greek island of Rhodes yesterday with her family, changed just over 75 at the Moneycorp counter and was shocked to get just 66.

She said: I left changing my money until the last minute. I feel a little bit ripped off. I only earn 4.05 an hour so I have to watch every penny.

Teacher Ben Simmonds, 26, of South London, received 70 for just under 80 from the Stansted Moneycorp counter before he jetted off to Thessaloniki, Greece, for a week. He said: To be fair, the guy behind the counter said, Brace yourself before he told me what I would get.

According to Moneycorps 2015 accounts, the company made post-tax profits of 11.6 million.

James Daley, managing director of consumer group Fairer Finance, said: Things have got as worse as ever just at the beginning of the summer holidays.

It feels like theyre putting the squeeze on customers just when demand becomes the greatest. A Forexchange spokesman said: We are currently working closely with Cardiff Airport to improve our currency rate strategy.

Pauline Maguire, of Moneycorp, said: The reason for our higher airport rates is the significant cost associated with operating there. An easy and more cost-effective way for customers to buy travel money is to pre-order online and collect at the airport.

We always encourage our customers to do this.

THE MULTI-MILLION-POUND BILL BRITAIN IS ALREADY FORKING OUT FOR VOTING TO LEAVE THE EU HM Revenue & Customs alone has admitted it lost 11 million in exchange rate losses in a scheme whereby it pays tax to countries across the EU

Tens of millions of pounds in public money has been lost by Government departments because of the slump in the pound since the Brexit vote. Details of the huge losses were sneaked out in the small print of dozens of Whitehall reports published last week as MPs left for their summer holiday. HM Revenue & Customs alone has admitted it lost 11 million in exchange rate losses in a scheme whereby it pays tax to countries across the EU. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had 7 million wiped off its books and the Department for International Development admitted an 8 million currency loss. Anti-Brexit campaigners said the figures proved public finances were already suffering from Britains decision to leave the EU, which caused the value of sterling to plummet against the euro and the dollar. Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said: Far from a Brexit saving that Conservatives promised, Brexit is costing us more every day. Our currency has fallen about 20 per cent, making every Briton poorer before Brexit has even happened. The weak pound is pushing up prices, without boosting exports. If Theresa May carries through with dragging Britain out of the single market and customs union, the cost to the UK economy will dwarf even these losses. A Government spokesman said: When we convert foreign currency into sterling it generates gains or losses. Managing the impact of exchange rate changes is part of the normal responsibilities of Government. Advertisement
Emmanuel Gasakure could have enjoyed a comfortable life as a cardiologist in France. But when his native Rwanda was ripped apart by genocide in 1994, he returned to the country.

He helped revive the health service as the nation recovered from terrible trauma and served as President Paul Kagames adviser and personal physician for 14 years.

But Gasakure grew disturbed by dark forces wrecking his lifetimes work. So he confronted the countrys health minister, a friend of Kagames wife, over missing funds, stray medical supplies and a mismanaged human resources project. Days later, this patriotic physician was arrested, tortured and then shot dead  by a police officer, reportedly in self-defence, inside a Kigali police station. One more dissident wiped out by a despotic regime. He was executed because he was denouncing corruption in the health sector, said a friend. Kagame is a killer.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame inspects the 154 army troops during a ceremony in Kigal

Few would now dispute this claim, given Kagames lethal interventions in neighbouring nations and the constant stream of critics who have died or disappeared after falling out with his regime.

His foes are not even safe abroad: one was strangled in South Africa, others have been eliminated in East Africa, while British and US authorities have issued warnings over Rwandan death squads.

Yet this bloodstained dictator at the helm of a ruthless one-party state is hailed a hero by Western leaders lavishing torrents of foreign aid on his tiny nation as he prepares for his latest electoral coronation next month.

Tony Blair says Kagame is a visionary. Bill Clinton called him one of the greatest leaders of our time. David Cameron proclaimed Rwanda a success story that offers a role model for development.

The United Nations tells other African nations to emulate Rwanda. The billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates works with him, the Davos elite fall at his feet and leading universities provide prestigious platforms for him to speak.

Britain is among the biggest cheerleaders, handing over huge sums from taxpayers and ushering Rwanda into the Commonwealth eight years ago.

Rwanda is the ultimate donor darling, where the barbarity of its vicious regime is brushed aside in a desperate search for an aid success story. And Britain backed the regime even after Kagame overturned the constitution to retain power for another 17 years.

Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal devastating evidence that Rwanda may have distorted data, exaggerated claims of rapid development and lied about levels of poverty in its bid to shore up its credentials for foreign aid.

Our investigation reveals:

l Deaths of mothers and infants have been deliberately unlogged to boost mortality statistics, exaggerating health improvements;

l Britain boasts its aid helped fund near-universal use of mosquito bed nets, yet corruption and mismanagement by health officials led to a massive malaria outbreak;

l Experts allege statistics on poverty are being manipulated to show improvements when it is actually growing worse, not better;

l A British firm has withdrawn from helping analyse a key national study used to measure poverty, reportedly due to concerns over data manipulation;

l Multilateral partners have confronted Rwanda after discovering its health data is not credible;

l World Bank sources say a famine caused by drought and failed agricultural policies is being covered up by the state;

A report has found Kagame has sent hitmen abroad to take out his rivals

l Dissidents claim Western donors are being duped. Britain ignores reality and chooses to play an openly propagandistic role for the regime, said David Himbara, a former Kagame aide.

Some of the most shocking evidence uncovered by this newspaper comes from senior regime insiders who have fled the country. One said he saw the president personally beat a colleague with sticks for buying curtains from a store not owned by the ruling party, which has vast assets and is controlled by Kagame. The victim remains behind bars nine years later.

The MoS investigation was aided by a whistleblowing senior official at a global multilateral agency. I feel like an accomplice to murder, said the source.

I thought I was working with God but it turned out I was working with the Devil. This kind of regime is pure evil.

President Kagame sells himself as saviour of Rwanda after ousting Hutu militia accused of slaughtering about 800,000 mainly Tutsi citizens in the genocide, then salvaging a shattered nation. He skilfully exploited Western guilt over the genocide, despite sparking war in the Democratic Republic of Congo that led to possibly five million deaths. His forces carried out terrible atrocities, even on refugees, women and children.

He was due to stand down this year. But Kagame held a referendum to overturn limits on how long he could serve, claiming to be reacting to public opinion and winning almost all the votes. He could now stay in power until 2034.

His last election in 2010 was a sham, with rivals jailed and newspapers closed using state bodies backed by British aid.

Hunted: Rwandan national Rene Mugenzi, pictured at his home in South East London. He has received a notice from the British police that his life is in danger by the Rwandan government

One opponent was beheaded  yet Tony Blair, who has borrowed Kagames private jet, sent the dictator effusive congratulations. In May this year, an activist called Diane Rwigara declared she would stand against Kagame, bravely arguing people are tired, people are angry. Her industrialist father died two years ago in a car crash the family fear was a politically-linked murder. Two days later, nude photographs of the 35-year-old were leaked to a newspaper and circulated on social media. Then the electoral commission rejected her bid.

Since the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front took power 23 years ago, Rwandans have faced huge  and often deadly  obstacles to participating in public life and voicing criticism of government policy, said Amnesty International regional director Muthoni Wanyeki.

The roll call of dead critics includes an opposition figure who was ordered to meet his village security official in May. A few days later his family were called to collect his corpse from a hospital.

Human Rights Watch also revealed why visitors admire capital Kigalis neat streets: the police execute petty criminals while undesirables such as hawkers and the homeless are held in camps. The group says there is official strategy to spread fear. Yet on Thursday, the Department for International Development, overseen by Priti Patel, issued a report boasting of investing 64 million aid this year in Rwanda to build effective government institutions and support development of an open and inclusive society.

It praised Kagames strong record of using aid effectively to produce impressive results and insisted his regime plays a progressive role on the world stage.

Britain is the second biggest bilateral donor to Rwanda. The nation of nearly 12 million people receives the highest levels of aid support per capita in its region  about twice as much per head as Burundi, Kenya or Uganda.

Kagame and his fans love to reel off figures highlighting how he has transformed his country in areas such as healthcare, with life expectancy soaring and sharp falls in child and maternal mortality. But according to former insiders such as Himbara, who served as Kagames principal private secretary and then his head of policy and strategy, statistical manipulation is so widespread that hardly anyone knows what the reality is.

Smeared: Diane Shima Rwigara arrives to hold a press conference in Kigali on May 3,2017. Rwigara has announced her plans to run for presidency in the coming elections in August

Another well-placed source explained how Rwanda twists child mortality figures. If a researcher goes to a household and finds a child has died, they just go to the next one. This is easy in such a tightly controlled society since no one can complain.

Vincent DeGennaro, an American doctor, spent 18 months working in Rwanda with a charity and saw how neonatal and maternal deaths went unrecorded. When I first got there, I bought into the narrative, he said. But he soon realised there was deliberate miscollection of data.

I was seeing babies dying in a hospital that did not get recorded and mothers in health centres whose deaths were not recorded. That was enough to show they were lying.

Himbara claims Rwanda has only 684 doctors and 99 pharmacists, far lower than both official figures and rates per capita across Africa.

Britain boasts of aiding Rwandas health sector and funding distribution of bed nets. But a malaria epidemic with two million cases exposed corruption and purchase of shoddy nets, leading to the dismissal of the health minister and charging of officials.

This is proof that whatever statistics they provided were fake, said a senior World Bank official. It is impossible to have this size of malaria outbreak if 95 per cent of the population are sleeping under proper bed nets as claimed.

Then they covered this up by blaming climate change but there was no other epidemic then in neighbouring countries. We are sure the statistics are false.

This newspaper understands World Health Organisation officials have also disputed Rwandan statistics. They challenged the data because it was not credible, said a source. Filip Reyntjens, a renowned Belgian expert on Rwanda, also raised questions over abuse of statistics. He argued the regime deliberated engineered a decline in poverty figures by changing goods used in a household budget survey.

Duped: The Department for International Development, overseen by Priti Patel, issued a report boasting of investing 64 million aid this year in Rwanda

Oxford Policy Management, a British firm of consultants, withdrew from helping analyse the study reportedly due to a disagreement over data manipulation.

Reyntjens said results would otherwise have revealed a significant rise in the proportion of people living below the minimum poverty line between 2010 and 2014.

It is surprising the international aid community does not seem to be bothered by major flaws in the evidence on Rwandas achievements in two major pet areas of donors: poverty and inequality, he wrote on the African Arguments website.

This makes clear again that donors and recipients need each other. Donors need success stories, recipients need money and neither wants to rock the boat.

Reyntjens told me he fears the repression is building dangerous resentments. My concern is Rwanda will explode again.

His claims were endorsed last month in the Review of African Political Economy.

The fact that two researchers arrive  independently from each other  at the same conclusion, strengthens my belief that poverty in Rwanda has increased, wrote economist Sam Desiere.

There have also been reports of severe hunger in parts of the country, partly blamed on centralised agricultural policies promoting crops such as coffee, tea and flowers to sell abroad. It is a typical famine of a totalitarian state, said the World Bank source.

They try to hide it but the situation is very serious.

The author Anjan Sundaram spent almost five years in Rwanda on a journalism training project funded by British and European aid. In Bad News, his devastating expose of dictatorship, he quotes a diplomat proud to be giving money to Kagame.

Yet Sundaram told me donors should have no doubt their cash fuels repression and diminishes hopes of democracy. Rwandans benefit from aid on condition that they do not criticise the Rwandan government, he said. Critics are routinely denied benefits of aid-financed healthcare.

Worse, they often find themselves imprisoned, tortured, forced to flee the country or dead. Aid money strengthens the governments repressive machinery.

Kagame has officials with his Tutsi-dominated party monitoring every household and every village. This can be a force for good  seen with the elimination of plastic bags  but also creates a climate of compliant fear.

The president is thought to control $500 million of assets in Rwanda, from property to milk processing, through Crystal Ventures, the ruling partys company. Confidants of Kagame were named in the Panama Papers leak of secretive offshore holdings.

Dissidents are dismayed by Western support for a savage and duplicitous regime. Britain knows exactly what is going on, said Robert Higiro, a former army major who was asked to kill two of the presidents most hated enemies  one of whom was later murdered. I have friends at DFID. They know the truth.

Rene Mugenzi, a father of three and human rights activist, was warned six years ago by Scotland Yard that a Kigali hit squad had been sent after him.

British support to Rwanda is sustaining an oppressive government, totally contrary to development and aid principles, he said. I am a British taxpayer but my government is funding a totalitarian regime that wants my assassination.

DFID insists that Rwanda uses aid effectively and says it is funding work in the country to improve collection of statistics and reduce poverty. It argues that Britains ability to effect change is boosted by engagement.

All UK financial support in Rwanda is earmarked for specific programmes only, such as education, said a spokesman.

In all its dealing with the government of Rwanda, the British Government holds them to account on governance, human rights and development issues.
Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have been bombarded with death threats and thousands of abusive messages over the Charlie Gard case, it was revealed last night.

They have been subjected to abuse online, in the street and in the hospital itself, said Great Ormond Street chief Mary MacLeod.

She said the situation was so serious they had called in Scotland Yard officers.

Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have been bombarded with death threats and thousands of abusive messages over the Charlie Gard case, it was revealed last night

The hospital has been at the centre of the highly charged legal case over whether 11-month-old Charlie, who has a rare genetic condition resulting in serious brain damage, should have more treatment or be allowed to die.

His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, want to fly him to the US for experimental treatment.

His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, want to fly him to the US for experimental treatment

Ms MacLeod said: In recent weeks the hospital community has been subjected to a shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance.

Many of the messages are menacing, including death threats.

Sir Keir Starmer, Labour MP for the area, said it was understandable that people feel very strongly about the case but the abuse of staff was totally unacceptable.
Meghan McCain, daughter of US Senator John McCain, shared a picture of the two sitting on bench with their dog during a hike on Saturday.

'Amazing hike with Dad @SenJohnMcCain this morning. Thank you all for your best wishes!' the Fox News host, 32, tweeted.

Just three days ago, the office of the 80-year-old senator announced that he'd been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare type of brain cancer.

Meghan McCain shared of photo of herself and her father, US Senator John McCain, sitting on a bench during a hike on Saturday (pictured). The Arizona Republican announced a diagnosis of brain cancer on Wednesday night

The 80-year-old senator recently underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot above his left eye earlier in July. Doctors discovered that the extracted tissue was cancerous (Pictured, Megan McCain and John McCain at the 100th Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in May 2014)

The Arizona Republican underwent a procedure earlier this month to remove a blood clot above his left eye.

It was then that doctors discovered that the extracted tissue was cancerous.

'On Friday, July 14, Sen John McCain underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix,' the family said in a statement.

'Subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot.

'He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home with his family in Arizona.'

President Donald Trump, who last week joked about his 'crusty' condition when the senator's state of health seemed less severe, sent his well wishes after learning of the development late on Wednesday night.

He was among the first, saying: 'Senator John McCain has always been a fighter. Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon.'

Barack Obama also shared a message for the senator after learning of his health battle on Wednesday night.

'John McCain is an American hero and one of the bravest fighters I've ever known.

'Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell John,' he said.

Meghan posted this photograph on Instagram after news of her father's condition emerged. She said her father was doing 'very, very well'

President Donald Trump was among the first to send his well wishes after learning the news on Wednesday

Barack Obama shared an emotional message for the 80-year-old after hearing the news himself

McCain, a Vietnam veteran who was held as a prisoner of war, has endured previous battles with skin cancer.

In August 2000, he was treated for invasive melanoma, and had to have a significant amount of skin on the left side of his temple removed.

He had had other incidences of melanoma previously, but they were all surface level and thus less concerning.
A woman has been charged with animal cruelty after her malnourished dog was found at a Florida gas station with his ribs visible.

Brittany Osborne of Bradenton, Florida, was arrested after Sarasota County Animal Services officers were contacted by a woman who said she found a stray dog.

Upon arrival, officers were able to scan the American pit bull mix, for a microchip, and traced it back to Osborne.

Adria was found at a gas station in Sarasota County, Florida where Animal Services officers were then called

The dog was transported to a local vet because she was extremely emaciated.

Adria had overgrown nails and staining on her body which is common in animals trapped in small spaces and forced to lay in their urine and feces.

The veterinarian confirmed that Adria was severely underweight and malnourished.

Osborne told deputies that Adria was lost for more than a month after running out the house.

After getting a new dog, Adria returned but didn't get along with the other dogs, so Osborne couldn't take her back.

Osborne first said that the dog had run away and that she couldn't care for it when it came back a month later and didn't get along with her new dog. But further investigation revealed that her friend was actually the one who called Animal Services

However, deputies soon discovered that the woman who claimed to find the dog at the gas station was actually a friend of Osborne's and told her she would help her 'get rid of the dog because it was thin and needed help.'

Osborne was charged with animal cruelty and confining an animal without food or water

Osborne then stated that she had actually asked her friend to take Adria to Animal Services as a stray because she couldn't afford vet care, changing her story.

Osborne was charged with animal cruelty and confining an animal without food or water.

She is not allowed to have contact with or ownership of the dog or any other animals.

Arrested on Friday, she remains in custody on a $2000 bond.

Adria may be eligible for adoption in the future but remains in rehabilitation care under the Sarasota County Animal Services staff, according to the sheriff's office.
The devastating impact of Charles and Diana's toxic marital breakdown on their sons was laid bare by Prince Harry in the documentary about his mother.

The boys longed to spend more time with both of their parents and were left feeling as if they were 'bouncing between the two of them', he admits in the new ITV documentary in the 20th year since her death.

Harry recalls: 'There was the point where our parents split and we never saw our mother enough or we never saw our father enough. There was a lot of travelling and a lot of fights on the back seat with my brother  which I would win.

'There was all that to contend with. And I  I don't pretend we're the only people to have to deal with that, but it was an interesting way of growing up.'

These are the last images of Diana with her beloved sons  taken in July 1997, just a month before her death. She had taken William and Harry on a sun-drenched, action-packed holiday to St Tropez in the South of France, where they were guests of the Al Fayed family. Images from the time show the Princess at her fun-loving best, sailing, swimming and playing with her boys

So close: A cuddle for Harry on the beach where they were a guest of the Al Fayed family

On screen, Harry laughs as he remembers the squabbles while in transit between their warring parents, but the story lays bare the emotional toll of the divorce.

The Prince and Princess of Wales separated in December 1992 after 11 years of marriage.

The relationship was riven with anger and bitterness, notably over the fact that, in 1986, Charles had resumed his love affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

The separation announcement was made in the Commons by then Prime Minister John Major and Buckingham Palace.

The couple would divide their households, with Diana at Kensington Palace and Prince Charles living between Highgrove and Clarence House.

They were to share the parenting of William and Harry. But the day-to-day arrangements left the boys, then aged ten and eight, yearning to see more of their father and the mother they adored. Speaking about Diana, William tells the programme: 'We felt incredibly loved, Harry and I.'

Picture of misery... that confirmed to the Queen how bad things really were The Queen summoned Diana's friend Harry Herbert for a private chat at Balmoral to ask about the state of the Royal marriage. Herbert  one of the biggest names in British horse racing and son of Her Majesty's then racing manager the Earl of Carnarvon  was trusted by both the Princess and the Queen. Distance: Charles and Diana in South Korea in 1992, weeks before they parted He reveals on the programme: 'That was a bad time for Diana. 'The light had gone out. The Queen wanted to talk to me about it because she was so worried.' He says that he and the Queen were 'looking down on to this beautiful setting of heather and castle' when they had 'an incredibly important chat, a very personal chat', with the Queen wanting to know how Diana was feeling. 'It was a sad discussion, a sad moment, because that was when everything was at its worst.' The conversation took place before the Royal couple's November 1992 visit to South Korea when it became clear they could hardly bear each other's company. Within a month they had separated. Advertisement

Harry adds: 'It was a love that, even if she was on the other side of a room, you could feel.'

At the time of her fairytale 1981 wedding, Diana had seemed the perfect bride for the heir to the throne. But their honeymoon happiness proved short-lived when a picture of Camilla fell from the pages of Charles's diary and then Diana found him wearing a pair of cufflinks with the initials C entwined.

They were brought together by the birth of their sons in 1982 and 1984, but the Princess  lonely, isolated, and in the grip of an eating disorder  eventually sought solace with cavalry officer James Hewitt, surgeon Hasnat Khan and Harrods heir Dodi Al Fayed.

She secretly co-operated with author Andrew Morton on his seismic 1992 biography Diana: Her True Story, and then granted Martin Bashir the 1995 BBC Panorama interview in which she said: 'There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.'

The marriage ended officially in August 1996, a year before Diana's fatal car crash in Paris.

As adults, both Princes reflect on Diana's innocence and youth when she embarked on a marriage that was to have such painful consequences. Harry says: 'She was a normal 20-year-old marrying into an institution, the British Royal Family.'

Spencer: Diana's life, too, was shaped by divorce The young Diana was 'a bundle of insecurities and unhappinesses' as a result of her own parents' bitter divorce, according to her brother, Charles, the Earl Spencer. But he believes that these emotional scars left her better able to empathise with others, and ultimately gave rise to her Queen of Hearts epithet. Tricky childhood: Diana and brother Charles in 1968 The Earl, who is today the guardian of Diana's grave at the Spencer family seat at Althorp, Northamptonshire, says: 'I think our parents' divorce was quite tricky for all of us. It was bitter and had a big impact. 'Because of her own sensitivities and vulnerabilities, she felt able to connect with people who were going through a tough time, and give them hope.' Diana's parents Frances Shand Kydd and the 8th Earl Spencer split in 1967 after a quarrelsome 13-year marriage. Custody of Diana, Charles  her younger brother  and two older sisters was, unusually for the era, awarded to her father. Advertisement

The Princess of Wales and her friend Harry Herbert in the royal enclosure at Ascot, June 1990

Harry: 'I nearly cried watching it back'

By Katie Hind

Harry found watching the new documentary so emotional that it almost reduced him to tears.

It has emerged that, after seeing the programme for the first time, Harry called the producers and said: 'I nearly cried several times watching it back. Thank you, it's brilliant.'

The eventual structure of the programme surprised the production company Oxford Films, which also made last year's celebratory documentary: Our Queen At 90.

Producers for the company approached Kensington Palace more than a year ago, seeking permission to produce a programme about Princess Diana's life and work. It soon became clear, however, that the Princes were interested in creating a more lasting, heartfelt documentary to mark the 20th anniversary of their mother's death.

'A love you could feel': Prince Harry remembering Diana during one interview

Producer Ashley Gething said: 'We were invited to meet the Princes face-to-face. We thought it would be about Diana's legacy but they had thought about it and told us that they hadn't really spoken about their mother much before, just bits and pieces  and they were pretty adamant that they wouldn't again  but there was a window here.

'Talking about her on such a personal level had been too raw and painful for them before.'

He reveals that the Princes particularly wanted to use the programme to show young people, born after Diana's death 20 years ago, just how much their mother achieved. He said: 'William and Harry realised that there is a new, younger generation who didn't know about their mum, and they wanted to tell them about her and what she did.

I had a lot of fights on the back seat with William... And I won Harry on sibling rivalry

'She did so much in raising awareness on taboo subjects such as HIV, mental health and homelessness. The Princes want people to know all of that.'

Gething and his colleague Nick Kent conducted one-hour interviews with William and Harry in meeting rooms at Kensington Palace and had three follow-up meetings. 'Both Princes are very emotionally mature and speak very emotionally eloquently,' said Gething.

The landmark documentary will be shown worldwide, and is expected to attract a huge TV audience in the USA tomorrow night.

Gething said: 'The interest out in America for Diana is huge.

'I am going on the Today show on Monday morning, which is watched by 40 million people.

'It is wonderful that there is still such a lot of interest in her work.'
Labour came under fresh pressure over its student debt U-turn last night after the Tories demanded an immediate apology from the partys schools supremo.

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner was challenged to say sorry for ditching an Election pledge to wipe out graduate debt.

In the Commons last week, Ms Rayner sparked outrage among Conservatives by appearing to abandon the promise by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during the campaign to deal with existing student debt and reduce it.

The promise  along with a pledge to scrap tuition fees  was seen as a huge vote-winner for Labour among younger voters.

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Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner was challenged to say sorry for ditching an Election pledge to wipe out graduate debt

Ms Greening also challenged the Labour spokesman to say what steps her party took during the Election campaign to rectify the false impression given by Mr Corbyn to young voters

But Ms Rayner, seen as a potential future party leader by Labour colleagues, said, We have no plans to write off existing student debt, and claimed we never promised to do so.

In a letter to her yesterday, Education Secretary Justine Greening called on her to apologise for abandoning a clear commitment to reduce the debts of millions of people.

She wrote: In pretending that the Labour Party never intended to clear student debt, you are further misleading those who put their faith in you.

Ms Greening also challenged the Labour spokesman to say what steps her party took during the Election campaign to rectify the false impression given by Mr Corbyn to young voters.

The Education Secretary concluded: Given your party leader has campaigned under the banner of straight-talking honest politics, I look forward to your imminent apology and clarification.

Labour hit back last night by insisting Mr Corbyn had never pledged to write off debts for students who had already graduated.

In a letter to her yesterday, Education Secretary Justine Greening called on her to apologise for abandoning a clear commitment to reduce the debts of millions of people

A party source said: Jeremy said he was looking at ways to ease the debt burden, though repeatedly made it clear we had no specific proposals on the issue as of yet.

Ms Greenings call on Ms Rayner came as it emerged that the Labour star boasts of how she is now compared to one of the partys great figures.

At a rally last month, Ms Rayner revealed how senior party figures referred to her as the new Nye Bevan  the Welsh hero of the post-war Labour government.
An occasional thank you does more to make us feel valued at work than even a promotion or a pay rise, according to a new study.

Almost four in ten workers (38 per cent) say that being singled out for praise would mean more than a higher wage or a step up the career ladder.

When asked what motivates workers regionally, an early finish means most to busy London commuters, the Welsh are most motivated by money, while employees in Yorkshire are the keenest to win promotion.

The survey was carried out by Optical Express as part of its Thanks A Million project to provide 1 million of laser eye surgery to NHS staff and emergency services workers.
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Austrias second city  now reachable by direct flight from the UK  is known for its sleek design. Gareth Huw Davies finds a unique spiral staircase, a floating cafe  and a stunning gallery nicknamed the Friendly Alien

1. Take the short route

BMI Regional now operates direct flights to Graz from Birmingham. The city centre, just 15 minutes by taxi from the airport, is a World Heritage site. Unesco praises its harmonious integration of architectural styles from successive periods. Each age is represented by typical buildings, which are often masterpieces.

Baroque beauty: Ride the No 1 tram from the centre to Eggenberg Palace (it stops outside) in the lush outskirts of the city. This is one of Europes most impressive baroque palaces

Graz has a strong musical tradition, hosting a succession of festivals. The summer festival of dance and music takes over many venues, both indoors and outdoors. I found music on street corners, too, with some accomplished buskers playing beautiful classical music.

2. Castle on the hill

A 1,000-year-old castle sits high above Graz on Schlossberg Hill. Look up and marvel, or take the funicular railway to get up there. The steep staircase is best left for descents.

Then ride the No 1 tram from the centre to Eggenberg Palace (it stops outside) in the lush outskirts of the city. This is one of Europes most impressive baroque palaces.

On my visit, peacocks strutted magisterially in the grounds, part of a living landscape painting. A 5 (4.50) ticket, at the tram stop, gives 24 hours go-anywhere travel. A three-day ticket is 12, or about 10.70.

3. Doing it in style

Graz was the 2003 European City of Culture and is a Unesco City of Design, one of a worldwide network of creative hubs. To qualify, it has to incorporate good design into everyday life.

The place for stylish shopping is the city-centre department store Kastner & Ohler, which is spread over six elegant floors and also has a rooftop cafe.

The citys most eye-catching building is the modern art gallery, Kunsthaus. It nestles like a blue hedgehog between the roofs of the historic city centre. Its creators, British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, nicknamed it the Friendly Alien.

Davies says the citys most eye-catching building is the modern art gallery, Kunsthaus. Its creators, British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, nicknamed it the Friendly Alien

4. Go with the flow

The River Mur gurgles through the city in a narrow valley, a natural air-freshener on hot summer days. Massive rocks stabilise the banks of what is one of few free-flowing inner-city rivers in Europe.

Faithful to the citys design status, a local firm sculpted five of the rocks into comfy seats, where people may sit to watch river-surfers. On the water itself is The Island In The Mur, a cafe on a floating steel platform that rises and falls with the water.

Built in 2003 to US architect Vito Acconcis design, it is linked by walkways from both banks.

I didnt see a single international coffee shop in the centre of Graz, but theres a big choice of independent places. One of the liveliest is the Kunsthauscafe, in an area transformed since the Kunsthaus opened.

The place for stylish shopping: The city-centre department store, Kastner & Ohler

There are plenty of restaurants, galleries and shops there too.

5. Culinary gems

I recommend the guided culinary stroll through the Old Town. My guide built in random cafe stops for a platter of local dishes, such as krauthauptel, an aristocrat among lettuces, and scarlet runner beans, with their nutty tang. Staff also serve a glass of something, such as Schilcher, a dry and refreshing local rose, at each stop.

At pop-up shop Fachl (Herrengasse 13), producers rent a few shelves to promote their wares. They included malt whisky from the local Styria region.

6. Race to the top

There's a 400-year-old architectural trick in the Burg, the regional government HQ, in the Old Town, and its free to try out.

The Staircase of Reconciliation is a clever construction of two opposing spiral stairs which merge briefly on each floor, separate again and then rejoin.

Two people are better than one, as you can race each other to the next level.

Another place to linger in the city centre is on the steps of the 17th Century Mausoleum, housing the tomb of the Emperor Ferdinand II. Its best to visit when it is lit up at night.
This time last year she was soaking up the sun in the Love Island villa.

And Zara Holland was back in her bikini on Friday, but in a slightly different setting, as she soaked up the sunshine on a holiday to Barbados.

Showing off her sensational figure in a skimpy coral two-piece, the 21-year-old disgraced beauty queen oozed glamour as she posed for sizzling Instagram snaps.

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Beach babe: This time last year she was soaking up the sun in the Love Island villa. And Zara Holland was back in her bikini on Friday, but in a slightly different setting, as she soaked up the sunshine on a holiday to Barbados

Highlighting her ample chest, the blonde bombshell donned a scanty bikini top with jewel detailing across the neckline that drew further attention to her cleavage.

She teamed the garment with barely-there bottoms that offered a look at her peachy posterior and tanned and toned pins.

She finished off the look by donning a pair of oversized shades and styling her glossy tresses in loose beachy waves.

Feeling hot, hot, hot: She teamed the garment with barely-there bottoms that offered a look at her peachy posterior and tanned and toned pins

Sex appeal: She finished off the look by donning a pair of oversized shades and styling her glossy tresses in loose beachy waves

Life's a peach: Showing off her sensational figure in a skimpy coral two-piece, the 21-year-old disgraced beauty queen oozed glamour as she posed for sizzling Instagram snaps

Zara appeared in the second series of Love Island in 2016, but her stint on the ITV2 reality show ended in disaster as she was stripped of her Miss Great Britain title for having sex on the show.

The starlet was the reigning Miss GB for the 2015/2016 period when she enjoyed a steamy romp with Alex Bowen, who is now engaged to fellow contestant Olivia Buckland.

After news surfaced of the dalliance, the blonde beauty received the news that she had been dethroned before later leaving the show when she discovered her mum had taken ill in the UK.

Stripped: Zara appeared in the second series of Love Island in 2016, but her stint on the ITV2 reality show ended in disaster as she was stripped of her Miss GB title for having sex on the show

In an official statement, Miss GB cited: 'The feedback we have received from pageant insiders and members of the general public is such that we cannot promote Zara as a positive role model moving forward.

'We wholly understand that everyone makes mistakes, but Zara, as an ambassador for Miss Great Britain, simply did not uphold the responsibility expected of the title.'

Retaliating to the news, Zara said: 'Ive done nothing wrong. All women have needs.

'All the things Miss GB claims to stand for have been used against me. I sacrificed my work, my own personal savings, I worked my a** off.'
Cast members of the resuscitated TV series Twin Peaks sat for a panel chat at the famous Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center on Friday.

Part of San Diego Comic-Con, the event also featured a surprise video appearance by the show's director and co-creator David Lynch, as Deadline have reported.

Naomi Watts - who'd worn a chic collared pink, orange and white top over a navy pencil skirt, accessorizing with Anita Ko jewels - dished that she and Laura Dern had apparently swung by David's digs to help rook him back into working on Twin Peaks.

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Smile and wave: Naomi Watts was part of a panel chat for the resuscitated TV series Twin Peaks at the famous Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center on Friday

At one point, she responded to someone who'd said: 'Whenever David calls, we take the call' by saying: 'Even if he asks you to wear a bunny suit!' though she then went on to qualify: 'No, thats a whole other project altogether.'

Though 48-year-old Naomi hadn't been on Twin Peaks' original ABC run from 1990 to 1991, she'd made her breakthrough in David's iconic 2001 film Mulholland Drive.

Kyle MacLachlan, Dana Ashbrook, Kimmy Robertson, James Marshall and Everett McGill - returning cast members from the original series all - were on the panel too.

From left: Damon Lindelof ran the panel of Kyle MacLachlan, Naomi, Tim Roth, Dana Ashbrook, Kimmy Robertson, James Marshall, Everett McGill, Matthew Lillard and Don Murray

Behind the magic: Naomi dished that she and Laura Dern had apparently swung by David's digs to help rook him back into working on Twin Peaks

Background: Though 48-year-old Naomi hadn't been on Twin Peaks' original ABC run from 1990 to 1991, she'd made her breakthrough in David's iconic 2001 film Mulholland Drive

So were Tim Roth, Matthew Lillard and Don Murray, who like Naomi joined the series only for its new 18-episode reincarnation, which began airing on Showtime in May.

Laura, though also a new cast member on the series, wasn't on Friday's panel, which was being moderated by Damon Lindelof, who's co-created Lost and The Leftovers.

Kyle's recalled at the panel that he'd been having coffee with David when 'He said, are you ready to go back to Twin Peaks?' to which 'I said: "David, I never left."'

Hello to the fans: Tim (pictured), Matthew and Don - like Naomi - joined the series only for its new 18-episode reincarnation, which began airing on Showtime in May

Nostalgia: Kyle's recalled at the panel that he'd been having coffee with David when 'He said, are you ready to go back to Twin Peaks?' to which 'I said: "David, I never left"'

Sneak peek?: Naomi's responded to: 'Whenever David calls, we take the call,' by saying: 'Even if he asks you to wear a bunny suit!' adding: 'No, thats a whole other project altogether'

Matthew's confessed: 'When youre not a Lynch fan and come in (to the audition room for the first time), its a little strange,' explaining that 'When youre reading a David Lynch script you dont know where its going to go.'

Said he: 'I got to the scene in Episode 9; it was intimidating, the scariest scariest thing I ever read as an actor. In the middle of it, the character breaks down sobbing.'

The actors who'd turned out to the panel also posed for a couple of photos whilst arranged over and around a few seats that'd been set up against a white backdrop.

Cozy: The actors who'd turned out to the panel also posed for a couple of photos whilst arranged over and around a few seats that'd been set up against a white backdrop

Not everyone: Laura (not pictured), though also a new cast member on the series, wasn't on Friday's panel, which was being moderated by Damon (not pictured), who's co-created Lost
She first shot to fame after looking for love on the matchmaking reality show Married At First Sight.

And months after wrapping up filming earlier this year, Cheryl Maitland was pictured letting her hair down on the Gold Coast on Friday night.

The 25-year-old showed off her endless legs in a figure-hugging white dress, at the Love Nightlife club in Queensland.

Leggy lady! Months after wrapping up filming earlier this year, Cheryl Maitland was pictured letting her hair down on the Gold Coast on Friday night. The 25-year-old showed off her endless legs in a figure-hugging white dress, at the Love Nightlife club in Queensland

Clutching a champagne glass, the brunette beauty flaunted her trim pins as she reclined on the velvet heart-shaped chair.

The 'wife'-turned-social media influencer matched the look a pair of nude court heels and wore her long, brunette locks out.

The former reality TV star captioned her post: 'Extra leg room, please,' and added a laughing emoji.

Busting out! She recently showcased her surgically enhanced cleavage and shapely figure while promoting activewear

Her legions of fans complimented her stunning ensemble, one said: 'Great pins for a great lady.'

Another wrote: 'Oh, you're legs and style fab.'

This comes after she recently flaunted her extreme cleavage in a maroon-coloured crop top and her shapely figure in activewear.

Instagram star: Since failing to find love on Married At First Sight, Cheryl has been promoting everything from protein powder to body oil in revealing Instagram posts

The hairdresser and former topless waitress wrote in the caption: 'I swear, I wear my active wear everywhere but the gym.'

The skimpy style flaunted her toned stomach and tanned limbs, Cheryl wearing her brunette locks out over her shoulders.

Since failing to find love with Andrew 'Jonsey' Jones on Married At First Sight, Cheryl has been promoting everything from protein powder to body oil in revealing Instagram posts.

Match made? She has also found love with former policeman and convicted drug trafficker Dean Gibbs, 31, and recently shared the story of how they fell for each other

She has also found love with former policeman and convicted drug trafficker Dean Gibbs, 31, and recently shared the story of how they fell for each other.

'He'd seen me on the show and just sent me a really long message, not really expecting anything. Then it just kind of One thing led to another, I guess,' Cheryl said.

Cheryl also revealed the couple 'see a future together', hinting marriage could be on the cards soon.
She took the stage for a dazzling performance on the night.

So Pixie Lott was naturally dressed to impress on Friday as she arrived at the wildly glamorous Global Gift Gala in Ibiza, where she was joined by her dashing fiance Oliver Cheshire among a long list of other stars including organiser Eva Longoria.

The 26-year-old Mama Do hitmaker left very little to the imagination in a super scanty mini dress with a one-shoulder detail and a perilously high rise hemline as she hit the red carpet with her super hunky beau.

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Blonde beauty: Pixie Lott was naturally dressed to impress on Friday as she arrived at the wildly glamorous Global Gift Gala in Ibiza, where she was joined by her dashing fiance Oliver Cheshire among a long list of other stars

Pixie was hitting the beach just hours earlier with her pals although the consummate professional was fresh-faced and ready for her performance later in the night at the event sponsored by I Saw It First.

Flaunting her endless legs in the mini dress she appeared to go for her favoured retro styling with the print while also oozing sex appeal with the cut.

Boosting her diminutive height, the Essex-born beauty went for sexy perspex heels which provided a barely-there illusion to help lengthen her legs further.

Within the bash, she kicked off her staggering heels to take the stage as she danced her heart out for the vying admirers - including Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ashley James who snapped images of her for their Instagram accounts.

Glam pair: The 26-year-old Mama Do hitmaker left very little to the imagination in a super scanty mini dress with a one-shoulder detail and a perilously high rise hemline as she hit the red carpet with her super hunky beau

Hot stuff: Flaunting her endless legs in the mini dress she appeared to go for her favoured retro styling with the print while also oozing sex appeal with the cut

Dashing: Handsome Oliver was looking his very best as he went more casual than his usual red carpet glamour

Glam: Pixie smouldered as she posed with an equally glamorous guest on the red carpet

Bare foot fancy! Within the bash, she kicked off her staggering heels to take the stage as she danced her heart out for the vying admirers - including Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ashley James who snapped images of her for their Instagram accounts

Belting them out: Pixie was belting out her top tracks on the stage

Belting it out: The blonde beauty was delighting the fans including Lucy (right)

Making sure all eyes were on her, the stunning blonde sizzled and smouldered on the red carpet with her blonde tresses teased into a volumunious mane.

The event's organiser Eva looked stunning in a golden mini dress complete with intricate beading and a pair of staggering gold heels to match.

Her sleek hair was looking sensational with honey-coloured highlights worked through to the ends and the whole head in a bouncy sleek blowdry.

Eva's make-up was flawlessly and lavishly applied with a smudged eyeliner sitting perfectly with her nude matte lipstick.

She is the golden girl! The event's organiser Eva looked stunning in a golden mini dress complete with intricate beading and a pair of staggering gold heels to match

Bronzed to perfection: Her sleek hair was looking sensational with honey-coloured highlights worked through to the ends and the whole head in a bouncy sleek blowdry

Golden girl: Eva's make-up was flawlessly and lavishly applied with a smudged eyeliner sitting perfectly with her nude matte lipstick

Sizzling: The stunning star was boasting a dazzling tan - undoubtedly picked up from her many beach trips since arriving in Spain

Woah mama: Eva climbed on a chair to belt out some of Pixie's song

Lucy glammed up for the event as she sported an abs-flashing white two-piece with a lace underlay beneath a crop top and a pair of billowing high-waisted trousers.

Prison Break star Amaury Nolasco was super low-key compared to the female guests as he sported a tight distressed denim shirt with white jeans.

Eva is one of many stars to show their support as an acting ambassador of the Global Gift Foundation - a charity that works to raise funds for foundations, charities and organisations that share its vision and aims.

Through events such as the various galas and fundraisers the charity funds several projects, including The Eva Longoria Foundation.

All white? Lucy glammed up for the event as she sported an abs-flashing white two-piece with a lace underlay beneath a crop top and a pair of billowing high-waisted trousers

The charity, founded in 2012, aims to help Latinas build better futures through education and entrepreneurship, and confront the issue of poverty in their culture.

In May, Eva enjoyed galas in Paris and Edinburgh before jetting to the Riviera with her husband Jose Baston for the Cannes edition.

The events are always star-studded affairs - with Pamela Anderson attending the bash in the French captial, and British stars Vogue Williams, Ashley James and Katie Piper venturing to bonny Scotland for the UK edition.

Double denim: Prison Break star Amaury Nolasco was super low-key compared to the female guests as he sported a tight distressed denim shirt with white jeans

Belt it out: Pixie was delighting the audience with her glam performance
He's the son of an Australian rock and roll legend and has forged a thriving career out of performing and presenting.

And with an impressive list of accolades to his name in the worlds of theatre and television, he's become one of Australia's most well-known public personalities.

Now a host on Channel Nine's Today Extra, alongside Sonia Kruger, this father-of-three has shared a comical throwback to his embarrassing high school days.

Guess who? The Aussie entertainer delighted fans on Saturday by posting a Year 8 class photo from Adelaide's Northfield High in 1986. Pictured centre, in row two

He's the polished presenter who recently underwent a major lifestyle overhaul and lost close to 30kg.

But David Campbell's new look is an extremely far cry to what he was pulling off as a Year 8 student back in 1986.

The 43-year-old looked unrecognisable in a throwback picture shared to his Instagram on Friday.

Famous face: And with an impressive list of accolades to his name in the worlds of theatre and television, he's become one of Australia's most well-known public personalities

It's David Campbell! The Channel Nine host's new look is a far cry from his days as a Year 8 student in 1986

David posted a snippet of his Year 8 class photo from back when he attended Adelaide's Northfield High in 1986.

He was the first to poke fun at his past self, drawing attention to some of his stand-out features in the photo's caption.

'Ok #flashbackfriday comes from Year 8 at Northfield High in Adelaide,' he wrote.

Slimmed down for health: The polished presenter recently underwent a major lifestyle overhaul and lost close to 30kg

With him positioned right in the center, his era-appropriate hairstyle was a prominent feature of the photograph.

'1986. Bowl hair. Big ears. Ouch,' adding the hashtags '#Adelaide #highschool.'

Fans were quick to join David in reminiscing about old times, with multiple drawing attention to how 'bowl' hair cuts and large ears were a common theme among a lot of students at that time.
She's the former Big Brother star who has continued her 15 minutes of fame by posing in scantily-clad Instagram photos.

And cooler winter temperatures have not deterred Skye Wheatley from shedding her clothes for social media, the busty blonde donning a bikini for music festival Splendour In The Grass.

But the former reality TV star appeared to have experienced some outfit regret afterwards, captioning the photo: 'Note to self next year....don't go to splendour half naked in winter.'

Putting her surgically-enhanced assets on full display, Skye wore an embellished silver bikini with an eye-catching necklace.

The skimpy design showed off her taut stomach and tan, the Instagram model pairing the look with denim shorts.

The Gold Coast-based makeup artist flaunted her trim pins in daring over-the-knee cream boots.

Working it! The skimpy design showed off her taut stomach and tan, the Instagram model pairing the look with denim shorts

Letting loose: Videos posted on Instagram show Skye attended Byron Bay's Splendour In The Grass on Friday

'These boots are now black and note to self next year....don't go to splendour half naked in winter,' Skye captioned the photo.

Videos posted on Instagram show Skye attended Byron Bay's Splendour In The Grass on Friday.

Rising to fame as a contestant on the last season of Big Brother in 2014, Skye has continued to make headlines thanks to her many surgical enhancements.

Making headlines: Rising to fame as a contestant on the last season of Big Brother in 2014, Skye has continued to make headlines thanks to her many surgical enhancements

The social media fanatic traveled to Bangkok in 2015 for a $3,800 breast augmentation.

However Skye later claimed the surgery was botched, leaving her with a 'double bubble' in one breast.

Since her boob job Skye has plumped her pout with lip fillers and underwent a nose job late last year.
It's proven a winner with critic and winners alike.

But that could be the extent of Australian Ninja Warrior's accolades for the year, with its host Ben Fordham appearing to drop a hint about next week's finale.

Speaking to news.com.au this week, the TV personality asked Aussie viewers to 'keep in mind' it took the US version seven years to crown a winner.

Did Australian Ninja Warrior's Ben Fordham just spoil the finale? Host appears to hint no-one will win as he tells viewers to 'keep in mind' US version took 7 years to crown winner

In order to be crowned the series winner, competitors must complete all three stages.

Challengers must get past stage one's nine obstacles, stage two's eight obstacles and the third stage's 22-metre rope climb, named Mt Midoriyama, which has to be completed in less than 30 seconds.

While joking that he might 'disappear somehow' if he revealed Tuesday's finale, Ben told viewers to consider the US version.

Commentators: Ben hosts Ninja Warrior alongside =Rebecca Maddern and Freddie Flintoff

Tough: In order to be crowned the series winner, competitors must complete all three stages. Pictured is Beau Ryan

'You need to keep in mind it took seven years in America for someone to be crowned American Ninja Warrior. It took seven seasons for someone to finish the obstacle course,' he told news.com.au.

'Now, I know we punch above our weight in Australia but you do need to keep that in mind.

'Its a case of whoever gets the furthest in the course, I suppose, and maybe that person might just go all the way and finish it. But just keep in mind that in America people came back year after year after year until they actually completed it.'

Second chance: Australian Ninja Warrior will be returning for a second season with casting already underway

Even if Australian Ninja Warrior does not crown a winner this year, it has come out on top in the ratings.

The show has proved a smash hit with viewers, easily beating competing reality shows on Channel Seven and Ten.

Meanwhile The Daily Telegraph also confirmed Australian Ninja Warrior would be returning for a second season with casting already underway.
The married loved-up couple recently announced their second engagement, following a romantic second proposal.

And PR queen Roxy Jacenko and her jailbird husband Oliver Curtis appeared in high spirits during a family outing in Sydney on Saturday.

Roxy, 37, was seen laughing and joking with Oliver, 31, and at one point flipped him the bird as he teased her for riding their daughter Pixie's bicycle.

'He was giving me a hard time': PR queen Roxy Jacenko flips the bird at husband Oliver Curtis and says he deserved it as she rides five-year-old daughter Pixie's bike on family outing in Sydney on Saturday

Clad in her signature activewear look, Roxy was seen pedaling her five-year-old's bike over the grassy field on Centennial Parkland's bike tracks.

Oliver pulled their three-year-old son Hunter's bike alongside him as he expressed his amusement at his publicist wife riding the children's cycle with training wheels.

Uncontrollably laughing, Roxy was seen gesturing her middle finger to her husband as she refused to hop off the bicycle.

'He got the middle finger all in good fun!': Uncontrollably laughing, Roxy was seen gesturing her middle finger to her husband as she refused to hop off the bicycle after his taunts

Saturday spin session: Clad in her signature activewear look, Roxy was seen pedaling her five-year-old's bike over the grassy field

Fun mum! Oliver pulled their three-year-old son Hunter's bike alongside him as he expressed his amusement at his publicist wife riding the children's cycle with training wheels

'He was giving me a hard time that I would bend her bike': The PR queen and her beau appeared in high spirits during the family day out

All smiles! Roxy clearly appeared to be enjoying herself on the family day out, gleaming with an infectious smile as she rode the bike seated and standing up

Clarifying the situation to Daily Mail Australia, Roxy said: 'He was giving me a hard time that I would bend her bike - so yes - he got the middle finger all in good fun!'

She clearly appeared to be enjoying herself on the family day out, gleaming with an infectious smile as she rode the bike seated and standing up.

Placing her iPhone away from sight, Oliver appeared to document the hilarious stunt with his phone.

Capturing the moment? Oliver appeared to document the hilarious stunt with his phone

Parents: Roxy and Oliver did all the heavy lifting for the children as they moved the bicycles to the bike track

What a laugh! The workout would be child's play in comparison to her normal exercise regime

The workout would be child's play in comparison to her normal exercise regime, which she recently admitted to 'doubling up' on.

Roxy regularly updates her 185k followers of her fitness routine and restrictive diet that saw her lose 10kg in the past year.

She previously told Daily Mail Australia she ate a diet of 'sushi, sashimi and green juices daily', while cheat days were 'almost non-existent' for the Sydney socialite.

'Weight wise, am sitting at 50kg  just working on strength and toning not weight loss, I am at my goal weight now,' she added in the past.

She's got guns! Roxy, who regularly posts videos in the weight section of the gym, appeared to have no problems carrying her son around

'I am at my goal weight now': Roxy recently claimed she was happy with her weight after losing 10kg to become 50kg

Mum, it's my turn! Pixie, 5, later took to her bicycle alongside brother, three-year-old Hunter

All done for the day? Her three-year-old son Hunter appeared to ditch his bike for a walk with his mother instead

Roxy appeared fresh and is believed to have opted for a minimal makeup application.

Her luscious blonde locks fell around her face is loose waves.

In true Roxy style, the Sydney businesswoman was dressed in a relaxed-yet-luxurious ensemble, mixing activewear with designer accessories.

Bare-faced beauty: Roxy appeared fresh and is believed to have opted for a minimal makeup application

Blonde babe! Her long blonde tresses were worn down in loose waves

Looking good! The figure-hugging leggings sculptured to her trim pins and pert derriere as she spent the day outdoors

Adorable! Hunter wore a matching Nike jacket and tracksuit pants with sneakers, paired with a hat

Her active ensemble was made up of Adidas by Stella McCartney tights, $140, $330 Ultraboost sneakers, a black long-sleeve jumper and aviator sunglasses.

The figure-hugging leggings sculptured to her trim pins and pert derriere as she spent the day outdoors.

Oliver also displayed his suave style in a YMC jumper, trendy ripped jeans and loafers.

He accessorised his look with a navy cap, sunglasses and a luxury watch, similar to Roxy's.

Focused: Pixie sported a navy MSGM jumper, ripped jeans like her dad and purple canvas sneakers

Working hard: When riding her bike, she was sure to wear her helmet and some bike gloves to protect her hands

The children, who boast a collective 133.9k Instagram followers, were also dressed in adorable attire.

Hunter wore a matching Nike jacket and tracksuit pants with sneakers, paired with a hat.

Meanwhile, Pixie sported a navy MSGM jumper, ripped jeans like her dad and purple canvas sneakers.

When riding her bike, she was sure to wear her helmet and some bike gloves to protect her hands.

Dad style: Oliver also displayed his suave style in a YMC jumper, trendy ripped jeans and loafers

Fashionable parents: The loved-up duo are known for donning designer brands

His and hers? He accessorised his look with a navy cap, sunglasses and a luxury watch, similar to Roxy's

Roxy also flashed her pricey Audemars Piguet royal oak quartz rose gold watch, estimated to retail for $60,000 and her sparkling new six-carat diamond engagement ring.

While she regularly ditches her jewels when working out in her activewear, she proudly sported the Nicholas Haywood sparkler, believed to be valued at up to $450,000.

Active lifestyle: Her active ensemble was made up of Adidas by Stella McCartney tights, $140, $330 Ultraboost sneakers and a black long-sleeve jumper

Expensive taste! Roxy accessorized her relaxed ensemble with a $60,000 Audemars Piguet royal oak quartz rose gold watch and her new six-carat diamond engagement ring from Nicholas Haywood, believed to be valued at up to $450,000

Seatbelts on! Roxy was seen buckling up Hunter in his booster seat

Packing up: Roxy and Oliver were seen loading up the car with the bikes after their day out

Her Nicholas Haywood engagement ring is believed to be valued at up to $450,000 by a respected member of the National Council of Jewellery Valuers, which is more than double the $200,000 jewel she received when Oliver first proposed in 2010.

Her disgraced former investment banker husband proposed for a second time last Friday, shortly after they returned from a luxury family holiday in Bali.

Oliver, who was convicted of insider trading in June 2016 and spent 12 months in prison, surprised her with the romantic gesture at Sydney's Four Seasons hotel.

'Marry me? Again': Husband Oliver, who was convicted of insider trading in June 2016 and spent 12 months in prison, surprised Roxy with the romantic gesture at Sydney's Four Seasons hotel last week

Loved-up! Roxy, who over the past few months has been spotted without her wedding ring, happily sported the 'upgraded' diamond engagement ring

Ready to go home? Roxy later uploaded a snap of Hunter asleep in the car

'Stiff drinks required after a visit to the kids bike track': After leaving Centennial Parklands, Roxy joked on Instagram she was ready for a drink

Happy! The whole family appeared to enjoy the day out

After leaving Centennial Parklands, she joked on Instagram: 'Stiff drinks required after a visit to the kids bike track.'

The photo of Roxy with Hunter was taken by her daughter Pixie.

She later shared another photo of her jumping for joy, writing: 'When I am told I can leave the kids bike track.'
She's the former Bachelorette who was announced as a new cast member of Home And Away this week.

And Sam Frost celebrated her new role in Sydney on Friday night, stepping out with former Bachelor stars Anna Heinrich and Sarah-Mae Amey.

Sam was dressed to impress in a sheer top, that offered an ample view of her black bra, and a pair of maroon-coloured leather pants.

On the town: Sam Frost celebrated her new Home And Away role in Sydney on Friday night, stepping out with former Bachelor stars Anna Heinrich and Sarah-Mae Amey.

Sheer chic: Sam was dressed to impress in a sheer lacy top, that offered an ample view of her black bra, and a pair of maroon-coloured leather pants

Clutching a black leather purse, Sam accessorised with a pair of strappy black heels and a pair of gold hoop earrings.

Sam, who starred in the inaugural season of The Bachelorette, added a hint of drama to her ensemble with a dark mascara around her eye while she chose a light rose shade for her lip.

Her golden locks hung loose at her shoulders and wafted effortlessly in the chilly Sydney breeze.

Looking good: Clutching a black leather purse, Sam accessorised with a pair of strappy black heels and a pair of gold hoop earrings

Hair raising: Her golden locks hung loose at her shoulders and wafted effortlessly in the chilly Sydney breeze

Sam looked happy to be in Anna and Sarah-Mae's company as the trio prepared for a night of celebration.

Anna, who starred in season one of The Bachelor, looked stunning in a black blazer with gold-coloured buttons and a matching pair of black pants.

She finished her ensemble with a pair of peep-toe heels while carrying a black handbag over her right shoulder.

Sydney style: Anna, who starred in season one of The Bachelor, looked stunning in a black blazer with gold-coloured buttons and a matching pair of black pants

Ladies night! She finished her ensemble with a pair of peep-toe heels while carrying a black handbag over her right shoulder

Blonde ambition: With her straight blonde locks falling down her back, Anna smiled widely as she hit the streets with her reality show pals

With her straight blonde locks falling down her back, Anna smiled widely as she hit the streets with her reality show pals.

Sarah-Mae, who also appeared on season one of The Bachelor, looked elegant in a simple, white frock, cut just above the knee, that flaunted her well toned legs.

She also wore a black overcoat to protect her from the chill and accessorised with a pair of black pointed toe heels.

Simple elegance: Sarah-Mae also came dressed to impress in a simple, white frock cut just above the knee that flaunted her well toned legs

Rugged up! She also wore a black overcoat to protect her from the chill and accessorised with a pair of black pointed toe heels

The trio looked to be having a great time on their outing with a fourth friend appearing to have a 'moment' with the stairs out the front of Potts Point cocktail bar The Roosevelt.

As they arrived at the swanky bar and restaurant, the unnamed 'gal-pal' looked to be tripping up the stairs while Anna stood next to her laughing.

Anna did however offer some help, placing her hand on her friend's back for support.

Oops: The trio looked to be having a great time on their outing with a fourth friend appearing to have a 'moment' with the stairs out the front of Potts Point cocktail bar The Roosevelt
She has a lot to be joyful about after her newly released husband Oliver Curtis proposed to her for a second time.

And Sydney's PR queen Roxy Jacenko has spent Saturday with her kids Hunter, three, and Pixie, five, in Sydney's Centennial Park.

The 37-year-old looked ready for a morning of fun activities with her children, dressed in her leggings by Stella McCartney for Adidas.

Jumping for joy? Sydney's PR queen Roxy Jacenko has spent Saturday with her kids Hunter, three, and Pixie, five, in Sydney's Centennial Park

Roxy was spotted getting her photo taken by daughter Pixie as she did a star jump in the air.

She kept the sunlight out of her eyes with a pair of Ray Ban Aviators, and paired the ensemble with light blue trainers and a navy zip up hoodie.

The blonde beauty also played Pixie in the playground's jungle gym where she appeared to have a lot of fun on the flying fox.

The 37-year-old looked ready for a morning of fun activities with her children, dressed in her leggings by Stella McCartney for Adidas

Mummy's turn! The blonde beauty also played Pixie in the playground's jungle gym where she appeared to have a lot of fun on the flying fox

Roxy's core strength clearly came in handy as she flew across to the other side.

However, Pixie didn't seem too impressed as she looked like she wanted to have her turn first.

The family then appeared to go for a stroll in the park, along the designated pedestrian path.

Fit to fly! Roxy's core strength clearly came in handy as she flew across to the other side

Having a bit of fun: However, Pixie didn't seem too impressed as she looked like she wanted to have her turn first

Roxy held Hunter's hand as they walked followed Oliver and Pixie who peddled her bike with training wheels.

At one point the publicist even carried the tot, likely tired from all the fun he hand with his family.

Oliver was recently released from Cooma Correctional Centre after serving 12 months for insider trading.

He recently swept Roxy off her feet after proposing to her for a second time in a romantic set up at a suite in the Four Seasons in Sydney.

Mummy's boy: Roxy held Hunter's hand as they walked followed Oliver and Pixie who peddled her bike with training wheels
Romee Strijd showcased her precipitous legs in a glinting silver miniskirt with an asymmetric hem while out in Manhattan on Friday.

The 22-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel bared a trace of midriff in a top with a white middle and immense, puffed out blue and white striped sleeves.

Gleaming earrings dangled amid the Zoetermeer-born model's blonde hair, and she'd got on a largely camel-colored hat that'd got a walnut brown visor.

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When you got it: Romee Strijd showcased her precipitous legs in a glinting silver miniskirt with an asymmetric hem while out in Manhattan on Friday

Having slid herself into a pair of gleaming tiny black boots, the Dutch bombshell had accessorized with a grey-strapped handbag that was otherwise black and white.

E! News had interviewed Romee alongside fellow Angel Jasmine Tookes in April, and the pair, who've long said they're workout buddies, dished culinary indulgences.

'My guilty pleasure food, 24/7, is pizza,' said Jasmine, whereas Romee's confessed to leaning toward 'sweets a lot. I like chocolate and, like, candies, ice cream.'

Contrast: The 22-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel bared a trace of midriff in a top with a white middle and immense, puffed out blue and white striped sleeves

Accessorizing: Gleaming earrings dangled amid the Zoetermeer-born model's blonde hair, and she'd got on a largely camel-colored hat that'd got a walnut brown visor

Being workout buddies, said Jasmine 'makes it more fun, to do it with your friends, and, like, we do a nice lunch or a brunch before, so, yeah.'

Romee had touched on exercising with Jasmine in an interview with Glamour last year as well, saying it 'Definitely!' helps to have a friend motivate her to work out.

'Sometimes, when I don't feel like working out, she'll push me to go, and the same can be said the other way around!' she confided.

Their meal dates had also come up, as Romee told the magazine: 'It also helps to plan a fun breakfast or lunch after a workout as something to look forward to.'

Romee Strijd walked as a newcomer at the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London, and took her current role as a Victoria's Secret Angel the following year.
She recently posted a sneak peak snap from her glamorous photo shoot for Amcal Pharmacy.

And Rachael Finch shared another photo from the campaign, this time wearing another elegant look.

The 29-year-old took to Instagram on Saturday and uploaded a selfie while posing against a white backdrop.

'Hey there Saturday!' Rachael Finch shared another photo from the campaign, this time in another elegant look

Wearing a baby blue dress by Morrison that featured a black bow on the collar and around the waist, Rachael showed off her slender figure just four months after giving birth.

Rachael looked in her element on the set as her stylist accessorised with earrings from Mimco and bangles from Seed Heritage.

The former Miss Universe Australia captioned her post: 'Baby blue & black bows. Hey there Saturday. On set with @amcal_pharmacy.'

Beauty: The 29-year-old wore a baby blue dress by Morrison that featured a black bow on the collar and around the waist, which accentuated her slender figure

Stunner: She recently posted a sneak peak snap from her glamorous photo shoot for Amcal Pharmacy

One follower complimented her outfit: 'Breathtaking beauty xxoo'

Another praised Rachael's look, saying: 'Wow! This is incredible.'

Meanwhile a fan, who clearly wasn't a fan of her ensemble wrote: 'Look like a maid, why didn't you iron out the creases.'

Fit and fab: She has been showing people how she got her pre-baby body back through her exercise program B.O.D by Rachael Finch

Adroable: The clean living advocate, who is married to her Dancing With The Stars partner Michael Miziner, gave birth to her second child, son Dominic (pictured), in March this year

The clean living advocate, who is married to her Dancing With The Stars partner Michael Miziner, gave birth to her second child, son Dominic, in March this year.

Since then Rachael, who is also mother to three-year-old Violet, has been documenting her healthy and active lifestyle.

The brunette beauty has been showing people how she got her pre-baby body back through her exercise program B.O.D by Rachael Finch.
He was dumped by Sharon Marsh after realising they weren't 'compatible'.

And Married At First Sight's Nick Furphy has been seeking solace in a longtime friend, nursing his wounds with model Cassie Wainwright on Friday night.

The two pals hung out after an earlier report by Woman's Day alleged Sharon had been 'fearful' of Nick's relationship with the pretty brunette.

Seeking solace in a friend? MAFS' Nick Furphy hangs out with longtime pal Cassie Wainwright after being dumped by Sharon Marsh

In a photo shared to Instagram on Saturday, Cassie and Nick pose for the camera together with drinks in hand, the Miss Universe Australia finalist putting an arm affectionately around her friend's neck.

'Awesome little catch up with the A team last night. And i stole the hat off @bayjruno @alexandranation and @luke_forrest,' Nick captioned the photo.

The cosy photo caught the eye of fellow MAFS alum Jesse Konstantinoff, who was quick to comment: 'Moving on already?'

'I soon realised I'm not in love with him': Nick and Sharon revealed they had parted ways, just two months after the blonde beauty moved from Perth to Melbourne to be with her beau

'She's not a partier, she's very down to earth and is looking for someone who is compatible': Twin Michelle told OK! Sharon had dumped Nick because he wasn't ready to start a family

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia both Nick and Cassie confirmed their relationship was simply platonic, with Cassie in a long term relationship.

Meanwhile last week Nick and Sharon revealed they had parted ways, just two months after the blonde beauty moved from Perth to Melbourne to be with her beau.

'I love Nick, but after moving to Melbourne eight weeks ago to be with him, I soon realised I'm not in love with him,' Sharon confessed to New Idea.

Meanwhile twin Michelle told OK! Sharon had dumped Nick because he wasn't ready to start a family.

'She's ready to settle down and have kids. She's not a partier, she's very down to earth and is looking for someone who is compatible and wants all of those things as well,' Michelle explained.

Brokenhearted: Nick told OK! he had been left blindsided by the dumping

Report: In March Woman's Day reported that insiders said Sharon 'might have a reason to be fearful' of Nick's close friendship with longtime pal, Cassie

However Nick told OK! he had been left blindsided by the dumping, saying:'It broke my heart. I started to shake and couldn't believe what I was hearing.'

In March Woman's Day reported that insiders said Sharon 'might have a reason to be fearful' of Nick's close friendship with longtime pal, Cassie.

The publication reported the two had been seen getting 'very cosy' and often go 'partying' together.

Close: The publication says Nick and Cassie (pictured centre and L) have been seen getting 'very cosy' together and that they regularly go out partying

The publication also alleged sources said Nick only went on Married at First Sight to get famous and has the same publicist as former MAFS star Jono Pitman.

Nick's Instagram account features plenty shots of him out with friends and pal Cassie.

In the past Cassie has been determined to set the record straight her relationship with Nick, writing on social media that the two were just friends.

Supportive: It seems Cassie is determined to set the record straight on their relationship, saying it's just platonic
It's been over a year since she split from 'Australia's most hated man', former Bachelor Blake Garvey.

And now Louise Pillidge seems happier than ever in a series of stunning photos shared to her Instagram on Saturday.

Posing with her lookalike brother, Adam, for a mid-flight selfie the 29-year-old looked radiant.

Classic chic: Louise Pillidge, 29, looked happier than ever in pictures shared to her Instagram on Saturday

Louise looked sleek and polished, wearing a full-face of make-up and a white Victorian-style blouse with elegant frill detailing.

Earlier in the day she shared a candid shot of herself in the same outfit, which she captioned 'weekend ready.'

She hinted the siblings were jetting somewhere to celebrate Adam's milestone birthday.

Big weekend ahead: She hinted her and brother, Adam, were jetting somewhere to celebrate his 21st birthday

'Little bro's 21st birthday celebrations start now,' she wrote, followed by two hand-raising emojis and the hashtag '#family'.

Louise was preened to perfection for the occasion, showing off her flawless smokey-eye make-up as she stared at the floor.

Her newly darkened tresses were styled straight and were swept over her shoulder to one side.

New look: Fresh faced Louise is nearly unrecognisable compared to her Bachelor days

The former reality TV star's tiny waist was highlighted by a pair of black skinny jeans, as she stood side-on from the camera.

Since revealing her shocking hair and body transformation last month, the beauty regularly takes to social media to flaunt her new look.

Louise first shot to fame when she competed against 29 other women for the heart of Perth auctioneer Blake Garvey on The Bachelor in 2014.

Transformed: The beauty regularly takes to social media to flaunt her dazzling new look

She eventually placed third, with Blake instead proposing to Sam Frost in the series finale, which was filmed in South Africa.

However, Blake infamously ended their engagement just a few weeks later, dumping Sam during a meeting with The Bachelor producers.

He was later branded a 'love rat' and 'Australia's most hated man' after immediately starting a relationship with Louise, his second runner-up.
She's the Australian model who shot to fame after winning the Girlfriend Magazine Model Search thirteen years ago.

And Samantha Harris was back where it all began on Saturday when she turned out to guest judge the competition's 2017 Sydney leg at Westfield Chatswood.

Samantha looked stunning in a cable-knit blue sweater with a high, loose collar while she flaunted her enviable legs in a thigh-length black mini skirt.

Legs eleven: Samantha Harris flaunted her enviable pins on Saturday when she turned out to guest judge the competition's 2017 Sydney leg at Westfield Chatswood

With her hair parted at the middle and tied at the back, Samantha finished the ensemble with a pair of light brown boots.

The brunette stunner finished her look with a light rose shade for her lip and a subtle application of blush to accentuate her cheekbones.

Samantha looked every bit the returning hero, posing playfully with her hand on her hip at the event.

A model judge: Samantha looked stunning in a cable-knit blue sweater with a high, loose collar while she flaunted her enviable legs in a thigh-length black mini skirt

Playful duo: TV presenter Teigan Nash was also on hand to compare the event alongside fellow television personality Olivia Phyland

TV presenter Teigan Nash was also on hand to compare the event alongside fellow television personality Olivia Phyland.

Wearing almost identical outfits, the pair looked to be in a playful mood as they entertained the throng of modelling hopefuls.

Olivia wore a white jumper, with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of black jeans, a black belt with silver buckles and a fedora-style hat.

Having fun: Wearing almost identical outfits, the pair looked to be in a playful mood as they entertained the throng of modelling hopefuls

Teigan meanwhile matched Olivia's jeans and belt buckle to a T while wearing a white V-neck blouse that she had tucked loosely into her jeans.

Home and Away star Olivia Deeble, who plays Raffy Morrison on the popular soap, was also on hand to watch the festivities.

Olivia wore a sheer long sleeve blouse, pair of high-waisted jeans and a pair of knee high black boots while her flowing flaxen locks cascaded freely down her shoulders.
They've ruffled more than a few feathers with their new romance.

But Jeremy Meeks and Chloe Green made no attempt at keeping their new-found love low-key, as the felon turned model posed in Topshop's LA shop window at The Grove on Friday.

The 33-year-old American's blatant display with the British Topshop heiress, 26, daughter of retail billionaire Sir Philip Green, came as his heartbroken estranged wife Melissa, mother to his seven-year-old son, removed reference to him on her social media bio.

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On the payroll? Jeremy Meeks and Chloe Green made no attempt at keeping their new-found love low-key, as the felon turned model posed in Topshop's LA shop window at The Grove on Friday

Just weeks after separating from stunning mother-of-three Melissa, who stayed with him during his prison stint, Jeremy appeared in the LA Topshop window, watched proudly by Chloe.

Clad in ripped jeans and a coordinating T-shirt, the tattooed clothes horse put his striking looks to work.

And a cackling Chloe joined in on the action, making a big show of pouting at him as they stared at each other through the glass of the shop window.

Gloating: The 33-year-old American's blatant display with the British Topshop heiress, 26, -daughter of Sir Philip Green, came as his heartbroken estranged wife Melissa, mother to his seven-year-old son, removed reference to him on her social media bio

No longer 'Wife of Jerem Meeks': Their display came just days after estranged wife Melissa finally removed reference to Jeremy on her Instagram bio

Once his payroll duties were done, he slipped into a black shirt and slacks, coordinating with a delighted Chloe, who cosied up to him in an LBD.

The duo put on an amorous display for the cameras, posing in front of the shop window together.

And having a stroll around the grove, the billionaire heiress pulled Jeremy in for a kiss on the escalator of the the mall.

Their display came just days after estranged wife Melissa finally removed reference to Jeremy on her Instagram bio.

PDA: Just weeks after separating from stunning mother-of-three Melissa, who stayed with him during his prison stint, Jeremy appeared in the LA Topshop window, watched proudly by Chloe

On the payroll? Clad in ripped jeans and a coordinating T-shirt, the tattooed clothes horse put his striking looks to work

Previously describing herself as 'Wife to Jeremy Meeks' along with a ring emoji, the pretty nurse removed reference to him, keeping the remainder of the bio as 'Blessed beyond belief.. Dedicated to everything I do... Me and my Fam'.

Following revelation of Jeremy's romance with Chloe last month, they were first pictured publicly reuniting at the rooftop pool of a luxury LA hotel last week- the same day of Melissa's birthday.

And they have since made no secret of their union, making numerous public appearances.

During a coffee run on Thursday, the duo were filmed by Back Grid pounding the pavement, and were asked: 'You guys so much in love?' to which Jeremy replied: 'Yes, we are.'

Her living Ken Doll: A cackling Chloe joined in on the action, making a big show of pouting at him as they stared at each other through the glass of the shop window

Jeremy sent shock waves across the internet when pictures emerged of him kissing Chloe Green on a yacht in Turkey last month.

Last week Jeremy filed for legal separation from mother-of-three Melissa, who he shares her youngest son with.

He was married to the 38-year-old nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years.

She later told the Mail of her devastation, admitting that her husband had been seduced by the glamour of his newfound modelling career.

Public: Once his payroll duties were done, he slipped into a black shirt and slacks, coordinating with a delighted Chloe, who cosied up to him in an LBD

I know it takes two to tango but she knew he was married. To me, thats unforgivable. My whole world has been torn apart by this. What do I tell our children? My heart is broken.

What sort of woman would do something like this to another woman? My marriage wasnt perfect but I thought it could be saved, until this happened.

Of course Im angry at her. What she did is unforgivable. And Im angry at him too. What they did destroyed my entire world.

Did either of them think about the children and how this will affect them? Theyre the innocent victims in this. And so am I.

PDA: Having a stroll around the grove, the billionaire heiress pulled Jeremy in for a kiss on the escalator of the the mall

Meeks and Chloe, who is heir to her father Sir Philip's billions, were pictured sharing an intimate kiss last month and snuggling up together as they waited to be taken back to their 112,000-a-week yacht in Bodrum.

At the time he was still with his wife of eight years, who was seemingly unaware of his new romance until pictures surfaced.

And fans quickly turned on the duo, accusing Chloe of breaking up a marriage.

Cheeky: Their display came just days after estranged wife Melissa finally removed reference to Jeremy on her Instagram bio

Chloe was soon forced to delete her Instagram, after followers trolled a gloating post she shared as she snuggled up to married Jeremy.

However she has since returned to the social media site, changing her settings to private.

Meeks too has edited his account, deleting all photographs of him and Melissa, which has not gone down with the fans who fell in love with his good looks after his California mugshot went viral in 2014.

Meeks, whose looks have earned him a huge fan base, made his first official modelling appearance at New York fashion week this year, and has certainly turned his life around in an impressive way since his release from prison.

First contact after the snaps: Melissa is mother to his biological child Jeremy Jr, seven, and Robert, 11, Melissas son from a previous relationship. She also has a daughter, 16-year-old Ellie, and says both stepchildren consider Meeks a father figure

However his journey to stardom hasn't been all smooth-sailing, after he was recently barred from entry to the UK after arriving at London's Heathrow airport from New York.

The California native shot to fame in 2014 when the Stockton Police Department posted his mugshot on their website, following his arrest for gang activity and a misdemeanour charge of resisting/obstructing justice.

The photo promptly went viral, with internet users dubbing him 'the hottest convict ever'.
She's the free-spirited wife of Australian A-lister Chris Hemsworth.

And on Saturday night, Elsa Pataky flaunted her fun side as she took her three-year-old twins to the popular Splendour In The Grass music festival in Byron Bay.

The 41-year-old looked stylish in Kim Kardashian-style braids as she soaked up the sounds with her young children.

Fun times! The 41-year-old looked stylish in Kim Kardashian-style braids as she soaked up the sounds of Splendour In The Grass with her young children

The Spanish stunner also has a third child with Hemsworth, daughter India Rose, but it's unclear if India attended the festival or not.

Elsa's twins appeared to be having a great time at the event, with one of them sitting on her shoulders as they watched one of the many musicians perform.

However, the other twin was spotted sound asleep in the arms of another female, most likely a friend or nanny.

Not a music fan? One of Elsa's twins was sound asleep in the arms of a friend or nanny

Checking in: Elsa leaned in to make sure her sleeping child was safe and sound

Making some adjustments? The Spanish actress played with her belt

The mother-of-three looked like the epitome of style at the festival.

In addition to her edgy Kardashian braids, the actress wore a '70s-style peasant skirt that reached the ground.

She added a vintage tank top, which she wore underneath a floor-length black coat.

Tasty? The tiny tiny tot stuck their fingers in their mouth whilst resting on Elsa's shoulders

All smiles: The actress and model seemed to be enjoying herself at the festival

Enjoying the show? Elsa's kid couldn't keep their eyes off the stage

The starlet also had a coveted AAA pass around her neck, which grants holders access to special areas.

Splendour is known as Australia's biggest and most prestigious music festival, earning comparisons to America's famous Coachella festival.

The festival has only been around since 2001, but has grown in popularity at a rapid rate.

Is everything okay? The blonde bombshell was sure to check in with her child to ensure everything was A-OK
She's the glamorous PR Queen who balances a family life while running several high-profile businesses.

And even though it was Saturday the work didn't stop for Roxy Jacenko, flaunting a new pair of designer heels on her Instagram account.

Although in Sydney, the 37-year-old insinuated she was in Melbourne promoting the exclusive Miss Louise super designer sale.

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Expensive taste: On Saturday, Roxy Jacenko shared her new Sergio Rossi heels purchase on Instagram

'When you just have to have them AND they are on sale @sergiorossi from the @misslouiseboutique,' she captioned.

Posting a short video, Roxy opened up her new package to reveal a pair of designer Sergio Rossi black sandals.

Although the Sydney based PR maven promoted the brand's great deals, fans were quick to question how she managed to buy the shoes as it was strictly an in-store promotion only.

Cravings! 'When you just have to have them AND they are on sale @sergiorossi from the @misslouiseboutique'

Gifted? 'How did you get your hands on those baby's? When it was an in store sale only?'

'How did you get your hands on those baby's? When it was an in store sale only?' questioned one fan.

'That's what I want to know,' added another follower to the initial question.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Roxy for a comment.

Hard working: Earlier in the year, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia that she pays for her designer clothes out her own pocket

She earned it! 'I think a lot of people think that everything I get is for free. But there is something very rewarding about buying it yourself and achieving it yourself'

Earlier in the year, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia that she pays for her designer clothes out her own pocket.

'[It's] all my own,' she revealed.

'I think a lot of people think that everything I get is for free. But there is something very rewarding about buying it yourself and achieving it yourself.'
He's the husband to Australian native Lara Worthington (nee Bingle), 30, and father to Rocket Zot, two, and Racer, nine months.

And on Friday, Sam Worthington was spotted enjoying a boys day out with his sons.

Walking around New York City, the 30-year-old dressed identically to Rocket while pushing Racer in his pram.

Three amigos! And on Friday, Sam Worthington was spotted enjoying a boys day out

Sam donned a casual ensemble for the summer day out in the sunny Big Apple.

Sporting bulging biceps, the actor dressed in a plain black t-shirt and grey track pants.

He added black trainers to his ensemble, and accessorised his look with a pair of sunglasses.

Family time: After the boys day out, Lara was later spotted meeting up with her men when they returned to their New York City pad

Pushing the pram with one hand, he used the other to walk with Rocket across the road.

The adorable tot dressed matching his dad, but opted for a pair of crocs on his feet instead of sneakers.

After the boys day out, Lara was later spotted meeting up with her family when they returned to their New York City pad.

Stunner: The model kept her blonde locks outs and straightened also adding a pair of sunglasses

Keeping stylish, Lara wore denim mom jeans with a loose chambray shirt over the top.

The model kept her blonde locks outs and straightened, also adding a pair of sunglasses to the casual look.

Lara completed her ensemble with a pair of white strappy sandals that featured a low block heel.

Fashionista: Lara completed her look with a pair of white strappy sandals that featured a low block heel




MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- It is said that America's armed forces have been stressed by 16 years of constant warfare, the longest such in the nation's history. For the Air Force, however, the high tempo of combat operations began 26 years ago, with enforcement of the no-fly zone in Iraq after Desert Storm. With an acute pilot shortage, particularly in the fighter pilot community, and with a shortfall approaching 4,000 among maintenance and staffing personnel, the service is, as Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson says, "too small for what the nation expects of it."

At the Air University here at Maxwell Air Force Base, officers are studying what expectations are reasonable. Technological sophistication -- America's and that of near-peer adversaries (Russia and China) -- is changing capabilities. This, and the political and military primitivism of some adversaries (e.g., the Islamic State), are reshaping the environment in which airpower operates, and the purposes of this power. The traditional U.S. approach to warfare -- dominance achieved by mass of force produced by the nation's industrial might -- is of limited relevance.

Gen. Steven L. Kwast, president of the Air University, recalls that Gen. George Marshall, who in 1939 became Army chief of staff, asked a two-star general in the horse cavalry how he planned to adapt to the challenges of tanks and planes. The two-star, who replied that the horses should be carried to the front in trailers so they would arrive rested, was retired in 1942.

Kwast notes that in 1940 the Navy was preparing to devote most of its budget to building the sort of battleships that had been "kings of the sea" since President Theodore Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world. After Pearl Harbor the Navy turned toward aircraft carriers and away from big battleships. Twenty years earlier, Gen. Billy Mitchell had used an airplane to sink a battleship, but changing the trajectory of military thinking, and hence procurement, often requires changing a service's viscous culture.

Kwast wonders: What are the horses and battleships of our age? Some say: Aircraft carriers, because they are too vulnerable to long-range weapons and too expensive for the budget constraints of America's entitlement state. Also, some say, remotely piloted aircraft, aka drones, flown from, say, Nevada are many times cheaper than most manned aircraft, and are capable of loitering over a contested area to conduct "find, fix, finish" missions for up to 48 hours without refueling.

When military airpower was born a century ago, just before World War I, the hope was that it would save casualties by preventing what that war quickly became, a slog of attrition. But in World War II, airpower was used to attack civilians in order to destroy morale and damage the enemy's capacity to wage industrial-era war. Now, says Kwast, war is shaped by the digital networked age, where power does not flow in industrial-age channels. U.S. forces can spend millions to kill one high-value target in Syria, where the enemy, for a few hundred dollars, can recruit 10 men who flow up from entry-level positions.

Only the United States has the capacity to be, as retired Adm. Gary Roughead and Kori Schake say in a Brookings Institution study, "guarantors of the global commons -- the seaways and airways, and now the cyber conduits." Nuclear weapons are still essentially a 70-year-old technology delivered by a 60-year-old technology, ballistic missiles. Before long there will be space-based sensors and directed energy (DE) weapons -- war at the speed of light, 186,000 miles a second. It is preferable to shoot down an enemy's cruise missiles, which cost a few hundred thousand dollars, with space-, ground- and sea-based DE weapons rather than with defensive missile interceptors costing up to $20 million apiece.

The Air University's military intellectuals are impressive enough to be forgiven for using "architect" as a verb: Hitler was defeated using great violence, but it would be better to architect responses to threats by projecting power in ways that are less expensive and much more efficient than even today's precision-guided weapons -- never mind World War II gravity bombs, 80 percent of which fell at least 1,000 feet from their targets.

Viewed from the not-too-distant future, Kwast says, today's Air Force, although it is a century distant from the Flanders trenches, might seem to have dug into the equivalent of trench warfare by operating below the altitude of 70,000 feet. Such thoughts are considered here at a university where "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces" are serious matters.
He is without a doubt one of the most dashing men in Hollywood.

So it's no surprise Orlando Bloom had women swooning over him when he hit the beach while on his sun-soaked getaway in France on Friday afternoon.

The Pirates of the Caribbean hunk, 40, confidently showcased his abs as he basked in the glorious sunshine.

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Feeling hot, hot, hot! Orlando Bloom sizzled in the sun when he hit the beach shirtless on holiday in France on Friday afternoon

The Hollywood heartthrob sported scarlet swimming trunks as he sauntered across the sandy beach barefoot.

The Lord of the Rings actor accessorised with a golden chain which hung low on his muscular chest.

The Troy star pulled off a wet look as he emerged from the sea after he cooled off in the water.

Beach break: The Hollywood heartthrob sported scarlet swimming trunks

Orlando is on holiday with his six-year-old son Flynn, who he shares with his ex-wife Miranda Kerr.

As for romance, the hunk has been flying solo since his high-profile romance with songstress Katy Perry came to an end in March earlier this year.

Their relationship courted a lot of attention when he was seen paddle-boarding naked on holiday with the I Kissed A Girl hitmaker in Sardinia in August last year.

Star-studded: While in France, Orlando is taking some well-earned time off from promoting Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (pictured in Los Angeles in 2017)

Describing their relationship now, he told Elle UK: 'Were friends, its good. Were all grown up. She happens to be someone who is very visible, but I dont think anybody cares about what Im up to.

'Nor should they. Its between us. Its better to set an example for kids and show that breakups dont have to be about hate.'

Since their amicable split, he has been throwing himself into his high-flying acting career.

While in France, Orlando is taking some well-earned time off from promoting the fifth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales.

The actor is set to return to the big screen again in the action film S.M.A.R.T. Chase, due out for release this year.
She's the Australian lawyer turned model who boasts 1.9 million Instagram followers.

And on Saturday, Pia Muehlenbeck took to the social media to share a racy selfie of herself merely in a bra.

Posing in the skimpy undergarment, the 26-year-old flaunted her ample cleavage while flashing her big signature smile.

Flaunting her assets: On Saturday, Pia Muehlenbeck took to the social media to share a racy selfie of herself merely in a bra

'So happy to be in my homeland Germany!' she captioned the busty shot.

'The first meet and greet was crazy! Check my Insta story! Next one is at 4:30pm! See you then!' she wrote adding a heart emoji.

Donning bronzed and luminous skin, the model posed in front of a bright yellow wall.

Stunner: Pouting her lips, the stunner showcased her enviable taut abs in the sexy shoot

Beauty: Pia kept her brunette hair in loose waves and her makeup minimal

Pia kept her brunette hair in loose waves and her makeup minimal, with a hint of blush and a peachy glow of eye shadow.

Tagging the brand of lingerie she is wearing in the photo, the shoot was for lingerie company Bras N Things.

Earlier in the week, the Slinkii activewear entrepreneur shared another shot from the collaboration.

Happy: Earlier in the week, the Slinkii activewear entrepreneur shared another shot from the collaboration

Pouting her lips, the stunner showcased her enviable taut abs in the sexy shoot.

'It feels like I'm not wearing a bra at all,' she captioned the racy image, endorsing her choice of lingerie in the process.

She added: 'It's so light and breathable. Highly recommend this one.'
She's the Australian beauty who's daily bikini snaps have earned her 1.9 million Instagram followers.

Now, Natasha Oakley, 26, has attributed her success to the positive body standards she believes her scantily-clad snaps set for others.

'I am a curvaceous woman,' she told Stellar this week, claiming that her decision to proudly flaunt her frame has helped fans with their own self-confidence.

'I am a curvaceous woman': Australian bikini model Natasha Oakley, 26, has attributed her success to the positive body standards she believes her scantily-clad snaps set for others

The busty beauty runs the popular blog A Bikini A Day, alongside her equally genetically blessed best friend Devin Brugman.

'I think a lot of people have had new-found confidence within themselves from seeing what we do,' Natasha told the publication, who corroborated her claim.

'One of the reasons they have struck a chord with their audience is that they avoid showcasing rail-thin models in their work,' Stellar explained.

And while the reward of instilling other 'curvaceous' women with the confidence to follow in her footsteps has been great, it's not all fun in the sun.

1.9 million followers can't be wrong! The wildly popular Instagram sensation added: 'I think a lot of people have had new-found confidence within themselves from seeing what we do'

'They avoid showcasing rail-thin models': The busty beauty runs the popular blog A Bikini A Day, alongside her equally genetically blessed best friend Devin Brugman

Natasha explained that while fans may only see her in barely-there outfits, a majority of her time is spent sitting behind her laptop, tending to business.

She owns and runs both a swimwear and activewear company, titled Monday Swimwear and Monday Active respectively.

And to cap-off an amazing-yet-busy year, she was announced as the new face of Bonds underwear this month.

More than meets the eye! Natasha also explained that while fans may only see her in barely-there outfits, a majority of her time is spent sitting behind her laptop, tending to business

Busy beauty! She owns and runs both a swimwear and activewear company, titled Monday Swimwear and Monday Active respectively

The news broke via her Instagram account, alongside picture of herself in a salon chair wearing one of the company's matching white underwear sets.

Natasha looked relaxed in the shot, reclining in a chair in nothing but her underwear, while two male stylists worked on her hair and makeup.

The stunning model captioned the photo, 'So excited to be the new face of Australia's most iconic underwear brand.'

She seemed to be taking a fairly casual approach to her new gig, seen taking it easy, with her long, lean legs up on the bench in front of her.
He's the Hollywood hunk who ditched the glitz and glam to relocate his young family back home to Australia.

But on Saturday, Chris Hemsworth, 33, appeared to be away from his brood travelling to San Diego's annual Comic Con via private jet with a few friends.

And it seemed as though his wife Elsa Pataky, 41, wasn't too fazed by his boys trip, making her own memories at the Byron Bay festival, Splendour in the Grass.

Party time! On Saturday, Chris Hemsworth travelled to San Diego's Comic Con festival

'Coming in hot "comic_con !! #thorragnarok,' he captioned.

Posing with his hands in the air fans were quick to swoon over the Thor actor and his crew.

Dressing comfortably for the flight, Chris wore a grey t-shirt with black track pants.

Manners first: But before getting the party started, the former Home And Away star took a moment to thank his stunt man Bobby Dazzler as he celebrated the end of filming for his new film Ragnarok

Seeing double! 'That's the wrap on the worlds greatest stunt man @bobbydazzler,'

Packing a little bit of Australia with him, the star was seen wearing thongs.

But before getting the party started, the former Home And Away star took a moment to thank his stunt man Bobby Dazzler as he celebrated the end of filming for his new film Ragnarok.

'That's the wrap on the worlds greatest stunt man @bobbydazzler,' he said.

Party on! Back home in Australia, mum-of-three Elsa was having a celebration of her own

Cool mum: Attending the outdoor music festival with her children, she looked stylish in Kim Kardashian inspired braids

Stunner: Pairing a maxi skirt with a cropped Queen t-shirt, to boho chic stunned alongside some girlfriends and the Kiel's pre-festival party

'Thanks for not lettin me die most days on set and for making me look super cool #legend.'

Back home in Australia, mum-of-three Elsa was having a celebration of her own at a popular music event.

Attending the outdoor music festival with her children, she looked stylish in Kim Kardashian inspired braids.

Pairing a maxi skirt with a cropped Queen t-shirt, to boho chic stunned alongside some girlfriends and the Kiel's pre-festival party.
Kylie Minogue is one of the world's most successful pop artists.

And this week marked the 30th anniversary since the release of her very first single, 'Locomotion.'

The 49-year-old took to Instagram over the weekend to share a photo of the song's album artwork, and to share a celebratory caption about how far she's come.

Has it been that long? Kylie Minogue shared a throwback photo to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her debut single 'Locomotion'

'My cover of #Locomotion was released 30 years ago yesterday in Australia,' she wrote.

'What a journey it has been since then and here I am once again recording music!'

She continued: 'If I was to tell the girl in these photos what was to come, how much she would love and become part of the industry, the lessons she would learn, who she would meet, the experiences she would have along the way and...

'What a journey it has been since then and here I am once again recording music!' wrote the 49-year-old

'Well, how could I even put that into words.'

She finished: 'Thank you #lovers for being there for me throughout!'

In addition to sharing the single artwork, Kylie also posted some screenshots from the iconic 'Locomotion' music video.

Flashback: In addition to sharing the single artwork, Kylie also posted some screenshots from the iconic 'Locomotion' music video

Smash hit: The pop track, produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, hit No. 1 on Australia's singles chart and stayed there for seven weeks

'Locomotion' was released in Australia in 1987.

The pop track, produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, hit No. 1 on Australia's singles chart and stayed there for seven weeks.

It was later released in America, where it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
She split from her Love Island boyfriend Luis Morrison after the couple welcomed baby Vienna.

And Cally Jane Beech, 25, took to Instagram to show her ex what he was missing on his 23rd birthday when she posted a series of sexy swimwear snaps on Saturday.

The reality star flaunted her incredibly slender physique in a plunging canary scantily-clad swimsuit while holidaying in Ibiza - just two months after giving birth.

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Wow: Cally Jane Beech, 25, took to Instagram to show her ex what he was missing on his 23rd birthday when she posted a series of sexy swimwear snaps on Saturday

Little to the imagination: Cally also flaunted her peachy derriere in thong-style bikini bottoms

Showing off her best assets, the brunette beauty teased a glimpse of her ample assets in the plunging zip-up neckline.

The television sensation swept her brunette tresses into a top knot bun, scraped off her face to show off her pretty makeup-free features.

Cally also left little to the imagination in thong-style bikini bottoms which showcased her peachy derriere.

Teasing her legion of loyal followers, she went topless in the snap as she let her glossy brunette tresses trail down her back.

She looked utterly relaxed as she enjoyed her break away and appeared to put the drama of the break up behind her.

Stunning: The reality star flaunted her incredibly slender physique in a plunging canary scantily-clad swimsuit just two months after giving birth

Sun soaked: The beauty looked utterly relaxed as she enjoyed her glorious getaway to Ibiza

Revealed: The rising starlet appeared to put her heartache behind her following her recent split

It comes after the news the reality star moved out of the home she shared with her beau.

She took their baby daughter with them who she has made her 'main priority'.

The duo are now residing at her mother's house after having her relationship hit by 'cheating' claims.

All over: She has just moved out of the home which she shared with her ex

A representative for Cally confirmed her split from Luis in a statement to new! magazine.

It read: 'Callys really upset that she and Luis have split up.

'She needs some time to get her head around it all. She and Vienna have moved out of the home she shared with Luis and shes back with her mum... her main priority is Vienna.

'Cally doesn't want to speak to anyone at the moment. Her main priority is Vienna'

New parents: Their break up comes just two months after the duo welcomed their first child together, daughter Vienna

'Really upset': A representative for Cally confirmed her split from Luis in a statement to The Sun that read: 'Callys really upset... she needs time to get her head around it all'

She and Luis had sparked speculation that all was not well with their romance by both posting cryptic tweets at the beginning of July.

The model had posted on Twitter: 'If you u love something let it go ... only then will you really know.'

Her tweet didn't go unnoticed by her 87,000 followers, with many concerned fans sending Cally messages of support.

One had responded: 'When you have a baby, it's the hardest time for any couple. Don't give up.'

Another added: 'Are you and luis ok?'

Moving out: They added that the model has left the home she shares with him and is now living at her mother's house with their daughter Vienna

Rumour mill: Cally tweeted 'If you u love something let it go' sparking concern among her followers that she and Luis had called it quits earlier this month

Just the day before, Luis found himself at the centre of claims he had been 'unfaithful' after posting himself on the social media site: 'The grass is never greener.'

Cally added further fuel the fire as she swiftly responded: 'N u already know this,' followed by a thumbs up emoji.

She has also deleted any reference to Luis from her Instagram page.

Mail Online have contacted a representative for Cally. A representative for Luis has also been contacted.

The couple's relationship hasn't been smooth sailing in recent months, with Cally admitting in an earlier interview with the same publication that she and Luis didn't speak for two weeks prior to her going into labour in May.

Cryptic: Cally posted the mysterious tweet on Saturday after previously admitting the couple's relationship had been placed under strain

Further fuel to the fire: Luis posted a cryptic tweet of his own saying 'the grass is never greener'

Swift response: Cally was quick to respond to Luis' comment 'n u already know this'

New arrival: The couple announced their pregnancy in October last year with Vienna arriving on May 7

During the interview, Cally was honest about her first experience of motherhood, revealing that fierce arguments with Luis half way through her pregnancy contributed to the unsettling time.

'I think we took on a lot at the same time,' she explained of the tense second half of her pregnancy. 'You know at the start of the relationship you have a honeymoon period - I want that all the time.

'I feel like that kind of affection had gone out of the window because he was so busy with his business. It was a shock for me really. I mean he's been really good since but he knows what I want in the relationship. I want the Lu I was in love with on Love Island that was crazy about me.'

She went onto explain that the stress of moving to a new house near Leeds in January and Luis starting a business as the director of Celebrity Cars contributed to the arguments, which ultimately led Cally to decide to stay with her mum two weeks before the birth, admitting the couple needed a break.

Loved up: The couple had appeared rock solid since starting their relationship in 2015

Devoted dad: The couple regularly share sweet snaps of themselves with their daughter

'We weren't really talking before I went into labour - I just didn't want it to turn into another argument,' she said. 'It was only about two weeks that we weren't speaking. I said "I'll just call you if I go into labour."'

In the end Luis was by Cally's side throughout her gruelling 32 hour labour which resulted in an emergency caesarean when Vienna's heart rate plummeted.

They had revealed they welcomed a baby girl named Vienna on May 7, penning on Instagram: 'The most amazing day and feeling ever. When 2 became 3.'

Just last month, Luis was seen gushing over Cally on his Instagram page, suggesting the duo had managed to get things back on track. Commenting on his former flame, he had said: 'Imagine looking like this 4 weeks after your traumatic pregnancy! Absolute milf.'

Cally had been very vocal about her experience of giving birth and spoke candidly of her gruelling route to parenthood - voicing her dismay on social media as she questioned the modern day 'labour procedures' shortly after Vienna's arrival.

Welcoming their daughter: They had revealed they welcomed a baby girl named Vienna on May 7, penning on Instagram: 'The most amazing day and feeling ever. When 2 became 3'

Difficult nine months: The star has previously spoken out about her 'traumatic pregnancy'

The mother-of-one shared a note reading: 'Just wanted to say Hull women's at Children hospital midwifes and student nurses was absolutely fantastic with me from the moment I went into labour couldn't be more grateful they never left my side...

'However I can't get something off my brain and i need to say I definitely do not agree with today's labour procedures at all, a woman knows her own body and if I didn't listen to mine my labour result could have been a whole lot worse and Iv thought about this every time I look at my baby.

'I find it actually upsetting to talk about my labour with my mum and luis who had to experience it with me and that's really sad at such a special time (sic)'.

Where it all began: Cally was reunited with former flame Luis on Love Island's first rebooted season in 2015 and the pair instantly became a couple once more

Cally had been reunited with Luis on Love Island's first rebooted season that played out onscreen in 2015.

Luis had chosen Cally out from a group of potential female islanders to have her join the villa as a late addition, explaining the pair had met previously but never had the opportunity to let their romance blossom.

Soon after her entry, the pair became a couple once more and their relationship appeared to go from strength to strength. They had announced they were expecting their first child together in October last year.
Rob Kardashian returned to social media on Friday night for the first time since his 'revenge porn' attack on ex Blac Chyna.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star shared a super sweet photo of his eight-month-old daughter Dream playing in a ball pit.

Dream, who Rob shares with Chyna, looks up at the camera while sitting in a pink play pen wearing a grey onesie.

Daddy duty: Rob Kardashian returned to Twitter on Friday to share this adorable photo of his eight-month-old daughter Dream

The 30-year-old KUWTK star is keeping a low profile since launching a revenge porn attack on his ex Blac Chyna earlier this month

Rob didn't caption the snap but it's the first photo he has shared since he launched an assault on Chyna in a series of explicit images and posts earlier this month.

Just under two weeks ago Chyna, 29, was granted a temporary restraining order against Rob ordering him to stay away from his ex fiancee and banning him from sharing intimate photos.

Rob had angrily posted a series of Instagram images - including nude photos of Chyna - accusing his ex of cheating on him with multiple men, taking drugs and drinking too much, among other allegations.

Chyna responded by enlisting the services of attorney Lisa Bloom who recently helped another celebrity victim of revenge porn, Mischa Barton.

E! News revealed that Rob is now receiving counselling following the incident and has apologized to his family for his actions.

Baby mama: While Rob was on daddy duty Blac Chyna was living it up in Miami with her new boyfriend Mechie

All eyes on her: The former stripper enjoyed the VIP section of the Mynt club

Late night: The duo packed on the PDA in the lobby of their hotel at 4.30AM

'Rob did apologize to the family and has major regrets over the way he acted,' a source told E! 'He is very remorseful and upset with himself over what he did.'

The insider said that Rob realizes his actions were impulsive and that he wants to be better for his daughter.

Instagram deactivated Rob's account following his tirade and the Arthur George sock designer then posted similar images on Twitter which he deleted shortly after.

Both parties are due to meet in court once again in August.

'There's no excuse and he is taking responsibility. He also realizes that there could be consequences and that he won't be able to see Dream. That is what's most important to him and not being able to be with her is what scares him the most,' another source told E!.

Mother-of-two: Chyna also shares four-year-old King Cairo (pictured) with ex Tyga

Meanwhile Chyna was lapping up the attention as she stepped out with her new man, a rapper named Mechie, in Miami on Friday night.

The mother-of-two, who also shares a son with rapper Tyga, wore a pink tinted wig to match her pink outfit as she enjoyed the VIP section of Mynt nightclub.

The former stripper showed off the results of her recent grueling workouts and weight-loss surgery in the super tight ensemble.

Rob and Chyna were together from the beginning of 2016 to just after their daughter Dream was born in November.
She's been flaunting her new relationship with rapper Mechie.

And Blac Chyna put on a very public display of affection with the 24-year-old as she hit up a club in Miami on Friday.

The 29-year-old former stripper's new beau could hardly keep his hands to himself after she made a paid appearance at Mynt Lounge in Miami.

Night out: Blac Chyna hit up a club in Miami on Friday

Smooch: Blac Chyna put on a very public display of affection with the 24-year-old after they hit up a club

The ex-girlfriend of Rob Kardashian - with whom she shares daughter Dream - put on a busty display in a plunging blush lace outfit.

Blac - whose real name is Angela White - showcased her plethora of tattoos in the form-fitting, midriff-flashing mini two-piece.

Posing for Instagram pictures on a bed, Blac immodestly captioned herself: 'Pretty'.

She was sporting yet another brand new hair do - possibly one of her many wigs - which was a long straight pale pink ombre.

Wrapped up: The 29-year-old former stripper's new beau could hardly keep his hands to himself after she made a paid appearance at Mynt Lounge in Miami

PDA! Mechie was seen with his hands wandering over the Lashed owner's ample derriere, as they cavorted in the foyer of their hotel

Multi-tasker: He had his hand on her backside as he checked his phone

Bottoms up! Blac showcased her figure as the couple returned to their hotel together

Mechie was seen with his hands wandering over the Lashed owner's ample derriere, as they cavorted in the foyer of their hotel.

On Thursday, Chyna shared a picture of her boyfriend sporting a tattoo of her initials 'BC'.

The mother-of-two was seen making the appearance at the nightclub thanks to Joanna Krupa's estranged-husband Romain Zago.

Eye popping: The ex-girlfriend of Rob Kardashian - with whom she shares daughter Dream - put on a busty display in a plunging blush lace outfit

Tat's all: Blac - whose real name is Angela White - showcased her plethora of tattoos in the form-fitting, midriff-flashing mini two-piece

Hanging out: On Thursday, Chyna shared a table with her boyfriend - who she revealed on Thursday was sporting a tattoo of her initials 'BC'

Hair flick: She was sporting yet another brand new hair do - possibly one of her many wigs - which was a long straight pale pink ombre

New beau: The couple were spotted at the club together

Keeper: Blac kept her eyes on the champagne which was being opened while Mechie checked out the room

Night out: Mechie took a seat on the gold banquette while Chyna sipped her drink

New beau: She only had eyes for her younger man

Blac and club promoter Romain cosied up for the cameras, as he planted a kiss on the mother-of-two.

Meanwhile, Rob Kardashian made his return to social media as he was home looking after their daughter Dream.

The 30-year-old sock entrepreneur - who boasts Kim as his older sister - shared a picture to Twitter of the 8-month-old in a ball pit.

In the pink: Blac put on a display for Mechie, who appeared to be taking her photo on his phone

Puckered up: The mother-of-two was seen making the appearance at the nightclub thanks to Joanna Krupa's estranged-husband Romain Zago who showed his appreciation

Kiss: The reality television hangers on were seen hanging out

Cuddling up: She had her arm around joanna Krupa's estranged husband

All smiles: Romain looked delighted with the attention Blac was bringing at the club

Dream looks very content as she sits in a grey onesie among multi-coloured balls.

He appears to still have his Instagram account disabled, after posting revenge porn in a tirade against his baby mamma earlier this month.

Mechie - whose real name is Demetrius Harris - is the same man who was seen in a lusty video shared by Rob, which he explained had been sent to him by his ex-girlfriend.

Look at me! Posing for Instagram pictures on a bed, Blac immodestly captioned herself: 'Pretty'

Book worm: She posed pretending to read a book

Curves: Blac made sure her ample backside was the focus in her Instagram post

On July 5 Kardashian attacked Chyna on Instagram by sharing nude photos of her and also claiming she slept with eight men in one month (Mechie was one of them he said).

He also claimed that he paid for $100K of surgery for Chyna to get her body back in shape post-birth.

She has since taken out a restraining order on him.

Dad duties: Meanwhile, Rob Kardashian made his return to social media as he was home looking after their daughter Dream

Love split: Rob and Chyna had a bitter fall out earlier this month (pictured May 28)

The black sheep of the Kardashian family has been in hiding since his blunder which could land him in jail and cost him a $40,000 fine.

Blac also has son King with ex-boyfriend Tyga - who was Rob's sister Kylie Jenner's on-off boyfriend for years.

Tyga gave a radio interview on Thursday where he said he warned Rob about Chyna, saying she was hard to handle.

Back at it! The couple barely came up for air as they splashed some cash at Bal Harbor mall on Saturday
They have 25 number one singles between them.

And fans got to enjoy one after another in San Francisco as Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie kicked off their epic All The Hits tour on Friday night.

The dual legends played the first of their 22 planned shows together to a packed crowd at the Oracle Arena in Oakland.

We belong together! Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie kicked off epic All The Hits tour together with magical performance in San Francisco on Friday night

Looking sprightly after shaking off the knee surgery that delayed the start of the tour, 68-year old Lionel rocked through his amazing solo catalog, as well as some favorites from his Commodores years.

Fans were on their feet for Penny Lover, Dancing On The Ceiling, All Night Long, Brick House, and of course, Hello.

Mariah meanwhile, who is responsible for 18 of those number ones, smashed it out of the park with her own three-decade spanning hit list.

Awesome: The dual legends played the first of their 22 planned shows together to a packed crowd at the Oracle Arena in Oakland

Legend: Looking sprightly after shaking off the knee surgery that delayed the start of the tour, 68-year old Lionel rocked through his amazing solo catalog, as well as some favorites from his Commodores years

Is it me you're looking for? Fans were on their feet for Penny Lover, Dancing On The Ceiling, All Night Long, Brick House, and of course, Hello

What a feeling: Lionel and Mariah are set to cross the United States over the next two months, hitting San Diego, LA, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Chicago, dipping into Canada for three shows

The diva soared through Hero, Touch My Body, Vision Of Love, Always Be My Baby, Heartbreaker, It's Like That, Shake It Off and many more.

Mariah also treated fans to a number of sexy outfits during the show, including an elegant floor-length scarlet gown, and a figure-hugging short leather dress.

Mariah's biggest fan - boyfriend Bryan Tanaka, got up close and personal with her in an Instagram selfie she posted after the show.

Getting ready: The diva soared through Hero, Touch My Body, Vision Of Love, Always Be My Baby, Heartbreaker, It's Like That, Shake It Off and many more

'Love you so much': Mariah's biggest fan - boyfriend Bryan Tanaka, got up close and personal with her in an Instagram selfie she posted after the show

'Had a wonderful 1st show! #AllTheHits #BayArea #PiP Love you so much!,' she captioned the romantic shot in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Lionel and Mariah are set to cross the United States over the next two months, hitting San Diego, LA, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Chicago, dipping into Canada for three shows.

The final show takes place on September 5 in Seattle.
She's the model and television presenter who welcomed a baby boy last Monday, with husband Dane Rumble.

And in an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Nikki Phillips gushed over motherhood and finally revealed the baby name.

'He just suited Jett, which was a name we both favoured from the beginning,' the 33-year-old said, before adding: 'motherhood is certainly the most incredible thing I have ever experienced.'

'It's the most incredible thing I have ever experienced': Nikki Phillips, 33, gushed over motherhood and revealed the name chosen for her first child with husband Dane Rumble, in Sunday's The Daily Telegraph

'We were in such a love bubble, we only got around to actually naming him on the second day,' Nikki told the publication.

'He just suited Jett, which was a name we both favoured from the beginning.

'Motherhood is certainly the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I'm learning every day, doubting myself every minute and loving the unconditional love that fills your heart every second of every day,' the New Zealand-born personality continued.

Bundle of joy: Nikki and Dane welcomed their first child last Monday, son Jett Phillips Rumble

Last Monday, Nikki and partner Dane, welcomed son Jett into the world.

Confirming the happy news via Instagram that evening, the blonde beauty told her 78,500 followers: 'Our handsome little man is here... born 17.07.17 at 8.47am weighing 3.5kg and height 53.5cm (yup has my legs)'.

Nikki added: 'We are so smitten and all doing well. Thank you to my amazing Insta fam for all your loving messages. We feel extremely blessed and our hearts are exploding.

'No name yet, just taking it all in!', she continued, before tagging Dane and adding the hash tags, 'baby boy' and 'birthday boy'.

Joyous event: The New Zealand model and TV presenter confirmed the happy news via Instagram that her first baby had arrived on Monday evening

The baby is something of a miracle for the couple.

Nikki previously said she was overjoyed to conceive, having been warned it may be difficult after she was treated for stage three cervical cancer.

Doctors discovered cancerous cells in 2009 after Nikki had a routine pap smear and they were later removed.

Nikki met Dane while undergoing post-operative testing for the cancer and has said he was 'amazing' throughout the ordeal.

'It's no Beyonce post but our best adventure yet is on its way': After two years of trying, the couple announced their pregnancy news on Instagram in February

In March this year, the Kiwi beauty revealed on The Morning Show she had suffered three miscarriages before her son was conceived.

'There are so many things that can go wrong, from fertility to IVF, to miscarriages... it's such a journey,' she said.

Nikki married jewellery designer Dane in Bali, Indonesia in 2014.

The couple, who are both from New Zealand, first met at a Jamiroquai concert where Dane was the opening act.

Miracle baby: Nikki has previously battled cervical cancer after being diagnosed following a routine pap test. Pictured with husband Dane Rumble in August 2016

After two years of trying, the pair announced their pregnancy news on Instagram in February when Nikki was four months pregnant.

In the post, the couple were pictured holding hands and a pair of baby sneakers.

'It's no Beyonce post but our best adventure yet is on its way,' she wrote in the caption.

'Baby Phillips Rumble is due early July and we are beyond excited, slightly terrified but utterly blessed'.

Nikki added: 'We can not wait to meet our little miracle. I've always dreamed of being a mother, but never knew it could be'.

Glowing! Nikki shared her pregnancy journey with her 78,500 Instagram followers and has been showing off her baby bump in an array of stylish maternity outfits in recent months

Nikki shared her journey with her Instagram followers, regularly documenting how her body was changing.

She seemed to effortlessly transition into pregnancy style, showing off her baby bump in an array of stylish maternity outfits.

Nikki has previously said she will be in no rush to bounce back to her pre-pregnancy frame following the birth of her son.

'There is a lot of pressure but at the same time I'm just going to listen to my body. My main focus is my baby,' she said.
The public learned on March 10, 2015, that Hillary Clinton had more than 60,000 emails on her private email system, and that she had turned over "about half" of them to the State Department and destroyed the rest, which she said were "personal" and "not in any way related" to her work as secretary of state.

The public learned later the lengths to which Clinton went to make sure the "personal" emails were completely and permanently deleted. Her team used a commercial-strength program called BleachBit to erase all traces of the emails, and they used hammers to physically destroy mobile devices that might have had the emails on them. The person who did the actual deleting later cited legal privileges and the Fifth Amendment to avoid talking to the FBI and Congress.

Clinton's lawyer, David Kendall, told Rep. Trey Gowdy, chairman of the House Benghazi Committee, that investigators could forget about finding any of those emails. Sorry, Trey, he said; they're all gone.

Still, there were people who did not believe that Clinton's deleted emails, all 30,000-plus of them, were truly gone. What is ever truly gone on the internet? And what if Clinton were not telling the truth? What if she deleted emails covering more than just personal matters? In that event, recovering the emails would have rocked the 2016 presidential campaign.

So if there were an enormous trove of information potentially harmful to a presidential candidate just sitting out there -- what opposing campaign wouldn't want to find it?

There have been recent reports that last summer a Republican named Peter W. Smith made some sort of effort to find the missing Clinton emails, getting in touch with hackers, some of whom may have been Russian. But nothing came of it, and no evidence has emerged that Smith was connected to the Trump campaign. (The 81-year-old Smith later committed suicide, apparently distraught over failing health.)

In a recent phone conversation, Corey Lewandowski, the Trump campaign manager who was fired on June 20, 2016, said he never heard of or communicated with Smith, and wasn't aware of any effort to find the missing Clinton emails.

"I never solicited, or asked anybody to solicit or find a way to get these potential emails," Lewandowski said. "And to the best of my knowledge, nobody [in the campaign] did either."

Still, Lewandowski added that, "In the world of cybersecurity, it's fairly well known that when you delete emails, they're not gone."

Another former top Trump aide said that was a common view in the campaign. "The feeling was that they [the emails] must exist somewhere," the former aide said, "because once something is digital, it's never truly gone."

"Trump believes that," the aide added. Still, the aide also said he had never heard of Smith, and didn't know of any effort to find the emails.

Both Lewandowski and the other former aide stressed the greatest political value of the missing emails, as far as Trump was concerned, was that they gave Trump a way to "poke" and "troll" his Democratic opponent. The Clinton team was BleachBitting and swinging hammers to smash devices -- and she says everything was on the up and up, that she has nothing to hide? Candidate Trump could riff on that all day.

But at least one high-ranking Trump team member apparently did believe the missing Clinton emails still existed. In August 2016, Gen. Michael Flynn, then the Trump campaign's top national security adviser, discussed the emails with a conservative radio host named John B. Wells.

"Does somebody have the 30,000?" Flynn asked. "The likelihood somebody has all of those emails, at a nation-state level, meaning Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or even other countries, or some other large hacktivist group, like the WikiLeaks group that we know exists -- the likelihood is very high, and I'm talking, like, better than 95 percent."

Which leads to a question. Would it have been appropriate for the Trump campaign to try to find the emails? After all, the emails were under congressional subpoena, under FBI investigation, of intense public interest, and a potentially explosive issue in the presidential campaign. What opposing campaign wouldn't want to know what was in them?

Talking with a number of veteran Republican operatives, the answer is: Yes, of course, the campaign would want to know what was in the emails. More importantly, they would want the emails to become public. But the campaign wouldn't want to touch them, would want no fingerprints on them.

None would have met with Russians, as Donald Trump Jr. did in June 2016, because they would want nothing to do with shady people offering information. (That information was not, as far as we know, related to Clinton's emails.) But the operatives would have searched for a third-party, arm's-length way to get the information to the media.

"You can get easily burned with bad info," said one operative. "This is why everyone outsources research."

And that is what baffles some of them about what Trump Jr. did. Why put the campaign's fingerprints -- and palm prints and footprints, too -- on such a sketchy enterprise? Terrible political judgment is not against the law. If it were, the operatives suggested, the Trump team would be guilty, guilty, guilty.
Her stunning looks have cemented her position as the youngest Victoria's Secret model ever, at the tender age of 19.

And Taylor Hill, 21, looked more loved up than ever with her beau Michael Stephen Shank, 31, as they joined friends for a boat day in Saint-Tropez on Saturday.

Leaving the swanky French hotspot of Club 55, Taylor joined her swimsuit clad model friend Daphne Groeneveld and others for a fun day out.

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Loved up: Taylor Hill, 21, looked more loved up than ever with her beau Michael Stephen Shank, 31, as they joined friends for a boat day in Saint-Tropez on Saturday

Taylor wore a sweet white bustier style top for the outing, and showed off her model figure in a sweet blue skirt by Related.

She left her brunette tresses in loose waves, and slipped a pair of shades over her eyes.

Daphne, 22, looked sensational in a red swimsuit, which clung to her slender frame, and tied her wet hair back into a bun.

Sizzling: Leaving the swanky French hotspot of Club 55, Taylor joined her swimsuit clad model friend Daphne Groeneveld and others for a fun day out

Stylish: Taylor wore a sweet white bustier style top for the outing, and showed off her model figure in a sweet blue skirt by Related

Sun chaser: She left her brunette tresses in loose waves, and slipped a pair of shades over her eyes

Fun day out: Daphne, 22, looked sensational in a red swimsuit, which clung to her slender frame, and tied her wet hair back into a bun

Climbing out: She hoisted herself out of the sea by using the boat ladder

Shower break: Daphne rinsed herself of saltwater while displaying her 'Saturday' emblazoned swimsuit

The Jean Paul Gaultier model was seen to have fun as she jumped into the sea and larked around with friends on the boat.

Colorado-raised Taylor has had a busy time of late, as she travelled to London for the launch of her own denim collection Taylor Hill x Joe's Jeans earlier this month.

She recently opened up about how much she enjoyed the designing process, in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.

Having fun: The Jean Paul Gaultier model was seen to have fun as she jumped into the sea and larked around with friends on the boat

Swan dive: She screamed as she jumped off the boat

Going in: Daphne looked graceful as she entered the crystal clear waters

'I really loved it,' the model enthused. 'I thought it was something different.

'As a model, you dont really get to see this part, and I thought it was really cool to be a part of the process, and have an input, and make it my own.'

She revealed that she had brought Pinterest images and moodboards along to creative meetings.

And Taylor also returned to her natural modelling habitat for the line, appearing in the campaign images, shot by famed fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti.

Chilled: Taylor relaxed on her phone

Taking it in: She looked stylish in a black hat while taking photos

Squad: Taylor and her friends all appeared to enjoy themselves

Cruise control: They hopped onto a speedboat

Sea day: The group all looked stylish for their day out

Embrace: Taylor looked loved up with Michael as they shared an embrace
A picture taken on September 9, 2016 shows a general view of Muslim pilgrims from all around the world circling around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, in the Saudi city of Mecca

Saudi Arabia said Thursday that Qataris wanting to perform this year's hajj will be authorised to enter the kingdom for the pilgrimage, despite a diplomatic spat between the two countries.

In a statement, the Saudi hajj ministry said Qataris and residents of the Gulf emirate could join the pilgrimage as they were already "electronically registered for the hajj" and they had the necessary permits from Riyadh and Doha.

But the ministry has imposed restrictions on Qatari pilgrims arriving by plane, saying they must use airlines in agreement with the Saudi authorities.

They also needed to get visas on arrival in Jeddah or Medina, their sole points of entry in the kingdom, the ministry added.

The hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once in a lifetime, is to take place this year at the beginning of September.

Saudi Arabia and its allies Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties and imposed sanctions on Doha in June, including the closure of their airspace to Qatari airlines.

The four Arab states accuse Qatar of supporting extremists and of growing too close to Shiite-dominated Iran, the regional arch-rival of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia.
Seoul had proposed to hold rare inter-Korea talks this week at the border truce village of Panmunjom to ease hostilities after a series of missile tests this year

South Korea urged the North on Friday to break its silence on an offer of military talks aimed at easing simmering tensions over the hermit state's nuclear ambitions.

Seoul had proposed to hold rare inter-Korea talks this week at the border truce village of Panmunjom to ease hostilities after a series of missile tests this year.

"It is an urgent task to reduce tension between two Koreas... to achieve peace and stability of the Korean peninsula," defense ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun said.

"We urge the North again to respond to our talks proposal," he said.

The military talks, if realised, would have marked the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015.

The North has also remained silent on another offer made by the South's Red Cross to meet on August 1 and discuss potential reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

Millions of families were separated by the conflict that sealed the division of the peninsula. Many died without getting a chance to see or hear from their relatives on the other side of the border, across which all civilian contacts are banned.

Monday's twin proposals are the first concrete steps towards rapprochement with the North since South Korea elected dovish President Moon Jae-In in May.

Moon has advocated dialogue with the nuclear-armed North to bring it to negotiating table and vowed to play a bigger active role in global efforts to tame the unpredictable regime.

His conservative predecessor Park Geun-Hye had refused to engage in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang unless it made a firm commitment to denuclearisation.

But Pyongyang has staged a series of missile launches in violation of UN resolutions in recent months -- including its first ICBM test on July 4 that triggered global alarm and a push by US President Donald Trump to impose harsher UN sanctions.
President Rodrigo Duterte said he needed martial law powers to stop the fighting from spreading

The Philippine Congress opened a special session Saturday to vote on President Rodrigo Duterte's bid for an extension of martial law in the south to defeat Islamist gunmen.

Duterte is widely expected to win approval for martial law in the region until the end of the year, with troops having failed to wrest back Marawi city following two months of fighting.

A slide presentation accompanying Duterte's request, seen by AFP, compared the Marawi crisis to the Islamic State takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Marawi itself could now become a magnet for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, it said.

Most of the militants' leaders remain at large, the presentation added, while about 90 of the gunmen have slipped past security cordons and can link up with other armed groups in the region to mount similar widescale attacks.

At the hearing, defence and security officials justified the need for martial law, saying that aside from Marawi, Islamist militants were planning attacks in other parts of the southern Philippines.

They said almost a thousand pro-IS militants, holding 23 hostages, were still active elsewhere in the south.

In Marawi, the military said only about 60 gunmen were left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.

Clashes in southern Philippines

"I cannot afford to be complacent," Duterte told reporters Friday, adding the military would be conducting further "mopping up operations" even after they recapture Marawi.

"If there is a spillage it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap," he added.

Duterte imposed 60-day martial rule -- the maximum period allowed by the constitution -- over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage.

On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.

In an unprecedented move, both the House and the Senate met jointly on a weekend to vote on Duterte's request.

- 'Nationwide martial law' -

Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes.

However, any martial law extension must be approved by Congress.

The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines, decades after the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term.

Thousands of critics, political opponents as well as communist guerrillas were killed, detained or arrested during the period, according to historians.

About a dozen protesters in the gallery interrupted Saturday's hearing, chanting "never again, never again to martial law" before being escorted out.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said previously he sees no roadblock to the swift approval of the extension by both chambers of Congress.

Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal.

But opposition politicians have criticised Duterte's proposal for an extension, with some alleging it is part of a Duterte plot to eventually bring the country under a military-backed dictatorship.

"Once he feels that there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it," Senator Antonio Trillanes told AFP on Tuesday.

After this he could declare a revolutionary government to allow him to stay in office beyond his six-year electoral term in mid-2022, Trillanes says.

Duterte, 72, insists he has no plan to stay in office beyond his term.
The apartment building where Liu Xia, the wife of late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, lives

At a small park outside the Beijing home of late Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, security officers sat around a stone table surrounded by shrubbery, scrutinising everyone who neared the gate they guarded.

More than a week after the Nobel Peace Prize winner succumbed to liver cancer in custody, four agents stood watch on the stoop of the apartment where his widow, the poet Liu Xia, has largely been kept under house arrest since 2010.

Their presence contradicts official claims last weekend that Liu Xia, 56, is "free".

She appeared in a government-released video on July 15 showing her husband's sea burial in the coastal city of Dalian, but close friends have been unable to reach her and believe that she is under police control in southern Yunnan province.

But the medley of uniformed and plainclothes officers outside her home on Friday were undeterred in their surveillance -- even if they may have been guarding an empty apartment.

"Where are you going?" a man wearing a "special duty" uniform asked two middle-aged women who approached.

"We live here," one of them retorted, as if accustomed to the question.

On the other side of the gate, a uniformed officer sat in a chair parked outside the entrance to Liu Xia's apartment.

Three other men sat inside the dark entranceway, including one eating a bowl of noodles.

They all stood up when an AFP reporter approached.

"What are you doing here? You don't live in this neighbourhood," said the uniformed officer, gesturing for the reporter to leave.

Outside the gate, security agents talked among themselves as they waited for their lunch break.

"Yesterday there were five to six reporters who came," a middle-aged man said to the group. He wore a black T-shirt, the preferred attire of plainclothes agents.

"Those foreigners just come here to make trouble. They want to take photos of everything. Lunch time is rush hour for them, then things die down after 7 p.m."

Earlier that day, a four-person foreign television crew had come through one of the complex's main gates.

They were soon surrounded by officers in both black and green uniforms.

"Do you know who Liu Xia is?" one of the journalists asked a guard, who barked back: "Never have I met anyone as rude as you!"

At around the same time, an AFP photographer was held by police who asked him to delete three photos he had taken of the apartment exterior.

He did not comply, and was shortly released.

- Business as usual -

All was calm on the riverfront boardwalk that Liu Xia's apartment overlooked, as joggers, bikers and fishermen alike appeared to be unaware of the commotion on the other side of the gate.

The Chinese government has erased virtually all mentions of Liu Xiaobo, a 1989 Tiananmen Square protest veteran, from the internet and domestic media.

Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after co-writing Charter 08, a petition calling for democratic reforms in the Communist Party-ruled country.

The following year, he became the first Chinese person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but was not allowed to attend the ceremony in Oslo.

"I don't know who (Liu Xia or Liu Xiaobo) is," said a young woman who lived in the apartment complex.

"Many government employees live in this compound. The guards are here for their safety," she said.

An elderly man collecting trash on the boardwalk said he believed it was the building's proximity to Beijing's main thoroughfare that brought increased security.

"And I think (Chinese President) Xi Jinping was here?"
Fretilin party supporters participate in an election campaign rally in Dili, East Timor on July 19, 2017

East Timor headed to the polls to elect a new parliament Saturday as Asia's youngest democracy battles economic challenges 15 years after gaining its independence from Indonesia.

About 760,000 people were expected to cast their votes for candidates from 21 parties in the tiny half-island nation, in the first parliamentary election since the departure of United Nations peacekeepers in 2012.

The polls come at a tough time for the country, with key oil reserves running dry while the government struggles to resolve a long-running row with Australia over lucrative energy fields.

But despite fears of violence, there were no reports of unrest in the run-up to the election and on election day.

"I am proud that as president I can ensure that the (election) process went peacefully and that we have established a democratic country...," said President Francisco Guterres.

Voters turned up at polls early, eager to vote for their favourites.

"I am happy I can vote today because it's important we choose the best to lead our country," Mateus Araujo told AFP.

The parliamentary election will determine the choice of prime minister for the former Portuguese colony.

The prime minister, chosen by the winning party or a coalition of parties in parliament, oversees the government and is the most influential political figure in the country.

The presidency is a largely ceremonial role but one that can help keep the peace between feuding politicians.

The two main parties -- Fretilin and CNRT -- are expected to fare well in the parliamentary election.

But the newly established People's Liberation Party is also predicted to become an important force in this election, with leader and former president Taur Matan Ruak promising to tackle corruption.

But the head of CNRT, Xanana Gusmao, was optimistic about the election outcome.

"The party has high hopes that we will win," Gusmao said.

East Timor faces huge problems: half of its population live in poverty and the current government is struggling to improve the livelihoods of its 1.2 million people.

As well as diversifying the resource-rich economy away from a reliance on oil, the country's leaders must agree a new sea border with Australia after tearing up a contentious maritime treaty that cuts through energy fields.

Preliminary results will be known by Saturday evening, though official results will be announced early August.
Senegalese rapper and DJ Louis Bernard Diedhiou was badly injured when he stepped on a mine in 2001

Senegalese rapper and DJ Louis Bernard Diedhiou was just a young teenager on the day in 2001 when his love of megastar musician Youssou N'Dour nearly killed him.

Hailing from Casamance, a southern region of Senegal that has suffered on-off conflict for more than three decades, Diedhiou was shaking branches for mangoes to sell so he could buy an N'Dour concert ticket.

But he stepped on a mine, a legacy of long-running conflict between the Senegalese army and separatist rebels of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), in an accident that could have left him dependent on his family for life.

"The mine got me in both legs and both hands," he recalled. "I couldn't go back to school after that." He would permanently lose his legs and two fingers.

Senegalese rapper and DJ Louis Bernard Diedhiou has benefited from a programme for mine victims in neighbouring Guinea-Bissau

Diedhiou, now 32, is one of nearly 80 people who have crossed into neighbouring Guinea-Bissau to benefit from an initiative launched two years ago by Senegal's National Centre for Anti-Mine Action (CNAMS), a mine victims' charity, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Like him, they have all made the journey to the capital, Bissau, for treatment at the Centre for Motor Rehabilitation (CRM) -- a place dedicated to helping them establish an independent existence.

"The programme is designed to equip amputated patients, mine victims identified in (chief Casamance town) Ziguinchor," Ana Rodrigues, a Portuguese physiotherapist with the ICRC, told AFP at the centre.

Since 2015, 78 have already received help and five more are due to visit the centre by September, according to the ICRC.

- Active threat -

Created in 1981, Bissau's CRM was founded to care for the victims of mines laid during the independence battles and the subsequent civil wars in other former Portuguese colonies, Angola and Mozambique.

Generations of former fighters have been cared for at the Bissau centre, but the Senegalese-Red Cross initiative has extended its expertise to those living in Casamance.

The Casamance conflict began in 1982 and is technically ongoing. While no peace deal has been signed, a prevailing calm has settled over the region.

What remains an active threat to the population are mines: 826 people have stepped on them in the last quarter-century, according to official figures, at a cost of 151 lives and 85 more people without lower limbs.

"A lot of mine victims are discouraged because they can't work," observed Diedhiou, sporting khaki trousers and a heavy chain around his wrist, his hat straining to cover his dreadlocks as he waited for a prosthetic fitting.

At first, the musician was cared for in Ziguinchor, the largest city in Casamance, around 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Bissau, but the cash-strapped clinic could not give him the quality prostheses and wheelchair he needed.

"(In Ziguinchor) they ask for too much money, 15,000 CFA francs (23 euros/$26) to buy bandages," complained Diedhiou. "It costs a lot less in Bissau. We don't pay, the ICRC handle everything," he added.

A prosthetic limb can cost from 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA (152 to 304 euros), far beyond the reach of most Senegalese, and, according to orthopaedic technician Dasylva Miguel Marcal, only lasts for two to four years.

"If the patient puts on weight, or loses it, we have to change them," Marcal said, speaking to AFP in a room where every surface was covered by bandages, white powder and materials used to mould the artificial limbs.

- 'Got to move' -

Life as an amputee in Senegal is difficult, said Diedhiou, even for someone with a relentlessly positive attitude like him.

People regularly heckle him in the street, he told AFP, and even so-called friends and neighbours make fun of his disability.

Finding solace in his music, he has rapped a special song for a campaign in Casamance that sought to highlight the plight of mine victims and bring more awareness to his community.

"You just have to see to believe. Everything is happening in your head. Relative and positive," he raps in the song.

Senegal's Solidarity Initiative for Development in Action (ISAD), a charity for mine victims, believes the government puts its limited resources into the most pressing problems but leaves victims behind.

"Billions (of CFA francs) are injected into demining," said ISAD coordinator Sarani Diatta, "but they forget the consequences of the conflict," including the long-term care required by those who have lost legs and arms.

ISAD partners with the Red Cross to help victims find work in trading and poultry farming, working against the negative image that prevails in their communities.

Sitting in his wheelchair, the DJ is getting impatient. He has business to attend to and concerts to plan, thoughts that get him through the long sessions of physical therapy and waiting for his new legs.

As he raps in another of his songs: "You can't just sit there and ask for things. You've got to move."
The cast of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" revival show say they love working with the enigmatic filmmaker

The cast of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" revival show gushed Friday about how much they loved working with the enigmatic filmmaker -- and revealed some secrets about his unique directing process.

Kyle MacLachlan, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Matthew Lillard and several others were joined for a panel on the surreal Showtime series by moderator Damon Lindelof, the showrunner for ABC's "Lost," at San Diego Comic-Con.

All agreed that of all the questions they receive about the show from "Twin Peaks" fans and the media, they were most frequently asked what it was like to work with Lynch.

"He has this incredible sense of joy about him... He has this peace about him that is unlike anything I've ever experienced, and he has a vision of what he wants," Lillard said. "He's a fantastic human being."

Lynch's famously surreal noir soap opera about murder in small-town America returned in May after 26 years away, for a new 18-episode run in perhaps the most eagerly anticipated television event of the year.

Watts, who begged to be on the revival after starring in Lynch's 2001 neo-noir mystery "Mulholland Drive," confessed to still getting a little star-struck around him.

"You just kind of want to please him in everything you do," she said, before becoming slightly flushed and clarifying: "On set!"

"He creates an incredibly imaginative world. It's so original and you just want to join that world at whatever cost," she added.

"His belief in his process and his vision and his point of view is so profound and focused, and he inspires me that way because he follows this dream in his mind," added MacLachlan.

"I find that inspirational in my life, to go after the thing I believe in the strongest."

- 'In a nutshell' -

MacLachlan revealed however, that actors who try Lynch's patience are left in no doubt that they have annoyed the iconic director -- as Jim Belushi discovered while filming for his part as Bradley Mitchum in the new series.

"In one scene, everything was going crazy and Jim decided he was going to ad-lib a line in this heightened moment of euphoria, which he did," MacLachlan recounted.

"And we heard, 'Cut!' David has a megaphone, and he said, 'Mr. Belushi! Do I have to report you to the principal's office?' And Jim went, 'No sir! Got it!'"

Several of the actors admitted they hadn't watched the new series, but planned to do so.

"I'm going to wait until it's done and then I'm going to watch the whole thing from the first series all the way through to the end with my kids," said Roth.

"We're going to have a festival. I don't know what that's going to do to us but I'm up for it -- and you're all invited."

Lillard revealed he has yet to see even the original series but vowed to watch it while he was at Comic-Con.

He recalled the odd casting process that got him selected for the part of William Hastings.

"You sit in a room and someone talks to you and they put a video camera on your face and you just talk about life in general," he said.

"Then you get a phone call saying 'I want you to come and read these pages."

The cast was typically secretive over plot points and not forthcoming when it came to analyzing the show's meaning.

One audience member who had never seen "Twin Peaks" asked the actors to "describe it in a nutshell."

"Just throw the nut away," MacLachlan said.

"Keep the shell," Watts joked.
Egypt is battling an insurgency by the Islamic State group in the Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces

Egyptian forces have killed 30 extremists during several days of security operations in the Sinai Peninsula involving the army, air force and police, the military said Saturday.

The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (IS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces.

The military did not specify to which group the 30 extremists belonged but described them as "extremely dangerous".

Five others were arrested as Egyptian forces imposed a "tight siege" on the North Sinai provincial capital El-Arish and the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, a military statement said.

Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by IS, whose local branch is based in North Sinai, after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The bombing by IS of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a South Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and severely damaged the country's tourism sector.
A Palestinian youth runs from the path of an Israeli army bulldozer during clashes in the village of Kobar, west of Ramallah, on July 22, 2017

Two Palestinians died in clashes with Israeli forces Saturday as the army moved in to seal off an attacker's home after violence over security measures at an ultra-sensitive holy site.

The UN Security Council will hold closed-door talks Monday about the spiralling violence after Egypt, France and Sweden sought a meeting to "urgently discuss how calls for de-escalation in Jerusalem can be supported".

The deaths followed bloodshed on Friday, when a 19-year-old Palestinian killed three Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and three Palestinians died in clashes with Israeli forces.

On Saturday, Palestinian youths hurled stones and petrol bombs as the army used a bulldozer to close off the 19-year-old attacker's West Bank village and prepare his house for probable demolition.

Israel frequently punishes the families of attackers by razing or sealing their homes as a deterrent, although rights groups say this amounts to collective punishment.

Clashes also flared in east Jerusalem and other Palestinian villages in the West Bank near Jerusalem, police said, adding that anti-riot measures were used against them.

At the Qalandiya crossing between the West Bank and Jerusalem, at least eight Palestinians were wounded, the Palestinian health ministry said.

A Palestinian died of wounds suffered in clashes east of Jerusalem, the ministry said.

It said 17-year-old Oday Nawajaa was hit by Israeli live fire at Al-Azariya.

Another Palestinian, 18, died nearby when a petrol bomb exploded prematurely.

Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency meanwhile said Sunday it had arrested 25 men active in the militant Hamas group that rules the Gaza Strip.

The arrests included "senior members," a Shin Bet statement read, and was part of the security forces' preventive measures in the wake of "the tensions around the Temple Mount".

Also Sunday, a rocket fired at Israel from Gaza exploded mid-air, the Israeli army said, causing no injuries.

No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the projectile.

The violence was triggered by security measures including metal detectors at the entrance to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, ahead of the main weekly Friday prayers.

Israel imposed the measures after a gun and knife attack killed two Israeli policemen on July 14.

The Palestinians reject the measures, viewing them as Israel asserting further control over the holy site.

The site in Jerusalem's Old City that includes the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock has been a focal point for Palestinians.

Palestinian youths run from the path of an Israeli army bulldozer during clashes in the village of Kobar, west of Ramallah, on July 22, 2017

In 2000, then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's visit to the compound helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which lasted more than four years.

Israeli authorities say the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the site and emerged from it to shoot the policemen.

- Abbas freezes contacts -

On Friday, clashes erupted around the Old City.

Three Palestinians aged between 17 and 20 were shot dead. The Red Crescent reported 450 people wounded in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including 170 from live or rubber bullets.

Later Friday, the 19-year-old Palestinian broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank and stabbed four Israelis, killing three.

He was shot by a neighbour and taken to hospital.

The Israeli army said he had spoken in a Facebook post of the Jerusalem holy site and of dying as a martyr.

The Israelis killed in Neve Tsuf, north of Ramallah and also known as Halamish, were Yosef Salomon, 70, his daughter Haya Salomon, 46, and son Elad Salomon, 36, officials said. The grandmother was wounded.

Israeli soldiers raided the Palestinian's nearby village of Kobar overnight and arrested his brother, the army said.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announces he is freezing contacts with Israel in protest at new security measures imposed at Jersualem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, seen in a photgraph behind him, during a leadership meeting on July 21, 2017

Amid mounting pressure to respond to the dispute, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced late Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel.

There was no immediate public reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced what he called the "excessive use of force" by the Israelis in Friday's clashes.

The United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- the so-called Middle East Quartet -- urged all sides to "demonstrate maximum restraint."

The quartet members "strongly condemn acts of terror, express their regret for all loss of innocent life caused by the violence."

- 'For all Muslims' -

"Violence is likely to worsen absent a major policy shift," said Ofer Zalzberg, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

"Netanyahu's mistake was installing the metal detectors without a Muslim interlocutor. It is the coercive character more than the security measure itself that made this unacceptable for Palestinians."

On Saturday, entrances to Jerusalem's walled Old City were open amid heavy security.

The metal detectors also remained at the entrance to the mosque compound.

Palestinians pray outside the main entrance to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City on July 22, 2017 in protest at Israeli security measures implemented at the holy site

"Al-Aqsa -- that's for the Muslims, not for the Jewish," said Mohammad Haroub, a 42-year-old shopkeeper.

Like hundreds of others, he prayed outside on Friday instead of passing through the metal detectors.

The Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It is in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

It is considered the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.
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A Syrian rebel fighter carries a homemade sniper rifle in Ain Tarma in Eastern Ghouta on July 20, 2017

Syria's army announced Saturday a halt in fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on how a safe zone will function for the besieged opposition enclave.

The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday on Saturday (0900 GMT)," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement said, without specifying what areas were included.

Russia said earlier Saturday it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta.

Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones.

The most recent talks in Kazakhstan this month between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to iron out the details of the four safe zones.

Russia said the sides have now signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation".

It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents".

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded "in the next few days."

The Eastern Ghouta region, a major rebel stronghold near the capital, has been the frequent target of government military operations.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
The German market town of Pulsnitz was the hometown of teenage jihadi bride Linda W

A German 16-year-old girl suspected of joining the Islamic State jihadists in Iraq was arrested last week in Mosul, a German judicial source said Saturday.

"The Dresden prosecutor confirms that Linda W. was identified in Iraq," where she is receiving German consular assistance, said the prosecutor's office in Dresden, near the teen's eastern hometown of Pulsnitz.

German media earlier reported Iraqi soldiers had captured the teenager last week along with several other suspected IS 'brides' in a tunnel where they had taken refuge and where weapons and explosives belts had also been uncovered.

Linda W. disappeared last year after apparently making contact with IS members via internet messaging and reportedly converting to Islam.

German weekly Der Spiegel reported Saturday Linda W. had been detained in Baghdad with three other German women and that they had been questioned following the liberation of Mosul from IS control which Iraq reported on July 10.

Spiegel said the Iraqi authorities handed the German embassy a list of names of German women in the area "at the start of the week" and added consular officials had since visited four of them at a prison at Baghdad airport.

The magazine said one of the four was of Moroccan origin and that another was believed to be of Chechen origin but had a German passport.
President Donald Trump on Saturday attacked The New York Times and its 'sick agenda,' alleging that one of the paper's reports thwarted a US bid to take out Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

'The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security,' Trump wrote in one of a barrage of early morning tweets.

Trump did not expand on his charge against The Times, or explain what revelation by the daily is supposed to have hampered Baghdadi's capture.

The New York Times told the Politico news site in a statement: 'We have asked the White House to clarify the tweet.'

President Donald Trump on Saturday attacked The New York Times and its 'sick agenda,' alleging that one of the paper's reports thwarted a US bid to take out Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (above)

Trump did not expand on his charge against The Times, or explain what revelation by the daily is supposed to have hampered Baghdadi's capture

US media suggested that Trump may have been referring to a Fox News report about comments made by a top general at a security conference on Friday in Aspen, Colorado.

At that gathering, General Tony Thomas -- head of the US military's Special Operations Command -- reportedly said that American forces at one point came 'particularly close' to Baghdadi after a 2015 raid recovered information about the Islamic State group.

Fox News reported that Thomas said US troops had 'a very good lead,' on the IS leader's whereabouts.

'Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead,' Thomas reportedly said at the forum.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Friday that he believes Baghdadi is still alive, following various claims in recent months that he has been killed.

'We are going after him, but we assume he is alive,' the Pentagon chief said.

There have been persistent rumors that Baghdadi has died in recent months.

With a $25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but is rumored to move regularly throughout IS-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

US media suggested that Trump may have been referring to a Fox News report about comments made by a top general at a security conference on Friday in Aspen, Colorado

The Iraqi -- nicknamed 'The Ghost' -- has not been seen since making his only known public appearance as 'caliph' in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul, which was destroyed in the battle for Iraq's second city.

The Times has become a favorite Trump target despite his penchant for reaching out to the daily, including this week, when he gave its reporters a major interview in which he criticized his own Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In Saturday's tweetstorm, Trump railed against The Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for its 'illegal leaks.'

'A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions,' he wrote on Twitter, adding 'These illegal leaks... must stop!'

He also groused about some of his favorite targets: the failure of US lawmakers to repeal 'dead' Obamacare, Democratic 'obstructionists' and alleged 'ties to Russia' by Hillary Clinton, his defeated opponent in last year's presidential election.
Protesters from Rif movement clash with Moroccan security forces after a demonstration against the government in Al-Hoceima on June 8, 2017

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Saturday accused the Moroccan authorities of hindering coverage of unrest in the Rif region which has been shaken by protests for nine months.

This year has seen waves of protests and bouts of violence in the Rif, where residents have long complained of neglect and marginalisation.

"The situation of Moroccan and foreign journalists covering the events in northern Morocco keeps on getting worse," said Yasmine Kacha, the head of RSF's North Africa bureau, in a statement.

"By trying to prevent coverage of the Rif protests, the Moroccan authorities are gradually turning this region into a no-go zone for independent media."

The northern city of Al-Hoceima and the surrounding area have been the focus of the so-called Al-Hirak al-Shaabi protest movement.

On Thursday, police in Al-Hoceima fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators and stop them marching in defiance of a government ban.

RSF also called on the authorities "to free all the citizen-journalists who have been arrested and to condemn all the physical attacks against media personnel who are just doing their job by covering these demonstrations".

Dozens of people on both sides have been injured in the demonstrations.

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights reported 35 arrests.

Local journalists said that among those arrested was online journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui.

The Al-Hirak movement was born last October after a fishmonger was crushed to death in a rubbish truck as he tried to retrieve swordfish confiscated for being caught out of season.

Calls for justice later snowballed into a wider social movement demanding jobs, development, and an end to corruption in the mainly Berber region.

However, since the arrest of the movement's leader Nasser Zefzafi and more than 150 of his supporters in May, the demonstrators' main demand has been their release.
A Syrian rebel fighter carries a homemade sniper rifle in Ain Tarma in Eastern Ghouta on July 20, 2017

Syria on Saturday announced a ceasefire in one of the last rebel strongholds near Damascus after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on a safe zone for the besieged opposition enclave.

With many of its towns and villages ravaged by bombardments in the six-year conflict, Eastern Ghouta near the capital is one of the last bastions of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in a deal reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

But the accord has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on policing the safe zones, and Eastern Ghouta is just the second zone to see a ceasefire come into force.

The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday on Saturday (0900 GMT)," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement warned, without specifying what areas were included.

Russia said hours earlier it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta.

But no rebel group said it had signed the Cairo agreement, with one influential group saying it was not involved.

The Cairo meeting "follows on from the ceasefire deal for the south of Syria" that took hold on July 9, said Wael Alwan, a spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

That ceasefire for southern areas of Syria was brokered by Russia, the United States and Jordan.

A girl walks past the rubble of a destroyed building in the rebel-held Syrian town of Ayn Tarma, in the Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital Damascus on July 19, 2017

Russia said it and the rebels had signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation".

It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents".

- Humanitarian convoy planned -

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate wounded "in the next few days".

The two other "de-escalation zones" included in the May deal are the rebel-held province of Idlib and northern parts of the central province of Homs.

More than 2.5 million people are believed to live in the four zones.

The May accord roughly laid out the areas where rebels and government forces should halt hostilities, including air strikes, for six months.

However, Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to meet a June 4 deadline to set exact boundaries for the zones.

One major stumbling block appeared to be who would ensure security in all four areas, with Turkey and Iran in particular reportedly wrangling to bolster their influence.

A new meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana is expected during the last week of August, with rebels as well as representatives from Turkey and Iran to attend, Russia has said.

Moscow has argued the zones agreement would provide moderate rebels with security and help focus attacks against jihadist groups such as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front and the Islamic State group.

A picture released by the Hezbollah media office on July 22, 2017 shows a militant firing a rocket-propelled grenade in the Jurud Arsal region bordering Syria

In neighbouring Lebanon, a mediator was killed in a second day of fighting Saturday in the Jurud Arsal area near the border between the powerful Hezbollah group, which backs Assad, and militants, officials said.

Lebanon's army said Ahmad al-Fliti was killed in shelling by "the terrorist organisation of the Al-Nusra Front", referring to Fateh al-Sham.

Eleven Hezbollah fighters killed since the Shiite group's operation began were buried in Lebanon on Saturday, AFP photographers said.
A picture released by the media office of Lebanon's Shiite group Hezbollah on July 22, 2017 shows a Hezbollah fighter firing a rocket-propelled grenade towards militant positions in Jurud Arsal, a mountainous region bordering Syria

A Lebanese mediator was killed on Saturday in a second day of fighting between the powerful Hezbollah group and militants near the border with Syria, the official news agency said.

"Ahmad al-Fliti, who was mediating between fighters and Hezbollah... was wounded when his car was hit by shelling of unknown origin in Jurud Arsal," ANI said.

"He later succumbed to his wounds."

Lebanon's army said Fliti was killed in shelling by "the terrorist organisation of the Al-Nusra Front", referring to the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.

Hezbollah on Friday said its fighters had begun an operation against militants on both sides of the country's border with Syria.

On Saturday, Hezbollah announced several advances in the mountainous border area of Jurud Arsal.

Funerals were held on Saturday for 11 Hezbollah fighters killed in the clashes, nine in Beirut and two in Baalbek.

Supporters of Lebanon's shiite movement Hezbollah attend the funeral fighters killed during a military operation against militants in Jurud Arsal, near the Syrian border, on July 22, 2017 in Beirut

Lebanon's army has not officially announced its participation in the offensive, but said Friday it had targeted "terrorists" in the area.

Thousands of Syrian refugees live in informal camps in Jurud Arsal after having fled the six-year war in their home country.

But security in the area has also long been a concern, with Lebanese forces battling jihadists in the area in 2014.

Hezbollah on Friday also announced fighting on the other side of the border in Syria's Qalamun, where the Lebanese Shiite group has fought for years alongside President Bashar al-Assad's army against rebels and jihadists.

Syria's air force on Saturday carried out air strikes near the border, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

More than a million refugees have flooded into Lebanon since the Syria conflict erupted with anti-government protests in March 2011.

Their presence has been largely tolerated despite testing the limited resources and ageing infrastructure of a country of just four million.
Elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo are due this year under a transitional deal aimed at avoiding fresh political violence in the sprawling country of 71 million people after President Joseph Kabila failed to step down in December 2016

The Congolese opposition on Saturday unveiled a rolling programme of strikes and civil disobedience aimed at forcing President Joseph Kabila from power.

The announcement was made after two days of opposition talks in Kinshasa amid concerns that Kabila, in power since 2001, is seeking to remain in place in defiance of constitutional limits.

Elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo are due this year under a transitional deal aimed at avoiding fresh political violence in the sprawling country of 71 million people after Kabila failed to step down when his second mandate ended in December 2016.

Under the deal, Kabila is allowed to remain in office pending the elections, in late 2017, ruling in tandem with a transitional watchdog and a new premier, chosen from within opposition ranks.

Under its newly unveiled plan of action, a two-day general strike will be held throughout the country from August 8 "as a warning," said Francois Muamba, rapporteur of the opposition conclave.

Then on August 20, the opposition plans simultaneous rallies in the capital Kinshasa and 25 provinces.

If Kabila does not by the end of September set an election date he will "no longer be recognised as president of the republic on October 1," said Muamba, speaking at the headquarters of the main opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) in Kinshasa.

From that date the opposition will invite the people to stop paying taxes to the state or paying their bills to the water and electricity monopolies.

On New Year's Eve, pro-government and opposition groups agreed to a deal brokered by the influential Roman Catholic Church that sought to avert a full-fledged crisis in the country.

But the death of veteran UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi, held up the accord.

And meanwhile the opposition coalition has struggled to live up to its name, thanks to a push by Tshisekedi's son, Felix, to take over the party helm.

Felix Tshisekedi has called for "police and the military to no longer respect bad orders, especially those to kill Congolese people".

Previous opposition rallies against Kabila, last September and December, ended in several deaths.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A power-sharing deal between two former arch foes is slowly taking shape in Gaza and could lead to big changes in the Hamas-ruled territory, including an easing of a decade-long border blockade.

In the latest sign that the Egypt-backed understandings are moving forward, Hamas permitted more than 2,000 supporters of its former nemesis, Mohammed Dahlan, to stage a rally in Gaza City on Thursday. They held up banners with large photos of the ex-Gaza strongman and signs reading, "Thank you, Dahlan."

Dahlan backers also opened an office in Gaza last month as a springboard for political activity and began disbursing $2 million in Dahlan-procured aid from the United Arab Emirates to Gaza's poor.

Hundreds of supporters of exiled former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan carry a banner with his picture during a protest against metal detectors Israel erected at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, in Gaza City, Thursday, July 20, 2017. A potentially groundbreaking power-sharing deal between two former political foes is slowly unfolding in Hamas-ruled Gaza. In the latest signs of the Egypt-backed understandings moving forward, supporters of Dahlan, a former Hamas nemesis, have been allowed to open a Gaza office and have begun disbursing large sums of Dahlan-procured Gulf aid to Gaza's needy. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

All involved appear to benefit from the new deal for Gaza, described in detail by key players.

- Egypt, which is battling Islamic extremist insurgents in the Sinai Peninsula next to Gaza, hopes to contain the Islamic militant Hamas through new security arrangements.

- Dahlan, forced into exile after falling out with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2010, is poised to launch a comeback and advance his Palestinian leadership ambitions.

- Hamas gets a chance to prolong its rule with a promised easing of Gaza's stifling border blockade. Egypt and Israel had imposed the closure after Hamas seized Gaza in a violent 2007 takeover that included battles with forces loyal to Dahlan.

The three-way agreement aims to revive Gaza's battered economy and restore a sense of normalcy for 2 million Gazans, who have largely been barred from travel and trade for the past decade and have endured rolling power cuts, most recently of up to 20 hours a day.

Yet a stable Palestinian "mini-state" in Gaza could undermine long-standing Palestinian ambitions to set up an entity that is also meant to include the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel, which captured those territories in the 1967 Mideast war, withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but keeps a tight grip on the rest.

Abbas, who administers autonomous West Bank enclaves, has tried to negotiate a broader statehood deal with Israel, but his internationally backed efforts ran aground almost a decade ago, in part because of continued Israeli settlement expansion in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Israel's hard-line government has said it would not withdraw to the pre-1967 lines in the West Bank or give up Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

If Gaza stabilizes, Israel could argue that Palestinians already have a state there and face less international pressure to negotiate a broader peace deal. The Trump administration promised to try to revive statehood negotiations, but expectations are low and there's no sign the U.S. found a way to break the long-standing diplomatic impasse.

"The expected changes in Gaza are posing a big threat to the Palestinian national project," said analyst Ali Jerbawi, a former minister in Abbas' self-rule government.

The emerging Dahlan-Hamas agreement was made possible, in part, by the election of Yehiyeh Sinwar as the new Hamas chief in Gaza in March.

Dahlan, 55, and Sinwar, 54, have known each other since boyhood. Both grew up in the same neighborhood of southern Gaza's Khan Younis refugee camp, attended the same U.N. school and later the territory's Islamic University, said Ahmed Yousef, a former Hamas official who also grew up in southern Gaza.

Their paths diverged when they joined rival political factions, Hamas and Fatah, where both became known for their ruthlessness.

Sinwar helped establish the Hamas military wing in the late 1980s, while Dahlan rose through the ranks of Fatah, becoming chief of a feared Gaza security service that used to shave heads of Hamas prisoners to humiliate them.

Rumors of rapprochement began circulating in late spring. By early June, delegations led by Dahlan and Sinwar were negotiating in Egypt, and participants said the two men established an easy rapport. The recent shift of Hamas' power from exile in Qatar to Gaza, a result of leadership elections, also helped the deal by speeding up decision-making.

Hamas spokesman Salah Bardaweel said this week that the deal with Dahlan and Egypt is moving forward.

Egypt has begun sending fuel to Gaza's only power-plant, helping ease a debilitating electricity shortage.

Hamas, meanwhile, has been clearing brush to create a security buffer zone on the Gaza side of the border, and pledged not to give refuge to anti-Egypt insurgents from the Sinai.

Egypt is refurbishing the now largely closed Rafah crossing with Gaza, and is to reopen it by the fall for passengers and goods, Bardaweel said. The extent of future Rafah operations remains unclear.

Dahlan, who has strong ties with the United Arab Emirates, pledged to funnel tens of millions of dollars in Gulf aid to Gaza, Bardaweel said.

The money will be used to compensate the families of some 400 people killed in Fatah-Hamas clashes that preceded the 2007 Hamas takeover, he said. In June, a UAE-funded committee also began distributing aid to 30,000 needy families from a $2 million fund.

It remains unclear to what extent Dahlan would be involved in governing Gaza. Hamas will remain in charge of the security forces, while Dahlan is to serve as Gaza's advocate abroad.

Dahlan has no plans for now to settle in Gaza. However, his top lieutenants are to return to Gaza as early as next week and join those who remained in rebuilding his political organization.

Last month, they opened a new headquarters in Gaza City. During a visit Wednesday, the office was still sparsely furnished, lacking phones and computers.

Hamas and Dahlan's supporters will also try to revive the Palestinian parliament, defunct since 2007, in hopes of boosting their political legitimacy.

The 82-year-old Abbas has been watching the developments with alarm, seeking reassurances last week from Egypt in a hastily arranged trip to Cairo. If the deal goes forward, it would further undercut Abbas' claim that he represents all Palestinians.

Despite the apparent progress, both sides are cautious, taking small steps.

"We and Hamas are political rivals, but at the same time, we have common ground," said Sufian Abu Zaydeh, a pro-Dahlan lawmaker.

"There are obstacles on the ground, but we have to kick-start the reconciliation and cooperation to face the tough problems in Gaza," he said. "We are making real progress."

___

Daraghmeh reported from Ramallah, West Bank. Associated Press writer Karin Laub in the West Bank contributed to this report.

Supporters hold a photo of exiled former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan during a protest against metal detectors that Israel has installed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, in Gaza City, Thursday, July 20, 2017. A Gaza power-sharing deal between Dahlan and Hamas, two former arch foes, is slowly taking shape on the ground and could lead to big changes in the Hamas-ruled territory, including an easing of a decade-long border blockade. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

A girl wears a t-shirt with a photo of exiled former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan during a protest against metal detectors that Israel has installed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, in Gaza City, Thursday, July 20, 2017. A Gaza power-sharing deal between Dahlan and Hamas, two former arch foes, is slowly taking shape on the ground and could lead to big changes in the Hamas-ruled territory, including an easing of a decade-long border blockade. Arabic on the t-shirt reads, "Dahalan my father." (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
MIAMI (AP) - Investigators have no leads or suspects in the death of a 10-year-old Miami boy from an apparent fentanyl overdose, the youngest known victim of the opioid crisis in the city, the police chief said Thursday.

Chief Rodolfo Llanes told reporters that Alton Banks must have encountered the drug during a one-hour period after he left a pool in the Overtown neighborhood and got home on June 23. Banks began vomiting at home, lost consciousness and later died at a hospital.

Llanes is asking anyone who saw the fifth-grader or encountered him during that time frame, between about 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., to come forward with any information.

Miami Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes, left, talks to reporters during a news conference, as Craig Radelman, right, Miami deputy fire chief for operations, looks on, Thursday, July 20, 2017, in Miami. Investigators have no leads or suspects in the death of a 10-year-old Miami boy from an apparent fentanyl overdose, the youngest known victim of the opioid crisis in the city, the police chief said Thursday. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

"We don't know how he came in contact with this drug," Llanes said. "We don't have any working theories right now as to how he did that. That's why we need the public's help."

The chief said the death of such a young person from a drug overdose has shocked his department and much of the city.

"I think it's a tragedy. When you lose a child of this age, it really shocks all of our consciences," Llanes said.

Fire rescue officials say it's unlikely Alton would have overdosed simply by touching fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller long used to treat cancer patients and others suffering chronic pain, usually through a skin patch. They say the drug must be injected, inhaled or ingested to cause a fatal overdose in small amounts, even when the exposure is to a child.

"Absorption through the skin is a very, very slow method," said Craig Radelman, Miami deputy fire chief for operations. "You'd need such a large quantity."

The Overtown neighborhood, just north of downtown Miami, is ground zero for the city's opioid epidemic. Police said a total of 177 opioid-related deaths have been recorded in the city of Miami since Jan. 1, 2016, including 37 so far this year. Of the 2017 total, 32 involved fentanyl or its more powerful cousin, the large animal tranquilizer carfentanil.

Authorities have made 62 opioid-related arrests in Miami during the first six month months of 2017 and also seized 6 pounds (3 kilograms) of fentanyl before it reached street dealers.

Officials say parents should be extra vigilant to minimize the risk of a child's potential contact with an opioid such as fentanyl, especially in neighborhoods where the drugs are prevalent.

"When you're talking about children, it's just another poison," Radelman said. "The recommendation is that parents and children alike use what we call universal caution. Make sure they wash their hands with soap and water."

___

Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/miamicurt
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to impose sanctions against eight individuals and businesses linked to the Islamic State extremist group and al-Qaida.

The eight additions to the U.N. sanctions blacklist include IS leaders in Southeast Asia, IS-affiliated extremist groups in Syria, foreign fighters from the Caucuses and illicit money exchange businesses.

The U.S.-drafted resolution adopted Thursday also urges greater international cooperation to cut off funding to extremist groups, prevent them from acquiring weapons, and step up cooperation to address the issues of fighters for IS and al-Qaida returning home.

U.S. deputy ambassador Michele Sison called the resolution "another important step" to defeat the two extremist groups, stressing that "for the United States, there is no higher priority."

Sison said "there will be more designations" to the sanctions blacklist.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A Florida lawmaker says basic necessities such as toilet paper and soap are being withheld from inmates in some Florida prisons.

On a weekend visit to Tomoka Correctional Institution near Daytona Beach, Miami Beach Rep. David Richardson found inmates without toilet paper, soap and pillows. One cell block had roaches and rats. He said he found one inmate with a wound that had gone untreated for days and another who was vomiting in his cell.

During a January visit to Baker Correctional Institution in north Florida, Richardson says, he found inmates without toilet paper and toothbrushes.

Richardson told the Miami Herald that withholding hygienic supplies is dehumanizing.

A Florida Department of Correction spokeswoman told the newspaper the agency doesn't withhold hygiene products and works to ensure health standards are met.

___

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The sale of Spokane-based Avista Corp. to a Canadian energy company must still win approval from shareholders and regulators.

Hydro One, based in Toronto, Canada, announced Wednesday that it would pay $5.3 billion cash to buy Avista, which supplies electricity and natural gas service to customers in several Northwestern states.

The deal, expected to close next year, is subject to approval from shareholders and regulators in the various states Avista operates in, as well as the federal government.

Avista will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange after the deal closes.

The sale price amounts to $53 per Avista share, a 24 percent premium over the company's closing stock price Tuesday.

The companies say few changes are expected for Avista customers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.

"It preserves our identity and helps us continue to chart our own course in a rapidly consolidating utility industry," said Scott Morris, chairman of Avista, which was founded in 1889.

"We believe this is absolutely the right partnership at the right time," Morris said at a press conference Wednesday. "It will be business as usual."

"You can expect the same local control and the same local company that you've had for 128 years," Morris said.

Hydro One said Avista would retain its name and management team and operate as a subsidiary.

Spokane Mayor David Condon welcomed Hydro One to Spokane.

"We are encouraged to hear about Hydro One's stated commitment to Spokane, Avista employees and the customers they serve," Condon said.

Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, of Washington, who represents the region in Congress, said she looked forward to learning more about Hydro One.

"I'm pleased to hear of their dedication to the employees and ratepayers in Eastern Washington and to maintaining Avista's legacy of economic development here in Spokane," she said.

Avista has long been a key player in many Spokane business initiatives, including bringing the 1974 World's Fair to the city, and recently helping develop the nation's newest medical school here.

Morris, who will keep his job as company chairman, said no layoffs are expected among Avista's 1,700 employees as a result of the sale.

The merger of the two companies should help keep power rates competitive in the long term, Morris said.

"We can spread out our costs over a larger customer base," Morris said.

Avista is Spokane's largest publicly traded company. The utility began as Washington Water Power Co., using the Spokane Falls to generate electricity. In 1999, it changed its name to Avista.

The company owns dams on the Spokane and Clark Fork rivers that generate about half of the electricity it supplies to customers. Avista also owns a biomass plant, natural gas-fired turbines and a share of a coal-generating plant in Colstrip, Montana.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A judge deciding whether to temporarily shut down the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline said Thursday that he will allow North Dakota's main energy trade group to weigh in.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg might also allow some national energy and manufacturing groups to have a say, though he didn't immediately rule. The groups, including the North Dakota Petroleum Council, maintain their input is important because none of the parties in a lawsuit over the $3.8 billion pipeline to move North Dakota oil to Illinois speaks for the general oil industry.

The pipeline has been operating nearly two months, but Boasberg in mid-June ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to further review its impact on the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which has sued along with three other tribes over fears of environmental harm. Boasberg is mulling whether to shut down the pipeline while the work is completed.

"Ceasing (pipeline) operations would seriously harm businesses throughout the energy industry in the United States," David Coburn, an attorney representing several of the trade groups, said in court documents.

Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners says it would cost at least $20 million and as much as $234 million to shut down the line. It says a shutdown would cost the company $90 million in revenue each month and would impact 16 other pipelines that support the Dakota Access system.

Trade group attorneys maintain a shutdown would have even broader impacts by cutting oil production, increasing less-safe rail shipping, increasing shipping expenses for companies, cutting refinery supplies, harming state tax revenue and impacting royalty owners. The North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents more than 500 companies including ETP, said a shutdown "would pull the rug out from under the North Dakota oil industry," which is shipping half of its daily production through the pipeline.

The trade groups also maintain Boasberg's decision could have consequences far beyond Dakota Access.

"Any decision by this court to vacate the Corps' approvals and order (the pipeline) to cease operations could result in similar rulings in other pipeline cases," Coburn wrote.

The national groups seeking a say are the American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, Association of Oil Pipe Lines, national Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers.

___

Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's military says troops have raided several militant hideouts in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border, triggering firefights that killed one soldier.

The army says 13 "terrorists" were also killed in the fighting.

Thursday's statement says troops, backed by Pakistani Air Force, also destroyed militant hideouts in the Khyber tribal region.

It provided no further details. The statement could not be independently confirmed due to remoteness of the region. Last weekend, Pakistan launched an operation in the region targeting local and foreign militants as part of its war against terror.

The army says it launched the operation to prevent militants from carrying out cross-border attacks in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan has asked Kabul to take similar measures on its side of the border.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's legal team is evaluating potential conflicts of interest among members of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team, three people with knowledge of the matter said Thursday. The revelations come as Mueller's investigation appears likely to probe some of the Trump family's business ties.

Attorney Jay Sekulow, a member of the president's external legal team, told The Associated Press that the lawyers "will consistently evaluate the issue of conflicts and raise them in the appropriate venue."

Two people with knowledge of that process say those efforts include probing the political affiliations of Mueller's investigators and their past work history. Trump himself has publicly challenged Mueller, declaring this week that the former FBI director would be crossing a line if he investigated the president's personal business ties.

President Donald Trump greets military personnel during his visit to the Pentagon, Thursday, July 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Mueller and congressional committees are investigating whether the president's campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 election. While Trump has assailed the probes as a partisan "witch hunt," the investigations have increasingly ensnared his family and close advisers, including son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.

As the investigations intensify, Trump's legal team is also undergoing a shakeup. New York-based attorney Marc Kasowitz, whose unconventional style has irked some White House aides, is seen as a diminishing presence in the operation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Mark Corallo, who has been working as a spokesman for the legal team, is no longer part of the operation, according to those familiar with the situation. They insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
LONDON (AP) - London's Buckingham Palace has unveiled an intimate tribute to Diana, the Princess of Wales, marking the 20th anniversary of her death.

In one of the palace's state rooms, curators have carefully recreated a desk the princess worked at in her sitting room at Kensington Palace, complete with family photos, cherished items and music cassettes. She wrote letters here, read briefings and took care of other correspondence.

Many of the items shown on and around the desk were selected by her sons, William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.

"It was chosen to reflect an aspect of Diana, Princess of Wales' official duties. So the work that she would undertake at her desk before and after engagements," said curator Sally Goodsir. "So, we've really tried to recreate her desk as it was in her sitting room at Kensington Palace. And using objects that she had upon her desk and from memories that her sons, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have of her."

The desk features a leather frame which contains photographs of family and friends. There's also a case of cassette tapes and a radio reflecting her love of music, along with her ballet shoes, which hung on the door of her sitting room at Kensington Palace.

"Some of the pieces on display really reflect the princess' personal interests," said Goodsir. "These include her ballet shoes, she was well-known as a lover of dance, and then also her set of cassette tapes, popular music such as Elton John and George Michael, but also pieces from classical repertoire, including Pavarotti."

Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.

"It will be an important anniversary at the end of August, marking the 20th anniversary of her death," said Goodsir.

The tribute to Diana is part of Buckingham Palace's annual summer opening, which also includes the exhibit "Royal Gifts," a special display of over 200 gifts presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her 65-year reign.

The gifts include a Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award presented to the queen in 2013 for her patronage of the film and television industries. Some items were presented to the queen during state visits and overseas tours, such as a model of a warrior presented in 1974 from Papua New Guinea, and a portrait of the queen made with woven banana leaves, given to her in Rwanda in 2006.

"I've tried to display objects from as many countries as possible and really showcase national craftsmanship," explained Goodsir.

Other items reflect the queen's interests, such as a bronze model of a riding horse she once owned and a porcelain model of her as a young princess on horseback. Also on display are a bag of salt presented to her in the British Virgin Islands and a flag worn by an astronaut during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station in 2016.

The palace's 25th annual summer opening runs from July 22 to Oct. 1.
LUPANE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has made his first public appearance since undergoing medical treatment in Singapore earlier this month.

The 93-year-old's repeated visits to Singapore have heightened concerns over his health, even as he pursues re-election next year. The opposition says he lacks the stamina to run the country and should step down.

Mugabe spoke for more than hour on Friday, telling supporters during a televised campaign rally in the western town of Lupane that he would stay.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace wave the Zimbabwean flag while greeting supporters at a rally in Lupane about 170 Kilometres north of Bulawayo, Friday, July 21, 2017. Mugabe's rally is his first since his return from a routine medical review in Singapore. The world's oldest leader has launched a series of rallies targeting the youth ahead of Presidential elections set for 2018. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

He says the majority of people are against calls for him to quit ahead of elections and that the crowd at the rally showed "immense confidence" in his leadership.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe waves the Zimbabwean flag while greeting the crowd at a rally in Lupane about 170 Kilometres north of Bulawayo, Friday, July, 21, 2017. Mugabe's rally is his first since his return from a routine medical review in Singapore. The world's oldest leader has launched a series of rallies targeting the youth ahead of Presidential elections set for 2018. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Supporters of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe wave flags upon his arrival at a rally in Lupane about 170 Kilometres north of Bulawayo, Friday, July 21, 2017. Mugabe's rally is his first since his return from a routine medical review in Singapore. The world's oldest leader has launched a series of rallies targeting the youth ahead of Presidential elections set for 2018. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the wildfires burning in the west (all times local):

11:55 a.m.

Firefighters in California have lifted an evacuation order for residents of a Gold Rush-era town that was threatened by a wildfire.

The evacuated downtown of Mariposa, Calif., is viewed Thursday July 20, 2017, as firefighters battle a large wildfire in the surrounding hills and mountains. Mariposa normally bustles with tourists on their way to Yosemite National Park. The town's center is made up of old brick and wooden buildings in the holding modern clothing and gift shops, restaurants and wine bars. (AP Photo/Scott Smith)

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Andy Isolano said the order was ended Friday for residents of Mariposa near Yosemite National Park.

The historic town, popular with tourists headed to Yosemite, was cleared after the wildfire started Sunday.

The blaze has destroyed 58 homes and burned 115 square miles (298 square kilometers).

Many of the 5,000 people told to leave several foothill communities remain under evacuation orders as firefighters battle the ongoing blaze.

Isolano also says Highway 140 between Mariposa and Yosemite has been reopened.

Officials are investigating an injury accident involving a fire engine. No further details were available.

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7:30 a.m.

Authorities say a stubborn wildfire burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California has destroyed 58 homes.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Friday the fire grew slightly overnight to 115 square miles (298 square kilometers) and threatens at least 1,500 homes.

Firefighters are racing to control the blaze before it reaches the Gold-Rush era town of Mariposa.

The fire is 15 percent contained.

More than 3,800 firefighters are battling the blaze that has forced almost 5,000 people from homes in and around a half-dozen small communities.

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2:15 a.m.

The town of Mariposa, with its century-old saloons and covered sidewalks, normally bustles with summer visitors on their way to Yosemite National Park but the Gold Rush-era hamlet was mostly empty as ash rained down and heavy smoke from a nearby blaze darkened the sky.

The blaze in the Sierra Nevada foothills threatened hundreds of homes and historic buildings, including a wood courthouse founded in 1854 and touted as the oldest active courthouse west of the Rocky Mountains.

The fire did not grow as significantly Thursday as it had earlier in the week, but state fire officials revealed late in the day that 99 structures have now been destroyed, 50 of them homes. Eleven homes and five other structures have been damaged. The wildfire has scorched 110 square miles (282 square kilometers), threatening at least 1,500 homes.

The evacuated downtown of Mariposa, Calif., is viewed Thursday, July 20, 2017, as firefighters battle a large wildfire in the surrounding hills and mountains. Mariposa normally bustles with tourists on their way to Yosemite National Park. The town's center is made up of old brick and wooden buildings in the holding modern clothing and gift shops, restaurants and wine bars. (AP Photo/Scott Smith)

Melted lawn chairs rest outside a residence leveled by the Detwiler fire near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. A surging wildfire raced through California mountains and foothills west of Yosemite National Park on Wednesday, forcing thousands to flee tiny, Gold Rush-era towns. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A scorched car rests next to a residence leveled by the Detwiler fire near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. A surging wildfire raced through California mountains and foothills west of Yosemite National Park on Wednesday, forcing thousands to flee tiny, Gold Rush-era towns. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A burned structure stands atop a hill on Yaqui Gulch Road as a wildfire burns near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. According to fire officials, the blaze has scorched thousands of acres and destroyed multiple structures. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A chimney stands at a burned residence on Yaqui Gulch Road as a wildfire burns near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. The fire has forced more than 4,000 people from homes in and around a half-dozen small communities, officials said (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A chimney stands at a burned residence on Yaqui Gulch Road as a wildfire burns near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. The fire has forced thousands of people from homes in and around a half-dozen small communities, officials said. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Evacuees Don and Jodi Roark, who are unsure if their Bear Valley house is still standing, rest outside a Red Cross center for Detwiler fire evacuees in Oakhurst, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. A surging wildfire raced through California mountains and foothills west of Yosemite National Park on Wednesday, forcing thousands to flee tiny, Gold Rush-era towns. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A chimney stands at a burned residence as the Detwiler fire burns near Mariposa, Calif., Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire that broke in a green area of Naples, Italy, Thursday, July 20, 2017. Two buildings were evacuated. Wildfires have been ravaging swaths of Italy, mostly in the south, where the Coldiretti agricultural lobby says July rain levels were down 83 percent while temperatures were around 3 degrees Celsius higher. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP)

Flames rise behind a vacant house as a firefighter works to halt the Detwiler wildfire near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. As wildfires rage throughout the western U.S., one California blaze in the rugged mountains outside of Yosemite National Park forced thousands of nearby residents to flee their homes. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire that broke in a green area of Naples, Italy, Thursday, July 20, 2017. Two buildings were evacuated. Wildfires have been ravaging swaths of Italy, mostly in the south, where the Coldiretti agricultural lobby says July rain levels were down 83 percent while temperatures were around 3 degrees Celsius higher. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP)
REVERE, Mass. (AP) - Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend a sand sculpting festival on a Massachusetts beach this weekend.

The International Sand Sculpting Festival on Revere Beach got underway Friday morning. The festival runs through Sunday.

The competition draws sand sculptors from all over the United States and the world, from countries as close as Canada and as far away as Russia.

Marianne van den Broek, of Key West, Fla., works on her sculpture at the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Revere, Mass. The festival runs though Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The first place prize is $5,000.

Sculptures include a 20-foot-wide depiction of the U.S.S. Constitution and a 10-foot-tall lighthouse.

Jonathan Bouchard, of Montreal, works on his sculpture at the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Revere, Mass. The festival runs though Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Melineige Beauregard, of Quebec, Canada works on her sculpture at the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Revere, Mass. The festival runs though Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is threatening "new and serious consequences" for Iran unless it releases all U.S. citizens who are detained there.

The White House says President Donald Trump is prepared to act in an attempt to end Iran's practice of using detentions and hostage taking as state policy, but it provides no specifics about potential consequences.

Trump is urging the return of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared from Iran's Kish Island in 2007.

Iran is also holding Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang, who was arrested last year. Xiyue's confinement became public this week after Iran's judiciary announced his 10-year sentence.

Also detained by Iran are Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi. They were taken during the Obama administration and are also serving 10-year sentences.
WASHINGTON (AP) - From Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer was in for a rocky ride as President Donald Trump's press secretary.

Period.

His defense of Trump's false claims about the size of the crowds at the inauguration. The talk of Spicer huddling in - or among - the bushes. Spicer's reference to a Nazi gas chamber as a "Holocaust center."

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2017, file photo, White House press secretary Sean Spicer, flanked by images of then President-elect Donald Trump arriving during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol, speaks in the White House briefing room in Washington. Almost from Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer would ride a uniquely rocky and humiliating road as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The indignities were many, some tied to Trump's behavior and demand for loyalty, some to Spicer's own missteps.

Over and over, Spicer chose to comply, even when it meant loudly defending his boss's questionable claims and enduring the mockery of actress Melissa McCarthy's spoofs of him on "Saturday Night Live." Presidential adviser Steve Bannon once referred to Spicer as fat in a text to a reporter.

Even Trump has acknowledged Spicer's difficulties, telling Fox News Channel in May that his press secretary was doing a good job, "but he gets beat up."

Friday night, Trump tweeted, "Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"

Still, Trump left Spicer, a devout Catholic, off the guest list for a visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican in May.

Six months in, Spicer announced his resignation on Friday, effective at the end of August, apparently over Trump's hiring of New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.

Some moments in Spicer's eventful six months as White House press secretary:

THE INAUGURATION CROWD

Spicer's first press conference set out markers for how far he was willing to go to defend Trump when he embraced the new president's false claim that his inaugural crowd stretched from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.

"It looked like a million, million and a half people," Trump had said at the CIA during his first full day in office.

That wasn't true, but Spicer went one better.

"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe," he declared.

There was no evidence to support that claim. Spicer left the podium without taking questions.

SPICEY!

McCarthy - outfitted and made up to look like a middle-aged man in a Spicerian suit - strode out to the "Saturday Night Live" version of the White House briefing room and hollered her way through a faux press conference.

"I know that myself and the press have gotten off to a rocky start," she yelled at the pretend press corps. "When I say rocky start, I mean in the sense of 'Rocky' the movie because I came out here to punch you. In the face."

RUSSIAN DRESSING

Spicer's tussles with reporters were highlighted by an episode in March when he instructed a reporter to stop shaking her head.

He appeared annoyed that April Ryan, of American Urban Radio Networks, had asked what the Trump administration would do to revamp its image following reports of its ties to Russia.

"I appreciate your agenda here," Spicer retorted. "At some point, report the facts."

He said there had been no proven collusion between Trump associates and Russian officials over interference in last year's election, quipping that "if the president put Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that's a Russian connection."

Spicer said Ryan appeared "hell-bent" on projecting her own image of the White House.

"Please stop shaking your head again," he admonished her.

ON HITLER, NAZIS, BASIC HISTORY

In April, Spicer was asked about Russia's potential complicity in a chemical attack in Syria. He answered with a comparison to Nazi Germany that defied history.

"You had someone who was as despicable as Hitler, who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said.

He made a mangled attempt to fix that historical blunder in which he made an unfortunate reference to the Nazis' use of a "Holocaust center."

Spicer later made a second run at setting things right, emailing reporters: "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust."

THE BUSHES

Spicer huddled with White House staff near, or possibly among, some shadowy bushes for a few minutes on the chaotic day Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey.

He emerged and promised to brief reporters as long as he was not filmed and the television lights were turned off. He then answered questions, in the vicinity of some bushes, in near-darkness.

The notion of Spicer hiding in the bushes became a subject of Twitter fascination and new material for McCarthy's spoofs.

The Washington Post at one point published an editor's note saying one of its stories had been updated to "more precisely describe White House press secretary Sean Spicer's location" during the incident. "Spicer huddled with his staff among bushes near television sets on the White House grounds, not 'in the bushes,' as the story originally stated."

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Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman

FILE - In this May 9, 2017, file photo, White House press secretary Sean Spicer walks from the West Wing of White House, in Washington to speak to reporters after President Donald Trump abruptly fired FBI Director Comey. Almost from Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer would ride a uniquely rocky and humiliating road as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

FILE- In this May 12, 2017, file photo actress Melissa McCarthy portrays White House spokesman Sean Spicer, while taping a segment for Saturday Night Live on Friday in New York. Almost from Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer would ride a uniquely rocky and humiliating road as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - In this June 20, 2017, file photo, White House press secretary Sean Spicer arrives for a briefing at the White House, in Washington. Almost from Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer would ride a uniquely rocky and humiliating road as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
KOS, Greece (AP) - Crews of experts began examining the damage to cultural monuments and infrastructure on the eastern Greek island of Kos on Saturday, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others in the Aegean Sea region that stretches to Turkey's sprawling coast.

Residents and tourists were still jittery as a series of aftershocks Saturday night continued to rock the island. A tremor measuring a preliminary 4.4 magnitude struck at 8:09 p.m. (1709 GMT) Saturday, sending residents and restaurant customers scurrying toward the middle of the town's main square, as far away as possible from buildings.

Sixteen minutes later, a second 4.6-magnitude tremor struck, the Athens Geodynamics Institute reported. The first tremor had its epicenter only 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northeast of Kos at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

Tourist sleep on sun beds at a beach of the Greek island of Kos, on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Hundreds of residents and tourists spent Friday night sleeping outdoors on the island, too afraid to return to their homes or hotels after the quake that struck early Friday. Many camped out in parks and olive groves, or slept in their cars or on beach and swimming pool lounge chairs.

The aftershocks Saturday night meant that many would spend a second night outdoors.

During the day in Kos, churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and other old buildings that suffered in the quake were being checked by archaeologists and experts from Greece's Culture Ministry.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake Friday at magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men, a Turk and a Swede, were killed when a wall collapsed into a popular bar in the Old Town of Kos.

The most seriously injured in Greece were airlifted to hospitals on the mainland and the southern island of Crete, and at least two were still in critical condition Saturday.

The Turkish man's parents were on the island making arrangements to repatriate his body home by boat, possibly on Sunday.

Panagiotis Bekali, a 30-year-old resident, spent the night sleeping in an olive grove with relatives while his 5-year-old son and 16-year-old nephew slept in the family car.

"There were cracks in the house (from the earthquake) so we went straight out," he said. "We were afraid to stay indoors, so the whole family slept outside."

Dozens of aftershocks have shaken the island.

John Grant, a 60-year-old tourist from Britain, said he felt safer sleeping outside.

"Coming from somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, you don't understand," he said from his makeshift bed on a lounge chair. "So to me it was very frightening being in the building. But being outside, I know I'm safe."

About 350 of the injuries occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as a sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore. Seismologists said the shallow depth of the undersea quake Friday was to blame for the damage.

In Kos, the quake damaged the island's main port, so ferries were being diverted to the smaller port of Kefalos on the island's southwestern coast.

Serif Damadoglou Soukri, the imam of Kos, said the greatest damage to Kos mosques was sustained by the central 17th-century Defternatar Ibrahim Pasa mosque, whose minaret, restored a few years ago, collapsed completely. Ancient columns also toppled over in the southern part of the 2nd-century agora in the main town.

Greek Orthodox Priest Vassilis Hlampanis said one of the damaged churches was repairable.

"The greatest damage was sustained mainly in part of the sanctuary, in the middle part which fell, but there are also other sections around the external brickwork and certainly also internally," he said.

Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said island's biggest infrastructure problem was the damage to the main port. Coast guard divers were on the scene inspecting the jetty.

"Life on the island is returning to normal," Kyritsis said. "The infrastructure problems are being repaired."

The mayor said Kos hadn't seen many tourist cancellations as a result of the quake.

"(Visitors) are touring the island with their tour guides. We don't have a big problem. The ferry connection has been restored with the port of Kefalos and we are waiting as soon as possible to repair the damage at the port," he said.

Gift shop owner Giannis Manoutkos said life on the island had returned to its easy-going ways.

"Everything is normal now. The situation was bad for two days ... we are coming to a normal life again," he said.

___

Elena Becatoros and Demetris Nellas in Athens and Sylvain Plazy in Kos contributed to this report.

A woman feeds puppies next to rubble, following an earthquake at the port of Kos island, Greece, on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of people on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful Friday earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region in Greece and Turkey.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A woman walks past a destroyed building at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. The building used to be a bar and is the place were two men, one from Turkey and one from Sweden, were killed when a collapsing wall smashed after a heavy earthquake. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A man walks past a car crushed under rubble near the port of the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

British tourists sleep on sun beds of a hotel following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece, late Friday, July 21, 2017. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

People sleep on the ground following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece, late Friday, July 21, 2017. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

People sleep at a playground early Saturday, July 22, 2017 following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook Friday vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A man walks past a car crushed under rubble near the port of the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A crack is seen on the ground as a man walks in front of a Greek flag at the port of the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Culture ministry employees inspect the damage of a mosque at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Ancient columns lie on the ground following an earthquake at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A marble part of a column is seen on the ground outside a mosque after an earthquake at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017.Hundreds of people on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful Friday earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region in Greece and Turkey.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
WASHINGTON (AP) - New White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was schooled in hardscrabble politics - and down-home rhetoric - from a young age by her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Her way with a zinger - and her unshakable loyalty to an often unpredictable boss - are big reasons why she became a rising star in President Donald Trump's orbit. She'll take over for Sean Spicer, who abruptly announced Friday that he's resigning, effective at the end of August.

Sanders steps into what has been deemed the most difficult job in Washington. Her responsibilities are not just to do combat with a feisty White House press corps but to try to please a mercurial president who fancies himself his own best spokesman.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders who has been named White House press secretary and incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci pass each other by the podium during the press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing room of the White House in Washington, Friday, July 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Trump often presents his own thoughts directly on Twitter in the early hours of the morning and is known to closely follow his surrogates on television, assessing their performances. He has been happy with Sanders' advocacy, says Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to the president.

"She understands America. She understands the president. And she understands how to connect the two," Conway told The Associated Press in March. "The president has a great deal of trust in Sarah."

Sanders, in her debut briefing after the announcement of her promotion, promised to "be as open, honest and transparent with you all as humanly possible." Her low-key approach, which came after a 37-minute charm offensive from new communications director Anthony Scaramucci, was in stark contrast to Spicer's debut in the role. Spicer, in his first briefing, berated reporters about underestimating the size of Trump's inaugural crowds and refused to take questions.

Sanders, who will be the third female press secretary in history, credits her larger-than-life dad with helping her learn how to deliver a message. Huckabee, a frequent political commentator, has long been famed for his pithy rhetoric. The two speak most days before 6 a.m.

"I'll call and say, 'What do you think if I say this?' He'll say, 'That's really good. You might try to say it a little bit more like X,'" she said.

But while she often opts to diffuse problems with some down-home Southern charm, she can also be combative. Last month, she got into a heated exchange with a reporter who accused the White House of trying to antagonize the press corps and snapped, "I think it is outrageous for you to accuse me of inflaming a story when I was simply trying to respond to his question."

On advocating for the unconventional Trump, Sanders admits that even in the press office, they don't always get a heads-up before Trump tweets. But she says part of Trump's appeal is that he "directly communicates with the American people on a regular basis."

And now she is thrust into the role that made Spicer a household name and the butt of "Saturday Night Live" skits. Sanders, too, has been portrayed on the long-running show, and now she is who most Americans will see when they get news from the White House - if the administration returns the briefing to an on-camera format.

Arkansas-raised, Sanders is married to a Republican consultant and moved her young family to Washington to be part of the administration. She joined the Trump campaign not long after her father's second presidential bid - which she managed - fizzled out in the 2016 Iowa caucuses. She said she was drawn to Trump's message of economic populism and his outsider attitude. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - a former first lady, senator and secretary of state - was seen by many as the ultimate insider.

"One of the big things my dad was running on was changing Washington, breaking that cycle," Sanders said last spring. "I felt like the outsider component was important and I thought he had the ability to actually win and defeat Hillary."

Sanders entered politics young, helping with her father's campaigns as a child and then working her way up the ranks. In 2007, she moved to Iowa to run her father's operation in the leadoff caucus state, where he was the surprise winner. She also served in the Education Department under President George W. Bush and worked on a number of Senate and presidential campaigns.

The Arkansas ties continue to hold strong. Sanders has consulted with friends from the state about her new role, including Mack McLarty, a former chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, who she said counseled her to appreciate the "historic opportunity" to work in the White House.

And she downplayed on Friday any reports of "chaos" enveloping the West Wing, saying that her house at 6 a.m. with three young kids was far more hectic.

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Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed reporting.

___

Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Lucey at http://twitter.com/@catherine_lucey

Anthony Scaramucci, incoming White House communications director, left, follows new White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders into the briefing room at the White House, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. John McCain's treatment for brain cancer could keep him out of Washington for weeks, perhaps months, and yet it's unlikely anyone will challenge his extended leave.

Congress has a long tradition in which no one questions ailing lawmakers taking time to recover. For starters, it's just poor form. And, frankly, it's up to the stricken member of Congress and their doctors to decide when - or even if - they return to work. Some have recuperated away from the Capitol for a year or more.

It's an unwritten courtesy that often doesn't extend to the real working world where employees are forced to file for medical disability or take unpaid leave.

The Capitol Hill office of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is seen in Washington, Thursday, July 20, 2017, after news that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer. A member of Congress for more than three decades, McCain was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and a Vietnam prisoner of war. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Julie Tarallo, McCain's spokeswoman, said Friday that "further consultations with Sen. McCain's Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate."

McCain had taken to Twitter on Thursday promising a quick return.

"Unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, I'll be back soon, so stand-by!" said the six-term Arizona Republican and 2008 GOP presidential nominee.

The 80-year-old McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, who had removed a blood clot above his left eye last Friday. He and his family are weighing his treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy.

In the immediate aftermath of McCain's diagnosis, Republicans wouldn't speculate about what the temporary loss of McCain's vote would mean. But McCain's absence complicates Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's plans for a Senate vote on a GOP health care bill to erase much of the Affordable Care Act. A vote is possible on Tuesday, but GOP defections plus McCain's likely absence could sink any chance even to get started.

McCain wouldn't be the first lawmaker this year to miss votes, hearings and other legislative action. Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson remained in Georgia for several weeks earlier this year as he underwent two back surgeries and recuperated. Isakson missed the vote on confirming Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

In January 2012, then-Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. suffered a major stroke and didn't return for almost a full year, making a dramatic entrance by climbing the steps of the Capitol on the opening day of the following Congress.

In a lawmaker's absence, congressional staff keep the office operating, send out news releases - one from McCain on Thursday blasted the Trump administration's Syria policy - and respond to constituents.

Absences can leave the margin of control on a razor's edge.

The month after Democrats won back the Senate in 2006, South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson had a near-fatal episode of bleeding in his brain that, at the time, threatened to shift the Senate's margin from 51-49 Democratic to 50-50 GOP control with Republican Vice President Dick Cheney the deciding vote. Johnson recovered but was away from the Senate for almost nine months.

McCain is battling the same form of cancer that claimed the life of Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., in August 2009. Kennedy was away from the Senate for extended stretches but returned on occasion to vote.

"There were times when Senator Reid had to juggle things because he had two senators absent, Senator Kennedy and Senator Byrd," said longtime former Senate aide Jim Manley, who worked for both Kennedy and then-Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "Having said that, it really never, with a handful of exceptions, proved to be that big of a problem."

Kennedy also delegated some of his responsibilities as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee by farming out responsibility for bills before the panel to colleagues such as then-Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. McCain has had Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., handle his duties as Armed Services Committee chairman.

Unclear is whether Inhofe will steer the sweeping defense policy bill if the Senate begins debate in August.

And, if legislative necessity should dictate that McCain return for a crucial, dramatic vote, there's precedent for that. Kennedy, who mostly stayed away from the chamber for fear of infection, returned to the Senate in July 2008 for a key vote. During McCain's first term, Sen. Pete Wilson, R-Calif., recovering from an emergency appendectomy, was wheeled in on a stretcher to cast the deciding vote on a GOP budget plan.

And in 1964, California Democrat Clair Engle, whose own bout with brain cancer rendered him unable to speak, was wheeled into the Senate to vote for the landmark Civil Rights Act. Engle pointed to his eye and tried to mouth "aye," according to newspaper accounts at the time.

In an earlier time, some senators were away from the chamber for years. Karl Mundt, R-S.D., suffered a stroke in late 1969 and refused to resign and allow a GOP replacement to be named. He held the seat until January 1973 and was replaced by Democrat Jim Abourezk. Sen. Carter Glass, D-Va., kept his titles of president pro tempore and chairman of the Appropriations Committee despite being absent because of frailty due to old age.
ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey's official news agency says a court has reissued detention warrants for four human rights activists who were released earlier this week.

Anadolu news agency said the court on Friday accepted an objection filed by the Istanbul prosecutor's office to the activists' release. The four activists were initially released Tuesday after surrendering their passports and they were required to regularly present themselves at a police station.

The activists are part of a group detained earlier this month on an Istanbul island during a digital security training course.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting in Istanbul, Friday, July 21, 2017. Erdogan has accused Germany's government of trying to scare off investments to Turkey with lies, after Germany toughened its stance toward Ankara following the arrest of human rights activists, including a German national.(Presidential Press Service/Pool photo via AP)

Six other people, including Amnesty International's country director Idil Eser and German citizen Peter Steudtner, were arrested Tuesday pending trial on the charge of aiding terror groups. Germany has called on Turkey to immediately release Steudtner, who is a human rights trainer.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Geneva-based international health organization Medicins Sans Frontieres - also known as Doctors Without Borders - says it has opened an outpatient clinic in the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.

The announcement comes nearly two years after U.S. airstrikes devastated a trauma hospital the group operated in Kunduz, killing 42 people, including 14 MSF staff.

Silvia Dallatomasina, head of MSF programs in Afghanistan, tells The Associated Press that Saturday's opening of the clinic is the first step to re-opening a trauma hospital in Kunduz.

Dallatomasina says MSF has held more than 100 meetings with U.S. officials, the Afghan government and the various sides in the protracted conflict looking for an agreement that will guarantee their safety and the safety of their patients when the re-open.
BERLIN (AP) - A German girl who ran away from home after converting to Islam has been found as Iraqi forces liberated the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State extremists, German and Iraqi officials said Saturday. She is reported to be in good health and will be interrogated next week by Iraqi officials.

The 16-year-old teenager, only identified as Linda W. in line with German privacy laws, is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, prosecutor Lorenz Haase said from the eastern German city of Dresden.

Three Iraqi intelligence and investigative sources confirmed to The Associated Press that the German teenager, who was apprehended in the basement of a home in Mosul's Old City earlier this month, was Linda W.

The market place of Pulsnitz photographed on Saturday, July 22, 2017. A German girl, who ran away from home shortly after converting to Islam, has been found in Iraq, prosecutors said Saturday. The 16-year-old teenager, only identified as Linda W. is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, said prosecutor Lorenz Haase from the eastern German city of Dresden. Haase wouldn't confirm media reports that the teenager from Pulsnitz in eastern Germany had been fighting for the Islamic State group in Mosul. (Sebastian Willnow/dpa via AP)

The girl is in good health, the Iraqi officials said, adding that on the day of her arrest she was "too stunned" to speak but now she is doing better. They said she had been working with the IS police department.

Linda W. could theoretically face the death sentence, according to Iraqi's counter-terrorism law. However, even if she is sentenced to death in Iraq, she would not be executed before the age of 22.

Photos of a disheveled young woman in the presence of Iraqi soldiers went viral online last week, but there were contradicting reports about the girl's identity.

The German teenager had married a Muslim Arab she met online after arriving in the group's territory, the Iraqi officials added, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information was not public. They said Linda W. was one of 26 foreigners arrested in Mosul since the retreat of the extremists there.

So far, the young German has not made any statement. The officials said she is currently being held together with other foreign women at a prison near Baghdad's airport. Starting next week, she'll be investigated by the Iraqis, who will bring in German interpreters for the interrogation since she does not speak much Arabic.

Haase, the German prosecutor, told the AP that the girl ran away from her family home in Pulsnitz in eastern Germany last summer. It's not clear yet whether she will return to Germany, he said.

"We, as the public prosecutor's office Dresden, have not applied for an arrest warrant and will therefore not be able to request extradition," Haase said. "There is the possibility that Linda might be put on trial in Iraq. She might be expelled for being a foreigner or, because she is a minor reported missing in Germany, she could be handed over to Germany."

The 26 foreigners found in Mosul included two men, eight children and 16 women, the Iraqi officials said. Some of those arrested were from Chechnya, and the women were from Russia, Iran, Syria, France, Belgium and Germany.

In addition to Linda W., the Iraqis found three other women from Germany, with roots in Morocco, Algeria and Chechnya. The Iraqi officials said the German-Moroccan woman has a child and both were arrested in Mosul about ten days ago.

They said the women allegedly worked with IS in the police department. Their husbands were IS fighters but their fates were not clear.

French and German Embassy personnel have already visited the arrested women, they said. The children will be handed over to the countries they belong to, while the women will be tried on terrorism charges in Iraq, according to the officials.

More than 930 people, among them several girls and young women, have left Germany to join IS in Syria and Iraq in recent years, the German news agency dpa reported.

While some have been killed in battle and suicide bombings and others have returned to Germany, there's also a large number that are unaccounted for, German security officials say. Many of them were radicalized via social media.

Local newspapers reported last year that Linda W. was in touch with IS members online before she ran away from home. She started wearing long gowns before she disappeared from her family's home last summer. Her mother later found a copy of the girl's plane ticket to Turkey under a bed, German media reported.

The mayor of Pulsnitz, Barbara Kueke, told dpa on Saturday that she was relieved the girl had been found. She described the teenager's family as very reclusive.

Lueke said the school had been aware of the girl's conversion to Islam and the principal had talked to the parents about it, adding that "it was very surprising, though, that the girl has been radicalized in such a way."

In a different case, a French woman captured earlier this month in Mosul with her four children is facing possible prosecution in Iraq for allegedly collaborating with IS.

The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was arrested July 9 along with her two sons and two daughters in a basement in Mosul's Old City, according to Iraqi intelligence officials.

Two Iraqi intelligence officials told the AP on Wednesday that the woman is being investigated in Baghdad and could face terrorism charges for illegally entering Iraq and joining IS, and that the French government wants the children handed over to France.

___

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad, Iraq.

The village name sign of Pulsnitz photographed on Saturday, July 22, 2017. A German girl, who ran away from home shortly after converting to Islam, has been found in Iraq, prosecutors said Saturday. The 16-year-old teenager, only identified as Linda W. is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, said prosecutor Lorenz Haase from the eastern German city of Dresden. Haase wouldn't confirm media reports that the teenager from Pulsnitz in eastern Germany had been fighting for the Islamic State group in Mosul. (Sebastian Willnow/dpa via AP)

The market place in Pulsnitz near Dresden photographed on Saturday, July 22, 2017. A German girl, who ran away from home shortly after converting to Islam, has been found in Iraq, prosecutors said Saturday. The 16-year-old teenager, only identified as Linda W. is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, said prosecutor Lorenz Haase from the eastern German city of Dresden. Haase wouldn't confirm media reports that the teenager from Pulsnitz in eastern Germany had been fighting for the Islamic State group in Mosul. (Sebastian Willnow/dpa via AP)
CAIRO (AP) - An Egyptian court has sentenced 28 people to death for their involvement in the assassination of the country's prosecutor general in 2015.

Saturday's sentences come after consultation with the Grand Mufti, Egypt's top religious authority, over preliminary death sentences handed to the defendants in June. The consultation is a formality followed by courts in the cases of capital punishment.

The sentences are subject to appeal.

The court handed other defendants a variety of jail terms up to life in prison. Of 67 defendants, 15 are still at large.

Hisham Barakat was the most senior government official killed by Islamic militants since the 2013 military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president whose one-year rule proved divisive.
BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on developments in Syria (all times local):

5:45 p.m.

The Lebanese army says the former deputy mayor of the border town of Arsal was killed while on a mediation mission with al-Qaida-linked militants in Syria.

The army said in a statement that Ahmad Fleeti was killed Saturday near the border town after al-Qaida-linked militants hit his vehicle with a missile.

Fleeti's killing came a day after the militant Hezbollah group and Syrian troops launched a wide offensive to clear the border area of militants.

Faleeti was severely wounded losing one of his legs before dying in a hospital in Lebanon, security officials said on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

___

5 p.m.

Syrian troops and members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group have pressed in their offensive in border areas between the two countries capturing territories from Syrian insurgents.

The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said Hezbollah fighters and Syrian troops captured several strategic hills Saturday in areas between the Lebanese town of Arsal and the Syrian village of Fleeta.

SCMM Syrian air force took part in operations adding that dozens of al-Qaida-linked militants have been killed or wounded since the offensive early Friday.

Pro-Hezbollah activists said on social media that about 15 Lebanese fighters have been killed in two days of fighting. The leading LBC TV gave the names of nine fighters whose funerals will be held in Beirut Saturday.

Hezbollah has fought in Syria's civil war since 2013 backing President Bashar Assad's forces.

___

3:30 p.m.

The Syrian army command says it has ceased its military operations in several areas near the capital Damascus but warned it will retaliate against any attack by militants.

The command said in a statement carried by state TV that the cessation of operations began at noon local time Saturday. It gave no further details.

The announcement came hours after Russia's Defense Ministry said an agreement has been reached with the Syrian opposition on the boundaries for a de-escalation zone for the East Ghouta area near the Syrian capital Damascus.

The Russian statement did not give details, but said the agreement includes the zone's borders as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of civilians.

Opposition activists said Ghouta was quiet after airstrikes early Saturday.

___

2 p.m.

Syrian opposition activists say the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib is calm after two main militant groups agreed to end days of fighting that killed scores.

The fighting between the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham and al-Qaida-linked Hay'at Tahrir al Sham - Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee - that is also known as HTS, broke out on Tuesday in several areas and focused on the Bab al-Hawa crossing at the border with Turkey.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that calm has prevailed in Idlib since sunset Friday. It added that four days of fighting left 92 dead, including 15 civilians.

Ahrar al-Sham and HTC had issued statements saying a cease-fire agreement has been reached and both sides will free detainees.

They said Bab al-Hawa will be run by civilian administration.

___

12:50 p.m.

Russia's Defense Ministry says an agreement has been reached with the Syrian opposition on the boundaries for a de-escalation zone for the East Ghouta area near the Syrian capital Damascus.

A ministry statement Saturday did not give details, but said the agreement includes the zone's borders as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of civilians.

It said the agreement was reached in talks in Cairo, with Egyptian mediation.

The zone is one of four proposed in a plan approved in May by Russia and Iran, which support Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Turkey, which backs rebels fighting his forces.
KOS, Greece (AP) - The Latest on the earthquake in Greece and Turkey (all times local):

9 p.m.

Two strong aftershocks have struck the eastern Greek island of Kos within minutes of each other, sending startled residents and tourists scurrying away from homes and restaurants.

A woman walks past a destroyed building at the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. The building used to be a bar and is the place were two men, one from Turkey and one from Sweden, were killed when a collapsing wall smashed after a heavy earthquake. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A 4.4 magnitude tremor struck Saturday night at 8:09 p.m. (1709 GMT), followed by a 4.6 magnitude shock 16 minutes later, the Athens Geodynamics Institute reports. The first one was closest to the island, 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) to the northeast at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

Worried residents and tourists gathered in the middle of the town's main square, as far away as possible from buildings.

The tremors are among the strongest aftershocks since an early morning quake Friday that killed two men on Kos and injured nearly 500 other people across the Aegean Sea region that includes both Greece and Turkey.

____

6:15 p.m.

Crews of experts have begun examining the damage to infrastructure and cultural monuments on the eastern Greek island of Kos after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others in the Aegean Sea region.

In Kos, churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and other old buildings suffered in the quake and were being checked by archaeologists and experts from Greece's Culture Ministry.

Hundreds of residents and tourists spent the night sleeping outdoors on the island, too afraid to return to their homes or hotels after the quake that struck in early Friday. Many camped out in parks and olive groves, or slept in their cars or on beach and swimming pool lounge chairs.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake as being of magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men were killed when a collapsing wall smashed into a bar in Kos.

___

2:35 p.m.

The family of a Turkish tourist who was one of two people to have died in the powerful earthquake that struck the eastern Greek island of Kos is on the island to prepare for the body's repatriation.

Sinan Kurtoglu, 39, was killed in the quake that struck early Friday, as was a tourist from Sweden.

Kurtoglu's father, Ali Kurtoglu, was on the island and was completing procedures to repatriate his son's body.

The imam of Kos, Serif Damadoglou, said the remains were to be transported to Turkey by boat, probably on Sunday.

___

10:10 a.m.

Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors in parks, olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey.

At least two of the injured in Greece are listed in critical condition Saturday and had been airlifted to a hospital on the southern island of Crete.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake, which struck in the early hours of Friday, as being of magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men, one from Turkey and one from Sweden, were killed when a collapsing wall smashed into a popular a bar on Kos.

A man walks past a car crushed under rubble near the port of the Greek island of Kos on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hundreds of residents and tourists on the eastern Greek island of Kos spent the night sleeping outdoors, on beach lounge-chairs, in parks and olive groves or in their cars, a night after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region, in Greece and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

People sleep at a playground early Saturday, July 22, 2017 following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook Friday vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

People sleep on the ground following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece, late Friday, July 21, 2017. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

British tourists sleep on sun beds of a hotel following an earthquake in the Mediterranean island of Kos, Greece, late Friday, July 21, 2017. Causing panic but little serious damage, a powerful earthquake shook vacation resorts in Greece and Turkey, hurting nearly 500 people and killing two tourists who were crushed when a building collapsed on a popular bar in the Greek island of Kos. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
NEW YORK (AP) - When federal prosecutors asked to meet last month with Eric Garner's family, it stoked speculation that their investigation into his death was finally nearing a resolution three years after his last words - "I can't breathe" - became a rallying cry for protests over police killings of black men.

The speculation was wrong: The same day of the Brooklyn meeting, a grand jury heard testimony from a police academy instructor on takedown tactics, dragging out a presentation that began last year, said two people familiar with the secret panel's work.

Department of Justice prosecutors have privately told both the frustrated Garner family and police union attorneys that any decision about whether to charge the officer who killed Garner is months away, according to the people, who weren't authorized to discuss the case and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

FILE - This July 19, 2014 file photo shows a memorial for Eric Garner on the pavement near the site of his death when taken into custody by police, in the Staten Island borough of New York. Three years after Garner's chokehold death the wheels of justice are turning more slowly than in similar cases. Federal prosecutors have said privately that a decision about whether to charge the police officer seen on video wrapping his arm around Garner's neck is still months away, frustrating the victim's family and leaving the officer's career in limbo. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

"Three years later," one of Garner's daughters, Erica, tweeted Monday on the anniversary of her father's death. "I have no f---ing idea what else to do. I really don't. I have turned over every stone."

The fits and starts of the Garner investigation stands out from other federal civil rights investigations into police shootings of black men.

The Justice Department probe of the death Alton Sterling, who was shot by Baton Rouge police while pinned to the ground in July 2016, was wrapped up in 10 months when prosecutors concluded there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges.

The department's probe of the 2014 police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, ended the same way in March 2015.

It took less than a year for a federal indictment of an officer who pleaded guilty in the 2015 slaying of Walter Scott in South Carolina.

There's no time limit for civil rights investigations, but the length of the Garner inquiry is unusual, said Jonathan Smith, a former Justice Department prosecutor. Internal politics or concerns for optics could be stalling an announcement, he added.

"It's not like there's a lot of (unknown) facts in this case. It was on videotape," he said. "What can be known is going to be known at this point."

The widely watched video from July 17, 2014, shows Garner, who had been stopped by officers for selling untaxed cigarettes, telling the officers to leave him alone and refusing to be handcuffed. Officer Daniel Pantaleo responds by putting Garner in an apparent chokehold - banned under New York Police Department policy - as he was taken to the ground.

The heavyset Garner, who had asthma, is heard gasping, "I can't breathe" before lapsing into unconsciousness. He later was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide caused in part by the chokehold. But police union officials and Pantaleo's lawyer have argued that the officer used a takedown move taught by the police department, not a chokehold, and that Garner's poor health was the main reason he died.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn took up the case in 2015 after a state grand jury declined to bring charges against Pantaleo.

When the local office concluded there wasn't enough evidence to prove the officer deliberately violated Garner's civil rights, the Justice Department - then led by Attorney General Loretta Lynch - assigned prosecutors from Washington to take over and forge ahead.

One was Forrest Christian, who was involved in the investigation of the New Orleans Police officers who shot six people on the Danziger Bridge after Hurricane Katrina.

Current Attorney General Jeff Sessions' position on the case is unclear. But the conservative Republican, who has the power to pull the plug on the inquiry, has both criticized the Obama administration's aggressive response to allegations of police misconduct and hailed the guilty plea in the Scott case as demonstrating a commitment to punishing excessive force.

Both the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn declined to discuss the Garner case. Pantaleo's attorney, Stuart London, had no comment.

The officer, who has received death threats, also has been silent. He was taken off of patrol after the killing and is working a desk job as he awaits the outcome of the case.

Even if no criminal charges are brought, the officer could be fired for bungling the arrest.

"When there's a fatality involved, that has been a career-ender as a practical matter," said Eugene O'Donnell, professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. "Whether the officers like it or not, it's better for everyone concerned to get them off the front lines."

The longer the delay in the Garner case, the more likely it appears Pantaleo won't be charged, said Smith, the former prosecutor.

"It wouldn't take this long to bring an indictment," he said. "Why and how they are going to release the declination is probably an issue."

___

Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman in Washington D.C. and Colleen Long in New York contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show the South Carolina officer who pleaded guilty in 2015 had fatally shot Walter Scott, not Michael Scott.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to Virginia to commission an aircraft carrier (all times local):

4:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump is championing what he describes as America's return to global military prominence.

President Donald Trump, joined by Ships Captain Rick McCormack, right, walks to the podium to speak during the the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Saturday, July, 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Trump spoke Saturday at the official commissioning of the aircraft carrier the USS Gerald Ford at Norfolk, Virginia.

The president says there has been "a shortfall in military readiness" and decries "a very, very bad time" for the military" in previous years.

Trump hails the $12.9 billion next-generation aircraft carrier as symbolic of a new era when "everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong."

Earlier this year, Trump gave an interview criticizing the high-tech electromagnetic catapult that is one of the signature innovations of the Ford and expressing a preference for the traditional steam-fueled catapult. He didn't mention the issue on Saturday.

___

3 p.m.

President Donald Trump is having a late lunch with key staff members at his golf club in northern Virginia.

The White House says Trump is dining with chief of staff Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus), adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) and his wife, Louise.

The three aides and Mnuchin's wife joined Trump for a quick trip to Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday. The president participated in the commissioning ceremony for a new aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford

Trump likes to spend time at the club on weekends when he stays in Washington. The White House did not say what he was having for lunch.

___

11:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to approve higher military spending so the U.S. can build "the best equipment."

Trump spoke aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in Norfolk, Virginia, during the commissioning ceremony for the $12.9 billion state-of-the-art aircraft carrier.

He criticized what he called a lack of investment in new military technology and "a shortfall in military readiness" under the previous administration.

Trump called on Congress "to do its job and pass the budget," which increases funding for the military.

The USS Ford is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship's state-of-the-art systems.

___

11:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump is calling a new state-of-the art aircraft carrier "A 100,000-ton message to the world" of American military might.

Trump spoke Saturday during the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald R. Ford in Norfolk, Virginia.

He said: "Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong."

The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country's 38th president.

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship's state-of-the-art systems.

___

11:05 a.m.

Former defense secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are among a host of officials attending the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald R. Ford in Virginia.

President Donald Trump is presiding over the event at which the $12.9 billion state-of-the-art aircraft carrier will be turned over to the Navy. He is joined by the current defense secretary, Jim Mattis.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and members of Congress from Virginia and Michigan are on hand for the shipboard ceremony.

Ford represented Michigan in Congress. His daughter, Susan Ford Bales, is also attending. She is the ship's sponsor.

___

10:35 a.m.

President Donald Trump has landed on the deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford for a ceremony to officially turn the aircraft carrier over to the Navy.

Trump was greeted by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other officials, and huddled with them for several minutes on the steamy deck of the warship docked in Norfolk, Virginia.

Trump flew to the aircraft carrier on the Marine One helicopter, accompanied by chief of staff Reince Priebus, adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The USS Ford is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country's 38th president.

___

10:15 a.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived in Virginia to help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.

Trump will preside over Saturday's ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country's 38th president.

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship's state-of-the-art systems.

The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea.

___

3:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump will help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.

The nation's commander in chief is traveling to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday to preside over a ceremony during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country's 38th president.

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship's state-of-the-art systems.

The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea.

President Donald Trump stands for the colors as he arrives during the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Saturday, July, 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Donald Trump speaks during the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Saturday, July, 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A New Jersey home that has been vacant since the FBI arrested a family of undercover Russian spies living there is heading for sale.

Vladimir and Lydia Guryev lived in the home in Montclair, New Jersey, under the names Richard and Cynthia Murphy before they were arrested in 2010 along with eight other spies accused of leading double lives, complete with false passports, secret code words, fake names, invisible ink and encrypted radio.

Investor Jeremy MacDonald is planning to renovate and then try to sell the home. He says he hopes it will sell for about $700,000 after doing about $200,000 in renovations, including repairing its yellow, chipped paint and dealing with overgrown bushes.

Vladimir and Lydia Guryev lived in the home in Montclair under the names Richard and Cynthia Murphy before they were arrested in 2010. Investor Jeremy MacDonald is planning to renovate and then try to sell the home

'I didn't even know it used to be a Russian spy house,' MacDonald said.

'The realtor I'm currently working with showed me all the news articles about its history.'

The parents of two young daughters had pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country and were deported to Russia in exchange for four people convicted of betraying Moscow to the West being let out of prison there.

Their story partially inspired the FX drama 'The Americans`,' about two undercover Russian spies that live in the U.S. with two young children.

Lydia Guryev worked as an accountant in New York and was accused of using her financial contacts to pass information to Moscow.

Their story partially inspired the FX drama 'The Americans,' about two undercover Russian spies that live in the U.S. with two young children

The parents of two young daughters had pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country and were deported to Russia in exchange for four people convicted of betraying Moscow to the West being let out of prison there.

MacDonald said that he doesn't expect the Russian spy connection to help or hurt the sale

MacDonald said that he doesn't expect the Russian spy connection to help or hurt the sale.

'It's out of the FBI's hands and it's not foreclosed. This has been an ongoing story for the past seven years, but now its coming to an end,' he said to NJ.com.

Neighbors said that they are happy that the house will be fixed up after sitting empty for so long. One called it an 'eyesore.'

'Montclair is excited that this house will be renovated soon and lived in again, bringing a new family to the neighborhood,' said Brian Wilde, Montclair's head of code enforcement.
Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer was spotted outdoors walking his dog near his home in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday, a day after his quitting his post at the White House.

Exclusive photos taken by The Daily Mail show Spicer with his rescue dog, Billy, during an early morning run through the quiet streets of his suburban neighborhood.

Spicer, a naval reservist, can be seen with a Navy T-shirt, running shorts and a leash in hand as he gets some fresh air alongside his trusty K-9.

Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer is spotted early Saturday morning getting some fresh air with his rescue dog, billy (pictured)

Spicer abruptly resigned from his post Friday after a major shakeup in the White House communications team

Spicer, a naval reservist, was photographed exclusively by The Daily Mail while walking his dog around his Alexandria neighborhood (pictured: Spicer's residence, left)

Spicer abruptly resigned Friday over President Donald Trump's decision to tap a camera-ready financier to lead the beleaguered White House communications team.

The departing spokesman said the president 'could benefit from a clean slate' as he seeks to steady operations amid the Russia investigations and ahead of a health care showdown.

Spicer, whose daily briefings once dominated cable television and delighted late-night comics, quit in protest over the hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

Spicer denounced what he considered Scaramucci's lack of qualifications, according to people familiar with the situation.

As his first act on the job, Scaramucci, a polished television commentator and Harvard Law graduate, announced from the White House briefing room that Sarah Huckabee Sanders would take Spicer's job. She had been Spicer's deputy.

Spicer later posted a tweet to express his appreciation for Sanders, who he said would do a 'fantastic' job as the next face of the White House.

'I could not have asked for a better deputy that @SHSanders45 - she will be fantastic @PressSec and serve @POTUS & @WhiteHouse very well

Sanders replied by praising her former boss and said she was 'proud' to call him a friend.

'Thank you @PressSec! Such an honor to work with you and proud to call you my friend.'

Incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, right, blowing a kiss after answering questions on Friday, July 21, 2017 (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Spicer walks down the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building towards the White House, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Washington (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The shake-up among the president spokespeople comes as Trump is suffering from dismal approval ratings and struggling to advance his legislative proposals.

As his effort to replace Barack Obama's health care law crumbled this week, the president continued to vent frustration about the attention devoted to investigations of allegations of his election campaign's connections to Russia. Trump has blamed his own messengers - as well as the 'fake news' media - for his woes.

Trump, who watches the press briefings closely and believes he is his own best spokesman, saluted Spicer's 'great ratings' on TV and said he was 'grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people.'

His decision to quit took advisers inside and outside the White House by surprise, according to people with knowledge of the decision. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the personnel matter publicly.

FILE - In this May 9, 2017, Spicer speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Friday night, Trump tweeted, 'Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!'

The White House had been looking for a new communications director for several weeks, but struggled to attract an experienced Republican hand.

Scaramucci, a former Democrat - like Trump - who once called his new boss a 'hack politician,' began seriously talking to the White House about the position this week, and the president offered him the job Friday morning.

Spicer had spent several years leading communications at the Republican National Committee before helping Trump's campaign in the general election. He is close to White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, the former RNC chair.

Back in January, Spicer's tenure got off to a rocky start. On Trump's first full day in office, he lambasted journalists over coverage of the crowd size at the inauguration and stormed out of the briefing room without answering questions.

Spicer remained loyal to Trump but frequently battled perceptions that he was not plugged in to what the president was thinking.

The resignation comes a day after Mark Corallo, the spokesman for the president's outside legal team, left his post. And in a separate move, former White House aide Katie Walsh is returning to the RNC, spokesman Ryan Mahoney said. Walsh will serve as an adviser on data and digital issues, and the appointment is unrelated to the White House personnel changes, he said.

Scaramucci, incoming White House communications director, accompanied by newly appointed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Scaramucci, center, answer questions during the press briefing, Friday, July 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Taiwanese electronics maker Foxconn's plan to build a display panel factory in the U.S. has sparked a flurry of lobbying by states vying to land what some economic development officials say is a once-in-a-generation prize.

It's not just jobs that are up for grabs - possibly 5,000 alone at the plant and potentially thousands more at other unspecified U.S. operations the company intends to launch. Luring Foxconn to build the country's first liquid-crystal display factory would signal that the Midwest, which has hemorrhaged manufacturing jobs in recent decades, can diversify into again producing high-tech consumer gadgets often assembled in Asia.

The hunt for Foxconn is fluid and largely secretive, with Rust Belt governors and state officials declining to even confirm their interest due to non-disclosure agreements and Foxconn not elaborating much on why it will expand its U.S. footprint. But Foxconn, the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other devices for Apple and other brands, has listed seven states with which it hopes to work. It's expected to announce plans to develop operations in at least three states by early August.

FILE - In this Thursday, May 27, 2010, file photo, a worker looks out through the logo at the entrance of the Foxconn complex in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Taiwanese electronics maker Foxconn's plan to build a display panel factory in the U.S. has sparked a flurry of lobbying by states vying to land what some economic development officials say is a once-in-a-generation prize. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

In two, the wooing of Foxconn has spilled into public view. Michigan lawmakers this month passed job-creation tax incentives, including one for companies that add at least 3,000 jobs that pay the average regional wage. Wisconsin legislators are considering new incentives, too.

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and Texas also appear to be in the mix for some sort of investment from Foxconn, which bought Japanese electronics brand Sharp last year. An examination shows positives and negatives in each state:

___

WISCONSIN: Republican Gov. Scott Walker has close ties to the White House, and President Donald Trump said during a visit to Wisconsin that "we were negotiating with a major, major incredible manufacturer of phones and computers and televisions and I think they're going to give the governor a very happy surprise very soon." House Speaker Paul Ryan met with Foxconn officials and hopes the company will build its big plant in his southeastern Wisconsin district, which isn't far from Chicago. Right-to-work Wisconsin has a manufacturing incentive that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit equal to 7.5 percent of reported income, nearly eliminating all corporate tax liability. Like some other states, it struggles to provide enough trained workers for available jobs.

___

MICHIGAN: Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has made Michigan more business-friendly by slashing business taxes, eliminating a machinery tax and boosting trades training. The auto state boasts the most engineers, per capita, and tax changes and loosened union requirements help it compete. But a decision to reduce tax incentives has kept it out of the mix for large-scale business expansions, say economic developers. The new "Good Jobs" incentives worth $200 million annually will let qualified companies keep employees' state income tax withholdings for 10 years. High electricity rates may be a hindrance, and some lawmakers have criticized the working conditions at Foxconn's factories in China.

___

PENNSYLVANIA: In January, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou said Pennsylvania was a leading candidate for the factory, but that the company was also in discussions with other states. Gou's talk of hiring 50,000 workers for all of the company's U.S. operations has been met with some skepticism because the state's 2013 announcement that Foxconn would add 500 jobs at a high-tech manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania hasn't panned out. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf touts the state's low energy costs, major shipping ports and proximity to six of the 10 largest U.S. markets. Pennsylvania has an existing $1,000 tax credit per job created, but its corporate tax is high compared to those in other states. Business groups say it's difficult to find skilled workers in Pennsylvania and the state can be slow in issuing permits.

___

OHIO: Like other states, Ohio hasn't publicly disclosed any incentives it might offer Foxconn. Republican Gov. John Kasich made a hastily arranged trip to Japan in early June to pursue undisclosed business opportunities - the same weekend the governors of Wisconsin and Michigan were also there. Kasich hypes an improved business climate that includes the elimination of corporate income taxes and tangible personal property taxes on businesses, regulatory streamlining, and extensive higher education and workforce training networks. Despite recent economic improvements, Ohio was forced to close a projected $1 billion budget gap last month.

___

INDIANA: Republicans crow about cuts to the corporate tax rate and a favorable regulatory climate. But perhaps the biggest advantage Indiana offers is its central location, a recent $4.7 billion investment in infrastructure and comparatively low wages. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and other governors have generally been willing to push generous tax incentive packages. The right-to-work state in 2015 passed a religious objections law that critics contended would allow business owners to discriminate against gay people. A backlash, including from big business, prompted legislators to change it, but Indiana took a big public relations hit and the episode remains a black eye.

___

ILLINOIS: Illinois has no tax incentive program, but lawmakers hope to adopt one soon that would be similar to one the state used to have and would give tax breaks for creating and retaining jobs. Illinois has a central geographic location and an enviable transportation network, with international access by air from Chicago airports, a solid rail network and water access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The state's finances, however, are a mess. After two years without a state budget due to an impasse between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-led Legislature, legislators finally passed one this month by overriding the governor's vetoes. It included increases in the income and corporate taxes.

____

TEXAS: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott can offer incentives to job creators. Texas is about as pro-business as they come. After the Great Recession, Texas led the nation in economic growth, though it has fallen back due to the prolonged slump in oil prices. Former Gov. Rick Perry relished traveling to recruit major employers to Texas, even if it meant stealing jobs from other states. His successor, Abbott, has made fewer such trips but has aggressively continued Perry's "Texas is open for business" pitch to top companies. Its Sun Belt location used to be a plus, but Texas has been punished by droughts in recent years. Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Legislature has begun embracing policies backed by social conservatives that top companies say is bad for business.

___

Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; John O'Connor in Springfield, Illinois; Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennslyvania; Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; and Will Weissert in Austin, Texas contributed to this report.
NEW YORK (AP) - A prosecutor says a fourth man has been arrested and charged in the robbery and sex attack of a woman heading home from her New York City church.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced the arrest Saturday. He said in a release that the men had a "pack-like mentality" when they attacked the 50-year-old woman on July 11 at gunpoint.

Bail has been set at a half million dollars for two 20-year-olds, a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old. If convicted, they could face decades in prison.

Authorities say the woman was only a half block from the Celestial Church of Christ in the Jamaica section of Queens when she was robbed and forced to perform sex acts at about 10:30 p.m.
A woman who duped her female friend into having sex by pretending to be a man has been jailed for six and a half years.

Gayle Newland, of Willaston, Cheshire, created a disturbingly complex online persona to achieve her own bizarre sexual satisfaction, carrying on the deceit for more than two years.

The 27-year-old was found guilty at a retrial at Manchester Crown Court in June of committing sexual assault by penetration, using a prosthetic penis without her blindfolded victims consent.

Newland sobbed and slumped to the floor of the dock as sentence was handed down on Thursday.

Newland sobbed and slumped to the floor of the dock as sentence was handed down on Thursday

She was originally jailed for eight years in November 2015 after she was convicted of the same offences.

But the conviction was later quashed on the grounds that the trial judges summing up of the case was not fair and balanced.

Gayle Newland

Newland received concurrent terms of six years for three counts of sexual assault committed in 2013.

She was handed an extra six months in jail for an offence of fraud committed between March 2014 and September 2015.

Reporting restrictions on the fraud matter were lifted on Thursday by the Recorder of Manchester, Judge David Stockdale QC.

The defendant admitted defrauding her former employers, an internet-based advertising agency, of 9,000 by creating fake client profiles.

The retrial jury was not told of the fraud conviction until it had returned its verdicts.
Prince George is celebrating his fourth birthday on Saturday.

The young future king has spent the run-up to his big day on an official tour of Poland and Germany with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

William and Kates eldest child has a busy year ahead of him as he starts school in September.

The Duchess has already said she is not sure George, who will be young for his year, has any idea whats going to hit him as he begins full-time education.

George is joining private day school Thomass Battersea in September, where fees cost 17,604 a year.

The selective establishment states that its most important rule is to be kind. Its 540 pupils are aged from four to 13, with around 20 in a class.

Prince George with his family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (Yui Mok/PA)

Art, ballet, drama, ICT, French, music and physical education are all taught by specialist teachers from a childs first day in school.

The Cambridge family will be based at Kensington Palace in London, rather than at their Norfolk mansion Anmer Hall, with William leaving his air ambulance helicopter pilot job this summer to become a full-time royal.

George showed himself to be something of a shy royal diplomat when he arrived in Warsaw, needing encouragement from William to exit the plane, and fidgeting on the red carpet.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George during a visit to the Natural History Museum

According to Kate, the prince is a noisy youngster and a really lovely little boy whom she hopes will keep feisty younger sister Princess Charlotte in check.

George and Charlotte had a starring role as pageboy and bridesmaid at aunt Pippa Middletons wedding in May where the Prince was reprimanded for standing on the brides train.

Last autumn, the siblings travelled to Canada with William and Kate for a high-profile royal visit, making just a few appearances, including one to a childrens tea party.

Prince George on the day after his birth

:: Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born at St Marys Hospitals private maternity unit, the Lindo Wing, at 4.24pm on July 22 2013, weighing 8lbs 6oz.

He made his public debut in front of the worlds media on the hospital steps one day later, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl, cradled in his proud parents arms.

A great-grandchild to the Queen, he will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England if, as expected, he follows reigns by the Prince of Wales, then William.
Air traffic controllers are dealing with the busiest day in UK aviation history.

A total of 8,800 planes are to be handled by controllers across the country over 24 hours, at the start of a summer season which is due to see a record 770,000 flights in UK airspace  40,000 more than last year.

The chief executive of the National Air Traffic Service, Martin Rolfe, warned that Britains air routes are exceptionally crowded and numbers of flights are reaching the limit of what can be accommodated.

A Government consultation could result in changes to permitted routes to allow more flights, he said, and the system could be updated to take advantage of the ability of modern jets to fly further and take steeper approaches to airports, to maximise the use of available space while minimising noise disruption and pollution on the ground.

The record day came as the Government launched its proposed aviation strategy for the years to 2050, in which ministers say they are minded to be supportive of airports that want to make better use of existing capacity.

Mr Rolfe said the busy day at airports has not taken controllers by surprise.

Most flights handled in one day in UK airspace.

We start more than a year in advance planning where the aircraft are going to be, looking at the schedules, working with the airlines and working with air traffic controllers to make sure we have a plan we can execute safely, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

We are approaching the limit of what the skies can handle with the airspace we have in place. The routes we currently have in place are becoming exceptionally crowded, and on the busiest days we sometimes have to reroute aircraft to make sure we can get everybody to their destinations on time.

Mr Rolfe said the Government has consulted over the past couple of years on how to handle Britains future airspace needs, taking into account issues like noise, capacity and fuel use.

We will take that stable guidance when it comes out and use that to change the airspace and modernise it for the next century, he said. The whole process takes a long time  probably two or three years  because we consult with local communities, so millions and millions of people will have a say in aircraft flying over their house.

The skies will be busy on Friday (Steve Parsons/PA)

Local communities are very obviously concerned about what more traffic might look like, but actually modernising it means we can keep aircraft higher for longer and have them descend more steeply than they currently do, because modern aircraft are more capable than the aircraft that were in service when this airspace was originally designed. These routes were designed for old aircraft  we can use the new ones.

Proposals included in the Governments aviation strategy include doorstep luggage collection services and town centre check-in desks for passengers flying from British airports.

The scheme  already in use in Hong Kong and Japan  would allow travellers to have bags collected from their homes or to drop their bags at a depot in advance and pick up boarding cards before making their own way to the airport, making life easier for disabled passengers and saving space on commuter trains currently taken up by luggage.

Also under consideration are extra measures to deal with the terror threat, including funding for better airport security in foreign countries that have weaker systems. The Government also raised the prospect of reforming Air Passenger Duty to improve the competitiveness of British airports.

Good Morning from Heathrow Airport! Please let us know if you require any assistance today with your journey. (Photo credit:@caseyneistatFC) pic.twitter.com/5wGPqPgJD7  Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) July 21, 2017

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: Our new aviation strategy will look beyond the new runway at Heathrow and sets out a comprehensive long-term plan for UK aviation. It will support jobs and economic growth across the whole of the UK.

It comes as a 1 billion programme to double the size of Manchester Airports Terminal 2 was launched.

The investment was described by the chief executive of Manchester Airports Group, Charlie Cornish, as a significant moment which demonstrated the confidence that we have in the long-term future of both the North and the UK economy.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will not listen to any bids for Philippe Coutinho, saying: We are not a selling club.

The Brazilian playmaker has been linked with a move to Barcelona, with the Spanish giants understood to have bid 72million for him.

Coutinho is arguably the Reds most important creative force and Klopp was adamant that the club have never, and will never, invite interest in the player.

Asked if the 25-year-old was not for sale, Klopp told a press conference in Hong Kong on Friday: Yes, thats what we can say. But thats not since this morning or yesterday, Im not sure if it was different at any time. So, yes.

Im not surprised that any club is interested in players, if it is like this. A few people obviously see that Liverpool has a few good players. Thats how it is. But a very important message, maybe  we are not a selling club.

We believe in working together, we believe in development together. We believe in using the basis. We want to work together, we want to make the next step together and for this we need to stay together. Thats how it is.

Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring a goal for Liverpool

Liverpool are more focused on recruiting players to help them improve on last seasons fourth-placed finish in the Premier League. Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has been brought in from Roma, while the Merseyside club are also interested in RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita.

Klopp is determined to add greater depth to his squad after admitting they relied too heavily on Coutinho last season and struggled in his absence.

Phil is a very, very important player but we need to react better when hes not on the pitch, thats how it is, the German said. He was out for a few games (last season) and then he came back and was not in the best shape. He tried to get his rhythm back.

With his quality he has the opportunity under pressure to be on the pitch. Other players, you keep in training. But Phil, when he is able to run properly you want to have him on the pitch again. So we have to be better even in moments like this.
Scotland Women have suffered another Euro 2017 blow after Jane Ross was all but ruled out of their final two group games.

The Manchester City striker suffered a shoulder injury in Scotlands opening 6-0 defeat by England and is set to miss Sundays clash with Portugal and the encounter with Spain five days later.

But Ross, who has scored 50 international goals, will continue having treatment in the Scotland camp in the hope that she can play a further part in the tournament.

Ross leaves the field with the injury

Scotlands team doctor, Stephen Boyce, said in an interview on www.scottishfa.co.uk: "With respect to the two qualifying games, it is unlikely she will be able to take part in those games.

"However, should Scotland progress further in the tournament well re-evaluate the clinical situation at that time."

The blow is the latest injury to hit Scotlands chances of making an impact in Holland. Star player Kim Little of Arsenal and Hibernian striker Lizzie Arnot both suffered cruciate ligament injuries in the build-up and Rosss City team-mate, Jen Beattie, was also ruled out.
A father has been fined 150 after his five-year-old daughter set up a one-table lemonade stall.

Andre Spicer, a business school professor, let the youngster set up a stand near their home to sell refreshments to people heading to the Lovebox music festival in Victoria Park, east London, last weekend.

He described how four council officials told him to shut it down as he held the crying five-year-old in his arms.

Andre Spicer's five-year-old daughter's lemonade stand

So, about the lemonade standard incident... we are very sorry that this has happened. (1/3)  Tower Hamlets Council (@TowerHamletsNow) July 21, 2017

She basically suggested it herself, Professor Spicer told the Press Association.

She made a sign and starting selling home-made lemonade  1 for a large glass, and 50p for a small one. But after just half an hour, four officials marched over and demanded they stop and issued them with an 150 fine, telling them it could be reduced to 90 if paid quickly.

They were following a script, said Professor Spicer, who said daughter burst into tears at they spoke. I had to pick her up and hold her.

We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense, and to use their powers sensibly. This clearly did not happen. (2/3)  Tower Hamlets Council (@TowerHamletsNow) July 21, 2017

Tower Hamlets council has since cancelled the fine and hand-delivered a note to his home to apologise, after Professor Spicer wrote an article in the Daily Telegraph describing the incident. The four enforcement officers who shut down the stall should have used common sense, said the council.

We are very sorry that this has happened, a spokesman said. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly. This clearly did not happen. The fine will be cancelled immediately and we have contacted Professor Spicer and his daughter to apologise.

The fine will be cancelled immediately and we have contacted Mr Spicer and his daughter to apologise. 3/3  Tower Hamlets Council (@TowerHamletsNow) July 21, 2017

However, just because the fine has been dropped, that does not mean the children of Tower Hamlets can set up lemonade stands at will.

The council spokesman said: Strictly speaking it could be seen as illegal trading.

Professor Spicer suggested enforcement of such rules where children are involved is part of a wider trend.

The broader point here is how restrictive we have become with children, he said. They are not allowed out of the house or anything. All we do is put them in front of the television or send them to adventure parks.
Here are some of Prince Georges top moments from the last year:

The reluctant diplomat

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince George arrive at Warsaw Chopin airport

George eventually joined his parents and little sister Prince Charlotte for a red carpet arrival in Warsaw, Poland, in the run up to his fourth birthday.

But the boy who will one day be king appears to have inherited his fathers love of flying and needed a little encouragement to exit the plane.

On the tarmac, shy George fidgeted, swung his right leg backwards and forwards before wrapping it around his left, and kept one of his hands inside the pocket of his trademark shorts.

Two days later in Germany, the youngster appeared a little bored with the formalities of the official welcome and at one point buried his face in his arm as William chatted to the dignitaries.

Bored on the balcony

Prince George on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour ceremony

The Prince stole the show when the royals celebrated the Queens official 91st birthday at Trooping the Colour in June.

Resting his chin on his hand with a bored look on his face, George appeared unimpressed with the sight before him on what was his third appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

But he cheered up a bit when he spotted the flypast.

George as pageboy

Prince George leaves with other page boys and flower girls following the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews

George  in gold knickerbockers  had a leading role at aunt Pippa Middletons wedding in May.

But the Prince was kept in check by his mother, who told him off after he appeared to step on the brides carefully arranged train.

Trudeaus high five

Justin Trudeau (left) watches after greeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte

The Cambridges headed to Canada in September 2016 and George showed himself to be adept at demonstrating old fashioned British reserve.

When popular Canadian PM Justin Trudeau attempted to greet him with a high five, low five and a handshake, the third in line to throne rebuffed the attempt with a shake of his head.

Sorry, one doesnt high-five with commoners one media headline joked after the encounter.

Bubbles and balloons

Prince George plays with bubbles at a children's party

George was transfixed by the bubbles and balloons at the childrens tea party in Victoria, Canada.

The youngster enjoyed a ride on a miniature pony, ran around squirting his father and sister with an orange bubble gun and was shown how to blow bubbles by William.

As the delighted prince spotted a balloon animal being made for Charlotte, he ran over to his mother and said: But I want one, can I have one?

Im going to fly us to England

Prince George squashes his nose against the window of a seaplane

Aspiring pilot George jumped at the chance to take the controls of a seaplane in Vancouver.

He left Victoria, British Colombia, with his nose squashed against the window and his ear defenders on.

Pilot Shawn Stewart said George climbed into the co-pilots seat after they landed and started playing with the controls and pretending he was flying the plane.

Kate said: Where are you going to fly us? Are you going to fly us to Canada? And George said: No Im going to fly us to England,' he revealed.
Newcastle have signed former Liverpool and Sunderland defender Javier Manquillo from Atletico Madrid for an undisclosed fee.

Manquillo, 23, has put pen to paper on a three-year contract and is the Magpies fourth summer signing.

Im very happy to be here, Manquillo told the clubs official website. From the first moment that Rafa Benitez called me I just knew that I had to come here, to such a big club.

Manquillo most recently played for Sunderland

I'm really happy to sign for @NUFC. Can't wait to start this season. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/3OtN326eVJ  Javier Manquillo (@javiermanquillo) July 21, 2017

Manquillo, who has joined up with Newcastles squad at their summer training camp in Ireland, spent last season on loan at north-east rivals Sunderland and made 22 appearances.

He also had a spell on loan at Liverpool during the 2014/15 campaign, but returned to Atletico Madrid after featuring on only 18 occasions.

The right-back progressed through Atleticos academy after starting as a youngster at city rivals Real and was loaned out to Marseille during the 2015/16 season, making over 30 appearances.

Manager Rafael Benitez said: Like Jacob Murphy, Manquillo is another young player.

 He's played in Spain, France and England but #NUFC new boy @javiermanquillo says the unpredictability of the @premierleague is unique pic.twitter.com/XuuPVDfCyN  Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 21, 2017

He can play both sides of the defence and he has a lot of motivation because he knows he has a point to prove.

He can still improve but he has played for Spain at Under-21 level and that is because he is a good player, so hopefully he will show that form here.

The Magpies signed England Under-21 winger Jacob Murphy from Norwich on Wednesday, while Ghana international Christian Atsu and French defender Florian Lejeune have arrived from Chelsea and Eibar respectively since the club won promotion back to the Premier League last season.
Police searching a landfill site for missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague say no trace of the serviceman has been found.

Suffolk Police Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott said officers sifted through 6,500 tonnes of waste in an unprecedented search for the 23-year-old.

She said: Our thoughts are with Corries family as we had hoped that this search would have provided them with the answers about what happened to him. Sadly we have not found Corrie, or any trace of his clothing or mobile phone.

The search of a landfill site to find anything related to missing Corrie McKeague will be completed this afternoon - https://t.co/bilsydCxEw  Suffolk Police (@SuffolkPolice) July 21, 2017

Mr McKeague, from Fife in Scotland, vanished after a night out with friends in Bury St Edmunds on September 24 2016.

A bin lorry was seen on CCTV near Brentgovel Street in the town around the time Mr McKeague was last seen, and it took a route which appeared to coincide with the movements of his phone.

The bin lorry linked to the disappearance of Mr McKeague was initially thought to have collected an 11kg (1st 10lb) load, but police said it was later found to be more than 100kg (15st 10lb).

CCTV still of Corrie McKeague on the night he disappeared

Officers started searching the landfill in early March and police said the search has cost more than 1.2 million to date.

Search at the site was stood down on Friday afternoon.

Ms Elliott said: The investigation behind the scenes hasnt stood still while the search has been carried out, but all the information we have still points to the fact that Corrie was transported from the horseshoe area in the bin lorry.

Having been through all of the possibilities in detail, there is nothing to support any theory other than that Corrie was in the bin.

Police searching the landfill site in Milton, Cambridgeshire (PA)

There are no further sightings of him on CCTV to suggest he left the area, and we have explored the other possibilities as to how he left, such as being taken from the area by someone, and there is no evidence to support that this is the case.

On CCTV he appears to be alone and we have traced and spoken to everyone who walked through Brentgovel Street around the relevant time, and none of them have seen anything suspicious.

We know that Corries phone travelled away from Bury St Edmunds at the same time as the bin lorry that collected waste from Brentgovel Street.

Police conducted a detailed search for the missing RAF man (PA)

The theory that Corrie was in the bin that was emptied into the bin lorry shortly after he was last seen is strengthened by credible information that we have obtained through our inquiries that Corrie had been known to go to sleep in rubbish, following a night out.

Weve explored every other reasonable hypothesis and there is nothing to support any other explanation.
UK families wanting to reduce beach holiday costs during an overseas trip should head to Turkeys Marmaris resort, according to a new study.

A basket of goods including a banana boat ride (9.08), inflatable lilo (2.02), childs sun hat (2.04) and a bucket and spade (91p) in the port town is 14.9% cheaper for UK visitors than it was last year, Post Office Travel Money said.

An estimated 2.4 million British holidaymakers are set to head abroad for a holiday this weekend, which marks the start of the summer break for many schools in England and Wales.

Costa del Sol (John Giles/PA)

Analysis of prices at 15 popular European beach resorts found Spains Costa del Sol was the second cheapest, followed by Bulgarias Sunny Beach and the Greek island of Crete.

Nice in the south of France was the most expensive location featured in the report, ahead of Sorrento, Italy, and the Spanish isle of Ibiza.

More than two-thirds (68%) of families who set a budget overspend by an average of nearly a quarter (23%), according to the research.

Nice (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: The clear message is to plan ahead: pack what you can to avoid forking out cash on basics like sun cream and insect repellent and squeeze last years beach gear for the kids into the suitcase.

For those who havent already booked, it is worth checking what late deals are available to the best value resorts in our survey. Marmaris, Sunny Beach and the Costa del Sol all look good value and the general message is to head east for lower prices.

Here are the top five cheapest destinations for beach items, according to Post Office Travel Money:

Costa del Sol, Spain.

Crete (Sam Beattie/PA)

Crete, Greece.

Here are the top five most expensive destinations for beach items, according to Post Office Travel Money:

Sorrento, Italy.

Ibiza (Joel Ryan/PA)

Corfu, Greece.
Matteo Darmian insists he is happy at Manchester United despite reports linking the defender with a summer return to Italy.

Two years ago Darmian took the plunge by leaving his homeland for the first time in his career, swapping Torino for Old Trafford in a deal worth 12.7million.

Darmian struggled to fulfil expectations in his first season and took his time to win over Jose Mourinho last term, eventually returning from the cold towards the end of the campaign.

Juventus have been linked with Matteo Darmian

The 27-year-old clearly impressed the United boss given he started the Europa League final triumph against Ajax  a match that at times this summer perhaps looked like being his last for the club.

Juventus have been strongly linked with a move for Darmian and barely a week goes by without talk of an Old Trafford exit, yet the full-back downplayed speculation as just part of the job.

Every time I read something about my future but (there is) nothing news (wise), he told Press Association Sport. I am happy here.

I think also it is a part of our work, these kind of rumours.

Five facts you might not know about new #mufc signing Matteo Darmian: http://t.co/4LHLQnjNOg pic.twitter.com/SCj1mVIerK  Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2015

Like I said before, I am happy here so nothing news (wise). I am a Manchester United player  thats it.

Mourinho will have some decisions to make regarding his defence this summer but retaining Darmian looks logical given his impressive end to last season and versatility.

I always say the position doesnt matter to me, he said, having proven capable in both full-back slots.

If I have to play left or right, I work hard to be ready when the manager gives me an opportunity and thats it. I try to do my best every time, every game.
West Ham have signed Marko Arnautovic for a club record fee that will net Premier League rivals Stoke up to 25million.

The 28-year-old Austria international has agreed a five-year deal with the Hammers, who will pay a guaranteed 20million with a further 5million payable on a conditional basis.

The forward, who joins Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta in signing for Slaven Bilics side this summer, told www.whufc.com: It feels special to me to be a West Ham player. Everyone knows that West Ham is a big club, with big history and Im happy to be a part of it now. I cant wait to get started.

Marko Arnautovic

I can only say it is a massive club with a lot of fans. They are crazy for football and this is what I like. The club is still growing, getting better and better and thats why Im here.

Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan, who agreed a deal that should trump the 20.5million paid to Swansea for Andre Ayew last year, added: Were delighted to have completed Markos transfer from Stoke City.

Alongside Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart we have brought in three players with vast Premier League experience this summer, and that was one of our key targets as we look ahead to the new season.

Marko will bring plenty of quality to our front line and Im excited to see him in a claret and blue shirt.

Arnautovic, who has won 62 caps for his country, joined the Potters from Werder Bremen in 2013, scoring 26 goals in 145 appearances for the club.

Stoke said in a brief statement: The club would like to take this opportunity to thank Marko for his efforts and wish him well for the future.

Potters boss Mark Hughes has already let veterans Jon Walters and Glenn Whelan leave in pre-season, adding Darren Fletcher, Josh Tymon and Chelsea loanee Kurt Zouma.
US president Donald Trump has fired off a volley of tweets displaying his anger over multiple investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump sent the tweets, which touched on a number of topics, hours before he was due to help commission a new aircraft carrier at a ceremony on the Virginia coast.

His 10 tweets, all sent within two hours, addressed subjects as diverse as the Russia investigation, his attorney general Jeff Sessions, Hillary Clinton, health care reform efforts and his newly-appointed White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci.

Trump (left) puts the USS Gerald Ford into commission (Steve Helber/AP)

Mr Trump said in one missive: While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS.

The Washington Post recently reported that Mr Trump has inquired about the authority he has as president to pardon aides, relatives or even himself in connection with the widening investigation into Russian interference in last autumns election and whether any Trump associates were involved.

The president has long criticised leaks of information about the investigation and has urged authorities to prosecute anyone found to be responsible.

Mr Trump maintains that no crimes have been committed.

One of his attorneys, Jay Sekulow, said the president has not discussed the issue of pardons with his outside legal team.

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow says the president has not discussed the issue of pardons with his legal team (Steve Helber/AP)

Next week, Mr Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, his son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, a former campaign chairman, are scheduled to appear before US Senate committees investigating Russian meddling.

Mr Trump defended his son, saying he openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!

Mr Trumps son has become a focus of the investigation after it was revealed that he, Mr Kushner and Mr Manafort met Russian representatives at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Mr Trump Jr later released email exchanges concerning the meeting on Twitter, after learning that The New York Times was about to publish them.

The FBI investigated Mrs Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state. She turned thousands of emails over to the government, but deleted thousands of others that she said were personal or unrelated to her work as the nations top diplomat.

Hillary Clinton was probed by the FBI for using a private email server as secretary of state (Samir Hussein/PA)

Mr Trump also complained about a Washington Post report that the Russian ambassador to the US said he discussed election-related issues with Jeff Sessions when the men met during the 2016 presidential race.

Mr Sessions, who is now the attorney general, was a US senator at the time and foreign policy adviser to Mr Trump.

Mr Trump tweeted: A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop!

The Post cited anonymous US officials who described US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks descriptions of his meetings with Mr Sessions.

The Justice Department said Mr Sessions stands by his previous assertion that he never had conversations with Russian officials about any type of interference with the election.

Mr Trump also said: Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace the Obama-era health care law.

An effort to advance legislation collapsed in the Senate earlier this week after several Republicans said they would not vote for the bill.

Mr Trump ended the tweet with: Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!
TAIPEI, July 20 (Reuters) - Cambodia has detained seven people from Taiwan suspected of running a telecoms scam, the self-ruled island said on Thursday, adding that it is trying to bring them home and avoid their deportation to China.

Cambodia, one of China's closest allies in Southeast Asia, does not recognise the island's government.

Last year, Cambodia deported 13 people from Taiwan to mainland China, where they were wanted on suspicion of the same crime, despite opposition from Taipei, which accused Beijing of "abducting" its citizens.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said seven of a group of 31 people detained on Monday were its "nationals", adding that they might be compelled to go to China, although it was working to ensure they were returned to the island.

"We are seeking for the Cambodia authorities to act in accordance with the 'national jurisdiction principle' and return our country's nationals back home to accept a judicial investigation," a Taiwan foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

This week, Cambodian police said this week 29 Chinese nationals had been arrested on suspicion of running a telecoms scam and would be deported to China, which would send a plane to pick them up by next week.

It was not clear if the seven people Taiwan said were its nationals were among those 29.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing that China supported Cambodia in enforcing its laws, but did not comment on where the suspects would be sent.

Taiwan, which does not have representatives in Cambodia, said it learnt of the detentions through a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in neighbouring Vietnam.

Taiwan is working to help the suspects and protect their rights, the foreign ministry spokeswoman said, adding that it hoped to promote joint efforts to crack down on cross-border fraud.

China regards Taiwan as a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. China's Nationalists fled to the island after losing a civil war with the Communists in 1949. (Reporting by Jess Macy Yu; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel)
senor boogie woogie said: I am a "Facebook friend" with a young woman around 30 whose uncle has been my friend since childhood. I read one of her posts that she has been having some kind of somewhat minor but troublesome medical problem, but in her words, she doesn't have insurance and cannot afford to go see the doctor. What?



I sort of went "Huh?" Obamacare has been around, what, four or five years now. She is working somewhere, and in the past five years, has worked four of those years with a year of unemployment, but she has been mostly working and is employed now, but she doesn't have insurance, more than likely due to expense?



Isn't that what "Obamacare" is supposed to take care of? Isn't it basically the law that one must have medical insurance or pay a fine which is about equal to just having the insurance in the first place? She is not the only one. There is a guy I went to high school with who suffered a stroke at 50 last year or so and he has no insurance, and another classmate who has been good friends with him since school says he will get social security, I guess.



But in short, I thought Obamacare mandated medical insurance like car insurance for drivers. But not everyone can afford medical insurance. Pardon my ignorance, but I have been living abroad for the past 16 years and really do not know. The girl I talked about above to me is the failure of Obamacare, insurance one cannot afford, and being punished for not being able to afford the insurance, paying a fine and then being stuck with not being able to afford insurance and a vicious cycle without ending.



What am I missing here? Click to expand...

Here is my experience and it is very similar to most of my associates who do not get insurance thru an employer.Both my wife and I are self employed and our insurance has gone up and our coverage has gone down. This year our increase was in the thousands. Our deductible is something retarded like $10-15k. If we didn't have kids we would probably elect to just not have it and have a medical savings account like we did in the past. We don't to to the doctor and use mostly wholistic style "medicine". From what I understand (I have never put this to the test myself) that the only way the state can take the fine from you when you opt out is from your tax return so if you have to pay in they are SOL as it cannot just be added to your income taxAlso, I know for sure here in MN and IA that the state insurance pre obamacare was far superior to what people on public assistance are getting now. I have said time and time again I do not know anyone personally who is better off because of obamacare. This is not just because I do not like the program at all, it just is. I did not bitch about MNCare that I have paid into all the years I have lived here. It just is not good. It is to big, there are to many hands in the cookie jar and it gives far to much authority over our personal and financial lives to the federal government.
By Mark Weinraub

CHICAGO, July 21 (Reuters) - U.S. corn and soybean futures fell on Friday, pressured by outlooks for some relief for crops stressed by hot and dry weather during the past few weeks, traders said.

"It is a little bit of a moderation in the weather forecast," said Bill Gentry, a broker at Risk Management Commodities. "The better rain chances definitely put the market on the defensive."

End-of-week profit-taking also weighed on the market following rallies on Thursday that pushed both commodities to their highest in more than a week.

Wheat futures were weaker, with a sell-off in MGEX spring pulling Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat and K.C. hard red winter wheat contracts into negative territory.

Corn notched the biggest decline, sagging 2.7 percent and falling below the key $4 a bushel level.

"Corn was down all day long off of unexpected rains through the center of Iowa and a six-to-ten day model run that came in somewhat wetter and less hot than yesterday's," Charlie Sernatinger, global head of grain futures at ED&F Man Capital said in a note to clients.

Chicago Board of Trade December corn futures ended down 11-1/4 cents at $3.93-1/2 a bushel. CBOT November soybeans were 4-3/4 cents lower at $10.22-1/4 a bushel.

For the week, corn futures rose 1.1 percent while soybeans were up 2.0 percent.

The latest six-to-ten day outlook boosted the chances for some much needed rain in the central Midwest. But temperatures were expected to remain high, limiting the sell-off in commodities markets.

Recent dry weather has already damaged crops, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed earlier this week.

CBOT September soft red winter wheat was down 6-1/2 cents at $4.99-1/4 a bushel, posting a weekly loss of 1.9 percent. MGEX spring wheat for September delivery was 12-1/4 cents lower at $7.65-3/4 a bushel. It rose 1.8 percent this week.

K.C. hard red winter wheat for September delivery was 7-3/4 cents lower at $4.96 a bushel. The contract dropped 3.1 percent for the week.

Traders said concerns about drought in the U.S. Plains damaging the wheat crops there have already been priced in to the market. (Reporting by Mark Weinraub in Chicago; additional reporting by Colin Packham in Sydney and Sybille de La Hamaide in Paris; Editing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool)
By Gabriella Borter

July 21 (Reuters) - A single mother of four has taken refuge in a Connecticut church after federal authorities ordered her deported to her native Guatemala as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on unauthorized immigrants in the United States.

Nury Chavarria, who moved to the United States in 1993 to seek asylum from political turmoil and violence at home, was supposed to board a plane to Guatemala on Thursday.

Instead the 43-year-old housekeeper took sanctuary at Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal in New Haven, Connecticut. She is a single mother of four children aged 9 to 21. All of her children were born in the United States, automatically giving them citizenship. Her eldest has cerebral palsy.

Her original asylum request was denied, and she has technically been living illegally in the United States since 1999. Chavarria has been granted stays of removal on humanitarian grounds as she has raised her children.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has expressed his support for Chavarria and met with her inside the church on Thursday evening. He told reporters that the state is "not able to do much" for her given her fugitive status.

On Friday, he wrote in a tweet, "#NuryChavarria is a mother and has no criminal record. She is welcome in our state."

Federal immigration agents have generally respected the tradition of not crossing the threshold of houses of worship to make arrests.

When Trump was elected in November, he vowed to deport 2 million to 3 million illegal immigrants. In the first few months of his presidency, arrests have risen, but actual deportations have fallen by 12 percent compared to the same period under President Barack Obama.

"We have opened the doors of our congregation to serve Ms. Chavarria as a sanctuary church," Pastor Hector Otero of Iglesisa De Dios Pentecostal told the media through a translator on Thursday.

In April, Pastor Otero told the New Haven Register that his congregants were committed to providing short-term sanctuary to immigrants facing deportation, but that they may not have capacity to support sanctuary seekers for an extended period of time.

Chavarria has long been on the radar of immigration officials. She was allowed to voluntarily depart when her case was reviewed in 1998, according to Khaalid Walls, spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement.

She was subject to final order of removal in 1999. After years of stays, she was told to buy a plane ticket to Guatemala at her last annual check-in with the ICE in June. (Reporting By Gabriella Borter; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
ISTANBUL, July 21 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Fitch on Friday maintained its "junk" rating on Turkey's sovereign debt, citing domestic political and regional risks as well as the impact of economic stimulus measures that could weaken the country's fiscal performance.

It also affirmed a "stable" outlook for the country.

Fitch in January lowered its rating on Turkey to BB+ from BBB-, its lowest investment-grade rating, expressing concern about political insecurity after a failed coup one year ago.

In its latest update, it said the scale of the year-long crackdown since then, during which 50,000 people have been arrested and 150,000 have been sacked or suspended, "continues to unnerve some economic actors".

Sweeping powers won by President Tayyip Erdogan in a tightly contested April referendum entrenched a system in which checks and balances have been eroded, it said.

While noting that economic stimulus measures have boosted growth this year, it said they would weigh on Turkey's fiscal performance, forecasting a widening of the government deficit to 3.1 percent of GDP -- the largest since 2010.

Finance Minister Naci Agbal said on Monday Turkey's budget deficit rose to 25.2 billion lira ($7.13 billion) in the first half of the year as fiscal measures to boost the economy fuelled spending. But he said the stimulus was expected to help lift economic growth above forecasts this year.

"Continuation of stimulus measures once the recovery becomes entrenched could raise questions over the commitment to fiscal discipline," Fitch said.

Turkey's current account deficit -- one of the highest in the G20 -- had widened because of high commodity prices, while security concerns after the coup and attacks in Turkey last year would maintain pressure on tourism revenues.

"Financing of current account deficits will keep net external debt on an upward trend," Fitch said.

The agency said Turkey's debt/GDP would remain around 28.3 percent for the next two years. Contingent liabilities are rising, but from a low base and are unlikely to have a material impact on government finances over the same period, it said.

It predicted average economic growth of 4.3 percent between 2017 and 2019 -- a level substantially down from the 7.1 percent recorded between 2011 to 2015, but higher than the median level for countries with BB ratings.

Fitch report: http://bit.ly/2uiNn9T

($1 = 3.5324 liras) (Reporting by Karina Dsouza in Bengaluru and Dominic Evans; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Gabriel Stargardter

MEXICO CITY, July 21 (Reuters) - The sight of vehicles set ablaze by cartels has mostly been confined to lawless stretches of Mexico's provinces, so the appearance of burning buses in Mexico City this week has stoked fears that the drug gangs' violence is spreading to the capital.

The so-called narco-blockade on Thursday in the tough Mexico City suburb of Tlahuac occurred after Mexican marines gunned down eight suspected gangsters in broad daylight, a highly unusual incident that underlined a recent spike in violent crime.

"The city's authorities have lost control of the situation," said Jose, a veteran Mexico City policeman who spoke on the condition his surname be withheld.

"Now the cartels are getting stronger, they can't control them any more. That's why they asked the marines to come in."

All told, 206 murder investigations were opened in Mexico City between May and June, making it the bloodiest two month-period on record in the capital, official data show.

Mexico City and its urban sprawl form the economic heart of the country, accounting for roughly a quarter of gross domestic product, according to the OECD, and the rise in violence is a major embarrassment for the Mexican government.

The crime spree mirrors a rising tide of violence nationally that has exposed major law and order shortcomings by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, less than a year before the next presidential election.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, who harbors his own presidential ambitions, has also come under fire for not doing enough to protect the capital, and for saying repeatedly that drug cartels do not operate in the city.

In a news conference on Friday, Mancera said the suspects belonged to a "a big, violent criminal organization whose operations were no longer confined to Tlahuac," noting they traversed the city in armed convoys.

"From my point of view, they didn't have the structures and size that we associate with cartels," he added.

Mexico's criminal underworld has mutated in recent years, thanks to a prolonged military-led assault that smashed the cartels into hundreds of informal crews with little experience in cross-border trafficking.

As these smaller groups jostle over the kidnapping and extortion rackets, violence has soared. The country's murder tally this year is on track to post the highest since modern records began in 1997.

Various factors are seen behind the capital's rise in violence.

Weak economic growth and chronically low wages drive youths in poor neighborhoods into crime. These troubled youths often extort small business owners, eventually shuttering them which makes jobs even harder to come by, according to local policeman Jose.

He also dismissed the idea that criminal gangs were not in the city, saying both La Familia Michoacana and the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel operate in the capital.

Francisco Rivas, director of the National Citizen Observatory, a civil group monitoring justice and security in Mexico, said regardless of what constitutes a cartel, the days of the capital being isolated from the drug violence were over.

"What's happening in Mexico City reflects the national outlook," he said. "We have a crisis of organized crime." (Additional reporting by Lizbeth Diaz and Ana Isabel Martinez; editing by Dave Graham, G Crosse)
By Enrico Dela Cruz

MANILA, July 22 (Reuters) - Philippine lawmakers on Saturday voted to retain martial law on the southern island of Mindanao until the end of the year, giving President Rodrigo Duterte more time to tackle armed extremists allied with the Islamic State group.

Some 261 legislators agreed to extend military rule in a seven hour-long joint special session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, more than the required two-thirds of the house.

Security officials had told lawmakers that martial law was needed to stabilise a region where Islamic State was gaining influence, and supporters could be inspired to stage uprisings in other areas of Mindanao, joined by foreign jihadists.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana warned of more serious problems if the government did not have the powers to act swiftly.

"We need martial law because we haven't addressed yet the existence of other Daesh-inspired groups," he said, referring to another name for Islamic State.

Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law on May 23 when heavily-armed militants belonging to the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups along with foreign fighters stormed Marawi City, sparking the biggest security crisis of his presidency.

The battle to liberate Marawi continues two months after, with more than 420 militants, 100 soldiers and 45 civilians killed. Some of those were executed by the rebels, according to the military.

Government troops pulverized and retook some of the Maute strongholds after weeks of artillery attacks and airstrikes, but an estimated 70 militants remained holed up in the downtown area.

"The rebellion in Marawi continues to persist and we want to stop the spread of the evil ideology of terrorism and free the people of Mindanao from the tyranny of lawlessness and violent extremism," Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

But martial law remains a sensitive issue in the Philippines as it brings back memories of human rights abuses that occurred in the 1970s under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

He was ousted in a "people power" revolt in 1986. Saturday's vote paves the way for the first ever extension of a period of martial law since the Marcos era.

Opponents expressed fears Duterte might eventually place the entire country under martial law, but the authorities have dismissed that.

Senator Franklin Drilon said the extension until end of the year was too long and Senator Risa Hontiveros, a staunch critic of Duterte, said martial law has "no strategic contribution to the military's anti-terrorism operations".

Congressman Edcel Lagman said there was "no factual basis" for martial law and that the siege in Marawi was terrorism, not rebellion.

Rebellion is one of the pre-conditions for declaring martial law under a 1987 constitution that was drafted to prevent a repeat of the Marcos era abuses.

Military chief General Eduardo General Ano said retaking Marawi has proven difficult because it was the first time troops had engaged in a "Mosul-type, hybrid urban warfare", referring to the fighting in the Iraqi city until recently held by Islamic State. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Additional reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Martin Petty & Shri Navaratnam)
By Andrew Cawthorne

CARACAS, July 22 (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition called a two-day national strike against President Nicolas Maduro after another day of violent clashes on Saturday where the injured included a violinist famous for his musical protests.

The opposition coalition - which organized a 24-hour shutdown this week that was heeded by millions and paralyzed large swathes of the South American nation - said the next strike would be on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mass marches were also planned for Monday and Friday in an effort to force Maduro into aborting a controversial July 30 election for a new congress.

The fast-escalating political showdown in the South American OPEC nation comes after more than 100 people have died and thousands more been injured in anti-government unrest since demonstrations began in April.

"The Venezuelan people are not giving up, they are valiant, they will come out to defend democracy and the constitution," opposition lawmaker Simon Calzadilla said at a news conference flanked by other coalition officials.

Foes accuse Maduro of turning Venezuela into a dictatorship and wrecking what should be a prosperous economy. They want free elections and an end to two decades of socialist rule.

Maduro, 54, calls himself a flag bearer for the international left, up against right-wing "terrorists" seeking a coup with the connivance of the United States and foreign media.

BLOODIED MUSICIAN

On Saturday, several thousand protesters sought to march on the pro-Maduro Supreme Court in support of alternative magistrates appointed by the opposition. But security forces blocked them with armored cars and riot shields.

Clashes ensued for several hours as hundreds of masked youths hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at National Guard troops firing tear gas from motorcycles.

The injured included musician Wuilly Arteaga. The 23-year-old has become famous for playing the national anthem on his violin in front of security lines as battles rage around him.

Paramedics attended Arteaga in the street as blood poured down his face. He later tweeted a video from hospital with a bandaged face and clutching his violin.

"Neither rubber bullets nor pellets will stop our fight," said Arteaga. "Tomorrow I will be back in the streets."

The opposition is stepping up street tactics in what it dubs "hour zero" for Venezuela to try and block the new Constituent Assembly that Maduro wants to create next weekend. The opposition is boycotting that vote, calling it a sham and demanding conventional elections instead.

The Constituent Assembly, whose election rules appear designed to guarantee a majority for the government even though it has minority popular support, could re-write the constitution and disband the existing opposition-led legislature.

'ENOUGH OF TERRORISM'

At rival pro-government rallies on Saturday, candidates for the Constituent Assembly said it was the only way to bring peace to Venezuela. "All of us united are going to tell the right wing 'We've had enough of terrorism'," Maduro's wife Cilia Flores, who is running for an assembly post, told a rally.

As well as domestic protests, foreign pressure has been growing on Maduro, including a threat from U.S. President Donald Trump to apply economic sanctions.

But the government is showing no sign of backing down, announcing that it will put 232,000 soldiers on the streets to protect voters. "In eight days, we will have the Constitutent Assembly," Maduro said on state TV on Saturday night, where at one point he sang along to John Lennon's "Imagine".

He accused his foes of plotting a coup similar to the brief 2002 toppling of his predecessor Hugo Chavez, and said his government was ready for "any scenario" that may arise.

"I would like to have good relations with Donald Trump, shake his hand, hold a conversation, and tell him that we are in the 21st century not the times of colonialism," Maduro added.

Also on Saturday, the government's intelligence service arrested lawyer Angel Zerpa, one of 13 people sworn in as Supreme Court magistrates by the opposition in defiance of the government.

Confirming the detention, Venezuela's state prosecutor's office, which has broken with the Maduro administration, called it "illegitimate". Opposition leaders were outraged.

Earlier at the protests in Caracas, National Guard forces could be seen firing tear gas canisters horizontally at demonstrators in contravention of international norms.

At least a dozen people were injured, the opposition said.

"The repression has been brutal," opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said. "The world has to understand what we are living through in the streets of Venezuela." (Additional reporting by Andreina Aponte, Deisy Buitrago and Corina Pons; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Chris Reese, Richard Pullin and Michael Perry)
Two other developments took place later in the day on July 17 when former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was nominated as BJP-NDAs nominee for the vice-presidents post  high profile textile minister Smriti Zubin Irani was handed over the charge of information and broadcasting ministry while rural development minister Narendra Singh Tomar was given the charge of housing and urban affairs.

The portfolios of information and broadcasting, and housing and urban affairs ministries were earlier held by Naidu. He resigned as a Union minister after he was nominated as BJPs candidate for the vice-presidential election.

While Irani getting the charge of information and broadcasting ministry was talked about for days, Tomar being assigned the charge of housing and urban affairs hardly found mention in either the mainstream or digital media.

The communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 18 said:

The President of India, as advised by the prime minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution.

Tomar is a far cry from the qualities Irani is known for.

Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that:

(i) Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Cabinet minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in addition to his existing portfolios; and

(ii) Smt Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in addition to her existing portfolio.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan mentioned Tomars name above that of Irani. It was because in the hierarchy of cabinet ministers, Tomar is senior to Irani. Irani is five positions lower in the Cabinet ladder on the 22nd position. In case of Naidu too, his housing and urban affairs was his primary portfolio while information and broadcasting came next.

When it came to digital media, Irani hogged the limelight.

Smriti Zubin Irani

The obvious reason behind it may be that Irani is more popular than Tomar owing to her former stint as an actress. She also has been controversial due to her educational qualifications and steep rise in the political ladder.

She changed her loyalties from being against the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to being his ardent supporter. She had threatened to sit on fast unto death in December 2004 demanding Modis resignation over the 2002 Gujarat riots. But she was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat itself and is considered close to PM Modi.

Irani became famous by contesting against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Though she lost to him, her appointment as a cabinet minister with the human resource development (HRD) portfolio raised many an eyebrow.

Irani also courted controversy after she spotted a camera allegedly pointing towards the trial room at a FabIndia outlet in Goa, and as the then HRD minister when Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide, allegedly over campus discrimination.

Her active participation on social media, particularly Twitter, has landed her in controversy many a time. She made news even when she was demoted to the textile ministry in the July 2016 reshuffle by Modi.

Narendra Singh Tomar

Tomar is a far cry from the qualities Irani is known for.

He is rarely found in the media's footnotes. The rural development minister does not have any desire to be in the news either. He always maintains a low profile though he is considered quite close to the RSS, BJP president Amit Shah and Modi. He is Shahs confidante.

Tomars style of functioning is diametrically opposite to that of Irani.

While Irani, 41, entered politics directly from the glamour world and TV, Tomar, 60, has risen through the ranks in Parliament.

He is a two-term Lok Sabha MP from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Besides being an agriculturist, he comes from a humble background. He started his political career in 1980 by being appointed as president of Bharatiya Janata Party Youth Forum (BJPYF), Gwalior. He was elected as a councillor in 1983 in Gwalior Municipal Corporation.

Slowly and step by step, he rose to become BJPYFs state president in 1991, a position he held for five years.

He was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly for the first time in 1998. He was elected for the second term as an MLA in 2003 and was a Cabinet minister in the then Uma Bharati government.

In 2006, he became the president of BJPs MP unit. He enjoys a close relationship with MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan too. For five months from January 2009, he was sent to the Rajya Sabha.

However, he was elected to the Lok Sabha the same year and re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, following which he became a Union minister in the Modi government.

He has held the portfolios of mines, steel, labour and employment, Panchayati Raj, and drinking water and sanitation besides rural development.

Now he has also been assigned the charge of housing and urban affairs.

Tomar enjoys an impeccable political track record. In so many years of his public life, he has not once courted controversy.
LEBANON  Portland has vehicles it wants to convert to running on compressed natural gas. Linn-Benton Community College has students learning how to do such conversions.

For officials at the community college's Advanced Transportation Technology Center in Lebanon, it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Eight students with the ATTC's Gaseous Fuels Conversions class are finishing the first conversion to compressed natural gas for Portland city officials this week. They're working on a 2013 GMC pickup that will be used in Portland's environmental services division.

Five vehicles are currently contracted for conversion, with three more on the way and dozens more expected after that.

Portland and LBCC have worked together on many occasions over the years. Both are members, for instance, of the Clean Cities Coalition, which is housed at the transportation center and run by Brian Trice, the college's manager of alternate fuel transportation.

So when the city began looking for a place to convert its fleet of municipal vehicles to alternative fuels, the college was a natural choice.

The GMC truck is undergoing a process known as an AGA system conversion, which LBCC was already certified to perform.

But many of Portland's city vehicles are Fords, and Ford requires a different conversion system, known as Altech-Eco. So LBCC sent three instructors to North Carolina earlier this year to get certified on the Altech-Eco system for the next set of Portland vehicles.

LBCC is now only one of two centers on the West Coast, as far as the college knows, to be Altech-Eco certified. The other is in northern California.

Trice said he expects Portland to send more than 100 vehicles for conversion in all, everything from utility vehicles and meter reader machines to passenger vans and Parks & Rec trucks. And if any of those vehicles need a different conversion system, he said, the college will get its instructors certified to do it.

For each conversion, Portland will pay the college $10,000. That covers the kits, the instructor and the hourly wages for LBCC students in the college's "learn and earn" program, for which students can qualify as part of their second year studying at the transportation center.

Anything left over goes right back into the transportation technology program, said RJ Ehlers, automotive instructor. "It's a win-win: the student wins, the City of Portland wins, the program wins," he said.

Students at the ATTC win in a number of ways, Ehlers said: they learn to convert a vehicle that uses a gas engine to one that uses an alternative fuel, such as compressed natural gas or propane, and then can take that knowledge to job sites that are crying for skilled workers.

That's why Zach Thwaite said he decided to take the Gaseous Fuels Conversion class.

The Albany man spent three years studying biology at Western Oregon University, then decided he preferred cars and a more hands-on career. He signed up for the weeklong class because "it can create more job opportunities, definitely, and I always wanted to learn about alternative fuels."

The weeklong class was free to students already in the ATTC program, a perk Thwaite pronounced as "awesome."

He plans to apply next for the college's "learn to earn" program, which pays second-year LBCC participants $10.25 per hour as they work on more CNG conversions. The program also covers the 12 credits of in-the-field service each student is required to get, which otherwise would have to be done by working at a service shop or oil change business or similar facility.

Casey Miller is following the same track as Thwaite. The Scio man is in his second year at LBCC, studying to be an auto technician, and decided to take the weeklong Gaseous Fuel class because "it's close to home and it broadens my knowledge.

"It's cool to learn something out of your comfort range," Miller said. "I've heard about CNG but I basically had no knowledge of it until now."

CNG vehicles aren't a big part of the general transportation industry yet, Trice said, mostly because the fillup stations aren't yet available coast to coast. In Oregon, for instance, only six cities have public pumps available for CNG: Klamath Falls, Medford, White City, Eugene, Boardman and Salem.

But Ehlers said he thinks the infrastructure eventually will be there, and when it is, more people might make the choice to drive a CNG vehicle. For one thing, its emissions are lower. For another, the United States has its own supply.

Albany's city vehicles run on traditional petroleum. But in Portland, conversion makes particular sense because the city has a giant wastewater treatment plant whose mere existence produces methane, which can be converted to fuel. And the size of its fleet helps justify paying for the kits, the work and the cost of the fuel, Ehlers said.

At LBCC, however, the bottom line isn't industry but education, said Gary Price, director of the ATTC. That's why the college is intent on helping students become proficient with various alternative fuel conversion systems.

"It's to help them become the most sought-after technicians in the marketplace," he said.
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Theres fresh paint, new stock and a remodeled storefront, but the business model has been around for 60 years.

A former pharmacist with the now-defunct Meadowbrook Pharmacy quietly opened a new independent dispensary near downtown Charlottesville last week, hoping to win customers by providing the extra customer services larger drug stores either cannot or will not.

The store, Top Notch Family Pharmacy, located next to Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters at Preston Avenue and 10th Street Southwest, is now one of two independently owned drug stores in the urban area of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Leah Argie, owner and chief pharmacist, worked with William L. Lamar at Meadowbrook Pharmacy when the 60-year-old drug store closed and its prescriptions and customers were transferred to CVS.

I enjoyed working at Meadowbrook, and when it was clear that it was going to close, I realized I was out of a job, Argie recalled. I either had to find a new job or do something on my own. My husband and I sat down and came up with a business plan.

It was a quick turnaround. Meadowbrook Pharmacys last day was May 11 and Top Notchs first was July 17.

Not having a job really helps you make a decision fast, Argie said. It seemed like a now-or-never moment because, if I didnt step in and do these specialty things, someone else would open up a pharmacy and do it.

Those specialty things include home delivery, prescription organization and packaging and preparing topical applications and other treatments not readily available from drug companies.

We compound our own hormone creams and pet medications and we can make gluten-free medications when doctors order it. A lot of the medications, we compound are not readily available and there is a lot of special equipment required by the Food and Drug Administration. Theyre becoming more regulated, she said.

We also do deliveries and we custom-package medications for some of our customers who take numerous medications. We help organize them, she said. Its the kind of thing a lot of the chain pharmacies dont have time for.

* * *

Top Notch joins Timberlakes Drug Store, a downtown Charlottesville fixture since 1890, as the last independent pharmacies in the urban area.

There are independent pharmacies located in other parts of Central Virginia, including Parkway Pharmacy in Crozet, Jefferson Pharmacy in Fluvanna County and Stoney Creek Pharmacy in Nellysford.

Other independent pharmacies are located in Scottsville, Fork Union, Greene County, Orange County and Madison County.

Locally, CVS has the most pharmacies, including seven in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, and another CVS is located inside the Target store on U.S. 29 near Forest Lakes.

In 2016, CVS was the biggest pharmacy chain in the country with 9,105 stores. Walgreens was second with 7,713, Rite Aid was third with 4,515 stores, Wal-Mart was fourth with 4,403 stores, and Kroger was fifth largest with 1,911 outlets.

CVS was ranked as the top-selling pharmacy in 2016 with $61.1 billion in prescription sales, about 15 percent of all sales. Its mail prescription service sold another $35.3 billion to give CVS more than 23 percent of the market.

According to a 2016 Cardinal Health study of small pharmacies, independent community pharmacies represented an $81.5 billion marketplace, with 92 percent of sales for independents derived from prescription drugs.

Although sales were up for independent pharmacies, net profit margins on prescription drugs were slim due to third-party payer and government contracts that, in some cases, reimburse below acquisition cost, the study showed.

The 2016 study showed the number of independent pharmacies had declined from 22,478 in 2014 to 22,160 in 2015. The stores employed more than 220,000 full-time employees, according to the study.

* * *

Top Notch has been open for a week, but many of Meadowbrooks former customers already have found it.

Im glad theyre here, said Wendy Carlton, of Charlottesville. They can sit down and take the time to talk with you about the side effects of a prescription, about what to expect, what not to take it with and what you need to know. At the larger pharmacies, theyre too busy to talk to you and ask you questions. You need to know what you need to ask.

Although the Top Notch business plan is similar to Meadowbrooks, Argie noted that the two are not related.

People use the Meadowbrook name a lot for comparison, but we are not associated in any way with Meadowbrook. We dont have their customer list or the prescriptions, Argie said. But there were a good people out of work after Meadowbrook closed and they were looking for jobs. They had the experience we needed, theyre great employees, and so weve hired them.

Argie chose the Preston Avenue location to be close to likely customers.

I wanted to be close to the center of town and still have easy access to the other areas, and this came up, she said. This location is close to the University of Virginia, nearby neighborhoods have pretty easy access and our delivery area is the city of Charlottesville, so were pretty centrally located.

Argie said Top Notch was quiet about its opening to make sure systems were properly running. Shes planning an advertising campaign and grand opening soon.

Well choose what we carry based on what our customers want, so well stock more preservative-free shampoos and things like that. Were working on the gifts and items to stock, and as our clientele develops and grows, well make additions and changes to meet what their needs, Argie said.

Were thankful to be in Charlottesville where people focus on local business and really support them, she said.
A Crozet man who spent nearly 15 hours on the lam was recaptured Saturday morning after an Albemarle County resident spotted him in a Mill Creek neighborhood.

Matthew Michael Carver, 26  an inmate at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail  was caught without incident just before 10 a.m. Saturday in the 1200 block of Foxvale Lane and Southern Parkway in the Mill Creek area of Albemarle County, according to police.

Carver was then taken to the University of Virginia Medical Center after complaining of minor injuries, and he is currently in the custody of the regional jail.

At about 7:20 p.m. Friday, Carver, shackled and handcuffed, kicked out the rear window of a Louisa County Sheriffs Office patrol car while being transported to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail after a court hearing on a probation violation charge.

Carver vanished in the area of Scottsville Road and Lyman Hills Drive. The deputy was not injured during Carvers escape.

Police from multiple agencies  including the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department, Henry County Sheriffs Office, Louisa County Sheriffs Office and Virginia State Police  soon swarmed the area and set up a command center near Piedmont Virginia Community College. The search also was aided by a Virginia State Police helicopter, multiple bloodhounds and K-9 units and the Albemarle County SWAT team.

Authorities searched for Carver throughout the night and canvassed Avon Street in the Mill Creek area and U.S. 20 in the area of Monticello and Mill Creek Drive. But police said it was an observant citizen who noticed a suspicious man matching Carvers description that eventually led to his recapture by an Albemarle County police officer, according to police spokeswoman Madeline Curott.

What were most thankful for are the citizens in the area, Curott said. They listened to us, they were looking out for each other, they were staying vigilant  and, ultimately, that is what led to the recapture of Matthew Carver.

By using the Code RED reverse 911 system in a two-mile radius on Friday night, Curott said police were able to get word out quickly and warn residents to stay indoors.

When Carver was finally captured, police said he was no longer wearing his black-and-white jail jumpsuit, but theywould not say whether he was still shackled and handcuffed.

Police also are still investigating how he kicked out the window of the Louisa County cruiser.

Prior to his escape, a Louisa County sheriffs deputy was returning Carver to ACRJ after a probation violation hearing in Louisa County court related to a shoplifting charge, to which he pleaded guilty in 2015.

In June, Carver was arrested after he allegedly attempted to break into a Crozet house and stole a nearby Honda CR-V. Police eventually found Carver driving the CR-V, and he was arrested after he abandoned the vehicle.

Carver, who had been wanted on six unrelated felony warrants, is charged with nine felony counts in that case: Five counts of breaking and entering, two counts of abduction and two counts of theft of automobiles. He also faces two misdemeanor counts of destruction of property.

In addition to his previous charges, Carver now faces a felony charge of unlawful escape with force, as well as misdemeanor charges of fleeing from law enforcement; petit larceny, first offense; and vandalism or destruction of property.

Police said additional charges may be pending.

Earlier updates follow below.

UPDATE: 6 p.m.

Matthew Michael Carver was recaptured at about 10 a.m. Saturday in the 1200 block of Foxvale Lane and Southern Parkway in the Mill Creek area of Albemarle County.

At about 7:20 p.m. Friday, Carver, shackled and handcuffed, kicked out the rear window of a Louisa County Sheriff's Office patrol car while being transported to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail after a court hearing on a probation violation charge. He was lost in the area of Scottsville Road and Lyman Hills Drive.

In addition to nine felonies and two misdemeanors that Carver already faces in Albemarle, he is now charged with unlawful escape with force, a felony, and three other misdemeanors: feeling for a law enforcement officer, petit larceny and vandalism.

Police said additional charges may be pending and the investigation is ongoing.

UPDATE: 11:20 a.m.

Albemarle police say Matthew Carver has been recaptured, more than 15 hours after he escaped a Louisa County police car by kicking out the rear window.

Carver was being transported back to Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail after facing a probation violation charge in Louisa County.

Authorities said more details about additional charges would be released later on Saturday.

A man being transported to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail kicked out the police cars rear window and escaped on Friday night near the Mill Creek area.

Authorities lost Matthew Michael Carver, a 26-year-old Crozet man, at about 7:20 p.m. at Scottsville Road and Lyman Hills Drive. A Louisa County sheriffs deputy, who was not injured by the escape, had been returning Carver to the jail after a court hearing.

Police say residents in the area should stay inside, lock their doors and remain vigilant. Anyone who sees Carver is asked to call 911 immediately. A Virginia State Police helicopter was aiding the search.

While a police mugshot shows Carver with brown hair and a goatee, a police spokeswoman said he is more closely shaven now. In addition, police do not think Carver is still wearing his black-and-white jumpsuit. He is still believed to be handcuffed.

In June, Carver was arrested after allegedly attempting to break into a Crozet house and stealing a nearby Honda CR-V. Police eventually found Carver driving the CR-V, and he was arrested after he abandoned the vehicle.

Carver, who had been wanted on six unrelated felony warrants, is charged with nine felony counts in that case: Five counts of breaking and entering, two counts of abduction and two counts of theft of automobiles. He also faces two misdemeanor counts of destruction of property. Carver had been held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville jail without bond.
ELKO  Suzanne Featherston is settling in to her new job as Mining Quarterly editor at the Elko Daily Free Press.

Replacing former editor Marianne Kobak McKown, Featherston arrived in Elko a little more than two years ago but isnt a stranger to Nevada or the mining industry.

I grew up in Yerington, and I used to explore around the Bluestone mine, Bodie mine and former Anaconda pit in Weed Heights, Featherston said. I was inquisitive about those mines, even as a little girl, and studied up on them later in life.

Featherston attended the University of Texas at Austins journalism school, studying feature writing and magazine management. After graduation, she started as a reporter at a monthly business newspaper that served three Central Texas communities and worked her way up to an editor position.

We did a lot of features on small-business owners  and covered transportation issues, local and state government, history and people, Featherston said.

About two years later, Featherston moved on to Texas Co-op Power magazine, published by Texas Electric Cooperatives, which serves member-owned, nonprofit electric companies. She remained with TEC for six-and-a-half years, writing and editing statewide publications and business communications.

Featherston now lives in Spring Creek with her husband, John, a mining engineer at Small Mine Development.

She said she is looking forward to taking her experience and applying it to coverage of the mining industry.

Im approaching covering the mining industry similar to the way I wrote about the electric utility industry, Featherston said. Its a trade that can sometimes be dangerous, and its a technical field that requires detailed attention.

Featherston also recognizes the shoes she fills coming in after other Mining Quarterly editors, including McKown and founding editor Adella Harding.

I want to build on the legacy the previous editors have left, she said, and I appreciate all the good foundations they left.

Elko Daily editor Jeff Mullins said Featherston is a natural for the position and her experience with magazine management will benefit Mining Quarterly.

This year we transitioned to a magazine format from the original tabloid style, he said. Suzanne will continue to improve this publication and enhance its value to readers in northeastern Nevada and throughout the hardrock mining industry.

Featherston will also serve as a member of the newspapers editorial board.
The Albemarle County military base that keeps an eye on the capabilities of foreign troops across the world is seeking federal funds to expand its capacity.

Rivanna Station has recognized a requirement for additional space for approximately 250 people, based on mission need, said Ron Young, a spokesman for the National Ground Intelligence Center.

That requirement has been validated and is in the process of consideration through Department of Defense channels for resourcing, Young added.
ROANOKE  The names of two Roanoke attorneys have been sent to the White House for consideration as the next U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Jake Jacobsen and attorney Thomas Cullen were both recommended Friday by Virginias two U.S. Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

Under normal protocol, President Donald Trump would nominate a candidate who would then go to the Senate for confirmation.

But its unclear if the Republican president will confine his choices to those submitted by the two Democratic senators.

A separate list of four candidates  reported to be Jacobsen and Cullen along with Grundy attorney Tom Scott and Albemarle County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Tracci  has also been submitted to the White House by the regions Republican congressional delegation.

Jacobsen, a career federal and state prosecutor, is currently the deputy criminal chief for the Roanoke-based U.S. Attorneys Office, which prosecutes federal offenses in a large swath of Virginia that extends from Winchester south to Danville and all the way west to Lee County.

Cullen is a principal and partner at Woods Rogers, Roanokes largest law firm. He previously worked for the U.S. Attorneys office, holding the position now occupied by Jacobsen. Cullen is the son of lawyer Richard Cullen, who is representing Vice President Mike Pence in the continuing investigation into Russias attach on the 2016 presidential election.

Jacobsen and Thomas Cullen were interviewed along with other candidates by a panel of select attorneys, Warner and Kaine wrote in the letter to Trump. The senators indicated no preference among the two finalists.

We believe that both of these candidates would make an excellent U.S. Attorney, and we are honored to be able to recommend them to you, they wrote.

A vacancy in the office was created after John Fishwick, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, submitted his resignation following Trumps election.
ELKO  How important are decision-making powers to someone with a disability? When should an individual be placed under a guardianship, or are there other options?

The answers to those questions were explored in an outreach event Wednesday presented by Judge Francis Doherty of the Second Judicial Court in Washoe County and her team to discuss supported decision-making as an alternative to adult guardianships.

Supported decision-making brings in a trusted person, or supporter, to help an adult with intellectual or developmental disabilities with making choices about living arrangements, healthcare and employment, said Doherty.

The supporter becomes the helper to co-decide what issues and challenges in health care should be made yet does not take over or make the decisions for them, Doherty said.

We dont think disability is a bar in many cases to an individual still making their own decisions, Doherty said.

Supported decision-making applies to disabled adults, as young as 18 with autism, and the elderly who are in early stage dementia, said Doherty.

We are not trying to get rid of guardianships, Doherty said. We are trying to create alternatives for families.

Second Judicial District Court Case Compliance Specialist Mallory Nelson explained that the outreach events in rural Nevada help start a conversation about what guardianships are and other alternatives from least restrictive to more involved depending on an individuals circumstances.

Supported decision-making is increasingly recognized around the country, said Doherty, with Texas becoming the first state to implement the alternative into state law.

In Nevada, a power of attorney for people with intellectual or developmental challenges was recently added to other powers of attorney and durable powers of attorney for finances and healthcare, which allows for the supporter to be appointed, Doherty said.

We think Nevada is a good state to recognize that independence is so critical for persons with a disability, Doherty said, adding that families shes met with in Carson City and Winnemucca are responding positively to the concept.

The families want to help their family members, Doherty said. Not necessarily take away those decision-making rights.

Ruby Mountain Resource Center Executive Director Rebecca Hepworth works with disabled adults who either may have a guardian or are resistant to being placed in a guardianship, and liked what she learned in the workshop.

I think we need to find a way to get the information to families so they can make choices, Hepworth said. I believe the people who work for us are capable of doing more than they are allowed to do.

I think we need to find a way to get the information to families so they can make choices. I believe the people who work for us are capable of doing more than they are allowed to do. Rebecca Hepworth

Ruby Mountain Resource Center executive director
Last weekends Angel Lake Kids Fishing Derby was a huge success with approximately 130 participants plus parents and other family members. It was a beautiful but hot day. A fair number of fish were caught and I think that most participants had a great time, with all of them walking away with some great prizes thanks to our many donors.

Here is a list of the winners for each age group:

Ages 4-5 Cassius Montoya (longest), Treyton Russell (heaviesr) and Colt Calton (shortest)

Ages 6-7 Theo Garcia Dusty Uhlig Jackson Inman

Ages 8-9 Gage Uhlig (longest), Oscar Rivera (heaviest) and Emerson Wendell (shortest)

Ages 10-11 Gwen Corbin (longest), Matti Kooi (heaviest) and Joey Maxwell (shortest)

Ages 12-15 Cameron Bockness (longest), Makiala Hicks (heaviest) and Morgane Rexroad (shortest)

Congratulations to all of the winners. The longest fish of the day was 15-1/4 inches caught by Gage Uhlig. The heaviest fish of the day were caught by two anglers, Oscar Rivera and Dusty Uhlig, with each fish weighing in at three fourths of a pound. The shortest fish of the day was caught by Colt Colton at only 7-1/2.

Wildhorse

With surface water temperatures well above 70 degrees, trout fishing is slowing down and anglers are having their best luck early in the morning before it gets too hot. Fishing is also productive for boaters who are fishing between 16 and 18 feet deep. Anglers continue to catch fish but it appears that the trick is the color orange. Several groups of anglers have had good luck fishing either early in the morning or fishing deeper using orange rooster tails, spoons or minnow imitations, all with orange as a major color component. Bait fishermen should use the usual worms or PowerBait for trout. Sherbet PowerBait seems to be the ticket, though other colors will still work. Fly rodders should be trying chironomids, hares ears, PTs, damselfly nymphs, damsel adults, mayflies and wooly buggers. The campground and fish cleaning station are open and on a first-come, first-served basis. Wildhorse has been stocked with approximately 80,000 trout this year!

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIR

There is road construction south of the state park headquarters, so those wanting to access the west side of the lake will need to go in through Twin Bridges. Expect this to continue throughout the summer. The surface water temperatures have climbed into the 70s and trout fishing has slowed considerably due to this. Even boaters arent having a lot of luck for trout. The trout being caught are averaging between 13 and 17 inches with an occasional 20-inch fish being caught. If fishing from a boat, use a deep-diving presentation to get your terminal tackle to between 15 and 20 feet deep for trout. Black bass are moving into vegetation at the south end of the lake and onto structure along shorelines. Wiper fishing continues to be fair to good and many of the wipers appear to be caught at the south end of the lake near the buoy line along the old river bed. Mayflies and damselflies are hatching, so flies such as pheasant tail nymphs, gold ribbed hares ears, pale morning duns, blue winged olives (BWOs) and other mayfly as well as damselfly imitations should be used. Damselflies should be fished near vegetation and mayflies may be fished on more open water. South Fork has been stocked with a total of approximately 45,000 trout this year. Anglers may keep one wiper, smallmouth or largemouth bass 15 inches or longer from this lake.

JIGGS/ZUNINO RESERVOIR

Good water level and fairly clear water have improved fishing conditions at Jiggs Reservoir and fishing is good here when the wind isnt blowing. Shore fishermen dont appear to be faring as well as boaters or float tube anglers as the edges are getting a bit weedy and the fish are hanging in the deeper cooler water. Remember this is a wakeless water. It is difficult to launch much more than a small rowboat or car topper due to water and shore conditions. Small spinners, PowerBait or worms should all work, while fly rodders should be using chironomids, hares ears, small nymphs and wooly buggers. Jiggs was stocked with approximately 2,000 catchable trout this spring. Please return any black bass back to the lake to help with rebuilding the bass fishery here.

WILSON RESERVOIR

Very little change in fishing conditions here. The road to Wilson has been graded and tout fishing here has been good, while bass fishing has been fair to good. The lake is no longer spilling over the spillway. Trout were averaging 13 to 16 inches in the lake. Expect similar conditions to South Fork and anglers should use the same presentations. The usual PowerBait or worms work well. Gold, green and yellow, or black and yellow spinners are working. Fly fishermen should be using chironomids, mayfly nymphs and emergers, damselfly nymphs/dries or wooly buggers for best results. Wilson has been stocked with almost 29,000 fish this spring.

RUBY LAKE NWR

Bass fishing is improving with the hot weather and anglers report fair to good fishing for keeper bass. With water levels up, the bass are spread out more so anglers need to move until they find them. Dark plastic four to six-inch grubs with sparkles in them seem to be the presentation of choice. Colors include blue, dark red, dark green, purple and motor oil. Fishing in the ditch for trout is fair. Fly rodders should try the usual assortment of nymphs under an indicator as well as wooly, seal and crystal buggers. Scuds, midges and small Blue Winged Olives are all worth a try. Of course the usual small hares ears, PTs, copper Johns and buggers are all staples in the ditch. Spin fishermen should try small minnow imitators and gold spinners. The collection ditch is artificial lures and flies only and no wading is allowed.

JAKES CREEK/BOIES RESERVOIR

The lake is full and water conditions are good for fishing, with trout fishing being good and bass fishing fair but picking up. The weeds have come on and shore anglers are finding it difficult to fish from shore, so if you have a float tube, canoe or other small vessel, it will definitely help. Worms and PowerBait are popular here as are black or olive woolly buggers, prince nymphs, PTs and hares ears. This lake was stocked with approximately 1,500 fish the first week of May.

COLD CREEK RESERVOIR

Fishing is good for both trout and largemouth bass. Good morning mayfly hatch! BWOs, PMDs, hares ears, Adams and Griffiths gnats should all work.

CAVE LAKE

Fishing has been good for 10 to 12-inch fish using worms or cheese baits under a bobber. Small spinners are also effective. For fly rodders: hares ears, pheasant tail nymphs, prince nymphs, small crystal buggers and Cave Lake specials are all good flies. The surface water temperatures are in the mid 60s and there are starting to be more mayfly hatches. Damselflies are also hatching. This lake has been stocked with approximately 16,000 trout this spring.

COMINS LAKE

Fishing has been good especially for those trolling in a boat, while shore anglers have had fair to good luck. Fish are averaging 10 to 15 inches, including some nice fish in the 15 to 20-inch range. The usual PowerBait and worms should work, while small spinners and minnow imitations can be productive. Fly fishermen should be switching to damselfly and mayfly patterns in addition to the usual assortment of chironomid patterns and buggers. The lake was stocked with approximately 13,000 fish this spring. Please return any bass you catch back to the water to help the bass population rebuild.

ILLIPAH

Fishing is fair to good here but water levels are starting to drop. The usual worms, PowerBait or mealworms should all work. Small spinners and spoons should be good for spin fishermen. The usual black and olive wooly buggers, small chironomids, hares ears and pheasant tail nymphs are good starting points for fly rodders. Illipah was stocked with approximately 18,000 fish this spring.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR

Fishing for keeper crappie has been fair to good, with the fish starting to move a bit deeper onto structure. The road is rough so care should be taken driving here. Anglers report catching crappie in the rocks, fishing a small white plastic grub underneath a bobber. Crappie like structure, so look for submerged brush, willows and rocks.

ANGEL LAKE

The water level is up, making shore access difficult in many areas due to brush. If you have a float tube, kayak or canoe, it will definitely help out. Bait anglers have seen fishing slow as aquatic insects are coming out, though fly fishermen are finding fishing very good. Fly rodders have had success using small elk hair caddis, hopper or stimulator with an olive or peacock soft hackle dropper below, though any dropper fly with green or peacock herl will work. Small spinners and rooster tails should also be effective, just give them enough time to sink to the level the fish are at. Spin anglers can put a fly behind a bobber for casting and have better luck that way. The creek below the lake is fishing well.

ALPINE LAKES

Trails and lakes are starting to open up, depending upon exposure. However, it will be late July before some of these lakes are accessible. Island Lake and Lamoille Lake are accessible and fishing is fair at Island and fair to good at Lamoille. The bridge on the footpath to Lamoille Lake is out so use the stock path. Smith Lake (around the corner from Angel) is also open, as is Hidden Lake. Hidden Lake access has some mud issues in the high meadows due to snow melt, but fishing for Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) is good for 10 to 13-inch fish, with Smith Lake LCT averaging nine to 11 inches. There is lots of water on many trails due to snowmelt so good waterproof boots are recommended.

STREAMS

Area streams are at or near normal flows making for good fishing. Not only that, but hoppers are out and this is the time of year to hit our creeks for some great dry fly action. Just be on the lookout for snakes. Lamoille Creek has seen a diminishing of flows but slows are still very high, dropping from around 100 cfs last week to 72 cfs. This is only 13 cfs above normal. Streams in northern Elko County are flowing close to normal, with the Bruneau at 25 cfs and the West Fork of the Jarbidge at 18 cfs, and they are fishing well. The East Fork of the Owyhee was flowing at 64 cfs near Mountain City. Creeks in central Nevada are flowing at normal flows for this time of year and many such as Steptoe, Cleve and Ward Creeks are fishable.
New Delhi: Industry body COAI today termed the launch of JioPhone a "clever marketing" and said Jio selling the device at effective zero price is an attempt to

save government levies like licence fee by the company.

The Reliance Jio's new 4G-enabled feature phone at a fully refundable one-time payment of Rs 1,500 will offer free voice calls to customers with unlimited data when they recharge their account for Rs 24 onward whereas the full-month service will cost Rs 153 only.

COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said the Jio's announcement is a bundled offer and the plan to sell it at an "effective zero price" is a "clever marketing position" as the move will help the company save licence fee and other government levies.

"Previously, when you bundled handset along with services the 14 or 11 per cent that an operator paid as licence fee got imposed on handsets. So as an operator one can't compete with a handset seller because handset seller is not required to pay this extra levy of 11-14 per cent," Mathews said.

He said a bundled offer would have increased cost of providing service for operators. "Reliance Jio offer is clever marketing position... they are saying the handset price is effectively zero. So no licence fee, spectrum usage charge has to be paid on that. Government will have to look at what sale of price for zero means," Mathews said.

Mathews termed the today's launch as "clearly a big win for Jio" that will put pressure on incumbent telecom operators as well as on handset makers to match the offer and cable service providers.

Mathews, however, said this might have a bit of adverse impact for Jio as well.

"For existing (Jio) consumers who are already paying Rs 303 and above, unless they want to spend additional Rs 1,500, there is no impact. Of the 120 million customers, some of them might switch to this new plan. In such cases, there will be dilution for Jio from customers paying Rs 303 moving to Rs 153," Mathews said.

He said that with this launch, data usage is expected to significantly increase.

"There will be a shift also from 2G to 4G. The whole game is going to shift again to high volume, low margin. If you go to that segment where device price was impediment from switching to 4G from 2G, clearly this helps them. But competition is not going to stay put," Mathews said.

He said handset manufacturers will have to scramble to compete with Rs 1,500 handset. A top official of a leading telecom company said it is too early to assess the impact of the new offering. He said that customers may prefer to have choices rather than being "locked into" into a handset for three years.

Also, the offer at Rs 153 a month needs to be seen in the context of three years and whether the consumers are prepared to commit themselves to such an outgo on a monthly basis, he added.

At present, the average revenue from feature phone subscribers is up to Rs 100 a month, said the official who did not wish to be named. Mobile phone companies body Indian Cellular Association (ICA) termed it as a disruptive move that will expand scope of 4G technology in the country.

"It is a very well crafted package to enable entry-level subscribers to step into the digital data revolution. This package will be a catalyst also for spreading 4G networks into the deeper hinterland," Indian Cellular Association National President Pankaj Mohindroo said.

Samco Securities CEO Jimeet Modi said that considering the size and scale of Reliance it will capture a lion's share of the market and therefore will disrupt many other ancillary businesses also.

"The bigger threat will be the dominance that the company will enjoy over many business processes which will be offered digitally... (It) will be a cause of concern from the country's point of view," Modi said.

He said that the bargaining power that the company will enjoy once the competition is marginalised would be immense which is good for the investors in their long term wealth creation journey but may not be appreciated by the government.
New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai today ruled out any immediate imposition of minimum floor price for voice and data services, saying that industry has reached a consensus that it is "not a workable idea".

The decision came after Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman R S Sharma along with senior regulatory officials met representatives of all telecom companies for a detailed discussion on the issue.

"Some operators, last month, had raised the issue of fixing floor price for telecom services. We had a detailed discussion today and there is a consensus that, for now, we do not need to pursue the idea of floor price," Sharma told reporters after the meeting.

Accordingly, there will no further discussion or consultation on the issue, he added.

"The consensus is that fixation of floor price for telecom services is not a workable idea," he added.

During the meeting, Idea Cellular is learnt to have batted for fixation of a minimum floor price through a detailed presentation, while newcomer Reliance Jio opposed the concept terming it regressive and anti-competitive.

If a minimum floor price had been set, it could have meant an end to freebies in the market, as operators would have to keep in mind the minimum threshold while fixing tariffs for voice and data.

The tariffs are currently under forbearance -- operators virtually have a free hand in fixing the rates and report plans to TRAI in 7 days of launch -- and, hence, a floor price setting would have also implied a shift from that regime.

"The conclusion was that prices which are under forbearance should continue under forbearance as of now," Sharma added.

All operators - large and small - were present at the meeting today. Sharma, however, declined to comment on the specifics of the meeting.

It may be recalled that Idea Cellular, in its presentation to the inter ministerial group last month, had said that the industry has been witnessing losses and negative returns driven by below cost tariffs that are "predatory".

"Only solution is to have floor prices for voice, SMS, and data services so mobile telecom businesses generate adequate profits to invest and then compete based on quality of services" it had said citing nations like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh which have such floors.

Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Jio, which stormed into the telecom market last year, wooed customers with promotional free voice and data services in the first six months of its commercial launch.

Jio still offers aggressive data plans and has promised that voice calls will forever be free on its network. In fact, Jio's promotional freebies have been blamed by incumbent operators for the financial woes of the sector.
ELKO  Last year, a man who was appointed as permanent guardian for his 80-year-old mother was arrested on charges of converting her money for his own use. Five years earlier, a live-in caretaker convinced an 82-year-old woman to give him $8,000 for a down payment on a Hummer.

With cases like these in mind, Northeastern Nevada Special Advocacy For the Elderly (SAFE) proposes to bring an additional level of accountability to those who watch over the financial and medical welfare of the elderly, and seeks to be a voice for people under a guardianship in Elko County.

Founded by a committee led by Department 1 District Judge Nancy Porter, SAFE provides a volunteer to represent the interests of an adult who has a guardian, similar to a program in Douglas County.

Attorney Katie McConnell, president of SAFE, handles elder law and guardianships, and believes the organization will deter elder abuse in guardianship cases.

Elder abuse can be abuse, exploitation, or neglect  financially, physically or emotionally, explained McConnell.

According to a 2016 report by the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division, there were 51 cases of elder abuse reported in Elko County between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

McConnell explained that in the past, people petitioned the court to become a guardian of an elderly family member, with the judge relying only upon the guardians report of the elders condition and assets.

There are many cases in which the guardian doesnt even visit the protected person, and may or may not pay their bills, she said.

SAFE is a nonprofit organization with a board of directors, and is applying for grants to fund the hiring of a coordinator and obtaining office space to begin training volunteers by November, added McConnell.

This is very similar to CASA, McConnell said, referring to the Northeastern Nevada Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who represent children removed from their home and placed in the foster system.

These are the CASAs for elders guardianship cases, said McConnell. A court appointed friend  looking out for the best interests of the protected person.

Currently, 325 open guardianship cases are in district court, according to Porter, who hears 300 of those cases throughout the year.

Volunteers would be given two to three cases to start with, said McConnell.

Kathy Jones, Elko Countys public guardian, is limited to seeing no more than 25 people at a time, and believes that the program will provide more resources to the elderly.

Theyre hoping for more eyeballs that are watching, a little more awareness, said Jones, as SAFE would also offer help to caregivers to relieve the burden and stress of caring for parents or grandparents.

For caregivers, looking after elderly family members can be very overwhelming, Jones added. Building friendships is another benefit to the program, said Porter, citing research stating that people with dementia and their caregivers are in need of social connections.

Its one more step in this system to make sure these vulnerable adults are being adequately taken care of, said McConnell.

To become a volunteer or for information, contact McConnell at 738-1951.
Mumbai: Salman Khan had rushed all the way from New York to Morocco with no sleep for the shoot of Tiger Zinda Hai and the superstar is definitely giving it his all for the film.

After his training in horse-riding, Salman has put it to good use during the actual shoot, as he got snapped on the sets.

Straight from New York , with no sleep @BeingSalmanKhan jumps in for horse riding training @TigerZindaHai #morocco  pic.twitter.com/mfOgbuUlDY  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 17, 2017

His famous scarf from the first instalment naturally makes a comeback, and his cool jacket and his tense look will definitely send his die-hard fans into frenzy.

Hollywood stunt director Tom Struthers was also seen goofing around as Salman geared up for the scene.

Behind the scenes a very serious #tom Struthers working really hard as #Sk chills on the horse behind  pic.twitter.com/GCOJCSGI0x  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 20, 2017

The director Ali Abbas Zafar also shared a brilliant picture from the shoot from back view, which adds to the style and mystery associated with the film.

When you see a picture from @TigerZindaHai and say " please Palto Na" :) pic.twitter.com/NjgHMBL9lq  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 21, 2017

Tiger Zinda Hai, also starring Katrina Kaif, gears up for release during Christmas this year.
She looks thrilled in the picture, while flying through the air. (Photo: Instagram/katrinakaif)

Mumbai: Katrina Kaif, who is currently in Morocco, shooting for her next film Tiger Zinda Hai with Salman Khan, has bought some time for herself amidst her hectic schedule. The actress was seen taking surfing lessons in the Moroccan city of Essaouira. She posted a video of the same on Instagram. In the video, she looks frightened, yet enthusiastic to rise above the heavy tides.

Katrina even shared a picture of hers in a wet-suit winning the waves in Morocco.

Surfs up ..... @explorawatersports A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Jul 21, 2017 at 12:57pm PDT

She looks thrilled in the picture, while flying through the air.

The gorgeous actress was recently seen in Jagga Jasoos with her ex-flame Ranbir Kapoor.

However, this image of Katrinas surfing lesson leaves us curious. Is this training session a part of Tiger Zinda Hai or shes simply enjoying.

Watch Katrina Kaif surf:

First time surfing in Essaouira  A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Jul 21, 2017 at 8:58am PDT

She was seen posing with the team, which guided her. They say, "Maybe a career change from Bollywood star to a surf pro is on the cards. (sic)"

Meanwhile, Tiger Zinda Hai is the sequel to 2012's Ek Tha Tiger starring Katrina and Salman. The Ali Abbas Zafar-directorial is a sequel to it. The film is expected to have a December release.

Apart from Tiger Zinda Hai, Katrina has hands full with projects like Thugs Of Hindostan with stalwarts Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan and Aanand L Rai's yet-untitled film with superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma. This is Katrinas second association with SRK and Anushka post 2012s Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
LGBT Pride Month is celebrated around the world, drawing millions of community members together. Bengaluru lives up to the tradition too, despite the countrywide clampdown on the marginalised LGBTQ community. It was during troubled times that Srivatsa Shandilya, a well-known photographer, quietly founded the International Trans Art Festival 2016, a platform for transgender art that became a roaring success. He talks to Aksheev Thakur about where it all began and what drives him in his journey towards inclusivity.

In July 2016, crowds gathered at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bengaluru, for a three-day art and culture extravaganza. Why was this any different from the scores of festivals that take place in the city? This was the International Trans Art Festival 2016, a platform for a community that has, over the years, struggled to break free of its shackles. The festival was marked by an air of jubiliation: the Supreme Court had made it clear that that its 2014 ruling, which recognises a third gender, would not be modified.

Still, few contributions from the community find their way into mainstream life and perhaps this was what prompted Srivatsa Shandilya, photographer and a well-known name in Sandalwood to organise the fest. Standing firm in his conviction that art has no gender, Shandilya gave Karnatakas Jogati their first platform in which to showcase their talent.

I have been involved in theatre for a long time and it was then that the idea of giving transgenders a space first took shape in my mind, Shandilya said. In July 2016, we organised the countrys first Trans Fest, which was aimed at celebrating the third gender. The fest gave a historically deprived community the chance to celebrate themselves. The idea was also to create opportunities  perhaps parents could send their kids to them for training in the arts.

Shandilyas enthusiasm is clear: They are no less talented than the rest of us. When they performed classical dances last year, the audience was spell-bound. The success of the festival has him raring to go with new projects and initiatives, he describes, with great excitement, the support he received from across the world, too. My urge to look for something new helped me come across artists from amongst the community. When I met them after the event, they talked about how people who had never spoken to them before were doing so now, he says.

The people who take the deep interest in Art and Culture were captivated by the performances

The government has made an effort at integration too, which Shandilya acknowledges but admits is far from adequate. First, getting funds from the government is not easy under any circumstances. There is no database of transgender artists either, although the list is available. Bifurcating the database will make it a lot easier for us to go forth with events like this, he said.

Many of these transgenders, Shandilya explains, have studied dance on their own  and the audience found itself enamoured by their art. Im planning another event this September, he said. This time, however, the focus will be on theatre. After watching the performances, the audience wanted to be part of the fest too. The people who take the deep interest in Art and Culture were captivated by the performances. Even now, I get regular requests to carry on conducting events like these, he said, happily.

Shandilya is also the first man to celebrate the centenary year of Indian Cinema and wants to put Bengaluru on the map for innovative art and culture events. Bengaluru is widely known for its unusual initiatives. Last year, as word of the Trans Fest spread across the world, the city proved its mettle. My thirst to do new things and break boundaries is unquenchable and there will be many more in the future, too, he smiled.

He does, however, believe that transgender community should also come forward and take the initiative towards being part of mainstream society, something they richly deserve. Although the festival was aimed at bridging the gaps, the will to achieve something great should be mutual.
Most of the stories are from the experience Mr. Gurudin has had in his professional life which includes those as district police chief of Kannur and Thiruvanathapuram.

Kohzikode: The story of Soumya, 15, is not a rare one in Kerala these days: a school girl getting close with a man who she met on Facebook; the relationship turning physical and the guy using photographs of their intimate moments to blackmail her; the family getting to know the whole affair and the police intervening. Now, a senior police officer has chosen to put together such experiences and offer a guide to the children, and their parents, on how to avoid the traps cyber world has readied for them.

The book Is Your Child Safe?, written by K. Sanjay Kumar Gurudin, an IPS officer from Kerala cadre, is an exhaustive compilation of the arrival of technology in the lives of people, especially the children, the way it can be used and misused, the possible traps and the ways to escape them. Most of the stories are from the experience he has had in his professional life which includes those as district police chief of Kannur and Thiruvanathapuram. Mr Gurudin is at present the commandant of Kerala Armed Police at Kannur.

It may sound prescriptive but the book looks at the reality: it was easy to monitor the movements of the children in the bygone era but the cyber world has offered them a tool to go out even while physically remaining in their rooms behind the closed doors using smart phones and laptops. The book, in over seven chapters, seeks to empower the parents by updating their knowledge about the cyber world and teaching them how to help the children grow themselves in the cyber world safely.

A chapter is dedicated to the online dangers and threats to the children and enlists the signs if a child has landed in a trap. According to the book, if the child spends longer duration on internet, loses interest in social life, suffers from loss of sleep, faces problems due to lack of concentration, leads a closed solitary life, then beware, it can be due to the negative effect of his/her excessive, and some time, perverted, life in the cyber world.

The book also gives tips to the parents on how to save their children from addiction to internet. Mr Gurudin has one time-tested advice parents often forget or refuse to go by: talk to the child. That is the best way, according to the book, to start addressing the issue. Deleting useless accounts, turning off unnecessary notifications with their support, preparing a plan for internet usage, using timers in smart phones, imposing a ban on computers in bedrooms and blocking apps in phones and computers are some of the suggestions in the book. Its a kind of rationing, but is worthwhile, according to the book.

The book also warns parents against radicalisation of children through internet and also lists out the warning signals in behaviour of youth.

The book also offers a ready reference on cyber laws. It has incorporated various sections of the laws including the Information Technology Act, Indian penal Code- 1980, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act- 2012, which ensure law and order in the cyber world.

The book has gone through an evolution, Mr Gurudin said. He had brought it out first as a booklet to create awareness among parents. The extensive research that he undertook on the topic later had him conceive it as a book.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to release the book in August. A Malayalam translation of the book, which has already received 1,500 orders, will also be released soon. Publishers in Tamil and Hindi are in talks with Mr Gurudin for translating the book into those languages.
Sleep bruxism is when you grind your teeth in your sleep and over time can lead to major oral health problems (Photo: Pixabay)

London: Teeth-grinding in teenagers during sleep could be a sign that they are being bullied at school, a study suggests.

The study by an oral health charity in the UK found that adolescents who suffer from bullying are far more likely to grind their teeth in their sleep, a sign which could help parents identify victimised children sooner.

The research, published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, found that teenagers who were subjected to verbal bullying in school were almost four times as likely to suffer from sleep bruxism (65 per cent) compared to those who were not (17 per cent).

Sleep bruxism is when you grind your teeth in your sleep and over time can lead to major oral health problems, including migraines, sensitive and worn teeth, chipped or cracked teeth, loosing of teeth and severe oral pain and can lead to irreparable damage.

The researchers urge parents, carers and schools to be alert to students complaining of oral health problems and symptoms related to bruxism as a signifier of them being bullied so that they help can tackle to issue.

"Bullying of any form is absolutely abhorrent and can have a both physical and psychological impact, and when experienced in childhood, can lead to trauma that might last throughout adulthood," said Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, which carried the study.

"Grinding teeth may not sound like priority within the wider picture but it could prove to give a vital insight into a child's state of mind and could be an important sign for us to identify bullying at an earlier stage," said Carter.

"Both children and adults tend to grind their teeth when suffering from stress, and bullying is a significant contributor here," he said.

Sleep bruxism can be particularly damaging. Many times, we learn that we grind our teeth by a loved one who hears the grinding at night, researchers said.
Bud, the parrot would shout in two different voices and the conversation would always end with it screaming dont f****ng shoot. (Photo: Pixabay)

A woman from Michigan has been found guilty of shooting her husband five times after the entire act was witnessed by the mans pet parrot.

Glenna Durgam, shot her husband Martin in front of the couples pet African Grey parrot in 2015 before turning they gun o n herself in what appears to be a failed suicide attempt.

The woman has been convicted after his last words were apparently repeated by the parrot who witnessed the attack.

Ms Duram was found guilty of first-degree murder after eight hours of deliberation by Newaygo County jury in Michigan.

The parrot which was subsequently adopted after the incident by Mr Durams

ex-wife Christina Keller apparently kept on repeating the pairs final conversation to her.

Christina says that Bud, the parrot would shout in two different voices and the conversation would always end with it screaming dont f****ng shoot.

The victims mother Lillian said that the parrot is known to pick up everything and anything that is said around it.

Interestingly African Greys are known for their ability to mimic human speech and studies have shown that they have the cognitive ability of a young child.
The woman managed to capture a picture of the car and its number plate. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in front of a German woman, who is pursuing PhD from JNU, in southeast Delhi's Greater Kailash, the police said.

The incident took place on Thursday around 2.45 pm when the 33-year-old scholar had taken her dog out for a stroll in Greater Kailash-II, they said.

She stopped for a while when she saw the man looking at her in a weird manner.

However, when he looked away, she moved ahead. But as soon as she reached closer to where he was standing, he pulled his trousers down and started masturbating while looking at her, the police said.

She shouted at him but before she could try and catch him, he drove off in his car. The woman managed to capture a picture of the car and its number plate.

The woman informed the police following which the accused Tarun was arrested on Friday.

Tarun was on Friday produced before a court that sent him to judicial custody.
A case was registered on Thursday against Congress MLA M Vincent, who represents the Kovalam segment, on charges of stalking, rape and abetment of suicide based on the statement given by the woman. (Photo: YouTube | Screengrab)

Thiruvananthapuram: A Congress MLA in Kerala was on Saturday arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody on a rape charge filed against him on the basis of a woman's complaint.

The first time MLA, M Vincent, who represents Kovalam constituency, was booked for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide of a housewife at nearby Balaramapuram.

Vincent has maintained throughout that the allegation against him was baseless and was "politically motivated."

"The MLA has been arrested in the case," Kollam Police Commissioner Ajeetha Begum, who is heading the investigation team, said.

The case was registered against the legislator for alleged rape, stalking and abetment to suicide, police sources said.

The incident came to light on July 19 after the 51-year-old woman attempted suicide by consuming an overdose of pills and her husband filed a police complaint against the MLA, alleging that he used to repeatedly call her over the phone and harass her.

Police said the MLA had allegedly made more than 900 calls to the lady in the past few months. She later filed a statement before the magistrate and police, levelling serious allegation of rape against the MLA.

Police had questioned Vincent for over three hours at the MLA's hostel here after which he was arrested.

Reacting to the arrest, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said government was committed to provide equal justice and protection to women.

"Government will ensure that the accused, however high, will get the punishment he deserves," he said in Delhi.

No mercy would be shown to those committing atrocities against women, he said, adding the government views such cases very seriously.

The development, which has stunned the Opposition Congress-led UDF, comes hardly a week before the state assembly is to meet.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former KPCC President K Muraleedharan said that a transparent and impartial probe was needed.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson MC Josephine said the statement of the woman victim was very clear.

In such cases, the statement of the victim is important. The MLA also moved an anticipatory bail before a court in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

Activists of DYFI, the youth wing of CPI(M), took out a march demanding his resignation and burnt his effigy in front of the MLA hostel here.

Following the MLA's arrest, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) stated that the Congress should take disciplinary action against him and ensure that he resigns from his post.

CPM leader Brinda Karat said, "It's a very serious case, especially after the MLA getting arrested. It is a shame to the party. The Congress must take an action as it is necessary for them to know what is right or wrong. They should also ensure that Vincent resigns. This is the least that they can do".

The CPI(M) has also said that the party would launch agitations till he resigns and also boycott his public functions in his constituency.
When asked about the alleged exit of MLA VC Arukutty from the OPS camp, he said it could be his own decision and there was no compulsion from anyone that he should leave the faction. (Photo: PTI)

Coimbatore: Lok Sabha Deputy speaker and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) (Amma) leader M Thambidurai on Saturday asserted that there was no split in the AIADMK as made out to be.

"A group of 10 MLAs cannot split a party, which is intact. The by-election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency was postponed not due to a split, but following allegations of bribing of voters," he said in an apparent reference to the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction led by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

The senior party leader had repeatedly been asserting that "all are united," and there was "no split" in the party.

When asked about the alleged exit of MLA VC Arukutty from the OPS camp, he said it could be his own decision and there was no compulsion from anyone that he should leave the faction.

Moreover, it was an indication that MLAs like Arukutty wanted to strengthen the party, founded by late chief minister M G Ramachandran, he said.

Rebel AIADMK MLA VC Arukutty, among the first to switch over to the O Panneerselvam camp, had on Friday expressed displeasure at the way he was being treated and indicated he may go back to the AIADMK (Amma) faction.

To a query on Tamil actor Kamal Hassan's possible entry into politics, Thambidurai said that any body including film actors can come to politics.

On the actor's allegations of corruption in the state government, he said, "It is a matter, which should be proved beyond doubt."
Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party's decisive and the transparent ideology. (Photo: PTI | File)

Jaipur (Rajasthan): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Saturday defended External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and said that the search operation of 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul is underway and the Centre is not misleading the nation.

"The search is underway to locate 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul. The Government is not misleading the nation," he said, while addressing the media on the second day of his three-day Rajasthan tour.

The BJP has organised Akhil Bharatiya Pravas Yojana - Shah's 110-day visit to all states in the nation - with an aim to take "party's ideology to booth," he said.

Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party's decisive and the transparent ideology.

"India has become the fastest growing economy in the world due to the party's most decisive and transparent ideology," he added.

Amit Shah added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje's Government are working together as a growth engine to take this nation forward.

Iraq's Ambassador to India Fakhri-H-Al-Issa on July 20 had said that he has no information regarding the 39 Indians, who were abducted by the Isalmic State (IS) even as EAM Swaraj said that they were last located in a prison in Badush.

"I don't want to say anything. I have no information. Sometimes no news is good news. They might be in Badush prison," Issa said.

Sushma, along with Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) MJ Akbar and MoS MEA Gen. (Retd.) VK Singh, met families of 39 Indians who are missing in Iraq since 2014 on July 16.

Sushma had assured, "Once fighting stops in Badush and the area is cleared, we can probably find out about the whereabouts of the missing nationals."
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Chennai: When the environmental activists are crying foul over the exploitation of Ennore creek, a new revelation brought out through the Right to Information reveals shocking facts. While the government approved map obtained through RTI by Jesu Rathinam of Coastal Action Network (CAN) in 1996 shows 6,469 acres of the Ennore creek as a No-Development Zone under CRZ-1, another reply from the department of environment denies the existence of the Ennore creek.

Pooja Kumar of Coastal Resource Centre (CRC), said, The map that we (CRC) acquired through RTI in 2017 covers only 13 km and the entire Ennore creek had disappeared. But the map obtained by Coastal Action Network covers a stretch of 16 km and is consistent with the Coastal Zone Management Plan that identifies Sheet 2, Tiruvallur district. Condemning the offence, Jesu Rathinam of CAN said, Since both maps have been obtained under the RTI, the department of environment has falsified the information in one of the two cases. This is a punishable offence.

The fishermen from Ennore and the environmentalists from CAN, CRC and Save Ennore Campaign on Friday demanded an independent probe into the functioning of the State Coastal Zone Management Authority and the department of environment. Environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman said, There should be one map, but there are two maps which are government-approved. While one is legitimate, the other one is clearly a lie. Two different complaints have been filed before Information Commission and State Disaster Management Authority.

The irregularities in the functioning of the government would directly affect the biodiversity of the Ennore creek. If the Ennore creek ceases to exist, the city of Chennai will face severe floods during monsoons, added Nityanand. The 2017 RTI response included a 1997 letter from the Ministry of Environment & Forests responding to certain changes proposed to be made by the state government to accommodate the setting up of a petrochemical spark in Ennore.

The revelation is beyond the question of fishermen's livelihood, as it now questions the safety of the city monsoons, nothing can save the city, said R. L. Srinivasan, a fisher leader from the Coalition of All Ennore Fishing Villages.
His meeting with Rahul Gandhi comes at a time when there are differences over the continuation of Tejaswi in the state cabinet. (Photo: INC)

New Delhi: Amid speculation over a rift in the 'grand alliance' in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday met Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and is learnt to have discussed the current political situation.

Party sources said Kumar drove to Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence in Delhi and discussed about graft charges against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son, Tejaswi Yadav.

Kumar is in the national capital to attend a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in honour of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee.

His meeting with Rahul Gandhi comes at a time when there are differences over the continuation of Tejaswi in the state cabinet, thus posing a "threat" to the grand alliance between the Janata Dal (United) JD (U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress in Bihar.

While the RJD supremo has rejected demands of resignation of his son, Kumar is learnt to have reservations about Tejaswi's continuance as it dents his "anti-corruption" image.

Kumar-led JD(U) had also crossed swords with the Opposition over its support to NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

The Opposition had pitched for Meira Kumar as its joint candidate for the presidential polls.
Srinagar: An Army jawan was killed in Pakistani troops firing on the Indian forwards positions in Sunderbani sector of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district late on Friday night.

In fresh firing reported from Rajouris Lam sector on Saturday morning, another soldier was injured, officials said.

The Army officials said the Pakistani troops in latest violation of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement targeted the Indian posts in Sunderbani even as other sectors of the LoC Manjakote, Balakote and Nowshehra - which had witnessed intense exchanges of fire over the past week remained calm.

No fresh incident of cross-border firing was reported from Mendhar, Sabzian and Shahpur sectors of neighbouring Poonch either. These areas too witnessed ceasefire violations past week, triggering migration of border dwellers.

The slain soldier has been identified as 28-year-old Rifleman Jayadrath Singh. The martyred jawan was a resident of village Bhagwanpur in Deoband area of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh and is survived by his wife Mamta Devi, a defence spokesman in Jammu said.

The spokesman said the Pakistani troops are using small arms, automatics and mortars to target Indian side of the LoC and that Indian troops are retaliating to the unprovoked firing and shelling strongly and effectively.

Singh is the fourth Army jawan martyred in the Pakistani firing and shelling along the LoC in twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch this week. Several civilians were also killed or wounded in the firing. Casualties among soldiers and civilians were reported also from the other side of the de facto border.

Schools and other educational institutions remained shut in the areas falling in close proximity to the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch on the fourth consecutive day on Saturday.

As many as four thousand people of the affected villages of Rajouri district alone have shifted to safer locations in view of the flare-up.
The soldiers allegedly thrashed the police check post at Sonamarg which had stopped them from going ahead. (Photo: PTI | Representation)

Srinagar: Half a dozen Jammu and Kashmir policemen were injured, two of them seriously, in an attack by Army troops at Gund in northern district of Ganderbal late on Friday night, police said.

The police officials said more than 30 men from the Armys 24 Rashtriya Rifles barged into the Gund police station and after beating up cops ransacked the premises.

They were in civvies and were apparently incensed over being stopped by the policemen from heading towards Ganderbal from Baltal beyond the cut off time, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday afternoon said its Director General Shesh Paul Vaid has been assured by the Commander of the Srinagar-based Chinar (15) Corps that action would be taken against the soldiers involved in the incident.

It tweeted "DGP @spvaid has taken up the #Gund Ganderbal incident with Corps Commander who is looking into it and has assured action".

DGP @spvaid has taken up the #Gund Ganderbal incident with Corp Commander who is looking into it and has assured action.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) July 22, 2017

However, defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia in a statement here said, A minor altercation took place yesterday night between some Army personnel returning from Amarnath yatra in civil dress. No major injuries were suffered in the incident and the matter has been resolved by personal intervention of senior officers. Measures to prevent reoccurrence have been taken.(sic)

Baltal, 93.5 km from Srinagar, is the base-camp of the shorter route to Amarnath.

The Army men were returning from Amarnath but were travelling beyond cut off time as per which all Srinagar-bound vehicles have to cross Sonamarg which is about 80-km north of Srinagar and 13.5 km short of Baltal by 2 pm.

The soldiers allegedly thrashed the police check post at Sonamarg which had stopped them from going ahead. Later, after being joined by their colleagues, some of them in uniform, went to nearby Gund and attacked the police station, the sources said adding that an FIR regarding the incident has been registered at the police station.

Two of the policemen have been grievously injured, the sources said. Six policemen including a sub-inspector are being treated at a local hospital.

A statement issued by the police, while giving the details of the incident, said during the intervening night of July 21 and 22 a group of 30 personnel of the 24 RR in civvies travelling in four vehicles escaped forcibly from the naka point established by police station Sonamarg at Poney Stand.

These vehicles were carrying the Army personnel who were coming back after Amarnath. Due to the already issued cut off timing and present circumstance it was not feasible to allow the yatris after cut off time. The naka party of the Police Station Gund (Ganderbal) headed by ASI Ghulam Rasool stopped the said vehicles as per the directions, the statement said.

However, the Army men in civvies without showing any identification came down from the vehicles and started thrashing the on-duty officer and other officials, resulting in injuries to said ASI.

After that the Army parties of COB Gund and COB Surfraw 24 RR headed by Captain Shukla along with the personnel in civvies entered in Police Station Gund and thrashed and injured all the police personnel present and damaged some records of the police station and also some belongings of officials, the statement said.

But in the evening the police modified its statement on the incident and said, These Army men forcibly after breaking the barrier moved towards Gund. At Gund these vehicles were again stopped by SHO Gund and his men and were taken to the police station in order to avoid any ugly scene on roadside.

The statement also said, It was when an Army officer with his men from nearby the Army unit entered the police station and had a heated argument with the SHO resulting in scuffle between Army men and policemen in which some policemen received minor injuries. Besides taking legal cognizance the IGP Kashmir Munir Ahmad Khan brought the matter into the notice of Corp Commander and the GoC Victor force who acted firmly and resolved the issue by way of sending a senior officer to Police Station Gund and assuring action against the erring officer and his men.

An FIR (No.18/2017) has been registered under various sections of the Ranbir Penal code including 147, 148, 307, 323, 332, 353, 427 and 120-B RPC has been registered, the police said.

Army officials said they are ascertaining the details of the incident and would be able to comment only when we know what exactly happened.
The standing committee also recommended a change in Clause 2(c) in bill which defines 'inclusive education' for transgenders. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice And Empowerment has recommended that a transgender should have the option to choose their gender independent of surgery or hormones.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 defines a transgender as someone who is neither wholly female nor wholly male, a combination of female or male or neither female nor male and whose sense of gender does not match with the gender assigned to the person at the time of birth.

The committee felt that the proposed definition of transgender in the bill is in stark contrast to global developments, where transgenders have been granted the right to self determine and to seek benefits according to such identity.

"More so, it not only violates the fundamental rights to equality, dignity, autonomy, but also freedom of transgender persons guaranteed under Article 14, 19 and 21 of the constitution," the committee said.

It further observed the definition of transgender was unscientific and primitive and based on biological attributes.

It said the definition fails to recognise that many persons are born with ambiguous or typical sexual organs, whether external or internal, and identify themselves as male, female or transgender.

The standing committee also recommended a change in Clause 2(c) in bill which defines "inclusive education" for transgenders.

"Inclusive education means a system of education wherein transgender and gender non-conforming students along with other students learn together without the fear of bullying, singling out and other forms of harassment and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of such students," it said.

The committee also recommended that a definition of 'discrimination' be included in chapter I of the Bill which must cover a range of violations that transgenders face.

It also recommended that central and state governments and civil society should adopt measures for generating awareness regarding transgenders.

The committee headed by Ramesh Bais, also stated that it would like to assure and remind all the members of the transgender community that "a historic shift is underway, you are not alone in your struggle for the end of violence and discrimination.

"It is a shared struggle. Transgender is not an anomaly. It is a part of the spectrum of people's realities. While there is no shame in being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex or even straight - there is a must shame and dishonour in being a homophobe, a transphobe and a bigot."
New Delhi: RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi will no more be able to drive straight to their aircraft at Patna airport as the central government has withdrawn tarmac access for their vehicle, according to officials.

"Previous order (allowing access) was for Patna airport only, which has been withdrawn," an official at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The move comes after the Ministry of Civil Aviation wrote a letter to the BCAS informing that it had decided to revoke permission granted in 2009 allowing Lalu Yadav and his wife's vehicle to drive up to the tarmac.

"It has now been decided that the permission accorded to Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav and Smt Rabri Devi vide the AVSEC order No 13/2009 dated 1/08/2009 maybe withdrawn forthwith," says the letter dated July 21.

The letter asks BCAS to take "immediate action to issue necessary instructions" to ensure implementation of the ministry's decision.

This move has been taken as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim to end the VVIP culture rampant among politicians.
Rahul also alleged that most institutions in the country have been captured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the bureaucrats and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: A day after Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi slammed the Centre by digging out issues including the Rohith Vemula suicide case, Dadri lynching case and demonetisation drive, Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday mocked the former for 'all that he does.'

Smriti took to Twitter to show her sarcastic side and said, "However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!????"

On Friday, Rahul raised the Rohith Vemula case, saying that he didn't commit suicide and was murdered for being a Dalit.

"I don't call it suicide; I call it murder. Rohith (Vemula) was crushed and murdered by the indignities he suffered," said Gandhi while speaking at DR B R Ambedkar International Conference.

He further added that Vemula was killed only because he was a Dalit.

Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at the University of Hyderabad, allegedly committed suicide in 2016 sparking a nationwide outrage.

Vemula's suicide gained widespread media attention as an alleged case of discrimination against Dalits.

Rahul also alleged that most of the institutions in the country have been captured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the bureaucrats and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

"What is happening today is the systematic capture of India's democratic institutions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bureaucrats and the RSS," he said.

The Congress vice-president also targeted the Centre by raising the Dadri lynching case.

"Mohammad Akhlaq was butchered because they say he stole a calf. It was a lie. Instead of questioning his (Akhlaq) brutal killing they asked whether the meat in the fridge was mutton or beef," he added.

In 2016, a mob of villagers attacked a 52-year-old Muslim man named Mohammed Akhlaq, who they suspected of stealing and slaughtering a stolen cow calf, in Bisara village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh.

Akhlaq died in the attack, and his son, Danish, was seriously injured.

Rahul also took a dig at the Centre over its demonetisation drive which was introduced on 8 November, 2016.

"Publicly they called it a stroke of genius and privately they called it insanity," he said.
Hyderabad: The Telangana Education Department has passed a new government order which caps the weight of school bags for students in primary schools. According to the order, no student up to class five should be carrying bags weighing more than five kilos.

This new order has been welcomed by faculties from the teaching sector.

Manjulatha Narra, the principal of a government school said, "It's a very good decision and all schools should implement it. Private schools give lot of work, so they should implement this. In our schools, we have digital classrooms where they are learning easily," hinting at digital classrooms will replace heavy school bags.

Naina, a primary school teacher, said, "As a teacher, I'm in for this motion as this will help students health wise. We have tiny kids in the class and the bags weigh more than then at times."

Telangana has 42,632 private and government schools.
To expedite the project, the government has fixed a deadline of three months for officials to acquire the remaining 1,500 acres. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: A clause in the states land acquisition law barring land owners from filing for higher compensation has become a hurdle in acquiring properties.

The operational guidelines for land acquisition ask land owners to submit an undertaking that they will not file cases in courts seeking higher compensation after they give a consent letter for land acquisition.

One project that has been hit by this is the Pharma City, that is to come up on the citys outskirts.

The government has decided to acquire 8,000 acres to set up the first phase of Pharma City that will in its final avatar have 12,500 acres. The government has been able to acquire only 6,500 acres in two years.

To expedite the project, the government has fixed a deadline of three months for officials to acquire the remaining 1,500 acres.

The government has been insisting that farmers give an undertaking that they will not file cases seeking higher compensation in future. This is to prevent farmers from approaching courts, which may halt the land acquisition process.

Farmers are refusing to submit undertakings on the ground that the compensation offered was only Rs 12.5 lakh per acre, which includes a 2BHK house constructed for poor worth Rs 5.05 lakh.

Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, who holds the revenue portfolio, said, Land is being taken over after receiving consent letters from the farmers. Some Opposition parties and organisations with vested interests are trying to create controversy over the undertakings.

He said the consent letter had more value than an undertaking. We are seeking the undertaking because some vested interests are filing cases in courts to halt projects in the name of farmers. This is only to ensure faster execution of projects.

Farmers' associations are also objecting to the government seeking the undertakings.

The compensation being offered is very meagre. Even in remote districts, we dont get land for Rs 12 lakh per acre. The Pharma City is coming up adjacent to the city, where the land value is higher. Moreover, the government had not revised land rates for five years. The farmers have the right to approach courts if land rates are not revised periodically, said Mr T. Sagar, secretary, Telangana Rythu Sangham.
Flyovers length: The flyover from KBR Park will have a 3+3 lane carriageway, and will be nearly 3 km long.

Hyderabad: The State Board for Wildlife on Saturday approved construction of six multilevel flyovers around KBR Park as part of the Strategic Road Development Programme.

However, the approvals given by TS Board of Wildlife and National Board for Wildlife can be challenged in courts and the NGT again.

The southern bench of the NGT had in May said the flyovers could be built only after the eco-sensitive zone of the KBR Park is fixed by the Union ministry of environment and forests.

The state government has requested Centre to fix the ESZ at zero metres from the present 25 to 35 metres, which will include the walkway around the park.

In case the Union ministry does not approve this, the government will have to obtain environment clearance (EC) from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife before implementing the SRDP.

Minister Jogu Ramanna said, There will be no threat to KBR Park or environment on account of SRDP as being claimed by some quarters. In fact, the pollution levels will come down after these flyovers are built due to lower carbon emissions on account of vehicles.

He said thousands of vehicles were getting stuck in traffic jams or moving slow and the flyovers would provide a solution. We are confident of the Centre approving the decision taken by us, he said.
Police said the south zone team launched a Chabutra Mission an operation against those wandering around late at nights and detained 260 persons. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The city police used the e-finger printing technology for the first time during a Chabutra Mission Operation and nabbed 30 persons who allegedly had criminal records.

Police said the south zone team launched a Chabutra Mission an operation against those wandering around late at nights and detained 260 persons.

We used the portable e-finger printing technology in which a scanner is attached to a tablet PC and the suspect is asked to put his thumb/finger impression on the scanner. If the suspect is a documented criminal his records will appear on the tab and he will be taken to police station for questioning. Otherwise the person will be released on the spot, said DCP (south) V. Satyanarayana.

The e-finger printing technology is now available with all patrol vehicles in the city. Whenever the beat constables find someone moving around suspiciously they will check his criminal history by taking his finger impression. This will help to counter criminals who maintain a low profile and escape posing as labourers, the official said.

The police caught five persons who were involved in mobile phone thefts. They were sitting in an autorickshaw and were caught during the operation. We took fingerprints and found that they were involved in thefts, said the official.

The police are also checking 25 others who were involved in assaults. Another 52 petty cases were registered for various violations including rash driving and nuisance during the operation. The others were let off after counselling.
Bhopal: A farmer in Madhya Pradeshs backward Bundelkhand region has mined a diamond said to be as bright as legendary Kohinoor.

Suresh Yadav, 40, found the rare gem quality diamond while digging his field in Pati Krishan Kalyanpura in Panna district, known for rich diamond reserve, in Bundelkhand region last week.

Suresh has taken lease of the land of the size of 8mx8m from the Panna district mining department at a cost of Rs 250 per year to mine precious stones.

I have decided to take lease of mines of small size from the state government to mine diamond and other precious stones when I found agriculture not remunerative in my village owing to erratic rainfalls every monsoon.

I tried my luck this monsoon and started digging my land when the area experience heavy downpour last week. I found the piece of the sparkler at a depth of nearly 15 ft, he told Deccan Chronicle over phone on Saturday.

The uncut diamond weighed 5.82 carat and is expected to fetch around Rs 25-30 lakh in raw form. Experts said the diamond appeared as bright as the famed Kohinoor mined from Golconda region in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh during the Kakatiya dynastys reign. Kohinoor, currently in possession of British royal family, weighs 105 carats.

Experts assessed the diamond found by Suresh as of very high quality. It will be auctioned as per government rules, Panna district mining officer Santosh Singh said.

The diamond is found in the shallow mining area nearly 40 km from the diamond mines operated by National Mineral Development Corporation in Panna district. Last year, one Anant Singh Yadav, a local villager, found a diamond weighing 12.93 carat in his land taken on lease from MP government.
Hyderabad: The state government has moved two appeals before the Hyderabad High Court against the acquittal of Mohammed Omar bin Yafai, alias Mohammed Pahelwan, and nine others from the case of attempt to murder MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi. They were acquitted by the Seventh Additional Metropolitan Session Court of the city recently.

In one appeal, the government challenged the acquittal and in another it challenged the 10 years of imprisonment awarded by the trial court to the accused Hasan, Abdullah, Wahed and another person in the case.

The government while challenging the sentence relied on the opinion of the doctors who said the MLA had sustained serious injuries. If he would not have been taken to hospital in time, there would have been a threat to his life. The government contended that the trial court did not consider this fact.
Srinagar: Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah has said that India should approach third parties, such as the United States and China, to mediate in the Kashmir dispute.

"For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns. The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," Farooq said in a newspaper interview on Friday.

The BJP and like-minded parties have strongly criticised Farooq for his statement, while many people took to social media platforms to condemn him. However, ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also BJPs ally in the state, has welcomed the statement and said talks alone can lead to amicable solution on Kashmir.

The PDP was quick to welcome the statement saying it was happy if Abdullah is asking for talks with Pakistan. If you want to resolve Kashmir issue there is no other way, PDPs senior leader Sartaj Madni said.

If India is ready to talk to China and does not want to get into war, then they can talk to Pakistan also, he added.

BJP has not only rejected the suggestion, but has also condemned Abdullah for seeking third party intervention on Kashmir.

He is a man with two faces, alleged BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. He said, I want to tell him when he was chief minister, he talked of attacking Pakistan. Why is he resorting to such double standards?

The government at the Centre recently reiterated that Kashmir is a bilateral issue with Pakistan and there is no scope for third party mediation.

Omar Abdullah defends father

Following the criticism, Farooqs son Omar Abdullah defended him, saying that parties and politicians condemning Farooqs "third-party intervention" remark are giving a different spin to his statement.

"Talk about spinning a statement. Dr Abdullah has said friends can be used to facilitate a dialogue with Pakistan, to facilitate a solution. Dr Abdullah didn't call for mediation he said "Trump offered to help & CHINA OFFERED to mediate". How is that the same as him asking for it? There is a difference between facilitation & mediation," said Omar in a series of tweets.

"India has used Int. facilitation-during Kargil war, after Parliament attack Etc. BJP's ally @jkpdp has welcomed Dr Abdullah's statement. I guess that makes the BJPDP anti-national as well. This is what I mean - twist remarks out of shape so that the original intent & message is completely distorted," he added.
Puducherry: Puducherry Pradesh Congress committee raked up a controversy by releasing a series of posters against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi including one which portrayed Ms Bedi as Adolf Hitler.

The never-ending confrontation between the elected government and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi reached new flashpoint with the Lt Governor tweeting the poster, portraying her as Adolf Hitler, which was put up at Thavlakuppam junction on Cuddalore road here as part of an agitation organised by the party to protest against the nomination of three BJP-affiliated persons as MLAs, with a folded hands' emoticon.

Ms Bedi also tweeted another poster allegedly made by the Congress unit portraying her as Goddess Kali, holding the decapitated head of some politicians, including that of Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy. In another, a poster a cartoon was shown in which Lt Governor being chased away.

The posters evoked a strong response from Ms Bedi and her supporters. Responding to this the Lt Governor had reportedly said the posters are seriously 'objectionable'.

One of the posters which portrays Lt Governor Kiran Bedi as Goddess Kali released by Puducherry Pradesh Congress committee in Puducherry on Friday.

"You don't have right to spoil the image of an Office. It is seriously objectionable," Bedi told ANI. "I see this as a chapter in the book which has to be written. Sooner or later", she further tweeted.

The supporters of the Lt Governor slammed the Congress party in the after seeing the posters. Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy also expressed his disapproval over the derogatory posters.

"I had already called the party leaders and asked them to refrain from criticising Lt Governor", said the Chief Minister while talking to reporters here.

At the same time, legislator K. Lakshminarayanan said that the Lt Governor has adopted an arrogant style of functioning and so people are reacting hard.

" The Lt Governor's way of functioning is arrogant and thus the people are reacting like this. It is all about the attitude. Most importantly, no one is beyond criticism", he told DC.

The nomination of Puducherry BJP unit president A Saminathan and treasurer K G Shankar and BJP sympathiser Selvaganapathy as members of the assembly on July 4 by the Centre, allegedly follow the directions from the Lt Governor opened up a new chapter in the ongoing tussle between the elected government and the Lt Governor.

Lt Governor ceases functioning of 7 MLAs in statutory bodies, govt undertakings

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi ceased the functioning of seven legislators in the post of chairmen of statutory bodies and government undertakings from the date of completion of their tenure of one year, even though the government had recommended their continuance in the post.

The order was issued as the government failed to send the mid-term performance appraisal and the year-end review report of the chairpersons to the Lt Governor.

Rider clauses pertaining to performance were added in the appointment of chairmen to public sector undertakings this year.

"The performance of the statutory body under the leadership of the newly appointed chairman shall be reviewed before considering his continuance. A midterm measurable performance appraisal of the institution shall also be carried out engaging professionals in the field after six months", a notification issued by the Lt Governor during the time of appointment said.

Though the Chief Minister recommended that the tenure of the present chairpersons should be renewed as their performance was satisfactory, the Governor returned the files asking for review reports.

" A meeting of the council held on July 14 recommended that the MLAs continue in the post until further orders without any appraisal reports required under their terms of appointment."

The secretaries of the concerned departments will function as the chairpersons till the receipt of the pending decision of the Government of India, the Lt Governor said.

Representations were also received from political parties and civil society organisations against the continuance of the legislators in the post, she added.
The ongoing Doklam standoff between India and China has to be seen in the larger context. The event was clearly precipitated by Chinas sudden move to shift the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. There has been a long-standing dispute between Bhutan and China on the Doklam plateau. Tibetan and Bhutanese herdsmen have, for long, peacefully grazed their livestock on the grassy plain, till a few years ago, Chinese horsemen wearing Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) tunics and with military issue binoculars, started accompanying the Tibetan herdsmen. Thats when the Bhutanese objected and it became a dispute between their militaries.

The subsequent meetings between the PLA and Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) officials in Thimphu and New Delhi have always been in the presence of Indian military officers. India has always had a special relationship with Bhutan, which is underscored by a treaty. India stations a brigade in Bhutan and substantially trains, arms and funds the Bhutan military.

India and China also have an Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China Border Areas signed in 1993 by President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. This agreement specifies that both sides will not try to alter the status quo by building permanent structures. Both sides can undertake patrolling but cannot hunker down for a length of time. It is this agreement that has ensured peace, if not tranquility, on the border. This agreement implicitly applies to the Tibet-Bhutan border. China has always understood that if push came to shove, India is bound to act on the side of Bhutan, specially as its own security is vitally dependent on it.

So why did China choose to disturb the tranquility now? Clearly the impetus to this situation came from China. Suddenly raising the ante has been central to Chinas diplomacy and quest for primacy, be it on land or sea boundaries, with all its neighbours. China has now coupled this creeping aggressiveness with aggressive soft power diplomacy, which has been widely seen as arguably the most important element in shaping the regional strategic environment, transforming the entire regions dynamics. By providing large loans on generous repayment terms, investing in major infrastructure projects such as the building of roads, dams, ports, power plants and railways, and offering military assistance and political support at the UN Security Council through its veto powers, China has secured considerable goodwill and influence among countries in the region around India.

The list of countries that are coming within Chinas strategic orbit appears to be growing. Sri Lanka, which has seen China replace Japan as its largest donor, is a case in point  China was no doubt instrumental in ensuring that Sri Lanka was granted dialogue partner status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. China has made major inroads in Nepal and has forged ideological and pecuniary relationships with many leading Nepalese politicians and opinion-makers. Anti-Indianism, always a given in Nepali domestic politics, is growing more legs now. Most recently China has been attempting to bring a change in Indias historical and treaty relationship with Bhutan. The Doklam incident must be seen through this prism. By coming quickly and decisively on the side of Bhutan, India has, for now, thwarted Chinese designs. If this situation is settled, there will surely be others.

The rise of China as the worlds greatest exporter, its largest manufacturing nation and its great economic appetite poses a new set of challenges. At a meeting of South-East Asian nations in 2010, Chinas foreign minister Yang Jiechi, facing a barrage of complaints about his countrys behaviour in the region, blurted out the sort of thing polite leaders usually prefer to leave unsaid. China is a big country, he pointed out, and other countries are small countries and that is just a fact.

But history tells us again and again that victory is not assured by superiority in numbers and even technology. If that were to be so, Alexander should have been defeated at Gaugamela, Babur at Panipat, Wellington at Waterloo, Russia at Leningrad, Britain in the Falklands, and above all Vietnam who defeated three of the worlds leading powers  France, the US and China  in succession. Numbers do matter, but numbers are not all. Technology does matter, but technology alone cannot assure you victory. Its always mind over matter. As the old saying goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Now comes the dilemma for India. Robert Kaplan writes: As the United States and China become great power rivals, the direction in which India tilts could determine the course of geo-politics in Eurasia in the 21st century. India, in other words, looms at the ultimate pivot state. At another time Alfred Thayer Mahan noted that India, located in the centre of the Indian Ocean littoral, is critical for the seaward penetration of both West Asia and China.

The Tibetan desert, once intended to be Indias buffer against the north, has now become Chinas buffer against India. The planner will not be looking at all if he or she were not looking at the Indian Ocean as a theatre. After all, it is also Chinas lifeline and its lifeblood flows here. Now if one were a Chinese planner, he or she would be looking with concern over Indias growth and increasing ability to project power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The planner will also note what experts are saying about Indias growth trajectory  that it is the ultimate pivot state in the grand struggle for primacy between the West led by the US and Japan, and China. What will this planner be thinking, particularly given the huge economic and military asymmetry between China and India now?

Tacitus tells it most pithily, that peace can come through strength or Si vis pacem, para bellum (If you want peace, prepare for war). India might be behind China but it must keep building strength, always be ready and never flinch.
The ummah is at war with itself. What other way is there to describe the brutal bloodletting by Muslims of Muslims in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Turkey and, of course, Pakistan.

The ummah is at war with itself. What other way is there to describe the brutal bloodletting by Muslims of Muslims in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Turkey and, of course, Pakistan. To be fair, the ummah has not mattered for a long time to the governments or peoples of Muslim lands. State-to-state relations among Muslim countries have depended upon self-interest, domestic politics and the whims of rulers.

Pakistan was created on a religious premise. But, in the days of the Suez Crisis of 1956, Pakistans position was ambiguous. It refused to side with Gamal Abdel Nasser after he nationalised the Suez Canal and threw out the British. On the other hand, India was active in the Non-Aligned Movement, fully pro-Arab, and loud in support of liberating Palestine. To show gratitude, King Saud bin Abdul Aziz paid a state visit to India and declared that Indian Muslims were being treated well. There was outrage across Pakistan. Newspapers exploded in anger when Jawaharlal Nehru, on his return visit to Riyadh, was greeted by the king and with street banners in Riyadh bearing the slogan rasul-ul-salam (messenger of peace).

Today, Pakistan has disputes with both its Muslim neighbours, Afghanistan and Iran. Iran occasionally lobs artillery shells over to Pakistan, as does Afghanistan. Pakistan has reciprocated with its artillery, while PAF jets brought down an Iranian drone last month. Ironically, Pakistan has excellent relations with one of its neighbours  China, a communist state that has banned the beard and burqa.

The Muslim monarchies of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, both Wahhabi, are practically at war with each other now. Tiny Qatar, say the Saudis, is acting too big for its boots. Qatar has dismissed the Saudi-UAE demand to close down Al Jazeera. In response, all Qataris and their families have been expelled from Saudi Arabia. Last year, Saudi Arabias highest civilian award was conferred upon Narendra Modi by King Salman.

Saudi Arabias war on Yemen shows the emptiness of the ummah notion. Directed against one of the worlds poorest Muslim countries, it has so far killed 7,600 and wounded 42,000 Muslims. Ending Israeli occupation of Palestine was once the ummahs grandest cause. But now, Saudi Arabia is fast nearing rapprochement with Israel. Both countries see Iran as the greater enemy. After the failed Arab Spring, Sisis Egypt and the Gulfs monarchies fear Iran as an insurrectionary power and prefer to work with Israel. Palestine is unmentioned.

Where does this leave the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)? Based in Saudi Arabia, it has 57 members. The OIC has had nothing to say about wars that have consumed Syria, Iraq, Libya or Yemen. Nor is it relevant to any other conflict between Muslim states. It has yet to give a single cent to desperate refugees. Pakistan bought into the OIC fantasy early on. But the euphoria of the 1974 Lahore meeting organised by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has gone with the wind. What is left is the magnificent building on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad that serves as the headquarters of Comstech, the scientific body of the OIC. It is time to give the OIC a burial.

If Muslim states have paid no attention to the ummah, non-state actors have paid even less. The Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban are like two wings of the same bird. One kills Afghan Muslims, the other kills Pakistani Muslims. There is a way for Muslim states and peoples to move forward. This will require creating strong democratic institutions based on equal rights for all citizens, encouraging the participation of women in public life, and respecting equally all Muslim sects as well as other religions, providing space and freedom to individuals and education for all based on science and reason.

By arrangement with Dawn
Pakistan will not receive $350 million from the US coalition support fund for 2016 of the budgeted $900 million that was to be offered. For a second year running, the defence secretary was unable to certify that Pakistan was willing to act against Islamist groups like the Haqqani network and the Afghan Taliban. This may lead to further fraying of ties between the allies. Pakistan may see this as a temporary glitch and its highly unlikely its stance on terror groups will change. The country has received $14 billion over the last 15 years. A cut of $350 million now can only be seen as a drop rather than as definitive action on freezing of funds, most of which basically go to arming the Pakistan military though they are earmarked for the fight against terrorism.

Confirmation of cutting funds came in a state department annual report on terrorism released two days earlier. It said that Pakistan is among nations providing safe havens to terrorists and that terror groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continued to operate, train, and organise inside the country in 2016. This message is far more significant, particularly from Indias point of view as the statement went beyond the old US grouse of Pakistan not doing enough to contain the terror groups that operate in Afghanistan against US interests. Pakistan was upbraided for not taking action against LeT and JeM which are focused on India.

The Trump administration was prepared to go beyond the matter of the hurt caused by the body bags of American soldiers being flown home from Afghanistan. It has chastised Pakistan for fomenting terror in the region. It has recognised the fact that India has been experiencing terror attacks mostly due to Pakistan-based terrorists. While the cynical view is that Pakistan will emerge unscathed from this round of serious charges, as it has always done, the difference may be in the occupant of the White House. Donald Trumps actions are unpredictable. He could be swayed by America First, which could mean the policy shift may not happen as quickly. However, US downgrading Pakistan from a close non-Nato ally is not on the cards yet.

The US state departments reports accuracy in listing the UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed is endorsement of Indias position that terror in Jammu and Kashmir springs from Pakistan. Pakistans chagrin at being a victim of terrorism fails to cut ice because of its duplicitous stand. If the latest US words and action nudge it in the direction of opposing terrorism in any form without designating it as good and bad, there may be fewer deaths to deal with in the region.
The Narendra Modi sarkar seems to have let loose a hornet in the cloisters of Indian bureaucracy by proposing lateral entry of outside experts in senior positions. Surprising because in 2015, the minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh had informed Parliament that there was no move for lateral entry into the civil service. But, as we know, the Modi sarkar clearly is not averse to changing its stance if it can breathe some fresh air into the ossified strata of babudom. Not surprisingly, babus are feeling that their beloved bastion may be facing a fresh breach.

Obviously, the question of lateral entry into the civil services is an old one, and bitterly disputed. Babus have stoutly resisted such attempts by the government, and largely succeeded in keeping the outsiders at bay. Though there have been instances of lateral entry in the government in nearly every government at the Centre, these are individual entries at the behest of individuals than as part of a formal policy. The first concerted attempt was way back in 1959 when, feeling the need to bring in private sector specialists into some positions, the government set up the Industrial Management Pool (IMP). The objective was to hire talent to fill middle and high-level positions. This programme introduced to the nation such high priests of the public sector as V. Krishnamurthy (Sail, Bhel and Maruti), Prakash Lal Tandon (State Trading Corporation of India, Punjab National Bank and the National Council of Applied Economic Research) and technocrat Lovraj Kumar (secretary, petroleum ministry) among others. Naturally there was a push back from the babus who saw their turf being stolen, and the programme was finally ended in 1973.

Since then, technocrats have been brought in from time to time, mostly as economists  I.G. Patel, L.K. Jha (former RBI governors), Montek Singh Ahluwalia (erstwhile Planning Commission) et al  scientists (Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam), engineers (K.C.R. Chari, Mantosh Sondhi, S. Varadarajan, K.P.P. Nambiar) and visionary entrepreneurs (Sam Pitroda). They blazed a largely individual trail of success, which got swamped under the sheer numbers of the civil service officials they were surrounded with.

And thats how it has been, until now. The present proposal to introduce lateral entry is probably spurred by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) report, which highlights a serious shortage of officials, specially at the mid-level. Clearly increasing the annual intake of officers in the civil service exams, from 55 in 1998 to 180 in 2015 has not made much of an impact. Even now, the Modi sarkar is stepping carefully so as not to offend the eggshell egos of the powerful IAS lobby. The proposal suggests some 40 lateral entries at the joint-secretary level. More significantly, the proposal apparently has the backing of the Niti Aayog. Earlier too, the Sixth Pay Commission and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission have strongly recommended lateral entry. The era of the generalist administrator, they believe, needs to be overhauled in todays context, which increasingly requires domain expertise in most branches of governance.

But despite such consensus (outside the bureaucracy, of course) the proposal will need to be carefully shepherded through babu opposition to see the light of day. Its passage through the system will be keenly watched by babus and non-babus alike.
I am a Gujarati who lives in Karnataka. Both states have individual identities. Surat, where my parents still live, was an international port town till about 1700. It has a mix of people, all sorts of castes and communities, who have visited and stayed over centuries. It is the only city in India to have multiple indigenous merchant castes: Bania, Jain, Shia Bohras and Khojas, Sunni Bohras and Memons, Parsis and, since the 1970s, even Agarwals and Oswals by the thousands.

In previous centuries, even foreigners would live and trade in the city. Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story called The Coffee House of Surat. In it, at a cafe in Surat, a Persian, an African, an Indian, an Italian, a Jewish trader, a Chinese, a Turk and an Englishman discuss the nature of God. It is difficult to imagine such a gathering in Surat today, about 150 years after the story was written. Indeed, it is difficult even to imagine the story in the 1800s because by then the port on the Tapti river had silted over and large ships could no longer sail up the Arabian Sea to Surat. The new port on the west was Bombay. Today it is possible to imagine all those different nationalities accidentally gathering in one Mumbai restaurant.

Bengaluru is a more recent city than Surat, but it has just as rich a history. It is a city that has international brand recognition. When I travel around the world, to Europe, Africa or South East Asia, people ask me where I am from. It is sufficient to say I am from Bengaluru. They understand, because of the superb work being done here in information technology. But this city has many charms, outside its economy and ability to produce jobs.

Bengaluru has people of many languages. The woman who comes to clean our house is illiterate, but she can speak fluently in four languages: Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. She also understands Malayalam. I dont think there are many north Indians, even literate ones, who have this diversity in their cities. We Bangaloreans are very proud of this fact. Even though there is an insistence on primacy to Kannada (and I support this), there is great tolerance in this city to other languages and this is quite unique. There is nothing wrong in celebrating our city and our state.

I am writing this because of the recent controversy over the Karnataka flag. The Chief Minister has asked that a committee be formed to examine whether it is all right for the state to have an official flag. It already has a flag, yellow and red, which all Kannadigas (including Gujarati Kannadigas like me) recognise. This flag has acceptance in all political parties and is not offensive to anyone. Unlike the saffron flag, the Karnataka flag does not stand for one religion. There is absolutely no problem with the state using this as a symbol of the rich and proud heritage of Karnataka. Opposition to the idea of a state flag has come from the small-minded pseudo-nationalists, who are the ones pushing Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan. Identifying India wrongly as a one language, one religion nation.

To a large extent this issue is being used to abuse the Congress, but I think Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is within his rights. He has said quite clearly that the state flag comes below the national flag. So he is already disarming those who think this is the first step towards some sort of separatism. He is also absolutely correct on the constitutional side and I suspect that is what his committee will also tell him. The first line of the Indian Constitution is: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. And so we are starting by accepting the idea of different states.

If we look around us, there is already a sort of sub-nationalism thats been accepted. We have city specific (Chennai Super Kings) or state specific (Kings XI Punjab) IPL teams and all have their own flags. We dont have a problem with that. Nor is there a problem with political parties and their flags. The other thing is that if we look at other nations similar to ours, the idea of a state identity is quite common. All American states have their own flags and there is no accusation that this, in any way, goes against national unity. All of our states have unique histories and because of that they have unique identities. These identities should be allowed to express themselves. They are not in contradiction with our Constitution and there is no reason for them to be suppressed.
Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts

Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum

Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom

Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

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

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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

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
The new feature is speculated to be somewhat similar to Facebooks "News Feed".

After Google, worlds largest search engine, on July 19 announced to roll out a personalised feed of links called Google Feed to its mobile platform-based app, rumour mill started churning out claiming the company is planning to revamp its iconic desktop homepage as well. However, the company has denied it, reported The Independent.

In a statement to The Independent, Google has dismissed the reports as not strictly accurate. The company confirmed its statement on bringing in Google Feed to the mobile version of its app in the future, but is not sure exactly how it will look.

There are no plans to bring the feed to the desktop version of Googles homepage yet, Google told Independent.

On Google Feed, the company said the changes would begin rolling out in the United States initially, while it will be made available to other countries in the coming weeks.

The new feature is speculated to be somewhat similar to Facebook News Feed, but says it is not trying to duplicate Facebook, the world's largest social network. Instead, it wants to create another place to see a stream of relevant search results.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
On July 21, India was revealed to India ka smartphone by the countrys richest man Mukesh Ambani. The Reliance Jios phone has been made to tap Indias non-smartphone users, giving them the privilege to enjoy 4G support on a feature phone at an effectively cost zero price.

Reliance Jio's JioPhone

Features:

Reliance Jio has named the phone as JioPhone. The phone features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, FM radio, torch, headphone jack, SD card slot and an alphanumeric keyboard. It supports digital payment via NFC, 4G VoLTE calls and data and a suite of Jio apps, which includes Jio Cinema, Jio Music and more.

(screengrab of a YouTube video)

A new set of data plans under Dhan Dhana Dhan is also being offered to the feature phone buyers at just Rs 153 per month. Under the plan, users will be able to avail for free voice calls and SMS, unlimited data, and also, free subscription to Jio apps.

Price:

The company has claimed the JioPhone to be a free of cost device, yet it is asking for a one-time refundable security deposit of Rs 1,500 to avoid any misuse of the product. The deposit will be refunded after 3 years on return of the phone.

Availability:

During the announcement, Mr. Ambani dedicated the phone to the nation on the joyous occasion of Indias 70th Independence anniversary. The firm has planned to roll out the device for user testing in beta on August 15, while it will not start shipping the device until September, first week. "JioPhone will be physically available to those who have pre-booked, on a first come first serve basis, September onwards," Ambani said. The company is opening pre-booking window for the JioPhone starting August 24 on its website. The phone can also be pre-booked through MyJio app and Reliance Digital Stores all across the country.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The Note series has always been popular among the users who look for productivity on-the-go, and it will be interesting to see the response of the consumers after what happened with Note 8s predecessor.

We all know how the Galaxy Note 7 turned out to be a nightmare for Samsung. The device had major battery issues making it combustible, resulting in the global recall of the device. Nonetheless, Samsung is still poised to keep the infamous Galaxy Note series alive with its upcoming Note 8 phablet.

The Note series has always been popular among the users who look for productivity on-the-go, and it will be interesting to see the response of the consumers after what happened with Note 8s predecessor. The company also released a Note Fan Edition recently that came with a smaller battery and Samsungs latest software upgrades.

Samsung will surely bring some new features and a safer mobile experience to the table along with its Note 8, making sure the sales dont suffer this time around.

Although, the phablet is still months away from launch, the rumour mill has already churning out information about the much anticipated device. We already have an idea about the design, features, release date and the pricing of the phablet. Lets find out what to expect from Samsungs forthcoming flagship device.

Design

In terms of design, the device has been tipped on several websites revealing the alleged design of the phone in full glory. OnLeaks and 91mobiles even released a 360-degree video alongside a set of alleged renders.

If the rumours are to be believed, the Note 8 design highly borrows from the Galaxy S8 series, with a few minor alterations such as the S-Pen stylus and the dual camera setup. As far as the fingerprint sensor is concerned, it will be placed on the right side of the camera, just like the Galaxy S8, which is disappointing considering the fact that the company was highly criticised for it.

Although the rumours and leaks are yet to be confirmed, but it seems that the Note 8 will look pretty much the same as the Galaxy S8, only bigger. Samsung would surely use the winning formula of Galaxy S8 based on the fact that it witnessed an overwhelming response of the consumers with its design.

Specifications

Just like the Galaxy S8 series, the upcoming phablet is expected to sport a curved Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution. The rumours suggest that the Note 8 will boast either a 6.3-inch or a 6.4-inch display. It is expected to have a Snapdragon 835 SoC or the Snapdragon 836 (unannounced) chipset at its heart. The company will also release a model with the Exynos 8895 chip for other markets.

The processor will be backed by either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and will have a dual camera setup in the rear panel. It will house two 13MP sensors with autofocus, f/2.0 aperture, and 1.12m pixel size.

Earlier there were reports that the device will have the fingerprint sensor underneath the display, but seems like the company has dropped the idea due to some technical limitations.

The device will still feature other noteworthy features such as the IP68 rating water and dust resistance. It will have the iris scanner for added security. The internal storage of the Note 8 is expected to be 64GB and 128GB with an option for expansion up to 256GB using a microSD card. The phablet will also have the Bixby voice assistant on board, which was first seen on the Galaxy S8. The Note 8 will probably have the dedicated Bixby button as well.

Pricing and availability

The Galaxy Note series has always been quite expensive, and that doesnt seem to change with the Note 8 as well. However, there is a possibility that the Note 8 might cost even more than the Note 7.

The device is expected to be something around $850, which is around $80 more than the unlocked Galaxy Note 7. The bright is that Samsung will likely give out some free goodies along with the Note 8, at least during the pre-order period. The company used the same technique last year by offering the Gear VR, Gear Fit 2 and a 256GB memory card for free on every purchase.

About the release date, there have been many rumours floating around. Few online reports claim that the phablet will be unveiled at IFA 2017 in Berlin in September, which is highly unlikely since the company has already sent out media invites for its Unpacked event in New York on August 23, teasing the upcoming phablet.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will hit the shelves in September, but will come to the sub continental shores and other market in October.

Lets hope that the company has done its job perfectly this time, making the Note 8 an innovative and safe device to use. If you are someone who loved the Galaxy Note 7, its advanced S Pen and the superior build but had to give it back to Samsung due to obvious reasons, then you should surely consider waiting for the device.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
In the process of obtaining the citizenship, he denied ever being ordered deported, seeking asylum or using a different identity. (Photo: Representational/File)

Washington: An Indian man, who was ordered deported, has been convicted for using fake identity to obtain American citizenship, an acting US attorney has said.

Balbir Singh aka Ranjit Singh, 50, faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a maximum USD 250,000 possible fine, revocation of his citizenship and enforcement of his outstanding deportation order.

According to Acting US Attorney Abe Martinez, Balbir Singh had previously attempted to obtain asylum under false pretences. When that attempt failed, an immigration judge then ordered his deportation from the United States, thus making him ineligible to ever become a naturalized citizen.

A resident of Houston, Singh, instead of leaving the country, changed his name, date of birth, the manner in which he entered the United States and his familial history so that he could obtain lawful immigration status, and later naturalization, based on a marriage to a United States citizen.

In the process of obtaining the citizenship, he denied ever being ordered deported, seeking asylum or using a different identity.

"In addition, Singh sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2013. In it, he complained about the anxiety and frustration he experienced in having to wait for an extended period at the airport every time he returned from an international trip due to discrepancies in his biometric information. He requested DHS clear these discrepancies," the Justice Department said.

After obtaining the citizenship, a fingerprint comparison established the man previously ordered deported from the United States (Balbir Singh) and the man who later became a naturalized citizen (Ranjit Singh) were one and the same.

Accepting the plea, US District Judge Ewing Werlein set sentencing for October 13.
Washington: President Donald Trump's White House dialed up the pressure on Iran Friday, demanding the quick return of Americans detained in the Islamic Republic.

"President Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned," the White House said in a statement.

The tough warning comes just days after Trump rowed back on a campaign promise and upheld the Iran nuclear deal, while introducing new non-nuclear related sanctions.

The threat of prisoner-related sanctions opens up a new front in tensions between Tehran and the Trump administration.

The measure comes after a Chinese American accused of "infiltration" in Iran was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The man was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University.

US officials say Trump has taken a keen interest in the fate of Americans held overseas and was deeply affected by the case of Otto Warmbier, a student who was released last month from a North Korean prison in a coma and died shortly after being sent back home.

"President Donald J. Trump and his Administration are redoubling efforts to bring home all Americans unjustly detained abroad," the White House statement said.

"The United States condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process."

The statement mentioned Xiyue Wang by name, along with Siamak and Baquer Namazi and ex-FBI agent and CIA contractor Robert Levinson -- who went missing in March 2007.

Washington and Tehran have had no diplomatic relations since April 1980 in the wake of the Islamic revolution, and tensions have sharpened under Trump after a brief warming under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

The two countries along with other major powers signed an accord July 14, 2015 aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program. Washington has continued to honor the accord despite Trump's threats as a candidate last year to "rip it up."
The four powers cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran charges which Doha denies. (Photo: File)

Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday he was satisfied with Qatar's efforts to resolve a diplomatic crisis that has pitted it against Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, the foreign minister of Oman, which has remained neutral in the dispute, Tillerson noted "positive movement" in talks since he visited the region ten days ago.

"The Qataris have continued to move forward on the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that the US and Qatar entered into to address many of the terrorism, terror financing, counterterrorism concerns that people have," he said. "So we're, I think we're satisfied with the effort they're putting forth," he continued.

"I hope the four countries will consider as a sign of good faith lifting this land blockade, which is really having the most, I think, negative effects on the Qatari people," he added, referring to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain.

The four powers cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran charges which Doha denies .

Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular have been critical of Tillerson's efforts, accusing him of being too sympathetic toward Qatar.

Qatar's ruler said Friday that the Gulf emirate is ready for dialogue to resolve the diplomatic crisis with a Saudi-led bloc so long as his country's sovereignty is respected.
Donald Trump and Lebanon's Saad Harini will discuss issues of mutual concern, including the fight against terrorism, the economy, and refugees. (Photo: File)

Washington: The White House says President Donald Trump will host Lebanon's prime minister next week.

A statement on Friday from newly-named Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Lebanon's Saad Hariri will visit the White House on July 25.

The statement says the two leaders "will discuss issues of mutual concern, including the fight against terrorism, the economy, and refugees." Concerns are mounting over the implications of escalating clashes at Lebanon's doorstep between Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday that his government will freeze contacts with Israel with regard to tensions over a major Jerusalem shrine.

Trump and Hariri's meeting may also address concerns over the support Lebanon-based Hezbollah is providing to Syria's President Bashar Assad in his crackdown on civilians.
Washington: Embattled US Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the presidential race  something Mr Sessions has insisted he did not do, The Washington Post reported late Friday.

The paper quoted current and former administration officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of ambassador Sergey Kislyaks accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Mr Sessions, then an adviser to Mr Trump, during the campaign.

The report is certain to add more pressure on Mr Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump criticised him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.

Mr Trump said he regretted the hiring because Mr Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Mr Trumps favour and whether the Trump team colluded in that effort.

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop!, Mr Trump said on Twitter. The paper is owned by Amazons chief Jeff Bezos.

Mr Sessions recused himself in March after it was disclosed that he had in fact met the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian officials during that period.

But Mr Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the US election campaign with the ambassador.

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, he said at the time.

However, Mr Kislyak, in briefing his superiors, said he and Mr Sessions discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.
The vote was largely a foregone conclusion as Duterte enjoy majorities in both houses of Congress. (Photo: File)

Manila: The Philippine Congress on Saturday voted to extend President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law in the south until the end of the year to defeat Islamist gunmen.

In a special joint session of the House and the Senate, legislators overwhelmingly backed Duterte's bid to have martial law remain in force in the Mindanao region until December 31.

The vote came as troops continued their two-month long fight to wrest back the southern city of Marawi from Islamic State-inspired militants.

Duterte first declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23 shortly after the gunmen, waving the black flags of the ISIS group, occupied parts of Marawi, triggering weeks of bloody fighting.

The vote was largely a foregone conclusion as Duterte enjoy majorities in both houses of Congress. But opposition lawmakers dragged out the debate, questioning why martial law was needed for the whole of Mindanao when the fighting was limited to only one city.

"I fear that the plan to extend the martial law in Mindanao will pave the way for a Philippines-wide martial law," said Senator Risa Hontiveros ahead of the vote.

A slide presentation accompanying Duterte's request, compared the Marawi crisis to the Islamic State takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Marawi itself could now become a magnet for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, it said.

Most of the militants' leaders remain at large, the presentation added, while about 90 of the gunmen have slipped past security cordons and can link up with other armed groups in the region to mount similar widescale attacks.

At the hearing, defence and security officials justified the extended martial law, saying that aside from Marawi, Islamist militants were planning attacks in other parts of Mindanao. They said almost a thousand pro-ISIS militants, holding 23 hostages, were still active elsewhere in the south.

In Marawi, the military said only about 60 gunmen were left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.

"I cannot afford to be complacent," Duterte said, adding the military would be conducting further "mopping up operations" even after they recapture Marawi. "If there is a spillage it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap," he added.

Duterte imposed 60-day martial rule the maximum period allowed by the constitution over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage.

On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.

Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes. However, any martial law extension must be approved by Congress.

The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines, decades after the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term.

Thousands of critics, political opponents as well as communist guerrillas were killed, detained or arrested during the period, according to historians.

About a dozen protesters in the gallery interrupted Saturday's hearing, chanting "never again, never again to martial law" before being escorted out.

Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal.

"Once he feels that there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it," Senator Antonio Trillanes said.

This is part of a bid to stay in office beyond his mandated six years, he warned. Duterte, 72, insists he has no plan to stay in office beyond his term.
Sir Rabinder Singh is one of seven new judges to occupy the seven-member UK Court of Appeal after new judicial appointments were unveiled by the UK government this week. (Photo: Representational/File)

London: A British Sikh has become the first Indian-origin judge to be promoted to one the senior-most posts in the UK judicial system.

Sir Rabinder Singh is one of seven new judges to occupy the seven-member UK Court of Appeal after new judicial appointments were unveiled by the UK government this week.

The 53-year-old High Court judge known for his characteristic white turbans in court was born in Delhi before his family moved to the UK. He won a scholarship to a prestigious school in the city of Bristol and went on to study law at Trinity College, Cambridge University.

He then studied at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a Masters in Law in 1986. As he could not afford to study for the UK Bar exam, he became a lecturer in law at the University of Nottingham from 1986 to 1988 before winning a scholarship from the Inns of Court in London.

He was called to the Bar in 1989 and became a Queen's Council (QC) in 2002. Justice Singh will now sit on the Court of Appeal bench, the highest court within the senior courts of England and Wales which deals only with appeals from other courts or tribunals.

The other new appeal court judges along with Singh are Justice Asplin, Justice Coulson, Justice Holroyde, Justice Peter Jackson, Justice Leggatt and Justice Newey.

Their promotion comes alongside the appointment of the first female judge to the post of president of the SupremeCourt, 72-year-old Brenda Marjorie Hale.

The Supreme Court is the court of last resort and presides over cases that come to it after all court and appeal decisions in the UK.
CHAI KHANA: From letters to internet marriages (video)

Selfies and mobile news alerts have yet to catch on among the elderly residents of Pshatavan, an impoverished farming hamlet on Armenias Turkish border. But if 23-year-old Lilit Grigoryan has her way, that could soon all change. A former online journalist, Pshatavan native Grigoryan works for the Armavir Development Center, a regional NGO that trains rural Armenians how to use digital technology to change their lives for the better  whether to find work, get the news, learn about their rights or even make new contacts. Over half of Armenias population is estimated to have internet access, but, even so, a digital divide exists between town and country, young and old. In one 2015 survey, a third of the rural respondents said they never use the internet at all; primarily because they dont have access to a computer or know how to go online. Most of those over the age of 56 said the same. Those patterns exist as well in Pshatavan, a village of about 2,500 people, an hours drive from the capital, Yerevan. Mobile and internet services exist here, but the elderly prefer to stick to what they know  phones, many think, are only meant for calling family and friends abroad. Letters, rather than emails, are for conversations you can keep. Find more on the source website
The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (ISIS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces. (Photo: Representational/AFP)

Cairo: Egyptian forces have killed 30 extremists during several days of security operations in the Sinai Peninsula involving the army, air force and police, the military said Saturday.

The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (ISIS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces.

The military did not specify to which group the 30 extremists belonged but described them as "extremely dangerous".

Five others were arrested as Egyptian forces imposed a "tight siege" on the North Sinai provincial capital El-Arish and the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, a military statement said.

Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by ISIS, whose local branch is based in North Sinai, after the army ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The bombing by ISIS of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a South Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and severely damaged the country's tourism sector.
Islamabad: Beleaguered Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report.

Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.

Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) yesterday.

It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.

The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court.

According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case. Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports.

"The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue".

The Supreme Court on Friday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.

The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.

A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has recommended that the reports Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.

So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.
Bhadur was sentenced to death by hanging in 2000 for murder and the date for his execution is likely to be set soon. (Photo: Representational/File)

Islamabad: A defense lawyer says a Pakistani death-row inmate has requested that a court suspend the "un-Islamic" practice of hanging prisoners because it is "too painful."

Mohammad Khursheed Khan said Saturday his client is instead urging jail authorities to use lethal injections or some other mode of execution.

Khan filed the petition this week. He said the court has sought a reply from the government on Jan Bahadur's petition by July 26.

Khan said it was the first such petition filed before the Peshawar High Court. It was not immediately clear if a similar petition has ever been filed elsewhere in Pakistan.

Bhadur was sentenced to death by hanging in 2000 for murder and the date for his execution is likely to be set soon.
Islamabad: Amid rifts within the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) beleaguered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to appoint his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif the incumbent Punjab Chief Minister  his successor if the Supreme Court disqualified him in the Panama scandal, political sources said.

Since Shehbaz Sharif is a member of the Punjab assembly, the PML-N will need someone to fill the post for an interim period before he could be elected as a National Assembly member to become eligible for the PMs election. Reports said defence minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif was the top contender for this stop-gap arrangement.

In a series of meetings with close aides, Mr Sharif considered the possible names as replacement if Supreme Court disqualified him.

Sources said the PML-N does not want to call early elections so that all ongoing mega-projects could be completed by mid-2018. The party aims to put forth completed projects before masses during electoral campaign in bid to take credit and secure victory in 2018 polls. The second big motive behind the completion of tenure is to acquire two-thirds majority in the senate, said a PML-N leader.

Mr Sharifs legal team believes it was highly unlikely the SC would disqualify him. They said the SC would forward the reference to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who would have to make judgment within 30 days otherwise, the case would fall in jurisdiction of Election Commission of Pakistan.
The ongoing farm loan waiver scheme and the land acquisition of the Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway and the increasing crime graph are the key issues that would figure in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning Monday.



Though it would not be an easy sailing for Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, he would appear more confident as the results of the Presidential polls  where members of Congress or NCP had cross-voted in favour of BJP-NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, the President-elect and not supporting the Congress-led Opposition candidate Meira Kumar, has come as a major boost to him.



With the Shiv Sena often playing the role of an Opposition within the government, the results are a major shot in the arm of Fadnavis, if one goes by the arithmetic post the results.



The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krishi Samman Yojana  as the loan waiver scheme has been named  would be a major issue. In fact, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had expressed concerns over the slow pace of the implementation of the nearly Rs 34,000-crore scheme. According to the scheme, loans of Rs 1.5 lakh for all farmers would be waived off - which would benefit 89 lakh farmers and nearly 40 lakh farmers would be totally debt-free.



The start date would be 1 April 2012 and cut off date would be 30 June 2016 - a period of four years. Those farmers who had paid off loans would also be benefitted and they would get an incentive in form of a grant of Rs 25,000 or 25 per cent, whichever is lesser.



On the other hand, farmers are also opposing the Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway or the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, which is one of the ambitious infrastructure projects of the state. Already land is being acquired in Shahpur in Thane and Hingne in Nagpur  and for this money is being transferred to farmers through real-time gross settlement (RTGS)  a first in India. But Congress and NCP has raised concern over the project and the Shiv Sena which was vehemently opposed to it had made a U-turn.


US Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims he was killed in an air strike.



"I think Baghdadi's alive... And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said.



"But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," he told reporters yesterday.



Last month, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.



Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as "caliph" in 2014, he has not been seen.



Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations. Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.



Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet.



He said he has not used the presidential authorisation to increase the troop number in the war-torn country by 4,000.



"You fight wars for a reason. You don't just fight wars - I'm going to go fight a war now. There's got to be some end state to it, especially when you take a democracy that does not want to go fight wars and have to be able to compel the people to think. Maybe they got their act together here. Maybe this makes sense. So, you come up with a political reason for it," he said.



"There was a political reason for going after Osama bin Laden. He attacked New York City. So, there's a decision at the political level," Mattis said.



"Once you get the policy right, then you have to get the strategy right... Because if you don't know where you're going, good luck when you take off on your journey," he said.






Addressing the Delhi Economics Conclave here, the finance minister said he hoped more digitization and less cash will be able to bring cleaner money into elections and make them more transparent. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said demonetization and GST have led to greater digitization in the country and increased the tax base but invisible election funding is still a problem India is grappling with.





A problem I am right now grappling with and we have to really introspect is for 70 years Indias democracy has completely been funded by invisible money. Elected representatives, governments, political parties, Parliament and I must say even the Election Commission has completely failed in checking it, Jaitley said.





And therefore having failed to check it for 70 years as to how the worlds largest democracy itself is being funded, the solution lies not in finding the fault but to suggest remedies. I, therefore, had suggested in this years Budget some solution and we are working on it, he said.





The finance minister said that he had also asked political parties orally as well as in writing to come with a better suggestion for clean election funding but rued that no political party had yet come to him with a suggestion.





Not one suggestion has come forward yet because people were quite satisfied with the existing system itself, he said.





Jaitley in his Budget this year had suggested the use of election bonds and funding elections through cheques above a certain limit.





He said digitization would not only block leakages in the system but also funding more transparent. One of Saturdays topic of discussion in the Economic Conclave was The Future of Cash.





Jaitley said for years the country had reconciled to a normal -- a very large number of tax non-compliance and very large amount of transaction which took place outside the system.





"There was almost a helplessness in trying to deal with the situation. Every year through the Finance Bill we would announce some changes which at best had a marginal impact. I think the lasting impact of those marginal changes was not very significant.





"And therefore, steps had to be taken in order to make a very significant impact," he said, adding the benami property law is "sending a shiver down the spine" of those who conventionally used this methodology of round tripping of tax avoided money or corruption money and bringing it back into the system.





Jaitley said sooner the business of routing money through shell companies collapse, I think the better it is going to be for the formal economy.





Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in his address said that India was currently faced with the problem of joblessness and the government needed to change policies that were anti-employment.





Indias biggest challenge is jobs. India has lost a lot of time. Its employment legislations are anti-employment and it does not prepare people for the need of modern economics, he said.
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing for a meeting of NSAs from BRICS countries may be key to ease tensions between India and China over the military standoff in Dokalam, a Chinese analyst said.



Doval is scheduled to visit China for the meeting on July 27-28.



The meeting is hosted by his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi. It is part of a series of meetings of officials from BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - ahead of this year's summit of the five-member bloc of emerging countries in Xiamen city in September.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit.



Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum thinktank, said Doval's visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.



His comments came in a piece in The Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party media group, which generally reflects the views of the ruling party, today. The tabloid has unleashed a barrage of anti-India rhetoric in recent weeks amid tensions between the two countries.



Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off in Dokalam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.



Both Doval and Yang are also the Special Representatives for India-China boundary talks. The two sides have held 19 rounds of boundary talks to resolve their differences.



Chinese officials say Doval and Yang may have informal talks to resolve the standoff in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.



"China would lodge solemn representation with the Indian side during Doval's visit, hoping it could take measures to ease the tension. India may make some requests as a bargaining chip for its pulling out troops," Ma, who specialises in India-China studies, said.



He, however, cautioned that if the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the issue, the China-India ties would be severely damaged.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today demanded action against the army personnel for allegedly thrashing and injuring seven policemen in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.



"Why would the army beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification/action by the authorities," Omar wrote on Twitter.



An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and six police personnel were injured after they were allegedly thrashed by armymen in Ganderbal after policemen deployed on the Amarnath yatra duty stopped them at a check point.



Police have filed a case against the Army personnel, an official said, adding that records kept at a police station were also damaged.
An Army jawan was injured when the Pakistan Army fired at Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir last night, a senior Army officer said today.



"The Pakistan Army initiated small arms firing at the Indian Army posts in the Naushera sector at around 22:35 hours (10.35 pm). There was a brief exchange of fire from both sides," he said.



One soldier sustained minor injuries on his left arm when a bullet ricocheted and hit him, he said, adding that the injured jawan was administered medical attention and was out of danger.



"There was no ceasefire violation today," said the officer.



In a similar incident in the Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir last evening, an Army personnel was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries later.



The Pakistani army initiated an unprovoked firing at Indian Army posts at around 1805 hours (6.05 pm) for a brief period which was "strongly and effectively" retaliated by the Indian Army, said the officer.



In the ensuing fire exchange, Rifleman Jayadrath Singh (28) was critically injured and died subsequently, he added.



Singh belonged to Deoband village in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by wife Mamta Devi.



Eleven persons, including nine soldiers have been killed and 19 persons injured in a total of 18 ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 10 days.




"I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits," she had said.



"Mayawati was forced to resign when she was not allowed to speak about the issues relating to Dalit atrocities in the BJP-ruled state (of Uttar Pradesh)...when she, as the Rajya Sabha member, was not given an opportunity to speak about their problems, there is a slim chance that these problems will be redressed by this government," a party leader said.



"It is the duty of the party leaders now to redraw their strategy so as to uphold the dignity and honour of the Bahujan Samaj," the leader said, requesting anonymity.



Mayawati (61) will also be taking feedback from her party leaders about her decision to quit the Upper House. She might also decide on holding a rally or a meeting so as to directly communicate with her supporters, party sources said.



On the mood in the party over her resignation, the BSP leader said workers were very happy as "they feel she will now be able to give her full time to organisational matters, which would definitely help in strengthening the party".



Mayawati's action is seen as an attempt to consolidate her core Dalit support base and re-establish herself as the community's pre-eminent leader, after facing a massive defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year, with the BSP finishing a poor third.



Her party could win only 18 seats, while the BJP came to power by winning more than 300 of the 403 Assembly seats.



The BSP had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.



Back home in Uttar Pradesh, her resignation has evoked mixed response from different political parties, with the BJP terming it a "political stunt", and the Congress and Samajwadi Party holding the Centre's attitude responsible for her abrupt decision.



"Mayawati is unable to digest the results of the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 UP Assembly elections," UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, adding people of the state have rejected partisan and communal politics.



Apna Dal (Sonelal), an ally of the BJP-led NDA, attributed her decision to "massive erosion" in her support base.



The Congress said the Dalit leader took the sudden decision as the BJP had unleashed "autocratic rule" throughout the country.



Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said Mayawati's right to speech and expression was violated in the Rajya Sabha.



BSP president Mayawati has convened a meeting of senior party leaders in the national capital tomorrow to capitalise on her recent resignation from the Rajya Sabha and chalk out fresh strategy.All important leaders of the party, including its coordinators, MLAs , MLCs and Rajya Sabha members have been invited for the meeting, a party leader said here.The BSP chief will be issuing directives on how to go about in the changed atmosphere arising out of her resignation from the Upper House."The party president is likely to tell the leaders as to how to apprise her supporters about the reasons leading to her resignation," a party insider said.Mayawati had tendered her resignation on Tuesday, hours after the chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh.
There can be no place for a third party intervention in Jammu and Kashmir," she told reporters on the sidelines of a function in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.





Abdullah, also a former Chief Minister of J&K, had on Friday said that India should approach third parties, such as the US and China, to mediate in the Kashmir issue. India has so many friends all over the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached, he said.





While rejecting the US and Chinese intervention to mediate in Kashmir issue, Mehbooba said that those two foreign nations should mind their own business.



We all know what is the situation of the countries wherever they intervened, be it Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq. Does Farooq Sahab want the same situation in Kashmir? she said.





China has its own problems to deal with in Tibet. We have a map here which is that we, India and Pakistan, have to talk even after war. We have to talk bilaterally and what can America, Turkey or England do with us, the Chief Minister said.





Mehbooba added that both India and Pakistan have to respect the previous agreements to end the hostilities. We should take forward Shimla and Lahore agreements the way our elder leaders like (former PM) Indira Gandhi and (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee did, she suggested.

Ruling out any chances of third party intervention, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday rubbished opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullahs statement in which he had asked New Delhi to approach US and China to mediate on Kashmir issue.
BJP's Ajmer MP and former Union minister Sanwarlal Jat was today admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital after he suddenly collapsed during a meeting of MPs and MLAs with party chief Amit Shah.



The MP is critical and on ventilator, SMS Hospital, Jaipur, said in a release.



Jat (62) collapsed during the meeting at the party office here and was rushed to SMS Hospital in a "severely critical" condition with non-recordable pulse, blood pressure and respiration, sources said.



"He was given two DC shocks to restore cardiac rhythm and was shifted to ICU where he was evaluated by a team of doctors consisting of cardiologist, nephrologist, neurologist and intensivist," the medical superintendent of the hospital said.



The cardiac rhythm and hemodynamics are properly maintained but he is unconscious, said the release.



The meeting, which was being attended by party's MPs and MLAs, was ended after he collapsed.



Shah, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Health Minister Kalicharan and other ministers and leaders visited the hosptial.



Jat has served as MoS for Water Resources in the Modi government before the Cabinet reshuffle last year.



The Jat leader was appointed as the Chairman of the state Farmers' Commission in last October.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in front of a German woman, who is pursuing PhD from JNU, in southeast Delhi's Greater Kailash, the police said.



The incident took place on Thursday around 2.45 pm when the 33-year-old scholar had taken her dog out for a stroll in Greater Kailash-II, they said.



She stopped for a while when she saw the man looking at her in a weird manner.



However, when he looked away, she moved ahead. But as soon as she reached closer to where he was standing, he pulled his trousers down and started masturbating while looking at her, the police said.



She shouted at him but before she could try and catch him, he drove off in his car. The woman managed to capture a picture of the car and its numberplate.





The woman informed the police following which the accused Tarun was arrested yesterday. Tarun was yesterday produced before a court that sent him to judicial custody.


The agitators threw petrol bombs at a vacant police outpost in Jaldhaka in the afternoon and also tried to set ablaze a forest bungalow in the hills but failed, the police said.



The GJM youth wing continued their fast-unto-death, which they launched yesterday at four places of the hills in support of a separate Gorkhaland state.



Meanwhile Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists and other hill parties held a demonstration outside the district magistrate's office here demanding restoration of internet services in the hills.



Internet services have been suspended for the last 32 days.



The posters of BJP MP from Darjeeling S S Ahluwalia were distributed among people by the GJM, GNLF and other hill parties.



"We want to know where is the MP? He has not come to the hills since the unrest began. Will he only come to the hills at the time of election? If he tries to do that the BJP will get a befitting reply from the people of the hills," GJM MLA Amar Singh Rai said.



Yesterday the GNLF and other hill parties had lodged a missing person complaint for Ahluwalia, who, they alleged, "has not been seen in the hills in the last few months."



Some political party activists dressed in traditional Nepali attire, took out processions in the morning.



Police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil at every entry and exit points.



All shops, restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges remained closed except pharmacies.



A police outpost was set on fire by pro-gorkhaland agitators in Darjeeling hills and posters were distributed saying local MP S S Ahluwalia "has not been seen in the hills in the last few months" on the 38th day of the indefinite shutdown today.
Months after Singapore advised its companies to hire more local talent, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam Saturday said one-third of his country's workforce was already foreign and that it would be mindless to open borders without a proper policy to constraint people into the job market.



Singapore has been one of the strongest proponents of liberalization of goods and services but the movement of people has to operate within some framework of constraint, he said during Delhi Economics Conclave organized by the finance ministry here.



"One-third of our workforce is already foreign, it would be mindless if you have open borders without any policy framework to constrain the flow of people into your job market," Shanmugaratnam said.



He said of the 5.5 million work force in his country, around two million were foreigners.



Shanmugaratnam said complete free flow of labor was wrong economics as it would discourage upgrading of productivity. "This is a reality. This is a reality all over the globe," he said.



According to Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar, all Indian companies had earlier this year received communication for fair consideration which implied local hiring.



Singapore hosts all bigwig IT companies such as HCL, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant and L&T Infotech but with the number of visas coming down, these firms are relocating to other countries.



Indian IT companies have also been subject to tighter visa norms in the US, which is home to 60% of India's IT products.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today denounced as "excessive" the use of force by Israeli security forces in deadly clashes over sensitive Jerusalem holy site.





"I condemn Israel's insistence on its position despite all warnings... and the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against our brothers gathered for Friday prayers," he said in a statement.



Erdogan said that he was speaking in his capacity as the current chairman of the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) whose chairmanship Turkey currently holds.



The clashes the day earlier left three Palestinians dead. Three Israelis were stabbed to death in the West Bank by a 19 -year-old Palestinian who was then shot by a neighbour.



Tensions have risen to boiling point over new metal detectors installed by Israel as security measures around the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.



Turkey and Israeli had last year ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead.



But Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy and his comments were among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal.



Erdogan on Thursday had urged his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to swiftly remove metal detectors to end the tensions.



Israel began installing metal detectors at entrances to the site on Sunday following an attack that killed two police officers.



Erdogan reaffirmed in the statement that the restrictions were "unacceptable" and should be removed "immediately".



"I urge the international community to immediately take action to remove practices that restrict freedom of worship at Haram al-Sharif," he said.
BJP today said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is wasting his time meeting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi reportedly to urge him to ask RJD's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav to resign in the wake of a CBI FIR against him on corruption charge.



"Nitish Kumar is wasting time meeting Rahul Gandhi for reportedly asking Tejaswi Yadav to tender resignation," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.





"Rahul Gandhi had failed to make his own party chief minister Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh resign after he was chargesheeted by CBI. How could he ask Tejaswi Yadav (of RJD) to resign?" Modi said.



Expecting anything from Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption has no moral justification, he said in a statement here after Kumar met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi today.



Modi has been alleging that RJD president Lalu Prasad and his family members have amassed benami properties.



It's no use talking to Sonia Gandhi over phone or meeting Rahul Gandhi, he said.



RJD has done nothing on CBI's FIR against Tejaswi Yadav in land-for-hotels case despite JD(U) repeatedly asking him to come clean in public, Modi said adding that it could be understood that Prasad's party has no defence against it.



Instead of coming to the people with facts to explain the situation, RJD is pasting posters against JD(U) spokesmen to create pressure on the party not to press for Tejaswi Yadav's resignation, he said.



Posters came out today in some places of Patna with photographs of JD(U) spokesmen Sanjay Singh, Ajay Alok, Neeraj Kumar and senior party leader Shyam Rajak alleging them of acting in collusion with Sushil Modi to attack RJD.



On whose behalf those posters have been published is not known as there is no name.

Modi said, JD(U) has not even once said that Tejaswi Yadav has been implicated in the case for political vendetta or CBI did it to stop RJD's August 27 rally.



"This proves that JD(U) is accepting that charges against Tejaswi carry weight and hence its spokesmen are seeking point-by-point clarification," he said.



Kumar has to choose to path, Modi said adding one is of morality and principle and the other is of protecting the 'corrupt.
In a new twist to the Ajit Jogi caste controversy, a BJP leader who had accused the former chief minister of having secured scheduled tribe status by forging documents, today claimed the PA of Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh had "pressured" him not to pursue the matter.



Sant Kumar Netam alleged it was done at the behest of Singh and that his personal assistant O P Gupta even offered him money.



However, Gupta dismissed the charge as "baseless" and "unfounded".



Netam had in 2001 complained to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that Jogi had claimed scheduled tribe status on the basis of forged documents.



A high-level panel set up by the state government had earlier dismissed Jogi's claim of being a tribal following which his caste certificate was revoked.





"Chief Minister Raman Singh's PA O P Gupta called me to the residence of the CM on July 6 and pressured me to stay out of the matter," Netam told a press conference.



"Gupta first called me on June 30 and told me that the CM wanted to meet me. I reached Raipur the next day, but the meeting didn't happen. Gupta called me again on July 5 and asked me to meet at the residence of the CM the next day," Netam said.



Netam claimed he met Gupta at the CM's residence on July 6 and was told Singh wanted him to not pursue the matter further. He alleged that Gupta offered him to pay Rs one lakh.



Demanding an impartial probe into the entire episode, he said he would complain to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes chairman Nandkumar Sai about it. He claimed his life was under threat.



Dismissing his claims, Gupta said: "Netam came to meet the chief minister at his residence a few days back on the day when CM meets common people. As Netam had to wait, he left the place disappointed. I don't understand why he is making such allegations. Nothing of the sort he has alleged happened that day," he told PTI.



The controversy over Ajit Jogi's tribal status has been a political issue in the state since 2001.

Besides Netam, BJP leader and chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Nandkumar Sai had also moved court on the issue.



The matter later went to the Supreme Court which ordered the state government in October 2011 to constitute a committee to decide the matter.



In January this year, the Chhattisgarh High Court had asked the state government to ensure that the committee gave its report by May 31.



Jogi had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from November 2000 to November 2003. He was an MLA from Marwahi seat reserved for scheduled tribes.



Last year, he parted ways with the Congress after he and his son got embroiled in a controversy over alleged fixing of the by-election held for Antagarh seat in Kanker district in 2014, facilitating the victory of the BJP candidate.



After about a year, an audio tape containing telephonic talks purportedly between Chief Minister Raman Singh's son-in-law Puneet Gupta, Ajit Jogi, then a Congress leader, and Amit Jogi surfaced, hinting at their alleged involvement in "fixing" the bypoll.



Jogi, who had been sulking for long over being sidelined in the Congress, floated 'Janata Congress Chhattisgarh' last year.



He recently moved the Chhattisgarh High Court against revocation of his caste certificate.
US President Donald Trump today accused The New York Times of "foiling" American attempt to kill the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.



"The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security," Trump tweeted.



The president, however, did not give any other details in support of his claim.



Earlier, Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims the elusive ISIS leader was killed in a Russian air strike in war-torn Syria.



Trump also lashed out another major US daily The Washington Post in other tweet.



"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against AG Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!" Trump said seeking an end to these leaks.



In an exclusive story, The Post wrote that Sessions had substantive discussion with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on matters related to the Trump campaign. The story was based on intelligence intercepts.



In another tweet, Trump asserted that he has "complete power to pardon" which he was referring to the possible expansion of the investigation into the businesses of his family members and close aides by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating into the allegations of Russian interference in last year's presidential elections.



"While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," he said.



Very often Trump has described the popular media outlets like The Washington Post, The NYT and CNN as fake news.



In a series of tweets, Trump rued that his Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton has not been the subject of scrutiny on national security matters as he has been.



"So many people are asking why isn't the AG or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?" he asked.



"What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc," Trump said in another tweet as he went on to defend his son on the allegations of him meeting a Russian source on this issue.



Aimed at transparency, his son Donald Trump Jr released his email communications with the Russian source.



"My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!" said the US President.



Trump also defended his new Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci for being late in endorsing his presidential campaign.



"In all fairness to Anthony Scaramucci, he wanted to endorse me 1st, before the Republican Primaries started, but didn't think I was running!" Trump said.
The indefinite protest by the students of Central University of Kerala (CUK) entered fifth day at Periye here.



The students have been staging Student Refugee Movement against the university, demanding adequate accommodation facilities for the students.



The university had recently increased the number of seats to various courses without providing sufficient facilities for the students in the hostels.



Intake increased

Students representative Visakh Viswambaran said that the governing council of the university has increased the intake of students without making arrangements for the accommodation of the students. Finding private hostels and houses in places like Periye is difficult. The girl students are forced to stay back in their respective departments in the three campuses of the university  Kasargod and Padannakkadu apart from main campus at Periye. The students have brought the issue to the notice of Kasargod MP P Karunakaran as well, he said.



In the meantime, the Central University of Kerala has suspended classes indefinitely following the mass protest by students.



The registrar said that the smooth functioning of library and laboratory facilities of the university are affected by the students' protest and the University has decided to suspend classes indefinitely.



Meanwhile, CUK vice chancellor Dr G Gopakumar has left for New Delhi to inform the HRD department about the situation here.
City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have arrested a woman for selling fake degree certificates in the city on Thursday.



Police took B Yashaswini, a resident of VV Mohalla, into custody near Mysuru Taluk Office. Police said that they found the suspect moving suspiciously and thus arrested her before she could flee.



During interrogation, a few fake degree certificates of different institutions, including Karnataka State Open University, were found in her possession. According to the police, Basavraj from Belgavi and Kishan from Arsikere of Hassan district are her accomplices. The gang used to sell certificates to students for a price of over Rs 30,000, police said.
Vikram Hospital, a multi-specialty health facility, on Saturday announced the appointment of Dr Somesh Mittal as its new Chief Executive Officer.



In a statement issued by the hospital, Mittal will assume charges with immediate effect. Mittal is an alumnus of Faculty of Management Studies. Until recently, he was the Zonal Director of Fortis Escorts Institute overseeing four hospitals and five heart command centres across the Asia Pacific region, the release said.



Vikram Hospital is owned by $1 billion private equity platform Multiples spearheaded by Renuka Ramnath. Renuka, who is also Chairperson, Vikram hospital, said the hospital prides itself on epilepsy treatment, transplants and cutting edge surgeries across specialities.



With Dr Mittal joining us, he will further enhance the services and bring his experience to bear to create a truly world class hospital in Bengaluru. For Multiples, this is further commitment to our interest in the healthcare sector, said Renuka.



Multiples turned around Vikram Hospital from a financially stressed asset to one of the finest healthcare providers in the city. Sudhir Pai, who was the CEO of Vikram Hospital and oversaw the turnaround, will continue to be a member on the board of directors of Vikram Hospital.


Karnataka State Election Commissioner P N Srinivasachari has said that indelible marker pens would replace indelible ink in the upcoming elections for local bodies in the state.



Speaking to reporters during his visit to Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL) on Friday, Srinivasachari said that MPVL has developed indelible marker pens in place of indelible ink, which is in use at present. MPVL produces and supplies indelible ink for elections.



We plan to replace ink with marker pens. A decision will be taken in this regard after discussing about the pros and cons, the commissioner said.



If all goes well, marker pens will be used to apply ink on voters fingers from the upcoming polls for local bodies, including, corporations, zilla panchayats, taluk panchayats, and grama panchayats in 2018. When the reporters asked whether the pens would be used in the Assembly elections, the Commissioner said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is the deciding body for the Assembly polls.



According to MPVL Chairman H A Venkatesh, a bottle containing 10 ML of indelible ink can be used for 750 voters but the pen can be used for 1,000 people. A bottle of ink costs Rs 142.45, but the cost of the pen will be much lesser, he said.



MPVL Managing Director Siddalingappa B Pujari said that marker pens have been tested at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, a report of which has been submitted to the government.



Ballot paper pens

Venkatesh said that MPVL has supplied novel ballot paper pens for the recently concluded Presidential elections. We received good response from the ECI. As many as 1,000 pens were supplied for the polls. MPVL, a Karnataka government undertaking, has been supplying indelible ink to all states in India and even to some foreign countries, he said.



Venkatesh said that the company has made substantial progress in the sales of new polyurethane paints. The company has initiated measures for modernisation of the production unit and also basic infrastructure, he said.



Siddalingappa Pujari said that MPVL has taken measures for obtaining ISI certification, has applied for a certificate from the Research Design and Scientific Organisation, Lucknow (RDSO), and has also applied for registration with the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU) for business development.



Polls for local bodies

P N Srinivasachari said that the State Election Commission has asked the state government to take up delimitation process for municipal councils, municipalities and city corporations as the first phase of the election for these local bodies would be held in September 2018. The government has already completed the delimitation process of 100 municipalities, he said.
Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is out to denotify 1,500 lakes in the state, 195 of them in Bengaluru alone, to spin money for the forthcoming Assembly polls. By doing so, he will also be helping the real estate mafia, former MP A H Vishwanath has alleged.



He told reporters here on Saturday that Siddaramaiah has raked up two controversies  the debate on the terms Lingayat and Veerashaiva and on the designing of the Karnataka flag.



Vishwanath said he was surprised that even environmentalists had not reacted vehemently against Siddaramaiahs decision to denotify lakes. He said no politician has ever built a lake or a pond since Independence, but politicians have used their might to ensure their disappearance. All lakes and ponds have been built by erstwhile rulers, administrators and philanthropists. Children were always inspired to preserve lakes and plant saplings on pathways in olden days. Now, Siddaramaiah, the modern day ruler, is happily selling off precious water bodies to fund his party in the elections, he said.



When I was Forest minister in 1994, the Supreme Court passed a ruling to hand over all lakes in Bengaluru, then Bangalore, to the Forest department, so as to conserve them. Eventually, the posts of Lake Officers were created and later Lake Development Authority and subsequently Pond Development Authority were formed. Now, the chief minster says he has denotified only the lakes that have been disfigured. Who is responsible for the disfigurement of the lakes? If they have been disfigured, is it not the responsibility of the government to restore them to their original form? It was a good move to clear encroachment on some lakes and the Raja Kaluve in Bengaluru but only the poor were evicted. The encroachment by Minister Shamanuru Shivashankarappa for a hospital and actor Darshan for his house have been spared, he said.



All Deputy Commissioners are empowered to clear even an inch of encroachment on lakes but no DC has made use of this power so far. Now, instead of taking steps to solve the problems of the people, Siddaramaiah is all set to help the real estate mafia, Vishwanath said.



Demanding the withdrawal of the Cabinet order, he said the JD(S) will fight for the conservation of lakes. The chief minister has been boasting of fulfilling all his promises in the election manifesto but has he fulfilled his promise of giving a corruption-free government? What happened to his padayatra up to Ballari to fight against corruption of the mining mafia? On the contrary, his own cabinet colleagues have been indulging in various scams. So, his claims of fulfilling his promises does not hold water, said Vishwanath.
Biscuit maker Britannia Industries will look to spend Rs 350 crore on capital expenditure in 2017-18, a growth of 35% over the previous year, to grow its business.



The company, which makes a wide range of biscuits and cookies among other products, is looking at creating more manufacturing capacities at Guwahati in Assam, Ranjangaon in Maharashtra and Mundra SEZ in Gujarat during 2017-18. Britannia's investment in R&D (including a new R&D centre commissioned in FY17), is paying off handsomely both in terms of new product launches and potential entry into adjacencies, quoting the company's annual report, Motilal Oswal Securities Ltd, an investment advisory firm said.



Distribution expansion has been massive, with its direct reach doubling over the past three years (overall reach of 4.7 million outlets at end-FY17, including 0.7 million outlets added over the past year). Britannia added eight new lines at five of its plants across south and west India in FY17.



The biscuit maker is banking on low per capita consumption of biscuits in India and premiumisation to grow its business.



This is expected to be drvien by the company's efforts on R&D, distribution expansion, understanding of consumer behaviour and large-scale capacity expansion, Motilal Oswal said.

The company is looking to eat into the share of unorganised players in the rusk segment, driven by its efforts on innovation, market leadership and manufacturing scale. Even in the cake segment, it is gearing up to eat into the share of unorganised players due to its innovation and achieving longer shelf life for its products.



According to the company's management, the biscuits category has witnessed robust growth over the past decade, led by increase in per capita consumption and premiumness of products. Britannia has eight power brands, with each contributing sales of over Rs 500 crore. These include Britannia, Good Day, Bourbon, Milk Bikis, Nutri Choice, 50:50, Tiger and Pure Magic. Across products and variants, the company has over 300 SKUs and it sells 935 million packs of its products.



The R&D team is also developing disruptive and new-to-market products which will be launched in coming years, Britannia Chairman Nusli N Wadia said in the company's annual report.



For the year ended March 2017, Britannia reported 10.5% rise in net profit at Rs 843 crore. Its sales grew 8.9% to Rs 8,582 crore during the year.




India is anxiously looking forward to Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafaris visit to New Delhi next week, as the latest clue about 39 Indians kidnapped in the West Asian country three years ago proved to be a red herring.



New Delhi was pinning its hope on a report that the 39 Indians kidnapped by the Islamic State from Mosul in northern Iraq in June 2014 were lodged in a prison still under the control of the terrorist organisation at Badush in Nineveh Governorate of the war-ravaged country.



Recent media reports, however, made it clear that the jailhouse in Badush, nearly 25 km northwest of Mosul, had already been razed.



Jaafari will reach New Delhi on Monday for a five-day visit.



Sushma to seek help

He will meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is likely to request him to provide credible information on those kidnapped. She is also likely to seek his help in locating them. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh had visited Iraq soon after its prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, announced on July 10 that the Iraqi army had liberated Mosul from IS.



Sushma had told journalists that Singh was told by sources during his visit to Iraq that the kidnapped Indians might be in a jail in Badush  the report which now stands corrected.



The Ministry of External Affairs did not comment on the media reports that were contradictory to what, according to Sushma, Singh had learnt from the sources during his visit to Iraq.



The IS had kidnapped 40 Indian workers  mostly from Punjab and Bihar  from Mosul in northern Iraq, after the city fell into the hands of jihadists of the Islamic State on June 15, 2014. They were all employed by the Tariq Nur Al Huda Company and were working at a construction site in Mosul. One of them managed to escape from the custody of the militants.
Sanjay Kothari, chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board, has been appointed as the secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind.



Kovind takes over as the 14th President from Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.



An order from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), issued late on Friday, said that senior Gujarat-cadre forest service officer Bharat Lal would be the joint secretary at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Senior journalist Ashok Malik will be Kovinds press secretary.



The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved these appointments for two years.



A 1978-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, Kothari retired last June as DoPT secretary. Having served in various positions at the state and central levels, he was appointed to the helm of the governments head-hunting agency Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) in November 2016.



A 1988-batch officer, Lal is currently the Resident Commissioner of the Gujarat government in Delhi.



He was posted for a brief period at the Prime Ministers Office when Modi took over in May 2014.



The government also effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle that saw 35 officers appointed as secretaries at various central departments.



Ali Raza Rizvi is named CMD, National Mineral Development Corporation. He is currently joint secretary in the Ministry of Commerce.



Narendra Nath Sinha, currently working at his cadre state Jharkhand, has been appointed managing director, National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
Torrential rain swept parts of the country even as the situation in deluge-ravaged Assam improved marginally.



Heavy showers pounded parts of West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and affected normal life in Kolkata.



The weatherman has warned of extremely heavy rain at a few places in southern Rajasthan on Sunday.



Heavy to very heavy rain is predicted at some places in Gangetic West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, west Madhya Pradesh and coastal Karnataka.



One death was reported from Morigaon district of Assam even as the overall flood situation improved in the state.



With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this years floods has gone up to 76, including eight in Guwahati.



Nearly 90,000 people are bearing the brunt of the floods in 11 districts of the state, according to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).



Over 31,000 affected

The worst affected is Golaghat, where over 31,000 people have been hit by the deluge.



Sharp showers battered southern and western districts of West Bengal, inundating several rivers, but the authorities ruled out any immediate flood threat.



Heavy rain was reported from Howrah, Hooghly, West and East Midnapur, and parts of Birbhum, Purulia, Bankura and Kolkata, officials said.



West Bengal Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee told PTI that two control rooms have been set up to monitor the situation in the districts.



The East Midnapur district administration has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea. Rajasthan also recorded heavy rain.



Barmer received 55.6 mm of rainfall, Sawaimadhopur 51.3 mm, Vanasthali 47.6 mm, Mount Abu 28 mm, Jodhpur 19.8 mm, Jaipur 14.2 mm and Ajmer 12.1 mm. The state has recorded 190.89 mm of rainfall from June 1 to July 21  which is about 10 mm more than the average precipitation.



In monsoon shockers, an announcer and compere died when a coconut tree fell on her at the Swastik Park area of Chembur in Mumbai, while two boys drowned in the Tungareshwar waterfalls at Vasai in Palghar district as heavy rain continued to pound Maharashtra over the weekend. Kanchan Nath (57), who was associated with Doordarshan as announcer and was also a Yoga instructor, suffered head injury and excessive bleeding when a coconut tree got uprooted and fell on her on Friday morning. She died on Saturday. We had told BMC to cut the tree, but it was not done, said corporator Asha Marathe. As many as 42 trees were uprooted.
City Police Commissioner Praveen Sood on Saturday issued a stern warning to Kannada activists not to indulge in unlawful activities.



Speaking to reporters, Praveen Sood said, I support the cause of Kannada culture and language, but the protest should be peaceful. Stern action will be taken against those indulging in violence in the name of Kannada.



Karnataka is my Karma Bhoomi. Kannada activists have all the right to fight for issues pertaining to land, culture and language. The police department will also support them if they protest within the framework of law, he added.



The city police have filed cases against 36 Kannada activists, including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists, under IPC Section 153 and various other sections, for destroying public property at Metro stations across the city.



Meanwhile, Narayana Gowda, president, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has said accused police of filing false cases against Kannada activists. The police are registering false and fabricated cases against young Kannada activists, which will mar the future of activists.
Citizens groups on Saturday launched a multipronged fight against the governments proposal to allow shops and businesses on roads as narrow as 30 feet.



The zoning regulations, a draft of which DH accessed first, make it easier for commercial establishments to come up on congested roads where they are now prohibited.



Citizens groups will send objection letters to the government, besides postcards to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. They also plan to make a film to alert people on the consequences of the proposal.



Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) from Indiranagar, Koramangala, Basavanagudi, Jayanagar, Whitefield and other neighbourhoods met on Saturday at the East Cultural Association, Indiranagar. Their objective is to unite and oppose the draft rules notified by the urban development department.



The associations said this was only the first step in their campaign against commercialisation of residential zones.



Meet your local corporator, MLA and even MP. Let them know you are against this and are worried about its implications, Vijayan Menon, member of Citizens Action Forum, urged the gathering.



With help from Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), the RWAs hope to raise support, as they had done during the Steel Flyover Beda campaign.



They intend to tell the chief minister he will lose support if he allows the new rules to come into effect.



V Ravichandar, former member of the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF), said the proposed regulations would defeat the purpose of drawing up the 2035 Master Plan for the city. The BDA says if there is a contradiction between the new rules and the master plan, the new rules are to be followed. But the rules are uniform for the entire state. How can Bengaluru and a town like Virajpet have the same set of rules?" he said.



A fast food outlet, a powerloom or even a unit for bottling aerated drinks could come up right next to your house, speakers warned citizens.



If they do, the city does not have enough water supply or a sewage system to support them, the panelists said.



The Supreme Court has stayed the governments Akrama-Sakrama scheme to regularise commercial establishments in residential areas. The government is now trying to bypass the stay with new regulations, said C N Kumar from the First-Block Organisation of Residents for Clean Environment (FORCE), a residents welfare association in Jayanagar.



On Saturday, citizens groups launched their campaign by collecting 500 signatures for objection letters addressed to the urban development department. July 31 is the last date for citizens to file objections.
American social rights advocate Martin Luther King III said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should listen to the voices of the oppressed while calling on people to come together and rise against injustice.



Drawing parallels between the fight against racial discrimination in the US and the quest for social and economic equality for minorities and oppressed in India, King said Modi should change his functioning and listen to the voice of the oppressed.



The pain of Dalits in India and the black people in the US are not different. Many white people who were sympathetic towards the black rights supported the movement. Dalits should include caste people in their fight to bring a transformation in society, he said.



To a question from journalists, King said the fight for justice and equality should be peaceful and non-violent. We have the example of the struggle for freedom by Mahatma Gandhi or the fight for equality by Martin Luther King, which were peaceful, he said.



Warning against an eye-for-an-eye approach, the activist said the American war against terror following the World Trade Centre attacks was unnecessary. Instead of arriving at a solution based on the reasons for the terror attacks, wars were declared against countries, he added.



He said people should find common ground and build movements based on them to bring real change in society. Once the willingness is apparent at the peoples level, governments will then step in to implement policies that would help sustain such change.




This academic year, 551 medical seats in the state are up for grabs for students from outside the state.



Counselling for medical and dental seats is being conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) based on the ranks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

According to the seat matrix on the KEA website, 551 seats in private colleges are in the open quota and they will be allotted based on the NEET ranks. Students from the state and outside will compete for these seats.



Parents and candidates say Karnataka students have to compete with students from the North with better ranks and they are less likely to get these seats. Since the allotment is on the basis of ranks, only about 20 students from the state may be able to get these seats, parents say.



More than 22,000 candidates from outside the state have applied to take part in the counselling process.



Many states have only given the mandatory All India quota seats for central counselling and the remaining seats are available only for students of their own state. So students from Karnataka cannot apply in other states like Maharashtra and Kerala, but they can apply here, one parent said.



Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said Karnataka was ahead of other states in reserving most seats for its students. About 70% of all MBBS seats have been kept aside for candidates from Karnataka. We cannot keep all the seats for students from the state. After giving 15% of seats for the All India quota, Tamil Nadu government had kept aside 85% of the seats for its students. This move was struck down by the Tamil Nadu High Court, he said.




The governments attempt to get specialist doctors to name their price to work in the villages is yielding good results.



The Health department has received 5,262 applications for 1,212 rural vacancies.

Its recent drive, asking doctors to quote their remuneration, was intended to attract specialists to work at district and taluk hospitals as well as community health centres. Doctors have quoted up to Rs 5 lakh a month.



We are paying around Rs 1.8 lakh and up to 1.9 lakh in the HyderabadKarnataka area, said Dr Shalini Rajneesh, principal secretary, health and family welfare. Hiring doctors asking for more calls for approvals from the National Health Mission, she said.



Staff resistance



Many doctors on the staff of state-run hospitals had objected to the remuneration the government is willing to pay contract specialists.



They said many specialists had discontinued the practice last year after just a few months, citing lack of facilities.



Shalini said the law to enforce compulsory rural service had been amended, and the government would have the services of at least 800 doctors every year after their post-graduation.



We are also taking doctors on an on-call basis. We know where they are located, and when they are required, we call them by paying Rs 10,000. The fee changes according to their specialisation, she said.



The bid has seen doctors applying even for postings in districts away from big urban centres. She said doctors who had applied were already practising in the area.



Their families do not get disturbed and they get an additional fee which encourages them to serve in government hospitals, she said.



Doctors are selected on the basis of their qualification and their bids. An MoU is signed with them on performance criteria. The contract is for one year, and renewable.



Freelance work



The government is also preparing a list of specialists on call. They get calls when their services are required, and are paid about Rs 10,000 a case.


Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said he is confident of breaking the trend of the ruling party being unable to retain power for the second term in Karnataka in the past three decades.



I am confident of breaking this trend. The Congress will come back to power in Karnataka in the next Assembly elections, he said in an interview to NDTV. No ruling party has been able to retain power for the second term in Karnataka since 1985. Siddaramaiah was replying to a question whether the Congress will be able to break the trend in the next election.



He further said that the BJP has no vision for the state. People will neither forget nor will they forgive the saffron party for its misrule between 2008 and 2013, he said.



On the issue of Hindi signage by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, he said he is against the Centre imposing Hindi on the state. The Centre had recently written to the state government, asking it to use Hindi signage at Metro stations. But none of the neighbouring states of Karnataka is using Hindi. Hindi is not the national language...I dont resent Hindi, but I am against the Centre imposing it on states, he stated.



He defended himself on the issue of a separate state flag, and claimed that the Constitution of India does not impose any restrictions on the states having their own flags. There is nothing wrong in the states having separate flags, but the national flag should always fly high, he added.




Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has opined that every state in the country must have its own flag.



He was speaking at an event organised by Explore Karnataka Foundation in association with Mount Carmel College on Saturday.



Tharoor said the flag is a symbol of an identity. As long as the state flag does not become a symbol of division in the country, having an own flag in the state is a good move. If a state flag symbolises ones affiliation towards the state, then I suggest all states in the country have their own flags, said Tharoor.



He made the statement when students sought his comments on the ongoing debate of having an own flag for Karnataka. It would be great if each state comes up with its own unique design for the flag, added Tharoor.



Commenting on the inclusion of Hindi as the national language, Tharoor said a decision has to be taken keeping in mind the majority of the populace.



About 25% of Indians speak Hindi and another 25% of Indians speak in those dialects which are similar to Hindi. Though we consider it to be 50% of Hindi speaking populace, making Hindi our national language would be unfair for the remaining 50% who do not speak Hindi. Imposing the language artificially divides the country, said Tharoor.



Tharoor earlier delivered a lecture on Colonialism has left our shores, but not our imaginations. Where are we heading?




The 6th Pay Commission chairman M R Sreenivas Murthy on Saturday said there is no need for the commission to recommend to the state government to provide interim relief to its employees.



Interim relief is normally provided only if there is more than one-year delay in submitting the commissions report to the government. As far as the 6th Pay Commission is concerned, the government has asked it to submit the report in four months. Efforts are being made to submit the report by September this year, he told reporters.



Murthy said the government spends Rs 36,000 crore annually on salaries and pensions. The commission will look into all aspects, including demands of the employees, cost of living and financial condition of the government, before preparing its report. The commission has an open mind as far as the employees demands are concerned, he added.



Currently, the government has 5.20 lakh employees against the sanctioned posts of 7.73 lakh. There are around 6 lakh pensioners. The commission has scheduled a meeting with

representatives of the state government employees association on July 27. A questionnaire will be circulated to both the employees and the general public in order to ascertain their expectations from the government, he added.




The Central Water Commission has sought some clarifications from Karnataka on its plan to build a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu at a cost of Rs 5,912 crore.



The CWC regional office at Bengaluru sought some clarifications on the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by the Karnataka government. The CWC also asked us to send a detailed reply to the Inter-state Water Disputes Division in the Central Water Commission at Delhi.



We are in the process of preparing a reply and will send it soon, an official in the

Karnataka government told DH here.



Since the project is on the Cauvery river, the CWC wanted to know from the Karnataka government whether the project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) final award. The commission also asked Karnataka whether the construction of a balancing reservoir on Cauvery will stop flow of water to the neighbouring state, the official added.



As the project also envisages supplying of 16.1 tmcft of drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding towns and villages in the Cauvery basin, the CWC asked the state whether the above quantity of water is well within Karnataka's share as per the allocation made by the CWDT.



Asked about CWCs queries, Water Resources Minister M B Patil told DH that the government will reply to all questions raised by the CWC and clear its doubts. The project does not violate the tribunal award, he added.



Earlier, Karnataka had sent a detailed project report to CWC and sought its approval. However, Tamil Nadu has opposed the project on the grounds that it violates the Cauvery tribunal order.



Seeking to allay fears on the release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunals award, Karnataka said that the proposed

balancing reservoir at Mekedatu will not disrupt the flow of water to the lower riparian state.

The proposed project would have a balancing reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 67.14 tmcft and a 400 MW hydro-electric power station.



The project, proposed to be taken up at Mekedatu, which is located around four km from the confluence of the Arkavathi and Cauvery, and 100 km from Bengaluru, would lead to the submerging of 4,716 hectares of forest land.


Heidelberg, New York, 10 July 2017 (Springer Nature)  Oil spills not only have a direct impact on species and habitats, but may also set off a cascade of perturbations that affect the entire food web. These are the findings of new research published in an article in the special issue on Ocean Spills and Accidents in Springers journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (AECT).Oil spills are well known to cause significant harm to some species and to local environments, but the sudden and unexpected occurrence of each accident, the unique way each ecosystem is affected, and an often poorly-prepared assessment capacity have constrained the understanding of the full consequences of such events. In this study, researcher Jeffrey Short and his co-authors have discovered a major new ecological damage pathway following oil spills. The researchers found that the mass mortalities of seabirds and marine mammals associated with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico reduced predation on forage fish populations considerably. The loss of top predators has resulted in large increases in the abundance of fish, such as menhaden, in the Gulf of Mexico in the years after the accident. These findings provide significant new insights into the nature of oil spills, and underscore the need to study not just those species obviously affected, but also the entire food web, during oil spill assessments. Our discovery suggests that the structure of food webs change after an oil spill, which may be much more damaging to fish and other aquatic fauna than the direct impacts of the spilled oil itself, explained Short.While the direct effects of oil spills on ecosystems have been well documented, this new study following the Deepwater Horizon blowout in 2011 provides the first indication that oil spills can alter the nature of entire aquatic food webs, said Peter S. Ross, editor-in-chief of AECT. Contact Stella Mueller | Springer Nature | Communications

tel +49 6221 487 8414 | stella.mueller@springer.com

For more information about the study: Jeffrey Short jwsosc@gmail.com

Peter S. Ross (Editor-in-Chief of AECT) Peter.Ross@Ocean.org

Oil spill impacts may perturb entire food webs

By Alexander C. Kaufman

18 July 2017(Huffington Post)  Jeffrey Short has been asking the same question for nearly three decades: What happened to the herring?After the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill off Alaskas southern coast, the fish  a vital link in the food chain and resource for the local economy  began disappearing. Yet Short, a scientist stationed in Alaska for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, struggled to connect the dots between the spill and the herring population crash.Now his latest study  one of two published this month examining how the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster affects animal and plant life in Gulf of Mexico  offers some clues. The spill, caused by a BP oil well that blew out and gushed 200 million gallons of crude for 87 days straight, killed thousands of mammals and sea turtles and more than 1 million birds.Without those predators, schools of fish rapidly multiplied, straining an ecosystem not designed to handle populations of that size. The number of menhaden, a species of fish in the herring family known colloquially as bunker or pogies, roughly doubled in a year.Its an astonishingly huge effect, Short, who now runs his own environmental consultancy in Juneau, Alaska, told HuffPost. The result of doubling that population put enormous stress on the rest of the food web because Gulf menhaden were already at carrying capacity of that habitat.As a result, the fish put pressure on their planktonic prey and began to starve, in turn becoming less nutritious to the remaining seabirds and other fish that rely on them as food.The seabirds, were they alive, would eat enormous numbers of juvenile menhaden, Short said. Instead they were dead, and didnt eat them, accounting for a classic example of a population explosion by release from predation. []We suspect this may be the answer to the herring question, Short said. Diseases caused the population to crash and they never recovered. We think this is a pretty big deal.The ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico also may never recover, Short said.So far, it looks like the Gulf menhaden population is permanently in what Id call a hyper-abundant state, which means theyre continuing to be chronically under-nourished and consume a lot of the productivity in the ecosystem, he said. Its not impossible, but it may be an irreversible effect.He added: We think its by far the biggest ecological effect, on the surface at least, of the Deepwater Horizon  This is something that happens across many thousands of square kilometers, from Alabama almost to Texas. [more]

New Studies Show How The 2010 Gulf Oil Spill Still Starves Fish At Sea And Plants On Shore

ABSTRACT: Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) exhibited unprecedented juvenile recruitment in 2010 during the year of the Deepwater Horizon well blowout, exceeding the prior 39-year mean by more than four standard deviations near the Mississippi River. Abundance of that cohort remained exceptionally high for two subsequent years as recruits moved into older age classes. Such changes in this dominant forage fish population can be most parsimoniously explained as consequences of release from predation. Contact with crude oil induced high mortality of piscivorous seabirds, bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), waders, and other fish-eating marsh birds, all of which are substantial consumers of Gulf menhaden. Diversions of fresh water from the Mississippi River to protect coastal marshes from oiling depressed salinities, impairing access to juvenile Gulf menhaden by aquatic predators that avoid low-salinity estuarine waters. These releases from predation led to an increase of Gulf menhaden biomass in 2011 to 2.4 million t, or more than twice the average biomass of 1.1 million t for the decade prior to 2010. Biomass increases of this magnitude in a major forage fish species suggest additional trophically linked effects at the population-, trophic-level and ecosystem scales, reflecting an heretofore little appreciated indirect effect that may be associated with major oil spills in highly productive marine waters.

Anomalously High Recruitment of the 2010 Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) Year Class: Evidence of Indirect Effects from the Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Gulf of Mexico
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The world's largest rice market is about to open up for American farmers, as Chinese officials have agreed to allow imports of US rice for the first time ever. The move would give US farmers access to the world's biggest rice consumer, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Thursday. The move comes after years of negotiations, acknowledging China's need for foreign shipments to meet the growing demands of its vast middle class. ''This market represents an exceptional opportunity today, with enormous potential for growth in the future,'' Perdue said. China is the world's largest producer and consumer as well as importer of rice. In recent years, it has increasingly turned to imports to meet domestic demand. With about 5 million tons of rice bought from other nations last year, China was the world's largest importer. American farmers have wanted to crack the Chinese market open for years, but a variety of political, cultural, bureaucratic and economic obstacles stood in the way. China opened its rice market when it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001 but a lack of phytosanitary protocol between China and the United States effectively banned imports, according to trade group USA Rice. "We waited a decade for the protocol to be signed and our members are anxious to meet the demand of China's consumers for safe, high-quality US rice," President Betsy Ward of USA Rice said in a statement, adding that China consumes the equivalent of the entire US rice crop every 13 days. The market's opening could be a boon for many struggling American rice farmers, who have had to face sluggish prices and oversupply for years. American rice farmers produce about 9 million tons a year, and Chinese consumers can eat that much supply in about two weeks, according to USA Rice. The announcement was another sign of strengthening relations on agriculture trade between the United States and China under US President Donald Trump, despite disagreements in other areas such as steel. China last month resumed imports of US beef for the first time since 2003. Last week, Chinese buyers inked deals valued at about $5 billion during a ceremony in Iowa to buy 12.53 million tonnes of US soybeans and 371 tonnes of beef and pork. The Chinese rice market opening is contingent upon inspection and approval of US facilities by Chinese inspection and quarantine officials. If all goes well, shipments to China could start later this year or early next year, said Michael Klein, USA Rice's vice president of marketing, communications and domestic promotion. A breakthrough came early last year when the US and China agreed on a so-called ''phytosanitary protocol,'' which spells out the terms of sanitary conditions for American milled rice. Chinese officials are concerned about the possibility of certain pests being introduced by rice imports in China. And American mills and storage facility operators interested in selling there were told to focus particularly on insect trapping and record-keeping requirements. "It's the most complex phytosanitary agreement that the US rice industry has ever entered into," Klein said. "But the potential size of the market makes it worthwhile." While the protocol's terms were agreed upon, China didn't sign and formalize it until this week. ''We waited a decade for the protocol to be signed and our members are anxious to meet the demand of China's consumers for safe, high-quality US rice,'' said USA Rice chief executive Betsy Ward. American farmers will face plenty of domestic and foreign competition in China. Vietnam and Thailand are major rice exporters to China and can ship smaller amounts more quickly. With their crops heavily subsidized by their governments, their rice also will likely be sold at cheaper prices. But American farmers are hoping to sell on quality and higher food safety standards. "Our rice is higher quality. Is that a trade-off Chinese consumers are willing to make? The rising middle-class in China is very interested in quality. This gives us a leg-up," Klein said. President Trump has made reducing the US trade deficit a central issue in his campaign and his presidency, and has been pressing other nations for what he deems to be unfair trade arrangements and subsidies. Meanwhile, American trade officials also have been negotiating with China on a variety of trade issues, including steel production and agricultural product barriers, in hopes of reducing a large trade deficit the US runs against China.








The Parish Priest of Bruckless has said this morning's road traffic collision, which resulted in the death of three local women, has devastated the community.

Margaret McGonigle of Castlereagh, Bruckless; her daughter Mairead Munday of Ballyloughan, Bruckless; and Rachel Battles of Ballyloughan, Bruckless died in the three-car collision which occurred on the main Dublin to Derry near Ardee at around one oclock this morning.

Speaking today, Fr James Sweeney said: "It's awful an devastating news to receive in your parish, and particularly for the families."

He told Highland Radio:"In my 32 years it's probably the worst tragedy that has come across my way in a rural parish. I have no doubt that this community will rally around and do whatever the can in these very trying and difficult circumstances. We are really stuck for words in these times of tragedy."

Fr Sweeney added: "Nevertheless, there's a resilience and a great support in people, and hopefully they'll transfer that to family and all those concerned as best they can at this time."

The women were returning home to Donegal from Dublin Airport after a holiday when the collision took place.
The three Bruckless women killed in Friday morning's three-car collision close to Ardee will be laid to rest on Monday.

The funeral mass of Margaret McMonigle (69) and her daughter Mairead Mundy (39) will take place in the Church of Saint Joseph and Saint Conal in Bruckless at 11 o'clock on Monday morning, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Their remains will repose at the home of the late Margaret McMonigle at Ballyloughan, Bruckless from 5 o'clock this evening.

The funeral mass of Racheal Cassidy Battles will take place in the Church of Saint Joseph and Saint Conal in Bruckless on Monday at 2.30 pm, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Her remains will repose from eight o'clock this evening at her late residence at Ballyloughan, Bruckless.

The three women died in a three-car collision which occurred on the main Dublin to Derry near Ardee at about one oclock on Friday morning. They were returning home to Donegal from Dublin Airport after a holiday.

Two men were injured and were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
The remains of the three Bruckless women who lost their lives in Friday's early morning crash Ardee in Co Louth arrived back in Donegal on Saturday evening.

Margaret McGonigle, 69, her daughter Mairead Mundy, 39, and Rachel Cassidy Battles, 39, all died in the three-car collision. They were returning home to Donegal from Dublin Airport after a holiday in Turkey to celebrate Maireads first wedding anniversary.

This evening, hundreds of mourners lined the narrow road which led to the small Ballyloughan housing estate where the friends lived, to bid farewell to three mothers from the close knit community.

Around 5 pm the remains of Margaret McGonigle and Mairead Munday passed the church in Bruckless, followed by an endless stream of cars. A guard of honour stood in respect at Naomh Ultan's GAA club. A few hours later, the remains of Rachel Cassidy Battles arrived.

There were scenes of immense sadness as the coffins of the three rash victims were brought into the tranquil South Donegal village.

The three women were close friends and they were held in high regard by the entire community. The number of people who were present this evening stood testament to this.

Around 400 people attended a rosary in the local church on Friday night to pray for the bereaved, deceased and injured.

The funeral mass of Margaret McGonigle and her daughter Mairead Mundy will take place in the Church of Saint Joseph and Saint Conal in Bruckless at 11 o'clock on Monday morning, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Their remains will repose at the home of the late Margaret McMonigle at Bally Loughan, Bruckless.

The funeral mass of Racheal Cassidy Battles will take place in the Church of Saint Joseph and Saint Conal in Bruckless on Monday at 2.30 pm, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Her remains are reposing at her late residence at Ballyloughan, Bruckless.

A rosary will take tonight at 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock. A shuttle bus will operate from Bruckless National School to the wake houses, leaving a one way system in operation.
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A 62 year old man accused of sexually abusing a girl from the age of seven, including orally raping her in a church in County Louth, was remanded on bail with strict conditions when he appeared before Dundalk district court last Wednesday.

As part of his bail, the defendant - who can't be named to protect the complainant's identity, has been banned from having contact with children unless he is in the presence of another adult.

He was before the court accused of 13 alleged offences on dates unknown, between November 1998 and August 2005.

They include nine counts of sexual assault alleged to have occurred at the defendant's home and two charges of oral rape - one of which relates to a church in County Louth.

The accused is further charged with using a female child for sexual exploitation.

The investigating garda gave evidence that the defendant made no reply when he was charged yesterday morning.

Judge John Coughlan asked the detective "Is this gentleman a threat to children" which the garda said was not a question he could answer.

Insp. Martin Beggy added he didn't think it appropriate to answer the question.

The court heard there are no children in the defendant's home and Judge Coughlan - who called the accused an alleged child molester, said he was prepared to grant bail provided the accused is living in an area where there are no children.

The case was then put back to later in the list for further discussions to take place.

The court was subsequently told that the child and family agency Tusla was contacted by the Gardai and it had met its obligations to notify relevant parties.

Judge Coughlan made it a bail condition that the accused not be in the presence of a child under 18years in a public place or private property without being in the immediate presence of another adult.

He adjourned the case to the 27th of September and extended time for service of a book of evidence.
I believe that retirement is not the end of your life but the beginning of your new one. It was just that it was seen negatively as it is associated with old age. We all could retire at any age as long as we have secure financial capabilities like living on passive income or savings. []
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(Photo: REUTERS / Carlos Eduardo Ramirez)Opposition supporters hold a national a flag during a rally against Nicolas Maduro's government in San Cristobal March 22, 2014. Two Venezuelans died from gunshot wounds during protests against Maduro, witnesses and local media said on Saturday, pushing the death toll from almost two months of anti-government protests to 33.

Venezuela's Catholic bishops organized a day of prayer and fasting as riotd amid ongoing riots throughout the country as opposition to President Nicolas Maduro hardens.

The bishops have called on the people to use the penitential practices July 21 to ask God "to bless the efforts of Venezuelans for freedom, justice and peace," Catholic News Agency reported.

Millions of Venezuelans on July 21 joined a general strike called by the opposition, the BBC reported.

On the same day, Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly appointed 33 judges to the Supreme Court, prompting accusations of by the regime of President Nicholas Maduro of an attempted power grab.

At least three people were killed in clashes between police and protesters and there were more than 300 arrests.

Protesters barricaded roads in Caracas and other cities with rubbish and furniture.

For their part, the bishops' efforts came days after Pope Francis had spoken about Venezuela in St. Peter's Square when he had he renewed his prayer for what he called, this "beloved country."

This was before a popular referendum promoted by the opposition to say no to the constituent assembly proposed by President Maduro.

The Venezuelan bishops called on the people to use the penitential practices July 21 to ask God "to bless the efforts of Venezuelans for freedom, justice and peace."

Earlier they had released a statement July 13 could be dubbed their manifesto on the current crisis that the effort would help so that "peace and fraternal coexistence may continue being built in the country."

The day of prayer and fasting followed two similar initiatives, one of which took place Aug. 2, 2016, and the second May 21, 2017.

The bishops urged all faithful to participate in the day, in order "to not let themselves be robbed of the hope that makes possible, with the help of God, what is impossible; to communicate hope and to be protagonists in this historic moment and in the future of our country."

In order to draw attention and support for the event, those who are participating are promoting it on social media with the hashtag #OracionporVenezuela  in English #PrayerforVenezuela.

The latest round of violent protests were triggered by an opposition-organized July 16 referendum in which some 7.6 million Venezuelans voted in rejection of the Maduro government's command economy policies they say have ruined the economy of the oil-rich nation, impowerishing it.
The Asia Digital Skills Challenge is the largest digital skills competition in Asia

Prince Sumberia, an engineering student from Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir, won the Asia Digital Skills Challenge held in Singapore on July 20.

Prince Sumberia won the competition beating finalists from 6 other countries Singapore, The Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Bhutan and Vietnam. The students were tested on their core digital skills tests including Online Collaboration, IT Security and Advanced Spreadsheets.

The students were tested on their core digital skills tests including Online Collaboration, IT Security and Advanced Spreadsheets.

In the lead up to the Asian challenge, Prince was the joint winner with Josuto Rudopra from Nagaland where over 3000 students from 26 Indian cities participated in the national finals in India. The two were invited to Singapore by ICDL to participate in the Asia Digital Skills Challenge 2017.

The Asia Digital Skills Challenge is the largest digital skills competition in Asia, organised by ICDL Foundation, open to students between 18  25 years old.

Congratulating Prince, Damien OSulliven, CEO of ICDL Foundation said that the winner has demonstrated exceptional competence in the use of computer technology. He added, Its a great achievement for India and demonstrates the highest level of digital competence amongst the youth of India.
hemasmail05 said: Hello,



I have a tourist visa and have been invited to apply for 190. Can i travel on tourist visa and file 190 after reaching Australia? Can i start working as soon as i apply for 190?



Thanks in advance. Click to expand...

If your visitor visa does not have condition 8503 No Further Stay, then you can apply for the 190 visa while you are in Australia. You'd be issued a bridging visa that allows you to remain in Australia after the visitor visa expires if the 190 hasn't been issued yet. You cannot work while the visitor visa is in effect. Whether you can work on the bridging visa would depend on whether there are any conditions on it that restrict you from working, you would need to read the bridging visa when it's issued to know what conditions may apply.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association delegation (Photo: VNA)



Before leaving, the Party leader visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh where he talked to representatives from Vietnamese businesses and overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia.

General Secretary Trong listened to the aspirations and proposals of the business representatives and overseas Vietnamese. He stressed that while the two countries have maintained good relations, there are many things to do to facilitate the life of Vietnamese living in Cambodia.

The Party chief said during his meetings with Cambodian leaders, the two sides discussed measures to create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia, particularly their legal status, with the aim of helping them stabilise their life to contribute to Cambodias development as well as the friendship between the two countries.

He also requested the Embassy to work harder to fulfil its mission of foster the ties between Vietnam and Cambodia./.
Hii



Is anyone here ,,who has applied and received child visa 101 from Dubai to Western Australia?



If yes. re How long is the validity period from date of visa is granted till first entry?



I am desperately looking for this information.



Thanks
My wife is an Irish trained chartered accountant and tax consultant with big 4 company.Irish tax laws are based on UK so they are pretty similar and she says that if you are resident in the UAE you wont pay tax on any income that is payed into an Irish bank account so i would think the same applies for the UK. It gets more complicated if you only intend on staying in the UAE for a short period of time and also be careful on the amount of days you spend in the UK on vacation over a 12 month period.
Hello Expat,



I currently work as a Grip, Best Boy Grip, and/or Key Grip in Atlanta, Georgia, USA... where I do pretty well. My credits include The Hunger Games, Godzilla, Goosebumps, The Walking Dead, and many more blockbusters. I am moving to Paris in the spring of 2018 with my girlfriend and would love to jump into the film industry over there. Is there a union in Paris that I must join, just like there is here in Georgia? I am currently apart of IATSE Local 479. Are there meet-up's in Paris for filmmakers where it's easier to meet like-minded people? Is there a database of films shooting in Paris? My union here sends me emails about what movies are coming in and how to apply.



Are there year-round film festivals, film schools, film rental houses, and/or film museums that I could possibly work for? I have years of on-set experience and know the gear very well. I also have worked in Reality TV for years as an Camera Assistant and Camera Operator. Are there alot of Reality TV productions that come to Paris to film? I could work as a Camera Assistant on those if there are ways to find those kind of jobs?



I would love all the advice that anyone could offer! This is my first time traveling to Europe! We are planning on spending the first few months exploring Paris and Europe, so we have time to visit places and figure out the best areas to live and work... So whatever y'all offer, we will gladly check out!



Also we are currently learning french... What's the % of people in Paris that speak English? How unlikely is it for an American to get a job in Paris if he's/she's poor at speaking french?



Thank you!



Bryce
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The latest venture for ex-FourWinds Logistics CEO Stan Bates, who was indicted with state Sen. Carlos Uresti in a criminal fraud case in May, apparently has run into some troubles.

His San Antonio-based Bates Energy Oil & Gas this week sued a Utah company for refusing to accept delivery of more than 40,000 tons of frac sand, which is used in fracking to extract oil and gas from shale rock.

Like Bates Energy, FourWinds traded frac sand. But FourWinds imploded in 2015, with some investors saying they were defrauded. A federal grand jury indicted Bates, Uresti and company consultant Gary Cain on a combined 22 charges in May. Uresti recruited a couple of the investors and served as FourWinds outside general counsel for a short time.

Bates, 45, hasnt let the FourWinds fiasco sidetrack his efforts to reap profits in the oil patch. He started a similar company, Bates Energy, where he is CEO and president.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Bexar County district court, Bates Energy accuses Complete Oil Field Services of Sandy, Utah, of breaching an agreement regarding orders for a total of 80,000 tons of frac sand.

Under the terms of the agreement, Complete Oil placed $4 million in escrow accounts with Austin-based Equity Liaison Co. and Amegy Bank, the suit said. Any withdrawals were subject to Bates Energys approval, the suit added.

But Complete Oil regularly sought withdrawals from the escrow accounts without Bates Energys authorization, the lawsuit said. Complete Oil also refused to give its approval for the disbursement of funds for costs incurred by Bates Energy, the suit continued.

Bates Energy also alleged it racked up about $550,000 in lost profits as a result of Complete Oils breach.

In addition, the suit said Complete Oil officer Sam Taylor approached Bates Energys suppliers and offered to enter into independent agreements with them in order to cut Bates Energy out of the transaction. At least one of the suppliers terminated its relationship with Bates Energy as a result of Mr. Taylors interference, the suit added.

A call to Taylor was not returned.

Bates couldnt be located for comment. Bates is represented by a public defender in his criminal case. A financial affidavit to support Bates request for a court-appointed lawyer was filed under seal the day of his arrest on May 17.

Bates Energy is represented in the lawsuit against Complete Oil by Tiffanie Clausewitz, a partner in The Rosenblatt Law Firm in San Antonio. Clausewitz didnt respond to a request for comment.

Separately, Clausewitz also represents Dewayne Naumann, the owner of Equity Liaison, the Austin escrow company. Earlier this week, she filed a court document to quash a subpoena served on Naumann by Uresti relating to the FourWinds criminal case.

FourWinds was a former Equity Liaison client, and Uresti wants Naumann to turn over a host of documents and other information relating to the defunct frac sand company. They include contracts, join venture agreements, communications involving Bates, Uresti and Cain, and bank records.

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.

San Antonio lawyer Mikal Watts, who represents Uresti, said an original memorandum of understanding between FourWinds and one of its investors, Denise Cantu of Harlingen, listed Equity Liaison as third party escrow agent. But the final document signed by Bates and Cantu no longer called for an escrow agent, Watts said.

So I want to know how it went from a memorandum of understanding that called for an escrow agent to protect all sides to a final document that omitted the escrow agent and allowed Cantus money to go to directly to FourWinds, Watts said.

Cantu invested about $900,000 with FourWinds, losing all but $100,000. Uresti received a $27,000 commission on the investment. Cantu has sued Uresti and Bates, though the case against Bates was put on hold because he was forced into personal bankruptcy.

Naumann objected to the subpoena, saying in an affidavit the documents and information are of a highly confidential nature. Even if he didnt object to turning over the information, he said, to do so would be unduly burdensome, unreasonable and oppressive.

Naumann did not respond to a request for comment.

pdanner@express-news.net
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Texas added 36,100 seasonally adjusted jobs in June as the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 percent, according to data released Friday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The expansion marked the 12th consecutive month of job growth and was broadly distributed, with professional and business services the only private sector industry to shed jobs.

The San Antonio area added jobs as well, growing by roughly 1,200 positions to bring the unemployment rate down to 4 percent from 4.1 percent. The area has seen its unemployment rate hover between 3.9 percent and 4.2 percent all year.

If its not at full employment, its really close to it, said Steve Nivin, an associate professor of economics at St. Marys University.

With the June numbers, the Fed now forecasts Texas to grow by 2.8 percent this year, far surpassing the 1.2 percent growth in 2016.

Strong job growth in June and a rebound in the leading index pushed the job forecast to its highest level this year. Growth in the second quarter was 2.8 percent, the fastest we have seen since the end of 2014, Keith R. Phillips, Dallas Fed assistant vice president and senior economist, said in a statement. Due to a new policy at the Federal Reserve, Phillips wasnt available for an interview.

For San Antonio, Nivin said he expects growth in 2017 to be slightly lower than last year. Employment grew by 2.7 percent in the area for all of 2016.

Its not like the growth rates bad, Nivin said. Its just slowing.

Nivin said that in addition to a lack of potential workers, another reason for slower growth could be decreased economic activity by Latinos uncomfortable with the national political climate.

Two of the biggest hiring sectors for San Antonio were financial activities, and education and health services, which grew by 1,100 jobs and 1,200 jobs, respectively. The construction, mining and natural resources sector added 1,100 jobs.

Ruben Ortega, a division director at the staffing company Robert Half, which is focused on finance and accounting, said he has seen a lot of companies increasing wages and offering more flexible benefits packages to attract and retain workers.

Theres a lot of movement within the professional sector, Ortega said.

One local worker looking to take advantage of that is Linda Perez, a teacher who left the San Antonio Independent School District at the end of the spring semester. Perez, who also has experience working in a medical lab, plans on moving to a new school district. But she attended the League of United Latin American Citizens job fair earlier this month because she was open to jumping to the private sector if she could find a salary comparable to teaching.

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.

Im just kind of exploring different opportunities that are out there, Perez said.

Despite shrinking statewide, business and professional services stayed flat in San Antonio. Several call centers, which are included in this sector, were recruiting workers at the LULAC job fair in San Antonio.

One of those call centers is for Spectrum, a telecommunications brand owned by Charter Communications that has been consistently adding jobs over the past year. Rae-Lynn Wells, a recruiter at Charter Communications, said the Spectrum call center has 500 agents, up from roughly 170 last year, and is still expanding.

Our biggest need is bilingual, Spanish-speaking inbound sales, Wells said.

Southwest Airlines was also present at the job fair, looking to recruit workers for its call center. According to representative Dawn Foster, Southwests call center employees start at $11.84 per hour and bilingual call center workers make $12.84 per hour.

jpound@express-news.net

Twitter: @jesserpound
Source: VNA



The figures were up 0.25 percent in volume and 1.85 percent in value, respectively.

The growth was attributed to increased demand and limited supply. Notably, japonica rice export saw the highest increase by around 300 percent year-on-year, accounting for 4.57 percent of Vietnams total rice export compared to around 1 percent in late 2015.

Japonica rice was shipped mostly to Australia, making up 5.24 percent of market share.

However, Vietnamese rice was predominantly delivered to Asia (about 70 percent), including China (43.8 percent), the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

Premium white rice, glutinous and broken rice shipments also went up 34 percent, 51 percent and 127 percent, respectively.

Among exported rice in the six months, jasmine rice made up 28.8 percent, followed by premium white rice (28.6 percent).

As of June 30th, 1.46 million tonnes of rice were registered for export but yet to be delivered, roughly 490,000 tonnes of which will be shipped to Cuba, Malaysia and Bangladesh./.
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Friday morning, Jailynn Glover watched as 100 young swimmers prepared to graduate from ZAC Camp, a four-day water safety class at the Calderon Boys & Girls Club, where she learned to swim.

The kids, ages 5 to 9, had trained in groups called the Seahorses, Sharks and Dolphins, at the West Side swimming pool where painted sea creatures float across the walls.

They learned to strap on safety vests and follow lifeguards rules and advice just as the 14-year-old had four years ago. And the youngsters learned the same lessons that gave Jailynn confidence and propelled her and her older sister, Aaliyah, into competitive swimming at the state level.

The Stevens High School freshman said the sport has helped calm her and relieve stress.

Don't be scared to get out of your comfort zone, Jailynn said she would tell kids who can't swim. It's not as hard as you think it is.

This is the fifth year that the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio has partnered with the ZAC Foundation to teach water safety and education. Lessons began Tuesday morning, including basic lifesaving techniques, emergency preparedness and fundamental stroke training.

The camp, a national initiative of the Boys and Girls Club, has offered the program to more than 10,000 children across the nation since 2013. In 2008, Karen and Brian Cohn of Connecticut started the foundation after their 6-year-old son Zachary drowned when his arm became trapped in the suction of a swimming pool drain. Karen Cohn said theyre overjoyed to see Zacharys legacy live on in each of the children who attend the camps.

She said it was special to return to San Antonio to equip a new batch of campers and their families with the tools to live safer lives around the water.

Angie Mock, Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio CEO, said not only is it fun for club members, but its critical that the children have an opportunity to learn high-quality water safety lessons. She said that 94 percent of club members are minorities and data shows that drowning rates among minorities is almost three times higher than Anglo children.

Its our responsibility to teach kids to be safe and enjoy the water, Mock said.

In-pool lessons were combined with a classroom curriculum that featured a childrens book titled The Polar Bear Who Couldnt, Wouldnt Swim, co-authored by Zacharys parents. Campers engaged in activities with EMT professionals, and members of the San Antonio Fire Department, San Antonio Police Department SAFFE Unit and the San Antonio Park Police.

Prior to the graduation, lead lifeguard Nicolette Solis and her team closed out the last day of lessons by going over how to help someone who may be drowning, geographic dangers and drain safety.

We teach them how to swim, Solis, 22, said, not only to be confident in swimming, but also to know that even if you are an amazing swimmer there are still many dangers that can come about.

When the ceremony started, the youngsters shrieked as Zeke the Polar Bear strolled in to help pass out their honors. After the kids received bags filled with information pamphlets, SAPD officers draped medals over the youngsters as they wrapped their arms as far around the mascots furry white stomach as they could.

When the high fives and shouts of good job ended, Shaila Torres, 8, chewed away at a Popsicle, with friends Gabriella Hernandez, 6, and Janessa Galindo, 8, by her side. The trio gave the camp high marks.

Shaila said she liked jumping in the pool; Gabriella said playing with friends was the highpoint. Janessa said she would always remember how easy the instructors made if for her to learn how to swim.

"When I came to camp, she said, it was the happiest moment in my life.

vtdavis@express-news.net
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CRYSTAL CITY  With five former city officials now awaiting sentencing for federal public corruption crimes, the city leaders who replaced them last year are struggling with the financial mess they inherited.

When the FBI raided Crystal City in early 2016, charging three council members, the mayor and the city manager with bribery, conspiracy and other offenses, disruption and confusion followed at City Hall. The federal agents also seized many city financial records, complicating the new administrations attempts since then to straighten things out.

Last week, the financial picture became somewhat clearer when outside auditors finally delivered the long-delayed but not unexpected bad news.

The citys former leaders spent about $2 million more than they took in during fiscal 2015, leaving the low-income city 140 miles south of San Antonio wading in red ink, the accountants said.

This is the first time Ive ever seen an audit this bad, and Im not blaming you, council member Richard Diaz said to the accountants from Ede & Co, of Knippa.

Im sorry our city has had to suffer under people who abused it. I dont feel good about this outcome, he added.

The audit of the fiscal year that ended Sept. 31, 2015, which should have taken a few months, instead took about a year and a half. One reason for the delay was that federal investigators had possession of city records while preparing trials that ended several weeks ago.

Further complicating the accountants work were rampant shoddy bookkeeping, missing documents and improper transactions.

You cant say it was done maliciously or if someone was in over their head. All we know is it was really messed up, Donna Ede Jones said of the problems with the citys books.

For example, the accountants described how they had selected 301 transactions, involving about $3.5 million in expenditures, that had no apparent documentation. They then tried to find supporting records like receipts, invoices or payment authorizations for each transaction, in many cases without success.

Seventy-one transactions had no underlying documents presented. That came to a little over $2 million. We cant tell you if that is because the FBI came in and took the records, they were not there to begin with or they were lost, said Eric Ede.

The accountants also identified funds improperly taken from Economic Development Corp. accounts and spent on city projects, huge deficits in the citys EMS program and widespread overspending elsewhere.

And, since the last administration was still in office for part of 2016, more bad news is likely to come.

We believe next year will be just as bad, if not worse, but by the end of 2017 youll give a good audit, Eric Ede said.

Mayor Frank Moreno, 74, who led the drive to get rid of James Jonas III, the former city manager and city attorney, and the council members who supported him, said the public needs to understand how things got this way.

This is what happens when you have a greedy and corrupt council, manager, attorney and staff. The community must be cautious about whom they elect, he said.

It can be screwed up overnight, but it takes a long time to clean it up, he added.

Faced with a backlog of unpaid bills, the new City Council last year reduced staff and radically reduced spending. The current general fund budget of $2.1 million is more than $1 million less than the one before it.

First of all, the staff is at bare bones, said Interim City Manager Santos Camarillo.

The other thing is, a year ago, I put very drastic cost controls in place. Before I came on, it was a free-for-all with all the vendors. Everyone was allowed to charge things in the citys name. I put a stop to that, she said.

Among the positions cut were a city tax collector, an EMS coordinator and a veterinary technician, she said. The city library has remained closed. The $216,000 paid annually to Jonas for legal and management services has been reduced by two-thirds, she said.

Camarillo said she will recommend small raises for city staff next year but is not certain what the City Council will do.

Mayor Moreno said a city lawyer will soon file a lawsuit to challenge two of the biggest financial liabilities hanging over it.

One is a $700,000 bill owed to Siemens Industry Inc. for extensive energy improvements to city infrastructure. The city also owes lenders more than $2 million that the former administration borrowed for that energy project.

Evidence developed during the federal investigation revealed there were irregularities in how the funding was obtained and that some of the money borrowed specifically for the energy project was improperly used for other purposes, including paying Jonas salary.

They were advised not to do this, because the city was not in a position to absorb that large amount of debt, but Jonas went ahead and did it, Moreno said.

In the meantime, the city will continue operating on an austerity basis until it regains its financial footing, a process that may take years.

Council member Jaime Isquierdo, 34, a high school science teacher, is confident that day will come.

We feel we can pull ourselves out of this mess. It will take time, but I think all of us are willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary, he said.

Council member Michelle Ruiz expressed similar sentiments, with an added cautionary note.

Were surviving, and we have all the faith in the world well pull through, she said. The most important thing will be the next audit for 2016. That will indicate the real damage they did.
Police on Thursday evening arrested Carlos Chuck Pena, who campaigned as a crime-fighter in Boernes recent mayoral election, over an incident in which hes accused of falsely claiming law enforcement credentials.

Pena surrendered on the charge of impersonating a public servant, a third-degree felony, according to Boerne Lt. Steve Perez.

He was transported to Kendall County Jail and asked for an attorney, Perez said late Thursday.

Pena was released on a $10,000 bond.

Police obtained an arrest warrant Tuesday after interviewing resident Tiffany LaSelva and reviewing video footage of her encounter with Pena outside the Walmart on South Main Street around midnight July 14.

Precinct 3 constable from San Antonio, Pena, 54, can be heard telling LaSelva. Whats going on?

The Bexar County Precinct 3 constables office said it has no association with Pena.

Pena denied misrepresenting himself as a peace officer during a brief interview at his River Road apartment on Monday. Phone messages left since then have not been returned.

I said I have law enforcement training, he claimed, noting he hoped to earn his peace officers license in September.

He said he parked near LaSelvas truck over concerns for her safety due to a male transient he reported was sitting nearby and drinking beer.

Pena is no stranger to authorities, Perez said. The department has received 53 calls from Pena, who moved to Boerne three years ago, reporting alleged crimes or suspicious behavior by others, Perez said.

Pena wasnt home when officers initially sought to arrest him Tuesday, Perez said, but he called the agency Wednesday and said he would surrender.

LaSelva, 43, says she hit record on her phone after becoming concerned about a van that parked near her truck as she wheeled a cartload of groceries toward that deserted section of the lot. She later described the incident as creepy.

The footage doesnt show Penas image, often pointing at the ground or her trucks mirror landscape during their brief face-to-face encounter.

But a man identifying himself as Pena can be heard over background noise telling LaSelva, I ran for mayor, but Im also in law enforcement.

Media coverage about the investigation of Pena prompted postings on Facebook about similar encounters.

I had a run-in with this guy last year on a photo shoot. He told me he had a law enforcement past, West Vita, a photographer in Boerne, posted. He  stayed and watched me shoot until we left a certain location he didnt think I should be. As I was leaving he started to tell me he was running for mayor and solicited me for my vote. Creep.

Vita declined to share additional details when contacted Thursday. Perez said officers are looking into claims made about Pena on social media.

Pena was employed as an adult and community education site leader for Northside Independent School District for seven years, off and on, including during the election campaign in which he pledged to crack down on crime, if victorious. He is no longer employed there, the district said Monday.

With my law enforcement experience, Im not afraid to take matters into my own hands, he told the audience at an April forum.

Incumbent Mayor Mike Schultz on May 6 defeated Pena, 573 votes to 199.

zeke@express-news.net
A Central Texas man has pleaded guilty in San Antonio to threatening former President Barack Obama, judges, federal prosecutors and agents, among others.

Gavin Leonard Friedman, 21, who has lived in Kerrville and Austin, mailed letters with a series of threats over several months in 2016. In September 2016, for example, he sent letters to the U.S. Attorneys Office in San Antonio expressing some threats while he was incarcerated at the Kerr County Jail.

In some of those letters, he called Obama a puppet for (ZOG) Zionist Organized Government, referred to Obama derogatorily or profanely, and said he would kill Obama so Friedman could be martyred in the name of Allah, court records show.

In one letter in September, he threatened to harm Obama: I am going to kill him, and detonate a(n) explosive device at the White House. That letter includes a crude drawing of an ammonium nitrate explosive device, detonation device and ignitor. The letter also contains threats against the FBI field office in Houston, CIA headquarters, NSA headquarters, the Pentagon, judges, federal prosecutors (including the prosecutor he mailed the letter to, U.S. Attorney Richard Durbin of San Antonio) and agents, according to a criminal complaint affidavit.

In a second letter in September, he again threatened to assaniate (sic) Obama and reiterated his threats against the others.

When a federal marshal interviewed Friedman at the Kerr jail on Sept. 29, 2016, Friedman said:  I do want you to know that I have every intention of doing what I said I was going to do in those letters.

But by February of this year, his tone had changed. In a letter to the court, Friedman said he wished to plead guilty to all federal charges but wished to stay in federal custody instead of state or county jails.

I am sorry and remorseful for the crimes I have committed and the people that I scared in the (process), he wrote. I do not intend to carry out any of the threats and will seek help for mental health disorders and other problems that I face. .

He pleaded guilty to four of the seven charges he faced, including making a threat against the president, mailing threats about blowing up the FBI building in Houston and the White House, and two counts of mailing threats to kill prosecutor Durbin and kidnap and kill his family. The remaining counts are to be dismissed at sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 10 before Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra.

Friedman faces up to five years in prison for threatening the president, and up to 10 years on each of the other three counts he pleaded guilty to, court records show.

Because Durbin was a target, federal prosecutors with the Northern District of Texas in Dallas are handling the case.

Friedman also faces three state charges of obstruction or retaliation and having a prohibited substance in a correctional facility, court records said.
Prints and Photographs Collection, di_02301, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

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Its likely very few of the cowboys who drove an estimated 9 million head of cattle along the Chisholm Trail ever called it by that name, according to Robert Oliver, chairman of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Cuero.

Instead, they probably just told friends and family they were going up the trail or something similar as they left South Texas and headed out on the 800-mile, two- to three-month journey to Kansas railheads in either Abilene or Ellsworth.

Technically, the main portion of the Chisholm Trail wasnt found until you reached the Oklahoma Territory, said Oliver. It wasnt generally called that in Texas.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the most celebrated cattle trail in American history. The first successful cattle drive, which started in San Antonio, reached the railhead in Abilene, Kansas, in 1867.

For a complete list of Chisholm Trail anniversary events, visit chisholmtrail150.org/events.

According to the Texas State Historical Association, the route was known variously as simply the Trail, the Kansas Trail, the Abilene Trail, or McCoys Trail.

The earliest known references to the Chisholm Trail in print, reads TSHAs Handbook of Texas, were in the Kansas Daily Commonwealth of May 27 and October 11, 1870. On April 28, 1874, the Denison, Texas, Daily News mentioned cattle going up the famous Chisholm Trail.

Whatever it was called, history records show that from 1867 to about 1890 the Chisholm Trail was the route along which millions of beeves were driven from ranches in South Texas to Kansas. From there they were put on trains and taken to beef-hungry markets in the Midwest and along the East Coast.

Most of these were hardy longhorns, descendants of the Andalusian cattle brought from Spain during the 16th century.

There was a lot of money in moving beef. Cattle that sold for $4 a head in Texas fetched $40 in Eastern packing plants, according to the Chisholm Trail Museum.

As a result, as difficult and even deadly as life on the trail could be, it paid well. Trail bosses earned $90 per month, chuck wagon cooks got $60 and even the lowly wranglers were paid an enviable salary of $25 per month.

Despite its singular name, the Chisholm Trail wasnt one main thoroughfare, especially in Texas, where many smaller branches running north converged into the main trail near the Oklahoma border. Oliver compares it to a tree trunk, with the roots spreading out at the bottom.

Its generally believed that the trail was named for Jesse Chisholm, a Scot-Cherokee trader who used the main portion of the trail to ship goods.

In 1867, the first herd to follow the future Chisholm Trail was formed by a cattle broker named O.W. Wheeler.

He collected 2,400 head from around San Antonio and drove them to Abilene, said Bruce Shackelford, curator of South Texas Heritage at the Witte Museum. By the end of that year, 35,000 cattle had been shipped there and by the mid-1880s the numbers had reached 5 million, plus another million or so horses.

Eventually, however, several events conspired to spell the end of the Chisholm and other cattle trails.

Barbed wire, introduced in the 1870s, allowed ranchers to fence their land, effectively closing the open plains across which cattle drives traveled.

Texas Fever, a tick-borne disease carried by longhorn cattle, was usually fatal when it infected other breeds. In 1885 Kansas banned Texas cattle from crossing its border, closing off the rail links to northern markets.

The arrival of rail in Texas meant it no longer made sense to drive cattle to distant railheads.

Although TV and movies typically portray drovers almost exclusively as Anglo men, African-American and Hispanic cowboys were often part of trail outfits, accounting for one-quarter to a third of trail hands, according to the Texas Historical Commission.

Thats not surprising when you consider that slaves often were experienced horsemen, as were Hispanic vaqueros who, during the original cattle drives of the 17th and 18th centuries, originated the methods and much of the equipment used on the range and trail, according to the commissions account.

Women, too, were not unknown on the trail, although they were unlikely to work openly as drovers.

In 1873, for example, Margaret Borland brought several children and grandchildren along as the drove a heard of cattle to Wichita, Kansas. She died several months after selling her cattle.

And schoolteacher, bookkeeper and writer Lizzie Johnson Willams became known as the Cattle Queen of Texas after she made several trips up the trail in the 1880s.

rmarini@express-news.net

Twitter: @RichardMarini
Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) at Pochentong Airport in Phnom Penh (Photo: VNA)



Meeting with the Governor after arriving in Preah Sihanouk, the Party leader welcomed the Cambodian provinces proposal on encouraging Vietnamese investors to do business in the province and working with Vietnam in building transport infrastructure.

He said that relevant agencies and localities should discuss plans to realise the proposal in the time ahead.

Trong praised the great potential of Preah Sihanouk and noted that the province has good relations with many Vietnamese localities, wishing the relations will grow across the fields.

Governor Yun Minh recalled his vivid memories of the time he fought side by side with Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts to liberate Cambodia from the genocidal regime.

He said the Vietnamese community in the province live in harmony with the local people and administration, adding that the province pays attention to enhancing the friendship with many Vietnamese cities and provinces such as Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Hai Phong.

He expressed the wish that Vietnam will continue to assist Preah Sihanouk province in infrastructure construction, and called on Vietnamese businesses to invest in the province.

Preah Sihanouk is the second stop of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his State level visit to Cambodia from July 20th-22nd.
The bale ejection system has been revised to make it easy to set and control bale length, with a passive teeth system replaced with an active teeth system on Full Bale-Eject  before the bale ejection moves backwards, all teeth are first pushed in the bale to maximise best performance and full grip in all conditions.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) and Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury (Source: VNA)



The Vietnamese President spoke highly of the outcomes of talks between his guest and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and important agreements reached during the visit.

The host asked both sides to continue working closely together at regional and global forums, and urged Bangladesh to support Vietnams bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and UNESCO General Director for 2017-2022.

Chaudhury, who is on a Vietnam visit from July 20th-24th at the invitation of NA Chairwoman Ngan, affirmed that Bangladesh wishes to expand its traditional friendship and all-around cooperation with Vietnam, as well as support the Southeast Asian nation at regional and global forums and organisations.

Informing the host of the outcomes of her talks with the Vietnamese top legislator, Chaudhury said both sides agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of all-level visits between the two legislatures each year, with a view to sharing experience in law-building and supervising the implementation of cooperation agreements.

The two leaders noted with pleasure the closer political relations, as well as fruitful cooperation in economy, trade and other fields between the two nations, saying that these have significantly contributed to promoting socio-economic development in each nation.

President Tran Dai Quang suggested the two sides continue maintaining the exchange of visits at all levels, effectively implement existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and take specific measures to realise the goal of USD1 billion in two-way trade.

He said Vietnam supports expanding bilateral links in chemicals, mechanical engineering, food processing, textiles, communications and transport while seeking possibilities to boost collaboration in security-defence, science-technology, education-training and culture.

Chaudhury said the two countries should father promote trade exchanges and create favourable conditions for their enterprises to seek investment opportunities.

She revealed that her country established hundreds of economic zones and launched open-door policies, simplified administrative procedures, and invested more in infrastructure development to attract more investment.

She called on Vietnam to pour cash into Bangladesh, and hoped it will serve as a gateway for his countrys products to make inroads into other ASEAN member nations.

Both host and guest agreed that Vietnam and Bangladesh need to step up cooperation, share experience and support each other in adapting to climate change, which causes negative impacts in both nations./.
Some things are best left forgotten.

Forgotten Love

Scarlet Pierce has it allan impressive home, a successful business and an intimidatingly handsome husband who adores her. Its the kind of life most people only dream of. Theres just one problemshe doesnt remember any of it.

When a horrific car accident claims her twenty-eight years of memories, Scarlet is thrust into a world of self-discovery and terrifying nightmares that she soon learns are echoes of the past.

Her life is turned upside down once again when shes introduced to the man who saved her from the near-fatal crash, the strong, silent Mitch. The two share an instant connection but when Scarlet begins to have memories of him, she realizes theres more to himand them than meets the eye.

As she starts to recover her memories and uncover the shocking truth, Scarlet discovers that some things are best left forgotten.

Exclusive Extract

Hello, wife, a seductive voice echoes in the bedroom behind me as I sit staring at my reflection in the dressing table mirror.

Hello, husband, I reply, grinning at the impossibly handsome man reflected in the glass. He leans casually against the door, tightening his cufflink, his dark-gray suit accentuating his steely dark-blue eyes and dark, tousled locks that turn up at the ends.

You look beautiful, as always.

I roll my eyes as Nick closes the gap between us. Stop saying that.

He leans in behind me, regarding our reflections in the mirror.

Never, he replies, curling the corners of his lips in an innocent, childlike way. Are you nearly ready? Our guests are starting to arrive. He leans in close to my ear, sensing my anxiety. Dont worry. Ill be right by your side.

I turn around to look at him and there, in the lines of his face, in the warmth of his eyes, I find in him the courage I havent been able to find in myself to make the journey downstairs.

Nick holds out his hand to me. Shall we?

I put mine in his and he summons me into his arms, his eyes soft and heady.

I love you, Mrs. Pierce, he whispers, lowering his lips to mine.

I freeze, unable to respond. Im not exactly sure how I feel about my husband, Nick. I married him, so I must love him, right?

Truth is, I really dont know. I really dont know anything since the accident.

As we start down the stairs, the sound of wine-induced laughter and chitchat grows louder, grating my already fraying nerves. I reach out, taking a firm hold of the balustrade. Nick turns to look at me.

Its okayits only close friends and family, and theyre all here for you. To reconnect with you. Theres nothing to be afraid of.

I arch an eyebrow.

Besides, youve met them all before, he jokes.

Thats not funny.

Really? Not even a little bit?

Not at all.

Come on. He takes a step forward and tugs at my hand.

I drift forward, but I still cant let go of the balustrade. He turns back to me, amused.

Let go.

I nod at him, without any intention of complying.

Let go, then, he coaxes, tugging me away from the balustrade and tucking me under his arm so I cant do it again. You know, if memory serves me, I cant recall ever seeing you this nervous.

I glare up at him. At least someones memorys serving them.

I see you havent lost your sense of humor.

My lips twitch, fighting a smile, his sarcasm producing the desired effect, but it doesnt last long.

I know its only close friends and family gathering here to see me, but for all intents and purposes, its a room full of strangers.

People I have no memory of.

Its been six months since the car accident that claimed my memories. Memories of who I was and the twenty-eight years of life Id lived, replaced by nothing. A void of emptiness and darkness.

My very first memorywaking up in a hospital room, lying damaged and broken, surrounded by people I didnt know and have only now begun to accept. I watched while they rejoiced for a life saveda life I didnt even know existedlistening as they told me how Id lost control of my car. How it had spun off the road into icy-cold waters and how a man had rescued me and swum me to safety, risking his life to save mine. I didnt remember it.

Not a single thing.

About the Author

Julianna Zacleese is an author and songwriter from the small country town of Childers in Queensland, Australia. Her love of literature and writing began at an early age and developed into a deep-seated passion for all things written.

While her decade-long career with the Police Service inspires the suspense element in her writing, it was her love of writing media releases and freelance articles for the local newspaper that led to her return to writing and success as a published author.

An entrant in the 2016 Cannes Screenplay Contest and 2017 Page International Screenwriting Awards, Julianna one day aspires to write for the big screen.
Halle Berry has never had a birthday party.

Halle Berry

The 'Catwoman' star will turn 51 on August 14 but has admitted, although she's never spent her special day on her own, she hasn't celebrated a milestone of hers in the past with a big bash because she feels festivities of that sort are for children.

Speaking to E! news, the brunette beauty - who has nine-year-old daughter Nahla and three-year-old son Maceo from two previous relationships - said: "I never once had a birthday party. It's just something I do for my kids."

And, although many women freak out when they reach the fifth decade of their life, Halle is adamant she just sees it as a number and wants to age "gracefully."

She explained: "As I've gotten older I realise that age is just a number. It doesn't define me. It doesn't define my happiness or what I can and can't do as I get older."

And the brunette beauty certainly has a few exciting months coming up as she's hoping to transform her 'Hallewood' fan site into a lifestyle forum for 2018.

She said: "People actually have the power to affect your brand in this day and age, and I have little control over it and that's the frustrating part."

The actress will follow in the footsteps of Goop website creator and owner Gwyneth Paltrow by setting up a place online for her followers to interact with her and discuss issues surrounding fashion, beauty and parenting advice.

Halle has hailed her new and improved site as "an inclusive world of curation".

The former Bond girl believes it is important for herself and others in the spotlight to use their status to promote healthy debate with the world the way it is to unite people.
Louise Thompson and Ryan Libbey have to watch the Disney Channel "every weekend."

Ryan Libbey and Louise Thompson

The 'Made in Chelsea' beauty has admitted her beau - who she has been dating just over a year - can't start his Saturday and Sunday without watching a children's classic for a few hours.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Louise said: "Ryan's obsessed with Disney - to the point where he watches the Disney Channel all the time. Every weekend we have to watch it for a few hours in the morning. Mainly the movies but also the kids' show. Obviously we travel a lot but it's nice to do something where there's so much to see and to do."

With that in mind, it's no wonder Louise and Ryan jumped at the chance to jet across the pond last week to spend five days exploring the magical world at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The 27-year-old reality TV star added: "I've been to Disney Land a couple of times in Paris with my girls but I've never been to the Orlando one but Ryan has never even been to the States before and he is more of a Disney fan than I am."

The couple will now head out to Los Angeles for a few weeks before they return to the UK ready to start filming for the next series of 'Made in Chelsea' in September.

Louise explained: "We're going to Los Angeles because we've got a couple of meetings set up and I've got a couple of friends that live out there so we're going to hang out with them. We're on our break from 'Made in Chelsea' at the moment so as we're over in the States, we might as well pop by. We're here just over two weeks."

Meanwhile, Louise and Ryan had such a great time at Walt Disney World that they are encouraging their fans to jet across the pond and enjoy the magical experience.

Buy your Disney Tickets by July 31, 2017 to benefit from Disney's 14-Day Ultimate Ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket offer, available for arrivals in 2017.

Thinking of a Disney holiday in 2018?

You can still enjoy Disney's 14-Day Ultimate Ticket for the price of a seven-day ticket when purchased in one transaction with a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel stay of minimum five nights for arrivals until December 31, 2018.

Please visit www.disneypackages.co.uk or call 0800 169 0730 for current pricing, full terms and conditions and to book your trip of a lifetime.
Abercrombie & Fitch has announced the launch of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids on Alibaba Group's Tmall, China's largest consumer platform for brands and retailers. Tmall has carried the Hollister brand since 2014 and starting on July 26, it will also include a full offering of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids products.With 454 million annual active buyers across its China retail marketplaces, including Tmall, Alibaba Group is helping A&F meet the ever-growing and changing needs of Chinese consumers with a strategic omni-channel approach spanning online-to-offline. Additionally, with 75 per cent of Alibaba Group's users under the age of 35, and about 80 per cent of its gross merchandise value taking place on mobile, the demographics on Alibaba Group's China retail marketplaces align well with the updated A&F brand's target consumer in their twenties. Tmall enables brands to tap into its big data capability and innovative marketing tools such as live-streaming to provide consumers with a shopping experience that's both deeply personalised and interactive.

Abercrombie & Fitch has announced the launch of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids on Alibaba Group's Tmall, China's largest consumer platform for brands and retailers. Tmall has carried the Hollister brand since 2014 and starting on July 26, it will also include a full offering of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids products. #

A&F is focused on delivering both an engaging and seamless experience for its customers, whenever, wherever, and however they choose to shop. A&F currently has ten physical stores in mainland China and a local site at abercrombie.cn. While stores remain an important gateway for the brand, Alibaba Group's vast reach creates an opportunity to meet the needs of consumers' shopping preferences, including those without access to a physical store. A&F and Tmall plan to explore providing additional omni-channel capabilities to the shoppers."Alibaba Group places a strong emphasis on consumer engagement, which aligns with our focus on creating a unique online brand experience for our customers, as well as facilitating a seamless and frictionless shopping experience. Building on our Hollister brand's successful partnership with the leader in China's online retail space, we are excited to bring our A&F brand experience to the broader Chinese market, beyond the reach of our physical stores through Tmall," said Fran Horowitz, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co."We are excited to welcome Abercrombie & Fitch to the Tmall platform," said Jessica Liu, president of Tmall Fashion, Alibaba Group. "Abercrombie is an iconic global brand that consumers, both on our platform and in China, have sought out for some time. We look forward to connecting our consumer base to the brand and working with Abercrombie & Fitch to further its international growth." (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
About 20 selected textile operators from Bangladesh visited the works of Arioli Group in Senago. The visitors showed great interest in knowing the innovation and the competitive advantage that characterises the different production phases of Arioli machines. This has enabled Arioli to develop new contacts in an important market like Bangladesh.

The textile operators from Bangladesh were in Italy as part of promotional activities planned for 2017 in support of the textile machinery sector. ICE (Agency for the Promotion Abroad and Internationalization of Italian Companies), in collaboration with the ACIMIT Association, had organised their visit to Italy.

Bangladesh is currently one of the leading markets importing Italian machineries.

About 20 selected textile operators from Bangladesh visited the works of Arioli Group in Senago. The visitors showed great interest in knowing the innovation and the competitive advantage that characterises the different production phases of Arioli machines. This has enabled Arioli to develop new contacts in an important market like Bangladesh.#

In 2016 the Italian textile machinery exports towards Asian countries increased by 13 per cent compared to the previous year, in parallel with the international standing of the country as the main reference point in the textile production field.

Commenting on the visit of Bangladeshi textile operators to their works, Arioli said, This opportunity has enabled our company to maintain and develop new contacts with this important marketplace, boosting business opportunities and reinforcing its business presence in the country. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 21, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Amec Foster Wheeler plc ("Amec" or the "Company") (NYSE: AMFW). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Amec and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here to join a class action]

On July 11, 2017, Amec advised investors that the Company was under investigation by the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office ("SFO"). In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Amec disclosed that the SFO's investigation "focuses on the past use of third parties and possible bribery and corruption and related offences."

On this news, Amec's American Depositary Receipt price fell $0.27, or 4.57%, to close at $5.64 on July 11, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
THE CENTRAL ORGAN OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM The Voice of the party, State and Vietnamese people on the internet

Notify:

The requested content was not found or the content is invalid!


IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 27, 2017 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a securities class action lawsuit against Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation ("Booz Allen" or the "Company") (NYSE: BAH). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Booz Allen shares from May 19, 2016 through June 15, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm before the August 18, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased shares of Booz Allen during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., of Khang & Khang LLP, 4000 Barranca Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604, by telephone: (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

There has been no class certification in this case yet, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may also choose to take no action and remain a passive class member.

According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, Booz Allen made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: the Company engaged in improper accounting practices in its contracts with the U.S. government; that its revenues derived from services provided to the U.S. government were inflated and unsustainable; that the discovery of such conduct would subject the Company to heightened regulatory scrutiny, potential criminal sanctions, and endanger its business relationship with the U.S. government; and that as a result of the above, Booz Allen's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On June 15, 2017, Booz Allen revealed that on June 7, 2017, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., "was informed that the U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a civil and criminal investigation relating to certain elements of the Company's cost accounting and indirect cost charging practices with the U.S. government." When this news was announced, shares of Booz Allen dropped in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions about this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

Contact

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
Palo Alto, CA-based AgTech venture capital firm Finistere Ventures has added seasoned entrepreneur Dr. David Duncan to its team.

With a four-decade career in agricultural productivity, plant biotechnology and plant health and nutrition and a strong network in St. Louis, Duncan will focus on vetting AgTech innovators and establishing partnerships in the Midwest corridor to support the firms continued expansion.

As part of the Finistere team, he will focus on mentoring the leaders of current Finistere portfolio companies to help accelerate their market growth.

Prior to joining Finistere, Dr. Duncan founded an entrepreneurial venture with the support of the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise in St. Louis, a business incubator for biotech startups. As entrepreneur-in-residence at the Nidus Center, he founded Colliant Global Ag to provide advisory support and help advance Ag biotech discoveries from early development through commercial launch.

In addition, Dr. Duncan led the development of a technology platform and strategic partnerships for FBSciences that drove a global testing collaboration with DuPont.

He also served as CEO of Pasteuria Bioscience (now part of Syngenta), which focused on novel biological nematode control in broad-acre and specialty crops, and Chlorogen Inc., a plant-made pharma company that ultimately licensed its chloroplast transformation technology to Dow Agrosciences.

During his two-decade tenure at Monsanto early in his career, Dr. Duncan held various research, development, regulatory and sales management positions before becoming the general manager of Monsantos turf and ornamental business.

He also led the formation of Arborgen, a forestry joint venture to develop input and output traits for the pulp, paper and timber industries.

Dr. Duncan currently serves on the board of several companies, including FBSciences and Willowood USA.

Led by Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures is a California-based agricultural technology and life sciences venture capital investor, with offices in Palo Alto, San Diego and Israel. Current portfolio companies include CropX, Plenty, Taranis and ZeaKal, and the recently co-founded Radicle, whhich focuses on growing early stage AgTech startups.

FinSMEs

22/07/2017
Novacap, a Montreal, Canada-based private equity firm, closed its fifth fund, at $840m.

Limited partners in NOVACAP TMT V included public and corporate pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, foundations, family offices and individual investors in Canada, the U.S., Europe and Australia.

The fund will focus on making individual investments ranging from $20m to $100m in companies operating in the software, internet infrastructure and e-commerce sectors and advancing industry-specific technology solutions in the energy, healthcare and other vertical markets in order to support them with organic growth initiatives and drive strategic acquisitions.

TMT V will be led by its partners Pascal Tremblay, Stephane Tremblay, Francois Laflamme, Ted Mocarski, Etienne Veilleux and Yong Kwon.

Founded in 1981, Novacap has $2.26 billion of assets under management.

FinSMEs

22/07/2017
Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk is a war epic. But the audience is exposed to only one side of the war as there is no face of Germans in the film. There are only soldiers from the Allied front struggling to make Operation Dynamo a success.

Also, there is no bloodshed. Dunkirk manages to capture the intensity of war without bursting any soldier wide open. There are no hints of red in the battlefield.

Thirdly, there are no long inspiring speeches. If we personify this film, it would be a man of few words. It says little but conveys in abundance through its crisp editing, intricate detailing and succinct dialogue.

Thus, it is clear that Dunkirk does not swear by the template of war films. It stands out as a departure from what the viewers have witnessed on the cinematic landscape so far. In fact, there are four pertinent scenes which hint at the idea the movie possibly aims to get across - the futility of war.

Tommy turns his back towards war

In the establishing scene of the film, when Tommy, played by Fionn Whitehead, is attacked by soldiers of the same side, it unnerves him. He does not intend to retaliate. He is merely seen hiding from the prying eyes of his would-be executors. Even after he signals them that he is British and they allow him to run away, his sprint screams desperation. From a valiant soldier, Tommy turns into a hopeful survivor. This opening scene probably sets the agenda for the rest of the narrative.

Bodies come back when the tide turns

After their first evacuation attempt is compromised, the British soldiers suspect that the tide is getting high. While it lends a sense of immediacy to the film, the subsequent dialogue speaks volumes of the collective fate of humanity in times of war. "How can you tell the tide is changing?" A soldier asks the other.

"The bodies. They come back," the other soldier says as the camera reveals lifeless bodies of dead soldiers floating towards the shore. The change of tide probably hints at the changing times as World War II gets brutal in the coming years. But the subsequent statement is a warning to the Allied soldiers that men from both sides will lose their lives irrespective of who waves the victory flag eventually.

The boy is good

When the character played by Cillian Murphy, the fallen air force pilot, enters into an altercation with Gibson and injures him, he keeps checking on him subsequently through Peter, played by Tom Glynn-Carney. While Gibson suffers major injury and eventually dies, Peter informs Murphy that the "boy is good", as his father Dawson nods in approval.

This particular exchange shows how Peter, having known the cost of war (his brother died fighting), does not seek vengeance and chooses to bury the hatchet right there. He answers the perennially pertinent question of 'To be or not to be' with a rare act of far-sighted wisdom.

We must fight on the landing grounds

While the line 'We must fight on the beaches' went on to headline the rousing speech of then-President of United Kingdom, Winston Churchill, the subsequent line holds more significance in terms of the larger point that the film tries to hammer home.

In the last scene of the film, as Churchill's speech echoes in the background and British soldiers are received with much fanfare by their fellow countrymen, the narrative seamlessly oscillates from that to Tom Hardy's character struggling for a smooth landing of his fighter plane.

Having fired down the enemy jet planes and ensured a successful large-scale evacuation of the army, Hardy's character of Farrier, a Royal Air Force pilot, smells danger as his jet does not cooperate for a smooth landing. However, with Churchill's inspiring words ringing in the background, Hardy elbows his jet with all his might and manages to escape the tragedy consequently.

In the final scene of the film, as the United Kingdom celebrates escape as a strategic move, Hardy watches his plane submitting itself to flames. It is a poignant parallel drawn to the dilemma of a soldier - the ever lasting tug of war between valiance and wisdom.

Dunkirk, in many ways, tilts towards the latter while not discounting the former. It is a film that does not put forward retreat as an option but upholds survival as a soldier's wisest resort in grave situations, considering the value that he can add to his country when it is needed the most.

All images from YouTube.
Few days ago, when Telangana excise departments special investigation team (SIT) grilled filmmaker Puri Jagannadh in connection with a probe into the drug trade in Hyderabad, it was evident that a lot of secrets are going to tumble out of the closet.

At least, that was the whole intention behind this operation, where officials and even the government have made it clear that they wont spare anyone.

This isnt the first time that someone associated with the film industry has been named in a drug racket; however, when several big names came under the scanner, the whole issue turned into a great deal of embarrassment for the industry, which, until recently, was flying high after posting staggering figures at the box-office in the first half of 2017.

Trouble began brewing when the excise department busted a drug racket, which reportedly, had spread its tentacles into scores of schools and colleges in Hyderabad. Youngsters, sometimes as young as 12 or 13, had become addicted to drugs, including LSD and MMDA, and some girls were even trading their private pictures for drugs.

The revelations sent a chill down everyones spine and almost immediately, the government and the excise department sent notices to several schools and colleges to address the issue immediately. Several colleges and schools sent out circulars to the parents of all the kids studying in their school to watch out for symptoms of odd behaviour.

And just when it seemed like the government and other officials involved in busting this drug racket would address this issue seriously and put an end to the whole thing, the narrative shifted to drug abuse in film industry.

In fact, media reports, of late, have become so focused on a handful of actors, technicians who were served notices to appear before the SIT as part of the probe, that everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten whats happening in the schools and colleges.

Earlier this month, Allu Arvind, Suresh Babu and few others from the industry issued a warning to the film fraternity to stay away from drugs and urged them to not bring a bad name to the whole industry. However, it was too late by then. The names of some of the actors, who were under the scanner, was leaked to the media and all hell break loose.

Several actors like Nandu, Subbaraju, Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and few others, who received notices, denied these allegations; however, they are still expected to co-operate with the SIT.

Puri Jagannadh was the first from the film industry to be interrogated and on July 20, cinematographer Shyam K Naidu was interrogated by SIT. Although its not yet clear what exactly were the conversations between the officials and people who were interrogated so far, all this seems to have originated from the alleged links of a certain Calvin Mascarenhas, a key accused arrested in the case, to few members in the industry.

Some media reports also suggested that a mobile phone retrieved from Ravi Tejas brother Bharat, who died recently in a car crash, provided some more clues to establish these links between the drug suppliers and Telugu film industry.

When a section of the media and politicians like Congress Digvijay Singh accused the TRS Government of shielding several influential people who were linked with this drug racket, the government categorically denied that it was trying to influence the investigation. At the same time, its worth noting that, due to this mad rush to expose the nexus between the film industry and drug suppliers, the fate of the students, who have already become victims of drug abuse, now hangs in balance.

With everyone focusing on whats happening in the film industry, and with no signs of this issue ending anytime soon, its also a matter of great concern about what the schools and colleges, which were named in the drug racket in the first place, were doing to eradicating the menace.

On the other hand, several people within the industry, who have stood by the likes of Puri Jagannadh, allege that the industry is almost always made a scapegoat in such cases.

Be it a drug racket or a fringe group venting out its anger, film industry has been a soft target for everyone, and every single time, the lives of celebrities are scrutinised, stereotyped and stripped off their credibility.

Even before the investigation is complete, the celebrities who were issued notices have been crucified and pronounced guilty of a crime, which they may or may not have committed.

The fact is no one knows if they are guilty or not in first place, but the mad scramble to get a scoop has turned the investigation into an ordeal which has divided the industry with some close friends of the accused coming to their defence, and others maintaining an eerie silence.

Whatever happens in the end, its clear that Telugu film industry cant shrug itself off these allegations. The ghosts of the past have become back to haunt Tollywood and the ordeal will continue until a new bait appears on the scene to fulfill our thirst for drama.
By Shruti Sunderraman

Pahlaj Nihalani must be a tense man today. Ban as he might, Alankrita Shrivastavas Lipstick Under My Burkha opened to applause in cinemas.

A lipstick fought against months of censorship with a rouge-tinted smile, underlining autonomous voices  Shrivastavas and her casts. But what about a lipstick makes the likes of Nihalani uncomfortable in their privileged seats?

He should talk to my sister-in-law Neha. She does not share her lipstick pouch. The pouch is home to enviable shades of reds, pinks, maroons and even rainforest browns. I never had the guts to wear lipstick in college but I was endlessly fascinated by that lipstick pouch.

Shed not reserve her lipsticks only for occasions, but would smear her lips with the red-of-the-day every day. But something about Neha wearing lipstick to family gatherings created a ripple in the air. A couple of times, Id caught older women in the family look away from her face while talking to her  uncharacteristically rude of them, I thought.

Sometimes, Id be ushered away when I expressed my desire to apply her lipsticks.

Everything else about your outfit is so decent, why will you ruin it with that thing, my father had once remarked when I came out of Nehas room with cherry-painted lips. He would not even call it lipstick.

What was it about lipstick that made him so uncomfortable? It cant be the colour red. When no one objects to red on the forehead, why the hooplah over red on the lips? The displaced geography of redness seemed to reflect misplaced morality.

Also read: My politically charged lipstick  Notes from a lipstick-loving feminist's diary

Neha is not alone. History is her witness. In Ancient Greece, women were frowned upon for painting their lips because only prostitutes painted their lips.

In the Renaissance period, English pastors called the lipstick devils work and equated red on the lips to be demon-paint. So, you know what Queen Elizabeth I did? She wore the goddamn demon-paint on her lips to send a message to the clergy  STFU.

To Queen E, wearing lipstick reinforced her political autonomy. More recently, Symone Sanders, who served as national press secretary for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, seems to have taken a leaf out of the Queens book. She was constantly seen with a statement blood-wine lipstick throughout the campaign.

In an interview, she says, I dont think there are a lot of bald black girls on the political scene, at least that the American people get to see every day, so I want to represent for brown girls, all shades of brown.

Even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was subjected to endless flak and memes for sporting a fun purple shade of lipstick at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. She superbly brushed all them memes aside, saying, Its the time for creative artists to have their Picasso moments. Sometimes people get it and sometimes they dont And thats fine! Its really not my fulcrum of existence and I have enjoyed it.

Looking at these women, it is easy to conclude (and many would be eager to conclude) that lipstick is a sign of defiance.

But to me, it appears to be beyond defiance. It is an assertion. An assertion that I am a woman who recognises your power but I'm also self-assured about my own. While defiance tries to exclude, assertion includes. Which makes it easy to fight defiance but not assertion. This is what scares a patriarchal mindset and makes it run from the sight of feist-coloured lips. (THE POWER OF THE FEIST COMPELS YOU!)

Assertion is the prime suspect in Lipstick Under My Burkha. While the promotions of the film lead you to believe that sex is central to the plot, the movie delightfully guides your empathy to the assertion the protagonists are trying to find in their voices. It highlights their struggles to retain autonomy over their own bodies and more significantly, over their own lives. Sex is just a part of it. The lipstick is not a sign of promiscuity in the film, but serves as a window of freedom from oppressive mindsets.

Leela (Aahana Kumra) and Usha (Ratna Pathak Shah) wear lipstick to express themselves as sexual beings while Shireen (Konkona Sen Sharma) wears it to further her professional ambitions. Rehana (Plabita Borthakur) wears it to breathe. All four women use lipstick to express their inner assertive selves in an environment that keeps trying to push them back to sanskaar-land.

Which brings me to promiscuity. Lipsticks are promiscuous and what is wrong with that?

A male-dominated society does not take well to a womans promiscuity unless enforced upon them by men. What is wrong if I smear my lips with an outrageous red to attract a man or woman, to attract the world itself? The isolation of a lipstick and the promiscuity it brings is another way of sexualising women but not recognising them as sexual beings. Lipsticks do not highlight promiscuity but embrace it into an everyday fabric of expression. Keep your lipstick hypocrisy to yourself, sirjee. You cant call me red hot and tell your sister to not buy lipstick at home.

Lipsticks also highlight a class divide.

In a wonderful piece, filmmaker and writer Paromita Vohra highlights the hypocrisy behind hating on self-styled godwoman Radhe Maa for sporting red lipstick. She writes, Maybe, it is obscene, as one lawyer has alleged. Maybe, it just looks obscene to those who imagine gurus as conforming to another classy aesthetic. Its another example of the crass Vs. class divide.

Wearing lipsticks challenges multiple levels of oppression in society  through gender and through class. The dash of colour on the mouth underlines an unapologetic voice. It does not highlight female rebellion, just presence and an expression of self. My lipstick commands attention, and society doesnt like that it does.

The scariest part of it all? We have fun while dressing up our lips with pantones of reds, maroons and purples. As Vohra says, Fun is power.

And power there is, in lipushtick waale dreams.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine
The nepotism debate has been going on and on for months now with new celebrities are chiming in everyday. There have been jokes, apologies, open letters and more open letters.

People are picking sides, some are lauding Ranaut for standing up to nepotistic Bollywood stars, some are deeming "eugenics" as the reason for the practice and some are just going about their day, as usual.

Between all of this, there is Sonam Kapoor, who took to Twitter to define nepotism. And needless to say, people are not pleased.

Here's her tweet for your reference:

#fya NEPOTISM: the practice among those with power or influence of favouring RELATIVES or FRIENDS, especially by giving them jobs.  Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) July 19, 2017

Twitterati was quick to notice the capitalised letters and lost its s**t. Now, we do not really know which side Kapoor stands on in the debate. Back when Ranaut had made the nepotism remark on Koffee With Karan, Kapoor was asked for her thoughts on the subject. She brushed it aside by saying she hadn't followed the episode, therefore was unaware of Ranaut's comments.

Therefore, she has never explicitly stated what she thinks of the practice. Twitter, however, was quick to point out to Kapoor that needn't Google meanings and post them on Twitter as she, herself is a product of the same practice, too. Here are some of tweets from the platform:

And we thought nepotism is giving power to some set of actors who can make fun of some ACTORS at International platform  SHASHANK BARANWAL (@followshashank1) July 19, 2017

Girl knows how to Google.  Inglorious Batman (@i_amlanp) July 19, 2017

Kangana has hit the right nerve! The Talentless ones from the industry are left baffled. #Nepotism  Deepanjali Deka (@Deep_Anjalii) July 19, 2017

especially by giving them jobs EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TALENT  PRASHANT HYALIJ (@Prash4Hyalij) July 19, 2017

Well ! You have summarized your career in 140 characters  Shayani Barman (@ShayaniB) July 19, 2017

Needless to say, Twitter is having a fine Saturday morning.
Jaipur: BJP chief Amit Shah Saturday said the Centre has nothing to do with farmers' loan waiver and it is for state governments to decide on the issue.

"The finance minister has clarified that it is for the state governments to take decision on waiving farmers' loan," Shah said at a press conference in Jaipur.

On the second day of his three-day visit to Rajasthan, he said the issues of farmers were also discussed in meetings with the party leaders and office bearers. However, he refused to divulge any details with regards to discussion on farmers' issues.

The party chief is scheduled to have meetings with the party's core committee members, mayors, zila pramukhs, heads of various boards, corporations, commissions, panchayat samiti pradhans and others on Sunday.

Replying to a question, Shah said incidents of stone pelting in Kashmir have decreased during the Modi government's rule, and there is no external pressure on the government.

He added that the surgical strike was carried out by India across the LoC which reflected the strong will of the government.

When asked to comment on Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's remark regarding beef production in his state, the party supremo said he would discuss with Parrikar after his ongoing visit.
Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Saturday said those who allegedly threatened Malayalam author KP Ramanunni and asked him to convert to Islam should be arrested.

"Criminals who wrote the letter shld (be) arrested," the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member said on a social networking site:

Embrace Islam in 6 months else lose arm, leg: Threat to Malayali author https://t.co/3VQHbepou6 criminals who wrote the letter shld arrested  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 22, 2017

Ramanunni Friday lodged a police complaint regarding an anonymous threat letter warning him that his right arm and left leg would be chopped off if he did not convert to Islam within six months.

The letter was sent to Ramanunni's residence at Kozhikode in Kerala six days ago.

The writer said though there was no indication as to who was behind the letter, it was understood that it was posted from Manjeri in Malappuram district.

"I am not aware of the motive behind the letter. I filed a complaint with the Kozhikode city police commissioner, urging him to look into the matter," he had said.

Ramanunni said though he had ignored the letter initially, other senior writers advised him to file the police complaint. The letter alleged that some of the recent articles written by the award-winning writer amounted to "misleading" the Muslim youth.
Ram Nath Kovind's election as the President of India will be a red letter day for higher education in the country. His social background will give a further thrust to the plebian ethos in the management of higher education. After formal swearing-in, as a Visitor of all central universities, he will have a big 'knowledge constituency' to serve in the country. A nation is ultimately known by its 'soft power', whose foundation depends on the 'forward linkage' of education, where the President of India will be a presiding deity. In view of President-elect Kovinds contribution in the realm of higher education in Bihar where he was the governor, he is expected to act as a strong catalytic agent in triggering an educational renaissance in the country.

Kovind was not known to us before he became the governor of Bihar. Even after he assumed office, we were not particularly attracted, because the office of the governor was in extreme disrepute in Bihar. Many governors preceding him had sullied the image of the highest constitutional office of the state. We thought that he may be from the same pedigree and kept a distance from the governor's office. But then there was a dramatic change in our perception. We had invited Vice-President Hamid Ansari to inaugurate the 2nd Silver Jubilee Conference of the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) on 'Social Statistics'. As the constitutional head of the state, governor Kovind was also invited. In the inaugural session, Kovinds speech was a landmark event, forcing us to take notice of him. After that we had several rounds of discussion on higher education in the state and the country, including its critical component of research.

Later, we also came to know that he was a close associate of Morarjee Desai, a man known for the highest disciplinary standards in public life. As the chancellor of all universities, he slowly started revealing his Morarjeean traits, which got reflected in the higher education administration of the state.

Within a very short period of his tenure, he started taking notice of the ills affecting higher education in Bihar. He spoke candidly and frankly, not to embarrass the state government, but as a 'nurturant task master' to control and streamline a truant system. Fortunately, financial liquidity was not a problem in the university system, unlike in earlier times; the state government was very mindful about it. Even though governor Kovind was an NDA nominee, he tried structural changes in higher education by taking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar into confidence. There was no element of confrontation with the state government on innocuous issues. He allowed the then vice-chancellors to complete their tenures, but some of them who flouted legal norms were sacked unceremoniously. The most distinctive contribution of the governor was that he initiated the process of appointment of vice-chancellors in a transparent manner. He appointed distinguished 'search committees' to shortlist the names and personally interviewed the shortlisted candidates. For the first time in recent times, vice-chancellors were selected without quid pro quo, which had become the norm, during the tenure of earlier chancellors.

That was not the end of the story; the selected vice-chancellors were exposed to lectures on the issue of challenges in higher education by academic luminaries such as Deepak Nayyar and YK Alagh, successful former vice-chancellors of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, respectively. Interestingly, both the governor and the chief minister attended those illuminating lectures.

Continuing the trend, it is expected that higher education will be on the highest national agenda of President-elect Kovind. We are sure he will be able to replicate some of the positive experiences of Bihar at the national level. Unlike president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan or president Zakir Hussain, President-elect Kovind is not from formal academics, but from the experience of his Bihar stint, it is safe to assume that he will more than make up for it by his bottom-up approach to the administration of higher education. Being a man of 'consensus', he will be able to give a healing touch to all the central universities by establishing a dialogue involving the state, civil society and corporate India on the issue of higher education. The sagacity that he displayed in Bihar should be extended to the selection of vice-chancellors of the central universities.

No country in the first world has reached their present elevated status without promoting front ranking centres of higher education. Any innovation, whether in natural or social science is a product of the university system. Registration of 'patent' or publications in peer-reviewed journals is the benchmark by which the academic standard of a university is measured. For example, the highly prestigious National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) in the US is sponsored by the Rice University in Houston. India will arrive authentically in the 'knowledge' world when scientists are celebrated as much as billionaires  with scientists being one perch above in the pecking order.

Lets hope President-elect Kovind's tenure as the head of our countrys higher education administration will bring a new lease of life to higher education in India and create a global benchmark.

The author is member secretary, Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), Patna.
Last week, four news items made the rounds, bringing the issue of free speech or freedom of expression (FoE) back to the centre of the mainstream narrative.

1. A 17-year-old student from Baduria in West Bengal got arrested for a Facebook post where he made some objectionable observations about the Islamic faith. The Muslim protestors didnt stop at his arrest and indulged in violence.

2. An FIR was lodged by the cyber police, Mumbai, against Tanmay Bhatt of All India Bakchod, an independent stand-up comedy group, for making a meme of Narendra Modi with a dog filter. It all started with Prime Minister Narendra Modis look-alike being spotted at a railway station and AIB co-founder Tanmay Bhat putting up the meme on Twitter.

3. Madhur Bhandarkars new film Indu Sarkar was asked by the CBFC to make 12 cuts and add two disclaimers. Madhur refused to make the cuts and has taken the matter to the revising committee. He has been asked by the CBFC to do away with dialogues such as Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandi banaya hua hai, Aur tum log zindagi bhar maa-bete ki gulami karte rahoge, Main toh 70 saal ka buddha hoon, meri nasbandi kyun karwa rahe ho? and Ab iss desh mein Gandhi ke mayane badal chuke hai. They have also been asked to remove the Indian Herald newspaper cutting that mentions leaders' names like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Morarji Desai and Lal Krishna Advani during 1975. In addition to that, the words that have been ordered to be removed from Indu Sarkar include Kishore Kumar, IB, PM Section Officer, RSS, Akali, communist, Jayprakash Narayan. Again, it didnt stop here. The Congress has gone on an all-India protest against the film and has already ransacked two press conferences of Madhur after which he has been provided police security by the Mumbai Police.

4. A documentary  The Argumentative Indian on Nobel Laureate, economist and Harvard professor Amartya Sen  made by Suman Ghosh has been asked by the CBFC to beep Gujarat where Sen talks about Gujarat criminalities in reference to Indian democracy. At another point in the documentary, there is a reference to the enemy in India being religious leadership. CBFC asked India' to be removed. The third word asked to be removed is where Sen speaks of India being interpreted as Hindu'. The fourth change is in Sen's line about the Vedas being used in a sectarian way these days. CBFC has asked for the words used' and these days' to be removed. And finally, in CBFC chief, Pahlaj Nihalanis words: Prof. Sen refers to the Hindutva view of India as banal. We asked for the offensive adjective to be removed and asked them to remove cow where Professor Sen while speaking of religious integration, makes a frivolous reference to the cow because we felt a documentary on an Indian Nobel laureate referring so insensitively to our politics and religion could result in a serious breach of the peace and harmony of the country. They have been screening the film without a censor certificate in various public places of India. That's illegal. Freedom of expression is fine. What about breaking the law?"

If you examine closely, all these matters are juvenile, laughable and inconsequential in the context of the worlds largest democracy and the third largest economy, distressed with numerous complex issues seeking attention. But they made news, created massive outrage followed by protests, dharnas, goondaism, arrests, damaging of public property and violence. And a sharply divided house. One may ask, how can there be divisions on the matter of FoE in a democracy? But as expected the opinion leaders, influencers, media, civil society and social media enthusiasts were all divided on these four matters pertaining to FoE. Obviously, the liberals supported AIB and Amartya Sen and ignored the 17-year-old boy and Madhur Bhandarkar as if they do not exist in the marketplace of news. I havent seen any opinion leader talking about the miseries of the teen with the same concern as they speak in defence of AIB. I havent seen anyone support Madhurs FoE with the same love and passion as they showered over Sen. On the other hand, the right wing outraged against the AIB meme, filed complaints, outraged over the arrest of the teen, outraged over West Bengal violence and outraged over the formers silence and selective support of FoE.

Political parties, as it happens, played to the script and hijacked the debate of FoE to score political points and the liberals used both sides to their advantage. Like always, it became a battle of whose FoE is more sacred? between liberals and the conservatives and played out as such on the theatre of social media. Common man on the street has no time to understand FoE in his race to earn his living. He doesnt care about the legal constitution but follows the social constitution. Since India is a diverse and complex country with beliefs, customs, habits, conditions, polity, ideology, needs, food, costume, language changing every hundred kilometers, there are a plethora of social constitutions. The scope of FoE also keeps changing according to these social constitutions.

In a society like this the role of the media, artists, intellectuals, opinion leaders and influencers and reference groups becomes critical because they integrate this complexity with one central narrative on fundamental issues like FoE and liberty. Collectively they are known as liberals. These liberals have failed in their job and Ill tell you why. But before that let me clarify that I am keeping conservatives and right-wingers out of this because they as a group dont have the same power as the liberals. Most of our humanities academia, media, art and cultural institutions, and faculties that construct the mainstream narrative are filled with leftist ideologues. They have intellectual and communication power which the right-wing doesn't enjoy. By choosing to highlight one incident and ignoring another; coining terms like the Internet Hindu while ignoring Leftist and Islamist violence and amplifying a local lynching, communalising it but ignoring the lynching of RSS workers in Kerala, the liberals have displayed a very vulgar side of liberalism.

I am not saying right-wingers arent selective, its expected out of them. They are conservatives. Their idea of FoE is restrictive. They have no qualms about their selectivity. They arent the ones who take the high moral ground. Liberals do. Right-wingers believe in boundaries, liberals want an open world. Right-wingers follow their social constitution and fight to protect it over and above the legal constitution. Liberals follow the legal constitution and they have taken it upon themselves to protect FoE absolutely at the cost of challenging the social or religious constitutions. But in real life, its just the opposite. Liberals amplify Sens and AIBs case but remain silent when Madhur and that 17-year-old boys FoE is assaulted. Hence, they are guilty of selective outrage or partisan support of FoE.

A fleeting world of over-communication  wherein smart phones, digital technology, free-for-all information, free movement of ideas and globalisation, fading cultural boundaries, putting the entire diversity on the same platform with equal advantage and loss  has resulted in immense confusion and chaos. Since our legal system is ineffective and the law enforcement mechanism vulnerable, FoE has become a perfect tool to settle political points and reinforce agendas and narratives. Our legal constitution neither protects FoE, nor interferes or advises in such matters and mostly remains indifferent. If you force it to act, it so entangles the FoE victim in draconian legal technicalities that sooner or later the victim forgets FoE and withdraws. This confusion around FoE is also because the government or Parliament never clarify their position on the matter of FoE. Thats why people have taken this matter in their hands and each party wants to define FoE according to its vested interests. The government is guilty of such lawlessness. But then when was the government not guilty of anything?

With the absence of governmental or legal attention, people get away with anti-India slogans and while they can be arrested for ideological Facebook posts, defamation cases never reach anywhere, films are censored -- irrespective of the regime, paintings are burnt forcing the artist to flee the country, theaters are damaged but our legal constitution remains indifferent. Or, hapless. In such critical times, even our liberals are found silent. Or, amplifying only one narrative. Self-proclaimed champions of FoE have repeatedly been found to be selective and opportunist. Yes, CBFC is guilty of censorship of ideas and creative work. But the liberals are equally guilty of censoring the assault on the FoE of the right-wing. CBFC constitutionally weakens the absolutism of FoE. Liberals weaken its purpose, intellectually.

FoE is the greatest discovery in human history  one that is prior to every other discovery. FoE doesnt mean speaking what one may like, it means questioning and challenging faith, revelation, dogma, authority, charisma, augury, prophesy, intuition, clairvoyance, conventional wisdom, subjective certainty and help humanity move towards scientific and social enlightenment.

Genocides, killings, atrocities and violation of human rights is found in states where free speech is not allowed because FoE is the antidote to dictatorship and tyranny. Think about Hitlers Germany or todays China, Russia, North Korea, the African continent, and most of the Islamic world. How do dictators survive? They disallow dissent, hence, no FoE. If millions of citizens act together, no regime has the army to resist them. But citizens act only when they see the opinion leaders exerting their FoE against the state as a collective and united body. Citizens can be mobilised only through common knowledge which is created by public information. And public information is controlled by the liberals. But in the fight to protect FoE as a principle, our liberal group has been criminally selective and immorally opportunist, and therefore, weakening the very roots of our democracy.

FoE isnt there just to keep the government in check, it works against the oppressors of everyday life, the exploitative boss, the paedophile preacher, the molester in the bus, separatists, corrupt, racists, bigots, and so on. Our governments routinely ban books, movies and jail opponents on superficial charges to silence them. But we find our liberals reacting only on those issues of FoE which serve their political agenda. How is Madhurs FoE less important than Sens? How is an FIR against AIBs for a Snapchat dog filter an assault on FoE and not the arrest of the 17-year-old boy for a Facebook ideological post? Liberals are those who do liberal things and the first principle of liberty is equality. Our liberals are found taking sides, pushing agendas, manipulating information, censoring news and faking news and then giving it credibility. They have failed to protect the very fundamental principle of liberalism.

FoE is also an accelerant to social engineering, progress and harmony. It starts working in reverse mode when the public information, constructed and controlled by the liberals, becomes selective and agenda driven. This results in chaos, conflict and violence. Thats the very purpose of jihadis, separatists and Naxals. Thats exactly, what is happening in India. I find liberals guilty on this charge.

Last year, while releasing my film on Urban Naxalism, Buddha In A Traffic Jam I was threatened, sabotaged and physically assaulted but the liberals not just maintained a deafening silence, some of them even discredited the movie without even seeing it. I had wondered then, why would they do this if their declared objective is to protect FoE, mine or theirs? Genuine liberals are those who stand up for everyones FoE, irrespective of ideas or ideology because they want to protect democracy and liberty.

Today, the same thing is happening with Madhurs film. Its a sad commentary on our liberalism that the liberals arent supporting a film based on the emergency. The emergency that crushed an entire nations liberty, its dignity, its FoE. Its time to question "why so silent, who so selective my learned liberal friends?"

The author is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, public speaker and the founder of I Am Buddha Foundation. He tweets @vivekagnihotri
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred formation of a committee to supervise the border fencing on the India-Bangladesh border till 31 July after the Centre submitted three names for its consideration.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and RF Nariman said that since the three names suggested by Centre have come belatedly, therefore, the hearing of the matter be deferred.

It took into record the name suggested by some petitioners and Centre for the committee after former home secretary Madhukar Gupta has expressed his inability to continue supervising the border fencing on the India-Bangladesh border.

The apex court had on 13 July rapped Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for his "intervention" in the process of publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is being monitored by the top court.

The apex court had observed that when it was monitoring the process of preparation and publication of the draft NRC, which is meant to identify original residents of the state to check illegal migration, through a court-appointed committee, no agency or authority can make such a statement.

It had said that if the authorties intervened in the matter like this, it would "wash off its hands" as it does not appreciate such moves.

The counsel representing Assam government had said there was no intention on the part of the chief minister to interfere in the apex court proceedings.

The chief minister had faced the ire after the court was informed that though the deadline for publication of draft NRC was said to be 31 March, 2018, the chief minister has stated that this would be done on or before December 2017.

The apex court had also observed that it has spent time and energy for almost two years for this and it was "not fair" on the part of the chief minister to make such a statement.

The court noted in its order that though Prateek Hajela, state coordinator, NRC Assam, had earlier stated before it that the date of publication of draft NRC would be around March 2018, now he has said that it would be published by December end this year.

It had said that now the date of publication of draft NRC is on or before 31 December, 2017 and therefore the budgetary allocation should be made available so that the work could be done by the year end.

Centre had informed that former home secretary heading a committee which was already entrusted some task by the court, has expressed his inability to oversee the construction of the fencing in the western front of the India-Bangladesh border.

It was said Gupta has cited personal reasons, including health, and has declined to take up the work related to construction of fencing in the western front of the border.

The bench had then clarified that it would like to give the work to a public spirited person and allowed Centre and petitioners to suggest some names for the committee.

It had said it will constitute another committee for the work and asked for the names from the parties within seven days.

The apex court was hearing a matter relating to fencing of India-Bangladesh border.
Jammu: An army jawan was injured when the Pakistan Army fired at Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night, a senior Army officer said on Saturday.

"The Pakistan army initiated small arms firing at the Indian Army posts in the Naushera sector at around 10.35 pm. There was a brief exchange of fire from both sides," he said.

One soldier sustained minor injuries on his left arm when a bullet ricocheted and hit him, he said, adding that the injured jawan was administered medical attention and was out of danger.

"There was no ceasefire violation today," said the officer.

In a similar incident in the Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir last evening, an army personnel was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries later.

The Pakistani army initiated an unprovoked firing at Indian Army posts at around 1805 hours (6.05 pm) for a brief period which was "strongly and effectively" retaliated by the Indian Army, said the officer.

In the ensuing fire exchange, Rifleman Jayadrath Singh (28) was critically injured and died subsequently, he added.

Singh belonged to Deoband village in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by wife Mamta Devi.

Eleven persons, including nine soldiers have been killed and 19 persons injured in a total of 18 ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 10 days.
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra on Friday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed with him various issues concerning the state, including security to Amarnath pilgrims and repeated ceasefire violations, officials said.

Representational image. PTI[/capti

During the 20-minute meeting, the governor apprised Singh about the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley and the steps taken for restoring normalcy.

Vohra also briefed Singh about the steps taken for the security of Amarnath pilgrims in the wake of the 10 July terrorists attack in which eight pilgrims were killed, the officials of the home ministry said.

They also discussed the increasing infiltration attempts and growing incidence of terrorism in the valley, continuing attacks on the state police personnel.

As many as 2,27,342 pilgrims have paid obeisance at Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas till Friday evening.

The 40-day yatra to the cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,888-metre, began on 28 June.

Four districts of the state  Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag  have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani in an encounter with security forces on 8 July, 2016.

Seventy-six people, besides two police personnel, were killed during the five-month unrest in the valley following the killing of Wani.

The current unrest began after the 9 April by-election to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, which saw massive violence during polling.
Jammu: An army jawan was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army which opened fire on Friday on Indian posts along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, after a day's lull.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Sunderbani sector at around 1805 hours on Friday. The army retaliated strongly and effectively", a defence spokesman said.

In the exchange, Rifleman Jayadrath Singh, hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, he said. The soldier is survived by his wife.

Atleast 11 persons, including nine soldiers, were killed and 18 people injured in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

The army also foiled 16 infiltration bids until 11 July in which the security forces killed 36 militants.

This year also saw 14 incidents of terrorist attacks on the army.
Thiruvananthapuram: Renowned Malayali author KP Ramanunni on Friday lodged a police complaint regarding an anonymous threat letter warning him that his right arm and left leg would be chopped off if he did not convert to Islam within six months.

The letter was sent to Ramanunni's Kozhikode residence six days ago.

The writer said though there was no indication as to who was behind the letter, it was understood that it was posted from Manjeri in Malappuram district.

"I am not aware of the motive behind the letter. I filed a complaint with the Kozhikode city police commissioner today, urging him to look into the matter," he told PTI.

Ramanunni said though he had ignored the letter initially, other senior writers advised him to file the police complaint.

The letter alleged that some of the recent articles written by the award-winning writer amounted to "misleading" the Muslim youth.

It also warned that Ramanunni would meet the same fate as that of Professor TJ Joseph, whose right arm was chopped off by the members of a radical Muslim outfit for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments through a question paper he had set.

"Like TJ Joseph, your right arm will be cut off...your left leg too. You are given six months to convert to Islam. If you do not embrace Islam, we will inflict Allah's punishment on you," the letter said.

The police said a probe was launched on the basis of Ramanunni's complaint.

The right arm of Joseph, who was a professor in the Thodupuzha New Man College, was chopped off while he was returning home from the Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on 4 July, 2010.

A novelist and short story writer, Ramanunni is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award and Vayalar Award among other literary acclaims.

A film was also made on his debut novel Sufi Paranja Katha, which revolved around the love story of a Muslim man and a Hindu woman.
Kolkata: Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday lambasted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her call to "dislodge" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused her of "disturbing" communal harmony.

"Her campaign to dislodge Modiji... Everybody can daydream but that is not going to happen. A non-existent unity can't give us a challenge. Modi is connected to the poor, all sections of society. We are getting stronger by the day," Javadekar said on the sidelines of an event.

On Friday at the Martyr's Day Trinamool Congress rally, Banerjee slammed the ruling BJP, accusing it of indulging in "massive corruption" and failure on all fronts.

She pledged to remove it from power in the next general elections.

Javadekar said Banerjee's speech highlighted her "frustration."

"Her desperation and frustration was palpable. She has only one agenda - to speak against BJP and Modi. People are with us. Even in Bengal, a growing number of people are coming and speaking to BJP. So that's the real cause of worry for her, and that was palpable on Friday," he said.

"I am charging that Communists and Mamata's rule is no different because both are not really trying to develop the state. They are distributing poverty only, not prosperity," he said.

He alleged that Banerjee was creating communal discord.

"It is a worrisome feature of her politics, especially the last few months. She is dividing society, dividing communities. It is unacceptable. In democracy, communal harmony is the essence and that is getting disturbed," he added.
New Delhi: A 32-year-old man has been arrested for masturbating publicly while ogling at a German woman pursuing her Ph.D in New Delhi, police said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said a photo of the accused's car that the woman clicked as he was escaping helped the police nab him.

The officer said that the incident took place on Thursday and the accused Tarun was arrested on Friday evening from Palwal in Haryana.

On Thursday afternoon, the woman, pursuing her Ph.D from Jawaharlal Nehru University in the city, had taken her dog for a stroll in Greater Kailash-II area of south Delhi.

"She noticed that a man was looking strangely at her and suddenly he removed his trousers and started masturbating while looking at her," Baaniya said.

As the woman started shouting, the man sped away in a car but the woman managed to take a photo of his car, police said.

Police said the registration number of the vehicle led to the arrest of the accused.

"She displayed sharp presence of mind by taking snapshot of the vehicle which led to cracking of the case. We need more such girls who know how to speak and stand up for themselves," Baaniya said.
Imphal: The state forces apprehended one militant of the proscribed outfit Revolutionary Peoples' Front (RPF) involved in an attack on security convoy in May last, a police statement said on Friday.

The security was escorting a parliamentary secretary in a interior hill village in May last, the police statement said.

The RPF cadre, identified as 26-year-old Nameirakpam Sanju Meitei, was arrested by police commandos on 1 July earlier this month.

During investigation, the police found out that the accused was involved in the attack on the security convoy of a parliamentary secretary in May last.

The attack was carried out at Kwatha Yangsanglok area in the hill district of Tengnoupal.

Four police commandos had suffered minor injuries in the attack.

Police said the militant admitted that the attack was carried out by a team of RPF cadres led by its self-styled commander Major Chingsang with their associates Richard and Romio.

They had come from their "tactical headquarters located at Ongiya in Myanmar", said the police statement.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a farewell dinner for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee and presented him a memento on the occasion on Saturday.

"In keeping with tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presents a memento to president on the occasion of farewell hosted by him for the president," a Press Information Bureau tweet said.

The dinner was attended by president-elect Ram Nath Kovind, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, senior ministers and various Opposition leaders.

Mukherjee will be given a farewell by MPs on Sunday in the Central Hall of Parliament.

Also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he was given a farewell by the Chiefs of Staff Committee on Friday.

In a simple function held at the Manekshaw Centre, the president interacted with senior military officers and in his farewell address, extended his best wishes to all members of the armed forces and their families.

He also paid tributes to the martyrs and their families for their sacrifices for the nation.
Newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Goa Vinay Tendulkar will continue to head BJP's unit in the coastal state till the party relieves him from the post.

"I will continue to be the Goa unit chief of BJP till my party wishes. Although I have become a member of the Rajya Sabha, I will continue working for the party organisation in the state. The ongoing party programmes will continue," Tendulkar told PTI on Saturday.

Tendulkar yesterday won the sole Rajya Sabha seat from Goa, defeating his Congress counterpart and sitting MP Shantaram Naik.

Tendulkar said it is for the party to decide whether to continue him as the chief of the state unit or relieve of the charge.

"Though I am Rajya Sabha MP, my area of operation will always remain Goa. I will not leave Goa politics," he said adding he would be in Delhi only during the Parliament session or for "important meetings".

" My first priority will be do works in 22 constituencies whose MLAs voted for me. Also in two

constituencies of Panaji and Valpoi where by-election is pending," he said. To a question, Tendulkar said the works in the constituencies of opposition legislators would be a "second priority."
While keeping the RJD guessing over the possible action if deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav does not resign, Bihar chief minister and JD(United) president Nitish Kumar on Saturday clarified to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress leadership must stop defending tainted Lalu Prasad family, as per sources.

Nitish Kumar met Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi on Saturday, but JD(United) sought to downplay the meet, reasoning that it was a courtesy call as the Congress was also an alliance partner in the states ruling mahagathbandhan.

A close aide of Kumar told CNN-News 18 that he, during the meeting, reminded Rahul Gandhi of the day when he tore apart an ordinance dubbed as save the convict bill in 2013, only a month before the RJD chief Lalu Prasad was found guilty in a fodder scam related case.

Congress added to confusion within mahagathbandhan by attacking Nitish, though clarification came later on. Now their leadership must clarify their stand on Tejashwi whom the CBI has booked in a land graft case. Nitishji has told Rahul Gandhi that his stand on the issue was clear and as an alliance partner, Congress should also clarify, the source said.

In Patna, JD(United) spokesman Ajay Alok said that the New Delhi meeting was a courtesy meeting. Alok further stated that their stand on corruption and Tejashwi would be the same.

However, senior Congress leader Premchand Mishra told CNN-News 18 that Gandhi was keen on saving the grand alliance at any cost. But Mishra asserted that filing of an FIR could not be the reason for demanding resignation from Tejashwi as Union minister Uma Bharti, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and few other leaders are also facing similar cases.
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday demanded action against the army personnel for allegedly thrashing and injuring seven policemen in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

"Why would the army beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification/action by the authorities," Omar said.

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and six police personnel were injured after they were allegedly thrashed by armymen in Ganderbal after policemen deployed on the Amarnath yatra duty stopped them at a check point.

Police have filed a case against the Army personnel, an official said, adding that records kept at a police station were also damaged.
Jammu: An Indian Army soldier was injured on Saturday in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army on the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, defence sources said.

The soldier was injured in Lam sector of the LoC. The Pakistani Army is using small arms, automatics and mortars, defence ministry sources said

The Indian Army was responding effectively and strongly, he added.

The firing exchanges were still on, he said.

On Friday, Rifleman Jayadrath Singh of Raj Rifles was killed and Rifleman Sachin Kumar was injured in similar ceasefire violation in Sunderbani sector of the LoC.

Atleast 11 persons, including nine soldiers, were killed and 18 people injured in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

The army also foiled 16 infiltration bids until 11 July in which the security forces killed 36 militants.
For almost two years now, the Union Home Ministry has been arguing to shut down the cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade between two parts of Kashmir after a series of intelligence reports prepared by officials indicated that the cover of trade may be used by Pakistan for militancy and Hawala operations.

The argument holds that the barter trade has become not just a source of funding militancy but destabilising the Valley too, thus turning into another headache for security agencies who are already overburdened with the changing contours of militancy on ground in the Valley.

We have been building a case to shut it down, a Home Ministry official recently told Firstpost. There is lack of political will which could be the reason why the cross-LoC bus was allowed to ply a day after an army base was attacked by militants in Uri, he added.

On Friday, the fears turned true again when the Jammu and Kashmir Police seized over 25 kg of heroine in the border town of Uri from a truck coming from Pakistan, in Salamabad. This is the sixth time since trade began on 21 October, 2008, that the police has seized contraband in such a large quantity.

SHO Uri Tabraiz Ahmad told Firstpost that the consignment of textiles was addressed to a trader based in Pampore area on the outskirts of Srinagar. Although investigation is on, the police is trying to ascertain if the consignment might have been meant for fomenting trouble in the Valley.

The banned substance was hidden under a consignment of textiles that arrived in a truck from Pakistan-administered Kashmir at the Salamabad trade facilitation centre, Ahmad said.

The truck bearing registration number X-8267, was going through routine checking when the drugs were found hidden in false cavities specifically fabricated for this purpose, in boxes purportedly shown to contain mercantile goods. The truck driver identified as Syed Yousuf, son of Ali Akbar, has been taken into custody.

A statement issued by Kashmir police said the police seized narcotic drugs from a truck coming from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to this side as part of cross-LoC trade at Trade Centre Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla.

A police team during checking at Trade Centre Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla recovered 66.5 kilograms of narcotic drugs which appear to be heroine, the statement said.

The cross-LoC trade was started between India and Pakistan by the Manmohan Singh government as one of the major confidence-building measures between the two countries. The trade between India and Pakistan of over two dozen listed items operates for four days in a week through Uri in Baramulla district of Kashmir Valley and Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district of Jammu.

Trade had been on since 2008. But suspensions have been common whenever there has been an escalation of tensions between the two countries.

In August 2013, the police recovered cocaine consignment worth Rs 10 crore from a truck coming from across the LoC. The consignment was meant for a Hizbul Mujahideen operative who was later arrested by Kashmir police.

In January 2015, the detention of a Pakistani driver who carried a consignment of narcotic brown sugar estimated to be worth Rs 100 crore for a trader in Bandipora, was at the centre of a diplomatic spat that resulted between the governments of India and Pakistan, indefinitely suspending trade across the LoC.

The state police had arrested the driver and seized the truck. They found 144 packets of brown sugar that had been hidden inside gunny bags along with almonds. The truck was being driven by a Pakistani national, identified as Mohammad Shafi from Sarwar, Muzaffarbad, who is still under custody in Kashmir.

Pakistani authorities retaliated by detaining 27 Indian trucks carrying goods from India to demand the release of the truck and driver, who was being questioned by the Jammu and Kashmir Police at that time.

The money, police officials say, which is being generated from narcotics, is mostly used to fund militancy-related activities in the state. Just three days ago, the NIA had claimed it has got crucial leads from trade-related documents seized by the agency in Srinagar after carrying out raids in different parts of the Valley.

There is purportedly a case of over and under invoicing in which almonds are brought in for Rs 600-650 per kg as against Rs 250-300 per kg. A day after NIAs disclosure, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited Uri and expressed hope that the ambit of cross-LoC trade and travel activities would be further expanded so that there is more exchange of people and goods.

It is a fact that borders cannot be redrawn, but they can certainly be made irrelevant with frequent exchange of people, students, artists and other groups of people, she said.

Advocating opening of more traditional routes along the LoC, Mehbooba said cross-LoC travel and trade was not coined and piloted as an isolated facility but to bring the people on the two sides of the divide closer and open a new chapter of friendship and working together.

But with the latest recovery of contraband, the idea of bringing together two divided parts of Kashmir will again come under scrutinty. It should not, however, prevent the political leadership in the two countries from moving ahead in applying balm to the festering wound of Kashmir.
New Delhi/Shimla: The CBI Saturday took over the investigation of the alleged rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimla, and registered an FIR in the case which has triggered angry protests against the Himachal Pradesh government.

The agency has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to be headed by a superintendent of police of the agency, CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said.

The team also comprises an additional SP and a deputy SP. "It was alleged that a minor girl had gone to school on July 5, 2017 but did not return home. Her body was found in the morning of July 6 from a nearby forest. On a complaint lodged by her father with Police Station Kotkhai, District Shimla, the FIR was registered against unknown persons," Gaur said about the case which has been filed under sections 302 (for murder) and 376 (for rape) of IPC, and section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Under section 4 of POCSO, if convicted for the offence of sexual assault of a child, a person can be imprisoned for a minimum period of seven years, extendable to life.

Gaur said after filing of the FIR Saturday evening, the SIT left for the scene of the crime.

The CBI will also probe a related case of the death of one of the six accused in the case, under alleged mysterious circumstances in police custody. It has registered a separate FIR for it.

The post-mortem of accused Suraj, who died in police custody at Kotkhai police station, was conducted at IGMC Hospital in Shimla, but the CBI has asked the state police not to hand over the body to his family members.

The CBI took over the cases on the order of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Meanwhile, protests demanding justice for the murdered girl continued with protesters blocking the Hindustan-Tibet road in Theog, 32 kilometres from Shimla, for several hours as hundreds of vehicles were left stranded.
The powers that be in New Delhi seem cheerfully oblivious to the Chinese belligerence on the border. So far, since the 1962 spanking, which we asked for by going a bridge too far in what was supposed, to be orchestrated conflict, the Sino-Indian relationship has teetered between warm and lukewarm. No major conflagration has occurred on the common borders. But where Doka La is concerned, this is an international border. The fear that Beijings influence in Thimpu could be a lot more tangible than we think could see it coming into the orbit of Chinese influence, very much like what Nepal is also experiencing.

That is the intrinsic difference this time around. Their troops are also intensifying their activity and the Chinese global warnings about cutting India to size have a certain credibility.

We have three choices. The first is to play ostrich and pretend it is just a bit of posturing by a nation that will not actually press the button. The second is to wake up to reality and get talking because we dont need to battle and if Bhutan  whom we have promised to protect militarily against Chinese adventurism  wants to be the prey in that hunt, why do we get into it?

The third is to have coffee and wake up to the unthinkable. We realise that Beijing is not playing games and intends to take us on even as we financially feed the dragon by investing in cheap Chinese ripoffs and continue to play 'lets pretend this is not happening'.

The massing of troops is not for fun and maintaining them in red alert mode is hugely expensive. You can feed them rah rah rhetoric only for a certain time. At some stage, they have to stand down or see action. Otherwise, their morale droops. This is Chinas dilemma. If it backs off now, getting back to pole position again will be onerous. Consequently, even if it hurts itself, the odds of it creating some tension are very good and improve with each passing day.

We have to get our ducks in a row and stop looking for reasons why they will not up the ante.

While the reference to Sushma Swaraj as the lady foreign minister might be a gender slur and merely an example of chauvinistic bad form in its mockery of Indias ability to take China on, the Farooq Abdullah statement of intent is a lot more dangerous. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has suggested a third party mediation in the row between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and specifically named China. The timing is worrisome and we should take heed because Beijing could interpret it as an invitation to intercede.

China, at this point, knows that the Northeast is easy pickings and even if it sent scores of soldiers in civvy get up to create a fifth column, they would melt into the masses without our even knowing. Having caused tension in Sikkim and Bhutan, why not stir the stick in Kashmir and place India truly on the back foot?

With all these unpleasant scenarios no longer in the realm of unreality, it becomes an imperative for the government and the prime minister to reassure the nation that we have not lowered our guard and are prepared to defend the land. Dont hear that call to arms.
Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters, a senior fisheries official said.

This is the fifth such incident this month. The fishermen from Nagapattinam district were arrested for fishing off Neduntheevu near the Sri Lankan coast and have been taken to Kangesanthurai port, Nagapattinam joint fisheries director Amala Xavier said.

On Monday, four fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested for allegedly fishing off Neduntheevu.

On 13 July, seven fishermen from Mandapam near here were held off Neduntheevu and taken to Kangesanthurai port, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in finding a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests.

"Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail India's efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue," he had said in a letter dated 13 July. The state government has maintained that retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the "only solution" to the vexed fishermen's issue.
The Delhi Police has filed a status report before the Delhi High Court saying that the cause of Sunanda Pushkar's death is still unknown and more time is needed for the investigation, CNN-News18 reported.

Cause of Sunanda Pushkar's death unknown tells Delhi Police in the status report and seeks more time. pic.twitter.com/RRua7EIfNg  News18 (@CNNnews18) July 22, 2017

The Delhi High Court had on 20 July asked the police to file a status report regarding the ongoing probe into the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanada Pushkar.

A bench of justices GS Sistani and Chander Shekhar had issued the direction while hearing Subramanian Swamy's plea for a court-monitored probe by the CBI-led SIT into the matter.

The direction was issued by the bench after Rahul Mehra, counsel for the Delhi Police, informed the court that the status report of the investigating agency has been given to him in the courtroom, and he wants to go through it before placing it on record.

Mehra further informed the court that an SIT has been constituted in the matter. He further said that the Swamy's petition has raised serious allegations against the police probing the matter, so the agency be given time to place their stand.

Considering the request made by the counsel, the court fixed the matter for 1 August while directing them to supply an advance copy of the status report to Swamy, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the CBI.

Swamy has alleged that "inordinate delay" has been caused in the investigation, "which is a blot on the justice system". Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of 17 January, 2014.

With inputs from PTI
One Ukrainian soldier was killed, two were injured as a result of 11 shelling by militants over the past day, the ATO press center said on its Facebook page on Saturday morning.

"The ATO forces lost one serviceman, two more were injured," the report said.
Agartala: A top official of the Left-ruled Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) has claimed that at the behest of the BJP-led central government the NITI Aayog has begun a "financial blockade" against the autonomous body by not releasing funds regularly.

"At the behest of the BJP-led central government the NITI Aayog by not releasing funds on regular basis has begun a 'financial blockade' against the TTAADC," Chief Executive Member of the body, Radha Charan Debbarma, said on Saturday.

"In the last financial year (2016-17), NITI Aayog released Rs 176 crore to TTAADC, but this year (2017-18) it has released only Rs 73 crore against the Rs 200 crore to be released for the council."

Debbarma, also a veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) tribal leader, said the BJP has been claiming that the TTAADC has not been working properly for the all-round development of the tribals.

"TTAADC has been working despite financial crisis due to negative attitude of the Central government. However, the tribal council is doing its best with the help of the state government. Its performance is on the top among the 16 autonomous tribal councils in the northeastern states," he stated.

The TTAADC, which was set up in 1985, has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals of of Tripura's around four million population.

A tribal based party  Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT)  has been agitating since 2009 for a separate state to be carved out by upgrading the TTAADC. The IPFT had earlier this month blockaded the National Highway 8, the life line of Tripura, and a lone railway line for 11 days in support of its demand for a separate state, leading to shortage of essentials in the land-locked northeastern state.
Ghaziabad: Eight policemen of Sahibabad police station in Ghaziabad have been suspended after they were found guilty of a custodial death, an officer said on Saturday.

Ghaziabad senior superintendent of police (SSP) HN Singh suspended eight staffers of Sahibabad police station including the Inspector In-charge, his assistant  a Senior Sub-Inspector (SSI)  three Sub-Inspectors and three constables, including the head clerk of the police station.

Singh's action came after an inquiry report conducted by a senior police officer Rajesh Kumar from Meerut found the policemen guilty of the custodial death.
On Saturday evening, the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) announced the results of its eighth semester examinations conducted during June and July 2017, as reported by Examswatch.

Students from the civil and mechanical departments at VTU can checked their results at results.vtu.ac.in

Approximately 60 thousand students have written their final year examinations of Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in 190 colleges in Karnataka, which is affiliated to VTU.

Only the results of students pursuing engineering under civil and mechanical departments were published online on Saturday evening, as per Examswatch.

Announcement of results of remaining departments can be expected within two days.

The Times Of India earlier reported that students faced a delay in acquiring results for odd semesters. The results were then declared within a fortnight.

The report further mentioned that thousands of final year students had been concerned as VTU delayed announcing the results by at least two months.

Previously, in March, NDTV reported that VTU had announced the results of the first and second semesters of examination. The exams were conducted during December 2016 and January 2017.

According to The Indian Express, VTU is named after notable Bharata Ratna awardee M Visvesvaraya who was an engineer, scholar and statesman. The university has 202 affiliated engineering colleges under its jurisdiction. More than 50,000 students graduate from this VTU on a yearly basis.
Editor's note: From May 2017, Firstpost is featuring a fortnightly column by Mridula Ramesh, titled 'Climate Conversations'. In this column, we take a look at pressing issues pertaining to climate change  in an accessible way.

Commenting on the fairness of Chinas territorial claim over Tibet is beyond the scope of this column. As such, we begin with what is the de facto situation today: China controls Tibet together with all the water stored within its glaciers and ice. Tibet is often called the Third Pole, because it holds the most perennial ice after the Arctic and Antarctica. Tibets snow and ice provides the water that nourishes billions across Asia, including several of Indias mightiest rivers: the Brahmaputra, the Indus and tributaries of the Ganga.

Therein lies the first serious fault-line under the India-China relationship  and the bad news is that it is getting deeper.

Why?

China is a vast country with widely varying climates. Northern China is very dry and, thanks in part to a warming climate, is getting drier. Indeed, large parts of Chinas North is falling prey to desertification because of a combination of climate change and human activity. As the Chinese frequently remind themselves, they need to maintain 21 percent of the worlds population on only six percent of the worlds freshwater resources. Thats a tough task. In the words of Wang Shucheng, former minister of water resources: "To fight for every drop of water or die: that is the challenge facing China."

The situation is worsened by the legendary pollution of Chinas many water sources. Which means what water there is to draw from the river or the ground is most likely polluted, in turn driving up the need for fresh water.

For a country that favours investment, there are two options for getting fresh water: by damming and transferring and/or through desalination. In reality, water conservation or waste water treatment can provide cheaper and good quality water, but that is another story.

China loves dams. They are big. They dont add to the air pollution, at least not directly. They are uniquely suited to a command-and-control economy with a penchant for large infrastructural projects and where large groups of people can be relocated relatively easily. Importantly, they are a visible legacy for the leaders of China, many of whom are engineers and for whom mastery over nature is an appealing concept. Whats not to love?

There is also an older and a deeper reason. China, like many other societies, has a Great Flood in its founding legends. In this story, over 4,000 years ago, a flood threatened to destroy the Chinese society on the banks of Yellow River.

Rising and ever rising, it threatens the very heavens: Emperor Yao describes the flood.

The flood raged on for years and many tried to subdue it  first with a supernatural clay, then with administrative reforms. Nothing worked, until finally, Yu subdued the flood through the building of dykes and canals. Moral? Engineering saves the day by proving mans supremacy over nature.

China has the most number of dams in the world, equal to the dams present in the rest of the world combined. One of the largest  the Three Gorges Dam  displaced over a million people, created a reservoir that spanned a 1,000 square kilometres and powers one of the largest power stations in the world.

Dams provide hydroelectricity and they provide a means to store water, especially for a river prone to flooding. Hydroelectricity plays a major role in Chinas ambitions to green its power supply as it has far lower emissions than coal or oil.

Dams, however, have their disadvantages. When a river is dammed, the water accumulates behind the dam creating a reservoir and submerging anything that might have existed there before  homes, forests or cities. Dams in China have displaced 23 million people. Dams prevent the movement of silt carried by the rivers to cross the dam  with the result that the fertility of the areas downstream is limited. Farmers often talk about the water being thinner and less nourishing when a river is dammed.

Dams are also potent geopolitical weapons.

What do I mean by this? The river flow is controlled by the dam  it can be increased or reduced  potentially reducing flooding during peak rainfall and reducing drought by releasing water during lean times. However, if the dam is controlled by another country, the control itself is a potent tool of ensuring good behaviour of downstream countries  a poignant truth in Indias case.

Dams can trigger seismic activity  especially the truly large ones constructed close to geological fault lines. Think of what millions of tons of pressure exerted by the water held in the reservoir can do to a fault line. Several experts consider the Great Sichuan Quake of 2008 that killed 70,000 and left millions homeless to be caused by the Zipingpu dam located 5 kilometers from the quakes epicentre.

You begin to see the problem.

China annexed Tibet in 1950, adding the tremendous water resources of the Tibetan plateau to Chinas geopolitical arsenal.

Now, for China, to transfer the water locked in Tibet and from a wetter South China to a dryer North appeared to make sense. To this end, they created the grand South-to-North Water Diversion Project. In the past few years, China transfers billions of litres of water a year from the South to the North through this project. This is a colossal engineering feat costing over $62 billion, designed to divert 44.8 billion cubic metres of water annually to Chinas dry north. This water transfer plan includes a controversial Western transfer plan which would include diverting waters from Tibet.

The Chinese have a saying: Killing two vultures with one stone. And damming the rivers in the Tibetan plateau just happens to also generate tremendous amounts of hydroelectricity. This is great because, as mentioned earlier, hydroelectricity does not produce particulate pollution  a particularly important point for China, which is battling with terrible air pollution in its cities, thanks in part to its coal plants. Secondly, hydroelectricity is considered renewable, and thus underscores Chinas green image on the world stage.

China has begun to dam the Brahmaputra, with one dam (Zangmu) operational and several more in the works (reportedly up to 40 dams on the Brahmaputra and the subsidiaries). Moreover, China is planning further dams on the Indus  these built on disputed territory.

These dams do not bode well for India, or indeed, for its downstream neighbours. If the Brahmaputra became a seasonal river because of the damming, there is a clear full stop to any river interlinking projects right there, because there will be a lot less water to transfer to the rest of India. Furthermore, this zone is already earthquake prone. Scientists are already warning of the strain building up  the dams would only add to it. There is also loss of silt that is critical to the farmers of Northeast India and the rice farmers of Bangladesh.

There we have it: the fault-line, how it affects India and why climate change deepens it by making China more keen to transfer water and increase its share of hydroelectricity.

The second big fault-line is Chinas determination to take what it sees as its rightful position in the world. More than 200 years ago, Lord Amherst while returning from a British diplomatic mission to China, visited Napoleon during his exile in St Helena. In the course of their conversations, Napoleon is quoted as saying Quand la Chine s'eveillera , le monde tremblera. Roughly translated, this mean When China awakes, the world will tremble, with the popular appendage, Let her sleep.

China is wide awake now and the world is feeling the effects of its wakefulness.

To understand Chinas actions, it helps to understand the Chinese game of Wei Qi. Chinese strategy is influenced by an ancient Chinese game called Wei Qi, where the object is not an outright victory but a slow build-up of strategic advantage through encircling ones opponent (Aside: a simpler version of this game is available as Go or Othello for the armchair strategists who would like to try it).

Chinas moves, viewed through this lens, start to make sense. Chinese investment in the Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has reached $62 billion, is one move of this game. The two dams on the Indus are yet another move in this game. The encirclement continues in the south, with the port in Sri Lanka, and in the North East with the manoeuvres in Nepal, and the numerous dams across the Bramhaputra. The latest move is the incident in Bhutan.

India is also making it counter moves. The closer military ties with Japan and Vietnam as well as exploration of the South China Sea are all Indian moves in this game.

This fault-line is being deepened by the presence of strong leaders at the helm of both countries where the preferred option is to view the world through a domestic rather than an international lens and project strength rather than conciliation.

So, is a conflict inevitable? Not really  and it's certainly not desirable for two countries with large populations.

Because just as there are fault lines, so are there bonds that unite.

The first is trade. Indian imports from China ruffle a lot of feathers within India, and India is the eighth largest destination for Chinese exports. While there is a lot of chest-thumping, boycott speeches, in a world with few jobs, less trade makes sense for no one. But this is a potential card in Indias hand.

Chinese money is frantically searching for investments, and Indias infrastructure is crying out for investment. If only we could be friends, this could be a match made in heaven.

Another bond is the warming climate. China and India both stand to be affected badly by a warming climate. Staying together, standing together strengthens the coalition for meaningful action to moderate climate change, especially when the US is playing truant. Moreover, the Indian market is an attractive one for Chinese green innovations. One such match is in the solar space  China has the solar panel capacity and India has the solar capacity goal. This is not a prize to let go off easily.

China does not like outsiders to advise it. Best to turn to two wise Chinese voices from the past.

First, let us visit the words of an erstwhile Chinese general and military strategist, Sun Tzu who said: The wise warrior avoids the battle.

Next, let us remember what Confucius, who provides the philosophical underpinning of Chinese society, says: Love thy neighbour as thyself... Do not to others what thou would not wish be done to thyself.

Good advice.

The writer is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute, cleantech angel investor, teacher and author of a forthcoming book on Climate Change and India. Follow her work on her website; on Twitter; or write to her at cc@climaction.net
If your home was endangered, and you had to flee, what would be the things you would take with you? In those few hurried moments, with fear mounting and the possessions of a lifetime collected around you, what would be the objects you might gather up  maybe for their value, perhaps as surety for the future, or because you couldn't bear to leave them behind?

Siting safely ensconced in our homes today, that may seem too hypothetical a question to give much thought to.

But it's a question millions of people in the world, uprooted by disasters both natural and man-made, have faced up to.

It's a question many of our ancestors faced, when the Partition of India took place.

It's a question that the Godrej India Culture Lab and the Partition Museum of Amritsar are now asking individuals across India, in the hopes of receiving answers that will then have a place in an exhibition called 'Museum of Memories'.

Culture Lab and the Partition Museum have invited people to send in a photograph and an accompanying story of an object that has great relevance to their family in the context of the Partition. Those working on the project will then collect the objects  clothing, jewellery, bundles of letters, anything that harks back to the 'Great Divide'  from the participant's home; these will then form a 'Museum of Objects' within the Museum of Memories exhibit.

Among the objects already collected for the exhibition, are a shaving kit that one family handed down from generation to generation as a reminder of their ancestor who crossed over from Dhaka with this dented box among his few possessions; a lock from a trunk, which one family's little children took along as they were smuggled across the border; a tin box from an abandoned house that the finder kept for years; even a 'phulkari' dupatta (that now hangs on the wall of the Partition Museum in Amritsar) belonging to a woman who was made to jump into a well  but later rescued.

Seen together, these objects tell a vivid story  they make a part of history come alive. The Partition becomes more than words or a distant happening; it becomes real and gains an immediacy.

This was exactly the outcome Parmesh Shahani, the head of Godrej India Culture Lab, and Mallika Ahluwalia, CEO of the Partition Museum  Amritsar, were perhaps hoping for.

Shahani told Firstpost of being overwhelmed with emotion when he visited the Partition Museum, and wondering how some of that (experience) could be brought to Mumbai  especially with the 70th anniversary of Partition coming up.

"I thought  how can we bring the spirit of this museum to Mumbai  so that citizens here too can learn from this chapter of our history," Shahani said. "At our Lab we wanted to do something to mark 70 years of Partition, and so we decided to create this event where we could showcase the work of amazing archives like the Partition Museum in Amritsar, and also so many others, like 1947 Partition Archive and Indian Memory Project."

The decision to make the exhibition a participatory one, Shahani said, was a natural progression of the nature of the Partition Museum itself. "(We said) that at heart, this is really a peoples museum and we want to highlight ordinary voices from Mumbai and the countryall of us have some links, some stories that our parents or grandparents have told us, or some objects from the past imbued with memories. What if we invite all of these to the museum? It will truly become a museum of memories then... and this is what we are attempting to do."

Shahani added that the most compelling way in which history can be narrated is through close-to-the-ground stories that slice a particular moment of time into a range of fractal perspectives. "Each perspective gives you one view, and when you view it together you get a sense of the richness and complicated nature of peoples lives and times... I am a big fan of the small  so micro histories instead of a grand narrative," he explained.

A particularly evocative example of what Shahani says can be found in his recollection of the exhibits at the Partition Museum that moved him the most:

"I was drawn to glass cases with two objects in them: a womans coat and a mans briefcase. They told the story of two separated lovers from Pakistan who were reunited while in a refugee camp in India. These were the only two possessions they had with them when they met once again. They got married eventually. I was in tears the moment I learnt of this story... (So) objects can convey emotions viscerally, in a way that text might find difficult."

Mallika Ahluwalia, the CEO of Partition Museum, Amritsar, spoke with Firstpost about how history could be told through objects.

"The Partition Museum is being built as a people's museum that uses everyday objects to tell the stories of what they experienced. These objects are not particularly valuable, and most are the worse for wear after 70 years  but each very poignantly carries a story within them about the life left behind... whether it is a wedding sari carefully carried over the border at the time of Partition, or a favourite toy... These objects convey wordlessly the emotions and sense of loss of the owners," Ahluwalia said.

Ahluwalia's family has shared one of its treasured possessions with the Museum: A book called Muraqqa I Chughtai, published in Lahore in the 1920s. "Three of my four grandparents experienced Partition," she said. "My nani's family ended up losing almost all their possessions... and it continued to impact their lives in complex ways for decades after the event. My nani has given a book of paintings by Abdur Rehman Chughtai to the Museum; this belonged to her mother, who loved art and music  and it was one of the few things that she could bring with them when they left Lahore in August 1947, carrying just about a suitcase each."

As for Parmesh Shahani, one family heirloom of deep significance is an old suitcase, belonging to his grandfather. "My grandfather wasnt in India or Pakistan during the Partition but away in Ghana, and came to India after the turbulence had subsided," Shahani told us. "It is a reminder to me, of the journeys we all take, both outward and inward, in our quest for home, and how home for so many of us migrants, is both an idea, and something that can quickly be packed away within the rectangular corners of a suitcase."

***

Here are some of the objects that are part of the exhibition  and the stories behind them:

Tin box

This tin box was found by Sudarshana Kumari in a broken down house near Civil Lines, Sheikhupura. Sudarshana was on the move from her own home at the time, with riots having broken out in her locality. The house where she found the tin box had been destroyed and burnt down. As the refugees waited for trucks that would carry them to India, Sudarshana and a few other children decided to explore this rundown house, located nearby. There, all the children picked up and carried with them whatever they could find. Sudarshana salvaged the tin box and decided to use it to store her dolls whenever she reached her new home. The tin box stayed with her over the years  she kept it even after she got married.

Lock

Sudarshana herself also saw the worst of Partition. Her parents, seeing the rising troubles, had decided to send ahead all the children to India with some of the valuables. All the siblings were put in a truck going ahead, along with a trunk. But Sudharshana, the youngest of the siblings, jumped out at the last minute and said she was going to stay with her mother. That decision, taken by a child in an instant, led to her to see so much that no eight-year-old should have to see. And through the years, she kept this lock  that had been on the trunk that went ahead with her siblings  a reminder of their journey through tough times.

Phulkari

In the worst moments of the Partition, families would resort to honour killings of women  with drowning in the well being one very common method. This phulkari belonged to one such woman, who was asked by her family to jump in the well. She was, fortunately, rescued and brought to safety. This phulkari symbolises those acts of humanity that existed even in those challenging times.

Shaving kit

In the months following Independence and the Partition of India, Aporajita Chakravarty's great-grandfather became one of the millions of refugees to migrate to India from East Bengal. His aged mother refused to leave her roots, despite the communal violence and perpetual state of unrest in Dhaka. Chakravarty's great-grandfather couldn't bring much with him; just four pairs of clothes, a dirty tree twig that he used as a toothbrush, the pair of shoes he was wearing, one book and this shaving kit. This kit has been in the Chakravarty family since pre-World War I. In the kit, Chakravarty's great-grandfather made sure to bring along a photograph of his mother  who no one heard from ever again. The photograph was eventually lost and so were parts of the kit. But whatever is left of it, has been passed on for three generations.

***

Museum of Objects, an exhibit at Museum of Memories: Remembering Partition will be held over 4, 5 and 6 August at the Godrej India Culture Lab, Mumbai.

How do you participate?

1. Send a photograph of your object, its rough dimensions, as well as a short 150-word write-up on the story behind it, along with your name and contact number. Email it to indiaculturelab@godrejinds.com. The deadline for participation is 28 July 2017.

2. The team at Godrej India Culture Lab will get in touch with you about how your object will be integrated into the museum and the details regarding delivery and handover.

3. Your object becomes a part of this living exhibit.
Coimbatore: Lok Sabha Deputy speaker and AIADMK (Amma) leader M Thambidurai on Saturday asserted that there was no split in the AIADMK as has been made out to be.

"A group of 10 MLAs cannot split a party, which is intact. The by-election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency was postponed not due to a split, but following allegations of bribing of voters," he told reporters in an apparent reference to the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

The senior party leader had repeatedly been asserting that "all are united," and there was "no split" in the party.

When asked about the alleged exit of MLA VC Arukutty from the OPS camp, he said it could be his own decision and there was no compulsion from anyone that he should leave the faction. Moreover, it was an indication that MLAs like Arukutty wanted to strengthen the party, founded by late chief minister MG Ramachandran, he said.

Rebel AIADMK MLA VC Arukutty, among the first to switch over to the Panneerselvam camp, had on Friday expressed displeasure at the way he was being treated and indicated he may go back to the AIADMK (Amma) faction.

To a query on Tamil actor Kamal Hassan's possible entry into politics, Thambidurai said that any body including film actors can come to politics.

On the actor's allegations of corruption in the state government, he said, "It is a matter, which should be proved beyond doubt."
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Shiv Sena on Friday condemned National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's suggestion of third party mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Abdullah had suggested that India should take the help of "friends" to resolve the Kashmir issue, drawing sharp reactions from the parties.

"Abdullah must stop advancing Pakistan's fake nuclear blackmail. Out of power, Abdullah is speaking the language of separatists and of Pakistan. His flip-flops on Kashmir reek of hypocrisy," BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said.

He said Abdullah must tell "his friends" in Pakistan to stop exporting terror and meddling in Kashmir.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too flayed any attempt for third party intervention to resolve the issue, saying "Kashmir is India".

"It is being said there should be discussion on Kashmir with China and Pakistan but my opinion is that Kashmir is India and India is Kashmir and this is our internal matter... our internal business and no one should interfere in it," he said.

Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant also "deplored" Abdullah's comment, saying, "Kashmir is our issue. Kashmir is India's and we will resolve the issue within the country. Nobody else is required to intervene in our matter".

Union minister Giriraj Singh said it is the government's clear policy that it will "not tolerate any intervention" from a third party on the Kashmir issue.

"Till Pakistan keeps on funding terrorists, there would be no talks with Pakistan," he said.

Criticising Abdullah's comments, Jammu and Kashmir's deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said that Abdullah is "out of power and frustated".

"What do you mean by third party? What is the stand of the entire country? What is the resolution of Parliament?" he questioned, wondering whether Abdullah wants India to "bend its knees before Pakistan".

"I condemn this. I will ask him to apologise for such comments," he added.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, "In my opinion Farooq Abdullah should go to some third country...He is not talking in favour of India. Even Pakistan will not accept him".

Claiming that dialogue was the only solution for Kashmir, Abdullah had said, "The way out is through dialogue. Use your friends... Use them for dialogue to resolve the issue".

"Till what time should we wait? Should we wait for a thousand years? You have to take the bull by the horns. You have to do it sometimes. They (Pakistan) have atom bomb, so have you. How many people will you kill? This is not the way," he had said.

"How many more wars will you fight? How much more will you damage India? The money you spent on buying planes, materials for forces ... If you spend it on poor farmers, India will prosper," Abdullah said.
Chennai: Days after the DMK created a furore in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by waving sachets of banned tobacco products, party chief MK Stalin on Friday reiterated his demand for a CBI probe into the alleged payment of bribes to a state minister and top officials to facilitate sale of gutkha in the state.

Levelling certain charges in respect of the state government's stand in a related case in the Madras High Court, he said only a CBI probe can "unravel" several details.

In a statement, the Leader of the Opposition said the probe would throw light on bribes allegedly received by people with vested interests and related tax evasion.

Searches by income tax officials last year at the premises of an illegal gutkha manufacturer had indicated alleged payout to a minister and some officials, including a senior police official.

Last month the DMK had demanded a CBI probe into the gutkha issue, following which chief minister K Palaniswami had said that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption was enquiring into the matter.

On 19 July, the opposition party had created a stir in the Assembly, waving strips of sachets of banned tobacco products, prompting the Chair to refer their alleged breach of privilege to the Privileges Committee, leading to a walkout by the DMK members.

Palaniswami had taken exception to the opposition members' action and questioned their intent of raising the matter, saying it was only aimed at "maligning" his government's image and bringing those to the house was a "crime".

On 28 June too, the DMK had led an opposition walkout from the House after being denied permission to raise the gutkha issue.
New Delhi: Top Congress leadership discussed the situation arising out of Shankarsinh Vaghela's exit on Saturday, even as state leaders exuded confidence that it will have no effect on the party's prospects in the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had convened a meeting of top party leaders from Gujarat to discuss the impact of Vaghela's exit. The meeting was attended by party chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel, general secretary in-charge of Congress in Gujarat Ashok Gehlot, PCC chief Bharatsinh Solanki, and other state leaders.

When Rahul Gandhi asked about the bearing of Vaghela's exit, Gujarat Congress leaders assured him that his quitting the party will have no effect on the party's performance in the Assembly polls slated for November-December.

The Congress has been out of power for the last 22 years in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is striving hard to regain power there.

During the meeting, the party leadership also exuded confidence of winning the Rajya Sabha seat in 8 August polls. The party needs 47 votes to win the seat and it has 57 legislators in the 182-member assembly. The Rajya Sabha seat is currently held by Patel, who is in his fourth term since 1993.

The Gujarat Congress has been divided between factions of PCC chief Solanki and CLP leader Vaghela, who was seeking replacement of the PCC chief. Gehlot has termed Vaghela's decision as "wrong" and "unfortunate" and said, "I fail to understand Shankersinh Vaghelaji's sudden decision. He seems to be acting under some pressure from BJP leaders."

Amid indications of a rapprochement with Vaghela, Gehlot said, "The Congress party hopes that any misunderstanding he has will be resolved. Vaghelaji's decision at a time when Congress is about to win majority in the Gujarat assembly is absolutely

inappropriate."

Gehlot said the party has good prospects of winning the polls, claiming there is huge anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP which has been in power in Gujarat for nearly two decades.
BJP leaders from the southern Indian state of Kerala seldom get any position in the government when the party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comes to power at the Centre.

But this does not prevent them from getting the fruits of power. While the party leaders allegedly amassed crores of rupees from selling petrol pumps when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government came to power in 1999, they turned to medical colleges during the current regime led by Narendra Modi.

The medical college scam from BJP's Kerala unit comes barely a month after a youth leader of the BJP in Thrissur was arrested for printing and distributing fake currency, revealing how the party leaders tried to make use of the ambitious demonetisation scheme of Modi for making quick bucks.

As regards the medical college bribery case, an internal inquiry ordered by BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan has confirmed one case, in which a little known leader from Kollam district took a bribe of Rs 5.60 crore from a person for getting the approval of Medical Council of India (MCI) for starting a medical college at Varkala.

The two-member probe panel of senior leaders KP Sreesan Master and AK Nazeer found that RS Vinod, who is the state convenor of BJPs cooperative cell, had taken the bribe from R Shaji, chairman of SR Educational and Charitable Trust, Varkala, citing his connections in New Delhi which included a person close to state president Rajashekharan. The money was paid in Delhi through a hawala route.

The probe panel also named state general secretary MT Ramesh in connection with another medical college at Palakkad but it did not inquire into the complaint. Nazeer told a television channel that they did not pursue the probe as they could not get enough material to establish the involvement of Ramesh in the scam.

However, leaders of Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) allege that the party may have restrained the panel from going further into the scam as its links could reach up to New Delhi. Curiously, the government had maintained silence when MPs of both Congress and CPM raised the issue during the Monsoon Session in the Lok Sabha on 19 July.

But the BJP state president moved swiftly after the issue rocked the Parliament and expelled Vinod from the primary membership of the party. Rajashekharan, who had initially termed the media reports regarding the scam as rumours, announced the action hours before the partys core committee meeting, which was expected to discuss the issue.

The core committee meeting scheduled to be held at Alappuzha was later cancelled. The party chief has denied any links of the party with the scam. He said that the BJP had nothing to do with the alleged bribe.

Congress and CPM leaders, meanwhile, view the hasty action from BJP as part of a clear attempt to bury the case like the multi-crore petrol pump scam during the Vajpayee regime. The petrol pump case that involved bribe to the tune of Rs 18 crores was closed without any action against anybody even though a party committee found it responsible for the dismal performance of the party candidate in the 2005 Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha by-election.

However, the CPM-led state government is not ready to spare the BJP in the medical college bribery case. It has sought to go deep into the scam by ordering a vigilance probe. The government has asked vigilance superintendent of police Jayakumar to investigate the case and submit a report.

CPM MP MB Rajesh, who sought an adjournment motion on the issue in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, alleged involvement of national leaders of the BJP in the scam. A local leader like Vinod cannot manage MCI nod for a medical college without any support from powers in New Delhi.

"The Varkala case is only the tip of the iceberg. Massive corruption is involved behind the new medical colleges that are sanctioned during the Modi regime. As many as 70 medical colleges were given approval by the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel without the mandatory inspections," Rajesh said.

He told Firstpost that the petrol pump and medical college scams indicate that there was a systematic arrangement in Delhi during the NDA rule to distribute the benefits of power to the partymen in different states. He said that CPM will demand a court-monitored probe in the Parliament to bust the same.

Rajesh alleged that the BJP had tried to suppress the Varkala case by returning the bribe to the applicant, who incidentally belongs to the Bharatiya Dharama Jana Sena (BDJS), a BJP ally in Kerala. The state leadership was forced to take action after the probe report found its way to the media.

"Rajashekharan had sat on the probe report for a month-and-a-half. He acted on it following the intervention of the central leaders, who apparently wanted to keep the scam confined to Kerala as it will dent the anti-corruption image of the Narendra Modi government," Rajesh said.

The BDJS, a political arm of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam that champions the interest of the numerically strong Ezhava Hindu community in Kerala, does not believe the BJP claims that they are corruption-free.

SNDP general secretary and founder patron of BDJS, Vellapally Natesan said that the state unit of the party was steeped in corruption. He told reporters at Alappuzha that the state unit of the party was filled with swindlers.

"What's happening in the Kerala unit of the BJP is a 'fight' between those who got the money and those who didn't. If this is allowed to go the party will never be able to make any ground in the state, he added.

Natesan has sought the urgent intervention of the prime minister and BJP national president Amith Shah to intervene in the issue and cleanse the state unit if they want any seats from the state either in the Lok Sabha or the state legislature in the upcoming elections.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala views the scam as a clear case of the BJP leaders' attempt to indulge in large-scale corruption with central assistance. He said that the counterfeit currency case involving party leaders in Thrissur was part of this. He demanded a comprehensive inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to find the extent of the corruption.

Political commentator NN Pearson said that the scam coupled with the counterfeit currency case would make it difficult for BJP to make inroads into the states bi-polar political scene. It sought a third space by projecting the corruption in both the dominant fronts led by the Congress and the CPM.

Political observers feel that the corruption scams involving state leaders of the BJP will have a bearing in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, in which the party has targeted 12 seats from the state.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has reported that their monitors are prevented the access to Novoazovsk, Donetsk region, which is currently under control of militants.

"Minsk violation: #OSCE monitors are prevented access 2 Novoazovsk again. 2 SMM patrols stopped @ CP. Other civilian traffic moves freely," the OSCE SMM reported on Twitter on Saturday.

Later in the SMM, the OSCE reported that they have been staying at the check-point in Novoazovsk for over an hour. "SMM patrols see there traffic of many military vehicles," the message said.

They noted that the JCCC does not eliminate the violation. "The senior member of the so-called" intelligence of the DNR "quotes" orders "to deny access to the SMM # OSCE," observers said.
Patna: BJP on Saturday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is wasting his time meeting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi reportedly to urge him to ask RJD's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav to resign in the wake of a CBI FIR against him on corruption charge.

"Nitish Kumar is wasting time meeting Rahul Gandhi for reportedly asking Tejaswi Yadav to tender resignation," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.

"Rahul Gandhi had failed to make his own party chief minister Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh resign after he was chargesheeted by CBI. How could he ask Tejaswi Yadav (of RJD) to resign?" Modi said.

Expecting anything from Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption has no moral justification, he said in a statement in Patna after Kumar met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Saturday.

Modi has been alleging that RJD president Lalu Prasad and his family members have amassed benami properties.

It's no use talking to Sonia Gandhi over phone or meeting Rahul Gandhi, he said.

Modi said RJD has done nothing on CBI's FIR against Tejaswi Yadav in land-for-hotels case despite JD(U) repeatedly asking him to come clean in public, adding that it could be understood that Prasad's party has no defence against it.

Instead of coming to the people with facts to explain the situation, RJD is pasting posters against JD(U) spokesmen to create pressure on the party not to press for Tejaswi Yadav's resignation, he said.

Posters came out on Saturday in some places of Patna with photographs of JD(U) spokesmen Sanjay Singh, Ajay Alok, Neeraj Kumar and senior party leader Shyam Rajak alleging them of acting in collusion with Sushil Modi to attack RJD.

On whose behalf those posters have been published is not known as there is no name.

Modi said, JD(U) has not even once said that Tejaswi Yadav has been implicated in the case for political vendetta or CBI did it to stop RJD's 27 August rally.

"This proves that JD(U) is accepting that charges against Tejaswi carry weight and hence its spokesmen are seeking point-by-point clarification," he said.

Kumar has to choose to path, Modi said adding one is of morality and principle and the other is of protecting the 'corrupt.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned the ruling NDA government against distorting the Constitution and implementing the agenda of the RSS.

"The aim of the union government is to distort the Constitution, which was drafted by B.R. Ambedkar, and implement the RSS agenda. We should go by what Ambedkar had exhorted us to do - educate, organise and agitate," he said at an international conference here.

Inaugurating an international conference on "Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Justice, Re-visiting Ambedkar", Gandhi said truth and power were not the same.

"Truth and power are not the same thing. Truth is what stands up to power," he told the gathering at the opening ceremony of the three-day conference organised by the state government.

Citing a few influential leaders and change makers the world over, Gandhi said iconic personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and and American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr had the ability and courage to speak the truth of power.

"Though the emperor is naked, none had the courage to point it out due to oppression, weakening of the institutions and subversion of democracy to serve the narrow purpose of a few," he asserted.

Drawing parallels to Adolf Hitler's assertion that reality was best understood when it was suppressed, he said a dangerous and global epidemic was to distort truth.

Gandhi also decried casteism and untouchability that were still prevalant across the country.

Human rights activist Martin Luther King III, son of the legendary American civil rights leader, said that like US President Donald Trump's campaign, the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unleahsed animosity against the minorities.

"Parallels abound between the 'alt-right' in the US and the 'Hindu-extreme right' in India," he said.

Organised by the Karnataka government, the conference will unveil the 'Bengaluru Declaration' outlining specific constitutional, institutional and policy responses to concerns of equity, human rights, freedom and democracy.
Bhopal: Expressing concern over the dwindling number of working days in Parliament, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury has called for enacting a law to ensure there is at least 100 days of active presence of members in the House.

This will make sure that the government of the day is held accountable for its actions and policies, and members get enough time to deliberate on key issues, the Rajya Sabha member said last night.

"There is a need to frame a law which mandates for at least 100 days of active presence of members when Parliament is in session. Then only Parliament would function smoothly. "This is absolutely necessary to arrest the growing trend of disinterest and negligence towards legislative work," Yechury said.

He was delivering the Comrade Shailendra Shelly Memorial Lecture.

"In the last two-three years, Parliament sittings were not held for more than 60 to 70 days (in a year). In such a scenario, how will the government be held accountable?" the 64-year-old Left leader asked.

"In contrast, the British Parliament sits for 200 days in a year," he noted.

The CPM criticised the NDA government over its economic policies, saying they are responsible for the widening disparity between the poor and the rich.

The pace of this disparity has increased during the Modi government than what it was when the Congress-led UPA was in power, the veteran Parliamentarian said.

He said ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had promised to provide two crore jobs every year if voted to power.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who completed three years in office in May, has failed to deliver on this front, the CPIM maintained.

"Going by it (the pre-poll promise), by now the government should have provided six crore jobs, but figures (job data) are telling a different story."

On the issue of farmers, Yechury said their condition is miserable and they are forced to commit suicide. "Capitalists are not returning Rs 11 lakh crore loan taken by them (from banks) but nobody is talking about it. In fact, they are being waived, while farmers are being troubled to pay back small loans," Yechury said.

Referring to rising cases of cow vigilantism, he said those resorting to violence in the name of cow protection have utter disregard for law and the states should take strong action against them.
Responding to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's remark drawing parallels between NDA government and the Nazi regime, Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday hit back, saying there were "no prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler".

@OfficeOfRG u r 42 yrs late on this 1.No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency & trampled over democracy.  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

The newly-appointed information and broadcasting (I&B) minister further took a dig at Congress, saying a bleak future was awaiting the party.

@OfficeOfRG a bleak future awaits the Congress Party, not our Nation!  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

Rahul Gandhi had on Friday warned the ruling NDA government against distorting the Constitution and implementing the agenda of the RSS while speaking at an international conference in Bengaluru. Later in the day, in a series of tweets, he launched an attack on the Centre, accusing it of strangulating the reality.

Hitler,once wrote: Keep a firm grasp on reality, so you can strangle it at any time This is what is happening today-strangulation of reality  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

BJP wants to paint a lie over India so that they can return it to an age of kings and no questions, where people were humiliated by power  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

The emperor is completely naked but nobody around him has the courage to tell him.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

Where people's voices were crushed, where the poor and weak were trampled upon. Where millions of Indians were untouchables  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

Gandhi also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, alleging that thousands of businesses were wiped out due to note ban and hundreds of people died, "but instead of speaking to the Parliament, Modi spoke to Coldplay."

Inaugurating an international conference in Bengaluru on "Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Justice, Re-visiting Ambedkar", Gandhi on Friday had said, "The aim of the union government is to distort the Constitution, which was drafted by B.R. Ambedkar, and implement the RSS agenda. We should go by what Ambedkar had exhorted us to do - educate, organise and agitate."

With inputs from IANS
Lucknow: With the entire opposition absent from the proceedings of the budget session in Uttar Pradesh assembly for the second consecutive day, the budget worth several hundred crores of 76 departments was passed on Friday in merely 15 minutes.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are keeping away from the proceedings after a vitriolic attack from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday.

Tearing into the opposition, he warned them not to preach, as if he opens his mouth, many opposition leaders would not have a place to hide. Taking umbrage to this, the opposition had announced boycott of the assembly proceedings.

The budget was passed without any supplementaries or any debate. Fourteen questions were put from the treasury benches and they were responded to in 15 minutes and the budget passed.

A motion was moved in the House to congratulate Ram Nath Kovind for his election as the 14th President of India.

Parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna also rebutted charges by the opposition, given to the media, that the Chief Minister was unparliamentary in his language and had threatened the opposition benches.

The budget session was to conclude on 28 July but chances are high now that it might be curtailed to 24 July.

The House was adjourned on Friday till Monday and it is expected that on that day, the budget of remaining departments, including Home, will be presented and passed.
Washington: President Donald Trump on Saturday attacked The New York Times and its "sick agenda," alleging that one of the paper's reports thwarted a US bid to take out Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security," Trump wrote in one of a barrage of early morning tweets.

The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Trump did not expand on his charge against The Times, or explain what revelation by the daily is supposed to have hampered Baghdadi's capture. The New York Times told the Politico news site in a statement: "We have asked the White House to clarify the tweet."

US media suggested that Trump may have been referring to a Fox News report about comments made by a top general at a security conference on Friday in Aspen, Colorado.

At that gathering, General Tony Thomas  head of the US military's Special Operations Command  reportedly said that American forces at one point came "particularly close" to Baghdadi after a 2015 raid recovered information about the Islamic State group.

Fox News reported that Thomas said US troops had "a very good lead," on the Islamic State leader's whereabouts. "Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead," Thomas reportedly said at the forum.

US secretary of defense James Mattis said on Friday that he believes Baghdadi is still alive, following various claims in recent months that he has been killed. "We are going after him, but we assume he is alive," the Pentagon chief said.

There have been persistent rumors that Baghdadi has died in recent months.

With a $25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but is rumored to move regularly throughout Islamic State-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

The Iraqi  nicknamed "The Ghost"  has not been seen since making his only known public appearance as "caliph" in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul, which was destroyed in the battle for Iraq's second city.

The Times has become a favorite Trump target despite his penchant for reaching out to the daily, including this week, when he gave its reporters a major interview in which he criticized his own Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In Saturday's tweetstorm, Trump railed against The Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for its "illegal leaks."

"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions," he wrote on Twitter, adding "These illegal leaks... must stop!"

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

He also groused about some of his favorite targets: the failure of US lawmakers to repeal "dead" Obamacare, Democratic "obstructionists" and alleged "ties to Russia" by Hillary Clinton, his defeated opponent in the 2016 presidential election.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of "new and serious consequences" if it does not release imprisoned American citizens, a White House statement said.

The statement on Friday said Trump is willing to take new measures "unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned", reports Voice of America.

The President's remarks come after a Chinese American, Xiyue Wang, was sentenced in Iran this week to 10 years in prison over espionage charges.

"The US condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process," the statement said.

The statement urged the release of Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran; and US businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer.

"Iran is responsible for the care and well being of every US citizen in its custody," Voice of America quoted the statement as saying.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration put new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Trump has called the agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated".
A New York family was removed from a JetBlue Airlines flight without proper explanation after their toddler began kicking a passengers seat in front of them.

Tamir Raanan, his wife, Mandy Ifrah, and their three children were in their seats, ready to return home to Brooklyn, when the one-year-old baby, sitting on her mothers lap, started to wail and kick the seat in front of them, an attorney for the family was quoted as saying in a report by The Washington Post.

The incident, which occurred on 21 June, has been gaining a lot of traction online in the past week after video of the argument between airline officials and the family went viral.

Ifrah said she apologised to the passenger, but the two "exchanged words" before the passenger moved to a different seat, according to abc7chicago. "She kicked her chair. She got up and moved to the next chair. She got a little bit annoyed and gave me a dirty look," Ifrah was quoted as saying in the report. Shortly after this, a flight attendant approached the family and told them to get off the plane.

The video shows Ifrah and her husband Tamir Raanan and their three children talking to a JetBlue supervisor who ordered them off their flight.

"What I need you to do right now is come with me outside the plane to have a discussion," the supervisor is seen saying in the video.

"I need to get back to New York. I need to get my kids back home. Did anything happen? No. Did anything physical happen? This is ridiculous," Ifrah retorted.

But the airline, in a report in Fortune, said that the situation at Fort Lauderdale had turned into a verbal altercation that included physical threats and profanities. This prompted the authorities to kick the family out of the aircraft.

"The customers refused repeated requests and our crew members deplaned the entire aircraft. Law enforcement escorted them out of the gate area and we provided a refund. We are investigating whether the customers' behaviour warrants restrictions on JetBlue travel, and we thank our crew members for their professional handling of this unfortunate incident," the airline spokesperson added in the report.

The family was told to find overnight accommodations before taking their re-booked flight the next morning, but JetBlue didn't unload their luggage from the plane, leaving the family without clothes or baby supplies, according to the abc7chicago report.

A tweet on Saturday by a JetBlue flier created quiet a stir online. The image accompanying the tweet shows a passenger, quiet possibly imitating the above mentioned toddler, sticking her feet through to the armrest of another passengers seat for the entire length of the flight.

Today, I flew on the set of a nightmare. pic.twitter.com/PNI4KmQvTG  Jessie Char (@jessiechar) July 19, 2017

This person even opened and closed windows with his feet, much to the unhappiness and queasiness of the passenger in front of her, who gave an interview to CNN. This revolting incident raises questions about JetBlue's policy on annoying passengers and their methods of dealing with them.

Jessie Char, in a tweet comment, said that the passenger was not asked to leave or even warned for displaying a striking lack of personal boundaries. It seems logical that feet of that size, connected to a fully developed mind, should definitely invoke more of a reaction than a toddler's cries.

In May, a family was kicked off a JetBlue flight over a dispute about where to store a birthday cake.

Minta Burke, from New Jersey, was due to fly from New York to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday, when she along with her husband and two children were kicked off the flight from JFK before departure, said a report by The Independent. The airline said their behaviour demonstrated a risk for additional escalation in air.

Last year, JetBlue confused two unaccompanied children  and flew them home to the wrong families, like a twisted sequel version of Home Alone.

On 17 August, two unaccompanied children of the same age traveling separately from Santiago, Dominican Republic  one to New York JFK and one to Boston  each boarded a flight to the incorrect destination, Tamara Young, a spokeswoman for JetBlue, said in a statement to CNN.

Upon learning of the error, our teams in JFK and Boston immediately took steps to assist the children in reaching their correct destinations, Young said. While the children were always under the care and supervision of JetBlue crew members, we realize this situation was distressing for their families, the report further quoted the airlines as saying.
Jakarta: Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has instructed law enforcement officers to shoot drug traffickers to deal with a narcotics emergency facing the country.

"Be firm, especially to foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist arrest. Shoot them because we indeed are in a narcotics emergency position now," Widodo said in a speech delivered at an event held by one of Indonesia's political parties late on Friday.

His remarks have drawn comparison to that of Philippine's President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a brutal anti-drug crackdown about a year ago that saw many alleged drug dealers killed.

The bloody campaign in the Phillipines has drawn condemnation from the international community, including the United Nations.

Indonesia also has tough laws against drugs. Widodo has previously been criticized for ordering executions against convicted drug traffickers who were given a death penalty by the court. Rights activists and some governments have called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty.

Friday's shooting order from Widodo came a week after Indonesian police shot dead a Taiwanese man in a town near the capital Jakarta. The man, who was part of a group trying to smuggle one tonne of crystal methamphetamine into the country, was killed for resisting arrest, police have said.

After the incident, Indonesian National Police chief Tito Karnavian was quoted by media saying he had ordered officers not to hesitate shooting drug dealers who resist arrest.
Washington: Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said on Friday that he believes Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi is still alive, following various claims he was dead.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis told Pentagon reporters.

"We are going after him, but we assume he is alive."

There have been persistent rumors that Baghdadi has died in recent months.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime conflict monitor, last week said it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

Russia's army said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed the Islamic State chief in a May air strike in Syria.

With a USD 25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but was rumored to move regularly throughout Islamic State-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

The Iraqi native has not been seen since making his only known public appearance as "caliph" in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul, which was destroyed in the battle for Iraq's second city.
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak has said thousands of pages of evidence regarding the financing of terrorism in the east of Ukraine by the Russian Federation have been transferred to the International Court of Justice of the United Nations.

"As you know, Ukraine has lodged a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice concerning the Russian Federation's support for terrorism in the east of our country. We've handed over thousands of pages of documentary evidence of Russian crimes in Donbas and Crimea," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.
Washington: Embattled United States attorney general Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the presidential race  something Sessions has insisted he did not do, The Washington Post has reported.

The paper on Friday quoted current and former administration officials who cited United States intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to Trump, during the campaign.

The report is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump criticised him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.

Trump said he regretted the hiring because Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Trump's favour and whether the Trump team colluded in that effort.

Sessions recused himself in March after it was disclosed that he had in fact met with the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian officials during that period.

But Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the American election campaign with the ambassador.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," he said at the time.

However, Kislyak, in briefing his superiors on the meetings, said he and Sessions discussed campaign-related matters including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.

It quoted one former official as saying the intercepts suggest Sessions and Kislyak had "substantive" talks on issues including Trump's positions on Russia-related subjects and prospects for bilateral relations in a Trump administration.

Sessions' account  he has said he recalls meeting only once with the ambassador  provided "misleading" statements that are "contradicted by other evidence," a separate United States official said.
Kuwait City: Kuwait lodged protests with Lebanon over the alleged training by Hezbollah of 21 Shias convicted in June on charges of forming a "terror cell" in the Sunni-majority emirate.

It demanded that pressure be put on the Shia militant group, which has ministers in the Lebanese government, to ensure there was no repetition.

The protest follows Kuwait's expulsion of 15 Iranian diplomats on Thursday over Tehran's alleged links to those convicted.

The letter delivered by Kuwait's ambassador in Beirut late on Friday said the emirate's supreme court had found that "Hezbollah took part in contacts, coordinating meetings, paid funds and provided arms and military training in Lebanon" for the defendants.

It called on Lebanon to take "the necessary measures to curb these disgraceful practices" by Hezbollah as it is a partner in the government, ambassador Abdulaal al-Quenai told the official KUNA news agency.

Unlike neighbouring Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, Kuwait maintains diplomatic relations with Shias Iran.

But sectarian issues remain sensitive. Shias make up around one third of the emirate's population.
Islamabad: Beleaguered Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report.

Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly  the lower house of the Parliament  he cannot succeed his brother immediately and would have to contest elections.

Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday.

It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case. The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court. According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case.

Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports. "The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue".

The Supreme Court on Friday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against Sharif and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future. The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.

A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has recommended that the report's Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.

So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.
Washington: India and China should engage in direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects" to reduce the tension over a military standoff in Doka La, the Pentagon has said.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Doka La area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman told PTI.

Ross, however, refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the governments of India and China for further information... We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears the tension may escalate between India and China.

The US state department too has made similar statements over the past week.

In recent years, almost all neighbours of China have accused Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The standoff in Doka La is seen as part of the same tactic to change the status quo in the area. India has taken a strong stand against the Chinese "unilateral action".

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is to head to Beijing for a meeting of BRICS' NSAs next week. He is expected to discuss the issue with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Earlier this week, a top Pentagon commander told US lawmakers that China was exploiting its economic leverage as a way to further its regional political objectives.

"As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said.
Istanbul, Turkey: Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday denounced as "excessive" the use of force by Israeli security forces in deadly clashes over sensitive Jerusalem holy site.

"I condemn Israel's insistence on its position despite all warnings ... and the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against our brothers gathered for Friday prayers," he said in a statement.

Erdogan said that he was speaking in his capacity as the current chairman of the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) whose chairmanship Turkey currently holds.

The clashes the day earlier left three Palestinians dead. Three Israelis were stabbed to death in the West Bank by a 19-year-old Palestinian who was then shot by a neighbour.

Tensions have risen to boiling point over new metal detectors installed by Israel as security measures around the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Turkey and Israel had last year ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead.

But Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy and his comments were among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal.

Erdogan on Thursday had urged his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to swiftly remove metal detectors to end the tensions.

Israel began installing metal detectors at entrances to the site on Sunday following an attack that killed two police officers.

Erdogan reaffirmed in the statement that the restrictions were "unacceptable" and should be removed "immediately".

"I urge the international community to immediately take action to remove practices that restrict freedom of worship at Haram al-Sharif," he said.
Kos, Greece: Hundreds of people on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region in Greece and Turkey.

Residents and tourists were too afraid to return to their homes and hotels, camping out instead in parks and olive groves, or slumbering in their cars or on lounge chairs.

The most seriously injured in Greece were airlifted to hospitals on the mainland and the southern island of Crete, and at least two were listed in critical condition Saturday.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake, which struck early Friday, as being of magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men, one from Turkey and one from Sweden, were killed when a collapsing wall smashed into a popular bar in the Old Town of Kos.

The Turkish man's parents were on the island on Saturday making arrangements to repatriate his body.

Panagiotis Bekali, a 30-year-old who has lived on Kos for several years, spent the night sleeping in an olive grove with his entire family. His 5-year-old son and 16-year-old nephew slept in the family car.

"There were cracks in the house (from the earthquake) so we went straight out," he said. "We were afraid to stay indoors so the whole family slept outside."

Dozens of aftershocks have shaken the island, further rattling residents and tourists.

John Grant, a 60-year-old tourist from Britain, said he felt safer sleeping outside.

"I think coming from somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, you don't understand," he said from his makeshift bed set up on a lounge chair. "So to me it was very frightening being in the building, but being outside I know I'm safe."

About 350 of the injuries occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as the sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore. Seismologists said the shallow depth of the undersea quake was to blame for the damage.

In Kos, the quake damaged the island's main port, leading to ferry services being temporarily suspended. Churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and old buildings in the town also suffered, and archaeologists and experts from Greece's culture ministry were on the island Saturday to examine the damage.

Ferry services to Kos were being restored Saturday, with ships diverted to the smaller port of Kefalos on the island's southwestern coast.

Kos mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said the biggest infrastructure problem on the island was the damage to the main port. Coast guard divers were on the scene inspecting the condition of the jetty.

"Life on the island is returning to normal," Kyritsis said. "The infrastructure problems are being repaired."

The mayor said Kos hadn't seen many tourist booking cancellations as a result of the quake. Visitors, he said, "are touring the island with their tour guides. We don't have a big problem. The ferry connection has been restored with the port of Kefalos and we are waiting as soon as possible to repair the damage at the (main) port."
Washington: The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects".

"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a defence department spokesman told PTI.

In the past week, the United States state department too has been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tensions.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS countries later in July. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

"The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said in written response to questions.
Washington: Sean Spicer burst onto the public stage six months ago with a scolding rant against reporters, accusing them of lowballing the size of President Donald Trump's Inauguration Day crowd.

Following a turbulent half-year run as White House press secretary, Spicer is leaving the building with a final burst of drama after rejecting what amounted to a downsising of his role.

Until he got swept up in Trump's orbit, Spicer had been a party functionary for the Republican National Committee, well known and respected among Washington political operatives and reporters but with no national profile.

As Trump's frontman at televised White House news briefings, however, the 45-year-old achieved a certain fame for defending the president at all costs through a variety of crises that have beset Trump's young presidency.

He became instantly recognisable around the country and an inspiration for social media memes. His live televised briefings drew big audiences for cable TV.

Spicer was lampooned on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with Melissa McCarthy playing the combative "Spicey" character, swallowing gum and driving a motorised lectern into actors playing reporters who asked hard questions.

Asked what he thought of the show, Spicer told Fox News in an interview on Friday: "I think that there were parts of it that were funny, but there's a lot of it that was over the line. It wasn't funny. It was stupid, or silly, or malicious."

Over time, however, Trump felt he was not being defended strongly enough by his communications team and that there were not enough people advocating for him on TV, according to a Republican close to the White House.

In a crushing snub, Spicer, a devout Roman Catholic, was kept off the list of White House officials who met Pope Francis when Trump visited the Vatican in May.

With Trump eager to make changes in his communications team, the president began courting Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financial whiz who has been an eloquent defender of Trump in TV interviews.

Scaramucci is a prominent Republican fundraiser who advised Trump during his presidential campaign last year after working first on rival Scott Walker's campaign until it fizzled.

Trump met Scaramucci on Thursday and talked about making him communications director, and planned a formal job interview and offer on Friday.

Spicer was dubious when told he would continue in the duties of press secretary and communications director with Scaramucci, who is not experienced in the ways of Washington, taking over the ceremonial title, a source close to the White House press operation said.

"This is a joke," the source said. "Trump wanted Scaramucci on television as a surrogate for the White House and wanted to give him more of a formal title. There was simply no understanding by the president that the communications director title comes with lots of responsibilities, not just going on television."

When Trump went ahead with the hire on Friday and asked Spicer to stay on, Spicer had had enough, telling the president he was resigning, the source said.

After the announcement was made to the White House communications staff at midmorning, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus huddled with Spicer and Scaramucci privately.

Spicer told Fox News the president did not want him to go and had been "very gracious throughout this process".

"I just thought it was in the best interest of our communications department, of our press organisation to not have too many cooks in the kitchen," he said.

Trump tweeted late on Friday: "Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"

Spicer, spotted around the White House complex, was described by colleagues as in a good mood and feeling he had made the right decision.
Jerusalem: Three Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Friday as clashes erupted between protesters and Israeli forces over new security measures at an ultra-sensitive Jerusalem holy site where police restricted access for Muslim prayers.

One Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli gunfire in the A-Tur neighbourhood of east Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

A second Palestinian was killed by gunfire in east Jerusalem's Ras al-Amud neighbourhood, while a third was shot dead in Abu Dis in the occupied West Bank, the ministry said, without providing details on the circumstances.

Israel's Army confirmed it was involved in clashes in Abu Dis.

The unrest came after Israeli ministers decided not to order the removal of metal detectors erected at entrances to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following an attack nearby a week ago that killed two policemen.

In anticipation of protests on Friday, Israeli police barred men under 50 from entering Jerusalem's Old City for prayers, while all women were allowed in.

Police said later in the day that discretion could be applied in the use of the metal detectors instead of forcing everyone to go through them.

But Palestinian and religious leaders were still calling on worshippers not to enter until they were removed. Hundreds held midday prayers near the gates of the Old City in protest. According to police, dozens of people entered the compound.

Crowds gathered outside Jerusalem's Old City found shops closed and streets around Damascus Gate  the entrance most heavily used by Palestinians  blocked.

A group of several hundred people, including Muslim leaders, marched towards the Lions Gate entrance to the mosque compound, but police informed them that only men aged 50 or over would be allowed in.

Police later fired stun grenades and tear gas towards protesters outside the Old City, while Palestinians threw stones and other objects at security forces in some areas.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 109 people were wounded in Jerusalem, of whom 38 were taken to hospital.

No injury toll was given for the West Bank. "They turned back everyone who came here to pray but then I told them I was going to the doctor, but they did not let me in," said Ulfat Hamad, 42, who was visiting from the United States.

"I am going to pray here with others," he said outside the walls.

Tensions have risen since police installed the metal detectors in a move Palestinians and other Muslims perceive as a means for Israel to assert further control over the compound containing the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock.

The controversy has resonated beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories, with the United States and the UN Middle East envoy expressing concern.
Washington: The White House has warned Tehran of 'new and serious consequences' if it does not return the "unjustly" imprisoned US citizens, alleging that Iran uses detentions and hostages as a tool of state policy.

Condemning Tehran for the recent sentencing of Xiyue Wang to 10 years in prison, the White House said in a statement yesterday: "President Donald Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned."

Holding Iran "responsible" for the care and well-being of the US citizens in its custody, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that it has used detentions and hostage taking as a tool of state policy for nearly 45 years and that "it is a practice that continues to this day with the recent sentencing of Xiyue Wang to 10 years in prison."

A 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University, Xiyue is a Chinese American accused of "infiltration" in Iran.

Trump urges Iran to return Robert Levinson home, who has been held for over 10 years, and demands the release of Siamak and Baquer Namazi, who were taken during the Obama administration, along with all other American citizens unjustly detained by Iran, she said.

"Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned," she said, adding that the

administration is redoubling its efforts to bring home all Americans "unjustly" detained abroad.

The tough warning comes just days after Trump rowed back on a campaign promise and upheld the Iran nuclear deal, while introducing new non-nuclear related sanctions.

"The United States condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process," she said.

Washington and Tehran do not share diplomatic ties since April 1980 in the wake of the Islamic revolution, and tensions have sharpened under Trump. The threat of prisoner-related sanctions opens up a new front in tensions between the two countries.
Prosecutors in the case of Ukrainian serviceman Vitaliy Markiv, who was arrested in Italy, need to come to Ukraine to interview nine witnesses and visit the scene of the crime of which the Ukrainian is suspected, curator of the battalion of the National Guard named after Kulchytsky, where Markiv serves, MP Andriy Antonyschak has said.

"The lawyer will insist on the visit [of Italian prosecutors to Ukraine], since there are nine witnesses here, and they should also look at the scene of the incident, because after they see it many questions will disappear," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

The Ukrainian parliamentarian also said that a group of lawmakers visited Italy in order to state their readiness to testify and to help the Italian side establish the truth in Markiv's case.

As earlier reported Markiv was detained on June 30 in Italy on suspicion of killing an Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli near Sloviansk in Donetsk region in May 2014. Markiv is being held in Pavia, Italy.

The first hearing of the case was held on July 4, however the consular service of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said the court did not review the facts of the case and did not rule on pretrial confinement. Ukrainian diplomats visited Markiv in a pretrial holding facility in Milan.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry, meanwhile, reported Ukrainian representatives were not present at court proceedings on July 4.

Media reported that Pavia prosecutors have opened a criminal case into the circumstances of the death of an Italian and Russian journalist during 2014 in the Anti-terrorist (ATO) zone based on testimony from a French journalist. The French journalist said shelling by National Guard unit, in which Markiv served, caused the deaths of the journalists. The French journalist provided what he claimed was video evidence of his claim.

Deputy Head of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin, in turn, said the Italian photojournalist was killed in an area not under control of Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine's consulate in Milan has filed a motion with the Pavia court to receive information about the basis and circumstances involving Markiv's arrest. Ukraine's Interior Ministry has expressed concern about the arrest of Markiv, who traveled to Italy during planned leave.
This week, Xiaomi launched Mi Max 2 in India, LG announced Q8, a smaller version of the V20 smartphone, Sony launched Xperia XA1 Ultra. Lets take a look at all the important launches and announcements that took place this week.

Xiaomi launched the Mi Max 2, successor of last years Mi Max phablet in India. It packs a 6.44-inch 1080p 2.5D curved glass display with 0.7mm ultra narrow bezel on the side, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection and has a huge 5300mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. It is powered by Snapdragon 625 processor, has an improved 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 comes in Matte Black color in India and is priced at Rs. 16,999.

It will be available from Flipkart, Amazon, Tata Cliq and Paytm mall from July 27th 10AM and will also be available from offline stores such as Poorvika, BigC, Sangeetha, Croma, Lot, Vijay Sales, eZone and Reliance Digital.

LG announced Q8, a smaller version of the V20 smartphone in Italy. It has a 5.2-inch Quad HD screen along with a 2.1 (160 x 1040 pixels) second screen. It has a 16MP rear camera with 78-degree lens along with a secondary 8MP secondary camera with 135-degree wide-angle lens. It has a slightly smaller 3000mAh battery. The phone has IP67 ratings for water resistance, 32-bit Hi-Fi ESS SABRE ES9218 Quad DAC for a clearer sound by minimizing distortion and ambient noise by up to 50%.

Xiaomi introduced 32-inch version of the Mi TV 4A, which is the companys cheapest Smart TV. It also has Patch Wall, a UI layer on top of the Android OS thats based on deep learning AI technology, but it doesnt have Bluetooth and Bluetooth voice remote control. It has intelligent system that offers recommendations based on your usage and is just 4kg making it easy to shift it. It is also one of the smallest measuring 435x478x733mm.

Sony launched Xperia XA1 Ultra successor of last yearsXperia XA Ultra in India. It was introduced at the MWC earlier this year, has the same 6-inch 1080p display and a 2700mAh battery as the predecessor, but this is powered by an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P20 processor and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat). It has a 23-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, Hybrid Auto-Focus, 1/2.3 Exmor RS sensor and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.It also has a dedicated camera button. ZOPO launched the Speed X smartphone in India. It has a 5-inch 1080p display, unibody metal design, 13-megapixel rear camera along with a 2-megapixel secondary camera to capture depth information. It also has a fingerprint sensor on the back. The ZOPO Speed X comes in Royale Gold, Charcoal Black, Orchid Gold and Space Grey colors and is priced at Rs. 9,499. It will be available exclusively on e-commerce platforms across the country from today. Motorola launched Pulse M Over-the- Ear Wired Headphone in India. It is premium headphones and has a white leather and rose gold metal finish design for a premium look and also promises comfortable experience. It has over-ear cups and 40mm drivers. The Motorola Pulse M comes in White with Gold and Black with Silver colors and is priced at Rs. 2999. It will be available from retail stores. Huaweis Honor brand has launched Band 3 in India. It has a 0.91-inch OLED display, comes with continuous heart rate tracking and is also water resistant up to 50 meters. It has M4 core technology, support for floating-point operations, and an optimized algorithm to measure heart rate with greater accuracy. The Honor Band 3 comes in Dynamic Orange, Classic Navy Blue and Carbon Black colors and is priced at Rs. 2,799. It is available exclusively on Amazon.in

Intex launched Aqua Lions 3, the companys latest budget smartphone in the Aqua series at an event. It has a 5-inch HD 2.5D curved glass display with , is powered by a Quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat). It has 8-megapixel front and rear cameras with LED flash for both. The Intex Aqua Lions 3 comes in Black and Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 6499.

Xolo launched the Era 1X Pro with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, compared to 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. It packs 5-inch HD display, quad-core Spreadtrum processor, 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with dual LED flash and it still runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). Sennheiser launched CX 7.00BT, its latest neckband style wireless headset with Bluetooth 4.1 and Qualcomm apt-X for true Hi-Fi sound. It also has NFC support for one-touch pairing. The Sennheiser CX 7.00BT comes in Black color and is priced at Rs. 11,990. It will be available from offline and online retail stores such as Amazon.in soon. Lenovo launched Yoga 720 and Yoga 520 convertibles in India along with Ideapad laptops. It packs up to 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Both convertibles come with cutting-edge NVIDIA graphics, FHD display and a fingerprint reader. The devices come with an immersive audio experience with JBL Speakers and Dolby Audio Premium in the Yoga 720 and Harman Speakers in the Yoga 520. Lenovo also launched Ideapad 720s, 520s, 320s laptops that offer a backlit keyboard, up to 8 hours of video playback battery life, JBL Speakers with Dolby Atmos and with a starting weight of just 1.12kgs. Intex launched Aqua Selfie, the companys latest budget smartphone in the Aqua series. It has a 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, both with LED flash. It has a 5.5-inch HD display, is powered by a quad-core Spreadtrum processor and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat). Panasonic launched P55 Max that packs a 5000mAh battery. It has a 5.5-inch HD 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor, runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat), has a 13-megapixel rear camera with quad-LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a metal body, but doesnt have a fingerprint sensor. Canon launched EOS 6D Mark II full-frame DSLR. It has a 26.2MP Full-frame CMOS Sensor, has DIGIC 7 Image Processor and is dust and water-resistant. Canon says that it has several enhancements over its predecessor, but it still has maximum 1080p video recording. It has 7560 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and a colour detection AF that enables consistent and accurate exposure in various lighting conditions. Sony launched 9 mirrorless camera with worlds first 35mm full-frame stacked CMOS sensor, 24.2 MP resolution in India. It has Blackout-free Shooting at up to 20 fps, has AF/AE tracking calculation up to 60 times per sec, Silent and Vibration-free shooting at speeds up to 1/32,000 sec and 5-axis in-body image stabilization with a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage. It also has Dual SD card slots and extended battery life.

Kodak launched Ektra Android smartphone in India. It was announced back in October last year and has a 21-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX230 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 6-axis optical image stabilization (OIS), Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF), non-reflective lens coating, dual-tone LED flash and a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. It also has a dedicated shutter button, customizable manual mode and the camera lens is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass. It has a leather-like finish on the outside for a better grip. The Kodak Ektra comes in Black color, is priced at Rs.19,990 and will be available exclusively from Flipkart starting 4PM tomorrow, 18th July 2017. Micromax launched Canvas 1 that comes with 4G VoLTE support. It has a 5-inch HD 2.5D curved glass in-cell display, is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat). It has a 8-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera that also has LED flash.
Security Service of Ukraine Head Vasyl Hrytsak has reported more than half a thousand Russian mercenaries who took part in operations in Donbas are currently fighting in Syria.

"According to the SBU intelligence, more than 500 Russian citizens who were involved in the operations in Donbas now fight in Syria as mercenaries. Most of them are part of official military units from the special purpose units, airborne troops and marines, as well as special operations forces... I should note I am talking not about the official Russian military contingent in Syria, but about mercenaries of the Russian Ministry of Defense... Of these, 124 people have already died," the SBU chief said.

Hrytsak also made public the data of the Security Service, according to which several thousand Russian servicemen and mercenaries have already died on the territory of Ukraine.
President Donald Trump on Friday applauded a rosy reading of U.S. manufacturers optimism, despite continued legislative gridlock on his major policy proposals.

Manufacturers record-high optimism reported in the 1st qtr has carried into the 2nd qtr of 2017 via @ShopFloorNAM:https://t.co/a42fNElct1 pic.twitter.com/WHZtcAxhRQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2017

Trump tweeted out a report from the National Association of Manufacturers Friday, which showed that in the second quarter of 2017, 89.5% of survey respondents in the sector were positive about their own companys prospects. As the president alluded to, this reading follows the first quarters record-high outlook reading of 93.3%. According to the organization, between the first and second quarters of 2017, manufacturing optimism was at its highest two-quarter average in the surveys 20-year history.

Additionally, in the second quarter, manufacturers expected future full-employment opportunities to increase by 2.7%.

The surge in optimism since the election can be attributed, at least in part, to President Trumps economic agenda.

There is a sense that many of the pro-growth policies that businesses have long sought, including tax reform, a major infrastructure package and regulatory relief, among others, might finally come to fruition, albeit perhaps slower than some might prefer, the report says.

The positive manufacturing report comes on the heels of the White Houses Made in America week, where the president showcased companies from each U.S. state that manufacture goods in the country. But while Trump celebrates positive economic indicators, he has encountered some stubborn challenges on the legislative front.

The senate, after failing to coalesce around a revised health care bill early in the week, will vote next week on either the same bill, or a separate repeal-only measure. Congress also still has to raise the debt ceiling and pass the budget before the onset of the new fiscal year in October. Further, lawmakers have yet to introduce an official tax reform proposal, finalization of which has been promised before years end.
Abby Lee Miller had a lot of tears and fears just days before starting her 366-day prison sentence last week.



The former Dance Moms star tells The View's Jedediah Bila in Lifetime's Dance Moms: Abby Tells All that she worries about saying too much in fear that her inmates will see the interview and use the information to her disadvantage. "I've been told not to talk about it because once they know, when they see this and they know, that's what they'll go after," she says, tearfully. "So, you know, I am petrified."

WATCH: Abby Lee Miller Says She 'Probably Won't Survive' Prison

When asked if she's concerned that she'll be physically abused in prison, Miller admits, "It's not something that I think about. I've kind of blocked it out. It's definitely something that I'm terrified of, yes."

As for how one prepares for a prison sentence, the 50-year-old reality star responds, "You can't, and I never use the word can't. I'm a can-do girl."

Miller -- who comes from a Catholic background -- also shares that she's been praying for "guidance" and that she's "doing the right thing" during this difficult time.

WATCH: Abby Lee Miller Flashes Huge Smile While Out to Dinner in L.A. Just 2 Days Before Starting Prison Sentence

On July 12, Miller arrived at the FCI Victorville facility in Victorville, California, to begin serving her sentence. "This is an extremely emotional day for Ms. Miller," Robert Ridge, Miller's attorney, said in a statement to ET. "Earlier today, Ms. Miller expressed to us that she is looking forward to starting the process of completing her obligations set by the Court. She has accepted that this matter will never truly be 'behind her,' but this chapter of the process has begun and there is now an end in sight."

Miller was found guilty of bankruptcy fraud in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in May, and was originally ordered to turn herself in on June 30 to the state, but her date of surrender was pushed back.

"Dance Moms: Abby Tells All" airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime.

EXCLUSIVE: Everything Abby Lee Miller Told ET About Prison, From Calling It a 'Vacation' to How She Prepared
John Heard, the actor best known for his role as the dad in the original Home Alone movies, died on Friday, July 21. He was 71.

According to TMZ, he was found in a hotel in Palo Alto, California by the maid service and was pronounced dead at the scene after police were called.

BREAKING: John Heard, dad in "Home Alone" movies, has died at 72 https://t.co/i9097fXzcL pic.twitter.com/UZHs3aMxJt  Variety (@Variety) July 22, 2017

The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office confirmed his death.

ABBY LEE MILLER ADMITS SHES PETRIFIED ABOUT HOW INMATES WILL TREAT HER

I can confirm that our officers responded with the fire department to a hotel in our city yesterday on a report of a person in need of medical aid, a spokesperson from the Palo Alto Police Department told People. The person was determined to be deceased. While still under investigation, the death is not considered suspicious at this time.

The Emmy nominee had undergone minor back surgery earlier this week and was said to be recovering at the hotel. Heard's cause of death has not been immediately released.

Besides Home Alone, Heard appeared in dozens of movies and shows like Big, Awakenings, The Pelican Brief and The Sopranos.

LINKIN PARK CANCELS TOUR AFTER CHESTER BENNINGTONS DEATH

Heard had three marriages including one to actress Margot Kidder. He is survived by three children including one with former partner Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo.

He was arrested in 1991 and charged with third-degree assault for allegedly slapping Leo. In 1997 he was found guilty of trespassing Leos Baltimore home.
An 11-year-old girl was recovering Friday after being attacked by a large fish at a Minnesota lake that left her with deep lacerations on her left foot and leg.

Maren Kesselhon was dangling her legs from her familys standup paddleboard at Island Lake, about 20 miles outside of Duluth, on Wednesday when something grabbed her foot, Fox 9 reported.

Ryan Kesselhon, the girls father, told the Duluth News Tribune that when Maren lifted her foot out of the water she had suffered more than two dozen cuts to her foot and leg.

The father said his daughter felt a fish grab on to her foot.

"My daughter, right away, when I pulled her out of the water, she thought it was a fish," Kesselhon said. "She could feel her foot in its mouth. She kicked it with her other foot. It released, but it left a torn-up foot."

Nine of Marens cuts required stitches and she also had to undergo surgery to repair a tendon in her foot, Fox 9 reported.

Doctors told the family it was likely some kind of fish that grabbed onto her foot. Island Lake is known for its large muskies and northern pike.

"The doctors debated whether it was an otter or a fish," Ryan Kesselhon told the Duluth News Tribune. "Had it been an otter, there would have been rabies shots. The doctors felt very confident it was a fish by how razor-sharp all the cuts were. Some were down to the bone, like it was done by the sharpest knife you could use."

Kesselhon added that Maren knows it was a freak accident and he believes she will be back in the water in no time.

A similar incident occurred in 2012 when a woman treading water in the lake was bitten by an otter, Fox 21 Duluth reported. The woman was taken to the emergency room with 25 bites.

Click for more from Fox 9.
Heres a prediction by yours truly that you can take to the bank: In just a few years Iran will have intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, that can attack targets all over the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

And it might all be thanks to the rogue state the Trump administration has labelled the biggest national security threat of our time: North Korea.

Oh, and to twist the knife in a little deeper, those missiles could be armed with nuclear weaponsonce the Iran deal expires. That is, unless America puts a stop to this threat once and for all.

Now wait a second. Youre shocked? You really shouldnt be.

Before we get to all that, maybe we should take a step back for a moment.

You see, making such predictions isnt always popular, but they spur action. Foreign policy analysts here in Washington love to hedge their bets with words like possibly, perhaps, likely and so on when trying to predict the next big threat. However, there is always certain trends that are easy to seeand even easier to run away from because they arent super solvable.

The American people didnt vote for such dithering last cycle. To be frank, they voted for the opposite of Barack Obama.

When it comes to matters abroad voters wanted an America that would seek out the challenges of the future and take them on before they were aimed at our collective heads. And that is what President Trump has done by taking on North Koreas nuclear and missile programs as well as calling out Iran for its own menacing missile plans.

While all of this is great news, the Trump administration is now facing a much bigger problem: the potential for North Korea and Iran to collaborate on long-range missile technology that can be used to strike our allies and the homeland.

In many respects, the evidence is right out in the open of past collaboration, according to some experts.

In an interview with Fox News, Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey explained that the very first missiles we saw in Iran were simply copies of North Korean missiles. He also noted that over the years, we've seen photographs of North Korean and Iranian officials in each other's countries, and we've seen all kinds of common hardware.

Many experts have been warning for years now that Tehran and Pyongyang have been trading missile technology. If the Trump administration doesnt act fast it wont be just the hermit kingdom that has nukes that can strike at targets thousands of miles awaybut it will also be the only nation on planet Earth that has turned chanting death to America into a national pastime.

Now, to be fair, there are those who downplay the linkages between Iran and North Korea. But if history tells us one thing it is that to never, ever, dismiss the power of a common threat. And both of these countries seek to offset U.S. military mightat any price. Clearly long-range missiles armed with nuclear payloads do that quite nicely.

One could easily imagine a scenario in a decade or so when the Iran nuclear deal has lapsedsomething many on the left seem to forgetand Tehran decides that it no longer needs to hide its intentions.

Iran instead takes what it feels is its rightful place as the dominant power of the Middle East and hold on to its arsenal of nuclear weapons and the missiles to carry them into battle. With the nuclear research it already has done in the past, along with careful cooperation with Pyongyang on missile technology the nuclear deal currently in place never restricted such cooperationit decides to push ahead unabated.

So what should the Trump administration do about this threat? Thankfully, Washington has considerable options to explore.

First, we should name and shame any North Korean, Iranian or outside partners that are helping these rogue regimes collaborate on missile technologies.

Pentagon and intelligence officials have told me on several occasions they have strong leads on who is helping facilitate these exchanges. Its time to shine a light on these groups or individualsnow. They need to be outed for the whole world to see and publicly shamed.

The Trump administration should declare that if you help Pyongyang or Tehran build long-range missiles you are an enemy of the international community and will be treated accordingly. Such shaming should include those providing material or technical assistance or any banks, financial institutions or front companies passing along funds for such assistance between both nations.

Second, with such entities out in the open, Team Trump should impose sanctions on such groups as soon as possible. The goal should be to drive up the costs for both sides and make them feel the financial pinch as much as possible.

Third, we should get creative in how we try to stamp out such cooperation. In a 2012 report by the National Bureau of Asian Research, author John S. Park offers the idea of using a a monetary reward program to interdict components or technicians central to ballistic missile development. He notes that:

Hiding in the open is a particularly effective tactic employed by North Korea. Contracting private Chinese companies to serve as middlemen to facilitate cargo launderinga creative process of disassembling components and moving them through different logistics routesenables North Korean state trading companies to utilize commercial shipping containers. Monetary rewards would offer a double payday for some Chinese companies, who could collect the commission fee from a North Korean client as well as the reward for anonymously providing a copy of the freight insurance to local authorities in busy Southeast Asian ports.

And finally, all of this is the clearest argument yet for Washington to lead a much more robust effort at ensuring more missile defense platforms are brought into the Middle East, Asia and also upgraded for the defense of our homeland.

Stopping an Iranian ICBM armed with a nuclear weapon by way of North Korea is one of the greatest challenges America faces today. The Trump administration must act now before its too late.
At a news briefing this week, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney continued to push the Trump administrations goal of cutting back on Obama-era regulations.

On Thursday, Mulvaney unveiled a secret list of proposed federal rules that he said the Obama administration had been hoping to implement.

They had a bunch of things that they wanted to regulate. And what were hearing is that they just didnt want to tell you about it, said Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget. They thought it would be bad for their re-election prospects in 2012, so they created a secret list of regs that were not disclosed to you folks, and we are disclosing it.

Mulvaney noted that President Trump has promised a two-for-one policy on regulations, meaning that for every new regulation introduced by the Trump team, two old regulations would be eliminated.

So far, that policy has led to the removal of 860 rules, the budget director said.

Referring to the list, Mulvaney added that the Trump administration was committed to setting a new tone in Washington.

There will be none of that in this administration. We will not have a secret list, he said. We will not have a hidden list of regulations that were thinking about doing but were not going to tell you about. Thats going to end effective immediately. In fact, it has already ended. Were not going to do that anymore.
Glenn Simpson, whose Fusion GPS firm has been tied to anti-Trump efforts and pro-Russian lobbying, will not talk to lawmakers in response to a subpoena, the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committe said Friday.

Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., confirmed in a statement that they subpoenaed Simpson to appear before the committee Wednesday as part of a hearing about the influence of foreign lobbying in last year's presidential election.

"Simpsons attorney has asserted that his client will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in response to the subpoena," Grassley and Feinstein said.

During the campaign, Fusion GPS contracted former MI-6 agent Christopher Steele to look into rumors about Trump's financial and social connections in Russia. The resulting "dossier," which was leaked to the media following Trump's victory in November included a number of sordid allegations about the president's sexual proclivities.

Last week, Fox News reported that Fusion GPS had ties to Russian efforts to undermine U.S. sanctions that were led by attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Investment manager Bill Browder claims Simpson was hired by one of Veselnitskaya's clients, Prevezon Holdings, as part of an effort to repeal the Magnitsky Act, named for Sergei Magnitsky  an attorney for Browder who was beaten to death in a Moscow prison after accusing Russian authorities of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars through tax refunds and then laundering the money through New York banks.

Veselnitskaya became the center of a political storm earlier this month after Donald Trump Jr. made public emails indicating that he had taken a meeting with her on the promise of receiving damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Grassley and Feinstein also noted that both Trump Jr., who met with Veselnitskaya in June of last year, and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who sat in on the meeting, are negotiating their appearances and the possibility of turning over documents, but left open the possibility that the pair would be subpoenaed.

Fusion GPS has said it had nothing to do with the Trump Jr.-Veselnitskaya meeting.

Fusion GPS learned about this meeting from news reports and had no prior knowledge of it. Any claim that Fusion GPS arranged or facilitated this meeting in any way is absolutely false, the company said in a statement.

Manafort had attracted scrutiny for months from congressional committees and Mueller. The Associated Press reported in June that Mueller's probe has incorporated a long-standing federal investigation into Manafort's financial dealings. That investigation is scrutinizing political consulting work he did for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych.



Manafort has denied any wrongdoing related to his Ukrainian work, saying through a spokesman that it "was totally open and appropriate."



Manafort also recently registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for parts of Ukrainian work that occurred in Washington. The filing under the Foreign Agents Registration Act came retroactively, a tacit acknowledgement that he operated in Washington in violation of the federal transparency law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Justice Department hit back Friday night at a report citing anonymous sources who said Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed sensitive matters with a Russian official during last year's presidential race ins spite of his subsequent testimony that he did not.

The Washington Post, citing unnamed current and former officials, reported that Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak claimed he discussed the 2016 campaign with Sessions during the race, possibly contradicting the attorney generals public comments about his interactions with Russian officials, according to a Washington Post report Friday.

According to the Post, Kislyak told his superiors in Russia that he discussed the presidential campaign and issues of importance to his country with Sessions. The outlet said the ambassadors conversations with his bosses were picked up by U.S. spy agencies.

Sessions, who was a senator from Alabama during the presidential race, has faced questions about whether he properly disclosed his past interactions with Kislyak while a lawmaker who was a high-profile Trump surrogate.

After such questions were raised, Sessions announced in March he would recuse himself from the investigation into Russias attempted meddling in the campaign.

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions

He has denied meeting with Russian officials about the campaign.

Sessions said at the time, I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign.

The conversations between Kislyak and Sessions took place in April of 2016 before a Trump speech on foreign policy and in July during the Republican National Convention. Its typical for lawmakers to meet with ambassadors.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores denied Sessions had improper discussions with Kislyak or was untruthful about it later.

"Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me, but the Attorney General stands by his testimony from just last month before the Senate Intelligence Committee when he specifically addressed this and said that he 'never met with or had any conversations with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election,'" Flores said.

The Post noted that Russians and diplomats from other countries have reported false information in the past to impress their bosses or confuse the intelligence agencies listening in on conversations.

The story comes the same week President Trump lashed out at Sessions during an interview with The New York Times.

TRUMP: SESSIONS SHOULD HAVE NEVER RECUSED HIMSELF

The president said in that interview he wouldnt have appointed Sessions  a loyal surrogate during the campaign  to lead the Justice Department had he known he would have recused himself from the Russian probe.


Sarah Huckabee Sanders was named the new White House press secretary Friday afternoon following the resignation of Sean Spicer.

Spicer resigned Friday after President Donald Trump appointed New York financier Anthony Scaramucci to communications director. In a tweet, Spicer said he would continue in his role until August.

Sanders, as Spicers deputy, had recently taken more of a prominent role in the White House communications as she took over the daily briefings and turned them into off-camera events. Scaramucci told reporters Friday that Trump thought Sanders does a phenomenal job.

It was Sanders, too, who stood behind the briefing room lectern on what was one of the Trump administrations biggest news days  the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS NAMED NEW WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY

At 34 years old, Sanders  the daughter of former GOP presidential contender and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee  has been involved in politics most of her life. She spent her teens in the governors mansion in Little Rock before attending Ouachita Baptist University, a private liberal arts school in southwest Arkansas.

Sanders has worked on multiple Republican campaigns aside from her fathers own.

She worked on former President George W. Bushs reelection campaign in 2004, acted as a senior advisor to Arkansas Sen. Tom Cottons Senate bid and managed other Arkansas Sen. John Boozmans bid for the Senate.

When asked about a possible promotion to the press secretary position in May, Huckabee insisted that his daughter likes what she is doing.

WHO IS SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS?

She really, really likes [Spicer] and respects him a lot and really enjoys working with him and has no desire to take the job that he has, Huckabee said then.

He also credited Sanders brothers for helping her with her poise behind the briefing room lectern.

She grew up pretty doggone tough. She had to, as a matter of survival, Huckabee said. Shes got a very sweet heart, but shes tough, and she can handle herself. Shes had to take all kinds of gruff from her brothers, so shes pretty fearless.

Sanders married Bryan Sanders in 2010, and the two have three children.
Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak has reported about the attempt to seize the public reception of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine and the planned provocation in the presidential administration, organized by Russia with the view of destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.

"Attempts to destabilize Ukraine continue. According to latest information, at a closed meeting of the Russian leadership in May, Putin criticized his assistant Surkov for the failure of the operation to destabilize the socio-political situation in Ukraine and set a new task to undermine the ruling regime in Ukraine within the shortest possible time. Kyiv has been chosen as a site for the provocation," Hrytsak said at a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.

According to him, during one week - from June 28 to July 4, alone, the SBU prevented six attempts by the Russian side to organize protests outside the Polish Embassy in Ukraine. And on July 5, the SBU thwarted the seventh attempt of provocation, this time near the building of the consulate of Poland in Ukraine.

Hrytsak stressed that Russia also remains the main initiator of forceful provocations whose purpose is to show that Ukraine is allegedly the source of the spread of extremism.

"On July 12, on the instructions of the Russian side, an attempt was made to seize the public reception of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine," the SBU chief said.

Another provocation was being prepared in the public reception office of the Ukrainian president, Hrytsak said adding that they have a screenshot of the correspondence containing the plan of provocations from Moscow.

"The security service has established the organizers of these actions - all of them are on the territory of the Russian Federation. They received orders from Surkov and Ardzinba in the Russian presidential administration. The funding was provided by the Committee of Rescue of Ukraine Azarov and Oliynik, former high-ranking officials and fugitive oligarchs," the SBU head said.

The organization of anti-Polish pseudo-actions was led by Nikolai Dulsky, leader of the Ukrain
Weve all heard about 40 is the new 30. Thirty is the new 20. Even 70 is the new 50. In the Senate, 40 may be the new 60.

It takes two rounds of 60 votes in the Senate to break most filibusters. But if you cant produce 60 yeas to quash the filibuster, you have but one option: a special process called budget reconciliation, which neutralizes filibusters. The Republican-controlled Senate needs only 51 votes to advance legislation under budget reconciliation.

Budget reconciliation is the method congressional Republicans crafted to inoculate their ObamaCare repeal-and-replace efforts from filibusters. Democrats deployed budget reconciliation to approve their final version of ObamaCare in 2010.

They had precisely 60 senators on their side of the aisle and successfully broke every filibuster Republicans lodged against the health care law.

That is, Democrats had 60 votes, until they unexpectedly lost a seat in a Massachusetts special election in January, 2010. Former Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., prevailed over Democratic nominee Martha Coakley.

So with only 59 Democrats, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, turned to budget reconciliation and its lower threshold to polish off ObamaCare with a simple majority.

But Republicans cant even get 51 votes to start debate on a health care bill. Any bill. Thats why Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., is trying a last-ditch effort to at least start debate early next week on the health care bill the House approved in May.

Its pretty clear there are not 50 Republicans at the moment for a replacement, said McConnell shortly after he euthanized the second Senate Republican stab at health care.

So McConnell forges ahead with a vote to summon the bill to the floor. The gig is up if that doesnt marshal a majority of Republicans.

We will have demonstrated that Republicans by themselves are not prepared at this particular point to do a replacement, lamented McConnell.

This was the whole reason the House and Senate worked overtime to set up this entire budget reconciliation contrivance. To avoid Democrats from gumming up the works. They didnt realize theyd have trouble with Republicans.

Math is imperative on Capitol Hill. Republicans hold 52 of the Senates 100 seats. Various iterations of the health care package forced anywhere from less than a handful to perhaps as many as 10 Republicans to oppose starting debate on the bill. Republicans could lose only two votes on their side and ask Vice President Pence to break the tie.

But theres new algebra with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., out due to brain cancer. Ninety-nine total senators and only 51 GOPers. The GOP can only lose one senator now and still advance a measure with 50 votes. Forty-nine kills it. That also means theres no chance for the vice president to break a tie.

We are really trying to get an agreement, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said shortly after he and his colleagues prayed at a late-night health care conclave over McCains condition. But obviously now it is more challenging.

There remains a chance that McConnell can still cobble together enough votes to initiate the debate on the motion to proceed. Thats the key vote. Numerous Republican senators argue theyll pass something if they can at least kick off the debate.

I believe we will get there, said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. I believe we will get to yes. I think we have to get to yes. A failure on this would be catastrophic and were not going to fail.

So this is what McConnell is undertaking: a definitive, final stand to uproot ObamaCare. Its almost like Winston Churchills heralded 1940 speech to Parliament.

We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets, he said.

Without forcing the issue, McConnell cannot say he didnt go on to the end, as Churchill proclaimed. If the vote fails, then McConnell will have exhausted the process. And nobody could really blame him for then pivoting from the health care issue to tax reform. Or -- gasp -- working with Democrats to repair ObamaCare.

House Republicans are turning up the heat on the Senate.

With all due respect to that body, come on guys, said an exasperated Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., about the Senates inaction on health care. Someone needs to go over there and say Get it done.

This is very disappointing, said Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio. Over in the Senate, theres a lot of obstruction. Its slow moving. The Senate needs to think about a lot of the rules over there.

Well, the Senate already ran that trap when McConnell established a new precedent and lowered the bar to break filibusters on Supreme Court nominees. That was the only route the chamber could take to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Gorsuchs confirmation is the only parliamentary achievement about which President Trump can brag.

The use of the budget reconciliation to advance legislation isnt a rules change. But it was the parliamentary ploy Republicans elected to use to use to advance health care and avoid a Democratic filibuster.

So whats next if the GOP cant solve the health care riddle with its narrow majority? Lower the bar from 51 to 40?

With a current operational number of 51 now, Republicans just dont have cushion to lose a few votes. By the same token, it also means McConnell must prevail on only a couple of senators to get the issue on the floor and pass the bill.

Can they do that? Perhaps with a concrete replacement bill waiting in the wings. But a bill that simply repeals ObamaCare that grants a two-year window to figure out something else may not fly.

I think that would be a bad use of our time, said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, if there wasnt a deal on a replacement plan.

It was easy for Republicans to vote to repeal ObamaCare during the Obama administration. President Obama was in the White House. It was artifice. Republicans knew the president wouldnt sign it. Now theyre firing with live ammo.

McConnell wants resolution to this health care debacle this week. Otherwise, its time to move onto tax reform.

Will that be easier?

To approve tax reform, House and Senate Republicans plan to use a special process called budget reconciliation, which rebuffs filibusters  .

Er, wait a minute. Isnt that what the Senate is using to try to pass health care? Well, that hasnt worked out so hot. The Senate cant use budget reconciliation as a parliamentary tool unless the House has OKd a budget.

The House Budget Committee approved one late Wednesday night. But theres still no path to lug the budget across the floor.

I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that they dont have the votes to pass it on the House floor, North Carolina GOP Rep. Mark Meadows, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, declared about leaders of the GOP-controlled chamber.

Many Freedom Caucus members are holding out. They want a concrete tax plan first and a package to handle the debt ceiling.

So, if they cant move tax reform in the Senate 

Maybe Bob Gibbs is onto something.

Drop the bar to 45 to pass bills in the Senate? Forty? Thirty-five?

On Tuesday afternoon, Republican senators completed a grim weekly lunch on health care. They spilled out into the Ohio Clock Corridor of the Capitol amid a sea of reporters.

A phone rang. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, fiddled with his phone before realizing it wasnt his. But that didnt stop him from hamming it up for the cameras. He then pretended (we think) to take a call from someone important.

Yes Mr. President, deadpanned Roberts into his phone. Im standing here with 10,000 of them.

The typically rapturous press corps fell silent, entranced by Roberts performance.

Oh. A better approach is to get the hell out of here, Roberts said into the phone before disappearing into the Senate chamber.

Perhaps thats what a lot of congressional Republicans will want to do if health care and tax reform remain stunted.
So, how come health care is a disaster? Here's why: This is a remote. It's got like a hundred buttons, but I only use the power and the channel arrow. I don't know what the other buttons do. And I know that if I hit the wrong one, it's all over. I'm helpless. That's health care: It's poorly designed, overly complicated, one side fits all. It is so convoluted. Its manual needs a manual which needs a call center which needs a help desk. Why is that? Because like this remote, it's badly designed.

If it were a car, ObamaCare would have been recalled in hours. You'd be sitting on the steering wheel, the windshield made of marshmallows. Remember that website launch? It made Olestra look good and Olestra caused diarrhea. But that website, that website was the door to the ObamaCare building and you couldn't even get inside it. What is that say? It says that bureaucracy fails because it is designs for the product and not for you. And the product fails because no human can figure out how to use it.

President Obama took something as vital as health, cordoned it off like a crime scene and left it to a bunch of chuckle heads. The wrong people are handling it and it's time to get it out of their hands and into those who understand humans. Every single day, doctors and business types email us with solutions. They understand functionality and simplicity so people can use this service minus all the anxiety. The cell phone is way more complex than a financial product. But a10-year-old can master it. Because a successful product fits you, not the reverse.

So, if President Trump truly wants to change things, here is his chance. Wrestle this problem away from politicians and ideologues and let someone else have a shot. Could it possibly, possibly be any worse?
ISIS in Iraq and Syria has been dismantled, with tens of thousands of its jihadist fighters dead, but a promising lead on its leader went dead after a media leak, according to a key U.S. military official.

We have absolutely dismantled his network, Gen. Tony Thomas, speaking of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, said at the Aspen Security Forum. I mean everyone who worked for him initially is dead or gone. Everybody who stepped to the plate the next time [is] dead or gone. Down through a network where we have killed, in a conservative estimate, 60,000 to 70,000 of his followers, his army.

In a wide-ranging interview moderated by Fox News' Catherine Herridge, Thomas, who leads the Special Operations Command, said his team was particularly close to Baghdadi after the 2015 raid that killed ISIS oil minister Abu Sayyaf. That raid also netted his wife, who provided a wealth of actionable information.

" ... we have killed, in a conservative estimate, 60,000 to 70,000 of his followers, his army.  Gen. Tony Thomas, Special Operations commander

That was a very good lead. Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead, Thomas said. The challenge we have [is] in terms of where and how our tactics and procedures are discussed openly. There's a great need to inform the American public about what we're up to. There's also great need to recognize things that will absolutely undercut our ability to do our job.

Thomas appeared to be referring to a New York Times report in June 2015 that detailed how American intelligence agencies had extracted valuable information.

New insights yielded by the seized trove  four to seven terabytes of data, according to one official  include how the organizations shadowy leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, operates and tries to avoid being tracked by coalition forces," the Times reported.

Thomas also provided new details about the military campaign in Libya. Fox News reported in 2015 that a half-dozen senior ISIS operatives travelled to North Africa to establish an ISIS satellite.

They seized on Libya as a failed state. They declared it a province. Our estimates were that, at the high-water mark, they had anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 folks primarily located in a seaside town named Sirte. They dont exist anymore.

Commenting on media reports that the CIA ended a covert program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, Thomas said the story, first carried in the Washington Post, was wrong to suggest the purported move was to appease Moscow.

Thomas said the direction from his boss, Defense Secretary James Mattis, was very clear.

It was 'defeat ISIS,'" he said. "Its now 'annihilate ISIS.' I think he put a non-doctrinal term out there to amp up the volume a little bit. We all got the message.

Despite recent victories, Thomas said the strategic picture remained complex, given activity of Syria, Iraq, Russia and Turkey in limited space. For U.S. pilots providing cover for ground operations, it can be "Top-Gun-nish," Thomas said.

Right now, our pilots out there are getting painted radar-wise by Syrian aircraft [and] Russian aircrafts ground control intercept [have] that capability, so you can imagine how dicey it is for a pilot who's on top of us to give us the necessary protection," Thomas said. [Its a] pretty dicey situation in a very tight space there.

As long as American military members are in harm's way, there remains the reality of casualties. And while strategy is always on the mind of Thomas, so to are the men and women who carry out the battle plans.

A frequent visitor to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, who makes a point to meet his wounded warriors, Thomas said his personal visits, outside the media glare, did more for him than the soldiers.

I'd like to think that I'm going to buoy their spirits, Thomas said. But go in there and you'll walk out with one of the best buzzes you've ever had. In terms of resiliency of human beings, of service members who are not the least bit self-pitying. They want to think that they've helped accomplish something.

UPDATE:

The New York Times provided Fox News with the below statement Sunday.

"The raid against Abu Sayyaf occurred on May 16, 2015 and was announced that day in an official statement by Defense Secretary Ash Carter. Below is an excerpt from the May 16 Pentagon press release:

'Last night, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, I ordered U.S. Special Operations Forces to conduct an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture an ISIL senior leader known as Abu Sayyaf and his wife Umm Sayyaf. Abu Sayyaf was involved in ISIL's military operations and helped direct the terrorist organization's illicit oil, gas, and financial operations as well. Abu Sayyaf was killed during the course of the operation when he engaged U.S. forces.

U.S. forces captured Umm Sayyaf, who we suspect is a member of ISIL, played an important role in ISIL's terrorist activities, and may have been complicit in what appears to have been the enslavement of a young Yezidi woman rescued last night.'

Baghdadi would have known that Umm Sayyaf, Abu Sayyaf's wife, was being held, if not from his own communications network then from the Pentagons announcement and news reports about that announcement. If the U.S. government wanted to keep the detention and likely interrogation of the wife secret, the Pentagon would not have publicly announced it.

The New York Times story you cite in your report was published on June 8, more than three weeks after the raid. The Times described the piece to the Pentagon before publication and they had no objections. No senior American official complained publicly about the story until now, more than two years later."
In a raucous press conference on Friday evening Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges announced the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Jane Harteau. The resignation came in the wake of the fatal shooting of an Australian woman by a police officer on July 15.

We need new leadership at MPD," Hodges said. "I asked Chief Harteau for her resignation, she tendered it and I accepted it.

The presser quickly turned into a back and forth debate with a protester who was in attendance.

We do not want you as the mayor," a man said to Hodges. "We do not want you as the mayor of Minneapolis! You have been ineffective. We do not want you as the mayor, Betsy Hodges!

Hodges initially attempted to engage the protester, saying she would be happy to sit down and talk with people about the future of policing in Minneapolis. But the protester continued to yell while others in attendance joined the dialogue.

AUSTRALIAN WOMAN SHOT BY MINNESOTA POLICE REPORTED POSSIBLE SEXUAL ASSAULT, 911 TRANSCRIPT SHOWS

Hodges eventually walked away and left the room without continuing her announcement as the protesters began cheering before taking turns to make their own remarks.

The mayor returned to the podium approximately 30 minutes later - once the room had cleared - to complete her comments and to address the concerns brought up by the protesters.

Chief Harteau's resignation came a day after she made her initial remarks on the death of 40-year-old Justine Damond.

Damond was fatally shot on Saturday by an officer who responded to her 911 call about a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her house. Damond apparently approached the drivers side window of the police vehicle right after the two responding police officers heard a loud sound.

The officer in the passenger seat, Mohamed Noor, then fired his weapon through the open drivers side window, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

AUSTRALIAN WOMAN SHOT AFTER MINNESOTA COPS HEARD LOUD SOUND, OFFICIALS SAY

Harteau had been out of the city in the days after the incident but said on Thursday that she had been on personal time and was in contact with her command staff.

On Thursday Harteau said that Damond did not have to die, adding that the actions of Officer Noor go against who we are in the department and against how officers are trained.

Noor has still not agreed to be interviewed about the incident.

Before she was interrupted, Hodges announced that she would nominate Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo to replace Harteau.

Arradondo, who is African-American, joined the department as a patrol officer in 1989. He had been Harteau's chief of staff before becoming assistant chief in April.

His nomination requires City Council confirmation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A California man sued the state and California Lottery Commission alleging he was wrongfully denied a $5 million Scratchers ticket prize because his 16-year-old son bought the winning ticket.

Ward Thomas filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming the commission's failure to discharge a mandatory duty, breach of contract, negligence and both intentional and negligent representation. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

CALIFORNIA TEEN WINS LOTTERY TWICE IN ONE WEEK

A California Lottery representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Thomas says his son bought five Scratchers tickets at a Mobil station on Bellflower Boulevard in Long Beach on Oct. 16 by exchanging other winning tickets. One of the five was a winning ticket with a $5 million prize, the suit

states.

Thomas validated the ticket at a 7-Eleven store in Long Beach that same day and then validated it again the next day at the lottery office in Santa Ana, the suit states.

However, on Dec. 5, the Lottery Commission told Thomas that his award was being denied because his son was a minor and therefore was "not legally able to play the lottery," the suit states.

Read more at Fox 11.
A 10-year-old Florida boy was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing a car the day after he was charged with snatching another vehicle.

The boy, whom Daytona Beach Police described as flashy, was caught cutting off his ankle monitor less than six hours after it was placed on him and meeting up with other teenagers to steal a car, authorities said.

TEENS FILMED, LAUGHED WHILE MAN SLOWLY DROWNED, AUTHORITIES SAY

Police said it was his fourth arrest for car theft in six weeks.

Daytona Beach Police Sgt. Tim Ehrenkaufer told The Daytona Beach News-Journal that investigators have noticed a brashness thats not common in children that young.

He has a look-at-me attitude, Ehrenkaufer said. Hes flashy.

Capt. Jennifer Krosschell said the boy looks his age despite his brash behavior.

He even looks like a 10-year-old, Krosschell said. When we [seized] the car he had stolen, the drivers seat was pushed up to the steering wheel.

POUNDS OF PORK PLOP ONTO ROOF OF FLORIDA HOME

He was first arrested in June after police said he stole a car. Since then, the child has been connected to two other car robberies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Marietta mother was arrested after an apparent night of clubbing ended very badly. Police said the mother's absence prompted her 11-year-old daughter to seek a meal from a neighbor. That is when police said they discovered the place where the child lived was in a deplorable condition.

Deborah Ann Oats, who lives at the Laurel Hills Reserve Apartment complex on Bells Ferry Road, remained behind bars Friday evening on a charge of felony child cruelty in the second degree.

REWARD TOPS $100K: WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND WHO GETS IT?

The arrest warrant states last Saturday evening, Oats daughter went to a neighbors apartment because she said she was hungry.

Dispatch advised that a juvenile had gone to a neighbor's house and stated they didn't have food and needed something to eat, said Officer Chuck McPhilamy, Marietta Police Department.

Officer McPhilamy said police responded first to the apartment of the neighbor who helped the girl then to her apartment which she shared with pets and her mother.

They found the conditions in a word I can only say deplorable, between roaches and other insects, mold and fungus, no food inside the residence, animal feces, said Officer McPhilamy.

GEORGIA COUPLE ACCUSED IN COLD CHICKEN BEATING SURRENDERS

The arrest warrant also states her mother was out clubbing and had not returned home by the time police got there around 3 a.m.

Five minutes of pleasure can cause you a life time of pain, said Ernest Laws, Oats brother.

Laws said he didnt know his sister was in jail and was shocked at the allegations.

I'm totally shocked, honestly, I don't know what to say, said Laws.

Laws took a tough love approach, sparing few words in criticism of his sister and protection of his niece.

Whatever has to be done has to be done, plain and simple. My niece is a little child, she doesn't know better. My sister, she definitely should know better, said Law

Oats was given a $10,000 bond. The young girl was in protective custody.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM FOX 5 DC
A federal grand in Hawaii indicted a U.S. soldier on Friday for allegedly attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail. Kang was employed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Kang will be arraigned in federal court on Monday, which is when he had previously been scheduled for a preliminary hearing. Kangs court-appointed attorney, Birney Bervar, told The Associated Press Friday that the indictment was expected.

BUDGET BOSS MULVANEY CLAIMS OBAMA HAD SECRET LIST OF PROPOSED REGULATIONS

We havent had a preliminary in federal court here in probably 25 years, Bervar told The Associated Press. They dont like to let us question their witnesses.

Bervar said the soldier would plead not guilty on Monday when a federal judge will set a trial date.

The soldier faces "a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count," according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice National Security Division.

Bervar said Kangs mental state was never the same following his 2011 deployment.

Hes a decorated American soldier for 10 years, goes to Afghanistan and comes back and things start going off the rails.

According to an FBI affidavit, Kangs behavior was obvious to those around him, the Washington Post reported.

USS FITZGERALD COLLISION: CREW SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP BEFORE ACCIDENT, OFFICIAL SAYS

He was reprimanded on several occasions for threatening to hurt or kill other service members, and for arguing pro-ISIS views while at work and on-post, according to the affidavit. Due to these remarks and threats, Kangs security clearance was revoked in 2012, but reinstated the following year after Kang complied with military requirements stemming from the investigation.

Elliot Enoki, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii, and Dana Boente, acting assistant attorney general for national security, announced the indictment in a statement.

Kang has been charged with four counts of attempting to provide material support to ISIS based on events that occurred in Hawaii between June 21 and July 8, they said.

Federal officials said Kang met with undercover FBI agents he thought were with the terror group and provided classified military documents to the agents.

According to the affidavit, Kang provided the materials hoping the documents would assist ISIS, including with fighting and military tactics. Additionally, Kang contributed to the purchase of a drone with the intention that it would be provided to, and used by, ISIS during fighting.

The FBI said in their criminal complaint that Kang wanted to commit a mass shooting after allegedly pledging allegiance to ISIS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Texas, appears on track to win Senate confirmation as President Trumps choice for U.S. ambassador to NATO, the Texas Tribune reported this week.

Hutchison, 74, whom Trump nominated in June, faced questioning at a hearing Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and appeared to have bipartisan support.

Her backers included Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both R-Texas, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who was Hillary Clintons running mate in the 2016 presidential election.

Few statesmen have the qualifications, the relationships, and gravitas that Senator Hutchison brings to this position, Cruz told the panel. After years of inadequate resourcing, Kay led an effort in the Senate to rebuild our military and helped prepare it to meet the new, more stringent demands of the global war on terror.

Cruz succeeded Hutchison in the Senate, where the nominee served from 1993 to 2013.

Added Kaine: Kay Bailey, Im so excited youre the nominee. Your nomination sends a signal the NATO relationship is an important one.

Hutchison used part of her testimony Thursday to assure committee members that, if confirmed to represent the U.S. in the Western military alliance, she intended to take a tough stance on Russia, the Tribune reported.

We are beefing up defenses for an aggressive Russia," she told the committee, adding that she backs members of Congress who are considering new sanctions against Russia in response to its cyberattacks.

Several senators said they found Hutchisons positions reassuring, given concerns on Capitol Hill about Trumps relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Tribune reported.

In her testimony, Hutchison said it was likely that Russia interfered in the 2016 American elections, a conclusion that aligns with a consensus among the country's intelligence agencies.

If confirmed for the ambassadorship, Hutchison will likely have to chart a path between the longtime U.S. commitment to the alliance and Trumps criticism of other member countries, the Dallas Morning News reported.

The president has frequently charged NATO members with failing to pay their fair share of the organizations defense costs.

In June, Trump opted not to reaffirm Americas commitment to Article V of the NATO treaty, which assures that all member countries will come to each others defense in case of an attack.

But Hutchisons remarks seemed designed to reassure senators that she believed in NATOs mission, the Morning News reported.

I am a strong supporter of this historic defense and security alliance that was formed to protect freedom for all of its members, united and indivisible, Hutchison said. I look forward to the Senate confirmation process.
A restaurant in New York has a very strict policy about drinking and driving.

Peddlers Bar and Bistro in Clifton Park, NY, said they have a one limit drink rule enforced to customers that are driving with a child or children in the car after dining at the establishment, according to WKBN.

Melisa Gravelle, the general manager of the restaurant, said the establishment enforced the rule as it prepared for the summer.

NY DOOFY TEEN WHO LOST CAR AT METALLICA CONCERT IN TORONTO FINDS IT, DAYS LATER

We love children, Gravelle told WKBN. Everybody loves children and children dont have a voice.

I could never live with myself knowing that I killed somebody driving, Gravelle continued. I could never do that; its a choice that you can avoid.

Gravelle warned that those who do not abide by the rule would be asked to go.

They (servers) do get berated at the tables and some come back very upset, Gravelle said. The manager go to the table and they explain were not picking on parents, its just something that we feel in our hearts is something that we can do in order to help.

Many customers believe the policy would be effective.

Why take the chance? Definitely doesnt make any sense, Greg Culver, a customer, said. That way you keep those people off the road.

90 HOSPITALIZED DURING CHANCE THE RAPPER SHOW IN CONNECTICUT

Im a former educator and I think its a great policy, Barb Buckley, a Peddlers diner, said. When you think about the responsibility that a parent has to protect their children, I think its a great policy. Im behind them 100 percent.

The restaurant does not have the legal rights to enforce their policy but it has been implemented since 2010.
A New York teenager who couldnt remember which parking lot he left his car in while attending a Metallica concert in Toronto found the vehicle  four days later.

'Pretty awesome': Syracuse teen's car found after Toronto parking nightmare https://t.co/YN0T5VhPAj pic.twitter.com/jYwC53JnVD  CBC News (@CBCNews) July 21, 2017

Gavin Strickland, 19, of Syracuse, N.Y., said he drove his Nissan sedan to Toronto to attend a Metallica concert on Sunday but could not remember which parking garage he left it in, according to CBC News.

Stricklands parents wrote an advertisement and posted it to Craigslist asking the public for their help. The advertisement went viral after the description called Strickland doofy.

FLORIDA BOY, 10, ARRESTED 4 TIMES IN 6 WEEKS FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING CARS

Our doofy son parked the car in an indoor parking garage, in the first floor (slightly lower/basement level) but that garage cannot now be located, Stricklands father wrote in the advertisement.

The announcement offered a $100 reward as well.

The car has U.S. Florida license plates, a small Canadian flag affixed to the door frame and a Bernie Sanders bumper sticker.

This is not the first time Strickland lost his car. Last winter the teenager forgot where he parked when he attended a concert in New York, according to Syracuse.com.

Strickland took a bus home Monday morning after he could not find his vehicle.

Madison Riddolls, 26, discovered Stricklands car on Wednesday. Riddolls and her boyfriend decided to go searching after reading the advertisement.

POLICE CALLED AFTER DEMON GOAT BIRTH TERRORIZES TOWN

We were a little bored and decided to go to bed or go on a little adventure in our own city, Riddolls told CBC News. I felt like I owed it to the family, Riddolls continued. They were sort of relying on us.

Strickland lucked out after the garage charged him only one day of parking and gave him a Bluetooth device just in case he lost his car again.

I love Canada and I think I just love how the city got together to help me out, Strickland said.
A public school teacher has turned to panhandling at an Oklahoma interstate off-ramp to raise money to buy classroom supplies for her third-grade students.

Teresa Danks, a teacher in the Tulsa Public Schools system, stood at the busy Interstate-44 intersection Tuesday begging for spare change with a scrawled sign that said, Teacher Needs School Supplies! Anything Helps.

All I want to do is give those kids the best, Danks told Fox 23 Tulsa.

State education budget cuts have forced Danks to pay for supplies with her own money, the station reported. Her teacher salary is $35,000.

I easily pay $2,000, $3,000 out of pocket every year to make it happen for my kids, Danks told the station.

She added, It all adds up week after week and month after month. So its a huge need.

It didnt take long for her to raise $80.

Danks choked up as she told the station she was overwhelmed by the response.

I find Im getting emotional talking about it, she said.

She told the station she hopes other teachers join her effort to focus attention on the budget crisis in the Oklahoma state capitol.
Peace is no closer today than it was a quarter century ago when Seeds of Peace brought the first Israeli and Palestinian teens together in the woods of Maine.

But the latest group to spend time together sees reason for optimism.

Husam Zarour, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem, said Israeli and Palestinian youth have inherited an untenable situation but that it's their job to fix it. He said there's reason for optimism, and that the now is not the time to give up.

The 181 teens have spent three weeks together at the lakeside camp, that's celebrating its 25th anniversary.

It was created when the late foreign news correspondent John Wallach brought a group of Israeli and Arab teens in 1993 amid clashes over territory and Palestinians' desire for an independent state.
A Palestinian assailant snuck into a home in a West Bank settlement Friday and stabbed three Israelis to death, the head of the country's rescue services said.

An Israeli news site said those killed in the settlement of Halamish were two men and a woman who were having dinner at the time. The army released footage showing a blood-covered kitchen floor.

The bloodshed followed street clashes in Jerusalem left three Palestinians dead amid increasing tensions over the Holy Land's most contested shrine.

Israel TV's Channel 10 said the assailant was in his late teens and had posted on Facebook that he was upset by the events at the shrine. Eli Bin, the head of Israel's rescue service MDA, said an off-duty soldier next door heard screams, rushed to the home and shot the attacker through a window. Bin said the attacker was wounded and evacuated to hospital.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, announced that he is freezing ties with Israel, dealing a blow to fledgling Trump administration efforts to try to renew long-dormant peace talks.



Abbas said contacts with Israel would be suspended on "all levels."

It was not immediately clear if this means long-standing security coordination between Israeli troops and Abbas' forces will be halted.



At issue in the current round of violence are metal detectors Israel installed at the Jerusalem shrine earlier this week, in response to a deadly attack by Arab gunmen there.



The metal detectors are perceived by the Palestinians as an encroachment on Muslim rights and portrayed by Israel as a needed security measure following the attack that killed two Israeli policemen.



Earlier Friday, several thousand Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank clashed with Israeli troops, burning tires or throwing stones and firecrackers. Troops fired live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen hospitalized with live or rubber bullet injuries.



White clouds of tear gas rose from Jerusalem streets and West Bank flashpoints. In one neighborhood, Palestinians threw stones from behind a mattress used as a shield.



Israel also faced growing criticism from the Muslim world, and thousands staged anti-Israel protests after Friday prayers in Jordan and Yemen. Turkey and Egypt also condemned the violence.



The confrontations in the Holy Land could escalate in coming days, as both sides dig in.



Israel said the metal detectors would remain in place. Lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel would not surrender to what he said were "violence and incitement" by those "attempting to drag us into a religious war."



Jerusalem's top Muslim cleric, Mohammed Hussein, said protests, including mass street prayers outside the shrine, would continue until the devices are removed. He told worshippers Friday that they should prepare for a "long test of wills" with Israel.



"We will not back off," he said.



The shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, sits at the emotional epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, symbolizing the rival religious and national narratives of the two sides.



Disputes over the 37-acred walled hilltop platform in Jerusalem's Old City have repeatedly triggered major confrontations in the past.



Earlier this week, Israel began installing metal detectors at the gates of the compound, saying extra measures were required to prevent further attacks.



Muslim leaders portrayed the metal detectors as part of a purported Israeli campaign to expand its control over the shrine -- a claim Israel denies. Muslim clerics urged worshippers to pray in the streets near the shrine, rather than submit to the new security procedures.



The faithful complied. Thousands flocked to the Old City each day this week for street prayers, kneeling on mats spread on cobble stone and asphalt.



On Friday, the highlight of the Muslim religious week, Israeli police severely restricted Muslim access to the Old City to prevent mass protests.



Some 3,000 officers were deployed at checkpoints in and around the city, turning away Muslim men under the age of 50, including those trying to reach the city from Israel and the West Bank.



In the end, thousands reached the Old City -- a fraction of the typical Friday turnout of tens of thousands of worshippers.



After peaceful prayers, clashes erupted in several areas of Jerusalem and across the West Bank.



Palestinian health officials said three Palestinians were killed by live fire in different areas of Jerusalem.



The Red Crescent said 390 Palestinians were hurt, including close to 100 who were hospitalized for live fire or rubber bullet injuries. Israeli police said five officers were wounded.



The perceived threat to the shrine, home to the Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, has galvanized Palestinians -- especially those in east Jerusalem which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly annexed.



Since 1967, Israel has increasingly cut off east Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland, leaving the city's Arab residents without a political leadership.



Muslim clerics stepped into the void this week, taking the lead in prayer protests.



Under the post-1967 arrangements, Muslims administer the compound. Jews can visit, but not pray there. For decades, the status quo held, in part because leading rabbis, citing religious purity laws, banned Jews from entering.



In recent years, religious opinion has shifted, and growing numbers of Jews are visiting the compound. This shift has stoked Muslim fears of a purported Israeli plan to expand Jewish control there. Israel has reiterated that it has no intention to change the status quo.



Fakhri Abu Diab, a 55-year-old worshipper, said he feels Muslims must stand their ground.



"If we let them, they (Israelis) will take over the mosque completely," he said, standing near the Old City. "If we resist them, they will stop."



The dispute over the detectors has led to rising tensions between Israel and the Muslim world.



The compound is the third holiest site of Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. It is also Judaism's holiest site, once home to biblical Temples.



Jordan, the custodian of the Jerusalem shrine, has repeatedly appealed to Israel to remove the devices. The two countries cooperate closely on regional security issues, but frequently disagree on Israel's policies at the shrine.



On Friday, several thousand Jordanians protested against Israel in the Jordanian capital of Amman.



Demonstrators chanted, "the people want to liberate Al Aqsa," referring to one of the mosques in the compound.



Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country is in touch with Israeli officials to try to end the crisis. Speaking in Ankara after Friday prayers, he called Israel's security measures "radical," saying limits imposed on Muslim prayers would not contribute to a solution.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The London hospital treating terminally ill baby Charlie Gard said Saturday that its staffers have received death threats amid an ongoing court case to determine whether the boy should receive experimental treatment in the U.S.

Great Ormond Hospital said that its doctors and nurses have faced "a shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility," while families visiting other patients have been "harassed and discomforted."'

Hospital Chairman Mary MacLeod said in a statement that she had contacted police about the messages and warned "will do everything possible to hold to account anybody who involved in this kind of deplorable behaviour."

Alasdair Seton-Marsden, a spokesman for the Gard Family, told Sky News later the hospital should explain the threats.

"It is arguably a cynical ploy. Ormond Street are now employing a very expensive PR, he said. Our understanding is that any threats that had been made had died down. I would urge Great Ormond Street to go public and explain what these threats are.

The hospital has been locked in a prolonged court battle with the parents of Charlie, a 11-month-old who suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease. Great Ormond Street's doctors say Charlie has suffered irreversible brain damage and further treatment would cause undue suffering, a claim Chris Gard and Connie Yates dispute.

They believe the treatment, which has never been tested on a human with Charlie's exact condition, could restore his muscular and brain functions. The parents have received expressions of support from Pope Francis, U.S. President Donald Trump and some members of the U.S. Congress.

On Friday, Charlie's parents were told by a hospital lawyer that the infant's latest brain scans make for "sad reading." Chris Gard responded by yelling "Evil!" at lawyer Katie Gollop as Connie Yates began to cry. The parents said at the hearing it was the first time they were being told about the latest results in the crucial test of Charlie's brain function.

Meetings were also held this week with Charlie's mother, doctors treating Charlie at Great Ormond Street Hospital and American specialist Dr. Michio Hirano, an American neurology expert from Columbia Medical Center in New York who has designed the experimental treatment.

Previous courts, including the European Court of Human Rights, have sided with the hospital. Judge Nicholas Francis, who has overseen the latest round of appearances at London's High Court, said in Friday's hearing that Hirano and Charlie's parents could present evidence at a hearing Monday. He said the evidence must be new and relevant to the case.

Francis is expected to issue a final ruling Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from Sky News.

Click for more from The Sun.
President Donald Trump warned Friday that Iran risked facing new and serious consequences if it did not release all wrongfully detained Americans there and allow them to leave the Muslim country.

Specifically, Trump called for American law enforcement officer Robert Levinson to be freed after a decade in Iran, and for businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer, to be released as well.

A White House statement issued Friday said Trump and his administration were redoubling efforts to free all Americans unjustly detained overseas.

Iran is responsible for the care and wellbeing of every United States citizen in its custody, the statement said.

The statement was just the latest example of the U.S. sharpening its rhetoric against the Iranian government while still adhering to a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated with Iran by the U.S. and other world powers, Reuters reported.

Earlier in the week, Washington imposed new economic sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program, saying Tehrans recent actions in the Middle East undermined any positive contributions that may have resulted from the nuclear accord.

Levinson, a former agent for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, disappeared in Iran in 2007. The U.S. government has offered $5 million for information leading to his return.

Siamak Namazi, 46, and Baquer Namazi, 80, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted in an Iranian court of spying and cooperating with the United States. Siamak was arrested in Tehran in October 2015, while his father -- a former Iranian provincial governor and former Unicef official  was detained in February 2016, family members told Reuters.

Xiyue Wang, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen graduate student from Princeton University, received a 10-year sentence in Iran for spying, Reuters reported, citing Iran's judiciary spokesman.
3 Images

Halamish settlement unrest

Escalating Israeli-Palestinian tensions over the Holy Land's most contested shrine boiled over into violence on Friday.
Culpeper County Sheriffs deputies shot and killed the driver of a car that presented a deadly threat during a traffic stop Monday night.

According to Sheriff Scott Jenkins the incident occurred at the intersection of the Sperryville Pike and Griffinsburg Road about 11 p.m.

The Virginia State Police has been asked to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, the deputies involved have been put on modified duty.

"Im so grateful that our deputies are safe, Jenkins said. Im deeply saddened by what they were forced to do and pray for comfort for everyone affected by this incident.

Jenkins would release no more details concerning the incident.

This is the third fatal shooting by a Culpeper deputy in the past three years.
ONE CANNOT imagine a more wrenching moral dilemma than the case of little Charlie Gard. He is a beautiful 11-month-old boy with an incurable genetic disease.

It depletes his cells energy-producing structures (the mitochondria), thereby progressively ravaging his organs. He cannot hear, he cannot see, he can barely open his eyes. He cannot swallow, he cannot move, he cannot breathe on his own. He suffers from severe epilepsy and his brain is seriously damaged. Doctors arent even sure whether he can feel pain.

For months hes been at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. His doctors have recommended removing him from life support.

His parents are deeply opposed. They have repeatedly petitioned the courts to allow them to take Charlie for experimental treatment in the United States.

The courts have denied the parents petition. They concluded that the proposed treatment has no chance of saving the child and would do nothing but inflict upon him further suffering. They did, however, allow the American specialist to come to London to examine Charlie. He is giving his findings to the court. A final ruling is expected on Tuesday.

The Telegraph of London reports that Charlies doctors remain unconvinced by the American researcher. Indeed, the weight of the evidence appears to support the doctors and the courts. Charlies genetic variant is different and far more devastating than the ones in which nucleoside bypass therapy has shown some improvement. There arent even animal models for treating Charlies condition. Its extremely unlikely that treatment can even reach Charlies brain cells, let alone reverse the existing damage.

What to do? There is only one real question. Whats best for Charlie? But because he cant speak for himself, we resort to a second question: Who is to speak for him?

The most heartrending situation occurs when these two questions yield opposing answers. Charlies is such a case.

Let me explain.

In my view, two truths must guide any decision: (1) The parents must be sovereign, but (2) the parents are sometimes wrong.

I believe that in this case the parents are wrong, and the doctors and judges are right. Charlies suffering is literally unimaginable and we are simply prolonging it. This is a life of no light, no sound, no motion, only moments of physical suffering (seizures? intubation?) to punctuate the darkness. His doctors understandably believe that allowing a natural death is the most merciful thing they can do for Charlie.

As for miracle cures, I share the courts skepticism. They always arise in such cases, and invariably prove to be cruel deceptions.

And yet. Despite all these considerations, I would nevertheless let the parents take their boy where they wish.

The sovereignty of loved ones must be the overriding principle that guides all such decisions. We have no other way. The irreducible truth is that these conundrums have no definitive answer. We thus necessarily fall back on family, or to put it more sentimentally, on love.

What is best for the child? The best guide is a loving parent. A parents motive is the most pure.

This rule is not invariable, of course. Which is why the state seizes control when parents are demonstrably injurious, even if unintentionally so, as in the case of those who, for some religious imperative, would deny their child treatment for a curable disease.

But theres a reason why, despite these exceptions, all societies grant parents sovereignty over their children until they reach maturity. Parents are simply more likely than anyone else to act in the best interest of the child.

Not always, of course. Loved ones dont always act for the purest of motives. Heirs, for example, may not be the best guide as to when to pull the plug on an elderly relative with a modest fortune.

But then again, states can have ulterior motives, too. In countries where taxpayers bear the burden of expensive treatments, the state has an inherent incentive (of which Britains National Health Service has produced notorious cases) to deny treatment for reasons of economy rather than mercy.

Nonetheless, as a general rule, we trust in the impartiality of the courtsand the loving imperative of the parent.

And if they clash? What then? If it were me, I would detach the tubes and cradle the child until death. But its not me. Its not the NHS. And its not the European Court of Human Rights.

Its a father and a mother and their desperate love for a child. They must prevail. Let them go.
Time for left to get over Trumps victory

As a natural-born American citizen who loves what this country was originally intended to stand for, I am absolutely sick to death of all these people bashing our president.

Donald Trump is not the downfall of the United States. He is exactly what this country has needed, for way too many decades.

He is the choice of patriotic, freedom-loving constitutionalist citizens who do not want their borders dissolved and their country given away to illegal aliens who they would be forced to feed and pay for; to residents who do not want it to be legal; or to sick, perverted men who dress up as women and want be allowed into the restroom with their young daughters and granddaughters.

Its been six months now and we still have to listen to daily tirades from the leftscreaming and crying about how the 2016 presidential election was rigged, just because their candidate didnt win.

But the trouble with this theory is that they cant seem to make up their minds who they want to blame it on.

First, it was the Russians. Then it was Putin. Then it was Russian hackers. Now theyre back to Its the Russians again.

Hey, lefties, heres a clue  you lost. Get over it.

Think about it. If Russia really wanted to destroy us via a rigged election, it wouldve rigged it so Hillary ended up in the White House. And Americas transformation to a third-world toilet wouldve been complete in her first 100 days.

Timothy Bair

Spotsylvania
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More than 700 beer varieties : Beer Exchange in the Rheinaue is officially open

Bonn The Beer Exchange at the Rheinau in Bonn has opened for the weekend, marking 22 years of the fun event. Free admission allows visitors to try out beers from around the world from the 80 vendors.

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On Friday evening, Mayor Reinhard Limbach tapped the beer keg to make it official - the 22nd Bierborse (Beer Exchange) at the Rheinaue is open. Jazz orchestra Muckefuck was the opening music act. In the evening, the seven-person band Das Wunder entertained crowds with a musical journey of 40 years from German rock & pop.

German act Guildo Horn and the orthopedic stockings will take the stage on Saturday evening at 7:30 pm. Well-known coverband Still Collins will play on Sunday afternoon at 4:30 pm with songs from Phil Collins and Genesis. The German Bierborse celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2016 and it has been a popular open air event in Bonn for more than 21 years now.

80 beer distributors from around Germany offer more than 700 beer varieties from all over the world. From Bavaria to Singapore - beer lovers will get their moneys worth and can test lots of new sorts. The large event area has space for around 10,000 visitors.
Bonn city center : Old shops, new shops and change in the city

Bonn Change comes to the city as some businesses shut down and new ones pop up in their place. Heres an overview of what you can expect. Its summer holidays and many people like to use the leisure time to go to the city and browse in the various shops.

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On weekends likethis one when the weather is nice, the pedestrian areas, cafes andrestaurants are well-visited. And there are some new changeovers inbusinesses to report as well. Barenland on Acherstrae was gonefor only a short time and in its place is coming leguano. Thenew shop offers so-called barefoot footwear, which gives people thefeeling they are walking barefoot. It opens officially on Saturday,July 22 at 10 am. The firm itself has been around since 2009. Alsonew is the handbag store called o bag which will soon be openingon Wenzelgasse.

On Friedrichstrae, Haus der Blumen closed in Mayand apparently a natural cosmetics store will be moving in there.At the corner of Am Hof/Furstenstrae where Cafe Goldbraun used tobe, the owner of the building has indicated that a mix of shops andgastronomy will be moving in. More details would not be availableuntil after a final contract was signed at the end of summer.

It isstill unclear what will happen where the former Zara Home waslocated on Remigiusplatz. There were reports of an Extrablattcafe moving in but managers of the restaurant chain said they werenot aware of any such plans. However, they were interested insecuring a location in Bonn so maybe they would enter into talksfor that location. The eyeglasses chain Fielmann has now settledin to the former Carthaus stationary and supply building on thecorner of Remigiusstrae/Mauspfad.
Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
'WikiLeaks will take down America any way they can': CIA director

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 2:3AM

The head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says WikiLeaks is seeking to destroy America, adding he doesn't "love" the global whistleblowing service.

In an interview with conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens at the Aspen Institute's Security Forum on Thursday night, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said, "WikiLeaks will take down America any way they can."

"I don't love WikiLeaks," he stated.

When asked about whether he believes Russia interfered in the 2016 election, Pompeo said. "Of course they did. And the one before that. And the one before that."

In an interview in April, Pompeo called WikiLeaks a "non-state hostile intelligence service."

"It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: A non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia," he said.

Pompeo said WikiLeaks is overwhelmingly focused on the US and encourages its followers to join the CIA with the sole purpose of obtaining intelligence.

WikiLeaks has embarrassed the US intelligence agency by leaking its confidential documents. The documents detail technological vulnerabilities the spy agency uses to hack into electronic devices.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has slammed the CIA for withholding the information about the vulnerabilities and preventing the tech industry and government officials from taking the necessary steps.

In May, Assange strongly criticized the CIA, describing it as "dangerously incompetent."

"The CIA is the world's most dangerously incompetent spy agency. It has armed terrorists, destroyed democracies and installed and maintained dictatorships the world over," Assange said.

The US government has often described WikiLeaks as a tool of Russian intelligence agencies.

In December, the CIA said it had concluded that Russian intelligence operatives provided materials to Wikileaks in an effort to help President Donald Trump's defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

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USS Laboon Returns to Homeport

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170720-14

Release Date: 7/20/2017 2:30:00 PM

By Ens. William Bradley Bostick, USS Laboon (DDG 58) Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Va., July 20, following a six-month deployment in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR) as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier strike group.

Under the leadership of Cmdr. Jason Labott, Laboon officers and crew conducted a variety of operations with multinational allies including two months of counter smuggling operations, seizing more than $50 million dollars in illicit narcotics. Laboon also conducted two of the oldest naval traditions, the Shellback ceremony for crossing the equator, and the Blue Nose ceremony for crossing the Arctic Circle.

"Laboon crew members said goodbye to their families and friends six months ago on Jan. 21st, as they departed for deployment," said Labott. "In the roughly 180 days that Laboon has been gone, the officers and Sailors have accomplished so much. It's staggering. I couldn't be more proud of this crew and the dedication and drive they have shown each and every day."

Logging more than 50,000 nautical miles, Laboon traversed several major choke points in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet. From transiting the Strait of Gibraltar to the Suez Canal in order to conduct operations in Middle East, to transiting the English Channel for operations in the North Atlantic Ocean, Laboon led the way for the Strike Group.

"I think it was an outstanding deployment," said Operations Specialist 1st Class Joshua Johnson. "I've witnessed a lot of success over these last six months. More personally for a lot of folks, they put a lot of time and effort into growing. I got promoted and that felt incredible. But, I am more proud of the fact that so many others were promoted as well. They've earned their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification. Overall, it's been a great run."

Laboon's crew tirelessly and with outstanding professional dedication, tackled some noteworthy feats. During the two month operational commitment to maritime interdiction operations, the visit, board, search and seizure team boarded more than 30 foreign flagged vessels and seized more than 680 kilograms of narcotics valued at more than $50 million.

It wasn't all work and no play during the course of deployment. The crew was treated to some exotic port visits including the Seychelles, Amsterdam, Germany, Greece, and Dubai.

"My favorite part of deployment was the ports we visited in Europe and the Middle East," said Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Shannon Earl, who also deployed on Laboon in 2015. "Even though I was able to see many places in Europe on our last deployment, everywhere we went this deployment was new to me. From Athens to Dubai, and so many other places in between, I met so many people and learned about many different cultures around the world."

Following operations in the 5th and 6th fleets there was a stint in the Arctic Circle for a couple weeks, where the sun never set and the Sailors earned the title of "Blue Nose." However, once Laboon's time in the north was done, sights were set on returning home.

"This deployment has been such an amazing experience for me, from the beautiful places we got to visit to the friends and relationships I've built up over these last months," said Ship's Serviceman Seaman India Lowe. "I am so grateful for the opportunities I've been given on this deployment and so excited for the things to come."

Electronics Technician 1st Class Almonte Miller stated that, while this was his third deployment, it was his first on a destroyer and he was able to experience a different side of the Navy.

"This deployment in particular was very special because the Laboon team felt more like a family to me than ever before, and it was my first as a leading Petty Officer," he said. "Knowing everyone on board will be coming home safe, and that we accomplished the mission is the best feeling a Navy leader can have."

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Carrier strike group is comprised of the staff of CSG-2; the nine squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8; Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff, guided-missile destroyers Laboon and USS Truxtun (DDG 103); and Mayport-based guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Hue City (CG 66).

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U.S. to ban Americans from travelling to DPRK

The U.S. State Department said on Friday that American citizens will soon be banned from travelling to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The ban on all U.S. citizens' use of a passport to travel to, through or in the DPRK resulted from "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention" of Americans there, said State Department spokesman Heather Nauert in a statement to Xinhua.

According to Nauert, the ban was expected to be formally declared next week and would take effect 30 days after the formal declaration.

For Americans seeking to travel to the DPRK for "certain limited humanitarian or other purposes," they may apply to the State Department for a special validation passport, Nauert added.

Before the introduction of the travel ban, the State Department had for long strongly warned Americans against travelling to the DPRK.

"The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities," said Nauert.
Ocean Giant Departs for Pacer Goose 2017

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170720-16

Release Date: 7/20/2017 4:01:00 PM

By Bill Mesta, Military Sealift Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Military Sealift Command chartered heavy lift ship MV Ocean Giant departed Naval Station Norfolk in support of Pacer Goose 2017, the annual resupply mission to Thule Air Base, July 16.

Ocean Giant spent three days at the naval station loading equipment and supplies destined for the remote U.S. Air Force base, located in the northern coastal Arctic region of Greenland.

"Ocean Giant is going to deliver the goods needed for the air base to operate," said Capt. Timothy Arey, Ocean Giant's master. "We are going to sail through the ice and the cold to get them what they need and take away the items which are no longer needed at Thule."

Operation Pacer Goose is one of the Arctic outpost's few sources of food, spare parts and other manufactured goods needed each year.

Even though the temperature will be freezing, summer is the only time of year that the ice is thin enough to break through, added Arey.

Ocean Giant is going to rendezvous with the oil tanker MT Maersk Peary, which is loaded with fuel for Thule. The two ships will follow a Canadian icebreaker through the ice and into the air base's harbor. The ships taking part in the mission also remove all of the base's solid waste and non-repairable equipment for return to the United States.

"Ocean Giant is a beautiful ship and has the ability to transport a wide variety of cargo," said Arey. "The ship is also a great fit for this mission because it is double hulled to handle the ice and is extremely maneuverable. Additionally, the ship has its own cranes so it can load and offload cargo independently."

Ocean Giant left Norfolk loaded with 100 shipping containers full of supplies, modular buildings and four K-Loads, which are used to load and offload military cargo aircraft.

Ocean Giant is crewed by 19 civilian merchant marines who perform all the operations aboard the vessel including navigation, engineering, medical care and line handling.

"Ocean Giant's merchant marines run lean and mean," said Arey. "Because of the size of the crew, our mariners tend to wear a lot of hats. Our crew multi-tasks lots of different jobs which keeps the ship running efficiently."

"Merchant marines have a proud history of service to the United States," said Arey. "During WWII, civilian mariners did their part in support of the war effort and we are very proud to be supporting the military by delivering supplies to Thule."

MV Ocean Giant is owned by Ocean Marine and crewed by SeaBulk Fleet Management.

"Ocean Giant performs a lot of work for the U.S. military," concluded Arey. "We are really excited about this mission and feel very privileged to be a part of it."

Ocean Giant supports a variety of military missions including resupplying Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Yokohama, Japan.

Pacer Goose, The annual operation to resupply Thule, began in 1952 using U.S. Navy combatant ships to transport goods equipment and materials to the remote military base.

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Qatar vows 'appropriate' response to hacking from UAE

Iran Press TV

Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:14PM

Qatar has officially accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of hosting controversial hacking attacks on its national news agency in May, saying Doha is pondering an appropriate response.

General Ali Mohammed al-Mohannadi, who presides over an investigation into the May 24 hacking of the Qatar News Agency (QNA), said Thursday that state prosecutor was expected to take "the appropriate measures" in response to the findings of the probe, which indicated that the UAE was behind the hacking.

Mohannadi told a news conference in Doha that the "hacking" was undertaken "from two sites... in the Emirates". He did not elaborate on what measures Qatar could take in response to the UAE's alleged role in the issue.

"The hacker took control of the agency's network, stole the accounts on its electronic site and uploaded fake information," Mohannadi said.

The alleged hacking, which led to the release of remarks attributed to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the QNA website, sparked an unprecedented row between Qatar and Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf region. The remarks, denied by Doha, covered sensitive issues of politics in the Middle East region. The row later evolved into a full-scale diplomatic dispute after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut their diplomatic ties with Qatar over accusations such as Doha's support for terrorism, among others. Qatar has denied the allegations while maintaining that it is paying the price for its independent foreign policy.

Qatar's official statement on the hacking case comes after reports earlier this month suggested that the UAE may have been behind the hack. The UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, dismissed the reports, which were based on US intelligence estimates, as "purely not true".

Also on Thursday, deputy head of Qatar's cyber security department, Othmane Salem al-Hamoud, elaborated on more details about the hacking.

Hamoud said the alleged hacker "had found a flaw in the news agency's network which was shared with another individual on Skype," adding that the individual "then entered this breach in order to control the QNA network."

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Change in behaviour for South Sudan actors 'long overdue,' Security Council told

20 July 2017  Highlighting challenges facing South Sudan, a senior United Nations official today underlined that overcoming obstacles borne of a volatile combination of insecurity and political uncertainty is critical for the war-torn country to be put on the track to peace and stability.

"The security environment remains extremely volatile and South Sudan is in need of an effective and credible ceasefire," El Ghassim Wane, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, told the Security Council today, noting reports of active military operations in parts of the country since the Government's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in June.

In his briefing, Mr. Wane also noted that while the Government has publicly expressed its commitment to create an environment conducive for the conduct of the National Dialogue, certain recent decisions seem to contradict those pledges, such as blocking of key media websites after their alleged criticism of the authorities.

"Every effort should be made to ensure that [the Dialogue] is inclusive, transparent, takes place in a free and secure environment, has clear outcomes that complements the ARCISS [Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan] and is supported by a sufficiently broad political consensus from all political forces in the country," he added.

Further, noting the importance of an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD, an eight-country trade bloc in Africa)-led revitalization process, the UN official urged the Council to continue its support for the process and called on national stakeholders to embrace it as a genuine opportunity to restore peace in South Sudan.

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Wane stressed the importance of the unity in the region and the need for the international community to call on the leadership of all sides in South Sudan that the current situation in the country is unacceptable and unsustainable.

"A change in behaviour is long overdue, and the pursuit of political objectives through violence  for which the people of South Sudan continue to bear a heavy toll  should not be allowed to continue," he stated.

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Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 21, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 28 strikes consisting of 54 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS oil storage tanker.

-- Near Shadaddi, two strikes destroyed a vehicle bomb and an ISIS-held building and suppressed a fighting position.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed an ISIS pipeline and an oil tank.

-- Near Raqqa, 16 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 13 fighting positions, two pipelines and an oil tank; and damaged a supply route and an ISIS railway.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes consisting of 30 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Beiji, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles, an ISIS headquarters and a weapons cache.

-- Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed a vehicle bomb factory.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed a boat, a mortar system, a vehicle and a tactical vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a fuel cache.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tunnel, a vehicle bomb and a vehicle.

July 19 Strikes

Additionally, 22 strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq on July 19 that closed within the last 24 hours:

-- Near Kisik, Iraq, a strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Rawah, Iraq, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an unmanned aerial system and a vehicle.

-- Near Raqqa, Syria, 19 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units; destroyed 34 fighting positions, two improvised explosive devices and a vehicle bomb; and damaged four fighting positions and a mortar position.

-- Near Tanf, Syria, a strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does 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.

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Project Maven to Deploy Computer Algorithms to War Zone by Year's End

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2017  Winning wars with computer algorithms and artificial intelligence were among the topics that Defense Department intelligence officials discussed during a recent Defense One Tech Summit here.

Presenters included Marine Corps Col. Drew Cukor, chief of the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Function Team in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations Directorate-Warfighter Support in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence.

By the end of the calendar year, the department will field advanced computer algorithms onto government platforms to extract objects from massive amounts of moving or still imagery, Cukor said in his remarks.

"People and computers will work symbiotically to increase the ability of weapon systems to detect objects," Cukor added. "Eventually we hope that one analyst will be able to do twice as much work, potentially three times as much, as they're doing now. That's our goal."

A computer algorithm is a set of rules to be followed during problem-solving operations. Cukor described an algorithm as about 75 lines of Python code "placed inside a larger software-hardware container."

He said the immediate focus is 38 classes of objects that represent the kinds of things the department needs to detect, especially in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Project Maven

The effort to help a workforce increasingly overwhelmed by incoming data, including millions of hours of video, began in April when then-Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work announced in a memo that he was establishing an Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team, overseen by the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, to work on something he called Project Maven.

"As numerous studies have made clear, the department of defense must integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning more effectively across operations to maintain advantages over increasingly capable adversaries and competitors," Work wrote.

"Although we have taken tentative steps to explore the potential of artificial intelligence, big data and deep learning," he added, "I remain convinced that we need to do much more and move much faster across DoD to take advantage of recent and future advances in these critical areas."

Project Maven focuses on computer vision -- an aspect of machine learning and deep learning -- that autonomously extracts objects of interest from moving or still imagery, Cukor said. Biologically inspired neural networks are used in this process, and deep learning is defined as applying such neural networks to learning tasks.

"This effort is an announcement  that we're going to invest for real here," he said.

Working With Industry

Rapidly delivering artificial intelligence to a combat zone won't be easy, Cukor said.

"There is no 'black box' that delivers the AI system the government needs, at least not now," he said. "Key elements have to be put together  and the only way to do that is with commercial partners alongside us."

Work to be accomplished over the next few months includes triaging and labeling data so the algorithms can be trained, the colonel explained.

"That work is inherently governmental and so we have a large group of people -- sophisticated analysts and engineers -- who are going through our data and cleaning it up. We also have a relationship with a significant data-labeling company that will provide services across our three networks -- the unclassified and the classified networks -- to allow our workforce to label our data and prepare it for machine learning," Cukor said.

The department has a significant effort ongoing to procure computational power, including graphic processing units that allow training of machine-learning algorithms, he said. An algorithmic development contract also is in process -- the department will go through a competitive selection process to find vendors that can provide algorithms against DoD data.

"You don't buy AI like you buy ammunition," he added. "There's a deliberate workflow process and what the department has given us with its rapid acquisition authorities is an opportunity for about 36 months to explore what is governmental and [how] best to engage industry [to] advantage the taxpayer and the warfighter, who wants the best algorithms that exist to augment and complement the work he does."

Other aspects of the work include integrating and fielding the algorithms, and once an algorithm is on a platform it must be optimized over its lifecycle, Cukor said.

AI Arms Race

"We are in an AI arms race," Cukor said. "  It's happening in industry [and] the big five Internet companies are pursuing this heavily. Many of you will have noted that Eric Schmidt [executive chairman of Alphabet Inc.] is calling Google an AI company now, not a data company."

The colonel described the technology available commercially, the state-of-the-art in computer vision, as "frankly  stunning," thanks to work in the area by researchers and engineers at Stanford University, the University of California-Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a $36 billion investment last year across commercial industry.

"No area will be left unaffected by the impact of this technology," he added.

For now, many tasks, like computer vision, are ready for AI capabilities and many are not, Cukor said, noting that "AI will not be selecting a target [in combat]  any time soon. What AI will do is compliment the human operator."

Before deploying algorithms to combat zones, Cukor said, "you've got to have your data ready and you've got to prepare and you need the computational infrastructure for training."

Also needed are algorithm developers and software engineers, he said, an interface must be developed between AI and human operators, and ultimately integration and optimization will be needed over the deployment lifecycle.

"All of these things have got to be put in harmony over the next 36 months as we move down this path," Cukor said.

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New Mission Command Fosters More Agile, Lethal Army

By Amy Walker, U.S. Army Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical

FORT BRAGG, N.C., July 21, 2017  During a recent Joint Forcible Entry training exercise, the Army's Global Response Force successfully used En Route Mission Command to enable real-time joint intelligence, communications and collaboration capabilities as they flew cross country to battle simulated enemy forces.

EMC delivers critical in-flight mission command, plane-to-plane and plane-to-ground network communications and situational awareness onboard the aircraft, so commanders can continue planning en route and their paratroopers are well prepared to jump into potentially hostile territory.

"EMC provides commanders with an enhanced degree of flexibility to be able to plan, adjust and communicate with all the departments that interoperate [in a JFE mission]," said Army Lt. Col. Lee Adams, commander for the 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, which supports the GRF with EMC.

Providing 'Right Level of Combat Power at the Right Place'

With EMC, "they can plan and have an enhanced situational awareness all the way up to the objective, so they can have the right level of combat power at the right place at the right time," Adams explained.

The GRF of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps is required to rapidly respond to any threat worldwide with little or no notice. EMC leverages technologies similar to those used by today's commercial airlines to provide in-flight network access, enabling the GRF to access secure and reliable voice, video and data communications provided by the Army's Tactical Network while onboard an Air Force C-17 aircraft.

EMC also enables mission command capabilities, such as Command Post of the Future, which provides a common operational picture and collaboration capabilities. Another capability is the Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System, a unified targeting solution that coordinates joint and coalition fires.

The 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion soldiers operating EMC can also extend the same en route communications, enhanced situational awareness and planning capabilities to other aircraft that are flying out to the mission, so that all forces are synchronized.

"EMC provides an expeditionary command post capability in flight, so the GRF can retain the same level of situational awareness and collaborative communications they have on the ground, in the air, without skipping a beat," said Lt. Col. Mark Henderson, product manager for Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 1, which manages EMC for the Army. WIN-T itself is assigned to the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, also known as PEO C3T.

"EMC will enable these critical early entry forces to be better prepared and to adjust their courses of action as needed prior to combating peer and near-peer adversaries on the ground," Henderson added.

The EMC tool suite also includes large LED screens that can be mounted throughout the aircraft, so paratroopers can see unmanned aerial vehicle feeds or receive visual updates from the commander before they jump into potentially dangerous drop zones, sometimes in the middle of the night.

"EMC increases their confidence," Adams said. "They understand the mission on the ground and know in near real time what is happening."

During the GRF JFE training mission in May, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division flew in an Air Force C-17 aircraft for six hours, from Fort Bragg to a designated drop zone in New Mexico. EMC enabled the 1st Brigade Combat Team commander to keep ahead of changing battle conditions en route. It provided an enhanced degree of operational flexibility, enabling him to communicate, plan, and adjust with all the joint elements interoperating in the rear, in the air, and forward on the ground, said Army 2nd Lt. Zachary Jacobson, 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion EMC officer in charge, who supported the training mission.

Big Picture

With EMC, the commander, subordinate commanders and his staff could "see everything first hand with their own eyes as it developed, which gave them the ability to be adaptive in response to and in accordance to the situation," Jacobson said. "They were getting real-time information, so by the time they jumped out they had a pretty good expectation [of what was waiting for them on the ground]."

Along with situational awareness and planning capabilities, successful JFE early entry operations also require interagency communications between multiple defense elements including the Army, the Air Force, and Special Operations Command, whose smaller elements are often first on the ground. Various Joint Operations Commands also helped to coordinate the joint elements during U.S. missions, Jacobson said.

Jacobson said that EMC provided three primary communication and collaboration services: the ability to reach back to the JOC for continual situational awareness and updates on developing situations, the ability for the JOC to reach forward to the battlefield commander on the plane, and communications between aircraft involved in the JFE.

"EMC provided unity of command," Jacobson said.

Airborne Review

The initial operational capability of EMC has been fielded since May 2015, and the Army is preparing to field the system's full operational capability. The 82nd Airborne Division also utilized EMC during an airborne review at the unit's annual homecoming event at the end of May, where it utilized the capability to coordinate a drop of both heavy equipment and paratroopers at Fort Bragg's Sicily Drop Zone.

The system's full operational capability will significantly increase the number of planes outfitted with EMC's Fixed Installed Satellite Antennas. Once the FISA is integrated onto the C-17 aircraft, soldiers merely roll on the other EMC equipment, and roll it off at the end of the mission. The full operational capability increases bandwidth and increases reliability of plane-to-plane communications.

It also provides a large Command and Staff Palletized Airborne Node work station designed for collaboration supporting mission command operations, in addition to the individual workstations found in the previous capability, said Army Capt. Dawn Wyant, Project Manager WIN-T EMC project lead.

"With the full operational capability, we can have a global impact in multiple locations at the same time," Wyant said.

The first of the new C-17 FISA integrations was completed in May, and currently there are three integration speed lines running simultaneously, with the final aircraft upgrade scheduled for the fall. Upon completion, the fleet of mission capable C-17 FISA-equipped aircraft will be available to support the GRF on demand.

"Communication is key across the spectrum [of operations], so being in the air should not be any different," said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kenneth Grant, information systems technician for the 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion. "Having that access to be able to communicate in the sky and on the ground makes us that much more agile and that much more dangerous."

The U.S. Army Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, develops, acquires, fields and supports the Army's mission command network to ensure force readiness. This critical Army modernization priority delivers tactical communications so commanders and soldiers can stay connected and informed at all times, even in the most austere and hostile environments. PEO C3T is delivering the network to regions around the globe, enabling high-speed, high-capacity voice, data and video communications to a user base that includes the Army's joint, coalition and other mission partners.

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Army to begin fielding new modular handguns in November

By Joe Lacdan, Army News Service July 21, 2017

FORT MEADE, Md. -- Soldiers have many reasons to be excited about the new Sig Sauer modular handguns, which the Army will begin fielding in November, said Lt. Col. Steven Power, product manager of Soldier Weapons.

Testing of the modular handgun system, or MHS, this spring by Soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback, Power said, and 100-percent concurrence that the XM17 was an upgrade over the M9.

"That's an uncommonly positive thing," Power said, explaining that there's typically some reluctance with any new system. "Typically even in our own households, when you're buying a new car, there's things that people like about the old car better than the new one," he said.

In this case, all of the Soldiers who tested the handgun said the MHS was more comfortable to shoot and they had better confidence with it, Power said.

The first new XM17 handguns are scheduled to be fielded to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in November.

The Army's versions of the Sig Sauer P320, the XM17 and XM18, have different ammunition requirements than the commercial 320 pistol, and are painted a different color. The P320 was released for commercial use three years ago.

Improved durability and adjustability over the M9, along with interchangeable grips that fit comfortably, are among the features Soldiers can look forward to with the new pistol, Power said.

The new handguns also have an external safety and self-illluminating sights for low-light conditions.

"A big reason why the modular handgun system is such a leap ahead in ergonomics is because of the modular hand grips, instead of just making a one size fits all," Power said. "The shooter will have a handgrip that fits their hand properly which does a lot to improve accuracy -- not only on the first shot but also on subsequent shots."

Members of the 101st Airborne are scheduled to receive about 2,000 pistols in November. Eventually, the Army will distribute the weapons to all units over a 10-year period. From November 2017 until September 2018, the new handguns will be fielded at a different post each month, except for March and April of 2018, according to the current plan.

Power said troops from different military branches have already trained with the new handguns and tested them, but none have fielded the weapons yet. The new weapons have long been anticipated, as the M9 Beretta, first issued in 1986, is nearing the end of its serviceability.

"That's pretty dated technology," Power said of the M9. "The specific performance improvements from MHS over the M9 are in the area of accuracy, dispersion (and) ergonomics. And ergonomics isn't just about the comfort of the shooter."

A lot of the weapon's accuracy can be attributed to ergonomics, Power said, adding that human factors engineering determines how well the weapon works in a shooter's hand.

Sig Sauer earned the $580 million contract to produce the weapons in January after winning the Army and Air Force's XM17 Modular Handgun Competition. The Army will continue to use 9mm rounds, subcontracted to ammunition manufacturer Winchester. Power said the Army did not have a preference to remain with the 9mm rounds, but rather used a systems approach to determine ammunition type.

"There was no prejudice toward 9mm," Power said. "The goal was to pick a system that best met our requirements."

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Iron Wolf 17: train how you fight

US Marine Corps News

By Cpl. Jonathan Sosner | July 21, 2017

Marines from 16 different units converged on multiple ranges in the Camp Lejeune, North Carolina area in support of Iron Wolf 17, a combined arms readiness exercise hosted by 2nd Tank Battalion, 10-21 July 2017.

Iron Wolf 17 is an annual exercise designed to showcase the integration of combat arms including tanks, light armored vehicles, amphibious assault vehicles, artillery, mechanized infantry, aviation assets, naval gunfire and combat service support elements.

"Iron Wolf is a large-scale maneuver exercise led by 2nd Tank Battalion, and we're exercising the integration aspect of a combat scenario," said Sgt. Maj. Jay Williamson, Battalion Sergeant Major for 2nd Tank Battalion. "This includes everything from infantry on the ground to air and naval gunfire support."

By combining different units and their capabilities, Iron Wolf aims to create a battlefield environment simulating what Marines may face while deployed.

2nd Maintenance Battalion used the exercise as an opportunity to conduct their Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation, which allowed the Marines to show how well they are able to operate in a field environment.

"2nd Maintenance Battalion is supporting the Tank Battalion's exercise," said 2nd Lt. Matthew Simmons, Assistant Operations Officer for 2nd Maintenance Battalion. "We are able to evaluate our capabilities in the field, which proves we can operate successfully in an environment outside of Camp Lejeune."

Iron Wolf 17 is a unique opportunity for Marines to train in a realistic environment against notional near-peer competitors, giving Marines an opportunity to train how they fight, alongside their brothers and sisters in arms.

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Sea Breeze SERE Training Develops Ukrainian Instructors

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170721-14

Release Date: 7/21/2017 10:56:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Justin Stumberg

MYKOLAIV, Ukraine (NNS) -- Pilots and aircrew members of the Ukrainian armed forces, which have been battling separatists in the eastern part of their country since 2014, face the real possibility of finding themselves behind enemy lines or needing to survive in isolation.

That is why survival, evasion, resistance and escape (SERE) and personnel recovery experts were brought in from U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (NAVEUR-NAVAF/C6F) during Sea Breeze 2017.

"The Ukrainian military, especially the aviators, have to be prepared to survive and evade in a combat situation," said John Carey, the NAVEUR-NAVAF/C6F personnel recovery director. "So we're trying to establish protocols that would allow them to obtain the basic skillset required, such as fire craft, shelter building, water and food procurement, navigation and evasion."

Sea Breeze is a U.S. and Ukraine co-hosted multinational maritime exercise designed to enhance interoperability of participating nations and strengthen maritime security in the Black Sea region.

The intent of the Sea Breeze 2017 SERE training was not only to teach the students, but also develop a generation of Ukrainian SERE instructors who can set up and conduct their own survival training program, replacing a Ukrainian SERE school that was lost in 2014.

Carey, who was a pilot in the U.S. Army for 25 years, has been conducting SERE familiarization training and establishing survival courses since 1999.

Since 2009, members of his Joint Personnel Recovery Center team have coordinated the recovery of more than 4,000 people, including two U.S. Air Force F-15 pilots who went down in Libya during Operation Odyssey Dawn.

Sea Breeze 2017 represents Carey's third iteration of SERE training in Ukraine. His commitment to developing Ukrainian SERE instructors is clear.

"First and foremost, I have a great respect for the Ukrainian military," he said. "They're motivated to be the best they can be with the limited resources available. They come out willing to learn. They're very attentive and the camaraderie is very encouraging. I have no doubt that they'll be able to excel in this subject."

Two months before the start of the exercise, Carey and his team traveled to Ukraine to conduct SERE familiarization training. On the same trip, they handpicked 15 Ukrainian aviators to become SERE instructors.

One of the aviators was Sgt. Ivanov S. Eurevich, a member of Ukraine's 79th Air Assault Brigade in Mykolaiv.

"In my civilian life I was a hiker and spent time in the mountains," Eurevich said. "That time helped me develop certain skills, so now that it's my job, it's incredibly satisfying to see that I've been able to pass on to others and see them go forward."

Eurevich said Carey and his team helped him find effective modes of lesson preparation and teaching.

"One of the things that was helpful to learn from the instructors was that we learned different methods of teaching," Eurevich said. "I haven't been in the service as long as others, and considering the fact that flight crew training isn't the most frequent, standing before an audience isn't a natural thing."

Among the NAVEUR-NAVAF/C6F SERE instructors who returned to Mykolaiv was Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Akiel Mayers.

Mayers, who spent almost 10 years of his 16-year naval career on flight decks, described his own SERE training as valuable.

"I know the importance of it now, so that if I become captured I know what to do and how to survive," he said. "It's very important to know how to survive, evade, remain alive, and return home safely with honor."

For the Ukrainian SERE schools, a number of questions remain. Where will it be? How many students will go through? Can the instructors make a difference?

The NAVEUR-NAVAF/C6F team members agree on the answer to the last question. If the Ukrainians continue to receive support, they'll establish a solid course.

"Seeing my previous students step into the teaching role makes me feel that we've accomplished our goals," Mayers said. "Coming back here the second time allows us to see that we have met our objective and trained the trainer, so it goes a long way."

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Moldova Political Split Deepens After Demand For Russia's Transdniester Pullout

RFE/RL's Moldovan Service July 21, 2017

CHISINAU -- Moldovan lawmakers demanded that Russian troops pull out of the pro-Moscow breakaway region of Transdniester, intensifying the ongoing standoff between Moldova's pro-Western government and its Russia-friendly president.

In a July 21 vote supported by 61 of the 101 members of parliament, lawmakers approved a "symbolic" statement that called for the removal of Russian troops, weapons, and other military equipment from Transdniester.

The declaration said presence of Russian forces "violates the constitutional provisions on independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity" of Moldova.

Moscow-backed and mainly Russian-speaking Transdniester, which borders on Ukraine's Odesa region, declared independence from Moldova in 1990.

The two sides fought a brief war in 1992 that ended when the Russian military intervened on the side of Transdniester, which is not recognized as an independent nation by any country.

Pro-EU Moldovan lawmaker Marian Lupu praised the vote, calling it "symbolic" as it came on the 25th anniversary of the end of the 1992 war.

But Socialist President Igor Dodon, who was elected in November, immediately hit back, calling the move "another provocative step" that was "intended to worsen relations with Russia."

Molovan politics is split between a pro-Western government that seeks closer links to the European Union and the United States and a president who wants to tighten ties to Moscow.

Relations between Moldova and Russia have heightened this year with disputes over the treatment of Moldovan officials traveling to or through Russia and the expulsion of diplomats on both sides in May.

Meanwhile, domestic tensions also increased on July 21 as hundreds of opposition activists protested in front of the presidential office in Chisinau against a bill introducing a mixed electoral system signed into law on July 20.

The new law provides for half of the lawmakers to be elected on party lists and another half in individual constituencies.

The ruling Democratic Party initially pushed forward the idea to fully abandon party lists system, but opposition parties protested, saying the ruling party's goal was to secure its victory in 2018 parliamentary elections amid its declining popularity.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldovan-political-split- deepens-after-demand-for-russia-transdniester -pullout/28631170.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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(Global Times) 10:18, July 22, 2017

While some Indian political figures want to win international support by making irresponsible remarks on the military standoff along China-India border, Chinese experts said that China would make no compromise on the territorial issues, but the upcoming visit of Indian national security advisor for the BRICS summit in September might ease the tensions.

India's Bharatiya Janata Party leader RK Singh said changing the status quo in Doklam will endanger India's vital interests, Indian media Deccan Chronicle reported on Friday.

He also said China should stop making aggressive statements, adding that China is not only "bullying India but the rest of the world."

Chinese experts slammed Singh's remarks on Friday.

"Some Indian political figures want to win support from the international community but their attempts will fail. It is obvious to all that the Chinese government has maintained restraint and is trying to resolve the border standoff with India diplomatically," Wang Dehua, head of the Institute for South and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Municipal Center for International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Wang said that some patriotic Chinese netizens might have made fierce remarks, including solving the issue via military means.

Tensions have grown along the Sikkim section of the China-India border since June with rising speculations about a military clash.

A New Delhi Television report on Tuesday said that Indian "drones have spotted Chinese soldiers, around 3,000 men, and light military hardware about a kilometer behind its frontline. India, too, has forces and light military hardware behind its frontline."

On July 16, China Central Television also aired a video showing a Chinese mountain infantry brigade's live-fire military drills in an undeclared place in the Tibet Plateau.

"Media reports have revealed some information about military activities related to the border standoff. It's natural for both sides to make some preparations since the standoff has lasted for more than a month," Ma Jiali, a research fellow from a Beijing-based think tank, China Reform Forum, told the Global Times on Friday.

Although China does not want a war with India, it is not afraid if it has to when no other means is left to settle the problem, Ma said.

"India, which provoked the incident, should see the worst consequence - military clashes. And China would make no compromises on territorial disputes," Wang said.

"If India wants to achieve its goal by sending troops across the demarcated boundary, China urges India not to do so," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Easing tension

Despite concerns on possible military clashes, Chinese experts reached by the Global Times on Friday said they hope that the upcoming visit of Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval would serve as an opportunity to ease the tension.

The Indian Express reported that Ajit Doval is expected to visit China on July 26-27 for a BRICS meeting and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechimight meet with him.

"China would lodge solemn representation with the Indian side during Doval's visit, hoping it could take measures to ease the tension. India may make some requests as a bargaining chip for its pulling out troops," Ma said.

Doval's visit will be key to solving the current dispute and if the two sides failed to reach some agreement on the issue, the China-India ties would be severely damaged, Ma said.

"The ongoing border tension is testing China's patience, and if the border tension remains until September, it would be very embarrassing for Indian leaders to come to China to attend the BRICS summit. This is bad for both China and India as well as other BRICS members," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times in an earlier interview.
Indian Army Raises Concern Over Targeting of Civilians in Jammu and Kashmir

Sputnik News

12:52 21.07.2017

India's Director General of Military Operations Lt General A K Bhatt took up the issue of civilians being targeted by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, for the second time in the last four days.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General A K Bhatt called on Pakistani DGMO Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and raised the matter.

Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistani forces had fired on several schools in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir in which more than 200 schoolchildren were trapped. India has also alleged that army vehicles which were carrying out the rescue mission came under heavy shelling from the Pakistani side.

"DGMO asked Pakistani DGMO to exercise strict control over his troops and instruct them to refrain from any nefarious activities," the statement from the Defense Ministry said.

"Indian Army as a professional force takes due care to avoid targeting of civilians and Pakistani Army was expected to do the same," Indian DGMO said to his Pakistani counterpart, the statement said.

During the telephonic conversation, Bhatt also raised the issue of continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistani DGMO had called on Indian DGMO and blamed India for violating ceasefire norms during which India stated that it reserves the right to retaliate when under attack from Pakistani forces.

According to the local administration, dozens of houses including government buildings and schools have been damaged and hundreds of livestock animals have died in the shelling in Nowshera sector. Thousands of people from Nowshera and Manjakote in Rajouri district and Balakote and Mendhar in Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir have migrated to safer places.

India and Pakistan blame each other for the ceasefire violations in which civilians from both sides have been affected.

 Sputnik

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UN agency lauds new project to register undocumented Afghan refugees in Pakistan

21 July 2017  A new pilot project in Pakistan to register undocumented Afghan refugees  who up to now have been without identity papers and living in fear of being arrested or deported  would allow up to one million people to have legal status, the United Nations refugee said.

"This significant step will help regularize the stay for many Afghans at a time when return to their home country may not be possible," Duniya Aslam Khan, spokesperson at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters at the UN's Geneva Office.

The six-month registration programme started yesterday in the capital Islamabad and Peshwar, in the north-west, which hosts the largest number of undocumented Afghans. The programme is expected to be rolled out throughout the country starting on 16 August.

Afghans registered under the new scheme receive African Citizen cards, which allow them to legally stay in Pakistan until the Government of Afghanistan can issue them passports and other documents, and provides protections under Pakistani law.

"The initiative will bring much needed relief for many Afghan families where some were registered refugees, while others had no legal status," Ms. Khan said.

The registration project comes after three years of consultations between the Governments, and is part of Pakistan's Comprehensive Policy on the Repatriation and Management of Afghans, which was endorsed by its cabinet in February this year.

"I am feeling confident that I will have at least some sort of identity while in Pakistan," Mohammad Rehman, who was born and raised in Pakistan to Afghan parents, told UNHCR. "If the police arrest me now, at least I will be released without much trouble."

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Three displaced families killed in airstrike in south-west Yemen - UN rights wing

21 July 2017  Three displaced families have been killed when their makeshift shelter was hit in an airstrike in Yemen's Taiz governorate earlier this week, the United Nations human rights wing said.

Citing witness reports, Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today that the straw house the families were sheltering in was destroyed in the strike, killing everyone who were inside at the time.

"At least 18 civilians in all, including ten children and two women, are believed to have died in the incident," he said.

The Arab Coalition Forces airstrike had taken place in the Al Asheerah village, which is near the town of Mawza, and is currently controlled by the Houthis, at around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, 18 July.

According to Mr. Colville, the families had been recorded by OHCHR as displaced, along with three others, from their homes in a different village nearby three months ago as a result of other airstrikes, and had set up four rough shelters in an open area in Al Asheerah.

The village is located about eight kilometres from the Khalid Bin Al Walid Military Camp, where clashes between pro-Hadi forces, backed by the Coalition Forces, and the Houthis are taking place.

Noting that according to available information, there did not appear to have been "any military objectives anywhere" in the immediate vicinity of the destroyed house, the OHCHR spokesperson underscored that attacks targeting civilians or civilian objects or indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law.

"[We] remind all parties to the conflict, including the Coalition, of their duty to ensure full respect for international humanitarian law and to respect their obligations under international human rights law," said Mr. Colville, calling on the authorities for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into this incident.

Since March 2015, OHCHR has documented 13,609 civilian casualties, including 5,021 killed and 8,588 injured. These figures are based on the casualties individually verified by its office in Yemen and the overall number could be much higher.

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Burundian President Tells Refugees to Come Home

By Frederick Nkundikije July 21, 2017

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has invited people who fled the country during violent political unrest two years ago to return home.

Nkurunziza extended the invitation Thursday during a visit to Tanzania, his first trip outside Burundi since a coup attempt on May 13, 2015.

The U.N. refugee agency says Tanzania currently hosts more than 240,000 Burundians, most of them living in camps near the two countries' shared border.

Nkurunziza met with Tanzanian President John Magufuli in the Ngara district. The two men addressed a large crowd, in which Nkurunziza, speaking Kiswahili, delivered his appeal.

"Today I want to tell Tanzanians and Burundians that Burundi is now peaceful and I am inviting all Burundi refugees to return home," he said.

Magufuli reiterated Nkurunziza's appeal and said he has asked Tanzania's interior minister to stop granting citizenship to Burundians, arguing that the process encourages them to settle in Tanzania.

Magufuli said he is not kicking out Burundians, but rather wants them to go home and participate in building their country.

President's visit questioned

Opposition leaders downplayed the importance of President Pierre Nkurunziza's visit.

Leonard Nyangoma, former chairman of the opposition coalition CNARED and current chairman of the opposition party CNDD, described the visit as a non-event.

"We learned that President Pierre Nkurunziza crossed the border to an adjacent town in Tanzania. First of all, it is not far from Burundi and secondly, the trip does not imply that his fears of being toppled are over," he said in an interview with VOA's Central Africa service.

Nyangoma suggested that inviting all the refugees to come home was unwise.

"You don't invite refugees to return home because when and if peace finally returns to Burundi, the flow of refugees voluntarily returning home will be so huge, the Interior Ministry will have a hard time accommodating them all," he said.

2015 elections boycotted

Burundi erupted in protests and violence after Nkurunziza announced he would run for a third term in 2015. Critics said he was violating a two-term limit in the constitution. The president won an election mostly boycotted by opposition parties, but violence prompted more than 420,000 Burundians to flee to Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Talks to resolve the situation have made no progress, in part because the government will not talk to politicians it accuses of playing a role in the failed coup.

Spokesperson Jean Claude Karerwa Ndenzako characterized the president's visit to Tanzania as successful. He said he did not know whether Nkurunziza will attend the next round of inter-Burundian dialogue.

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Russia Says In Talks With U.S. On Creating Cybersecurity Workgroup

RFE/RL July 21, 2017

Moscow and Washington are in negotiations to create a joint cybersecurity working group, Andrei Krutskikh, a special presidential envoy on cybersecurity told Russian news agencies on July 20.

"The talks are underway... Different proposals are being exchanged. Nobody denies the necessity of holding the talks and of having such contacts," Krutskikh was reported as saying.

"This is routine diplomatic work which naturally should produce its result, taking account of the realities, primarily internal political ones, which exist in the United States."

Svetlana Lukash, a Russian official who was at the recent Group of 20 summit in Germany, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during their talks there to discuss cybersecurity questions, either via the United Nations or as part of a working group.

Trump said also after the summit that he had discussed the idea of creating such a group with Putin.

But after U.S. congressional leaders criticized the plan in light of Russia's alleged hacking of last year's presidential election, Trump appeared to back away, saying on Twitter: "The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't."

Thomas Bossert, Trump's top counterterrorism adviser, told reporters after the summit that it would be premature to suggest the United States agreed to form a cybersecurity "partnership" with Russia.

"A partnership suggests that you've reached a place where you believe that you have a trusted relationship and you've come to some common agreement on ideals and goals and behaviors," he said.

"I don't believe that the United States and Russia have come to that point yet in cyberspace," Bossert said. "And until we do, we wouldn't have the conversation about partnership. But we had to have a dialogue, and that's where we'll start."

A U.S. intelligence official told Reuters that cooperation on cybersecurity is only a "pipe dream" for Russia as long as Moscow continues to deny what U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year: that it hacked the U.S. election.

With reporting by Reuters, RIA Novosti, TASS, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-says-in-talks-us- creating-cybersecurity-workgroup-putin- trump-agreement/28629909.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Top US Counterterror Official Says No Evidence IS Leader Dead

By Jeff Seldin July 21, 2017

A top U.S. counterterrorism official says despite claims and rumors, there is nothing to indicate the leader of the Islamic State terror group is dead.

In recent weeks, Russia, Syria, Iran and a Syrian human rights organization claimed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdai had been killed; but, National Counterterrorism Center Director Nick Rasmussen said Friday there is no evidence to support such claims.

"I've seen nothing that would lead me to believe that the leader of ISIS has been removed from the battlefield," Rasmussen told an audience at a security forum in Aspen, Colorado, using an acronym for the terror group.

"We know a good bit," he added, regarding U.S. intelligence on the group's self-proclaimed caliph. "We just don't have information that would confirm his death or demise."

Rasmussen is at least the third high-ranking U.S. official to push back against rumors that Baghdadi has been killed.

The commander of the anti-IS coalition in Iraq was the first to dismiss the claims.

"I don't have a clue. Simple as that," Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told Pentagon reporters during a video briefing from Baghdad on July 11.

On July 14, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reiterated Townsend's assessment.

"Until we prove it, we don't speculate that he's dead," Mattis told reporters.

Some analysts have also suggested IS leaders have tried to signal to supporters that Baghdadi is still in charge.

"The new issue of Islamic State's weekly publication, al-Naba, contains several references to al-Baghdadi which are intended to convey he remains alive," according to Michael S. Smith II, a terrorism analyst who specializes in the influence operations of IS and al-Qaida, in an email earlier this week.

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Chinese President Xi calls for efforts to build world-class army

People's Daily Online

(CNTV) 19:34, July 21, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday called for efforts to achieve the Chinese Dream of realizing a great national rejuvenation and to build a world-class army.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks while visiting an exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

Stressing the achievements the PLA made over the past 90 years, Xi encouraged the armed force to increase confidence in the path, theories, system and culture of socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

The exhibition, held at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, showcases over 1000 photos and more than 1300 exhibits about the history of the PLA.

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Joint China-Russia naval maneuvers not aimed at anyone, expert says

People's Daily Online

By Fang Tian (People's Daily Online) 14:53, July 21, 2017

The military exercise held by China and Russia in the Baltic Sea from July 21 to 28 does not target at any third party, a military expert told Global Times after groundless accusations by the West concerning the drill.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) also paid more attention to the drill to be held in Europe's "hinterland."

According to the schedule, the joint military exercises would involve 10 warships, more than 10 fighter jets and helicopters, with the objective to improve their research-and-rescue capability and strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries.

Three Chinese warships and Russia's flagships will take turns to hold the maneuvers so as to improve the two naval forces during exercises, military expert, Li Jie told Global Times.

According to an anonymous source, the Baltic Sea has been a hotspot since some Baltic countries joined NATO and shrank Russia's strategic space. However, the joint China-Russia drill is just a regular activity held every other year and is not aimed at any third party or current situations.

The drill aims to develop China's and Russia's comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen friendly and pragmatic cooperation between the two armed forces and improve capability to jointly cope with threats to maritime security by ensuring joint rescue and joint protection of maritime economic activities, China's Ministry of National Defense said previously.

An observer noted that NATO was friendly to China when the participating fleets passed the North Sea, judging from the message released by NATO's Maritime Command. China's use of the North Sea area is lawful and reasonable. NATO probably feels defensive in the face of the joint maneuvers and certainly wishes China-Russia cooperation weakened, the observer said.

China is open to military exchanges with other countries, Li said. China hopes the US will maintain a more open mind during the 2018 Rim of Pacific naval drill, said Shen Jinlong, China's naval chief when meeting with Scott Swift, commander of the United States Pacific Fleet.

The forthcoming overseas joint military exercises will the farthest from China for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the anonymous person told Global Times. "It's not only a test of capability for the PLA Navy, but also an embodiment of confidence and power."

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US to ban traveling to North Korea after student death

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 2:48PM

The United States has planned to bar its citizens from traveling to North Korea following the death of an American university student there.

US administration officials speaking on condition of anonymity made the announcement in a report published on Friday, one month after the death of university student Otto Frederick Warmbier who passed away after falling into a coma in a North Korean prison.

The officials quoted US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as saying that the government had decided to implement a "geographical travel restriction" for North Korea, meaning the use of US passports to enter the country would be illegal.

Two tour agencies, Koryo Tours and Young Pioneer Tours, both operating in and organizing group trips to North Korea also revealed that they had been informed of the upcoming ban by the Swedish embassy, which conducts US affairs in the country.

"It is expected that the ban will come into force within 30 days of July 27th," Young Pioneer Tours said in a statement. "After the 30-day grace period any US national that travels to North Korea will have their passport invalidated by their government."

Warmbier was taken into custody in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in March last year, for trying to steal a banner containing a political slogan from the hotel where he had been staying.

Warmbier spent 17 months in a North Korean jail over spying charges and was released to his family back in the US after falling into a coma due to a "severe neurological injury." He died on June 19.

North Korea has detained at least 17 American citizens over the past decade and three of them remain imprisoned there, according to official reports.

The US says it is concerned by the North Korea's nuclear and missile tests. Pyongyang, in response, accuses Washington of plotting with regional allies to topple its government.

North Korea has so far conducted a total of five nuclear tests, in 2006, 2009, 2013 and twice in 2016, and numerous missile test-launches.

Pyongyang has defied sanctions and international pressure, saying it will continue to strengthen its military capability to protect itself from the threat posed by the presence of US forces in the region.

North Korea says it will not give up on its nuclear deterrence unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led UN command in South Korea.

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North Korea snubs South's call for military talks

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:33AM

South Korean-proposed military talks with North Korea have failed to materialize as Pyongyang made no reaction to the offer, which had been made with a purpose to ease tensions.

Seoul had earlier offered the military talks to be held on Friday but received no response from Pyongyang as of Friday afternoon Korea time.

A spokesman for the South's Defense Ministry, Moon Sang-gyun, said in a Friday press briefing that the military talks had become practically impossible since Pyongyang had failed to make any reaction.

He said, however, that dialog remained urgent to reduce tensions.

"It is an urgent needed task for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula to restore dialog in the military area and to ease military tensions between the South and the North," he said.

The spokesman further called on North Korea to respond to his country's proposal for such talks.

The North Korean snub has been described as a setback in inter-Korean relations under South Korea's newly-elected President Moon Jae-in and his hopes for a fresh dialog.

The South's proposal was the first formal overture by the country since cross-border ties broke down early last year under the government of Moon's predecessor, who imposed unilateral sanctions on the North for its missile and military nuclear program.

Moon took office in May, vowing to both engage with Pyongyang and exert pressure on it to make it hold back its nuclear and missile programs.

But President Moon has also been involved in joint military drills with Pyongyang's most hostile adversary, the United States, on the Korean Peninsula.

The North recently announced that it had conducted its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Some experts said the missile is capable of reaching US territory. North Korea has also carried out five nuclear tests.

All such activities have been opposed by much of the international community. The United Nations has imposed several rounds of sanctions on the North to stop its missile and nuclear programs.

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US Urges China to Help Watch North Korea's Submarine Missile Test Preps

Sputnik News

22:00 21.07.2017(updated 22:41 21.07.2017)

The US is appealing to China for help in monitoring North Korea's military activity, possibly over concerns that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct a submarine missile test in the near feature.

During a Thursday video telephone conference between People's Liberation Army Navy Commander Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong and Admiral John Richardson, chief of US Naval Operations, North Korea's militarization and rising tensions in the region were a key part of the conversation

Richardson released a statement after the discussion stressing the importance of maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region and the need for cooperation between China and the US "to address [North Korea's] provocative and unacceptable military behaviour."

Shen made no mention of Pyongyang in comments following the meeting, however, saying only that creating an exchange process for frontline commanders should be the two navies' chief concern.

Li Jie, a naval expert based in Beijing, told the South China Morning Post that the timing of Washington bringing up cooperation during a critical military exchange suggests a need on the part of the US to include the Chinese Navy.

Li said that Washington "hopes the PLA navy will provide support in the event of Pyongyang conducting its next missile launch from a submarine."

"The US wanted to use the call to send a message to North Korea that China will help the Pentagon to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes," he added.

CNN on Thursday, citing two US defense officials, reported that over the last 48 hours a 65-meter-long North Korean submarine had been exhibiting "unusual deployment activity," sailing 62 miles into international waters in the East China Sea, farther than it ever had before.

Concern over a possible North Korean submarine missile test is heightened by Pyongyang's recent landmark intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test on the July 4.

Some experts say that the Hwasong-14 missile tested then could reach the US mainland in as little as two years, and the North's state-run media quoted leader Kim Jong-un instructing scientists to conduct more missile tests more frequently.

Though US President Donald Trump has called for China's help restraining North Korea in the past, particularly after meeting with President Xi Jinping in April, he said last month that Beijing's effort had come to naught.

On June 20, Trump wrote on Twitter, "While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!"

 Sputnik

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US to Ban Travel to North Korea

By Nike Ching July 21, 2017

The U.S. will prohibit American citizens from traveling to North Korea due to mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention, the State Department said on Friday, following a travel warning on May 9 that alerted all Americans not to travel to the country.

"The Secretary has authorized a Geographical Travel Restriction on all U.S. citizen nationals' use of a passport to travel in, through, or to North Korea," said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert in a statement.

The decision came after the death of U.S. student Otto Warmbier who passed away after falling into a coma into a North Korean prison.

"Once in effect, U.S. passports will be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea," added Nauert.

Individuals seeking to travel to North Korea for certain limited humanitarian or other purposes may apply to the State Department for a special validation passport.

Touring companies had been informed of this travel ban by the Swedish embassy, which acts for the U.S. because Washington has no diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

Koryo Tours and Young Pioneer Tours said the ban would be formally announced on July 27, and then would go into effect within 30 days of July 27.

Americans are thought to account for one percent of all foreign tourists, and the ban would affect estimated 800-1,000 Americans who visit North Korea annually, according to touring companies.

State Department's travel warning on May 9 said U.S. citizens in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are "at serious risk of arrest and long-term detention" under its system of law enforcement.

It said Pyongyang "imposes unduly harsh sentences for actions that would not be considered crimes" in the U.S. and threatens American detainees with being treated in accordance with "wartime law" of DPRK.

Koryo Tours' Beijing-based general manager Simon Cockerell told The Associated Press that the ban, which likely would have a tangible impact on business for his and similar outfits, would turn away from engagement with the already isolated country.

"It's unfortunate because we criticize North Korea for being isolationist and now we're helping isolate them," Cockerell said. "That's not what soft power is about."

Experts told VOA the case of Warmbier should be sufficient warning to all of the dangers of traveling to North Korea.

"North Korea targets U.S. citizens for detention and then uses them as political hostages to gain U.S. concessions," Dennis Wilder from Georgetown University's U.S.-China Initiative told VOA on Friday.

"Unless or until North Korea promises to alter this practice, the ban should remain in place and no U.S. passport holder should attempt to go to North Korea, even if they hold additional passports from other countries," added Wilder, who served as the senior director for East Asian affairs at the National Security Council under former President George W. Bush.

"While in principle, we should encourage people-to-people engagement," Atlantic Council senior fellow Robert Manning told VOA, "I think Pyongyang's pattern of behavior clearly justifies a ban."

"Over the long run, the international community should do all it can to isolate Pyongyang as much as possible," said Harry Kazianis from the Center for the National Interest, "killing tourist travel to that country is one smart way to cut off much needed cash  cash that can help make more advanced missiles."

"Sadly, there is no room for people-to-people engagement when North Korea murders American citizens. There is not much room for dialogue at present when you actively kill the people you would have such dialogue with," added Kazianis.

Central Intelligence Agency director Mike Pompeo said on Thursday at a security forum in Aspen, Colorado, that the threat from North Korea is "in the front of" President Donald Trump's mind, and the intelligence community is preparing a range of options to end that threat.

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IRGC foils terror attack on Iran's NW border

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:9AM

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has thwarted a terror attack on the country's northwestern border, killing four terrorists and injuring three others in the operation.

Servicemen with the Hamza Sayyid al-Shuhada' Base of the Corps' Ground Forces engaged the terrorists on the borderline on Thursday as they were about to stage the attack, Iran's Fars News Agency reported, citing a statement by the base's public relations service.

The base described the gang as linked with "the global arrogance," and enlisted by foreign spy services.

One more terrorist was nabbed, one serviceman, named as Yaseen Qanbari, martyred, and another one injured during the "heavy confrontation."

The remaining terrorists fled to the other side of the border after failing to stage the operation.

The statement concluded, "The sons of the Iranian nation [serving] in the Corps' Ground Forces and other military, intelligence, and security organizations will not allow muscle flexing by the infantrymen of arrogant powers and reactionary regional parties, and will decisively confront any measure that could pose threat to the Islamic homeland's security and calm."

In April, 11 Iranian border guards lost their lives and three others sustained injuries in an attack near the border town of Mirjaveh. The Pakistan-based so-called Jaish ul-Adl terror group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The assailants fled back to Pakistan, prompting Iran to warn that it reserved the right to hit them where they were if Islamabad did not take action.

Also on Thursday, the Ground Forces' Commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said Iran's fight against terrorists was not limited to evicting them from the country's borders and stretched far beyond.

On June 7, gunmen mounted assaults on Iran's Parliament and the Mausoleum of late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, leaving 18 people dead and over 50 others wounded. Both attacks were claimed by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

The IRGC responded with a missile strike, which pummeled Daesh positions in Syria's eastern Dayr al-Zawr Province, killing more than 170 Takfiri elements and inflicting heavy damage to their weaponry and communication systems.

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Rights Groups Urge Rohani To Drop Justice Minister In Second Term

RFE/RL July 21, 2017

Eleven human rights and media freedom groups have called on Iranian President Hassan Rohani not to reappoint Justice Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi, whom rights advocates have accused of involvement in the killings of dissidents in 1988.

In an appeal to Rohani on July 20, the organizations said that "considering Pourmohammadi's record, renewing him in his position does not reflect the promises you made and the trust many voters have placed in you."

"Ahead of your upcoming second term that begins on August 5, we call upon you to appoint a new Minister of Justice with a proven commitment to the principles of human rights," said the statement from the groups, which included Human Rights Watch (HRW), the New Haven, Connecticut-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, and the London-based Small Media.

The executions were carried out in the last days of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, following a fatwa by Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. According to some reports, more than 5,000 members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), leftist groups, students, and others were executed in the span of a few months.

Pourmohammadi was the Intelligence Ministry's representative on one of the three-member committees in charge of interrogating political prisoners prior to the 1988 executions. The committee, dubbed the "death commission," questioned prisoners who had already been sentenced to prison about their political and religious beliefs.

According to survivors and other accounts, prisoners were asked questions such as "Do you pray?", "Are you willing to go to the war front and fight the Iraqis?", and "Do you recant your beliefs?" Those who gave unsatisfactory answers faced execution.

Call For Investigation

In their appeal to Rohani, the rights groups also called on his government to investigate the allegations against Pourmohammadi "in a serious manner."

"With Pourmahammadi serving as the Minister of Justice, it is hard to imagine that an impartial and transparent investigation can be led by the administration," the statement said.

Pourmohammadi has been also accused of involvement in the killings of several dissidents in 1988, blamed by Tehran on "rogue agents" of the Intelligence Ministry.

Rohani, a relative moderate, won a second five-year term by a wide margin in a May 19 election.

During the campaign, he criticized his hard-line rival Ebrahim Raisi, who has served in senior positions in the judiciary, over past killings and executions of dissidents. Human rights and opposition groups say that Raisi condemned many political opponents and opposition activists to death in the 1980s.

In a May campaign speech, Rohani said that voters did not want someone who in the four decades since Iran's revolution has only known how to "execute and jail."

Rohani has also faced pressure to appoint women to his cabinet.

On July 20, 175 lawmakers called on the Iranian president to appoint "competent and capable women" to his cabinet as ministers.

With reporting by Golnaz Esfandiari

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-justice- minister-pourmohammadi-rohani-cabinet- second-term/28630806.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iraq Opposes Foreign, Including US, Military Bases - Vice President

Sputnik News

10:44 21.07.2017

Iraq is against foreign military bases on the country's territory, including those of the US.

BAGHDAD (Sputnik)  The Iraqi people are against foreign military bases in the country, including those of the United States, Iraqi Vice President Nouri Maliki told Sputnik.

"We do not want a military bases in al-Waleed, the Iraqi society is against foreign bases on the country's territory  I told the US side it was not in its interests to return to Iraq to establish military bases again," Maliki said.

Iraq does not have a clear picture of the strategy of US President Donald Trump's administration in the Middle East, Washington says it is not fully ready, Iraqi Vice President Nouri Maliki said.

"I still do not have a clear picture regarding the strategy of the Trump administration in the Middle East  They said it was not fully ready," Maliki said.

However, the administration of US President Donald Trump is more serious about fighting terrorism than that of his predecessor Barack Obama, the official said.

"The Trump administration is more serious about pursuing terrorists and groups. In this aspect, the new administration differs from the previous one, it has a hardline attitude against terrorism," Maliki said

 Sputnik

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Russia And China Hold Joint Naval Exercises In The Baltic

RFE/RL July 21, 2017

Russia and China have started weeklong naval maneuvers on the Baltic Sea, flexing their muscles in a region where tensions have risen in recent years.

The joint exercises began on July 21 at the port of Baltiisk in the Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave sandwiched between EU and NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

The Chinese destroyer Hefei and frigate Yuncheng were set to take part in the exercises, as were the Russian corvettes Steregushchy and Boiky.

Russia has stepped up its pursuit of stronger relations with China in the past three years as it faces off with the West after seizing Crimea and backing separatist in a deadly war in eastern Ukraine.

Russia and China are the leading members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Eurasian military, political and economic bloc formed in 2001.

In recent years Russia has increased its military activity in the Baltic region, stoking concern about its intentions and provoking debate in Sweden and Finland about whether to join NATO.

The Baltic Sea drills started amid Sea Breeze, an annual exercise co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine in the Black Sea that ends on July 22.

The drills also started a day after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree laying out goals for the Russian navy through 2030.

The document says that the navy is a major, effective instrument of strategic containment, including against potential threats from the United States.

Russia and China hace shown solidarity at sea in recent years, holding their first joint exercises in the South China sea in 2015 and conducted maneuvers in the Mediterranean in 2016.

But the new plan signed by Putin says the Russian navy must "aim to secure the second place in the world in terms of combat capacity" -- a goal that seems go point to rivalry with an ambitious China.

Earlier this month, China dispatched personnel to begin construction of its first foreign military base, in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti.

With reporting by TASS, Interfax, dpa, and The Economist

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-china-hold-joint-naval- exercises-in-the-baltic/28631179.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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'Snoozefest' And A 'Political Loss': Russians Break Down Navalny's Debate With Ex-Separatist Commander

Carl Schreck July 21, 2017

It was the main political event for Russia's chattering classes in a slow political season: opposition leader Aleksei Navalny taking on Igor Girkin, a notorious former commander of Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine, in a debate.

But the July 20 showdown, in which the two opponents clashed over their nationalist credentials, was greeted with widespread disappointment among Russian political players and watchers -- both over the substance of the discussion and Navalny's decision to engage with a man whom critics call a "war criminal."

The live-streamed debate -- in which Navalny and Girkin discussed corruption, the war in eastern Ukraine, and Russia's relations with the West -- was derided by some as boring. The assessment echoed that of moderator Mikhail Zygar, a prominent journalist who said as the event came to a close: "It wasn't much of a show."

"It's a limp debate so far. Both are discussing minutiae," Gleb Pavlovsky, a political analyst and one-time insider of President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, wrote on Twitter.

Rustem Adagamov, a well-known Russian blogger and Kremlin opponent, called it a "snoozefest."

There were, indeed, few major revelations that emerged from the debate, and Navalny was criticized for not pressing Girkin over his role in the war between Kyiv's forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014.

'Pulled The Trigger Of War'

An ultranationalist and war-reenactment enthusiast known by the nom de guerre "Strelkov," Girkin once boasted that it was he, not Putin, "who pulled the trigger of war" in eastern Ukraine. He has also said publicly that he oversaw executions of suspected looters in separatist-held areas.

Television journalist Pavel Lobkov suggested Navalny was lending legitimacy to a war criminal -- a term the opposition leader refused to endorse during the debate, saying that such a label is for a court to assign.

"Mr. Strelkov, when you eat children, do you need to hold the fork in your left and the knife in the right, or is that unnecessary?" Lobkov said in a mocking tweet.

Others ridiculed Girkin, who said he previously served in Russia's Federal Security Service, for his reticence about who has financed the separatists and who shot down a passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

Kyiv, NATO, and Western governments accuse Russia of backing the separatists, while an international investigation has said the jet was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile system that was fired from separatist-controlled territory and taken back to Russia shortly thereafter.

Girkin said his status as a retired officer prevented him from going into detail on either question, though he said the separatists did not have the weapons capable of taking down the Malaysia Airlines jet.

One debate observer imagined Girkin taking that approach while ordering chicken wings.

"'Spicy wings or original?' 'As an officer, I won't answer that, because it could rob me of my officer's honor,'" the Twitter user wrote.

But Anton Barbashin, the managing editor of the analytical site Intersection.eu, which is highly critical of the Kremlin, suggested Girkin's cageyness was an implicit statement of Russian involvement in the downing of flight MH17.

Some social-media users suggested Navalny failed to sufficiently condemn Russia's role in the war in eastern Ukraine, noting that the anticorruption crusader accused Girkin of "starting" a war that has drained Russia financially.

"Navalny: There's no money for war, so we won't go to war. (But if we defeat corruption, then there will be more money)," Kirill Martynov, the politics editor for the respected independent Russian daily Novaya Gazeta, quipped on Twitter.

Girkin and Navalny, who has repeatedly faced criticism from some in Russia's liberal opposition camp for his flirtations with ultranationalist elements, also sparred at times over who was the true nationalist and patriot.

But Martynov wrote in subsequent analysis that the debate was a "political loss" for Navalny, in part because it's unlikely that he managed to win new supporters among Girkin's ultranationalist base. On substance, Navalny "did not appear stronger than his opponent," Martynov added.

The prominent Russian journalist and political commentator Oleg Kashin, however, wrote that simply taking part in the debate was a powerful political statement by Navalny, who is seeking to get on the ballot for the March 2018 presidential election that is expected to hand Putin another six-year term.

"Demonstratively disregarding the values of his core supporters, he is letting them know that he's more confident in himself than ever," Kashin wrote of Navalny, who has been convicted three times in financial-crimes trials that he calls Kremlin-orchestrated retribution for his activism.

Russia's Central Election Commission said last month that Navalny is not eligible to run, citing one of his convictions that the politician says was aimed at blocking his candidacy.

"He even refused to call Strelkov a war criminal -- who else among the opposition could be so bold?" Kashin added.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russians- break-down-navalny-debate-with-ex- separatist-commander/28630900.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Experts Say U.S., West Should Push Back On Russian Corruption, 'Kleptocracy'

Mark Najarian July 21, 2017

WASHINGTON -- Russian corruption is no longer a topic for just the country itself, it is a matter of concern for the United States and the West, says Ilya Zaslavskiy, a research expert at the Free Russia Foundation.

Zaslavskiy on July 20 also said that corruption will not be eradicated in Russia in the "foreseeable future" and that there remains a fear of repression facing those who protest the country's "kleptocracy."

Zaslavskiy was speaking in Washington at a conference on corruption in Russia -- called Kleptocrats of the Kremlin -- sponsored by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), also known as the U.S. Helsinki Foundation.

"Kleptocracy" was described as the use of political power to steal the country's resources from the people.

Zaslavskiy warned that Russian corruption poses national security issues for the West, especially because Russian "kleptocrats are taking their corrosive practices and corruption to Europe and the U.S."

He cited various "corrosive" Russian activities, including lobbying media organizations, manipulating information, and influencing the discourse at think tanks and universities.

"The West, and especially the U.S. as leader of the democratic world, has been so negligent and appeasing of post-Soviet Russia corruption and subversion of democratic values and institutions under (Russian President Vladimir) Putin over the last 18 years," he said.

"Even under the best-case scenario, Russian kleptocracy will not be eradicated in the foreseeable future."

The best the West can hope for, he said, is to contain the negative global impact of "rampant" corruption coming from the post-Soviet space and try "preserving its own democratic institutions and values."

Corruption is no longer just about Russia, but it is "really about the U.S. and the West."

He also said there are not any "systemic or really any kind of liberals" in the Russian government.

"It is a big myth, which is somehow spread in Europe," especially in countries looking to do business with Moscow.

When asked about potential protests in Russia against corruption, Zaslavskiy pointed out that many young people in the country still have a fear of repression, especially in view of the country's history.

Daniel Fried, the former coordinator of U.S. sanctions policy under the Obama administration, said U.S. efforts to fight Russian corruption must be part of a wider strategy and cannot be done without international help.

"A U.S. policy designed to push back against Russian kleptocracy and corruption needs to be integrated in a complete Russian policy," he said.

"There is nothing incompatible between pushing back on Russian aggression in various forms and seeking those areas of common ground where it may be possible," said Fried, who also served under the administration of George W. Bush.

He pointed out that "Americans may have discovered" Russian corruption recently, but it has been an issue with other countries for decades.

"The Europeans have been dealing with it for a long time. The Baltic states, Poland, Bulgaria have been dealing with it since 1991," he said.

"Therefore, the answer should not be 'Made in the U.S.," it must be coordinated in Europe, he said.

He listed two methods to potentially contain the problem.

The first is "exposure," he said. "We should not allow the corruption to take place in the shadows, in the darkness."

He said that was a job for nongovernmental agencies, investigative journalists, and "tech-savvy, younger people adept at exposing maligning influencing," including in Russia itself.

"Expose what the Russians are doing Just as it was not popular in the United States to be associated with the Soviet Union as their agent or their useful idiot, there should be a price to pay for doing the Kremlin's work for it," he said.

The second option was "pressure," which, he said, was more of a government function.

"There are both sanctions, and there is enforcement of financial regulationsgoing after financial crimes."

He said Russian investment must be closely watched, as it is often used "strategically" to buy up key elements of a country's infrastructure using "cutouts, Cypriot money, false fronts."

Fried said that sanctions have a role and can be a "useful tool," but added that he did not want to overestimate the ability of sanctions to solve the problem.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-west-push- back-russian-corruption-kleptocracy- experts-free-russia/28629907.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US says Syria crisis needs political solution, Assad doesn't have to go first

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:56AM

US President Donald Trump's homeland security and counterterrorism adviser says the US is seeking a political resolution to the conflict in Syria and won't insist on Syrian President Bashar Assad's immediate ouster.

Tom Bossert said Thursday there needs to be a political outcome in Syria, not a military-imposed one that has no political strategy to fill a void in leadership.

"I don't think it's important for us to say Assad must go first," Bossert said at the Aspen Security Forum, an annual gathering of intelligence and national security officials and experts.

"The US would still like to see Assad go at some point. That would be our desired outcome," he added.

The administration of former President Barack Obama had chanted "the Assad must go" mantra on major international forums for several years.

Bossert made the remarks following news reports that Trump had decided to end a covert CIA program that has been arming, training and funding anti-Damascus militants since 2013.

US officials said that ending the CIA operation reflects Trump's interest in finding ways to work with Russia. Moscow had long pushed Washington to end the covert program, which was begun by the Obama administration to overthrow Assad.

However, the CIA effort had failed to achieve its goals and some US lawmakers had proposed cutting its budget. By some estimates, the CIA trained some 10,000 militants.

For years, Damascus has accused the US of supporting militants seeking to topple the government.

Despite halting the CIA program, the US is still militarily involved in Syria. In May, Trump authorized arming the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces -- a Kurdish rebel group -- using Department of Defense funds.

Since 2015, Russia has been conducting cruise missile strikes and aerial attacks against terrorist positions in Syria at a request from the Syrian government. The US has been leading dozens of its allies in a military mission purportedly aimed rooting out Daesh since 2014.

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Syria army, Hezbollah attack terrorist positions in border areas

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:24AM

The Syrian army and resistance fighters with Lebanon's resistance movement have launched a joint operation against Takfiri militant groups in border areas between the two countries.

The operation, which started on Friday, is targeting terrorists in the Juroud Arsal area on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Arsal, and in areas of the western Qalamoun mountains in Syria, a Syrian commander told Reuters.

Nearly 3,000 militants, two-third of which are from Daesh and al-Nusra Takfiri groups, have been using the barren area in the mountains between Syria and Lebanon as a base to organize attacks inside Syria.

According to Hezbollah's al-Manar TV, the offensives in Juroud Arsal and in areas near the Syrian town of Fleita target militants with the Takfiri Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terror group, better known as al-Nusra Front.

The Lebanese army has also enhanced its deployment on the outskirts of Arsal town to prevent militants from fleeing into Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said.

Recently, there were speculations that Hezbollah resistance movement and the Syrian military were preparing to mount a major operation against the militants on the Syrian side of the border.

Hours after the launch of the offensive, Syrian forces and their Hezbollah allies seized the Tallat al-Burkan hill west of Qalamoun from the militants.

Reuters quoted a Lebanese security source as saying that Syrian refugees fled from camps located in an area of the Lebanese-Syrian border in the wake of the operation.

Earlier in July, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gave an ultimatum to the militants along the border near the country's northeastern area of Arsal to reach an agreement with Syrian officials, warning that it was "high time to end the threat of militant groups in Arsal."

On Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said the Lebanese army would launch an operation against Takfiri terrorists in Juroud Arsal, noting that the government has given the army the "freedom" to take action.

Hariri, however, said "there is no coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian armies."

The Arsal area was hardly hit by the spillover of the Syria crisis in 2014, when the militants managed to overrun the town for a brief period.

Around 45,000 Syrian refugees registered with the UN live in the town, but more are believed to be living in camps in the Jurud area, although their numbers have not been confirmed.

Lebanon has often seen the infiltration of Takfiri elements from neighboring Syria into its territory, where they target the civilian population or security forces with bombings.

Assisting army forces, fighters with the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement have so far fended off several attacks by Daesh.

Hezbollah says its counterterrorism mission in Syria is aimed at preventing the spillover of the crisis into Lebanon.

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White House Aide Says U.S. Not Seeking Immediate Ouster Of Syria's Assad

RFE/RL July 21, 2017

The United States won't insist on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's immediate ouster as it seeks a political settlement of the country's six-year civil war, President Donald Trump's counterterrorism adviser said on July 20.

"I don't think it's important for us to say Assad must go first," Tom Bossert said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. "The U.S. would still like to see Assad go at some point. That would be our desired outcome."

The White House's position represents a significant change from Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, who insisted Assad must go as part of any political settlement in Syria.

Other Western powers have also softened their opposition to Assad recently, most notably France under recently elected President Emmanuel Macron, who like the White House says that Assad's stepping down is not a precondition for reaching a peace agreement in Syria.

Bossert said there needs to be a political outcome in Syria, not a military solution, and the Trump administration still believes that Assad staying in control does not offer the best hope for a peaceful Syria.

Whether Assad's leaving "comes first or second or soon thereafter, it would be a nice outcome," he said.

Bossert spoke following news reports that Trump had decided to halt the CIA's covert program to arm and train Syrian rebels battling the Assad government.

Both changes in the U.S. position are sure to please Russia, which has long pushed the United States to stop arming anti-Assad rebels and has insisted that Assad should be able to run for reelection and stay in power if he's elected again during a negotiated political transition in Syria.

The phasing out of the secret weapons program was reported by The Washington Post on July 19. Officials told the newspaper that ending the operation reflects Trump's interest in finding ways to work with Russia.

The program was begun by the Obama administration in 2013 to put pressure on Assad to relinquish power.

Bossert said the Trump policy of working with Russia in Syria, starting off by forging a cease-fire agreement in the southwestern part of the country, is paying off.

"What clearly this president has done has obtained some cease-fire that's durable through some cooperation with the Russians despite all the domestic political brouhaha...I think he has demonstrated a desire at least to have safe havens so that we don't have a refugee and a migration problem that plagues Europe and eventually the United States in a way that we can't maintain security control of," he said.

With reporting by AP, Politico, and Daily Caller

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/syria-assad- ouster-trump-bossert/28630158.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Totally Wasn't Us: Turkey Denies Role in Map Outlining US Presence in Syria

Sputnik News

22:24 21.07.2017(updated 22:41 21.07.2017)

A spokesman from the offices of the Turkish president has stated that Ankara was not involved in the publication of a map that showed, among other things, the location of US military positions in Syria. The map was published by a Turkish state-run news agency.

American military sources were outraged when the Anadolu Agency published a map of Syria that labeled 10 locations where they claimed US and French troops were stationed. The detailed map included troop counts and mentioned that military outposts were "usually hidden for security reasons, making it hard to be detected."

American troop movements in Syria are officially kept quiet for fear that Daesh may specifically target these positions for attack. For example, the Pentagon only confirmed that US troops were assisting Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in retaking Raqqa from Daesh in July, more than a month into the siege.

Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that the map was based on Anadolu's "own news-gathering network," and the Turkish government had not lent "the information or directed the agency."

He added that Ankara had no "thought or intention that would endanger the lives of our allies' soldiers."

Eric Pahon, a US Department of Defense spokesman, said after the map was released that Washington would be "very concerned if officials from a NATO ally would purposefully endanger our forces by releasing sensitive information." He added that the map could endanger anti-Daesh operations in Syria, and that the Pentagon could not independently verify where Anadolu got its information.

The posts on the map were all in northern Syria, in territory controlled by the People's Protection Groups (YPG), a Syrian Kurdish militia. The US backs these militia groups, but Turkey considers them to be terrorists associated with the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara has waged 30 years of bitter war against.

The US support of the YPG and other Kurdish groups has driven a wedge between it and its NATO ally Turkey. The US has consistently denied the connection between the YPG and the PKK, the latter of which Washington considers to be a terrorist organization. Aaron Stein, a military expert with the Atlantic Council think tank, told Bloomberg that Ankara leaked the information as a retaliatory gesture.

"The US takes force protection seriously, obviously," Stein wrote. "The Turkish government knows this, and still decided to leak the locations of US bases in Syria. Hard not to see this as a F-you."

The Anadolu map specifically mentioned that the US outposts were located "in the terrorist PKK/PYD-held Syrian territories." Anadolu Agency reporter Levent Tok told Bloomberg that the data was compiled through field reporting and social media posts.

 Sputnik

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US Counterterror Director Says No Info Indicates Daesh Leader Baghdadi Dead

Sputnik News

19:32 21.07.2017(updated 19:34 21.07.2017)

US National Counterterrorism Center Director Nick Rasmussen said on Friday that has seen not seen any evidence that would indicate Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Daesh terrorist group, has been killed.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  On June 16, the Russian Defense Ministry said Baghdadi was likely to be eliminated as a result of a Russian Aerospace Forces strike on a militant command post in the southern suburb of the city of Raqqa in late May. It noted that it was in the process of confirming the information through various channels.

Earlier in July, Al Sumaria News broadcaster claimed that Daesh issued a statement confirming Baghdadi's death. However, Russian services are verifying contradictory intelligence on whether al-Baghdadi is dead or alive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier.

"Bottom line: I've seen nothing that would lead me to believe that the leader of ISIS [Daesh] has been removed from the battlefield," Rasmussen said at the Aspen Security Forum.

Rasmussen noted that there have been numerous news and social media reports of Baghdadi's death over the years, many have been unreliable and none have been proven true.

"I just don't have information that would confirm his demise," Rasmussen said.

The National Counterterrorism Center director added that Daesh has a vested interest in signaling the United States should stop looking for Baghdadi.

Al-Baghdadi appeared in the media for the first time in 2014 when he declared the creation of a caliphate in the Middle East. Since then, the media several times reported about the death of Daesh leader, though the information has never been confirmed.

 Sputnik

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Hezbollah, Syrian Army Push Terrorists From Tal Burkan at Lebanon-Syria Border

Sputnik News

11:58 21.07.2017

The fighters of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah together with the Syrian army drove the terrorists from the the height of Tal Burkan on the Syrian-Lebanese border, a source in the Shiite movement told Sputnik on Friday.

BEIRUT (Sputnik)  According to the source, the terrorists bear heavy losses and retreat into the depths of the gorges.

"The fighters of Hezbollah and the Syrian army pushed terrorists out from the height of Tal Burkan in the mountainous region of Flita," the source said.

The fighters of the Lebanese resistance continue their offensive in the direction of the Qanzah area and the Qariah valley, the source said.

The Lebanese Shiite militant Hezbollah movement announced on Friday morning that it was launching a military operation against the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham terrorist group (formerly known as al-Nusra Front, banned in Russia) on the Lebanese-Syrian border in the mountainous region of Aarsal.

The offensive began simultaneously from two sides  from the city of Flita on the Syrian territory, and from the Lebanese territory along the eastern mountain ridge.

On Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said that the government supported the Lebanese army's plans to hold a massive counterterrorist operation in the area, but noted that there was no coordination between Syrian and Lebanese forces.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah movement, said earlier this month that the militant groups had a chance to leave the Aarsal area, otherwise an operation to fight them would be launched.

The hard-to-reach mountainous region of Aarsal is considered today the most tense place on the Lebanese-Syrian border. It has been used for arms smuggling and transit of new terrorist recruits to Syria. It also houses several camps for thousands of Syrian refugees.

 Sputnik

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The first China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) saw the world's two largest economies resolve a number of issues in their trade relationship while agreeing to work together to solve outstanding problems.

China and the United States discussed a one-year action plan for economic cooperation during the dialogue, which concluded on Wednesday, and agreed to cooperate in areas such as finance, trade, investment and global economic governance.

The two sides also agreed to address the trade imbalance between the two countries, highlighting the willingness to expand trade cooperation in services, in civilian high-tech sectors and in agriculture.

Given the difference in size between China and the United States in the services industry, it remains possible for both sides to exploit their own comparative advantages and complement each other, a Chinese delegate said Thursday in a statement, noting that "expanding bilateral trade in services can also promote balanced trading relations between the two sides."

"Despite a huge deficit in services trade with the United States, China nevertheless believed that trade in services between China and the United States is mutually beneficial," the statement said.

David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former official with the US Treasury Department, believed a high-quality US-China bilateral investment treaty would help US export its services to China and build a foundation for a better bilateral trading relationship.

On the CED, the two countries agreed to create a more open investment environment in their respective territories.

There are growing calls from the US and Chinese business communities to sign the investment treaty as soon as possible, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said Wednesday.

The two countries also pledged to relax export controls and protect intellectual property rights.

"If the United States were to liberalize its export barriers against China to the same level as those applicable to Brazil or France, the US trade deficit with China would narrow by up to 24 percent and 34 percent respectively," Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yangquoted an article published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace when delivering a speech at a China-US business luncheon on Tuesday in Washington.

On agriculture, the two countries have reached an agreement on inspection and quarantine protocols for US rice exports to China, said the statement.

According to an announcement by the US Department of Agriculture, US rice exports to China can begin following the completion of an audit of US rice facilities by China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. It will be the first time for the United States to export rice to China, said the department.

China and the United States exchanged views on issues such as the removal of the ban on Chinese and US poultry products on a reciprocal basis and the export of China's dairy products and aquatic products to the United States.

The CED is one of the four major dialogues established by the two countries in April during the Mar-a-Lago meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinpingand his US counterpart Donald Trump.
A 25-year-old Danville man was killed in a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon on Mount Cross Road.

The wreck happen at about 2:20 p.m. Friday on Mount Cross Road near Collins Farm Road, according to a news release from the Virginia State Police.

Police said a 2005 Honda Accord was traveling north on Mount Cross Road when it crossed the centerline and struck head-on a southbound 2015 Ram 4500 tow truck.

The driver of the Honda, Anthony E. Hall, 25, of Danville, died at the scene, the release stated. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

The driver of the tow truck and a passenger were transported to Danville Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. Police said the driver of the truck also was not wearing a seatbelt.

The investigation is continuing with the help of the Virginia State Police Salem Division Crash Reconstruction Team.
HOT SPRINGS  Democrat Ralph Northam stood by his sharp critiques of President Donald Trump Saturday during the first debate of Virginia's gubernatorial election, while Republican Ed Gillespie suggested that having a governor who insults the president would hurt the state's ability to secure federal dollars.

The candidates drew sharp contrasts on several state policy issues over the course of the 90-minute debate in a ballroom at the Omni Homestead Resort. But moderator Judy Woodruff of "PBS Newshour" led by asking about Trump, saying she wanted to "address him first."

Asked if he supports impeachment, Northam, Virginia's lieutenant governor, didn't back down from labeling Trump a "narcissistic maniac" and said he's confident Virginia's congressional delegation will "be able to handle" impeachment proceedings should they occur.

"I believe that our president is a dangerous man," Northam said to a room full of lawyers and political observers gathered for the debate hosted by the Virginia Bar Association. "I believe that he lacks empathy. You need to look no further than his mocking of the journalist. That's all that I needed to see. And he also has difficulty telling the truth. And it happens again and again. As we say on the Eastern Shore, he lies like a rug."

Noting that Trump was in Norfolk Saturday for the commissioning of a newly completed aircraft carrier, Gillespie, a political consultant and former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said Virginia needs a governor who will work with Trump and other D.C. Republicans to protect the naval base there and keep federal transportation dollars flowing to the state.

"When you hear the lieutenant governor, he calls his campaign the resistance. Resistance 2017," Gillespie said. "What are you going to do as our governor? Call the White House and say please put me through to the narcissistic maniac?"

The debate, which was not televised but was streamed live online, was the first of three agreed to by both candidates before the Nov. 7 election. Northam begins the general-election phase in a strong position, with a convincing primary win over former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello. Gillespie barely fended off Trump-style primary opponent Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, in a race that also included state Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach.

Trying to break a Republican losing streak in statewide races in a state Democrat Hillary Clinton carried last year, Gillespie is wrestling with how to handle Trump in a way that can build support among both diehard Trump fans and more moderate Republicans turned off by the president's unorthodox style.

Both candidates fine-tuned their Trump answers Saturday. Northam said he'd look for ways to work with Washington to help Virginia, but said he'll adamantly oppose Trump on issues like health care and the travel ban on people from certain countries.

"You've really been missing in action on all of these issues," Northam said to Gillespie.

Gillespie, who insisted that he too will speak up when he disagrees with Trump, saying he'd work specifically to preserve funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup and the Appalachian Regional Commission, both of which have been on the chopping block in Trump budget plans.

"I don't agree with everything the president says or tweets," Gillespie said.

Libertarian gubernatorial hopeful Cliff Hyra, a patent and intellectual property attorney who lives in Mechanicsville, was not invited to the debate. In a letter to Hyra, the bar association noted its longstanding debate policy of inviting only candidates who have shown at least 30 days prior to the debate that they have a reasonable chance to win. The letter noted that Hyra was only certified to appear on the ballot on July 7.

The event was briefly disrupted by an anti-pipeline protester who approached the stage during Northam's opening statement. The backpack-wearing man, who said he was from Loudoun County, shouted at Northam to oppose pipelines and said "this stage is owned by Dominion power," the energy utility behind the pending Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Dominion was sponsoring a bar association meet-and-greet with both candidates after the debate. The protester was escorted out of the ballroom.

Each candidate was given the opportunity to question his opponent directly. Gillespie used his question to probe Northam's pipeline stance, asking how Northam could favor the natural-gas pipelines while opposing fracking.

"What's the point of building an empty pipeline?," Gillespie asked.

After pushing Gillespie, a pipeline supporter, to acknowledge he favors fracking in Virginia, Northam noted that the gas that would flow through the Atlantic Coast Pipeline comes from outside Virginia.

"They can do what they want to do in Pennsylvania," said Northam, who repeated his position that the pipelines should be built in an environmentally safe manner but did not say directly whether he supports or opposes them.

When it came time for Northam to ask his question, the former state senator asked Gillespie if he would support $6 million in state funding to make IUDs, or intrauterine devices, more accessible to women seeking long-term forms of contraception. Gillespie said he would look at it and noted that he supports making oral contraceptives available without a prescription, but Northam used the moment to make a broader call for women's rights and abortion access.

"Reproductive freedom really equates to economic freedom," Northam said.

Throughout the debate, Gillespie pitched himself as a tax-cutter who could jolt the state economy and create private-sector jobs, while Northam said he'd build on Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe economy-focused agenda while making Virginia "inclusive and welcoming."

Northam called Gillespie's proposed tax cut "irresponsible" and said it would leave a $1.3 billion hole in the state's budget. Gillespie said he can cut taxes in a fiscally responsible manner and that it would spur job growth.

On gun rights, Northam touted his "F" rating from the National Rifle Association and Gillespie talked up his "A." On immigration, Gillespie said he'll oppose sanctuary cities and in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants. Northam said sanctuary cities don't exist and said he supports lower tuition rates for the so-called "Dreamers."

On health care, Gillespie said he supports repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act in some form. Northam said he'll continue to push for Medicaid expansion in Virginia while acknowledging he doesn't support the ACA "100 percent" and saying the law needs tweaks.

Both men declined to second-guess McAuliffe on the recent execution of William Charles Morva, a mentally ill man who was jailed for attempted robbery and killed two people during a 2006 escape attempt in Blacksburg. Activists had pleaded with McAuliffe to spare Morva's life due to his illness, but the governor said the evidence in the case did not support stopping the July 6 execution. Northam said he opposed the death penalty and Gillespie said he supports it.

The state's next governor will preside over the redrawing of legislative and congressional district boundaries after the 2020 census. Northam said he will not sign off on a plan unless it is produced by a nonpartisan panel. Gillespie said the experience in many states has shown it is hard to take the politics out of redistricting.

Gillespie has called for 10 debates, but Northam has committed to a more limited schedule of three.

Republicans leapt to spin the debate as a convincing win for Gillespie. Pete Snyder, Gillespie's campaign chairman, called it a "rout" and said it shows why Northam isn't eager to share a stage with his opponent.

Del. Mark D. Sickles, a Fairfax County Democrat who was in the audience for the debate, took a different view.

"The side that's asking for more debates is the side that's losing," Sickles said.

The next debate, hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for Sept. 19.
A final environmental impact statement released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday says the proposed 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline would result in some adverse effects, but most would be reduced to less-than-significant levels following implementation of commission recommendations and mitigation measures from the projects partners.

The final environmental impact statement (EIS)  which describes in detail the proposed action and looks at alternatives, public safety, socioeconomic concerns and environmental issues in the areas of karst terrain, public land and sensitive species  paves the way for FERCs final decision on the project, expected in the fall.

The natural-gas pipeline would cross West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina, including about 27 miles in Nelson County.

The statement is hundreds of pages long and includes dozens of appendices, with an entire appendix dedicated to FERCs responses to comments on the draft EIS issued in December 2016. The 90-day comment period on that statement, which ended April 6, drew 620 comments during public hearings and 1,675 response letters.

The favorable environmental report released today provides a clear path for final approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline this fall, said Leslie Hartz, Dominion Energys vice president for engineering and construction. The report concludes that the project can be built safely and with minimal long-term impacts to the environment.  With this report, the region moves one step closer toward a stronger economy, a more secure energy supply and a cleaner environment.

This report is the culmination of one of the most thorough and exhaustive environmental reviews that has ever been performed for a project of this scope.  By any measure, this has been a rigorous and transparent process. It has provided extensive opportunities for public review and participation, and it has left no stone unturned.

However, while Dominion officials touted the final EIS as a milestone in the development of the pipeline proposal, residents and others are dissatisfied with FERCs conclusions.

Its not the least bit surprising, Nelson County resident Richard Averitt said of the document. But its similarly disappointing. Just like the [draft], it is based on woefully incomplete information and false narratives.

 I really didnt think it would get this far. As someone who believes in this country and believes in justice and common sense and logic, [FERCs conclusion] blows my mind.  The EIS flies in the face of insurmountable evidence that there is no need for this and that it goes against our constitutional rights.

FERC will weigh the final EIS as well as whether the project meets a public need and whether its proposed gas rates are just and reasonable in making a final decision, according to FERC spokeswoman Tamara Young-Allen.

Dominion expects to be able to begin construction on the pipeline in the fall. According to FERCs statement, the pipeline could be in service by the end of 2019.

Top concerns among Nelson residents like Averitt, including potential negative effects on steep slopes and water quality, are addressed in the final EIS.

FERC says in the statement that based on ACPs proposed construction methods and implementation of mitigation measures, the project would not result in a significant impact on groundwater resources, and surface water, and wetland impacts would be effectively minimized or mitigated.

The statement says landslide potential and other problems that could arise along the 84 miles of slopes greater than 20 percent that would be crossed by the project would be avoided, minimized or mitigated through ACPs Slip Avoidance, Identification, Prevention, and Remediation Policy and Procedure and Best in Class Steep Slope Management Program.

Nelson-centric socioeconomic issues are mentioned in the statements executive summary as well.

FERC says ACP would coordinate with Rockfish Valley- and Wintergreen-area businesses to inform them of construction schedules and traffic volumes and would, to the extent practicable, schedule construction activities to avoid conflicts with special events.

The statement goes on to mention the proposed Spruce Creek Resort and Market, proposed by Averitt, and a luxury hotel in Wintergreen, which developers say could be delayed or prevented by the pipeline. Averitts proposed business development has been halted because the resort would be bisected by the pipeline, he said.

Language regarding FERCs view of the projects in the final EIS mirrors exactly that of the draft EIS. The final statement says the projects could be accomplished such that impacts associated with ACP are reduced or mitigated for, while maintaining the appeal of the area, as demonstrated by other residential and commercial developments in the area and similar projects throughout the country.

Theyre not paying a damn bit of attention to a single one of those comments, said Averitt, who explained he submitted a 12-page comment asking FERC to explain its previous reasoning about his resort in the draft EIS. They have zero interest in protecting the public good.

The statement also includes 71 recommendations that would be implemented if FERC authorizes the project.

Included in the list are recommendations that would take place prior to or during construction or as part of the projects implementation plans.

In addition to requiring final authorizations from outside agencies such as state departments of environmental quality, the U.S. Forest Service and Army Corps of Engineers, among others, FERC says ACP shall not exercise eminent domain authority  to acquire a permanent pipeline right-of-way exceeding 50 feet in width. It adds where ACP has obtained larger permanent right-of-way width through landowner negotiations, routine vegetation mowing and clearing over the permanent right-of-way shall not exceed 50 feet in width.

FERCs analysis of alternatives to the project concluded that other existing natural gas transmission systems  lack the available capacity to meet the purpose of the projects.

 Based on our evaluations, we conclude that the major pipeline route alternatives do not offer a significant environmental advantage when compared to the proposed route or would not be economically practical; and therefore, are not preferable to the proposed action, the statement reads.

According to the statement, FERC evaluated the no-action alternative and 27 major route alternatives, including those that would follow the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline, which would cross through part of western and Southside Virginia, and existing electric transmission and interstate/highway rights of way.

Since its inception, ACP has adopted more than 300 route variations and has adopted a 90-mile route change to avoid sensitive salamander habitats. ACP also has adopted nearly 60 miles of collocation into its route, meaning portions of the route are located within existing rights of way, according to the final EIS.

Despite his view the conclusions of the final EIS make a complete mockery of the approval process, Averitt said his resolve is significantly strengthened again today. The final EIS, he said, shows ACP is willing to take advantage of landowners and lacks important mitigation plans he believes are necessary for final approval.

He said as he and other residents along the route continue to fight the project, the great news [about the final EIS] is that the grounds for [lawsuits] are so broad, so significant, so numerous that we will tie them up in litigation until hell freezes over.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
VANCOUVER, July 21, 2017 /CNW/ - NexGen Energy Ltd. ("NexGen" or the "Company") (TSX:NXE, NYSE MKT:NXE) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced US$110 million financing with CEF Holdings Limited ("CEF") and affiliates of its shareholders, comprising US$50 million of common shares of NexGen (the "Placement Shares") and US$60 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible debentures (the "New Debentures"). The Company is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Warren Gilman, Chairman and CEO of CEF, to the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board").

Pursuant to the financing, the Company issued 24,146,424 Placement Shares at a price of C$2.70 (US$2.07 at an exchange rate of 1.3060) per Placement Share.

The New Debentures carry a 7.5% coupon (the "Interest") over a 5-year term and are convertible at the holder's option into common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a conversion price (the "Conversion Price") of US$2.69 per Common Share. Two-thirds of the Interest (equal to 5% per annum) is payable in cash. One-third of the Interest (equal to 2.5% per annum) is payable in Common Shares issuable at a price equal to the 20-day volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the exchange on which the Common Shares are trading that has the greatest trading volume ending three trading days prior to the date such Interest payment is due. The Company is entitled, on or after July 21, 2020, at any time that the 20-day volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange exceeds 130% of the Conversion Price, to redeem the New Debentures at par plus accrued interest.

Including the proceeds from the financing, NexGen now has cash reserves of approximately C$200 million. Proceeds from the financing will be used to fund the continuing exploration and development of the Company's SW2 properties (which includes the Rook 1 project) and for general corporate purposes.

Board Appointment

The Company and CEF have agreed that, for so long as CEF (through its investing entities) hold at least 15% of the Common Shares (on a partially-diluted basis), CEF has the right to nominate one director to the Board. CEF's initial such nominee is Mr. Warren Gilman, Chairman and CEO of CEF, who has been appointed to the Board effective today, July 21, 2017.

"The entire management team and Board are pleased to welcome Warren to NexGen. Warren is a fine addition bringing decades of experience and success in the mining sector with top tier resource projects." commented NexGen's Chief Executive Officer, Leigh Curyer.

Warren Gilman Biography

Warren Gilman was appointed Chairman and CEO of CEF Holdings in 2011. Prior to that he was Vice Chairman of CIBC World Markets. He was previously Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Region for CIBC for 10 years where he was responsible for all of CIBC's activities across Asia. Mr Gilman is a mining engineer who co-founded CIBC's Global Mining Group in 1988. During his 26 years with CIBC he ran the mining team in Canada, Australia and Asia and worked in the Toronto, Sydney, Perth, Shanghai and Hong Kong offices of CIBC. He has acted as advisor to the largest mining companies in the world including BHP, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, Noranda, Falconbridge, Meridian Gold, China Minmetals, Jinchuan and Zijin and has been responsible for some of the largest equity capital markets financings in Canadian mining history.

Warren is a regular contributor to mining industry forums and discussions. In addition to bi-weekly commentary on commodity and mining issues for the CNBC Asia Network, he has annually co-chaired Diggers and Dealers in Kalgoorlie and the China Nickel Conference in Shanghai. He has presented annually to the Asia Mining Congress in Singapore and Mines and Money Hong Kong as well as various CIM events in Canada.

Warren obtained his B.Sc. in Mining Engineering at Queen's University and his MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. He is Chairman of the International Advisory Board of Western University and a member of the Dean's Advisory board of Laurentian University.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.

Advisors

TD Securities Inc. acted as financial advisor and lead placement agent to NexGen. CIBC World Markets Inc. acted as financial advisor to CEF.

About CEF Holdings Limited

CEF is owned 50% by CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. and 50% by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"). CK Hutchison Holdings is the publicly-listed flagship company of the CK Hutchison Group of companies, the Hong Kong based multi-national conglomerate with the combined market cap of the Group in excess of US$100 billion. CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with operations around the world. CEF is an investor in significant resource assets on a global basis.

About NexGen

NexGen is a British Columbia corporation with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of Canadian uranium projects. NexGen has a highly experienced team of uranium industry professionals with a successful track record in the discovery of uranium deposits and in developing projects through discovery to production.

NexGen owns a portfolio of prospective uranium exploration assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, including a 100% interest in Rook I, location of the Arrow Discovery in February 2014 and Bow Discovery in March 2015 and the Harpoon discovery in August 2016. The Arrow deposit's updated mineral resource estimate with an effective date of December 20, 2016 was released in March 2017, and comprised 179.5 M lbs U3O8 contained in 1.18 M tonnes grading 6.88% U3O8 in the indicated mineral resource category and an additional 122.1 M lbs U3O8 contained in 4.25 M tonnes grading 1.30% U3O8 in the inferred mineral resource category.

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by or reviewed and approved by Mr. Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Vice President  Exploration & Development for NexGen. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and has verified the sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein by reviewing original data certificates and monitoring all of the data collection protocols. For details of the Rook I Project including the quality assurance program and quality control measures applied and key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resource set forth herein please refer to the technical report entitled "Technical Report on the Rook 1 Property, Saskatchewan, Canada" dated effective March 31, 2017 (the "Rook 1 Technical Report") prepared by Mark B. Mathisen and David A. Ross, each of whom is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. The Rook I Technical Report is available on NexGen's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Estimates of mineralization and other technical information included or referenced in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The definitions of proven and probable reserves used in NI 43-101 differ from the definitions in SEC Industry Guide 7. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. As a result, the reserves reported by the Company in accordance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. In addition, the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are defined in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Additionally, disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian securities laws; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measurements. Accordingly, information contained or referenced in this news release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Forward-Looking Information

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, the use of proceeds from the financing described in this news release, and the receipt of the final approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange for the financing. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof 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" or the negative connotation thereof.

Forward-looking information and statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about NexGen's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Forward-looking information and statements are made based upon numerous assumptions, including among others, the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the cost of planned exploration activities, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment, supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct NexGen's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward looking information or making forward looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of NexGen to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of NexGen expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of the availability of additional financing, the risk that pending assay results will not confirm previously announced preliminary results, imprecision of mineral resource estimates, the appeal of alternate sources of energy and sustained low uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, exploration risks, reliance upon key management and other personnel, deficiencies in the Company's title to its properties, uninsurable risks, failure to manage conflicts of interest, failure to obtain or maintain required permits and licenses, changes in laws, regulations and policy, competition for resources and financing, the use of proceeds from the financing, the satisfaction of each party's obligations in accordance with the terms of the definitive agreements for the financing; failure to receive any required final regulatory approvals (including stock exchange) or other approvals, and other factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2017 under "Risk Factors".

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE NexGen Energy Ltd.
Watches are not rocket science. Or are they? Watches are not rocket...

Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,...
When then-CIO Rob Lloyd left Avondale, Ariz., in June 2016 to take the same position in San Jose, Calif., the city put out a call for his replacement  a call that ended in the hiring of Jeff Scheetz, who previously worked for the city of Montrose, Colo., as its director of information services.In a press release, City Manager Dave Fitzhugh noted that many qualified applicants responded, making the journey to finding Scheetz extremely competitive."We were looking for a high-energy individual with a strong customer service and technical background, and Jeff brings those strengths to Avondale," he said in the release.In his new position, Scheetz will direct business systems, customer technologies, cybersecurity, geospatial services, overall IT functioning and technology planning and budgeting, the
(TNS) -- Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said Thursday that the fatal police shooting of Justine Damond should not have happened -- and that the lack of body camera footage from the incident is unacceptable.Given the facts that we know that the investigators have given us, those body cameras should have been on, Hodges said in an interview Thursday. Why werent they?In a public call for changes in police policy in the wake of the shooting Saturday, which is under investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Hodges said in a blog post Thursday that she expects police to activate their body cameras as soon as they begin responding to a call. She also echoed a previous call from Council Member Linea Palmisano, who represents the ward where Damond lived, for an independent audit of the body camera policy.In her blog post, Hodges said she expects the police department to make any and all changes needed to our policy so that we can be sure we will have body cam footage when we need it, and to take the events surrounding Saturdays shooting into consideration when making those changes.Damond, 40, called 911 Saturday night after hearing what sounded like an assault in the alley behind her house in Minneapolis Fulton neighborhood. According to the BCA, Damond approached the drivers side of the responding police vehicle, and police officer Mohamed Noor, who was sitting in the passenger seat, shot her through the squads open window. Officer Matthew Harrity, who was in the drivers seat, told investigators a loud sound startled him moments before Damond was shot.Neither Noor nor Harrity had their body cameras on at the time of the shooting. The squad car dash camera was also not turned on.Whether the shooting will lead to additional changes at the police department, such as in how officers are trained, remains to be seen.We dont have all of the information about what happened and dont want to presume that all the investigative data is in front of us, because its not, Hodges said. That will be a question for weeks to come -- what do we need to learn from this?In the days since the shooting, Hodges has emphasized what she learned from the 2015 fatal police shooting of Jamar Clark, an unarmed black man, and the resulting protests at north Minneapolis Fourth Precinct. The more visible response from City Hall and the police department in this case has raised questions about race, and whether Damonds shooting is being perceived differently because she was white.Hodges has said the only difference is she took the criticisms that emerged after Clarks shooting -- in meetings with community members, in a report the U.S. Department of Justice released in March -- to heart.I can say my level of communication is different because I learned that lesson, she said. People reflected to me, we need to hear you, we need to see you, we need more information. And my response is, I learned that lesson and Im doing what I learned.Hodges public communication over the past several days has come on social media, in interviews and at press conferences held alongside Assistant Police Chief Medaria Arradondo. Police Chief Janee Harteau was away until Thursday on what was described as a personal, pre-scheduled trip.Hodges said shes tried to find a balance between being visible and not overstepping. She decided, for example, not to attend a vigil for Damond on Sunday evening because she didnt want to be the focus of attention, she said.The chiefs absence has drawn widespread criticism, including calls for her firing. Hodges said Thursday that Harteau was in constant communication with her and with Arradondo, and that under Arradondos leadership, the citys been in good hands.The four candidates challenging Hodges for the mayors seat in November had a harsher response to Harteaus absence.Nekima Levy-Pounds, a civil rights attorney and community activist, called for Harteaus firing before the chiefs return Thursday. She said the shooting has become an international embarrassment.This case illustrates the problems that activists and community members have been highlighting over the last several years about the need for urgent police reform in the city of Minneapolis, she said.Council Member Jacob Frey echoed the call for new leadership in the police department -- and in the mayors office.Theres a crisis of confidence in the mayor, with police shootings and increasing violent crime, he said. Right now, we need a new mayor and a new chief.Candidates Tom Hoch and Ray Dehn, a state representative, both questioned why Hodges hasnt been spending more time in the community since the shooting. Hoch pointed out that she didnt attend the vigil -- something he and other candidates did.We forget that our mayor is a member of our community, Dehn said. And I think that thats important -- that sometimes, the mayor needs to be a member of the community, and sometimes the mayor needs to be a mayor, and sometimes you can be both of those at the same time.
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An independent brand with integrated workshops for the creation of its movements, dials and cases, Parmigiani enjoys a freedom on which it draws in giving rise to technical and aesthetically sophisticated watches. They are generally inspired by the historical works that pass through the hands of the in-house watchmakers specializing in restoration. This activity represents the very soul of the brand. Michel Parmigani is an expert in this field to which he devoted all his energies until the time of his encounter with the President of the Sandoz Family Foundation who, after entrusting him with the maintenance of an estimably precious collection, was to give him the means to produce watches under his own name. Ever since, restoration continues to provide knowledge and skills that are beneficial to present-day creations. At Parmigiani Fleurier, restoration is a brand philosophy, a token of virtuosity in the pursuit of excellence.

Ovale Pantographe  Parmigiani

Telescopic complication

The Ovale Pantographe provides a perfect example of the ties the brand cultivates with watchmaking history. It picks up the aesthetics and the complication of a 1780 pocket-watch that made a strong impression during its passage through the Parmigiani Fleurier restoration workshop in 1997. Framed by an oval-shaped case, carefully designed to moderate femininity with certain distinctively masculine accents, the pantograph  named after a drawing instrument featuring jointed rigid bars  refers to a system enabling hands to be extended or shortened as they make their way around the dial. These telescopic structures comprise 30 elements composed of a magnesium-based aluminum alloy, the only material capable of ensuring the required mobility. To avoid any confusion in readings, the minutes hand never retracts before the hours hand has done so. The dial adorned with a barleycorn motif brings a sense of depth and sophistication to this watch powered by an all pink gold movement calling for particular expertise, given that the ductile nature of this metal involves unusual constraints in terms of machining and finishing.

Greek inspiration

The fact that historical masterpieces are a major source of inspiration for Parmigiani Fleurier stems from their ability to endure, a fundamental concern for watchmaking along with the quest for precision. The Toric, the first watch designed by Michel Parmigiani, followed this guiding principle in a case evoking the base of Ancient Greek columns through its gadroons and its knurled patterns. For the new Toric Chronometre, the shape has been revitalized and pared down, notably thanks to less curvaceous lines, more functional lugs and a less sizeable crown. In a collection dedicated to Haute Horlogerie, the movement crafted from extremely high-quality components meets the finest standards of excellence with regard to precision and reliability. The oscillating weight adorned with a hand-guilloche barleycorn motif adds to the refinement of the calibers engraved with an individual certification number.

Toric Chronometre  Parmigiani

The elegance of the Toric Chronometre is also manifest in the opaline black or delicately grained white dials. The latter, a typical brand characteristic, involve manual expertise that consists in brushing the surfaces with a mixture of salt and silver powder, and in sensing the advancement of the work that is only revealed once complete. The subtle nature of this model find supreme expression in the extremely slim Arabic numerals, a half minute track around the circumference, long javelin-style hours and minutes hands, as well as an elegant date sector. Form and substance meet and mingle to ensure that the Toric Chronometre eloquently conveys the nature of time, the horological mastery of its manufacturer, as well as the good taste of the man or woman who wears it.

Echanting creations

The ever-creative dial-making artisans tirelessly adorn the faces of feminine watches with miniature marvels.

Tonda 1950 Galaxy  Parmigiani

Born under the magnificently clear night sky of the Val-de Travers that is home to Parmigiani Fleurier, the Tonda 1950 Galaxy showcases the artistry of the in-house dial-makers. The latter have drawn inspiration from the millions of stars twinkling at night in a region where their glow is virtually unperturbed by any manmade light sources. Like true alchemists, these artisans experiment, test and invent recipes to magnify the dials that pass through their hands. They have crafted dainty marvels by reproducing the deep blue of a night sky, one of the most difficult colors to reconstitute. To achieve this, they have used aventurine glass, a material created by chance in 18th century Murano when a glassblower accidentally dropped copper filings into molten glass. Surprised by the dazzling result, he adopted the formula and named his find aventurine (after the Italian phrase for by chance, per avventura). On the dial of the Tonda 1950 Galaxy, aventurine glass (also known as goldstone) dotted with golden copper particles sparkles at the center of halo formed by diamonds set on the bezel. The celestial composition is complemented by small nebula formed by the white opal adorning the crown.

Doubly lunar

The Tonda Metropolitaine Selene incorporates a moon-phase indication via a 24-hour disk adorned with two moons appearing in turn above cloudlike wreathes. They have the strange red tinge of nights when the night star appears low on the horizon, and their surfaces are enhanced by craters and lunar seas. This extremely realistic appearance is achieved by a complex artisanal process that involves superimposing transfers. The lotus flower appearing at the center of the all mother-of-pearl dial  one of the two available options  represents a feat in its own right. Finely cut out like exquisite lacework, it is composed of two layers, one varnished and then satin-brushed, and the other polished. Thanks to the play on depth and contrast, the white lotus  which in nature opens at nightfall  takes on an even more marvelous radiance, accentuating the femininity of this Tonda Metropolitaine Selene fitted with a leather strap or steel bracelet.

Tonda Metropolitaine Selene  Parmigiani

Mother-of-pearl sunbeams

Several new Kalpa Donna models adopt their mother-of-pearl for splendid lilac or mandarin-colored, white or Tahitian mother-of-pearl dials that are radiant in every way. The precious material is engraved with segments that shine out from the center towards the rim as if to indicate the hours. The composition evokes guillloche decors coated with flinque translucent enamel evoking subtly printed sheer fabrics. A tiny diamond at 12 oclock accentuates the play on light in all its flaming glory. The back reveals its central horn-shaped central bridge  a symbol of Parmigiani Fleurier  echoed by engravings liberally sprinkled across the other surfaces and that are particularly tricky to create given the nature and the thickness of the metal. Each dial color has its matching leather strap, unless one prefers to opt for the metal bracelet version.

Diamond mosaic pattern

The elegantly full-set Tonda 1950 Clarity introduces a particularly vibrant diamond pattern. After exploring options from one sketch to another, Parmigiani Fleurier finally opted for a structure producing a trompe-loeil domed-dial effect. The stones are small in the dial center, becoming gradually larger towards the middle of the paved effect, before tapering off again so as to fit perfectly between the hour-markers. There is nothing static about this mosaic pattern, since the in-house artisans have succeeded in infusing it with a new form of life by using brilliant-cut diamonds of five different sizes, carefully calibrated and set with the utmost accuracy. There are 620 in all for a total of 2.495 carats, along with the 94 on the bezel totaling 0.646 carat. Interpreted in three opulently fairytale variations, the Tonda 1950 Clarity pushes femininity to extremes when teamed with a flower-stamped pearly calfskin strap.
In June 2015, Hisham Barakat was killed in a Cairo bomb attack that struck his convoy in the upscale eastern Cairo district of Heliopolis

South Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Saturday 28 to death for the 2015 assassination of the country's top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat.

The court also sentenced 15 others to life in prison and sentenced eight individuals to 15 years in prison.

According to Egypts penal code, a life in prison is twenty-five years.

In June, the court initially sentenced 31 to death for Barakats assassination and referred the decision to the countrys top cleric for his non-binding consultative opinion, as per the countrys penal code.

The verdict can still be appealed in front of the appeals court.

In June 2015, Barakat was killed in a Cairo bomb attack that struck his convoy in the upscale eastern Cairo district of Heliopolis.

Sixty-seven people were charged in connection with the assassination, with the general prosecution accusing defendants  who it says are members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group  of conspiring with members of Gazas Hamas to kill the top prosecutor.

A militant group calling itself the Popular Resistance claimed responsibility for the bombing. A court in February 2017 designated the group a terrorist organisation.



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A report authored by Sandia National Laboratories on the project found that the project showed that it is possible to increase energy efficiency by up to 30% at part load and reduce emissions to zero through the use of hydrogen fuel cells. (Although Sandia wrote the report, the project was performed by fourteen partner organizations.) The project also identified paths forward to wider adoption of the technology in this sector.

A recent project demonstrated a 100 kW fuel cell generator with 72 kg of hydrogen storage for marine applications. Project goals were to demonstrate the use of the generator in the maritime environment, identify areas requiring additional research and development, analyze the business case, and address regulatory and other market barriers.

The generator was designed and built by Hydrogenics with safety and regulatory reviews by the Hydrogen Safety Panel, US Coast Guard, and the American Bureau of Shipping. Project partner Young Brothers operated the generator for 10 months powering refrigerated containers in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Although fuel cells have been used in many successful applications, they have not been technically or commercially validated in the port environment. One opportunity to do so was identified in Honolulu Harbor at the Young Brothers Ltd. (YB) wharf. At this facility, barges sail regularly to and from neighbor islands and containerized diesel generators provide power for the reefers while on the dock and on the barge during transport, nearly always at part load. Due to inherent efficiency characteristics of fuel cells and diesel generators, switching to a hydrogen fuel cell power generator was found to have potential emissions and cost savings.

Based on this potential benefit, Young Brothers agreed to host a hydrogen fuel cell generator and utilize it in the same way they use their existing diesel generators, powering reefers on the dock and on interisland barges. The project benefits outside of Young Brothers include the lowering of technological and business risk for future adopters of the technology by demonstrating the satisfactory use of the generator in the port environment and by feeding back to the DOE R&D programs, analyzing the real- world business case, as well as addressing regulatory and other market barriers to widespread adoption. Maritime Fuel Cell Generator Project

The generator unit consists of a 20-foot ISO standard hicube shipping container and contains the proton exchange membrane fuel cell rack, power inverter, ultracapacitors for short term transient loading, cooling system, hydrogen storage, and system controller and data acquisition equipment.

The system contains 72 kg of hydrogen at 350 bar and has a rated power of 100 kW, 240 VAC 3-phase, which can be divided among 10 plugs to power up to 10 reefers at a time. The design of the generator was reviewed by the US Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, and the Hydrogen Safety Panel to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.

The generator was filled with hydrogen provided by Hickam Air Force Base without charge, with project partner Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT) as the prime contractor of the Hickam hydrogen station. When fueling was needed, the generator was loaded onto a chassis (wheeled frame trailer) and trucked to Hickam, about 7 miles from Young Brothers, where the station operator would perform the fill in about 20-30 minutes. The generator was trucked back to Young Brothers and off-loaded for continued use. Each of the eight fills during the deployment period was conducted smoothly and without any problems, dispensing a total of 428 kg into the generator.

From August 2015 to June 2016, Young Brothers used the generator on 52 different days for a total of 278 hours. It averaged 29.4 kW (gross) during this period for a total energy generation output of 7,285 kWh and achieved a 5-minute continuous peak power of 91.3 kW (gross). Its net energy efficiency ranged from 36% to 54% over the load range of 16% to 62%.

By comparison, the net efficiency of a comparable diesel generator efficiency is from 25% to 34% in this same load range. Using no diesel fuel and producing zero emissions at the point of use, during the demonstration period, the fuel cell generator displaced 865 gallons of diesel fuel, more than 16 MT of CO 2 emissions, and avoided nearly 150 combined kilograms of criteria pollutants (NO x , CO, HC, PM, and SO x ) as compared to an existing Young Brothers 350 kW Tier 3 diesel generator.

The Sandia report noted that the deployment experienced numerous technical issues with the generator that limited its use. The primary technical issue during the deployment was an inconsistent startup which was attributed to a communication problem between the overall system controller, inverter, and fuel cell rack. This led to problems with draining of the startup battery, and the overall result was many aborted attempted starts and non-use until the problem could be identified and fixed.

The generators fuel cells also experienced higher-than-anticipated consumption of DI water, which was exacerbated by the high ambient temperature along with a small DI water reservoir, causing the operators to have to fill the reservoir more than expected. The technical lessons learned from the deployment will be used by Hydrogenics to modify this generator for subsequent testing as well as to improve next generation products.

Analysis showed that even with fuel cell costs reaching the DOE target of $50/kW, the capital cost of the generator system is projected to remain three-times higher than todays comparable diesel generator due to the balance of plant. Further, while this demonstration enjoyed free fuel from the Hickam station, that will not be the case in true commercial adoption. The current delta in hydrogen costs (high) and diesel costs (low) is expected to significantly decrease in the future as hydrogen costs decrease and diesel costs increase, but the current differential hinders the ability of todays fuel cell systems to achieve cost parity with todays diesel systems.

As the first validation of a self-contained hydrogen fuel cell generator at a port, this project showed that it is possible to reduce maritime-related emissions through the use of hydrogen fuel cells, and identified paths forward to more widespread adoption of the technology in the marine sector. This includes not only the use of a generator for reefer power but other applications as well. These include port equipment, electrical resiliency against grid outages, auxiliary power for vessels, and vessel propulsion power. Establishing hydrogen equipment usage at port also has the benefit of establishing a local hydrogen infrastructure hub that can be leveraged to provide hydrogen for regional transportation uses. Future usage of the generator by other hosts will continue to collect the information needed to completely assess the business case as well as provide opportunity for continued development of the technology. Maritime Fuel Cell Generator Project

Resources
The agenda of the conference will be dominated by future economic and security challenges

Egypt's fourth National Youth Conference is scheduled to start in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria on Monday.

Launched by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and organised by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the two-day conference will address the Egypt 2030 Development Plan; the ambitious development programme formulated by the government, the private sector and NGOs, which has been two years in the making.

For the past few months, national youth conferences were held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Aswan and Ismailia to discuss issues directly related to young people, such as ways to enhance their political participation and prepare them for being future leaders.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina said in a statement that as many as 1,300 young people will attend the conference's meetings.

"They will come from the governorates of Alexandria, Marsa Matruh, Beheira, and Kafr El-Sheikh," said the statement, adding that "young people representing business associations, political parties, and NGOs will also participate for the first time."

The statement said that the conference will be attended by cabinet ministers, heads of political parties, professional syndicates, and universities, as well as journalists and media people and representatives of the National Council for Women and the National Council for Human Rights.

Minister of Planning Hala El-Saied described the 2030 Development Plan as a long-term national strategy that will transform Egypt into an advanced economy.

"The plan targets economic growth rates of 7 percent per annum, improving the living conditions of Egyptians and moving the country forward towards prosperity," said El-Saied.

The conference will be held against the backdrop of heated debate over Egypt's tough economic reform measures, which have been negatively affecting the lives of millions of Egyptians.

On 29 June, the government cut fuel subsidies more than 30 percent as part of the reform plan, bringing the total of fuel price hikes to 80 percent in eight months.

Hussein Eissa, the head of parliament's budget committee, told Ahram Online that "the IMF-inspired reforms are a bitter medicine we have to take and which is already starting to pay off."

"Although these reforms have caused millions of citizens to move below the poverty line, they have saved Egypt from bankruptcy," said Eissa, pointing out that "while Egypt's foreign exchange reserves were below $14 billion in November 2016  the lowest in decades  they have grown after eight months of bold reforms to around $32 billion."

Eissa said he expects that economic and development plans as well as security challenges will top the agenda of debates in the coming National Youth Conference.

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Doubt

8 p.m. (WFMY)

Katherine Heigl returns as brilliant attorney Sadie Ellis, whos developed feelings for a pediatric surgeon accused of murdering his girlfriend. The drama also stars Dule Hill, Elliott Gould, Laverne Cox and Steven Pasquale.

Say Yes to the Dress

8 p.m. (TLC)

When it comes to searching for a wedding dress, some brides believe that more is definitely more in this new episode. Lisa hopes to find a princess ball gown with a big bow, while Kate is on the hunt for a dress with lace, a long train and a big veil.

TURN:

Washingtons Spies

9 p.m. (AMC)

Ben (Seth Numrich) plots to kidnap Benedict Arnold (Owain Yeoman) in this new episode. However, his plan could cause trouble for Abe (Jamie Bell), whos determined to kill Simcoe (Samuel Roukin). Shifting loyalties soon turn enemies into allies.

Still Star-Crossed

10 p.m. (WXLV)

When Lord Montague (Grant Bowler) argues with Lord Capulet (Anthony Head), a senseless act of violence makes tensions between the houses run dangerously high in this new episode. This period drama picks up where Romeo and Juliet ended.
Cairo and Amman discussed on Saturday possible measures that could be taken after the recent Israeli escalation against Palestinians at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to a statement by Egypts foreign ministry.

Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry received a phone call from his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi on Saturday where they discussed the dangerous violations against Palestinians by the Israeli occupation forces.

The two sides exchanged their evaluation of the situation, stressing the utmost importance of stopping Israeli escalation against Palestinians and the removal of all restrictions imposed by Israel on Muslims worshipping at Al-Aqsa.

On Friday, Egypt called on Israel to put an immediate stop to violence and heightened security measures against Palestinians in Jerusalem after three Palestinians were killed in clashes with occupation forces at the mosque.

Cairo expressed its deep concerns about the repercussions of such escalation as well as its distress over the deaths and injuries of civilians due to the excessive use of force.

Earlier this week, Israel closed the mosque to Palestinians for Friday prayers for the second time since Israel occupied Jerusalem in 1967, installing metal detectors and cameras at the entrance to the Haram Al-Sharif Compound following the killing of two policemen at the site.

Yesterday, three Palestinians were killed and more than 200 were injured when occupation forces attacked worshippers outside the mosque following Friday prayers.

The clashes came one day after Israeli occupation police said they were barring men under 50 from entering Jerusalem's Old City for Friday prayers.

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Cliffs Notes do not include instructions for interviewing a veteran and his wife at their 75th wedding anniversary party.

My suggestions  do not start in the yard, or pool patio, or kitchen, or dining room. The den, maybe, but six children, 15 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and throngs of other family members and neighbors will find you  they hinge on every word from their 94-year old forebears.

Seaboards James Jim Roland Maddrey married Winston-Salems Bettie Bell Cook on July 10, 1942.

Wheres Seaboard? It isnt the end of the world but you can see it from there, Roland Maddrey said.

The U.S. Census has Maddreys hometown with a population of 562 when he graduated from high school in 1940. The town had grown to an estimated 573 by 2016.

He doesnt disparage growing up on a farm in Northhampton County. We went to Mount Carmel Baptist Church on Sunday mornings because my mother was a Baptist, he said. We went to Pleasant Grove Methodist Church on Sunday nights because my father was a Methodist. However, my wife was a Winston-Salem Moravian.

The Maddreys first date was on Dec. 7, 1941.

We spent the afternoon on Lake Myra, Jim Maddrey recalled. When I returned to the (N.C. State University) dorm that night, it was like a ghost town  the attack on Pearl Harbor had everyone leaving to join a branch of service.

Maddrey opted for the Navy because he was interested in naval aviation. He worked in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard until the Navy called him, and married in the interim, on July 10, 1942.

I went to Chicagos Navy Pier for diesel training but switched to aviation, he said. Our classes were at Northwestern University.

The iconic Navy Pier has a checkered past. Constructed into Lake Michigan as a World War I tribute to the Navy, it was one of the Navys largest training posts during World War II. Post-war, it fell into ill repair, but has recovered to become one of the Windy Citys most notable attractions.

Initially, the Navy made me a diesel mechanic, but I eventually became a PV-1 Ventura crew chief, he said. I was responsible for the squadron commanders plane  he froze me in the job until the war ended.

The Maddreys started on their family of three sons and three daughters before his service ended.

I was an aviation machinists mate 2nd class when our first child was born, he said. Both our oldest sons served in Vietnam  Darwin as a USAF pilot and Kenneth as a Green Beret.

All six of the Maddrey children graduated from college: James from Greensboro College; Kenneth from Wheaton College; Bettie Ann and Jean from UNC-Greensboro; Mary from UNC-Chapel Hill; and Roland from Appalachian State University.

After the war, Jim Maddrey managed stores with Advanced Hardware in Mount Airy and Winston-Salem and later worked in sales with Associated Motor Lines and Johnson Motor Lines.

Those were good jobs, but I needed additional income to pay all our bills, he said. On a whim, I ordered six pop-up campers in 1962. We showed them in our Elam Avenue backyard, and they sold so well that I started ordering them by the dozen.

In 1964, they rented a building on High Point Road and founded Ken-Dar Trailer sales, named for sons Kenneth and Darwin.

In 1969, we purchased property on Red Road, which later became Wendover Avenue, he said. That property sat where the Marriott Courtyard is currently located on Wendover.

The Maddreys retired to Florida 30 years ago. Back in town to celebrate their anniversary  with a touch of nostalgia  the children put them up in that Marriott Courtyard.

Over the years, Maddrey sold recreational vehicles made by Apache, Jayco, Wheel Camper and Fleetwood. In 1976, he expanded into power boats and sailboats and became the Chrysler Marine dealer in Greensboro.

Members of the family worked in the business. They acknowledged they could use any camper on the lot  with one caveat, Mary Maddrey Chandler said.

We had to use campground bathhouses, never the RV bathroom, Chandler said. Dad preached, Campers are made to be sold. She feels now there may have been ulterior motives. Dad felt customers were favorably drawn to the dealers personal camper.

Jim Maddrey never lost his zeal for aviation. As a licensed pilot, he obtained his instrument rating from Guilford Technical Institute. The following weekend, I flew a Cessna 172 to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. My youngest son, Roland, was in the eighth grade at the time. He did a masterful job of navigating. About all I knew was to go to the beach and turn right.
July 22, 1934

Bank robber John Dillinger was shot to death by federal agents outside Chicagos Biograph Theater, where he had just seen the Clark Gable movie Manhattan Melodrama. After a lifetime of crime and arrests, Dillingers latest career as a bank robber had lasted just more than a year and had covered 11 banks and more than $300,000. In various close escapes he and his associates had killed seven police officers and three federal agents. He had been arrested in January but escaped in March from Crown Point prison in Indiana. Hiding in Chicago, he had a face-lift and burned off his fingerprints with acid. Anna Sage, a Romanian-born brothel madam and friend of Dillingers, agreed to cooperate with the FBI. Twenty FBI agents and police officers staked out the theater and waited for him to emerge with Sage, who would be wearing an orange dress to identify herself. Sages orange dress looked red under the Biographs lights, which would earn her the nickname the lady in red. History.com reports: Dillinger was ordered to surrender, but he took off running. He made it as far as an alley at the end of the block before he was gunned down. ... Public Enemy No. 1, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had deemed him, was dead.
North Carolina Republicans appeared to fall just short in Tuesdays General Assembly elections of gaining large enough majorities to override Gov. Roy Coopers vetoes on their own. But their seat gains eroded further the Democrats ability to block bills on abortion and other highly contested legislation. The Senate GOP increased their seats to the number needed to have a veto-proof majority. But Speaker Tim Moore said that House Republicans were one seat shy of a similar threshold. Moore said Wednesday he's confident House Republicans can get help from Democrats in an override. But that could be more difficult on abortion restrictions, which Cooper and other Democrats campaigned against.
GREENWICH  The town of Greenwich is joining numerous communities across the region with an uptick in stolen cars.

The rising trend in car thefts is seen by experts as a mix of complacency, false confidence in modern car security systems and a new breed of teenaged perpetrators.

Taken together, the new generation of car thieves  youngsters often 17 or younger  are taking advantage of the new ignition systems installed in motor vehicles to take vehicles for joy rides and mayhem, according to law enforcement authorities.

In Greenwich, car thefts are up by 76 percent this year, as compared with the number stolen from January to mid-July in 2016, according to department statistics.

Unfortunately, people are making it easy, by leaving their vehicles unlocked and ready to start, said Greenwich police Lt. David Nemecek.

Often times, with the new push-to-start key fobs, people leave them in the vehicle, said Fairfield Police spokesman Lt. Robert Kalamaris. The end result is that the doors dont get locked, and the car ends up getting stolen once the perpetrator presses the brake pedal and sees the green light illuminate on the start button.

Many of the perpetrators of the recent wave of auto thefts are juveniles. A group of young people arrested in a series of weekend car thefts in Greenwich were between the ages of 14 and 17.

Its juveniles, not adults, doing a lot of this, said Nemecek.

Police in Greenwich say the car thefts are being perpetrated by informal street gangs in loosely organized fashion.

The Greenwich department has added staff and other resources to the auto-theft unit, and there have been advances in regional cooperation among other communities in the area.

Most stolen cars are recovered, according to state data. But theyre often taken for a joyride or a crime spree first.

A lot of our cars end up in Bridgeport, commented Lt. Patrick Lynch of the Ansonia Police Department.

The theft of a car from a suburban driveway is often just the start of a dangerous ride for the driving public, police officers and bystanders. The car thieves are also endangering themselves, police said.

A car driven by a Waterbury man accused of hitting a police cruiser and a police officer before he was shot by a cop in Waterbury in March was stolen from Greenwich. The red Lexus SUV was just one of three cars stolen in Greenwich that weekend that ended up in Waterbury.

In May of this year, police shot Jayson Negron, 15, and Julian Fyffe, 21, who were in a stolen car in Bridgeport. Negron died from his wounds. Its unclear who stole the carthe case is under investigation.

In the past six months, police have linked stolen cars to robberies and at least one drive-by shooting. Stolen cars provide criminals with cover because they cant be traced back to them, police said.

While there has been a regional uptick over the past year or so, the overall rate of auto theft countrywide has dropped since a peak in the early 1990s, data shows.

Motor-vehicle theft rates have fallen nationally from 659 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1991 to around 220 over the past five years, according to FBI statistics. The rate was 148.9 per 100,000 inhabitants in Connecticut in 2015, the last year of reporting statistics.
Old Greenwich

As the town considers whether a new restroom going in at Greenwich Point might have accessibility problems for people in wheelchairs or walkers, the towns Department of Parks and Recreation will take a deeper look at the overall accessibility of the popular beach and park area.

The Board of Selectmen met at Greenwich Point Wednesday to discuss relocating the restrooms from the Chimes Building to a bluff adjacent to a parking area. The new location would be out of the flood zone and allow the restrooms to be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act but critics worried the bluff was too steep for wheelchairs to go up.

Director of Parks and Recreation Joe Sicliano said handicapped accessibility would be part of its Greenwich Point master plan study.

Part of the stakeholders group will meet with the First Selectmans Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities in Greenwich, Siciliano said. We want to know what the other needs are for handicap accessibility and general accessibility. We want to look into the future to plan for things.

Siciliano pegged the cost of the study at less than $50,000 and said it would identify areas ripe for improvement.

Downtown

The Steamboat Road pier remains closed for repairs as plans for construction work continue.

In May, the Representative Town Meeting approved $600,000 for repair work, after the pier was closed to the public. The towns Department of Public Works declared it unsafe. The area is popular for sightseeing and fishing.

Amy Siebert, commissioner of DPW for the town, said the design for a renovated pier is about 90 percent complete. The end of the structure will be rebuilt, a new slab will be put on the site, railings will be installed and the parking area will be improved and its wall rebuilt.

The town still needs state approval for the project, she said. DPW has been in contact with the states Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for a pre-application review and the town has made an official request to DEEP for a certificate of permission to proceed with the work.

Typically, the project is not put up for bid until after the COP has been granted, Siebert said.

The CTDEEP COP review process can take at least 45 days, and if they come up any comments at all, that can mean another 45 days, Siebert said. This explains why we try to cover as much as we can in the pre-application review but there are no guarantees when it comes to their review timing and their workload.

Siebert said once a bid has been accepted and a contract in place, the work would take about two months.

Glenville

The Glenville Volunteer Fire Company will honor two people this year for community service.

L. Scott and Icy Frantz will both be honored on Oct. 12 at Tamarack Country Club. Proceeds from the event will benefit the volunteer fire company. Both will receive the David N. Theis Award for community service, an honor that has previously gone to State Rep. Livvy Floren and town business icon Terry Betteridge.

According to the fire company, the award, which is named after the late selectman who died unexpectedly in 2014, is given to individuals who selflessly and compassionately serve our residents, organizations and institutions in an admirable and tireless manner.

Fire Company president Sandy Kornberg praised the couple as social, political and philanthropic leaders in town and said they embody the essence of a caring community.

L. Scott Frantz serves as the state senator for the 36th district in Connecticut, which covers Greenwich and portions of Stamford and New Canaan. A Republican, he was reelected in 2016 to a new two-year term, his fifth. He and his wife were praised by the company for their support of local causes including the Arch Street Teen Center and Greenwich Country Day School.

In a press release announcing the award, Frantz recalled Theis fondly and said the award was a significant one to he and his wife.

Dave Theis was a pillar of the community, Frantz said. He had a huge heart, and gave so much back to the community. The award also means the world to us because it is from a local, all-volunteer fire company which has served Icy and I and my family for decades. We are humbled and honored to be recognized in this way.

Chief of Police James Heavey, a former president of the Glenville Volunteer Fire Company, will serve as the master of ceremonies. The event is a major fundraiser for the volunteers who in 2015 went on 11,025 calls. There will be a live and silent auction; contributors will have the chance to sponsor pieces of equipment for firefighters including helmets, gloves, flashlights and axes.

Tickets and information are available online at www.glenvillefire.org, by emailing rsvp@glenvillefire.org or by calling 203-532-9606.

Central Greenwich

Greenwich United Way has left behind its office on Lafayette Court near the top of Greenwich Avenue and settled into new digs at 500 West Putnam Ave.

The agency officially opened for business at its new home on July 10, Suite 415. Greenwich United Way staff said the new home will better allow it to serve the community in a bigger space.

Our new office, constructed to our specifications, offers us functional office space on one floor that will promote better communication and efficiency among the staff, board members and volunteers to allow us to continue our mission to uncover unmet human services needs in the town of Greenwich, raise awareness and support for those needs, and develop creative solutions to address those needs, said United Way CEO David Rabin.

The building was found through Newmark Grubb Knight Frank and Allan Murphy, who worked with the United Way on the search, Rabin said

More information about the Greenwich United Ways programs and services is available online at www.greenwichunitedway.org .
The Syrian military declared a cessation of hostilities in the Eastern Ghouta region just outside Damascus, which it said began at 12:00 pm local time (0900 GMT) on Saturday, state TV reported.

"Cessation of fighting activities in several areas of Eastern Ghouta ... any violation will be responded to appropriately", it said.

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Actor Tony Darrow of Goodfellas: and Sopranos fame was seen having dinner at Gabrieles Italian Steakhouse in Greenwich recently.

Out there

The Third Annual Stamford Art Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 29 and 30 at Harbor Point in Stamford. The event will feature the works of more than 125 artisans from Fairfield County and beyond with a selection of paintings, photography, sculptures, mixed media, jewelry, ceramics, fiber and glass available for purchase. The festival will also feature live music, demonstrations, gourmet food and desserts and a Poets Corner with Connecticut poet Jerry T. Johnson. The event is free. For more info, visit StamfordArtFestival.org or GordonFineArts.org.

Scene

ESPN Sportscaster and Greenwich resident Hannah Storm was seen at the Sidewalk Sales in Greenwich last weekend.

Out there...

Award winning country band Gunsmoke will perform at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. The Fairfield County-based band has performed on national television and has several albums. It was named Band of the Year six years in a row by the New York Metro Country Music Association. For more info, call 203-618-6479, or visit Greenwichct.org.

Scene

High profile defense attorney and Greenwich resident Mickey Sherman was seen chatting with WOR NY radio personality and Greenwich resident Mark Simone on Greenwich Avenue last Sunday.

Out there

Greenwich Wine Societys Wine Country Tour to Long Island's Scenic North Fork takes place on July 29. The tour, directed by Dean Gamanos, owner of Grape Getaways LLC, will feature a visit to three wineries and a stop at a farm-stand, time permitting. The cost is $140 per person and includes lunch, tastings, taxes and tips. Columbia Business School alumni will also join wine enthusiasts on the tour. For more details and to register, visit www.CBSACny.org, or contact Dean at 203-629-1261.

Scene

Dancing with the Stars host and Greenwich resident Tom Bergeron was seen on Greenwich Avenue on Tuesday.

Out there

The Ancient Order of Hibernians will feature the Shamrogues, a traditional Irish music group, from 4 to 6 p.m. July 29 at the AOH, 186 Greyrock Place, Stamford. The popular group will perform ballads, sing-a-longs and instrumentals with traditional Irish instruments including the tin whistle, bodhran, bagpipe, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and accordion. Lite snacks and cash bar provided. Tickets $20 per person. For more info, call 203-329-1814.

Out there

SANDBLAST! 2017 sand sculpture contest takes place at Greenwich Point from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 29. The annual event will feature live music by Jay and Ray. Participants will also receive a gift certificate from Meli-Melo of Greenwich. Rain date is July 30 from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. For more info, call 203-862-6750 or visit info@greenwicharts.org.

Scene

Kool and The Gang will perform at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stamford Downtowns Wednesday Nite Live Series in Columbus Park. $15 festival fee. For more info, visit www.stamforddowntown.com.

And thats all for now.

Later

Got a tip? Seen a celebrity? E-mail Susie Costaregni at thedish2@yahoo.com.

>
Syria's army announced Saturday a halt in fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on how a safe zone will function for the besieged opposition enclave.

With many of its towns and villages ravaged by bombardments in the six-year conflict, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus is one of the last strongholds of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on who would police the safe zones, and Eastern Ghouta is just the second zone to see a ceasefire enter into force.

The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday on Saturday (0900 GMT)," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement said, without specifying what areas were included.

Russia said earlier Saturday it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta.

But no rebel group said it had signed the Cairo agreement, with one influential group in the region saying it was not involved.

The Cairo meeting "follows on from the ceasefire deal for the south of Syria" that took hold on July 9, said Wael Alwan, a spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

That ceasefire for southern areas of Syria was brokered by Russia, the United States and Jordan.

Russia said it and the rebels had signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation".

It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents".

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded "in the next few days".

The two other "de-escalation zones" included in the May deal are the rebel-held province of Idlib and northern parts of the central province of Homs.

More than 2.5 million people are believed to live in the four zones.

The May accord roughly laid out the areas where rebels and government forces should halt hostilities, including air strikes, for six months, but Russia, Turkey and Iran then failed to meet a June 4 deadline to set exact boundaries for the zones.

One major stumbling block appeared to be who would ensure security in all four areas, with Turkey and Iran in particular reportedly wrangling to bolster their influence.

A new meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana is expected during the last week of August, with rebels as well as representatives from Turkey and Iran to attend, Russia has said.

Moscow has argued that the zones agreement will provide moderate rebels with security and help focus attacks against Islamist militant groups such as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front and the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

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Turkish security forces have re-arrested two activists previously detained but then released in a controversial case that has raised tensions with the West, Amnesty International said on Saturday.

The two were among 10 people detained earlier this month in a raid by police on a workshop session of human rights activists held on an island off Istanbul.

A Turkish court on Tuesday ordered six of the human rights activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, to be remanded in custody on charges of aiding a "terror" group.

The four others were then released under judicial supervision.

But an Istanbul court on Friday issued new arrest warrants for the four -- Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Nejat Tastan and Ilknur Ustun -- after granting an appeal from prosecutors against their release.

Amnesty said Erkem was detained from her house in Istanbul late Friday and Ustun was detained from her home in Ankara on Saturday.

There was no immediate indication of the whereabouts of Ozbekli and Tastan.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Director for Europe described the new detention orders as a "cruel and retrograde step" and said the Turkish authorities have "raised their absurdity to fresh heights".

"Turkey has underlined its growing reputation as an indiscriminate jailer of civil society activists and a stranger to the rule of law," he said.

The decision to remand the six in custody earlier this week sparked international alarm and amplified fears of declining freedom of expression under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Eight of the 10 initially detained are Turkish rights activists. But the other two are German Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi, who were leading the digital information workshop.

This has stoked tensions in particular with Berlin, which is now looking at an overhaul of its relations with Ankara.

Amnesty describes Gharavi as an IT strategy consultant and Steudtner as a "non-violence and well-being trainer".

Last month Amnesty International's Turkey chair, Taner Kilic, was remanded in custody on what the group described as "baseless charges" of links to the alleged mastermind of the July 15 failed coup Fethullah Gulen.

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A Lebanese mediator was killed on Saturday in a second day of fighting between the powerful Hezbollah group and militants near the border with Syria, the official news agency said.

"Ahmad al-Fliti, who was mediating between fighters and Hezbollah... was wounded when his car was hit by shelling of unknown origin in Jurud Arsal," ANI said.

"He later succumbed to his wounds."

Lebanon's army said Fliti was killed in shelling by "the terrorist organisation of the Al-Nusra Front", referring to the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.

Hezbollah on Friday said its fighters had begun an operation against militants on both sides of the country's border with Syria.

On Saturday, Hezbollah announced several advances in the mountainous border area of Jurud Arsal.

Funerals were held on Saturday for 11 Hezbollah fighters killed in the clashes, nine in Beirut and two in Baalbek.

Lebanon's army has not officially announced its participation in the offensive, but said Friday it had targeted "terrorists" in the area.

Thousands of Syrian refugees live in informal camps in Jurud Arsal after having fled the six-year war in their home country.

But security in the area has also long been a concern, with Lebanese forces battling Islamist militants in the area in 2014.

Hezbollah on Friday also announced fighting on the other side of the border in Syria's Qalamun, where the Lebanese Shiite group has fought for years alongside President Bashar al-Assad's army against rebels and Islamist militants.

Syria's air force on Saturday carried out air strikes near the border, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

More than a million refugees have flooded into Lebanon since the Syria conflict erupted with anti-government protests in March 2011.

Their presence has been largely tolerated despite testing the limited resources and ageing infrastructure of a country of just four million.

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Global credit rating agency Moody said in a statement on Thursday that the International Monetary Funds (IMF) review of Egypts economic reform programme is credit positive for Egypt, giving the country a B3 rating.

Last week, the IMF's executive board completed the first review of a $12 billion loan to Egypt, disbursing the final instalment of $1.25 billion from the first $4 billion tranche of the loan.

The IMF's review included an assessment of the implementation of Egypt's reform programme, which was adopted in since 2014 to curb the growing state budget deficit.

The reforms include cutting subsidies and government expenditure while implementing new taxes.

Reforms are showing positive results, particularly the foreign exchange rate liberalisation in November 2016, which helped reduce balance-of-payment pressures from large current-account deficits and support the sovereigns external liquidity position, Moody said in the emailed statement.

The global credit rating agency expects Egypts budget deficit to shrink gradually to about 3 percent of GDP by the end of the 2020 fiscal year, supported by a pickup in exports.

In mid-August 2016, Egypt reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF over the three-year $12 billion loan to endorse the countrys fiscal reform programme.

In November, Egypt received the first instalment  an initial disbursal of $2.75 billion  of the first tranche following the floating of the Egyptian pound.

The next review will either be in November or December, finance minister Amr El-Garhy said in June, adding that Cairo expects to receive the second $4 billion tranche in two instalments during the 2017-18 fiscal year, which begins in July.

Egypts economy has struggled since the January 2011 uprising toppled long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak, resulting in political and security upheaval.

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A 2m refurbishment of the Clontarf Seawater Baths as well as a new pavilion cafe bar and restaurant is due to open in about six weeks' time, the Circuit Licensing Court has heard.

Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke granted Clontarf Baths and Assembly Rooms Company a declaratory order.

This means that when the development is completed in accordance with planning permissions, it will automatically get a seven-day drinks licence.

Barrister Dorothy Collins told the court that the 2m enterprise was almost complete and would open by mid-September at the latest.

Unique

She said the redevelopment of the baths would provide a fully-modernised open-air swimming pool for the public.

David Cullen, co-director with his mother Mary Cullen in the company, told the court the new development would serve all of the city and parts of Co Wicklow, as the Dart ran very close to it.

He told Judge Groarke that the seawater baths was in a unique position within Dublin City Council's linear park consisting of the grassy acres between the Clontarf-Howth Road and the Irish Sea.

Mr Cullen said his company's development completely reconstructed and refurbished existing seawater baths that had existed on the site since the 1890s.

Like the old baths, the development would use water from Dublin Bay.

He said the very large pool contained a sluice that would allow filtered and clean Irish Sea water to enter and pump it out again in a refreshment process every few weeks.

Mr Cullen told the court that the water would be maintained at a high level of filtration and cleanliness and, while swimming in the open air pool would be at natural environmental temperatures, there would be a water heating facility.

The company had not yet decided on what basis or when the seawater would be warmed.

He said work on the project had started last September following only a single objection by a local resident.

Full permission had been granted on an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

Ms Collins told Judge Groarke that a drinks licence attached to an existing premises had to be extinguished in order for it to be transferred to the Clontarf company.

Judge Groarke granted the declaratory order pending completion of works in line with planning permissions.
A judge has banned the media from naming a man and woman arrested following the handover of a loaded gun on a Dublin to Belfast train.

Judge Gerard Jones imposed the gagging order preventing the identification of the pair for their own safety after being told they were involved in an ongoing criminal feud inside and outside Ireland.

The mother-of-one (20) is alleged to have handed over a bag containing a loaded semi- automatic pistol to the man (23), who was later arrested on the train.

Dublin District Court heard he allegedly tried to kick the bag under a chair when gardai confronted him, while the woman was later arrested at Dublin Airport in what detectives believed was an attempt to flee the country.

Risks

Judge Jones refused to grant them bail and remanded them in custody to next week.

He banned the media from naming either accused after their lawyers said there were concerns for their safety.

The pair, from the north inner city, are both charged with three firearms offences - unlawful possession of a CZ model semi-automatic pistol with two rounds of 7.65 Browning calibre ammunition and one shotgun cartridge.

The offences are alleged to have happened at Connolly Station on Wednesday.

Gardai alleged both defendants were caught red-handed and were flight risks if granted bail.

Det Gda Marguerite Reilly said the arrests arose from an intelligence-led operation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) targeting an organised criminal group within and outside the jurisdiction.

It was alleged that the woman was seen handing over a bag containing the loaded firearm and ammunition. She was later apprehended by gardai at Terminal One at Dublin Airport.

She had her passport and a travel bag with her.

Det Gda Reilly said the woman had strong links outside the jurisdiction.

The woman's solicitor, Eoin Lysaght, said his client was outside the terminal and was waiting for a bus to Galway.

She had no aeroplane tickets and had her passport because she looked so young she would not have been able to buy cigarettes.

Mr Lysaght said the woman denied any knowledge of the items in the bag and box.

Det Gda Gary Wood said it was alleged that the man was seen taking possession of the bag with the firearm and conveying it on to a Belfast-bound train.

It was alleged he had links to an organised criminal group with strong connections in Spain, the Netherlands and other countries.

Applying for bail, his solicitor Miska Hanahoe said he enjoyed a presumption of innocence.

"I don't know any more serious offence than someone caught red-handed with a loaded gun on a train bound for Belfast," Judge Jones said.
Judge Alan Mitchell fined O'Doherty 1,000 and disqualified him from driving for six months. (stock photo)

A lawyer who was clocked speeding at 187kph on a motor- way has been banned from driving for six months.

Ronan O'Doherty (29) was driving his parents' car and said he failed to realise he was driving so fast.

He was caught after another motorist called gardai.

Judge Alan Mitchell fined O'Doherty 1,000 and disqualified him from driving for six months.

The judge told O'Doherty that a driving licence is a privilege, not a right, and should not be abused.

The defendant, of Haddington Way West, Dublin 4, admitted before Bray District Court to careless driving.

The incident happened on the M11 at Ballyhenry, Ashford, Co Wicklow, on February 16.

O'Doherty was originally charged with dangerous driving, but the judge accepted a plea to the lesser charge of careless driving.

That offence, unlike dangerous driving, does not carry a mandatory two-year ban.

Gda Trevor Conroy said he was working at around 11pm when officers received a call from a motorist in relation to a vehicle that had passed at speed.

Chased

Gda Conroy said the surface of the road was wet.

He added that O'Doherty was clocked doing 187kph in a 120kph zone.

Gda Conroy said O'Doherty was forced to slow down a number of times when he came up behind other vehicles in the overtaking lane.

The court heard that gardai chased the vehicle, a silver Mazda 6, and it stopped a short distance away.

Gda Conroy said O'Doherty was shown the speed gun and apologised for his driving, saying he did not realise how fast he was going.

The court heard O'Doherty has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor David Tarrant said he was driving his parents' car and failed to realise the great speed at which he was travelling.

Mr Tarrant added that the defendant worked in the legal business and relied on his car and he asked the judge to be as lenient as possible.

Judge Mitchell said O'Doherty was more than 50pc over the speed limit, and for that reason he was disqualifying him from driving for six months.
Anthony Walsh has been charged with the murder of Dermot Byrne

A Dublin man has been charged with murder following the death of a father-of-three who was found stripped naked and dying on the side of a street after being viciously beaten.

Anthony Walsh (29) appeared before Dublin District Court yesterday morning accused of killing businessman Dermot Byrne (54), who died of his injuries in Swords last Sunday.

A passer-by discovered Mr Byrne on the steps of a school and raised the alarm, but he died despite efforts by paramedics to save him.

Judge Fiona Lydon remanded Mr Walsh in custody for a week after hearing that he made no reply to the charge after caution.

Caution

Mr Walsh, of no fixed address, is charged with murdering Mr Byrne at North Street, Swords, on July 16.

Gda Killian Leydon, of Coolock Garda Station, told the court he arrested Mr Walsh at 4.45pm on July 20 on the grounds of St James's Hospital in Dublin.

Mr Walsh was taken to Swords Garda Station and charged in the officer's presence at 5.43pm on Thursday.

Gda Leydon said the accused made no reply after caution. He was handed a copy of the charge sheet.

The officer applied for two amendments to be made to the charge - one to state that the accused was of no fixed abode and the second to correct his date of birth.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Dunphy said he was on notice of these amendments and was not objecting.

Mr Dunphy also asked the judge to direct "medical attention" for the accused while he was in custody.

Bail was not sought, as a bail application can only be made in the High Court on a murder charge.

Judge Lydon granted free legal aid to the accused after Mr Dunphy handed a statement of his financial means in to court.

Mr Dunphy said Mr Walsh was not working and was in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance.

Judge Lydon remanded Mr Walsh in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on July 28.

The defendant, wearing a black tracksuit with white stripes and black-and-white runners, remained silent during the brief hearing.

Members of Mr Byrne's family became distressed and wept as they sat in the public gallery.

Mr Byrne was found naked and with serious injuries by a passer-by on the steps of Fingal Community College on North Street, Swords, at around 3am last Sunday.

A Dublin Fire Brigade tender and HSE ambulance from Swords were dispatched to the scene, and teams of paramedics battled to save Mr Byrne's life.

He had a faint pulse when the emergency crews arrived, but died in the ambulance while being treated.
Four friends from Dublin are counting their blessings after surviving the Kos earthquake.

The pals had been frequenting the bar in which two men died, but they decided to stay in their hotel that night.

The 6.7-magnitude quake, centred 12km north-east of the Greek holiday isle and near the Turkish coast, caused a wall at the White Corner Club bar to collapse, killing two tourists, Turkish national Sinan Kurdoglu (39) and an unnamed 27-year-old Swedish man.

Two more Swedes, one said to have lost his legs, one Norwegian, a Greek man and a Greek woman were seriously injured in the bar collapse and were flown to a hospital in Crete by emergency services.

The quake struck at 1.31am yesterday - a time when pals Paddy Leonard (27), Lorcan Grey (25), David Thomson (26) and James McElvaney (26) would normally have been partying along with hundreds of others in the bar, housed in a renovated building dating to the 1930s, in the old town of Kos.

Surreal

The four said they were lucky to be alive because they had made the pub their local, but decided to stay in their hotel on Thursday night.

"It was the one night we decided not to go out. We're just kind of blessed," said Mr Leonard.

"It was just so surreal. It's the last thing you expect on holiday, but thankfully we're all OK, we're all alive.

"The whole hotel building was shaking and waves were coming out of the pool."

He said there was panic in the aftermath of the quake, with many buildings in the city centre collapsing.

"It was mad. We're all in a bit of shock," he said.

The quake shook holiday resorts in Greece and Turkey and injured nearly 500 people.

Some of the injuries were caused as tourists and local residents scrambled out of buildings and even leapt from balconies after the first jolts came.

Authorities on Kos said a total of 13 injured people were airlifted to other Greek hospitals.

In Turkey, authorities said 350 people suffered light in- juries as they fled buildings.

Seismologists said the shallow depth of the quake was to blame for the damage, and a 60cm sea swell that scattered cars and boats across shorelines in the east Aegean Sea.

Turkey sent a vessel to Kos to take 200 Turkish tourists home.

The quake damaged churches, an old mosque and Kos port's 14th century castle, along with old buildings in the town, but the damage was relatively limited.

Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said strict building codes have been in force for decades following a deadly earthquake in 1933 that flattened the island's main town.

The quake caused cracks on walls of some buildings in the Turkish resort of Bodrum, flooded the lower floors of sea-front hotels and restaurants and sent moored boats crashing towards the shore.

It was reported that huge crowds were seen at Kos International Airport as holidaymakers attempted to leave the island.

Experts said last night that 29 tremors have hit the region.
Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities has recovered two wooden decorative elements stolen in 2014 from the mosque of Jani Bek Al-Ashrafi on Al-Megharbeleen Street in Al-Darb Al-Ahmar area in Old Cairo.

Alsaeed Helmy, head of the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector at the ministry explained that in cooperation with the Tourism and Antiquities Police, the stolen items were recovered and the thief caught red-handed. The items were confiscated until the completion of investigations.

Helmy said the two elements would be sent to the Islamic Museum for restoration and then returned to their original location in the mosque.

Sofia Abdelhady, general director of antiquities of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar and Alsayeda Aisha, told Ahram Online that the recovered elements are carved in wood with geometric shapes and embellished with ivory. One of these elements, she explained, was stolen from the mosque's mimbar (pulpit) and the second from its alkotbeya (wooden cupboard on the wall).

The Mosque of Jani Bek Al-Ashrafi dates back to 830 AH / 1426 AD and is a part of a complex founded in the Mameluke period, which consists of a mosque, a minaret, a dome, a school, and a sabil (water fountain). It was built by Prince Jani Bek Al-Ashrafy, who was the Circassian prince of Al-Tablakhana (military musicians) during the reign of Sultan Bersby.





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BRISTOL, Va.  A group of OptiNet employees Friday urged the BVU Authority board to address concerns on two areas in the wake of a potentially life changing switch to working for another employer.

OptinNet employees have been in limbo for nearly 18 months as Sunset Digital Communications continues working to acquire BVUs fiber-optic telecommunications network. Part of the Duffield-based firms $50 million agreement is to retain virtually all of the current OptiNet employees and lease the operations center facilities at BVUs Lee Highway headquarters.

Four employees asked the board to do anything possible to expedite the deal and to review the terms of agreements for an education program that would require them to work for the potential new owner for years once completing their degree. They also asked for consideration of being able to cash out accrued sick days since those wouldnt transfer to the new company.

No. 1, it has dragged on for 18 months, said phone system technician Jonathan Blackley. Its just exhausting for the employees and an emotional roller coaster. Were not quite sure what our pay is, the health insurance and when the deal is going to close.

Blackley is one of four BVU employees currently involved in an education assistance program for which BVU paid a majority of their college costs in exchange for a contractual agreement to work for BVU for five years. He said Sunset is an unknown.

I dont know who Sunset is, and I would rather that contract be terminated, and then Sunset would just have to do tuition reimbursement and I could work that out with them directly, Blackley said.

Help desk technician John Fredericks asked the board to consider paying out the balance of unused sick time. BVU has already agreed to pay unused vacation time to exiting employees.

Were asking it be paid to the employees. It is a benefit we have earned, Fredericks said, adding that those employees will automatically be stopped from contributing to Virginia Retirement System accounts, since Sunset is a privately owned company.

Newly selected authority board Chairman Gary Bagnall said the board understands their plight.

At our next board meeting, we hope to take some formal action at that time, Bagnall said. I think everybody on the board was sympathetic to their situation. Essentially, these are issues that just got overlooked as part of the contract that was done with Sunset. Its dragged on a longer time than weve anticipated, and it appears thats exasperated things. I hope we can accommodate their requests.

The OptiNet deal currently hinges on an approval from the Virginia Coalfield Coalition. Last week, the VCC and Sunset agreed to continue working on a VCC demand regarding the 4G cellular network currently served by BVU. On Friday, BVU President and CEO Don Bowman said VCCs technical expert was at BVU Thursday, and he expects a report in advance of VCCs Aug. 2 meeting.

In other matters, the board unanimously approved giving all BVU employees a 3 percent pay increase.
After Parrott's lead disappears, Trone takes 6th District race

Republican state Del. Neil Parrott conceded on Friday after close race. Trone to return as congressman for 6th District.
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In conversation with Svetlana Alexievich, it quickly becomes apparent that she is more comfortable listening than she is talking. Thats hardly surprising: the Belarusian writer has spent decades in listening mode. Alexievich, now 69, put in thousands of hours with her tape recorder across the lands of the former Soviet Union, collecting and collating stories from ordinary people. She wove those tales into elegant books of such power and insight, that in 2015 she received the Nobel prize for literature.

In todays Russia, Alexievichs work is a Rorschach test for political beliefs: among the beleaguered, liberal opposition, she is frequently seen as the conscience of the nation, a uniquely incisive commentator on the disappointments and complexities of the post-Soviet condition. Mainstream opinion sees her as a turncoat whose books degrade Russia and Russians.

When I meet her in a cosy basement cafe in her home city of Minsk, the entrance nestled in an amphitheatre of imposing, late-Soviet apartment blocks, she has just returned from a book tour of South Korea, and is about to embark on a trip to Moscow.

Its tiring to have the attention on yourself; I want to closet myself away and start writing properly again, she says, looking visibly wearied by the travel and spotlight. Alexievich reluctantly agreed to deliver a talk about a book she wrote more than three decades ago, The Unwomanly Face of War, which has been republished in a new English translation this month.

It was written in the early 1980s, and for many years she could not find a publisher, but during the soul-searching of the late-Soviet perestroika period, it tapped into the zeitgeist of reflection and critical thinking, and was published in a print run of two million, briefly turning Alexievich into a household name. Later, the merciless flashlight Alexievich shone on to the Soviet war experience became less welcome in Russia. Since the Nobel win, her work has found a new international audience, giving her a second stint of fame 30 years after the first.

The original inspiration for the book was an article Alexievich read in the local Minsk press during the 1970s, about a retirement party for the accountant at a local car factory, a decorated sniper who had killed 75 Germans during the war. After that first interview, she began to seek out female war veterans across the Soviet Union. A million Soviet women served at the front, but they were absent from the official war narrative. Before this book, the only female character in our war literature was the nurse who improved the life of some heroic lieutenant, she says. But these women were steeped in the filth of war as deeply as the men.

It took a long time, Alexievich concedes, to get the women to stop speaking in rehearsed platitudes. Many were embarrassed about the reality of their war memories. They would say, OK, well tell you, but you have to write it differently, more heroically. After a frank interview with a woman who served as the medical assistant to a tank battalion, Alexievich recounts, she sent the transcript as promised and received a package through the post in response, full of newspaper clippings about wartime feats and most of the interview text crossed out in pen. More than once afterward I met with these two truths that live in the same human being, Alexievich writes. Ones own truth, driven underground, and the common one, filled with the spirit of the time.

The book touches on topics that were taboo during the Soviet period and have once again been excised from Putins Russia: the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, by which Stalin and Hitler carved up Europe, the executions of deserters and the psychological effects of war for years to come. Her subjects recall sweaty nightmares, grinding teeth, short tempers and an inability to see forests without thinking of twisted bodies in shallow graves.

In modern Russia, Putin has turned the war victory into a national building block of almost religious significance, and questioning the black-and-white history of glorious victory is considered heresy. This makes the testimony of the women in Alexievichs book, most of whom are now dead, feel all the more important today. There is no lack of heroism in the book; the feats and the bravery and the enormous burden that fell on the shoulders of these women shine from every page. But she does not erase the horror from the story, either. In the end, the book is a far more powerful testament to the extraordinary price paid by the Soviet people to defeat Nazi Germany than the sight of intercontinental missiles rolling across Red Square on 9 May, or the endless bombastic war films shown on Russian television.

After The Unwomanly Face of War, Alexievich wrote books that dealt with the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl and the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan, two tragedies that accompanied the death throes of the Soviet Union, both of them simultaneously causes and symptoms of its impending collapse.

More recently, she published the doorstop-sized Second-Hand Time, which reads as a requiem for the Soviet era. It chronicles the shock and the existential void that characterised the 1990s after the Soviet Union disintegrated, and helps explain the appeal of Putins promises to bring pride back to a wounded, post-imperial nation.

Nobody thought the Soviet Union would collapse, it was a shock for everyone, she says. Everyone had to adapt to a new and painful reality as the rules, behavioural codes and everyday language of the Soviet experience dissolved almost overnight. Taken together, Alexievichs books remain perhaps the single most impressive document of the late Soviet Union and its aftermath. Alexievich became a harsh critic of Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian president of newly independent Belarus. She left the country as a protest, and spent 11 years living in exile in various European countries, returning only a few years ago. When youre on the barricades, all you can see is a target, not a human, which is what a writer should see. From the point of view of art, the butcher and the victim are equal as people. You need to see the people.

Lukashenko has made it clear he is no fan of Alexievichs work, and while the Nobel prize has given her some security, her books have not been published in Belarus, and she is de facto banned from making public appearances. As a writer of Ukrainian and Belarusian heritage, but who writes essentially about the whole post-Soviet space, she is confused about modern Russia. She is unsure whether to say we or they when she speaks about Russians. Where she is more certain is in her opinions of Putin and the current political climate. We thought wed leave communism behind and everything would turn out fine. But it turns out you cant leave this and become free, because these people dont understand what freedom is.

She has repeatedly criticised the Russian annexation of Crimea and intervention in east Ukraine, which has led to a falling-out with many Russian friends, she says. She never quite knows how conversations will go when she visits Moscow. She recalls a recent visit when she entered the apartment of an old acquaintance: I had just walked in the door and taken my coat off, when she sits me down and says, Svetochka, so that everything is clear, let me just say that Crimea isnt ours. Its like a password! Thank God, I told her.

She has two new projects she wants to finish: one about love, which will look at 100 relationships from the perspective of the man and the woman involved, and a second book about the process of ageing. It is something she has been thinking about, as she approaches her 70th birthday.

In youth, we dont think much about it and then suddenly all these questions arrive, she says. After a little more than an hour of discussion, her already quiet voice has become almost inaudible, and she seems tired and distracted. What was the point of life, why did all of that happen?

Not wanting to outstay my welcome any further, I turn off my recorder and thank her for the interview, assuming she will make a speedy beeline for the exit. Excellent, she says, immediately brightening. Shall we have some lunch? Surprised, I stay, and we talk for another hour. Now its mainly her asking the questions: about my views on Russia but also Donald Trump, the European far right and the Queen. Ever the listener, Alexievich is much more at ease asking the questions than answering them.

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Do teach me, o sire of heavenly rank,

How to lead my life amongst enemies!

- Mohammed Iqbal

We live in conflicted times, the divide between Us and Them stark, the lynch of the Other the newest rage. In that sense, Reema Abbasis book on Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, the Sufi saint whose resting place is the Ajmer Sharif dargah, is timely.

For the Khwaja, fondly addressed as Gharib Nawaz, is visited each year by millions cutting across religious and economic strata, the spectacle reinforcing confidence in Indias plurality. His resting place silently upholds the syncretic tradition of the subcontinent, disregards divisions of all kinds, reinforces the spirit of humanity, and quietly swims against political and social undercurrents.

And that is Abbasis main contention. For her, the strife and conflicts of the 21st century are no different from those Gharib Nawaz experienced when he left Sistan (on the Iran/Pakistan border) to make Ajameru home  as Ajmer was called then  eight centuries ago.

The saint was born in 1141, two decades before the birth of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, and was witness to several obsessive conquests. The chain of attacks ruined the regions peace and unsettled ordinary folks, who saw the wealth of the great Silk Road being contested by several armies.

It was no longer possible to live and love in Chisht - the name of the once-peaceful town near Herat in present day Afghanistan  and home to the hermits of the Chishtiya Silsila or order. The hermits dispersed and wandered in search of calm. Gharib Nawaz made his way into the subcontinent through Multan to practise the Chishtiya way of life never forgetting that respect for other human beings is the most obvious manifestation of a persons devotion to god.

He chose Ajmer, staying away from the political centres of power, welcoming the distressed and the hungry without prejudice, making them believe in the power of love. He discouraged religious supremacy and patriarchy by example - his wife was a central leader and his only daughter became a caliph - an aspect practised at his seat, but not at other shrines of his lineage.

Abbasis earlier book Historic Temples in Pakistan: A Call to Conscience, too, dealt with places of devotion for minorities, minorities dealing with insecurities.

Abbasi acknowledges that most of the literature available on the saint is in Persian. So when folklore made it difficult for her to penetrate to the facts, Hamiduddin Nagori came to the rescue. Nagori documented the saints life  his passion for music and how he brought qawwali with him  during the saints lifetime.

However, Abbasis research goes beyond Gharib Nawaz. She documents details of his heirs and his famous and favourite disciples who helped carry forward his legacy  which was strangely forgotten for a long while right after his passing away in 1236. It is indeed intriguing that Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya did not mention a word about Gharib Nawaz in his book Fawaid a-Fuad.

The 798th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty at the Ajmer Dargah June 9, 2010 (Deepak Sharma/HT)

Gharib Nawazs legacy was resurrected in the 16th century, and how! Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan became a patron. In the 30 years that he ruled, he visited the shrine five times, making generous donations. Princess Jahanara, his daughter was also a devout follower. In her biography of the saint, she calls herself a faqira, the ascetic, who came into the Chishti fold  four centuries after the saints passing away.

Emperor Jehangir was cured of a deadly affliction after he meditated at the shrine and Emperor Akbar after his victory over Bengal placed two large drums (nigaare) at the doorway of the shrine.

However, the biggest surprise is that Aurangzeb, an orthodox king, was a patron. Aurangzebs first visit to the shrine was after he executed his brother Dara Shikoh in 1659. The shrine underwent several architectural changes  from baked bricks to wood to red stone to onyx to silver filigree  thanks to its many patrons.

It also experienced cultural and social assimilation. Rasm-e-Basant, first introduced into the Chishti Silsila by Amir Khusrau, poet and Hazrat Nizamuddins beloved disciple, soon found its way to Ajmer Sharif. So did Holi with the devotees smearing gulal, and Diwali with oil lamps being lit and the communal kitchens serving strictly vegetarian fare.

The timing of the chronicling of the legacy of Gharib Nawaz seems perfect as there is a dire need to awaken and offer a befitting a counter-narrative to our differences that are being accentuated in the subcontinent. In that sense Abbasi scores a grand A for coming up with this coffee-table edition.

Read more: Photo Essay | Belief beyond borders

However, there is also a grand flaw. The book frequently asserts the absolute necessity of Gharib Nawazs philosophy in our conflicted times little text is devoted to this aspect. As a result, the details that are there of the architectural splendour of the shrine are often repetitive. The composition of the 200 pictures in the book is often poor and some of them are off Wikipedia pages.

Still, Abbasi has done us all a favour by showing us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. By telling us that stand we must and be heard even if the shrines are being bombed, and qawwals being gunned down. Most importantly, she reminds us that we need to dissolve our differences the way it is done at Gharib Nawazs shrine, for that is the only hope in these times of lynch.
Even when our troops are not facing off somewhere in the Himalayas, no country weighs more on Indias strategic conscious than China. India has little institutional knowledge of China. And Beijings decision-making is a black box. The result in India is a wide array of opinions about how best to handle the Middle Kingdom. The two authors of Dragon on our Doorstep argue the way to handle Sino-Indian friction is to use military power more strategically, using a toughened border stance to send messages to China and make peace with Islamabad. While this has pie-in-the-sky elements, the bit about Pakistan would not have been out of place in Manmohan Singhs foreign policy.

The China policy outlined here starts with the Sino-Indian border. They argue that since Rajiv Gandhis time, successive Indian governments have taken away border management from the generals and handed it to the diplomats. Consequently, all border agreements thereafter demonstrated an ignorance of military understanding and its correlation with foreign policy. When New Delhi then opted to counter Beijing on the global stage, it sought to keep the border out of the headlines and created a fiction about its stability. In a policy of appeasement, they argue, Indian officials negotiated border management agreements that tied the hands of the military in an attempt to preserve an uneasy truce along the de facto border. Indias political and military leaders, in cahoots with its diplomats, have sold falsehoods to their own people on the border issue, the authors charge. For example, Indias claim its troops also intrude into Chinese territory is patently false and all such intrusions are strictly one-sided.

The fallout: a declining Indian military capacity. This is a specific meaning for the authors and they return to it repeatedly. According to this, New Delhis has come to see defence in terms of amassing weapons and a more holistic sense of military power has been allowed to wither. The armys diversion to counter-insurgency operations, the civilian authorities unwillingness to let the military to be involved in strategic policy-making and so on have all fed into this process of atrophy. Bizarrely, the authors see even the 2003 Line of Control ceasefire as having contributed to this decline. The ceasefire, they argue, was a masterstroke by Pakistan because the artillery fire was a morale booster for troops on the Line of Control.

06 December 1962 - Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Defence Minister Yashwantrao Chavan at the Military Hospital in Tezpur where they met Indian Prisoners of war released by the Chinese. On Nehrus Left is Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw Corps Commander. (HT Photo)

They also cite the Pakistani and Chinese military approvingly despite strong evidence that the former has officer-soldier problems on the battlefield while the latter is almost a business conglomerate. Linked to this, and argued on firmer grounds, is a critique of Indias state-owned defence industries with their addiction to imports and inability to make guns or even boots.

With so much malaise afflicting Indias foreign and defence policy, it is no surprise Beijing does not take New Delhi too seriously.

Co-author Pravin Sawhney

The proposed solutions to Indias China dilemma are daring if suspect at a time when Chinas Belt-Road Initiative could decisively change the geopolitics of the continent and its successes in the South China Sea have emboldened it to become more aggressive.

Co-author Ghazala Wahab

They argue India has three strategic options regarding China. One is to lean towards the United States to counter Chinas greater strength, but there is scepticism about Washingtons dependability. The other is to dramatically reform Indias military and boost overall capacity easier said than done. Finally, India can simply act as if has a greater global profile and bluff its way with China as long as it can. None of these are well-defined in the book and some of the assumptions behind them are questionable. They see Russian relations as a model for India, ignoring the degree Moscow is now at Beijings beck and call. They see the Indo-US nuclear deal as a failure, falling into the common misconception it was actually about nuclear technology.

Read more: Rising Hindu nationalism has hijacked Indias China policy: Chinese media

It is difficult to swallow the argument that India needs to understand that the road to managing an assertive China runs through Pakistan. Settle Kashmir and it will open the floodgates of opportunities. There is some logic to this. However, the authors whitewash the difficulties involved and fail to consider the likelihood that the Pakistani military will remain hostile to India despite a settlement.

Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China (Getty Images)

Where the book hugs the Indian border or talks about the nitty-gritty of its military, it is convincing and stimulating. As it moves into the more rarefied air of diplomacy or international relations, the more fanciful it sounds. There are many gaps. It is never clear what actually motivates Chinas leadership to do what it does. Pakistans internal drivers are also hazy. However, despite a tendency for the text to stray into unrelated areas, the book remains largely true to its larger argument and is brave enough to argue, for example, that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is detrimental to the military.
The layperson who looks at our history often finds it obscured by the experience of colonisation. Those who persist with their study find that our history is full of surprises.

Freedom fighter, lawyer, politician and writer Kaniyalal Maneklal Munshi (KM Munshi), who witnessed the glory and the end of the British Raj knew this when he began writing what came to be The Patan Trilogy. Written as classical historical fiction, the first book, Glory of Patan, is a cautionary tale for governments that distance themselves from the masses.

Patan, now a small city in Gujarat, close to the Rajasthan border, was a powerful state going through testing times in the 1150s when this story started. The reader is thrown into the action with the very first lines. As courtiers wait around the kings deathbed, his ambitious wife Minaldevi plans feverishly to become the all-powerful regent until her underage sons succession. Outside the high city wall the armies of the neighbouring Jain states team up to take on what was then the centre of Gujarat.

The story starts with an apparition. Devprasad, the leader of the feudal lords of Patan, sees his wife Hansa, who has been dead for years. Searching for the meaning of this vision, he falls upon a secret that changes his life. Munjal Metha, the prime-minister of Patan, another pillar of the story and of the state of Patan, is a spy-master, who is aware of everything that happens there. Though devoted to Minaldevi he finds himself bearing the brunt of her ambition.

Munshi thickens the plot with a passionate tale of forbidden love between Devprasads son Tribhuvalpal and Prasannmukhi, the Queens ward. Where Tribhuvanpal is a young warrior of great capabilities for both war craft and statecraft, Prasannmukhi is not characterised as a damsel in distress. The character who is introduced as a girl changes quickly into a young lady who saves the city of Patan through her guile when the power of swords proves to be useless.

Translated from Gujarati by Rita and Abhijit Kothari, the book seems to have retained the essence of the vernacular. Along with Minaldevi, Munjal Metha and Devprasad, the other fascinating character is Anandsuri. A Jain warrior monk or Jati, Anandsuri has taken it upon himself to spread the power and influence of the Jain saints. Devprasad and Munjal are the obstacles he has to leap over to reach his goal and Minaldevi is his vehicle. Religious fanaticism and religion as a tool of nation building is another major theme of the book. The Jain states with their armies were coaxing the rulers of Patan to become a Jain Kingdom. One of the most vivid and touching scenes of the book is the man to man battle between Anandsuri and Devprasad. Munshis description of every element in those panic stricken moments is striking.

Read more: What makes a novel lie

Munshis characters have the classical arch. The changes brought about in them by events of the story deepen the readers understanding. His writing also explains the importance of honour in the lives of the people of that era. This book is one of a kind. Contemporary readers might feel a little distant from the characters but will not fail to recognise the brilliance of this book.
A school teacher in West Bengals Burdwan district was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife with the help from two criminals he met in jail two years ago while serving term for dowry harassment.

Ujjwal Bhaskar Ghosh (40) was arrested from Katwa town in Burdwan district early on Saturday for the murder of his wife Mahua, which their six-year-old son witnessed.

The trio strangulated the victim on Tuesday night and disfigured the body by pouring acid. Ghosh paid the criminals were paid Rs 1 lakh and promised Rs 2 lakh more, police said.

Ghosh, a history teacher at a local school, had spent a night in jail two years ago after Mahua lodged a complaint against him on charges of dowry harassment. It was in jail that he met the criminals, the police suspect.

Ujjwal, however, behaved normally after the crime and even attended school. When Mahua was not seen for three days, his neighbours got suspicious on Friday night and accosted him and thrashed him, making him confess. The neighbours then informed the police, who also arrested Ujjwals mother, Chhobi Ghosh.

Ujjwals son told the police that he saw his father and two unknown persons strangulating Mahua in the drawing room. The child said when he started crying his father locked him inside the bedroom.

The criminals, whom the police did not name, came on a motorcycle and carried the body to a desolate place about two kilometres away, poured acid on the face and left the body beside a pond.

It was discovered on Wednesday morning. Since it was disfigured the police sent it to the hospital morgue, said an officer at Katwa police station.
India and China have exchanged commerce and culture for over 2,000 years and this fascinating Chinese tale from 684 BCE comes to mind.

That year, the country of Qi declared war on the country of Lu. Their troops were to fight at Changshao, which is in modern Shandong Province. (It is difficult to imagine that battle scene today after having seen the beautiful rose bushes that flank the modern Shandong Road for miles).

Before the Lu army set out, a faithful citizen named Cao Gui went up to Duke Zhuang, the ruler of Lu. Your Lordship, how do you propose to fight the enemy? he asked.

With the support of my loyal followers, said the duke.

And why are they loyal?

Because I give them so much wealth.

But they number very few. The common folk may not support you.

Yes, but I rely on the power of sincere prayer. I believe that will be more effective than elaborate rituals and sacrifices to the Higher Powers.

Your sincerity may not move the Heavens; there can be no guarantee of a blessing.

Well, I can say this much, that though I may not be able to review each and every legal case, I have tried my utmost to be fair and understanding to all.

Excellent, Your Lordship. That is the quality of leadership that will ensure the peoples loyalty. We are in a position to fight, please let me advise you. So the duke took Cao Gui on board his own war chariot and proceeded to Changshao.

With the armies of Qin and Lu face to face, Duke Zhuang was on the brink of ordering the war drums to signal attack, when Cao Gui asked him to wait.

So the Qi army sounded its drums first. Duke Zhuang was about to respond, when Cao Gui stopped him again and the Lu army stood quietly holding its ground.

The Qi army sounded its drums the second time and once more, the Lu army held back in silence.

When the Qi army beat its drums the third time, Cao Gui told Duke Zhuang, Now for our attack.

The Lu soldiers sprang forward and in the battle that followed, they gained the upper hand. The Qi troops began to retreat and the duke was about to order pursuit when Cao Gui flung up a hand.

He jumped off the dukes chariot and went to look at the tracks of the fleeing Qi. He hoisted himself back and observed the Qi depart. Lets go! he said. The Lu chased the Qi and put them properly to rout.

Explain your tactics, invited Duke Zhuang.

Victory depends on the soldiers morale and energy, said Cao Gui. The first drumbeat aroused the opponents fighting instinct. But we didnt indulge them. This reduced their fire. Our holding back the second time reduced it more. The third time, the suppressed emotions of our troops carried the day. But before pursuit, I checked for signs of trickery and planned ambush.

However, he concluded, the ideal way to win a war, really, is to defeat the enemys overall strategy without fighting.

shebaba09@gmail.com

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With a decisive NDA victory in the presidential elections, and Ram Nath Kovind in Rashtrapati Bhavan, it is time to look back and look ahead at the state of opposition politics in India.

Remember the Opposition had made this poll a test of its unity, and a moment to challenge what they called the BJPs subversion of constitutional values. The result was a foregone conclusion. But their failure to put up a respectable fight, or even keeping the broad Opposition united, reveals the challenge at hand.

Nitish Kumar played a key role in encouraging the idea of a united opposition candidate to take on the NDAs one. Indeed, ever since the success of the Mahagatbandhan in the Bihar elections in 2015, Mr Kumar has been pushing the other parties to come together. This, he believes, is the only way to take on the BJP.

But in a twist, Mr Kumar was the first one to move away and support Mr Kovind, who had served as the governor of Bihar for the past two years. Given Mr Kumars support to the demonetisation move, his muted criticism of the Modi government on a range of issues and the increasing gulf with ally Lalu Prasad, this was seen as yet another instance of softening towards the BJP.

Mr Kumars party however insisted that the fault lay with the Congress, which delayed taking a decision on the candidate, left it too late, and if Gopal Gandhi  who the Opposition had earlier considered  was picked, the JD(U) would have backed him. Mr Kumar also made a larger critique of the Opposition, and urged the Congress to find a new narrative and lead the Opposition.

Contrast the Oppositions late and reactive decision-making process and the Congress-Nitish fracture with BJPs smart political selection of a Dalit candidate, and its energy in mustering up as big a victory for Mr Kovind as possible. Its no surprise that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine have been increasing its political dominance by the day.

But does this mean it is the end of any prospect of Opposition unity, and its ability to pose a challenge to the BJP? No, not necessarily. But for that, they need to learn the lessons from the recent debacle.

The first is the Opposition needs to set the agenda. The entire discourse is being set by the BJP  from the narrative of vikas to cow protection, from the narrative of India taking on adversaries to Modi rising on the world stage, from reaching out to subaltern elements within the Hindu fold to portraying the Opposition as weak and anti-national.

The merits of all these claims can be contested. But that is not the point here. What is true is that the BJP, its affiliates, and a section of the media trigger the conversation, and the rest react to it.

What is thus needed is for the Opposition to find a set of slogans, a set of key issues, a political-economic agenda that goes beyond the remove Modi plank and then set the national conversation around it. From being reactive to becoming proactive, from being dull to becoming energetic, from whining about the loss of control over the narrative to becoming hyper communicative and pushing its own message, the Opposition has its task cut out.

If setting the agenda is one component, the second is finding the right balance between the Congress and the non-Congress parties is another component if the Opposition is to challenge the BJP.

There can be no national opposition front without the Congress. Even at its weakest, it has a national organisation; it polled over 100 million votes in the 2014 election; and in many states, it is in direct contest with the BJP. At the same time, it is also true that never has the Congress been weakerits leadership is unable to inspire trust, its political instincts seem rusted, it is playing second fiddle in almost all states where there is a triangular contest with the BJP pitted against regional rivals, and the days of its hegemony are long gone. Now, the battle is for survival.

This grey political landscape requires the rest of the Opposition to understand the value of the Congress, but it also requires the Congress to recognise that in the current balance of power, it may have to play a supplementary role and cede space to other regional leaders who have a better track record of taking on the BJP  be it Mr Kumar or Mamata Banerjee. It is in this context that the Opposition has to hone in on a leader. Taking on Modi in 2019, while remaining a faceless clutch of disparate parties, could well mean that the battle is already lost before it begins.

The third is for the Opposition to focus on arithmetic. The BJP has carefully made caste calculations in each state. It is now in a position where even without Muslims, and a dominant caste like Yadav, voting for it in a state like Uttar Pradesh or Marathas in Maharashtra or Jats in Haryana, the party is able to win by consolidating all other sections. In each state, the Congress and the regional party concerned need to go back to the drawing board, understand the socio-economic matrix, target social groups, cater specifically to newer constituencies like women and youth who are emerging as independent voting blocs in themselves, and then get their arithmetic right.

Any democracy needs a good Opposition. The BJP may appear hegemonic but has its own vulnerabilities. In a society as complex as India, there are always ground level contradictions and discontent to be capitalised upon.

But Indias Opposition can only do this if it reinvents itself, if it finds a new agenda, if the Congress reconciles to a new role and regional parties reconcile to the Congress importance, and if they are able to weave together old caste calculations with newer voter aspirations. The presidential election has shown the Opposition has a long way to go, and can ironically learn some political skills from its principal rival, the BJP which is notching up one success after another.

chanakya@hindustantimes.com

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A green activist has launched a petition on change.org to stop the felling of 1713 trees, which are set to make way for the construction of an integrated exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan.

The petition had garnered 193 (out of required 200) signatures till Saturday.

Hindustan Times had on July 6 highlighted that more than 1,700 trees may be felled to make way for a integrated exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan, according to the reply of an RTI query. Green activists say that the trees to be felled are mostly more than 60 years old.

Tree activist Radhika Bhagat, who has started the petition on change.org, says it is a plea to the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change, Delhi chief minister, environment and forest minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) to stall the felling of trees.

This petition is helping bring social recognition on the Pragati Maidan tree cutting issue. A significant number of people have signed it and we want to show the authorities that this matter is crucial to the public and needs attention, Bhagat told Hindustan Times.

Environment activists have already raised concerns and said that more than 15,000 trees have already been felled in the Capital over the last three years. While more than 6,000 were cut in 2014-15, around 4,600 and 4,700 trees were felled in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

The petition on change.org says that tree felling will be done right in the heart of the city with several schools, hospitals and residential areas in the vicinity.

These areas, along with the rest of Delhi-NCR, will suffer from the resulting pollution, that will only worsen. Over the last 3 years , Delhi has already lost 15,000 trees to development and we cannot afford to lose any more, it says.

Do you feel embarrassed and worried to be living in the most polluted city on our planet?... Are you concerned about your and your dear ones health due to Delhis consistently hazardous levels of air quality ?... Here is your chance to take action about this situation by protecting the lungs of Delhi, the trees, the petition reads.

Forest officials have already issued permission for cutting down the 1700 trees around Pragati Maidan as per Delhi Preservation of Trees Act and the required fees has also been deposited.

Another Delhi-based environmentalist has started a separate crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for printing costs, lawyers and court fee to stall the losing 1,713 healthy big trees in the heart of the city that will lead to severe health damage to lakhs of residents.

Advocate Aditya Prasad, who had filed the RTI that revealed the plan to fell these trees, has earlier said, They have not got any Environment Impact Assessment clearance but still got permission to cut these trees from the forest department. There is a tree authority, which is supposed to clear these kind of projects, under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. On paper it is there but doesnt meet or act.

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Delhis iconic shopping arcade, Connaught Place is set to go car-free and become pedestrian-friendly from August even though traders opposed the move, fearing it would kill their business.

An official of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) who did not wish to be named said the council plans to carry out the pedestrian-only campaign in the weekends.

We plan to close down vehicle movement from 4pm on Friday and will continue it on Saturday and Sunday. This will be a soft launch of sorts in August, after which we can proceed towards making CP a no-vehicle zone in phases based on the response, the official told HT.

We will study traffic flow, parking issues and experiences of pedestrians and shop owners, he said, adding that based on the feedback, they will decide whether to make the arrangement permanent.

The three-month trial for a car-free Connaught Place, which the NDMC had planned in February, was put off after opposition from traders at the popular shopping hub.

Traders have threatened to protest again, saying Saturdays, Sundays, and even Mondays were peak days of business for them.

We are absolutely against it. It is not practical at all to not allow vehicles inside Connaught Place. And this soft launch is the perfect way to kill business.

Saturday and Sunday and even Monday are the peak days for us. We will go all out to stop it. We cant allow them to kill our livelihoods, New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) president Atul Bhargav said.

(Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO)

Traffic at Connaught Place is a nightmare on most days. The situation worsens on weekends and public holidays.

The car-free plan, given a go-ahead by the Union urban development ministry after extensive talks with NDMC and traffic police in early January, aims to decongest the heritage shopping arcade which gets around 5 lakh visitors a day.

Nearly 2,000 parking spaces  1,500 in inner circle and 400-500 in middle circle  are to be removed.

Authorities had proposed two ways to implement the project. In the first, cars will be allowed to enter from Janpath, people will alight at Palika Bazar or Palika Parking and exit through Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

The second plan had proposed that cars will be allowed in the middle circle but only to drop visitors and shoppers, making it a no-parking zone.

Officials say free park and ride services from major parking areas at Shivaji Stadium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Palika parking will be made available. The council has plans to make battery-operated vehicles and cycles-for-hire available to get to and come back from Connaught Place.

Pedestrian-only zones are popular abroad. London, Montreal and Copenhagen have areas where no vehicles are allowed. Many cities in Europe and Asia also have car-free zones.

In Puducherry, Goubert Avenue that runs along the French Quarters is closed to motorised vehicles after 5pm.

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A 32-year-old driver has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in front of a foreign woman while she was taking her dog out for a walk in the posh Greater Kailash neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.

When the 33-year-old German national confronted the man, he tried to escape in his car. But the woman used her presence of mind to take a photo of the mans car, an act that led to his arrest on Saturday.

The woman hails from Berlin in Germany and is pursuing her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Having arrived in India last year, she had taken a rented accommodation in Greater Kailash 2.

The incident happened around 2.45 pm on Thursday. The woman was walking her dog in the neighbourhood, when she noticed a man staring at her. She paused for a moment, but continued walking her dog again.

Suddenly, the man removed his trousers and began masturbating while staring at the woman, leaving her shocked, said Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (south-east).

The woman decided to confront the man and began screaming at him, but he chose to run into his Maruti Suzuki Ritz car that was parked nearby.

But the woman decided not to let him get away easily. She immediately brought out her mobile phone and took photos of the car, ensuring the registration number was captured, said the DCP.

Even as the man drove away, the woman dialled the police control room. A police team immediately arrived at the spot. The woman provided us the photos she had taken and described the mans features in detail, said an investigator.

The inputs from the woman proved vital. Using the registration number, the police first tracked down the cars original owner. The owner told police he had sold the car to a man who lived in the Hodal village in Haryanas Palwal district.

A police team reached Hodal to track down the cars new owner. He led them to the suspect  Tarun Kumar, his driver.

Tarun told police he had dropped off the car owners relative at a mall in south Delhi before heading to a park in Greater Kailash to while away his time.

Initially, he pleaded innocence claiming that he was urinating on the roadside, but allegedly broke down and confessed to the crime when confronted with the womans version.

He has been booked for crimes such as performing an obscene act and using a gesture intended to outrage the modesty of a woman. No previous criminal cases against him has been found, said police.

The DCP, meanwhile, used this case to call out to other women to stand for themselves. One may see her (the German woman) as a victim in this case, but we see her as a hero of this story, said Baaniya.
A 16-year-old Class 10 student allegedly raped by an auto driver for eight months gave birth to a premature girl at her schools washroom in northwest Delhis Mukherjee Nagar on Thursday.

Police said the girl was impregnated by the 51-year-old neighbour, who raped her eight times in as many months.

The auto driver was arrested on Friday after a case under sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against him at the Mukherjee Nagar police station.

The man, identified as Abdul Gaffar, allegedly admitted to his crime. He claimed said he would pay her Rs 500 to Rs 800 every time he raped her.

The girls parents or her teachers and classmates were unaware of her 26-week pregnancy. She had been suffering from stomach pain for the past few days.

Gaffar had given her abortion pills after he learnt she was pregnant, police said.

A police officer said the girl was writing an exam in the school when she developed labour pain. When she complained of stomach pain, the teacher asked her to go to the washroom.

Minutes later, the girl delivered a baby girl in the washroom. The school administration informed the girls parents, who had no clue how she became pregnant. The authorities rushed the girl and her premature baby to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

Milind Dumbre, deputy commissioner of police (northwest), said the condition of the girl and her daughter was out of danger and stable.

After the girl gained consciousness, she narrated her ordeal to the police. She said she was being raped by her neighbour for the past eight months.

Even though her belly had protruded, the family did not suspect anything, said the officer.

The man said after she complained of stomach ache, he gave her abortion pills, which could have created complications, the police said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoors stepson Shiv Menon on Saturday moved the Delhi High Court, challenging BJP leader Subramanian Swamys plea for a court-monitored CBI-led SIT probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar.

Menon, son of Pushkar from her earlier marriage, has sought to intervene on the grounds that the BJP leader had no locus in the issue of his mothers death. The high court will hear Menons plea on July 24.

Pushkar, 52, was found dead in a Delhi hotel on January 17, 2014.

In his plea, Menon urged the court to restrain Swamy and his lawyers from posting on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, any information on the case and its proceedings.

He wants the court to issue directions to Swamy and his lawyers not to share information about the investigation in the case with the media and the general public at large.

Menon has also sought an order directing the police to first file its status report in the court and if directed, then only supply it to parties to the case.

Earlier this month, Swamy moved the high court, seeking a court-monitored probe by a multi-disciplinary Special Investigation Team led by CBI into the death of Pushkar.

On Swamys plea, the high court had on July 20 directed the Delhi police to place before it the report regarding the status of probe in the case.

The direction was issued by the bench after Delhi Police standing counsel Rahul Mehra had informed the court that the status report of the investigating agency has been given to him in the courtroom so he wants to go through it before placing it on record.

The court had directed the police to supply an advance copy of the status report to Swamy, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the CBI.

Swamy told the court that there has been constant attempt to block the investigation into the death of Pushkar and alleged that the registration of an FIR took almost a year and nothing has happened after that.

Swamy claimed a few days before her death, Pushkar had reportedly called for a press conference and claimed she would be exposing a serious corruption case.

Swamy has sought a time-bound probe in the case, saying very influential people are involved in the case, leading to attempts to protect them, and the matter has faced a lot of unnecessary delay already.
Guwahati: A students body on Saturday asked the Gauhati University (GU) authorities to refund fees and other expenses of candidates who were to give the entrance examinations which were postponed indefinitely after a meeting of the institutes admission committee on July 17.

This years exams for various postgraduate courses in GU were to be held from July 20. These were put on hold after the Gauhati High Court on July 15 stayed the test on the basis of a petition by some graduates.

The court, however, allowed the university to go ahead with admissions through the existing mode on merit basis.

The admissions were scheduled for July 28 and 29, and classes were to have begun from August 1.

Some 50% of more than 20,000 students from across Assam had applied for the PG courses. The university has had a history of botching up admission tests and should have taken adequate measures when the court gave a ruling on a complaint by only four students, Kashyap Choudhury, president of the Assam state committee of Students Federation of India (SFI), said.

The SFI asked the university to refund the candidates and compensate them for their disappointment as they could not study in the university of their choice.

GU officials declined to comment as the court was involved,but said counselling for admission to BTech courses had begun. These courses include biotechnology, computer science and engineering, electronics and communication and engineering and information technology.

On the entrance tests being put on hold, a lawyer of the petitioner explained: GU had decided to hold the entrance test via a recent notice without amending its previous ordinance in which it had said that admission to PG courses would be done on the basis of merit of the candidates in their respective graduation results. The entire process was violating the existing ordinance.

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More women gaining admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was a welcome news. But the institute in Delhi has no room for them, literally. Due to space crunch, several students have been asked to stay in an adjacent building meant for associate professors.

According to a senior IIT official, due to 30% increase in number of women students for undergraduate and masters courses, there is severe shortage of accommodation. As a temporary measure, many have been accommodated in facilities meant for associate professors.

Sources said a few angry parents complained to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar claiming that students were asked to sleep on the mattress spread on the floor as cots were unavailable. IIT officials said they have placed order for cots and 30-40 of them will be made available from Saturday.

We have accommodated all undergraduate students in the hostel. Around 100 masters students have been allotted rooms in the adjacent building. It is a temporary arrangement, said a senior IIT official.

Officials said even in 2016, a few students were asked to stay in temporary accommodation but were soon allotted hostels. The number is significantly high this year. Most of them have been given mattresses till cots are made available, the official said.

The existing hostels for post-graduate students in IIT-Delhi, Kailash and Himadri, can accommodate 900 students and are fully occupied now.

We had not anticipated such an increase but we have provided cots and almirahs to some students. We will provide them soon to the students who got only mattresses as of now. They will dine with students in the dining area in the hostel, said the official.

The IITs have registered a better representation of women this year  from 8% in 2016 to 9.3 % in 2017. Through JEE advanced, a total of 70 girl students were admitted in IIT-Delhi for undergraduate courses in 2016 and it rose to 94 this year. There has also been a corresponding increase in MTech, MSc and PhD courses.

Construction of our new hostel will begin by December. It will be able to accommodate at least 350-400 students and is expected to be completed in 18 months, added the official. A status report will be sought from other IITs too, he said.

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The past few weeks have seen everyone from Bella Hadid to Kate Middleton go for the chop, subtly transforming their looks in the process. Here are three ways to adopt the trend and keep cool this season.

The extreme bob

Bella Hadid first showed off her shorter tresses back in May at the Met Gala, where she walked the red carpet rocking a graduated bob that almost grazed her collarbones. But the supermodel stepped it up a level earlier this week by slashing off several more inches, resulting in a choppy jawline length that looks great with a little summer-induced frizz, proving she truly is a cut above the rest. Is the super-short bob set to become the next it-girl hairstyle?

The polished lob

Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez and Sofia Richie are leading the way when it comes to lobs or long bobs. (Kendall Jenner, Instagram)

Meanwhile, the lob (or long bob), is more popular than ever. Sarah Jessica Parker is one of the latest stars to jump on the bandwagon, unveiling her new shoulder-skimming waves earlier this month. But while the lob is commonly worn with a choppy, flyaway texture, there has been a swing lately towards a more polished finish. Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez and Sofia Richie are leading the way with their sleek blowouts, often tucking the ends of the hair under for a sleeker and more rounded silhouette.

The new mob

The new hairstyle of the Duchess of Cambridge perfectly illustrates the mob or mom bob. (Alberto Pizzoli/ AFP)

If a bob is too drastic a change, then consider what is fast becoming known as the mob, or the mom bob. Perfectly illustrated by Kate Middleton, who recently delighted the critics by swapping her long tresses for a much fresher look, the style is a firm nod to fashions current obsession with short hair. The shoulder-length style looks great worn loose and wavy, like Reese Witherspoon, and can easily be tied back on hot days. In the Duchess of Cambridges case, a quick run-through with the curling tongs is all that is required for a bouncy summer style that is right on trend.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
Priyanka Chopra will headline the kickoff event for the 42nd edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. The event, the TIFF Soiree, is aimed at raising funds for a new initiative to promote gender parity in the film industry.

Chopra will be the guest of honour at the Soiree in support of the new programme, Share Her Journey, which is a campaign to support female voices in screen industries.

Launched on July 10, the Soiree will be the first major fund-raising activity to propel that programme forward. Speaking to Hindustan Times, maxine bailey, VP of Advancement at TIFF, said they were excited to have Chopra at the Soiree since shes the epitome of what were trying to do with Share Her Journey  she is strong, shes talented, shes smart, shes diverse. She not only acts but she produces, she works in different media.

While announcing Share Her Journey, TIFF had pointed out that of the top 250 films of 2016, only 7% were directed by women and of the top 100, just 29% of all protagonists were female. This initiative is targeted at developing talent over a five-year period to enhance participation of women in the industry.

Read more: Toronto Film Festival to honour Priyanka Chopra

As bailey - who spells her name in the lower case - said, Women make up 52% of the world. Why arent we hearing their stories and what can we do to change that? And thats where Share Her Journey came from.

Weve been in the film industry for 42 years and weve just come to realise theres not a lot of womens voices in positions of power within the film industry, bailey added. Nearly 30% of the films selected to be featured in the 2016 festival were directed by women.

TIFFs VP of Advancement maxine bailey.

In recent years, many of the films from India at TIFF have had women directors. Last year, for instance, A Death In The Gunj was Konkona Sen Sharmas directorial debut.

As bailey said, The people who program and go over to India have an affinity to really, really smart, warm stories, interesting art pieces and weve been lucky and blessed that some of them happen to be directed by women. So, were thrilled, were obviously on the right track and India is a place to keep looking.

Priyanka Chopra is no stranger to TIFF. Her films, Whats Your Raashee? (2009) and Mary Kom (2014) have premiered at the festival but since then she has acquired an international profile with the TV drama Quantico and her role in the film Baywatch.

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Nine people, including six women, were killed and 22 injured when a bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat overturned near Udaipur on Friday, police said.

The accident occurred near Nehla village, around 10 km from Rajasthans lake city Udaipur, when the driver of the private bus lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a two-wheeler, Rajendra Prasad, superintendent of police, Udaipur, said.

The bus carrying pilgrims had started its journey from Ahmedabad Friday night. It was on a 16-day tour of religious places, including Pushkar and Haridwar.

Six women and three men were killed in the accident, said Prasad, adding that those injured were rushed to a government hospital in Udaipur.

Most of the dead were above 45 years, he said.
At least eight policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, were injured after army men allegedly barged into a police station in Jammu and Kashmirs Ganderbal district late Friday night and beat them up.

Sources said the injured policemen was admitted to a hospital and an FIR registered against the army. The incident came to fore after pictures of the policemen with severe injuries went viral on social media.

On the face of it J&K police party was implementing the SOP of not allowing yatri movement after 7:30 PM. Army chaps were yatris in civvies https://t.co/aDUXd0ZdsN  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 22, 2017

Director General of police S P Vaid told HT that the police and army shared a good relation and one incident shouldnt be given too much importance. We have taken the matter up with the core commander, it has been sorted, he added.

The incident took place allegedly after a team of armymen in civilian clothes, returning from the Amarnath Yatra on Friday night, was stopped at a barricade in Gund by policemen as no pilgrims were allowed to travel at night . The government stops travel of non-locals including yatris and tourists in the night. The precautions were tightened after the recent terror attack on Amarnath Yatris that left eight people dead.

Police said the armymen insisted on moving forward, and stormed the police station and beat up personnel when thwarted again. They also alleged that the police station was ransacked. Sources insisted that the army commander of the nearby camp was informed about the jawans and asked to take the men into the camp.

The armys spokesperson said the matter has been resolved by personal intervention of senior officers. A minor altercation took place yesterday night between some Army personnel returning from Amarnath Yatra in civil dress and JKP personnel at Gund. No major injuries were suffered in the incident... Measures to prevent recurrence have been taken, he said.

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A team is probing the origins of a letter reportedly sent by Mayor Arya Rajendran seeking recommendations from Nagappan to appoint CPM supporters to temporary posts in the civic body.
A CAG report has exposed wasteful and avoidable expenditures, and irregularities in three IITs at Jodhpur, Roorkee, and Madras, that cost the exchequer around Rs 18.03 crore.

According to the Comptroller and Auditor Generals report  Compliance Audit Observations for year ended March 2016  IIT-Roorkee spent Rs 15.06 crore in vain for construction of sewer lines and sewage treatment plant projects which was not completed even after four years from the date of completion.

IIT-Roorkee had also paid service tax to the tune of around Rs 1.33 crore for outsourced services although these services were exempted from such tax, the report stated.

IIT-Jodhpur had irregularly waived recovery of excess payment amounting to Rs 59.38 lakh to its faculty.

The report said, The MHRD has directed IIT-Jodhpur to stop overpayment and recover the excess payments.

IIT-Madras has been accused of incurring avoidable expenditure of Rs 1.05 crore towards penal charges on electricity consumption.

Besides, Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode (IIM-K) has also been accused of extending GPF and pension scheme to its employees without government approval which has cost Rs 61.20 lakh.
The prison near the Iraqi city of Mosul described by the Indian government as the last known location of 39 Indians kidnapped by the Islamic State three years ago is today a desolate and abandoned structure that has been unoccupied for weeks, if not months.

The roofless building, mostly turned into rubble, is located in an area riddled with landmines. Sleeper cells of the IS are still active in the region though fighting in Badush village ended a few months ago, says Brig Abdul Amin Al Kazraji of the Golden Division, the elite US-trained Iraqi counter-terror force that has been leading the fight against Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis terror group.

I have no information about the abducted Indians but there is nothing at the prison anymore, he said.

This correspondent travelled to the prison in Badush in a Humvee provided by Kazraji along with armed Iraqi soldiers. The vehicle made its way from Mosul, a city destroyed by the IS and air strikes by coalition forces, to Badush, a distance of about 25 km, via the Syria Road.

Near the prison, two armed soldiers walked ahead in the rough terrain in temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius, looking for mines.

They stopped near the fallen pillars of what was once the boundary of the prison. The rubble of the structure could be seen at a distance of about 200 metres and the soldiers said it wasnt safe to go any further because of landmines.

On July 16, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had said that information gathered by minister of state VK Singh during a recent visit to Iraq suggested the 39 Indians kidnapped in June 2014 were possibly being held in the Badush prison. She said she was hopeful of getting more information about the Indians when her Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari visits New Delhi on July 24.

An official who quoted intelligence sources told Gen Singh that they (the Indians) were deployed for a hospital construction and then in a farm. From there, they were sent to a jail in Badush. There has been no information since then, Swaraj told reporters after meeting the families of the abducted men.

Sources there told VK Singh that the missing Indians are most probably in a jail in Badush..., she added.

Singh visited the Peshmerga front lines but not Badush during his visit to Iraq.

The prison in Badush was captured by the Iraqi Armys 9th Armoured Division supported by the Iran-sponsored Al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia in early March.

It has not been in use since then and this runs counter to the information of the Indian government.

On June 10, 2014, the IS stormed the prison in Badush to free its fighters being held there. According to Human Rights Watch and several media reports, the IS killed at least 600 inmates, most of them Shias, at the time.

On March 11 this year, the Al-Hashd al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilisation Forces announced it had found the remains of 500 prisoners executed by the IS in the prison.

Sources in the Iraqi armed forces involved in the recent liberation of Mosul told Hindustan Times there is a strong likelihood the abducted Indians were killed by the IS in the surrounding desert, just like the other prisoners.

This information and the location of the prison match the account of Harjit Masih, the sole Indian from the group of 40 kidnapped in Mosul who managed to escape. Masih has told several media outlets the others were gunned down in the desert near Badush on June 15.

In 2014, the Indian government had cited information from the Red Crescent and assured the families of the 39 Indians they were still alive.

In Erbil, Hawre Ihsan Sadiq, who has been the manager for the Red Crescent branch since September 2014, said he had not received any information on the abducted Indians in the past three years.

ISIS has been controlling Mosul for the last few years. There is no information on the Indians or anyone else. Of course, we hope we spot the Indians one day and they return home safely, Sadiq said, adding the Red Crescent headquarters in Baghdad could have more information.

Though Mosul has been liberated, the city of Tal Afar, located 63 km to the west, continues to be a strong hold for the IS. Kazraji of the Golden Division provided a glimmer of hope when he said the IS had taken many hostages in the past and might still be holding some of them.

The operation to capture Tal Afar will begin soon but it could last a few months, increasing the agonising wait for the families of the abducted men.

There have also been reports that the IS may have decided to use the kidnapped Indians as leverage, but signs on the ground suggest otherwise. Since the US-backed offensive began in October, the IS released many hostages.

The Kurdish regional government promised minister of state VK Singh that it would look out for the Indians as it continued its efforts to trace more than 60 missing Peshmerga soldiers.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, MLC, both former chief ministers of Bihar, will now have to go through the normal pre-embarkation security procedure at the Patna airport and access an aircraft like other passengers.

This is the outcome of a Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) order to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), passed on July 21, withdrawing with immediate effect the privilege of direct access to flights at the Patna airport, granted to the power couple in 2009.

While it lasted, the special MoCA facility meant Prasad and Rabri Devi were permitted to use their own vehicle to drive up to the tarmac for boarding a flight at the Patna airport or being received at the tarmac while alighting from a flight.

Sources said many times, the two RJD leaders avoided the usual pre-embarkation security check, which other MPs or even other former CMs have to go through before boarding an aircraft. A MoCA official said the two were enjoying the privilege since August 2009, when a UPA government was in office at the centre.

Screen shot of the MoCA order on Lalu Prasad Rabri Devi

This special facility was confined to the flights taking of from or touching down at the Patna airport.

Authorities at the Patna airport confirmed had received the MoCA order and said it would be complied with immediately. However, no official the HT spoke to, at the MoCA, BCAS or the Airports Authority of India, was willing to come on record on this matter.

HT, however, accessed a screen shot of the MoCA order.

Reached for a reaction, RJD spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari said the people of the country were watching how Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi were being targeted and would give a befitting reply to those responsible for this at an appropriate time.

Prasad served as Bihars chief minister from March 1990 till July 1997, when he had to resign after an arrest warrant was issued against him in the multi-crore fodder scam case that had rocked Bihar at the time. He served as railways minister in the UPA-1 government (2004-09).

Prasad was a sitting MP from Chapra when he was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha in October 2013, after being sentenced to five years in jail in a fodder scam case. His wife Rabri Devi served as CM of Bihar from July 1997 to 2005.

Both Prasad and his wife are in fresh trouble after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), early this month, registered a case against them in the alleged land-for-railways hotels scandal. Prasad is facing allegation of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private company, in an irregular manner, in 2006.

Besides Prasad and Devi, the CBI has also registered a case against their younger son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, as an alleged beneficiary in the scam.

Peasads eldest daughter Misa Bharti is also facing the heat after the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at Delhi farm houses - at Ghitorni, Bijwasan and Sainik farms  owned by her, husband Shailesh Kumar and a firm linked to them  in connection with an over Rs 1,000-crore benami land deal.

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Guwahati:

The Congress and its students wing purified on Saturday a college in Assams Jorhat district that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is using for a training camp.

In a ritual usually associated with radical Hindu groups, some 100 members of Congress and National Students Union of India sprinkled milk and lit lamps at the gate of Mariani College in Mariani to rid the school of communal germs.

The Jorhat district administration had a few days ago allowed the district unit of RSS to use the campus of the government-run college for its nine-day training camp from July 20. Permission was granted because it is summer vacation time for the college, a district official said.

According to the RSS, about 180 youth from the district are attending the camp .

The camp ran into trouble when Rupjyoti Kurmi, the local Congress MLA and his supporters protested outside the college.

By allowing the RSS, the BJPs guide, access to a college is an attempt by the government to communalise education. This is dangerous for a multicultural and multi-ethnic state like Assam, Kurmi told HT.

College principal Haren Saikia said it would be wrong to say any member of the college had an agenda. The RSS did give me an application seeking permission for the camp, but I forwarded it to the district administration, which took the decision, he said.

Dulen Nayak, general secretary of the BJPs cell catering to tea plantation workers, said: The participants of the camp are being educated on character-building, nation-building ... I fail to understand why anyone should object to such an apolitical camp.

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The Congress is unlikely to change its Gujarat chief Bharatsinh Solanki despite the unrest triggered by the exit of senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela months ahead of the assembly polls in the state.

The Congress leadership has decided not to succumb to the pressure tactics of Vaghela who quit the party on Friday after his demands for removing Solanki and his loyalists, and naming him the chief ministerial candidate, were rejected.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Gujarat leaders with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, called to evaluate the impact of Vaghelas resignation on the partys prospects in the November-December elections.

The assessment within the Congress is that Vaghelas exit will have no bearing on the partys performance in the polls in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

Out of power for 22 years, Congress is desperate to regain power in Gujarat where Chhabildas Mehta was its last chief minister in 1994-1995. From 1998, the BJP has been in power, with Modi ruling it for 12 of those years, before he became the Prime Minister.

There were indications that the Congress might try to pacify Vaghela after the statements of party general secretary in-charge of Gujarat Ashok Gehlot and chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, hoping that he will continue to work for strengthening the organisation and assuring that his misunderstanding will be resolved.

At the meeting, Congress leaders also sounded confident of winning one of the three seats in the August 8 Rajya Sabha elections, provided it can keep its flock together.

The party needs 47 votes to win the seat and it has 57 legislators in the 182-member assembly. However, the cause of worry for the Congress leadership is the cross-voting by about 11 legislators in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections.

The BJP is comfortably placed on the other two seats.

Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel is likely to be re-nominated. If elected, it will be his fifth term in the Upper House.

Some BJP legislators are also said to have cross-voted for opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

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A police outpost was set on fire by pro-gorkhaland agitators in Darjeeling hills and posters were distributed saying local MP SS Ahluwalia has not been seen in the hills in the last few months on the 38th day of the indefinite shutdown on Saturday.

The agitators threw petrol bombs at a vacant police outpost in Jaldhaka in the afternoon and also tried to set ablaze a forest bungalow in the hills but failed, the police said.

The GJM youth wing continued their fast-unto-death, which they launched on Friday at four places of the hills in support of a separate Gorkhaland state.

Meanwhile Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists and other hill parties held a demonstration outside the district magistrates office here demanding restoration of internet services in the hills.

Internet services have been suspended for the last 32 days.

The posters of BJP MP from Darjeeling S S Ahluwalia were distributed among people by the GJM, GNLF and other hill parties.

We want to know where is the MP? He has not come to the hills since the unrest began. Will he only come to the hills at the time of election? If he tries to do that the BJP will get a befitting reply from the people of the hills, GJM MLA Amar Singh Rai said.

On Friday, the GNLF and other hill parties had lodged a missing person complaint for Ahluwalia, who, they alleged, has not been seen in the hills in the last few months.

Some political party activists dressed in traditional Nepali attire, took out processions in the morning.

Police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil at every entry and exit points.

All shops, restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges remained closed except pharmacies.
Dots and inverted commas have come to confound political parties, who are seeking to identify rebels during the 2017 presidential poll.

These led to the rejection of votes by 21 MPs and 56 MLAs, triggering much curiosity and concern among parties.

These 77 votes, with a value of 20,942, might be inconsequential to the outcome: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind romped home with a margin of 3.67 lakh (in terms of value of votes). But there is no full stop in politics, as then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said after the UPAs victory in 2009.

Both the NDA and the opposition camps are anxious to know how many of the 77 invalid votes were a result of inadvertent errors and how many were by design. Over a hundred legislators were estimated to have cross-voted in valid votes.

Those involved in the counting of votes on July 20 told HT that invalid ones were due to dots, inverted commas, circles and slants that electors erroneously used on their ballot papers. They were supposed to express their first preference simply with a numeral 1  second preference was unnecessary in a bipolar contestin the box against the name of Kovind or Meira Kumar, the opposition parties nominee.

A Congress MLA from Haryana wrote 1. (numeral with a period-mark) rendering his vote invalid. Most of the 77 legislators made the same mistake, said those involved in counting.

The second most common error was 1.

Some put a circle around the numeric. The BJP got one vote invalidated because the 1 was slanted by about 30 to 40 degrees and not perpendicular; the Congress got the same opportunity later. One of the MLAs wrote 1 over Meira Kumars name.

Given that legislators were clearly informed about the dos and donts, such errors were unexpected. Many of them could be inadvertent and a result of sheer habit but the rules set by the poll watchdog were not to be bent.

Senior BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab recalled one such instance in 2012 presidential poll in which he was the counting agent for PA Sangma. A Congress MLA from Odisha decided to go by his consciencepermitted in presidential polls where there is no party whip  and voted for Sangma. He used Oriya numeral P and not E for 1. Although both are used for 1, his vote was rejected after the Congress objected to it.

The list of possible errors is long. According to Anoop Mishra, secretary general of the Lok Sabha and the Returning Officer for the presidential poll, any of these can lead a vote invalid: Writing the same preference number outside both candidates names, putting a tick mark, or writing outside the box. Votes can also be declared invalid if there are any other marks, which are not required and which can later identify the voter. These can even be a dot, a line or even a wrong-coloured ink, he told HT.

Deepender Singh Hooda, counting agent for Meira Kumar, maintained that broadly, votes for both sides got cancelled due to errors, but the BJP seemed better prepared. Senior BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav, counting agent for Kovind, said that a day before the poling, his party had made a presentation to its legislators on voting rules.

Its possible that some members themselves might have got their votes rejected, but there could also be inadvertent errors. The Election Commission should think of a better way to ensure that votes are not rejected, said Hooda.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought information from authorities in United Kingdom to probe allegations of corruption during 2008 aircraft deal between Ministry of Defence and Brazilian company Embraer.

The development has come after investigators came across evidence pointing towards an agreement signed in 2002-03 between Embraer and a London-based firm allegedly associated with NRI defence consultant Vipin Khanna, sources said.

According to the agreement, the London-based firm named Cleveden Limited was supposed to aid Embraers bid to get defence contracts including $210 million-deal for purchase of three Embraer-145 aircraft by India. In return Khanna was supposed to be paid a commission.

According to official sources, CBI has found out that the said agreement was then locked away in a private vault in London. The probe agency has now sent a judicial request also known as letter rogatory to United Kingdom to further their investigation. Letters Rogatory are issued by courts on the request of an investigation agency when it wants information from another country.

Investigations so far suggest that under the said agreement Cleveden, through Khanna was supposed to aid Embraers bid in getting defence contracts with a deadline set to 2005. However when the same was not achieved there was a fall out between Khanna and Embraer.

Investigation into oil for food scam in 2006, in which Khanna was being probed, had further deteriorated the relationship (between Embraer and Khanna). But when the MOU was finally signed between Indian government and Embraer in 2008, Khanna demanded that the commission be paid, a source told Hindustan Times.

CBI has learnt that that following the defence deal payment commissions worth $5.76 million were paid through a Singapore-based company, Interdev Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Embraer based in Switzerland. Last month a special CBI court in Delhi had issued judicial requests to be sent to Switzerland and Singapore seeking information on the Embraer.

The CBI had last year registered a case against Khanna, Brazil-based Embraer and Singapore-based Interdev Pte Ltd  in connection with the deal totalling $210 million. The Brazilian aircraft giant is accused of paying kickbacks for getting defence contracts in India and some other countries as well.

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Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the press needed to ensure correct and contextual portrayal of happenings in Jammu and Kashmir, and abstain from debates and reportage which were far from reality.

In an interaction with a visiting Press Council of India (PCI) team here, Mufti alleged, A section of the countrys media has been indulging in debates, discussions and reportage about the state and its people, most of which is far from reality. This section needs to be reminded that by resorting to this diatribe about the state, they are not doing any service to the country but further alienating the people of the state.

The chief minister told the three-member PCI delegation led by SN Sinha, that the need of the hour was to focus on commonalities, reconciliation and healing the wounds where the media had a critical role to play.

Positive reporting about the state and its people by the media outlets will not only create a soothing impact on the minds of people here, but also help the people of rest of the country in understanding Jammu and Kashmir and its people better, she said.

The chief minister invited the PCI to hold part of its golden jubilee celebrations in the state.

Later, the delegation called on former chief minister and opposition National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah at his residence.

Omar told the delegation that a free and fair press was the bedrock of a healthy democracy and all should endeavour to ensure the ethos of objectivity, press freedom and neutrality were upheld and maintained at all costs.

The NC working president said it was imperative to ensure that the reportage from Kashmir, especially that by the electronic media, was factual and free from any hyperboles, biases and prejudice.

The wrong portrayal of evolving situations in Kashmir has a disastrous effect on our tourism industry and also takes us further from peace. The goals of objectivity and neutrality should be non-negotiable and we should all ensure we dont add to the alienation - especially among the youth, Omar said.

The PCI team, which arrived here on July 16, held extensive deliberations with media owners, editors and working journalists over the past four days to know about the issues confronting the media in Kashmir.

The team will be visiting Jammu and Ladakh separately before finalising their report on the media scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said Friday the press needs to ensure correct and contextual portrayal of happenings in Jammu and Kashmir, even as she alleged that a section of the national media was alienating the people of the state by indulging in debates and reportage which are far from reality.

The CM stated this while interacting with a visiting Press Council of India (PCI) team which met her here.

A section of the countrys media has been indulging in debates, discussions and reportage about the state and its people, most of which is far from reality. This section needs to be reminded that by resorting to this diatribe about the state, they are not doing any service to the country but further alienating the people of the state, Mufti said.

Headed by SN Sinha, the three-member PCI team is on a week-long tour of the state.

The chief minister said told the visiting delegation that need of the hour is to focus on commonalities, reconciliation and healing the wounds where the media has a very critical role to play.

Positive reporting about the state and its people by the media outlets will not only create a soothing impact on the minds of people here, it will also help the people of rest of the country in understanding Jammu and Kashmir and its people better, she said.

The chief minister invited the PCI to hold part of its golden jubilee celebrations in the state.

She asked the delegation to help in clearing misconceptions about the state in a section of the media and consequently people in the country.

The chief minister told the PCI delegation that the media fraternity in the state has performed in very difficult and extreme situations in the past and its professional competence can be matched with the best in the country.

Later, the delegation also called on former chief minister and opposition National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah at his residence here.

Omar told the delegation that a free and fair press is the bedrock of a healthy democracy and all should endeavour to ensure the ethos of objectivity, press freedom and neutrality are upheld and maintained at all costs.

The NC working president said it was imperative to ensure that the reportage from Kashmir, especially that by the electronic media, is factual and free from any hyperboles, biases and prejudice.

The wrong portrayal of evolving situations in Kashmir has a disastrous effect on our tourism industry and also takes us further away from the goal of peace. The goals of objectivity and neutrality should be non-negotiable and we should all ensure we dont add to the alienation  especially among the youth, Omar said.

The PCI team, which arrived here on July 16, has held extensive deliberations with media owners, editors and working journalists over the past four days to know about the issues confronting the media in Kashmir.

The team will be visiting Jammu and Ladakh separately before finalising their report on the media scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.
Patna The feud in Bihars ruling Grand Alliance shows no sign of ending with the Janata Dal (United) questioning the silence of Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on the corruption charges he was facing.

Silence is no solution, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told a regional TV news channel on Saturday and asked Yadav - the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad - to come clean on the corruption case filed by the CBI in the land-for-hotels case earlier this month.

In fact, silence generally conveys two things. Either, one has accepted his guilt or has nothing to explain to the public on the charges levelled against him, Kumar said in a clear indication that the party hasnt budged from its original demand that Tejashwi must explain the source of his wealth.

The Grand Alliance had the peoples mandate on zero-tolerance against corruption and chief minister Nitish Kumar would never compromise on this, he said.

We are running a coalition government, and if our partner RJD is not comfortable with JU(U) spokespersons raising the zero-tolerance against corruption issue time and again, it should suggest what action should be taken against them, Kumar said.

The JD(U)s persistence could mean that Nitish Kumar was apparently not satisfied with the explanations Tejashwi offered during their 40-minute closed-door meeting on Tuesday evening.

Earlier, on Friday, another JD(U) spokesperson, Ajay Alok had said Yadav should not to test its patience.

After the recent raids, Tejashwi Yadavs face and behaviour has changed. Our patience is being tested; those who have to answer are silent. I would like to ask - are you putting cotton in your ears? Those who need to answer the truth must come out and reply, rather than being quiet, Alok told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Congress, which is the smallest partner in the Grand Alliance, asked the JD(U) to disclose the details of the meeting between Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Why are JD(U) spokespersons only asking Tejashwi to come out with an explanation on CBIs charges? Why are they not disclosing what transpired between the chief minister and his deputy? Congress leader Dilip Choudhary asked.

The Congress, which has been playing a peacemaker in the standoff between the JD(U) and the RJ(D), is seen tilting towards Lalu Prasad after Tejaswis meeting with the chief minister.

The CBI has registered a corruption case against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) managing director PK Goyal and wife of Lalus confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata, on alleged irregularities in awarding tender for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

(With agency inputs)

STRAP

MORE SALVOS Says silence generally conveys two things - either one has accepted his guilt or has nothing to explain to the public on the charges levelled against him

QUOTE

After recent raids, Tejashwi Yadavs face and behaviour has changed. Our patience is being tested; those who have to answer are silent. I would like to ask - are you putting cotton in your ears?

Ajay Alok, JD(U) spokesperson

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Kerala Police on Saturday arrested Congress legislator M Vincent on charges of raping a housewife, two days after a case was registered against him.

The young legislator was arrested after a special investigation team (SIT) grilled him for three hours.

Vincent, who represents the Kovalam constituency, is likely to resign from the assembly while the Congress Party said it would take necessary action against him. The Mahila Congress and ruling CPI(M) had earlier sought his resignation.

Police had initially filed an abetment of suicide case after the woman was taken to a hospital for over dosing on sleeping pills. Rape and assault charges were added after SIT chief Ajeetha Begum recorded her statement at the hospital.

The victim reportedly told police that she had attempted suicide because Vincent was making advances at her, harassing her physically and mentally. A magistrate also recorded her statement at the hospital.

As a part of its investigation, SIT also seized the phone records of the legislator which reportedly showed he made many calls to the victim.

However, the MLA alleged that a local CPI(M) leader was present at the womans house when she attempted suicide and that she was brought to the hospital in his car. He said the leader, and her brother  who is also a CPI(M) worker  hatched a conspiracy to implicate him in the case.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti dismissed the suggestion of senior National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah that India should approach third parties  such as the United States and China  to mediate the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.

Mufti said the dialogue must be held between India and Pakistan.

I think we have a map: despite wars we have to talk to each other; India and Pakistan. We have done Lahore declaration and Shimla agreement. We need to sit together and talk, she told the media during a visit to south Kashmirs Anantnag district.

Kashmir has been a festering dispute between the two nuclear powers since shortly after their Independence, and India has routinely blamed Pakistan for helping militants carry out strikes citing the issue.

Let America and China mind their businesses. We know wherever America intervened; see (what has happened) in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. China has its own knotty issues to solve in Tibet, she said, suggesting that such intervention usually leads to a worse outcome.

What will America, Turkistan or Englistan (England) do for us? There are many bigger issues across the world, which have worsened. What happened in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq? God forbid, (but) does Farooq sahab want the same thing happen to us, she said.

On Friday, Abdullah said India has a number of allies across the world who can help mediate the discussions between India and Pakistan.

(Drawing from) our elder leaders like Indira (Gandhi) and (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee who made the Shimla agreement or Lahore declaration, we need to take those forward. We have mutual issues in the border violence. Both our soldiers die, our people die; there should be some solution. And the solution can come if we follow these agreements which we made in the past. (We need to) sit together to fight poverty and give basic facilities to our people, she said.

Jammu and Kashmir has been embroiled in violence since July last year when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces.

Indian and Pakistani forces have also exchanged heavy fire on the Line of Control, the de-facto border between the two sides in J&K region.
Real estate developers have moved courts to challenge a landmark law that seeks to protect homebuyers, ostensibly in an attempt to stall its implementation a week before a key deadline.

The housing sector in India has for years been beset by problems, the most stark of which are the cases with hundreds of thousands of homebuyers who have made significant payments but are yet to receive possession of their houses. The parliament last year passed a law to regulate the sector, setting up a real estate regulatory authority (Rera) for disputes in new and existing, incomplete projects.

Two separate groups of builders have moved the high courts in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh challenging the law, particularly sections that put old projects  started before the law was passed and are yet to be completed  under the ambit of the regulator.

Both courts have asked the central government to respond to the petitions, which argues that Section 3 (which says ongoing projects must be registered) is applied retrospectively and therefore violates constitutional safeguards.

The builders have also challenged Section 59, which defines penalties for violations.

With the deadline to register ongoing projects ending in a week and the Centre unlikely to give an extension, developers are getting edgy, said sources in the Housing and Urban affairs ministry, which piloted the law.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), for instance, around 5 lakh people are yet to receive possession of flats that developers promised to finish five years ago. The numbers of affected rises significantly when the rest of the country is taken into account.

In recent weeks, they have held protests and approached officials to put pressure on builders. Last week, buyers of Amrapali projects threatened to go on a sit-in protest if the promoters were not booked by police.

Builders are trying to buy time. If there is a regulator in place, even if it is an interim one, what is preventing developers from registering their project? Section 3 of the RERA Act was made consciously as at present a large number of ongoing projects are stuck. In Delhi NCR for example big builders like Unitech have taken 90% of the money from buyers but not started work. For a buyer who has put in his lifes saving in a flat, every single day of delay means more suffering, said ML Lahoty, senior advocate who has fought several cases for homebuyers.

Section 3 of the RERA Act makes it mandatory for developers of all such ongoing projects that have not received completion certificate to register with the regulator by July 31, failing which they will be liable to cough up 10% of the project cost as penalty. Without registering, a developer will not be able to sell any apartment or building in such projects.

In the petition filed in the Bombay court, four developers  Swapnil Promoters & Developers, Swapnil Associates, Sukhyog Constructions and M/s Guru Constructions  have said that the provisions of the Act are most arbitrary and draconian. .the provisions of the Act are impracticable and onerous conditions have been imposed upon the promoters which cannot be fulfilled how-so-ever the promoter tries to comply with the same, reads the petition that has been reviewed by HT.

The penal provisions  are made applicable to ongoing projects ignoring the settled legal principle that penal provisions can never have retrospective operation, the petition says.

In Madhya Pradesh, petitioner Builder and Developer Welfare Association  which represents a group of developers also challenged the impracticability of depositing 70% of the amount collected from buyers in a separate account, in addition to the section on ongoing projects.

Ministry officials, however, said that in states where a regulator has not been set up, the builders will not be penalised for violating the provisions of the Act.

Housing is a sector that states need to regulate individually, with each required to draw up rules and set up the regulator. Of the 36 states and Union territories, 20 have notified the rules.

Geetambar Anand, the president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India recently told HT, If states have not set up a regulator, there is not much a developer can do. We are telling states to expedite the process. We dont want any disruption in ongoing projects.

The housing and urban affairs ministry also cannot do much except request states to speed up the process of appointing regulators. In the absence of rules and regulatory authority/ appellate tribunal, real estate activities would be adversely affected post 31 July 2017, former housing minister M Venkaiah Naidu had written to chief ministers of all states on June 21.

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In a major bureaucratic reshuffle of 40 senior and mid-level officers, Indian Forest Services officer of Gujarat cadre Bharat Lal has been appointed joint secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind.

Known to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lal earlier served as resident commissioner of Gujarat Bhawan in New Delhi. Ashok Malik, a well-known columnist, commentator, distinguished fellow at one of Indias leading think tanks, Observer Research Foundation, will be the press secretary to the new President.

The third major appointment in the office of the President was that of Sanjay Kothari, an lAS officer of 1978 batch of Haryana cadre and currently the chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). He was made secretary to the President-elect.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Modi approved these appointments to the office of the President for an initial period of two years.

Other appointments included that of Vasudha Mishra, who was managing director of NCDCI. She was appointed additional secretary, department of administrative reforms and public grievances in place of Usha Sharma, an lAS officer of 1985 batch of Rajasthan cadre. Sharma has been appointed as director general, Archaeological Survey of India, a post that was lying vacant after the retirement of Rakesh Tewari.

Sanjiv Gupta, 1985 batch lAS officer of Himachal Pradesh and additional secretary, department of industrial policy & promotion , has been appointed as the CEO, National E-Governance Division (NeGD), ministry of electronics & information technology. Sunil Kumar, a 1987-batch officer of UP batch and joint secretary, department of commerce, was appointed as additional secretary in the same department.
At a time when apple-growers are preparing for harvest, the Nepalese, who form the backbone of the 4000-crore apple economy, are agitated over the custodial death of Suraj, a Nepalese arrested for the rape and murder of a schoolgirl that sparked off a violent agitation in the state.

There are nearly 1.84 lakh migrant labourers in Himachal of whom 17.5% are from Nepal.

Suraj, 29, who was arrested last week, died in custody on Wednesday after an alleged scuffle with another accused, Rajender, triggering another bout of violent protests against the police investigations.

The Nepalese migrants, who flock to the apple belt for seasonal employment during the harvesting season from mid July to September end, are now threatening to launch an agitation against the custodial death of their countryman, even as the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) formally took over the case late last evening.

This is a worrisome news for the farmers of Kotkhai, one of the most affluent regions of the state due to the handsome revenue generated from the sale of apples. The Nepalese were at the forefront of the protest when the police station was burnt down in Kotkhai on Thursday. They are clearly very angry, Rohit Chauhan, a local orchardist in Kotkhai told HT.

Migrant labourers in Himachal Total No: 184712 From Jammu & Kashmir: 12708 From Uttar Pradesh: 55845 From Bihar: 41055 From Nepal: 33803 From Jharkhand: 6259 Others: 60242

Shimla district, which produced 2,65987 tonnes of apples last year as per the Himachal government records, is facing the wrath of the Nepalese who have now threatened to boycott work. The Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Ekta Manch has submitted a memorandum to the government demanding an impartial probe into the custodial death.

It is sad that the Nepalese are being treated so badly. We come here to earn our livelihood. What was the fault of Suraj, and who are people who killed him, fumed Shoba Ram, president of Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Ekta Samaj in Shimla.

I visited Surajs young widow, what is her mistake? The government should compensate her and arrange for her livelihood, rasped another Nepalese leader Jokha Ram, who heads the Nepali Ekta Manch.

He warned that if the government does not probe the matter impartially, he will ask all the Nepalese to stop working in the orchards.

Interestingly, some Nepalese were clueless about the Kotkhai murder or Surajs death. I dont know about the murder, I have just come from Nepal and will work with an orchardist at Ratnari, said Man Bahadur who hails from Dhang district in Nepal. He says he is here for the apple season and will return after it ends.

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The decision of Indias largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to shift its operations from Lucknow to Noida at a time when they are setting up new centres in other states is bound to cause embarrassment to the BJP leadership.

Uttar Pradesh has sent Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Lok Sabha while Lucknow is the parliamentary constituency of Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

It will be a loss of face for Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh if he fails to hold back the Centre in his constituency.

Moreover, the BJP government in UP is barely two months old when its premier IT firm, the only one to showcase to the investors, is ending its 33-year-old operations in Lucknow.

It was after much persuasion that former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had managed to convince Shiv Nadar to set up a training centre of HCL in Lucknow after his government decided to develop Lucknow as a major IT hub. HCL pumped in Rs 1,500 crore to develop the IT city and Shiv Nadar managed to secure commitments from Ratan Tata during his visit to Lucknow in December 2015.

Yogi Adityanath had recently announced the new industrial policy offering sops to investors to set up units in backward regions of the state and it was at his behest that the word employment was added to the title before the state cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy, 2017.

A delegation of TCS employees met the CM at his residence on July 19. Responding quickly, the CM directed the officials to take steps to hold back TCS in Lucknow.

The CM deployed two senior officers of the principal secretary-rank to get in touch with the company and understand its problems. The state government will make all possible efforts and extend help to TCS to ensure that it stays in Lucknow, said a senior officer.

Several rounds of meetings have taken place between the company officials and the state government. All eyes will be on the TCS COOs meeting with the CM after August 10. TCS will maintain status quo in the meantime, he said.

UP finance minister Rakesh Agarwal said all efforts will be made to persuade TCS to stay back in Lucknow.

Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said, Efforts are being made to stop TCS from leaving Lucknow. They will have to explain the reasons behind their decision as the government has agreed to give them all the facilities they need. We cannot allow job loss in the state capital.

TCS employees are not satisfied with the response from the office of principal secretary, IT. They said the officials do not understand the gravity of the matter.

It is a loss for Lucknows economy. Lucknow would lose its brand value and no other IT company will here. It will be a body blow to the governments dream of making Lucknow an IT hub, they said.

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Uttar Pradesh government on Friday urged the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to put on hold its decision to pull out of state capital Lucknow until chief minister Yogi Adityanath meets chief operating officer of the software major NG Subramaniam.

A senior government official told reporters Adityanath will have a meeting with the TCSs top executive sometime after August 10 to persuade Indias largest software outsourcer to change its plan of consolidating its UP operations in Noida, the states IT hot spot.

He said the state governments request was conveyed to the company through a proper channel. But he refused to elaborate further.

Many of the companys 2000 odd employees in Lucknow recently wrote to the chief minister seeking his intervention to prevent the company from winding up its operation in the state capital.

They claimed the management has directed them to get ready to shift either to Noida or Indore in Madhya Pradesh within two weeks time.

A TCS spokesperson was earlier quoted by PTI as saying that it was only consolidating its UP operations in Noida and there would be no job loss as a consequence.

Amid concerns over layoff, Alok Kumar head of delivery centre of TCS met a senior BJP functionary recently to explain the companys stand.

State finance minister Rajesh Agarwal also assured the employees that their interest would be protected and that the government would not let the TCS go from the capital, where it s operating for decades.

The TCS employees, however, are not convinced by the state governments effort and accused it of not doing enough to protect their interest.

The state government is not understanding the gravity of the situation and is not acting fast, alleged an employee of the Lucknow centre on condition of anonymity.

He claimed that the company has already taken on rent a building in Noida to shift its Lucknow centre as it has decided against renewing the rent agreement of the present office in the state capital, which will expire early next year.

The TCS employees say that company at least owes an explanation to them because the cost of per seat expenses in Noida will increase by 60% as compared to Lucknow.

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Gujarat Congress stalwart Shankarsinh Vaghelas decision to quit the party may cast a shadow on the prospects of Sonia Gandhis confidant Ahmed Patels re-election to the Rajya Sabha.

According to party sources, Vaghela has the support of around a dozen MLAs, and if they follow suit, it may put into jeopardy Patels chances of securing a fourth Rajya Sabha term from his home state.

Patel is Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary.

Congress has 57 MLAs in Gujarat and its candidate would require votes of 47 of them to get elected.

The RS poll comes close on the heels of the presidential election which exposed chinks in the Congress armour as the joint oppositions nominee Meira Kumar could garner votes of only 49 MLAs.

Vaghela, while announcing his decision of quitting the party, said he would resign from the Assembly only after the August 8 RS poll, seen as a veiled warning that he would try to ensure the defeat of the Congress candidate.

Patels term ends on August 18. Though the party is yet to announce its candidate for the upcoming elections, it is seen as almost certain that it would be Patel.

Congress general secretary in charge of Gujarat Ashok Gehlot said it was the moral responsibility of the former chief minister to help its candidate get elected as he still represented the party in the Assembly.

He has resigned, but he has been with the Congress for 20 years. It is his moral responsibility to help in the victory of the Congress candidate as he continues to be a party MLA, said Gehlot.

He asserted that Congress was in a comfortable position as it had the support of all 57 MLAs.

The filing of nominations for the biennial election started Friday.

The terms of BJP Rajya Sabha MPs from Gujarat Dilip Pandya and Smriti Irani also end on August 18.

Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, termed Vaghelas decision to quit Congress a blunder.

He said it was unfortunate that he quit the party just before the assembly elections, saying Congress had rewarded him for his work by giving him important positions.

In a body blow to the Congress in Gujarat, Vaghela, one of its tallest in the state, today announced he was quitting the party. He enjoys considerable support in North Gujarat.
Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat collapsed while attending a meeting of party MLAs and MPs with BJP president Amit Shah at the state party headquarters on Saturday.

Jat, a former Union minister, who suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to a local hospital in serious condition, was critical and on the ventilator, doctors said.

Blood pressure, cardiac rhythm and hemodynamics of MP Sanwar Lal Jat are properly maintained, but he is unconscious, critical and on the ventilator, stated the medical bulletin issued by the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital on Saturday evening.

According to the medical bulletin, the 62-year-old leader was admitted to the hospital around 2 pm in a severely critical condition in an unconscious state with non-recordable pulse, blood pressure and respiration.

He was immediately attended to by senior cardiologists and necessary cardiac resuscitation was done.

Jat was later shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) where he was evaluated by a team of doctors consisting of cardiologist, nephrologists, neurologist and intensivist.

Health Minister Kali Charan Saraf said that a medical board has been formed, including Dr SM Sharma, Dr Deepak Maheshwari, Dr Dhananjay Agarwal, who are continuously monitoring Jats health. Jat is still unconscious and will be under observation for 48 hours, Saraf added.

Party men carry Sanwar Lal Jat to an ambulance after he collapsed at the BJP office in Jaipur on Saturday. (Prabhakar Sharma/HT Photo)

He said both kidneys of Jat are damaged and even today (on Saturday) he had undergone dialysis before coming to attend the meeting. He also has heart problem and diabetes.

Jat, who has been keeping unwell for some time, left the conference room at the state BJP office but fell unconscious at the door and was rushed to the hospital, a BJP source said.

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who too was present at the meeting, called an ambulance and got Jat admitted to the ICU at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital. She also visited the hospital and returned to the BJP office for Amit Shahs press conference. Later, Shah accompanied by the chief minister visited the SMS hospital to enquire about the MP.

Jat had defeated the Congresss Sachin Pilot in Ajmer in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

A former minister in the Modi government, Jat is currently the president of Kishan Ayog Rajasthan. Shah, who arrived here on Friday on a three-day visit to the state, is busy holding meetings for strengthening the party at grass root level.

With inputs from agencies
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah is expected to finalise the assembly seat from where Chief minister Yogi Adityanath could contest once he resigns as Gorakhpur MP after casting his vote for the NDAs vice presidential nominee Venkaiah Naidu on August 5.

While the prospects of Yogi Adityanath contesting the imminent assembly by-poll from Gorakhpur are high, a section in the BJP also wants the CM, who is the head priest of the Gorakhnath temple, to contest from Ayodhya to give an unequivocal message about the UP governments Hindutva push.

The BJPs Ayodhya MLA Ved Prakash Gupta has said that he will be happy to vacate the seat for Yogi Adityanath, a statement that several BJP lawmakers from Gorakhpur have made as well.

During his Lucknow visit, likely from July 29, Shah is also expected to decide who could contest from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat that Yogi made his own since 1998.

The party will obviously like to take him into confidence on who they intend to replace him with. The decision is likely to be arrived at after several rounds of consultations. The issue could come up for discussion during Shahs visit who would be here on a three-day visit to Lucknow as part of his India-connect tour, a party source said.

The BJP chief will also decide whether deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the MP from Phulpur, will quit his Lok Sabha seat or be elevated to the Centre. There is a view that instead of making Maurya give up Phulpur seat that the BJP won for the first time in 2014, the party could elevate him to the Centre, possibly as a union minister.

This, some party leaders believe, would also help in puncturing any opposition plan to prop up a joint candidate in Phulpur in the by-poll. Already, names of Krishna Patel, the Kurmi politician from the anti-BJP faction of the Apna Dal, or even BSP chief Mayawati are doing rounds as a possible joint opposition candidate from Phulpur.

It would be for Shah to decide where Maurya, the OBC face of the party in UP, would be best suited -- Uttar Prades or Centre, a BJP source said.

The party is also in touch with some opposition lawmakers, including those from the BSP, the SP and the Congress, to explore options.

Read more|UP Lok Sabha by-poll: Will opposition unite to take on mighty BJP?

All options that need to be explored will be explored, a senior leader said when asked if the partys plan also included convincing opposition MLAs to vacate seats for BJP ministers to contest. Thats because, apart from Yogi and Maurya, three other ministers, including other deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, Swatantra Dev Singh (an OBC) and Mohsin Raza (the Yogi governments lone Muslim face) too are required to be elected to either house of the UP legislature by September 18; the six month deadline by which ministers are constitutionally required to get themselves elected to either house.

The BJP still appears undecided on the seat from where Sharma could get to contest. The buzz is that the party has even got in touch with some lawmakers if they will be willing to vacate their seat for Sharma. This includes a lawmaker who shifted to the BJP from the Congress in 2014 and subsequently became an MLA in the 2017 UP polls. The BJPs plan on Swatantra Dev Singh and Mohsin Raza is still unclear. Party sources say there would be some clarity only after Shahs visit.

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Some time ago, inspector general of police (Kanpur range) Alok Singh invited all meritorious students to his residence to felicitate them after their results were announced.

The students, who excelled in examinations conducted by different boards, were asked: what is the first thing they will do if made the Kanpur SSP?

About 100 students almost spoke in unison that streamlining the Kanpur traffic will be their first task.

Traffic congestion topped the issues of concern in online voting when Kanpur was vying for a slot among 100 smart cities. The union urban development ministry was surprised with the response of people to the problem. The ministry asked the Kanpur Municipal Corporation to ensure that it made plans, especially for traffic regulation in the city.

Special efforts were put in to draw up a traffic plan in concert with the Kanpur Development Authority, leading experts and other agencies. The smart city plan has marked Rs 170 crore for an intelligent traffic management system. It will cover 85 of the citys 175 crossings initially and the remaining ones later.

Kanpur has the highest number of vehicles in the state1.6 million vehicles registered with the regional transport office (RTO) till June 30.

The experts say the number of vehicles has increased exponentially but the road network and transport facilities have not developed to the same extent to absorb the vehicular pressure.

Nearly 200 vehicles are added to the existing number of registered vehicles every day.

The authorities plan to state of the art technology to regulate traffic. Besides, new parking slots will be created.

But the experts say the use of technology alone will not help in dealing with the traffic bottlenecks unless the bigger issues are taken care of.

For example, the city is dissected by railway lines at six places. Traffic jams at these locations cause a ripple effect throughout the city.

There is a longstanding demand for two new railway stations at Panki and Chakeri, so the rail traffic coming into the city can be diverted.

However, the demand has not been met.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday found gross anomalies in the list of 201 government advocates released by the state government. The court directed the government to review the list by August 11.

Passing this order, justice AP Sahi and justice SK Singh observed: The list deserved to be quashed instantly but we are refraining from doing so as it will hamper the working of the court.

Expressing concern over the list, the court said: There is nothing on record to indicate, nor is it in the noting of the file, that any screening of candidates to assess their candidature was carried out.

Hearing a PIL filed by Mahendra Singh Pawar challenging the list on Thursday, the court had ordered to place the list before it on Friday. The court observed that the list neither had signatures of law minister Brajesh Pathak nor advocate general Raghvendra Singh.

The list of 201 government counsel released by the UP government on July 7 is in the thick of a controversy as it carries the names of even non-practising lawyers.

The court also asked advocate general Raghvendra Singh to advise the state government on the issue.

We expect that the learned advocate general will advise the state government to act accordingly more so when the state has to engage such lawyers who may be capable of defending the action of the state, observed the court.

Their legal acumen, their understanding of law, their manner of presentation, their manner of drafting and pleading are some of the most relevant factors that should be seen while screening candidates which should be done appropriately, the court added.

It is not the mere suggestion of names or any recommendation of those in a position of influence which should be the factor to engage a state lawyer. Transparency should also be observed to the extent of avoiding any criticism of nepotism or extending favours to judicial functionaries, the court observed.

The court also advised the advocate general to examine the matter and review it in the light of what had been observed during proceedings of the case.

On his part, advocate general Raghvendra Singh assured the court to review the list of government counsel.

Singh also assured the court that, if necessary, the entire process of empanelment, including the list, will be appropriately revisited in order to keep it in conformity with law.

The list kicked off a political storm in the state capital as it carried the names of even Samajwadi Party loyalists while long-time sympathisers of the BJP did not figure on it.

The court fixed August 11 as next date of hearing.

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Despite the medical education department fixing a fee structure, private medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh continue to arbitrarily charge extra from students seeking admission.

In a first, the department had fixed the fees for each of the private colleges after evaluating their infrastructure and teaching facilities in April, 2017.

WHY THE FEE WAS FIXED? It was a long pending demand from students to fix fees at private colleges as they charged arbitrarily. Colleges not only used to charge fee during admission but also harass students mid-session in the name examination fee, fees for practical and a few other heads.

As many as 14 private colleges run MBBS courses, while 25 run BDS course.

Any extra money charged, apart from the prescribed fee is illegal, said Dr KK Gupta, director, general medical education (DGME).

Additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain, who headed the committee for fixing the fee, said, Action will be taken if any of the candidates files a complaint.

Till now, one complaint has been filed at the office of the DGME. The action can include closure of the college as the fee has been decided by the state government and violation will be termed as financial irregularity, said Dr Gupta.

WHAT ARE THE EXTRA FEE SLOTS?

Candidates who reach the colleges with allotment letters after the first round of counselling for admission are being asked to pay various fees.

Apart from the college security, which is sufficient for all types of losses that a college expects might happen during five years of studies, security is also being demanded on furniture, hostel and even air conditioning in the buildings. No security is less than one lakh, which puts up an extra cumulative load of  5 lakh, other than the college security which is already above 5 lakh.

Various registrations have been added in the list of fees. Apart from admission fee, there is enrollment fee too in the list. Apart from examination fee there is also evaluation charges while semester fee is separately being charged from students taking admission.

Advanced training fee, research fee, building fee and development charges are some of the additions in the list.

Total fee other than that mentioned in the order is illegal, said the DGME.

THE CRITERIA FOR FIXING FEE

The order from the medical education department says no college will charge fee other than what has been prescribed separately for clinical, non-clinical and PG diploma courses.

Colleges that run parallel courses such as paramedical courses along with the MBBS or BDS using same infrastructure were kept in lower fee bracket as they were earning from two separate batches of students. Those running only one course in one building were allowed to take more fees. This included examination of audited balance sheet of colleges.

The order clearly says the colleges are not allowed to mint money from students or commercialize education.

HOW THE FEE WAS FIXED?

The colleges were asked to submit details on teaching and infrastructure against 12-points listed by the medical education department.

Based on the details, each college was given category and a fee bracket that candidates taking admissions will have to pay while pursuing MBBS or BDS.

Those colleges who did not furnish details were allotted flat fee structure by the department.

WHY THE FEE WAS FIXED?

It was a long pending demand from students to fix fees at private colleges as they charged arbitrarily. Colleges not only used to charge fee during admission but also harass students mid-session in the name examination fee, fees for practical and a few other heads.

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With the opposition parties staying away from proceedings of the assembly for the second consecutive day on Friday, Uttar Pradesh government pushed through the budgets of 75 departments within minutes.

The state government conducted its entire business in less than two hours. Now, only the budgets of home and general administration departments remain to be passed.

An amount of Rs 1,57,048.15 crore for budgets of the 75 departments was passed without any discussion and speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit adjourned the house till Monday.

This amount is in addition to the vote-on-account for first five months of 2017-2018 passed before the assembly elections.

Read more: Focus is back on controversial UPPSC selections

In between, minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna urged the speaker to give the erring opposition one more chance to correct their mistake and take part in assembly business on Monday. If the opposition does not turn up, the government will get budgets of home and general administration departments and Appropriation Bill for 2017-2018 passed, Khanna said.

Khanna said the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Congress members have not been able to give any reason for their decision to boycott the assembly.

He said leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary was repeatedly requested to seek clarifications, if he wanted, on chief minister Yogi Adityanaths reply to the debate on the budget on Wednesday evening. Chaudhary, however, did not seek any clarification, he added.

We have remained in opposition, walked out and boycotted proceedings for an hour or two. We condemn the conduct of the opposition and the boycott. The chief minister did do no wrong by deciding to recommend a CBI inquiry into PCS appointments. He wants to change the lives of the people. We decided to waive of crop loans of farmers and also provide money for payment of arrears of seventh pay commission though the financial situation did not permit the same. We wanted to run the house till July 28. The opposition has, however, created such a scenario, said Khanna.

As there was no opposition, the speaker took up the listed agenda one after the other soon after the house assembled at 11am. Question hour ended in a few minutes. Other listed business was also taken up.

Read more: SP to boycott house for entire budget session

Later, the chief minister moved a resolution congratulating Ram Nath Kovind on his election as President of India.

BJP member Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh pointed out that some opposition members were signing the attendance register, despite their boycott, to claim allowances.

Khanna said this was a serious issue. However, the speaker reserved his ruling.
Following the recent deaths of two trekkers at a waterfall near Mahuli Fort and increasing water levels at Bhatsa Dam, the Thane district collector on Saturday stopped trekkers from visiting Mahuli Fort, Tansa and Bhatsa areas until September or further notice.

The Bhatsa Dam authority has also issued a warning to the villages in Kalyan, Shahpur and Bhiwandi Talukas to remain alert in case of water being released from the dam if the heavy rain persists.

S Sonawane, executive engineer of Bhatsa dam management department, in a letter addressed to the Tehsildar office of Shahpur, Bhiwandi and Kalyan said, The water level in Bhatsa Dam has reached 134.73m on Friday morning and the levels are increasing rapidly owing to the continuous heavy rain in the area. To maintain the dam water level, we will have to open the floodgates anytime in the next few days. Thus, a warning must be issued to those villages, which will be affected by the floods.

The dam authority has issued warnings, especially to Sapgaon along the Bhatsa river in Shahpur, to ban the villagers from going anywhere near the river.

The Shahpur Tehsildar office also requested the district authority to ban trekkers and revellers from Mahuli Fort, Ashok Fort, and around 500m from Bhatsa and Tansa Dam till September 2017 or till further notice.

Santosh Thite, sub-divisional magistrate from Bhiwandi sub-division office said, Owing to heavy rains, the area around the Mahuli waterfall has become slippery. More than 90 people have lost their lives by losing their balance on this waterfall. During the weekend, revelers come to the waterfall in large numbers. Most of them do not know how to swim. However, with the MET department issuing a heavy rain warning this weekend, we have decided to close the area for trekkers.

Picnickers are also banned anywhere near Tansa and Bhatsa Dam during the same time to prevent mishaps. The magistrate in his orders has issued certain guidelines to be followed during the time of the ban. According to guidelines, people will not be allowed to sit below the waterfall, enter the water and take their vehicles within 500m of the above points. Taking selfies, photos or videos, drinking alcohol is also banned.

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The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department on Friday detected two cases of gold smuggling, in which the accused hid the precious metal worth Rs69 lakh in toilets.

In the first case, Mohammedali Kekepuram Mohammed, 41, an executive in a Dubai firm, was arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai. After AIU officials found him moving suspiciously, they followed him to a washroom near the immigration counter. When he left the toilet, the officials intercepted and questioned him.

We then decided to check the washroom. The gold was hidden in a wall cavity, which was created behind the flush, said a high-ranking customs officer. The washroom shares the wall with a room used by the plumbing staff and is usually locked. AIU recovered two packets of gold that Mohammed had thrown into the room through the cavity. The 10 gold bars were worth Rs34.37 lakh.

Authorities suspected other people were involved including airport staff. We are trying to find the person who was supposed to pick the gold from the plumbers room, said the officer.

In another case, customs officials searching a plane that arrived from Dubai at remote bay found 10 gold bars worth Rs34.37 lakh. The gold bars were wrapped with white tape and cleverly concealed below the box of tissue paper in the aircrafts rear toilet, said the officer. No arrests have been made in this case and the AIU is trying to find out if an airport employee is involved.

In the past, loaders, cleaners, trolley-handlers and staff from other agencies working at the airport have been arrested for smuggling.

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A two-year-old boy was attacked and killed by a leopard on Saturday evening, close to Film City in Goregaon (East).

The Mumbai forest range said the incident took place around 5.30pm at Moracha Pada, near the helipad at Aarey.

Vihaan Nilesh Garuda, the son of a Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) staffer Nilesh Garuda, suffered injuries on his neck and was rushed to the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Municipal Hospital at Jogeshwari, where he was declared dead.

The incident took place when Vihaan was with 15 members of his family. They had come for an evening walk to Aarey. As the elders walked ahead, Vihaan was grabbed by the leopard and taken away within seconds, said Sameer Inamdar, round forest officer, Mumbai forest range.

The family searched for him and found the leopard had left the boys body a few metres from where it grabbed him.

Inamdar said the body was badly bruised and Vihaan died of blood loss. The leopard did not eat any part of Vihaans body, Inamdar said.

Forest officers said a complete investigation will be done.

This is probably the first time the kin of a forest staffer has been attacked in Mumbai. We will go back to the site and trace the incident to understand what exactly happened, said Santosh Kank, range forest officer, Mumbai.

This is the fourth leopard attack this year.

On May 29, a four-year-old boy, a resident of Royal Palms in Aarey Colony, was attacked by a leopard. On March 17, a three-year-old boy was attacked near Khadakpada, a tribal hamlet inside the forests of Aarey Milk Colony. The boy escaped with injuries on his chest and throat after local residents scared the leopard away. On May 21, a three-year-old boy was saved by his mother after she snatched him away from the claws of a leopard that had pounced on him in Chafyachapada, Aarey.

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The ban on sale of flavoured areca nut  pan masala  has been revoked by the state government from July 21, according to a circular by the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dated July 17.

The letter by the FDA states that a single-member committee will be formed to look into the ban on areca nut and till their decision is known, its sale will be permitted. Meanwhile, the ban on gutka, in force since 2013, will continue.

The states move has angered public health experts fighting against the sale of products that have cancer causing agents.

Areca nut is a known carcinogen. It is present in pan masala, the sale of which was banned, but now the government is reconsidering it, which is shocking, said professor Pankaj Chaturvedi, Tata Memorial Hospital who treats head and neck cancers.

The World Health Organisation and several studies in India have proven beyond doubt that pan masala causes serious health hazards including mouth and throat cancer. All the research material has already been submitted to the FDA several times for the past 5 years. Our state is bound to become a laughing stock if the ban isnt continued, he added.

Incidentally, Maharashtra was the first state to ban gutka in July 2013. A year later, a ban on pan masala was brought in force.

Dr Pallavi Garade, food safety commissioner, FDA, could not be reached despite numerous attempts, however an FDA official who did not wish to be named told HT that the decision to reconsider the ban on the sale of scented areca nut was taken as there was growing pressure from lobbyists. There were several appeals made to the CM (chief minister), regarding the ban on areca nut, he added.

Dr Kailash Sharma, director (Academics) Tata Memorial Hospital said in a letter to the state, We sincerely urge you to continue the ban on flavoured chewing tobacco and flavoured supari (Pan Masal) permanently to save our future generations. Currently, the ban is applicable for only one year and it has to be renewed annually.
In one year, nine airports in small cities across the state could start operations.

The new airports will make travel to smaller cities easier and affordable. The Maharashtra government is planning to get the nine airports working under the Centres regional connectivity scheme.

The state has tied up with aircraft carriers for airports at Nanded, Solapur, Kolhapur and Jalgaon, and has started operation of one route at Nanded airport. It is also planning to connect Nashik, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Gondia and Amravati under the scheme, and is offering a host of incentives to make services to these airports viable.

We plan to start services at all nine airports in the next one year. TruJet, which is operating services at Nanded airport, has started a Nanded-Hyderabad flight, and plans to start a Mumbai sector by September, said Valsa Nair Singh, the principal secretary in charge of civil aviation in the state government.

READ: Mumbais new airport comes at a cost: 72 Wankhede stadiums of mangroves

We also hope to begin services at Jalgaon, Solapur and Kolhapur in the next two or three months. For the Jalgaon, Solapur and Kolhapur airports, the state has tied up with Air Deccan, which won the bid the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation floated to operate services from these airports. The next stage of bidding is scheduled in September, Singh said.

The state will also provide security and fire services to the airports free of charge, give a concession on water charges and provide any land required for expansion free of charge. As it cannot directly underwrite seats for airlines, the state is in talks with industry bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Industries, to give aircraft carriers a kind of a guarantee their executives will fly these sectors.

The Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation owns and operates Amravati and Solapur airports; Gondia and Jalgaon airports are under Airports Authority of India; Indian Coast Guard and HAL own and operate Ratnagiri and Nashik airports. MIDC owns Nanded, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. These are operated by Reliance, AAI and IRB.

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The police have stopped visiting and patrolling on the Elephanta Island, the popular tourist spot for past few days, as the passenger boat services from Mora in Navi Mumbai have been terminated due to heavy rains. The Mora coastal police do not have speed boats (or any boats) to go the island.

The island, which has a population of around 2,000, comes in the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai police. Every day, police officials from the Mora coastal police station leave for the island in the morning in the passenger boats that ferry the local villagers and come back in the evening.

However, that boat service has been terminated temporarily due to heavy rains and high tides over the past few days. As the police have no other options, they have stopped visiting the island for now.

Because of incessant rains and high tides, it has become very difficult to negotiate with the sea. The passenger boats that ferry people to the island could easily overturn during such situations. Due to lack of transportation system, our officials are not visiting the island for the past several days, said an official from Mora police station.

Mukunda Bhosale, senior police inspector of Mora police station said that police officials will be sent to the island, as soon as the passenger boat services are started. However, he refused to comment on how they would tackle the situation if a major crime or terror attack takes place on the island when there is no boat to visit the island.

Hemant Nagrale, the police commissioner of Navi Mumbai was unavailable for comments.

According to the Maharashtra tourism department, 3,000-4,000 tourists including foreign nationals visit the Elephtanta Island every day when boats are available from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The number of tourists increases during weekends and festivals like Christmas and New Year.

How safe is the Elephanta Island?

The Elephanta Island, previously known as Gharapuri, houses three villages- Rajbunder, Shetbunder and Morabunder, with a population of around 2,000. According to the Gharapuri Gram Panchayat officials, around 8 lakh tourists visited the island in 2016 and around 30% of them were foreign tourists.

There is enough to do when it comes to safety and security of the people at the island. Tourists who come from Gateway of India are checked by the Mumbai police before they board the ferries. But there is no such system to check the people who come from other places of Navi Mumbai. We have asked the local police to take some requisite measures many a time, but to no avail, said Sunil Padte, sarpanch of Gharapuri gram panchayat.

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The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is likely to drop its plan to build airstrips along the proposed Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, terming the plan infeasible.

The nodal agency for the Rs46,000-crore project had planned to construct three airstrips along the 706-km expressway for warplanes of the Indian Air Force to land.

It is currently discussing the matter with aviation experts and a final report is awaited.

Our preliminary engineering plan reveals that we do not have a 5-km straight stretch,which is the basic requirement for an airstrip. Moreover, there are airports in most of the 10 districts the expressway passes through and so it is unlikely that we will need emergency airstrips, said a senior official, who did not wish to be identified.

An airstrip does not seem feasible, but we are examining the possibility in consultation with aviation authorities, said Anilkumar B Gaikwad, chief engineer, MSRDC.

In May 2015, the IAF successfully landed a Mirage-2000 on the Yamuna Expressway near Mathura as part of a trial to use national highways as emergency landing sites for fighter aircraft.

Emergency airstrips are essential in case key airfields are crippled during hostile situations or during natural disasters.

Countries known to have emergency airstrips on highways include China, Germany, Sweden, Pakistan, and Singapore.The ministry of road transport and highway identified 17 highways that could be constructed in border states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya to double up as airstrips.

Maharashtra is far from any international border, so such airstrips may not be necessary here. Requirements such as a makeshift air traffic control and bird clearance mechanism must be taken into account before one can land a fighter jet on a road, a senior bureaucrat added.

The proposed eight-lane access controlled expressway will connect Mumbai and Nagpur. It is expected to cut the travel time between the two cities drastically.
Mumbais first food truck park, which was launched on July 14 in Bandra, was shut down on Thursday. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities confirmed that the Bombay Food Truck Company Park didnt have the permissions required to run the park.

H-West ward had not given any permission to the company to run the park. We raided the premises on Thursday and shut it down, said Sharad Ughade, ward officer, H-West.

However, Royston Misquietta, founder of Bombay Food Truck Company, is hopeful that they will get the issue sorted and the trucks will be back in action soon. They have decided to meet the ward officer on Saturday.

This is just a temporary provision; the park cant be kept shut for long. We have been fighting for two years to get a food truck park in Mumbai. Finally, there is one now. It will reopen soon, Misquietta said.

HT had reported on Wednesday that Perry Road Residents Association didnt want commercial activities in their area and so were against the food truck park. The association also filed a complaint with the BMC chief, police commissioner, transport commissioner and MLA Ashish Shelar.

Acting on the complaint, the BMC raided the place on Thursday and took away certain equipment from the park, compelling them to close. I am happy that efforts have been made to ensure that commercial activities are kept away from Perry Road. The company managing the park has been asked to keep it shut and I will see to it that there is no inconvenience caused to residents, said Shelar.

Shelar had also supported the groups plea in 2015, when they had demanded that no businesses be allowed in their neighbourhood.

However, Anil Joseph, chairperson of the association, demanded strict action and fine against people managing the park.

They are nothing but sophisticated hawkers, who do not have permissions. Just asking them to shut doesnt help. Unless their vehicles and equipment are seized and they are fined, they will try to come back again, said Joseph.
A 34-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly posing as a traffic constable at JVPD junction in Juhu. He allegedly took bribes from motorists in different areas of the city for around three months.

The police said Mohsin Wazir Sayyed wore a traffic polices uniform and stood at junctions where no cops were present, to dupe commuters. On Thursday, he stood near a bottleneck at JVPD junction, which witnesses frequent traffic jams. He stopped a car at the signal and asked the driver for his licence. When the driver, a resident of Juhu, showed him the licence and asked what had he done wrong, Sayyed told him that he was had been caught for lane cutting. The driver did not argue and told Sayyed that he would pay the fine.

Sayyed asked him for Rs 300 and took out his slip book to give the driver a receipt. The driver did not have cash and told Sayyed that he would pay through e-challan. Sayyed said the e-challan machines of the Juhu and Bandra divisions were faulty and had to be sent back for replacements. The driver suspected foul play but when Sayyed asked for a Rs100 bribe to settle the matter, he agreed and gave him the money.

At the next signal, the driver saw constables with e-challan machines. He approached a traffic constable there and asked him if the machines in their division were not working. When the constable confirmed that the machines were working fine, the driver told him about his encounter with Sayyed at the previous junction. The constable went to the spot and met Sayyed, who introduced himself as a traffic constable. The constable then went to DN Nagar police station and came back with a police team, who detained Sayyed. He confessed that he was not a police constable.

The DN Nagar police later arrested Sayyed, who told the officers that he had been pretending to be a traffic cop for the past three months. Sayyed used to find a busy junction and if no cops were around, he would begin penalising four-wheelers drivers by telling them that they had stopped beyond the zebra crossing at a signal or were cutting lanes. He would ask them for Rs100 or Rs200 as bribe so that he wouldnt have to give them a receipt, said a police officer from DN Nagar police station.

We now want to find out how Sayyed acquired the traffic police uniform and how many drivers he took money from, added the officer.
Political parties in the city are in a race to make their presence felt during the Ganpati and Dahi Handi festivals next month.

Both BJP and Shiv Sena have started petitioning the state, asking for several rules to be relaxed during the festivals, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is busy holding meetings with mandals  which wield significant influence among the people and whose members and volunteers serve as foot soldiers during election campaigns.

The BJP led the pack, with Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar organising a competition for Dahi Handi mandals before the festival and offering attractive prizes for participants.

Politicians are also planning to give out t-shirts, refreshments and cash prizes, and arrange for trucks to transport revelers.

The Sena, meanwhile, took potshots at the other parties for only thinking of poll benefits.

We have been celebrating these festivals right from the inception of our party. The others have jumped in keeping elections in mind and they hardly matter to us, Sena leader Anil Parab said. For years, the Sena had a monopoly over Dahi Handi, which played an important role in its growth. In the past few years, however, the BJP has been making its presence felt.

Even during Ganpati, it has always been the Sena dominating public celebrations, until a few years ago. Almost all top Sena leaders have headed mandals. The BJP and other parties are trying to break the monopoly through donations.

Political parties are not interested in any cultural event and their entire aim is to get political mileage. It helps them attract people and garner votes, said Prakash Bal, a political commentator.

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Even as the window to deposit scrapped notes in the Reserve Bank of India closed on Thursday, 31 district central cooperative banks (DCCBs) in Maharashtra were still left with around Rs200 crore in old currency. The RBI argued that the banks collected these notes after they were demonetised on November 8 last year. The banks have decided to move court against the RBIs decision.

On June 22, the Union finance ministry issued a notification, allowing DCCBs to deposit demonetised notes of Rs500 and Rs1000 in the RBI in next four weeks. At the time, these 31 DCCBs had Rs2,771.86 crore in banned notes.

Cooperative banks in Pune and Nashik are left with Rs22.25 crore and Rs23 crore in scrapped notes, while Kolhapur has Rs25.27 crore. The RBI also turned away banks in Ahmednagar (Rs11.68crore), Nagpur (Rs5.02crore) and Sangali (Rs14.72 crore).

We are yet to receive the total amount of the stock lying with other DCCBs, but it could be more than Rs200 crore. It is discriminatory that when the scheduled, centralized, urban banks were allowed to deposit their notes collected before demonetisation, only DCCBs were singled out. The stock with the DCCBs was verified by the National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development on various occasions and they had found nothing objectionable. We are considering to move court against the RBI, said Swati Pande, chief executive officer, Maharashtra State Cooperative Banks Association.

In case of some DCCBs, the RBI has found discrepancies in the records such as difference between their actual stock and the records.

The DCCBs have been given token slips for the unaccepted notes.

We have moved the Supreme Court, seeking direction to the RBI to accept scrapped notes. Our bank has 262 branches across Pune and it is unjust to not accept notes collected in the day of demonetisation, said Ramesh Thorat, chairman of Pune District Cooperative Bank.

READ

Mumbai doctor among 6 caught with 2.25 crore in scrapped notes

Journalist among five arrested with 1 crore in scrapped notes in Mumbai

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The proposed West Coast Refinery and Petrochemical project seems to have run into trouble, as farmers in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg have asked the state government to hike the land acquisition rate to Rs1crore a hectare  at par with the Mubmbai-Nagpur super communication highway.

The project, which is estimated to cost Rs2.5 lakh crore, needs 6,018 hectares of land from around 3,000 farmers in 16 villages in two districts.

The state government in May issued a notification under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Act, clarifying its intent to acquire land for the project.

The project has been proposed by three government-controlled oil marketing companies with the stakes of the Centre and the state governments.

The state has followed the acquisition formula adopted for the Jaitapur nuclear power plant in 2013. Farmers in Jaitapur have opposed the land acquisition rate: Rs 22.50 lakh a hectare.

In a meeting with Ravindra Chavan, minister of ports and medical education, a delegation of farmers quoted the rate given to Mumbai-Nagpur and Mumbai-Pune expressways and raised 27 demands, including Rs1crore a hectare.

The delegation expressed its displeasure over the rate being offered to farmers. The government paid Rs1crore a hectare in the Mumbai-Goa highway road widening project and Rs52 lakh to Rs5.2 crore a hectare for the Mumbai-Nagpur corridor. The next meeting has been convened by industries minister Subhash Desai on July 24, said an official from MIDC.

Shiv Sena alleged that the project would disturb the bio-diversity, increase pollution levels and destroy farmers livelihood. In a climbdown of sorts, it now says that if farmers are ready to handover their land, it has no objection. If our 27 demands are fulfilled, we have no objection to the project, Rajan Salvi, Shiv Sena MLA from Rajapur, told HT.

I am sure the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state will fulfil all these demands, said Pramod Jathar former BJP MLA from Kankavali.
Rock band Linkin Park on Friday cancelled its North American tour after the suicide of frontman Chester Bennington

We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington. The Linkin Park One More Light North American Tour has been cancelled and refunds are available at point of purchase. Our thoughts go out to all those affected, tour promoter Live Nation said in a statement.

Bennington, 41, died by hanging himself at his southern California home, but left no note, the Los Angeles County coroners office said on Friday.

Members of rock band Linkin Park (L-R) Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, Joe Hahn, Brad Delson, Dave Farrell and Chester Bennington put their handprints in cement as they are inducted into Guitar Center's RockWalk in Los Angeles, California June 18, 2014. (REUTERS)

Bennington, 41, was found dead on Thursday at his home in Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, a week before the California alt-rock band was due to embark on its tour, starting on July 27 in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

He was found hanging in his bedroom. No note was found, coroners spokesman Ed Winter said. Winter added that there was an open bottle of alcohol in the bedroom but no drugs had been found.

Bennington had a history of alcohol and drug abuse and had spoken openly in the past about his struggles to overcome his demons when Linkin Park first found fame in 2000 with their best-selling debut album Hybrid Theory.

Winter said an autopsy was pending, and that toxicology tests were also likely to be carried out.

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In a first, residents of a high-rise in Noida on Saturday got their societys diesel generator set converted to run on a mixture of piped natural gas (PNG) and diesel. The step will not only reduce the cost of power backup but will also reduce pollution in the housing society.

The residents of Victory Crossroads in Sector 143B got their diesel generator set retrofitted to run on PNG, which is expected to reduce their bill by 20% on the power supplied by the generator set.

The model will bring down power backup charges for thousands of families living in high-rises in the district. At present, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) supplies PNG to nearly 90,000 residential consumers in Gautam Budh Nagar. IGL has a network for PNG supply to most areas across Noida and Greater Noida.

Various colonies in Noida, including sectors 44, 45, 62, 71, 73, 77, 78, 82, 91, 96, 100. 110, 127, 128, 135, 137, 138, 143, 144 and 145, have many high-rise residential towers, residents of which pay high charges for power backup.

V Nagarajan, director (commercial) of IGL, along with Dr BB Awasthi, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Noida, inaugurated the PNG supply to the dual injection generator sets in the high-rise.

Nagarajan said,It is a pilot project to run the existing diesel-based generators installed in residential complexes on a mix of PNG and diesel as fuel for power backup. This is the first retrofitting for residential use.

Awasthi said switching from diesel to PNG will go a long way in improving the environment.

KC Bansal, director of the builder firm, Victory Projects, who persuaded the residents to go for eco-friendly retrofitting, said that his company has decided to make a similar provision in its other projects. The housing society has 291 flats, of which possession of 165 has been given.

JS Rathore, the regional manager of the company that got the generator sets retrofitted, said,While running at full capacity, the usage of PNG and diesel is expected to be in the ratio of 70:30. The cost of the retrofitting kit is recoverable in around eight months, by way of reduction in power backup bill.

The residents of Victory Crossroads welcomed the move. We have been paying Rs17.50 per unit for the electricity consumed from the backup supply. Now, we have been told that the cost per unit will be Rs13.50. It will also reduce air pollution in our society, said Dwarka Daga, president, RWA.

Rathore said that though he has used this hybrid technology in various industries in the National Capital Region, this is the first time it has been used in a residential society.

Besides reducing electricity bills of consumers, it will help a great deal in improving the air quality. Poisonous gases are exhausted from diesel generator sets. PNG sets will be helpful for high-rises as children play in the open and residents take walks inside the housing complex, he said.

In line with its vision to provide clean energy solutions, IGL has started the process of approaching residential apartment complexes across Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad to convert their power backup arrangements to enable them to run on gas, said Amandeep Singh, chief general manager, corporate communications, IGL.

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A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Saturday held businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surinder Koli guilty of the murder and attempted rape of a 20-year-old domestic help in Noida in 2006 -- one of the 19 victims of the Nithari serial killings that shocked the nation.

The quantum of the sentence will be announced on July 24.

After their arrest in December 2006, Pandher walked out of Dasna jail in Ghaziabad in September 2014. Koli is still in the same prison. Pandher was later again taken into custody and sent to Dasna jail.

Saturdays verdict was in the eighth case in the 19 killings and the second one involving both Pandher and Koli.

In the first case involving both accused, a CBI court in Ghaziabad gave them death penalty in February 2009. But after an appeal, the Allahabad high court acquitted Pandher of all charges and upheld Kolis punishment.

Pawan Tiwari, CBI Special Judge (anti corruption), on Saturday held prime accused Koli guilty of murder, abduction, attempted rape and destruction of evidence in the eighth case related to the murder of Pinki Sarkar.

Pandher was held guilty of murder, destruction of evidence and attempted rape. The charges were accompanied by the section of criminal conspiracy. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on July 24 where both will be present before the court during final arguments, said JP Sharma, special public prosecutor, CBI.

The victim worked as a domestic help in Noida Sector 30 and left the house of her employer after watching a television serial on October 5, 2006. She disappeared and could not be traced.

After the bones, skulls and other items of the Nithari victims were discovered from the backyard of the house belonging to Pandher, the Noida police arrested him and Koli on December 29, 2006 after a nationwide uproar over the horrific killings.

Moninder Singh Pandher at the CBI court in Ghaziabad. (Sakib Ali / HT Photo)

The parents of the 20-year-old identified the clothes and slippers of their daughter. The DNA test later confirmed that she was among those killed, Sharma added.

In January 2007, the CBI took over investigation from the police and re-registered 19 cases in which they could file charge sheets in only 16.

Koli was chargesheeted in all 16 cases for murder, abduction, destruction of evidence and attempted rape. Pandher was only chargesheeted in a single case under the sections of Immoral Trafficking Act.

But after complaints by the victims families, the CBI court in Ghaziabad in November 2007 summoned Pandher as a co-accused in five other cases. He is now facing trial in four more cases, including the one in which he was chargesheeted by the CBI.

It is the repeat of the first case (decided in 2009) where we were held guilty and later acquitted by the high court. We have no option but to move high court for relief after the quantum is pronounced. My father is still in bad state of health and suffers heart ailment along with diabetes, said Karan, Pandhers son.

The Nithari killings took place in 2005 and 2006 when minor girls, young women and children disappeared mysteriously from around Pandhers Sector 31 residence in Noida.

The CBI said Koli, who is from Mangrukhal in Uttarakhand, lured victims to his employers house where he attempted rape and later dismembered their body parts, which were later packed in bags and thrown in the backyard.

I am still innocent and will contest my other case myself. I have taken up all the arguments myself in the case and need no lawyers for other cases as well, Koli said.
Nearly three years after he stepped out of Dasna jail for the first time since his 2006 arrest, businessman Moninder Singh Pandher on Saturday walked back into prison after being convicted by a CBI court in Ghaziabad.

Pandher was on Saturday held guilty in a case of murder and attempted rape of a 20-year-old woman, Pinki Sarkar, one of the 19 victims of Noidas Nithari serial killings. The quantum of punishment against him will be pronounced on Monday.

Pandher, who hails from Chandigarh and is nearing 60, suffers from a number of health ailments, including heart problem and diabetes. His family says that most of his ailments occurred due to his first stint in jail.

Saturdays judgment has come as a shocker as there was hardly any evidence against him. Once again, he will be lodged in jail till the appeal is taken up by the high court. In the first case too, he was held guilty but later acquitted by the high court. It seems that we have to go through the same procedure again and the other cases seem to be heading in the same direction, said Karan, Pandhers son.

All this has taken a toll on his health. He now suffers from heart ailment and is very weak, he added.

Pandher, once a successful businessman who dealt in JCB machines, suffered major setbacks after his name cropped up in the Nithari killings. The CBI initially did not chargesheet Pandher, but he was later made a co-accused after court took cognizance of complaints and issued summoning order.

On the other hand, Surinder Koli, a native of Mangrukhal in Uttarakhand, has been in jail since he was arrested along with Pandher in December 2006 and lodged in Dasna. Kolis old mother still lives in a small rickety house at Mangrukhal, while his wife  along with two minor children, including a son born after Koli was jailed  have moved to NCR in search of a livelihood and have preferred to remain anonymous.

They came once to meet me in jail. Since then, I have no knowledge about their whereabouts. I am studying my case documents and contesting my own case for the past couple of years. Initially, I was given legal tips by an inmate who was lodged here in connection with a bomb blast case. After that, I have been arguing my own cases and appearing on behalf of myself in arguments in 55 hearings at the court, Koli said.

After his arrest, Koli was first put in an isolation cell for nearly nine years, before being moved to the common cell, along with other inmates.

Koli, 43, said that his CrPC 164 (statements before magistrate in 2007) statements have proved to be a nail in the coffin, which will make him guilty in every case.

I argued that the statements were recorded while I was in CBIs custody. I never named the 20-year-old victim in my statements. Neither have her parents lodged a case against me. Her DNA matched with her parents. But how can the killing be connected to me? I know I will have similar fate in other cases too, but I will continue to represent my case strongly, he added.

Out of the 16 cases registered, judgments in eight have been delivered by the CBI court at Ghaziabad. The other cases are at different stages of trial.

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Uncredited posters lambasting JD (U) spokespersons for their unwarranted comments on the situation arising from the CBI FIR on RJD chief Lalu Prasads son and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, hit the busy intersections of the state capital on Friday.

The posters came at a time when Bihars ruling grand alliance partners, the RJD and JD (U) remained locked in a stand off over the latters demand that Tejashwi should come clean on the CBI naming him as a beneficiary in the land for railways hotels case and his silence on the same.

This case pertains to Lalu Prasads tenure as railways minister (2004-09), during which railways hotels were leased to private parties in lieu of gift of land in Patna as quid pro quo.

The question doing the round was who could have done it, for nobody had a clue.

The posters claim the four JD(U) spokespersons  Ajay Alok, Sanjay Singh, Shyam Rajak and Neeraj Kumar -- were issuing statements at the behest of BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who was the first to go public with the revelation that Tejashwi had turned up a beneficiary of the land.

But JD (U) spokesmen were quick to dismiss the claim made in posters as absurd.

I put forth my views as a party spokesperson and nobody can stop me for doing so, said JD(U)s Sanjay Singh, adding, Nobody can stop my freedom of expression by putting up posters.

Another party spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar, whose name also figures on the poster, dared the person to come forward. Why is he hiding? Everybody has the freedom of expression, Kumar said.

A senior JD(U) leader, on conditions of anonymity, said the posters appeared to be the handiwork of forces within the RJD as they are cornered on the issue of the JD (U) position of zero tolerance on corruption.

But RJD state spokesperson Ashok Kumar Sinha was prompt to deny the charge. We suspect the BJPs mischief club is at it to create further rift within the GA, he said.

The poster makes it apparent that somebody is jittery over continuous attack on Tejashwi even after his meeting with the CM (in Patna, early this week), said a GA leader.

A poster war among constituents of ruling grand alliance in Bihar is not new. Sometime back, the JD(U) faced flak from its coalition partners, the RJD and the Congress, after several posters were put in the state capital applauding Nitish Kumars decision to support former Bihar governor Ram Nath Kovind for the post of President.

The posters were put up by local JD(U) leader Chotu Singh and had pictures of state party president Bashishtha Narayan Singh, water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and RCP Singh, MP and a close aide of the Bihar CM.

The GA in Bihar, which is facing rough weather in the state, suffered another embarrassment on Saturday when Congress also joined the issue and sought its vice president Rahul Gandhis intervention on the issue of corruption rocking the alliance.

Congress Kadwa MLA Shakeel Ahmed wrote a letter in this regard to the Congress VP and demanded that he convene a meeting to clarify partys stand.

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Already worried over the extra financial burden the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) is going to put on its langar sewa, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is also fighting rumours that it will get itself registered for the new taxation regime.

Trashing media reports, SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh, on whose quote the information was disseminated, clarified that the apex gurdwara body has not applied for registration under the GST. The new taxation system is likely to put additional burden of Rs 10 crore on the SGPC for its langar sewa.

He said the SGPC is negotiating with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, finance minister Arun Jaitley and chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to get the exemption.

In another press note issued the same day, SGPC additional secretary (media) Kulwinder Singh Ramdas trashed the report that SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar had stated that if the governments does not exempt langar from the GST, the time period of community kitchen would be shortened. The SGPC chief never said this, clarified Ramdas. According to the release, Badungar had said: Should the SGPC shorten the time period of langar to cover up the burden of Rs 10 crore?

SGPC, SAD misleading on GST: Aujla

Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar Gurjit Singh Aujla alleged that the SGPC chief has made the statement regarding shortening of langar timing, which is condemnable.

In a release issued here on Friday, Aujla said: One needs to understand the GST before playing with the sentiments of the sangat and followers. The GST rates have to be considered before jumping to a conclusion that how much the SGPC will lose due to its implementation.

Aujla explained that 80% of the items used for langar fall in the 0% category and the remaining 20% in the 5% to 12% GST slab. Still, all items used to prepare langar should be exempted, he said.
A week after Ludhiana pastor Sultan Masih, 50, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in the Salem Tabri area of the city on July 15, the members of the community have threatened to hold protests if the culprits are not nabbed by July 24 (Monday).

We will hold Masihs memorial service on July 24. Till then, the police should be able to arrest the culprits else the Christian community that is living under fear would be forced to hold protest demonstrations in Ludhiana,

Albert Dua, a member of the state minority commission, told a press conference in the city on Saturday.

He alleged that some members of the Christian community were also getting threats after the killing of Masih.

After the incident, anti-social elements have already threatened a pastor in Haibowal and a sister in Kila Mohalla. We cannot let our people die. The administration must ensure our security, said Dua.

Dua also cautioned political leaders who have visited the family of Masih during recent past of using the incident to generate political controversy or mileage.

Over the past week, many senior political leaders of Punjab have visited the wife and children of Masih. These people should understand that the family has lost its bread winner and visits of political leaders are disturbing them, he added.

Give ASIs job to son

He added that Masihs son should at least be given the job of an assistant sub-inspector with the police. It seems that that the government has decided to employ Masihs son as a constable in the police department, he said.

Khaira should prove our role or apologise: BJP

Punjab BJP on Saturday condemned the statement of leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira, wherein he had alleged that the RSS, the VHP and the BJP might have a hand in the murder of a church priest in Ludhiana. Punjab BJP vice-president Harjit Singh Grewal and party secretary Vineet Joshi said Khaira must prove his allegation or apologise .

By pinning the blame of the murder of pastor Sultan Masih on the BJP, the RSS and the VHP, the newly-elected leader of opposition has made a mockery of himself. RSS is an organisation which respects all religions and its leaders have sacrificed their lives for the nation, a statement from the party said.

Punjab RSS chief Brij Bhushan Singh Bedi said, With such kind of statements, Khaira is creating communal tension and trying to disturb the states peace.
An enthusiastic Rotary Club accorded a warm welcome to Ambala-origin US citizen Ravi K Bansal, 68, when his single-engine Cessna 400 landed at the local Indian Air Force station on Friday.

Bansal is the first Indian to fly solo over 25,000 miles after taking off from Buffalo in New York on July 4. Talking to mediapersons, Bansal said landing in Ambala was the most satisfying moment of his journey, as it was from here that he left for the US as a student in 1971.

Bansal is on a mission: Raise funds raise funds for terminally ill cancer patients in and around Ambala.

He wants to raise $750,000 (Rs 4.8 crore) to purchase a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine for the Rotary Cancer and General Hospital. It will be a tribute to his sister-in-law Sneh Bansal, who was instrumental in bringing him up. She died of cancer.

Bansal said his bond with India was intact all through 46 years, as his family was still based in Ambala and Kasauli. He said his mission was a humble contribution to the people of the land of his birth.

Will collect funds by next year

After touching over 15 countries in the last 16 days, Bansal has been able to raise only $100,000 (Rs 65 lakh) as of now. I am not disheartened and hope to accomplish the task during the remaining leg of my tour, he said. I will flying over 15 more countries in Asia and Europe besides the US and Canada.

Bansal said he had sold his company for $170 million and was in touch with several US and India philanthropic agencies, and the amount will be collected by early next year. The Good Samaritan said he did not want any publicity for his feat but want publicity for the cause, which was very close to his heart. Bansal got his pilot licence in 1977 and had purchased his first plane in 1987. He bought the plane being used by him in 2006 and has spent over $100,000 from his own pocket.

Bansals wife Pratibha and elder brother Subhash Bansal were among the people who had gathered to receive him.
Sikh extremist groups based in Belgium and Germany are on the Punjab Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) radar for the murder of Ludhiana pastor Sultan Masih, 50, who was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in the Salem Tabri area of the city on July 15.

Following intelligence inputs, the role of sleeper cells of extremists groups is being investigated. Germany is considered a hub of Sikh extremists.

The Centre has on many occasions drawn the attention of the German government towards the presence and activities of individuals and organisations linked to extremist and terrorist elements operating in India, particularly Sikh extremists. The Khalistan flag and photographs of terrorists bearing weapons are openly displayed in many Sikh religious places in Germany.

NO CLUE OF KILLERS YET

However, the police have so far failed to trace the pastors killers, exposing its inability to bust the gangs behind selective killings. Sources said the police have no idea from where the attackers came and disappeared after the committing crime. Ludhiana police, sources said, scanned more than 500 footages of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the area and exit points of the city, but have failed to get any clue about the killers.

Be it the killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Jagdish Gagneja, murder of Namdhari sect matriarch Chand Kaur and other high-profile cases in the past, officials dealing with the cases admitted that assailants did not left any trace at the crime spot. However, motorcycles were used in all killings.

In Gagnejas case, the bike-borne assailants entered Jalandhar from the Phagwara side, but in the pastors killing, no such clue is there. In both the cases, the attackers have not been caught on the camera, said an investigator.

SERIOUS LAW AND ORDER PROBLEM

You cannot withdraw yourself by blaming Pakistan in every case where you dont have a clue. There is serious law and order problem in Punjab. The attackers are selecting soft targets and are disappearing. It is a failure of the police, said a senior minister in the Captain Amarinder Singh government.

PROBE ROLE OF HINDU HARDLINERS

Newly elected leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly Sukhpal Khaira said the role of Hindu hardliners should be probed in pastors killing. Khaira, who was in Ludhiana on Friday to meet the pastors family, also questioned the role of Punjab Police in investigating the killings of religious leaders. The murder of Ludhiana pastor is utter failure of the police. Director general of police Suresh Arora is hinting at a foreign hand behind the murder. You cannot get away every time by blaming Pakistan for all crimes in this border state.

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Saanjh, the first Himachali film, is now available online at jltplex.com. The Ajay Saklani directorial, which was released in cinema halls across India in April 2017, has already travelled across the world and received global accolades. The film has been screened in multiple countries and even won the Best Feature Film at Borrego Springs Film Festival (USA), Award of Merit at Accolade Global Film Competition (USA).

The debutant director also ensured that the movie reached Himachali towns and villages that did not have theatres by arranging projector screens. Speaking about the movies online release, Saklani said, Today cinema is truly global. There are no language, geographical or cultural borders when it comes to films. My film is an honest, engaging film about familial love and friendship, something that anyone can connect with.

He added, It also happens to be the first ever Himachali feature film released, so I am looking forward to receiving support from the Himachali community in India and abroad. JLTplex.com is ideal for me as it already has an Indian and International following, along with very transparent content owner collaboration options.

jltplex.com, a new TVOD platform that curates web series, short films and feature films for international audiences, has decided to launch Saanjh. Founder Harini Daddala noted, JLTplex was created with the aim to give independent filmmakers a platform and give viewers from across the globe quality content. Our large Indian population outside India is often at a loss, since majority movies dont release abroad and existing Indian online sites are not available to them. We think its our responsibility to push out our filmmakers to Indian and global audiences. We are very excited to have Saanjh release with us, he continued.

The flick, which boasts of gorgeous cinematography, revolves around an emotional journey of a 16-year-old girl, Sanju, who is sent back to their remote ancestral village to live with her grandmother for getting into trouble in Delhi. Isolated and dejected, Sanju encounters ill-mannered house guest Jonga and finds surprising solace in his company. Together they hatch a plot for Sanju to escape the village.

The movie, which is introducing Aditi Charak, Vishal Parpagga and Rupeshwari Sharma, also features two well known Bollywood actors Asif Basra and Taranjit Kaur.

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Three Palestinians were killed in street clashes in Jerusalem and three Israelis died in a stabbing attack at a West Bank settlement as tensions turned into violence over the Holy Lands most contested shrine.

A Palestinian sneaked into a home in the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank after nightfall on Friday and stabbed to death three Israelis, the military said.

The attacker apparently jumped over the fence and infiltrated the familys home, surprising them as they ate the traditional Sabbath evening meal. It said the Palestinian killed a man and two of his children, while a woman was wounded and taken to a hospital. The mans grandchildren were present but not harmed, it said.

The army released footage showing a blood-covered kitchen floor. It said senior military officials were meeting overnight to discuss how to proceed.

A military spokesman called the Palestinian attack a massacre.

Israel TVs Channel 10 said the assailant was in his late teens and had posted on Facebook that he was upset by the events at the Jerusalem shrine. Eli Bin, the head of Israels rescue service MDA, said an off-duty soldier next door heard screams, rushed to the home and shot the attacker through a window. Bin said the wounded attacker was taken to a hospital.

A Palestinian mourns as others behind him carry the body of Mohammed Abu Ghannam, who was shot dead during clashes with Israeli forces, during his funeral in Al-Tur area of east Jerusalem, on July 21, 2017. (AFP Photo)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, announced that he is freezing ties with Israel, dealing a blow to fledgling Trump administration efforts to try to renew long-dormant peace talks.

Abbas said contacts with Israel would be suspended on all levels. It was not immediately clear if this means long-standing security coordination between Israeli troops and Abbas forces will be halted.

At issue in the current round of violence are metal detectors Israel installed at the Jerusalem shrine this week in response to an attack by Arab gunmen there.

The metal detectors are perceived by the Palestinians as an encroachment on Muslim rights and portrayed by Israel as a needed security measure following the attack that killed two Israeli policemen.

Earlier Friday, several thousand Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank clashed with Israeli troops, burning tires or throwing stones and firecrackers. Troops fired live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen hospitalized with live or rubber bullet injuries.

White clouds of tear gas rose from Jerusalem streets and West Bank flashpoints. In one neighborhood, Palestinians threw stones from behind a mattress used as a shield.

A Palestinian protester uses a sling to hurl stones towards Israeli troops during clashes near the border between Israel and central Gaza Strip July 21. (Reuters Photo)

Israel also faced growing criticism from the Muslim world, and thousands staged anti-Israel protests after Friday prayers in Jordan and Yemen. Turkey and Egypt also condemned the violence.

The confrontations could escalate in coming days as both sides dig in.

Israel said the metal detectors would remain in place. Lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel would not surrender to what he said was violence and incitement by those attempting to drag us into a religious war.

Jerusalems top Muslim cleric, Mohammed Hussein, said protests, including mass street prayers outside the shrine, would continue until the devices are removed. He told worshippers Friday that they should prepare for a long test of wills with Israel.

We will not back off, he said.

The shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, sits at the emotional epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, symbolizing the rival religious and national narratives of the two sides.

Disputes over the 37-acre (15-hectare) walled hilltop platform in Jerusalems Old City have repeatedly triggered major confrontations in the past.

Muslim leaders have portrayed the metal detectors as part of a purported Israeli campaign to expand its control over the shrine  a claim Israel denies. Muslim clerics urged worshippers to pray in the streets near the shrine, rather than submit to the new security procedures.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas gives a speech during a meeting of Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah on July 21, 2017. (AFP Photo)

The faithful complied. Thousands flocked to the Old City each day this week for street prayers, kneeling on mats spread on cobblestone and asphalt.

On Friday, the highlight of the Muslim religious week, Israeli police severely restricted Muslim access to the Old City to prevent mass protests.

Some 3,000 officers were deployed at checkpoints in and around the city, turning away Muslim men under the age of 50, including those trying to reach the city from Israel and the West Bank.

In the end, only a fraction of the typical Friday turnout of tens of thousands of worshippers reached the Old City.

After peaceful prayers, clashes erupted in several areas of Jerusalem and across the West Bank.

Palestinian health officials said three Palestinians were killed by live fire in different areas of Jerusalem.

The Red Crescent said 390 Palestinians were hurt, including close to 100 who were hospitalized for live fire or rubber bullet injuries. Israeli police said five officers were wounded.

The perceived threat to the shrine, home to the Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, has galvanized Palestinians  especially those in east Jerusalem which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly annexed.

Since 1967, Israel has increasingly cut off east Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland, leaving the citys Arab residents without political leadership.

Muslim clerics stepped into the void this week, taking the lead in prayer protests.

Under the post-1967 arrangements, Muslims administer the compound. Jews can visit, but not pray there. For decades, the status quo held, in part because leading rabbis, citing religious purity laws, banned Jews from entering.

In recent years, religious opinion has shifted, and growing numbers of Jews are visiting the compound. This shift has stoked Muslim fears that Israel may try to expand Jewish control there. Israel has reiterated that it has no intention to change the status quo.

Fakhri Abu Diab, a 55-year-old worshipper, said he feels Muslims must stand their ground.

If we let them, they (Israelis) will take over the mosque completely, he said, standing near the Old City. If we resist them, they will stop.

The compound is the third holiest site of Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. It is also Judaisms holiest site, once home to biblical Temples.
Hours before he was to help commission a new aircraft carrier at a patriotic ceremony on the Virginia coast, President Donald Trump fired off a volley of early morning tweets that again showed how furious he remains over multiple investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The tweets were unusual in their breadth and scope, even for Trump, given the wide variety of topics he touched on as Saturday dawned. His 10 tweets, all sent within two hours starting before 6.30am, ranged from the Russia investigation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Hillary Clinton, the health care effort and his newly appointed White House communications director.

Trump said in one missive: While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS.

The Washington Post recently reported that Trump has inquired about the authority he has as president to pardon aides, relatives or even himself in connection with the widening investigation into Russian interference in the election and whether any Trump associates were involved.

The president has long criticised leaks of information about the investigation and has urged authorities to prosecute leakers.

Trump maintains that no crimes have been committed.

One of Trumps attorneys, Jay Sekulow, said the president has not discussed the issue of pardons with his outside legal team.

Next week, Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.; his son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner; and Paul Manafort, a former campaign chairman, are scheduled to appear before Senate committees investigating Russian meddling.

Trump defended his son, saying he openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails! Trumps namesake has become a focus of the investigation after it was revealed that he, Kushner and Manafort met with Russian representatives at Trump Tower in June 2016. Trump Jr. later released email exchanges concerning the meeting on Twitter, after learning that The New York Times was about to publish them.

The FBI investigated Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state. She turned thousands of emails over to the government, but deleted thousands of others that she said were personal or unrelated to her work as the nations top diplomat.

Trump also complained Saturday about a Washington Post report that the Russian ambassador to the US said he discussed election-related issues with Jeff Sessions when the men met during the 2016 presidential race. Sessions, now the attorney general, at the time was a U.S. senator and foreign policy adviser to Trump.

Trump tweeted: A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop!

The Post on Friday cited anonymous US officials who described US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks descriptions of his meetings with Sessions.

The Justice Department said Sessions stands by his previous assertion that he never had conversations with Russian officials about any type of interference with the election.

Trump also said Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace the Obama-era health care law. An effort to advance legislation collapsed in the Senate earlier this week after several Republicans said they wouldnt vote for the bill.

Trump ended the tweet with Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!
A prosecutor says that a German girl, who ran away from home after converting to Islam, has been found in Iraq.

Dresden prosecutor Lorenz Haase told The Associated Press on Saturday that 16-year-old Linda W, whose surname wasnt given in line with German privacy law, is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy there.

Haase wouldnt confirm media reports that the teenager from Pulsnitz in eastern Germany had been fighting for the Islamic State group in Mosul.

He said that our information ends with the girls arrival in Istanbul about a year ago, adding that further details about her whereabouts are part of an investigation.

Several female IS fighters were detained by Iraqs military in Mosul recently, but Haase couldnt confirm that the German girl was part of that group.
A toilet paper wedding dress with 1,500 hand-cut butterflies made by a mother of two in her spare time won the $10,000 first prize in a quirky New York fashion competition on Thursday and a bride-in-need may have the chance to wear it down the aisle.

Models present wedding dresses made out of toilet paper during the fashion show by Cheap Chic Weddings and Quilted Northern toilet paper. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

Ripleys Believe It or Not!, which exhibits winning entries every year, is donating about 20 of the top gowns to brides whose plans were shattered by the sudden bankruptcy of wedding dressmaker Alfred Angelo last week.

A designer is pictured backstage fixing a wedding dress made out of toilet paper before the model heads out on to the ramp. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

Kari Curletto said she spent three months on her submission Quilted Enchantment, with its six-foot cathedral train. It was her first entry, one of 1,517 this year, in the 13-year-old toilet paper dress competition sponsored by Cheap Chic Weddings and Quilted Northern toilet paper.

1,517 entries constructed entirely of toilet paper were submitted to this years fashion show. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

It kind of feels like Im dreaming right now, Curletto said in an interview after her win. Halfway through I was going to quit. I was crying and thinking, Well, I just cant do it. Its too much, and a butterfly flew into my yard and landed on my hand.

A model presents a wedding dress with an intricately detailed trail resembling lace constructed out of toilet paper. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

Curletto, an actress living in Las Vegas, fashioned the dress from toilet paper, glue, glitter and tape, working at night after her children went to bed.

A detail view an entry featuring elaborate tassels and a sceptre, submitted to this years fashion show. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

Brides-in-need should contact Ripleys by July 28 for a chance to get a paper gown, spokeswoman Suzanne Smagala-Potts said by phone. The exhibitor has yet to choose which ones will be donated, she added.

The winning entry fetched a prize of $10,000 and may even be included in the offerings being given away by Ripleys. (Carlo Allegri / REUTERS)

Florist Roy Cruz of Chesapeake, Virginia, won in 2015 and 2016. His submission this year, a two-piece floral ball gown featuring snowflake cut-outs was voted fan favourite.
An Indian man, who was ordered deported, has been convicted for using fake identity to obtain American citizenship, an acting US attorney has said.

Balbir Singh aka Ranjit Singh, 50, faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a maximum $250,000 possible fine, revocation of his citizenship and enforcement of his outstanding deportation order.

According to acting US attorney Abe Martinez, Balbir Singh had previously attempted to obtain asylum under false pretences. When that attempt failed, an immigration judge then ordered his deportation from the US, thus making him ineligible to ever become a naturalised citizen.

A resident of Houston, Singh, instead of leaving the country, changed his name, date of birth, the manner in which he entered the US and his familial history so that he could obtain lawful immigration status, and later naturalisation, based on a marriage to a US citizen.

In the process of obtaining the citizenship, he denied ever being ordered deported, seeking asylum or using a different identity.

In addition, Singh sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2013. In it, he complained about the anxiety and frustration he experienced in having to wait for an extended period at the airport every time he returned from an international trip due to discrepancies in his biometric information. He requested DHS clear these discrepancies, the Justice Department said.

After obtaining the citizenship, a fingerprint comparison established the man previously ordered deported from the US (Balbir Singh) and the man who later became a naturalised citizen (Ranjit Singh) were one and the same.

Accepting the plea, US district judge Ewing Werlein set sentencing for October 13.
US attorney general Jeff Sessions is reported to have discussed the 2016 presidential campaign with the Russian ambassador to the US, contrary to earlier assertions that he hadnt.

Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Sessions had substantive discussions about the campaign and then Republican candidate Donald Trumps views on key foreign policy matters, The Washington Post reported on Friday, citing American intelligence officials who had seen intercepts of the envoys communications to Moscow.

After first omitting to acknowledge meeting any Russian official at all, Sessions, who was the top foreign policy adviser to Trump, had gone on to say that though he did meet Kislyak three times in 2016, he never discussed the campaign or Russian efforts to influence the election outcome.

Sessions felt forced by the ensuing uproar to recuse himself from the Russia probe being run by the FBI, which reports to the justice department he heads.

But that didnt go down too well with Trump, who took the unusual step of publicly upbraiding Sessions in an interview last week. And on Saturday, he slammed the new revelations for drawing upon a new intelligence leak, but he did not question the veracity of the information or defend his attorney general.

Trump might be saving himself for potential blowbacks from testimonies his son Donald Trump Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner are scheduled to give in closed-door sessions on Capitol Hill. These will be the first by people from the presidents inner circle and will be monitored closely.

The justice department has pushed back against the new allegations, with a spokesperson saying in a statement to the Post, I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept.

in Sessions defence, the Russian envoy might have overstated his conversations or embellished them to either make himself look good with Moscow or confuse and mislead American intelligence, who he knew were monitoring his communications.
The fridges are nearly full at the morgue in Mosul where the casualties of war with Islamic State are stored.

So many bodies are brought in that the morgue workers struggle to identify and bury the dead fast enough to make space for the next batch that arrives with grim regularity, as the citys residents clear up after nine months of urban warfare.

The battle for Mosul is over, but the task of sorting out the dead is only just beginning.

A lot of blood has been shed, said an employee at the morgue, who asked not to be named. Iraq used to have two rivers: the Tigris and the Euphrates. Now we have a third: the river of blood.

The full scale of the losses may never be known. Morgue and rescue workers said they were now receiving bodies at a rate of at least 30 to 40 per day  most of them killed by air strikes that helped dislodge the militants.

Inside one of the fridges, black body bags stacked to the side contain the remains of civilians who were methodically gunned down by Islamic State snipers, behind a soft-drinks factory as they fled towards Iraqi security forces in June.

A woman at the morgue had just identified one of them as her mother: Ive been searching for her body for a month and a half, she said. What she found hardly resembled her mother, but she recognised the clothing and contents of her pocket.

All that remained of one man was a shrivelled foot, brought to the morgue wrapped in a dust-clogged jacket. Relatives identified it from the sock the man wore when an air strike crushed him to death beneath his own home, a morgue worker said.

The numbers are higher than we expected, said Dr Modhar al-Omary, the head of the morgue in east Mosul. We keep hoping the flow will decrease, but so far it hasnt.

Retrieving the dead

Leading the effort to recover corpses decaying beneath the rubble is the Civil Defence Force.

I cant even smell it anymore, said Lieutenant Colonel Rabia at the forces headquarters in west Mosul.

Retrieving the dead is itself a potentially lethal endeavour: Last week, a member of the Civil Defence Force was killed when a bomb buried under the ruins of a home exploded as he tried to free bodies trapped there.

The worker who drove the bulldozer, clearing the way for bodies to be taken out, was also wounded and has since quit, severely affecting the teams capabilities.

Adding to their woes, they have not been paid since the government suspended salaries to its employees in areas under Islamic State control nearly three years ago.

If we dont do it, who will? said Civil Defence worker Ahmed Abdulqader, asked why he continued working without pay. We are serving our country.

The Civil Defence Force only recovers bodies to which relatives of the deceased lead them. The rest are left in the rubble for now. Otherwise, there would be too many corpses to fit in the fridges at the morgue, and it would be harder for relatives to identify them.

When an unidentified body is brought to the morgue, it is kept in the fridge for some time. If nobody claims it, the remains are photographed and buried in a numbered plot by the Mosul municipality so they can be located if anyone comes searching in future.

A wounded Iraqi boy flees the Old City of Mosul on July 3. (AFP File Photo)

Identity

Beyond identifying and burying the hundreds killed during the battle, an even bigger challenge looms.

The status of all the people who died during three years of Islamic State rule, whether from natural or unnatural causes, is ambiguous.

Many of them were buried informally, or received death certificates issued by Islamic State, but the Iraqi government does not recognise those.

Without an Iraqi death certificate, relatives of the deceased cannot claim compensation from the government, but to obtain one, the body must be dug up so the identity can be verified.

Yasin Abdullahs brother died in February when a car bomb parked outside the entrance to his home in west Mosul blew up. He was buried in the yard of a nearby school because it was too dangerous to make the trip to a graveyard.

The school has re-opened now, but Abdullah has yet to receive permission from the court to dig up his brothers grave.

How will I secure my brothers rights and his childrens? he asked.

The authorities want to check they were not Islamic State members, for whom Iraqi authorities do not issue death certificates.

As for their bodies, they are left to rot in the sun, said Civil Defence worker Ayham Abdelhamad: There are hungry animals around - they can eat them.
Amidst fears that Pakistans Supreme Court will ask Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down for corruption in the Panama Papers leaks case, the ruling PML-N party is understood to be finalising names for a replacement.

The premier chaired a high-profile meeting of party leaders on Friday and Saturday, ending with a decision  that Nawaz would not tender his resignation.

Earlier this week, PML-N announced it would accede to the Supreme Courts orders, fuelling speculation that the party prepared for a change at the top. PML-N leaders also argued on Friday and Saturday that if Nawaz Sharif steps down, it will give him more time to focus on the 2018 general elections.

Shahbaz Sharif Nawazs younger brother and chief minister of Punjab province  is favourite for the job. He seems to have escaped indictment in the joint investigation team (JIT) report and is being reinforced as an all-important player of the Sharif family.

However, Shahbaz will have to win a national assembly seat in order to be elected as leader of the house. Given this complication, the party seems to have narrowed down on three names for an interim premier  defence minister Khwaja Asif, planning minister Ahsan Iqbal and speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Analysts also say that while Shahbaz may likely replace Nawaz if the latter is disqualified, the party would not allow anyone else to take charge of Punjab province  politically, the important province in Pakistan.

One name missing from the list of possible candidates is of interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Nisar is a senior member of the party but has reportedly developed differences with Nawaz Sharif over the handling of the Panama Papers leaks case. Nisar also criticized him for listening to junior party members, blaming them for the poor fortunes that the PML-N currently finds itself in.

This week, Nisar put another cog in the wheels, telling a party meeting that he would not serve under a junior member selected as interim prime minister and argued that Asif was not suited for the top job.
The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any coercive aspects.

We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects, Gary Ross, a Defense Department spokesman, told PTI.

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension free of any coercive aspects.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National security adviser Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later this month. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

We refer you to the governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters, Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As Chinas military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance Chinas influence, General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing Chinas decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations, he said in written response to the questions.
Polands senate approved a controversial reform of the Supreme Court on Saturday, despite warnings from the European Union, appeals from Washington and massive street protests against the measure.

The legislation, which was pushed through by parliament Wednesday, was approved by 55 senators, with 23 opposed and two abstentions.

During the 15-hour debate thousands of demonstrators took to the streets nationwide to protest the law, which reinforces political control over the Supreme Court.

After the vote, protesters gathered in front of parliament shouting Shame! Traitors! and Democracy!.

The reform of the Supreme Court, which supervises lower courts, still needs to be signed by President Andrzej Duda, himself from the ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, to become law.

The head of state has 21 days to sign the document, veto it, or, if in doubt, submit it to the constitutional court.

The opposition and protesters are all calling on Duda to veto the reform, as well as two other measures recently adopted which they say increase the control of the executive branch of government over the judiciary.

The opposition argues the measures amount to a coup detat but the PiS says the reforms are essential to rationalise the judicial system and fight corruption.

The PiS, which began making judiciary changes after coming to power in late 2015, has argued resistance to the initiatives is a case of the elite defending their privileges.

Under the current system, candidates for the Supreme Court are selected by an independent body consisting mainly of judges but also included a few politicians.

The European Commission has warned against the changes, threatening to halt Polands voting rights in the 28-nation bloc further down the line -- a so-called nuclear option that the EU had never invoked.

The EU first warned Poland in early 2016 over reforms of the constitutional court, whose main role is to check that laws comply with the constitution.

Those changes resulted in tilting the makeup of the court in the conservatives favour and installing a PiS ally as the chief justice.

While noting that Poland was a close ally of Washington, the US State Department said America was concerned by the legislation, according to a statement.

Last week, both houses of parliament adopted two other contested pieces of judicial legislation, including a bill stating that the justice minister will name the chief justices of Polands common courts.

The second bill stipulates that from now on the parliament, instead of an independent body, will choose the members of the National Council of the Judiciary, which is meant to protect the independence of the courts.
Sean Spicer burst onto the public stage six months ago with a scolding rant against reporters, accusing them of lowballing the size of President Donald Trumps Inauguration Day crowd.

Following a turbulent half-year run as White House press secretary, Spicer is leaving the building with a final burst of drama after rejecting what amounted to a downsizing of his role.

Until he got swept up in Trumps orbit, Spicer had been a party functionary for the Republican National Committee, well known and respected among Washington political operatives and reporters but with no national profile.

As Trumps frontman at televised White House news briefings, however, the 45-year-old achieved a certain fame for defending the president at all costs through a variety of crises that have beset Trumps young presidency.

He became instantly recognizable around the country and an inspiration for social media memes. His live televised briefings drew big audiences for cable TV.

Spicer was lampooned on NBCs Saturday Night Live, with Melissa McCarthy playing the combative Spicey character, swallowing gum and driving a motorized lectern into actors playing reporters who asked hard questions.

Asked what he thought of the show, Spicer told Fox News in an interview on Friday: I think that there were parts of it that were funny, but theres a lot of it that was over the line. It wasnt funny. It was stupid, or silly, or malicious.

Over time, however, Trump felt he was not being defended strongly enough by his communications team and that there were not enough people advocating for him on TV, according to a Republican close to the White House.

In a crushing snub, Spicer, a devout Roman Catholic, was kept off the list of White House officials who met Pope Francis when Trump visited the Vatican in May.

With Trump eager to make changes in his communications team, the president began courting Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financial whiz who has been an eloquent defender of Trump in TV interviews.

Scaramucci is a prominent Republican fundraiser who advised Trump during his presidential campaign last year after working first on rival Scott Walkers campaign until it fizzled.

Trump met Scaramucci on Thursday and talked about making him communications director, and planned a formal job interview and offer on Friday.

President Donald Trump accompanied by, from second from left, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Vice President Mike Pence, White House press secretary Sean Spicer and National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Almost from Day One, it was clear that Sean Spicer would ride a uniquely rocky and humiliating road as President Donald Trumps White House press secretary. (AP File Photo)

Spicer was dubious when told he would continue in the duties of press secretary and communications director with Scaramucci, who is not experienced in the ways of Washington, taking over the ceremonial title, a source close to the White House press operation said.

This is a joke, the source said. Trump wanted Scaramucci on television as a surrogate for the White House and wanted to give him more of a formal title. There was simply no understanding by the president that the communications director title comes with lots of responsibilities, not just going on television.

When Trump went ahead with the hire on Friday and asked Spicer to stay on, Spicer had had enough, telling the president he was resigning, the source said.

After the announcement was made to the White House communications staff at midmorning, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus huddled with Spicer and Scaramucci privately.

Spicer told Fox News the president did not want him to go and had been very gracious throughout this process.

I just thought it was in the best interest of our communications department, of our press organization to not have too many cooks in the kitchen, he said.

Trump tweeted late on Friday: Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!

Spicer, spotted around the White House complex, was described by colleagues as in a good mood and feeling he had made the right decision.
In the world of diplomacy, some things are bound to get lost in translation.

US President Donald Trump, who sat next to Japans first lady during a dinner at a recent international summit, says Akie Abe cant muster even a hello in English.

In fact, she can handle a basic conversation in English, according to two people who have worked on events with the first lady.

So was something lost in translation, or was there an intentional snub?

In a New York Times interview this week, the president noted that he was seated next to the Argentine and Japanese first ladies at the Group of 20 summit dinner in Hamburg, Germany.

Trump described the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a terrific woman, but doesnt speak English.

Like, not hello, the president told the newspaper. So Im sitting there. There was one interpreter for Japanese, cause otherwise it would have been even tougher. But I enjoyed the evening with her, and shes really a lovely woman, and I enjoyed  the whole thing was good.

But theres a hitch: Japans first lady apparently knows a lot more than just hello.

The Internet instantly responded, with a YouTube video emerging of Akie Abe delivering a 15-minute keynote address in English at a 2014 Ford Foundation symposium in New York. Video from a 2016 summit in Japan also features Akie seemingly following the conversation and making short comments in English at a spouses event.

The implication is that Ake Abe spoke more than enough English to politely chitchat with Trump, but instead chose to hide behind the language barrier.

The two people who have worked with the first lady both said its unthinkable to suggest Abe may have been trying to avoid a conversation with Trump. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of evaluating the first ladys English proficiency. The Japanese prime ministers office told The Associated Press that Trumps comments were based on speculation.

The two people who had worked with Akie Abe said she does frequently rely on a translator who almost always accompanies her. And she would hardly be the only Japanese official with functional English to do so.

Many Japanese officials and business leaders who speak fluent English often choose to speak in Japanese and use interpreters at public events in order to avoid misunderstanding, according to Foreign Ministry officials. They could not say if the Japanese first lady has such a policy.

The same holds true for many leaders around the world, who opt to use their native language in official settings.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is proficient in English and is often heard correcting his own translators, but he almost never speaks English in public. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also engages in small talk in English, but tends to stick to German in her official remarks.

Putin and Merkel speak to each other privately in a mixture of German and Russian, but use their native languages when the cameras are on.

There are others who make a point of speaking English in public.

Last week in Paris, Frances President Emmanuel Macron answered an American journalists question in English, which signalled a departure from French tradition of speaking in mother tongue at official events. Macron also delivered an address to the American people in English after Trump pulled out of the Paris climate change agreement.
A day after resigning as White house press secretary, Sean Spicer thanked Donald Trump in a tweet for the honour and privilege to serve him, his administration and the nation.

But there was no mention of his six-month stint at the White House on his Twitter bio, which described him as Former Chief Strategist & Comms Director @GOP , Horrable speller, Wicked @RedSox/@Patriots fan.

He seemed in a hurry to move on.

Spicer resigned after Trump decided to pick Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financier, as the new director of communications, a position that had been lying vacant for months. Trump also named Sarah Huckabee Sanders as his new press secretary, elevating her to Spicers erstwhile position, sealing a move that had been the subject of much speculation.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been named the new White House press secretary. (AFP)

Trump has for long felt frustrated by negative media coverage and had tended to blame the White House media team, specially Spicer, for not defending him adequately.

Scaramucci, called the Mooch by his friends, is from the same mould of wealthy New York businessmen as Trump himself, and is fiercely loyal to him  he was one of few who had urged Trump to stay n the race in the aftermath of the bombshell Hollywood Access tapes in which Trump had boasted about sexually assaulting women.

As head of the White House communications team, Scaramucci, addressing his first news briefing, made clear he will continue to be intensely loyal to Trump.

I think its super important for us to let him express his personality, Scaramucci said, adding, It has been a very successful life experience for president Trump to be president Trump so lets let him do that. Lets see where the chips fall.

Scaramuccis performance at his first briefing must have pleased Trump. He was easy going and seemed to be know a lot of the reporters personally. Before leaving, he also air-kissed the reporters.

The official announcements rolled in later, and were followed by a tweet by Trump, saying that Spicer was a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!
A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two others in Helmand province, officials said Saturday.

The incident took place Friday 5pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.

In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded, he said.

Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman, confirmed the strike and gave the same account.

It occurred in Gereshk district in Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control.

NATOs mission in Afghanistan issued a statement.

During a US-supported (Afghan security) operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound, it said.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident, the statement said, adding there would be a probe into what happened.

The US is the only foreign force in the coalition conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan.
A federal grand jury in Hawaii has indicted a US soldier for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.

Army Sgt 1st Class Ikaika Kang was indicted on Friday after he was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail.

The FBI said in their criminal complaint that Kang wanted to commit a mass shooting after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Because of the indictment, Kang will no longer have a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Monday.

Kangs court-appointed attorney Birney Bervar said after his detention hearing that he will ask for a mental health evaluation.

Bervar said his client may suffer from service-related mental health issues of which the government was aware but neglected to treat.
The video was shocking in Florida, where shocking videos seem like a genre. A group of teenagers laughed and watched as a man struggled in the water of a pond. The man drowned, and his body was not found for days.

The five teenagers did nothing to help him, not even call 911, but after examining the video the authorities said this week that they did not break the law.

In the state of Florida, there is no law in place that requires a person to render aid or call to render aid to a victim in distress, said Yvonne Martinez, a spokeswoman for the Cocoa Police Department. But the police said late Friday that they were still looking for other laws that might have been violated.

The man, Jamel Dunn, 31, drowned July 9, and his body was found five days later when police received a report that it was floating near the edge of the pond in a local park in Cocoa, a town of 18,000 people near Orlando.

As detectives investigated the death over the weekend, a family member of Dunns alerted them to the video, which the teenagers had begun sharing with friends.

Police asked the office of Phil Archer, the state attorney for Brevard and Seminole counties, to review the footage. But the prosecutors office said it did not contain the evidence needed for a criminal prosecution.

In the statement, the prosecutors office said it was nonetheless deeply saddened and shocked by how Dunn died and the failure of the teenagers to help him in any way.

The low-quality, 2.5-minute cellphone video was provided to The New York Times by Archers office and earlier obtained by Florida Today. It shows a man flailing in the middle of a body of water as the teenagers describe his struggle and laugh at him from the shore of the pond.

One of the teenagers, using an expletive, calls Dunn a junkie. Someone tells him not to expect any assistance: Aint nobody going to help you, you dumb bitch. You shouldnt have got in there, he says.

About a minute into the video, the man appears to let out a whimper before submerging, fully, underwater.

He just died! a voice can be heard saying, as the others begin to laugh.

Later, one of the teenagers appears to suggest that they call police, only to be rejected by another.

The police identified and met with all five, who ranged in age from 14 to 18, Martinez said. None appeared to show much emotion.
The White House has warned Tehran of new and serious consequences if it does not return the unjustly imprisoned US citizens, alleging that Iran uses detentions and hostages as a tool of state policy.

Condemning Tehran for the recent sentencing of Xiyue Wang to 10 years in prison, the White House said in a statement on Friday: President Donald Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned.

Holding Iran responsible for the care and well-being of the US citizens in its custody, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that it has used detentions and hostage taking as a tool of state policy for nearly 45 years and that it is a practice that continues to this day with the recent sentencing of Xiyue Wang to 10 years in prison.

A 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University, Xiyue is a Chinese American accused of infiltration in Iran.

Trump urges Iran to return Robert Levinson home, who has been held for over 10 years, and demands the release of Siamak and Baquer Namazi, who were taken during the Obama administration, along with all other American citizens unjustly detained by Iran, she said.

Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned, she said, adding that the administration is redoubling its efforts to bring home all Americans unjustly detained abroad.

The tough warning comes just days after Trump rowed back on a campaign promise and upheld the Iran nuclear deal, while introducing new non-nuclear related sanctions.

The United States condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process, she said.

Washington and Tehran do not share diplomatic ties since April 1980 in the wake of the Islamic revolution, and tensions have sharpened under Trump. The threat of prisoner-related sanctions opens up a new front in tensions between the two countries.
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SAN ANTONIO - A former Amazon executive says the retail giant looked at San Antonio-based supermarket chain H-E-B before the online seller, instead, decided to buy Whole Foods as part of its massive push into groceries.

Brittain Ladd - a former senior manager of strategy and expansion for Amazon's Fresh and Pantry operations - suggested buying the 391-store San Antonio chain as an entry point into traditional brick-and-mortar retail in a 2015 internal memo, he said.

While the conversations about H-E-B don't appear to have gotten very far, Ladd and other industry analysts said it's an attractive target because of its large regional footprint in Texas and Mexico as well as its strong customer loyalty. Ladd placed a value of $13 billion on the family-run operation. Industry analysts said other retailers probably have H-E-B on their shopping list as well.

H-E-B's limited reach would have allowed Amazon.com to implement a "crawl-walk-run" strategy when entering the food retail space, said Ladd, who now works as an industry consultant. That would have given Amazon time to learn how to operate H-E-B's physical grocery stores before expanding the company into other states.

The Charles Butt family, the 23rd wealthiest in the U.S., owns the chain. The privately held company sold an estimated $23 billion worth of goods in 2016 and was valued at $10.7 billion by Forbes earlier this year.

"H-E-B has proved that they're highly capable of delivering a flawless grocery experience for customers which has resulted in H-E-B establishing themselves as the preeminent grocery retailer in Texas," Ladd said in an interview. The supermarket chain, Ladd said, "has the potential to be expanded to other locations if the opportunity presented itself."

It's unclear how far Ladd's suggestion went within Amazon. Ladd said he wasn't privy to discussions within the company's acquisition team so was unsure whether Amazon executives seriously considered pursuing the San Antonio-based company, or made a formal offer to buy the chain, when the e-commerce giant began perusing for brick-and-mortar grocers.

Amazon and H-E-B officials declined to say whether the two companies held any exploratory discussions. Amazon spokesman Aaron Toso confirmed that Ladd previously worked there as a senior manager for the company's Fresh and Pantry operations.

In a statement, H-E-B spokeswoman Dya Campos said, "H-E-B fully intends on remaining a proud Texas-based, independent and private company focused on serving our customers."

Even Ladd was doubtful the Butts would sell the company their family founded in 1905.

"They have such a love affair with the company, they have such a love affair with the associates," Ladd said. "I just don't know if they would ever sell to anyone."

But H-E-B wasn't at the top of Ladd's list, he said. That spot belonged to Whole Foods. The reason? Whole Foods has a nationwide footprint of about 440 stores, while H-E-B's presence is limited to Texas and Mexico, Ladd said.

H-E-B is "very strong regionally," said Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst with SupermarketGuru.com, but Amazon would have to find other strong regional grocers to fill out its national portfolio.

"It's not about one acquisition," said Lempert, who agreed that H-E-B would be an attractive target for anyone in the industry. "It's probably about ten acquisitions."

The Whole Foods buy works out for both companies, analysts said.

Amazon gets a beefed-up distribution network that puts them within 10 miles of about 90 percent of their Prime subscription customers, Lempert said. The merger also pairs Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' ambitions to expand into food retail with the company's forays into brick-and-mortar stores - a sign that physical locations are still necessary to compete in retail.

"If you want to fish where the fish are, the fish are still swimming in brick-and-mortar when it comes to grocery," said Darren Seiffer, a food consumption analyst for the New York-based NPD Group.

Whole Foods, in turn, gets to breathe a sigh of relief, Lempert said. Whole Foods has struggled to keep other grocers like Sprouts Farmers Market and Natural Grocers off its organic turf and fend off traditional grocers such as H-E-B, Walmart and Target that are increasingly offering their own organic products.

The Austin-based organic grocery chain reported seven straight quarters of falling same-store sales, a key metric in retail performance, before activist investors pushed it to a sale.

"H-E-B doesn't need anybody to bail them out the way Whole Foods did," Lempert said.

The Amazon-Whole Foods merger still has to clear regulatory hurdles. But some lawmakers and union leaders are calling on federal regulators to halt or scrutinize the deal on anti-trust grounds. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, he is "highly skeptical" of the planned merger and plans to send a letter with the Justice Department raising concerns.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., called on the chairmen of the House Judiciary Committee and a subcommittee dealing with anti-trust law to hold hearings on the merger. And Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

If approved, the merger would give Whole Foods access to the coveted millennial consumer, Seiffer said. Whole Foods has sought to expand its consumer base to millennials with its 365 brand of stores, aimed at attracting younger and budget-conscious shoppers. And roughly 60 percent of millennials have purchased something on Amazon within the past year, Seiffer said.

But Amazon won't have direct access to H-E-B's loyal customer base, Ladd said. H-E-B - alongside Florida-based supermarket chain Publix and San Antonio financial services firm USAA - had the highest customer loyalty rating in a 2016 survey of 10,000 consumers done by the Massachusetts-based Temkin Group, a consulting firm that monitors customer experience.

"They understand the customer so well that they've been able to delight customers in Texas to the point where even a company like Walmart couldn't really impact H-E-B," Ladd said.
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Texas employers added more than 40,000 jobs in June, speeding a slow recovery from the oil downturn as drillers continue to hire rapidly to bring new production online.

That robust number brings Texas to an annualized growth rate of 2.7 percent, up from 2.4 percent last month, in line with an acceleration in job growth nationally. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent from 4.8 percent in May.

Oil and gas as well as manufacturing again led the state's growth, after a strong month in May, accounting for nearly a quarter of all positions added. Oil and gas jobs are now up 10.3 percent from a year ago.

The recent acceleration in job growth led the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to boost its forecast for employment growth to 2.8 percent.

Growth was not quite as impressive in Houston. Employment grew at annual rate of 1.9 percent - sluggish compared to the state's fastest-growing cities, like Dallas, which posted 3.4 percent growth. Still, that is an improvement from last month, when the annual growth rate stood at 1.7 percent; June marked five consecutive months in which employers added to payrolls.

Temporary staffing

In Houston, energy and manufacturing employment continued to struggle in June, as did construction, which has shed 2.4 percent of jobs over the year. Unlike Texas as a whole, the service industries, such as health care, are growing faster here than goods-producing industries.

The unemployment rate in Houston stands at 5.3 percent, slightly below last year's rate for June.

Experts voiced some concern that employment services, which cover temporary staffing companies, still make up such a large chunk of Houston's job growth, accounting for one in four new jobs over the past year. That could indicate that companies are still hesitant to bring people on full time.

"By now, growth in employment services should have plateaued and job growth in other sectors kicked in," says Patrick Jankowski, head of research at the Greater Houston Partnership, the largest local business group. "Either employers remain uncomfortable with the current pace of growth or we're seeing a fundamental shift in hiring patterns."

Analysts said they are seeing another shift in hiring patterns as oil and gas companies outsource more functions, such as legal services. That means an oil company's former in-house lawyer (or architect, or accountant) might show up in a different category rather than oil and gas.

Indeed, professional and business services - which includes many of those white-collar jobs - led employment growth in June, adding 19,000 jobs over the year.

Shrinking retail sector

Jankowski is also concerned by the shrinking retail sector, which accounts for more than 300,000 jobs in Houston. Retail employment is down 1 percent from a year go, with much of decline occurring among sellers of building materials, such as Home Depot, which have been affected by the slowdown in the construction industry.

Both the Texas and Houston economies face risks, such as weakening oil prices that already have started to deflate the bump in drilling. Over the past week, the North American rig count declined by one, after adding 488 since this time last year.

Oil lost $1.15 a barrel in New York trading Friday, settling at $45.77.
MIDLAND - Eddy Lozoya never failed a drug test in the three years he hauled water and sand across the West Texas oil patch, even though he used at least $200 a day in cocaine to keep his eyes open on brutally long days behind the wheel of a Kenworth T600 semi-truck.

Lozoya, like his fellow truckers, found ways to beat the tests and keep driving. Earning six-figure salaries, they consumed cocktails of drugs to push themselves to their physical limits on trips between scattered drilling sites that could last 36 to 48 consecutive hours. They would drive their 35-ton vehicles in tight, single-file formations, blowing air horns when the sleepiest among them began drifting off the road.

"We always had cocaine," he said.

Lozoya, a recovering addict at 23, is among the thousands of oil field workers who have succumbed to the mix of money, boredom and drugs that often accompanies energy booms. Drillers of all sizes have poured billions of dollars into the prolific Permian Basin this year, rebuilding operations after a two-year oil bust that devastated the region. But for all the economic benefits of the industry's high-paying jobs, the oil rush again is bankrolling an expanding market for illegal drugs.

Law enforcement officials say drug trafficking, drug abuse and drug-related crimes have spiked in recent years, evidence that energy's boom-and-bust cycles have had enormous social consequences in West Texas. Inside a small Nazarene church in Midland, converted a decade ago into a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center, the number of people seeking help is on track to more than double from last year.

Some 1,200 people have come through the doors of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program in the first six months of the year, one in five of them under 18.

"We're losing a generation of children to drugs and alcohol," said Michele Savage, the longtime director of the program.

Lozoya knows drugs of all kinds are easy to find here. After an injury left him unable to drive commercial trucks, he found another lucrative trucking route, this time transporting narcotic pain medications and other drugs from his home state of California to West Texas. Here, he said, dealers can sell cocaine, marijuana and opioids for two or three times the price in neighboring states because of the remote location and the river of money flowing from the oil patch.

"There's a lot of profit to be made out here because it's in such high demand," he said. "People want it here, and they'll pay for it."

'Meth is booming'

While the U.S. opioid epidemic has captured national attention, the drug of choice in West Texas is methamphetamine, or crystal meth, a powerful stimulant oil field workers use to cope with long hours in the Texas heat, and one that is increasingly supplied through Mexican drug cartels, according to law enforcement officials. An analysis of data from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Houston oil field services company Baker Hughes found a strong correlation between the rise of drilling activity and the number of crystal meth seizures in the area surrounding the Permian Basin. Between 2009 and 2016, as oil companies dispatched more rigs into West Texas, the number of meth seizures rose sharply.

The rig count's average of 103 in 2009 increased more than fivefold by 2014, the peak of the oil boom. In the same period, Texas state troopers saw meth seizures jump from 3 to 73, a 4,000 percent increase in the dozens of counties encompassing the Permian Basin.

CRS Diagnostic Service, a drug-testing company in Odessa, found the number of local workers who tested positive for methamphetamine in the first half of this year was more than three times higher than in the first half of 2009, shortly before the so-called shale oil revolution got underway.

"Meth is booming," said Craig Smith, a senior vice president at the company.

For the oil industry, increased drug abuse in West Texas has exacerbated the struggle to find workers as they rebuild labor forces after widespread layoffs during the recent downturn. Patterson-UTI Energy, a Houston drilling and hydraulic fracturing contractor, has hired 4,000 people this year to fill jobs on rigs and fracking fleets, but more job applicants have failed drug tests this year than in 2014, said Diana Dotolo, the company's vice president of human resources.

The Houston firm recruits workers from around the United States, but for local companies without a nationwide reach, the problem is far worse. Dynamic Oilfield Services, an oil-equipment company based in Corpus Christi, has seen roughly half of its job applicants from West Texas fail drug tests this year, and most of its employees in the region are hired from other areas.

Decades ago, biker gangs made meth from phenyl-2-pronopol, which was outlawed in the United States in the 1980s. Now, Mexican drug cartels dominate the commerce of meth, often transporting the substance in liquid form across the U.S.-Mexico border, stored in fake gasoline tanks, iced tea bottles or windshield washer fluid reservoirs, law enforcement officials said.

They take it to stash houses in places like Phoenix and Dallas before it reaches high-demand markets in West Texas, said Will Glaspy, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency's El Paso division.

"Oil field workers are big consumers of methamphetamine," Glaspy said. "The Mexican cartels are the biggest sources of supply."

Across the West Texas and New Mexico counties that encompass the Permian Basin, the DEA has seized 2,200 pounds of meth since October 2015, more than triple the amount confiscated in between October 2011 and September 2013. Last year, the agency seized 66 pounds of methamphetamine in the Midland area, compared with 11 pounds in 2012.

"When the oil price is up, there's more methamphetamine in our entire community," said Steve Thomason, executive director at the Springboard Center, an alcohol and drug treatment facility in Midland. It's not uncommon, he said, to see a young oil field worker "roll up to outpatient treatment in a Corvette."

Failing the test

In the first six months of this year, more than 1,000 people working or applying for jobs in the oil-producing business failed urine-based drug tests, double the pace of failures last year, according to Houston-based DISA Global Solutions, the largest provider of drug-testing policies to U.S. oil producers. The number of industry workers failing hair follicle tests, which are more effective in detecting long-term drug use, jumped to more than 4,600 over the past 18 months, tripling the number in the two years from 2009 to 2010; the number of people testing positive for methamphetamine jumped five times.

Large oil companies and oil field contractors said they have adopted tougher drug-testing policies in recent years. Houston oil producer Apache Corp., for example, conducts random, pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable-suspicion and random drug tests. If an employee or contractor fails a test, he could face termination.

"We are vigilant about ensuring a drug-free culture," said Castlen Kennedy, a spokeswoman at Apache.

But substance abuse specialists believe drug-test failure figures grossly underestimate the number of oil field workers who abuse drugs. Traces of methamphetamine, for example, linger in a person's system for only few days, making it harder to catch meth abusers. Several recovering drug addicts said managers in the oil patch tip off crews to a random drug test several days before it takes place, some to dodge fines by regulators, others to avoid having to hire new workers.

"There's a million and one ways to beat the drug tests," said Patrice Owens, director of the Greenhouse Outpatient Center, an Arlington addiction treatment facility. "If people want to use drugs, there's always a way."

Even if they get caught using drugs, oil field workers often find their way back to the oil patch. For the seven years Cody Watson worked as an oil field electrician, using meth and cocaine as he worked nonstop for several days at a time when storms knocked out rig powerlines, it wasn't hard to pass drug tests because managers gave him and his crew plenty of advanced warning.

Once, after Watson smashed his finger with a pipe, a drilling company fired him when he came up positive in a post-accident drug test. He drove 18 hours across Texas for a job interview with another company, purging his system with water to erase any trace of drugs. He passed the pre-employment drug test.

"During the boom times, I could leave my job and there'd be plenty of places to work," said Watson, now a 41-year-old recovering addict. "A lot of these guys hop from one rig to another. It's a never-ending cycle."

Steve Gonzales / Houston Chronicle, handouts

Breaking the cycle

Not long ago, drug use on a drilling rig was out in the open, said Kevin Tyson, a 55-year-old recovering addict. He recalled fellow rig workers tying a syringe filled with meth to a machine that pulls pipe out of the earth, then running it up to the derrick hand 90 feet above the rig floor, where the man took a hit.

Meth kept Tyson working and partying for years. They'd go on benders for days and didn't think much of it. Once, he missed a pipe he was supposed to catch. It swung right past him across the rig floor. Another guy smashed a coworker's hand with a sledgehammer. Some would die in oil field accidents, car wrecks or from overdoses. "Oh well," he said, "just keep going."

Doctors told him he weighed 70-something pounds when he arrived at a hospital in Lubbock, where he spent a month in an intensive care unit. He has the paperwork, but he still doesn't know if that is true. One doctor said if he used meth again, he would die. He thought about that for a long time. Four months after his release, he got bored, called his buddy and started shooting meth again.

"I knew I was going to die," said Tyson, who had worked in oil patch for 16 years before he began his recovery in November 2001, at age 39. "But I just figured, let's have a good hard run."

The rules have changed since Tyson began his career, as companies impose stricter testing regimens. But the tough-guy culture still drives roustabouts, mechanics, truckers and rig hands to work long hours under grueling conditions and find ways to beat the tests. And sometimes, it drives them to the breaking point.

In mid-April, around 2 a.m., Robert Orosco Jr. put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. The 34-year-old had lost everything to his relapse with Xanax, a highly addictive medication for anxiety, and cocaine. The drugs were so readily available, he could have them delivered. His wife had left him. He lost his house. He lost his job as an oil-equipment salesman. In every scenario he played out in his head, his six children were better off without him. The gun didn't fire.

Steve Gonzales / Houston Chronicle, handouts

Orosco checked himself in to a treatment facility the next day. Today, a few months sober, Orosco is building a new company that offers drone imaging to oil companies to identify leaks and assemble 3D maps of the earth's surface.

"The boom brings the good and the bad," Orosco said. "There's so much here."

Last month, Lozoya, the former oil field trucker, found a job at a local department store selling women's shoes for $13 an hour, plus commission. He remembers his days as a 19-year old earning paychecks that were five times larger than the average American his age and how he blew it all to feed a habit that eventually cost $500 to $1,000 a day.

He also remembers a downward spiral that cost him his job and led him to steal RVs, dirt bikes and even copper from the oil field. Several times, he nearly overdosed, and ultimately he sought help at a treatment center after his girlfriend and others persuaded him to get clean.

Today, he likes getting dressed up for work, with a suit, tie and well-groomed hair. He hopes to pursue a college degree and, perhaps one day, have his own clothing brand. And, for at least the next few months, he plans to heed the advice his counselors gave him: Don't go back to the oil patch.

"I don't see myself being able to work 100 hours a week sober," he said. "The oil field is tough."

Data reporter John Harden contributed to this report.
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The name "man camp" doesn't exactly instill imagery of luxurious hotel accommodations.

But, as the West Texas oil patch booms again, so does the need for temporary worker housing in remote Permian Basin locations.

The leaders of The Woodlands-based Target Logistics admittedly cringe at the "man camp" name made infamous in isolated North Dakota locales across the Bakken Shale. They prefer the corporate-sounding "turnkey workforce lodge," or something more akin to a small workforce village.

"Years ago, it was precisely a camp," Target Logistics President and CEO Brad Archer said, in some cases offering little more than tents. "You just take a body and put it in there. We have some competitors who I'd say still do man camps."

Today, the demand is for quality housing, especially in the right locations. That's why Target Logistics is buying Houston-based Iron Horse Ranch and its six lodges in the Permian Basin and South Texas' Eagle Ford Shale.

The privately held company isn't revealing the acquisition price, but the addition is expected to make Target the energy sector's largest workforce housing company in the U.S. The deal is expected to close by the end of September.

Target's specialty is housing that offers a private room to every worker as a way to make the jobs more attractive at a time when oil and gas companies are finding it tough to lure workers to remote locations in the oil patch, said Troy Schrenk, Target senior vice president. In addition, as baby boomers retire, younger workers from the millennial generation are demanding nicer housing that includes private bedrooms and bathrooms.

Still, the units are not exactly luxurious. It's more like having a dorm room in college sans the annoying roommate.

Target and its top rivals offer game rooms, gyms, swimming pools, saunas, satellite television, wireless internet, housekeeping, laundry services and, most importantly, three meals a day. At the same time, there are strict rules governed by the energy companies footing the bill - no alcohol, no drugs, no firearms.

"Safety is not a 12-hour culture when they're on the drill site," Schrenk said. "We're focused on the other 12 hours."

The oil bust crippled the accommodations business just like everything else, shrinking the industry by about 50 percent and leaving lots of vacant worker camps.

Target is busy again and looking to add facilities in the Permian, but plenty of vacancies remain in the Bakken.

As with all real estate businesses, timing and location are key. That's why Target has such a strong focus on the Permian Basin, which is booming like no other oil field. The Permian now accounts for 375 active drilling rigs, which is nearly half of all the nation's oil rigs. The next most active area is Texas' Eagle Ford Shale with 78 rigs.

"Growing in the Permian Basin was at the top of our list. It took us a while to pull it off, but we're there," Archer said. "It's been busy. The need is there for more of our facilities. We need to continue to grow in the Permian."
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Texas oil fields are booming again and proving even more profitable than anticipated for energy services companies.

But the U.S. oil production rebound - which many analysts worry has come too fast, too soon - threatens to keep crude prices mired in a state of middling purgatory, the chief executive of the world's largest energy services company said Friday.

Schlumberger, which operates out of Houston, reported Friday that its onshore North American revenues jumped 42 percent from the first quarter of the year with every product line proving profitable, said Paal Kibsgaard, the company's CEO. Schlumberger's biggest boost came from a 68 percent jump in U.S. revenues from hydraulic fracturing as the industry heats back up.

Still, U.S. oil producers "have spooked the oil market investors into believing the fast barrels from U.S. land will flood the market and leave inventory levels elevated for the foreseeable future," Kibsgaard said, adding that there's "more uncertainty around the shape and timing of the global industry recovery."

Concerns about increasing U.S. shale production has weighed on the market in recent months, holding down prices despite efforts by OPEC and its partners to cut their production by 1.8 million barrels a day through next year. Kibsgaard told analysts that he expects continued growth in the U.S. market in 2018, but maybe at a slower pace than this year's rebound.

Jim Wicklund, an analyst at Credit Suisse in Dallas, said investors pushing producers to increase output for short-term gains could undercut the long-term prospects for a price recovery. "If these guys would pay attention, they'd have a better long-term industry, " Wicklund said

James West, an analyst at investment bank Evercore ISI in New York, called it the "shell game of shale."

The two-year oil bust sent crude prices plummeting from $100 oil down to a low of $26.21 a barrel in early 2016. Prices have since rebounded, but after rising to nearly $55 a barrel in February, prices have fallen over concerns that there is still too much oil on the market.

Crude settled Friday at $45.77 a barrel, down $1.15.

'Incredibly strong'

Schlumberger, the first major energy services company to report its earnings, touted second-quarter revenues of $7.46 billion that represent an 8 percent gain from the first quarter and a 4 percent improvement over the same time period last year. Its rival, Halliburton of Houston, reports Monday.

Schlumberger posted a net loss of $74 million because of a one-time charges totalling $510 million. The charges are primarily from Venezuela's inability to pay Schlumberger what it owes the company.

Bill Herbert, a senior energy analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co. in Houston, described Schlumberger's results as "incredibly strong," including better-than-anticipated gains internationally.

Schlumberger announced late Thursday it's doubling down on its Russian investments by acquiring a majority ownership stake in the Eurasia Drilling Co. Schlumberger started a strategic alliance with the Russian oilfield services giant in 2011, and planned in 2015 to buy a 45.6 percent stake in Eurasia for $1.7 billion. But that deal fell through amid Russian regulatory concerns.

Joint venture

The Eurasia management then took the company private. Schlumberger plans to acquire a 51 percent stake in Eurasia now but isn't releasing details, including an acquisition price.

Schlumberger also is hoping to boost its U.S. fracking fleet before the end of the year by finalizing the deal for its planned joint venture with smaller services rival Weatherford International. Schlumberger would own 70 percent of the joint venture.
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Monica Carroll sped from Richmond to the bridal store in uptown Houston late last week, fueled by panic.

She arrived too late. The hostage hung inside the darkened Alfred Angelo boutique, locked to customers who had shelled out hundreds or thousands of dollars after weeks of searching for the perfect dress. Hers, strung with crystal beads and rhinestones, had been a big splurge on a small budget, an elegant sheath silhouette to be worn over cowboy boots during her November wedding.

"It was heartbreaking, standing right there outside the store and knowing that it's right there," she said. "There's nothing I can do to get it."

More than a week after the Florida-based wedding retailer abruptly closed more than 60 boutiques nationwide, many brides in Houston and elsewhere are still scrambling to find new dresses with little information about whether they'll receive their orders or refunds. The company, which also had locations in Willowbrook and Baybrook, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy with the intent to liquidate, and its thousand-page list of creditors includes hundreds of local customers.

In federal bankruptcy court in West Palm Beach, the company acknowledged its efforts to deliver dresses to brides who had paid in full. But it noted that many orders are in jeopardy because the company has terminated all of its employees and no longer has the financial means to obtain or ship them from dressmakers in China.

It's the latest in a series of retail bankruptcies in recent months, many of which have resulted in widespread store closures and layoffs. But this one came with little notice to employees and customers and no plan to restructure the company in an increasingly competitive industry.

Day of weeping and cursing

Privately held Alfred Angelo, once a family-run company with more than 80 years in business, struggled under a heavy debt load when Czech Asset Management, a private equity firm, became involved in its operation several years ago. The company estimated it had less than $50 million in assets and between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities.

"It is very unusual in this day and age to go straight to Chapter 7, especially in a high-profile situation," said Dennis McCuistion, executive director of the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Gabrielle Mire, who was an employee at the Post Oak store, said management alerted sales associates the morning of July 13 that they'd be required to turn their keys in at the end of the day. For 12 hours, she faced dozens of women as they cried, cursed and otherwise panicked that the dresses they'd chosen were gone with little time to replace them.

Elizabeth Conley/Staff

She rescued five orders for gowns, veils and bridesmaids dresses before the store locked for good, and she has spent the last several days delivering them to customers she knows personally, an off-the-clock mea culpa on behalf of a company that collapsed without warning.

More Information Here comes the bill Average wedding cost: $26,720 Average dress cost: $1,221 Full-service planner: $2,773 U.S. wedding industry: $57.8 billion Source: The Wedding Report See More Collapse

"We don't know what's going on," she said. "We're still trying to do all that we can in the event that we can make a miracle happen."

Hundreds of others have coalesced with the same goal, taking to social media to connect jilted brides-to-be with local dress shops and women with used ones hanging in the closet. A Facebook group serving as a virtual dress swap has amassed nearly 1,500 members, and Twitter exploded in wake of the catastrophe as users exchanged photos.

Corrina Ruiz, a Houston fashion blogger, offered to lend a fitted gown with a long train and lace sleeves, a last-minute purchase before her wedding earlier this year. Her original dress fell victim to botched alternations, leaving her frantic to find another.

"I know how it feels to be so close to the wedding date and not have a wedding dress," she said. "If I could relieve some of that stress for just one other bride, it would mean the world to me."

A dress-saving hero

Terror overcame Sarah Prince when she heard the news the morning after the closure. She called the Post Oak store but couldn't reach the voicemail system, much less an associate. She'd dropped her dress there in June for alternations and planned to pick it up early next month for an October wedding.

"Hell has no fury like a bride without her dress," she said.

She prowled Facebook, desperate to talk to a sales associate who could help. At last, she found Mire, who put her in touch with a woman who had single-handedly saved her dress.

The hero was Monica Narvaez, a tailor who arrived at the Post Oak store the day before the closure to find the associates talking anxiously, sensing something was amiss. She took an armload of dresses that night, worried she wouldn't have another chance to pick them up, and then fetched others from the Baybrook and Willowbrook stores.

"It was a premonition," Narvaez said this week. "We were speculating that something was bad, something was happening."

When the stores shut down, she had more than 30 dresses safely in her possession. She has returned about half of them to grateful brides and kept the rest for alterations, which she'll complete at a steep discount regardless of whether Alfred Angelo pays her the money she's owed for the work.

The company fell about a week before this weekend's Houston Bridal Extravaganza Show. Alfred Angelo has for years set up a large booth alongside other vendors, and its unexpected cancellation sent organizer Laurette Veres hustling to turn the space into a dress gallery for 12 local vendors.

"There is no silver lining to this story, but at least it happened when these girls can have a chance to come to our show," Veres said.

Competing bridal stores have capitalized on the chaos. David's Bridal, a major national chain with four Houston-area locations, immediately offered discounts for affected brides, and a local associate said the Galleria-area store has managed to help many of those who paid a visit in desperation.

Houston-based Impression Bridal also has offered discounts, waived rush fees and, in some cases, provided free dresses from its outlet store.

'Knew they were in trouble'

Brett Coomer/Staff

Nick Yeh, who has owned the company for more than 30 years, said he worried Alfred Angelo's messy ending would dissuade prospective customers from trusting his company with sizable deposits, which are standard in the business.

"It was surprising to the consumer, but within the industry, we knew they were in trouble," he said. "The way they did it (creates) a lot of fear and distrust."

Patricia Redmond, a Florida attorney representing Alfred Angelo in the bankruptcy case, has fielded about 7,800 emails and countless phone calls from brides demanding information about their orders.

In many cases, she had to deliver bad news.

She reported one success Friday night, however, when she orchestrated a complicated mission to fetch a gown locked inside store just one day before the wedding.

Redmond hopes to rescue other dresses for brides with weddings this month, she said, but the trustee overseeing the bankruptcy case could lose control of the store properties in the coming weeks, which would make those efforts near impossible.

"The timing here is really crucial," Redmond said. "For as long as we can, we will continue to try to get brides their property."

The trustee did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Altered wedding plans

Like other parts of the retail industry, the wedding sector has changed substantially since the days when bridal families bankrolled big, fancy affairs. Destination weddings and smaller, more casual ceremonies have grown in popularity, and brides can browse, research and buy online without setting foot in a boutique.

In Houston, a number of independent bridal shops operate alongside national chains and major department stores with wedding sections. Some prominent retailers, such as the high-end Priscilla of Boston, have left the area in recent years, while smaller ones such as Whittington Bridal have opened.

"They're doing well, but they're all feeling the pressures," said Ed Wulfe, CEO and founder of commercial real estate firm Wulfe & Co. "There is a lot of competition, and a different mentality about weddings today."

Alfred Angelo hasn't specified what will happen to its outstanding orders during the liquidation process. A small notice taped on the window of the darkened Post Oak shop directs customers to contact the bankruptcy trustee, but the company in court offered no guarantees for those affected. Redmond encouraged customers to file a claim in the bankruptcy case.

Carroll, a thrifty cowgirl, hadn't expected to fall for a $2,500 gown, but she and her friends just knew it was the one when she stepped out of the dressing room.

With little left to spend on a replacement, she has put her wedding planning on hold until she receives word from the retailer and her credit card company about whether she'll be able to recover the dress or her money.

"I don't know what move to make," she said. "At this point, I know I'm going to be settling for less."
Wedding announcements are so last generation - depending on whom you ask.

Millennials might argue that going the traditional route is costly and time-consuming. Plus, there's no guarantee that all of one's followers - er, friends? - will receive the big news.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges stepped to the microphone Friday night to announce the latest development in the most recent killing by an area police officer - the resignation of the city's police chief. But she only managed a few words before she was drowned out by shouts.

"We don't want you as our mayor of Minneapolis anymore," shouted activist John Thompson, one of many protesters who stormed into the room, according to CNN. "We ask that you take your staff with you. We don't want you to appoint anyone anymore."

Unable to continue, Hodges and her staff left the room. The protesters, victorious for a moment, serenaded her with "bye-bye, Betsy."

When she returned 20 minutes later to complete her official announcement, the protesters were gone. But the memories of three officer-involved shooting fatalities over the past two years remained.

The most recent was the July 15 killing of Justine Damond, who was shot by a police officer who had responded to her 911 calls a woman possibly being raped in an alley near her home.

Clad in pajamas, Damond, an Australia native, approached the responding police car on the driver's side.

The officer driving the car, Matthew Harrity, reportedly told investigators that he and his partner had been startled by a loud noise just before Damond approached. Officer Mohamed Noor, who was sitting in the passenger seat, shot across his partner and hit Damond. Noor reportedly has refused to be interviewed by investigators.

Both responding officers had failed to activate their body cameras - violating department policy - meaning there will never be a definitive, objective depiction of what happened in that alley.

But concerned citizens see a pattern in the three Minneapolis-area police shootings: Inadequately trained officers with little regard for human life.

The officer-involved slayings of Jamar Clark and Philando Castile slayings sparked protests both in Minneapolis and outside the city limits, especially since the officers involved were cleared of charges.

On March 30, 2016, authorities announced that the Minneapolis officers who shot Clark would not face criminal charges because they believed the 24-year-old black man was trying to grab one of their guns during a struggle in front of an apartment building on Nov. 15, 2015.

And last month, a court in Ramsey County, Minn., found the officer who shot Castile during a traffic stop not guilty of second-degree murder and other charges. Castile was killed by an officer in Falcon Heights, a suburb of neighboring St. Paul, the state capital.

The shootings came as police departments are under increased scrutiny for fatal confrontations, particularly with minorities. So far this year, 554 people have been shot and killed by the police, according to The Washington Post's Fatal Force Database. Last year, a total of 963 people were killed.

The decisions in the officer-involved killings of Castile and Clark sparked calls for change, and Damond's shooting reenergized those efforts. Castile's mother marched with Damond's fiance in a Peace and Justice March on Thursday in Damond's memory. Photos from the Daily Mail showed the duo embracing during the event, which was billed as a show of solidarity for family members whose loved ones had been killed by the police.

The frustrations crescendoed at the Minneapolis mayor's news conference on Friday night.

"Your police department has terrorized us enough," said Thompson, the activist. "Your leadership has been very ineffective, and if you don't remove yourself, we're going to put someone in place to remove you."

Hodges, has been mayor since 2014, says she will not resign.

The missteps by the police department - not just the shooting, but also the violation of the body camera policy - fell squarely on the Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau. It's sparked local, national and even international outrage. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called the shooting "shocking" and "inexplicable".

"We have put too much time, money, and effort into [body cameras] to have them fail us when we needed them most," Hodges wrote. "That cannot happen again."

The mayor asked for Harteau's resignation and Harteau tendered it, making her at least the fourth chief of a major police departmentforced out in recent years amid controversy over a fatal encounter with officers.
For Charlie Gard's parents, the lawyer's words were both a necessary court report and an emotion-laden update on the status of their critically ill son.

The hospital lawyer told the judge in Friday's pretrial hearing that there was an updated brain scan on the terminally ill baby, but that it made for "sad reading."

Charlie's father, Chris Gard yelled "evil," and then "I'm not f---ing listen to this biased s--- anymore," according to CNN. Charlie's mother, Connie Yates, began sobbing as the couple stormed out of the courtroom.

The emotional outburst occurred as the Royal Courts of Justice in London becomes the latest judicial body to try to determine what will become of the terminally-ill infant - and who has the final say over his fate. The results of the brain scan were not publicly disclosed. They were intended to see whether his brain damage was reversible.

Charlie's case has captured the attention of both armchair bioethicists and world leaders.

The 11-month-old has mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, a rare genetic condition that has robbed him of the ability to see, hear, move or breathe on his own. He's currently being treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital, alive only because a machine is helping him breathe. His doctors have concluded that nothing more can be done for him and that he should be taken off life support.

But his parents want him to undergo an experimental treatment in the United States that they believe could help.

So far, the courts have sided with Charlie's doctors, who say the treatment is a fruitless endeavor that has not been tested on someone with Charlie's specific condition and that it will only cause the baby more pain.

But Charlie's parents have garnered support from President Donald Trump, Pope Francis and U.S. lawmakers.

"If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so."

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2017

It's unclear how the U.S. government or any other outside entities would be able to assist.

Charlie's mother spent this week meeting with doctors at the hospital and the American specialist, Michio Hirano, according to the Associated Press. Hirano devised the experimental treatment that Charlie's parents want the infant to undergo. The doctor testified that there's a chance that Charlie could have "clinically meaningful improvement."

Friday's hearing was the first time his parents were told about the latest results in the crucial test of Charlie's brain function.

Next week, Charlie's parents will present evidence at London's High Court, provided it is new and relevant to the case, according to the AP.

At Friday's court hearing, after Charlie's parents left, hospital lawyer Katie Gollop apologized to the judge.

"Almost all the medical evidence in this case makes for sad reading," she said. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to cause distress."
JERUSALEM -- Israeli soldiers and police fanned out across East Jerusalem and the West Bank on Saturday, carrying out raids and arrests a day after three Palestinians were killed in violent protests and after three Israeli settlers were knifed to death in their kitchen during a birthday celebration.

Israeli forces blocked access to the village of Khobar in the West Bank, home to the 19-year-old Palestinian assailant who hopped the fence surrounding the Jewish settlement of Halamish on Friday night and stabbed to death three Israelis - a father and his two adult children - who had gathered for the Sabbath meal.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the killings on incitement.

"It is a terrorist act committed by a human animal, infused with abhorrent hatred," he said in a statement.

"The security forces are doing all they can to maintain security, and will take all necessary measures to do so."

Israel army commanders said they were readying for more attacks from lone-wolf assailants and more mass demonstrations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the killings on incitement.

"It is a terrorist act committed by a human animal, infused with abhorrent hatred," he said in a statement.

"The security forces are doing all they can to maintain security, and will take all necessary measures to do so."

Israel and the Palestinians are locked in a tense showdown over Israel's decision to install metal detectors at the entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City after a shooting rampage at the site eight days ago. Three Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli police officers outside the mosque before being shot dead themselves.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Friday night that his government would "freeze contact on all levels" with Israel until the detectors are removed.

Israeli officials argue that the detectors are needed for security after the gun attack outside the mosque. Palestinians say they will refuse to pass through the devices, which they condemn as another implement of control employed by a hostile occupation.

On Saturday, Abbas' political party, Fatah, praised the demonstrations against the Israeli metal detectors and asserted that the protests "will not stop until a Palestinian victory and the release of the holy sites from Israeli occupation."

Fatah called a general strike and three days of mourning in honor of the three dead protesters, who appear to have been killed by Israeli live fire. Israel said it is investigating the deaths.

Israeli leaders downplayed the threat from Abbas to cut off contact, saying the Palestinian leader was likely bluffing to rally support on the street. The Israelis said that if Abbas really did end security coordination between Palestinian forces and their Israeli counterparts, it would be Abbas and his people who would suffer the most.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited the scene where Friday's deadly knife attack took place. Israelis were shocked by photographs released by the army that showed the kitchen floor of the home covered in blood.

Lieberman called on Abbas to "condemn the massacre that was carried out yesterday against an innocent family that didn't endanger anyone," according to a statement from the Defense Ministry.

Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, charged that Abbas and his rivals in the Islamist militant movement Hamas were stoking passions over the mosque and inciting Palestinians to violence.

Abbas' deputies denied the allegation and said it was Israel that had unleashed the violence by provocative changes to security at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as the Tempe Mount, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews.

Just hours before he stabbed the Jewish family in the West Bank, the assailant, Omar al-Abed, wrote out a last will and testament on his Facebook page

"All I have is a sharpened knife, and it responds to the call of al-Aqsa," he wrote. "Shame on you, you who preach hate. God will take revenge on you. We are all sons of Palestine and sons of al-Aqsa. You, the sons of monkeys and pigs, if you do not open the gates of al-Aqsa, I am sure that after me they will come after you and beat you with an iron first, I warn you."

Abed's father told the Associated Press that his son believed he was defending Muslim honor by defending the mosque. An uncle told reporters that Abed had recently spent two weeks in a Palestinian jail, where he was interrogated by Abbas' security police, who suspected that Abed was plotting to attack Israelis.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., used his signature snark to warn colleagues that he will be returning soon to Washington - and chastised the Trump administration for ending assistance to moderate Syrian rebels battling the government of Bashar al-Assad.

The twin statements served as reminders of the outsized role the 80-year old senator plays on Capitol Hill. Republicans badly need him to return as they try to shore up a weeks-long debate on a health-care overhaul.

McCain announced late Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with a tumor called a glioblastoma after surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye last week. The tumor is an aggressive type of brain cancer, and the prognosis is generally poor.

Bush offers support

The news sparked bipartisan calls for his swift return and public statements of support from Trump and his predecessors. Former President George W. Bush said on Thursday that he phoned his 2000 GOP presidential campaign rival to "encourage him in his fight."

"Instead, he encouraged me," Bush said. "I was impressed by his spirit and determination. He has devoted his life to his country. Thankfully, he is committed to continuing that service."

Responding to the well wishes, McCain tweeted on Thursday, "I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support - unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, I'll be back soon, so stand-by!"

In a separate statement, he blasted reports that President Donald Trump is ending the CIA's covert program to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels battling Assad's government, a move long sought by Russia.

If true, "the administration is playing right into the hands of Vladimir Putin," McCain said in the statement. "Making any concession to Russia, absent a broader strategy for Syria, is irresponsible and shortsighted. The administration has yet to articulate its vision for Syria beyond the defeat of (the Islamic State), let alone a comprehensive approach to the Middle East."

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C., McCain's closest friend in Congress, echoed McCain's disdain for Trump's latest reported moves on Syria.

"The decision to stop supporting opposition forces to Assad in my view is a complete capitulation to the Russians, to the Iranians, to Assad," he said. "It is a betrayal of the Syrian people who have been slaughtered by Assad - and Russia and Iran's support for them - it is a strategic mistake, it puts our allies in a bad spot, and it diminishes our standing. Other than that it's a good idea."

Remains engaged

The criticism signaled that no matter where he is, McCain intends to remain engaged. When he might return to Washington, however, remains in doubt.

The Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, which diagnosed McCain, said that the senator and his family are considering treatment options, including a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. His office did not indicate on Thursday where he will undergo treatment and when he might return to the Senate.

"We look forward to seeing our friend again soon," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Thursday, "and we hope he'll be back in the very near future."

McCain's absence plunged the ongoing health care debate into further chaos. McConnell has vowed to hold a vote next week to begin formal debate on legislation to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The GOP can only afford to have one more senator absent or vote against the procedural motion to begin debate - since Democrats all plan to vote against it.

That makes McCain's absence all the more difficult.

"Our focus is not on the missing vote. It's on Senator McCain's health," Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters when asked about the stakes. "And all of us are deeply saddened and shocked by the diagnosis."
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Russia's ambassador to Washington told his superiors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race, contrary to public assertions by the embattled attorney general, according to current and former U.S. officials.

Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts of two conversations with Sessions - then a top foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump - were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, which monitor the communications of senior Russian officials both in the United States and in Russia. Sessions initially failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said that the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.

One U.S. official said that Sessions - who testified that he has no recollection of the April encounter - has provided "misleading" statements that are "contradicted by other evidence." A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had "substantive" discussions on matters including Trump's positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Sessions has said repeatedly that he never discussed campaign-related issues with Russian officials and that it was only in his capacity as a U.S. senator that he met with Kislyak.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said in March when he announced that he would recuse himself from matters relating to the FBI probe of Russian interference in the election and any connections to the Trump campaign.

'Bad answers'

Current and former U.S. officials said that assertion is at odds with Kislyak's accounts of conversations during two encounters over the course of the campaign, one in April ahead of Trump's first major foreign policy speech and another in July on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

The apparent discrepancy could pose new problems for Sessions at a time when his position in the administration appears increasingly tenuous.

Trump, in an interview this week, expressed frustration with Sessions recusing himself from the Russia probe and indicated that he regretted his decision to make the lawmaker from Alabama the nation's top law enforcement officer. Trump also faulted Sessions as giving "bad answers" during his confirmation hearing about his Russian contacts during the campaign.

Officials emphasized that the information contradicting Sessions comes from U.S. intelligence on Kislyak's communications with the Kremlin and acknowledged that the Russian ambassador could have mischaracterized or exaggerated the nature of his interactions.

"Obviously, I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me," Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said in a statement. She reiterated that Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.

Russian and other foreign diplomats in Washington and elsewhere have been known, at times, to report false or misleading information to bolster their standing with their superiors or to confuse U.S. intelligence agencies.

But U.S. officials with regular access to Russian intelligence reports say Kislyak - whose tenure as ambassador to the United States ended recently - has a reputation for accurately relaying details about his interactions with officials in Washington.

Removed himself

Sessions removed himself from direct involvement in the Russia investigation after it was revealed in the Washington Post that he had met with Kislyak at least twice in 2016, contacts he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearing in January.

"I did not have communications with the Russians," Sessions said when asked whether anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign had communicated with representatives of the Russian government.

He has since maintained that he misunderstood the scope of the question and that his meetings with Kislyak were strictly in his capacity as a U.S. senator. In a March appearance on Fox television, Sessions said, "I don't recall any discussion of the campaign in any significant way."

Sessions appeared to narrow that assertion further in extensive testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June, saying that he "never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States."

But when pressed for details, Sessions qualified many of his answers during that hearing by saying that he could "not recall" or did not have "any recollection."

A former U.S. official who read the Kislyak reports said that the Russian ambassador reported speaking with Sessions about issues that were central to the campaign, including Trump's positions on key policy matters of significance to Moscow.

Sessions had a third meeting with Kislyak in his Senate office in September. Officials declined to say whether U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted any Russian communications describing the third encounter.

As a result, the discrepancies center on two earlier Sessions-Kislyak conversations, including one that Sessions has acknowledged took place in July 2016 on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

By that point, Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to embark on a secret campaign to help Trump win the White House by leaking damaging emails about his rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to U.S. intelligence agencies.

Although it remains unclear how involved Kislyak was in the covert Russian campaign to aid Trump, his superiors in Moscow were eager for updates about the candidate's positions, particularly regarding U.S. sanctions on Russia and long-standing disputes with the Obama administration over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

Kislyak also reported having a conversation with Sessions in April at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, where then-candidate Trump delivered his first major foreign policy address, according to the officials familiar with intelligence on Kislyak.

'Just don't remember it'

Sessions has said he does not remember any encounter with Kislyak at that event. In his June testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sessions said, "I do not recall any conversations with any Russian official at the Mayflower Hotel."

Later in that hearing, Sessions said that "it's conceivable that that occurred. I just don't remember it."

Kislyak was also a key figure in the departure of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was forced to leave that job after the Post revealed that he had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Kislyak even while telling others in the Trump administration that he had not done so.

In that case, however, Flynn's phone conversations with Kislyak were intercepted by U.S. intelligence, providing irrefutable evidence. The intelligence on Sessions, by contrast, is based on Kislyak's accounts and not corroborated by other sources.

Former FBI Director James Comey fueled speculation about the possibility of a Sessions-Kislyak meeting at the Mayflower when he told the same Senate committee on June 8 that the bureau had information about Sessions that would have made it "problematic" for him to be involved in the Russia probe.

Comey would not provide details of what information the FBI had, except to say that he could only discuss it privately with the senators. Current and former officials said he appeared to be alluding to intelligence on Kislyak's account of an encounter with Sessions at the Mayflower.

Senate Democrats later called on the FBI to investigate the event in April at the Mayflower hotel.

Sessions' role in removing Comey as FBI director angered many at the bureau and set in motion events that led to the appointment of former FBI director Robert Mueller III as a special counsel overseeing the Russia probe.

Trump's harsh words toward the attorney general fueled speculation this week that Sessions would be fired or would resign. So far, he has resisted resigning, saying that he intends to stay in the job "as long as that is appropriate."
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KOS, Greece - A powerful earthquake shook beach resorts Friday in Greece and Turkey, killing two tourists crushed when a building collapsed on a bar in the Greek island of Kos and injuring nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region.

Only a few miles apart, Kos and the Turkish resort of Bodrum were hit hours before dawn by the shallow undersea quake that caused a 2-foot sea swell and havoc among residents and thousands of vacationers at bars and restaurants.

The U.S. Geological survey measured the quake as being of magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower.

"It was shocking, terrifying," Kos resident Vassilis Megas told the Associated Press. "The whole house shook back and forth. People ran out into streets. We did too, and stayed out all night."

Two men - from Turkey and Sweden - were killed when a collapsing wall smashed into White Corner Club, a popular a bar in the Old Town of Kos. Several others were seriously injured and airlifted to larger hospitals in Greece - one person had to have a leg amputated and another had life-threatening head injuries, doctors said.

Many of the other injuries occurred when tourists and residents scrambled out of buildings and even leapt from balconies. Hundreds of revelers were in the White Corner Club.

"It was shaking a bit, and I was like 'OK.' Then everything. I saw the bar just floating around and drinks flying all over the place. I saw people freezing and then running out, pushing," said Linda Lundgren, who works at a nearby bar.

The quake came in the midst of Greece and Turkey's vital summer tourism industry. Afterward, many people spent the night outside, sleeping on sunbeds and at cafes.

Most of the injuries, about 350, occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as the sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore.

Seismologists said the shallow depth of the quake was to blame for the damage and the sea swell that scattered cars, boats and trash bins across shores in the east Aegean Sea.

In Kos, the quake damaged churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and old buildings in the town.

"There are not many old buildings left on Kos. Nearly all the structures on the island have been built under the new codes to withstand earthquakes," Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said.
If a burglar tries to break into your house and you're pretty sure it might happen again, it's a good idea to invest in the best security system you can afford.

We need to apply that same common sense principle to preventing the theft of something we Americans hold sacred: our elections. We know that hackers have tried to break into election computer systems across the nation. Now it's crucial we do whatever it takes to prevent them from succeeding.

The National Security Agency last year discovered what was described as a "months long Russian intelligence cyber effort" against voter registration processes, including an especially insidious attack on a private company making devices that maintain voter rolls. When investigators in Illinois discovered cyber-intruders tried to delete or alter voter registration data, they quickly realized they weren't alone. Russian hackers reportedly tried to break into voter databases in at least 39 states and launched phishing campaigns that tried to take over computers run by more than 100 local election officials.

So far, these hackers have failed. But it won't take much for them to succeed.

"Even minor things have the potential to undermine confidence in the process," Bob Kolasky, an acting deputy undersecretary with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told the Chronicle's editorial board last week.

As it turns out, there are some easily identifiable actions state and local governments can take to improve the security of our elections. The Brennan Center for Justice recently conducted a study pointing out potential problems in our voting systems and how they can be addressed before our next presidential election.

The study estimates that 42 states are using voter registration databases created at least a decade ago. Many local systems run on outdated software like Windows 2000 or Windows XP, which are more vulnerable to cyberattack because Microsoft no longer supports those operating systems. Harris County runs its voter tabulation system on Windows 7; Dan Wallach, a computer security expert with the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, points out that operating system is two versions behind the latest release. The Brennan Center recommends upgrading all of the outdated IT infrastructure still used by state and local election offices

The report also suggests replacing antiquated voting machines with new systems that create paper trails officials can use to audit computerized election results. Only 26 states require that authorities conduct post-election audits to confirm the integrity of computer generated vote tallies. That step is crucial to insuring the integrity of election results.

Experts consulted by the Brennan Center believe many states haven't conducted comprehensive assessments of cyber threats to voter registration systems in several years. That's surprising, because election officials need to constantly review how hackers might crack into databases. Wallach, the Rice University computer security expert, suggests Harris County hire a professional security "penetration testing" firm to identify soft spots in election infrastructure.

Of course, implementing these recommendations will cost money. The task of replacing paperless machines alone in the United States will run anywhere from $130 million to $400 million, the study estimates, but that's a small price to pay to insure that our elections are secure. If state and local governments can't afford these upgrades, Congress needs to provide funding for addressing what's clearly a national security issue.

"This is a big deal," former FBI director James Comey testified before a congressional committee investigating Russia's attempts to influence U.S. elections. "And people need to recognize it. It's not about Republicans or Democrats. They're coming after America."

At a time when we're spending billions on border security, it's abundantly clear America needs to spend more on ballot security.
Farmers market

Regarding "Market makeover" (Page B1, Thursday), the farmer's market on Airline Drive has been a bright spot in my life for more than 50 years, and I have driven through 12 miles of city traffic three or four times a year for the experience.

There is an old-time energy at this place that will disappear when this place is rebuilt.

If I just wanted to buy vegetables in a shiny, air-conditioned warehouse I would go to one of two grocery stores, both within a mile from my house.

Barney W. Smith, Houston

No easy stroll

Regarding "A Walk In The Park", (Page A16, Thursday), how disappointing that after the marvelous investment in revitalizing Buffalo Bayou Park, the city opted not to allow for safe pedestrian access to the park at the intersection of Allen Parkway and Shepherd Drive, where one end of the park begins. The traffic signal there does not have a "pedestrian crossing" in its cycle, and one is taking one's life in one's hands to cross there.

Our neighborhood has talked to numerous city departments and council people about rectifying this, to absolutely no avail. Among other things, we've been told that the wiring for the traffic light there is too old and rusty to alter, that adding a "pedestrian crossing" cycle would be too expensive and that the whole bridge would have to be rebuilt to fix the light. We even pitched putting an overhead crossing like those that exist on the Memorial Drive side, since the city already owns the land that runs along Allen Parkway just east of Shepherd. We got nowhere.

The failure to provide safe pedestrian access not only affects the people in that part of the neighborhood, including all those who live west of Shepherd, but it limits the ability of clients of The Center for Speech and Hearing and Lighthouse for The Blind to easily and safely get to the park as well. And it sends a message about just how committed we really are to making Houston a walkable city.

Jane Crowder Schmitt, Houston

Listen to the people

Regarding "Battle over control begins" (Page A1, Tuesday), Gov. Greg Abbott is bad for the Texas brand. His promise to establish a list of lawmakers who buck his priorities smacks of McCarthyism.

Abbott should note this is not Washington, D.C. This is Texas, with many voices and strong representation that speak for those who put Texas representatives in office. He should be listening to them, not the other way around.

Kathleen Margolis, Houston
Despite the messy state of health-care reform, we owe the Congress a "thank you" for at least one aspect of their current efforts to amend the Affordable Care Act.

Lost in the sea of divisive policy is a big win for workers and their families. Although both chambers of Congress took a long, steely-eyed look at taxing employees on their health insurance premiums, they've backed away - for the moment.

Nevertheless, the issue won't die. Taxing employees on their health insurance is a policy darling of influential conservative think tanks and political strategists. The idea will likely resurface as part of any comprehensive tax reform effort, one that Congress might embark upon later this year or next.

And to that I, and 177 million other Americans who get health insurance through an employer, have this to say: Don't tax my health care. Not now, not ever.

Let's be clear on this: A tax on health insurance is a tax on workers. Under existing tax law, employees pay neither income nor payroll taxes on their health insurance premium values. Employers do not pay payroll taxes on the premium payments.

That's a huge deal, especially for employees. It's not uncommon for the value of a worker's health insurance to exceed $10,000 annually. If employees were required to pay taxes on that amount, or even a portion of that amount, it would substantially increase their tax burden.

If employers were required to remit additional payroll taxes on that amount, they'd likely slash benefits to avoid triggering the tax.

Unfortunately, the idea of taxing employees on their health insurance continues to command attention in Washington. Some policy makers and think tanks deride the fact that not taxing health insurance "costs" the federal government nearly a quarter trillion dollars annually. They call it the single largest tax "expenditure" in terms of lost tax revenue.

It's offensive to working Americans struggling to pay basic living costs, send kids to college and heed government exhortations to save more for retirement, for policy makers to suggest that Washington needs to tax their health insurance to close a tax "loophole."

In addition, taxing health insurance - because the tax would be triggered at specific premium thresholds - would hit first and hardest health plans that tend to have higher premiums. Plans covering blue collar employees (those plans often have lower deductibles, partially as an offset to lower wages), or covering predominantly women, retirees and employees with large families would be most heavily impacted.

Some say taxing health insurance will drive down health costs because health plans are too generous. A tax, they say, will force employers to slash benefits (to avoid the tax). Higher deductibles will encourage families not to see their doctors and thus decrease health-care utilization. As demand for care falls, so too should the price.

Taxing workers on their health insurance won't reduce health-care consumption. Many employers already offer high deductible health insurance plans. Statistically, a very small portion (13 percent, in the case of our clients) of enrollees in a group health insurance plan account for nearly all (82 percent) the plan's claim cost. These people - the sickest of the sick - are going to consume that care no matter what their deductibles are.

Don't worry, the think tanks say. Employers who slash benefits will make up for it with additional cash compensation! The person who believes that has never had the responsibility to manage a corporate budget. Lockton's own survey shows the vast majority of employers won't react the way the think tanks think they will.

We applaud Congress's efforts to try to improve the nation's health care and health insurance. Such efforts, however, must build upon what currently works well. Congress should first "do no harm" to the group health insurance market. Taxing employees and employers on health insurance premium values would do substantial harm. Now is the time to take action: contact your representatives and tell them, "Don't tax my health care. Not now, not ever."

Kelley is chairman & CEO of Lockton Companies, Texas.
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Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau Chief Mike Ward is once again on assignment in Washington, DC this week so, dear listeners, you'll have to put up with me solo again on the show. Fortunately, there's no shortage of material offered up by Texas' elected leadership.

For the first two years or so of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's time as presiding officer of the Senate, he regularly took a pass on weighing in much at all about Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.

When previously asked about whether Straus was sufficiently conservative, Patrick would often demur and stay focused on leading the Texas Senate in his public comments. That time in Patrick's political career has now fully concluded, it seems.

This year, of course, Patrick and Straus' relationship has been as strained as ever as proposals like the bathroom bill and school vouchers have dominated the debate at the capitol with Patrick forcing a special session on bills addressing those topics and others. Now, Patrick says Straus is "a Republican who has a Democrat as his chief of staff, a Democrat consultant and who gets elected by 55 Democrats."

On social media, Straus spokesman Jason Embry fired back "Yes, our chief of staff last worked in government for noted Democrat Rick Perry."

The day prior to the start of the special session, business leaders and tourism officials from around the state gathered on the South Steps of the Capitol to speak out against "bathroom bill" legislation. "Faced with overwhelming risk, we have no choice but to oppose the legislation that introduces discrimination into Texas," said Jeff Moseley, CEO of the Texas Association of Business.

IBM, which has major locations in Austin, the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Houston and San Antonio, has been one of the more vocal corporations opposing "bathroom bill" legislation.

Phil Gilbert, a Senior Executive and the Global Head of Design for IBM, spoke on behalf of the corporation to reject a "bathroom bill, or any discriminatory legislation that targets the LGBT community [which] hurts our ability to recruit and maintain talent in Texas."

CEOs have decided to take a pass on the Texas Senate hearing on bathrooms, it seems, because senators have made clear they do not care to hear their input. Hearings on a bill of this magnitude would typically include invited testimony from stakeholders shortly after they gavel in, but they're not doing that today. The way in which the Texas House will approach this is not yet clear, but Texas House State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook made his thoughts clear in an email to supporters.

Cook said that although he would "support legislation that limits admittance (based on gender at birth) to multi-stall bathrooms and locker rooms in our schools and requires local school districts to develop single-stall bathroom policies for transgender students," he would not "condone duplicitous grandstanding on the issue and/or discriminatory legislation; nor do I support laws that will adversely affect our state's economy."

Meantime, some US House members from Texas have gone into fundraising overdrive in anticipation of potentially altered districts following a ruling on redistricting by a federal court in San Antonio.

And, what do Texans hate compared to what people in other states hate? The answer surprised me.

As always, we've got the lowdown on all the political meltdowns on the Texas Take, where you get the inside scoop in unvarnished, straight talk that every Texan can understand. From Mike Ward, the Chronicle's Austin Bureau chief, and Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, comes Texas' leading podcast about Lone Star politics.

___

About Texas Take: The Podcast

The Lone Star State's politicians are outspoken, colorful, humorous and sometimes maddening characters who exemplify the historical Bigger Than Life view that Texas has of itself, whether in Austin or on the national stage. That ensures that Texas politics is seldom boring, often amusing and never lacking in colorful intrigue and drama.

The Houston Chronicle's Austin Bureau covers all the action, from smoke-filled room to raucous filibuster, and each week we go behind the top headlines for an insider's skinny on what's really going on at the storied Pink Dome and beyond. Informative, relevant, entertaining and often hilarious. Direct from Austin, this is the "Texas Take."


Amid extreme heat, firemen were called at about 1 p.m. Saturday to separate fires.

Licking was dispatched to Mounty Drive southeast of the community, where a natural cover fire was reported. However, Montauk responded due to Licking on another call.

Raymondville firefighters were called to 19911 Highway B, where a grass fire was reported about 1 1/2 mile east of the community. It later spread to a structure and the Summersville Fire Department was called to assist. Intercounty Electric was called to disable service. Later, Houston firemen were called to bring personnel, a brush truck and a tanker.

The location was near Split Limb Road and Highway B.
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Williamstown Planners Looking at Possible Bylaw Amendments

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Planning Board used its monthly meeting on Tuesday to continue its ongoing discussions about potential proposals for bylaw amendments to bring to town meeting.

The board hopes to have at least one proposal ready to go in time for a prospective special town meeting in November to decide whether to expand the Mount Greylock Regional School District to include Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary.

Among the topics the panel is considering: creating more options for assisted living and amending the "mother-in-law" apartment bylaw town meeting passed in 2012.

Although the town has one assisted-living facility, Sweetwood, there are other models for such facilities that are not allowed under the town's bylaw, Town Planner Andrew Groff told the board, as broadcast on public access station WilliNet.

"[Developers] call our office and want to figure out what's possible," Groff said. "After having multiple conversations over the years with folks interested in this type of business, it's clear our bylaw is very specific to one business model defined by the state, and there are all sorts of models out there now."

The so-called "mother-in-law apartment" bylaw, which allowed creation of a second dwelling unit on a residential building lot, has been little used since it was passed because, the planners believe, it is too restrictive.

"The biggest problem is on pre-existing non-conforming buildings and lots, you cannot convert a structure," Groff said. "That takes out a whole section of the heart of the walking part of Williamstown."

Much of the town's General Residence zone consists of homes that predate zoning and that are built too close to one another  i.e. non-conforming  per the bylaw.

"Since this passed in 2012, we get about five or six [requests] per year," Groff said. "Those numbers have been going down because some of the askers of that question are local contractors, and they know the rules now. They see it in the field and say, 'Nope, you can't do it.' "

In addition to those prospective zoning changes, the Planning Board on Tuesday heard an appeal to amend the bylaw to allow co-housing developments like the Blackinton Village project in neighboring North Adams.

One of the developers of that project, Williamstown resident Jane Shiyah, told the Planning Board that there is strong interest in the town for the housing model, which allows residents to cluster together in individually owned units that share amenities and green space.

"The problem with our zoning laws for multifamily housing ... is they demand you have a certain large amount of road frontage per unit and a large amount of land per unit," Planner Ann McCallum said. "When you put eight units together, you get no benefit from the cluster approach."

Shiyah noted that the co-housing model is growing nationally and could address one of the town's current priorities: housing that allows residents to age in place.

"There are close to 200 [projects] in the country," Shiyah said. "Northampton has three now. Amherst has two.  The biggest growing space in co-housing is age-in-place housing.

"If a co-housing development was built in Williamstown, we'd have a waiting list."
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Under the Volcano by the British novelist and poet Malcolm Lowry is considered one of the most influential novels of the 20th century. But given the wrangling that took place during the books development, its a miracle that it was ever published.

The book took Lowry years and many rewrites to complete, and even then faced many rejections. In a famous letter to Jonathan Cape, who eventually published the book in 1947, Lowry remains defiant. He was an expert letter writer and often spent more time on these than on his novels.

The publisher had suggested various rewrites to the manuscript, and Lowry replied with a 32-page response detailing precisely (and with consummate literary skill) how and why it was not possible for him to change a word, how all of it was absolutely necessary.

Incredibly, the publisher relented.

Day of the dead: the novel is set in Mexico, in the shade of two volcanoes

When the novel finally came out, it unhappily clashed with the publication of The Lost Weekend by Charles R Jackson, another tale of a hopeless alcoholic (adapted into a successful film by Billy Wilder). Nevertheless, critics hailed the novel as a masterpiece and Lowry was contracted for his next book.

For a brief time, Under the Volcano was even a set text for anyone studying English language and literature. But Lowry never recovered from the strain of having to follow up his classic work. He could not, as it were, scale and conquer such a monumental peak again.

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the novels publication, and the 60th anniversary of the death of its author. A conference on Malcolm Lowry is being held in his birthplace of Liverpool to commemorate this anniversary, and to explore the legacy that Under the Volcano has left.

A life and death in Mexico

The novel, set in Mexico on the Day of the Dead in 1938, details the final 24 hours in the life of a doomed British consul named Geoffrey Firmin. Firmin, a chronic alcoholic, is clearly based on Lowry himself, who, lacking the conventional work ethic and social conformity expected by his strict Methodist father, battled problems with drink and depression all his life.

Firmins attempts at holding together a marriage, a career, and the promise and duty of his privileged upbringing against the backdrop of a looming World War ends in utter catastrophe.



The novel, retelling the previous year of Firmins shambolic life, details the psychology of a personal collapse as Firmin tries to escape a violent world he cannot understand. The volcano in the title actually refers to two volcanoes, the still-active Popocatepetl and dormant Iztaccihuatl, which loom ominously over the town of Quauhnahuac  more commonly known as Cuernavaca  south of Mexico City, where the events of the book are set.

One of the underlying themes of the book is the occult. Numbers fascinated Lowry, and the 12 chapter structure of the novel is significant. As Lowry explained in his letter to Cape, this represents the 12 hours in a day (most of the action happens on a single day) and the 12 months of the year (the novel also looks back over the previous year).

The novel uses Nietzsche and Ouspenskys concept of eternal recurrence or circular time: it opens in the present day, but then spools back to the same point a year earlier, giving the sense that Firmin is repeating the same futile trajectory over and over again.

Lowry was a student of the esoteric Jewish Kabbalah sect, within which the number 12 is of symbolic importance. I have to have my 12, Lowry argues, since it is as if I hear a clock slowly striking midnight for Faust.

Another theme is the hallucinatory aspect of the novel, which fascinated subversives  particularly in France where the translated version was, and still is, warmly received. Lowry vividly recounts Firmins numerous mescal-infused visions, and the final tragic scenes of the novel pass by as if a dream, or more accurately a nightmare.

The French avant-garde lettrist and situationist writers were so taken with Under the Volcano that they devised various drinking games to mimic the Consuls nocturnal ramblings.

These consciousness-altering adventures, chaotic rejections of the status quo, were later theorised as the derive (drift) and formalised in the practice of psychogeography  a now somewhat fashionable technique for academics and novelists such as Will Self and Iain Sinclair.

Art imitating life

Lowrys own personal fate echoed that of his writing. In many ways, Lowry did not help himself. Many of his key works were lost, mislaid, forgotten or destroyed by fire  Lowry admitted in a letter how that particular infernal element seemed to follow him around.

His only respite was his brief time living in a shack near Dollarton, Vancouver. Photographs of him near the end show a man hollowed out by existence. He died in mysterious circumstances aged 57 in Ripe, Sussex.

Under the Volcano is a difficult modernist work to get into, and was soon dropped from the teaching curriculum. Yet it has inspired film adaptations  including John Houstons 1984 film starring Albert Finney and Jacqueline Bisset  cabarets, and even a jazz suite.



A small group of dedicated scholars from North America is developing new perspectives on Lowry, including critical editions of his lost novels Swinging the Maelstrom, In Ballast to the White Sea and an earlier version of his masterpiece Under the Volcano, together with a brand new set of essays, Malcolm Lowrys Poetics of Space.

Meanwhile, writers, poets and artists from Lowrys hometown, Liverpool, have issued a handsome tome, Malcolm Lowry: From the Mersey to the World, about the global dimension to Lowrys work.

Under the Volcano may be neglected  but to anyone of a certain age it has a powerful resonance, and still has the power to enthrall new generations of readers today.

Mark Goodall is the head of film and media at the University of Bradford. This article was originally published on The Conversation
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Collindales hottest new destination celebrates Asias vibrant culture with nearly 30 individual kiosks offering an eclectic mix of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Malaysian cuisines.

The highly anticipated Bang Bang Oriental, Londons biggest Asian foodhall, celebrated its grand opening last week.

Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall translates as Good Good Oriental Food Hall in Mandarin.

The 32,000 square foot eco-friendly venue encompasses a food court, restaurant and community space - all under one roof.

Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall features 27 pan-Asian cuisines

The food court seats up to 450 guests and brings the energy of an authentic Asian street food market to the capital.

Ying-Chu Chen, Bang Bang Oriental's Marketing Manager said: "This is also different in Chinatown, because Chinatown is Chinese buffet and mainly Chinese restaurants, but in here, we have Korean, we have Chinese, we have Taiwanese, we have Vietnamese, we have Indian, we have Chinese bakery, we have bubble tea shop, we have all different kinds of Asian / pan-Asian cuisine that you can choose from under one roof."

The exciting new hub is also home to the stylish Golden Dragon flagship restaurant. The 300 cover restaurant offers dim sum lunches with an extensive traditional Chinese menu in the evening.

There are also indoor and outdoor spaces for community events, dance classes childrens play area and space for cultural activities such as Lion dancing.

The community spaces are available for residents to hire for free for up to 60 hours a week.

Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall, 399 Edgware Road, NW9 0FH. Open daily from 10.30am until 9.30pm. bangbangoriental.com.
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The United Arab Emirates orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in order to post incendiary false quotes attributed to Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, in late May that sparked the ongoing upheaval between Qatar and its neighbours, according to US intelligence officials.

Officials became aware last week that newly analysed information gathered by US intelligence agencies confirmed that on May 23, senior members of the UAE government discussed the plan and its implementation. The officials said it remains unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done. The false reports said that the emir, among other things, had called Iran an Islamic power and praised Hamas.

The hacks and posting took place on May 24, shortly after President Donald Trump completed a lengthy counterterrorism meeting with Persian Gulf leaders in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and declared them unified.

Citing the emirs reported comments, the Saudis, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt immediately banned all Qatari media. They then broke relations with Qatar and declared a trade and diplomatic boycott, sending the region into a political and diplomatic tailspin that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned could undermine US counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State.

In a statement released in Washington by its ambassador, Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE said the Washington Post story was false.

The UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article, the statement said. What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalisation, and undermining the stability of its neighbors.

The revelations come as emails purportedly hacked from Otaibas private account have circulated to journalists over the past several months. That hack has been claimed by an apparently pro-Qatari organisation calling itself GlobalLeaks. Many of the emails highlight the UAEs determination over the years to rally Washington, DC, thinkers and policymakers to its side on the issues at the centre of its dispute with Qatar.

All of the Persian Gulf nations are members of the US-led counter-Islamic State coalition. More than 10,000 US troops are based at Qatars al-Udeid Air Base, the US Central Commands regional headquarters, and Bahrain is the home of the US Navys 5th Fleet. All are purchasers of US defence equipment and tied to American foreign policy priorities in numerous ways.

The conflict has also exposed sharp differences between Trump  who has clearly taken the Saudi and UAE side in a series of tweets and statements  and Tillerson, who has urged compromise and spent most of last week in so far unsuccessful shuttle diplomacy among the regional capitals.

We dont expect any near-term resolution, Tillerson aide RC Hammond said. He said the secretary had left behind proposals with the Saudi bloc and with Qatar including a common set of principles that all countries can agree to so that we start from ... a common place.

Qatar has repeatedly charged that its sites were hacked, but it has not yet released the results of its own investigation. Intelligence officials said their working theory since the Qatar hacks has been that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, or some combination of those countries were involved. It remains unclear whether the others also participated in the plan.

US intelligence and other officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment, as did the CIA. The FBI, which Qatar has said was helping in its investigation, also declined to comment.

A spokesman for the Qatari Embassy in Washington responded by drawing attention to a statement by that governments attorney general, Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri, who said late last month that Qatar has evidence that certain iPhones originating from countries laying siege to Qatar were used in the hack.

Hammond said he did not know of the newly analysed US intelligence on the UAE or whether Tillerson was aware of it.

The hacking incident reopened a bitter feud among the gulf monarchies that has simmered for years. It last erupted in 2013, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain accused Qatar of providing safe haven for their political dissidents and supporting the pan-Arab Muslim Brotherhood; funding terrorists, including US-designated terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah; and using its state-funded media outlets to destabilise its neighbours.

Qatar  an energy-rich country ruled by its own unelected monarchy  saw the Saudi-led accusations as an attempt by neighbouring autocrats to stifle its more liberal tendencies. Separately, the United States warned Qatar to keep a tighter rein on wealthy individuals there who surreptitiously funded Islamist terror groups  a charge that Washington has also made in the past against the Saudis and other gulf countries. While Qatar promised some steps in response to the charges in a 2014 agreement with the others, it took little action.

During his two-day visit to Riyadh, Trump met with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council  Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar  and held individual closed-door meetings with several GCC leaders, including the Qatar emir. The day before his departure on the morning of 22 May, Trump delivered a speech, focused on the need for religious tolerance and unity against terrorism, to more than 50 Muslim leaders gathered from around the world for the occasion.

But he devoted most of his attention to Saudi King Salman, praising as a wise leader the man who controls his countrys vast oil reserves. In what the administration hailed as a high point of the visit, the Saudis agreed to purchase $110bn (84.8bn) in US arms and signed letters of intent to invest hundreds of billions in deals with US companies.

He had told the Saudis in advance, Trump said in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, that the agreements and purchases were a prerequisite for his presence. I said, you have to do that, otherwise Im not going, Trump recounted.

The statements attributed to the emir first appeared on the Qatar News Agencys website early on the morning of May 24, in a report on his appearance at a military ceremony, as Trump was wrapping up the next stop on his nine-day overseas trip, in Israel. According to the Qatari government, alerts were sent out within 45 minutes saying the information was false.

Later that morning, the same false information appeared on a ticker at the bottom of a video of the emirs appearance that was posted on Qatar News Agencys YouTube channel. Similar material appeared on government Twitter feeds.

The reports were repeatedly broadcast in Saudi Arabian government outlets, continuing even after the Qatari alert said it was false. The UAE shut down all broadcasts of Qatari media inside its borders, including the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera satellite network, the most watched in the Arab world.

The first week in June, the Saudi-led countries severed relations, ordered all Qatari nationals inside their countries to leave, and closed their borders to all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, a peninsular nation in the Persian Gulf whose only land connection is with Saudi Arabia.

In addition to charges of supporting terrorism and promoting instability inside their countries, they accused Qatar of being too close to Iran, Saudi Arabias main rival for regional power and, according to the United States, the worlds foremost supporter of global terrorism. Iran conducts robust trade with most of the gulf, including the UAE, and shares the worlds largest natural gas field with Qatar.

The day after the boycott was announced, Trump indirectly took credit for it. So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with King and 50 countries already paying off, he tweeted. They said they would take a hard line on funding extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar.

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A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. 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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. 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At the same time, Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called for negotiations and a quick resolution of the dispute. When the Saudi-led group released a list of 13 non-negotiable demands of Qatar  including shutting down Al Jazeera and expelling a number of people deemed terrorists  the State Department suggested that they were unreasonable and that the terrorism funding issue was a smokescreen for long-standing regional grievances that should be resolved through mediation and negotiation.

Qatar rejected the demands. Tillerson appeared to agree that they were draconian. But when he called for the boycott to be eased, saying it was causing both security and humanitarian hardship, Trump said the measure was harsh but necessary.

The one concrete result of Tillersons stops in the region last week was a new bilateral agreement signed with Qatar on stopping terrorism financing, the only one of the gulf countries that had responded to an invitation to do so, Hammond said.

Speaking to reporters on his plane flying back to Washington on Friday, Tillerson said the trip was useful first to listen and get a sense of how serious the situation is, how emotional some of these issues are. He said that he had left proposals with both sides that suggested some ways that we might move this forward.

All of the countries involved, Tillerson said, are really important to us from a national security standpoint ... We need this part of the world to be stable, and this particular conflict between these parties is obviously not helpful.

Asked about Trumps tweets and other comments, he noted that being secretary of state is a lot different than being CEO of Exxon, his previous job, because I was the ultimate decision-maker. He knew what to expect from long-standing colleagues, he said, and decision-making was disciplined and highly structured.

Those are not the characteristics of the United States government. And I dont say that as a criticism, its just an observation of fact, Tillerson said. While neither he nor the president came from the political world, he said, his old job put him in contact with the rest of the world and that engagement ... is actually very easy for me.

For his part, Trump agreed in the Christian Broadcasting Network interview that he and Tillerson had a little bit of a difference, only in terms of tone over the gulf conflict.

Qatar, Trump said, is now a little bit on the outs, but I think theyre being brought back in. Asked about the US military base in Qatar, Trump said he was not concerned.

Well be all right, he said. Look, if we ever have to leave the base, we would have 10 countries willing to build us another one, believe me. And theyll pay for it.

 Washington Post
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Three men who repeatedly raped a young girl and made her pregnant have been jailed for a total of 20 years following a trial for historic sex abuse.

The girl was subject to systematic" abuse between 1987 and 1990, when she was aged between 12 and 15 years old and living in north London.

The victim came forward to report the crimes to police in June 2015, and specialist officers launched an investigation.

Recommended Bosnian War rape survivors speak of their suffering 25 years on

The three men were all convicted of rape following a two-week trial at Harrow Crown Court and were each given prison sentences of between five and eight years.

Noel Hutton, 65, was jailed for seven years. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said he was known to the victims mother and used his position of trust to abuse her.

He was joined in the abuse by his brother, Robert Hutton, 63, who was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

Alvin Muschette, 55, who also knew the family and joined the brothers in the abuse, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment.

The court heard the attacks took place over three years at various addresses in Brent, north-west London.

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The victim eventually became pregnant as a result of one of the rapes and told her family what had happened.

She told police officers her family had dismissed her allegations and she underwent an abortion in her early teens, with concerned parties being told her boyfriend had made her pregnant.

Detective Constable Alpesh Patel, of the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command, said: She was cruelly and vilely abused while she was a child; she has had a long wait for justice. Thanks to her courage she has now seen that justice done.

"Those who are, or have been, the victim of sexual assaults will be believed and supported by dedicated investigators. As a result of the victim's bravery and our inquiry these men will now pay the penalty for preying on a vulnerable young girl."
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An official picture has been released to mark the fourth birthday of Prince George - and the future king looks a happy little boy.

George beams out of the portrait taken at Kensington Palace ahead of his birthday, which the youngster will celebrate on Saturday.

The prince spent the run-up to his big day on an official tour of Poland and Germany with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Recommended The ridiculous reason Prince George is always dressed in shorts

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to share a new official portrait of Prince George to mark His Royal Highness's fourth birthday tomorrow.

"The photograph was taken at Kensington Palace at the end of June by Chris Jackson, Getty Images Royal Photographer.

"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received."

Mr Jackson said: "I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday.

"He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot!"

William and Kate's eldest child has a busy year ahead of him as he starts school in September.

The Duchess has already said she is not sure George, who will be young for his year, "has any idea what's going to hit him" as he begins full-time education.

George is joining private day school Thomas's Battersea in September, where fees cost 17,604 a year.

The selective establishment states that its most important rule is to "be kind".

Its 540 pupils are aged from four to 13, with around 20 in a class.

Art, ballet, drama, ICT, French, music and physical education are all taught by specialist teachers from a child's first day in school.

The Cambridge family will be based at Kensington Palace in London, rather than at their Norfolk mansion Anmer Hall, with William leaving his air ambulance helicopter pilot job this summer to become a full-time royal.

Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Show all 27 1 /27 Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 10-everythingyoueverwanted-.jpg PA Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Auntie-Pippa-GETTY.jpg Getty Images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Breastfeeding-REX.jpg Rex Features Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-1_1.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George pg-28-try-harder-PD-getty.jpg Getty Images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 14-eton-gt.jpg Getty images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George french-tourists-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 620880.bin Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Hideous-baby-REX.jpg Rex Features Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-30.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-6.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George web-baby-13-ap.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-2.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-AP.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Nanny.jpg Rex Features Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George obstetrics.jpg RexFeatures Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 5572123.jpg Jason Lowe Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-33.jpg Reuters Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George royal-baby-wave.jpg AP Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 103.jpg Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George Christening-REX.jpg Rex Features Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 'arry-rex.jpg Rex Features Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George BP1xMmdCIAAx4dq.jpg Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George 392396.bin PHOTOLIBRARY.COM Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George xylophone.jpg Getty Images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George yoyo.jpg Getty Images Royal baby A-Z: Everything you ever wanted to know about Prince George tired-rex.jpg Rex Features

George showed himself to be something of a shy royal diplomat when he arrived in Warsaw, needing encouragement from William to exit the plane, and fidgeting on the red carpet.

According to Kate, the prince is a "noisy" youngster and a "really lovely little boy" whom she hopes will keep "feisty" younger sister Princess Charlotte in check.

:: Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born at St Mary's Hospital's private maternity unit, the Lindo Wing, at 4.24pm on July 22 2013, weighing 8lbs 6oz.

He made his public debut in front of the world's media on the hospital steps one day later, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl, cradled in his proud parents' arms.

A great-grandchild to the Queen, he will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England if, as expected, he follows reigns by the Prince of Wales, and then William.
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The number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation has soared by almost 40 per cent in the past three years, new figures reveal, compounding fears Britain is facing a catastrophic housing crisis.

Councils are housing 120,540 children with their families in temporary shelter, an increase of 32,650 extra children since 2014.

Labours shadow housing minister John Healey said ministers should "hang their heads in shame" over the "shocking" figures.

"In a country as decent and well off as ours every child should have a home to go to," he said.

This is the direct result of decisions made by Conservative Ministers over the last seven years  the lowest number of affordable homes for 24 years, no protection for private renters, and big cuts to charity and council budgets."

Temporary accommodation is meant to be an interim solution while residents wait for permanent housing, but charities have warned many families are being left in "limbo" as criteria for so called "priority need" placements becomes increasingly narrow.

Kate Webb, head of policy and research at housing charity Shelter, told The Independent there has been little Government effort to reverse the trend.

"It is completely unacceptable when someone has already gone through the trauma of losing their home to leave them in limbo for months or years in temporary accommodation," she said.

"If we had a functional housing system we would not be putting people in such unstable, precarious living situations."

The Government has placed a six-week limit on families with children staying in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation, but Ms Webb said in practice this limit is increasingly flouted as councils struggle to find families proper homes to live in. There is no limit on how long families can remain in temporary accommodation for.

The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto

"The circumstances are heart-breaking, often these are not safe places to raise children so it is very difficult to have a normal family life," she said.

"You have families that are scared about letting their children used the shared bathroom, or one ludicrous example of a family having their pizza stolen from the oven of a communal kitchen.

"Theres a huge shortage of social housing - thats been true for many years and there hasnt been a government effort to reverse that - but people are having to wait longer and longer and what is available is being more heavily rationed than ever."

The figures are revealed after the Local Government Association (LGA) analysed Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) statistics.

The latest bleak assessment of Britain's social housing system comes just weeks after the Grenfell Tower tragedy renewed national focus on the crisis and exposed a vast accountability vacuum.

The Grenfell Action Group (GAG) residents' association issued countless warnings to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) over fire safety concerns at the tower but claimed their warnings "fell on deaf ears".

Five weeks on, just 35 offers of temporary accommodation have been accepted by those made homeless, despite 169 offers being made.

DCLG said many families did not feel ready to accept housing but advocates for those affected told The Independent some offers were wholly unsuitable, including a resident in a wheelchair being offered accommodation which was not accessible.

 London Mayor hits out at PM and council over Grenfell fire response

Others, whose homes in Grenfell Tower were also temporary, are reluctant to be shunted further down the waiting list for permanent accommodation.

"Offers of temporary accommodation are being made on a daily basis, but we know that families will have concerns around this process and the idea of accepting a temporary home," DCLGs Grenfell Response Team said in a statement.

"For some people, its still too soon to make such a major decision. For others, there are all sorts of considerations to take into account, such as the needs of elderly relatives, proximity to schools, and dealing with historical overcrowding."

Radical Housing Group, a network of housing activists of which GAG is a member, said the latest findings were a "national scandal" and yet more proof the housing system is "fundamentally broken".

"Families are spending years in B&B accommodation, often of a very low quality, and miles away from their work, schools and networks. The sell-off of social housing means there is nowhere else for them to go," a spokesperson said.

"After Grenfell, this is yet more proof that the government needs to initiate a massive programme of buying and building public housing. It needs to make existing homes safe, permanently house those people stuck in temporary accommodation, and put an end to the catastrophic housing crisis.

Changes to the Localism Act in 2011 gave councils the authority to slash social housing waitlists by allowing them to define their own criteria for priority need.

RBKC cut its waiting list by 75 per cent between 2006 and 2016, from 10,798 to 2,753.

But Ms Webb said the change created a chronic lack of visibility of the true demand of social housing as councils began drastically undercounting the number of applicants.

"The change in criteria means people are increasingly stuck in really unsuitable privately rented accommodation. If you look at the stress factors, shortage of affordable housing, welfare cuts, theres no real optimism that things are going to change anytime soon," she said.

The number of council homes in the UK has fallen by 165,000 since 2010 alone, with almost a third having been sold to private owners under the Right to Buy scheme.

The LGA said councils are in dire need of extra support from central government to tackle the crisis.

"When councils are having to house the equivalent of an extra secondary school's worth of pupils every month, it's clear the current situation is unsustainable, LGA housing spokesperson Martin Tett said.

"Councils are working hard to tackle homelessness...we now need the Government to support this local effort by allowing councils to invest in building genuinely affordable homes, and taking steps to adapt welfare reforms to ensure housing remains affordable for low-income families."

It comes after councils in England and Wales said they had little or no confidence in the sustainability of local government finances, according to the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) think tank. Local government finances faced cuts of 11.3bn in 2015-16, according to Unison, the public service union.
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Sadiq Khan has said he opposes a controversial major international arms fair taking place in London  but that he does not have the powers to stop it from happening.

The Mayor of London said he was opposed to London being used as a market place for dictators and autocrats, who converge on the capital every two years to buy weapons at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), the worlds biggest arms fair.

The event, which is next due to take place in September this year, lasts four days, and attracts over 34,000 attendees from the worlds arms companies, governments, and militaries.

Recommended MPs to investigate evidence of illegal weapons sales at DSEI arms fair

Last year a court acquitted eight anti-arms trade protesters who tried to shut down the fair, ruling that there was clear, credible and largely unchallenged evidence from the expert witnesses of wrongdoing at DSEI and compelling evidence that it took place in 2015.

DSEIs organisers says it complies with all laws and export controls imposed by the British government  but the British government allows the export of weapons to a number of countries with atrocious human rights records. Since 2010 ministers have issued licences for the sale of arms to 22 of the 30 countries on its own human rights watch list, and 39 of the 51 countries rated not free by the Freedom House NGO.

The Government most recently went to the High Court to defend its decision to continue arms sales to Saudi Arabia, despite advice from the top civil servant in charge of export controls that they should be suspended as a precaution. At the last fair in 2015 the UK government invited authoritarian regimes including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain.

Asked about whether the event should go ahead, Mr Khan said: The Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair is not an event that I support. ExCeL is a commercial space for hire.

I am opposed to London being used as a market place for the trade of weapons to those countries that contribute to human rights abuses.

Mr Khans position on the fair is in contrast to that of former Mayor Boris Johnson, who said in 2013 that DSEI was a sensible way to sell arms to governments. The former Mayor, who is now Foreign Secretary, told the Huffington Post at the time there was very important that there should be access to legal weapons and that there was no question of illegality at the event.

DSEI, which first opened its doors on September 11 2001, has been variously accused of hosting the sale of munitions including cluster bombs and electro-shock torture equipment.

Green Party London Assembly member Sian Berry, who first asked Mr Khan about DSEI, said London should not be open to such a trade.

The Mayor is clearly almost as disgusted as I am at the prospect of illegal and immoral arms sales taking place within our city, she said.

We must be clear that London is open but not for the buying and selling of weapons that are used to abuse human rights. I hope he will make sure any sales of illegal arms that take place at this event are exposed and investigated.

Activists welcomed the Mayors intervention. Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: The Mayor is right to condemn DSEI. This is a sign of the growing opposition to the UKs role in the global arms trade.

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. 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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. 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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. 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London is a global city, and home to people from all over the world  including many that have suffered under the same human rights abusers and dictatorships that will be getting welcomed to DSEI.

A spokesperson for DSEI said: DSEI provides an effective platform for the defence and security industry to demonstrate its products to potential UK and overseas customers in a well regulated environment, which serves only the legitimate defence and security industry.

All equipment exhibited at DSEI complies with UK, EU and international laws and treaties. Ultimately it is government policy and UK export control legislation which determines who can exhibit at or attend DSEI. Official overseas delegations at DSEI are invited by the Department for International Trade.
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is now a real threat to Theresa Mays premiership, Tory MP who chairs the Prime Ministers policy board has said.

George Freeman said the proper socialist Mr Corbyn had has gone from being the no-hope joke to a very real threat.

I think the whole country has woken up to that and the Conservative party certainly has, he told the BBCs Newsnight programme.

The admission from the PMs ally represents a major turnaround in the attitude of Tories, who had previously written off the left-winger as un-electable.

But most opinion polls released since the general election have shown Labour ahead of the Tories  which would likely make them the largest party in the Commons in the event of another election.

Mr Freemans comments come amid speculation about Ms Mays future in Downing Street. On a recent trip to the G20 in Hamburg Ms May would only tell reporters that she expected to negotiate the whole Brexit process  dodging a question about whether she would eventually step down before the next election in 2022.

Former leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom last week openly suggested she wanted Ms Mays job  but escaped any sanction of slap-down from the PM.

Speaking in the commons Ms Leadsom objected to a Labour MP claiming a group of middle-aged men wanted Ms Mays job.

UK Election Day 2017 Show all 38 1 /38 UK Election Day 2017 UK Election Day 2017 Door of Number 10 Downing Street is seen on the morning after Britain's election in London REUTERS UK Election Day 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in north London after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should "go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country" PA UK Election Day 2017 Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell arrives at Labour Headquarters on June 9, 2017 in London, England. After a snap election was called by Prime Minister Theresa May the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday. The closely fought election has failed to return a clear overall majority winner and a hung parliament has been declared Getty Images UK Election Day 2017 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britain's Green Party, speaks after retaining her seat in the general election, in Brighton REUTERS UK Election Day 2017 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London REUTERS UK Election Day 2017 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey (R) following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre on June 9, 2017 in Kendal, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images UK Election Day 2017 Paul Nuttal, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party reacts after failing to win the seat of Boston and Skegness at the counting centre for Britain's general election in Boston REUTERS UK Election Day 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrives at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election. PA UK Election Day 2017 Anna McMorrin hugs Jo Stevens MP after winning Cardiff North for Labour at the Sport Wales National Centre on June 9, 2017 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images UK Election Day 2017 Vince Cable wins the Twickenham election for the Liberal Democrats. Richmond and Twickenham election Rex Features UK Election Day 2017 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn rubs his face after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London AP UK Election Day 2017 Emily Thornberry speaks after holding her Islington South and Finsbury seat at the Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington, north London PA UK Election Day 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May listens as the declaration at her constituency is made for in the general election in Maidenhead, England, Friday, June 9, 2017. 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Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to win Britain's snap election but lose her parliamentary majority, a shock exit poll suggested on June 8, in what would be a major blow for her leadership as Brexit talks loom AFP/Getty Images UK Election Day 2017 DUP candidate for Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson celebrates following his election at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK Election Day 2017 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd attends the count for her seat at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Hastings REUTERS UK Election Day 2017 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for BritainaAAs general election in London Reuters UK Election Day 2017 The London Eye is illuminated in blue, representing the Conservative Party, after the first exit polls announced in Britain's general election AP UK Election Day 2017 Election officials count votes in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK Election Day 2017 The London Eye is illuminated in red, the color of the Labour Party, after first exit polls of Britain's national election announced in London AP UK Election Day 2017 BBC Television centre is illuminated with the exit poll results for Britains general election Eddie Keogh/Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Labours Bridget Phillipson (centre) smiles after being announced as the winner of the election for the constituency of Houghton and Sunderland South at a counting centre Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Members of the election staff prepare to count ballots, in Theresa Mays constituency in Maidenhead AP UK Election Day 2017 Ballot papers are checked ahead of the count at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Getty UK Election Day 2017 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for Britains general election in Kendal Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Theresa May arrives to vote at a polling station in Maidenhead AP UK Election Day 2017 Jeremy Corbyn arrives to cast his ballot at a polling station in north London EPA UK Election Day 2017 Lib Dems leader Tim Farron outside a polling station at Stonecross Manor Hotel in Kendal, Cumbria PA UK Election Day 2017 The leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) Paul Nuttall arrives to vote at a polling station in Congleton Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon with her husband Peter Murrell (left) the CEO of the SNP after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall, Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK Election Day 2017 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britains Green Party, arrives with her husband Richard Savage, to vote in Brighton Reuters UK Election Day 2017 An advertising van showing caricatures of Tim Farron, Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Nuttall with the message who will be looking for a new job as Britain goes to the polls to elect a new government Rex UK Election Day 2017 Performers pose with puppet caricatures of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party Tim Farron and leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, in front of the Palace of Westminster Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Dogs wait for their owner outside a polling station in Penally, Wales Reuters UK Election Day 2017 Police officers speak with a Labour Party activist outside a polling station in London AP UK Election Day 2017 Benedictine nuns from Tyburn Convent leave after voting in Britain's general election at a polling station in St John's Parish Hall, London AP UK Election Day 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty

May I challenge the hon. Gentleman on whether he just called me a middle-aged man? she said  suggesting she was a contender to replace the PM.

Labour did better than expected at the general election, defying polls that showed it on course to lose seats  and instead capturing a number of safe Tory strongholds and overturning Ms May's majority.
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Donald Trumps new communications director Anthony Scaramucci has not always been an enthusiastic supporter of the President, having previously expressed support for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The combative Wall Street financier has had a few choice words to say about his new boss on Twitter in the past.

But within hours of his appointment some of his most critical posts, questioning Mr Trump's decisions had been deleted.

In December 2011, Mr Scaramucci referred to the Trump spectacle when he tweeted in support of Mitt Romney, who was fighting for the Republican presidential nomination.

@Mitt Romney: Praise for the Governors decision to stay out of the Trump spectacle," said Mr Scaramucci.

In February 2012, Mr Scaramucci, a Wall Street millionaire who gave money to the campaigns of both his former Harvard classmate Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, both Demoecrats, also tweeted a comment about Mr Trumps decision to endorse Newt Gingrich for President

Odd guy," he wrote. "So smart with no judgement.

The deleted tweets were first noticed by the freelance journalist Josh Billinson, who found himself briefly blocked by Mr Scaramucci.

Mr Billinson told the Daily Beast: Im shocked he hadnt deleted them earlier. That he couldve been in the running for communications director and not even thought to check what he had publicly said about Trump in the past is wild to me.

If Mr Trump decides to push ahead with his promised and highly controversial wall between the US and Mexico, Mr Scaramucci will find himself having to defend a policy he has publicly objected to.

In December 2015, he tweeted: Walls dont work. Never have, never will. The Berlin Wall 1961-1989 dont fall for it.

The words were posted alongside a picture of the German symbol of the iron curtain.

He also went as far as to say he hoped Hillary Clinton became the next President, saying: I hope she runs, she is incredibly competent, he said back in 2012 in reference to the 2016 contest. He added that she was the real deal.

On another occasion he also tweeted: I like Hillary. Have to go with the best athlete. We need to turn this around, again in reference to the possibility of her seeking the Democratic nomination in 2016.

He had changed his tune by 2015, however, when he said of Ms Clinton: Hillary will be out of race before Thanksgiving [the] democratic nominee will be a governor.

However, he had not converted to being a Trump fan at this stage, calling him a hack politician with rhetoric that is anti-American and very, very divisive.

Recommended Spicer was treated so badly by Trump he had no choice but to go

He also tweeted a quote from David Cameron where the former Prime Minister criticised Mr Trump for making a fundamental mistake of trying to blame all of Islam and all Muslims for what is the ideology and the actions of a minority.

Mr Scaramucci converted from being a Democrat to being a Republican by 2012, when he served as a served as the finance co-chair for Mr Romneys unsuccessful campaign against Mr Obama.

But he endorsed first Scott Walker and then Jeb Bush for the Republican nomination before finally getting on board with the Trump team, joining his campaigns finance committee in May 2016.

Shortly after his appointment, Mr Trumps press secretary Sean Spicer resigned from his position of press secretary, bringing to an end a stormy six month spell in the job.
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Donald Trump's plan to bring back coal appeared to take a hit when a Texan power plant revealed it was making around 70 workers redundant because the fossil fuel not making money.

The US President said he had "ended the war on coal" last month as he vowed to dismantle "job-killing" Environmental Protection Agency regulations and put miners back to work.

He has outlined plans to shift the US away from renewable energy through proposed budget cuts after controversially withdrawing from the landmark Paris agreement on climate change on 1 June.

 Trump declares an end to 'war on coal'

But the price of coal remains so high that the Texas Municipal Power Agency (TMPA) said it will have to lay off around 70 workers from a coal-fired electrical plant at Gibbons Creek, Anderson, during the winter months.

The agency claimed it was not economical to keep the facility running all year round and said it would only keep it fully operational between June and September, according to KBTX-TV.

Around 20 people will reportedly stay to maintain safety standards throughout the rest of the year.

The TMPA has been trying to sell the power plant for more than a year and will have to decide whether to shut it down completely if a buyer is not found by September 2018.

The news will come as a blow for Mr Trump, who declared that the golden era of American energy is now underway at an event called Unleashing American Energy last month.

The President told energy executives and labour union leaders: You've gone through eight years of hell.

We are putting the coal miners back to work just like I promised.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

We are ending the intrusive [Environmental Protection Agency] regulations that raise the price of energy so substantially.

A global oversupply of oil has actually kept prices of the commodity down in recent years, and the Trump administrations push for gas exports is likely to continue facing a market glut.

He has already approved the sale of more American natural gas to South Korea as well as the construction of a new petroleum pipeline to Mexico.

That'll go right under the wall, Mr Trump joked, referring to the 74-mile long wall he hopes to build along the US-Mexico border.

Mr Trump also intends to approve two applications to export natural gas from the Lake Charles liquefied natural gas terminal in Louisiana and open up a new offshore oil and gas leasing programme.

He said: We have so much more [energy] than we ever thought possible...We don't want to let other countries take away our sovereignty and tell us what to do...We will be dominant. We will export American energy all around the globe...Job-killing regulations are being removed...like you've never seen before.

Mr Trump said the Paris Accord had hurt the coal industry and claimed it would prove too costly for the country to stick to the agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Thirteen states and more than two hundred city mayors have pledged to abide by the Paris goals, despite the President's decision to withdraw from the agreement.

New money in renewable energy outpaced new investments in fossil fuels for the first time in 2015 to the tune of $350bn.
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Teenagers who laughed while filming a disabled man as he drowned instead of rescuing him had no legal obligation to help, according to experts.

Police are pursuing misdemeanour charges against the five minors, aged between 14 and 16, for failing to report the death of Jamie Dunn. None of the five have been named.

As the 31-year-old drowned in a Florida pond on 9 July, the five teenagers mocked, laughed at and recorded him dying before posting the video online. They ignored Mr Dunns pleas for help.

But there is no general duty under law to help someone in distress, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said in a 2012 legal argument.

You dont have the duty to rescue someone if that person is in danger. The blind man is walking in front of a car and you do not have a duty to stop him absent some relation between you [or] Obamacare.

At the time, he was arguing against the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

Mr Kennedy acknowledged that there were some severe moral criticisms of that rule, but said thats generally the rule.

While laws vary between states, there is no general duty to rescue across the US, according to David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor who is now in private practice.

There are some exceptions, however. For example: if you have put the person in danger in the first place; if the incident is a car crash; if you already have a special relationship to others by being police officer, firefighter, teacher, bus driver, employer  or the victims spouse.

Some states, including Nebraska, also have laws requiring people to report suspected child abuse, Nebraska attorney Jeffrey Lapin told Associated Press. Failure to do so may result in misdemeanour charges.

Mr Lapin also noted the final episode of sitcom Seinfeld, in which an overweight man is car-jacked. Instead of helping him, the four main characters joke about his weight.

They are subsequently convicted of violating a purported city ordinance for failing to assist, and the judge character says the four have callous indifference and utter disregard for a positive society. But most US states do not have such a law.

However, every US state does have a Good Samaritan law, to protect people who render aid to someone in danger from being sued for anything they did in the course of their actions  although there are some exceptions.

Countries including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Russia do have laws requiring witnesses to render aid, which can simply mean calling the authorities.

Jamel Dunn (circled) moments before he drowned (Simone Scott/Facebook) (Simone Scott/Facebook screengrab)

Mr Dunns body was found severely decomposed and floating in the pond in Cocoa, Florida, five days after he drowned. After a family friend informed police of the video, officers identified and interviewed the five teenagers.

They had been smoking marijuana in the park, according to a Cocoa Police Department spokesperson. The group watched Mr Dunn, who used a cane, walk into the fenced-off pond.

In the video, one of the teenagers shouts: Get out the water, you gonna die. Another says: Aint nobody fixing to help you, you dumb b***h.

Another teen asked the group if they were scared to see a dead person as a scream is heard in the background. Then another announces he just died, before the rest erupt in laughter.

Initially the State Attorney and Cocoa Police concluded no crime had been committed. But on Friday, Cocoa police chief Mike Cantaloupe said he will be pursuing charges of failure to report a death. The State Attorney has not yet decided whether to prosecute the charges.

When we initially reviewed this case, it was determined there were no laws broken, as the teens were not directly involved with the death, Mr Cantaloupe said in a statement.

Further research of the statutes and consultation with the State Attorneys Office yielded the decision to move forward with charges under this statute. Its our belief that this law has never been enforced in a scenario like this, but we feel it could be applicable. Pursuing criminal charges is a way to hold them accountable for their own actions.

Both Mr Cantaloupe and Cocoas Mayor, Henry Parrish III, said that Mr Dunns death may give rise to new legislation.

I think what we look at is, the hope that what we do from here going forward, whether it be this charge or some new legislation, that another family doesnt have to go through this Mr Cantaloupe told ABC.

And that we work with our youth ... to instil these morals ... I wouldve never believed that somebody could watch somebody in distress and not do anything about it.

There are no words to describe how utterly inhumane and cruel the actions of these juveniles were towards Mr Dunn.

Cocoa Mayor Henry Parrish III said he was dismayed on learning there was no legal obligation to render aid in Florida.

In a case like this, we struggle to understand how anyone could be so cold and heartless, and then learn that there are no laws in Florida that obligate someone to render aid, or call for someone to render aid, for a person they see in distress, he said.

If this case can be used as an example to draft new legislation, then I am committed to move forward to make that happen. More so, may this tragic incident, which has shocked all of us, cause each of us to examine ourselves and our responsibility to one another.

I implore the State Attorneys Office to follow through and file the charges presented by the Cocoa Police Department, he added.

While this in no way will bring justice for what occurred, it is a start.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
The newest, richest millionaires in the stock market

VietNamNet Bridge - The list of the top richest millionaires in the stock market changes regularly because of changes in business ownership, falls in share prices and slumping business.









Mr Pham Nhat Vuong









In 2006, the names of the richest stock millionaires for the first time appeared in the media when a newspaper exposed the names and stock assets they were holding.



Truong Gia Binh, president of FPT, the largest Vietnamese IT Group, became the richest stock millionaire on the 2006 list. At that time, Binh held 5.12 million FPT shares, worth VND2.4 trillion (FPT shares were traded at VND460,000 per share on December 29, 2006).



However, by the end of 2016, with stock assets falling to VND1.438 trillion, Binh had fallen to the 17th position on the list of the richest stock millionaires.





The list of the top richest millionaires in the stock market changes regularly because of changes in business ownership, falls in share prices and slumping business.



The first position in the 2007 list belonged to Dang Thang Tam, who owned two real estate development firms  Tan Tao Investment & Industry JSC (ITA) and Kinh Bac Urban Development (KBC), with the total assets of VND6.3 trillion.



However, Tams assets had decreased to VND1.226 trillion by the end of 2016, when he ranked 20th.



In 2008, HAGL shares of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group entered the bourse, which led to Doan Nguyen Duc, president of the group, becoming the richest stock millionaire of the year.



However, by 2016, Duc had fallen to the 12th position, while his Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group had unsatisfactory business performance with debt of VND33 trillion by the end of 2015.



While other businesses have experienced ups and downs for many years, Pham Nhat Vuong, president of Vingroup, a real estate developer, has been standing firmly at the No 1 position since 2009.



Vuongs stock assets have been increasing in the last two years partially thanks to the good business performance of Vingroup. The VIC shares he is holding have value of VND31.851 trillion.



The other names in the top 10 are also well-known and influential businessmen, but their positions change regularly.



These include Trinh Van Quyet, president of FLC with stock assets worth VND30 trillion; Pham Dinh Long, president of Hoa Phat (VND9.14 trillion); Pham Thu Huong, vice president of VIngroup (VND5.243 trillion); and Nguyen Duc Tai, president of The Gioi Di Dong (VND3.588 trillion.



However, Forbes latest report about billionaires named only two Vietnamese billionaires  Pham Nhat Vuong and Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, CEO of Vietjet, while Trinh Van Quyet was not on the list.



In 2013, after many years in the top 10 and top 20, Dang Van Thanh, president of Sacombank, and his son, Dang Hong Anh, disappeared from the list. The fall of Thanh remains a mystery.





RELATED NEWS

First Vietnamese woman makes it to Forbes' 2017 billionaires list

Third Vietnamese dollar billionaire emerges





M. Ha
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In a rare show of defiance, Republicans in Congress are coming close to preventing Donald Trump from being able to roll back sanctions against Russia.

The White House has sought to change a bill that would toughen sanctions on Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.

But the Senate's version, which received overwhelming bipartisan support in a 98-2 vote, would also establish a newl review process that would allow Congress to block Mr Trump if he tries to ease sanctions on Moscow.

Recommended Trump warns Mueller not to probe finances beyond Russia investigation

Despite telling reporters that the White House supports new sanctions on Russia, Marc Short, its legislative director, declared that the bill would set an unusual precedent of delegating foreign policy to 535 members of Congress, as it would not include certain national security waivers that have always been consistently part of sanctions bills in the past..

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said the measure would not provide the administration with flexibility to deal with the Russian government.

But despite the administrations attempts to defang the legislation, Republican Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has said that changes are not likely to occur.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

Language empowering Congress to block Mr Trump from any attempt to ease or end sanctions is going to stay in this bill, Mr Corker told reporters. And weve had very constructive meetings with the House  theres no attempt whatsoever to move away from that provision, he added.

After passing in the Senate, the legislation appeared to stall in the House of Representatives, worrying some Republicans that the White Houses efforts to water down the legislation were working and could make the US seem soft on Russia.

Republican Senator Cory Gardner said his party put a very firm policy in place with the passage of the sanctions bill, that wed continue to push hard on Russia.

As long as they continue to violate international law, we are going to continue to use sanctions and every tool at our disposal to push back, Mr Gardner added. Thats the firm commitment of the Senate and I believe, soon, the House.

House leaders from both parties are currently negotiating a deal to send the bill back to the Senate in the next few weeks, and Mr Trump now appears likely to not get his way.

Even though multiple US intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia meddled in the election, the President has repeatedly cast doubt on these assertions.

Pressed on the issue during a press conference in Poland, Mr Trump said that nobody really knows for sure who interfered in the 2016 election, adding: I think it was Russia and I think it could have been other people countries.
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An errant US air strike has killed 16 Afghan National Police officers who were fighting the Taliban and wounded two others.

Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said on Saturday that the death toll in Friday's strike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in Gereshk District.

The Pentagon confirmed the air strike on the Security Forces compound happened during a US-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area, and offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory.

Nato and US troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Mr Safi told The Associated Press that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area.

He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the air strike occurred.

The Helmand governor, Hayatullah Hayat, said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan in northern Badakhshan province, Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said on Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a fierce battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

He said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Friday's firefight. It was not immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

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. 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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. 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The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and even telephone contact is erratic.

And a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents in western Farah province has left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed.

The battle on Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district.

The fighting continued for five hours, Mohammad Naser Mehri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed.

Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area made it impossible to independently verify.

Associated Press
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In his first speech since four Arab countries severed ties with his country, Qatar's emir called for dialogue to resolve a political crisis pitting his country against them.

A defiant Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said life was continuing as normal despite what he described as an unjust "siege" from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.

The countries cut ties and imposed sanctions on Qatar last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and supporting terrorism, which the emir denied.

"Qatar is fighting terrorism relentlessly and without compromise, and the international community recognises this," Sheikh Tamim said in the televised speech.

He spoke hours after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States was satisfied with Qatar's efforts to implement an agreement aimed at combating terror financing, and urged the four states to lift their "land blockade".

It also comes days before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had supported Qatar in the crisis, was due to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to try to resolve the rift.

Earlier this month during a round of shuttle diplomacy, Tillerson signed a deal with Qatar to fight terrorism financing, part of efforts led by Kuwait to try to resolve the most serious rift in the Western-allied Gulf in decades.

An official comment from the four Arab countries had yet to be issued, but a Saudi royal court advisor described it as a piece of literary work written by a school student. "Had it been written by a student in middle school he would have flunked," Saud al-Qahtani wrote on his Twitter account.

Commentators hosted by the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television also denounced the speech.

"This is a speech of obstinacy which sends messages that Qatar will not stop supporting terrorism," said Ali al-Naimi, editor of an online news website published in the UAE.

The crisis revolves around allegations that Qatar supports Islamist militant groups, including in Syria and Libya, and hosts members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It began after a speech in late May by Sheikh Tamim appeared on the state news agency's website, which Doha said he had never made and indicated the website had been hacked from one of its neighbours, indicating the UAE.

Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup Show all 12 1 /12 Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES Qatar's stadium plans for 2022 World Cup GETTY IMAGES

The Washington Post, citing US intelligence officials, last week reported that the United Arab Emirates had arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in order to post the fiery but false quotes. The UAE denied any involvement.

Sheikh Tamim described the sanctions as a campaign that had been pre-planned against Qatar, calling it an act of aggression against Doha's foreign policy.

"Its planners planted statements to mislead public opinion and the countries of the world," he said.

Sheikh Tamim vowed to withstand the sanctions and said he had instructed the Qatari government that Qataris should become more self-reliant and called for the economy to be opened up to foreign investments.

"The time has come for us to spare the people from the political differences between the governments," he said, urging dialogue.

"Any solution must respect the sovereignty and will of each state," he added.
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Two strong aftershocks have struck the Greek island of Kos within minutes of each other, sending startled residents and tourists scurrying away from homes and restaurants.

A tremor measuring a preliminary 4.4 magnitude struck at 8.09pm local time (6.09on BST), sending restaurant customers scurrying toward the middle of the town's main square, as far away as possible from buildings.

Sixteen minutes later, a second 4.6-magnitude tremor struck, the Athens Geodynamics Institute reported. The first tremor had its epicentre only 13 miles northeast of Kos at a depth of 6 miles.

Hundreds of residents and tourists spent Friday night sleeping outdoors on the island, too afraid to return to their homes or hotels after the quake that struck early on Friday, killing two men on Kos and injuring almost 500 others in Greece and Turkey.

Many camped out in parks and olive groves, or slept in their cars or on beach and swimming pool lounge chairs.

The aftershocks meant that many would spend a second night outdoors.

During the day in Kos, churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and other old buildings that suffered in the quake were being checked by archaeologists and experts from Greece's Culture Ministry.

The US Geological Survey measured Friday's earthquake at magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower. Two men, a Turk and a Swede, were killed when a wall collapsed into a popular bar in the Old Town of Kos.

The most seriously injured in Greece were airlifted to hospitals on the mainland and the southern island of Crete, and at least two were still in critical condition on Saturday.

 Two dead in earthquake that strikes Greek island of Kos

The Turkish man's parents were on the island making arrangements to repatriate his body home by boat, possibly on Sunday.

Panagiotis Bekali, a 30-year-old resident, spent the night sleeping in an olive grove with relatives while his five-year-old son and 16-year-old nephew slept in the family car.

There were cracks in the house (from the earthquake) so we went straight out, he said. We were afraid to stay indoors, so the whole family slept outside.

Dozens of aftershocks have shaken the island. John Grant, a 60-year-old tourist from Britain, said he felt safer sleeping outside.

Coming from somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, you don't understand, he said from his makeshift bed on a lounge chair. So to me it was very frightening being in the building. But being outside, I know I'm safe.

About 350 of the injuries occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as a sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore. Seismologists said the shallow depth of the undersea quake Friday was to blame for the damage.

In Kos, the quake damaged the island's main port, so ferries were being diverted to the smaller port of Kefalos on the island's southwestern coast.

Serif Damadoglou Soukri, the imam of Kos, said the greatest damage to Kos mosques was sustained by the central 17th-century Defternatar Ibrahim Pasa mosque, whose minaret, restored a few years ago, collapsed completely. Ancient columns also toppled over in the southern part of the 2nd-century agora in the main town.

Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Show all 11 1 /11 Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts A man looks at damaged boats at a beach following a sea surge caused by an earthquake on July 21, 2017 in Bodrum, southwestern Turkey. Two foreigners died and more than 100 people were injured on the Greek island of Kos when an earthquake shook popular Greek and Turkish holiday destinations in the Aegean Sea. The epicentre of the 6.7 magnitude quake was some 10.3 kilometres (6.4 miles) south of the major Turkish resort of Bodrum, a magnet for holidaymakers in the summer, and 16.2 kilometres east of the island of Kos in Greece, the US Geological Survey said. AFP/Getty Images Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts A man sweeps away rubble following on the Island of Kos following a 6.5 magnitude earthquake which struck the region early on July 21, 2017. Two foreigners died and more than 100 people were injured on the Greek island of Kos when an earthquake shook popular Greek and Turkish holiday destinations in the Aegean Sea. The epicentre of the 6.7 magnitude quake was some 10.3 kilometres (6.4 miles) south of the major Turkish resort of Bodrum, a magnet for holidaymakers in the summer, and 16.2 kilometres east of the island of Kos in Greece, the US Geological Survey said. AFP/Getty Images Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts A man looks at rubble fallen from a quake damaged building on the Greek Island of Kos on July 21, 2017 following a 6.5 magnitude earthquake which struck the region. Two foreigners died and more than 100 people were injured on the Greek island of Kos when an earthquake shook popular Greek and Turkish holiday destinations in the Aegean Sea. The epicentre of the 6.7 magnitude quake was some 10.3 kilometres (6.4 miles) south of the major Turkish resort of Bodrum, a magnet for holidaymakers in the summer, and 16.2 kilometres east of the island of Kos in Greece, the US Geological Survey said. AFP/Getty Images Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Damaged boats are seen on a beach following a sea surge caused by an earthquake, in the Agean coastal city of Mugla, Bodrum Province, Turkey Earthquakequake hits the Aegean - 21 Jul 2017 A strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey's Aegean coast, and at least 90 people were injured as a sea surge caused damages in buildings and streets. Two people were killed and dozens were injured on the Greek Island of Kos and beachfront hotels have been flooded on both Turkish and Greek coasts after the earthquake hit in the Aegean Sea early 21 July. Rex Features Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Damage is seen at a port following an earthquake on the island of Kos, Greece, 21 July 2017. Two earthquake-related fatalities were reported on the island of Kos in the early morning hours of 21 July, while several others were injured from a strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the island and much of the southeast Aegean region and southwestern Turkey. A 39-year-old Turk and a 27-year-old Swede are reportedly dead, according to sources. Five persons who have been seriously injured were transferred to the Heraklion University Hospital in Crete. Some buildings have suffered serious damage. The island's port has sustained damage while the airport is operating normally. EPA Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Boats that crashed on top of each other in the harbor in Bodrum, Turkey, early Friday, July 21, 2017. A powerful earthquake struck Turkey's Aegean coast and nearby Greek islands, sending frightened residents running out of buildings they feared would collapse and into the streets. AP Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Fallen bottles are seen in a liquor store following an earthquake on the island of Kos, Greece, 21 July 2017. Two earthquake-related fatalities were reported on the island of Kos in the early morning hours of 21 July, while several others were injured from a strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the island and much of the southeast Aegean region and southwestern Turkey. EPA Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts People watch a damaged car following a sea surge caused by an earthquake, in the Agean coastal city of Mugla, Bodrum Province, Turkey, 21 July 2017. A strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey's Aegean coast, and at least 90 people were injured as a sea surge caused damages in buildings and streets. Two people were killed and dozens were injured on the Greek Island of Kos and beachfront hotels have been flooded on both Turkish and Greek coasts after the earthquake hit in the Aegean Sea early 21 July. EPA Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Damaged boats are seen on a beach following a sea surge caused by an earthquake, in the Agean coastal city of Mugla, Bodrum Province, Turkey, 21 July 2017. A strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey's Aegean coast, and at least 90 people were injured as a sea surge caused damages in buildings and streets. Two people were killed and dozens were injured on the Greek Island of Kos and beachfront hotels have been flooded on both Turkish and Greek coasts after the earthquake hit in the Aegean Sea early 21 July. EPA Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Damaged buildings are seen after an earthquake on the Greek island of Kos early Friday, July 21, 2017. A powerful earthquake struck Greek islands and Turkey's Aegean coast early Friday morning, damaging buildings and a port and killing people, authorities said. AP Earthquake rocks Turkey-Greek coasts Hotel guests sleep outdoors after abandoning their rooms following an earthquake in Bitez, a resort town about 6 kilometers (4 miles) west of Bodrum, Turkey, early Friday, July 21, 2017. A powerful earthquake struck Turkey's Aegean coast and nearby Greek islands, sending frightened residents running out of buildings they feared would collapse and into the streets. AP

Greek Orthodox Priest Vassilis Hlampanis said one of the damaged churches was repairable.

The greatest damage was sustained mainly in part of the sanctuary, in the middle part which fell, but there are also other sections around the external brickwork and certainly also internally, he said.

Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said island's biggest infrastructure problem was the damage to the main port. Coast guard divers were on the scene inspecting the jetty.

Life on the island is returning to normal, Kyritsis said. The infrastructure problems are being repaired.

The mayor said Kos hadn't seen many tourist cancellations as a result of the quake.

(Visitors) are touring the island with their tour guides. We don't have a big problem. The ferry connection has been restored with the port of Kefalos and we are waiting as soon as possible to repair the damage at the port, he said.

Gift shop owner Giannis Manoutkos said life on the island had returned to its easy-going ways.

Everything is normal now. The situation was bad for two days ... we are coming to a normal life again, he said.

Associated Press
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A female hunter has apparently taken her own life after she was reportedly threatened by animal rights activists on social media.

Melania Capitan, from Catalonia, Spain, regularly posted on her blog, which was followed by thousands of people, explaining and detailing her hunting methods.

The 27-year-olds posts attracted much controversy and she had been subjected to threats online.

Ms Capitan left a note and called her friends to say goodbye before taking her life, the Daily Mail reported.

The exact details of the letter have not been revealed but reports suggest her death was not linked to the harassment.

[Melania] chose this fatal path for reasons of a personal nature, a friend told Noticias ao Minuto.

As the news of her death spread, many took to her Facebook page, which has more than 32,000 likes, to leave comments apparently welcoming the news.

You have done a favour to humanity! Bye bye, one comment read.

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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. 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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. 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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. 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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

She was so bitter that she had to pay her hate killing innocent animals, thank God she killed herself, the only good thing she did lately, another comment said.

Other users expressed sadness at Ms Capitans death.

Rest in peace. I do not like hunting, defending animals and killing for hobbies seems horrible to me. But its a shame that this girl took her life, one response said.
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Vladimir Putin has said he could stay on as President of Russia for at least another six years.

His term in office ends with the presidential election in March 2018 but he is widely expected to seek re-election and win another six-year term.

Mr Putin has been President of Russia since 2000, apart from a stint as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2012.

He was speaking during a three-hour question and answer session with Russian children at a school in the Black Sea city of Sochi, in which he answered a series of light-hearted questions.

Responding to a question about his plans for when he leaves office, he smiled and said: But I havent decided yet if I will leave the presidency.

The comment was met with laughter and applause from the audience of young Russians.

However, he pledged not to change the Russian constitution to allow him to stay as President indefinitely.

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

I had an opportunity, I was even asked to change the constitution at one time, he said. I did not do it, and I dont intend to do it in the future.

The current rules allow a President to serve for no more than two terms in a row. Mr Putins spell as Prime Minister means he is currently nearing the end of the first term of his second spell as President and is therefore entitled to stand for re-election for one more term.

During the question and answer session, he faced a series of wide-ranging but uncontroversial questions from the schoolchildren.

I like chatting with my friends, reading historical books, listening to music and doing sport, he replied when asked what he enjoyed doing in his spare time.

He said he rarely uses the internet but drew a comparison between people who use fake identities online and the personas he adopted when he worked for the KGB intelligence agency.

Asked for his thoughts on feminism, Mr Putin said he saw nothing wrong with the feminist movement and recognised the existence of a gender pay gap in Russia. However, he said a similar problem exists in the West and that sexism is not as bad in Russia as in many Muslim countries.

Bizarre moments during the session included Mr Putin and a young boy comparing how many pull-ups they could do, a synchronised skating team asking if they could have their picture taken with him, and the Russian President admitting he had fallen asleep while watching director Oliver Stones four-hour documentary about himself.

Asked what his three most important values are, the Russian President replied: Love, freedom and life itself.
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Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained a Saudi Arabian fishing boat and arrested its crew, an Iranian state news agency reported on Saturday, at a time of increased diplomatic tension between the two regional powers.

Five Indian nationals on the vessel were detained on Friday after they crossed into Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf, Ardeshir Yarahmadi, a spokesman for the fisheries department of Bushehr province, was quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

Yarahmadi said it was the second time in the past month that a Saudi boat and its crew had been detained.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are at their worst in years, with each accusing the other of subverting regional security and supporting opposite sides in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Riyadh, along with other Arab governments, has severed ties with Qatar, citing its support of Iran as one of the main reasons for the move.

Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for being behind deadly twin attacks on June 7 in Tehran claimed by Islamic State. At least 18 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the attacks, in which Riyadh has denied any involvement.

Iranian media reported last month that Saudi border guards had opened fire on Iranian fishing boats in the Gulf, killing a fisherman and arresting three others.

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

Iran has urged Saudi Arabia to release the trio, who Tehran said had legal documents but lost their way.

The Saudi Information Ministry said it had intercepted the boat in Saudi waters on June 16 and that three members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards had been detained in the incident.

It said the seized vessel was carrying explosives and those captured intended to conduct a "terrorist act" in Saudi territorial waters. Iran has denied the allegation.

Associated Press
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Syrian civilians celebrated their escape from an Isis stronghold in Raqqa by burning burqas, which they were forced to wear under the groups oppressive rule.

A group of women pulled off the black robes over their dresses and set them alight after their families were liberated from the city in the north of Syria on Thursday.

They cursed the strict dress code imposed by Isis, who order women to cover their faces and wear loose-fitting gowns over their bodies.

Syrian women after being freed from the Isis stronghold in Raqqa (YPG Press Office Twitter)

Emotional survivors were filmed stamping on the garments after they were helped to freedom by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance dominated by Kurdish fighters.

One woman cried: Give me a lighter, Im going to burn this. May these clothes they forced us to wear be damned!

Another civilian pointed to a womans black robes and said: Burn these, may Allah burn them. They burned my father, they burned my father.

Burn these, may Allah burn them. They burned my father (YPG Press Office Twitter)

She added: I wish he was with us now in this happy time.

Small children gathered around a woman who said: They killed my father. They killed my husband. They fired a mortar at my house. My husband was outside, he was hit and died.

A man told a barber to shave off the long beard he was forced to grow under Isis rule, saying: Cut it all off just to spite them.

Men have cut off beards they were forced to grow under Isis rule (YPG Press Office Twitter)

The families were civilians from Raqqa who were liberated by the SDF and the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in Rojava-Northern Syria Federation, who released the video.

The SDF launched a final assault to drive Isis out of its stronghold of the city last month, and have spearheaded efforts against the group in north-east Syria.

On Saturday, Syrian warplanes carried out air strikes against Isis in an area of countryside east of Raqqa and close to where the US-backed forces operate, according to Syrian state TV which cited a military source.

The attacks in the town of Maadan and village of Bir al-Sabkhawi, near the provincial boundary with Deir al-Zor governorate, destroyed several bases and vehicles belonging to the Islamist group, the source said.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it was the first time in several weeks that the Syrian military had launched an attack in that area.

The Syrian army has active front lines with Isis in Raqqas western countryside, where it has recaptured territory from the jihadists.

But air strikes in the east take the fight closer to where the US-backed SDF are operating.

Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Show all 8 1 /8 Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Sifting through plastic: the workshop uses plastic from bottles and other waste materials to produce liquid and gas fuels. The liquid is refined into gasoline, diesel and benzene fuels, which in turn are sold for domestic and commercial use Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, at the workshop in the rebel-held and besieged neighbourhood of Douma, Damascus Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Back to basics: a man checks the heat of a pipe pouring with fuel Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, must keep an eye on the burning plastic inside the workshop in Douma Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste A young man takes a container of the locally made fuel, which can be used for domestic heating and on farms and bakeries Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Abu Fahad on a rest break with his colleagues inside the workshop, where the air is heavy with toxic fumes Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Fuel drips into a container at the workshop. Most locals are glad of the family-run business, which has restored a degree of normality to the region Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor extracts fuel from plastic in the workshop Reuters

The Syrian army, backed by Russian warplanes, is separately fighting the jihadists further west, but has also carried out air raids in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces.

The SDF accused Syrian government forces of bombing their positions in June, one of several incidents that raised tension between the US on one side and Syria and Russia on the other.

It was not immediately clear how close Saturdays air strikes came to SDF positions, but they were within miles of SDF-controlled territory.

Additional reporting by agencies.
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A ship chartered by activists hoping to hamper the rescue of refugees in the Mediterranean will not be welcome in the Sicilian port city of Catania, its mayor has said.

Enzo Bianco said he will fight to keep the C-star ship rented by a group calling themselves The Identitarians from entering the citys port and pouring fuel on the fire.

They are like vigilantes, people who take the law into their own hands without having any authority, he said. The situation is too tense to be turned into the Wild West.

He added: The people on this boat are not welcome and I will certainly be asking the authorities to stop, for reasons of public safety, its docking at our port.

Catania, in these years, has received thousands of desperate people fleeing war and hunger, people saved from death by European ships in the Mediterranean who often have lost one or more loved ones crossing the sea. To talk of the defence of Europe is demagogic and self-serving.

The citys port has taken in 10,000 migrants this year, and Mr Bianco admitted it was starting to have serious difficulties coping with the influx  but does not want far-right groups taking matters into their own hands.

The activists have crowdfunded more than 67,000 to hire the boat, calling their scheme Defend Europe. They accuse non government organisation search and rescue boats of being in cahoots with people smugglers in working to transport illegal immigrants to Europe from Africa.

Sea migrant arrivals to the whole of Italy are approaching 100,000 this year  an increase of 17 per cent on last year. A poll last week found 78 per cent of Italians believe they have been abandoned by the rest of Europe to cope with the influx.

The activists plan to call the Libyan coastguard to ask them to take the migrants and refugees back to the war-torn country.

Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants arriving in Italy on MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie DeardenI Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants disembarking from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants undergoing health checks after disembarking from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants undergoing security checks after disembarking from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants being fingerprinted after disembarking from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily Refugees and migrants being fingerprinted after disembarking from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden Refugees and migrants arriving in Catania, Sicily A man being taken to hospital from MSF rescue ship the Bourbon Argos in Catania, Sicily Lizzie Dearden

Ten humanitarian ships currently patrol the Mediterranean on behalf of NGOs and have saved many thousands of lives pulling drowning migrants from the sea in the past few years. But some say the reassurance of the rescue boats encourages people to risk their lives making the desperate crossing in search of a better life.

The Defend Europe movement, made up of millennials in their 20s and 30s, claims it wants to preserve Europes identity and prevent Islamification of the continent.

There is a difference between saving lives and smuggling people to Europe, said Martin Sellner, an Austrian leader of the group.

What they are doing in fact is making millions of dollars for human trafficking rings.

Recommended Almost 250 refugees feared dead after shipwrecks in Mediterranean

Critics say the mission is a publicity stunt while charities fear it will put lives at risk. In a practice mission two months ago, the group managed to intercept a rescue ship off the coast of Sicily.

A spokesman for SOS Mediterranee told Reuters: As a humanitarian organisation, our biggest concern is the men, women and children who we rescue from unseaworthy boats.

Any attempt of interference would endanger the lives of people in need of protection.

At least 2,000 migrants are known to have drowned making the perilous crossing so far this year after paying smugglers to sail in rickety boats which are poorly designed for the choppy waters of the Mediterranean.

The Identitarians say they are determined to carry out their mission as planned, despite the possibility that they may not be allowed to dock in Sicily  a decision which will ultimately rest with the coastguard.

Reuters contributed to this report
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Scariest thing I've ever experienced, tweeted Lauren Caswell on Friday morning. The whole of Kos is destroyed and we are still shaking.

She was one of many thousands of holidaymakers who were caught up in an earthquake in the early hours of Friday morning, which killed two tourists and injured more than 100 other people.

The Greek island, and the nearby Turkish resort of Bodrum, were starting their busiest six weeks of the year when the restless earth roared in the eastern Mediterranean. Many tourists spent the night on sun-loungers on the beach and returned only at first light.

Business is defiantly as usual, with flights and holidays to Kos and Bodrum on sale for this weekend.

But the earthquake, and the reminder that a fault line underscores the divide between the Dodecanese islands of Greece and the south-west coast of Turkey, adds another fret factor to the concerns of prospective travellers.

In 2015, the concern among holidaymakers heading for Kos was the refugee crisis.

We have booked two weeks at an all-inclusive resort on the island in August, one correspondent asked. Having read about the large influx of refugees, we were wondering if we should cancel and if we could get our money back?

The three-mile strait between the Turkish coast and the beautiful Greek island became a human highway for people-traffickers.

 Two dead in earthquake that strikes Greek island of Kos

The refugees found themselves in bureaucratic limbo; some, including those with young children, were forced to sleep rough, and a holiday island found itself at the centre of a humanitarian crisis. While some media stories suggested that Kos had become a refugee camp, the reality was that tourists were either unaffected  or concerned, and keen to help.

By last year, the focus had swung to the other side of the water, and the security situation in Turkey  after a dreadful series of terrorist attacks and an attempted coup.

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey, the Foreign Office says. Terrorist groups, including Kurdish groups, Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and far left organisations, continue to plan and carry out attacks. Further attacks are likely and could be indiscriminate.

Statistically, tourist areas in Turkey, in common with almost everywhere else in the world, present little danger. Even in the most seismically active parts of the planet, the chances as a holidaymaker of experiencing an earthquake remain exceedingly low. But Ms Caswells Twitter testimony, and others like it, will inadvertently add to the woes in one of the loveliest, but most brittle, corners of Europe.
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Heres what was on the shopping list for Chris Grayling, a key Leave campaigner, a week before the EU referendum: Taking real steps to limit immigration, to abolish VAT on fuel and tampons, and to end the situation where an international court can tell us who we can and cannot deport.

More than a year later, Mr Grayling is Transport Secretary and his agenda is accordingly different: A thriving aviation sector will be central to our future prosperity as we leave the European Union, he writes in the introduction to what the Department for Transport describes as a call for evidence on a new aviation strategy.

Beyond the Horizon: the Future of UK Aviation celebrates a world beyond the European Union. In 2016, it tells us, British airports added new routes to six countries outside the EU: Chile, Costa Rica, Iceland, Iran, Peru, Sri Lanka and the United States. It unaccountably fails to mention that there were direct flights from the UK to all those nations decades ago, and that BA abandoned its link to the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, in 2015.

This is your opportunity to shape the future of aviation, says the document. And it suggests how the coming decades may look.

Recommended Plane passengers could have their luggage collected from their homes

In-town check-in could be the future, it suggests, adding that Hong Kong provides a great example of how the consumer journey can be streamlined.

Two stations on Hong Kongs Airport Express route allow passengers to check in before travelling out to the airport: They are issued with a boarding pass and can then either travel bag free straight to the airport or spend an unencumbered day in the city. On arrival at the airport, travellers proceed straight through to security and are reunited with their bags when they reach their destination.

Surely the idea would work at Heathrow and Gatwick, which both have dedicated rail links from the capital? Well, both of Britains leading airports offered the facility for years, but the airlines involved gave it up as an unprofitable sideline.

British European Airways had an entire in-town terminal on the Cromwell Road in west London, where passengers could check in before travelling on special buses direct to the aircraft steps. The introduction of security searches put paid to that luxury.

Later, British Airways offered Gatwick check-in at Victoria station in London. But within weeks of the 9/11 attacks, when every loss-making activity was under scrutiny, it was abandoned.

When the Heathrow Express opened in 1998, it had a check-in area at London Paddington. But hardly anyone used the facility, and the desks were soon replaced by more shops.

With low-cost airlines incentivising passengers to travel with hand luggage only, the prospects for success for in-town check in look even more dismal today than they did two decades ago.

Next, the frequent flyer may not be astonished to learn: People can experience queuing and inconvenience at security and border control points." The document says: As airport passport control is most peoples first experience of the UK, the Government wants to consider how it can work with industry to make the arrivals process as smooth as possible.

This is the same Government, of course, which intends to put up the barriers to the 27 countries in the European Union, as part of taking back control.

The freedom we enjoy to fly to anywhere in Europe and to the US and Canada is bestowed by a pan-European treaty. Alternative arrangements will be required for air services to or from these countries when the UK leaves the EU, the document correctly observes. New arrangements are a top priority for the Government.

As plenty of aviation bosses have said, airlines desperately need certainty about their rights to fly, well ahead of the departure date from the EU.

Mr Graylings demand as he campaigned for Brexit was: A vote to Leave on 23 June is a vote for action, and the Government will need to respond quickly.

Passengers, airlines and airports would all welcome a quick response. The Department for Transport should be working flat out to overcome the alarming inertia in aviation policy rather than dwelling on unhelpful distractions such as the return of in-town check-in.
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Weve all been on a flight with a nightmare passenger  the child who kicks the back of your seat the entire journey, the drunken man who tries to chat you up while spilling whisky down your thigh  but not all idiots are created equal. These are the very worst people to get stuck on a flight with.

The passenger who took off his jeans

In December 2016, a man took off his trousers on a flight and sat in his boxers the whole way. The entire incident was recounted on Twitter by actor, writer and stand-up comic Kumail Nanjiani a few days afterwards. I was on a plane a couple of days ago, he wrote. A guy took off his jeans and lounged around in his boxers with his feet up on the wall.

Nanjiani posted a picture of the mans bare legs.

After four hours, a flight attendant finally said Could you please put your feet down? People are walking through here. 40 second stare down.

Five mins go by and he thrusts one foot back up like a fist raised against an unjust sky.

This guy was rude to the staff the entire time. If he didn't get the flight attendant's attention, he would slam his fist on the armrest.

Right before landing, he stands in the aisle, in defiance of decency and lighted seatbelt signs. He puts on his jeans.

He walks off the plane. No police is waiting for him. No justice. He adjusts his belt, and the monster blends into a crowd.

Best part: The movie he chose to watch through his hairy thigh V? Florence Foster Jenkins. About a woman who can't READ THE ROOM. The End.

The passenger who put their bare feet on the armrests

Feet arent the most attractive part of a humans anatomy, but Jessie Char had to put up with a strangers in her personal space on a flight. Shed been excited to see the seating arrangements at first  Char had lucked out and been given a row to herself.

My two favourite people to sit with on a plane, she tweeted to her 12,000 followers. However, the jubilation she felt was short-lived.

You guys will never guess what happened next, she said. Today, I flew on the set of a nightmare. The tweet was accompanied by a photo of a passengers bare feet resting on the armrests of the spare seats.

You guys will never guess what happened after that, added Char.

The left foot reached over and opened a window.

The passengers who had sex

A Ryanair flight to Ibiza is never going to be a particularly pleasurable experience  however, one journey was made significantly worse by a couple who used it as an opportunity to, ahem, canoodle.

Passengers were horrified to see two people appearing to have sex in their seat on the flight from Manchester on 8 June.

The mile high club just got two new members (SWNS)

Video captured a woman straddling a man in the window seat as other passengers looked on in disbelief. At one point the man asked people around him for a condom.

It later emerged that the pair were not a couple, and that the man in question was off on his stag do  leaving a pregnant fiancee at home.

A friend of the male passenger told The Sun: Thats just a random woman hes with, they didnt know each other before the day.

He doesnt seem to be too bothered he has left his six-months pregnant wife-to-be at home while he cavorts with random strangers.

The passenger who clipped their toenails

The picture says it all, really.

The passenger who did a lot of drunken shouting

There are plenty of these, but the most recent incident to come to light took place on a Virgin Atlantic flight. Video of a disruptive passenger on a flight to Jamaica was uploaded online, including his forced removal from the plane after an emergency landing in Bermuda.

The passenger allegedly started yelling when he was refused more to drink (YouTube/Ola Lily)

The incident occurred on 16 May  the passenger allegedly lost it and started shouting at cabin crew after they refused to serve him any more alcohol. A female passenger got involved too, shouting at the man repeatedly, Are you mad?

What larks!
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So thats settled then? The Cabinet says it is united about a transitional period, sometimes termed an implementation period, after Britain leaves the European Union in 2019. Obviously it wouldnt be a Brexit story without some spin and confusion; the transition period is variously put at two or four years; the exact scope of it, including such tricky issues as the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and immigration, is far from clear; and some Conservatives will be concerned that it amounts, in practical terms, to continuing EU membership. Still, it does seem that the Chancellor's attempts to convert his harder-line colleagues to the wisdom of avoiding a cliff edge Brexit have been successful. Insofar as his demeanour permits him, Philip Hammond should allow himself a moment of self-congratulatory gloating.

All that does, though, is raise two further and much more disturbing questions, which are interlinked. First, as with so much else in the debates about Brexit, there is an assumption that the European Union will calmly and sensibly see the attractions of the British proposal and go along with it without demur. Just like the breezy claims by the Brexit and Trade secretaries that the EU27 are bound to agree a free trade deal with the UK because they'd be crazy not to; this is a highly dangerous assumption. There is no necessary reason why negotiator Michel Barnier would recommend it to the commission and have it agreed by the member states and the European Parliament, no reason why, even if he did, they would agree to it, and it is difficult to see how it strengthens their negating hand or serves the narrow interests of the EU. The shorter the negotiating period and the tighter the deadlines the more chance the EU has of bending the UK to their will; voluntarily agreeing, in effect, a potentially longer period for negotiation does the opposite.

So the chances are that the transition period would be finite and would be only agreed to if a deal has been done. In other words there needs to be answer to the question: Transition to what? On that point, however, the omens are not encouraging. The second round of talks this week appear to have been somewhat perfunctory, and there are as yet no concrete proposals capable of being agreed on the conundrum of the Irish border, the size of the so-called divorce bill or the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and British citizens in Europe. Allowing the UK to retain some or all of the elements of EU membership for a period after 2019 sounds attractive  but only if both sides know where they are heading. Otherwise, there is simply no reason for the EU to agree to the idea.

Mr Barnier has made clear how hard-headed his approach will be. The EU sill not tolerate a bargain basement UK on its flank, offering low taxes and light regulation to business while still trying to have free trade with the EU. That and many other British vanities will need to be consigned to the bonfire before Mr Barnier and David Davis are able to sign the terms of a new economic relationship.

On this side of the channel, slowly and surely, the British public are starting to realise that exiting the EU is about much more than limiting immigration and cutting the amount of money we send to Brussels. The real consequences for jobs and investment and living standards are beginning to crystallise. The British are starting to realise that they cannot have their free trade deal without an agreement to allow free movement of EU labour, and they cannot leave the customs union to negotiate their own free trade deals with other countries and retain the current frictionless access to European markets for goods and services. What is often termed soft Brexit may well not be possible because the EU simply doesnt want to offer such terms to an ex-member state; and each soft Brexit option has so many disadvantages attached, mainly that the UK has no say at all in its own economic governance, that they will be seen to be less attractive than continued membership. The great irony is that soft brexit, like hard Brexit, entails a loss in trade and living standards but also a loss in national sovereignty, with the UK resembling a colony of the EU, reliant upon its bigger neighbour to protect its economic interests. Will Britain want to accept such a painful humiliation as that? Would not the British people want a second referendum before they agree to such a dilution of their powers of self-government?
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The catastrophic number of civilian casualties in Mosul is receiving little attention internationally from politicians and journalists. This is in sharp contrast to the outrage expressed worldwide over the bombardment of east Aleppo by Syrian government and Russian forces at the end of 2016.

Hoshyar Zebari, the Kurdish leader and former Iraqi finance and foreign minister, told me in an interview last week: Kurdish intelligence believes that over 40,000 civilians have been killed as a result of massive firepower used against them, especially by the Federal Police, air strikes and Isis itself.

The real number of dead who are buried under the mounds of rubble in west Mosul is unknown, but their numbers are likely to be in the tens of thousands, rather than the much lower estimates previously given.

People have difficulty understanding why the loss of life in Mosul was so huge. A good neutral explanation of this appears in a meticulous but horrifying report by Amnesty International (AI) called At Any Cost: The Civilian Catastrophe in West Mosul.

It does not give an exact figure for the number of dead, but otherwise it confirms many of the points made by Mr Zebari, notably the appalling damage inflicted by continuing artillery and rocket fire aimed over a five-month period at a confined area jam-packed with civilians who were unable to escape.

However, even this does not quite explain the mass slaughter that took place. Terrible civilian casualties have occurred in many sieges over the centuries, but in one important respect the siege of Mosul is different from the others. Isis, the cruellest and most violent movement in the world, was determined not to give up its human shields.

Even before the attack by Iraqi government forces, aided by the US-led coalition, started on 17 October last year, Isis was herding civilians back into the city and not allowing them to escape to safety. Survivors who made their way to camps for displaced people outside Mosul said they had to run the gauntlet of Isis snipers, booby traps and mines.

Determined to hang on to its hundreds of thousands of human shields, Isis packed them into a smaller and smaller space as pro-government forces advanced. Isis patrols said they would kill anybody who left their houses; they welded shut metal doors to keep them in, and hanged people who tried to escape from electricity pylons and left the bodies to rot.

Consequently, as IS lost territory during the course of the battle, IS-controlled areas became increasingly crowded with civilians, says the AI report. Mosul residents routinely described to Amnesty International how they sheltered in homes with relatives or neighbours in groups of between 15-100.

It was these groups that became the victims of the massed firepower of pro-government forces. In many streets, every house is destroyed and I could not even enter some badly damaged districts because access was blocked by smashed masonry, craters and burned out cars.

Outside Mosul, people tend to assume that most of this destruction was the result of airstrikes  and much of it was  but Mr Zebari is correct in saying that it was shell and rocket fire from pro-government ground forces, particularly by the Federal Police, that caused the greatest destruction and loss of civilian life.

 Mosul after the war: 'Utter and total devastation'

How this happened is easily explained by a look at the types of ordnance used by pro-government forces: these include 122 mm and 155mm howitzers, but also notoriously inaccurate 122mm Grad rockets and locally made Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions (IRAMs) that might land almost anywhere.

The Grad is a Soviet weapon that dates back fifty years, and consists of 40 rockets mounted in a vehicle which can be fired in volleys over a half minute period. Earlier versions of this weapon had a devastating effect on dug-in German infantry in fortified positions in World War II. Civilians crammed together in fragile houses in west Mosul would stand little chance.

The US-dominated coalition said that it tried to avoid carrying out air strikes where civilians were present, and its planes dropped leaflets telling them to move away from Isis positions. People on the ground in Mosul regarded this as a cruel joke, because they had nowhere else to go to and Isis would shoot them if they tried to run away.

In addition, the Isis system of defence was based on quickly moving its fighters from building to building through holes cut in the walls in the newer parts of Mosul; meanwhile in the Old City, where most houses have cellars, Isis linked these by tunnels so they could fire and retreat before the building they were in was destroyed, most commonly by 500 lb bombs.

There were very few Daesh [Isis] in our neighbourhood, but they dropped a lot of bombs on them, Qais, 47, a resident of Mosul al-Jadida district told me. He reckoned that between 600 and 1,000 people in the district had been killed, and he showed me pictures on his phone of a house that had once stood beside his own but had been reduced to a heap of smashed-up bricks.

There were no Daesh in the house, he said. But there were seven members of the Abu Imad family there, of whom five were killed along with two passersby.

A further reason for the devastation caused by the battle for west Mosul was the outcome of the fighting for east Mosul between 17 October and 24 January. The Iraqi government and the Americans had expected a hard fought but relatively swift victory, perhaps taking about two months to seize the whole of the city (in fact, it took nine months).

The attack on the part to the east of the Tigris River was primarily undertaken by the highly trained and experienced Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), fighting house to house. Air strikes were usually against carefully selected targets, and not called in at will by ground troops at the first sign of resistance.

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

These tactics of the pro-government forces did not work. True, they eventually captured east Mosul after three months of heavy fighting and at the cost of casualties to the CTS reported as being between 40 and 50 per cent. But they could not afford this scale of losses repeated in west Mosul, where Isis was even more deeply entrenched.

When the assault on west Mosul began on 19 February, the pro-government forces were therefore using artillery, rockets and airpower much more freely. And in addition to the CTS, they fielded the Federal Police and Emergency Response Division, both of which were far less well-trained and deemed more sectarian than the CTS. As they in turn suffered heavy casualties, they lost all restraint in use of their firepower.

Why has there not been more outcry over the destruction of west Mosul? There should be no question about the massive civilian loss of life, even if there are differences over the exact numbers of the dead.

The biggest reason for the lack of outrage is that Isis was seen as a uniquely evil movement that had to be defeated  whatever the cost in dead bodies to the people of Mosul.

It is an understandable argument, but one that in the past has meant Iraq never finds peace.
Independent News & Media (INM) shareholders suffered a horror show during the past week, watching the value of their investment plunge as much as 30pc in a matter of just days.

Some good news yesterday, when management announced a deal that resolves a long running pensions dispute helped the stock claw back gains.

But overall, the picture was stark.

After closing at 13 cents a share going into the weekend on July 14, the shares were as low as 9 cents by last Thursday.

Yesterdays partial share recovery wasnt enough to butter a lot of parsnips, or shift the bleak narrative that had developed around the company.

Missing in this particular narrative is the fact that INM is sitting on around 85m in cash, and profitable.

Financially the business is well insulated against even the latest challenges.

Profits in 2017 are expected to be about 30m, even after this weeks warning.

But the story around INM has developed for a reason, and it burst forth again this week.

First, on Monday, it emerged that INM CEO Robert Pitt might not vote in favour of resolutions the groups board will put to shareholders at its annual general meeting next month.

The CEO has reserved his position on the votes, INM chairman Leslie Buckley wrote in a letter to shareholders outlining the agenda for the annual general meeting.

The letter didnt say which of the seven resolutions being put to shareholders Robert Pitt might not support, but speculation has focused on the re-election of non executives directors, including the chairman.

Thats because INMs CEO and chairman had a high profile falling out last year, over a potential bid for radio station Newstalk.

The dispute is understood to have come down to the price INM might pay for the station  with the CEO supporting a lower valuation than the chairman.

Complicating matters is the fact Newstalk is owned by INMs biggest shareholder Denis OBrien, whos a close and long time business associate of Mr Buckley.

In the end the deal never really got off the ground, but afterwards the CEO made complaints  initially to INMs senior non-executive director, Jerome Kennedy, and subsequently to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE).

Various actions have followed  including the board commissioning an independent review by barrister David Barniville, whos due to report back before the AGM, but the situation has never really been resolved.

Mondays letter dredged the issue back to the fore, and reminded anyone who wasnt paying attention that the breach between CEO and chairman hasnt been closed, while both remain in place at the top of the business.

As CEO, Robert Pitts own vote as a small shareholder wont impact the final outcome of the AGM, but a CEO potentially failing to express confidence in his board would be a step into the unknown.

The chairmans letter to shareholders included other important points.

INM wont pursue acquisitions pending the outcome of the independent review  and presumably any action potentially taken on the back of its findings.

Thats important because buying alternative income-generating assets is a core part of the groups stated strategy. Its now on hold, at best.

If Mondays letter helped tip shares lower, Wednesdays news hit the stock like a freight train.

The company issued a shock profits warning, citing a litany of challenges which together will have a material impact of the bottom line this year.

While falling circulation and advertising were to the fore in the circular announcing the warning, in reality theyll have been factored in by serious investors.

Indeed INMs core titles are understood to be well ahead of rivals in holding onto readers, and growing their share of a declining market.

Less anticipated was the news that unexpectedly high libel payouts in a number of recent cases will hit profitability.

Potentially massive payouts and unpredictable juries make Irish libel law a high-risk lottery for media firms, INM is no exception, but a run of recent cases prompted managers to re-provision against any further losses  in essence going through outstanding legal cases and setting aside more cash in case they go against the company.

Most unexpected of all was that costs stemming from the fallout at board level are so large as to be causing a hit on trading.

Lawyers dont come cheap, with the costs of the ongoing independent review and engagement with the ODCE understood to be running into seven figures.

It means the battle of the boardroom is sapping INMs finances as well as the groups ability to adjust to an already bruisingly tough market  by deploying its considerable financial reserves into M&A.

Right now the countrys biggest and most important private sector media group is in something like limbo  at least until the August 23 AGM.

Strategically it is hard to see how the business can move forward until the impasse at board level is broken or resolved.

Investors, who  not withstanding the latest profit warning might otherwise focus on the strength of the financials  are unlikely to flood back to INM until something gives at the top.
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me. That was the first U2 single I ever bought. Theyd released it in the summer of 1995, for the Batman Forever soundtrack. Val Kilmers caped crusader was on the tape cover. He looked moody. The tune was moodier. I was just seven years old at the time. I thought it was deadly. Twenty-two years down the road, and I stand by my review.

That was the first time Id contributed to the U2 piggy bank  and with my own pocket money, to boot. Id heard their earlier stuff on the wireless  the big stuff. The stadium stuff. It was grand. But I hadnt been around to soak it all up. The U2 I grew up with was a very different beast. This was the U2 that gave us giant lemons, giant sunglasses and giant Discotheque. This was Bono and the lads at their most bizarre  their most experimental. This was much more exciting than cowboy hats and afternoon rooftop gigs in downtown Los Angeles.

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Id marvelled at some of the videos from the Zooropa era (the Numb promo clip was especially weird). I wasnt aware of it at the time, but looking back, they had probably flown too close to the sun. They knew that. Why else would they have disappeared and returned with Beautiful Day? That was the next U2. But the electro-pop, comic-book 90s version of U2  now that was my jam. That was my first proper taste.

I mention this because everyone has a U2 moment. Everyone in Ireland, at least. Everyone has a favourite U2 song. Everyone has a favourite U2 member. Everyone has a reason for disliking Bono.

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Tonight, Bono and the boys will bring their 30th Anniversary Joshua Tree tour to Croke Park. Tickets are sold out. The excitement is palpable. This always happens when U2 come home. Of course, they now join an elite group of artists that hit the road in celebration of (one of) their most cherished records. You know the deal: they play the album from start to finish, they tack on a few extra hits at the end, etc, etc. Bruce Springsteen did it. Suede did it. Its the done thing, basically. Its also a handy way to pass the time, when youre in between records.

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But, then, The Joshua Tree is a special album. With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For  theyre all in there.

Released all the way back in March 1987, The Joshua Tree was ginormous. Critics adored it. The album topped the charts in more than 20 countries, selling 25 million copies worldwide. It made them superstars.

The Croker gig will be emotional. There will be tears. There will be declarations of love. There will be big screens. There will be magic. You know how these things go.

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But are Bono and the lads still relevant?

Well, yeah. Sort of.

When U2 sold out another Croker gig, they were relevant. When U2 hijacked your iTunes account for 2014s Songs of Innocence album, they were relevant. When U2 showed up on Kendrick Lamars album, Damn, back in April, they were relevant. Theres not a band in the world like U2. Theyve been going for 40 years. They still release new music. They have never rested on their laurels.

There are a couple of other rock outfits that continue to operate in such a way, on such a large stage. The Red Hot Chili Peppers spring to mind. But the world doesnt need another Chili Peppers album. Theyre past it. Theyve lost interest. Likewise, the Rolling Stones have become a museum act. They dont appear to like each other. They havent produced a decent tune in decades. We could go on. But U2 are well, theyre different. Theyve never lost interest.

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In continuing to push themselves artistically, Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam have  just about  managed to avoid becoming their own tribute act. Think about it  there are few from their era that survived. Some of them should have given up ages ago. The great R.E.M. eventually threw in the towel. Simple Minds have gone acoustic. Nobody, it seems, wants to be the one to tell Duran Duran to stop. Nobody knows whats going on with Spandau Ballet.

The difference with U2  born in the 70s, powered by the 80s and tested in the 90s  is that they never did sound like a band from one particular era. Theyve always sounded like, well, U2. Its been easier for them to adjust. Easier to move with the times. Easy to go too far (as they did on 1997s Pop). They are Irelands most famous exports. They have never settled for second-best. They are a proper success story.

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But why do we, the Irish, have such a problem with them?

Honestly, we give out about them all the time, more so than any other country in the world. A recent Guardian article attempted to get to the bottom of this mystery. Everyone has their reasons. Usually, it has something to do with Bono. The self-righteousness. The pontificating. The tax thing. The sunglasses. The tax thing. The politician buddies. The tax thing.

Call it begrudgery, call it what you like: theres just something about him  not them  that doesnt sit right. Heck, Ive loved them  not him  since I bought that Batman tape, and still, Ill be the first to admit that Bono is a complete wreck-the-head. Why? The self-righteousness. The pontificating. The tax thing. But I still listen to him sing. Why? Easy. I dig me choons. I dig me rock n roll. I dig U2.

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Where do they go next? Thats the big one.

When U2 first travelled to America in the 80s, they got a little too cosy. When they mixed things up for Achtung Baby and beyond, they got trapped inside a giant lemon. But they always kept pushing. They always set about reapplying for the title of worlds greatest band. Now, as they look to the future, they find themselves in a bit of a pickle. Fans have responded well to the Joshua Tree jaunt, but what happens after they play their final show?

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Do they go full-on Bon Jovi, ie. stick with the formula and keep on keeping on for another decade? Or, do they go back to the start? Mix things up. Change the record. Hire Calvin Harris. Make a pop record again. Wouldnt that be fantastic?

Remember this: its barely two years since they last toured a new record, and since they last played in Dublin.

In November 2015, after 25 years outdoors, they finally put a roof over the U2 live extravaganza. They called it a family get-together. They brought their special-effects team. They brought a career-spanning catalogue, not to mention a bag of ace new songs.

They brought their A-game. It sounded like a rock concert; it looked like a hi-tech musical. It was a spectacular homecoming  and nobody expected it.

What were saying is that they still have it. They can still produce the goods. And, a new album is, reportedly, just around the corner. So, enjoy tomorrow nights trip down memory lane  it should be a blast. But its the next phase in their career  now thats the part Im really looking forward to.
Whether you are staying in or going out, we pick the events not to miss this week.

Going out?

Talk of the town

Townlands Carnival

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Hermitage Green, Krafty Kuts and Rubberbandits headline this under-the-radar north Cork festival, which has attracted a word-of-mouth following courtesy of its laid back ambiance and hippy-ish vibes. With a family area, roots and dance stages, and 'glamping' facilities.

Leades House, Macroom, Friday to Sunday.

Some like it Pet

Brian Wilson

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The iconic leader of The Beach Boys reprises the band's classic Pet Sounds album in its entirety, with help from a vast backing band. Dismissed in their heyday as mere pop panderers, posterity has confirmed The Beach Boys as among rock 'n' roll's original avant-gardists.

Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin, Tuesday.

Together in eclectic dreams

Yorkston, Thorne, Khan

Frowning Scottish folkie James Yorkston tours his delightfully idiosyncratic side project - a collaboration with Indian sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan and jazz bassist Jon Thorne. With songs at once dreamy and home-spun, these are gigs to tug at the heart-strings and fire your sense of wonder. Workman's Club, Dublin, Tuesday; Coughlan's Live, Cork, Thursday.

Staying in?

The radio show

Polar Opposites

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This RTE documentary considers the anti-abortion movement in Iceland, where terminations have been legal since 1935 (making it one of the first countries in the world to introduce abortion). Spearheading the pro-life movement in the tiny island nation is Corkman Father Denis O'Leary. RTE Radio One, Saturday, 1pm.

The TV show

Vikings Uncovered

Historians Dan Snow and Sarah Parcak chronicle the transatlantic journeys of the Vikings and ask whether they could have made land-fall in the Americas 500 years before Columbus - and if so, what prompted the dangerous odyssey. RTE 2, Saturday, 6.10pm

The box set

Ozark

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Comedy actor Jason Bateman turns his smile upside down to star in this Breaking Bad-esque tale of a crooked accountant trying to rebuild his life amid the picturesque poverty of Missouri's Ozark mountains. Derivative and cliched but Bateman is fantastic.

Netflix from today.
The funeral of a Limerick woman was delayed for over four hours, as there was no room on the plane that was supposed to transport her from Heathrow to Shannon Airport.

Family members of the late Mary OBrien (88) gathered at Shannon Airport to receive her remains at noon on July 8, before they learned that she was not on board.

Brother of the deceased, Tom OBrien, told the Limerick Leader that the incident caused upset to the family.

They admitted the plane was overcrowded and there was no room. A parcel could have waited, this was a human, he said.

There were a lot of people in Cappamore church waiting. It is not good enough, it is not acceptable.

Mourners began to arrive at St Michaels church at 1pm, the time stated in the death notice. The service was re-scheduled for 5:30pm, by which time Ms OBrien had been put on another plane and flown over.

The Limerick Leader contacted Aer Lingus about the incident and were told the delay occurred due to operational reasons.

A spokesperson for the airline said: Aer Lingus was unfortunately not able to carry Mary O'Briens remains as booked on EI381 from London to Shannon on July 8 due to operational reasons. Ms OBriens remains were repatriated on the following flight that day, EI385.

The funeral directors firm which was managing the repatriation of Ms OBriens remains was informed of the delay on July 8. Aer Lingus regrets any distress caused to Ms OBriens family.

Ms OBrien was born in 1929 in Cappamore, Co Limerick. She was ordained a nun and served in UK convents for 26 years, before working as a housekeeper and cleaner for the clergy.

She was described as a kind and generous lady by Fr Tony Ryan, who worked with her in a London parish.
The family of a man killed in an accident at a concrete plant say his loss left them with a life sentence.

Barry Gargan (28), from Drogheda, Co Louth, died of severe head injuries in a workplace accident at Kilsaran Concrete on September 6, 2011.

"Barry had a heart of gold. He never caused anyone any harm. We have been left with a life sentence without him. He was my child, I will never get over his loss," his mother Concepta Gargan said.

The jury at an inquest into her son's death returned a verdict of death due to an industrial accident.

"We would ask anyone with concerns about safety at work, please report them. Don't take risks. No short-cut for profit is worth losing a life," Mrs Gargan said.

Mr Gargan was a loving son, partner and father, Dublin Coroner's Court was told.

He died after he was crushed beneath a cleaning arm inside a safety cage at a Kilsaran plant in Piercetown, Dunboyne, Co Meath.

Mr Gargan was employed as a forklift driver but assisted in operating a machine used for the production of wet cast concrete slabs. The machine usually operated automatically but in the mornings it was operated manually to produce a specific style of kerb.

Working inside the safety gate, Mr Gargan was trapped between the cleaning arm and the vibrating station as the machinery went into motion.

Previous complaints about the system had been made by staff, including Mr Gargan. A near miss accident involving the machinery had gone unreported, the inquest heard.

Staff were afraid to risk their employment by raising the issue. The Health and Safety Authority investigation into the accident found the wet cast machinery was not being used for the purpose it was designed and that Mr Gargan had no training for its use.

Kilsaran Concrete was fined 1m in relation to Mr Gargan's death last April.
Family and friends of murder victim Dermot Byrne who was found dead in Swords early last Sunday morning. Picture: Collins

A Dublin man has been charged with the murder of a father-of-three who was found stripped naked and dying on the side of a street.

Anthony Walsh (29) appeared in Dublin District Court accused of killing businessman Dermot Byrne (54), who died after sustaining injuries in Swords last Sunday.

A passer-by discovered Mr Byrne on the steps of a school and raised the alarm, but he died despite efforts by paramedics to save him.

Judge Fiona Lydon remanded Mr Walsh in custody for a week after hearing he made no reply to the charge after caution.

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Mr Walsh, of no fixed address, is charged with murdering Mr Byrne at North Street, Swords, on July 16 last.

Garda Killian Leydon, of Coolock station, told the court yesterday that he arrested Mr Walsh at 4.45pm on July 20 on the grounds of St James's Hospital in Dublin 8.

Mr Walsh was brought to Swords garda station and charged in the garda's presence.

Gda Leydon said the accused made no reply after caution. He was handed a copy of the charge sheet.

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Defence solicitor Jonathan Dunphy asked the judge to direct "medical attention" for the accused while he is in custody.

Bail was not sought on the defendant's behalf, as a bail application can only be made in the High Court on a murder charge.

Judge Lydon granted free legal aid to the accused after Mr Dunphy made an application and handed a statement of his financial means to the court.

Mr Dunphy said Mr Walsh was not working and was in receipt of jobseekers' allowance.

Judge Lydon remanded Mr Walsh in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on Friday.

The defendant remained silent during the brief hearing.

Members of Mr Byrne's family became distressed, and wept as they sat in the public gallery.

Mr Byrne was director of a wholesale bicycle company and a married father-of-three. He was living in Swords, and was originally from Glasnevin Avenue.
A judge has banned the media from naming a man and woman arrested following the handover of a loaded gun on a Dublin to Belfast train.

Judge Gerard Jones imposed the gagging order preventing the identification of the pair for their own safety after being told they were involved in an ongoing criminal feud inside and outside Ireland.

The mother-of-one (20) is alleged to have handed over a bag containing a loaded semi- automatic pistol to the man (23), who was later arrested on the train.

Dublin District Court heard he allegedly tried to kick the bag under a chair when gardai confronted him, while the woman was later arrested at Dublin Airport in what detectives believed was an attempt to flee the country.

Judge Jones refused to grant them bail and remanded them in custody to next week.

He banned the media from naming either accused after their lawyers said there were concerns for their safety.

The pair, from the north inner city, are both charged with three firearms offences - unlawful possession of a CZ model semi-automatic pistol with two rounds of 7.65 Browning calibre ammunition and one shotgun cartridge.

The offences are alleged to have happened at Connolly Station on Wednesday.

Gardai alleged both defendants were caught red-handed and were flight risks if granted bail.

Det Gda Marguerite Reilly said the arrests arose from an intelligence-led operation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) targeting an organised criminal group within and outside the jurisdiction.

It was alleged that the woman was seen handing over a bag containing the loaded firearm and ammunition. She was later apprehended by gardai at Terminal One at Dublin Airport.

She had her passport and a travel bag with her.

Det Gda Reilly said the woman had strong links outside the jurisdiction.

The woman's solicitor, Eoin Lysaght, said his client was outside the terminal and was waiting for a bus to Galway.

She had no aeroplane tickets and had her passport because she looked so young she would not have been able to buy cigarettes.

Mr Lysaght said the woman denied any knowledge of the items in the bag and box.

Det Gda Gary Wood said it was alleged that the man was seen taking possession of the bag with the firearm and conveying it on to a Belfast-bound train.

It was alleged he had links to an organised criminal group with strong connections in Spain, the Netherlands and other countries.

Applying for bail, his solicitor Miska Hanahoe said he enjoyed a presumption of innocence.

"I don't know any more serious offence than someone caught red-handed with a loaded gun on a train bound for Belfast," Judge Jones said.
A garda on trial for harassing a State solicitor wore a wig and sunglasses while sending an anonymous email from an internet cafe, a court has heard.

Eve Doherty (49), a garda based in Dublin, denies harassing Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and making false statements on two dates in March 2013 claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice.

Ms Howlin worked as a directing officer with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and was involved in deciding whether or not to direct prosecutions in criminal cases.

Over an 18-month period, letters and emails were sent to Ms Howlin's home, her place of work and to her GP, calling her a "corrupt bitch" and an "incompetent useless hobbit".

The material, which included leaflets left around her housing estate, falsely claimed Ms Howlin was a political appointee and that she would "pull" files to prevent the prosecution of anyone connected to her or the government. Ms Howlin is a distant cousin of TD Brendan Howlin.

The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard technical evidence that some of the emails came from Hushmail email addresses sent using IP addresses linked to the Wired internet cafe business on Aungier Street, Dublin.

Garda members gave evidence of following Ms Doherty from the Wired cafe to a house in a south Dublin housing estate on September 28, 2013.

Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, told the jury that Ms Doherty accepts she was wearing black sunglasses and a black wig while using a computer in the internet cafe and on her journey home.

The owner of the business testified that he had software which he could use to view the screen of customer's computers.

Using this programme, he said he noted Ms Doherty was using an email account named 'Michael Mullen at Hushmail.com' to send an email entitled "Corrupt garda commissioner needs investigating immediately". He also wrote down the email recipients. These included email addresses at the Courts Service, the Financial Ombudsman and the Ombudsman.

Mr O'Higgins said Ms Doherty's position was she did not write the original document but it had been sent to her and she had added to it before emailing it onwards to the named recipients.

He said the email was calling for an external public investigation into Garda matters.

He said there were references to suicides in the force and to stress and depression affecting gardai. There were also references to the "penalty points" controversy and the treatment of a Garda whistleblower.

A Garda witness told the jury he was instructed to go to the cafe and put in place a surveillance operation on an unknown woman.

He said he saw Ms Doherty walking on Aungier Street wearing a black jacket, a black hat and a black scarf over her mouth. He said after leaving the Luas at Dundrum, she took off the wig, and sunglasses.

The trial continues.
Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe was the subject of "hostility and enmity" within the Garda, the Charleton tribunal has heard.

Sgt McCabe's barrister Michael McDowell said that while evidence had been given that garda witnesses never discussed Sgt McCabe, he was the subject of "a good deal of hostility and enmity from certain sources in the Cavan Monaghan division".

The tribunal was also told Sgt McCabe was bullied, and called a "rat" on social media, Mr McDowell said.

Retired Chief Supt James Sheridan said he had never undermined Sgt McCabe in any way but he did know Sgt McCabe was being bullied.

Mr McDowell said the tribunal had been given a picture by some witnesses that there was no animus whatsoever to Sgt McCabe, and he was dealt with the same as any other guard. He said that he was trying to establish that this was not the case.

Mr Sheridan said that a HSE notification containing incorrect allegations of sexual abuse against Sgt McCabe was "a disastrous error", but he said it was caused by the HSE and was not the fault of the Garda.

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"In my view it would be grossly unfair to hold the Garda Siochana responsible for the catastrophe that was perpetrated by the HSE," Mr Sheridan said.

Mr Sheridan said he never spoke to Ms D or to her father, a Garda officer, about the allegation Ms D had made in 2006, on which the DPP directed no prosecution.

Questioned by Micheal P O'Higgins on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, Mr Sheridan said that Garda press officer Supt David Taylor played no role in the manner in which he dealt with notifications from the HSE and Tusla.

"Were you party to any conspiracy to sully or besmirch the reputation of Sgt Maurice McCabe?" Mr O'Higgins asked.

"Absolutely not," Mr Sheridan said. To his knowledge nobody in senior Garda management was party to any such conspiracy, he said. The tribunal continues on Monday.
#football Injured star Son Heung-min named to S. Korean World Cup squad The injured South Korean football star Son Heung-min was named to the country's World Cup squad Saturday, as the football-crazed nation waits with bated breath to see if the belove...
Majella Duffy had raised nearly 9,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation. She died last Friday climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Locals in Rathcormac, Co Cork who recently attended a charity coffee morning a for a young woman who was going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania could never have anticipated that she would become ill and lose her life on the trip, her funeral mass was told on Saturday.

Canon Michael Leamy told mourners at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rathcormac, that the passing of Majella Duffy (35) was "surreal."

"We all know where we were when the news of Majellas death came to us. It is not something we are likely to forget. It is not long ago on the 23rd April that family, neighbours and friends attended the coffee morning to raise funds for the Irish Heart Foundation.

"None of us who called that day could have envisaged what is taking place here today. All who supported the many fundraising events that Majella was involved in organising no doubt feel the same today."

Canon Leamy said Majella was a very independent and caring person who had a positive outlook on life. The congregation heard that Majella decided to undertake the charity climb in memory of her late father, Mike, who died of a heart attack whilst in his forties.

"Majellas trip to Kilimanjaro was also about family, namely her Dad who died in 2001.

Expand Close Majella Duffy had raised nearly 9,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation. She died last Friday climbing Mount Kilimanjaro / Facebook

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Whatsapp Majella Duffy had raised nearly 9,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation. She died last Friday climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Her fundraising for the Irish Heart Foundation and her climb was being made in memory of Mike. I have no doubt that the funds raised will be put to good use and will benefit many families.

"A part of the mission of the Irish Heart foundation - is to affect positive change in the lifestyles of Irish people and to achieve better outcomes for those affected by heart disease and stroke. Majella over the past four or five years, through her dedication to fitness lived that mission."

Canon Leamy said that Majella and her mother Bernie were exceptionally close and were as much like sisters as mother and daughter.

The congregation also heard of Majella's love of dogs and baking. A photograph of her two dogs Bo the Huskie and Jacob the Boxer were brought to the altar as part of the offertory gifts.

Canon Leamy added that Majella was "great company and full of life."

"She worked hard and set her goals. For Majella things were black and white. She was straight to the point as you know. She was kind and caring with a positive outlook on life."

Ms Duffy was an employee of Laya Healthcare in Little Island, Cork. It is understood that Majella started to feel unwell when she was at an altitude of 4,000 metres on Mount Kilimanjaro on July 14th last.She was attended to at the scene by a doctor but sadly passed away.

She is survived by her mother Bernie, her step father Seamus, step sister, stepbrother and her grandmother Mary with whom she had a close relationship. She was laid to rest at the local cemetery in Rathcormac following 1pm mass on Saturday.
The rowing team en route from Canada to Cork have described the moment they plunged into the Atlantic ocean when their boat capsised.

Dubliner Brian Conville (25) and Canadian Joseph Gagnon (20) set out to smash world records by rowing non-stop from Canada to Ireland, but ran into difficulty on the last leg of their journey. Strong waves caused their slim vessel to capsize just 300km off the Cork coast on Friday morning.

Mr Conville told Independent.ie: The waves were coming in from the north, we could see it coming. I was just finishing up my shift and had just woken Joseph up to switch with me. When the boat turned over I was still attached to it, so it took me a good 30 seconds to a minute to actually get back on to the boat, to break the surface of the water.

Joseph was still in the cabin, he was half asleep. We tried but couldnt get the life raft out of the cabin, it was Josephs priority to get himself out, so our main priority at that point was to just hold on to the boat.

Expand Close Dubliner Brian Conville (25) and Canadian Joseph Gagnon (20) sailed from Canada to Ireland / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dubliner Brian Conville (25) and Canadian Joseph Gagnon (20) sailed from Canada to Ireland

We had one life jacket between the two of us and we were under a bit of pressure in the water. The waves were still quite strong and we were turning blue with the cold. Eventually we managed to get ourselves onto the hull of the boat, which is a lot harder than it looks because youre being knocked down a lot. We huddled together, with one coat wrapped around the two of us.

The Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on the boat activated automatically, sending a distress call to the Coast Guard station based in Valentia, Co Kerry.

Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 and the Air Corps Casa plane arrived at the scene around 2pm on Friday, but could not initially see the white hull of the boat, which blended in with the swell of the waves.

The lifejacket we had was bright yellow, so we held it up and were waving it like no tomorrow, Mr Conville recounted.

The helicopter was doing a search pattern in the area just ahead of us. It would come towards us, then turn away, come towards us, then turn away. We were panicking that they wouldnt come out far enough and that theyd have to go back to base.

When they picked us up, they said that they could only see the lifejacket. It was the best money I ever spent.

The men were taken to University Hospital Kerry for treatment, but luckily escaped with no serious injuries. Mr Conville said he was treated for hypothermia yesterday, as well as general fatigue and some muscle damage.

An experienced rower, this is not the first mammoth voyage Mr Conville has undertaken. Last year he competed in the Great Pacific Race, rowing as part of a four man team across the Pacific Ocean.

He explained that Mr Gagnon had been planning the Atlantic voyage for two years, but had previously planned to row with his aunt. When she backed out of the journey, Mr Conville joined Mr Gagnon and assisted with preparations.

The pair set sail from Newfoundland, Canada on June 13 and were on course to arrive in Crookhaven, Co Cork on Sunday night.

They worked in shifts on their non-stop voyage, rowing for two hours at a time and then switching with each other. When they were not rowing, the men ate calorie-dense ready meals and slept in the cramped cabin below deck.

Mr Conville described the crossing as one of the toughest endurance challenges out there and said it had taken a toll on his physical and mental health.

We were spending an awful lot of time alone because of having to continuously swap shifts. It is hard. When I was sailing across the Pacific it was easier in that respect because there were four of us, he said.

He also suffered muscle deterioration in his glutes and legs because of not being able to walk around.

Despite this, Mr Conville said the experience certainly hasnt put me off rowing.

Its one of these things, if you dont get out of bed, youll live a boring life. You have to take chances, you take chances in everything you do. This is what excites me.

There are a lot of benefits to doing something like this. One day we saw six whales, literally only 150 metres away from us, and dolphins and different types of fish swimming alongside the boat.

The pair also came face to face with a number of sharks, one of whom swam alongside the boat for more than an hour and became a makeshift guardian angel on their journey.

Mr Conville extended his thanks to the Coast Guard on behalf of himself and Mr Gagnon and said that without them, we probably wouldnt be here.

We have a massive debt to pay to those guys, he said.
Lone parents and children will top the priority list ahead of pensioners when it comes to negotiations for the next Budget.

The Government looks set to break with its own policy of giving across-the-board social welfare increases.

There will now be a hierarchy of recipients, although Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said she will try to find some cash bonus for everybody.

There is already a widespread expectation that the old age pension will be hiked by 5 in October's Budget.

That would match last year's increase, which was delayed until March after Leo Varadkar insisted the pension increase would have to be matched for all other categories of social welfare benefits.

Asked whether she would adopt a similar policy, Ms Doherty said: "I think the difficulty that was before Leo last year was that we hadn't had any interests in any of the payments in a long number of years.

"It would have been difficult to give to one section of people receiving social welfare payments and not give to others. That's why I think he fought so hard to make sure he was able to give to everybody.

"I'm not sure that's going to be the situation this year. There are people who are more vulnerable than others.

"What I'm certainly going to do is fight for my chunk of whatever the fiscal space is to make sure that we can give more to the people who need it most."

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She said austerity has ended but "that doesn't mean there's a lorry load of money to spend".

The Meath East TD said there are "certain cohorts" of people who are more at risk of deprivation than others, "so what I want to do is look at the people who are most vulnerable first and then work backwards".

At a special pre-Budget forum yesterday, Ms Doherty said lone parents and children are "most at risk" of poverty.

"That's not to say that we don't have older people who are vulnerable and we don't have families that are vulnerable, but if you're to look at the deprivation index they are the two cohorts of people that need to be looked after."

Among those taking part in the forum at Dublin Castle was the National Youth Council of Ireland, which argued the Government should be investing more in young people.

NYCI deputy director James Doorley said: "Ireland is unique in Europe in having a growing youth population.

"That brings great opportunities, but we must invest in young people in Budget 2018 and provide them with the necessary supports so they can achieve their potential and contribute to our society and economy."

Social Justice Ireland made the case for the equalisation of jobseekers' rates for young people under 26, the introduction of a universal State pension and an increase in core social welfare rates of 5 per week.

Currently unemployed people under 26 get 102.70 per week, compared to the standard rate of 193.

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"One of the least justifiable welfare policies pursued in recent years was the increase in the age of eligibility for full jobseekers' payments to 26 years.

"While just one of many examples of how young people were disproportionately affected by austerity measures, it is one of the most obviously discriminatory, with little obvious benefit," said Sean Healy, director of Social Justice Ireland.

However, Ms Doherty said: "My role is not to give those people more money, it's to help them get into education or back to work."

Meanwhile, the minister used the event to announce that households in receipt of the fuel allowance will have the option to receive the payment in two lump sums, instead of having 22.50 paid weekly.
Children with special needs were "left behind for too long" and should be facilitated in mainstream schools, Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath has said.

He was responding to a spending review which shows the Department of Education is now spending more on special needs resources than higher education.

The report highlighted a 83pc rise in the diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between 2011 and 2016.

It also said that most of the expenditure on special educational needs - 1.49bn - relates to employment of staff, such as resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs).

Fianna Fail has questioned the motives behind the study, saying the language used is "alarming and demonstrates the contempt that this Government has for special needs education".

However, Mr McGrath said he strongly supports it because ministers have "got to ensure the spending is spent on the children with the disability and not going in other directions. That's an issue that we have to monitor".

"The bottom line with me is that there is nothing wrong with improving the services for all children in society with disabilities. For too long they have been left behind," he said.

"I think the resource teachers and SNAs are doing an excellent job.

"When we are spending public money we have got to be conscious that the money is spent on the person or in this case the child with a disability," he said.

However, Fianna Fail's spokesperson on education Thomas Byrne said: "From reading the report, it's clear that the guiding ambition is to limit future budgetary exposure.

"There is no emphasis on improving educational outcomes for children with special education needs or with a disability.

"While significant improvements have been made to special education provision in the past 15 years, the historical reality of under-provision in this area means that even today we were still playing catch-up," he added.

"This is particularly true of educational supports for children with autism, which in the recent past has been both under-provided for and under-diagnosed."

Education Minister Richard Bruton said that "in the worst years of the crash, and when emigration had returned, investment in special education was not only rightly protected, but it was significantly increased".

Trade union Impact said that ministers should be proud, rather than alarmed, that Ireland is now spending more on special education than it has in the past.

It said that there had been a four to five-year period of stagnation in SNA funding.

"This is an investment in our children and our schools, which is paying dividends as more and more of our citizens are being equipped to contribute to our economy and society," said Impact's Barry Cunningham.
Trying to recoup the 100 conservation grant from people who didn't pay their water charges would be "disingenuous", Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty has said.

The minister, whose department oversaw the issue of the grant, has sought to definitively end the debate over whether 190,000 households should have to pay it back.

Fianna Fail has said it "beggars belief" that the Government hasn't found a way of chasing people who didn't pay charges but claimed the grant.

It was introduced in 2015 in a bid to quell mounting protests over the impact of charges on families after years of austerity.

However, it was officially described as a financial incentive for households to fix leaks and buy water butts.

Asked how much effort the Department of Social Protection had put into scoping the potential for reclaiming some of the 89m handed out, Ms Doherty replied: "Given the complexity of the establishment of it, given that it was an incentivised payment for people to reduce their water consumption, I actually think it would be disingenuous to take it back off people."

This goes against the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee set up to decide the future funding of water, which suggested the grant should be factored into refunds.

The newly appointed minister also ruled out making money from her department available to help pay refunds to almost one million households.

Families can look forward to receiving up to 325 from Irish Water by the end of the year - although details of the payback are still being worked out.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said he is confident the refunds will be paid for using 2017 resources, including some previously allocated for capital expenditure.

However, Ms Doherty said: "Any savings that we have within my department I'll be using to give back to people in vulnerable categories.

"As far as I'm aware, Paschal has already identified the money from underspends in other departments and we haven't had a conversation so it won't be coming from my department."

The Labour Party last night warned against taking any of the money from the Department of Housing, which oversees Irish Water.

Limerick TD Jan O'Sullivan said given the extent of the crisis in housing, "it would make no sense to dip into any unused funds in that department".

"It is vital to build new homes and bring empty houses back into use, and there should be no question of treating underspends in housing as the year goes on, as money that can be used elsewhere," she said.

In a letter to the Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy, Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen expressed "genuine concern" at the Government's handling of refunds.

He said it was "surprising" to learn that unspent monies amounting to 178m will be found in 2017 "given the extensive pressure on services and given that the fiscal space was so very tight".

In response, Fine Gael TD for Dublin North West Noel Rock said Fianna Fail "clearly is not on the side of those who paid their water charges".

"It is absolutely vital that those who paid water charges are no worse off than those who didn't pay, and I can't believe Fianna Fail wants to delay refunds even further," he said.
We cant get enough of Spanish sun it seems

Amid all the turbulence, traditional is in and adventurous is out for Irish holiday-goers. Irish travellers love the old reliables - namely Iberia - and we can't get enough of it.

The reign of Spain and prominence of Portugal is being augmented by big increases in numbers travelling from Ireland in the first five months of the year, more than 15pc in both cases.

Even if people want to go somewhere new and undiscovered, they cannot.

Airlines, websites and holidays companies have already decided their holidays for them, determining where they can access affordably by allocating the aircraft slots: 259 out of Dublin to Spain each week, 155 to France, 145 to Germany, 103 to Italy, and, significantly, 68 to Portugal, which, unlike the others, does not have big inbound traffic.

The 300km stretch of coast between Malaga and Alicante is sunbed central.

Malaga gets 41 flights a week from Dublin and is also served from both Belfast airports, Cork, Knock and Shannon.

The 280-passenger wide-bodied A330s that arrive in Dublin from the USA in the early morning are despatched on a sun run to Spain, packed with buckets and spades, before they return for another transatlantic excursion in the evening.

Alicante gets 19 flights a week from Dublin. Murcia, which is just 65km away, gets 13, Valencia three and Almeria two.

By comparison all of Greece gets 14 flights a week from Dublin (plus four from Belfast).

Croatia, marked as a happening place because it now has four destinations and a cluster of new flights, has 15 from Dublin (and two from Belfast). Sun-bed Turkey used to have six. Now it has just two.

Declining access is becoming is a bit of a drama for the 7,000 Irish who own summer properties in Turkey.

Malaga's big competitor for summer flights is burgeoning Barcelona, which has overtaken the Balearics in recent years and now has 39 flights a week, plus eight to Reus and two to Gerona, where Ryanair resolutely sticks to their original "Barcelona" destination, despite the fact it is 90km to the north.

The Canary Islands get 50 flights a week. The island of Lanzarote will attract more tourists than Greece and Turkey put together. Palma in Majorca gets 15, feeding the peculiar phenomenon that is Ireland's village away from Ireland, Santa Ponsa, where 3,500 Irish residents a week make it the equivalent of a thriving town in a rural county.

Move inland in Spain to Andalusia, to Seville (three flights a week), or north to Bilbao, whose season has just been extended, to Santander, Santiago or Ryanair's new north-western route, Vigo if you want change.

On the boutique side of the business, fashion is more noticeable. Thailand is trendy, South Africa's western cape, Seychelles and Maldives are honeymoon central where Mauritius has faded.

Last Friday a record 109,000 people passed through Dublin Airport.
It's being a busy and productive summer for the members of Dundalk's M.A.D Youth Theatre (MADYT) and there's still more to come for these talented and enthusiastic youngsters.

They have just finished hosting the Authors Theatre Organisation (ATO) from Moscow, Russia whom they invited to join them in an eight day residential youth exchange in Carlingford. The two groups previously meet at a Youth Theatre festival in Prague, Czech Republic in February 2016 and thanks to European Erasmus funding as well as a grant from national agency Leargas, MADYT were able to invite the Russian group to join them in this exchange.

The exchange took the them of 'Building Bonds Through Storytelling', with the aim of bringing the young people from two different countries together to share their commonality and build an understanding of their differences. They exchanged and share the ways they do theatre, and also explored each other's folklores and stories. This was done through the process of drama and the exploration of the English Language.

The two groups exchanged stories, with MADYT telling the legendary tale of 'An Tain Bo Culigne' and ATO presenting the popular Russian tale of 'The Frog Princess', which they then used to create a short performance. The groups were fascinated by the stories; ATO members were intrigued on how the Tain was tied into the heritage, culture and geography of Ireland and blown away by the magic and grandest of the Queen Meave and Warrior Cuchuliainn. The Frog Princess sparked curiosity and has all the ingredients for an epic tale of good versus evil and fighting for true love.

Both groups took to the stage for a stunning performance of their production of the two stories in The Spirit Store at the end of the residency,

And it wasn't all stage craft, as they also had fun taking part in the outdoor activities at Carlingford Adventure Centre.

The residential was a huge success and MADYT are now hoping to head to Moscow in the not so ddistant future.

MADYT are grateful to all those who helped them make the residential exchange such a success including Tesco Longwalk Shopping Centre, local councillors, Carlingford Adventure Centre, Carlingford Town Hall, Gerry Ball, The Arts Office, and Erasmus Plus.

The group are also running summer camps at Stephentown Pond and Creative Spark. There are still places available on the Acting For Camera workshop for young people age 12 to 21 who are interested in learning the techniques and skill it takes to make an effective Audition Tape for casting, and vlogging.

Taking place at Creative Spark, Clontygora, Muirhevnamor, the week long camp gets underway on Monday July 31, from 11am to 2pm daily. Previous acting experience will help but not essential.

Participants will receive Acting CV examples, contact lists and actors' headshots (Digital Copies) along with an audition video. To reserve a place Contact Kwasie: 0831404747 or email
Respiratory distress can be an emergency. If any animal suddenly develops difficulty breathing, it can be life threatening, and the immediate help of a vet is needed. There are many possible causes, from allergic reactions to heart failure to inhalation of an object of some kind.

But what if a dog suffers from temporary respiratory distress, so that one moment they seem to be choking, then half a minute later they have returned completely to normal. Should an owner worry when this happens?

Somebody recently described a typical case to me. Their middle aged German Shepherd was sleeping peacefully, then suddenly woke up, in distress. The dog could scarcely breathe, and was making loud noises as she gasped and spluttered.

Their owner rushed over to the dog, reassuring the animal and trying to keep them calm. Then a few moments later, the breathing settled down, and the dog relaxed, going back to sleep.

This sequence of events happened several times over a few weeks. What could be going on?

As a vet listening to this type of story, it is really difficult to properly understand what's happening. There's a long list of possible causes, and although, in general, if the animal returns rapidly to normal, there's probably not too much to worry about, you can't be sure.

I explained to the worried owner that it's safest to do two things.

First, have the animal examined by the vet. By listening to the chest with a stethoscope, it's possible to rule out many serious diseases, including heart problems and many lung diseases. But with many intermittent problems, it's impossible for the vet to make a diagnosis by examining the animal when it's not having a bout of distress. Everything is often working perfectly normally: it's only during the abnormal episode that things go temporarily wrong.

So I examined the German Shepherd, who was a lovely gentle giant of an animal. He was completely normal in every way, with nothing amiss with his heart, lungs or chest.

Which takes us to the second action that owners should do: take a video of their pet if they have any further odd episodes of breathing. Most people now have mobile phones that can record videos, and it's easy to do. The most difficult thing is remembering to do it when you are worried about your pet being in distress. But the information that can be gathered by a vet from watching a short video is very helpful.

I explained this to the German Shepherd owner, and a few weeks passed before they were back in touch. Then an email arrived from them: it was a link to a short video of their dog having an episode. I could now see for myself what was happening.

The dog woke up from sleeping deeply, and started to splutter. When I watched closely, the abnormal breathing could be broken down into different components. The dog was breathing out deeply through the nose, then inhaling sharply through the nose, and this was happening repeatedly, with the dog making loud snorting sounds. After this had gone on for about two minutes, the dog shook his head, then settled down and went back to sleep.

After watching the video, I knew exactly what this was: a phenomenon known as "reverse sneezing". This is just what it sounds like: the opposite of normal sneezing.

Normal sneezing involves slowly breathing in through the nose, then explosively breathing out (through the nose and sometimes the mouth). Reverse sneezing (which humans never do) means breathing slowly out through the nose, then explosively breathing in.

Normal sneezing is caused by minor irritation to the front half of the nasal cavity: it's the body's reflex effort to get rid of irritants and foreign objects from this part of the body.

Reverse sneezing is caused by irritation of the back half of the nasal cavity, including the nasopharynx, which is the area where the back of the nasal cavity merges with the throat. It's a reflex action to remove irritants or foreign objects from this area, to keep the airways clear.

Any nasal, pharyngeal, or sinus irritation can result in a reverse sneeze. Common causes include foreign bodies (e.g. an inhaled blade of grass), drainage of secretions from infections, allergies, parasites and anatomical oddities such as an elongated soft palate. It can also be caused by specific diseases such as nasal mites (tiny creepy crawlies) or even tumours. Most of these causes will result in sudden onset reverse sneezing that happens in a repeated, continuous manner. Many of these diagnoses can only be made by doing further investigations such as x-rays and endoscope inspections under anaesthesia.

When a dog (like the German Shepherd) just has an occasional reverse sneeze, a mild allergy is most likely, and a complex work up is hard to justify. No treatment is usually needed. An owner just needs to learn to sit with their pet, keeping them calm until the episode passes. Sometimes it can help to gently pinch the animal's nostrils closed, so that they have to breathe through their mouths, and to stroke their throat.

Does your dog ever reverse sneeze? It's more common than most people realise, and once you know what it is, it's usually nothing to worry about.
The organisers of Cooley Charity Country Markets would like to express their sincerest thanks to all who supported their recent charity market on Sunday, July 9.

From early morning, eager shoppers waited patiently for the doors of St Mary's Hall to open at 9 a.m.

A constant stream of shoppers called, and by close of the market at 1 p.m., a massive total of 5,736 had been donated to the Birches Alzheimer Day Care Centre.

Cooley Charity Country Markets were born to create awareness of dementia. They continue to generate funding towards the cost of supporting those living with dementia in Cooley and its surrounding areas.

They are held twice per year in July and December. Each market is unique, with an ever changing range of goods being offered for sale. From a small group of volunteers who once started the markets, that group has now grown and expanded.

Each time a market takes place, the market welcomes more new willing helping hands to the hall. Kind souls who wish to grasp the opportunity to play a part in this pretty special community event.

The Birches opened its outreach centre in the community house in Rath Abbey, Grange, Carlingford, in July 2013.

Since then, the local community has seen at first hand the importance of the work of the Birches. They have witnessed dedicated Birches carers delivering understanding in the Grange Day Centre each Monday. They deeply appreciate the Birches team who now travel the roads of the local community. Families caught in an unknown zone of caring for a loved one with dementia are finding a lifeline. Explanations and answers have been given to their questions. An oasis of understanding and education regarding the needs of their family member has been created.

A priceless commodity when the one you love with all your heart appears to be in distress. The strongest of family bonds can often be challenged when a dementia diagnosis is delivered.

The unique Cooley Charity Country Markets do not have a commercial agenda. The prices charged for goods at the market reflect this concept. They are based on the importance of creating awareness of dementia.

They provide an opportunity for the local community to stand in solidarity with families whose lives are touched by dementia. Their aim is to promote the rich benefits of the Birches in the local community.

The people from Cooley and surrounding areas have welcomed the Birches into their hearts. They have responded to the appeal of 'Cooley Charity Country Markets' with a generosity all of their own.

Sensitive ladies whose hearts are touched by the plight of a much loved neighbour now living with dementia can quietly reach out to that person by arriving to the hall with arms laden with baking.

Donations pour in from the local area and indeed much further afield. Companies donate goods for resale, others donate prizes for the raffle. Some loan equipment. More give coffee, sugar and milk. Some plant vegetables, others donate the fruits of their labours - baking, knitting, jams etc. Farmers dig many potatoes, and hen's nests are raided.

Some give their creative talents to transform a simple kitchen into an elegant tea room. Such wonderful generosity in a small rural area seldom attracts national media attention.

It is carried out by an entire community - quiet unassuming people who for them it's the most natural thing in the world to help their neighbour. It's a beautiful Irish tradition which thankfully is very much alive and flourishing.

The next Cooley Charity Country Market will take place in December.

As one market ends, another new challenge is grasped by many supporters of the market to continue to source good quality saleable items for the next market.

The organisers of the market would like to express their gratitude to all who supported the markets in so many ways. Such constant and loyal support reflects the esteem in which the Birches is held in North Louth. A huge thank you to all who baked, donated goods for sale, and donated prizes for the raffle. Many thanks to all who worked so hard in the hall and kitchen on the day of the market.

Thank you to Cooley Parish for the use of the hall. Thank you to The Argus newspaper for their loyal support in promoting the market. Thank you to all who travelled from far and near to shop at the market.

As we all march on into the future's mystery, let us do so in confidence knowing that we are always within reach of a helping hand.
Plans for a controversial new waste treatment plant at Carlingford Lough are now in doubt as the firm behind the proposals have been asked to withdraw their licence application.

The decision by Warrenpoint Port authority to ask the firm, Newry based Re-Gen, to withdraw its application for a licence to operate the plant at the port has been broadly welcomed.

Olivia McCartan, of the No Toxic Lough group, said: 'One of the most protected areas on the east coast of Ireland and they were looking to put a hazardous waste facility in here, we will still keep up pressure until Re-Gen officially withdraw their application.'

Re-Gen had applied for a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) licence to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in February.

But opposition to the company's plans began to mount in the last few months as the extent of the waste, including toxic and carcinogenic that could be treated or stored at the facility emerged.

Protests from oyster farmers on Carlingford Lough, and Omeath residents followed, with an online petition set up calling for the plans to be scrapped.

It was with some relief that a statement from Peter Conway, chief executive of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority was released last week, revealing that the hazardous waste facility is not part of its master plan for the next 35 years.

'The plan demonstrates the highly significant economic value the port is to the local community and evaluates the best possible cargo mix for the benefit of the port, the community, the environment and the regional economy,' he said.

'As part of this process, the proposed operation of a hazardous waste plant within the harbour estate does not feature in the Warrenpoint Harbour Plan.

In these circumstances, and although at this stage no formal proposal for such a facility has been placed before it, the board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority has decided to request that Re-Gen withdraws its current licence application to the NIEA.'

Re-Gen responded to the harbour chief's request by saying it was aware of concerns. The waste firm said it had offered to sit down with the No Toxic Lough group, Mr Conway and the local Carlingford community north and south before making any further decisions.

Re-Gen said it would "seriously consider their views"

Hundreds of tonnes of oysters and mussels are harvested every year from the waters in Carlingford.

Campaigners opposed to the hazardous waste facility also claimed the port site is too close to the Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) on the northern shore, it is 1km from a special area of conservation and the wider lough area also includes a marine conservation zone and a special protection area.

It is understood the NIEA has until the end of August to assess company's proposal.

Welcoming the recent development, Dundalk TD Peter, Fitzpatrick said: 'I strongly welcome the request from the Board of Warrenpoint Harbour for ReGen to withdraw its current licence application for hazardous waste plant on Carlingford Lough.'

Deputy Fitzpatrick had previously expressed his concerns regarding the lack of a comprehensive environmental assessment for the site. He said that the area of the proposed site had been subject to flooding in recent years.

'The proposed plant is within 120 metres of residential areas in Omeath yet in the impact statement the proposers of the plant state that the nearest residential area is over 400 metres away.'

'The Board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority commissioned a 35 year plan for the harbour demonstrating the highly significant economic value of the port to the local community and evaluating the best possible cargo mix for the benefit of the port, the community, the environment and the regional economy. They have stated that as part of this process, the proposed operation of a hazardous waste plant within the harbour estate does not feature in the Warrenpoint Harbour Plan.

I am very pleased with this call; the plan as put forward by ReGen was deeply flawed. Carlingford Lough is a beautiful amenity. I believe that the future of the lough lies in developing the area as a place people want to visit.

As soon as I was made aware of these plans I was deeply concerned. Our Lough is a wetlands of international importance, no one wants this waste plant here.

We need to work on developing the ecosystem of Carlingford Lough on both sides of the border. I want to thank the Board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority for their resolve in making this call.'

Louth TD Gerry Adams also gave his welcome to the news but urged vigilance over any similar plans for other locations in the cross border area.

Deputy Adams said: 'Concerns were raised with Sinn Fein representatives who represent both sides of Carlingford Lough, about the potential environmental impact of a proposal to construct a hazardous waste treatment facility in Warrenpoint.

Our local Councillors on both sides of the Lough, and concerned local campaign groups had also raised similar concerns and in particular the understandable fears around Carlingford Lough as a tourist destination.'

I have now been told that the board of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority have decided not to proceed with plans to site the waste plant within the harbour estate.

This is a welcome decision but vigilance is needed to ensure that this proposal doesn't emerge at another location along Carlingford Lough.'
A suitable site and service provider for desperately needed respite care in the north east has been identified just off the M1 at Drogheda and local TDs have appealed to the Minister to provide the funding for the new facility.

The ongoing shortage of respite places for families in County Louth was raised in the Dail recently by local TDs Declan Breathnach and Fergus O'Dowd.

Deputy Breathnach asked the Minister to provide funding for a facility that has been identified to provide care for 30 people without further delay.

He said a service provider, Praxis Care, is ready to provide the care and a premises has been identificd.

'This service could provide respite to young adults in Louth/Meath/north midlands and north Dublin as the premises identified is just off the M1 at Drogheda,' he said.

'It would cost 800,000 to provide the care for 30 people per annum. They just need confirmation from the HSE that funding will be provided and then they could have it operational within three to four months,' he said. Deputy Breathnach said he also pointed out to the Minister that two social workers have left Drumcar since December leaving no social worker at all in the centre until last week when one was appointed to facilitate the needs of these families. 'I suggested that in the short term would he consider allowing retired accredited Intellectual Disability Nurses to provide respite in the family homes of these people to alleviate the acute distress on those families now. I know this is not an ideal solution but it would be a temporary measure to give some respite to the carers while we wait for a possible new facility to be prepared,' said Deputy Breathnach.

Following the Dail debate, Deputy O'Dowd said: 'Minister McGrath has committed to meeting with us alongside the relevant HSE and Saint John Of Gods officials to discuss long term solutions for these families. The Minister also committed to meeting with the families most significantly affected in the area of respite. The Minister said the proposal is currently being considered as part of the CH08 Respite Provision Project 2017.
The 17,600 square feet SuperValu Store will be located in a flagship new retail development at the former Fairways Hotel Site in Dundalk

A jobs boost is on the cards as Supervalu confirm they are recruiting for a new store set to open at the Fairways later this year.

The major grocery retailer announced that over 40 jobs will be created at the new store due to open in the autumn.

The 17,600 square feet SuperValu Store, representing a total investment of 7 million, will be located in a flagship new retail development at the former Fairways Hotel Site in Dundalk.

It is expected that a further 70 jobs will be supported during the development's construction phase.

SuperValu Fairways will be the anchor premises of this 25

million development by local Dundalk Developer Wonder glade, which will also include a number of smaller retailer units.

The store will be operated by Dundalk retailer Richard Tiernan, providing consumers with a tailored local Irish offer, with a range of locally-sourced produce from Louth suppliers including Moran Jams, Kookie Dough and Sing Li to name but a few.

The new store will also include a butcher counter, fish counter and fresh bakery complemented by in-store experts, as well as customer parking.

Patrick O'Callaghan of Wonderglade said, 'This new 25 million Fairways development will include a number of smaller retail units, a coffee shop, residential units and a hotel when completed.

We are delighted to have the support of SuperValu in this ambitious project. As a local company, we are pleased to know that the development will create local jobs, both once complete and during the construction phase, which will be led by local Dundalk firm Denis Williams Design Services and by local Builder Hollywood Developments.'

Ciara Croffy Property Development Manager with Musgrave said: 'In partnership with Wonderglade, we are delighted to announce that SuperValu will be the anchor tenant of phase one of this exciting new development.'
Bray Literary Festival will take place at locations across the town on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 22, 23 and 24.

The festival will begin on Culture night at the Town Hall in Bray, and will continue on the Saturday and Sunday with full days of readings, discussions, music and writing workshops, with an eclectic mix of Ireland's established voices in poetry, fiction, memoir and music.

Entries are welcome for the poetry and flash fiction competition which has a prize fund of 500 and a closing date of August 31.

The winner in each category will receive 200, and the runner up 50. Poetry will be judged by Breda Wall Ryan, author of the award winning In a Hare's Eye. Flash fiction will be judged by author Catherine Dunne. The word limit is 500 for flash fiction, 40 lines for poems. For more information go to brayliteraryfestival.wordpress.com.

The Saturday workshops will include writing for the staage with David Butler, writing from life experience with Siobhan Campbell, poetry: sounding it out, with Jean O'Brien, and a children's workshop As Gaeilge with Sadbh Devlin.

The Sunday workshops are: writing and mental health with Cat Hogan, kick-start your writing with Breda Wall Ryan, songwriting with BeRn, and write fiction that comes alive with Patricia O'Reilly.

Events include a free talk at the Joyce house with David Butler, readings for children, duelling poets, and Lit Fix: Alan McMonagle and Nuala O'Connor in conversation with Catherine Dunne.

The programme will include a seminar on professional development for writers with Words Ireland, and a panel on short stories with Tanya Farrelly, Martin Malone and Orfhlaith Foyle.

There will be a giant open mic with BeRn, poetry cafe with Anne Taannam, Noel Duffy and Stephanie Conn, and a look at the crime genre with Arlene Hunt, Louise Phillips and Sam Blake.

To get day or weekend passes, find Bray Literary Festival on fundit.ie.
The International Cartoon Festival returns to Rathdrum this month 25 years after it first took place.

The festival was the brainchild of renowned cartoonists, the late Terry Willers, and the renowned Martin Turner, along with a group of local volunteers, and ran for six years after starting in 1992.

This year the festival will run from July 29 to July 30 and will feature the likes of Tom Halliday, Tim Leatherbarrow, Guy Carter and Greame Keyes - all of whom attended previous festivals.

One of the highlights will be workshops in script-writing hosted by Irish cartoonist Michael Carroll of 2000 AD. There will also be numerous other workshops, including a phone-documentary workshop with Eleanor Manion of RTE which will be a 2 day workshop. Brown Bag Films will also present some animation workshops.

Terry Willers will be remembered with an exhibition which will run for the duration of the weekend located above Centra on Rathdrum's Main Street. A Gala concert will also take place in St. Saviours church on Thursday, July 27, at 7.30 p.m. with music from Liam and James Kinsella, plus guests. There will also be live music in the square throughout the weekend.
If anyone is any doubt about the rich diversity of Arklow's maritime heritage, all they have to do is call into the museum in the Bridgewater Centre.

The latest recent acquisition is a set of signal flags donated by John Mahon of Oaklands, Arklow.

John is the grandson and biographer of Kate Tyrrell, and over the years he has donated several items from her schooner, the 'Denbighshire Lass'.

In pre-radio days, signal flags were used as a means of communication between ships at sea and the shore.

Each letter of the alphabet was represented by a particular flag, as were the numbers 0 to 9. Other flags indicated that a ship was about to leave port or that there was sickness on board.

Along with the flags was a fid, a finely tapered wooden spike used in splicing ropes, which was also used on 'Denbighshire Lass'.

'We're very lucky in the museum that we have such great support in the town', said a museum spokesman. 'In recent weeks we have received the telegram sent by Captain Jack Kenny to his wife in 1940 after he had survived a submarine attack on his ship which had been sunk, but thankfully there were no casualties on that occasion'.

Another very interesting and more off-beat item was donated to the museum by Patrick O'Neill, a St Kevin's Terrace native and long-term resident of California.

'Patsy was home recently and donated a baby's cradle made of sail canvas. A wooden framework is being made so that the cradle can be shown to best advantage. It will be a star attraction in a display we are planning on the craft of the sail-maker - which was far more diverse than sewing sails.'

The museum is enjoying a great year. Visitor numbers are up and progress towards Heritage Council recognition as an accredited museum is well under way.

'So far it is shaping up to be the best visitor figures on our records. Over the past 15 years we have had people from 42 different countries calling in to see us and everyone is amazed at the variety of artefacts on display. Local schools are also bringing kids along to look and learn. It has never been more popular.'

Arklow Maritime Museum is situated in the Bridgewater Centre and is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out the website Arklow Maritime & Heritage Museum.
There was deep sadness last month at the sudden death of James (Jimmy) Morrison, who was the founder of the Signal Arts Centre in Bray.

Jim is survived by his daughter Brigid, sister Martina, brothers Paul and Paddy and all of his relatives, neighbours and friends.

The resident of Ardee Street was a native of Newbridge in County Kildare. He founded Signal back in 1990.

At that time the Artists Association of Ireland put out a call saying they were about to set up social employment schemes across the country and artists would be included.

There was a thriving arts community in Bray and they needed to get organised.

Jim attended a meeting, and was inspired to set up Signal. He approached the VEC along with Doug Ross and Brian Maguire and asked them to sponsor the endeavour.

He thought he'd run it for a year and that would be it. He remained on the board for the intervening years, and was treasurer in recent years.

He worked tirelessly to establish Signal and keep it going, dedicated to its success over the course of almost three decades.

The centre was set up as a company in 1998. Today the not-for-profit centre has a staff of 17 and continues to provide a community employment scheme.

His contribution to the arts community was immense, Signal being Jim's life's work.

As an artist, he was a painter. Jim also taught. Some of his classes included the active retirement group at the Little Flower Hall at the Holy Redeemer, as well as night classes in BIFE, and some workshops and classes at Signal.

Jim also worked on projects such as made-to-order coats of arms.

His Signal Arts Centre family will remember him as a fountain of knowledge, and the person you went to if you needed help with anything.

His big achievement was the work he did towards Signal buying the building, and just seven years remain on the mortgage.

Just before he died, he engaged an architect who is working on 3D plans for a custom-build arts centre. There are plans now to redevelop the centre, which will be Jim's legacy when that comes to fruition.

Before becoming an artist, he was an accountant and his attention to detail and fastidiousness were evident in both careers.

Jim was devoted to his daugher Brigid (16), who lived with him half the week. Prior to his death they enjoyed a 10-day trip to Spain along with friends from Signal, for the wedding of an ex-member in Spain.

The group said it was a joy to see the close relationship between the two of them.

He was a great neighbour. Jim knew everyone in the area and was very good to his neighbours who will miss him very much.

He was a loyal friend and great company. He enjoyed a healthy debate without it ever becoming personal and you get really good, meaty arguments with him on all sorts of topics.

He was well read, had a great mind for history and politics, and would get out the tea and sandwiches for election night.

Jim's funeral took place on Friday, June 16, at the Holy Redeemer in Bray, before cremation at Mount Jerome. May he rest in peace.
Bray student Molly Comish is putting a call out for people to help put together 850 'dignity packs' in five hours.

The packs contain essential toiletry items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, wipes, tampons and more, and will be distributed to homeless people all over Ireland

The production line event will take place at The Well, Cornerstone Church, opposite the Royal Hotel in Bray, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 30, and Molly is asking people to spare an hour to take part.

There will be hourly slots and people can pick the timeslots that best suits them.

There will be refreshments for all volunteers and you can sign up through the Dignity Packs Ireland Facebook page.

Molly just finished her Leaving Cert and is hoping to study sociology or community and youth studies in college.

She is working in The Martello, and when she started doing this, she used her tips from work to buy the supplies.

'I had no clue it would ever get as big as it is now,' she said. 'I thought it would be me by myself and nobody would even know.'

Since then, she has been the Bray Lions Club Young Ambassador of the Year, a Wicklow Garda Youth Award winner, she has travelled to Manchester to receive an award and will go to Yorkshire and Belfast to participate in a conference for Rotary Clubs.

She didn't even tell her parents at the start about her project. They eventually realised what she was doing and came on board to help.

The kind-hearted young woman was in Dublin on Decemer 24, 2015, and it struck her that there were so many people on the streets. She thought about the fact that she would wake up the following morning to a comfortable home and presents, never mind basic hygiene supplies.

She said she has learned so much from services and resources in Bray and elsewhere, about what would be appropriate to put into the packs. She distributes them on her day off in Limerick, or Cork or Galway and teams up with the services there. When she goes to Belfast, she'll bring some there.

'My dad has some in his car, I have some in my car,' she said. 'There are homeless people everywhere and anyone can be effected.'

A former pupil of Loreto in Bray, Molly said that her school community, as well as her employers, the Lions and the community at large have been hugely supportive of the initiative.

Superdrug have given enough products for 200 packs, with 500 more pledged.

Molly and her colleagues on the Dignity Packs Ireland project help out on the Tiglin outreach bus every week. They hear from people who are homeless about their stories and their needs, and hand out packs and sandwiches.

The items are all packed into small rucksacks and are specific to men or women. The contents include tissues, plasters, face cloths, soap, deodorant, hats and socks, gloves, water, lip balm, travel shampoo, and more.

To find out more, go to dignitypacks.ie.
Lidl have confirmed that they do not intend to allow McDonalds to build at their Blacklion site.

In a statement, Lidl said that they remain committed to bringing a new concept store to Greystones although they have no confirmed timeline.

This follows a failed appeal by Temple Carrig School against planning permission for McDonalds to build there.

Lidl had previously stated that they would not proceed with the plans and instead submitted separate plans to redevelop the store.

Since then, a 'No Fry Zone' has been included in the Wicklow County Development plan, banning fast food restaurants in close proximity to schools.

The permission for McDonald's had already been granted, so the No Fry Zone did not apply. Temple Carrig proceeded to the High Court in an attempt to eliminate even the slightest chance that the restaurant could develop there. The school took and lost a judicial review taken against the decision by An Bord Pleanala to allow the McDonalds permission at Blacklion Retail Centre.

Philip Moyles, chairman of the No Fry Zone 4 Kids committee said that they are working on having No Fry Zones implemented nationally and as soon as possible.

Mr Justice Max Barrett said in the High Court last week that the school had decided to proceed with its case due to concerns the 'pendulum of commerce may yet swing again', and a fast-food restaurant unwanted by the board may yet be built close to the school.

The school did not consider having a fast-food restaurant almost on its doorstep 'is conducive to healthy eating by impressionable children going to and from the school', he said.

The issue was whether An Bord Pleanala erred in how it made its decision and the court's conclusion was it had not, and that it did all that was required of it under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

He found no error in the board's decision to grant permission, by a four-to-one majority, generally in accordance with recommendations of its inspector.
Nurture, the maternal mental health charity has just moved to a new base in the ICA grounds in Termonfeckin.

The charity, which provides support around the area of depression in pregnancy, fertility issues, post-natal depression and grief, was started by seven years ago by Irene Lowry, a qualified counsellor, at her home in Rush.

After a brief sojourn in Skerries, the charity has now established its nationwide base at the ICA lands in Termonfeckin and Nurture is now the ICA's chosen mental health charity in Ireland offering immediate supports to all their members.

'We're absolutely thrilled that the ICA are accommodating us here,' Irene told the Drogheda Independent. 'Where we are is just beautiful, it's just like a magical land.

'The locals walk by here all the time so there's actually more footfall here than we had in Skerries. We're only in five weeks but everyone has been so welcoming and kind. We've had people leaving post-its on the door wishing us well and even some notes saying: 'I need support'.

The organisation marked their move officially last week with the opening of a new Worry Tree where people can write down their worries and leave them behind at the tree, and a Fairy Fort for the children.

'Adults can sit on our reflective bench and share their worries with Nurture then pop them into our pretty postbox and if we can support them we most certainly will,' said Irene. 'Or they can write their wishes down with their kiddies as their is a little table and chairs for them too and hang their wishes on the tree. This Worry Wish tree is a symbol of HOPE for all who come and see it and it will be themed for Halloween, Christmas and Easter.'

Irene was inspired to start the charity following the death by suicide of two young mothers she had been seeing as a counsellor. Both had been waiting for months on the public waiting list to see a counsellor and Irene believed the long delay between seeking help and receiving counselling is a problem which urgently needed to be addressed.

'The most important thing for us is that our supports are immediate,' says Irene. 'Once anyone phones us they'll be seen the same week. I wanted to do things differently. If someone needs help then they can get it straight away.'

So far this year, Nuture counsellors have seen 1,000 women and 250 men.

While the charity originally focused on post natal depression, Irene said the demand for services grew with women coping with the loss of babies or following miscarriages seeking counselling sessions while others struggle to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment and IVF.

'We deal with all of the life changes and events, from depression in pregnancy to those struggling with fertility issues. About 10% of men will develop post natal depression or they may also be struggling to cope after the loss of a baby or after a misscarriage.'

Part of the reason for the move to Termonfeckin was the skyrocketing rents in Skerries and Irene admits that securing funding and maintaining services is always a difficult battle for the charity.

'I would describe it as pushing an elephant up a hill because it's a tough road trying to manage a charity on a shoestring, it really is,' said Irene. 'We need extra funding and been talking to the HSE about that.'

Services offered by Nurture include one to one counselling at reduced rates, telephone support, skype counselling and facilitating support groups for post-natal depression, traumatic birth and grief as well as resilience skills for every day living.

The charity currently has 27 dedicated counsellors working in most counties throughout Ireland trained in the area of maternal mental health with further expansion planned for the latter part of 2017.
Local teens who participated in the Drogheda Sail Training Bursary, voyage 2 were reunited recently in the Drogheda Port headquarters to receive their certificates of achievement.

The trainees, their families and sponsors of the Bursary; Louth County Council, Fast Terminals, Irish Cement and Drogheda Port were all in attendance.

The Captain of the Brian Boru, Tony Mc Loughlin joined the presentations via satellite phone from the Dingle Peninsula, where he and his new group of trainees were fishing for their dinner!!

He added some lovely words about the Drogheda trainees, who he described as a really wonderful group of youngsters who bonded very quickly and achieved so much in terms of seamanship, friendship and teamwork over the course of the voyage. Following the very successful maritime festival weekend, the Brian Boru Sail Training vessel initially set sail southbound from Drogheda's River Boyne with the second group of seafaring teens in tow.

They embarked on a 5 day exploration of the beautiful east coast, heading for Arklow and from there they cruised to Lambay Island and braved the cool sea temperature for some swimming on their down-time.

The vessel overnighted in Poolbeg and then headed across to Ireland's Eye for more water activities in the sunshine before making a course to Warrenpoint and Carlingford where this group of great young people finished their 'Drogheda Bursary' voyage adventure. The trip consisted of sailing, swimming, cooking, cleaning, singing, laughing, bonding and making lots of great memories. It marks the fifth successful year of the Drogheda Sail Training Bursary.
It's not too hard to find history in the Cord Cemetery - there's over 1,000 gravestones and burials dating to 1180 - but finding out Wolfe Tone had a coffee in the Westcourt Hotel was a surprise!

The recent open day afforded the public the chance to look around an incredible piece of the town's history, and pick up a few good stories along the way.

One of those stories surrounds James Hamill, a Catholic merchant who is buried in the centre of the graveyard.

He was a member of the Catholic Committee in town and was arrested accordingly, in 1792.

A young barrister called Wolfe Tone came to defend him, his role in the case apparently sparking Tone's rebellious streak.

But in his writings, Tone says he came to Drogheda and had fine coffee in Siddell's coffee house, which local historian Sean Collins, revealed was later to be the White Horse Hotel and now the Westcourt.

It can be dated that a hotel has stood where the Westcourt is for hundreds of years.

The archway of St Laurence's Friary stands in a corner of the graveyard and interestingly contains the graves of two Dominicans, Fr Burke and Fr Peter Magennis, the latter passing away in 1818.

Jack McEvoy, a right hand man of Michael Collins, is also buried here and military men like Captain Edward Toker and James McGough from Fair St, a fleet engineer in the Royal Navy.

There's great snippets of family history, how Captain Laurence Morgan died in Liverpool in 1898. the death of Capt Laurence Branigan from Boyne View in 1894 or how Captain John Cooney of the US Army was shot and killed in California in 1854.

It is hoped to make the graveyard a lot safer in the years to come with new footpaths to be laid.
Back on 7th June 1917, Patrick Alphonsus (Alphie) Hanratty, a 21 year old Platoon Commander in the 10th Royal Irish Rifles (36th Ulster Division) from Collon led his forty men to victory at the famous Battle of the Messines Ridge in Belgium, and described his experience in a detailed letter he wrote to his mother a week afterwards.

One hundred years later, his son Brian and grandson Kilian - as guests of the Flemish Government - joined hundreds at the Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines to commemorate the battle.

In what Brian has described as "a hugely memorable and deeply moving experience," their visit included joining the annual "Redmondweg" - a 10km walk that commemorates Major Willie Redmond.

Later that day, they joined dignitaries that included Prince William and Belgium's Princess Astrid and hundreds of guests at the Messines Peace Park for a joint British/Irish commemoration that involved wreath laying at the foot of the Round Tower there, before travelling to the nearby village of Wytschaete where wreaths were also laid at the memorial cross to the 16th Irish Division.

At Messines, Brian was introduced to Prince William and showed him the actual map used by his father at Messines on the day of the battle. He also showed him a field postcard which his father had sent his sister on the occasion of his 21st birthday the previous year.

"It was a proud moment to see a member of the British Royal Family pay their respects to all the young Irish soldiers who had fought at Messines, and especially those who never returned home," said Brian. He added "Prince William was very relaxed and friendly, and as the photographs indicate, was very taken with the map and postcard which I showed him."

Later that day, Minister Charlie Flanagan opened an exhibition "Irish Blood in Flanders Mud" at the church in nearby Kemmel. That evening at the Menin Gate, colour parties from both the Irish and British Armies participated in the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ieper, and the following evening Brian and the grand-daughter of Samuel Frickleton V.C. from New Zealand led the wreath laying service there.

"Again, it was wonderful to see representatives of both armies stand side by side on an equal and mutually respectful footing. I thought of Robert Emmet's words 'When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth' and felt a lump in my throat as this event yet again underlined how far this small but great country has "travelled" since World War 1," said Brian.

Later in the week, Brian, along with his son Kilian and his colleague Will Smith (who are filming a documentary about the role of the Irish at Messines) undertook a battlefield walk with local historian, Philippe Mingels and visited a farmer to see the dangerous ordnance that continues to be "harvested" in Flanders. They also visited the site of the Battle of Waterloo before returning home.

"For too long in Ireland, we were in denial regarding the huge sacrifice made by young Irishmen from every town, village and crossroads in World War 1. But Belgium has never forgotten them, and this year towns, villages and museums in Flanders have special exhibitions and events to commemorate those who fell, including the many Irish. For anyone with an interest in WW1, especially those who had relatives who fought in Belgium, this year offers them exceptional opportunities to explore and learn about that aspect of their family history," concluded Brian.
Isobel Sanroma pictured with Natasha Huenchko (35) who is staying in Drogheda for a month

Natasha Huenchko (35) is back in her adopted home-from-home in Drogheda for a month long stay with Isobel Sanroma of the Chernobyl Children's Charity.

Natasha travelled back to Drogheda as part of a 145 strong contingent from Belarus who are staying with families all over the country as part of a month long respite holiday.

Unfortunately Natasha's friend and flatmate Sevtlana was unable to come this year as she has had a number of medical issues in recent months.

The pair share an apartment in a sheltered accommodation complex in the grounds of a retirement home in Belarus.

'It's great to be back, I've been going to lots of parties and to the cinema and for plenty of walks on the beach,' Natasha told the Drogheda Independent.

'I love it here, I'd like to stay a bit longer but it's great to be here for a month.'

Natasha has been coming to Drogheda for holidays for two decades and considers the town to be her second home. She was last here at Christmas 2016.

'I love the airport and going on the plane,' said Natasha who helps in the kitchens back at her home in Belarus.

'It's great to have her over, the joy tha's in the house is amazing. It's like having a child in the house. We say me and my shadow. She's really enjoying her time,' said Isobel who spent a week in Belarus with the Adi Roche charity Chernobyl Children International.

'It really is amazing the changes that have been made with the intervention from Ireland. A medical team from Ireland travels out to the home in Vesnova.

Although she loves her visits to Ireland there is one thing Natasha says she'd like to change - the weather!

'I'm sick of the rain, I'm always hoping to see the sundshine even though Isobel doesn't like it,' said Natasha.

Isobel said Natasha's visits wouldn't be possible without the amazing support they receive from the community in Drogheda every year and she extended a big thank you to everyone involved in organising the annual St Stephen's Day swim every year, especially the Cloherhead Lifeboat, and all those who take part in the event.
The Louth Local Enterprise Offices are currently recruiting for a local cluster of approximately 20 small businesses each to register their interest in the Eastern and Border region of the licensed PLATO network.

It is anticipated the Louth-Meath Network will commence September 2017-June 2018.

PLATO EBR companies tend to be micro- and/or small businesses interested in growing their business and learning from larger companies who have grown their company within the region.

These larger 'parent' companies are leaders in their industry sectors, and support the programme by sharing their skills and experience within the network. There will be two senior executives (or the owner/manager) at each meeting - the same individuals for the programme duration.

In the past, Parent companies have included for example Jim McAdam of Multihog, Joe Hughes of Glen Dimplex Group, Michael Farrell of PKF-FPM, Micheal McArdle of McArdleSkeath, and many more.

The meetings will take place monthly and will follow a structured programme (agreed at the outset with participants) focused on the challenges to growth for small companies in the region. The network will provide a sounding board and a support forum for entrepreneurs working out on their own facing similar challenges to business development.

The network is centred on a peer to peer learning environment with the regional agencies rowing in behind the network to offer additional supports.

PLATO EBR is currently funded through the four Local Enterprises Offices and County Councils in Cavan, Louth, Meath and Monaghan and two

Northern Ireland partners of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council. This Meath-Louth Network for which PLATO is now recruiting will be one of two concurrent clusters for new companies into PLATO EBR in Ireland with two already operational in N. Ireland. PLATO EBR also has a number of past participants involved in alumni networks so there will be much opportunity for wider engagement with companies North and South through the duration of the Programme. Whilst parent companies volunteer their expertise, participant companies contribute a small membership fee.

Dr Cecilia Hegarty, Director of PLATO EBR, encourages businesses to invest in their management and leadership skills through a customised programme underpinned by peer to peer learning. The PLATO model encourages small business owner managers to grow their business by developing their own capability.

To express your interest please complete the EOI Form Here and return via email to Cecilia on: Cecilia@platoebr.com
Enniscorthy novelist, journalist, and essayist Colm Toibin, is this year's winner of the Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award.

It is named after the late US diplomat who brokered the 1995 Bosnia peace accords reached in Ohio. The award will be presented to Toibin at the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Gala on November 5.

Colm Toibin is widely recognized as one of today's greatest living writers. His experiences as a gay man, an expatriate, and an international journalist have shaped his novels, which often explore themes of exile, homecoming, and reconciliation.

Founder of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation, Sharon Rab, said: 'His work invites readers to contemplate the deep sadness of exile - from mother or brother, from nation, from oneself - to understand how accidents of geography and family shape identity, and how quirks of circumstance can harden or soften hearts.

'The surprising turns in his fiction and nonfiction that illustrate the longings and complexity of his characters, even those whose actions we may deplore, remind us of our shared humanity and offer the possibility of reconciliation or simply of understanding, which are the first steps to making peace.'
Selected artists and CFCP team in Ashford, Co. Wicklow, from the back row, left: El Putnam, Eleanor Lawler, Mirjana Rendulic, Olga Dziubak, Kiera OToole, Ian Oliver, Mark Lawlor and project curator Monika Sapielak. Photo: Tony Kinlan

A new art project based around the theme of migration is looking for a venue in Fingal to house its touring exhibition.

A new art project based around the topic of migration was launched in Ashford Heritage Centre, Wicklow, last week.

The project is called the New Voices of Ireland Series 2017 and has been curated by an arts group called the Centre for Creative Practices (CFCP).

Eight artists have been selected from a nationwide call-out to work together on a multidisciplinary and intercultural project about the topic of migration and the final project has been selected to be part of the Culture Night programme in Dublin on September 21.

Now the group are looking to bring the project on tour and are searching for an appropriate venue in Fingal to exhibit the project.

Project curator, Monika Sapielak told the Fingal Independent: 'We were overwhelmed with the response to the project.

'The selected artist's were chosen from over one hundred applications.

'Now we want to bring the project on tour as it's important that as many people as possible get to see this show.

'We hope that the work exposes the irrationality's of peoples fears when it comes to issues of migration.'

The selected artists for the New voices Ireland project are Elanor Lawler from Dubiln; Olga Dziubak from Poland; Mark Lawlor from the UK; El Putnam from USA, Kiera O'Toole from Wicklow; Mirjana Renedulic from Croatia, and Csilla Toldy from Hungry.

A young Irish film maker called Annika Cassidy is documenting the whole project as it progresses.

The Centre for Creative Practices, CFCP, founded in September 2009, is led by an international team of creative managers who have worked together in Dublin since 2009. Together, they have over 30 years combined experience of working in the cultural and creative sectors and 15 years combined experience of working with innovation and technology projects.

Having worked with 1,500 individual creatives from all over Ireland and with various creative organisations, the group realised that the entire cultural and creative Sector was missing training in the basic business and entrepreneurial skills necessary to sustain careers. The group now run a very successful creative entrepreneurship programme.
Remembering Muriel MacDonagh (Widow of Proclamation signatory Thomas) who died off Shenick Island one hundred years on 9th July 1917 were Cllr Tom OLeary, Cllr Malachy Quinn, Gerard Shannon from Skerries Historical Society, Muriel McAuley, granddaughter of Proclamation signatory Thomas MacDonagh and Muriel MacDonagh, Cllr Darragh Butler

Skerries has celebrated the life of a hero and revolutionary in Muriel McDonagh, who died 100 years ago off Shenick Island.

Muriel was the wife of executed 1916 leader, Thomas McDonagh, Muriel was an activist in her own right, with strong family ties with the radical politics and cultural revival of the period. She was active in Maud Gonne's radical nationalist women's organisation, Inghinidhe na hEireann ('Daughters of Ireland)'.

Muriel's sister, Grace was the widow of rebel leader Joseph Plunkett whose ill-fated marriage became a powerful symbol of the loss in the aftermath of the executions, her sister Nellie fought with the Irish Citizen Army in St. Stephen's Green, while her sister Sydney would become a prominent journalist and activist for the movement in Irish-America under the pen-name 'John Brennan'.

Muriel died in a swimming accident off Skerries where she had a holiday home.

To commemorate her death and celebrate her live, Skerries Historical Society put a beautiful event together, supported by Fingal County Council, that started with a commemorative march led by a piper from the Sea Memorial where Muriel's name is listed to the South Strand.

There was a reading of the words of Fr. Joseph Mallin SJ, the sole surviving child of an executed Easter Rising leader and who was on the South Strand in Skerries on the fateful day July 9, 1917. The family also laid a wreath to Muriel's memory, followed by a piper's lament.

Over a two-day event there were several talks on Muriel and her place in Irish history, held at the Old School in Skerries.

The Irish Volunteers Dublin Brigade Commemorative organisation brought their travelling exhibition to the Old School with memorabilia, replicas, artefacts, photographs and other items related to the revolutionary decade.

The featured speakers included John Dorney, (author of 'Peace After the Final Battle: The Story of the Irish Revolution, 1912 - 24', editor of the Irish Story website) looks at the year 1917; a year of seismic change across Ireland in the aftermath of the Rising and the war still raging on the European continent.

Marie Bashford-Synott, local historian and member of Skerries Historical Society, also presented a paper that delves into her research into the lives of the women of Skerries who served in the ranks of Cumann na mBan during the revolutionary period.
Nurture, the maternal mental health charity has just moved to a new base in the ICA grounds in Termonfeckin.

The charity, which provides support around the area of depression in pregnancy, fertility issues, post-natal depression and grief, was started by seven years ago by Irene Lowry, a qualified counsellor, at her home in Rush.

After a brief sojourn in Skerries, the charity has now established its nationwide base at the ICA lands in Termonfeckin and Nurture is now the ICA's chosen mental health charity in Ireland offering immediate supports to all their members.

'We're absolutely thrilled that the ICA are accommodating us here,' Irene told the Fingal Independent. 'Where we are is just beautiful, it's just like a magical land.

'The locals walk by here all the time so there's actually more footfall here than we had in Skerries. We're only in five weeks but everyone has been so welcoming and kind. We've had people leaving post-its on the door wishing us well and even some notes saying: 'I need support'.

The organisation marked their move officially last week with the opening of a new Worry Tree where people can write down their worries and leave them behind at the tree, and a Fairy Fort for the children.

'Adults can sit on our reflective bench and share their worries with Nurture then pop them into our pretty postbox and if we can support them we most certainly will,' said Irene. 'Or they can write their wishes down with their kiddies as their is a little table and chairs for them too and hang their wishes on the tree. This Worry Wish tree is a symbol of HOPE for all who come and see it and it will be themed for Halloween, Christmas and Easter.'

Irene was inspired to start the charity following the death by suicide of two young mothers she had been seeing as a counsellor. Both had been waiting for months on the public waiting list to see a counsellor and Irene believed the long delay between seeking help and receiving counselling is a problem which urgently needed to be addressed.

'The most important thing for us is that our supports are immediate,' says Irene. 'Once anyone phones us they'll be seen the same week. I wanted to do things differently. If someone needs help then they can get it straight away.'

So far this year, Nuture counsellors have seen 1,000 women and 250 men.

While the charity originally focused on post natal depression, Irene said the demand for services grew with women coping with the loss of babies or following miscarriages seeking counselling sessions while others struggle to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment and IVF.

The charity currently has 27 dedicated counsellors working in most counties throughout Ireland trained in the area of maternal mental health with further expansion planned for the latter part of 2017.

For further information visit www.nurturecharity.org.
More than local 60 food producers from 'Dublin Food Chain' learned how to make a breakthrough into speciality retailers at the latest food networking event in the Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport.

Three expert speakers addressed the packed event, each giving valuable advice to small food producers on how they can grow their business to become suppliers into major retailers such as JC Savage and Fresh Supermarkets.

First up was Fingal's own Michael Savage, son of renowned Fingal retailer JC Savage. Michael explained the key to their success in managing to beat off huge competition from all of the big retail giants. Greg Grouse from Fresh Supermarkets also explained how Fingal suppliers with innovative products can sell through the growing 'Fresh' chain of supermarkets.

Maria Betts from Maria Lucia Bakes gave the perspective of a small food producer that has successfully made major breakthroughs in supplying the retail trade, including tips on how to present your product, your packaging and making sure you have the right pricing strategy.

Speaking at the introduction to the event, Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Fingal LEO, highlighted the importance of the food sector to the region.

He said: 'The food sector continues to grow year on year and there has been a lot of new start-up food producers in recent years. In 2016 alone, about 30% of businesses approved for funding by LEO Fingal were food businesses.

'All of these are creating employment and we are delighted to play our part in their early success. However the real challenge is enabling these emerging food producers to grow and to scale.

'Not all will continue to grow. But we are determined to help them succeed and to support the sector by providing funding, networking opportunities, selling opportunities and helping food entrepreneurs to develop their management capabilities.'

Dublin Food Chain is an initiative of the four Local Enterprise Offices in the Dublin region (Fingal, Dublin City, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown).

The network is the biggest of its kind in Ireland and has over 1,200 members.

The Dublin Food Chain is part of an ongoing effort to harness the power of the collective, in order to ensure that County Dublin's unique food heritage benefits from the attention it deserves.

Throughout the county, a diverse selection of crucial food training and food marketing initiatives are underway. Now, through the Dublin Food Chain brand, these programmes can enjoy better linkages and cross-promotion.

Whether, it is through training, networking or collective marketing, the key aim of the group is to work together towards promoting and expanding our valuable food sector.

Ultimately, according to the group, the goal of the Dublin Food Chain is to help the county 'nurture its enviable status as an iconic food brand.'

You can get more information about Dublin Food Chain and future activities of the group through the website at www.dublinfoodchain.ie or alternatively from www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal
A father-of-two who threatened to chop off a customer's head while trying to rob a post office will be sentenced later this month.

George Simpson (30), who was armed with both an air pistol and a hatchet, told gardai in interview 'I'm sorry I had to do it. I owe 14,000. I would be killed.'

His counsel said he was referring to a drug debt he owed due to his cocaine habit.

Garda Ross Rowan told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that the staff member behind the desk ran into the back office for safety after Simpson threatened to chop the head off a male customer if she didn't hand over cash.

He then used the hatchet to smash a glass panel in front of the tills before he was heard shouting 'fuck this' and running out of the post office.

Simpson has since moved out of the home he shared with his wife and two sons.

Dominic McGinn SC defending said he believed 'the threat still hangs over him' and he wanted to distance himself from his family.

Simpson had been living in his car before he was remanded in custody pending sentence.

Counsel said the 'nature of the crime was such a huge shock to his wife' because although Simpson has 15 previous convictions, they are for more minor offences that have been dealt with in the District Court.

Simpson previously of Millwood Villas, Edenmore, Raheny, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to rob, production of a weapon, threat to kill or cause serious harm and criminal damage at Rush Post Office, Main Street, Rush, on November 28, 2016.

Judge Karen O'Connor, who viewed CCTV footage of the raid said 'a custodial sentence cannot be avoided'.

She gave Simpson the option of being remanded in custody pending his sentence on July 21, next. Simpson then chose to go to prison.

Garda Rowan said the female member of staff was afraid for her life while she hid in the back office.

She had pressed the panic alarm and didn't come back out until a customer told her Simpson had left.

Simpson was arrested a short time later after witnesses told gardai he ran off in the direction of nearby Lusk.

He had a balaclava, an air pistol, a magazine of plastic pellets for the gun and a hatchet with him when he was stopped.

He apologised during interview to the staff and customers and admitted that he had threatened the man.

Mr McGinn said Simpson recognised his difficulties in life and had started attending a psychologist.

'He accepts what he has done and knows there will be further punishment,' Mr McGinn said
Floral tributes have been placed at the scene on North Street

The town of Swords has been shocked by the savage murder of a much-loved and popular 56-year-old local man in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The brutal attack on the married father-of-three Dermot Byrne from Melesian Avenue has sent shockwaves through the community which is struggling to come to terms that this 'true gentlemen' could have died in such appalling circumstances.

Floral tributes now mark the scene on the steps of Fingal Community College on North Street where the innocent victim was left to die.

Tributes have been paid to the popular Swords man who was a pool enthusiast.

The Irish Blackball Association, in a statement said, 'Dermot was known to all as a 'Gent'. He was easy going, and respectful of others. We are so proud to have had the opportunity of knowing Dermot, and the honour of being in his company. 'On behalf of the entire membership of the Irish Blackball Association, we would like to offer our sincerest condolences to his loving wife, three beautiful daughters and extended family members at this time.'

A tribute and a photo was also posted by the Superleague Dublin Blackball Leagues on its Facebook page. 'The committee extended its condolences to the dead man's family, stating that he would be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Skerries Point Town Centre has been taken over by Grand Coast Capital Group

A Massachusetts-based American real estate investment group has bought out Skerries Point Town Centre.

Grand Coast Capital Group, announced that it has acquired Skerries Point Town Centre.

The centre currently has tenants like Boylesports, Eurospar, Well Fit, Brady's Pharmacy and others.

The investment group said they wanted to bring the centre to 'its full value and capacity' and make it an 'invaluable resource for the surrounding community'.

Skerries councillor for Fine Gael, Cllr Tom O'Leary has welcomed the news of a new investor investing in Skerries.

Cllr O'Leary said: 'Hopefully this will bring a new impetus to encourage new business and local jobs into this modern shopping centre.

The Skerries-based county councillor added: 'Furthermore the opening of a new access road to Balbriggan will bring more retail business to this area. According to a recent traffic engineers report in a planning application, it's predicted that 40% of traffic on the Balbriggan Coast Road will divert on to the new access road, going by Skerries Point Shopping Centre where Eurospar is located.

'There are 30 local people employed in Eurospar bringing wage packets into local homes in Skerries, enabling many young people to cope with the cost of going to college. There are also 10 people employed in the Beauticians at Skerries Point Shopping Centre.'

Cllr O'Leary said the future is bright for the centre with more potential customers moving into the area. He said: 'More homes are being completed and sold nearby in the popular Barnageeragh Cove Development.

'Skerries Point has a bright future and residents will welcome appropriate new business there.'

Cllr O'Leary concluded by addressing the outlook for the new access road which he sees as crucial in bringing new business to this part of Skerries, saying: 'The latest update I have is that the new access road to Ardgillan Estate and Balbriggan is listed to open in October of 2017 when a new roundabout is completed and works at the new junction on Balbriggan Road are completed.'
A mother-of-one who produced a claw hammer after she was caught avoiding a checkpoint left the garda believing she was going to use it to intimidate or assault him, a court heard.

Elaine Emmett (33) became abusive towards Garda Ross Rowan but claimed she was going to use the claw hammer to smash the windows of her car out of frustration as Gda Rowan told her he was going to seize the vehicle.

Swords District Court heard the defendant came across the checkpoint but was observed by Gda Rowan veering into a nearby estate 'at the last minute'.

Gda Rowan pursued and after the defendant stopped the car, he got a strong smell of cannabis coming from the car. A male passenger in the car and the defendant both became abusive towards Gda Rowan.

On searching the car, nothing was found, Gda Rowan told the court.

He said the male passenger became violent and he had to use pepper spray on him. When he discovered there were no discs on the vehicle, he informed the defendant he was going to seize her car.

'She went to the back of the car and returned with a claw hammer,' said Gda Rowan.

He believed she was trying to intimidate or assault him but later she told him she 'wanted to smash the car windows out of frustration,' with the claw hammer.

Emmett, of Kippure Park in Finglas pleaded guilty to having no insurance, no driving licence and being in possession of a claw hammer at Fancourt Heights in Balbriggan on May 10th, 2016.

She has one previous conviction for using threatening and abusive behaviour.

Defence barrister Annette Kealy said the defendant thought she was insured as she had credit with an insurance company and through it was transferred to the vehicle she was driving.

'She later discovered her insurance was cancelled a month prior to the offence,' said Ms Kealy.

Gda Rowan agreed with Ms Kealy that Emmett's reaction was 'strange and erratic' when he told her he was seizing the car.

Ms Kealy said Emmett was on medication for depression at the time and the medication caused her problems. She has since changed the medication.

Gda Rowan said Emmett's behaviour corresponds with being associated with the male passenger, whom she was in a relationship with at the time.

Ms Kealy said the relationship has since ended.

'At the time of the offence she was going through a chaotic period. She lost her home and was staying with friends. She's settled again now,' said Ms Kealy.

'She regrets her behaviour and wasn't in control that night.'

Judge Dermot Dempsey previously ordered a community service assessment. However, the Probation Services said they are seeking a further eight weeks for a report.

Adjourning the case for finalisation in September, Judge Dempsey ordered the defendant to engage in a Restorative Justice Programme and ordered her not to associate with the male passenger in the meantime.
Fifteen children and two carers from Belarus recently arrived in Ireland for a three-week rest and recuperation programme thanks to North Wexford South Wicklow based charity Children of Chernobyl Foundation Ireland (CCFI).

'It was great to see everyone arrive safe and well for what is hoped will be a great three weeks in Ireland,' said Reiltin Mates, spokesperson for CCFI. 'It was a long trip for many of the children, with some leaving their homes as early as the previous evening, before arriving in Ireland.'

'The children make their way to Minsk, then continuing across the border into Lithuania and flying Ryanair from Kaunas,' she explained. 'There were many familiar faces coming through the arrival gate, along with one young boy coming to Ireland for the first time.'

The children are staying with host families mainly in the North Wexford and South Wicklow area.

'The children were accompanied by two carers, one whom has travelled before with the children, and one carer coming for her first time also,' added Reiltin. 'We are sure there will be lots of fun to be had over the coming weeks by all children and their host families.'

Those who would like to host children on upcoming trips or become involved in helping Children of Chernobyl Foundation Ireland in any way, such as fundraising or volunteering on its building trips to Belarus, please contact Pat at 087 2263705 or Laurence at 087 2686825 for more information.
Three of the five Wexford TD's made below average contributions in the Dail this year according to an analysis of Oireachtas speeches.

The figures show that Deputy Brendan Howlin was the most loquacious Wexford deputy in the Dail speaking a total of 250 times to date this year.

He was followed by Deputy Mick Wallace who spoke 167 times according to the figures.

The analysis is taken from KildareStreet.com, a searchable database of everything said in the Oireachtas. The average number of contributions for a TD is 85. Heckling or shouting in most cases is not recorded in the speaking count but if a TD interrupts another deputy to make a point in the Dail that is counted in the number of times they have spoken in the chamber.

The remaining three Wexford TDs, Deputies Michael D'Arcy, James Browne and Paul Kehoe fell far short of the average number of contributions.

Deputy D'Arcy spoke 44 times, Deputy Browne 39 and Deputy Kehoe 32.

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath is the Dail deputy who has most regularly contributed to debates this year, speaking 270 times to date.

Among the parties, Solidarity-People Before Profit TDs have spoken the most times on average. The parties account for just four per cent of the seats in the Dail, but have made 7.5 per cent of the spoken contributions since the beginning of 2017.

Fianna Fail is the only other party that accounts for a larger portion of speaking time than its seat tally. It has around 25 per cent of seats but made up 28 per cent of spoken contributions so far this year.

Fianna Fail is looking to change the speaking arrangements in the Dail to give the larger parties more speaking time. Currently, when the Dail takes opening statements on a Bill or motion each party or technical group gets an equal amount of time to put forward their views on the issue.

All other speaking arrangements, including Leaders' Questions, private members' time, priority questions, and the introduction of motions are allocated proportionally according to the size of each party.

Fianna Fail is seeking Fine Gael's support to make speaking time on opening statements also proportional to the size of each party. The rule changes are planned to come into effect when the Dail comes back after the summer break.

However the smaller parties are opposed to the change.
A Ferns publican has called for a cut to alcohol excise tax in a bid to protect the local hospitality industry.

Ireland's overall alcohol excise tax is the second highest in the European Union. By drink type, our wine excise is the highest; our beer excise is the second highest coming second to Finland); and our spirits excise is the third highest with only Finland and Sweden being higher.

Almost 210,000 people are directly and indirectly employed by Ireland's hospitality and drinks industries, in a nationwide network of pubs, hotels, restaurants, off-licences and other supporting businesses.

In Wexford alone, there are 265 pubs, 22 hotels, 73 restaurants, 108 off-licences, 15 wholesalers and six producers. Together, these businesses pay a 170.6million annual wage bill and support 143 million in tourism spend.

Tom Dunbar, owner of Dunbar's of Ferns said: 'The hospitality sector is a vital part of Wexford's economic infrastructure.

'8,070 local people depend on it for work. In many parts of the country, it is the major and often only employer.

'Tourists consistently rate the Irish pub and Irish pub culture as a top tourist attraction. However, a high alcohol excise tax works to actively undermine this by discouraging consumer spending, ultimately putting jobs at risk. Combined with Brexit, Ireland is already becoming expensive for our biggest tourism market, the UK.

'Staying internationally competitive is essential. We believe that it is of fundamental importance for the Government to not only formulate a long-term Brexit strategy with the hospitality sector and rural jobs at front and centre, but take positive steps now by reducing Ireland's high alcohol excise tax in Budget 2018. This will not only ease the burden on consumers, but support local hospitality businesses in Wexford and create a more attractive tourism product."

The UK is Ireland's most important tourism market: British tourists make up 40 percent of all visitors and are worth 1.1 billion to the economy. However, numbers dropped by 8 percent in the first four months of 2017 compared to 2016. Since the referendum last June, sterling also dropped by 15 percent against the euro, making Ireland a more expensive destination for British tourists.
A huge fundraising effort was unveiled in Castleisland in February of this year to help send four local volunteers on a mission of mercy to Kenya.

They are going to work on a Ray of Sunshine Foundation project to improve the lives of abused and deprived children in that area of Eastern Africa.

Now three of the four volunteers, Hanna Curtin, Willie Reidy and Charlie Farrelly are inviting people to join them on a guided, fundraising climb of Ireland's highest mountain, Carrantouhill on Saturday, August 5th at 8pm.

The fourth member of the group, Martina O'Mahony is in charge of the logistics and registration for the climb.

"Climb Ireland's highest mountain with us in aid of our mission to Kenya. You can join in the climb for a fee of 20 or pick up and fill in a sponsorship card," they urged.

There will also be a post climb party at Tom McCarthy's Bar in Castleisland that night from 8pm with food and there will be music by the talented Cathal Flood.

In February of 2016 three of the current foursome, Tina O'Mahony, Hannah Curtin and Charlie Farrelly reacted to an appeal for volunteers from the Ray of Sunshine Foundation - an organisation which had the avid support of the late radio and TV personality, Derek Davis.

On their return last year they described their experience as unforgettable and the people they met as bright and cheerful and really appreciative of the work being carried out there by the foundation.

Willie Reidy may well be one of the most experienced climbers in this part of the country. He has been up and down Carrantouhill 19 times so far this year and was up there on St. Stephen's Day.

He has also climbed the highest points in England, Scotland and Wales and some of the peaks throughout Europe.

He's preparing his fellow missionaries for their trek to the cross at the height and is swapping information for snippets on the Kenyan trip.

For he's never darkened the door on Africa and he's full of curiosity about it and the work they'll be doing there.

"I worked in England for years but I never went anywhere near Africa or that side of the world. For years I wanted to do some good for someone and I was always too busy trying to make a living," said Willie.

"The Carrantouhill climb is our biggest fundraising and if anyone wants to help us with that we'd be delighted to hear from them," said Willie.

If you would like to join in the climb you can do so by ringing either: Willie Reidy on 087 12 38 787; Hanna Curtin on: 087 76 96 274; Charlie Farrelly on: 087 20 56 150 or Martina O'Mahony on: 087 94 49 569.
A gospel hall in Northern Ireland has ordered 500 copies of the late Monsignor Padraig O Fiannachta's Biobla Naofa so that they can study the Bible in the Irish language.

The order means that there will be a new print run of An Biobla Naofa, which was one of the crowning achievements of Mons O Fiannachta's lifetime work as a scholar.

Amid a growing interest in Irish language studies in Northern Ireland, John Gallagher of the multi-denominational St. John's Gospel Hall in Newry placed the order for An Biobla Naofa with the publishing house of An Sagart, which is based in An Diseart in Dingle. However, Mons O Fiannachta's Bible has been out of print for several years and a new print run will be needed to fill the order.

The reprint will give an opportunity to bring the highly regarded Bible back into general circulation, but before this can happen An Sagart, which holds the copyright, must agree to the new print run.

Acting Editor of An Sagart's publishing house, Tadhg O Dushlaine, said approval from the board of An Sagart is needed as a matter of urgency. "Any delay could jeporadise this unique cross border cross cultural opportunity. Hopefully the board will be able to give the go ahead in the very near future," he said.

Sending 500 copies of the Bible to the North of Ireland could have an important input into ongoing efforts to establish an consensus on the standing of the Irish language north of the border. "This initiative affords us a wonderful cultural opportunity to reacquaint both traditions in the North with their common heritage," said Tadhg.

"An Biobla Naofa always acknowledges its debt of gratitude to the wonderful first edition of the Bible in Irish by Bishop William Beddell in the 17th Century," he said. "Given the political attention now being focussed on the Irish language in Stormont, this imaginative initiative is welcome in order to progress mutual understanding."

William Beddell who died in 1642 was an Anglican churchman and Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh. St. James's Church in Dingle held a copy of the Beddell Bible, which was subsequently bought by Kruger Kavangh, possibly in the late 1960s. This bible, along with a number of Kruger's papers and photographs, were given by Paid Neill to Tadhg O Dushlaine to arrange for their proper storage. Kruger's Archive is now housed in Maynooth.

An Biobla Naofa was published in 1981 by An Sagart, the editing and main translation work were done by Mons. O Fiannachta who died in Dingle Community Hospital one year ago this week.
A Court has been told that cocaine use locally is more prevalent than it was two years ago.

The Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee on Tuesday heard how a 27-year-old Tralee man who was depressed and going through "a bad patch" following his partner's suicide, had turned to cocaine.

He had begun selling and supplying the drug to feed his own habit. However gardai, acting on confidential information stopped and arrested him near Abbeyfeale in October 23, 2015.

Declan O'Brien of Killeen Heights, Tralee had pleaded guilty at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee to having in his possession cocaine for sale or supply at Tralee Garda Station; and to possession of a small amount of cannabis in October 2015.

In evidence at Tuesday's sentencing, Detective Garda James Fairbrother of the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit told Tom Rice, prosecuting counsel, that a number of gardai were involved in the operation to intercept the vehicle driven by Mr O'Brien.

Brought to Tralee Garda Station, Mr O'Brien handed over cocaine with a street value of 7,770. A search of his home under warrant revealed a tiny amount of cannabis, weighing scales, zip lock bags and 3,400 in cash.

Judge Thomas E O'Donnell asked Garda Fairbrother if cocaine use was prevalent, to which the garda replied that it was prevalent, "even more so now".

Defence counsel Katie O'Connell said her client had become depressed following the suicide of his partner, and had being using cocaine heavily "to get by on a day by day basis". He had no previous convictions.

He had no wealth and had borrowed 5,000 from the credit union to buy a car just days before the search, the court heard. Ms O'Connell also said the case was unusual in that Garda Fairbrother was also present when Mr O'Brien's partner and car were found after a three day search in February 2014.

Mr O'Brien had turned his life around after being arrested, had sought treatment at Talbot Grove drug and alcohol treatment centre, and is no longer on medication. Ms O'Connell said he had sourced work, was in a new relationship and he and his partner wanted to go to Australia to start a new life.

He also volunteered with Banna rescue team. His mother and partner were in court to support him.

Ms O'Connell asked for the Probation Act to be applied. However, Judge O'Connell said while conscious of the difficult circumstances, he was also of the view that if people got involved in drugs they must be prepared to deal with the consequences.

The matter was adjourned until November.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, said he will make it his business to ensure Kerry is at the top of any list of destinations should William and Kate visit Ireland.

It's expected that a visit from the trendy royal couple will happen sooner rather than later and Minister Griffin believes Kerry is a natural choice.

"It's something I'm very supportive of and would like to see happening as Kerry would be a fitting place for William and Kate to visit. As a tourism minister, it's obviously something that I would support. It would also be fitting given the link with Queen Victoria and her visit to Killarney. This would certainly be relevant to any royal visit," Minister Griffin said.

Minister Griffin believes such a visit would present Kerry to a whole new generation in the UK. "In terms of the spin-off benefits for us, there is a new demographic in the UK now who are huge followers of William and Kate and for whom Ireland would not have be on the agenda. Such a trip might put us on the agenda with a whole new generation of tourists to Kerry, and indeed Ireland."

Minister Griffin also linked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's somewhat effervescent start to his new role with the less stringent way in which William and Kate currently represent the Windsor family's persona.

"We've just had a new change of leadership here in this country and William and Kate, in many ways, have come to symbolise the new change in the United Kingdom. For this reason it would be fitting to enhance relations between both generations," he concluded.
In a shocking development it has emerged that for several years flight computers on Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopters contained grossly inaccurate data about the height of Skellig Michael.

Nine days after the tragic helicopter crash off Mayo last March that claimed the life of the crew of Rescue 116, a review of the guidance and early warning systems used on all Coast Guard rescue helicopters revealed that the data on Skellig Michael was dangerously inaccurate.

While Skellig Michael - one of the most famous islands off Ireland's coast - is actually 712 feet high, the Coast Guard guidance systems recorded the height of the island as being just 174 feet.

That's less than a quarter of the island's true height.

The reason for the enormous discrepancy is that until March 24 the official Aviation Authority aeronautical map used in the Coast Guard collision warning systems register the top of the island's lighthouse as the UNESCO world Heritage Site's highest point.

Concerns about serious errors and omissions in the Coast Guard's enhanced ground proximity warning system had been raised by Irish Coast Guard Pilots as far back as 2013.

Given that in winter the Skelligs are often blanketed by thick fog and mist - which can makes them very hard to see from even a short distance away - the data error could have had catastrophic consequences had it not been spotted.

Last month - three months after the Rescue 116 tragedy - a new revised aeronautical map was issued which includes the Skelligs' true height.
Super group Coldplay's recent appearance in Croke Park brought some welcome business to Rosslare Harbour as shown by this photograph of juggernauts parked at the port.

More than 30 trucks laden with stage, lighting and sound equipment arrived in the harbour on Sunday afternoon, the day after the British band fronted by Chris Martin, rocked a huge crowd at Croke Park.

The convoy of vehicles parked neatly in the port car park for a few hours before being driven onto the Stena Europe to Fishguard in Wales en route to Coldplay's gig at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff lat Wednesday.

'They were going to go back on the Dublin/ Holyhead route but they checked our sailing schedule which changed recently and discovered that we have a sailing at 6 pm so they came through Rosslare Harbour instead,' said Stena duty manager John Holden.

'It was a great bit of business and there have been other international enquiries as a result of it,' said John whose friend Ben Farrell, an inspector with the Department of Agriculture, took the photo of the assembled trucks.

The driver/roadies including one female driver arrived together in convoys of seven or eight and many of them went for a swim at the beach in Rosslare Harbour during a gloriously sunny afternoon while waiting for the ferry.
A lengthy debate broke out over the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, with some councillors incensed that landlords will be the main beneficiaries of the scheme.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Willie Fitzharris said contrary to what some councillors said at the monthly meeting of Wexford County Council two days previously, tenants did not lose their place on the social housing list if they sign up for HAP.

He was informed by housing officer Michelle Bridges Carley that people have to sign a transfer document within two weeks of being sent their HAP contract to remain on the standard housing list.

Cllr Larry O'Brien repeatedly voiced his disapproval of the scheme. He said some tenants are topping up the sum paid by the council to landlords.

Ms Carley said the HAP system is more transparent as landlords have to declare how much rent is paid. She said the maximum paid under HAP to landlords is 600, but the council has discretion to top up payments under certain circumstances. She said Wexford tenants, in some cases, are paying higher rent than in other local authorities.

'Some tenants do have to pay the shortfall, but we ensure that it is not causing undue stress on their disposable income. We have options to assist them. Some people may be getting 750 when the maximum is 600 so there is leeway with the department.'

She said landlords have to declare their PPS number, tax details, LPT, the 'true monthly rent' on the property and bank account details.

'We (in Wexford County Council) have no control over the financial element. This is all controlled by Limerick council who send out the letters to tenants and landlords and if there is a failure to collect rent, Limerick is the debt collector and they have a collection rate of 98.2 per cent.'

Ms Carely said there is a 12-week process and if tenants do not pay within the 12 weeks they are suspended from HAPs.

She said if tenants make themselves homeless they can go back onto the housing list.

Cllr O'Brien said these tenants can end up living in a tent or on the street.

Cllr O'Brien said if tenants don't pay their rent they will be evicted and end up back on the housing list.

He said the system favours the landlord who has money lodged directly into his or her account.

Ms Carley said HAP accommodation is inspected by council officials within nine months of tenants moving in.

Concern was expressed that tenants would lose their place on the housing list if they sign up to HAP.

Ms Carley said: 'If you were ten years on a housing list you will keep that ten years (if you sign the transfer document).'

She said the benefits to the tenant with HAP include quality accommodation which has been or will be inspected and eligibility for all forms of social housing supports.

County Wexford is in the 30,000 income band so Wexford tenants can only move onto housing lists in counties in this band or in the higher band, which includes Kilkenny and Dublin, while Dublin and Kilkenny residents, for instance, cannot transfer onto the Wexford housing list.

'Tenants can't move to Carlow with the benefits of HAP.'

Cllr Anthony Connick asked if the council is getting more houses through HAP for tenants.

Ms Carley said the council's target for 2017 is 400 and it currently has 246. Cllr Fitzharris said many people on the housing list are only there to receive rent assistance so the figures are skewed.

Cllr O'Brien asked how long tenant contracts last and Ms Carley said that is up to the discretion of the landlord. Under the HAP scheme tenants can work full-time, but all income must be declared as this affects what rent must be paid.

Cllr O'Brien said he knows of people who are paying their landlord top-ups 'under the table', adding that it is Government policy not to build houses which is affecting rents.

Ms Carley agreed that it is difficult to find rental properties anywhere in the county. Cllr Oisin O'Connell took exception to Ms Carley's choice of language when she said some tenants make themselves homeless.

'I take exception to that. I understand that there is a spectrum of people in society and some people are more responsible than others,' Cllr O'Connell said, adding: 'I know of one family who are trying to get into this scheme and they had to present themselves as homeless and the children could no longer go to the same school. There is a huge amount of chaos that families are thrown into. I don't think it's appropriate for us or anyone to flippantly say that people are making themselves homeless, especially when they have children. That may be demonstrating a certain attitude in society or in the department and I don't want to see that.'

Ms Carley said she did not wish to phrase her comment in an offensive way, adding that some people present as technically homeless when their landlord decides to sell the house where they have been living, and others may owe 3,000 in rental arrears.

'That is not an attitude in the housing department and it never has been. The attitude of the housing department may be to put them in a B&B or in emergency accommodation.'

She said there may be social issues involved. 'It's not a long term solution; it's medium to short term one.'

Councillors asked why the rent assistance payment scheme was changed to HAP and Ms Carley said HAP is more attractive to landlords because of the way in which they are paid.

'A lot of landlords withdrew their properties and wouldn't go on the old schemes.'

Cllr Whelan said tenants will now have to go to the PRTB if they have issues.

'Tenants will have to go through all the rigmarole now,' he said.
Members of Wexford Joint Policing Committee were given a presentation on an intervention programme on domestic violence recently.

MEND - Men Ending Domestic Abuse is a programme for men who are abusive to their partners. It has been in place in Wexford since 2002 said Fran O'Grady of MEND and is also in situ in Waterford, Carlow, Tipperary, Laois and Offaly.

Ms O'Grady said that domestic abuse is very prevalent in Ireland with one in four women experiencing domestic abuse at some stage in their lives.

'This is a very high statistic', she said adding the incidents of domestic abuse were on a par with burglaries. 'The women's refuge in Wexford is full all the time', she said.

Ms O'Grady said they work with men who recognise they have a problem with anger and want to chance this pattern. She said they had strategies which would help people stop being abusive to their partners whether it was verbal, financial, physical, sexual or psychological.

Ms O'Grady said that the programmes begins with an assessment process where a man is assessed for his suitability for the programme. If a man is accepted for the programme he then joins a 32 week group programme where free meetings will be held once a week.

She highlighted that the safety of women and children is a priority when they work with men who are abusive within intimate relationships and the man's partner/ex-partner is offered support by our Partner Support Services while the man is on the programme. However this person does not have to engage with the service should she chose not to.

During the programme men will be encouraged to be self aware, self reflective and will be appropriately and constructively challenged about their abusive behaviour and supported to make changes that will keep their partners or ex-partners, their children and themselves safe.

Ms O'Grady said that often men are deemed unsuitable for the programme and said that some men opt out of the programme during the 32 weeks because they find it too challenging. Men who won't tell MEND the details of their partner or ex-partner will be automatically deemed unsuitable she said.

Cllr Davy Hynes wondered how much domestic abuse was connected to alcohol and drug abuse and also wondered why men who didn't give their partner's contact details were excluded.

Ms O'Grady said that refusing to give the details resulted in exclusion because it was seen as controlling behaviour adding that the health and safety of women and children in a relationship was paramount.

In respect of alcohol and drugs she said that while they didn't in themselves cause domestic abuse they were often a factor.

Community representative Declan McPhartlin wondered if 'the very slack and stupid sentencing from some judges' had an effect on the amount of domestic abuse taking place.

Ms O'Grady said that in her personal opinion legal sanctions were very important in domestic abuse cases. 'It's a terrible crime and occurs in the home where you should feel happy and safe. It's horrific. The gardai take it very seriously and increasingly so, so do the courts. It's important that the message goes out that there are sanctions in place.'

Chairman of the committee Cllr Michael Whelan said often people were aware of incidences of domestic abuse but until the man recognised he has a problem it was often difficult to take action.

Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said that in the UK only 2 per cent of reported domestic violence cases proceeded to court and wondered if the figures were similar here in Ireland.

Chief Superintendent John Roche said that here between 10 to 15 per cent of cases proceeded to court.

Cllr Robbie Ireton said that there were 'equally as bad, if not worse, women abusing men'.

Ms O'Grady said women could also be abusive but said the majority of abusers were men but said domestic violence against men is 'a very real problem'. She said that at the moment there is no programme in Wexford working with women who have anger issues.

Cllr Hynes wondered 'how many who do the programme become people who can act in a normal way. A leopard doesn't change its spots'.

Ms O'Grady said there hasn't been any detailed research carried out on the Wexford MEND programme yet but said that the results in the UK were 'quite positive'.
The Fianna Fail TD for Wexford James Browne has said that the British Government's decision to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention is a stark reminder of the damage the Brexit decision could have on the Wexford fishing community.

A fortnight ago, the UK Government trigged the two year process by which they will leave the convention, and will ensure that once Brexit takes place, UK fishing waters will be off limits to Irish trawlers unless special arrangements are put in place.

The Enniscorthy-based TD said: 'Fishermen in Wexford are deeply concerned about this decision. There are many local trawlers who fish off the British coastline and their hauls may take a battering because of this decision.'

'The fishing industry in Wexford is a major employer and any move which has the potential to threaten this sector must be treated with the utmost seriousness. Thousands of jobs in the county are dependent on a strong and vibrant fishing industry, especially in the peninsula communities,' said Deputy Browne.

'Fishing must take a central role in the negotiations on trade over the next number of months between the UK and the European Union,' he said, calling on the Ministerfor Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed to 'step up to the mark and ensure the industry is protected by negotiating a larger quota'

'Thousands of jobs in Wexford are dependent on a strong and vibrant fishing industry especially inthe communities along our coastline from Courtown to Kilmore to Duncannon,' said the TD. 'Irish fishing fleets have a lot more to lose as a result of this decision because of our proximity to UK waters.'
Saving the lives of refugees is going to become "even more challenging" thanks to the Government's decision join a European programme to disrupt human trafficking in the Mediterranean.

That's according to Ballincar native Dr Conor Kenny who has just completed a three month stint with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders off the Libyan coast.

Conor recounted his experiences at the coal face of the refugee crisis recently to an Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He referred to an incident where the Libyan Coastguard opened fire over a boat of refugees in the middle of a rescue operation by MSF.

"As part of Operation Sofia, a big part of the Irish Navy's mandate is about supporting the Libyan coastguard who enact such behaviour," he told The Sligo Champion on his return to Sligo.

"We're getting reports of people being beaten in the water and in the detention centres they're taken back to in Libya.

"For me, I think, how can you support that? How can you be a part of that and complicit?" he said. His concerns about Operation Sofia are shared by the Immigrant Council of Ireland and the Irish Refugee Council.

Operation Sofia will change the navy's role from that of humanitarian search and rescue to a more military role of sending boats back to Libya.

"I was disappointed both as a Humanitarian and as an Irish citizen that this was the decision they took," he said.

"The Irish Navy is a leading light in humanitarian missions and a fantastic example of delivering humanitarian care," he said.

He believes that the navy's change from a humanitarian to a more aggressive military role is a step back. "That anti-smuggling operation has received a huge amount of criticism for its ineffectiveness," he said. "My concern is that it will put more lives at risk. It's sad that this is the direction they've taken," he said.
"Nobody should have to go through life without knowing who they are, especially when there are people out there who have the answers."

Those are the words of Councillor Gino O'Boyle is looking to find information on his father Seamie's family, and where he came from.

Seamie sadly passed away in 2015, but he, and his wife Mairead, had spent decades searching for answers.

Seamie was brought to the Nazareth House in Sligo on the 25th of July 1957 from Cavan by a Maureen McCabe and Cyril McCaul and was organised by Fr Patrck Gallagher from Rockcorry (Monaghan). The McCabe family home in Tullyvin (Cavan) was the last place Seamie was before being brought to Sligo.

That was the only information he had.

The late Councillor was 6-8 months old before he was brought to Sligo which has led to questions about where he was before he arrived here.

After reaching out to friends on Facebook, Gino has been overwhelmed by the response he has received.

"It's been coming from all over. I had a phone call from Australia, from London, from people who were in the Nazareth with my father, people that had stories similar to his and telling me that if I keep going there will be an answer out there," he told The Sligo Champion.

"We have a hunch on the parents but we can't be certain until we get direct links to it. In the last couple of years, since we started putting it out there, there's been rumours about who the parents are, names we would have heard before. It's been amazing, we probably should have started a long time ago."

Nazareth House served as an orphanage for some time, run by the Sisters of Nazareth. It was Seamie O'Boyle's home until he was old enough to leave.

"My mother started (searching) 35 years ago. Because of the internet, the information is now easier to get. Facebook for shares, the shares are lethal. There's nearly 900 shares on it and I never expected that. Where the answers are coming from - it's been unreal.

"My mother had done some research for over 30 years and I started in September 2015, two weeks after my father had died. The unfortunate thing when you're dealing with people who are very religious, they are still loyal to the church. I'm a catholic and I still go to mass. Their loyalty is with the church. I just felt that the answers we've got from surrounding circles, every time you're close to something unfortunately someone has passed away. I can't risk everybody else passing away. There's a story behind my father, I can't have his story go without us finding out," he added.

Following every lead that comes their way, the O'Boyle family are met with stumbling blocks regularly.

But, they are adamant that they will keep looking for answers because Seamie deserved to know where he came from.

"When we went searching for this Father Paddy Gallagher there was a story about him coming home from New York, which he possibly did.

"We thought he must have been based in Cootehill or Tullyvin, it turns out he was from Rockcorry so we were looking for the right person in the wrong places.

"My father had tried over the years. The stuff he was told and the stuff that's coming out now is totally different. And it's unfortunate because it's a sign of the times really," Cllr. O'Boyle added.

Even though life got in the way, Gino says Seamie wanted to know deep down where he came from. He warns that although his father might not have pushed fully for answers, he will.

"He always wanted to know, then he had us, and life kind of got in the way. There's always that thing deep inside you, 'who am I? Where do I come from?' I'm sure there was a fear of rejection there too. I think that's what stopped him. I tortured him for years about it, and he just said 'if they were looking for me they would find me'. There's always things behind it. I told him I'd go up to Cavan and have a look around but ultimately it was too late for him."

Gino is, however, prepared for the end result, should they ever reach a point where they get all the answers they are looking for.

"Coming out with stuff like this is not easy. I know the end result won't be easy because obviously there's a story behind it. There will be a story behind it and you'll be criticised for it. I can't go through life without knowing who I am. It was easy for them to brush aside my father because he was loyal to the church as well but I still want answers."

Although there have been numerous lines of enquiries, something gets in the way almost every time.

Sadly, a lot of people who would have the required information have passed away. Gino is eager to find out where he comes from, before it's too late.

"When we started off, I would have been happy if they turned around and said 'your father was born on such a day, he was brought up by such, his family is this that and the other, they want contact or they don't want contact'. There's no problem, if we find out who he is we're not looking to go down and have Christmas dinner with them or anything."

But, any leads they receive are welcome and Gino and his family have been chasing up whatever lines of enquiry they can find.

"We paid a visit to a fella on the Monaghan side and he said 'sure what would I know' and then he started crying and he said 'all I know is Maureen and Cyril dropped him down and Paddy Gallagher organised it. The way he reacted we knew there was something there. But then the poor man died.

"Another line of enquiry we were dealing with, she also passed away. And if there was ever any chance of us finding anything she was the best chance.

"We think we have a line of enquiry, the more people who can give us that type of information then at least I know I'm on the right path. There's a DNA site that you can just upload your DNA and you can find who you are related to. People got on to me and said they used that. We did all the websites for people tracing things but my father had no birth-cert so we can't follow that up. The woman that had that photo from his baptism was his godmother and she looked after him and she only came on the scene at the age of six. There was money being sent to the Nazareth for a baby O'Boyle from someone, and she worked in the post office with his other godparent. So when they went searching, the money stopped. They were close to somebody, they were nearly there. They are both dead now.

"That photo was given to me a month before he died his godmother's niece. There was a letter in the box with that photo that his godmother had sent to New York, to Patrick Gallagher, and I nearly broke down reading the letter because there was stuff in that even I didn't know about my father. Somewhere, someone gave her the picture."

Having left Nazareth House at some stage between the age of 15 and 17, Seamie spent some time on the streets, and lived in a caravan with a friend of his. He then met his future wife, Mairead, and her family took him in and treated him like one of their own.

"A lot of people never see the background behind the person, they just see the person. The dates are different on different forms but he left the Nazareth at some stage between the ages of 15 and 17. He lived on the street for around a year. Christy Jones was very good to him. He ended up giving him a caravan to stay in for a while. My father was always sticking up for people, he was sticking up for people in the Nazareth according to all the stories I hear."

As the search goes on, Gino vows to keep fighting for answers in his father's memory.

"It's either now or never. I'm getting loads of messages from people with encouragement. As a young person my father had no voice. There was no-one for Seamie. And when he's dead there's nobody to shout for him."

If anyone out there has any information that might help, contact Gino O'Boyle via Facebook or on 0860757915.
A Tinahely native was surrounded by family members as he celebrated his 100th birthday recently.

John (Jack) Kenny was born in Ballagh, near Tinahely and marked this milestone year in June.

He was joined by his daughters Marguerite O'Leary and Rosemary Gutmann and their families for the celebration at Foxrock Nursing Home where he now resides.

The youngest of six children, his father James died when he was only an infant. His mother Catherine (nee Byrne) was from nearby Tubberlona.

With help from his uncle Johnny (Kenny), John, his widowed mother and his siblings grew up on the family farm. He left home briefly to work in Dublin as a young man only to return to nurse his mother who was ill and died in 1944. He then returned to Dublin and, after a time in London, he married Margaret McGlynn.

They set up a newsagents shop in Finglas village and ran a successful business for over 30 years until he retired in 1986. In retirement, he became an active member of the Our Lady Mother of the Chuch in Castleknock, Dublin, as a volunteer and Minister of the Eucharist.

He and Margaret enjoyed their retirement together. When Margaret passed away in December 2010, John continued to live in Castleknock until his mobility required full time nursing home care.

Now at the age of 100, John still enjoys life and visits from friends and family.

Seamas, his son lives with his wife and family in North Carolina, USA, Maura and Marguerite live with their families in Dublin and Rosemary lives with her husband and children in Sydney.
Wicklow County Council and the Hainan Province in China signed an official partnership agreement at the Wicklow County Campus in Rathnew last week.

His Excellency Mao Chaofeng, Vice Governor of Hainan, and a delegation from the province, were greeted by council cathaoirleach Edward Timmins, Deputy Andrew Doyle and Bryan Doyle, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council.

Cllr Timmins and Vice Governor Mao signed the agreement in the presence of representatives from the Chinese Embassy and community in Ireland, Wicklow County Council, County Wicklow Tourism, the Chambers of Commerce and Local Enterprise.

Cllr Timmins said it was a great honour to sign the historic partnership agreement which would commit to 'enhancing and developing the friendship and co-operation between our two communities.'

Mr Mao said the agreement was a great opportunity to promote friendship, economic and trade interflow between the two partners and of the positive experiences of the delegation on their visit to Ireland. He also thanked Cllr Pat Vance and his wife for accompanying the group to a production of 'Riverdance' in the Gaiety Theatre the previous evening.

A presentation by Fred Verdier of Wicklow County Tourism highlighted some of the beautiful tourism hotspots in the county, including Glendalough, the Powerscourt Estate and the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk.

Sheelagh Daly, Head of Enterprise at the Local Enterprise Office, gave an overview of Wicklow from a business and film perspective before County Wicklow and the Province of Hainan were showcased in a number of visual presentations.

Cllr Timmins then presented Mr Mao with a print of Glendalough, while His Excellency presented the county council with a traditional hand-woven brocade from Hainan.

Earlier in the day the Chinese delegation visited Powerscourt House and were brought on a tour of Ashford Studios by owner Joe O'Connell.

At the celebratory dinner that evening, the Chinese delegates enjoyed fresh Irish produce and the delightful harp playing of local musician Madeleine Doherty.

Before heading home, the guests visited Glendalough where they were given a tour of the monastic site and a flavour of its history by George McClafferty of the Office of Public Works. They were then accompanied on a walk along the lakeshore by Cllr Gerry Walsh and executives from the Economic Development Unit of Wicklow County Council.
The Office of Public Works has warned visitors to Glendalough to expect heavy volumes of traffic over the next couple of weekends.

July and August are especially busy periods at the site and the OPW has issued some guidelines to help visitors deal with congestion.

An OPW spokesperson said: 'this is a particularly busy time for the domestic Irish visitor market and sites such as Glendalough are particularly popular as weekend family day-trip destinations. It's especially busy with many families and tour groups making their way to the site, particularly at weekends.

'There is limited capacity to deal with this huge influx, both in terms of the public road infrastructure in Laragh village and in the two public car parks in the area, and we would like to warn people intending to visit Glendalough over this coming weekend that they should expect heavy traffic volumes in the area from early on Friday and right throughout the weekend,' the spokesperson said.

While Glendalough is busy throughout the summer, it is particularly so at weekends and the OPW has asked visitors, where possible, to consider deferring their trip until after the weekend and to car pool.

The OPW has advised travelling early in the morning, as peak congestion occurs from late morning until late afternoon and evening.

People are also be asked to consider public transport; while there is no direct bus to Glendalough, there is a Bus Eireann service to Rathdrum, from which people could take a taxi the remainder of the journey. If friends or family are travelling from Dublin, St Kevin's Bus runs a daily service to and from Glendalough.

Where people do travel by car, they are asked to take note of the parking restrictions in Laragh village and to respect 'no parking' rules in particular. These are in place to ensure that traffic flows freely through the village and to ensure that local residents are not discommoded.
She's dating one of the country's most famous rugby stars and is a self-confessed fitness fanatic.

Now Dubliner Jess Redden has revealed she has a mind for business and plans to dive into the health and fitness industry.

Jess (23), who has just completed her second year studying pharmacy at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, said she will be bringing something new to the wellness market with a class she's setting up in Rathmines in September.

Jess, who has been dating Rob Kearney for three years, recently posted a snap of her sculpted, muscular abs on Instagram, but added that for her, working out is more about the mind than the body.

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"I've been meeting with personal trainer Steffan Fusco since Christmas and he said I should think about setting something up myself," she said.

"We talked about it and I decided it was a great idea, but I wanted to tune in to a holistic approach.

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"So my classes will not just be about high-intensity exercise but different aspects of health and fitness, focusing on mindfulness, deep breathing and educating people on cardio.

"I feel that with the knowledge I've gained so far studying pharmacy and working in a pharmacy, I can really offer good advice to all ages who will come along.

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"Cardiovascular disease is one of our biggest silent killers in Ireland.

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"When we're young we don't necessarily think about it, but it's important to use this opportunity to educate people on issues like this to really start benefiting their future health now."

Jess, from Dundrum, recently returned from a trip to the US with her 31-year-old Ireland rugby union star boyfriend.

Last year, Rob joined forces with Amy Huberman to open Oslo Health on Mespil Road in Ballsbridge, which includes a yoga and pilates studio.
A vandal smashing in the doors of your office sounds like a pretty scary situation, but admittedly things feel far less sinister when you find out the unruly bandit is a goat.

When employees of this Colorado firm found the glass front of their office smashed to pieces, CCTV revealed the truth: it was not a human breaking in, but instead a rather frisky goat.

CCTV footage from the polyurethane product manufacturing firm Argonics shows the full story. The goat approached the office, smashed the first window, and then liked this taste of destruction so much that it then came back for more.

Goats normally seem pretty cute and harmless, but judging from the horns and headbutting technique from this one you wouldnt want to get on its bad side.

Very much not your average day at the office  hopefully now Argonics is looking into a more goat-proof facade.

Argonics engineer Greg Cappaert told the Press Association they had never heard of such an incident in the local area, and said he and his colleagues were relieved to find out it wasnt a human behind the attack.

Weve never experienced anything like that, ever  we didnt even know there were goats around.

We were relieved to find out that it wasnt a person, because every sign pointed to vandalism.

At first, we were shocked, then relieved and now weve been laughing about it for a long time  it became a big office joke.

The goat managed to travel half a mile to reach the building, after starting its journey from a local Catholic church.

Ironically, its job was to guard the church grounds where it resides with other goats, to protect an abandoned house on the land and deter trespassers.

Luckily, the owner of the goat has offered to replace the glass.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is hoping to boost the country's tourism industry REUTERS/KCNA

Beer festivals, beach getaways and art shows are just some of the attractions being advertised on a new tourism website launched by North Korea.

This comes after the Trump administration announced a travel ban on visitors from the country, following the death of Otto Warmbier, who fell into a coma in a North Korean prison.

The DPR Korea Tourism website markets the country as a cultural getaway, advertising a number of historical buildings, traditional festivals and national parades.

The site offers package trips to various parts of the country, including the capital Pyongyang and the Shenyang Imperial Palace in Pyongyang.

It claims that surfing has come into vogue among tourists at Majon Bathing Beach, while visitors are also encouraged to take in a Korean wrestling contest, held annually on Harvest Moon Day.

Holiday-makers cannot book through the site directly however and are asked to contact the travel agencies listed.

Expand Close American student Otto Warmbier, pictured being escorted at the Supreme Court in Pyongyang, North Korea. Photo: AP / Facebook

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The website notes that tourists will need a valid passport and visa to enter the country.

While mobile phones are allowed, they must be declared at customs and cannot be operated without a local SIM card.

Standard cameras are allowed, according to the site, but cameras equipped with GPS devices are strictly forbidden.

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It states: You can take pictures of most things and everyone who visits always takes many pictures for remembrance, however there are some rules on photography that have to be obeyed, particularly visiting military sensitive areas such as Panmunjom/DMZ.

North Korea remains an unpopular tourist destination due to its uncertain security situation, history of tourist detention and emphasis on guided tourism.

Tourists to North Korea are not permitted to travel independently and must do so with a guide.

The US State Department has strongly warned Americans against travelling to North Korea, citing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention.

Canada, Australia and New Zealand are among other nations giving similar warnings.
The damaged facade of Agios Nikolaos church following an earthquake in Kos, Greece (AP/Petros Giannakouris)

Experts are examining the damage to cultural monuments and infrastructure on the eastern Greek island of Kos, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others in the Aegean Sea region that stretches to Turkey's sprawling coast.

Residents and tourists were still jittery as a series of aftershocks continued to rock the island.

A tremor measuring a preliminary 4.4 magnitude struck at 8.09pm local time (6.09pm BST), sending residents and restaurant customers running towards the middle of the town's main square, as far away as possible from buildings.

Sixteen minutes later, a second 4.6-magnitude tremor struck, the Athens Geodynamics Institute reported.

The first tremor had its epicentre only 12 miles north-east of Kos at a depth of 6.2 miles.

Hundreds of residents and tourists spent Friday night sleeping outdoors on the island, too afraid to return to their homes or hotels after the quake that struck early on Friday.

Many camped out in parks and olive groves, or slept in their cars or on beach and swimming pool lounge chairs.

The aftershocks on Saturday night meant that many would spend a second night outdoors.

During the day in Kos, churches, an old mosque, the port's 14th-century castle and other old buildings that suffered in the quake were being checked by archaeologists and experts from Greece's Culture Ministry.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake on Friday at magnitude 6.7, with Greek and Turkish estimates a fraction lower.

Two men, a Turk and a Swede, were killed when a wall collapsed into a popular bar in the Old Town of Kos.

The most seriously injured in Greece were airlifted to hospitals on the mainland and the southern island of Crete, and at least two were still in critical condition Saturday.

The Turkish man's parents were on the island making arrangements to repatriate his body by boat, possibly on Sunday.

Dozens of aftershocks have shaken the island.

John Grant, a 60-year-old tourist from Britain, said he felt safer sleeping outside.

"Coming from somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, you don't understand," he said from his makeshift bed on a lounge chair.

"So to me it was very frightening being in the building. But being outside, I know I'm safe."

About 350 of the injuries occurred in Turkey, in Bodrum and other beach resorts, as people fled buildings and as a sea swell flung cars off the road and pushed boats ashore. Seismologists said the shallow depth of the undersea quake on Friday was to blame for the damage.

In Kos, the quake damaged the island's main port, so ferries were being diverted to the smaller port of Kefalos on the island's south-western coast.

Serif Damadoglou Soukri, the imam of Kos, said the greatest damage to Kos mosques was sustained by the central 17th-century Defternatar Ibrahim Pasa mosque, whose minaret, restored a few years ago, collapsed completely. Ancient columns also toppled over in the southern part of the 2nd-century agora in the main town.

Greek Orthodox Priest Vassilis Hlampanis said one of the damaged churches was repairable.

"The greatest damage was sustained mainly in part of the sanctuary, in the middle part which fell, but there are also other sections around the external brickwork and certainly also internally," he said.

Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said island's biggest infrastructure problem was the damage to the main port. Coast guard divers are on the scene inspecting the jetty.

"Life on the island is returning to normal," Mr Kyritsis said. "The infrastructure problems are being repaired."

Gift shop owner Giannis Manoutkos said life on the island had returned to its easy-going ways.

"Everything is normal now. The situation was bad for two days ... we are coming to a normal life again," he said.

AP
Faizah Shaheen was left 'upset and distressed' by the incident

A Muslim woman, who was detained and questioned at an airport for reading a book about Syrian art onboard her honeymoon flight, is taking her holiday company to court.

Faizah Shaheen was travelling back from Turkey on 3 August 2016, when she was reported to authorities by Thomson Airways cabin crew.

As a result, she was questioned in a room along with her husband for 15 minutes at Doncaster Airport,under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act.

Ms Shaheen, a mental health worker who helps to prevent radicalisation, had been reading Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline  a collection of literature, photos, songs, and cartoons from Syrian artists and authors.

Her lawyers have told Thomson Airways that she believes she was the victim of discrimination, and was singled out because of her race.

During the interrogation, Ms Shaheen said she was asked about the book, her work, and the number of languages she spoke.

I felt upset and distressed, followed by anger, she said following the incident. I struggled to accept that I was being singled out for reading a book on art and culture.

Ms Shaheen told the BBCs Victoria Derbyshire programme that she found Thomson Airways response and explanations to the incident insufficient.

One year on, Thomson Airways has failed to provide an explanation or apology  despite legal involvement. This attitude let me with no option but to seek a declaration from the court under the Equality Act, she said.

ITN solicitor Ravi Naik has acknowledged Thomson Airways initial communication, but said it had not responded to correspondences since January.

Mr Naik told The Independent: Our client is concerned at the way she was treated. She cannot understand why she was reported for reading a book. She is concerned that the only reason she was singled out was her ethnicity.

Ms Shaheen simply wants an apology for the way she was treated and in the absence of one, has no alternative but to take legal action.

Ms Shaheen does not want compensation, but simply an apology and explanation from Thomson Airways to ensure that it never happens again.

In a statement, Thomson Airways said that they were really sorry if Ms Shaheen remains unhappy with how she feels she was treated.

It added: We wrote to her to explain that our crew undergo general safety and security awareness training on a regular basis.

"As part of this they are encouraged to be vigilant and share any information or questions with the relevant authorities, who would then act as appropriate.
People stand outside damaged buildings after the earthquake in the Greek island of Kos Photo: AFP/Getty Images

At least two tourists have been killed and around 200 others injured after a powerful earthquake shook the Greek Islands and Turkish coast, triggering a small tsunami.

The 6.7-magnitude quake struck in the Aegean Sea on Thursday night south of the Turkish city of Bodrum and east of the small Greek island of Kos - both areas popular with British and Irish holidaymakers.

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It sent a building crashing down on tourists at a bar in the Old Town of the main port on Kos, killing two men - a 27-year-old from Sweden and a 39-year-old from Turkey - and injuring scores of others in scenes of panic.

A group of friends from Dublin have shared what they called their "surreal" escape during the earthquake.

Four Irish friends holidaying in Kos have said they were "blessed" to have avoided the devastating quake as they had visited the bar, which was ultimately destroyed, every night of their holiday except for the night of the quake.

"The one night we decided to not go out. We're just kind of blessed," Paddy Leonard told Independent.ie.

Expand Close A man looks at a damaged church on Kos / Facebook

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Mr Leonard (27) has been holidaying with Lorcan Grey (25), David Thomson (26) and James McElvaney (26) in the region since Saturday.

"It was just so surreal. It's the last thing you expect on holiday but thankfully we're all okay, we're all alive," he said.

The group of friends had decided to stay in that night to prepare for an upcoming boat trip but were woken up by the earthquake and had to evacuate their hotel.

"The whole building was shaking and the waves were coming out of the pool," he said.

He said there was complete panic in the aftermath of the earthquake with many buildings in the city centre collapsing.

"It was mad. We're all in a bit of shock," he said.

Other holidaymakers were injured when they leapt to safety from balconies of other buildings. Greek health officials said 13 people were flown to hospitals in Athens and on the islands of Rhodes and Crete.

The earthquake triggered a small tsunami that brought huge waves which caused flooding in Bodrum and parts of Kos, which took the brunt of the impact.

Tourists were forced to flee their hotels when the quake hit at around 1.30am local time and there were more than 20 aftershocks throughout the night.

The effects of the quake were felt by people miles away from the epicentre. Many ran from their homes or holiday apartments with pillows and blankets.

Tens of thousands of holidaymakers spent the night outdoors on Kos, with many sleeping on sunbeds along beaches and in squares.

More than 120 others were injured on Kos. In Bodrum, around 80 people were treated in hospital for injuries as they tried to flee the quake. Police said the injured included tourists of various nationalities.

Some of the injured on Kos had been trapped when buildings collapsed. Many suffered broken bones, with a number in a serious condition.

Among those who felt the earthquake on Kos was British student Naomi Ruddock, who is on holiday with her mother.

"We were asleep and we just felt the room shaking," she said. "The room moved. Literally everything was moving.

"And it kind of felt like you were on a boat and it was swaying really fast from side to side - you felt seasick."

In the resort of Bodrum, the quake flooded the lower floors of sea-front hotels and restaurants and sent moored boats crashing toward the shore.
A German girl, who ran away from home in Pulsnitz after converting to Islam, has been found in Iraq, prosecutors said (Sebastian Willnow/dpa via AP)

A German teenager who ran away from home after converting to Islam has been found as Iraqi forces liberated the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State extremists.

She is reported to be in good health and will be questioned next week by Iraqi officials.

The 16-year-old, only identified as Linda W in line with German privacy laws, is receiving consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, prosecutor Lorenz Haase said.

Three Iraqi intelligence and investigative sources confirmed that the girl, who was apprehended in the basement of a home in Mosul's Old City earlier this month, was Linda W.

Iraqi officials added that on the day of her arrest she was "too stunned" to speak, but her condition has improved.

Linda W could theoretically face the death sentence, according to Iraqi's counter-terrorism laws. However, even if she is sentenced to death in Iraq, she would not be executed before the age of 22.

Photos of a dishevelled young woman in the presence of Iraqi soldiers went viral last week, but there were contradicting reports about the girl's identity.

The German teenager had married a Muslim Arab she met online after arriving in the group's territory, the Iraqi officials added.

They said Linda W was one of 26 foreigners arrested in Mosul since the retreat of the extremists there.

So far, the young German has not made any statement. Officials said she is currently being held along with other foreign women at a prison near Baghdad's airport.

Starting next week, she will be investigated by the Iraqis, who will bring in German interpreters for the interrogation since she does not speak much Arabic.

Mr Haase said the girl ran away from her family home in Pulsnitz in eastern Germany last summer. It is not clear yet whether she will return to Germany, he said.

"We, as the public prosecutor's office Dresden, have not applied for an arrest warrant and will therefore not be able to request extradition.

"There is the possibility that Linda might be put on trial in Iraq. She might be expelled for being a foreigner or, because she is a minor reported missing in Germany, she could be handed over to Germany."

The 26 foreigners found in Mosul included two men, eight children and 16 women, Iraqi officials said. Some of those arrested were from Chechnya, and the women were from Russia, Iran, Syria, France, Belgium and Germany.

In addition to Linda W, the Iraqis found three other women from Germany, with roots in Morocco, Algeria and Chechnya. The Iraqi officials said the German-Moroccan woman has a child and both were arrested in Mosul about 10 days ago.

They said the women allegedly worked with IS in the police department. Their husbands were IS fighters but their fates were not clear.

French and German Embassy personnel have already visited the arrested women, they said. The children will be handed over to the countries they belong to, while the women will be tried on terrorism charges in Iraq, according to the officials.

More than 930 people, among them several girls and young women, have left Germany to join IS in Syria and Iraq in recent years, the German news agency dpa reported.

While some have been killed in battle and suicide bombings and others have returned to Germany, there is also a large number that are unaccounted for, German security officials say. Many of them were radicalised via social media.

Local newspapers reported last year that Linda W was in touch with IS members online before she ran away from home. She started wearing long gowns before she disappeared from her family's home last summer, and her mother later found a copy of the girl's plane ticket to Turkey under a bed.

The mayor of Pulsnitz, Barbara Kueke, said she was relieved the girl had been found.

AP
Gough Whitlam pictured in 2005 with the original copy of the dismissal letter he received from then Governor General Sir John Kerr in 1975 (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)

A historian is going to court in an attempt to force the authorities to release secret letters that would reveal what the Queen knew of her representative's scheme to dismiss Australia's government more than 40 years ago.

The National Archives of Australia has categorised the correspondence between the Queen, who is also Australia's constitutional head of state, and her Australian representative, Governor-General Sir John Kerr, as "personal" and might therefore never be made public.

The letters would disclose what, if anything, the Queen knew of Sir John's plan to dismiss Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's government in 1975 to resolve a month-old deadlock in Parliament.

It remains the only time in Australia's history that a democratically elected government has been dismissed on the British monarch's authority.

Sir John's surprise intervention placed unprecedented strain on Australia's democracy and bolstered calls for the nation to split from its former colonial master by becoming a republic. Suspicions of a US Central Intelligence Agency conspiracy persist.

Jenny Hocking, a Monash University historian and Whitlam biographer, will argue in court in Sydney on July 31 - the only hearing day of the case - that the letters should be released regardless of the Queen's wishes because Australians have a right to know their own history.

"To me, it's a point of national humiliation that we have to be even considering asking the Queen whether we can look at these key records in our own history," she told The Associated Press.

She started the case in October last year, is represented by lawyers free of charge and has raised more than 22,000 through crowd funding in case she loses and is ordered to pay the Archives' legal costs.

The legal argument has been presented so far in written submissions.

While Ms Hocking is taking on the Archives alone, she has a powerful ally in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who agrees that the communication between two such key figures in Australia's constitution should not be secret.

The Archives, Buckingham Palace and the governor-general's official residence, Government House, have all declined AP's requests for comment.

The court is being asked to remove the letters from their "private" and "personal" classification, so that they could become public 30 years after they were written like other government documents held in the Archives.

Under an agreement struck between Buckingham Palace and Government House months before Sir John resigned in 1978, the letters covering three tumultuous years of Australian politics will remain secret until at least 2027.

The private secretaries of both the sovereign and the governor-general in 2027 would have the option of vetoing their release indefinitely.

Australia's governor-general is chosen by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch, and is a largely ceremonial role.

Few realised before 1975 that the role carried unwritten constitutional powers to sack a prime minister in a crisis. Lawyers still argue about whether the so-called reserve powers even exist.

The constitutional crisis came in 1975 when the opposition tried to force Mr Whitlam to call general elections by blocking in the Senate routine legislation that allowed the government to pay public servant salaries and deliver services.

Sir John fired Mr Whitlam during a brief meeting at Government House, called an election and appointed opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister.

Mr T urnbull believes an Australian president rather than a British monarch should be Australia's head of state.

Weeks after becoming prime minister in 2015, he said he would ask the Palace and the current Governor-General Peter Cosgrove to release the letters. But he has remained tight-lipped on progress since then.

Philip Benwell, a leading advocate for the British monarch remaining Australia's head of state, argues that the letters should remain private.

The political system would become untenable if the Queen's opinions were known to be at odds with her government, he said.

"It would cause a constitutional crisis if the Queen's personal opinions became known," he said.

AP
Violence has escalated in Jerusalem over the introduction of metal detectors at a contested shrine

Israel has sent more troops to the West Bank after six people died in violence which erupted over escalating tensions at Jerusalem's most contested shrine.

Three people - a father and his two sons - were killed and a woman injured when a 20-year-old Palestinian broke into their home and attacked them with a knife on Friday night.

The assailant wrote in a pre-attack Facebook post that he planned to avenge what he alleged was Israel's "desecration" of the Jerusalem holy site.

Disputes over the shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, have set off major Israeli-Palestinian confrontations in the past. They were also at the root of the current round that began last week when Arab gunmen fired from the shrine, killing two Israeli policemen.

In response, Israel installed metal detectors at the gates of the 37-acre walled compound, portraying the devices as a necessary security measure to prevent more attacks.

Muslims alleged Israel was trying to expand its control at the Muslim-administered site under the guise of security - a claim Israel denies - and launched mass prayer protests.

On Friday, anger boiled over and several thousand Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the West Bank and in Jerusalem after noon prayers, the highlight of the Muslim religious week.

Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen wounded by live rounds and bullets in some of the worst street clashes in the past two years.

Late on Friday, a Palestinian identified as Omar al-Abed jumped over the fence of the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank and entered a home, surprising a family during their Sabbath dinner.

The Israeli military said the assailant killed a man and two of his adult children, while a woman was wounded. A neighbour heard the screams, rushed to the home and opened fire, wounding al-Abed who was taken to an Israeli hospital, said the head of Israel's rescue service.

A photo released by the military showed a kitchen floor covered with blood.

Itai Orayon, a medic, said he encountered a shocking scene at the Halamish home.

"Blood everywhere in the house, the floor was covered in blood," he told Israel Army Radio. He said three people were on the floor, unconscious "with deep stab wounds all over their bodies," and that the medical team was unable to save them.

On Saturday morning, Israeli troops searched the assailant's family home in the West Bank village of Kobar and detained one of his brothers, the army said.

The army said soldiers searched the house and measured it in preparation for eventual demolition. Ibrahim al-Abed, an uncle of the assailant, confirmed the family was told the house would be destroyed.

The uncle said his nephew had been arrested three months ago by security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who presides over autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The uncle said his nephew had endured two weeks in detention and was violently interrogated about alleged plans to attack Israelis before he was released.

In his pre-attack Facebook post, Omar al-Abed, said he planned to take action to avenge what he alleged was Israel's "desecration" of the shrine and berated Arab countries for their alleged inaction. He alleged that Israel "declared war on God," and described his plan as a suicide mission, saying that "I'm going to heaven".

Israel has repeatedly accused Abbas and his Palestinian Authority of permitting anti-Israeli incitement in the public Palestinian discourse.

Abbas has rejected such claims, saying Israel's 50-year-old occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state is at the root of widespread anger and helps drive violence.

On Friday evening, Abbas announced that he would "freeze" ties with Israel "on all levels" until the metal detectors are removed from the shrine, but did not say whether this means halting security coordination. Ending security ties would have far-reaching repercussions and sharply raise tensions with Israel.

Even if largely meant for domestic Palestinian consumption, the Abbas announcement dealt a setback to fledgling efforts by the Trump administration to revive long-dormant Israeli-Palestinian talks on a peace deal.

Israel's military said on Saturday it had sent more troops to the West Bank. It did not elaborate but said the decision came after hundreds of troops were deployed on Friday.

Israel's chief of staff and defence minister visited the Halamish settlement, the scene of the stabbing attack, on Saturday.

AP
An escalating dispute over metal detectors at a contested Jerusalem shrine turned violent yesterday, setting off widespread clashes between Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli troops.

Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen injured by live rounds, rubber bullets and beatings, medics said.

The confrontations in Jerusalem and the West Bank erupted after midday Friday prayers, the highlight of the Muslim religious week. Thousands performed the prayers in the streets, rather than in the shrine, to protest Israel's decision earlier in the week to install metal detectors at the gates to the walled compound.

Muslim leaders had urged the faithful not to enter the Muslim-administered site until Israel removes the metal detectors. They portrayed Israel's measures as an encroachment on Muslim rights - a charge Israel denies.

The city's top Muslim cleric told worshippers yesterday that he expects a "long test of wills" with Israel. Israel also dug in, saying the devices would stay.

Israel had installed the metal detectors after three Palestinians, all citizens of Israel, launched an attack from the shrine a week ago, killing two Israeli policemen. Police said the metal detectors are needed to prevent further attacks.

After the prayers, confrontations erupted in several areas around Jerusalem's walled Old City and at West Bank flashpoints. In Jerusalem, two Palestinians, aged 17 and 24, were killed by live fire, said Bayan Baidoun, a spokeswoman for Mukassed Hospital in an Arab neighbourhood of the city.

The body of the 17-year-old was taken quickly from the scene of the clash and buried, apparently to prevent Israeli authorities from seizing it. The 24-year-old was brought in critical condition to Mukassed, where he died. Relatives swiftly removed the body for burial, before police arrived.

In the past two years, Israel has held bodies of suspected Palestinian attackers or those killed in clashes for extended periods, refusing to hand them over for burial in an apparent attempt to deter further violence. Both Islam and Judaism mandate speedy burials.

A third Palestinian was killed in clashes in the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. It provided no further details.
US President Donald Trump may have had yet more undisclosed meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian foreign minister has said - but he mocked the US for its obsession with the encounters.

Sergei Lavrov, the wily, wise-cracking veteran politician, laughed when asked by NBC News whether there had been more than the three meetings now known about at the G20 summit in Germany earlier this month.

Mr Trump and Mr Putin held a bilateral session in Hamburg, which was widely reported. They also met for the leaders' photo. But on Tuesday it emerged that Mr Trump had another hour-long discussion with Mr Putin which was not disclosed by the White House, and at which Mr Trump relied on Mr Putin's translator.

Yesterday Mr Lavrov said they may have met again - although he joked about the possibility. "They might have met much more than just three times," he said. "Maybe they went to the toilet together."

Asked whether the two presidents had other conversations or met in the corridors of the G-20 meeting, Mr Lavrov used the analogy of children mingling at a play school.

"When you are bought by your parents to a kindergarten, do you mix with the people who are waiting in the same room to start going to a classroom? I remember when I was in that position, I did spend five or 10 minutes in the kindergarten before they brought us to the classroom."

Mr Lavrov, echoing the White House, downplayed Tuesday's revelations about the undisclosed conversation. "After the dinner was over, President Trump apparently went to pick up his wife and spent some minutes with President Putin. So what?"
A defiant Sean Spicer attacked the US media for their "fake news" in his first interview since resigning as Donald Trump's press secretary.

In an interview with Fox News, Mr Spicer denied that there had been a rift in the White House following the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as the administration's communications chief.

Mr Spicer said he made his decision following talks at the White House with Mr Trump.

However, it has been reported in the American media that Mr Spicer had walked out because he objected to Mr Scaramucci's appointment.

"The president wanted to add to the team. I thought it was in the best interests of the administration not to have too many cooks in the kitchen," Mr Spicer told Fox News.

"I was increasingly disappointed how people in the media do their job, or rather don't do their job," he said.

"They are not there for the facts or pursuit of the truth, they are there to see how do I get on TV or become a YouTube star," he added.

"More and more we are seeing it is about the clip and the click."

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Mr Spicer was ridiculed mercilessly by satirists especially on Saturday Night Live where he was impersonated by the actress Melissa McCarthy.

"There are times when it goes from funny to mean. You have to have a little bit of a thick skin if you are going to do this," he said.

Appearing on the same programme, Reince Priebus, the White House Chief of Staff, denied that he was unhappy at Mr Scaramucci's appointment.

"It is a good thing to start fresh. Sean gets to start fresh, Anthony gets to start fresh and the president gets to start fresh," he told Fox News.

"It is time to get the president the credit he deserves. This is a good day to start that process."
US President Donald Trump participates in a strength vial test during a 'Made in America' event on pharmaceutical glass manufacturing in the White House Photo: AP

US President Donald Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the Russia probe, according to a person familiar with the effort.

Some of Mr Trump's lawyers are exploring ways to limit or undercut special counsel Robert S Mueller III's Russia investigation, building a case against what they allege are his conflicts of interest and discussing the president's authority to grant pardons, according to people familiar with the effort.

Expand Close Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya Photo: Reuters / Facebook

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Mr Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon people.

A source said Mr Trump's lawyers have been discussing the president's pardoning powers among themselves.

Mr Trump's legal team declined to comment on the issue.

But one adviser said the president has simply expressed a curiosity in understanding the reach of his pardoning authority, as well as the limits of Mr Mueller's investigation.

"This is not in the context of, 'I can't wait to pardon myself'," a close adviser said.

With the Russia investigation continuing to widen, Mr Trump's lawyers are working to corral the probe and question the propriety of the special counsel's work.

They are actively compiling a list of Mr Mueller's alleged potential conflicts of interest, which they say could serve as a way to stymie his work, according to several of Mr Trump's legal advisers.

A conflict of interest is one of the possible grounds that can be cited by an attorney general to remove a special counsel from office under Justice Department regulations that set rules for the job.

The president is also irritated by the notion that Mr Mueller's probe could reach into his and his family's finances, advisers said.

Mr Trump has been fuming about the probe in recent weeks as he has been informed about the legal questions that he and his family could face.

His primary frustration centres on why allegations that his campaign co-ordinated with Russia should spread into scrutinising many years of Trump deal-making.

He has told aides he was especially disturbed after learning Mr Mueller would be able to access several years of his tax returns.

Mr Trump has repeatedly refused to make his tax returns public after first claiming he could not do so because he was under audit or after promising to release them after an IRS audit was completed.

All presidents since Jimmy Carter have released their tax returns.

Further adding to the challenges facing Mr Trump's outside lawyers, the team's spokesman, Mark Corallo, resigned on Thursday, according to two people familiar with his departure. Mr Corallo did not respond to immediate requests for comment.

"If you're looking at Russian collusion, the president's tax returns would be outside that investigation," said a close adviser to the president.

Jay Sekulow, one of the president's private lawyers, said in an interview that the president and his legal team are intent on making sure Mr Mueller stays within the boundaries of his assignment as special counsel. He said they will complain directly to Mr Mueller if necessary.

"The fact is that the president is concerned about conflicts that exist within the special counsel's office and any changes in the scope of the investigation," Mr Sekulow said. "The scope is going to have to stay within his mandate. If there's drifting, we're going to object."

Mr Sekulow cited 'Bloomberg News' reports that Mr Mueller is scrutinising some of Mr Trump's business dealings, including with a Russian oligarch who purchased a Palm Beach mansion from Mr Trump for $95m (81m) in 2008.

"They're talking about real estate transactions in Palm Beach several years ago," Mr Sekulow said. "In our view, this is far outside the scope of a legitimate investigation."

The president has long called the FBI investigation into his campaign's possible co-ordination with the Russians a "witch hunt".

But now Mr Trump is coming face-to-face with a powerful investigative team that is able to study evidence of any crime it encounters in the probe - including tax fraud, lying to federal agents and interference in the investigation.

"This is Ken Starr times 1,000," said one lawyer involved in the case, referring to the independent counsel who oversaw an investigation that eventually led to House impeachment proceedings against former president Bill Clinton.

"Of course, it's going to go into his finances." ( Washington Post Syndication)
Jamel Dunn's body was recovered from a lake two days after his fiance reported him missing

Teenagers who laughed while filming a disabled man as he drowned instead of rescuing him had no legal obligation to help, according to experts.

Police are pursuing misdemeanour charges against the five minors, aged between 14 and 16, for failing to report the death of Jamie Dunn. None of the five have been named.

As the 31-year-old drowned in a Florida pond on 9 July, the five teenagers mocked, laughed at and recorded him dying before posting the video online. They ignored Mr Dunns pleas for help.

But there is no general duty under law to help someone in distress, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said in a 2012 legal argument.

You dont have the duty to rescue someone if that person is in danger. The blind man is walking in front of a car and you do not have a duty to stop him absent some relation between you [or] Obamacare.

At the time, he was arguing against the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

Mr Kennedy acknowledged that there were some severe moral criticisms of that rule, but said thats generally the rule.

While laws vary between states, there is no general duty to rescue across the US, according to David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor who is now in private practice.

There are some exceptions, however. For example: if you have put the person in danger in the first place; if the incident is a car crash; if you already have a special relationship to others by being police officer, firefighter, teacher, bus driver, employer  or the victims spouse.

Some states, including Nebraska, also have laws requiring people to report suspected child abuse, Nebraska attorney Jeffrey Lapin told Associated Press. Failure to do so may result in misdemeanour charges.

Mr Lapin also noted the final episode of sitcom Seinfeld, in which an overweight man is car-jacked. Instead of helping him, the four main characters joke about his weight.

They are subsequently convicted of violating a purported city ordinance for failing to assist, and the judge character says the four have callous indifference and utter disregard for a positive society. But most US states do not have such a law.

However, every US state does have a Good Samaritan law, to protect people who render aid to someone in danger from being sued for anything they did in the course of their actions  although there are some exceptions.

Countries including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Russia do have laws requiring witnesses to render aid, which can simply mean calling the authorities.

Jamels body was found severely decomposed and floating in the pond in Cocoa, Florida, five days after he drowned. After a family friend informed police of the video, officers identified and interviewed the five teenagers.

They had been smoking marijuana in the park, according to a Cocoa Police Department spokesperson. The group watched Mr Dunn, who used a cane, walk into the fenced-off pond.

In the video, one of the teenagers shouts: Get out the water, you gonna die.

Another says: Aint nobody fixing to help you, you dumb b***h.

Another teen asked the group if they were scared to see a dead person as a scream is heard in the background. Then another announces he just died, before the rest erupt in laughter.

Initially the State Attorney and Cocoa Police concluded no crime had been committed.

"But on Friday, Cocoa police chief Mike Cantaloupe said he will be pursuing charges of failure to report a death. The State Attorney has not yet decided whether to prosecute the charges.

When we initially reviewed this case, it was determined there were no laws broken, as the teens were not directly involved with the death, Mr Cantaloupe said in a statement.

Further research of the statutes and consultation with the State Attorneys Office yielded the decision to move forward with charges under this statute.

"Its our belief that this law has never been enforced in a scenario like this, but we feel it could be applicable. Pursuing criminal charges is a way to hold them accountable for their own actions.

Both Mr Cantaloupe and Cocoas Mayor, Henry Parrish III, said that Mr Dunns death may give rise to new legislation.

I think what we look at is, the hope that what we do from here going forward, whether it be this charge or some new legislation, that another family doesnt have to go through this Mr Cantaloupe told ABC.

And that we work with our youth ... to instil these morals ... I wouldve never believed that somebody could watch somebody in distress and not do anything about it.

There are no words to describe how utterly inhumane and cruel the actions of these juveniles were towards Mr Dunn.

Cocoa Mayor Henry Parrish III said he was dismayed on learning there was no legal obligation to render aid in Florida.

In a case like this, we struggle to understand how anyone could be so cold and heartless, and then learn that there are no laws in Florida that obligate someone to render aid, or call for someone to render aid, for a person they see in distress, he said.

If this case can be used as an example to draft new legislation, then I am committed to move forward to make that happen.

"More so, may this tragic incident, which has shocked all of us, cause each of us to examine ourselves and our responsibility to one another.

I implore the State Attorneys Office to follow through and file the charges presented by the Cocoa Police Department, he added.

While this in no way will bring justice for what occurred, it is a start.
The errant airstrike was in the Afghan province Helmand

An errant US airstrike has killed 12 Afghan National Police officers who were fighting the Taliban and wounded two others.

Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said on Saturday that the death toll in Friday's airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in Gereshk District.

The Pentagon confirmed the airstrike on the Security Forces compound happened during a US-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area, and o ffered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory.

Nato and US troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Mr Safi told The Associated Press that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area.

He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred.

The Helmand governor, Hayatullah Hayat, said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan in northern Badakhshan province, Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said on Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a fierce battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

He said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Friday's firefight. It was not immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and even telephone contact is erratic.

And a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents in western Farah province has left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed.

The battle on Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district.

The fighting continued for five hours, Mohammad Naser Mehri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed.

Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area made it impossible to independently verify.

AP
Walking out of the White House - Sean Spicer has quit after a tough six months defending President Donald Trump (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

White House press secretary Sean Spicer has abruptly resigned over President Donald Trump's decision to ask a financier to lead his beleaguered communications team.

The departing spokesman said the president "could benefit from a clean slate" as he seeks to steady operations amid the Russia investigations and ahead of a health care showdown.

Mr Spicer, whose daily briefings once dominated cable television and delighted late-night comics, quit in protest over the hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

He said during a brief phone conversation with The Associated Press that he felt it would be best for Mr Scaramucci to build his own operation "and chart a new way forward".

Mr Spicer privately denounced what he considered Mr Scaramucci's lack of qualifications, and his decision to resign took White House advisers by surprise, sources said.

As his first act in the job, Mr Scaramucci, a polished television commentator and Harvard Law graduate, announced from the White House briefing room that Sarah Huckabee Sanders would take Mr Spicer's job. She had been his deputy.

The shake-up comes as Mr Trump is suffering from dismal approval ratings and struggling to advance his legislative proposals.

As his effort to replace Barack Obama's health care law crumbled this week, the president continued to vent frustration about the attention devoted to investigations of allegations of his election campaign's connections to Russia.

Mr Trump has blamed his own messengers - as well as the "fake news" media - for his woes.

Mr Trump, who watches the press briefings closely and believes he is his own best spokesman, saluted Mr Spicer's "great ratings" on TV and said he was "grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people".

Later, he tweeted, "Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"

Mr Scaramucci quickly took centre stage, parrying questions from reporters and praising Mr Trump in a 37-minute charm offensive.

He has no government experience and no experience crafting communication strategy around policy. The White House said he will officially take over the role on August 15.

He offered support for some of Mr Trump's more outlandish statements, including his unsupported claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election.

"If the president says it ... there's probably some level of truth to that," he said.

He also made clear he would continue Mr Trump's efforts to fight back against media reports he does not like - and would do a better job of selling his victories.

"The president is a winner. And we're going to do a lot of winning," said Mr Scaramucci, who blew a kiss to the press corps before departing.

The White House had been looking for a new communications director for several weeks, but struggled to attract an experienced Republican hand.

Mr Scaramucci, a former Democrat - like Mr Trump - who once called his new boss a "hack politician," began seriously talking to the White House about the position this week, and the president offered him the job on Friday morning.

Spicer had long sought the strategic communications job for himself and had been managing that role along with his press secretary duties for nearly two months.

Back in January, Mr Spicer's tenure got off to a rocky start. On Mr Trump's first full day in office, he lambasted journalists over coverage of the crowd size at the inauguration and stormed out of the briefing room without answering questions.

He remained loyal to Mr Trump but frequently battled perceptions that he was not plugged in to what the president was thinking.

The resignation comes a day after Mark Corallo, the spokesman for the president's outside legal team, left his post.

AP
RECORDER REPORT



KARACHI: The worlds largest cargo plane Antonov An-225 Mriya Wednesday landed at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP), Karachi.



According to details, the flight ADB-3859 arrived at the Karachi airport at around 11:27am from Kabul. The similar six engine cargo aircraft had first landed at the JIAP on April 20, 2018.



The only outsized cargo jet, having a wingspan of 88.4 meters, a height of 18.2 meters, and a take-off weight of 1,410,958 pounds, was designed and built in the 1980s in the then Soviet Union.



The largest aircraft having registration UR-82060 operated several relief flights, transporting pandemic-related humanitarian and medical goods before its 10 months break in August 2020. Meanwhile, sources said that the aircraft after being granted permission landed at JIAP on technical ground and the departure of the aircraft from Karachi is scheduled on early Thursday.




A day heavy in green Indian equity markets saw a day, heavy in green, today. Nifty 50 ended, up by 321.5 points. Sensex ended, up by 1181.34 points. Top Gainers today were HDFC, HDFC Bank, Infosys. Top Losers ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 3:43 pm

In early trade, Rupee rises 71 paise to 80.69 / $ Early on Friday, the rupee strengthened 71 paise to 80.69 against the dollar as investors' attitudes were bolstered by easing US CPI data and a decline in the dollar index. Forex traders claime... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:24 pm

Sensex zooms over 1,100 pts; Nifty above 18,300; IT index top contributor Domestic benchmark indices in the fast lane today led by IT and Metal stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were nearly 2% higher amid positive global cues. On the se... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:00 pm

NIBE receives order of Rs11.88 crore from Goa Shipyard; Stock slips 1% Nibe Limited stocks in focus as the company announced the receipt of purchase orders. As per the regulatory filing, it has received two purchase orders dated November 08, 2022 from G... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:53 pm

Ashoka Buildcon receives provisional certificate for NHAI road project; Stock up 2% Ashoka Buildcon Limited has informed the declaration of October 26, 2021 as the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) for its Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) Project of National Highways Authority of ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:26 pm
On a train from Leeds to London, Akshay Kumar chats about his upcoming movie, his babysitting stint and his new manager, Reshma Shetty, who was, till recently, managing Salman Khan.

Twitter

We hear you are babysitting your five-year-old daughter while on your holiday

Yes, my wife (Twinkle Khanna) is touring Europe, my son Aarav is in Oxford for a two-week study course so Im babysitting my daughter Nitara besides shooting for a film (Reema Kagtis sports- drama Gold). And I have to confess that minding a little girl is a tough job. My admiration for Mrs Funnybones has gone up several notches after realising the magnitude of the task. I dont know how she writes, designs, looks after our children and still manages to stay calm on most days.

Every morning, Nitara and I have breakfast together, then, we go to this park nearby where one can feed rabbits and goats. After her day-nurse comes, I travel to London for my shoot. Post pack-up, I take my daughter out again. The other evening, we went to watch Cars. Half way through the film she decided that she was tired, so we had to leave and drive back. I tried explaining to her that I wanted to continue watching the movie till the end, to no avail. Bringing up a baby is tough.

Tougher than promoting a film?

Promoting a movie is a cakewalk in comparison. Speaking of which, a lot of people continue to ask me why my next film has a weird title like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. And when I add that it is essentially a love story with a social message, they actually wrinkle their noses!

BCCL

You seem to have been bitten by the social message bug?

I havent been bitten by any bug but I hope my film raises a stink about open defecation, something that is plaguing our country. As far as my current lot of movies go, I prefer to choose more relatable characters to the largerthan- life roles that I did earlier on in my career.

In Toilet Im a commoner from UP who has never questioned his father on why their house doesnt have a basic amenity like a latrine. It is only after his wife (Bhumi Pednekar) comes into their home does he realise how terrible it is to defecate in the open and life takes a turn for the better. His love for his wife makes him a crusader.

Earlier in your career you made a hit pair with the most glamorous girls. Now you seem to be deliberately choosing a new girl for every project

The choice of a heroine is not mine alone. It is usually the joint decision of the producer and director. In most cases, the girls I have worked with recently have been the ones best suited for the role.

BCCL

I cant imagine anyone other than Bhumi for Toilet. She is brilliant and brave. She has to expose a certain steely quality to play a lady who is asked to go to the field to relieve herself. Can you imagine what it feels like to hike up your sari or ditch your salwar to take a dump? It is so demeaning! One needed a really courageous actor to attempt a role like this. Had we signed a Barbie Doll, we may not have achieved this result.

Yes, it makes sense not to clash. In a scenario where there are 180 films releasing in a time span of 52 weeks, clashes are sometimes inevitable. But they are best avoided.

Speaking of the Khans, one is curious about your sudden decision to tie up with Salman Khans ex-manager, Reshma Shetty. How did that happen?

twitter

Reshma and I are both workaholics. I have always admired her for being such a hard worker. She is someone I always wanted to work with but things didnt fall in place earlier. This time, we found common ground, hence the decision to begin a new association.

It is being speculated that because you have signed up with Reshma, Salman will not co-produce The Battle of Saragarhi, a film that has you in the lead.

I have not heard from Salman or anyone else about this.
Ahead of its August 11 release, Akshay Kumar's much awaited project Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, has been leaked online and the actor has asked his fans to support him in the fight against piracy.

viacom

Few reports suggested that the movie featuring Akshay and Bhumi Pednekar was available online, and choreographer Remo D'Souza brought it to the notice of the filmmakers.

Remo confirmed the news to a leading daily and said that he has informed the producers about the same.

Just wanted to share this with you all... pic.twitter.com/jxQu9GlEMv  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) 21 July 2017

"The fight against piracy is critical and it's reassuring to see the swift action taken by the Crime Branch on the unfortunate incident involving our film Toilet-Ek Prem Katha.

"I would like urge my friends, colleagues, fans and audiences to please say no to piracy. Thank you all for support," Akshay, 49, posted on Twitter.

The film is a satirical comedy film in support of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a governmental campaign to improve the sanitation conditions in India, with emphasis on the eradication of open defecation in public areas, especially in the rural areas of India.
A village in Shanxi province builds a tomb to mark the 110th birth anniversary of Dutch priest Aemilianus van Heel, who spent years in the village in the 1930s and gave his life to protect the residents against Japanese aggressors. [Photo by Sun Ruisheng/China Daily]

The tomb of Aemilianus van Heel located on top of a small hill in Shitou Geda village, Yuanqu, North China's Shanxi province, overlooks a patch of a wheat field he reclaimed from the wild in the 1930s.

The newly built white-marble tombstone, which looks conspicuous against the Loess Plateau, is 310 centimeters tall, representing the 31 years of the Franciscan missionary's life. He was from Leiden in the Netherlands, and known as Father Hu Yongsheng among locals.

This year marks the 110th birth anniversary of Van Heel.

The residents of Shitou Geda regard him as a family member, who is still alive, residing on the hill, and a patron saint of their hometown.

The Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Yuanqu county on Sept 13, 1938. Then, more than 2,000 refugees hid in the Catholic church in Shitou Geda.

Van Heel sat at a table in front of the church to prevent the Japanese troops from harassing those inside at the time.

On Oct 8, the Japanese army broke into the church hunting for women. But he threw a Japanese soldier out of the church, just like an "eagle catching a little chicken", many senior villagers say.

The furious Japanese soldiers then sent him an ultimatum demanding he hand over 20 young women and 10 cattle to them.

Van Heel is believed to have replied: "You can take my mule. There are no cattle in the church. As long as I am here, you will not get a single woman from the church."

The villagers found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom the next morning. It is believed that he was murdered that night with two shots in the chest and a deep cut on each of his wrists.
In a development that has posed serious questions on the quality of arms manufactured in India, cheap Chinese parts passed off as 'Made in Germany' found their way to the production line of Indian-made Bofors artillery guns called Dhanush.

CBI has filed a case against a Delhi-based company that supplied the parts.

The Indian-made gun has cleared trials with the Indian Army and has proved its ability to strike targets 38 km away as compared to the original Bofors gun which has a range of approximately 27 kilometres.

PTI/Representational Image

But an initial probe by the CBI suggests that the Gun Carriage Factory in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, that built the initial few guns, had accepted a Chinese made crucial part called 'Wire Race Roller Bearings'.

The first order for four bearings was placed by the factory in 2013. In August 2014, the company was asked to provide six. The delivery of two bearings each was made on three occasions between 7 April 2014 and 12 August 2014.

The CBI said production and performance of the Dhanush gun is extremely crucial for India's defence preparedness and "wire race roller bearing" is its vital component.

AP/Representational Image

This was done as a special case though its tests showed that the bearings supplied by Delhi-based Sidh Sales Syndicate were unacceptable due to deviations in dimensions.

The company had claimed that it was sourcing the spares from a German firm, CRB Antriebstechnik and even produced certificates from this company. The CBI's complaint said the spares were also embossed as 'CRB-Made in Germany'.

The CBI, however, found that the documents were forged and German company didn't even manufacture the parts it was supposed to have supplied.
It seems like US carriers have failed to learn lessons from the PR nightmare United Airlines had to go through earlier this years after a passenger was forcefully removed from a flight.

Now another carrier, JetBlue has been accused of removing a family with a 1-year-old kid from a flight.

The family of five; including parents Tamir Raanan, Mandy Ifrah and their three children; were on a plane leaving the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport in Florida when they were removed from the New York-bound flight on June 21.

The reason, they say, is that their 1-year-old daughter kicked the seat in front of her.

The kick apparently upset the woman sitting in front seat prompting the mother to apologise.

Soon, a flight attendant came up to them and asked them to disembark. When asked for an explanation, the attendant asked them to get off the plane so we can discuss this.

According to the airline, the parents made physical threats and profanities to the other passenger and hence the decision was made to kick them off.

The customers were not removed due to the actions of their children, JetBlue said in a response.
Move over big oil and insurance companies, it's time for big technology names to rule the world!

The tech industry hit a huge milestone earlier in the week, with the five biggest companies hitting past $3 trillion aggregate market cap, according to Google Finance data.

That's larger than the individual GDP of countries like France ($2.4 trillion), UK ($2.9 trillion), India ($2.1 trillion) or Italy ($1.8 trillion).

The feat is pretty remarkable, but not that surprising considering the recent trend. The top 5 tech companies, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft, are also among the highest market valued corporations across all industries.

TechCrunch reported (in its spreadsheet that sources data from Google Finance) that the five companies reach the $3.03 trillion mark when combined. The milestone is huge, as it rivals the sort of of boom the market witnessed during the peak of the dot-com days.

big 5 are green across the board (Now worth $2.72T) pic.twitter.com/51XQJbAGHr  happy/sore alex (@alex) April 24, 2017

Sure, theres been plenty of mistrust and instability among other tech companies lately thanks to closures, layoffs, and lawsuits aplenty. However, the giants at the top of the ladder have managed to hold onto their positions, in part thanks to their diversity of investments. Each of the top 5 have long-since diversified from their once-main product or service offering.

Additionally, its intriguing to note that each of these companies has also begun investing in artificial intelligence, pegged to be the factor that drives the tech industry in the near future alongside the Internet of Things and Virtual Reality.

It's now a matter of just how much bigger these goliaths can get, and whether they can avoid the mistakes of their predecessors to keep their top spots.
Description

Ever wonder how to make it as an artist?

Join us for the first in a series of lectures at the Art League of Long Island with New York City based artists who are makin it and are very Art at Work.

These back to back lectures, part of the Art at Work lecture series coming this fall, are designed to help you "make it" as an artist. Learn about an artist's work both in and beyond the studio from emerging and mid-career artists and designers who are finding success in an ever changing field. In this lecture shoe designer Cindy Waters and milliner Stella Rose St. Clair, tell their stories, introduce you to their work, and share their secrets to success!

ABOUT THE DESIGNERS:

CINDY WATERS is a seasoned shoe designer. She hails from Queens, and graduated from Parsons School of Design. She is an expert fashion illustrator and was hired by Conde Nast help architects conceptualize the catwalk at the Oculus of the new World Trade Center by creating a large scale illustration. For the past several years, Waters was the Senior Shoe Designer for a major retailer that sold her designs in over 300 stores nationwide. She is also featured as a model in the Summer Issue of the fashion magazine Iris Covet Book in an editorial that highlights body positivity. Learn more about Cindy at cwatersny.com

STELLA ROSE ST. CLAIR is an expert milliner, fashion designer, blogger, model, and overall it girl living in Brooklyn, NY. Born in the East Village, she lived in Seattle during her formative years only to return to her original stomping ground. Stella has designed couture headwear and costumes for pop star Melanie Martinez, formed her own brand called ITSSTELLAROSE, and was featured in an editorial for the April 2017 issue of NYLON magazine. Learn more at itsstellarose.com
45 Senators and 237 Congress Members Support Bill That Makes Boycotting Israel a Crime





The American Civil Liberties Union calls the bill a 'direct violation of the First Amendment'



By Emily Shugerman

July 22, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - A bill that would criminalise boycotts against Israel has been signed by 45 US senators and 237 congressman.

The so-called Israel Anti-Boycott Act would impose fines of up to $250,000 (192,000) on any US citizen engaged in interstate or foreign commerce who supports a boycott of Israeli goods and services.

The US has long defended Israel in territorial disputes in the Middle East, even as the Israeli military has expanded into areas assigned to the Palestinians by international law.

This position runs counter to that of the United Nations , which claims Israels settlements in occupied Palestinian territory have no legal validity, and constitute flagrant violation of international law.

In their new legislation, members of Congress claim the UN is considering a resolution to withhold assistance from  and prevent trade with  settlements in East Jerusalem , the West Bank , and the Golan Heights.

The Israel Anti-Boycott act would punish any American who supported such measures.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has argued that the bill would impose civil and criminal punishment on individuals solely because of their political beliefs about Israel and its policies, in a letter sent to members of the Senate.

In short, the bill would punish businesses and individuals solely based on their point of view, it wrote. Such a penalty is in direct violation of the First Amendment.

Israel: From independence to intifada

Still, the bill  reportedly drafted with the help of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)  has received widespread bipartisan support.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter

Even liberal-leaning senators like Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Maria Cantwell of Washington, and representatives like Adam Schiff of Massachusetts, have signed on to the legislation.

Conservatives like Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida also support it.

When asked by The Intercept about this support, many legislators seemed unfamiliar with the details.

Whatever your opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it's clear the Constitution protects the right to boycott.  ACLU National (@ACLU) July 20, 2017

Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan responded by asking: Whats the Act?

Senator Claire McCaskill claimed she had not read the ACLU letter, but would take their position into consideration, just like I take everybodys position into consideration.

Meanwhile, Senator Benjamin Cardin  the bills primary sponsor  said that he doesnt think the bill criminalises participating in boycotts, as the ACLU has claimed.

We are very sensitive to freedom of speech; we are very sensitive to people having different views, he said. Were not trying to weigh in at all on the differences between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

This article was first published by

The Independent

-

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Is Iran in Our Gun Sights Now?

By Patrick Buchanan

July 22, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Iran must be free. The dictatorship must be destroyed. Containment is appeasement and appeasement is surrender.

Thus does our Churchill, Newt Gingrich, dismiss, in dealing with Iran, the policy of containment crafted by George Kennan and pursued by nine U.S. presidents to bloodless victory in the Cold War.

Why is containment surrender? Because freedom is threatened everywhere so long as this dictatorship stays in power, says Gingrich.

But how is our freedom threatened by a regime with 3 percent of our GDP that has been around since Jimmy Carter was president?

Fortunately, Gingrich has found a leader to bring down the Iranian regime and ensure the freedom of mankind. In our country that was George Washington and  the Marquis de Lafayette. In Italy it was Garibaldi, says Gingrich.

Whom has he found to rival Washington and Garibaldi? Says Gingrich, Maryam Rajavi.

Who is she? The leader of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, which opposed the Shah, broke with the old Ayatollah, collaborated with Saddam Hussein, and, until 2012, was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State.

At the NCRI conference in Paris in July where Gingrich spoke, and the speaking fees were reportedly excellent, John Bolton and Rudy Giuliani were also on hand.

Calling Irans twice-elected President Hassan Rouhani, a violent, vicious murderer, Giuliani said, the time has come for regime change.

Bolton followed suit. Tehran is not merely a nuclear weapons threat, it is not merely a terrorist threat, it is a conventional threat to everybody in the region, he said. Hence, the declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullahs regime in Tehran.

We will all celebrate in Tehran in 2019, Bolton assured the NCRI faithful.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter

Good luck. Yet, as The New York Times said yesterday, all this talk, echoed all over this capital, is driving us straight toward war. A drumbeat of provocative words, outright threats and actions  from President Trump and some of his top aides as well as Sunni Arab leaders and American activists  is raising tensions that could lead to armed conflict with Iran.

Is this what America wants or needs  a new Mideast war against a country three times the size of Iraq?

After Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, would America and the world be well-served by a war with Iran that could explode into a Sunni-Shiite religious war across the Middle East?

Bolton calls Iran a nuclear weapons threat.

But in 2007, all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies declared with high confidence Iran had no nuclear weapons program. They stated this again in 2011. Under the nuclear deal, Iran exported almost all of its uranium, stopped enriching to 20 percent, shut down thousands of centrifuges, poured concrete into the core of its heavy water reactor, and allows U.N. inspectors to crawl all over every facility.

Is Iran, despite all this, operating a secret nuclear weapons program? Or is this War Party propaganda meant to drag us into another Mideast war?

To ascertain the truth, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should call the heads of the CIA and DIA, and the Director of National Intelligence, to testify in open session.

We are told we are menaced also by a Shiite Crescent rising and stretching from Beirut to Damascus, Baghdad and Tehran.

And who created this Shiite Crescent?

It was George W. Bush who ordered the Sunni regime of Saddam overthrown, delivering Iraq to its Shiite majority. It was Israel whose invasion and occupation of Lebanon from 1982 to 2000 gave birth to the Shiite resistance now known as Hezbollah.

As for Bashar Assad in Syria, his father sent troops to fight alongside Americans in the Gulf War.

The Ayatollahs regime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij militia are deeply hostile to this country. But Iran does not want war with the United States  for the best of reasons. Iran would be smashed like Iraq, and its inevitable rise, as the largest and most advanced country on the Persian Gulf, would be aborted.

Moreover, we have interests in common: Peace in the Gulf, from which Irans oil flows and without which Iran cannot grow, as Rouhani intends, by deepening Irans ties to Europe and the advanced world.

And we have enemies in common: ISIS, al-Qaida and all the Sunni terrorists whose wildest dream is to see their American enemies fight their Shiite enemies.

Who else wants a U.S. war with Iran, besides ISIS?

Unfortunately, their number is legion: Saudis, Israelis, neocons and their think tanks, websites and magazines, hawks in both parties on Capitol Hill, democracy crusaders, and many in the Pentagon who want to deliver payback for what the Iranian-backed Shiite militias did to us in Iraq.

President Trump is key. If he does the War Partys bidding, that will be his legacy, as the Iraq War is the legacy of George W. Bush.

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of a new book, "Nixon's White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever." To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

CNN host shocked to learn US meddled in 81 elections in 47 countries
Brennan, Rice, Power -- Lock Them Up!





By David Stockman

July 22, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - We frequently hear people say they have nothing to hide-so surrendering privacy and constitutional rights to the Surveillance State may not be such a big deal if it helps catch a terrorist or two. But with each passing day in the RussiaGate drama we are learning that this superficial exoneration is dangerously beside the point.

We are referring here to the unrelenting witch hunt that has been unleashed by Imperial Washington against the legitimately elected President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. This campaign of lies, leaks and Russophobia is the handiwork of Obamas top national security advisors, who blatantly misused Washingtons surveillance apparatus to discredit Trump and to effectively nullify Americas democratic process.

That is, constitutional protections and liberties were systematically breached, but not simply to intimidate, hush or lock up citizens one by one as per the standard totalitarian modus operandi. Instead, what has happened is that the entire public debate has been hijacked by the shadowy forces of the Deep State and their partisan and media collaborators.

The enabling culprits are Obamas last CIA director, John Brennan, his national security advisor Susan Rice and UN Ambassador Samantha Power. There is now mounting evidence that it was they who illegally unmasked NSA intercepts from Trump Tower; they who confected the Russian meddling narrative from behind the protective moat of classified intelligence; and they who orchestrated a systematic campaign of leaks and phony intelligence reports during the presidential transition-all designed to delegitimize Trump before he even took the oath of office.

So all three of them should be lockedup-thats for sure. But the more urgent solution would be to unlock and make public all the innuendo, surmises, assessments, half-truths and boilerplate intelligence chatter on which the entire false narrative about Russian meddling and collusion is based.

Stated differently, without the nations massive intelligence apparatus and absurd system of secrecy and classified information to hide behind, the RussiaGate witch hunt would have never gotten off the ground.

In truth, as we will essay below, there is no there, there. So what this new chapter in McCarthyite hysteria actually demonstrates is that the Imperial Citys far-flung, 17-agency, $75 billion Intelligence Behemoth is a plenary threat not just to individual liberty, but to the very constitutional democracy on which the latter depends.

To appreciate the severity of the threat, it is necessary to recognize that the post-9/11 Deep State has lowered a double whammy on our system. That is, it unconstitutionally collects the entirety of all internet based communications of Americas 325 million citizen, while at the same time it has effectively disenfranchised 98% of the 535 members of the House and Senate who have been elected to represent them.

Accordingly, behind the Surveillance States vast wall of secrecy and so-called classified information, there operates a Dark Government that is unaccountable to the public and largely unconstrained by normal constitutional limits, which the Patriot Act and secret FISA courts have more or less suspended.

In the realm of this Dark Government, the heart of American democracy-the US Congresshas been completely usurped. Almost everything behind the secrecy wall is off limits to the rank and file. Only a handful of intelligence committee members and the House and Senate leadership gets sworn into the classified intelligence.

Yet just consider the hideous asymmetry of this arrangement. The so-called Gang of Eight, comprising the heads of the intelligence oversight committees and their respective party leadership, gets orally briefed in a secure vault, where they cant take notes or carry-out any documents.

Moreover, this select handful of legislators consists of the incessantly mobilized and frazzled potentates of Capitol Hill who are always knee-deep in a thousand other distractions-including a heavy quotient of politicking, fund-raising, and campaign trail excursions.

On the inside of the Surveillance State wall, by contrast, there are 600,000 employees or contractors with top secret security clearances alone; and more than 4 million total operatives who spend night and days feasting on the $75 billion Intelligence Community (IC) budget and carrying out projects and missions designed to justify their existence and keep the budgetary gravy train flowing.

For example, in the National Security Agency (NSA) there is a subsidiary entity called TAO (Targeted Access Operations) with a budget of several billions and more than 1,000 employees. The latter predominately consist of high-powered civilian and military hackers, computer geeks, intelligence analysts, targeting specialists, computer hardware and software designers and electrical engineers-whose job it is to do exactly what Russia is being accused of.

Namely, to hack and electronically infiltrate the communications and operations of nearly every government on the planet, and most especially those of IC designated enemies and adversaries such as Russia and Iran.Indeed, TAOs motto says it all: The Great Deformation:... David A. Stockman Best Price: $2.88 Buy New $10.56

Your data is our data, your equipment is our equipment  anytime, any place, by any legal means.

In any given 24-hour day, the TAO hacks and deposits more disinformation and malware into its targeted foreign networks than all the low level Russian probes that were intercepted by NSA during the entire Presidential campaign.

In other words, Washington is the mother of all hackers and cyber-warfare operations, and what Russia and other nations do is only a small potatoes version of the same. Yet the overwhelming share of these digital cloak and dagger operation by all sides is a huge waste of national resources; and most especially it is of no value at all to the safety of the American people.

That because Russia, China and Iran-the principal targets of the ICs massive surveillance and cyber warfare activitiesare no threats whatsoever to Americas security.

Iran has zero military capacity to attack the American homeland, and the claim that it is the leading sponsor of terrorism is pure bunkum. That hoary claim has been concocted by the Washington neocons and the Netanyahu political machineboth of which need demonized enemies in order to nurture the public fears on which their power is based.

Likewise, Russia has one 40-year old smoke-belching aircraft carry and a fleet of rowboatsneither of which are capable of launching an assault on the New Jersey shores. True, it does have about 1,00o nuclear warheads; but where is the evidence that cool-hand Vlad is contemplating national suicide by using them against the US or Europe?

The purported Chinese threat is even more ludicrous. Notwithstanding the fertile imaginations of the Deep State fear-mongers who believe the South China Sea is actually an American Lake, the Red Suzerains of Beijing know fully well that without the continuous custom of Wal-Mart and Amazon warehouses, the Red Ponzi would collapse in a heartbeat. And that they would be hung by angry mobs from the CCTV (China Central Television) Tower shortly thereafter.

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In fact, we dont need the $75 billion Surveillance State to deal with the Taliban, the jihadist warlords of Somalia or any of the warring Sunni vs. Shiite (Houthis) parties of Yemen, either. They do not threaten Americas security in the slightest.

Nor did the government of Khadafy in Libya after he turned in his nukes. Likewise, the Assad regime has never, ever threatened to harm America-despite the non-stop vilification from Washington.

At most, Washington needs modest local and theatre level capacity to monitor the fading remnants of the Islamic State-a temporary scourge in the mostly the impoverished Sunni villages of the Upper Euphrates, which would not even exist in the first place had it not been fostered and armed with the weapons the US Army left behind in the fiasco of Iraq.

So consider the contrafactual. In the absence of a vast Warfare State apparatus and associated Surveillance State wall of secrecy what would RussiaGate amount to?

The answer is straight-forward: It was nothing more than a politically motivated plot orchestrated by former CIA director Brennan to undermine the Presidential campaign of a rambunctious outsider. That is, the Donald was unschooled in the groupthink of the Imperial City and had enough common sense to realize that Putin is not our enemy, that NATO is obsolete, that regime change has been a fiasco and that foreign policy should be based on homeland security first, not the perpetuation of an American Empire abroad. The Triumph of Politic... David Stockman Best Price: $3.40 Buy New $11.85

Those inchoate impulses were the Donalds original sin, and it was unverified and self-serving intelligence from the Latvian security service-of all things- that provided the pretext for Brennan to launch the Deep States own version of jihad against Trump.

What this dubious intelligence did was to finger Vlad Putin himself and that was crucial. It permitted Brennan to puff-up the evidence of run-of-the-mill cyber intrusions by the Russian security services-or even unconnected Russian hackers and profiteers into a sweeping but phony narrative about an attack on American democracy with Putin at the very center.

As Scott Ritter- the weapons expert who blew the whistle on the ICs trumped up claims about Saddams WMDs-succinctly explained in a recent article, Brennan proceeded to turn a dubious molehill into a vertiable mountain:

According to reporting from the Washington Post, sometime during this period, CIA Director John Brennan gained access to a sensitive intelligence report from a foreign intelligence service. This service claimed to have technically penetrated the inner circle of Russian leadership to the extent that it could give voice to the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he articulated Russias objectives regarding the 2016 U.S. Presidential election  to defeat Hillary Clinton and help elect Donald Trump, her Republican opponent. This intelligence was briefed to President Barack Obama and a handful of his closest advisors in early August, with strict instructions that it not be further disseminated.

The explosive nature of this intelligence report, both in terms of its sourcing and content, served to drive the investigation of Russian meddling in the American electoral process by the U.S. intelligence community. The problem, however, was that it wasnt the U.S. intelligence community, per se, undertaking this investigation, but rather (according to the Washington Post) a task force composed of several dozen analysts from the CIA, NSA and FBI, handpicked by the CIA director and set up at the CIA Headquarters who functioned as a sealed compartment, its work hidden from the rest of the intelligence community.

The result was a closedcircle of analysts who operated in complete isolation from the rest of the U.S. intelligence community. The premise of their work  that Vladimir Putin personally directed Russian meddling in the U.S. Presidential election to tip the balance in favor of Donald Trump  was never questioned in any meaningful fashion, despite its sourcing to a single intelligence report from a foreign service.

President Obama ordered the U.S. intelligence community to undertake a comprehensive review of Russian electoral meddling. As a result, intelligence analysts began to reexamine old intelligence reports based upon the premise of Putins direct involvement, allowing a deeply disturbing picture to be created of a comprehensive Russian campaign to undermine the American electoral process.

Heres the thing. Vlad didnt do it. The only interference in the electoral process that he has been associated with is with respect to what Imperial Washington did next door while he was basking in glory at the Sochi Olympics in February 2014.

To wit, the violent coup on the streets of Kiev was organized by agents and organs of the US government; overthrew a constitutionally elected President who had decided to make an economic and security deal with Russia rather than Europe and NATO in keeping with Ukraines economic propinquity to the former and its 700- years of history as an integral part of Greater Russia; and which imposed a new government, hand-picked by the Obama State Department, which was dominated by Ukrainian nationalists and neo-Nazis who were demonstrably hostile to the Russian speaking populations of Crimea and the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

Stated differently, Imperial Washington is the world champion meddler in other peoples politics and elections. Since the CIA sponsored coup against the Mosaddegh government in Iran in 1953, it has sponsored more than eighty incidents ranging from election bag money to military coups.

By contrast, the putative Russian attack on American democracy consists of three specific accusationsall of which are readily refutable.

In the first place, Podestas password was password and could have been hacked by any fat guy, or not, on any computer plugged into the worldwide web anywhere.

Moreover, Julian Assange of Wikileaks, who makes a living disclosing the truth, not propagating lies as does the IC, says it did not come from Russian state agents; and that it was in fact leaked, not hacked, by disgruntled Democrat insiders.

In any event, if it had actually been hacked by either Russian agents or the proverbial fat guy, there would be a digital imprint stored in NSAs vast server farms. The fact that it hasnt leaked amidst all the rest of the anti-Russian innuendo and intelligence hearsay proves beyond much doubt that no such record exists and no such Russian intrusion ever happened.

As for the DNC emails, the smoking gun there still smolders in plain sight. The FBI apparently never even took custody of the DNC computerfarming out the job to an outfit named Crowdstrike. Alas, the latter is a DNC contractor and wannabe silicon valley IPO run by some fanatical Russian ex-pats looking for fame and fortune. Its no wonder they didnt want the FBI second guessing their conclusions.

Finally, there is the Latvian intelligence morsel about Putins personal direction of the election meddling campaign. If the Donald had any common sense he would declassify said report forthwith.

But never mind. It surely doesnt exist anyway-or it too would have leaked long ago.

And thats all she wrote. The rest is pure spin leaked by Trumps enemies in the Deep State and canonized by its collaborators in the main stream media.

Unfortunately, the Donald doesnt seem to recognize that he is actually President. If he did, he would have the Justice Department launch a prosecution against the faithless officials-Brennan, Rice and Power-who concocted the whole RussiaGate defamation in the first place.

David Stockman is the ultimate Washington insider turned iconoclast. He began his career in Washington as a young man and quickly rose through the ranks of the Republican Party to become the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan. After leaving the White House, Stockman had a 20-year career on Wall Street.

This article was first published by

David Stockmans Contra Corner

-
Trump: End The Syria War Now

By Eric Margolis

July 22, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Many Americans voted for Donald Trump because he vowed to end the foreign conflicts in which the US had become entangled. So far, they have been disappointed. But this week a light flashed at the end of the tunnel.

President Trump, according to numerous reliable Washington sources, has decided to end US arms supplies and logistics support to Syrias jihadist rebels that have fuelled the bloody six-year conflict. Washington, and its allies Britain and France, have persistently denied arming Syrias jihadist rebels fighting to bring down the Russian and Iranian-backed government of President Bashar Assad.

Former President George W. Bush actively considered invading Syria around 2008 in collusion with Israel. But the Israelis then pointed out that there were no Western-friendly groups to replace Assad, only extreme militant Sunni Muslim groups. Even the usually reckless Bush called off the invasion of Syria.

By contrast, Barack Obama gave a green light to the CIA to arm, train and logistically support anti-Assad jihadist rebels in Syria. Arms poured in from Lebanon and, later, Turkey, paid for by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates. Small numbers of US, British and French advisors went to Syria to teach the jihadists how to use mortars, explosives, and anti-tank weapons. The medias claim that the fighting in Syria was due to a spontaneous popular uprising was false. The repressive Assad government was widely unpopular but the uprising was another CIA color-style operation.

The object of this operation was to overthrow President Assad and his Shiite-leaning regime, which was supported by Iran, a bogeyman to all the US-backed feudal Arab oil monarchies. Syria was also to be punished because it refused Washingtons demands to sever ties with Iran and accept US tutelage.

Then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton championed the covert war against Syria, arranging massive shipments of arms and munitions to the rebels from Kadaffi-era arms stores in Libya, and from Egypt, Croatia, likely Serbia, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. Once again, the Gulf Arabs paid the bill.

The offensive against Syria was accompanied by a powerful barrage of anti-Assad propaganda from the US and British media. From the background, Israel and its partisans beat the war drum against the Assad government.

The result of the western-engendered carnage in Syria was horrendous: at least 475,000 dead, 5 million Syrian refugees driven into exile in neighboring states (Turkey alone hosts three million), and another 6 million internally displaced. That is, some 11 million Syrians, or 61% of the population, driven from their homes into wretched living conditions and near famine.

Two of Syrias greatest and oldest cities, Damascus and Aleppo, have been pounded into ruins. Jihadist massacres and Russian and American air strikes have ravaged once beautiful, relatively prosperous Syria. Its ancient Christian peoples are fleeing for their lives before US and Saudi takfiri religious fanatics.

Just when it appeared the jihadists were closing in on Damascus, limited but effective Russian military intervention abruptly changed the course of the war. The Syrian Army was able to regain the military initiative and push back the jihadists. Intermixed with so-called takfiri rebels are some 3,000 ISIS jihadists who were originally armed and equipped by US advisors but have now run amok. They are under fierce western air attack in Syria and Iraq and are splintering.

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Russia and the US have been inching toward a major war over Syria. In fact, US intervention has been far more extensive than generally believed, as this writer has been reporting for the past five years. Turkish media linked to the government in Ankara has just revealed that the US has at least ten small military bases in northern Syria being used to support rebel jihadist forces.

Meanwhile, the US is now relying almost entirely on Kurdish militias, know in Syria as YPG, to attack ISIS and act in US interests. This has outraged Turkey, which regards YPG as part of the hated Kurdish independence movement, PKK, against which Turkey has fought for two decades. During the 1980s, I covered the Turkish-PKK conflict in eastern Anatolia.

If YPG/PKK emerges victorious from the Syrian conflict, Kurdish demands for an independent state in south eastern Turkey will intensify, threatening the breakup of the Turkish state. Kurds make up some 20% of Turkeys population of 80 million.

For this very important reason, Turkey has been pulling away from US-run NATO, and warming relations with Moscow. Turkey has NATOs second largest armed forces and key airbases that cover the Mideast.

Trumps announced retreat from Syria  if it turns out to be real  will mark a major turning point in US-Russian relations. It could well avoid a clash between Russia and the US, both nuclear powers. The US has no real business in Syria and no strategic interests

Americas powerful neocons, who have been pressing for war against Russia, will be furious. Expect the media war against Trump to intensify. So too claims that Trump colluded with Moscow to get elected.

Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation  Pakistan, Hurriyet,  Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. https://ericmargolis.com
Debunking Fake News With Scott Ritter

By Ron Paul



Former Marine Intelligence Officer and former UN Chief Weapons Inspector for Iraq, Scott Ritter, joins the Liberty Report today to explain why in his vast intelligence and WMD experience he believes the "Russia hacking" US Intel Report is bogus and why the "Assad used gas" conventional wisdom is just more fake news.



Ritter's expertise sheds much-welcome actual light onto these two vexing issues, where so much empty speculation seems to drive the thinking.

Posted July 22, 2017

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Home How the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Was Created by Big Pharma By Sally Painter The growing heroin addiction in America is at epidemic levels. Is there a connection between prescribed opioid abuse and the heroin use being on the rise? Some people have connected the dots between the over-prescribed pain-killer and the addiction that ensued and those addicts turned to heroin. OxyContin Rise as Number One Painkiller Prescribed According to a recent article written by Mike Mariani (The Week), the rise of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin was rapid and took over the market like no other painkiller had. In his examination of the opioids phenomenal success from its approval and subsequent 1996 introduction onto the healthcare marketplace, Mariani reports that Purdue Pharma sold $45 million worth of OxyContin during its first year. He explains that the sales figure rose to $1.1 Billion by 2000 and in 2010, the sales expanded to a whopping $3.1 Billion. He points out this signified a market dominance of 30% of all painkillers (1). This dominance in the market wasnt easily explained. Mariani reports that there were rumors concerning the wide range of uses the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) approved for the drug, such as post-operative pain to arthritis. Almost any type of pain was eligible to be treat with the popular painkiller. Mariani describes how concerns were also raised about the relationships between Purdue Pharma and the physicians since doctors favored prescribing OxyContin over other available pain killers. Motivations for Sales Force In his article, Mariani states that with a more than doubled sales force by 2000, Purdue Pharma offered annual bonuses of $70,000+ to sales reps. He reports that some sales reps earned as much as $250,000 in annual bonuses. So why was OxyContin such a hit with doctors? Mariani states that it was the companys marketing campaign that by 2001 was budgeted at $200 Million. He also points out that the company built a database that detailed the prescribing habits of doctors. Armed with this data, the sales force was able to target the highest-painkiller-prescribing doctors. Mariani refers to a Los Angeles Times report, that stated as early as 2002 Purdue Pharma had identified hundreds of doctors who were prescribing OxyContin recklessly, yet they did little about it. He describes how Purdue Pharmas mission was to, make primary care doctors less judicious when it came to handing out OxyContin prescriptions. Mariani points out that the addictive qualities of OxyContin made it a valuable street drug, especially when the FDA allowed it to be sold at higher doses than the original 80mg. Once the industry was forced to acknowledge the highly addictive properties of the drug, crackdown on physicians over-prescribing did little to help those already addicted. Many people believe that with the absence of OxyContin prescriptions to feed their addiction, those caught up in the Big Pharma net of the prescription painkiller turned to heroin. Was Heroin the Next Step Up from OxyContin Addiction? The CDC reports that 45% of heroin addicts are also addicted to prescription opioid painkillers. 9 of the 10 people using heroin reported using one other drug (2). According to the CDC, the face of heroin addiction has morphed indiscriminately among both genders of all age groups and income levels. Over the last 10 years, the use of heroin has doubled among 18-25 year olds. The CDC website states three demographic groups experiencing the highest increases were those that had historically been low rates of heroin addiction. These include: Women

Privately insured

Higher income earners As disturbing as these statistics are, it gets worse. The CDC states that heroin addicts are also abusing multiple other substances, especially cocaine and prescription opioid painkillers. With the epidemic of heroin addiction, cases of overdose-related deaths is also on the rise. The death rate quadrupled between 2002 and 2013 (3). A CDC 2014 Press Release cited a 2012 study of heroin and opioid death rates. The study conducted in 28 states for the years 20102012. The study was designed to represent 56% of the US population. The heroin death rate doubled over these states during this period. Five states reported an increase in the death rates of prescription opioid. Heroin Users and Prescription Opioids Abuse The same report stated that the prescription opioid user majority didnt become heroin addicts.

However, 3 out of 4 heroin users reported having abused prescription opioids prior to turning to heroin use. This signaled a relationship between prescription opioid abuse and heroin. This relationship, according to the CDC isnt surprising since heroin is an opioid, and both drugs act on the same receptors in the brain to produce similar effects. With heroin being the cheaper drug, addicts are turning to it instead of prescription opioids, especially since it is more readily available. The CDC advises that a reduction in inappropriate opioid prescribing as being a crucial step in the war against heroin and prescription addictions. Originally published on TopSecretWriters.com The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page
Charles Oputa popularly known as Area Fada or Charly Boy led some Igbo youths to protest in Owerri, the Imo State capital against what he described as bad governance in Nigeria on Friday.

The protest which was tagged Our Mumudondo, saw the protesters matching through the major streets in the state capital, clutching various placards and singing songs which condemned what the group described as spate of bad governance and corruption in the country.

According to Oputa , the movement is an umbrella association for every frustrated, angry, oppressed Nigerian, and I am the President.

He asserted that for too long, Nigerians have suffered worrisome levels of deprivation of amenities while state funds are fleeced away by public office holders.

People need to ask questions though we are our own worst enemies. We have been quiet for too long. We want to aggressively sensitise the people that nothing can change overnight except we make a move, Oputa said.

He lamented that corruption has stolen our grandchildrens future; there is impunity in the land; and there is criminality in government whereas public office holders ought to serve us and not the other way round.

Oputa charged Imo youths to rise up and take over the future, noting that the politicians are just interested in wallowing in endless corruption.

Law scholar and guest speaker, Prof Francis Dike regretted that almost 60 years after he protested as an undergraduate, colonialism still exists wherein politicians fleece public funds and stash away in tanks and abroad.

Dike lampooned leaders who he said travel abroad and enjoy the workings of an organised society but return to Nigeria to build amenities like roads which cave in while still under construction.

The time has come for the youths to rise up and demand good governance, no more corruption and impunity, Prof Dike said.

On his part, Chief Ejike Uche enjoined everyone irrespective of political affiliations to join the movement to demand inclusiveness and good governance.

Im calling on everyone to join this movement. Your power is in your legs and hands. Do not praise them when they are stealing our money. Let us kick them out, he said.

The rally attracted youths in their numbers who adorned black T.shirts with our mumu don do inscriptions and carried different placards demanding a stop to corruption and recklessness in public office.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Owing to his former firms regulatory troubles, the legendary founder of now-defunct SAC Capital Advisors may have to rely on a network of rich hedge fund managers and friends, as well as his own money, when he launches his new hedge fund next year.

Steve Cohen is Planning to launch a $20 billion hedge fund  and many institutional investors are planning to steer clear of it.

Cohen has been managing his own fortune at Point72 Asset Management, the family office he created in 2014 after his hedge fund firm, SAC Capital Advisors, pleaded guilty to insider-trading charges in the largest securities fraud case ever brought against a hedge fund. As part of the settlement, Cohen closed SAC and paid $1.8 billion in fines. In 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that Cohen would be barred from managing outside money until January 2018 to settle separate charges that he failed to supervise a former portfolio manager who had engaged in insider trading at SAC.

Cohen himself was never charged with insider trading, and the brevity of his ban sparked immediate speculation about when, not if, he would open a hedge fund after the order expired  not least of all because SAC delivered astonishing annual returns of 29 percent for 21 years. Sure enough, a Wall Street Journal report in late May said Cohen is planning to launch a new hedge fund open to outsiders as early as next year.

Cohen may have to rely on a network of rich hedge fund managers and friends, as well as his own money, to get it off the ground, as institutional investors  including corporate and public pension funds, endowments, and foundations  are not likely to pony up money. Of course, Cohen may not need institutional money to reach $20 billion, which is more money than he oversaw at SAC, but he may miss the imprimatur that managing money for a nationally known pension fund or an Ivy League endowment can lend. A representative for Cohen declined to comment.

Institutions wont necessarily stay away because they are skeptical of Cohens ability to generate returns. Rather, they fear bad publicity. Even talking on the record about possibly investing in Cohens hedge fund comes with some reputational risk. Almost all of the institutional investors interviewed for this story agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity.

One chief investment officer of a corporate pension plan expects few, if any, pension plans to invest with Cohen. I cant see anybody with a corporate plan doing something like this. Sooner or later, you have to report to the board, says the CIO. Theres infinite career risk for the CIO who tries to go down that path.

The CIO of a large U.S. public pension fund says underfunded plans could clearly use Cohens returns, but trustees wouldnt want to expose themselves to the potential bad press. Its hard to justify the headline risk, which could suck up an enormous amount of time and emotional energy.

Some industry watchers think sovereign wealth funds could be a big source of funds for Cohen, as many are not subject to the kinds of transparency requirements that pensions must adhere to. Endowments, too, could invest with Cohen, as they generally are more secretive about the underlying managers in their portfolios and have historically invested in asset classes and firms that are off the beaten path.

At the same time, endowments are facing political and governance issues, such as calls for divestment from fossil fuels. It wouldnt look great to get out of something like Exxon stock and then plow money into Cohen, whose former firm was the poster child for bad hedge fund behavior, notes one executive at an asset management firm.

Others have reservations for more traditional reasons. An active manager with $20 billion is too big to be able to outperform in the current market environment, says Jim Dunn, CEO and CIO of Verger Capital Management, which manages money for endowments, including that of Wake Forest University. There arent that many good ideas out there, he explains. Its going to be hard to put that money to work given how low rates are and given fund flows from passive managers that are driving everything up.

Cohen has taken steps to make even his family office more institutional. He has invested in a range of businesses, including crowdsourced quantitative manager Quantopian; spent heavily on compliance for Point72; and brought in a new team with gold-plated pedigrees, including McKinsey executive Doug Haynes, Point72s president.

Though Cohens reputation may have been tarnished by his regulatory woes, his status as a hedge fund legend remains firmly intact. Even outside finance, the name Point72 evokes prestige. And even if institutional investors give Cohens new fund a pass, there is one group of potential investors who may not be able to resist it. Hell get big checks from hedge fund managers, says a former hedge fund executive. Its their way to give a giant f you to regulators.
It is a criminal offence if directors do not apply for their director ID on time
A California broker is promising to bring a first-of-its-kind financial resource that pays homeowners after an earthquake for a low monthly premium whether theres damage to the home or not.

A Berkeley, Calif.-based firm called Jumpstart Insurance Solutions Inc. recently made known its plans to launch the new product in late August on its website.

The Jumpstart site touts that the coming product provides Revolutionary Coverage with No Deductible, No Exclusions, and No Paperwork. It also has a disclaimer that the product does not yet exist.

Under what appears to be a parametric product, which does not indemnify the pure loss but makes a payment upon the occurrence of a triggering event, policyholders pay a monthly amount and are promised they will get paid a set amount automatically if there is an earthquake in their area, even if they do not suffer damage. The payment would be enough to help pay for minor repairs but not be sufficient for a major loss or rebuild.

A spokesperson declined to discuss the firm, its product or what the premium or payout would be prior the launch.

About Jumpstart

Jumpstart is registered with the California Secretary of State as a benefits corporation. According to the articles of incorporation filed on Nov. 4, 2015, the purpose of this particular benefits corporation is to generate a general public benefit including, but not limited to, the specific public benefit of increasing economic stimulus after a natural disaster.

Jumpstart is licensed with the California Department of Insurance as a property insurance broker-agent, casualty broker-agent and surplus lines broker. All licenses were issued in 2016 and are still active.

Nancy Kincaid, a CDI spokeswoman, couldnt offer much detail on the broker or the product the firm may be offering.

They are properly licensed as a surplus lines broker, but we dont have any products filed from them with the Department of Insurance, Kincaid said.

According to the Surplus Lines Association of California, Jumpstart received its license on Dec. 7, 2016, but it has not yet submitted any filings to the SLA.

Jumpstart and Recoup

Jumpstart is headed by Kate Stillwell, who is the founder and CEO. Stillwell is a former structural engineer and earthquake risk consultant. From 2010 to 2012, she was an earthquake products manager for EQECAT Inc., a catastrophe risk modeling firm acquired by California-based data and analytics firm Corelogic in late 2013.

Another co-founder and advisor on the team is Alan Hampton, who is also the founder and CEO of Recoup Financial, a catastrophe emergency funds startup, which was reportedly acquired by Jumpstart. The Recoup Financial website is currently previewing a product similar to what Jumpstart is promising that gives cash the day after an earthquake. Consumers can choose from $1,000 up to $30,000 in coverage as well as select the quake intensity at which they want the funds paid  all for a small monthly payment that is calculated on the site.

Stillwells team also includes others with a background in data and risk analysis. Joseph Kim, listed as Jumpstarts head of technology, was formerly the vice president of software development with RMS, while Michael Shilman, the lead developer, was the former chief technical officer of Lab80.

According to Crunchbase, which tracks venture capital activity, Jumpstart received $400,000 in angel funding on Sept. 1, 2016. The investors are listed as Berkeley Angel Network and an undisclosed investor. The Berkeley Angel Network is a group of angel investors who are alumni, faculty and former faculty of U.C. Berkeley. The group has invested in a craft beer company, a business in the healthcare industry, a biotech company and an environmentally friendly product maker.

Stillwells LinkedIn profile lists her as a graduate of U.C. Berkeleys Walter A. Haas School of Business.

Financial Product

Tom Larsen, a product architect for Irvine, Calif.-based CoreLogic, which owns EQECAT, is intrigued by what Jumpstart is planning to offer, which he called purely a financial product.

However, he emphasized that buyers must be made to realize the risk they are taking by accepting a fixed payout in lieu of compensation for the rebuild value on their homes.

Its one thing for a sophisticated buyer, such as a large company, to purchase a parametric product because they often buy a wrap-around type of insurance product to cover their loss from a given peril, he said.

A consumer buying only the parametric product for earthquake is relying on luck, he added.

He drove home his point about the randomness of damage that occurs from an earthquake and the difficulty knowing just how much coverage will be enough in the event a temblor strikes.

Not all earthquake damage is total, he noted.

As a scientist I go to an area after an earthquake has hit and when I see a block of homes, I do not see rubble, rubble, rubble. I see no damage, no damage, oops, he said. Its that uncertainty that your accepting as a buyer for this Jumpstart product.

Quake Coverage Competitor

The executive who is the face of the states earthquake insurance business has heard about what Jumpstart is trying to do, and he has no problem with it.

Weve heard of companies like Jumpstart that are exploring offering some sort of parametric product, said Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority (CEA).

He said the product may have a few regulatory hurdles to clear but he welcomes it.

While the CEA board has not taken an official stance on parametric products, Pomeroys attitude is that the more people in California who are covered for earthquake loss, the better.

Theres huge uninsured exposure for earthquake in California, he said. Thats why we as the CEA have not tended to view other companies that are out there as competitors. Whether someone buys a policy from us or coverage from someone else, we think thats a good thing.

A little over 10 percent of California homes have earthquake insurance, according to the California Department of Insurance. This makes Californias market ripe for firms like Jumpstart, Pomeroy said.

Uninsured risk invites innovation, he said.

Both Larsen and Pomeroy see the upside in Jumpstarts business model being that the firm can offer products cheaply because of low overhead.

They can put a fair amount of coverage out there cheaply because they dont have all the cost of underwriting or claims adjusting, Pomeroy said.

Topics California Catastrophe Agencies Earthquake
An Anti-Brothel protest taking place this evening is aiming to force brothels in Dublin's north inner city to close.

A group of residents have already successfully forced one brothel to shut down in the Dorset Street area.
Dublin City Council has granted planning permission to GCS Hotel Property Ltd for the extension that will include 30 bedrooms on the new floor, bringing the hotel up to 217 rooms.

The plan also involves a new glass enclosed rooftop pavilion on the eighth level that will house a new 302sq metre restaurant, a 131sq metre bar area and a 197sq metre function room.
Fianna Fail city councillor Ken OFlynn has written to three government ministers highlighting concerns about the safeguarding of such historic items after city officials admitted they have no inventory of them in the wake of the Dunscombe fountain mystery. He said the fact Cork City Council has no inventory of items of such importance is worrying.

These items have significant heritage and cultural value and must be accounted for, recorded and located, he said.

Mr OFlynn raised concerns in May about the missing Dunscombe foundation, gifted to the people of Cork in the late 1800s.

While archives show it was in place by 1880 in an area known as Browns Square at the bottom of Shandon St  an area created following the demolition of several small houses and shops  further records show it was given to Cork Corporation in April 1883.

Historical records suggest the foundation was removed sometime before the 1980s and that another fountain was installed on Browns Square as part of the Cork 800 celebrations in 1985. That fountain was removed in 2003 ahead of the Shandon St renewal scheme.

Despite offering a 100 reward for information on the whereabouts of the Dunscombe Foundation, its location is still a mystery.

Mr OFlynn said he was shocked when officials admitted there is no list.

They said they were happy to give consideration to the initiation of a process to create the appropriate inventory but it later emerged there is no funding, he said.

Mr OFlynn has written to the Minister for Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, the Minister of Arts and Heritage, Heather Humphreys, and the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, to highlight his concerns.

He told them that since he raised the issue, he has been contacted by members of historical societies who have expressed deep concern about the states attitude to such items.

He has asked MrMurphy and Ms Humphreys to examine how other local authorities are cataloguing such items  many of which pre-date the foundation of the state.

And he said they should liaise with the Department of Finance given that it funds public art schemes under the Per Cent for Art scheme.

I believe local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that all art, sculptures, statues, and street furniture in the public realm are recorded and checked on a regular basis to ensure they are in the location they were placed by council staff, said Mr OFlynn.
The housing minister has also appealed to the public for help in solving the crisis, seeking ways to boost construction and supply, tackle homelessness and to use vacant homes.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has opened a public consultation and has asked people to submit their ideas and suggestions by August 11.

I am open to new ideas, big or small, on these or other issues that can increase housing supply at affordable prices, he said.

He has set out a number of ways to potentially address the national housing shortage, which is now seeing prices for homes in Dublin rising rapidly towards boom-time levels.

The options he seeks suggestions on include:

- New/additional supply side measures for social, private and rented accommodation;

- Further measures to tackle homelessness and to help families remain in their own homes;

- A vacant homes strategy that includes measures that can act as a disincentive to vacancy;

- Ways of reducing construction costs and improving apartment and house-building;

- New measures to support and/or encourage the rental sector;

- Options for elderly people wishing to downsize and to support less abled people to live independently in the community;

- Ways of delivering sustainable mixed tenure solutions on sites of scale.

The appeal for public consultation, though, has drawn a mixed reaction.

Age Action pointed out that facilities for community or shared accommodation settings for elderly people wanting to downsize were not sufficiently developed in Ireland. Its head of advocacy and communications, Justin Moran, told the Irish Examiner that the big challenge was trying to find spaces for those people.

Lots of people actually are interested in downsizing but they also rely on their existing community and neighbours. They could lose this doing so. And so they need other options, he said.

Age Action has examined what is called sheltered housing in other countries. It says that has worked well in Britain. It involves elderly people moving into smaller units with shared community spaces and recreation. However, Mr Moran said this needed to be developed here if the Government wanted people to give up their homes to help alleviate the crisis.

Some options to consider are if the proceeds of part of a sale of a home could go back into a so-called sheltered community. This would justify an elderly person being prioritised for that type of housing, he said, and would ease complications or concerns about queue-jumping on any housing lists.

The Governments housing programme has pledged to double the annual level of new homes built to 25,000 by 2020 and deliver an additional 47,000 social housing units in the period to 2021.

Mr Murphy, though, has said that he wants to review the programme, including the help-to-buy scheme for first-time buyers.
Dressed in a sharp tuxedo, the Wicklow TD yesterday married his partner of eight years, Caoimhe Wade, a cardiac nurse at Crumlin Childrens Hospital.

While former taoiseach Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala attended the ceremony along with a host of Fine Gael ministers and TDs, former Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff added the celebrity touch.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, due to Government commitments, was unable to attend the ceremony which took place at St Patricks Church, Kilquade, Greystones, but he joined the reception afterwards at Tinakilly House, in Rathnew, Co Wicklow.

Mr Harris made his way to the small church with his best man and brother Adam Harris, who is a well-known autism campaigner.

Mr Harris has previously spoken about how his brothers autism led him into a political career.

The bride wore an intricately beaded Sharon Hoey white dress while her bridesmaids Ruth Wade, Gemma Harris, Laura Kinch, and Marion OBrien wore floor-length black chiffon gowns.

Members of the Cabinet in attendance included Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, while Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney was accompanied by his wife Ruth.

Mary Mitchell OConnor, Paul Kehoe, Patrick ODonovan, and Kate OConnell also attended the wedding.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner

earlier this month, Mr Harris opened up about his relationship: Its relatively well known that I am marrying a nurse, which does give me another insight into another aspect of the health service other than being minister for health.

Its also very nice to have a private relationship whereby you can have a different perspective on life other than just the political one.
An American company and the Port of Cork are to outline their plans to officials from the Departments of the Marine and Energy, Bord Gais and representatives of local industries at a special meeting to be held on August 2.

The meeting, which will take place in the Port of Corks headquarters, will be attended by NextDecade chief executive officer Kathleen Eisbrenner and FLEX LNG chief executive officer Jonathan Cook.

NextDecade, a Texas-based energy producer, plans to supply liquid natural gas (LNG) to Ireland through a new import terminal named the Innisfree jetty which will be built at Whitegate, in Cork Harbour.

Flex LNG, which has offices in Bermuda and London, will supply the floating storage ship which will be stored at the jetty.

NextDecade said the development would provide competitively priced energy solutions to Ireland and its regional partners under long-term contracts.

Port of Cork commercial manager Michael McCarthy said the plan to create a major gas supply terminal in Cork Harbour will be a major boost for the regions and countrys economy and secure an energy supply into the future.

He said that as the project moves on, the three parties will undertake pre-planning talks with Cork County Council and have discussions with local residents.

NextDecade has also revealed it is in discussions with European energy companies to enter into long-term purchase contracts for delivery of liquid natural gas at the Port of Cork.

The company will build the gas import terminal.

Subject to planning permission being granted, there is no reason why the project couldnt become operational by the end of 2019 or early 2020.

Whitegate, where the the new liquid natural gas import terminal will be built, is already home to Irelands only oil refinery and a gas-operated power station, seen here while under construction in 2009.

It is proposed that NextDecade will ship in LNG into the Whitegate terminal and transfer it onto the floating storage unit.

It will then be turned into natural gas and pumped onto the main gas line from the Kinsale gas fields which run onshore in the Whitegate area.

The location for the project was key in the plans drawn up by the Port of Cork and the two companies, and not just because of the existing gas pipeline.

Cork Harbour supplies over 25% of Irelands energy demands and is home to 20% of Irelands generating capacity.

Its also home to Irelands only oil refinery, operated by Canadian company Irving Oil in Whitegate.

Cork County Council has designated a 960-acre site at Whitegate for use for major energy related developments.

The Whitegate Power Station, owned and run by Bord Gais Energy, is a gas-operated turbine plant.

Port of Cork chairman John Mullins said the project, allied to gas coming from the Corrib gas fields and what remains in the Kinsale gas fields, would meet Irelands requirements for the next 25 years.

Therefore we wouldnt be reliant on getting gas from Scotland. Clearly there can be implications with Brexit and we need to be thinking on our feet, Mr Mullins said.

Large pharmachem companies and other big industries based around the harbour would benefit considerably from a competitively priced and reliable source of LNG power.

Large agri-businesses such as Dairygold are becoming increasingly reliant on LNG, which is a clean fuel.

There will also be a big spin-off for cruise liner business.

Capt McCarthy pointed out that nearly all the big cruise liner companies are ordering new ships which will be powered by LNG.

Disney Cruise Line, a unit of the US-based Walt Disney Company, has just ordered three 135,000 gross tonne ships powered by LNG at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.
In surprise remarks, the former minister said politics in Ireland had become toxic, polarised, and extremely personalised.

Public commentary portrayed Ireland as a kind of a hell hole of Calcutta where nothing is achieved, but the country could not move forward unless the government enjoys a majority, he said.

His remarks will be noted as he was director of elections for Fine Gael last year. Other senior party figures have made similar calls to hold the centre ground in politics in recent days, including Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. However, none have gone as far as to call for a grand coalition with rivals Fianna Fail.

Speaking last night to the MacGill summer school in Glenties, Donegal, Mr Hayes said: There are today three big blocks in Irish politics  Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein. Whenever the next election comes, the country badly needs a government that can do things in the long-term interest of the country.

That re-quires a majority in the Dail over a five-year period. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail under their current leadership will not enter a coalition with Sinn Fein. Without Sinn Fein, the only logical centre ground government has to be FG/FF in a grand coalition for a five year term.

I believe such a government could make the right choices for the next generation sure in the knowledge that they would have a working majority in the Dail. It works in other countries, it can work here.

He also spoke about how Ireland had benefited from the EU and had been transformed over the last 50 years.

But there were still a lot of negative speeches and remarks made about the country, despite its recovery.

For whatever reason, our politics and our public commentary gorge out on portraying Ireland as a failure, he said. A kind of hell hole of Calcutta where nothing has been achieved.

Having worked in the European Parliament, he said politics here and abroad had changed: Our politics in recent years has become very toxic, polarised and extremely personalised.

He also spoke about the need for Ireland to embrace the EU, even in these more uncertain times with Brexit.

It was far from perfect, mistakes had been made, but at last a more pro-European leadership was taking hold, he added.

However, his remarks about Fine Gael and Fianna Fail joining forces will spark debate and follows previous discussions on a grand coalition leading up to last years general election. Fianna Fail at the time rejected any suggestion of entering government with their rivals. But the fresh overtures from Fine Gael will likely force the party to respond.
Ms Doherty made the comment as she alleged she has suffered a number of years of what I believe was harassment, a claim that has been repeatedly rejected by the blogger at the centre of the controversy.

Earlier this month, it emerged Ms Doherty had made a formal complaint against US blogger Catherine Kelly over comments on social media.

As she prepared to depart for the US, Ms Kelly was approached by gardai at Dublin Airport and spoken to about the complaint.

News of the stand-off led to significant criticism of Ms Doherty, with Solidarity-People before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger accusing her of attempting to gag independent critics of the Government.

Asked about the issue on RTE radios News at One programme, Ms Doherty said while she was limited in what could can say about the case, due to the involvement of gardai, the opposition criticism was cheap and incorrect.

Im not sure its actually appropriate for me to have a comment on how they [gardai] carry out their job given there is a separation of powers but what I will say is that I made a complaint as a private person, I didnt make a complaint as Regina Doherty TD or as a minister.

I think she [Ms Coppinger] is wrong, to be very honest with you. Shes in for the cheap statement, she made her statement in the Dail last week and it was inaccurate, claimed Ms Doherty.

Also in the radio interview yesterday, Ms Doherty said a series of social welfare pay increases are being considered and will be debated before the budget is announced in October.

Ms Doherty said she is keeping my options open and insisted any money to fund water charges repayments will not come from her departments budget.

She confirmed the fuel allowance will now be able to be paid in two yearly payments, meaning families can budget for two 292. 50 payments in January and October rather than the existing 22.50 weekly transfers.

The move was announced after Ms Doherty and Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath attended a wide-ranging meeting with groups representing people who receive social welfare and government supports at Dublin Castle yesterday.
THE wild rhubarb was simply delicious. High in the Alborz Mountains overlooking the Caspian Sea in Iran, our hiking guide Ali gathers armfuls of the knobbly stalks and peels them for us. This was for the starter which we would later consume.

This veteran of the Iran/Iraq war in the 1980s, in which up to 5m people were killed, has a keen eye for flora and a foragers eye for our evening meal. A bit later when we have crossed the last of the days glaciers we descend into a lush valley to the hamlet of Avatar.

A couple of small children playing cowboys and Indians rush out to greet us.

Their parents give us a huge welcome and straight away we are welcomed into their house and offered the sweetest tea imaginable. Squatting on his elaborate rug against a whitewashed interior, the grandfather of the family gives us a toothy grin as if to say you crossed the mountains, welcome to my home.

Meanwhile, Ali has taken from his rucksack, like a conjuror, a mouthwatering array of wild mushrooms.

He cleans, slices and skewers them and adds peppers and succulent tomatoes in seconds and roasts them over an open fire. Our party of five Irish trekkers agree that not only are they the best mushrooms we have ever tasted but among the best meals we have ever had.

This is not a food article masquerading as a travel article. A pity, because we had several other heavenly food adventures. Later, we settle down for the night, three to a room, on a heavily carpeted floor on mattresses. Many Iranians dont used beds at all. It is considered healthier to rest on a thin mattress.

This is day two of a four-day trek in the Alborz organised by Farzin Malaki who is the owner of the mountain lodge Khoone Geli  our destination on the Caspian Sea.

To get to the mountains we had taken a two-hour train trip to the city of Qazvin from Tehran where a soldier examined our visas. Straightaway, our tour guide for a tour of Assassins Valley arrives.

Hosein Farhady is a trendy exemplar of modern Iran. Fluent in English and other languages, he talks easily about life in the country. We start driving into the mountains on excellent roads and immediately cleave through mountain passes and onto a towering canyon where eagles dare. We visit a meadow nestled under the mountains where a contented lizard surveys his kingdom of rose, poppy and vetch.

Hosein is a superb host and is effusive about the recently re-elected president Rouhani who is very popular with younger voters. The highlight of this tour is Alamut Castle in Assassins Valley which has a commanding view of the valley below and from where the eponymous assassins sallied forth to send Persian empire soldiers to meet their maker.

History sweeps on and the poor assassins themselves were later engulfed by the Mongol hordes. Then Hosein and his co-driver Sojrab, a national weightlifing champion, kindly drop us to the start of our trek: Garmaroud.

Having been deposited to the town of Garmaroud with its striking gold-looking mosque (its actually brass), we are welcomed straight away by a young girl who wants to know where were from. Once informed, she tells us I love Ireland.

OK, OK, everyone gets to hear that about their country, but it was still nice. We then meet our war veteran Ali, dressed immaculately in khaki, who leads us through winding streets to our home for the night. A delicious dinner of rice and stew follows, washed down with water and tea  no alcohol of course.

Next morning we set off on out trek which will take us to around 2,800m.

Last month the mountains still had a covering of snow on high ground and with several glaciers filling gullies it has the appearance of the Alps.

We cross a wooden footbridge over a small river and soon are climbing through lush foliage. Left and right are huge bushes of dill, while poplars tower overhead. Ali indicates a mush of green on the path  bear excrement. We move swiftly along.

Soon we arrive at a col where we break for lunch and the magnificence of the Alborz Mountains is spread before us in all its grandeur. Peter from Sligo is suitably impressed and delivers a Wordsworth verse: Earth has not anything to show more fair/Dull would he be of soul who could pass by/ A sight so touching in its majesty.

We move on silently. A snake is coiled in the arms of a juniper.

We cross a mighty river and onwards to the village of Dineh Roud where mainly elderly people live. We receive an enormous welcome with huge smiles and vigorous handshakes.

Next morning we press on to Avatar. The next day we descend into a beautiful valley and climb an old trading trail where we encounter several goatherders and people walking between the villages.

As we arrive in our next village of Pichebon a Kurdish family rush out to meet us and invite us to their picnic  tea and cake all round. We stay in the mayors house and have a very interesting evening learning about Iranian customs.

The next and last day of the trek is more beautiful than beautiful. The ancient caravanserai of Salaj Anbar at 3,300m was once the trading nexus between the Caspian Sea and the hinterland south of the Alborz. Now, its windows look out emptily on the past.

We descend to the village through a staggeringly pretty wildflower vista with multicoloured butterflies flitting about.

That evening we meet Farzin at his lodge at Khoone Geli, Tonekabon.

His home is festooned with artwork and rugs and the man himself greets us warmly.

A superb meal is served to us on his verandah in an orange grove.

Having flown south to explore some cities we embark on our final tour to the desert.

Having overnighted in the city of Yazd with its baking heat and delightful citizenry, we meet our guide Massoud Jaladat who loads us into his 4x4 and drives us into the desert.

Suddenly we are sliding and plunging on the sand dunes as Massoud wrenches the wheel to get us back on course.

We step on to the hot sand and trek for a few hours with not a puff of wind  just tiny indentations in the sand to indicate an earlier ripple of air. Soon the sun sets behind the Shir Kuh Mountains bathing the desert in a vermilion hue.

Massoud later makes a delicious stew before camp with the sky as a ceiling and we fall into a profound sleep.

Trekking in Iran:

Tourism in Iran is climbing fast. In the 1970s it was on the hippy trail to India and beyond.

Svelte skiiers slalomed down the slopes in the mountains north of Tehran. Nowadays, tourists throng the historic cities of Isfahan and Shiraz and trekking companies are more numerous than Donald Trump gaffes.

Sample of trips:

Tour of Assassins Valley: gateofalamut.com; day trip 30 Alborz Mountains trekking: www.alamuttrek.com Four-day trek: 330 Yazd desert trip: farvardinn.com Desert overnight: 80 Also: Tour guide: Morteza Mehrparvar; www.mori-tours.com Other: loveiran.com on Facebook
April 30, 2001 16:59: Deciding which fast car to buy, where to go for exotic holidays and whether to opt for a fashionable flat overlooking Regent's Park or a country mansion is a common fantasy conversation, usually started by someone saying "When I win the Lottery"

But would becoming an instant millionaire really be the answer to all your dreams or would it be the start of an awful nightmare?

Spend, Spend, Spend tells the story of the original overnight celebrity Viv Nicholson, who won the equivalent of 3m on the Pools in 1961.

She famously told the tabloids she'd spend, spend, spend the cash but her dream-come-true soon turned into her worst nightmare.

Barbara Dickson recreates her West End role of the "old" Viv in the rags-to-riches-and-back-to-rags story which is now touring regional theatres.

She said: "I've got a big soft spot for this character. She was one of the first people to become famous for being famous.

"There are hundreds of people around like that today, but at the time it was unusual."

She added: "When Viv won the money she was very young. She was seduced by fame and glamour and gave herself to the press.

"When it went wrong for her she turned to drink and drugs and she naively sought solace in the press."

After their big win, Viv and husband Keith suddenly find themselves out of place in their hometown of Castleford, Yorkshire, so they move to a snooty neighbourhood where they are equally unwelcome.

Their marriage begins to flounder under the pressure of enormous wealth and just when things can't get any worse for Viv, Keith is killed in a car crash leaving her in financial trouble and at the mercy of the bank manager, the tax-man and her grasping relatives.

Down to her last 10,000 Viv invests everything in a clothes shop but bad business decisions leave her penniless.

Dickson said: "Keith and Viv didn't have a clue how to deal with it. They were very naive. At the time Viv's dad said to her you'll need two rooms'. He saw the money in pound notes and didn't think it would be in a bank. It was a different culture in those days.

"But it's a fantastic show and it's nice that audiences get to see the original cast from the West End production."

Dickson is no stranger to fame and fortune but is not sure what to say to people who suddenly find themselves in the spotlight.

She said: "I don't know what advice to give them. If you work for your money or do it gradually through the sweat of your brow you go through a process of maturing in the job and public eye.

"I remember speaking to some Lottery winners and they said they didn't really know who their friends were any more."

Spend, Spend, Spend is at the Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, from Friday, May 4, to Saturday, May 19. Shows start at 7.45pm with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm. Tickets priced from 16 to 25 are available from the box office on 020 8460 6677.

Tracey Wye
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I appreciate all responses from readers, both positive and critical. Recently, I wrote about the divisions in the Christian churches and the need for unity.

One reader wrote suggesting that since the essence of God is unknowable, perhaps diversity of opinion may offer greater insight to truth. Plus, there is no way to force unity of thought. So true!

Another reader wrote extensively about my views of Gods love and homosexuality. He seemed to disagree with me on homosexuality, saying that although we should not be judgmental, it was a free choice and a sin. I am not convinced that we freely choose our sexual preference, and I do believe all love is divine. He asked if love of evil is divine. I do not feel that love and evil are properly used together, but neither do I believe homosexual love is evil. Thanks to all readers and responses.

Q: Most everyone I know likes the King James Bible. Please tell us how it came to be.

Answer: I certainly agree with you that the King James translation of the Bible is the most loved and read of all the English translations.

Its Elizabethan language seems sublime and proper for the Word of God. There have been so many English translations, more than 40, so it would be impossible to list all here.

But here are a few of them: The Aldheim, late seventh century and the Bible of Bede, 735, both translated from the Latin Vulgate. In the late 14th century, John Wycliffe produced an English Bible. Then, in the early 1500s, William Tydale published an English Bible, the first in print and available to laity who could read. This was seen as an attack on the clergy, who had been the sole readers and interpreters of the Bible.

In 1560, the Geneva English Bible was the first to divide the text into chapters and verses. Some more modern translations include the Jerusalem Bible (1966), my favorite; the Modern King James Version (1990); the New English Bible (1970); the New Revised Standard (1989); the Living Bible (1994) and the King James Modern English (2000).

The King James, about which you asked, was published in 1611. When James VI of Scotland became James I of England, he was presented with a petition from more than 1,000 Puritan Christians which led to his calling a church conference at Hampton Court. At the conference, John Reynolds, president at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, proposed a new translation of the Bible. James, who disliked the Geneva Bible, agreed. Forty-seven of Englands top scholars, including Anglicans and Puritan, were assigned the task. It was completed in 1611 A.D. with about 70 percent of the language taken directly from Tyndales translation.

Q: Would you please explain the Trinity?

Answer: I cannot and have never met anyone who could. The Bible does not employ the word Trinity, although Matthew 28 exerts us to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Tertullian, an early Latin theologian, seems to be the first to use the term. The doctrine did not really take shape until the fourth century, The Fourth Lateran talked about the Father generating, the Son as begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeding. It insisted that all three were fully divine and co-equal. There are three persons but one divine substance. The church rejected the idea that the three persons were separate. John Calvin declared them to be distinct but not separate. If they were separate, we would have three gods, tritheism. The problem arose when the church at Nicea affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ. Arians had taught that Jesus had a degree of divinity but was not fully divine. Apollinarius said Jesus had a human body and soul but a divine mind. Modalism, termed Sabellianism in the East, contended that the one God manifested himself in three temporary modes of existence. There were three councils which determined the Christian belief in the Trinity: Nicea in 325, Constantinople in 381 and Ephesus in 431. I encourage readers to read more on this subject.
Today

Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 35F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Abundant sunshine. High near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres [official website] issued a statement [text] through his spokesman on Friday condemning the escalating violence [TheGuardian report] between Israelis and Palestinians in the Old City of Jerusalem. Ongoing clashes between the two groups have left three Palestinian men dead [Al Jazeera report] in East Jerusalem, while three Israelis were stabbed to death in a West Bank settlement overnight. In addition to the six deaths, over 140 have been reported injured. Guterres stated [press release] that he deeply deplores the violence between the Palestinians and Israeli security forces, and has called for the deaths of the three Palestinian men to be fully investigated.

Much of the violence between Palestinians and Israelis stems from the controversial development of settlements in the West Bank. Last month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] alleged that Israel has occupied the West Bank through human rights abuses for the past 50 years [JURIST report]. In April, Guterres expressed his discontent [JURIST report] with Israels latest decision to build settlements in the occupied Palestine territory and repeated his previous calls for a two-state solution to resolve the current Israel-Palestine conflict. In March Israels Security Cabinet voted unanimously [JURIST report] to approve the first settlement in the West Bank in more than 20 years.

Added tension between the two groups has resulted from their concurrent claims to various holy sites in Jerusalem, a city with historical significance to all three Abrahamic religions. In March, a UN commission released a report [JURIST report] accusing Israel of establishing an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole. There have been some attempts at reconciliation; however, in March, the Israel High Court of Justice officially recognized [JURIST report] the ties of several Jerusalem-born Palestinians, calling them native-born residents, a move which could set precedent for residency rights of Palestinians in the future.
So-called value brands are in a death squeeze as premium makes continue to colonise their traditional territory. Or so goes the theory. And, how about the supposed fact that to pull in big worldwide sales and profits, a car company must be present in the US market? Skoda breaks these and other rules.

The Czech brands largest car points the way to where Citroen, Peugeot and Renault should be headed.

What low-margin OEMs could learn from Skoda

The Czech brands largest car, the Superb, points the way to where both of Groupe PSAs two main divisions; FCAs Fiat, Dodge and Chrysler brands; Renault and others should be headed. These marques have struggled for decades with an inability to convince prospective customers that their cars  especially the larger models  shouldnt be deeply discounted.

GM Europes soon to be off-loaded Adam Opel and Vauxhall Motors will need a thorough rethink once Groupe PSA takes control of them, if for no other reason than to define where the Paris-based firm itself sees their future models fitting into the marketplace. PSA would do well to see that Skoda has succeeded by sizing its models in the C/D and D/E segments (Octavia and Superb), while its own D segment C5 and 508 models have never found much favour, at least outside France.

Is Skoda really that successful?

Given what might appear to be a bold statement about Skoda being the brand which breaks the usual rule, where is the evidence for this? Well, lets start with the bottom line and the companys ever greater rate of expansion. June was the firms best month yet, with 105,200 vehicles delivered worldwide, of which 23,500 were in China, the number one market.

While the Octavia remains the best selling model worldwide (205,300 deliveries in H1 of CY2017), the larger Superb hatchback and estate line-up found an impressive 75,900 (+8.3% YoY) buyers. Not bad for a model series which in the Volkswagen Group ownership era started life as a tweaked version of a cancelled project: a long-wheelbase VW Passat sedan for China.

Manufacturing and global build numbers

Since the first Superb of the twenty first century appeared in 2001 (136,000 built over a seven-year life cycle), sales of this nameplate have steadily risen. Total build of the second generation model under VW ownership reached 618,500 units between 2008 and 2015. This was the result of both the clever sizing (bigger than the normal D segment but not too long or too wide), and a kind of bargain-Volvo image. In other words, taking over the space where the V70 used to be before it became pricey as VCC began to reinvent itself as a premium brand. Plus, Volkswagen kept SEAT and its own Passat out of the five-door hatchback class so as to give Skoda a clear shot at success with no internal competition. All of this worked.

Suberb production has always been at Kvasiny in Skodas home nation, and with the exception of some small scale assembly at Shendra in the Indian state of Maharashtra (this no longer takes place), several other locations have been added. The only true extra manufacturing operation is in the Chinese city of Ningbo and is part of the SAIC Volkswagen joint venture. There is some kit assembly at Kaluga in Russia, and in Kazakhstan (Ust-Kamenogorsk) too.

The millionth Superb was built in April. Of that number, a quarter are the current, two-year old model series.

The millionth Superb was built in April, and of that number, fully one quarter are of the latest series model which has only been in production since 2015. The lifecycle is likely to extend until 2022 after a facelift in late 2018.

The next generation vehicle seems likely to be based on an update of the current cars MQB A/B architecture.

Will there be an electric Superb?

A plug-in hybrid version is under development, as is a PHEV Kodiaq. These will be followed by a battery-electric Skoda in 2020. The Superb PHEV will be powered by a 1.4-litre petrol turbo engine plus one motor; the same powertrain as in the Passat GTE.

A far away country of which we know little

Prices in the UK range from around GBP19,000 to GBP36,500, which just goes to show how far Skoda has travelled in this market, a country where its image was once awful. Much of that was due to snobbery and ignorance.

Last time I checked, Germany and Austria were located in central and eastern Europe respectively. How can that be, when these regions are apparently poor, under-developed and backward? Sometimes long-outdated and incorrect generalisations take a long time to die out. But die out they eventually do.

Thankfully, the rest of the world no longer thinks of Land Rovers and most other English brand vehicles as being dreadfully unreliable, with ramshackle build quality. And, in turn, the majority of the British now see a certain Czech car maker as a company which churns out good looking, great value cars and, increasingly, SUVs.

Skoda has always been a firm which produced exceptionally well engineered cars, some of which were luxury models. So really, the existence of the latest generation Superb is merely a continuation of the companys heritage. Having said that, there is no denying that Skoda Auto, during the decades of the Command Economy, very much lost its way as a maker of high quality cars. Or rather, had its way lost for it due to a relative lack of competition in the closed Czechoslovakian and other Soviet Union markets.

A profit margin of ten per cent

Now the darling of the Volkswagen Group, especially as it has lately been delivering a better RoI than even Audi (a lot of which is due to the ongoing costs of the TDI engine software scandal), Skoda is pulling in much-much money. Not always in an industry notorious for burning capital do ever rising worldwide sales and increased margins go hand in hand. Yet in this case, they continue to do.

Figures for the first half of CY2017 are yet to be announced, but during Q1, sales revenue shot up by 28.3 per cent to 4.3bn euro (the company reports not in koruny ceske but in the currency of its parent) and operating profit increased by 31.7 per cent to 415m euro. Return on sales grew by 0.3 per cent compared to the same period of last year and was a superb 9.6 per cent during Q1.

It will not be a surprise if 2017 sees a new annual profit record being set.

It is surely no co-incidence that between 1 January and 31 March, deliveries of Skodas largest model line rose by 18.9% to a combined 38,300 hatchbacks and estates compared to the same quarter of 2016. With the brands sales continuing to rise in China and across Europe, it will not be a surprise if 2017 sees a new annual profit record being set.

Segment leader in Europe

The current generation Superb hatchback had its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March 2015 with production at Kvasiny commencing later that month. The car has an 80mm longer wheelbase than the previous model but front overhang was reduced by 61mm. The Combi (wagon) was then revealed at the Frankfurt IAA six months after the debut of the five-door. Combi production, which also takes place at Kvasiny, had commenced in June 2015.

In keeping with the previous Superb hatchback/sedan and its Twin Door arrangement, the latest one also looks like a saloon. The old cars tailgate opened either as a conventional bootlid or as a hatchback. It might be a case of lowering the cost of the module from the supplier but Skoda says the Twin Door added weight and complexity. Further, it claims most owners hardly used the boot option so it gave that ideathe boot.

Big in China too

Chinas Superb, meanwhile, retains the Supai model name of the previous generation hatchback. Its local premiere was at April 2015s Shanghai motor show and production followed seven months later. This takes place at SAIC Volkswagens Ningbo plant in Zhejiang province. As was the case with the previous model, the wagon is imported.

The hatchback has an enormous space for luggage  625 litres  and instead of one umbrella in the rear left-hand door (previous model), there is now one in each of the front doors, though not on base trim level cars. The electric tailgate can be complemented with a virtual pedal/gesture kick. If that huge boot isnt big enough, then there is always the Combi. This has a capacity of 660 litres or 1,950 with the seats folded.

Powertrains

The car for European markets features five TSI petrol and three TDI common-rail diesel direction injection turbocharged four-cylinder engines. All powertrains have stop-start and brake energy recovery as standard. The petrol engines produce between 92kW (125PS) and 206kW (280PS). The power outputs of the diesels range from 88kW (120PS) to 140kW (190PS). With the exception of the entry-level petrol, all are available with dual-clutch transmissions. Four (1.4 TSI/110kW, 2.0 TSI/206kW, 2.0 TDI/110kW and 2.0 TDI/140kW) are available with Haldex 5 all-wheel drive.

The Superb 280 is the fastest series production Skoda yet.

The car supplied by the UK importer was powered by the Volkswagen Groups 280PS turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine. This makes it the fastest series production Skoda yet. Zero to 62mph takes 5.8 seconds, top speed is limited to 155mph and the Combined MPG is 39.8, while CO2 is 160g/km. In as-tested Sportline trim with a six-speed Volkswagen DSG and 44 drive, it costs from GBP34,335.

There were some surprising omissions to the standard spec of what is not a cheap car. That included front and rear parking sensors (a GBP350 option), a rear wiper (NCO) and a temporary space saver spare (GBP100). Should you wish to have the virtual pedal for the tailgate, kick back, relax, and add a further six hundred pounds to the cost of your configured car.

A week spent with the Superb 280 saw me thinking what I almost always do with Skodas. Namely, that you need not spend any more money on something similarly sized but with a mass-premium brand badge. Vehicles I would include would be the BMW 4 Series GC or the even larger 3 Series GT. And maybe too the VW Arteon; the maybe being shorthand for this being a car I am yet to drive. How about the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia? That is probably the Superbs closest rival. So it will be fascinating to see what Groupe PSA does with that model should the deal for it acquiring those two brands be sealed later in 2017.

How Renault-RSM and GM do things differently to Skoda

Without the relatively big numbers of Samsung SM7 sedans built and sold in South Korea, would Groupe Renault have been able to make a case for the Talisman, its European markets replacement for the Laguna? Renault Samsung stated at the start of production in January 2016 that it hoped to sell an average 50,000 units of the four-door car per annum. This, RSM exceeded in CY2016 by several thousand. That made it far more successful than the almost identical Renault Talisman was across all of its worldwide markets, including the estate which is not available as a Samsung.

Lets also look at the example of the new Insignia. There is no sedan, which is amazing, given how many countries that GM (and PSA) will be building and selling it in. Production is in Germany and China and the five-door hatchback, estate and crossover estate will eventually be marketed with Opel, Vauxhall, Buick and Holden badges. There are variations when it comes to engines (no petrol V6 for Europe or China) and model names  Insignia, Regal and Commodore  but this is really one model series with some minor styling variations for multiple regions and brands. GM is saving a lot of money doing things this way and yet you have to wonder if it wont instead end up with a car which has had to be engineered with many compromises.

Big car, big sales numbers, big margins

Back then to the Superb. The genius of this model is that it continues to exploit a segment which only product planners at the Volkswagen Group and Skoda seemingly saw. It is nothing short of amazing that the brand continues to dominate the cars vehicle class, as those more than a quarter than a million units sold since March 2015 show. All of this takes time and like Toyota and Honda, the Volkswagen Group looks way into the future all the time. There was probably a plan in the early 2000s to make Skoda a make which people would aspire to. So Renault, PSA and others could do a lot worse than to emulate this idea. Will they though? For now, the Superb remains untouchable in its size class.
EDITORS NOTE: This is the first of two stories about Habitat for Humanitys founders. Coming Monday: Part II: As Kearney Habitat grows, it flourishes with fundraisers and God moments; block grants allow the organization to purchase land for more new homes.

KEARNEY  In the beginning, the four men who founded Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity simply sought to put their faith into action.

Three of the four  Bill Ballou, Jim McKenzie and Joe Methe  attended a ecumenical Bible study group that met at 6:30 a.m. Fridays at St. Lukes Good Samaritan Center. The inspiration came to us that we should be doing something for others, Methe said.

Joined by Jerry Marlatt, the four set out to do just that. They included Ballou, who is co-owner of The Solid Rock religious bookstore and a member of Evangelical Free Church; Marlatt, a Methodist, who owned Marlatt Machine Shop; McKenzie, an Edward Jones financial adviser and a Catholic, and Methe, owner of Methe Insurance Agency, who is also a Catholic.

At first, the four did small handyman projects. One of the first was building a ramp to the home of their friend Bill Gullickson, whose hip issues limited his mobility.

They built a deck with a railing and steps for a 70-year-old cook at a local restaurant who, when she left for work at 5 a.m., had to make her way across a pad of loose concrete blocks that served as her porch.

The four reached a tipping point after they had reattached a bathroom sink to the wall for an elderly woman. When they finished, she pointed to another project she wanted done. There was just something missing, McKenzie said.

That afternoon, McKenzie was scanning channels on television when he happened to see Jimmy Carter talking about building with and for people in need. The with stood out in McKenzies mind.

He called Plains, Ga., and asked for Jimmy Carters number. The operator directed him to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. When he started to explain what he was calling about, the receptionist said, Oh, you mean Habitat for Humanity.

And so it began. Now, 25 years later, Kearney Habitat is completing its 79th home, and its donors have monetarily contributed to the construction of 126 homes in Third World countries.

But back in 1991, the four men sought information. They contacted Habitat for Humanity International. Closer to home, Marlatts son-in-law, a Methodist minister in the Omaha area, knew the building superintendent for the Omaha Habitat affiliate because the superintendent was a member of his congregation.

On Dec. 2, 1991, Marlatt, McKenzie and Methe went to Omaha to help paint a Habitat rehab house and learn more about the organization. All the way home, they talked. We thought it (Habitat) sounded like what we needed, Marlatt said.

They formed a temporary steering committee of eight that met over the noon hours in McKenzies office. We wanted to get all the pieces together, because Habitat has lots of pieces. A lot of work went into it. Everyone kind of pitched in, Methe said.

A Habitat home could be life-changing for the owner, McKenzie said, but Methe, who had experience in construction, was less confident. Its going to take hundreds (of volunteers), he said. This is no me, you and Jerry thing. Its going to take lots of people.

Their enthusiasm was further fueled by a Hanna:Keelan Associates housing study done for the city of Kearney that year. The study pointed to the critical need for simple, decent housing. However, the four did not know if the community would support a Habitat affiliate.

On Jan. 14, 1992, a little more than a month after their trip to Omaha, they held a public meeting at The Salvation Army building. They had no idea how many, if any, would attend, so they set out 30 chairs. Its always better to have to set up more chairs than have empty chairs, McKenzie said.

Some 81 people attended. More than 200 people expressed interest. It was a wonderful, but scary, moment, McKenzie said.

By Feb. 4, a temporary steering committee was in place for what they hoped to call Kearney Habitat. They used guidelines from a book on the process from Habitat for Humanity International.

On Aug. 4, 1992, they officially became Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. It usually takes 14-18 months to establish an affiliate, but the Kearney affiliate was established in nine.

Kearney Habitat broke ground on its first home on Aug. 28. Just four months later, on Nov. 22, the home, located at 1311 Ave. D, was dedicated.

Meanwhile, the group needed financial support. The first donation was a $10,000 check from an anonymous donor. That person understood what we were aspiring to do, McKenzie said.

Marlatt and McKenzie then went to Platte Valley State Bank and asked for a loan of up to $25,000, at no interest, with no collateral and no signatures. The bank offered them $30,000. It was a reconfirmation of what we were doing, McKenzie said.

But they never used a single penney from that loan. The community, churches and Carpenters Club donors were, and continue to be, generous. Some have been giving continuously for 25 years, McKenzie said.

Covenant churches, including the Evangelical Free Church, First Lutheran Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. James Catholic Church and Faith United Methodist Church, signed an agreement to pray for Kearney Habitat, provide volunteers and make a monetary donation.

Ken Mumm, current Kearney Habitat board president, said few area churches had a home mission project in those days, so for them, Kearney Habitat became that project. In addition, churches and service clubs were often key supporters for blitz builds, when a home was built in just six days. Each group would sponsor a day for $6,000. Homes then cost $36,000. One year, Kearney Public Schools administrators personally gave 50 percent of the cost of a day; the Kearney Education Association provided the other half.

Since homes today cost $77,000, and many churches and non-profits now invest in their own local projects, blitz builds are no longer held, but the four Habitat founders here remember them fondly. Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International, attended a blitz build in Kearney on June 27, 1996. Later, Fuller wore his T-shirt from that project during a build in Romania that was attended by some Kearney volunteers.

Blitz builds are relationship builders, Ballou said. We had a lot of key people in the community involved.
To celebrate its launch and provide community members with more details about its mission and future goals, fund members will host an informational meeting at 10 a.m. July 29 at the Axtell Fire Hall. Axtell Community Fund members will be joined by representatives from Nebraska Community Foundation and the Red Cloud Community Foundation Fund to facilitate a short presentation about the fund, its vision for the future, and to answer questions.
BROKEN BOW  One of three 2017 Farm Bill listening sessions hosted by Rep. Adrian Smith next month will be in Broken Bow.

The meeting will be from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Cobblestone Hotel & Suites and Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach of Sumner also will attend.

The other sessions will be Aug. 3 in Beatrice and Aug. 23 in South Sioux City.

Nebraskans can ask questions and share their thoughts on the future of U.S. ag policies. Getting these policies right will help producers overcome challenges they face and ensure the Third District remains the top-producing agriculture district in the country, Smith said.

For more information, visit the website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/FarmBillTour or call Smiths Grand Island office at 308-384-3900.
OMAHA  Helen Evans, 98, of Omaha, formerly of Kearney, died Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at Josie Harper Hospice in Omaha.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with the Rev. Joe Hannappel officiating. Rosary and vigil services will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at the church with informal visitation with the family from 5:30-7 p.m.

Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney is in charge of arrangements.



She was a Kearney resident for nearly 80 years.

Helen Marie Schmitz was born at the home of her parents, John and Josephine Schmitz, near Poole on Nov. 2, 1918. Helen was the second of five children growing up on the farm with older brother, Don; younger sisters, Doris Dode and Jean; and little brother, Ray.

From a young age, her parents instilled the importance of family both as a support network and as an example that they should set for others without ever using those words. Each of the kids assumed jobs around the farm, be they ironing or tending to the farm animals. When electricity was supplied to the farms, Helen developed a love for reading that never left her.

Helen attended grade school in a one-room country schoolhouse, passed her county boards and moved to Kearney to complete high school. She lived in an apartment above the Kearney Opera House with a friend and her grandmother.

Helen graduated from Kearney High School in 1935 and received her teaching certificate from Kearney Normal School in August 1936, at age 17. She taught school for one year before going to work at Good Samaritan Hospital. Helen was later assigned to work in the X-ray department under Sister Nicosia, who would serve as her mentor. Eventually, she became a certified X-ray technician and director of the Good Samaritan X-ray Department.

Helen married John Gion on Dec. 29, 1941. He died in May 1946. On April 12, 1955, Helen and Charles Evans were married.

Survivors include her daughters, Joan and her husband, Ken Crookshank, of Bennington and Jane Stephen of Denver; and sons, John Evans of Pittsburgh and Jerry Evans of Fond du Lac, Wis. She is also survived by her sister, Dode Fitzgerald of Kearney. In addition, Grandma/Aunt Helen leaves behind many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends to mourn her loss, celebrate her life and reflect upon her wisdom.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Don and Ray; and sister, Jean McCarthy; as well as first husband, John Gion; and husband, Charles Evans, who died Feb. 27, 2002.

Memorials are suggested to St. James Catholic Church or donate supplies directly to the teacher of your choice that are not ordinarily supplied by the school.

Visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a message of condolence.
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Returning seventh- and eighth-graders in September might not recognize Lance Middle School as the familiar building they left when summer recess began.

Students at Bullen Middle School, Lances north side counterpart, might have similar feelings when they walk through the main entrance beneath a new canopy and step into a lobby and cafeteria now washed in daylight.

Weve got a lot to get done here between now and Sept. 5, said Patrick Finnemore, Kenosha Unified facilities director. Im as confident as I can be. We have to have them ready to reopen Sept. 5.

Some things  for example, the main entries, restrooms, academic classrooms, hallways, lighting, much of the flooring  have to be done by then. Others, like the boiler systems, might have a bit later deadline since they wont be needed for heating typically until late October.

Students, staff and faculty now will have facilities with modern, high-tech upgrades long needed for the lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling systems. Building-wide air conditioning will be a first-time amenity at each facility for the coming school year.

With the energy upgrades and other work in the first year of the two-year project, We should get another 50-60 years more out of these buildings before anything needs to be done again, said project architect John Setter.

Main entrances moved

The main offices, cafeterias, academic classrooms, restrooms and main entry vestibules are this years focus for renovation and remodeling. The list includes replacing asbestos floor tiles at Lance with non-asbestos materials. Next year, the focus shifts to the tech ed, music and fine arts areas, Setter said.

Moving main entrances to within direct view of the main offices with improve security, making it easier to monitor comings and goings, he said.

New energy efficient light-emitting diodes for lighting and new boilers, about a third the size of the older units theyre replacing, will ring up major energy savings  as did similar upgrades in 2014-15 and 2015-16 at nine Kenosha Unified elementary schools.

The changes there sent energy efficiency up to 98 percent from 70-80 percent, and the same is expected at Lance and Bullen.

Window, wall changes

Though the two schools are undergoing similar overhauls, they differ in some important ways.

At Lance, dark bronze-colored window and door frames are being installed and windows are replacing opaque exterior wall panels. The dominant pale yellow accent color on walls is giving way to a creamy white with speckled accents.

The main entry now will be on the north side of Lance, with a two-story structure housing a vestibule on the first floor and an airy, light-filled second-floor reading area above, expanding the library.

With Bullen, were stuck with a design done in the 60s and cant do as much with it as we can with Lance, Finnemore said. At Lance, we saw an opportunity there to make a building that looks more contemporary.

Bullen wont see as extensive exterior changes, but its appearance will also become a lot more contemporary, Setter said. A new tower entry with a ground floor vestibule enclosing the main entrance also will add more daylight to the second floor area above it.

Energy savings

Finnemore said Lance accounts for about 54 percent of the combined total costs at each site, with Bullen work covering about 46 percent. Ridding Lance of asbestos floor tiles represents much of that difference.

The bulk of the work at the two schools aims at significant savings through projects to improve energy efficiency. Enlarging the Lance cafeteria also accounts for some of the difference.

A 2011 Wisconsin law allows districts to borrow outside of their revenue limit for projects to improve energy efficiency, saving on annual operational costs.

Just under $28.5 million in borrowing to be paid off over 20 years is funding the energy projects. To hold down property taxes, the district only adds new borrowing as older debt is retired. The district also receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in rebates from We Energies.

Some of the projects now underway, paid out of the districts annual major maintenance fund, were approved in April 2016 by the School Board. They include replacing auditorium seating, new interior doors, remodeling Bullens main office and upgrading security technology.

The overall yearly major maintenance budget is $2 million; Finnemore explained that $1.5 million of that is funding the non-energy projects at Bullen and Lance. Another $500,000 from the district food service fund is paying for the Lance cafeteria remodeling and new kitchen equipment.
How do we create the medical culture that is conducive to physicians health?

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On June 30th, a physician entered a hospital in New York City with an assault rifle. He killed one person, a physician, and wounded six others. He then set himself on fire and shot himself in the chest, dying by suicide.

I, nor anybody else, knows this mans motives or what was going on in his head. But one detail in the story stuck out to me.

According to CNN, before the physician opened fire, he yelled: Why didnt you help me when I was getting in trouble? Why didnt you help me?

I think something all of us could agree on is that this man needed help. And we can also conclude that he didnt get the necessary help. Unfortunately, for physicians, not getting adequate help seems to be the norm and not the exception to the rule. Not only because its not available, but because they fear the repercussions from seeking out what they need.

I want to use this particular, tragic story to address a bigger issue in general: caring for the mental health of physicians.

First, lets look at the numbers.

According to US News and World Report:

One-third of physicians report experiencing burnout at any given point. This is 15x more likely than professionals in other lines of work.

Medical students have a rate of depression that is 15 to 30 percent higher than the general population  which ultimately leads to poorer performances with patients.

Physicians have a divorce rate 10 to 20 percent higher than the general population.

45 percent of primary care physicians say they would quit if they could afford it.

And 300 to 400 physicians die by suicide each year. To put that into perspective, thats about three medical school graduating classes worth.

So whats going on?

The US News and World Report article cites the culture of medicine as the main culprit. But, whats that? First, its dealing with high-stress situations and death on a regular basis with no time to reflect, mourn, or even slow down. Also, its a lack of autonomy over ones schedule or time  physicians are constantly being pressured to see more patients in less time and produce better health outcomes. Thats an impossible situation. It results in sleep deprivation, absence from family activities, and an inability to engage in any self-care. It is a culture where physicians have low autonomy but high responsibility. And that is an extremely problematic combination.

Why dont physicians get help when they are struggling? US News and World Report says its due to fear. We often penalize physicians by denying them privileges or licenses if theyre being treated for substance abuse or depression. Their source of livelihood and sense of identity would be stripped from them. There is also a sense of stoicism and pride with regards to ones own health that goes, I cant be seen as unhealthy because I am a physician. Because of this, many try to self-medicate.

There are well-intentioned interventions that promote meditation, exercise, or group therapy among physicians, but these arent feasible because, as mentioned before, doctors do not have time for this. And that paradigm puts the burden of wellness on the physician when the source of the problem is structural.

Questions:

Although stoicism can be beneficial in medicine (in an emergency youd want a doctor thats calm and collected), is the tough-it-out, take-the-abuse mindset an inherent trait in the field of medicine, or is that something which we have created and which we are now suffering from?

If its not inherent, how do we create the medical culture that is conducive to physicians health? How do we make a culture where asking for help is supported and encouraged?

Jamie Katuna is a medical student. She can be reached on Facebook.
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Margaret Edsons 1999 Pulitzer Prize winning play, Wit, tells the story of the final hours of Vivian Bearing, PhD, an English professor dying of cancer. Early in the course of her disease, one of her doctors sees the value of her case from a research point of view and asks her to enroll in a clinical trial of an investigational therapy. In the film version of the play, which stars Emma Thompson, he hands her a two-page informed consent form to sign.

Wit deals with many timeless features of terminal illness, death, the care of the dying, and the meaning of life, but this aspect of it strikes many contemporary physicians and medical researchers as extraordinarily quaint. Informed consent remains an integral part of medicine, but the sight of an informed consent form that runs to only two pages  particularly one for an investigational cancer treatment protocol  seems nearly laughable.

Each year, millions of patients and research subjects are asked to sign informed consent forms. Situations where informed consent should be obtained include blood transfusions, surgical procedures, and participation in clinical research trials, among many others. The situation is familiar to many  the doctor walks in bearing a clipboard, explains the procedure, and asks the patient and a witness to sign on the bottom line. The only problem: It is often neither informed nor a real consent.

Consider a more contemporary, real-life case. A PhD from a science department at a major public university developed cancer. His physician presented him with the opportunity to enroll in a trial of a new agent under study for approval by the Food and Drug Administration. He took the 30-page document home with him that night. The next morning, he and his wife returned, both having reviewed it.

The expression on the professors face could best be described as exasperated. Here is what he said: I tried reading this thing several times, but finally I just gave up. I am pretty smart, but I have enough to worry about with my diagnosis, and this informed consent form is so overwhelming that I simply cant tell the difference between what is important and what is just legalese. Would you please just tell me about the study and so we can discuss it?

Informed consent is a relatively new term, coined in the 1950s in the courts, when patients underwent ill-advised care and suffered adverse outcomes, not knowing that other options were available or that they could have simply declined. The idea is that patients should have the opportunity to learn about and decide whether to proceed with medical care or research that poses a risk that any reasonable person would want to know about.

The historical rationale for informed consent can be traced in part to the experiments performed by the Nazis during World War II. In many cases, physicians conducted risky, painful, and sometimes deadly experiments on thousands of concentration camp inmates without their consent. After the war, resulting military trials led to the Nuremberg Code, which established that medical experiments on human beings could be performed only with informed and voluntary consent.

No one would argue that research trials and medical care should be carried out without consent. However, the current practice of informed consent has evolved so far from what was originally intended that it might better be described as a mutation. In fact, it often resembles a monstrosity, no longer serving its primary purpose  to protect patients and research subjects  but instead now protects doctors, researchers, and institutions.

One problem is a faulty assumption that the more information is contained in the informed consent form, the more knowledgeable and therefore more protected the patient will be. Often every conceivable benefit, risk, and alternative is addressed, as well as financial issues such as who will pay for what, intellectual property rights, privacy protections, conflicts of interest, and language designed strictly to indemnify the institution.

Two fairly routine informed consent forms that we know run to 33 and 35 pages, respectively. The first includes a list of 108 side effects that may occur in those taking the drug, including abnormal blood test results, pain, and murderous thoughts. The second contains a chart of tests performed as part of the protocol, including 15 blood samples, 14 pregnancy tests, 9 thyroid function tests, and 4 symptom-directed physical exams. No wonder even a PhD cant understand it.

To repeat, the length and complexity of the forms is being driven less by protecting the patient and more by protecting the institution, should something go wrong. Rightly or wrongly, people with oversight in such studies believe that if a problem is mentioned in advance, the probability of an unfavorable litigation outcome is reduced. As a result, informed consent forms are as unlikely to be read and understood as are the byzantine licensing agreements that accompany software updates.

One of the most important goals of informed consent is to protect patient autonomy, but the complexity of the forms makes patients more reliant than ever on doctors, researchers, and institutions to explain the risks and benefits. Just ask patients why they are being asked to sign the form. In our experience, many will offer the matter-of-fact reply: Why, of course, to protect the institution. In other words, patients may not understand the form, but they know that its purpose has been inverted.

The bodies that oversee informed consent, known as institutional review boards for the protection of human subjects (IRBs), continue to talk as though patient protection is the goal. We do not doubt their sincerity. But the complex process means that the vast majority of patients are operating strictly on trust, and the actual consent too often resembles a box-checking exercise. If we expect patients to actually read the form, we should present them with something at least a PhD can understand.

Richard Gunderman is Chancellors Professor, Schools of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN. James Lynch is dean of admissions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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History has been made in the K-Pop world today as Jay Park has been officially signed with hit producer and American rap artist Jay Z - husband to Beyonce and founder of Roc Nation.

Both parties had shared the news earlier on the 21st on their personal social media accounts about the contract signing. Roc Nation delightfully tweeted, "We are excited to announce @Jaybumaom has officially signed with #RocNation! Welcome to the #RocFam!!!" The tweet was the official seal of approval that had international fans raving with comments such as, "So proud of Jay Bae," and "Can't wait for him to gain the recognition he deserves in the states."

Jay Park shared photos (including our header photo) on his personal Instagram alongside a heartfelt note to his fans and Jay Z. "It's Official @RocNation -

This is a win for the Town. This is a win for Korea. This is a win for Asian Americans. This is a win for the overlooked and underappreciated. This is a win for genuine ppl who look out for their ppls. This is a win for hard work and dedication. This is a win for honesty and authenticity. Thank you for the acknowledgment and recognition. Just gettin' started"

The legendary company, Roc Nation, manages some of the world's biggest artists such as Big Sean, Future, J.Cole, Rihanna, Shakira, T.I., Jaden Smith, and DJ Khaled. Jay Park has been making moves for some time now to connect and work with these major artists as he has been in the U.S.A. and Seattle doing some work and networking with the artists. He went into full detail on a podcast he released on SoundCloud with 'The GlowUp.' What do you think of Jay Park's amazing achievement? Share your love and pride down in the comments below!
PRESS RELEASE

Senator Grassley To Hold Hearings on Steele Dossier

July 20, 2017 (EIRNS)Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley will hold an open hearing on July 26 on the Steele dossier, among other things. He had originally planned a hearing for yesterday, but it was postponed after Fusion GPS founder Glen Simpson refused to attend. Now Grassley says hes prepared to subpoena him.

The hearings, held under the rubric of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, are designed to get more of the story behind the Steele dossier out into the open. Grassley has said that he wants to explore Fusion GPSs connection to the FBI, specifically former FBI Director Comey, and how the dossier was leaked around to the press. Now Grassley has rescheduled the hearing, calling Glen Simpson, Paul Manfort, Donald Trump, Jr., and William Browder to testify. Browder, the son of Earl Browder, the former head of the Communist Party of the U.S.A., is a London-based hedge-fund manager who is a vehement opponent of Putins Russia, and the main force behind the anti-Russia Magnitsky Act, which was the subject of the set-up meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, that is now the subject of Special Counsel Muellers investigation. At the time of the meeting, Veselnitskaya was working with Fusion GPS against Browder in a case that the Justice Department brought against her client. Browder has been a vocal critic of Fusion GPSs credibility. In January he attacked the veracity of the Fusion GPS dossier on Trump.

Grassley has been focused on the role of British intelligence and the FBI in setting up President Trump. He holds his cards close to his chest, and the prospect of this hearing has drawn much speculation as to what hes up to.
PRESS RELEASE

Italy Must Raise 32 Billion for the Banks

July 20, 2017 (EIRNS)In order to comply with European Union capital rules, Italian banks must raise some 32 billion in the next period, which is about 2% of its Gross Domestic Product. This is because 16 of 19 Italian banks dont meet European standards on non-performing loans (NPLs), according to some financial blogs, which are extrapolating from European Banking Authority charts. This defines the choice: either Italy must pull out of the EU, or plunder its population in order to meet the Eurozone deficit rules.

European Parliament Member Marco Zanni has forecast a major banking crisis, which, timed with the Italian general elections next year, could make an Italexit scenario possible.

EU standards on bank capital focus on credit, but not on derivatives. Credit losses are accounted strictly, whereas derivative assets are accounted according to blown-up figures produced by the banks own models. At the same time, EU regulations prevent banks from renegotiating terms with their commercial debtors, making a solution impossible. This has put pressure on the Italian banks, but has covered up the huge derivatives debt of the northern European banks.

One more aspect aggravating the crisis is that the EU (the European Central Bank and the European Banking Authority) set a deadline for Italian banks for selling NPLs on the market. This pushes the price down, often to 11-13% of face value, whereas a NPL is on average sold at 40% of its face value.
PRESS RELEASE

Rep. Walter Jones to Trump: Dont Raise U.S. Troop Levels in Afghanistan; Let Congress Review Policy

July 21, 2017 (EIRNS)Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) sent an open letter yesterday to President Trump urging him not to escalate U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan conflict, and to involve Congress in future plans in that theater. He wrote that many Congressmen "believe we have been denied our sacred duty to debate and declare war." This is especially true on Afghanistan because it has lasted 16 years, cost almost $1 trillion, has involved "no direct goal or strategy," and continues to lose American lives.

He cited statements by Donald Trump dating back to 2011 to the effect that Afghanistan is "wasting lives and money in Iraq and Afghanistan," and that "Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train." Jones mentioned that ex-Marine Commandant, General Chuck Krulak, emailed him warning, "No one has ever conquered Afghanistan ... and many have tried. We will join the list of nations that have tried and failed."

Jones urged Trump to ask Congress to debate and vote on any troop level increases to involve the whole nation in the decision, and then, "go before the American people and U.S. military to explain the bencharks you chose for Afghanistan."

He concluded with the declaration, "Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires! We do not want a tombstone to read, United States of America. "
PRESS RELEASE

Russia, China Meet for Seventh Northeast Asia Dialogue; Vow To Maintain Close Contact on Dealing with Korean Peninsula

July 21, 2017 (EIRNS)China and Russia just completed the seventh round of Russian-Chinese Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security, where the question of North Korea and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as discussed.

"On July 20, Beijing hosted the seventh round of Russian-Chinese Dialogue on Security in North-East Asia," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov headed the Russian delegation and Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou led the Chinese one."

They

"voiced mutual concern about North Koreas ongoing missile launches and a high level of military activity in the subregion. An agreement has been achieved to maintain close contacts at all levels and upgrade positive tendencies in the situation on the peninsula."

Meanwhile South Koreas Ministry of Defense reiterated its call for military talks with North Korea, for which today was a soft deadline. "The Ministry of National Defense once again calls on the North to respond positively to our offer as soon as possible," the statement said according to Yonhap news agency and as reported by TASS.

"The North Korean side has not issued a position so far," Yonhap cited the South Korean Defense Ministry as saying in its statement. "Accordingly, it has become virtually difficult to open the talks today."

Following a non-response from North Korea, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun said,

"It is an urgent task to reduce tension between two Koreas ... to achieve peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. We urge the North again to respond to our talks proposal".

North-South military talks have been suspended since December 2015. North Korea has also remained silent on an offer made by South Koreas Red Cross to meet on August 1 and discuss potential reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
Hadley Olivia Mattress Shop - Creating the Luxurious Sleep You Have Always Dreamt About Hadley Olivia opened in 2016 with the intention of bringing ultra-premium mattresses to San Juan Capistrano and the rest of Orange County and what they found out is that people have been waiting for just such a store. Founder and Southern California native Ronnie Lane created the Hadley Olivia brand out of a passion for educating people on improved sleep quality and how the mattresses that they sleep on can literally change their lives

Michael Minas BARDOT Brasserie Restaurant Review  Going Beyond Your Typical French Fare Sometimes if you do a little exploring in life you are greatly rewarded. If you are familiar with the ARIA, you know you can often be thrown into a trance by the beauty of the casino floor and the embarrassment of riches when it comes to restaurants. The second level holds several treats, including BARDOT Brasserie. A restaurant so beautiful with a menu to match, it deserves to be the centerpiece of ARIA
Question: I live in a common interest development with a homeowner association board that aggressively stifles residents freedom of speech.

During association elections, the board makes ample use of newsletters, meetings and minutes, association media, the recreation room and other channels to get across its point of view. This propaganda is distributed at the associations expense, but when owners ask for equal access we dont get it. For example, to use the clubhouse for a meeting we are told that we must purchase insurance, pay a deposit and a nonrefundable cleanup fee in advance  and then sign a waiver.

The fines and penalties are particularly harsh for anyone who disobeys the boards rules. One homeowner invited a local City Council member to speak at a Memorial Day gathering but when the board found out, it shut the event down. It even threatened to have security guards remove the council member from the grounds if he showed up.

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With each new lawyer and law firm that our board hires, new roadblocks and crimes against residents are invented to increase revenue and control the behavior of those who live here. Is there any way we residents can get a fairer living environment?

Answer: This is a problem that many homeowners have complained about for a very long time. While federal and state laws that clarify citizens rights to free speech in public areas and at schools or jobs have existed for years, the issue of freedom of speech within common interest developments is now serious enough that it finally has caught the attention of state lawmakers.

The Legislature is considering a bill written by state Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) that would amend the common interest development act to directly address this problem. SB 407 would add Civil Code section 4515 to the act to ensure that members and residents of common interest developments have the ability to exercise their rights under law to peacefully assemble and freely communicate with one another and with others with respect to common interest development living or for social, political, or educational purposes.

This means that not only will the association members be free to discuss issues relevant to their community; they will be free to meet, speak and distribute material about larger social and political issues that interest them.

The current text of the bill specifically prohibits governing documents, including bylaws and operating rules, from barring meetings of owners and their invited guests during reasonable hours to discuss HOA issues, legislation, elections to public office, initiatives and similar matters.

Owners also are given the right to invite public officials and candidates for office to speak in common areas, such as clubhouses. And it bars any fees, deposits or charges for insurance premiums or deductibles when the facilities are used for such purposes. Furthermore, owners cannot be prohibited from distributing information to or canvassing other members about both association matters and larger political issues.

The law has some teeth. Any member or resident who is improperly restricted from exercising their rights will be entitled to bring a civil or small-claims action for a court order that would halt enforcement of a governing document that violates section 4515. The court may also assess a civil penalty of up to $500 for each violation. To be clear, association governing documents cannot be amended to supersede the statute if it is signed into law.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the law is that is prohibits boards and management companies from barring the distribution of political material without prior permission. That view is supported by a 2013 lawsuit that ended up before the California Supreme Court.

In Wittenberg vs. Beachwalk Homeowners Assn., the boards newsletter was freely distributed, but non-board members were not permitted to provide opposing viewpoints or distribute their own materials during board campaigns.

Homeowners also demanded use of common areas during campaigns, but were denied, prompting a lower court to state the associations legal obligation  was to ensure access to the common area meeting space  to all members advocating a point of view  for purposes reasonably related to the election. The board did not fulfill its obligation.

The court held that the board must either give equal access to opposing viewpoints or forgo the use of association media to advocate its own viewpoint. Beachwalks appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied review.

Case law and existing Civil Code section 5105 also requires your board to give equal access at no cost to the common area meeting space during campaigns for a board or other elected association positions to all candidates, including those who are not incumbents, and to all members advocating a point of view, including those not endorsed by the board, for purposes reasonably related to the election.

A final vote on SB 407 is expected after the Legislature returns from its summer recess in August. Should the bill make it out of the Legislature and be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, it would further level the playing field for owners who go up against entrenched boards and management.

It makes clear that the freedoms we all enjoy in other parts of our lives will now finally extend to common interest developments.

Zachary Levine, a partner at Wolk & Levine, a business and intellectual property law firm, co-wrote this column. Vanitzian is an arbitrator and mediator. Send questions to Donie Vanitzian, JD, P.O. Box 10490, Marina del Rey, CA 90295 or noexit@mindspring.com.
Accusations of gender discrimination are growing at the Salk Institute, where a third female professor has sued the La Jolla science center for allegedly giving preference to men in pay, promotions, grant funding and leadership positions.

Beverly Emerson, a prominent biochemist who studies how genes contribute to disease, filed a lawsuit this week that described the institute as an antiquated boys club that has been systematically undermining and marginalizing its three female full professors.

She was referring to herself and fellow Salk biologists Vicki Lundblad and Katherine Jones, who separately sued the institute for gender discrimination last week. A full professor is the highest rank possible for faculty members.

Salk officials reject the claims of gender bias. Emerson was in Europe and couldnt be reached for comment.

In recent days, the institute has called Jones and Lundblads allegations unfounded, and has asserted that both women trailed their peers in producing high-quality work and attracting research grants.

Its very unusual for a research institution to publicly criticize a researchers work, and its equally unusual for the Salk Institute to suffer from a public airing of discord.

The Salks legal turmoil comes just as the fabled institute  known internationally for its consistent focus on making groundbreaking, fundamental discoveries in the biological sciences  is finalizing its premier fundraising gala for next month. The controversy has generated plenty of discussion among researchers nationwide, but its unclear if the unrest will affect the institutes ability to recruit top-tier scientists and bring in significant donations from the private sector.

Among non-Salk scientists who have spoken out publicly about the lawsuits is Carol Greider at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, a Nobel laureate who shared the prize with Elizabeth Blackburn  the Salk Institutes current president.

Ive known [Emerson] for over 30 years, been to many conferences with her. And her science is fabulous, Greider said Thursday.

She questioned Salks public relations strategy of portraying Lundblad and Jones as subpar. You dont disparage the people that are saying there is a problem, Greider said. The high road to take is to acknowledge that the problem exists everywhere, which all of us know, and that they want to work toward resolving it.

Greider also praised Blackburn as a longtime and strong proponent of female scientists.

I certainly have received her support, and she has actively spoken out in support of women in science, Greider said.

Blackburn said in a statement Thursday: As a woman who has seen firsthand the extraordinary contributions female scientists have made to science and health research, I have both a personal and professional interest in ensuring that women are valued, supported and encouraged to be at the forefront of this critical work.

I would never preside over an organization that in any way condones, openly or otherwise, the marginalizing of female scientists, she added. We are saddened and deeply disappointed by the misrepresentations made by our colleagues in these claims, which we will defend against vigorously. Underscoring their lack of merit, the characterizations already have been debunked by other current female professors at the institute who have flourished here.

Emerson joined the Salk in 1986, when she was hired as an assistant professor. Her latest contract will end in late December.

She filed her lawsuit Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court. In her suit she claims, Very few females have made it to the level of full professor, and those who have, have endured numerous discriminatory reprisals minimizing their successes. That includes slower promotion processes, lower pay regardless of their experience and scientific contributions; and less access to crucial services needed to win grants, publish in the most prestigious journals and build an overall reputation of excellence.

She also alleges in the lawsuit that theres been an unequal distribution of resources when it comes to donor funding and lab staff. She describes a workplace where women are denied nearly all leadership and professional advancement opportunities, and where women are undermined, disrespected, disparaged and treated unequally.

Emerson said Salk administrators  including Blackburn, former institute President William Brody and former board Chairman Irwin Jacobs of Qualcomm fame  have known about this discrimination, yet done absolutely nothing to stop it or right the wrongs.

Jacobs said Thursday that he wasnt in a position to comment because he hadnt seen Emersons lawsuit. Brody has yet to respond to requests since Saturday for comment on the litigation.

Emerson is seeking a jury trial. Shes asking for an unspecified amount of money to cover, among other things, what she sees as lost pay over the decades. Shes also requesting punitive damages.

On Thursday, Jones said since she and Lundblad filed their lawsuits last week, they have received an outpouring of support and encouragement from scientists and colleagues across the nation.

It really has hit a nerve ... that feels like it is far beyond our individual circumstances, she added.

Jones and Lundblad are represented by the same law firm, while Emerson has a different attorney.

Like Lundblad and Jones, Emerson is prominent in biomedical research. In 2015, her collective body of work led to her being elected to the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science, the worlds largest general scientific organization.

Besides getting praised from Greider at Johns Hopkins, Emersons scientific credentials were endorsed on Thursday by UC Santa Cruz researcher Nader Pourmand, who collaborated with her on a 2014 study on how cancer develops resistance to chemotherapy.

Emerson was the senior author of that report, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The project demonstrated how breast cancer cells can evolve resistance to chemotherapy drugs more quickly than scientists had assumed.

She is really precise  she always does good work, Pourmand said.

Meanwhile, Greider and UC Berkeley biologist Michael Eisen disputed one of the Salks metrics for evaluating its faculty members: The number of times their work has been published in prestige journals such as Science, Nature and the New England Journal of Medicine.

In its critiques of Jones and Lundblad issued Friday, the institute had faulted them for their lack of studies published in such journals.

The push for profits distorts the kind of science featured in those publications, said Eisen, a co-founder of the open-access journal PLOS. And women are hurt disproportionately by this emphasis, he said.

Theres some good evidence to suggest that women have a more difficult time getting their work published in these journals because it is kind of an old boys network to get in in the first place, Eisen said. So it is particularly problematic to say, Well geez, these women arent performing at the level of their male colleagues using, you know, a metric thats known to be biased against women. To me, the fact that the Salk said that is a tacit acknowledgment that theyre using a gender-biased system to evaluate these women.

Concern about the way the Salk treats female scientists isnt new. The institute produced private studies in 2003 and last year that examined the hiring, promotion and funding of female faculty members, as well as leadership opportunities for them.

Emerson said in her lawsuit that both analyses revealed serious problems. Her claim, along with similar ones from Jones and Lundblad last week, could not be verified yet because Salk hasnt made the reports public.

In the United States, women receive about half of all the doctoral degrees awarded in scientific fields but represent only 21% of full professors on the faculty of research institutions, according to a 2012 report from the National Science Foundation. The numbers are similar for the life sciences.
SpaceX may have canceled its mission to Mars with a Red Dragon capsule that was set for 2020.

Company Chief Executive Elon Musk retweeted a story late Friday afternoon titled SpaceX skipping Red Dragon for vastly bigger ships on Mars that was published on Tesla enthusiasts blog Teslarati.

The news comes after Musk said Wednesday that the Hawthorne space company was no longer planning to land its Dragon 2 space capsule using rocket thrusters. The Dragon 2 capsule, which in this case would fly without a crew, was the centerpiece of SpaceXs Red Dragon mission.

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During an on-stage conversation at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Washington, D.C., Musk said that while the capsule is still technically capable of powered landings, it would have to touch down on a pretty soft landing pad because SpaceX deleted the legs that pop out of the Dragon 2s heat shield.

Musk said the Dragon approach to landing on Mars was no longer in line with what we were confident was the optimal way of landing on Mars. Later that day, he replied to a journalists tweet, saying, Plan is to do powered landings on Mars for sure, but with a vastly bigger ship.

It was unclear whether SpaceX is already working on this larger ship or whether the decision would push back a Mars mission launch date.

Though Musk never mentioned the Red Dragon mission during Wednesdays speech, reports speculated that the change on Dragon indicated that mission could be canceled.

The Red Dragon mission was intended to demonstrate a way to land large payloads on the Red Planet without using parachutes or other aerodynamic decelerators.

The capsule was set to be launched by SpaceXs Falcon Heavy rocket, which is scheduled to make its first flight this year. NASA was set to provide SpaceX with technical support for the mission and was interested in SpaceXs entry, landing and descent data.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
The chief executive of Qatar Airways has never minced words when talking about his U.S.-based rivals.

But Akbar Al Baker admits he went too far earlier this month when he compared the crews on his airline with those of U.S.-based carriers.

By the way, the average age of my cabin crew is only 26 years, he said in Dublin during a celebration of the launch of a new international route. So there is no need for you to travel on these crap American carriers .... You know youre always being served by grandmothers on American carriers.

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The comment sparked outrage by labor unions representing U.S.-based pilot and flight attendants.

Al Baker issued an apology through his airlines U.S.-based public relations firm last week, saying: I should like to apologize unreservedly to those offended by my recent remarks which compared Qatar Airways cabin crew with cabin crew on U.S. carriers.

Al Bakers comments only intensified a longstanding feud between U.S.-based carriers and Persian Gulf-based carriers Qatar, Etihad and Emirates airlines. Delta, United and American airlines complain that the Middle Eastern carriers are subsidized by their oil-rich governments and therefore have an unfair advantage when competing for routes to the U.S.

The Middle Eastern carriers reject the accusations.

Despite the apology, Sara Nelson, international president of the Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA released a statement, saying: Your offensive comments and the subsidies your airline receives perhaps indicate a belief that you can operate outside of rules and norms.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.

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You know, I didnt want to speak out, Gustavo Dudamel said in a short interview in his office at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Hed just taken part in a conversation at the Los Angeles Philharmonics Take a Stand symposium, which brings together administrators, teachers and young musicians from Dudamel-inspired training programs around the county. But we have arrived at a point where you have to say something.

For this reason, Dudamel has written an editorial in Spanish (for Spains El Pais) and English (for the New York Times) in which he calls on his native Venezuela not to impose a new constitution on the people, as an increasingly unpopular government is proposing to do later this month.

I dont want to scream, he said, but I want to say what I think will not work and what will work.

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On Sunday, more than 7 million Venezuelans participated in a symbolic referendum that rejected a constitutional overhaul. The government is backing a July 30 vote to elect an assembly with the power to rewrite the constitution.

As one of the worlds best-known Venezuelans, the music director of the L.A. Phil and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela has long resisted taking too much of a public stand, lest he endanger the government funding of the countrys unparalleled music education and social action program, El Sistema, which serves more than half a million mostly underprivileged children.

Unique to Venezuelas current constitution is the right to a music education, and there is no guarantee that this right would be included in a new constitution. Still, Dudamel says that is not what motivates his latest statement. Rather, it is the larger democratic issue of public involvement.

We dont know which laws will change, he explains. That is why it is not right to do that, because you have to go to an election of the people to vote if we need that.

That is what happened in 1999, he notes. That is the way our constitution works. That is what we have to defend.

In May, after 17-year-old violist Armando Canizales, from one of the El Sistema youth orchestras, was killed during a demonstration in Caracas against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Dudamel issued a statement titled I Raise My Voice. In it, he deplored the violence and repression of the current regime and declared: Enough is enough.

Dudamel does, though, make clear that he has no desire to become swept up by politics when he feels the strongest statement he can make is doing what he knows best, making music and showing by example how putting an orchestra concert together is an act of bringing individuals together.

For him, that approach is also the only way out of the crisis in Venezuela. What we need is to sit and talk and to solve this problem together.

And the way to do this is not to place all the progress on some vague notion of the future. As he told the symposium, politicians love to talk about the future, because then they dont have to do anything in the present. But, he insists, the present is the future.

mark.swed@latimes.com

ALSO

Gustavo Dudamel has tried to stay out of politics. Now, hes demanding action in Venezuela

Millions take part in symbolic referendum rejecting plans to rewrite Venezuelas constitution

Dudamel dedicates concert to a slain student in Venezuela  and opens a new chapter with the L.A. Phil

L.A. Phils Gustavo Dudamel: Teaching music took these students from nothing to something
Everything you want to know about Black Lightning, Supergirl, Arrow, Flash and the rest of the CW lineup

Cress Williams, Christine Adams, Nafessa Williams and China Anne McClain from the television series Black Lightning. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The traditional CW block of Comic-Con panels added a new show this year. Black Lightning joined Supergirl, DCs Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash and Arrow for a three-plus-hour extravaganza touting the networks super-heroic TV slate.

The new kid on the block, Black Lightning brought a level of social awareness to the proceedings that most of the fantastical other shows didnt particularly touch on (this year, at least). The show is grounded in family and community, specifically black families and black communities, and according to the showrunners it will not shy away from addressing the concerns that are current.

Yes theres a problem with police brutality and we will get into that. Theres also a problem with us killing each other, said Salim Akil, one of the executive producers of the series alongside Mara Brock Akil. They were joined on the panel by lead actor Cress Williams, who plays the titular character, and his TV daughters China Anne McClain (playing Jennifer Pierce) and Nafessa Williams (Anissa Pierce), and his TV ex-wife Christine Adams (Lynn Pierce).

Black Lightning follows Jefferson Pierce (Black Lightnings real-life persona), who is a man wrestling with a secret. He has the superhuman power to control electricity but gave it up for his family and others. But when his family is threatened hell have to don the suit and use his powers again. Fun side note, his daughter (McClain) exhibits special powers as well.

Whats going to make this so fun for the writers and others is that this is going to come from an authentic black male voice, Salim said. I think this character will give back to the culture. Black culture specifically, but American culture.

The biggest challenge was accepting that this black man was running around town in this suit. Thats the easiest way to get shot, Salim said as the audience laughed. "[The show] is about balancing out when he uses his powers [and] how he uses his powers and why.

Another Black Lightning surprise was the announcement that James Remar and Damon Gupton would be joining the cast.

Salims closing remarks circled back to representation, and the desire to give little kids the opportunity to choose between being Batman or Black Lightning for Halloween -- highlighting the fact there should be a choice.

Heres a breakdown for the rest of the CW panel:

Supergirl

(Jevon Phillips / Los Angeles Times)

- Katie McGrath (Lena Luthor) is now a series regular, and her character immediately makes an enemy of a powerful person.

- We will get to see Martian Manhunters father.

- Supergirls sister Alex popped the question to her girlfriend at the end of last season. Exec Jessica Queller is happy that they get to portray a relationship that is emotional, modern and honors the love between these two women.

- Melissa Benoist wants a puppy on the show. David Harewood wants the Martian to get drunk and sing karaoke.

DCs Legends of Tomorrow

- Last season the Legends were the only game in time, so to speak, but now Rip Hunter will head a group that can help fix time alongside the heroes..

- Neal McDonoughs Damien Darkh will return.

- A new character, Zari, joins the cast. Shes a hacker from the future played by Tala Ashe who will butt heads with the positivity of Ray (Brandon Routh).

- There will be a character called Fireshine. Its a Freaky Friday situation for the Firestorm duo where Victor Gabler will most likely be the physical manifestation of the hero instead of Franz Drameh.

- There have been conversations with Matt Ryan about Constantine coming on the show.

- They are having an 80s episode in which they investigate Ray Palmers childhood.

The Flash

Tom Cavanagh, Grant Gustin and Candice Patton on the Flash panel. (Jevon Phillips / Los Angeles times)

There was a sneak peek of exclusive footage from Season 4. The whole cast was once again present for the panel. Exec Todd Helbing, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jessie L. Martin, Candice Patton, Grant Gustin, Tom Cavanaugh, Danielle Panabaker and the always-popular Carlos Valdes.

- Jesse L. Martin was happy he got to work with Victor Garber on the musical episode. As a New York kid, that means a lot.

- The Thinker is the new big bad for this season, and will be played by Neil Sanderlands from The 100.

- Gypsys (Jessica Camacho) father will be showing up, and hell be played by Danny Trejo.

Arrow

- Responding to the inquiry of why the island was blown up, producer Wendy Mericle said: Were good at blowing things up. Thats what we do.

- Exec producer Marc Guggenheim: We are going to see a different Oliver Queen. The last five years have really changed him.

- Stephen Amell on his characters changes: To start on episode 116 and be able to do fun, new stuff has been great.

- Katie Cassidy, who played Black Canary, on returning: So excited to be back. It feels like I never left. Its been pretty easy getting back in the swing of things.

- There will be a super group of villains, including one played by Michael Emerson, though we dont know who he is or who theyll be.

- Amell has apparently mentioned that hed like to see a Supernatural"-"Arrow crossover, so a member of the audience asked him how that could possibly happen.

- The character Richard Dragon will be among the villains this year as well.

- One of the first questions from the audience centered on the identity of the mysterious vigilante from last season. The only reveal from Guggenheim was that the character is someone we already know.
Hello! Im Mark Olsen, and welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

The unexpected run of smart summer blockbusters continues apace with this weeks release of Dunkirk, written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Though its easy to forget now, Nolan began as a small-scale independent filmmaker with movies such as Following and Memento, and in many ways he has always continued to operate in that same way.

His new Dunkirk, an action-thriller epic set during the rescue of nearly 400,000 British and Allied soldiers from a French beach in the spring of 1940, would be ambitious at any time of year, but particularly during the summer.

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As Nolan told The Times Josh Rottenberg, Its very exciting to be putting something different out to the audience, but its also very frightening It feels like it raises the stakes for the success of the film. It feels like were carrying a bit more than we realized going into it in terms of what movies can work or cant work in the summer.

And weve had an exciting title slot in for an August screening and Q&A on short notice. To find out more and for updates on future events, go to events.latimes.com.

The team behind Landline is, from left, director Gillian Robespierre, actress Jenny Slate, co-writer Elisabeth Holm and actress Abby Quinn. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Landline

The Obvious Child team of actress Jenny Slate, director and co-screenwriter Gillian Robespierre and producer and co-screenwiter Elisabeth Holm reunite for the new Landline. In the film, Slate plays a woman in crisis over how her life is turning out, so she seeks refuge with her parents (Edie Falco, John Turturro) and sister (sparkling newcomer Abby Quinn), which pushes the entire family to reevaluate where theyre at.

I spoke to Slate, Robespierre, Holm and Quinn about the film as a portrait of sisterly bonds and its relationship to the typical rom-com.

Its a romantic comedy sort of sans romance, but with love and intimacy and passion, said Robespierre.

I feel like we can tell a story that has romance while still questioning these pillars of what so often define a romantic comedy, added Holm.

Though she liked the movie less than I did, in her review for The Times, Sheri Linden said, A scene in which the sisters stake out their fathers office building has a bright, charged spontaneity, a nervous undertow and a dynamic sense of midweek Manhattan. Its precisely the kind of comic-dramatic fusion thats missing from most of the film  though there are glimmers of persuasive sisterly scrapping and bonding elsewhere, with newcomer Quinn delivering an impressively unruly combination of spirited and sullen.

Noting the 90s setting and the movies sisters, in his review for the New York Times, A.O. Scott wrote, Its strange to think that if Ali and Dana were real, they would now be in their early and later 40s. The fact that they seem so much like present-day young people is less an anachronism than an aspect of the films hopeful, soothing attitude. Its a peace offering from Generation X to the millennials, a gesture of solidarity from one cohort of the metropolitan upper-middle class to another. Were just like you, and well all grow up eventually.

At Time, Stephanie Zacharek compared the new film with Obvious Child, noting that while this picture doesnt have the same quiet-earthquake impact, its just as emotionally open and just as funny And Slate, with her marvelous, helium-tinged voice, is a pure pleasure to watch. At one point she responds to a friends outrageous dating tale with a classic spit-take. Somehow she makes it both elegant and hilarious.

Girls Trip

A broad, upbeat comedy in a summer that has had far too few of them, Girls Trip features a superb ensemble in Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Tiffany Haddish as, well, some women who take a trip. The story becomes more complicated from there. Directed By Malcolm D. Lee, the film has a screenplay by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver.

In his review for The Times, Justin Chang calls the film sensationally assured and entertaining while going on to say, The mix of outrageous comedy and gentle sentimentality is familiar but very fresh, especially in the hands of four actresses who effortlessly establish a sense of shared history.

Also for The Times, Trevell Anderson interviewed director Lee, who said, This is fun, and this is black women telling their story the way they see themselves. Black girl magic is real, and everyones craving it right now.

Anderson also surveyed black women in comedy and put together 18 mini-profiles, including one of Haddish

Reviewing the film for the New York Times, Manohla Dargis compared it to the recent Rough Night by saying, The friends in Girls Trip have other issues to work on, all of which are grounded in ordinary life: how to live in the world with love and joy, how to nurture intimate relationships so they dont slip away, how to balance professional and personal obligations without going nuts, how to perform fairly tricky sexual acts without embarrassing you or your partner right out of bed  you know, the usual.

At Vulture, Emily Yoshida added, Thats a deceptively high bar of difficulty for a comedy of this scale to pull off, but Girls Trip makes it look easy.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

French filmmaker Luc Besson makes audacious, extravagant movies that arent afraid to look a little ridiculous. He gets a kick out of this stuff, including previous sci-fi excursions The Fifth Element and Lucy, and his new Valerian and City of a Thousand Planets seems no different. Starring Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne (with a cameo by Rihanna!) the film is an eye-popping adaptation of a French comic book series set in the 28th century.

Reviewing the movie for The Times, Justin Chang called it Bessons latest futuristic whats-it and went on to say, When you enter the theater, you can pick up your 3-D glasses with one hand and drop off your brain with the other. All in all, you might not consider it the worst exchange. A passion project for Besson this extravagant burst of feature-length silliness is the most expensive French production in film history.

Speaking to The Times Josh Rottenberg, Besson addressed the challenges of making the big-budget project given audiences appetite these days: Its not safe. The audience would rather see Blah-Blah-Man 12 because at least they know where theyre going. You go to see Valerian and its a little risky because its new. But thats also how you get pleasure. Its like food: If you always get the same thing at the restaurant, OK, its safe, but sometimes you have to say, Ive never tasted that  lets try it. 

At the New York Times, A.O. Scott begins his review by saying, I feel I can say with certainty that 2017 will go down in film history as the Year of the Crazy Dane DeHaan Movie. He concludes by saying the movie feels as if it were made up on the spot, by someone so delighted by the gaudy genre packaging at his disposal that he lost track of what was supposed to be inside.

Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter@IndieFocus

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First comes love, then comes the wedding registry.

In fact, when it comes to starting a life together the first march down the aisle for nearly weds is usually done at their favorite home furnishings store, bar scanner in hand, check list at the ready.

According to a 2016 study by online wedding planning resource the Knot, 88% of brides and grooms, or 1.6 million couples, create at least one gift registry via store or online website, and previous surveys have revealed most brides would prefer guests stick to the list.

To find out exactly what gifts couples are hoping to love and to cherish happily ever after, we asked experts at popular registry sites to dish on the latest trends and reveal the items that continually crop up on everyones wish lists.

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A wedding gift theyll actually use: The 8 x 8 Cookbook and a classic Pyrex dish

There are three things you can count on in life, said Jennifer Spector, director of brand for online wedding registry site Zola: Death, taxes and that the KitchenAid Stand Mixer will always be the top registry gift.

She was spot on.https://www.zola.com/

Almost every registry in our unscientific survey of most popular registry items included the mixer. Offered in a range of colors, sizes and with a variety of attachments, the desirability of the coveted kitchen appliance appears to rank second only to the wedding rings themselves.

Couples are also saying yes to experiential gifts, adventure gear (think luggage, outdoor equipment), cooking subscriptions and cash.

In 2016, two-thirds of couples added cash funds to their registries, said Spector. We encourage couples to personalize their funds instead of registering for a general honeymoon fund, to create funds for specific dinners, excursions and activities theyll be doing together.

Giving cash and pooling resources to purchase luxury items are not new ideas, but digital registries are making it easier. Now, instead of hounding cousin Vinny for his portion of the foosball table, everyone can pay their share online.

Group gifting is a major trend, said Spector. Over 25% of couples [on Zola] enable the group gifting option so larger items can be broken up into smaller contributions without breaking the bank.

Julie Cassetina, spokesperson for Wayfair.com, agreed. For example, one couple who registered with Wayfair received a $3,300 hot tub after nine people contributed.

In spite of all the high-end hoopla, however, the majority of items on wedding registries remain devoted to daily needs, simple luxuries (think: plush towels), household maintenance and organization.

Crate & Barrel reported that versatile dinnerware remains a mainstay of registries across the board and marble and copper accents represent the most popular design trends in the kitchen category.

Couples love metallic and marble, agreed Spector. This is the biggest home decor trend we see today, and its not going anywhere. [Its] reflected in all areas from copper appliances to rose gold flatware to marble dinner ware.

The following are darlings of this years wedding registries:

Bonnie McCarthy contributes to the Los Angeles Times as a home and lifestyle design writer. She enjoys scouting for directional trends and reporting on whats new and next. Follow her on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome

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Hello all! Heres whats up in books this week.

THE BIG STORY

The artist Alexandra Grant, designer Jessica Fleischmann and actor Keanu Reeves have joined forces to create X Artists Books, a venture that makes beautiful books that are designed to surprise and engage. They talked to Agatha French about the genesis of and goals for the project.

From left: artist Alexandra Grant, designer Jessica Fleischmann and actor Keanu Reeves, the creative forces behind X Artists Books. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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COP FICTION, CRIME FICTION

Michael Connelly, famed for his Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer mystery series, has a new hero  make that heroine. The Late Show follows a female LAPD detective whos been banished to the overnight shift in Hollywood. Paula Woods has our review.

Meanwhile, Richard Lange gives us a beleaguered contemporary con man whos down on his luck  although maybe thats about to change  in his new book The Smack. Its a fresh take on L.A. noir, writes Steph Cha in our review.

Michael Connellys new book is The Late Show. (Quique Garcia / EPA)

STARTING OUT

Meet Zinzi Clemmons, a debut novelist whose circuitous path has brought her to Los Angeles. Her book What We Lose is deep in feeling  it was inspired by her mothers death from cancer  and experimental in form. Its very hard for [people] to say, This person writes as a black woman, writes about identity and is also experimental, Clemmons says about how others have approached her work. It has to be one or the other, but not both.

Zinzi Clemmons at Eso Won Books (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

BESTSELLERS

If youre hankering for a great summer read, look no further than our paperback bestseller list and Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize for autobiography, is a memoir of surfing  off the coast of California and Hawaii as a young man in the 60s, then continuing his obsession around the globe, where he turns to observe the diverse communities around him as well as the next wave.

MORE ON BOOKS

Starting in September, Jane Austen will be the first female author to grace British currency. This week, on the 200th anniversary of Austens death, her 10-pound note was revealed.

Author and screenwriter Clancy Sigal had a fascinating life  romantic partner of Doris Lessing for four years, blacklisted during the Red Scare in Hollywood, acid-taking psychiatric patient, British journalist, USC professor and more. He died last week at age 90.

Shark! Shark week begins on television Sunday (on both the Discovery Channel and Nat Geo WILD) and National Geographic brings us the book Shark! with amazing, terrifyingly close-up photographs by Brian Skerry. Dont say I didnt warn you.

Jane Austen on the forthcoming 10 pound note. (Chris J. Ratcliffe / AFP/Getty Images)

carolyn.kellogg@latimes.com

@paperhaus
Tim Blake has been pursued by police, arrested, jailed, ripped off in the fields by thuggish neighbors and hogtied by Hells Angels.

Naturally, he is one of Mendocino Countys most upstanding citizens.

Blake is a longtime cannabis grower and entrepreneur. His Healing Harvest farm produces top-quality product, and he owns Area 101, an iconic dispensary and gathering spot just off Highway 101 near tiny Laytonville, about three hours north of San Francisco.

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Nearly 15 years ago, Blake founded the Emerald Cup, a post-harvest celebration and county fair-style contest that draws thousands of cannabis aficionados to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds each December. At the very first contest, the first- and third-place winners for best flowers didnt show up. They feared arrest.

Nine years ago, Blake and some of his cannabis-growing colleagues had a political epiphany.

It dawned on everybody that we are a cannabis county, Blake told me the other day at Area 101.

The sheriff could not get elected without our vote  and our money. All of a sudden we realized we are a power: How are you going to work for us? 

He decided to embrace the very people he had once feared. He hosted political debates with candidates running for sheriff and district attorney. Not all his friends were pleased.

My life was threatened by people up on Spy Rock, an infamous place thats a community of hardcore growers, Blake said. They didnt like the fact that I was opening this up. I told them, when youre getting robbed, who do you call? You want the cops up there to protect you.

Mendocino County soon became the first county in the country to permit the farming of medical cannabis, which state voters had legalized in 1996.

And then the feds cracked down, threatening to sue county officials.

The supervisors said, Now we understand what you guys are going through,  Blake said. It was a revelation.

At his Area 101 dispensary, Laytonville cannabis entrepreneur Tim Blake holds a product hes developing: frozen hash that melts at room temperature. (Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times)

Blake is a slender 60-year-old father of three whose up-and-down career has roughly paralleled the tumultuous California marijuana industry. Im going to predict that someone, somewhere, is going to make a movie of his life.

Like a lot of baby boomers, he tried pot for the first time as a teenager. In Sunnyvale, at age 14, he began selling lids to friends. He grew his first plants at 16. In the ensuing decades, he has never not sold pot.

Before President Nixon declared drug abuse Public Enemy No. 1 in 1971, and conflated pot with heroin, cannabis flowed to the U.S. from places like Thailand, Colombia and Mexico. You didnt need to grow it, Blake said.

But the war on drugs changed everything. Supplies dried up, and demand never waned. Of necessity, California became a pot-growing capital.

In rural Northern California, the combination of hot days and cold nights made for perfect growing conditions. High-quality marijuana could be grown in the mountains, out of view, hidden amid trees. People also began perfecting indoor growing techniques.

In Cannabis Crusader, a memoir Blake self-published two years ago, he recounts harrowing stories about rip-offs and snitches and police raids, about how the push for mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related crimes turned a relatively peaceful industry into a high-stress, paranoid world and eventually drove it into the redwood regions of Northern California.

I had a friend who got busted for 7,000 pounds, and only did 18 months in county jail, Blake said. Two years later, with mandatory minimums, that crime would have got him 10 to 15 years in prison. And then it became, its not fun anymore. This is serious stuff.

I asked him, with all the stress and traumatic episodes, why he didnt just go back to selling commercial real estate. Because I believed in cannabis, he said. I didnt know how medicinal it was back then, I just knew it was good for people. They think better thoughts. They play with their dog. They talk to their old lady.

(I take slight issue with that characterization; plenty of people dont like the way pot makes them feel, it can be addictive for a subset of users, and teenagers should avoid it.)

Once it began to be clear that marijuana does indeed have medicinal value  for children suffering from epilepsy, for cancer patients with no appetites, for people with chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder  Blake said he knew the end of prohibition was inevitable.

And, he said, expressing a sentiment I have heard from other cannabis proponents: It became a crime against humanity to withhold. At some point, there will be a reckoning.

Travis Niderost, a partner of Tim Blakes, examines marijuana plants in a light-deprivation grow, where they are covered at 5 each night to trick them into flowering sooner. Instead of one harvest a year, there can be three or four, which helps offset plummeting prices. (Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times)

Now that California voters have legalized pot for adult recreational use  regulations go into effect in January  small growers like Blake will have only a few years before they could be squashed by big greenhouse growers in the Salinas Valley and the deserts of Southern California, who will be pumping good-quality, low-cost weed into the marketplace.

Already, Blake said, prices have dropped dramatically. He knows Emerald Triangle farmers who have not been able to sell all of last years crop.

The one-time cannabis outlaws of Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino counties either will distinguish themselves with high-end niche products the way some spirits makers have done, or they will vanish like the loggers who were once the lifeblood of this place.

The best ones will have a chance, said Blake, who is perfecting an expensive, hash-like concentrate made from a high-quality strain of bud that is frozen in the field as soon as it is harvested. He also has switched some of his fields from standard cultivation  one harvest per year  to a technique called light-deprivation, where plants are covered between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. to trick them into flowering faster.

For a region whose economic stability has grown dependent on the all-cash cannabis industry, things could get ugly.

This weekend, Blake had planned what he called a Cannabis County Fair for Laytonville. It was to have been a summertime version of the Emerald Cup. For various logistical reasons, it got canceled. Which was just as well.

He was worried the event would be less like a celebration and more like a wake for all the folks who are about to get left behind.

More columns 

For more on politics 

robin.abcarian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AbcarianLAT

ALSO

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The new coffee shop on Cesar Chavez Avenue in Boyle Heights was busy and steamy Thursday afternoon.

Busy because people seem to like its menu of food and beverages.

Steamy because a vandal had smashed the glass front door, and the air conditioner couldnt beat back the mid-summer heat pouring in from the street.

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So I ordered an iced coffee and settled in.

What drew me there was a story by my colleague Ruben Vives about the Boyle Heights anti-gentrification activists who have targeted Weird Wave Coffee, just as theyve targeted art galleries that have moved into the area.

Protesters, calling for a boycott of Weird Wave, flashed signs with [blank] White Coffee and AmeriKKKano to go. On Wednesday, surveillance video showed someone in a black mask smashing the front door window.

What a bunch of hypocrites and cowards.

Leonardo Vilchis, left, hands out fliers to the community urging a boycott of Weird Wave Coffee Brewers in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 23, 2017. We are concerned with rents being increased, and there is a trend of people being pushed out, said Vilchis. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. is always changing  not just in 2017

As everyone knows, Los Angeles is always changing, and has been for the last few hundred years. Before Boyle Heights was predominantly Latino, it was home to people of Jewish, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Croatian and Serbian descent.

Echo Park, Highland Park and the Arts District have been transformed, too. Displacement is real, with rising rents forcing mass movements of people across the city in a money-driven game of winners and losers, and Ive written about that many times.

But you cant easily reverse the phenomenon, or have any real impact with a race-based rant against a small independent coffee shop that moves into a vacant storefront and is embraced  as far as I could tell  by merchants and neighbors.

Two undercover cops, one Mexican-American, came in to show their support.

Marta Reyes, a regular, was greeted by name when she came in for a coffee.

Everyone has to have opportunities to work, said Adriana Gonzalez, who runs the travel agency next door to Weird Wave and stops by the shop a couple of times a day for a cafe con crema or a mocha. Trying to drive out white owners is a case of too much racism, she said.

Some merchants said they appreciate the business that might come their way with more foot traffic around the coffee shop. And Christina Torres of the Boyle Heights Historical Society dropped by to donate framed photos of the neighborhoods early days. She said it was a way to welcome the new business, which opened in June, and to link the shop to a proud history.

Is the Salvadoran coffee guy really the enemy?

The protest has a couple of ridiculous aspects to it.

First, one of the three owners of Weird Waves is Latino. Mario Chavarria was born in El Salvador. He owns and lives in a West Adams building where two tenants  Jackson Defa and John Schwarz  came to him with their coffee shop idea, and he put up the money to back them. They searched the entire city before finding a spot they liked.

We have a five-year lease, so weve got to keep going for at least that long, said Chavarria. For whatever hate comes our way, theres 10 times more support from the community.

He said he tried to speak to protesters but didnt get anywhere with them.

They dont like to engage, he said. They just like to hate.

The other ridiculous aspect of this dispute is that Boyle Heights has a Starbucks, and the activists dont seem to have a problem with it. Is there a more obvious symbol of outsider corporate establishment big-footing its way into neighborhoods, driving up rents and changing the local vibe?

When Christine Fimbres saw the story on the broken window at Weird Wave she drove straight to the coffee shop from her home in East L.A., marched up to the counter and ordered a brew.

She was livid, and adamant in her support of Weird Wave.

Ive been in this neighborhood for 54 years, since this street was called Brooklyn Avenue, she announced, asking why, if the protesters care so much about the neighborhood, they dont do something productive like sweep the streets.

The protesters included members of a nonprofit called Union de Vecinos, whose leaders were unavailable to meet with me before next week.

Seems to me their time could be better spent supporting and facilitating new business investment rather than attacking it, or campaigning for quicker movement on construction of affordable housing, particularly as City Hall weighs its options on that topic.

When protesters first showed up, co-owner Defa said he could identify with them because gentrification drove him out of San Francisco.

I went out to talk to them, he said, but he gave up when he was called a racist.

Street tacos and fancy coffee can coexist

Daniel Morales, the real estate man who rented out the storefront, said lots of people were interested, but only Weird Wave moved forward. He told me hes sensitive to concerns about gentrification, but said L.A.s history is about change. He pointed out that Canters Deli used to be near Weird Wave before moving west.

Morales said he suggested to the Weird Wave proprietors that they consider a more Latin-sounding name for their business. But co-owner Schwarz had a problem with that.

I thought that would be insincere, he said. I didnt want to be pandering.

Besides, for all the stresses that come with gentrification, change and variety are among the things that make such neighborhoods the most interesting in L.A.

Weird Wave Coffee across the street from King Taco?

Ill have a little of both, thank you.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez

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An Episcopal Church disciplinary panel has recommended a three-year suspension for the bishop who locked worshippers out of St. James the Great church in Newport Beach after a failed sale attempt two years ago.

The panel also recommended that the shuttered church be restored to its displaced members.

The tentative ruling, which came down late Friday afternoon, determined that the Right Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, was guilty of all allegations brought against him by the congregation during a hearing the panel conducted in March: that he attempted to sell consecrated property without consent of diocesan leadership, that he made several misrepresentations along the way and that he acted in a manner unbecoming of a clergyman.

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The Rev. Canon Cindy Voorhees, St. James the Greats vicar, who has continued to minister to its members, could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

Los Angeles Diocese spokesman Bob Williams said in an email Friday that the diocese is withholding comment, continuing their commitment to respect the integrity of the [disciplinary] process, a priority that Bishop Bruno has upheld through the duration of the two-year proceedings.

In summer 2015, Bruno changed the locks on the church at 3209 Via Lido after committing to sell the site for $15 million to Legacy Partners, a developer that wanted to raze the church to build luxury townhomes. The congregation filed an ecclesiastical complaint not long after its eviction.

The sale fizzled after Legacys investment partner dropped out, but Bruno did not reopen the building. Members now worship in a community room at Newport Beach City Hall.

In their decision Friday, panelists said that there was no good reason to lock the church and that doing so created disorder and prejudiced the reputation of the Episcopal Church.

Although the building is an asset, Bishop Bruno is not the CEO of a commercial, for-profit company, the ruling reads. The asset is a consecrated church that should be used for the glory of God and worship by a congregation rather than sold to build condos and left idle and useless after the sale fell through, almost two years ago.

Though the panel said there was no good reason to mothball the church, it suggested that Bruno did have motivation: to punish Canon Voorhees and the St. James congregation for what he views as their defiance of him.

The same panel warned Bruno in June not to sell the property until it reached a decision in the misconduct case. Another disciplinary board rejected Brunos appeal of the admonishment, and the top bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, issued a similar sale-blocking order late last month.

The series of stern rebukes came after the original hearing panel, acting on a tip from a congregation member about a possible second sale attempt, issued its restriction not knowing whether Bruno had entered a new sale contract. However, an attorney for Bruno eventually confirmed that the bishop contracted with Newport Beach-based developer Burnham-Ward Properties in May. The price and plans for the property were not disclosed, and its unclear whether escrow closed as planned early this month.

Fridays draft ruling will be finalized after Curry and the congregation submit comments next week.

Congregation member Bill Kroener said he will compile his fellow complainants feedback by Wednesdays deadline. He declined further comment.

Panelists concluded their 91-page decision by saying that diocese leadership must consciously choose to take part in a process of self-examination and truth-telling around these unfortunate and tragic events so healing and justice can be achieved.

And they suggested what church members have wanted most:

The hearing panel strongly recommends to the Diocese of Los Angeles that as a matter of justice, it immediately suspend its efforts to sell the St. James property, that it restore the congregation and vicar [Voorhees] to the church building and that it reassign St. James the Great appropriate mission status.

Davis writes for the Daily Pilot.

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The state has picked a senior Los Angeles schools administrator, Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, to lead the troubled Inglewood Unified School District.

The Inglewood school system, which is located just east of Los Angeles International Airport, has long struggled with low academic achievement and declining enrollment, including the last five years under state control.

Melendez was named Thursday by state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, who also asserted that Inglewood has been making progress recently.

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Thelma Melendez has a strong combination of leadership skills and experience managing school districts, Torlakson said in a statement. She will continue the districts positive momentum.

Melendez, 59, has been serving as head of the Office of Educational Services in the L.A. Unified School District. She was also superintendent of Pomona Unified and Santa Ana Unified, and she served as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the U.S. Department of Education under President Obama.

Before joining L.A. Unified, she worked as the top education advisor to Mayor Eric Garcetti.

The Inglewood school community has the ingredients for greatness, and it will be an honor to lead the district into the next phase of progress for all students, Melendez said. I am eager and ready to roll up my sleeves to get to work.

Melendez will have plenty to take on.

According to state test results, 29% of Inglewood students are proficient or better in English, up from 26% the prior year. Only 16% are proficient in math, although that is up from 14% the prior year.

The district of 12,570 students is 58% Latino and 39% black. About 3 in 10 students are learning English and nearly 8 in 10 are part of low-income households.

The state took over Inglewood Unified in 2012, as a condition of an emergency loan package of up to $55 million. The loan must be repaid within 20 years.

Under state control, the top leadership post has been a revolving door. Inglewood district graduate Kent Taylor accepted the job in October 2012. The veteran administrator lasted less than three months because, according to the state, he had made unauthorized agreements with the teachers union.

Taylors deputy, La Tanya Kirk-Carter, handled the post on an interim basis for half a year, followed by Don Brann, who once had led a nearby school system.

Next up was Vincent Matthews, who stepped in two years later. Matthews long-term strategy included increasing enrollment by 4% a year, starting in 2018-19. Enrollment has declined every year since 2010. In March, Matthews accepted a job as superintendent in San Francisco.

Under California law, emergency loans place a district under state control, and the local elected board loses its authority and becomes an advisory body.

The state retains control, through its appointed administrator, until the district is fiscally stable and the loan is repaid. A required recovery plan typically also includes steps to improve a districts community relations, governance and pupil achievement.

howard.blume@latimes.com

@howardblume

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Los Angeles Unified School District police officers shot and wounded a man holding a knife early Saturday morning near Esperanza Elementary School in Westlake, authorities said.

The shooting occurred at 2:45 a.m. in the 600 block of South Union Avenue, said Lt. Chris Ramirez of the Los Angeles Police Department, which is helping investigate the shooting. Ramirez said the man was holding the knife in a threatening manner.

L.A. police Officer Mike Lopez said two LAUSD officers were patrolling the area when they encountered the man. He said they first fired a nonlethal bean bag round. The man ran off and the officers chased him a short distance before using the bean bag a second time.

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When the man tried to enter an occupied vehicle, the officers opened fire with their guns. The man, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital where he was undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound, Lopez said.

Lopez didnt know how many shots were fired or the extent of the mans injuries. Police released no information about the two people in the vehicle the man allegedly tried to enter.

andrea.castillo@latimes.com

Twitter: @andreamcastillo

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The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford came to life Saturday in a commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, a time-honored tradition that ushered in a new generation of naval sea power.

Ship sponsor Susan Ford Bales made the call that sent dozens of sailors in crisp white uniforms running onto the first-in-class ship that bears her fathers name. President Trump and Navy leaders looked on.

The grand ceremony designated the Ford as a United States ship and places it in active service. It wont be ready to deploy until 2021, but Saturday will still go down in naval history. The Navy last commissioned a first-in-class aircraft carrier in 1975, a ceremony in Norfolk presided over by President Ford himself.

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American steel and American hands have constructed a 100,000-ton message to the world, said Trump, who arrived at the ceremony via helicopter, touching down on the ships 5-acre flight deck.

The commissioning marked the end of a challenging odyssey for the Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding, which dealt with a host of technical problems and delays in building the complex, $12.9-billion ship.

Its original completion target date was 2015, and challenges of integrating new technology pushed the price well beyond original estimates. Compared with Nimitz-class carriers, Ford-class ships have more than 23 new or modified systems.

Daughter of former President Ford, Susan Ford Bales, at the commissioning ceremony Saturday. (Steve Helber / Associated Press)

More hurdles await. The Fords crew, many of whom spent years helping build the ship, now turn their attention to getting it ready for deployment. The Government Accountability Office recently released a report that said the Navy is expected to spend another $780 million over several years before the ship can deploy. The Ford will head back to sea as soon as possible for further trials.

The sailors cant wait.

Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Stoecklein joined the crew almost four years ago, when things were quite different.

It was just stripped down to the bare metal, he recalled days before the ceremony. No doors, no non-skid on the flight deck. Weve watched it for the last four years come to life. This is an extremely exciting moment, not just for us but for the whole crew.

Saturdays ceremony offered the opportunity to celebrate the life of Gerald R. Ford, a man who initially did not seek the presidency, but ended up leading the nation through the turmoil that followed Watergate.

Ford Bales often says that nothing came easy for her father.

He was the product of a broken home, born Leslie Lynch King Jr. His parents separated two weeks after he was born, and mother and child moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. She later obtained a divorce and married Gerald R. Ford, a paint salesman. They began calling their son Gerald Jr., although his name wasnt legally changed until he was 22 years old.

That same year, Ford graduated from the University of Michigan. He financed his education with part-time jobs, a small scholarship and some assistance from his family. He earned a law degree and in 1942 joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, commissioned as an ensign.

In 1943 he began service on the light aircraft carrier Monterey, which took part in several battles in the Pacific theater in World War II. His closest call came not as a result of enemy fire, but during a typhoon in the Philippine Sea. Ford came within inches of being swept overboard, but he caught the ships scupper rail.

As for Ford Bales, she has put her fingerprints on the ship, and shes done it the hard way.

An image of Gerald R. Ford as a naval officer is shown on a video screen during the commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk. (Steve Earley | Virginian-Pilot / Associated Press)

Over the years, she rolled up her sleeves and worked alongside the skilled workers at Newport News Shipbuilding as the next-generation ship slowly took shape. In April 2016, she broke down in tears during a change-of-command ceremony on the Ford when her friend, former commander John F. Meier  then a captain, now a rear admiral  relinquished the helm. She choked up again that day in addressing shipyard employees, calling them my fellow shipbuilders.

On Wednesday, Ford Bales greeted reporters aboard the ship and reflected on her journey as the vessels sponsor. Asked why she was attracted to the physical work in the shipyard, she replied, Thats what my dad would have done if he were alive. Having been a Navy man, he would have been involved.

She also discussed how Ford assumed the presidency after Watergate and his efforts to heal a wounded nation.

With the country again facing turmoil in 2017, Ford Bales was asked what could be learned from her fathers example.

The one thing we can learn is working together, she said. Democratic, Republican, whatever  we work together, and we need to do what is best for the country.

As long as you put your country in front of you and make that your basis, I think you have a chance of good success. But youve got to work together. And if not, were not going to go anywhere.

Lessig writes for the Daily Press in Newport News, Va.

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A federal grand jury in Hawaii indicted a U.S. soldier Friday on suspicion of attempting to provide material support to Islamic State.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail.

Kang will be arraigned in federal court Monday, when he previously had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing. Kangs court-appointed attorney, Birney Bervar, told the Associated Press on Friday that the indictment was expected.

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We havent had a preliminary in federal court here in probably 25 years, Bervar said. They dont like to let us question their witnesses.

Bervar said his client will plead not guilty Monday. A federal judge will set a trial date.

Bervar said that he is working on getting Kang a mental health evaluation and that his client may suffer from service-related mental health issues.

A turning point for Kangs mental state seems to be a 2011 deployment, Bervar said. Hes a decorated American soldier for 10 years, goes to Afghanistan and comes back, and things start going off the rails.

Elliot Enoki, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii, and Dana Boente, acting assistant attorney general for National Security, announced the indictment in a statement.

Kang is charged with four counts of attempting to provide material support to Islamic State based on events that occurred in Hawaii between June 21 and July 8, they said.

Federal officials say Kang met with undercover FBI agents he thought were with the terror group and provided classified military documents to the agents.

The FBI said in their criminal complaint that Kang wanted to commit a mass shooting after pledging allegiance to Islamic State.

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I had to photograph this shocking event. What one journalist remembers 50 years after the Detroit riots
Los Angeles voters want to legalize marijuana, and they dont seem particularly concerned that it remains illegal under federal law. In November nearly two out of three voters in the city of L.A. supported Proposition 64, a statewide initiative to let adults grow, buy and use recreational marijuana. A few months later, voters overwhelmingly backed Measure M to create a city permitting system for marijuana businesses.

City Hall has a clear mandate to legalize, regulate and tax pot.

But its not doing that.

Instead the regulations proposed last month would keep marijuana businesses illegal in L.A.  but then offer them limited immunity from criminal prosecution if they comply with city and state regulations.

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No other city or state chooses to regulate marijuana businesses in this way.

Sound familiar? This hazy limited immunity rule has been in place for the last four years, ever since voters approved Proposition D in 2013 to try to cap the number of medical marijuana shops operating in L.A. The citys attorneys recommended limited immunity because they were concerned that the city or its employees could be prosecuted for granting a permit to a marijuana business, given that the drug remains illegal under federal law.

Proposition D has been a spectacular failure. While some 135 medical pot shops have limited immunity and are allowed to sell their wares, there may be more than 1,000 pot shops and illegal delivery businesses in the city. The black market thrives.

Proposition 64 and Measure M are supposed to reduce the black market. In fact, thats the main reason Proposition 64 garnered such wide support  with pot already widely available in California, it would be better for public health, for law and order and for society if marijuana were a legal, regulated and controlled product for adults.

But L.A.s proposal would work against that goal by creating a quasi-legal system that does not encourage businesses to leave the black market. Marijuana growers, distributors or sellers would not be granted a permit, license or any sort of definitive permission to conduct business in L.A. Instead, they would get a certificate of compliance that may or may not be sufficient to qualify for a state license. Industry experts say no other city or state chooses to regulate marijuana businesses in this way.

The proposal would, in effect, create a new class of businesses with lesser protections than other businesses. If, for example, the corner bar is accused of violating its license by staying open too late or serving alcohol to minors, the city or licensing agency typically files an administrative complaint and must provide evidence of the violation. Limited immunity flips due process and the burden of proof on their heads. If a marijuana business is accused of breaking the rules, the city attorney can file a criminal complaint, and its up the pot shop to prove it was in compliance with every single regulation at all times.

You might ask, Whats the big deal? Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so why shouldnt cannabis businesses be held to a higher standard than other businesses?

Because the residents of Los Angeles, in their wisdom, have decided they want legal marijuana and have voted for it  repeatedly. And theres just not that much to be gained with the limited immunity charade. Yes, theres a fundamental conflict between California and federal law, and eventually that will have to be worked out in the courts or Congress. Ideally, federal officials would start by removing marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 drugs, like heroin, that are highly addictive and have no medical value. But the federal government has proven incapable of having a rationale conversation on drug policy.

In the meantime, though, Los Angeles might as well take a page from all the other California jurisdictions and other marijuana-legal states and offer intelligible, fair guidance to marijuana businesses and users  guidance that makes it clear what they can and cant do, and where they can and cannot set up shop. To write the law in a too-clever-by-half way in the hope of fooling the courts into thinking that maybe we werent really legalizing marijuana when we effectively were is not going to help us move toward clarity or lucidity.

Of course, we have a new president, along with a new attorney general who has said marijuana is dangerous and shouldnt be legalized. L.A. leaders caution is understandable, but its counterproductive and may be unnecessary. To address its liability concerns, the city should first try requiring marijuana businesses to hold it harmless in the event of a federal crackdown. The best way to stay out of the federal governments cross hairs is for the city to license legitimate operators, regulate the industry and get tough on the scofflaws.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The Trump administration last week certified that Iran is complying with the international agreement placing limits on its nuclear program  but for a while it looked as if the certification wouldnt happen.

Administration officials had distributed talking points explaining the decision and scheduled a conference call for reporters. But then President Trump balked at signing off on the recommendation of key advisors, including Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and national Security Advisor H. R. McMaster.

Eventually Trump agreed to the certification, after being presented with a plan for tougher measures against Iran in other areas. The next day the Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on 18 additional people and entities for supporting Irans armed services and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a force commanded by Irans Supreme Leader.

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The agreement itself was never conditioned on Irans good behavior in other areas.

But this wasnt a case of alls well that ends well. Although Trump hasnt followed through with a campaign promise to dismantle the Iranian nuclear agreement, he clearly remains deeply suspicious of the deal, even though it has accomplished its purpose of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and even though Iran generally has complied with its terms. (There have been some violations; for example, Iran has at times exceeded limits on its heavy water stockpile. But in general the agreement has been a success.)

By law the president must declare every 90 days whether Iran has met four conditions related to the 2015 agreement it reached with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Germany and the European Union. The conditions are that Iran is implementing the agreement; that it is not in material breach of its terms; that it is not advancing its nuclear weapons program; and that sanctions relief is appropriate.

The Trump administration has repeatedly certified that Iran has satisfied these conditions, but the cliffhanger circumstances surrounding last weeks certification leave doubt about the future. On Friday, Foreign Policy magazine ominously reported that Trump this week assigned White House staffers, rather than the State Department, to make the potential case for withholding certification of Iran at the next 90-day review of the nuclear deal.

The uncertainty is bad for two reasons: It creates divisions with U.S. allies, which overwhelmingly support the nuclear agreement, and it could tempt Iran to abrogate the agreement. After all, the deal has already granted Iran much of the relief it sought from economic sanctions.

As a candidate Trump denounced the nuclear agreement as the worst deal ever negotiated. As president, he has complained that Iran was not living up to the spirit of the agreement. What he means by that isnt clear, but State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said this week that Irans other malign activities are serving to undercut whatever positive contributions to regional and international peace and security were intended to emerge from the nuclear deal.

Its true that some  including, perhaps, President Obama  hoped that the agreement would mark the beginning of Irans rapprochement with the West. That clearly hasnt happened. But the agreement itself was never conditioned on Irans good behavior in other areas. And the countrys malign activities  whether they be testing ballistic missiles or supporting groups like Hezbollah  arent prohibited by the nuclear pact. They can, however, be addressed separately. Last month the Senate approved legislation that would increase sanctions against Iran for recent ballistic missile tests. (The same legislation contains sanctions against Russia, which has slowed its progress through the House.)

Its time for Trump to stop playing games with U.S. support for the nuclear agreement. So long as Iran complies with the terms, the U.S. should live up to its obligations.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
To the editor: I was born in Boyle Heights and lived there during the 1950s and 60s. This was a period of rich diversity, a cultural and racial tapestry of Russian Jews, Latinos, Japanese and even Amerikkkanos. Over the last few years Ive watched Boyle Heights grow and develop into an energetic, vibrant community. (A community in flux: Will Boyle Heights be ruined by one coffee shop? July 18)

But Im troubled by the so-called anti-gentrification movement fomenting resistance to new institutions like the art galleries and artisan coffee shops that have moved into the neighborhood. The image of intransigent, angry, lawless Latinos feeds the negative stereotype prevalent in our country today.

Affordable housing, business development and artistic expression in Boyle Heights can only thrust it forward and prevent it from sinking into a backwater town with no soul.

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Toni Burgoyne, Pasadena

..

To the editor: Apparently, some protestors in Boyle Heights want to keep their community strongly Latino, lower middle class and frozen in time.

They want to insulate themselves against the invasion of minimalist aesthetics and hipster style that, as hand-holding inevitably leads to pregnancy, will spawn gentrification and the neighborhoods ethnic cleansing. A coffee shop is as dangerous as an art gallery  and its not coffee or art per se, but the effect.

But much more dangerous is the overt racial profiling component to the protests  the railing against white art and white coffee as the enemy. Whats next, urging Latinos to avoid Anglo businesses anywhere in the prophylactic effort to combat possible gentrification infection?

The vibrant L.A. art (and coffee) scene, thriving from Bergamot Station to Los Angeles Brewery and beyond, knows no racial or cultural barriers. But this protest has made the full American circle, from the object of racial prejudice to the promulgators.

Mitch Paradise, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: The Times has done a good job of chronicling the resistance to the gentrification of East L.A. While I both understand and sympathize with the protesters (at least the peaceful ones), I fear that their efforts will ultimately fail, as you cannot stem the tide of progress.

This issue is just a manifestation of the systemic problem of both homelessness and housing affordability. Since redevelopment agencies were eliminated, the problem continues to escalate with no solution in sight.

While there is no single answer to the problem, numerous organizations are lobbying for rent control, reduction in lot size limits for granny flats, laws to require developers to set aside space for affordable housing and more.

I believe we need, at the County Board of Supervisors level, a comprehensive plan to deal with this problem.

Ron Garber, Duarte

..

To the editor: The anti-gentrification fight being waged in Boyle Heights against a white coffee house should be seen for what it is: racism.

It was ugly when whites protested against African Americans moving into Cicero, Ill., in 1951. It was ugly when African Americans burned businesses owned by Asians or whites in Los Angeles in 1992. Its ugly now when Americans of Hispanic descent protest new business because their owners are white.

Fortunately, it seems most Boyle Heights residents dont approve of these demonstrations. People who have been discriminated against should learn to combat racism in all its ugly forms.

Richard W. Merel, Hermosa Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: Bjorn Lomborg, the skeptical environmentalist, is really an economist first. He thinks our carbon-cutting commitments will be expensive for the state while achieving slightly more than nothing for the planet. (California is handling climate change all wrong, July 20)

The purpose of cap and trade is to help fund the states research and development programs and to incentivize private innovation. Lomborg seems to think California is deluded that this is the be-all-end-all solution to climate change. It is only a starting point, and we are seeing the trend spread, like so many other California trends.

Cap and trade is a means to help develop green technologies so cheap they could out-compete fossil fuels. Lomborg offers no alternative means of his own, and he appears to be the one who is all wrong.

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Kathy Harty, Sierra Madre

..

To the editor: While Lomborg cogently outlines the ramifications for Californians of our states green pursuits, he neglects to mention the gorilla in the room: population growth.

So long as the population of our Earth continues to grow, demand for the benefits of modern society will only increase, further stressing the resources available to provide such benefits. That this conflict will be forced upon us appears self-evident, given our inability to reach agreement on issues of even minor importance compared to that of our species survival.

Walt Kelly, in the Pogo comic strip, put it best: We have met the enemy and he is us.

Louis Nevell, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I commend The Times for giving Lomborg a voice. He is one of the few environmentalists who takes a measured view of climate change and offers practicable remedies based on real-world analysis.

Since he dares to suggest ideas that are counter to the current anti-industrial consensus, he is often marginalized by the scientific and media communities. Well done, L.A. Times.

Michael Napoliello, Manhattan Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Los Angeles gave the world O.J. Simpson and everything that came with him  the slow-speed Bronco chase, televised celebrity trials, the Kardashians. And judging by the letters written in response to Fridays front-page report on Simpson being granted parole in Nevada, L.A. is sick of him.

Perhaps that has to do with the fact that his murder trial in 1995, which resulted in his acquittal, involved real events and people in Los Angeles, including Simpsons slain ex-wife and her acquaintance and a police department accused of racism. Many of us had our fill of Simpson in the 90s, and some Times letter writers would rather not read about him if they dont have to.

Villa Park resident Donald K. Wise gets straight to the point:

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It is totally inappropriate for you to put the story of Simpsons parole on the front page. It is not newsworthy. This is trash journalism at its worst.

This is beneath The Times. I am very disappointed.

When Simpson is paroled from prison this fall, he can get a job and finally start paying off the $33 million he owes.  Michael Duffy, Simi Valley

Victoria Phillips of San Diego expresses concern for the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman:

How disgusting to open my paper this morning to a front-page article and large photo of Simpson. I can only imagine how the families of the two people who were killed in 1994 must feel.

I feel sickened by the publicity this man has garnered. It seems celebrity overrules conscience and good taste.

Los Angeles resident Jon Merritt objects to the exhaustive coverage of Simpsons parole hearing:

They say lightning never strikes the same place twice. I beg to differ.

No matter what TV channel I tuned to on Thursday, I was subjected to another slow-speed chase, with seemingly endless hours-long live coverage of the Simpson parole hearing.

Why was this soap opera considered all-important breaking news, preempting the real soap operas?

Manhattan Beach resident Neil Snow clarifies what Simpsons original murder trial was all about:

In an article Thursday previewing Simpsons Nevada parole hearing, The Times took journalistic liberties and put its own spin on the 1995 murder trial.

The trial itself was not about race, as the article indicates. It was a trial about a double homicide. The acquittal may have been influenced by race, but the trial itself was not about that.

Warren Cereghino of Pacific Palisades says Simpsons case proves theres a difference between the law and justice:

When the Nevada parole board declined to factor in anything of Simpsons legal history in California, it proved once again that there is no justice, there is only the law. Oh, and celebrity worship.

Simi Valley resident Michael Duffy encourages Simpson to pay up:

When Simpson is paroled from prison this fall, he can get a job and finally start paying off the $33 million he owes the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
State government

July 21, 2017, 4:31 p.m. Becerra and 19 other attorneys general pen letter to President Trump urging him to defend DACA

Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, left, and Rep. Jimmy Gomez speak about immigration at Cal State L.A. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and 19 of his counterparts from across the country sent President Trump a letter Friday urging his administration not to touch an Obama-era policy that shields as many as 750,000 young immigrants from deportation.

The letter comes a month after Texas and nine other states threatened to sue the Trump administration if President Obamas landmark Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy was not scrapped.

We urge you to affirm Americas values and tradition as a nation of immigrants and make clear that you will not only continue DACA, but that you will defend it, the attorneys general wrote. The cost of not doing so would be too high for America, the economy, and for these young people.

Becerra was met with cheers at Cal State L.A. when he told a crowd of students  including some DACA recipients  that he thought the program would survive legal challenges it could face in the future.

It has been a great boon for the California and American economy to have the Dreamers come out of the shadows, and so we are here to say we stand with them because they are working for us, he said.

Becerras statements come after Trump and his administration have sent mixed messages about the future of the program, leaving many on both sides of the immigration debate frustrated.

The president has said DACA is one of the most difficult subjects he faces because there are incredible kids.

Becerra, a former congressman who was appointed Californias top law enforcement official after Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate, was joined by his newly elected successor Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles).

Gomez, just two weeks into his new job, told the group of students Friday that he was looking into using his position on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to call for hearings on the Department of Homeland Securitys enforcement actions.

Are they really going after DACA recipients and Dreamers? We are going to try and put them on the witness stand and really push on that, he said.

A lot of times the Trump administration says one thing and then they do something else over here so we have to show people what they are actually doing over here, Gomez added. So that is an idea we are kicking around in my office.

Melody Klingenfuss, an organizer with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles who came to the U.S. from Guatemala at age 9, is among the DACA recipients.

She was pleased Becerra took a stance Friday.

Having a public face to defend Dreamers and who believes in the contributions we have made to this country is key, she said. We still have a long fight ahead of us.
President Trump raised the specter of presidential pardons Saturday  declaring his complete power to grant them  amid a string of angry tweets that reflect his growing concern about the widening criminal investigation into potential collusion with Russia that he has long dismissed as fake news and a witch hunt.

By mentioning pardons, even as he said its too soon to consider them, Trump appeared to acknowledge the legal jeopardy his inner circle may face in the FBI inquiry into whether his presidential campaign coordinated with Russian intelligence agents trying to influence the 2016 election.

He thus opened a new chapter for an embattled White House that has seen the president and his top aides hire private lawyers and provide testimony. Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and senior advisor, is scheduled to meet in closed session next week with the House and Senate intelligence committees, among the congressional panels conducting inquiries.

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Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son, and Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman, have agreed to provide records and speak privately with the Senate Judiciary Committee as soon as next week.

Trumps reference to pardons was part of a Twitter flurry of 10 early-morning messages, in which he vented anger about the media, Donald Jr.s legal problems, new disclosures about Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions meetings with a Russian diplomat, and old grievances over the emails of Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton.

But the Russia investigation remains the chief focus of his ire. The multiple investigations at the FBI and on Capitol Hill have overshadowed the White House as it struggles to push through major legislation after six months in office.

The mounting difficulties were highlighted Saturday when congressional leaders defied Trump and reached agreement on bipartisan legislation that allows sweeping new sanctions against Russia for its meddling in the U.S. election  and sharply limits Trumps ability to lift or reduce them.

If the legislation passes intact, as expected, Trump will face a difficult choice  whether to veto a bill and fuel concerns that he is siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin, or sign legislation that his administration strongly opposes because it ties his hands in foreign affairs.

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the legislation was the product of intense negotiations.

A nearly united Congress is poised to send President Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message, Cardin said in a statement.

The message from Trumps tweets Saturday, after he shook up his communications and legal teams this week, was that he has no intention of curbing the brash shoot-from-the-lip style he brought to the White House.

Indeed, Trumps new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, declared shortly after he was appointed Friday that he had little desire to rein Trump in, even if it were possible.

The president himself is always going to be the president, Scaramucci said in his introductory news conference. I was in the Oval Office with him earlier today, and we were talking about letting him be himself, letting him express his full identity.

Its unlikely Trumps early-morning tweets were vetted by his staff or attorneys. In one, he misspelled special counsel as Special Council, a reference to Robert S. Mueller III, the former FBI director who was appointed in May to lead the Russia investigation.

As often happens these days, Trump allowed his explosive tweets to overshadow the kind of pomp and ceremony that most presidents, including Trump, relish.

By midday Saturday, he was commissioning the Gerald R. Ford, a $13-billion aircraft carrier, in Norfolk, Va., smiling broadly as thousands of people cheered, white-clad sailors ran through the hangar deck in formation and a military band played Anchors Aweigh.

American steel and American hands have constructed a 100,000-ton message to the world, the president said. American might is second to none, and were getting bigger, and better and stronger every day of my administration.

That message could have served as a capstone to Made in America Week, one of several themed weeks the White House has declared in an attempt to impose discipline on Trumps scattershot communications and focus public attention on his economic agenda.

But hours before the rousing ceremony in the sweltering heat, Trump was sending his tweets from the White House, beginning at 6:33 a.m.

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us, he tweeted at 7:35. FAKE NEWS

The Washington Post reported Thursday that Trump had discussed pardons of close associates, and even himself, with staff in recent days. The Constitution indeed grants almost unlimited authority to the president to issue pardons for criminal actions.

Shortly after President Nixon resigned in August 1974, President Ford granted the former president a full, unconditional pardon for any crimes he had committed or may have committed or taken part in during his tenure in office.

President George H.W. Bush pardoned several members of the Reagan administration implicated in the Iran-Contra affair. And President Clinton pardoned an influential donor for tax evasion charges, as well as his half-brother, Roger Clinton Jr., for federal drug crimes.

But no president has ever tried to pardon himself. Legal scholars hold mixed views on whether that would withstand constitutional scrutiny.

Attorneys have cautioned repeatedly that Trumps untamed public statements on Twitter and elsewhere could hurt him and his administration in legal and political battles.

Scaramucci, his new communications chief, acknowledged his own troublesome tweets on Saturday. The former Wall Street hedge fund magnate has expressed liberal views on gun control and climate change that dont mesh with the administrations, so he has begun purging some of his old messages.

Full transparency, Scaramucci tweeted. Im deleting old tweets. Past views evolved & shouldnt be a distraction. I serve @POTUS agenda & thats all that matters.

The notion of erasing messages while claiming full transparency provoked widespread mockery on social media.

Scaramucci gave his first radio interview in his new job Saturday to Breitbart, the hard-right populist news outlet that has close ties to the administration and its nationalist base.

Weve got to refine the message, he told Breitbart. We have enough outlets, whether its Breitbart, the presidents social media feed, all of the different apparatus that we have where people will allow us to deliver our message to the American people unfiltered.

But he promised only to tighten up that message, not kill it, because the presidents message is a very compelling one.

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

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The Ugandan journey was a success. The University of Nebraska Sig Eps headed home with a new perspective. The other adventures offered the opportunity to view amazing wildlife and a preview for leading a potential photo safari.

Now it was time to follow up on an important project in Ecuador.

We didnt have a house. We had nothing, said Dani, mother of eight. Without the support to build a new house, I dont know what we would have done.

In April 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Ecuador, leaving towns and villages decimated.

According to official reports, at least 676 people were killed and 16,600 people injured.

I believe the death toll was much higher, explained our driver, Mario Ojeda. I have a friend who offered his truck to help with relief. He told me that he hauled truckloads of bodies to mass graves.

The crises and concern over health issues were probably larger issues than accuracy.

Either way, it left thousands homeless and desperate for help.

Relief poured in from around the world. Including a fund organized in Nebraska and taken to Ecuador.

Being trusted and responsible for peoples hard earned money for a relief effort was a new challenge. I felt personally responsible for making sure it would get to those most in need. Rounding up the support was the simple part, getting it to the front lines was a different story.

With the help of friends, I found an organization called CAEMBA. A nonprofit organization leading the efforts to build homes in a sustainable method using bamboo. CAEMBA roughly is an acronym for emergency bamboo houses. The concept was to create something solid, basic, safe and a living space that could be expanded over time. The immediate goal was to move people from living in makeshift tents into houses.

What made CAEMBA even more attractive for me was the fact they were supporting remote locations often forgotten in the relief effort.

I landed in Esmeraldas on the northern coast of Ecuador with Cristina Serrano. Serrano would serve as my translator and guide.

Our driver, Mario Ojeda, was organized with the help of CAEMBA to take us to the remote village of La Magdalena. In the fall of 2016, the community of La Magdalena was the recipient of the donations. These contributions helped build seven houses.

It will be an hour to get to the road that will take us into the hills where La Magdalena is located, explained Ojeda.

As we drove, Ojeda pointed out houses and structures that had been impacted by the earthquake.

Heres where we get into the truck, said Ojeda, as we pulled next to several shacks along the highway.

The back of a pickup was covered with a dark tarp. Inside the bed, benches stretched from side to side.

I choose to stand, next to Ojeda and Serrano and look out the front. The truck sputtered to a start, loaded with passengers and headed up a dirt road. A young woman sat below me on a bench as she breastfed the baby clutched to her chest.

The view outside was green. Trees lined the dirt road. Occasionally an opening allowed sprawling views of rolling hills.

This once was a coastal rainforest; the trees were cut many years ago, said Serrano with a tone of sadness. All you have now is a patchwork of farms growing cocoa and other crops.

The truck groaned as it climbed a muddy hill. The wheels spun as the body of the truck slipped sideways. The driver masterfully navigated the challenging road as we continued toward the village.

We came to a river crossing. I thought this was the end of our ride, but the driver charged ahead into the river. The water was high enough to cover the tires. As the truck bounced over rocks, I could feel the current pull us slightly downstream.

It was clear the driver had completed the crossing before.

After 45 minutes, the truck came to a village and the end of the navigable road.

From here, we walk, declared Ojeda.

At the village, we picked up a couple of people from the community of La Magdalena. They were to accompany us on our walk.

Knowing better, I asked, How long to the community?

Oh, about 25 minutes, said one our new companions.

For the gringo from Nebraska? I asked again.

Serrano answered with a smile, For you, it will take an hour.

She was right.
Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro  who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents  Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook

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Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place  including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta  protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown  tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants  known as Dreamers  who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats  joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies  were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook

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Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one  a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast  the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history  the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many  if any  of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values  not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook

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Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook

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Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook

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Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis  but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook

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Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook

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Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday.  Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance  you know, some of them called it a performance  I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook

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Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018  This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18



On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who  the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook

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Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook

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Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book  Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week  served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it  theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election  and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook

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In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017  the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook

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Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook

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Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook

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Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook

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Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children  a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook

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Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook

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After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook

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Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook

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Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook

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Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series  attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with  was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage  sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.  reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters  just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control  a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side  to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook

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Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size  were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost
When Burbank decided to move forward with its reforestation plan in May, some residents were surprised to hear that more than 400 trees would be removed and replaced along Magnolia Boulevard over the next decade.

However, there are areas throughout the city that will require certain species of trees to be replaced with ones that are more compatible with the environment while still providing the shade and aesthetics residents want.

Glen Williams, the citys landscape and forestry services superintendent, outlined the challenges Burbank faces when it comes to maintaining the citys urban forest during a City Council meeting Tuesday night.

He said city officials need to keep in mind several factors when choosing a new tree to plant in the city, such as whether the species has any disease or pest issues, how sustainable and drought tolerant the tree is, its leaf and fruit litter as well as final size and availability.

While many people like ficus, ash, elm and sycamore trees, Williams said each of those species comes with challenges.

Though many people appreciate the shade provided by the ficus trees along Magnolia, city officials have said that species of tree eventually becomes a nuisance. The trees have been known to grow into power lines, damage sidewalks and pipes with their roots and create excessive litter with their leaves and fruit, according to a city report.

Elm trees do not cause an annoyance to the public, but they can fall victim to Dutch elm disease, a fungal disease that has been affecting elm trees across the country since the 1930s, Williams said.

He also cautioned council members against having a large number of ash trees planted in the city. The species has been the target of the emerald ash borer, a small beetle that has been infecting and killing ash trees in the Midwest and along the East Coast since the late 1990s.

The emerald ash borers larvae eat the inner bark of ash trees, making it difficult for the tree to get its nutrients, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Michigan State University.

Similarly, the polyphagous shot hole borer, an invasive species of beetle that was discovered in Southern California in 2003, goes after sycamores and other varieties of trees, Williams said. Unlike the emerald ash borer, the minuscule polyphagous shot hole borer kills trees by infecting them with a fungus that resides in its mouth. The fungus acts as a pathogen, ridding the tree of any nutrients.

Williams said 60 trees in Johnny Carson Park had to be removed because they had been infested with polyphagous shot hole borers.

There is a treatment for the polyphagous beetle, Williams said. The problem is that its about $100 to $125 per year [per tree] to treat it.

Though there are many trees that can be affected by a small beetle or diseases, Williams suggested a few species that he thinks would work well in Burbank and are not so susceptible to fungal or insect invasion.

One of the trees he favors is the Guatemalan holly, which can grow up to be 40 feet tall and provide a good amount of shade. He also likes the Nile tulip tree and the African tulip tree, both of which he said have nice foliage and big flowers.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
An Episcopal Church disciplinary panel has recommended a three-year suspension for the bishop who locked worshippers out of St. James the Great church in Newport Beach after a failed sale attempt two years ago.

The panel also recommended that the shuttered church be restored to its displaced members.

The tentative ruling, which came down late Friday afternoon, determined that the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, was guilty of all allegations brought against him by the congregation during a hearing the panel conducted in March: that he attempted to sell consecrated property without consent of diocesan leadership, made several misrepresentations along the way and acted in a manner unbecoming of a clergyman.

The panel voted 4-1 to find Bruno guilty, with the Rt. Rev. Michael G. Smith, bishop of North Dakota, dissenting.

The Rev. Canon Cindy Voorhees, St. James the Greats vicar, who has continued to minister to the members, could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

The Los Angeles bishops office stated in an email Friday that it is withholding comment, continuing their commitment to respect the integrity of the (disciplinary) process, a priority that Bishop Bruno has upheld through the duration of the two-year proceedings.

In summer 2015, Bruno changed the locks on the church at 3209 Via Lido after committing to sell the site for $15 million to Legacy Partners, a developer that wanted to raze the church to build luxury townhomes. The congregation filed an ecclesiastical complaint not long after its eviction.

The sale fizzled after Legacys investment partner dropped out, but Bruno did not reopen the building. Members now worship in a community room at Newport Beach City Hall.

In their decision Friday, panelists said there was no good reason to lock the church and that doing so created disorder and prejudiced the reputation of the Episcopal Church.

Although the building is an asset, Bishop Bruno is not the CEO of a commercial, for-profit company, the ruling reads. The asset is a consecrated church that should be used for the glory of God and worship by a congregation rather than sold to build condos and left idle and useless after the sale fell through, almost two years ago.

Though the panel said there was no good reason to mothball the church, it suggested that Bruno did have motivation: to punish Canon Voorhees and the St. James congregation for what he views as their defiance of him.

The same panel warned Bruno in June not to sell the property until it reached a decision in the misconduct case. Another disciplinary board rejected Brunos appeal of the admonishment, and the top bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, issued a similar sale-blocking order late last month.

The series of stern rebukes came after the original hearing panel, acting on a tip from a congregation member about a possible second sale attempt, issued its restriction not knowing whether Bruno had entered a new sale contract. However, an attorney for Bruno eventually confirmed that the bishop contracted with Newport Beach-based developer Burnham-Ward Properties in May. The price and plans for the property were not disclosed, and its unclear whether escrow closed as planned early this month.

Fridays draft ruling will be finalized after Curry and the congregation submit comments next week.

Congregation member Bill Kroener said he will compile his fellow complainants feedback by Wednesdays deadline. He declined further comment.

Panelists concluded their 91-page decision by saying that diocese leadership must consciously choose to take part in a process of self-examination and truth-telling around these unfortunate and tragic events so healing and justice can be achieved.

And they suggested what church members have wanted most:

The hearing panel strongly recommends to the Diocese of Los Angeles that as a matter of justice it immediately suspend its efforts to sell the St. James property, that it restore the congregation and vicar [Voorhees] to the church building and that it reassign St. James the Great appropriate mission status.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD

UPDATES:

11 a.m. July 24: This article was updated to clarify that the Friday email from the bishops office was its statement, not that of its spokesman.

This article was originally published at 9:25 p.m. July 21.
Zespri, a New Zealand-based international exporter of kiwifruit, is celebrating the opening of its North American headquarters in Newport Beach, according to a news release.

The private ceremony on Thursday will include a traditional Maori ceremony from the indigenous people of New Zealand and special city proclamation from Mayor Kevin Muldoon.

Zespris Newport office is at 567 San Nicolas Drive, Suite 400.

New salon facility coming to Newport

My Salon Suite is coming to Newport Beach. The business at 100 W. Coast Hwy. marks the chains first California franchise.

It has 24 suites ranging in size from 130 square feet to 208 square feet.

Newport chamber honors Rohrabacher

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) in a ceremony Friday.

The longtime congressman recently received the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Spirit of Enterprise Award in recognition of his consistently high votes that favor business.

Hoag Breast Center wins award

For the fifth consecutive year, the Hoag Breast Center has been designated a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence by the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers.

Hoags center, which has locations in Newport Beach and Irvine, is one of 49 in the United States with the designation and the only in Orange County.

Wine magazine honors Studio

Studio, Montage Laguna Beachs signature restaurant, has again received the Grand Award from Wine Spectator magazine.

The restaurants wine program was one of 89 winners worldwide. Studio offers about 2,500 selections from California, Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Italy, Spain and Champagne. It has some 30,000 bottles in its inventory.

To be recognized by Wine Spectator with a coveted Grand Award is always a greatly prized honor for our dedicated sommelier team, as well as everyone front of and back of the house at Studio, said Wine Director Troy Smith in a statement.
Two charges of indecent exposure against a former Laguna Beach rug store manager accused of multiple sex crimes against women will be dismissed, an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled Friday in a Santa Ana courtroom.

Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Costello requested Judge John Conley drop both felony charges of indecent exposure with a prior conviction against Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan, who at one time managed the now-shuttered Sirous & Sons Rug Gallery at 222 Ocean Ave.

My understanding is the paperwork was very confusing as to whether he had suffered a prior conviction, Costello said in an interview outside the courtroom.

Costello is filling in for Deputy District Atty. Michael Carroll, the lead prosecutor on the case.

Maralans attorney, John Barnett, had challenged the validity of a 2000 conviction of indecent exposure against Maralan, 59, handed down by a Los Angeles County jury.

Barnett claimed in O.C. Superior Court documents that L.A. County Superior Court records didnt specify the acts for which Maralan was convicted, the Daily Pilot reported earlier this month.

Conley ruled in May that the records were cryptic and ambiguous and did not meet standards of the evidence code, according to O.C. Superior Court filings.

For example, the L.A. County jury found Maralan guilty of two unidentified offenses, according to a copy of Barnetts motion filed in April.

The prior conviction had elevated the counts of indecent exposure in the Orange County case to felonies.

Maralan still faces seven felony charges, including rape, sexual penetration by a foreign object, and attempted oral copulation, according to the O.C. Superior Court website. Those charges stem from incidents from 2007 to 2011.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
Take it from Samantha Stewart: Putting wings on a steer is hard.

But her experience in last years handler/animal fashion show at the Orange County Fair, when she and her steer won first place as Toy Story-inspired Jessie The Yodeling Cowgirl and Buzz Light-steer, enables her to give some advice to other young fair exhibitors who want to branch out into fashion design with their livestock: Make the costume easy to get on and off. And make sure the animal likes it.

Samanthas know-how paid off at this years contest on Friday, where she repeated as a champion. This time her companion was a good-natured Hampshire swine named Hank  this day Hank the Bank, as in piggy bank. With Samantha, 17, he trotted around the show ring with a comically undersize glittery fedora strapped to his head and a half a giant quarter poking from his back.

Most of the costume was already done, said Samantha, an incoming senior at La Habra High School.

Pigs, lambs and cattle were equally represented in the show, which was broken into the categories Lads & Lassies (for lambs), Beaus & Belles (for cows) and Pigs & Plaid (for swine). The field included a firefighter with a cow Dalmatian; Sully and a porcine Boo from Monsters, Inc.; and a fuzzy lamb R2-D2 with a Jawa clad in a felt cape to protect him from the harsh elements of this planet.

R2-D2 leaked a little oil, if you know what we mean, and Boo wasnt so sure about his googly-eyed headpiece. But for barnyard animals in costume they were generally obedient under the control of their poised handlers.

Judges awarded points for grooming, control and the costumes creativity and style. Contestants got a boost for making the garments themselves.

Thats where Anna Grulikowski shone.

Anna, 16, took the Lads & Lassies first-place ribbon to match the handmade, royal-blue wool felt swing coat, embroidered with white flowers, that she wore while leading her lamb, Zip.

Her theme was Fire & Ice. Zip, a Suffolk-Southdown cross borrowed from a friend, wore yellow felt phoenix flames. Her coat was meant to invoke winters chill  never mind the 80 degrees of July.

Anna, an incoming junior at Mission Viejo High School, spun the wool for the embroidery yarn herself, taking it from a sheep on the school farm. The process was a challenge she conquered for about a year as she figured out the best way to prepare the fibers, taken from a market sheep with shorter wool instead of an animal raised specifically for its fiber.

She bought the wool for the body of her coat from a fabric store but dyed it herself in her backyard.

My parents are very lenient and tolerant of my fiber arts, she said.

The coat might not see much wear in Southern California, but if she attends Cornell University in upstate New York like she wants to, it might get more use.

Want more hog couture? At 4 p.m. Thursday, the fair will host the Barnyard Fashion Parade.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD

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OC Fair extends its reach to nonprofits and local kids

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Rental rates could roughly double soon for some commercial marinas in Newport Beach.

And following a rate table under consideration Tuesday by the City Council, they could jump again in 2018.

The proposed rate structure also suggests a new medium marina category, and to raise all use subcategories at least nominally.

Most marinas currently pay the city 35 cents per square foot, based on the area of water that is bound by the side property lines, bulkhead line, and the end of the dock fingers. Rates have been static since 2015.

With the councils OK, large marinas, or those greater than 30,000 square feet, would increase to 76 cents per square foot in November, while marinas less than 13,000 square feet would see their rent increase from 26 cents per square foot to 49 cents. The new medium category, capturing marinas between 13,000 and 30,000 square feet, would pay 62 cents per square foot.

In August 2018, the rent would climb to $1.17, 76 or 89 cents per square foot, respectively. The city proposes further annual rent increases follow the consumer price index.

The city has a menu of subcategories for differential rents, which give a discount for uses that provide a public service or amenity to harbor visitors, such as fuel docks, restaurant guest slips, and sport fishing charters.

Marina rents go into the citys Tidelands Fund, which is used for harbor management. About 60 commercial marinas of all sizes operate around Newport Harbor.

Sewer rate increase

Wastewater rate hikes are coming back before the council.

The typical bill could go up by about $2 a month.

Sewer rates have not been adjusted since 2006. New rates, if approved, would be finalized in September, with the increased rates effective Jan. 1, 2018. Rates would continue to increase incrementally through 2022.

Most residential wastewater customers currently pay a fixed charge of $4.50 per month and a use charge of 35 cents per hundred cubic feet of water used (a hundred cubic feet, or HCF, equals 748 gallons).

The proposed rate structure raises most residential fixed fees to $6.46 per month, with the per-HCF rate increasing to 38 cents. It continues to raise rates over the next four years, peaking in 2022 at $8.55 in fixed charges and 54 cents per HCF.

For the typical residential customer with an average wastewater use of about 12 HCF, the new rate structure would increase the monthly bill from $8.63 to $10.99.

Granny flats

The council will take up loosened granny flat rules that could allow thousands more of the units to be built around town.

Newport Beach has long had restrictive rules on granny flats, also known as accessory dwelling units, which are small, complete homes built on the same lots as larger single-family houses.

But a new state law intended to expand affordable housing stock by making accessory units easier to build went into effect this year. The Planning Commission approved a set of relaxed rules in June.

The council meeting starts at 4 p.m. with a study session. The regular session starts at 7 p.m.

The meeting is in City Council chambers, 100 Civic Center Drive.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
A legal ceasefire between the city of Costa Mesa and the New Harbor Inn gives the city the opportunity to buy the motel should the owners look to sell.

The settlement agreement, in which the two sides will dismiss cases against each other, also outlines several security, record-keeping, code enforcement and other procedures that have to be followed at the motel at 2205 Harbor Blvd.

The pact, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily Pilot on Friday, was unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday. It spells the end of more than a year of legal wrangling over the 32-room motel, with Costa Mesa agreeing to drop a public-nuisance complaint and owners Ming Cheng Chen and Hsiang Chu Shih Chen ending a federal lawsuit alleging the city had discriminated against them and their tenants.

Councilman John Stephens said Friday that the agreement was reached through bilateral, good-faith negotiation and addresses pretty much every concern the City Council had.

He said the result is actually better than anything we were likely to get at trial.

The agreement has some serious teeth in the sense that if theres a violation, the city has the opportunity to make a motion to the court to obtain a judgment to enforce its terms on an expedited basis, he said.

Attorney Frank Weiser, representing the Chens, also praised the agreement, saying it affirms his clients rights while providing better-defined procedures for them and the city to follow.

The city is also required to meet constitutional standards, he said Friday. So if there is a dispute, its a two-way street and the Chens can then hold the city in default.

The settlement includes a stipulation that the city has a non-transferrable right of first refusal should the Chens look to sell the motel.

The city would have up to 30 days to match the terms and conditions of any written purchase offer. If it does, the citys offer would take priority.

Weiser said that as far as he is aware, the Chens are not interested in selling at this time.

However, should they get a good price for the motel, they dont have a problem offering it to the city, he said.

Under the settlement, the Chens agreed to retain a licensed security company to patrol common areas of the motel four times a day between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Additionally, the current motel manager  who is a licensed security guard  will patrol at least twice between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Should the manager depart, the Chens agreed to either hire a replacement who is a licensed security guard or retain a licensed company to make the required patrols.

Weiser said security patrols already are conducted at the motel.

It may be a little bit different in terms of the hours the city was more comfortable with, but they [the Chens] already had taken proactive steps themselves in doing that awhile back, he said.

The Chens also will keep guest registration cards and copies of guests photo identification on file for at least 90 days. During that period, the city would have the right to make a written request for that information, which the Chens would have to provide within seven days.

Documentation also will be kept on security patrols and housekeeping services at the motel. That information also must be retained for at least 90 days and must be available to the city within 14 days upon written request.

Weiser said his clients appreciate that theres now a process in place for the city to access that information.

The Chens want to comply, they want to be able to give the city information, but its subject to due process standards, Fourth Amendment standards, he said.

The city will be allowed to conduct a code enforcement inspection of the premises  including guest rooms  at a mutually agreed date and time to determine that the motel is being operated in compliance with applicable state and local law, according to the settlement.

Code enforcement officers also will be able to enter public areas of the motel when police and/or fire personnel are responding to calls for service at the property.

The city agreed to give 24 hours notice of code enforcement inspections of occupied motel rooms.

Further, the city will be responsible for directly contacting such occupants and guests to obtain any necessary consent prior to inspections, the agreement states.

Both parties pledged to comply with all local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations as they pertain to the motels operation.

Stephens said the agreement could be used as a model to address issues that might come up with other motels.

The gist of the [citys complaint] and the gist of the settlement agreement was to make the community safer  in particular by making this property, this business, a safer place, he said. We now have a mechanism to do so that we didnt have before. Its a very positive development.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Fran Gitsham is used to answering questions about wine at the Orange County Fair, but theres one query from thirsty fairgoers she hears most often.

Her answer is always the same.

Whats the best wine? Gitsham, an Orange County Wine Society board member, asked with a coy smile. Its the wine you like best.

Standing in front of a bin full of dozens of varietals  from rose to zinfandels  OC Wine Society members goal is to help fair visitors  connoisseurs and novices alike  find their nose for vino.

Some wines are more popular than others for fairgoers seeking refuge from the summer sun inside The Courtyard, which is managed by wine society board members during the fair. Many escape to the covered patio area to sip a crisp, chilled pino grigio, riesling or sparkling wine. Others seek out award-winning wines from the years commercial wine competition.

But what about those who want to know what wine to pair with the unconventional culinary creations they find at the fair?

Sara Yeoman and other wine society members considered that question last summer as they were contemplating what to eat for lunch.

We started to put together a list of fair foods we all like and what wine wed want to drink with them, she said. It just grew from there.

On Saturday, Yeoman and fellow wine society member Ed Reyes will host the first of two seminars on how to pair wine with food found at the fair. The second seminar will be held Aug. 5.

A lot of the food you can get at the fair, like beef brisket and barbecue, are things you make at home anyway, Yeoman said. Wed like to educate people about selecting wines and pairing them with dishes they make the rest of the year.

Peter Neptune, a master sommelier and president of Neptune School of Wine in Costa Mesa, has a few tips for selecting a varietal to complement even the most unorthodox fair food.

The first rule of thumb: Match the sweetness level in the food to the sweetness of the wine.

If you have a deep-fried Twinkie or Oreo, you generally want to match it with a wine that has the same level of sugar or more, he said. Fried foods generally go well with wines that have high acidity. It helps cut through the fat.

A pino grigio would pair well with a dish like fried calamari. For sweet fried desserts, Neptune recommends a German riesling, which boasts a sweeter flavor.

For a deep-fried dessert with chocolate, its time to grab a port, a sweet fortified wine that is typically higher in alcohol content than most other varietals. A ruby port typically has a dense, jam-like berry flavor, while a tawny-colored port has more notes of caramel and nut, according to Neptune.

For the cautious wine drinker, Neptune suggests a dry rose. The light, crisp flavor is perfect for a hot summer day and matches well with a variety of foods, he said.

Dry roses have really taken America by storm, Neptune said. Theyre extremely versatile with food. You almost cant go wrong with one.

Giant turkey or pork legs wrapped in bacon, which Neptune affectionately calls cave-man food, pair well with a full-bodied red wine such as an Australian shiraz, an Argentine malbec or a California blend, he said.

Those wines, he said, have a lot of spice and flavor that can stand up to the boldness of barbecued meat.

The world of wine is like a world of languages, Neptune said. Dont be afraid to learn, ask questions or try something new.

For those who prefer a refreshing brew to a fine vintage, stands at the Orange County Fair offer a selection of more than 100 beers. With so many options for suds, it can be overwhelming for customers to select just one.

Cassandra Cornell, who spends her days pouring craft brews at the Plaza Stage, is constantly studying her product.

Customers shelling out $9.50 for a small craft beer and $12 for a large expect her to know her IPAs from her stouts.

But she admits shes tried only a handful of the fairs robust offerings. So she assigns herself homework.

She takes notes about a beers alcohol by volume and its IBU  international bitterness unit, which gauges a beers bitterness  and relays that information to customers.

We ask them what type of beer they typically drink, what they like about it and then we make a recommendation based on that, Cornell said.

But what brew would someone drink with a deep-fried Twinkie or a gigantic barbecued pork leg?

The Brewers Assn., a not-for-profit trade group for brewers and beer enthusiasts, recommends matching the strength of a beer with the robustness of the food and finding harmonies in their flavors. Food with strong flavors demand an assertive beer, while delicate dishes work best with less-aggressive styles.

Combinations often work best when they share some common flavor or aroma elements, the association wrote in a guide posted on its website.

Fried foods, which are most commonly consumed at the fair, may pair well with pale ales or India pale ales, which have a strong hop profile. Hops give beer its bitter flavor, which can cut through the richness of food.

For those whose taste buds cower at the thought of an IPA, Neptune suggests going with a crisp lager, like a pilsner.

Red ales typically have a more aggressive, malty flavor that can stand up to a variety of food, from spicy cuisine to a typical burger.

Dark-beer aficionados, who prefer the full body and bold flavors of porters, brown ales and stouts, would find a good match with barbecued meat or sausages, Neptune said. Those beers also typically pair well with decadent chocolate desserts.

But at the end of a long day at the fair, the best beverage is one that can be enjoyed in the shade with good company, fairgoers say.

On a recent visit, friends Cathy Meschuk and Cathy Ruiz, both of Huntington Beach, sipped glasses of pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon while sharing a batch of mini doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar in The Courtyard.

If its crowded, you can share a table and get to know other people, Ruiz said. This is our favorite spot at the fair.

IF YOU GO

What: Fair Food & Wine Pairing seminars

When: 3 p.m. Saturday and Aug. 5

Where: The Courtyard, Orange County Fair, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: $25

To sign up: Visit The Courtyard from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call (714) 708-1639.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

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Members and supporters of the Los Angeles chapter of the Armenian Renaissance protested outside the Consulate General of Armenia in Glendale on July 16, demanding the release of dozens of people they say were taken into custody one year ago in Yerevan, Armenia.

It was widely reported that Armenian police used excessive force against peaceful protesters and journalists, and more than 28 have been in custody.

Albert Rostomyan, chapter member, said the Consulate General has not been open and transparent with the diaspora community of Los Angeles regarding the treatment of its citizens in Yerevan, and the protest was meant to express that the chapter will not accept silence.

Consulate officials did not return phone calls or emails asking for comment.

Some are still detained for supporting the uprising, Rostomyan said. This brutal regime is beating people without consequences. We ask the U.S. government to stand next to the people of Armenia against corrupt government.

The clash between antigovernment protesters and police boiled over during four days in July 2016 in Yerevan, linked to a hostage situation at a police station.

According to various news reports, the gunmen demanded the resignation of President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of one of its own opposition leaders.

The small act by a fringe opposition group sparked a deeper widespread conflict fed by discontent with the government.

Human rights groups stated that in the weeks following the end of the clash, Armenian police arbitrarily detained dozens of people linked to the protests, beating them and handing down unjustified criminal charges against some.

Posters with phrases such as Serg Sargsyan Dictator and Down With Illegal and Corrupt Gov of Armenia lined gates in front of the consulate Sunday evening. There were also photos displayed of the Yerevan protesters who were arrested last year.

Armenian Renaissance members protested outside the consulate for 13 days in 2016 during the height of the uprising. Many on Sunday called the political prisoners heroes and alleged that Russia is ruling the Armenian government.

The government tried to mark them as terrorists, said Gurgen Mkhitaryan, an Armenian Renaissance member. We see them as heroes. We see Armenia as a dictatorship. Theres no freedom of speech.

Rostomyan said theyve delivered a letter about what they demand from the consulate and are willing to meet to discuss the issues.

Were still waiting, still calling, Rostomyan said.

Matt Sanderson is a contributing writer for Times Community News.
Nebraska has once again qualified for highway safety alcohol incentive funds. The Nebraska Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Office, has utilized this funding to aid local area law enforcement in obtaining in-car cameras and alcohol testing equipment used to assist in the apprehension and conviction of drinking drivers.
For Olivia Macaulay, actions spoke louder than words.

The Glendale High School history teacher was well known for encouraging students to learn by doing. She was also known for her numerous trips on Fulbright grants abroad to Syria and Jordan. To many, she embodied a model educator.

Olivia Macaulay died July 12 after succumbing to an aggressive form of cancer that reached her lungs. She was 63.

According to her son Sean Macaulay, 33, Olivia had battled breast cancer two years earlier. The teacher underwent surgery and chemotherapy and appeared to be in the clear.

On June 9, she traveled to Germany with the Transatlantic Outreach Program, a competitive fellowship where only 100 teachers were selected for a two-week, all-expenses paid study tour. She visited numerous cities and learned about the countrys history.

During the fellowship, Olivia Macaulay was hospitalized for pneumonia and learned she had a lung embolism, her son said. She notified her family about her condition via email, but assured them she was in good condition and could continue traveling.

RIP Olivia Macaulay. You will be missed by so many! A memorial at GHS will take place in September, stay tuned for more information.  Dr. Benjamin Wolf (@NitroPrincipal) July 18, 2017

After her fellowship, she traveled to Athens, Greece, but her family urged her to return to Los Angeles after hearing her voice on the phone.

To my knowledge, she was doing OK. I have pictures of her hiking 10 days before she left, Sean Macaulay said. But the biggest thing we noticed, which prompted us to pressure her to come home, was her voice  it was high-pitched and short of breath.

A friend she was traveling with also said she should return.

Olivia Macaulay arrived at LAX on July 4 and was immediately taken to the Little Company Of Mary Hospital in San Pedro, where she died a week later.

Even while hooked to a respirator and hearing her terminal diagnosis, his mom remained positive, Sean Macaulay said.

She kept saying, Everything is going to be OK. Were going to handle this with grace and dignity. The next day she died. It went really fast. She didnt speak any more words to me after that, Sean said.

Before Olivia Macaulay pursued a career in teaching, she had dreams of playing the violin in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. At 17, after her fathers work transferred her family to Rome, Italy, she played violin for the conservatory of music there and then for the conservatory in Athens.

She was extremely talented with music, said Larry Frangias, one of her brothers. She taught a lot of kids in the neighborhood piano, violin and guitar. Shed practice every day and was always trying to do the best she could.

Described as the healthiest person in the whole world, she was a vegetarian and exercised daily. She would start her day early in the morning to work out before heading to Glendale High where shed end her day at 7 p.m.

She was also part of a hiking group in the Santa Monica Mountains.

After earning a psychology degree abroad, Olivia Macaulay returned to California and worked in a mental hospital ward. She fell in love with teaching, and for 22 years she taught special education. She began working in the Glendale Unified School District in 2002 and earned the honor of Teacher of the Year in 2012.

In an interview with the Glendale News-Press in 2012, she said: Each kid deserves to be treated with honor, respect and dignity. If they misbehave, or do something inappropriate, I think they are doing the best they can. They didnt know to do differently, so my job is to teach them theres a different way.

She was incredibly well loved by everybody and worked with students on projects that benefited the community, said Benjamin Wolf, principal of Glendale High.

Nancy Witt, a former Glendale Unified teacher and former history social-science specialist for the district, met Olivia Macaulay when their classrooms were next to each other on campus. The two eventually became best friends.

She was a real teachers teacher and everything she did  besides her parents or family  her students came first, Witt said.

Olivia Macaulay participated in numerous enrichment activities, thinking about how she could incorporate what she learned into the classroom and improve her teaching to better help her students.

She was an expert at guiding her students. She got them to be thinkers and writers and get the most of what they possibly could do during their high school experience, Witt said.

In 2006, Olivia Macaulay oversaw eight Glendale students in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Junior G8 Summit. In 2014, she and a student traveled to Normandy, France, for an institute marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by Allied forces on the territorys beaches.

She is just a role model for everybody  always doing right by your students and always making sure you were doing the best for them, Witt said.

Olivia Macaulay is survived by her husband, Christopher Macaulay, and her two sons, Brett and Sean Macaulay.

A memorial is being planned at Glendale High School in September.

priscella.vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
In the summer of 1967, thousands of hippies, flower children and peace-curious Americans descended upon San Franciscos free-wheeling Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in a counterculture revolution inspired by the directive turn on, tune in, drop out.

On Thursday, La Canada Flintridge city officials, business owners and residents paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of a moment that defined a generation, celebrating a Summer of Love themed chamber mixer and business expo at Olberz Park in the citys Town Center.

Participants of the annual, city-sponsored event dug through closets and costume shops in search of 60s-era clothing, fringed vests, peace signs and anything tie-dyed. City Manager Mark Alexander, La Canada Mayor Pro Tem Terry Walker and Councilman Len Pieroni were among those who opted to get groovy, to the delight of onlookers who snapped photos on their cellphones.

The expo drew a number of local businesses and organizations, whose employees and representatives happily shared samples and information on services provided. Attendees were given passport cards by members of the La Canada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Community Assn. with the names of participating businesses listed and could turn in a completed stamped card in exchange for free raffle tickets.

We want to thank the chamber for letting us host this mixer, Alexander told the crowd in his closing remarks. Weve already got something planned for next year, so it should be fun.

sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
Drug war bloodshed in Mexico has spiked to record levels, with more homicides recorded in June than in any month in at least two decades.

Prosecutors opened 2,234 homicide investigations last month, according to government statistics released Friday. Thats an increase of 40% over June of last year and 80% over June of 2015.



For the record: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that the 2,234 homicide investigations opened last month were an 80% increase over June 2014. The number is an 80% increase over June 2015.

Rising demand for heroin in the United States and a bloody power struggle inside one of Mexicos most powerful drug cartels have put the country on track to record more killings in 2017 than in any year since the government began releasing crime data in 1997.

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The 12,155 homicide cases opened from January to June make 2017 the deadliest first half of a year.

Though violence used to be concentrated in a handful of states, it is now rising nationwide, with 27 of Mexicos 32 states recording an uptick in homicides compared with last year.

That includes states that are home to formerly tranquil tourist destinations including Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, which have each been the site of deadly shootouts.

Guerrero, home to the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, had the highest number of homicides this year, with 1,161 cases opened since January.

The explosion of violence appears linked to the arrest and extradition of former drug boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who is preparing to face trial in the U.S. next year on drug and murder charges.

Guzmans sons have been fighting another clique for control of the powerful Sinaloa cartel since his arrest last year. The cartels instability has allowed other criminal groups, including the Jalisco New Generation cartel, to move in, driving violence in Mexicos northwest.

A Tijuana woman washes blood from in front of her house, where her husband was shot and killed in broad daylight in April. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

This month, 26 people were killed in a pre-dawn firefight between a faction of the Sinaloa cartel and members of another rival gang, according to authorities in Sinaloa state.

While many government critics say its time for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to revisit his drug war tactics, which include targeting top cartel leaders and having soldiers act as police in many communities, his government appears more interested in deflecting blame to Mexicos neighbor to the north.

In recent months, top government officials have implored their American counterparts to work on reducing domestic demand for drugs if they want to make Mexico safer.

Drug trafficking is a shared problem that will end only by addressing its root causes, Mexicos foreign ministry said in a statement last month after President Trump tweeted about Mexicos rising levels of violence.

In recent years, Mexico has surpassed Colombia to become the largest supplier of heroin to the U.S. Security analysts say the opioid epidemic in the U.S. has left cartels flush with cash, which has allowed them to step up the warfare.

What else is driving the bloodshed is a matter of opinion.

Some law enforcement officials have blamed the countrys ongoing transition to a new criminal justice system, which seeks to give more rights to accused criminals. Under the new system, people caught with illegal weapons are no longer automatically sent to jail before their trials. That means some criminals are being released, they say.

Mexican security analyst Alejandro Hope says he believes another structural problem is more likely to blame for the increase in killings: Impunity.

Only one in five homicide cases leads to arrests, and few result in successful prosecutions. That means that in Mexico, its simple to kill somebody and get away with it, he said.

Its easy, he said. And its cheap.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

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It was still daylight when a Mexican military patrol was attacked on the city streets, leading to what authorities described as a fierce firefight with a heavily armed gang.

Soon the Internet and newspapers were showing images of the gory aftermath: the bloodstained bodies of the gang leader and four of his confederates on the floor of a carport, a rifle next to his head and bundles that appeared to be drugs on a nearby folding table.

Supporters of the slain capo torched vehicles on the streets in an effort to thwart police patrols advancing through the neighborhood.

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It was hardly an unusual scene in a country that has been ravaged by drug violence. Except the violence Thursday unfolded in Mexico City, which has generally been spared the mass killings, cartel savagery and street battles of the countrys drug wars.

Mexico City, home of the nations political and economic elite, often appeared on a distinct orbit from the turbulent constellation of narco states near the U.S. border and elsewhere.

But that sense of exceptionalism took a hit with the firefight and ensuing violence that overtook the sprawling Tlahuac district, a gritty conglomeration of working-class neighborhoods on the citys eastern edge.

The gang that attacked the Navy marines  key participants in the countrys more than decade-long battle with the cartels  controlled drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and other illegal enterprises in the area, according to official accounts.

The gunbattle that followed , authorities said, left eight gangsters dead, among them their leader, identified as 48-year-old Felipe de Jesus Perez Luna, known as El Ojos, or the Eyes. There was no official word on any military casualties in the shootout.

But the episode did not end there.

Apparent supporters of the slain gang boss, led by men driving motorcycle taxis, blocked entrances to the Conchita Zipotitlan neighborhood where the Navy assault took place. They torched several buses and a truck, along with other vehicles, in an effort to set up narco-bloqueos to restrict police access.

A security tape showed at least one assailant tossing a Molotov cocktail into a minibus, though the passengers managed to flee without serious injury.

In the normally bustling district, storekeepers shuttered their shops and people stayed indoors as hundreds of police reinforcements in riot gear converged on the streets.

The area looked like a war zone: Police in riot gear and marines in Humvees patrolled streets dotted with burning vehicles as a helicopter hovered overhead and sirens rang out.

Police corralled dozens of motorcycle taxis, suspecting their drivers of collaboration with the criminal gang whose leadership had just been eliminated.

Mexico City has a serious crime problem, but it had rarely experienced anything like this.

Between January-May, the capitals rate of homicide per 100,000 residents was 3.80  compared to 17.35 in the nation as a whole, according to government statistics.

Cartel leaders themselves are said to maintain a paz mafiosa, or mafia truce, among themselves so as not to draw more ire from law enforcement and the military.

By early Friday, relative tranquility had returned to the streets of Tlahuac. Police with blue berets and plastic shields guarded the reopened Nopalera metro station, which had been shuttered because of the violence. Other officers manned checkpoints as rifle-bearing colleagues in blue pickups rode up and down the main drag.

As a precaution, schools were closed Friday throughout the district. But the colorful fleet of motorcycle taxis was once again taking residents to and from the metro station. The charred vehicles from Fridays unrest had been cleared from the streets.

On the political front, a wave of criticism and ridicule greeted Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera and his insistence that cartels did not operate in the city.

Reality has overtaken the comments of Mancera and demonstrates that in Mexico City organized crime operates through the narco trafficker cartels, Sen. Ernesto Cordero of the conservative opposition National Action Party told reporters.

But Mancera, a member of the left-leaning opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution, said the criminal group headed by El Ojos was a small-time operation compared to the sophisticated cartels that manage the international chain of drug production and distribution.

This is not about the presence of a cartel in the city; it is a band of small-level narcos, Mancera said in a radio interview. Obviously, this is a big organization and we are not minimizing it.  But we are not talking about the presence of a cartel in the city.

However, even Mancera conceded that some operatives targeted in Thursdays raid here likely had links to the bigger syndicates.

The cartels reportedly used an array of motorcycle taxi drivers loyal to the mafia to deliver drugs to clients and look out for police.

Everyone knows that el senor gave work to the moto-taxis, said Rosamaria, a 51-year-old resident who did not want her full name used, referring to the late gang leader. Thats why they defended him.

As word of the gang leaders death spread, handwritten signs began to in the neighborhood saying that el senor was not a criminal and helped the people.

Even before his death, the late capo had been lionized in several ballads, or corridos.

An editorial in the Unomasuno tabloid voiced the hope that the fall of the gang leader would not trigger a violent struggle in Mexico City for control of his former empire  similar to the kinds of wars that have broken out when capos have fallen in the violence-plagued states of Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Guerrero.

At the gang leaders former compound, a surreal scene unfolded Friday as journalists entered the covered car park where five of the bodies  including that of the purported chief mafioso  were shown in photographs.

There were no police or military guards present, no yellow tape blocking off the scene, where considerable forensic evidence still remained. Reporters and cameramen tramped about.

The corpses had been removed, but tile floors were streaked with blood and holes pocked the walls.

In an adjoining office, journalists pored through notebooks, knickknacks, sheets of paper and other items scattered about the room. At least half a dozen portable scales were found on the desk. Several ledgers with rows of numbers appeared to represent payments.

Behind the desk was an image of a scantily clad Justice, wearing a blindfold and holding a scale in each hand.

Some neighbors clearly felt justice was lacking in this case.

The police committed an injustice, said Evelia, a resident who said she was outraged that the gang boss was killed. He and the others helped people.

Still, not everyone seemed to mourn the passing of El Ojos.

Everyone knew that this man sold drugs, but no one denounced him, because he did favors for people, said Ivette, 31, who was passing by the gang leaders compound with her four children. But I never asked him for help.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcdneville
All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
Ford says Fiesta won't return for the 2018 model year

Jul 22, 2017, 2:12am ET

\"Demand for such vehicles is declining, and we are reacting accordingly,\" explained one of Ford\'s top engineers.

When Ford introduced the updated Fiesta last fall, it made absolutely no mention of the U.S.-spec model. One of the company's top engineers has just revealed that's because the smallest member of the Blue Oval's American lineup will not return for the 2018 model year.

"The previous model was a global Ford product, and with the new generation, we are targeting only Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In North America -- especially in the U.S. --, China, and Latin America, the demand for such vehicles is declining, and we are reacting accordingly," explained Robert Stiller, Ford's B-segment vehicle program manager.

AutoEvolution reports Fiesta sales have dropped significantly in the last few years. They peaked in 2013, when 71,073 examples were sold in the United States. Last year, Ford only managed to move 48,807 Fiestas.

Dropping the Fiesta in the United States makes it no longer necessary to build a four-door sedan model, which saves the Blue Oval money. Moving forward, the city-friendly Ford will exclusively be available as a two- or a four-door hatchback.
Jul 22, 2017, 4:51am ET

GM could kill six models as sedan sales continue to fall

The Volt could morph into a crossover.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is worried about the declining popularity of sedans, and the effect it could have on jobs in the coming years. President Dennis Williams is talking to members of General Motors' top brass to find a solution to the problem before it's too late.

"We are tracking it and we are addressing it," he told Reuters.

Notably, Williams is concerned about the future of the Hamtramck plant in Michigan, and the Lordstown factory in Ohio.

Hamtramck builds an array of slow-selling models including the Chevrolet Volt, the Cadillac CT6, the Chevrolet Impala, and the Buick LaCrosse. Reuters points out the factory built less than 35,000 cars in the first half of this year, a 32-percent drop over the same time period last year.

At least six models risk getting axed after 2020 in response to the widespread shift towards crossover: the Buick LaCrosse, the Cadillac CT6, the Cadillac XTS, the Chevrolet Volt, the Chevrolet Sonic, and the Chevrolet Impala.

As expected, GM refused to comment on future products. However, anonymous sources told Reuters current generation of the Volt will be the last. It's scheduled to morph into a crossover in 2022.
Forks Township police charged four New York City residents with growing 500 marijuana plants in a home behind Forks Township Community Park.

Police found the plants after neighbors complained for weeks about the smell coming from 1186 Sycamore Ave. The backyard borders the park.

Two of the four people allegedly growing the marijuana were charged with endangering the welfare of their children, ages 1, 4, and 8. The children were in the home when it was raided about 6 a.m. Friday.

Police pulled garbage from the curb in front of the home between July 9 and 18 and found a baggie with three grams of marijuana, baggies with the tops cut off, some cigar packages and baby diapers.

Police said the home reeked of marijuana.

The basement was equipped with extensive hydroponic equipment which included PVC pipes, thermometers and grow lights. Surveillance cameras were in the basement and on the first floor.

Some of the plants were hanging in the basement. Others were growing on the floor. Marijuana was found on the kitchen counter and on the living room floor, all within reach of the children. A two-pound bag of marijuana was found in the bedroom.

Charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia were:

Eury Alexis Perez, 28.

Isamar Lugo, 27.

Luis Martin Cruz, 27.

Manuel Justiniano, 26.

Perez and Lugo are charged with three counts each of corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children. They are the parents of the three children found in the home when it was raided.

Perez, Cruz and Justiniano are each charged with criminal conspiracy. District Judge Jacqueline Taschner set bail for Cruz and Justiniano at $100,000 and for Lugo and Perez at $150,000.

Forks Township police Detective Philomena Kelly asked for the high bail because none of the defendants has ties to the area.

"The house is solely used for marijuana growth. It's not a place of residence," Kelly said. "I don't see any reason for them to come back to Forks if they have another place to stay."

Justiniano was the first one arraigned. He dejectedly dropped his head when the judge announced his bail amount.

"I'm a father. I know I have a lot more to lose than to go and run away," Justiniano said. "I know I'm not a flight risk. I've cooperated every step of the way so far."

Lugo cried as the judge explained the child endangerment charges to her. Kelly said Perez's parents have taken custody of the children.

Since police allege the defendants grew more than 50 plants, they each face a mandatory sentence of five years in state prison if they're convicted at trial.

Justiniano said he's a second-year college student majoring in business management. Cruz said he's a fitness instructor. Perez said he's a sous chef.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
While Mary Lee, the famed great white shark with a massive twitter following, continues her more than monthlong break from the limelight, another great white is heading toward New Jersey's coastal waters.

Hilton, a 121/2-foot long, 1,326-pound male great white shark, surfaced at 8:07 p.m. Thursday off the southern Maryland-Delaware border, according to a real-time GPS tracker monitored by OCEARCH, a nonprofit group which researches great whites.

Hilton -- which was tagged by the group in March -- has traveled more than 151 miles in the last 72 hours, and was off the Cape May shoreline Friday afternoon. Since leaving the coastal waters of South Carolina last week, the shark has been heading north at a steady pace, according to the group's tracker.

OCEARCH also monitors the travails of Mary Lee, a 16-foot great white shark who hasn't seen since June 17 off the coast of Long Beach Island.

OCEARCH says it's found the first shark nesting grounds in the north Atlantic Ocean off of Montauk on Long Island, which hopefully will make it easier to protect the animals.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Dozens of men hoping to get lucky Friday got a rude awakening when detectives answered the phone instead.

Detectives from the Monroe County District Attorney's Office conducted a web-based prostitution sting as part of their efforts to combat human trafficking.

Starting at 8 a.m, the detectives posted decoy ads on backpage.com and waited for the calls to roll in. Each call was initially fielded by Detective Kim Lippincott, who would engage the man in conversation while Detective Brian Webbe used the number to find his information.

Doing this provides them with more personal information so they can address the perpetrators by name, mention their address and bring up other relationships that may catch their attention. It "really changes the impact that it has," Lippincott said.

More than once, Webbe said "I'm sure you wouldn't want your wife knowing that you're seeking these services."

The men that fell into the trap were not arrested, however. Lippincott said that research showed operations such as this were most effective in deterring first time offenders. Thus, the goal was to raise awareness. They were warned that if they continue to frequent backpage.com, the next time would result in an arrest.

"It's your lucky day," Webbe told the men.

Webbe sought to educate those he spoke with, explaining the extensive opioid problem plaguing Pennsylvania and that many women involved in prostitution are very rarely doing so at their own will. Rather, they are often forced by someone else or doing so to feed an addiction.

By responding to ads on backpage, you're contributing to the problem, Webbe told the men.

The ads were posted in the dating section of backpage.com and pictures from backpage in other states were used for the profile. The calls were fielded using two undercover phones, and the detectives estimated about 120 calls came in throughout the day.

This is the newest operation working toward Monroe County's goal to combat sex trafficking. Last week, a prostitution sting resulted in 11 arrests. Stings are expensive, however. This is the first -- but certainly not the last -- time doing these phone-based stings.

"This is a way to get the word out there that this won't be tolerated in our community," Lippincott said. "Our goal is to deter as many people as possible."

Although the men were not arrested Friday, their information was logged so detectives will know if they are repeat offenders. In the future, they won't be so lucky, they said.

Along with discouraging potential offenders -- which would be charged with patronizing a prostitute if arrested -- the detectives also reached out to women posting ads in hopes of helping them get out of the business.

As Webbe told the men, many women are forced into prostitution or do so to feed an addiction. But there are organizations and resources that can help.

One such organization is the non-profit Truth for Women. Executive Director Kim Checkeye was present at the operation to try to get through to women, make sure they're safe, provide them with the human trafficking hotline number and tell them there is a safe place for them to go, if they choose.

Truth for Women owns and operates a therapeutic women's home for those recovering from sex trafficking.

Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- New Jersey became the third state in the nation to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21, Gov. Chris Christie announced Friday, saying, "no one should lose their life due to any addictive substance."

New Jersey already had banned tobacco sales to anyone under 19. But the bill's advocates pushed for a higher age pointing to studies that show youth who don't take up smoking into their early 20s will never make it a habit.

Echoing his often-used theme of breaking the cycle of addiction, the governor issued a statement saying the time had come to protect young New Jerseyans by "giving young people more time to develop a maturity and better understanding of how dangerous smoking can be and that it is better to not start smoking in the first place,"

"My mother died from the effects of smoking, and no one should lose their life due to any addictive substance," Christie added. "Additionally, the less people who develop costly tobacco habits that can cause health problems, such as lung cancer, heart disease and developmental issues, the less strain there will be on our healthcare system."

The law also applies to electronic smoking devices, according to the legislation, (S359). Vendors who violate the law would face a maximum fine of $1,000.

The Christie administration has taken considerable criticism for cutting state funding for smoking cessation programs and vetoing the same bill in January 2016.

Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), one of the bill's prime sponsors, said he was pleasantly surprised Christie had signed the bill, which he had first sponsored in 2013.

"Finally after all these years we found something we agree on. I'm feeling the love from the Gov," he said. "I'm excited for it, for the lives we save moving forward."

Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), also a sponsor, noted the federal government estimates that 700 children under the age of 18 become regular smokers each day, and almost one-third will die. "Making it harder to buy cigarettes by raising the age to legally purchase them in New Jersey will help prevent our youth from becoming lifelong smokers and suffering the long-term effects of the habit," he said.

Convenience stores and other retailers have fought the legislation's passage, arguing they would lose millions of dollars in sales.

An analysis by the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services showed as much as $16.2 million in sales tax would be lost by prohibiting 19-year-olds and 20-year-olds from buying tobacco and electronic cigarette products.

Retailers also said they would also lose additional sales of sandwiches, beverages and other items young smokers would buy while picking up a pack of cigarettes.

The law takes effect in four months, according to the legislation.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
breath.jpg

John Ruocco, Chief Executive of Interceptor Ignition Interlocks, does a demo of the device called the Interceptor by blowing into a breathalyzer in this 2010 file photo. (Jennifer Brown | The Star-Ledger)

TRENTON -- No more short stints in jail for drunk drivers who kill people in New Jersey.

Gov. Chris Christie on Friday signed a bill that requires a prison sentence of at least three years for drunk drivers convicted of homicide.

Known as Ralph and David's Law, the measure creates a new crime - third-degree strict liability homicide - for causing a death by driving a car or operating a boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The legislation was in response to the outcry over light sentences that some drunken drivers have received because their crimes didn't rise to the level of the state's first- or second-degree offenses addressing driving under the influence. Until this new law, the only other offense jurors, judges and prosecutors could consider was drunken driving, which carries a penalty of up to 30 days in jail.

Third-degree crimes generally do not require jail or prison time for a first-time offender but Ralph and David's Law calls for mandatory incarceration of between three and five years.

The law was named for David Heim and Ralph Politi Jr., whose cases highlighted the loopholes in New Jersey's drunken driving laws.

David, 13, of Hampton, was killed when he was hit by a drunken driver as he was crossing Route 206 with his mother and siblings in 2014. The motorist, not charged with vehicular homicide, was convicted of drunken driving and sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Politi, an East Hanover business owner and community activist, was killed in 2012 by a drunk driver who swerved out of her lane and hit him as he stood by his parked pickup truck. The driver was charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide, but was found not guilty in March of 2016.

The new law allows prosecutors to charge offenders with strict liability vehicular homicide or reckless vehicular homicide, depending on the circumstances. Reckless vehicular homicide would involve negligence on the part of the driver or boat operator.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
chiropractor art.jpg

A chiropractor in Warren County accused of fondling two female patients must surrender his license under a plea agreement. (Photo by Flickr/Alisha Vargas)

A Warren County chiropractor will surrender his license as part of a plea agreement on sexual assault charges.

Edward Kramer, 61, was accused of groping two female patients at his practice, Kramer Chiropractic in Blairstown Township, in 2015 and 2016.

Kramer, a Blairstown resident, was suspended in November by the New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners until someone could be put in place to oversee his interaction with female patients. Criminal charges were filed two weeks later.

Under the plea, Kramer on Thursday was admitted into the pretrial intervention program for two years, the Warren County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday. The rehabilitative program is offered to first-time offenders as an alternative to prosecution.

The plea also requires Kramer's license to be revoked and bars him from ever practicing in New Jersey again.

The Kramer Chiropractic website does not list Kramer among its staff. A voicemail greeting said the office was closed Thursday and Friday, but was to reopen Monday.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Route 57 detour in Franklin Township

A downed pole across Route 57 closed the road in both directions on July 21, 2017, in Franklin Township. (Rich Maxwell | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)

A section of Route 57 in Warren County was closed Friday afternoon after a utility pole fell across the road.

The downed pole, which also involved a fluid spill, was east of Liberty Road (County Route 637) in Franklin Township and traffic was detoured as of about 3 p.m., a New Jersey Department of Transportation website confirmed.

A small dump truck was nearby, and Route 57 was closed between Stewartsville Road and Richline Road.

The detour was still in place as of 4 p.m.

(NJDOT)

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A Portarlington man has been given a suspended sentence for his second drink driving offence.

Paul Hyland (53) was charged with drink driving, at Main Street, Portarlington, on April 5 this year.

At last week's sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Inspector Eamonn Curley gave evidence that the accused was detected with 72mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

The accused had one previous conviction for drink driving, back in 2010.

Defence, Mr Philip Meagher said that on the day, the accused had been visiting an old friend and they had a number of drinks while the friend cooked dinner.

His friends daughter needed to go to the shop and he said he would drive his friends car.

He came to garda attention when he parked on a double yellow line, said Mr Meagher.

Defence said the accused accepted the reading was high, as he had taken a number of glasses of wine.

Mr Meagher said the accused has one child aged six for whom he pays maintenance.

Judge Catherine Staines imposed a three-month sentence, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for six years.

The judge warned the accused that if he drove drunk again he could go to prison.
Naas Country Market is 65 years old and has plans to celebrate reaching the milestone later this month.

Michael Ring, Minister for Rural and Community Affairs will attend a birthday celebration on July 28, which coincides with International Friendship Day. Country Markets were set up in Ireland 70 years ago by the Irish Countrywomens Association and the Irish Homespun Society as places to offload surplus produce like eggs, vegetables and flowers.

We, the producers, will bring a friend and we will ask our customers to bring a friend, Karen Plewman of Naas Country Market said.

There will be a strong musical theme to the celebration.

One of the regular customers, a harpist, will play while a soprano, the daughter of one of the producers will perform as will a choir.

There will be craft demonstration and a cookery demonstration.

We will have a tea room, serving our own cakes and biscuits and weather permitting we will have a vintage tractor outside, added Ms Plewman.

The markets normal trading hours are 9.45am to 12.15pm every Friday but on July 28 this has been extended to 1.15pm.
A fundraising campaign has been launched to help Newbridge Cystic Fibrosis campaigner Orla Tinsley as she prepares to undergo a double lung transplant.

The Kildare woman, who turned 30 recently, has been on the transplant list in New York since the end of March.

The CF campaigner and journalist moved Stateside to study at Columbia University three years ago.

She is now too sick to fly home - but the operation will greatly improve her quality of life.

Her friend, the writer Belinda McKeon, has set up the online appeal with the aim of raising $50,000.

The cost of Orlas transplant will be covered by medical insurance, but some aspects of treatment and aftercare, including transplant and oxygen, will cost extra.

Good aftercare is crucial in helping transplant patients recover, but is likely to be costly.

After years of helping others, Orla now needs our help. She would never put it this way herself, but as her friend and as a long-time admirer of her work, her spirit and her downright grit, I'm saying it, writes Ms McKeon on the Gofundme page set up yesterday.

Orla Tinsley is generous, inspirational, and completely in love with life in a manner which reminds the rest of us of the reasons why we might feel the same way. She's facing a very tough time ahead, and we can help to make it a little easier and less stressful.

Orla added: "I am proud that I have been able to make a positive contribution with my life and hope I have been worthy of it. Living with CF is a challenge but living at all can be a challenge. I was lucky to have a mission and to know it from a very young age. Now I am older and my time is running out. Unless I get a life saving lung transplant I will die.

"I am too unwell to come home to Ireland for the surgery but I am lucky to have an amazing transplant team here. Transplant is about recovery and hard work afterward where I will have to rehabilitate and live with my new lungs. Hard work afterwards is what make the difference in survival.

"I need to stay close to the hospital for one year until I recover and work hard at rehabilitation and take on all the other challenges post transplant life bring. I am ready for this. I am ready for this new challenge and my warrior heart is open. But I need your help. I am so grateful to Belinda for being so supportive and taking the pressure off me at this time."

To donate to the Gofundme campaign to help Orla, click here.

The Kildare woman is a past recipient of the Kildare Person of the Year and in 2008 was named Rehab Young Person of the Year. She was instrumental in the fight to build an adult CF unit in Dublin.
Today, Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh Western, Alex Cole-Hamilton turns 40.

I have to confess to being slightly traumatised by this  much more so than by my own imminent Golden Jubilee.

You see, I dont feel 50. I feel about 28. And Im in much better shape physically and mentally than I was at 28, so its all good here. And the waiter at the Indian last night referred to me as a young lady. Even better.

Alexs big day, though, provides inescapable evidence of the passage of time. I cant help but remember that I first met him when he was a young lad fresh out of university. Now hes a 40 year old father of three.

He hides it well, though. Hes probably even more irrepressible now than he was back then.

Ive asked some of his friends to help me come up with 40 Legendary Alex Moments. Sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy a meander through the life of someone who is guaranteed to bring a smile to whatever is going on. Happy Birthday, Alex:

1. The day in the Summer of 2000 when he walked into the Edinburgh West constituency office to start work for Donald Gorrie MP and Margaret Smith MSP

2. The day I first met him  at the Gyle Centre in 2001 where we both met Charles Kennedys recce team for his final stop of the General Election.

3. When he stood against Gordon Brown in 2005 and one of the residents asked, genuinely, if he would become Chancellor if he won.

4. When he put on a weird southern drawl when canvassing for Obama in Virginia in 2008 to stop folk asking constantly where he was from.

5. This wasnt the first time he had dabbled in a presidential election. In 2004, the Guardian ran an ill-advised project called Operation Clark County. They reckoned that what voters in a swing state really needed was a stream of letters from Guardianistas imploring them not to vote for George W Bush. Alex embraced this task with his trademark enthusiasm and found himself in the press.

6. Doing a session of canvassing in Craigleith in the run up to the 2016 general election -inadvertently outside the constituency he was actually fighting.

7. When he took up polling station dog sitting at the General Election in June.

8. In 2011 when most of us would rather hide under the duvet than go canvassing, Alex knocked on thousands of doors in Edinburgh Central in wind, hail, rain and snow.

9. He worked so hard on that campaign that there was a press story that he got Scurvy through not having time to eat properly.

10. When he lost, he tweeted that if his defeat was the price he had to pay for children not having to be detained for immigration purposes, he accepted it with all his heart.

11. Winning best speaker with an absolute barnstormer in the Charles Kennedy Memorial Debate at Glasgow University in 2015. His speech on the EU was so passionate.

12. Winning one to watch at the Herald Scottish Politician of the Year awards in 2016

13. That De Lorean photo shoot during the General Election in June. He swanned around the office in shades and body warmer later.

14, Hoisting a victorious Willie Rennie on his shoulders on the night of the Dunfermline by-election in 2006 in what became one of the most iconic Lib Dem photos ever.

15. The day after Trump was elected in the US, there was a debate on hate crimes. Alex really got to grips with the issue in a horrified yet thoughtful speech.

It is not statesmanlike or diplomatic for a parliamentarian to rail against the victor of such an important international contest, but I feel neither statesmanlike nor diplomatic when it comes to addressing the hate-filled doctrine that has swept much of the continental United States these past 24 hours. It is a doctrine that represents the very antithesis of the Government motion and the amendments that are before us this evening, and it is a doctrine that relies on the demonisation of the otherthe threatening outsider. It is a doctrine that plays to the very worst demons of our souls. Seizing on the realities of huge swathes of the American population who, when asked by pollsters, would say, Folks like me were better off 50 years ago, Donald Trumps task was blindingly simple. Find any number of groups among the dispossessed and the marginalised to blame for that. Play to every fear. Stereotype and prejudice, and do so with abandon. The politics of prejudice represents the very worst tendencies in the conduct of human affairs. It thrives on a primeval reversion to tribe that seeks out weakness, difference and non-conformity and then endeavours to drive them out, to persecute and to malign. We may unite in condemnation of the emergence of that politics in America today, but we would do well to reflect on its existence in these islands as well. If the calamity of last nights events induces us to answer one challenge in ourselves, it must be the eradication of prejudice wherever it may be found in our nation.

16. The day he was asked to do a tv interview at no notice. He was dressed extremely casually. He swapped his t-shirt for the Chief Execs shirt and tie and breezed into the studio a few minutes later and gave the interview perfectly calmly.

17. The way he picked himself up after the loss of the Westminster seat in 2015 and plunged relentlessly into his 2016 campaign. One veteran campaigner told me We were out canvassing in East Craigs in 2015 and I just thought that I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.

18. His passionate speech at Pride Edinburgh last month.

19. After a particularly difficult tv interview, when he asked his team I looked pretty good, right?

20. That moment when he walked into the count hall at Ingliston, knowing hed won, in 2016 and everyone wanted a selfie with him.

21. Taking down Donald Trump over his travel ban and Theresa May for inviting the President on a state visit.

Today we march for our brothers and sisters of Islam, but tomorrow it could be the gay community, or rape survivors; the African American community or climate change scientists, whatever the frontier we will hold the line and show Trump, his puppet masters and the watching world that we will not tire we will not sit down we will only resist.Now Im a Liberal Democrat, but that doesnt matter today, Im proud to stand with people of all parties and of none, but Im going to finish with a message for the prime minister. Theresa May when you clasp hands with this man and offer him the full pomp and majesty of a state visit, you diminish yourself, you diminish the office you hold and you diminish our nation.

22. When he shared on Facebook a Colin Firthesque photo of him, soaked in a white shirt after a downpour while out leafetting.

23. Campaigning against air pollution

24. His fight to get the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child incorporated into law.

25. The only way I know that Santa Claus is on his way from Edinburgh to Livingston is when Ive seen the elaborate photos of his escapades in the Cole-Hamilton house posted on Facebook.

26. His compelling, persuasive and relentlessly positive debut Holyrood speech on the EU

27. A 2005 Scottish Lib Dem training event where he compered the quiz and had us in stitches with a series of puns and rhymes based on his co-host, Fraser.

28.. This picture of Alex at the West count last month with his best mate Kevin Lang just sums up what must be oe of the most successful campaiging partnerships in the history of politics:

29. The way he still does a load of delivery bundles because he feels he cant ask others to do what he isnt prepared to do himself.

30. Speaking at an anti-Trident rally in Edinburgh way back in 2007  never afraid to take an independent stance from party policy on a key issue of principle.

31. Getting a wee bit wild with the champagne at the Scottish MPs victory press call.

Just a typical Sunday morning to celebrate three new MPs. pic.twitter.com/ZxwnZLZPVU

 Willie Rennie (@willie_rennie) June 11, 2017

32. His ultimately successful campaign to persuade the Scottish Liberal Democrats to adopt policy banning smacking in Scotland. Its a cause very dear to me. We lost by 9 votes in 2013, but last year eventually won the day.

33. His excellent leadership of the Scottish General Election campaign this year, making sure we had the resources to run the campaign we needed to run and making sensible decisions about our priorities.

34. The moment he was caught on camera looking murderously on during one of Willie Rennies speeches in Parliament.

35. And how he retaliated by posting a photo of Willie looking bored during one of his speeches.

36. How hes always first to offer support if anyone in the team is having a hard time.

37. That unforgettable moment when he and Christine arrived at the count when we knew she had won.

This picture is everything. Love my @scotlibdems fam pic.twitter.com/uFWJtaC6Yf

 Daisy Benson (@_DaisyBenson) June 9, 2017

38. How excited he got about the world war II shelter in his campaign headquarters for the 2011 election in Edinburgh Central.

39. When he, his wife Gill and I all absent-mindedly got on the wrong train on the way to a party and ended up back at my house rather than in Fife.

40. His amazing pumpkin carving skills. Who can forget Trumpkin?

Now, because Alex over-delivers, we should too. There is a number 41. And it comes, with his express permission to publish this and attribute it to him, from Alistair Carmichael, our ever patient MP for Orkney and Shetland. He tells us how he fell for a typical Alex stunt:

There is nothing funny about Alex Cole-Hamilton. What he regards as a joke once very nearly put me into cardiac arrest. During the 2016 Scottish elections he sent a text one morning with what seemed to be a screen grab of a front page of The National running a story about him having been involved in drugs dealing as a teenager. It was a wildly overdrawn and badly written piece that looked like it had been written by someone who was under the influence of mind altering drugs. It seemed, therefore, to be entirely genuine as a National front page and I took it at face value. Seeing this on my phone at 7.30 am I confess I panicked and replied telling him to say nothing to anyone, to get his wife and kids out of the house and off to somewhere safe and that he needed legal representation etc. Anyway, a few texts and much adrenaline later, Mr C-H fessed up that this was an April fool. My, how we laughed. Well, not at all, actually. I swear to God that the only thing that saved his life was the fact that there was a few hundred miles between us, including the Pentland Firth. We should celebrate his 40th birthday because, all things considered, it is nothing short of a miracle that he has reached it. If he ever pulls a stunt like that again then we shall have a by-election in Edinburgh Western. I promise you.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
Why the poor dont kill us As the master-servant equilibrium of the Indian society collapses, and as the poor become more socially and politically empowered, why do they not attack the rich more often? /news/talking-point/why-the-poor-don-t-kill-us-111646987316451.html 111646987316451 story

Across the nation maids are talking back; who knows one day they may even demand long-handle mops to clean the floors. The rich wonder if it is all because of the employment guarantee schemes conceived by the profligate Congress governmentthe poor seem to have options these days. The wages, too, have soared. In any case, the middle class, at least the young and the refined, want to be nice to their servants. The conscientious sahib even exclaims on social media how cruel it is that maids are expected to be invisible". The madam, though as conscientious, is unlikely to say that, or let the maid use her toilet or the cutlery. Across urban homes, however, the maids are sitting on footstools, even chairs, in the presence of their employers. If there is a time-lapse video of seated maids across a stretch of 10 years, it would show them slowly soaring from floor to sofa. Also, the maids today are not the tragic malnourished women of once upon a time. And their infants are roly-poly.

A cluster of apartment blocks called Mahagun Moderne in Noida, adjacent to Delhi, where hundreds of maids worked, was not very different from the rest of the urban hives until a few days ago, when a riot broke out. A mob of maids and their men attacked the society after one of the maids, a young woman, went missing and her family thought she had been detained by a family that had earlier accused her of stealing money.

Similar scuffles have occurred in other parts of Delhi. The occurrences are rare but they may be a portent of what is to come. The master-servant equilibrium of Indian society is collapsing. The poor are becoming socially and politically more empowered than ever before.

What is surprising is why they do not attack more often. How does vast poverty tolerate the wealth of a few, who are vulgar just to appear so rich in plain sight. Many a time, even if you are just walking with an ice cream in hand, you feel you are taunting the poor. Why dont the poor rise in revolt and cause end-of-days havoc? Order suits the rich. Chaos is a leveller. Do the poor overestimate the defences of the rich? Why are we safe?

There is a type of phoney Indian who would, with flared noble nostrils, say the poor will not do it because they are such wonderful folk. But just as foolish is the innate suspicion of rich India that the poor are prone to criminality and violence, and that they are kept in check by religious or other mystical forces. But the fact is Indias poor shun violence for the same reasons most human beings abhor violence. They wish to be humane.

There is something far less pleasant that guards the richthe near absence of human rights for the poor in a police station or a prison, or in the rest of the judicial process. India is not a safe place for the rich but it is safer than it should be, or even compared to more mature economies like South Africa, because the consequences of crimes against the rich are severe in India. Mumbais underworld, for example, was an organized attempt by gangs to steal from the rich, but when they began to employ efficient lawyers and use the legal process to free their captured men, society responded through extrajudicial killings of criminals. What India lacks through order it often makes up through informality. The less democratic a nation, the safer it is for the rich. Street safety in China, it will not surprise us, is much better than in India.

But the most important reason why it is hard for anyone to organize Indias poor against the rich is that such a system already existsin the form of electoral politics. As long as the poor believe that they own politics, they will find greater release in that legitimate revolution than in self-destructive rage.

Indian politics thus is largely a revenge of the poor, or at least an attempt. That is one of the reasons why demonetization did not destroy the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the liberals had hoped. The party has won more than 10 elections since that announcement. The poor thought the rich suffered more than them.

Everything considered, the rich are great beneficiaries of poverty. It is very cheap to be rich in India. As the chief economic adviser, Arvind Subramanian, pointed out, the subsidies that the rich so hate are designed for the poor but are best experienced by the rich. But the benefits are not as trivial as being served by a maid who would skin hundreds of soya beans for hours and crush them into milk. In a poor nation, the social elite can pass through life without facing any substantial competition. That is why the frequent middle-class accusation of nepotism" in the film industry is somewhat amusingnot just Bollywood dynasties, almost the entire Indian upper class owes its supremacy to the huge advantages its families have provided.

The poor also serve the rich by providing them a clear moral goaleradicate poverty. Every learned Indian is a poverty eradication thinker. Many among the elite youth lament inequality", though all they have to do to reduce inequality is, instead of lamenting, refuse to go to expensive American colleges, and boycott inheritance. In the sheer absurdity of the youth even considering such a drastic sacrifice lies a more disturbing questioncan the beneficiaries of inequality really end it? In their subterranean minds, do they actually wish inequality to continue?

As the nation transforms and the facile deference and the isolation of the poor dissolves, the rich are responding by paying a premium for places and experiences that will not be diminished by the other kind of Indians. When India is expensive, it is not because it has something of value to offer, it is the price one pays for keeping the riff-raff out.

Manu Joseph is a journalist and a novelist, most recently of The Illicit Happiness Of Other People.

He tweets at @manujosephsan
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Nothing comes between a grandma and her pastries.

At least, that's the case for Ruby Tijerina of Round Rock.

Tijerina's grandson, Landon Pederson, shared on his Twitter the moments leading up to his grandma's doughnut victory.

What started as a typical airport experience on Tuesday, soon escalated to a viral story.

READ ALSO: San Antonio spot among 10 best doughnut destinations in Texas

Tijerina told mySA.com she was accompanied by her daughter and granddaughter on their way to meet with family for vacation in Missouri.

She was carrying two things she knew would please her grandsons: two containers of renowned Round Rock Donuts - doughnut holes to be precise - and chorizo wrapped in foil, both stuck inside her travel bag.

Tijerina noted that the employee at the security gate "was a cutie," in his uniform. But moments later, that cutie would perform a random bag check and nearly confiscate her treats.

"I told him, you shouldn't open that box," Tijerina said.

Despite her warning, the guard found the containers and what was inside.

"I thought, 'oh my goodness. They are gonna take them away,'" Tijerina said.

Meanwhile, Tijerina said she could feel everyone's eyes staring at her  including her family who had escaped the security gate's wrath.

"Maybe I look suspicious. I don't know," she joked. "But lo' and behold, he shoved them back in. We got our donuts. (I) got through security and everyone was happy."

READ ALSO: Viral S.A. grandpa-granddaughter duo graduates arm-in-arm, and their photos are adorable

Doughnuts and most other food are allowed through airport security.

The grandmother said she enjoys going out of her way a little bit for her grandchildren.

"Everybody's grown now and I have no more babies. So whenever I get a chance, I do what I can," she said.

On the menu tonight  chicken and rice. Another highly requested meal from grandma.

Tijerina said she's blown away by the attention she's received from her airport experience.

Even the City of Round Rock took notice, Tweeting about the incident.

"When I go back (home,) I'm going to tell my friends, 'did you hear about the doughnut lady, that was me,'" she said. "Nothing ever happens to me. It was funny and amazing how everybody took to it. That's our story."

Click through the photos above to see Tijerina's grandson's text exchange with his mother during grandma's security hold up.

jthorpe@express-news.net

@jerilynnthorpe
A bill recently introduced by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn could be the first step toward making a national museum honoring Latinos a reality.

Were here to help grow support for that bill, Cornyn said at a news conference Friday morning at the Centro de Artes, but a few stumbling blocks came up during the event, including funding for the project and a political climate viewed as hostile by many of the Latinos whose stories the museum is intended to tell.

The Texas Republican co-sponsored the bill in June with Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat. It authorizes the Smithsonian Institution to move forward in creating the National Museum of the American Latino. A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives.

Cornyn was joined by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and representatives from Latino organizations, including the League of United Latino American Citizens and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, an organization based in San Antonio.

Efforts to establish a Latino museum have been ongoing since 2008, when a bipartisan commission was formed to study the issue. San Antonio businessman Henry R. Munoz III served as chairman of the commission. Munoz also was founder of the Museo Alameda, the now-defunct Latino museum that occupied the site of the Centro de Artes before it shut down in 2012.

Legislation similar to Cornyns was introduced in 2011 and 2013 but was never voted on.

While the new bill authorizes the construction and operation of the National Museum of the American Latino, it does not appropriate any federal funding for the project. Federal appropriations covered 50 percent of the cost of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016, and 70 percent of the cost of the National Museum of the American Indian, which opened in 2004.

At the news conference, Maria Lopez De Leon, president and CEO of NALAC, thanked Cornyn for co-sponsoring the bill but emphasized the need for federal dollars to support the project.

We look forward to the next steps that will attach appropriations, federal funds, that will help build this museum in the way that these appropriations helped to establish the National Museum of the American Indian and the national African American museum, she said.

Asked later about whether any plans for funding the museum were in place, Cornyn joked, Its funny, that came up already.

This is the first step, but certainly not the last step, he said. In order to get this started, we needed to leave that part out, but rest assured I will be committed to that effort along with Sen. Menendez. Im confident well get there.

While officials attended the news conference in support of the museum, some also shared concerns about legislative actions that are negatively impacting the Latino community. Wolff, who recently testified against Senate Bill 4 in a federal hearing, talked about the state law barring so-called sanctuary cities.

Im protesting the business of trying to determine whether people (have) documents or not, and what I think is racial profiling, he said. So those battles never stop, and I hope all of us understand that, and I hope thats what this museum shows  that those struggles continue.

At the end of her comments, De Leon also raised the subject of immigration.

I just want to say that I know that many in our Latino communities are living in fear, she said, and I would advocate again to the senator and others to consider this as they do their work in Washington.

Before the news conference, Cornyn was given a tour of Icons and Symbols of the Borderland, the latest exhibit at the Centro de Artes, by artist Cesar Martinez. The show, organized by the El Paso-based JUNTOS Art Association, features several politically charged works that deal with immigration, among them a painting by Antonio Castro of a Christ-like figure who has been detained by Border Patrol agents.

It was very interesting, a lot of ironies in it, but I cannot help but be supportive of this bipartisan effort, Martinez said They cut off the tour  but I told the senator in parting, This area here  and he looked in and saw what I meant this is a very political area here and I just wish youd go in there sometime.

lsilva@express-news.net
Attorney General Jeff Sessions's bad week just got worse. And while his new problems would appear to threaten his job, they also put President Donald Trump in a box when it comes to his apparent desire to be rid of Sessions.

The Washington Post reported that Russia's ambassador has said he and Sessions discussed the 2016 campaign during two meetings last year. That is contrary to multiple public comments made by Sessions in March, when he recused himself from oversight of the Russia investigation.

Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller report that Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts of those meetings were intercepted by U.S. intelligence and that in them he suggested that the two men spoke substantively about campaign issues. Yet Sessions said March 1 that he "never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign," and the following day, while announcing his recusal, he said it again: "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."

This is now the second time that Sessions' accounts of his meetings with Russians have been seriously called into question. During his confirmation hearings this year, he denied having met with any Russians during the campaign. When the Kislyak meetings came to light, he clarified that he thought the exchange was in the context of the campaign only. He then quickly recused himself.

That flub was highlighted this week by none other than Trump. In a New York Times interview, Trump openly suggested that he wouldn't have nominated Sessions in the first place had he known he would recuse himself. Then Trump turned to Sessions's "bad answers" at his confirmation hearings:

TRUMP: So Jeff Sessions, Jeff Sessions gave some bad answers.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: You mean at the hearing?

TRUMP: Yeah, he gave some answers that were simple questions and should have been simple answers, but they weren't.

If Trump does want to get rid of Sessions, it would seem that more of Sessions's "bad answers" about his meetings with Kislyak are on the table to justify it. The problem for Trump is that using that justification would also lend credence to the idea that there was something untoward about those meetings. Trump has repeatedly suggested that the entire Russia investigation is a "hoax" and a "witch hunt," so the idea that he's suddenly that concerned about Sessions's Russia contacts would be difficult to reconcile.

It would also be difficult to square with other top Trump allies and family members who have failed to acknowledge or be transparent about their meetings with Russians. How could Trump take issue with Sessions' failures to correctly characterize his meetings with Russians but not with Donald Trump Jr., whose meeting seeking opposition research about Hillary Clinton allegedly from the Russian government came to light this month? And then what about Jared Kushner's meetings, which include that one, a meeting with Kislyak and a meeting with the head of a Russian state-owned bank. None of them were disclosed on his security clearance form when he joined the White House. Trump would need to explain why Sessions's failures were bad and his son's and son-in-law's weren't.

But Trump nonetheless seemed to get the ball rolling on that front in his New York Times interview. And given that more of Sessions' comments have come into question now, we'll see whether Trump keeps using that as justification for continuing to undermine one of his earliest supporters and top Cabinet officials.
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Local lawmakers are addressing a number of issues in the first days of the Legislature's special session.

After an unusual midnight session this week to pass bills that will allow the Texas Medical Board and other state agencies to continue operating, lawmakers are moving on to other proposed bills, including measures that some legislators say would protect the rights of property owners, put caps on property tax increases and provide "pro-life insurance reform."

Lawmakers were called back to a special session by Gov. Greg Abbott, who has a list of 20 items on his agenda of bills he wanted to see passed into law, including restrictions on what he's calling "runaway regulations" by cities and new protections for property owners.

"Even a five-year-old knows you can't change the rules in the middle of a "Monopoly" game," Abbot wrote in an editorial this week. "Local governments should not be able to take away property rights by changing the rules after you've acquired the property. I thank Sen. Dawn Buckingham and Rep. Cecil Bell Jr. for their commitment to commonsense legislation that protects property owners by grandfathering the property rights bargained for when the land was acquired."

In his editorial, Abbott was apparently referencing a bill introduced by Bell, R-Magnolia, that if passed and signed into law, would bar cities from passing new zoning laws that end up preventing a property owner from building on or developing property that was purchased before the new zoning rules were passed.

"It preserves the rights of the property owner to changes made by a city," Bell said of his House Bill 188.

Also being considered in the special session is a bill co-authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, intended to reform property tax rules. Under Senate Bill 1, also co-authored by Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, municipalities that collect more than $10 million in property tax revenues, would have to hold an election before increasing property taxes by more than 4 percent. The measure is set to be heard by a committee Saturday.

A similar bill was passed by the Senate earlier this year during the regular session, but with opponents arguing that it would have hampered the ability of cities to pay for basic services, it never made it out of the House.

State Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, and Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, also have pledged to back property tax reform, while also pushing for legislation that would have county chief appraisers and members of county appraisal review boards win their posts in a local election, instead of being appointed, as they are now.

Also set to be considered in committee Saturday is Creighton's Senate Bill 8 -- a bill he says will keep Texans who are pro-life from "unknowingly or unwillingly" subsidizing abortion coverage for others through their insurance premiums and tax dollars.

Under current federal law states are allowed to set their own parameters for elective abortion coverage, but Texas is one of 25 states yet to enact legislation to ban elective abortion coverage. SB 8 would require the coverage to be separately purchased as an optional, supplemental plan.

"For once, Washington, D.C., is allowing states to make a choice in health care," Creighton said. "It's time Texas puts into statute a policy for separate elective abortion coverage."

The special session, which began Tuesday, is set to run for 30 days, but the governor can call additional special sessions as many times as wants. When Rick Perry served as governor, he called three consecutive special sessions.
The Agbada 2 flow station should have been buzzing with activity, pumping crude to one of Nigeria's largest export terminals. Instead it was idle in the muggy, mid-morning heat as Wilcox Emmanuel, the facility's manager, shrugged in resignation about the thieves who'd shut him down.

As much as 30 percent of the oil sent by pipelines through the swampy Niger River delta is stolen, consultant Wood Mackenzie estimates. That's depriving the country of income amid a crippling recession and compounding the pain of a global price slump for Africa's largest producer.

At Agbada, the wells dotting the surrounding forests had been closed for three weeks following a pipeline leak that was probably deliberate. "Who knows when we'll be back up?" Emmanuel said.

The 60,000-barrel-a-day flow station, owned by Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian unit and idle for most of June, illustrates the nation's struggle to restore deliveries of its most vital resource. Even after the government quelled a militant uprising that sent production to a 30-year low last August, smaller-scale sabotage caused by people trying to steal oil remains rife.

Companies are using surveillance helicopters equipped with infrared cameras every day. They're also experimenting with drones and cages on wellheads rigged with alarms. But nothing seems to fix the problem.

"We're trying all sorts of things, you wouldn't believe it," Igo Weli, a manager at Shell, said in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil capital. "But how do you protect thousands of kilometers of pipelines against people who are out to sabotage them?"

While Nigeria's output has risen more than 20 percent since August to almost 1.8 million barrels a day as a fragile peace with militants reduces the number of attacks on pipelines, the continual disruption from theft in the impoverished delta region threatens plans to exceed 2 million a day, according to Wood Mackenzie. Much of the stolen oil is processed in makeshift, illegal refineries, while more organized thieves load tankers for export.

"It's constant," said Gail Anderson, a Wood Mackenzie researcher in Edinburgh. "It's a big amount of crude being stolen. Nigeria is selling much less oil on the international market than what is coming out of the ground."

Damage caused by theft, in terms of lost output and pollution, can be just as severe as from the armed attacks and bombings by rebels, which last year knocked out terminals including Shell's Forcados and Qua Iboe, run by ExxonMobil.

The leak on the pipeline taking Agbada's crude to the Bonny export terminal in the Gulf of Guinea forced Shell to declare force majeure, a legal clause allowing it to miss deliveries. It also hurt production of gas, which flows out of the wells with the oil. Supplies to Nigeria's liquefied natural gas plant at Bonny fell 10 percent during the outage, according to its head of production, Tayo Oginni.

The company where Oginni works, Nigeria LNG, has looked at gas transport options other than pipelines, given their vulnerability, but so far hasn't found an affordable alternative, he said. Nigeria LNG is a joint venture between Shell, Total SA, Eni SpA and the state oil company.

Eni's Nigerian subsidiary constantly patrols pipelines and wellheads and will typically shut them down upon spotting any vandalism, it said in a statement.

Though the oil producers are stepping up surveillance, it's an arduous task in an area the size of West Virginia where 5,000 wells nestle among swamps and creeks. When the companies see thieves at work, they have to rely on Nigeria's military to catch them.

Better policing and government efforts to engage with communities have helped. In February, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited oil states, meeting representatives of militant and community groups and pledging to address grievances over poor infrastructure and a lack of jobs. The administration is desperate to ramp up production to revive growth in an economy that relies on oil and gas for almost all export earnings.

Though it's a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Nigeria was spared a production cap by the group last year as it worked to restore lost output. That exemption might not last if it can stabilize supply, fellow member Kuwait said this month. Nigeria may argue that persistent theft, estimated by think-tank Chatham House to take out 100,000 barrels a day -- or $5 million at today's price of around $50 a barrel -- continues to hurt the industry.

On top of that is the cost of clearing up the pollution from pipe ruptures. A 2011 U.N. study found that such an undertaking at Ogoni, just south of Port Harcourt, could exceed $1 billion and take 30 years. That's helped spur the authorities to take action, according to Shell.

"The government is more awake," Weli said. "It realizes how important this is -- $1 billion spent cleaning up oil spills could go to schools or hospitals."

President Muhammadu Buhari, like successive leaders before him, has vowed to stamp out assaults on oil infrastructure. But that will be hard as long as locals feel they benefit little from living in Africa's most prolific oil patch -- around half the delta's 33 million people survive on less than $2 a day. Last week, Shell again declared force majeure on Bonny exports because of a leak on another pipeline running to the terminal.

The region "has precious little to show for the oil it's produced," said Anderson of Wood Mackenzie. "Sabotage won't go away until there's some kind of economic and social transformation. It's an ongoing battle."
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, previously praised and invited by President Donald Trump to come to the White House, said he won't visit the United States during or after his term because the country is "lousy."

Duterte's remarks about one of the Philippines' oldest allies was in response to Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., who recently said he would protest if the Filipino leader utilized Trump's invitation.

"There will never be a time that I will go to America during my term, or even thereafter. So what makes that guy think I'll go to America? I've seen America and it's lousy," Duterte told reporters Friday about McGovern.

McGovern led a hearing in Congress Thursday on Duterte's drug war that has resulted in a mass killing of suspected addicts and dealers in the Philippines. More than 7,000 deaths have been reported from July 1, 2016, to Jan. 21, according to the Philippine National Police. The deaths were carried out both by police and unknown vigilantes.

Human rights groups have strongly criticized the controversial Filipino leader's method in eradicating his country's drug problem, citing lack of due process and killings that targeted the poor.

"We should be clear what an extrajudicial killing or execution is: It is the purposeful killing of a person by governmental authorities without the sanction of any judicial proceeding," McGovern said in his opening remarks. "No arrest. No warrant. No judge. No jury. Simply, murder."

McGovern added that someone with Duterte's abysmal human rights record shouldn't be invited to the United States. "If he comes, I will lead a protest," the congressman said. "We ought to be on the side of advocating for human rights, not explaining them away."

Duterte shot back Friday, telling reporters that he, too, can - and will - investigate the United States' history of human rights violation.

"You're investigating me and the internal affairs of my country? I'm investigating you, and I will investigate you, and I will expose it to the world what you did to the Filipino, especially to the Moro Filipino," Duterte said, likely referring to the Battle of Bud Dajo in 1906 in the island of Jolo in Mindanao in the southernmost part of the Philippines. American troops killed more than 600 Moro people as they tried to take control of Mindanao, home to the country's Muslims.

Duterte has frequently brought up the 1906 massacre when confronted with criticisms of his drug war.

Ironically, Duterte is carrying out his own battles with Muslim militants. The Philippine Congress on Saturday approved his appeal to extend martial law in Marawi in the island of Mindanao to the end of the year, the Associated Press reported. The city has been besieged by militants linked to the Islamic State.
Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday requested that President Donald Trump declare a major disaster for the state of Michigan as a result of the flash flooding that occurred in Bay, Isabella, Gladwin and Midland counties on June 22-23.

The request comes at the conclusion of an in-depth assessment of damage to the area.

"This is great news for the residents of Midland County. This federal request is the step we need to get a final determination on what, if any federal programs residents may qualify for," Midland County Administrator/Controller Bridgette Gransden said.

Snyder has requested supplementary federal aid in the form of individual assistance to help eligible residents because of the severity and magnitude of the flooding.

"I welcome the state's decision to ask for federal assistance to help rebuild following the severe flooding in mid Michigan last month," U.S. Rep. John Mooolenaar said. "I have been in contact with FEMA since the flooding occurred and the agency has been very responsive, including its preliminary assessment. I hope federal, state and local officials will continue the exemplary work they have done in response to the flooding."

If federal aid is granted, assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help people and businesses recover from the effects of the flooding. This request does not include assistance for costs incurred by state and local governments due to damage to public facilities and infrastructures.

"I'm proud of the way Michiganders have come together to help each other recover from this historic flood, and we're looking at every resource available to help them rebuild," Snyder said.

Based on information provided by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, state leaders requested a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment with federal and local leaders to review and validate the most severely damaged homes, businesses and public facilities across mid-Michigan.

"The flooding in June was the second highest flood on record," state Sen. Jim Stamas said. "Our local responders and recovery teams have done and continue to do an awesome job in the face of such tremendous devastation. However, the cost and scope of this cleanup effort will require federal assistance."

The teams conducted their assessments from July 6-9. State officials reviewed the results and determined the extent of damage reached the level necessary to apply for federal help.

"I appreciate the governor making this official request," state Rep. Gary Glenn said. "A distinction about the federal assistance is that it may make assistance available for individuals for losses suffered by home owners in Midland, Bay, Isabella and Gladwin counties."

Snyder's request will be reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will advise Trump whether a disaster declaration should be granted. Ultimately, the president will determine whether to provide federal assistance.

Lt. Gov. Calley declared a "state of disaster" for Isabella and Midland counties on June 23. On June 28, Snyder instructed the Michigan State Police to amend the "state of disaster" declaration to include two additional counties in mid-Michigan -- Bay and Gladwin counties.
Last week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos did something her critics found unthinkable: After meeting with college administrators and student victims of sexual assault, she met with students who claim they had been falsely branded as rapists by their learning institutions under a provision of the law called Title IX.

The response on the left was unsurprising.

Shes enabling rape deniers, exclaimed the headline of Jessica Valentis column in the Guardian. These meetings are a slap in the face to survivors, said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. She is outright neglecting her departments civil rights duties, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

On the contrary, if civil rights are a priority for DeVos, these meetings were a necessary exercise given that her agency is charged with enforcing a statute that has invited serious concerns about due-process rights, sparked scores of lawsuits and dozens of favorable decisions for the wrongly accused.

Title IX is a 1972 law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funds but was broadly reinterpreted to allow college administrators  not law enforcement  to review student-on-student allegations of sexual assault.

The Obama administration issued controversial guidance in 2011, essentially mandating that students can be disciplined by their colleges based on a preponderance of evidence instead of beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard that applies to crimes.

This has reduced the burden of proof such that, in most cases, an accusation of rape is the equivalent of a finding of guilt.

But President Barack Obamas Education Department went further than that.

Its Office of Civil Rights discouraged cross-examination of accusers, trained administrators to believe the accuser and directed universities to dissuade alleged victims from pursuing justice through traditional law enforcement channels.

DeVos is deciding the future of these guidelines.

According to KC Johnson, a professor of history at Brooklyn College, there is a conviction among Title IX supporters that sexual assault in the campus setting provides too many protections for the accused  things like the right to an attorney and an impartial jury of peers.

Such protections intentionally are not present in campus tribunals, tipping the scales to favor the alleged victim.

For survivors, that might feel like righteous justice against a culture that for too long did not believe or even blamed the victim. But the reality is that the current procedures operate more like a system of retaliation than of justice, with the accused sometimes becoming victims  of false accusations.

Researcher Cathy Young explains that while many victims advocates cite a low rate of false accusations, the truth is much knottier because of how reports are classified. At whatever rate such cases occur, she said, they should not be dismissed as statistical blips, especially when false accusations have resulted in expulsions, ruined careers, even suicides.

Theyve also sparked rather frequent legal action against universities.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education estimates that more than 170 students have brought legal challenges since Title IXs controversial reinterpretation, most related to due-process violations. And in more than 50 of the completed cases, the courts found for the accused.

That should suggest to policy leaders that something is awry in how universities are handling these cases.

And it should vindicate DeVos meetings with the accused as well as the victims.

Theres no denying that sexual assault on campus was historically underreported and largely unaddressed, but that is no longer the case. The pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.

Anyone who truly cares about civil rights will see that DeVos decision to revisit the Title IX guidelines and to invite the perspectives of all those involved is not only necessary but long overdue.
Lets be honest: The Confederate Civil War Monument at Travis Park is the embodiment of the whitewashing of history.

There is no context to the monument. No mention of slavery. No remembrance of Union veterans or abolitionists. There is just a Confederate soldier towering above us, facing southward, finger pointing toward heaven. And there is the inscription, Lest we forget.

Nearly 120 years after the monument was erected, there isnt much remembering. Most days there are just food trucks and life-size chess at lunch, as well as occasional jazz concerts and movie screenings. Its a bit discordant.

City Councilman Roberto Trevino, political point man to relocate the monument, said people often ask him why he wants to move a statue of William B. Travis, the Alamo hero and a slave owner. And he has to explain again and again how the statue isnt Travis and has nothing to do with the Alamo.

That monument and that site are not tied together, he said. There is no historical connection, but rather a preference at the time.

Trevinos concerns are placement and messaging. Travis Park is at the heart of the community. Why dedicate such precious space to those who fought against America and fought for slavery?

It most likely will be moved. The votes are there on the new City Council. But where would it go and how would it be treated?

Commissioned by the Daughters of the Confederacy and designed by Virginia Montgomery, the monuments first cornerstone was placed on June 3, 1899. Even then, it was controversial.

An opinion in The Daily Light remarked with prescience in 1899 that the monuments erected today will be the scoff of a later generation.

And here we are, generations later, in a minority-majority city wondering why people who rebelled for slavery should be revered simply for valor. Confederate soldiers may have fought with valor, but they also fought for the right to own other people and the cruelties of inequality.

From Texas Declaration of Causes: We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.

You can find similar language in Alexander Stephens Cornerstone Speech. The Confederacys vice president said the governments foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.

This is why we simply cant let the monument continue to stand without context or present this history in a celebratory way.

John McCammon, a spokesman for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, offered a heartfelt and emotional defense of the monument, asking that it be left alone.

Its just a simple cenotaph, he said, choking up. It was just for the dead soldiers who didnt make it home.

I can understand the emotion but not the compartmentalization. Its not just a statue. The monument clearly means much more. And yet its towering prominence also belies San Antonios limited Confederate history.

The city voted against seceding (Bexar County was slightly for secession), said John Reynolds, a history professor with the University of Texas at San Antonio. In fact, the Confederate government imposed martial law on San Antonio and parts of the Hill Country for a year or two because of strong Union sympathies.

If anything, the monument is a product of unique timing. By 1900, San Antonio was entering an era of peak Southern whiteness, Reynolds said. Before and after, it was a much more diverse city.

From about 1900 to about 1940 is when San Antonio is most nearly a truly Southern city where those kinds of racial attitudes are much stronger than they were before, Reynolds said.

Signs and symbols evolve with time and carry different meanings across generations and perspectives. What lacked context then deserves context now. Who knows how future generations will interpret this moment, or this decision.

But this is the right moment to relocate the statue to a museum where it can be put into full context. Lest we forget.

jbrodesky@express-news.net
The state of Texas  at least the governor and his trusted minions  was back in the courtroom of the Western District of Texas recently, defending itself against the racial gerrymandering accusations leveled by a group of plaintiffs that included Latinos and African-Americans.

This trial was supposed to end the arguments made against the state in 2011. Six years, three full trials and millions of taxpayers dollars later, we still dont have a congressional map for the state. Behind all the legal drama and histrionics surrounding this issue is the racism of the gerrymanderers that found its way into how the districts were initially drawn.

Racial gerrymandering in Texas is not a recent phenomenon, and Republicans are not completely to blame. This strategy was initially pursued by Democrats in Texas; the Republicans just perpetuated it and took it to a higher, more technologically sophisticated level.

Texas has been taken into the federal courtrooms of the Western District of Texas after each of the past three redistricting cycles, and it has been found guilty of racial gerrymandering each time. Its not that Texas doesnt appear to redistrict correctly, its that Texas just cannot extricate itself from thinking racially when it comes to political matters generally and redistricting specifically.

As a recent column in the San Antonio Express-News correctly pointed out, the 2011 round of redistricting was overturned by a federal court because the jurists found that Texas had acted with racial intent.

The state used racial numbers to structure congressional and state House districts so they would appear as Latino majority districts but couldnt actually elect a Latino or Latino-preferred candidate. The state identified majority Latino voting precincts that turned out at high levels within the old district and replaced them with majority Latino precincts that turned out at low levels.

This was the height of hypocrisy for a political party that has indicated it wants to include more Latinos in its operations.

The state not only lost but also ended up paying all the legal fees and logistical costs for the two-week trial. The same happened in 2014. Now, the same set of plans has been challenged again, and the state probably will lose because the judges seem to be getting tired of seeing Texas repeatedly dragged into court over the same issue.

Its not that the state cannot fix the problem; the state just doesnt want to. There is no wish on the part of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general or the legislative redistricters to give Latinos an opportunity to elect representatives that truly represent the issues and needs of their community.

Why this is the case and what can be done about it is what I have spent my entire professional career thinking and writing about. Ill answer the easiest question first.

Why is racial gerrymandering a problem in Texas? Simple: Racism is an essential way Texans view the world. I make no apologies for this statement  after all, I was born, raised, educated and have spent almost my entire adult working life in Texas, and I have uncovered it in my research and experienced it myself in many social areas.

Being a native and proud Texan, I feel I have a special right to criticize my state on this issue.

We are a big state and could probably stand alone in the world as a separate nation (many Texans support this idea). We should be better about how we approach race relations, but weve made little progress. The politicians in charge of gerrymandering have been following an old historical process that saw political bosses throughout the state manipulate Latino voters through nepotism, bribery and intimidation.

One way of controlling Latinos in contemporary times is to gerrymander them into representational districts where their voting power is minimized or completely diluted.

Racial gerrymandering is simply an artifact of the way Latinos have always been treated in the state, whether in the educational, health care, economic or political realm.

Our states lawmakers dont think Latinos opinions are important, so why allow us to have political representation? Racial gerrymandering allows the Anglo majority to keep control of the Legislature and maintain a majority in the states congressional delegation as well. Racial gerrymandering silences our voices and denies more Latino participation in the public policy process. Thats how they see it.

What can be done? Thats a question for the ages. So far, the only remedy for Latinos has been through the courts. Texas lawmakers arrogantly continue gerrymandering, figuring the federal government will have to force them to change. They are using a delaying tactic paid for with taxpayers money.

The current leadership says it wants to cut irresponsible and needless government spending; well, they can begin by not wasting our hard-earned tax dollars discriminating against Latinos.

Some lawmakers and interest groups have called for a redistricting commission to take the politics out of the process. As the adage goes, The proof is in the pudding. Redistricting commissions have worked in some states, but not in others, because politics still abound at the appointment level.

You need to ask who is making the appointments, what are the qualifications for appointment, what are the terms of service, which governmental agency will oversee it, what are the oversight regulations, and who is going to pay for the commissions functioning?

Even an independent commission must ask the same questions.

However we wish to reform the redistricting process, Texas really needs it. The important issue is that we put partisan and racial perceptions and assumptions behind us and try.

Henry Flores is director of the masters of public administration program, distinguished university research professor and a professor of political science at St. Marys University.
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The American Bus Association (ABA) in a joint letter with the U.S. Travel Association and other travel and tourism stakeholders to President Donald Trump, urged the White House to reconsider a June 21, 2017 executive order that eliminates a provision that created a Department of State policy to ensure that 80 percent of non-immigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of submitting a visa application.

Our industry strongly supports thorough efforts to ensure international visitors who are entering the U.S. do not overstay their visas and/or to commit acts of terrorism or other crimes. We also support a world-class and efficient visa process that can effectively and securely manage the millions of visa applications submitted each year. After years of needless visa backlogs, the State Department has made great progress, reducing inefficiencies to decrease wait times to manageable levels.

The Presidents removal of this provision, as well as any hiring delays or freeze at the Department of State, will slow down the timely and efficient processing of visa applications. The $2.3 billion U.S. travel and tourism industry and 15.3 million American jobs in the industry are dependent on timely and efficient visa processing. Any delays caused by the executive order will have a direct economic impact on the nations economy and millions of jobs.

ABA urges the White House to reconsider the order and include a clear statement ensuring timely and efficient visa processing for legitimate international travelers.
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A Longford teacher who passed away following a car accident in Thailand last month was today remembered as someone who lived for his job and the many children he helped educate.

The inner confines of Glennon's Funeral Home was full to capacity as mourners came out to remember the much admired and well-liked 38-year-old.

This afternoon's service was held a little over fours weeks since Mr Malone tragically lost his life as a result of a car crash in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Ri on June 20.

Mr Malone's family opted to hold what was dubbed a "celebration of John's life" back in Longford after a cremation service was held in Thailand last month.

It was a depiction which certainly appeared to meet the approval of those in attendance as several cheerful and enlivening tributes were paid to the popular Longford man.

Civil Funeral Celebrant Padraic Cawley told of how Mr Malone had effectively made Thailand his adopted home having retrained as an English teacher.

He said from talking to close family members over the past few days, it became apparent that Mr Malone was "universally liked" by all those who came into contact with him.

"I don't think he realised the impact he had on people's lives," said Mr Cawley.

There were fond memories relayed by friends of Mr Malone from at home and in Chiangrai, where Mr Malone had set up base.

Poems, reflecting Mr Malone's positive outlook on life were also read out as were uplifting anthems, epitomised by Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World'.

But perhaps the most compelling observation in terms of how Mr Malone's legacy should be best remembered came from the service's chief celebrant.

"Live every day as a blessing and an opportunity," Mr Cawley told sympathisers.

"And leave nothing behind."

The late John Malone is predeceased by his mother Patricia (nee Reilly) and is survived by his father Cyril, brother Brian, sisters Gertrude and Karen, nieces and nephews, Eoin, Oran, Riely, Milana and Cayden, relatives and friends.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.

Also read:

'He was a very, very nice person'-tributes paid to well respected Longford teacher killed in Thailand road crash

Longford mourns 'kind-hearted and charming' John Malone who died tragically in Thailand


Louis Herterich, Townspark Industrial Estate, Longford appeared before Judge Marie Keane charged with assaulting Ryan Mangan and causing him harm at Ballymahon Street, Longford on April 27, 2016.

The court heard that the case centered around an incident that began at Earl Street when two young men encountered each other.

A chase subsequently ensued down the town which ended up outside Mr Herterichs shop on Ballymahon Street.

The first witness in the case was a 15-year-old who said that on the date of the incident he was walking with his friends along Earl Street when he encountered Ryan Mangan who was outside a local bar.

He was drunk and he bumped into me so I ran, the witness added.

He chased after me and when I got to Ballymahon Street I ran into the meat shop there.

Meanwhile, the court heard that Mr Mangan was hot on the heels of the witness at that point and the owner of the store - Louis Herterich - came out of the shop.

I saw Louis Herterich come out of his shop and he bumped into Ryan and fell, the witness continued.

He got up and he hit Ryan and I ran off then.

Under cross examination by defence solicitor Lorna Groarke, the witness said that he lived with his mother in Longford town and he had not told her about the incident until very recently.

Why did you not tell your mother?, Ms Groarke asked.

She would be panicking; she would be afraid, the young witness answered.

The court also heard that when the witnesss mother found out about the incident, she went straight to the garda station for more details.

Do you know that your mother approached my client?, Ms Groarke asked.

At that point Inspector Blathain Moran interjected swiftly.

It is unfair to question a 15-year-old about the actions of two adults, she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Groarke said that her client believed that an attempted burglary was taking place at his premises.

He didnt understand that you were being chased by somebody you were in fear of, she added.

He thought his shop was going to be burgled.

In his direct evidence to the court, Ryan Mangan (20) said that he knew Mr Herterich well.

He said that on the date of the incident he had been walking through Breadens Lane in Longford town when he met a friend and the pair decided to go for a few pints.

The court heard the friends headed for McKeons Bar on Earl Street and later when Mr Mangan went out for a cigarette he encountered the witness who was walking down the street with his friends.

Mr Mangan claimed that as the witness and his friends were walking past, they called one of Mr Mangans companions a stiff.

This, Mr Mangan said, meant that his companion couldnt catch them.

So I gave chase from McKeons down to Herterichs shop, continued Mr Mangan.

Everything happened so quickly; I bumped in Louis and knocked him down and then he hit me.

I pushed him and he fell again.

When questioned by Ms Groarke, Mr Mangan said that it was his belief that the chase was nothing more than a bit if fun.

My intention was to prove to [Witness] that I could catch him.

Mr Mangan also pointed out that he could not understand why Mr Herterich did not recognise him at the shop as both men were well known to each other.

I remember Martina, Louis sister shouting stop, he continued, before pointing out that he suffered injuries following the assault and was forced to undergo root canal surgery and had a stent inserted in his mouth.

Ms Groarke then asked Mr Mangan how many pints he had that day.

Five or six Id say, he replied.

Are you sure? she continued.

Well maybe seven or eight, said Mr Mangan.

Well whenever people tell me how much they had to drink, I usually add on two, so that means you has as many as 10 pints, said Ms Groarke.

I wouldnt drink that many pints; I just wouldnt be able for that amount of drink, insisted Mr Mangan.

Meanwhile, Martina Healy then gave evidence to the court.

She said that she had been cashing up at the shop that evening when her brother Louis came in; he had been off for a few days and had been away.

She said that after she finished speaking with her brother they went to the door and as she was letting Louis out a young fellow starting pushing on the door.

I kept trying to get the door locked, she recalled before pointing out that she told the youth the shop was closed.

He was a big tall black male that was at the door and the next thing I knew was my brother was knocked to the ground.

Ms Healy went outside to help her brother at that point and it was then that she observed a second male.

I saw then that it was Ryan and I said, would you please go home; I saw Louis hit Ryan once and I kept shouting at him to please go home, you are drunk.

The court then heard that Mr Herterick received minor injuries in the assault including cut elbows and a bang to the head.

Ms Groarke then made an application to have proceedings dismissed on the grounds that the first witness had made a statement to the gardai in the company of an adult that was not his mother and because Mr Mangan had a large number of pints at a licenced premises and believed everything to be a joke.

It was the chase that caused the problem, Ms Groarke fumed.

It was the actions of Ryan Mangan that caused the problem.

My client has no cause to answer.

Judge Keane however dismissed the application and proceedings continued.

At that point Mr Herterich took to the stand.

He explained to the court that his family at been in business in Longford town since 1956.

He also stated that he had been on holidays for a week and had just returned.

He said he dropped into the shop that evening to see his sister and to catch up on how things were at the shop.

Everything happened so fast, he added, before pointing out that it was only when his sister came out of the shop that he realised that it was Ryan Mangan who was standing in front of him.

I was half in the door and half out the door when a black man came banging on the door; he had a terrified expression on his face and was banging on the door.

I thought the shop was being robbed.

Meanwhile the court heard that in the same moment, Mr Mangan appeared and Mr Herterich was hit from the side.

I fell back and hit my head off the ground; it was Ryan Mangan who put me on the ground, Mr Herterich continued.

I didnt know it was him because I was scared and didnt know what was going on.

I was hit very hard, very fast and never saw it coming; I struck out because I thought I was going to be knocked back again and beaten on the ground.

My sister came out then and I heard her saying, Ryan you are drunk, go home and it was at that point that I realised who he was - he is a friend of my son.

I told him to go home.

Mr Herterich said that he hit Mr Mangan in self defence and was in fear for both himself and his sister at the time of the incident.

During her deliberations on the matter, Judge Keane found in favour of Mr Herterich.

She said it had been a most unfortunate incident.

Two young fellas run up a street at speed and I am satisfied that it was a chasing episode, she continued.

There was no fear expressed by either party and the incident would not have happened were it not for the chase.

Judge Keane went on to say that it was clear that the incident had occurred at the front door of Mr Herterichs premises.

Mr Herterich was at his shop door when he was hit at force and I fail to understand why Mr Mangan did not recognise Mr Herterich when he knocked him to the ground, the Judge said.

The reason for all of this is because Mr Mangan had too much to drink. Mr Mangan was 20-years-old and should have known better.

Mr Herterich said he was afraid he was going to be robbed and any business premises cashing up at 6:30pm is vulnerable.

I am dismissing the case against Mr Herterich.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are running a propaganda campaign to appropriate victory in Mosul and the broader war against the Islamic State as their own, and omit US military support, which has been critical in the campaign.

The Guard Corps and the US at times coordinated directly or indirectly during the war, but Iran continues to reject the US presence in the Middle East.

Addressing the Revolutionary Guards Imam Hossein Guardianship Training and Officer University, Qods Force chief Qassem Soleimani this week again peddled the conspiracy theory that the US and Israel created the Islamic State and fanned the Iraqi and Syrian wars to bring Iran to its knees and destroy the Islamic revolution.

With the entrance of Iraqs ulama and sources [of emulation, referring to senior clerics] and formation of hashd al shabi [Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)], the power of the peoples religious and ideological power, DAESH [Islamic State] was stopped, he continued, with the entrance of hashd al shabi into the Iraqi army, the Iraqi army was transformed into a Hezbollahi army, and was able to overcome the false takfiri beliefs and dislodge the unjustly-seated caliph from Mosul.

Last week, Soleimani made a similar claim about the Iraqi military becoming more ideological, though in that speech he said the Iraqi army itself was becoming more ideological. In the latest speech, he said the PMF  a multi-sectarian force whose key leaders Guard-backed formations  it is likely Soleimani is referring to the armed forces as a whole. There is a kernel of truth to Soleimanis statements: Guard-backed militias have infiltrated Iraqi security services and their formations have been legitimized as Iraqi government forces through the PMF. The US military has also credited the militias roles in the campaign.

Soleimani is exaggerating the magnitude of the PMFs contribution to the war against the Islamic State. It has played key roles in the war, though US-trained Iraqi Army and Counter Terrorism Services (CTS) have borne the brunt of fighting.

The PMF captured areas west of Mosul and blocked the Islamic State escape routes to Syria, while the US-trained Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) did the heavy lifting. Guard-backed forces, however, have fought in Mosul: The Federal Police, which has been infiltrated by the Badr Organization, participated in taking west Mosul.

History has never witnessed such violence, difficulty and savagery during the times of the Berbers, Tatars [and] even the Mongol invasion, Soleimani told the audience. Great seditions stood against us, which we have come with our heads held high  we must not say wrong things based on fear, we are leaving [this earth], but history will describe this era for the future. Embellishments like this are intended to heighten an audiences feeling of purpose in history.

Syria is a bridge to the resistance front, whether in Lebanon or Palestine, Soleimani added. Any rational person must understand that defeat in this war is considered a defeat for us, which thanks to Gods blessing the resistance front has won against the arrogant in these areas. He credited Tehrans ideology and leadership with leading to truth of the Islamic revolutions expansion inside and outside the borders, which friend and foe admit.

The Revolutionary Guard Navy chief Ali Fadavi said in a separate address, the enemy faced defeat in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Syria because these countries follow the inspiring model of the Islamic Revolutions discourse.

The front page of the Revolutionary Guards weekly Sobh-e Sadegh credited Mosuls liberation to the intelligent leadership of Imam Khamenei and the role of clergies such as Ayatollah Sistani.

The end of the American-DAESH project in Iraq, carried its front page.

Akram al Kabi, chief of the Guard-controlled Iraqi Harakat al Nujaba, praised Soleimani as a soldier for Islam and a great commander and thanked Iranian advisers help in confronting Americas savage plans in the region. At a celebration of Mosuls liberation, the militias spokesman said, Irans leadership, government, and nation stood with us when all left us, and we are not afraid of saying this truth.

Other top Iranian government officials including Khameneis top foreign policy adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, have claimed Mosul as a victory for Iran.

Tehrans strategy in Iraq post-Mosul campaign is to use the vehicle of the PMF to portray itself and IRGC-backed elements as legitimate partners that can assist the state establish security, thereby increasing leverage and embedding themselves deeper into the state structure.

Amir Toumaj is a independent analyst and contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
The US State Department said that al Qaedas branch in East Africa has prospered over the past year due largely to lapses in offensive counterterrorism operations during 2016. Additionally, State noted that Somali security forces remained incapable of securing and retaking towns from al-Shabaab independently, and while not explicitly stated, hinted that the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is failing.

State documented the dire situation in Somalia in its newly released Country Reports on Terrorism 2016. States analysis Somalia mirrors that of FDDs Long War Journal, which has warned that Shabaab has maintained its safe havens and retaken ground in the south, forced poorly resourced African Union forces to cede territory after spectacular complex assaults, and continues to plot against the US and the West.

In 2016, terrorists used under-governed areas in northern, central, and southern Somalia as safe havens from where they conducted, planned, and facilitated operations with little resistance, State noted in its opening paragraph. Despite having made significant progress toward formally federating its member states in the latter part of 2016, Somalia continued to struggle with the provision of security, justice, and governance capacity at all levels needed to limit terrorists freedom of movement, access to resources, and capacity to operate.

Shabaab, al Qaedas official branch in Somalia and East Africa, retained its safe haven in the Jubba River Valley, controls several villages and towns throughout Jubaland region, including Janaale, Jilib, and Kunyo Barow, and exploited the porous border regions further south between Kenya and Somalia to launch cross-border attacks.

States assessment that counterterrorism operations were insufficient to battle Shabaab explains the March 30 directive by the US Department of Defense that it would intensify operations in Somalia. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, US military to actively target Shabaab in Somalia.]

The State report said that the Somali military as a whole, remained incapable of securing and retaking towns from al-Shabaab independently. The country has chronically low capacity and human capital and remains heavily dependent on regional and international partners.

Most disturbingly, State noted that African Union forces have suffered major setbacks and ceded ground to al Qaedas affiliate. Shabaab now threatens previously liberated towns in Bakool, Hiiraan, and other regions in Central Somalia after Ethiopian forces largely withdrew. Additionally, the report notes that Kenya forces have been unable to stop Shabaab fighters from raiding across the border.

Ethiopian forces werent the only African Union contingent to withdrawal from areas it previously held. Kenyan forces abandoned several bases in the south after Shabaab launched major assaults and overran the facilities.

Shabaab has successfully overrun Somali and African Union bases in the past and inflicted a large number of casualties on troops based there. In Jan. 2016, Shabaab fighters assaulted a base in Al Ade in the south and killed at least 100 Kenyan soldiers. In June 2015, Shabaab killed an estimated 60 Ethiopian soldiers in the south. Also, that same month, Shabaab fighters killed more than 50 Burundi soldiers in Leego.

The US government has elevated the threat that Shabaab poses after the group used a sophisticated laptop bomb in an attempt to down a Somali airliner in 2016. This attack was cited by the US government as one of the reasons that electronics have been banned in the cabins of airplanes departing from 10 airports in the Middle East. [See Whats really behind Trumps laptop ban.]

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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The son of Mullah Haibatullah, the emir of the Afghan Taliban, killed himself in a suicide attack that targeted Afghan forces in the southern province of Helmand earlier this week.

Hafiz Abdul Rahman, Haibatullahs son, sacrificed himself for Allah in Gereshk in Nahr-i-Sarraj district in Helmand province, according to Abdulqahar Balkhi, a prominent Taliban supporter who is plugged into the Talibans propaganda network. Balkhis tweet, which included a photograph of Rahman, was retweeted by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, an official spokesman for the Taliban.

Balkhi also noted that the Talibans Al Emarah Studio will soon be releasing video of Greshk #Helmand martyr attackers & operation, and included an image from the video.

The Taliban has been battling Afghan forces in Gereshk. In a statement released on July 20 on Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claimed to have overrun a large enemy military base and a key police station and 19 check posts and killed three Afghan commanders.

It is unusual for the sons of leaders of jihadist groups to serve as suicide bombers, however the sons of senior leaders have served as military commanders and in other capacities.

Helmand province has become a stronghold for the Taliban since US forces began withdrawing from the province in 2013. The Taliban now controls six of the provinces 14 districts (Baghran, Dishu, Khanashin, Now Zad, Musa Qala, and Sangin) and contests another six, including the provincial capital (Lashkar Gah, Nahr-i-Sarraj, Kajaki, Nad Ali, Marjah, and Garmsir), according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. Nearly all of Helmand has been controlled or influenced/contested for well over a year.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Jackson Owens follows up his hit single Cant Make It Right, with a new track from his debut EP, For The Better
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Socialist Party on India-China Border Dispute

The following is the statement issued by the Socialist Party (India)s President, Dr Prem Singh, on July 18, 2017 on the latest India-China border dispute.

The aggressive Kashmir policy of the Modi Government has led to the present conflict with China. China is trying to create a siege around India. The Chinese policy experts are creating an impression through Chinas media that the Chinese Army can enter Azad Kashmir and confront India just as India has entered Bhutan and challenged China. The Chinese media has been publishing articles and photos from the museum of the India-China war of 1962. If Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have said to the Union Home Minister that China is interfering in Kashmir and the Darjeeling hills, then it should not be taken lightly.

Unfortunately, the government is engaged in spreading communal hatred in the country rather than paying attention to serious issues like the security of the countrys borders. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs campaigners and the media inspired by them are creating hatred against the people of Kashmir as if they are not Indian citizens and an integral part of India. They have linked the agitation of boycotting Chinese goods to the Kashmir problem. It has long been clear that China supports Pakistan and opposes the UN ban on international terrorists like Maulana Masood Azhar. But for the first time, the RSS campaigners and the media have started a campaign in the country by linking China to the Kashmir issue. The level of their hatred is such that they are not tolerant even about the show of goodwill expressed by Mehbooba Mufti and Rajnath Singh on Kashmiriyat. The RSS and the media perceive it as a false show and refuse to see the condemnation of killings of pilgrims of the Amarnath Yatra by separatists and human rights groups of Kashmir as an expression of Kashmiri sentiment. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army, General Vipin Rawat, by saying that they are tackling the challenge on two and-half-war fronts, has made it clear that he is treating Kashmir as half-war front. Opening several war fronts at one time is neither strategically nor practically beneficial for any country.

Indias socialist thinkers and leaders have long been aware of Chinas ambitions as an expansionist country. On getting an opportunity, China is most likely to take a chance at trying to surround and weaken India. This is the reason why Dr Rammanohar Lohia had delineated a Himalayan Policy and discussed the establishment of friendly relations with the North-Eastern States including Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Kashmir by strengthening the democratic movements in them. Lohia believed that this would secure Indias borders.

But the Modi Government, rooted in the RSS ideology based on narrow communal conside-rations, follows a Hindu Policy instead of a Himalayan Policy. This is the reason why the relatively peaceful Kashmir during the UPA Government has exploded under the NDA Government. The BJPs rage against the Mamata Government in Darjeeling is also singeing Sikkim. Nepal has, in recent years, leaned extraordinarily towards China. This is despite the extraordinary relief measures given during the earthquake and Prime Minister Modis visit to Pashupatinath. China is marking certain places in Arunachal Pradesh. Bhutan and China are negotiating with each other without actually having diplomatic relations, irrespective of the month-long tension of the Chinese Army with the Indian Army in Doklam.

Dr Lohia clearly stated: I do not have to make any long historical debate about Tibet. I think Tibet should be free. She has been free. There was a time in history that Tibet had ruled China. Dr Lohia also wanted to prove that at one point of time the King of Ladakh had gifted Kailash Manasarovar to Tibet, but he kept the adjoining Mansar village within his regime and used to charge tax. In this situation, the treaty of 1890 between Britain and China, about which Prime Minister Nehru himself was not very keen, must therefore be rejected by India. In addition to this, there is the need to strengthen the claims of India over places like Kailash Mansarovar.

India should also claim 90,000 sq. km. of land which China has occupied. A resolution should be passed once again in Parliament in this matter and the government, taking the Opposition into confidence, should show that India is united on the Doklam issue. India as a sovereign country is open to dialogue in order to resolve the border dispute with China, but is not willing to accept Chinas expansionist ambitions.

It should not be forgotten that the dispute over the Doklam Plateau, located on the border triangle of Bhutan and Sikkim, is different from the Daulat Beg Oldi (2014) and the Chumar (2013) controversies. At that time the Chinese Army was ready to negotiate and the matter was quickly settled. But this time China has made the condition that the talks will happen only if Indian forces withdraw from Doklam. India should take a firm stand on this issue keeping its security and national dignity in view. China has started closing upon India by strategically entering countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh; and declaring the One Belt One Road scheme as a mantra of development in the region.

India must not forget that present-day China is not the China of Deng Xiaoping. It is the aggressive China of Mao Zedongs times, one that has survived the crisis posed by the disintegration of communist countries like the Soviet Union and internal rebellious upsurges like the Tiananmen Square. The ruling class of China, like that of India, is acting on the policy of aggressive nationalism rather than a practical foreign policy. But the difference is that in Chinas nationalism, there are no narrow social and religious divisions, the kind that the RSS and its outfits are creating in India. India can stand firm and united against China only if the RSS/BJP stop such campaigns to spread fanaticism-based hatred in the country.

The matter is not just about boycotting the Chinese goods. This hypocritical economic stamina is not of any use if you are purchasing Sardar Patels statue from China. If the boycott idea is really serious, then the goods of all the multinational companies should be boycotted. This will happen only when the policies of liberalisation and globalisation are boycotted, against which there was a tremendous demonstration in Hamburg. This is the only option to protect the resources of this country from the loot of multinational companies and corporate houses. The hard-working masses of the country will be able to stand firmly against any foreign power only after such measures are taken for the countrys integrity.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > MGNREGA Workers Need and Deserve Better Wages

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was enacted to ensure economic security to those most deprived of it by providing them a guarantee of employment close to their home. However, the real life experience of many workers, who have toiled at these work sites, is that due to low wage rate as well as frequent delays in wage payment this security is often denied to them.

The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha is a national level platform of peoples organisations, trade unions and others devoted to the proper implementation of the NREGA in keeping with its original aims and spirit. This Morcha has recently written in detail to the Rural Development Ministry of the Union Government regarding its concerns and demands relating to the NREGA.

This submission, made on June 26, has pointed out that at present the prevailing wage rates for the NREGA in some States are below the wage rates for agriculture and construction workers. The revision of wagethat has taken place in some States recentlyis very low, that is, just Re One increase in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

This submission has demanded that the Government of India should declare a floor level minimum wage rate for the country based on the recommendations of the 15th Indian Labour Conference, the Akroyd Committee and the Supreme Court orders in the Raptakos Brett case. The Morcha has said that this should be the wage for the MGNREGA and all minimum wages declared by the States should be equal to or above this minimum floor. The Consumer Price Index (rural) should be used to revise the wages every year.

In addition another serious problem is that at times there are long delays in payments of the NREGA wage. While travelling to several remote villages it has been a very distressing experience to hear people speak about very long delays in the payment of wages. At times this has happened even in the middle of serious drought situations. This is even more unjust and timely payment of the NREGA wages must be ensured.

Bharat Dogra is a freelance journalist who has been involved with several social movements and initiatives.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Russia, Belt and Road, and the Big Picture

The following article was written sometime back but could not be used earlier due to unavoidable reasons.

Russia has not been a significant beneficiary so far of the Chinese honeypot known as the Belt and Road Initiativealthough there is vast untapped potential to attract Chinese invest-ments into Russias infrastructure and industry. Yet, no sooner than the invitations went out for the BRI Forum summit in Beijing (May 14-15), word came that President Vladimir Putin looked forward to attending the event.

Russia has similar concerns as India regarding the BRI. Putin said at a roundtable in Beijing earlier on May 15, 2017: It is important that all integration structuresboth existing in Eurasia and newly formedwould rely on universal internationally recognised rules, and, of course, take into account the specific features of the national models of development of the participating states, act openly and trans-parently.

PM Modi could have said much the same thing in Beijing on May 14. However, the bottom-line is that Russia has total clarity as regards the historic significance of the BRI and here Putin was unequivocal:

All proposed projects correspond to modern development trends, and all these things are extremely necessary and highly demanded. That is why Russia supports One Belt, One Road project and will actively participate in its implementation together with Chinese partners and, of course, with all other interested states.

Putin said that the creation of the economic development belt and organisation of mutually beneficial trade between Asia and Europe seem to be an important initiative that takes into account the current trends in the world economy and also reflects the overall need for coordination of diverse integration processes on the Eurasian continent and in other regions of the world.

A major thrust of the BRI will be to connect ChinaXinjiang, in particularwith the rest of Eurasia. And Chinas New Silk Road originating from Xinjiang will run through regions that in modern history constituted Russias sphere of influenceespecially, Central Asia. Curiously, a Voice of America report in the weekend mentioned that China has proposed an extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia, involving the construction of an expressway linking Peshawar to Kabul which will run northward from there to Kunduz on the Amu Darya near the Uzbek and Tajik border and then deeper into Central Asia.

The pundits in Moscow understand that the BRI is a geopolitical project. To quote Viktor Larin, Director of the Institute of History at the Russian Academy of Sciences, I think that the One Belt, One Road initiative is a geopolitical project in the first place and only then an economic one. Larin puts President Xi Jinpings vision as a continuation of Deng Xiaopings policy of openness and Jiang Zemins motto to go outside. To quote Larin, As China grows, it needs more markets, more raw materials. This is one and the same idea, which today received a new, rather successful formthe One Belt, One Road initiative.

Larin analyses that the core of Beijings geopolitical doctrine reflected in the BRI is a peaceful international environment that can be created through economic collaboration. In this respect, the Russian and Chinese foreign policies overlap. By the way, Russia ranks first in the list of countries that the government-owned China Daily compiled last week as the most friendly toward BRI. (Sputnik)

Quintessentially, Russia does not suffer from Indias spirit of a keen sense of envy or rivalry toward China, and, secondly, Russia is not weighed down by the backlog of the US pivot strategy in Asia. Again, the sustained Western attempts to create discord between Russia and China have not worked. The alchemy of the Sino-Russian alliance comes out clearly in the reports on Xis meeting with Putin on May 14.

Xi used an extraordinary idiom for the first time at a meeting with Putin when he said on May 14 that China and Russia have played the role of ballast stone in safeguarding regional and global peace and stability. Now, ballast stone signifies heavy material used to make a ship steadyan anchor-sheet. Xis usage of the forceful expression is hugely significant in the contemporary setting of the international order characterised by high volatility. (Xinhua)

In sum, the Russian considerations are to attract investments under the BRI, inject fresh dynamism into the Eurasian Economic Union by integrating it with the BRI and to make up for the deficiencies of the SCOs economic agenda that has failed to gain traction so far. It doesnt mean Russia is walking into a debt trap. Nor does it mean that China can dictate BRI projects to Russia or dump its excess industrial capacity on Russia. But it is a pragmatic approach which becomes possible because Putin keeps the big picture in view.

Russia has taken in its stride the US U-turn to depute a delegation led by a senior White House official to attend the event in Beijing. It could anticipate the inevitability of Donald Trump concluding at some point early enough that his America First plan and the high-powered engine for stimulating global economic growth that the BRI is would be a match made in heaven. And, most important, Russia had no doubt that China will enthusiastically welcome such a development. Read a Chinese commentary on the knock-on effects of the US volte-face on BRIBelt and Road can complement America First.

Ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for over 29 years, with postings including Indias ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to Turkey (1998-2001).
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Against the Concept of Kashmiriyat

MUSINGS

The attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims, killing seven (the figure has since risen to eight) and injuring several, is not just extremely tragic and shocking, but totally against the very concept of Kashmiriyat. Its hard, if not impossible, to believe that any Kashmiri could have carried out such a horrifying attack on the pilgrims. In my near 30-year-long association with the Valley Kashmiris (right from 1990), I havent come across a single Kashmiri who had a word to say against the yatris or the very yatra. In fact, on the contrary, Kashmiris used to look forward for the yatra to take off and to be there as part of the support system. As several of my Kashmiri Pandit friends would say that the yatra wouldnt be possible without the support of the Muslim Kashmiris who seemed all too happy to be there... to reach out to the yatris coming from the various parts of the country.

There is a definite historical backdrop to this: The cave-shrine was discovered by a Muslim shepherd in 1850 and his family together with Hindu priests were its custodians for decades till the State Government set up a Board to regulate the yatra in 2000...

Let me also recount what the late Dr Nitish Sengupta had told me during the course of an interview. Before that, this vital backgrounder to himbureaucrat-turned-politician Dr Nitesh Sengupta had been the one-member committee set up in 1996 by the then Home Minister, Indrajit Gupta, to look into the Amarnath yatra and the existing yatra facilities, in the backdrop of natural disasters hitting the Amarnath yatra, causing deaths and destruction. Sengupta had come up with about twenty recommendations. Some of which were that the yatris should be registered, the yatra should be spread out in three stages so that even if natural disasters strike thered be lesser chances of casualty. He had also suggested that the Baltal route be activated in order to ease the pressure on the traditional Pahalgam route and also because the new route would be shorter.

And when I asked Sengupta about the togetherness of the Kashmiris and the yatris, he had stressed: I havent ever noticed even the slightest trace of communal feelings amongst the local Kashmiris. He had gone on to state: Kashmiris are not at all communal ...on the contrary, local Muslims have stood by the pilgrims. Absolutely no case of looting and harassment by the locals even when pilgrims had fallen ill or were in distress. Let me also say that local Kashmiri Muslims were the first to bring in rescue and relief to the yatris, much before the government machinery could reach.... In fact, Sengupta had been very vocal even during the agitations that had come up soon after news had spread of land transfer to the Amarnath Shrine Board....Hed told me: I want to say that politicians in general should stop the practice of taking political advantage of human problems. This present mess-up is because of mishandling of the situation by the government and theres been failure of the intelligence agencies ...Now people have to be addressed, misconceptions removed, facts told facts are that there is no formal transfer of land and there would be no demographic changes. Only temporary structures were to be built for the facilities of the yatris. I feel that these facts have not been projected and the government should not have cancelled that land allotment. If I was fluent in Urdu I would go and address the people of the Valley and tell them these facts.

Let Politics not Take Over this Tragedy!

Today, when this massive tragedy has taken place, Kashmiris are sitting shaken. Condemning this horrifying violence, they are in deep sorrow. Mourning and wondering who could have attacked pilgrims...after all, an average Kashmiri is God-fearing and is too well aware of the relevance of the various shrines and religious places that the Kashmir region is blessed with. Yes, its a truly blessed region, where shrines and dargahs, mosques and mandirs and gurudwaras and cathedrals of the different faiths stand tall.

Many even refuse to believe that the yatris were targeted, rather could be targeted! They are going by the theory doing the rounds that the bus carrying the yatris was caught in cross-firing between the security forces and militants.

There are worries and apprehensions that politics will hold sway, paving way for further dents on the social fabric. Not just in the Kashmir Valley but in the entire country; fed that we are on a daily dose of communal poisoning unleashed by vested powers.

Today lets collectively mourn of the death of the seven yatris. And pray for the recovery of the injured. And also do our bit to let sense prevail; let politicians and their politics not ruin us... dent our togetherness.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Did Ambedkar Appreciate Puris Jagannath?

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modis address to the countrymen styled as Mann ki Baat broadcast at 11:28 IST by the All India Radio on June 25, 2017 noted that:

Those who have studied Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar should have seen that Lord Jagannath Jis temple and his traditions were very much appreciated, because it contained social justice, social harmony. Lord Jagannath is the God of the poor.1

The history of Puris Jagannath temple totally precludes any room for Dr Ambedkar to speak or write anything in the connotation the Prime Minister wants us to believe. The speech in Hindi seems more ominous. He stated therein that Dr Ambedkar used to greatly appreciate the Temple of Jagannath because of the tradition of social justice and social harmony. Jagannath ji ka mandir our uski paramparaon ka bodi tarif karte the, kyu ki us mein samajik nyay, our samrasta antarnihit the.2

To be fair to the Prime Ministers assertion, we may state the historical truth that during his (recent) visit he (Dr Ambedkar) could have only a distant view of the the famous Jagannath temple at Puri from the terrace of a neigh-bouring house.3 The fact was that the last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, had accompanied Dr Ambedkar on a visit to Puri. Madhu Dandavate, Railway Minister under Morarji Desai and Finance Minister under V.P. Singh, deposed before the Mandal Commission (euphemism for the Backward Classes Commission), that while the British Paramount was accorded a red carpet reception by the priests into the Jagannath temple, Ambedkar was humiliated by denial of entry. This warrants us to take a look into the history of Jagannath at Puri.

The shrine in Puri has a deplorable history. Treachery, betrayal, infidelity and compromises of the priests of Jagannath is so shockingly embarrassing that the intellectual class is yet to bring the chapter into academic discourse or focus. Thus rituals, legends, mysteries, myths, stories of benefits of darshan and mahaprasad, all unverifiable, are dished out for sumptuous public consumption. By design, the masses are blissfully unaware of the disgraceful complicity of the priests with a foreign power for subjugation of the deities of the shrine. In this context, the countrymen in general and the Ambedkarites in particular, who aggregate in millions across the globe, would be deeply obliged to know the precise source of such assertion made by the Prime Minister. Ambedkars attitude towards the Hindu temple can best be demonstrated, without any shadow of doubt, by his under-quoted observations in the colonial era.

Not very long ago there used to be boards on club doors and other social resorts maintained by Europeans in India, which said Dogs and Indians are not allowed. The temples of Hindus carry similar boards today, the only difference is that the boards on the Hindu temples practically say: All Hindus and all animals including dogs are admitted, only Untouchables are not admitted. The situation in both cases is of parity. But Hindus never begged for admission in those places from which the Europeans in their arrogance had excluded them. Why should an Untouchable beg for admission in a place from which he has been excluded by the arrogance of the Hindus? This is the reason why the Depressed Class man, who is interested in material welfare, should be prepared to say to the Hindus, to open or not to open your temples is a question for you to consider and not for me to agitate. If you think, it is bad manners not to respect the sacredness of human personality, open your temple and be a gentleman. If you rather be a Hindu than a gentleman, then shut the doors and damn yourself for I dont care to come.4

Note the emphasis of his observation that all Hindus and all animals including dogs are admitted, only Untouchables are not admitted. Puris Jagannath temple precisely fits into his description of Hindu orthodoxy and is a grave-yard of human dignity. Babasaheb Ambedkars submission before the deity, as claimed by the Prime Minister in Mann ki Baat, therefore, was incomprehensible. A great advocate of the sacredness of human dignity and personality, he at no cost ever allowed the same to be undermined for the sake of gods and goddesses or their temples.

Jagannath-British honeymoon:

A Disgraceful Chapter of Indian History

The honeymoon between a corporate housethe British East India Company and Bhagwan Jagannath, who for Hindus was Lord of the Universeon the shores of the Bay of Bengal furnishes a chapter in the history indelibly marked by deception and betrayal of the people who flocked there generation after generation out of devotion to seek solace, blessings, success and peace. In 1803, Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General, told off the East India Company Army to capture Orissa. In a swift move, Orissa was conquered. In the end, the Army marched right up to the gates of temple town, Puri. A delegation of high priests of Jagannath Temple at this point trooped into the camp of the Lieutenant Colonel Campbell who led the Army to victory.

Swami Dharma Teertha [pre-ascetic Parames-war Menon (1893-1978)] recorded the trickery the the priests of Jagannath Temple employed there in his brilliant History of Hindu Imperialism (1941). An element of unverifiable mystery was introduced in the plot. According to Dharma Teertha, ......oracle of the Puri Jagannath Temple proclaimed that it was the desire of the deity that the temple too should be controlled by the Company, and the latter undertook to maintain the temple buildings, pay the Brahmans and do everything for the service of the deity as was customary.5 The story woven around the oracle was a sonorous music to the British who had long cherished dream to annex the province. The priests nonchalantly mortgaged the deity to the alien power for no noble mission.

Wellesleys Appeasement led to Surrender of Jagannath Temple

Wellesleys diplomacy of appeasement of the priests effortlessly brought the Jagannath Temple under British subjugation and control. A month ahead of the campaigns for Orissa began, Wellesley had addressed a long letter on August 3, 1803 to Campbell. The letter, the contents of which were carefully publicised and strate-gically propagated among the masses and the priests of Jagannath, mandated inter alia that You shall assure the Brahmans at the pagoda of Jagannath that they will not be required to pay any other revenue or tribute to the British Government than that which they have been paying to the Mahratta Government, and they shall be protected in the exercise of their religious duties. Outlining the Armys role further, the Governor-General emphatically told the Lieute-nant Colonel that On your arrival at Jagannath, you will employ every possible precaution to preserve the respect due to the pagoda, and to the religious prejudices of the Brahman and pilgrims.6 In 14 days Orissa was conquered. No shot was fired; not a drop of blood dropped. The ruling Peshwas, in the teeth of the British offensive, fled Orissa without offering any resistance.

Globally traitors, conspirators and quislings are not unknown to history. But a deity, equated with God, save and except the Lord Jagannath, was unique. He promptly surrendered to the invading power without ado! Jagannaths embrace of British overlordship without squeamish portrayed a picture of legitimacy to god-fearing Hindus across India. And they forfeited moral ground for ventilating any grievance against the alien power when their Jagannath kow-towed before the mighty East India Company.

East India Company Laws

banned Entry of Untouchables into Jagannath Temple

On April 3, 1806 the East India Company enacted Regulation IV and imposed a tax varying from Rs 2 to Rs 10 on pilgrims, classified into four categories. The tax turned out to be a goldmine for the British as well as priests. An official account said: During 21 years ending 1831, pilgrim tax yielded a balance of  1,39,000 or  6619 per annum after deducting  5955 from the gross returns for the temple expenses and charges. Pilgrim tax, it again asserted, formed an important item of our revenue from Orissa. A part of the tax was spent on performances of customary rituals, practices, celebrations, besides payment of salaries to the priests, pandas, devadasi, etc. The East India Company also paid a share of the income to raja of Khurda, who was the traditional head of the Puri temple administration. About 50 per cent of the income from pilgrim tax went into the Company exchequer.7

The Peshwa rulers of Orissa, staunch Hindus though, did not spare the Hindu pilgrims of Jagannath. They continued to milk the pilgrims through invidious taxation the predecessor Muslim rulers had imposed on the pilgrims of the Jagannath Temple! Tax from pilgrims visiting Gaya, Tirupati, Prayag etc. by the Company is so extraordinary. Moral consideration or spiritual conviction did not override pecuniary consideration. Devoted Hindu rulers extorted god-fearing Hindus visiting Puri. This is a dark chapter of history even patriotic Indians did not document. Inability of the Hindu intelligentsia to focus on this phase made the nation oblivious of the nefarious deeds jointly authored by the servitors of Jagannath and the British rulers.

The same intellectual class, of course, unfailingly documented the repeated raids on and plunder of the Somnath Temple in Dwarka by foreign invaders. Historians deserve our fulsome appreciation. Their failure to show similar uprightness in the case of Jagannath cannot go without adverse notice. The focus of the intellectual class on the Muslim rulers for exaction of jazia from Hindus is known across India. But they cultivated a culture of silence over subjugation of the Puri Jagannath by the British colonial power in connivance of His priests. Vested interest has stifled the voices of sanity and conscience.

At some point of time or other many nations had suffered the misfortune of invasion by external forces and loss of independence. There was national ignominy, shame and disgrace in subjugation. Internal forces in the garb of conspirators, traitors and quislings, more often than not, were accessories to such defeat and surrender as in the case of Orissa. Both the invaders and their collaborators are enemies of the nation. The historians as chroniclers of events render a sacred duty here. By their faithful and honest documentation of events for the future generations they play a great role. But the failure of the intellectual class to document with integrity and portray the nations disgrace, humiliation and sufferings at the hands of alien powers is tantamount to collaboration with the invading enemies. The priests undermined national interest by their treachery and betrayal; they portrayed the surrender of the temple of Jagannath to the British as well as to the countrymen at large under the pretension of divine intervention. A culture of conspiracy has, therefore, nurtured the same for deflecting attention and inquiry into the shame of the British-priests tango in Puri. In fact, the cataclysmic event stands completely erased from the pages of history.

A nation that does not take lesson out of history is accursed. A nation that shies away to acknowledge its weakness and frailty with solemnity, candour and without squeamishness for national tragedies committed by her blackguards is morally bankrupt. Such a nation must remain prepared for the future disaster also from the same section. A nation is universally greater and more sacred than a small section of conspirators and traitors.

The Company launched further reforms. A Regulation IV was enacted in 1809. In compliance to section VII of the said Regulation, several castes, for example, Lolee or Kasbi, Kallal or Sunri, Machhua, Namasudra or Chandal, Ghuski, Gazur, Bagdi, Jogi, Kahar-Bauri and Dulia, Rajbanshi, Pirali, Chamar, Dom, Pan, Pior, Bhuimali and Hari were barred entry into the Jagannath Temple. The Pirali denotes the family of poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore who, according to Bengali orthodoxy, were degraded Brahmans for alleged consumption of beef by one of his ancestors. A vast range of humanity stood outraged by the Jagannath Temple.

Decades after the British recused themselves from the task of management, control and superintendence of Jagannath, the chronicler of the Empire, William Hunter, drew up a list of castes, partly from the statements of Brahmans, and partly from those of the low castes themselves, denied entry into the shrine of Jagannath in Puri. The castes and communities still suffering prohibition were Christians; Muhammandans, Hill or forest races; Bauris, Savars, Pans; Haris (except to clean filth); Chamars; Doms; Chandals; Chirimars (bird killers); Siuals (wine-sellers); Tiyars (fishermen); Nullias (Telinga boatmen); Patras (low cast cloth-makers); Kandra (guards); common prostitutes; persons who have been to jail, but with right of expiation; washermen; and potter (but these two may enter the outer court.8 It was not in British interest to exclude a vast section, who, as potential pilgrims, could swell the tax income but they acquiesced the priestly prejudice and caprice against the untouchables in banning their entry.

Shankaracharya justified Ban on Entry of Low Castes

Was there justification to prohibit entry these castes into the shrine despite repeal of the Regulation IV of 1809? Brahmanical prejudice brooks no interference for the sake of the socially underprivileged humanity. Their saints and seers fabricated stories and propagated ideo-logies to enforce their whims and prejudices. Babu Jagjivan Ram, a prominent freedom fighter and political leader of high standing, was denied entry into the Jagannath Temple obviously because of his caste. He was the Deputy Prime Minister of India. With his sad experience in view, Babuji, as he was fondly called, wrote: Shankaracharya can write an article saying that according to the Vedas, the Vedic Temples get polluted if low castes enter therein. In this way, he noted, the evil spirits get into the idols of the temples, and when these idols are worshipped these evil forces become mighty. In turn the evil feelings like strife, anger and hated increase and causes diseases, disaster, disorder, great floods, droughts, famines and earthquakes. Thus the people face destruction.9

No man with an iota of intelligence would perhaps ever believe in such trash. Propagation of prejudice against ten of millions of people has made India a unique space on earth. Many countries of the world, which do not boast of nor bother for Vedic temples to be polluted by low castes, are nonetheless visited by severe outbreaks of diseases, disaster, disorder, great floods, droughts, famines and earthquakes in the past.

A Buddhist Shrine captured by the Hindus for Jagannath

Edward Washburn Hopkins (1857-1930), an American Sanskrit scholar and Professor of Sanskrit in Yale University, declared that The Jagannath temple is dedicated to Buddha. Name, temple, and idol-car are now all Vishnus!10 Swami Vivekananda, while intervening into a debate whether Jesus Christ ever visited the Jagannath Temple, on the other hand, observed that ..... the temple of Jagannath is an old Buddhistic temple. We took this and others over and re-Hinduised them.11 Shankaracharya, we have little doubt, has obfuscated the truth. We are clear that Puris Buddhist Vihara was not the solitary one captured by the Hindus. There are other Buddhist temples forcibly encroached upon and usurped by them. A bloody chapter over the capture of Buddhist shrines by the Hindu bigots is buried under the debris of history.

A Shrine of Immorality?

The proceedings of the Bengal Legislative Council revealed that the Jagannath temple had 100 devadasis who, dedicated by their parents at the tender age, were subjected to immoral abuses and exploitation there. This was public dis-closure of a serious dimension. Information was furnished by the Government of Bengal in response to a question tabled by Bal Krishna Sahay who represented Chota Nagpur (now in the State of Jharkhand) in the Bengal Legislative Council.12

In the columns of The New York Tribune, Karl Marx charged the British: ...did they not, in order to make money out of the pilgrims streaming to the temples of Orissa and Bengal, take up trade in murder and prostitution perpetrated in the temple of Juggernaut?13 The charge of flesh trade in the Jagannath temple against the East India Company was inde-fensible. Marx was wrong in his accusation against the British. The available evidence suggests that the devadasi was there before the British takeover of Jagannath. A French traveller of Mughal India, Francois Bernier, recorded a candid account of profligacy of the priests inside the temple of Jagannath as part of rituals under the cover of darkness at night.14

The directions contained in the letter of the Governor-General Wellesley aimed only how to induce and win over the priests of Jagannath temple to the side of the Company. He succeeded completely in his goal. However, he did not spare a word, much less a thought, for the people of Orissa in ordering the campaign for annexation of that province. The masses are timid and superstitious because of the blighting influence the priestly class exerted in the name of Jagannath. If a minuscule section is so vulnerable to external inducement, appeasement and temptation to enhance and safeguard selfish interests, the country and its people are per-ennially exposed to the risk of national tragedy and disaster in future.

Many nations at some point or the other had the misfortune of being invaded by external forces and subjugated with loss of independence. This amounts to national ignominy and disgrace. Defeat and surrender as this, more often than not, was collaborated by internal forces who were conspirators, traitors and quislings. Both the invaders and their collaborators are enemies of the nation. The historians have a sacred duty here. They must faithfully and honestly docu-ment such events for the future generations. But the failure of the intellectual class to faithfully document and portray the nations disgrace, humiliation and sufferings at the hands of alien powers is tantamount to collaboration with the invaders; and according sanction to treachery and betrayal in the name of divine intervention. A culture of conspiracy has grown to nurture the same for deflecting attention and inquiry into the shame of British-Hindu priests tango in Puri. In fact, the countrys intellectual class has mindlessly erased this cataclysmic event from the pages of history.

A nation that does not take lessons from history is accursed. A nation that shies away from acknowledging its weakness and frailty with candour and without squeamishness under pressure of her blackguards, who are perpe-trators of national tragedy, is morally bankrupt. Such nation must remain prepared for future disaster also from the same corner. A nation is greater and more sacred than a small section of conspirators and traitors. An uncom-promising defender of human dignity and sacredness of human personality, Babasaheb Ambedkar could never be expected to discover social justice and harmony in Puri Jagannath. In the nineties of the last century, Arun Shourie had created ripples with allegations that Dr Ambedkar was a British stooge.15 Sadly Shouries myopia obstructed him from seeing the aforesaid dark role of Jagannath and his priests to record correct appreciation of Indian quislings of the colonial rulers. There were many who kept company of the prolific writer and former journalist.

Footnotes

1 Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Prime Ministers Office, Mann ki Baat programme on All India Radio on June 25, 2017.

2 ftu yksxksa us MkW0 ckck lkgsc vkEcsMdj dk ve;;u fd;k gksxk] mUgksaus ns[kk gksxk fd Hkxoku txUukFk th dk efUnj vkSj mldh ijaijkvksa dh oks cM+h rkjhQ djrs Fks] D;ksafd mlesa lkekftd U;k;] lkekftd lejlrk varfuZfgr FksA Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Prime Ministers Office, Mann ki Baat programme on All India Radio on June 25, 2017.

3 Keer, Dhananjay, Dr Ambedkar: Life and Mission, Bombay, Popular Prakashan (First published, May 1954), p. 375.

4 Quoted by Biswas, A.K., in an article Ban on Temple Entry for Dalit, Mainstream, Vol. XLIX, no. 30, July

16, 2011.

5 Swami Dharma Teertha, History of Hindu Imperialism, 1941, pp 150-151.

6 Col. Laurie, op. cit., p. 238.

7 Col. Laurie, Puri and the temple of Jagannath, Calcutta High Review, vol. X, September 1848, p. 218.

8 Hunter, W. W., Orissa, vol. I, Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1872, p. 136.

9 Ram, Jagjivan, Caste Challenge in India, Vision Books, New Delhi, 1980, p. 24.

10 Quoted by OMalley, L. L. S., Bengal District Gazetteers, Puri, Bengal Secretariat Book Depot, 1908, Calcutta, p. 94.

11 Swami Vivekananda in The Sages of India in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol 3, p. 264, published by Advaita Ashram, Calcutta.

12 The first part of the question Babu Bal Krishna Sahay tabled was as follows: Has the attention of the Government of Bengal been drawn to the open letter published in a Calcutta paper named Satya Sanatan Dharma on the 14th November 1910 and again on the 16th April 1911, addressed to the Government of Bengal and to the Imperial Government, respectively, bringing to light the custom of dedicating female children to the temple of Jagannath in Puri, who when grown up, lead immoral life and requesting the government to abolish the said custom? On behalf of the Government, C. J. Stevenson-Moore, ICS replied in the Council, The answer is in the affirmative. He highlighted that there were 100 girls attached to the temple and there was no other temple in the Province with devadasi. The questioner wanted the government to take steps for stopping this immoral custom. In reply, Moore further stated,

The Government would view with favour and lend its support to any organised attempt made by Hindu society at large to eradicate the evils which have grown up round this system at Puri.[..........] it does not propose to initiate reforms on its own motion in a matter closely connected with religious obser-vances. Proceedings of The Bengal Legislative Council, Vol. XLIV (January-March, 1912, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1913, p. 19. of Jagannath.

13 Marx and Engels, Selected Works, Vol. I, Moscow, 1962, p. 357.

14 Francois Bernier, Travels in Mughal Empire, S. Chand & Co., New Delhi, first edition in 1891, second edition, 1968, pp. 305-306.

15 Shourie, Arun, Worshipping False God: Ambedkar and the Facts that have Been Erased, 1997, Harper India, Delhi.

A retired IAS officer and former Vice-Chancellor of the B.R. Ambedkar University Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Dr A.K. Biswas can be reached at biswasatulk[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Pilgrims Progress

When terrorists attack from the front, it means that they are not afraid of the conse-quences. The story of counterattack to kill seven pilgrims, returning from the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir, is somewhat similar. The Lashkar-e-Toiba did not hesitate to taking on the police or the Army as if the terrorists knew that the counter-challenge would fall short of their resolve to harm the security forces accom-panying the yatra.

The Lashkar is a possibility, particularly when it has not claimed the responsibility yet. Even if they claim the responsibility, there is no certainty that they are doing so to cover up the homegrown terrorists. Even the J and K Police have pointed fingers at the Lashkar. It is quite likely that the Lashkar is the perpetrator. This is being battered so much in most countries in West Asia that it wants to resell itself. If it can frighten India, there is every possibility of nations in West Asia coming under its spell of fear.

The nation is justified in expressing its horror because the yatris were on the pilgrimage of faith which they cherish. It had nothing to do with politics. Unfortunately the whole episode, as the days pass by, is being politicised. The BJP is to blame. It has not bothered that the party has a share in the State Government and some of the blame would come to it as well.

This is not the first time that attacks on yatris have taken place. In August 2000, the terrorists had opened fire on over 95 people, leading to a death toll of 89. The series of attacks, which began on the night of August 1, were believed to be planned. The following year, too, terrorists opposed to the local outfit Hizbul Mujahideens ceasefire declaration, had attacked a pilgrim base camp at Pahalgam. A total of 32 people were killed in the base camp strike at Pahalgam, of which 21 were Amarnath yatris.

Similarly, a militant hurled two grenades at a camp and later opened fire near the Amarnath shrine on the night of July 20, 2001, killing nearly 13 people, including three women yatris and two police officers. The attack took place around 1:25 am near Sheshnag, one of the highest stops on the way to the Amarnath cave.

What is baffling is the fact that nearly 15,000 security personnel and policemen were deployed to offer protection to the Amarnath pilgrims in 2002. Yet, a terrorist attack could not be averted as eight people were killed and 30 injured. The attack took place before dawn on the Nunwan camp on the way to the Amarnath shrine, according to reports.

Coming back to the attack on the yatris in Jammu, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has hit out at the government over the attack, terming it a grave and unacceptable security lapse and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept responsibility. This is a grave and unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again... India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards, he said in tweets.

The bus, which was fired upon by terrorists in Kashmir, was not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board and plying without any security cover long after the evening deadline fixed for the vehicles carrying Amarnath yatris, said the Congress chief spokesperson Randeep S. Surjewala.

Pakistan may be involved, but that is only a suspicion so far. The government must lay before the country the evidence of Islamabads involvement. But we must cleanse our own house. The establishment is involved in training Hindu terrorists and, as Hilary Clinton has said, that if you nourish snakes in your courtyard, they are bound to bite you one day. Indigenous terrorists are now a reality and they do strike here and there. The attack on the Samjhauta Express is said to be the handiwork of homegrown terrorists.

The biggest casualty of the Amarnath Yatra is Kashmiriyat, a secular belief propelled by the sufis. This faith asserted itself when Maharaja Hari Singh quit the government and left it to the popular leader, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. There was no communal feeling at that time. Fundamentalists and the propaganda by Pakistan have destroyed what was so beautiful. But why should we throw in the towel? For 70 years we have been upholding Indias ethos, secularism and democracy.

We have added the word secularism in the Preamble of our Constitution. Ironically, Mrs Indira Gandhi did this when she, as the Prime Minister, had imposed the Emergency. She detained one lakh people without trial and imposed censorship on the press. And she openly said that the press did not resist the restrictions she introduced. L.K. Advani was quite correct in chiding the press after the Emergency: You were asked to bend but you began to crawl.

Were Kashmiriyat to assert itself, the basic values like the free press would come to be respected. The Kashmiri Muslims have themselves to decide their faith in togetherness that is being replaced by fundamentalism. I was recently in Srinagar and found to my horror that the youth, which has taken to the gun, want to convert the Valley into a sovereign, Islamic country.

Leaders like Yasin Malik and Shabbir Shah have become irrelevant. Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have a following but that was because they talked about Pakistan and Islam at the same time. They even support the stone-pelters saying that the stones were being hurled in the name of Islam. It is a dangerous trend to emerge.

New Delhi will have to think hard and come up with a solution which is acceptable to the people in the Valley and the ruling party at the Centre. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has accepted the responsibility of arranging the yatra without any mishaps. The BJP should consult with other political parties and take necessary steps which have the consensus behind them.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > India-China Face-off

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK

As we go to press, the result of the presidential contest has been announced. Ram Nath Kovind, the BJP candidate and NDA nominee, has predictably won with 65.65 per cent votes. He thus becomes the countrys second Dalit President after K.R. Narayanan. He has defeated the Congress candidate and UPA nominee, Meira Kumar, who too has secured an impressive number of votes. Put up by 18 Opposition parties, Kumar has asserted that the ideological fight in the presidential poll she had forecast would continue even after this election.

Meanwhile the eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the armies of India and China at Doklam (this is the spelling that is being used now) on Bhutan border is persisting for over a month. The tension on the Indian side is mounting as reports of the Chinese side bringing in more troops and holding military exercises in Tibet continue to pour in. The situation is so serious that for the first time the NDA Government felt it necessary to brief the Opposition leaders on the latest situation. The Defence Minister, the Home Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the National Security Adviser and the Foreign Secretery attended the meet. What transpired at the meeting is not known but Foreign Secretary, S. Jaishankar, who briefed the press, made a cryptic remark: There is no question of India being pushed into armed action.

The present situation is not of Indias making and whether India will be pushed into armed action depends entirely on the Chinese. So far, India has refrained from taking any action that can be construed as provocative. It has refused even to allow itself to be provoked by the daily dose of threats issued by the state-controlled Chinese media, reminding India of the history of the 1962 war when the Chinese inflicted a humiliating military defeat on India.

There are certain new elements in the present phase of Chinese intransigence against India. For the first time Beijing has questioned Indias right to speak on behalf of Bhutan or to defend Bhutanese territory. Again, for the first time, the Chinese have gone back on their stand recognising Sikkim as a part of India and threatened to unleash a freedom movement in that State.

The face-off at Doklam has to be viewed in this larger context. From the point where the Chinese are trying to build a road through what is undoubtedly Bhutanese territory, the Siliguri corridor or the so-called Chickens Neck, the narrow strip of land that connects Indias North-East to the mainland, is just 50 kilometres away. A sudden push may well bring the Chinese Army right up to the Siliguri corridor. This will pose a far greater threat to India.

What India needs to do now is, apart from preparing itself for a sudden military offensive by China, to undertake a vigorous diplomatic offensive to expose Chinese intentions to the world community and impress upon the major powers the gravity of the situation. A military confrontation between two nuclear powers like India and China is fraught with a danger of unimaginable magnitude. All options should be explored to avoid such a denouement. The government should walk the extra mile to make the Opposition a part of the decision-making process as far as the present situation is concerned.

Chinas ultimate aim is to become the sole hegemon of the world. It believes that by the middle of the present century the US will decline as the sole superpower and China will take that place. The first step in that direction is to establish Chinas unchallengeable leadership in Asia. In Chinas perception, India is the major obstacle in its path. She has to be militarily defeated, diplomatically isolated and made totally subservient to Beijing in the eyes of the world.

Chinas policy-makers obviously do not realise that the international community cannot view with equanimity the prospect of India being destroyed or greatly devastated by China in a war, whether conventional or otherwise. That will create a vacuum, totally upset the international balance of power and make China virtually unchallengeable. China is already looked upon by the smaller Asian countries with fear and suspicion. Most of these countries look upto India with the hope that it will be a source of strength for them.

India has to stand firm in its resolve. While seeking every possible means of settling disputes with China peacefully and amicably, we cannot forswear our right to defend our own territory and the territory of any country we are committed to defend.

July 20 B.D.G.
New Delhi: GVL Narasimha Rao, the national spokesperson of BJP rejected the allegations regarding the bribe scam that marked the partys Kerala unit in trouble . He said that the devious act of a member will not become a party scam.

The party or national leadership have any involvement in the corruption. He also denied the need for a fresh investigation by stating that a detailed investigation was conducted by the party itself. The government have any relation with the Medical Council of India which is an independent entity, he added.
Kochi: One more case against Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni, for attacking another actress in 2013 is in deadlock .The actress who was victimised for similar attack was reluctant to give statement to the police.

The earlier case was, Pulsar Suni got a quotation from a producer, who was also alleged for in Kiliroor sex scandal, to attack the actress. It has been reported that Dileep has chosen Pulsar Suni after knowing the aforesaid incident.

The actress, who came to the Malayalam film industry as heroine through Lohithadas directed movie, was ready to give the statement at first. Later withdrew which lead to the lack of petitioners in the case.
COLLINSVILLE For the first time in Henry County, the school system this fall will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students from preschool to twelfth grade.

The news came this week, as HCPS announced its policy for providing free meals to all children served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. The funding to cover this expense will come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as Henry County qualified to take part in the Community Eligibility Provision.

The provision, which is part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, is open to low-income communities. Children enrolled in any Henry County school will be provided a nutritious meal for breakfast and lunch each day at no charge to the household.

In the 2016-17 school year, all students received free breakfast and students in grades preschool through eighth grade received free lunch.

This year, we are pleased to make free lunch available to all high school students as well, said Monica Hatchett, HCPS director of communications and organizational learning.

Additionally, households will not be required to submit a meal application form to receive meals at no charge  its automatically available to each student in the system.

There are approximately 7,100 students in the division, so it is possible that they would all participate to some degree, Hatchett said.

School meal prices varied across the nation in the 2015-16 school year, but the School Nutrition Associations State of School Nutrition 2016 survey revealed the averages for each institution level throughout the United States.

Elementary school breakfast prices averaged $1.39 per meal, while the same meal at the middle school averaged $1.47. Breakfast at the high school level averaged $1.51.

Lunch prices were higher than breakfast across the board. At the elementary school, families paid an average of $2.34 while middle school lunches cost an average of $2.54. High school students paid the most at an average of $2.60 per meal.

Using the national averages for a combination of breakfast and lunch costs, families with children in elementary school paid approximately $18.65 per week, compared to middle school kids, who paid an average of $20.05 and high school students who spent an estimated $20.55 for a warm meal.

Based on the national numbers, each elementary school student will save an average of $671.40 per year on breakfast and lunch, while middle school students wont have to come up with $721.80 just to have a hot plate every day. High school students will see the largest yearly savings, based on national numbers, at $739.80.

The numbers are based on single-student households, averages which could be easily doubled or tripled in many HCPS homes.

A lack of security

For many families, affording school lunch each day isnt a feasible option, according to information provided this year by Feeding America Southwest Virginia. The group in May released its Map the Meal Gap 2017 report, detailing the fact that Henry County had a 14.1 percent rate of food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for a healthy, active life, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

By comparison,

Rather than going without, the county school district strives to help kids learn on a full stomach each and every day.

We know that it is very difficult for students to learn if they are hungry, Hatchett said. The benefits of having a nutritious breakfast and lunch every day will certainly support our students in their efforts to learn and grow throughout the school year.

As always, students are welcome to bring packed meals to school from home if they prefer.

Additionally, pending Meadow View Elementary Schools mid-year opening in the 2017-18 school year, children who enroll at the new facility will have the same nutrition benefits.

It will offer the same breakfast and lunch options to students as their cafeteria staffs will begin the year offering at Collinsville Primary and John Redd Smith schools, Hatchett said.

Its a little too early to know whether or not this offering will be available in years to come, but staff at HCPS is committed to doing what the school system can to secure funding in the future.

There is a great deal of documentation and paperwork that the School Nutrition Department logs in order to qualify for the program, Hatchett said. They will continue to complete the application process each year because we know that this is an important advantage to offer our students.

This year, free breakfasts and lunches for all students in HCPS is a set deal, and one the school system is happy to offer.

This is such exciting news and we are so pleased to be able to support our students and their families in such an essential manner, said Dr. Jared Cotton, HCPS division superintendent.

Martinsville City Public Schools will offer the same lunch and breakfast deal in the city schools, affecting children in preschool through twelfth grade.
HARTFORD, CONN. -- More than 90 people were hospitalized for excessive drinking and other conditions during a Friday concert featuring Chance the Rapper, authorities have reported.

Hartford Deputy Chief Brian told the Associated Press Saturday that officers made 50 underage drinking referrals at the Hot Jam concert at the Xfinity Theater. Most of the individuals charged were issued a summons to appear in court.

Police made several other arrests throughout the evening concert, which an estimated 21,000 people attended, according to reports.

In addition to the 50 underage drinking referrals, NBC Connecticut reported that medical staff transported more than 90 patients to hospitals.

Police, who noted that tailgating and excessive alcohol consumption was prevalent at the event, told news outlets that a large number of people hospitalized were underage attendees with "severe intoxication."

Kyle, PnB Rock and ANoyd were among other artists who performed at the concert.
POWNAL, VT -- Vermont State Police have arrested a 33-year-old North Adams man who allegedly crashed a stolen vehicle into a telephone pole, officials reported Saturday.

Gerald Richardson was arrested Friday after he allegedly struck a telephone pole near the Green Mountain Trailer Park in Pownal with a vehicle that had been reported stolen from Adams, Massachusetts, according to an investigation by Vermont State Police.

Troopers further allege that Richardson then knowingly left the scene of the crash.

Police, who responded to reports of a vehicle that had possibly crashed or been abandoned in Pownal, searched and located two male occupants just before midnight and identified Richardson as the vehicle's operator, Vermont State Police reported.

Richardson reportedly provided various conflicting and deceptive statements while speaking with troopers and exhibited signs of impairment, according to police.

He was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence, aggravated operation without owner's consent, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of stolen property and false information to police, Vermont State Police reported.
CHICOPEE - Police are warning people of a new scam which is being done through official-looking mail that is stamped with a postmark from Portugal.

The scam is supposedly from the Euromillions Lottery Sweepstake Program and says the recipient has won $96.8 million dollars. First though they must contact a routing agent who is eligible for 5 percent of the winnings.

"This is a very official looking piece of mail. This is a scam. No ifs, ands or buts about it," Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer said.

Part of the letter tells people "You are required to keep your winning award information strictly from public notice."

"Translated this says 'we hope you do not ask questions of others and just send me your money please," Wilk said.

He asked people to share the notice especially with anyone vulnerable to scams, including elderly friends and relatives.

He said if anyone does send money it is impossible trace and get money returned.
SPRINGFIELD - Two Springfield men are facing multiple charges following an alleged paintball shooting spree that damaged homes and vehicles in the Hungry Hill neighborhood and threatened visitors to Van Horn Park.

Patrick Christman, 20, and Jonathan Figueroa, 25, each pleaded not guilty on July 11 in Springfield District Court to one count of breach of the peace while armed and nine counts of vandalism.

The pair allegedly used paintball guns to pelt six houses and three vehicles near Van Horn Park with blue and yellow paint on the evening of July 7. Six other paintballers were arrested and a large number allegedly fled after police arrived, according to the arrest report.

The arrests were part of a larger crackdown on paintball gunners across the city following several incidents, including the arrest of a homeowner who allegedly opened fire with a real gun at two paintballers near Forest Park on July 5.

On July 7, police responded to complaints that a large group of paintballers, some wearing masks, were chasing and shooting each other in Van Horn Park. In addition to disturbing a group practicing yoga, the paintballers were running out onto streets, firing paintballs at vehicles, and then retreating into the park, the report said.

A jogger was seen "protectively covering his face" as he fled the paintballers. A family, thinking they were firing real guns, gathered their children and hid until police arrived, the report said.

As a cruiser pulled up, two teenage girls were running from the park. "They're coming," one girl told police. Moments later, two paintballers came running after the girls. Both were arrested, the report said.

As more police arrived, the paintballers fled, leaving behind 11 paintball guns, masks, protective vests and backpacks. Police also confiscated a large rental van used to store paintball equipment, the report said.

The largest number of charges were filed against Christman and Figueroa, who allegedly targeted homes and vehicles on Sterling, Hamburg, Nevada and Beauchamp streets, according to the arrest report.

Following their arraignment, they were released on personal recognizance and told to return for a pretrial conference on Aug. 8.

Also arrested on vandalism charges were Gregory Crichlow, 18; Kevin Rivera-Ortiz, Nathaniel Diaz, and Luis Semprit, all 19; Ismael Garcia, 23 and Jhonleivis Moreno-Ortiz, 26, all of Springfield. Each pleaded not guilty and is due back in court next month.
SPRINGFIELD - A Springfield man arrested on cocaine trafficking charges was more than willing to take responsibility for his actions, court records show.

In Springfield District Court Friday, Christopher Anderson, 29, entered standard not guilty pleas to six drug charges, including trafficking in cocaine between 28 and 100 grams.

The charges were filed Thursday after city narcotics detectives raided his home at 75 Albemarle St. and found large amounts of cocaine and heroin, according to the arrest report.

Detectives pulled over Anderson's BMW sedan on St. James Avenue after watching several drug deliveries he allegedly made in Chicopee and Springfield. He was transported to Springfield police headquarters while detectives prepared to execute a search warrant for his home, the report said.

"What do I have to do to protect my family? All the stuff is mine," Anderson told detectives at the station, adding he had 50 grams of cocaine in his dresser drawer "and some other stuff."

Despite being warned against self-incriminating statements, Anderson continued to assert his lack of innocence, the report said.

"I want to protect my family; all the stuff is mine," he reminded the detectives, according to the report.

At that point, police advised Anderson to keep his self-professed guilt to himself unless he was willing to sign a waiver of his Miranda rights. He initially refused, but changed his mind before the raid got underway, the report said.

"Are you going to go to the house now? I want to protect my family. All the stuff is mine, I'll sign the form now," he said.

While searching the house, police found 51 grams of powder cocaine and a large chunk of crack cocaine; 165 packets of heroin stamped "Take It Over," plus 27 packets of Suboxone strips, according to the arrest report.

Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski asked for $100,000 bail, citing the large volume of drugs siezed and the minimum mandatory sentence Anderson faces if convicted.

Judge Thomas Estes set bail at $15,000 and ordered Anderson to return for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 21.
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Carson Smith threw his third bullpen since the All-Star break on Friday in Anaheim.

The right-hander who's rehabbing from Tommy John surgery is expected to throw two more bullpen sessions with the next one coming on either Sunday or Monday.

After the second session, the Red Sox will aim to have Smith face live hitters. The righty suffered a setback in mid-June with shoulder tightness but says he's feeling better physically.

"I just try to do what the trainers tell me to do," Smith said. "Stay on top of my exercises, make sure I'm prepared physically to go out there and throw the pens that I need to throw and eventually get into games. Red flags? Those happen. Sometimes you can't find them before your body lets yourself know."

At this point, considering Smith will still need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment for game situations, it seems likely he won't be ready until late August.

"I think our expectations are tied to how he's coming out of each work session," Farrell said. "There's always been the intent and the thought that he'd be in our bullpen at some point this year. You have to adjust along the way."

Meanwhile, Joe Kelly continues to rehab from a left hamstring strain before the All-Star break. He threw out to 150 feet in Boston on Friday and is getting closer to returning to the mound, either Sunday or Monday.

While the hamstring strain is not as severe as the one Kelly suffered in 2014 that forced him to miss three months, the Red Sox are still proceeding cautiously with the reliever.

"For a pitcher, that lead leg is going to be the most extension to it," Farrell said. "We just have to gradually take our steps to get back to full strength."

Right-hander Blaine Boyer, who went on the disabled list a week ago with an elbow strain, threw a bullpen in Anaheim on Friday and is feeling stronger. He is eligible to come off the disabled list on Wednesday in Seattle and Farrell was optimistic he would be ready by then.

--

Follow MassLive.com Red Sox beat reporter @jcmccaffrey on Twitter. She can be reached by email at jmccaffr@masslive.com.
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Its a correction no media outlet wants to make. As the Dallas Morning News put it so delicately on July 17, an American Airlines spokesperson said a multitude of news stories claiming a flight was evacuated because of fart-related odors are false.

The initial story, which apparently originated from a TV news report about a flight from Charlotte to Raleigh with a gassy passenger aboard, got plenty of traction as evidence by these actual online headlines:

WRAL: Flight crew evacuated off plane at RDU over passed gas.

WBTV: Passed gas forces passengers from plane at Raleigh-Durham Airport, spokesperson says.

Travelweek: Whats that smell? Fart reported to be cause of plane evacuation.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

After international attention, American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein denied the passed gas claim so many outlets had reported, according to MSN.com.

We did have an aircraft from Charlotte to RDU this afternoon, that landed at 2:19 p.m. ET, and arrived the gate at 2:21 p.m. ET, that is currently out of service for an actual mechanical issue  and odor in the cabin. But it is not due to passed gas as mentioned, Feinstein said in a statement.

That led to awkward corrections and clarifications like this one from WTSP, part of the USA Today Network:

An earlier version of this story, based on other media reports, misstated American Airlines response to the odor. Passengers were routinely deplaned. American Airlines officials say reports that a flight was evacuated Sunday after flatulence caused passengers to become ill are false.

Is that enough to right this foul-smelling wrong? Im not so sure. As a service to my colleagues in the media and to help win back the publics trust, Ive written the following correction for any outlet caught up in Flatulencegate to use free of charge.

CORRECTION: An earlier story claiming a flight was evacuated because of a passengers horrific flatulence was false. We regret the error. Boy, do we regret it. But, in our defense, who can pass up a good flatulence story?

It almost writes itself. We in the media get to use what we believe are witty quips like there was an ill wind blowing in Raleigh or the problem was right under their noses.

Granted, its juvenile but it breaks up the stupefying monotony of Russian meddlers, health care debacles and the seemingly never-ending parade of mans inhumanity to man. Sometimes, a dose of flatulence is what we need to keep our sanity.

Should we have checked a little harder to verify the story before putting it out there to a public that enjoys its flatulence news as much as we do? Sure, but after so many staff cuts, no raises and, frankly, a bleak future in this business, we are tired and we sometimes cut corners. Hey, thats better than cutting the cheese, right? Sorry.

Back to the correction. We have taken steps to make sure nothing as terrible as this ever happens again. First, all news employees will undergo intense, week-long flatulence training, with an emphasis on investigation, verification and something else that ends in tion. Its a work in progress.

Second, a three-person panel will review all flatulence-related stories before publication or airing. (Airing, get it? Again, sorry).

Finally, we will make sure our stories about flatulence are of public importance and not just presented for their comedic effects. We want you to know you can trust us in the future when we say, for instance, cow flatulence is contributing to global warming or Elon Musk is secretly working on a flatulence-powered spacecraft. When we report these stories, they will, to the best of our knowledge, be true.

There shouldnt be a whiff of doubt.

Scott Hollifield is editor/GM of The McDowell News in Marion, NC and a humor columnist. Contact him at rhollifield@mcdowellnews,com.
MASON CITY | Applications are available for the second annual Mason City Workplace Wellness Award and Recognition program.

The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, in partnership with the Mason City Chamber of Commerce and their Blue Zones Project Worksite Wellness Committee, offers this program to local employers who engage in and encourage workplace wellness initiatives.

The program aims to recognize businesses that dedicate time and resources in providing their employees a work environment that supports health and well-being.

Interested businesses should complete an award application found online at www.cghealth.com under Wellness or at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CGCWWAwards by Aug. 18.

All applications will be reviewed and scored by the Blue Zones Project Worksite Committee.
New research has uncovered a target for chronic and pathologic pain, which could lead to better drugs for those affected by pain in the future.

Share on Pinterest A new study has identified a new drug target that could change chronic pain medication going forward.

Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

In fact, a recent analysis from the NIH estimates that more than 25 million people in the United States (or over 11 percent of the countrys adult population) live with chronic pain. This means that they have experienced pain every day for the past 3 months.

While in some cases chronic pain may have been initially triggered by an incident such as an injury or an infection, most of the time, the cause of chronic pain is unknown.

Because its causes remain largely unknown, chronic pain cannot yet be cured. However, drugs usually help, and researchers are hard at work trying to come up with more effective treatments.

Now, a new study  published in the journal PLOS Biology  has identified a potential novel therapeutic target for chronic pain, which could help researchers to develop an alternative medication to treat pain in the near future.

The team was led by Dr. Matthew Dalva, of the Department of Neuroscience at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. He and his team have investigated a process called phosphorylation and its impact on how chronic pain occurs and what sensations it triggers.
The battle in Syria has already lasted 6 years with hundreds of thousands of lives lost. Over 11 million Syrians are on the run. Cities are completely destroyed. Aleppo is the largest city of Syria and the economic heart of the country. The bitter battle ended in 2016, with a city completely destroyed and a society torn apart by the war. The violence was permanently broadcasted on television and in social media.

Power of Art House

On July 19ththe day that commemorates the fighting that began in Aleppo back in 2012a totally destroyed miniature city appeared at the Museum Square in Amsterdam. The interactive pop-up installation titled Living Aleppo' that covered an area of about 20m2, is a creative intervention of Dutch artist Saskia Stolz, who is also the founder of Power of Art House, an artistic think tank and creative collective of designers, socio-cultural entrepreneurs, producers and other creative thinkers, that commits creative interventions and campaigns to bring socio-cultural themes into the spotlight. The organisation has been known to use (street) art as a weapon of choice in demobilising complex and politicised issues in order to make them accessible to a wider audience, with an arty-wink.

Power of Art House

In a unique way, the installation has presented daily life in Aleppo, before and during the war. The stories of dozens of people with diverse backgrounds are told about living in Aleppo during the bombings and surviving the violence. From different perspectives, the installation is showing and educating onlookers and visitors of what life has been like in this city. The stories pop up like jewels within a ruin.

Power of Art House

The idea behind the art installation, as Power of Art House explains, comes out of the desire to present an intriguing image of real life in Aleppohow everyday life continues in a city/area of war; but is also inseparably connected with fear and distrust. The installation immediately raises the question: How does one rebuild a devastated city; and not just the buildings made of concrete, but also the trust made out of bonds of humanity? Spatial objects of the architect and urban designer, Bengin Dawod demonstrate and visualizein a provocative mannerhis vision on the reconstruction of Aleppo, as a starting point for a discussion about the reconstruction of this ruined city.

Power of Art House

These war images depict our collective view on the world and investigate the question: What do we really know about the Syrian culture? Are we capable of looking beyond the refugee' or terrorist' label? The organisation spoke to numerous people about the Syrians who responded with statements, like Men in white dresses on camels or Poor bastards, only here to earn money.

With Living Aleppo, the art organisation wants to present a realistic view of the people in Aleppo and the implications of the war for this community. The Aleppo installation depicts the city as full of contradictions where hope and despair, love and hate, trust and distrust, faith and disbelief, beauty and destruction coincide together. And, really, that's what the city really is all about. Aleppo is a tolerant and progressive society on the one hand, and a society captured by fear and oppression on the other.

Power of Art House

The installation is largely made of construction waste and built in different layers. Whereas at first glance, it is a huge pile of waste, the Aleppo stories gradually emerge. Aleppo is much more than a devastated city. Lives were not only been created but also destroyed here. Families were founded here but also torn apart. Studies, careers and ambitions started here or ended here. We have not made anything more beautiful, but also not more dramatic. Stolz says of the installation.

Power of Art House

In Living Aleppo, you experience the stories collected, through images, sounds and scents. A Palestinian aid worker tells about his life under the Assed regime, an Arab student tells about how students do their exams only one week after a bombing, a Christian stewardess tells about the rights of women in Syria, a Kurdish activist tells about his time in jail/prison. These stories provide answers for questions like; how do you live under/cope with the constant pressure of snipers? How do you proceed with your study or work in times of war? How do you survive as an activist in Syria? What did life look like under the Assad regime?

Power of Art House

Multiple national and international artists helped Saskia Stolz to create the Aleppo installation; for example the Syrian artist Husam Muhajer, who fled to Istanbul, in Turkey. He created a miniature of the famous Citadel in Aleppo. Bengin Dawod is a famous Syrian architect who visualised his provocative vision on the reconstruction of Aleppo. Esther van der Ham painted container-schools in a refugee camp near Aleppo. For this exposition, she painted a number of miniature schools.
Ladies and gentlemen, Robert Bourke, Baron of Connemara, started. I wish to say that it has been for a long time, the wish of my colleagues and myself to see a free public library established in Madras; we have recognised it for a long time as one of the most urgent wants of the educated people of this Presidency Town. The Governor of Madras from 1886 to 1902, Lord Connemara, as he was called, was a barrister at law and a Conservative party MP before coming to Madras as Governor. Aside from being credited with establishing the East Coast Railway Line connecting Chennai to Kolkata, Lord Connemara was instrumental in one other very important aspect, to the people of Madras, now known as Chennai. He is said to have founded one of the most important literary structures in the history of the city which would go on to remain just as iconic even today. Lord Connemara laid the foundation stone for what is today, known as the Connemara Public Library.

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In all populous places a free public library is a very great boon, and I am quite sure that where a great number of students and educated natives of India have not got the means of providing themselves with the books that one needed for their study, in their business, a want of this kind is very deeply felt. I trust that this want will be supplied by the free public library of the building of which I am now going to lay the foundation stone, he said in his address on the founding day of the structure, 22nd March 1890.

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Today, the same structure stands tall and majestic in the heart of the city that continues to attract tourists, intellects and readers, alike who flock there to quench their thirst for knowledge. It is one of the four National Depository Libraries in the country which receives a copy of all books, newspapers and periodicals published in India. Established in 1896 the library is a repository of centuries-old publications, wherein lie some of the most respected works and collections in the country. It also serves as a depository library for the UN. But, there's so much more to the Connemara Public Library which has gone on to become an inherent part of Chennai's cultural complex that attracts visitors. Today, the library is an expansive complex that houses buildings that reflect architectural unity in style and structure, even while demonstrating the various stages of Indo-Saracenic development, from Gothic-Byzantine to Rajput Mughal and Southern Hindu Deccani.

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The structure that caters to the needs of all kinds of book lovers was originally designed by H. Irvin, the then consulting Architect to the Government of Madras. The flooring of the library has been done with marble slabs brought from Krishna District (Andhra Pradesh) through the Buckingham canal, in boats and the book racks have been carved out of the costliest teak wood at the time. Back in the day, the cost of the construction cost the management a whopping amount of Rs.5,75,000 which was steep for its time. In 1973, the then government added yet another building to the library to house its overflowing collection of books.

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But, aside from being an art and architectural heritage monument of the city, the library is also home to over a lakh rare books and periodicals that are not easily found anywhere in the world; including original works by Plato, D. Hieronymi Strido, an original copy of the Bible and various other such manuscripts.

In his inaugural address, Lord Connemara went on to say, about the structure that was going to become an architectural and literary landmark in the history of the country, I hope, therefore, that in this library those books will be found and also books of various kinds which shall enable them to study in their higher branches of literature and science. But beyond all this, I hope that there will be a free public library and that young man and old men, possibly ladies, may come here and enjoy the pleasure of literature and reading for its own sake.

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And so it continues to be The Connemara Public Library in Chennai is open, every day of the week, from 9 AM to 7:30 PM and on Sundays, from 9:30 AM to 6 PM, with memberships opened to all city residents from the age 17 and above for an annual fee of INR 50, only.
Desperate times can lead to desperate measures, at least that's what was going on in a woman's head when she decided to strap on 102 iPhones to her body and smuggle them to China. The woman was caught by customs officials as she tried to attempt to smuggle these phones from Hong Kong into mainland China.

(c) Twitter

However, it is funny to note that this was not the first time someone tried to smuggle iPhones into China. A man was caught in 2015 as he tried to smuggle 94 iPhones in 2015 and another man who managed to transport 146 iPhones in late 2015.

(c) Twitter

iPhones are considerably cheaper in Hong Kong when compared to the rest of mainland China. Smuggling iPhones at a cheaper price and later selling it for a premium has become a lucrative business not only in China but in India as well. Customs officials at Shenzhen noticed suspicious bulges and searched the smuggler in question. Apart from 102 iPhones, the culprit was also caught with 15 luxury watches and weighed in excess of 20 Kgs from her original weight.

The street value of the 102 smuggled iPhone was around $1,00,000.

Source: 9to5Mac
MASON CITY | Practical insights about the meaning of body language will be provided at the July 26 Lifetree Cafe.

The program, which begins at 7 p.m., features a filmed interview with nonverbal communication expert Jan Hargrave, author of "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" and "Let Me See Your Body Talk."

Lifetree Cafe participants will have the opportunity to analyze their own body language and what it communicates to others.

Lifetree Cafe, offered at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church in Mason City at 1405 S. Pennsylvania, is a place where people gather for conversation about life and faith in a casual, comfortable setting.
CLEAR LAKE | Troy and Carrie Tysdahl of Clear Lake have a little sign on the front door of their home.

The decorative sign, in flowing script, asks visitors to take off their shoes and wash their hands to protect baby Knox now that he is finally home.

He arrived home July 5, Carrie said, about a month sooner than doctors had initially predicted.

Though he was due on June 27, Knox was delivered March 4 via emergency C-section at 23 weeks and four days. At the time, he weighed just 1 pound. Now, little Knox is nearly 10 times his original weight, sitting at a healthy 10 pounds.

He sure can eat, Carrie said. When we were able to try to breastfeed him and feed him, he really took off with that.

His ability to take to eating quickly, surprised his doctors, Carrie said.

Knox was in the NICU for so long, his family finds he seems to enjoy looking out the windows of their home. While his grandmother was feeding him Tuesday by a large window, he looked out at the rain, taking it all in, as well as a 4.5-month-old can.

Hes really defied a lot of odds because, statistically, white males do the worst when theyre this early, Carrie said. Thats whats been kind of cool watching him.

His adjusted age for growth and development in only 3 weeks, as of Tuesday.

The transition to bring Knox home was easier than Carrie thought it would be.

Were adjusting to our new normal with the cord and the monitors, Carrie said.

Hes not fully caught up and wont be until hes about 2 years old developmentally. To live at home, Knox is on one liter of 100 percent oxygen, a couple of medications and an apnea monitor. They hope to have him off of oxygen by his first birthday.

Knox has chronic lung disease, which is normal for very premature babies.

All babies that come out that early do, Troy said. Their lungs just arent ready yet.

The doctors are hopeful that his lung condition will improve with time.

The lungs are a muscle that as he grows, they should grow and repair, Carrie said.

Troy pointed out that there are many unknowns when dealing with a premature baby. Though faith, the family has found comfort and confidence in their little miracle.

Its been the most difficult thing Ive ever gone through, but I really feel its made our faith stronger, its made our marriage stronger and our family (stronger) in general, Carrie said. It makes you appreciate every day and makes you grateful for everything. Hes been the blessing that helps you not take things for granted.

Makes you appreciate all that Gods done for us, Troy added.

Carrie remembers the first time the hospital staff asked if they wanted to change his diaper.

I was like No!, Carrie said, laughing. He was so little and fragile. I mean, hes a 1-pound baby. Its scary.

The family is grateful and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they have received. Troy and Carrie stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, only a few blocks away from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics while Knox was at the NICU.

To stay there, there is a suggested donation amount, Carrie said. If you cant pay it, you dont have to.

A kind man who they had never met donated funds for the family to stay several days because he had a premature child.

The nurses and doctors who spent a lot of time with Knox became family to the Tysdahls. They made him little hats, a scrapbook and pictures to hang in his room.

When he finally could leave the NICU to go home, one nurse made him a little graduation cap and onesie that said, Knox, Little Mister NICU Graduate 2017.

We were really at the best NICU in the country, Troy said.

Though hes been through a lot, Knox isnt much of a crier. Its tough to keep him on a schedule since his vitals and oxygen are monitored.

He runs the house around here, Carrie said, laughing.

The Tysdahls' two older sons, Tate, 6, and Drake, 4, are happy to have their little brother home.

A few nights ago, when the boys had to go to bed and Knox was up for feeding, one asked, How come Knox gets to stay up?

Troy and Carrie believe that God must have big plans for Knox after all hes been through.

Its impossible not to see God in everything with him, Troy said. Hes a miracle.
During his two-day visit to Warsaw, Alternate Foreign Minister, Giorgos Katrougalos, met with the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Konrad Szymanski, the Undersecretary of State for Economic Diplomacy, America Policy and Asia Policy, Marek Magierowski, and the Executive Director of FRONTEX, Fabrice Leggeri.



His meeting with Mr. Szymanski focused on European developments. In addition, they agreed to further strengthen Greek-Polish cooperation and consultation at the European Union level. The future of Europe, with emphasis on the social dimension, the developments in the refugee/migration issue and Brexit were also discussed.



Mr. Katrougalos and Mr. Magierowski discussed bilateral issues and agreed to further develop cooperation in sectors including tourism, shipping, energy and agriculture.



The Alternate Foreign Minister met with the Executive Director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, whom he thanked for the international organization's assistance in handling refugee and migration flows. Mr. Katrougalos underlined the need to enhance cooperation and coordination with FRONTEX. Mr. Leggeri qualified FRONTEX's cooperation with the Greek authorities as exemplary, adding that Greeces hotspots are an example for other European countries.
Greece's offer to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which, in light of the Brexit, is to be relocated from London to another EU member state, will be submitted to the European Commission and the European Council by 31 July 2017.



At a meeting co-chaired by the Regional Governor of Attica, Rena Dourou, who also chairs the committee putting together the offer, and Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos, the final form of the candidacy was approved.



The offer proposes that the EMA be housed at the former premises of the Keranis Tobacco Company, in Piraeus. As of today, Greece's bid to host the headquarters of the EMA has its own website, at www.emathens.eu.

The decision on relocation of the EMA will be taken by the competent EU bodies in November 2017.
MASON CITY | A spirited group of North Iowans has a message it hopes will become a reality in November: "Mason City Says YES!"

Their goal is to pass a bond issue Nov. 7 on the ice arena/multipurpose center that is part of the River City Renaissance downtown redevelopment project.

"It's a great step toward healing after the whirlwind of 2016," said Loni Dirksen, one of the organizers of the "Mason City Says YES!" campaign.

The "yes" campaign is a service project of Leadership North Iowa, a Mason City Chamber of Commerce program. Leadership North Iowa is a 12-week course "designed to identify and develop future leaders in our community," the chamber's website says.

The city has been pre-approved for $7.1 million in state funds through the Iowa Reinvestment Act to leverage a $36 million project that includes a hotel with a conference center; music pavilion and the ice arena/multipurpose center.

The city has upped its request to the state to $10 million and is awaiting final state approval as all the pieces are being put into place.

One of those pieces is the multipurpose center/ice arena that is to be funded with up to $18.5 million in bonds  if voters approve a bond referendum on Nov. 7.

That is the focus of the "Mason City says YES!" campaign, because if the referendum fails, the whole project dies, according to City Administrator Brent Trout.

"This is so important for tourism in Mason City," Dirksen said. "I know when I plan a vacation, I always look to see what's going on in the place I'm planning to go."

The overall plan calls for a Hyatt Place hotel to be built in Southbridge Mall's south parking lot and connecting it to The Music Man Square via skywalk. The Music Man Square will have a large conference center and the museum will be relocated.

Dirksen said the citizens group is planning to hold town hall meetings and will do presentations for individual organizations.

Updates will be posted at www.masoncitysaysyes.com. People who want to help can contact the group at rivercityrenaissanceproject@gmail.com.

Among testimonials on the website is one from Jana Erickson of Mason City who said, "Mason City needs a chance to grow and prosper. People need to see this as more of a need than a want."
There's a saying that people who enjoying eating sausage should never see it being made.

That admonition comes to mind after this month's dispatch by Ryan J. Foley, an Iowa-based reporter for The Associated Press. Foley has reported the "sausage-making" behind the action of state lawmakers to remove the Iowa Energy Center from Iowa State University control to that of the state executive branch  specifically the Economic Development Authority, considered to be more utility-friendly  and to cancel its funding in 2022.

Not that they wanted the public to know it, but the meat grinder was being cranked by energy utilities, which have criticized the renewable energy research center, with the cooperation of ISU officials.

Lobbyists for MidAmerican Energy and rural electric cooperatives worked with a university lobbyist and officials on a plan to draft legislation, get it through the Legislature and to keep their stories straight. One goal was to conceal the utilities' fingerprints on the process, and ISU agreed to provide "cover" for them.

This is not just speculation or conjecture. It's all found in emails involving state employees. The university released the emails to comply  reluctantly, we're sure  with a public-documents request from Abby Finkenauer, state representative from Dubuque and a Democratic candidate for U.S. House in 2018. Foley started asking questions about the issue in early March.

If not for Iowa's open-records laws, citizens, especially supporters and staff of the energy center, would have been left to wonder about what precipitated the curious series of events.

Even before a bill to transfer the center was introduced in the Legislature, ISU announced it supported the move. Center officials were directed to cancel their search for a new director, which was well underway, and to pull back several loans.

Utility lobbyists secretly helped write the legislation, which, Foley noted "was a victory for Iowa's gas and electric utilities, which fund the center through an assessment on their revenues and have questioned some of the center's research on solar energy."

This wasn't the first time lobbyists for various industries and interests helped craft legislation, and it surely won't be the last. There can be benefits to having people knowledgeable in a particular field  hopefully on all sides  be part of the process.

However, the episode does speak to the importance of government transparency  not hollow claims of transparency in the face of contrary evidence, but actual transparency. Exceptions and loopholes to open-meetings and open-records laws are a regular staple of every legislative session, with government agencies and special interests trying to chip away at public disclosures. Rarely, if ever, are these exceptions in the public's interest.

Iowans should keep tabs on energy programs and policy as the Iowa Energy Center is transplanted and its major funding is scheduled to wither away in 2022. We might not like seeing sausage being made, but we also might not like its taste coming from a different kitchen.

The next time some agency or special interest wants to keep more of its dealings secret, recall that, if not for open-records laws, Iowans would not have known how utility lobbyists helped engineer the transfer and funding cut of the Iowa Energy Center.

This editorial appeared in the July 14 edition of the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
Fionn Whitehead in "Dunkirk." (Courtesy photo | Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.)

By John Serba | jserba@mlive.com

Dunkirk is about survival. Survival in its rawest and most strategic forms. Christopher Nolans film is based on the battle and evacuation of Dunkirk, France during World War II  400,000 British men are surrounded by German forces, pinned on the beach, awaiting deliverance of some kind, be it rescue or death. Nazi bombers and fighter planes roar above them, picking off easy targets.

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Adding to the torture, the men can see the safety of home across the English Channel, smothered in the fog of war, thick with chaos, desperation and despair. So close. But so far.

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"Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros.)

Known for his dense and complex work  "The Dark Knight," "Inception," "Interstellar"  Nolan strips his "Dunkirk" narrative down to the bone. Shots, cuts, choreography, sound, light. Dialogue is used only when necessary. His visual method is clear and minimal, as if translating Hemingway's prose to film.

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Employing fiction within the framework of factual events, Nolan takes three points-of-view and clings tightly to them: The mole, a godforsaken stretch of dock jutting into the Channel, on which soldiers line up, waiting for boats to pick them up; a soldier, Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), is the scrappy young man whose fearful eyes are also our eyes. The sea, specifically, the modest weekender yacht piloted by Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance), who, along with his two sons, answered a call for civilian sailors to help rescue soldiers. And the air, a trio of British fighter pilots quickly pared down to one, Farrier (Tom Hardy), dogfighting the German Luftwaffe.

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Mark Rylance in "Dunkirk." (Courtesy photo | Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.)

Which means, as usual, Nolan is the main draw. His primary tool is cold sincerity. He trims character development down to the barest essential  life or death. Backstories are used in more melodramatic films. It doesnt matter how much a person has suffered before. The only thing that matters is what they must do right now to save themselves. If youre not invested in them as humans in most tragic conditions, whether they need to be saved or are trying to be saviors, youre not invested in the value of life itself.

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Some men get off the beach and on a boat thats quickly bombed or torpedoed. If the men still exist, they swim back. A British naval officer (Kenneth Branagh) hopes 10 percent of these men will survive. Out over the sea, the pilots target the enemy, often when theyre targets themselves. The father and sons on the boat pick up a shipwrecked soldier (Cillian Murphy), so shellshocked, he says nothing, until he realizes hes traveling toward Dunkirk, and is compelled to protest.

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"Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.)

Meanwhile, Hans Zimmers score plays our nerves and the sound design enhances our immersion. An ambient drone hums ominously. Violins skitter as Nazi planes fly overhead, roaring like horrible sirens. The British plane engines roar like cougars when pilots lean on the throttle. Drums beat our cardiovascular pulse, quick, then quicker, as men under assault run and dive for cover. A clock tick-tick-tick-tick-ticks in the background, time passing agonizingly slow as men wait, or slipping away so expeditiously as they gasp and paw through the water, searching for a porthole in a sinking vessel.

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We lose ourselves in these moments so immediately dramatic. Nolan begins his story with dread, carries it through with intensity and concludes with poetry. Its truth is in its detail, and in the filmmakers precision manipulation of timelines, which converge upon a single, breathless moment. Nolans goal is realism on all fronts  he foregoes CGI for period-specific boats and planes or models, and arranged hundreds of extras on the Dunkirk beach where the actual conflict occurred. (Filmmaker Werner Herzog might call this the voodoo of location.)

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Tom Hardy in "Dunkirk." (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros.)

The movies violent, but sidesteps the extremity of other modern war films such as Saving Private Ryan and Hacksaw Ridge. We never see a single face of the opposition  the Nazis are framed as an existential threat of sorts, an evil force lurking quietly beneath the water or emerging from the clouds above. The only communique is a printed handbill rained upon the city of Dunkirk: YOU ARE SURROUNDED, it reads.

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Survival is the triumph of seeing another day. The tragedy is, the fighting is not over for these men, even if they make it out alive, for the Nazis are poised to invade England. There is no manufactured climactic release in the film  the men take a breath when the credits roll, but life, and the war, will march on. It's set in 1940, but Nolan makes it feel like right now, right here, in our faces, in our hearts and minds. Some historians have called the Battle of Dunkirk the most significant moment of the 20th century; by shrinking its scale and hinging success or failure on vital details, Nolan assures "Dunkirk" is one of the great films of the 21st.

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Kenneth Branagh in "Dunkirk." (Courtesy photo | Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.)

FILM REVIEW

Dunkirk

4 stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: PG-13 for intense war experience and some language

Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh

Director: Christopher Nolan

Run time: 106 minutes

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More reviews of Christopher Nolan films

"Interstellar": Matthew McConaughey spaces out in Christopher Nolan's metaphysical adventure

"The Dark Knight": Heath Ledger is legendary as the Joker in moody, masterful film

"The Dark Knight Rises": Entertaining, but the least of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy

"Inception": Dreams and reality commingle in twisty, suspenseful film

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"War for the Planet of the Apes" (Courtesy photo | 20th Century Fox)

More on movies

The best movies of 2017 (so far)

The worst movies of 2017 (so far)

All the 'Planet of the Apes' movies, ranked worst to best

All the Spider-Man movies, ranked worst to best

Daniel Day-Lewis' 5 greatest roles

REVIEWS:

"War for the Planet of the Apes"

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"

"The Big Sick"

"Spider-Man: Homecoming"

"Transformers: The Last Knight"

"Okja"

"Wonder Woman"

"Baby Driver"

"47 Meters Down"

"Cars 3"

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More photos from 'Dunkirk':

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"Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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Harry Styles, Anuerin Barnard and Fionn Whitehead in "Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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Fionn Whitehead in "Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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"Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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Tom Glynn-Carney and Cillian Murphy in "Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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Cillian Murphy in "Dunkirk" (Courtesy photo | Warner Bros./Melinda Sue Gordon)

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Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the first day of the Detroit 1967 riot.

The five days of violence that began July 23, 1967 left 43 people dead and more than 2,500 businesses burned or looted.

More than 7,000 people were arrested and more than 1,100 people were injured.

The above photo gallery includes 150 historic images that documented the chaos and the aftermath, gathered from the archives of The Associated Press, The Ann Arbor News and The Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Many of the captions appear as they were originally filed in 1967.

More anniversary coverage looking back at the riots that left permanent scars on Detroit and other Michigan cities:
The Church of Scientiology is making moves that indicate plans to move or open a new location in downtown Detroit.

The Church of Scientology of Michigan on Monday obtained building permits to begin $8 million in renovations on a building it owns at 1 Griswold at the corner of West Jefferson, across from the Detroit River and Hart Plaza, according to a report from Crain's Detroit.

A representative for the church directed MLive to the Church of Scientology website and said any comment would have to come through public relations personnel in New York City.

The church, which was founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in 1953, currently operates a center at 2800 Middlebelt in Farmington Hills.

The 50,000-square-foot, eight-story downtown building, formerly the Standard Federal Savings and Loan Building in the Historic Financial District, was purchased for $3.5 million in 2007, according to assessor records.

According to the Church of Scientology website, its churches offer informational tours, introductory testing to help visitors "learn about themselves and areas in which they could improve," public Sunday services, and pastoral counseling, among other offerings.

The church, commonly associated with its ties to Hollywood and actor Tom Cruise, has been criticized by some for having strict, controlling practices.

Actress Leah Remini, a former member, is the focus of the A&E documentary series "Scientology and the Aftermath," exploring her experiences with the Church of Scientology, which she described as an "extremist religion."

The Church of Scientology says Remini was "expelled from the church for unethical conduct" and attempted to "extort" $1.5 million from the church in exchange for not speaking out publicly.

"'Leah Remini: Aftermath' is really 'Leah Remini: After Money,'" the church said in a statement.

The church operates over 11,000 locations in 167 countries, according to its website.
DETROIT - North American river otters living at the Detroit Zoo are about to have it pretty good.

The zoo just finished a renovation project sprucing up the Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat, tripling the space from 680 square feet to 2,500 square feet in total.

For context: that's nearly 80 feet larger than the median average U.S. single-family home, according to a 2016 U.S. Census survey on home ownership.

The otters glimpsed their spacious new digs at an exclusive, invite-only preview earlier this month.

Once there, the otters toured the outdoor oasis, a sandy beach with plenty of trees and a refreshing, flowing stream fit for an otter king, according to a Detroit Zoo news release.

That doesn't include the exotic, raging waterfall and resort-style water slide the critters already enjoyed.

"It's important that we provide animals with habitats that are naturalistic and expansive and that ensure they are thriving and not just surviving," said Scott Carter, Detroit Zoological Society chief life sciences officer.

"The otters have more room to roam - and swim - and visitors have more viewing options."

The space is now open for humans to view.

By all accounts, the otters are loving it.

After all, what otter looking for prime real estate in Metro Detroit wouldn't want a "9,000-gallon aquatic area" with a "rustic log cabin" design?

The exposed raw wood logs "evoke a handcrafted log cabin," said zoo staff. It's "floor-to-ceiling acrylic windows" allow for streams of natural light to cascade across the slender, 2- to 3-foot-long animals.

Guests can also get "nose-to-nose" with the otters via an underwater viewing area beneath the otter wonderland.

The Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat was built in 1997.

For hours, prices, directions and other information, call 248-541-5717 or visit detroitzoo.org.
GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP, MI -- A 45-year-old Hudsonville resident is in critical condition after suffering a severe head injury when she was riding on a boat Saturday morning.

The accident happened at about 10:30 a.m. on July 22 when a 35-foot Sabre Marine power boat was traveling at high speeds, according to Ottawa County Sheriff deputies. The vessel was on Lake Michigan near Grand Haven when it hit a wave and jerked hard to the side, causing two passengers to hit the dashboard area.

Renae Gibson, 45, and William Gibson, 46, were the only people injured in the accident. Two other passengers were at the rear of the boat during the accident, but were not injured, according to officers.

Renae Gibson was unconscious when the Coast Guard and Ottawa County Fire Department Marine rescuers transported her and William Gibson to shore. In addition to the serious head injury, she also had lacerations on her head and face. She was transported by Aero Med helicopter to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital.

William Gibson was driving the boat during the accident and suffered non-life threatening injuries including a broken arm and closed head injury. He was transported to North Ottawa Community Health System.

Nobody was thrown into the water during the accident.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Muskegon assisted in the rescue effort. Dispatch received information of the accident from another boater.
UPDATE 9:25 a.m. Monday, July 24: Police have the person of interest in custody on unrelated charges.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Police have released photos of someone they're calling a person-of-interest in an overnight fatal shooting near the Western Michigan University campus.

The photos appear to be surveillance camera images.

Kalamazoo Public Safety officers say they responded at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, July 22 to the 800 block of Oakland Drive on a shooting. They found a 21-year-old man in the street with a gunshot wound to his torso.

He was taken to the hospital but did not survive.

Witnesses told police that a person shot the 21-year-old during an altercation, then fled the area on foot.

Anyone with information about the shooting or person-of-interest is asked to call police at 269-337-8994 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.
10. Kotak Mahindra Bank | Market Cap for the week ended October 30: Rs 3,06,331.09 crore | Loss during the week: Rs 32,570.94 crore.

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There was much relief in store for the banking sector this past week after Essar Steels case was dismissed by the Gujarat High Court on Monday.

This provided a big boost to banks which have filed cases against defaulting firms under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Now, there is a better chance they will be heard.

Additionally, the National Company Law Tribunal also decided to not give adjournments of beyond one week while hearing such cases. Loaded with multiple petitions filed under the insolvency and bankruptcy code (IBC), which became operational in December last year, the government and RBI will force the court to fast-track the proceedings.

Further, State Bank of India was asked by the NCLT to take the Monnet Ispat and Energy's case with "seriousness" after there was confusion over its default and the amount.

The next day, NCLT admitted the case after SBI clarified the default amount to be Rs 1,539 crore, which would be claimed by the bank. Also, with SBI refusing to accept the offer terms of JSW Steel, which agreed to make an offer bid to buy the bad assets, the steel firm will be making a fresh offer.

No closure, Only merger!

After a series of whatsapp messages circulated on various groups on closure of nine banks, the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank asked consumers not to get swayed by such rumours. The nine banks are only put under supervision due to the weakness the bank is undergoing in the last one year

The government is also considering merger of several of the 21 public sector banks to reduce the number of banks to about 10-12 in a few years and about 3-4 big global banks eventually.

However, bank unions are not too pleased with the idea given that they are not too hopeful of mergers strengthening the weaker banks.

ICICI Bank, countrys largest private lender, started offering personal loans of up to Rs 15 lakh at ATMs for a fixed tenure of 60 months based on pre-checked CIBIL scores.

SBI and PE investor Carlyle Group announced that it would buy GE Capital Groups entire 26 percent stake in SBI Card.

Following the transaction, SBI and Carlyle will own 74 percent and 26 percent, respectively, in each of the two entities. Further details of the transactions were not disclosed. According to reports, Carlyle was in talks to buy the 26 percent stake for Rs 2,000 crore.

Kotak and India Bank post financial results

On the results front, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Indian Bank reported their financial performance for the first quarter from April to June for fiscal year 2017-18.

Kotak posted a 23 percent year-on-year rise in its standalone June quarter net profit at Rs 913 crore.

Kotak has an exposure of Rs 236 crore to four of the 12 large bad loan accounts referred by the RBI to be filed at the NCLT on priority.

The mid-sized lender also said its shareholders have approved raising up to Rs 65,000 crore to fund business expansion.

While south-based Indian Banks profit increased 21 percent to Rs 372 crore in June quarter despite higher provisions, its asset quality improved during the quarter as gross non-performing assets declined to 7.21 percent from 7.47 percent and net NPAs declined to 4.05 percent from 7.39 percent.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely today launched yet another attack against black money admitting that politicians and civil servants are no different from businesses when it comes to using shell companies to launder money.

One easy format of conversion has always been shell companiesit has almost become a standard operating procedure. And this is not only used by people in businesses, it has been used by politicians, civil servants said Jaitley at a Delhi Economics Conclave.

Jaitley said the government has come out with laws to contain overseas black money as well as those dealing with domestic black money and cracking down on shell companies.

This area was conventionally overlooked in India We had almost reconciled it to be Indias normal, he said. There was almost helplessness in trying to deal with this situation... Therefore, steps had to be taken to bring a significant impact.

The minister mentioned various steps taken by the government in order to bring transparency into the system and said that it's the intention that counts, not the manner in which they were implemented.

He also talked about the amended benami property law, which he said was "sending a shiver down the spine" of those who conventionally used this methodology of round tripping of tax avoided money or corruption money and bringing it back into the system.

He believed that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy code, Goods and Services Tax as well as demonetisation were steps that will make generation of cash difficult while ensuring good health of financial institutions.

Viral Acharya, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India also acknowledged the positives of these steps. Something remarkable is going on, said Acharya adding something has changed about the way people view transactions black money .(With inputs from PTI)
Rank 5 | Visa | Company: Payments | Brand value: $1,86,809 million | Brank value change: 5 percent (Image: Reuters)

Singapore on Saturday sought to defend its visa regime, saying that one-third of its workforce is 'already foreign' and it would be 'mindless' to have open border without any policy framework to control the flow of people.

The statement of Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam assumes significance as Indian IT companies use that country as a gateway to serve clients in the region.

All major Indian tech companies including TCS, HCL, Infosys and Wipro have a presence in Singapore.

With Singapore taking a conservative view of visa issuance to Indian tech workers, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the level of manpower.

Observing that out of 5.5 million workforce, 2 million are foreigners, Shanmugaratnam said as 'one-third of our workforce is already foreign, it would be mindless if you have open borders without any policy framework to constrain the flow of people into your job market. If it is wrong politics, then it is wrong economics as well'.

He is here to participate in the Delhi Economics Conclave.

Singapore, he said, has been the strongest proponents of liberalisation of goods and services but movement of people has to operate within some framework of constraint.

"This is a reality. This is reality all over the globe," the deputy prime minister said.

IT body Nasscom had in April stated that the clamp down on tech visas by Singapore has shrunk the base of Indian techies to under 10,000 in the South East Asian nation and could hurt the ability of players to chase future deals.

Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar had said that issuance of visas to the tech workers under the intra company transfers has reduced to a trickle.

Indian companies have been investing in Singapore to bolster their presence in the Asian market that has been growing at a strong pace, although US and Europe continue to account for over 80 per cent of the industry's export revenues.

India and Singapore have already implemented a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA). It has been operational since 2005. Singapore is also part of the Asean bloc, with which India has signed a similar pact.

Both the countries are also part of the ongoing negotiations for a proposed mega deal - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The bilateral trade between the two was USD 16.65 billion in 2016-17.
In the Essar Steel vs RBI case last week, apparently RBI and the banks won. The Gujarat High Court allowed banks to take Essar Steel to the Bankruptcy Court. However it added some crucial sentences in the judgement as mentioned below.

"That such filing (of an application for insolvency in the NCLT) would not amount to admitting or allowing the petition for insolvency with, without offering reasonable opportunity to the company. The adjudicating authority, being the NCLT herein, needs to decide on its own based upon factual; details that whether the insolvency petition is required to be entertained or not".

The insolvency code however was far strict. It said the when the NCLT receives a petition, it has to check only the below mentioned points:1) Is default more than Rs 1 lakh?2) Is the form complete?3) Is the insolvency professional duly registered? and

4) Are there disciplinary proceedings against him?

If these conditions are fulfilled, court has to, in 14 days, summon the creditors and the borrower and appoint an insolvency profession.

So now the questions that arise are:

1) Is not the 14-day timetable in the insolvency act sacred?2) Can the bankruptcy court reject the petition of the banks against Essar and other defaulters?

3) Can the resolution of Essar and other defaulters get delayed in spite of heading to the bankruptcy court?

To answer some of the questions and the outlook on the case going forward, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Bahram Vakil, Founding Partner AZB & Partners, Sandip Parikh, Founder Finsec Law Advisors, H P Ranina, Corporate Lawyer and H R Loona, Partner Dhaval Vussonji Alliance.
Meta layoffs | Why Zuckerberg's Metaverse bet has proven to be a bit too costly
BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said the party was in favour of holding Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously.

Shah, who is a on a three-day visit to Rajasthan, said all political parties should discuss the issue and take it up with the Election Commission.

"We definitely want Lok Sabha and state assembly elections to be held together. The BJP believes in the concept," he said at a press conference here.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised the issue with all political parties for discussion," he said when asked about the party's stand on holding the polls together.

Shah said his party wants the Ram temple in Ayodhya to be constructed in a legal manner after mutual dialogue.

"The party's stand is clear and mentioned in the last four Lok Sabha election manifestos. The temple should be constructed in a legal manner and there should be mutual dialogue," he said at a press conference here.

On suggestions that the creamy layer among SCs/STs should be excluded from reservation benefits, the BJP supremo said a decision can only be taken after discussion with all parties in Parliament.

Shah referred to major steps by the BJP-led government in Centre, including demonetisation, GST implementation and shutting down shell companies.

He said the BJP was never against GST implementation by UPA-led government but it was against the way it was being implemented.

"The states were demanding that losses incurred by them should be fully compensated by the Centre. We accepted their demands while implementing the GST and now the states are with us," Shah said in reply on a question.

"There were apprehensions raised by the opposition, but people of the country have accepted it," he said.

Asked whether the government intends to bring any legislation on cow protection, Shah said such laws already exist in BJP-ruled states.
People watch as India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D6) blasts off carrying a 2117 kg GSAT-6 communication satellite from the Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, India, August 27, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer - RTX1PXTO

The Madras High Court has ordered the issuance of notice to authorities of TANGEDCO and TANTRANSCO Ltd on a petition seeking suspension of power supply to high tension lines at two places here to enable the transportation of a vacuum chamber to the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) at Sriharikota.

When the petition by Chennai-based Kalaivani Transport came up recently, Justice M Duraiswamy issued a notice to Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation and Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation returnable by 2 weeks.

The petition carried the contract to transport the ODC Vacuum Chamber weighing 149 metric tonnes to SHAR centre.

It was alleged that when a representation was made to TANGEDCO, North Chennai on May 24, for turning off the power, the authorities had issued a letter directing them to pay Rs 54 lakh towards shut down charges.

Though a similar request was made by the Deputy Director of SHAR Centre to the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, no action was taken by the authorities, it was claimed.

The Sathish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh had placed an order with KCP Limited, Thiruvottiyur for the supply of the vacuum chamber. Subsequently, the transport contract was given to the petitioner. While so, the petitioner had obtained permission from the police for the same.

However, the vehicle carrying the chamber could not proceed further at Manali owing to the presence of high tension power line, and again between Minjur and Ponneri road, in order to avoid any untoward incidents, the petitioner submitted.

He said that when a representation was made to TANGEDCO for turning off power, the authorities had issued a letter directing them to pay Rs 54 lakh towards shut down charges.

A similar request was made by the Deputy Director of SHAR Centre to the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, no action was taken by the authorities, he added. The petitioner then moved the high court praying for a direction to the authorities concerned to shut down the power lines to enable the smooth passage of the vehicle carrying the chamber.

A similar request was made by the Deputy Director of SHAR Centre to the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, no action was taken by the authorities, he added.

The petitioner then moved the high court praying for a direction to the authorities concerned to shut down the power lines to enable the smooth passage of the vehicle carrying the chamber.
Dmitry Stolyariv, a heart surgeon, holds a stent, which is inserted into constricted coronary arteries to help keep them open and normalise blood flow, as he performs a surgery on a patient with a blood clot in the carotid artery at the Federal Center of Cardiovascular Surgery in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, September 28, 2016. Picture taken September 28, 2016. REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin - RTSQ3M6

A musician played the guitar on the operation table as he underwent a surgery at a private hospital here for a rare movement disorder affecting guitarists.

The successful brain circuit surgery, believed to be the first such operation in the country, was performed on July 11 by a team of doctors from Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital in Bengaluru on 37-year-old Abishek Prasad, who has a passion for the guitar, to rid him of the neurological disorder 'guitarist dystonia' that had crippled his fingers.

During the entire surgery, the patient was fully awake and was playing the guitar as the problem only occurred when he tried playing the guitar. So the feedback from the patient was important to get the exact location of the target, doctors told reporters here today.

Expressing joy over the successful procedure, Prasad, a native of Bihar, said even the doctor did not expect 100 percent result.

"It was a great feeling for both me and the doctor. It was 100 percent result on the operation table itself. I'm very excited, finally now I can live my dream, can play my guitar again after one month of recovery."

"Now my fingers are completely listening to me, earlier my fingers were erect and changing from one chord to other was difficult," he added.

Prasad had developed the problem with his left-hand fingers resulting in difficulty to move his little finger, and the trouble grew gradually into disability because of which he had to abandon playing the guitar.

After consulting various specialists, Prasad was referred to the doctors at the BMJ hospital.

Calling it a rare disorder, neurologist Dr Sanjiv C C who specialises in movement disorders, said it occurs to one percent among professional musicians.

"If the medical management that included Botulinum toxin and drugs fails, then surgery is the next option," he said.

The doctors decided to perform a stereotactic MRI guided right ventralisoralis thalamotomy, a very delicate brain circuit surgery.

Explaining the surgery procedures, Dr Sharan Srinivasan, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgeon & HOD of Neurosciences at the Jain Hospital, said a 14-mm hole was made in the skull and a specialised electrode was passed into the brain under local anaesthesia.

Noting that the brain was stimulated by doctors to confirm the right location, he said, "after confirming the target location, a radio frequency lesion was made using a specialised RF ablation machine. 5-7 lesions were made, each at 60-70 degree centigrade and for 30-40 seconds."

The hospital charges came to about Rs 2 lakh, doctors said.
An Indian Army soldier was killed on Friday in firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control in Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, according to a report in News18.com.

A statement issued by a defence spokesperson said the Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Sunderbani sector around 6:05 pm. Officials said the Indian army retaliated strongly and effectively.

In the fire exchange, rifleman Jayadrath Singh was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, said officials, adding that the 28-year-old was from Bhagwanpur village in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by his wife Mamta Devi.
Fishermen

Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters, a senior fisheries official said.

This is the fifth such incident this month.

The fishermen from Nagapattinam district were arrested for fishing off Neduntheevu near the Sri Lankan coast and have been taken to Kangesanthurai port, Nagapattinam joint fisheries director Amala Xavier said.

On Monday, four fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested for allegedly fishing off Neduntheevu.

On July 13, seven fishermen from Mandapam near here were held off Neduntheevu and taken to Kangesanthurai port, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in finding a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests.

"Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail India's efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue," he had said in a letter dated July 13.

The state government has maintained that retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the "only solution" to the vexed fishermen's issue.
Fishermen

Restoration of Katchatheevu islet to India is the only permanent solution to a long-standing issue of Indian fishermen being apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said.

In two separate incidents in last few days, 12 fishermen from the state were apprehended by the island nation.

"The heightened intolerance of the Sri Lankan navy can be seen from the fact that fishermen were apprehended even when they were engaged in traditional fishing using gill nets in Palk Bay waters," the chief minister said in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Palaniswami said the only solution to the long-standing issue "on a permanent basis" was the restoration of Katchatheevu back to India and redrawing the International Maritime Boundary Line.

He added that the Sri Lankan government keeps on "irritating the fishermen with continuing apprehension of their boats and arrests".

The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use all diplomatic channels available with the Centre to find a permanent solution to the issue.

He sought Modi's intervention to secure the release of 72 fishermen along with 148 fishing boats apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy.
Nitin Gadkari

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) ordered an enquiry in a case after some media persons accused its officials of paying bribes to the press at a function in Odisha.

NHAI has ordered an enquiry into the allegations of bribes to media persons, said a statement issued by NHAI.

According to sources, NHAI chief general manager LP Padhy will head to Odisha on Sunday as an enquiry officer.

The incident happened in Odisha where Union minister of road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari and Dharmendra Pradhan, minister for petroleum and natural gas, were present.

The function was held to start construction work to widen Angul-Sambalpur, Tileibani-Sambalpur and Balanga-Jharpokharia national highways.

Also read: At 41 km a day, govt plans to build 15,000 km new highways in 2017-18

Media persons were provided kits before they met Gadkari and Pradhan. However, they protested and said that the kits had envelopes containing Rs 500 each. One Ranjan Patra, a local journalist, lodged complaint against NHAI.

We have received the complaint and we are looking into the matter, said Brijesh Rai, SP, Angul.

Anyone found guilty in the enquiry will be punished, said the statement by NHAI.

Odisha commerce and transport minister Nrushingha Sahu condemned the attempt to bribe media.

The incident comes on heels of another bribery case where some senior NHAI officials have been accused of taking bribe from US based CDM Smith for 'illegally' giving them contracts during 2011-15.
New White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci addresses the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 21, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RTX3CG2G

US President Donald Trump's new communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who once described him as a "hack politician" during the presidential campaign, apologised and admitted it as one of his "biggest mistakes."

Scaramucci, who had initially supported Republican candidates Scott Walker and then Jeb Bush, called Trump a "hack politician" during a Fox Business appearance in 2015 and said that the president reminds him of those words on a daily basis.

"He brings it up every time. I personally apologise," the 53-year-old Wall Street financier said.

"Mr President, if you're listening, I personally apologise for the 50th time for saying that," Scaramucci added as he looked into the cameras.

Scaramucci, who currently serves as the senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the Export-Import Bank, will officially start his new role on August 15.

During his introductory appearance at the White House, Scaramucci appeared relaxed and expressed a desire to improve the Trump administration's relationship with the US media.

He praised Trump and said he was "proud" to join his administration. "The ship is going in the right direction. I think we've got the direction very, very clearly," he told reporters at the White House after his appointment yesterday.

He said Trump would ultimately win the health care fight.

"The president has really good karma. And the world turns back to him. I think as members of Congress get to know him better and get comfortable with him, they're going to let him lead them to the right things for the American people."
A man purported to be the reclusive leader of the militant Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has made what would be his first public appearance at a mosque in the centre of Iraq's second city, Mosul, according to a video recording posted on the Internet on July 5, 2014, in this still image taken from video. There had previously been reports on social media that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi would make his first public appearance since his Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) changed its name to the Islamic State and declared him caliph. The Iraqi government denied that the video, which carried Friday's date, was credible. It was also not possible to immediately confirm the authenticity of the recording or the date when it was made. REUTERS/Social Media Website via Reuters TV (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT OF THIS VIDEO, WHICH HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - RTR3X9BH

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said today that he believes Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi is still alive, following various claims he was dead.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis told Pentagon reporters.

"We are going after him, but we assume he is alive."

There have been persistent rumors that Baghdadi has died in recent months.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime conflict monitor, last week said it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

Russia's army said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed the IS chief in a May air strike in Syria.

With a USD 25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but was rumored to move regularly throughout IS-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

The Iraqi native has not been seen since making his only known public appearance as "caliph" in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul, which was destroyed in the battle for Iraq's second city.
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
Mortgage Rates Lowest in July

Mortgage rates moved lower today, setting yet another new low for the month of July. For the past 2 weeks, rates have been pushing back against a fairly abrupt spike that took place heading into the month. Concerns over the European Central Bank's (ECB's) bond buying plans sparked the move higher, but those concerns were officially put to rest as of yesterday.

In simpler terms, extra demand for bonds pushes bond prices higher and rates lower. The ECB buys LOTS of bonds. This puts downward pressure on rates around the world (more so in Europe than in the US, but we still get some indirect benefit). There was some concern at the end of June that the ECB was getting closer to announcing it would buy fewer bonds (thus the rate spike heading into July). While that day will likely come eventually, yesterday's announcement assures markets that it hasn't been discussed yet.

Today was relatively quiet for financial markets, with no significant economic data or events. Next week brings a Fed announcement, but it isn't expected to contain any bombshells.



Loan Originator Perspectives

Bonds posted decent gains today in the absence of any economic data, and pricing is now July's best. Granted, this rally hasn't moved rates dramatically, but at least the trend may now be our friend. Next week may bring some month-end bond demand; I'm still inclined to float short term for new loans, if borrowers have some risk tolerance. Those closing within 15 days could sure do worse than locking here. -Ted Rood, Senior Originator

Bonds are at about their best level in about a month and rate sheets do reflect that today. I do not like locking loans on a Friday, but with bonds at their best levels, i would advise those closing within 15 days to go ahead and lock up. I feel loans closing in more than 2 weeks can gamble a little and at least float over the weekend. As always, if happy with current terms, go ahead and lock and remove all risk. -Victor Burek, Churchill Mortgage



Today's Most Prevalent Rates

30YR FIXED - 4.00%

FHA/VA - 3.75%

15 YEAR FIXED - 3.375%



5 YEAR ARMS - 2.75 - 3.25% depending on the lender



Ongoing Lock/Float Considerations
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Midlands labor market continued to experience the traditional summer doldrums, according to data released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission.

June unemployment in the commissions Midland metropolitan statistical area inched up to 3.5 percent from 3.4 percent in May but is well below the 5 percent reported last June. Despite the marginal increase, Midland rose to third among the MSAs with the lowest unemployment, just behind Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock, which were tied at 3.4 percent each.

Odessa also saw its unemployment rate inch up, to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent but still far below the June 2016 rate of 7.3 percent.

All of the commissions MSAs saw increases in June, some marginal, some significant, like Waco, Brownsville-Harlingen and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, which each saw their unemployment rates rise by an eighth of a percent.

Commission spokeswoman Lisa Givens said Midlands rate saw its slight increase because of a higher number of unemployed residents. She attributed that higher unemployment to the end of the school year and changes in staffing levels.

The Government and the Education and Health Services sectors did see decreases from May to June of 300 and 100 jobs respectively.

Midlands civilian labor force was virtually unchanged from May to June, down by only five, while the number of employed fell by 94 and the number of unemployed rose by 89. The civilian labor force is very close to year-ago levels while the number of employed Midlanders is higher by about 1,200 and the number of unemployed is down by a similar 1,200.

On the positive side, (the) Mining, Logging and Construction jobs saw an increase in June of 500 jobs, she said by email.

Loren Singletary, chief investor and industry relations officer with National Oilwell Varco Inc., told the Reporter-Telegram by telephone from his Houston office that, while he could not speak to specific needs in the Permian Basin  because his company is international in scope  oil field activity levels in the region are phenomenal and the area is experiencing a shortage of quality personnel.

Other sectors adding jobs from May to June were the Trade, Transportation and Utilities and the Other Services, which added 100 jobs each. In addition to the loss of jobs in the Government and Education and Health Services sectors, the loss of 200 jobs in the Leisure and Hospitality sector helped offset those gains, resulting in the addition of just 100 jobs in Midland from May to June.

For the 12 months from June 2016 to June 2017, Midland added 2,000 jobs for a growth rate of 2.3 percent. The areas dominant Mining, Logging and Construction sector added 2,300 new jobs, followed by Government with 300 new jobs and the Manufacturing, the Education and Health Services and the Other Services sectors with 100 jobs each.

Those gains were offset by the loss of 300 jobs each in the Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector and the Leisure and Hospitality sector, 200 jobs in the Professional and Business Services sector and 100 jobs in the Financial Activities sector.

Statewide, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 percent from 4.8 percent in May, marking the second consecutive monthly decline.

The commission reports employers have added 319,300 jobs over the last year in 10 of 11 industrial sectors, outperforming job growth over the last two years.

While Amarillo and Austin Round-Rock reported the lowest unemployment, the highest was reported in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission at 8.3 percent.

Midland unemployment

January 2017 4.1 percent

January 2016 4 percent

February 2017 4.2 percent

February 2016 4.2 percent

March 2017 4 percent

March 2016 4.4 percent

April 2017 3.5 percent

April 2016 4.5 percent

May 2017 3.4 percent

May 2016 4.5 percent

June 2017 3.5 percent

June 2016 5 percent

Preliminary numbers for June with May numbers in parentheses:

Amarillo 3.4 (3.1)

Austin-Round Rock 3.4 (3.2)

Midland 3.5 (3.4)

College Station-Bryan 3.8 (3.2)

Lubbock 3.9 (3.2)

San Antonio-New Braunfels 3.9 (3.6)

Sherman-Denison 3.9 (3.7)

Dallas-Plano-Irving 4.0 (3.8)

Fort Worth-Arlington 4.1 (3.8)

Wichita Falls 4.1 (3.9)

San Angelo 4.2 (4.0)

Abilene 4.3 (4.0)

Tyler 4.3 (4.1)

Killeen-Temple 4.4 (4.2)

Laredo 4.7 (4.4)

Odessa 4.7 (4.6)

Waco 4.8 (4.0)

Texarkana 4.9 (4.5)

El Paso 5.1 (4.7)

Victoria 5.1 (4.8)

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 5.3 (5.1)

Longview 5.6 (5.3)

Corpus Christi 5.9 (5.7)

Beaumont-Port Arthur 7.3 (7.0)

Brownsville-Harlingen 7.8 (7.0)

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 8.3 (7.5)
'The big truck is still on ...
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The first two months of reports submitted by greyhound owners to Seminole County show a dozen dogs were injured in May and June, one so badly it had to be euthanized. The reports are the first to be submitted under Seminole Countys new Greyhound Protection Ordinance.

Newly-public reports show injuries at Longwood greyhound track

2 greyhound owners suing to stop Seminole County ordinance

Two greyhound owners are now suing Seminole County over the county law that requires them to report any injuries those dogs get during racing at the countys only greyhound racing track at the Sanford Orlando Kennel Club in Longwood.

People like Mary Stewart succeeded in their effort to convince county commissioners to pass the new law in August 2016.

The best thing I ever did was adopt my first greyhound. It changed my life, said Mary Stewart.

Stewart now owns and fosters several greyhounds at her Longwood home, which is not far from where the dogs used to race at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club.

A lot of people think they need a lot of room to run, said Stewart. These dogs have access to the backyard, they are not out there running. They want to be inside in the air conditioning.

We obtained the first two months of injury reports which show reports for each greyhound to leave the track, most to become pets or retire. One of the injury reports states that on May 17, a greyhound suffered a large deep laceration that completely severed a muscle. The report also states the dog was euthanized for humane reasons.

Two greyhound owners, Scott Bennett and Jimmy Goodman, are suing Seminole County to stop the required reports.

It is very clear in state law that the regulation of racing greyhounds must be handled by Florida's Division of Pari-mutual Racing, said Jeff Kottkamp, the attorney for the greyhound owners.

This was done to ensure that regulations are applied statewide in a uniform manner. No one cares more about the welfare of racing greyhounds than their owners. The Florida Greyhound Association continues to advocate for the creation of statewide safety standards at tracks to PREVENT injuries -- not just report them.

"The ordinance passed in Seminole County is not only preempted by state law -- it actually does nothing to improve the safety of racing greyhounds.

We disagree strongly with the allegations made by the breeders in the lawsuit and will vigorously defend the countys greyhound-protection ordinance, said Thomas Wilkes, the attorney whos representing Seminole County in the matter.

If they had nothing to hide, why would they care, I mean, what is the problem with disclosing that a dog had an injury at a track?" said Stewart.

Most of the greyhound racetracks in the Unites States are in Florida, where there are 12. Seminole County is the only county in the state thats passed a greyhound protection law.

Stewart says she hopes other counties will pass what Seminole County did. And she hopes increased regulation and required reporting of greyhound racing injuries will someday lead to the end of greyhound racing.

I would love for other people to experience this kind of joy with these types of dogs, said Stewart.
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.
Plainview Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors assisted with ribbon cutting ceremonies Thursday at the refurbished Allstar Fuel station, 2801 Olton Road. Allstar Fuel has been in business in Plainview for more than 30 years with some of the communitys first key-operated stand-alone fuel stations. This 24-hour fuel station with new pumps is open to the public/businesses and includes products not available at other stand-alone stations: ethanol-free gasoline, tax-free road diesel for qualified permit holders and clear road diesel. Use debit/credit cards and Allstar Smart Cards, available at the Allstar office, 1107 N. Walter Griffin, phone 806-296-6353. Representing Allstar at the ribbon cutting are Laurie Thobe, Gary Garrison and Mark True.
Plainview/Hale County Crime Stoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $250 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crime:

On July 4, two adult males opened a cash register and took an undisclosed amount of money from the Wal-Mart store.

The Plainview/Hale County Crime Stoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $350 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crime.

--On July 20, someone entered Bill Wells Chevrolet located at Fifth and Joliet. Suspects took several cans of spray paint and wrote gang symbols on the hike and bike trail.

--On July 17, someone entered Plainview Nutrition at 1903 Quincy and took miscellaneous items.

--On July 3, someone stole a 1997 GMC truck from 2200 W. 12th St.

--On June 30, someone entered 509 W. 22nd and took a refrigerated window unit. Several other items were taken from the residence.

Fugitives: Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $250 for information that leads to the arrest of the following persons. A warrant has been issued for their arrest. Callers can contact the Hale County Sheriffs Office Warrants Division at 296-2724 or contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline.

--Joel Ramirez Jr, 30, Hispanic male is wanted for tampering with physical evidence.

--Randall Keith Alexander, 26, black male is wanted for sexual assault.

--Erin Thompson, 34, white female is wanted possession of controlled substance.

--Robert Berlin Santiago, 20, Hispanic male is wanted for possession of controlled substance.

--Lucy Nicole Cortez, 28, Hispanic female is wanted for credit card abuse.

--Luis Gerardo Reyes Fuentes, 26, Hispanic male is wanted for sex abuse of a child continuous under 14.

--Ramon Esqueda Gonzales, 44, Hispanic male is wanted for indecency with a child sexual contact.

--Lorenzo Pineda Alvarez, 62, Hispanic male is wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

--Manuel David Cervantes, 33, Hispanic male is wanted for motion to revoke probation possession controlled substance.

--Pierre Chico Hawkins, 41, black male is wanted for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

--Arthur Larry Lewis Jr., 51, white male is wanted for aggravated sexual assault.

Anyone having information on the above crimes or any other crimes occurring in Plainview or Hale County can contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 293-8477 (293-TIPS). All calls will be confidential.
Unemployment in Hale County jumped from 5.3 percent in May to 6.5 percent in June, but the increase is attributed to seasonal factors relating to the end of school.

The numbers are pretty level when compared to last year, reports Danny Soliz of Lubbock, director of business development for South Plains Workforce Solutions. Mostly, we are looking at education and the snowball effect it has on other sectors. You have school teachers who have entered the job market for summer employment, along with those in support services including custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and so forth.

For the six counties in the Heralds circulation area, all except Briscoe County posted increases in joblessness based on data posted Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. Interestingly, Hale County shows a smaller increase than in 2016 when the rate rose from 5.2 in May to 6.8 in June.

The end of school always plays a big role in the unemployment rate this time of year, Soliz explains. It should straighten out with next months report. It will stay flat or perhaps even go down as we start getting ready for going back to school, although some folks who graduated from college in May might still be out there looking for work.

Discounting education, Soliz said throughout the South Plains the actual number of people who are employed remains fairly static. We didnt have that many layoffs, although the civil labor force went up in many counties.

Briscoe County saw its unemployment rate fall from 5.5 percent in May to 5.0 in June. Castro County on the other hand experienced a slight increase, going from 3.3 in May to 3.6 in June.

Floyd Countys rate rose from 6.0 to 6.1; Lamb from 5.5 to 5.8; and Swisher from 4.2 to 4.3 percent.

Reflecting on Hale Countys numbers, Linda Morris, Plainview Chamber of Commerce executive director, said, We always have to look at comparisons of years past to get an accurate picture . . . In visiting with retailers and food establishments, they have all said locally business is down and sometimes that means cutbacks. Sometimes as a business owner and operator, a decision has to be made about operational cost vs. price increases. Summer is typically slower for shopping and spending for numerous reasons.

Several positive things are beginning to happen for Plainview and Hale County that will produce new jobs, however all those projects seem to take time and sometimes the growing and implement phase takes time, Morris said.

Dr. Charles Starnes, Plainview mayor pro tem and professor of business at Wayland, observes, This is a seasonal expectation. Last year (May 2016 to June 2016), we jumped from 5.2 percent to 6.8 percent. The end-of-school bump is milder this year. I trust that all of those school-year workers will find sufficient employment during the summer or will enjoy a few weeks away from their challenging jobs in the public school system.

The proud graduates are eager to enter the labor force or to get their college or vocational education under way, Starnes adds. Both Wayland and South Plains College offer great opportunities for building the skills needed in today's complex workplace.

Mike Fox, executive director of the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation, commented, On the surface a month-to-month comparison indicates a big jump in the Hale County unemployment rate for June. However, this is a trend we see each year. School district employees who are not on a 12-month contract is one contributing factor in the jump. These seasonal factors will even over time and are not a cause for alarm.

Statewide, the Texas economy expanded in June for the 12th consecutive month with the addition of 40,200 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs. Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent, down from 4.8 percent in May. Texas annual employment growth outperformed the previous two years with 319,300 jobs added over the year, bringing the states annual growth rate up by 0.4 percentage points to 2.7 percent.

The Austin and Austin Metropolitan Statistical Areas recorded the months lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 3.4 percent, followed by Midland MSA with a rate of 3.5. The College Station-Bryan MSA registered a rate of 3.8 percent for June.

The Lubbock MSA posted an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent in June, up from 3.2 percent in May.
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The walls surrounding Romaldo Esqueda were blank, covered in a layer of glossy gray paint. But in his mind, they already exploded with color.

Im looking at this one, bro, 30-year-old Esqueda, who lives in Balboa Park, said to his friend. He shook a can of aerosol paint, emitting a metallic tink-tink-tink. The mural had taken shape in his mind, filling the canvas.

Its going to be tight, Esquedas friend replied, a sheen of sweat beading on his forehead. We can take the colors in every direction.

More than 500 feet of foam posters, nailed to metal stands in quadrants of four, were scattered Saturday in Precita Park in the Mission for the 21st annual Urban Youth Graffiti Arts Festival. And that youth title took on fairly expansive definition: While there were some tots and teenagers yielding paintbrushes, the bulk of the festivals 100 or so participants were older, like Esqueda.

For those older artists, this was a time-trip of sorts. They grew up in a different San Francisco  one where gangs ruled the Mission and spray paint was a way to avoid violence. It wasnt anything like the art scene now, they said, where some graffiti commissions sell for thousands of dollars.

The aging artists cant sprint away from the police officers anymore, and the allure of dark alleys has faded with early morning clock-ins to their day jobs. So they come here, to the sun-drenched park with a live DJ and a line of volunteers serving sliced strawberries and hotdogs, every year to paint. By noon, when the event was scheduled to start, nearly every board had already been tagged with the word reserved. Small clouds of marijuana smoke pushed upwards as the artists lit up and appraised their posters.

I wouldnt call this exciting, per say, Esqueda said, pausing to peer at a design sketched on a piece of notebook paper. But its a lot less dramatic here. Its the act of putting something we love down in paint. This is our medium, our voices, our tools, our spray paint.

He trailed off, leaning forward to spray an arc of cotton candy pink paint onto the wall. The acrid scent of aerosol filled the air. The design zigged and zagged, intersecting at right angles. Faint words from a tech conference  the boards were former signs donated by the Moscone Center  were barely visible underneath.

Modern funk, Esqueda called the mural, like the designs he had once spray painted on abandoned shop walls near Ocean Beach. He got into spray painting when he was 17 years old and still in high school. But those days were long gone.

Life gets in the way, said Esqueda, who now works at a company inscribing epitaphs on tomb stones. I havent picked up a can in so long.

Nicole Rodriguez of Sunnydale snapped a photo of the painting. In it, Esquedas arm was a tan blur. The 25-year-old came to the festival for the first time as part of a self-care day, she said. She wanted to see the art and how it came together  and maybe even paint something herself.

I love the ones with color, Rodriguez said. This is a really cool way to bring the community together. I wanted to see some live art. Its amazing how much creativity comes from different angles. Its my first time ever, but Id love to come back next year, too.

San Francisco Public Works spends more than $20 million annually to scrub graffiti and tagging from city walls. Participate in the fight against graffiti! the agencys website reads.

But Robert Louthan, a professional painter and volunteer with Precitas Eyes, an mural arts nonprofit in the Mission, said the response was too harsh. He described graffiti as an art form, one that fed off of the hip hop movement and brought color to San Franciscos already vibrant culture.

Graffiti has this stigma, and it has been labeled as a defacement of property, he said. But its so much more than that. You can achieve so much with aerosol. But when someone tags a liquor store window, all other graffiti artists get a bad rap. We want to break the stereotype that artists are vandals.

Its a way of life for a lot of these people.

Louthan blocked off a section of wall for a community mural. A rainbow of acrylic paint cans was lined up in the grass, and a handful of parents and children waited to leave their mark. One 3-year-old watched as his mother drew the outline of a face in brown paint.

We are here for the youth, really, Louthan said. We want to provide access so they can harness their inherent creativity. A lot of times they havent had access to art because they dont have the tools. But theyre out here today for them.

He dabbed orange acrylic on the wall until a patch of gray paint forever disappeared.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: Ljohnson@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn
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An attack on a man outside the BART station in Richmond this week had an influential witness who was not pleased with what he saw  city Mayor Tom Butt.

Butt said two BART employees sat in a nearby truck and watched the assault Thursday morning, apparently doing nothing, as the victim was beaten and kicked by a group of juveniles while a woman intervened. The mayor snapped a photo of the two men wearing neon utility vests sitting in a truck with the BART logo.

There was a woman there who was screaming at the kids, Stop, stop, get out of here, Butt said. I was astounded two BART employees would just watch while some brave woman was doing her best to chase these kids off and save this guy.

BART police said five or six juveniles assaulted the man, kicking and punching him shortly before 11:30 a.m., but Butt estimated that the group numbered about a dozen. The youths escaped into the surrounding area, police said.

BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said via email Friday that the spot where the attack happened was a plaza outside the station that is in the jurisdiction of the Richmond Police Department. But the mayor said he had called 911 and had been greeted by confusion as to whether the incident was under the jurisdiction of BART or Richmond police.

There were several problems I was concerned with. One is the dispatch issue. To me, its crazy for a BART police officer to have to respond to something like this thats right in the heart of downtown Richmond, he said.

Butt said he had emailed the BART Board of Directors and Richmond police chief to express his concerns.

He said there was no one at the station agent kiosk, and when he came back through the station about five hours later on his return trip from San Francisco, the kiosk still stood empty.

A station agent was on duty at the time, but may have been dealing with job responsibilities outside the kiosk, Trost said.

We had a station agent in the station, who likely was involved in one of the many duties required of agents that occur outside the information box such as on platforms and near our ticket vending machines, Trost said.

The station agent is being interviewed to determine his or her whereabouts, according to BART spokesman Taylor Huckabee.

Trost said the youths were not BART passengers and were loitering in the plaza before the attack. She added that they may have stolen a cigarette from the victim.

The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Lt. Felix Tan, a spokesman for the Richmond Police Department.

Butt said on his return trip through the station, he noticed another startling detail: The victims blood had not been cleaned from the pavement.

I went up the stairs and was kind of astounded  there was a pool of blood on the sidewalk from where this guy was injured, Butt said. Like no one thought it was a good idea to clean it up.

Trost said, The blood on the street was Richmonds jurisdiction, but we still sent a crew to clean it.

Chronicle staff writer

Michael Bodley contributed

to this report.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
Juvenile courts in California can supervise children whose parents are no longer able to protect or control them, even if the parents have done nothing wrong, the state Supreme Court has ruled.

Courts in the state had been divided over whether a parent must be abusive, neglectful or otherwise unfit to trigger a long-standing law declaring the parents minor child to be a dependent of the juvenile court. That status allows a judge to order counseling or treatment for both parent and child, and, if problems persist, to remove the child from parental custody.

In a ruling that resolved the issue, the states high court said the law applies whenever a child is endangered because the parents have failed to adequately supervise or protect the child.

The law was intended to protect youths who are at substantial risk of serious physical harm due to no fault of the parent, Justice Ming Chin said in the 7-0 decision, issued Thursday.

Justice Goodwin Liu, in a separate opinion, suggested the Legislature might consider rewriting the law, which can inflict a painful stigma on innocent parents.

But Stephen Watson, a deputy Los Angeles County counsel who defended the countys handling of the case of a runaway teenage girl, said the court recognized that the laws main concern was the childs best interest.

A lawyer for the girls mother, who challenged the juvenile courts decision to declare the girl a dependent and terminate the mothers custody, declined to comment on the ruling.

State law allows juvenile courts to supervise minors who are dependents, because of their parents failure or inability to take care of them, or delinquents, because of crime or other conduct such as running away from home or violating curfew.

Orders in dependency cases are often directed at both parents and children, while judges in delinquency cases decide whether the youth should be counseled, sent to treatment programs or locked up. Judges in both types of cases can order the child placed in someone elses custody or sent to a foster home.

The girl in this case, identified as R.T., started running away from home at age 14 and gave birth to a daughter at 15, while falsely accusing her mother of abuse, the court said. Her mother tried to get help from a county family services agency and police, then arranged for the girl to live with the mothers parents in the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach.

In 2014, when R.T. was 17 and pregnant again, a juvenile court judge granted the countys request to declare her a dependent, saying her mothers inability to protect her placed her at risk of serious harm. The judge authorized the county to place her elsewhere, but she wound up staying with her maternal grandparents.

The mother challenged the dependency finding, saying she had done everything she could to control her childs behavior and argued that R.T. belonged in a delinquency court that could oversee her behavior.

But the justices said the law does not automatically place an incorrigible child in the delinquency system pipeline. Regardless of cause, Chin said, a child who is at risk of serious harm in her parents home can be declared a dependent.

Watson, the countys lawyer, said the girl is now an adult, has undergone counseling and remains with her grandparents. Its a textbook case for why the statute is written as it is, he said.

The case is: In re R.T., S226416.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Pearland officers filed several burglary reports last week as thieves targeted victims and vehicles near the city's busiest thoroughfares.

BURGLARY

A laptop was stolen from a construction site July 9 or July 10 in the 11200 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said.

Police investigated a motor vehicle burglary July 10 in the 3500 block of Business Center Drive.

A motor vehicle burglary occurred July 10 or July 11 in the 10000 block of Broadway Street, police said.

A suspect forced entry into a motor vehicle July 11 in the 2800 block of Pearland Parkway, police said, but no items were reported missing. A few hours later a backpack was stolen out of a vehicle in the same block.

Burglary of a habitation and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle was reported July 12 in the 1800 block of Oak Lodge Drive, police said.

A suspect damaged the front door of a building in an attempt to gain entry July 12 in the 2100 block of Broadway Street, police said.

A handgun was stolen out of a vehicle between June 17 and July 11 in the 2700 block of Hidden Landing Drive, according to a July 12 police report.

Burglary of a building occurred July 13 in the 3000 block of Broadway Street, police said.

A motor vehicle burglary took place June 28, according to a police report filed July 13 in the 10200 block of Broadway Street.

Police filed a burglary of building report July 14 in the 3400 block of Business Center Drive.

A motor vehicle burglary was reported July 14 in the 2800 block of Pearland Parkway, police said.

A male suspect burglarized a vehicle July 15 in the 1500 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Burglary of a motor vehicle occurred July 15 or July 16 in the 1700 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Several items were taken during a motor vehicle burglary July 16 in the 1700 block of Broadway Street, police said.

THEFT

A woman and a juvenile stole a refrigeration unit and a push cart from a grocery store July 9 or July 10 in the 2700 block of Pearland Parkway, police said.

Theft was reported July 10 in the 12400 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said.

Police completed a theft report July 10 in the 2500 block of Business Center Drive.

A female suspect shoplifted July 11 in the 1900 block of Main Street, police said.

Theft occurred July 11 in the 11200 block of Broadway Street and the 2700 block of Pearland Parkway, police said.

Police arrested a Missouri City man, 52, and three Houston men - ages 34, 43 and 55 - for theft July 12 in the 1900 block of Main Street.

A vehicle was reported stolen July 12 in the 2600 block of Sunrise Harbor Lane, police said.

A female suspect stole 18 boxes of Claritin April 2 from Sam's Club in the 15800 block of Texas 288, according to a July 12 police report.

Merchandise worth $282.06 was stolen between June 12 and July 10 in the 12800 block of Broadway Street, according to a July 12 police report.

Theft was reported July 12 in the 1500 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Police investigated theft of a motor vehicle July 12 in the 1000 block of Bass Pro Drive.

Lawn care equipment was stolen July 12 in the 1800 block of Meadow Creek Drive, police said.

Shoplifting occurred July 13 in the 1900 block of Main Street, police said.

Police filed a report of theft and recovered stolen property July 13 in the 1500 block of Woody Road.

Police field a theft of service report July 13 in the 9000 block of Broadway Street. The incident occurred between July 9 and July 13.

Two ink cartridges were stolen May 23 from a residence in the 5900 block of Wilton Street, according to a July 13 police report.

Police cited a male suspect for shoplifting July 13 in the 1900 block of Main Street. A second citation was issued to a male suspect July 14 in the same block.

Shoplifting was reported July 13 in the 2700 block of Pearland Parkway, police said.

Theft occurred July 12 or July 13 in the 2800 block of Business Center Drive, police said.

Shoplifting was reported July 13 at Walmart, 1919 Main St., police said.

A motor vehicle was stolen July 13 or July 14 in the 2500 block of Barry Rose Road, police said.

Theft of service occurred July 14 in the 11900 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said.

A female complainant said a male suspect scammed her out of a trailer and a power washer between June 9 and June 11, according to a police report filed July 14 in the 1500 block of Westfield Road.

Theft was reported July 14 in the 11200 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Police investigated a theft report July 15 in the 1700 block of Broadway Street.

Shoplifting was reported July 15 in the 1500 and 11200 blocks of Broadway Street, police said.

A Houston man, 37, was arrested for shoplifting and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle July 16 in the 11100 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said.

Theft was reported July 16 in the 11600 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Police investigated a theft report July 16 in the 3200 block of McLean Road.

FRAUD, FORGERY

A male suspect attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill July 10 in the 7200 block of Broadway Street. A female suspect successfully passed a fake $100 bill between July 1 and July 3 in the same block, according to a July 10 police report.

A suspect used a complainant's business account to make counterfeit checks and cash them at area banks between April 3 and April 10, according to a police report filed July 12 in the 8400 block of Broadway Street.

A suspect charged items to a victim's checking account without permission July 13 or July 14, according to a police report filed in the 3200 block of Randall Drive.

Four suspects filled prescriptions using fraudulent information July 12 or July 13 in the 10200 block of Broadway Street, police said.

A suspect attempted to purchase several books with a counterfeit $50 bill July 15 in the 2800 block of Business Center Drive, police said.

A victim's identifying information was used without her consent July 15 in the 2900 block of Southdown Drive, police said.

Forgery involving counterfeit money was reported July 16 in the 3000 block of Kirby Drive, police said.

ASSAULT

Police investigated a family violence report July 10 in the 1900 block of Kirby Drive.

Assault, family violence was reported July 10 in the 3700 block of Burwood Court, police said.

A woman ran over her husband's foot July 11 in the 4000 block of Ravenwood Court, police said.

Police detained a juvenile suspect for assault, family violence July 11 in the 3700 block of Heather Lane.

Police arrested a female suspect for assault, family violence July 14 in the 3200 block of Sumac Drive.

A Pearland woman, 34, was arrested for assault, family violence July 14 in the 3600 block of West Pine Orchard Drive, police said.

ANIMAL CRUELTY

A Pearland Animal Control officer said cruelty to livestock animals occurred between June 1 and July 11 in the 1400 block of Stone Road, according to a July 11 police report.

TRAFFIC

Police arrested a Friendswood man, 36, after an accident involving damage to a vehicle July 12 in the 11600 block of Broadway Street.

Police arrested an Alvin woman, 38, for driving while license invalid July 13 in the 3500 block of Main Street.

A Houston woman, 31, was arrested for warrants during a crash investigation July 14 in the 10900 block of Memorial Hermann Drive, police said.

Police arrested a Deer Park man, 30, for failure to identify and driving while license invalid July 15 in the 1300 block of Main Street. A Friendswood woman, 34, also was arrested for marijuana possession.

A hit-and-run collision involving vehicle damage was reported July 15 in the 11100 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said.

Police arrested a Houston woman, 26, for driving while license invalid after a traffic stop July 16 in the 10600 block of McHard Road.

ROBBERY

Aggravated robbery of a vehicle occurred July 11 in the 2500 block of Business Center Drive, police said.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION

Police took a Pearland man, 26, into custody for public intoxication July 11 in the 9700 block of Broadway Street.

Police arrested a Houston man, 30 for public intoxication July 12 in the 9000 block of Broadway Street.

A Freeport man, 40, was arrested for public intoxication July 14 in the 9000 block of Broadway Street, police said.

KIDNAPPING

Kidnapping was attempted July 11 in the 3700 block of Harkey Road, police said. The suspect reportedly tried to force the victim into his vehicle, but the victim escaped on foot.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

Property damage was reported July 10 in the 3300 block of Lakeway Lane, police said.

A suspect attempted to enter an assisted living building without authorization July 11 in the 2100 block of Scarsdale Boulevard, police said.

NARCOTICS

Police arrested a Brazoria County man, 27, for possession of synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia July 11 in the 3400 block of Business Center Drive.

Police cited a Houston man, 18, for possession of drug paraphernalia July 12 in the 3000 block of Business Center Drive.

Police cited a suspect for possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop July 12 in the 2200 block of CR 48.

An Angleton man, 21, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and marijuana July 13 in the 17300 block of Texas 288, police said.

Police arrested a Houston man, 24, for marijuana possession and a warrant July 13 in the 2300 block of Main Street.

Police arrested a Pearland woman, 30, and a Pearland man, 28, for possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespass July 13 in the 5800 block of Cottonwood Street.

A Houston woman, 35, was arrested for DWI and possession of a controlled substance July 14 in the 16600 block of Texas 288, police said.

Police arrested a Manvel man, 26, for possession of drug paraphernalia and a warrant July 15 in the 5100 block of Main Street. A 41-year-old Friendswood man also was taken into custody for a warrant.

Police arrested a Pearland man, 33, for possession of a controlled substance July 15 in the 2500 block of Cullen Parkway.

A Pearland woman, 26, was arrested for marijuana possession July 16 in the 2500 block of Westminister Road, police said.

A Donna, Texas, man, 39, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance July 16 in the 1900 block of Main Street, police said.

DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED

Police arrested a Dickinson man, 37, for DWI July 11 in the 3900 block of Liberty Drive.

A Cypress man, 38, was arrested for DWI July 12 in the 7200 block of Broadway Street, police said.

Police arrested a Pasadena man, 50, for DWI and striking an unattended vehicle July 15 in the 3200 block of John Lizer Road.

Police took a Houston man, 50, into custody for DWI July 16 in the 11200 block of Shadow Creek Parkway.

RESISTING ARREST

Police took a Pearland man, 19, into custody for resisting arrest, failure to identify as a fugitive and warrants July 12 in the 9600 block of Live Creek Lane.

Police took a juvenile suspect into custody for evading arrest in a vehicle July 16 in the 10500 block of Broadway Street.

WEAPONS

Police arrested an Alvin man, 27, for possession of a prohibited weapon and driving while license invalid July 13 in the 6500 block of Rice Road.

INJURY TO CHILD, DISABLED PERSON

Police filed a report of a possible injury to a child July 13 in the 5400 block of Colmesneil Drive.
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Multiple Montgomery County fire crews withstood the heat for hours to snuff out a two-alarm factory fire that ignited in the Conroe area Saturday morning.



The call came in at 10 a.m. at 9984 Butlers Road, off of North Loop 336 East, for a factory whose owner and five employees had evacuated. The factory is outside of Conroe city limits, according to fire officials. Upon arriving, fire crews reported visible flames and smoke before being asked to stay back.



Hazmat crews were dispatched to the factory, which officials reported had at least seven barrels of nitrocellulose.



Deputy Chief and Shift Commander Michael Gosselin said the factory manufactures cartridges used in gun-like devices for the construction of hospitals. The chemicals for the devices were stored in the factory.



"Those were the small explosions that occurred," Gosselin said.



The owner of the company and five employees were working on the building, adding a front section, and putting up metal fabrication lines when the fire started. However, the building was evacuated without any injuries and the official cause is still being investigated by the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office and Conroe Fire Department.



While the investigation continues, Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams commended Gosselin's sound tactical decisions that prevented injuries, including with consideration to the fire and weather conditions.



As of 10:30 a.m., a plume of smoke could still be seen as far away as Texas 105 and Loop 336 rising from the scene as emergency personnel parked along the roadway. The fire remained active for more than an hour. Officials on scene reported it under control by 11:39 a.m. with all crews out of the building. Crews remained on scene throughout the day to control the smoulder and manage the equipment as needed.



On scene, Gosselin said he prioritized confirming all people were evacuated, then considered numerous factors including how much of the chemical was stored, the population, and wind direction to ensure residents and firefighters would not be contaminated or require further evacuation.



"Anytime we respond to an industrial complex like that there is always an extra hint of caution you have to use," he said. "We had a lot of discretionary time to set up foam systems. The fire came down a little bit and we knew it was safe to get closer."



As part of standard protocol, firefighters were required to take breaks from carrying 80-pound gear and equipment and to rehydrate with medic units there to monitor. Extra special units were also called in, including foam trucks.



"It went well," Gosselin said. "We got help and certainly don't want to see anyone get hurt. Once we knew how many people were accounted for, we knew that we were looking to save property, we had time to put proper things in place in a safe manner."



"The only obstacle was the heat and it was brutal," he added.



Conroe FD, Caney Creek FD, The Woodlands FD, North Montgomery County FD, Cut and Shoot FD, Hazmat International, Conroe police, MCHD EMS, and MCFMO responded to the scene.



No further information was available.
WASHINGTON - Nolan, his 10-year-old son, had bragged to his friends when his mom attended the Women's March after President Donald Trump's inauguration, and then he had asked his dad when he could go to a march, too.

So the family of four drove down Friday night to join those seeking to be heard at the "March for Public Education," a rally and protest against the Trump administration's efforts to cut federal education funding and expand private-school vouchers.

"I love a good road tip, but this one's special," said Maxwell, who was sporting a "Schoolhouse Rock!" T-shirt while standing next to his wife, Melissa Maxwell, 41, who was wearing a "Nasty scientist" T-shirt, and their two sons Nolan and Garrett, 7.

Teachers, current and retired, parents, students and their families began converging about 10 a.m. near the Washington Monument to march in support of public education. Similar marches took place in 11 cities nationwide, including Detroit, Austin, Miami and Lincoln, Nebraska, according to the march's website.

Organizers say they are marching for equity in education funding, college affordability, and against the nearly 14 percent cuts to education that Trump has proposed. Hundreds of people joined the march in Washington despite temperatures climbing into the 90s and a heat advisory from the National Weather Service.

During a morning rally, protesters heard from students and national education advocates before marching to the Education Department offices at about noon. Saturday's protest was planned to coincide with a national meeting in the District of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second-largest teachers union.

"It's a march for educational justice," said march co-chair Pavithra Nagarajan, a former teacher now studying for a doctorate at Columbia University's Teachers College.

Nagarajan and co-chair Steve Ciprani, a high school social studies and Latin teacher in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said that in addition to advocating for policy change and encouraging attendees to reach out to their elected representatives, they hope students and young children not yet in school become "little activists in training."

"Creating socially conscious young people are at the heart of this march," Nagarajan said.

Patrice Kelly, 37, is not a teacher, but she brought her 10-year-old daughter Niya Harrod along to the march in hopes that she would see that the policies she overhears her mother complaining about affect others, too.

"If she's going to believe in something, I want her to be active and be an activist," Kelly said of her daughter, who stood next to her in front of the Education Department building holding a sign that said "Make America Smart Again."

As protesters marched along Independence Avenue from the Mall to the Education Department, calling education a "human right" and chanting that Education Secretary "Betsy DeVos has got to go," vehicles honked in approval and buses of tourists cheered in support.

DeVos has long been assailed by some teachers and parents for her support of school vouchers and charter schools, which they see as taking away resources from public schools. DeVos has pushed back, saying she supports public schools but wants parents to have more choices in the schools their children attend.

Rebecca Cokley said its depressing to see the unraveling of the progress she helped make while working in various roles at the Education and Health and Human Services departments and the White House under President Barack Obama.

Cokley told the crowd that she has watched the Trump administration "pry the teeth out of civil rights statutes one by one like a demented sort of dentist."

"I adamantly protest the idea that vouchers and choice are good for disabled students. Vouchers and choice are segregation," Cokley, the former executive director of the National Council on Disability, said to cheers.

Organizers said earlier that they hoped the march would send a message that public education is essential to democracy. But 10th-grade teacher Laura Brown was thinking about how the divisiveness of the democratic process during the presidential campaign had seeped into her classroom in ways unexpected.

The social studies teacher from Liverpool, New York, had come to the march with her 8-year-old daughter Ruby. She recalled how one of her students had turned to a classmate of Indian descent and said he wished he could tell foreigners to get out.

"They were surrounded by all this inappropriate language and they didn't know how to handle it," Brown, 44, said. "It was our job to help them figure out how to navigate this brave new world."

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Sanaa Abrar said she was bullied in middle school for being Muslim and Pakistani. One day, she finally cracked and cried to her mom about never wanting to speak to those students again. When the 25-year-old master's student studying at American University took the stage Saturday, she remembered what her mom had asked her that day: If you don't talk to them, how are they going to learn?

So Abrar, who is a senior policy fellow for the immigrant advocacy group United We Dream, stood in front of the microphone and told the crowd, "I am proud to be an immigrant and no matter what Donald Trump or the extremists have to say, I am here to say."

The crown then joined her in chanting, "Here to stay."
A man from India has been convicted of using a fake identity to obtain citizenship after deportation orders, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Houston resident Balbir Singh, 50, was previously denied asylum for using a false pretense and ordered to be deported from the United States. Instead of leaving, he changed his identity to Ranjit Singh and tried to obtain naturalization based on marriage to a U.S. citizen.
More than 1,000 pounds of marijuana were seized by Border Patrol agents Friday morning in South Texas.

According to a news release sent by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, 58 bundles of marijuana were seized by Border Patrol agents at about 9:30 a.m near La Lomita Chapel, in Mission.
Dateline was in San Antonio recently filming an episode called "Collision,"airing Friday at 9 p.m. July 21, 2017. It will explore the 2013 local story that made national headlines involving Frances Hall, who was found guilty for killing her husband and business partner, Bill Hall Jr.

The story below originally ran in September 2016.

Frances Hall, who killed her husband in 2013 by knocking his motorcycle off Loop 1604 South while chasing his lover in what authorities said was a jealous rage, was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison.

It was the lightest possible sentence after the jury agreed with defense lawyers that she acted under the influence of sudden passion, which reduced the punishment range for murder to that of a second-degree felony. Another two-year sentence for aggravated assault will be served concurrently and Hall, 53, will be eligible for parole in one year.

RELATED: Shocking South Texas crimes by women

The assault conviction was for ramming her Cadillac Escalade into a Range Rover driven by Bonnie Contreras, who recently had called her to tell her she was having an affair with Bill Hall Jr., according to testimony. The jury had convicted her on Thursday.

When state District Judge Jefferson Moore read the sentence, the gallery erupted in gasps of relief. Relatives of both husband and wife had been civil with each other during the entire three-week trial.

RELATED: Weapons used as evidence in South Texas trials

Im grateful she is getting a lesser sentence, said Justin Hall, the couples son, who attended the trial daily with his sister, Dominique Nikki Hall, to support their mother. Shes our rock. She pulled everybody together. I dont feel that she should be going to prison.

Contreras also was in the courtroom to hear the sentence, escorted by armed investigators from the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. They whisked her out after it was read.

Contreras had testified that her affair with Bill Hall, 50, had lasted three years. Frances Hall, during the punishment phase of the trial, testified she was unaware of the relationship until Contreras phoned her to tell her  and weeks later, when she saw her husband on his motorcyle and Contreras driving the Hall couples Range Rover, she made a U-turn to follow and confront Contreras.

Frances Hall told the jury Monday she never hit the Range Rover. Bill Hall ended up riding next to her on the shoulder, and she was forced to brake, felt her vehicle shake and saw her right rear window was broken but didnt realize at first that Bill Hall had tumbled to a fatal injury as she kept driving, she said.

Defense attorney Adam Cortez argued that Frances Hall is a loving person driven to that moment on the highway by Contreras, who had tormented her. It was something she did that you wouldn't expect from a woman who has no criminal history, Cortez said.

In her closing arguments, another defense attorney, Leigh Cutter, said Contreras had called Frances Hall to tell her about the affair because she was mad at Bill Hall for not giving her money for a manicure.

But prosecutor Stephanie Paulissen pointed to Frances Halls own statement from the stand Monday: Nobody could have him because he was mine.

Read the full story at ExpressNews.com or in Wednesdays Express-News.

ezavala@express-news.net

Twitter: @elizabeth2863
HONDO  A lawsuit filed Friday against Medina County Clerk Lisa J. Wernette seeks to oust her from office on the grounds that she is ineligible to serve because she resides outside the county and is incapable of discharging her statutory duties.

Its plaintiffs include County Judge Chris Schuchart, who said Wernette announced in May that she intended to resign and move to Florida, where her daughter resides, to deal with health issues.

Despite relocating to Tampa months ago, Wernette never officially resigned, he said Thursday, so shes still collecting an annual salary of $55,409, plus benefits.

Wernette did not respond to phone messages this week.

Shes very well aware we need something in writing, he said, noting a replacement clerk cant be seated until Wernette officially vacates the office.

To resolve the impasse, Schuchart said county commissioners voted at a July 14 special meeting to initiate legal action to remove Wernette if a resignation letter was not received from her by Friday.

Theres not a person on commissioners court that wants to do this. We need to do this, Schuchart said. We would love for her to be well and better and here.

Courthouse signs still identify the county clerk as Wernette, who celebrated her successful recovery from cancer a few years ago by posting large banners outside her office.

Eva Maldonado, chief deputy county clerk, declined to say when Wernette last regularly reported for duty, or if she still manages the offices or exercises remote oversight of its nine staffers.

The suit, which includes individual commissioners as plaintiffs, asks the court to initially suspend Wernette for non-compliance with the residency and performance requirements for elected officials specified in the Texas Constitution.

It notes the county could suffer the loss of grants and other negative financial repercussions if the clerks duties are not executed legally and properly.

Plaintiffs demand trial by jury to determine which of the grounds for removal alleged herein are sustained by the evidence, says the petition filed Friday afternoon by attorney Michael Shaunessy of Austin.

A temporary clerk should be appointed during Wernettes suspension, the lawsuit proposes, who could become clerk once the court declares the position vacant and the person posts bond.

Wernettes replacement would serve until December 2018, when Wernettes term was to expire, Schuchart said.

County residents like Melinda Alaquinez backed the legal pressure commissioners are exerting to resolve the situation she called unfair to taxpayers.

If that was all right, then everybody would just go to Florida and collect pay and be on vacation, said Alaquinez, 47, of Hondo.

zeke@express-news.net
Anyone wanting to host a large event on South Padre Island, a popular spring break destination, will now have to apply for a permit four weeks in advance. Those who fail to do so will face a $500 fine, according to a new ordinance approved earlier this week.

The South Padre Island City Council approved a "large event ordinance" Wednesday, which will go into effect roughly a month from now, said Nikki Soto, the city's interim public information officer. The ordinance was introduced at a July 5 council meeting and outlined how the city would handle groups of more than 1,000 people on the island.
The SA Youth has a new CEO.

The organizations board of directors appointed Asia Ciaravino as the organizations leader effective Thursday.

I look forward to building upon the great work accomplished over the past 30 years and bringing the organization into the future, Ciaravino said.

Ciaravino has 19 years of experience working with arts, youth and underprivileged organizations across the country, according to a news release from SA Youth. Most recently, Ciaravino served as the chief operations officer of the San Antonio Tricentennial Commission.

She graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word and holds a masters degree in nonprofit management from Our Lady of the Lake University.

Asia Ciaravino is a perfect fit to lead SA Youth, SA Youth Board Chair Bob Benavides said in the release. Her proven track record and devotion to serving community driven organizations will provide the leadership our centers need in the ever-changing nonprofit landscape.

The SA Youth started in 1984 as a drop-in center for urban youth. The agency has several programs that provide youth development activities, afterschool programs and a GED program.

SMartinez-Beltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @SergioMarBel
An off-duty Bexar County Sheriff's deputy saved a Walmart employee's life Saturday, San Antonio police say.

A loss prevention employee at the Walmart in the 8000 block of Bandera Road was stabbed about 1 p.m. while confronting a customer police say was attempting to shoplift.

SAPD Sgt. James Lint said the unnamed deputy was at right place at the right time when he sprung into action after the employee was attacked.

"With him being here (at the Walmart) he was able to get a tourniquet on him," Lint said. "That's probably what saved his life."

Multiple news reports state the employee was transported a hospital with life threatening injuries.

The suspect is still on the loose.

SMartinez-Beltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @SergioMarBel
BAIDOA, Somalia  This town was liberated from the control of al-Shabab (an Islamist insurgent group) five years ago. But liberated is a relative term. The security bubble created by the presence of United Nations and Ethiopian military forces reaches less than 10 miles outside of town, leaving just a short hike to terroristland.

In sophisticated propaganda videos, the Islamist insurgency claims to having a working, parallel government, with schools and medical facilities. When I mentioned this to Somalis, they laughed. Al-Shabab is best at taxing movement and businesses, conducting targeted assassinations, and importing al-Qaida bomb experts. Last year, a double bombing in Baidoa killed more than 30 people. In 2015, three fighters wearing Somali army uniforms breached the Baidoa green zone and killed several people across from the compound where I was writing this column.

Most of the men you encounter in the street are armed, and travel outside of town requires a small platoon of guards. The periodic gunshots you hear are disconcerting but usually indicate weddings and other celebrations.

The relative stability of the town attracts IDPs (internally displaced persons) fleeing faminelike conditions caused by three years of inadequate rains, further complicated by conflict. More than 700,000 Somalis  well over half of them children  have left their homes due to the drought. At one IDP camp, I spoke with a woman who had all her food and money confiscated at al-Shabab checkpoints. I spoke with a woman who started her trek with six children and ended with four  the other two taken by cholera, which can kill within hours.

Somalia generally gets bad press, focused on starvation, terrorism or piracy. But its not a country comprised mainly of hungry, Islamist pirates. It is a country in the midst of re-founding itself. It recently elected a promising new president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who has Somali-American dual citizenship and once worked for the Department of Transportation in Buffalo, New York.

American drones fly over Somalia and America helps train the Somali military. There are rumors that Farmajo may soon undertake a military offensive as a show of strength.

But any rational account of American interests must also include the well-being of the Somali people. More than 3 million Somalis  about one-fourth of the population  are in critical need of help. Poverty and despair do not cause terrorism, but they can contribute to the failure of states, which provides the chaos in which terrorism thrives. Somalia is exhibit A.

Time-compressed disasters  events like earthquakes and hurricanes  tend to result in concentrated generosity. But a slowly unfolding nightmare is no less frightening. Across South Sudan, northern Nigeria, Yemen and Somalia, we are hearing not urgent shouts but gradually fading voices. This is one horrifying aspect of meeting severely malnourished children in Baidoas hot, crowded, reeking hospital ward. Some are too weak even to cry, and their quiet bleat may be the saddest sound I have ever heard.

There is little question that the already generous response of the United States and other donors will need to be stepped up even further. But those who find that statement ideologically objectionable  those who believe that our government shouldnt respond in this fashion  can still show their generosity to private and religious groups doing front-line work in the region. (A place to start is the Hunger Relief Fund sponsored by PepsiCo, Google, Twitter and others at globalemergencyresponse.org. One of the groups, World Vision, in this consortium sponsored my visit.)

It is difficult to describe the scale of Somali suffering  a quarter of the population wrestling with hunger and despair. These people require more than a flash of empathy. They need empathy and action as sustained and implacable as the drought itself.

michaelgerson@washpost.com
In discharging  less than honorably  soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen with service-connected mental conditions, the U.S. military is making a mockery of the standards of honor it is sworn to uphold.

The practice was detailed in a recent Express-News report by Martin Kuz.

It is a type of phenomenon not unknown to the Express-News, which wrote in its 2013 Twice Betrayed series of the military forcing out sexual assault victims rather than providing them the justice and the services they needed.

That series resulted in congressional action that forced the military to remedy its practices in dealing with such victims.

Congress needs to take another look at whether the military is unjustly discharging members to spare the government the expense of providing the care and services due veterans with service-connected mental health issues.

Kuz wrote that the latest tactic likely involves military members diagnosed with adjustment disorders. This has resulted in less-than-honorable discharges, which deny those discharged care provided by the Veterans Affairs Department and a host of other benefits.

In 2008, the military was using a different diagnosis  personality disorders  to accomplish the same thing. Congress generally put a stop to that.

Now, experts fear the military is simply substituting diagnosis, not taking into account that these behavioral problems might result from service-connected mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tens of thousands of troops with diagnosed conditions received less-than-honorable discharges from 2011 through 2015, according to a Government Accountability Office report released in May. More than 57,000 were diagnosed with a mental health condition, yet fewer than 3,500 received honorable discharges, Kuz reported.

Kuz highlighted the plights of two less-than-honorably discharged veterans.

Dustin Greco, an Iraq War veteran, sought help from a private behavioral health provider before he was demoted and then discharged in 2010 after failing a drug test.

Kristofer Goldsmith tried to bury the trauma of photographing war and its carnage with vodka, and he then attempted suicide. He was diagnosed with depression and adjustment disorder. But, he, too, was less-than-honorably discharged after being accused of misconduct for missing a flight back to Iraq.

Goldsmith was ultimately diagnosed with PTSD, but the Army has denied his appeals to adjust his records.

What seems clear is that the military essentially wants two things from such actions. It wants to discharge problem members as a matter of expediency rather than dealing with or considering underlying issues. And it wants to spare the government the expense of providing care for veterans with service-connected disabilities.

But make no mistake, a mental issue arising from the trauma war inflicts is as deserving of the nations attention as any combat-related injury from bullet or explosion.

The GAO report laid it out. It noted that commanders are required to assess whether service-related health issues play a part in behaviors they find the cause for discharges. Failure to adhere to this requirement, the report said, increases the risk that service members are inappropriately separated for misconduct without adequate consideration of these conditions effects on behavior.

Congress must investigate and force remedies.
1 Mexico City shootout: Mexican military forces killed a suspected gang leader and seven others in a bloody shootout this week in southern Mexico City, which has largely avoided such large-scale drug violence. The shootout and roadblocks of burning buses set up by gang members created a scene that is common in other Mexican cities in the grasp of drug cartels, but rare in the capital. Sixteen people were in custody on charges of sabotage and property damage related to the blockades, Mexico Citys prosecutors office said. The gang operated in the Tlahuac and Iztapalapa districts on the citys south and east sides, where it dealt drugs, and carried out kidnappings, extortion and murder, Mexicos navy said. Authorities identified the leader as Felipe de Jesus N and did not name the gang. But local media called him El Ojos and said he led the Tlahuac cartel.

2 Terrorism fight: The Pentagon is withholding hundreds of millions of dollars meant to reimburse Pakistan for its fight against terrorist groups, citing Islamabads failure to take sufficient action against the Haqqani Network, an offshoot of the Taliban based in Pakistan. The announcement on Friday comes as Defense Secretary James Mattis and the White House debate a long-delayed strategy for the war in Afghanistan that could adopt a tougher line toward over Pakistans role in the conflict. Of the $900 million originally marked for Pakistan, $550 has already been disbursed.
Rob Bell is back on best-seller lists with a new book entitled, What Is the Bible? The evangelical author set off something of a theological fire storm six years ago with Love Wins, which suggested that hell does not exist.

The book cost him his job as pastor of the 10,000-member Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since then, Bell has been lecturing and writing. His newest bestseller is about the Scriptures and is subtitled: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel about Everything.

Bell wants readers to engage the Bible in new ways.

For critical thinkers, who largely dismiss the Bible as an outdated book of primitive, barbaric fairy tales and

For readers who talk about how important and inspired it is but butcher it with their stilted literalism and stifling interpretations

Bell recommends that readers consider a larger picture when reading the Bible. He calls the Bible a library of books dealing with loss and anger and transcendence and worry and empire and money and fear and stress and joy and doubt and grace and healing, and who doesnt want to talk about these things?

Critical thinkers, including those who have turned their backs on the Bible, can find places in its poems and letters and stories where there is healing and hope. Literalists might want to consider reading the Bible from a new perspective, by flying close to the ground as he puts it. While Bell believes the Bible is divinely inspired, it is first and foremost written by humans who were struggling to understand the complexities of life in their own times. Bell, in a recent interview, put it this way: I begin with its humanity. Who was writing this? What was the world like at that time? What were the economics and politics? Were there any new technologies. Engaging the Bible that way leaves room for doubt, fear, even anger. It opens its arms wide to the full spectrum of human experience and I think thats interesting.

Bell peppers his book with fascinating examples of what the Bible can look like when we read it from a different angle. Heres one from the chapter entitled, Who Paid Jesuss Bills? Did you ever think about that topic? I hadnt. But the Jesus movement had expenses associated with getting the word out in Galilee. Who paid the bills? Well, he had friends who paid them. And who were they? Turn to Luke 8: 1-3 and you will meet them. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Susanna, and others helped finance the Jesus movement. Curious about them? Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons, which was probably some kind of mental illness. By the way, Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. Theres absolutely nothing in the New Testament that even suggests such a thing. What about Joanna, the wife of Chuza? Who was he? Well, Chuza worked for Herod Antipas. He managed the kings household, which was a huge pile of money. Yes, thats the Herod who would eventually consent to having Jesus killed. But at this moment in the Jesus movement we have a Jerusalem aristocrats wife hanging out with Jesus helping to pay his bills, along with a woman who has struggled with mental illness. Fascinating, dont you think? Jesus attracts people from all walks of life from all conditions. What about us? Can we be that open? Can we take risks like that?

Bell describes this way of reading the Bible as flying close to the ground, trying to capture what is really going on. What I appreciate about Bells approach to the Bible is his wanting readers to ask new questions of the texts. Our worn-out defensive posturing or imposing our doctrinal points of view on the Bible quench the power of the texts.

What does a better question look like? It does not begin with Why did God? Instead, Bell suggests that readers should begin with questions like, why did people write this down in the first place? Or why is this passage still around after all these years? Why has this story or that passage rung true through the centuries? What does this story or that passage tell us about what it means to be alive right now? Questions like these require us to put aside dogma and doctrine and enter into biblical texts in a new, fresh way. When we do that, we find these ancient words are quite contemporary and perhaps transformative.

What Is the Bible is published by Harper Collins and is available in print, audio, and electronic versions.
School Kits Limited is a leading professional school outfitting firm and a one-stop shop for a wide range of requirements for students from pre-school age through the secondary (High) school age. We are passionate about providing value to schools and parents hence we strive to deliver quality, flexibility and affordability on school supplies.School Kits Limited commenced business in 2000 and has experienced significant growth for the years becoming a credible brand within the school supply industry in Nigeria. Our competence and credibility can be attested by many satisfied School clients from start-ups schools to well-established institutions as listed in our portfolio.The company is stirred by a sound and innovative management team along with over 20 young and vibrant members of staff spread across 5 locations in Lagos and AbujaAs a Client Relationship/Marketing Officer:You must have a strong understanding of the company's products and knowledge of its competition.Client Management: Your role is to initiate and manage a good relationship with clients and prospects by attending to clients enquiries, follow up on wholesale clients, updates team with clients needs, visit clients and follow up with orders, call clients for feedback on services rendered and order delivery.Social Media Engagement: You will be required to manage the companys Social media pagesMarketing Campaigns: You will be in charge of creating sms drafts and scheduling them. You would be required to manage clients information desk via email, bulk SMS and newsletters.Manage and follow through on OrdersCompany Database Management: Regular Update of all wholesale clients database in Abuja and Lagos.Exhibitions and Conferences: You would be required to keep records of School events such as inter-house sport, fun fairs, open day, graduation days and exhibitions and update team members for effective follow up.Sample Production: Follow up on sample request from ClientsYou will be required to make sales rounds.Business Acumen.Communication Proficiency - Exceptional written and verbal communication skillsCustomer/Client Focus.Self-Leader - Hardworking, persistent, and dependablePresentation Skills.Problem Solving/Analysis.Results Driven.Strategic Thinking.Strong intrapersonal skills.Familiarity with data analysis and reporting.Positive and enthusiastic.HND/Bachelors degree in Social Sciences.Minimum of 2years in Client Relations and Marketing Executive role; within same industry preferred.Remuneration Package very attractive and competitive in the industrySalary is quite attractive and competitive within the industryMonitoring competitor products, sales and marketing activities.Identify business opportunities and target marketsIdentify, arrange and Visit potential customers for new businessProvide customers with quotationsNegotiate the terms of an agreement and close salesFormulate business proposals according to customers business needsGather market and customer information and provide feedback on buying trendsRepresent company at exhibitions, events, seminars and workshops as it appliesIdentify new markets and business opportunitiesManage accounts and expansion activitiesDevelop new opportunities and close existing onesBuild meaningful relationships within the company and outsideDevelop detailed territory plansEnsure appropriate and timely delivery of service and productsFollow up on service and / or product once the delivery has been madeResearch market trends and productsChallenge objections in order to get the customer to buy a productCheck quantity and quality of products at the store prior to deliveryRecord sales information and maintain customers recordsMake rapid calculations of costs in order to provide temporary quotationsPrepare sales reports by analyzing and summarizing informationReview your own sales performance periodically against set targetsMinimum of a B.Sc or HND in Social Sciences, Project Management and other related fields2 - 3 years Experience in Sales and Marketing, preferably in the textile/ Educational sectorsA professional qualification in marketing would be an addedExcellent attention to DetailsDevelop plenty of staminaStrong Leadership: You must be able to lead and motivate yourselfCommunication: excellent communication and people skills is very essentialCustomer serviceUse of Quick Books would be an added advantageSalary is quite attractive and competitive within the industryApplicants should send Cvs to careers@schoolkitsng.com
By Thomas Piketty, Professor, Paris School of Economics and CEPR, Li Yang, Consultant, World Bank; Invited professor, Paris School of Economics, and Gabriel Zucman, Assistant professor, UC Berkeley. Originally published at VoxEU.

Between 1978 and 2015, China moved from a poor, underdeveloped country to the worlds leading emerging economy. Despite the decline in its share of world population, Chinas share of world GDP increased from less than 3% in 1978 to about 20% by 2015 (Figure 1). According to official statistics, real national income per adult grew more than eightfold between 1978 and 2015. While the average national income per adult was approximately 120 per month in 1978 (expressed in 2015 euros), it exceeded 1,000 per month in 2015 (Figure 2).1

Figure 1 Chinas share in world population and GDP, 1978-2015

Figure 2 The rise of per adult real national income in China, 1978-2015

Note: National income divided by adult population. National income = capital depreciation + net foreign income.

However, relatively little is known about how the distribution of income and wealth within China changed over this critical period. That is, we do not have consistent estimates of the extent to which the different income and wealth groups have benefited (or not) from the enormous macroeconomic growth. The household surveys that are used to study distributional issues in China (e.g. Piketty and Qian 2009) suffer from massive under-reporting, particularly at the top of the distribution, and are typically not consistent with the data sources that are used to measure macro growth (namely, national accounts). This is an issue of tremendous importance not only for China and its future development path, but also for the rest of the world and the social sustainability of globalisation.

Wealth Accumulation (1978-2015)

In the current research, we combine official and non-official sources (including independent estimates of Chinas balance sheets)2 to provide the first systematic estimates of the level and structure of Chinas national wealth since the beginning of the market reform process. We find that the national wealth-income ratio increased from 350% in 1978 to 700% in 2015. This increase was mainly driven by the increase of private wealth, which increased from 115% to 487% of national income during the same period (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Public versus private property in China, 1978-2015 (% national income)

The share of public property in national wealth declined from about 70% in 1978 to about 30% in 2015. More than 95% of the housing stock is now owned by private households, as compared to about 50% in 1978. Chinese corporations, however, are still predominantly publicly owned: close to 60% of Chinese equities belong to the government (with a small but significant rebound since 2009), 30% to private Chinese owners, and 10% to foreigners  less than in the US, and much less than in Europe (Figure 4).

Figure 4 The rise of private property in China, 1978-2015

In brief: China moved a long way toward private property between 1978 and 2015, but its property regime is still markedly different than in other parts of the world. China has ceased to be communist, but is not entirely capitalist; it should rather be viewed as a mixed economy with a strong public ownership component. In effect, the share of public property in China today (30%) is higher than in the West during the mixed economy regime of the post-WW2 decades (around 15%-25%), but not hugely so. And while the share of public property in national wealth has declined to 0%, or even less than 0%, in Western countries (with public debt exceeding public assets in the US, UK, Japan, and Italy today), the publics share of national wealth in China seems to have strengthened since the 2008 financial crisis. These findings are not completely unexpected, but we feel that it is important to be able to put numbers on these evolutions.

Income Inequality (1978-2015)

By combining recently released tax statistics on high-income individuals with household surveys and national account data, we can provide new estimates of income inequality (Piketty et al. 2017). To our knowledge, this represents the first attempt to use tax data on high earners to correct inequality statistics in China.3 An income tax has been in place in China since 1980, but until recently no detailed income tax data were available, and scholars therefore had to rely on household surveys based upon self-reported information. In 2006, the Chinese tax administration began to release data on the numbers of high-income individuals (i.e. with individual taxable income above RMB120 000 per annum, equivalent to 11,988) and their incomes.

We should make it clear that these data are highly imperfect; our revised estimates might well under-estimate inequality and our top income shares should be viewed as lower bounds. What is interesting, however, is that even these lower bounds are already a lot larger than official survey-based estimates. For recent years, we find the income share of the top 10% to be around 41% of total national income (as opposed to the 31% suggested by surveys), and the income share of the top 1% to be approximately 14% of national income (as opposed to 7% suggested by surveys). According to our series, the share of national income going to the top 10% rose from 27% to 41% between 1978 and 2015, while the share for the bottom 50% fell from 27% to 15%. The urban-rural income gap increased, but income concentration also rose significantly within both urban and rural China (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Income inequality in China: Corrected versus raw estimates

To summarise, the level of inequality in China in the late 1970s used to be less than the European average  closer to those observed in the most egalitarian Nordic countries  but it is now approaching a level that is almost comparable with the US. The bottom 50% in China earn approximately 15% of total national income versus 12% in the US and 22% in France; while the top 1% earns about 15% of national income, versus 20% in the US and 10% in France (Figures 6a and 6b).

Figure 6a Bottom 50% versus top 1% income share: China versus US

Figure 6b Bottom 50% versus top 1% income share: China versus France

Comparing the average annual growth rate of real per adult pre-tax national income for different income groups in China, the US and France from 1978-2015 (as shown in Figure 7), the top 1% of the income distribution experienced a growth rate of 8.4% in China, 3.0% in the US, and 1.4% in France. However, the average annual growth rates for the bottom 50% in China and the US are significantly lower at 4.5% and 0%, respectively, while the same figure was 0.9% in France. For the time being, Chinas development model appears to be more egalitarian than that of the US, but less so than those in European countries.

Figure 7 Rising inequality and income growth: China versus others

Although our new series on income and wealth in China are more homogenous and comparable than previous attempts, we stress that they still have the potential to be improved as new data sources become available and better methods are designed.4 All the series presented in this column are available online on the World Wealth and Income Database (WID.world); updated series will be posted there. Our paper is part of a broader international project aimed at producing Distributional National Accounts, which combine national accounts, survey, and tax data in a systematic manner to produce inequality estimates that are homogenous and comparable across countries.5

Endnotes

[1] Annual per adult national income rose from less than 6,500 yuan in 1978 to over 57,800 yuan in 2015, i.e. from about 1,400in 1978 to about 12,500in 2015 (these amounts are expressed in 2015 yuan and euros using the latest purchasing power parity estimates).

[2] See, for example, Yang et al. (2013a, 2013b, 2015), Ma et al. (2012), and Cao et al. (2012).

[3] Previous work on income inequality in China was almost entirely based upon household surveys; see, for example, Piketty and Qian (2009), Benjamin et al. (2005, 2008), Chi et al. (2011), Chi (2012), Gustafsson et al. (2008a, 2008b), Khan and Riskin (2008, 2005), Knight et al. (2016), Knight (2014), Li et al. (2013), and Xie et al. (2015, 2013).

[4] Hong Kong and Macao are excluded from our databoth from the national accounts and from the household surveys, income tax returns, and wealth rankings. This could lead us to underestimate the rise of inequality, and this should be taken into account in future research.

[5] Piketty, Saez and Zucman (2016) construct distributional national accounts for the United States, and Garbinti, Goupille and Piketty (2016, 2017) for France. These and the present Chinese series all follow the same guidelines (see Alvaredo et al., 2016). New and updated series will be regularly made available on-line on the World Wealth and Income Database (WID.world).

References at original.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends much of her time in Asia and is currently 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 scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National.

The State Department has announced plans to ban US citizens from visiting North Korea, according to the BBC, North Korea tourism: US to ban Americans from visiting.

Details of the ban will be published in the Federal Register next week and will take effect thirty days thereafter.

Once the ban is implemented, US travellers who with to visit North Korea will require special validation of their passports; those who flout the restrictions face potential penalties of up to ten years in prison.

Since the 1980s, the US has used Geographical Travel Restrictions (GTRs) to restrict travel to various Middle Eastern countries, as well as to Cuba between 1963 and 1977, as NBC reported in State Department Announces Ban on Tourist Travel to North Korea. In addition, during the height of the Cold War US citizens were barred at least in theory from travelling to many Communist countries.

As The Washington Post reported in North Korean travel ban marks return to Cold War-era restrictions on U.S. citizens abroad:

The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said late Friday morning as the ban was announced. Due to mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Koreas system of law enforcement, [Secretary of State Rex Tillerson] has authorized a Geographical Travel Restriction on all U.S. citizen nationals use of a passport to travel in, through, or to North Korea. Peter Spiro, the Charles Weiner chair in international law at Temple University, said such a policy would be a revival of area restrictions that were common during the mid-20th century. At various points, Americans were barred from traveling to various communist countries during the Cold War, Spiro said in an email, noting that the practice went back as far as the 1920s.

Currently, about 5000 foreign tourists visit North Korea each year on group tours. About 800 of these are Americans.

Is a US Government Ban on Travel to Specific Countries Constitutional?

The United States Supreme Court in the 1965 case of Zemel v. Rusk upheld a ban on US citizens visiting Cuba, on the basis of national security grounds. This case is still good law. The Court declined to find a constitutional right to international travel, and it also rejected a general First Amendment challenge to an area restriction, according to Professor Spiro in the Washington Post account cited above.

Chief Justice Earl Warren drafted the majority opinion, which determined that to be constitutionally permissible, the ban must be non-discriminatory and apply to all citizens and not be directed at any particular traveller on the basis of political views she may hold, or for other specific reasons. The case includes an extended discussion of the history of country bans the US had imposed on the its citizens (as of the decisions 1965 date) (pp. 8-11).

I hadnt looked at this case since law school. Yet what I found most interesting when I read the opinion again today was that three justices, Hugo Black, William Douglas, and Arthur Goldberg wrote individual dissents, in which each set out his reasons for striking down the ban.

Well, all I can say about the Supreme Court is that weve come a long way, baby but not in the right direction. Moreover, I think it highly unlikely that the current Supreme Court would even elect to hear a case on the North Korean ban, let alone strike down the restrictions.

Practically speaking, enforcing such a ban is more difficult especially if the country the US citizen wants to visit is willing to play ball, by not stamping the visitors passport. Americans who violate the ban could be prosecuted, though a state department official said prosecutions for that crime were rare, The Guardian quoted an anonymous State Department official as saying in US to ban citizens from travel to North Korea after Otto Warmbiers death.

That could of course all change under Trumps Department of Justice. The same Guardian account mentioned that the new administration intends to tighten travel restrictions on Cuba (relying on different statutory than the North Korea GTR)  a subject I previously posted on in Trump Cuba Policy Reversal: More Sound and Fury, Signifying. No Mucho. And the tightening of security protocols, as well as enhanced surveillance and monitoring may make it much easier for the US government to target and prosecute violations if prosecutors chose to go that route.

North Korea Travel Ban Might Seem Sensible, But

Now, even I, an intrepid and frequent traveller think it would not be sensible for any US citizen travelling on a US passport to try and visit North Korea at this time especially as the current situation could at any time become a very hot conflict.

I am more worried, however, about reviving the Cold War protocol under which the United States tried to restrict travel to certain countries. Once the State Department gets back into the practice of regularly telling US citizens where theyre forbidden to travel, where will this practice stop?

Let me outline a couple of reasons I find this practice problematic.

First, Im not alone in saying that I object to many, many elements of US foreign policy. I dont want my activities nor my ability to form an opinion about a place thwarted by some misguided travel ban whether its put in place by a Trump official or a future US government functionary. Today, its North Korea, yet tomorrow who knows what countries may be subject to similar bans.

Im particularly concerned as I know that the State Departments system for alerting and warning travellers about visiting certain countries has long been notorious among frequent travellers for misinformation. The system is very much distorted by US political considerations, and is infected with false negatives sometimes steering travellers away from perfectly safe venues, if their governments dont hew to a US line and false positives such as failing to mention major concerns about visiting countries that are close allies. The warnings look particularly ludicrous when one considers that the US baseline from which many US travellers start from is considerably less safe than the status quo in many of targeted countries. Meaning that even though the dangers the State Department warns about may indeed exist, they may be less of a threat than the conditions the traveler might have faced by electing to remain at home in the US. Those of us who want to get sound information on safety and security issues find the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office site to be a much more accurate site (although I am not so naive as to claim that its advice, too, is not distorted by some political shading.)

Allow me to indulge in a brief quotation from Justice Arthur Goldbergs dissent in the Zemel case (p. 29):

As nations have become politically and commercially more dependent upon one another and foreign policy decisions have come to have greater impact upon the lives of our citizens, the right to travel has become correspondingly more important. Through travel, by private citizens as well as by journalists and governmental officials, information necessary to the making of informed decisions can be obtained. And, under our constitutional system, ultimate responsibility for the making of informed decisions rests in the hands of the people. As Professor Chafee has pointed out, An American who has crossed the ocean is not obliged to form his opinions about our foreign policy merely from what he is told by officials of our government or by a few correspondents of American newspapers. Moreover, his views on domestic questions are enriched by seeing how foreigners are trying to solve similar problems. In many different ways, direct contact with other countries contributes to sounder decisions at home. Chafee, Three Human Rights in the Constitution of 1787, 195-196 (1956).

Im especially aware of the problem today, as happen to be writing this while visiting Vietnam. At the moment, Im in the northern part of the country northwest of Hanoi, in the hill country town of Sa Pa, to be more precise. During what the Vietnamese call the American War (to distinguish it from the French War that occurred a couple of decades before), peace activists and journalists travelled to North Vietnam. These visits helped make people in the United States understand what was happening here, during the war years.

Second, even if I were in complete accord with all and every element of US foreign policy, I think its still extremely foolhardy for the government to ban contact with countries. Allow me to quote from Justice Douglass dissent in the Zemel case mentioned above (pp. 25-26):

I agree that there are areas to which Congress can restrict or ban travel. Pestilences may rage in a region, making it necessary to protect not only the traveler but those he might infect on his return. A theatre of war may be too dangerous for travel. Other like situations can be put. But the only so-called danger present here is the Communist regime in Cuba. The world, however, is filled with Communist thought, and Communist regimes are on more than one continent. They are part of the world spectrum, and if we are to know them and understand them, we must mingle with them, as Pope John said. Keeping alive intellectual intercourse between opposing groups has always been important, and perhaps was never more important than now. The First Amendment presupposes a mature people, not afraid of ideas. The First Amendment leaves no room for the official, whether truculent or benign, to say nay or yea because the ideas offend or please him or because he believes some political objective is served by keeping the citizen at home or letting him go. Yet that is just what the Courts decision today allows to happen. We have here no congressional determination that Cuba is an area from which our national security demands that Americans be excluded. Nor do we have a congressional authorization of the Executive to make such a determination according to standards fixed by Congress. Rather, we have only the claim that Congress has painted with such a broad brush that the State Department can ban travel to Cuba simply because it is pleased to do so. By permitting this, the Court ignores the familiar and basic principle, Aptheker v. Secretary of State, supra, at 508, that a governmental purpose to control or prevent activities constitutionally subject to state regulation may not he achieved by means which sweep unnecessarily broadly, and thereby invade the area of protected freedoms.

Bottom Line

Today, the ban targets North Korea. Tomorrow: Nobody knows. Now while staying clear of North Korea at the moment may be perfectly sensible, as for the future, and for the rest of the world, that just isnt sound advice. And in Washingtons New Cold War atmosphere, I think there will be more, rather than less, pressure exerted to avoid outright people, places, and ideas. And this at a time that it seems to me whats needed is more, rather than less, contact, empathy, an effort at understanding the other sides position.
Topological quantum chemistry (Nanowerk News) An international team of researchers has found a way to determine whether a crystal is a topological insulator  and to predict crystal structures and chemical compositions in which new ones can arise. The results, published July 20 in the journal Nature ("Topological quantum chemistry"), show that topological insulators are much more common in nature than currently believed.

Topological materials, which hold promise for a wide range of technological applications due to their exotic electronic properties, have attracted a great deal of theoretical and experimental interest over the past decade, culminating in the 2016 Nobel Prize in physics. The materials' electronic properties include the ability of current to flow without resistance and to respond in unconventional ways to electric and magnetic fields.

Until now, however, the discovery of new topological materials occurred mainly by trial and error. The new approach described this week allows researchers to identify a large series of potential new topological insulators. The research represents a fundamental advance in the physics of topological materials and changes the way topological properties are understood.

The team included Princeton University researchers Barry Bradlyn and Jennifer Cano, both associate research scholars at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Zhijun Wang, a postdoctoral research associate, B. Andrei Bernevig, professor of physics; professors Luis Elcoro and Mois Aroyo at the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, and assistant professor Maia Garcia Vergniory of University of the Basque Country and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) in Spain; Claudia Felser, professor at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Germany.

"Our approach allows for a much easier way to find topological materials, avoiding the need for detailed calculations," Felser said. "For some special lattices, we can say that, regardless of whether a material is an insulator or a metal, something topological will be going on," Bradlyn added.

Until now, of the roughly 200,000 materials catalogued in materials databases, only around a few hundred are known to host topological behavior, according to the researchers. "This raised the question for the team: Are topological materials really that scarce, or does this merely reflect an incomplete understanding of solids?" Cano said.

To find out, the researchers turned to the nearly century-old band theory of solids, considered one of the early landmark achievements of quantum mechanics. Pioneered by Swiss-born physicist Felix Bloch and others, the theory describes the electrons in crystals as residing in specific energy levels known as bands. If all the states in a group of bands are filled with electrons, then the electrons cannot move and the material is an insulator. If some of the states are unoccupied, then electrons can move from atom to atom and the material is capable of conducting an electrical current.

Because of the symmetry properties of crystals, however, the quantum states of electrons in solids have special properties. These states can be described as a set of interconnected bands characterized by their momentum, energy and shape. The connections between these bands, which on a graph resemble tangled spaghetti strands, give rise to topological behaviors such as those of electrons that can travel on surfaces or edges without resistance.

The team used a systematic search to identify many previously undiscovered families of candidate topological materials. The approach combined tools from such disparate fields as chemistry, mathematics, physics and materials science.

First, the team characterized all the possible electronic band structures arising from electronic orbitals at all the possible atomic positions for all possible crystal patterns, or symmetry groups, that exist in nature, with the exception of magnetic crystals. To search for topological bands, the team first found a way to enumerate all allowed non-topological bands, with the understanding that anything left out of the list must be topological. Using tools from group theory, the team organized into classes all the possible non-topological band structures that can arise in nature.

Next, by employing a branch of mathematics known as graph theory  the same approach used by search engines to determine links between websites  the team determined the allowed connectivity patterns for all of the band structures. The bands can either separate or connect together. The mathematical tools determine all the possible band structures in nature  both topological and non-topological. But having already enumerated the non-topological ones, the team was able to show which band structures are topological.

By looking at the symmetry and connectivity properties of different crystals, the team identified several crystal structures that, by virtue of their band connectivity, must host topological bands. The team has made all of the data about non-topological bands and band connectivity available to the public through the Bilbao Crystallographic Server (http://www.cryst.ehu.es/).

"Using these tools, along with our results, researchers from around the world can quickly determine if a material of interest can potentially be topological," Elcoro said.

The research shows that symmetry, topology, chemistry and physics all have a fundamental role to play in our understanding of materials, Bernevig said. "The new theory embeds two previously missing ingredients, band topology and orbital hybridization, into Blochs theory and provides a prescriptive path for the discovery and characterization of metals and insulators with topological properties."

David Vanderbilt, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rutgers University who was not involved in the study, called the work remarkable. "Most of us thought it would be many years before the topological possibilities could be catalogued exhaustively in this enormous space of crystal classes," Vanderbilt said. "This is why the work of Bradlyn and co-workers comes as such a surprise. They have developed a remarkable set of principles and algorithms that allow them to construct this catalogue at a single stroke. Moreover, they have combined their theoretical approach with materials database search methods to make concrete predictions of a wealth of new topological insulator materials."

The theoretical underpinnings for these materials, called "topological" because they are described by properties that remain intact when an object is stretched, twisted or deformed, led to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in physics in 2016 to F. Duncan M. Haldane, Princeton University's Sherman Fairchild University Professor of Physics, J. Michael Kosterlitz of Brown University, and David J. Thouless of the University of Cambridge.

Chemistry and physics take different approaches to describing crystalline materials, in which atoms occur in regularly ordered patterns or symmetries. Chemists tend to focus on the atoms and their surrounding clouds of electrons, known as orbitals. Physicists tend to focus on the electrons themselves, which can carry electric current when they hop from atom to atom and are described by their momentum.

"This simple fact  that the physics of electrons is usually described in terms of momentum, while the chemistry of electrons is usually described in terms of electronic orbitals  has left material discovery in this field at the mercy of chance," Wang said.

"We initially set out to better understand the chemistry of topological materials  to understand why some materials have to be topological," Vergniory said.
NATO and the Jordanian Armed Forces inaugurated the newly established Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Amman on 19 July 2017. The CERT was set up as part of a NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) project to enhance Jordanian cyber defence capabilities.

Jordans geographical location and security environment  the conflict in Syria and Iraq on its borders, the refugee crisis in the region and the threat of terrorist organisations such as ISIL  make the country vulnerable to a number of threats. Particularly challenging are cyber attacks. To help counter this growing threat, NATOs SPS Programme has been strengthening the cyber defence capabilities of the country, an active partner country in NATOs Mediterranean Dialogue forum for cooperation. Launched in 2014, the SPS project  led by experts from Germany and Jordan and further supported by France and the United States  responds to a key national priority and forms part of the Defence and Related Security Capacity Building (DCB) package for Jordan. The DCB Initiative reinforces NATOs commitment to partners and helps to project stability beyond NATOs borders by providing support to nations requesting defence capacity assistance from NATO.

This project signifies a milestone for cooperation in the area of cyber defence with a partner nation, and is the first of its kind to have been approved by NATO Allies, says Christian Liflander, Head of NATOs Cyber Defence Section. It supported Jordan in developing capabilities to defend its infrastructure, mitigate the impact of cyber attacks, and enhance the overall security situation in the county, he explains.

The SPS project established a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) within the Jordanian Armed Forces, which represents a major milestone in Jordans national cyber defence programme and enhanced the countrys cyber defence posture. Through training and professional development, it contributed to the creation of a qualified and well-trained workforce. The success of the project was underscored by a decree of the Jordanian government, declaring the project to be a recognised national priority.

Building on the projects accomplishments, a follow-on multi-year SPS project is currently under development. It will deliver additional capabilities that will complement, consolidate and strengthen those built during the first project.

NATO support for Jordan is not limited to the area of cyber defence. Under the umbrella of the SPS Programme, numerous practical activities to strengthen Jordans capabilities in the security sector have been launched. Two examples which also form part of the DCB package for Jordan, are a border security symposium for the Jordanian Armed Forces in March 2017 and a multi-year project in the domain of counter improvised explosive devices (C-IED) which was recently approved by NATO Allies. It will contribute to strengthening the C-IED capabilities of the Jordanian Armed Forces, including through the development of an official C-IED policy and doctrine.
A Helena man charged with accidentally shooting his friend while pistol-whipping a third person was sentenced Thursday to 80 years in Montana State Prison, with 40 years suspended.

Austin Lee Kroll-McLaughlin, 19, was sentenced for the July 7, 2016, felony murder of Ryan William Eakin, 20, after pleading guilty to the charge in April.

Kroll-McLaughlin and Eakin drove a third person to a parking lot on the 1200 block of Bozeman Avenue, where Kroll-McLaughlin pistol-whipped Lohman, accidentally firing the gun and shooting Eakin in the chest, according to court documents.

He was charged with deliberate homicide under the felony murder rule, which alleges he was committing felony assault with a weapon when he caused Eakin's death.

During the Thursday morning hearing, prosecutors and defenders both painted a picture of Kroll-McLaughlins troubled childhood -- witnessing his mother being abused, the death of a six-month-old sibling, his descent into methamphetamine addiction, and his near constant holding in 11 different juvenile correctional facilities.

Kroll-McLaughlin was also sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for an unrelated burglary charge from March 2015. That sentence will run concurrently with the homicide sentence.

Prosecutors dropped a charge of felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence related to the murder as part of a plea agreement.

The third person, who was riding in a car with Kroll-McLaughlin and Eakin, told authorities he was "taken out of the car" and heard a gunshot as he was struck in the left cheek, and then he saw Eakin make a move like he was ducking.

In an emotional apology to the Eakin family at the sentencing hearing, Kroll-McLaughlin described the horror and shock he experienced when he realized that he had shot his friend. He acknowledged his own careless actions were to blame for the death of their son.

Witnesses said they saw Kroll-McLaughlin trying to stop the blood flow and attempt CPR on Eakin. He called 9-1-1, remained at the scene of the shooting and spoke with police when they arrived.

Kroll-McLaughlin, who had been jailed since the shooting, has also been charged with starting a fire at the jail and fighting with another inmate.

The victims father, mother and sister also testified before the court to express their grief and request sentencing. Cathy Bonitz-Eakin, the victims mother, said she was dissatisfied with the investigation into her sons death, and had been provided no information into the investigation besides the public affidavit.

In early July, Bonitz-Eakin said she did not have faith in the officials leading the investigation due to alleged relations with witnesses, and because the prosecutor assigned to the case had previously prosecuted her in the past. She said the state Attorney General denied her request for a different prosecutor.
A driver lost control and slammed into an Anaheim gas station Friday, igniting a fireball that was caught on camera.

No one was injured in the crash at the Texaco station in the 1100 block of North Magnolia just after 8 p.m., according to the Anaheim Fire Department.

Surveillance cameras from the Texaco show the driver in the white sedan trying to make a U-turn, but he lost control, sending the car careening into a gas pump. The driver and his family escaped just as flames engulfed the pump and his car.

Just 50 feet away, Steven Lavallee happened to be face-timing with his sister when the gas pump lit up.

"It's like something from the movies," he said.

He continued to record despite the danger. Other bystanders yelled at him to get out of the way.

An emergency shut-off valve saved the gas station and customers from more danger. Workers shut off the gas within seconds.

Alcohol or drugs was not believed to be involved.

Police don't know what caused the driver to lose control of his car.
John Heard, the actor famously known for playing the father in the "Home Alone" movie series and a corrupt detective in "The Sopranos," was found dead in a Palo Alto hotel Friday, according to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office. He was 71.

Heard's cause of death is not yet known at this time. An autopsy was completed Saturday morning, but further testing, including toxicology, is needed to determine the exact cause, according to officials.

Based on a preliminary investigation, officials said there is no evidence of foul play.

Dominic Mancini, a talent agent representing Heard, talked to Heard last week and was told that the actor was slated to have a medical procedure done on his back. Mancini later tried to call Heard, but he wasn't able to reach him.

"I will miss John," Mancini said in a statement. "He was truly one of a kind and an amazing talent. His blend of comedy and quirkiness was unmatched."

Heard played Peter McCallister, the father of Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, in "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York." He said in later interviews that he sought a movie with kids in it so his son, age 5 at the time, could come to the set and have someone to play with.

After it became a big hit, he was reluctant to revisit the role but his agent convinced him the money was too good to pass up.

"I didn't want to be the 'Home Alone' dad for the rest of my life," he told Yahoo News in 2013.

He was born March 7, 1946, in Washington, D.C. and grew up performing in local theater. One of his memorable early roles was as a disabled Vietnam War veteran in the 1981 film "Cutter's Way."

He was active in film for the next decade, playing Tom Hanks' rival in "Big," actress Geraldine Page's son in "The Trip to Bountiful" and in the movies "The Pelican Brief," ''Beaches," ''Gladiator," ''Rambling Rose" and "After Hours."

He earned an Emmy nomination for playing Vin Makazian in "The Sopranos." Television also kept him busy. He acted in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," ''Elementary," ''Prison Break," ''Modern Family" and "Entourage." One of his favorite jobs came in the original "Sharknado" television movie in 2013.

"I knew it was going to be a cult classic," he told the Baltimore Media Blog last year. "It's just ridiculous. I thought it would replace people calling me the 'Home Alone' dad."

Fellow actor Michael McKean paid tribute on Twitter Saturday: "RIP John Heard. Never not good."

Heard was married and divorced three times, including briefly to actress Margot Kidder. He had three children.

"John will be very much missed by his family, friends, and his many fans," Tammy Hunt, a manager respenting Heard, said. "John was one of those people that you meet and know immediately that he is one of a kind. A true professional and dear gentleman.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[NATL-DO NOT USE] In Memoriam: Influential People We've Lost in 2017
Several South San Jose citizens are at odds with an unusual foe: the fire department. The residents say they are on the hook for hundreds of dollars each for something they didnt do: fireworks.

San Jose banned fireworks use. And the citys gotten aggressive.

But the people who called NBC Bay Area Responds say the city automated its process for taking fireworks complaints and that streamlined system has left them wrongfully accused.

Apparently, on the Fourth of July I was setting off fireworks, said Garrison Circle resident Daniel Alvord. Alvord was one of three people on this small street to receive yellow notices by mail that fined them $500 for alleged illegal use of fireworks.

So, had he shot of fireworks in violation of city code?

Absolutely not, Alvord insisted.

Across the street, longtime resident Amy Guzules find herself in the same boat. Her citation accused her of shooting of pyrotechnics in June.

Oh gosh, I havent touched fireworks in probably 30 years, she said.

The letters were a shock here, especially since everyone on Garrison Circle says the $500 citation arrived without any prior contact from anyone in law enforcement.

Not a firefighter, not a police officer, not a code enforcement officer.

Not a single one, Alvord said.

The Garrison group got nowhere challenging fire department brass, so they asked us to figure out how these citations came about. The answer: online.

San Jose recently rolled out an internet form that allows anyone to report illegal fireworks use.

NBC Bay Area has learned that when an address is reported here more than once, a $500 citation is automatically issued by mail -- with zero investigation.

Wouldnt you want to come out and investigate yourself instead of taking someone elses word for it, Alvord asked.

Residents may appeal and possibly face their anonymous accuser at a future hearing. But, theyre required to pay the $500 fine upfront, with no guarantee theyll get it back.

The person who accused me doesnt have to have photo or video proof that I did anything, Amy Guzules complained. Thats ridiculous.

The city council approved this enforcement system last year.

We contacted all 10 current city council members as well as the mayor, but did not immediately hear back from any of them.

The fire marshal signs the citations. He declined our interview request.

By phone, he said he doesnt have enough personnel to investigate every fireworks complaint -- thats why the city added a web form that automatically sends $500 citations.

We wanted to know how many citations went out without investigation. He said he didnt know.

We also asked if the Garrison Circle residents fines will be reconsidered. He said they have to appeal -- after first paying the $500 fine first.

The clock is ticking. If fines arent paid within 30 days, the city will add a late fee and interest.

The frustrated people of Garrison Circle call this system flawed.

Tomorrow, I could get another citation because somebody decided to put my address in the reporting form, Amy Guzules said. So, I could spent a lot of time doing this over and over and over again.

We asked a Santa Clara University law professor about this online form and how it triggers automatic fines. She raised due process questions, and encouraged residents to challenge the city to change its policy.
What is the deal with SFO? No, we are not referring to delays that can ruin flight schedules. Rather, we are talking about the Air Code: SFO. Obviously, SF is the citys initials, but it seems that very little is known about the O.

KQED podcast Bay Curious covered the topic and spoke to SFO Museum Assistant Director John H. Hill.

Hill pointed out that some may assume that the O represents Oakland. He debunked this theory though by pointing out that Oaklands airport opened around the same time as its Bay Area neighbor. This deemed the reference obsolete. Instead, the airports name has ties as far back as 1945.

To fully explain the airports name, Hill elaborated into the history of the International Air Transport Association.

Prior to the associations formation in 1945, many airports went by a two letter initial. After the International Air Transport Association opened, the company required each destination to have three letters. This was due to the increase of new airports across the country.

This led some airports to just attaching an X at the end or even coming up with a more unique three letter code based on surrounding locations, explained Hill. For SFO, the most apparent fix was to add on an O.

Hill resolved the mystery in his statement to Bay Curious: So with SF, they simply took an O, which we can assume was convenient to the fact that San Francisco has an O at the end of it.

Now, go forth to pub trivia and impress friends with your newfound knowledge.
A researcher at the University of California, Riverside found the state, may see a drastic increase of rainfall.

Robert Allen, an Assistant Professor in UC Riversides Earth Sciences Department, published his results in the journal Nature Communications. In his findings, Allen noted that rain in Northern California may see upwards of a 14 percent increase by the end of the century. Further, the winter will bring even more precipitation.

Northern California winters will see a 32 percent increase in rain, according to Allen. Central Californias rates would rise even more to a staggering 39 percent. There would also be an 11 percent increase in the state's southern region.

These numbers are being compared to those at the end of the 20th century.

Such predictions are a consequence of climate change. With fluctuations in atmospheric circulation caused by warming, more storms are being pushed toward the state. Allen also explained that the data collected was based off of a business as usual model. From this, greenhouse gasses are also projected to more than double the current levels by 2100.

The UC Riverside researcher reached this conclusion by looking at 38 different state of the art models, from which Allen singled out the ones that best represented Californias current weather patterns.
Israel's military fortified its troops in the West Bank and placed forces on high alert Saturday, a day after a Palestinian stabbed to death three members of an Israeli family and some of the worst Israeli-Palestinian clashes in years erupted over tensions at the Holy Land's most contested shrine.

Following a relatively quiet day, violence resumed late Saturday near the epicenter of the current crisis in the Old City of Jerusalem. After hundreds of Muslim worshippers defiantly held their evening prayers outside the Jerusalem holy site, resuming their protest against security measures Israel imposed after a deadly attack there, clashes unfolded with police firing tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters.

No injuries were reported, but one Palestinian was killed in uncertain circumstances in other low-level clashes that took place throughout the day, including in the West Bank village of the 20-year-old Palestinian assailant who carried out the grisly stabbing spree. His father said he believes his son was motivated by a desire to protect the "honor" of the Jerusalem holy site.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited the site of the attack, the Israeli settlement of Halamish, and consulted with top commanders. Lieberman said the attacker's home would be demolished swiftly and called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn what he called a "slaughter."

Disputes over the shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, have set off major rounds of Israeli-Palestinian confrontations before. They were also at the root of the current violence which began last week when Arab gunmen fired from the shrine, killing two Israeli policemen.

In response, Israel installed metal detectors at the gates of the 37-acre (15-hectare) walled compound, saying the devices were a needed security measure to prevent more attacks and were deployed routinely at holy sites around the world.

Muslims allege Israel was trying to expand its control at the Muslim-administered site under the guise of security  a claim Israel denies  and launched mass prayer protests.

On Friday, tensions boiled over and several thousand Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the West Bank and in Jerusalem after noon prayers  the centerpiece of the Muslim religious week. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen wounded in some of the worst street clashes in two years.

Late Friday evening, a Palestinian identified as Omar al-Abed jumped over the fence of the Halamish settlement and entered a home, surprising a family that was celebrating the birth of a new grandchild during their Sabbath dinner.

The Israeli military said the assailant killed a man and two of his adult children, while his wife was badly wounded. Their daughter-in-law hid in a separate room, sheltering her young children. A neighbor, an off-duty soldier, heard the screams, rushed to the home and opened fire, wounding al-Abed who was taken to an Israeli hospital, said the head of Israel's rescue service.

Itai Orayon, a medic, said he found "blood everywhere" in the house. He told Israel's Army Radio that three people were on the floor, unconscious "with deep stab wounds all over their bodies," and that the medical team was unable to save them. TV footage showed the floor tiles drenched in blood. The victims have yet to be named.

On Saturday morning, Israeli troops searched the assailant's family home in the West Bank village of Kobar and detained one of his brothers, the army said. Video footage released by the military shows soldiers leading away a handcuffed and blindfolded man.

The army said soldiers searched the house and measured it in preparation for demolition. Anticipating this, local residents said the family emptied its home of valuables. Later, clashes erupted as residents burned tires and hurled rocks at Israeli troops who had searched the home. The military says about 50 people attacked troops who fired back with rubber bullets and tear gas.

The assailant's father said his son had been angered by the escalating violence at the Jerusalem shrine, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary, and to Jews as the Temple Mount.

"The honor of Muslims is the only Haram," Mohammed al-Abed said. "If it's gone, the Muslims' honor is gone. This was the motive for my son."

Ibrahim al-Abed, an uncle of the assailant, said his nephew had been arrested three months ago by security forces of Abbas, the Palestinian leader who presides over autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The uncle said his nephew had spent two weeks in detention and was violently interrogated about alleged plans to attack Israelis before he was released.

The assailant said in a pre-attack Facebook post that he expected to be killed in the attack. He wrote that he wanted his body to be covered by a banner of the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Israel has repeatedly accused Abbas and his Palestinian Authority of permitting anti-Israeli incitement in the public Palestinian discourse.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack as "an act of terror, carried out by an animal who was incited with unfathomable hatred."

Abbas has rejected Israeli incitement allegations, saying Israel's 50-year-old occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state is at the root of widespread Palestinian anger and helps drive violence.

Abbas is a staunch opponent of violence and in 12 years in power has stuck to security coordination between his forces and Israeli troops against a common enemy  Hamas.

On Friday evening, Abbas announced that he would "freeze" ties with Israel "on all levels" until the metal detectors are removed from the shrine, but did not say whether this means halting security coordination. Ending such ties would have far-reaching repercussions and sharply raise tensions with Israel.

Yossi Kuperwasser, a former director general of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, said these were likely empty words since the cooperation is "most of all important for the Palestinians".

Even if largely meant for domestic Palestinian consumption, the Abbas announcement dealt a setback to fledgling efforts by the Trump administration to revive long-dormant Israeli-Palestinian talks on a peace deal.

Such efforts now seem moot as Israelis and Palestinians refuse to budge in the showdown over the shrine and violence threatens to escalate.

Israeli officials have said they would guarantee continued access to Muslim worshippers but have not said how huge crowds could speedily pass through metal detectors during busy periods.

Late Saturday, Israel's Channel 2 TV reported that police would soon place an "alternative" to the detectors in an effort to lower tensions.

Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, who heads the Israeli defense body for Palestinian civilian affairs, also said Israel was open to alternatives as long as it "ensures the prevention of the next attack."

Karin Laub in Jericho, West Bank and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank contributed to this report.
As of 3 p.m. Friday, a few locations reached 90 degrees, officially making it a heat wave for Providence, Rhode Island, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Boston.

To make it a heat wave, you need to reach 90 degrees or higher for at least three days in a row. Believe it or now, some locations have reached 90 degrees or more for their fourth day in a row, like Hartford, Connecticut.

A few locations, especially in Connecticut and Rhode Island, could reach 90 Saturday, but its likely that most locations will be just shy of 90 as we will see increasing cloud cover over the course of the day.

An approaching cold front charges from the northwest, trying to usher in the cool Canadian air, but this will be combating with the warm, tropical air mass thats responsible for a recent heat.

The warmth prevails Saturday, but the cool air wins Sunday. However, where these air masses collide is where we see the potential for rain. Rain chances likely late Saturday night into early Sunday, then we see a break in the rain Sunday afternoon, but we cannot rule out a chance for a spotty shower. With a change in wind direction Sunday, along with the cloud cover, it will be noticeably (and for most, refreshingly) cooler Sunday.

As we look towards the work week, the cooler air sticks around Monday and into early Tuesday along with the rain chances. Wednesday looks like the driest day out of the week, before storms slides in Thursday afternoon and into Friday. Plus, highs will return into the 80s as early as next Thursday and Friday.
Both sides in the abortion fight raging in Kentucky agree on one thing: The stakes are as high as ever in a state that could become the first in the nation without an abortion clinic.

Political pressure has intensified since the Kentucky GOP took control of state government and moved quickly to pass new restrictions on abortions. And Republican Gov. Matt Bevin makes no apologies for waging a licensing fight against a Louisville clinic that is the last remaining facility performing abortions in the state.

Another battle-tested participant joins the fight this weekend. Operation Save America, a Christian fundamentalist group, plans to mobilize hundreds of activists to protest against EMW Women's Surgical Center.

The group's leaders state their purpose unequivocally: to rid Kentucky of its last abortion clinic. Some of the group's followers were arrested during a protest outside EMW in the spring. The group has said it won't use those same tactics in the coming days, but a federal judge on Friday ordered the creation of a "buffer zone" to keep protesters out of an area in front of the clinic. The pre-emptive move was requested by federal prosecutors to prevent protesters from blocking access to the surgical center.

"We have never been under siege like this," Dr. Ernest Marshall, a co-founder of the clinic open since the early 1980s, recently told The Associated Press. "We have never had any question as to whether we would exist."

For years, protesters have been a fixture outside Marshall's clinic, a plain brick building in Louisville's bustling downtown. Blinds are drawn to keep people from peeking inside.

Volunteers in bright orange vests stand watch near the clinic, walking patients past sign-waving activists. On a recent morning, as a demonstrator held a sign that said: "Abortion an American Holocaust," a child walking nearby asked a woman what holocaust means.

As a volunteer whisked another woman past a handful of protesters, a demonstrator clutching a rosary told the patient's male companion: "Men don't kill their babies. Man up." The man turned and glared but said nothing.

The demonstrator, Chuck Jones, defended his harsh words.

"This is the last chance we'll get to talk to them before they go in," the retired sheet-metal worker from Indiana said. "I just wanted him to think about what he's doing. If anybody believes in God, they can't be for abortion, in my opinion."

The 66-year-old Marshall  the father of three grown children and grandfather of eight  said he attends church every Sunday and is a former Sunday school teacher. He said abortion protesters don't have a "monopoly on morals." He condemned their tactics as "very harassing, very judgmental," taking a toll on patients and staff.

"Some of the things I see out in front of our clinic, to me, by the pro-life people, don't represent good Christianity," Marshall said. "I just don't think Jesus would harass people or name-call people or call doctors murderers."

The number of protesters is expected to surge this weekend when Texas-based Operation Save America converges on Louisville for a weeklong vigil, with the long-term goal of making Kentucky a national model in its push to end abortion. The group urges state officials to ignore the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 that legalized abortion.

Its activists plan to demonstrate outside the clinic, elsewhere downtown and in the neighborhoods where the clinic's doctors live, organizers said.

The buffer zone in front of the clinic won't deter those vigils, said Rusty Thomas, the group's national director.

Brigitte Amiri, an attorney for the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said the buffer zone gives patients a "small measure of relief," ensuring they can enter.

The clinic has been on the defensive since Bevin's election in 2015 put a social conservative and ardent abortion foe in the governor's office. Last year, the GOP finished its takeover of Kentucky's legislature by winning control of the House of Representatives. They have been in charge of the state Senate for years.

Early this year, abortion opponents pushed through two bills signed by Bevin. One measure banned abortions in Kentucky after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless the mother's life is in danger. The other requires the abortion doctor or a "qualified technician" to perform an ultrasound and then try to show fetal images to the pregnant woman before she provides consent to an abortion. Women are allowed to avert their eyes. The procedure also seeks to detect the fetal heartbeat.

The ultrasound law is being challenged in federal court.

It's one of two pending legal fights in Kentucky over abortion.

The other was sparked when abortion rights supporters say Bevin's administration tried to shut down EMW earlier this year. State officials said the clinic was out of compliance with state requirements related to its agreements with a hospital and ambulance service. EMW sued in federal court, and Bevin's administration agreed to renew the clinic's license until after the lawsuit is resolved. A September trial is scheduled.

EMW's legal team points to a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Texas regulations that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery.

Though the types of regulations differ, the EMW case "falls squarely" within the Texas ruling because the Bevin administration's efforts would put an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions, said Heather Gatnarek, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky. The Kentucky case is even "more stark," she said, because a revocation of EMW's license would leave the state without an abortion facility.

The Supreme Court has found that access to an abortion must be guaranteed, but it remains to be seen whether eliminating every clinic in a single state would pass that test.

"I can't imagine being a female and being ... forced to have a baby that I didn't want," Marshall said.
Helena Public Schools will move forward with demolishing Central School starting with asbestos abatement and removal of salvageable pieces of the historic building.

Central School is slated to be demolished and rebuilt as part of a $63 million bond passed in May, but work was delayed by a lawsuit. After a judge dismissed the case to keep the district from tearing down the school last month, Superintendent Jack Copps said the district will put out bids for demolition on Aug. 1.

Alan and Nancy Nicholson, who filed the lawsuit to invalidate the districts demolition permit, are still within a 60-day window to appeal the decision.

The Nicholsons did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they would appeal the decision. Copps said the school district decided not to seek attorney fees from the Nicholsons.

That was the last issue before the court, Copps said. During that period of time, (60 days) we have authority to demolish that building.

If the Nicholsons appeal the ruling, a judge would have to grant a stay, which would halt the demolition process.

Copps said the district put up signs on the Central site to let people know the demolition process has started. Copps said a security guard will be on the premises 24 hours a day to make sure the site is secure.

Trespassers have entered the school and vandalized it several times since it was vacated, but Copps said the building is already unsafe and he doesnt want kids entering it as demolition starts.

Central was closed in 2013 after engineers determined the building was unsafe and could suffer extensive damage during an earthquake. After a 5.8 magnitude quake centered near Lincoln was felt in Helena on July 6, the district checked each school except the interior of Central for damage.

I dont have any interest in going back inside that building, Copps said. Just by going through the building it becomes very apparent that that building is very fragile. There are brick walls that are bulging. There are floors that are sagging significantly and other issues.

Copps said workers will have to enter the building for asbestos abatement, and the district didnt thoroughly evaluate the structure of the school after the earthquake to limit who was at risk.

With all of that said, its very difficult to walk into Central, he said. Even though the walls are freestanding brick and nothing fell down, that doesnt mean there wasnt additional infrastructure damage at Central because thats the most fragile structure we have in our mix.

After the school board voted to rebuild instead of renovate Central, community members expressed concern that historic items in Central would be lost. A preservation committee was formed to determine what could be salvaged.

Pam Attardo, the historic preservation officer for Lewis and Clark County, sits on the committee and said the terracotta archway in front of the building was originally on the list of items submitted to the district for preservation. The list the district sent back did not include the arch due to cost concerns.

Any company submitting a bid for demolition will also be required to give the district an estimate of how much it would cost to preserve the archway. The archway is often mistaken for granite, which was used to build the rear of the school, Attardo said.

When they got to the front of the building they switched from using granite to using a terracotta that looks like granite, she said. Its cheaper, but the problem is it just tends to shatter.

Attardo said shed seen examples of terracotta materials being saved, but theres concern it could crumble. Parts of the building made out of terracotta were destroyed in the 1935 earthquake, Attardo said.

The school district wants to see a cost estimate before agreeing to preserve the archway. If it is salvageable, Attardo said it would likely be incorporated into the interior design of the new school.

Assistant Superintendent Greg Upham said the list the district sent back to the committee on July 6 is final unless the archway is affordable to keep. The district listed 16 items to be saved including a bell, classroom doors, water fountains and some pieces of granite. The committee asked the district to preserve the school's maple flooring, trim and national register sign, but those pieces didnt make the list.

Some of the items listed will be saved, but not put in the new school. Attardo said its undecided whether items will go to the Montana Historical Society or the Lewis and Clark County Historical Society.

They will go to one of those entities, or we were talking about having some sort of educational display within the school itself to include the items that were from the old school, she said.
A Waterford man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the hit-and-run death of a Connecticut College student has been sentenced to more than four years in prison.

James Sposito, 27, pleaded guilty to charges including misconduct with a motor vehicle and tampering with a witness in the death of Ahmad Anique Ashraf in December 2015.

Ashraf, a native of Pakistan, was studying art and history at Connecticut College who was expected to graduate in 2017.

On Dec. 18, 2015, police said they received a 911 call just after 2 a.m. about a body on the side of the road of Route 32 where the driver had fled the scene.

When police arrived, Ashraf was unresponsive on the northbound side of the road and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A classmate told police that Ashraf, had been at a party to celebrate their film exhibition that night and left, but returned because he forgot his backpack. He left again at 2 a.m. to go to his dorm, according to court documents. Minutes later, police received the 911 calls about a body in the road.

Police identified Sposito, 26, as a suspect after local police departments were asked to be on the lookout for a vehicle with damage consistent with the incident.

An officer saw a damaged vehicle on Clark Place in Quaker Hill, which came back to a car rental company that had rented the car to Sposito, police said.

When police went to talk to him about the incident, he said he hit a deer as he was heading home from a friend's house the night before, police said.

Police then spoke with witnesses who said Sposito had been out for drinks that night.

One witness reported that Sposito called around 11 a.m. and said he'd hit "something" near Connecticut College on his way home and thought it was a deer, so he slowed down to look, but did not see anything and went home, according to the arrest warrant application.

As police continued to investigate, a witness reported seeing Sposito check the Internet on his phone and say, "I think I hit a person," according to the court documents.

Sposito allegedly told a witness he found a backpack strap on his window, the court documents said.

Court records note the strap on the backpack Ashraf had was ripped and detached.
Ghost stories, murder and a basement speakeasy are all part of the colorful history of Dallas' Ambassador Hotel.

Renovation that begin Monday will transform the building into loft apartments with shops, restaurants, a swimming pool and once again, the speakeasy bar.

The six-story building with a lower level is between South St. Paul and Ervay Street south of Interstate 30 in The Cedars neighborhood adjacent to Downtown.

Visitors have been drawn to the place for generations, and so it was for Dallas developer Jim Lake.

Transformation Was Underway at Dallas' Ambassador Hotel

Ive driven by this property my whole life and when we were able to acquire it a few years ago I just felt really blessed, he said.

Prayers are in order given some of the mayhem said to have occurred in the speakeasy years.

During prohibition, when alcohol was illegal, there was an outdoor entrance to the lower level gathering place, but also a tunnel that connected to the hotels horse stable across Ervay Street.

The agents might come to arrest people for one reason or another. That was the escape route, Lake said.

Lake hopes to remove the brick wall that now seals off the tunnel to reconnect the hotel with the horse stable building, which will soon be a tap room for the Four Corners Brewing Company, moving in across the street.

Other new residential construction is underway in The Cedars. Lake believes timing is perfect for revival of The Ambassador.

Everybody has kind of got their eyes on it because I think the really can serve as an anchor for this end of The Cedars, he said.

The original Ambassador Hotel had features that were very modern for its day including what Lake said is the oldest elevator west of the Mississippi River. The building operated as a hotel from 1905 to 1955 and became a retirement home after that.

The renovation will make structural repairs and add modern equipment under tough restrictions for historic preservation. The guest rooms with 12 foot ceilings will be converted into 103 small apartments of around 500-square-feet each.

Some building features added during subsequent renovations in the 1970s and 1980s will be removed to make way for improvements while keeping key original design elements.

Lakes company has historic renovation work underway in Waxahachie and has done other Dallas projects.

We redevelop these historically significant properties that may be in an area that may be a little bit edgy and were willing to take a chance, Lake said.

Workers were removing furniture and light fixtures Friday. The Ambassador renovation is due for completion in 2019.

Artist's Renderings of the Future Ambassador


There are multiple petitions circulating in Dallas calling for the removal of Confederate statues and symbols from public spaces and schools.

Dr. Michael Phillips has an ancestor who fought for the Confederate Army in the Civil War, but he believes that family member and other members of the Confederacy do not deserve to be honored or memorialized in public spaces.

"These statues are not history, they're propaganda," Phillips said. "These statues don't accurately inform people about the era. They hero-ify people without details about their defense of slavery, the individual cruelty they were responsible for, the fact that the Confederacy was engaged in treason."

Phillips is behind one of two petitions started this week calling for the removal of Confederate statues and symbols from public spaces and public schools in Dallas.

He's circulating his petition among academics and members of the clergy before he takes the issue to the Dallas City Council.

"You walk by these monuments and you see a gigantic statue of Robert E. Lee. He's larger than life and he's presented as a hero. You [learn] nothing about Lee's role as a slave owner, you [learn] nothing about Lee's role in a war of treason that killed three-quarters-of-a-million Americans," Phillips said. "None of that is presented in these statues."

Several members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans told NBC 5 the statues and the men they represent are vital to telling the complete story of the American Civil War.

They believe the statues have an especially important place in Dallas because they honor men who answered the call to defend Texas. To those who oppose Phillips's efforts and other like it around the country generals like Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson are military veterans who deserve to be honored even though they fought for the Confederacy.

Phillips said it was a disgrace to consider these men veterans and disingenuous to say that they were not fighting for the right to own slaves.

"These were U.S. citizens waging a war against the U.S. government, which is treason. They weren't defending anything. They were rebelling and tearing down, and if they had succeeded in their war the United States would have been left a shattered and weaker place," he said.

NBC 5 reached out to the Dallas chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy for comment, but did not get a response.

Multiple Dallas City Council members said Friday that they welcome the debate over whether to remove the monuments.
The Texas Department of Public Safety will soon begin charging law enforcement agencies who use its crime labs for forensic testing.

Many details remain unknown, but the impact is expected to be far-reaching and could require police departments across the state to dig deep into their own pockets.

Until now, the crime labs have been free for local law enforcement agencies. But in a letter dated July 20 and sent to those agencies, DPS says that will no longer be the case.

Numerous police departments rely on the forensic labs to solve cases, including the Plano Police Department.

"We don't have our own laboratory, so we have to send our case work to DPS or other laboratories that charge money," said Dr. Rick Staub, who oversees evidence for Plano police.

A letter to law enforcement agencies, including the Plano Police Department, outlines what the new fees will be.

An alcohol analysis is priced at $75. A toxicology test will cost $150. And the charge for DNA analysis is now $550.

"We rely on them quite heavily," Staub said.

He estimates the department sends 80 to 90 percent of its DNA cases to DPS crime labs.

He says he sends about 200 DNA cases to the DPS crime lab each year, which would add up to $110,000 in extra fees for the department per year, just for DNA cases.

Coincidentally, the department recently acquired a device to save money on DNA testing.

It's called the "Para DNA," and it detects if a piece of evidence has DNA on it in the first place  something it would have to pay DPS to do, even if the result is negative.

Regardless of any extra fees police now face, Staub says victims and the public can rest assured, it will not result in crimes going unsolved.

"We wouldn't let that happen. We just wouldn't let it happen," he said.

The Plano Police Department has a fund for testing case work, but Staub says it is only a finite amount of money.

DPS says it will provide cities with vouchers to help offset some of the fees, although they haven't said how much. It's in the process of finalizing the new fees.

Altogether, DPS is trying to collect $11.5 million to make up for state cuts.
After running away from his Minnesota home in 1976, 16-year-old Jimmy Haakenson called his mother, told her he was in Chicago, then disappeared forever.

More than 40 years later, a detective from Illinois arrived at the family's home to tell Haakenson's relatives that at some point after hanging up the phone, the teenager crossed paths with serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

Haakenson's body, it turns out, was among dozens found in a crawl space of Gacy's Chicago-area home in 1978. But the remains were only recently identified thanks to DNA technology now in use at the University of North Texas' Center for Human Identification in Fort Worth.



UNT's Center for Human Identification said they've been assisting with the Cook County, Illinois Sheriffs Offices Gacy investigation since 2011. Back then, the lab developed DNA profiles from eight unidentified Gacy victims.

"These DNA profiles have been continuously compared to family references of missing persons. In addition to a positive association reported in 2011, our DNA analysts recently reported a second positive association using family references submitted by the Cook County Sheriffs Office," the center said in a statement. "We are honored to aid families in finding a resolution in the disappearance of their loved ones."

Gacy was convicted of killing 33 young men and was executed in 1994. But the revelation about Haakenson is the latest turn in a yearslong effort to solve the remaining mystery surrounding Gacy's case: Who were the eight victims authorities hadn't been able to identify?

James "Jimmy" Byron Haakenson's body is only the second person that authorities have identified since Sheriff Tom Dart in 2011 ordered the remains of the eight victims exhumed and asked families of young men who went missing in the 1970s to provide DNA samples. The first was William Bundy, a 19-year-old construction worker from Chicago whose remains were identified weeks after the exhumations.

Haakenson's family in Minnesota plans to come to Chicago to mark his grave.

"One of the worst people in the world that walked the earth murdered my brother," his sister, Lorie Sisterman, who lives in North St. Paul, said Wednesday. "You hope for something different," but she went on to add, "I'm so glad to know where my brother is."

Gacy is remembered as one of history's most bizarre killers, largely because of his work as an amateur clown. The Chicago-area building contractor lured young men to his home by impersonating a police officer or promising them construction work. There, he stabbed one and strangled the others. Most of the victims were buried under his home, but others were dumped in a river.

Illinois investigators long referred to Haakenson as simply "Victim #24."

Haakenson came to Chicago hoping to strike out on his own in a city far bigger than the community of St. Paul where he lived, Dart said. According to Sisterman, the teenager had finally made good on his angry vows to his mother that he was going to run away.

He was a boy, said Sisterman, who kept "trying to find himself."

After bodies were found in Gacy's home, Haakenson's mother was suspicious enough that her son was among the victims that she came to Chicago to talk to investigators. But she left without any answers because there was no way to identify the skeletal remains without dental records, Dart said. The mother died a couple of decades later.

Dart said a nephew of Haakenson became curious about the uncle he never knew and earlier this year went online to see if he could learn anything. That's when he discovered Dart's efforts to identify the remains of the eight young men.

Dart said the nephew went to his father, Haakenson's brother, and his aunt, Lorie Sisterman, and persuaded them to submit the samples for testing.

"We got an immediate hit," Dart said.

Authorities believe the teen was killed in August 1976, in part because of where he was found in Gacy's house. Because Gacy was killing so many young men, his crawl space was filling up, forcing him to stack the bodies. Haakenson's body was directly underneath Rick Johnston, who was last seen at a concert in Chicago on Aug. 6, 1976, and was on top of a still unidentified young man known as "Victim #26."

Over the course of the investigation, the Cook County Sheriff's Department has solved a number of cold cases. According to the department, investigators have located five missing persons who were alive and two missing persons who had died elsewhere in the country. For example, in 2013, Dart announced that one person who submitted DNA had allowed investigators to identify remains found in a wooded area in New Jersey as a teenager who ran away from a nearby orphanage in 1972.
Australia was disappointed that hundreds of its rejected refugees would not begin resettling in the United States this month under a deal that predates President Donald Trump's administration, an official said on Friday.

President Barack Obama's administration agreed to accept up to 1,250 refugees among hundreds of asylum seekers  mostly from Iran, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka  who have been languishing for up to four years in immigration camps on the impoverished Pacific island nations of Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said Australia wanted the refugees to start moving in July, but the United States had already filled its 50,000 refugee quota for the current fiscal year.

"We're disappointed that they haven't been able to move this month, which was my hope, but their new program year starts on Oct. 1, and we're working with both the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that we can get people off as quickly as possible," Dutton told reporters.

Trump berated Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during their first telephone conversation as national leaders in January over the deal which Trump described in a tweet as "dumb."

Trump said the refugees would be subjected to "extreme vetting" before they were accepted. There are few details on what that would entail.

Australia will not settle any refugees who try to arrive by boat  a policy that the government says dissuades asylum seekers from attempting the dangerous and occasionally deadly ocean crossing from Indonesia. Australia instead pays Papua New Guinea and Nauru to house asylum seekers in camps that have been plagued by reports of abuse and draconian conditions.

Dutton said he was determined to close the men-only camp on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea by the end of October. Asylum seekers on Manus who were rejected by the United States would be transferred to Nauru, who will remain open indefinitely.

Australia last month reached a settlement of 68 million dollars with more than 1,900 asylum seekers who sued over their treatment on Manus.
Actor John Heard, whose many roles included the father in the "Home Alone" series and a corrupt detective in "The Sopranos," has died. He was 71.

Heard was found dead Friday in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office said Saturday.

An investigation which includes a toxicology test is underway to determine the cause of death, but so far there is no evidence of foul play, the office said.

TMZ reported that a representative for Heard said he was staying in the hotel while he recovered from back surgery at Stanford University Medical Center.

Heard played Peter McCallister, the father of Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, in "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York." He said in later interviews that he sought a movie with kids in it so his son, age 5 at the time, could come to the set and have someone to play with.

After it became a big hit, he was reluctant to revisit the role. But his agent convinced him the money was too good to pass up.

"I didn't want to be the 'Home Alone' dad for the rest of my life," he told Yahoo News in 2013.

He was born March 7, 1946, in Washington, D.C., and grew up performing in local theater. One of his memorable early roles was as a disabled Vietnam War veteran in the 1981 film "Cutter's Way."

He was active in film for the next decade, playing Tom Hanks' rival in "Big," actress Geraldine Page's son in "The Trip to Bountiful" and in the movies "The Pelican Brief," ''Beaches," ''Gladiator," ''Rambling Rose" and "After Hours."

He earned an Emmy nomination for playing Vin Makazian in "The Sopranos." Heard said in a 2015 interview with The A.V. Club that he got the part after running into series star James Gandolfini in a gym. His time on "The Sopranos" ended like it did for many other actors there  with his character's death.

Heard said he approached series creator David Chase and said "'Why me? I'm a detective! You can use me forever!' And he told me, 'John, there's a rule in television. Somebody has to die that the audience likes.' I said, 'They like me? How do you know they like me?' He said, 'Well, they like you. So we're gonna kill you.'

"My mother said, 'Why do you have to die in everything?' I said, 'You're telling me? I could've made a fortune!"

Other television roles kept Heard busy. He acted in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," ''Elementary," ''Prison Break," ''Modern Family" and "Entourage." One of his favorite jobs came in the original "Sharknado" television movie in 2013.

"I knew it was going to be a cult classic," he told the Baltimore Media Blog last year. "It's just ridiculous. I thought it would replace people calling me the 'Home Alone' dad."

Fellow actor Michael McKean paid tribute on Twitter Saturday: "RIP John Heard. Never not good."

Actor James Woods said Heard was "a complex and brilliant man and a true artist. I will miss him dearly."

Heard was married and divorced three times, including briefly to actress Margot Kidder. He had three children.

This story has been corrected to show John Heard was 71, not 72.
The elaborate costumes that fans wear to San Diego Comic-Con are often a labor of love, painstakingly pieced together all while staying true to character  and sticking to a budget.

Twins Alisa Rhead, of Idaho, and Brian Messick, of Colorado, visited Comic-Con Friday with their friend, Duan Ting, also of Colorado. The trio dressed as Poison Ivy, Edward Scissorhands and The Joker, respectively.

Messick was the mastermind behind all three costumes. He said they spent about $500 putting the three outfits together  minus an expensive pair of shoes he wore, which he already had in his closet. This included wigs, accessories and, of course, makeup.

Messick said he typically tries to stay under $100 for each costume. He went a little over budget this time, but for the trio, it was worth it.

As the season comes to a close, it's worth noting that San Diego Padres legends Jerry Coleman and Tony Gwynn both received musical tributes by local musicians.

Many of their pieces  like Messicks pricey shoes  were repurposed for cosplay. Rheads green dress was originally a prom dress that was altered into a costume and adorned with ivy leaves. Tings pants were a vintage pair from the 1970s; his jacket was dyed purple to look like the Jokers apparel.

Monica Garske

Messick said the three key pieces that pulled together each costume were the big, green eyebrows for Rheads get-up, his Scissorhands, and Tings thick, detailed Joker makeup.

Tiffany Agra, of Mission Viejo, California, also came to Comic-Con dressed as Poison Ivy. This marked her 11th time at the pop culture convention; each year, she comes in costume. She, too, repurposes.

Ive recycled it over the years, she said, referring to her Poison Ivy costume. I started this one in 2014, and I keep adding to it.

Monica Garske

The ivy leaves were hand-stitched and sewn on by her and some dedicated friends. In all, Agra said she spent about $100 on her costume. The accessories  including her red wig and shoes  cost a little more.

Agra said she like the idea of reusing her costumes for cosplay.

"[It] keeps it interesting; [I] get more use out of it that way," she told NBC 7.

[G-2017] The Costumes of San Diego Comic-Con International 2017

Agra said the key to enjoying cosplay at Comic-Con is simple: love it and do it for yourself.

"[It takes] a lot of heart," she said. Do it for yourself  and not for other people  because theres always going to be somebody who has a better costume than you or a worse costume than you, so do it for yourself. Dont get caught up in the competition.

Friends Ryan Preskitt and Michael Ramos, both of Santa Maria, California, dressed up as Superman and Green Arrow.

Preskitt told NBC 7 he spent about $200 on his costume  not including spray paint and repairs. Ramos also spent about $200, not including his bow.

They said the fun behind making a costume lies in the customization and making it your own.

I got the costume and I just altered it, said Ramos. Adding some things and adjusting it and whatnot.

Monica Garske

For those looking to cosplay, Preskitt suggested watching YouTube tutorials for tips on how to make costumes cool and comfortable. In fact, he learned to make soles for the bottom of his tights via an online tutorial. He also said costume networking is key

Talk to people who can give you different information on how to fix up your costume, said Preskitt.

And, when you can, dress up with a buddy.

When youre doing it, do it with other people  and do a theme  because you get noticed a lot more, Ramos added.

Malis Vitterfolk, originally of San Diego now living in the Bay Area, attended the convention Friday dressed as Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus  and then some.

She told NBC 7 her costume was a mash-up that combined Ms. Frizzle with a Time Lord from Doctor Who because, as some fan theory has it, Ms. Frizzle may actually be a Time Lord.

Vitterfolk said it took her about a month-and-a-half to put together her costume. She started with some cosmic-looking fabric from her dress, and the inspiration followed, right down to dangling earrings featuring mini planets.

Monica Garske

Altogether, she spent about $100 on her dress, wig, and accessories. She also pulled some pieces from previous costumes into her outfits.

Vitterfolk brought something to share, too: tiny gold star stickers that she gave to fellow Comic-Con attendees who recognized her character. She was thrilled to play teacher and reward attendees for their pop culture knowledge.

Vitterfolk told NBC 7 cosplay is what makes Comic-Con so fun to attend year after year.

Its is pretty much the only reason why I come, she said. I love looking at the costumes. You can be anything  and it fits. Its really cool to see what people come up with.

She said she especially loves to see other mash-up costumes that combine characters from completely different worlds.

Like the Disney princesses dressed as Final Fantasy characters or Star Wars clashing with almost everything, she explained. They get to put their own spin on it.

Gavin Long, 29, the suspect in a shooting that killed three Baton Rouge police officers and injured three others, was formerly a Marine sergeant assigned to Camp Pendleton, MCAS Miramar and the Marine Corps Training Depot. NBC 7s Nicole Gomez has details,

San Diego Comic-Con runs through Sunday. The convention was born in 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel in the heart of San Diego, California. Over the decades, the little event that could has grown into a behemoth, taking over the San Diego Convention Center, neighboring hotels and downtown San Diego for a long summer weekend every year.

Comic-Cons fervent fans typically attend the convention in elaborate costumes, transforming the city into a metropolis straight out of the pages of fantasy and science fiction.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Robert Edwin Holton was buried under hazy but cloudless blue skies Saturday, finally resting in his home state of Montana after 48 years of being missing in action during the Vietnam War.

After morning services in Butte, where he grew up, Holton received full military honors at Sunset Memorial Park west of town. At 11:15 a.m., a massive C-130 Hercules flew over the cemetery and tipped its wing.

It was a fitting send-off for Holton, who was serving his country when the F4 Phantom fighter he and Maj. William Campbell were flying over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos was shot down on Jan. 29, 1969.

Although the Air Force presumed him dead starting in 1972, he was listed as missing in action until his remains were excavated in Laos and verified earlier this year. They arrived in a sealed casket in Montana on Friday.

Its almost like they were searching for a needle in a haystack and they found the needle, Dianne Moody, who married Holton in 1966, said to scores of people who attended the service at Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home.

The pews were filled an hour before the service, but people filtered in nonetheless, standing in the back and along the sides and looking and listening in from the parlor.

The homecoming began Friday, when more than 70 motorcycle riders and 20 vehicles led Holtons casket from Bozeman to Butte. People waved American flags from every overpass on Interstate 90 along the way, and hundreds greeted him here.

His mission wasnt just fighting for his country, Moody said. I feel like part of his mission was bringing us all together here this weekend.

Pastor Martha McCreight, who presided over the service in Butte, said there was relief in knowing Holton was finally home and there was now a physical place where people could visit him.

It was also a day of sadness and grief, she said, but even though Holton was missing on Earth for 48 years, He was never apart from God.

It was only last month that the Air Force called Bill Holton in Butte to say that remains of his brother had been verified.

Todd Holton, Bills son, was only 3 when his uncles plane went down. But he, too, was left with questions and uncertainty for nearly five decades.

I am so glad our family has gotten closure, he said before offering a toast to his uncle at the service.

He, too, said the homecoming had been amazing.

I couldnt be more proud to be from Butte, he said. I couldnt be more proud to be an American.

Members of the Butte United Veterans Council carried Holtons flag-draped casket to the hearse, and when it arrived at the cemetery, members of the Air Force carried it to its final resting place.

After a gun salute from an Air Force honor guard, "Taps" was played, and the flag was lifted from the casket and folded. Air Force Gen. John P. Hronek, chief of staff for the Montana Air National Guard, presented it to Bill Holton. He presented another folded flag to Moody.

But the final touch belonged to Sue MacPherson, who hung out with Holton as a teenager in Butte and has worn an MIA bracelet in his honor since 1972.

She took it off on Saturday and, with tears in her eyes, laid it on top of the casket so it would be buried with her lifelong friend she has missed and wondered about all these years.

It was perfect, she said.
With praise and a blessing for the military, President Donald Trump helped hand over the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Navy on Saturday and said the state-of-the-art aircraft carrier will send a "100,000-ton message to the world" about America's military might when it is ultimately deployed.

U.S. allies will rest easy, Trump said, but America's enemies will "shake with fear" when they see the Ford cutting across the horizon.

The president, who is commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces, likened the $12.9 billion warship to "an incredible work of art" and boasted about the American labor that went into building a vessel that eventually will house thousands of sailors and crew members.

Trump's participation in the ceremony also capped "Made in America" week at the White House, during which the president and administration officials sought to draw attention to the U.S. manufacturing industry.

"American steel and American hands have constructed this 100,000-ton message to the world," Trump said of the Ford during a speech that praised the bravery and spirit of U.S. service members and referenced his desire for a buildup after years of spending restrictions.

"American might is second to none and we're getting bigger and better and stronger every day of my administration. That I can tell you," Trump told thousands of service members and guests, including former defense secretaries Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, and Govs. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia and Rick Snyder of Michigan, who were packed into the steamy hangar bay on the main deck.

"Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming, and America is coming strong," Trump said.

After the speech, he put the Ford into commission and asked God to "bless and guide this warship and all who shall sail in her." He was followed by Susan Ford Bales, the ship's sponsor and daughter of the 38th president, whom the ship honors.

"There is no one, absolutely no one, who would be prouder of the commissioning of this mighty ship than the president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford," she said. "I am honored to give the command: 'Officers and crew of the United States Gerald R. Ford, man our ship and bring her to life.'"

"Anchors Aweigh" played as row after row of sailors in crisp, white uniforms who had been standing in formation began filing off to man their stations. Sirens and bells sounded, horns blared and the U.S. flag was hoisted high above the deck.

Soon after, the captain was informed that the "ship is manned and ready and reports for duty to the fleet."

Trump, who visited the carrier in March, told Time magazine this year that the Navy should revert to using steam catapults to launch fighter jets because some of the USS Ford's state-of-the-art systems and technology "costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it's no good."

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy has blamed the delays and budget overruns on the ship's advanced systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

The warship also has a smaller island that sits farther back on the ship to make it quicker to refuel, re-arm and relaunch planes, and a nuclear power plant designed to allow cruising speeds of more than 30 knots and operation for 20 years without refueling.

The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea before becoming ready for deployment, work that is expected to cost nearly $780 million and take more than four years to complete, congressional auditors said this month.

Docked at Naval Station Norfolk, the USS Ford eventually will house about 2,600 sailors, 600 fewer than the previous generation of aircraft carriers. The Navy says that will save more than $4 billion over the ship's 50-year lifespan.

The air wing to support the Ford could add more personnel to the ship, which is designed to house more than 4,600 crew members.

The Ford was built at Newport News Shipbuilding, a giant Navy contractor in Virginia.

"I was with you four months ago and I knew that I had to be here today and I told you I'd be back to congratulate you and the crew and everybody involved in commissioning the newest, largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the history of this world," Trump said Saturday. "That's a big achievement."

Associated Press writer Steve McMillan in Richmond, Virginia, and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed to this report.
A 10-year-old girl died last year, a decade after her father severely abused her when she was an infant. Now, police have ruled her death a homicide.

Prince Georges County police announced Friday that the death of Elanis Milfort has been ruled a homicide. The 10-year-old from Bowie, Maryland, died in 2016 after undergoing surgery to treat a spinal condition. She suffered complications from that surgery and passed away three days later.

Her spinal condition was a result of head trauma she received as a baby in 2006, after which police arrested the girls father, Lionel Milfort. He was charged with child abuse and served a prison sentence until his release in 2014, police said.

At the end of June, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia ruled her death a homicide.

The Prince Georges County State's Attorney's Office will determine whether additional charges will be filed against the father.
A Fairfax County, Virginia, middle school teacher has been arrested for possession of child pornography, police say.

Christopher Jordan, 24, of Centreville, was arrested Thursday and has been charged with six counts of possession of child pornography.

Jordan has been employed by Fairfax County Public Schools since 2016. He taught eighth-grade English at Holmes Middle School, police said.

The school system told police Jordan will not be returning to teach in the fall.

Police said the investigation into Jordan is still active and are urging anyone with information to call (703) 246-7800.
One person was hospitalized early Saturday morning after a rollover crash involving two vehicles in Providence, Rhode Island.

Police told WJAR-TV that the vehicles somehow collided on Murray Street at about 12:30 a.m. One vehicle struck a house as a result of the crash.

One person had to be extricated from one of the vehicles. The victim, who was not identified, was transported to an area hospital where they are listed in critical condition.

No one in the house was hurt, according to WJAR-TV.

The exact cause of the crash is under investigation.
A teenager and two juveniles are facing charges in connection with a BB gun shooting earlier in the week in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

Authorities said in a Facebook post on Saturday that Samuel T. Patterson, 19, of Uxbridge, was charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disturbing the peace, assault and battery on a party disabled with injury, and BB gun/air rifle discharge.

Police said two juvenile boys that were involved are also being charged.

Authorities said a suspect shot at an officer on Wednesday morning on Mendon Street. The shot did not hit the cruiser and police say it was probably because the suspect was holding the gun sideways.

When the officer turned around, the suspect ran off. Police say they couldn't find the suspect and that he was likely "tucked in nicely, covered up by his elmo blankey."

Police say there was been an uptick in these types of shooting in Uxbridge and surrounding towns.

It's unclear when the three suspects will appear in court to face charges.
New Hampshire is warning people to avoid contact with the water in Lake Monomonac after finding elevated levels of a potentially dangerous algal bloom.

Samples collected from July 17 exceeded the state threshold of 70,000 cells/ milliliter or greater of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae. The cyanobacteria were identified as Anabaena, Aphanocapsa and Woronichinia. The heaviest blooms were near the shorelines.

Cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies worldwide, but blooms and surface scums may form when excess phosphorus is available to the water. This summer, several places in New Hampshire have been contaminated with cyanobacteria including Elm Brook Park Beach in Hopkinton and Long Pond in Pelham.

A person exposed to cyanobacteria can experience a range of health problems from skin irritation to liver damage.
A former Massachusetts postmaster has been sentenced to two years of probation for stealing more than $30,000 in government funds.

The Telegram & Gazette reports that 36-year-old Carlitos Molina was ordered by a federal judge Thursday to spend the first six months of probation in home confinement and pay back the stolen money.

Molina pleaded guilty in April to misappropriation of postal funds for converting 65 post office money orders into cash from April to October 2015 while he was postmaster in Blackstone and then Holden.

The money orders came from post office funds and not customers. The post office allows employees to use money orders to pay for office expenses. Prosecutors say Molina lied and said he used some money to pay for repairs to the post office.
A former official in two Massachusetts towns has pleaded guilty to destroying public records and rigging bids for municipal contracts toward favored contractors.

The Daily Item of Lynn reports that 70-year-old Andrew Bisignani was sentenced Thursday in Salem Superior Court to two years of probation with six months under house arrest.

He will begin the home confinement sentence in January, as he is already under house arrest for tax evasion until that time.

Bisignani, formerly Saugus' town manager and Nahant's town administrator, will also have to pay $600,000 in fines.

In a statement, he says his objective is to now move forward, "unencumbered by this legal matter." Bisignani apologized for the decisions he made, saying he did not always act in the best interest of the public.
Maine State Police say a woman found dead alongside a road in Cherryfield was a certified nursing aid who'd worked in home health care.

State Police say DNA was used to confirm the identification of 55-year-old Sally Shaw, whose body was Wednesday morning along Route 193. Police say a 2017 black Chevy Impala found crashed at a different location several miles away had been rented in her name in Bangor.

Investigators said Shaw was a home health worker with connections to Washington County.

State police are refusing to say how Shaw died, but her death has been classified as a homicide.

State police say anyone who has information about Shaw, the crash or her rented vehicle should contact investigators.
Massachusetts has fined two railroad companies $60,000 for leaving discarded railroad ties along the tracks, some of which later caught fire.

The state Department of Environmental Protection first noted thousands of ties abandoned by Pan Am Railways and subsidiary Boston & Maine Corp. in 1999.

Over the years, the agency noted more violations and several fires involving the ties, including a blaze last month in Northfield that drew a response from 11 fire departments in three states. The agency says the remainder of the pile is still a fire hazard.

The companies were previously fined $50,000 in 2013 and entered an agreement to clean up the ties. A spokesman for the state said Thursday the response has been "completely inadequate."

A spokeswoman for Pan Am could not be reached.
Republican Senator Susan Collins went to the Maine Medical Center Research Institute to get a tour of the lab. She ended up receiving a standing ovation for her stance on health care.

"It certainly is a difficult time in Washington, but I have never shied away from a challenge, and Im not exactly a shrinking violet," she said.

The moderate Republican has opposed efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. She has also stood in the way of a Senate Republican plan to reform health care, that she worries will bring devastating cuts to Medicaid.

Senator Collins said she expects to have a health care vote next week  but she isnt sure if it will be a revised Republican health care bill, or a measure to repeal Obamacare without a replacement.

"I dont think either approach is a viable option," Sen. Collins said.

She is urging Senate leaders to have hearings and work with Democrats on a compromise.

Collins has become a Senator to watch  not only for her votes on health care, but also for her role on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

As her committee works to investigate Russian interference in the election, she is concerned about reports that President Trumps attorneys are trying to undercut special counsel Robert Mueller.

"[Mueller] cannot be interfered with," said Collins. "I think it would be catastrophic if the President were to fire him. What the President really ought to do is just not say another word about the investigation, and just let it go forward."
A dip at the beach is one way to beat the heat, but some residents in Marshfield, Massachusetts, say their piece of the shore is being ruined and the town will not do anything about it.

There is so much seaweed at Ocean Bluff Beach, those who live near it can barely see the sand. They say it happens every year, but this year is particularly bad, and with the seaweed is mounting, so is their frustration.

This used to be a nice, sandy beach Michael Fay said. Not right now between the flies, the smell and the bacteria.

It is tough to get rid of and it only gets worse as the tide goes out. In the past, some neighbors have tried to remove it themselves.

I got a pitchfork and tried to get it off my stairs, but I couldnt lift it, Jerry Shea said, who lives right along the beach.

Fay took his complains to town officials who said they understand it is an issue, but they cannot step into help.

Cleaning it can cause more disruption than good, Bill Grafton, conservation administrator for the town of Marshfield said. This provides a habitat for a number of different type of animals like crabs and lobsters.

Grafton says the Wetlands Protection Act means the town legally cannot remove it. Town Manager Rocco Longo says even if they could, they also would not have the resources or the manpower to waste on removing the seaweed that would likely come back.

Youd have to lift up the rocks. Youd have to move the seaweed out. Its almost impossible, but thats not the reason we dont do it, Longo said. The reason we havent done it is the ecological reasons.

Fay says he does not buy that explanation especially after hearing the town cleaned up seaweed at another beach.

Town officials argue that beach was sandy not rocky like Ocean Bluff, where they say they will have to wait for mother nature to take care of it.
A family member says Michael Flynn, the embattled former national security adviser, has opened a consulting firm called Resilient Patriot LLC that is advising private equity firms.

Joe Flynn says his brother, who is currently living in Middletown, Rhode Island, is "moving on with his life," and that the family is starting a fund to pay for the legal bills Michael Flynn is racking up.

Michael Flynn is at the center of multiple probes into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Joe Flynn tells The Associated Press that the probes have put Michael Flynn in a "tough spot financially" and will cost him a lot of money. He says his brother has a lot of fans around the country who might want to help.

Several of Flynn's siblings plan to administer the fund.
Officers say sentence is a warning to London drug gangs targeting Newbury

Another drug dealer from London has been jailed for plying his trade in Newbury.

Twenty-year-old Bradley OSullivan, aged 20, from Swallowfields Drive, Barnet, London, was jailed for five years by a judge sitting at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, July 20.

The offence took place at around 12pm on August 30 last year, when a vehicle OSullivan was a passenger in was stopped on Bear Lane in Newbury. When he was searched, 11 wraps of heroin and 17 wraps of crack cocaine were found concealed on his person.

OSullivan admitted possessing the Class A controlled drugs with intent to supply them.

Following the sentencing, Pc Chris Eaton from Newbury Police Station, said: This was another county lines case, where London gangs travel to the Home Counties in order to sell drugs. This is the first of many cases to be heard at Crown Court this summer after last years success rate in arresting county lines drug dealers.

I hope this sentence sends out a message that we will not tolerate illegal drugs offences within the communities we serve and we will always seek prosecution of those involved in their supply.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police on Friday arrested four persons in connection with an unsuccessful robbery attempt staged at Muthoot Finance company in Mailardevpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad, nearly three weeks ago.

Three more accused are still at large, police said. The arrested persons have been identified as Arshad Fulumuddin Khan, Shafiuddin Navaboddin Sayyad, Mohammed Dastagir and Santosh Veerkar.

Also, prime accused Shareef and two others - Anna and Farooq - are yet to be nabbed, police said.

The accused, after conducting a recce at various branches of Muthoot finance firm, had zeroed in on the bank's Mailardevpally branch due to its lack of security.

The accused Shareef, Khan and Sayyad met in Dhuley sub-jail when they were serving imprisonment. They continued to be in touch even after release.

MODUS OPERANDI

On July 2, the gang met in Osmanabad and came to Hyderabad in a stolen vehicle. The next day, they all went to Muthoot to commit the robbery, but due to rush they could not execute the plan. They stayed at Taj Dhaba located on the outskirts of Budera village on that day.

They attempted to rob the Mailardevpally branch again on July 4, but the alert staff averted it. They parked their getaway vehicle at Happy Homes Apartments (Tower 6), a residential complex in Hyderabad's Rajendranagar, and fled. During the search operations conducted by commandos of the Telengana anti-terrorism squad, a polythene bag was found, which provided clues to the police team in further arrest of Dastagir and his son-in-law Sayyad in Hyderabad.

IN PICTURES: Scenes from the OCTOPUS operation following the failed robbery attempt at Muthoot Finance in Hyderabad on July 4

HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police on Friday arrested four persons in connection with an unsuccessful robbery attempt staged at Muthoot Finance company in Mailardevpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad, nearly three weeks ago. Three more accused are still at large, police said. The arrested persons have been identified as Arshad Fulumuddin Khan, Shafiuddin Navaboddin Sayyad, Mohammed Dastagir and Santosh Veerkar. Also, prime accused Shareef and two others - Anna and Farooq - are yet to be nabbed, police said. The accused, after conducting a recce at various branches of Muthoot finance firm, had zeroed in on the bank's Mailardevpally branch due to its lack of security. The accused Shareef, Khan and Sayyad met in Dhuley sub-jail when they were serving imprisonment. They continued to be in touch even after release. MODUS OPERANDI On July 2, the gang met in Osmanabad and came to Hyderabad in a stolen vehicle. The next day, they all went to Muthoot to commit the robbery, but due to rush they could not execute the plan. They stayed at Taj Dhaba located on the outskirts of Budera village on that day. They attempted to rob the Mailardevpally branch again on July 4, but the alert staff averted it. They parked their getaway vehicle at Happy Homes Apartments (Tower 6), a residential complex in Hyderabad's Rajendranagar, and fled. During the search operations conducted by commandos of the Telengana anti-terrorism squad, a polythene bag was found, which provided clues to the police team in further arrest of Dastagir and his son-in-law Sayyad in Hyderabad. IN PICTURES: Scenes from the OCTOPUS operation following the failed robbery attempt at Muthoot Finance in Hyderabad on July 4
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court will hear a petition filed by Priya Singh Paul, who claims to be the biological daughter of Sanjay Gandhi, to put a stay on the release of Madhur Bhandarkars new film Indu Sarkar on Monday (July 24).

The film is scheduled to release on Friday (July 28) and hence the petition needs to be heard as early as possible, Pauls lawyer Tanveer Nizam had told the court.

The petition wants the filmmaker to explain the facts and fiction in the film and delete the factual portion. It also seeks to set aside Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)s certificate granted to the film for its release.

Bhandarkar had in a television debate said that the film is 30 per cent fact and 70 percent fiction. He should edit the film and delete the 30 per cent part, demanded the petition.

CBFC has granted U/A certificate to the film after ordering 12 cuts, which have been complied with.

Pauls petition was produced on 21 July before a division bench headed by Justice Anoop Mohta.

Bhandarkar had recently said that he would put a disclaimer in Indu Sarkar, stating that the film is mostly fictional.

The movie  Indu Sarkar - deals with the controversial state of emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. It came under heavy criticism by Congress leaders after the release of its promos. Two of Bhandarkars promotional events for the film in Pune and Nagpur had to be cancelled earlier this week due to protests by Congress workers.

Priya Singh Paul (48) claims she was adopted as a baby and was told only after she grew up that her biological father was Sanjay Gandhi, who died in a plane crash in 1980. Sanjay, was the son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, wielded tremendous influence on the administration in the extremely hostile political environment just before and soon after the emergency.

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court will hear a petition filed by Priya Singh Paul, who claims to be the biological daughter of Sanjay Gandhi, to put a stay on the release of Madhur Bhandarkars new film Indu Sarkar on Monday (July 24). The film is scheduled to release on Friday (July 28) and hence the petition needs to be heard as early as possible, Pauls lawyer Tanveer Nizam had told the court. The petition wants the filmmaker to explain the facts and fiction in the film and delete the factual portion. It also seeks to set aside Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)s certificate granted to the film for its release. Bhandarkar had in a television debate said that the film is 30 per cent fact and 70 percent fiction. He should edit the film and delete the 30 per cent part, demanded the petition. CBFC has granted U/A certificate to the film after ordering 12 cuts, which have been complied with. Pauls petition was produced on 21 July before a division bench headed by Justice Anoop Mohta. Bhandarkar had recently said that he would put a disclaimer in Indu Sarkar, stating that the film is mostly fictional. The movie  Indu Sarkar - deals with the controversial state of emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. It came under heavy criticism by Congress leaders after the release of its promos. Two of Bhandarkars promotional events for the film in Pune and Nagpur had to be cancelled earlier this week due to protests by Congress workers. Priya Singh Paul (48) claims she was adopted as a baby and was told only after she grew up that her biological father was Sanjay Gandhi, who died in a plane crash in 1980. Sanjay, was the son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, wielded tremendous influence on the administration in the extremely hostile political environment just before and soon after the emergency.
By IANS

TEHRAN: An acclaimed Iranian illustrator has been denied a visa to attend the Edinburgh International Book Festival amid growing criticism of the UK's handling of Iranian visas, the media reported on Friday.

Ehsan Abdollahi, described by the festival's director as a "highly respected, award-winning Iranian illustrator of kids' books", was due to arrive in the UK next month, but he has received a visa refusal letter, issued by the British embassy in Dubai, reports the Guardian.

The letter stated that he has "no right of appeal or right to administrative review".

Abdollahi, 37, who teaches at Tehran's top Honar (Art) University, has illustrated a number of children's books published in English, including "When I Coloured in the World", by one of Iran's best-known living poets, Ahmadreza Ahmadi.

"It would be a lie if I say I didn't get upset," he told the Guardian.

"I had planned for it for months. They have given ridiculous reasons for rejecting the visa despite me having provided all the necessary documents."

Abdollahi had to go to Dubai to apply for the visa.

He said one reason for the refusal was that he was single. "Since when being a single person has become a crime?" he asked.

The visa refusal letter said: "You have submitted a bank balance statement from Tejarat Bank with the latest balance of 679,529,024 Iranian rial ($20950). However, it is not clear where these funds originate from. As such, without evidence of the origin of this money, I am not satisfied that it is genuinely yours and available to fund the proposed visit. I note you are divorced and no one is dependent on you."

In reaction to his visa refusal, the artist drew an illustration which was posted online.

It shows an animated Abdollahi in a bottle in reference to his book, "A Bottle of Happiness", along with the words painted in colours: "I rubbed out the words No Entry' and wrote with all my colours: Happiness, Flying, Kindness, Hope, Love."

He told the Guardian: "I was meant to be the 'jin' in the bottle for the kids in the festival, the bottle is the symbol of happiness, but then after the visa refusal I realised it has become a bottle of despair, so I drew that. It carries a message of peace."

In 2016, Marjan Vafaian, also an illustrator, had to cancel events in Edinburgh and London after being refused a visa.

TEHRAN: An acclaimed Iranian illustrator has been denied a visa to attend the Edinburgh International Book Festival amid growing criticism of the UK's handling of Iranian visas, the media reported on Friday. Ehsan Abdollahi, described by the festival's director as a "highly respected, award-winning Iranian illustrator of kids' books", was due to arrive in the UK next month, but he has received a visa refusal letter, issued by the British embassy in Dubai, reports the Guardian. The letter stated that he has "no right of appeal or right to administrative review". Abdollahi, 37, who teaches at Tehran's top Honar (Art) University, has illustrated a number of children's books published in English, including "When I Coloured in the World", by one of Iran's best-known living poets, Ahmadreza Ahmadi. "It would be a lie if I say I didn't get upset," he told the Guardian. "I had planned for it for months. They have given ridiculous reasons for rejecting the visa despite me having provided all the necessary documents." Abdollahi had to go to Dubai to apply for the visa. He said one reason for the refusal was that he was single. "Since when being a single person has become a crime?" he asked. The visa refusal letter said: "You have submitted a bank balance statement from Tejarat Bank with the latest balance of 679,529,024 Iranian rial ($20950). However, it is not clear where these funds originate from. As such, without evidence of the origin of this money, I am not satisfied that it is genuinely yours and available to fund the proposed visit. I note you are divorced and no one is dependent on you." In reaction to his visa refusal, the artist drew an illustration which was posted online. It shows an animated Abdollahi in a bottle in reference to his book, "A Bottle of Happiness", along with the words painted in colours: "I rubbed out the words No Entry' and wrote with all my colours: Happiness, Flying, Kindness, Hope, Love." He told the Guardian: "I was meant to be the 'jin' in the bottle for the kids in the festival, the bottle is the symbol of happiness, but then after the visa refusal I realised it has become a bottle of despair, so I drew that. It carries a message of peace." In 2016, Marjan Vafaian, also an illustrator, had to cancel events in Edinburgh and London after being refused a visa.
G Parthasarathy By

Few Indians have heard of the Doklam Plateau located astride the borders of Tibet, Bhutan and Indias Sikkim. Like elsewhere along the Sino-Indian border, Beijing recently moved into this strategic area. It disregarded the fact that its claims had been contested by Bhutan, which regards the area as its territory. The disputed region remains a subject of inconclusive and continuing negotiations between China and Bhutan. Apart from its treaty commitment to protect Bhutan, India is seriously concerned about any Chinese move into the area, as it would pose a serious security threat to its vital lines of communication across its eastern and northeastern borders. India moved troops into the disputed area to stop the Chinese incursion, resulting in a face-to-face standoff between the forces on both sides.

Unlike in the past, China reacted vituperatively with its state-controlled media repeatedly issuing dire warnings of repeating its 1962 invasion. When Chinese troops intruded across these borders in 1967, they were beaten back along with heavy casualties. Similarly, when the Chinese intruded the Sumdorong Chu area in Arunachal Pradesh in 1986, they faced a measured, but strong Indian reaction. The intruding Chinese troops were outflanked when helicopter-borne Indian troops dropped along the border. The situation was defused diplomatically, when then external affairs minister N D Tiwari visited Beijing in 1987. A process of pull back by both sides was agreed upon. This, in turn, led to Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi visiting China in 1988.

The present Chinese aggressiveness is a reflection of their growing national arrogance after successfully threatening and occupying a large number of islands along its disputed maritime borders with neighbours, ranging from Vietnam to the Philippines. It disregarded a ruling of the International Court of Justice. China has also similarly coerced a number of neighbours on its land borders. At the same time, it has expanded its military presence across the South China Sea and Indian Ocean with substantial investments in a number of countries from Myanmar to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Djibouti. However, Chinas aim to become the hegemonic power in Asia faces challenge from India and Japan. Pakistan uses China as its primary instrument to contain India.

Narendra Modi governments policy of asserting its independence and strength along its borders appears to have rattled China. It is interesting that the Chinese move, more or less, coincided with Modis recent visit to the US where President Donald Trump openly lauded joint military naval exercises by Japan, the US and India in the Indian Ocean. Over 70 per cent of the worlds maritime oil trade is routed through the Indian Ocean. China has, in effect, been told that it will not be allowed to dominate these vital trade routes. Chinas anger and frustration with India flow from the latters readiness to respond strongly to the diplomatic and security challenges that Beijing poses, while signalling that it is open to dialogue to settle issues causing tensions. The present impasse can be settled if China agrees to disengage and withdraw its troops following diplomatic and military discussions, as it did in 1987.

The most interesting photograph one saw recently was of a smiling PM Modi shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Germany. This occurred at a time the Chinese media and even its ambassador in Delhi were making loud and belligerent noises. New Delhi has clearly signalled to China and the world that while it would stand firm on issues of its territorial integrity, it would like to end the current impasse on its borders through talks. One hopes that after detailed briefing by the government, political parties will unite in Parliament and address these challenges to the countrys territorial integrity.

G Parthasarathy

Former diplomat

dadpartha@gmail.com

Few Indians have heard of the Doklam Plateau located astride the borders of Tibet, Bhutan and Indias Sikkim. Like elsewhere along the Sino-Indian border, Beijing recently moved into this strategic area. It disregarded the fact that its claims had been contested by Bhutan, which regards the area as its territory. The disputed region remains a subject of inconclusive and continuing negotiations between China and Bhutan. Apart from its treaty commitment to protect Bhutan, India is seriously concerned about any Chinese move into the area, as it would pose a serious security threat to its vital lines of communication across its eastern and northeastern borders. India moved troops into the disputed area to stop the Chinese incursion, resulting in a face-to-face standoff between the forces on both sides. Unlike in the past, China reacted vituperatively with its state-controlled media repeatedly issuing dire warnings of repeating its 1962 invasion. When Chinese troops intruded across these borders in 1967, they were beaten back along with heavy casualties. Similarly, when the Chinese intruded the Sumdorong Chu area in Arunachal Pradesh in 1986, they faced a measured, but strong Indian reaction. The intruding Chinese troops were outflanked when helicopter-borne Indian troops dropped along the border. The situation was defused diplomatically, when then external affairs minister N D Tiwari visited Beijing in 1987. A process of pull back by both sides was agreed upon. This, in turn, led to Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi visiting China in 1988. The present Chinese aggressiveness is a reflection of their growing national arrogance after successfully threatening and occupying a large number of islands along its disputed maritime borders with neighbours, ranging from Vietnam to the Philippines. It disregarded a ruling of the International Court of Justice. China has also similarly coerced a number of neighbours on its land borders. At the same time, it has expanded its military presence across the South China Sea and Indian Ocean with substantial investments in a number of countries from Myanmar to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Djibouti. However, Chinas aim to become the hegemonic power in Asia faces challenge from India and Japan. Pakistan uses China as its primary instrument to contain India. Narendra Modi governments policy of asserting its independence and strength along its borders appears to have rattled China. It is interesting that the Chinese move, more or less, coincided with Modis recent visit to the US where President Donald Trump openly lauded joint military naval exercises by Japan, the US and India in the Indian Ocean. Over 70 per cent of the worlds maritime oil trade is routed through the Indian Ocean. China has, in effect, been told that it will not be allowed to dominate these vital trade routes. Chinas anger and frustration with India flow from the latters readiness to respond strongly to the diplomatic and security challenges that Beijing poses, while signalling that it is open to dialogue to settle issues causing tensions. The present impasse can be settled if China agrees to disengage and withdraw its troops following diplomatic and military discussions, as it did in 1987. The most interesting photograph one saw recently was of a smiling PM Modi shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Germany. This occurred at a time the Chinese media and even its ambassador in Delhi were making loud and belligerent noises. New Delhi has clearly signalled to China and the world that while it would stand firm on issues of its territorial integrity, it would like to end the current impasse on its borders through talks. One hopes that after detailed briefing by the government, political parties will unite in Parliament and address these challenges to the countrys territorial integrity. G Parthasarathy Former diplomat dadpartha@gmail.com
By IANS

NEW DELHI: A new M3 electronic voting machine (EVM) that is "tamper-detect" and will stop functioning if someone tries to tinker with it, is under production and will be used in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi disclosed on Wednesday.



"I must say that the Commission has always been welcoming suggestions and measures to further tighten the EVM's integrity. Our machines are evolving with new technologies, and currently we are producing M3 machines (third generation EVMs) which have many security features. In common man's language, they are tamper-detect, that is, if you fiddle with any part of the machine or try to open any screw, any box, it will become dysfunctional," Zaidi told IANS.



"By 2019, we will have M3 machines in place," the CEC said.



The M3 EVM production is starting from August at the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Lt (BEL) plants. These machines will replace the existing machines in phases. By September next year, the required number of machines will have been produced.



Zaidi, who demits office on Wednesday, said that apart from this, by 2019 all the EVMs will be attached with a voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units as the EC has already got funds and placed order for them.



Another feature of these new machines, he said, is self-diagnosis. That is, it can automatically detect any fault with the software or system and will show it in the display.



"The third part is digital certification. The Control Unit and Ballot Unit can communicate with each other. If someone plants a Ballot Unit or Control Unit from outside, the digital signature will not match and the system would stop functioning," Zaidi said.



"Thirdly, the operation deadlines of EVMs in terms of their productions, transportation, storage, maintenance and security etc are being more tightened. The vehicles carrying the EVMs will be fitted with GPS to monitor their movement," Zaidi said.



He said that as part of a huge mass awareness programme the EC is launching about VVPATs, paper trail slips in every constituency will also be counted along with the votes upto a certain percentage.



"The candidate has to tell us the name of the polling stations where he wants counting of paper slips and that will be done. I think with this, the issue of EVMs stands closed and its credibility restored," the CEC said.

NEW DELHI: A new M3 electronic voting machine (EVM) that is "tamper-detect" and will stop functioning if someone tries to tinker with it, is under production and will be used in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi disclosed on Wednesday. "I must say that the Commission has always been welcoming suggestions and measures to further tighten the EVM's integrity. Our machines are evolving with new technologies, and currently we are producing M3 machines (third generation EVMs) which have many security features. In common man's language, they are tamper-detect, that is, if you fiddle with any part of the machine or try to open any screw, any box, it will become dysfunctional," Zaidi told IANS. "By 2019, we will have M3 machines in place," the CEC said. The M3 EVM production is starting from August at the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Lt (BEL) plants. These machines will replace the existing machines in phases. By September next year, the required number of machines will have been produced. Zaidi, who demits office on Wednesday, said that apart from this, by 2019 all the EVMs will be attached with a voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units as the EC has already got funds and placed order for them. Another feature of these new machines, he said, is self-diagnosis. That is, it can automatically detect any fault with the software or system and will show it in the display. "The third part is digital certification. The Control Unit and Ballot Unit can communicate with each other. If someone plants a Ballot Unit or Control Unit from outside, the digital signature will not match and the system would stop functioning," Zaidi said. "Thirdly, the operation deadlines of EVMs in terms of their productions, transportation, storage, maintenance and security etc are being more tightened. The vehicles carrying the EVMs will be fitted with GPS to monitor their movement," Zaidi said. He said that as part of a huge mass awareness programme the EC is launching about VVPATs, paper trail slips in every constituency will also be counted along with the votes upto a certain percentage. "The candidate has to tell us the name of the polling stations where he wants counting of paper slips and that will be done. I think with this, the issue of EVMs stands closed and its credibility restored," the CEC said.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to sue the central government in a defamation case worth over 'thousands of crores', if allegations brought against Trinamool Congress leaders in Narada sting could not be proved.

Speaking at the 'July 21 Martyrs' Day' programme here on Friday, the Trinamool supremo said the party had lost trust in sting operations.

"Why is Narada probe taking so long to get completed? We believe that none of our leaders was involved. Hence, if the CBI fails to prove its allegations, we will bring a defamation suit worth thousands of crores against the central government," she said to over 30 lakh Trinamool Congress supporters, who came from all over the state to mourn the deaths of 13 Youth Congress men who were killed in police firing during a march to Writer's Building on July 21, 1993.

"BJP turns a blind eye to corruption in states that it rules. CBI and ED are sleeping over Rajasthan scam, Rs 20,000 crore petroleum scam of Gujarat, and the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh that claimed 50 lives. Whenever we oppose their decisions, they threaten us with investigation. We don't need a character certificate from BJP," she added.

Mamata demanded an investigation into demonetisation alleging that BJP made crores out of the move. "Over 6 lakh people have lost their jobs due to demonetisation and SBI recovered only Rs 11.6 crore as 'black money'. It is a big scam," she said.

The West Bengal chief minister also said that the central government failed in economic indicators.

"If we compare financial years 2015-16 and 2016-11, we see that GDP growth has gone down from 8% to 7.1%, industrial growth from 10.3% to 3.1%, job generation has reduced from 12.8 lakh from 2011-13 to 6 lakh in 2014-16 due to demonetisation.

Bank credit growth has come down from 10.3% in 2015-16 to 5.1% in 2016-17. Gross Fixed Capital Formation, which is an indicator of investments, has come down from 6.11% in 2015-16 to 0.57% in 2016-17 while Non-Perfoming Assets (NPA) of banks have risen from 5.7% in 2015-16 to 11.9% in 2016-17, amounting to a whopping Rs 1.66 lakh crores," she said.

Referring to Gau Rakshaks as Gau Rakshas (demons), she said that Dalits, Muslims and Hindus are not able to lead a life of dignity due to 'fake Hinduism'.

"They are killing, burning and torturing people in the name of fake morality," she added. She also said that Nobel laureates such as Amartya Sen and journalists such as Paranjoy Guha Thakurta were also not safe because of New Delhi.

Sounding the poll bugle for elections in seven municipalities on August 13, panchayat elections in May next year and Lok Sabha polls in 2019, Mamata declared launch of 'BJP Quit India' movement from August 9.

"I want TMC to win all muncipalities and gram panchayats next year. We have to ensure that BJP does not win a single seat from Bengal in 2019 for which TMC MPs, MLAs, ministers, councillors and panchayat members will have to conduct massive booth and block-level programmes which we will call the 'BJP Quit India movement'," she said.

Mamata claimed that the Presidential polls united the Opposition.

"Meira Kumar got 35% of the votes, all from the Opposition. Till now, 18 parties have come together and more will come. When TDP, JD (U), AAP, RJD, DMK and other opposition parties will fight in their respective states, BJP will not get even 30% votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections," she added.

Speaking on the India-China face-off in Dokalam, the West Bengal chief minister said:"West Bengal shares borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and is also the gateway to North-east. If Bengal's is geographically at risk, India is at risk. We need to save our country, not trot around the globe."

She also asked Trinamool Congress workers to report to police of any rumours being spread on the social media.

"Incidents of Comilla in Bangladesh, pictures from Gujarat riots and a Bhojpuri movie were being passed off as scenes from Basirhat riots by BJP. We will deal with cybercrime with a iron hand," she added.



KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to sue the central government in a defamation case worth over 'thousands of crores', if allegations brought against Trinamool Congress leaders in Narada sting could not be proved. Speaking at the 'July 21 Martyrs' Day' programme here on Friday, the Trinamool supremo said the party had lost trust in sting operations. "Why is Narada probe taking so long to get completed? We believe that none of our leaders was involved. Hence, if the CBI fails to prove its allegations, we will bring a defamation suit worth thousands of crores against the central government," she said to over 30 lakh Trinamool Congress supporters, who came from all over the state to mourn the deaths of 13 Youth Congress men who were killed in police firing during a march to Writer's Building on July 21, 1993. "BJP turns a blind eye to corruption in states that it rules. CBI and ED are sleeping over Rajasthan scam, Rs 20,000 crore petroleum scam of Gujarat, and the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh that claimed 50 lives. Whenever we oppose their decisions, they threaten us with investigation. We don't need a character certificate from BJP," she added. Mamata demanded an investigation into demonetisation alleging that BJP made crores out of the move. "Over 6 lakh people have lost their jobs due to demonetisation and SBI recovered only Rs 11.6 crore as 'black money'. It is a big scam," she said. The West Bengal chief minister also said that the central government failed in economic indicators. "If we compare financial years 2015-16 and 2016-11, we see that GDP growth has gone down from 8% to 7.1%, industrial growth from 10.3% to 3.1%, job generation has reduced from 12.8 lakh from 2011-13 to 6 lakh in 2014-16 due to demonetisation. Bank credit growth has come down from 10.3% in 2015-16 to 5.1% in 2016-17. Gross Fixed Capital Formation, which is an indicator of investments, has come down from 6.11% in 2015-16 to 0.57% in 2016-17 while Non-Perfoming Assets (NPA) of banks have risen from 5.7% in 2015-16 to 11.9% in 2016-17, amounting to a whopping Rs 1.66 lakh crores," she said. Referring to Gau Rakshaks as Gau Rakshas (demons), she said that Dalits, Muslims and Hindus are not able to lead a life of dignity due to 'fake Hinduism'. "They are killing, burning and torturing people in the name of fake morality," she added. She also said that Nobel laureates such as Amartya Sen and journalists such as Paranjoy Guha Thakurta were also not safe because of New Delhi. Sounding the poll bugle for elections in seven municipalities on August 13, panchayat elections in May next year and Lok Sabha polls in 2019, Mamata declared launch of 'BJP Quit India' movement from August 9. "I want TMC to win all muncipalities and gram panchayats next year. We have to ensure that BJP does not win a single seat from Bengal in 2019 for which TMC MPs, MLAs, ministers, councillors and panchayat members will have to conduct massive booth and block-level programmes which we will call the 'BJP Quit India movement'," she said. Mamata claimed that the Presidential polls united the Opposition. "Meira Kumar got 35% of the votes, all from the Opposition. Till now, 18 parties have come together and more will come. When TDP, JD (U), AAP, RJD, DMK and other opposition parties will fight in their respective states, BJP will not get even 30% votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections," she added. Speaking on the India-China face-off in Dokalam, the West Bengal chief minister said:"West Bengal shares borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and is also the gateway to North-east. If Bengal's is geographically at risk, India is at risk. We need to save our country, not trot around the globe." She also asked Trinamool Congress workers to report to police of any rumours being spread on the social media. "Incidents of Comilla in Bangladesh, pictures from Gujarat riots and a Bhojpuri movie were being passed off as scenes from Basirhat riots by BJP. We will deal with cybercrime with a iron hand," she added.
Sanjib Kumar Roy By

Express News Service

PORT BLAIR: After a nearly 10-hour ordeal at high sea amid extremely poor weather conditions and a subsequent 17-hour sea journey aboard a Coast Guard ship, all 11 crew of ITT Panther reached Port Blair on Friday morning.

Coast Guard Ship ICGS Rajkamal, which rescued them, handed the crew over to the ill-fated cargo ships local agents and family members. Visibly overwhelmed with the rescue operation and the hospitality onboard the ship, the crew expressed their gratitude to the Coast Guard for saving their lives.

Within one hour of drifting and sending distress signal we could see Coast Guard aircraft over us. The aircraft kept hovering over us till we were finally picked up by the Coast Guard ship, said Amitabha Chatterjee, captain of the cargo vessel ITT Panther that sank in mid sea.

Our ship sank around 6.30 am. After our Masterji gave us orders to abandon ship, we jumped out. We are really thankful to the Coast Guard for this life saving act. Its only because of them that we are today standing in front of you all, said Nageshwar Singh Dara, who hails from Jammu.

The rescued crew members were received by Chief of Staff, DIG, Pankaj Verma at Port Blairs Coast Guard Jetty. Talking to the media the crew confirmed that shifting of weight due to bad weather was responsible for the ship sinking.

PORT BLAIR: After a nearly 10-hour ordeal at high sea amid extremely poor weather conditions and a subsequent 17-hour sea journey aboard a Coast Guard ship, all 11 crew of ITT Panther reached Port Blair on Friday morning. Coast Guard Ship ICGS Rajkamal, which rescued them, handed the crew over to the ill-fated cargo ships local agents and family members. Visibly overwhelmed with the rescue operation and the hospitality onboard the ship, the crew expressed their gratitude to the Coast Guard for saving their lives. Within one hour of drifting and sending distress signal we could see Coast Guard aircraft over us. The aircraft kept hovering over us till we were finally picked up by the Coast Guard ship, said Amitabha Chatterjee, captain of the cargo vessel ITT Panther that sank in mid sea. Our ship sank around 6.30 am. After our Masterji gave us orders to abandon ship, we jumped out. We are really thankful to the Coast Guard for this life saving act. Its only because of them that we are today standing in front of you all, said Nageshwar Singh Dara, who hails from Jammu. The rescued crew members were received by Chief of Staff, DIG, Pankaj Verma at Port Blairs Coast Guard Jetty. Talking to the media the crew confirmed that shifting of weight due to bad weather was responsible for the ship sinking.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: An internal committee of Air India is preparing a list of former employees who are suspected of siphoning-off artwork, an official with the airline said on Friday.

According to the official, who did not wished to be named, the airline will "not take any action if its artworks are returned", however an internal committee has started to prepare a list of missing artwork and suspected former employees who might have them in their possession.

The airline had started to lend out artwork of its vast collection to top executives in the past with the rider that the same be returned back to the company up on retirement.

"No one knows when did the practice of lending out artwork began, or who started it," the official said.

The development comes after an unknown person returned a painting by eminent artist Jatin Das which was a part of Air India's collection.

The painting was returned to the airline via a courier addressed to Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani around two weeks back.

"We received a courier around two weeks back. It was addressed to the CMD. The package contained the missing painting by Jatin Das," the official said.

The airline has initiated an extensive investigation on the matter and suspected former officials of the airline have been questioned.

On July 6, Air India said that it has initiated an inquiry to verify allegation about theft of paintings from its vast collection.

The investigation was initiated after eminent artist had written to Lohani to inform him about the missing painting which was available on the black market.

"Jatin Das has recently written a letter (June 24) to the CMD (Air India) asking for photographs and details of the paintings in our collection that were made by him," the airline had said in a statement on July 6.

NEW DELHI: An internal committee of Air India is preparing a list of former employees who are suspected of siphoning-off artwork, an official with the airline said on Friday. According to the official, who did not wished to be named, the airline will "not take any action if its artworks are returned", however an internal committee has started to prepare a list of missing artwork and suspected former employees who might have them in their possession. The airline had started to lend out artwork of its vast collection to top executives in the past with the rider that the same be returned back to the company up on retirement. "No one knows when did the practice of lending out artwork began, or who started it," the official said. The development comes after an unknown person returned a painting by eminent artist Jatin Das which was a part of Air India's collection. The painting was returned to the airline via a courier addressed to Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani around two weeks back. "We received a courier around two weeks back. It was addressed to the CMD. The package contained the missing painting by Jatin Das," the official said. The airline has initiated an extensive investigation on the matter and suspected former officials of the airline have been questioned. On July 6, Air India said that it has initiated an inquiry to verify allegation about theft of paintings from its vast collection. The investigation was initiated after eminent artist had written to Lohani to inform him about the missing painting which was available on the black market. "Jatin Das has recently written a letter (June 24) to the CMD (Air India) asking for photographs and details of the paintings in our collection that were made by him," the airline had said in a statement on July 6.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Having been brought to Uttar Pradesh on a transit remand, alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Salim Khan was Friday handed over to the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of UP police on a seven-day remand with the probe agency all set to interrogate the fugitive to trace his possible connections with the terror group in the state.

The ATS is verifying if Salim funded unrest in Kashmir.

According to IG ATS Asim Arun, the interrogators were trying to extract information from Salim about hawala operations of terror groups in India. Salim was arrested from Mumbai airport on July 17.

According to sources in the ATS, Salim was responsible for wiring money to sleeper cells active in India and one such agent, Aftab Ali, was arrested for spying on military installations from Faizabad district in the state in May. Aftab was working for his ISI handlers in Pakistan. On Friday, a team of police officers led by DySP Dinesh Puri produced Salim in a local court.

According to sources privy to the investigations, Salim had revealed to the ATS sleuths the names of three persons and also the places of their operation in UP. However, the ATS was yet to verify the details. He is a difficult person to crack. We are yet to establish the authenticity of the information he has shared with us. The names revealed by him may be fictitious to misguide us, said the sources.

It is believed that Salim has deep knowledge about penetration of Inter-Services Intelligence-backed terror groups in the country. A native of Fatehpur, Salim was staying in the United Arab Emirates before his passport expired. He underwent arms training in a Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over a decade ago.

At the training camp, he was joined by Kausar and Sharif, the two LeT ultras who were arrested for attacking the Central Reserve Police Force camp in Rampur leaving eigh personnel dead and many injured in 2008. The two terrorists arrested for the attack had named a third person called Salim. The ATS personnel, however, suspect that it was this Salim who had a role in the Rampur incident.

LUCKNOW: Having been brought to Uttar Pradesh on a transit remand, alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Salim Khan was Friday handed over to the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of UP police on a seven-day remand with the probe agency all set to interrogate the fugitive to trace his possible connections with the terror group in the state. The ATS is verifying if Salim funded unrest in Kashmir. According to IG ATS Asim Arun, the interrogators were trying to extract information from Salim about hawala operations of terror groups in India. Salim was arrested from Mumbai airport on July 17. According to sources in the ATS, Salim was responsible for wiring money to sleeper cells active in India and one such agent, Aftab Ali, was arrested for spying on military installations from Faizabad district in the state in May. Aftab was working for his ISI handlers in Pakistan. On Friday, a team of police officers led by DySP Dinesh Puri produced Salim in a local court. According to sources privy to the investigations, Salim had revealed to the ATS sleuths the names of three persons and also the places of their operation in UP. However, the ATS was yet to verify the details. He is a difficult person to crack. We are yet to establish the authenticity of the information he has shared with us. The names revealed by him may be fictitious to misguide us, said the sources. It is believed that Salim has deep knowledge about penetration of Inter-Services Intelligence-backed terror groups in the country. A native of Fatehpur, Salim was staying in the United Arab Emirates before his passport expired. He underwent arms training in a Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over a decade ago. At the training camp, he was joined by Kausar and Sharif, the two LeT ultras who were arrested for attacking the Central Reserve Police Force camp in Rampur leaving eigh personnel dead and many injured in 2008. The two terrorists arrested for the attack had named a third person called Salim. The ATS personnel, however, suspect that it was this Salim who had a role in the Rampur incident.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: At least eight Jammu and Kashmir policemen including an officer were beaten and injured by army men at a check point and inside police station in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district during the preceding night. Police has registered a case against the army men.

Sources said soldiers of 24 Rashtria Rifles, who were in civvies and travelling in four private vehicles, were returning from Amarnath cave shrine via Baltal route after yatra when they were stopped by policemen near a check point at Gund, Kangan in central Kashmir Ganderbal district during the preceding night.

They said the policemen told them that government has fixed a cut-off timing for Amarnath yatris movement in the Valley and their vehicles cannot be allowed to move beyond the point.

After recent militant attack on Amarnath yatris in south Kashmir, authorities have disallowed movement of yatris and tourists in Kashmir during the night.

Sources said the army men alighted from their vehicles and without disclosing their identity beat the policemen manning the check point. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Police identified as Ghulam Rasool was injured in the army mens beating.

They said as the policemen alerted the cops in nearby Police Station Gund about the incident, an army party led by 24 Rashtria Rifles captain barged into the police station.

The army men beat the policemen present in the police station and ransacked and damaged the official record there. Besides, belonging of some policemen was also damaged by the irate army personnel, sources said.

They said at least seven policemen were injured in the army action and all the injured including ASI were taken to hospital for medical check-up.

Later, police registered an FIR against army men for attacking a police station and beating policemen.

A police spokesman while confirming the incident said 30 army men in civvies travelling in four vehicles escaped forcibly from the naka point established by police station Sonmarg at Poney Stand in Gund during intervening night of 21/22-07-2017.

The police party led by ASI Gh Rasool stopped the four vehicles as per the directions. However the army men personnel, who were in civvies without showing any identification, came down from the vehicles and started thrashing the on duty officer and other personnel, resulting in injuries to ASI on spot. Later, the army men led by a captain-rank officer barged into a police station in the area and beat the policemen, he said.

He said an FIR No. 18/2017 U/S 147, 148, 307, 323, 332, 353, 427, 120-B RPC has been registered against the army men.

J&K Director General of Police S P Vaid has taken up the incident with General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen J S Sandhu, he said.

Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said a minor altercation took place last evening between some army personnel returning from Amarnath yatra in civil dress and JKP personnel at Gund.

No major injuries were suffered in the incident and the matter has been resolved by personal intervention of senior officers, he said.

Kalia said measures to prevent recurrence have been taken.

Former J&K Chief Minister and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah reacted strongly to the incident.

He said J&K police party was implementing the SOP of not allowing yatri movement after 7.30 pm. The army chaps were yatris in civvies.

Why would the army men beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification and action by the authorities, Omar said.

SRINAGAR: At least eight Jammu and Kashmir policemen including an officer were beaten and injured by army men at a check point and inside police station in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district during the preceding night. Police has registered a case against the army men. Sources said soldiers of 24 Rashtria Rifles, who were in civvies and travelling in four private vehicles, were returning from Amarnath cave shrine via Baltal route after yatra when they were stopped by policemen near a check point at Gund, Kangan in central Kashmir Ganderbal district during the preceding night. They said the policemen told them that government has fixed a cut-off timing for Amarnath yatris movement in the Valley and their vehicles cannot be allowed to move beyond the point. After recent militant attack on Amarnath yatris in south Kashmir, authorities have disallowed movement of yatris and tourists in Kashmir during the night. Sources said the army men alighted from their vehicles and without disclosing their identity beat the policemen manning the check point. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Police identified as Ghulam Rasool was injured in the army mens beating. They said as the policemen alerted the cops in nearby Police Station Gund about the incident, an army party led by 24 Rashtria Rifles captain barged into the police station. The army men beat the policemen present in the police station and ransacked and damaged the official record there. Besides, belonging of some policemen was also damaged by the irate army personnel, sources said. They said at least seven policemen were injured in the army action and all the injured including ASI were taken to hospital for medical check-up. Later, police registered an FIR against army men for attacking a police station and beating policemen. A police spokesman while confirming the incident said 30 army men in civvies travelling in four vehicles escaped forcibly from the naka point established by police station Sonmarg at Poney Stand in Gund during intervening night of 21/22-07-2017. The police party led by ASI Gh Rasool stopped the four vehicles as per the directions. However the army men personnel, who were in civvies without showing any identification, came down from the vehicles and started thrashing the on duty officer and other personnel, resulting in injuries to ASI on spot. Later, the army men led by a captain-rank officer barged into a police station in the area and beat the policemen, he said. He said an FIR No. 18/2017 U/S 147, 148, 307, 323, 332, 353, 427, 120-B RPC has been registered against the army men. J&K Director General of Police S P Vaid has taken up the incident with General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen J S Sandhu, he said. Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said a minor altercation took place last evening between some army personnel returning from Amarnath yatra in civil dress and JKP personnel at Gund. No major injuries were suffered in the incident and the matter has been resolved by personal intervention of senior officers, he said. Kalia said measures to prevent recurrence have been taken. Former J&K Chief Minister and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah reacted strongly to the incident. He said J&K police party was implementing the SOP of not allowing yatri movement after 7.30 pm. The army chaps were yatris in civvies. Why would the army men beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification and action by the authorities, Omar said.
By IANS

GHAZIABAD: Eight policemen of Sahibabad police station here have been suspended after they were found guilty of a custodial death, an officer said on Saturday.



Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) H.N. Singh suspended eight staffers of Sahibabad police station including the Inspector Incharge, his assistant -- a Senior Sub-Inspector (SSI) -- three Sub-Inspectors and three constables, including the head clerk of the police station.



The suspended staff have been identified as Inspector Sudhir Tyagi, Sub Inspectors Akhilesh Gaur, Neeraj Kumar Tyagi, Gajendra Singh, Atul Kumar and constables Prem Singh, Rahul and Sanjiv.



The SSP's action came after an inquiry report conducted by a senior police officer, Rajesh Kumar from Meerut, found the policemen guilty of the custodial death.



Police apathy came to light when a man admitted to the Narendra Mohan Hospital was identified as Mandeep Negi in the records but after he died, the body was tagged as "unidentified" when shifted to the mortuary. Police also cremated him as "unidentified".



According to police records, on July 9, three residents, Aditya, Ajit, Arjun and Rinku overpowered a suspected thief in Shyam Park Extension and handed him over to police.



After the suspect went missing from home, the family members on July 10 approached police and lodged complaint that "their son is missing since July 9". However, instead of registering a complaint, police sent them back.



The family members stayed in touch with police till July 12 but on July 15, police cremated the suspected thief as "unidentified", alleged Satya Pal Chaudhary, a social activist and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, who pursued the matter.



On July 16, when family members identified the deceased, they alleged Inspector Sudhir Tyagi misled them, did not register their complaint and cremated their son, who was later identified as Mandeep Negi.



They alleged that their son was killed in police custody and protested outside the police station.



When police faced a tough resistance from the public, it filed a case against its Aditya, Ajit and Arjun.



But the family members contradicted the police claim and protested against the police atrocity.



"Although the SSP has delivered the justice to the grieved family, a criminal case should be registered against the erring staff," said BSP leader Satya Pal Chaudhary.

GHAZIABAD: Eight policemen of Sahibabad police station here have been suspended after they were found guilty of a custodial death, an officer said on Saturday. Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) H.N. Singh suspended eight staffers of Sahibabad police station including the Inspector Incharge, his assistant -- a Senior Sub-Inspector (SSI) -- three Sub-Inspectors and three constables, including the head clerk of the police station. The suspended staff have been identified as Inspector Sudhir Tyagi, Sub Inspectors Akhilesh Gaur, Neeraj Kumar Tyagi, Gajendra Singh, Atul Kumar and constables Prem Singh, Rahul and Sanjiv. The SSP's action came after an inquiry report conducted by a senior police officer, Rajesh Kumar from Meerut, found the policemen guilty of the custodial death. Police apathy came to light when a man admitted to the Narendra Mohan Hospital was identified as Mandeep Negi in the records but after he died, the body was tagged as "unidentified" when shifted to the mortuary. Police also cremated him as "unidentified". According to police records, on July 9, three residents, Aditya, Ajit, Arjun and Rinku overpowered a suspected thief in Shyam Park Extension and handed him over to police. After the suspect went missing from home, the family members on July 10 approached police and lodged complaint that "their son is missing since July 9". However, instead of registering a complaint, police sent them back. The family members stayed in touch with police till July 12 but on July 15, police cremated the suspected thief as "unidentified", alleged Satya Pal Chaudhary, a social activist and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, who pursued the matter. On July 16, when family members identified the deceased, they alleged Inspector Sudhir Tyagi misled them, did not register their complaint and cremated their son, who was later identified as Mandeep Negi. They alleged that their son was killed in police custody and protested outside the police station. When police faced a tough resistance from the public, it filed a case against its Aditya, Ajit and Arjun. But the family members contradicted the police claim and protested against the police atrocity. "Although the SSP has delivered the justice to the grieved family, a criminal case should be registered against the erring staff," said BSP leader Satya Pal Chaudhary.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: The face of 2015 Patidar quota stir, Hardik Patel, made it clear on Saturday that he has no plans to contest the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.

"I don't have any political ambitions and don't plan to contest the polls. I am fighting for the rights of farmers and the marginalized lot and will continue to do so," Patel told journalists in Indore.

He also confirmed that despite rumours, he has no plans to forge a tie-up with Gujarat strongman Shankarsinh Vaghela, who quit the Congress party on Friday.

"He (Vaghela) is already 77 and has done the right thing considering his age. Neither have I held any talks with him nor am I planning to align with him," said Patel.

However, he didn't rule out aligning with the Congress for the common cause (against the ruling BJP) in both Gujarat and MP.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP national president Amit Shah, the 24-year-old Patel leader said there is no chief minister in Gujarat and that the state was being run by those sitting in the national capital.

He demanded loan waivers for farmers, the establishment of National Farmers Commission and a pension scheme for farmers above the age of 50.

Training his guns on the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Patel said his government is insensitive to farmers' needs. It is because of this insensitivity that more than 15000 farmers committed suicide in the state in the last 13 years, he claimed.

Patel also said he'll keep coming to Madhya Pradesh and will hold rallies in all parts of the state. "I am not bothered about efforts to stop me from coming to MP. I'll keep coming here and fight for the rights of the farmers in the state," said Patel.

Patel later left for meetings with farmers in Dewas and Shajapur districts of MP.

Gujarat Assembly polls will be held later this year.

BHOPAL: The face of 2015 Patidar quota stir, Hardik Patel, made it clear on Saturday that he has no plans to contest the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. "I don't have any political ambitions and don't plan to contest the polls. I am fighting for the rights of farmers and the marginalized lot and will continue to do so," Patel told journalists in Indore. He also confirmed that despite rumours, he has no plans to forge a tie-up with Gujarat strongman Shankarsinh Vaghela, who quit the Congress party on Friday. "He (Vaghela) is already 77 and has done the right thing considering his age. Neither have I held any talks with him nor am I planning to align with him," said Patel. However, he didn't rule out aligning with the Congress for the common cause (against the ruling BJP) in both Gujarat and MP. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP national president Amit Shah, the 24-year-old Patel leader said there is no chief minister in Gujarat and that the state was being run by those sitting in the national capital. He demanded loan waivers for farmers, the establishment of National Farmers Commission and a pension scheme for farmers above the age of 50. Training his guns on the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Patel said his government is insensitive to farmers' needs. It is because of this insensitivity that more than 15000 farmers committed suicide in the state in the last 13 years, he claimed. Patel also said he'll keep coming to Madhya Pradesh and will hold rallies in all parts of the state. "I am not bothered about efforts to stop me from coming to MP. I'll keep coming here and fight for the rights of the farmers in the state," said Patel. Patel later left for meetings with farmers in Dewas and Shajapur districts of MP. Gujarat Assembly polls will be held later this year.
By IANS

BENGALURU: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned the ruling NDA government against distorting the Constitution and implementing the agenda of the RSS.



"The aim of the union government is to distort the Constitution, which was drafted by B.R. Ambedkar, and implement the RSS agenda. We should go by what Ambedkar had exhorted us to do - educate, organise and agitate," he said at an international conference here.



Inaugurating an international conference on "Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Justice, Re-visiting Ambedkar", Gandhi said truth and power were not the same.



"Truth and power are not the same thing. Truth is what stands up to power," he told the gathering at the opening ceremony of the three-day conference organised by the state government.



Citing a few influential leaders and change makers the world over, Gandhi said iconic personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and and American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr had the ability and courage to speak the truth of power.



"Though the emperor is naked, none had the courage to point it out due to oppression, weakening of the institutions and subversion of democracy to serve the narrow purpose of a few," he asserted.



Drawing parallels to Adolf Hitler's assertion that reality was best understood when it was suppressed, he said a dangerous and global epidemic was to distort truth.



Gandhi also decried casteism and untouchability that were still prevalant across the country.



Human rights activist Martin Luther King III, son of the legendary American civil rights leader, said that like US President Donald Trump's campaign, the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unleahsed animosity against the minorities.



"Parallels abound between the 'alt-right' in the US and the 'Hindu-extreme right' in India," he said.



Organised by the Karnataka government, the conference will unveil the 'Bengaluru Declaration' outlining specific constitutional, institutional and policy responses to concerns of equity, human rights, freedom and democracy.

BENGALURU: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned the ruling NDA government against distorting the Constitution and implementing the agenda of the RSS. "The aim of the union government is to distort the Constitution, which was drafted by B.R. Ambedkar, and implement the RSS agenda. We should go by what Ambedkar had exhorted us to do - educate, organise and agitate," he said at an international conference here. Inaugurating an international conference on "Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Justice, Re-visiting Ambedkar", Gandhi said truth and power were not the same. "Truth and power are not the same thing. Truth is what stands up to power," he told the gathering at the opening ceremony of the three-day conference organised by the state government. Citing a few influential leaders and change makers the world over, Gandhi said iconic personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and and American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr had the ability and courage to speak the truth of power. "Though the emperor is naked, none had the courage to point it out due to oppression, weakening of the institutions and subversion of democracy to serve the narrow purpose of a few," he asserted. Drawing parallels to Adolf Hitler's assertion that reality was best understood when it was suppressed, he said a dangerous and global epidemic was to distort truth. Gandhi also decried casteism and untouchability that were still prevalant across the country. Human rights activist Martin Luther King III, son of the legendary American civil rights leader, said that like US President Donald Trump's campaign, the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unleahsed animosity against the minorities. "Parallels abound between the 'alt-right' in the US and the 'Hindu-extreme right' in India," he said. Organised by the Karnataka government, the conference will unveil the 'Bengaluru Declaration' outlining specific constitutional, institutional and policy responses to concerns of equity, human rights, freedom and democracy.
By Express News Service

New Delhi: Within a month of hosting the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Central Hall of the Parliament will come alive again on Sunday to give a grand farewell to the President Pranab Mukherjee. The President-elect Ram Nath Kovind is to be sworn into the high office on Tuesday noon.

The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is reportedly giving personal attention to the every details of the function which will commence from 5.30 pm. All the current members of the Parliament have been invited for the event, besides a few former Parliamentarians as well.

Incidentally, Mukherjee is also a recipient of the Best Parliamentarian Award. The Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to speak on the occasion. Mahajan will gift a specially designed shawl to Mukherjee.

New Delhi: Within a month of hosting the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Central Hall of the Parliament will come alive again on Sunday to give a grand farewell to the President Pranab Mukherjee. The President-elect Ram Nath Kovind is to be sworn into the high office on Tuesday noon. The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is reportedly giving personal attention to the every details of the function which will commence from 5.30 pm. All the current members of the Parliament have been invited for the event, besides a few former Parliamentarians as well. Incidentally, Mukherjee is also a recipient of the Best Parliamentarian Award. The Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to speak on the occasion. Mahajan will gift a specially designed shawl to Mukherjee.
Balbir Punj By

With thousands of madrasas mushrooming all over the country, is it possible to build an egalitarian, secular and modern society with a shared idea of a progressive India? This question has once again become relevant in the backdrop of what happened in West Bengal recently. In the first week of July, Muslim mobs went berserk in the border state after a minor out up an offensive post on Facebook.

Basirhat in the North 24 Parganas district bordering Bangladesh was engulfed in communal riots for several days. While several people were injured in the ensuing violence, one person lost his life and property worth crores was torched by rampaging mobs.

Its against this backdrop that the role of madrasas is being looked into by the state police. West Bengal, like the rest of India, has a long tradition of madrasas. They can be divided into three categories: government approved and funded, approved but without state-funding and unapprovedwithout supervision and accountability. In fact most of the madrasas in the country fall in the last category.

According to informed sources, there are about 6,000 madrasas in West Bengal. For the entire country, the number would run into lakhs. And about 90 per cent of the madrasas are not regulated and report to none. In West Bengal, they are called Khareji madrasas.

The riot-hit Basirhat and adjoining areas have about 600 such madrasas. They are run by Muslim organisations, privately-funded, and have only Muslims as staff and students. The syllabus is confined to religious scriptures and practices, and lessons in Arabic. The Khareji madrasas came under the scanner of the local police after one of them was used for imparting arms training to the alleged perpetrators of the 2014 blast in Burdwan district which left two people dead.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) inquired into the blast and unearthed an active jihadi network. There have been serious allegations that some of the madrasas are used by fundamentalists to radicalise and recruit Muslim youngsters for terrorist activities. In 2002, the then WB Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee too had expressed similar concerns.

Last year, the Kerala police filed a case against Peace Education Foundation that runs a chain of schools in Kerala and neighbouring states for including objectionable study material in the school curriculum aimed at disrupting communal harmony. The police got interested in the group after it came to light that some of the 21 missing persons from the state believed to have joined the Islamic State, worked in the schools run by the foundation. A case was registered under section 153 (A) of the IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion ...)

When the state education department examined the schools syllabus, they found that some lessons lauded a single religion and showed others in bad light. Interestingly, the schools were affiliated to the CBSE. The affiliation of such religion-inspired institutions to a government body has no meaning, for they take advantage of corruption and inefficiency inbuilt into the Indian bureaucratic system.

The Sachar Committee set up by the UPA government in 2005 to report on the social, economic and educational conditions of the Muslim community in India had claimed that only 3 to 4 per cent of Muslim children attended madrasas. The implication of this observation was twofold: That madrasas have little role in the backwardness prevalent in the Indian Muslim community and the Hindu-dominated system discriminated against them.

What Sachar Committee said was the truth, not the complete truth. While 3 to 4 per cent of children attend madrasas approved and funded by the government, a large number of them study in unapproved madrasas. NCERT data shows that students studying in unapproved madrasas far outnumber those studying in state-funded madrasas.

The same report adds there are 68 districts where the enrolment in madrasas was as high as 25 per cent. Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2016 that during the last seven years, the Centre has spent over Rs 1,000 crores on the modernisation of madrasas in the country. During 2015-16 alone Rs 294 crore was spent for this purpose.

Like the theological seminaries of Islam, the madrasas are also divided along sectarian lines: Deobandis, Barelwis and Ahl-e-Hadis. The madrasas affiliated to Deobandis and Ahl-e-Hadis completely refuse to take part in the modernisation efforts.

It was due to the stiff opposition of the ulema that the UPA-2 dropped the idea of having an all India Madrasa Board through which reforms could be implemented. So, what exactly is wrong with madrasa education? The world view of their students is prejudiced and narrow, as they have only Muslim pupils and teachers, and study in a completely Islamic environment, which in most cases is a poor copy of the Middle East.

In fact in most of the madrasas, the influence of local culture on Muslims is regarded as anti-Islamic. Obviously for the students of such madrasas, the idea of India and the dreams about their own future are very different from the ideas of those who attend regular schools. Since most of these students are unfit for jobs in the modern economy, they will remain socially backward, poor and end up with large families, further adding to their woes. Who is to blame for all this? The answer is obvious.

Can teaching secular subjects such as science, mathematics or English help? No. You need to have a modern mindset to be modern in outlook. I am sure most of those who flew their planes in the twin towers in New York on 9/11 were well conversant with all the secular subjects. Madrasas should be used for the limited purpose of imparting religious education and all children should attend regular mixed schools.

Balbir Punj

Former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues

Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com

With thousands of madrasas mushrooming all over the country, is it possible to build an egalitarian, secular and modern society with a shared idea of a progressive India? This question has once again become relevant in the backdrop of what happened in West Bengal recently. In the first week of July, Muslim mobs went berserk in the border state after a minor out up an offensive post on Facebook. Basirhat in the North 24 Parganas district bordering Bangladesh was engulfed in communal riots for several days. While several people were injured in the ensuing violence, one person lost his life and property worth crores was torched by rampaging mobs. Its against this backdrop that the role of madrasas is being looked into by the state police. West Bengal, like the rest of India, has a long tradition of madrasas. They can be divided into three categories: government approved and funded, approved but without state-funding and unapprovedwithout supervision and accountability. In fact most of the madrasas in the country fall in the last category. According to informed sources, there are about 6,000 madrasas in West Bengal. For the entire country, the number would run into lakhs. And about 90 per cent of the madrasas are not regulated and report to none. In West Bengal, they are called Khareji madrasas. The riot-hit Basirhat and adjoining areas have about 600 such madrasas. They are run by Muslim organisations, privately-funded, and have only Muslims as staff and students. The syllabus is confined to religious scriptures and practices, and lessons in Arabic. The Khareji madrasas came under the scanner of the local police after one of them was used for imparting arms training to the alleged perpetrators of the 2014 blast in Burdwan district which left two people dead. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) inquired into the blast and unearthed an active jihadi network. There have been serious allegations that some of the madrasas are used by fundamentalists to radicalise and recruit Muslim youngsters for terrorist activities. In 2002, the then WB Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee too had expressed similar concerns. Last year, the Kerala police filed a case against Peace Education Foundation that runs a chain of schools in Kerala and neighbouring states for including objectionable study material in the school curriculum aimed at disrupting communal harmony. The police got interested in the group after it came to light that some of the 21 missing persons from the state believed to have joined the Islamic State, worked in the schools run by the foundation. A case was registered under section 153 (A) of the IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion ...) When the state education department examined the schools syllabus, they found that some lessons lauded a single religion and showed others in bad light. Interestingly, the schools were affiliated to the CBSE. The affiliation of such religion-inspired institutions to a government body has no meaning, for they take advantage of corruption and inefficiency inbuilt into the Indian bureaucratic system. The Sachar Committee set up by the UPA government in 2005 to report on the social, economic and educational conditions of the Muslim community in India had claimed that only 3 to 4 per cent of Muslim children attended madrasas. The implication of this observation was twofold: That madrasas have little role in the backwardness prevalent in the Indian Muslim community and the Hindu-dominated system discriminated against them. What Sachar Committee said was the truth, not the complete truth. While 3 to 4 per cent of children attend madrasas approved and funded by the government, a large number of them study in unapproved madrasas. NCERT data shows that students studying in unapproved madrasas far outnumber those studying in state-funded madrasas. The same report adds there are 68 districts where the enrolment in madrasas was as high as 25 per cent. Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2016 that during the last seven years, the Centre has spent over Rs 1,000 crores on the modernisation of madrasas in the country. During 2015-16 alone Rs 294 crore was spent for this purpose. Like the theological seminaries of Islam, the madrasas are also divided along sectarian lines: Deobandis, Barelwis and Ahl-e-Hadis. The madrasas affiliated to Deobandis and Ahl-e-Hadis completely refuse to take part in the modernisation efforts. It was due to the stiff opposition of the ulema that the UPA-2 dropped the idea of having an all India Madrasa Board through which reforms could be implemented. So, what exactly is wrong with madrasa education? The world view of their students is prejudiced and narrow, as they have only Muslim pupils and teachers, and study in a completely Islamic environment, which in most cases is a poor copy of the Middle East. In fact in most of the madrasas, the influence of local culture on Muslims is regarded as anti-Islamic. Obviously for the students of such madrasas, the idea of India and the dreams about their own future are very different from the ideas of those who attend regular schools. Since most of these students are unfit for jobs in the modern economy, they will remain socially backward, poor and end up with large families, further adding to their woes. Who is to blame for all this? The answer is obvious. Can teaching secular subjects such as science, mathematics or English help? No. You need to have a modern mindset to be modern in outlook. I am sure most of those who flew their planes in the twin towers in New York on 9/11 were well conversant with all the secular subjects. Madrasas should be used for the limited purpose of imparting religious education and all children should attend regular mixed schools. Balbir Punj Former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com
By Express News Service

KAKINADA: East Godavari district collector Kartikeya Mishra has issued orders for seizure of the Koduru Ranga Rao Lions' Eye Hospital in Jaggampeta, holding it responsible for the loss of vision of 10 people due to botched eye surgeries performed by it during a free medical camp in April.

The authorities have also written to the AP Medical Council to cancel the registration of eye surgeon P Vijay Bhaskar who had performed the surgeries. The decision came after TNIE published a series of stories on the victims' plight, the negligence of hospital in extending post-operative care and conduct of the surgeries sans valid permissions.

Deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa and Health minister Kamineni Srinivas intervened to take action against the hospital.

Based on a detailed report submitted by P Mallikarjuna Raju, programme manager of District Blindness Control Society (DBCS), collector Kartikeya Mishra has issued orders to the DM&HO to seize the hospital.

10 daily wagers from Vetlapalem (near Samalkot) and J Kottur (Jaggampeta) villages lost their vision, two of them permanently, due to the botched surgeries. Post surgery, the patients developed itching, redness, watering and pain in their eyes. The hospital administered them first aid, saying that it was common in eye surgeries.

However, as days passed by, the difficulties mounted and the hospital kept on changing medicines which yielded little. The probe report says that poor post-operative care resulted in the infections.

"We have ordered closure of the hospital with immediate effect. A ban has been imposed on the eye surgeon too. We sent a letter to the AP Medical Council to cancel his registration. The DM&HO has been instructed to arrange the necessary medical aid to the victims," said the collector.

According to DM&HO, the hospital has been seized.

"We have sent a letter to the Medical Council, along with the memo copies, for cancelling the surgeon's professional licence," he said. Sources said that the authorities are also thinking of filing cases against the hospital.

Decision on compensation on July 25

After the seizure, the Lions Club higher officials said that they, along with the state governor, will meet in Vizag on July 25 to discuss the issue and hopefully a decision on compensation will be taken.

But, the hospital trust board member DVN Raju said he did not know about the seizure order. "Anyway, the issue will be dealt with by our higher authorities. We have been continuing with the treatment to all the victims.

We are confident about the restoration of their vision," he said.

Dubious record

The Lions Hospital, since its inception in 2011-12 fiscal year, has performed more than 4,500 surgeries by organising free eye screening camps with funding from donors and philanthropists. But, the hospital got the mandatory nod for performing surgeries in February this year which means thousands of surgeries were performed sans authorisation.

The probe conducted by the DBCS has revealed that some 47 surgeries were performed on two successive days amid unhygienic conditions during the free camp held in April.

Earlier reports published in these columns had the hospital representatives confessing that surgeries were performed in a hurry to meet the target set up by the programme of HelpAge India with which the hospital had a liaison for the eye surgery camps.

Probe has revealed that the surgeries were performed in the absence of anaesthetists and a nurse did the job. The hospital does not have a regular ophthalmologist and the hospital representatives blame it on the fund crunch.

What went wrong

10 People lost vision after surgery. Two People lost vision completely.

4,500 Surgeries performed by hospital since its inception on 2011-12 fiscal.

47 Surgeries performed in two successive days amid unhygienic conditions.

Hospital got mandatory nod for performing surgeries in February this year.

Surgeries performed in a hurry to meet the target.

Nurse did the job of an anaesthetist.

Hospital does not even have a regular ophthalmologist.

We have ordered closure of the hospital with immediate effect. A ban has been imposed on the eye surgeon too. We sent a letter to the AP Medical Council to cancel his registration. The DM&HO has been instructed to arrange the necessary medical aid to the victims - Kartikeya Mishra, EG collector

KAKINADA: East Godavari district collector Kartikeya Mishra has issued orders for seizure of the Koduru Ranga Rao Lions' Eye Hospital in Jaggampeta, holding it responsible for the loss of vision of 10 people due to botched eye surgeries performed by it during a free medical camp in April. The authorities have also written to the AP Medical Council to cancel the registration of eye surgeon P Vijay Bhaskar who had performed the surgeries. The decision came after TNIE published a series of stories on the victims' plight, the negligence of hospital in extending post-operative care and conduct of the surgeries sans valid permissions. Deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa and Health minister Kamineni Srinivas intervened to take action against the hospital. Based on a detailed report submitted by P Mallikarjuna Raju, programme manager of District Blindness Control Society (DBCS), collector Kartikeya Mishra has issued orders to the DM&HO to seize the hospital. 10 daily wagers from Vetlapalem (near Samalkot) and J Kottur (Jaggampeta) villages lost their vision, two of them permanently, due to the botched surgeries. Post surgery, the patients developed itching, redness, watering and pain in their eyes. The hospital administered them first aid, saying that it was common in eye surgeries. However, as days passed by, the difficulties mounted and the hospital kept on changing medicines which yielded little. The probe report says that poor post-operative care resulted in the infections. "We have ordered closure of the hospital with immediate effect. A ban has been imposed on the eye surgeon too. We sent a letter to the AP Medical Council to cancel his registration. The DM&HO has been instructed to arrange the necessary medical aid to the victims," said the collector. According to DM&HO, the hospital has been seized. "We have sent a letter to the Medical Council, along with the memo copies, for cancelling the surgeon's professional licence," he said. Sources said that the authorities are also thinking of filing cases against the hospital. Decision on compensation on July 25 After the seizure, the Lions Club higher officials said that they, along with the state governor, will meet in Vizag on July 25 to discuss the issue and hopefully a decision on compensation will be taken. But, the hospital trust board member DVN Raju said he did not know about the seizure order. "Anyway, the issue will be dealt with by our higher authorities. We have been continuing with the treatment to all the victims. We are confident about the restoration of their vision," he said. Dubious record The Lions Hospital, since its inception in 2011-12 fiscal year, has performed more than 4,500 surgeries by organising free eye screening camps with funding from donors and philanthropists. But, the hospital got the mandatory nod for performing surgeries in February this year which means thousands of surgeries were performed sans authorisation. The probe conducted by the DBCS has revealed that some 47 surgeries were performed on two successive days amid unhygienic conditions during the free camp held in April. Earlier reports published in these columns had the hospital representatives confessing that surgeries were performed in a hurry to meet the target set up by the programme of HelpAge India with which the hospital had a liaison for the eye surgery camps. Probe has revealed that the surgeries were performed in the absence of anaesthetists and a nurse did the job. The hospital does not have a regular ophthalmologist and the hospital representatives blame it on the fund crunch. What went wrong 10 People lost vision after surgery. Two People lost vision completely. 4,500 Surgeries performed by hospital since its inception on 2011-12 fiscal. 47 Surgeries performed in two successive days amid unhygienic conditions. Hospital got mandatory nod for performing surgeries in February this year. Surgeries performed in a hurry to meet the target. Nurse did the job of an anaesthetist. Hospital does not even have a regular ophthalmologist. We have ordered closure of the hospital with immediate effect. A ban has been imposed on the eye surgeon too. We sent a letter to the AP Medical Council to cancel his registration. The DM&HO has been instructed to arrange the necessary medical aid to the victims - Kartikeya Mishra, EG collector
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Child rights activist and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Friday made an impassioned plea to outlaw the caste system. I was made an outcaste, so I decided to outcaste the entire caste system, he said. He was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day Dr B R Ambedkar International Conference 2017 on Friday.

He said to cleanse himself, he was instructed to bathe in the Ganges and wash the feet of 101 priests and drink that water. At home, he was given a separate room, and was also asked to eat separately.

Satyarthi recounted how he was born a Brahmin but was ostracised by his own family at the age of 15 for offering upper caste villagers food prepared by Dalits.

He then decided to denounce his surname Sharma as it indicated his caste and named himself Satyarthi, meaning seeker of truth. He narrated how he lay in a pool of blood when he led a group of Dalit men inside a temple and priests beat them up leaving him with a broken back.

(L-R)Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, former MP Prakash Ambedkar at the inauguration of Dr B R Ambedkar International Conference in Bengaluru | NAGESH POLALI

It is not just enough to remember Ambedkar, we need to live him, he said.Playing on Ambedkars famous slogan Educate, Agitate, Organise, he said social justice couldnt be attained without education. He lamented that 16.8 crore kids in India were still working as child labourers.He recounted that Ambedkar was the first one to fight for the right to education to be made a fundamental right. He said,

This was finally accomplished in 2009 through the Right to Education Act, and it marked a victory for Ambedkar.

Speaking of Ambedkars vision for the country, Satyarthi said, We have to introspect whether we have been able to fulfill his dreams. Millions of children dont go to school, and millions of young girls are crying inside prostitute homes. And these are Ambedkars children.

He said two practices which were punishable as per the Constitution - untouchability and trafficking of human beings, dont get enough attention in the country. Speaking of some of Ambedkars works which werent well known, he said, Did you know that Ambedkar was the first to fight for equal pay for women? He was also the first to raise the issue of making mandating eight hours of work per day.

BENGALURU: Child rights activist and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Friday made an impassioned plea to outlaw the caste system. I was made an outcaste, so I decided to outcaste the entire caste system, he said. He was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day Dr B R Ambedkar International Conference 2017 on Friday. He said to cleanse himself, he was instructed to bathe in the Ganges and wash the feet of 101 priests and drink that water. At home, he was given a separate room, and was also asked to eat separately. Satyarthi recounted how he was born a Brahmin but was ostracised by his own family at the age of 15 for offering upper caste villagers food prepared by Dalits. He then decided to denounce his surname Sharma as it indicated his caste and named himself Satyarthi, meaning seeker of truth. He narrated how he lay in a pool of blood when he led a group of Dalit men inside a temple and priests beat them up leaving him with a broken back. (L-R)Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, former MP Prakash Ambedkar at the inauguration of Dr B R Ambedkar International Conference in Bengaluru | NAGESH POLALIIt is not just enough to remember Ambedkar, we need to live him, he said.Playing on Ambedkars famous slogan Educate, Agitate, Organise, he said social justice couldnt be attained without education. He lamented that 16.8 crore kids in India were still working as child labourers.He recounted that Ambedkar was the first one to fight for the right to education to be made a fundamental right. He said, This was finally accomplished in 2009 through the Right to Education Act, and it marked a victory for Ambedkar. Speaking of Ambedkars vision for the country, Satyarthi said, We have to introspect whether we have been able to fulfill his dreams. Millions of children dont go to school, and millions of young girls are crying inside prostitute homes. And these are Ambedkars children. He said two practices which were punishable as per the Constitution - untouchability and trafficking of human beings, dont get enough attention in the country. Speaking of some of Ambedkars works which werent well known, he said, Did you know that Ambedkar was the first to fight for equal pay for women? He was also the first to raise the issue of making mandating eight hours of work per day.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to day-long speculations, Kovalam MLA M Vincent -- accused of rape and stalking of a house wife -- was arrested on Saturday.

The young MLA from Congress is accused of sexually harassing a 51-year-old house wife who is his neighbour at RC street at Balaramapuram.

The police arrested him after they came across scientific evidence against the MLA. They also discovered that Vincent had called the victim 900 times in the last five months.

Earlier in the day, the special investigation team interrogated him for nearly four hours at the MLA Hostel on Saturday. Vincent was interrogated at his room at MLA Hostel's Nila block on Saturday afternoon by a team led by Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar.

A case was registered against him following the statements of the woman who is under treatment at a private hospital in Neyyattinkara.

Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar taking Kovalam MLA M Vincent (left) to Neyyattinkara General hospital for medical examination from Peroorkada police club,after recording the arrest for allegedly raping a 51-year-old housewife. | Video Grab

Initially, the police had registered a case against the MLA for abetment of suicide after the victim attempted suicide by consuming an overdose of sleeping pills. But after the victim revealed that Vincent had made sexual advances on her, the police slapped charges against him under section 376 (punishment for rape) and section 354(d) (punishment for stalking).

Vincent will be taken to General hospital at Neyyattinkara for medical examination and he is likely to be produced before the magistrate late Saturday. Anticipatory bail application moved by the MLA before the District Sessions Court was rejected on Saturday.

Vincent should resign from the MLA post : LDF district committee

The Kovalam MLA's arrested has come as major setback to Opposition UDF and its leading partner Congress. Demands for his resignation have come for various corners including from within the Congress.

In the morning, CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan had urged Vincent to step down as MLA so as to avoid putting the Kerala Assembly's reputation under a cloud. Later women leaders from Congress including Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman too demanded Vincent's resignation.

Earlier in the day, LDF district committee demanded the resignation of M Vincent. Addressing media-persons, CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan said the housewife was frequently harassed by the MLA for several years. He said the victim had revealed this to a priest and a nun and this is more than enough to prove that Vincent is guilty.

"Vincent should not continue as a legislator. He should be removed. It's a disgrace to democracy," he said. LDF

district committee will stage agitation in front of Secretariat demanding the resignation of Vincent.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to day-long speculations, Kovalam MLA M Vincent -- accused of rape and stalking of a house wife -- was arrested on Saturday. The young MLA from Congress is accused of sexually harassing a 51-year-old house wife who is his neighbour at RC street at Balaramapuram. The police arrested him after they came across scientific evidence against the MLA. They also discovered that Vincent had called the victim 900 times in the last five months. Earlier in the day, the special investigation team interrogated him for nearly four hours at the MLA Hostel on Saturday. Vincent was interrogated at his room at MLA Hostel's Nila block on Saturday afternoon by a team led by Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar. A case was registered against him following the statements of the woman who is under treatment at a private hospital in Neyyattinkara. Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar taking Kovalam MLA M Vincent (left) to Neyyattinkara General hospital for medical examination from Peroorkada police club,after recording the arrest for allegedly raping a 51-year-old housewife. | Video Grab Initially, the police had registered a case against the MLA for abetment of suicide after the victim attempted suicide by consuming an overdose of sleeping pills. But after the victim revealed that Vincent had made sexual advances on her, the police slapped charges against him under section 376 (punishment for rape) and section 354(d) (punishment for stalking). Vincent will be taken to General hospital at Neyyattinkara for medical examination and he is likely to be produced before the magistrate late Saturday. Anticipatory bail application moved by the MLA before the District Sessions Court was rejected on Saturday. Vincent should resign from the MLA post : LDF district committee The Kovalam MLA's arrested has come as major setback to Opposition UDF and its leading partner Congress. Demands for his resignation have come for various corners including from within the Congress. In the morning, CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan had urged Vincent to step down as MLA so as to avoid putting the Kerala Assembly's reputation under a cloud. Later women leaders from Congress including Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman too demanded Vincent's resignation. Earlier in the day, LDF district committee demanded the resignation of M Vincent. Addressing media-persons, CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan said the housewife was frequently harassed by the MLA for several years. He said the victim had revealed this to a priest and a nun and this is more than enough to prove that Vincent is guilty. "Vincent should not continue as a legislator. He should be removed. It's a disgrace to democracy," he said. LDF district committee will stage agitation in front of Secretariat demanding the resignation of Vincent.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Legislators of different political parties in Odisha seem to have gone with the party line in the Presidential election, result of which was declared on Thursday.

Out of 147 MLAs in Odisha Assembly, 146 had voted in the Presidential poll except Subal Sahu of Congress. Sahu could not cast his vote because of illness. Besides, Independent Rajya Sabha member, supported by the BJD, AV Swami had also voted in the Assembly here.

Sources maintained that votes of 127 MLAs have gone in favour of the President elect Ram Nath Kovind, who was the NDA candidate while 17 MLAs voted in favour of UPA candidate Meira Kumar. Votes of two MLAs have reportedly been cancelled.Though there seems to have been no cross-voting, two votes which should have gone to Kovind have been rejected. However, it is not yet clear whether the rejected votes were from the political parties or Independents.

Kovind should have got 129 votes from Odisha MLAs. While the strength of BJD is 117 in the Assembly, the BJP has 10 legislators. BJD also had the support of two Independents, Satyabadi MLA Umakant Samantray and Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud. Mahakud was the last MLA to cast his vote.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Narasingh Mishra said those who were expecting division in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the Presidential election must have been disappointed.

He claimed that all the Congress legislators have voted in favour of Meira Kumar, the united opposition candidate. Besides, CPM MLA Laxman Munda and Georege Tirkey of Samata Kranti Dal also voted in favour of Meira, he added.

Stating that the BJD seems to be cracking and there were differences of opinion in the party over support extended to the NDA, which had fielded a RSS cadre whom no secular party can support. In the coming days, if the Chief Minister does not take a clear stand on BJP as demanded by some BJD MPs, the differences in the party will grow and those who believe in secularism will quit.

Naveen congratulates Kovind

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Thursday congratulated Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the country's President. "Congratulate Shri Ramnath Kovind ji on being elected President of India. We look forward to work under his leadership at @RashtrapatiBhvn," Naveen said in a tweet. The Chief Minister had earlier extended BJD's support to Kovind, the NDA candidate, in the Presidential election describing him as a 'distinguished' Dalit leader. Kovind was elected country's 14th President defeating opposition's nominee Meira Kumar, a former Speaker of Lok Sabha.

BHUBANESWAR: Legislators of different political parties in Odisha seem to have gone with the party line in the Presidential election, result of which was declared on Thursday. Out of 147 MLAs in Odisha Assembly, 146 had voted in the Presidential poll except Subal Sahu of Congress. Sahu could not cast his vote because of illness. Besides, Independent Rajya Sabha member, supported by the BJD, AV Swami had also voted in the Assembly here. Sources maintained that votes of 127 MLAs have gone in favour of the President elect Ram Nath Kovind, who was the NDA candidate while 17 MLAs voted in favour of UPA candidate Meira Kumar. Votes of two MLAs have reportedly been cancelled.Though there seems to have been no cross-voting, two votes which should have gone to Kovind have been rejected. However, it is not yet clear whether the rejected votes were from the political parties or Independents. Kovind should have got 129 votes from Odisha MLAs. While the strength of BJD is 117 in the Assembly, the BJP has 10 legislators. BJD also had the support of two Independents, Satyabadi MLA Umakant Samantray and Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud. Mahakud was the last MLA to cast his vote. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Narasingh Mishra said those who were expecting division in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the Presidential election must have been disappointed. He claimed that all the Congress legislators have voted in favour of Meira Kumar, the united opposition candidate. Besides, CPM MLA Laxman Munda and Georege Tirkey of Samata Kranti Dal also voted in favour of Meira, he added. Stating that the BJD seems to be cracking and there were differences of opinion in the party over support extended to the NDA, which had fielded a RSS cadre whom no secular party can support. In the coming days, if the Chief Minister does not take a clear stand on BJP as demanded by some BJD MPs, the differences in the party will grow and those who believe in secularism will quit. Naveen congratulates Kovind Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Thursday congratulated Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the country's President. "Congratulate Shri Ramnath Kovind ji on being elected President of India. We look forward to work under his leadership at @RashtrapatiBhvn," Naveen said in a tweet. The Chief Minister had earlier extended BJD's support to Kovind, the NDA candidate, in the Presidential election describing him as a 'distinguished' Dalit leader. Kovind was elected country's 14th President defeating opposition's nominee Meira Kumar, a former Speaker of Lok Sabha.
By PTI

CAIRO: Egyptian forces have killed 30 extremists during several days of security operations in the Sinai Peninsula involving the army, air force and police, the military said today. The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (IS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces.

The military did not specify to which group the 30 extremists belonged but described them as "extremely dangerous". Five others were arrested as Egyptian forces imposed a "tight siege" on the North Sinai provincial capital El-Arish and the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, a military statement said. Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by IS, whose local branch is based in North Sinai, after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The bombing by IS of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a South Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and severely damaged the country's tourism sector.

CAIRO: Egyptian forces have killed 30 extremists during several days of security operations in the Sinai Peninsula involving the army, air force and police, the military said today. The Egyptian authorities are battling an insurgency by the Islamic State (IS) group in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces. The military did not specify to which group the 30 extremists belonged but described them as "extremely dangerous". Five others were arrested as Egyptian forces imposed a "tight siege" on the North Sinai provincial capital El-Arish and the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, a military statement said. Egypt has struggled to quash attacks led by IS, whose local branch is based in North Sinai, after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The bombing by IS of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a South Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and severely damaged the country's tourism sector.
By Associated Press

KABUL: An errant U.S. airstrike confirmed by the Pentagon killed 12 Afghan National Police officers and wounded two others, Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said Saturday.

The death toll in Friday's airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in the Gereshk district, he said.

The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound occurred during a U.S.-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area. In the statement, the U.S. offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. NATO and U.S. troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Safi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area. He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred. On Friday, the Helmand Gov. Hayatullah Hayat said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Among the Taliban fighters killed in fighting in Helmand's Gereshk district was Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzada's 25-year-old son Hafiz Abdur Rahman Khalid, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Meanwhile in neighboring Kandahar province, insurgents kidnapped upward of 60 people in several attacks on buses that took place over the last four days, Samim Khpolwak, provincial governor's spokesman said Saturday.

Seven passengers were killed, while another 20 people managed to escape, he said. The remaining 33 are still being held by insurgents.

Khpolwak said the buses were travelling from Kandahar's Shah Wali Kot District to neighboring Uruzgan province when they came under attack.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, nor is it known whether any ransom demands have been made.

Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission issued a statement condemning the attacks and warning they represented a human rights violation.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, in northern Badakhshan province Gov. Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a roaring battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

Bigzad said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Friday's firefight. It wasn't immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and telephone contact is unsteady.

In western Farah province, a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed, said Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor.

The five-hour battle Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district, he said.

A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed. Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area makes it near impossible to independently verify.

KABUL: An errant U.S. airstrike confirmed by the Pentagon killed 12 Afghan National Police officers and wounded two others, Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said Saturday. The death toll in Friday's airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in the Gereshk district, he said. The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound occurred during a U.S.-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area. In the statement, the U.S. offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed. While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. NATO and U.S. troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops. Safi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area. He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred. On Friday, the Helmand Gov. Hayatullah Hayat said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters. Among the Taliban fighters killed in fighting in Helmand's Gereshk district was Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzada's 25-year-old son Hafiz Abdur Rahman Khalid, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Meanwhile in neighboring Kandahar province, insurgents kidnapped upward of 60 people in several attacks on buses that took place over the last four days, Samim Khpolwak, provincial governor's spokesman said Saturday. Seven passengers were killed, while another 20 people managed to escape, he said. The remaining 33 are still being held by insurgents. Khpolwak said the buses were travelling from Kandahar's Shah Wali Kot District to neighboring Uruzgan province when they came under attack. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, nor is it known whether any ransom demands have been made. Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission issued a statement condemning the attacks and warning they represented a human rights violation. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, in northern Badakhshan province Gov. Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a roaring battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region. Bigzad said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Friday's firefight. It wasn't immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped. The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and telephone contact is unsteady. In western Farah province, a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed, said Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor. The five-hour battle Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district, he said. A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed. Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area makes it near impossible to independently verify.
By AFP

KANDAHAR: A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two others in Helmand province, officials said Saturday.

The incident took place Friday 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.

"In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded," he said.

Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman, confirmed the strike and gave the same account.

It occurred in Gereshk district in Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control.

NATO's mission in Afghanistan issued a statement.

"During a US-supported (Afghan security) operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound," it said.

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident," the statement said, adding there would be a probe into what happened.

The US is the only foreign force in the coalition conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR: A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan police and wounded two others in Helmand province, officials said Saturday. The incident took place Friday 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP. "In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded," he said. Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman, confirmed the strike and gave the same account. It occurred in Gereshk district in Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control. NATO's mission in Afghanistan issued a statement. "During a US-supported (Afghan security) operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound," it said. "We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident," the statement said, adding there would be a probe into what happened. The US is the only foreign force in the coalition conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Beleaguered Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report.

Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) yesterday.

It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also

attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.The meeting reviewed the situation following developments

in the Supreme Court.

According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case.Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports."The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue".

The Supreme Court yesterday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.

The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement. A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has recommended that the report's Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by

the federal Cabinet last week.

ISLAMABAD: Beleaguered Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report. Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) yesterday. It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court. According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case.Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports."The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue". The Supreme Court yesterday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future. The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement. A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has recommended that the report's Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.
By AFP

DOHA: Qatar's ruler said today that the Gulf emirate is ready for dialogue to resolve a diplomatic crisis

with a Saudi-led bloc so long as his country's sovereignty is respected.

"We are open to dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems," so long as Qatar's "sovereignty is respected," Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said in his first public comments since Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with gas-rich Qatar.

"Any settlement of the crisis must be based on two principles," he said in a televised speech. Sheikh Tamim insisted that any deal "must not take effect in the form of diktats but rather through mutual commitments undertaken by all the parties".

"We are open to dialogue to find solutions to lingering problems within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and will of each state as mutual undertakings and joints commitments binding all," he said.

State media said ahead of the speech that the emir would address "the future orientation of Qatar in light of the current Gulf crisis".

On June 5, Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha denies the claim. The emir said in his speech that Qatar was "fighting terrorism relentlessly and without compromises, and the

international community recognises this".

The crisis between the regional allies is the worst to hit the Gulf in decades. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and its allies also imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar.And on June 22, they went on to present the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to resolve the crisis.

Kuwait has been trying to mediate the crisis and several top Western diplomats have toured the region to try to defuse the row, including US Secretary of States Rex Tillerson.

DOHA: Qatar's ruler said today that the Gulf emirate is ready for dialogue to resolve a diplomatic crisis with a Saudi-led bloc so long as his country's sovereignty is respected. "We are open to dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems," so long as Qatar's "sovereignty is respected," Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said in his first public comments since Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with gas-rich Qatar. "Any settlement of the crisis must be based on two principles," he said in a televised speech. Sheikh Tamim insisted that any deal "must not take effect in the form of diktats but rather through mutual commitments undertaken by all the parties". "We are open to dialogue to find solutions to lingering problems within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and will of each state as mutual undertakings and joints commitments binding all," he said. State media said ahead of the speech that the emir would address "the future orientation of Qatar in light of the current Gulf crisis". On June 5, Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha denies the claim. The emir said in his speech that Qatar was "fighting terrorism relentlessly and without compromises, and the international community recognises this". The crisis between the regional allies is the worst to hit the Gulf in decades. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and its allies also imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar.And on June 22, they went on to present the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to resolve the crisis. Kuwait has been trying to mediate the crisis and several top Western diplomats have toured the region to try to defuse the row, including US Secretary of States Rex Tillerson.
By PTI

DAMASCUS: Syria's army announced today a halt in fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on how a safe zone will function for the besieged opposition enclave. The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday today," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement said, without specifying what areas were included. Russia said earlier today it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta. Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May. But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones.

The most recent talks in Kazakhstan this month between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to iron out the details of the four safe zones. Russia said the sides have now signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation". It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents".

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded "in the next few days." The Eastern Ghouta region, a major rebel stronghold near the capital, has been the frequent target of government military operations. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

DAMASCUS: Syria's army announced today a halt in fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on how a safe zone will function for the besieged opposition enclave. The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday today," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA. "The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement said, without specifying what areas were included. Russia said earlier today it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta. Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May. But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones. The most recent talks in Kazakhstan this month between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to iron out the details of the four safe zones. Russia said the sides have now signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation". It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents". Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded "in the next few days." The Eastern Ghouta region, a major rebel stronghold near the capital, has been the frequent target of government military operations. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
By AFP

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday denounced as "excessive" the use of force by Israeli security forces in deadly clashes over sensitive Jerusalem holy site.

"I condemn Israel's insistence on its position despite all warnings... and the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against our brothers gathered for Friday prayers," he said in a statement.

Erdogan said that he was speaking in his capacity as the current chairman of the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) whose chairmanship Turkey currently holds.

The clashes the day earlier left three Palestinians dead. Three Israelis were stabbed to death in the West Bank by a 19-year-old Palestinian who was then shot by a neighbour.

Tensions have risen to boiling point over new metal detectors installed by Israel as security measures around the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Turkey and Israeli had last year ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead.

But Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy and his comments were among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal.

Erdogan on Thursday had urged his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to swiftly remove metal detectors to end the tensions.

Israel began installing metal detectors at entrances to the site on Sunday following an attack that killed two police officers.

Erdogan reaffirmed in the statement that the restrictions were "unacceptable" and should be removed "immediately".

"I urge the international community to immediately take action to remove practices that restrict freedom of worship at Haram al-Sharif," he said.

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday denounced as "excessive" the use of force by Israeli security forces in deadly clashes over sensitive Jerusalem holy site. "I condemn Israel's insistence on its position despite all warnings... and the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against our brothers gathered for Friday prayers," he said in a statement. Erdogan said that he was speaking in his capacity as the current chairman of the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) whose chairmanship Turkey currently holds. The clashes the day earlier left three Palestinians dead. Three Israelis were stabbed to death in the West Bank by a 19-year-old Palestinian who was then shot by a neighbour. Tensions have risen to boiling point over new metal detectors installed by Israel as security measures around the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Turkey and Israeli had last year ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead. But Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy and his comments were among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal. Erdogan on Thursday had urged his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to swiftly remove metal detectors to end the tensions. Israel began installing metal detectors at entrances to the site on Sunday following an attack that killed two police officers. Erdogan reaffirmed in the statement that the restrictions were "unacceptable" and should be removed "immediately". "I urge the international community to immediately take action to remove practices that restrict freedom of worship at Haram al-Sharif," he said.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: US officials have acknowledged that there have been inconsistencies in the American description of Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there was no change in its policy saying the "pace, scope and character" of any discussion on Kashmir is for India and Pakistan to determine.

"Our policy on Kashmir has not changed," a State Department spokesperson told PTI. The clarification came after questions were raised about the different ways the US has described Jammu and Kashmir. Recently in one of its statements, the US described it as "Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir" and this week it said the "Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir".

In June while designating Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "specially-designated global terrorist", the State Department had said the militant group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 attack in "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir".

India, however, had played down the nomenclature by the US, saying similar terms had been used previously too. In the past, the US had also used "India-held Kashmir". In the latest "Country Report on Terrorism 2016", released on Wednesday, the US used "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" to describe Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The use of the word "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" by the State Department was strongly opposed by the Indian Government.

US officials acknowledged that there have been inconsistency in the American way of describing Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there has been no change in its policy. "Our policy on Kashmir has not changed. The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," the spokesperson said.

WASHINGTON: US officials have acknowledged that there have been inconsistencies in the American description of Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there was no change in its policy saying the "pace, scope and character" of any discussion on Kashmir is for India and Pakistan to determine. "Our policy on Kashmir has not changed," a State Department spokesperson told PTI. The clarification came after questions were raised about the different ways the US has described Jammu and Kashmir. Recently in one of its statements, the US described it as "Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir" and this week it said the "Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir". In June while designating Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "specially-designated global terrorist", the State Department had said the militant group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 attack in "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir". India, however, had played down the nomenclature by the US, saying similar terms had been used previously too. In the past, the US had also used "India-held Kashmir". In the latest "Country Report on Terrorism 2016", released on Wednesday, the US used "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" to describe Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The use of the word "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" by the State Department was strongly opposed by the Indian Government. US officials acknowledged that there have been inconsistency in the American way of describing Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there has been no change in its policy. "Our policy on Kashmir has not changed. The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," the spokesperson said.
What's next for Chase Marina? RIDEM has received plenty of proposals

Bob Ballou, assistant to the director of RIDEM, spoke about the goal of establishing a state port in Tiverton similar to Newports State Pier #9.
In the largest nursing home study to date on the effect of a high dose (HD) flu vaccine, researchers found that vaccines with four times the antigen of standard flu (SD) vaccines significantly reduced the risk of respiratory and all-cause hospitalization during flu season.

The study found a 12.7 percent relative reduction in the incidence of hospitalization for respiratory illness, such as pneumonia, and an 8.5 percent reduction of all-cause hospitalizations among residents on Medicare who lived at nursing homes that received HD instead of SD flu vaccines.

The findings are published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

Lower respiratory tract infection, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and tracheobronchitis, is the leading cause of infectious hospitalizations and mortality in older adults and greatest among frail older adults such as those residing in nursing homes. Furthermore, the flu is the most common, clinically important viral infection, annually affecting the lives of 4 million adults over the age of 65 in the United States at a cost of $8.3 billion, according to the study authors.

"Our study is the first randomized, controlled prospective study to demonstrate the comparative effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in reducing respiratory-related hospitalization in a very frail, long-stay nursing home population," said Stefan Gravenstein, MD, MPH, lead author of the study, on faculty at both the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University and at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

"Our finding that the high dose vaccination is more effective than a standard dose in reducing hospitalizations is remarkable for several reasons. For one, the flu season's predominant circulating strain was one where benefit to older adults from vaccination had been questioned," said Dr. Gravenstein. "The fact that we observed a lower rate of hospitalization from all causes, too, suggests that vaccine offers protection beyond flu-related outcomes, perhaps including heart and other conditions."

Neuroscience eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"If given to all approximately 1.5 million nursing home residents, a one percent drop in hospitalizations would translate to thousands fewer being hospitalized," he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of hospitalization is one in five during the flu season, the same as in this study.

The study involved more than 38,000 participants 65 years old and older from 823 nursing homes in 38 states, and compared two FDA licensed influenza vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for older nursing home residents. The residents were given influenza vaccines in the fall of 2013 to help protect them from influenza during the period of November 2013 to March 2014.

Flu in a nursing home population is a major cause of hospitalizations. In addition to pneumonia, flu can contribute to heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes, especially in an older nursing home population where it can easily spread among residents.

"In our study, we estimated that for every 84 individuals receiving the high dose vaccine a person was prevented from being hospitalized during the influenza season," he said.

Nursing homes in the study were randomly assigned to either HD or SD for residents.

Whether the higher dose becomes the preferred procedure for nursing homes would be determined by the ACIP, a group of medical and public health experts that develop recommendations on use of vaccines in the civilian population.
Maruti Suzuki has expanded its range of automatic cars by adding the CVT gearbox to the Alpha variant of the popular Baleno premium hatchback. With this addition to the top variant, the CVT in Baleno will be offered in three variants now, including the Delta and Zeta variants. The move is seen as an effort to democratize two-pedal technology in India and Maruti Suzuki India is the leader in the automatic gearbox, including AMT and CVT in India.With this launch customer looking to buy an Automatic Baleno will get hi-end features including the Smartphone Linkage Display Audio that works with Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink. The CVT Alpha variant is priced at Rs 834,052/- (ex-showroom Delhi).Since its launch in October 2015, over 200,000 Balenos have been sold by Maruti Suzuki, making it the leader in the premium hatchback segment. Baleno achieved the 100,000 unit sales milestone in less than a year setting a record for being the top selling premium hatchback in India.Baleno has been retailing through the premium chain NEXA dealerships, consistently topping the charts of the 10 best-selling passenger cars. The Baleno comes with many firsts in the segment like Apple Car Play, standard safety features like dual airbags and ABS with EBD, and a sporty Baleno RS version.Baleno is being exported to over 100 countries and is the first car from Maruti Suzuki being exported to Japan under Governments Make in India mission. Over 68,000 units of Baleno have been exported across the world, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand and several parts of Europe and Latin America.For Maruti Suzuki, the contribution of two pedal technology has increased from 6% in FY 2014-15 to 11% in 2016-17. Maruti aims to double the two-pedal contribution from the current levels approximately (150,000 units) and achieve 300,000 mark by 2020.
@OfficeOfRG u r 42 yrs late on this 1.No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency & trampled over democracy.  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

@OfficeOfRG a bleak future awaits the Congress Party, not our Nation!  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

Union minister Smriti Irani hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, saying that his comparisons of a Prime Minister to Adolf Hitler came 42 years too late.Reacting sharply to the Gandhi scions remarks that BJP-led NDA government was attempting to "strangulate reality" like the Nazi regime, the newly-appointed Information and Broadcasting minister said there were no prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the Emergency and trampled over democracy, in a not-so-veiled reference to former PM Indira Gandhi.Rahul had on Friday warned the Narendra Modi government against distorting the Constitution and implementing the agenda of the RSS while speaking at an international conference in Bengaluru. He said that what is happening today is the "systematic capture of India's democratic institutions. By the PM, bureaucrats and the RSS".He went on to say that Hitler once wrote: "Keep a very firm grasp on reality so you can strangulate it anytime." Today this is what is happening around us, Rahul said.Rahul also targeted the demonetisation drive, saying the move was publicly proclaimed as a stroke of genius, but people privately called it insanity. Attacking Modi for not listening to sound advice, Gandhi said, "The emperor is completely naked, but nobody around him has the courage to tell it to him."Despite Rahuls sharp criticism of the government and PM Modi, Irani said she sincerely wants to thank the Congress vice-president for all that he does, as it has led to a bleak future for his party and allowed the BJP to flourish. A bleak future awaits the Congress Party, not our nation!" she wrote in a tweet.This is not the first time that Irani has taken potshots at Gandhi. Last week, she called him an immature mind who does not know the history of his own family after he slammed Modi for aggravating the unrest in Kashmir for his own political gain. Irani had reminded him that the Kashmir issue was the legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Kolkata: Class V to VIII students across the country will get two attempts to clear their final exams when the 'No Detention' rule is lifted, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has revealed.



Spelling out details of the proposed amendment to the Right to Education Act, Javadekar said the students will get an additional chance in May to make it to the next class.



Under the new rule, class V to VIII students will get two chances to clear their respective examinations. If someone fails  in two attempts  then they will be held back in the same class, Javadekar said in his address at an event organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Kolkata.



Elaborating further, he said, The draft has been prepared. Class V to VIII students will get a chance to appear for one examination in March and in May they will get another chance to appear. If they fail, then they will have to stay in the same class.



Javadekar requested all the states to implement the new rule as soon as its amended and passed by Parliament.



When asked why there was this urgent need to end the no detention system, he said, We dont want student to suffer at higher classes. We want to groom them in the initial level of education so that they will not have to face any difficulties during board examination. I am sure this will help students to improve their learning skills.



The existing Right to Education Act 2009 bars the detention of these students. But the Central Advisory Board for Education's recommended detention system for Class V and Class VIII students.



It was learnt that Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee is yet to take any call on this issue. He will soon discuss the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.



On the sidelines of the event, Javadekar slammed Mamata for announcing BJP Bharat Chhodo Abhiyan (Quit India Movement) from August 9 to August 30.



He said, She is day dreaming that TMC will oust BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power. Her comments against BJP is out of frustration. People in Bengal want BJP to form the government because of misrule under Mamatas rule.
Lucknow: A dreaded sharp shooter of underworld don Chota Rajan was arrested by a team of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police from Faizabad on Saturday.



Khan Mubarak was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5,000 on his head, according to STF officers.



He is currently being interrogated at the SGPGI police station here.



A large cache of weapons was also recovered from him.



His brother, Khan Zafar, resident of Ambedkar Nagar district, finances Bollywood films, the police said.



"Khan Mubarak has more than three dozen cases against his name and was planning something big," said an STF officer.
Hyderabad: The excise department has now issued warning letters to 14 bars and pubs in Hyderabad in on-going crackdown on drugs.



This comes after the department crackdown on the drug trade in school, college and the Telugu film industry.



Officer of the Special Investigative Team, set up to investigate growing instances of drug use in the city, held a meeting with various pub and bar owners. Based on evidence, licence of one such club, "F-Club", has also been suspended with immediate effect.



Meanwhile, the questioning of various Telugu Film industry artists for their alleged links with drug peddlers continued the fourth day on Saturday. Till now, four celebrities have appeared before the SIT officials, which includes ace director Puri Jagannath and Bahubali film actor Subbaraju.



So far, 12 Tollywood celebrities have been summoned by the Excise department including actor Navdeep and Charmee Kaur, who are yet to appear. The SIT is collecting blood, nails, and hair samples of suspected people for further examination.



Filmmaker Ramgopal Varma came out in support of the industry and questioned the investigations in the ongoing drug racket case.



"I am wondering if school children taking drugs will also be summoned by SIT and be interrogated for 12 hours like they are doing to Purijagan and Subba RajuJust asking? " Ramgopal Varma wrote of his facebook page.



"I think its right for Akun Sabharwal and his team to speak out and make it clear to people not to listen to malicious conspiracies and already think of people like criminals without even being charged or cases filed.", he added.



The police arrested 2 more people and seized MDMA from their possession.
New Delhi: VC Prakash, aide of AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran, has admitted to laundering Rs 2 crore in his statement to Delhi Police.



Prakash, in his statement, accessed by CNN-News18, conceded that he facilitated the movement of Rs 2 crore to Delhi on an immediate-basis to Dinakaran's aide Mallikarjuna. He added that he didn't know who the money was for.



It is still not clear if the money was given to arrange for better facilities for Dinakaran's aunt Sasikala at the Bengaluru Jail.



D Roopa, former DIG Prisons, Karnataka, in her recent report to his senior, alleged that special facilities were being offered to AIADMK leader Sasikala and even a special kitchen had been set up to provide for quality food.



Following her report, making startling revelations, Roopa was transferred by the Siddahramaiah government to traffic and road safety department.



Prakash said that "since I knew some jail officials", Mallikarjuna also asked him to "arrange meetings between Dinakaran and AIADMK leader Sasikala", who is currently lodged in the Bengaluru jail.



Dinakaran, along with Sukesh, Mallikarjuna, Naresh and Babu, has been accused of bribing the officials of the Election Commission of India in the 'two leaves' party symbol case.



The Delhi Police, on the other hand, say that their investigation is focused on the bribery case and how hawala operators operated the route.
A day after the BJP sent a strong political message by ensuring an emphatic victory for Ram Nath Kovind in presidential elections, a three-day conference in Congress-ruled Karnataka on Dalit icon BR Ambedkar triggered a parallel narrative on the state of Dalits in the country.In his inaugural address at the symposium on Friday, human rights activist and social reformer Martin Luther King III drew a parallel between India and the US, saying both countries are now ruled by people who have little regard for the poor, and where there is no respect for the rule of law.King III said both India and the US are seeing a rise in hate crimes  a sweeping indictment of the Modi and Trump governments.Martin Luther King III delivers the inaugural address at the conference. (News18)"A California State University research says there have been over 1,000 hate crimes in the US since the 2016 election. And here (in India), cow vigilantes kill Muslims and Dalits as the police stand by," King III, the son of acclaimed civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr, said.He was addressing 2,000 delegates at the conference, including Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi.If my father were here, he would have stood by the Dalit demonstrations that the country is seeing in different places, King III added, drawing parallels between the values espoused by Ambedkar and King Jr.Martin Luther King III with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries at the conference. (News18)The conference is being hosted by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a time when the Congress is trying to retain power in a state that has a majority population of Dalits and OBCs.The state is headed to polls in April 2018. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomes Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the conference. (News18)The conference is also symbolic of the nation-wide turf war for a larger contest in the offing for Dalit votes which has traditionally been with the Congress since Independence. The BJP, in the last three years, has made a concerted attempt to impinge on this constituency.Siddaramaiah, who will be seeking a fresh mandate in the coming months, hit out at the central government."Today we are told that being a good Indian means we have to ignore the inequality and exploitation in our midst. I reject such majoritarianism. It is opposed to the spirit of the Constitution, he said.The three-day conference would conclude with a 'Bangalore Declaration' that outlines specific constitutional and institutional ways to respond to attacks on social justice.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday dismissed Farooq Abdullah's suggestion that the US, China, or any other country could possibly mediate to bring a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem.



Mehbooba emphasised that India and Pakistan will resolve the matter bilaterally. Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had on Friday suggested that India should explore the option of a third party to facilitate a dialogue between India and Pakistan.



She hit out at Abdullah for suggesting mediation by the United States, asking him whether he wanted the situation in Kashmir to be similar to what it was in countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq where the US had intervened.



"Be it America or China, they should mind their own business. Wherever America intervened, you see (the situation in) Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.



"China has its own vexing issue in Tibet. So, I think we have a map here which is that we, India and Pakistan, have to talk even after war. We have to talk bilaterally and what can

America, Turkey or England do with us?" Mehbooba told reporters at Anantnag in south Kashmir.



The chief minister was responding to a question on Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah's suggestion yesterday said India should take the help of "friends" to resolve the issue.



"They have played spoilsport in major issues of the world. See what they have made up of Syria, see the situation of Afghanistan and Iraq. God forbid, does Farooq (Abdullah) want our situation similar to them? Or he wants our state to prosper?" the chief minister asked.



She said both India and Pakistan have to respect the agreements between the two countries to end the hostilities.



"We should take forward Shimla and Lahore agreements the way our elder leaders like (former PM) Indira Gandhi and (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee did.



"Everyday our soldiers and people die on border and the same happens (in Pakistan) as well. Some solution should come out for (ending) this and the solution will come only then when we, both the countries, respect these agreements," she said.



The CM said that dialogue is imperative as the two countries face pressing development issues. "We have to sit together and end poverty, provide our people with electricity, water and employment. India and Pakistan have to talk to each other," she said.



(With PTI inputs)
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) President Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress leadership must stop defending the tainted Lalu Prasad family, sources said.



Nitish Kumar met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday for about half an hour, but JD(U) sought to downplay it as a courtesy call as the Congress was also an alliance partner in the Bihars ruling Mahagathbandhan.



A close aide of Nitish told News18 that during the meeting, he reminded the Congress vice-president of the day he had torn an ordinance that was dubbed as save the convict bill in 2013, only a month before RJD chief Lalu Prasad was found guilty in a fodder scam related case.



Congress added to the confusion within Mahagathbandhan by attacking Nitish, though a clarification came later on. Now, their leadership must clarify their stand on Tejashwi, whom the CBI has booked in a land graft case. Nitish ji has told Rahul Gandhi that his stand on the issue was clear and as an alliance partner, Congress should also clarify its stand, the source said.



JD(U) spokesman Ajay Alok said in Patna that it was a courtesy meeting and their stand on corruption and Tejashwi would be the same.



However, senior Congress leader Premchand Mishra told News18 that Rahul Gandhi was keen to save the grand alliance at any cost, and raised the issue during the meet. He asserted that filing of an FIR could not be the reason for demanding resignation from Tejashwi as Union ministers Uma Bharti, UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and few other leaders are also facing similar cases.



Fissures in the Bihar Mahagathbandhan came to the fore after the CBI booked Lalu, wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi in a corruption case. Lalu has been accused of influencing the awarding of an IRCTC tender when he was the railway minister in 2005 and accepting prime land in return. The land was allegedly transferred to Tejashwi and Rabri via a shell company.



The Congress  third member of the alliance  has been playing peacemaker in the standoff between Bihars two major parties.



On Friday, the JD(U) had hit back at a senior RJD leader who had ruled out Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi's resignation over a graft case and made light of the party's claim of Nitish's "sacrifice" in forming the anti-BJP coalition in Bihar.
Washington: Amid the Doklam standoff between the armies of India and China, the US has encouraged both countries to engage in direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects".



"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman told PTI. Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension "free of any coercive aspects".



Notably, in recent past few years, almost all of Chinas neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes. The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.



National Security Advisor Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later this month. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue. "We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.



Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives. "The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.



Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate. "To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said in written response to the questions.



(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: A section of the non-executive staff of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Saturday threatened to go on strike from Monday, warning a complete shutdown of services if their demands were not met.



Delhi Metro serves at least 30 lakh commuters a day and shutdown could bring the city to a halt.



The staffers are demanding a hike in pay scales as well as rollback of disciplinary action against some individuals. The agitating staff also includes train operators. DMRC has met the Delhi Metro staff council members who are leading the agitation in order to placate the protesting staffers.



DMRC released a statement laying out their stand on the demands of the employees alleging foul play and citing inappropriate time to heed to their demands



On the issue of upgradation of pay scales an grant of Schedule A CPSE pay scales, DMRC said that the time was not opportune for revision of pay scales.



"The first [demand] pertains to upgradation of pay scales and grant of Schedule A CPSE pay scales. In the face of the fact that the recommendations of the 3rd Pay Commission have been accepted by the Government and orders are to be issued any time, it is not an opportune moment to press for their demand for revision of pay scales at this juncture. All pay related issues shall be dealt shortly after issue of orders by the Government, it said.



Another issue raised by the employees, according to the DMRC statement, was alleged acts of misconduct. DMRC alleged some of the individuals were misleading employees and pushing their personal agenda to cause disruption.



"The second demand pertains to action initiated by the Management against some of the Staff Council Members and employees on account of grave acts of misconduct/indiscipline and acts of omission and commission in violation of DMRC Conduct Rules. The issues are purely incidental to the individuals and the attempt on their part to push for their personal agenda, and invoke others to cause disruption is uncalled for," it said.





"The employees have been misled by these individuals and an Appeal has been issued, for all employees to stay calm and we hope that employees are not misguided by such elements. Staff council members are also called for discussion on these issues," DMRC added.



Meanwhile, DMRC has given an assurance that its "management is taking all due care to run Metro services," adding that the public will not face any inconvenience.
New Delhi: Celebrated designer Manish Malhotra, who gave startling makeovers to many Bollywood divas including Kareena Kapoor, Kajol and Alia Bhatt, says that his entire childhood was spent watching movies as he was a terrible student.



"My entire childhood was spent at the theatre, watching movies. I was a terrible student. I was only interested in the movies. Thursday would be a day off and every Saturday was a half day at school, so being in Bandra, Mumbai, I would visit three popular theatres - Gaiety, Galaxy and Gemini," said Manish while speaking at New York University's The Mark and Debra Leslie Entrepreneurs Lab.



The Lab is a 6,800 square feet facility in the heart of the Washington Square campus, where aspiring NYU entrepreneurs from across all of NYU's schools and colleges meet to connect, collaborate and tap into a vast array of resources to help develop their ideas and inventions into startup companies.



The designer spoke to an audience including students, faculty and researchers from NYU about his prolific career as a couturier, costume-stylist, entrepreneur and revivalist.



Malhotra, who has always been a big fan of Bollywood, says his mother encouraged him to watch movies as he loved the actors, music, songs and the clothes they wore.



"As a teenager, I was extremely work oriented. I always wanted to do something with my life. I joined a boutique for some extra pocket money. I was interested in fashion; I would make my sketches and drape mannequins." said Manish who did modelling and ads at the beginning of his career.



Malhotra has enjoyed a successful run of over 25 years in Bollywood.
New Delhi: Nawazuddin Siddiqui came to the city of dreams with Rs 2,500 in his pocket and an ambition to make it big in films. But before giving him his due, Mumbai tested Nawazuddin Siddiqui's patience so much so that the actor has now become fear-proof.



"I have already faced so much in my life. I have seen that time when I didn't even have a single penny in my pocket. And it stayed like that for two-three years. I used to have lunch at one friend's place, dinner at other's and a third friend would get cigarettes for me.



"I came to Mumbai with Rs 2,500. If I again face a situation where I am left with just Rs 2,500, I would not feel like a failure. I am not afraid of anything," said Nawaz.



His first Bollywood break was a small role in Aamir Khan's Sarfarosh. The 43-year-old actor continued featuring in blink-and-you-miss-it roles in various films till Gangs of Wasseypur came and changed his fate.



Nawaz says he thought about leaving Mumbai a lot during his struggling days but he somehow held on to his dream as going back was not an option for him.



"For 12 long years, I kept waiting but it was my choice. I chose to stay and keep trying. I was prepared to go through all the pain to achieve my dream of becoming an actor. There were times when I felt like leaving Mumbai.



"But I did not want to return to my village as people had already told me that I could not be an actor. Returning to Delhi was also not possible as my batchmates from NSD would have said, Aagya tu bhi vapas (You are also back). These were my fears."



From doing walk-on parts to finally being the star of his own films, life has taken an 180-degree turn for Nawaz, but the actor says he is still unaffected by the success he has achieved.



"After Gangs of Wasseypur I have been continuously busy. I did not get time to sit and analyze my success or stardom. My priority is to act and not think about stardom.



"Of course, the perception of people has changed towards me, but I am still the same. The only change in me is as a performer. I have grown in my craft," he says.



Nawaz says earning money and fame is not his aim and hence fear of losing them does not bother him. "It is not about money, but the experience I have gained during my journey, which matters to me. The experience of rejection and failure is priceless. These things have made me what I am today. Whatever I have today is much more than what I ever expected. I feel very secure in my space."



The actor admits his focus is on doing good cinema and making sensible choices.



"I choose my projects as per my sensibility. I never pick films to prove that I am different or to show that I can do something which no one else can. Time tells you what to do in life," he says.



The actor's latest release Munna Michael, which also features Tiger Shroff and newcomer Nidhi Agerwal, hit the screens today.


Kolkata: Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia's forthcoming film Raagdesh on the contribution of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army (INA) in India's independence, should be welcomed by all regardless of differences, feels a member of the Bose clan.



The film is slated to be screened for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday and would soon be shown to the Bose family as well, its makers said.



According to Bose's grand-nephew Sumantra Bose, a noted expert on international and comparative politics, the film's content should be deemed to be above party politics.



"I would be very surprised if there is any problem because this is a story of heroism...it's a story of freedom struggle and above all forms of party politics... well it should be... it should be welcomed by anybody in India regardless of differences otherwise," Sumantra told IANS when queried on apprehensions on censorship or objections if any, by politicians or other groups.



Raag Desh is essentially the story of the famous Red Fort trial of three INA officers (Colonel Prem Sahgal, Shah Nawaz Khan, Gurubaksh Singh Dhillon) that triggered much public outcry and imbued the nation with a patriotic fervour.



Asked whether the Bose family could have objections to the film's content, Sumantra reposed faith in the Paan Singh Tomar maker, noting his gravitas in the artform.



"I very much doubt... he (Dhulia) is a serious filmmaker... he has done a lot of research. Also, it's a feature film based on true eventsa so a filmmaker has certain legitimate license (cinematic liberties)a he is a seasoned filmmaker," the scholar said.



The film is presented by Rajya Sabha TV and produced by Gurdeep Singh Sappal. Raag Desh is slated for release on July 28.



Dhulia has asserted the film's content is in no way controversial as the INA trials are well documented. He has also clarified that it does not revolve around the mystery surrounding Netaji's disappearance in 1945.



Sumantra, who hosted the film's team at Netaji Bhawan (Netaji's ancestral residence) for a promotional, agrees with Dhulia that the revolutionary's life is getting "overlooked" due to the controversies.



"All these debates and controversies surrounding his afterlife is becoming a distraction... I agree with director that his life is becoming overlooked which is extremely unfortunate because it his life that is so rich with meaning and inspirations, especially for the young generation of India," Sumantra posited.



Sumantra is the son of Sisir and Krishna Bose and subscribes to the view that Nataji died in an air crash in 1945.



Talking about the forthcoming film, Sumantra said the Red Fort Trials are important because they brought to light the INA story and the commitment of the soldiers.



"It is also an event that most historians agree that led the British to take the decision to leave India," he pointed out.



In Raag Desh, actor Mohit Marwah plays Colonel Prem Sahgal, Kunal Kapoor portrays Shah Nawaz Khan while Gurubaksh Singh Dhillon is essayed by Amit Sadh.



Sumantra recalled meeting two of the protagonists.



"I have met many times two of three protagonists, Sahgal and Dhillon, in this very house. They (Mohit and Amit) are professional actors and I am sure they must have looked at the photographs, picked up mannerisms and facial expressions... footage that is available," he said, adding the makers had sought advice from the family over various aspects like which sources to consult.




New Delhi: Rajkummar Rao has gained and lost weight for his projects, but the actor says he would not suggest to anyone to go through such transformations as it's not healthy.



What makes him do it then? The actor says it is all part of his job.



"It is my job as an actor to start posing as the character whose life depends on the way I look. So I tried to look like him as much as possible," Rajkummar said.



He added: "Since I'm playing Bose in Subhash Chandra Bose and he was heftier than I am, I had to gain some weight. I had to put on around 10-11 kgs for that. As an actor, I feel it is a part of my responsibility and commitment towards my work."



He underwent drastic weight loss to play a man striving for survival in Trapped, which will beam on the Indian small screen on July 22 on &pictures HD.



Now for web series Bose, Rajkummar has been hogging pizzas and biryani to get the pot belly.



For Bose - helmed by Hansal Mehta for ALT Balaji - the actor has been working on his look for two months. He also went half bald to play the part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.



The actor says such physical transformation is not healthy.



He said: "I won't suggest anyone to go through the transformation. But for me it's my work and it's all for my work. And the moment we finish shooting, I'm going to go back to my original shape."
Patna: The JD(U) on Friday hit back at a senior RJD leader who had ruled out Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav's resignation over a graft case and made light of the party's claim of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "sacrifice" in forming the anti-BJP coalition in Bihar.



Abdul Bari Siddiqui, a minister in the Grand Alliance government, had on Friday dismissed any possibility of Yadav's resignation over the CBI FIR in the land-for-hotels case and had said, "Tell us who made the sacrifice so that we can pay obeisance by lighting aggarbatti."



He had blamed the JD(U) spokesperson for creating tension in the coalition by making tall assertions "to remain in the media limelight".



"Have Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav or Basistha Narayan Singh (Bihar JD-U chief) ever spoken on what transpired between the CM and Tejaswi Yadav during their one-to-one meeting on Tuesday last... I do not know who has authorised them (spokesmen) to make tall assertions," Siddiqui had said.



Hitting back at Siddiqui, Bihar JD(U)'s chief spokesman Sanjay Singh on Friday said, "A man who has been pushed from number two position in the RJD in the past to number five minister today is actually expressing his frustration...Siddiqui should answer to whom he is showing agarbatti."



He said Nitish Kumar made the sacrifice by reducing the number of seats contested by the JD(U) in the 2015 Assembly elections to 101 from 149 in the earlier poll.



JD(U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar slammed former MP Shivanand Tiwari, whose son is an RJD MLA and who is in constant touch with Lalu Prasad at a time of this political crisis, for accusing the chief minister of having inclination towards the BJP.



His fellow spokespersons Ajay Alok and Nikhil Mandal also went on the offensive.



"Earlier, people used to come to politics full with 'sewa bhav' (will to serve) but now it seems some are guided by 'mewa bhav' (to make fortune)," Alok said in a veiled attack on the deputy chief minister.



"They should not test our patience," he said. Asserting that the deputy chief minister has been named in the FIR hence he should come clean on the accusations, Mandal reiterated that the JD(U) cannot compromise on zero tolerance against corruption and the clean image of Nitish Kumar.



However, state Disaster Management department minister and RJD leader Chandrasekhar who was present with the chief minister at a function in Patna today praised him saying, "Nitish Kumar is 'Vishkarma' (Lord Vishkarma) of Bihar's development."



Meanwhile, according to reports in a section of the media, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, the Congress MLA from Kadwa in Katihar, has written a letter to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi asking about the party's stand on corruption for the 2019 general election.



The Congress, which has been playing a peacemaker in the standoff between the JD(U) and the RJ(D), is seen tilting towards Lalu Prasad after Tejaswi Yadav's meeting with the chief minister.



After returning from Ranchi, Lalu Prasad, replying to reporters' question about the political crisis said, "Do not bother about the coalition, rather concentrate on other developments like the problem the country is facing from its neighbours and parliamentary developments."
Patna: The BJP on Saturday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is wasting his time meeting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi reportedly to urge him to ask RJD's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to resign in the wake of a CBI FIR against him on corruption charge.



Nitish Kumar is wasting time meeting Rahul Gandhi for reportedly asking Tejashwi Yadav to tender resignation, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.



Rahul Gandhi had failed to make his own party Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh resign after he was chargesheeted by CBI. How could he ask Tejashwi Yadav (of RJD) to resign?" Sushil Modi said.



Expecting anything from Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption has no moral justification, he said in a statement here after Kumar met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Saturday.



Modi has been alleging that RJD president Lalu Prasad and his family members have amassed benami properties. It's no use talking to Sonia Gandhi over phone or meeting Rahul Gandhi, he said.



RJD has done nothing on CBI's FIR against Tejashwi Yadav in land-for-hotels case despite JD(U) repeatedly asking him to come clean in public, Modi said adding that it could be understood that Prasad's party has no defence against it.



Instead of coming to the people with facts to explain the situation, RJD is pasting posters against JD(U) spokesmen to create pressure on the party not to press for Tejaswi Yadav's resignation, he said.



Posters came out on Saturday in some places of Patna with photographs of JD(U) spokesmen Sanjay Singh, Ajay Alok, Neeraj Kumar and senior party leader Shyam Rajak alleging them of acting in collusion with Sushil Modi to attack RJD.



On whose behalf those posters have been published is not known as there is no name.

Modi said, JD(U) has not even once said that Tejashwi Yadav has been implicated in the case for political vendetta or CBI did it to stop RJD's August 27 rally.



This proves that JD(U) is accepting that charges against Tejaswi carry weight and hence its spokesmen are seeking point-by-point clarification, he said.
New Delhi: Its a power-packed Saturday for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who will meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the evening and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at night.



While the meeting with Rahul Gandhi is scheduled for 4pm, Nitish is likely to meet Modi at a farewell dinner for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee at Hyderabad House. The dinner is being hosted by the latter.



The meeting comes amid a running feud between Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD over corruption allegations against the latter and his son, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. While the JD(U) has demanded Yadav's resignation, Lalu has said Tejashwi will not step down.



Fissures in the Bihar Grand Alliance came to the fore after the CBI booked Lalu, son Tejashwi and wife Rabri Devi in a corruption case. Lalu has been accused of influencing the awarding of an IRCTC tender when he was the railway minister in 2005 and accepting prime land in return. The land was allegedly transferred to Tejashwi and Rabri via a shell company.



The Congress  third member of the alliance  has been playing peacemaker in the standoff between Bihars two major parties.



On Friday, the JD(U) had hit back at a senior RJD leader who had ruled out Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's resignation over a graft case and made light of the party's claim of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "sacrifice" in forming the anti-BJP coalition in Bihar.



Abdul Bari Siddiqui, a minister in the Grand Alliance government, had yesterday dismissed any possibility of Yadav's resignation over the CBI FIR in the land-for-hotels case and had said, "Tell us who made the sacrifice so that we can pay obeisance by lighting aggarbatti."



He had blamed the JD(U) spokesperson for creating tension in the coalition by making tall assertions 'to remain in the media limelight'. "Have Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav or Basistha Narayan Singh (Bihar JD-U chief) ever spoken on what transpired between the CM and Tejaswi Yadav during their one-to-one meeting on Tuesday last I do not know who has authorised them (spokesmen) to make tall assertions," Siddiqui had said.



Hitting back at Siddiqui, Bihar JD(U)'s chief spokesman Sanjay Singh on Friday said, "A man who has been pushed from number two position in the RJD in the past to number five minister today is actually expressing his frustration Siddiqui should answer to whom he is showing agarbatti."



He said Nitish Kumar made the sacrifice by reducing the number of seats contested by the JD(U) in the 2015 Assembly elections to 101 from 149 in the earlier poll.


Reliance Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone was announced by the Chairman of the company Mukesh Ambani at the companys Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 21 July 2017. The Reliance Industries Limited chairman called the new JioPhone India ka smartphone. The JioPhone is loaded with features like expandable SD card slot, 4-way navigation, 4G VoLTE support and more.The Reliance JioPhone with 4G VoLTE is a feature phone that comes loaded with a few features that are seen on a smartphone. It has a bar design, with a 2.4-inch QVGA display that's not touch sensitive. The phone also has an Alphanumeric keypad and a dedicated button for Torchlight. The device also comes with a 3.5mm audio-jack for plugging in your headphones. There is also a microphone a speaker and support for FM Radio. The device also comes preloaded with 22 Indic languages that it can recognise and the voice command feature on it can also be used in all those languages. You will be able to browse the internet also on the JioPhone at 4G speeds and on Jio network. The device also comes preloaded with Jio Apps on it. Made mandatory by the government, the JioPhone also comes with an SOS button. The company has also promised that the device will also come with NFC capabilities for digital payments as well as for casting content on a different screen.The beta phase of testing for the Reliance JioPhone will start on August 15. The device will be available for pre-booking starting from 24 August 2017 on Jio.com. The device will be made available to the consumers that have pre-booked starting from the first week of September 2017.The Reliance JioPhone is available at an effective cost of Rs 0, but users will have to pay Rs 1500 security deposit for three years. This is still cheaper than any good feature phone out there in the market as the cost of ownership is at just Rs 500/year. Jio recharge plans and sachet packs start at Rs 153 per month. It gives users unlimited data on this 4G VoLTE feature phone. The unlimited data has 0.5GB or 500 MB FUP per day. This is a total of 14GB data for a recharge period. You can also broadcast your JioTV app on your television and it really does not need to be smart. For that user will have to pay an additional recharge value of Rs 309, which is still cheaper than a DTH connection in India. The monthly plan will let users watch three to four hours of video on their television sets. Reliance Jio has two sachet packs of Rs 24 for two days and Rs 54 per week that offer same benefits.(Disclaimer: News18.com is part of Network18 Media & Investment Limited which is owned by Reliance Industries Limited).
Washington: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis decided not to send military reimbursements to Pakistan after telling Congress that Pakistan's action against the Haqqani network is not a reflection of a new tougher policy against Islamabad,but simply an assessment of the current state of play.



Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Friday that the Trump administration will not provide USD 350 million in coalition support funds to Pakistan after the US Defence Secretary said he cannot certify that Islamabad has taken "sufficient actions" against the dreaded Haqqani network.



"This is simply an assessment of the current state of play. It is not a policy. It is a reality. You know, we are just defining the realities," Mattis told reporters on Friday.



When asked if the withholding of USD 350 million coalition support funds was part of the Trump administration's new policy towards Pakistan, he said "No".



Responding to questions, Mattis dispelled rumours that the National Security Advisor Lieutenant General H R McMaster would be leaving soon for an Afghan-related assignment.



Pakistan-based Haqqani network is blamed for a number of high-profile attacks on US and Western interests in war-torn Afghanistan.



The terror group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan, including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people.



This is for the second consecutive year that the US Defence Secretary has refused to certify to Congress, as mandated under National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), that Pakistan has taken satisfactory action against the Haqqani network.



Mattis' predecessor Ashton Carter was the first US Defence Secretary to refuse that certification.



As a result of the notification by Defence Secretary Mattis to Congress, the Department of Defence has reprogrammed remaining Coalition Support Funds, which is USD 350 million, to other accounts, Stump said.



(With PTI Inputs)
Washington: Embattled US Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the presidential race  something Sessions has insisted he did not do, The Washington Post has reported.



The paper on Friday quoted current and former administration officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to Trump, during the campaign.



The report is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump criticised him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.



Trump said he regretted the hiring because Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Trumps favour and whether the Trump team colluded in that effort.



Sessions recused himself in March after it was disclosed that he had in fact met with the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian officials during that period.



But Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the US election campaign with the ambassador.



I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, he said at the time.



However, Kislyak, in briefing his superiors on the meetings, said he and Sessions discussed campaign-related matters including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.



It quoted one former official as saying the intercepts suggest Sessions and Kislyak had substantive talks on issues including Trumps positions on Russia-related subjects and prospects for bilateral relations in a Trump administration.



Sessions account  he has said he recalls meeting only once with the ambassador  provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence, a separate US official said.
Washington: The Trump administration is still sorting out "the big ideas" for a new Afghanistan strategy, beyond troop levels and other military details, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday.



"We're close," he said in an impromptu exchange with reporters at the Pentagon one day after President Donald Trump met with him and his military chiefs for a broad discussion that aides said touched on Afghanistan and other issues.



The US has been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly 16 years, and as recently as June Mattis said "we are not winning."



Mattis told Sen. John McCain at a hearing last month that he would have the Afghanistan strategy ready by mid-July. On Friday he was asked what is holding it up.



"It just takes time," he said. "It wasn't that past presidents were dumb or anything else. This is hard work, so you've got to get it right. That's all there is to it."



He also said it is vitally important to "get the big ideas right," meaning to establish a consensus within the government on what problem Afghanistan poses and what policy goal is being pursued by committing US troops there. He called this "orders of magnitude" more difficult that deciding military tactics.



"It's easy only for the people who criticize it from the outside and who don't carry the responsibility for integrating it altogether," he said, referring to making diplomatic and economic elements a part of the overall strategy.



Although Mattis did not mention him Friday, McCain is among the more vocal critics of the administration's lack of an Afghan strategy.



On Thursday, McCain mentioned his frustration on Afghanistan in a statement on the separate matter of the administration reportedly deciding to end a program to assist the Syrian opposition to President Bashar Assad.



"Six months into this administration, there is still no new strategy for victory in Afghanistan, either," McCain said. "It is now mid-July, when the administration promised to deliver that strategy to Congress, and we are still waiting."



In his remarks at the Pentagon, Mattis revealed no details of the ongoing administration debate.



He cast the Afghanistan problem in the context of past American wars, including those that did not end well  such as Vietnam  and those that still have not ended, such as Iraq. He said he wants to be sure there is administration agreement on the political goals as well as the military means.



"I realize this probably looks easy, but it is not easy," he said.



Mattis said a decision disclosed by the Pentagon on Friday to withhold $50 million in "coalition support funds" for Pakistan  money it receives each year as reimbursement for logistical support for US combat operations  was separate from deliberations over a new Afghanistan strategy. Officials have said the US approach to Pakistan is an important part of the Afghan strategy debate, in part because a Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network enjoys sanctuary in Pakistan. US officials called the Haqqani network the most lethal element of the Taliban opposition in Afghanistan.



The Pentagon said in a statement Friday that Mattis has informed congressional committees that he could not certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network to deserve full reimbursement this year. Of $900 million in proposed reimbursement, Pakistan earlier received $550 million and Congress a few months ago withheld $300 million.



Mattis' certification decision means the remaining $50 million also will be withheld.



The Pentagon chief said this was not a reflection of a new, tougher US policy toward Pakistan.



"This is simply an assessment of the current state of play" with regard to suppressing the Haqqani threat. "It's not a policy. It is the reality."



Pakistan is authorized to receive up to another $900 million in support funds this coming year, of which $400 million is subject to Pentagon certification of sufficient Pakistani effort against the Haqqani network.



"In our discussions with Pakistani officials, we continue to stress that it is in the interest of Pakistan to eliminate all safe havens and reduce the operational capacity of all militant organizations that pose a threat to US and Pakistani interests as well as regional stability," a Pentagon spokesman, Adam Stump, said.



Last year, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter determined the Pakistani effort against the Haqqani network was insufficient, and as a result $300 million in support funds was withheld.
Manila: The Philippine Congress sits in a special session today to vote on President Rodrigo Duterte's bid for longer military rule over the southern third of the country in a bid to defeat Islamist gunmen.



Duterte is widely expected to win approval for martial law in the region until the end of the year, with troops having failed to wrest back the southern city of Marawi following two months of fighting.



The military said only about 60 Islamic State group-inspired gunmen are left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.



"I cannot afford to be complacent," Duterte told reporters on Friday, adding the military will be conducting further "mopping up operations" even after they recapture Marawi.



"If there is a spillage it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap," he added.



Duterte imposed a 60-day martial rule  the maximum period allowed by the constitution  over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage. On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.



A slide presentation accompanying Duterte's request, seen by AFP, compared the Marawi crisis to the IS takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul. Most of the militants' leaders remain at large, it said, while about 90 of the gunmen have slipped past security cordons and can link up with other armed groups in the region to mount similar wide scale attacks.



Marawi itself could now become a magnet for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, it added.



Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes. However, any martial law extension must be approved by Congress.



The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines decades after the late deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term. Thousands of critics, political opponents as well as communist guerrillas were killed, detained or arrested during the period, according to historians.



"I am amenable to it," House of Representatives justice committee chairman Reynaldo Umali, a key Duterte ally, told ABS-CBN television on Friday.



House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said previously he sees no roadblock to its swift approval by both chambers of Congress. Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal. But opposition politicians have criticised Duterte's proposal for a martial law extension, with some alleging it is part of a Duterte plot to eventually bring the country under a military-backed dictatorship.



"Once he feels that there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it," Senator Antonio Trillanes told AFP on Tuesday.



After this he could declare a revolutionary government to allow him to stay in office beyond his six-year electoral term in mid-2022, Trillanes says.



Duterte, 72, insists he has no plan to stay in office beyond his term.


Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday accused The New York Times of "foiling" American attempt to kill the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.



"The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security," Trump tweeted.



The president, however, did not give any other details in support of his claim.



Earlier, Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims the elusive ISIS leader was killed in a Russian air strike in war-torn Syria.



Trump also lashed out another major US daily The Washington Post in other tweet.



"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against AG Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!" Trump said seeking an end to these leaks.



In an exclusive story, The Post wrote that Sessions had substantive discussion with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on matters related to the Trump campaign.



The story was based on intelligence intercepts. In another tweet, Trump asserted that he has "complete power to pardon" which he was referring to the possible expansion of the investigation into the businesses of his family members and close aides by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating into the allegations of Russian interference in last year's presidential elections.



"While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," he said.



Very often Trump has described the popular media outlets like The Washington Post, The NYT and CNN as fake news.



In a series of tweets, Trump rued that his Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton has not been the subject of scrutiny on national security matters as he has been.



"So many people are asking why isn't the AG or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?" he asked.



"What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc," Trump said in another tweet as he went on to defend his son on the allegations of him meeting a Russian source on this issue.



Aimed at transparency, his son Donald Trump Jr released his email communications with the Russian source.



"My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!" said the US President.



Trump also defended his new Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci for being late in endorsing his presidential campaign.



"In all fairness to Anthony Scaramucci, he wanted to endorse me 1st, before the Republican Primaries started, but didn't think I was running!" Trump said.
Washington: Special counsel Robert Mueller has asked the White House to preserve all documents relating to the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort had with a Russian lawyer and others, according to a source who has seen the letter.



Mueller sent a notice, called a document preservation request, asking White House staff to save "any subjects discussed in the course of the June 2016 meeting" and also "any decisions made regarding the recent disclosures about the June 2016 meeting," according to the source, who read portions of the letter to CNN.



The letter from Mueller began: "As you are aware the Special Counsel's office is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of Donald Trump. Information concerning the June 2016 meeting between Donald J Trump Jr and Natalia Veselnitskaya is relevant to the investigation."



The preservation request is broad and includes text messages, emails, notes, voicemails and other communications and documentation regarding the June 2016 meeting and any related communication since then.



On Wednesday, the White House counsel's office sent a notice to White House staff informing them of the document preservation request. A second source confirmed to CNN the letter was sent to White House personnel.



Such notices are frequently sent in the early stages of investigation and puts those who receive it on notice of the need to hold on to the material and specifically not to destroy documents that could be relevant to the investigation and requested in the future.



A White House spokeswoman told CNN they don't comment on internal communications and the special counsel's office declined to comment.



CNN reported last week that the White House scramble to respond to revelations about Donald Trump Jr's emails may have exposed the aides involved to special counsel scrutiny about what they learned about that meeting.



White House aides and Kushner's legal team began strategising late last month over how to manage the disclosure of newly discovered emails setting up the June 2016 meeting, according to sources close to Kushner's legal team.



Their public relations efforts culminated in a series of stumbles in response to inquiries from media outlets about the June 2016 meeting.



Some of the President's closest aides, who were traveling with him back from Europe helped strategise about a response for Trump Jr, according to people briefed on the matter. The New York Times first reported on the crafting of the statement.



A sensitive legal matter such as this would normally have been handled by the attorneys, given that it was about the Russia investigation.



But the President's lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, who is designated to handle personal legal issues, was not traveling with the President and was largely uninvolved, according to the people familiar with the matter. The Times reported last week that the President himself approved the statement, raising the possibility the President may have opened himself up to new legal issues not covered by attorney-client privilege. Jay Sekulow, the President's attorney, denied that Trump was involved.



"I wasn't involved in the statement drafting at all, nor was the President. I'm assuming that was between Mr. Donald Trump Jr., between Don Jr. and his lawyer. I'm sure his lawyer was involved, that's how you do it," said Sekulow in an interview on CNN's New Day.
Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif will replace him as Pakistan prime minister if the country's Supreme court disqualifies the former for his involvement in corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, a media report said.



Shehbaz is the current chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province.



Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.



Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources.



It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.



The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.



The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court.



According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case. Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports. "The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue".



The Supreme Court yesterday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.



The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.



A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.



The JIT has recommended that the report's Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.



So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.



- With PTI inputs
In early 2006, the City Club of Cleveland invited President George W. Bush to speak.

At the time, this invitation was a controversial one, as the Iraq War was becoming increasingly unpopular and plenty of Americans blamed Bush for having relied on false intelligence to wage it. Some liberals here in Cleveland grumbled: Why give Bush another chance to promote lies about this war?

The City Club, with its storied history as a citadel of free speech, was undeterred. It had welcomed plenty of controversial figures in the past, and it would welcome this one. Bush addressed a packed house on March 20  the third anniversary of the day the war began.

One of the traditions of the City Club is audience participation. Only one speaker in the forums history didnt take questions: U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who spoke the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

On the day that George W. Bush spoke, a City Club legend rose to his feet to ask a question that made national news.

Stanley Adelstein was an 87-year-old attorney who had joined the City Club in 1941. Like his wife, Hope, Stanley was a philanthropist and a community activist. He was a former city councilman, a veteran and a champion of the First Amendment. He was also a beloved friend to countless people, including my husband and me.

Stanley had a habit of looking harmless, with his slight, bent build and eyes squinting through oversized glasses, but he was more than ready for George Bush. In his soft, gentle voice, Stanley calmly laid out the three reasons Bush had given the country as justification for the war:

Weapons of mass destruction, the claim that Iraq was sponsoring terrorists who had attacked us on 9/11, and that Iraq had purchased nuclear materials from the Niger.

All three of those, Stanley continued, turned out to be false.

The audience hummed.

Stanley wasnt done. My question is: How do we restore confidence that Americans may have in their leaders and to be sure that the information they are giving is now correct?

Bushs response included this admission: Like you, I asked that very same question: Where did we go wrong on intelligence?

Stanley was a local hero after that.

Two years before he died, in 2015, Stanley told me over dinner that he had no idea he would stir up things with his question. Its the City Club, he said, flashing his shy grin. Its what we do here. Its what keeps us strong.

This week the City Club has stirred up things again by inviting Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign manager for Donald Trump. He is not a president, but he influences our current one. He is also, in my view, a full-time troll.

Lewandowski has trafficked in racism, promoting the lie that Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. He defended an anti-Semitic meme tweeted by candidate Trump and later deleted. He grabbed a female reporter and yanked her so hard she had a bruise on her arm. Lately he has been regularly spewing his lies Fox so-called News.

Reaction to the City Club invitation has been decidedly mixed, with mostly liberals opposing it. Many of these people are my friends. I understand why they argue that the last thing Lewandowski needs is a respected forum that could give him legitimacy and increase his influence. I understand, but I disagree.

How little we seem to trust our fellow Americans these days, to the point where we think we have to control what they hear. If the argument is that we must now limit our tolerance for speech, count me out. I hate that the City Club invited Lewandowski  and I support its decision to do so.

To shut down Lewandowski here in Cleveland would be to mirror what Donald Trump is trying to do to this country. He demonizes those who dare to question him, calling journalists the enemy of the people. Slowly, but ever so steadily, he is shutting down traditional White House avenues of communication, which means he is shutting out the American people. People like you, to be specific.

Which litmus test applies, and whose? The guarantees of free speech are not meant to bend and sway to our whims, but rather to stand strong in spite of them. Denying Lewandowski a City Club forum is not suppressing his First Amendment rights. It would, however, diminish us.

We are sturdier than any ridiculousness that comes out of Lewandowskis mouth.

His words reveal him, and in Cleveland he cannot hide. Let him speak, and let the audience have its say.

Its what we do here, Stanley Adelstein said. Its what keeps us strong.

Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and professional in residence at Kent State Universitys school of journalism. Email her at con.schultz@yahoo.com.
Africa Film Festival

The 2001 film by Apolline Traore of Burkina Faso, is about four women who sweep across Africa as its protagonists journey through Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin on their way to Nigeria. While the quarter of independent women travel across the various country borders they must consistently free themselves from the men who stand in their way and stave off other challenges to get where they are going.

The film is one hour and 45 minutes long, and is in French with English subtitle.

Festival director Asha Lovelace said the festival, from July 24 - 30, has over 20 films to be screened at various venues, and was thankful to the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts for the grant received to assist in the weeklong festival.

The festival is always a week before Emancipation and it is an addition to the existing Emancipation celebration that we have.

We are now in the third year, showcasing films from Africa highlighted in different segments, Lovelace said.

The Movie Maxi segment is where the films are taken into different communities. Last evening, the festival was launched at the Brian Lara Promenade with that segment, and the screening of the Nigerian movie, Just Not Married.

Another segment, the AFTT Classics will be held at UWI, St Augustine when Lovelace said they would normally feature one of the pioneers or founding fathers of African cinema and this year they have chosen the works of Med Hondo of Mauritania.

We will be screening two of his films Soleil O (1973) and West Indies (1979), that have been out of commission for quite a number of years. We were happy and lucky to have gotten them from the film-maker himself, Lovelace said.

This year there is also Nollywatch, a day specifically dedicated to films from Nollywood, Nigeria, currently the second largest film industry in the world, with Bollywood being the largest.

One of the films is A Trip to Jamaica that is said to be the highest-grossing Nollywood film to date. So we are very excited about that one. Then in the contemporary African films, we have a range of genres from comedy, to drama, documentary to animation, short films, features...

films from all over Africa.

We try in our programming to be as diverse as possible with regards to the programming so that it will appeal to our audience, Lovelace said.

AFTT is an annual film festival that showcases the very best of contemporary and classic films from the African continent.

Asked how she got into the promoting of African movies in this region Lovelace said: I am the regional secretary for FEPACI  Pan African Federation of Film-makers. I am the regional secretary for the regional diaspora.

So as a result of that, I meet with film-makers every year and get an update in the industry.

I am also invited quite often to be part of the jury in FESPAC O, Africas biggest Film Festival held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and one of the most significant African film festivals. To be quite frank, I just like African movies, I took a particular liking to African films. I dare say, if we want to develop our film industry here, we need to take a look at what is happening in the African film industry because they face similar challenges as we do in film-making, but they are handling it well. As it stands, the African film industry is dynamic and relevant, and its film-makers continue to pursue an approach to film-making that is in sync with and reflective of their own cultural environment. Out of this has emerged an aesthetic that reflects the tone, landscape, colour, complexity and beauty of Africa. Lovelace said: Through AFTT we are opening the doors for a solid and mutually beneficial alliance with this diverse and magnificent world of African Film. FULL AFTT SCHEDULE

July 24 - Opening night, Central Bank Auditorium

7pm - Frontieres, Burkina Faso

July 25 - African Classics - The UWI Film Programme Studio

7 pm - Soleil O, Mauritania

July 26 - AFTT Jr - The Little Carib Theatre

11am - Boutik, Mauritius Orishas Journey, Ghana Hair That Moves, S Africa

12pm - K3nt & Kat3, Uganda

7pm - West Indies, Mauritania (The UWI Film Programme Studio)

July 27 - Nollywatch - The Little Carib Theatre

12pm - The Dance Movie Project, Nigeria

2.30pm - Yellow Cassava, Nigeria

5.30pm - Three Wise Men, Nigeria

8pm - A Trip To Jamaica

July 28 - AFTT Main programme - The Little Carib Theatre

2.30pm - Rod Zegwi Dan Pikan, Mauritius

2.30pm - Kemtiyu, Senegal

5.30pm - Mr Johnson, Nigeria

5.30pm - Hissein Habre, Chad

8pm - This Migrant Business, Kenya 8 m - Train of Salt & Sugar, Mozambique

July 29 - AFTT Main programme - The Little Carib Theatre

2.30pm - Asha, Kenya

2.30pm - Pearl of Africa, Uganda

5.30pm - Brooklyn to Benin, Benin

5.30pm - House of Nwapa, Nigeria

8pm - Lodgers, Nigeria

8pm - The Giant is Falling, S Africa

July 30 - AFTT Main programme- The Little Carib Theatre

2.30pm - Victor, Nigeria

2.30pm - Kati Kati, Kenya

5.30pm - Mtindo, Kenya

5.30pm - Mimosas, Morocco

8pm - Vaya, South Africa
Wonder women on the move

And she wants other women to do the same.

A successful, professional woman, this Mayaro-born mother of two overcame serious illness, several years ago an experience which, she said, caused her to reflect on her life and purpose.

I came from the south-east of Trinidad, went to university, did post-graduate studies and taught English language as a foreign language for 21 years.

But having turned my life around from personal crisis, having been to hospital, getting sick and not knowing what would happen have made me put things in perspective, she said.

During her ordeal, Timothy quickly realised that the things she acquired over the years paled in comparison to what she felt was of greater importance.

I call it vanity and vexation of the spirit. I acquired, bought and sold. Then I realised in one moment that everything could be taken away from you and that what is really important, is relationships, connecting, growing.

I think the discomfort and the pain that I felt helped me to realise that the time was right for me to not hide but to grow. Now, Timothy is on a mission to encourage women to claim their place in society.

Tomorrow, Timothy will host her first major event, titled, Wonder Woman, A Charity Event for Entrepreneurial Women, at 4-6 Whitebark Circular, Pine Ridge Heights, Lopinot, Arouca.

The event is billed as an experience in self-actualisation but it is also about Timothys own journey of truth.

She said the event will address the anxieties confronting women with respect to several key areas  health, financial management, emotional stability and creating a functional work/life balance.

The women in attendance, she said, also will be encouraged to pamper themselves.

A lot of the small businesses and salons have committed to send their make-up artistes, manicure and pedicure people and masseuse to come and just help us pamper the women on that day, Timothy said.

Timothy regarded women were gifted, resourceful individuals.

By our very nature, we (women) are creations of wonder but sometimes we wonder if we are heading in the right direction, she said of the thinking behind the event.

So, the idea is to bring women together who have businesses, side hustles, whatever it might be and then have these women showcase their talents, network, and at the same time, have an opportunity to give something. This Wonder Women event plays on who we are as women and what we can contribute. Timothy said apart from the immense benefits to be derived from the various presentations, patrons also are being asked to contribute $25 which will go to two charities, Habitat for Humanity and the Sangre Grande-based Casa De Corazon.

It is not a lot but it is a win-win situation because we give something and we learn from the series of lectures and presentations that we will have.

At the same time, we get to showcase our businesses. Timothy said the response to Wonder Woman, thus far, has been encouraging.

Many companies have gotten on board because they recognise that women are important to society, she said.

A lot of people have expressed interest and even those who are not actually coming have been just buying the tickets to support.

So, at least for me, it has been encouraging, if nothing else. Timothy said the event will feature a mix of established and home-grown businesses who believe in the cause. She commended Glorious Bodies, Glorious Minds, Sasha Cosmetics, Arawak, Xtra Foods, Bryden PI, Hand Arnold and Kiss for sponsoring hampers and other donations.

Timothy said the event, which runs from 2pm to 5pm, will begin the conversation about the issues affecting women in the society.

Most women have issues that need to be addressed and we know that three hours is not enough time to showcase our talents and deal with all of the issues. But at least it will start the process of awareness, she said.

Timothy also said that from an individual perspective, all of the issues will not be dealt with immediately.

She said: We cant fix everything at once but on the journey you will have a lot of social pressure. And this is where you have to move away from living in the senses and start looking for something deeper by educating and re-training yourself. She said women would then be able to reassert themselves and help to change the lives of others to confront the ills in society.

This has been my own journey and that is why I want to help other women as well, she said.

I think the event is going to plant a seed because everything begins with a seed. I am very excited about the event because I know this is something that women need. For more info: 762- 2959.
Aboud hits unregulated development

Newsday spoke to Aboud yesterday who said that unregulated and poorly managed projects in the El Socorro South extension has contributed to severe alterations of sensitive wetland which has not been approved by government.

In El Socorro extension which is a very prominent industrial and residential area, all kinds of bulldozing and land filling and backfilling is taking place without any regional oversight from the corporations, from the town and country planning division or from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) All of the bulldozing and filling of wetlands without any drainage plans. If the government wants to give an approval they would need to have a coordinated drainage plans, so even if the Cabinet makes a decision to disregard the national environmental policy, they have an obligation to the public to ensure that proper drainage. A statement from the EMA yesterday revealed that land development in Rousillac was being investigated by the agency.

The EMA also revealed that a meeting between investigators and contractors were underway to ensure that building and environmental codes were being adhered to.

Aboud said that while he was pleased with the response of the EMA in this matter, he would like them to take on a more aggressive stance on errant contractors and developers.

I congratulate the EMA for the investigation and the halting of the illegal works in Rousillac, but does that mean that they are also going to halt and prosecute the very prominent business sector in El Socorro extension.
No One Will

Ever Smash

Stuff Quite

Like He Did
Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau has stepped down at the request of Mayor Betsy Hodges, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Harteau is leaving the police department less than a week after Justine Damond was shot and killed by officer Mohamed Noor. "Ive lost confidence in the chiefs ability to lead us furtherand from the many conversations Ive had with people around our city, especially this week, it is clear that she has lost the confidence of the people of Minneapolis as well," Hodges said in a statement. According to the New York Times, authorities have yet to offer any explanation for the shooting of Damond. The 40-year-old Australian woman had called 911 Saturday night to report a possible sexual assault near her home.

Harteau had been widely criticized for not returning to Minneapolis from vacation quickly enough following the shooting. She said she was "backpacking in the mountains" at the time, so it was difficult to get back, ABC News reports. Minneapolis city council members had also expressed a desire for Harteau to resign Friday. "Last Saturdays tragedy, as well as some other recent incidents, have caused me to engage in deep reflection," Harteau said in a statement announcing her resignation. Harteau had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for 30 years. Mayor Hodges is facing re-election in November and has been criticized for her handling of police issues. The shooting of Damond was ruled a homicide and is under investigation. (Read more Justine Damond stories.)
Poland's Senate approved a contentious law on Saturday that gives politicians substantial influence over the Supreme Court, in defiance of European Union criticism. The bill proposed by the populist ruling party only needs the signature of President Andrzej Duda to become binding. The vote was 55-23 with two abstentions, reports the AP. It was met with boos from protesters gathered in front of the Senate building. EU leaders say the bill would kill judicial independence and threaten the rule of law in the EU's largest member in Central and Eastern Europe. If the changes go through, the EU says Poland may no longer qualify as a democracy. The US State Department voiced concern on Friday and urged all sides to "ensure that any judicial reform ... respects the principles of judicial independence and separation of powers."

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party, contends the judiciary still works along a communist-era model and harbors many judges from that time. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo says the legislation is an internal matter and the government will not bow to any foreign pressure. The legislation calls for firing current Supreme Court judges, except those chosen by the justice minister and approved by the president. In anticipation of the vote, crowds gathered Friday night for yet another protest in front of the Supreme Court building in Warsaw and other cities. The president, who has so far followed the ruling party line, has 21 days to sign the bill, and is not expected to do it before his meeting Monday with the head of the court, Malgorzata Gersdorf. More on what's happening here. (Read more Poland stories.)
A Long Beach, Calif., man has filed a lawsuit after he was denied a $5 million Scratchers ticket prize on a technical measure: his teenage son bought the ticket. Per the Daily Bulletin, Ward Thomas suit filed Friday against the California Lottery Commission alleges breach of contract among other complaints. Thomas says he sent his 16-year-old son Benjamin into a Mobil gas station to exchange and cash out 12 winning tickets in October, reports ABC 7. The father and son took home $230 along with five $20 Scratchers tickets, which they played when they returned home. One of those tickets yielded a $5 million prize, which he says he validated that night at a 7-Eleven and later again at a Santa Ana lottery office.

Ward says that after submitting his claim, the lottery commission confirmed the winning, but come December, denied his claim for the cash prize because his son was not of legal age (18) to purchase the ticket. The suit claims that workers at the gas station, also a defendant, never said Benjamin was too young to buy the tickets and failed to enforce this rule. It also accuses the commission of false advertising since there were no signs at the store stating age requirements. The California Lottery Commission and Mobil station did not comment on the pending litigation. (Read more lottery stories.)
A federal judge has ordered Kentucky taxpayers to pay more than $220,000 in legal fees because a county clerk refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2015, the AP reports. US District Judge David Bunning on Friday ordered the state to pay $222,695 in fees to the attorneys of two same-sex couples and others who sued Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis for refusing to give them marriage licenses. He also awarded $2,008.08 in other costs. Bunning said the county and Davis herself did not have to pay. "Davis represented the Commonwealth of Kentucky when she refused to issue marriage licenses to legally eligible couples. The buck stops there," Bunning wrote.

But Davis' attorney said she will appeal the ruling anyway. The judge ruled Davis lost the case. Attorney Mat Staver said they did not lose. He said the case was dismissed as moot after the state legislature changed the law in 2016 to remove the names of county clerks from marriage licenses. If the appeal succeeds, Staver said, state taxpayers would not have to pay legal fees because that money can only be awarded to a "prevailing party." While Davis plans to appeal, state officials have not decided. A spokesman for Gov. Matt Bevin said the state's outside counsel is reviewing the decision. (Read more Kim Davis stories.)
If you feel like time is flying, get ready for this: the future king of England is now four years old. According to the BBC, a smiling portrait of Prince George Alexander Louis was released Friday ahead of his birthday. Kensington Palace tweeted the photo of the glowing prince, writing that his parents are delighted to share his new portrait. The photo was snapped by royal photographer Chris Jackson, who is thrilled and honored the photo was chosen. "He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photo shoot, Jackson says.

Prior to his birthday, the prince was touring Poland and Germany with his parents and Princess Charlotte, where he went on a guided helicopter tour at Hamburgs Airbus factory. Per the BBC, Prince George got to try on a pilots helmet while his sister pushed buttons in the cockpit. Born on July 22, 2013, the young prince will soon learn that growing up isnt all fun and games: hes due to start school in September at Thomas's Battersea, a private preparatory school just a few miles from Kensington Palace in London. (Read more Prince George of Cambridge stories.)
"The US President has the complete power to pardon," President Trump claimed early Saturday during what USA Today characterizes as a "tweetstorm" and "tweet-o-rama." Trump sent 10 tweets in a span of two hours, starting at 6:30am. Out of those 10 tweets, perhaps none got more attention than this one: "While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS." The tweet comes days after reports Trump was asking about his ability to pardon aides, his family, and maybe himself in regards to the Russia investigation. While legal scholars debate whether a president can pardon himself, the matter appears more settled for Trump, the New York Times reports.

In the series of tweets, Trump went on to attack the "Amazon Washington Post" for "illegal leaks" in regards to Friday's story about Jeff Sessions possibly discussing campaign activities with the Russian ambassador, "Crooked Hillary Clinton" for her "acid washed" emails, and James Comey for his "many ... crimes." Trump lauded his son for "openly" releasing emails regarding a meeting with a Russian lawyerthough the Washington Post notes Donald Trump Jr. only released those emails once the Times was preparing to report on them. Trump wrapped up his early morning tweeting by declaring ObamaCare "dead" and saying Republican senators "must step up to the plate and ... vote to repeal and replace." (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
It turns out Democrats and Republicans can work together to get legislation done. Reuters reports representatives on both sides of the aisle have agreed on legislation that allows for new sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The legislation also makes it harder for President Trump to single-handedly relax or end sanctions on Russia, requiring congressional approval to do so, according to USA Today. The House and Senate, which approved an earlier version of the bipartisan legislation last month, still need to vote on it. Then it will head to Trump for approval. "Given the many transgressions of Russia, and President Trump's seeming inability to deal with them, a strong sanctions bill such as the one Democrats and Republicans have just agreed to is essential," Sen. Chuck Schumer says. (Read more sanctions stories.)
A US Army sergeant arrested July 8 for allegedly attempting to give classified military documents, a drone, and more to the Islamic State has been indicted and will appear in court Monday to faces charges of trying to provide material support to a "foreign terrorist organization," Reuters reports. The FBI ran a year-long investigation into 34-year-old Ikaika Kang with undercover agents and others posing as members of ISIS. The FBI states Kang tried to get a small Go-Pro drone, military documents, and "military-style clothing and gear" to ISIS, according to NPR. He also allegedly wanted to make training videos for the terrorist organization to instruct its agents in hand-to-hand combat, in which he is an expert.

The FBI claims Kang had been making threatening statements since 2011. "He was reprimanded on several occasions for threatening to hurt or kill other service members, and for arguing pro-ISIS views while at work and on-post," an affidavit states. The military air traffic controller stationed in Hawaii allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS and expressed interest in committing a mass shooting, the AP reports. Kang's attorney, Birney Bervar, says his client has suffered from PTSD and other mental problems since returning from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. "He's a decorated American soldier for 10 years, goes to Afghanistan and comes back, and things start going off the rails," Bervar says. He says authorities exploited Kang's mental problems during the undercover investigation, and his client plans to plead not guilty. (Read more providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization stories.)
US President Donald Trump

Washington : The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that while President Donald Trump's administration can continue to bar refugees from entering the country, officials will have to show greater flexibility in enforcing the accompanying ban on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries.

The Justice Department had asked the high court to stay an order issued last week by a federal district judge in Hawaii who found the administration's definition of close family in allowing exemptions to the travel ban was too narrow, Efe reported.

US District Judge Derrick Watson also said that the government could not prohibit entry by refugees assured of placement in the US by recognized refugee agencies.

The Supreme Court sided with the Justice Department on the refugee question, staying that portion of Watson's decision, but they supported the district judge's finding on the government's exemption criteria.

More broadly, the nine justices declined to rule definitively on the Trump administration's appeal of Watson's ruling, insisting that the case would have to follow the usual course through the federal appellate courts.

Last month, the Supreme Court set aside injunctions issued by federal appellate courts and said that portions of Trump's March 6 executive order could take effect.

That document barred citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the US for 90 days and excluded all refugees for 120 days.

But in allowing the order to take effect, the Supreme Court said that the travel restrictions could not be applied to people with "a credible claim of a bona fide relationship" with a person or entity in the United States.

Under the Trump administration guidelines, spouses, parents, parents-in-law, children, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, fiances and siblings of those already in the country can be admitted.

But grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law are excluded.

Watson struck down those restrictions.

"Common sense, for instance, dictates that close family members be defined to include grandparents," he wrote last week.

"Indeed, grandparents are the epitome of close family members. The government's definition excludes them. That simply cannot be."
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New Delhi:

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea and three other private telecom firms understated revenues by more than Rs 61,000 crore over five years, resulting in short payment of nearly Rs 7,700 crore in statutory dues to the government, the CAG said on Friday.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said another Rs 4,531.62 crore was due from the six operators as interest on the short paid revenue share.

Airtel, India's largest telecom operator, Vodafone India,Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications, Aircel understated revenues during 2010-11 to 2014-15 period (for Sistema Shyamthe period begins from 2006-07).

This was done through accounting adjustments for commission or discount paid to their distributors, promotional schemes like free talk time and discounts to post-paid subscribers and on roaming services.

The revenue was understated also by netting of revenuefrom infrastructure sharing and non-inclusion of forex gains,interest income and sale of investment, the CAG said in areport tabled in Parliament.

CAG calculated that Airtel owes to the government Rs2,602.24 crore in licence fee and spectrum usage charge (SUC)for 2010-11 to 2014-15. It owes another Rs 1,245.91 crore in interest.

Dues from Vodafone totalled Rs 3,331.79 crore including Rs 1,178.84 crore in interest. For Idea, the statutory dues stood at Rs 1,136.29 crore plus Rs 657.88 crore in interest. Anil Ambani-led RComm owed a total of Rs 1,911.17 crore(including Rs 839.09 crore interest), Aircel Rs 1,226.65 crore and SSTL Rs 116.71 crore.

As per the New Telecom Policy, telecom licensees are required to share a percentage of their Adjusted Gross Revenue(AGR) with the government as annual License Fee (LF). In addition, mobile telephone operators were also required to pay Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) for the use of radio frequency spectrum allotted to them.

CAG said the Gross Revenue (GR) of the licensee operator, as per the licence agreement with Department of Telecom, prohibits any set-offs of related expenditure from revenue and norms for preparation of the accounts for payment of revenue share are built into the licence agreement.

"We observed non-conformities with conditions of licence agreement in the accounts prepared by all the six operators covered in the audit due to which their GR computed for sharing revenue with the government was understated," it said. CAG said even though computation of the GR was not incompliance with the licence agreement, the statutory auditorshad always certified that the accounts were prepared inaccordance with the guidelines/norms.

"These statements submitted by the operators appeared to be only a perfunctory practice as they consistently departedf rom the stipulations in the Unified Access Service License(UASL) agreements while computing GR (gross revenue).

"DoT on its part did not take any proactive steps to ensure that the licensees disclosed their revenue as stipulated in the licence agreements," CAG added.

CAG said private service providers employ distributors,dealers, agents and franchi sees to sell their prepaid productsfor customer acquisition and pay commission/discounts to them.These companies reduced the gross revenue by the amount of commission paid.

Also, promotional offers were not recognised as revenueby the companies while discounts/waivers given to post paid subscribers over and above tariff plans submitted to sector regulator TRAI were deducted from revenue. Discounts offered to international operators for roaming services were also deducted and so was revenue from infrastructure sharing, CAG said.

Stating that forex gains and interest income were components of revenue, CAG said the operators excluded them from calculations. Also excluded was profit from sale of investment.

RComm evaded revenue share payment through an arrangement with its subsidiary, CAG said. Besides, the operators did not include miscellaneous revenue and profit on sale of fixed assets and dividend income in the revenue while claiming deduction on bad debts written off.

The CAG report comes at a time when the large telecom companies are battling challenges on multiple fronts. The revenue and profitability of established operators have comes under severe pressure, following the disruptive entry of Reliance Jio.

As it is, the telecom industry owes Rs6.10 lakh crore to various financial institutions and banks. The government has recently constituted an inter-ministerial group to assess the financial stress of telecom companies and recommend measures to mitigate the crisis. The IMG has held wide consultation with telecom companies and banks and is expected to submit its report this month.

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New Delhi:

Telecom regulator Trai denied for fixing a minimum floor price for voice call and data services by saying that industry has reached a consensus that it is "not a workable idea".

The decision came after Trai meet all operators on Friday. Chairman of Trai R S Sharma along with senior regulatory officials met representatives of all telecom companies for a detailed discussion on the issue.

Some telecom operators were urging Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to fix a 'minimum floor price' for both data and voice calls. Last year the entry of Reliance jio has changed the economic picture of whole telecom sectors.

As, Jio provided free data and voice calls, it prompted many customer to change their networks to Jio and as many did so, if lefts other telecom player in a big loss.For sustaining in the free service market,many others such as Airtel forced to provide free services at less price.

Currently the tarrifs are under forbearance,where operators virtualy have a free hand in fixing the rates and reports plans to Trai in 7 days.

During the meeting, Idea Cellular argued for fixation of a minimum floor price through adetailed presentation, while Reliance Jio opposed the concept terming it regressive and anti-competitive.

Now a conclusion came that prices which are under forbearance should continue under forbearance as of now.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Saif Ali Khan and Karan Johar have been in the headlines ever since the two have hosted the IIFA 2017. While the 'nepotism rocks' joke started off a fresh controversy, the recent buzz suggests that Saif and KJo too have been at loggerheads post the event.



Apparently, Saif is miffed with Johar for stealing his on stage time during IIFA. As per the media reports, the 'Phantom' actor, who was co-hosting IIFA with Karan this year, wanted the stage time, punches and dialogues equally divided between the two.



Initially, Saif and Karan got along very well. They had rehearsed their lines, skits and acts. Saif is very particular about their lines together on stage. He wanted their on-stage time to be equally divided with an equal number of jokes, punchlines, etc, a source was quoted saying to DNA.

Also Read | Karan Johar regrets his nepotism joke on Kangana Ranaut at IIFA Awards



However, during the event, Saif felt Karan upstaged him as the latter was improvising his dialogues which apparently disturbed the actor. Its not clear how this happened, because the hosts always read from the teleprompter. Karan is so comfortable on stage, so he may have said some spontaneous things to improvise, which may have disturbed his co-host. But I doubt he did that to steal Saifs thunder, a source close to Karan Johar reportedly told DNA.



Well, so far neither Saif nor Karan has opened up on the reports of their tiff. On the other hand, the two did clear their stand on the ongoing nepotism debate asserting that it's the talent and hardwork that works in the industry and that they (Karan Johar, Saif Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan) shouldn't have mentioned Kangana Ranaut during the nepotism joke.



Well, while the nepotism continues to haunt the three stars as of now, we wonder if the reports of tiff between Saif and Karan will make the matter worse.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Big Boss Telugu contestant and actress Mumaith Khan who is at present a part of the first season of the famous television show, hosted by Junior NTR, has received a notice from the excise department and will soon quit the competition to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with an ongoing investigation into a drug racket.

At present the item girl is lodged in the elegant and nicely decorated luxurious house of Bigg Boss Telugu 2017 and is all set to be questioned by SIT regarding the drug racket involvement on July 2017.

Confirming the same, Enforcement director Akun Sabharwal said, "Mumaith Khan will have to appear for questioning like the others who have been issued notices under Section 67 of NDPS Act. Mumaith is scheduled to appear before the SIT on July 27."

"We contacted the show managers and the actress confirmed that she will be appearing before police for questioning," a SIT official stated further.

Besides Mumaith, a bunch of other Tollywood artists like Puri Jagannadh, Ravi Teja, Charmme Kaur, cinematographer Shyam K Naidu, art director Chinna N Dharmarao, P Subbaraju, P Navdeep, Tarun Kumar and A Tanish were also dragged in the matter.

While Popular director Puri Jagannadh was questioned for nearly 10 hours on Wednesday, SIT officials grilled Actor P Subbaraju in Hyderabad on Friday. Actor Ravi Teja will also appear before the SIT on July 24.

Also Read: Kamal Haasan responds to HMK's demand on 'Tamil Big Boss' ban

According to reports, Mumaith will be questioned on Thursday and is allowed to select a place of her choice unlike other male artists who have been questioned in Abkari Bhavan at Nampally.

The investigation process which have started on July 19, will come to an end on 27th July.

On the work front, the Bigg Boss Telugu contestant has also tried her hands in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and several regional language films in the past.
New Delhi:

Amidst the speculations of rift in mahagathbandhan, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be meeting both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday. Nitish will meet Rahul first before taking part in the dinner program called by PM Modi.

Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal are having confrontations over resignations of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in corruption case.

Congress is trying to mediate the matter but has not been successful in doing so.

It is being conjectured that Rahul bring issue of alliance in the meet with Nitish on Saturday.

Nitish is constantly facing attacks of rival parties after CBI filed case against Tejashwi Yadav. When Nitish decided to support NDAs Presidential candidate, Congress and RJD had attacked him. Rahul had advised party leaders to refrain from making comments against Nitish.

PM Modi has planned Pranab Mukherjees farewell dinner on Saturday.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Friday tabled its audit reports in Parliament. In these reports, the CAG has red-flagged many issues -- one among them is critical shortage of ammunition in the Indian Army.

Apart from that, lack of hygiene and low-quality food in trains, shortage of essential drugs and irregularities of telecom firms are few other issues CAG highlighted in its audit report.

Here are the top 5 observations of CAG Comptroller and Auditor General:

1.) Critical Shortage of ammunition in the Indian Army: The Comptroller and Auditor General has slammed the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for critical deficiency in the supply of ammunition to the Army. CAG also criticised the OFB for inadequate quality of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013. Read full story here

2.) Six telecom firms understated revenues by over Rs 61,000: The CAG on Friday has observed that food served in the Indian Railways is not fit for human consumption and catering units at stations were not achieving acceptable levels of cleanliness. Read full story here

3.) Shortage essential drugs: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India finds that essential drugs for patients were not available in 24 states and medicines were issued without prescribed quality checks or observing their expiry dates, exposing patients to health risks. Click here to read full article

4.) Lapses led to INS Sindurakshak explosion: Indian Navys frontline submarine INS Sindurakshak which sunk after two explosions in 2013 in Mumbai was caused by the leakage of oxygen from a torpedo. Indian Navys ships and submarines were involved in 38 accidents between 2007-08 and 2015-16, adversely affecting the operational preparedness of the force, CAG report said. Read full story

5.) Holes in crop insurance schemes: CAG slammed the government for poor implementation of crop insurance schemes in 2011-16, saying funds to the tune of Rs 3,622.79 crore were released to private insurers without verification. Both the central and state government had incurred an expenditure of Rs 32,606.65 crore towards payment of premium subsidy and claim liabilities in the said period.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said that there should not be third-party mediation in India-Pakistan relationships.

"What is the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq today? Does Farooq sahab wants same thing to happen to us?," said Mufti.

"America and China should handle their own affairs, we should talk with each other," Mufti told.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDAs policies have burnt Kashmir. He stressed that instead of talks with Pakistan and China, there should be discussions on Kashmir.

"I have been telling for a long time now that Narendra Modi and NDAs policies have burnt Kashmir. Whatever being said to Pakistan and China is not needed, instead there should be discussions on Kashmir. Kashmir is India and India is Kashmir," said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul said that Kashmir issue is our internal matter and no one has to do anything about it.

Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah suggested the Indian government to take help of friendly countries in talks with Pakistan to resolve cross-border firing.

The statement came a day after India warned the neighbouring country to face strong retaliation if firing and shelling does not stop in the border areas.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The DRDO has developed chicken biscuit, anti-fatigue tulsi bar, protein-rich mutton bar for service personnel deployed in high-altitude and snow-bound areas, the government said on Friday.

Besides, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has also developed various nutritious and protein-rich foods like composite cereals bars, egg protein biscuits, iron-and-protein-rich food bar, protein-based chocolate and chicken katti rolls.

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre gave this information in a written response in the Lok Sabha.

Read more: DRDO successfully test fires anti-tank missile Nag

He added that there is no food production unit in the DRDO, but after developing these products, the technology has been transferred to various industries for bulk production.

"Development of nutritional food by DRDO for the armed forces is an ongoing process based on their requirements and latest technological research in the area. Some of them are processed food technologies products and test kits (frozen meat test and alfa toxin detection kits)", Bhamre said.

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New Delhi:

Indian Army on Saturday stepped in to bolster Gujarat flood rescue and relief efforts. "Having received a requisition from the state govt at around 1200hrs, the Indian Army's Golden Katar Division mobilised several columns of troops along with specialised equipment and trained manpower to bolster the ongoing rescue and relief work in the worst flood affected district of Surendranagar, Indian Army said in a statement on Saturday.



The Indian Army's rescue teams braving it out to save fellow citizens also comprise of an Engineer Task Force and a Medical team.



In one such rescue operation, the Indian Army personnel on Saturday rescued 35 people fighting for life amidst raging flood waters at Kuda village in Surendranagar district which is the worst hit by floods.



The rescued people were evacuated to a safe place. Indian Army is also distributing food and medicines to aid the flood victims.



"Having been monitoring the prevailing weather conditions over the past week, troops of the Golden Katar Division have been kept in a state of readiness along with equipment to respond swiftly and save precious lives whenever called for," the statement said.

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New Delhi:

India on Friday conveyed its strong protest to US over their terror report mentioning Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The terror report also mentions that the area being used by terrorists to carry out attack in India.

As per the report in a leading newspaper, the Indian government approached US authorities after the report was made public. An official spokersperson of external affairs ministry said that the matter has been raised to US authorities and lodged the protest.

It is first time that US has referred PoK as Azad Jammu & Kashmir which is an error in itself as the area has been controlled by Pakistan Army. Earlier, US used to refer PoK as "Pakistan-administered Kashmir."

However, the US report mentions Indian state as Jammu & Kashmir which earlier used to be mentioned as Indian-administered Kashmir.

PoK is part of the Kashmir region, which is the subject of a long-running conflict between India and Pakistan. The territory shares a border with GilgitBaltistan.

The territory also borders Pakistan's Punjab province to the south and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the west. To the east, Azad Kashmir is separated from the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir by the Line of Control.

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New Delhi:

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Friday revealing the reasons behind Indian Navys frontline submarine INS Sindurakshak explosion in 2013 in Mumbai said the major accident was caused by the leakage of oxygen from a torpedo.

The CAG cited the report of a high-level inquiry by the Navy into the explosion on board the submarine on Aug 14, 2013 following which it had sunk. The accident is considered one of the biggest in recent times for the Navy in which 17 personnel were killed.

In February 2014 after the scientific analysis and careful consideration inferred leakage of oxygen from a torpedo as a primary initiator of the incident. The oxygen leak was attributed to material failure of oxygen flask or its associated pipelines, the CAG said.

It said complete Work Up of the submarine was not conducted when the submarine was prepared for operational deployment as the Work Up was completed within one week instead of prescribed two weeks.

The CAG report was tabled in Parliament on Friday.

The CAG said most of the recommendations made by the Boards of Inquiry into explosion on the submarine emphasised the need for strict adherence to the existing standard operating procedures.

The report also said that smoke and fire detectors were not installed in all compartments of the submarine for warning.

There were two incidents of fire in the submarine within a span of two hours. The occurrence of two fire incidents in the same compartment of the submarine within a span of about two hours is indicative of the fact that in all likelihood, the first fire in the compartment was not extinguished completely, the report said.

The CAG also cited a number of accidents involving the Navys ships and submarines.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday assured the alleged victim in the sexual assault case, wherein Congress MLA M Vincent case has been arrested, will get justice.A



"Strong action will be taken on atrocities against women. Miscreants will be brought to justice, no matter who they are," Kerala CM said a few hours after the Congress MLA's arrest.A



CM Vijayan also expressed solidarity with women who dare sjhow courage to speak against attrocities in the State, "It is a good sign that women in the State have come to a conviction that the Govt, will stand by them."

This is due to pressure from CM's office, my fight to prove innocence starts here: M Vincent, Kerala Cong MLA arrested on rape charges pic.twitter.com/RF32GsSQJh a ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2017

Congress MLA M Vincent was on Saturday arrested by theA Kerala Police on the charges of the alleged sexual assault of aA 51-year-old woman and driving her to attempt suicide last week by consistently harassing her.A

A case of rape, abetment of suicide and stalking was lodged against Congress MLA M Vincent of Kovalam assembly segment on Thursday night on the statement of the woman who had tried to end her life last week at Balaramapuram near state capital, the police said.



On Friday, the Congress party state leadership demanded a atransparenta and aimpartiala probe into the matter. The office of state assembly Speaker said the police wrote to Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan informing him that a rape case has been registered against Vincent and his statement would be taken.



The witnessesa statements have been taken and the victimas medical examination was also conducted on Saturday, the police sources said.



Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters here that he hoped an aimpartiala and atransparenta probe would be conducted.A Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said Vincent is prepared for any probe.



aLet the inquiry go on. It should be transparent,a he said.



Vincent, a first-time MLA, however, alleged that there was a apolitical conspiracya behind the allegation against him and filed a complaint with police, demanding a comprehensive probe into the matter.



He claimed that a CPI(M) local leader was present at the womanas house when she attempted suicide by consuming sleeping pills. Her brother is also a Marxist activist.



The police had on Wednesday registered an abetment of suicide case against Vincent after the womanas husband filed a complaint with police, alleging that the MLA used to repeatedly call her over the phone and harass her.



The city magistrate also recorded her statement at a hospital in Neyyatinkara, where she is undergoing treatment.

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New Delhi:

The press needs to ensure correct and contextual portrayal of happenings in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday. She even alleged that a section of the national media was alienating the people of the state by indulging in debates and reportage which are far from reality.



Muftis remarks came while she was interacting with a visiting Press Council of India (PCI) team in Srinagar. The CM said, A section of the countrys media has been indulging in debates, discussions and reportage about the state and its people, most of which is far from reality. This section needs to be reminded that by resorting to this diatribe about the state, they are not doing any service to the country but further alienating the people of the state.



The three-member PCI team headed by SN Sinha, is on a week-long tour of the state. Need of the hour is to focus on commonalities, reconciliation and healing the wounds where the media has a very critical role to play, the CM told the delegation.

Positive reporting about the state and its people by the media outlets will not only create a soothing impact on the minds of people here, it will also help the people of rest of the country in understanding Jammu and Kashmir and its people better, Mufti said.

ALSO READ: Mehbooba blames China for Kashmir unrest, questions why neighbouring country hasnt condemned Amarnath attack



The PCI was invited by the chief minister to hold part of its golden jubilee celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir. She asked the delegation to help in clearing misconceptions about the state in a section of the media and consequently people in the country.



The chief minister told the PCI delegation that the media fraternity in the state has performed in very difficult and extreme situations in the past and its professional competence can be matched with the best in the country.



Later, the delegation also called on former chief minister and opposition National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah at his residence here.



Omar told the delegation that a free and fair press is the bedrock of a healthy democracy and all should endeavour to ensure the ethos of objectivity, press freedom and neutrality are upheld and maintained at all costs.



The NC working president said it was imperative to ensure that the reportage from Kashmir, especially that by the electronic media, is factual and free from any hyperboles, biases and prejudice.



The wrong portrayal of evolving situations in Kashmir has a disastrous effect on our tourism industry and also takes us further away from the goal of peace. The goals of objectivity and neutrality should be non-negotiable and we should all ensure we dont add to the alienation - especially among the youth, Omar said.



The PCI team, which arrived here on July 16, has held extensive deliberations with media owners, editors and working journalists over the past four days to know about the issues confronting the media in Kashmir. The team will be visiting Jammu and Ladakh separately before finalising their report on the media scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.



With PTI inputs.

ALSO READ | Amarnath terror attack: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti dubs attack on pilgrims as 'blot on Kashmiris'

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New Delhi:

Check out top ten news from India and rest of the world at 12 pm in one scroll:

1. Govt appoints Sanjay Kothari as Secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind

The government on Saturday appointed Sanjay Kothari, Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board, as Secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind.



Bharat Lal was appointed Joint Secretary to President-elect whereas senior journalist Ashok Malik has been named as Press Secretary to Ram Nath Kovind.



The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared these appointments for an initial period of two years, it said.

2. Army personnel, police engage in scuffle at checkpoint in J&Kas Ganderbal; 6 policemen injured

Army personnel and Police engaged into scuffle in Jammu and Kashmiras Ganderbal on Friday. The scuffle broke out after an argument at a checkpoint.



The police registered a case after the scuffle. As per reports, six policemen were injured in the incident.

3. STF arrests Chhota Rajan gangas sharp shooter Khan Mubarak; recovers arms, cash from him

The Special Task Force on Saturday arrested Chota Rajan gangas sharp shooter Khan Mubarak. STF has also recovered huge cache of arms and cash from Khan Mubarak.



Khan Mubarak is brother of Zafar Supari Khan who is enemy of Mumbai blast accused Dawood Ibrahim. Zafar Supari Khan used to supply shooters to Chota Rajan gang.

4. United States appoints Sarah Sanders as White House press secretary

Sarah Sanders was appointed new White House press secretary on Saturday. Her father Mike Huckabee, a former governor, had trained daughter in hardscrabble politics - and down-home rhetoric.



Sarah has been given perhaps the toughest job in world that is speaking for President Donald Trump. She hails from a town called aHopea which is also the birthplace of former president Bill Clinton.

5. World Para Athletics Championships 2017: Karamjyoti Dalal clinches bronze in women's discus with staggering 19.02 m throw

India won its third medal in the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships 2017 at London after discus-thrower Karamjyoti Dalal clinched a bronze medal in the Womenas F55 category on Friday.



Dalal managed to pull off a herculean effort to throw 19.02m thereby edging her Baharaini competitor Alomari Roba to a podium finish.

6. 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' box office collection, day 1: Konkona Sen Sharma-starrer gets a decent start

Konkona Sen Sharmaas recent release aLipstick Under My Burkhaa, which was released this Friday after much of a debate, has got a decent start at the box office.



The movie which talks about women empowerment in the patriarchal society, has got rave reviews from the audience and critics. aLipstick Under My Burkhaa which was touted to be atoo lady-orienteda had its share of controversies which included a stay on its release too.

7. Ganguly terms India favourite to win womenas world cup, praises asuperba Harmanpreet Kaur

Former Indian menas cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly has praised Harmanpreet Kaur for her asuperba innings against Australia in the 2ndsemifinal of Womenas World Cup in Derby.



aI saw her innings, (Harmanpreet) Kaur was superb yesterday. They will beat England in the final on Sunday,a Ganguly said at Eden Gardens on Friday.

8. What? Saif Ali Khan, Karan Johar at loggerheads post IIFA 2017?

Saif Ali Khan and Karan Johar have been in the headlines ever since the two have hosted the IIFA 2017. While the anepotism rocksa joke started off a fresh controversy, the recent buzz suggests that Saif and KJo too have been at loggerheads post the event.



Apparently, Saif is miffed with Johar for stealing his on stage time during IIFA. As per the media reports, the aPhantoma actor, who was co-hosting IIFA with Karan this year, wanted the stage time, punches and dialogues equally divided between the two.

9. ED sends notice to Shah Rukh Khan, Bachchan family and Ajay Devgn over forex remittances

Bollywood actors like Shah Rukh Khan is not alone who was is facing ED questions. In the latest update, all members of the Bachchan family have been asked to share details of their foreign exchange remittances over the past 13 years by the government agency.



In addition, the agency has also sent a notice to Shivaay actor Ajay Devgn seeking information on his cross-border remittances.

10. India protests against US terror report mentioning PoK as aAzad Jammu and Kashmira

India on Friday conveyed its strong protest to US over their terror report mentioning Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as aAzad Jammu & Kashmir.a The terror report also mentions that the area being used by terrorists to carry out attack in India.



As per the report in a leading newspaper, the Indian government approached US authorities after the report was made public. An official spokesperson of external affairs ministry said that the matter has been raised to US authorities and lodged the protest.
New Delhi:

Musicians can display their talent anywhere, from a beach to a park bench to an operating room -- while undergoing brain surgery.

In an unusual manner, a techie-turned-musician played the guitar in a seven-hour-long surgery while doctors operated on him. The guitarist was operated for 'musician's dystonia', termed as a movement disorder.

Since the man suffered from the problem only while playing the guitar, he was asked to play the guitar while everytime doctors "burnt" a circuit in his brain to cure 'musician's dystonia'.

What is Musician's dystonia?

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder. It is caused by the brain sending incorrect information to the muscles and is characterised by involuntary, prolonged muscle contractions, which cause affected parts of the body to be twisted into abnormal postures. It can affect a range of parts of the body including the neck, eyes, voice and hand.

Dystonia has a variety of causes  but dystonias affecting the hand are often caused by performing repeated hand movements. Men are more commonly affected by musicians dystonia than women with estimates of the ratio ranging from 2:1 to 6:1.

Research has identified musicians who have intensively practiced their instruments over a number of years are a group most affected by this condition; usually the diagnosis is made when the person is in her/his 20s to 40s.

Musicians dystonia can easily be misdiagnosed as simple overuse or stress of the hand. Although it may not be obvious at first sight, the dystonia is caused not by strain of the hand but by the brain. The cause is believed to be that the repetitive hand movement results in remapping of the receptive fields in the cortex of the brain.

"By the sixth burn, my fingers opened up. I was normal on the operating table itself", Abhishek said after doctors removed the stitches on his head, a week after his operation in Bangalore. I was able to play with ease after the surgery, he added.

The condition causes painful spasms, twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures.

Musician's dystonia had abandon him from moving his middle, ring and little finger of his left hand when he played the guitar.

"I thought the stiffness was because of over practice. I took a break and tried againand realised that there was no respite from the stiffness. Some doctors told me it was a muscle fatigue and I was given painkillers, multi-vitamin, antibiotics, physiotherapy etc and spasms in his fingers occured only when he played the guitar, he explained.

But a neurologist correctly diagnosed nine months ago that the was suffering from dystonia. "I was advised to undergo brain surgery, but I got scared. But my doctor, Sharan Srinivasan, gave me the confidence to do it," he said.

The musician said he remembered every detail of the procedure. The doctors fixed a frame with four screws on his head to cut open his skulls before conducting an MRI scan. "The scan helped assesing how deep the electrodes could be inserted to correct the circuits inside the brain."

Dr Srinivasan explained "that the patient does not feel pain because the opertion was done under local anaesthesia". "He was fully awake all through, and the result was available on the operating table beacuse his fingers had started moving normally on the guitar", he added.
New Delhi:

A total solar eclipse will take place on August 21, across the entire United States. Crossing the country from Oregon to South Carolina over the course of an hour and a half, 14 states will experience night-like darkness for approximately two minutes in the middle of the day.

The eclipse enters the U.S. at 10:15 a.m. PDT off the coast of Oregon and leaves U.S. shores at approximately 2:50 p.m. EDT in South Carolina.

All of North America will experience at least a partial eclipse.

Users now record observations with a free app with NASAs Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program Observer (NASA GO) which is a citizen science project

For the first time in almost a century the United States is preparing for a coast-to-coast solar eclipse, a rare celestial event millions of Americans, with caution, will be able to observe.

During the eclipse on August 21 -- the first of its kind since 1918 -- the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, casting a dark shadow and making visible the suns normally obscured atmosphere, or solar corona, as well as bright stars and planets.

Observers will be able to see the moons 70-mile wide shadow from Oregon in the west to South Carolina in the east over the course of more than two daylight hours, with two minutes of darkness engulfing 14 states.

Almost 12 million Americans live within this strip of the country, while some two-thirds of the nations population reside within a days car ride, said Martin Knopp of the Department of Transportation.

The US will be the only country to experience the total eclipse, and international visitors are expected to descend for the event.

Spacecraft, NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons and astronauts aboard the International Space Station will capture images.

Never before will a celestial event be viewed by so many and explored from so many vantage pointsfrom space, from the air, and from the ground, said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

A total eclipse has not covered regions of the contiguous US since 1979. There will be another in 2024, which will cover regions of the country from Texas to Maine.

NASA will broadcast live video of the cosmic event, and watch parties are expected to be held in parks, libraries and stadiums nationwide.

The continental US outside of the total eclipse strip will experience a partial solar eclipse, according to Rick Fienberg, a spokesman for the American Astronomical Society.

NASA has strongly cautioned against directly looking with the naked eye at the sun outside of the total eclipse window.

The only method to safely observe a partially eclipsed sun is with eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, the US space agency saidordinary sunglasses are not enough.

And according to Fienberg, even a 99 percent partial eclipse is not nearly as awe-provoking as the total eclipse event.

Its literally the difference between day and night, he said.

Going through life without ever experiencing totality is like going through life without ever falling in love.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Coral bleaching have raised serious concerns all over the world and now researchers have found a panacea to reduce bleaching of the world's coral reefs by genetically engineering the micro-algae found in corals, enhancing their stress tolerance to ocean warming.

Researchers from University of New South Wales in Australia said, "These micro-algae are called Symbiodinium, a genus of primary producers found in corals that are essential for reef health and, thereby, critical to ocean productivity".

Coral bleaching occurs when abnormal environmental conditions, like heightened sea temperatures which harm Symbiodinium, leading corals to lose their symbiotic Symbiodinium and therefore starve to death.

Read more: Rumour: Mangalsutra with coral beads may bring misfortune to husband

According to Rachel Levin from The University of New South Wales, Australia, very little is known about Symbiodinium, thus very little information is available to improve coral reef conservation efforts.

"Symbiodinium is very biologically unusual, which has made it incompatible with well-established genetic engineering methods", said Levin.

"We therefore aimed to overcome this roadblock by conducting novel genetic analyses of Symbiodinium to enable much needed research progress", she added.

Researchers have developed the first, tailored genetic engineering framework to be applied to Symbiodinium.

Read more: Standford University scientists discover angel particle'

"Symbiodinium that have been genetically enhanced to maintain their symbiosis with corals under rising ocean temperatures has great potential to reduce coral bleaching globally", they said.

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Jerusalem:

Escalating Israeli-Palestinian tensions over the Holy Land's most contested shrine boiled over into violence that killed six people -- three Palestinians in street clashes in Jerusalem and three Israelis in a stabbing attack at a West Bank settlement.

After nightfall, a Palestinian sneaked into a home in the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank and stabbed to death three Israelis, the head of Israel's rescue service said on Friday.

An Israeli news site said those killed were two men and a woman who were having dinner at the time. The army released footage showing a blood-covered kitchen floor.

Israel TV's Channel 10 said the assailant was in his late teens and had posted on Facebook that he was upset by the events at the shrine.

Eli Bin, the head of Israel's rescue service MDA, said an off-duty soldier next door heard screams, rushed to the home and shot the attacker through a window. Bin said the attacker was wounded and evacuated to hospital.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, announced that he is freezing ties with Israel, dealing a blow to fledgling Trump administration efforts to try to renew long-dormant peace talks.

Read more: Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu denounces Brussels criticism as anomaly

Abbas said contacts with Israel would be suspended on "all levels." It was not immediately clear if this means long-standing security coordination between Israeli troops and Abbas' forces will be halted.

At issue in the current round of violence are metal detectors Israel installed at the Jerusalem shrine earlier this week, in response to a deadly attack by Arab gunmen there.

The metal detectors are perceived by the Palestinians as an encroachment on Muslim rights and portrayed by Israel as a needed security measure following the attack that killed two Israeli policemen.

Earlier on Friday, several thousand Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank clashed with Israeli troops, burning tires or throwing stones and firecrackers.

Troopsfired live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen hospitalized with live or rubber bullet injuries.

White clouds of tear gas rose from Jerusalem streets and West Bank flashpoints. In one neighborhood, Palestinians threw stones from behind a mattress used as a shield.

Israel also faced growing criticism from the Muslim world, and thousands staged anti-Israel protests after Friday prayers in Jordan and Yemen. Turkey and Egypt also condemned the violence.

The confrontations in the Holy Land could escalate incoming days, as both sides dig in.

Israel said the metal detectors would remain in place.

Read more: Two Israeli police officers killed near Jerusalem holy site

Lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel would not surrender to what he said were "violence and incitement" by those "attempting to drag us into a religious war."

Jerusalem's top Muslim cleric, Mohammed Hussein, said protests, including mass street prayers outside the shrine, would continue until the devices are removed. He told worshippers on Friday that they should prepare for a "longtest of wills" with Israel.

"We will not back off", he said.

The shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, sits at the emotional epicenter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, symbolizing the rival religious and national narratives of the two sides.

Disputes over the 37-acred (15-hectare) walled hilltop platform in Jerusalem's Old City have repeatedly triggered major confrontations in the past.

Earlier this week, Israel began installing metal detectors at the gates of the compound, saying extra measures were required to prevent further attacks.

Muslim leaders portrayed the metal detectors as part of a purported Israeli campaign to expand its control over the shrine, a claim Israel denies. Muslim clerics urged worshippers to pray in the streets near the shrine, rather than submit to the new security procedures.

The faithful complied. Thousands flocked to the Old City each day this week for street prayers, kneeling on mats spread on cobble stone and asphalt.

Yesterday, the highlight of the Muslim religious week, Israeli police severely restricted Muslim access to the Old City to prevent mass protests.

Some 3,000 officers were deployed at checkpoints in and around the city, turning away Muslim men under the age of 50, including those trying to reach the city from Israel and the West Bank.

In the end, thousands reached the Old City, a fraction of the typical Friday turnout of tens of thousands of worshippers.

After peaceful prayers, clashes erupted in several areas of Jerusalem and across the West Bank.

Palestinian health officials said three Palestinians were killed by live fire in different areas of Jerusalem.

The Red Crescent said 390 Palestinians were hurt, including close to 100 who were hospitalized for live fire or rubber bullet injuries. Israeli police said five officers were wounded.

The perceived threat to the shrine, home to the Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, has galvanized Palestinians -- especially those in east Jerusalem which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly annexed.

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Washington:

US officials have acknowledged that there have been inconsistencies in the American description of Jammu and Kashmir but insisted there was no change in its policy saying the pace, scope and character of any discussion on Kashmir is for India and Pakistan to determine.



Our policy on Kashmir has not changed, a State Department spokesperson told PTI.



The clarification came after questions were raised about the different ways the US has described Jammu and Kashmir.



Recently in one of its statements, the US described it as Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir and this week it said the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir.



In June while designating Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a specially-designated global terrorist, the State Department had said the militant group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.



India, however, had played down the nomenclature by the US, saying similar terms had been used previously too.

Suggested read | India protests against US terror report mentioning PoK as Azad Jammu and Kashmir



In the past, the US had also used India-held Kashmir.



In the latest Country Report on Terrorism 2016, released on Wednesday, the US used Azad Jammu and Kashmir to describe Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.



The use of the word Azad Jammu and Kashmir by the State Department was strongly opposed by the Indian Government.



US officials acknowledged that there has been inconsistency in the American way of describing Jammu and Kashmir, but insisted there has been no change in its policy.



Our policy on Kashmir has not changed. The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations, the spokesperson said.

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Islamabad:

Beleaguered Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to replace him if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case, according to a media report.



Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly the lower house of the Parliamenthe cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday.



It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case.



The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court. According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case.

Suggested read | Pak lawyers hold nationwide protests against Nawaz Sharif, demand resignation



Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports.



The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue.



The Supreme Court on Friday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.



The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.



A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.



The JIT has recommended that the reports Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.



So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators report a compilation of allegations and assumptions. His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.

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New Delhi:

The month old India-China border standoff has managed to grab international headlines lately with countries like Australia, neighboring Pakistan and EU suggesting ways to defuse tensions between the two nations. But nothing could be drawn out of it and the situation remains the same.

Now, United States Department of Defense- the Pentagon has encouraged India and China to reduce ongoing border tension by indulging in a dialogue free of any coercive aspects.

We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects, news agency PTI quoted Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman as saying.

We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters, Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears an escalation of tension between India and China.

Suggested Read: Does Farooq wants Kashmir to become Syria, says Mufti on third-party mediation between India, Pakistan

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension free of any coercive aspects.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

(With PTI inputs)

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Los Angeles:

An errant US airstrike confirmed by the Pentagon killed 12 Afghan National Police officers and wounded two others, Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi said on Saturday.

The death toll in the airstrike of Friday was determined after a site inspection of the compound in Gereshk District, he said.

The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound happened during a US-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area.

In the statement, the US offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. NATO and US troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Safi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area.

He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred. Yesterday, the Helmand Governor Hayatullah Hayat said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Also Read: Israel: 3 Palestinians, 3 Israelis killed due to tensions over shrine

Elsewhere in Afghanistan in northern Badakhshan province, Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said on Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a roaring battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

Bigzad said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following firefight of Friday.

It wasn't immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and even telephone contact is erratic.

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When Air Force Maj. Gen. David Nahom had his second gold star pinned on his shoulder, it was without the pomp and circumstance one would expect at such a momentous promotion.

Nahom, a Brookfield native, had recently arrived in Qatar as second-in-command of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command, the air component of United States Central Command, and there was no time or place for a formal ceremony.

Soon after he arrived, Nahom got his second star while standing in his bosss living room, as his wife and two daughters watched through video chat from the family home in the United States.

It was a great honor, and I definitely felt a bit of pause for the responsibility I was getting ready to undertake, said Nahom, who spoke to The News-Times from Qatar last week.

Congress confirmed Nahoms promotion in March and he began work in April at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest military base in the Middle East, where he helps run the aerial war against the Islamic State, the Taliban, al-Qaida and other groups.

For all the operations over here, its rewarding to be a small part of it, and very humbling to be alongside some of the most amazing people Ive ever met, he said. We have pilots flying challenging and, at times, dangerous missions every day.

Recently, Nahom said, he was part of the command and control of the air campaign that helped the Iraqi military to retake control of Mosul, the countrys largest city, three years after it was seized by extremists.

Mosul was left in ruins and hundreds of people are believed to have been killed and thousands more wounded during the campaign, leading to sharp criticism of the way Iraq and a U.S.-led coalition conducted their actions.

Nahom, speaking generally, said the Air Force uses the most precise weapons available, and that every effort is made to protect civilians when carrying out missions.

Qatar has also made headlines last month when four Arab countries  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain  cut diplomatic ties and severed air, land and sea links with the country.

The four countries have accused Qatar of a list of grievances, including supporting extremism. Qatar has denied the allegations, and has characterized the blocs ultimatums as an affront to its sovereignty.

Nahom said the international conflict hasnt affected his daily work on the base.

It is something we do discuss on everyday basis, Nahom said. But overall, weve been able to operate and do what we need to do.

Love of flying

Nahoms love of aviation began at an early age. His father, Edmund, was a private pilot, and the two would take to the skies often, flying across the Northeast to places like Montauk and Marthas Vineyard.

The younger Nahom learned how to fly a plane at Danbury Airport. He received his pilots license when he was 16  before he got his drivers license.

After graduating from Brookfield High School, Nahom left for the University of Colorado and got involved in ROTC. His first mission in the Air Force was on Jan. 19, 1991  the first night of Operation Desert Storm. He flew his F-111 from Saudi Arabia into Iraq and returned with bullet holes in the body of the plane.

He has flown about 3,500 hours and has been promoted several times. Whenever he found out about the latest, he called his father first with the news.

Edmund Nahom was alive when Congress approved his sons promotion to brigadier general in 2014, but died before the official ceremony.

I am really proud; the whole family is proud, said Nahoms mother, Maria, last week, about the second star promotion. Im just sorry my husband isnt here. Maria lives in New Milford.

When hes promoted, David Nahom said, he always thinks of his wife and daughters. They have lived in many places, including Italy, Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Washington D.C.

A promotion usually means another move and more time in the Air Force, he said. Both these things can be challenging as our daughters get older. When my oldest daughter got to seventh grade, she began the year in her seventh different school system.

And I always think of my father as well, he added. He was the one I could talk about the jets, the flying, the deployments. Most people get tired of all the flying stories, he never did.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
A national law firms interest in getting Danbury and Ridgefield to take legal action against the pharmaceutical industry is part of an effort to make drug companies take responsibility for the opoiod crisis in a way tobacco companies were forced to do nearly two decades ago.

I regard this as the 21st-century version of the tobacco settlement on steroids, said attorney Paul Hanly, who is leading a fight against the pharmaceutical industry. Opioids are the scourge of the 21st century, but just like big tobacco, these pharmaceutical companies will never come to the table to fix the problem they caused unless there are hundreds if not thousands of individual lawsuits around the country.

That number might sound like a stretch, but Hanlys firm once filed 1,000 separate lawsuits on the same day against Purdue Pharma, the Stamford-based maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin. As a result, Purdue wound up paying a $75 million in 2006 to settle allegations of fraudulent marketing.

So far Hanly has 10 counties in New York and one city in Connecticut - Waterbury - signed up for a class action he estimates at least 500 cities and counties across the country must join to be successful.

Waterbury plans to file its lawsuit against the countrys largest pharmaceutical companies next week, said Mayor Neil OLeary. OLeary has lobbied Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi and other top elected leaders across Connecticut to join him.

Marconi and Boughton said they intend to meet with Hanly soon to discuss the complaint he has prepared for Waterbury, and to review a lawsuit filed last summer in New York on behalf of the towns along the Long Island Sound in Suffolk County.

That lawsuit accuses major drug makers of misleading the public about the addictive risks of opioids to expand the market for opioids and realize blockbuster profits. It also accuses drug makers of saddling towns with increased health care costs as well as a dramatic increase of social problems, including drug abuse and (black market drug distribution), and the commission of criminal acts to obtain opioids...

Boughton said the crisis is acute in greater Danbury.

We have had our tragedies and horror stories here where people have overdosed and died, and where people have migrated from opioid pain killers to heroin and other substances, Boughton said. Its a social cost for us as more and more people are addicted and more and more people are on the streets.

For advocates who battle addiction every day, it is not clear that the opioid epidemic would wane in the event of a successful class-action lawsuit against big pharmaceutical companies.

If you look at what happened with the tobacco settlement, and all the money Connecticut gets, a very small percentage of that gets used for smoking treatment and cessation programs, said Richard Radocchia, the chief clinical officer for the Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism, which provides substance abuse programs in greater Danbury. Most of that money gets funneled right back into the general fund because of Connecticuts budget crisis.

The tobacco settlement ended 800 claims brought against the largest cigarette manufacturers in America, and locked in annual negotiated payments to states, who agreed to give up future legal claims.

Hanly said the case against opiate makers is similar to the tobacco case, where consumers used cigarettes as directed and got sick.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of patients who have become addicted to opioids after following their prescriptions, Hanley said. We have kids who are dropping dead at high school parties.

The toll of opioids

Connecticuts senators convened an opioid summit earlier this month to document an epidemic of 917 drug overdose deaths statewide in 2016 - more than the number who died from homicides, suicides and car accidents combined. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal sent the summit report to President Trumps Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.

Nationally, opioid-related deaths have quadrupled to 33,000 since 2000, according to federal statistics.

In response, opioid manufacturers are being taken to court to answer allegations of misleading marketing about brand-name painkillers such as OxyContin and Percocet.

The lawsuits have multiplied since 2007, when Purdue and three of its executives paid $635 million in penalties to the Department of Justice for misrepresenting OxyContins addictive risks.

In this year alone, for example, lawsuits have been filed against Purdue and other opioid manufacturers by the states of Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma; by counties in Illinois and West Virginia; and by the Washington city of Everett.

Purdue, which generates billions in annual revenue from its top-selling OxyContin, has refused to comment on allegations that its fraudulent messaging and aggressive marketing is leading to thousands of overdose deaths.

The company has denied the allegations, and said it shares public officials concerns about the epidemic.

We have dedicated ourselves to working with policymakers, public health officials and law enforcement to address this public health crisis, which include developing abuse-deterrent technology, advocating for the use of prescription drug monitoring programs, and supporting access to Naloxone, the company said in mid-June, in response to the Tennessee lawsuit.

Naloxone is an overdose-reversal drug that can save lives. The National Sheriffs Association credits a Purdue-funded initiative that gives officers overdose reversal kits with helping save 120 lives since 2015.

Purdue did not respond Friday to requests for comment about Hanlys plans for a class-action lawsuit.

Hanly, who said he was looking forward to meeting with interested cities and towns in Connecticut, noted that he was having similar discussions with counties in Illinois, Missouri and Texas.

I am going to be filing these cases all over the country, he said. At some point the political, social and economic pressure will bring these companies to the table and they will have to resolve these cases. These cases are not going to go away.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
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WASHINGTON - Russia's ambassador to Washington told his superiors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race, contrary to public assertions by the embattled attorney general, according to current and former U.S. officials.

Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts of two conversations with Sessions - then a top foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump - were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, which monitor the communications of senior Russian officials both in the United States and in Russia. Sessions initially failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said that the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.

One U.S. official said that Sessions - who testified that he has no recollection of the April encounter - has provided "misleading" statements that are "contradicted by other evidence." A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had "substantive" discussions on matters including Trump's positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Sessions has said repeatedly that he never discussed campaign-related issues with Russian officials and that it was only in his capacity as a U.S. Senator that he met with Kislyak.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said in March when he announced that he would recuse himself from matters relating to the FBI probe of Russian interference in the election and any connections to the Trump campaign.

RELATED: Russian lawyer who met Trump Jr. worked for intelligence agency

Current and former U.S. officials said that assertion is at odds with Kislyak's accounts of conversations during two encounters over the course of the campaign, one in April ahead of Trump's first major foreign policy speech and another in July on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

The apparent discrepancy could pose new problems for Sessions at a time when his position in the administration appears increasingly tenuous.

Trump, in an interview this week, expressed frustration with Sessions's recusing himself from the Russia probe and indicated that he regretted his decision to make the lawmaker from Alabama the nation's top law enforcement officer. Trump also faulted Sessions as giving "bad answers" during his confirmation hearing about his Russian contacts during the campaign.

Officials emphasized that the information contradicting Sessions comes from U.S. intelligence on Kislyak's communications with the Kremlin, and acknowledged that the Russian ambassador could have mischaracterized or exaggerated the nature of his interactions.

"Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me," said Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman in a statement. She reiterated that Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.

RELATED: Trump's axis of adults is breaking apart

Russian and other foreign diplomats in Washington and elsewhere have been known, at times, to report false or misleading information to bolster their standing with their superiors or to confuse U.S. intelligence agencies.

But U.S. officials with regular access to Russian intelligence reports say Kislyak - whose tenure as ambassador to the United States ended recently - has a reputation for accurately relaying details about his interactions with officials in Washington.

Sessions removed himself from direct involvement in the Russia investigation after it was revealed in The Washington Post that he had met with Kislyak at least twice in 2016, contacts he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearing in January.

"I did not have communications with the Russians," Sessions said when asked whether anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign had communicated with representatives of the Russian government.

He has since maintained that he misunderstood the scope of the question and that his meetings with Kislyak were strictly in his capacity as a U.S. senator. In a March appearance on Fox television, Sessions said, "I don't recall any discussion of the campaign in any significant way."

Sessions appeared to narrow that assertion further in extensive testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June, saying that he "never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States."

But when pressed for details, Sessions qualified many of his answers during that hearing by saying that he could "not recall" or did not have "any recollection."

A former U.S. official who read the Kislyak reports said that the Russian ambassador reported speaking with Sessions about issues that were central to the campaign, including Trump's positions on key policy matters of significance to Moscow.

Sessions had a third meeting with Kislyak in his Senate office in September. Officials declined to say whether U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted any Russian communications describing the third encounter.

As a result, the discrepancies center on two earlier Sessions-Kislyak conversations, including one that Sessions has acknowledged took place in July 2016 on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

By that point, Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to embark on a secret campaign to help Trump win the White House by leaking damaging emails about his rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to U.S. intelligence agencies.

Although it remains unclear how involved Kislyak was in the covert Russian campaign to aid Trump, his superiors in Moscow were eager for updates about the candidate's positions, particularly regarding U.S. sanctions on Russia and long-standing disputes with the Obama administration over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

RELATED: Sessions has some serious explaining to do

Kislyak also reported having a conversation with Sessions in April at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, where then-candidate Trump delivered his first major foreign policy address, according to the officials familiar with intelligence on Kislyak.

Sessions has said he does not remember any encounter with Kislyak at that event. In his June testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sessions said, "I do not recall any conversations with any Russian official at the Mayflower Hotel."

Later in that hearing, Sessions said that "it's conceivable that that occurred. I just don't remember it."

Kislyak was also a key figure in the departure of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was forced to leave that job after The Post revealed that he had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Kislyak even while telling others in the Trump administration that he had not done so.

In that case, however, Flynn's phone conversations with Kislyak were intercepted by U.S. intelligence, providing irrefutable evidence. The intelligence on Sessions, by contrast, is based on Kislyak's accounts and not corroborated by other sources.

Former FBI director James B. Comey fueled speculation about the possibility of a Sessions-Kislyak meeting at the Mayflower when he told the same Senate committee on June 8 that the bureau had information about Sessions that would have made it "problematic" for him to be involved in the Russia probe.

Comey would not provide details of what information the FBI had, except to say that he could only discuss it privately with the senators. Current and former officials said he appeared to be alluding to intelligence on Kislyak's account of an encounter with Sessions at the Mayflower.

Senate Democrats later called on the FBI to investigate the event in April at the Mayflower hotel.

Sessions's role in removing Comey as FBI director angered many at the bureau and set in motion events that led to the appointment of former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel overseeing the Russia probe.

Trump's harsh words toward the attorney general fueled speculation this week that Sessions would be fired or would resign. So far, he has resisted resigning, saying that he intends to stay in the job "as long as that is appropriate."

- - -

The Washington Post's Matt Zapotosky and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
Recode reported yesterday that Vinod Khosla, the billionaire founder of Khosla Ventures, had this to say during a speaking engagement about sexual harassment in the world of venture capital: I did not know that there was any discrimination.

Khosla went on to say that he thought it was rarer than in most other businesses, and that its a reality because its perceived as a reality." His comments came after a several week stretch that has shown just how real this discrimination is.

Related: Uber Fires More Than 20 Employees for Harassment

In June, following six allegations of sexual harassment against VC Justin Caldbeck, he released a statement and resigned from the fund he co-founded, Binary Capital. It shut down completely shortly thereafter.

On June 30, The New York Times published an article titled Women in Tech Speak Frankly on Culture of Harassment. In it, writer Katie Brenner spoke with female founders about being subjected to unwanted advances. They named a number of high profile VCs, including Chris Sacca and 500 Startups co-founder Dave McClure.

McClure resigned from his role at 500 Startups and his female co-founder Christine Tsai took over. Both McClure and Sacca took to Medium in an attempt to own up to their behavior, though not before being contacted by and named in a paper of record.

Related: Don't Be Blind to Workplace Harassment: 5 Tough Questions to Ask

In his post, Im a Creep. Im Sorry, McClure wrote, When confronted about what happened, I was at first defensive. What did I do wrong? We were just hanging out! Why are people so upset? I tried to present my crappy behavior in the best possible light. I didnt have much empathy for the people I hurt and offended, and rather than face up to my own shallow motivations, I rationalized my actions and came up with reasons to find blame in others, rather than solely with me.

In Saccas post, titled I Have More Work to Do, he wrote, particularly when reflecting upon my early years in Silicon Valley, there is no doubt I said and did things that made some women feel awkward, unwelcome, insecure, and/or discouraged. In social settings, under the guise of joking, being collegial, flirting, or having a good time, I undoubtedly caused some women to question themselves, retreat, feel alone, and worry they cant be their authentic selves. By stupidly perpetuating a culture rife with busting chops, teasing, and peer pressure to go out drinking, I made some women feel self-conscious, anxious, and fear they might not be taken seriously."

In response to this series of high profile incidents, Valerie Aurora, principal consultant at Frame Shift Consulting, a firm that helps companies promote diversity and inclusion, and Leigh Honeywell, the co-founder of female-driven makerspaces HackLabTO and the Seattle Attic Community Workshop, shared what they call The Al Capone theory of sexual harassment.

Related: 5 Ways to Create a Healthy, Thriving Tech Company Culture

The pair explained what the infamous crime boss -- who was caught for the relatively prosaic felony of not paying taxes rather than the more garish ones he committed -- has to do with Silicon Valleys culture of harassment.

The U.S. government recognized a pattern in the Al Capone case: smuggling goods was a crime often paired with failing to pay taxes on the proceeds of the smuggling. We noticed a similar pattern in reports of sexual harassment and assault: often people who engage in sexually predatory behavior also faked expense reports, plagiarized writing, or stole credit for other peoples work.  All of these behaviors are the actions of someone who feels entitled to other peoples property -- regardless of whether its someone elses ideas, work, money, or body.

Which is to say, as founders, you have a responsibility to your employees to build organizations where people feel that they are safe and can do their best work. Once you are in a position to hire or partner, as you do your due diligence about the backgrounds of the people you bring into your orbit, you cannot ignore or brush aside this kind of behavior as one-off incidents or just the way things are. To do so is to allow harmful actors to thrive while the environment around them suffers. Because to quote the late educator, author and activist Maya Angelou, "when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Once again, hatred has raised its voice in our towns. On Tuesday, June 13, racist comments and anti-Semitic symbols were scrawled in permanent marker and spray paint near the stage at Ballard Park in Ridgefield. The Ridgefield police and First Selectman Rudy Marconi responded immediately, and we are grateful that they are taking this vandalism seriously.

This is not the first time racial and religious hatred has been on display.

While anonymous acts of vandalism are certainly unnerving, we hereby state publicly that we will not yield to fear. We will not ignore this and other incidents, nor will we rationalize them as done by kids being kids. We will not shrug our shoulders, believing that responding is futile. We will not stand by and permit hatred, ignorance, and intolerance to fester in our midst, no matter at whom it is directed, or by whom it is perpetrated.

We have seen people of many different faiths stand up against actions and comments that seek to belittle others, and we are grateful for their initiative against intolerance. All it takes is one person to refuse to allow hateful symbols and language to exist unquestioned in our communities.

We will shine the light of decency on those who would divide us through random acts of ugliness. We will use healing words and actions to restore the balance back to our communities, our country, and our world. We will continue to confront hatred and ignorance, and work together with a sense of hope for a brighter future.

When there are opportunities to come together as a community this summer, we plan to do so. We will show our friends and neighbors that we are strong and not afraid to pray for a time when every day will be filled with decency, hope, faith, and peace.

This letter was signed by Rabbi Stefan Tiwy and Cantor Penny Kessler (United Jewish Center, Danbury), Rabbi Nelly Altenburger (Congregation Bnai Israel, Danbury), Rabbi Rachel Bearman and Cantor Jon Sobel (Temple Bnai Chaim, Georgetown), Rabbi Ari Rosenberg and Cantor Laura Breznick (Temple Sholom, New Milford), Rabbi David Reiner, Cantor Deborah Katchko Gray, and Rabbi Jon Haddon (Congregation Shir Shalom, Ridgefield), and The Rev. Phyllis J. Leopold (Association of Religious Communities, Danbury).
MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Brink's Canada Limited joins the Canada 150 celebrations with its own major milestone of providing secure logistics services for Canadian businesses for 90 years.

"We have a proud history in Canada since we first opened our doors in Montreal on July 21, 1927. Today, we are proud to celebrate our 90th anniversary with all Canadians as we celebrate our country's 150th birthday," said Chris Parks, President & General Manager, Brink's Canada Limited.

"The Brink's name is synonymous with secure logistics services. Every day, we safely and securely protect millions of dollars for our customers," added Parks. "We've grown by listening to our customers and evolving our business to meet their needs. That's something we will continue to do for the next 90 years as we help companies implement innovative, efficient and cost-effective cash supply chain systems."

A short history:

1859 : Brink's starts as a cartage business in Chicago , delivering by horse and wagon with the original motto of "Money and Valuables, Safety and Dispatch."

: Brink's starts as a cartage business in , delivering by horse and wagon with the original motto of "Money and Valuables, Safety and Dispatch." 1927 : Brink's Express Company opens its first international office in Montreal, Quebec , creating the Brink's Express Company of Canada .

: Brink's Express Company opens its first international office in , creating the Brink's Express Company of . 1928 : Brink's opens second Canadian location in Toronto, Ontario .

: Brink's opens second Canadian location in . 1930s - 1960s : Brink's continues to expand across Canada opening 20 locations.

: Brink's continues to expand across opening 20 locations. 1962 : Brink's launches Brink's Air Courier Services linking Canada , the U.S. and the world with secure transportation of valuables.

: Brink's launches Brink's Air Courier Services linking , the U.S. and the world with secure transportation of valuables. 1985 : Brink's Canada offers new services to support expanding ATM networks

: Brink's offers new services to support expanding ATM networks 2000 : Brink's CompuSafe arrives in Canada to help Canadian business owners improve their cash handling process.

: Brink's CompuSafe arrives in to help Canadian business owners improve their cash handling process. 2007 : Brink's Canada opens the largest armoured car facility in North America , located in Toronto, Ontario .

: Brink's opens the largest armoured car facility in , located in . 2013 : Brink's launches Daily Credit Service, which provides electronic Daily Credit of deposits long before the actual deposits are physically picked up and deposited at their financial institution.

: Brink's launches Daily Credit Service, which provides electronic Daily Credit of deposits long before the actual deposits are physically picked up and deposited at their financial institution. 2013 : Brink's introduces its new Dye Box; providing secure transport of valuables to remote locations across Canada .

: Brink's introduces its new Dye Box; providing secure transport of valuables to remote locations across . Today: Brink's Canada has 42 locations, employs 2,100 Canadians and operates more than 400 armoured vehicles coast-to-coast

About Brink's Canada

Brink's is a global leader in security-related services for banks, retailers and a variety of other commercial and governmental customers. Established in 1927, Brink's Canada serves customers through a national network of over 40 locations and has a global network serving customers in over 100 countries, including over 150 locations in the U.S. Brink's Canada Limited is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Brink's, Incorporated. To learn more, visit www.brinks.ca.

SOURCE Brink's Canada Limited

For further information: Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, 804-289-9709

Related Links

www.brinks.ca


This program involves three levels of innovation for Canada allowing the delivery of a most needed ship in a timely manner and with the best value for Canadian taxpayers. Firstly, instead of building a ship from new, a modern containership has been converted into a state-of-the-art naval support ship. Secondly, the ship has been privately financed by Davie and will be leased to Canada  that means a fixed, transparent cost to the Canadian taxpayer. Thirdly, Federal Fleet Services, Davie sister company, will operate the ship with a mixed crew of merchant seafarers and Royal Canadian Navy personnel.

Today's unveiling of the ship - which also underlines Canada's 150th anniversary - included an employee appreciation for the Chantier Davie Canada Team as well as a Family Day, a blessing for the ship by the Huron-Wendat Nation and VIP tours onboard.

The traditional breaking of the sacrificial champagne bottle on the bow by the sponsor of the ship in order to bless the ship and her crew was performed by Her Honour Mrs. Pauline Theberge, spouse of His Honour the Honourable J. Michel Doyon, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.

Speakers at the event included:

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd , Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy Jean D'Amour, Minister of Maritime Affairs

Gilles Lehouillier , Mayor of Levis

, Mayor of Levis Jacques Letourneau, President, Confederation des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

Alex Vicefield, Chairman of Davie

Quotes:

"Today is a demonstration of human endeavour and a celebration of what our team has achieved in such a short time frame. With the entry into service of this first-in-class ship, we will be half-way there to fully restoring Canada's support-ship capability. The delivery of this ship will restore Canada's ability to form a naval task group. What a great way to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary."

-Alex Vicefield, Chairman, Davie

"The success and affordability of this first ship is proof of what Canada's largest, longest established and highest capacity shipbuilder is capable. That is delivering affordable, superior ships in a short timeframe. Further leveraging of Davie's capabilities will bring major cost savings to Canada's fleet renewal program and reinforce Canada's commitment to shipbuilding and the marine industry in Quebec."

-Alex Vicefield, Chairman, Davie

"It is an honor for me to be here today at the unveiling of this incredible ship. We are all very proud of the work accomplished here in Quebec by the experienced and talented team of employees and management of Davie Shipbuilding as well as its multiple suppliers. The Royal Canadian Navy will now have the chance to count on a top-quality replenishment vessel that will be the pride of our naval industry and our region."

-Jean-Yves Duclos, Quebec MP and Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

"Davie Shipbuilding is an asset of the shipbuilding industry. Its capacity to adapt to the needs of its clients is one of the strengths which the Government of Quebec wishes to develop in order to encourage Quebec's economic vitality within the framework of the Maritime Strategy. The Asterix is an excellent business card for this sector, and I am proud that it was realized here at home. This demonstrates the know-how of the Quebec workforce."

Jean D'Amour, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Government of Quebec

"The 1369 employees at Davie Shipbuilding can be proud today of delivering the largest ship ever built by a Canadian shipyard to the Royal Canadian Navy. Each job created in the shipbuilding industry creates three more jobs within our communities. There is no doubt that Davie Shipbuilding is a key driver of the economy development in the Chaudiere-Appalaches and Quebec regions. Thank you to the Federal Government for trusting Davie Shipbuilding and awarding this crucial contract to our workers."

-Gilles Lehouillier, Mayor of Levis

"The workers who, thanks to their expertise, have made it possible to convert this container ship into a state-of-the-art replenishment vessel, have every reason to be proud. The success of the Asterix proves once again that the Davie shipyard in Levis has the most qualified workforce and must be placed at the forefront in order to be awarded more large-scale projects from the Royal Canadian Navy."

-Jacques Letourneau, President of the Confederation des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

The Asterix in numbers

182.5 meters long, i.e. two football fields

25.2 meters wide

Speed: 20 to 25 knots

Up to 7000 tonnes of fuel and producing 450 tonnes of drinkable water per day

Two cranes allowing the loading and unloading of containers which are accessible at sea

A gymnasium, the first on board a Canadian vessel

A helicopter deck

Two hangars for helicopters

Garages to park vehicles

A hospital able to accommodate 60 patients

Kitchens able to feed 1,000 people

Guests of Honour at the event

His Honour the Honourable J. Michel Doyon, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec

Her Honour Mrs. Pauline Theberge , Sponsor of the Asterix

, Sponsor of the Asterix Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd , Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Brigadier-General Peter Dawe , Deputy Commander, Canadian Special Operation Forces Command

, Deputy Commander, Canadian Special Operation Forces Command Senator Colin Kenny

Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais

Senator Dennis Dawson

James Bezan , Member of Parliament

, Member of Parliament Steven Blaney , Member of Parliament

, Member of Parliament Alupa A. Clarke, Member of Parliament

Gerard Deltell, Member of Parliament

Erin O'Toole , Member of Parliament

, Member of Parliament Pierre Paul-Hus, Member of Parliament

Jean Rioux , Member of Parliament

, Member of Parliament Dominique Vien , Minister of Employment, Quebec

, Minister of Employment, Jean D'Amour, Minister of Maritime Affairs, QuebecJocelin Dumas, Deputy Minister of the Economy, Quebec

Gilles Lehouillier , Mayor of Levis

, Mayor of Levis Jacques Letourneau , President, Confederation des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

, President, Confederation des syndicats nationaux (CSN) Captain Sigler, Naval Attache, US Embassy

David Rawlings , Chief Executive Officer  Canada , JPMorgan Chase & CO

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Chantier Davie Canada Inc.  Voted North American Shipyard of the Year (2015) by Lloyds List.

Davie is Canada's award-winning, largest and highest capacity shipyard and industrial fabricator. Davie provides a broad range of products and services to industries from offshore oil & gas to defence. Newly certified to ISO 9001:2015 and to ISO 14001:2015, Davie leverages its high capacity fabrication facilities with its advanced project management and engineering capability to manage end-to-end construction projects and provide best-practice through life solutions to its corporate and governmental clients. Having signed a 5-year agreement with their union in the summer 2016, Davie offers its current and future clients a qualified and motivated workforce. Over the past three years Davie has had a $2.03bn economic impact on the Canadian economy.

SOURCE Davie Shipbuilding

For further information: Nancee Filteau, Tel. : +1-418-837-5841 #2110, [email protected]; Malika Paradis, Tel. : +1-418-933-2593, [email protected]

Related Links

www.davie.ca


/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

TORONTO, July 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust (the"REIT") (TSX: INO.UN) announced today that it will be releasing its second quarter 2017 results on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 before market hours. The Chairman of the REIT and management will discuss the financial results and outlook in a recorded audio webcast that will be available on August 9, 2017 at www.inovalisreit.com in the "Investors" and "Conference Calls" section.

About Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust

Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Ontario. The REIT has been created for the purpose of acquiring and owning office properties primarily located in France and Germany but also opportunistically in other European countries where assets meet the REIT's investment criteria. The REIT current owns an interest in twelve office properties in France and Germany, comprising approximately 1,290,000 square feet of gross leasable area (taking into account the interests in the properties owned in joint ventures).

SOURCE Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust

For further information: David Giraud, Chief Executive Officer, Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust, Tel: + 33 1 56 43 33 23, [email protected]; Anne Smolen, Chief Financial Officer, Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust, Tel: + 33 1 56 43 33 14, [email protected]

Related Links

www.inovalis.com


TORONTO, July 21, 2017 /CNW/ - The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is thrilled to welcome over 3,000 leading international experts and scholars who specialize in Indigenous education as they gather in Toronto for the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) 2017 from July 24-29, 2017.

WIPCE, a triennial event, aims to inspire Indigenous educators from around the world to make a positive impact on education by sharing ideas, networking and provoking creative discussion. Six Nations Polytechnic, an Indigenous institute for higher learning, will host the conference in partnership with TAP Resources. Their representatives were honoured by the Leaders Circle for their contribution in bringing WIPCE to Toronto.

In terms of attendance, 40 percent will arrive from within Canada, 21 percent from Australia, 14 percent from the United States, and the remainder will travel from various locations including Japan, Africa and South America.

The theme for WIPCE 2017 is "A Celebration of Resilience" and the conference will promote cultural exchange by offering delegates various community tours of local Indigenous communities. The conference will also focus on the 94 calls to action which resulted from Canada's 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission as it relates to the role of Indigenous educators around the world.

"As we celebrate Canada's 150th birthday and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls for action, WIPCE has created an unpreceded opportunity to address some significant objectives and share the international Indigenous culture within this territory," said Tuesday Johnson-MacDonald from TAP Resources, "The conference is an opportunity to take a pulse on a global stage of how well we as a society have been taking steps forward together".

"Toronto is proud of its cultural diversity and we look forward to welcoming all delegates attending WIPCE 2017 who advocate for education", said Barry Smith, President & CEO of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

About the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada's number one convention and trade show facility. Over the past 33 years, the Centre has hosted over 20,000 events and has added $5.8 billion in direct spending economic impact to the community. For further information, please visit www.mtccc.com.

SOURCE Metro Toronto Convention Centre

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The acrimony in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last two years, occasioned by the protracted leadership tussle between Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff had, to a great extent, compelled many optimists and die-hard supporters of the party to give up.However, the recent Supreme Court judgment did not only rekindle hope in the PDP, but gave its handlers the confidence to write-off the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) long before the 2019 election year.Leaders of the PDP have in the last few days rolled out plans that would help them win in 2019 as evidenced in the confidence they exuded shortly after the Supreme Court judgment that settled their protracted crisis.They made many collective proclamations and individual statements on how they would recapture power from the APC.Though the PDP leaders have made public some of the strategies they would adopt to unseat the APC, they nonetheless, for the sake of expediency, kept other tricks very close to their chests.It was gathered that PDP handlers would between now and election time work tirelessly to revive its comatose structures across the country, bring back key elders, senior officials and members that defected to other parties.This, it was further learnt, would be achieved by deploying facts and figures in convincing Nigerians that the ruling APC is not actually what it said it was before 2015.Most importantly, the PDP will weed out elements who were allegedly planted by the ruling APC to cause confusion within its ranks.Sources within the party said some of the strategies they would use will only be unveiled as the political temperament progresses ahead of 2019, just like what the APC did between 2013 and 2014 ahead of the 2015 elections.The aggressive manner which the PDP is trying to rediscover itself is evident in the way many of its leaders who hitherto disappeared from the political scene suddenly resurfaced with much confidence. They all regained their voices shortly after the Supreme Court which upheld Senator Makarfi as national chairman.Already, people like the acclaimed national leader of the party, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Makarfi, Chief Olabode George and the chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, have all said a lot to renew hope in the minds of their followers that indeed, there would be another opportunity for the PDP.They all found relief when the three-man panel of justices at the Supreme Court stated that in the course of the two year dispute, Sheriff had displayed an infantile desperation to remain in power which was not legally his.Sheriff had filed 10 different suits in different courts within one year in his bid to remain in power, an act the Supreme Court said would only gather dust in judicial archives.On the day the Supreme Court announced the final judgment, many PDP leaders thronged to the court in Abuja.They included former governors of Jigawa and Kano, Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Shekarau; governors Ayo Fayose and Nyesom Wike of Ekiti and Rivers States, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Olabode Bode George, Emeka Ihedioha Ben Obi and Dayo Adeyeye and Professor Jerry Gana were all at the Supreme Court and later at the PDP secretariat, signifying a new realignment for the party.Jonathan, who had distanced himself from serious politicking, also said PDP is now back.Sources said Jonathan and other leaders had endless sleepless nights when the PDP case reached the apex court considering the fact that Sheriff, the embattled chairman of the party, had won in many of the cases in High Courts and the Appeal Court.He (Jonathan) was really disturbed because he doesnt want to be made a laughing stock on the grounds that the PDP fell under his watch, a source in the PDP said.Though the ex-president did not directly try to influence the judgment at the Supreme Court in any way, he directed some of the best legal brains working for him to put heads together with Makarfis lawyers in order not to have a miscarriage at the apex court, he said.President Jonathan was actually disturbed because Sheriff had cursed and disparaged almost everyone in the PDP. At a time, he walked out on Jonathan and later issued a statement asking anyone not satisfied with his leadership to leave the PDP and form another one. So, we were able to argue our case very well at the Supreme Court and judgment favoured us, he said.In several twits on his Twitter handle a few minutes after the judgment, Jonathan removed the veil on his shoulders to re-launch himself firmly in the PDP by calling on former members of the party that defected over the leadership crisis to return home.I thank God for this day of Justice and may God bless Nigeria, he said.Another apparent advantage for the PDP is that most of its leaders do not see the issue of zoning its presidential candidate as a problem.At its Port Harcourt convention in 2016 which was contested by Sheriff but upheld by the Supreme Court, the PDP leaders had adopted the report of the Senator Ike Ekweremadu-led committee which zoned the partys presidential ticket to the North and the national chairmanship position to the South.And in the last one week, PDP leaders held four major meetings and resolved many contentious issues.The meetings included the expanded caucus meeting, the caucus meeting, the BoT meeting and the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.At the end of the meetings, leaders of the party resolved to hold a non-elective convention in August this year.The National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said they would use the special non-elective convention to settle all the constitutional matters.Sources said there is the likelihood for the tenure of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee to be extended. This, according to the sources, is to enable it organize a convention that will usher in new elected leaders for the party.Other areas which the PDP leaders harped include discipline and impunity, two areas which pundits said affected the party in 2015 when many of its vibrant followers were frustrated.The NEC meeting held recently proposed amendments in the partys constitution that will deal with issues of discipline, internal democracy and administrative bottlenecks.The Makarfi-led caretaker committee had during one of the meetings announced what it called amnesty for the Sheriff group.In a separate interview, Makarfi, who sounded very serious, said a line had been drawn, meaning that any member who erred again after the Supreme Court judgment would face the wrath of the law.While there is evidence of sanity in the PDP, the Makarfi committee would have to contend with recalcitrant members and this would only be resolved through political massaging.For instance, The South West faction of the PDP loyal to Sheriff has defected to the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN).The faction, which has representation in all the six states of the South-west, said the alleged inflammatory statements of the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, and removal of the names of some of the leaders of the party in the region at recent meetings held in Abuja, were responsible for their decision to leave the PDP.The South-west chairman of the faction and former PDP chairman in Ondo State, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi, said they resolved to leave the party for Governor Fayose and his cohorts.We believe in the judiciary and we had intention of cooperating with the Makarfi group before they started making inflammatory comments. They said they wanted to give us amnesty as if we were Boko Haram or militants, he said.Sheriff also proved defiant in a statement he issued after the various meetings held by the party which he did not attend.In a statement by his spokesman, Bernard Mikko, Sheriff, who sounded as if he is still the chairman of the party, called on his supporters to remain in the PDP until it was returned to the grass roots.Many PDP chieftains have left the party and while some might likely return in the event realignment in the APC did not favour them, others must be cajoled to have soft spot for it even if they would not return.Prominent politicians that are no longer in the PDP include former president Olusegun Obasanjo, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, former PDP national chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, former governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and Saminu Turaki (Jigawa).Incumbent governor Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) were all members of the PDP before they defected to the APC at the height of electioneering.Others that defected include former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Senator Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom South), Senator Andy Uba (Anambra South), former PDP national chairman, Chief Barnabas Gemade, former governor of Edo State Oserheimen Osunbor, former deputy governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel and Senator Muhammad Baban Beta among many others.Thousands of PDP followers across the 37 states of the federal have defected and would need to be convinced to return to make it strong ahead of 2019.But the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said they are not afraid.Makarfi or Ali-Modu Sheriff is no threat to us, we are looking at the institution and not the person. The PDP is a party that institutionalised corruption and failed to handle the security of the nation, he said.
Bashir Ali

A man serving time in prison for armed robbery, has told of how he managed to sneak out of prison to share the loot of a robbery with his gang members.

An inmate of Kaduna Prison, Bashir Ali has confessed to the police how he managed to sneak out of the prison for days just to collect his share from a robbery incident that took place in Kano.



Ali whose mother is from Tokyo, Japan, was arrested alongside some of his gang members identified as Umaru Inusa, Ahmed Kamalu, Adamu Danjuma and Barfa Ahmad by detectives attached to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Tactical Squad (STS).



On his arrest, police sources said that sometime in June, a gang of robbers invaded Kofaruwa quarters in Kano and robbed about three houses. They stole a Toyota Matrix car and several valuables, which include laptops, television sets, phones and money.



The victims alerted the operatives of STS while the officer in-charge of the squad, ACP Yusuf Kolo deployed detectives to fish out the gang members. In the course of investigation, they arrested some of the gang members and recovered the car and some other valuables that they were yet to dispose.



It was in the process of further investigation that detectives discovered that one of the masterminds of the robbery, Bashir Ali was in Kaduna prison. Unknown to him (Ali), some of his gang members had been arrested by the police. Hoping that it was business as usual, Ali sneaked out of the prison to collect his share from the proceeds of the robbery when policemen who were on his trail arrested him.



Journey to prison



At the police station, Ali who speaks impeccable English said it was greed that landed him in prison as he is from a good home. I am an indigene of Kano State and my mother is from Tokyo. She came to Kano with her parents who were traders. In the process, she (Alis mother) fell in love with my father and I am a proud product of that love. I am married and I have three kids. I have no reason to commit crime because I also have an option of travelling to Tokyo if I was not satisfied with my financial status in Nigeria.



On his journey to Kano Central prison, Karaumawa, Ali recalled that sometime in 2010, he got involved in a shady business, which led to the sale of a property in Kano that belongs to one of his friends.



Boys were broke so we were looking for every possible means to make money. So my friend Ahmed who just lost his father then told me that he wanted to sell one of his fathers houses without the consent of the family. He said that since he was also part of the family that no one will question his decision. We got several estate agents involved and finally sold it for N8million.



Unfortunately, when the buyer wanted to take possession of the property, the family members refused insisting that they never consented to it and that the documents presented were stolen.



We were arrested same year and charged to court. I was sentenced to seven years jail in 2015 after awaiting trial for two years.



The stunt



After several years, Ali claimed that he was able to convince the prison warders that he had truly repented of his sins and was ready to be rehabilitated.



According to him, eleven of them were selected and transferred to Kaduna rehabilitation prison popularly known as Open Camp.



I was lucky that they selected me in 2015. When we got to the camp, I chose to be a farmer where I learnt how to cultivate vegetables including curry leaves and waterleaves. The proceeds you get from the farm will be saved for you so that when you finish your stay in the prison, you will have money to start a new life.



In that prison you are free to roam around and sneak in and out of the yard unnoticed. The rule was that you must come for head count every 10am, 12pm, 2am and 6pm. So if you dont want to get into trouble, wherever you go, you must return for head count.





He also alleged that the prison warders who were taking care of them were aware of these movements and normally keep tab on them. It is a game of trust. The warder must approve of your movement so that if you mistakenly fail to return on time, he will give you a number in absence. We all have phones and whenever you cannot make it back on time, you will call the warder and tell him. It is also your responsibility to ensure that the warder is well taken care of financially so that he can cover for you in case you want to travel and spend some days outside.



On his arrest, Ali lamented that while in Kano prison, he made a lot friends who have served out their jail terms. He collected most of their numbers and agreed to exchange ideas.



It is good to make friends so that when they leave, they will help with money. Most of them who left went back to crime and normally send money to us.



So while in Kaduna prison, one of them contacted me that they were broke and needed any means of making quick money. It was during the Ramadan fast and everyone needed money to celebrate after the fasting. I gave them some ideas and people to meet. At the end of the robbery operation, they cheated me and hid the physical cash that they got. Luckily, Bawa kept one of the cars for me. I then referred them to an ex-convict who is into buying stolen cars.



They were on their way to deliver the car and money when police caught them. They were so wicked that they did not alert me that they had been caught. Rather, they called to tell me that the car had been sold that I should come to Zaria and collect my share.



Few days to Sallah, I told the yard master popularly known as Baba Kubo and he granted me some days to travel. He knows that I will always come back, that was why he agreed. So around 12pm that day I left for Kano where they were supposed to wait for me. Because I did not have much money, I visited some of my friends in town and got some money before I proceeded to the agreed location. It was there that police arrested me, he said.







Plea for mercy



Begging for mercy, Ali said he had truly repented but was just looking for money to buy Sallah gifts for himself and the warders who were kind to him. I am finished; I cant believe that I am going to start all over again. Please help me and dont send me back to prison.



He alleged that his life will get worse if he is sent back to prison. The prison will turn you into a criminal. It does not change anyone because an idle mind is the devils workshop. Most especially, if you are from a poor home, no one will visit you or help you with money to hire a lawyer. There are so many people who stole chicken and goat that are in the prison. They are there because they could not afford the option of fine given by the magistrate.



I assure you that by the time they spend a year or two serving their sentence they will steal a car as soon as they are released, he alleged.



More suspects



Another suspect, Adamu who contacted Ali for the robbery claimed that he was simply obeying the instruction of his brother, Bawa. My brother called me to get in-touch with Ali that he is aware of the robbery and the proceeds. It was Ali who gave us the number of the buyer. We were on our way to Zaria to meet the buyer when policemen caught us.



Yet another suspect, Bafa, an Islamic cleric said that it was greed that led them to committing crime. I am a native of Maiduguri and my parents decided to send me to Arabic school to learn how to be a priest. Upon graduation, I started praying for people in trouble. This did not give me enough money because I normally collect N500 to pray for people and if they succeed they might come back to appreciate me.



Some of them are criminals and when they succeed they will come back and give me gifts. This was how Kabiru and three other boys came to me. After the robbery, they brought the car and asked me to help them sell it. It was a Toyota Matrix and they wanted to sell it for N800, 000. The agreement was that whatever extra money we get from the sale belongs to me. We were on our way to meet the buyer when the police arrested us, he said.



Prison Service reacts



When contacted, the Nigeria Prison Service Public Relations Officer, Francis Enabore said that no inmate in the Kaduna open prison is allowed to leave the premises unaccompanied.

These are inmates who have spent better part of their sentences in the regular prisons with walls. They are recommended by their prison warder to be of good behaviour. They are transferred to that prison to prepare them for the journey ahead when they finally regain their freedom. They are allowed to visit the farms, which are within the premises and monitored from a distance. Any attempt to leave the premises, the person will be cautioned. These inmates who are determined to be better persons in the society normally obey the law guarding the prison.



On the recent arrest of Ali outside the prison, Enabore assured that the discovery will be investigated and any officer found culpable will be dealt with according to the law.



Meanwhile another senior prison officer who spoke with Saturday Sun on the condition of anonymity explained that the Kaduna open prison is meant for inmates who have proven beyond all reasonable doubt that they are of good behavior.

Such person will be recommended by warders who have monitored them over the years. They are selected all over the country to go to that prison for proper rehabilitation. They are taught different handiworks including farming. The proceeds gotten will be saved for them, which will be given to the inmates at the end of their stay in prison.



Such persons are allowed to wander around the yard especially to their farms. They are expected to return every 6pm for head count. They are not allowed to travel, therefore any officer who permits that will be punished.



On the arrest of Ali, he said that most of the inmates are good at deceiving the system. They pretend to have repented just to be released. I guess Ali is a typical example of such. Its unfortunate that the officer who approved his transfer will be in trouble.

***
are wishing ailing President Buhari dead. In the article titled "PMB and the Descendants of Shimei", Adesina said those who are wishing the president dead would reap what they sow and that they would be put to shame when he returns to Nigeria.
Read Mr Omokri's article below..



I am sure my readers were rudely shocked out of their reverie by the eponymously named Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who announced to a bewildered nation that the Federal Government, whose spokesman he is, is making preparations to stop Nollywood and Nigerian pop stars from shooting movies and videos abroad.

Said Lai Mohammed, ?This government has agreed that henceforth, whatever we consume in Nigeria in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria. We cannot continue to go to South Africa or any other country to produce our films and then send them back to be consumed in Nigeria."

It was perhaps lost on Lai Mohammed as he spoke that his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected in Nigeria by Nigerians is not being consumed in Nigeria.

And while we were still grappling with the absurdity of Lai Mohammed's comments, his colleague in office, Kemi Adeosun, added to the comedy that this government has become by announcing that the Buhari administration plans to tax beggars!

According to the honorable (?) minister, "You are supposed to pay taxes even if your means of income is begging."

This is the reason why I have said that a polytechnic graduate like Kemi Adeosun is not sufficiently qualified to handle our complicated economy! It doesn't matter if the polytechnic she graduated from is in the U.K.

In civilized nations, they place beggars on social security, but in Nigeria our polytechnic graduate finance minister wants them taxed! Last year, President Muhammadu Buhari's daughter got married in a lavish ceremony which attracted several private jets to Abuja. Rather than beggars, Kemi Adeosun can pursue their owners for taxes!

President Muhammadu Buhari is in a U.K. hospital. His children study at U.K. schools. His wife shops at U.K. stores. He and his family are more U.K. oriented than they are Nigerian oriented. Yet it is Nollywood shooting a few movies abroad that Lai Mohammed complains about. I am told that the Federal Road Safety Corp wants to perform psychiatric evaluation on reckless drivers. The FRSC should not limit its psychiatric test to reckless drivers. They should also start performing them on reckless ministers like Lai Mohammed and Kemi Adeosun!

And when given the chance to explain himself two days after making his faux pas, Lai Mohammed doubled down on his comments and insisted that TV/radio programming meant to be consumed in Nigeria must be made in Nigeria, saying inter alia "This is because we cannot continue to develop the economies of the other parts of the world from the sweat of Nigerians and at the expense of the Nigerian economy".

Lai Mohammed forgets that our Presidential jet has been languishing at London's Stansted Airport for over 80 days and accruing daily charges in the thousands of U.K. pounds per day.

As at today, the amount of charges our Presidential jet has accrued at London's Stansted Airport could have paid 2,000 Nigerian workers going by the lowest parking rate charged by Stabsted. Why is the jet even there? This joke of a Presidency in their statement justified parking the Presidential jet at London's Stansted by saying it was for 'prestige' reasons.

The Presidency says the Presidential jet is parked at London's Stansted for 'prestige'. The British Prime Minister has no official jet. Maybe she has no 'prestige' even though Britain makes Jets and Nigeria does not!

Is this not a case of Nigeria's tax payer monies being used to "develop the economies of the other parts of the world from the sweat of Nigerians and at the expense of the Nigerian economy", to borrow Lai Mohammed's words?

Lai Mohammed who now wants to stop Nollywood from making videos abroad, forgot that his All Progressives Congress relied on foreign consultants to win the 2015 elections!

They go abroad to win elections. They go abroad to educate their children. They go abroad for healthcare. But they do not want Nollywood to go abroad to make money! Perhaps Lai Mohammed wants to reduce Nollywood stars to beggars so they are eligible for taxation by Kemi Adeosun!

Since we the citizens have not complained that President Muhammadu Buhari is receiving medical treatment abroad should the Buhari administration now complain that we make movies abroad? Lai Mohammed should not provoke us.

The Financial Times of London called our President a "frequent London resident" in their recent Oped wherein they stated that he has done 'nothing' to improve the Nigerian economy, yet his government is complaining that they will stop our movie makers and artists from making movies and videos abroad. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, Nigerians (mostly government officials) spend $1 billion annually on medical tourism while less than 1% of that is spent on shooting movies and videos abroad. Lie Mohammed should get his priorities right!

I am even thinking that since Lai Mohammed does not want Nollywood to make movies abroad, perhaps Nollywood should just contract the making of films abroad to President Muhammadu Buhari and his family. After all, they are always abroad!

And those people complaining about the President spending much time in the U.K. misunderstand Lai. It is okay for the President to go abroad at public expense but not okay for Nollywood to do the same at their own personal expense!

The spokesman of a President who spends more time in London than Nigeria has the guts to condemn Nollywood for making movies abroad. What a comedic administration!

And the comedy continues!

When Garba Shehu says that the Jonathan administration increased the activities of terrorists, he betrays a very shallow grasp of history which I will now prove with the benefit of some historical facts.

When the Jonathan administration imposed a state of emergency in certain local governments in the Northeast of Nigeria to contain terrorists, it was precisely Muhammadu Buhari that said on Monday the 3rd of June 2013 that 'the military offensive against Boko Haram is anti North'.

Again, after the Jonathan administration banned Boko Haram in 2013, it was precisely Lai Mohammed, President Buhari's current minister for information, who on Monday the 10th of June, 2013 said that banning Boko Haram was unconstitutional and that "the proscription stifles the press and tampers with the fundamental human rights of Nigerians."

So it is therefore rich for the Buhari administration to start making these claims against the Jonathan government.

It may be that Garba Shehu is not aware that this administration has lost any credibility it has especially as regards the anti terror war.

On Thursday the 24th of December, 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari told the world that Boko Haram was 'technically defeated' and gave himself a pat on the back after claiming that the terror group had lost its capacity to conduct "conventional attacks".

Since that time, Boko Haram has attacked military barracks and military formations multiple times as reported in the media.

Since that time, there has been an upsurge in suicide attacks with more than 30 attacks reported in the media. In the last week alone there have been three such suicide attacks with almost 20 deaths, according to media reports.

There has also been attacks on military and police convoys with Boko Haram terrorists releasing a video this week of several women it says it kidnapped from a police convoy.

Just two days ago (Thursday, July 20, 2017), the US State Department released a statement indicating that 75% of all global deaths from terrorism in 2016 originated from Nigeria and four other nations!

Nigerians may want to note that it was under the Buhari administration that the World Economic Forum on Tuesday June 20, 2017 listed Nigeria as the fifth most dangerous country in the world because instances of Fulani Herdsmen terrorism are so rampant and continue with impunity.

Fulani herdsmen operating in Nigeria were also named the fourth most deadly terrorists group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index on Wednesday November 18, 2015. This is not surprising in a situation where a governor, who happens to be a close confidante of President Muhammadu Buhari, confessed to giving Fulani Herdsmen money.

It may also be recalled that on February 2, 2017 the US Congress cited Nigeria "as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world and that impunity for those responsible for the killing of Christians in the country seems to be widespread.?

All these are proof positive that not only has Boko Haram not been defeated, they have metastasized under Buhari and indeed other terrorist groups have become emboldened to expand their activity nationwide.

Nigerians will remember that the Jonathan administration was able to crush Boko Haram in the first quarter of 2015 which was why the 2015 elections were able to hold throughout the entire Northeast of Nigeria.

The question that Nigerians may want to ask is if elections can hold in all areas of Borno state today. The answer to that question will show Who between President Buhari and former President Jonathan really defeated Boko Haram.

Reno's Nuggets

Never argue with a man who wants to win an argument. You are listening to understand him. He is listening to disagree with you. In the same vein, do not stay around people who do not see your worth or you will start to believe them and it is then you will truly be worthless. And note that if a tree only has access to the sun, it won't mature. It needs the rain to fall before it can bear fruit. If man only see good times he won't mature. Success is a mixture of good and bad times #RenosNuggets

Reno Omokri is a Christian TV talk show host and founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Center and the Helen and Bemigho Sanctuary for orphans. He is the author of the worldwide amazon #1 bestseller

Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years: Chibok, 2015 and Other Conspiracies and

three books, Shunpiking: No Shortcuts to God, Why Jesus Wept and Apples of Gold: A Book of Godly Wisdom
N200b Online Payment Revenue Vista for MSMEs

A fresh window of opportunity may have come the way of Nigerias estimated 37 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Small businesses and startups willing to adopt online payment solutions stand to benefit from a projected N200 billion online payment revenue this year. Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE writes on how MSMEs can leverage online payment solutions to grow their businesses and create jobs.Small businesses and startups are acknowledged globally as the life blood of any economy. This is because of their immense capacity to grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and also create jobs. But in Nigeria and, indeed, other developing economies across the world, one of the major challenges of MSMEs is how to receive payments from their customers through cash and bank payments.Although, Nigeria, according to experts, boasts an estimated 37 million MSMEs, electronic payment remains relatively a new phenomenon. Most transactions in the country are done with cash, which remains the preferred medium for payment in the country. Factors such as poor awareness of e-payment solutions, ignorance, poor banking culture, lack of trust, illiteracy and the love for the status quo have been identified as being responsible for the high volume of cash transactions in Nigeria.However, the situation is changing. This was in the wake of the adoption of the cashless initiative by the monetary authorities in Nigeria, for instance. In 2016 alone, about N132 billion worth of goods and services were said to have been purchased via the Internet. This, according to financial experts, made online payment a veritable market for MSMEs to tap into to grow their businesses.The thinking is that MSMEs are perhaps, the most viable sector to drive growth as well as engage the highest number of employees in any economy. Their capacity to do so, according to experts, put them on a vantage position to turn around the fortunes of its operators as well as the countrys. Besides, viable MSMEs drive industrialisation. And this must have been why operators and stakeholders in the sector believe that the adoption of online payment solution remained the way to go for MSMEs.Already, PayU Nigeria, an online payment platform, appears poised to push an aggressive uptake of online payment solutions by MSMEs. Based on the firms findings, MSMEs stand to benefit from a projected N200 billion revenue that may accrue to the sector from online payments in the current year.PayU Nigeria Country Manager, Ms Juliet Nwanguma, also said that by adopting online payment systems, small business owners can enjoy the associated benefits of credibility and reliability, especially as it has proven to be more secure and credible than receiving cash or cheque payments.Nwanguma added that it also has the advantage of instant receipt of money with no risk of bounced cheques and the fees associated with it. She explained that businesses that have online payment platforms are considered more reliable and this encourages customers to do business with them, while for the consumer, it offers fraud protection, thereby securing their money.The online payment expert therefore, urged MSMEs in the country to leverage on online payment as it will open up their businesses to more customers far beyond their locality, considering that a large population of people now rely on and use the Internet to purchase goods and services.Nwanguma stated that setting up online payment is also quick and easy, as some of the payment platforms offer affordable plans with zero set-up fees and low transaction rates. She also revealed that MSMEs can use online platform to drive their export capabilities.At moment, the MSME sector is said to account for a paltry seven per cent of the countrys total export, a figure considered low when compared to the over 37 million MSMEs operators in Nigeria.To increase the capacity of MSMEs to contribute more to the countrys total export, Nwanguma told The Nation that her firm offers easy and instant online payment solutions for small businesses.Giving more insight to the available solutions, she said the PayU Easy product, for instance, is a quick, easy and hassle free way to start selling online. According to her, the solution is flexible and ideal for businesses without an online merchant account.She explained that PayU Easy comes with the assurance of her firms global expertise across 16 markets where they offer over 250 payment options.PayU Easy is designed for businesses with less than 500 transactions weekly. It offers the advantage of minimum documentation, weekly settlement, security of transactions (PCI DSS SSL and 3D secure), and zero set-fee, she said.That is not all. Nwanguma also said it offers the benefit of customised payment web page designed to ensure a consistent look and feel. With PayU Easy, businesses can accept all major payments including Visa, MasterCard and bank transfers.The online market offers huge potential to start-ups and the 37 million SMEs in Nigeria to grow their sales. PayU Easy was designed to help them tap into this potential, Nwanguma explained.Explaining how it works, the PayU Nigeria boss said: Customers simply click a link on their website and are transferred to a secure payments page where we handle the entire process. When theyre finished, we deliver them back to your site. The payment goes into an account with us, and we pay all the money owed to you at an agreed interval.She assured that customers do not need to worry about card security; all they need to do is sign up and get selling. Customers simply complete their purchase and you get confirmation that a transaction has taken place. The money from the sale goes into an account at PayU.Usually every week, we add up your total, subtract our fees, and pay the balance into your account. You also get a statement. The whole process is automated, making it easy and effortless for you, she explained.On the significance of PayU Nigeria to small businesses, Nwanguma stated that while MSMEs in Nigeria may have to wait for governments intervention to address the various challenges confronting them including lack of access to low cost funds and poor infrastructure, they do not necessarily have to wait for such intervention to overcome the challenge of limited access to market.She stated that with the fast and easy online payment products offered by PayU Nigeria, MSMEs have the immediate opportunity to sell to more people in and around Nigeria, reduce the cost and risk of accepting payments, and as a result boost revenue and their contributions to the nations GDP.While noting that migrating business online might pose some challenges to some MSMEs regarding some accounting and inventory functions, she assured that her organisation has taken this into consideration and has taken it upon itself to automate online without the need for additional business intelligence tools.For the Managing Director of Black & Empress, an upscale clothing line on Broad Street, Lagos, Mrs. Evelyn Egboka, the adoption of online payment methods by MSMEs has become imperative. She noted that online payments aid faster sales, expand and increase patronage opportunities.Customers can pay for goods and services from the comfort of their homes or wherever they are located. Currently, we accept payment easily and directly into our accounts, thus saving the time and resources for collecting and banking money collected via cash or cheque, Egboka said.The budding entrepreneur admitted that for many operators in her line of business, this has greatly reduced the vulnerability of MSMEs to risk of cash theft and associated vices.Egboka, however, cautioned that the choice of the channel or online payment gateway a business decides on determines how cost effective it will be in the long run. She said she has watched her business grow beyond sending and receiving payments.Also reacting to the issue of safety of online payment, an Information Technology (IT) Manager with Crystal Park Integrated Solutions, Mr. Stephen Oluwasegun, said that for any payment system to be able to replace cash or at least compete with it, it must win the trust of its users in the economy.He said: For this to happen there must be a way for merchants to verify the validity of the purchase. The payment solution must also be easily convertible to cash or as good as cash. Since most merchants in Nigeria are in business on subsistence basis, there must be a way to use the money they made for the day-to-buy what they need for the day or for the following day.
The Federal Government on Saturday received no fewer than 198 Nigerians illegally residing in Saudi Arabia at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10 am.

This number was out of the 1,800 Nigerians living illegally in Saudi Arabia, who were given amnesty to return to the country.

The 198 persons including women and children returned with their luggage on board a Med-View aircraft.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kano received the first batch of the returnees.

Mohammed Yahaya-Sani, the Consular at the Nigerian Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, who led the illegal immigrants to Nigeria, told newsmen at the airport that the Federal Government sponsored their return.

According to him, the illegal migrants voluntarily reported to the Nigerian Embassy to be returned to Nigeria in compliance with the three months evacuation notice issued to them by Saudi authorities, which will expire on July 24.

Yahaya-Sani said that contrary to speculations, the returnees were not deported rather they voluntarily accepted the amnesty offer granted them by the Saudi authorities for illegal immigrants to leave the country.

They decided on their own to return to Nigeria. The Saudi authorities offered amnesty to all illegal immigrants to leave the country within three months, he said.

The official handed over the returnees to NEMA officials at the airport who witnessed and documented their returns before they later departed to their various towns and villages.
Americans are humans too like Africans in choosing Donald Trump as president, former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo said in a rare...

Americans are humans too like Africans in choosing Donald Trump as president, former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo said in a rare reflection that appeared to have mocked the US election last November.The fact that America can produce a Trump in this day and age, it means Americans are as human as we are, he was quoted to have said.The octogenarian who ruled Nigeria in 1976-79 first as a military ruler and then a civilian leader in 1999-2007 said he was happy about the turn of events in the U.S.I am not justifying what African leaders are doing. If our leaders are doing wrong, we should say that they are doing wrong. Trump has come so that America can be humbled, and we can also learn that lesson, he added.Obasanjos comment was made during an event earlier this week at the French Embassy in Pretoria, the News24 portal reports.The event in question was the launch of the French version of a book titled Making Africa Work. The book described as A trenchant analysis of the continents economic fault lines and a handbook of best practices to redress them, was authored by Greg Mills, Jeffrey Herbst, Olusegun Obasanjo and Dickie Davis.According to him, even though Africa still needed foreign direct investment, it was time for the continent to show the rest of the world that it can take charge of its own future. Nobody can do it for us, and it is all of us, and if we do it, we will get it right, he added.Before the APC came to power in 2015, the current opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had ruled Nigeria since the countrys return to democratic rule in 1999. The PDPs first leader was Obasanjo, who had two four year terms.His plan to extend his stay in power was stiffly opposed and he eventually handed over to Umaru Musa YarAdua of the PDP. Obasanjo is a regular election observer on the continent, especially for the Commonwealth.Trump took office in January this year after winning hotly contested elections in November last year. He beat former first lady and secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, to make it to the White House with his mantra to Make America Great Again.NAN
Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a reformed Democrat, a pious man who will never move a...

Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a reformed Democrat, a pious man who will never move against those calling him all sorts of names in the past two years.Adesina, in a special feature, titled; President Muhammadu Buhari and the descendants of Shimei, released in Abuja on Saturday, described such people who were bent on tarnishing the good image of President Buhari as descendants of Shimei.According to the presidential aide, the descendants of Shimei are the evil wishers, the hate monger, and those who spend their days conjecturing tragedy for leadership.President Buhari has tolerated people who have called him all sorts of names in the past two years. If he didnt move against them directly, he could have allowed many Abishais to move against them, and take off their heads.But not our President, a reformed Democrat, a pious man, who has resolved to leave the people suffused by hatred unto God.Adesina attributed the devilish activities of the Nigerian Shimei to the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.He maintained that, the All Progressives Congress, inspired by Muhammadu Buhari, halted the 60-year pipe dream of PDP at the polls in 2015. Has the latter forgotten? No, they wont forget till forever.But so much is the animus, the antipathy towards the President that they wish him dead. While millions of Nigerians are praying, some elements are rejoicing and imagining evil.But they forget: man is not God, and Jehovah always has the final say. The descendants of Shimei need to learn vital lessons from their forebear.The presidential aide further narrated a historical but spiritual episode to further buttress his points.You dont kick a man that is down, goes a saying, but Shimei not only cursed David, he also threw dust and stones at him. It was a show of shame.David had succeeded Saul as king of Israel. And Shimei was from the family of Saul (read, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP). Shimei hadnt forgotten the bloody nose the family of Saul got when the kingship was taken away from them, and given to David.So when the latter got into a time of travail, no pity at all from people still smarting from bloody noses.And will they get their just desserts one day? As night follows the day, they will. If not from man, they will get it from God. Their forefather, Shimei did. He reaped what he sowed, he said.He further narrated: After some time, the rebellion led by Absalom was crushed by loyal troops, and David regained the throne. As he headed back into the city, who came to meet the king, with one thousand of his relatives, pleading for mercy? Shimei.The Yorubas say the same mouth that the snail used to abuse the gods, is what it uses to lick the dust of the earth. Shimei had suddenly become gentle.And humble, too. He fell down before David and said: I have sinned. Have mercy on me. Dont remember what I did against you on the day you went out of Jerusalem.Heh, on a certain day, some people would come to prostrate, begging for mercy, asking President Buhari to forgive and forget. What will the President do? What did David do? Abishai said again to King David:Let me bring down the head of this man, who cursed, and threw stones at you?But David said to Shimei:Thou shall not surely die. And the king swore unto him.But did Shimei live happily ever after? Old sins, they say, have long shadows. Before David died, he instructed Solomon his son, who succeeded him, not to forget to deal with Shimei.At least, David had kept his part of the bargain not to kill Shimei.What did Solomon do? He restricted Shimei to Jerusalem, adding that any day he went out of the city would be his last on earth. Days, weeks, and months went by. Shimei remained gentle.But on a certain day, two servants belonging to him ran away to Gath, another city.Shimei saddled his horses and led his men to bring back the servants. He had received mercy from David, but he couldnt show mercy to the servants. Mercy begets mercy.The story was told to Solomon. Shimei has left Jerusalem. He went to Gath, contrary to your instructions. It was time for judgment.Solomon commanded that what Abishai had long wanted to do should be done to Shimei. And his head was brought down.Adesina concluded his article with satirical questions, saying that, Will the descendants of Shimei repent, turn a new leaf, and become human? Will they recognise their own mortality?He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. He that is overtaken by hate, let him remain hateful still. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.Let the descendants of Shimei who have ears to hear please hear. There is recompense for evil, and there is also recompense for good.On Friday the Guinean President, Alpha Conde, ordered 24-hour fervent prayers for President Buhari, who is currently on medical vacation in London.Conde gave the order while addressing the countrys Council of Ministers in a meeting.Guinean President expressed concern for President Buharis health and declared prayers for his quick recovery.NAN
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari has described members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as descendants ...

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari has described members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as descendants of Shemei whose dream of ruling the country for 60 years was truncated.





In an article entitled PMB and the Descendants of Shimei, Adesina likened story of the former ruling party to biblical story of Absalom, the son of King David, who had led an insurrection against his father. And the king of Israel fled, with some of his supporters in tow.

As David got to a place called Bahurim, the Holy Bible records that Shimei, the son of Gera, a man of the family of Saul, came out, and started cursing the fleeing king. You dont kick a man that is down, goes a saying, but Shimei not only cursed David, he also threw dust and stones at him. It was a show of shame.





Adesina wrote, The All Progressives Congress (APC), inspired by Muhammadu Buhari, halted the 60-year pipe dream of PDP at the polls in 2015. Has the latter forgotten? No, they wont forget till forever.

But so much is the animus, the antipathy towards the President that they wish him dead. While millions of Nigerians are praying, some elements are rejoicing, and imagining evil. But they forget: man is not God, and Jehovah always has the final say. The descendants of Shimei need to learn vital lessons from their forebear.

President Buhari has tolerated people who have called him all sorts of names in the past two years. If he didnt move against them directly, he could have allowed many Abishais to move against them, and take off their heads.

But not our President, a reformed democrat, a pious man, who has resolved to leave the people suffused by hatred unto God. And will they get their just desserts one day? As night follows the day, they will. If not from man, they will get it from God. Their forefather, Shimei did. He reaped what he sowed.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the growing cases of hate speech, disinformation and fake news in...

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the growing cases of hate speech, disinformation and fake news in the country are being orchestrated by naysayers and their sponsors.

The Minister made the statement at the Extra-ordinary Meeting of the National Council on Information (NCI), which has the theme Hate Speeches, Disinformation, Fake News and National Unity, in Jos, Plateau State.



The campaign (to discredit the government) is a multi-million naira project and the people behind this string of hate speech, disinformation and fake news are not about to stop. In fact, they will become more vicious in the days, weeks and months ahead, he said.

Mohammed blamed the resurgent push for separatism, as well as

 the rising cases of ethnic and religious disharmony on the growing phenomenon of hate speech, as well as the disinformation and fake news campaign, and warned that hate speeches and incitement to violence set the stage for the genocide that left at least 800,000 people dead in Rwanda in 1994.

He traced the worsening cases of hate speech in the country to the period leading to the last general elections, when the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, was the target of a vicious campaign.





Never in the history of electioneering campaign in Nigeria has such a quantum of hate speech been directed at any candidate. This did not stop even when he won the election and became President.

For instance, the President had hardly left Nigeria for his vacation in London on 19 January 2017, during which he said he would have routine medical check-up, when these hate and fake news campaigners circulated the news that he has died. Between then and now, they have repeated similar fakes news times without number, the Minister said.

He cited three instances of disinformation and fake news targeted at him, including when he was quoted as saying the government does not know who will sign the 2017 budget, when what he said was that when the budget is transmitted to the presidency, a decision will be taken.

Mohammed recalled: On Wednesday, 26 April 2017, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, I briefed State House Correspondents on what transpired at the meeting.

Buhari did not preside over the days meeting because he decided to work from home that day. In reporting my briefing, one of the correspondents quoted me as saying the President would work from home henceforth, rather than on that day only.

Also in May 2017, I travelled to China on official assignment. I had just arrived in that country, after a long flight, when I started receiving calls from Nigeria, seeking my reaction to a story making the rounds in the Social Media, quoting me as saying that though President Muhammadu Buhari is in a London hospital, he is using Made-in-Nigeria drugs. I purportedly made the comment in an interview with Channels Television, after the Federal Governments launch of the Made-in-Nigeria campaign in Abuja a few days earlier.

At first, I chose to ignore the story, saying Nigerians would easily see the folly of it. But the phone calls from Nigeria became more frequent and more intense, to such an extent that they could no longer be ignored. I had to put a call through to Mr. John Momoh, and Channels Television promptly issued a rebuttal, saying it neither interviewed me nor carried any such story.

On the way forward, he said Nigerians must say NO to hate speech and boycott any medium that is used to spew hate or that engages in disinformation and fake news, adding that if left unchecked, the canker-worm of hate speech, disinformation and fake news is capable of undermining national unity and pushing the nation to the precipice.





The Minister also told the delegates to the meeting, which included government information managers from all the states of the federation, that every state must emulate what the Federal Government has done, through acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who held a series of engagements with key stakeholders to calm frayed nerves in the aftermath of the quit notice recently issued to section of the country

by northern youths.

We must be resolute in tackling the canker-worm of hate speech, disinformation and fake news. We as government information managers must embark on a relentless campaign against these evil tendencies at our various levels, whether federal or state, he said, adding that the regulators must also be alive to their responsibility by sanctioning erring media outlets.
The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.), has urged Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the armed forces and pray f...

The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.), has urged Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the armed forces and pray for the quick recovery and safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London where he is on medical vacation.He made the admonition yesterday at Ubima, the hometown of the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the inauguration of Course One for 15 pioneer officers drawn from the Navy, Air Force and Army, at the new Naval War College, Nigeria (NWCN).The inauguration was also attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas; the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd.); the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani; and the Commandant of NWCN, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia, among other eminent personalities.Dan-Ali said: It is important to stress that success in this environment requires much more than tactical competence. It requires judicious and decentralised employment of competence at all levels: tactically, operationally and strategically. The key enabler of decentralised employment is knowledge.The college is programmed to emphasise intellectual development and academic excellence. It has been tasked with the mission to develop senior naval leaders and equivalents from other services as operational level commanders, with thorough appreciation of complex national security problems, who are prepared to make sound decisions in the application of maritime force as a policy option.We owe the Nigeria Armed Forces and the nation a lot. I call on all Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the Armed Forces, so that they will discharge their constitutional roles effectively.The minister also admonished the 15 pioneer military officers, who are benefiting from the special training, not to miss the significance of stepping into another realm, in the efforts to keep with the traditions and vision first established by the founding fathers. The CNS, in his remarks, stated that the course would enhance the operational competence and professionalism of the benefiting officers, while urging them to put in their best, to justify the confidence reposed in them.Commandant of NWCN, in his welcome address, noted that the inauguration marked the commencement of academic and training programmes in the war college, pointing out that the journey ahead of the participants would be tasking and demanding, in the next six months, while urging them to continue to work hard.
Sen. Oluremi Tinubu on Saturday said that eligible voters in Lagos State who did not cast their votes in the local government elections ...

Sen. Oluremi Tinubu on Saturday said that eligible voters in Lagos State who did not cast their votes in the local government elections would not be justified to complain against local councils. Oluremi, representing Lagos Central, said this in Lagos in an interview with journalists in her residence in Bourdillon, Ikoyi.The wife of a former Governor of the State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bola Tinubu, spoke with newsmen after casting her vote. This is the time to show solidarity for the government; we believe that this government is working; this is the time that everybody should perform his/her civic duty, she said.The senator said that voting was a way to hold governments accountable. It is not for you but for your generation yet unborn so that things can be put in place.We have set the standard in Lagos; every elected candidate does not have any choice but to work, she said. She said that she had been working as a peoples representative for the past six years and would continue to do so till the end of her tenure. Mrs Tinubu commended the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for efforts in conducting the polls. LASIEC has done well; security personnel are on ground ensuring that there is peace and order.Also, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr Tunji Bello, who voted at Ward E, Olonade Street, Yaba LGA, commended voters who turned out in spite of the downpour. Voters have shown support for democracy by coming to vote in spite of the rain. Starting the election behind schedule is understandable due to the downpour; it is impressive. I believe that APC will carry the day, he said.Mr Jide Jimoh, representing Lagos Mainland in the House of Representatives, told journalists that the elections had been peaceful. The election process is fantastic so far, and I commend the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for that. I wont want to make any judgment on LASIEC because we are just starting. Taking off does not matter; it is landing that is the most important thing. We have taken off; at the end of the day, we will see the result. I expect a positive result, he said. (NAN)
Downpour which began at 5 a.m. in many parts of Lagos State left many areas flooded and affected early commencement of voting in the loca...

Downpour which began at 5 a.m. in many parts of Lagos State left many areas flooded and affected early commencement of voting in the local government polls.The rain, accompanied with thunderstorms, lasted for more than two hours, confining many residents to their apartments, until it later subsided.The flooding of the roads compelled road users to drive against traffic in some areas as people rushed to beat the 7a.m. restriction of movement time.At the Berger end of Lagos-Ibadan expressway, many motorists trying to get out of Lagos, apart from contending with the rain, were caught up in the restriction of movement time which took off at 7.00 a.m, causing a heavy traffic gridlock.In Badagry, only few voters were at some polling units where security personnel, electoral officers and materials were on ground by 8a.m..At Polling Units 007, 008 and 009 in Ward A, Badagry Local Government, voters were seen by 8a.m, while at Polling Unit 8 in Ward B, few voters got accredited and began voting by 8.25a.m. .Only two voters were at Polling Unit 007 in Ward D at 8.30am.Mrs Verona Chike, the Polling Officer in the unit, blamed the low turnout on the downpour.I am sure that more voters will come out as soon as the rain stops, she told NAN.However, in some areas of Ikotun/ Igando Local Council Development Area, electoral officers and materials had yet to arrive as at 9.30a.m, with only agents of political parties at some poling units visited by then.In Ward B, Unit 005, on Apapa Road, in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, electoral officers arrived at 9.25 a.m. shortly after the rain stopped in the area.In the Alimosho Local Government, NAN correspondent reports that the premises of the Alimosho Local Government Secretariat was a beehive of activities as several commercial buses were being loaded with electoral materials and officials at 9:30 am.NAN observed that vehicles carrying the materials escorted by security operatives began filing out of the LG compound which doubles as the LASIEC secretariat at 9:45 am.Mr Bakare Olagoke, the Electoral Officer of the Alimosho Local Government branch of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), told NAN that the rain delayed the process.We are leaving now. It is heavy rain and only God saved us that the communication mast did not fall on our office or anyone because the rain was too heavy, he said.Lagos residents are at the polls to elect chairmen and councillors in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state. (NAN)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will appeal Thursdays acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngila...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will appeal Thursdays acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari, by the Court of Appeal. In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, described the ruling as a travesty of justice.An Adamawa High Court in Yola had on March 6 sentenced Ngilari to five years imprisonment after he was convicted of a five-count charge of corruption. He was found guilty of not following due process in the purchase of 25 vehicles at the cost of N169 million. But, the conviction was overturned by the Yola division of the appellate court on the ground that the charges against the former governor lacked merit and sufficient proof. It would be recalled that Ngilari secured a suspicious bail after his conviction on the basis of a letter that cited his poor health condition.The EFCC spokesman said the emergence of the letter was shrouded in suspicion and controversy as the Controller of the Nigeria Prison Service, Adamawa Command, reportedly expressed ignorance of the letter. This subsequently incurred the wrath of the authorities at the prison, which issued query to officials involved, according to Uwujaren. He said, Pundits consider the decision of the Appellate Court, which was read by Justice Folashade Omoleye, as shocking, and the last thing needed by the current war against corruption being spearheaded President Muhammadu Buhari.It is curious that Justice Omoleye, while delivering the ruling, alluded to the fact that Ngilari was not a procurement entity and as such, a former governor could not be charged as if he was an ordinary procurement officer. The commission has therefore resolved to appeal the ruling because the EFCC believes that the judgment is a travesty of justice.








The All Progressives Congress , APC chairmanship candidate for Ikotun/ Igando Local Council Development Area, Sakiru Alabi Balogun, has died in an auto crash along LASU/ Isheri road in Igando area of the state, yesterday.The APC candidate whose campaign name was SAB , was reportedly putting finishing touch towards todays election when the unexpected occurred.The accident involved a LAWMA truck, a four-feet container and late Baloguns Special Utility Vehicle jeep.Some party members and his loyalists who were unaware of his demise, expressed shock when they were greeted with news of his demise on arrival at the polling units.Some of them visited the deceased home to ascertain the authenticity of the news.APC party members in the area were also at loss on what to do next.One of them who gave his name simply as Lawal, said  this is a big blow to us because he was the major contender. Why did death have to wait until this crucial moment to claim his life? If death could be appeased, one would have appealed to it to wait until after todays election. Only God knows what actually transpired.When news of his death reached us, we held a meeting on the next step to take. But there is little or nothing we can do at the moment because it is already election day.His corpse has been deposited in the morgue.
(Reuters/NAN) The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Friday said thousands of Nigerian migrant girls brought to Italy wer...

(Reuters/NAN) The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Friday said thousands of Nigerian migrant girls brought to Italy were in great danger of being forced into prostitution in Europe.The number of female Nigerians, many of them minors, often naive about their fate at the hands of traffickers, arrived by sea in Italy surged over the past three years from 1,454 in 2014 to 11,000 in 2016.The organisations spokesman, Flavio Di Giacomo, said at a news briefing in Geneva that some 4,000 Nigerian girls had arrived so far in 2017.The UN agency had said that based on data collected at landing sites, it was estimated that 80 per cent of the girls were potential victims of trafficking as sex workers.According to Giacomo, the girls are often told the trip is free.These girls, who are increasingly younger every year, are brought to Italy and to Europe for sexual exploitation.They are taken by traffickers and then they are forced to be prostitutes in the streets in Italy.And sometimes, as far as we know, these girls are also sent to other European countries such as Spain, Germany, France and Austria.Many of the Nigerian girls are from poor families in Edo, who are psychologically manipulated during a voodoo ritual before leaving, Di Giacomo said.According to him, they are accompanied by a madam-linked to the traffickers on the long journey through Niger and Libya.The increasing number of minors arriving really do not have any idea even what prostitution is, what sex is.But, many of them understand the real purpose of this journey because many times they are forced to prostitute themselves in Niger, in Libya especially, in brothels there.So they understand they are not going to work as hairdressers.IOM officials try to intercept the Nigerian girls at landing points and inform them about the prostitution ring and their right to protection, Di Giacomo said.He said that the agency which had helped those who decided to flee the networks, reported the cases of 425 girls in 2016 to police.A few days ago, we had the story of this young girl, a 17-year-old girl.She has been told she was going to work at a hair salon; she didnt have any idea she was going to be forced to prostitute herself.It was only when she arrived she found out that it was not real.The job was a lie and she was forced to become a prostitute, which was the only way to pay off the debt of the journey.She was forced to be out on the streets for 12 hours a day.
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has met with the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financia...

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has met with the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu over the cash recovered in an apartment in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Sani Jaji, who spoke to the media at the end of the meeting, the parley with the boss of the anti-graft agency was part of the investigation into the more than 43 million dollars recovered from the apartment.

Although there may have been silence over the huge cash haul uncovered in Osborne Towers, the matter is by no means forgotten, he said.

Amid unclear circumstances surrounding the ownership of the cash, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos subsequently granted its final forfeiture to the Federal Government.

Justice Muslim Hassan, who had on April 13 granted a temporary forfeiture of the $43m, N23m and 27,800 ordered its permanent forfeiture after no one appeared to provide concrete evidence of ownership.
The Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, Ayodele Fayose, has chided the All Progressives Congress for constituting a committee for the restructuring of Nigeria.Saying that the party was acting as if it is greater than Nigeria and its people, the governor described the setting up of the committee as the peak of the partys display of ego and contempt for Nigerians.Fayose, who spoke on Friday, through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, accused the APC of behaving as if Nigeria was its personal property.It is hypocritical and funny that the same APC, which shunned the 2014 National Conference and made sure that its government did not implement the conference report is now setting up committee on restructuring of the country.It is even more laughable that the APC which made restructuring part of its manifesto needed to wait for Nigerians to agitate for restructuring before setting up committee on it.Fayose said that the current structure of the country is unbalanced, unjust and over-centralised, adding that the 2014 National Conference report should rather be adopted and implemented by the APC-led federal government instead of the APC embarking on a wild goose chase.
Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was promoted to the position of White House press secretary, according to Presi...

Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was promoted to the position of White House press secretary, according to President Donald Trumps new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci.The move came just hours after former press secretary Sean Spicer announced his resignation, after telling Trump that he strongly disapproved of the decision to hire Scaramucci.Sanders has gained prominence in recent months as shes taken on more public-facing duties on President Donald Trumps communications team in the wake of former communications director Mike Dubkes resignation in May. Unlike many of the presidents top aides, Sanders was bred in politics.Shes the daughter of former Arkansas governor and two-time presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. She served as field director for her fathers 2002 gubernatorial reelection campaign, was the national political director for his 2008 presidential campaign, and headed his 2016 presidential bid.Spicer,according to the New York Times, departed because he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.Reports said Scaramucci was given that position yesterday morning.Trumps communications shop has been a center of turmoil and tension in the White House. Sources have expressed frustration with the communications shops performance as the administration has been battered by negative stories about the presidents relationship with Russia, potential conflicts of interest and mismanagement.Spicer came to the White House from the Republican National Committee, where he was communications director. He is a longtime deputy and close ally of White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who was RNC chairman before Trump took office.
The National Financial Secretary of Afenifere and Fourth Republic lawmaker, Oladipo Olaitan, has said that it would be unfair to say the Yo...

The National Financial Secretary of Afenifere and Fourth Republic lawmaker, Oladipo Olaitan, has said that it would be unfair to say the Yoruba people joined the Hausas to fight Igbos during the civil war.

While insisting that the Yorubas have always stood behind the Igbos, Olaitan told Vanguard that Afenifere had taken the stand to leave with Igbios if the north forced them out of Nigeria.

Speaking about the call from Arewa Youths that the Igbos should quit the North from 1st of October, he said Afenifere told them that if you ask the Igbo to leave, you are asking us to leave.

Reminded that the Yoruba joined the North to fight the Igbo in the civil war, he said, That is very unfair. We did not join the Hausa to fight the Igbo.

What happened was this, when Ojukwu decided to leave, Awolowo went to Ojukwu, took all the risk and said my brother dont do this, lets stay in this country and restructure it.

What they may be doing to you may not be fair, it is not that we are happy about it ourselves, but lets stay in there and sort it out.

That is how the question of Aburi came about. So we now went to Aburi to try and sort it out.

The soldiers of East origin would go to the East, soldiers of Western origin would go to the West, and soldiers of Northern origin would go to the North. We came back.

It was Gowon who reneged. When Gowon reneged, Awolowo again went and met Ojukwu and said, we dont need to fight a war, but Ojukwu said his mind was made up.

At first, Awolowo played this card and said, (to Gowon) look, if you by act of omission or commission you make Ojukwu to leave, then we will leave.

What he was saying was that if you force them out, you treat them as low people, then we will say you are saying it to us as well. This thing has to be mutually agreed.

Till today we dont consider the Igbo wanting to leave as treasonable because that is the essence of democracy  self determination.

Ojukwu has the right to self-determination.

We did not join the North; we were in Nigeria.

You see, this amalgamation, we were nations brought together, and you cannot force us to be together. We can talk about it to stay together, but you cannot force us to stay together. We hold that as sacrosanct.

If the Igbo decide to leave as they are saying and we are persuading them not to, and I am a member of the Southern Leaders Forum, and our decision is that we must try and salvage this nation but on the basis of justice and fair play.
The Jersey City Police Department had a somber departure from its normal routine this afternoon when members from across the city gathered to remember an officer who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty eight years ago.

Today is the eighth anniversary of Detective MarcAnthony DiNardo's death on July 21, 2009, five days after he was shot in a gun battle with a suspected armed robber at a Reed Street apartment building.

DiNardo's wife and three children attended the event at the School 23 annex on Duncan Avenue, which was renamed for DiNardo in 2011. Many people still refer to it as School 17, its name when DiNardo graduated in 1985.

DiNardo was the most seriously injured of five officers -- four from Jersey City and one from Port Authority -- who were wounded in the shootout. The two robbery suspects were killed by police.
RARITAN TWP. - Police arrested an 18-year-old Virginia teen after finding he was in possession of fireworks overnight on Monday.

Ian C. Crosbie, 18 of Herndon, Va., was charged with possession of explosive fireworks after Sgt. Robert Landolina found him while checking on several vehicles parked near the back of the Flemington Ice Arena on Case Boulevard at 12:21 a.m., police said.

He was released pending a court appearance, police said.

Other arrests reported by township police include:

Jordan M. Richmond, 27, of Raritan Township, charged with possession of hashish oil and drug paraphernalia following a motor-vehicle stop on Bristol Avenue at 1:21 a.m. on Sunday. Richmond, who was also ticketed by Officer Connor Gallagher for a view obstruction, was released pending a court appearance, police said.

Nathaniel P. Washington, 29 of Willow Grove, Pa., was arrested and charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at 1:40 a.m. on July 15, police said.

Sgt. Robert Landolina found him in a running vehicle in the parking lot of Marvic Supply on Hampton Corner Road. He was also ticketed for driving while suspended and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, police said.

Washington was released pending a court appearance, police said.

Zachary D. Klein, 25 of Clifton, was arrested and charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia by Sgt. Robert Landolina at 1:40 a.m. on July 15, police said.

Landolina arrested Klein after responding to the Ramada Inn after seeing a large group, presumed to be juveniles, on the landing of the second floor. Klein was released pending a court appearance, police said.

Daniel G. Godfrey, 35 of Washington, and Erich R. Nething, 29 of Hackettstown, were both arrested and charged with narcotics offenses following a stop on Route 31 at 11:28 a.m. on July 13, police said.

Godfrey, initially stopped by Officer Adam Swiatek for failure to wear a seatbelt, was charged with possession of heroin and hypodermic syringes, police said. He was also found to have a $500 traffic warrant out of Washington Township Municipal Court. The court decided to release him on his own recognizance with a new court date, police said.

Godfrey was ticketed for failure to wear a seatbelt and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, police said.

Nething was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of hypodermic syringes and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Both were released after their arrests pending a court appearance, police said.

Dustin R. Nylander, 19, and Orane V. Venson, 33, both of Hamilton, were arrested and charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana following a Route 31 motor-vehicle at 12:30 a.m. on July 10, police said.

Nylander was initially stopped by Officer Ismael Mendez for a view obstruction. He was also charged with possession of Clonazepam and possession of drug paraphernalia and ticketed for obstructed view and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, police said.

Both were released pending court appearances, police said.
PERTH AMBOY -- Hundreds of Jeep enthusiasts and Suzuki all-wheel drive lovers gathered Saturday to attend the second annual Xtreme Jeep Show held at the Perth Amboy City Hall Circle.

Music played through loud speakers as club members form New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York attended the event to show off their stock and customized vehicles.

Food and ice cream trucks parked along the circle refreshed attendees from the summer heat as the afternoon temperatures rose into the 90's

Mile Laze, vice president of the Solo Jeeps Club of Jersey City said, "We attend all the Jeep rallies we can throughout the year,"

Robert Sciarrino may be reached at bsciarrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SciarrinoRobert. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
KEANSBURG -- The father of Abbiegail Smith, the 11-year-old girl fatally stabbed last week, made a last-ditch effort Friday to secure a temporary visa so he could attend the girl's funeral but was denied, app.com reported.

Kenroy Smith, a resident of Jamaica, showed up at the U.S. Embassy Friday in Kingston in another attempt to receive permission to enter the United States. He previously had been denied a visa because of a 2001 marijuana conviction.

He also made a direct appeal to President Trump on Thursday, and offered to subject himself to close supervision during his stay here.

"I don't care if I'm escorted for the two days and I'll come back to Jamaica. I just want to see my child for the last time," he told app.com Friday.

On Friday, Smith was again denied permission to enter the United States, he told app.com. Abbiegail's half-sister Kenish was also denied a visa because her ties to Jamaica were tenuous, she said an embassy official told her.



With the embassy closed Saturday, both have now lost hope they will make it to the U.S. in time for Abbiegail's funeral Monday.



Abbiegail Smith was found dead last week not far from the apartment she shared with her mother, less than a day after she was reported missing.

A neighbor, 18-year-old Andreas Erazo, has been charged in her murder.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FREEHOLD -- A Superior Court judge in Monmouth County has temporarily shuttered a yeshiva in Belmar that has been operating as an unlicensed youth camp, county officials said Friday.

Judge Joseph Quinn issued the temporary restraining order Friday against Mesivta Keser Torah-Jersey, Rabbi Dovid Heinemann, and Camp Emzee, Inc., which prevents them from continuing operations at the day camp, Monmouth County officials said.

The yeshiva, at 503-505 Eleventh Ave., has been housing a youth day camp but has not received the proper certificate of approval required under state law, said Freehold John Curley, liaison to the Monmouth County Health Department.

The order immediately stops the operation of the camp not only at the Eleventh Avenue property but also in any other location within Monmouth County until Quinn issues a final decision.

In a case that dragged on for more than seven years, the yeshiva had been cited in in 2007 for violating state fire safety regulations by not having a fire suppression system. At the time, the yeshiva had argued it was not a dormitory and therefore not subject to state fire safety codes. But a state appellate panel concluded the facility was a dormitory and had to install an automatic fire suppression system.

Attorneys representing the county health department filed complaints against the yeshiva after the county received information from local authorities about allegations of illegal operations. When health department officials investigated, they found about 30 campers ranging from second- to seventh-grades attending the camp, Curley said.

"We are gratified that Judge Quinn acted quickly and decisively today on this matter of great concern," Curley said. "The health department has numerous responsibilities not the least of which is enforcing the laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety. We are entrusted with the public's welfare and it was imperative that we took swift action on behalf of the young people attending this camp."

The county said the camp does not employ a director with proper qualifications, it lacks a medical program under the direction of a state licensed physician or dedicated health director and the youth camp operator or camp director has failed to use swimming pools or beaches that conform to municipal ordinances, state laws, and public recreational bathing rules.

County officials said the camp allowed the participants to swim in a private, residential pool, which does not comply with state regulations.

Curley urged anyone with concerns about any facility or camp to call the Monmouth County Health Department at 732-431-7456.

Quinn set Aug. 29 as the next date for the camp case.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
At least 47 people in 12 states have been infected by salmonella, which federal health officials linked to yellow Maradol papayas.

Twelve people in New Jersey, along with 13 in New York, were infected. It has also infected those in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Kentucky.

Health officials said they are still investigating the multistage outbreak of salmonella kiambu infections, which has caused 12 hospitalizations and one death, that occurred in New York City.

An illness cluster has been identified in Maryland, where at least two people who do not live in the same household are infected.

Illness were reported between May 17 and June 28. Those infected are from less than a year old to to 95 years old.

The CDC is urging people not to eat yellow Maradol papayas and restaurants not to serve them. No retailers should sell yellow Maradol papayas until officials learn more about where the contaminated papayas came from.

"When in doubt, don't eat, sell, or serve Maradol papayas," Amesheia Buckner, a spokesperson for the CDC, said. "Instead, just throw them out."

Maradol papayas are large fruits weighing at least three pounds, with green skins that turn yellow when the fruit is ripe. The flesh inside the fruit is salmon-colored.

Those infected with salmonella develop fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps about 12 to 72 hours after swallowing the germ, and most recover without any treatment the CDC said.

However, in some cases, it can be so severe the patient should be hospitalized. Those who are very young, very old or have a compromised immune systems are most at risk for severe cases.

The CDC encourages those who may have come in contact with the germ should contact their healthcare providers.

Roughly 1.2 million cases of salmonella infect people in the U.S. annually, resulting in 450 deaths, according to the CDC.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snieto-munoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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TRENTON -- Saying it would "do real harm" to the state's economy, Gov. Chris Christie on Friday vetoed a bill that would mandate online marketplaces such as Airbnb that offer short-term housing rentals be taxed the same way hotels are in New Jersey.

The Democratic-sponsored legislation would allow municipalities to impose sales and use taxes, as well as occupancy fees, as hotels are required to pay.

But Christie, a Republican, argued it would levy a new tax on property owners and likely lead to higher prices for renters.

"As I have said many times before, I strongly believe that levying new taxes on our already overtaxed residents is not the answer to the state's fiscal challenges," Christie wrote in his veto message. "The tax increase proposed in this bill would not only impact New Jersey property owners who have -- for generations -- made their homes available for short-term rentals, but would also disproportionally increase the cost of visiting New Jersey Shore towns and other tourist destinations."

Both houses of the Democratic-controlled New Jersey Legislature passed the bill mostly along party lines -- the state Senate last month by a vote of 25-13 and the state Assembly in May by a vote of 45-29.

Sponsors noted that the legislation was expected to to bring more than $6 million in tax revenue to the state and municipalities.

Short-term rental marketplaces allow people to list and book apartments, houses, villas, and even castles across the globe for a night, a week, or a month.

In New Jersey, about 6,100 residents hosted sites through Airbnb last year, renting to about 257,000 people. That led to $50 million in income for the renters.

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) said Friday that the bill "was about tax fairness and leveling the playing field among hospitality providers in the state."

"Hotels and motels must pay taxes on the rooms they occupy," Quijano said. "Rooms booked through Airbnb are exempt. This gives Airbnb an unfair advantage over the competition, and denies municipalities important tax revenue."

She also said it appears Christie's veto is "about the governor padding his Republican credentials, and rehashing his 'no new taxes' mantra regardless of the impact."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Transgender students at New Jersey's public schools were given new layers of protection under a bill that Gov. Chris Christie signed into law Friday.

The legislation (S3067/A4652) -- which takes effect immediately -- requires the state education commissioner to draft specific guidelines to help schools address "the needs" of transgender students and establish policies that "ensure a supportive and nondiscriminatory environment" for those students.

Schools will be expressly told that they cannot force transgender students to use bathrooms or locker rooms that conflict with their gender identity.

Instead, schools would be be mandated to provide "reasonable alternative arrangements if needed to ensure a student's safety and comfort."

Schools will also be required to make sure transgender students are addressed by the name and pronoun they prefer, regardless of whether a legal name change has occurred.

In addition, the law tells schools they must allow students to dress according to their gender identity, create confidentiality plans to make sure employees do not disclose a student's transgender or transition status, issues school documents and identification cards to make the student's gender identity, and let students take part in gym class with the gender that matches their identity.

The move appeared to be an about-face for Christie. In March, the Republican governor said it should be up to individual school districts to draft policies regarding transgender students and refused to issue statewide "edicts" on the issue.

Christie did not explain why he signed the Democratic-sponsored bill.

Both houses of the Democratic-controlled state Legislature passed the measure last month -- the Senate by a vote of 25-10 and the Assembly by a vote of 59-15-3.

"These guidelines are needed to ensure that transgender students can safely be themselves without fear of being persecuted, and can help promote a culture of understanding and acceptance that will hopefully influence how students treat each other in and outside of school," said Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), one of the sponsors.

Another sponsor, Assemblywoman Marlene Caride (D-Bergen), added: "If we cultivate intolerance, children will pick up on that and think it is OK to bully others who are deemed different."

State Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), another sponsor, said "all of our children deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and that means having the regulatory framework in place to be sure that our schools are safe places and have supportive environments for all students."

The bill was introduced after President Donald Trump this year rescinded federal guidance from President Barack Obama's administration that public schools must let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity.

Though state law already barred New Jersey school districts from discriminating against transgender students, some school districts still tried to stop students from using bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity.

The state Department of Education last year said school districts should pass policies explaining how they handle issues related to gender identity, but the department stopped short of suggesting what those policies should say.

This law would clarify that.

New Jersey Family Policy Council, a conservative group that champions family values, spoke out heavily against the measure.

Len Deo, the organization's president, warned about the possibility of "opposite biological sex access" to student bathrooms and locker rooms and said teachers and students should not have to use pronouns chosen by transgender students.

Deo added that decisions about transgender policy should "be a local issue between parents, students, and the school board."

Christie signed the bill on the same day he signed another measure (S3017/A4568) into law that prohibits state-regulated health insurers, healthcare plans for public workers and teachers, and Medicaid from discriminating in providing coverage or services based on gender identity.

That law takes effect Nov. 1.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Adam Clark and Sophie Nieto-Munoz contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
MAPLE SHADE -- A board of education employee in South Jersey will serve four years in prison for allowing his ex-wife to stay on his benefits plan after divorce and using school money to pay off a personal loan, authorities said.

Salvatore Yacovelli, 46, of Barrington,

Salvatore Yacovelli, 46, of Barrington, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to insurance fraud and official misconduct, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said in a release.

As part of the plea deal, Yacovelli will lose his pension and be unable to work in public employment again, the release said.

Yacovelli admitted in front of Superior Court Judge Christopher J. Garrenger that while in his position as a payroll and benefits specialist in for the Maple Shade school district, he maintained he and Gina Yacovelli were married after divorce in 2011 so she could get medical and dental benefits through his job, according to the prosecutor's office.

The ex-wife filed a number of claims from December 2011 to November 2016, totaling $47,239.08, the release said.

Salvatore Yacovelli also used school funds to pay off a nearly $5,000 loan, according to Coffina.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The Nobel Peace Prize for 2010

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 to Liu Xiaobo for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has long believed that there is a close connection between human rights and peace. Such rights are a prerequisite for the fraternity between nations of which Alfred Nobel wrote in his will.

Over the past decades, China has achieved economic advances to which history can hardly show any equal. The country now has the worlds second largest economy; hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty. Scope for political participation has also broadened.

Chinas new status must entail increased responsibility. China is in breach of several international agreements to which it is a signatory, as well as of its own provisions concerning political rights. Article 35 of Chinas constitution lays down that Citizens of the Peoples Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration. In practice, these freedoms have proved to be distinctly curtailed for Chinas citizens.

For over two decades, Liu Xiaobo has been a strong spokesman for the application of fundamental human rights also in China. He took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989; he was a leading author behind Charter 08, the manifesto of such rights in China which was published on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 10th of December 2008. The following year, Liu was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years deprivation of political rights for inciting subversion of state power. Liu has consistently maintained that the sentence violates both Chinas own constitution and fundamental human rights.

The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad. Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China.

Oslo, October 8, 2010

To cite this section

MLA style: The Nobel Peace Prize for 2010. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Sat. 12 Nov 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2010/press-release/>
Liu Xiaobo Biographical

Liu Xiaobo, a prominent independent intellectual in China, is a long-time advocate of political reform and human rights in China and an outspoken critic of the Chinese communist regime; Liu has been detained, put under house arrest and imprisoned many times for his writing and activism. According to his lawyers defence statement in his 2009 trial, Liu has written nearly 800 essays, 499 of them since 2005. Liu is a drafter and a key proponent of Charter 08.

Liu was born on December 28, 1955 in Changchun, Jilin. He received a BA in literature from Jilin University, and an MA and PhD from Beijing Normal University, where he also taught.

In April 1989, he left his position as a visiting scholar at Columbia University to return to Beijing to participate in the 1989 Democracy Movement. On June 2, Liu, along with Hou Dejian, Zhou Duo, and Gao Xin, went on a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square to protest martial law and appeal for peaceful negotiations between the students and the government. In the early morning of June 4, 1989, the four attempted to persuade the students to leave Tiananmen Square. After the crackdown, Liu was held in Beijings Qincheng Prison until January 1991, when he was found guilty of counter-revolutionary propaganda and incitement but exempted from punishment.

In 1996, he was sentenced to three years of Reeducation-Through-Labour on charges of rumor-mongering and slander and disturbing social order after drafting the Anti-Corruption Proposals and letters appealing for official reassessment of the June Fourth crackdown.

On December 8, 2008, Liu was taken away from his Beijing home and detained by the Beijing police, and on December 25, 2009, more than a year later; he was found guilty of inciting subversion of state power. By early March 2010, more than 600 co-signatories of Charter 08 signed an online statement of shared responsibility with Liu for his crime.

Liu served as President of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre from 2003 to 2007. In addition to Columbia University, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Oslo and the University of Hawaii.

Liu is married to Liu Xia, a poet and visual artist.

Liu Xiaobo died on 13 July 2017.

From Les Prix Nobel. The Nobel Prizes 2010, Editor Karl Grandin, [Nobel Foundation], Stockholm, 2011

This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later published in the book series Les Prix Nobel/ Nobel Lectures/The Nobel Prizes. The information is sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate.

Copyright  The Nobel Foundation 2010

To cite this section

MLA style: Liu Xiaobo  Biographical. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Sat. 12 Nov 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2010/xiaobo/biographical/>
Actor John Heard, known for roles in 'Home Alone' and 'Sopranos,' dies at 72
Do the Trumps know that Russia plays by another set of rules than America?: Opinion
The study looks at two smaller-scale projects that are in some ways predecessors to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the $2 billion plan to slow land loss erasing Louisiana's coast. Construction on that project could begin as early as next year, while a similar one on the opposite side of the river known as the Mid-Breton Diversion could follow.
Local drives are aiming to collect new school supplies for students who are short on resources.

The community is always generous in providing school supplies at this time of year, said Diane Ostrowski, chief communications officer for Council Bluffs Community Schools. While many families enjoy picking out school supplies for the year, others may not have the means and are not required to bring supplies to school. Donations from community members allow all students to begin the school year with all the necessary supplies and be ready to learn on the first day of school.

The Salvation Army will accept donations through Aug. 5 for its Back to School Backpack Program, according to a press release from the organization.

The Salvation Army is seeking new spiral notebooks, two-pocket folders, theme paper, pens, pencils, markers, erasers, rulers, glue, facial tissues, reusable water bottles, hand sanitizer and backpacks.

Items can be dropped off at Methodist Health System hospitals and clinics. Participating locations in Council Bluffs include Jennie Edmundson East, 900 Woodbury Ave.; Health Center West, 3434 W. Broadway; and Methodist Physicians Clinic at Risen Son, 1001 Risen Son Blvd. Donors are advised to look for blue barrels inside the entrances.

More than 175,000 children have been helped since the program began in 1998, according to The Salvation Army.

School supplies will be distributed to students Aug. 11 and 12 in the Omaha metropolitan area.

In Council Bluffs, families seeking help through the Back to School Backpack Program are required to preregister from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 8 or from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at The Salvation Army, 715 N. 16th St. Registration is limited to 700 to 750 students.

Monetary gifts will be accepted for the purchase of new school supplies. Those interested can donate online at salarmyomaha.org or send checks earmarked Back To School to The Salvation Army, 10755 Burt St., Omaha, NE 68114.

The Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus is holding a longer drive this year instead of its usual Stuff the Bus drive, according to Clarrissa Newman, campus coordinator. Donations of new school supplies can be dropped off through Aug. 11 at any of the five agencies on the campus: the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of Council Bluffs, Heartland Family Service, MICAH House and The Salvation Army.

The Lakin Campus is asking for backpacks, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, glue, scissors, markers, colored pencils and crayons.

Supplies will be distributed at the Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus 10th Annual Back to School Extravaganza on Aug. 18. Preregistration is required. For more information, email Newman at clarrissa.newman@lakincampus.org or call her at 712-323-4416.

Meanwhile, Frontier Savings Bank is holding its own school supply drive, a spokeswoman said.

The bank is collecting new school supplies at its branch at 940 Valley View Drive through Aug. 5.

Suggested items include: folders, notebooks, composition notebooks, paper, crayons, pencil boxes, highlighters, dry erase markers, scissors, glue, Clorox/Lysol wipes, facial tissues and backpacks.
The following op-ed by Carter Eskew was distributed by The Washington Post.

If Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were to die tomorrow, his legacy as a patriot, hero and maverick would be secure, but I dont think history is done with him yet. I think his finest hours may lie ahead.

Every now and then in Washington something happens that temporarily shakes the body politic out of its cynical torpor: the death of a president; a terrorist attack; the mass shooting of children.

And now the terrible news that McCain has the same form of aggressive brain cancer that felled Ted Kennedy may have a similar impact. It may awaken our leaders to a new sense of whats important, whats possible, whats required of them.

McCains potential death sentence may have given him new life to write a final chapter in his life. Already beloved by many of his colleagues, revered by the press and respected by the public, McCains voice can ring louder and clearer than ever.

He can summon Congress to work together to pass a bipartisan health-care bill and to engage in job-creating tax reform. He could even consider resuming his leadership on immigration reform and global warming that waned in recent years. He would be the center of attention and affection, and he has a rare opportunity to make what could be his last days count.

Finally, can one think of a starker contrast to Donald Trumps narcissistic laziness than John McCains selfless heroism? Just by living, McCain reminds Americans of what a leader can do and be, and that they dont have to settle for the low standards set by our current president.

McCain is almost free, free from a life of expectations, the burdens of torture and also much joy. But he will not go quietly. Once again, he will lead by example and show us the way it can be done.

 Carter Eskew, who worked on Al Gores 2000 presidential campaign, is a founder of The Glover Park Group, where he oversees the firms branding and creative services.
Navigating the modern world can be challenging, so its important for todays children to be prepared to critically evaluate information, understand the interconnections underpinning society and realize how they can nevertheless make a difference.

Thats why the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme aims to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning, according to its governing organizations website.

Thats why the Council Bluffs Community School District is bringing the IB program to both Wilson and Kirn Middle Schools, allowing every student in the school district to gain exposure to an international perspective  including learning Spanish, tying together previously disconnected lessons and emphasizing how to take action to bring about change in the world around them.

And thats why the Iowa West Foundation has agreed to spend $404,000 to pay for the start-up costs associated with training and launching the IB program at the two middle schools.

The Council Bluffs district has already garnered worthy praise for its IB program at College View Elementary, which has expanded the last couple years to Carter Lake Elementary. Those students will now be able to continue their IB education in middle school, while bringing exposure to its benefits to those in the districts other elementary schools.

Once again, Iowa West is a key to improving the future of our communitys students. We appreciate and applaud their efforts, as well as leaders in the school district, for taking this next step forward.
Paul Daily of Jena, Louisiana, trains unbroken horses while using the process to teach biblical principles.

On Monday, Daily will share his ministry at the Noonan Ranch north of North Platte.

Paul works with his daughter, Lenora Schopp, and son-in-law, Alex Schopp, said Annie Noonan.

Daily is sometimes called a horse whisperer because of the techniques he uses. He takes a 2- to 3-year-old halter- or rope-broken horse and works with it while sharing principles from the Bible.

The Wild Horse Ministries website says the nondenominational ministry, started in 1997, goes to churches, fairs, prisons and anywhere were invited.

During the first years, Daily was able to do this work while keeping his full-time job. But when the company where he worked changed its vacation policy, disallowing one-day vacations or three-day weekends, Daily felt the Lord was leading him into full-time service. In May 2000, he became a full-time horse trainer for the Lord, according to the website.

The website states: Paul does not break horses, he gentles them, with words and pats, until they let him bridle, saddle and ride them  all within two hours. Occasionally, Paul can get the horse to totally submit by lying down.

Daily says the Lord uses him to reach people who shy away from organized religion and church, according to the website. As the horse submits to Pauls ministrations, people submit to Gods.

We have witnessed individual lives being changed because of their willingness to submit to Jesus Christ, Daily said.

The program begins at 7 p.m. Monday. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted.

The Noonan Ranch is located at 17238 N. Sandhills Road. To get there, take U.S. Highway 83 north to Sandhills Road, which is just past the Tryon exit and mile marker 88. Turn left on Sandhills Road and go 6 miles west.

For more information, contact Noonan at 308-238-1777.
Nearly eight years ago, Ben Nelson cast a U.S. Senate vote in favor of a version of the Affordable Care Act, and hes still catching heat.

The latest critic: President Donald Trump, who said this week that Democrats ended up giving away the state of Nebraska to win passage of the law in 2010.

In an interview with The World-Herald on Thursday, Nelson said Trump and other critics misunderstand what actually happened, but he agreed with the presidents broader point: Passing a health care law was difficult for him and his fellow Democrats and is politically challenging for todays Republicans.

They made promises for seven years, and there is that day of reckoning, Nelson said in his first discussion of political issues since he left public office in 2013. People have been expecting it for seven years, and now you come along and say, We cant do it. We wont do it?

I believe that you have to be very cautious on promises, and very consistent on keeping your promises when you make them.

Nelson said the odds are against Republicans as they continue their own bruising battle over replacing or repealing the Affordable Care Act. With the nation and Congress increasingly polarized, its harder to bring the two sides together to pass workable legislation, he said.

Unless something major happens and theres some change in position, I dont see that they come up with something, he said.

Republicans cant agree how to repeal or replace the law known as Obamacare, and Democrats dont want to reopen the law for fear it would be gutted.

In discussing that impasse with the New York Times, Trump said Nelsons vote in 2009 shows that health care was a tough issue for Democrats, too, even though they had a 60-vote majority in the Senate.

They owned the state of Nebraska, Trump said. Their best senator did one of the greatest deals in the history of politics. What happened to him?

Nelson responded Thursday: Maybe I will write him and let him know where I am.

A popular governor who was twice elected to the U.S. Senate from a mostly Republican state, Nelson didnt run for office again after casting that ACA vote.

He defended his votes on the ACA, maintaining  as he did at the time  that the amendment that came to be known as the Cornhusker Kickback was a legislative maneuver aimed at giving all states the choice of expanding Medicaid or not.

Everybody has it wrong, he said.

If Congress does pass a new law, he said, he doesnt know whether it will restore order to the individual health insurance business. Nelson said people and legislators should remember that you cant force companies to sell unprofitable insurance.

I think everybodys about ready to throw their hands up in the air, Nelson said, but the nation and the government should be united on health care.

Everybody has a stake in this, he said. Were all taxpayers. Were all Americans. We all have an interest in making sure that the country works for everybody. If it doesnt work for everybody, it doesnt work well for anybody, ultimately.

Nelson said the lack of cooperation by the two parties began destroying the moderate political center in Congress in 2009. It was a legislative role he and a few other senators filled during his 12 years in the Senate, aiming to foster compromise and, he said, to get things done.

He said the prospect of being nearly alone between two warring parties was the major reason he decided against running for re-election in 2012. His said his family members also asked to spend more time with him, noting that he had been in public office for 20 years.

The reaction to his vote on the Affordable Care Act was not a reason he decided not to run, he said.

Almost overnight, the controversial vote knocked his Nebraska voter approval rating from 78 percent, the highest in the Senate, to 42 percent, according to one poll, and prompted relentless criticism, with many observers saying his political career was over.

But Nelson says now that, according to private polls he saw in 2011, he would have won a third term by a comfortable margin.

I know that rankles people who thought I was dead in the water, but that wasnt the case, he said.

Mark Fahleson, Nebraska Republican chairman at the time, doesnt buy it. He said in a recent interview that Nelsons vote meant he wouldnt win re-election. At the time, Fahleson headed a campaign called Give Ben the Boot with the kickback as a centerpiece, financed by contributions from around the country prompted by the amendment.

The level of angst and anger among Nebraskans at that time, Ive never seen it that high in my three decades in politics, Fahleson said. The pollsters he talked to predicted Nelson would lose.

In 2013 Nelson left Congress for a full-time job, with long weekends in Omaha, as CEO of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, a 600-employee association based in Kansas City, Missouri. The group serves officials from the 50-state government agencies that regulate insurance companies.

In January he completed four years on that job, as promised, and now works of counsel with Lamson, Dugan & Murray in Omaha, mostly on insurance matters..

He didnt talk politics publicly while at the association because its nonpartisan.

The centrist role he cherished is gone from the Senate, he said, with the elections of highly partisan senators and departures of fellow moderates such as Joe Lieberman, Olympia Snowe and the late Arlen Specter.

Does he regret not running again?

Every now and then Im wistful about it, but most of the time I would say, maybe Ive avoided an ulcer, you know? he said. Not everybody comes up to me says, I sure wish you were there, but a lot do, because they recognize the center and the need for the center.

Todays senators from Nebraska havent said whether they would vote to consider a health care bill, let alone discuss its specifics.

I knew that Id be frustrated sitting in the middle, Nelson said. I like to get things done, so getting elected was a means to getting things done. When I couldnt see that much could be done (in 2011), it struck me that maybe now was the time for me to go on and do something else that was, in my mind, productive.

Today, he said, it seems neither party will give an inch on the issues.

If its all or nothing, you know, you usually end up with nothing, Nelson said. Its a terrible way to legislate. You dont get the best ideas, you dont get a compromise, you dont find solutions to problems.
Agriculture is the lifeblood of Nebraskas economy. The industry faces many challenges, from low commodity prices to damaging fires and drought, which reinforce the need to ensure we are doing all we can in Congress to provide certainty in agriculture policy.

The next farm bill is scheduled for 2019. As we prepare to draft this important legislation, it is crucial to hear directly from producers about their ideas and concerns.

Earlier this year, I made stops in Scottsbluff and Aurora on my farm bill listening tour. At these open forums, 3rd District producers talked with me about what they feel is or is not working in the current farm bill. I appreciated their input and perspective, and I have already started communicating their feedback to some of my colleagues in Congress.

I am holding more farm bill listening sessions in August: Broken Bow on Aug. 1, Beatrice on Aug. 3 and South Sioux City on Aug. 23. Any interested 3rd District residents are invited to participate, and Nebraska Director of Agriculture Greg Ibach will also be in attendance. More information on locations and times for these sessions is available at AdrianSmith.house.gov/FarmBillTour.

The farm bill covers a broad range of agriculture policies, including commodity programs, crop insurance, conservation, farm credit, rural development, and foreign and domestic food assistance. Our ultimate goal should be to create policies that strengthen American agriculture and provide the long-term stability needed to maintain our standing as the world leader in this industry. Producers also need a workable bill that offers tools for responsible risk management.

The next farm bill is another opportunity to strengthen these vital commitments.

One topic that came up repeatedly at my Scottsbluff and Aurora sessions is the importance of crop insurance. The 2014 farm bill had bipartisan agreement on strengthening crop insurance, encouraging producers to invest in efficiency enhancements while reducing the likelihood that emergency disaster spending will be needed. We must continue to support this successful public-private partnership, and through it, the producers who manage risk.

Others who attended stressed the importance of opening new markets to sell our agriculture products. This remains one of my top priorities as a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Jason Perdue, a young farmer from York and president of the York County Farm Bureau, testified before the committee Tuesday on the benefits to Nebraska producers under the North American Free Trade Agreement. His willingness to share his expertise was greatly appreciated. I will continue to communicate the importance of agriculture trade to the Trump administration and my colleagues in Congress to assist producers in doing what they do best  feeding the world.

As co-chairman of both the Modern Agriculture Caucus and the Congressional Rural Caucus, I am focused on bridging the gap between urban and rural to help more people understand how the health of the agriculture industry impacts all Americans. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my farm bill listening tour and hope to see you in August.
After 36 years, Ultra Foods faces an uncertain future.

The Ultra stores in Highland and Kankakee, Illinois, will soon close, leaving the Ultra on Broadway in Merrillville as the last remaining location of a discount chain that was once spread widely across Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago suburbs.

Jeff Strack said the new ownership group will evaluate whether to keep the lone store left standing as an Ultra or convert it to a Strack & Van Til after they close on the sale, which is expected to take place on Aug. 2.

Ultra Foods made a huge splash when it first opened on Indianapolis Boulevard in Highland in 1981, introducing the Region to a low-cost, no-frills warehouse shopping concept that was later popularized by Costco and Sam's Club.

The Highland-based Strack & Van Til supermarket chain was looking for a way to hold off national supermarket chains that founders Ernie Strack and Nick Van Til feared would make incursions on their business. The store, which originally stocked a lot of generic and off-brand items like Wildwood Cola, proved to be a big hit.

It drew customers from across the Region, especially from North Lake County given its proximity to the Borman Expressway. Strack & Van Til expanded the brand, converting several former Cubs Foods in Illinois into Ultra stores.

At its height, Ultra Foods, which has slogans like "finest quality  lowest prices" and "the freshest way to save," had 14 locations that were draped like a scarf around the Chicago suburbs.

The lines between Ultra discount stores and traditional Strack & Van Tils blurred somewhat in recent years after a series of multi-million dollar renovations. Both had amenities including sushi bars, fresh cut fruit sections and juiceries.

Despite the investments, most Ultras ended up shuttered in waves of store closings this year as troubled wholesaler Central Grocers lurched into bankruptcy and winds down operations. The Jeff Strack-led Indiana Grocery Group is buying 20 stores, which includes 17 Strack & Van Tils, two Town & Country Markets in Porter County and the Ultra in Merrillville.

"Right now, we think our focus as we move forward is with our Strack & Van Til brand," Jeff Strack said. "With our Ultra brand, we're going to continue to evaluate that and see how we want to handle that. You know, the Ultra Highland was the only Ultra for a number of years and operated very successfully as a single store. We'll make that determination on how we want to handle the Merrillville Ultra after the closing."

Indiana Grocery Group has no questions about whether it will keep the Town & Country brand separate and distinct, Strack said.

"Town & Country has been very successful in the Valparaiso and Portage market, and we look forward to that continued success," he said.
HAMMOND  A 70-year-old former Rensselaer man convicted 17 years ago for child pornography possession was indicted this week on one charge of receiving the material, U.S. District court records show.

A federal grand jury brought the charge against William Moit, 70, who now resides in Westfield, Indiana, according to a news release from the U.S. District attorney's office.

According to documents in this case, Moit was convicted in 2000 in Jasper County for possessing child pornography and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

If you have any information about Moits activities involving children, contact Task Force Officer Jones at the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 219-942-4900.
EAST CHICAGO  The Indiana American Legion is honoring Raphael Perez Jr., a 43-year member of Post 508 in East Chicago, and William "Stan" Gatewood, a 47-year member of Post 502 in South Haven.

Both will receive the 2017 Distinguished Service Award for contributing significantly to the organization through their service to The American Legion and the state of Indiana.

Perez served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era and as post commander in East Chicago for 15 years. He helped coordinate the legion's community work, which includes educational programs for children and financial and medical assistance for veterans.

Gatewood served in the U.S. Marine Corps and served a tour in Vietnam. He served as post commander in 1984 to 1986 and held multiple district officer positions.

The American Legion is comprised of more than 77,000 military service veterans who have served honorably during times of conflict in defense of their nation and has been active within Indiana since 1919.
VALPARAISO | The city's Redevelopment Commission has agreed to assist a longtime downtown lumber and hardware store with its improvement plans.

Von Tobel Lumber and Hardware, 256 Washington St., plans to complete facade upgrades for both its retail store and its Area B warehouse, with costs to exceed $1 million, RDC Executive Director Stu Summers said.

As part of these improvements, Von Tobel expects to add new siding, lighting and signage.

The commission agreed to Von Tobel's requests for two facade grants of $25,000 for each of the buildings.

In addition to the $50,000 in facade grants, Von Tobel has agreed to cooperate with the commission during the creation of the pedestrian connector between ANCO and the downtown along properties owned by Von Tobel.

For this cooperation, Von Tobel has requested an additional $50,000, Summers said.

The $100,000 approved by the commission to go to Von Tobel will come from the Bus Service Expansion account, Summers said.

"By financially assisting Von Tobel in facade improvements and for assistance in the pedestrian connector, the commission is actively serving to beautify two primary gateways from U.S. Highway 30 into our downtown," Summers said.

In other business, the commission also approved the expenditure of $19,000 for the Call For Artists project presented by Kurt Gillins, programs director for the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce.

Under the project, local artists will be invited to participate in the beautification of the city's downtown by decorating planter boxes and knee walls with historically inspired artwork, Gillins said.

The planter boxes and knee walls were installed on Washington Street, between Lincolnway and Jefferson Street with 100 percent of the funds coming from the Redevelopment Commission, Summers said.

"Many downtown businesses and residents have commented that these structures are too plain and RDC staff believe that they offer a unique opportunity for historically inspired artwork in our downtown," Summers said.

The $19,000 budgeted will include compensation to artists, at $2,100 each, as well as a total of $16,564 for installation costs and material costs from Digital Graphic Solutions for the 3M wrapping of concrete, Summers said.
HOBART  The city is preparing to demolish several eyesores, and more structures are expected to be razed in the future.

The Board of Public Works and Safety authorized spending about $17,000 to have Boyd Construction tear down vacant homes in the 5000 Swift Street and 200 block of South Colorado Street.

City Building Official Mike Hannigan said both of the dilapidated facilities have been empty for several years. Owners of the properties didn't appear before the board when it made its decision to demolish the homes.

The panel also decided to seek bids to tear down another empty house at 900 West 7th Place.

City Attorney Anthony DeBonis said the municipality is required to seek bids because the cost to complete it is estimated to be more than $10,000.

The city in March issued a notice requiring building owner Jonathan Lawson to bring the facility in compliance. Hobart officials said there are numerous issues there, including debris in the structure, a burnt-out room and a hole in the roof.

Lawson in June told the board he purchased the home in January with the intention of remodeling it with a partner. His partner later dropped out of the project after the city issued the notice, he said. Lawson told the board it's too large of an endeavor to handle on his own.

The panel gave Lawson time to get a contract in place to renovate the building or sell it. The lack of action taken by Lawson prompted the decision to pursue demolition.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until midnight for Lake, LaPorte and Porter counties, according to the National Weather Service.

Storms will be moving east-southeast at 30 to 40 mph, the NWS said. Northwest Indiana can expect a significant risk for thunderstorms with the potential for quarter-sized hail with wind speeds up to 70 mph. There's also risk for flooding and excessive heat.

Severe storms with torrential rainfall are expected tonight with damaging winds as the primary threat, the NWS said. Developing overnight are thunderstorms with rainfall of 1 to 3 inches or more, according to the NWS.

There will be a limited flood risk Saturday, though thunderstorms and excessive winds may become an issue, according to NWS.
VALPARAISO  Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the dogs agility at the Porter County Fair was the canines behavior. These dogs were well-behaved.

Well, isnt that what this is all about? one young handler commented Friday at the fair.

Animal interaction with humans is a big part of the dog agility project. As Lisa Polazzi, who ran the agility project, explained, canine contestants are judged on how the animals work with their handlers.

This years 61 contestants faced 13 obstacles, including hurdles, A-frame, catwalk and tunnel. Dogs also had to sit for several seconds. Each contestant started with 200 points, with points deducted for not successfully completing each obstacle.

Sabrina Barrish, Porter County Fair dog superintendent, explained that 4-H'ers trained their dogs for safety reasons.

The dogs are very well trained by the kids, Barrish said. They work hard all year long, so that their dogs can compete.

The 4-H dog program offers mandatory workshops, and if young people do not attend, they may not enter the fair agility project.

These kids and dogs have a very strong bond, Barrish explained. Kids are responsible for everything  feeding, training and taking them outside.

Willow Hill, 9, of Portage, has had Sammie, a chocolate Labrador, for six years. Through 4-H, she has learned to teach Sammie some basic commands.

Tricia Hill, Willows mother, is impressed that Willow can handle all the stress and the work that goes into it. Shes very dedicated.

Judith Jackson, 10, of Valparaiso, brought Olaf, an Aussie mix that is deaf and going blind. We teach him using signals he can understand for things like sit, stay, come and go to the bathroom, Jackson explained, adding, I love his kisses, and hes cuddly.

While some dogs cleared the hurdles, other pooches knocked some down. For Jasper, an Aussie shepherd mix owned by Brianna Gast, 14, hurdles posed a challenge.

Ive got to try to get him to go faster, Gast said of hurdling. Jasper is fluffy, and he listens well.

Other young people commented on their dogs friendly disposition.

Dayton Dec, 12, of Union Mills, said Eddie, his German shepherd, may have trouble getting through the tunnel because of his size, but otherwise, Eddie is always happy, just an overall good dog.

Dec and Eddie were relaxing in an adjoining building with individual stalls for dogs. Some young people competed in the best decorated stall.

Clare McNicholas, 17, of Valparaiso, worked with Winston, an old English sheepdog. He had trouble on the catwalk, because his paws are so big, McNicholas said, describing Winston as a lot of fun, always happy. He loves to play.
It's a $1.58 million annual taxpayer expense that could be jeopardizing the safety of government workers in one of the most potentially dangerous locations in Northwest Indiana.

Those conclusions can be drawn from a recent computer-assisted probe I conducted into overtime wages paid to 227 Lake County Jail officers in 2016.

Even more disturbing than the 100-hour-plus work weeks some jailers averaged last year is the seeming inability or unwillingness of the folks in charge to do anything about it.

Raking it in

Few jobs afford rank-in-file employees the opportunity to earn more than their managers.

But five Lake County corrections officers earned about as much or more than the jail warden because of overtime wages last year, county payroll data show.

The highest-paid jailer in 2016, Sonia Medrano, earned $92,417.89 on the strength of a whopping $56,639.94 in overtime.

Medrano's pay last year was more than $20,000 higher than her boss, jail warden Ed Davies, who earned $71,200 in 2016.

She wasn't alone in rank-in-file jailers who earned nearly as much or more than the warden.

Corrections officers Ebou Jallow, who earned $69,756.21, including $34,842.03 in overtime; Mark Collins, who earned $72,100.73, including $32,172.88 in overtime; Alex Garcia, who earned $84,805.04, including $48,940.12 in overtime; and Edward Mattingly, who earned $87,414.76 on the strength of $50,651.71 in overtime, rounded out the top five.

Of 227 corrections guards compensated by the county in 2016, 42 supplemented their base salaries by $10,000 or more in overtime, the payroll data revealed.

Collectively, county finance officials report taxpayers paid jail corrections officers more than $1.5 million in 2016 overtime.

Runaway expense

Lake County government financial director, Dante Rondelli, dubbed county jail overtime as a "runaway expense" in recent years, and the numbers back up the claim.

Since Sheriff John Buncich took office in his recent two-term tour as the county's top elected lawman, jailer overtime has increased from $591,661 in 2011 to the $1.58 million 2016 figure.

That's a growth of 168 percent during the sheriff's current tenure.

It's understandably a maddening expense for county government and finance officials.

Year after year, the sheriff approaches the Lake County Council, hat in hand, often requesting hundreds of thousands of dollars in more money than what had initially been budgeted for the respective years, largely because of burgeoning jailer overtime.

Buncich sometimes makes these requests for additional county funds after jailers already have worked the overtime, meaning the county is backed into a corner to approve the funds.

Imagine it's your responsibility to keep the family books. A finite amount of money flows to the family bank account, and you clearly communicate all family members must live within the budget.

Then your other family members rack up extra expenses, hand you the receipts and say, "OK, now it's your job to find this extra money we've already spent."

It's easy to see why Rondelli, the County Council's chief bookkeeper, literally gasps every time the sheriff takes the podium at county council meetings to seek additional funds.

When do they sleep?

Perhaps even more concerning, though, to some county officials, this columnist and even the sheriff himself are the possible effects the glut of overtime hours can have on the safety and security of both jailers and inmates.

Medrano, the highest paid jailer in 2016, amassed a total of 3,591.6 overtime hours. Divided among 52 work weeks in a year, that's an average of 69 overtime hours per week beyond her regular hours.

The county's second-highest paid jailer in 2016, Ed Mattingly, wasn't far behind.

County records show he amassed 3,170 overtime hours that year, for an average of 60 overtime hours per work week.

Mattingly, 60, told me last week he can handle the mammoth hours and needs the money to bolster what otherwise would be paltry jailer wages.

He said he regularly volunteers for the overtime  as do the handful of other top-paid jailers  because he wants to keep his debt low in preparation for retirement.

It's tough not to admire Mattingly's work ethic.

And even county finance officials admit the sheriff's department has filed all the proper paperwork noting jailers appear to have actually worked the overtime being claimed.

The proper documentation appears to exist for 93,149 overtime hours worked by corrections officers in 2016.

But it's impossible not to question the impact such a work schedule could have on jailers ability to effectively guard some of the most potentially dangerous people in the Region.

Buncich recently spoke with me in his office, noting all of the overtime and payroll hours and pay I tabulated and analyzed were "100 percent correct."

He also was quick to acknowledge the hours jailers are working cant help but compromise sharpness or alertness in a job that demands both qualities in spades.

It's a no-brainer. No one wants tired or burned out jail guards watching over alleged murderers, rapists or other violent offenders who help make up the jail population.

When some jailers average 60 or more hours of overtime per week, when are they sleeping?

It was a question I asked Buncich, followed up by, "If some of these guards are literally living at the jail, how can you be sure they're not sleeping on the job, in a corner, somewhere?"

Buncich said he couldn't be sure.

"I can tell you they're physically here," the sheriff said.

Buncich also noted that guards working in excess of 60 overtime hours in a week may very well not be mentally present.

Who's to blame?

Despite all of the concerns about the toll such hours can take on jailers' sharpness, Buncich virtually threw his hands in the air when asked what can be done to fix the issue.

The sheriff blames ongoing federal oversight and mandates for the overtime excess.

Since 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice have been overseeing mandated improvements at the jail following a series of inmate suicides, infectious disease outbreaks and inmate injuries.

Buncich claims federal mandates arising from that probe have forced the need, based on staffing, for massive overtime hours and expenses at the jail.

It might seem like a reasonable explanation on face value.

However, the Lake County Council has authorized, and the sheriff has hired, 42 new jail guards within recent years, all to help meet the federal mandates without necessitating the overtime.

"We hired 42 people to alleviate this," Lake County Councilman Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, told me last week after reviewing the overtime data I culled. "The sheriff controls this issue."

Dernulc, who serves on a committee negotiating with the jailers union, said he also has grave concerns for the safety of some jailers given the glut of hours worked.

"Is this safe for the guards or the prisoners?" Dernulc asked. "You have to look at these hours and say how much is too much? This is a very physical job with a number of unruly folks in there."

A jail officers' union official I contacted last week declined comment for now, saying he would take my questions concerning overtime hours and expenses to his attorneys before commenting. I never heard back.

Dernulc also expressed concern when he learned Buncich told me he couldn't guarantee some jailers weren't sleeping on the job.

"He needs to find out," Dernulc said.

County finance official Rondelli agreed the buck stops with Bunchich on the proper management of overtime hours and expenses.

Fixing the problem

Buncich argued that a shorter work day could help alleviate issues of jail guard rest and alertness. He said he has received resistance from the jailers' union and county council when asking for guards to work 8-hour workdays, rather than the 12-hour shifts they currently work.

But Dernulc, Rondelli and I fail to see how such a move would alleviate the swirling vortex of overtime within the county lockup.

Even if he wanted to tackle this beast of money and man hours, Buncich would have trouble finding support.

As many already know, he's under federal indictment for felony bribery in an unrelated towing scandal. Buncich's chief deputy already has pleaded guilty. As long as the specter of those accusations hang over his head, Buncich will have zero clout in fixing this and other problems within his jail.

He's also in the heart of his second-consecutive term as sheriff, meaning by Indiana law, county voters must elect a new sheriff in 2018.

Whoever assumes the office must make a priority out of cleaning up the overtime largesse plaguing the jail.

Strong leadership and the ability to unite the council and jailers' union behind a solution should be a top quality of any prospective candidate.

Taxpayers should put the future sheriff, whoever that may be, on notice: Blaming a federal probe, aimed at making the jail safer, for overworked guards and runaway expenses is a nonstarter of leadership.
They are refugees from perhaps the most isolated nation on Earth: North Korea. And for the last few days, these 27 kids and adults have been touring New York City, savoring something they once lacked: freedom. Josh Robin filed the following report.

The children list their favorite things about their trip.

"Yesterday, we went to Six Flags," said one.

A trip to a cave, says another.

"I really like America," one child said through an interpreter. "If people want to stay home, they can. If they want to go outside, they are free to go outside."

Freedom, after childhoods utterly lacking it.

Under penalty of death, they, or their mothers, escaped from the poverty and repression of North Korea, only to find brutality again across the Chinese border.

Mothers and children were abused. Some children are from unwanted marriages.

A reverend brought them to South Korea. He hopes a brief time in another vibrant democracy leaves lifelong lessons.

"It's a big help and challenge for them to come to America because they had only known the narrow perspective of North Korea," Rev. Ki-won Chun of the Durihana Association said through an interpreter.

The totalitarian nuclear-armed state recently fired a missile capable of reaching Alaska. All U.S. military options carry major risks.

But the external threat often overshadows North Korea's treatment of its own people.

Families of escapees can be killed, so we are keeping their identities hidden.

"The military has a lot of power," said one North Korean refugee. "If they demand food from us but we don't have anything to offer them, they stone us or use weapons on us."

One brother and sister were reunited after more than a year apart.

"I left North Korea because there is no freedom there," said one North Korean refugee.

"Freedom is being able to do what you want to do, being able to go where you want to go and being able to say what you want to say," said another.

A freedom leading Assemblyman Ron Kim to lament what's become of the open door tradition in this country.

"To go in a whole different new direction, I think that would be devastating," Kim said.

The reverend says he's saved more than 1,100 people, leading to his imprisonment in China.

He says it started when he saw the corpse of a would-be defector in a river bordering China.

"I have been witnessing women being sold into slavery since 1995, dying while crossing the border, children who are being abused and beaten by adults. I still see this happening," Chun said through an interpreter.

This is the seventh group that the reverend has taken. He says he will be back with his eighth next summer.
A woman who confronted Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday for his actions after a city police officer was killed now has the attention of a person who wants de Blasio's job.

Vickie Paladino, 63, met the presumptive Republican nominee for mayor, Nicole Malliotakis, Saturday morning in Whitestone.

The Staten Island state assemblywoman seized on the opportunity after video of Paladino's confrontation of de Blasio spread on social media, meeting the Whitestone resident and her son at a local diner to discuss her complaints.

"I saw the video the other day, when she was expressing her frustrations with the way this mayor has managed the city, and he just walked away from her, just like he walked away from the people of New York City," Malliotakis said Saturday.

Paladino had called out de Blasio during his trip to the area Thursday as part of his tour of the borough.

As he wrapped up a press conference, Paladino, a longtime Whitestone resident, slammed the mayor for leaving the city this month just one day after a police officer was targeted and killed in the Bronx. The mayor had left town to participate in a protest rally in Hamburg.

"I want to know why you let your police officers down and our country down by going to Germany and protesting against our country!" Vickie Paladino yelled at de Blasio as he left the press conference.

The mayor had appeared there to announce that the city is putting an additional $16 million into a program to smooth out uneven sidewalks caused by tree roots.

"I had an issue to pick with the mayor, and I had no idea why he was here. To discuss trees and concrete? Really?" Paladino said Saturday. "We've got enough people here in landscaping and in the concrete business to take care of our sidewalks, OK?"

Paladino has become sort of a local celebrity after she shouted down de Blasio, making media appearances, saying she is ready to meet with the mayor any time.
Fraser Seitel

What took him so long?

After months of working as White House Press Secretary for a boss who offers zero guidance, zero trust and maximal public abuse, Sean Spicer finally resigned.

Good for him.

Every day, Spicer went to work knowing that his function was unappreciated, his counsel ignored and his contribution to any public understanding of the Administrations actions, virtually impossible.

Here are the five reasons why any press secretary, no matter how competent  be it Anthony Scaramucci, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Laura Ingraham or Mother Theresa  is doomed to failure with Donald Trump as their boss.

1. No Understanding Of/Respect For Public Relations.

Most CEOs havent the slightest idea what public relations is all about, but since they pay for it, they accept the function, work to understand it and, in some cases, grow enormously to respect it.

Not so Donald Trump.

He doesnt understand that public relations is all about building positive relationships, by communicating clearly and honestly, actions in the public interest. Positive public relations is built on truth and transparency.

In Trumps view, public relations is there to do his bidding, to communicate what he wants when he wants it, regardless of appropriateness or veracity. Public relations, Trump feels, requires no particular skill or experience. Thats why he appointed a hedge fund manager to run his communications office.

Trump considers himself a master of public relations (Hes not.). And he considers his public relations spokesmen as necessary evils.

An impossible workplace for a professional public relations person.

2. Public Relations Instincts are All Wrong.

At his White House media introduction, incoming Communications Director Scaramucci credited his new boss for having the best public relations instincts.

Sorry, Mooch.

Left to his own instincts, Trump is a walking public relations disaster; the original Ready Fire Aim.

Trumps recent New York Times interview with three rabid Timesmen eager to roast him, is the latest example of bad instincts getting worse. The Times interview, in which Trump, inexplicably, berated his own Attorney General and once most ardent supporter Jeff Sessions, was apparently concocted by the President himself. Accompanying him to the crucifixion was Hope Hicks, a longtime Trump public relations defender not especially known for pushing back.

The interview had no strategic purpose, no talking point game plan, no reason to be conducted. In other words, pure Trump.

Real estate mogul Trumps wrongheaded public relations instincts could be hidden by selective media exposure. Candidate Trump, the anti-Washington outlier, could also get away with misguided public relations decisions.

But President Trump, in the spotlight 24/7, has no place to hide.

3. No Advice Wanted.

A professional public relations person aspires to become a counselor, advising his employer as to the most optimal communications strategy and messaging to realize organizational goals.

A smart employer will consider public relations counsel equally with legal counsel; arriving at a decision that is balanced between what is legal and what is right. A savvy boss will include his public relations person in all high-level discussions.

In the White House, Spicer groused about being limited in his access to the President. The former Press Secretary learned early and often, Trump doesnt want public relations advice. He knows what to do, and you dont. So shut up and do what he says.

Cheque, please.

4. Second Guessing/Public Shaming.

One reason Sean Spicer chose to cut back on the daily televised White House Press Conference was that his boss would famously sit in front of a TV in a nearby office and rate his Press Secretarys performance.

Usually, Spicey failed; whereupon Trump would let it be known publicly how displeased he was.

A good boss, of course, first informs his trusted subordinates about whats going on, discusses with them how issues should be handled and then gives them latitude in handling difficult questions from the media. If occasionally, said subordinates mess up, a competent executive will bring them aside, in private, point out deficiencies and suggestions to improve.

Trump, on the other hand, who can hardly be classified a competent executive, seems to delight in public shaming, especially of those who work for him.

5. The Emperor Has No Clothes.

And that, in the final analysis, is the real reason that any public relations professional is probably doomed working for Donald Trump. (Are you listening Sarah Sanders?)

Donald Trump is the original man born on third base who thought he hit a triple. His father owned miles of debt-free real estate in Brooklyn and Queens, which ultimately bailed out his overreaching son when he verged on bankruptcy. Critics accuse Trump of being a blatant self-promoter, who lacks humility and tends to, ahem, stretch the truth.

And, of course, they are right.

So for any professional public relations person to accept a position with this White House, they must first get a promise, in advance, that their advice will be listened to, their position will be respected, and they will never be bad-mouthed publicly.

That requires a public relations person who is self-assured, confident in his or her expertise and independently wise, not to mention wealthy; in other words, an individual willing to walk away the moment the Commander-in-Chief violates the promise.

Sean Spicer clearly wasnt that individual. But I bet he feels a lot better today than he did last week.

***

Fraser P. Seitel has been a communications consultant, author and teacher for 40 years. He is the author of the Prentice- Hall text The Practice of Public Relations, now in its eleventh edition, and co-author of Rethinking Reputation" and "Idea Wise. He may be reached directly at [email protected].
A Portarlington man has been banned from driving for six years and given a suspended sentence for his second drink driving offence.

Paul Hyland (53) was charged with drink driving at Main Street, Portarlington, on April 5 this year.

At last week's sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Inspector Eamonn Curley gave evidence that the accused was detected with 72mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

The accused had one previous conviction for drink driving, back in 2010.

Defence, Mr Philip Meagher said that on the day, the accused had been visiting an old friend and they had a number of drinks while the friend cooked dinner.

His friends daughter needed to go to the shop and he said he would drive his friends car.

He came to garda attention when he parked on a double yellow line, said Mr Meagher.

Defence said the accused accepted the reading was high, as he had taken a number of glasses of wine.

Mr Meagher said the accused has one child aged six for whom he pays maintenance.

Judge Catherine Staines imposed a three-month sentence, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for six years.

The judge warned the accused that if he drove drunk again he could go to prison.
Agricultural News

Scholarship Winners Announced at the 2017 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Convention on Saturday

A number of Scholarships were awarded at the 65th annual Convention and Trade Show of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association held at the Embassy Suites in Norman. Here is a list of several of the young men and ladies who were so honored:



Will Shelby of Madill, Okla. was awarded a $1,000 scholarship which was funded by GoBob Pipe and Steel and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Shelby recently graduated from Madill High School and looks forward to attending Oklahoma State University this fall where he plans to major in Animal Science with a PreVet option.



A fifth-generation cattleman, Shelby and his brother have a small cow/calf operation. He's spent alot of time in alongside his father, who's a large animal veterinarian. (The picture here is of Will Shelby as a Regional Star Finalist at the 2017 Oklahoma State FFA Convention.)





**********



Jordan Storey of Idabel, Okla. was awarded a $500 Bedwell Brothers Memorial Scholarship which was funded by friends and family of Jared and Justin Bedwell.



Storey attended Valliant High School and graduated in 2016. She is preparing for her Sophomore year at Oklahoma State University where she is pursuing a degree in Agribusiness with a Pre-Vet option.



Story was active in FFA throughout high school and experienced many successes including: Oklahoma FFA State Star Farmer finalist in 2016; State winner and National finalist in Agriscience Research proficiency in 2016; Beef production placement proficiency winner and national finalist in 2015. She is also involved in many community and campus activities.



**********



Christian Savory of Ripley, Okla. was awarded a $500 scholarship which was funded by Great Plains Kubota and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Savory recently graduated from Ripley High School and has plans to attend Oklahoma State University in the fall. Her career path of choice is to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.







**********



Jacob Wade of Ringling, Okla. was awarded a $1,000 scholarship which was funded by GoBob Pipe and Steel and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Wade has completed his Freshmen year at Oklahoma State University where he is majoring in Animal Science with a PreVet option.



"As far back as I can remember, I have memories of checking and counting wheat pasture cattle with my dad," said Wade.



He still helps his father, but now has some stockers and a few cow/calf pairs of his own to care for. In addition, Wade was a student employee at the OSU Cattle Research Facility while maintaining a high GPA. He received several scholarships based on his academic merit and hard work.





**********



Darcey Hilburn of Welch, Okla. was awarded a $750 Scholarship which was funded by the Trade Show Exhibitors that attended this year's event. The scholarship is administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Hilburn recently graduated from Vinita High School. She plans to attend Oklahoma State University and major in Agribusiness with a Pre-Law option this fall. Hilburn hopes to become an agriculture lawyer and continue her cattle business.



Throughout high school Hilburn was heavily involved in FFA, public speaking, equine judging and showing cattle among many other community service projects and activities.





**********



Kaden McCombs, Navajo, Okla. was selected to intern with the A Bar Ranch, owned by Mike and Martha Armitage in Claremore, Okla.



The Armitage Family partnered with the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) to provide a positive and comprehensive learning experience to a student with a desire to stay engaged in beef cattle production. At the conclusion of the internship, McCombs will receive a $2,000 scholarship funded by the OCF.



McCombs has spent most of his summer at the A Bar Ranch gaining hands-on ranch and marketing experience. He also has experienced some of the challenges faced by producers and the important role that the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association plays in the industry. He did make occasional trips to the OCA headquarters to help with the annual convention and other activities.



McCombs graduated from Oklahoma State University in Dec. 2016 with a degree in Agribusiness and a Farm and Ranch Specialization focus. He is now pursuing a Master's Degree of Science and international Ag.





**********



Samantha Howe of Sulphur, Okla. was awarded a $1,000 scholarship which was funded by Great Plains Kubota and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Howe is a Junior at Oklahoma State University pursuing a degree in Animal Science. She is the fourth generation to work on her family's ranch and seems to have a true passion for the beef industry.



"I have grown up helping feed, doctor and care for our cattle," Howe said. "I am an advocate for the cattle community and use daily opportunities to educate my peers on the health benefits of eating beef."



Howe maintains a high GPA while taking part in a lengthy list of leadership activities and community involvement. She is a member of the Chi Omega Women's Fraternity; OSU President's Leadership Council and has received several other honors throughout high school and college.



**********



Parker Cantrell of Collinsville, Okla. was presented a $800 Frank Elliot Memorial Scholarship. The Frank Elliot Memorial Scholarship was funded by friends of the late Frank Elliot and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF).



Cantrell recently graduated from Skiatook High School and will start classes this fall at Oklahoma State University pursuing a degree in Animal Science.



Throughout high school Cantrell was active in FFA. He experiences many successes in public speaking contest, exhibiting Hereford cattle and livestock judging. Cantrell has also been recognized for scholastic achievement and has attended many leadership conferences and professional development workshops.



**********



Grayson Lane Kuehny of Elmore City, Okla. was awarded a $750 Scholarship which was funded by the Trade Show Exhibitors that attended this year's event. The scholarship is administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Kuehny is a junior at Oklahoma State University pursuing a degree in Agriculture Economics with an Environmental Economics, Politics and Policy Minor. Active in the Honors College at OSU, Kuehny has earned both Dean's Honor Roll and President's Honor Roll recognition at OSU.



Kuehny credits growing up on his family's cattle ranch for his work ethic and drive. "My family had a small feedlot and a cow/calf operation in Southern Oklahoma. I also showed cattle and goats through FFA," Kuehny said.





**********



Ryan Callahan of Edmond, Okla. was awarded a $750 Scholarship which was funded by the Trade Show Exhibitors that attended this year's event. The scholarship is administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF), a charitable arm of the OCA.



Callahan recently graduated from Casady School and plans to attend Oklahoma State University this fall and pursue a degree in Animal Science with and Agricultural Business Option.



Throughout high school, Callahan was very active in 4-H through exhibiting cattle. He continues to be active in Oklahoma and American Angus breed associations and just finished his term as President of the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association.





**********



Kohl Murray of Perkins, Okla. Was presented a $800 Frank Elliot Memorial Scholarship during the recent Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) Convention and Trade Show. The Frank Elliot Memorial Scholarship was funded by friends of the late Frank Elliot and administered by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF).



Murray recently graduated from Perkins-Tyron High School and plans to attend Oklahoma State University in the fall. Murray plans to double major in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Business.



"After graduation, I will pursue a career in Agricultural Education," said Murray.



Murray has a long list of high school accomplishments. Some of the highlights include: State winner, Fiber/Oil Crop Production Placement FFA Proficiency; National FFA Finalist, Diversifed Crop Production Placement; many public speaking successes; national honors society and many more.







"It's truly an honor to present young people who have an interest in the beef industry with scholarships to assist in furthering their education," said Jeff Jaronek, OCF Coordinator.



The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation was created to provide a charitable trust for the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association and Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association. When you support the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, you support beef cattle educational programs, research projects in cooperation with Oklahoma State University, educational scholarships for Oklahoma's 4-H and FFA youth and the preservation of the Oklahoma beef cattle industry and its traditions.









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Top Agricultural News
The pregnancy was the first surprise for an Omaha couple with no plans to expand their family.

Hearing three heartbeats during an early ultrasound was an even greater shock for Amber Morgan and Dwaine Wright.

Then a week later, the doctor confirmed something that even he couldnt believe at first: These triplets were identical.

Of nearly 4 million births in the United States in 2013, fewer than 4,500 were triplets, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nebraska saw 13 sets of triplets that year and has recorded 11 sets so far in 2015.

Rarer still is the likelihood of the Omaha couples spontaneous identical triplets  triplets conceived without fertility treatments.

Estimates by doctors range from 1 in 60,000 to 1 in 200 million. Dr. Bob Bonebrake, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Methodist Womens Hospital, said 1 in 1 million is a more reasonable number.

Given the rarity, Bonebrake consulted with his colleagues to be sure the couples triplets were identical. That occurs when multiples share a single placenta, as his ultrasound examination showed was the case with Morgans pregnancy.

The consensus was thats whats going on, but the consensus also was that nobody had ever seen it (before), he said.

The Wright trio had yet another distinguishing characteristic: Most triplets develop within individual inner sacs in the womb, but in this case, two of the three babies shared a single sac.

A shared sac increases the risk of cord entanglement as the babies swim around each other, which could cut off blood and oxygen to one or both, Bonebrake said.

Should that happen, it would be in their best interest to be delivered early. But you cant leave one behind, said Bonebrake, and premature birth would put the third baby, developing normally in its own sac, at risk.

He called the complexity of the situation uncharted territory.

Every week she came in, there was a little part of me that held my breath until I scanned her and was able to see that we (still) had three heartbeats, Bonebrake said.

Though the pregnancy was progressing well, Morgan was admitted to the Omaha hospitals high-risk unit at 26 weeks in case doctors needed to intervene.

Three weeks later, on Aug. 26, the Methodist team detected two slowing heart rates. Morgan gave birth via cesarean section to Sharlet, Sydnea and Savana about 20 minutes later. Each weighed between 2 and 3 pounds.

Dad Dwaine Wright said he cried when they were delivered. Morgan said they looked like little dolls.

The triplets developed in the neonatal intensive care unit as well as premature infants are expected to. Seven weeks after their birth, mom held all three at once for the first time  they were still small enough to rest across her chest.

The girls left the hospital together last month with Mom, Dad and their 4-year-old brother, Skylor.

I cried for so long in the room. We made it, Morgan said. After 68 days, we were taking them home.

How do Mom and Dad tell them apart now that theyre home?

Morgan said Sydnea still has a small scar from an IV, and Savana is a little bigger than her sisters. But to be sure on nights with little sleep, the parents often mark their bare feet with A, B or C.

Were excited to watch them grow up ... and confuse people, Morgan said, laughing.

The first night home was the moment Dad said it felt real. Now hes the self-proclaimed fastest diaper-changer this side of the Mississippi.

They have stocked plenty of diapers. Plus three car seats, a new van, piles of pink headbands, onesies and tiny socks. Its a balancing act, the parents said.

With two, you have two arms. ... Three is a whole new ballgame, Morgan said as the triplets slept in three bassinets lined up in front of the fireplace.

Three identical stockings marked My First Christmas hung above their heads.

The day after the holiday, theyll be 4 months old.

To come out with three of them healthy with how rare it is, Morgan said. I know that were blessed and they were meant to be here. ... I feel like we were picked.
The lumber market roared near a three-month high this week as wildfires threatened forests and sawmills in British Columbia. There are nearly 400 wildfires ablaze in the Canadian province, which is one of the worlds largest exporters of softwood lumber.

Lumber futures, traded in Chicago, neared $395 per thousand board feet, the highest price since late April, when the market exploded on threats of a trade war between Canada and the United States.

At present, the fires are expanding, resulting in evacuations of nearly 40,000 residents and closures of sawmills in the area.

Here in the United States, there has been strong demand for new construction, which means that this threat to 2x4 supplies could be coming at a bad time for U.S. builders.

Corn, bean markets in whirlwind

Corn and soybean futures had a stormy week as producers, traders and end users tried to track the weather and growing conditions across the country. Both crops are at a critical point in the growing season, when high temperatures or dry weather can threaten yields.

Uncertainty about forecasts is causing the futures to shift into a so-called weather market that vacillates with every update.

As of midday Friday, markets were dropping due to overnight rains, pulling December corn futures down to $3.97 and November beans to $10.20 per bushel.

Gold, silver boom as dollar fades

Precious metals rose to a three-week high Friday, climbing for six straight trading sessions as the U.S. dollar fell to a one-year low.

Investors are fleeing the U.S. dollar and favoring metals after this weeks turmoil in Washington cast doubts on the GOPs ability to pass wide-sweeping legislation this year. Market watchers had been hoping that Republicans could reach a deal on health care and then pass tax reform that could stimulate the U.S. economy, but the political impasse in the Senate and increasing pressures on the Trump White House are dashing those hopes.

Investors prefer precious metals in times of trouble, and have been buying gold and silver over the past two weeks after those markets hit bargain levels in early July.

As of midday Friday, gold was worth $1,253 and silver sold for $16.45 an ounce.

Walt and Alex Breitinger are commodity futures brokers in Silver Lake, Kansas. They can be reached at 800-411-3888 or www.paragoninvestments.com.
A 20-year eastern Nebraska District Court judge will retire Oct. 1, the states judicial branch said Friday.

Second Judicial District Judge William Zastera, 70, will end his time on the bench after 26 years on the county and District Courts for Sarpy, Cass and Otoe Counties.

Zastera also has been a judge of the drug court since it began in 2006 and has served at times as presiding judge for the district.

The Judicial Resources Commission will call a meeting to determine whether, based on workload statistics, Zasteras retirement creates a judicial vacancy on the District Court, the judicial branch said.

As former president of the Nebraska District Court Judges Association, Zastera helped to establish its policy and to direct projects.

Zastera was appointed as a county court judge in the district in 1991. He joined the District Court in 1997.
What started as a conversation about fixing a dilapidated car wash has led to a war of words between a Bellevue city councilman and current and past city officials.

The Bellevue City Council last month told Councilman Pat Shannon, the owner of the car wash at 12709 S. 28th Ave., to fix it or it would be condemned. Residents have complained about the car wash to the citys administration, Permits Department, Police Department and City Council for years.

The council specifically wanted detailed plans, a timetable for the work and for debris and standing water to be removed from the site. They gave Shannon a deadline of Wednesday.

In response, Shannon sent the city and his fellow council members a packet of information this week about the car wash, as a courtesy, and nothing more.

This site is personal property and its development is none of your business, he wrote.

Shannon blamed his car wash issues on the Internet vigilantism of former City Council member Carol Blood, questioned at length a city employees competence, education and judgment, and appeared to threaten the city with a lawsuit.

Should the City Council wish to pursue this stupidity further, then the City Attorney will make money defending the Council actions i(n) court and I will make money when I win, Shannon wrote.

I thought his comments were inappropriate and he really hasnt done anything the city asked him to do, said City Council President John Hansen in response to the comments.

Bellevue City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli said the packet was entirely Shannons opinions.

His opinions are not based in any fact, he said. Some of his allegations dont even deserve to be discussed.

Mangiamelli said the city has a professional staff that treats citizens with respect notwithstanding the treatment they get in return.

This is perhaps one of those examples, he said.

Blood, now a state senator, said she was baffled by Shannons accusations and does not have minions trying to take down the councilman as he suggested.

I have been working for the greater good of my community for decades and I dont have time for the petty type of antics that he is claiming and directing at me, she said.

Shannon claims the city is standing in his way in fixing the property.

I am a businessman and cannot wait on them to decide when they are going to get out of my way and let me finish this project, he said.

Shannons packet included a redevelopment plan that the councilman said was submitted to the city in January 2016 and has never been discussed by the citys Planning Commission. That plan asks for $62,938.59 in tax increment financing for the car wash.

In response to the redevelopment plan, Bellevue Planning Director Chris Shewchuk said TIF cant be used unless an area has been designated as blighted and substandard.

In March 2016, prior to Shannons election, the City Council voted 4-2 to deny the area that designation because they said it did not meet the statutory definitions.

On Monday night the City Council will also hear a separate ordinance proposed by Shannon that would alter the standards of conduct and conflict of interest sections of the Bellevue Municipal Code and allow Shannon to address the council as a citizen rather than as a member. That ordinance is on first reading and the council is not set to take a vote on it.

What the change would do is preserve the Rights of Council members to declare a conflict, step down from the platform and address the Council as a private citizen just like everyone in Bellevue has a right to do, Shannon said in an emailed statement.

During the last discussion on the car wash, Shannon excused himself from the council chambers and was represented by his lawyer.

Mangiamelli opposes Shannons ordinance and has recommended that the City Council reject it outright and remember they were elected to serve the publics best interests.

The changes proposed for the Bellevue Code of Ethics are neither good public policy nor do they facilitate good governance, Mangiamelli wrote in a memo. They should be rejected without embarrassing discussion.
A patient at the Nebraska Medical Center cut a worker who was attempting to draw his blood.

Medical center officials said that about 8:30 a.m. Friday a phlebotomist was attacked by a 37-year-old patient on the fourth floor of the Lied Transplant Center.

The patient had refused to have his blood drawn and attacked Meagan Strande, 30, with a weapon he had fashioned from ordinary items found in his room, hospital and police officials said.

Other staff members and the med centers security team restrained the patient until police took him into custody.

Strande was taken to an emergency room, where she was treated with stitches for a small cut to her face.

Police said the man was booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of assault of a health care professional and use of a weapon to commit a felony.
The Salt 88 restaurant near 132nd Street and West Maple Road has closed as of Saturday, according to the restaurants Facebook page.

To all of our loyal customers, thank you for all of your business these past years, the post reads. We will honor any outstanding gift cards at our Hiro 88 West Maple location after August 15th. You may email requests@88mgmt.com with any questions. Thank you.

Callers to the restaurants phone number hear a recorded message saying it is permanently closed.

In a 2013 article, World-Herald restaurant reviewer Sarah Baker Hansen said diners would find a "creative, intriguing experience" at the restaurant.

The restaurants owner, John Horvatinovich, was charged last summer with obstructing a government operation after he tweeted out photos of two teenagers with the comment, Omaha restaurant peeps: These two are trying to ruin your night w/ sting operations in town.

The teens had gone into the restaurant at 3623 N. 129th St. and tried to buy beer as part of the Nebraska State Patrols alcohol compliance checks. The two were denied after presenting their real IDs, according to testimony at a February trial.

A jury found Horvatinovich not guilty of the misdemeanor charge.

I think it was an absolute waste of taxpayer money, Horvatinovich said afterward. The previous six months had been difficult, he said, as he had spent less time at the restaurant and sales were down.
COLUMBUS, Neb.  Ninety-five-year-old Michael Kacere approached the B-17 Flying Fortress as if it were an old friend.

Ive got to see what the old plane looks like now, he said.

The World War II veteran from Wahoo served as a navigator in a B-17 more than 70 years ago. Friday morning, he was eager to check out one in a display of World War II planes at the airport in Columbus.

What he didnt expect was to find himself strapped in and soaring in the same plane that afternoon. Family and volunteers had banded together to surprise Kacere with the half-hour flight to Omaha.

The B-17 joined several other planes at Eppley Airfield as part of the Collings Foundations nationwide Wings of Freedom Tour. Visitors had the chance to tour the B-17, a B-24 and other World War II aircraft or pay for flights over the weekend.

The tour stops in Nebraska most years, and the living history organization reaches out to locals to try to provide a World War II veteran a free flight in a plane he had served in. Its a mission that gets harder every year as veterans get older.

On Friday morning, Kacere wandered all around the plane, smiling and leaning into his cane. Then he glanced up at the cockpit and yelled in surprise. His sons face was peeking out. The younger Kacere, a former Navy flight surgeon, had come up from Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his 13-year-old son. As Richard Kacere exited the plane in his old flight suit, his father could only shake his head.

Richard Kacere said he didnt hear much about his fathers service until he had grown up and started pressing his father for his history.

Standing near the plane and other members of his family, the stories spilled out of Michael Kacere.

The Iowa native enlisted at 20 with the Army Air Corps. During training he ended up in locations across the United States.

Flour bombs plummeted from Kaceres plane into the South Dakota Badlands.

By 1944 the bombs were real. Based out of England, Kacere served with the 303rd Bomb Group, 428th Bombardment Squadron until the war ended in 1945.

He completed 27 missions over France and Germany, watching blips on a navigational tool called a Gee box to determine the planes location.

Friday, Kacere sat in the body of the plane where the radio used to be manned, the only chair for passengers in the B-17. His spot as a navigator had been in the nose of the aircraft.

Those on board during the war wore small microphones to speak over the drone of the flight. Once, the pilot called in to talk to Kacere and couldnt seem to hear him. The navigator repeated himself, until he looked down and noticed the wire of his microphone was severed by a piece of flak.

Another time, a fellow navigator asked Kacere if he could take his place on a flight. The other navigator had one more mission left before he could go home, and Kaceres mission was supposed to be an easier one.

The plane returned in one piece, but the other navigator didnt. A piece of shrapnel had hit his head and killed him in the seat where Kacere would have been.

Thats when I figured when my time was up, my time was up, he said. You couldnt control it.

Kacere rode a B-17 for the last time in 1945 as he headed back to the United States. His next stop was Nebraska: Chadron for college, and then to Gordon, where he spent many years as an optometrist.

But it was his time in the skies over Europe that was on Kaceres mind Friday. Nebraskas quilt of fields looked like those in England, he told his son, who rode next to him.

He looked out the window and thought about how times had changed, too. There had been little more to his service than that soldiers were needed at the time, and he could fill that role, he said.

We didnt think about it, he said. We just got up and did what we were supposed to do.
A state senator Friday criticized the University of Nebraska system for doing what he called a poor job of tracking the state money it receives.

State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a member of the legislative Appropriations Committee, made the observation in a letter to NU President Hank Bounds.

Kuehn wrote that during the two-year budget process this year he came to understand that state general fund dollars appropriated to the University of Nebraska are not tracked beyond the level of the campus to which they are allocated.

The NU system expects to receive about $570 million in state money in 2017-18.

Bounds responded in an email that NU reports detailed information about our budget in a number of places and ways that, Bounds said, were shared with Kuehn in the spring.

Not only do we comply with state and federal reporting requirements, we go above and beyond in making budget and salary information widely available in order to be fully transparent and accountable, Bounds said.

Kuehn said that as state tax revenue continues to fall below projections, full accounting of all state dollars is even more important.

In a separate letter to constituents in his legislative district, Kuehn wrote: Every other state agency is subject to full scrutiny of how taxpayer dollars are used.

Confidence in the investment in NU and effective decisions about future appropriations require full transparency and accountability, he wrote.

Bounds said Kuehns request could require new accounting practices and more investments in staff and infrastructure, adding to the red tape that the Governor has called on state agencies to cut.
LINCOLN  A friendly tap, or a punch, on the shoulder between two law officers triggered an unexpected legal dispute that reached its conclusion Friday in the Nebraska Supreme Court.

The lawsuit transpired in 2013 after a Lancaster County sheriffs deputy greeted a female Lincoln police officer by making contact with her shoulder while the two were on duty at the emergency communications center. The deputy described the contact as a light, open-handed pat; the officer said it was a close-handed punch.

Either way, Deputy Terry Jones didnt know Officer Julie Pucket had recently returned to work after having undergone rotator cuff surgery on her left shoulder. The physical contact reinjured the shoulder, the officer said, and she had to undergo a second surgery and rehabilitation.

The City of Lincoln sued Lancaster County over $63,000 in medical expenses tied to the surgery and rehab. On Friday, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled in the countys favor by upholding a lower court decision that dismissed the lawsuit.

One issue decided by the court involved the limits of sovereign immunity granted to governmental entities when it comes to liability claims. In other words, governments generally cant be sued.

There are exceptions, however, which are spelled out in a state law called the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act.

But the act says a government does not waive immunity when one of its employees commits an act of battery, which is defined as intentional physical contact by one person upon another that results in harm.

Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly and Deputy County Attorney Doug Cyr argued that the deputys contact with the officer was battery. The contact was intentional, even though it was not intended to cause injury, and therefore the county could not be held liable for any injuries the officer suffered.

Lincoln City Attorney Jeff Kirkpatrick and Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Elliott argued that the county had liability insurance at the time of the incident, which essentially waived the countys immunity defense.

The Supreme Court sided with the countys lawyers. It said the deputys contact with the officer was intentional and that, therefore, it did not result in a waiver of the countys sovereign immunity.

The high court also reviewed language in the countys insurance policy and determined it provided bodily injury coverage only for accidental actions. Because a battery is by definition intentional, the deputys touching of the officer could not be deemed an accident, the court ruled.

The high court upheld the decision of Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson, who originally ruled in the countys favor in 2016.
Ready for your eclipse selfie?

Next months solar eclipse could be the most photographed natural event in American history.

But unique technical and safety issues will challenge pros and amateurs alike.

So rare are total solar eclipses that few people have photographed them.

We are all in the same boat, said professional Nebraska nature photographer Michael Forsberg.

On the other hand, with potentially millions of cameras clicking away along the eclipses 2,500-mile path, theres a good chance that some folks will produce great images to memorialize the event.

As they say, nothing that is good is ever easy, said Lucas Gilman, a professional photographer and Nikon ambassador, who plans to photograph the eclipse near the Grand Teton mountain range in Wyoming.

Its definitely not an easy one, Gilman said, but with a bit of practice I think everybody can walk away with some pretty cool results.

Perhaps the most burning question about photographing the Aug. 21 eclipse is: Will it damage my camera sensor?

This question concerns both high-end professional cameras and smartphone cameras.

During totality, when the moon completely covers the sun, everyone can shoot away without worry.

But during the partial phases, before and after totality, when the sun is still bright, cameras could be damaged.

The big camera-makers, Nikon and Canon, both advise using a solar filter during the partial phases.

Photojournalist Dave Henry, a Canon photography expert, said telephoto lenses act like a magnifying glass.

Its similar to when we were kids, wed take a magnifying glass and burn a leaf on the lawn, he said. Thats what we dont want people to do: ruin their equipment, their sensor or, if theyre looking through the viewfinder at the same time, ruin their eyesight.

Solar filters block virtually all light except the bright light from the suns surface.

Solar filters and glasses should come from NASA-approved companies and meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Some approved companies are Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17.

People should take care not to bend or scratch the filters, which would allow damaging light to slip through.

Wide-angle eclipse shots that include the landscape are less likely to cause damage, Henry said.

In landscape photography, photographers commonly use wide-angle lenses to get the sun coming over the edge of a mountain or through the leaves of a tree, he said.

In those cases, the length of exposure typically is brief and the aperture  the hole that lets light into the camera  small, he said.

Thats going to be fine, he said. You dont need a solar filter for that.

Steve Heiner, senior technical manager at Nikon, notes that the sun reflected through a lens for prolonged periods of time may also cause damage due to accumulating heat.

Smartphone owners are probably safe from sensor damage, experts say.

Apple spokesman Alex Kirschner said iPhone owners have nothing to worry about taking shots of the eclipse.

However, smartphones, while good for selfies and landscape shots, arent designed for eclipse photography, experts say.

Ken Sklute, another Canon expert, said the eclipse is one event that the smartphones really need to sit out.

The lenses arent made for magnification, he said.

Its not going to provide a good image right from the get-go, he said.

Theres also the possibility of eye damage when people hold up a smartphone to frame the eclipse shot, Sklute said.

A better option, he said, would be buying an inexpensive compact or point-and-shoot camera with a longer lens that can accommodate a solar filter, he said.

Jeff Ramsell, an associate at Rockbrook Camera, has been shooting since 1988.

The son of an ophthalmologist, Ramsell stresses safety  for your eyes as well as your camera.

Both should have a filter during partial phases  for people watching in Omaha, that means the entire event, he said.

For folks in the totality zone, the darkness offers a short window, so you have to be ready to look away and put the filter back on the camera  and glasses on your eyes  after totality, he said.

For people who want to capture the eclipse up close, photography websites recommend using a lens between 300 mm and 2000 mm  which can get pricey.

The longer the focal length, the more detail.

At 2000 mm, the sun fills up the frame. Long lenses require a tripod for stability and remote shutter release.

During totality, its possible to see stars, the corona and even surface features of the moon.

Photographers will have the greatest success setting exposures manually to keep up with changes in light intensity, Ramsell said.

Manual focus will be the better choice, too, because autofocus will have a hard time grabbing onto the brilliant sun, Ramsell said.

It might help to practice focusing on the moon a couple of nights before to determine the right focusing distance, and then set that distance on eclipse day.

When in doubt, you could set the lens to infinity, he said.

He and other experts recommended using a digital single lens reflex camera with interchangeable lenses for this event.

But even with the right camera, he said, shooting an eclipse can be tricky at best.

If trying for a close-up time-lapse, you might have to keep moving the tripod and resetting the exposure.

For those who dont mind a little creative cheating, Ramsell said theres always the composite shot: capturing the foreground image in one shot and the eclipse in another and blending them.

Some of the best shots, Ramsell said, may not be in the sky but on the ground, such as the emotional reactions of people witnessing the event.

Ramsell said people might ask themselves whether they want to capture the event with family and friends or try to be an amateur astronomer.

After all, he said, when you zoom in close on the sun, its just a big orange spot.

I hope that people take the time to witness the event and not focus so hard on just getting a photograph, he said.

Forsberg suggests seeking advice from reputable sources like Canon and Nikon. Both companies have posted tips on their websites. NASA has, too.

Dont forget to turn around and see how the changing light affects your surroundings, he said; thats an important part of the visual story.

The light during an eclipse could be similar to that of a sunset or sunrise, two of the favorite times of the day for photographers.

Its going to be middle of the day, and its going to be twilight, he said. Hows that going to look? Thats exciting.

Forsberg is eager to see what images people come up with and how people will perceive the event in different ways, he said.

To that end, hes interested in seeing photos that are not of the eclipsed sun.

Thats important to get, but what else are you going to get? he said.

People should consider doing a time-lapse, Forsberg said.

In 2011 he co-founded the Platte Basin Timelapse project, which operates 50 cameras along the Platte River from high in the Rockies through Nebraska.

Normally the cameras take one photo an hour, capturing the long-term impacts to the watershed. Forsberg said he will probably shorten that interval to capture the eclipse.

Im going to make sure those cameras are working overtime, he said.

Nebraska native Thomas Mangelsen, a professional wildlife photographer who snapped an iconic shot of a sockeye salmon leaping into the jaws of an Alaskan brown bear, will miss the eclipse.

His cabin in the Tetons lies directly in the path of totality, but Mangelsen said he will be out of the country. He got an offer he couldnt refuse.

I have an opportunity to photograph the last of the great elephant tuskers, he said. Theres only a half dozen left in a couple of places in South Africa and elsewhere.

Friends told him hes crazy to miss the eclipse. But its the best time to go to Africa, and it fits his lifelong conservation mission, he said.

I dont think Ill regret it, Mangelsen said. But well see how I do in Africa, I guess.
Look around communities large or small in the Midlands, and you find many examples of energetic local theater, with talent drawn directly from the community for these amateur productions.

Cass County provides a notable example with the Lofte Community Theatre, a modern, beautifully designed barn theater. The show this weekend is Monty Pythons Spamalot.

In Iowa, the Chanticleer Community Theater, with a 65-year history, will be moving to the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center planned for downtown Council Bluffs.

Down the road in Macedonia, Iowa, residents showed terrific civic vision when they converted a former John Deere dealership into arts council space, including a 132-seat performance venue.

The Omaha area is blessed with a particular richness of offerings  Theatre Arts Guild Omaha lists more than 30 theatrical performance spaces. The Omaha Community Playhouse, with a professional touring arm, remains a highlight, with a venerable history going back to the first performance in 1925.

Local amateur theater is alive and well in Nebraska communities including York, Beatrice, Kearney, Grand Island, Papillion-La Vista, Ralston and the Elkhorn area.

Bravo indeed for this community spirit.
Ajit Doval is a ray of hope says China amidst Doklam standoff

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's visit to China will be important to ease tensions amidst the Doklam standoff an article in the Global Times has said. A Chinese analyst while making comments in the report said that Doval's visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.

Doval is scheduled to visit China on July 27 and 28. He would take part in the BRICS summit and will also meet with his counterpart. The meeting is hosted by his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi. It is part of a series of meetings of officials from BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - ahead of this year's summit of the five-member bloc of emerging countries in Xiamen city in September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit.

Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum thinktank, said "China would lodge solemn representation with the Indian side during Doval's visit, hoping it could take measures to ease the tension. India may make some requests as a bargaining chip for its pulling out troops," Ma, who specialises in India-China studies, said. He, however, cautioned that if the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the issue, the China-India ties would be severely damaged.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off in Doklam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

OneIndia News
Beef festival in Nagaland by NPF against 'political coup' by BJP

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Kohima, July 22: The entire Northeast region is beefing loudly about the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its attempt to ban beef across the country.

The alleged backdoor attempt by the BJP to ban beef has received strongest opposition from the region and the southern state of Kerala, as in these places a majority of the people have been eating beef for a long time.

The word "beef" has become symbolic to any protest the Northeast region hosts against the Centre or the BJP, these days.

On Friday, when Nagaland got a new chief minister, TR Zeliang, after ousting his former party colleague, Shurozelie Liezietsu, the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) was split into two groups.

The supporters of Liezietsu, who had earlier come together to remove Zeliang from the CM post in February, alleged that the latest change of guard in the state is the result of a "political coup" engineered by the BJP in collusion with Governor PB Acharya.

The BJP was a partner of the NPF in Nagaland and together with other parties they were running the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government.

However, after Zeliang contested Liezietsu's majority in the state assembly, the NPF removed him from the party. Nonetheless, Zeliang won the floor test with 47 of 59 MLAs voting in his favour.

Thus, currently, the present CM of the Nagaland is a party-less man. Amid all these political tension and confusion in the northeastern state, the NPF Youth Wing to express its resentment over the alleged "political coup" orchestrated by the Acharya and the BJP organised a beef feast at the NPF Central office in Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland, on Friday.

Hundreds of party men and women joined the feast, where the NPF Youth Wing had prepared different beef delicacies.

In a letter addressed to the Governor, NPF Youth Wing president Vihoshe N Swu and working president Bendang Longkumer said, "Your Excellency has been terribly busy in the last few days breaking all democratic norms playing politics and installing your party BJP-friendly government in the state."

They accused that Acharya has forgotten that the office of the Governor should be apolitical and stay away from politics, and have been acting as the leader of the dissident NPF group.

"Your attempts to cloak your political decisions with some semblance of legality are transparent and the nakedness of it all is most repulsive and loathsome," they said.

Expressing that Nagas are patient people, but there is a limit to their patience, the NPF Youth Wing said, "We are now in a jubilant mood because not only has the NPF severed ties with the BJP for good, you yourself have shown how low you can stoop to achieve your political and religious agenda in the last few days."

They said, in order to celebrate Acharya's latest political coup and to mark the severance of ties with his political party-the BJP, the NPF Youth Wing organised a beef feast.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 11:22 [IST]
International news brief: Floods trap many in Florida; Royal Mint unveils first coins and more

CAG report nails Centre for denying funds to fight floods in Northeast India

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Guwahati, July 22: A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed how ruling parties at the Centre have long neglected the flood situation in three northeastern states--Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur--by not releasing the entire funds meant to fight natural calamities.

The CAG report, placed in Parliament on Friday, exposes the Centre's apathy towards the flood-affected people of these states, as a huge chunk of flood assistance funds were not released between April 2007 and March 2016.

The report has come to light at a time when several parts of the Northeast region, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland are battling floods and landslides.

The CAG report stated that Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur received 60 per cent, 78 per cent and eight per cent less flood assistance respectively from the Centre between April 2007 and March 2016.

The report highlights that insufficient flow of funds adversely affected implementation of various schemes to fight floods in these states.

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Assam which was supposed to receive Rs 2,043.19 crore to implement 141 projects received only Rs 812.22 crore from the Centre. Thus the state was denied Rs 1,230.97 crore or 60 per cent of the allocated funds by the Centre. Further, the state government did not release 84 per cent of the allocated budget provision, stated the CAG report.

In fact, recently Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him about the ongoing floods in the state that have affected more than 25 lakh people across 29 districts.

Around 70 people have died due to floods in the state, this monsoon.

The CAG found that in Arunachal Pradesh, 10 flood management projects were approved in 2010-11 and were meant to be completed within two to three financial years.

"There was a shortfall in release of central assistance by 78 per cent. This led to a delay in the commencement of the projects. Hence, they remain to be completed," said the CAG report.

In Manipur, the Centre was supposed to release Rs 96.81 crore of which it released Rs 89.31 crore, a shortfall of Rs 7.42 crore or eight per cent.

"The delay in release of central assistance to state governments from the date of approval of empowered committee resulted in delay in commencement and completion of works," the report said.

The shortfall in central flood assistance to these three states was detected by the CAG during its performance audit on schemes for flood control and flood forecasting sanctioned during the Eleventh and Twelfth plans from 2007 to 2016.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 8:20 [IST]
Sunanda Pushkar's Death: Experts to examine documents, Arguments on charges on Aug 20 and 22

Sunanda Pushkar's death: Cops say she was in mental agony because of Tharoor-Mehr affair

Delhi police gets time to go through Sunanda Pushkars tweets

Clueless about how Sunanda Pushkar died say Delhi police

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

The Delhi Police submitted the status report to Delhi HC saying the cause of Sunanda Pushkar's death is unknown. Sunanda, wife of Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor was found dead in Room no. 345 of Hotel Leela Palace in 2014.

Meanwhile, Sunanda Puskhar's son has filed an application in Delhi HC asking to be made a party in the case.

Swamy demands probe by other agency

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday said, "Some other agency should investigate Sunanda Pushkar's death.Shashi Tharoor has lied and evidences have been tampered."

Earlier, the Delhi High Court on Thursday had asked the city police to file a status report with regard to the ongoing probe into the death of Sunanada Pushkar.

A bench of Justices GS Sistani and Chander Shekhar directed police to place within three days their report during hearing of Subramanian Swamy's plea for a court-monitored probe by the CBI-led SIT into the matter.

The direction was issued by the bench after Delhi Police standing counsel Rahul Mehra informed the court that the status report of the investigating agency has been given to him in the court room so he wants to go through it before placing it on record.

Yesterday, the court directed Delhi Police to de-seal hotel room in four weeks, where Sunanda Pushkar was found dead.

(With agency inputs)
Centre on Darjeeling unrest: Mamata has set quiet hills on fire

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, July 22: It's unlikely that normalcy would return soon in restive Darjeeling and its neighbouring areas in West Bengal, as the Centre has ruled out chances of talks between all the concerned parties till "peace has been restored in the region".

The Narendra Modi government on Friday also blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state for the present unrest in the hills.

The Centre said WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is responsible for the unrest in Darjeeling. It added that her attitude and handling of the issue has "set the quiet hills on fire".

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told the Lok Sabha that tri-partite talks involving the Centre, the state and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) can be held only after peace has been restored in the region.

He made the statement after Mohammed Salim of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) raised the issue in the Zero Hour, accusing Banerjee of trying to impose her will on language and other governance affairs on the people in the hilly region.

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"You cannot declare a war on the people," he said, adding that the state's food minister had threatened to stop supply of essential provisions to Darjeeling if the protests continued.

The central government cannot remain quiet, he said, asking it to call a tri-partite meeting.

"You must tell the CM to work as per the Constitution," he told the Centre. Themembers of the TMC, which is in power in the state, were not in the House.

Kumar said the situation in Darjeeling was getting more serious. "There must be peace. If the quiet hills have been set on fire, then the reason is the Chief Minister's attitude and her handling of the issue," he said.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 6:53 [IST]
Coconut tree crushes Mumbai woman but BMC's apathy is the real killer

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

A Mumbai woman, who suffered severe injuries after a coconut tree came crashing down on her, died on Saturday morning.

The grieving family has held Bruhanmumbai Municipal Corporation's apathy responsible for her death. The civic agency had allegedly unnecessarily delayed granting permission to chop down the tree that was posing a threat. This very tree came crashing down on 57-year-old Kanchan Nath.

It was a disaster waiting to happen and the apathy by Mumbai's civic authority allowed it. The locals claimed that on February 17, 2017, an application as filed with the BMC seeking permission to chop the weak tree down. Officials from the civic agency who visited the spot refused to grant permission citing that the tree was healthy. Locals claim that further requests were made and Rs 1,300 was paid as a deposit but the BMC delayed in granting permission.

On Thursday morning, Nath was on her morning walk. The tree that the residents wanted to be chopped, came crashing down on her injuring her severely. The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera. While onlookers rushed to her rescue and admitted her to a nearby hospital, the former news anchor passed away in the wee hours of Saturday.

"A case of murder should be registered against officials. My wife lost her life because of their negligence," said Rajat Nath, the victim's husband.

The incident comes at a time when the BMC has issued a notice to a popular RJ for mocking pothole-ridden roads of Mumbai.

On Saturday, Mumbaikars came out in large numbers to support RJ Malishka and condemn Shiv Sena's bullying.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 18:44 [IST]
Mubin did it in Coimbatore: Why do Islamist terrorists shave their body before a suicide mission

Coimbatore activists attempt to send sanitary napkins to PM, get arrested

India

oi-Anusha

Six members of a youth organisation were arrested in Coimbatore for attempting to send sanitary napkins to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. To mark their protest against 12 per cent Goods and Services Tax on sanitary napkins, Puratchikara Ilaignar Munnani attempted to parcel napkins and courier it to the Prime Minister but were taken into custody.

Protesters, including three women, condemned the 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins and attempted to courier napkins to the Prime Minister and emulate similar protest across the country. Members of the organisation gathered outside the head post office in Coimbatore on Friday shouting slogans and holding placards condemning taxation on sanitary aids.

"The central government exempted GST on many products that aren't essential but has implemented 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins and 18 per cent GST on food for children. This, while pizza attracts just 5 per cent GST," the protesters told the media.

Protesters demanded a rollback of GST on sanitary napkins and urge the GST council to consider it during the next session. The protesters were taken into custody before they could courier sanitary napkins to complete their protest. Similar protests have taken place across the country condemning 12 per cent GST on sanitary aids.

OneIndia News
What will Pranab say at RSS event? De-coding his last speech as President of India

Don't preach secularism while backing corruption, JD(U) tells Congress

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

You cannot pursue secularism while being party to corruption the JD(U) has told the Congress. The statement from the JD(U) comes in the midst of a tussle between the party and the RJD. Incidentally the Congress is part of the Grand Alliance in Bihar.

JD(U) spokesperson Ajay Alok said that the Congress cannot fight the battle of secularism against the fascist forces while being a party to corruption. The statement was made in retaliation to comments by the Congress which had criticised the JD(U) for seeking an explanation from Bihar's deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav who was raided by the CBI.

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Following the raids, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been under pressure to sack his deputy. Tejashwi of the RJD and son of Lalu Prasad Yadav has however refused to budge and neither give an explanation on the charges against him.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 7:29 [IST]
Chicago media - hysterical over sudden staff changes at the governor's office - searched the internet for anything that would embarrass the governor's office about those changes. They believed they hit a jackpot when they found Carl's pro-life comments on a blog she wrote for prior to her taking the job with Governor Rauner. The scandalous comments were found on a conservative blog called "Reclaiming Feminism."

CHICAGO - While as a whole Illinois' prolife movement remained silent when a new communications staffer for Governor Rauner was under attack from Democrats and pro-abortion Leftists, Brittany Clingen Carl finally found outspoken support fro m Illinois Family Institute's Laurie Higgins .

UPDATE: Since publication, Illinois Right to Life has notified us that we missed their early support of Ms. Carl. We stand corrected. Their comments are below.

The Sun-Times breathlessly reported Carl's defense of the unborn:

Certainly nothing matches the atrocity of the Holocaust, but its undeniable that abortion is being used to rid the world of disabled and other unwanted persons  a fact the Left and their pro-abortion allies dont want discussed, Carl wrote. Carl also wrote about parents aborting babies diagnosed with Down syndrome: Attempting to rid the world of people with Down syndrome simply because they are different constitutes the dangerous and morally reprehensible practice of eugenics not entirely unlike what was practiced in . . . Nazi Germany.

Abortion promoters "Personal PAC" pulled out the knives and did their best to slice up Governor Rauner, his wife, and his new staff member.

Hours and days went by and there was little, if any, public defense of Carl from normally vocal prolifers. (UPDATE: Illinois Right to Life has since pointed out to IR published quotes supporting Carl.)

Until Illinois Family Institute's prolific contributor Laurie Higgins stepped up, tying all the complaints and criticism together before standing in Carl's defense:

Brittany Carl is exactly the type of person whom Rauner needs on his team. So far Rauner has been a friend neither to the unborn nor to social conservatives who care deeply about all human lives, including even the unborn and the imperfect. Despite what Personal PAC and Planned Parenthood believe, the product of conception between two humans is actually a human, and all humans are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life.

Higgins continued,

Whom do you trust: Cosgrove who has spent his entire adult life fighting for the non-existent right of women to have their children killed before they breathe their first breath or Brittany Carl, who has the wisdom, compassion, and courage to protect the unalienable right of the least of these to life? I say, welcome Ms. Carl.

Read more of Ms. Higgins' comments about the situation HERE.

UPDATE post publication of IR story: Illinois Right to Life wrote the following in an email to supporters Friday morning:
'Ferocious animosity against minorities under Trump and Modi,' says Martin Luther King III

India

oi-Anusha

Civil rights activist Martin Luther King III who inaugurated the international conference on Ambedkar drew parallels between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi and how minorities had been targetted under their leadership.

"Like Donald Trump's campaign and the election of Modi has unleashed a ferocious animosity against minorities," King III said. He added that parallels were many between alt-right in the US and the Hindu-extreme right in India. "In India cow vigilantism is present. A Dalit or minority is killed by cow vigilantes and the police just stand and watch," Martin Luther King III said. Making specific references to Dalit lynching incidents in Una, the civic activist called for people to act against the same.

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"Has anything changed for the blacks in America now? After all the struggle my father went through? Economic instability continues and here in India caste bias continues," King reiterated. He spoke about how incidents of hate crime had been on the rise in America after Donald Trump's election as president and drew parallels with India.

"Cow vigilantes attack Muslims while police remain spectators. Assaulting a Dalit, Muslim, a woman or anyone weak has become the new normal. People who believe that India should be a Hindu nation are being placed in powerful positions of democracy," the activist added.

"Caste system is a prison without walls. Just like my father spoke of 'black life matters, Dalit life matters. Untouchability was outlawed 60 years ago, yet upper caste men do not eat with Dalits or sit with Dalits," he added. Drawing parallels between life, principles and works of Dr B R Ambedkar and his father Martin Luther King Jr, King III said that it was time for India to be through racism, casteism and sexism.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 6:06 [IST]
Visuals of floods in Assam show devastation caused by incessant rains [Videos]

Over 50 cows die in flooded gaushala in MP's Rajgarh

Flood-like situation in parts of Saurashtra in Gujarat; 3 dead, 10 state highways damaged

India

oi-PTI

Ahmedabad, Jul 22: At least three persons dead as incessant rains lash some districts of Saurashtra in Gujarat that has led to a flood-like situation in the region.

The highest rainfall of 350 mm in the last 24 hours was recorded in Chotila of Surendranagar district.

According to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the weather department has given a warning of heavy rains for the next 48 and state administration has been asked to remain alert.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Air Force (IAF) and teams of other agencies have been pressed into service and they have so far rescued 214 stranded people. Over 6,200 people in the region have been shifted to safer places.

Ten state highways and many roads have also been damaged.

Rupani today held a review meeting with the government officials at the state disaster control room in Gandhinagar and took stock of the situation and the rescue operations.

"Surendranagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir Somnath districts in Saurashtra region have received heavy rains in the last 24 hours. Ahmedabad and other parts of North Gujarat till Mandal are witnessing heavy rains since this morning," the chief minister told reporters.

Vadodara and parts of central Gujarat received good rains last night, he said.

The highest rainfall of 350 mm was recorded in Chotila of Surendranagar district, while Vadia in Amreli district received over 250 mm rainfall, he added.

"Three people have died due to drowning in the last 24 hours," Rupani said.

While one of them died in Rajkot, the details regarding the two other deceased were yet to be known.

The NDRF, IAF and state rescue teams have so far rescued 214 people, stranded at different places, Rupani said adding that 6,235 people have been shifted at safer places from low lying areas near rivers and dams.

"Ten state highways and 65 roads have been damaged due to the rains. Work is on to restore roads," he said.

Rajkot-Ahmedabad national highway has also been closed due to water-logging, which led to traffic jams.

"We have instructed district administrations to be alert and all help is being provided to the people affected by heavy rains," Rupani said.

Heavy rains have thrown life out of gear in many parts of the state.

Rajkot district collector Vikrant Pandey said one person drowned in rain water in Jasdan town in the district.

"Over 700 people have been shifted to safer places.

The NDRF team has rescued over 16 people, who were stranded in flood waters in various parts of the district," he said.

Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner B N Pani said, a two-storey building located in Hathikhana area of the city collapsed, but no causality were reported.

"The city received over 72 mm of rainfall as Lalpari reservoir has overflown and nearly 60 people living in the surrounding areas have been shifted to safer places," Pani said.

Surendranagar is the worst-affected district in the Saurashtra region. The NDRF team has rescued over 15 people in the town.

"Dharoi dam in Chotila has overflown, prompting the authorities to close Rajkot-Ahmedabad national highway as the rain water has flooded the road," Surendranagar flood control room said.

Catchment areas of most dams and reservoirs in Saurashtra region received good amount of rain water.

Water logging was observed in several low-lying areas of the Ahmedabad. Heavy rains also continued to lash and the city received over 100 mm of rainfall since last night.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 17:35 [IST]
How a Bengaluru NRI aided Rs 2 crore transaction in AIADMK symbol bribery row

India

oi-Anusha

A Bengaluru NRI businessman helped TTV Dinakaran transfer Rs 2 crore to 'persons' in Delhi. Details of how the transaction took place have been recorded by the Delhi crime branch police in the case diary of the AIADMK symbol bribery row. V C Prakash, an office bearer of Karnataka NRI forum and an aide of former Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwar, in his statement has confessed that money was routed from TTV Dinakaran to 'someone in Delhi'.

In his statement to the Delhi police, V C Prakash has claimed that he knew Mallikarjuna, TTV Dinakaran's aide who was also arrested in the Election Commission bribery case. Prakash said that he fostered good relations with Mallikarjuna to better business prospects. He added that he even helped TTV Dinakaran meet Sasikala Natarajan in the Bengaluru Central Prison.

Prakash in his statement said that on April 14, 2017, he received a call from Mallikarjuna. Since it was a missed call, Prakash called Mallikarjuna back via WhatsApp calling. "Mallikarjuna told me that there was an emergency for him in Delhi. He asked me if I knew anyone who could help in transferring Rs 2 crore to Delhi from Chennai," Prakash's statement reads. He then confesses about contacting another friend Najimudeen and asking him to arrange for the money to be sent to Delhi. "He said that the transfer can be arranged but requested to call in the morning," he added.

Mallikarjuna is said to have called Prakash again on April 15, 2017, to check the status of transfer after Prakash called the friend he had contacted previously. Sabitha, the personal assistant of Najimudeen coordinated with Prakash. "I called Sabitha via WhatsApp and explained that one of my friend from Chennai wanted to send some funds from Chennai to Delhi urgently and requested her to help him. She gave the number of Daniel and stated that he would help," Prakash told the Delhi police.

Prakash contacted Daniel and connected him to Mallikarjuna. At 1.30 PM on that day Prakash called Daniel to confirm if he had received the money. At around 4.30 PM Prakash said that he called Sabitha to let her know that only Rs 1 crore had been transferred and that Mallikarjuna was frantic about the money not reaching the people in Delhi. Prakash was then given the mobile number of another person, Faisal to coordinate the transaction. Finally at around 9.30 PM on April 15, 2017, Prakash received confirmation that the money had been successfully transferred.

Prakash claimed that he realised that the money he facilitated belonged to TTV Dinakaran only through media reports. His statement explaining the money trail was recorded before the Delhi crime branch police on May 4, 2017.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 15:14 [IST]
Kerala Congress MLA arrested on charges of rape

India

oi-Anusha

M Vincent, a Congress MLA from Kerala was arrested on charges of rape on Saturday. The Kovalam MLA was taken into custody after five hours of questioning at the MLA hostel in Thiruvananthapuram.

Vincent was taken to the Peroorkada police club after investigating authorities questioned him in connection with the case. As per procedure, Vincent was taken for a medical check up to the Neyyatinkara hospital. The MLA was produced before the magistrate who sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

A case was registered against the legislator after a woman attempted suicide alleging sexual harassment by him. Kovalam MLA Vincent was booked on charges of stalking, abetment to suicide and rape on Friday. Vincent was booked under sections 376 and 354 (d) after a 51-year-old woman told the police that she attempted suicide by consuming sleeping pills after being harassed by Vincent. The Balaramapuram police booked the MLA after the victim's husband alleged that Vincent harassed her by making repeated phone calls and issuing threats.

"A case under IPC section 376 has been registered against Congress MLA M Vincent representing the Kovalam segment, after the woman's statement was recorded at a hospital in Neyyatinkara, where she is undergoing treatment", Kollam City Police Commissioner Ajeetha Begum, who is heading the probe had said on Friday.

Vincent had remained defiant and termed the allegations baseless. The Kerala Speaker had sought a fair investigation in the case and told the police that no special permission was required to take any action.

OneIndia News
Malayalam writer threatened; letter 'orders' him to convert to Islam within six months

India

oi-PTI

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 21: Renowned Malayali author K P Ramanunni has received an anonymous threat letter warning him that his right arm and left leg would be chopped off if he did not convert to Islam within six months.The author has lodged a police complaint regarding the matter.

The letter was sent to Ramanunni's Kozhikode residence six days ago.

The writer said though there was no indication as to who was behind the letter, it was understood that it was posted from Manjeri in Malappuram district.

"I am not aware of the motive behind the letter. I filed a complaint with the Kozhikode city police commissioner today, urging him to look into the matter," he told PTI.

Ramanunni said though he had ignored the letter initially, other senior writers advised him to file the police complaint.

The letter alleged that some of the recent articles written by the award-winning writer amounted to "misleading" the Muslim youth.

It also warned that Ramanunni would meet the same fate as that of professor T J Joseph, whose right arm was chopped off by the members of a radical Muslim outfit for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments through a question paper he had set.

"Like T J Joseph, your right arm will be cut off...your left leg too. You are given six months to convert to Islam. If you do not embrace Islam, we will inflict Allah's punishment on you," the letter said.

The police said a probe was launched on the basis of Ramanunni's complaint.

The right arm of Joseph, who was a professor in the Thodupuzha New Man College, was chopped off while he was returning home from the Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.

A novelist and short story writer, Ramanunni is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award and Vayalar Award among other literary acclaims.

A film was also made on his debut novel, 'Sufi Paranja Katha', which revolved around the love story of a Muslim man and a Hindu woman.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 12:19 [IST]
NEET issue: DMK blames Centre, TN govt for betraying state students

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, July 22: Opposition DMK on Saturday alleged that the Centre's policies against social justice and the AIADMK government's "ignorance" had poured cold water on the medical aspirations of students in Tamil Nadu.

DMK Working President and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly MK Stalin said his party, while in government, had upheld social justice by ensuring reservation to the communities concerned.

This had enabled students from simple background get access to professional education and graduate as doctors and engineers, he said, adding, the party-led government had earlier done away with entrance exam for such courses.

However, with the introduction of the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET), social justice was facing a 'danger', he said in a statement.

Hitting out at the ruling AIADMK over the handling of the NEET issue, Stalin said it was yet to ensure Presidential nod for the two bills adopted in the state Assembly seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu from the entrance exam.

"Due to the ignorance of the AIADMK government and Central BJP government's policies against social justice, NEET has entered Tamil Nadu and poured cold water on the medical aspirations of the state's students," he said. He also questioned state Ministers recently meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Central Ministers in Delhi on the NEET issue, indicating it was a delayed step.

A memorandum was submitted to Modi by the delegation of Ministers on Thursday seeking Presidential nod for two Bills passed recently by the state assembly and now pending with the Centre.

Stalin urged his supporters to ensure good participation in the July 27 human chain, seeking Presidential assent for two Bills adopted by Assembly. CPI and VCK had already announced that they will participate in the DMK's human chain protest.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 13:15 [IST]
Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again

Stop defending Lalu: Nitish to Rahul

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) President Nitish Kumar on Saturday told Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi that the Congress leadership must stop defending 'tainted' Lalu Prasad family.

Nitish Kumar met Rahul Gandhi for half an hour in Delhi, however, JD(U) played down the meeting as a 'courtesy call. Nitish is in Delhi to attend a dinner hosted by PM Narendra Modi for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, reports News18

A close aide of Nitish told News18 that during the meeting, Nitish reminded Rahul Gandhi of the day when he had torn an ordinance that was dubbed as 'save the convict' bill in 2013, only a month before the RJD chief Lalu Prasad was found guilty in a fodder scam related case

The conversation between Nitish Kumar and Rahul Gandhi comes at a time their coalition in Bihar, the Mahagatbandhan, is in serious trouble amid corruption charges against ally Lalu Yadav and his family, including son Tejashwi who is Deputy Chief Minister.

Delhi: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reaches to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/KDLAVGLaI6  ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2017

Nitish Kumar, who will attend PM Modi's dinner as the president of his party Janata Dal (United), had earlier confirmed that he will attend President-elect Ram Nath Kovind's oath ceremony on Tuesday in a separate trip to the capital and will also pack in a long overdue meeting with Rahul Gandhi.

The running feud between RJD, JD(U) is getting shriller with every passing day as JD (U) is demanding deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav to come clean on the corruption charges against him.

Yesterday, JD (U) hit back at a senior RJD leader who had ruled out Tejaswi Yadav's resignation over a graft case and made light of the party's claim of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "sacrifice" in forming the anti-BJP coalition in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar had held a closed-door meeting with Tejaswi Yadav after the latter did not share the stage with the CM in a public function. However, JD (U) played-down the political significance of the meeting between Nitish Kumar and his deputy on Tuesday.

The party reiterated its stand that the RJD leader should clear all accusations against him on the basis of facts in the public domain.

(With agency inputs)
No road toll, special toll plaza lanes for MPs, MLAs encourage VIP culture in UP?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, July 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to end the much-criticised "VIP culture" from the country. It is in this regard, the Modi government has decided to remove red beacon or lal batti from May 1 onwards, across the country.

However, it looks like, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh does not believe in what the PM of the country says against the much-maligned VIP culture--which gives special privileges to a few, including politicians and celebrities, at the cost of common man in the country.

According to a report by The Times of India, a directive has been issued by the Yogi Adityanath government in UP to provide separate lanes for members of legislative assembly (MLAs) and members of Parliament (MPs) at toll plazas across the state, including national highways.

The latest ruling is to help avoid "VIPs" getting caught in traffic jams at toll plazas. However, the bureaucrats in the state have expressed their anger against the privileges granted to the elected leaders.

The officials feel that the Adityanath government is encouraging "VIP culture" and causing great discomfort to the toll plaza personnel and common man.

Moreover, the Centre is also pampering the elected representatives from UP--MPs, MLAs and members of legislative council (MLCs)-- by exempting them from paying any road toll.

Additional chief secretary Sadakant, in his recent letter to district magistrates across the state, said that as per rules notified by the Centre, no road toll would be charged from any MLA or MLC of the UP assembly, or MPs from the state.

"All district magistrates will ensure that toll plazas under their jurisdiction will provide a separate lane to MPs and MLAs in the event of traffic jams," the letter said, also saying that authorities of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are expected to cooperate in the matter.

Now, UP officials fear that assault cases against toll plaza personnel by VIPs would increase after these special privileges have been rolled out for them.

BJP MLA Mahendra Yadav and his supporters had allegedly assaulted toll plaza staff in Pilibhit over payment of toll in May this year.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 9:34 [IST]
Senior journalist Ashok Malik appointed press secretary to President of India

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The government has appointed senior journalist Ashok Malik as the Press Secretary to the President of India. A notification by the government said that Malik, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation of India has been appointed for a period of two years.

The government has also appointed Sanjay Kothari as the secretary to the President of India. Bharat Lal has been appointed as the joint secretary to the President.

Malik a frequent columnist, writes for a number of national and international publications.

His areas of interest are politics, India's political economy and foreign policy.The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2016.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 10:04 [IST]
Shah backs Swaraj, says search for missing Indians in Mosul underway

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Asserting that the Union Government is not misleading the nation over 39 missing Indians in Mosul, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said the efforts to locate them is underway.

As soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by the Iraq PM, the government activated various channels for locating the 39 Indians, the MEA had said on Monday.

"The search is underway to locate 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul. The Government is not misleading the nation," the BJP president, who is on a 110-day visit to all states, said in Jaipur on Saturday.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had assured that all possible efforts were being made by her ministry to bring back the Indians who were abducted by terror group ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.

Families of 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq three years ago are looking forward to some positive news after the Iraqi forces captured Mosul from where their kin were kidnapped by the ISIS in June 2014.

The Union minister said that she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded people from the country.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 19:43 [IST]
If the governor were to amendatory veto SB 1 like he says he will, the Illinois General Assembly will be asked to override the veto, requiring a three-fifths vote that would demand Republican support in the Illinois House.

CHICAGO - The education activist group "Stand for Children" is calling on Governor Rauner to sign into law education bill SB 1. Governor Rauner said this week that while he agrees with 90 percent of the bill, he plans to amendatory veto the measure because it includes what he considers an unfair partial bailout of Chicago Public School teachers pension fund.

Stand for Children posted a sample email on its website, urging the governor's signature and arguing its case for SB 1:

As a constituent and a supporter of quality education for every Illinois student, I urge you to support the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (or SB1) that recently passed the House and Senate. The bill would finally fix our states horrendously unfair and inequitable school funding system. SB1 would bring a more equitable system that helps level the playing field for all students. One thing we can all agree on, regardless of political party, is that the quality of a students public education shouldn't depend on their zip code. SB1 aims to fix that. SB1 also reflects the February 1, 2017 report and the principles of your bi-partisan, bi-cameral Illinois School Funding Commission. Furthermore, it keeps current funding levels for all school districts in Illinois in place  not a single one would lose funding. And finally, it incorporates HB656, putting an end to the practice of diverting 39 cents of every dollar of Title I funding used to hire teachers for our poorest students away from the classroom. This is a solid bill that would put Illinois schools in a better position to succeed than they are today. I ask that you support it and sign it into law.

Stand for Children launched in Illinois in 2010. For the last seven years, the political action committee they formed has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to both Republicans and Democrats. Their funding comes from major Chicago money - including the Crown family. Their website says they support candidates and lawmakers that:

Support outstanding teachers and leaders, through policies on: evaluations; compensation; teacher qualification index; alternative certification programs; two-tier principal credentialing and teacher leadership in schools.

Require high standards and effective systems: charter school funding; lift the charter school cap; longer school day; common core standards and the PARCC Consortium

Education budget priorities, including funding for: teacher and principal development, accountability, high-poverty districts, and early childhood and bilingual education

So what does Stand for Children expect from the lawmakers that have taken money in the past couple of years?

A list of their most recent filings show donations to GOP House members like State Rep. Barbara Wheeler, Chad Hays, Joe Sosnowski, Mike McAuliffe, Steve Andersson, Bob Pritchard, Tom Morrison, Michael Unes, Allen Skillicorn and Sheri Jesiel.

How did those same lawmakers vote when SB 1 passed through the Illinois House and Senate on its way to Governor Rauner's desk?

Despite donations from Stand for Children, only one Republican - Chicago State Rep. Mike McAuliffe - supported SB 1 on the May 31st vote in the Illinois House.

Word is that lawmakers are not being pressured by Stand for Children to override the governor's amendatory veto if it comes to that:

The Senate vote was along party lines, Democrats yes, Republicans no:

Governor Rauner continues to call on the Senate to send the bill to his desk. Procedural manuevers are allowing the Senate to delay passing it along.
Ready, get set, go: Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo speeds up in Telangana

Telangana bans 'heavy' school bags, teachers, students cheer

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Hyderabad, July 22: Often we see children as young as four years old carrying school bags much heavier than their age.

The guardians and child rights activists have been protesting against school managements for making children carry heavy bags as they are not only uncomfortable to travel with because of their weight, but causes health issues, including back pain.

However, hardly such pleas by parents and children are being heard by the school authorities as they want students to carry all their books and other related study materials to classrooms.

In this tussle between schools and parents, it is the young ones who are suffering the most.

Fortunately, things are going to change for students, who are studying in primary schools across Telangana. The state education department has issued a notice to all schools to stop making children, studying in primary schools, carry bags weighing more than five kg.

The much-relieved students and their teachers have welcomed the news.

"The teachers and students have welcomed the Telangana state education department's order that primary school students shouldn't carry school bags weighing more than five kg," reported ANI.

Telangana:Teachrs&studnts welcome State Education Dept's order that primary school studnts shouldn't carry school bags weighing more thn 5kg pic.twitter.com/P4K8EWINv9  ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2017

Getting inspired by the Telangana government's initiative, we hope other states would also follow suit and give young children some relief from such a burden.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 13:29 [IST]
Telugu celebrities went abroad to get drugs, data mining unravels links

India

oi-Anusha

The Telangana Excise department officials are said to have found links between frequent foreign trips of some Telugu film industry members and the Hyderabad drugs haul case. The agency is using Data Mining technique to corroborate how celebrities went to countries like Portugal to get narcotics pre-ordered in India.

Actress Charmee Kaur appears before SIT in Hyderabad drug case

Officials from the department have relied on data mining to access data like photos, videos etc from the internet on public platforms to prove links between the accused persons, particularly Calvin Mascarenas and Nikhil Shetty, and the celebrities. The team has learnt that many stars visited Portugal, a country where drugs have been decriminalised multiple times. While that in itself will not be enough to prove a link, data in the possession of the officials have given them a head start while questioning those summoned.

One after another, twelve celebrities from the Telugu Film industry including director Puri Jagganath, Baahubali actor Subbaraju, Tarun have appeared before the SIT. Ravi Teja, a mega star is yet to appear along with two more actresses. The officials have prepared individual files on each of those summoned that contains information on why and how investigators zeroed in on them over links to the accused in the drugs haul case.

Photos and videos from social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram have been traced back to the place, time and location of the celebrities when they allegedly met with those involved in the racket. Many of these photos are from foreign countries including Portugal and Bangkok. Despite the officials producing pictures of the celebrities with accused in the case, they have allegedly denied knowing them.

Apart from relying on social media networks, officials have zeroed in on celebrities based on telephone records, WhatsApp messages via international numbers and locations of accused at the time of conversations. On Saturday popular actor Tarun appeared before the Excise department officials.

OneIndia News
You don't talk to me: Sonia Gandhi told Smriti Irani in Parliament over 'rashtrapatni' row

Thank you Rahul, sincerely from the BJP: Smriti Irani's sarcastic reply to Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Thank you for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP. This was the sarcastic message that Union Minister Smriti Irani had for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who raked up the Rohith Vemula suicide issue.

Smriti took to Twitter and said, "However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!????"

Yesterday, Rahul raised the Rohith Vemula case, saying that he didn't commit suicide and was murdered for being a Dalit.

@OfficeOfRG u r 42 yrs late on this 1.No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency & trampled over democracy.  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

"I don't call it suicide; I call it murder. Rohith (Vemula) was crushed and murdered by the indignities he suffered," said Gandhi while speaking at DR. B.R. Ambedkar International Conference.

Rahul had also taken a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he was attempting to "strangulate reality" like the Nazi regime. He also likened Modi to Hitler and said that the government was trying to "paint a lie" over India while oppressing the poor and marginalised.

Smriti had another retort to this comment. She said, " you are 42 years late on this. She tweeted, " @OfficeOfRG u r 42 yrs late on this 1.No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency & trampled over democracy.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 11:18 [IST]
While Centre bats for privacy in WhatsApp case, contradicts its stand in Aadhaar case

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, July 22: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it will come out with regulations to protect user data. The government made the statement in a submission to the bench examining the WhatsApp privacy policy case, reported PTI. The government also said, user data was integral to right to life and personal liberty.

The Union's submission in the WhatsApp privacy case on Friday was the complete opposite from the stand it has taken so far in the Aadhaar case.

Representing the Centre before a five-judge constitutional bench, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) PS Narisimha submitted that any service provider or social media platform that shared any personal data which impinged on a person's Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution would need to be regulated.

The bench is hearing a petition filed by students led by Karmanya Singh Sareen alleging that a data-sharing contract entered into between Facebook and instant messaging platform WhatsApp in 2016 is a violation of the citizens' right to privacy. This data includes photographs, messages, pictures shared by the users on WhatsApp.

In the hour-long hearing in the WhatsApp case, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that his client employs end-to-end encryption and has no scope of interference by a third party.

Incidentally, the stand taken by the Centre in this WhatsApp case does not gel with its position in Aadhaar case which is before Chief Justice of India Khehar-led nine-judge Constitution Bench, which is now examining whether the right of a citizen to remain private and to not part with his personal information or data to neither the State nor private parties is absolute and fundamental to his dignity and liberty.

The petitioners in the Aadhaar case have argued that citizens should not be compelled by the State to suffer the indignity of being made to part with their personal data like biometric details to access welfare and benefits due to them by right.

The Centre has maintained in the Aadhaar case that privacy or the "right to be left alone" is not a fundamental right under the Constitution, but only a common law right which can be subject to State intervention.

The nine-judge Bench was convened to decide on the question of privacy on a referral from a five-judge Bench hearing the Aadhaar case.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)
Why Lashkar's Salim Khan may have the answers to the Kashmir unrest

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The arrest of Salim Khan and his subsequent interrogation has given the UP ATS a lot of information which also includes on how the ISI planned the unrest in Kashmir. Khan a Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative was arrested in Mumbai last week and then taken to UP as he wanted in several cases there.

An initial assessment done following his questioning revealed that he has in-depth knowledge of the outfit's functioning in the country. He has specific information about the manner in which the ISI has also penetrated into the Kashmir Valley.

In addition to this he has also given the names of three persons who operate in UP. These three persons have knowledge about the modules in UP, police sources said. The police are verifying their details and would launch a manhunt for the three soon, the officer also said.

Khan according to the police had trained in Muzzafarabad, the main camp of the Lashkar. He was then launched into the United Arab Emirates where from where he overlooked operations of the Lashkar in India. The police are ascertaining if he knew about the manner in which the unrest in the Valley was funded and staged. The police say that he does not open up easily and getting information from him has not been easy.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 14:49 [IST]
With backing of 587 members, Venkaiah Naidu set to be next Vice President of India

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Venkaiah Naidu seems to be heading for an impressive win in the elections to the next Vice President of India. After his candidature was announced, the BJP led NDA was expecting at least 488 votes for him in the electoral college. The elections will be held on August 5.

However with more parties coming forward to back him, Naidu is expected to win 587 out of the 787 votes in the electoral college. Unlike the Presidential elections for the VP polls, the members of the state legislative assemblies do not vote.

Naidu is expected to get the backing of almost all the southern parties. The AIADMK, TRS and the YSR Congress are set to back Naidu.

The fact that Naidu is heading for an impressive win was evident in the statement made by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. She had said that she is aware that the opposition does not have the sufficient numbers, but it is a battle that needs to be fought hard. The UPA fielded Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its candidate for the vice-presidential polls. Gandhi too had said that this is not about winning and losing.

How is the Vice President of India elected?

The election process is similar to the one deployed in the presidential poll. The VP too is elected by the electoral college comprising members of the both houses of Parliament.

However the only difference is that in the VP election the members of the state legislature are not part of the electoral college.

Recommended Video

Venkaiah Naidu sets down from ministerial post, Smriti Irani gets I

According to the Election Commission, the Electoral College for this year's election consists of the following members:

From Rajya Sabha: 233 elected and 12 nominated members

From Lok Sabha, 543 elected and 2 nominated.

The total members in the Electoral College are 790

Vote value:

The value of each vote in the Vice-Presidential election is one. Ballot paper, containing names of the contesting candidate, is used for the election. The ballot paper doesn't contain any party symbol. It has two columns - one containing the name of the candidate and the second for marking the order of preference.

OneIndia News
Won't impose Hindi on those who do not speak it: Centre

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The government has assured that it will not impose Hindi on those who do not speak the language. The assurance was given to the Rajya Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju.

"Hindi is the official language and all other Indian languages are national languages. There is no question of imposing one language over other languages," said Rijiju, who is in charge of the Department of Official Languages in the Central government.

He was responding to a private member's bill moved by B K Hariprasad (Congress), seeking inclusion of Tulu and Kodava languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

"It is not a question of trying to impose Hindi. Let us be very clear. There is no question of discrimination. There is no special effort or attempt to promote Hindi," the minister said.

Recommended Video

Hindi sign boards masked at Karnataka Metro stations by pro-Kannada outfit | Oneindia News

Elaborating on the government's three-language formula, Rijiju said it is already in existence and there is no bar on any state to conduct its business in regional languages.

The minister observed that the issue of language is very sensitive, and a slight mistake or misrepresentation can lead to many differences within the country.

"We have not given any preference to one language over another. While justice is being done, we must ensure that no complications arise in the future because it is a very sensitive subject," Rijiju said.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 5:45 [IST]
Several Afghans on Germany's evacuation list have died

13th batch of medical assistance to Afghanistan delivered by India

Taliban bans women from parks and gyms in Afghanistan

16 Afghan police killed, 2 injured in US air strike

International

oi-PTI

Kandahar, Jul 22: At least 16 Afghan police personnel were killed and two others wounded in Helmand province, officials said on Saturday.

The incident took place yesterday around 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.

"In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded," he said.

Omar Zwak, Helmand provincial governor spokesman, confirmed the strike and gave the same account.

It occurred in Gereshk district in Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control.

NATO's mission in Afghanistan issued a statement.

"During a US-supported (Afghan security) operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound," it said.

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident," the statement said, adding there would be a probe into what happened.

The US is the only foreign force in the coalition conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan.

Acting interior ministry spokesman Najeeb Danish gave a lower death toll than the provincial officials.

"The toll we have received is that unfortunately as a result of the strike, we have 12 police forces martyred and no one wounded," Danish told AFP.

He said a ministry delegation had been sent to the area to investigate the incident and help families of the victims.

There have been a series of incidents involving US airstrikes and Afghans.

In February, a US airstrike in Sangin killed at least 18 civilians, mostly women and children.

Last November 32 Afghan civilians were killed in a US airstrike in the northeastern province of Kunduz.

A US air strike hit a hospital operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres, killing 42 people and sparking international outrage in October 2015.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 17:10 [IST]
At UNSC, US calls on world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats

Islamic State leader Baghdadi still alive: US Defence Secretary

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Jul 22: Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi is still alive, said US Defence Secretary James Mattis shooting down claims that Baghdadi was killed in an air strike.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said.

"But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," he told reporters yesterday.

Last month, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.

Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as "caliph" in 2014, he has not been seen.

Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations. Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.

Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet.

He said he has not used the presidential authorisation to increase the troop number in the war-torn country by 4,000.

"You fight wars for a reason. You don't just fight wars - I'm going to go fight a war now. There's got to be some end state to it, especially when you take a democracy that does not want to go fight wars and have to be able to compel the people to think. Maybe they got their act together here. Maybe this makes sense. So, you come up with a political reason for it," he said.

"There was a political reason for going after Osama bin Laden. He attacked New York City. So, there's a decision at the political level," Mattis said.

He said that once you get the policy right, then you have to get the strategy right... 'Because if you don't know where you're going, good luck when you take off on your journey,' he further added.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 13:22 [IST]
Bihar: When asked to take off hijab to check for bluetooth device, Muslim student leaves exam centre

To wear or not to wear hijab is the dilemma confronting Muslim women the world over

Saudi girl's proposal led to new emoji for hijab-wearing women

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Vienna, July 22: Women who wear hijab now have an emoji to represent them after a 16-year-old Saudi girl's proposed the idea to developers.

Rayouf Alhumedhi who now lives in Vienna had pitched the idea last year to The Unicode Consortium, a non-profit organisation that develops new emojis.

Rayouf, who wears a hijab, was surprised that there was no emoji to represent her and other women like her who wear hijab.

"The fact that there wasn't an emoji to represent me and the millions of other hijabi women across the world was baffling to me," the CNN quoted her as saying.

On Monday July 17, which marked World Emoji Day, Apple Inc announced that had accepted the design along with others that include breast-feeding women of all skin colours and much more.

Rayouf is "happier than ever" that the emoji will soon be available. "I'm really happy with how it looks. I saw so many ideas, different colors and styles but I didn't know what it would finally look like. I'm just so excited because it's finally came out after all the work, all the writing."

Alhumedhi saw the new emoji for the first time Monday night when a friend sent her a message linking to a BuzzFeed article. "I got the news just like everybody else!" she said.

She first had the idea in her bedroom in Berlin, where she lived with her family for five years after moving to the German capital from Saudi Arabia.

"My friends and I were creating a group chat on WhatsApp," Alhumedhi told CNN in an interview last year, "and I obviously had no emoji to represent me."

"The fact that there wasn't an emoji to represent me and the millions of other hijabi women across the world was baffling to me," she said. "I really had no initial idea in my mind of what it was supposed to look like, I just wanted it to be available in different skin tones -- millions of women from different races do wear it."

Although many people were supportive, some described the emoji as "unnecessary" and a "part of patriarchal constructs that oppress women."

Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, also backed her proposal and hosted an online discussion where Alhumedhi talked about her idea and responded to critics.

And reaction on social media since Monday's announcement has been equally mixed.

OneIndia News
The Presidents statement seems to indicate a change has happened in America. However, the facts indicate the President misspoke, as they do not verify his claim when one considers the percentage of each of these religions in the United States are compared to the vast majority who identify as Christian.

Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation  at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

While some found Obama's statement shocking, others perceived it as a wake-up call and confirmation that our Immigration officials have not been adequately enforcing our immigration laws for decades. We really do not know the total number of immigrants in our Country, because our borders have not been secure for decades. This is concerning! Like most every other country in the World, the United States has laws and specific conditions, limits, and policies regarding immigration to protect our citizens. The obvious goal is for the United States to benefit from immigration and not be adversely changed or harmed by it. However, for the last few decades our government has not made that goal the priority. Neither has it been a priority to track and remove many thousands of foreigners who are in the United States on expired visas or even remove those here illegally who have committed crimes.

California is an example of a state that continues to completely ignore our established immigration laws. The most glaring example of how this can harm citizens is the devastating story of Kate Steinle, a 32 yr. old beautiful young woman who was randomly shot and killed in San Francisco as she walked with her dad and a friend on the pier. Her premature death by an illegal who as a 7-time felon should not have been in the United States was outrageous. Instead of learning from this horrendous incident, California officials are in the process of making California a sanctuary state demonstrating a complete disrespect for federal laws, encouraging others to break immigration laws, and quite frankly defying common sense.

A false statement by Obama about this nation

President Obama's statement was blatantly wrong about America. We have been and continue to be a Christian nation. It should concern us that President Obama used his position as president to make such a statement, because it was his job to protect our amazing heritage and that includes our important demographics. Certainly we know that America's immigration procedures have become too lax. We have been admitting people who have no intention of assimilating. This is of utmost concern, because this practice does have the potential to change our nation's demographics; yet, the media and many Democrat leaders seem to be underplaying or ignoring this potential problem. We need ask why!

Controlled Immigration is advantageous, as proven by most American citizens who can trace their roots to ancestors who migrated to the United States and who became outstanding American citizens. They made it a priority to embrace our culture, which included obeying our laws and some even embraced our well established Christian religion. Americans welcomed these immigrants, who then contributed to America in a myriad of ways, but there is overwhelming proof that we no longer are holding fast to these historic principles and practices. The current lack of a serious vetting process, our porous and unprotected borders, and the lack of deporting those whose visas have expired, must not be brushed aside.

Unprecedented numbers of immigrants from foreign countries with very different religions and cultures have been allowed into our nation. Whether they arrived legally or illegally, many of these foreigners have shown little or no intention of assimilating. This is especially true of many in the Muslim faith because their religion, Sharia law, has definite mandates that demand they behave in certain ways, which are in opposition to our Christian heritage and our own laws and customs. This is a problem all Americans should take very seriously, because it opposes the basic criteria our forefathers wisely provided. They knew uncontrolled immigration would jeopardize our people, our customs, our prosperity, and ultimately raises the possibility of losing the nation perceived by our forefathers.

Middle Eastern refugees and their difficulty in assimilating

Of particular concern is the unprecedented millions of Muslim immigrants who have come from the Middle East, including Syrian refugees, who have not made the same attempts as others to assimilate since their arrival. They tend to stay together in specific communities, which is understandable, but a considerable number even refuse to speak English or make any significant attempt to assimilate.

This is largely due to their Muslim religion which encompasses rules for most every aspect of a Muslim's lives, most of which are foreign to America. Accordingly, this makes it highly improbable that many of them will ever be Americanized.

There are media sources that disagree with the idea that most Muslims are intentionally not assimilating, but according to Linda Sarsour, an outspoken Muslim leader and a rising star among progressive Democrats, not assimilating into American society should be the goal of every Muslim. This notion is incredulous! She has publicly warned Muslim immigrants not to conform to our culture based on Muslim religious beliefs, and she is not alone with that message. Why would we want to open our doors to those who believe in honor killings, female genital mutilation, and men who demean women, including their wives.

Why did Liberal Democrats and media sources applaud those who prevented President Trump from prudently securing our borders from those living in terrorist countries? Are they not concerned about warnings telling how unvetted Muslim immigrants from some of the most dangerous places in the World may be among these new immigrants? This is not a game  it is not even about principles. It is about protecting Americans from foreigners who may intend to harm us. Most Americans find the safety of our citizens the more important issue.

Spotlighting Dearborn and Hamtramck, Michigan

It should be noted that since President Trump called attention to this immigration problem, the Liberal media began releasing articles claiming Muslims do assimilate. While some surely do, American citizen living among a large population of new Muslim immigrants would certainly disagree, especially those who live in either Dearborn or Hamtramck, Michigan. Spend a day in Dearborn, or just check out this short video of a drive through Dearborn, and witness this for yourself. You also might find this Hamtramck, Michigan residents comments about the Muslim population in her city worth hearing.

Many immigrants are quick to take our charity once they arrive in America. It has been reported that 90% of recent Middle Eastern refugees are on food stamps and almost 70% on cash welfare. Perhaps that is because in 2015 there were 132,141 Food Assistant Program recipients and 2 million Family Independence Program Recipients in just Michigan alone. The state also has a food assistance program funded by the Federal Department of Agriculture.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, about 51% of immigrant-led households receive welfare benefits, compared to 30% for native-led households. Minnesota spent more than $180 million in its state with federal dollars for cash, food and medical assistance for refugees in 2015, the most recent period available. That is up 15 percent from five years ago and thus these costs can be expected to rise.

Wayne County, Michigan, the location of Dearborn with the largest number of Muslim immigrants of any city in this nation, also has the highest number of recipients for both of these welfare assistant programs. The Koran encourages Muslims to collect jizya  blood tax  from kafirs (the non-Muslims), and thus welfare is looked upon as jizya. Collecting money from non-Muslims is considered a right and legal entitlement, dictated by their Muslim beliefs, since the kafir indicates they are entitled to any land by the Koran. Why then would they assimilate in any nation when their belief system dictates they are entitled to all land (or laws of their own anywhere)?, meaning their presence on a land or country of their own is a theft of occupation of what should be Muslim land. Why would they want to assimilate when their religion dictates they own all land.

Hamtramck, Michigan is another example of a city which has been overtaken by foreign immigrants. It was once home to Polish Catholics and an auto manufacturing plant that employed 45,000 workers. Today it is a much smaller community, more than half of which is Muslim, and the only American town with a Muslim-majority city council. Not only have jobs disappeared, but residents also complain that the Muslim daily call to prayer several times each day is loud and disturbing. Summarily, some citizens have complained that Muslims not only are not assimilating, but they have actually taken over the town. The media chooses to leave all the negative comments from these people out of its publications, while it allows Democrat politicians to make glowing comments about Hamtramck.

Trump's travel ban questioned

While this may be astounding information for most Americans, it seems reasonable to assume our government is well aware of these facts. Our new President, Donald Trump, seems to understand this problem and its repercussions on the American public. Unfortunately, there are people in positions of power who have political reasons to be critical of the President and use immigration issues to attack him and his Party for their own political and self-serving interests.

Many believe Trump was elected because he was not part of the establishment which often is not in alignment with the general public on issues. Voters saw him as someone with common sense rather than a sense for what is politically correct. An example was Trumps' attempt to stop allowing immigrants into the United States from specific countries known for having, if not harboring, terrorists, such as Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. His common sense approach was to deny entry until a credible way could be established to gain more background information about each applicant. Reasonable people understand the wisdom of this protection and wonder why the safety of American citizens is not the first priority of every official and media source.

Even now the Supreme Court of the U.S. fails to recognize the importance of limiting refugees from countries that were named by Trump, and by Obama when president, where information is not available for properly vetting refugees. The Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, upheld a federal court judge's order expanding the number of immigrants from six Muslim-majority nations who can enter the country under President Trump's temporary travel ban. That means federal District Judge Derrick Watson's decision allowing more distant relatives, such as grandparents, to enter the U.S. under the travel ban will stand for the time being.
What Benjamin Netanyahu said on Modi that journalists accidentally heard

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

An open microphone accidentally broadcasted to journalists what Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The feed was however immediately cut off when the authorities realised the same.

The Israeli PM had launched an attack on the European Union and described its treatment of the Jewish state as "crazy" and "self-defeating".

He made the comments during the closed meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Czech Republic Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Recommended Video

Modi In Israel : India, Israel to work together for better future, says Israel PM | Oneindia News

We have a peculiar situation. The European Union is the only association of countries in the world that conditions the relations with Israel, that produces technology in every area, on political conditions. The only one," Mr Netanyahu told four European leaders yesterday during a closed meeting that was inadvertently caught by an open microphone.

Netanyahu emphasised that Chinese President Xi Jinping called Israel an "innovation giant".

"We have a special relationship with China and they don't care about the political issues," local media quoted him as saying.

The Israeli leader also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Israel, saying that the Indian leader said he needed to take care of India's interests. "I need more water, clean water. Where will I get it...," Netanyahu quoted PM Modi as saying.

"I think it is crazy, I think it is actually crazy," Netanyahu said. "I am not talking about my interests, Israel's interests; I'm talking about Europe's interests."

"Europe is endangering its own development by endangering its ties with Israel over this crazy attempt to create conditions" for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, he said, adding that Israel is right there and Europe is disconnecting itself from this massive center of innovation.

"If this were only about my interests, I wouldn't have brought it up. Don't undermine the only country in the region that is looking after Europe's interests. Stop attacking Israel, support Israel," the Israeli premier warned.

Orban responded to Netanyahu in a conciliatory tone, saying that EU sets similar conditions to its member states as well.

"Europe must decide if it wants to live and prosper or wither and disappear. I see you're shocked because I'm not being politically correct," Netanyahu told the EU leaders in an unprecedented tirade.

He went on to further talk about his disagreements with former president Barack Obama and even accepted hitting arms transfers to Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah in Syria dozens of times, something the international media attributes to Israel but the Jewish state maintains ambiguity around it, neither accepting responsibility nor denying it.

"We had a big problem with US policy. It's different now.

There's a stronger stance against Iran. There's a renewed American presence in our region and more bombings, and that's positive," Netanyahu said.

"I told (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, when we see (Iran) transferring weapons to Hezbollah, we'll hit them. We've done it dozens of times," he was heard as saying.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 22, 2017, 8:32 [IST]
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of One News Page Ltd.
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Energy Secretary Granholm: "California is in the lead can show the rest of the nation how it is done."
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Mindanao is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of the same name that also includes its adjacent islands, notably the Sulu Archipelago. According to the 2020 census, Mindanao has a population of 26,252,442 people, while the entire island group has an estimated population of 27,021,036 according to the 2021 census.
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Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA, stated that the twin accidents occurred on Monday at Akaso Wells 14 and 4T Wellheads.

Some explosions have rocked Rivers State, causing some stir in the place.

The explosions caused by fire rocked an oil field controlled by Eroton Exploration and Production Limited in Rivers States Akuku Toru Local Government Area.

The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) announced this on Tuesday, adding that it had received a report of a fire at two Eroton Exploration and Production Limited oil wells (EEPL).

Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA, stated that the twin accidents occurred on Monday at Akaso Wells 14 and 4T Wellheads.

Musa explained that when the event was reported to the agency, the corporate officials of the spills agency, as well as the oil firms Emergency Response Team (ERT), were quickly mobilised to the location.

He said, The company has mobilised a vendor, which is expected to arrive the incident location today, October 4, 2022, to extinguish the raging fire from the Wells; the agency will supervise the activity accordingly.



An illegal boat was observed at the location, which was suspected to be engaged in oil theft. The boat has been completely burnt but the fire on the boat has been extinguished.

The Director-General said that a situation room was created by the company for effective communication with all relevant stakeholders.
Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market to record high demand by 2017  2022

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In this report, the Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Smart Toilet Seats for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaGet Report Sample copy at @Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Smart Toilet Seats sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingTOTOLIXILKohlerPanasonicCowayToshibaNovitaJomooBrondellDongyang MagicDongpengROCALotus HygieneDuravitOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoStorage Heating Smart Toilet SeatsInstantaneous Heating Smart Toilet SeatsOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Smart Toilet Seats for each application, includinCommercialResidentialBrowse Complete report at@Table of ContentsAsia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market Report 20171 Smart Toilet Seats Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Smart Toilet Seats1.2 Classification of Smart Toilet Seats by Product Category1.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Types (2012-2022)1.2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Storage Heating Smart Toilet Seats1.2.4 Instantaneous Heating Smart Toilet Seats1.2.5 Others1.3 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)1.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Residential1.4 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market by Region1.4.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.8 Australia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Asia-Pacific Market Size (Value and Volume) of Smart Toilet Seats (2012-2022)1.5.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Purchase a single user copy of this report @2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Sales Volume and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats (Volume) by Application2.4 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Toilet Seats Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)About UsResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Contact Us:Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +1 6269994607 / +91 7507349866Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb:
Rakhi.Giftalove.com has Surfaced with a Simple & Affordable Way of Sending Rakhi to USA

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Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) market is forecasted the highest growth from 2016 to 2022Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaGlobal Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Fujikura ZTT NKT Cables Tongguang Cable Shenzhen SDG Furukawa LS Cable Jiangsu Hongtu Taihan Sichuan Huiyuan Elsewedy Cables Tratos J-Power SystemsOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Central Tube Structure Layer Stranding StructureOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) for each application, including Below 110KV 110KV~220KV 220KV~330KV 500KV Above 500KVGet a free sample copy of the sample report at:Table of Content Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Market Overview Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Market Competition by Manufacturers Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017) Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017) Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Market Analysis by Application Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisTable of Figures Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022) Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2012-2022) Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Consumption Market Share by Applications Global Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (K Units) and CAGR (%) by RegionsBrowse full report with detailed TOC at:24MarketReports is the marque of market research industry which identifies massive database of market research reports. We are having a numerous sectors market research gathering which covers diverse verticals around the Earth.New York City Zone 01, United Stateshelp@24marketreports.comInt'l: (+1) 646 781 7170UK(Toll Free): +44 800 088 5734
CHICAGO -- More U.S. households are headed by renters than at any point since 1965, according to a new Pew Research Center study based on data from the Census Bureau.

The number of renters has "increased significantly" in the past decade, and those less likely to rent, such as whites and the middle-aged, have grown more likely to rent in recent years, the report said.

While the number of U.S. households grew by 7.6 million over the past decade, the number of homeowners remained flat, largely because of "lingering effects of the housing crisis," according to the report. At the same time, the level of renters now exceeds highs set in 1986 and 1988.

The demographics of renters also are changing, the report said.

While adults under the age of 35 continue to be the most likely to rent, the rental rate among those ages 35 to 44 is up 32 percent since 2006.

Black and Latino households remain more likely to rent, but all major racial and ethnic groups  including whites  are more likely to rent than a decade earlier, the study found. The rate of renting by households headed by a college graduate also has increased since 2006, from 22 to 29 percent.

A 2016 Pew survey aimed to explain why rental rates have surged so much in the past decade.

It's not that home ownership is "undesirable" to today's renters, the survey said, but rather financial reasons  across all demographic groups  have kept renters from becoming homeowners. Roughly two-thirds of renters in Pew's survey said they currently rent as a result of circumstances, compared with 32 percent who said they rent by choice.

Why black homeownership rates lag even as the housing market recovers

A majority of those surveyed  72 percent  said they would like to own a home.

-- Tribune News Service
Jose Chesa, the Barcelona-born chef behind Northwest Portland tapas joint Ataula and Northeast Portland xurro shop 180, plans to host a series of special events, including a semi-monthly paella party, at his recently shuttered Northeast Portland restaurant Chesa.

Working with wife Cristina Baez and partner Emily Metivier, Chesa will kick off the events with Paella Sundays, a casual, kid- and dog-friendly paella feast -- imagine a Spanish take on the weekend barbecue and you're close. Hosted on Chesa's side patio, Paella Sundays will include a salad and two paellas -- one meat, one vegetarian -- and a cocktail for $50. Kids eat free.

The venue will also host a chef dinner series pairing Chesa with a TBD roster of chef friends, and Patria Presents: Barrio Block Party, a Puerto Rican block party featuring domino tournaments, salsa music on vinyl and food inspired by the family friendly happenings in Baez's native Puerto Rico. Look for the Caribbean menu to include dishes such as habichuelas guisadas (bean stew), pernil (oven roasted pork shoulder) and pollo asado (roasted chicken). Tickets are $50, $15 for kids. Pina coladas, beer and fruit punch will be available at the cash bar.

Paella Sundays will be held from 11 a.m. to 20 p.m. on July 30, Aug. 13 and 27 and Sept. 10 and 24; Patria Presents: Barrio Block Party will pop up from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 6 and Sept. 3 at 2218 N.E. Broadway St. Purchase tickets at chesapdx.com/shop.

-- Michael Russell
Mayor Ted Wheeler said Friday that if Portland wants clean air, it must create a local air pollution authority and stop waiting for the state to fix the long-standing problem.

"The state is moving in the wrong direction," Wheeler told The Oregonian/OregonLive. "It's our responsibility at the local level to move forward."

Wheeler became the first local leader to endorse the formation of a regional air pollution district, saying that industry influence had undercut state attempts to clean up the air for too long.

Wheeler said he became convinced a local district was necessary after reading a story in The Oregonian/OregonLive Friday that revealed the Department of Environmental Quality diluted its plan to crack down on toxic air pollution amid industry pressure.

A local district would take power away from the Department of Environmental Quality and no longer subject Portland, a progressive city with Oregon's dirtiest air, to the influence of conservative Salem lawmakers. The Legislature earlier this month killed an effort to fund the department's overhaul of Oregon's toxic air laws.

The district would have the authority to monitor the air, set enforceable standards and issue penalties, Wheeler said. He acknowledged major questions remain, like how the agency would be funded and structured. But he said the city needs to act.

"The question now isn't if we move forward  we have made that decision  it's how do we do it," Wheeler said.

The city council hasn't voted on the plan, but Wheeler said he expects his four fellow city commissioners will be supportive.

The city and Multnomah County launched a $120,000 study in June to determine the feasibility of creating a local air regulator. Until Wheeler's statement Friday, no local politicians had pledged to follow through, saying they first wanted to give the state the chance to prove a local district wouldn't be necessary.

A recently released draft of the plan allows more cancer risk than earlier versions. It also gives local politicians a say about whether major polluters should be exempted from some standards.

For now, Wheeler is on his own. Deborah Kafoury, chairwoman of the Multnomah County Commission, said she still believes that a statewide air fix is best, while noting that a consultant had recently begun the local management feasibility study.

"I don't want to let the state off the hook here," Kafoury said. "We need to keep the pressure on the state."

State leaders responded to Wheeler's announcement Friday by saying they remain up to the task of overhauling Oregon's air laws.

Gov. Kate Brown oversees the Department of Environmental Quality and proposed the overhaul after high concentrations of heavy metals were found in the air near Portland's Bullseye Glass in 2016. She said she is committed to developing laws that will be among the strongest in the country.

"The state will not abdicate its responsibility to stand up to polluters and stand up for the health of Oregonians," Brown said.

Richard Whitman, director of the environmental quality department, said his agency supports local air regulation. He cited the success of Oregon's only standalone air district, which enforces the Clean Air Act in Lane County.

"At the same time, I know that Governor Brown, the new Environmental Quality Commission and I all continue to be firmly committed to a strong statewide industrial air toxics program," Whitman said.

Portland, a city frequently lauded for its environmental credentials, has struggled for years to crack down on toxic air pollutants. Harmful concentrations of heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium are present in the ambient air that Portlanders unwittingly breathe every day.

A 2011 effort to solve Portland's toxic air problem, which was led by the Department of Environmental Quality, failed to clean anything up. Brown has pledged that this time will be different.

Mary Peveto, president of Neighbors for Clean Air, a Portland advocacy group, lauded Wheeler's position, saying it was overdue.

"For years, Portland ignored the toxic pollution while trying to be one of the most green cities in the world," she said. "A city like Portland needs to make sure that air pollution problems and the solutions we demand are on par with all our other green sustainable goals."

 Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657; @robwdavis
BY CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

WASHINGTON -- One cannot imagine a more wrenching moral dilemma than the case of little Charlie Gard. He is a beautiful 11-month-old boy with an incurable genetic disease. It depletes his cells' energy-producing structures (the mitochondria), thereby progressively ravaging his organs. He cannot hear, he cannot see, he can barely open his eyes. He cannot swallow, he cannot move, he cannot breathe on his own. He suffers from severe epilepsy and his brain is seriously damaged. Doctors aren't even sure whether he can feel pain.For months he's been at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. His doctors have recommended removing him from life support.

His parents are deeply opposed. They have repeatedly petitioned the courts to allow them to take Charlie for experimental treatment in the United States.

The courts have denied the parents' petition. They concluded that the proposed treatment has no chance of saving the child and would do nothing but inflict upon him further suffering. They did, however, allow the American specialist to come to London to examine Charlie. He is giving his findings to the court. A final ruling is expected on July 25.

The Telegraph of London reports that Charlie's doctors remain unconvinced by the American researcher. Indeed, the weight of the evidence appears to support the doctors and the courts. Charlie's genetic variant is different and far more devastating than the ones in which nucleoside bypass therapy has shown some improvement. There aren't even animal models for treating Charlie's condition. It's extremely unlikely that treatment can even reach Charlie's brain cells, let alone reverse the existing damage.

What to do? There is only one real question. What's best for Charlie? But because he can't speak for himself, we resort to a second question: Who is to speak for him?

The most heartrending situation occurs when these two questions yield opposing answers. Charlie's is such a case.

Let me explain.

In my view, two truths must guide any decision: (1) The parents must be sovereign, but (2) the parents are sometimes wrong.

I believe that in this case the parents are wrong, and the doctors and judges are right. Charlie's suffering is literally unimaginable and we are simply prolonging it. This is a life of no light, no sound, no motion, only moments of physical suffering (seizures? intubation?) to punctuate the darkness. His doctors understandably believe that allowing a natural death is the most merciful thing they can do for Charlie.

As for miracle cures, I share the court's skepticism. They always arise in such cases, and invariably prove to be cruel deceptions.

And yet. Despite all these considerations, I would nevertheless let the parents take their boy where they wish.

The sovereignty of loved ones must be the overriding principle that guides all such decisions. We have no other way. The irreducible truth is that these conundrums have no definitive answer. We thus necessarily fall back on family, or to put it more sentimentally, on love.

What is best for the child? The best guide is a loving parent. A parent's motive is the most pure.

This rule is not invariable, of course. Which is why the state seizes control when parents are demonstrably injurious, even if unintentionally so, as in the case of those who, for some religious imperative, would deny their child treatment for a curable disease.

But there's a reason why, despite these exceptions, all societies grant parents sovereignty over their children until they reach maturity. Parents are simply more likely than anyone else to act in the best interest of the child.

Not always, of course. Loved ones don't always act for the purest of motives. Heirs, for example, may not the best guide as to when to pull the plug on an elderly relative with a modest fortune.

But then again, states can have ulterior motives, too. In countries where taxpayers bear the burden of expensive treatments, the state has an inherent incentive (of which Britain's National Health Service has produced notorious cases) to deny treatment for reasons of economy rather than mercy.

Nonetheless, as a general rule, we trust in the impartiality of the courts -- and the loving imperative of the parent.

And if they clash? What then? If it were me, I would detach the tubes and cradle the child until death. But it's not me. It's not the NHS. And it's not the European Court of Human Rights.

It's a father and a mother and their desperate love for a child. They must prevail. Let them go.

Charles Krauthammer: letters@charleskrauthammer.com.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group
It helps to read a recent email sent by Our Oregon, the advocacy group for public employee unions, in the deep, dramatic voice of a movie-trailer narrator warning of the world's impending doom. The email, with the subject line "Evil," aims to build that same sense of danger, with President Donald Trump and Oregon Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn sharing the spotlight as twin powers of malevolence.

"Friend," the email urges, "don't be fooled: The GOP isn't giving up their war against healthcare." The message then goes on to argue that "Rep. Julie Parrish and the rest of the Oregon GOP want to make sure Trump's rollbacks come to our state, even if Congressional Republicans fail to repeal the (Affordable Care Act). It's downright cruel, friend." The email then urges resistance to something it calls "the Trump-Parrish plan."

Our Oregon email sent on July 19.

Comparing someone to Trump is a popular way to discredit opponents these days. The problem with that comparison, however, is that Parrish's goals and actions are nothing like Trump's. The moderate Republican legislator, who herself depended on Medicaid as a child and whose first successful bill plugged a Medicaid coverage gap, is not seeking to roll back health care for low-income Oregonians.

She does object, however, to portions of a new $605 million package of taxes and assessments designed to fund Medicaid for the 2017-2019 biennium. Among a slate of revenue-generating tools, the plan calls for a 1.5 percent tax on the health care premiums paid by K-12 school districts, small businesses and thousands of college students - none of which are particularly known for being flush with cash. Parrish, along with two Republican colleagues, filed the paperwork to refer the premium tax and a few other elements of the overall package to voters.

Understandably, legislators and advocates who spent the session patching together a funding plan to cover Medicaid costs may be frustrated and worried about what will happen if the referendum qualifies for the ballot. They argue that the package of taxes, passed by Democrats with at least one Republican in each chamber, will help stabilize the overall market and ensure that the state can continue to cover approximately 350,000 Oregonians who rely on Medicaid.

But Parrish raises valid policy questions that other legislators gave short shrift in their panic to get a deal in the session's final weeks. Although the state has known for years that it would need to shoulder more of Medicaid's costs starting in 2017, they procrastinated until this session to find replacement funding. That gave little time for researching the plan's potential impacts. For example, the state Department of Consumer and Business Services, which oversees Oregon's health-insurance marketplace, couldn't even verify until the day before the Oregon House's vote that the plan would tax premiums for about 12,000 college students who buy coverage through their school. K-12 school districts also will be devoting more of their money to a tax on their employees' health premiums. Those are discussions that merited far more consideration than they received. But this is the price Oregonians pay for a Legislature that ignores known problems until they hit crisis proportions.

The 1.5 percent premium tax isn't the only provision the referendum backers target as unfair, ineffective or bad policy. And if it goes to the ballot, who knows how tax-weary voters will lean. But it is misleading to claim that Parrish is seeking a health care repeal when her questions simply focus on how it is funded. It also ignores that Oregon, with Democrats in charge of the house, senate and governor's office, looks nothing like the Republican-controlled Congress and presidency. It's almost as if Democrats have forgotten that they are the ones who can call the shots here - so much so that they not only passed the plan, but they passed another bill designed to disadvantage the referendum if it qualifies.

Voters may turn back Parrish's efforts and decide that the overall plan is a necessary price to pay for expanded Medicaid coverage. But they should not allow themselves to be hypnotized into mindless opposition by the mere mention of Trump's name. Facts matter, especially in high-stakes issues as health care, and there are precious few of them in the anti-Parrish campaign.

The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Oregonian editorials

Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom.

Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches and John Maher.

To respond to this editorial:

Post your comment below, submit a commentary piece, or write a letter to the editor.

If you have questions about the opinion section, contact Laura Gunderson, editorial and commentary editor, at 503-221-8378 or lgunderson@oregonian.com.
Have you met the "gender unicorn?" Your children might have already. Parents should be introduced to the gender unicorn, too, ya know, because some of us are trying to raise the children we had, help them understand our world and offer help navigating it.

Chances are, you'll need to make your own introductions. When I checked out my school district's health curriculum for elementary and middle school students, as I was invited to do before my children's health education classes began in the spring, I didn't see the mythical creature included. I heard about it when a middle school student I know came home with the gender unicorn handout, made available in a class by one of his teachers.

I've since learned, from a Southwest Washington school district and the Oregon Department of Education, that while there are state learning standards and specific curriculum for the public to review at both the state and district levels, teachers are understandably given some leeway regarding the use of supplemental materials, so long as they line up with learning standards. While that might not be problematic in math, it can be trouble for ideological subject matter, thus spawning this call to parents to be more involved in their child's schooling. And school boards should know that if it is a true goal to have parents participate in their child's learning in health education, as is often said, they should be making sure teachers run supplemental materials for health instruction by them. After all, if parents can't see all the subject matter taught and resources given when reviewing health education curriculum, why offer them the chance?

The gender unicorn, when in color, is purple, looking like a relative of Barney, the Tyrannosaurus rex who preached about friendship and love in the '90s. And he thinks about rainbows. See the unicorn, created and provided by Trans Student Educational Resources, which is "dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender nonconforming students through advocacy and empowerment," here.

The unicorn invites students to consider their gender identity, gender expression, declare their sex "assigned at birth," and choose who they're physically and emotionally attracted to. For the kids who haven't yet had their first kiss, or even the desire for one, this must be confusing subject matter. After all, many adults aren't even clear on the differences between gender identity, gender expression and sexual identity, and we're misguidedly fighting about bathrooms, instead of employing common-sense solutions for the loo.

Then again, since school health curriculum in Washington, and some curriculums in Oregon, now start instruction about gender issues as early as kindergarten, perhaps it's less confusing than I think it would be. Ely Sanders, the Sexual Health and School Health Specialist for the Oregon Department of Education, told me. "We have more and more kindergartners coming out and identifying." The standards adopted have that in mind.

Schools and society have become better at respecting all people and crafting fewer assumptions about, or expectations of, individuals -- a goal of the states' current health curriculums. Suicide rates related to struggles with gender and sexual identity, as well as the number of teachers students meet who are gay, bisexual, transgender or transitioning, demand that our children become familiar with these topics, whether we think they are ready for them or not. Parents need to get involved, offering their guiding principles, earlier than ever. Our kids' online access, peers exposed to different family experiences and school-directed curriculum that touches on gender issues early on are forcing the issue.

Teaching students to treat all people with dignity and respect is valuable, and schools celebrate diversity in many encouraging ways. That's welcome. Some kids are made fun of or bullied for their gender expression. Some kids are ostracized for their religious beliefs. Last school year, I watched a fourth-grader get laughed at by her classmates for defending a President Trump proposal.

Sanders said he believes that this particular handout, or a similar one, is used in some Oregon schools. He says it is becoming a common lesson, and it is one aligned to the standards.

If concerned about a handout a teacher incorporates -- and that you actually happen to see from your child -- I'd talk directly to that teacher about the concern. You might find you agree more than you disagree with what kids are learning in class and how. If that doesn't produce a satisfactory result, however, Sanders says school districts are required to have a specific process for handling concerns included on their websites.

The best solution I see is for those teaching health education to run supplemental materials by their students' parents, remembering that parents are supposed to be children's primary educators. Some parents have given up that role; but some of us haven't. I want to be at least as involved in the gender-and-sexual-identity discussion with my kid as a purple unicorn.



Elizabeth Hovde's column appears on the fourth Sunday of the month.
Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union recent donated 35 iPad mobile digital devices to CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region. The CAN Council, which has offices in Saginaw and Bay City, provides programs and services for children and families in Saginaw and Bay counties in an effort to create communities where children are free from abuse and neglect. Pictured from left are CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region President/CEO Suzanne Greenberg, DCECU President/CEO Dennis Hanson, DCECU Marketing Program Coordinator Teresa Cunningham, DCECU Chief Operations Officer Art Peters, DCECU Remote Services Director Susan Valley and DCECU Executive Assistant to the CEO Susan Phillips. (Photo provided)
The Dow Chemical Co. announced that Karen S. Carter has been named chief inclusion officer -- a new role at Dow created to strengthen the integration of diversity and inclusion with business strategy and results.

Carter will have global responsibility for enhancing the integration of diversity and inclusion across the company as a key driver and enabler of the company's long-term growth strategy. She will have direct accountability to Dow President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Fitterling and Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris.

During her 20 year Dow career, Carter has served in several strategic business leadership roles across Dow's Packaging and Specialty Plastics, Building and Construction, and Polypropylene Licensing and Catalyst businesses before assuming her most recent role leading Dow's North America Packaging and Specialty Plastics business where she was responsible for developing and driving the business strategy as well as delivering the regional profit and loss results.

"We are proud to have someone with Karen's strong international business background and diverse perspective in this key leadership role," Fitterling said. "I am confident in Karen's ability to lead and guide our efforts to move Dow significantly forward in creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce for the future. Karen has the full support of the executive leadership team."

"Meeting the challenges of today's business environment requires the contributions of every member of our Dow team. Through the creation of the role of chief inclusion officer, coupled with Karen's outstanding talent and leadership, we will continue to build an atmosphere where all people feel welcome and valued," Liveris said. "We will build a culture where employees of all backgrounds can come together to fulfill their own personal and professional goals and to work together to help the company succeed."

Fitterling further emphasized that all Dow leaders have a role to play. "Each individual leader and manager will be expected to be accountable to create a culture which encourages and values diverse perspectives, enabling Dow to achieve all of its objectives," he said.

In accepting the role, Carter said, "Diversity and inclusion makes for a more innovative and engaged workplace and higher performing teams. This is about creating a culture where every employee feels fully empowered and valued and where they can contribute to their maximum potential in order to maximize business and company success. I look forward to accelerating our progress and to helping the company - and all of its employees - achieve these results."

The appointment follows Liveris' recent speech where he said, "Dow has survived, indeed thrived, for 120 years because as an institution we have always held true to our values. We believe in the rights of all people. We export our values wherever we go. We seek out the best people to work inside our great company, and we continually raise our standard of conduct, behavior, ethics, safety, and respect and dignity."

He added, "We can all be proud of Dow's tremendous reputation for constantly working to make our company - and our communities - fairer and more equal for everyone. But, there is always more that we can and must do."

In addition to naming a chief inclusion officer, Dow announced plans to strategically increase the diversity of its supplier base, and to add more diverse colleges and universities to the company's U.S. recruiting efforts. Dow also recently joined the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, rallying with 160 other companies to advance workplace inclusion and equality.
Rick Kuhn has been hired as director of loan operations for Chemical Bank.

"Rick's background in bank operations coupled with his management skills will be a valuable asset to our company and we are very excited to welcome him to our team," said Len Amat, COO of business operations. "We look forward to the leadership and contributions that he will provide to our growing organization."

As director of loan operations, Kuhn will be responsible for the management of loan servicing, direct and indirect loan underwriting and the development of bank wide imaging, as well as collaborative support for Chemical Bank's business units and 249 branch network.

He brings over 20 years of team management experience and over 25 years of financial industry and banking experience. Kuhn earned a master's of business administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh and also earned two bachelor of arts degrees in economics and business administration from Thiel College.

Prior to joining Chemical Bank, Kuhn served as senior vice president, operations and business performance for First Niagara Bank in Buffalo, New York, where he was instrumental in strategic planning, ensuring compliance within practices and effectively managing teams of employees across multiple business units.
Summer is a time when blood donations are at their lowest, including O-negative blood donations. That's why Michigan Blood is working to get enough donations to help people across the state.

Because O-Negative is the universal donor, their blood can go to help save people across Michigan. Anyone with O-negative blood who donates twice between July 10 and Oct. 31 will be entered for a chance to win a YETI cooler filled with Michigan-made merchandise.

Any healthy person 17 or older (or 16 with parental consent) who weighs at least 112 pounds may be eligible to donate, although females age 18 and under must weigh 120 pounds or more. Blood donors should bring photo ID.

Michigan Blood is the primary provider of blood and blood products for more than 60 hospitals in Michigan. Donating blood with Michigan Blood helps save the lives of patients in Michigan hospitals.

To schedule an appointment, call 1-866-642-5663 or schedule online at https://donate.miblood.org

Below is a listing of local blood drives:

July 24 - Gladwin Area Church Drive, Columbus Hall, 751 S. M-18, Gladwin, 1-6 p.m.

July 24 - MID-LAND Realtors, bus, 2525 N. Eastman Road, Midland, noon-5 p.m.

July 25 - Beaverton Activity Center, Catalyst Room, 106 Tonkin St., Beaverton, 1-6 p.m.

July 25 - Freeland Clash for the Cure, Community Hall, Freeland SportsZone, 5690 Midland Road, 1-7 p.m.

July 27 - Midland Project D.A.R.E., training room, 2727 Rodd St., Midland, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

July 28 - MidMichigan Health - Midland, Healing Arts, 4005 Orchard Drive, Midland, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Aug. 2 - Calvary Baptist Academy, gym, 6100 N. Perrine Rd., Midland, 1-6 p.m.

Aug. 2 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, parking lot, 1501 N. Saginaw Road, Midland, 3-8 p.m.

Aug. 3 - Gladwin Community, 402 James Robertson Drive, Gladwin, noon-7:30 p.m.
Six years after its opening, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine's Midland Regional Campus will welcome its largest class this fall and is looking forward to additional growth.

"It's been exciting getting it up and running," said Paula Klose, M.D., community assistant dean for the Midland campus. "Now we want to expand our programs."

The college, in partnership with the MidMichigan Health system, opened the Midland Regional Campus, one of seven community campuses all over the state, in 2011 with three third-year students and four fourth-year students. Since then, 42 medical students have done rotations through the Midland campus. This fall, 14 third-year students, the largest incoming class yet, and five fourth-year students will be based there.

For more than 35 years, the college and MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, part of the MidMichigan Health system, had collaborated on a family medicine residency program. Building a program to train third- and fourth-year students presented a new challenge.

"Medical students were a whole different ballgame for this community," Klose said, requiring more supervision and more documentation than resident physicians. "We had to start from the ground up."

New clinical faculty members and preceptors had to be recruited and trained. For the hospital and medical practices, the medical school's presence has helped with recruiting physicians, Klose said, because many want the opportunity to teach, which increases the quality of care for patients.

In July of 2016, the administrative offices for the campus moved into its new Midland facility, the Gerstacker Building, a three-story structure on the campus of the MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland. It also includes conference rooms, a student lounge, a simulation lab and the residency clinic.

The Midland campus, along with community campuses in the Upper Peninsula and Traverse City, are helping meet the college's commitment to provide medical care for underserved populations, particularly in rural areas. From Midland, the students fan out across the 23-county service area, learning from physicians in hospitals and medical offices in Clare, Alma, Pigeon, Houghton Lake, Harrison, Sandusky and Saint Ignace. About half the students are enrolled in the college's Rural Community Health Program, Klose said.

"These rural communities wrap their arms around those students," she said. "The idea is to keep those students attached to those communities so they'll come back and practice medicine."

Midland campus graduates have gone on to residencies in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology and other specialties, and many have chosen to stay in mid-Michigan.

Dan Drake, a student in the Rural Community Health Program, is one of 12 Midland Regional Campus students who graduated in May. He started a four-year residency this month after participating in the Integrated Medical School and Family Medicine Residency Program. Drake has already expressed his commitment to practicing medicine in rural Michigan, Klose said. Several students have been honored for their work, as have a dozen faculty members.

Students and faculty also have engaged in research. MSU sponsors a full time community researcher, Carol Janney, an assistant professor in the department of epidemiology, whose research interest is in physical fitness in mental health populations, which matches the needs in Midland and the rural communities.

The affiliation between the college and the MidMichigan Health system has been beneficial for both institutions, Klose said, as well as for patients in the communities they serve.

"It's a huge investment that this hospital has made in medical education," she said. "Having the additional campus and having the rural training track is a match made in heaven."
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BLOOMINGTON  Huckleberry Finn didn't have a cellphone, freeze-dried food or a solar-powered battery charger when he took his raft down the Mississippi River.

But while the Mack Twains differ from Huck with their modern conveniences, they share his sense of adventure as they paddle down the same river in their canoe.

After all, in Huck-Finn-free-spirit style, Travis Mack, 33, quit his job at Growmark, and his wife, Carrie, 31, quit her job at Illinois Wesleyan University to pursue this journey with no specific plans for what to do next.

And they convinced his sister, Whitney Mack, 30, to join them before the University of Illinois College of Medicine graduate begins her fellowship in Peoria.

I started working a cubicle job in 2006 after graduation, so I couldn't help dreaming about adventure, said Travis Mack, who grew up in Carlock. He and his wife have lived in the Bloomington-Normal area since 2010.

Once he decided on a trip down the Mississippi, he began reading every book and blog he could find about it.

The trio  dubbed the Mack Twains by Carrie Mack, a play on their names and author Mark Twain  started their journey from Itasca State Park in Minnesota on July 2 and hope to reach the Gulf of Mexico in six to eight weeks, predominantly camping along the way.

Prior to this trip, they had never done more than a two-night trip while paddling.

One of the neat things about the Mississippi is it starts small, like a creek, which allows them to learn as they go, said Travis Mack. I can definitely tell we're getting stronger.

Carrie Mack admitted, Like any kind of off-the-grid experience,  there are a lot of challenges.  Some days are headwind days; some days are tailwind days.

The first 100 miles were very shallow with log jams and twisty channels that were difficult to maneuver with their 19-foot canoe, she said. Often, they had to get out and push or pull the canoe.

But, it was so incredibly scenic, she said. It's like 98 percent awesome.

One day, the water was so clear, I called it the aquarium. Every crawfish, every rock, ever fish down there you could see.  It's very captivating, she said.

When interviewed Thursday by cellphone, they were paddling across Lake Pepin, about 60 miles downstream from St. Paul, Minn., the widest naturally occurring lake along the Mississippi.

As they have moved farther downstream, the river has widened and they are encountering more barges and commercial vessels, which presents its own challenges.

We're like the bottom of the food chain as far as locks and dams go, said Carrie Mack, explaining that they use a phone app called SeaNav, which shows them where commercial vessels are located.

They are on the water about 12 hours a day, including breaks, and are averaging about 40 miles a day since getting by the shallow start.

They pass the time listening to podcasts, music and audiobooks, according to their designated DJ, Whitney Mack. A recent day was declared Tom Petty Day, but they listen to a variety of music.

I'm a DJ, not a dictator, she said.

They also are collecting water samples every 20 kilometers  about 12.4 miles  for a student at Missouri Valley College who is doing a research project.

Travis Mack said, There may be three of us in the boat, but it's definitely a group effort, saying the trip wouldn't have been possible without the support of friends and family.

Nevertheless, we had plenty of people who said, 'You're nuts.'

They are somewhat used to that. The couple, who have degrees in entrepreneurship from Missouri State University, prompted similar reactions when they sold their house and bought a fishing lodge in northwest Ontario, Canada, a few years after graduation.

Because that was a summer-only operation, they got seasonal jobs in Bloomington-Normal. Carrie Mack worked during the school year in IWU's Action Research Center while Travis Mack did logistics work at Growmark that focused primarily on the fall harvest and spring planting.

The weather has been kind of all over the place, said Carrie Mack. Severe storms forced them off the water at one point, but the heat is at least manageable, she said.

Part of the thrill of doing this is not knowing what lies ahead, she said.

Her husband agreed.

That's part of the fun  the challenge of not knowing what the river will throw at you, he said.
Festival to alter uptown parking

NORMAL  There will be several closures and parking rules related to the Medici Craft Beer and Jazz Street Fair on Saturday in uptown Normal.

No-parking signs will be posted at 11 a.m. and the following streets will be closed at noon: North Street from Fell Avenue to Uptown Circle; Constitution Boulevard from Mulberry Street to Uptown Circle; and Broadway Avenue at the intersection of Broadway and North Street.

The streets will reopen by 11 p.m.

Items sought for Auxiliary's sale

BLOOMINGTON  The Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 454 is seeking community donations for its annual group sale/fundraiser.

Items that are clean and in good condition can be dropped off between noon and 4 p.m. Aug. 3 at the VFW Post, 1006 E. Lincoln St., Bloomington. Forms are available for tax credit.

The indoor sale will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m Aug. 6. The sale benefits the auxiliary's fund for local veterans and military packages.

Contact Melanie Alwes at 309-275-3876 if you have questions.

Area scouts at national Jamboree

BLOOMINGTON  The National Scout Jamboree, a 10-day gathering of more than 30,000 Boy Scouts from around the world, began July 18 at The Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia.

Among participants are 66 representatives of the Boy Scouts of America's W.D. Boyce Council, which covers 14 Central Illinois counties, including McLean. The 66 include 54 Boy Scouts, four Venture Scouts (male and female) and eight adult troop leaders. Scouts are participating in a variety of outdoor activities.
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
Best Point Savings and Loans Limited is scheduled to open its 4th branch in Ashanti Region; the 18th branch across the country in just three years.



Best Point Saving & Loans is dedicated on its vision to bring financial inclusion to the unbanked and underprivileged as well as support the growth of businesses at all levels across the country.



The launch of the Ejisu branch is slated on July, 31st, 2017 at the new office premises at exactly 9:00am.



Management has promised to give away items such as, plasma TV sets, Table top fridges, standing fans, pressing irons and loads of BEST POINT branded souvenirs to customers who will open an account on the launch date.



Best Point Savings and Loans Ltd (BPSL) is a wholly owned Ghanaian Company incorporated under the Companies Act 1963 (Act 179) on September 4th 2012.



It was originally incorporated as Lucky Savings and Loans Limited but had the name changed on January 29th, 2013.



It was issued with a Certificate to Commence Business on October 8th 2013.



BPSL is owned by Dr Osei Kwame, owner of the Despite Group of Companies and Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong of Special Group of Companies.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The position of the Special Prosecutor will have to tarry awhile following the determination by the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that the Bill for its establishment is not of urgent nature.



The committee recommended that the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 be taken through the usual legal legislative procedure.



It involves stakeholder consultation, preparation and presentation of a report to Parliament, second reading, amendments to provisions in the Bill, third reading before passing it.



If the committee had stated that the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 was of urgent nature as suggested by the a Deputy Attorney and Minister of Justice, Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, then it could be passed in a day.



The Bill was laid in Parliament last Tuesday by Mr Kpemka on behalf of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and following the debate as to whether the Bill should be treated under a certificate of urgency, the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye directed the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to determine the urgency or otherwise of the Bill.



The Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 is to establish the Office of a Special Prosecutor as a specialised agency to investigate specific cases of corruption involving public officers and politically exposed persons in the performance of their functions as well as persons in the private sector implicated in the commission of corruption.



The Special Prosecutor would prosecute the offences on the authority of the Attorney General.



Committee's report



Presenting its report to Parliament today (Friday), the Chairman of the committee, Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, said the committee, during its deliberations, referred to the 1992 Constitution, the Standing Orders of Parliament and the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017.



He said the committee noted that the establishment of the Special Prosecutor was in line with the policy of government.



Mr Ben Abdallah said the committee was, however, mindful of the sensitive nature of the Bill and the interest that it had generated in the public domain.



However, he said, the Office of Special Prosecutor as envisaged in the Bill would transcend different political regimes.



Therefore, he said, the committee wanted to engage in broader consultations with civil society groups and other key stakeholders to solicit their inputs.



Mr Ben Abdallah said the committee acknowledged that Attirney-General's Office was over-burdened in the discharge of its duties and therefore needed to carve out some of its investigative and prosecutorial duties to the proposed Office of the Special Prosecutor.



"The committee however dos not see any vacuum created by the absence of a Special Prosecutor to warrant the Bill to be treated as urgent", he said.



Supporting the motion, a Ranking Member of the Committee, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, said considering the position of a Special Prosecutor in the fight against corruption, the committee felt that there should be further consultations.



Leadership supports report



The Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr James Avedzi, said once the committee had recommended that the Bill be taken through the usual legal procedure, they were in support of it.



Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said he also had information from the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development and Finance Committee that the Zongo Development Fund, 2017 should also be taken through the normal legal procure.



The First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, then ordered that the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 and the Zongo Development Fund, 2017 be taken through the normal legal procedure.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Nana Akufo-Addo has been lavishly spending state funds on suits and bow ties for his expensive state dinners ever since his party won power in the December 2016 elections, Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Portuphy, has said.



For a fact, the profligate expenditure that has surrounded all the wasteful state dinners is not the best way of protecting the public purse. On the day of inauguration alone, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government spent lavishly on three separate and very expensive state banquets and from that day it has been lavish state banquet after state banquet while innocent Ghanaians are dying on a daily basis because nurses who were given letters of employment by the NDC government have been sacked by Nana Akufo-Addos government under the guise that there is no money to pay their salary, Mr Portuphy told journalists at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 20 July.



Is it not sheer callousness for the government to have money to be importing expensive dinner suits and bow ties from the United Kingdom, Paris and Italy and spending lavishly on state banquets while innocent people die in our hospitals because there are not enough nurses to give medical care? Mr Portuphy asked.



He said President Akufo-Addo must know that governance is not a tea party, governance is a very serious business meant for serious people and the current president of Kwame Nkrumahs Ghana has to get serious and govern in a more serious manner than he is currently doing.



Indeed, we are not surprised that in the recent botched diaspora summit, one of the participants boldly pointed out to an arrogant deputy minister of trade that the government needs to be serious and that they are not in Ghana to play, he stated.









Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ayoo hit maker Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr., known in showbiz as Shatta Wale has confirmed that, Sergeant Lee been talked about in his hit song Taking over is directed to Bhim Nations CEO Stonebwoy.



Stonebwoy reacting to reports that, Shatta Wales Sergeant Lee track was directed at him stated that, For the Sergeant Lee word, l would say, I dont know - if it means something good, I take am sharp but if it doesnt, then I dont know what they are talking about [and] I wish to know he explained.



In an interview with Abeiku Santa on Accra based radio station, Okay Fm, Shatta Wale been asked if Sergeant Lee in his song Taking over was directed at Stone stated that I will officially outdoor Stonebwoy as Sergeant Lee soon since most Ghanaians refer to him as Sergeant Lee.



I was composing my Taking Over song and I just used the instance when Stonebwoy posted on twitter that he's in a comfortable lead in the MTV base voting on who is the real dancehall king, so decided to polish it and use it  Shatta Wale stated.

Source: Sammykaymedia.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Daniel Jorgensen, a former touring member of the indie pop group Owl City, has pleaded guilty to the charge of lewdness with a child at a court hearing in the US state of New Jersey.

Jorgensen was initially charged with criminal sexual conduct in 2015, in relation to an incident that occurred in 2013.

Authorities claimed he had sexual contact with a minor on the beach, and later tried to lure her back to either his hotel room or the bands tour bus to engage in further sexual activity.

The musician, now aged 32, admitted before the court that he exposed himself to the girl. He has been sentenced to serve two years probation in Minneapolis.

Jorgensen formerly played guitar, vibraphone and bass in Owl Citys live show, but the band fired him when the allegations came to light, releasing a statement saying that his termination was necessary and appropriate.

Owl City had a 2009 hit with the song Fireflies, and in 2012, had a number one in several countries with the Carly Rae Jepsen collaboration Good Time.

Source: NME.

Photo: John Lamparski / Getty.
Nathan Griggs faces robbery charges in connection with two East Shore bank robberies last week and then fleeing to Maryland where he was arrested by Baltimore County Police Department.

Griggs, 52, of Steelton, was arrested early Monday for robbing the First National Bank in the 4200 block of Derry Street in Swatara Township on July 13. He also has been charged in connection with a robbery of the First National Bank in the 2000 block of North Progress Avenue in Susquehanna Township on July 14.

He is currently in Dauphin County Prison unable to post bail. No bank employees or customers were harmed during the incident, according to police reports.
By Lloyd E. Sheaffer

I was programming some radio presets into my wife's new-to-her car. In scanning the stations up popped Ronnie Milsap's sappy "Lost in the 50s Tonight."

Lloyd Sheaffer (PennLive file)

Something primal pricked my memory and goaded me back to my own childhood in the Eisenhower Era.

Before I succumbed to nostalgia, though, a frightening thought struck me: we are, in many areas, being thrust back into those post-war years--and not into the good parts--in several significant matters today.

Culturally and politically too many disturbing similarities are reappearing.

The year 1953 saw the appearance of every hormone-charged male teenager's--and many adolescent-minded men's-- primary secret reading material, Playboy Magazine.

Each month the smarmy, smoking jacketed, millionaire publisher was seen rapaciously clutching one of his bevy of objets d'art; they were Hefner's Bunnies, his pets, his possessions whose purpose was to provide him with pleasure and then be disposed of when his fancies changed or their bunny tails sagged too much with age.

Judging by his oft seen debasing behavior toward young, attractive women and his own boastful crowing, I bet the current billionaire Groper-in-Chief had his own cache of the glossy fold-out magazines.

Imagine the attitudes toward women that today's susceptible young men's minds are developing as they observe such abusive behavior on the part of the President.

In 1957, a couple hundred of us pupils left behind nine one-room schools scattered throughout the township and strutted into a new state-of-the-art, consolidated elementary school. It had things our young country minds had never imagined: indoor plumbing, a public address system, a cafetorium where we could eat hot lunches and listen to choir concerts.

The classrooms were sparkling with shiny terrazzo floors, scratch-free blackboards, and formica-topped individual desks which we came to appreciate--from underneath. These furniture items served not only as smooth surfaces for our writing and arithmetic exercises but also as personal protection when the hated Ruskees' bombs rained down to fulfill Nikita Khrushchev's promise to the United States: "We will bury you."

In 2017 the Russians still present a threat to our democracy. At this time they are working to bury us, not with post-bombing debris, but with a web of computer viruses, internet snooping, and infrastructure-aimed threats.

Today the reawakening Bear gleans information, not from the Rosenbergs or Aldrich Ames or Earl Pitts, but via tete-a-tetes between a steely, experienced intelligence agent and a minority-elected, can't-make-up-his-mind, foreign policy neophyte.

Six decades ago Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other brave protesters brought attention to the plight of racial discrimination confronting African-American and other minorities throughout the country.

In particular these dissidents marched for the equality and opportunities assured under 1870's 15th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States--the right to vote. Their goal came to fruition in the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Yet half a century later the tares in the current crop of conservative politicians are striving to inhibit these same voting rights through bogus voter fraud commissions and other executive orders to circumvent the law of the land. Our minority brothers and sisters may, once again, become disenfranchised citizens.

Constitutional issues were not the only struggles facing the black population in the 50s; social contentions spewed forth as well. In my own backward-thinking community, even in my own clan, the N-word was uttered as often as were coordinating conjunctions.

The J-word, the S-word, the C-word, and other ugly terms peppered conversations. Today's white supremacist gangs' vitriol relies on the same demeaning epithets.

And just as today's hate groups also target any immigrant population that does not fit their WASP ideal, the 50s saw disparagement against those who did not fit the "Leave It to Beaver" Cleaver Family crowd.

The Italians were the W-word; the Spanish were the D-word; the Chinese were the C-word or the G-word. Any person whose skin was not white or who spoke with a non-American accent wore a figurative belittling dog tag.

The current nationalistic, right-wing administration appears set on straining the contents of our once admired melting pot.

The increased screening of immigrants to the US seems to use a sieve with such a tight mesh that few aliens or refugees have a chance to share in the freedoms and opportunities that our culture has encouraged and needed as our nation grew.

The past welcoming and nurturing of immigrants into our society contributed to our greatness as a nation; the country will not be "great again" by banning those of different heritages, religions, or races.

The holes in the social safety net of the 50s--if there was one--were so large that hardly anyone could be saved from an unexpected fall; people were pretty much on their own in terms of medical care, of homelessness, addiction treatment, and so on.

Only the wealthy had access to top-notch service in such matters.

The present cadre of social deconstructionists seems bent on rending completely our current safety nets as it proposes to cut funding to social services, to drive health care costs out of the reach of the lower- and middle-class citizenry, to decimate investments in medical research, and so on. At best one might have a 50-50 chance of landing in the net, unless that one happens to be a member of the elite, the top one percent.

"The '50s were a simpler time," opine some who lived through them. If such an observation is true, applying the policies and attitudes of that less complicated age demonstrates an ignorance of the complex, onerous world of 2017. We must be looking forward, not backward, in a progressive manner, not in a reactionary mode, to ensure a great nation and a secure world.

If we follow the 50s-style approaches to governance in the formidable world of the 21st century, we won't be "Lost in the 50s Tonight"; we'll just be lost.

Lloyd E. Sheaffer is a regular PennLive Opinion contributor. His work appears monthly. Readers may e-mail him at lloydsheaffer@gmail.com.
Tom and Sue Kelly of Kaleden have added to their ongoing support for local non-profit organizations with a major donation to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundations $20-million campaign to supply the medical equipment for the Penticton Regional Hospital expansion.
FILE - In this July 8, 2017 file image taken from FBI video and provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Hawaii on July 13, 2017, Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang holds an Islamic State group flag after allegedly pledging allegiance to the terror group at a house in Honolulu. A federal grand jury in Hawaii has indicted Kang for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group. Kang was indicted Friday, July 21 after he was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail. Because of the indictment, Kang will no longer have a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Monday, July 24. (FBI/U.S Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii via AP, File)
Protesters march towards the Lower House to coincide with the special joint session on the possible extension of martial law in the southern Philippines, Saturday, July 22, 2017 in Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. Martial Law was declared by President Duterte last May 23 for 60 days following the siege by Muslim militants of Marawi city which is now on its second month. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, heads to the chamber for a vote, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 20, 2017. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is spurring Republican senators to resolve internal disputes that have pushed their marquee health care bill to the brink of oblivion, a situation made more difficult for the GOP because of Sen. John McCain's jarring diagnosis of brain cancer. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Opposition supporters shout slogans and raise candles as they protest in front of the Supreme Court, seen in the background, against a law on court control in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, July 21, 2017. The bill on the Supreme Court has drawn condemnation from the European Union and has led to street protests in Warsaw. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
Palestinians run away from tear gas shot by Israeli army during clashes in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Friday, July 21, 2017. Israel police severely restricted Muslim access to a contested shrine in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday to prevent protests over the installation of metal detectors at the holy site.(AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)
The pandemic brought a technological revolution to schools. Is that a good thing?

Regardless of the path, by necessity, most educators agree the pandemic electrified the use of technology in the classroom.
Unopa Makanyanga, 33, runs a nonprofit in Zimbabwe that makes organizations more efficient through technology. Nickolaus Bauer, 32, cofounded a social enterprise in South Africa that creates spaces for children in economically disadvantaged areas of Johannesburg. And Mohamed Yahia, 35, of Sudan, promotes peaceful coexistence through artistic storytelling in comics and games.

Makanyanga, Bauer, and Yahia are among 25 Mandela Washington Fellows who have spent the last six weeks at Drexel University, studying leadership methods, doing community service, and immersing themselves in Philadelphia culture.

"What we've learned from Drexel is huge," said Yahia, "but how we implement it among each other in our conversations, in developing our own ideas, I think it's the next big step."

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the four-year-old flagship program for the State Department's Young African Leaders Initiative, which connects fellows with American colleges and universities for training in civic leadership, public management, and business and entrepreneurship.

"We're looking for  young leaders, people who are really committed to their communities, people who have a proven accomplishment in one of those tracks," said Britta Bjornlund, a branch chief who runs the program out of the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This year, 1,000 fellows from 48 countries are studying at 40 colleges and universities after 64,000 applicants competed for the coveted spots. All are between the ages of 25 and 35, and for most of them, it's their first experience in the United States.

"One of [the program's] big talking points is that they have a lower acceptance rate than Harvard," said Alison Young, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Leadership at Drexel's LeBow College of Business.

This is Drexel's first year in the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and Young said Drexel is the first Philadelphia partner institution. Other partners include Rutgers, Howard, and Northwestern Universities.

"For us it's teaching people how to build relationships and build community to increase the capacity of their organizations and the sustainability of their organizations," Young said. "It's primarily leadership-focused, but we're trying to build skills around fund-raising and networking in America."

The Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, funded in part by a $150,000 grant from the federal government, was created by the Obama administration in 2013 to invest in the next generation of African leaders. After the first class in 2014, the program was renamed for former South African President Nelson Mandela. In each of its first two years, the program drew 500 fellows.

Since their arrival on June 16, the fellows from Drexel have met with public officials such as former Mayor Michael A. Nutter, and have gone on field trips to Philadelphia landmarks, a Phillies game, Brooklyn, and the Amish community near Lancaster. For their community service, fellows fed the hungry. At the end of their six weeks, fellows from Drexel will join their peers in Washington for a weeklong summit, where they will meet with U.S. leaders.

Makanyanga, Bauer, and Yahia said the Mandela Washington Fellowship has been about innovation and learning new methods of problem-solving.

For Makanyanga, her time shadowing the head of a Philadelphia nonprofit made her consider using new methods in her own work.

"I walked through that organization and I was thinking  how do I make it work in my community, which is a little bit different, but they're still facing the same fundamental social issue of poverty," she said.

Bauer said his time in the program has allowed him to view issues from different perspectives.

"Age-old problems like poverty, inequality, prejudice, they're not going to be solved by using old techniques," he said. "I think we're uniquely placed to see a lot of the world's problems, a lot of Africa's problems, through fresh eyes."
President Trump was active again on Twitter Saturday morning, continuing his attacks on media outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post. Read more

One day after hiring a new communications director, President Trump stepped up his war on the media by posting a bizarre message on Twitter where he accused the New York Times of foiling a planned attack to kill the top leader of ISIS.

"The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi," the president wrote just before 7 a.m. "Their sick agenda over National Security."

On Friday, the newspaper reported that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis believes Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS who some thought might have been killed during a Russian military strike last month, was still alive.

"I think Baghdadi is alive," Mr. Mattis told reporters in off-camera remarks at the Pentagon on Friday. "I'll believe otherwise when we know we have killed him. We are going after him."

Trump appears to be referring to comments made by U.S. Gen. Tony Thomas on Friday at the Aspen Security Forum, where he told Fox News correspondent Catherine Herridge that special operations team was close to Al-Baghdadi in 2015 but claims they lost him after a lead was leaked to the media.

"That was a very good lead. Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead," Thomas said. A version of the Fox News story aired on Fox & Friends a little more than 20 minutes before President Trump sent out the tweet.

Thomas' comments appeared to be referencing a June 2015 New York Times story which included information how al-Baghdadi operated and attempted to avoid being tracked by coalition forces.

The Times story cited information provided by U.S. officials and quoted several top ranking officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"The Pentagon raised no objections with the Times before publishing the story in 2015 and no senior American official ever complained publicly about it until now," Times reporter Peter Baker wrote in his story about the president's tweets Saturday morning. A Times spokesperson added that the newspaper has asked the White House to clarify the president's tweet.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"These attacks on newspapers and networks are even more threatening to our democracy than the Trump/Russia scandal," Richard Painter, a chief White House ethics lawyer for George W. Bush, wrote on Twitter Saturday Morning. "This must stop."

The Times wasn't Trump's only target Saturday morning. The president also sent out a tweet about a Washington Post report that Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak told his superiors he discussed campaign-related matters with current attorney general Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race.

Trump's tweet about the Washington Post's report is notable because the president doesn't deny what the newspaper actually reported. He also referred to former FBI Director James Comey's decision to leak a memo about a meeting with the president as "illegal," though there is no evidence any classified material was released to the press.

"It absolutely is legal for Comey to share his own private reflections that do not consist of closely held national security secrets with the press, whether by passing on the information himself or through a friend," said Heidi Kitrosser, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, told Politifact.

Trump also asserted the "complete power to pardon" anyone, including himself, in response to ongoing investigations into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The attacks come a day after Trump hired Anthony Scaramucci as his new communications director and promoted Sarah Huckabee Sanders to press secretary, leading Sean Spicer to resign. After accepting the job, Scaramucci deleted several tweets critical of Trump, which the president had an explanation for.
In a bid to end a class-action lawsuit against the city, Philadelphia officials are seeking a federal judge's approval of a voluntary permanent ban on the controversial use of civil-forfeiture proceeds to fund police and prosecutors.

With one exception, the city has voluntarily stopped using property seized in criminal cases to fund the District Attorney's Office and the Police Department.

City lawyers late Friday afternoon filed a request with U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno to approve a permanent injunction on Philadelphia's using the proceeds for law enforcement, arguing that it would satisfy a stated demand by the plaintiffs for such prohibition. As part of the order, the city would deny liability and that it violated the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs or anyone else in the class-action suit.

Kathleen Martin, first assistant for the District Attorney's office, said in a statement that the funds would instead be used to pay for drug treatment, drug-abuse prevention, and to alleviate blight in communities ravaged by the drug trade.

"By agreeing to discontinue the expenditure of forfeiture proceeds on law enforcement needs in the District Attorney's Office and Police Department  even though that is permitted by statute  we eliminate once and for all any concern of improper motives for forfeiture," Martin said.

Lawyers at the Institute for Justice, the Virginia-based nonprofit that filed the suit in 2014 on behalf of plaintiffs in Philadelphia, could not be reached for comment Friday night.

According to the city's court filing, the city offered two months ago to resolve the suit with the permanent injunction, but the plaintiffs rejected the proposal.

In an opinion piece published Wednesday in the Inquirer, Milad Emam, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, wrote that the organization was continuing its class-action suit because Pennsylvania law still allows for proceeds from forfeitures to be used by law enforcement "to pad their budgets and salaries," and that the law allows for people to lose property to forfeiture without ever being charged or convicted of a crime.

The plaintiffs in the Philadelphia case include Chris and Markela Sourovelis. "After police officers arrested their youngest son for selling $40 of drugs without their knowledge, police returned to seize their home and evict them," Emam wrote in his opinion piece.

"The Sourovelises had no warning or ability to contest eviction. In order to return to their home, prosecutors in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office forced them to sign an agreement permanently banning their son from their home and waiving their rights to challenge the DA's actions in court," Emam wrote.

Gov. Wolf recently signed into law forfeiture reforms, but Emam said the changes fall short.

"As long as forfeiture proceeds can fund Pennsylvania law enforcement's salaries and other benefits, forfeiture will continue to be out of control," Emam wrote.
Wall Street Journal editorial writer Joseph Rago, seen here in a 2013 appearance on Fox News. Rago was found dead in his apartment on Thursday night. Read more

Joseph Rago, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal, was found dead in his New York City apartment Thursday night.

A New York Police Department spokeswoman told the New York Times that foul play is not suspected in the 34-year-old's death. "The cause and manner of death are pending further studies following today's examination," a spokeswoman for the city's medical examiner's office said.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, editorial page editor Paul Gigot became concerned and contacted security officials at the paper when Rago didn't show up to work on Thursday.

"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the death of Joseph Rago, a splendid journalist and beloved friend," Gigot said in a statement. "Joe and his family are in our thoughts and prayers, and we will be celebrating his work in Saturday's paper."

Rago won the Pulitzer Prize in 2011 for a series of editorials about the Affordable Care Act, which were praised as being "well crafted, against-the-grain editorials challenging the health care reform advocated by President Obama."

"No matter where you fall in the debate of health care reform, the arguments advanced by Joseph Rago in his series of editorials in The Wall Street Journal were impossible to ignore," the judges noted. "Not paying attention to these editorials was not an option for policymakers."

Rago's last editorial, a criticism of Republicans' failure to repeal 'Obamacare' and replace it with a better plan, ran Wednesday.
Bill Elliott talks about his son, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000 while driving home to New Jersey. Read more

Bill and Muriel Elliott had a bad feeling when their son John, a recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, was heading home to South Jersey for a summer visit to celebrate his mother's birthday.

A storm was coming. His mother suggested he wait until the next day. But John was looking forward to spending time at the Jersey Shore and celebrating his mother's birthday, so he decided against delaying the drive from Annapolis, Md. After picking up his girlfriend in Baltimore, the Navy officer began the trek home.

Early on July 22, 2000, John R. Elliott, 22, the couple's only son, was killed in a head-on collision with a drunken driver in Salem County, N.J., about an hour from his parents' Egg Harbor Township home. Police knocked on their door at 4 a.m. with the grim news: John had been killed, along with the other driver; his girlfriend survived.

"We had a foreboding. We both did not sleep well that night," Bill Elliott recalled.

On Friday, the couple visited the spot on Route 40 in Upper Pittsgrove Township where their son died to mark the 17th anniversary of his death and rededicate a roadside memorial in his honor. They also touted a growing campaign they launched shortly after his death to curb drunken driving.

"It is a bittersweet day," Bill Elliott said on the edge of a corn field just a few feet from the memorial. "This is sacred soil that we have consecrated today."

The roadside memorial  a cross standing several feet high and an engraved marker  was erected in 2002 by a dairy farmer who lives across the street from the crash site. It recently got a face-lift, which was unveiled Friday. Volunteers from the Bricklayers and Ironworkers trade-union councils installed railing and brick pavers around the site.

"You have to feel terrible," said James Eller of Hidden View Dairy, a 300-acre farm, who designed the original memorial. "We're all Americans. If it happens to one, it hurts everyone."

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney along with Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Adam Taliaferro, announced at the dedication that a section of Route 40 will be designated the "John R. Elliott HERO Campaign Way." The lawmakers sponsored recently enacted legislation for the roadway designation.

"This dedication will honor his service to the country and memorialize his legacy," Sweeney said in a statement. "He was a true hero whose memory will live on."

Elliott graduated from the Naval Academy in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in systems engineering and had planned to attend flight school to become a pilot. His classmates named him Outstanding HERO (Human Education Resource Officer) of his class for his service to his fellow midshipmen. They also gave him the nicknames "Admiral" because of his leadership, and "Jumbo" because of his big smile, according to his father.

The fatal head-on collision occurred when the drunken driver's SUV crossed the center line, striking Elliott's 1994 Nissan Altima. Earlier that evening, the other driver had been arrested on DUI charges and was released to a friend. The friend allowed the intoxicated driver to get back behind the wheel of his SUV.

"Our son did everything right," Bill Elliott, a retired hospital administrator, said. "He did not deserve this. But neither does anyone who is hit and killed. The point is that drunk driving does not discriminate against anyone."

A few months later, Bill and his wife started the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers, which is trying to register a million drivers. The nonprofit campaign currently is present in seven states and works with law enforcement, schools and bars to keep drunk drivers off the road.

The campaign message has been plastered on billboards, and decals and magnets are also used to encourage the use of sober designated drivers. Those who take the pledge can get a free nonalcoholic beverage at participating bars and taverns.

"It's not just a social nuisance," Elliott said. "It's a plague. And it's one that can be easily solved."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol was involved in 10,265 traffic deaths in 2015. Every day, 28 people in the United States die in drunken-driving crashes.

Bill and Muriel also worked to get John's Law passed in 2001. The legislation gives police in New Jersey the authority to seize the vehicle of a suspected drunk driver and hold the driver for up to 12 hours.

Michael Pangle, the driver who died in the crash with Elliott, had been arrested with a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal definition of drunken driving and charged earlier that night. State police released him to a friend who drove Pangle back to his SUV three hours later.

The friend who picked Pangle up from police custody was charged with manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and aggravated assault. His trial ended with a hung jury and a second trial wasn't held.

Bill Elliott said the family finds comfort in trying to change behaviors and enact laws in their son's honor so that no other family suffers such a devastating loss. "We miss him every day."
Kelley Hodge spent some time last fall talking to her family about a run for district attorney in the May Democratic primary election in Philadelphia.

The timing didn't feel right. She let the opportunity pass.

On Monday, Hodge will be sworn in as the city's interim district attorney, to complete the last 5 months of former District Attorney Seth Williams' second term.

Hodge campaigned for the job after all. But instead of the city's voters, Hodge had to win the support of the Common Pleas Court Board of Judges, which voted Thursday to make her the city's chief law enforcement officer.

Hodge, 45, said she expects to return to Elliott Greenleaf, the suburban law firm where she now works, when the next district attorney takes office in January. She does not rule out a run for the office in the next election, four years from now.

"Prospectively, I look at everything that is available, if I see that it's something good for me, good for my family," Hodge said. "That's probably the most I can say regarding that or any other opportunity."

Hodge said it was premature to say if she would be making any personnel changes when she takes office Monday.

"I want to go into the office and reassure people that I'm here to make sure that the cloud that they may have felt that they were working under is lifted," Hodge said. "I'm not walking into this with any type of prediction or foreshadowing."

The job opened up last month when Williams resigned, just before pleading guilty in a federal corruption case. He is now in federal custody, awaiting sentencing in October.

Hodge cited the "many good things" Williams did in the office, including programs she worked on such as Veterans Court, Mental Health Court, and the Small Amount of Marijuana Diversion Program.

"I think that unfortunately there were other things that became distractions and diluted some of those good things," Hodge said, an oblique reference to Williams' criminal behavior, which included taking gifts from individuals who sought his influence.

Among the 14 candidates for the interim position were former District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham and Deputy District Attorney John Delaney, two of Hodge's former bosses.

Both praised her Friday as intelligent and hardworking, noting her reputation for getting things done.

Hodge, who grew up in Montgomery County and started her legal career as a public defender in Richmond, Va., spent eight years as a prosecutor in Philadelphia, at times leading the Municipal Court Unit and as deputy chief of the Juvenile Court Division.

Hodge spent some time in a holding room Wednesday with Abraham and Delaney as they and other candidates waited to make presentations to the Board of Judges.

She said it was comfortable to be among former colleagues, even as she battled nerves about what she would tell the judges.

"I would describe myself as someone who wants to try to maintain a sense of calm, that even if there is a potential storm swirling around, to try to go ahead and recognize that we need to take a breath, look at what's in front of us, and take things step by step," Hodge said. "So I don't like to fan the flames of anxiety or stress."
Anyone searching for signs of normalcy in President Trump's administration would have come up empty this week. Instead, the president used his days to demonstrate disdain for the structures of constitutional government, a misunderstanding of the proper powers of the presidency and a continued willingness to disrupt his own operation.

Friday's dramatic staff shake-up was only the culmination of a turbulent week in the Trump presidency, one that also included a remarkable presidential scolding of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, an apparent warning to special counsel Robert Mueller and the dramatic collapse of the Senate health-care bill that produced an exhortation by Trump for the senators to get back to work  without offering constructive ideas of his own.

These were new and ominous signs of an administration that remains adrift and of a president frustrated with almost everything and everyone around him. Together they portray a president who appears to believe that if he can only put the most loyal people in the most critical jobs, his troubles will somehow disappear. That too is a misunderstanding of the situation in which he now finds himself.

Take them one at a time, starting with the White House staff changes. Out the door went Sean Spicer, the embattled press secretary who always had a tenuous relationship with the president and who was cast into one of the most difficult positions in the White House. Trump has long been unhappy about critical press coverage and the blame often fell on Spicer's shoulders and his press operation, to his undoing.

In as communications director came Anthony Scaramucci, the financier and hedge fund operator who has been one of the president's most combative public defenders. Scaramucci was one of the few big-time fundraisers who went all in for Trump almost immediately after Trump clinched the GOP nomination.

He is a loyalist to be sure with the same kind of New York-inspired confidence often projected by the president. He has no formal background for the responsibilities that traditionally come with the post he now holds, but Trump will serve as the communicator-in-chief regardless.

The arrival of Scaramucci appeared to undercut White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who was closely allied with Spicer from their days at the Republican National Committee, and who like Spicer has been in an embattled position for months. Scaramucci expressed his friendship with Priebus on Friday when addressing reporters in the White House briefing room and dismissed reports that the two were at odds.

Still, Spicer is the second key ally Priebus has lost from the White House staff he helped assemble. Earlier, he lost Katie Walsh, who was a deputy White House chief of staff. She will soon be returning to the RNC, where she previously served as Priebus' chief of staff.

Yet Friday was only one of the shocks of the week. Earlier, in a remarkable interview with three New York Times reporters, the president attacked Sessions and Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation. Privately, according to separate reports in the Washington Post and the Times, he also has been rearranging his legal team due to his personal dissatisfaction and asking about his powers to pardon those now under investigation while some advisers plot a strategy apparently designed to discredit the special counsel and members of his unit.

The president's concerns about the Russia investigation are real and perhaps justifiable. His comments about Sessions and Mueller are only the latest data points highlighting the degree to which he is obsessed with the investigation and would like to find a way to contain it, control it, shut it down or otherwise make it disappear.

So far as president he has fired an acting attorney general (Sally Yates), fired an FBI director (James Comey) and belittled one of his earliest allies for doing the proper thing in recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Sessions was forced to do that because he had compromised himself by not giving full and accurate testimony to the Senate during his confirmation hearings. Trump does not seem to understand why Sessions had to recuse himself.

He also seems to believe that had Sessions not taken that step, Mueller would not be where he is today. It's true that by recusing himself, Sessions left Rod Rosenstein, the former career prosecutor who is now deputy attorney general, with oversight over the FBI's Russia investigation and it was Rosenstein who appointed Muller. But it was Comey's firing, a decision in which Sessions participated, that brought Mueller into the picture.

Interestingly, Trump also now blames Rosenstein for the decision to fire Comey. That is a 180-degree reversal on an earlier 180-degree reversal by the president and his White House about the circumstances that led to that controversial and consequential decision.

Rosenstein and Sessions initially were cited by the White House as the reason Comey was dismissed, pointing to Rosenstein's memo that outlined a bill of particulars against Comey for his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails and later testimony before Congress. Trump undercut that claim days after Comey was fired, saying he had already decided to get rid of the FBI director before receiving the recommendation from Sessions and Rosenstein. Now he tells the Times, Rosenstein made him do it.

All of this angst that Trump displays over the Russia probe portends an inevitable and potentially explosive collision between the presidency and the Mueller investigation, unless there is some pulling back on the part of the president, which is not in his character. Mueller, by all indications, continues to plow ahead and digging into areas that increasingly could come close to the president or his family.

Meanwhile, after the collapse of the Republican health-care bill in the Senate, the president issued a series of conflicting statements about what he thought should happen next. He summoned GOP senators to lunch at the White House and made comments that once again showed limited patience with the legislative process and limited knowledge of details of the bill that have tied up the senators.

Throughout the Senate process, the president has been a mostly minor player. The powers of the presidency had little impact on the various senators who have problems with the bill. To the extent he has been an influence on the legislative battle, it often has been negative  sending signals contrary to what congressional leaders wanted or needed from the White House. He conveys impatience with the inevitable ups and downs of drafting and passing complex legislation. As in other areas, he tries to use cheerleading, generalities and sometimes outright misstatements as a substitute for real leadership.

The president has now crossed the six-month mark of his presidency. He is the same now as he was on Inauguration Day, the same as he was 53 weeks ago when he accepted the Republican nomination. But the successes he imagined coming his way largely have not, even as the Russia investigation has clouded his presidency in ways he never imagined. The past few days have let show his unhappiness, and that's not likely to be eased by shuffling the personnel ranks of his administration. Bigger things are at work.
Robert Alan Keisman, 89, formerly of Philadelphia, an internist and cardiologist for more than six decades, died Tuesday, July 11, of a degenerative brain disease at his home in Reston, Va.

Dr. Keisman lived and worked in Philadelphia and its suburbs before moving in 2013 to Reston to be near his daughters.

An old-fashioned family doctor, he made house calls long after the custom was a distant memory. He maintained a solo medical practice in Collingdale, Delaware County, then in East Falls, and finally at his home in Brewerytown.

He also directed medical clinics attached to various corporations in the region. "This was so he could maintain his independence," said his daughter Julie Keisman Miller. He was licensed to practice medicine in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Illinois  the latter because he once considered moving to Chicago.

Born in New York, Dr. Keisman was a precocious student. He graduated from Grace Church School in Manhattan, and from Columbia University in 1945, as a Phi Beta Kappa student, at 17.

His parents, Dr. Murray Keisman and Maria Burova Keisman, had emigrated to New York City from Prague in the 1920s.

He served in the Navy in 1945, then moved to Philadelphia to study at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine. He graduated in 1950 and completed his residency there, becoming board-certified in internal medicine, and later in cardiology.

Starting in the early 1980s and continuing until 2012, when he retired, Dr. Keisman was employed on a contractual basis as chief medical adviser to the Social Security Administration in Philadelphia.

Hal Davison, a colleague there, described him as among the most memorable people he ever met.

"Before he specialized in cardiology, he was my family doctor," Davison said. "He was an amazing intellectual and a consummate physician. He had a calm, reassuring style and captivating presence. His patience and courtesy made him a role model for all of us. I was always amazed at his detailed and scholarly case analyses.

"He must have worked 25 hours a day, because he was a perfectionist who could produce an incredible amount of work. He had a dry wit that made him fascinating to listen to. I loved his stories of being a Penn medical student long ago."

A family friend, Margaret A. Weir, said: "His life of service to others through his medical work helped countless numbers of people over many years. He had high ethical standards of medical practice and held the respect of his colleagues and friends."

During a stint as the company doctor for Penn Mutual Life Insurance in 1960, Dr. Keisman met Robin Hathaway, a writer who ran the company magazine. They immediately hit it off, discovering shared interests in Philadelphia history, Alfred Hitchcock movies, and Peanuts cartoons. His first gift to her was a plastic Snoopy in a fancy gift box.

They were married Dec. 2, 1961, beginning "a long and devoted partnership," the family wrote in an appreciation.

In the 1960s and '70s, the couple ran a magazine publishing and public relations company called Barnhouse Press from their home in Media. They reared two daughters, both of whom followed in their father's footsteps as Columbia University graduates.

The Keismans also collaborated on a photography business and a series of Philadelphia-based mystery novels about a fictional cardiologist named Dr. Andrew Fenimore. While his wife did the writing, Dr. Keisman served as the model for the protagonist.

"Bob was the inspiration, medical consultant, and always the first-draft editor," his family wrote.

From 1999 until 2012, the Keismans divided their time among their homes in Philadelphia, an apartment in Manhattan, and Gumtree, their little "vacation shack," as Dr. Keisman called it, in Bayside, near Greenwich, N.J. Robin Keisman died in February 2013.

In addition to his daughter, he is survived by another daughter, Anne Keisman Cissel, and four grandchildren.

Services were held Friday.

Memorial donations may be made to the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, 1901 Vine St., Suite 111; Philadelphia, Pa.19103, or via https://libwww.freelibrary.org/support/.
The Los Angeles police officer at the center of a scandal in the departments cadet program has been charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who was a cadet, prosecutors announced Friday.

Robert Cain, 31, was charged Thursday with two counts each of oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, lewd acts upon a child and unlawful sexual intercourse, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Cains arraignment in a downtown courtroom Friday morning was delayed while he remains in custody in San Bernardino County in connection with felony weapons charges, the Los Angeles Times reports.

He is accused of sexually assaulting the cadet in three separate incidents at three different locations on June 14. That same day, three cadets were caught riding in stolen police cruisers, after leading officers on two separate chases through South L.A., sparking the investigation that revealed the cadet scandal.
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Trump showed that he wont take responsibility for anything ever, as he tried to blame the media for the fact that sent Sean Spicer in front of reporters and told him to lie every day.

Trump tweeted:

Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media  but his future is bright!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Trump continues to avoid reality or even a whiff of personal responsibility. He was the one who made Spicers job so difficult. The reason why Sean Spicer took a beating from the press was that he lied to them on a daily basis. Spicer was the Baghdad Bob of press secretaries. Nothing he said could be taken seriously because it wasnt true.

Only a person of low integrity could do what Sean Spicer did for six months. When Trump calls Sean Spicer a wonderful person what he means is that Spicer groveled and threw mountains of praise upon Trump.

The problem with the Trump White House isnt in the communications office. It is with the guy sitting in the Oval Office. A president who wont take responsibility for anything is a failed president who will accomplish little.

The President can blame the media, but it was Trump who set Spicer up to fail, and it was Sean Spicer who willingly took the gig as Trumps lying mouthpiece.
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US spy agencies intercepted Russian communications that detail Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussing Trump campaign related issues with the Russians. Sessions is not only a perjurer, but he has been caught working with the Russians to help Trump win the election.

The Washington Post reported:

Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks accounts of two conversations with Sessions  then a top foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump  were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, which monitor the communications of senior Russian officials both in the United States and in Russia. Sessions initially failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said that the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.

One U.S. official said that Sessions  who testified that he has no recollection of an April encounter  has provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence. A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had substantive discussions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Trumps souring on Sessions makes more sense now. Trump assumed that by making the future Attorney General part of the Russia conspiracy, he had created a firewall within the DOJ that would kill the investigations into his campaign. When Sessions recused himself, Trump felt betrayed because the AG is also guilty of collusion.

The writing appears to be on the wall for Sessions. It is only a matter of time before his crimes catch up with him. With Trump trashing Sessions in an interview, one way or another, it looks like he is on the way out.

The only question is will Jeff Sessions be fired, resign, or be led out in handcuffs.
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By Jonathan Landay

ASPEN, Colo. (Reuters)  A U.S. decision to halt a CIA program equipping and training certain rebel groups fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not done as a concession to Assad ally Russia, a top U.S. general said on Friday.

Earlier this week a U.S. official said the decision was part of an effort by the Trump administration to improve relations with Russia, which along with Iranian-supported groups has largely succeeded in preserving Assads government in the six-year-long civil war.

It was, I think, based on an assessment on the nature of the program, what were trying to accomplish, the viability of it going forward, U.S. Army General Raymond Thomas, head of the Special Operations Command, told the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

The decision was absolutely not a sop to the Russians, Thomas said.

Thomas, offering the first on-the-record commentary on the matter by a U.S. official, described it as a tough, tough decision. He noted some critics thought the rebels had no chance of removing Assad from power.

The CIA program began in 2013 as part of efforts by the administration of then-President Barack Obama to oust Assad, but produced little success.

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and CIA Director Mike Pompeo ended the program after consulting with lower ranking officials and before Trumps July 7 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in Germany, officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It was not part of U.S.-Russian negotiations on a ceasefire in southwestern Syria, the officials said.

A downside of the CIA program was that some armed and trained rebels defected to Islamic State and other radical groups, and some members of the previous administration favored abandoning the program.

Thomas also acknowledged criticism that the program might not have been strong enough, but stopped short of doing so himself.

Before assuming office in January, Trump suggested he could end support for Free Syrian Army groups and give priority to the fight against Islamic State.

Thomas is closely tied to a separate effort by the U.S. military to train, arm and support other Syrian fighters battling Islamic State in Syria.

U.S. special operations and other conventional forces are advising Kurdish YPG militia and other rebels fighting to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State. The U.S. is carrying out daily air strikes to help the advance.

Thomas said the U.S. military has come close to killing Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in recent years. In at least one case, he blamed a media leak for ruining a promising lead.

There were points in time when we were particularly close to him, the general said.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Jonathan Landay; editing by Grant McCool)
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Republicans are saying that it isnt a coincidence that damaging information about Jeff Sessions communications with Russians was leaked days after the Trump said he wants him out. It is suspected that the leak about Sessions came from Trump.

Journalist Garrett Graff tweeted:

Every GOP figure I've spoken to at #AspenSecurity assumes Trump leaked this to force Sessions out. "Certainly not a Mueller leak," one said. https://t.co/5WjsCLkQks  Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) July 21, 2017

The fingers are pointing directly at Trump for this story because the President has made it clear that he wants to be rid of his attorney general. The suspicion is that Trump wants Sessions gone so that he can appoint a more sympathetic AG who will shut down the Russia investigations.

Trump has used leaking to the press as his method of operation for decades. The damaging Russia info on Session will either force the Attorney General to resign or give Trump cause to fire him. It appears that Donald Trump has learned from Comey firing debacle, as he is now planting the cause for the firing in the press before he pulls the trigger.

Trump demands loyalty from those around him, but if he is behind the Sessions/Russia, it is more evidence that he is incapable of giving it back.
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Republicans are inept on their own, unable to govern after eight years of trolling and obstructing President Barack Obama. But the relentless defeat of their health care bills is attributable to the active, persistent voices of the people across this country.

In 40 states, Indivisible groups gathered on July 19th for what they say were 170 actions to tell their Senators to Kill the Bill.

Watch here:

In Fort Wayne, Indiana, they raised their objections loud enough to reach Sen. Todd Young, (R-IN), as About 40 people played dead for one minute Tuesday outside the E. Ross Adair Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse downtown.

Holding paper replicas of tombstones, they lay down on the plaza in front of the building to silently protest Republican efforts in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Rowan Greene, dressed as the Grim Reaper, walked among the reposing crowd.

Heres a screengrab via the Journal Gazette video:

It wasnt all protests. They thanked senators who were standing strong against the GOP health care bill and the repeal of Obamacare, like Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

The people are the power in a democracy. Money might be able to buy ads to fool people and sell propaganda to distract them, but if they are committed to democracy, they can make a difference.

Thats what everyone participating in the Indivisible protests is doing. They are making a big difference, sending a message to D.C. that is hard to ignore. They not only protest, but thank those who listen and stand up for the people.

Its inspiring and heartening to see people raising their voices, determined to be heard, especially facing a wanna be dictator like President Trump.
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A key Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee said on Saturday that firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller would be grounds for impeaching Donald Trump.

In an interview on MSNBC, California Rep. Ted Lieu said, No one is above the law, including the president.

Video:

Key Dem says firing Robert Mueller would be grounds for Trump impeachment pic.twitter.com/hKkSHHy6ZO  Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) July 22, 2017

Lieu said, Democrats believe that that is grounds for impeachment because thats exactly what Nixon did. And the lesson from Watergate is that no one is above the law, including the president.

He added, Its clear that Robert Mueller is getting closer. We dont have just smoke now, weve got fire in this Russia investigation. The June meeting last year with this email chain that Donald Trump Jr. authenticated  that shows collusion. The Trump campaign was informed in black and white emails that the Russian government was helping the Trump campaign and they had dirt on Hillary Clinton. That is evidence of collusion.

The Democrats comments come as Trump is openly threatening Mueller and floating the possibility that he will find a reason to force him out. In other words, the White House doesnt like how quickly the Russia investigation has escalated into a full-blown dumpster fire, and its looking for another way to throw the train off the tracks.

Luckily, as Lieus comments indicate, Democrats will not allow Trump to get away with it, and its likely that if the president finds a way to force Mueller out, some good Republicans will say enough is enough, too.

The Trump administration has gone completely off the rails, and the odds of impeachment seem to increase with each passing day.
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In an unstable rant, Donald Trump confessed to committing crimes while railing against the imaginary crimes committed by Hillary Clinton.

Trump suggested that he needs a pardon:

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

As Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) noted, one only needs a pardon if theyve committed a crime:

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Trumps entire legal defense appears to consist of blaming Hillary Clinton:

So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

When Trump claims that so many are asking, what he means is that the voices in his head are asking. Donald Trumps Russia defense is going to consist of blaming Hillary Clinton. Trump is still at war with the fading ghost of Clintons political relevancy, because deep down inside he feels that he is not a legitimate president.

Trump thinks that he will find legitimacy by delegitimizing the person that got the most presidential votes.

Donald Trump is off his meds and cornered. The White House didnt need a new communications director. The White House needs men in white coats to come and collect the President.
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Donald Trump has a new Russia defense, and that is that since the president has the power to pardon, he has committed no crimes.

Trumps belief that he is above the law was on full display on Saturday:

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Donald Trump was wrong. A President does not have unlimited pardon power. Four days before Richard Nixon resigned the Justice Departments Office of the Legal Counsel wrote, 1. Pursuant to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment, is vested in the President. This raises the question whether the President can pardon himself. Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, it would seem that the question should be answered in the negative.

Trump believes that as president, the law does not apply to him. He also appears to be confusing diplomatic immunity with the pardoning. Pardoning does not mean that crimes cant be committed.

Richard Nixon believed in the imperial presidency. The Nixonians that if the president did something, it was legal.

Trump believes in a divine presidency, where the president is above all laws. Nixon thought presidential behavior changed laws. Trump thinks that the president is above all law.

Both schools of thought about executive power are wrong and unconstitutional, and each has led and likely will lead to the demise of a lawless president.

Trump is in for a very rude awakening if he believes that he is above the law.
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During his speech aboard USS Gerald R. Ford on Saturday, Donald Trump veered off course and started referring to himself in the third person.

The moment came when Trump was discussing his proposal to massively increase military spending as part of his disastrous budget blueprint. He told those in the crowd to give him a little hand and call their representatives in Congress.

Video:

Trump referring to himself in the third person, asking for "a little hand" during #USSGeraldRFord speech pic.twitter.com/l1p50RboUx  Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) July 22, 2017

Trump said:

Now we need Congress to do its job and pass the budget that provides for higher, stable and predictable funding levels for our military needs that our fighting men and women deserve. And you will get  believe me. President Trump, I will tell you, you will get it, dont worry about it. But I dont mind getting a little hand, so call that congressman and call that senator and make sure you get it. And by the way, you can also call those senators to make sure you get health care.

Its clear that the presidents handlers like him to stick to the script they give him because when Trump starts freelancing during speeches, it never bodes well for him or the intelligence of those listening.

On the two specific issues Trump raised  the budget and the current GOP effort to dismantle health care in America  the American people have consistently said they dont want what he is selling.

While Trumps budget does include massive increases in military spending, which the Pentagon isnt even asking for, it makes devastating cuts to other important areas, including Medicaid, education, and environmental programs.

Trump may have told the crowd assembled on the carrier to call their senators to make sure you get health care, but they are more likely to lose their insurance if Republican members of Congress do find a way to pass the current version of Trumpcare.

Luckily, neither Trumps budget nor the current GOP health care bill are likely to make it through Congress, despite his incoherent efforts.
With fall in the air, cyclamen start peeking through the leaf litter, giving the woodland garden a splash of color when most plants have finished blooming. As those pink, white or magenta blooms unfurl and appear, it is a memorable sight to see. Read moreFall charmers and winter wonders
In Georgetown County's closest race, the board of elections and voter registration certified Scott DuBose's election to the county school board with a margin of victory of just three votes out of 4,343 cast. Read moreGeorgetown Co. elections: DuBose's election to District 2 school board seat certified
By PTI: Jammu, Jul 21 (PTI) A batch of 1,141 pilgrims today left Jammu for the 3,888-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine of Lord Shiva in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Escorted by the CRPF and police, the batch consisting of 759 males, 200 females plus 182 sadhus and sadhvis left in a convoy of 42 vehicles for Baltal and Pahalgam base camps, officials said.

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With todays batch, a total of 63,301 pilgrims have left Jammu for the cave shrine in 22 batches since the yatra began from here on June 28.

As many as 2,27,342 pilgrims have paid obeisance at Ice Lingum of Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas till last evening.

There has been decrease in the number of the pilgrims visiting cave shrine of Amarnath in the past one week.

The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and CRPF.

The annual yatra began this year amid a terror threat, with intelligence reports warning of probable attack which prompted the authorities to mobilise the "highest level" of security, including satellite tracking system.

This years yatra will be eight days shorter than the last years 48 days. It will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7.

Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine is 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal. PTI AB DIP DIP

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Fashion is infamous for buzz words  think "upscale casual," "seasonless clothing," "windowpane prints" and a slew of others that leave most folks scratching their heads.

These days, though, there's another phrase that's stirring a lot of sartorial debate. (No, it's not that awful man romper.) It's how do we define "appropriate attire"  and, perhaps more important, who gets to decide what's appropriate and for whom?

Within the past month, lots of people have been up in arms about women baring their arms  and shoulders and decolletage and the like. The U.S. Congress is cracking down on its "members-should-wear-appropriate-business-attire" policy, which apparently means no sleeveless dresses or tops for women and requires neckties for men. (And if you're caught without a jacket to cover up, don't think you merely can fashion some sleeves out of paper, as some female reporters did  it won't work.)

At the congressional picnic on the White House lawn in June, first daughter Ivanka Trump was scolded for wearing a cold-shoulder floral frock. Not long before that, former Fox News anchor-turned-NBC News journalist Megyn Kelly was called out for an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress she was photographed wearing at an event with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other global dignitaries. Even a high school senior in West Milford, N.J., poked fun at the hypocrisy in her yearbook quote: "I'm sorry, did my shoulders distract you from reading this quote?" (Just as generations of young women before her, she's pictured wearing the classic black V-neck drape or robe, which skims her shoulders  and, technically, violates the school's own dress code.)

If you've stepped foot in a mall lately, chances are you've seen shirts or dresses with the shoulders cut out. Following a strong showing at New York Fashion Week's spring/summer shows in September 2015, they crept into closets last summer and are back with a vengeance this season. The fact these high-profile women wore the look shows they're in tune with what's on trend. (If they weren't, I'd bet Kelly's $990 Yigal Azrouel dress that they'd be scrutinized for appearing too dowdy or dated.) It's no surprise, either, that congressional reporters wore sleeveless dresses to work. It's July in Washington, D.C.  enough said.

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Of course, dress codes have their place. (If not, who wouldn't want to just wear PJs all day, every day.) But lately, "appropriate attire" has become to fashion what "fake news" has become to the media  a kind of catchall whose true meaning has been manipulated to chastise what doesn't fit our views. For instance, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan might think sleeveless dresses aren't appropriate for Capitol Hill. I don't think a grown, professional woman feeling as though she needs to stuff her dress with paper like some sort of kindergarten art project in order to try to do her job is appropriate. (Meanwhile, counselor to President Donald Trump Kellyanne Conway regularly represents the White House on television wearing sleeveless dresses.)

Just as fashion can be a medium for liberation and personal expression, it can be used to control and divide, too. That's also at play here. The only specific congressional dress code regulations on record date back to the 96th session (1979 to 1981) and only address "appropriate attire for female members." By focusing on what each gender is wearing, we're further emphasizing the divisions and inequalities between them and their bodies  which is only intensified when set against a backdrop of a male-dominated Republican Congress that's done little to champion the reproductive rights and adequate health care options for women, among other inequities.

Beyond politics, coining something "appropriate" or not has become a watered-down (and, somehow, acceptable) way to belittle, or even bully, someone. Take Trump, for example. Chances are the people who picked apart her perfectly acceptable picnic attire aren't her biggest fans. Same goes for Kelly  and the list goes on.

If this is what "appropriate attire" has turned into, then it's better to never be in style.
A Rochester man is in custody today after allegedly attempting to assault two people with a butcher knife, and then run them over with his car.

Roland Ned Outlaw, 46, may face charges for second degree assault, a felony, as well as reckless driving and disorderly conduct. This comes after Rochester police responded to a call from a witness who allegedly saw Outlaw get into his car and drive through grass toward the two men, according to Rochester police Lt. Mike Sadauskis.

The incident began around 4:10 p.m. Thursday, and when officers got to the apartment complex, in the 100 block of 16th Street Southeast; the witness told police the two men were able to jump behind a picnic table to avoid being hit by the car, Sadauskis said.

The two victims, a 37-year-old man and 55-year-old man, were acquaintances of Outlaw and told officers he came after them with a butcher knife, but they were able to block his attack by holding up a plastic cooler they found nearby.

Outlaw wasn't at the apartment complex when officers responded, but was later located at a restaurant near the Apache Mall.
Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau announced her resignation this afternoon. The news comes just six days after the death of Justine Damond.

On Saturday, Damond called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home. She was fatally shot through window of the responding police car by officer Mohamed Noor. The situation remains under investigation.

Harteau announced her resignation this evening through a statement posted to the police department's website.

"Last Saturday's tragedy, as well as other recent incidents, have caused me to engage in deep reflection," she said. "The recent incidents do not reflect the training and procedures we've developed as a Department."

Harteau is ending a long career with the Minneapolis police. She was hired as an officer in 1987, and promoted to Chief in 2012. Harteau was the first female or openly gay chief for the city.

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"Despite the MPD's many accomplishments under my leadership over the years and my love for the City, I have to put the communities we serve first. I've decided I am willing to step aside to let a fresh set of leadership eyes see what more can be done for the MPD to be the very best it can be," she said.

Her resignation came after a meeting with Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges this afternoon, who released a statement on her Twitter page this evening.

"In conversation with the Chief today, she and I agreed that she would step aside to make way for new leadership," Hodges said. "I asked for her resignation, she tendered it, and I accepted it."

The conversation happened after a Minneapolis City Council earlier today, the first council meeting since Damond's death.

"As far as we have come, I've lost confidence in the Chief's ability to lead us further," Hodges said.

It is unclear at this time who will be taking Harteau's position.
CHATFIELD  New homes are popping up across Southeast Minnesota, and the reasons are as varied as the communities.

But one thing nearly all the new construction has in common is how Rochester is driving residential real estate in surrounding cities.

"There's that proximity to Rochester and the economic driver that is Rochester," said Joel Young, Chatfield's city clerk.

With 14 new homes built in Chatfield in 2016 and on pace to build about 14 more in 2017, Young said Chatfield finally is back to its historic totals for annual new living units. From single-family dwellings to the occasional apartment, Chatfield added an average of about 13 units per year until about 2008, when the housing market started taking a turn for the worse.

With the city's proximity to Rochester combined with what Chatfield has to offer, Young said lots for houses are coming at a premium.

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"We're in need of rental housing," he said. "And the mid-level housing, there aren't many lots left."

Much of that has to do with the investment the city has made, even during the lean years. With a new wastewater treatment plant, water tower and pumping station  not to mention a retail community that offers just about everything a person needs  Young said it's easy to see why growth has returned.

Housing incentive

Down the road in St. Charles, housing starts jumped to 26 new homes for 2016. City administrator Nick Koverman said the reason for the increase is easy to pinpoint.

"Our housing incentive was ending," he said, referring to the sewer and water hookup and other fees that were being waived by the city for several years. "We had builders come in at the end of 2016 take advantage of that. They'd save the homeowners between $5,000 and $6,000."

Similar to Chatfield, St. Charles also invested in its business community, using money from Rochester's half-cent sales tax to spur economic development and growth, Koverman said. The city also boasts a school district ranked in the top 40 in the state. "People are doing their homework on St. Charles."

Koverman said when it comes to housing, the city is fortunate to have multiple housing subdivisions that offer different style and price levels, so no matter what kind of home someone wants to build, St. Charles has a neighborhood for them.

"We have few lots for in-fill in town," he said. "But we're seeing more interest in those lots. I'm very optimistic those lots that were once empty will be filled."

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It's not just new homes that are in demand around the region. Rod Steele, Mayor of Pine Island and a Realtor, said communities around Rochester have seen their markets "proportionally appreciating with respect to what's going on in Rochester."

The lack of inventory of homes regionally has helped turn the Chatfields and St. Charleses, along with other cities, into miniature versions of Rochester.

"When you've got a fairly healthy buyer pool and a limited inventory, those houses are moving quickly," Steele said. "Rochester buyers are starting to branch out a little more because Rochester's entry level is kind of a war zone."

Well-priced homes in good condition, he said, are not staying on the market long. "And the rents have all gone up," Steele said. "Now we're seeing those renters converting into buyers."
My conservative cousin from New York has been following New York City mayors since the days of Robert F. Wagner, Jr. I think John Lindsey remains his nominee for the worst of the lot, but the current mayor seems to be closing in fast. My cousin reports:

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is an ardent admirer of Communist Cuba and the Sandinistas. He presides over a town whose economic success is powered by the kind of bare knuckled capitalism that, in the Mayors Marxist worldview, is consigned to the dustbin of history.

His city is filled with immigrant strivers, including many who have fled the Communism and Socialism that their Mayor longs to impose. The success of so many of these new Americans confounds the Mayors vision of a country bedeviled by racism, sexism, classism and Islamaphobia.

For now, de Blasio must be content with small bore measures to promote his nefarious agenda. His latest is The One Book  One New York initiative which urges Gothamites to vote for a work of literature that they will all read together.

The choices include a group of anti-American screeds selected by a panel of show biz celebrities including Larry Wilmore and Danielle Broetz. Among the selection are works by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Chimamamda Ngozi, and Junot Diaz. Bizarrely, the Mayor sees these purveyors of anger and divisiveness as helping the initiatives goal of bringing New Yorkers together.

No word on how many folks actually voted in the Marxist Book Club contest which was heavily promoted on billboards in New Yorks subways and buses. For what its worth, and its not a whole lot, Chinamamda Ngozes Americanah was declared the winner.

Apparently, New Yorkers reading habits are not in sync with those of the leftist elites. The top book borrowed from the New York Public Library last year was the thriller Girl On A Train by Paula Hawkins.

It seems the Mayor has a long way to go in his effort to raise the class and racial consciousness of his constituents. But you can be sure hes working hard to achieve a Marxist world.
Following a day of violence in Israel, the Associated Press headlines: 3 Palestinians, 3 Israelis killed in violence over holy site. Its even-steven, right? More of that cycle of violence we keep hearing about, with equal fault on both sides.

Not exactly. This is how the AP describes the deaths of three Israelis:

After nightfall, a Palestinian sneaked into a home in the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank and stabbed to death three Israelis, the head of Israels rescue service said. An Israeli news site said those killed were two men and a woman who were having dinner at the time. The army released footage showing a blood-covered kitchen floor.

Amazingly enough, the Israelis saved the murderers life:

Eli Bin, the head of Israels rescue service MDA, said an off-duty soldier next door heard screams, rushed to the home and shot the attacker through a window. Bin said the attacker was wounded and evacuated to hospital.

So three innocent Israelis were stabbed to death in a home intrusion as they ate their Shabbat dinner, while a fourth was wounded.

How about those dead Palestinians? Did an Israeli break into their home and slaughter them?

Just kidding. The AP says:

Earlier Friday, several thousand Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank clashed with Israeli troops, burning tires or throwing stones and firecrackers. Troops fired live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas. Three Palestinians were killed and several dozen hospitalized with live or rubber bullet injuries.

That is accurate as far as it goes. Israel National News gives a fuller account:

Riots were reported in the Salakh A-Din, Ras al Amud, A-Tor, Rockefeller areas and Arab villages close to Jerusalem. Four police officers were injured by rocks and firecrackers hurled at them by rioters. Some of the rioting Palestinian Arabs threw Molotov cocktails and other objects at security forces. They were dispersed through the use of crowd-dispersal equipment. In Wadi Joz, close to the Lions Gate to the Old City, protestors set trashcans on fire. Law enforcement forces used measures for crowd-dispersal, including water hoses, to scatter the rioters. At the Salakh a-Din thoroughfare near the Damascus Gate to the Old City, Arabs attempted to break thorugh police barriers and hurled stones at security forces.

***

Rioting occurred at the police barrier in Hevron and the Qalandiya checkpoint north of Jerusalem. Riots involving tens and sometimes hundreds were reported in Kafr Kadum in Samaria, Naalin and Sinjel north of Ramallah, at Rachels Tomb in Bethlehem and at the villages of Beit Omar and Arab Tekoa in Gush Etzion. In Tekoa two Israeli vehicles were damaged by rocks and one passenger was treated for shock at the site.

Amid this pervasive lawlessness and violence, only three Palestinians were shot, as Israeli police and security forces exercised their usual restraint. These photos show the Palestinian riots in progress:

So this is the real scorecard:

Palestinian launches murderous attack: three Israelis killed.

Palestinians launch multiple violent attacks: three Palestinians killed.

What we have here are two consequences of the same cause, Palestinian violence. Both might be considered tragic, but one is certainly far more so than the other. To report the deaths as somehow equivalent is to mislead the reader.
A little girl was reduced to tears because some councilmen thought it was a violation of law for a five-year-old to run lemonade stand without a trading permit.

The little girl was running her lemonade stand in East London. Source: Andre Spicer

By India Today Web Desk: A five-year-old with business sense decided to make the most of the Lovebox music festival in East London. She started up a homemade lemonade stand, selling drinks to anyone who would stop for the little girl.

Sadly, the tot's business went kaput after some councilmen slapped her homemade lemonade stand with a fine of 150 pounds (Rs 12564).

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Why?

Oh my, because she was "trading without a permit"!

Source: Giphy

WHAT DID THE OFFICERS SAY?

The little businesswoman's father said she "burst into tears" after officers from a nearby council came down to her lemonade stand to shut it down for "trading without permit".

"She started screaming and crying. She sobbed all the way home and was telling me: 'Dad, I've done a bad thing'." said Dad Andre Spicer, who is a professor at City, University of London.

"People were so happy, they thought she was so cute and called her a 'little grafter'...It's not like she was trying to make a massive profit, this is just a 5-year-old kid trying to sell lemonade," he said.

"She was very upset because she was proud of selling it and this really soured the experience."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the local authority said they were "very sorry" about the whole incident.

"We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense, and to use their powers sensibly. This clearly did not happen," a report of The Su n quotes. "The fine will be canceled immediately and we will be contacting Professor Spicer and his daughter to apologize."

This doesn't mend much because, as Spicer narrates, his daughter is not very keen about setting up another stall with a permit, as it is "too scary" for her now.

You crushed a possible future business tycoon's courage, officers. You happy now?

Source: Netflix

For more articles on fine...

3-year-old 'biker' gets a parking ticket, leaves him with a priceless expression

Did Kerala engineering college fine student Rs 50 for 'laffing' in the hostel?

Mathura village imposes hefty fine on girls using mobile phones, aims to 'reduce' crime rate

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The Washington Post claims that Attorney General Sessions statements about what he discussed with the Russian ambassador are at odds with reports by the ambassador to his government about what he and Sessions discussed. The Post relies on, you guessed it, current and former U.S. officials.

But the Post fails to describe a contradiction between what Sessions has said and what the Russian ambassador supposedly reported. Here are the only statements by Sessions cited by the Post and its sources as problematic:

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign. I dont recall any discussion of the campaign in any significant way. I never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States.

Here is the Posts description of what the Russian ambassador told the government:

A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had substantive discussions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Maybe. But even someone with average skill in reading and logic would understand that this description is not inconsistent with Sessions denial that he did not discuss the campaign with the ambassador.

It stands to reason that Sessions might discuss Russia-related issues with the Russian ambassador. And Russia-related issues are also campaign-related issues in the sense that Russia was an issue in the campaign.

But what Sessions denied was that he discussed the campaign and any interference by Russia with it. The denial was important because, at the time Sessions made it, the issue Washington fixated on was whether Team Trump sought or knew about Russian help for the candidate, or coordinated with Russia regarding the campaign.

The Posts piece, by Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima, and Greg Miller, is dishonest. It finds a contradiction where none exists by glossing over the distinction between discussing a campaign-related issue  which is any substantive issue raised by any candidate during the campaign season  and discussing the campaign.

Discussing hacking or opposition research research with the Russian ambassador would constitute discussing the campaign. Telling the ambassador how the campaign is going or what its strategy is would constituted discussing the campaign. Telling the ambassador  as President Obama told the Russian president  that the candidate would be more flexible with Russia after the campaign would probably be a borderline case.

Simply discussing Russia policy  past, present, or future  is not discussing the campaign.

There is also the question of whether the Russian ambassador was telling his government the truth. The Post admits that the Russian ambassador could have mischaracterized or exaggerated the nature of his interactions with Sessions. It notes: Russian and other foreign diplomats in Washington and elsewhere have been known, at times, to report false or misleading information to bolster their standing with their superiors or to confuse U.S. intelligence agencies.

The Post adds, however, that the Russian ambassador has a reputation for accurately relaying details about his interactions with officials in Washington. Maybe. But Im not inclined to take the word of the deep state on this. I suspect there are current and former officials who would grant the Russian ambassador sainthood if it meant embarrassing the Trump administration.

The Posts sources clearly are out to get Sessions. Its anyones guess whether they are accurately characterizing what the ambassador told his government and the reliability of what he told it.

In any event, the Post and its sources have failed to identify any contradiction between Sessionss statements about his interaction with the ambassador and what the ambassador supposedly told the Russians about the interaction.

NOTE: Readers who are interested in this matter should also see my subsequent post on the subject called Jeff Sessions and the Russian ambassador. It discusses a statement Sessions made that comes closer than those cited by the Washington Post to contradicting what the Russian ambassador allegedly told his government.
An internal committee has started to prepare a list of missing artwork and suspected former employees.

By Indo-Asian News Service: An internal committee of Air India is preparing a list of former employees who are suspected of siphoning-off artwork, an official with the airline said on Friday.

According to the official, who did not wished to be named, the airline will "not take any action if its artworks are returned", however an internal committee has started to prepare a list of missing artwork and suspected former employees who might have them in their possession.

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The airline had started to lend out artwork of its vast collection to top executives in the past with the rider that the same be returned back to the company up on retirement.

"No one knows when did the practice of lending out artwork began, or who started it," the official said.

JATIN DAS' PAINTING RETURNED

The development comes after an unknown person returned a painting by eminent artist Jatin Das which was a part of Air India's collection.

The painting was returned to the airline via a courier addressed to Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani around two weeks back.

"We received a courier around two weeks back. It was addressed to the CMD. The package contained the missing painting by Jatin Das," the official said.

The airline has initiated an extensive investigation on the matter and suspected former officials of the airline have been questioned.

On July 6, Air India said that it has initiated an inquiry to verify allegation about theft of paintings from its vast collection.

The investigation was initiated after eminent artist had written to Lohani to inform him about the missing painting which was available on the black market.

"Jatin Das has recently written a letter (June 24) to the CMD (Air India) asking for photographs and details of the paintings in our collection that were made by him," the airline had said in a statement on July 6.

Also Read

Is endgame near for the disaster called Air India?

Air India loot: Jatin Das' missing painting miraculously resurfaces

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Eleven people, including 9 soldiers, have been killed, and 18 people injured, in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

By Press Trust of India: An Army jawan, rifleman Jayadrath Singh, was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army, which opened fire on Indian posts along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Sunderbani sector at around 1805 hours today. The Army retaliated strongly and effectively", a defence spokesman said.

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Jayadrath Singh hails from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpuir district.

He was grievously wounded in the firing and succumbed to his injuries, the spokesman said. He is survived by his wife.

Eleven people, including 9 soldiers, have been killed, and 18 people injured, in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

ALSO READ

Army jawan, 8-year-old girl killed in Pakistan firing along LoC

J-K: Army jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri

ALSO WATCH

Trump administration blocks funding to Pakistan for not acting against Haqqani network

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According to the police, policemen deployed on the Amarnath Yatra duty stopped vehicles carrying the army personnel, who were coming back after yatra, at a check point as it was past the cut off time.

By India Today Web Desk: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and six personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were injured after they were allegedly thrashed by armymen in Ganderbal following an altercation on Friday night.

According to the police, policemen deployed on the Amarnath Yatra duty stopped vehicles carrying the army personnel, who were coming back after yatra, at a check point as it was past the cut off time.

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The army personnel, who were in civvies and without identification, came down from the vehicles and started thrashing the on duty officer and other officials at Gund Police Station and even damaged property.

The ASI suffered head injuries and the rest of the army and police personnel received minor injuries.

Senior army and police officials are now investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has demanded action be taken against the army personnel.

"Why would the army beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification/action by the authorities," Omar wrote on Twitter.

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As the daughter of a Filipina immigrant and a 20-year U.S. Navy corpsman, MaddieRose Holler learned the values of discipline, hard work, and perseverance at an early age. Earning nearly $14,000 in MAO scholarships, she is funding her education at Arizona State Universitys Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as a first-generation college student. Utilizing her desire to serve those who serve us, she assumed the role of President for the Arizona 501(c)3, Military Family Support Group, assisting in the shipment of thousands of care packages as a symbol of the countrys love, pride, and patriotism.
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.
OCEAN CITY  The citys Housing Authority Board of Commissioners believes new information about its disgraced executive director could lead to more federal charges, the authoritys board president said Thursday.

The new executive director had uncovered some things, and we voted at (the June) board meeting to send that packet of information to local authorities, Bob Barr said.

Barr, who also serves as a 4th Ward City Councilman, said he believes there is an investigation into Alesia Watson, the ousted executive director who pleaded guilty in May to embezzling thousands from the authority in the form of gift cards, after a new audit revealed more discrepancies.

Watson could not be reached via phone last week, and her voicemail was full. Her attorney, John Zarych of Northfield, was unaware of any new charges or investigation involving Watson.

Im confident there will be no additional charges involving Mrs. Watson, Zarych said.

Barr said he and the new executive director, Jacqueline Jones, met with local and federal authorities, including the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, last Monday to go over the new information Jones had uncovered. HUD spokeswoman Olga Alvarez said she is unaware of an investigation and could not comment if there was. A U.S. Attorneys Office spokesman said he also could not comment on an investigation.

Barr said the Ocean City Housing Authority is not under investigation and that the information could be related to the charges to which Watson has already pleaded guilty.

In May, Watson, 54, of Galloway Township, admitted to using two credit cards maintained by the Housing Authority to buy 69 MasterCard gift cards between December 2013 and March 2015 for personal use. She faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when she is sentenced in August.

According to the 2016 audit completed by Ford Scott and Associates in June 2017, a month after Watson was terminated, a number of issues were discovered in the finances of the authority.

A review of previous audits dating to 2011 shows few concerns noted with the authoritys finances. However, the 2014 audit completed by Polcari and Co. of Wayne, Passaic County, identifies four findings, including that the authority approved the purchase of 17 visa gift cards to give to employees as year-end bonuses and as a thank-you gift for participation in the Fathers Day Program.

The total cost was $425, and the cause was identified as authoritys management was not familiar with federal requirements. The auditor recommended management receive training in federal regulations regarding use of public funds. It also recommended for the board to amend the policy manual to clarify that gift cards for employees or third parties should not be purchased by the authority, as well as policies regarding use of petty cash.

Barr said he was not on the board at the time  he was appointed in 2015  but that a previous employee discovered the practice and confronted Watson about it. He said the employee later sued the authority.

Obviously it continued, Barr said, although it wasnt noted in the 2015 audit.

Barr said the audits done by Polcari and Co. in 2013, 2014 and 2015 arent worth the paper its printed on.

No one from Polcari and Co. was available for comment last week.

Ford Scott and Associates was brought in this year after a request for proposals. The 2016 audit found financial issues including a lack of approved bill lists in the records, not using a voucher system to pay for bills, using several store credit card accounts to purchase items that could not be itemized, incomplete or improper documentation, overpaying employees and payment of unused personal days to Watson that were not due to her.

Barr said the number of findings will result in more oversight of from HUD, but that he welcomes it.

As far as the the new executive director is concerned, Barr said he has complete confidence in Jones.

We are well on the way to turn it around, Barr said. Weve got some work to do, but were going to do it.

The Ocean City Housing Authority maintains about 120 units of affordable, low-income housing for families and seniors, funded through HUD.

The board meets again Aug. 15.
This will basically disallow the two leaders from driving up in a vehicle to the aircraft on the tarmac. This privilege was accorded to Lalu Yadav and Rabri Yadav at the Patna airport for close to a decade.

By Poulomi Saha: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued an order withdrawing the special VIP privileges accorded to RJD chief Lalu Yadav and his wife, former Chief Minister of Bihar, Rabri Yadav at Patna airport.

The letter, accessed by India Today, is dated 21 July and directed to the Bureau of Civil Aviation, the nodal agency responsible for airport security.

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This will basically disallow the two leaders from driving up in a vehicle to the aircraft on the tarmac. This privilege was accorded to Lalu Yadav and Rabri Yadav at the Patna airport for close to a decade. In recent years, it had been restricted to Patna airport only. This privilege now stands withdrawn with immediate effect.

Sources indicate that this privilege has been withdraw given the fact that neither leader enjoys any constitutional position at present.

This latest development could open a fresh round of animosity between the BJP and the Mahagatbandhan, especially after the recent financial investigations against Lalu Yadav and members of his family.

ALSO READ:

CBI raids against Lalu Prasad, son Tejashwi and the Mahagathbandhan crisis in Bihar

Despite CBI, ED raids and corruption taint, Nitish Kumar unlikely to break ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav

--- ENDS ---
On July 7th & 8th 2016, David Gilmour performed two spectacular shows at the legendary Pompeii Amphitheatre in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, 45 years after he first played there for Adrian Maben's classic film, Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii .

The concerts were the first-ever rock performances played to an audience in the ancient Roman amphitheatre, which was built in 90 BC and entombed in ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. David Gilmour is the only performer to play to an audience in the arena since the time of the gladiators, almost 2,000 years ago.

Speaking about the Pompeii shows David Gilmour commented "It's a magical place and coming back and seeing the stage and the arena was quite overwhelming. It's a place of ghosts..."

The concert performance film, David Gilmour Live at Pompeii, was shot in 4k by director Gavin Elder and includes highlights from both shows. The concert is a spectacular audio-visual experience, featuring the famous huge circular cyclorama screen as well as lasers, pyrotechnics and stellar performances from an all-star band.

The film includes songs from throughout David's career including the title tracks of his two most recent No. 1 solo albums: Rattle That Lock and On An Island. Also included are other solo and Pink Floyd classics such as "Wish You Were Here," "Comfortably Numb" and "One Of These Days," the only song that was also performed by the band in 1971. Both concerts also saw extraordinary performances of "The Great Gig In The Sky" from "The Dark Side Of The Moon," which David rarely plays as a solo artist.

David Gilmour  Live At Pompeii will be released world-wide in various formats (listed below) on September 29, 2017. Fans can pre-order David Gilmour  Live At Pompeii starting Friday, July 21st here: http://smarturl.it/DGPompeii.

For one night only on September 13th over 2000 cinemas worldwide will be showing David Gilmour - Live At Pompeii.

The concert performance film, David Gilmour Live at Pompeii, will be distributed to cinemas worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing on September 13, 2017 and will be presented in Dolby Atmos sound.

For details of cinemas taking part in this special one night only event and ticket information visit http://www.davidgilmourcinematickets.com/.

www.davidgilmour.com

www.facebook.com/davidgilmour

https://twitter.com/_davidgilmour

DAVID GILMOUR - LIVE AT POMPEII FORMATS

2 x CD

Standard package  21 tracks.

CD1  74 mins

CD 2  74 mins

1 x Blu-ray

Standard package

Pompeii concert 96/24 PCM Stereo & 96/24 DTS MAA

Pompeii Then & Now Documentary

2 x DVD

Standard package

Pompeii concert Stereo PCM, 5.1 Dolby Digital, 5.1 DTS

Pompeii Then & Now Documentary

Blu-ray + CD Deluxe Edition Boxset

2 x CDs,

2 x Blu-rays (special packaging)

South America 2015 / Wroclaw 2016 / concert footage / tour documentaries, feature length BBC documentary, photo booklet, Pompeii Guide, 4 x postcards & poster.

Vinyl

Pompeii concert on 4 x LPs

2 x gatefold sleeves / poly liner inner sleeves / booklet / download card / slipcase.

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

HD downloads via portal tbc

CD TRACK LISTING

CD 1:

5 A.M. 3.55 Rattle That Lock 4.41 Faces Of Stone 6.00 What Do You Want From Me 4.30 The Blue 6.33 The Great Gig In The Sky 6.02 A Boat Lies Waiting 4.55 Wish You Were Here 5.18 Money 8.13 In Any Tongue 7.47 High Hopes 9.31 One Of These Days 6.32



CD 2:

Shine On You Crazy Diamond 12.32 Fat Old Sun 6.05 Coming Back To Life 7.18 On An Island 7.01 Today 6.40 Sorrow 10.50 Run Like Hell 7.16 Time / Breathe (In The Air) (reprise) 6.45 Comfortably Numb 9.59

DVD TRACKLISTING

DVD 1:

5 A.M. 3.54 Rattle That Lock 4.40 Faces Of Stone 6.01 What Do You Want From Me 4.34 The Blue 6.30 The Great Gig In The Sky 6.01 A Boat Lies Waiting 4.55 Wish You Were Here 5.18 Money 8.12 In Any Tongue 8.02 High Hopes 9.58



DVD 2:

One Of These Days 6.35 Shine On You Crazy Diamond 12.37 Fat Old Sun 5.58 Coming Back To Life 7.16 On An Island 7.08 Today 6.34 Sorrow 10.49 Run Like Hell 7.15 Time / Breathe (In The Air) (reprise) 6.45 Comfortably Numb 9.41



Documentary:

Pompeii Then And Now Doc 7.17

BLU-RAY TRACKLISTING

Part 1:

5 A.M. 3.54 Rattle That Lock 4.40 Faces Of Stone 6.01 What Do You Want From Me 4.34 The Blue 6.30 The Great Gig In The Sky 6.01 A Boat Lies Waiting 4.55 Wish You Were Here 5.18 Money 8.12 In Any Tongue 8.02 High Hopes 9.58



Part 2:

One Of These Days 6.35 Shine On You Crazy Diamond 12.37 Fat Old Sun 5.58 Coming Back To Life 7.16 On An Island 7.08 Today 6.34 Sorrow 10.49 Run Like Hell 7.15 Time / Breathe (In The Air) (reprise) 6.45 Comfortably Numb 9.41



Documentary:

Pompeii Then And Now Doc 7.17

96/24 PCM Stereo & 96/24 DTS Master Audio

Directed by Gavin Elder

Produced by Dione Orrom

Audio produced by David Gilmour

Mixed by Andy Jackson & David Gilmour, assisted by Damon Iddins

Live Recording by Damon Iddins

DELUXE CD/BD BOXSET

CD 1 (same as CD in wallet) CD 2 (same as CD2 in wallet) BD 1 (Concert Pts 1 & 2  same as standard BD in wallet) Bonus BD (Music - 65 mins; Documentaries 132 mins in wallet)

Bonus BD

South America December 2015

Astronomy Domine 5.14 Us And Them 7.51 Today 6.53 Time / Breathe (In The Air) (reprise) 6.41 Comfortably Numb (Jon Carin - vocal) 9.00



Directed by Aubrey Powell





Wroclaw, Poland June 2016  with Orchestra

5 A.M. 3.01 Rattle That Lock 5.25 Dancing Right In Front Of Me 6.18 The Girl In The Yellow Dress (with Leszek Mozdzer) 7.08 In Any Tongue 7.56



Directed by Aubrey Powell



Documentaries









Gavin Elder Europe 2015 12.45 Gavin Elder South America 2015 15.00 Gavin Elder North America 2016 15.25 Gavin Elder Europe 2016 17.00 BBC documentary 'David Gilmour: Wider Horizons' 72.00

Technical specs

Blu-ray

96/24 PCM Stereo & 96/24 DTS MAA

DVD

Stereo PCM, 5.1 Dolby Digital, 5.1 DTS

SOURCE Columbia Records

Related Links

http://www.davidgilmour.com


Bade Achhe Lagte Hai actress Chahatt Khanna is going to be a mother soon.

By India Today Web Desk: TV actress Chahatt Khanna Mirza, who delivered a baby girl on September 9, 2016 is expecting her second baby.

Chahatt got married to Farhan Mirza in February 2013. She shared the first pic of her daughter Zohar on Instagram after the little one turned five-months-old. Her second child is is expected in January. Chahatt is happy to welcome her second baby soon after her first one. "What gap? I don't believe in these man-made theories. I'd rather follow God's plans," the actress said while speaking to Bombay Times.

Peekaboo ! #chahattkhanna A post shared by Chahatt Khanna (@chahattkhanna) on Jul 19, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

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Currently, the pretty actress wants to completely focus on her kids. "I have extended my maternity break so that when I finally return to work, I can concentrate fully on it. Being a mother is a full-time job and perhaps more difficult than any other. But I would definitely get back to work with a bang."

In between the rains A post shared by Chahatt Khanna (@chahattkhanna) on Jul 19, 2017 at 11:02pm PDT

The actress recently shared her pic on Instagram, where she is flaunting her baby bump.

Congratulations, Chahatt.

Also read: Bade Achhe Lagte Hain star Chahatt Khanna Mirza introduces her newborn to the world; see pic

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi : In 2016, as many as 96.5 per cent of rural elementary government schools had toilets, but more than one in four (27.79 per cent) were dysfunctional or locked, according to data collected for the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). Only about 68.7 per cent of schools had working toilet facilities for students.

In 2016, the ASER survey was conducted in 589 of 619 rural districts, and surveyors visited 17,473 schools. ASER has been collecting data on water and sanitation infrastructure in schools since 2009.

The proportion of schools with toilets increased 7.43 percentage points from 2010 to 2016. Functional toilets have increased 21.45 percentage points in the same period. But the rate of progress is now slowing, and government agencies do not collect data on usable toilets.

The National Sample Survey, the District Information System for Education (DISE), and the Census, which are the main sources of data on water and sanitation-related indicators, do not measure the usability of sanitation infrastructure.

The working and usage of sanitation facilities is ignored because of an overemphasis on the availability of this infrastructure. In states where the gap between availability and functionality is massive -- a common occurrence in north-eastern and central states -- focusing only on availability of toilets can be misleading.

For instance, if only availability is considered, 95.35 per cent of government elementary schools in rural Uttar Pradesh in 2016 were observed to have toilets. But if we look at the functionality of these toilets, we find that only 54.83 per cent were reported to have working toilets.

The percentage of schools with toilet facilities, in terms of availability has been reported in the high nineties for the past few years, which lines up with the vision of universal sanitation in schools.

But this encourages complacence about water and sanitation. When we look at data on working toilets, we realise that India is far from achieving near-perfect, universal sanitation in schools.

For instance, in Mizoram, slightly more than one in two schools (54.88 per cent) were found to have dysfunctional or locked toilets. A similar situation was observed in Manipur (47.19 per cent), Meghalaya (45.74 per cent), and Nagaland (45.24 per cent).

This gap between usability and availability is also observed in states that have better development indicators. In Kerala, 100 per cent of schools had a toilet, but 18 per cent were found to be unusable in 2016. Further, access to working toilets reduced over time.

In the context of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan-Gramin (Clean India Campaign-Rural) and Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya (Clean India Clean School) measuring usability of sanitation infrastructure becomes even more important. Broken toilets do not bring us any closer to realising the vision of Swachh Bharat (Clean India).

While a growth in the percentage of schools with working sanitation provisions has been reported over time, this improvement is slowing across most states, even as sanitation has been at the forefront of India's political discourse, and funding for sanitation policies has increased significantly in the past few years.

In Assam, for example, the proportion of schools with working toilets increased by 20 per cent between 2010 and 2012, six per cent between 2012 and 2014, and three per cent between 2014 and 2016. Ideally, the rate of improvement should be increasing over time, if not remain consistent, with an increase in funds. Functional toilets are overall low (33 per cent in 2010, 53 in 2012, 59 in 2014, and 62 in 2016) so the slowing rate of improvement cannot be attributed to the last remaining remote or difficult to access regions.

In Tamil Nadu (with 79.4 per cent of schools with usable toilets in 2016), the reported percentage of schools with working toilets increased by 23 per cent between 2010 and 2012, 12 per cent between 2012 and 2014, and decreased by 0.41 per cent between 2014 and 2016. In Uttar Pradesh, the proportion of schools with working toilets increased by six per cent between 2010 and 2012, by two per cent between 2012 and 2014, and remained stable between 2014 and 2016.

Gender disparity in working sanitation facilities

One of the reasons for high dropout rates and non-enrolment for girls in rural India could be the lack of toilets in schools, and thus it is worrying that improvement in working sanitation facilities for girls has also slowed down.

Secondly, data show that a lower proportion of schools have working toilets for girls than they have for boys, which means that girls do not enjoy the same level of access to working sanitation facilities as boys do. This has been calculated by comparing the proportion of schools that were found to have a working girl's toilet with the proportion of schools that had a working toilet.

In Maharashtra, 68 per cent of schools had a working toilet compared to 62.5 per cent of working toilets for girls. Similarly, in West Bengal, the difference between the recorded percentage of schools with toilets and the recorded percentage of schools with toilets for girls was 14.8 per cent in 2012, 24 in 2014, 14.7 in 2016.

It is only when we look beyond availability of toilets, and take into account the large gap between usability and availability of sanitation infrastructure, that we can make more nuanced arguments about indicators like rates of improvement in sanitation and gender parity, and make better policy to meet these challenges.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform. Bhattacharyya leads the water and sanitation activities of ASER Centre. Gangwar, a student of political science and economics at Ashoka University, recently interned with ASER. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)
Satara (Maharashtra), July 19 : Bhiku Daji Bhilare, who had once saved Mahatma Gandhi from a knife attack by his assassin Nathuram Godse at Panchgani in July 1944, passed away due to old age here on Wednesday, a close aide said. He was 98.

Bhilare is survived by two sons, said state Congress Vice President Ratnakar Mahajan, who has been a close family friend since many years.

Renowned in political circles as 'Bhilare Guruji', Bhilare breathed his last at home in native village of Bhilar, sandwiched between the twin hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani.

His funeral was held late on Wednesday in Bhilar in the presence of a large number of Congress leaders, freedom fighters and legislators.

"Always engaged in social and public services, he was twice elected as a legislator from Mahabaleshwar constituency and was a very active figure fighting for rights and benefits of freedom fighters. Though active almost till his last breath, for the past few years, he rarely stepped out of his village," Mahajan told IANS.

Revered in the Congress and political circles, Bhilare, as a 25-year-old sub-district president of the Rashtra Seva Dal, one of the frontal groups of the Congress, prevented one of the six assassination attempts on the Mahatma made by Godse.

"Gandhiji used to visit Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani during the summer months. On one such trip in July 1944 after he was released from the Aga Khan Palace prison in Pune (following his arrest during the Quit India movement), he went to Panchgani to recuperate," Mahajan recalled.

One evening during a prayer meeting near a school, Godse, along with two other associates, rushed towards Gandhi with a knife, but Bhilare saw them, blocked their way, and after a brief struggle, succeeded in disarming Godse and one of his associates, Narayan Apte, with the help of M.S. Purohit, a proprietor of a local lodge, Mahajan said.

Years later after India secured Independence on August 15, 1947, Godse succeeded in assassinating the Father of the Nation on January 30, 1948, in Delhi, gunning him down at Birla House.

Top Congress leaders, including party Vice President Rahul Gandhi condoled the death of Bhilare.

"A staunch Gandhian and a freedom fighter, Bhilare Guruji was a selfless custodian of the values we hold dear. Very sad to learn of his passing," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad recalled the services of of Bhilare Guruji, describing him as the man "who bashed Nathuram Godse when he attacked Mahatma Gandhi in Maharashtra".

Several Congress state units across India have also expressed grief at Bhilare's demise.
Washington, July 19 : The US has slammed Pakistan for failing to crackdown on terror groups operating from "safe havens" inside its territory, and said the Nawaz Sharif government did not take any action against the LeT and JeM, which continue to operate openly.

In its annual Country Report on Countering Terrorism, the US State Department said though the Pakistan government supported political reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, it "failed to take significant action to constrain the ability of the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network to operate from Pakistan-based safe havens and threaten US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan.

It said the Pakistan government "did not take any significant action against Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed, other than implementing an ongoing ban against media coverage of their activities. LeT and JeM continued to hold rallies, raise money, recruit, and train in Pakistan," it said.

In its overview of the South Asian region, the report said that "Afghanistan, in particular, continued to experience aggressive and coordinated attacks by the Afghan Taliban, including the affiliated Haqqani Network (HQN) and other insurgent and terrorist groups. A number of these attacks were planned and launched from safe havens in Pakistan".

It said India continued to experience attacks, including by Maoist insurgents and Pakistan-based terrorists.

"Indian authorities continued to blame Pakistan for cross-border attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. In January, India experienced a terrorist attack against an Indian military facility in Pathankot, Punjab, which was blamed by authorities on JeM. Over the course of 2016, the Government of India sought to deepen counterterrorism cooperation and information sharing with the United States," it said.
Thrissur, July 20 : Congress leader and leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala has called for a probe by the central bureau of investigation (CBI) into charges that BJP leaders in Kerala took bribes in exchange for procuring medical council of india (MCI) approval for private medical colleges in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Thrissur on Thursday, Chennithala said that he would write to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking a CBI probe into the bribery allegations.

In addition to the CBI probe, he also called for a parallel investigation by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB).

The involvement of the central leadership in the scam should also be investigated, he said, drawing a comparison between the alleged scam and the VYAPAM scam in Madhya Pradesh.

The latest allegations against the BJP state leadership comes close on the heels of the arrest of a local functionary of the party in Kodungallur on the charge of printing counterfeit notes.

With the Kodungallur fake note printing case and now the medical college scam, the BJP state leadership is engaging in largescale plunder under the aegis of the central leadership, Chennithala said.

Chennithala also came down on BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, saying that the inaction on the part of latter despite having received a complaint on the bribery charge in June 2016 was suspicious.

Congress Kerala unit interim president M M Hassan echoed Chennithalas demand for simultaneous probes by the CBI and the VACB into the alleged bribery scandal involving BJP leaders.

Speaking to reporters in Kannur, Hassan said that the BJP state leadership had accepted bribes promising to procure MCI sanctions for five private medical colleges in the state.

Hassan alleged that the scam was spread across the country with the BJP having accepted bribe to the tune of Rs. 400 crore in lieu of securing MCI sanctions for 70 medical colleges in the country.

Meanwhile, congress MP K C Venugopal - speaking to reporters in Delhi - called for a judicial probe into the alleged scam.

Saying that the issue was not just confined to Kerala, he pointed out that the bribe money was funnelled to Delhi through the hawala route.

A two-member internal committee report of the BJP Kerala unit has found that the party co-operative cell convenor R S Vinod had accepted bribe to the tune of Rs. 5.6 crore from S R Medical College based in Varkala for MCI sanction for the private medical college.

Even though the state leadership tried to brush the issue under the carpet, it snowballed into a controversy on Wednesday with the internal committee report getting leaked to the media.
Mumbai, July 20 : Top political leaders from Maharashtra cutting across party lines on Thursday congratulated Ram Nath Kovind for being elected the 14th President of India.

Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and Bharatiya Janata Party state President Raosaheb Patil Danve wished the President-elect "a successful tenure in the service of the people", while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that his victory signals the start of a new era in the country.

"With his rich experience in social and political spheres, with his election as the President of the world's largest democracy, he will definitely show a new direction," Fadnavis said.

Ruling ally Shiv Sena's youth leader Aditya Thackeray also congratulated Kovind for his election "with such a thumping majority."

Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar also expressed their "best wishes to Kovind".

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde (from NCP) hoped that Kovind's leadership "will make us a strong nation." Other prominent personalities who welcomed Kovind's election included Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal.

Meanwhile, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant offered solace to Kovind's opponent Meira Kumar. "You fought for the national cause like a true warrior. Your efforts will not go in vain. We all will follow you."

Earlier, soon after the election outcome was announced in New Delhi, celebrations erupted at the state BJP headquarters in Mumbai.

Hundreds of party activists burst firecrackers, danced and played drums, distributed sweets and embraced each other cheering Kovind's victory.

Similar celebrations were witnessed in other parts of the state including Thane, Pune, Nagpur and Kolhapur.

Incidentally, Maharashtra was the last port of call for Kovind during the campaigning for the presidential election. He had visited Mumbai on July 15, two days before the election.
Islamabad, July 21 : Pakistan has rejected parts of a recent US report, which said that "Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan."

The US state department's "Country Report on Terrorism 2016" released on Wednesday also claimed that "Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan."

The Pakistan foreign ministry on Thursday disputed findings of the report and said the country has taken strong measures to fight terrorism, Xinhua reported.

"We have taken indiscriminate and all out action against terrorists. They are on the run. Most of them have fled to Afghanistan, the country which is in turmoil for the last 40 years, and due to which there are large ungoverned spaces being taken up by the terrorists," Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said.

"As is evident from the statistics and media reports available, a considerable number of leaders and senior commanders of the Haqqani network and other terrorists have been killed inside Afghanistan," the spokesman said during his weekly briefing.

He said Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts have been met with success, and acknowledged by a number of countries including the US.

To a question about Pakistan's role in the context of peace in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan has always whole-heartedly supported all efforts for reconciliation in the war-shattered country.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 21 : Even as an official state vigilance probe began on Friday into an alleged medical college scam involving BJP leaders in Kerala, the CPI-M's Kerala unit has sought a probe by a national agency alleging BJP national leaders are also involved.

State CPI-M secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters on Friday that a probe by a national agency is needed as not just Kerala BJP leaders but national leaders of the party are involved in the scam.

"This is a scam that has national relevance as it's not just in Kerala this has happened. A probe by the BJP won't suffice as 70 medical colleges across the country are involved, and the corruption has a national perspective as national leaders of the BJP have a role in this," said Balakrishnan.

BJP's national spokesperson G.V.L. Narashima Rao said there is no need for any further probe as what happened in Kerala is not corruption but unethical practise of a BJP worker and strong action has been taken against him.

In a related development, the BJP cancelled Friday's core committee meeting and has instead called a state committee meeting for Saturday.

Meanwhile, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra told the media that "I gave the orders for a probe based on a complaint that I got. The probe begins today." Behra also heads the Vigilance Department.

The case pertains to a Rs 5.60 crore bribe allegedly paid by a privately managed medical college to Kerala-based BJP leaders for influencing the Medical Council of India (MCI). Since then, there has been another such allegation in northern Kerala.

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat told reporters in Kozhikode on Friday that this was just the tip of the iceberg of corruption involving the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"The national leaders of the BJP speak of 'Swachh Bharat' and now they should begin that from within their party," she said.

Kerala BJP chief Kummanem Rajasekheran, while denying any links of the party with the alleged scam, on Thursday night expelled the party's Cooperative Cell Convenor R.S. Vinod after his name surfaced in an internal committee report leaked to the media.

One of the BJP leaders whose name figures in the report is of Kerala unit General Secretary M.T. Ramesh, who has denied any involvement in the scam and said he was being targeted by vested interests.
Jerusalem, July 21 : Hundreds of Palestinians on Friday held protests across the Gaza Strip over the Israeli security measures at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The demonstrations came after Israel's Cabinet decided not to remove the metal detectors installed at the entrances to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following a shooting attack nearby last Friday that killed two policemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

In anticipation of the protests on Friday, Israeli police barred access of Muslim men under 50 to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and deployed some 3,000 policemen near the site.

The Islamic Hamas movement and other Palestinian factions and political powers called Friday "a day of rage in support for the mosque".

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas deputy chief in Gaza, told a rally where hundreds of Hamas supporters joined that the Palestinian National Authority should immediately sever security cooperation with Israel.

"To reward the blood of the martyrs and the suffering of our people, the PNA should immediately stop security cooperation," he said.

Al-Hayya called on all Arab and Islamic countries to close all Israeli embassies and expel Israeli ambassadors in protest against the new Israeli measures this week at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"Our Palestinian people already declared its word that electronic gates and cameras at Al-Aqsa Mosque are totally rejected, and they are fully ready to sacrifice their fleshes and spirits for the sake of the mosque," he said.

Following a shooting attack last Friday, where three Palestinian attackers and two Israeli policemen were killed, Israel closed the mosque in the face of prayers and put electronic gates and inserted cameras at the gates that lead to the mosque.

Worshippers had been refusing to enter due to the new metal detectors, with Palestinians charging the step is an Israeli attempt to claim further control over the site. The measures sparked daily clashes between worshippers and police, with dozens of Palestinians injured.

Clashes also broke out between demonstrators and Israeli soldiers after the Friday prayers on the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators.

One Palestinian was killed in Ras al-Amood neighbourhood in East Jerusalem and dozens were injured in the clash, medical sources in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said.
As she has become a favourite contestant among audience, 'Oviya's army' and 'Oviyans' have gone crazy on Twitter in her support.

By India Today Web Desk: Oviya, Bigg Boss Tamil contestant, is being cornered by all other remaining contestants and everyone wants to know whether she will be eliminated from the house.

As she has become a favourite contestant among audience, 'Oviya's army' and 'Oviyans' have gone crazy on Twitter in her support.

A campaign has been launched on the social media platform to garner votes for the much loved contestant who has managed to charm viewers with her expressions and way of dealing with the others in the house.

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Supporters have come up with a war cry (of sorts) "Neenga shut up pannunga!" for the starlet.

Here are some reaction from Twitter:

#VivoBiggBossTamil #BiggBossTamil #Oviya #OviyaArmy Girls like Oviya are very rare.Thanks to her Mom and dad for bringing her up right way.- mohinder (@nagmnagm) July 21, 2017

#Oviya taught me a lot... How to behave? How to be I am in tough situation? Also she smiled after they irritated isolated? #tamilatheist- TamilganeshTamilmani (@tamilatheist) July 21, 2017

Some have comapred her to thalaiva aka Rajinikanth

With 10 contestants remaining from the original count of 15, Oviya, Namitha and Ganesh Venkatraman are up for this week's elimination.

--- ENDS ---
Taipei, July 22 : Two Chinese H-6K bombers have flown over Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone east of the island under the close vigil of the latter's combat aircrafts, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said.

Taiwanese fighter jets closely monitored the movements of the Chinese planes and never posed a threat to national security, the ministry said in a statement on Friday, and called for citizens to remain calm.

It is the first time the Taiwanese military has released photographs showing Chinese military aircraft, Efe news reported.

This year has seen a series of intrusions by Chinese planes and vessels -- including aircraft carrier Liaoning -- through eastern as well as western Taiwanese waters.

Meanwhile, Taipei has bolstered military exercises and taken steps to keep an eye on the passage of Chinese ships and aircrafts.

Earlier, on Thursday, Japan said 10 Chinese military aircrafts, including H-6K bombers, had overflown the East China Sea, passing through the Miyako Strait between Taiwan and Japan.

Since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen -- who is opposed to a union with China -- took charge in May 2016, Beijing has stepped up the diplomatic siege as well as military intimidation of the island.

China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has refused to give up on the use of arms to gain control of the territory.
New Delhi, July 22 : Model Diandra Soares is excited about co-judging the Delhi contestants of Max Elite Model Look India 2017, which provides a platform to "fresh, young and aspiring models".

The hunt for supermodels began from July 16. Before concluding on August 19, the Delhi audition will take place on July 28.

Among other cities, the Elite Model Look team will be travelling to Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Pune as well.

At the end of this India tour, selected contestants will participate in the national casting, to be held on August 30 in Mumbai.

The ultimate goal for the participants would be to win a place in the Elite Model Look World and to secure a two-year contract with the Elite agency.

For the Delhi audition, Diandra will be joined by Marc Robinson - Licensee - Elite Model Look India, Vinod Nair - Fashion Editor and Vasanth Kumar - Executive Director, Max Fashion.

Diandra told IANS: "With hundreds of applicants taking part in EML India 2017 castings, shortlisting the right candidates, is going to be a difficult task. Good looks is not going to be the only criteria for this competition, their personality, their different attitude, sense of style, will play a vital role in the selection process."

"I am glad to see that today we do have platforms like Elite Model Look India which are giving the right credible opportunities to fresh, young aspiring models to showcase their talent."
London, July 22 : An official portrait of Prince George has been released to mark his fourth birthday taken at Kensington Palace ahead of his birthday on Saturday, the media reported.

The picture captures a smiling future king, reports the BBC.

The Prince has spent the run-up to his birthday on a tour of Poland and Germany with his parents.

Prince George Alexander Louis, known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, was born on July 22, 2013.

"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received," the Kensington Palace said.

Getty Images royal photographer Jackson, who took the photo at the end of June, said: "I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday.

"He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot," the BBC quoted Jackson as saying.

In September, Prince George is due to start school.

He will go to Thomas's Battersea, a private preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in Kensington Palace in London.
New Delhi : Only the naive will believe that the elevation of a Dalit, Ramnath Kovind, as the President is of seminal importance either for the community or for the party which chose him.

For one, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) nominee is not the first Dalit to adorn the post. K.R. Narayanan was there before him with the Congress's support.

For another, these elevations no longer make the kind of impact on the electoral scene which is expected by the sponsors of such candidates. Just as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's selection by the BJP has not made the Muslims come flocking to its door, Kovind's choice will be seen for what it really is -- a cynical exercise which is more indicative of political calculations than of genuine interest in Dalit welfare.

Had the opposite been true, then the Congress would have been expected to gain from the choice of Narayanan. But there has been no such evidence. Similarly, the BJP is only hoping against hope that Kovind will make Dalits gather under its banners in large numbers.

What has to be recognised in this context is the change that is taking place in the attitude of the Dalits, especially the younger generation -- and, indeed, among the youth in general -- where the focus is shifting from the traditional politicians in the age bracket of senior citizens to articulate and ambitious youngsters.

To them, Kovind, like the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Mayawati, belongs to the past. Kovind's added disadvantage is his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background since the Dalits in general, and especially young leaders like Chandrashekhar Azad "Ravan" and Jignesh Mevani, are vociferous critics of Manu Smriti, the ancient textbook of Hindu orthodoxy which is highly regarded by the RSS.

The RSS is also known to be against reservations for Dalits. It was the reiteration of this position by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat which was believed to be partly responsible for the BJP's defeat in Bihar in 2016.

To the likes of "Ravan", the hero is someone like Rohith Vemula, the bright young scholar of Hyderabad central university, who committed suicide following a confrontation with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP's student wing.

Considering that one of the Union ministers, Smriti Irani, who wrote to the vice-chancellor about the presence of "anti-national" elements in the university, is now back as Information and Broadcasting Minister, the BJP may continue to find it difficult to reach out to the Dalits, notwithstanding Kovind's ascent to the highest constitutional position in the land.

It is undeniable that the BJP attracted considerable support from the Dalits in the last general election because they were as impressed by Narendra Modi's promise of economic development as the rest of the new generation. In the recent Uttar Pradesh elections, too, the BJP won 69 of the 85 reserved seats. Evidently, the Modi "magic" was still working.

But a carefully crafted tactic of weaning away the non-Jatav Dalits from the BSP -- and also the non-Yadav backward castes from the Samajwadi Party -- played a key role in ensuring the BJP's success.

Kovind is a non-Jatav, being a Kori, who are traditionally weavers unlike his defeated challenger, Meira Kumar, who is a Jatav-Chamar, who are associated with tanning or the skinning of animal carcasses for the leather industry.

It was such an act of skinning which led to a group of Dalits being lynched by gau rakshaks or cow vigilantes in Una in Gujarat last year. It was that incident along with the clashes between Dalits and Thakurs in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh recently which are believed to have persuaded the BJP to choose Kovind in order to mollify the Dalits.

But whether the BJP will succeed in doing so will depend on the pronouncements of the new President. Although these will undoubtedly be vetted by the government, they may provide occasional glimpses of his thinking, especially whether he continues to adhere to the RSS line where the social scene is concerned or has become a votary of the Prime Minister's economic agenda.

The choice of Kovind can be regarded as the BJP's last throw of the dice before the next general election to bring into its fold a community which, like the Muslims, has not always been the party's supporters.

Having already given up all hope for gaining Muslim support -- as Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recently conceded -- the BJP evidently wants to counter the signs of alienation which it sees in the Dalits in the aftermath of the suicide in Hyderabad, the lynching in Una and the caste riots in Saharanpur.

Among its latest efforts in winning hearts and minds are the stern messages against the gau rakshaks, whose murderous attacks have also been directed against Dalits although the Muslims have been the main victims.

Since the present dispensation has succeeded to a considerable extent in stopping the ghar wapsi and love jehad campaigns of the Hindutva hardliners, it may be able to rein in the gau rakshaks as well.

But these antics of the saffron hawks are no more than symptoms which can be suppressed for a while. The Sangh Parivar's real ailment, however, is a Brahmin-Bania disdain for the "untouchables", which is too deeply ingrained to be easily removed by an act of tokenism.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)
Srinagar, July 22 : Six Jammu and Kashmir policemen, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, were on Saturday beaten up by some soldiers in civvies in Ganderbal district, police sources said.

The soldiers were returning after performing the Amarnath Yatra, when they were signalled to stop at a check post by the policemen in Gund area, 62 km from here.

"The infuriated soldiers then thrashed the six policemen and also ransacked the Gund police station," the sources said.

The injured were admitted to hospital.

When asked whether an FIR had been registered in the incident, the police sources said the Army has ordered a probe into the incident. Other legal formalities would follow, they said.
New York, July 22 : NASA has invited citizen scientist to participate in a nationwide science experiment by collecting cloud and air temperature data and reporting it via their phones during the total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21 and pass through the US.

NASA's Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Programme Observer (NASA GO) is a citizen science project that allows users to record observations with a free app.

Using the free app and a thermometer, citizen scientists can observe how the eclipse changes atmospheric conditions near them, and contribute to a database used by students and scientists worldwide in order to study the effects of the eclipse on the atmosphere.

"No matter where you are in North America, whether it's cloudy, clear or rainy, NASA wants as many people as possible to help with this citizen science project," Kristen Weaver, deputy coordinator for the project, said in a statement on Friday.

"We want to inspire a million eclipse viewers to become eclipse scientists," Weaver added.

Observers in areas with a partial eclipse or outside the path of totality are encouraged to participate alongside those within totality.

Crossing the country from Oregon to South Carolina over the course of an hour and a half, 14 states will experience night-like darkness for approximately two minutes in the middle of the day.

The eclipse enters the US at 10.15 a.m. off the coast of Oregon and leaves US shores at approximately 2.50 p.m. in South Carolina.

All of North America will experience at least a partial eclipse.

In order to participate, one needs to first download the GLOBE Observer app and then register to become a citizen scientist.

The app will instruct to make the observations, which will be recorded on an interactive map. A thermometer may help to measure the air temperature, the statment said.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 22 : The Kerala unit of the BJP on Saturday distanced itself from an alleged medical college scam involving state party leaders.

Addressing reporters here soon after a meeting of the party state committee, former state BJP president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said: "A crime done by a party is different from a crime involving an individual.

"In this case one of our party workers, R.S. Vinod, has let down the party. We have taken immediate action by ousting him from the party. We will fully cooperate with the police probe and let the law take its course."

Vinod, the Cooperative Cell Convenor of the BJP, has denied having done any wrong and has also welcomed the probe.

Pillai added that if anything new surfaces in the probe and if anything is found to link any other party member, then too the party will take very strong action.

The case pertains to a Rs 5.60 crore bribe allegedly paid by a privately managed medical college to Kerala-based BJP leaders for influencing the Medical Council of India (MCI). Another such allegation has also surfaced in northern Kerala.

The vigilance has already served notices to a few people who are alleged to have been directly involved in the scam, including the owner of a medical college in the capital district, to appear before the probe team.

Earlier during the BJP meeting, various party leaders went hammer and tongs against the state BJP leadership at the manner in which state party President Kummanem Rajasekheran appointed a two-member party committee to look into the allegation of bribe taking by some members, without informing the core committee.

Trouble arose for the state unit after the report of the committee that studied the allegation was leaked to the media, which had names of BJP workers and leaders.

Sources in the know of things said that state party General Secretary M.T. Ramesh, whose name is believed to be in the report, broke down and said he has done no wrong and claimed he was being victimised.

Pillai without naming Ramesh said it was most unfortunate that the name of a party leader was being talked about when he has done no wrong.
New Delhi, July 22 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives when a bus overturned near Udaipur in Rajasthan on Saturday.

"The Prime Minister extended condolences to the families of the deceased. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the accident," an official statement said.

The incident took place around 9 a.m. when the bus which was enroute to Haridwar from Ahmedabad overturned on the Ahmedabad-Udaipur highway.

Five persons died on the spot while four succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital. A few of them were in critical condition, the officer said.
Reassured For Life (http://www.reassured.ca), is now open.

Reassured For Life is a life insurance brokerage firm servicing Albertans, says owner and licensed broker Nerissa McNaughton. I launched this firm because I know talking about life, accident, sickness, business and health insurance can be difficult, but it is a very necessary conversation. I make it easy. As a broker I have access to all the life insurance products in Canada, and my approach is to provide you with information so you are empowered to make your own decisions about the coverage you need. There are no pushy sales tactics and no requests for referral names and numbers.

McNaughton also described her flexible work approach of extended office hours, and the ability to work via phone, text and email. In most cases, the majority  if not all  of the assessments and applications can be done remotely. This frees applicants from having to come into an office during their busy work day. I also communicate in the ways that make my clients the most comfortable, be it on the phone, through texting, Facebook messenger, in person over coffee, etc.

My goal, McNaughton concludes, is to give Albertans the insurance they need, and in the most comfortable and convenient way possible. My focus is not on making a sale, but on helping each family and business owner make the best possible, and most informed choice for their needs and financial situations. Following the close of the application, I stay in touch and remain available for policy updates, changes, questions and to help with claims. Thats where the reassured for life part comes in. My clients get the long-term peace of mind they deserve.

To learn more about Reassured For Life and to get your no-obligation assessment and quote, email nerissa(at)reassured(dot)ca. Keep up with the latest life insurance news by visiting the Reassured For Life blog at http://www.reassured.ca/blog, and see how much you can save on life insurance with the instant term quote tool at reassured.ca/get-a-free-term-life-insurance-quote.

About Reassured For Life

Not knowing where the money is going to come from for you and your family if you become disabled, develop a critical illness, have an accident while travelling, or if you pass away is a nagging stress in the back of your mind that you just dont need. Having a small business that is vulnerable to the loss of a key person is stressful. Not having an affordable health benefit plan for the employees of your small business creates unnecessary turnover. All of these problems  and more  are easily solved with the reassurance of life, health, accident, sickness and small business insurance. Contact me today for free advice and a consultation. Well chat, and youll get honest, practical advice and no-obligation quotes.

Contact Details:

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Edmonton, AB

Phone: 780-918-0848

Source: Reassured For Life

###
The Orlando office of international law firm Greenberg Traurig recently hosted a reception celebrating the 15th anniversary of Women of the Boardroom. The Orlando office created the initiative 15 years ago to recognize the success and achievements of prominent women from the Central Florida community. Hosted quarterly, "Women of the Boardroom" has brought professional women in Central Florida together to share their achievements and stories of their path to success.

During each of these programs, Greenberg Traurig has hosted guest speakers to share their personal journeys, providing inspiration and motivation for those in attendance. Featured speakers have included UCF College of Medicine Dean Deborah German, the City of Orlando's Commissioner Regina Hill, Executive Director of the Central Florida Expressway Authority Laura Kelley, President of the Orlando City Foundation Kay Rawlins, former Publisher of the Orlando Business Journal Ann Sonntag, former Orange County Comptroller Martha Haynie, and many additional influential and successful women from in and around Central Florida. The next breakfast event is scheduled Aug. 10 in the Orlando office.

During the past 15 years, we have been fortunate to learn from the experiences of some of the most successful and storied women in our community, said Dawn I. Giebler-Millner, Shareholder and Chair of the firms Orlando Litigation practice. We have learned a great deal; we have met new friends and reconnected with old ones; we have forged partnerships; and we have better understood how we can support one another. Indeed, Women of the Boardroom has held a special place in the hearts of so many of us for the last 15 years, and were excited to see where it will go from here.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
People of Tamil Nadu are furious over the fact that actress Oviya has been cornered in the reality show Bigg Boss, hosted by Kamal Haasan.

By Srivatsan: Kamal Haasan is in the eye of the storm yet again after fringe outfit Hindu Makkal Katchi protested against the controversial reality show Bigg Boss earlier this month. The show, which aired on June 25, has been heavily criticised for its TRP-revenue model. However, according to a report released by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), Bigg Boss has garnered 3.6 crore views in just two weeks' time. The report further states that the TRP rating of Vijay Television has shot to 7 per cent from 5 and is only next to Sun TV. Considering the unprecedented craze for the show, big numbers are expected in the coming days.

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These days, Bigg Boss is in news for the wrong reasons. So much so, that an anonymous group has created a 'Save Oviya Movement' campaign on Facebook, to show solidarity with contestant Oviya, whose popularity makes some of the heroines pale in comparison. Now that everyone's seemed to be interested in politics in Tamil Nadu, it's customary to ask if Oviya is ready to take the political plunge. Here's what happened so far.

WHO IS OVIYA?

Oviya Helen (26), started her acting debut alongside Prithviraj in the Malayalam film Kangaroo. She shot to fame after playing a mischievous Maheshwari in the Tamil rural comedy, Kalavani. While the actress predominately works in several Tamil films, the fact is out in the open that she is yet to arrive. Oviya was also seen in a guest appearance in Kamal Haasan's Manmadhan Ambu.

WHAT HAPPENED IN BIGG BOSS?

Since the start of Bigg Boss, Oviya has been more of an individualist than a team player. She is known for an opinion on almost everything, which is absolutely right at times. For the same, the housemates have accused her of playing a 'dirty' game. Support came pouring in for Oviya when she took Ganja Karuppu's case. To be more precise, Oviya asked Karuppu to 'shut up'. In her Malayalam accent, Oviya's sentence "Shut up pannuga" soon achieved a cult status. So much so that Fully Filmy, a movie merchandise site, even recently released a T-shirt with her quote.

Music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja is planning to dedicate a song to Oviya in his upcoming film Balloon.

Oviya was nominated by the housemates for eviction in the first week itself. However, she was saved, thanks to the Tamil people. Bigg Boss Tamil spawned several heated debates across the sate when a contestant Gayathri Raghuram, a member of the BJP, took potshots at Oviya and accused her of 'cherri behaviour'. 'Cherri' is a derogatory term used to indicate people who live in the slums.

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Taking this into account, several political outfits demanded unconditional apology from Kamal Haasan, Vijay Television and Gayathri Raghuram. Last week, Kamal Haasan pulled up Gayathri for her language. The latter then apologised to Oviya too.

OVIYA FOR CM

While people initially thought that Oviya was roped in for Bigg Boss to provide the oomph factor, she turned to be a genuinely caring and extremely funny person. She won the hearts of people in the Tamil circuit when she was the only person in the house to support Bharani, who Gayathri Raghuram claimed was a 'threat' for women's safety. Bharani, who was cornered by the housemates, was eliminated after he tried to escape from the house. In a tete-a-tete with Kamal Haasan, Bharani said, "Bye Bharani nu sonna andha kural jeikum (sic) (Oviya should and will win)." After his statement, netizens started trending several hashtags on Oviya, including Oviya For CM. Oviya is gaining popularity with each passing day. Perhaps she's the only contestant who's very casual in her approach. Oviya is full of positivity, which is why her fan following has the same relevance in Tiruchi, as it has in Chennai. In fact, Kamal Haasan, while talking to the contestants, gave a hint. Haasan said that he really liked Oviya's light-hearted approach to most of the things happening around her. In the show, Haasan also revealed that the people of Tamil Nadu have saved Oviya with over 1.5 crore votes. But the housemates failed to realise the supposed clue and took things personally.

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Reacting to Haasan's revelation, PMK Youth Leader Anbumani Ramadossslammed the Tamiliansand asked if they weren't "ashamed".

Source: Oviyans

Source: Oviyans

Source: Oviyans

Source: Oviyans

Prashanth Rangaswamy, a vlogger, took to YouTube to share his thoughts on Bigg Boss and Oviya. India Today got in touch with Prashanth, who feels Oviya is being targeted by other housemates.

Asked about his video, Prashanth said, "I really admire Oviya for what she is. She's honest, funny and has an opinion. Barring the fact that she's an actress, we get to learn a lot from Oviya. Going by the footage, it looks like Oviya is being cornered by the housemates. However, considering her background, I feel certain harsh words could have been avoided."

SAVE OVIYA MOVEMENT

Oviya is one of the contestants to have been nominated for the third time by the housemates, who seem to hate her with all their hearts. Over the last few days, the housemates took a lot of jibes at Oviya, since she's the only contestant to have dodged eviction twice. Also, she has got Oviyans -- a term coined by Oviya supporters. It started when Julie, one of the the most irritating housemates, plotted a plan to turn everyone against Oviya. The housemates were planning to even request Bigg Boss to evict Oviya from the house. On Friday, things didn't go down well with Oviya. The reason: Gayathri Raghuram yet again.

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The female characters of Bigg Boss -- Gayathri, Namitha, Julie and Raiza were severely criticised on social media after Friday's episode (July 22). Staying strong for almost a month now, Oviya finally broke down, which consequently left the viewers teary-eyed. Friday's episode showed the women ganging up against Oviya to torture and torment her mentally, so that she would be sent out. Agitated by this, fans of Oviya have launched a Save Oviya Movement, which will be held at Marina Beach between July 22 to July 26. Going by the Facebook post, 56,000 people are likely to attend Save Oviya Movement.

Source: Oviyans

Speaking about the campaign, Prashanth said, "Social media reach is unimaginable. What started as a casual gathering for jallikattu, turned into a massive movement earlier this year. So, we should take social media seriously. To answer your question, yes. Considering the reach of Oviya, people may participate in the event."

It must be noted that Gayathri, who seems to be the root cause for most of the issues, became the butt of jokes on the internet.

SUPPORT FROM CELEBRITIES

Hordes of celebrities including actor Silambarasan, director Venkat Prabhu, comedians Sathish, Robo Shankar and Karunakaran have come out in strong support for Oviya.

If someone is different and not like the rest; it's better to leave them alone than blaming and cornering. #Disheartened #Oviya #SpreadLove- STR (@iam_str) July 21, 2017

Sorry totally missing whats happening there!!! Oviya ku enna aachu bro?!? #SaveOviya ????????? #bigboss https://t.co/NTThe9NhLY- venkat prabhu (@vp_offl) July 21, 2017

Oviya endra oru pennai jeyikka vekka meedhi 4 pengalum evlo poraaduraanga....?!??????????- Sathish (@actorsathish) July 20, 2017

FILM OFFERS

According to reports, Oviya has been flooded with film offers. Notably, actor Sirish of Metro fame took to Twitter and announced that he's seriously considering Oviya for his next project.

I'm strongly considering Oviya for one of my projects in the future. ????? good hearted female

- Metro Shirish (@actor_shirish) July 20, 2017

ALSO READ: Kamal Haasan in trouble over Bigg Boss Tamil? Rs 100 crore defamation case to be filed against the actor

--- ENDS ---
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The high street chemist was criticised after refusing to cut the cost of the morning-after pill. It told the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) this week that making emergency contraception cheaper may mean it is "misused or overused".

The apology, made late on Friday night, came after the women's parliamentary Labour party (PLP) had written to Boots' chief pharmacist to express "deep concern" about the company's refusal to lower the price of emergency contraception.

It also came after people took to social media and called for a Boots boycott, with campaigners saying the company's comments were insulting and sexist. Dr Sue Black, a UK government advisor, wrote on Twitter: "Disgraceful behaviour by @BootsUK please consider boycotting, I will be."

Boots now claims that it is looking for cheaper alternatives to the Levonelle branded pill that it currently sells for 28.25, which is slightly more expensive than its own version, priced at 26.75.

The same Levonelle pill is sold for 13.50 at Tesco and Superdrug charges 13.49 for its own non-branded product.

Thousands of women take the morning-after pill in Britain every year, with The Guardian reporting that around 4% of British women of reproductive age use emergency contraception in any given year.

A spokesman for Boots told the BBC: "Pharmacy and care for customers are at the heart of everything we do and as such we are truly sorry that our poor choice of words in describing our position on emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) has caused offence and misunderstanding, and we sincerely apologise."

Clare Murphy, director of external affairs at BPAS, said in a statement on the organisation's website: "We really welcome this apology from Boots and are delighted that they are committed to lowering the cost of emergency contraception.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
The Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh has now slammed the Bihar Board asserting that the re-evaluation results reveal that initially answers sheets were evaluated by inexpert examiners.

There are more than a dozen candidates whose marks have shot up unexpectedly after re-evaluation. Photo credit: Rohit Kumar Singh

By Rohit Kumar Singh: The Bihar Board faced massive embarrassment after more than 50 per cent of class 10 students failed in the examination this year. Hundreds of angry students blamed the evaluation system put in place this year where they alleged that incompetent examiners evaluated the answer sheets. It was also reported that primary school teachers were assigned the task of evaluating answer sheets of Class 10 subjects of which they had no clue.

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Under pressure after a disastrous performance of candidates, the board then began the process of re-evaluating the answer sheets, the results of which is now declared. What has now been highlighted is the rot prevailing in the Bihar Board. A candidate who scored zero in Math has now secured 94 after re-evaluation. India Today is in possession of the mark sheets of many students who had applied for scrutiny of their papers at the BSS college in Begusarai which was the one of the examination centre. There are not one but more than dozen of candidates whose marks have shots up unexpectedly after re-evaluation.

There are more than a dozen candidates whose marks have shot up unexpectedly after re-evaluation. Photo credit: Rohit Kumar Singh

More mix-up was found in subjects like Maths, Science, Hindi and Sanskrit after scrutiny. One of the students who scored zero in Sanskrit has now scores 40 after scrutiny. Another student who got 12 marks in the same subject, had his marks has shoot up to 61.

The Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh has now slammed the Bihar Board asserting that the re-evaluation results reveal that initially answers sheets were evaluated by inexpert examiners.

"I demand a detailed investigation into this mess in the Bihar Board. I believe a judicial inquiry into this is needed", said Shatrughan Prasad Singh, General Secretary of Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh.

It is notable that in this year's Class 10th exams of the total 1723911 students who appeared for the examination, only 863950 had passed the examinations.

ALSO READ:

Toppers scam effect: 64 per cent students fail in class 12 Bihar board examsBihar

Board Class 10 results declared, physical verification of toppers done to avoid goof-ups

ALSO WATCH: Toppers scam impact: 64 per cent students fail class 12 Bihar board exams

--- ENDS ---
Trump's remark came a day after Venezuelans overwhelmingly rebuked Maduro in an unofficial referendum.

Despite those admonishments, Maduro has vowed to proceed, saying on Tuesday,

White House officials reiterated Trump's comments on Tuesday, saying "all options are on the table" for penalizing the Maduro government, even sanctions targeting Venezuela's oil sector, which powers the South American country's economy.

Trump administration officials have said that Venezuela's energy sector and its state oil company, Pdvsa, could be targeted as part of "sectoral" sanctions, which would be a significant escalation of Washington's efforts to pressure the embattled Maduro government.

Those efforts have been largely limited to sanctions targeting high-ranking Venezuelan officials implicated in wrongdoing, and the Trump administration is still considering sanctioning additional officials.

"U.S. sanctions on the Venezuelan oil sector could include: financial sanctions on PDVSA, limitations on U.S. firms doing business with PDVSA, banning of oil and/or product exports from the United States to Venezuela and banning of U.S. crude imports from Venezuela," Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in Latin American energy policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, wrote for The Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor newsletter.

Venezuela sends an average of 700,000 barrels of oil a day to the US  about half of Venezuela's exports and about 10% of US imports. Much of it is bought by Citgo, Pdvsa's US-based refiner and retailer, which employs about 46,000 people in the US. Venezuela has also been a major supplier to Phillips 66, Valero Energy, and Chevron.

US fuel prices would probably rise, Monaldi writes, though supply would likely come from elsewhere. Venezuela could find other buyers for some of the oil shunned by the US, but cutting into Venezuela's supply of gasoline and other refined products, much of which it gets from the US, would create problems for its struggling economy. Pdvsa's current financial and production shortcomings would also be intensified.

The potential for sanctions to push Pdvsa into default complicates matters. The US Treasury is investigating a deal that would give Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft 49.9% ownership of Citgo if Pdvsa defaults on its loans. Rosneft executives are reportedly negotiating a swap for Rosneft's collateral in Citgo in order to avoid fallout from potential US sanctions.

The strongest measure under consideration is prohibiting Venezuela from using US dollars in oil transactions, limiting its exports and cutting off vital supplies of hard currency, according to a report by Reuters.

Such a measure would be more punitive than barring US firms from deals with Venezuela, as it would prohibit any trader from conducting transactions with Venezuela using dollars.

Oil-industry officials have been urging the White House to avoid oil-focused sanctions, saying some US refiners could be heavily affected.

The White House has said it is carefully evaluating potential actions, with senior officials telling reporters this week that they were "mindful" of potential negative effects sanctions could have the US but willing to accept them in the interest of foreign-policy or national-security objectives.

The Trump administration has also found some allies in the US for such harsh sanctions, particularly from a contingent of Florida Republicans who have been vocal in their opposition to Maduro.

"I don't believe the Venezuelan people are enjoying the benefits of a declining oil industry," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told the Miami Herald. "It's going entirely to enrich those who are tied to it, and to pay for debt obligations."

"I'm for them," Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said.

"I don't think we should but oil from Maduro," she added. "We shouldn't buy oil from the thugs around the world, and that sends a strong signal."

But a number of observers have urged caution, arguing that such sanctions could exacerbate the hardship people in the country currently face.

Oil accounts for about 95% of Venezuela's export revenue. While about half of Venezuela's exports go to the US, about 40% goes to Chinese and Russian firms to pay outstanding debts.

So eliminating all exports to the US would cut Venezuelan government income by 75%, according to . That would hinder the government's ability to purchase imports like food and medicine  goods that already very hard to get for many Venezuelans.

"We already have a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela," Alvarado told the Herald. He pointed out that sanctions would accelerate the crisis, compounding what he saw as underlying flaws in the country's economic model.

"The consequences for Venezuela would be catastrophic," he said. "It would be a collapse without precedent."

Any increase in economic hardship could push more Venezuelans to flee, burdening neighbors like Colombia and Brazil with an influx of people in need of financial, social, and medical support. Those countries and others in the region have already seen considerable increases in the number of arriving Venezuelans.

"I think there may be frustration on the part of some people that so far the sanctions have not been as successful as we would've liked, that they have not advanced a democratic transition, and therefore other things have been put on the table," Mark Feierstein, who was

"I imagine policymakers are going to weigh both the pros and cons of that," he added.
"I love the president and I'm very, very loyal to the president, and I love the mission that the president has," he said.

He sparred with reporters about the concept of "fake news," shooting back with a recent controversy with CNN. He played to Trump directly, saying the president has good karma and, many times, that he "love[s]" Trump. He noted that he had written a best-selling book.

Welcome to the Anthony Scaramucci show. He acts like Trump. Sounds like Trump. He looks like the guy Trump wants representing his White House. The 30-minute briefing was decidedly Trump-ian.

Scaramucci may be an imperfect choice to be the White House communications director. But he will decidedly be a communications director for the Donald Trump presidency.

There was a moment Friday afternoon when Twitter realized some of Scaramucci's tweets of years past. He has donated to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. He once suggested there were too many guns in the United States. The Berlin Wall didn't work, he tweeted. And he once said he hoped Hillary Clinton would run for president in 2016.

In other words, he is almost exactly like Donald Trump  a malleable businessman from New York, and an outsider to politics who will, as he suggested Friday, let the president be himself.

If there is one thing Donald Trump hates being, it is controlled. One of the president's longtime allies rejoiced Friday upon hearing the news that Scaramucci would join the White House and Spicer was on his way out.

"Excellent news!" the ally texted.

To Trump's allies, Scaramucci is one of them. He will be fiercely loyal to the president, in part because he is not in the same way tethered to the system that tried to bring down Trump during the 2016 election. That system includes Spicer, the former communications director at the Republican National Committee, and Reince Priebus, the former RNC chair who was reportedly incensed at Scaramucci's hiring.

Another Scaramucci comment went around Twitter on Friday  one in which he called Trump a "hack" in 2015 while supporting Scott Walker's candidacy. Scaramucci apologized for that comment Friday at the press briefing in a very animated way, estimating that it was the 50th time he had done so because the president brings it up "every 15 seconds."

But even so, to another longtime Trump ally, that was "not as bad as Sean Spicer saying in September that if Trump did not improve his poll numbers the RNC would suspend its financial support of his candidacy." That was an apparent reference to an off-record meeting in which Spicer floated the possibility, during the time the RNC was still trying to mold Trump into a more "disciplined" candidate.

Trump's move Friday was another in a line of decisive rejections of that philosophy. There could be more coming, even as Scaramucci played nice with Priebus on Friday and said their relationship was akin to that of "brothers."
Total bids for the bond, opened to foreign investors, were 498.3 million cedis. The target for the issue was 300 million, the report said.

READ MORE:6 ways to survive on a minimum wage as a Ghanaian

The government last week said it is looking forward to raising 17.4 billion cedis in the third quarter of 2017 from the securities market.

A statement issued by the Bank of Ghana indicated that the cash accumulated will be used to roll over maturities as well as to take care of government financing requirement.

About 14 million cedis of the total is expected to be used to roll over maturities and the remaining GH3.2 billion as fresh issuance to meet governments financing requirement.

READ ALSO: Pulse Ghana honored at Ghana Startup Awards
The vocal leader attended the 12th convocation ceremony of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, where his son, Oluwarogbayimika Fayose was among the grandaunds.

In his interaction with newsmen, he called on influential people to follow his footsteps while expressing faith in the country's academic structure.

I wont condemn people for sending their wards to study abroad but I have always believed the best could be gotten here in Nigeria.

"During my first tenure as governor, I withdrew my sons from a private school (Olashore International School) to SPEB public primary school in Ekiti, an initiative of my then administration.

"My Sons graduated from Nigerian Universities, I want others to emulate me, we have the best here, we can choose to invest here, he said.

It was also an opportunity for the governor to pass some subliminal messages after boasting that he has never visited any foreign health center for medical attention.

This might be perceived as another attack on President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently receiving treatment abroad.

We talk and do. Whatever we say is what we practice. Apart from the fact that none of children attended schools abroad, I have never traveled out of the country for Medicare, the governor bragged.

ALSO READ: Governor digs into plate of Amala at popular Abuja restaurant

Fayose has made an open criticism of Buhari one of his major preoccupations since becoming the executive governor of Ekiti state for a second time running.
A letter titled, Re: Allegation of contravention or non-compliance with Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution by Mr Ken Ofori-Atta  A public officer: Request for comments, was said to have been delivered to the Commission for a response, the Daily Guide newspaper has reported.

We refer to the answer dated May 31, 2017, filed on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, by our office in response to your letter dated May 5, 2017, Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, wrote on behalf of the Finance Minister.

The letter, dated July 20, 2017, pleaded: We hereby respectfully enquire from your outfit when we may expect a report on the matter, the outcome of your investigations. The subject matter of the petition holds consequences for the economy of Ghana. We would thus greatly appreciate it if an expedited determination is made of same.

Background

CHRAJ was petitioned by the Ashanti Regional Organiser of the National Democratic Congress, Brogya Gyamfi, to establish whether the Finance Minister breached the laws of Ghana in issuing the cedi denominated bond.

He is asking CHRAJ to investigate a potential conflict of interest in the insurance of the bond, saying the bond was issued to benefit a business associate of the Finance Minister.

According to him, Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has attempted to promote a private or personal interest for himself or for some family members and business associates, and the promotion of the private interest has resulted in, or was intended to result in, or appears to have resulted in, or has the potential to result in an interference with the objective exercise of his duties and an improper benefit or an advantage by virtue of his position.

In the petition, Mr Gyamfi wants CHRAJ to establish: Was a substantial portion of the bond purchased by Franklin Templeton Investments. If so, how much?; Is Trevor G. Trefgarne a Director of Franklin Templeton Investments? Is Trevor G. Trefgarne the Chairman/Director of Enterprise Group Ltd?; and Are Dr Mrs Angela Ofori-Atta, Mr Keli Gadzekpo, Hon. Gloria Akuffo and Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta Directors of the Board of Enterprise Group Ltd?

If not, he continued: Were they Directors of the Board in the immediate past? Does Databank Ltd own part of Enterprise Group Ltd or any of its affiliates? Does Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta have any shares or business interest in Databank Ltd; or did he have any shares or business interest in the immediate past?

He also wants CHRAJ to establish if the Ken Ofori Atta adhered to the 1992 Constitution, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers of Ghana, CHRAJs guidelines on conflict of interest for public officers, and other relevant rules and laws pertaining to conflict of interest and issues of corruption.

Should the Minister for Finance resign or be removed from office? Did the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice adhere to the 1992 Constitution, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers of Ghana, CHRAJs guidelines on conflict of interest for public officers, and other relevant rules and laws pertaining to conflict of interest and issues of corruption? Should the Attorney-General resign or be removed from office?

READ MORE:Philip Addison reveals why AMERI has no expertise in power projects

Finance Minister response

In a 15-page letter, Mr Ofori-Atta asked CHRAJ to dismiss the petition filed by Mr Brongya Genfi.

There is no evidence of any act or omission on the part of either the Ministry or the Minister supporting an allegation of participation in a business transaction or activity for the benefit of friends or family, he said.
The 30-year-old music mogul who went on an unannounced hiatus for almost 2 years has returned to stir the industry once again with Bottles.

Speaking to Pulse.com.gh, the Seihor hitmaker disclosed that he took a break to focus on other businesses and to re-strategize his record releases.

I was focusing on other things. I was rebranding myself, building a night club and establishing a new event company with a friend.

I organised the Bukom Banku and Ayittey Powers fight and also went on tour in the US. So, it was a combination of many things.

I also wanted to take my time to record new materials and properly strategize how to release.

On his new record Bottles, D-Black said its the reflection of his true lifestyle. He admitted he chills at the night club every weekend hence the new single.

My new song Bottles reflects my true lifestyle. I go out and chill every weekend so the song is a true reflection of my life.

D-Black also disclosed that he featured Medikal because he shares a similar trait.

Medikal lives just like me. He is in Tema boiling every weekend.

Bottles, an Afrobeats influenced Hip-hop track produced by Ronny Turn Me Up, will officially be out on Friday, July 28.

The song will be out with a classic music video shot in Accra and it will premiere online on Pulse.com.gh Facebook page live.
Speaking to the press Friday at the forecourt of Parliament House, the Majority Leader said theres bad blood between the commissioner, Charlotte Osei, and two of her deputies, who he says were eyeing her job.

Narrowing what he knows about the impasse, he said:

I want to believe that it is that whole process that is playing out because the people there, of course we heard that she [Charlotte Osei] resorted to EOCO to get rid of them [Georgina and co].

Dont forget that the lady involved, the Deputy Commissioner (Georgina Opoku Amankwah], had been with Madam Charlotte Osei at NCCE where she was her boss. But she (Georgina) had preceded her to the Electoral Commission, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

Before she [Charlotte] came there [EC], she [Georgina] was thinking that she could be made the commissioner herself, and the other guy, Sule [Amadu], had also preceded all of them so he was also thinking that he could be made the commissioner, so it is their own kind of internal wrangling.

I made this point on the floor [of Parliament] that, we saw the signals, the signs on the wall were clear because they had appeared before us, the special budget committee. I had asked a simple question, the chairperson was required to be with us  before we begin, may we know the whereabouts of the chairperson [Charlotte], is she coming and the first response was that, well we understand she has traveled. I was taken aback so I repeated the question.

Did you hear me? I am asking about the whereabouts of the commissioner and she [Georgina Opoku Amankwah] repeated the same, that she gathers this morning that she has traveled.

The Minister said: Can we have a situation where the commissioner would be travelling out of the jurisdiction without informing any of the deputies, It is bad blood. So I told them in March that they should have a way to resolve the impasse there otherwise it could blow, this is what we are witnessing today."

It is their own internal kind of bleeding that we are witnessing, it shouldnt be because I said to us sometime back as a nation that it may have repercussion on impending elections.

As we speak now, there are matters that they should be doing which they have not initiated any steps to do because of what is happening. There are none elections related matters that they should be attending to, the refurbishment of the stock of biometric equipment, the verification equipment.
READ MORE: IGP reshuffles top officers

I have charged my commanders to deal ruthlessly with anyone who henceforth dares to wage senseless attacks on any police installation or officer, he warned.

He said police officers have the "support" of Ghanaians who are decent and law-abiding persons" to take down criminals and restore security.

The warning comes after a broad day light shooting incident at Lapaz, Accra, in which two police officers were shot at, leading to the death of one, and the other in critical condition.

He described the police officers who have been killed on operational duties as the services finest and gallant officers.

READ MORE: 15 suspects rounded up

He said they lost their lives through "acts that can best be described as criminal and perpetuated by cowards."

Speaking directly to the newly recruits, the police boss urged them to demonstrate their commitment at all times.
"People think: 'OK, there's a guy with a business that's worked, can he give me a little bit of magic dust that I can sprinkle on my business that's going to provide some magic formula that will make my business a success overnight,'" Wheeler told Business Insider. "The answer to that is always a resounding: 'No.'"

"There are very few businesses that take off straight away. A lot of it is good old, cliched, hard work and dedication. It's loving what you do so you're prepared to put in a lot of time and effort to make the business a success."

Wheeler founded Charles Tyrwhitt  named for Wheeler's two middle names  in 1986 when he was an undergraduate studying geography at the University of Bristol. For several years he ran it simply as a side project.

"When I started my business I did 12,000 a year in sales for the first four years. Everyone said to me, give up, it's not going to work."

Today, 31 years later, Wheeler's business turns over tens of millions of pound and his shirts sell in the UK, Germany, Australia, and the US. The business has grown naturally, with Wheeler simply reinvesting profits each year.

Wheeler regularly gives talks on entrepreneurship, most recently addressing The Budding Entrepreneurs Club in London earlier this month. He tells startup bosses who approach him during talks like these that perseverance is key.

"I get a lot of people who come to me and say: I've been running my business for four years, nothings really happening, it's all a bit of a disaster, I'm thinking of giving up, what should I do?" says Wheeler.

"As an entrepreneur, you've got to believe in yourself and believe in the business and you've got to plug away. There's no quick fix."

Wheeler also tells entrepreneurs to remain focused, rather than trying to diversify if things are going slowly.

"One of the really important lessons I learned is a lot of it is about focus," he says. "Early on, in 1994, the business was going quite well  I was doing 2.5 million in sales, 250,000 in profit. Great little business. I got a bit bored. I went out and bought a chain of children's clothes shops and that was a disaster. What I was good at was selling shirts to men by mail order. That's what I should have concentrated on. I lost more money in three months than I'd made in the last three years.

"If you do three different things, you're going to do three different things badly. If you do one thing, you're going to do one thing well."

Another piece of advice Wheeler shares is that businesses don't necessarily need to go down the venture-capital-fueled hypergrowth model that is in vogue today. Charles Tyrwhitt has never taken outside investment.

"People tend to go down the route of: I've come up with an idea, I'm going to raise a shed-load of money which I'm going to spend over two years, and hope for the best," he says. "Quite often it ends in tears."

"When you read about entrepreneurs, you tend not to read about the people who built amazing businesses over the course of a lifetime. If you look in America or in Europe, you've got some big family businesses: BMW, Estee Lauder. They built businesses over a lifetime. You don't read about them because it's not an exciting story. You read about Jeff Bezos, or Sergey Brin, or the guys who've done Snapchat and Uber. It's all very well and good, but for everyone that succeeds, there are five that don't."
One person has lost his life while many others are injured at Rohtas district in Bihar as an under-construction flyover collapsed this morning.

By India Today Web Desk: An under-construction flyover in Sasaram in Bihar's Rohtas district today morning.

While one labourer has been reported to be dead, several others are injured. Some of the injured are said to be in serious condition. Death toll may rise.

The labourer died after a portion of the flyover fell on him. Rescue operations are underway to help those trapped under the debris.

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The incident attracted a large number of locals who had come forward to offer help. Sources said that the incident took place when the labourers were carrying out an upgradtion work on the over-bridge.

People who gathered at the spot also caused a road block. The injured labourers have been rushed to the nearest hospital and undergoing treatment.

A huge crowd gathered at the site of flyover collapse in Rohtas, Bihar.

--- ENDS ---
The officials' assessment was based on communications between Kislyak and Moscow that were intercepted by US spy agencies.

Since it emerged in March that Sessions, a prominent Trump campaign surrogate, had failed to disclose his contacts with the Russian ambassador, he consistently said he did not discuss anything related to the Trump campaign with Kislyak, and that all their conversations took place within the scope of his duties as a US senator.

One US official told The Post Sessions' statements were "misleading" and "contradicted by other evidence."

Another official said the intercepted communications between Kislyak and the Kremlin, in which he spoke of two conversations he had with Sessions, indicate that Sessions and Kislyak had "substantive" conversations about the Trump campaign's platform on matters related to Russia, and how the Trump administration would approach the crumbling US-Russia relationship.

US Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores responded to The Post's report in a statement Friday evening:

"Obviously, I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me, but the Attorney General stands by his testimony from just last month before the Senate Intelligence Committee when he specifically addressed this and said that he 'never met with or had any conversations with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election.'"

The Post's report contradicts previous statements Sessions has made, at times while under oath.

When he was asked whether he communicated with the Russian government at his January confirmation hearing, Sessions said he was "not aware of any of those activities."

He added: "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have  did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

After it emerged in March that Sessions had, in fact, had at least two conversations with Kislyak during the campaign, he was forced to recuse himself from any current or future Department of Justice investigations into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said when he announced his recusal in March.

And when he was asked by the Senate Intelligence Committee in June about his conversations with the Russians, Sessions narrowed his answer and said he had "never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States."

The Post's report comes amid a tumultuous time between Sessions and President Donald Trump.

Trump told The New York Times on Tuesday that he never would have appointed Sessions as attorney general if he'd known Sessions would recuse himself.

"Sessions should have never recused himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job, and I would have picked somebody else," Trump said.
The names of tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates tend to come to mind when we're thinking about people who achieved extraordinary success at a young age.

However, the idea of the young prodigy is by no means a modern phenomenon.

From Alexander the Great to Alexander Hamilton, here are 18 individuals throughout history who accomplished incredible things early in life:

Alexander the Great conquered countries at 18

Hellenistic conqueror Alexander the Great accomplished extraordinary things during his short time on earth.

After the assassination of his father, Philip II of Macedon, Alexander ascended to the throne. Two years later, at the age of 18, he began expanding his domain. He spent most of his reign conquering lands from Greece to India. The result was one of the largest ancient empires and the spread of Hellenistic culture throughout the Mediterranean world.

Alexander never lost a battle. In the end, he simply burned out, succumbing to a fever at the age of 32.

Augustus Caesar (Octavian) became a Roman Senator at 20

Today, Augustus is remembered as the first emperor of Rome.

However, his career began long before securing this unprecedented role in 27 B.C.E.

In 44 BCE, Augustus was still known as Octavian. He was Julius Caesar's 19-year-old grand nephew, adopted son, and heir.

On the Ides of March, Caesar was assassinated while the teenage Octavian was undergoing military training. Instead of fleeing in the aftermath of the murder, Caesar's heir returned to Rome and threw himself into the simmering political intrigue.

For years, he navigated multiple shifting alliances, mass killings, and all-out war. Octavian finally prevailed in 31 B.C.E. when his forces defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, according to Roman-Empire.net.

Joan of Arc turned a war around at 17

The bloody Hundred Years' War devastated medieval France.

However, in 1429, a teenage peasant girl helped turn things around for the country.

Backed by a small coterie of supporters, Joan of Arc managed to convince her country's leadership to give her a commanding role in the army. She was 17 years old when she chopped off her hair, donned men's clothes, and rode off to battle, according to History.com.

Nine days after she arrived at the besieged city of Orleans, Joan beat back the English forces and became a national hero.

Unfortunately, she was eventually captured, given a sham trial, and burned at the stake by the English. She was only 19 when she was executed. The charges were debunked and she was declared a martyr several decades too late. Centuries later, Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint in 1920.

Blaise Pascal developed a calculator at 19

17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal was ahead of his time on a number of fronts.

When he was 12, he began studying geometry. Seven years later, he began developing a handheld calculator.

Keep in mind, this was 1642  the era before mass production. Pascal was a bit too far ahead of his time and the "Pascaline" calculator never made any money, as Biography.com reported.

Nonetheless, Pascal still went on to enjoy success as an influential mathematician, philosopher and physicist.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his first symphony at 8

Mozart was something of a 18th-century child star. He acquired enormous fame and success at an early age, only to burn out later in life.

The influential composer grew up listening to his father teach his older sister Nannerl piano. In "The Compleat Mozart" by Neal Zaslaw and William Cowdery, Nannerl recalled her brother's early talents: "At the age of five, he was already composing little pieces, which he played to his father who wrote them down."

With the help of his father, Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was eight. As children, Nannerl and Mozart toured around Europe, performing in various royal courts as child prodigies, according to Biography.com.

Mozart's ensuing career resulted in over 600 works but little financial stability. He passed away at the age of 35, having changed the world of music forever.

Phillis Wheatley published her first book of poems at age 20

At the age of 20, Phillis Wheatley became the first ever African-American woman to be recognized as a published poet.

Wheatley had been sold into slavery as a child and purchased in Boston by tailor John Wheatley. His family taught Wheatley to read and encouraged her to write poetry.

When her "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" debuted in 1773, it sparked conversation from the North American colonies to London. Wheatley became "a household name among literate colonists," according to the Poetry Foundation.

The next year, Wheatley was emancipated when John Wheatley died. Phillis Wheatley continued to write and publish poetry for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, she fell upon hard times later in life and died penniless at the age of 31.

Alexander Hamilton became Washington's aide-de-camp at 22

At the start of his career, Hamilton really was just like his country  young, scrappy, and hungry.

Thanks to the success of Lin Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway musical, the American public is slowly becoming more acquainted with the story of Hamilton's astronomical rise to success. Orphaned on the Caribbean island of Nevis at the age of 13, he supported himself and his brother by clerking for a local merchant. Eventually, prominent individuals on the island raised funds to send the bookish boy to King's College (now Columbia University) in the North American colonies.

When war broke out, he joined up with the rebelling colonists and ended up serving as General George Washington's chief staff aide. Hamilton was only 21 when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. He proved himself to be a valuable addition to Washington's staff, although he eventually resigned in order to pursue glory on the battlefield (he eventually led a charge to seize a redoubt at the Battle of Yorktown).

The connections he formed early on in the military, in addition to his budding legal career, served him well. At the age of 32, Hamilton ended up on the New York delegation of the Constitutional Convention. With some assistance from James Madison and John Jay, he wrote the Federalist Papers, which helped secure the ratification of the new, stronger Constitution.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette turned the tide of the Revolutionary War at 19

As it turns out, many of America's Founding Fathers were quite young when the Revolutionary War broke out.

The Marquis de Lafayette was only 19 years old when he sailed from France to help the British North American colonies win their freedom. Defying orders from his own government, the Marquis (whose real name was Gilbert du Motier) swung by Continental Congress in 1777 and volunteered to serve the colonial cause for free.

Upon joining the Continental Army, Lafayette befriended General George Washington. However, the young aristocrat's most important contribution didn't occur on the field of battle. He helped convince the French monarch King Louis XVI to intercede on behalf of the American rebels.

These efforts paid off in 1780, according to USHistory.org, when the French sent forces to aid Washington. This proved especially crucial at the Battle of Yorktown, where Lafayette and other French allies helped defeat English commander Lord Charles Cornwallis.

It wasn't immediately apparent at the time, but the battle would secure the colonies' independence.

So, as it turns out, the US may never have been founded had a teenager with romantic ideals not decided to run off and join a rebellion.

James Madison joined the Continental Congress at 29

Long before he drafted the Constitution or became president, James Madison had a reputation for taking on a lot at once.

A Virginia native, "Jemmy" traveled up north to attend the College of New Jersey (now called Princeton University). He apparently overdid his studies and nearly had a nervous breakdown, but he still managed to graduate in 1771.

He was 25 years old when the colonies declared independence in 1776. However, Madison had fragile health, stood 5'4, and weighed around 100 pounds. Instead of seeking out a combat role like many other young Founding Fathers, he went into politics.

In 1780, he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress at the age of 29. Originally, he was the youngest member of the Congress. As Revolutionary-War.net noted, he quickly acquired a reputation as a legislative work horse.

William Pitt the Younger became prime minister of England at 24

To this day, William Pitt the Younger is still the youngest person to ever become Prime Minister of England. The politician rose to power in 1783 at the age of 24.

He ascended to the position under a cloud of controversy, according to the BBC. King George III had threatened to abdicate rather than allow George Fox back into the role. Pitt lost an election in Parliament, but refused to resign and ended up winning a general election the following year.

As Encyclopedia Britannica outlines, Pitt's tenure was marked by all sorts of global upheaval, including the French Revolution and various wars with Napoleon Bonaparte. The young, standoffish minister's popularity was low amongst his contemporaries, but he was also known as an adept debater and administrator.

Mary Shelley published 'Frankenstein' at 20

Born in 1797, Mary Shelley was the daughter of philosophers Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin.

As a teenager, she eloped with her father's student, Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. However, according to the Poetry Foundation, tragedy and hardship struck when their first daughter passed away in 1815  just a few hours after birth.

The next summer in Switzerland, the 18-year-old passed the time with a group of friends, including leading Romantic poet Lord Byron. The young people passed around ghost tales, according to Biography.com and Byron proposed that they all write one themselves.

This casual challenge amongst friends inspired Shelley to write the classic novel "Frankenstein." The book was published two years later, when she was 20 years old.

Clara Schumann became one of the most famous pianists of the Romantic era at the age of 18

Clara Schumann was well on her way toward becoming one of the foremost pianists of the Romantic era at an early age. She began studying piano from the age of five; by the age of 16, she was famous throughout Europe, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Her public career and popularity flourished when she was 18. That year, she performed a series of sold-out, packed recitals in Vienna, to rave reviews.

Galusha Pennypacker was appointed brigadier general at 20

This Pennsylvania native was the youngest person to hold the rank of brigadier general in US history.

He joined the Union Army around the age of 16, according to his New York Times obituary. There is some historical debate over Pennypacker's exact age (in an era before widespread government IDs, it wasn't uncommon for people to simply forget their date of birth). Regardless, Pennypacker's subsequent rise through the ranks over the course of the war was quite dramatic and rapid.

In 1865, during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher, the young then-colonel was shot in the hip while leading a dangerous charge, as Mainline Today reported.

In recognition of his bravery, he received the Medal of Honor and was promoted to the position of brigadier at the age of 20. Pennypacker instantly became a bit of a celebrity, thanks to his youth. He had been too young to even vote for Abraham Lincoln, the very president who appointed him.

Ida B. Wells fought segregation at 27

Ida B. Wells was born in 1862, several months before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

At 16, Mississippi native began working as a school teacher to help support her younger siblings after their parents died. Following in the footsteps of her activist parents, Wells began to take an interest in ending segregation.

She eventually moved to Memphis and began writing in local newspapers. In 1889, at the age of 27, she became the co-owner and editor of "Free Speech and Headlight," a publication that focused on issues pertaining to racism and segregation.

That same year, her friend Thomas Moss's successful grocery store was raided by a white mob. Three men were shot in the ensuing chaos and Moss was arrested. Before the case could go to trial, a mob invaded the local jail and lynched Moss, along with two other men, according to PBS.

This inspired Wells to become an investigative journalist. She shone a spotlight on how lynching served as a tool to oppress African Americans. Her work endangered her life  she had to carry a pistol for safety.

Her first pamphlet "Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases" was published in 1892, when she was 30.

Nellie Bly exposed a dysfunctional mental asylum at 23

This famous American investigative journalist kicked off her career at the age of 16.

According to nellieblyonline.org, the teen-aged Elizabeth Jane Cochrane wrote a retort to a sexist article in the Pittsburgh Dispatch in 1880. The editor of the paper wrote back, offering her a job. She accepted and began publishing under the pseudonym Nellie Bly (the name of a popular song at the time).

At the age of 21, she took on a foreign correspondent in assignment, but was forced to flee the country after criticizing the Mexican government for imprisoning a local journalist. Tired of being pressured to take on theater and arts reviews, she quit, traveled to New York City, and talked her way into a job at Joseph Pulitzer's New York World.

For her first big assignment, she pretended to suffer from amnesia and delusions and was committed to the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island, according to PBS.

She experienced firsthand the rancid provisions, abusive staff, and rats. Upon her release, Bly published a report that turned into a book called "Ten Days in a Mad-House," prompting questions about the treatment of the mentally ill.

In 1889, the young journalist earned even more fame after embarking upon a solo trip around the world. Bly sought to top the protagonist of Jules Vernes's "Around the World in 80 Days." She ended up beating out Phileas Fogg and competitors from other papers alike when she arrived back in New York City in 72 days.

Lawrence Bragg won the Nobel Prize at 25

In 1915, Australian-born physicist Lawrence Bragg won the Nobel Prize for his work researching and examining crystal structures with X-rays.

He was only 25 years old. At the time, he was the youngest ever Nobel laureate, according to NobelPrize.org. He was only surpassed in 2014, when activist Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein exposed the Watergate scandal at 29 and 28

In 1972, a story about a burglary at the Democratic Party national Headquarters snowballed into a scandal that would engulf the federal government and bring down US President Richard Nixon.

At the center of it all were two young Washington Post reporters diligently reporting on the Watergate scandal. Bob Woodward was 29 and Carl Bernstein was 28 when they were first assigned the story together.

In an interview with NPR, Woodward and Bernstein recalled uncovering the connection between the Watergate break-in and other underhanded tactics and Nixon's re-election campaign.

Their story resulted in a book, a Hollywood film starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, and a Pulitzer.

Nadia Comeneci achieved Olympic victory at 14

This 14-year-old Romanian gymnast vaulted, swung, and flipped to victory at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Comeneci was the first ever gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 at an Olympic gymnastics event. That year, she also accumulated three gold medals and six more perfect scores, according to Biography.com.
Analysis of an annual return document on UK company register Companies House showed that Thiel's "Founders Fund" owned 4,490,487 of DeepMind's 16,406,358 overall shares at the time of the Google acquisition in January 2014. That equates to more than 25% of DeepMind's shares.

DeepMind cofounder and CEO Demis Hassabis owned 3,435,605 shares, while DeepMind cofounders Mustafa Suleyman and Shane Legg owned 867,672 and 736,406 respectively.

Assuming DeepMind was acquired by Google for the reported $600 million (463 million) sum, Thiel's fund would have gotten around $164 million (127 million) from its shares. It's worth noting that DeepMind's founders may have had other options in the company beyond shares.

DeepMind is one of the UK's most successful startups in recent years and the company has made headlines for achieving a number of AI breakthroughs in recent years including mastering the Chinese board game Go. Its mission is to "solve intelligence and use that to solve everything else."

Speaking at Google Campus in London last month, Hassabis said that Thiel was DeepMind's first "major" investor. He explained how Thiel wanted DeepMind to move to Silicon Valley and how he managed to convince him to invest and let DeepMind remain in London.

"At that time he'd never invested outside of the US, maybe not even outside of the West Coast," said Hassabis. "He felt the power of Silicon Valley was sort of mythical, that you couldn't create a successful big technology company anywhere else. Eventually we convinced him that there were good reasons to be in London."

Other notable shareholders in DeepMind include Elon Musk, who cofounded PayPal with Thiel in 1998, and Geoffrey Hinton, an academic that divides his time between Google and the University of Toronto. Musk had 505,051 shares through the Elon Musk Revocable Trust and Hinton had 13,126.

Prior to the Google acquisition, DeepMind was also on the radar of Facebook, according to The Information. Both Google and Facebook wanted DeepMind to relocate to Silicon Valley.

Under Google, DeepMind has grown rapidly from less than 100 people to over 500 people. That expansion hasn't come cheap. In 2015, DeepMind made a loss of 54.3 million, according to the company's audited financial statements for the year end December 31, 2015. Of that figure, some 44.3 million went on "payroll costs and related charges."
This was contained in a report published by Punch News earlier today raising hopes that the days of the cultists may soon be numbered.

The activities of the cult group have been one that has brought great fear into the minds of Ikorodu residents, forcing some to abandon their homes for safer environment.

Collaborative efforts between the Lagos State Police and local groups including traditional rulers and others have helped to strengthen hopes of a complete annihilation of the cultists in the end.

Most of the attacks initiated by the Badoo menace have been unprovoked as victims were reported to be in their homes when they were killed.
Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja , Director General of NEMA. made this known while distributing relief materials to the displaced persons in Banki, Bama local government council of Borno.

He said that the IDPs fled to Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic at the peak of the insurgency.

Maihaja said that thousands of Nigerians who fled their homes in Banki in the wake of insurgents attacks had returned, following the success recorded in the counter-insurgency campaign.

About 46, 000 displaced persons are registered here and we are receiving them on a daily basis in small and large numbers.

The Federal Government is responding to the humanitarian crisis in the North-East region.

Our mission is to distribute relief materials, food and non-food items to Nigerians returning from Cameroun.

Government is aware that having secured the place and Borno in particular, the people who took refuge in border communities in Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic would come back to the country.

The government adopted proactive steps to meet the needs and requirements of the affected persons in terms of shelter, food, health, growth. We are committed to improve their well being, he said.

Maihaja explained that the agency was responding promptly to the immediate needs of the returnees and distributed food items, mattresses, clothing materials And Mosquito Treated Nets.

He noted that the agency provides 8.4 kg of food items every month per household.

Maihaja also said the agency had adopted effective modalities to provide schools and clinics in the camps, to enable the affected children return to school, enhance hygiene and healthcare service delivery.

The director disclosed that the Federal Government has begun the distribution of 40, 905 tones of assorted food items to displaced persons in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba and Yobe States.

According to him, the agency had initiated a comprehensive tracking system to monitor vehicular movement and distribution of relief materials to guard against diversion.

Maihaja added that the agency had embarked on enumeration exercise of IDPs and door-to-door distribution exercise to ensure that the affected families get the relief materials.
Mr Humphrey Chukwuedo, NPS, FCT Command Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

He said that the fire was, however, immediately put out by security personnel at the scene.

No one was hurt as neither the medical staff nor inmates were around the building as at the time of the incident, he said.

Chukwuedo said that the cause of the fire was not immediately known but that the smoke may have emanated from a faulty electrical equipment in an adjoining building.

He said that the equipment was used for teaching inmates hand works.

The spokesperson added that detailed investigation had commenced into the cause of the incidence.
The governor told newsmen shortly after inspecting some examination centres in Benin that the aim was to see the method of administration of the exams and improve on it if need be.

He said that the focus of his administration was to revamp the education system, especially the universal basic education in order to grow quality and respectful citizens.

My administration is poised to rewarding hard work, diligence and dedication, and these values must be inculcated in our pupils.

The governor expressed satisfaction with the comportment of the pupils and conduct of the exams, adding that his administration would work toward making the FSLC exams computer-based.

He urged parents and teachers not to promote examination malpractice, stressing that his government would not relent to punish anyone aiding and abetting such malpractices.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pupils wrote the examination under close supervision while their parents and guardians were kept around the school premises.

The governor was accompanied by his Chief Of Staff, Mr Taiwo Akereke, the Head of Service, Mrs Gladys Edahor and some officials from the state ministry of education and the State Universal Basic Education Board.

Some of the examination centres visited are Ologboshere, Ivbiyeneva and Ibiotor primary schools all in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.
According to Daily Post, Conde called on all Muslims and Christians in Guinea to remember the Nigerian President in their prayers.

Reports say the Guinean President made the call while meeting with countrys Council of Ministers.

Conde also told newsmen in Guinea that Buhari was supposed to visit the country in March, but could not, because of his health issues.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose has called on Buhari to resign, alleging that he is incapacitated.

ALSO READ:Aisha Buhari returns to London to be with President

This is contrary to claims by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo after his visit with the President, that his boss is recovering quickly.
The eviction order raised a lot of dust, with youth groups from the South-East exchanging words with their counterparts in the North.

Speaking to The SUN in an interview, said his group made the call to bring Nnamdi Kanu to order.

See an excerpt of the interview below:

Question: You speak as though you have no regrets over the quit notice you gave. Can you assure the Igbo that they are safe in the North?

Answer: No, they are safe. You can rest assured they are safe. You can quote me; they are safe in the North.

Question: And nothing bad will happen to them?

Answer: They are safe. Events and time have changed the mindset of the northerner, not even me who represents their interest. A lot of them have realized that truly this young man does not speak for the entire Igbo. If we had not come out with a statement we probably not have realized that a lot of Igbo are not in support of Biafra. You can now see that we have reduced the entire IPOB struggle to nothing but a fraud. So now to an extent it is a plus for the Nigerian government.

Question: So you can publicly say the Igbo shouldnt go?

Answer: No, they shouldnt go. They should relax. Officially, we will make an announcement to that effect because it is a collective thing. So they can rest assured of their safety and security God willing. We have no problems with the Igbo living in the North, but there are certain things we need to put in place so that officially at the level of the coalition we can make that statement.
A 1961 warning by outgoing US president Dwight D. Eisenhower contributed an enduring term to the global geopolitical lexicon. The president warned of the "military-industrial complex" acquiring unwarranted influence because "the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist".

Over a half-century later, the complex has morphed into a tentacular creature of far greater power and influence, controlling foreign policy in the corridors of power in Washington, an octopus, as former US Senator Larry Pressler calls it in Neighbours in Arms: An American Senator's Quest for Disarmament in a Nuclear Subcontinent (Penguin/Viking, Rs 699).

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Pressler is no stranger to either the subcontinent or the military-industrial complex. One of New Delhi's oldest friends on the Hill, he worked hard to prevent an arms race in the subcontinent, particularly the eponymous 1990 Amendment, banning arms sales to Pakistan. As the first Vietnam veteran to enter the Senate, he famously resisted a bribe in an FBI sting operation in the late 1970s, but his disarmament course brought him in confrontation with the octopus that relies on a web of lobbyists, think-tanks and arms factories and their beneficiaries, Washington's politicians.

The US did end up supplying F-16s to Pakistan in 2006 and, in less than a decade, managed the astonishing feat of being the largest arms exporter to two adversaries, India and Pakistan. The book title is, in a sense, Pressler's defeat, his failure to push disarmament in a nuclear subcontinent. The 75-year-old senator heads into semi-retirement wagging his finger with an Eisenhower-esque warning. The landmark Indo-US nuclear deal, he reckons, was nothing more than 'a pathway to justify an escalation in massive US arms sales to India'. Not a single US nuclear power project has broken ground so far. The reasons are not far to see. The ghost of the Bhopal gas tragedy is a major disincentive for US firms to do business here. But it became a blanket sanction for over $10 billion in sales of P-8Is, Chinooks, C-130 and C-17 military transporters and Apache gunships.

Pressler recommends that India and the US get into a super-alliance to counter China's rise. Another suggestion must warm hearts in New Delhi: declare Pakistan a terrorist state. Pressler's book arrives eerily atop present developments-the US recently voted to impose stiff conditions on arms sales to Pakistan while boosting defence ties with India. Conscious that the octopus is a creature one has to live with, Pressler suggests limiting its powers and also harnessing its energies to revive the frozen nuclear deal. His turn from idealism to pragmatism is not a new one.

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Mr Toye Arulogun, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism of the state, said this in a statement on Saturday in Ibadan.

Arulogun quoted Mr Abimbola Adekanmbi, the State Commissioner for Finance and Budget, as saying this while featuring on a live programme in a private radio station in Ibadan on Saturday.

Adekanmbi said that Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State led- administration was very committed to the welfare of the entire people of the state.

He said that the earlier decision of the government to use 100 per cent of its federal allocations for workers welfare still stood.

We all recall that President Muhammadu Buhari has told state governments to use at least 50 per cent of the refund for workers wages, salaries and allowances.

`We are doing more than the 50 per cent in Oyo State. When we collected the first tranche of N7.2 billion, we used 60 per cent for workers salaries and wages.

We also collected part two of the inflow of the sum of N5.003 billion and committed 100 per cent to salaries and salary related payments of workers in the state.

We have paid two months salaries three times consecutively and the governor has not relented in his efforts to clear all the outstanding wages.

`We will all remember that Oyo State was initially excluded from the refund, but the governors tenacity and strong will ensured that we also got our share.

It amazes me when people throw figures in the air without proper explanation or understanding.

It is very disappointing when people who claim to be knowledgeable brandish figures for mischief with malicious intent for cheap political gain.

Our books are available for all to see and the leadership of the workers unions meet with us regularly, he said.

ALSO READ:Governor Ajimobi of Oyo talked down on LAUTECH students

Adekanmbi said that Oyo state government devoted 100 per cent of its federal allocations to workers salaries and salary related.
Alhassan disclosed this during a lunch with the released Chibok girls and their parents in Abuja.

They will be examined academically and placed appropriately, the ones that are qualified to enter into the university will be allowed to.

The American University, Yola had indicated interest in supporting 21 of the Chibok girls.

We are also meeting with the university to support the remaining girls so that they all can be in one place, she said.

Alhassan said that the escaped 14 Chibok girls, who were released three years ago were given scholarships by the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

She said that the girls were properly examined academically, adding that they started a foundation courses for them.

The minister, however, pleaded for the release of the remaining Chibok girls and others in captivity, adding that the abductors should dialogue with government.

Mr Reginald Briggs, the Assistant Vice President of America University, Yola, said the girls were initially traumatised but had made significant progress.

We have 24 of the Chibok girls with us, we try to keep their academic levels up by assessing them emotionally, psychologically, academically and we found out that they are at different academic levels.

They have foundation in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge and gradually we moved them to advanced stage.

They are studying difference courses such as journalism, computer science, accounting and law, he said.

Briggs said that the university was working toward supporting the 82 Chibok girls to be enrolled into the university.

The Chairman of the Chibok Girls Parents, Mr Yakubu Nkeki said that parents of the girls were happy meeting their children and appreciated the efforts of the government.

Mrs Catherine Udida, the Head of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Office of the National Security Adviser, said that the Chibok girls were fit psychological as they had gone through various tests.

ALSO READ:Families say govt is keeping Chibok girls in jail

She said that the girls were fully integrated, adding that initially they were shy but they now have confidence and ready to face the world.

One of the Chibok girls, Miss Rhoda Peter appreciated the efforts of government and well-meaning Nigerians who had supported them.
Dunkirk is a story of the early days of World War II when over 400,000 Allied soldiers are trapped by Nazi forces savagely closing in on them from all sides.

Stranded on a beach in Dunkirk, France, the movie focuses on the rescue efforts by the British and Allied troops to get the boys back home across the English Channel.

It's like Saving Private Ryan, only with a few hundred thousand Ryans and a lot less backstory.

Nolan downsizes on dialogue and switches up the conventional narrative structure, as usual, to weave a movie that's wordlessly efficient in its non-linear time-jumbled fashion.

Weaving non-linear storylines is a skill he's already executed with masterful precision in his breakout Memento, but Nolan is in even rarer form here.

The narration of Dunkirk is split into three different sequences.

The first sequence, spanning one week, takes place on the beach where the movie is shown from the perspective of Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a young British private, who separately runs into fellow soldiers, Gibson (Aneurin Barnard) and Alex (Harry Styles), and together try different schemes to get off the beach before they become casualties of the bombs dropping from the sky.

The second sequence covers only a day, with British mariner, Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) sailing with two teenagers across the Channel in his private boat to rescue as many soldiers as possible from Dunkirk.

The third sequence spans only an hour, and it follows three RAF Spitfire pilots who provide air support to the Dunkirk troops down below by keeping the skies clear of enemy bombers.

Nolan is at his puppet-master best here as he strings between these three plot threads, juggling three different time periods across the land (the beach), water (boats and ships), and air (Spitfire aircrafts), to narrate a very emotionally intimate story.

Nolan cleverly intercuts these versions of the same story to enrich one another so much so that when they all come together in the end, the audience is overwhelmed by the incisive cohesion.

In a bold departure from war movie norm, Nolan disregards building up the story of the actual war and the politics and sentiments behind it to tell what is simply a survival story.

Devoid of buildup other than a few lines of exposition at the beginning of the movie, Nolan drops the audience squarely into the middle of the crisis much like most of these desperate young men were.

Rather than tell this evocative story with bloody combat, spilling guts and reckless mayhem, Nolan delivers Dunkirk with the sort of bloodless grand spectacle that not many can quite pull off.

The movie's intensity is not built by explicit graphics that'll shock and assault the senses of the audience, but based on smart pacing that dares the audience to try and keep up.

Nolan injects the audience with feelings of fear and desperation by focusing on how the characters experience war and try to stay alive through the destruction that it wreaks.

Much of this is achieved with little aid from actual dialogue between the characters. In fact, in the first 30 minutes of the movie, there's barely any lines of dialogue spoken between the characters on the beach.

Scenes of weary soldiers packed together, sometimes in tight spaces while they hope they don't get killed, is stirring enough that no amount of words can serve as worthy substitutes.

To tell a compact story, Nolan dances around the three events, cutting from the peril of one timeline to the relief or greater peril of another.

Much of the movie's feelings are amplified by its soulful music score that beats in tandem with the boiling chaos that's playing out on the screen.

Despite framing the narratives around the perspectives of a handful of people, Dunkirk is not the story of a single person's struggles for survival, but that of thousands.

It does not tell a specific story of grandiose heroism, as is the staple of war movies, but a simple story of human survival.

Dunkirk offers a sincere exploration of the human spirit, with themes of bravery and self-sacrifice littering all three narrative threads that makes all the dispiriting emotion at the end of the movie feel thoroughly earned.
Mr Wale Ogunade, the President of VAI, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the turnout of voters was well below the expectations of the group and other civil society groups that monitored the elections.

Ogunade said that although the election was peaceful, the apathy showed by the people was not good for participatory democracy.

The turnout is far from what we expected.

I have been in the trenches, encouraging and sensitising people to come out and exercise their political and civic rights but unfortunately, they did not respond.

Also, many people did not know that there is an election today.

Some of them just heard that there is a public holiday for the election and they decided to use the day to rest because they dont even know who to vote for.

According to Ogunade, the 48 political parties in Nigeria should do more to discourage voters apathy, instead of focusing solely on how to win elections.

If just 10 political parties add their voices to what we are doing, I am sure that there will be an impact.

I am not too sure that we are up to seven groups that are seriously involved in voter education in Nigeria.

So, it is obvious that we need more support, VAI president told NAN.

He disagreed that the heavy rainfall in some parts of Lagos caused the low turnout of voters in the state.

ALSO READ: Rainfall threatens Lagos council polls

In other countries, rain or shine, people come out to vote because they understand the value of election.

If not because of the restriction of movement, people would have been going about and some of them would have been partying.

So, the turnout has nothing to do with the rain.

The electorate need to know that the people elected today will be in charge of their affairs at the local government level for the next few years.
"We decided to restart medical activities in Kunduz, because the needs are big in the conflict context... and this clinic is the first step," Silvia Dallatomasina, MSF head of programmes in Afghanistan told AFP.

The organisation stopped its activities in Kunduz after the October 2015 bombing that killed 42, including 24 patients and 14 staff, seeking assurances from the US and Afghan military, as well as the Taliban, to protect their facilities.

"We are finalising the commitment of every stakeholder of the conflict," Dallatomasina said, adding she hoped work would start on a new trauma centre in Kunduz next year.

The 2015 bombing drew criticism from several quarters, with the United Nations human rights chief saying it could amount to a war crime.

Casualties caused by US airstrikes have always been a sensitive issue in the US-led war against a Taliban insurgency and have often been the cause of tense relations between Kabul and Washington.
She has resumed her work at the hospital in Pazardjik, a small town in southern Bulgaria which seems a million miles away from chaos-riven Libya.

The five nurses were jailed in 1999, along with a Palestinian doctor, for allegedly infecting over 400 children with HIV-tainted blood at a paediatric hospital in the eastern city of Benghazi.

They were tortured while in detention and twice sentenced to death.

Tripoli only agreed to commute their death sentences to life imprisonment in 2007, after which they were flown back to Bulgaria.

"I was abducted one evening in 1999," Siropoulo recalls with a shudder.

"Men taped up my mouth, then tortured me for months, with electric shocks, batons and threats of being attacked by dogs. The rest of the time I was lying alone in a cell waiting for death."

She had enjoyed the work on a paediatric ward, where she was much better paid than back home.

But the foreign medics were held responsible for tainted blood transfusions and accused of deliberately infecting 438 children with HIV.

'Long match'

Their saviour came in the form of Cecilia Sarkozy, wife of the then French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who visited Libya twice in July 2007 for talks with Kadhafi.

Despite an official French inquiry, Cecilia's precise role remains unclear, but the freed medical workers have no doubt she was instrumental in their release.

"When Cecilia came to bring us back I saw her like the Virgin Mary," says Valya Tchervenyachka, now in her sixties.

One of those close to the ordeal is Bulgaria's former foreign minister Solomon Passy, who describes a tangled web of negotiators including British intelligence agents, and UN and EU officials.

"It was a long match played by the international community, then President Sarkozy pops up in the 90th minute to score the winning goal," Passy tells AFP.

France and the European Union officially thanked Qatar for its role in securing the nurses' freedom, prompting intense speculation that a large amount of cash had been involved.

Despite repeated denials of a ransom, a slew of contracts was signed between Paris and Tripoli in the years following the release and Kadhafi made an official visit to France in 2007.

Simple life

Last November, a French magazine published documents appearing to exonerate the medical workers and suggesting that the children were in fact injected with tainted blood by Libyan intelligence and special forces commanders.

The testimony was found in a diary belonging to Shukri Ghanem, who served as Kadhafi's prime minister from 2003 until 2006.

The diary, which had reportedly ended up in the custody of French magistrates, suggested the infections were an act of hostility against Benghazi, a stronghold of opponents of the then-Libyan dictator.

For Kristiana Valtcheva and her fellow inmates, the entire ordeal is in the past.

The 58-year-old spends her days serenely working on her hobby: painting wooden wagons built by her doctor husband, who also spent time in a Libyan jail after travelling there to look for her.

Palestinian doctor Ashraf al-Hajuj now lives with his family in The Netherlands, while two other nurses live in houses close to each other donated by a Bulgarian philanthropist.

The biographies, films and intense media attention have gradually faded and former nurse Valia Cherveniashka says she's done with looking back.
"We are doing our duty and expect the whole of Europe to do the same alongside Italy," Gentiloni said late Friday in a clear reference to demands by some neighbours that Italy close its borders.

Italy summoned Austria's ambassador on Tuesday after Vienna threatened to send troops to the border, open as part of Europe's Schengen passport-free zone, to stop migrants entering after the number crossing the Mediterranean topped 100,000 this year.

Some 2,360 drowned in the attempt, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.

Other EU states, including Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, have also expressed alarm at the continued arrivals.

Italy has taken in some 85 percent of this year's arrivals -- mostly sub-Saharan Africans crossing from conflict-ravaged Libya -- and has pleaded for help from other European Union nations.

But Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic have flatly refused to take part in a relocation scheme.
The vote came as troops continued their two-month long fight to wrest back the southern city of Marawi from Islamic State-inspired militants.

Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella thanked Congress for its vote, saying "the nation has chosen to stand united in defending the Republic".

"The extension of martial law is essential to the overall peace and stability," he said in a statement.

Although opposition legislators questioned government officials for hours on the legality of the move, the vote was largely a foregone conclusion as Duterte enjoys majorities in both houses of Congress.

"We may wake up one day and martial law will be in force in the whole country," Senator Franklin Drilon said after the vote.

A slide presentation accompanying Duterte's request, seen by AFP, compared the Marawi crisis to the Islamic State takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Marawi itself could now become a magnet for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, it said.

Most of the militants' leaders remain at large, the presentation added, while about 90 of the gunmen have slipped past security cordons and can link up with other armed groups in the region to mount similar widescale attacks.

At the hearing, defence and security officials justified the extended martial law, saying that aside from Marawi, Islamist militants were planning attacks in other parts of Mindanao.

In Marawi, the military said only about 60 gunmen were left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.

"I cannot afford to be complacent," Duterte told reporters Friday, adding the military would be conducting further "mopping up operations" even after they recapture Marawi.

"If there is a spillage it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap," he added.

Duterte imposed 60-day martial rule -- the maximum period allowed by the constitution -- over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage.

On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.

'Never again'

Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes.

However, any martial law extension must be approved by Congress.

The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines, decades after the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term.

Thousands of critics, political opponents as well as communist guerrillas were killed, detained or arrested during the period, according to historians.

About a dozen protesters in the gallery interrupted Saturday's hearing, chanting "never again, never again to martial law" before being escorted out.

In Marawi, the area's military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera assured the public that martial law would not be abused.

"Don't be afraid. Your soldiers are professionals. All our actions are based on the rule of law. We will respect the rights of our countrymen," he said.

Herrera said five soldiers had been killed in fighting on Saturday alone, bringing the total of slain troops to 105 with 428 militants killed.

Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal.

"Once he feels that there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it," in a bid to stay in office after his six-year term ends, Senator Antonio Trillanes told AFP on Tuesday.
"Kailash, Himalaya aur Tibet Cheen ki asuri shakti se mukt ho," this is the mantra or 'sankalp', translated into 'resolve', that the RSS wants every Indian to chant five times before starting their prayers.

By Siddhartha Rai: The RSS wants to ward off the "asura", or demon, of China with a new "mantra". While the Sangh has advocated a policy of economic assault on Beijing by encouraging Indians to shun the use of Chinese goods and materials in daily lives, even in the process of praying, it has come up with a mantra to be chanted five times before prayers, be it a Hindu household's daily offerings to God or a Muslim's namaz.

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Even as the rejection of Chinese manufactures used in such daily affairs as household worshipping rituals is meant to attack the ubiquitous presence of China-made goods, thereby denying the neighbour one of the largest consumer markets in the world, it also aims to educate Indians in things they use without knowing them to be of Chinese origin. RSS has maintained that while war is undesirable, if push comes to shove, the country is ready and has, therefore, come out to support the hard stance assumed by India on the tri-junction (India-Bhutan-China) confrontation in the Doklam plateau.

"Kailash, Himalaya aur Tibet Cheen ki asuri shakti se mukt ho" (Kailash, Himalaya and Tibet be delivered from the demonic clutches of China). This is the mantra or 'sankalp', translated into 'resolve', that the RSS wants every Indian to chant five times before starting their prayers.

"This will not just hurt the core interest of China, but also infuse spiritual energy in the efforts and will create positive action," senior RSS pracharak and national executive member Indresh Kumar told Mail Today.

"China has adopted a fundamentally imperialist and expansionist character. It has moved away from Confucianism and has become a votary of violence. The recent entanglement with India has brought India several friends and China has lost many. They have shown that they are neither with India nor the world; rather want to continue the politics of violence. They have captured the territory of several countries such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, apart from having captured Tibet. Doklam was saved from their clutches only as Indian and Bhutanese soldiers pre-empted Chinese design," he added.

Kumar believes that China has already been cornered in its recent misadventure among the comity of nations, but the best way to attack the Chinese is to encourage every Indian to resolve to use only Swadeshi or India-made goods and reject Chinese manufactures of all kinds.

CHINA A DANGER?

"The people of India have come to realise the impending danger that China poses. At a meet in Agra in UP a few days ago, it was decided that no one in India, from any caste, creed or religion should use Chinese goods in daily prayers. Due to invasion of Chinese materials in India, almost three crore Indians and Nepalese nationals have lost livelihood. People of India must also resolve to boycott Chinese goods during the celebration of their chief festivals such as Rakhi, Diwali, Eid or Guru Parv etc. We are capable of breaking China's back not only by confrontation, but by following the non-violent path charted by Lord Buddha," Kumar said. Kumar said the hitherto supporters of China too have now started looking at it with suspicion.

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"China has for long blessed Pakistan with resources and material which have been used to destabilise India through terrorism. "Now, Pakistan included, all nations who have so far colluded with China, fear that the imperialist nation might be using them to counteract India, but might annex them partially or completely in the process," he added.

He went on: "We support the non-compromising attitude of the Indian government towards the Indo-China standoff in Doklam and even otherwise. The diplomacy of India and the tough stand it has taken have baffled and disturbed China which is evident in the chiding remarks that they are giving in the media. Chinese disrespect for human rights and democracy have exposed it in front of the world. The world now has come to recognise it to be inhuman, undemocratic and given to violent means."

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Also Read

Doklam standoff: Engage in direct dialogue to reduce tension, US tells China, India

China nervous? Sikkim standoff should not threaten RCEP deal, appeals Chinese media

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The paper quoted current and former administration officials who cited US intelligence intercepts of Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's accounts to his bosses in Moscow of two encounters he had with Sessions, then an adviser to Trump, during the campaign.

The report is certain to add more pressure on Sessions, whose job security is seen as being in jeopardy after President Donald Trump criticized him in scathing terms in an interview this week with The New York Times, saying he was sorry he had hired him.

Trump said he regretted the hiring because Sessions in March recused himself from overseeing an FBI-led probe into Russian meddling in the election in Trump's favor and whether the Trump team colluded in that effort.

Sessions recused himself in March after it was disclosed that he had in fact met with the ambassador during the campaign, after saying during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian officials during that period.

But Sessions insisted when he recused himself that he had not talked about the US election campaign with the ambassador.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," he said at the time.

However, Kislyak, in briefing his superiors on the meetings, said he and Sessions discussed campaign-related matters including policy issues important to Moscow, the Post said.

It quoted one former official as saying the intercepts suggest Sessions and Kislyak had "substantive" talks on issues including Trump's positions on Russia-related subjects and prospects for bilateral relations in a Trump administration.
The retail holiday shopping season is formally defined as the 61 calendar days in November and December. For the retail industry, its the granddaddy of all holiday shopping seasons. Over the next two months, caffeine- and sugar-infused holiday shoppers will drop a near-trillion dollars into the coffers of wishful retailers across the nation.
MOLINE -- QCR Holdings Inc. on Thursday announced net income of $8.8 million and diluted earnings per share of 65 cents for the quarter ended June 30.

By comparison, for the quarter ended March 31, the company reported net income of $9.2 million and diluted EPS of 68 cents. For the quarter ended June 30, 2016, it reported net income of $6.7 million and diluted EPS of 53 cents.

For the six months ended June 30, the company reported net income of $18 million. By comparison, for the six months ended June 30, 2016, it reported net income of $13.1 million.

Our operating performance for the first half of the year was strong, said QCR President/CEO Douglas M. Hultquist, "and we continue to strategize and pursue ways to improve our profitability through our ongoing key initiatives."

"Our acquisition of Community State Bank, based in Ankeny, Iowa, in the third quarter of 2016 also contributed to our improved profitability, he said.

During the second quarter of 2017, the companys total assets increased $76.2 million, or 2 percent, to $3.46 billion. Total loans and leases grew $117.7 million, or 4.8 percent.

QCR Holdings operates Quad City Bank & Trust, which has locations in Moline, Bettendorf and Davenport.
DAVENPORT -- Devonte Darnell Holston, 22, of Davenport, was sentenced Thursday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 15 years in prison for a felon in possession of a firearm charge.

Mr. Holston also was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund, according to U.S. Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.

On June 26, 2016, Davenport Police seized two firearms from a vehicle occupied by Mr. Holston. On March 7, Mr. Holston pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed the firearms seized from the vehicle.

This matter was investigated by the Davenport Police Departments Tactical Operations Bureau, Davenport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  Gov. Bruce Rauner says he will call lawmakers into special session to deal with public school funding if they don't send him legislation on the issue by Monday.

The Republican governor visited Auburn High School south of Springfield Friday. He repeated his call for the Senate to send him the measure the General Assembly approved in May that revises the school-aid formula. Rauner says he will use an amendatory veto to remove a portion of the bill that funnels teacher-pension money to Chicago.

But the Senate is holding onto the legislation. Rauner says he'll call a special session if he doesn't have it by Monday at noon. He wants the matter settled by July 31.

School-aid checks are sent in early August.
A man in Delhi was off to work on his two-wheeler when death-dealing Chinese manja slit his throat. However the man miraculously cheated death.

By India Today Web Desk: Even as Chinese manja continues to thrive in the Indian markets, yet another shocking incident of severe injury to a commuter has come to the light. A 35-year-old man almost died after his throat was slit by the deadly Chinese thread.

The nylon thread is almost impossible to break due to its high tensile strength, unlike the traditional cotton tone thread.

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Given its reckless potency, last year two children were killed in Delhi, a Firstpost report claims.

With some 30 days left for Independence Day, it might again be the same story since on Friday, a man riding his motorcycle miraculously escaped death.

Photo: ANI

The incident took place on Geeta Colony flyover in Delhi.

The 35-year-old was off to work when the unfortunate incident took place. The man was soon rushed to a hospital where he was announced out of danger.

Independence Day in Delhi is known for its fervour of flying kites. However, the craze has diminished over the period of time but has not stopped the veterans and enthusiasts from flying kites in the Capital.

The oldschool cotton thread also known as saddi dori has been phased out from the markets. Over the past few years, these benign threads have been replaced by their lethal counterparts - the Chinese manja.

Taking not of the fatal injuries inflicted upon birds and humans, last year the Delhi government banned the Chinese manja in the Capital.

Indian member of a bird hospital treats a falcon eagle hit by a flying kite in Delhi's old quarters: Reuters

Despite the ban, there seems to be inumerable means to procure these threads if one needs to, courtesy black market.

Also Read || PETA welcomes NGT ruling banning Chinese manja for kites ||

FYI || 'Murderous' meal: Husband kills wife over a spicy meal in Delhi ||

--- ENDS ---
COAL VALLEY -- For the second time, Coal Valley Police Officer Logan Thomas has been honored for the number of drunk driving arrests he has made in a year.

On Wednesday, Coal Valley Police Chief Jack Chick presented Officer Thomas with an award from the Allianace Against Intoxicated Motorists commending him for his work in 2016. The police department made 19 DUI arrests last year; Officer Thomas was responsible for 12 of them.

"Logan is a fantastic officer who not only covers traffic enforcement, but is an overall complete officer," Chief Chick said. "He engages well with the community."

Officer Thomas joined the Coal Valley Police Department three years ago after being an officer with the Erie Police Department. Chief Chick said AAIM works with about 700 law enforcement agencies in Illinois.

Also on Wednesday, board members approved replacing all street lights in the village with LED lighting.

MidAmerican Energy Co. will gradually convert existing streetlights as they fail or need replacing, said Mayor Michael Bartels. He noted there will be no charge to the village.

MidAmerican owns 271 of the 281 streetlights in the village, he said, and plans to convert all of them to LED by 2020. The conversion is expected to save the village an average of $6,000 per year.

"That is a significant estimated savings," Mayor Bartels said. "It would be a savings to the general fund and would most likely remain in the fund to use for expenditures such as street maintenance, building repairs, etc."

Board members also approved spending $3,658 to replace exterior lights at village hall with LED lighting. Because the Coal Valley Library owns 58 percent of the building, Mayor Bartels said library officials have agreed to pay for 58 percent of the cost, leaving the village to pay $1,536.

"We are also submitting the work to MidAmerican Energy as a custom project to see if it will qualify for a rebate," Mayor Bartels said. "The rebate could range from 25 to 60 percent of the total cost of the project if approved. We will not know if the project is approved for four to six weeks after it is submitted."

Mayor Bartels also honored Coal Valley Days board members Toney and Stephaine Genova and the committee for planning this year's event on July 8.

"It's a great event for the village of Coal Valley and the community," Mayor Bartels said. "The parade, dog races and bands were great and would not be possible without the Genovas and the rest of the volunteers. I know the amount of work and scheduling they did to make the event successful and fun for all who attended."
Democrat Eric Sorensen declared victory at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the race for Illinois' 17th Congressional District against Republican Esther Joy King, but the margin of his lead was not large enough for either the Associated Press or New York Times to project him as the winner.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The mother of slain motorist Philando Castile has filed a petition to receive nearly all of a $3 million settlement in his death.

Valerie Castile's petition proposes she get $2 million, with the remaining $995,000 going to attorneys. A Hennepin Couny judge will review the petition Aug. 2.

The Star Tribune reports Castile sought to reach relatives who might want part of the settlement, but only Philando Castile's father replied. The petition says Phelix H. Frazier Sr., serving life in a federal prison in Illinois, made no claim.

Castile was shot in July 2016 during a traffic stop seconds after he informed Officer Jeronimo Yanez he had a gun. Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter after testifying that Castile ignored commands not to reach for the gun.
The results of Kosovos recent general election were a huge surprise: Vetevendosje (Self-determination), up to now a small opposition party, won 32 seats, making it the largest party in parliament. This put a sudden end to the political duopoly exercised by Kosovos two dominant parties, the PDK and the LDK, under whose rule the country fell prey to persistent corruption and economic stagnation.

During those dismal years, apathy set in among the electorate  but Vetevendosje has put an end to that. As Albin Kurti, the partys nominee for prime minister, told me: We cannot just give people hope, but we can give them courage.

Evidently this strategy has paid off. But while the new public enthusiasm that carried Vetevendosje to victory might seem welcome, not everyone in Kosovo is happy about it.

Under the terms of a widely criticised 2014 ruling by Kosovos constitutional court, if a coalition formed before the election collectively wins the largest number of seats, it has the automatic right to first try to form a parliamentary majority. A coalition comprising the countrys so-called war wing parties collectively won 39 seats, and is now frantically trying to pull together a parliamentary coalition. To do so, it will need the support of various smaller parties who represent Kosovos minority communities.

But even if this effort comes off, any government comprising such a motley crew of parties is unlikely to last very long. That means theres a strong possibility that Vetevendosje will be in government in the near future  a prospect that many Western ambassadors in Kosovo have historically hoped to avoid.

For many years, key Western representatives in Kosovo declined to engage with Vetevendosje because of the tactics they employed, particularly the use of tear gas to obstruct parliament. But since the latest election, the partys leaders have been invited to discuss their governance plans at a number of foreign embassies in the capital, Pristina. This represents a dramatic change of tack on the part of the international community, and one they have essentially been reluctantly forced to make.

Nonetheless, even after the election, Vetevendosje has still been portrayed by some international commentators as a party of anti-Serb nationalists, violent leftists and/or populists. The reality, however, is quite different.

Rising up

Vetevendosje was set up in 2004, and it soon made some very powerful enemies. The group engaged in direct action, including street protests and the obstruction of parliamentary procedures, and openly criticised the alliance between Kosovos corrupt political elite and its international partners. These efforts to hold the international community accountable for colluding in criminality immediately earned the party negative press.

The charge that Vetevendosje is violent is a misrepresentation. Its true that the party has set off tear gas in parliament, but it was not the only party to do so. Its also true that some Vetevendosje protests have descended into clashes with the police, but many past and present movements in the West  from the suffragettes to Black Lives Matter  have found themselves on the receiving end of heavy-handed policing after engaging in direct action protests.

Then theres the anti-Serb nationalists charge. Critics who make this claim usually cite Vetevendosjes opposition to a 2015 deal giving more autonomy to Kosovos Serbian municipalities. Vetevendosje argues, however, that it opposes the deal not out of hostility to Serbs in Kosovo, but because of what it considers the Serbian governments growing influence in Kosovo. As Kurti explained to me:

Whats happening in Kosovo is the same process that happened in Bosnia in the early 1990s, which led eventually to the formal recognition of Republic Srpska as a separate entity. We oppose this erosion of Kosovos sovereignty by Serbia.

Additionally, since 2013, Vetevendosje has run the Pristina municipality, which includes the village of Bernica. As newly elected Vetevendosje MP Fitore Pascolli told me: In Lower Bernica, Serbs are in the majority and they have no problem with us. We have worked with them on improving their infrastructure and public services. They recognise that we are not against them.

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Behind the hyperbole, the real bone of contention is that Vetevendosje has consistently criticised the states and international bodies still present in Kosovo  the so-called internationals  for their unaccountable powers, excessive interference in domestic politics, and particularly their failure to tackle high level criminality perpetrated by Kosovos political elite.

The internationals have variously tolerated and colluded in Kosovos corruption largely out of concern for their own reputations. It is certainly true that having intervened in 1999, and then engaged in a state-building operation unprecedented in scale, many Western states have significant political capital invested in declaring Kosovo a success. Renewed violence would be a PR disaster.

The internationals, says Kurti, have therefore implemented a pre-conflict rather than a post-conflict administration. Their primary aim has been to maintain order, even if it comes at the expense of integrity and good government. They have worked with an elite who agreed to stop violence so long as they are free to engage in their corrupt activities.

Kurti is not alone in this view. A Council of Europe report stated that the international presence undoubtedly knew about and tolerated the activities of Kosovos mafia-like structures of organised crime.

Vetevendosjes success should be welcomed by those who support people power and progress in Kosovo. That so many representatives of Western democracies have sought to isolate and demonise the party is a shameful indictment of their priorities, and evidence of their complicity in the persistent misrule that Kosovo has endured. But this latest election has made clear that the era of apathy is over  and that marginalising Vetevendosje is no longer an option.

Aidan Hehir, Reader in International Relations, University of Westminster

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
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Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao instructed a legislator to apologise unconditionally after images of his unruly conduct were aired by TV networks and went viral on social media.

On July 13, Telangana police arrested legislator Banoth Shankar Naik of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) after Mahabubabad district collector Preeti Meena complained that he had been "indecent and disrespectful" to her at a public meeting a day earlier. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao instructed Naik to apologise unconditionally after images of his unruly conduct were aired by TV networks and went viral on social media.

Meena also dashed off a complaint to the IAS Officers' Association. After a general body meeting, its president B.P. Acharya handed state chief secretary S.P. Singh a memorandum demanding 'institutional mechanisms' to deal with incidents involving politicians. On its demand, the government set up an inquiry by IGP Charu Sinha.

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Meanwhile, Naik's detractors demanded his suspension from the party and similar action against M. Yadagiri Reddy, another MLA who had allegedly abused women officers, including a district collector, at Jangaon, when they refused to clear his proposal to allegedly take over six acres of a lake bed for an office block. The day Naik was arrested, wives of army and navy personnel demonstrated outside Reddy's Hyderabad home, accusing him of selling them plots without mandatory government clearances.

Naik and Reddy sought to meet Rao, but he refused. They then approached deputy CM K. Srihari and chief secretary Singh, claiming they were being targeted. But the Telangana State Deputy Collectors' Association was firm on its demand for strict action. Rao has made it clear that Naik and Reddy will be dealt with according to the law, but the Opposition isn't buying it.

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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/22/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
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Enjoying the Spirit of Fury at Drive A Tank

Theres nothing quite like the sound of a tank in motion. The deep rumbling roar of the engine combined with the squeaks, squeals, and chinks of the treads. Before its even in sight, you know something strong and primal is coming. Taking in these sounds, one begins to understand just how bizarre and foreign this modern war machine must have seemed when it first debuted on the dirty, rough battlefields of World War I.

The idea of what a tank exactly is seems to be a generational thing. Since I was born in the early 80s, the word tank conjures images of giant cartoon G.I. Joe battles intermixed with footage from Desert Storm. A firsthand look wouldnt happen until much later when in the military, and even then they were mostly on the periphery. And though Id crawled inside one of two modern tanks, Id certainly never driven one or pulled the proverbial trigger on one.

As it turns out, you dont have to go through the arduous process of joining the military and receiving weeks or months of tank training to do either one of those, so long as you can make your way to Kasota, Minnesota. So make our way there we did.

Of course there would need to be some preparation. For training purposes, I watched Fury, Beast, and 1995s GoldenEye  it was disappointing to later learn that no, unlike tanks depicted in that 17th James Bond film, one cant drive and shoot at the same time. Childhood dream, scattered and shattered.

Drive A Tank (DAT) is run by one Tony Borglum, and as of this past September, its been in operation for 10 years. Originally Borglum was into racing and modifying street rods, along other aspects of competitive motor sports. He caught the military vehicle bug when he picked up a 2.5-ton 66 to trick out as an off-road vehicle. It was like going to your first gun show. Once you see everything thats available, it just rolls from there. And roll it did. Starting with a British Ferret armored scout car, DAT now has 20 different pieces of armor and numerous other examples of heavy military equipment spread out over their large facility.

Despite the name, not all of the armor available to drive at DAT are technically tanks. There are several self-propelled artillery pieces like the FV432 Abbot. To the untrained eye theres little difference: armored, tracked, with a huge gun and turret.

There are a variety of packages available on DriveATank.com. As the company name heavily implies  driving them is one of the main draws. The most popular by a good margin is their Four Star package. You get to drive two different armored vehicles and fire some historically accurate machine guns. Add in driving over a car, and the entire experience will run you about the same as a decent weekend shooting course. So while the price may be high for some, its certainly not insurmountable.

We went a step further, probably because Fury was just so damn good, and signed up for the full Sherman Driver Experience. DAT says theyre the only place in the world you can go and trawl around in a functional Sherman tank without joining a backward third-world military. We would drive their tank trails with our heads exposed like one would do in less hostile areas, and then do it again buttoned-up using just the limited view gifted by periscopes.

Speaking of Fury, many of the original costumes and dummy weapons used in the movie itself are owned by DAT. Brad Pitts STG-44 made an appearance, as well as Gordos actual costume from the movie. So, of course, we used them.

The physical driving isnt terribly difficult once youre talked through the controls. Each tank or propelled artillery piece has its own nuances, and none are anything like driving your Toyota Corolla to work. The experts at DAT are on-hand to talk you through everything (and make sure you dont run into any trees). In the end we werent able to do any jumping or drifting that weve seen on YouTube, but we highly suspect the staff at DAT can do just that if they were so inclined.

So how about shooting? Most all of the tanks on the market have disabled main guns; otherwise they would be considered destructive devices. However, destructive devices are legal in many states provided one goes through the proper channels. Still, others make do with alternative firing mechanisms. The Sherman at DAT can fire a specialized projectile that doesnt use traditional explosives as a main charge.

Though we dont know the exact details of the shells and firing mechanisms, we do know that each projectile is formed with a rapid prototyping machine and loaded into a heavily modified system. Instead of being filled with explosive material, the projectiles are filled with chalk or paint  so you still have a visible impact, albeit not quite as awesome as in the movies.

There are indeed some tanks with operational main guns out there in private hands. The safety of these items may be called into question, however. Many of these ostensibly functional main guns are re-welded demills of guns that had an incredibly short service life to begin with (call it a calculated risk when the fate of the free world is at stake fighting Hitler). It might seem silly, but oftentimes owners will sleeve their barrels down to .50 BMG. Similar systems are used for tank training around the world.

In order to be effective, a tank crew has to operate like a well-oiled machine with everyone playing their part correctly. The commander, gunner, loader, driver, and co-driver all have to act independently yet together. Maybe someday the battlefield will be full of autonomous fighting vehicles or units being remote controlled by some nerd in a van from thousands of miles away, but that day isnt today. And it certainly wasnt the case back when grandpa fought on the Western Front so many years ago. What you get at DAT is a taste of those great battlefields of the past.

Regardless of how big the outside of a tank is, the inside could only be what a real estate agent would describe as cozy. That is to say, youre crammed in there among all of the controls, and everything around you will snag or snare any bits of loose clothing or gear. Yeah, you dont want to be bulked up in this one. You have to keep in mind that tanks were never built for comfort, but instead as a force multiplier on the battlefield. Even the most modern tanks are short on space, and you certainly wont walk around inside one like they do all the time in movies.

So, of course, we slept in it. Because sleeping inside the metal box of a Sherman, in Minnesota, in November always seems like a good idea when youre planning it. Theres at least one good place to sleep inside this steel coffin, provided youre the only one who has to do it. Right in the top of the turret, underneath the commanders seat. We survived due to a combination of unseasonably warm weather and an insulated Big Agnes ground pad originally purchased for cold weather camping. You need some kind of insulating layer between your body and the metal frame, because any down or other fill inside your sleeping bag will be compressed by your body when you lay down.

You could probably squeeze two grown adults in there if need be, but there was no way the men at the Battle of the Bulge were comfortable. As I gazed at the night sky through the open commanders hatch above, these were the thoughts that kept me awake.

We also drove over some cars. Part of the DAT site is a boneyard of crushed vehicles right alongside complete automobiles standing by and awaiting their fates. For the purposes of turning a Chevy Lumina into a pancake, we didnt use the Sherman, instead opting for a British FV4201 Chieftain.

Absolutely the strangest part about driving over a car is that you mostly only notice the noise. No doubt many of you have been in car accidents before, and even a relatively minor low-speed collision can cause you to get slammed and jerked around. Well tell you firsthand theres none of that going on when youre inside a tank thats rolling over a car. Metal grinds, glass flies in the air as the windshield bursts, and the tank barely moves in a perceptible fashion (at least compared to normal driving). Remember, were talking about something that weighs significantly more than a Prius or other daily transport.

As mentioned, there are some period-correct machine guns available. Also on the DAT site is a gun shop and range fully equipped with an SOT. In addition to the historical pieces, they have some more modern offerings such as automatic M4s.

Do you want to own a tank yourself? Private tank ownership in the United States isnt without some controversy, but perhaps not for the reasons that youd think. Ever see a tank outside an American Legion, VFW, or similar? Theres a better-than-decent chance that those tanks are simply on long-term loan from the U.S. government rather than being actual property of that particular location.

For a long period of time the government would provide tanks to about anyplace that was described as a museum, some of them being little more than an outbuilding on private property. Years and even decades later, ownership changes, paperwork is lost or forgotten, and then that U.S. property tank unlawfully changes hands. On the buyers end, everything may seem copacetic, only to find Uncle Sam knocking at the door years down the line.

As such, collectors are usually extraordinarily cautious when buying American tanks from private parties, instead opting for official dealers and American tanks originally exported to foreign nations and then later re-imported back in the states. The Sherman tank pictured in this article, for example, was first produced for a foreign nation.

Time was, when my spouse would complain about how expensive firearms are as a hobby, I used to make comparisons to racing cars or about anything equestrian. From this point forward, Ill just bring up the costs of owning and operating a functional tank. Even the most inexpensive tanks cost far more than your average luxury automobile, to say nothing of fuel, maintenance, or land required to use them. Your bigassed 44 may be hard on gasoline and parts, but it doesnt come close to even the lightest tank. And the prices go up in a nearly exponential fashion with condition and functionality.

So instead, as I lay back in bed Ill remember the beautiful cold night sky seen through that turret hatch, and sleep soundly. And maybe make my way back to Kasota.

Drive A Tank

Address : 550 W. Cherry St.

Kasota, MN 56050

Phone: (507) 931-7385

URL:

www.driveatank.com
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Congress president Sonia Gandhi today constituted a team of observers to assess the political situation in Odisha.

MPs Sushmita Dev and Tamrdhwaj Sahu, and and former union minister Jitendra Singh are members of the team.

"The team will work in coordination with the AICC general secretary and secretary in-charge of the state to assess the political situation there.

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"The team will submit a report to the Congress president at the end of their visit," AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.

Gandhi also appointed Ruchi Gupta as joint secretary of the AICC and will report to Girish Chodankar, who will continue as AICC secretary in-charge of NSUI. PTI SKC ANB

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At first glance, Model Citizen Salon may seem like any other place to get your roots done or
A renowned Malayali author and a woman college lecturer have complained to the police of receiving threats even as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said his government would not ignore threats to those who expressed progressive views.

Efforts to tarnish those with progressive opinions on social media and making death threats to them would not be accepted, Vijayan said on Facebook.

Those who feel that independent voices can be gagged by threats are living in a fools paradise, he wrote.

The chief ministers statement comes in the wake of Malayali author K P Ramanunni lodging a police complaint regarding an anonymous threat letter, warning him that his right arm and left leg would be chopped off if he did not convert to Islam within six months.

The letter was sent to Ramanunnis Kozhikode residence six days ago.

The writer said though there was no indication as to who was behind the letter, it was understood that it was posted from Manjeri in Malappuram district.

I am not aware of the motive behind the letter. I filed a complaint with the Kozhikode city police commissioner today, urging him to look into the matter, he said.

Ramanunni said though he had ignored the letter initially, other senior writers advised him to file the police complaint.

The letter alleged that some of the recent articles written by the award-winning writer amounted to misleading the Muslim youth.

It also warned that Ramanunni would meet the same fate as that of professor T J Joseph, whose right arm was chopped off by the members of a radical Muslim outfit for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments through a question paper he had set.

Like T J Joseph, your right arm will be cut off... your left leg too. You are given six months to convert to Islam. If you do not embrace Islam, we will inflict Allahs punishment on you, the letter said.

The police said a probe was launched on the basis of Ramanunnis complaint.

The right arm of Joseph, who was a professor in the Thodupuzha New Man College, was chopped off while he was returning home from the Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.

A novelist and short story writer, Ramanunni is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award and Vayalar Award among other literary acclaims.

In the other case, Deepa Nishanth, a lecturer in the Thrissur-based Kerala Varma College, lodged a police complaint regarding death threats received by her on the social media, allegedly from right-wing activists, in connection with a painting of renowned artist late M F Hussain put up on the college campus.

She alleged that her morphed pictures with derogatory comments were widely circulated and shared on the social media.

She said the threat seemed to be on the assumption that she was in support of the exhibition of the controversial painting, Saraswathy, on the college campus.

A banner, with the painting, was put up by the Students Federation of India, the students union of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist in Kerala, to welcome the freshers, she said.

I was shocked to see the series of abusive comments against me on the social media over a matter, in which I was not even involved, said Deepa.

She added that the comments and morphed pictures were also sent to her family members, causing great mental agony.

The police registered a case under the Information Technology Act after the lecturer lodged a complaint with the chief minister and Director General of Police Loknath Behera.

Photograph: Commons/Wikimedia
Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi will no more be able to drive straight to their aircraft at Patna airport as the central government has withdrawn tarmac access for their vehicle, according to officials.

Previous order (allowing access) was for Patna airport only, which has been withdrawn, said an official at the bureau of civil aviation security.

The move comes after the ministry of civil aviation wrote a letter to the BCAS informing that it had decided to revoke permission granted in 2009 allowing Lalu Yadav and his wifes vehicle to drive up to the tarmac.

It has now been decided that the permission accorded to Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav and Smt Rabri Devi vide the AVSEC order No 13/2009 dated 1/08/2009 maybe withdrawn forthwith, says the letter dated July 21.

The letter asks BCAS to take immediate action to issue necessary instructions to ensure implementation of the ministrys decision.

Under the earlier order, the two former chief ministers were permitted access in their own vehicle up to the tarmac of Patna airport during their departure/arrival by air at

Patna airport.

Lalu was the chief minister of Bihar from 1990 to 1997 when he was forced to step down following corruption charges. His wife Rabri took over as the chief minister and served three terms until 2005.

Lalus RJD is an alliance partner in the Bihar government and his son Tejashwi Yadav holds the post of the deputy chief minister. Lalu was convicted in a fodder scam case in 2013 and is facing fresh allegations along with his wife and son.
The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any 'coercive aspects'.

"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman said.

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension 'free of any coercive aspects'.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) later this month. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

"The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said in written response to the questions.
Rahul yesterday quoted Adolf Hilter in saying reality was being 'strangulated,' under the Narendra Modi government.

By India Today Web Desk: After Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Friday quoted Adolf Hilter in saying reality was being 'strangulated,' under the Narendra Modi government, Union Minister Smriti Irani recalled the Emergency, saying there were "no prizes" for guessing whom the Nazi dictator had inspired.

Hitler,once wrote: Keep a firm grasp on reality, so you can strangle it at any timeThis is what is happening today-strangulation of reality- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

BJP wants to paint a lie over India so that they can return it to an age of kings and no questions, where people were humiliated by power

- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

@OfficeOfRG u r 42 yrs late on this 1.No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency & trampled over democracy.- Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

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And there are no prizes for guessing who Rahul was referring to in this tweet, part of a series he posted on Ambedkar's birth anniversary.

The emperor is completely naked but nobody around him has the courage to tell him.- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

He had a message for his Twitter followers.

We must keep a firm grip on reality & never let them strangle it.As Baba Saheb said let us Educate, Agitate and Organise??#QuestForEquity- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

But Irani had one of her own, for the Congress VP.

@OfficeOfRG a bleak future awaits the Congress Party, not our Nation!- Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

And she couldn't resist one final swipe at Rahul.

However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!????- Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

ALSO READ

Smriti Irani is back in the big league of Modi ministers: The curious case of BJP's star politician

Smriti Irani is a big Game of Thrones fan, here's proof

ALSO WATCH

Smriti Irani gets additional charge of I&B after Venkaiah Naidu resigns as Union minister

--- ENDS ---
On July 18, at around 9.45 pm, the newly formed 10-member communication strategy committee of the Congress met for the second time. For 20 minutes, it deliberated if the party should attack the NDA government at the Centre for its 'failure' to handle the border stand-off with China. Not convinced the Congress would get enough media mileage on the issue, it was decided to leave China for debate and discussion in Parliament. Instead, party spokesperson Rajeev Gowda was to address the press and raise the matter of the Reserve Bank of India failing to complete the counting of old currency deposited post-demonetisation, between November 2016 and March 2017. Later in the day, Gowda's press briefing was cancelled because a media interaction was organised with Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the party's candidate for the vice-presidential elections.

Such ad hocism not only defines the Congress's communication strategy but also reflects the present state of affairs in the party. The team was set up a day after the Congress took flak for the flip-flop over whether its vice-president, Rahul Gandhi, had met Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui amid the ongoing border face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam plateau. On July 10, when TV channels flashed that Rahul had met the envoy, Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress's communications in-charge, launched a counter-attack, questioning the media's 'silence' over the presence of four Union ministers in China. Though Surjewala's tweets did not deny Rahul's meeting with the Chinese envoy, the media read it that way. Surjewala remained incommunicado for the next three hours, attending to his father, who was undergoing surgery in Chandigarh. Later, it was Rahul who ended the speculation over his meeting by tweeting: "It is my job to be informed on critical issues."

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According to insiders, mishandling of the media over Rahul's meeting with the Chinese envoy offered the old guard an opportunity to persuade president Sonia Gandhi to curb the vice-president's control over the communications team headed by Surjewala. Several party veterans were uncomfortable taking a brief from Surjewala, who is much younger than them and takes instructions directly from Rahul. The communication strategy team is being perceived more as an attempt to empower the Congress old guard with greater authority than bolster the party's publicity campaigns.

The other view is that this is Sonia's effort to build bridges between Rahul and party old-timers before he takes over as president. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, P. Chidambaram and Anand Sharma are considered to have been picked in the communication strategy team because of their key roles in Parliament. Jairam Ramesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sushmita Dev are seen as Rahul's choices. Most intriguing is the inclusion of Mani Shankar Aiyar as he gets a party role after a long stint in the wilderness. "It will be interesting to watch Aiyar, Chidambaram and Jairam together devise a communication strategy," says a Congress general secretary.

A sense of anxiety has also prevailed among party veterans ever since it was decided that the next Congress president would be elected by October 15-many of them are unsure of Rahul's leadership abilities, particularly after the drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, and also fear being sidelined. The party leadership had deferred organisational elections for two years, but the Election Commission has now forced its hand by setting a December 2017 deadline to complete the process.

Sonia has conveyed to several top party leaders that she is ready to hand over the baton to Rahul whenever he is ready, but the vice-president wants his promotion through election. This has given Sonia's advisory team the window to defer Rahul's elevation. "Their nervousness is understandable," says a former Rajya Sabha member of the party. "We have all seen how Indira Gandhi cut the syndicate to size, how Rajiv Gandhi sliced like salami Indira Gandhi's close aides, and how Sonia Gandhi got rid of Rajiv loyalists."

Although the general perception is that Rahul is still reluctant to take charge, an election strategist in the party says Sonia was never confident of vacating the chair for her son. She was apprehensive that Rahul lacked a politically savvy team that would back him and handle the party stalwarts. "Rahul could not really decide on issues," says the strategist. "Things moved only if Sonia was convinced, two examples being the Congress joining the mahagathbandhan in Bihar and striking an alliance with Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh." The reason for Rahul's two-month sabbatical in 2015 could be "disappointment over being unable to push through his vision", he adds.

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Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh does not agree. He says Rahul has the final word in organisational matters. "Of course, decisions are taken in consultation with the president, but he is firmly in control of the party," says Singh, who believes Rahul's travels abroad must not always be seen as vacations.

Whatever be the reason, these breaks have often forced Sonia, who for the past three years has preferred to take a backseat, both due to health reasons and to create space for Rahul, to get proactive on political matters. Party insiders claim while Rahul has failed to establish an equation with senior leaders of other parties, Sonia even now manages to stitch together an Opposition game plan. She played her part in fielding candidates for the election of the country's president and vice-president, for example. Congress general secretary C.P. Joshi, however, disagrees. "From Akhilesh Yadav and Nitish Kumar in the north to M.K. Stalin in the south, Rahul Gandhi has excellent rapport with leaders of other parties," he says.

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Rahul's biggest challenge will be to create strong regional leaders who can help the party win state elections. In Madhya Pradesh, which votes next year, Rahul wants Jyotiraditya Scindia as the chief ministerial candidate. But nine-time Lok Sabha MP Kamal Nath is also keen to be the party's face in the election. Nath has Sonia's backing. So far, the mother and son have not arrived at a decision, leaving the poll campaign in limbo. "When they don't agree, they don't decide," says a Lok Sabha MP from the party. "That's how we lost several leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam, Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh."

Rahul's supporters believe delays in decisions will end once he gets elected to the top post. "Sonia struggled between 1998 and 2004, often facing ridicule over her country of origin whereas Rahul has not yet taken charge," says a Congress general secretary, missing the subtle difference-Rahul has been on probation for over a decade. Sonia did not have any such luxury.

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--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jul 22 (PTI) US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that his refusal to give certification to Congress that Pakistan was taking action against the Haqqani network is not a reflection of a new tougher policy against Islamabad, but simply an assessment of the current state of play.

Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said yesterday that the Trump administration will not provide USD 350 million in coalition support funds to Pakistan after the US Defence Secretary said he cannot certify that Islamabad has taken "sufficient actions" against the dreaded Haqqani network.

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"This is simply an assessment of the current state of play. It is not a policy. It is a reality. You know, we are just defining the realities," Mattis told reporters yesterday.

When asked if the withholding of USD 350 million coalition support funds was part of the Trump administrations new policy towards Pakistan, he said "No".

Responding to questions, Mattis dispelled rumours that the National Security Advisor Lieutenant General H R McMaster would be leaving soon for an Afghan-related assignment.

Pakistan-based Haqqani network is blamed for a number of high-profile attacks on US and Western interests in war-torn Afghanistan.

The terror group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan, including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people.

This is for the second consecutive year that the US Defence Secretary has refused to certify to Congress, as mandated under National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), that Pakistan has taken satisfactory action against the Haqqani network.

Mattis predecessor Ashton Carter was the first US Defence Secretary to refuse that certification.

As a result of the notification by Defence Secretary Mattis to Congress, the Department of Defence has reprogrammed remaining Coalition Support Funds, which is USD 350 million, to other accounts, Stump said. PTI LKJ CPS

--- ENDS ---
Tibetan residents of Qinghais Rebgong county turned out this week in large numbers for an annual celebration of Tibetan culture, with many more wearing traditional dress this year than in the past, sources said.



The annual festival called Rebgong Lurol, which began on July 9 and ended on Thursday, reflected a growing interest in the area this year in Tibetan identity and values, a local source told RFAs Tibetan Service.



This year, the change was particularly noticeable among the young Tibetans taking part, with many showing a preference for wearing traditional dress, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



It was also observed that the consumption of alcohol has decreased among the young, and that there was less gambling, the source said.



Participants and spectators alike were dressed in colorful traditional clothes and got along in an atmosphere of harmony and friendship with a growing wish to embrace tradition, he said.



The annual festival has been held in Rebgong since ancient times, with different villages in the area presenting cultural performances and taking part in games, another local source said.



People of all ages and from all walks of life come together to burn incense and conduct religious rituals, the source said, also speaking on condition he not be named.



Prayers are also offered to invoke a mountain spirit to ward off ill fortune and prevent diseases affecting local livestock, he said.



Traditional gatherings in Tibetan-populated regions of China have greatly increased in size in recent years, as thousands of Tibetans gather to assert their national identity in the face of Beijings cultural and political domination.



Though China in recent years has frequently allowed the holding of Tibetan festivals as a sign of stability and progress in Tibetan areas, security forces often monitor and sometimes close down events involving large crowds, fearing spontaneous protests against Chinese rule.



Reported by Kunsang Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.




While US President Donald Trump is convinced Japanese First Lady Akie Abe cannot speak a word English, the internet shows she can give speeches in that language.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, attend dinner with President Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach (Photo:Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: US President Donald Trump revealed something very uncomfortable about Japanese First Lady Akie Abe during an interview with the New York Times.

According to him, Mrs Abe does not know English, not even 'hello'.

"So, I was seated next to the wife of Prime Minister Abe, who I think is a terrific guy, and she's a terrific woman but doesn't speak English," he told the NYT reporter interviewing him.

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Now, the thing is, First Lady Abe has been seen (and heard) speaking in English on several occasions.

ABE STUDIED ENGLISH IN SCHOOL, MR PRESIDENT

A Japan Times report on Abe says that she studied in Tokyo's International School of the Sacred Heart, an English-medium school.

New York Times Tokyo Bureau Chief Motoko Rich also soon tweeted a video of Abe talking in English, calling Trump's statement a "False Note"

A false note here: Trump says that he sat next to Akie Abe at dinner & she speaks zero English: "Like, not hello.?? https://t.co/1JHOiWBEAV- Motoko Rich (@motokorich) July 20, 2017

Well, is it possible that First Lady Abe simply pretended not to know English just to avoid talking to Trump, given his track report of disrespectful behaviour towards women?

Well, we will never know.

FYI || PM Narendra Modi's gifts for US President Donald Trump, in pictures ||

FYI || 7 Modi-isms in US President Donald Trump's inaugural speech ||

FYI || 'Donald the Bin': Trash can that looks like Trump ||

--- ENDS ---
A Midlothian native remains in critical condition after he was struck by a car in New York City while interning at Northwestern Mutual for the summer, authorities there said.

Frederick Swope was transported to a hospital after he reportedly ran into the street and was hit by a car in Manhattan around 10:30 p.m. Monday, a New York Police Department spokeswoman said.

Swope has been in critical condition for three days.

The accident occurred in the 10th Precinct, near the intersection of 11th Avenue and West 119th Street.

The vehicle that struck Swope remained at the scene while the 21-year-old intern was transported, the spokeswoman said.

No charges have been reported.

Caroline Miller, another Midlothian native, said on Facebook that Swope is a lifelong friend of hers.

Frederick grew up in the Midlothian area and has always been a good-hearted, genuine person, Miller said. He can make anyone laugh and has really matured within the past few years.

To aid medical expenses, Miller and her family created a GoFundMe page for Swope.

All of the funds raised will go towards any medical expenses or other needs for his recovery, according to the page. Any amount will help and your generosity is appreciated.

Swope graduated from Midlothian High School and currently attends Baruch College in New York City as he pursues a bachelors degree in economics, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Dokalam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

By PTI: India and China should engage in direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects" to reduce the tension over a military standoff in Dokalam, the Pentagon has said.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Dokalam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

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"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman told PTI.

Ross, however, refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the governments of India and China for further information... We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears the tension may escalate between India and China.

The US State Department too has made similar statements over the past week.

In recent years, almost all neighbours of China have accused Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The standoff in Dokalam is seen as part of the same tactic to change the status quo in the area. India has taken a strong stand against the Chinese "unilateral action".

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is to head to Beijing for a meeting of BRICS NSAs next week. He is expected to discuss the issue with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Earlier this week, a top Pentagon Commander told US lawmakers that China was exploiting its economic leverage as a way to further its regional political objectives.

"As Chinas military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance Chinas influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing Chinas decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said.

ALSO READ:

As India-China standoff over Doklam continues, CAG report exposes vulnerability of Army, Navy

Withdraw, capture or get killed: Ex-Chinese diplomat's 3 options on Doklam

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Doklam row: India-China bilateral talks ruled out till border standoff is resolved

ALSO WATCH:

--- ENDS ---
A man wanted in three different Virginia jurisdictions, including Radford, was arrested near Columbus, Ohio, after he was accused of breaking into two homes and committing an armed robbery, according to a Columbus, Ohio police official.

Sgt. David Pelphrey said members of the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team started looking for Christopher DeMoranville in Hilliard, Ohio, before noon Friday.

One of [the task forces] primary goals is to actively pursue violent felons, Pelphrey said. I dont have information on how they knew, but they knew where he was. He saw them, he fled from them.

DeMoranville led officers on a short vehicle pursuit and foot pursuit before breaking into a house in a Hilliard neighborhood.

Pelphrey said DeMoranville committed an armed robbery using a handgun and changed his clothes in that home before fleeing to a second house, which was unoccupied, Pelphrey said. Task force members arrested him by around 2 p.m.

We dont believe anyone was injured, Pelphrey said. Certainly there were some homeowners who were scared.

Pelphrey said prosecutors will decide whether DeMoranville will face his armed robbery charge from Friday before he is extradited to Virginia.

Radford City police posted notices on the departments Facebook page Wednesday, asking for the communitys help in locating DeMoranville, who was wanted in Radford on a probation violation charge related to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder and assault on law enforcement.

Information about which other jurisdictions DeMoranville was wanted in and why was not immediately available.

In 2000, DeMoranville was convicted with Derrick Leon Chapman of planning to hire Chapman to murder Montgomery County Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs as well as his own parents.

In return, Chapman would get $2 million of the DeMoranvilles $30 million life insurance policy and a new Lexus. DeMoranville was on bond for another crime when the murder plot was hatched.
The victim, who wanted to marry the man, was asked to pay Rs 6 lakh to the wife as a pre-condition to proceed.

By Sneha Agrawal: A woman who was attempting to free her lover from his "estranged" wife discovered that the couple had created an elaborate plot to dupe her.

The victim, who wanted to marry the man, was asked to pay Rs 6 lakh to the wife as a pre-condition to proceed. After shelling out Rs 3 lakh, when she sought more time to arrange the rest, the couple asked her to let them live in peace.

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The police have registered an FIR against the duo for rape and criminal intimidation.

WHAT HAPPENED

The 29-year-old victim is based in Chattisgarh and runs an apparel store. She met accused Ajay Gupta through an online portal where she had posted her number to promote her business. They started talking and grew close.

The woman, who had just entered into the apparel business, decided to come to Delhi for purchases on the suggestion of the accused. She alleged that Ajay had sex with her after putting sindoor (vermilion) on her forehead and told her that he will apply for court marriage.

However, after returning to Chattisgarh she learnt that Ajay was married and had two kids. "Ajay told me that he was fed up with his marriage and wanted to marry me. I tried consoling him and said that he can take a decision and let me know. A while later, I received a call from his alleged estranged wife Uma Gupta who said that even she was fed up with her husband and had no problem with the two of us getting married," the victim told Mail Today.

She was asked to pay Rs 6 lakh to the wife first, only after which the marriage could take place.

"I agreed to this condition. I thought it was my moral responsibility to compensate the woman as she had two kids to take care of. I was in touch with both of them. They used to send me voice notes on messaging apps where I could hear them screaming their hearts out at each other. I was convinced that the two did not want to live together," the woman said.

The victim claims that she encashed all her investments and paid Uma on her visits to Delhi. "In the meanwhile, Ajay continued to meet me and maintain physical relations on the promise of marriage," she said.

Things got ugly after she told the couple that she had run out of money and would need more time to arrange the cash. "I asked Ajay to come to meet my family and decide the date for marriage and in the meantime I would arrange the money," the woman said. "When he heard this, he started ignoring me. His wife called and pressurised me to arrange the cash if I wanted to marry Ajay."

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Speaking to Mail Today, the victim said that she had already decided to sell her store and give all the earnings to Uma because after the marriage there would have been no one to run it. "After a few days, I received a call from his wife who asked me to forget about my marriage with Ajay. She also asked me to leave them alone and said they were happy with each other," she said.

"These words shocked me. I did not know what to do. I had told my family about the man and paid so much money. When I protested, they threatened to kill me if I ever came to Delhi." The woman, however, decided to come to Delhi and file a case against the two. The cops have arrested Ajay. Police sources told Mail Today that the investigation would look into the possibility of the involvement of the duo with a gang, and if they were habitual offenders.

Also Read

Delhi High Court quashes 'fake' rape FIR against Gurgaon-based professional

--- ENDS ---
October 6, 1937 July 20, 2017 AMHI Fred R. Buckner, United States Navy (Ret.) went to his heavenly home on Thursday, July 20, 2017. He was born on October 6, 1937 in Gretna, Va. He was preceded in death by his parents, Byard and Buena Buckner; brothers, Jack, Kenneth and Benny Buckner; and one sister, Linda Mountcastle. Fred was a distinguished and decorated veteran who considered it an honor and privilege to serve his country with the United States Navy for 20 years. He was a lifelong member of Hollins Road Baptist Church of Roanoke. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Doris Buckner; children, Sheila McNeil (Donnie), Glenn Buckner, Randy Buckner, Debbie McDonald, Bobbie McNeil (John), Jackie Wagner (Jeff). He is also survived by two sisters, Veneta Leslie (Ralph), and Barbara Cundiff. Fred was loved by seven grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. Special thanks to John McNeil and Libbie Brown for the care given to their grandfather during his last days and also to Good Samaritan Hospice. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday July 23, 2017 at Flora Funeral Chapel with Pastor Roger Jones officiating. Interment will follow at Franklin Memorial Park. Visitors may call on the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Flora Funeral Home. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center Rocky Mount.
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued several people from these areas and relocated them to safer locations.

By PTI: Heavy rains since last night created a flood-like situation in several parts of the state today, leaving three persons dead, the state government said.

Surendranagar, Rajkot and Morbi districts in Saurashtra region were the worst affected by the heavy rains and the IAF, and the NDRF along with district authorities conducted massive relief and rescue operations at different places.

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The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued several people from these areas and relocated them to safer locations.

Rail and road traffic in Saurashtra region were disrupted as over a dozen state highways were affected and several trains cancelled due to waterlogging in Maliya Miyana town of Morbi district which threw normal life out of gear.

As many as 214 people, who were stranded at different places in these affected districts, were rescued.

Morbi district disaster relief team officials said Maliya Miyana village was flooded after water was released from Machhu 2 and 3 dams and around 50 persons were rescued.

NDRF, IAF CARRY OUT RESCUE OPERATIONS

Ten gates of Machhu-2 and 14 gates of Machhu-3 dams were opened, leading to release of 55,000 cusec and 59,000 cusec of water respectively, they said.

"Two hundred people were rescued from different parts of the district by NDRF, IAF and fire brigade teams," Morbi District Collector I K Patel said.

Three persons died after being swept away by water at Jasdan taluka in Rajkot, Lathi in Amreli, and Junagadh, a state emergency operations centre official said.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who headed a disaster review meeting today, told reporters that Surendranagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir Somnath districts in Saurashtra received heavy rainfall.

As many as 65 roads and 10 state highways were damaged due to the rains, he said.

"NDRF, IAF and state rescue teams have so far rescued 214 people, stranded at different places," Rupani said, adding that 6,235 people have been shifted at safer places from low lying areas near rivers and dams.

According to Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner B N Pani, a two-storey building in Hathikhana area of the city collapsed but there was no casualty.

CITY RECEIVED OVER 72 MM RAIN

"The city has received over 72 mm rain and water in the Lalpari reservoir has overflown. Nearly 60 people living in the nearby areas have been shifted to safer places," Pani said.

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Surendranagar is the worst affected district in the Saurashtra region as over 350 mm rainfall was recorded in the temple town of Chotila.

The Indian Air Force, in a release, said four MI-17V5 helicopters were deployed for rescue and relief operation in different areas of Surendranagar and Morbi districts.

"In all, four IAF helicopters were today engaged in rescue and relief work. More requests have been received from the civil administration as reports last came in with three aircrafts currently engaged in ongoing missions at various locations," it said.

The NDRF said its teams carried out rescue operations in Limdi and Chotila talukas of Surendranagar district, where five persons were evacuated to safer places, six persons were shifted to safety in Rajkot, and 15 in Amreli.

State transport authorities said buses services have been temporarily discontinued on 17 routes due to waterlogging.

Train services in Samkhiyali, Maliya Miyan, Wankaner, Surendranagar and Viramgam were also suspended due to waterlogging on the route.

During the day, Deodar in Banaskantha received 204 mm of rains, followed by Kalol in Gandhinagar 181 mm and Bhabhar in Banaskantha 105 mm.

Ahmedabad city received over 100 mm of rain which led to waterlogging in several underpasses and roads.

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According to IMD official Manorama Mohanty, Gujarat is likely to get light to moderate rains in the next four days while heavy to very heavy rainfall has been predicted in isolated areas.

Intensity of rains in Saurashtra region will decrease, she said, adding, "Port warning has been issued in Gujarat coast. Fishermen have been advised not to venture in the waters."

ALSO READ:

Gujarat: Heavy rain causes flood-like situation, 1 dead

Indian Air Force continues to provide support in flood-hit Gujarat

--- ENDS ---
The year 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded, and global warming fueled extreme weather events like droughts, floods and wildfires, are hitting close to home. In fact, as environmentalists prepare to battle President Donald Trump and the GOP in court, it is likely 2017 will be that much worse. President Trump and the Republican controlled Congress are aiming to destroy the progress the Obama administration made in cutting global warming emissions, transitioning to renewable energy, protecting our air, water, public lands and wildlife.

The Trump administration and Republicans are united in this issue, and we need to strike back in unity as well. Indeed, defending climate progress from the GOP is going to be an all-out war, a war in which we need to remain united through and through. As long as we stay strong together in our support for climate action and strengthening environmental and health safeguards, we can oppose attempts to roll back the progress weve made so far reducing global warming pollution, protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the places and wildlife we know and love. These are dark and scary times not only for environmentalists and conservationists, but for everyone who lives and breathes on this planet Earth. Amidst the darkness, we can be rays of light and hope shining to prevent President Trumps plans from coming to fruition. We need everyone to raise their voice and get involved today!
Divers recovered the body of a 58-year-old Nelson County man who was reported missing at Pelican Point Yacht Club in Union Hall on Saturday. While an investigation is ongoing, authorities said they believe the man drowned after falling from a dock.

Family members reported the man missing around noon. According to Sgt. Karl Martin with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the family had spent the night at the marina on a boat.

Martin said that clothing was seen near the dock and it was believed that the man fell into the water. Divers with the Scruggs Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad Dive Team assisted the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department in searching the water at approximately 12:30 p.m.

The mans body was found near the marina docks in around 17 feet of water after approximately 30 minutes of searching, Martin said.

Authorities are still working to determine the cause of the drowning, but Martin said that no foul play was involved.

Martin said the name of the man will be released Sunday after his next of kin is notified.
Have child and have not slowed down! This blog seeks to chronicle the joys and challenges of taking kids hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, biking, paddling and all-out exploring in the Canadian Rockies.
HIV vaccines inspired by antibodies from cows are on their way.

By India Today Web Desk: A recent study has hinted at the possibility of developing HIV vaccines for humans with the help of cows' antibodies.

The researchers at the International Aids Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute carried out the study on the cattle antibodies.

Findings of the study

The researchers found that immunising cows with an HIV immunogen for the first time resulted in the cows producing powerful, HIV-blocking antibodies in a matter of weeks, a process that usually takes years in humans.

Further application of the study

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The unexpected discovery in cows is providing clues for important questions at a moment when new energy has infused HIV vaccine research.

"One approach to a preventive HIV vaccine involves trying to elicit broadly neutralising antibodies in healthy people, but so far the experiments have been unsuccessful, in both human and animal studies," said lead author Devin Sok, Director, Antibody Discovery and Development at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), according to IANS.

"This experiment demonstrates that not only is it possible to produce these antibodies in animals, but we can do so reliably, quickly, and using a relatively simple immunisation strategy when given in the right setting," Sok added.

One type of bnAb uses long, arm-like loops that are capable of reaching concealed areas on the virus's surface to block infection.

The scientists had a question: What would happen if they immunise cows with an HIV immunogen?

"The answer began with a single protein on HIV's surface that serves as a bnAb target -- develop an antibody that recognises variants of this protein on different HIV viruses and you'll likely be protected from all of them," the study said.

Why is it difficult for humans infected with HIV to make antibodies to counter them?

One of the many tricks that HIV uses to prevent humans from developing the right antibodies is to display irrelevant forms of this protein to distract the immune system.

Scientists thought they had overcome this challenge by developing an immunogen called "BG505 SOSIP", which closely mimics the protein target.

In the new study, four cows immunised with "BG505 SOSIP" elicited "bnAbs" to HIV within 35-52 days.

In comparison, it takes HIV-positive humans multiple years to develop comparable responses, and only 5-15 per cent even develop them at all.

"Cows cannot be infected with HIV, of course. But these findings illuminate a new goal for HIV vaccine researchers: by increasing the number of human antibodies with long loops, we might have an easier chance of eliciting protective bnAbs by vaccination," the researchers noted.

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There is no doubt that the ability of cows to produce bNAbs against a complicated pathogen like HIV in a matter of weeks, highlights even broader significance, particularly for emerging pathogens.

The study is published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section.

To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com

--- ENDS ---
The military standoff between India and China over Doklam plateau in Bhutan is still going on even after a month it began. The CAG report on defence may provide answer for such a long eyeball encounter between the soldiers of the two countries.

By Prabhash K Dutta: In early June, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said, "Indian Army is fully ready for a two and a half front war." A week after his statement, standoff between Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army of China intensified over Doklam plateau in Bhutan.

China has been strengthening its force build up in Tibet for what is being speculated as a short duration war with India to prove its hegemony in the region and keep its expansionist policy going. China has now also called Ladakh a disputed territory.

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Indian Army jawans are in eyeball encounter with the Chinese soldiers in Doklam. At such a critical junction, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised serious concerns about India's defence preparedness.

The CAG report, tabled in Parliament yesterday, said that the ammunition stock of the Indian Army would exhaust after a 10 days of war.

The CAG has scathingly said in its report that the situation has not improved since 2013. The CAG has been flagging the deficiency of ammunition in the event of war for four years. China might have taken the note of the past analysis of the CAG before it readied itself for a short duration war with India over Doklam.

Unlike previous military standoff in border regions, Chinese have been unusually aggressive this time. In fact, Chinese foreign office mentioned about 1962 war after decades.

NO IMPROVEMENT DESPITE WARNING

India has 41 ordnance factories run by the Indian Ordnance Factories organisation under the Ministry of Defence. Ordnance factories are responsible for supplying ammunition to the Indian defence forces.

The Ordnance Factories boast of their "unique distinction of over 200 years experience in defence production", "quality of products and services" and are engaged in "production, testing, logistics, research, development and marketing of a comprehensive product range in the area of land, sea and air systems."

They claim that "undoubtedly, we are the force behind armed forces." But, the CAG report criticised the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for "inadequate quality of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013."

A high-level report on 'Ammunition management in Army' in 2015 had highlighted the concerns about quality and volume of supplies from the ordnance factories. But, the CAG said no significant improvement took place in the critical deficiency in availability of ammunition and quality of ammunition supplied by the OFB.

"Shortfall in meeting the production target by OFB continued. Further, majority of the procurement cases from other than OFB which were initiated by Army headquarters during 2009-13 were pending as of January 2017," reads the CAG report.

WHAT AILS INDIAN NAVY

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The CAG report indicates that it is not only the Indian Army but even the Indian Navy lacks in critical areas of safety and defence preparedness.

The CAG noted that Indian Navy's ships and submarines were involved in 38 accidents between 2007-08 and 2015-16. These numbers are high for a modern navy adversely affecting the operational preparedness of the force.

The CAG said that the accidents occurred due to fire, explosion and flooding signaling that the Indian Navy did not have institutionalised framework to deal with safety issues. A dedicated 'Safety Organisation' for dealing with safety issues was setup by the Indian Navy in 2014. However, the government has not yet given its sanction to this organisation.

The CAG has noted in its report that the loss of a ship and submarine adversely affects the operational preparedness of the Indian Navy as acquisition of new ships and submarines takes more than eight to 10 years.

This becomes a critical aspect of defence preparedness given that China has been strengthening its naval presence in the Indian Ocean. China has only recently opened its naval base in Djibouti. It is already present in Pakistan, near Myanmar coast, in Bangladesh and in talks with Sri Lanka.

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On the other hand, the Indian Navy, as the CAG report points out, has caused "inordinate delay in construction of four anti-submarine warfare corvettes." Further, two of the four warships delivered to the Navy have not been fitted with required weapons and sensor systems due to which they cannot perform to full potential as envisaged, the CAG report said.

(With agency inputs)

ALSO READ |

Indian Army's ammunition stock will exhaust after 10 days of war: CAG report

Doklam: When George Fernandes called China as threat no. 1 and how he stands vindicated

Withdraw, capture or get killed: Ex-Chinese diplomat's 3 options on Doklam

Before Doklam standoff, Xi Jinping did an overhaul of Chinese Army

ALSO WATCH | Worst India-China standoff since 1962: Jibe for jibe, eyeball to eyeball again?

--- ENDS ---
On July 15, troopers of the Jammu & Kashmir police, the CRPF and the army's Rashtriya Rifles closed in on three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists hiding in a cave in the Satoora forest, in Tral, south Kashmir. All three terrorists were killed after a fierce firefight lasting over 11 hours. After the fight, AK-47 toting security personnel entered the cave to recover the terrorist's weapons, three AK-47s and 14 field magazines-bringing to a close yet another encounter. If few noticed the intriguing fact of both sides using the same assault rifle, it was because this has ceased to astonish. The AK-47 is a legendary weapon among soldier and guerrilla alike because of its rugged simplicity and effectiveness it has just nine moving parts. Its continuing use by security forces is also an indictment of the army's failure to equip soldiers with a modern assault rifle kitted with force multipliers like day and night sights (which can be used irrespective of light conditions), 'red dot' sights to pinpoint targets and underbarrel grenade launchers, which can toss explosives twice as far as hand-thrown grenades. (The majority of in-service INSAS and AK-47 rifles lack these.) Army officials also bristle at the glitch-prone INSAS's production quality, the breakability of its plastic magazines and its poor metallurgy.

In June last year, the army began a quest to replace both the AK-47 (issued to soldiers in counter-insurgency areas) and the INSAS rifle (for conventional conflict). It issued a request for information (RFI) for the purchase of 66,000 new rifles firing 7.62 x 51 mm (the diameter and length) ammunition. The actual order, for over 180,000 rifles to re-equip the entire army, is presently the world's largest rifle requirement. This is the service's third attempt to buy a new rifle in nearly a decade. It follows the collapse of two previous acquisition attempts- a 2011 tender for Rs 4848 crore, calling for an assault rifle that could fire both INSAS and AK-47 ammunition, with a barrel swap, was scrapped in 2015. Then, the army pulled the plug on a modified INSAS-1C rifle which the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) were developing last year when it decided to go in for a new caliber of ammunition. A senior army official emphasises why things will be different this time around with the new rifle: "The procurement of the weapon is being given maximum time and attention as it is the most important case at present."

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Even if this is the case, it could take a minimum of three years to acquire this new rifle to equip the army's 382 infantry battalions. This is because the multiple levels of bureaucracy and the acquisition system is so complex and ponderously slow. Based on responses from global rifle makers, including the state-owned OFB, which developed a 7.62 x 51 mm prototype in under six months, the army will float requests for proposals and invite bids from vendors. This will be followed by extensive technical evaluation trials conducted by the army's infantry school in Mhow. "We follow the same procedure for everything from a pin to a fighter jet," says a general.

Part of the army's delay in acquiring a rifle has been, quite literally, a dilemma over life and death deciding whether it wants its bullets to kill enemies or wound them. In 1982, the army's general staff qualitative requirements (GSQRs) were for a bullet that would incapacitate enemies rather than kill them, the idea being that a wounded soldier requires more attention and therefore ties down more of the enemy's manpower. The army was looking to replace its bulky Belgian-designed FN-FAL self-loading battle rifles with a lighter assault rifle and bullet. This resulted in the DRDO-designed INSAS.

The plan for the new 7.62 x 51 mm assault rifle is pitiless. The army is pretty explicit about wanting ammunition that allows its soldiers to 'shoot to kill'. The requirements followed an April 2016 army commanders' conference in New Delhi where the army prioritised a heavier caliber owing to its lethality.

"Owing to the dynamic nature of warfare, enhanced transparency in the battlefield, technological advancements and the capabilities of our adversaries, our operational requirements have changed, leading to the revised operational philosophy of 'shoot to kill'," says a senior army official. And so, the army is going back to the 7.62 x 51 mm caliber it used for nearly three decades following the 1962 border war with China. However, a heavier bullet means a heavier weapon. At around four kilos, the new rifles are likely to be about a kilo heavier than the INSAS or the AK-47. Also, a 5.56 mm bullet weighs 17 grams, while a 7.62 round weighs 25 grams meaning that soldiers will carry less ammunition.

Apart from the increased weight and recoil of the new rifle, a DRDO rifle scientist warns that heavier ammunition will also result in louder rifles. "Soldiers will not be able to hear orders in the din of combat," he says.

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This is one reason the armies of France, China, Russia and the UK are upgrading their rifles but sticking with 5.56 caliber ammunition. Only the US army is considering using heavier 7.62 rounds. Indian army officials feel that the increase in weight is acceptable keeping in view the enhanced lethality and range.

This month, the world's second largest army acquired its first new item of equipment in over a decade lightweight ballistic helmets. The new helmets will replace the bulkier improvised 'patkas', a cloth-covered armoured steel plate worn around the forehead. The army will also acquire over 50,000 bulletproof jackets, after the completion of ballistic trials in September. Both items were procured by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar as emergency purchases in 2014.

The army's infantry crisis has its origins in a deeper failure- the splintering of an ambitious project called F-INSAS, begun in August 2005, which aimed to field a future combat soldier. The 'future soldier as a system' programme covered all aspects of lethality, sustainability, survivability and situational awareness. It called for equipping all 380 infantry battalions with new assault rifles, lightweight helmets, bulletproof jackets and radio sets. A bodyworn computer would also indicate soldiers' positions on the battlefield, the location of their comrades and the enemy. "It was a good thought but it is seemingly impossible to do a procurement as complex as this. Our systems are what they are today the whole thing is stuck in multiple webs," says a general. With the programme as a whole being a non-starter, the army split it up into multiple acquisition programmes in July 2014. The acquisition processes for new carbines, sniper rifles and submachine guns are now individual programmes. All are at either the GSQR or RFP stage, it will take several years for them to materialise. The project to increase the situational awareness of the soldier, meanwhile, has been merged into an even larger project for a battlefield management system, which is at the detailed project report stage, and again, several years from conclusion. Clearly, the Indian army has much more to worry about than just acquiring a reliable rifle.

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About 90 per cent of the ammunition for Indian Army is sourced from the various manufacturing units of the Ordinance Factories Boards (OFB). The OFB failed to deliver ammunition on time leading to a mounting shortfall, the CAG has found.

By Sudhi Ranjan Sen: Stocks of the as many as 61 types of critical ammunition needed to fight a war by the Indian Army will last only 10 days , a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said which was tabled in the Parliament yesterday.

But how did the stocks of the Indian Army drop so low and who exactly is responsible?

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About 90 per cent of the ammunition for Indian Army is sourced from the various manufacturing units of the Ordinance Factories Boards (OFB). The OFB failed to deliver ammunition on time leading to a mounting shortfall, the CAG has found.

The OFBs are Defence Public Sector Units. They are controlled by the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence.

Inquires of the CAG reveal performance of OFB have dipped in the last four years - since 2013. Earlier, from 2009-2013 the shortfall in production of different types of ammunition varied from "54 to 73 per cent." Subsequently, from 2013 to December 2016, the CAG observes, "the Army's demand was not met in respect of 64 to 95 per cent types of ammunition."

Closer scrutiny of the CAG revealed even shocking facts. For as many as 11 to 30 types of ammunition considered critical by the Indian Army, the shortfall varied between 50 to 100 per cent. In other words, certain key ammunition weren't produced by the OFBs at all between 2013 and December 2016. In comparison, the CAG says the shortfall in production of the same type of ammunition during 2008 and 2013 stood at 4 to 11 per cent.

"Despite the continued slippages in supply of ammunition to the Army by ordnances factories no mechanism has been introduced by the Board or factories to fix responsibilities," the CAG has observed.

AMMUNITION PRODUCED IS BELOW PAR

Not only did the OFBs fail to produce critical ammunition for the Indian Army, but produced poor quality ammunition, the CAG has observed. As many as 14 types of ammunition and 7 types of spares were returned between 2013-14 and 2016.

Of the ammunition found to be faulty, the majority were 81 mm and 155 mm ammunition, the CAG observes. The 81 mm ammunition that the CAG mentions are mortars which are used respond to ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The 155 mm ammunitions are artillery shells - those used by the Bofor's Field Guns. These two alone accounted for about 59 per cent of ammunition retuned.

POOR QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Shockingly, the CAG has found ammunition worth nearly Rs 17000 crore had to rejected by the army because of poor quality. These are "lying rejected at different depots due manufacturing defects," the CAG has said.

Last June, 16 soldiers, including two officers, died when Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) at Pulgaon, Maharashtra went up in flames when defective anti-tank mines stored in the depot went up in flames.

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The CAG says even during the audit, a fresh case of faulty 7.62 mm bullets - used by the infantry - came to light. The total value of the bullets is nearly Rs 130 crore, the CAG has observed.

Replacing faulty ammunition not only adds to the delays but also adds to the cost, "the need of the hour is improvement of the existing controls of Quality Control and Quality Assurance," the CAG has observed.

ALSO READ:

As India-China standoff over Doklam continues, CAG report exposes vulnerability of Army, Navy

Indian Army's ammunition stock will exhaust after 10 days of war: CAG report

Centre authorises Army to make emergency purchases for a short, intense war

ALSO WATCH:

--- ENDS ---
Dear Editor,

Re: Politics today

Again the people have no choice but to put a majority of H.R.P.P in power that will never vote against the PM because of that pathetic election rule that allows 5 H.R.P.P people to run in one district.

This ensures the P.M. stays in power no matter what the people want. Its this rule that makes Samoa a dictatorship just like China.

You can vote but you have no choice in who you vote for. Also for your information PS Jeffrey, both a presidential system and a parliamentary system have their pros and cons.

Because of party discipline a parliamentary system can more easily turn into a dictatorship than a presidential system. A president must negotiate with all members in the houses. Look at the US right now as an example.

Trump cant get anything through because there is no party discipline. Use Samoa as an example of a dictatorship because all the PM has to do is make up rules that no other parliamentary system has like the one I mentioned and he gets to be a dictator for as many years as he wants.

In a parliamentary system the party picks the leader and a person may vote for a H.R.P.P member because they like that person but they actually may hate the Leader of the party but once that person gets in they are forced to do the bidding of the PM not their constituent. This is not the case with a congressman or a senator.

They can make descisions based on what their constituents want. Just look at republicans that are not supporting the trumpcare bill because it would hurt their constituents.

You can argue that in a parliamentary system if they get a free vote they can vote with their constituents but this is always the PMs call and if you vote in a way the PM doesnt like good luck ever getting a cabinet position and making the big bucks. In a presidential system the houses elect their leaders and committee members.

Its way easier to turn a parliamentary system into a dictatorship than it is to turn a presidential system into one because if you have a majority in a parliamentary system you can pass any law you want unopposed, especially if you leave education up to the churches and the majority of your public doesnt have the adequate education to understand a parliamentary system.

He manipulates his continuous power in many ways PS Jeffrey. The only time a parliamentary system works fairly is if there is a minority government and your PM has made sure this will not happen. So stop talking all your usual rubbish.

Wendy Wonder
When Herbert of Sweden met Sina of Samoa on a hike in the mountains of Nepal seven years ago he never imagined that he would find himself in Samoa making another life changing trek.

This time it would be a hike up Mount Vaea and down the aisle at the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum to marry his Polynesian princess in her familys home country of Samoa.

Sina is a New Zealand born Samoa.

She has returned to the Islands many times over, however this trip is special because she will be introducing her husband to her Samoan family for the first time.

Herbert has never been here and I wanted to show him Samoa, she said. It was very important for my mum to have a wedding where its central for all my cousins, aunties and uncles from around New Zealand and Australia to come and meet him.

The lovely couple looked relaxed as they sat and people watched at the S.T.A cultural centre.

Even though this is only Herberts second day in Samoa we find him decked out in his new Island threads - a very formal looking ie faitaga.

After seeing all the men wearing them, he decided that he would purchase one for himself thinking it was the best thing to wear in the heat.

Upon first trying on the ie faitaga he discovered firsthand why the men looked so relaxed while wearing them and is contemplating on continuing this tradition in Sweden.

I like it very much here, I find it so relaxing here with how friendly and relaxed people are here.

As for Sina, she appeared rather relaxed for a bride to be, almost too relaxed as if she had done this before and sure enough Sina revealed to the Samoa Observer that this will be the couples second wedding ceremony after already celebrating a wedding ceremony in Sweden with Herberts family.

She also credits her tranquil complexion to the ease of coordinating with different hotels and wedding locations here in Samoa.

The couple hopes to squeeze in some sightseeing in between their wedding planning leading up to the big day.
There is a time for everything. That much is undeniable about life.

There is a time for the sun to rise and a time to set just as day and night will come no matter what.

Indeed there is a time for new beginnings, a time to close an old chapter and there are seasons for changes. Whether we agree with some of the changes or not, its irrelevant.

Whats important is to accept that changes are part and parcel of life. We just have to know our response and adapt where we can. We will not always agree on certain issues but thats to be expected. It would not be normal if everyone were to agree on everything.

What we do want to say is that all views matter. All these views contribute to the building blocks of a stronger Samoa, a nation that belongs to all of us.

Today in this country, a new chapter in the history of this proud nation has begun. It involves the changing of the guard in terms of the Head of State as we have all witnessed on Friday at Parliaments complex.

As we go about our business today  with many of us heading to church for thanksgiving  lets acknowledge Gods faithfulness in our lives. Lets thank him for his tender mercies and blessings that are new every day. Lets not forget that the key to more blessings is a heart full of thanksgiving and an attitude of gratitude. For what will we ever do without Gods tender mercies?

In Samoa today, we acknowledge with gratitude the beginning of a new era with His Highness Tuiaana Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II taking the reign as the Head of State. In doing so, he and His Masiofo, Her Highness Faamausili Leinafo will lead this nation in the next five years  possibly more, God willing of course. Its an exciting time, an anxious one too.

We also acknowledge the former Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and his Masiofo, Her Highness Filifilia Tamasese for their services to Samoa for the past ten years. They have been wonderful role models for Samoa but there is absolutely no doubt that God has better plans for them.

Now on Friday during his first official speech, His Highness Tuimalealiifano, signaled the direction he will take with his first address. It was an address everyone had been waiting to hear.

Its worth revisiting as he begins his tenure.

I thank the Government of Samoa, through the Honorable Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi the Speaker and Members of Parliament for appointing me to this prestigious position, he said.

I am but a humble servant but your prayers and support and the leading of the Holy Spirit will give me the strength to fulfill the duties of the Head of State.

Lau Afioga, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and Masiofo Filifilia I acknowledge and applaud your great service of 10 years, wherein you were Head of State.

It will not be easy for me to continue where you have left and I will need your support.

The Head of State also called on everyone to work together.

In the spirit of humility, I call upon the people of Samoa, the government, the clergy the traditional leaders, the business community, leaders, family and friends.

Let us all work together for continued peace and betterment of Samoa. Samoas Head of State is truly a calling from our Lord, the God Almighty, upon whom Samoa is founded upon.

And I am but an instrument, in his hands and I cannot do anything without him. Not unto us o Lord, not unto us but we give you the praise and the glory for your faithfulness and your grace.

We say Amen to that. His Highness Tuimalealiifano is our new Head of State. He needs our and deserve our support. We extend a warm congratulation to His Highness and the Masiofo and we wish them the very best for their term in office.

May God bless them and may his mercies and love forever remain on Samoa.

Have a restful Sunday and God bless!
There is no secret to maintaining peace in Samoa.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has told the Sunday Samoan that everyone contributes a peaceful country  and that is the secret.

He credited the work of the Village Councils and the thousands of prayer warriors in Samoa.

It was put to the Prime Minister that all around the world there is suffering, and terrorism has changed the world.

People have become fearful and rightly so but not in Samoa.

There are many reasons God has blessed Samoa abundantly. It is Gods will.... there are numerous reasons, he said.

Firstly, the village councils, who are keeping everyone in line and keeping the peace in the villages."

Then we have the mothers, aside from their motherly duties, they are praying for the good of Samoa. "

We have our Church Ministers who are also praying for Samoas peace. And lastly, its Gods blessing bestowed upon Samoa.

Tuilaepa reminded that everyone has a role to play.

That is the key ingredient for a successful nation.
Samoas 4th Head of State since it became Independent His Highness Tui Aana Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II spent his first in the office yesterday.

Witnessed by government leaders from the Prime Minister his Cabinet, Parliament, Members of the Judiciary Branch, the Diplomatic Corp, prominent members of the public families and relatives, His Highness Tuimalealiifano has sworn that he will serve the nation with humble and love.

Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, His Highness predecessor was also present to welcome his successor to the prestigious Office he held over the last 10 years.

Chief Justice His Honour Patu Falefatu Sapolu was tasked with the swearing in duties.

Before his appointment as Head of State, Tuimalealiifano served as a Member of the Council of Deputies for 28 consecutive years.

He is 70 years old. A lawyer by profession and a former Samoan police chief inspector , he is also a secondary school teacher.

His Highness holds a bachelor degree in Law from the Australian National University and a diploma in theological studies from Malua Theological College.
The Chairman of the Bank South Pacific Group (B.S.P.), Sir Kostas Constantinou, is optimistic about the future of the banking sector  especially the growth of their business in Samoa and the Pacific.

In fact, he has made a promise to the people of Samoa to improve their services because they want to be around for many years to come.

We value the business in Samoa, he told the Sunday Samoan. The people and staff, we are so proud of them.

Sir Kostas was in the country with a host of senior B.S.P. officials for their Annual Board meeting, which ended with on Friday night.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, the Chairman said he is happy with the growth of their business in Samoa and promises to improve their services.

The C.E.O., myself and the Board we travel around the Pacific calling on nations that we invested in and we want to fly the flag and show our commitment and the people of Samoa that we are not going anywhere, he said.

We are the peoples bank and that is why we are here so our annual meetings that we had in the morning there are no changes in the board everything is still the same."

Our board are doing very well, our management is excellent, we employ 4,200 people in our group, we employ 3,000 people in PNG and the rest are in the islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu and right throughout PNG.

Sir Kostas said their business in Samoa is a growing market and they take their commitment to the people very seriously.

We value the business in Samoa, people and staff and we are so proud of them, said the Chairman.

We have increased our staff, we are working very hard to secure companies. The difference with B.S.P. and most international banks is that we make time to come to Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and other places."

We also went to the village together last week and met with one of our partners, this is the difference between B.S.P. and other international banks is that we are connecting with people.

We are very aggressive and our main aim is people and service and this is one of our mottos and as you can see we enjoy working with the people."

And its amazing that we have the support of the Prime Minister of Samoa."

In any society if people dont make commitments and they tell stories, then thats wrong. I move in the Pacific make my commitments and I do not make false promises. If I want to do something, I think hard before I make a decision so thats how I do it.

So we are very committed to the Pacific and especially the people of Samoa and we will be here for 100 and 1,000 of years.

He was also asked about recent incidents where the banks A.T.M machines were schemed first by a couple of Chinese and then a man from Europe.

What I can say is that weve improved our system, weve tightened them up and we are introducing a new card system with a chip on it so the scammers will not be able to access our machines, he said.

We dont sit on the problem, we fix it and hopefully very soon the people will be able to get money using that new card system."

The people should not be worried anymore because we are working on fixing the problem and we are getting there soon.

Asked why people are targeting B.S.P. when there are a lot of other international banks, Sir Kostas said they need to improve their technology.

They know they can easily access the system that runs the A.T.M machines hence why there have been two incidents here in Samoa but in other banks they have better technologies so we are now improving our technologies, said Sir Kostas.

In life we all learn, if something goes wrong we fix it but if something goes wrong and we dont fix it then theres something wrong so thats what we did. We learned and moved very quickly to ensure that our systems are secured.
"These families will be coming to New Delhi in (the) next two days and (the) foreign ministry must organize the meeting," Manjit Singh GK said.

By Pooja Shali: The families of the 39 Indians missing in Iraq are likely to come to Delhi in next few days and demand answers from the Narendra Modi government, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management committee (DSGMC) chief Manjit Singh GK says.

Singh has organized meetings between the External Affairs Ministry and the families in the past few years.

"We were told in our previous meeting ten days back that the men are likely held in Badush prison and also in a church but after your channel('s) report that (the) prison was demolished way back, means that information given was wrong," Singh said.

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Singh says the Indian government must question authorities in Iraq and find the exact whereabouts of its missing nationals.

"(The) government must talk to Iraqi authorities and now their minister is arriving in India on 24 July, so the government should step up pressure over this issue," Singh added.

FAMILIES TRACKING DEVELOPMENTS

The sole survivor who escaped ISIS now lives in Punjab and narrated the horror of his experiences. The remaining families have been tracking developments since India Today broadcast its ground report from Iraq.

"The families are in a bad shape, they must be told whether the men are alive or not. I met them last week and they are hoping against hope. Chances are bleak (of their survival) but government must meet families again and these families will be coming to New Delhi in (the) next two days and (the) foreign ministry must organize the meeting. We will also approach the ministry."

in 2014, the leader of the terror group declared a global caliphate from Mosul after his jehadi guerrillas overran the ancient city.

The mosque, from where he made the announcement, appeared to be a relic of its past.

There was, however, no clarity about al-Baghdadi's whereabouts. An estimated 40,000 people have been killed in Mosul, with many more still unaccounted for.

In the city of Erbil, near Mosul, Red Crescent manager Hawre Ihsan Sadiq admitted he had received no information about the missing Indians.

ALSO READ

India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

ALSO WATCH

Kin of missing Indians in Mosul meet Sushma Swaraj, MEA says they may be in Badush prison

--- ENDS ---
Coming of age is usually celebrated with much fanfare.

However a journey of 21 years for Sails Restaurant was celebrated in a low key, personal style with family, friends and the business community, over the last two weeks of July.

It was just the way the hard working restaurant owners, Seiuli Ian and his wife Lyvia Hansell Black, wanted it.

The celebration was in partnership with Bluesky Samoa and Taula Beverages Samoa. Sails has been hosting their Clients at Sails Restaurant and Bar in Mulinu'u, to a series of After Work drinks with a limited number of guests daily.

It was an excellent opportunity to thank our guests and business community for their support over the past 21 years, said Lyvia.

Sails Restaurant first opened its doors at Tauese in a classic 140 year old building, that was owned originally by HJ Moors, and it was where Robert Louis Stevenson first lived in when he came to Samoa."

Sails moved to its current Mulinu'u location in May 2007, and was reopened in December 2007.

Sails was dubbed to be one of the first modern restaurants in Samoa in July 1996. As per Robert Louis Stevenson's Requiem, home is the sailor, home from sea, so did Seiuli Ian Black of Sails Restaurant when he and his wife Lyvia decided to return to Samoa from managing Hotels and Resorts in Fiji in 1996, to set up Sails Restaurant at Tauese, Apia.

Seiuli was a Sailor from years ago, when he used to Sail the vast Pacific Ocean with a crew on various yachts. As a young Tasmanian lad, he sailed through Samoa in 1978 on US Yacht Integrity."

Seiuli's Grandmother was of the Chesterman family, who owned Australia's oldest trading ketch, the 150 year old May Queen. It is one of only a handful of surviving wooden construction vessels afloat in Australia."

This UNESCO Maritime Heritage vessel, which is docked at Constitution Dock in Hobart, Tasmania, is preserved and offers locals and visitors alike a rare historical glimpse, into Australia's nautical ventures of the mid 1700's. It is preserved by the Maritime Museum of Tasmania in Hobart, Tasmania."

In his sailing adventures, Seiuli spent months and years at various Ports including Fiji; Tahiti, and delivered Yachts throughout the West Coast of the USA.

Eventually Seiuli's Hotelier career called with stints in Tahiti, Darwin, Tasmania, Melbourne and Fiji.

But it is Samoa that he now calls home, as he stated, I've dropped anchor - at the Port of Apia.

Seiuli has been Vice Patron of the Apia Yacht Club over the past years. He is an active advocate for Youth Sailing developments in Samoa.

And so, home is the sailor, home from sea. The adventures of this Sailor continues, noted Mrs. Black.
Thirty-two Samoan fashion and garment designers are on their way to China to learn more about the garment industry there.

They are heading to Hunan Province for a two week-seminar where they will visit many Chinese garment companies and learn from their Chinese counterparts.

On Friday, Chinas Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng hosted a farewell reception for the participants.

Some of the more prominent names include Cecilia Keil of Cecilias Fashion, Dane Fabricius, Rupi Taituuga and many more.

Mr. Wang said Chinas hope is to help the Samoan fashion and garment industry become more competitive.

We want to help our Samoan friends to improve their ability in this field, he said.

He went on to say that the seminar has three features.

The first one is that this is the biggest group the Embassy has organised.

Secondly the time of the training is good because its not long nor it is short because we know that some fashion designers cannot leave Samoa for too long hence why its just two weeks.

Thirdly, the programme has been strictly catered for the needs of the participants and what is relevant to their work in Samoa.

You will learn the tools and ideas about the import and export trade of the garment industry in China.

You will have the opportunity to look into retail and wholesale situations which will help you.

You will also exchange wisdom, leadership in the business industry of international business in the market in one of the city on the east side of China.

Mr. Wang concluded that he is looking forward to many great stories from the visitors as well as how their trip will impact and grow the Samoa fashion and garment industry.
We want everyone to access this number free of charge and weve activated the number for all to call. We are also calling on other service providers to zero rate this number for their networks. That way everyone in Samoa with a phone can call 800 6438 for free - Country Manager Alex Abraham

Its no secret that Samoa is challenged with issues of family violence.

Many stories have made front page news including last Thursdays Samoa Observer front page headlining, Man stabs wife in public.

Things on this front need to improve drastically and Bluesky has come on board to support the office of the ombudsmans national inquiry into family violence by providing a toll free number 800 6438 for all its customers to call to take part in this inquiry.

We want everyone to access this number free of charge and weve activated the number for all to call. We are also calling on other service providers to zero rate this number for their networks. That way everyone in Samoa with a phone can call 800 6438 for free, said Bluesky Country Manager Alex Abraham.

Bluesky is encouraging all members of the public to participate and support the office of the ombudsman with this important work for the community through their national inquiry.

The Office of the Ombudsman has been established independently by law to promote and protect human rights in Samoa. Established in December 2013 under the Ombudsman Act 2013 (the Ombudsman Act) the Ombudsman Office was awarded A status by the international accrediting body, the Global Alliance for NHRIs. This accreditation at the highest level reflects international recognition of the independence of the Office and its record in effectively protecting and promoting human rights since its establishment in 2013.

The Ombudsman Act gives the Ombudsman wide-ranging duties and powers to promote and protect human rights in Samoa. One of its human rights functions is to inquire into widespread, systemic or entrenched situations or practices that violate human rights. This can take the form of a National Inquiry  one of its most powerful tools.

A national inquiry enables a broad human rights approach and examination of a large and complex situation. It has both fact finding and educational roles and has been used to great success globally. The process has the potential to address and resolve wide-spread human rights issues, such as family violence, in a manner no other approach could achieve.

Despite these initiatives and many efforts over the past years to address the issue of domestic violence against women and girls, violence still remains prevalent in Samoa and is increasing with serious cases resulting in the death of women.

Data from the Domestic Violence Unit of the Ministry of Police shows the increase of reported domestic violence cases of female victims between the ages of 17-33 between the years of 2007-2015. These numbers were cases reported only to Police headquarters in Apia and do not include cases reported to police outposts. This indicates that violence against women is endemic and widespread in Samoa.

There is concern and international pressure to address domestic violence especially with regards to women, girls and children. This was evident in Samoas second U.P.R. review earlier this year when the U.N. Human Rights Council recommended to Samoa to continue to take active steps to implement measures aimed at combating and preventing domestic violence. At the same time there is strong concern from the public on the severity and increase of domestic violence.

Some of the matters that the national inquiry will focus its investigation on include but not limited to: Identify who are the victims of family violence; Who are the most vulnerable to violence within a family context; The nature of violence experienced by the victims; The severity and level of impact of family violence; The root causes and contributing factors to the occurrence of family violence; Who are the first responses to family violence complaints and how effective are their responses (examining their roles and responses to complaints); Measures and initiatives established to combat the issue and how successful or effective have they been implemented; What services are available to victims after the violence; What legal methods are in place and how effective are they in protecting victims of family violence.

Posters and communications have already commenced distribution into the community and there are many ways to participate such as: a public hearing; OR a Private/closed hearing; OR in writing; OR email; OR by calling the toll free number 800 6438.

Bluesky is calling on the community to spread the word and let loved ones know that they can call 800 6438 free of charge from any Bluesky phone to share their stories.
The more I learn about our complex society, the more our problems boil down to a basic failing: We dont love our children enough.

No, this column isnt about cancerous public liabilities, which diminish the future wealth of our kids in large measure to finance comfy lives and cheap health care for todays retirees. Its not even about Californias peculiar energy laws, which keep dirty old plants running so that solar and wind developers can get richer today with only marginal cuts to pollution, leaving the truly painful measures to future generations.

Instead, this column is about the soaring cost of housing in San Diego County. Crushing rents and crazy sale prices flow directly from our choices; the inevitable result of an old-fashioned shortage, caused by government fees and limits on new construction.

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Not rocket science, this insight barely qualifies for Econ 101. In a functioning market, rising prices cause new suppliers to rush in. Yet in San Diego, as with most of coastal California, soaring housing prices have been greeted by falling construction activity.

Economists call this anomaly a market failure and, in a democracy, the failure traces back to us. We elect politicians who tax development to fund parks and roads that everybody uses. We vote to limit growth, and sue to downsize projects.

Thus the adult children of San Diego are doomed to buy or rent in Temecula if were lucky, Las Vegas or Phoenix if were not. Silly me. I thought not in my backyard syndrome reflected an all-too-human hostility to more strangers, yet the net effect hits closer to home.

To see how this works, we turn to the theory and research that explain how we turn our loved ones into distant housing refugees.

First up is Lynn Reaser, chief economist of the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute at Point Loma Nazarene University, who in 2014, led a research team that found local regulations accounted for an astonishing 40 percent of the cost of a new house, condo or apartment in San Diego County.

Much of the added cost came directly from a long list of government fees, funding everything from schools to transit to public administration. For example, the average new condo selling for between $300,000 and $450,000 included a cut for the city of San Diego of $64,381, the study found.

Less directly, an average 8 percent of additional higher cost (or $24,000 in this example) was inflated by the absurdly named affordable housing requirement. This mandate forces builders to set aside 10 percent of developments for units to rent at below-market rates for 55 years.

Kafka could hardly design a better shortage-inducing system: Raise the overall price of market units, thus ensuring that fewer get built, in order to subsidize a handful of poor families  having been rendered unable to afford the pricey units  who win a lottery administered by local government agencies, with staffs funded by housing fees that inflate prices.

Other costs dont directly help government at all. Delays enrich financiers who demand higher, risk-based returns to sit around for years waiting to see if a city council will approve a project. San Diego has five bureaucratic layers of approval, and thats if nothing goes to court. Such delays feed an ecosystem of lawyers, engineers and other consultants who produce thousands of pages of reports that nobody reads.

Adding it all together, Reasers team can demonstrate how $180,000 of that $450,000 house or apartment owes to local regulations.

But hold on a minute. Dont these regulations protect the environment from dirty hordes of new residents? In fact, the opposite is often true, as Harvard economist Edward Glaeser has argued persuasively in a series of papers.

In Californias case, preventing local construction for environmental reasons only ends up increasing carbon emissions by pushing building to less salubrious climes, Glaeser wrote in April.

In San Diegos case, anti-growth policies in the 1990s and 2000s contributed to a historic construction boom in Southwest Riverside County. Instead of a 200-unit condo complex in temperate Carlsbad or San Diego, the market delivered 200 single-family, air-conditioned houses in scorching Murrieta.

And nearly half of those distant residents burn gasoline driving back to Carlsbad and beyond for jobs. Not only do traffic mitigation regulations hurt renters and homebuyers, but they also tend to make traffic worse, especially because coastal governments tend to spend their fee windfalls on anything but new roads.

This brings us to the indirect costs of shortage itself.

In a landmark study published in 2003, Glaeser and Wharton economist Joseph Gyourko found that zoning and land use controls were the dominant forces driving up housing costs.

The economists reasoned that in a competitive market with low barriers to new supply, the price of a new house should be very close to the marginal, physical cost of construction, with older houses costing less than an industry index of construction costs (materials and labor). So they tested the idea and found that, indeed, housing prices hewed closely to construction costs just about everywhere but California and parts of some eastern cities.

Differences were dramatic and held up over time. In 2014, Glaeser reports, the median sale price was 125 percent of the construction index in 85 percent of U.S. cities  but more than double in 10 percent of the cities, including coastal Southern California.

Perhaps more telling, Californias values were much closer to the national average for decades before 1972. Thats when a court decision in the Friends of Mammoth case expanded the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, which had been limited to public projects, to require local reviews of all private development, too.

Put simply, in the absence of local zoning and fees, a decent older starter house with two or three bedrooms in North Park or Carlsbad would cost $200,000, just like it does in most of the nation, instead of $500,00 and up.

This focus on tight supply begs some consideration of demand, which has fundamentally changed in San Diego County.

For one thing, working-class hordes from Oklahoma or Mexico stopped arriving long ago. Roughly 14,000 more people have left the region than arrived each year since the late 2000s. In the future, forecasters see growth coming from a basic excess of births over deaths, which is declining.

Our children, not immigrants, will be driving middle-class housing demand, in other words. Meanwhile, they increasingly compete with investors, whose arrival in force is yet another byproduct of supply limitations.

As Nobel laureate Robert Shiller has shown, the housing markets in coastal California have since the 1970s come to more closely resemble financial markets, featuring increased price volatility and sharper cycles of booms and busts. Investors are less interested in housing markets subject to robust competition from new suppliers.

Indeed, fast-rising housing values are just peachy for property owners, at least those who collect rents or plan to cash in their homes and leave someday. By way of full disclosure, your humble columnist is both a homeowner and small-time landlord.

Another thing: Homeowners, who tend to be older, vote in far larger numbers in local elections than renters, who tend to be younger. We shouldnt be surprised that city politicians, even those who know better, would embrace anti-growth policies that reward owners.

Given the Panic of 2008 and political unrest since, some pundits think Generation Z and the tail end of the Millennials will become the biggest activist population bulge since the 1960s.

Along with marching for transgender bathrooms and saving the planet, these kids would be wise to start agitating for the yes in my backyard movement, if they ever want to settle comfortably in California. Their parents certainly arent doing it for them.

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dan.mcswain@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1280 Twitter: @McSwainUT
Megan Jenkins was excited Tuesday as she waited her turn in a Carlsbad salon, so much so that she drew pictures of herself getting a haircut. This was a big day for the 6 year old: Donation day.

The Vista girl had been growing out her hair for three years, after seeing a young cancer patient who was bald. Megans mom, Kylie Jenkins, explained to her that the child was sick, but that sometimes people donated hair to make wigs.

Right then, Megan told her mom that she wanted to donate her hair, too.

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It took her three years to grow her hair long enough, and there were lots of tangles along the way. But the smile on her face Tuesday said it was worth it.

Shes very compassionate and empathetic, Kylie Jenkins said. She said Megan is the first one to fetch a tissue if she sees someone cry, and that she always saves a bite of her snack for her teenage brother Glenn.

When the big moment came this week, Megan stood still as stylist Ellie Eisner pulled her light brown hair into ponytails then pulled out a ruler, to be sure they were long enough.

A few snips later, it was done, and the ponytails were in the envelope  but not before Megan posed with them for a picture.

Megan gave her hair to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, which has donated about 42,000 real-hair wigs to the American Cancer Society, according to a program overview on Pantenes website. The company says more than 800,000 ponytails have been snipped off and sent to them since 2006.

When they open the package with Megans ponytails, theyll see her photo  and theyll also be treated to the picture that Megan drew of herself in the salon chair, getting the big haircut.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Freshmen entering Vista High School when classes start next month will find an unconventional campus with a new personalized learning system, a focus on sustainability and an approach that assigns incoming students into one of six houses.

Readers of the Harry Potter fantasy series may immediately conjure up thoughts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding, where a sorting hat divides students into magical houses based on their personality traits. At Vista High, however, students will be assigned based on their elective choices, said Principal Anthony Barela.

They chose their electives, and then we put them ... where those common denominators are, Barela said.

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School officials have been planning for the transformation since last year, when they won a $10 million dollar grant to make the campus a high school of the future.

Vista High earned the five-year grant through a national competition sponsored by XQ: The Super School Project, an organization of educators and engineers working to reimagine high school for the 21st century. The group was launched with a $50 million donation from Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Vistas incoming freshman class will be at the forefront of personalized learning, which allows students to design their own learning experiences based on their strengths and interests, applying what they learn in class to solve real life problems and challenges.

The program will include digital profiles that track students progress on specific academic and personal goals, and help them to develop habits of mind: mental practices such as listening, questioning, persistence, humor and metacognition  the process of thinking about thinking.

The changes will also require students to communicate and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects, and  based on their elective choices and school schedules  place them in houses that will become their campus family for four years.

The structure of high school designed around these houses (will) create a closer-knit community of students, so they can develop deeper relationships with the students they work with, Barela said.

The houses will be named after ecosystems: Jungle, River, Ocean, Desert, Mountain and Forest Houses. Those themes line up with plans for students to pursue challenges or projects, based on the United Nations sustainable development goals to address topics such as poverty, hunger, clean water or climate action.

The themes are really key ecosystems in our world, said Interim Superintendent Matt Doyle. One purpose of the UN sustainable development goals is how we work together to protect our world and our environment.

Two of Vistas houses will focus on biology, and two on physical education, Barela said. Another house will be made up of students who pick Spanish language as an elective, and the sixth house will be for students focusing on English language acquisition.

The freshmen will attend math and English classes with other members of their house, as well as a challenge class and an elective. They can choose two additional electives that fall outside the house.

By assigning each house to a team of teachers, administrators hope to make room for projects across subject lines. For instance, a unit on tracking heart rate could combine course content from physical education and math, said Craig Gastauer, internal director of XQ.

They will feel more supported, working in smaller teams, Gastauer said. The learning can get a lot deeper then. Its not going to be siloed in one department.

During the first weeks of school, students will get a jump-start on the process through a micro-challenge that requires them to flesh out the concepts and identities for their houses.

They have to figure out how to market their house, and what does that look like, Barela said. For instance, if Im in the Forest House, what visual do I want to create? What attributes do I want to be known for? So were trying to work through that with our kids so they take ownership of them.

Vista High isnt the only nonfictional campus to split students into houses. Fallbrook High School did so last year as well, creating Freedom, Honor and Spirit houses, each with its own principal and counselors, in order to provide greater personal attention to the 2,000 students on campus.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
On a cool evening in early June, as auditions get under way for the play Falling, the conversation onstage is as subdued as the lighting in the intimate black box theater.

But as the actors playing a young girl and her grandmother work through a scene, the quiet dialogue between them gives glimpses of a family in turmoil.

In Falling, the Deanna Jent play that San Diegos InnerMission Productions will stage this autumn, that family includes a son named Josh, who has autism. What the characters sister, Lisa, addresses only glancingly in this scene will be made more explicit elsewhere in the piece: Joshs fixation on routine, his language difficulties, his fits of aggression.

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Lisa sums up the weight of her hurt and heartache with a simple line to her grandmother: I mostly keep away from him now.

EDITORS NOTE

This is the first in an occasional series that will take a behind-the-scenes look at InnerMission Productions Falling  a play with a young autistic man at its center  as it progresses from first auditions to the shows opening in November. U-T theater critic James Hebert, who has a child with autism, also will take a broader look at how theater addresses the condition, and the resources it offers to those with special needs and their families.

When the audition is finished, director Samantha Ginn asks the younger actress a little about her life. It turns out the teen-ager has a twin sister with autism.

So, Ive had this conversation, she says of the dialogue she has just acted out.

And then, in almost the same breath, she says of her sister: Im lucky to have her.

Such a sentiment of fierce but deeply tested love will be plenty familiar to other families with autism in their lives  those doing their level best to embrace the condition and everything that comes with it, both difficult and uplifting.

Theater, too, is grappling with autism, which is now believed to affect about one in 68 American children.

While Falling is among the relatively few plays that have explored the condition, or incorporated characters on the wide spectrum of autism, more are being written and produced: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, the 2015 Tony Award winner as best play, is probably the best-known example.

But the theater world has embraced those with autism in other ways as well  through productions that get those on the spectrum involved as both audience members and creative partners.

Director Samantha Ginn creates shadow effects from the back side of a screen during a dress rehearsal for The Little Prince. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

It so happens that in San Diego, Falling director Ginn is part of those efforts, too. Her work on local stages is not only helping give the outside world a look at how autism can affect a family, but providing those on the autism spectrum (as well as people with other disabilities) a forum to show how deeply creative they can be.

Ginn, a former special-education preschool teacher, is an in-demand San Diego actor who only recently turned to directing.

The Carlsbad native also runs a program at New Village Arts Theatre called Monday Night Live! that pairs teen-agers who have autism and other special needs with neurotypical peers to do improv-based theater.

The program, run with educator and theater artist Aleta Barthells Kids Act, recently received a grant from the National Foundation for Autism Research both to expand Monday Night Live! and to stage an adaptation of The Little Prince with special-needs actors.

That show, which was performed earlier this month at the Dove Librarys Schulman Auditorium in Carlsbad (with a funding boost from the city), gave the actors a strong voice in shaping the production.

Its feel was as magical and its spirit as uplifting as that of Falling is gritty and realistic. And the shows whimsical storyline  of visits to various planets where difference is not always understood or appreciated  seemed an inspired fit for the journeys of many of these teens real lives.

A big theme of this play is that the adults are very, very confusing, says Ginn of Barthells 30-minute Little Prince adaptation. Thats whats so important about the play, is that sometimes we lose our youth and our innocence the older we get. We forget to be kids, and we forget to listen to kids.

Students Liam Porter (left, as the Little Prince) and Reid Moriarty (as the Pilot) run through a scene as director Samantha Ginn watches. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The young people in the production are very insightful beings, adds Ginn. (Participants in her program have a range of disabilities, including autism.)

Sometimes people dont understand them just because they have a disability or a difference. But theyre extremely intuitive and insightful, and we can learn lessons from them.

One of Ginns favorite quotes from The Little Prince is: Language is the source of misunderstanding. Its a line that she says speaks volumes to this population.

Above all, she says, the play is about love, and what we do when were in love. Love can get complicated. Its (the Prince) trying to understand what love is.

Ginn cites another quote that gets to the heart of the matter: Love is invisible to the eye. What is essential must be felt through the heart.

Love above all

A familys love is likewise at the center of Falling  even if those who care so deeply for Josh struggle to get their arms around his autism and its effect on all of their lives.

Its the kind of story that, as live theater, has the potential to land with particularly vivid impact, and Jents play does not spare an audience the more raw aspects of the familys difficulties.

That was not the whole reason, though, that I found sitting in on auditions for Falling a little difficult.

As it happens, I see some of my own family in both of Ginns projects. In one case, literally: Both my son, who has autism, and his older sister have been involved in Monday Night Live!

And Falling, comes uncannily (sometimes uncomfortably) close at times to echoing scenes that have played out in our real lives.

Witnessing those moments enacted onstage is a sharp reminder of how theater can dig at and distill emotions  even those you might be only half-aware of  by reflecting them back at you.

And yet theres a certain kind of relief in seeing another family confronting the tensions and uncertainties that can be part of life with autism  making mistakes, coping with frustration and worry and faltering hopes, and yet finding ways to move forward.

Theres also a sense of affirmation and appreciation that comes with seeing artists commit themselves to telling a story that they believe matters, and caring enough about it to strive for authenticity  always a major challenge for the non-disabled who are portraying or telling stories about those with disabilities.

After the first round of auditions for Falling, Ginn chose the San Diego actor Robert Malave  an InnerMission company member  to take on the difficult role of Josh.

His audition was an impressive one, capturing the feel of mounting distress in a scene where Josh becomes increasingly upset at the prospect of getting on a bus for school.

I was very iffy about even auditioning for the part, because I was so worried whether I could do it justice, Malave said, several weeks after the audition. There are so many things you have to balance.

As an actor playing any role, you want to balance what people think this is, vs. the reality of it. Trying to make sure Im actually doing justice to a spectrum of people  but also really representing someone whos low-functioning  presents even more of a challenge.

He adds: Theres nothing glamorous about this character or this show, alluding to the the kinds of savant talents showcased in something like the Hollywood movie Rain Man. And yet there are joyful things and theres definitely love and theres a lot of effort and passion.

In that vein, what Ginn said of the Little Prince project seems as though it could apply equally to Falling:

Sometimes people stay away from this kind of art because it might be challenging, or they might not understand it. But I encourage people to embrace it, and take the challenge.

Further exploration

Heres additional information on the projects discussed in this story. As the series progresses well offer details on other resources, including sensory-friendly theater productions. We also welcome our readers insights and suggestions.

Monday Night Live!: The improv program, offered through New Village Arts Theatre and Kids Act, puts teens who have disabilities together with theater peers and teaching artists. New Village Arts is at 2787 State St. in downtown Carlsbad; (760) 433-3245 or newvillagearts.org/mondays-with-sammy.

Falling: InnerMission will present the San Diego premiere of Deanna Jents drama about a family with an autistic son. The show runs Nov. 10-26 at Diversionary Theatres Black Box, 4545 Park Blvd. in University Heights; 619-324-8970 or innermissionproductions.org.

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
L.A. County is suing state regulators and Southern California Gas Co. for failing to conduct required safety and environmental studies and to turn over public documents before reopening the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility.

State regulators announced this week that Aliso Canyon could resume natural gas injections at a reduced capacity. From October 2015 to February 2016, the underground gas storage facility in Porter Ranch produced the largest leak of methane in U.S. history, prompting the relocation of thousands of residents and widespread outrage over the effect on public health.

Todays action reflects the Board of Supervisors commitment to protect the health and safety of our residents and to require the state to complete the legally mandated studies and mitigate all risks to the maximum extent possible, said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Porter Ranch.

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The county originally filed suit in March against the California Department of Conservations Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, the California Public Utilities Commission and SoCalGas. In that suit, the county claimed the state had not conducted a comprehensive safety review of the facility or an environmental impact review as required by state laws.

The amended lawsuit filed Friday afternoon includes a request to immediately stay the decision to resume natural gas injections at the facility. The county filed an additional complaint stating that regulators had failed to turn over public documents relating to the safety review, analysis of the root cause of the leak and seismic studies.

The lawsuit includes exhibits in which SoCalGas former head of storage stated that the wells were subject to seismic instability and recommended that safety valves be installed.

The reopening of the facility is highly troubling and irresponsible, the complaint states. This is a regulator rushing to approve reopening without completing necessary investigations and risking public health.

Neither the state Department of Conservation nor the Public Utilities Commission could be reached for comment. A news release issued by the two agencies Wednesday said that the decision to reopen Aliso Canyon followed months of rigorous inspection and well analysis.

The extensive testing, retrofits and new safety measures ensure the wells are in sound operating condition today, said oil and gas supervisor Ken Harris, who is also a defendant in the lawsuit.

Scott Kuhn, deputy county counsel, said that there was no immediate need to open the facility and that concerns about energy shortages are overblown.

What is the rush? Kuhn said. Theres enough gas in there right now for them to withdraw during any peak day.

The county will file an application for a temporary restraining order Monday, Kuhn said. A hearing is expected to be held July 28.

nina.agrawal@latimes.com

Twitter: @AgrawalNina
At the risk of being assaulted by a flock of superheroes, I have to cop to having zero interest in Comic-Con. On this annual weekend, I give thanks to the squadron of talented war correspondents who storm the Convention Center and bring back trophies from the gathering of the campy costume-crazed fantasy tribes that make Burning Man look cool and totally down to earth.

Better them than me.

The best thing about Comic-Con? Its not in North County where the thoroughbreds are finally off (safely, we hope) at Del Mar and alls rosy (at least this week) with the real world.

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A rose  the Dibs Are Dumb award  to the city of Oceanside for addressing directly the obnoxious practice of placing objects  lawn chairs, barbecue grills, beer coolers or human beings  in parking places to reserve spaces at parks and other crowded areas.

As I noted in a Wednesday column, the city of San Diego does not have an ordinance directly addressing the irritating problem, which is rich material for a Larry David comedy routine. In San Diegos Mission Bay parks, the practice is practically a cultural norm akin to putting your laptop on a prized table (one with an electric plug) and then going to stand in line at Starbucks. I got dibs!

However, I was pleased to learn that 13 years ago Oceanside called out the dibs callers who try to reserve spaces for late-arriving friends and family.

Bryan Forward, a dedicated ordinance enforcement supervisor for Oside, said the column resonates with those of us whove been in the industry for nearly three decades. We took formal action to deal with the problem years ago here in Oceanside.

Forward cited a 2004 ordinance that included these two zingers:

First, parking spaces are intended for the exclusive use of motor vehicles. It shall be unlawful for any parking space not occupied by a motor vehicle to be blocked from motor vehicle use or otherwise occupied in whole or in part by any items of personal property. Any such unlawfully placed items are subject to removal and disposal in a manner consistent with law.

And if thats not clear enough, a second section puts the hammer down:

No person shall reserve, block or secure or attempt to reserve, block or secure an unoccupied parking space in a city or small craft harbor district public parking lot so as to prevent, inhibit or impair the space from being used for the immediate parking of a motor vehicle.

Forward was justifiably proud of his citys codified commitment to reducing road rage.

People or stuff in spaces, he writes. Not happening here!

On busy days when the parking is scarce and tempers spike, thats the right stuff.

A thorny rose  the No Freedom to Prey Award  to federal Magistrate Judge Andrew Schopler for refusing to lift the order that Christian Clews, a confessed distributor of child pornography, be accompanied when he attends church services.

Arrested in December, Clews, a Carmel Valley horse ranch with an often youthful clientele, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing in October. The former longtime member of the Carmel Valley Planning Group could receive anywhere between five and 40 years in prison.

Since his arrest, Clews has created a stir with his frequent appearances at St. Therese of Carmel Catholic Church, attending services up to three times a week. Understandably, parishioners and parents at adjacent Notre Dame Academy have been concerned about the safety of children even though the court stipulated that a monitor from St. Therese or a non-family member be with him.

In high-profile situations like these, tempers can fray; church/school officials feel the pressure. Skeptics among the Catholic community speculated that Clews was making a flashy show of his piety as a tactic to reduce the severity of his sentence.

At the hearing last week in which Clews pleaded guilty, it was disclosed that St. Therese had stopped providing monitors. Clews attorney proposed allowing the admitted sex offender to attend three other churches, ones without nearby schools. The defense attorney also asked that the monitoring requirement be dropped because it violated Clews constitutionally blessed freedom of religion.

Schopler bent, which demonstrated his humanity, but he did not break, which demonstrated his wisdom.

He agreed to allowing a family member to accompany Clews to his devotions, but he refused to let Clews pray in public solo.

I have to maintain the safety of the community, Schopler said.

To many in North County, this troubling case evokes a memorable parallel.

In 2007, Mark William Pliska told the congregation of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad that he was a twice-convicted sexually violent predator and, as part of his rehabilitation, asked to attend services.

His openness triggered intense soul-searching at the church, leading to the exit of several families.

Ultimately, the churchs balance between humanity and the safety of its flock was found. For Pliska, that meant reasonable monitoring but not total exclusion.

Before he heads to prison, possibly for the rest of his natural life, Clews should be free to commune with God in a place of worship that will accept him. That doesnt seem too much to ask of the court.

But when that worship means he conceivably mingles with children, he needs eyes on him.

When youve trafficked in the kind of soulless filth Clews has, you cant expect better than that, not in this world.

logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com
Nineteen people have been charged as part of a three-year investigation into the Mexican Mafia prison gang, a powerful and violent group that uses street gangs to traffic drugs both inside and outside Southern California correctional facilities.

Operation Emero captured thousands of recorded conversations and written communications which revealed how Mexican Mafia members used prison phones, smuggled cellphones, mail and email to operate their illicit empires from behind bars, the District Attorneys Office said Friday.

The gangs underlings were ordered to extort victims, sell drugs and collect money for members serving prison time, according to authorities.

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Prosecutors did not specify which prisons were involved, or how many.

The task force operation  led by the Sheriffs Department, FBI and state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation  culminated Thursday with 10 arrests. During the takedowns Thursday authorities also seized $51,000 in cash, methamphetamine and heroin.

Nineteen people  most described as active gang members with prior criminal convictions  have been charged overall. Prosecutors did not specify if any of the defendants were inmates or say where they were arrested.

The charges against them include conspiracy to commit torture, conspiracy to commit assault causing great bodily injury, extortion, possession of drugs for sale, conspiracy to commit arson and possession of an assault weapon. Eighteen are set to be arraigned Monday in San Diego Superior Court, while one defendant remains at large.

According to the investigation, the defendants operated in two groups, led by either federal prisoner Jose Alberto Bat Marquez or California death row inmate Ronaldo Ayala.

Marquez, a Mexican Mafia member, has been in federal custody since being extradited from Mexico in January 2007.

Before that, he worked as an alleged enforcer for Tijuanas Arellano-Felix drug trafficking organization, and Mexican authorities in 2003 linked him to at least 20 killings there, including one of the countrys most notorious: the 1993 shooting of Guadalajara Cardinal Jesus Posadas Ocampo.

As he was awaiting trial on drug-trafficking charges in April 2007, he orchestrated a meth deal from his cell. Already convicted of two prior drug-trafficking felonies, Marquez was sentenced to life in prison following a 2011 jury trial, the FBI said at the time.

Ayala has been on death row since 1989 for the execution-style killings of three men in a southeastern San Diego auto shop. A survivor described the killings as a robbery. Ayalas brother, Hector, was also convicted in the murders in a separate trial and sentenced to death. He appealed but the U.S. Supreme Court upheld his sentence in 2015.

The District Attorneys Office did not list Ayala or Marquez among those charged as part of the takedown.

During the three-year investigation, correctional officers searched 39 prison cells and seized 23 cellphones, two SIM cards and meth. Four inmates were placed in administrative segregation as a result.

Authorities also seized six firearms, including an AK-47, during searches in other non-prison locations.

This gang is extremely gruesome and calculated in their violence to inspire fear and intimidation, said Summer Stephan, interim district attorney, in a statement.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
India Today brings you exclusive on-the-ground reporting from Iraq. Get all the latest updates on this evolving situation right here.

By India Today Web Desk: Less than a week after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said 39 Indians missing from Iraq since 2014 might be alive in a prison in the civil war-ravaged country, an India Today team travelled all the way to Badush (West of Mosul) but found no sign of them in the restive region.

"The day the Iraqi PM declared Mosul is liberated from ISIS, I asked (minister of state) VK Singh to go to Erbil," Sushma Swaraj had said. "Sources there told VK Singh that the missing Indians are most probably in a jail in Badush where fighting is still going on".

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India Today brings you exclusive on-the-ground reporting from Iraq and the latest political reactions. Get all the latest updates on this evolving situation right here.

LIVE UPDATES

Centre must come clean on 39 missing Indians abducted in June 2014, demands Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Search operation for the missing Indians in Iraq underway, says Amit Shah in response to India Today's ground report.

The families of the missing Indians are likely to come to Delhi in next few days, demanding answers from the Union government, says Manjit Singh GK.

Sibal: I've even heard one of the missing indians has come back and he said the others were executed. But only the government can source the information and tell us what is the truth.

Sibal: This is serious if the MEA tells this in parliament and briefs families but if it is not true. We cannot say that the government of India was misleading the families and Parliament. The facts should just be verified. Where did VK Singh get this information? The MEA should not give out information if they don't have their facts right.

Sibal: A colleague of mine is filing a privilege motion in parliament against Sushma Swaraj.

Kapil Sibal, Congress leader: The information given by the External Affairs Minister in Parliament is misleading. We should be concerned about whether they are alive or where they are. If the prison is not there, we should look into whether the MEA verified the information.

MoS VK Singh has said Iraq's National Security Advisor will provide information.

Akali Dal to seek meeting with Sushma Swaraj.

Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader: An all-party delegation led by MoS for External Affairs VK Singh should go to Iraq.

Sardar RP Singh, BJP leader: Need a confirmation (of India Today's report) from Iraqi authorities.

Family members of the abducted Indian nationals now want to travel to Mosul themselves. Learn more here.

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa accused External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of "misleading the nation" by saying that the 39 missing Indians were lodged in the destroyed jail. Read the story here

ALSO READ

India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

ALSO WATCH

Kin of missing Indians in Mosul meet Sushma Swaraj, MEA says they may be in Badush prison

--- ENDS ---
An insurance agent has been charged with defrauding five clients out of $1.1 million and spending the money on personal expenses, including jewelry, a Maserati and three rental properties.

Prosecutors allege Shawn Heffernan, 42, targeted three seniors, and they are asking any other victims to come forward. Records show his office is on Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley.

A licensed insurance agent, Heffernan is accused of selling annuity policies to the victims and later  before the policies expired  persuading them to replace their existing policies with new ones.

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This resulted in significant commissions for Heffernan and left clients with fees for ending their first policy early.

In one case, investigators identified more than $4,900 in client fees and $280,000 in commissions for Heffernan, the District Attorneys Office said.

Heffernan also is suspected of convincing victims to cash out their annuity policies, or use additional funds, to invest money into vaguely defined funds. Instead of investing the money on their behalf, prosecutors allege Heffernan would deposit the money into his bank account and spend the victims money on personal expenses.

If a client requested to withdraw money from their nonexistent investment fund, Heffernan would provide them with money from other investors, the District Attorneys Office said. He allegedly received more than $1.1 million to invest.

Heffernan was charged with five felony counts of grand theft and three felony counts of elderly fraud. He faces up to 14 years and four months in prison if he is convicted of all charges.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim was asked to contact the California Department of Insurance at (858) 693-7100.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
When we hear of a horrific act of violence committed by someone with serious mental illness, people often ask How this could have happened? Didnt their family or friends see signs that this was coming? How can we prevent it from happening again?

We are fortunate to live in a time when the stigma of mental illness is lessening. People are learning that mental illness is not a character defect or the result of bad parenting. Scientists have discovered that brain structure, genetic predisposition and brain chemistry all play a part in the development of mental illness. Very often, family and friends are at a loss for what it means, what to do and where to turn when they notice odd behaviors in their loved one. Additionally, parents may be limited by worries that the label mentally ill will result in negative judgments of their child or their parenting. These factors limit societys willingness to recognize and talk about the early warning signs of mental illness and must be reduced.

Related: Five years later, Aurora movie theater shooters mother wonders, If only

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Serious mental illness, which can include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, often emerges between the ages of 16-25. However, it can present in children or later adulthood as well. Early signs can include isolating from family, friends or previously enjoyable activities, becoming preoccupied or obsessed with something, and mood or behavior changes. When symptoms first appear, they might be misread as behavior problems, or difficulty adjusting to a major life transition such as beginning college. Early intervention is best whenever a person is struggling, though many families hope that these symptoms will go away with time. It is recommended that parents or friends encourage the person meet with a mental health professional when they see big changes in behavior or mood that last more than two weeks. If health insurance is lacking, there are clinics throughout San Diego County.

In the United States, approximately 40 million individuals suffer from some mental illness, such as mood and anxiety disorders or reactions to traumatic events. However, schizophrenia only occurs in about 1.2 percent of the population. Although mental illnesses often involve illogical or distorted thinking and losing touch with reality, this can also be the result of some recreational drug use, such as LSD or crystal methamphetamine. Schizophrenia is often first diagnosed with the occurrence of a psychotic break, when the persons speech becomes illogical and hard to understand, and his or her mood appears intensely uncomfortable. This often requires treatment in a psychiatric hospital that includes prescribed medication. From this point on, the sufferer will likely have episodes where the disease is very present, and other relatively normal periods.

Mental illness is not a good predictor of violence. Most with schizophrenia will just want to be left alone, and very few become spontaneously aggressive to others. However, if the individual has paranoid fears and feels confronted they have the potential to become violent to protect themselves. The risk increases when the person is using alcohol or drugs.

Unfortunately, when mental illness is active, the persons ability to think logically is compromised and they can be unable to see that their thinking and behavior is distorted. Efforts by others to help may be met with paranoid suspiciousness, or you dont understand. While protecting patients rights to confidentiality and to make their own decisions is usually imperative, this can backfire with mental illness and prevent necessary treatment. It can be heartbreaking for family and friends to be powerless to help a loved one who denies help, or watch them stop medication that is the foundation to their stability. A great community resource is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), which provides education and support groups for those with mental illness and their loved ones.

A positive step was the approval of Lauras Law in 2015 in San Diego County. This allows courts to force certain mentally ill people into mandatory outpatient psychiatric care before they act violently. However, four years earlier the county started an in-home outreach (IHOT) program for psychiatric patients. The IHOT program takes referrals from those concerned about their friend or relative, and will meet with the person to assess their mental health and whether mandatory treatment is necessary.

Mental illness is not going away, and our community needs to address it by getting these individuals the help they need to live in peace and comfort.

Lazar, Ph.D., and Wisdom Lazar, LCSW, are both members of the San Diego Psychological Association.
Politicians are constantly finding pet names to give to the projects and programs they choose to emphasize. Monday the San Diego City Council is calling a summit to address the citys housing crisis, Housing Action Day. Finally. Some action.

Across San Diego, inaction has made matters worse: Rents, median home prices and homelessness are high. That last fact has spurred two local business leaders, restaurant operator Dan Shea and Padres Managing Partner Peter Seidler, to raise enough money to purchase two large tent shelters to get some 500 homeless people temporarily off city streets. They say the city can decide where to put them  and that this doesnt work if the city doesnt step up. City Councilman Chris Ward unveiled his own short-term approaches last week that include using Golden Hall and the Qualcomm Stadium practice field for temporary housing, creating safe parking and care zones at city sites to help the more than 800 people found to be living in their vehicles this year, and expanding storage opportunities for homeless peoples belongings.

Meanwhile, Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the City Council on Monday may streamline granny flat construction; speed up housing projects that are near transit, meet green sustainability standards and provide at least 10 percent affordable units; and seek to limit appeals that can delay housing starts.

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Those actions  theres that word again  would be a start, at least. May there be many more actions.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
President Donald Trump won the White House by defying conventional wisdom and following his instincts. His success and support make it unlikely hell change his approach or behavior. But history shows the folly of Trumps overt attempts to bully special prosecutor Robert Mueller, the ex-FBI director appointed to oversee a probe into Russias attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

On Wednesday, Trump gave an extraordinary interview to The New York Times in which he said he would not have appointed Jeff Sessions as attorney general if hed known Sessions would recuse himself from the Russian investigation. Trump also warned Mueller to keep his probe tightly focused. On Thursday, the Times posted another stunning story that said Trumps team is scouring the backgrounds of investigators hired by Mueller, looking for conflicts of interest they could use to discredit the investigation  or to build a case for Muellers firing.

But the terms of Muellers appointment specify that he can look at other matters that may arise directly from the investigation. Bloomberg reported this week Muellers team is already examining a range of transactions involving Trump businesses and associates, including a Florida real estate deal in which a Russian oligarch paid $95 million for a mansion Trump bought for $41 million and efforts by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner to secure financing for some of his familys real-estate properties. Mueller doesnt seem to be backing away because of Trumps pressure.

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Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor appointed in 1994 to look into a suspicious Arkansas land deal involving President Bill Clinton, had similar license to go where evidence took him. Starr ended up persuading the House of Representatives to impeach Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice related to his attempts to hide evidence of his sexual relationship with a White House aide; Clinton was not convicted by a divided Senate. Given that Trumps indifference to ethical standards recently prompted the resignation of the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Mueller could end up expanding his probe into areas that have not even come to light yet.

It remains to be seen whether Trump will order Mueller to be fired. If that happened, it would have parallels with events involving another president who faced impeachment: Richard Nixon. In 1973, special prosecutor Archibald Cox refused Nixons order to stop trying to obtain tapes of Oval Office meetings or other presidential documents related to the Watergate scandal. When Nixon wanted Cox gone, both Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus resigned after declining to fire him, but Solicitor General Robert Bork complied with Nixons order.

What became known as the Saturday Night Massacre quickly eroded Nixons support among elected Republicans. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona, the GOPs 1964 presidential nominee, said Nixons credibility has reached an all-time low from which he may not be able to recover. Nixon didnt recover. Less than a year later, he resigned rather than be forced out of office.

If Trump fires Mueller, he will also have reached an all-time low from which he may not be able to recover. That should make him reflect. Will it?

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
Regarding Congress, Trump must rise to occasion and fix Obamacare (July 21): Lets be clear. Rural hospitals are dying without Medicaid expansion, which means you better have your car wreck near a big city hospital or you will die.

Lifetime caps and pre-existing conditions are coming back. School lunch, Meals on Wheels  gone. Your kid with cerebral palsy will get a set amount, then nothing more forever.

Health care savings accounts are my personal favorite. Heroin addicts, the homeless and working poor can just open an account to cover their $45,000 rehab or $1 million cancer treatment. Is giving $800 billion to billionaires really that important? Or, you know, killing tens of thousands of our family, friends and just plain strangers? Your choice.

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Nathan Wesley

Solana Beach

Cliff Lindroths letter Trump fans still pulling for him to succeed (July 21) struck a nerve. Pulling for him to succeed implies that Donald Trumps ideas are sound and good for everyday Americans.

I will watch the reaction of Lindroth and his fellow Trump supporters with great interest if the latest Republican health care bill passes and 32 million of them are left without health care.

Pass that kind of health care bill and see if the villagers storm the castle, or passively sit by.

Blind support is not what our democracy was founded on. Informed criticism is foundational and necessary for the survival of our form of government.

William Addison

Del Cerro

It never ceases to amaze me how Trumps supporters are blind to all his faults and call the Democrats the enemy. Havent they had over a year now listening to Trump lie time and time again? Yet, like lemmings, they continue to support him.

Now we have the Republicans working like hell to undo the Affordable Care Act without giving a damn about the 32 million Americans that would lose health insurance if the Republicans have their way. This is the epitome of callousness on their part, with no conscience.

Im sorry to hear about Sen. John McCains health problem. He can rest well though knowing his health insurance will cover his bills. When he decides to cast his vote to repeal Obamacare, which the majority of Americans want to keep, I hope he can sleep well.

Andy G. Pino

Escondido

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Eliminating peoples coverage is no solution

This questionable leader in the White House sunk to a new low.

He said, Lets let Obamacare fail  just who does he think he is? A legally elected president, which I question with Donald Trump, is a president of every American, not just the Republican Party and his base.

Its way past time to impeach and replace.

Mark Garber

Rancho Penasquitos

Obamacare battle is only about the money

The repeal effort of the Affordable Care Act has one purpose. It saves a bunch of federal money that has been helping people in need. Once that pot o gold is out of the ACA, it can be diverted to other purposes: Tax breaks for the wealthy and substantial increases in military funding.

We are definitely witnessing the priorities of an almost-heartless president. How many times has he ever talked about the growing homeless problem in America? How many times has he ever dined with a poor family in Appalachia? He has shown, over the time we have watched him, that Trump does not associate with anyone not of his caste.

Troubling too, is Trumps nonrecognition of Polands slide into authoritarian, nondemocratic governance. A warning from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is appropriate, now that Polands ruling party is trying to wipe out the old judiciary.

G. Lance Johannsen

Carlsbad

A simple way to fix health care in U.S.

Here is how you do it. Everyone is responsible for their first $2,000 of annual health care coverage. Families of four or more pay $5,000. After that, you pay nothing. Done.

Paul B. Evans

Valley Center

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
The preliminary hearing for a Ramona man accused of causing the death of a pregnant woman while allegedly driving while drunk has been re-scheduled for Sept. 27.

Andrew Dorian Milonis, 44, recently retained a private attorney, Ward Clay, and the public defender was relieved from the case.

Jessica Nicole Foderingham, 29, of San Diego, was 8 months pregnant when she and her unborn baby were killed on Mothers Day on San Vicente Road.

Milonis is charged with two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit and run with death, drunk driving with injury, and hit and run with property damage.

Clay asked El Cajon Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein to lower Milonis $3 million bail, saying it was too high. He asked for reasonable bail, suggesting it could be up to $1 million.

Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans opposed the bail reduction and Goldstein kept the bail at $3 million.

The preliminary hearing had been scheduled for July 27, but not all the reports have been received by both attorneys.

Jessica Foderinghams Dodge Dart was rear-ended on San Vicente Road about 6:45 p.m. on May 14. The impact sent her car veering into a center median, where it struck a tree.

She died on the way to a hospital. Her husband, Christian Foderingham, 23, is a U.S. Marine. The unborn babys name was Ayanna Amari Marie Skye Foderingham, according to the gofundme.com website set up to aid the family.

Milonis abandoned his damaged his GMC Yukon in the parking lot at Riviera Oaks Resort on Pappas Road, and then took a ride with Lyft to Turkey Inn at 716 Main St., where California Highway Patrol officers arrested him at 1:55 a.m.

Evans said Milonis blood/alcohol level is over .15, which is twice the legal limit. If convicted, Milonis faces 40 years to life in prison.

Milonis has pleaded not guilty and he remains at the Vista Detention Facility.
A nearly 3-acre brush fire broke out Wednesday afternoon off Monument Road and Saturn Boulevard in Border Field State Park.

A car fire was reported along a dirt road about 4:45 p.m. Fire crews got there and started dousing the car, but flames spread into the brush, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Capt. Joe Amador said. The crews requested additional fire engines to assist them as flames shot up 15 feet above heavy vegetation.

One helicopter and at least eight fire engines from San Diego, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and the Federal Fire Department were sent to the blaze in the Tijuana River estuary, an environmentally protected area, Amador said. Officials said the flames were spreading slowly, with little wind pushing them. No homes were being threatened.

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Most of the fire was out by about 6:15 p.m.
BEIJING (AP)  Faced with growing public anger about a poisonous environment, Chinas government released a yearslong study that shows nearly one-fifth of the countrys farmland is contaminated with toxic metals, a stunning indictment of unfettered industrialization under the Communist Partys authoritarian rule.

The report, previously deemed so sensitive it was classified as a state secret, names the heavy metals cadmium, nickel and arsenic as the top contaminants.

It adds to widespread doubts about the safety of Chinas farm produce and confirms suspicions about the dire state of its soil following more than two decades of explosive industrial growth, the overuse of farm chemicals and minimal environmental protection.

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It also points to health risks that, in the case of heavy metals, can take decades to emerge after the first exposure. Already, health advocates have identified several cancer villages in China near factories suspected of polluting the environment where they say cancer rates are above the national average.

The soil survey was conducted from 2005 until last year, and showed contamination in 16.1 percent of Chinas soil overall and 19.4 percent of its arable land, according to a summary released late Thursday by Chinas Environmental Protection Ministry and its Land and Resources Ministry.

The overall condition of the Chinese soil allows no optimism, the report said. Some regions suffer serious soil pollution, worrying farm land quality and prominent problems with deserted industrial and mining land, it said. Contamination ranged from slight, which indicated up to twice the safe level, to severe.

The reports release shows Chinas authoritarian government responding to growing public anger at pollution with more openness, but only on its own terms and pace. Early last year, Beijing-based lawyer Dong Zhengwei had demanded that the government release the soil findings, but was initially rebuffed by the environment ministry, which cited rules barring release of state secrets.

That led to criticism from the Chinese public, and even from some arms of the state media. The Communist Party-run Peoples Daily declared that, Covering this up only makes people think: Were being lied to. The ministry later acknowledged the information should be shared, said Dong, who attributed this weeks release of the report to public pressure.

Without a release of the information, the public anger would get stronger, and soil contamination would deteriorate, while news of cancer villages and poisonous rice would continue to spring up, Dong, an anti-trust lawyer, said in an interview Friday.

Because some of the samples in the survey, which is the first of its kind in China, date back nearly a decade, the results would likely be much worse if tests were taken today, Dong said.

He said the government should conduct soil surveys and release the results on an annual basis and respond with immediate remediation measures.

Chinas leaders have said they are determined to tackle the countrys pollution problem, though the threat to soil has so far been overshadowed by public alarm at smog and water contamination. However, recent scandals of tainted rice and crops have begun to shift attention to soil.

A key concern among scientists is cadmium, a carcinogenic metal that can cause kidney damage and other health problems and is absorbed by rice, the countrys staple grain.

Last May, authorities launched an investigation into rice mills in southern China after tests found almost half of the supplies sold in Guangzhou, a major city, were contaminated with cadmium.

In early 2013, the newspaper Nanfang Daily reported that tens of thousands of tons of cadmium-tainted rice had been sold to noodle makers in southern China since 2009. It said government inspectors declared it fit only for production of non-food goods such as industrial alcohol but a trader sold most of the rice to food processors anyway.

The worst pollution detailed in this weeks report centers around the countrys most industrialized regions, the Yangtse and Pearl River deltas in southern China, as well heavily industrial portions of the northeast.

The summary of findings gave no detailed breakdown of contamination by region. It said most of the contaminated soil had levels of pollutants ranging from just above the allowable limit to double the limit, while for 1.1 percent of the countrys soil the contaminants were at five times the safety limit or more.

Lu Yizhong, a soil contamination expert at China Agricultural University, said soil surveys must become more frequent, with detailed results published regularly. More legislation is needed to control the problem, he said.

Warning that food safety was emerging as a thorny issue for China, Lu said the effects of the gradual accumulation of toxic metals in the bodies of people who eat contaminated produce can take years to unfold. Sometime it can take 10 to 30 years to develop serious disease.

China must step up efforts to monitor and regulate soil contamination otherwise the speed of new contamination will surely outpace efforts to rein it back, he said.

_____

News assistants Zhao Liang and Yu Bing in Beijing contributed.


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The nations leading independent naval architectural firm has been quietly gauging whether senior Navy officials are interested in a new class of frigate that would be smaller and lighter replacement for the aging ships now being phased out of service.

The unnamed light frigate also could be viewed as an alternative to the littoral combat ship program, which has been struggling due to cost overruns, technical problems, and questions about its narrow focus and survivability. Twelve of the first 12 LCS ships are to be homeported in San Diego.

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The new 3,500-ton light frigates proposed by Gibbs&Cox would be more heavily armed than previous models and be capable of carrying out a variety of missions over a wide area of the worlds oceans.

Gibbs & Cox of Arlington, Va., says it has produced concept drawings for a roughly 400-foot steel-hull, twin-propellor, diesel-powered light frigate that would be capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles as well as Standard IIIs, missiles that can be used for ballistic missile defense. The ship also would feature sophisticated phased-radar.

The Navys Cold War-era Perry-class frigates, including the six in San Diego, no longer fire missiles.

The new ship concept calls for a vessel with a crew of 75 to 110, which is far smaller than the 180-200 people who operate the Perry-class frigates. The ship would have a range of roughly 7,000 miles, and a draft of about 20 feet, meaning that it could get into shallower water than existing frigates, but not quite as shallow as the Navys new and troubled littoral combat ship. The company has yet to release a drawing of the concept ship, or say how much it might cost to build.

Gibbs & Cox has provided the design for more than 6,000 ships over the past 80 years, including the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, which is currently the work horse of the Navy, and the Perry-class frigates. The company also designed the San Diego-based Freedom, the lead ship in the Freedom-class littoral combat ship program. It did not design the Independence-class LCS ships.

The Navy revealed on Tuesday that the first 12 LCS vessels will be homeported in San Diego.

Rick Biben, the companys president and chief executive, said Wednesday, We are not competing with any existing design. Were looking at what the Navy might need in the future, and were working to expand our portfolio of ships.

Biben stressed that light frigate is not meant to be a competitor to the troubled LCS. Earlier this year, Freedom experienced a crack in its hull, alarming members of Congress. More recently, the Independence was reported to have aggressive corrosion in and around its propulsion system.

The problems led a bipartisan group of six U.S. senators to ask for a formal review of LCS. And Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has suggested that it might be smart to rebid some LCS contracts because the ships will cost at least twice as much as originally planned.

Eric Midboe, vice program of program management at Gibbs & Cox, said Wednesday that the light frigate would be a conventional, shock-hardened ship whose hull would be similar to those seen on modern Coast Guard frigates.

Contact gary.robbins@uniontrib.com  (619) 293-1228  Twitter @grobbins  View us on Facebook or visit the U-T Science and Environment page.
Masih claims the other abducted Indians have been executed by the terrorist group.

By Anand Patel: More than a week has passed since the Iraqi Government declared Mosul free from the dreaded terrorist group ISIS. But the mystery of the 39 missing Indians in Mosul continues to haunt family members, who now want to travel to the Iraqi city.

India Today set out to meet Harjit Masih, the only Indian to have escaped ISIS' clutches. He has claimed that ISIS terrorists abducted him and the other Indians on June 11, 2014, and executed them near Badush deserts on June 15.

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From Mosul, Harjit Masih managed to reach the Erbil border, where he was picked up by representatives of the Indian consulate. He is living a tough life after his return to Gurdaspur's Kala Afghana village.

"I hope and pray that they (the missing Indians) are alive and I am proven wrong...but I am telling the truth..I saw it by my own eyes..how can I lie?" he says.

'THEY ARE BLAMING ME, MY LIFE HAS BECOME HELL'

"They are blaming me for the missing 39 Indians...I have been booked by police...my life has become hell..is it my fault that I managed to escape?..sometimes I think I should have also died," he adds.

"I have repeated it so many times..they took us in a container-like truck...we were lined up and shot from behind, I was the only survivor, I called names of my friends but no body replied..they were all dead, around that area I saw many dead bodies rotting," Harjit says.

'I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T KILL MY SON'

The latest reports from Mosul suggest that the Badush jail where the 39 men were held captive has been completely destroyed during fighting between Iraqi forces and ISIS fighters. MoS External Affairs VK Singh was rushed to Iraq to look for the missing Indians, but there has been little breakthrough.

But in Bhoewal village near Amritsar, families are praying and hoping for some good news from Mosul. 25-year-old Manjinder Singh's mother, Sukhjinder Kaur - a cancer survivor - is rebuilding her house. She is trying to fulfill the dream of her only son, who went to Iraq to earn money and build a grand house in the village.

June 12 2014- that was the last time Manjinder called home. He sounded desperate. ISIS fighters had taken them hostage. All the helpless family members could do was call the Indian Embassy in Baghdad, but help didn't reach her son.

Manjinder's mother breaks down while narrating her ordeal. But she's hopeful, since her son kept telling his worried family that the ISIS men were taking care of them, and showed no intention of killing their hostages.

Wiping tears, Sukhjinder Kaur is hopeful. "My son used to tell us on phone that the ISIS men will not harm us..they are bring(ing) us food..they even keep their weapons outside when they enter the area where we stayed..I am sure they didn't kill my son," she says.

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'I WANT TO GO TO MOSUL MYSELF'

In Dasuya in Hoshiyarpur, Manjinder's sister Gurpinder has been campaigning for the safe return of her brother and other men. Over the past three years, she has written to almost every influential person she could reach out to - from Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

The families have met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj 14 times. She has been saying that the 39 men are safe, but after the end of the war in Mosul, the families are now getting desperate.

"I want to go to Mosul myself to search for my brother, we have waited three years, now we feel Government is not doing enough," Gurpinder says.

"We have such powerful army, India is powerful country..why couldn't we get help from Iraq?" she adds. Gurpinder is confident that Harjit is lying.

'TWO PHONE CALLS AFTER JUNE 15'

"There were at least two phone calls after 15th June..the day Harjit claims ISIS killed Indians. This makes me believe that he is lying,' she says.

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Gurcharan's family claims he called his brother in Bahrain on June 17, a couple of days after June 15, the day Harjit Masih claims the hostages were shot by ISIS terrorists. Another youth, Nishan Singh from Ajnala, called up home on the June 21, claims Gurpinder.

The grief and tragedy has united the 39 families. They are now one family, helping and supporting each other.

Sardara Singh, father of Gurcharan Singh, says, "We all go united...it's not possible to fight it out alone...unless we all find our children...we talk on (the) phone and keep ourselves update(d) about the latest developments...I arranged special prayers in which everyone participated."

Harpreet Kaur, the mother of another missing Punjabi youth, says, "When we talk on (the) phone...we get some relief...we assure each other...we all share this grief...we have faith in Lord Almighty..this has united us all."

The Iraqi Foreign Minister is arriving on July 24. The government has promised he will bring fresh updates about the missing Indians.

ALSO READ

India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

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No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

ALSO WATCH

Kin of missing Indians in Mosul meet Sushma Swaraj, MEA says they may be in Badush prison

--- ENDS ---
With unexploded shells ready to go off, countless bullet marks in the walls, broken edifices which once imparted knowledge - schools of Jammu and Kashmir are bleeding. With each passing day, education dies a thousand deaths here.

By India Today Web Desk: Loud thumps of heavy shelling has silenced the school lessons in unison. Bearing the brunt of of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops, a school premise was greatly tarnished recently.

Education in the area is orphaned due to destruction that has become an everyday affair.

Faquir Dara School in Karmara sector of Poonch district was heavily damaged due to continuous ceasefire violations and shelling from the Pakistani side.

Photo: ANI

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The education in Jammu and Kashmir is elusive, just like the walls of the many schools in the region. The mindless shelling has robbed the young minds of a bright future.

The bullet marks in school walls testify the lamentable future of children in Jammu and Kashmir. Many parts of the institute were damaged due to shelling.

Earlier on Wednesday, owing to a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC), some 25 schools were directed to remain shut in the affected areas.

The development commissioner of the state's Poonch district told ANI that there was heavy firing at Poonch's Shahpur.

"The firing at the Line of Control (LoC) has gained intensity. To ensure the safety of the citizens, around 25 schools in the areas affected by firing, would remain closed. Around 12-13 of them are in Balakote sector," he added.

MORE SCHOOLS LIKELY TO BE SHUT

The commissioner said that the situation in the district was being assessed.

More schools are likely to be shut till the situation in the border area improve. He added that evacuation plans were also being prepared by the administration.

Education in Jammu and Kashmir, along with the Valley's peace, has been snatched from many.

"Shelter arrangements have been made for people. They would be given food and security. We have also arranged for ambulances near the danger zones," he said.

DEATH LINGERS IN NOOKS AND CRANNIES

The district commissioner also appealed to the public to not touch unknown objects, as there are reports of unexploded shells lying around in the region.

On Tuesday, around 50 children were trapped inside two government schools due to ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in the state's Nowshera sector along the LoC.

Following the incident, the Indian Army rescued 12 students of primary schools.

FYI || World's highest railway bridge being built in Jammu and Kashmir will be taller than Eiffel Tower ||

FYI || 16-year-old develops Kashbook, Kashmir's own Facebook, after government banned social media websites ||

--- ENDS ---
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/21/2017 -- The survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the Global and United States Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Depth market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the Global and United States market in present and in future. Analyses of the Global and United States Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Depth market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/21/2017 -- Biobanks are kind of repositories which store the biological samples for research and educational purpose. The samples are collected form general public based on various factors such as ethnicity, age, gender, lifestyle and geography. Biobanks collect the samples in various forms such as tissues, saliva, blood, etc. A purified genomic database is maintained in these biobanks, this data is significant in research and study purpose for understanding the environmental impacts and mutations, and diseases and disorders derived from them. The samples are stored in groups of specific traits to ease their application in research purposes. The samples are collected from donors after their consensus and most of the biobanks follow the practice of donor's ownership and his consensus on use of his/her sample for any further research purpose by private entity or public organization. Biobanks play a vital role in research and development is healthcare industry.



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The genetic and other biological data repository maintained by biobanks help researchers to understand the human trait associated diseases and disorders, and also the impact of environment and genetic variations on cell lines and human health. These biobanks provide extensive data based on these factors and on the basis of other demographical traits, which is expected to grow the human biobanking ownership market. The biobanks offer database of cross border population which makes its users time saving and effective resource, which is expected to increase uptake for biobanking services across the globe. However, high cost associated with human biobanks, as the genome sequencing is costly and tedious process, the human biobanking ownership market is expected to restrain the growth across the globe. Also stringent laws and regulations in biobanking and concern over the security and privacy of human biobanks across globe is another factor expected to bolster the growth for human biobanking ownership market. In the near future, the global human biobanking ownership market is expected to be governed by laws to protect the privacy of gene donors and establish their rights. For example, in Estonia, the Human Genes Research Act passed in 1999 provides donors full authority over who can access their data and establishes anonymity in clinical research. Such laws will help in the growth of the global human biobanking ownership market.



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Geographically, global human biobanking ownership market is segmented in four major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific has been driving the global market growth owing to the rapid growth of the private biobanks and clinical research organizations in the region. Demand witnessed in North America and Europe is also significantly aiding the growth of the market. In Europe, countries such as Estonia are focusing on collecting the DNA of every citizen in order to enrich their national biobank. In Estonia, the national biobank program started in 2000 by collecting DNA samples from a quarter of the country's population. While these DNA samples are mostly used for clinical research, the government is planning to use this data to build a robust health care infrastructure by offering personalized care. The Government of Estonia has already started developing a system to make this genetic data available to citizens and doctors.



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The woman was walking her dog at the time. The accused was arrested in Hodel village.

By Arvind Ojha: A 32-year old man, Tarun, was arrested after he allegedly began masturbating in public while looking at a German PhD student from Jawaharlal Nehru University.

She was walking her dog at the time.

The man escaped in his car after she shouted at him, but she took a picture of the vehicle.

A case was registered under IPC sections 294 and 509. The owner of the car, Faridabad resident Anil Kumar Gupta, was tracked down using its registration number.

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Gupta said he'd sold his car to one Puskar, from Hodel village. That's where the accused, Tarun, was arrested.

ALSO READ

Mumbai woman captures video of man masturbating looking at her

Alleged masturbation video of Bella Thorne goes viral, actress clarifies that it is fake

ALSO WATCH

Mumbai woman captures video of man masturbating while looking at her

--- ENDS ---
Trump's administration has been dogged by investigations into allegations of Russian interference in last year's US presidential election and possible ties with his campaign team.

By Reuters: Former CIA director John Brennan on Friday criticized as "disgraceful" President Donald Trump's efforts to play down US intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 US election.

Trump's administration has been dogged by investigations into allegations of Russian interference in last year's US presidential election and possible ties with his campaign team.

Speaking one day before his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hamburg earlier this month, Trump said he suspected Russian interference in the election but that no one knows for sure.

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"These types of comments are just disgraceful and the person who said them should be ashamed of himself," said Brennan, CIA chief under former President Barack Obama, at the Aspen Security Forum.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller and several US congressional committees are investigating whether Russia interfered in the election and colluded with Trump's campaign to try to swing the race in his favor over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

MOSCOW DENIES ALL ALLEGATIONS

Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscow's actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials have said, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries.

Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump has said that his campaign did not collude with Russia.

Brennan said he was disappointed by the president's handling of security issues in his first six months in office.

"I must say there are disappointments that I see in terms of what Mr. Trump is doing on the international stage that I think pose serious questions about how he is keeping safe our national security," Brennan said.

Speaking at the same event in Aspen, James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence under Obama, was also critical of Trump's administration.

Asked if Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and top adviser, should have his security clearance canceled for initially failing to list on a disclosure form contacts he had with Russians, Clapper said it should be suspended pending a review.

"I do think the appropriate thing here is take a pause and at least suspend a clearance until you've had the opportunity to investigate and then decide whether the clearance should be restored or not," Clapper told the same panel.

Brennan and Clapper also criticized Trump's remarks in a tweet earlier this year about US spy agencies in which he accused them of practices reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

"That (tweet) was a terrible insulting affront not to me or John. We get paid the big bucks to take that. But I'm talking about the rank and file, the people in the trenches, men and women, the patriots in the intelligence community and that was completely inappropriate," said Clapper.

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ALSO READ | White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer wishes India a happy Independence Day... in June

ALSO READ | Trump spokesman sparks outcry by comparing Assad to Hitler, apologises

ALSO WATCH | Trump administration blocks funding to Pakistan for not acting against Haqqani network

--- ENDS ---
Kangana Ranaut has finally broken her silence after the jibes taken at her at the IIFA Awards 2017.

By India Today Web Desk: All hell broke loose when Karan Johar, Saif Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan took a dig at Kangana Ranaut at the recently held IIFA Awards. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Kangana had called Karan the "flag-bearer of nepotism" on his show. The comment snowballed into a huge debate, with fans supporting Kangana for bravely taking on Bollywood's big daddies.

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The debate was reignited at the IIFA Awards this year, when Varun came on stage to receive an award. Saif joked, "You are here because of your papa (director David Dhawan)." Varun responded, "And you're here because of your mummy (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore)." Karan joined in and said, "I am here because of my papa (late filmmaker Yash Johar)."

The trio then chanted in unison, "Nepotism rocks". They then broke into the song Bole Chudiye Bole Kangana, at which point Karan interjected, "Kangana nahi bole toh achcha hai, bahut bolti hai."

The act caused outrage on social media and Karan, Saif and Varun were forced to apologise. Saif went a step further and wrote an open letter (first published in DNA), prompting Kangana to finally break her silence and pen her own open letter in Mid-Day.

She said that the last time she was "deeply pained and upset" about the subject was when Karan dismissed talent as one of the main criteria for making it big in Bollywood. Citing the examples of legends like Dilip Kumar, Satyajit Ray and Guru Dutt, Kangana said that discrediting talent was "absolutely bizarre." The actor added that there are plenty of instances to prove that "genuine hard work" exists, "beyond the superficiality of branded clothes and polished accents."

Talking about Saif's letter, she dismissed his statement that people need to "take a chill pill and back off" because he has already apologised to her. "This is not my issue alone," Kangana wrote, adding that nepotism "fails the test of objectivity and rationale." She added that Swami Vivekananda, Albert Einstein and William Shakespeare "didn't belong to a select few, they belonged to collective humanity."

She also addressed his remark that it was easy to confuse nepotism with genetics. Saif had written, "People are interested in what their (superstars') children will be like and whether they will have the genes of their parents, in terms of their talent. If you need another example, then take race horses. We take a derby winner, mate him with the right mate and see if we can create another grand national winner. So, in that sense, this is the relationship between genetics and star kids."

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"I fail to understand how you can compare genetically hybrid racehorses to artistes," Kangana wrote, asking if Saif believed that talent and dedication was only hereditary. "If your point was true, I would be a farmer back home," she said.

The Queen actor added, "You also spoke of eugenics - which means controlled breeding of the human race. So far, I believe that the human race hasn't found the DNA that can pass on greatness and excellence. If it had, we would've loved to repeat the greatness of Einstein, Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Vivekananda, Stephen Hawking, Terence Tao, Daniel Day-Lewis, or Gerhard Richter."

Saif had blamed the media for perpetrating nepotism. He had said that his son, Taimur, was a paparazzi favourite before he turned a year old and is already hyped to be the "next big thing." It is only a matter of time before a producer cashes in on all that hype. Kangana rebutted with, "No one is putting a gun to anyone's head to hire talent they don't believe in. So, there is no need to get defensive about one's choices."

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Is there going to be a round two of debate? Let's wait and watch.

ALSO READ: What happened since the Nepotism Rocks barb at Kangana Ranaut at IIFA 2017

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut guilty of nepotism herself? Her sister slams Apurva Asrani for suggesting so

ALSO WATCH: Kangana Ranaut on being called a witch, whore and a psychopath

--- ENDS ---
Bam: Limit ML extension

Congress must perform its duty of limiting the duration of Martial Law to ensure that checks and balances in government remain.

This was stressed by Sen. Bam Aquino during his brief manifestation during the special session to discuss the Martial Law extension being requested by President Duterte.

"I would definitely try to move for a shorter period of time," Sen. Bam told Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

"Nakasaad sa Konstitusyon na kapangyarihan at tungkulin ng lehislatura ang magdesisyon ukol sa pag-extend ng Martial Law. Kaya't ang mas maikling panahon na 60 days ay hindi deadline, bagkus isang pamamaraan na kung saan nagagawa ng lehislatura ang aming tungkulin," the senator said.

"At hindi ba nararapat lang na humingi ng pagsang-ayon ang militar sa mga sibilyan na awtoridad?" he added.

The senator reiterated the Congress' support for the military, saying lawmakers are ready to provide soldiers the necessary equipment and legislative reforms they need to quell the terrorism in Marawi once and for all.

"Iyong Modernization Act kailangang ipagpatuloy, baka kailangang i-amend ang Procurement Act at iba pang mga batas upang magawa niyo ang trabaho nang maayos," said Sen. Bam, to which Sec. Lorenzana agreed to.

However, Sen. Bam stressed the need to be prudent about the Martial Law extension to completely quell terrorism in Mindanao.

"Let us not forget that it is robust development - education, jobs, business and livelihood - that will ultimately beat terrorism," said Sen. Bam.

The senator added that Martial Law will not help achieve economic development and rehabilitation of the affected areas.
Saif Ali Khan is reportedly peeved that Karan Johar did not stick to the script while hosting the IIFA Awards and kept changing the lines.

By India Today Web Desk: Their "Nepotism rocks" act did not go down too well, but that is not why Saif Ali Khan is upset with his IIFA 2017 co-host Karan Johar, who came up with the idea of the joke. DNA reports that there were "major issues" between the two behind the scenes.

According to an actor who attended the award show, "Initially, Saif and Karan got along very well. They had rehearsed their lines, skits and acts. Saif is very particular about their lines together on stage. He wanted their on-stage time to be equally divided with an equal number of jokes, punchlines, etc."

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Apparently, it all went south when Karan began changing his lines on stage. Saif did not take too kindly to Karan trying to eclipse him on stage and made his displeasure known to his friends. Word got around, and Karan soon found out about Saif's resentment.

But a source close to the filmmaker told the publication that Karan had no intention of overshadowing Saif. "It's not clear how this happened, because the hosts always read from the teleprompter. Karan is so comfortable on stage, so he may have said some spontaneous things to improvise, which may have disturbed his co-host. But I doubt he did that to steal Saif's thunder," the insider said.

ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan texts his apology to Kangana Ranaut after IIFA 2017 nepotism barb

ALSO READ: IIFA 2017 advertised Salman-Shah Rukh together on stage. Furious guests are now demanding refund

ALSO WATCH: KJo-Saif take a dig at Kangana at IIFA, Sushant mocks Shahid

--- ENDS ---
Press Release

July 22, 2017 WE ARE A CHAMBER OF LAWMAKERS

NOT DUTERTE'S ECHO CHAMBER *Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros' explanation on why she voted No to extend Martial Law in Mindanao Mr. Senate President, I vote no to extend the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. The AFP has been quite clear in demonstrating the threat of terrorism in Marawi. But while the threat is clear and the need for urgent response compelling, one thing remains unanswered: exactly how Martial law contributes to meeting this threat. Walang maisagot dito ang ating mga security advisers, na ang tanging nasabi ay kailangan ng "enhanced security-based operations." It is absurd that we use 'timeliness' and 'needs on the ground' as a reason for Martial Law. Lahat yan kayang sagutin ng calling out powers ng pangulo. And, in any event, martial law does not suspend the bill of rights or allow the state to run roughshod on civil liberties. Absent any plausible explanation, I can only reach one conclusion: Martial Law has no strategic contribution to the military's anti-terrorism operations in Marawi. Wala itong dinagdag o inambag sa operasyong militar, sa usaping logistics, o legal na kapangyarihan para maging mas epektibo ang kampanya laban sa terorismo. Wala rin itutulong ang ekstensyon nito. Ang tangi lamang maidadagdag sana ng deklarasyon ng Martial Law sa Mindanao ay ipailalim sa kontrol ng militar ang mga lokal na pamamahala na nadiskaril dahil sa terorismo. But there are no local government units in Mindanao that have stopped working or have collapsed because of terrorism. Even the local government in Marawi, despite the enormous challenges it faces, is functioning under civilian rule. The LGU in Camiguin functions the same as the LGU in Metro Manila. I fear that the plan to extend the Martial Law in Mindanao will pave the way for a Philippines-wide Martial Law. Buo ang tiwala ko sa kakayahan ng ating magigiting na sundalo. Kaya nilang sugpuin ang terorismo sa Marawi gabay ang kasalukuyang kapangyarihan ng Ehekutibo na i-mobilisa ang buong hanay ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas. Hindi Martial Law ang tumatalo sa mga teroristang Maute kundi ang tapang, galing at determinasyon ng ating mga sundalo. Let us not rob our heroic soldiers of the glory they deserve by attributing our recent victories against terrorism to Martial Law. I empathize with the desire for swift peace amid conflict. I can understand how, in the desperate desire to live a quiet life, free from any violence or fear, many of us have been driven to support any idea, however extreme, that claims to give peace. Fear got the best of many of us. But Martial Law is not the way to peace and democracy. It is also not supposed to be a morale-booster for our troops. It is not a quick fix. It is not a political tool. It is not supposed to be ANYTHING on "steroids." It reverses a very important Constitutional principle: that civilian authority must always be superior to military authority. Not the calling out power, not the declaration of a state of emergency, nor the Human Security Act can reverse this principle. Martial Law lang. And because it reverses this principle, it must be exercised only in the most exigent of circumstances as a last resort, and by a government that would wield it judiciously. To my fellow legislators, history will judge what we decide in these halls today. I know many of you will vote to extend Martial Law. I would like to remind us all that we are here to be the voice of democracy not the President's echoes. We are here to protect democracy not the despotic whims of one man. I would like to remind everyone of Marcos' Martial Law when Congress abdicated its responsibility and was padlocked. We are a chamber of lawmakers not President Duterte's echo chamber. And so, because I have not seen any evidence that Martial Law offers any distinct strategic advantage to our soldiers in their fight against the Maute terrorists that other laws cannot offer, and because I cannot trust a government that has played God with the lives of 8-12 thousand Filipinos to wield Martial law judiciously, I vote no.
ML in Luzon, Visayas? 'Hindi mangyayari yan', says defense chief

Responding to questions of Liberal Party president Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Saturday gave the assurance that the government has no plans to declare martial law outside of Mindanao in Luzon and Visayas.

Given the Abu Sayyaf attack in Bohol, will martial law be also declared in the Visayas? And given that the New People's Army also operates in Luzon, will the island be part of the martial law coverage? asked Pangilinan, echoing the general sentiment of Filipinos around the country.

"Hindi mangyayari yan (It will not happen)," the defense secretary said.

Pangilinan proposed that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Human Rights coordinate with human rights groups to submit regular reports on the human rights situation in the martial law-covered areas.

Lorenzana agreed with the proposal.

In his interpellation, the Liberal Party president also pointed out that he accepts that he and his colleagues in the minority are likely to lose in the voting at the joint session discussing the resolution to extend martial law in Mindanao until 31 December 2017.
Cavite adds to momentum of Change

The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan (PDP) on Friday added another formidable bailiwick to its already considerable national presence as local officials from the Province of Cavite threw their all-out support behind the political party of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

In a program held in Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City on Friday, party members Vice Governor Ramon "Jolo" Revilla III, Representatives Roy Loyola (5th District), and Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino brought local government officials from the province, led by former Governor Juanito Victor (Jonvic) Remulla, to take their oaths as PDP Laban members before Senate President and Party President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

"In every province, the call for Change led by PDP Laban is gaining momentum. The more Partners for Change we have, the better the chances of implementing real and sustainable Change", said Pimentel.

Four out of six cities and 16 out of 17 municipalities of the province were represented by their respective local government officials.

Cavite is ranked second among "vote-rich" provinces in the country, with a turnout of 1,354,603 voters during the 2016 Presidential Elections, with 557,639 of them voting for President Rodrigo Duterte, Chairman of PDP Laban.

"With Congress soon to convene as a constitutional assembly, the party's presence in all provinces would boost our efforts in shifting to Federalism and making it work for the welfare of our people", said Pimentel.
Press Release

July 22, 2017 Explanation of Vote On the Extension of Martial Law in Mindanao

Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto Mr. President: My initial position is a Martial Law confined to Marawi, and not a coast-to-coast one that blankets the whole of Mindanao. If we are using precision bombs in battle, then Martial Law, the biggest gun in our legal arsenal, should not be used away from the theater of war. I would have also preferred a shorter period, to prod an earlier end, because a protracted war only prolongs the agony of civilians caught in the vise-grip of war. But it is out of respect to those in the frontline, to the soldiers in the line of fire, that I am acceding to a five-month extension of Martial Law. If they say that it is vital to victory, then such must not be denied to them. I am not swayed by the optics of the commander-in-chief sauntering into the frontlines, nor by his rambling commentaries on war. I would rather give credence to the recommendations of those in the field, like the wounded Army lieutenant who testified earlier, whose views must carry more weight. While my support to the troops is unequivocal, my support for Martial Law is not, however, unconditional. Amid the din of bombs, and the bluster of politicians, there is one voice that we must heed. These are the voices of the half-a-million displaced, their homes destroyed, livelihood gone, and neighborhood razed to the ground. They are all saying: We must not be forgotten. I believe that more important than a proclamation extending Martial Law is a program extending sustained aid to them. This is so because war has created a humanitarian crisis of grievous proportions which makes Marawi indistinguishable from Mosul. Gallantry is not just displayed in the field. It is also present in evacuation centers, by mothers who battle disease, hunger and filth. To them we give this solemn vow: You are not forgotten. Mr. President: It is easy to destroy, hard to build. Reconstruction is harder than the prosecution of war. That is why I believe that the Martial Law declaration needs one important accompanying measure, and that is a Bangon Marawi Fund. I hope that when the President speaks before us two days from now in this very same hall, he will unveil a reconstruction budget. I hope that when he sends next year's budget to us, it will include funds for the rehabilitation of destroyed communities and damaged lives. I hope that it will be in an amount that will send this assurance to the people of Marawi: We will rebuild your city the same way it will be liberated: house to house, street to street, block to block. Mr. President: After we bomb, bomb, bomb, we must build, build, build. After Martial Law in Mindanao, there should be a Marshall Plan for Marawi. Because more important than bringing the fight to the front is bringing help to the civilians in the rear. For after the last casualty has been buried, after the last bomb has been dropped, a harder kind of urban warfare awaits us. And that is the urban renewal of Marawi. Thus, it can be said, that even if the enemy has been defeated, we cannot retreat from Marawi. We have to stay in Marawi, this time not to bring the enemy to its knees, but to help Marawi back on its feet. We have to stay in Marawi because we have the duty to help its people, so that like the Phoenix, or the legendary Maranao bird, the sarimanok, they will rise from the ashes. Otherwise, if we do not help the people of Marawi, if we fail them, if we neglect them, then such frustration begets disenchantment. As it had happened in many parts of the world, from Africa to the Middle East, neglected evacuation centers become breeding grounds for dissent and a recruitment ground for the same terrorists we sought to defeat. So Mr. President, in closing, let me reiterate the fighting slogan that should bind us all. We must build, build, build.
M Vincent has been booked under charges of sexual harassment and stalking by the Kerala Police.

Vincent has also been booked under abettment of suicide. (Photo: Twitter | The Dayafter)

By India Today Web Desk: A Congress MLA from Kerala who has been accused of raping a 51-year-old woman was arrested by the Kerala Police on Saturday. The accused identified as M Vincent was presented before a local court today.

He has been booked under charges of sexual harassment and stalking by the Kerala Police. Sources said that the woman attempted suicide earlier this week. Vincent has also been booked under abettment of suicide.

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The woman's husband alleged that she attempted to kill herself by overdosing on sleeping pills due to the trauma.

Kerala: Kerala Cong MLA M Vincent booked on charges of rape,stalking & abetment of suicide of a 51-year-old woman presented at a local court pic.twitter.com/Bmk61zGLLs&; ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2017

Despite the accusations levelled against him, Vincent maintained that there was a political conspiracy to malign him.

He went on to allege that one of CPI-M leaders was present at her residence when she allegedly consumed the sleeping pills.

Police said that the woman attempted suicide on Wednesday. The woman is currently being treated at a private hospital.

ALSO READ | Kerala Congress MLA Vincent booked on charges of raping 51-year-old woman

Former Delhi BJP MLA Vijay Jolly booked for rape after victim alleges he drugged her drink

ALSO WATCH | Delhi shocker: Two minors raped in Bawana, accused arrested

--- ENDS ---
Bill Hutchinson

A homeless encampment in an industrial area south of Potrero Hill in San Francisco was set ablaze on Thursday night and the fire quickly spread to an adjacent Muni warehouse, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage, officials said.

The Muni warehouse and equipment inside sustained about $68,000 to $70,000 worth of damage, investigators estimated, according to Officer Robert Rueca, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.
Thousands of firefighters continued to make progress Saturday on a wildfire burning west of Yosemite National Park in the states Gold Country, officials said.

The Detwiler Fire, which started last Sunday and spread across Mariposa County, grew overnight by about 200 acres. By Saturday evening, the fire had charred 75,500 acres, but a crew of around 4,600 firefighters had increased containment to 40 percent, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The Pony Express, the short-lived mail service whose daring young riders and tireless horses raced back and forth across 2,000 miles of a mostly unexplored continent, fired the imagination of the entire country. But it may have had the greatest emotional resonance in San Francisco.

The new city was the most isolated and far-flung urban center in the country. For San Franciscans, the Pony Express not only made it possible to receive mail from the East twice as fast, but it was also a joyous affirmation, announced by a million thundering hooves, that they were part of the United States.

Today on a building at Clay and Montgomery streets, several plaques commemorate the Pony Express. One of them reads: The first Pony Express rider to reach San Francisco on the final relay, carrying mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, arrived in this city April 14, 1860 aboard the river str. Antelope. Its a small recognition of a momentous event.

In 1860, San Francisco was a well-established city, more than 10 years old, with a population of about 60,000. But it was still at the end of the West, a region that was remote and almost mythical to most Americans.

With the exception of California, no territories west of Missouri were states. There were no railroads or telegraph lines, and few towns. The 1860 census showed 31.4 million people in the United States, of whom only 620,000  2 percent  lived in the West. Of that total, 380,000 were in California.

It took at least three weeks for a letter to make its way between the East Coast and San Francisco. Sometimes it was months. Most letters were sent by the circuitous southern Oxbow route via El Paso, Texas, to St. Louis, or by government steamships that sailed down both coasts to Panama. In 1856, 75,000 Westerners signed a petition demanding faster mail service.

A firm called Russell, Majors and Waddell, the largest freight-hauling outfit in the Western U.S., decided to fill the void. In the spring of 1860, it started a business called the Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company  better known as the Pony Express.

It was an enormous gamble. As Christopher Corbett writes in Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express, The Pony Express was a daring and madcap and foolish idea. It was thought to be impossible (men wagered against it ever happening) to race a satchel, a saddlebag called a mochilla, holding about 20 pounds of important mail written on the lightest tissue paper, across nearly 2,000 miles of largely uninhabited and hostile country.

For Russell, Majors and Waddell, the gamble proved disastrous. The Pony Express lasted only 18 months, ran up huge debts, and ruined the company. But if it failed as a business venture, it succeeded in its goal: to carry the mail at breathtaking speed across a barely explored continent. Col. Henry Inman, an expert in 19th century transportation, called its achievement the quickest time for horseback riding, considering the distance made, ever accomplished in this or any other country.

Ernst Wilhelm Raba

The Pony Express ran between San Francisco and St. Joseph, Mo. (Technically, the western terminus was Sacramento, because the ponies were sent by ship there from San Francisco.) The 1,950-mile route was divided into five sections, with 157 relay stations located 5 to 20 miles apart.

Five hundred horses were used, small western ponies so wild and ornery that one farrier called them the worst imps of Satan in the business. But they were incredibly fast and tireless. Hostile Indians through whose territory the couriers raced quickly learned they could not catch them.

Corbett describes the 80 riders hired for the St. Joseph-Sacramento run as tough, experienced lightweights, built like jockeys, weighing on average 100 to 120 pounds. Their average age, like many of the facts about the Pony Express, is disputed, but has been asserted to be 19.

The superintendent of the western end of the line was said to have placed an advertisement in a San Francisco paper that read, WANTED  young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. (It should be noted that the purported ad has never been found.)

Riders changed horses at the relay stations, with fresh men leaping into the saddle about every 100 miles. The change usually took less than 30 seconds. The men were paid $120 to $125 a month, an excellent salary in those days, and they earned it. The greatest danger was not Indians, but exhaustion and bad weather. Riders had to deal with blinding blizzards and spent as much as 36 hours in the saddle.

The first rider from the east left St. Joseph on the evening of April 3, 1860, at 7:15 p.m., carrying 49 letters in his mochilla. The evening before, in San Francisco, the first horse stood ready to depart from the Alta Telegraph office on Montgomery Street. The San Francisco Bulletin noted, From one oclock until the hour of our going to press, a clean-limbed, hardy little nankeen-colored pony stood at the door of the Alta Telegraph Company  the pioneer pony of the famous express which today begins its first trip across the continent.

The pony was sent by steamer to Sacramento. The next day, the first rider from the West galloped away with 69 letters.

The Pony Express was off and running, and newspapermen across the country were inspired to pen some memorable prose. The editor of the St. Joseph Free Democrat wrote, Away they go, rider and horse  did you see them? They are in California, leaping over its golden sands, treading its busy streets. The course has unrolled to us the great American panorama, allowed us to glance at the home of one million people, and has put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes. Verily the riding is like the riding of Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for he rideth furiously. Take out your watch. We are eight days from New York, eighteen from London. The race is to the swift.

Ten and a half days after the first pony left St. Joseph, the final one arrived in San Francisco. The citys reaction to that once-in-a-lifetime event will be the subject of the next Portals.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com

Trivia time

Previous trivia question: What was the Ham and Eggs Fire?

Answer: After the 1906 earthquake, someone living at Hayes and Gough streets tried to cook breakfast on a damaged stove. The ensuing fire burned more of the city than any of the other 52 separate fires that raged for four days.

This weeks trivia question: How did Visitacion Valley get its name?

Editors note

Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiyas Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Franciscos extraordinary history  from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday, alternating with Peter Hartlaubs OurSF.
A 22-year-old Oakland man was charged Friday with attempting to support terrorism by allegedly opening social media accounts to promote the Islamic State last year and offering to join the organization.

In one court filing unsealed Friday, a federal magistrate said prosecutors had alleged that Amer Sinan Alhaggagi went so far as to meet with undercover agents on multiple occasions to plan a potential terrorist attack.

A lawyer for Alhaggagi, who has been in federal custody since November on unrelated charges, called the latest allegations baseless and said they stemmed from idle talk in late-night Internet chat rooms.

The federal grand jury indictment charged Alhaggagi with attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

Between July 24 and Nov. 29 of last year, the indictment said, Alhaggagi was opening social media accounts understanding and intending that such accounts were to be used by, and for the benefit and promotion of, ISIS, and personnel, in the form of himself, to a foreign terrorist organization, namely ISIS, using the acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The terrorism charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The indictment did not give details of the social media accounts or specify how, or to whom, Alhaggagi offered personnel, in the form of himself to the terrorist organization.

But the newly disclosed court document quoted U.S. Magistrate Kandis Westmore as saying at a Dec. 20 hearing that the government had offered enough evidence to show Alhaggagi would be a danger to the community, might flee if released and should remain in custody.

An FBI agent had alleged that Alhaggagi was involved in planning certain terrorism-related conduct, Westmore said. At the meetings with undercover agents, she said, he also allegedly spoke of plans to flee to Mexico and elsewhere after engaging in such an attack.

He was also indicted Friday on the apparently unrelated charges of aggravated identity theft involving the use of someone elses credit card to obtain a shipment of nearly $5,000 worth of clothing last summer. Alhaggagi was arrested on those charges on Nov. 29 and has been in custody since then.

Defense lawyer Mary McNamara said Friday the terrorism charges appear to be based on Internet chat conversations that he had with a number of unknown people that Alhaggagi never took seriously.

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.

Amer is a very young and naive person, and it appears that he allowed himself to be drawn into conversations that he should have been far more suspicious of, McNamara said. She said Alhaggagi was unemployed at the time, had just turned 21, and just got drawn into online communities with other young men staying up late at night.

He was raised in the Bay Area and has traveled to and from Yemen several times with his family, McNamara said. She said he is well liked, sociable, not an isolated, weird person. He is not radicalized.

Amer is not anti-American and does not support ISIS or any other terrorist organizations, the attorney said. He is completely nonviolent and he took no actions to harm anyone.

The case has been assigned to a federal judge in Oakland. An arraignment on the charges has not yet been scheduled.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Residents in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco were advised to shelter in place for about an hour Friday afternoon because of a gas leak, officials said.

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management issued an alert about 1:21 p.m. advising the incident had been resolved.

The gas leak was near the intersection of Pierce and Page streets just a few blocks from Alamo Square, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

This all started around noon, a construction crew which is unrelated to PG&E was doing some work in the area when that crew hit a 2-inch plastic line, said Andrea Menniti, a spokeswoman for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Our crews safely stopped the flow of gas around 1:06 p.m, she said. They will remain on scene to make repairs.

The streets around the leak were closed to foot and vehicle traffic during the leak, and people where the gas fumes were detected were asked to shelter in place, police advised at 12:13 p.m.

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.

Menniti said PG&E is investigating whether the crew called 811  a free service that marks underground pipelines in advance of construction projects  before they started digging.

Damage to underground pipelines is the number one risk facing PG&Es gas system, Menniti said, so we are trying to educate the public about the importance of calling 811.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
November 2015 is when the trouble began for Joe Dellert.

Dellert was looking for a fresh start when, with rents skyrocketing, he decided to move his custom framing shop, Artisans of San Francisco, from Union Street to the Sunset District, 5 miles away.

He wasnt anticipating an effortless transition. The shop had been on Union at Buchanan for 65 years, so giving up decades worth of neighborhood name recognition and goodwill was no small sacrifice. But his struggle to bring in business at his new location proved to be unexpectedly difficult, thanks to a city street improvement project that began in January 2016, just two months after he opened his new shop.

The sprawling streetscape project, which the city expects to complete by late September, tore up Irving Street between 19th and 27th avenues to swap out aging sewer lines, plant new trees, repave the street, and replace old and patchy sidewalks on both sides of the street.

The goal is to make the area more inviting for pedestrians, motorists and transit riders. But it also temporarily eliminated precious street parking and sidewalk space in front of Dellerts store and those of his neighbors in the bustling business corridor.

They took so long to do everything, and having do-not-park signs in a commercial district, it really slowed down business, Dellert said. I couldnt get signage out there, and there wasnt much pedestrian traffic, so that made it hard to get my name out there. Sales didnt start to rebound until June 2016, he said.

Another business down the street from him, the Hard Wear apparel store, closed after nine years in part because of foot traffic and parking spots vanishing during the projects most intense phase, the stores owner, Angela Tickler, said.

Now, as the city gets set to embark on a similar infrastructure project on Irving Street from 19th Avenue east to Arguello Boulevard, a new cluster of shop owners in the projects path say the prospect of losing foot traffic and parking spaces for patrons is kindling anxieties about losing business.

My Yelp reviews will say that parking is already hard enough in this area, said Lorretta Witten, the store manager of Citi Shoes on Irving at Ninth Avenue.

My biggest concern is that itll take a long time and keep my numbers down, Witten said. How many people will avoid the area in general just because of the construction? Itll hurt business, she said.

Frank McGinn, owner of the Amazing Fantasy comic book store down the street at Irving and Eighth, had a more dire premonition: Were going to get crushed, he said. People arent going to come in  they cant park, and its just a mess during the construction.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

The project, which will kick off next month, is expected to last two years and will involve a host of city agencies. Public Works, which is managing the overall project, will oversee the repaving and curb ramp upgrades, and the Public Utilities Commission will replace and upgrade sewer and water lines beneath the street.

The Municipal Transportation Agency will be adding a number of bulb-outs along Irving to add more space for transit riders to board and exit N-Judah trains. The Department of Technology will take advantage of the exhumed streets to lay down fiber optic cable for high-speed Internet service.

We hope that the results are going to be worth it. A lot of people were dubious, said Larry Rosenfeld, the chief financial officer and secretary of Inner Sunset Park Neighbors, a community organizing group.

Mike Rieger, the Public Works project manager overseeing the project, said the city is acutely aware of the impact that large infrastructure jobs can have on nearby businesses. Because of that, the city works closely with nearby merchants and residents to figure out ways to minimize headaches.

The citys Office of Economic and Workforce Development, which works to promote economic vitality in the city, will join with Public Works to identify what the needs and opportunities are to support the merchants on Irving Street during construction, said Gloria Chan, a spokeswoman for the office.

In 2013, to help lessen the blow of a cumbersome sidewalk-widening project in the Castro, the workforce development office provided the Castro Community Benefit District with a $25,000 grant to help the neighborhoods businesses advertise that their doors were still open during construction.

Its hard work being beautiful  that was our tagline, said Andrea Aiello, the benefit districts executive director. In addition to marketing materials, the grant helped fund a website that business owners could turn to for updates from Public Works.

The city has been dong this for a long time, and I think theyre pretty adept now at working with merchants, Aiello said. But merchants need to insist on having great communication (with the city). Thats the key, she said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In total, the citys Public Works Department has 15 streetscape projects ongoing or set to begin this year.

Tickler, owner of the now-shuttered Hard Wear specialty clothing store, said her shop was financially vulnerable before the streetscape project got under way. And while she supports the citys infrastructure improvements overall, she said shed like to see some additional conversations about how the city can better assist merchants to weather these things.

If the city could have guaranteed the loan for me, even for a small amount, I wouldnt have gone under, Tickler said.

We certainly understand that construction is a huge disruption and there is pain associated with these infrastructure projects that come through, said Rieger, the Public Works project manager. But as much as possible, we schedule the work strategically, and we always notify businesses as soon as we can prior to construction happening and give them as much notice as possible.

District Four Supervisor Katy Tang, who represents the Sunset, recognized the frustrations of the Irving Street business owners concerned about trading patrons and parking for the dust and debris, but said the infrastructure improvements will be worth the effort.

I know its painful now, but we dont want for things to be broken years later, where there would still be disruption, Tang said.

Ultimately, we hope that it creates a place that is inviting. The city is going to work as fast as possible with minimal disruption, but I understand  if I was a business owner, I would complain, too.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
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It was a sunny July morning with a brisk little breeze, perfect for a saltwater voyage in a two-person kayak. There was almost no sound, only the cries of birds and the lapping of the waves. It was hard to believe this tranquil spot was less than a thousand yards off the San Francisco waterfront.

Sometimes you see pelicans out here flying in circles and taking turns at diving for fish, said Mark Morey, who was doing most of the paddling. Sometimes seals are out here, playing around. In the afternoon, when the light is just right and the fog is rolling over the hills, its just really beautiful. This is our little bit of heaven.

This is one of the rarest spots in the city, just off the entrance to the Islais Creek Channel, a nowhere kind of place, between Dogpatch and the Bayview district.

Two other kayaks joined our morning paddle. Bo Barnes, president of Kayaks Unlimited, was in one. Jay Oshima, another member, was in the other. For these two veterans of human-powered boats, the trip was routine. It was a voyage of discovery for me.

I prowled the shores of Islais Creek when I was a kid on Potrero Hill, when Islais Creek was an open sewer. I wouldnt tell my mother what we called that fetid waterway.

I rediscovered Islais Creek a few years ago, when the waters were cleared up and the north shore was developed into a park. It was a curious place, I thought, a city park that was nearly always empty, except for skateboarders and graffiti types.

On a visit the other Sunday afternoon, I ran into Morey at the kayak shed at Islais Landing on the south shore. Come for a ride, he said.

A few days later we sailed out from a tiny beach, where it is easy to put a small boat in the water. We headed east, toward the bay, ducked under two drawbridges, and paddled out past the end of Pier 80 into the bay. There is a sensational view of the city skyline just offshore. In a kayak, you are right down on the water, where the only worries are the current and the wind. It is a seals-eye view of San Francisco.

We headed back in, to the far west end of the channel, where the waterway ends next to an off-ramp from the 280 freeway and the Caltrain tracks. The shore is lined with abandoned piers, left from the days when Islais Creek was a busy commercial harbor. Copra was shipped in from the Philippines, wheat was shipped out for Europe.

Now it is mostly empty, a canal, 40 feet deep and just short of a mile long, like an industrial Amsterdam. No one can remember when the two drawbridges were raised; no ships have entered the western side of Islais Creek for years.

The Third Street bridge carries a lot of cars and trucks, even the Muni T-Third Street line. Its not every day you can slide under a bridge in a kayak just as a streetcar clanks overhead.

Just past the drawbridges are tall steel towers on the north shore, once used to load California wheat onto ships. The towers are ancient and rusty, like artifacts from a lost world.

In a way, Islais Creek is a lost world, an out-of-the-way corner of one of the best-known cities in the world. You can explore it on foot for yourself from the corner of Tulare and Indiana streets, the entrance to the grandly named city park, Islais Creek Promenade. Islais Landing is on the other side, on the south shore, just across the Third Street Bridge.

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.

Kayaks Unlimited is the steward of the creek. The organization shares a tiny shed at Islais Landing with the Islais Creek Dragon Boat Training Centre, which sails outrigger canoes. Both groups are into small adventures  the dragon boaters like racing, the kayakers like cruising the channel out into the bay. Good paddles, Morey said, are to Hunters Point or to McCovey Cove and Mission Creek.

We would like to see more people here, Morey said.

Barnes, the Kayaks Unlimited president, welcomes new members. This is a co-op club, he said. If you dont have a kayak, you can borrow one. We will take people out three times to see if they like it. After that, we ask that they join.

Barnes, who is 71, is one of the bays kayak gurus. Hes been at it for years and helped organize the San Francisco Bay Water Trail, a network of more than 70 places from Alviso to Martinez, where kayakers and other human-powered boaters can get access to the bay. Islais Landing was the first such spot in San Francisco.

I love it, Morey said of paddling around in San Franciscos quiet backwater. Its my hobby, my passion and my exercise.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
Corporate turnarounds have been done before, but whats happening at Adobe Systems stretches the far limits of credulity.

The San Jose software firm, once known primarily for programs like Photoshop, Flash and Acrobat, has executed one of the greatest comebacks in the history of Silicon Valley  indeed, in U.S. corporate history. Once dismissed as a relic of the bygone era of boxed desktop software, Adobe has transformed itself into a cloud powerhouse serving other big businesses in just three years.

The speed of this transformation has stunned competitors and Wall Street alike.

They have executed flawlessly, said Josh Olson, an analyst with Edward Jones Investments in St. Louis. They are the standard to follow in the industry.

We had our doubts Adobe could pull it off, Olson said. We certainly dont now.

Lest you think Olson is too much of an Adobe cheerleader, consider that hehas a hold rating on the shares. Even the one guy on Wall Street who recommends investors sell the stock  Brian Wieser of Pivotal Research Group  has nothing but praise for the company.

These analysts reservations center not on the actual business but, rather, on Adobes soaring stock price, which they consider too expensive. Indeed, over a 52-week period, the price of Adobe shares has jumped 55 percent to nearly $150, far outpacing the gains for Facebook (36 percent), Alphabet (31 percent) and Oracle (24 percent) in the same time period.

In its last fiscal year, the company generated $5.85 billion in sales, a 22 percent gain from the previous year. In that time, profit jumped 86 percent to $1.17 billion. Buoyed by its financial strength, the company is expanding its corporate headquarters in San Jose. It also has a large office in San Francisco.

Adobes transformation might seem sudden, but CEO Shantanu Narayen has been planning for this since 2012. The software industry has seen a couple of shifts in the past couple of decades. In the 90s, customers began downloading software programs from the Internet rather than installing them from floppy disks or CD-ROMs. Then they began running software entirely over the Internet, delivering functions on websites or mobile apps. And added to that are the complexities of business licensing, in which software companies often charge an annual fee per user rather than getting paid for a one-time purchase  regardless of whether the software runs on an employees computer or over the Internet.

Changing how software firms get paid is enormously complicated because it requires a company to change the way it compensates its salespeople and adopt new accounting methods, said Jill Rowley, an expert in software sales and a former top executive at Eloqua, a company purchased by Oracle in 2013.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Adobes in a different position than Microsoft, Google or Salesforce. Email, word processing and customer-tracking apps can be designed to run through the cloud without any software downloads. Complex photo-editing and page-design software, on the other hand, has to live on users computers. Despite the name, Adobes Creative Cloud is a desktop/Internet hybrid, combined with online services like a stock-photo library.

For Adobe, embracing the cloud  even in this hybrid fashion  allows customers to continuously update software from online servers rather than waiting years for new versions to come out. That means software makers must constantly tweak and innovate on the fly.

Large, entrenched corporations like Oracle have struggled to make this transition, said Rowley, who briefly worked for Oracle after the acquisition. Every software firm knows that it needs to embrace the cloud; what matters most is how well and how quickly they do it, Rowley said.

It all comes down to leadership and culture, Rowley said.

Consider Adobes progress so far. Three years ago, 50 percent of its annual revenue came from subscriptions,39 percent from product sales. Last year, 78 percent of its annual revenue originated from subscriptions compared with 14 percent for products.

From the get-go, Adobe decided that it would act decisively, Abhay Parasnis, executive vice president and chief technology officer, recently told me. Some companies, like Oracle and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, have elected to sell one-time licenses as well as subscriptions. Adobe decided to fully move to the cloud, he said.

We were not conflicted or confused about our strategy, Parasnis said. We knew the way to do this was not to be half-hearted. We were all in.

Both Adobe and Wall Street, though, expected such a big move to be rocky, because it would make things confusing for investors and customers alike.

But Adobe had one big advantage, Rowley said.

The companys core business already tilts toward creative pursuits like art, marketing and media. Such professions embrace change more easily than conservative industries like finance and human resources, she said.

Adobes creative foundation allowed it to more easily expand into new but related markets like digital marketing and data analytics, Parasnis said.

Digital marketing nicely complements their existing businesses, Edward Jones Olson said.

Cross-selling a complete set of services and products to customers will be key to its long-term growth, he said.

For example, customers that used Photoshop to create images or stories (creative) now want help on distributing and personalizing the content (marketing) and on determining whether such efforts are working (analytics), he said.

Everyone wants to be a storyteller, Parasnis said.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Amy Osborne/Special To The Chronicle Show More Show Less



There have been some complaints about Adobes subscription model. Past surveys by Cnet and Jefferies said customers were angry about having to pay subscription fees to receive updates. But most people said they planned to renew their Creative Cloud subscriptions.

For fiscal 2016, digital marketing revenue, which includes analytics, jumped 28 percent to $1.74 billion from $1.35 billion two years prior.

The good results in digital marketing stand out to us, Sterling Auty, an analyst with J.P. Morgan, wrote in a recent research note. Increasingly, we look to this segment to drive incremental growth.

This year, Adobe has been blowing past Wall Streets quarterly sales estimates.

For the six months of this year, Adobe said revenue jumped 24 percent to $3.45 billion from $2.78 billionfrom the same period a year ago.

Whenever we doubt they can meet (subscriber targets), they continue to beat expectations, Olson said.

Adobes challenge is to keep looking forward, Parasnis said.

It is making big investments in artificial intelligence. Parasnis predicts a shift from touch screens to voice interfaces like Alexa and Siri. He imagines Photoshop customers producing content with a combination of voice and virtual reality.

Parasnis also sees an opportunity for Adobe to create simplified versions of its software so customers can create content on messaging apps like Slack, Instagram and WeChat. Adobe bought a startup, Aviary, in 2014 that offers software for adding photo-editing features to other apps.

When youre successful, thats usually when you falter, he said. This is an industry that does not care about yesterdays success. We continuously try to stay paranoid.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
Tesla, in its brief history, has introduced only three models. And not every rollout went well.

The electric Model S sedan, released in 2012, earned rapturous reviews and quickly rising sales.

But the Model X sport utility vehicle experienced so many glitches and supplier problems during its 2015 rollout that Tesla managed to build only 507 of them in the first three months of production  fewer than six per day.

And while the 2008 introduction of Teslas original car, the Roadster, seemed to go well at the time, CEO Elon Musk later admitted that the vehicle broke down all the time and really didnt work.

On Friday, Tesla will deliver its long-awaited, $35,000 Model 3, the Palo Alto companys first car geared toward middle-class drivers.

Its a huge test, said Bill Selesky, senior analyst with Argus Research. This is the vehicle thats really going to define them with the mass audience, and theyve really got to be very careful that what they put out there is what they said it was going to be.

The Model 3 is a crucial piece of Teslas plan to expand past its status as a boutique automaker, with the company planning to build 1 million cars per year by 2020. (That includes all Tesla vehicles, not just the Model 3). Its also key to Musks long-term goal of selling a still-skeptical public on electric cars and weaning the world off of fossil fuels.

Even though sales of other electric vehicles remain sluggish, the Model 3 set off widespread excitement when Musk unveiled the final design last year. An estimated 400,000 people have put down $1,000 deposits to reserve one, and anyone entering the line now probably wont get their car until late next year at the earliest.

Many who made reservations have had their eye on Tesla for years but havent been able to swing the price of a Model S or Model X, with the cheapest Model S costing $69,500. Other electric cars already available  like the $37,495 Chevy Bolt, which can travel a bit farther than a Model 3 on a fully charged battery  dont sway some.

The Chevy Bolt wouldnt even be there if Elon wasnt pushing the envelope, said Mike Lary, a network engineer who lives with his wife, Sara, outside Little Rock, Ark. Im going to support (someone whos) pushing the envelope. At the end of the day, Im rocking an iPhone, not an Android.

Lary, 38, who has craved a Tesla since seeing the Roadster, currently drives two gasoline-powered cars but is sold on the environmental and fuel-saving advantages of an electric. And yet, he says, the major automakers havent offered any truly exciting cars with advanced technology. Teslas vehicles, he says, are cutting-edge.

They have not, however, been consistently reliable.

Consumer Reports deemed the Model S the best car weve ever seen, in a gushing 2013 assessment. But last year, the magazine dinged the Model X for its dismal first-year reliability and highlighted stories from early Model X owners who complained of malfunctioning falcon-wing doors and a dashboard infotainment screen prone to freezing up.

Musk has frequently faulted  and taken the blame for  the hubris that marred the SUVs rollout. The Model X, he has said, was complex and difficult to build. It offered an array of options and configurations, which slowed production.

It is like the Faberge egg of cars, Musk told this years annual shareholders meeting. Its really an amazing product, but it has way too many cool things in it that should have really been rolled in with version two, version three. ... We got overconfident and created something great that probably will never be made again  and perhaps should not be.

As a result, Tesla designed the Model 3 to be easier to build than the Model X, Musk says.

While the Model S and Model X have two display screens on the dash, each with its own computer, the Model 3 has one. It has less wiring and lacks the motorized door handles, which rise out from the door panel, found in other Tesla cars. Initially, the car will offer one basic configuration, with options such as dual-motor (all-wheel) drive added later.

Weve got to do the ramp right  weve got to make sure the quality is good, the safety is good, Musk told the shareholders at the June 6 meeting. Its crazy-hard to make cars.

David Whiston, an equity analyst for the Morningstar research firm, said Musk seems to have learned the lessons of the Model X launch.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The question remains as to how quickly Tesla can increase Model 3 production  and satisfy all those reservation holders, some of them in line more than a year  without sacrificing quality. Teslas overall car production grew just 1 percent between the first and second quarters of this year, prompting a sell-off of its high-flying stock in early July; it has since recovered slightly. Production must grow much faster in the future to meet expectations for the Model 3.

You dont want to go too fast, because you have all these orders, and then mess up, Whiston said. For a young company to lose its reputation for quality  you cant do that.

Tesla, which has had only two profitable quarters in its history as a public company, boasts a market capitalization similar to that of General Motors. The company has built up the kind of brand appeal that most automakers can only envy, more akin to Apples than Fords. Its one of the reasons reservation holders were willing to put down money on a car they couldnt test drive and wouldnt receive for a long time.

I really like this company  I like what its done, said Kathy Armas of San Clemente (Orange County).

She has ridden in a friends Model S and enjoyed it. And as someone who drives a lot, Armas, 52, likes the idea of not paying for gas. At the same time, she noticed the Model Xs slow rollout and less-than-stellar reviews.

When the X came out, I was thinking I was going to see that everywhere  and I didnt, she said.

Those issues, however, werent enough to persuade her to drop her Model 3 reservation.

I wanted a car that had everything  a professional look, a sporty look, and it would save on gas, Armas said. It was a car that would capture everything I want.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
By PTI: Colombo, Jul 22 (PTI) The unity government of two major political parties in Sri Lanka is likely to face its first major test when the provincial councils go to polls by the end of the year.

The Chair of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said the notice calling for nominations for three of the nine provincial councils would be issued by October 2.

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According to the elections act, the nominations should be finalised within three weeks thereafter when the polls date would be announced. The election must take place between five or eight weeks from such notice.

The election would be the first since the unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in 2015.

The government has faced accusations of delaying the elections for over 300 local councils since 2015.

The Opposition has alleged that the government was delaying elections due to fear of losing while the government maintains that delimitation of electoral boundaries of local council areas and connected legislation needs have delayed holding the election.

The previous Mahinda Rajapaksa administration was accused of carrying out delimitation to suit the needs of certain individuals.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe?s the United National Party (UNP) and President Sirisena?s the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have been together in a government of national unity since September of 2015.

A section within the SLFP who are bitterly opposed to an alliance with the UNP wants to quit the government, alleging that the governments path had been unsatisfactory to deliver pledged made to voters. PTI CORR PMS

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San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin has asked the city attorney to explore legislation to impose a vacancy tax on large property owners who leave residential and commercial buildings empty.

During a supervisors meeting this month, Peskin said he continues to receive complaints about the impact of ghost buildings on neighborhoods.

The problem is, nobody really knows how many vacant homes there are in the city and whether a vacancy tax would be legal or effective in freeing up much-needed housing.

In an interview, Peskin cited a 28-unit apartment building at 1656 Powell St. that was vacated after a fire damaged some units in December 2013. It remains empty. The three-story building is in a prime North Beach location across from Washington Square Park.

Four businesses on the buildings ground floor  a liquor store, a bar, a Thai restaurant and a seafood restaurant  are open, but the apartments above still have boarded-up windows and a littered lobby. Some work was done in the units in 2015 but never completed, according to the building department.

Shadi Zughayar, who runs Coit Liquor on the street level, thinks a vacancy tax would bring tenants back. I love this building, he said. I want it to be active, not like pigeons living there.

The building is owned by an extended family whose members could not be reached. The owners have been working together to repair the property ever since (the fire), and we all look forward to the day when the tenants can move back in to the building, said J. Timothy Falvey, a senior vice president with Hanford-Freund, which manages the commercial space. His firm is not involved in the reconstruction and couldnt comment on it.

Adil Shaikh, who managed the residential portion under a master lease, said some of the former tenants are eager to return, and he doesnt know what is taking so long.

Landlords might keep apartments empty for any number of reasons, Peskin said. Maybe they had a bad tenant and dont want to risk another, or they are holding property as an investment and just dont care about forgone rent. I asked the city attorney to see if we could propose a tax, to encourage property rentals.

Around the world, some cities have considered or imposed vacancy taxes to fight blight, free up housing or discourage foreign investors from using real estate as a piggy bank or money laundering facility.

In January, Vancouver, British Columbia, imposed an empty homes tax equal to 1 percent of assessed value on non-primary homes and rental units that are not occupied for at least six months of the year.

Vancouvers City Council enacted the tax even though a study it commissioned that analyzed electricity use found that the non-occupancy rate had been flat at around 4.8 percent from 2002 to 2014 and was in line with that of other Canadian cities. However, the report still indicated the presence of (an estimated) 10,800 empty properties in Vancouver  and census data suggests that an even larger pool of underutilized properties may exist, a Vancouver spokeswoman said in an email.

Some cities in France and Australia have imposed vacancy taxes, and some in the United Kingdom are looking at it. Washington, D.C., levies a higher tax on vacant property ($5 per $100 of assessed value) and blighted property ($10 per $100 assessed value) than on occupied property (85 cents to $1.85 depending on use).

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

In San Francisco, owners of vacant properties are supposed to register with the city and pay a $711 annual fee. As of May, there were 38 residential and 47 commercial properties on the registry (excluding ones that had received exemptions or become occupied). However, the registry is not a complete inventory because the city relies on self-reporting and complaints to identify vacant buildings. The Powell Street building is not on the list, although the ground floor is occupied.

SPUR, a Bay Area nonprofit focused on planning issues, used census data to estimate the number of non-primary homes in San Francisco, meaning those not being used full time by owners or renters for reasons other than natural turnover, foreclosure, construction or certain other factors. In a study published in 2014, it found that only 9,100, or about 2.4 percent, of the citys total housing units (rental and owner occupied) were used for seasonal, recreational or occasional use.

Compared to other high-cost markets such as Miami, Honolulu and Manhattan, San Franciscos percentage of non-primary residences is relatively low, the report said.

SPUR also tried to determine whether San Franciscos rent-control policies keep units off the market by comparing vacancy rates in the city to surrounding counties, but found the results inconclusive.

We found it extremely difficult to figure out the size of the (empty-home) problem, said Sarah Karlinsky, one of the authors. But based on the data SPUR analyzed, it didnt seem to be huge.

The city has passed regulations to crack down on homes being used as full-time vacation rentals through companies such as Airbnb.

A vacancy tax has not been tried in California. If San Francisco decided to impose one, the city could minimize the risk of a legal challenge if it were structured as a parcel tax and won voter approval, said Darien Shanske, a law professor at UC Davis. Structuring it like Vancouvers could be a problem, because under Californias Proposition 13, taxes based on the value of a property cannot exceed 1 percent of assessed value.

Implementing a tax could be a burden for property owners. In Vancouver, every homeowner must submit a form online once a year indicating whether the home was occupied or rented and for how many months. If they dont submit the form, it will be deemed vacant and taxed. If they do submit it, and are selected for audit, they must provide proof of residence or rental. The city expects to spend $4.7 million over three years to implement the tax.

And theres no guarantee it would free up more housing. Some people might just pay the tax or find ways around it.

For single-family homes and condos, having a tenant in the house is the single biggest issue, for buyers and sellers, said Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst with Paragon Real Estate. You cant stage it, you cant clean it up, showings are more difficult. The great majority of people wont consider buying a tenant-occupied house because of the significant cost, hassle and liability factors of eviction in San Francisco. The buyers who will consider it want a substantial discount.

In San Francisco, a vacancy tax could be a solution in search of a problem, said Richard Green, director of the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California. If this were really a problem you would see high vacancies, and we see very low vacancies in the Bay Area, he said. San Franciscos principal housing problem is not that its housing stock is not being fully used. The real problem: You need more of it.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
Giavanna Acosta and Enzo Mineo didnt have a fancy black-tie wedding  it was a San Francisco City Hall affair, with 20 or so family members in attendance. But they did splurge on one thing  the pictures.

We went all out, because I said the only things I'll have at the end of the day are my photos, Acosta said. Something to remember the day by, for the rest of our life.

It turns out memories may be all shell have. Hours after the photographer the couple hired left the wedding, someone smashed her car window and made off with $15,000 in camera equipment  including the photos from Mondays ceremony.

This literally was the worst news I could possibly receive, because this was the only thing that mattered out of the whole day: having pictures and memories of the day, Acosta said.

The photographer, Amanda Tung, and her assistant, Linda Dang, shot photos at Crissy Field in the Presidio after the wedding, then parked their Honda CR-V a short distance away around 6:30 p.m. to use a restroom. When they came back, broken glass on the pavement told them what had happened.

I felt like the blood drained from my body  I froze, Tung said. Right away, I thought, Oh no, the memory cards. Equipment, we can replace all that. Its just stuff. But thats someone's memories. ... It just broke my heart.

Tung and Dang spent the next few hours searching trash cans and bushes in the Presidio, hoping the thieves had dumped the memory cards. Tung went to an Oakland flea market the next day after hearing that stolen cameras sometimes turn up at swap meets. No luck.

Dangs cell phone was also stolen, so she sent a message that would appear on the phone once it was turned on: Please just return the memory cards. We'll give you money. They havent heard back.

Mineo, 35, is a deputy sheriff for Alameda County, so he knows theres next to no chance the photos will turn up  not in a city that recorded 24,235 vehicle break-ins in 2016.

Tung says shell reshoot the family portraits at City Hall for no charge and throw in flower arrangements. Shes also offering a $1,000 reward for the return of the memory cards. Anyone with information can reach her at amandablueberrywedding@gmail.com.

The couple have a few photos from the ceremony, shot by family members. For now, at least, those will have to do.

I heard a thing once that the worse the wedding, the better the marriage, said Acosta, 30, a registered nurse at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. So we laugh and say, Yeah, we'll be together for lifetimes to come, if thats the case.

Dianne de Guzman is a producer for SFGate. Email: DMcAlpin@sfchronicle.com
Leah Millis/The Chronicle

A man who was stabbed to death in San Franciscos Hayes Valley neighborhood was identified by the medical examiners office as a city resident.

Officers found Jason Little, 42, on the sidewalk at Lily Street and Octavia Boulevard shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
For decades, anyone searching for the composer John Luther Adams knew pretty much where to look. It might not have been easy to actually get to him, because beginning in the 1970s, Adams was mostly ensconced in a small wooden shed deep in the interior of Alaska.

But the steady flow of compositions coming out of that shed  innovative, grandly scaled works that were deeply imbued with a sense of place and attuned to the sounds and rhythms of the natural world  bore witness to his rooted existence in the Arctic Circle.

Now Adams, at 64, is on the move.

Three years ago  shortly after winning the Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy for his vast, shimmery orchestral work Become Ocean  Adams and his wife, Cindy, pulled up stakes and relocated to New York City. When we spoke by phone recently, he was in Santiago, Chile, a location about which he speaks with a lovers ardor.

And this week, Adams will be in San Francisco, where SFJazz is hosting a full-scale immersion in his work  a weeklong, six-event musical smorgasbord featuring percussion works, a sound installation at Grace Cathedral and a complete traversal of his string quartets, including a world premiere, presented by the virtuosic Jack Quartet.

Jazz, you say? Well, not by any traditional reckoning. Adams work sits more squarely within the experimental tradition of American classical music, nodding to such predecessors as John Cage, Harry Partch, Henry Cowell and Pauline Oliveros. Its vistas are expansive  often unfolding over an hour and more of gradual evolution  and its language is alternately lush and delicate.

Yet neither composer nor presenter is at all fazed by the seeming incongruity of this project.

I love the fact that this is happening at what is, nominally at least, a non-classical venue, Adams says. And it strikes me more and more that listeners dont care what music is called, or how its categorized  just how it speaks to them.

So I hope they will come with a certain high curiosity, ready to hear something they havent heard before.

Randall Kline, the founder and executive artistic director of SFJazz, sought Adams out on the basis of Become Ocean, which was premiered and recorded by the Seattle Symphony under its music director, Ludovic Morlot.

I started listening to that piece, and I thought, theres something about this that has an SFJazz aesthetic, says Kline. Theres that sense of openness, of not being confined. And a lot of it is about the experience of deep listening.

In the interests of clarity, its worth pointing out  although this has become less necessary as his work has grown in prominence  that John Luther Adams uses his full name professionally for good reason. Of the two Pulitzer- and Grammy-winning composers named John Adams, he is the younger one, and still arguably the less famous. Hes not the Berkeley composer of Nixon in China and Doctor Atomic, although the two have known one another since the early 1970s.

I remember in around 1980 that John and I both released recordings at the same time, John Luther Adams recalls. There was a review in Stereo Review under the headline Two John Adamses. But it wasnt long after that it came to seem like maybe there was just one John Adams, and pretty soon I knew I had a problem.

Adopting his middle name for the first time since childhood was a difficult decision.

Id always hated my middle name  my mother only used it when she was mad at me  but one of my great heroes is Martin Luther King, and so I decided to just go with it. And over time I came to embrace it.

For listeners unfamiliar with Adams work  its vivid blend of energy and stillness, its exquisite gradations of instrumental color, its gift for invoking spiritualism without sanctimony  the weeks festivities promise an immersive range of musical experiences. One of the highlights, surely, will be a performance of Inuksuit, Adams outdoor extravaganza for up to 99 percussionists splayed across a carefully chosen performance site  in this case, Sutro Baths at Lands End.

This is a piece that has certain needs in order to mount an effective performance, says Adams. You need some reflective surfaces, you need some topography, and you need birds. There has to be a relationship with the acoustic environment.

Yet despite its constraints, Inuksuit, completed in 2009, has emerged as one of Adams most frequently played works. In 2012, there was a ravishing performance on the UC Berkeley campus as part of Cal Performances presentation of music from the Ojai Festival. The piece has even been done indoors, in a 2011 performance at the New York Armory that garnered plenty of attention but left the composer feeling a little uneasy.

That was the one and only authorized indoor performance, Adams says. The guest list was stellar. People had rapturous responses. It had sounds Id never heard before. But it wasnt Inuksuit, because so much of that piece is a call-and-response with the music of the place its performed.

Peg Skorpinski

Adams says friends have sometimes compared Inuksuit to Terry Rileys 1964 minimalist classic In C, mostly because its the piece of his that gets performed most frequently. But it also shares with In C a celebration of a communal experience  an aspect of the work that Adams himself was slow to grasp.

The piece relies on a community not just of musicians, but of its listeners and of the site itself. And this was the ultimate irony for a reclusive Alaskan composer. When I was working on it, I thought this was a piece about solitude. I imagined each performer and each listener as a solitary presence on this vast performance landscape. But then I discovered it was actually a community. The joke was on me.

The string quartets on the schedule are a little more traditional, but only up to a point. They include two pieces in which the players never dampen a string against the fingerboard  both scores are entirely built out of open strings and natural harmonics. The new work, Everything That Rises, is constructed from a series of melodic and harmonic spirals that trend endlessly upward.

Also on the schedule are the percussion solo Illimaq (like many of Adams titles, this one derives from the indigenous languages of Alaska) and Veils and Vesper, a gradually evolving electro-acoustic soundscape to be installed in Grace Cathedral.

Born in Mississippi, Adams grew up in various locations around the U.S. His earliest musical experiences were as a rock n roll drummer, and an early passion for the music of Frank Zappa led him  as it did for many experimentally minded rockers  to the works of Edgard Varese, Morton Feldman, Cage and Webern. Soon after graduating from Cal Arts in 1973, he moved to Alaska and found a home and an artistic motivation.

Courtesy photo/Cantaloupe Music

At first, though, he and his wife devoted themselves chiefly to environmental activism. They helped work toward the 1980 passage of a federal act, signed by President Jimmy Carter, to protect millions of acres of Alaskan land as parks and wildlife refuges.

Throughout the ensuing decades, much of Adams output  works bearing such wintry titles as Dream in White on White or In a Treeless Place, Only Snow  played to more urban listeners like bulletins from a remote outpost.

But more recently, a confluence of factors worked to dislodge the Adamses from their Arctic home. The political climate grew chillier and more polarized. Adams was beset by a series of eye problems that required one surgery after another. And the landscape itself had begun to shift.

The undeniable and rapid advance of climate change was a big factor. Scientists have been predicting that changes would show up first in high latitudes, and boy, were they correct. We were right on the bleeding edge of it.

So Adams and his wife decided that there was time for one more big adventure. They bought a small apartment in Manhattan, and moved there. Its a decision about which he already sounds ambivalent at best.

We love New York  to me it is still the city, and weve seen a few  but we have discovered, surprise surprise, that were not really city people. We love going there, and we love leaving. So it remains to be seen how New York will figure in our lives long term.

At the moment, Adams is hip-deep in two large projects: a memoir of his life in Alaska, and a characteristically massive choral work scheduled for an outdoor premiere next summer in New Yorks Central Park. Its planned for some dozen choruses and, Adams hopes, upward of 1,000 voices.

It does seem very Alaskan  very larger-than-life, he acknowledges with a laugh. Maybe its the masterpiece complex, which is absurd and outmoded, but for whatever reason, after living for virtually all of my creative life in a landscape like that, in that geography, Ive come to measure everything that I do, and everything that humans do, against the natural world.

You know, I went north all those years ago, as a romantic young crusader and artist, and I imagined that in Alaska I could step outside my own culture  which is patently ridiculous.

But somehow I was able to draw music from the air and the earth, and that has served me well. Even though its obviously a ridiculous idea, its given me a lifes work.

Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman

John Luther Adams Festival: Wednesday-Sunday, July 26-30. $35. SFJazz Center, 201 Franklin St.; Sutro Baths, Lands End; Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. (866) 920-5299, www.sfjazz.org

Spotify playlist of music by John Luther Adams: http://tinyurl.com/y8gdgtsh
By Sushant Mehta: Lipstick Under My Burkha has been in the news for months for its fight with the Central Board of Film Certification. The much-talked-about film finally hit the theatres this Friday. Here is our review.

Director: Alankrita Shrivastava

Cast: Ratna Pathak, Konkana Sensharma, Aahana Kumra, Plabita Borthakur, Shashank Arora, Sushant Singh, Vikrant Massey, Vaibbhav Tatwawdi

Rating: (3/5)

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(Contains spoilers)

'Badan ke khilte bageeche mein Rosy ki jawani kaantein ki tarah khud usko hi chubhe ja rahi thi' - this is one of the opening lines from Alankrita Srivastav's controversial film 'Lipstick under my burkha'. This film is not even remotely close to being a revolutionary commentary on women's liberation but it is an intelligent & thoroughly entertaining movie. The kind of film that engages you with every scene as the director sticks to her strengths, she doesn't fall into the trap of being too preachy, pretentious or even too real.

Ratna Pathak Shah as Usha or Buaji steals the show, she plays an elderly woman who indulges in trashy Hindi fantasy novels. At 55 she is infatuated with a swimming instructor who seems to have jumped straight out of 'lipistick wale sapne' (yes lipistick, not lipstick) the titillating book which buaji reads to herself in the wee hours of the night.

This one sided love affair is the only exciting thing in this otherwise conventional small town woman's life. Konkona Sen Sharma is 'Shireen'. A mother of three, her husband is a typical male chauvinist who imposes his archaic mindset on his wife and simply uses her to satisfy him. Then there's 'Leela' (Aahana Kumar) who doesn't hold back while expressing her sexual desires and someone who is being forced into getting married. Rihana (Plabit Borthakur) is the last member of this group of women who unlike the other women in their vicinity are secretly trying to break free and for once live their lives the way they really want to. A teen who idolizes Miley Cyrus, Rihana is practically living two lives, a wannabe rebel in college and a well mannered burkha clad girl at home.

These 4 women are our heroes. They are frustrated, desperate and in their own little way extremely daring. Director Alankrita Srivastav offers a very healthy dose of overtly expressive sexual references & scenes which is a first for any mainstream Hindi film. Some may see this film as a collection of cheap thrills but it is about time we saw an honest Indian version of what women want, having said that perhaps what works for this film the most is the fact that it doesn't generalize or label women. It is a running commentary on different women at different stages of their lives and that's about it.

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The director challenges your conditioning as certain scenes make you uncomfortable, uncomfortable to just the right degree. The sight of an elderly saari clad 'bua' having phone sex with a much younger man seems extremely odd simply because it's too much of a taboo in this country. Women wanting sex seems immoral, very 'un-sanskaari', not part of our 'sabhyata' while watching our 50 plus superstars romancing young 20 year olds is totally acceptable & seems perfectly normal.

Like almost every B-wood flick 'Lipstick under my burkha' has a very banal ending, a shame considering the riveting storyline and stellar performance which make this film a must watch. I am going with 3 out of 5 for 'Lipstick under my burkha' although veiled, this is an important announcement of change in Hindi cinema & hopefully in our society. It's about time we don't cover up.

ALSO READ: Ratna Pathak Shah on Lipstick Under My Burkha, CBFC ban and working with a female director

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ALSO READ: Exactly what in Lipstick Under My Burkha kept Pahlaj Nihalani's CBFC from giving it a certificate? ALSO WATCH: CBFC strikes again, Lipstick Under My Burkha refused certificate

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A 22-year-old Oakland man was charged Friday with attempting to support terrorism by allegedly opening social media accounts to promote the Islamic State last year and offering to join the organization.

In one court filing unsealed Friday, a federal magistrate said prosecutors had alleged that Amer Sinan Alhaggagi went so far as to meet with undercover agents on multiple occasions to plan a potential terrorist attack.

A lawyer for Alhaggagi, who has been in federal custody since November on unrelated charges, called the latest allegations baseless and said they stemmed from idle talk in late-night Internet chat rooms.

The federal grand jury indictment charged Alhaggagi with attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

Between July 24 and Nov. 29 of last year, the indictment said, Alhaggagi was opening social media accounts understanding and intending that such accounts were to be used by, and for the benefit and promotion of, ISIS, and personnel, in the form of himself, to a foreign terrorist organization, namely ISIS, using the acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The terrorism charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The indictment did not give details of the social media accounts or specify how, or to whom, Alhaggagi offered personnel, in the form of himself to the terrorist organization.

But the newly disclosed court document quoted U.S. Magistrate Kandis Westmore as saying at a Dec. 20 hearing that the government had offered enough evidence to show Alhaggagi would be a danger to the community, might flee if released and should remain in custody.

An FBI agent had alleged that Alhaggagi was involved in planning certain terrorism-related conduct, Westmore said. At the meetings with undercover agents, she said, he also allegedly spoke of plans to flee to Mexico and elsewhere after engaging in such an attack.

He was also indicted Friday on the apparently unrelated charges of aggravated identity theft involving the use of someone elses credit card to obtain a shipment of nearly $5,000 worth of clothing last summer. Alhaggagi was arrested on those charges on Nov. 29 and has been in custody since then.

Defense lawyer Mary McNamara said Friday the terrorism charges appear to be based on Internet chat conversations that he had with a number of unknown people that Alhaggagi never took seriously.

Amer is a very young and naive person, and it appears that he allowed himself to be drawn into conversations that he should have been far more suspicious of, McNamara said. She said Alhaggagi was unemployed at the time, had just turned 21, and just got drawn into online communities with other young men staying up late at night.

He was raised in the Bay Area and has traveled to and from Yemen several times with his family, McNamara said. She said he is well liked, sociable, not an isolated, weird person. He is not radicalized.

Amer is not anti-American and does not support ISIS or any other terrorist organizations, the attorney said. He is completely nonviolent and he took no actions to harm anyone.

The case has been assigned to a federal judge in Oakland. An arraignment on the charges has not yet been scheduled.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Seattle was the first U.S. city to raise the minimum wage substantially, so a University of Washington study released last month showing big job losses has received a lot of attention, and prompted many an I-told-you-so.

The job losses were far greater than in a control group of similar areas in Washington where the minimum wage was not raised. Because the study found that low-wage workers lost income, it was a much more dire assessment of the effects of the increase than even the more pessimistic studies.

The authors speculate that this is probably because of the big rise in the minimum wage, and because they look at the impact on all low-wage jobs, not just sectors. This point is relevant because a recent study from UC Berkeley found little impact on restaurant employment in Seattle compared with similar areas.

But it is also possible that their results reflect the limitations of studying one experiment. Seattle, with its tech boom and rapidly rising wages, differs from the rest of Washington in ways that may make such a comparison misleading. I co-wrote a study this year that also looked at the impact on all low-wage jobs using a similar methodology, but based on more than 100 state-level increases in the minimum wage since 1979. We found quite different results.

The basic idea in both studies is that if the minimum wage rises to $13 an hour, for example, the effect on jobs can be inferred by looking at changes in employment below a cutoff like $18 or $19. Of course, jobs are added and lost  and wages change  for lots of reasons that dont involve the minimum wage, so a control group is needed.

The Washington study, commissioned by Seattle officials, found that the minimum wage went from $11 to $13 for large employers in January 2006. Total hours of work fell among those who had been earning below $13, and employment rose for jobs paying $13 to $19, though the spike at the new minimum wage was rather small. For workers under $19 an hour, researchers found a 9 percent decline in full-time-equivalent jobs, compared with only a 3 percent increase in wages.

Our study (137 cases) found little change in employment in the five years after an increase. Job losses below the new minimum were balanced by gains up to $5 above it, including many jobs paying at the new minimum (such bunching has been common in past studies). Low-wage workers saw wages rise 7 percent, with little change in employment.

We found that when an increase raises bottom wages by 3 percent (as in Seattle), it is unlikely to reduce employment more than 1.5 percent  let alone the 9 percent found in Washington.

The Washington findings show pervasive gains in jobs between $20 and $39, so the cumulative loss shrinks at higher thresholds. For every two jobs lost under $19, one was created between $20 and $39. Had the authors looked at wages above $39, its possible that this pattern would have continued.

But the data suggest something else may be going on. Between the second quarters of 2014 and 2016, earnings in Seattle grew 21 percent, compared with 6 percent in other parts of Washington. And the first quarter of 2016 was exactly when the very large gap in overall wage growth between Seattle and rest of the state (where the control group comes from) really opened up, coinciding with the timing of the job loss found by the University of Washington team. Clearly there are some missing pieces to this puzzle.

It may be that some recent increases have resulted in job loss, and that Seattles big rise  with plans to reach $15 for all employers by 2021  may turn out to be too high. However, its too soon to draw definite conclusions. Even more important, we should remember that the Washington analysis is a single study of a single increase. Fortunately, there is no need to rely on a single case study when we have many other cities as well as states (like Oregon, California and New York) that are in the process of raising the minimum wage substantially.

Arindrajit Dube is associate professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This article originally appeared in the New York Times.
Dramatic surveillance video shows a battle between a knife-wielding armed robber wearing a Transformers mask and a brave customer swinging a chair at a Fresno Starbucks Thursday.

The video (above) shows the suspect, identified as Ryan Flores by KFSN, approaching the barista waving a toy gun and a plastic bag. Seconds later, he pulls out a knife.

That's when customer Cregg Jerri intervened, picking up a chair and slamming it down on the would-be robber's head. Flores fought back as the two men wrestled over the knife.

During the fight, Jerri was stabbed in the neck, but is expected to recover, KFSN reports. Jerri was eventually able to take the knife away from the suspect and stabbed Flores several times before he got away.

ALSO READ: Surveillance video catches coyote attacking cute Maltese in SoCal backyard

"It's not something we recommend. In this case it was a good outcome-- no one died as a result of this incident, but very well could have," Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer told the Fresno news station. "But nonetheless, he's a hero-- there's no question."

Fresno police found Flores nearby. He was treated for injuries before being taken into custody.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Both sides in the abortion fight raging in Kentucky agree on one thing: The stakes are as high as ever in a state that could become the first in the nation without an abortion clinic.

Political pressure has intensified since the Kentucky GOP took control of state government and moved quickly to pass new restrictions on abortions. And Republican Gov. Matt Bevin makes no apologies for waging a licensing fight against a Louisville clinic that is the last remaining facility performing abortions in the state.

Another battle-tested participant joins the fight this weekend. Operation Save America, a Christian fundamentalist group, plans to mobilize hundreds of activists to protest against EMW Womens Surgical Center.

The groups leaders state their purpose unequivocally: to rid Kentucky of its last abortion clinic. Some of the groups followers were arrested during a protest outside EMW in the spring. The group has said it wont use those same tactics in the coming days, but a federal judge on Friday ordered the creation of a buffer zone to keep protesters out of an area in front of the clinic. The preemptive move was requested by federal prosecutors to prevent protesters from blocking access to the surgical center.

We have never been under siege like this, said Dr. Ernest Marshall, a co-founder of the clinic open since the early 1980s. We have never had any question as to whether we would exist.

For years, protesters have been a fixture outside Marshalls clinic, a plain brick building in Louisvilles bustling downtown. Blinds are drawn to keep people from peeking inside.

Volunteers in bright orange vests stand watch near the clinic, walking patients past sign-waving activists. As a volunteer whisked a woman past a handful of protesters, a demonstrator clutching a rosary told the patients male companion: Men dont kill their babies. Man up. The man turned and glared but said nothing.

The demonstrator, Chuck Jones, defended his harsh words.

This is the last chance well get to talk to them before they go in, the retired sheet-metal worker from Indiana said. I just wanted him to think about what hes doing.

The 66-year-old Marshall  the father of three and grandfather of eight  said he attends church every Sunday and is a former Sunday school teacher. He said abortion protesters dont have a monopoly on morals.

Bruce Schreiner is an Associated Press writer.
In a two pages letter, Gadgil says, "It is the Congress president Sonia Gandhi who nominated me as party spokesperson in 2004. Yet, I am not allowed to function and perform. This means that Soniaji is indirectly being vetoed by certain individuals."

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: All is not going well within the State Congress now. On one hand, State Congress leaders are miffed with cross voting during presidential election, while one the other hand, national spokesperson and MLC Anant Gadgil had written a letter to party legislators and members how he was not allowed to work by other spokesperson of the party.

In a two pages letter, Gadgil says, "It is the Congress president Sonia Gandhi who nominated me as party spokesperson in 2004. Yet, I am not allowed to function and perform. This means that Soniaji is indirectly being vetoed by certain individuals. If this continues, it will be difficult for many hardcore Congressmen like me to survive in the party."

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He further said, "In the last 13 years that I have served as the party spokesperson, never has the Congress been in trouble due to my statements. I have not made any personal remarks against any individual or spoken out of turn against the party's culture. While a formal press briefing was going on, I did not correct the statements made by the state Congress chief."

According to Gadgil, new spokesperson does not allow him to speak with media or to hold press conference at erstwhile Gandhi Bhavan, state party office at Nariman Point. Gadgil states that the earlier norm of party spokespersons visiting the state Congress office to interact with the media has stopped now which has impeded the party's official stand of reaching out to the people.

In the same letter, Gadgil has also expressed his anger that how he has been sidelined from Pune by Congress. In last Pune corporation election, his recommendations were not accepted, thus now Congress has got only 9 corporators and first time in history while BJP had established its mayor in Pune.

Further in letter, Gadgil says that he was not even informed of the press conferences of Kapil Sibal, the former minister and Randeep Singh Surjewala, the national spokesperson, that were held early this year.

He said that survival in the party is difficult if "high handedness" of certain individuals continues.

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HONOLULU  A federal grand jury in Hawaii has indicted a U.S. soldier for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail. Kang will be arraigned in federal court Monday. Kangs court-appointed attorney, Birney Bervar, said his client will plead not guilty.
HONOLULU  Hawaii is the first state to prepare the public for the possibility of a ballistic missile strike from North Korea.

The states Emergency Management Agency on Friday announced a public education campaign about what to do. Hawaii lawmakers have been urging emergency management officials to update Cold War-era plans for coping with a nuclear attack as North Korea develops nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that can reach the islands.

Starting in November, Hawaii will begin monthly tests of an attack warning siren the state hasnt heard since the end of the Cold War in the 1980s. The wailing siren will be tested on the first working day of each month, after a test of an attention alert steady tone siren with which residents are already familiar.

Informational brochures, along with TV, radio and Internet announcements will help educate the public about the new siren sound and provide preparedness guidance. If theyre not educated, they could actually be frightened by it, agency Executive Director Toby Clairmont said of needing several months to introduce the new siren.

Because it would take a missile up to 20 minutes to arrive, the instructions to the public are simple: Get inside, stay inside, and stay tuned, said Vern Miyagi, agency administrator. You will not have time to pick up your family and go to a shelter and all that kind of stuff. ... It has to be automatic.

He stressed that his agency is simply trying to stay ahead of a very unlikely scenario, but its a possibility that Hawaii cant ignore.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority supports preparing for disasters, but it is concerned that misinformation about bracing for a North Korea attack could scare travelers from visiting the islands, spokeswoman Charlene Chan said.

Hawaii residents, who already face hazards including from tsunami and hurricanes, are familiar with disaster preparedness. Because its currently hurricane season, residents should already have an emergency kit that includes 14 days of food and water.

Jennifer Sinco Kelleher is an Associated Press writer.
Sam Glanzman, a comic book artist and writer who for nearly 80 years brought a gritty, richly detailed style to illustrating war stories, including his own, died on July 12 in Maryland, N.Y. He was 92.

His death was confirmed by Drew Ford, a publisher who is editing reissues of Mr. Glanzmans works.

During World War II, Mr. Glanzman served in the Pacific on the destroyer Stevens, where the diary he kept, the sketchbooks he filled and the experiences of his shipmates became raw material for the comic books he created decades later.

In about 70 stories for DC and two graphic novels for Marvel, Mr. Glanzman vividly recreated his experiences in nearly three years of naval service  the training, the battles, the shore liberties and the mundane times when little happened.

In one story, he contemplated what the men dreamed about during months at sea when their ship becomes like a planet orbiting in space  a world in and of itself. A young sailor tears up at thoughts of his family farm. An older sailor hopes to return to Manhattans urban jungle. The ships cook wants to be a chief petty officer. And the torpedo man tied his dreams around the tubes of TNT hed someday direct into the enemy.

Their reveries are interrupted by an attacking Japanese airplane that the crew shoots down, as described by Mr. Glanzman with enormous excitement: Every gunner had his sight trained on the meatball  and speared it in midair. The flaming ball etched a high arc  and disappeared in a violent eruption like the instantaneous flash of a camera! The attack, he wrote, started and ended so quickly that it seemed like a dream.

Mr. Glanzman used what he knew about ships and naval warfare to take his tales  all based on real stories, but with the names changed  beyond the Stevens and to events that happened before he enlisted.

In a story set on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, a character named Mac Stringer, a steward mate first-class, heads into the crazy darkness to save men trapped inside the tool crib of the battleship Oklahoma as it begins to sink. (Nine torpedoes hit the ship; 429 men died.)

Stringers bravery in saving the men is commended, but when he returns to duty, he is once again stationed in the officers ward room, a minor job that doesnt fit his broad knowledge of the ship.

Seems to me, the Navy always uses guys like Stringer as stewards, one shipmate says. Its stupid, if you ask me! Just because his color is black.

And, as he did for most of his Stevens stories, Mr. Glanzman ended the story, called Color Me Brave!, with his usual message: Make War No More.

Ford said that when he began to gather the rights to the Stevens stories from DC and Marvel in 2014, he asked Mr. Glanzman why he had created them.

He got emotional, Ford said in a telephone interview. He banged his fist on the table and said, Because they really happened.

Mr. Glanzman said that while he used research to augment the verisimilitude of his stories, he regretted the lie he told in his graphic novel A Sailors Story (1987). He portrayed himself as an orphan in that book, which follows him from upstate New York to his naval service.

To this day, each night, I pray to God to forgive me for saying that, he told CBR.com, a comics website, in 2014. I must have hurt my parents deeply. Mainly my pop, who was a sergeant in World War I, gassed and wounded, a real hero.

He said that someone at Marvel  he did not say who  had suggested the orphan story line and that he had agreed for fear my book would not be published.

Samuel Joseph Glanzman was born on Dec. 5, 1924, in Baltimore. To his best recollection, his father, Gustave, was a rum runner, he said. His mother, the former Florence Decker, was an amateur painter. The family, which included two other sons, lived in Virginia until Sam was a teenager.

I can remember living in a cabin, with an outhouse about 50 feet away, and the trips there, during the winter, were as cold as the North and South Poles combined, he said in the introduction to U.S.S. Stevens: The Collected Stories (2016).

As a youngster, Mr. Glanzman copied artists like Hal Foster, who drew the comic strip Prince Valiant. After dropping out of high school, he joined his brother Lew at Centaur Publications in Manhattan, where he worked on Amazing-Man comics. Then, in 1941, at 16, he created the superhero Fly-Man, a boxer turned tiny by his scientist fathers shrink ray, for Harvey Comics.

Fly-Man was not a success, and Mr. Glanzman did not go on to create legions of superheroes as others in the industry did. When he left the Navy, he worked in lumber mills, cabinet shops and boatyards before assembling .50-caliber guns on fighter jets for Republic Aviation in Farmingdale, N.Y.

He began writing and illustrating again in the 1950s, working for low pay at various comic-book companies. He built his reputation for wartime storytelling in comic books like Combat, but he also illustrated Tarzan and Hercules comics, as well a dinosaur series called Kona, Monarch of Monster Isle. He later wrote and illustrated graphic novels about a time-traveling cave man named Attu.

His fantasy worlds were very coherent, Mark Evanier, a comic-book writer and historian, said in an interview. Everything was of a piece, and nothing was phony. He took a bold legend like Hercules and gave it an interesting spin. Kona was a neat comic, very silly but very convincing. He was one of those artists youd follow anywhere. Were fighting dinosaurs now? OK, I believe it.

Mr. Glanzman is survived by his wife, the former Susan Ann Harris; a daughter, Bonnie Pewterbaugh; two sons, Steven and Thom; and six grandchildren. His marriage to Barbara Grimm ended in divorce.

His war stories, chiefly the Stevens tales, marked the high point of Mr. Glanzmans career. But Evanier said he had witnessed a different sort of legacy in the fans mobbing Mr. Glanzman at conventions, seeking his autograph or commissioning work from him.

They feel an arc to his work; hes someone they wanted to follow, Evanier said. And all of a sudden, they realize that half their comics were by Sam Glanzman.

Richard Sandomir is a New York Times writer.
LOS ANGELES  The University of Southern California has announced that it will dismiss its former medical school dean over allegations that he abused drugs.

The school has started the process of terminating Dr. Carmen Puliafito from the faculty and stripping him of tenure, USC Provost Michael Quick announced in a letter to the faculty Friday.

Quick said Puliafito was immediately suspended and barred from the campus and from any association with USC including attending or taking part in university events.

The action came after USC received information Friday of egregious behavior concerning substance abuse, Quick said.

This was the first time we saw such information first-hand, Quick wrote. It is extremely troubling and we need to take serious action.

We certainly understand that substance abuse is a tragic and devastating disease. But we are also bound to our responsibilities as a university to take the necessary actions concerning Dr. Puliafitos status, Quick wrote.

The announcement came the same day that USC said it had hired a former judge and federal prosecutor to head an investigation into allegations, first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Monday, that Puliafito was seen on video apparently smoking methamphetamine and consorting with addicts and criminals.

Debra Wong Yang, a former member of the Los Angeles Police Commission, Superior Court judge and federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, will present her findings to a committee of the USC board of trustees.

We are outraged and disgusted by this individuals behavior, USC President C.L. Max Nikias said in a letter announcing the investigation and urging colleagues to cooperate fully.

Puliafito, 66, is a renowned eye surgeon. He led the Keck School of Medicine for nearly a decade before resigning his $1.1 million-a-year post in 2016. He remained on the Keck faculty and continued to represent the university at public events as recently as last weekend.

Repeated attempts by the Associated Press and the Times to reach Puliafito have been unsuccessful and he has not publicly commented on the allegations raised by the Times investigation.

The paper said it interviewed six people who said they used drugs with Puliafito, and some recorded videos in 2015 and 2016.
A shocking report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel alleges that multiple all-inclusive resorts in Mexico may be serving tainted alcohol, leading to the death, or harm, of several guests.

In interviews with dozens of travelers and their family members, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered vulnerable vacation goers may have been given tainted alcohol or possibly drugged, in order mug, sexually assault or extort them. The accounts of travelers were backed up by hospital, ambulance and hotel records.
Farooq Abdullah on Friday said "somebody" had to be approached, mentioning US President Trump's and China's offer to mediate in the dispute between India and Pakistan.

By India Today Web Desk: A day after National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said India should approach third parties like the US and China to mediate in the Kashmir issue, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said those two foreign nations should "mind their own business"

"Let China and America mind their own business. If you want to have talks, then keep America, Turkistan, and English-tan out," the news agency ANI quoted her as saying.

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"What is the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq today? Does Farooq sahab wants same thing to happen to us?," she asked.

Farooq Abdullah had on Friday said, "For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns."

"The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," he said.

'CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE'

China on July 13 said it was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving relations between India and Pakistan, but the Ministry of External Affairs today rejected any external help.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has said India doesn't need any third party's involvement in Kashmir.

"India is Kashmir and Kashmir is India. This is our internal matter and we don't need any third party's involvement in it," Rahul said on Thursday.

ALSO READ

India should involve third parties to settle Kashmir issue: Farooq Abdullah

Farooq Abdullah wants US, China to mediate in Kashmir: A timeline of his controversial remarks

ALSO WATCH

Farooq Abdullah welcomes third-party intervention in Kashmir issue

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (EDS: RPTG RECASTING PARA 5, ADDING MORE DETAILS)

New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Singapore today sought to defend its visa regime, saying that one-third of its workforce is "already foreign" and it would be "mindless" to have open border without any policy framework to control the flow of people.

The statement of Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam assumes significance as Indian IT companies use that country as a gateway to serve clients in the region.

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All major Indian tech companies including TCS, HCL, Infosys and Wipro have a presence in Singapore.

With Singapore taking a conservative view of visa issuance to Indian tech workers, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the level of manpower.

Observing that out of 5.5 million population, 3.5 million are Singaporean citizens, Shanmugaratnam said as "one-third of our workforce is already foreign, it would be mindless if you have open borders without any policy framework to constrain the flow of people into your job market. It is wrong politics, and wrong economics as well".

Shanmugaratnam explained that it was also wrong economics because a complete free flow of labour would discourage the upgrading of productivity.

He is here to participate in the Delhi Economics Conclave.

Singapore, he said, has been the strongest proponents of liberalisation of goods and services but movement of people has to operate within some framework of constraint.

"This is a reality. This is reality all over the globe," the deputy prime minister said.

IT body Nasscom had in April stated that the clamp down on tech visas by Singapore has shrunk the base of Indian techies to under 10,000 in the South East Asian nation and could hurt the ability of players to chase future deals.

Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar had said that issuance of visas to the tech workers under the intra company transfers has reduced to a trickle.

Indian companies have been investing in Singapore to bolster their presence in the Asian market that has been growing at a strong pace, although US and Europe continue to account for over 80 per cent of the industrys export revenues.

India and Singapore have already implemented a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA). It has been operational since 2005. Singapore is also part of the Asean bloc, with which India has signed a similar pact.

Both the countries are also part of the ongoing negotiations for a proposed mega deal - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

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The bilateral trade between the two was USD 16.65 billion in 2016-17. PTI JD DP RR SA BJ

--- ENDS ---
In June 2014, the IS had abducted a group of 46 nurses from Kerala. They were freed from Mosul 23 days later. The same month, another group of Indians comprising labourers went missing from Mosul. There is no confirmed trace of them even after three years.

Iraqi town Mosul was libeated early this month from the control of the Islamic State giving fresh hope for finding 39 missing Indians. (Photo: Reuters)

By Prabhash K Dutta: The Narendra Modi government was less than a month old when reports of missing Indians started pouring in from Iraq, where the Islamic State was capturing town after town as the government forces lost ground in the civil war.

Two bunches of Indians trapped in Iraq gained particular attention. In the first case, it was a group of 46 nurses of Kerala who, only a few days after the Modi government had been sworn in, fell in the hands of the Islamic State fighters. They were abducted from Tirkit and taken to Mosul in a bus.

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The second group of Indians comprised 39 labourers, mostly from Punjab. They were abducted, reportedly around mid-June 2014 from Mosul after it came under the control of the Islamic State.

Since then the Ministry of External Affairs helped a number of Indians in distress across the globe. Still the fate of 39 Indian labourers is not known even three years after they were abducted by the Islamic State.

Now, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that they may be in a jail at Badush in West Mosul. "Sources there told VK Singh that the missing Indians are most probably in a jail in Badush where fighting is still going on," Sushma Swaraj told Parliament.

India Today travelled to Mosul but there was no sign of the missing Indians in the restive region. The 39 Indian labourers are (if they are alive) are certainly not as fortunate as the 46 nurses of Kerala.

THE NURSES' TALE

The report of 46 nurses trapped in a Tikrit hospital came as the first major challenge for the Modi government as it was barely a week old. The IS fighters were engaged in fierce battle at Tirkit when the report of the nurses being trapped came in.

A few days later, situation took a worse turn. The IS fighters captured all the 46 Indian nurses and took them to their stronghold town Mosul in a bus. The government acted with alacrity and a special envoy was sent to Iraq.

The Indian embassy in Baghdad opened all available channels and finally the nurses were freed and returned home 23 days later in July. The then Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was there in New Delhi to receive them personally. He had teamed up with the officials of the MEA and liaisoned with Sushma Swaraj during the entire operation.

THE LABOURERS

The labourers were not as lucky. There were 40 construction workers from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. One of the labourers managed to flee and contact Indian embassy paving way for his safe return.

As of now, he is the lone survivour of the abduction bid. He is Harjit Masih of Punjab. On his return to India, Masih claimed that the IS had abducted all 40 Indian workers (including himself) from the University Lake Towers, Mosul on June 11.

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The IS fighters shot them all dead four days later. Masih claimed that he survived as the bullet only grazed his body. But, he feigned being dead and fled after the shooters had gone.

The government subsequently contradicted Masih's version of story. Masih was later identified as the agent who took the workers to Iraq. Kin of the missing Indians filed a case against him and he spent few months in jail.

WHY SUSHMA SAYS WORKERS ARE ALIVE

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has maintained since June 2014 that the missing Indians are alive. To refute Masih's claim, Sushma had on record said that as many as "six sources" confirmed that the 39 missing Indians were alive.

Sushma Swaraj, since then, has said it on several occasions that the government was hopeful of locating and bringing all the 39 workers back home. Earlier, this month she met the family members of the abducted people and gave assurance.

In early June came a report of sighting of a group of 25 Indians near a church in an area controlled by the Islamic State. But, Iraqi Ambassador to India Fakhri Al-Issa told India Today only a couple early this week that there was no information about the missing Indians being alive adding, "There is hope. Sometimes no news is also good news."

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Sushma Swaraj later said that she expected some good news when Iraq's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari visits India on a five-day tour on July 24.

THE POSSIBILITIES

Despite Sushma Swaraj's insistence that the missing 39 Indians are alive, there is only hope as the Iraqi Ambassador has put it that they construction workers are kept hostage by the IS.

India Today's investigation in Mosul has not found any sign of missing Indians in that city. There are three possibilities.

The 39 missing Indians may be as Sushma Swaraj has suggested in Badush jail under IS captivity. The construction workers might have been killed as Harjit Masih claimed.

The third possibility is that they are still working somewhere as bonded labourers under the IS as some reports suggest that they were sighted near a church.

ALSO READ |

India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

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No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

How a group of 46 Indian nurses cheated death in ISIS captivity in battle-hit Iraq

ALSO WATCH | Mystery over 39 missing Indians deepen: A ground report from Mosul, Iraq

--- ENDS ---
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UC Berkeley officials said Thursday they will now find a venue for controversial conservative writer Ben Shapiro to speak on Sept. 14.

In an email exchange obtained by KQED between UC Berkeley's Division of Student Affairs and the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR), Cal officials Tuesday initially said they "were unable to find an available campus venue" where Shapiro could speak that met the student group's stated criteria. On Wednesday, UC Berkeley officials added that they were willing to look into the availability of campus buildings that require a rental fee.

BCR did not immediately respond to UC Berkeley's email, but on Wednesday they put out a press release with the Young America's Foundation that said, "Berkeley blocks Ben Shapiro."

Since then, UC Berkeley decided to look into alternative venues for Shapiro's appearance.

"We decided not to wait for their response, so we went ahead and checked on those venues regardless," campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said Thursday in an interview with KQED. "And we've determined that there are other venues available."

Mogulof added that the university will help underwrite the cost of a venue that requires a rental fee.

California Republican Party leader Harmeet Dhillon  also a member of the Republican National Committee and a lawyer representing the Berkeley College Republicans in a lawsuit against UC Berkeley  told KQED Thursday that she and the student members of BCR were not notified by the university that Shapiro will be able to speak, but that they found out through KQED.

"I really only wish the university would just communicate with us directly rather than leaking emails to the press and doing it in the media," Dhillon said. "That's just not productive."

On Twitter Thursday, Shapiro echoed Dhillon's sentiment, saying, "Neither I nor YAF have heard from Berkeley, nor have College Republicans."

"Let's hope Berkeley keeps their word," he added.

Shapiro is the latest in a series of controversial right-wing speakers to be invited to Berkeley's campus.

In April, BCR invited Ann Coulter to speak, but campus officials refused to host her, citing safety concerns.

In February, a scheduled appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled after protests broke out outside where he was supposed to speak.

Shapiro is a former Breitbart News editor, who now heads up DailyWire.com, an online right-wing publication. He has come under fire in the past for controversial statements regarding the Black Lives Matter movement.

This post originally appeared on KQED.com.
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REDWOOD CITY (BCN)

A 29-year-old Berkeley man was sentenced today in a Redwood City courtroom to 34 years to life following a conviction for trafficking a minor, San Mateo County prosecutors said.

Between at least Oct. 1 and Dec. 10, 2015, Matthew Graves arranged for his 16-year-old girlfriend to have sex with others.

According to prosecutors, on Dec. 8, 2015, Graves and a woman picked up his girlfriend in Richmond and took her to the Red Roof Inn in Burlingame to engage in prostitution.

Graves used marijuana, cocaine and alcohol and became upset and paranoid. Prosecutors said he then accused his girlfriend of working with police.

Graves punched his girlfriend multiple times and kicked her. The woman also threw a chair at the girl, prompting her to run from the motel room.

Prosecutors said staff at the hotel told her to take a shuttle to San Francisco International Airport where she went to police and told them of the assault.

Airport police took her to Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. She had bruising to her eyes, arms and shoulders and hospital officials called Burlingame police who started an investigation.

Prosecutors said an investigation revealed that Graves had several photos and prostitution ads on his cellphone.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said a human trafficking conviction results in a sentence of up to 15 years to life. But because Graves had a prior felony strike, his sentenced was doubled and a charge of dissuading a witness added four years to Graves' time.

"This is evil conduct," Wagstaffe said. "Human trafficking is modern day slavery."

Graves' attorney Paul Demeester was not immediately available for comment.

Wagstaffe said Graves will have to register as a sex offender for life. Prosecutors said they were unable to identify the woman who was involved in the crime.
By PTI: Mumbai, July 22 (PTI) The Air Intelligence Unit of Customs today arrested a man at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle a narcotic drug worth Rs 2 crore to Malaysia.

Customs officials said that Suresh Kumar Nagarajan, a Chennai resident, was about to fly to Kuala Lumpur when he was intercepted.

Screening of his check-in baggage showed some suspicious substance inside, while a sniffer dog too indicated that something was wrong.

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On opening his suitcase, officials found that he had hidden 2,002 grams of Methaquolone (also called Mandrax), a banned recreational drug worth Rs 2 crore in illicit international markets, in a specially-made cavity.

He was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. A court remanded him in judicial custody. PTI VI KRK

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Some pictures show that a landslide has occurred in Mumbai's Bandra area due to the heavy rainfall.

By India Today Web Desk: If comedian Jose Covaco's sarcastic report on how 'healthy' potholes of Mumbai are did not interest you much, this might get you going.

Pictures released by ANI on Twitter show that a landslide has occurred in Mumbai's Bandra area due to the heavy rainfall.

Source: ANI/Twitter

An unconfirmed report says the landslide happened near Bandra's Zig Zag road.

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Further reports are awaited.

Source: ANI/Twitter

Source: ANI/Twitter

A ground check by India Today had earlier revealed that roads in major Mumbai areas are pockmarked with potholes.

Though the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had promised that the situation this year would be different, the ground situation seems not to have changed much.

Read more about the report here.

For more on Mumbai rains...

Mumbai: Heavy rains bring back potholes, wash over BMC's promise of smooth ride

Rains lash Mumbai, slows down rush hour traffic

Watch: Comedian Jose Covaco has a very thoughtful take on potholes in Mumbai

--- ENDS ---
While one house has completely collapsed, cracks have appeared in nearly 180 houses of the village.

By Abhishek Anand: Mysterious cracks in walls are forcing dozens of residents of Khera Kalan village of Narela area to vacate their houses. While one house has collapsed, many others have been abandoned due to the huge cracks in the walls. The locals claim that the government agencies failed to give any scientifically satisfying answer for the cracks in the walls.

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"Its been over two months since the cracks started appearing in the walls. At first, small cracks appear then the gap in the cracks start to widen. It happens so fast that we don't get time to realise the threat. Many a times, the cracks widen with a thunderous sound and forces the occupants to vacate their house," said Ram Kumar Khatri, a local resident.

While one house has completely collapsed, cracks have appeared in nearly 180 houses of the village. Many residents have vacated their house overnight to save their lives. Ganga Devi, 65, a local resident, had vacatesd her house last week after huge cracks appeared during wee hours.

"We didn't get time to even move our household items. We just left the house in a hurry and to prevent the roof from collapsing, we have used bamboos to support it. Now we live in a rented accommodation," says Devi.

Devi is not alone. Dozen others have shifted to either rented accommodation or some relative's place. While Devi's house is 20-25 years old, a newly constructed house met the same fate and the occupants had to vacate it. The house was constructed nearly a year back but cracks started appearing in the house soon. About two months back, the cracks started widening during night and the cracking sound woke up the occupants. They fled from the house leaving their household items behind. Now bamboos and temporary pillars have been put in the house to support the roof.

"The old Khera Kalan village is located at a small hillock. It is an assumption that the hillock is unstable. However, we haven't got any specific scientifically satisfying answer from the government agencies," said Devender Kumar, a local resident.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had also visited the village last month and had assured the residents of some solution. Residents claim that since lands of Delhi are under Lieutenant Governor's jurisdiction, Sisodia had written a letter to him seeking help for them.

"We are planing to meet LG soon. We are living in fear of collapsing roofs and falling walls," said Gaga Devi.

--- ENDS ---

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Actress Aashka Goradia will tie the knot with beau Brent Goble by the end of this year.

By India Today Web Desk: Naagin 2 actress and former Nach Baliye contestant Aashka Goradia got engaged to beau Brent Goble in December, 2016.

The couple had earlier revealed that they are planning to have a winter wedding. On Friday, Aashka took to Instagram and announced her wedding date. She posted a picture with Brent with a note that said, "December 3rd @ibrentgoble #shaadi."

December 3rd ? @ibrentgoble #shaadi A post shared by Aashka Goradia (@aashkagoradia) on Jul 21, 2017 at 7:41am PDT

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Brent and Aashka had first met each other at an event in America, and they began dating soon after. They were recently seen together on celebrity couple dance reality show Nach Baliye 8.

The couple has decided to get married in Aashka's hometown Ahmedabad. The actress confirmed it to tellychakkar.com and said, "Brent wanted a wedding with all the traditional rituals which of course is most possible in my hometown where my parents stay. Plus, Brent and I decided to stick to Ahmedabad because I have so many memories associated to the city. I have spent 16 years of my life in Ahmedabad and Gujarat is rich in culture. I am sure my in-laws will really enjoy the traditional garba, Gujarati delicacies and the hospitality in my home town."

Aashka also revealed that is was Brent's idea to have the wedding in Ahmedabad. She said, "Having the wedding in Ahmedabad was Brent's idea as the first Indian wedding he attended was that of my cousin's in Ahmedabad and ever since he has been keen on us commemorating this special day of our lives in Gujarat. And yes he is a big fan of Gujarati cuisine as he loves his aam ras, theplas, and khaman dhokla. American Ban Gaya Gujarati!"

Congratulations, Aashka and Brent!

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The Naga People's Party has expelled 19 MLAs from the party and suspended 10 others after they voted in favour of TR Zeliang yesterday during the trust vote.

By Manogya Loiwal : The political upheaval continues in Nagaland. After Chief Minister TR Zeliang won vote of confidence on the floor yesterday, the Naga People's Front has expelled 19 of its MLAs and suspended 10 others.

These MLAs had demanded resignation of the NPF president and former Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who failed to turn up to prove majority in the Nagaland Assembly on July 19. Following this, Liezietsu government was dismissed.

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Later, these legislators voted in favour of the motion of vote of confidence moved by Zeliang yesterday despite the NPF's decision to vote against.

NPF CRACKDOWN AFTER ZELIANG TRUST VOTE: THINGS TO KNOW The action was taken by the NPF working presidents Huskha Yepthomi and Apong Pongener following a recommendation by the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) of the party. The expelled MLAs are: Noke Wangnao, Y Patton, C Kipili Sangtam, G Kaito Aye, Imkong L Imchen, Deo Nukhu, Dr Benjongliba Aier, Shetoyi, Khekaho Assumi, Naiba Konyak, Nuklutoshi, Dr Longriniken, Phowang, Er Kropol, CM Chang, S Pangnyu Phom, Tokheho Yepthomi, Merentoshi Jamir and Imtikumzuk. Those who have been suspended are: C Apok Jamir, Pukhayi, Eshak Konyak, Tovihoto, SI Jamir, Zhaleo Rio, Namri Nchang, Neiba Kronu, Neiliesalie Nicky Kire and Neiphrezo Keditsu. In the official statement, the DAC said that it re-examined the activities of the 19 members and found that they had directly violated the constitution of the NPF by demanding the resignation of the NPF president without any basis. They also violated the party constitution by defying the whip on the floor of the House, the DAC said. The DAC said that the MLAs were expelled after the party came to the conclusion that they were involved in anti-party activities and singularly aimed at dividing the party. Altogether the NPF has now expelled 20 MLAs including TR Zeliang, the Chief Minister of Nagaland. The NPF has spared only five MLAs excluding Speaker Imtiwapang Aier who voted in favour of TR Zeliang. In 2013 Nagaland Assembly election, the NPF had secured 45 seats in the House of 60.

(With Grace Odyuo in Kohima)

ALSO READ |

Nagaland CM TR Zeliang wins floor test, 47 of 59 MLA vote in favour

--- ENDS ---
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Three levels of high-end living, a sunny roof deck and a stylish material palette await at 1230 Pacific Ave. in San Franciscos Nob Hill neighborhood.

The custom homes gracious open floor plan and traditional bedroom layout allows for comfortable living in the heart of the city, said Frank Nolan of Vanguard Properties, who is listing the four-bedroom with Andrew Warren for $3.495 million.

The homes parade of finishes includes Duravit and Jason bathtubs, Toto toilets, four zones of Nest-controlled radiant heating and CAT 6 wiring throughout. Three full baths and a pair of powder rooms carry a wealth of high-end finishes. The most notable is the master bathroom, which includes a walk-in rainfall shower beside a floating vanity.

The brilliant white facade features bay windows and a handsome hardwood door with Baldwin polished chrome hardware. Mediterranean roof tiles lend visual texture and curb appeal to the trilevel. Rustic white oak flooring spans the interior that features more than 3,000 square feet of living space. A 60-inch gas fireplace set within a floor-to-ceiling surround warms the great room.

A 400-square-foot Ipe roof deck crowns the residence. This exterior space includes built-in seating and planter boxes, as well as neighborhood views on three sides. Downstairs on the lowest level, a pair of bifold doors open to a tile patio. The media room also features a wet bar with a built-in refrigerator, making this an ideal spot for movies and casual entertaining.

Parking comes at a premium in San Francisco, and this Nob Hill residence offers a pair of parking spots in the garage with help from a subterranean car lift.

Learn more at www.1230

pacific.com.

Listing agent: Frank Nolan, Vanguard Properties, (415) 377-3726, frank@vanguardsf.com; Andrew Warren, Vanguard Properties, (415) 377-2726, frank@vanguardsf.com.

Details

Address: 1230 Pacific Ave., Nob Hill, San Francisco.

Price: $3.495 million.

Features: Freshly redesigned four-bedroom with three full bathrooms and two half baths in more than 3,000 square feet of living space. The trilevel offers an open floor plan with 10-foot ceilings and a terrace off the great room. Theres a study area in a the bedroom levels hallway, and the home includes a media room that steps out to rear patio.
Gavin Strickland, a 19-year-old from Syracuse, drove to Toronto for a Metallica concert last Sunday.

As reported by the Toronto Star, CTV and other outlets, Strickland parked his car in a downtown parking garage, took an $8-dollar cab ride to the Rogers Centre concert venue, rocked out to heavy metal, and after the concert ended, forgot where he parked his car.

To be clear, he didn't forget what level his Nissan Versa sedan was parked on, he forgot where the garage was. So he began wandering the streets of Toronto, searching for parking garages and probably humming "Creeping Death."

Hours passed as he wandered the streets. "Eventually I started thinking ... I may never see my car again," Strickland later told CTV News Channel.

He recalled that the garage was "near a Starbucks," "a strange outdoor sculpture," a bank and a construction site  which pretty much describes every other street in Toronto.

He finally gave up and called his parents. They filed a missing vehicle report with Toronto police, and then, in a moment of inspiration, turned to Craigslist for help.

"Our doofy son parked the car in an indoor parking garage, in the first floor (slightly lower/basement level) but that garage cannot now be located," read part of the appeal they posted. "Please respond with photos of the car and specific location instructions to claim the ($100) reward."

The post noted details about the car, including its Florida plates, a Canadian flag on the door frame and Bernie Sanders bumper sticker.

Fortunately, the Craigslist post, which was shared on Facebook, caught the eye of Madison Riddolls, who, appropriately enough, enjoys solving riddles.

"I love puzzles, I love challenges and escape rooms, all that. I read a few clues about where it could be and it honestly excited me," the 26-year-old Riddolls told CTV News Toronto.

Craigslist

She and her boyfriend set out Wednesday night to see if they could find the evasive parking garage, and after several hours and a number of dead ends, lo and behold, there it was, hiding in plain sight in the TD Bank Tower on Wellington Street.

The couple located the car inside, and Riddolls notified the parents, who confirmed that it was indeed the missing Versa.

Back in Syracuse, Strickland reportedly told Riddolls he would send her the reward money. He then boarded a Greyhound bus for Toronto to be reunited with his Nissan, no doubt wiser for the experience.

Now if he can only forgive his parents for publicly calling him "doofy."
GEORGE OURFALIAN/AFP/Getty Images

BEIRUT  Russias Defense Ministry said Saturday an agreement has been reached with the Syrian opposition for a de-escalation zone for the eastern suburbs of the capital Damascus. The Syrian army command said it has ceased military operations in several areas near the city.The announcements in Moscow and Damascus came after days of bombardment and air strikes on the area that is known as eastern Ghouta. Activists reported relative calm in the afternoon in the area despite some violations.

The Russian ministry statement did not give details, but said the agreement includes the zones borders as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of civilians. It said the agreement was reached during talks in Cairo.
BERLIN  A German girl who ran away from home after converting to Islam has been found as Iraqi forces liberated the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State extremists, German and Iraqi officials said Saturday. She is reported to be in good health and will be interrogated this week by Iraqi officials.

The 16-year-old, only identified as Linda W. in line with German privacy laws, is getting consular assistance from the German Embassy in Iraq, prosecutor Lorenz Haase said in the German city of Dresden.

Three Iraqi intelligence and investigative sources confirmed to the Associated Press that the teenager, who was apprehended in the basement of a home in Mosuls Old City earlier this month, was Linda W.

She is in good health, the Iraqi officials said, adding that on the day of her arrest she was too stunned to speak but now she is doing better. They said she had been working with the Islamic State police department.

Linda W. could theoretically face the death sentence, according to Iraqs counterterrorism law. If she were to receive such a sentence in Iraq, she would not face execution before the age of 22.

The girl had married a Muslim Arab she met online after arriving in the groups territory, the Iraqi officials added, speaking on condition of anonymity. They said Linda W. was one of 26 foreigners arrested in Mosul since the retreat of the extremists there.

The officials said she is being held with other foreign women at a prison near Baghdads airport. She will be investigated by the Iraqis, who will bring in German interpreters for the interrogation.

Haase, the German prosecutor, said the girl ran away from her family home in Pulsnitz in eastern Germany last summer. Its not clear yet whether she will return to Germany, he said.

There is the possibility that Linda might be put on trial in Iraq. She might be expelled for being a foreigner or, because she is a minor reported missing in Germany, she could be handed over to Germany, Haase said.

The 26 foreigners found in Mosul included two men, eight children and 16 women, the Iraqi officials said. Some of those arrested were from Chechnya, and the women were from Russia, Iran, Syria, France, Belgium and Germany.

Kirsten Grieshaber and Qassim Abdul-Zahra are Associated Press writers.
MANILA  The Philippine Congress on Saturday overwhelmingly approved the presidents appeal for martial law in the south to be extended to the end of the year to help troops quell a two-month siege by Islamic State group-linked militants and stamp out similar extremist plots in the volatile region.

House of Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez announced that senators and House members voted 261-18 in favor of granting President Rodrigo Dutertes request in a special joint session. The 60-day martial law was to expire late Saturday.

The military chief of staff, Gen. Eduardo Ano, warned during the session that aside from the uprising in Marawi, extremist groups have plotted similar insurrections in other southern cities and that martial law has helped troops stop attacks, including bombings, elsewhere.

There was an order for them to do their own version of Marawi in other areas, but we were able to stop this because of martial law, Ano told the legislators.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana played down concerns of military abuses, saying no major human rights violations have been reported since Duterte declared martial law to deal with the Marawi violence, the worst crisis in his yearlong presidency.

Some opponents argued that government forces could deal with the attack in lakeside Marawi, a center of Islamic faith in the southern third of the largely Roman Catholic nation, without resorting to martial law. Others worried that the extension was too long and that the rest of the country may eventually be placed under martial rule.

Left-wing activists opposed to Dutertes declaration rallied outside Congress. Some unfurled protest posters in the plenary hall but were forced out by security officers.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros recalled how civil liberties were curtailed and Congress was padlocked when dictator Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law in the Philippines in 1972. Marcos was ousted in a people power revolt in 1986.

Since the Marawi fighting broke out on May 23, at least 428 militants, 105 soldiers and police officers, and 45 civilians have been killed. Half a million residents have been displaced, according to the military.

During the special session of Congress, a wounded army officer, 1st Lt. Kent Fagyan, told how troops smashed concrete walls of houses and buildings with sledgehammers to advance slowly toward militant positions away from sniper fire. Troops dealt with booby traps and had to wrest back control of Marawi communities room by room, he said, adding that the militants had powerful machine guns, drones and seemingly unlimited ammunition.

The siege on Marawi started when more than 600 heavily armed fighters, waving Islamic State group-style black flags, stormed into the city, occupying buildings, houses and mosques and taking hostages. Several foreign fighters, including 20 Indonesians and a Malaysian financier known as Mahmud bin Ahmad, joined the insurrection, Duterte said in a letter to Congress this past week.

The attackers lasting power and large arsenal of weapons have surprised Duterte and his top security officials.

Jim Gomez is an Associated Press writer.
Every summer, worlds collide in Santa Fe for a handful of teen girls living thousands of miles away from home. Nearly two dozen young women, half of them Israeli and half Palestinian, travel from across the world to come together and attend a three-week summer program in the name of peace.

The camp, established in 2003 by humanitarian Rachel Kaufman, was created in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Increasingly disheartened by stories of violence and loss in the Middle East, Kaufman believed that peacemaking could not be achieved through older generations of Israelis and Palestinians too entrenched in a learned hatred for each other. Instead, she believed that peace could be found within the next generation of young leaders. Thus, Creativity for Peace was born.

Over the course of the three-week program, campers learn more about each other by living and working together and by sharing their stories. As Executive Director Dottie Indyke explains, Our organization is based on the idea that an enemy is a person whose story you havent heard. Once youve heard that persons story, theyre not your enemy anymore. You cant stereotype them; you understand them.

The camp aims to change this idea of the other through routine and structured conversations they label as dialogue. Led by one Israeli facilitator and one Palestinian facilitator, dialogue functions as a way to share personal accounts of the girls experiences living in the Middle East. Former camper, now Young Leaderthe title for junior counselorsShai Keidar of Israel explains that the dialogue period is often challenging.

My brother was a soldier in the Israeli army when I was a camper, which was very, very hard for the Palestinian campers to hear; their experience with soldiers are not good, so hearing that my brother was a soldier was confusing for them because I told them how amazing he is, and how gentle he is, Keidar tells SFR. I cried so much when they told stories about other soldiers, because thats my brother, and then one of the Palestinians came up to me and gave me a warm hugshe put everything aside and was feeling what I was feeling, even though she had a lot of bad experiences with soldiers.

Creativity for Peace also builds connections between the girls through a variety of activities in addition to sharing a living space. Being in dialogue and hearing those stories and asking many questions is one part of the experience, Keidar continues. Living together, sharing everything from a bed to a shower, and keeping the house warm and clean, or going to the opera or the movies, thats the other part that brings us together and connects us in a way thats hard to find anywhere else.

This week, the girls work on building connections by heading up to the Santa Fe Mountain Center with SFR in tow. With just under seven days of camp under their belts, there's a palpable sense of budding friendship among the girls, but they still have a ways to go. While they share English as a second languagea requirement for campthey're still working through many cultural, linguistic, political and religious differences. It is this lack of common ground at the start of camp which make activities like a this a challenge. The campers whoop and cheer for two of their junior counselors who begin climbing upwards towards the ropes course. The triangular course, known as Team Journey, consists of two climbers walking different ropes before coming together in the center. From there, the climbers must work together to reach the third corner as a team. As everyone else watches from below, Indyke tells SFR why they chose the activity.

The purpose of this exercise is twofold: One of the purposes is empowerment; this is an opportunity for them to have an experience that they otherwise may not have had before of doing something scary and challenging that pushes them outside of their comfort zone, she says. The other purpose is to give them an opportunity to work together to work to a common goal. The experience of helping each other creates a bond that shows them what it actually feels like for someone not to be your enemy any more. Theyre there to help and support you.

Next week, the girls continue to challenge and express themselves in the form of a community event. On Thursday July 27, Creativity for Peace campers, Young Leaders and staffers plan to join together for Salaam~Shalom: A Celebration of Peace. The event, which takes its name from greetings in Arabic and Hebrew, respectively, features talks given by the programs Young Leaders open to sharing their stories and discoveries with the community. Creativity for Peace brings the Middle East to the Farmers Market Pavilion with food, music and dancing from the region and community members can learn more about the young women's cultures.

As Salaam~Shalom demonstrates, Creativity for Peaces message is even more relevant than evernot just for these girls, but for the people of America. Were taking hate and suspicion and misinformation and were turning it into love and respect and friendship, Youth and Volunteer Coordinator Alysha Shaw points out. The things that were teaching these girls and the skills that were giving them are things that we desperately need in this country, but we are lacking right now.

Salaam~Shalom: A Celebration of Peace5:30 pm Thursday July 27. $15-$40.Farmers Market Pavilion, 1607 Paseo de Peralta, 983-7726.

Santa Fe Reporter
The Aam Aadmi Party has asked the Centre to present all the facts related to the 39 missing Indians before the nation. The AAP's demand has come after an India Today investigative report from Mosul, where the Indian labourers were abducted three years ago.

By Ashutosh Mishra: The Aam Aadmi Party today asked the Narendra Modi government to come clean on the issue of 39 missing Indians, who were abducted by the Islamic State in June, 2014.

The AAP asked the Centre to tell the nation what concrete steps it was taking to bring the 39 missing Indians back home. Most of them are labouers from Punjab.

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They were abducted from Mosul in Iraq three years ago. After Mosul was recently freed from IS control, External Affaris Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the missing Indians could be lodged in a jail at Badush in West Mosul.

Following the statement of Sushma Swaraj, India Today travelled to Mosul. But, the India Today team did not find any sign of the 39 missing Indian labourers at Mosul.

INDIA TODAY IMPACT

Reacting to India Today report, the AAP has sought answers from the central government. The AAP said that the latest media reports expose the claims of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that these innocent workers were in a prison near Mosul.

The AAP further said that as no structure exists in Mosul now, the claim made by the government was extremely serious matter and amounted misleading the families of the victims and also the nation.

The Aam Aadmi Party demanded a categorical statement from the central government at the highest level about the factual status of these innocent workers. "It is a matter of grave concern that the Narendra Modi government has failed in getting these poor workers freed and the issue has been hanging fire since three years now," the AAP said.

The Centre must show sensitivity towards the families of these workers who have been running from pillar to post to find out about the well being of bread earners of their families, the AAP said.

ALSO READ |

Missing Indians in Iraq: 3 years and counting, two tales of 46 nurses and 39 labourers

India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

ALSO WATCH | Mystery over 39 missing Indians deepen: A ground report from Mosul, Iraq

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By Geeta Mohan: After the designation of Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist, the international community is now waking up to the menace of terror funding under the garb of the 'Kashmir' cause. In the latest, Canada has revoked the 'charity' status of ISNA Islamic Services of Canada for "non compliance" according to the notice given by Canada Revenue Agency. This is the second organisation affiliated to the Islamic Services of North America-Canada (ISNA-Canada) that has been under the scanner of Federal regulators.

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Four years ago, another affiliate the ISNA Development Foundation lost its charity status over fundraising for a Pakistani relief group linked to militancy in the disputed Kashmir region.

The Canadian agency took action after the recent audit cited possible funding of Pakistan militant organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen. The money collected by Toronto-based Jami Mosque was further given to ISNA to be sent to organisations that support and fund militants. According to the audit findings which India Today has accessed, the organisation "issued donation receipts for a total of USD340,516, under one of three donation categories: 'Relief', 'Zakat', or 'Masjid'." The agency added that the "funds raised by Jami Mosque's 'Relief' fund were collected by the Mosque in cooperation with the Canadian non-profit organisations, with the ultimate goal of sending the raised funds to a Pakistan-based non-governmental organisation entitled the Relief Organization for Kashmiri Muslims (ROKM)".

CRA Charities Directorate, the nodal agency, looked into where the funds were going, what was ROKM using it for and wrote in its newly-released records, "Our research indicates that ROKM is the charitable arm of Jamaat-e-Islami, a political organization that actively contests the legitimacy of India's governance over the state of Jammu and Kashmir, including reportedly through the activities of its armed wing Hizbul Mujahideen," the CRA wrote.

Speaking to Mail Today, Sean Craig, a journalist with Global News who has been tracking this story said, "In both cases they had their status revoked because the CRA had concerns about the way they had maintained their books which had to do with how they received the charitable donations and of course the most striking of the allegations that they made was that they had through a mosque raised funds remitted to a Kashmiri relief organisation which as is reported has ties with the Hizbul Mujahideen."

Outlining the audit findings in a letter to ISNA Islamic Services , federal officials said Hizbul Mujahideen had been listed as a "terrorist organization by the Council of the European Union and the government of India". Adding, "Given the identified commonalities in directorship between ROKM and Jamaat-e-Islami and the Hizbul Mujahideen executive committee, concerns exist that the funds collected and disbursed as part of this relief fund may have been used to support the political efforts of Jamaat-e-Islami and/or its armed wing Hizbul Mujahideen."

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A timely move that has come about after all the diplomatic engagement by India to reach out to the highest levels of government machinery in the world to impress upon the leadership on the need to freeze funds that forment unrest and back militants. It also helpled matters that Syed Salahuddin, chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, was placed on the US State Department's list of designated terrorists on the 26th of June.

This further emphasises the importance that Canada and India attach to fighting terrorism and comes ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to India.

The letter from Canada Revenue Agency

Also Read:

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin admits to carrying out terror attacks in India over Kashmir

Canada strips NGO of charity status for suspected links to Hizbul Mujahideen

--- ENDS ---
BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has said that Tej Pratap acquired the petrol pump licence by showing the land on which the petrol pump is built as his own when the fact was that the land was owned by someone else.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: After Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited cancelled the licence for petrol pump allotted in 2011 to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav on the basis of forged documents submitted at BPCL, pressure is mounting on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sack Tej Pratap for cheating.

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has said that Tej Pratap acquired the petrol pump licence by showing the land on which the petrol pump is built as his own when the fact was that the land was owned by someone else.

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Modi alleged that Tej Pratap has also hidden the details of 45 dismil land worth Rs 54 lakhs owned by him in Aurangabad on which there is a four storied showroom of a two wheeler company. Tej Pratap has not provided details of this property in his election affidavit of 2015.

The BJP leader has demanded that apart from Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who has been named in the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation for acquiring benami properties, Nitish should also act against his brother Tej Pratap Yadav and sack both of them from his cabinet.

It is notable that Sushil Modi had complained to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited about the forged documents submitted by Tej Pratap to acquire petrol pump following which an enquiry was conducted by the petroleum company. Later, they found the allegations against Tej Pratap to be true and therefore cancelled the licence allotted to him.

BJP has already submitted the memorandum in the Election Commission of India regarding Tej Pratap Yadav hiding details of his property in the election affidavit of 2015 and have demanded terminating him as member of the Legislative Assembly.

Also Read:

Nitish Kumar 'babbar sher' of moral values, Tejashwi must come out clean: JD(U)

Is Nitish Kumar satisfied with Tejashwi's response after their 35-minute meeting, asks Sushil Modi

Watch Video: Lalu to brainstorm next move in meeting with RJD leaders, Nitish Kumar to miss Opposition's meet

--- ENDS ---
Nitish's close aide RCP Singh said the JDU was still waiting for answers from Tejaswi on the corruption charges levelled on him.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Before Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met with Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today, the Janata Dal United (JDU) re-iterated its earlier stand on deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav's resignation controversy.

Nitish's close aide RCP Singh, who's accompanying him, spoke to the media at Patna airport on Saturday morning before leaving for the national capital. He said the JDU was still waiting for answers from Tejaswi on the corruption charges leveled on him.

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"The spokespersons are asking for Tejaswi to come out with answers on the allegations slapped on him. We are still waiting for a reply", said Singh.

TEJASWI, NITISH MEET

It's worth noting that Tejaswi - RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son - had met the Bihar Chief Minister in his office earlier this week and is believed to have given clarifications on the FIR registered against him by the CBI for amassing 'benami' properties in Delhi and Patna.

It was later speculated that the standoff situation between the JDU and the RJD over Tejaswi's resignation ended following the meeting of the two leaders.

However, the JDU has maintained that the meeting of Tejaswi with Nitish has nothing to do with JDU's demand that the deputy CM clarify things in the people's court. After RCP Singh's stand today, it has now become amply clear that the war between the two alliance partners in Mahagathbandhan hasn't ended.

The RJD on the other hand has made it clear that Tejaswi won't be resigning at any cost and that the matter has ended after his meeting with Nitish.

"There is no question of Tejaswi resigning. The matter has ended and JDU is unnecessarily raising it", said Abdul Bari Siddiqui, RJD leader and Finance Minister.

The Congress is trying to mediate between the Nitish and Lalu camps to end the deadlock.

ALSO READ

Tejaswi is right, he was 15 when rail tender scam happened but 24 when he got associated with it

Bihar political crisis postponed? Nitish Kumar gives more time to Tejashwi Yadav

ALSO WATCH

Lalu rail scam: Why JD-U silent, what's Nitish Kumar's next move?

--- ENDS ---
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One senior New Yorker died and at least 25 people in New Jersey and New York -- including 10 from the Big Apple -- have been infected from salmonella they contracted from eating papayas, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and city Health Department.

The city Health Department said 10 of the New York cases were reported in the Big Apple.

The CDC has declared a 12-state salmonella outbreak from yellow Maradol papayas, which are large, oval fruits that weigh three or more pounds. The fruit has green skin that turns yellow when the fruit is ripe.

"As of July 21, 2017, 47 people infected with the outbreak strain of salmonella Kiambu have been reported from 12 states," says the CDC on its website.

Thirteen people in New York and 12 people in New Jersey have been infected, said the CDC. With one fatality, 12 others from New York and New Jersey who have contracted salmonella have been hospitalized, according to the CDC.

The city Health Department issued the following statement on Saturday: "The Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration are working together on a multi-state salmonella outbreak associated with yellow Maradol papayas. New Yorkers should not eat yellow Maradol papayas until we learn more about where the contaminated papayas came from."

SALMONELLA SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of salmonella include: diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Symptoms can start as late as three days after ingesting the fruit, according to the CDC.

"Based on the available evidence, CDC recommends that consumers not eat, restaurants not serve, and retailers not sell yellow Maradol papayas until we learn more," said the CDC on its website.

"CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill people and to interview them. Further investigation is under way to determine the point in the supply chain where the papayas were contaminated. Updates will be provided when more information is available."

The city Health Department recommends washing and sanitizing countertops as well as drawers or shelves in refrigerators where papayas were stored.

Reports of salmonella in the fruit started in May, with cases continuing into the summer, according to the CDC.

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BY ANNALISE KNUDSON and THOMAS ERIK BASCOME

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- We traveled to Queens to ask residents if they heard anything about the developments coming to the North Shore of Staten Island -- primarily the Empire Outlets and the New York Wheel.

The $580 million NY Wheel -- delayed indefinitely after the developers fired the designer and builder -- is expected to be the world's largest observation wheel at 630 feet tall. A 38-minute ride will feature views of the New York City skyline.

New York City's first outlet mall, Empire Outlets, is slated to open in March 2018. The outlets will include an approximately 340,000-square-foot retail complex, 190-room hotel with a rooftop venue and a 1,250-space parking garage.

"I never go to Staten Island," said Sheila Goldman of Long Island City. "I have no need to and a Wheel wouldn't make me go either."

During our visit to Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, Queens, many of the people we spoke to have never heard of either the NY Wheel or the Empire Outlets.

Watch the video above to hear what else Queens residents had to say about the developments.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This month marks two years since the Rev. Charles Howell of Christ Church New Brighton died, but his legacy lives on thousands of miles away in Africa.

His library of almost 1,000 theological and religious books, some of which were passed down from his father, are now helping future Anglican priests in Uganda who are studying to be ordained.

After Rev. Howell died in July 2015, his wife, Elizabeth, wanted to donate his collection to a good home.

Sally Free, wife of a priest at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Brighton, suggested sending them to her friend, the Rev. Elizabeth Bumpas, who is an administrator at Janani Luwum Theological College in Uganda.

"We have a library at the college, but it really needed some help. It was a huge help to have these books donated to the college," Rev. Bumpas said.

The books will help students at the school do research for papers and sermons.

"There are a lot of obstacles in Uganda ... the way to combat them is with education," Rev. Bumpas said. "Anything that we received that helped us to better educate the men and women there is greatly appreciated."

Getting those books to the landlocked country, though, took approximately three months and required the combined effort of others.

Frank Cangemi and his wife, a longtime parishioner at St. Mary's, were quick to lend a hand.

Cangemi, who runs an international consulting firm that frequently ships to other countries, had the collection -- packed in 36 cartons -- shipped to the seminary for free. Parishioners, colleagues and friends also donated to the cause.

"Father Howell had a large African community at Christ Church, and the fact that his books ended up with a African community in a poor country, I thought it was a feel-good story," Cangemi said.

According to the Rev. Terry Troia of Project Hospitality, Rev. Howell was known for "upholding the diversity of his congregation and his community."

"He worked very hard at embracing the West African community in his church," she told the Advance in 2015. "He was a gracious, gentle, loving soul, very spiritual, very committed to the homeless shelters on Staten Island."
By PTI: (Eds: Upgrading with additional details)

Indore, Jul 22 (PTI) Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today said he has no immediate plans to plunge into electoral politics in his home state Gujarat or strike an alliance with Shankarsinh Vaghela who quit the Congress.

Patel said he will continue to focus on raising issues concerning his community and the agriculture sector and that he would take a call on fighting polls at an appropriate time.

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"Right now, I have no plans to contest elections. I neither have any political intentions, nor do I represent any party. Im just fighting for the cause of society and the farm sector," Patel told reporters here.

Assembly polls in Gujarat state are due later this year.

Asked how he viewed Vaghelas move, Patel said the decision of the 77-year-old leader to quit the Congress was right considering his age.

Patel said he neither has any plans to forge an alliance with Vaghela nor has he held talks with the Kshatriya strongman about it.

Vaghela had yesterday announced that he was quitting the Congress amid speculations that he may float a political front by roping in parties and social outfits outside the Congress and the BJP.

On the death of five farmers in a police firing at Mandsaur, he said that just like in Gujarat, the voice of farmers was being muzzled in Madhya Pradesh as well.

Talking about his visits to the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, he said, "Come what may, but I will keep visiting MP. In the next few months, I will come and address farmers meeting at Gwalior and other places in the state. Do whatever you want."

Patel demanded that farm loans be waived across the country and cultivators given pension after they attain the age of 50. He also wanted a national commission to study farmers issues to be set up.

The Patidar leader sought withdrawal of criminal cases lodged against farmers in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts during the farmers stir last month.

Patel claimed he had not visited MP ahead of farmers stir but his name was falsely being linked to it, alleging a BJP leader was behind it. PTI HWP LAL NP NM AAR

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Darjeeling (WB), Jul 22 (PTI) A police outpost was set on fire by pro-gorkhaland agitators in Darjeeling hills and posters were distributed saying local MP S S Ahluwalia "has not been seen in the hills in the last few months" on the 38th day of the indefinite shutdown today.

The agitators threw petrol bombs at a vacant police outpost in Jaldhaka in the afternoon and also tried to set ablaze a forest bungalow in the hills but failed, the police said.

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The GJM youth wing continued their fast-unto-death, which they launched yesterday at four places of the hills in support of a separate Gorkhaland state.

Meanwhile Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists and other hill parties held a demonstration outside the district magistrates office here demanding restoration of internet services in the hills.

Internet services have been suspended for the last 32 days.

The posters of BJP MP from Darjeeling S S Ahluwalia were distributed among people by the GJM, GNLF and other hill parties.

"We want to know where is the MP? He has not come to the hills since the unrest began. Will he only come to the hills at the time of election? If he tries to do that the BJP will get a befitting reply from the people of the hills," GJM MLA Amar Singh Rai said.

Yesterday the GNLF and other hill parties had lodged a missing person complaint for Ahluwalia, who, they alleged, "has not been seen in the hills in the last few months."

Some political party activists dressed in traditional Nepali attire, took out processions in the morning.

Police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil at every entry and exit points.

All shops, restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges remained closed except pharmacies. PTI PNT KK DIP

--- ENDS ---
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The posters target four JD-U spokespersons, Ajay Alok, Sanjay Singh, Shyam Rajak and Neeraj Kumar who have been demanding Tejashwi to come clean on the corruption charge.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: The standoff between RJD and JD-U over Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav got murkier with his supporters coming up with posters in Patna slamming the JD-U spokespersons who are continuously attacking him on charges of corruption.

The posters target four JD-U spokespersons, Ajay Alok, Sanjay Singh, Shyam Rajak and Neeraj Kumar who have been demanding Tejashwi to come clean on the corruption charges that have been levelled against him and a subsequent FIR being registered by CBI in this connection.

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"Tejashwi must reply in the people's court on the charges slapped on him. He should come out with point by point rebuttal on the allegations. Till now, whatever Tejashwi has said is not satisfactory for JDU," Neeraj Kumar, JD-U spokesperson said.

Interestingly, the Deputy Chief Minister who finds himself in the dock had met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar earlier this week and is believed to have given a detailed explanation to him on corruption charges against him.

The posters say that despite Nitish asking his party spokespersons to refrain from attacking Tejashwi, they have launched a tirade against him.

The posters say that the four spokespersons were keeping the issue alive and slamming Tejaswi at the behest of BJP leder Sushil Modi, who had come out with series of sensational expose against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family alleging them of amassing "benami" properties in various parts of the country in last few years.

ALSO READ:

Tejashwi was owner of 26 properties at age 26, Sushil Modi alleges

BJP trying to create confusion in Mahagathbandhan, says Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi's meeting with Nitish fails to cut ice, JD-U adamant on Dy CM coming clean on corruption charges

--- ENDS ---
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Three years on after flight MH17 was shot out of the sky in Ukrainian airspace, Canberra's Ukrainian community came together to remember the tragedy's 298 victims.

A small congregation gathered at the Ukrainian Orthodox Centre in Turner on Saturday, just days after the third anniversary of the airline disaster.

The congregation leading the commemoration for the victims. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

The Malaysia Airlines flight was travelling between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur when it was destroyed by a missile fired by pro-Russian separatists.

Canberran Liliane Derden was one of the 27 Australian victims.
The number of demountable classroom buildings used in ACT public schools has fallen over the past decade, despite an increase in the territory's student population.

Figures from the ACT education directorate showed as of July 2017, there were 73 demountable buildings across Canberra public schools, making up 130 classrooms.

The number of demountable buildings in ACT public schools has dropped by 14 since 2008.

A demountable building can include between one and three classrooms.

During the past 10 years the number of demountables has fallen from 87 buildings used in 2008, which at the time made up 144 classrooms.
A 26-year-old Narrabundah man has faced court on charges of drug trafficking.

Sean Gladman appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday. He was arrested on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation.

Cannabis was seized by police at the Narrabundah home. Credit:Rohan Thomson

During a search of his home, police allegedly found traffickable quantities of illicit drugs, including cannabis, and cash which was seized as suspected proceeds of crime.

Police allege the cannabis was contained in seven large coffee jars, one large zip-lock bag and other containers.
Snail slime. On your face. All for the sake of beauty?

And, hopefully, a handsome profit for some US retailers looking to push it along with other K-beauty trends into the mainstream -- if people can get over the "ick" factor.

While Koreans put snail slime on the map, it's Chileans who get the credit for discovering its apparent benefits.

Korean consumers are on a constant hunt for innovative products and unusual natural ingredients. Now, the decade-old craze is making its way to everyday consumers in the US, as K-beauty products jump from niche websites and slide onto the shelves at Target, CVS Health and Ulta Beauty stores. The retailers earlier this year announced expansions of the merchandise.

"People used to talk about French skincare," said Sarah Chung, the head of Landing International which partnered on Ulta's Korean collection. "We don't really call it that anymore. Right now we say it's K-beauty, but it's really just great skincare."
Around 1,700 trees are proposed to be razed to develop an exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan.

By Mail Today Bureau: Voices against green massacre in India's most polluted city have come together once again - this time to save more than 1,700 trees in Pragati Maidan.

These trees are proposed to be razed to develop an exhibition-cum-convention centre. The development comes after the removal of the old Hall of Nations and its sister Hall of Industries, Nehru Pavillion, etc. recently.

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Nature enthusiasts in the city have launched an online campaign - Save 1,713 trees at Pragati Maidan - and are also sourcing money through crowd funding to hire a lawyer to "defend the mute trees". The trees proposed to be razed are mostly adult pilkhan trees, and some peepal and bargad too.

Less than a month back, residents of RWAs near Aurobindo Marg, south Delhi, forced the state government to revert its decision to axe around 30 healthy neem trees for a road-widening project. Environment minister Imran Hussain himself intervened to stop the damage.

The proposal to remove 1,713 trees from the iconic Trade Fair venue of Delhi emerged after an RTI by activist Aditya Prasad.COMPENSATORY AFFORESTATION

National Buildings Construction Corporation - a central government undertaking which is redeveloping Pragati Maidan - says it has obtained requisite permission from the Delhi forest department and in fact, will plant over 17,000 trees as compensatory afforestation around east Delhi.

LC Goyal, chairman and managing director, ITPO (IndiaTrade Promotion Organisation) has said, "We have identified 24 acres of land where these trees will be planted. All the logistics are in place, and we are committed to fulfill our responsibility towards the environment. We would take all necessary steps to plant trees within the given time period."

However, citizens who are campaigning against this uprooting of huge, fully grown trees, think otherwise. Radhika Bhagat, a resident of NFC, who has filed the petition for trees in Pragati Maidan, says, "We believe cutting of trees should be avoided at all costs specially at a time of the current environmental emergency which we are facing."

"The trees should in fact be integrated into the project design to showcase India's commitment towards climate change action and sustainable development to the world," she recommends. Verhaen Khanna, who is also supporting the campaign, said they are consulting good architects on providing useful suggestions to NBCC for the same.

Delhi has already lost 15,000 trees to development in last three years, Radhika points out. Aditya Prasad, who filed the RTI, says, "It is very important to look at the impact of felling 1,700 trees in the middle of concrete Delhi. If we were living in the middle of a forest, it wouldn't probably hurt as much. But in a city like this, we must avoid it at all costs."

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Also Read

CRPF accused of mowing down 25 hectares of Delhi's greenery

--- ENDS ---
Prominent conservatives within the Coalition are split over whether to hold a postal vote plebiscite on same-sex marriage to stymie a push by Liberal moderates for a conscience vote on the issue.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has backed the idea and the Queensland Liberal National Party passed a motion at its state convention last week calling for the Turnbull government to conduct a postal vote.

Nationals MP George Christensen says he will cross the floor to back the bill in the lower house. Credit:Andrew Meares

Unlike a regular poll, a postal-vote plebiscite would not require legislation to establish, would not be compulsory and and would be far cheaper to administer.

Nationals MP George Christensen, who opposes same-sex marriage, said: "We have been roadblocked by Labor and the Greens in the Senate.
Accused people usually apply to the higher court for bail because it has been refused by a local court magistrate. Credit:Kate Geraghty Accused people usually apply to the higher court for bail because it has been refused by a local court magistrate, or if they are suffering in custody in an exceptional way. While serious, bail hearings do not have the same formal atmosphere as other criminal court proceedings, and judges forego the regalia of a wig and heavy red robe. Justice Bellew wears a business suit and a bright tie with a matching pocket square poking out of his jacket. Beyond legal principles, and the often hotly-debated topic of bail, judges and lawyers seem freer to show their empathetic and human sides. Andrew Sampson, awaiting sentence on armed robbery and assault charges

Sampson appears on the court's television screen, representing himself and urgently applying to be released so he can go to his mother's funeral. "My family tried to rearrange my mum's funeral and they couldn't come to a compromise. The funeral was held last Friday," he tells the court in a flat voice. Sampson, 36, says he would still like to apply for release, but Justice Bellew carefully tells him it would be unfair for the hearing to go ahead because the Crown has documents Sampson has not seen. A young solicitor from the Aboriginal Legal Service, Imogen Hogan, jumps up from her seat and says she can try to assist Sampson, having recently worked on his sister's case. Justice Bellew takes a slightly extended morning adjournment, telling Ms Hogan it's enough time for her to read over Sampson's documents, and to take a decent break. Sampson's application is adjourned for a week.

Brendan James Smith, awaiting trial on child sexual assault Smith appears from jail, anxiously shuffling his legal papers, as the court hears he has seen several inmates attempt suicide while in protective custody. The judge is concerned that the police brief against Smith, charged with sexually assaulting a child in a toilet block at a playground, is incomplete nearly a year after his alleged crime. His solicitor says investigators have only recently applied for DNA testing, in a case that otherwise relies on an identification of Smith as the child's attacker by a woman who last saw him at school 25 years ago. "Police can't go about the preparation of briefs of evidence and just allow people to languish in custody at will," Justice Bellew says. "You can't just have people sitting in custody for months and months on end waiting for briefs to be served in a case which, though extremely serious, is not factually complex."

The 39-year-old is granted bail later in the week, effectively placed under house arrest, with the judge noting concerns about the weak prosecution case and investigators' delays. A 41-year-old man, charged with sex offences The next day, a woman wearing a bright shirt, a sparkly hair clip, and carrying a neon purple handbag is in court to support her brother. "It's so quiet in here. I feel like I'm back at school," she says cheerily to no one in particular. She nods and wipes away tears when the court hears her brother was once the primary carer for their ailing mother and the family has little outside support.

Her brother, listening in from custody, has a startled look permanently fixed on his face as the court hears he has no prior criminal record. The sister's demeanour darkens when the judge points out her brother is charged with 30 counts of sexually or indecently assaulting his young daughter over several years. "Bullshit," the woman says under her breath from the back of the court. In refusing bail, Justice Bellew says: "This is not a case where if he is continued to be incarcerated his mother has no assistance open to her at all." Troy William Barrett, charged with being an accessory to a serious crime

Barrett's parents have travelled from the state's far west to watch his bail application, and have offered up $50,000 in surety to be drawn from their rural property. His mother, wearing a red jumper with shiny gold buttons down the back, and his father, in a suit, look up at their bedraggled son on the screen. Barrett, 33, who has an excavation business in Hillston, is willing to live more or less under house arrest on his grandmother's remote property if he is granted bail. He is accused of directing two people to do his "dirty work" and break into the house of his ex-girlfriend's new partner. The new partner, Barrett's former friend, was allegedly hit on the head with a rifle with enough force to snap the butt off the gun. Justice Bellew denies bail, noting Barrett was once charged with a domestic violence offence.

After his parents quietly point out there has been some confusion in the facts of Barrett's case, they seem optimistic when the judge gives a revised decision. But their hopes are dashed again, and their son remains locked up. Shane Michael Rennie, on dangerous and negligent driving charges After lunch, Rennie appears on screen, the picture of a Hollywood villain, with a slicked back ponytail, wearing prison greens, and a large leather eye patch. Tacked to the wall behind him is a laminated sign saying "Long Bay". Rennie's story is not about good or evil. The court hears he suffers from a syndrome that affects his nerves and turns one eye inward, a condition that might explain the string of driving offences he faces.
Page's girlfriend Renay Bull. Page told his friend he could source a diamond worth between $200,000 and $250,000 for a wholesale price of $85,000, according to a statement of facts tendered in court. Fairfax Media contacted the friend, who agreed to speak on the basis of anonymity. He explained how he gave Page the amount in three different transactions. Page and Bull holidayed in Mykonos, Greece. Credit:hemis.fr Under Page's instructions, $50,000 was transferred into Page's then-wife's account and a $35,000 cheque was made out to his development company, Elefteria Pty Ltd. His wife had no knowledge of the fraud.

Evidence presented in court showed subsequent account withdrawals were traced to Mykonos in the Greek Islands, where Page was basking in the European sun with his girlfriend, a Newcastle-based podiatrist. The friend said Page "delayed, delayed, delayed" before he finally delivered the dazzling diamond he gave to his fiance in October 2011. "What was meant to be one of the best moments of our lives, the most important gift I would ever give to my wife, turned out to be tarnished forever," the friend said. The couple were shattered when a Sydney-based jeweller informed them the diamond was a fake. "It was one of the worst days of our lives," he said.

"Our hearts sank. [My partner] collapsed to the floor in tears but I picked her up and said 'let's get another opinion'. "We went to another jewellery store and they confirmed the same." Years later, after Page was charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, it emerged he had asked another jeweller to fit a cubic zirconia and asked that it be fitted into an engagement ring. The process cost $1500. He then gave it to his friend, a man he had shared many dinners and conversations with over the years. The couple never got their money back and Page was crossed off the wedding list.

Despite being sentenced to 12 months' jail, with a non-parole period of eight months, Page was granted bail days later after lodging an appeal. He left the humble surrounds of a jail cell and returned to a beachfront apartment in Newcastle, emerging daily in a black Mercedes SUV, worth of hundreds of thousands of dollars, to report for bail. It is not the first time people have been left severely out of pocket by Page's actions. He managed to crawl back from the brink of bankruptcy last year as creditors pursued him for $17 million. Documents obtained by Fairfax Media showed some funds were lent to Page by business associates while other sums were invested with him in the belief shares in a company or development would be purchased.

Despite his luxurious lifestyle, Page claimed to have no real estate interests and only cars that he owed the bank a lot of money for. In a report prepared by trustee Geoffrey McDonald in 2015, Page's supposed dire state of affairs was traced back to adverse legal action, excessive interest payments and a failed business deal with Sam Ibrahim in 2013. This venture involved the same company, Elefteria Pty Ltd, that was involved in the fake engagement ring. This company was linked to a well-publicised dispute involving mining company Silver City Drilling. According to the trustee report, Page was a silent shareholder through Ibrahim and Silver City director Nathan Wilson. Elefteria also leased mining equipment to the Port Macquarie-based firm.
Police photograph of a Glock pistol with a loaded magazine found in a TV cabinet drawer at the house of Tarek Assaad in November, 2016. Credit:NSW Police The feud has resulted in four murders and is potentially linked to a handful of other shootings. It has also left at least two prominent members of rival families with kill contracts hanging over their heads, it is understood. After Wally Ahmad and Safwan Charbaji  aligned to a rival family  were killed in separate shootings in April last year, 49 FPOs were served on different people the following month. Police photograph of a loaded magazine found in a TV cabinet drawer at the house of Tarek Assaad in November, 2016. The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad raided his Georges Hall home after his brother, crime figure Hamad Assaad, was shot dead weeks earlier. Police were trying to quell retaliation attacks. Credit:NSW Police That number rose to 72 in June before dropping to 28 in September.

The orders spiked again after crime figure Hamad Assaad  a suspect in Ahmad's brazen shooting  was shot dead outside his Georges Hall home in October. Police issued 69 FPOs in November and 72 in December. The scene of the shooting in Mortlake. Credit:Brook Mitchell Tensions simmered for four months before an Ahmad family associate  Kemel "Blackie" Barakat  was peppered with bullets inside his Mortlake apartment in March 2017. That murder sent shivers through the Ahmad network, sparking fears of a brutal escalation in the conflict. Police served 70 FPOs that month, almost double the amount of other months this year. Police at the scene of Hamad Assaad's shooting in October, 2016. Credit:TNV News

Altogether, between April last year and May, 690 FPOs were served. This is compared to the 520 orders handed out across 2015. The figures also reflect the use of these orders to quell violence between warring bikie clubs in the NSW Hunter region. The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad raided Tarek Assaad's Georges Hall home after his brother, crime figure Hamad Assaad, was shot dead weeks earlier. Credit:NSW Police Estimates surrounding the amount of illegal firearms on the black market vary but a recent Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission study put the figure at a conservative 260,000. The study, which preceded a nationwide gun amnesty this year, also found bikie gangs and Middle Eastern crime groups were increasingly behind gun trafficking in Australia.

Walid "Wally" Ahmad was shot dead in Bankstown on April 29. NSW Police Acting serious crime director Detective Superintendent Steve Blackmore said police were constantly analysing who was behind these conflicts. The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad's Strike Force Kentgrove has been the driving force behind suppressing retaliation in the city's south-west. It was established after Charbaji was shot dead in Condell Park. Ahmad "Rock" Ahmad of the notorious Ahmad crime family. Credit:Nick Moir The squad stopped potentially lethal retribution last November when they raided the house of Assaad's brother, Tarek, and found a loaded Glock handgun hidden in a drawer.

Tarek had been warned by associates that he could be next and made to pay for his gangster brother's wrongdoings. Hold your fire. While police conceded they didn't find guns at every FPO search, the orders help kept weapons out of reach when people had "blood in their eyes", according to Chief Superintendent Finch. The Ombudsman reviewed the FPO powers last year and found that firearms, parts and ammunition were only discovered in 2 per cent of all searches. Slain crime figure Hamad Assaad, 29, was a suspect in Wally Ahmad's shooting. Credit:Instagram

The Ombudsman also found 200 people were unlawfully searched, mainly due to a misunderstanding about search powers. After a shooting, when tensions are fraught, police "live monitor situations" to gauge who has a gun. Sometimes it can be a group's "collective intention" to shoot someone, so everyone in that cluster is searched, Detective Blackmore explained. Guns are passed around, stashed in safe houses or held by associates so a person slapped with a FPO isn't caught red-handed. Last December, police raided the Punchbowl home of Mustapha Dib, a former Telopea Street gang member who had his murder conviction overturned in 2016.

It is understood Dib  also known as "fairy Dib"  was targeted for his links to the Ahmad family. A single 9mm bullet was found but Dib charged with possessing ammunition subject to an FPO. The 33-year-old is defending the charge, with a hearing scheduled in Bankstown Local Court next week. Two weeks later, Wally Ahmad's brother, Rock Ahmad, was charged with firearm possession after police found a replica firearm at his Bankstown home during a FPO search. Rock Ahmad, whose house has been turned inside out in dozens of searches over the past year, has argued the alleged gun was actually a plastic toy. Chief Superintendent Finch believes FPOs have helped stem the flow of affordable and readily available hand guns.
A man accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in a public toilet has been granted bail after spending eight months in jail despite there being little firm evidence against him.

Brendan James Smith, 39, was set to be released from prison after the Crown unusually conceded that its own case against him was not strong.

The girl said she was molested in the public toilets of a park in Orange. Credit:Dave Neil

Smith was jailed after he was charged with digitally penetrating a five-year-old girl at a public toilet at Elephant Park in Orange in November 2016.

The NSW Supreme Court heard this week that the girl was at the park with her mother and sister when she asked to go the toilet. The girl mistakenly entered the male bathroom and when she emerged told her mother: "the man touched me on the gina and it hurt."
Pre-dawn starts don't faze the hardy souls of breakfast radio with Nova 96.9's early morning entertainers embracing the chance to limber up for The Sun-Herald City2Surf fun run with more than 70,000 others in August.

But one thing Michael "Wippa" Wipfli will be missing is his breakfast radio sidekick, Ryan "Fitzy" Fitzgerald, who will not be joining him in the world's biggest road race this year.

Team Wippa: Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, his family and radio co-worker Sarah McGilvray will be running in the City2Surf. Credit:James Brickwood

Instead, the co-host of Fitzy & Wippa will run alongside on-air colleague and Nova 96.9 program director Sarah McGilvray as well as his wife, Lisa, and their two sons Ted and Jack.

"I'd like to point out that Fitzy will be absent," he said.
Fady Taiba says the scar on his forehead, which goes around to the back of his skull, is a "constant reminder of what happened ... and will be with me until the day I die".

Mr Taiba was working as a security guard at the door of Bar 333 on George Street, when he refused entry to a drunk and stumbling James Longworth.

Longworth, an investment bank admin worker, punched Mr Taiba and ran away, leaving him to "fall like a tree" and hit his head hard on the floor.

As a result of the one-punch attack in the centre of Sydney on September 6, 2013, Mr Taiba suffered a traumatic brain injury, had part of his skull removed, and was in a coma for 19 days.
The Gold Coast is set to become the new home of Australia's largest sea jelly exhibit, uniquely featuring a research laboratory inside the display at Sea World.

The nine-years-in-the-making collaboration with Griffith University will give the public the opportunity to peer into the scientific research of the marine life, while enjoying the aquarium that will hold about 2500 jellies.

The exhibit will feature many species of sea jelly, including the deadly irukandji (file picture).

A variety of local species will be hosted in the facility including blue blubber, the moon jelly, upside down jellies and the deadly irukandji.

Sea World director of marine sciences Trevor Long said the facility will not only provide much needed research into sea jellies, but will also create a stunning display.
A heritage-listed building on Queen Street will soon house a University of Queensland inner-city campus, following council approval for its post-graduate facility.

UQ submitted a development application to Brisbane City Council in January to convert several levels of the Custom Credit House buildings at 299 Queen Street into a Faculty of Business, Economics and Law campus.

The University of Queensland will open a business-oriented campus in the CBD. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

The sandstone-faced building is understood to have been constructed in 1926 and was entered into the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.

The register said the seven-storey building provided 114 offices, a basement and caretaker's quarters on the roof and had a $4 million refurbishment in 1983.
It is an artistic performance so subversive, some of those involved may not even know they are taking part.

But, for Brisbane's Indigenous community, it is an important acknowledgement of their enduring ties to the land and a symbol of empowerment for the region's first inhabitants.

Maiwar Performance, 2006, viewed from the end of Boundary Street. Credit:Carl Warner

The brainchild of local Aboriginal activist Sam Watson and American artist Dave Hullfish Bailey, the Maiwar Performance sees CityCats execute unannounced manoeuvres near sites of Aboriginal significance.

The CityCat would slow and veer towards the land, acknowledging the Aboriginal people gathered on the shore, before resuming its journey.
Jat was rushed to city's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital where his condition is currently said to be critical.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: BJP MP Sanwar Lal Jat fell unconscious during a meeting chaired by party national president Amit Shah in Jaipur today.

Jat was rushed to city's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital where his condition is currently said to be critical.

As per the release issued, Jat was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at SMS "in severely critical condition with non-recordable pulse, blood pressure and respiration".

Rajasthan: BJP MP Sanwar Lal Jat fell unconscious during party President Amit Shah's programme in Jaipur, was rushed to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/8a0xNa67wa&; ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2017

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"A senior cardiologist attending to the Ajmer MP gave necessary Cardiac Resuscitation. To restore his cardiac rhythm, Jat was given DC shock twice," it further mentioned.

The release states that Jat's blood pressure, cardiac rhythm and hemodynamics are properly maintained, but he is unconscious and still on ventilator.

Jat served as Minister of State for Water Resources in the Modi government.

ALSO READ | Sanwar Lal Jat, a Raje confidant, makes it to Team Modi

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A cattle truck has crashed on the Great Northern Highway in the state's far north with at least 80 animals injured.

Police said officers from Derby in the Kimberley are attending the crash site near Willare.

A 37-year-old man remains in a critical condition after the stabbing. Credit:Georgia Matts

The crash occurred at approximately 2:20 on Saturday afternoon.

There are no people reported injured.
The Chinese military has been spying on major war games taking place between Australia and the United States off the coast of Queensland.

In a statement, the Department of Defence said a Chinese surveillance ship has been operating within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Coral Sea where the joint military exercise was unfolding.

Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, US Pacific Command (left) and Vice Admiral David Johnston, Chief of Joint Operations, unfurl the Talisman Sabre flag at the opening ceremony. Credit:John Feder

The spy ship - identified as a Chinese People's Liberation Army-Navy Type 815 Dongdiao-class auxiliary general intelligence vessel - has remained outside of Australia's territorial waters.

The biennial joint United States and Australia military exercise Talisman Sabre, which involves more than 30,000 defence personnel, started late last month.
Bangkok: Two major parties appear set to dominate voting on Saturday in East Timor's fourth parliamentary elections since the tiny half-island nation gained its independence 15 years ago.

After 24 years of brutal Indonesian occupation, Timorese have come to take their elections seriously, and turned out en-masse again at polling booths across the country.

People waiting in line and to cast their votes in the East Timor parliamentary elections in Dili on Saturday. Credit:Wayne Lovell

Polling monitors expect the turnout to be more than 70 per cent in the country where voting is not compulsory.

In remote areas some voters arrived at polling stations on ponies and in boats after a colourful and largely violence-free campaigning.
Jakarta: Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has instructed law enforcement officers to shoot drug traffickers to deal with a narcotics emergency facing the country.

"Be firm, especially to foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist arrest. Shoot them because we indeed are in a narcotics emergency position now," Jokowi, as he is popularly known, said in a speech delivered at an event held by one of Indonesia's political parties late on Friday.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Credit:AP

His remarks have drawn comparison to that of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a brutal anti-drug crackdown about a year ago that has led to the deaths of many alleged drug dealers.

The bloody campaign in the Philippines has drawn condemnation from the international community, including the United Nations.
New York: The United Nations Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss the bloodiest spate of Israeli-Palestinian violence for years, diplomats said on Saturday.

Sweden, Egypt and France requested the meeting to "urgently discuss how calls for de-escalation in Jerusalem can be supported", Sweden's deputy UN ambassador, Carl Skau, posted on Twitter.

Tear gas is used on Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem on Friday. Credit:AP

Israel sent extra troops into the occupied West Bank on Saturday and raided the home of a Palestinian who stabbed three Israelis to death in a settlement on the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, Israel's military said.

The diplomatic fallout also intensified as the Palestinian Authority served notice that it was cutting off all contacts with Israel at a time when the US administration is trying to restart peace talks.
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Singleton spoke Thursday at the sentencing for Maurice Sumler, 23, of Detroit, who was ordered to serve 20 to 40 years after he was convicted of second-degree murder, reckless driving causing death and leaving the scene of a fatal at-fault...
Everything you need to know about No. 20 Notre Dame's game vs. Army Saturday in Philadelphia
Kovind's maiden visit after he takes over as the President is likely to be to the high altitude Army positions in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh.

Kovind, who would be the 14th President of the country, is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. (Photo: PTI)

By Manjeet Negi: President elect Ram Nath Kovind's maiden visit after he takes over the coveted post on July 25 is likely to be the high altitude Army positions in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh.

Kovind, who would be the 14th President of the country, is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

"We have initiated the process and hope to get the nod soon," an Army source said.

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The Ladakh region also assumes significant strategic importance as it shares boundary with India's both adversaries- China in the east and Pakistan in the west.

Former Bihar Governor Kovind won the presidential election with a comfortable margin against Opposition nominee Meira Kumar. After final round of counting, Kovind got 2,930 votes with a value of 702,044 out of a total of 10,69,358.

ALSO READ | All you need to know about Ram Nath Kovind, 14th President of India

President-elect Ram Nath Kovind: PM Narendra Modi's first reactions on Twitter

ALSO WATCH | Ram Nath Kovind: My election a message to those who fulfill duties with honesty

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The CBI today constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP and Dy SP who have taken over the probe.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Even as Shimla continues to remain on the edge following the rape and murder of a minor girl, the CBI today filed two cases on allegation relating to rape, murder and another relating to custodial death.

While the police registered a complaint under Sections 302, 376 of IPC and section 4 of POCSO Act, another complaint was filed under Section 302 at Police Station, Kotkhai of Shimla district in connection with the custodial death of one of the accused arrested by police following investigation.

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"CBI has today registered two cases on the orders of Hon'ble High Court of Himachal Pradesh, in CWPIL No.88 of 2017 and taken over the investigation of FIR number 97 of 2017 July 6,2017 under Sections 302, 376 of IPC & section 4 of POCSO Act,"a CBI Spokesperson said.

The second case was registered on FIR number 101 on July 19 under section 302 of IPC after the custodial death of one of the co-accused on July 1

According to the complaint, the minor girl had gone to school on July 5 and did not return.

Her body was found from the nearby forest area on the next day. Immediately after the incident the local police filed a complaint against unidentified persons. As investigations progressed, the police arrested six persons.

One of the six accused died under mysterious circumstances in police custody few days after the arrest.

The CBI today constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP and Dy SP who have taken over the probe in both the cases.

LOCALS BLOCK ROAD

Meanwhile, locals in Shimla today blocked the National Highway 5 demanding justice in the rape and murder case. Following the incident, the district witnessed widespread protests and unrests in various parts of the state.

ALSO READ:

Shimla rape outrage: How Himachal, other states fare in crime against women

Shimla rape case: Accused killed in custody

Minor girls rape and murder: Protests continue in Shimla

ALSO WATCH:

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50
There's a very simple way to put $200,000 in your bank account: Don't get married.

Im not saying you shouldnt have a long-term relationship or shouldnt live with someone, but actually having a wedding? All entrepreneurs should carefully consider that particular societal custom. Its a contract designed to lose money.

The U.S. wedding industry is a $72 billion dollar industry according to an IBISWorld research report. The national average cost of a wedding, according to The Knot, is $35,329 across all demographics. Now, consider that the average entrepreneur, according to Fox Business earns about $70,000 per year and the average income level in the US is about half of that, at $35,000. As a result, we can safely assume that the average entrepreneur is likely to spend more on their wedding. While they may not spend double, lets say the average entrepreneur's wedding will cost in the $50,000 range.

Related: Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Says Married Entrepreneurs Must Do This or Risk Divorce

Now, consider that the long-term average annual compounded (realized) return on U.S. large-cap stocks has been about 10%, according to the Wall Street Journal. So, instead of padding to the wedding industry coffers, if you take that $50,000, and simply invests it in the stock market, after 10 years and a conservative calculation, youll have doubled your money and have $100,000 in your investment account.

And that 10-year number is based on the fact that the average marriage lasts about that long -- about 8 years in fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. We also see from this census that the divorce rate for first marriages is almost 50 percent, 60 percent for second marriages, and a whopping 73 percent for third marriages. Not very good odds at all.

And, since most marriages are ending in divorce, that means a contribution will likely be made to the $50 billion dollar divorce industry.

According to wevorce, the average divorce costs $100,000. Just as importantly, a divorce drains an entrepreneur's energy and time, making it more difficult to operate a business (I know from personal experience). In some cases, it destroys businesses. So, in addition to the outright $100,000 cost, there is significant opportunity cost lost in divorce, too.

Our final total for the 10-year cycle of marriage and divorce comes to $200,000 using conservative calculations. So, while mom and dad might not be happy if you choose not to get married, but youll have a few extra grand to send them on a nice vacation where they can get over it.

Related:

How to Make $200,000 in a Single Step

5 Warning Signs Your Business Is Killing Your Relationship

8 Reasons Married Entrepreneurs Are More Likely to Succeed



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


The passenger was arrested under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985 and was produced before the Mumbai court.

By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs arrested a person for carrying a psychostropic substance outside India, while he was departing to Kuala Lumpur by Malaysia Airlines flight.

The custom officials said, on suspicion, check-in baggage of one Suresh Kumar Nagarajan was screened at the Baggage Screen Machine (BSM) in the departure hall.

Before the custom officials could have found anything, the sniffer dog 'Urny' gave positive indication of presence of some psychotropic substances.

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Examination of his baggage revealed a cavity specially made with cardboard at the bottom of the bag.

"The cavity was opened and 2002 grams of white crystalline substance was found in plastic bag. The same was examined with the narcotics kit and tested positive for 'Methaquolone' valued at Rs 2 crore in the illicit international market," the official said.

The passenger was arrested under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985 and was produced before the Mumbai court. He has been sent to judicial custody in the Arthur Road Jail. Nagrajan works at one vegetable shop in Chennai.

ALSO READ:

Drugs found in Air India food trolley, insider's role suspected

Jammu and Kashmir: Police seize Rs 300 crore of heroin in major cross-LoC drug bust

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N orth Londons hottest new destination celebrates Asias vibrant culture with nearly 30 individual kiosks offering an eclectic mix of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Malaysian cuisines.

The highly anticipated Bang Bang Oriental, Londons biggest Asian foodhall, celebrated its grand opening last week.

Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall translates as Good Good Oriental Food Hall in Mandarin.

The 32,000 square foot eco-friendly venue encompasses a food court, restaurant and community space - all under one roof.

The food court boasts 27 pan-Asian cuisines under one roof

The food court seats up to 450 guests and brings the energy of an authentic Asian street food market to the capital.

The exciting new hub is also home to the stylish Golden Dragon flagship restaurant. The 300 cover restaurant offers dim sum lunches with an extensive traditional Chinese menu in the evening.

There are also indoor and outdoor spaces for community events, dance classes childrens play area and space for cultural activities such as Lion dancing.

The community spaces are available for residents to hire for free for up to 60 hours a week.

Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall, 399 Edgware Road, NW9 0FH. Open daily from 10.30am until 9.30pm. bangbangoriental.com.
I t seems like just yesterday that Kate Middleton emerged from St. Marys hospital and welcomed the birth of her first child - but this weekend Prince George will celebrate his 4th birthday.

From royal tours to family holidays and his first steps, the world has watched the young prince grow up right before our eyes.

And while Saturday will undoubtedly be spent with cake, balloons and blowing out candles, the future king has spent the run-up to his big day on an official tour of Poland and Germany with his parents.

George and younger sister Princess Charlotte have stolen the show during the royal visit, despite only having been spotted upon their arrival in Poland on Monday and then again upon their landing in Germany on Wednesday.

Prince George: Best moments from his fourth year

The cheeky prince entertained himself on the runway by pulling some funny faces at the cameras as the Royal Family landed at Tegel airport.

This year is set to be a big one for the royal tot, as he is enrolled to start school in September. Duchess Kate Middleton has already said she is not sure George,has any idea whats going to hit him when he begins full-time education later in the year.

George will be joining selective private day school Thomass Battersea in September, where the most important rule for its 540 students is to be kind.

The Duchess has previously said that the prince is a really lovely little boy, but has a noisy streak.

George and Charlotte also enjoyed a leading role as pageboy and bridesmaid at Pippa Middletons wedding earlier in May, where the youngster was told off for standing on the train of the brides dress.

Take a look back at some of Prince Georges most memorable moments in the gallery above.
R elatives of the victims killed in an IRA attack in Hyde Park 35 years ago marched through London on Saturday demanding the accused bomber is brought to justice.

UK Veterans - One Voice is leading the march from Hyde Park Barracks in a bid to bring a private court action against John Downey.

Mr Downey is accused of the 1982 attack, which killed four members of the Royal Household Cavalry on their way to a Changing Of The Guard ceremony.

Thirty one others were injured and seven horses also died in the bomb blast.

Hyde Park: Relatives lay wreaths in memory of those killed / PA

The initial case against Mr Downey, from Co Donegal, collapsed at the Old Bailey in 2014, when it emerged government officials had sent him a letter in 2007 as part of the controversial On The Runs (OTRs) scheme, telling him he was no longer a wanted man.

Mark Tipper, whose 19-year-old brother died in the blast, wrote on the Hyde Park Justice Campaign funding web page: "We urgently need your help. With it, we can succeed.

"Together, we can ensure justice is done. We cannot allow terrorists to get away with murder."

Bombing: Photo after the attack in 1982 / PA

Hyde Park Bombing On July 20 1982, the IRA carried out one of the group's bloodiest mainland atrocities, the Hyde Park bomb attack. A nail bomb containing 25lbs of explosives was hidden in a blue Morris Marina car and detonated by remote control as soldiers rode past. The attack left four members of the Royal Household Cavalry and seven horses dead and wounded 31 others, including civilians. Lance Corporal Jeffrey Young, 19, was killed alongside Squadron Quartermaster Corporal Roy Bright, 36, Lieutenant Anthony Daly, 23, and Trooper Simon Tipper, 19. In 2013 John Downey was arrested at Gatwick Airport and put on a multiple murder trial over the bombing. During the trial, it was revealed that Mr Downey had received a government assurance under the On The Runs (OTRs) scheme, agreed under the Blair government, telling him he was no longer a wanted man. As a result, the trial collapsed and Mr Downey walked out of the Old Bailey a free man. It was also revealed that he had been given over 50,000 in legal aid to conduct his defence, whilst Hyde Park victims' families have been refused legal aid for their own legal battle. Lady Justice Hallett, who carried out an inquiry after the letter became public, described the sending of the letters as a "catastrophic error".

He added: "We need to hit our fundraising goal before August 1st otherwise we will lose our chance and the chief suspect will evade justice yet again."

Mr Tipper also blamed former Labour prime minister Tony Blair for a "shameful and secret deal" which allowed suspected IRA members to walk free.

The families of the soldiers killed in the bombings were left furious after discovering Mr Downey received 50,000 in legal aid, while their own application for legal funding had been denied.

Protest: UK Veterans - One Voice invited people to march from Hyde Park Barracks in a bid to bring a private court action against John Downey / PA

With the Legal Aid Agency refusing "again and again" to fund the case, Mr Tipper added: "We have been made victims three times over.

"First by the bomb, then by Blair and now by the bureaucrats of the Legal Aid Agency.'

Relatives of some of those killed marked the 35-year anniversary of the atrocity in Hyde Park on Thursday as more than 100 Household Cavalry veterans turned out in support.
E ducation minister Nick Gibb has vowed to stamp out homophobic playground bullying as he opened up about his personal battle to publicly admit his sexuality.

The Tory MP, who kept his relationship a secret for 29 years, wants to wipe out the use of the word "gay" as a term of abuse in schools.

Mr Gibb, who married his long-term partner Michael two years ago, said widespread intolerance and discrimination meant it had been easier previously not to tell people they were together.

But he told the Mail On Sunday the secrecy of his past had made him "determined" to make a difference for LGBT people.

In an article for the newspaper, he wrote: "Having felt the need to be silent for decades about my sexuality, I am determined to make a positive difference. I will be tireless in ensuring that all gay, lesbian, bi and trans people can live free, happy and fulfilling lives."

Mr Gibb said he expected teachers to discipline pupils who use the word "gay" in a bullying manner.

Around 3 million is being spent on anti-homophobic and transphobic programmes.

A national survey is being launched that will ask 1.5 million LGBT people in the UK to give their views on public services to help inform government policy.

Mr Gibb wrote: "As a gay man who has been in a loving and stable relationship for more than 30 years, I have seen social attitudes change significantly.

"I met Michael in a different era, and one that was much harder than today. There was widespread intolerance, discrimination in the professions and a very hostile press - not least towards politicians.

"It was easier for us to have a relationship that wasn't known about. This meant we missed out on things that most people take for granted. Having children was out of the question. We didn't go to parties or attend family dinners as a couple. We spent every Christmas apart. Many other LGBT people had a much more difficult and challenging time."

He added: "Bullying at school is cruel, particularly as LGBT pupils are coming to terms with their sexuality or gender. I am determined that we stamp out the use of the word gay as a pejorative term."

Additional reporting by Press Association.
P rince George and Princess Charlotte are told about the granny they never met, Diana, to keep her memory alive.

Prince William says he regularly talks to them about his mother.

Little George, who celebrated his fourth birthday on Saturday, and two-year-old Charlotte are growing up with just Carole Middleton as their sole grandmother.

But William wants his children to also have Diana in their lives through the stories he tells them about the Princess.

Asked in the ITV documentary, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, how he keeps the memory of his mother alive for his children, the Duke replied: "I think, constantly talking about granny Diana, so we've got more photos up round the house now of her and we talk about her a bit and stuff.

Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons 1 /32 Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons Princess Diana and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with their newborn baby on June 21, 1982 PA Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their son Prince William AP Princess Diana and William Getty Images Prince Harry with Princess Diana and Prince William on holiday in Majorca, Spain August 1987 Rex Features Diana and Harry stand for the National Anthem at the Wales v Australia match during the 1991 Rugby World Cup Getty Images The family leave the church of St. Mary Magdalen near Sandrigham Houseon Chirstmas Day AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana and Harry at Thorpe Park Daily Mail Princess Diana with Charles and their sons at the VJ Parade in 1995 AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana with Prince Harry in London, August 1995 Reuters The Prince and Princess of Wales, with their sons Prince Harry and Prince William, at a concert in London's Hyde Park on the second day of the VE 50th Anniversary celebrations PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (right) and Prince Harry, attending the VJ Day commemorations at Buckingham Palace PA Prince William signs the traditional Entrance Book watched by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and younger brother, Prince Harry, at Eton College PA The Royal Family in the White drawing room of Windsor Castle, on the day of Prince William's Confirmation PA Diana, Princess of Wales, with her sons, Princes Harry (left) and William, aboard the Maid of the Mist cruiser near to Niagara Falls PA Princess of Wales and her two sons Prince Harry and Prince William leaving London's Natural History Museum PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry prior to boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia at Southampton Docks to sail for the Western Isles PA Diana, The Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (left) and Prince Harry leaving Portland Hospital in London after visiting The Duchess of York when she gave birth to her first child PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William and Prince Harry prepare for a cycling trip in Tresco during their holiday in the Scilly Isles in 1989 PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA The Princess of Wales with her children, Prince William and Prince Harry on board the Maid of Mist for a close-up look at Niagara Falls PA The Princess of Wales wearing a classic black and white long dinner dress by fashion designer Catherine Walker with her two sons Prince William and Harry meeting some of the stars of Steven Spielberg's "Hook" at the Odeon in Leicester Square, London PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (left) and Prince Harry, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh as they leave their hotel in Lech, Austria PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (centre) and Prince Harry, ride in ski lift on the last full day of their Easter skiing holiday in Lech, Austria PA

"It's hard because obviously Catherine didn't know her, she cannot really provide that level of detail."

But the Duke stressed he regularly talks to George and Charlotte about Diana when putting them to bed to remind them "there are two grandmothers in their lives, so it's important they know who she was and that she existed."

ITV Diana, Our Mother - Her Life and Legacy

Speaking in the documentary, which will be screened on Monday, William joked about the havoc his mother would have caused at his children's bath times if she was alive: "She'd be a nightmare grandmother, absolute nightmare. She'd love the children to bits, but she'd be an absolute nightmare."

Prince William and Kate with their son Prince George and daughter Princess Charlotte on their recent Royal tour / EPA

He added: "She'd come, probably at bath time, cause an amazing... scene, bubbles everywhere, bath water all over the place, and then leave."

George and Charlotte joined their parents when they and Prince Harry attended a service to re-dedicate Diana's grave at her family's ancestral home Althorp House, on her birthday July 1.

Speaking about his mother William added: "I want to make as much time and effort with Charlotte and George as I can because I realise these early years particularly are crucial for children, having seen what she did for us."
L awyers will spend the weekend studying expert reports on Charlie Gard as a High Court judge prepares to decide whether to let his family take him to the US for treatment.

Mr Justice Francis is due to look over the most recent evidence at a trial starting in the Family Division of the High Court on Monday.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates want the judge to rule that their 11-month-old son, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, should be allowed to undergo a therapy trial overseen by a specialist in New York.

Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, say the therapy is experimental and will not help.

Connie Gard and Chris Yates arrive at court (Lauren Hurley/PA ) / Lauren Hurley/PA

They say life support treatment should stop.

Earlier this week the American specialist, Michio Hirano, a professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, travelled to London to examine Charlie for the first time and discuss the case with Great Ormond Street doctors.

Lawyers say they will examine specialists reports, and data from fresh scans, during Saturday and Sunday.

Explained: The Charlie Gard case

The judge considered preliminary issues at a hearing on Friday.

Barrister Katie Gollop QC, who leads Great Ormond Street's legal team, told him that a report on a new scan made for "sad reading".

Charlie's parents reacted furiously to the news.

Charlie's parents were told on Thursday their appeal had been lost. / PA

They said they had not read the report.

Ms Yates burst into tears and Mr Gard yelled "evil".

Charlie's parents, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London.

They have also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene.

But the couple say there is new evidence and want Mr Justice Francis, who in April ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity, to change his mind.
P hotographs of the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry as children have been published for the first time to mark a new documentary about Diana, Princess of Wales on the 20th anniversary of her death.

A stunning image showing a tanned Diana hugging Harry while the pair are on holiday, is just one of the poignant pictures that are featured in the programme.

In the ITV documentary, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, William says to Harry about the photo: "This one here, I thought you'd like to see - quite a special picture - the two of you which I thought was quite sweet."

The photo shows Prince Harry apparently wearing trunks and sitting down with his legs up against his chest while his mother's arm is wrapped around his neck.

Diana, Princess of Wales holding Prince William while pregnant with Prince Harry / AFP/Getty Images

Harry joked about the image saying: "I just remember having the skinniest legs, and still do."

The pictures are taken from Diana's personal photo albums which were recently discovered by her sons who are seen flicking through them during the programme.

Family photo: Prince William (top) and Prince Harry sitting on a picnic table / AFP/Getty Images

Harry admits "part of him" did not want to look at them but he was also waiting for the right time to sit down with his brother and go through the pictures.

Another of the featured photographs shows Harry sat on the seat of a picnic bench while William sits directly behind him on the table.

And a third image shows a pregnant Diana holding a toddler William on her hip as the pair pose for the picture.

In the programme William said: "She loved taking pictures, it was so nice. She captures some really good portraits of people, you kind of get a snapshot of the personality quite quickly.

ITV Diana, Our Mother - Her Life and Legacy

"The funny thing is there is not that many of her, as she is always taking pictures of us."

Princess Diana - In pictures 1 /80 Princess Diana - In pictures Diana, Princess of Wales kissing Prince Charles of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their wedding in 1981 PA Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince Charles of Wales on holiday at Balmoral in 1981 PA Family album picture of Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) with Souffle, a Shetland pony, at her mother's home in Scotland during the summer of 1974 PA Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) with her brother Charles, Lord Alhorp (Earl Spencer) in 1968 PA Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) in her pram at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk in 1963 PA Archive/PA Images Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) from the family album, during a summer holiday in 1970 at Itchenor, West Sussex PA Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) leaving her flat in 1980 Neville Marriner/Associated Newspapers Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales), the 19-year-old fiancee to the leaves her flat at Coleherne Court, Earl's Court in 1980 Getty Images Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) announce their engagement at Buckingham Palace in 1981 Sipa Press/Rex Lady Diana Spencer (Diana, Princess of Wales) arrives at St. Paul's Cathedral in London with her father, Earl Spencer, for her wedding to the Prince of Wales in 1981 PA Archive/PA Images Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince Charles of Wales at their wedding at St Paul Cathedral in 1981 AFP/Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales at the High Altar in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, during their wedding at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981 PA Diana, Princess of Wales in her bridal gown at Buckingham Palace after her marriage to Prince Charles at St. Paul's Cathedral PA Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince Charles of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their wedding in 1981 PA The Prince and Princess of Wales in a carriage after their wedding at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981 PA Diana, Princess of Wales meeting the crowds during a royal tour of Wales in 1981 Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales smiling as she prepares to embrace a woman in the crowd, on the streets of Carmarthen, Wales in 1981 Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing at St Mary's with Prince William on 21 June 1982 PA Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing at St Mary's with Prince Harry on 17 September 1984 Getty Images Diana, Princess of Waleswith Pope John Paul II during a private audience at the Vatican on 25 April 1985 Reuters Diana, Princess of Wales attends a 1985 private wedding at Foulsham in Norfolk James Gray/Daily Mail Diana, Princess of Wales at a gala dinner at the 40th Cannes film festival on the French riviera in 1987 AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry at 5 years old, joins his brother Prince William at 7 years old on his first day at the Wetherby School, Notting Hill, London in 1989 PA The Princess of Wales wears a blue Catherine Walker gown to a charity ball at Osterley House, Middlesex, May 1989 Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images Britain's Prince Charles and Diana Princess of Wales watch Indonesian tribal dancers in Yogyakarta in 1989 AFP/Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William, right, and Prince Harry prepare for a cycling trip in Tresco during their holiday in the Scilly Isles in 1989 PA Diana, Princess of Wales at the 1989 wedding of Joanna Leshallas and Edward Berry in Cranbrook, Kent Rex Features Former First Lady Barbara Bush and Diana, Princess of Wales at the White House, Washington DC in 1990 AFP/Getty Images Lady Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 - 1997) laughs with American performer Liza Minnelli at a party following the charity film premiere of "Stepping Out", at the Langham Hilton Hotel, London on 20 September 1991 Dave Benett Diana, Princess of Wales leaving the first anti-AIDS bookshop in Paris in 1992 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales, arrives at the Lille Congress Hall on 15 November 1992 for the opening of Paul McCartney's oratorio "Liverpool" AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wale visits the great pyramid of Giza near Cairo in 1992 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales meets Manuel Leseneo in 1992, a homeless Spanish youth at the London Connection Centre for the Homeless, near Trafalgar Square Reuters Diana, Princess of Wales with her mother Frances Shand Kydd attending hte Wimbledon Men;s Singles Final in 1993 PA Diana, Princess of Wales delivers a powerful speech calling for a public partnership ro solve homelessness in 1993 Evening Standard Diana, Princess of Wales with Princes William and Harry on the Loggers Leap ride at Thorpe Park in 1993 Daily Mail Diana, Princess of Wales at Alton Towers Theme Park in 1994 Rex Diana, Princess of Wales enjoying the waters of Indian Castle Beach while on vacation at Nevis with her sons William and Harry in 1993 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales atends a charity dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994 Rex Features Diana, Princess of Wales in 1994 Dave Benett Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles gather for the commemorations of VJ Day on 19 August 1995 in London AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales departs her London health club in 1995 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales is interviewed by the BBC's Martin Bashir in the current affairs program, Panorama on 20 November 1995 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales laughs during a speech by Henry Kissinger at the 41st annual United Cerebral Palsy Awards Gala In 1995 Prince William signs the traditional Entrance Book watched by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and younger brother, Prince Harry, at Eton College. St James's Palace in 1995 PA Diana, Princess of Wales and Jemima Khan sttend a variety show on 22 February 1996 in Lahore. AFP/Getty Images A windswept Diana, Princess of Wales leaves her London health club after her morning workout in 1996 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales arriving at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Dinner Dance, Sydney in 1996 Getty Images Diana Princess of Wales arrive's at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York for the Costume Institute Ball in 1996 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales, posing for a photograph in 1997 with some French SFOR soldiers at Sarajevo airport before her flight to London. AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales during the meeting with Ana Paula dos Santos, wife of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, 13 January 1997 in Luanda AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 with Malic Bradoric from Bosnia and Zarko Beric a Serb from Bosnia, who both lost legs to landmines Reuters Diana, Princess of Wales, touring a minefield wearing body armour during her visit to Angola in 1997 PA UN Special Envoy to Angola Alioune Beye and Diana, Princess of Wales during a 1997 campaign against land mines in Angola AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales, a key volunteer of the British Red Cross Landmine Campaign listens to speaker Ken Rutherford in 1997, who was injured by a land mine in Somalia at ceremonies at Red Cross headquarters in Washington DC AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales attends English National Ballet's Swan Lake in 1997 Dave Benett Diana, Princess of Wales waits for a jet-ski ride on the property of her friend Mohammad Al-Fayed in Saint Tropez, French Riviera in 1997 AFP/Getty Images Diana, Princess of Wales attends the London premiere of 'In Love and War' at the Odeon Leicester Square on 12 February 1997 Dave Benett Diana, Princess of Wales, listening as she attends an engagement at a British Red Cross mission to highlight the evil of land mines in Luanda, 1997 AFP/Getty Images Diana, the Princess of Wales after arriving on 17 June 1997 at the Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington to attend a gala dinner for landmine victims AFP/Getty Images
P rincess Diana once made every teenage boys' fantasy come true for her son the Duke of Cambridge - by inviting three supermodels to their home.

William tells the story of his mother's wicked sense of humour in a documentary that chronicles the life of one of the most famous women of the 20th century.

His brother Prince Harry also describes her in the ITV programme, which will be screened on Monday, as "a total kid through and through" whose motto was "you can be as naughty as you want, just don't get caught".

The duke says about his embarrassing experience with the models: "She organised when I came home from school to have Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell waiting at the top of the stairs, I was probably a 12 or 13-year-old boy who had posters of them on his wall.

Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons 1 /32 Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons Princess Diana and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with their newborn baby on June 21, 1982 PA Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their son Prince William AP Princess Diana and William Getty Images Prince Harry with Princess Diana and Prince William on holiday in Majorca, Spain August 1987 Rex Features Diana and Harry stand for the National Anthem at the Wales v Australia match during the 1991 Rugby World Cup Getty Images The family leave the church of St. Mary Magdalen near Sandrigham Houseon Chirstmas Day AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana and Harry at Thorpe Park Daily Mail Princess Diana with Charles and their sons at the VJ Parade in 1995 AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana with Prince Harry in London, August 1995 Reuters The Prince and Princess of Wales, with their sons Prince Harry and Prince William, at a concert in London's Hyde Park on the second day of the VE 50th Anniversary celebrations PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (right) and Prince Harry, attending the VJ Day commemorations at Buckingham Palace PA Prince William signs the traditional Entrance Book watched by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and younger brother, Prince Harry, at Eton College PA The Royal Family in the White drawing room of Windsor Castle, on the day of Prince William's Confirmation PA Diana, Princess of Wales, with her sons, Princes Harry (left) and William, aboard the Maid of the Mist cruiser near to Niagara Falls PA Princess of Wales and her two sons Prince Harry and Prince William leaving London's Natural History Museum PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry prior to boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia at Southampton Docks to sail for the Western Isles PA Diana, The Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (left) and Prince Harry leaving Portland Hospital in London after visiting The Duchess of York when she gave birth to her first child PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William and Prince Harry prepare for a cycling trip in Tresco during their holiday in the Scilly Isles in 1989 PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA The Princess of Wales with her children, Prince William and Prince Harry on board the Maid of Mist for a close-up look at Niagara Falls PA The Princess of Wales wearing a classic black and white long dinner dress by fashion designer Catherine Walker with her two sons Prince William and Harry meeting some of the stars of Steven Spielberg's "Hook" at the Odeon in Leicester Square, London PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (left) and Prince Harry, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh as they leave their hotel in Lech, Austria PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (centre) and Prince Harry, ride in ski lift on the last full day of their Easter skiing holiday in Lech, Austria PA

"I went bright red, and didn't know quite what to say and sort of fumbled and I think pretty much fell down the stairs on the way up.

"I was completely and utterly awestruck.

"That was a very funny memory that's lived with me forever..."
A 15-year-old boy was left at an airport departure lounge after reportedly being removed from an overbooked EasyJet flight.

Casper Read, from West Sussex, boarded flight EZY833 from Gatwick Airport on Thursday morning to meet his grandparents in Toulouse.

The teenager texted his mother to say he was safely onboard shortly before another passenger claimed the seat and Casper was asked by crew to leave the plane, The Guardian reported.

EasyJet have since apologised for any inconvenience and have launched an investigation.

His mother Stephanie Portal told the newspaper: "They left him alone in departures.

Luckily, I had still not got on board my train to London and could come back and find him.

If I had not been there I dont know what would have happened  hed have had no money for the train back or anything.

Casper was then allocated a seat on the final flight of the day to Toulouse.

An EastJet spokeswoman told the Guardian: EasyJet is sorry that Casper Reads flight from London Gatwick to Toulouse was overbooked. We are investigating why he was able to board the aircraft as he should have been informed at the gate.

EasyJet has a procedure to protect unaccompanied minors but unfortunately this was not followed on this occasion and so this will also be investigated.
Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the trial of a case wherein the victim is an adult whose mental maturity is of a kid cannot be shifted to a children's court

By Harish V Nair: She tried her best. But a 60-year-old senior lady doctor, a resident of Delhi's Defence Colony, whose 40-year-old daughter with mental maturity of a four-year-old was raped, lost her legal battle on behalf of hundreds of similar victims for a more friendly trial court.

If she had won, it would have been a landmark ruling. The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the trial of a case wherein the victim is an adult whose mental maturity is of a kid cannot be shifted to a children's court and the accused cannot be tried under the stringent provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012.

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The victim, who was brutally raped, suffered from cerebral palsy, a case of under-developed brain like that of a child. Due to the impact of the gruesome incident seven years ago, the victim's mental capacity drastically reduced from that of an 8-year old to a three-year old toddler. This made the recording of her statement before a magistrate extremely difficult as she could not convey what exactly was done to her.

The victim in the pertinent case would not have benefited even if the court had ruled in her favour as the accused died when her mother's plea to shift the case from a normal court to children's court was pending in the apex court.

But her mother, despite the tragedy and trauma, had fought on with the help of her lawyer Aishwarya Bhati for the interest of hundreds of other similar victims. "We discussed the issue in detail. There are two concurring judgments rejecting the plea," said justice Dipak Misra. Justice Rohinton Nariman added: "We thought about it. But despite our best effort, we could not do much."

Both judges said the criteria of mental age required amendment of the rules of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, and that it was the job of the parliament and not of the court. "Needless to emphasise that courts sometimes expand or stretch the meaning of a phrase by taking recourse to purposive interpretation. A Judge can have a constructionist approach but there is a limitation to his sense of creativity. In the instant case, I am obliged to state that stretching of the words 'age' and 'year' would be encroaching upon the legislative function," justice Misra said in the judgment.

Justice Nariman said: "It is clear that viewed with the lens of the legislator, we would be doing violence both to the intent and the language of Parliament if we were to read the word 'mental' into Section 2(1)(d) of the 2012 Act. Given the fact that it is a beneficial/penal legislation, we as Judges can extend it only as far as Parliament intended and no further." The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed the victim's mother's plea. The apex court was initially convinced by the argument that the mental age of the victim should be taken as the criteria for classifying an offence under POSCO instead of the chronological age.

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--- ENDS ---
An India Today team found no sign of the missing Indians in Mosul. Bajwa said he was considering moving a privilege motion against Swaraj for "lying to the nation and playing with sentiments of families of 39 Indians."

By India Today Web Desk: Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday accused External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of "misleading the nation" by saying that 39 Indians missing in Irag for the last three years were lodged in a Mosul jail that has been destroyed by ISIS.

Less than a week after Swaraj said the missing Indian nationals might be alive in a prison in Iraq, an India Today team travelled all the way to Badush (West Mosul) but found no sign of them.

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Bajwa said India Today's investigation had exposed Swaraj's "lies."

Investigation by @IndiaToday exposes the lies of MEA Sushma Swaraj regarding 39 Indians missing in Iraq for past three years. 1/3- Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) July 21, 2017

The minister misled the nation that missing boys are lodged in a jail in Badush but in reality the said jail has been destroyed by ISIS. 2/3- Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) July 21, 2017

He said he was considering moving a privilege motion against the External Affairs minister for "lying to the nation and playing with sentiments of families of 39 Indians."

I am contemplating to move a privilege motion against Min for lying to the nation & playing with sentiments of families of 39 Indians. 3/3- Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) July 21, 2017

Here's what Sushma Swaraj had said: "The day the Iraqi PM declared Mosul is liberated from ISIS, I asked (minister of state) VK Singh to go to Erbil...Sources there told VK Singh that the missing Indians are most probably in a jail in Badush where fighting is still going on".

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India Today first to reach Mosul after ISIS fall. No sign of missing 39 Indians

No confirmed information on 39 missing Indians, Iraqi ambassador tells India Today

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--- ENDS ---
"I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis told reporters.

By Reuters: US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday he assumes that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive.

Earlier this month, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had "confirmed information" that Baghdadi had been killed, but Western and Iraqi officials have been skeptical.

"I think that he's alive, and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him. But we're going after him...we assume he's alive," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.

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Meanwhile, a senior US counterterrorism official said on Friday that he has seen no information confirming that al Baghdadi has been killed.

"I've seen nothing that would lead me to believe that the leader of ISIS (Islamic State) has been removed from the battlefield," said Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the US Counter-Terrorism Center. "We know a good bit. We just don't have information that would confirm his death."

Rasmussen, speaking at the annual Aspen Security Forum, was responding to recent news reports that Baghdadi had been killed

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Kin of missing Indians in Mosul meet Swaraj, MEA says they may be in Badush prison

--- ENDS ---
In April 2015, realtor Joe Samuels listed a quaint yellow house in the Town of Orange for sale. While exploring the interior, he encountered a message that had been scrawled on the basement door by Mary Willis Kempe, a former resident of the house. It read, This house was built by I.W.K. Handy in 1868, and this somewhat cryptic note intrigued Samuels. After some preliminary Google-searching, Samuels said he realized the house was not just an architectural gem, but it has historical value and more people should know about it.

The house in question was the Old Manse, which sits on 46 acres on the east side of Landon Lane. The house was recently accepted onto the Virginia Landmarks Registry and is presently being considered for the National Register of Historic Places as well. As for the mysterious I.W.K. Handy mentioned on the basement door: he was none other than the Rev. Isaac Handy, a former pastor of Orange Presbyterian Church. According to architectural historian Debra McClane, Hardy commissioned the house in 1868, and it likely was built by skilled hired hands who lived locally.

After being called to the Presbyterian Church in Orange, Handy discovered that the church had not provided a parsonage (or manse). McClane researched the provenance of the house and said she felt there was something funny going on between the church and its new pastor. It seems like relations were strained between the Rev. Hardy and the church, she said, although the churchs decision not to build a parsonage may have also been financially motivated.

The Rev. Handy arrived in Orange right after the Civil War had ended and money was scarce for everyone. Although the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the USA had appointed a committee to aid struggling congregations in building suitable churches and manses for its ministers in the 1840s, no design standards or guidelines were issued until much later in the 19th century. Therefore, Handy was compelled to finance his new home in Orange himself by selling farmland he owned in Missouri. He used the profits from the sale in combination with funds he had raised in the North and in Richmond, according to his personal genealogical record. Because Handy had little stylistic guidance from the church, the house he built largely reflects typical 19th century architecture of this region, according to McClane. She said the house was a little bit large compared to others in Orange, but not ostentatious.

Ann Miller, an historian with the Orange County Historical Society, echoed this sentiment. The Old Manse is something thats a little larger than your average town property, Miller said. Its a substantial structure with some Greek revival elements, but its not avery elaborate or very academically-minded structure.

The house likely reflects the Rev. Handys own austere tastewith one distinctive element: a transverse stairwell. McClane, who wrote the nomination form for the houses inclusion on the state-wide historic registry, explained, The house is notable for its use of a transverse stairwell at the back of the center passage. Other period uses of this floor plan have been recorded in the regionbut its use is unusual. The Greek and Colonial revival architecture of the Old Manse helped the property to qualify for the registry, in addition to its association with the lives of persons significant in our past, according to the Department of Historic Resources.

The Rev. Handy wrote two books while living at the Old Manse, including a memoir about his Civil War-era internment in a federal prison entitled Duress by Federal Authority. But he was not the only notable figure to inhabit the house. The Old Manse changed hands a few times between 1870, when the Rev. Handy moved from Orange to Augusta County, and 1910, when George Landon Browning moved in.

Browning was a lawyer and jurist who worked in both the Madison County and Orange courthouses. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1914 and served two terms. In 1930, Browning was appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court. He served as a justice until his death in 1947.

In addition to his impressive professional life, Browning became somewhat of an Orange County socialite. Due to the Brownings social status and the size of their family, two additionsa kitchen and a dining roomwere added to the house while they lived there. This gave the family plenty of room in which to entertain. Browning was said to have spent most evenings singing and dancing with friends and during his tenure in the house, it became the social center of [Orange] County, in the words of one biographer.

The association of the house with historic people such as the Rev. Handy and Justice Browning, as well as its embodiment of 19th century architectural styles, fulfilled two criteria of the Virginia Landmarks Registry. The nomination is now being considered for the National Register of Historic Places, which is administered by the National Parks Service.

Samuels said inclusion on the registry signifies that, This is a house that we should pay some attention to and that its important to find people who are willing to tackle old houses and renovations and keep them going into the next generation.
Dr. Robbi Pritchard, noted feedlot nutrition and management professor from South Dakota State University, has been contracted to help guide the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research Feedlot north of Scottsbluff until a replacement is hired for Dr. Matt Luebbe, who recently resigned as feedlot management and nutrition specialist.

The arrangement was announced by Dr. Jack Whittier, Research and Extension director for the Panhandle center. Whittier said Pritchard will provide scientific, research and management guidance to the research feedlot and assist in research and operational activities on a consulting basis.

He said, Dr. Pritchards role will be to serve as a bridge between Matt Luebbes departure and the time it takes in the university system to recruit, interview and relocate a new specialist.

During this roughly one-year agreement period, Pritchard will communicate closely with Whittier and Clint Krehbiel, Head of the UNL Department of Animal Science, as well as Panhandle feedlot personnel and appropriate faculty both in Lincoln and Scottsbluff, pertaining to the research and extension activities at the Panhandle Feedlot, according to Whittier. We have a very skilled feedlot crew at the Panhandle feedlot who are capable of handling the day-to-day operations. Robbis role will be to help guide the research and use the amazing feedlot research capacity of the feedlot to its fullest during the transition.

He will interface with local, regional and national feedlot industry professionals and advisory groups to communicate and refine overall objectives of the Panhandle Research Feedlot as a key component of the University of Nebraska in the Central High Plains, he added.

Whittier stressed that Pritchards agreement will in no way compromise the process of hiring the next specialist. The Panhandle Center has been given approval to move forward to fill this vacancy. However, there is still a process that must be followed before a formal recruitment begins. One step in that process is to get input from the local feedlot industry, which will be done in the coming weeks during an open meeting at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center. Details and a date for this open meeting are in process and will be widely advertised when available.

Robbis reputation will assist PHREC and the university in continuing to establish the research feedlot as an important component of our goal to maximize visibility and use of the tremendous resource the Panhandle Research Feedlot provides, Whittier said. A key component of our goal is to serve the needs of the Central High Plains cattle feeding sector  and contribute to the next generation of highly sought after feedlot nutritionists.

Pritchard received a Ph.D. in animal science from Washington State University and performed post-doctorate work at Texas Tech University. Since 1984 he had worked at South Dakota State University, where his current title is distinguished professor in animal science. His work has placed particular emphasis on bunk/feed management, growth enhancement technologies, managing carcass traits and considerations of how best to optimize technology advances in ways that reward the complete system of beef production.

He is a member of the American Society of Animal Science and the Plains Nutrition Council.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is investigating a report that a mountain lion had been sighted at the Oliver Lake Reservoir earlier this week.

In a Facebook post on a Kimball area garage sale website, a Kimball woman warned residents that her husband and a friend had seen a mountain lion at the lake as they were packing up camping gear earlier this week. The woman claimed the lion had a cub and growled at the two men.

Sam Wilson, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission furbearer and carnivore program manager, said that officials have put out tracking cameras near the sight, but that the sighting has not been confirmed. He said it can take some time before officials see a mountain lion, if it is in the area.

Though a mountain lion was located in Kimball in August 2012, Wilson said that mountain lion sightings are rare in the Kimball area, mostly because of habitat. The Kimball area is surrounded by prairie short grass and agricultural land, without a large number of big game. Mountain lions are known to have established in the Wildcat Hills and the Pine Ridge.
Premier Mihai Tudose said on Friday that his visit to Chisinau on the same day is a "symbolic visit", pledging Romania's firm commitment to supporting the pro-European track of the Republic of Moldova.

"It's a symbolic visit asserting the firm commitment as regards Romania's intentions towards Moldova, for the continuation of our demarches to support Moldova's track towards the European Union, its pro-European track. In the past two years this track proved to be a success. I've seen a set of popularity indicators, or - if you want - of trust in public institutions. Two years ago all of them were between 7 and 10 - 11 percent, be they for Parliament, government or justice. Things have changed now and the reforms started by the Government of the Republic of Moldova and which are being carried out under very good conditions have yielded results," Premier Mihai Tudose told the national public channel TVR 1 at the end of his visit to Chisinau.

With regard to bilateral cooperation on projects with economic impact and critical infrastructure, the Premier mentioned that the completion of the Iasi - Ungheni - Chisinau gas pipeline is now defined by clear deadlines and stages.

"Whereas Moldova is clearly headed for the West, for the European Union, connecting the systems that are vital to any country - energy, gas and electricity systems - to the rest of Europe is obviously a must. (...) Romania is Moldova's neighbor with all these structures, and this time we no longer speak about wether the projects will be done, but about clear stages and completion deadlines. Such talks have also been carried out during the terms of former governments, and despite governments changing both in Bucharest and Chisinau, the direction stayed the same, even if the advancement speed was not always optimum. No government in Chisinau and no government in Bucharest have ever challenged or abandoned these projects upon taking over. Maybe they've sometimes been less enthusiastic in pressing the gas pedal," Tudose said.

Regarding the implementation of joint projects, those with EU funding included, the Premier said that this is perfectly feasible and there already are ongoing projects. Tudose mentioned that until the joint government meeting announced for this autumn in Chisinau, regular meetings will take place in the format of inter-ministerial committees that will analyze the implementation stage of the bilateral projects.

"The joint government meetings shall then develop progress reports to assess and highlight the results of these inter-ministerial workshops between Romania and Moldova in energy, infrastructure, education, health, environmental protection, of shared use of European funds. The first analysis will be this autumn, at the joint government meeting to be held in Chisinau, said PM Mihai Tudose.
Two men were caught on CCTV lobbing a hand grenade at a bank office in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district on Friday. They later fled with cash Rs 3 lakh.

By India Today Web Desk: In what can be called a robbery bid straight from a Bollywood potboiler, two men today lobbed a hand grenade at a Bank in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district in broad daylight.

They reportedly fled with cash Rs 3 lakh. The incident took place at around 11 am on Friday.

Although more details are awaited, the shocking incident came to light after it was captured on one of the CCTV cameras that were installed in the bank.

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The video shows the staff working in the quaint bank office, when the two men armed with the grenade enters and hurls it at them.

Soon after there is an explosion leading to dense smoke in the office.

#WATCH Two men lobbed a hand grenade at a bank in UP's Jalaun, looted Rs 3 lakh and fled from the spot (21 July, 2017) pic.twitter.com/WK5NyJkQw4- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 22, 2017

No injuries or loss of life has been reported so far.

The perpetrators are yet to be identified, however, the Kanpur Zone ADG Avinash Chandra said that efforts to nab the accused are underway.

"We are trying to find the criminals, active patrolling needs to be done to avoid any such incidents in the future," Chandra told ANI.

Also Read || Robbing banks and stealing guns: Kashmir militants have found a new way to fund terror||

Also Read || These women employees foil robbery bid at Gurugram bank ||

Also Read || Delhi Police busts gang of robbers, Rs 4.20 lakh recovered from accused ||

--- ENDS ---
A federal Homeland Security law enforcement officer was assigned to Metro transit patrol as part of a beefed-up security plan for the busy Fourth of July weekend.

He didnt like what he saw.

Late in the afternoon on July 4, the officer walked into the North Hanley MetroLink substation to find 12 St. Louis County police officers milling about. A resulting Metro check of video footage determined that not only were county police officers loitering in the North Hanley security office instead of patrolling trains or platforms, at one point they covered the security camera with an envelope and tape.

That incident was not unique. At least eight times since 2015, the camera inside the MetroLink substation that serves the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Express Scripts has been covered by county police officers, according to records obtained by the Post-Dispatch through a public records request.

At a time in which St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger has said he doubled the number of officers patrolling the transit system to deal with a spike in violence, the public documents, photos and video demonstrate a disturbing pattern of county police officers loitering in offices, covering a camera and refusing to cooperate with Metro public safety officials.

I dont see how any of this is serving the public interest or public safety, said Metro Department of Public Safety Chief Richard Zott, who agreed to an interview after the Post-Dispatch obtained the records.

 This is Part I

For the past several months, Metro officers have been unable to enforce laws, even for skipping fares, on the transit lines in the county, under legal threat from both county Police Chief Jon Belmar and St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch. Those county officials allege that the Metro officers  all of whom have Class A peace officer licenses through the state of Missouri  lack the proper legal authority to enforce the law.

But the county police officers who are supposed to keep transit lines safe have been found hiding away in security offices rather than patrolling trains and platforms, according to the records kept by Metro. Maintaining those records has become more difficult in the past few months as the dispute between the county and Metro has intensified. Last year, the county officers patrolling Metro stopped using a radio channel that the Metro officers could also monitor. And for the past few months, county police have stopped sharing duty logs with Metro.

St. Louis County police spokesman Sgt. Shawn McGuire declined to make either Belmar or Capt. Scott Melies, who supervises the county officers who police MetroLink, available for an interview.

Metro operates 46 miles of light rail and 79 bus routes in its territory, which spans St. Louis County, the city of St. Louis, and St. Clair County in Illinois. The records obtained by the Post-Dispatch raised the most serious questions about St. Louis County police officers assigned to Metro.

In response to spikes in violence, including shootings and assaults on light-rail platforms in the city and county, St. Louis County now supervises all the officers working the transit system under a memorandum of understanding signed by regional political leaders.

On any given day, Zott and his staff dont know which county officers are patrolling Metro or where they are stationed. We have no idea what they do or where they go, Zott said.

On July 4, after the federal Homeland Security officer reported he saw no county officers patrolling platforms, a Metro officer checked the cameras at the North Hanley station.

From 5:52 p.m. to 9:48 p.m., both the video and a memo from Metro indicate, there were five to 12 county police officers milling around in the security office at any given time. At 11:11 p.m., a county officer grabs an envelope, steps on a chair and covers the camera. A little more than an hour later, the camera is uncovered, and two county police officers leave the station.

The next day, the act is repeated by two county officers in the North Hanley security office. The camera is covered from 11:27 p.m. to 12:31 a.m.

Metro posted a camera in its North Hanley security office after an incident involving a county police officer in 2014. Officer Dawon Gore was charged with assaulting a Metro customer, grabbing him on the platform and taking him into the office. County internal affairs investigators asked Metro for camera footage inside the office. At the time, there was no camera. Metro installed one, to protect both the county officers and our officers, Zott said.

Metro Public Safety Detective Daniel Donahue, who reviewed the footage requested by the Post-Dispatch, said that unlike the cameras on platforms, the camera in the North Hanley security office isnt regularly monitored. But if complaints are made, officers pull the footage. It is in those circumstances that Metro officials discovered at least eight instances of the camera being covered.

The first time Zott saw such a video was in December 2015 after a Metro information technology employee who was working in the North Hanley office reported to supervisors that a county police officer was asleep in the office. A check of the video footage showed the camera had been covered.

I saw this, and I thought it was ludicrous, Zott said.

On Dec. 4, 2015, Zott sent a screenshot of a county officer covering a camera to Melies, who supervises the county MetroLink officers.

Really? Zott wrote. Im at a loss.

Zott said he never received a response from Melies.

A retired special agent with the federal Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Zott says he continues to be confounded as to why county officers would cover a camera in a police office.

One of the most recent camera-covering incidents happened June 25, just hours after a 14-year-old boy was beaten and robbed by two armed assailants at the North Hanley station.

That evening, a public safety officer noticed something strange.

There were no county police officers patrolling the platform.

Where were they? the Metro public safety officer wondered.

They were loitering in the North Hanley security office, up to five St. Louis County officers at a time, feet kicked up on a desk, apparently texting or using their phone apps and not engaged in any police duties, according to a memo a different Metro officer wrote to Zott the next day after checking video from the camera.

At 9:58:35 p.m., an unidentified County officer stands up and places a white envelope, with the seal facing the camera, covering the lens of the camera, and remained there as it is now, he wrote. Because the camera was disabled, it is unknown how long the officers remained in the office.

The camera was covered for a total of 18 hours, the Metro memo indicates.
ST. LOUIS  With scorching temperatures expected to reach well over 100 degrees this weekend, protesters are again demanding closure of the citys medium-security jail, which doesnt have air conditioning.

Police used pepper spray to disperse a crowd who had protested for about two hours outside the workhouse Friday night. The spraying came just minutes after officers ordered the crowd to leave.

Those hit with the pepper spray had been among a diverse group of about 150 demonstrators, some of whom held signs with slogans that included We treat animals better. State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, joined them.

At one point, several protesters climbed under an exterior chain-link fence around the workhouse and a few scaled a second fence closer to the building, but they stopped short of going over its razor wire top.

St. Louis police officers monitored the protest and at times stood between them and the fences.

Chants from the protesters of Let them go were met with a Let us out response from inmates inside who gathered at windows and waved towels.

Tamitra Williford was among the protesters. Im here for the sake of humanity, she said.

The heat is just one of many complaints about the jail at 7600 Hall Street, which is technically called the Medium Security Institution but known more informally as the city workhouse. Allegations of unsanitary conditions and abuse from guards continue to circulate about the facility, which houses 769 people awaiting trial.

In 2009, a report by the American Civil Liberties Union accused the jail of allowing inmate assaults, sexual harassment, negligent medical care and squalid conditions. In 2012, in both civil and criminal complaints, guards at the jail were accused of setting up gladiator-like fights between inmates for amusement. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice said the jail had one of the highest rates of reported sexual abuse among the countrys jails, at 6.3 percent.

Critics who have long called for its closure say the citys poorest residents, unable to afford bail, are the ones stuck in the troubled facility for months on end.

Certainly one of my goals is to reduce the number of people who are there by moving them through more quickly, getting them to trial more quickly, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said Wednesday.

In the meantime, City Corrections Commissioner Dale Glass says there is a heat safety plan in place. The cafeteria and other common areas are serving as cooling stations, and he says 24-hour medical help is available.

Inmates and staff also have access to wet towels, water, Gatorade, popsicles and ice to help stay cool, Krewson said.

Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed has called for temporary air conditioning units to be installed in the workhouse to get prisoners through the hottest months of the summer until city leaders can work out a more permanent change.

In a statement on Friday, Krewson said the city was already taking bids for the costs of repairing windows and installing air conditioning units in the older parts of the building.

Its one of several efforts the citys corrections division has explored since voters rejected a bond issue in 2015 that would have funded infrastructure improvements throughout St. Louis, including air conditioning at the workhouse, she said.

The St. Louis Action Council and Arch City Defenders raised roughly $10,000 to bail out 15 people on Friday. They hope to raise enough to bail out as many as 20 inmates, St. Louis Action Council organizer Kayla Reed said.

Having done similar bailout fundraisers in the past, the groups received 100 requests for bail when they decided to hold another in response to the heat wave.

These are next of kin, these are mothers, partners, children who are sending us emails, Reed said.

Those who know someone in the shelter have reached out to share stories of inmates with medical conditions such as asthma exacerbated by the heat, inmates who arent receiving as much water as they need or inmates passing out, Reed said.

Missouri state Rep. Joshua Peters, D-St. Louis, has also pushed for the Legislature to examine the conditions of the jail. In a letter to House Speaker Todd Richardson, Peters has requested a special committee to tackle the issue and an investigation through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior services into its deplorable and unsanitary health conditions.

Krewson pushed back on his statements on Wednesday, saying she toured the workhouse about a month ago.

Its not nice in there, all right? But its not deplorable. Its not unsanitary, Krewson said. It wasnt as hot a month ago as it is today. But it was OK.
ST. LOUIS  A homeless woman was clinging to life Saturday after she and three homeless men were injured when a man attacked them with a hammer as they slept in the vacant Carr School building at 15th and Carr streets on Saturday.

St. Louis police are investigating the assaults that happened at 10:33 a.m., according to police. All of the victims were taken to a hospital. The woman was listed as critical and unstable. Police did not release the conditions of the men.

Homicide detectives were called to handle the investigation.

The school closed in 1978.

Mia Johnson, who passes by the school every day going to and from work, said she often sees groups of people going inside the building.

Theres too many homeless people, she said. Of course theyre going into this building. They dont have anywhere else to go.
Each Saturday and Sunday well post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of buy, hold, or sell.

Azan is an old Cuban brand that was revived by Roberto P. Duran and reintroduced in 2013. Today, there are three Azan variations: White, Burgundy, and Maduro Natural. Maduro Natural includes filler tobaccos from Esteli and Jalapa, a Nicaraguan binder, and a dark Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper that reportedly takes over 22 months to process. This Campana (5.5 x 52, $10) had been resting in one of my humidors for about three years (though, with its nearly flawless appearance, Im not exactly sure how it escaped the flame for so long). Once lit, it exhibits a rich profile of coffee, black pepper, cinnamon, roasted nuts, and cocoa powder. My hesitation in awarding a full recommendation is a result of the temperamental combustion qualities. The draw is tight and the burn line erratic.

Verdict = Hold.

Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys


Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-on-Avon, and Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid Worcestershire.

STRATFORD-ON-AVON MP Nadhim Zahawi said he is unable to support plans to take maternity services away from the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is pushing ahead with plans to move all hospital births from the Alex to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

Inpatients childrens services will also move to Worcester, as will all emergency surgery. The Alex serves the western areas of Mr Zahawis Stratford constituency.

He said this week: The downgrading of the Alex is something I have long been opposed to, and I am unable to support the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) plans to centralise services at Worcester.

An overwhelming majority of respondents to the consultation were against moving maternity and childrens inpatient services to the Worcester Royal, but this is exactly what the CCGs plans now propose.

I will continue to work with fellow MPs to hold the CCGs to account.

The changes have, however, been welcomed by Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid Worcestershire.

"The new clinical model will look to make Redditch a centre of excellence for planned care and improve Worcestershire Royals capacity to deal with emergency care.

"I know that parking has also been a sore topic in Worcester, so the plan to expand the car parks capacity in Worcestershire Royal by 141 spaces cannot be underestimated in the positive impact it will have on patient experience.

"With a new senior leadership team also in place at the Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, I am increasingly confident that the situation in Worcestershire will improve over the coming months.

"Investment is coming into the trust, it is being run more effectively, and the government has clearly recognised the need to prioritise our county in its national improvement strategies.

"This clinical model will allow specialist services to be concentrated in particular hospitals and puts patient safety and experience first.

Similar changes are being proposed in Oxfordshire where there are proposals to centralise services in Oxford.

It will see the removal of critical care and acute stroke services from the Horton Hospital in Banbury and making permanent recent changes to maternity services, which have seen several units relocated to Oxford.

There is opposition from GPs and politicians, including Mr Zahawi and Kenilworth and Southam MP, Jeremy Wright, while Stratford District Council launched a joint judicial review into the consultation process with neighbouring councils.

The board of the Oxfordshire CCG is expected to meet in August to discuss the proposals further following a public consultation that closed in March.
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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.

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Emirates to land first-ever A380 aircraft in Colombo on Aug.14 View(s):

Emirates A380 aircraft will make a one-off landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, on August 14, the first airline to land this wide-body aircraft at the airports resurfaced runway.

The special flight will be the first A380 aircraft to disembark passengers in Sri Lanka after completing a commercial service. The one-off A380 aircraft will arrive at 16:10 hours and be on ground for more than six hours before it returns to Dubai as flight EK655 departing at 22:10 hours, enabling airport executives, VIPs, trade partners and media to enjoy a guided static tour of the double-decker aircraft, the airline said in a media release.

Colombo has welcomed us from the day Emirates commenced daily flights from Dubai in 1986, just a year after the airline launched its operations. We are honoured to work alongside the city, airport, and the Sri Lankan Civil Aviation authorities, to bring our flagship A380 to this vibrant destination. For BIA and for aviation enthusiasts in Sri Lanka, this will certainly be a special day and we look forward to showcasing our unique on board products in this market, said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates Senior Vice President, West Asia and Indian Ocean. An A380 aircraft can carry 853 passengers (538 on the main deck and 315 on the upper),

Customers in Sri Lanka can experience Emirates double-decker aircraft by connecting through the airlines Dubai hub to more than 45 A380 destinations. As the first and only airline in the world to operate a fleet of all Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft for its passenger flights, Emirates operating fleet remains modern and efficient while offering customers a high level of comfort. Since 2008, Emirates has flown over 80 million passengers on its A380 fleet, the release said.
No more Mahapola online lottery View(s):

The Mahapola online lottery operated by a private company in Sri Lanka is to be terminated by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade as it has failed to generate expected revenue to the government, official sources disclosed.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) has granted its consent to the Ministry to terminate this lottery which was started in 2014 by the previous Rajapaksa regime. The CCEM decision follows a note submitted by the Ministry revealing all facts behind the failure of the lottery.

Oceanic Games (Pvt) Ltd had been given management of the lottery to be operated in collaboration with eGame Solutions, a Hong Kong-based company, when Johnston Fernando was the Minister of Internal Trade, a senior official of the Ministry said. According to the agreement reached with Oceanic Games, it has to credit Rs. 500 million to the Mahapola Education Fund annually, he said noting that the lottery was not generating much revenue to fulfill its pledge. Despite not having a licence to operate the on-line lottery, the company was given its management in 2013.

Commenting on the governments decision, JVP leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the Business Times that this lottery was similar to a casino which was a great danger to the youth of this country as they would get addicted to gambling. He disclosed that the previous UNP regime, too had launched a similar lottery by the name Online in 2003, and the National Lotteries Board had infused Rs. 8 billion into it. However, that online lottery was not transparent enough and had been abandoned. (BS)
Moratu Uni VC gives dogs and cats the third degree View(s):

Anyone with an ounce of human compassion and respect for all life on earth would not have failed to be shocked, horrified and distressed when on Tuesday evening television news cameras showed scenes of dogs and cats in the throes of death at the Moratuwa University grounds after being darted with a deadly chemical by the universitys own security guards acting on the orders of the Vice Chancellor.

He had put out the contract to eliminate the stray menace from campus premises; awarded it to the universitys own security personnel but thereafter had not bothered to inquire how it was to be done. It was no concern of his how they executed his orders  whether it was to be by offering a doggy biscuit to each and every dog and saying, come puppy, be a good boy now and coaxing it to jump aboard the Auschwitz truck that awaited to dispatch it to some unknown destination of a canine heaven or hell or whether the method employed was to wage chemical warfare with a chemical which is said to cause paralysis leading to a painful death.

What happened thereafter when the operation was carried out last week by the universitys security staff was a shocking example of mans inhumanity to mans best friend, whether pet or stray.

None denies that strays can be a menace and a danger to the public at large. The present question is whether the methods employed to evict the canine and feline squatters were far too inhumane and cruel as befits a Buddhist nation that vows to uphold the first precept and pledges to refrain from killing any life form in any manner, for whatever purpose, with the recital made day in and night out.

So was the Moratuwa Vice Chancellor transgressing? Was he negligent when, in discharging his duty to keep the campus safe for the students from the stray menace by issuing the contract to his own security staff, he failed to inquire how it was to be carried out? Whether he did not exercise proper judgment in giving a set of security staff whose prime duty is to answer the door bell and keep awake at night? A staff who presumably had no expertise in dog removal or in the necessary veterinarian skills on how to tranquilise animals, decide on the correct drug that should be used and determine the optimum dosage that should be administered? Was he irresponsible when he kept shut eye to the methods they would employ to do the needful as their paymaster had ordered? And thereby assuage his own conscience that any attendant sin by proxy would be deflected from him and absolve him of moral culpability? Did he think the end justified the means? And by passing the task to his staff, he could purge himself of moral sin and public outrage thus?

Read his own videoed confession made on Monday  the day after animal rights activists launched the protest after the secret video of the dog massacre at Moratu Uni went viral on social media on Saturday  where he admitted that he had given the order to his in-house security staff to execute operation doggone. In all fairness, lets give the man a hearing:

In his videoed statement Prof. Ananda Kithsiri Wijenayaka Jayawardane, the 56-year-old Vice Chancellor of the Moratuwa University since 2011, had this to say in his defence:

FIRST he denied that Moratuwa University authorities were responsible for the deaths of the dogs and cats. But he admitted that he had given orders to the security personal in the campus to get rid of the dogs; and further admitted there were fatal accidents caused by his security personnel.

SECOND, he stated that he had given the operation to the security staff since it was part of their job not to allow any stray animals into the university facility. Perhaps in his professorial naivete, he only expected them to shoo them away  gently and courteously to show the doggy gatecrashers the door out.

THIRDLY, he said that the threat to the students and following the complaints received from them, he decided to send the animals away. Perhaps he little realised that, when he issued the order to his universitys security, he was in effect ordering them to send the dogs away to kingdom come.

FOURTHLY, he defended his position and said, I am not responsible for the dogs deaths. And passed the bone of responsibility to the campus security, saying: It is unfortunate that the security officers overdosed the animals when they attempted to sedate them. We are also unhappy about the fatal accident. The method that was used to sedate the animals could not be approved; and the university condemns such animal cruelty.

Makes you wonder, doesnt it, whether this would not have been the same argument used by Adolf Hitler  had he not shot himself in the his Berlin bunker  at the Nuremburg Trials, claiming that he had only told his army generals to get rid of Jews in the Fatherland and in German occupied zones and had no idea that the method his generals would employ would be to have six million Jews gassed in Auschwitz and other concentration camps; and saying to the war crimes tribunal, in the same breath of his defense, I am not responsible for the Jews deaths nor for the horrible way in which they met their deaths. It is unfortunate that my generals used this gassing method and I did not approve of it. In fact my Third Reich condemned it.

FINALLY, he said, we would take preventive measures to prevent such recurrence. Though it will not bring the animals that were killed in such an inhumane manner, it is good to learn the Vice Chancellor does not hold himself to be the receptacle of all knowledge but admits he is still on the learning curve. And that is to his credit.

But can he really wash his hands of moral responsibility? Can he really claim ignorance? Perhaps he can but he should first explain the following?

ONE: Specialised dart guns cannot be purchased at a nearby supermarket. It has to be imported under special licence from abroad and of course it involves a financial cost.

TWO: The chemical used to paralyse the dogs and cats cannot be bought off the counter from the next door pharmacy but will require a prescription signed by an authorised doctor. When one cannot buy a mild amoxicillin to beat a simple chest cold without a doctors prescription, how was it that the securities personnel were able to procure a deadly chemical which is specifically used to paralyze one? And which comes at a heavy price?

THREE: If the security personnel misunderstood the Vice Chancellors order and assumed the job had to be done, whatever the cost, would they have gone to the extent of putting their hands to their pant pockets and come up with the necessary cash to finance the military style operation?

Would they have first submitted to the Moratuwa University authorities the cost of the entire operation and sought authorization for the extra expenses and ensured reimbursement for the funds expended to acquire the dart firing guns and the deadly chemical without rushing to engage in the mass killing of stray dogs and cats at their own expense?

If they did not submit a quotation beforehand for this extra-curricular activity, which does not come within the general ambit of security duties and thus would involve an extra charge, was it negligence on the part of the Vice Chancellor not to have first requested the security personnel to submit one and only then authorised the operation without issuing a blank cheque with the order to do the needful whatever he cost? If on the other hand, the security personnel did indeed submit a quotation for this extraordinary operation, would the quote not have listed a breakdown of the amounts that would have to be spent on purchasing the deadly paralyzing chemical agent and other expenses?

Dont you think that the Vice Chancellor owes an explanation as to whether he was negligent in requiring a quote beforehand? Or whether he was given one and was thus fixed with the knowledge that chemicals were to be resorted to sedate the squatters on his campus green?

Perhaps it is a matter worthy of police probe. How this security people managed to procure specialised tranquiliser guns and deadly paralysing chemical agents which can be used to kill not only strays but humans as well? On the orders of some mafia don whose expressed wish to send his foes somewhere else? Perhaps for good?

But even as the Vice Chancellor Jayawardene repented the cruel killings and made haste to disown the heartless acts of those under his employ and direction, the State Veterinary Surgeons Association (SVSA) condemned the incident during a press conference held on Tuesday.

Dr. P. L. Kumarawadu, the SVSA Secretary, said any individual or a group can complain to the Veterinary Council of such sedation as it is not possible to carry out such a task without a veterinary surgeon.

He said according to the prevailing law it allows the killing of the stray animals using a standard method only under the guidance of a veterinary surgeon. However, the law doesnt allow animal cruelty and therefore charges can be leveled against those responsible.

So what can be done to those who gave the orders and those who carried out this vile deed? Can they be arrested, be brought to justice to face charges of cruelty to animals?

Afraid not.

For, as the law stands, nothing can be done.

True, there is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance of1907.True, too, that under this 100 year old law

(1) Any person who shall by any act or omission causes unnecessary pain or suffering to any animal or

(2) If any person kills any animal in an unnecessarily cruel manner

he shall be punished with a fine not exceeding a hundred rupees or with imprisonment for up to six months or both.

Its not the fine thats the problem. After all a hundred rupees would have been a hefty sum a century ago. The deterrent even today would be the six months jail.

The real problem is that it only applies to cruelty to domesticated animals and those captured. Not to stray dogs.

The 1907 Act describes an animal as referred in the Ordinance, as to mean any domestic or captured animal and includes any bird, fish or reptile in captivity.

But, sorry, it doesnt apply to stray dogs or cats. Anyone is thus free to go out and do their worst on any mongrel prowling the streets, jab him with a poisoned dart and watch it writhe in agony and succumb in pain to a slow and agonizing death and no problem. Strays are fair game to be killed at will. For man to play God with its lives.

And if you are wondering then, how come six men were found guilty and jailed for five years six months ago for skinning a sea eagle, they were charged under the provisions of the Flora and Fauna Act which only applies to those in the wild. Not to stray dogs. Like none gives a damn to human beggars on the streets and callously leave them to their fate and poverty, stray dogs, too, are left to their own fate and misery.

The only redeeming grace to offer some sort of protection has taken years in the making and it has come in the form of a new Animal Welfare Act. It was introduced last year as a bill. It offers stray dogs and cats protection from inhumane cruel treatment on par with those domesticated or living in the jungles.

The relevant section (23) states that

Any person who kills any animal in a cruel manner, shall commit an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand rupees or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both such fine and imprisonment.

And in the Bills interpretation of what is an animal it states an animal means any living being other than a human being and includes a domestic animal, a farm animal, an animal in captivity, a wild animal, a companion animal, A STRAY ANIMAL and a food animal.

Unfortunately it hasnt still seen the light of day as an Act and thus for all intents and purposes, the law governing cruelty to animals still remains the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance of1907. And it does not apply to stray dogs or cats. Until the new Animal Welfare Bill is passed in Parliament, it will be open season for strays to be hunted down and disposed by sadists in the most cruelest and inhumane a manner.

The present no kill policy on dogs was introduced by the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa during his second term of office and it is to his credit that the gas chamber in the municipalitys dog pound has remained unused even as former president J. R. Jayewardenes policy on No-Kill-Policy-On-Humans has rendered the gallows at Bogambara Prison to stay still and not swing since 1978.

This week, the Minister of Local Government Faiszer Musthapha under whose purview stray dogs roam, reiterated his firm stance on the killing of stray dogs. He said, I have been constantly slammed over the killing of dogs. I state with responsibility, I have never authorised the killing of dogs and neither will I do so in the future. This is a Sinhala Buddhist country and it is against the policy of this country to kill dogs. We understand there is a problem regarding stray dogs. But killing dogs is not the solution.

But Muslim Minister Musthapha who has transcended the age old Muslim phobia of dogs which were to be shunned in the dusty deserts of Arabia for being prone to heat induced rabies, and who creditably has acknowledged the Sinhala Buddhist ethos of the sanctity of life in all its forms, must now go beyond paying mere lip service and expressing his firm stance on the No Kill Policy On Dogs whilst at the same time passing the buck to provincial councils. He should take immediate steps to champion the Animal Welfare Bill in Parliament and expedite its enactment and thus make illegal inhumane and cruelty meted to stray dogs with impunity.

Until this Act is enacted, the Governments law enforcing authorities will have no legal right to bring to the bar of justice mans cruelty to stray animals that thunders in the heavens but must perforce stay silent in manmade courts due to lack of legal arms.

Dr. Nevilles hospital gift to the nation veiled in secret shroud This Monday, the 17th of July, a great historical event took place in the suburbs of Malabe.

One that even President Maithripala Sirisena deemed worthy to grace by his exalted presence and to witness personally history in the making before his very eyes. It was the day a great philanthropist of Lanka bestowed to the nation his lifework valued at over Rs. 3.5 billion bucks. With no strings attached. Not out of reciprocal altruism but an act urged by pure altruism alone. It may have been perhaps partially egged by a little arms twisting from various quarters but when Dr. Neville Fernando voluntarily handed over the hospital he had created with a Bank of Ceylon loan of Rs. 3.5 billion, the altruistic act alone was enough to summon the nation to rise and render a standing record ovation.

Here was a man who was not donating Rs 3.5 billion cash in a bag but donating a state of the art medical hospital to a nation direly in need of hospitals to cater to the sick. The Indians had built a hospital in the hills mainly to cater to the Indian Tamils of Lanka and when Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived recently to cut the pink ribbon of health and wish long life to those of Indian ancestry, all namaskars went to him on bended knees. But when the 85-year-old Dr. Neville Fernando, who built his own hospital with borrowed money  and thus staked his own financial future on its success  and then, perhaps, due to forces beyond his control, finally surrendered his life time achievement award, it hardly raised a clap of gratitude but only invited another GMOA outburst.. They claimed that it was not a gift but what the doctor had done was only to lease out the hospital. Perhaps, for once, they are right.

On that historic day of July 17th when the good doctor demonstrated the largesse of his heart and stated that, I am used to giving alms and todays gift to the nation is but another instance and reassured all concerned parties that the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital had been donated to the Government free of cost the subsequent qualification inscribed in the small print in the documents signed that day held, according to the good doctor himself, that since he had obtained a Rs. 3.5 Billion loan from the Bank of Ceylon and had only paid a little over one billion rupees of it, the Bank had suggested that he use the term lease in order to ensure that he met the terms of the loan and paid all his dues.  Fair enough. Apparently the terms of the agreement officially signed before President Sirisena held that the Government would pay the salaries of the Teaching Hospital employees and that Dr. Neville Fernando would service the 2.5 billion loan owed to the Bank of Ceylon and settle it within 10 years. It would be done under a 10 year lease agreement at the expiry of which the Sri Lankan Government would hold it not as a lessee but freehold, as absolute owner. In the meantime, the Rs. 3.55 billion hospital would be sub leased to the Ministry of Health for a nominal lease rental of Rs. 83 per month. The land belongs to the UDA. Interesting, but a little confusing, isnt it? Especially when the Neville Fernando owned SAITM issued a statement on Wednesday that a tripartite agreement would soon be signed between Dr. Neville Fernando, the Government and the Bank of Ceylon soon to formally hand over the Teaching Hospital to the Government? But what in the world did all three parties sign in that highly publicized ceremony before Lankas Head of State on Monday? Now it has transpired that what they signed was a mere letter of intent and no binding formal legal document. In the absence of any Yahapalana transparency surrounding even that Letter of Intent, a few questions need to be raised before the formal agreement is signed by all parties concerned. n The land itself on which the hospital is based belongs to the UDA. Presumably it has leased out the land to Dr. Neville Fernando or to any of the various companies he may happen to own. What is the monthly lease rental? n Dr. Neville has sub let it to the Ministry of Health for a nominal sum of Rs 1000 per year. Since the Bank of Ceylon insists, as it holds the mortgage over the hospital on account of its original 3.5 billion loan of which Rs. 2.5 billion still remains unpaid, what is the monthly lease rent the government  who will be the tenant for the next ten years of the hospital  be paying to the landlord Dr. Neville? n Dr. Nevilles SAITM says in its Wednesdays statement that SAITM would like to clarify that the Sri Lankan Government has not made any form of payment to SAITM as compensation or lease, under the said agreement. But of course admits that the transfer is on the basis of a lease agreement since the Bank of Ceylon insists upon it. A lease agreement basically consists of two main components. A description of the property to be leased along with terms and conditions as to how the property so leased can be used and the monthly rental to be paid to the lessor, however nominal the sum maybe, to be stated in the legal lease agreement to give it legal validation for without consideration from either side  however minimal it maybe, such a contract loses legal force and will be rendered null and void. If no rent is to be paid to the lessor then it will have to be a deed of gift. So how much will the monthly rental be to Dr. Neville in return for his gratuitous gift to the nation?

So isnt it best for the government, wedded as it is to transparency, to reveal the lease agreement in full? And thus clear the public mind and meet the calumnies hurled at this sensitive hour by the GMOA? And confide in the nation whether it will be paying the monthly interest on the remaining loan balance and the monthly capital repayment which, if calculated at 10 percent interest and 120 monthly repayment on the remaining debt of Rs 2.5 billion would amount to approximately Rs.40 million a month for the next ten years? If thats not the case, is it right for the nation to accept a free hospital gift worth over Rs. 3, 55 billion that would greatly benefit the nations ill, from an old 85 year old doctor and still encumber him with the burden  after having gifted his cash cow  of having to churn from his private udders 2.5 billion bucks within the next ten years?
Rs. 600 million to take GPO back to old address View(s):

The Government is to embark on a Rs. 600 million project to renovate the General Post Office (GPO), a historic landmark located opposite the Janadipathi Mandirya.

Thereafter, the GPO will function from this location as it did for over a century. At present it functions at Bristol Street in Fort. Behind the new project is Posts, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M.H.A. Haleem.

Distances to different parts of the country have been measured with the GPO premises as the beginning point. Construction of the GPO building, according to historical records, began in 1890 and was completed in 1893. It consists of a ground, first and second floor. The renovation work is to be carried out with assistance from the University of Moratuwa and the Department of Archaeology. Records show that the only other country known to possess a similar GPO building is India.

Three SLFP MPs reiterate support for Sirisena

Three Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarians supporting President Maithripala Sirisena  Sumedha Jayasena, Sanath Basnayake and Indika Bandaranaike  sat together at a news conference in the partys headquarters.

They declared they would not leave the Government and would continue to support Sirisena.Their departure was reported in a Sinhala newspaper which published their photographs too in its main story. The report was to cause some concern for President Sirisena who was then on a state visit to Bangladesh.

Modern and safe school bus services in rural areas

School vans and buses have been the cause for many accidents because they were in a bad condition or driven recklessly, sometimes by drivers who do not have licences. Now, President Maithripala Sirisena wants to launch a national programme on the theme Lets Protect Children.

Under this programme, a pilot-project is being started in the North Central Province with the launch of four Ashok Leyland MITR 28 seater buses to transport children from rural areas to their schools. The four buses are being obtained at a reduced cost of Rs 12.8 million. The money will come from budgetary allocations.

If this school bus service is found to be successful, President Sirisena has said he wants to extend it to rural areas in other provinces too.

Extension for Intelligence Chief

Cabinet of Ministers has extended by a further year the tenure of A.N. Sisira Mendis, Chief of National Intelligence (CNI). It will be effective from July 27 2017.

Famous economist to advise Mangala

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint Razeen Sally, Associate Professor of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore as Economic Advisor to Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

Ravi wants Acland House

Visumpaya, the former Acland House, at Lily Street in Kompannaveediya, Colombo 2 may become the official residence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Ravi Karunanayake has sought ministerial approval for the allocation of this government premises as the official residence.

He has pointed out that meeting visiting foreign dignitaries would curtail expenditure incurred on other venues. He has pointed out that due to high demands, hotels are sometimes unable to accept bookings in advance.

The Foreign Ministers Stanmore Crescent official bungalow is being occupied by former Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He is now Minister of Finance and Media.

PM drills point about Yahapalanaya

Cuddling babies during election rallies, patting the less abled on their backs at social events, visiting ailing supporters in hospitals and even attending their funerals are some of the many chores of politicians. Whether they like it or not, they are rituals to keep their electorate happy.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had to perform one such ritual when he took part in a ground breaking ceremony for a new housing scheme at Pannipitiya.

To ceremonially inaugurate the project, he had to manoeuvre a heavy machine with drilling equipment. When the task was over, and it came to a speech from him, Mr Wickremesinghe declared that the Yahapalanaya government had to be steered through many obstacles.

One wrong move, here or there, can mean a great danger for the Yahapalanaya government. But for the sake of the country and the people we have to keep it steady and take it forward somehow, he noted.
The United Nations bad parenting record View(s):

United Nations Special Rapporteur Ben Emmerson QCs warning to the Sri Lankan Government following last weeks mission visit to the country was certainly the most irascible that we have seen from a UN mandate holder in a while. After more than two years of the United Nations uncritically accepting sunshiny rhetoric from an administration that excelled in the art, aided and abetted by Colombos enthusiastic cheerleaders, this was a dash of icy cold reality.

Acknowledging faults at all levels

Unfortunately however, it has all the elements of bad parenting. A cossetted and pampered child used to getting its own way does not take kindly to an undiluted dose of sternness, which also has a tad unpleasant touch of hectoring to it. Instead of a measured and carefully nuanced engagement with this Government from the start, we have over-indulgence giving way to unexpected austerity. Certainly these are extremes that are not productive.

The Special Rapporteurs preliminary media release on his visit has been greeted with glad cries by the Rajapaksa base and its fifth column supporters in the Government to support their argument that the country will not be lectured to by outsiders. Quite apart from this, the dynamic that is created is also unfortunate. Sri Lankas laws, their enactment and implementation should be a matter primarily discussed and resolved domestically as part of the electoral contract that citizens entered into with this Government in 2015.

Instead of this, what we have is a sorry state of affairs where laws are drafted in secret and citizens are not taken into the process. We lurch from one crisis to another sheathed in a Colombo bubble in which the United Nations and the European Union (EU) is regarded with more gravitas than the citizens.

An electoral change is inevitable barring a miracle

So let us be quite clear. At the root of this sorry saga is an admixture of an appalling lack of sincerity both on the part of the Government and the United Nations in regard to core components of their mandated tasks. On the part of the Government, it is to ensure that enacted laws are properly implemented so as to safeguard citizens from abuse. An equally important factor of its electoral compact with the people is to make sure that draft laws conform to minimum legal criteria so as not to allow them to be misused.

On the part of the United Nations, it is to chart if member states are conforming to international standards. Where the draft Counter-Terror law is concerned, both have failed miserably. And civil society which should have stringently monitored and critiqued the Government has also been equally responsible. In retrospect and as repeatedly warned in these column spaces, the early abandonment of a critical role coupled with a co-opted silence in the face of the yahapalanaya collation going off the tracks of its loudly trumpeted commitment to democratic norms has had disastrous impact. This should be minutely dissected at a later point of time when the consequences of this failure become even more starkly evident in electoral terms, which is inevitable unless a proverbial miracle occurs.

Indeed, the reasoning from the start appeared to be that the end justifies the means. So a Chief Justice who should have been dealt with through constitutional means is packed off though pure executive fiat, loudly cheered on if not initiated by the Bar Association and sundry other lawyers groups who appear to operate on a selective and partisan basis.

Equally a Counter-Terror draft law to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which should have been robustly and publicly discussed, is shrouded in mystery and drafted in secret.

Questions directed at the Special Rapporteurs Office

As the less charitable may suggest, the Special Rapporteurs waspish response was propelled in large part by Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksas reported outburst at the meeting that he had with the Special Rapporteur. This is a ministerial potentate who ill serves his portfolio at several levels, not the least of which is his anxious desire to save the Rajapaksas from prison as he has not been shy to admit publicly.

But as the Special Rapporteur dresses down the Government, pertinent questions need to be directed at its own Office and at the United Nations itself. What pray is the exact role that was played by them in this highly problematic drafting saga of the proposed Counter-Terror law? Put in pure and simple terms, were these agencies consulted or not during the process?

Were they consulted in whole, in part or not at all? If they were consulted, in whatsphere of the imagination did the horrendously overbroad reach of these proposed counter-terror offences escape their attention at the outset? If the Office of the Special Rapporteur was not consulted, should not insistence on consultation at the inception been a fundamental condition by the local UN office in Sri Lanka?

For Sri Lankans living under bad anti-terror laws for decades, this draft poses new horrors. This should have been the primary focus on the part of the Special Rapporteur. Over-broad offences, confessions to police officers as evidence and intrusive interferences into normal civil protections without judicial warrant which the media release notes, constitute just the tip of the iceberg. The Counter-Terror draft merits meticulous scrutiny by his Office.

Unhelpful dynamic for agents of change

Taken as a whole, it is important to note the link between routine torture and PTA torture. Torture in Sri Lanka is not limited to terror detainees. As shown in well documented studies, this is an interrogation method which is part of the overall law enforcement machinery.

In sum, the United Nations cannot shrug its shoulders when asked as to its role in the drafting saga of this obnoxious Counter-Terror document and point to the confidentiality of the matters. If it hectors the Government on these issues, then it must own up to the precise role that it played in bringing the debate to this highly counter-productive and combustive stage at which we find ourselves.

None of this is going to be particularly helpful for agents of change within the country.
Torture: Truth, twists and turns View(s):

UN Special Rapporteurs are taking turns visiting Sri Lanka; last week the envoy on Counter Terrorism and Human Rights came and made waves with his critical report on existing torture practices. The report would have come as a rude shock to many, almost to the point of disbelief. The fallout in officialdom seems to be to ask why he was permitted to see ex-LTTE combatants in custody and how coloured their complaints of torture would have been.

In a four-day visit, he came, he saw and he critiqued, leaving one with the lingering question whether he came with preconceived notions. He was challenged by the Justice Minister who either did not have the skill of advocacy to change the Special Rapporteurs findings, or had a bad brief, or the visiting diplomat only wanted to tick the box that he had met with the Minister and gone ahead with a prejudged report. For his meeting with the Minister was a mere footnote in his report.

Whatever it is, the report once in the hands of the international media portrayed Sri Lanka as a virtual pariah state  a nation that abuses the human rights of its population. Sadly, we are left with this report and in a rare act of swiftness on the part of the Government it proceeded with the Office of Missing Persons, thereby receiving a little pat on the back from the spokesman for the UN Secretary General for doing so. The UN Special Rapporteur on Political Affairs who is currently in Sri Lanka has given this newspaper an interview.

The entire human rights argument against Sri Lanka has been long debated since the country was at war with one of the worlds most fascist terrorist organisations. Many in Sri Lanka justifiably feel hard done when human rights proponents especially those from the West critique whats happening here when their own countries get away with blue murder.

Britain has expressed concern over the UN report. Sri Lankas High Commissioner in London has been summoned to be told so. Whitehall remains under the belief that Britain still rules the colonies. Take the text-book case of the murder of Osama bin Laden. We are told to believe the version that he was shot dead when he went for his gun as US Special Forces raided his house in Pakistan. His body was dumped in the sea and the story ends there. No UN inquiry into the matter. The former US Vice President Dick Cheney went public to justify the torture treatment (such as water-boarding) at the US-run Guantanamo detention centre on the basis it provided the intelligence that led to bin Ladens whereabouts. The US military prison Abu Ghraib in Iraq was notorious for human rights violations. No UN inquiry there either.

President Barack Obama came to office promising to close down these prisons, but after two terms and eight years, he could pass a controversial health law but not close these prisons down. The US is now taking a more practical stance on human rights vis-a-vis terrorism. Much to the horror of the State Department that led the way in preaching human rights to countries selectively around the world, including Sri Lanka (while the US Defence Department was engaged in human rights violations every day in West Asia), US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is reportedly downgrading the US campaign against mass atrocities, shuttering the State Departments office that campaigned for two decades to hold war criminals accountable.

He is also re-assigning the Special Coordinator of the Office of Global Criminal Justice. Instead, the Department has been asked to focus on economic opportunities for US businessmen and strengthening US military prowess worldwide. This might sound like good news for Sri Lanka. There is more likelihood of having this monkey off its back in the form of the UNHRC Resolution (which the US has co-sponsored with Sri Lanka) now. Sri Lankan Ministers have already wagged their fingers at those wanting the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) amended, saying that counter-terror laws of the West are far more draconian.

But this discontent in Government is brought about, in part, by its own misreading. Over-ambitious promises to appease critical voices have now posed problems. The raft of (as some would argue, far too expansive) transitional justice reforms and blithe assurance that it would replace the PTA with a better-framed law have made this current situation predictable. Perforce the Government has to listen to stern homilies and lectures from visiting UN experts who seem to have woken up from the honeymoon that the UN had up to now with the post-2015 Government.

There were some errors that could easily have been avoided. For instance, it was supremely naive to secretly prepare a Counter-Terror draft law meant to replace the PTA. The confusion in various drafts leaked to the media, its clauses restricting freedom of expression and information despite a new Right to Information law and the inability by the Government to articulate a clear policy position on the matter has been raised previously in these editorial spaces.

Strictures issued by the UN Special Rapporteur apart, the fact is that this Government must, for the good of its own citizens, make sure that its laws are effective and implemented properly so that torture is not used as a law enforcement tactic. The harsh reality is that torture continues to be practised, both in normal cases and in terrorism cases. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has pointed to this as a disturbing reality of its work. So, it is not just the visiting diplomats pre-judging, but our own experts pointing this out.

The Commissions ability to change state practice is limited because the Commission itself has no effective powers of enforcement. It is a paper tiger. It is disregarded even when laws are drafted despite it being legally mandatory that it should be consulted. It is on record that the Counter-Terror draft law was not sent to Sri Lankas Human Rights Commission for scrutiny. Then, we have to face the ignominy of a UN Special Rapporteur or an international human rights watchdog howling that Sri Lankan authorities abuse the population. And even though good judgments are handed down from time to time by the Supreme Court calling upon law enforcement officers to refrain from resorting to torture, and punishing them with fines, they are not reflected in state policy and practice.

These are matters that the Government should urgently attend to. Its platform of good governance is being tested in every quarter. These were the same failings of previous governments. It would be a pity if that hopeless pattern is repeated by this Administration from which much was expected once upon a time, not so long ago.
Two art forms; but one with nature View(s):

On July 29 and 30 mother and son duo, Asela Gunasekara and Akshana Abeywardene will exhibit two art forms- sculpture and photography at the Lionel Wendt in Colombo.

The exhibition, themed i (for imperfect, impermanent and incomplete) is Aselas testament to the principles of wabi-sabi: the Japanese philosophical concept that celebrates the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. Akshana shows off his respect for nature through photography, capturing a moment in time and place which is uncontrolled by humans. Through the lens he views the world for what it is: with no fringes or frills but pure untouched beauty.

Working with clay allows Asela to develop a very intimate relationship with the elements: earth, fire, water and air. As an artist, she integrates with these and creates a certain harmony and balance to these forces. A great understanding and respect to the natural order is necessary when working as a ceramicist, for over-manipulation and control takes away the aesthetic order which naturally emerges in our world, she says. This is what the Zen masters understood, practised and taught.

Her exhibits will mainly include ceramic art with sculptural forms, which are hand built and wheel thrown. Some are figurative sculptures whereas the others are sculptural pottery.She will also exhibit a few mixed media pieces made with wire, plaster, fabric, wood, etc.

While this is Akshanas maiden exhibition, Asela has previously exhibited at the Lionel Wendt in 2012, at Dubai International Art Centre in 2015, Saskia Fernando Gallery in 2016 and has won the prize for 3D art category at the Dubai International Art Centre in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Eight Indian fishermen arrested View(s):

Eight Indian fishermen who were allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters were arrested by the Navy on Friday. Sailors on a Fast Attack Craft belonging to the Northern Naval Command arrested the suspects about 15 nautical miles north of Point Pedro.

The fishermen along with their gear and trawler were brought to the naval base, in Kankesanthurei. They will be be handed over to the Jaffna Assistant Fisheries Director, the Navy said.
Megapolis minister tells Police Chief to probe Horton Square directors dealings View(s):

Megapolis Minister Champika Ranawaka has called on Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara to investigate the background and dealings of several directors of Horton Square (Pvt) Ltd, a company which proposes to build two 75-storey towers in Horton Place. Referring to the Sunday Times story last week, Minister Ranawaka said he called upon the IGP to check whether Ramasamy Muthusamy Manivannan, a director of Horton Square, has major transactions with another director, Jaya Sudhir Jayaram, who has a history of questionable dealings such as exploiting the Iraqi oil-for-food programme.

The Minister has also asked the IGP to investigate the links between Paradise Island Holdings and RAK Company Administration. The Sunday Times last week revealed that an initial shareholder of Horton Square was an entity called Paradise Island Holdings Ltd registered to PO Box 33582, Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. That address belongs to RAK Company Administration FZ LLC or RAKCA which calls itself the largest Registered Agent for incorporation Offshore & Onshore Company [sic] regulated under Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority.

The IGP has been requested to check whether Sudhir Jayaram has dealings with Mossack Fonseka as his address in the company registration form is in the British Virgin Islands. Minister Ranawaka also requests the IGP to investigate the multiple companies formed by Mr Manivannan and his opaque financial transactions, poor reporting, frequent share transfers and labyrinthine business practices as mentioned in the Sunday Times article.

Among Mr Manivannans companies are Supreme Global Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, formerly known as Lanka Consult Holdings (Pvt) Ltd; SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd; SupremeSAT Investments (Pvt) Ltd; Supreme Solutions (Pvt) Ltd; and Singha Lanka Investment (Pvt) Ltd. Minister Ranawakas letter to the IGP raises the questions: Why in excess of US$ 200mn was paid to acquire possession of Horton place property from Purni Edwards? Investigate the allegation of Rienzie Edwards who is the husband of Purni Edwards and they have been indicted for allegedly defrauding victims of more than US$ 50mn in the US.

It is revealed that the Urban Development Authority has instructed the consultant of Horton Square (Pvt) Ltd to fulfil 11 statutory requirements prior to issuing construction clearance. Since they have not fulfilled all the requirements, UDA has not issued any construction clearance to The Horton Square (Pvt) Ltd, the letter states. The permissions already granted by the UDA to the company are preliminary planning clearance for proposed development; and permission for soft launch of groundbreaking ceremony.

Hard construction will not be permitted until the company facilitates widening a section of the access road along the southern boundary of the site to a width of 12.2m by gifting a strip of land to the Colombo municipality; secures clearance from the Central Environmental Authority; and get clearance for its Traffic Impact Assessment.
Police begin probe on Moratuwa Unis animal killing View(s):

Police have launched an investigation following a charge by animal rights activists that stray dogs and cats had been eliminated at the Moratuwa University last Friday. Vice Chancellor Ananda Jayawardene said police recorded his statement and statements from security personal of the University.

The university did not encourage the killing of dogs but only wanted the dogs removed from the lecture halls, canteens and laboratories as they were a nuisance, he said. He said he was not aware that the security personnel had used sedatives on the animals when they were instructed only to remove the animals in a humane manner. Last Saturday I got to know that the dogs had been injected sedatives and two had died in the process, he said.

An animal rights activist and founder of Ray of Hope, Iraki Lankika Koddituwakku said that security personnel had no expertise regarding the removal of strays and that they had committed a sinful act by injecting Ketamine to 20 dogs and cats . Another activist Wiboda Abegoda said they have lodged complaints at the Moratuwa and Homagama police stations to take action against those responsible for the killings.

Meanwhile, lawyer and animal rights activist Lalani Perera called for repeal of the 1907 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance and the introduction of fresh legislation, pointing out that under the existing law, the crime of cruelty to animals carried a meagre fine of Rs. 100.
Shots fired at judges car in Jaffna; sergeant wounded View(s):

An unidentified man seized the pistol of a Police officer and opened fire at a vehicle carrying Jaffna High Court Judge M. Ilancheliyan, wounding his security officer. The incident occurred near the Nallur Kandasamy Kovil in Jaffna last evening. Judge Ilancheliyan, who was unhurt, told reporters he was the target of the assailant and there was a serious threat to the judiciary.

The pistol belonged to Mr. Ilancheliyans advance motorcycle outrider, a police sergeant. As a routine, he would patrol the routes taken by the judge, now sitting together with two other colleagues, at the trial-at- bar of the rape-and-murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl.

Jaffna Senior Superintendent of Police G.B. Stanislaus said yesterday the judge was travelling in his vehicle escorted by two police sergeants. One of them was in the escort motorcycle. A person who stood at the middle of the road had flagged down the motorcycle. This was after the sergeant had announced that the judges vehicle was approaching. He said the person appeared drunk. There had been an argument resulting in scuffle. The sergeants weapon had fallen on the ground. The unknown person had then picked up the weapon and opened fire at the vehicle. He said the unknown person had escaped.

The wounded police sergeant is now warded at the Jaffna Hospital. I saw a civilian approach my escort and trying to remove his pistol. He fought for two to three minutes to get the weapon, Mr Ilancheliyan told reporters. He said he alighted from his car and ran towards the escort. The civilian shot at my sergeant, he said adding that around five shots were fired.

The judge said, I am handling the most dangerous cases in Jaffna. I have requested the authorities, including the President, to ensure the protection of the judiciary so they can dispense a free and fair trial. Deputy Inspector General of Police for Jaffna Palitha Fernando told the Sunday Times last night that the motive of the shooting was not known as yet.

We have launched a search for the suspect. We are confident that we could locate him in the next few days and ascertain the motive, he said.
UN Torture report: UK expresses serious concerns View(s):

The British Government asked Sri Lankas High Commissioner in London to the Foreign Office this week to express its serious concerns about the findings of the UNHCRs Special Rapporteur in his recent report in which he described the use of torture in Sri Lanka as endemic.

High Commissioner Amari Wijewardene met on Wednesday Mark Field, the U.K. Minister of State for Asia snd the Pacific who is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in September where reference was made to the contents in the UN Special Rapporteurs report. The Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom told parliament on Wednesday that the governments concerns were conveyed to High Commissioner Wijewardena by the Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field when he met her at the Foreign Office.

The Leader of the House was responding to a request by Conservative MP Paul Scully, the newly installed chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka who called for a debate on government time over the human rights situation in Sri Lanka ahead of the upcoming sessions of the UNHRC later this year.

Mr. Scully said the Special Rapporteur had said in his report, among other things, that progress on Sri Lanka fulfilling the UNHRC Resolution 30/1 was slow and the use of torture endemic. In its Human Rights and Democracy Report for 2016 the British Government said that in 2017 it will continue to support and encourage Sri Lanka to make further and faster progress on human rights.

In its recent Twitter Account- twitter.com SLHC in London, the mission said the High Commissioner was delighted to meet the minister and discuss reconciliation, trade and bilateral relations with no mention whatsoever of the ministers comments whereas the House of Commons issue of Hansard reported the governments reaction to the special rapporteurs findings and the call by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka for. a debate.

Meanwhile Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn late last week added his voice to the concerns expressed by the British Government to register its views following allegations of continuing torture contained in the special rapporteurs report.

Mr Corbyns expressions of deep concern followed allegations made in the Johannesburg-based International Truth and Justice Project and called for a more robust foreign policy on Sri Lanka to include accountability for serious human rights violations. On Friday he went further than Minister Mark Field and referred to reports of ongoing torture of Tamils by the Sri Lanka security forces and stressed that the UKs foreign policy on Sri Lanka should be focused on accountability, not just promoting trade and investment.

Labour Party leader Corbyn said in a statement released Friday: I am deeply concerned about the evidence presented in this ITJP report about the ongoing torture of Tamils; it is the lack of accountability for the crimes of the past that has enabled these horrific violations to continue and we are all culpable if we dont speak out loudly,
Veteran scribes to be honoured at the 18th Journalism Awards View(s):

The 18th edition of the Journalism Awards for Excellence will culminate with the annual Awards Night on Tuesday, July 25, at the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel  the host hotel for the gala event.

The event which was launched in 1999 by The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka and is now organised by the Guild in partnership with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, is the biggest media awards programme in the country.

The aim of the programme is to recognise professionalism in 14 categories of Sri Lankas print media and reward excellence over a particular year. An overseas scholarship is also offered by the Lakshman Kadirgamar Foundation to the winner of the Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year.

It also honours those who have served the journalistic profession for more than 45 years with Lifetime Achievement Awards. The five recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2016 are:

Widana Gamage Gunerathne

Lakshman Jayawardena

S. A. C. M. Kuwaldeen

Palavasam Panneer Selvam

Gaston de Rosayro

The Guild also presents two special awards by its own nomination at the event; the D. R. Wijewardene Award for Recognition by Peers and the Public, and the Sepala Gunasena Award for Defending Press Freedom in Sri Lanka.

Messrs. Keells is the main sponsor of this years event along with the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board. Other sponsors are Peoples Bank and Bank of Ceylon. SriLankan Airlines will fly the winner of the Young Reporter of the Year Award abroad for overseas scholarship.

Brief profiles of the Life Time Achievement Award winners:

Widana Gamage Gunerathne commenced his career in 1963 as the Kamburupitiya Group Correspondent for Lake House. Later he joined Lake House as a staffer. WG, as he is popularly known among colleagues, became the Dinamina news editor and later Silumina deputy editor. He also worked at the Sunday Observer. WG won a scholarship from the Asia Foundation and studied Humanities in Journalism at the Michigan University, USA. He worked at the Media Secretariat of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga before joining Wijeya Newspapers. He became provincial editor of the daily Lankadeepa. WG was the first head of the Lankadeepa.lk web edition. He has translated and edited several books. He received his education from Rahula College, Matara, Batuwita Vidyalaya, Kitalagama and Tihagoda Junior School.

Lakshman Jayawardena joined the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) as a trainee journalist in 1965 and worked in Janatha, Dinamina and was news editor for the Silumina newspapers. He later joined Wijeya Newspapers and helped establish the Lankadeepa (daily) and held positions of news editor, deputy editor and associate editor. He re-joined Lake House in 1995 as its Chairman.

During his tenure the Daily News and Sunday Observer online editions were launched. He also started the Journalism Training Institute. He later joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service and was appointed Press Attache to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Canada and India. He has authored several books, among these a book in Sinhala introducing the internet, and a book on the Sri Lanka Foreign Service.

S. A. C. M. Kuwaldeen

S. A. C. M. Kuwaldeen, commenced his career in journalism at the Dinapathi Daily in 1966. Kuwaldeen, who had his education in Jaffna, has written several short stories and articles for national newspapers including Virakesari, Virakesari Weekly and Mithiran. He was a reporter for Eelamani which was published by the Times Limited in 1970s and Seithy magazine published in Kandy. He continues to be the Kandy-Senkadagala correspondent for Virakesari.

He has received many awards: Rathinadeepam Award  1996, Sahithya Award for Media  2005 by the Central Province Hindu Cultural Ministry, and Maadhiya Suri Award sponsored by the Sri Lanka Graduate University, Asgiriya Buddhist Faculty. In 2010, the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum honoured him with an Achievers Medal. To crown it all the State awarded him the Kalabhushana Award.

Palavasam Panneer Selvam

Palavasam Panneer Selvam started his journalistic career at Virakesari published by Express Newspapers Ceylon Limited.

He writes on parliament, politics, general news and analytical articles on Tamil Nadu politics.

Gaston de Rosayro is a professional writer in Sri Lanka and the Asian region. He has held several editorial executive positions in newspapers in Colombo, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. He started his career at the Daily News as a reporter and sub-editor and its sister journals the Observer and Sunday Observer as a reporter, sub-editor, feature writer and columnist. He left Sri Lanka in 1978 to take up an appointment with the New Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as an Executive Sub-Editor. He then joined the Singapore Monitor as a Senior Editor. He moved on to the Hong Kong Standard as Managing Editor Publications and later joined the South China Morning Post as Senior Editor. He was appointed Colombo Correspondent for the Post in 1995. During his stints in these overseas journals he continued to be a frequent contributor to the Lake House journals. On returning to Sri Lanka, he took up the post of Editor-in-Chief of newly established The Weekend Express. Gaston is the author of the biography of Rienzie T. Wijetilleke titled The Banker, the Man, the Legend. He also wrote the satire titled The Serendib Spirit.
Stories from Parliament for the younger generation By Shakya Wickramanayake View(s): View(s):

From assassination attempts to failed impeachments to the collapse of governments, Nihal Seneviratne has witnessed them all. A former Secretary General of Parliament, Seneviratnes position gave him unparalleled access and a unique perspective on the inner workings of Parliament for over three decades. Now in retirement, he has penned his memories in the book A Clerk Reminisces. Light and concise, the book details the more interesting happenings that took place in the corridors of Parliament, during his days as an Assistant Clerk at the House of Representatives and as the Deputy Secretary General and subsequently Secretary General of the Sri Lankan Parliament.

The stories and anecdotes range from the humorous and absurd, to grave and serious, yet steer clear of the technicalities associated with parliamentary procedure, thus allowing even those with no constitutional or legal background to enjoy the book. I wrote this book so that the ordinary person, especially those of the younger generation will know the history of our Parliament, says Seneviratne. Having not maintained a diary during his 33-year service, Seneviratne had to write from memory. There were many incidents that took place but these are the ones I remembered vividly.

A lawyer by profession and an LLB graduate of the University of Peradeniya, he joined the Parliamentary Secretariat in 1961 as a Second Assistant Clerk to the House of Representatives. During his career he served six administrations, and in three different legislature formats, that is the House of Representatives, the National Assembly and the present day Parliament. He not only functioned under three different constitutions, but also aided in the adoption of the Republican Constitutions of 1972 and 1978.

The 1972 Republican constitution, interestingly, was drafted in the Navarangahala Hall at his alma mater, Royal College, Colombo. Seneviratne, who acted as the assistant secretary to the Constitutional Assembly under the eminent lawyer Walter Jayawardena, explained why it wasnt drafted in the Parliament building at Galle Face. Dr. Colvin De Silva, who was the real architect of the 72 constitution wanted to break away from the constitution the British gave us and instead have a home-grown one. This meant that every day Parliament was in session, members of the house would first meet at the old Parliament building at Galle Face for the days proceedings and in the evening, together with the staff of the Parliamentary Secretariat, move to the Navarangahala hall to draft the new constitution.

In 1981, Seneviratne was appointed Secretary General of Parliament. The Secretary General is the chief administrative officer of the Parliament and oversees the maintenance and functioning of the Parliament. Thus when Parliament was shifted to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, Seneviratne had to oversee the logistics of the move, no easy task considering the sheer volume of books, archives, paintings and furniture amassed since 1930 when the building at Galle Face housed the State Council. Having been entrusted the task by President Jayewardene himself, Seneviratne proudly recalls how it was completed in little over a week and with everything accounted for.

One of the main functions of the Secretary General is to advise the Speaker of Parliament on Parliamentary procedure and the functioning of Parliament and its many committees. You have to be very correct in your decisions and advice, Seneviratne solemnly says. Having trained at the House of Commons in the UK on Parliamentary Procedure, he believes that it is important to adhere to procedure. This at times, meant he had to deny requests made by Presidents and Prime Ministers, even when they strictly insisted, which he details in his book. He believes that as his position was constitutionally protected, it allowed him to remain impartial, independent and do the right thing.

In 1994 Seneviratne retired from service upon reaching the age of retirement. However, a few years into retirement he was called once again to serve in Parliament, this time as advisor to the Speaker, when Anura Bandaranaike became Speaker of Parliament. I knew Anura from school, and he insisted that I assist him, says Seneviratne, stating that he declined several times but eventually accepted. The position of advisor to the Speaker didnt exist previously, and was created by Cabinet approval on a request made by Bandaranaike. During his time in this post, Seneviratne assisted the Speaker in making the constitutionally significant and historic ruling that the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka had no jurisdiction over the Parliament, and reaffirmed the supremacy of Parliament  a decision celebrated not only in our legislature but around the Commonwealth as well.

Looking back at the calibre of Parliamentarians such as Dr. Colvin De Silva, Dr. N. M. Perera, Peter Keuneman and Philip Gunawardena, he laments the drastic fall in the standard of the Parliamentary debates. Seneviratne blames the lack of substance on the fact that members arent well versed in the subject matter and that usually irrelevant contributions are made during the debates. When the Railway Act is being discussed, if a MP stands up and says the station master in Galle is not doing his job, thats completely irrelevant. However with Parliamentary debates now receiving live television coverage and the public showing interest, Seneviratne believes that it will lead to MPs making better speeches and greater contributions to the legislature. The public can then judge the quality of the MPs, he notes.

Currently Seneviratne is a member of the newly formed Public Services Commission. Established under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the Commission regulates the appointment, transfer and dismissal of the one and half million public servants employed by the state. Appointed by the President in 2015, Seneviratnes service to the state continues even in retirement. He hopes that his book will renew interest among the public in the history of our Parliament and will encourage others to write more on the topic.

Book Launch A Clerk Reminisces will be launched at the SLFI Auditorium, Independence Square at 5.30 p.m. next Sunday, July 30. Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya will preside. The book will be available for sale at the launch, and is priced at

Rs. 850
How good is less bad? By Tassie Seneviratne View(s): View(s):

Good and bad are opposites relative to each other. Less bad is not necessarily good. It depends on the degree of lessening and the type of what is bad.

In terms of corruption at Cabinet level, I remember President J. R. Jayewardenes attitude on the subject. When briefed by his confidantes about corruption on the part of some cabinet ministers, his position was that he would pass it on to a 25% for wastage. His explanation was that if he were to devote his time to total elimination of corruption he would not be able to get the job done. However he laid down a degree of permissiveness.

On the other hand for instance, if one were to consider the dengue epidemic, eliminating dengue mosquitos by even 90% will not help because they breed extremely fast and are equally virulent. Dengue mosquitos must be completely eliminated like in the case of the malaria mosquito, or else it will spread again in next to no time.

What prompted me to bring in these comparisons is a news item published in the Daily Mirror of Friday July 14, 2017 on page A 16. It carried the heading Law enforcement agencies must act forthwith. In this news item human rights lawyer J.C. Weliamuna PC is quoted saying We see less political interference under this Government.

During the time of the previous Government that Weliamuna compares the present government with, it was not a case of political interference but complete political control of the law enforcement agencies  certainly not a yard-stick to go by. The present Government has to be judged on its promises of good governance, on which promises people power that toppled the previous Government, installed it.

Talking of law enforcement agencies in the present government, we are aware of the blatant interference by the Law and Order Minister and the ever willing Inspector General of Police to accommodate such interference, as transpired during a media briefing of the Inspector General of Police. That instance came to light because it took place during a media briefing and was heard over the air waves. We can quite justifiably presume that this is the order of the day.

Moreover no lesser person than President Maithripala Sirisena has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction of the Law and Order Ministry and the Attorney Generals Department and wishes to have them under his purview. This speaks volumes about the prevailing bad governance, although a change of hands may only be a change of political colours for political mileage. Political interference like the dengue mosquito is very virulent and breeds as fast, spreading the deadly virus.

Those of us colleagues of Weliamuna who joined forces in the People Power Movement for Good Governance, are wondering whether Weliamuna has got himself into a situation where he has to sing for his supper. These hiccups notwithstanding, the People Power Movement for Good Governance will have to keep pressing forward relentlessly and with utmost vigilance.

(The writer is a retired Senior Superintendent of Police and human rights activist.)
Urgent need to control spread of invader-malarial vector from South India By Prof. Wimaladharma Abeyewickreme Support efforts of the Anti-Malaria Campaign, urges senior Professor View(s): View(s):

With no indigenous malaria cases being reported in the country since November 2012, our group of scientists have been sending out warnings about the potential invasion, particularly of the northern peninsula of Jaffna by the dangerous malaria vector in South India, Anopheles stephensi. While people were relieved over the malaria-free status declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in September 2016, thanks to the vigilance of the officers and other staff of the Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC), the appearance of this invader-mosquito was first detected in the island of Mannar in December 2016.

Very small numbers of larvae of Anopheles stephensi were found in abandoned wells and wells in use in the Mannar Island. Since then, the AMC has been attempting to somehow restrict the spread of this foreign mosquito in the Mannar Island as well as preventing it from invading the mainland.

Although larval breeding has been observed, at the beginning it had been difficult to detect adult-mosquitoes of this species even in the Mannar Island, according to AMC entomologists. However, according to the latest reports, the mosquito has been observed breeding in other types of breeding places in the island and adults are now routinely found in entomological surveillance programmes.

It may be argued that because the indigenous malaria vectors such as An. culicifacies and An. subpictus are present in the Mannar Island, the addition of a new vector may not make much of a difference. But it does and it is important to understand that An. stephensi, which is a very efficient vector in India and some other countries compared to our local vectors, breeds in urban city environments including places such as water storage tanks.

Sri Lanka never had such an urban vector with the potential of giving rise to malaria outbreaks in urban cities. All our vectors have been found for hundreds of years in the Dry Zone and rural areas and nearly all indigenous cases in the past have originated from the Dry Zone. Therefore, it must be understood that along with the possible risk of the re-emergence of malaria through imported cases of malaria coming in to the country from other countries where vectors are still present, there will now be a serious risk of malaria spreading even to the major cities if this new South Indian invader-vector spreads to the mainland from the Mannar Island.

The AMC together with the Regional Malaria Officers who have much expertise and competence in vector control is mounting a massive effort against this mosquito in the Mannar Island. It has, however, been revealed during recent discussions that awareness among the people and the relevant authorities on this critical situation is poor. As a result, there have been some small-scale indirect protests against the AMCs vector-control activities in the Mannar Island.

If these protests continue, it will hamper the control efforts which will provide an ample opportunity for the re-emergence of malaria through this new invader-vector. Its spread to cities may lead to a health disaster, with millions of malaria cases as in the past in Sri Lanka.

It is, therefore, the responsibility of all relevant authorities, professionals and politicians in the north to clearly understand this situation and actively take part in raising awareness among the public to facilitate the participation of the community in vector-control activities.

Then the AMC can eradicate this dangerous vector through integrated efforts before it is too late.

(The writer is attached to the Faculty of Medicine of the Kotelawala Defence University)
A Brazilian tourist driving a rental vehicle was caught excessively speeding on State Highway One near Taupiri.

On Friday the man was doing 202km per hour in a 100kmh zone and was locked doing 195km/h going into 70km/h roadworks, while there was bad weather.

The male, who was on a honeymoon in New Zealand for a week, was arrested for dangerous driving and attended court later that day.

The judge convicted him and he was fined $1100 and received six months disqualification.

The rental vehicle contract was immediately cancelled and the rental company sent a transporter to uplift the vehicle. Those recovery costs were added to his bill.

With all those factors into account (speed/wet road/roadworks) we could have had a huge disaster on our hands. Luckily he was stopped before a serious tragedy occurred on our roads, says a Waikato police spokesperson.

He is now the navigator and his new bride is the pilot. Just not in a GLC Class Merc. Perhaps a smart car would have been a better choice as his decisions werent so smart.
[July 21, 2017] FASTSIGNS International, Inc. Reports Strong Mid-Year Growth with Signing of 16 New Franchise Agreements and Opening of 17 New and Co-Branded Centers

Sign, Graphics and Visual Communications Franchisor Continues Expansion in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and Plans to Open Another 30 Locations in 2017 CARROLLTON, Texas, July 21, 2017 /CNW/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that it opened 17 centers across the U.S., Canada, and England in the first half of 2017 and signed 16 franchise agreements to develop additional new, co-branded, and conversion locations in the coming months and expect to finalize several Master Franchise agreements. Due to the ongoing worldwide need for visual communications and digital signage technology, and an extremely successful 2016, the company expects to open a projected 45 locations in 2017. Markets with planned FASTSIGNS center openings include Sacramento, Detroit, Phoenix, Winnipeg, and Calgary. "We are thrilled to be diving into the second half of the year with such a strong start to 2017," said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. "We've seen tremendous growth in the past six months, welcoming over two dozen franchisees from locations all over the world into our network. As we continue to strengthen our presence in key markets across multiple countries, we are seeking franchisees interested in co-brand and conversion franchise opportunities, where independent print and sign shop owners can expand their existing business or convert their business to FASTSIGNS." Suki Khansarinia is a first-time franchisee that has begun to convert her existing sign and visual communications business into a FASTSIGNS location. Located within Los Angeles County, Suki Khansarinia will open the first FASTSIGNS location in Pomona, California, in the coming months. "I absolutely loved the patience and guidance the entire FSTSIGNS team provided throughout the entire process of deciding which franchise opportunity to invest in," said Suki Khansarinia. "While choosing a new business venture is never easy, I required a lot of information and time before making the best decision for my family. Every person who stepped in to answer my questions made me feel comfortable and provided honest answers based on their personal experiences. I never felt pressured. The exceptional franchise support that FASTSIGNS offers to their network of franchisees helped them stand apart from our other options and we truly look forward to joining the FASTSIGNS family."



For any existing business looking to expand into this fast-paced market, FASTSIGNS gives the added support and training needed to make the process smooth. Whether an existing print-based business or a photography studio, FASTSIGNS' co-brand centers receive the same assistance as any new franchisee, with the added bonus of being able to exclude established revenue streams, outside of the FASTSIGNS core business offering, from future royalty payments. Both the co-brand franchise opportunity and conversion can be started with only $15,000 down on the initial franchise fee. FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was ranked number 1 in the Business Services/Signs category for 2017 and 95 overall in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500 recognizes FASTSIGNS for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and brand power. FASTSIGNS also has been recognized for its franchisee satisfaction by being named a World Class Franchise by the Franchise Research Institute for five consecutive years and ranking number one in franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review in 2016 and was recently named to Franchise Business Review's " innovative franchise brands list.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or 214-346-5679). About FASTSIGNS

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of 660 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in nine countries including the US, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including decor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fastsigns. Contact:

Chelsea Bear

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fastsigns-international-inc-reports-strong-mid-year-growth-with-signing-of-16-new-franchise-agreements-and-opening-of-17-new-and-co-branded-centers-300492431.html SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.

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Jasmine Gomez | Contributing writer

Some of the best foods to spend your money on at the Onondaga Cup and Lakefest

The one thing you can count on at festivals, big or small, is the great food. Some of the earliest arrivals to the Onondaga Cup and Lakefest running at Willow Bay in Onondaga Lake Park until July 23, were you guessed it, the food vendors. If you're looking for something to munch on as you sit by the lake watching the rowing races, these foods might be worth a try.

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No-bake Cheesecake

Donna the Dessert Lady is offering free samples of no-bale cheesecake from Deedee Desserts. The flavors available are plentiful and include maple walnut, chocolate raspberry, and spiced pumpkin. All that goes into preparing the cheesecake is Philadelphia cream cheese, Cool Whip, and a graham pie crust.

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Samples at the Chobani Culinary Competition

The Chobani Culinary Competition pits eight local chefs against each other, as they create competition dishes in front of a crowd. The crowd can sample some of the creations, in addition to samples from the organization Vets 2 Farm, which is severed up chicken rubbed in a blueberry barbecue sauce and crostini with roasted veggies.

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Sausages at Wolf's Patio Pizza

Who can resist the smell of a plump sausage on the grill? Wolf's Patio Pizza is offering that and several other toppings on their wood-fired pizzas. They even have a German pizza topped with creme fraiche, bacon, caramelized onions, and gruyere cheese.

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The Best Gyro

The guys over at Kiki's Authentic Greek Food are cooking up with they call the best gyro, filled with tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olives, on a pita bread, along with other Greek dishes.

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Flavored Popcorn

Ma and Pa's Kettle Corn and Popcorn Factory is selling several flavors of popcorn including ones you never even thought to try. The flavors include blue raspberry, caramel apple, and french toast.

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Ribbon Fries

Fries are always nice but when they look like ribbons that makes them so much better. Patrons can top them with anything of their choice including cheese. They're available at the Spud Factory booth.

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Jasmine Gomez

Healthy Trash Plates

Effortlessly Healthy, a food truck out of Rochester, NY that travels the state is serving up "trash plates." Their most popular seller includes chicken, bacon, and avocado over roasted sweet potatoes and coleslaw.

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Jerk Chicken Wrap

Island Wraps, based out of Scottsville, NY, brought their Caribbean flavor to the lakefest. The wraps their serving up include this jerk chicken wrap, filled with jerk-rubbed chicken, sauteed onions, greens, and carrots.

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More about Lakefest

Lakefest official website for schedule, directions and rowing results.

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There are many celebrations for the Erie Canal's 200th anniversary. Since ground broke in July 1817, the canal served as a main waterway for westward expansion. Now, it is one of the few canals still actively used in the United States.

Rome is where ground broke over 200 years ago. On July 22, Bellamy Harbor Park hosts a range of events and activities with a focus on the history of the canal. The Lois McClure schooner, a replica of a 1862 boat that traveled that would travel the waters.

Here are photos from inside this historic ship.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Hosts

From left: Mayor of Rome Jacqueline Izzo, Captain of the Lois McClure schooner Roger Taylor and New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton in front of the boat.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

White Oak & White Pine

Taylor, Izzo and Stratton stand with a white oak and white pine seeding. These trees are used for shipbuilding, like the original Lois McClure schooner. These seedings will be planted at the Bellamy Harbor Center, Izzo said.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Tours

Visitors can tour the schooner on July 22 for free. This is one of the events that taking place at Bellamy Harbor Center.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Below deck

The stairs to the base of the boat. There's one staircase for the crew and visitors to use.

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Crew

A photo of the crew traveling along the Erie Canal on the Lois McClure schooner.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Crew's Quarters

A roped off section for the crew. Here is where most of the crew sleep.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Walkway

The walkway beneath the boat. The height of the walkway is 6 ft tall, and the walkway is used for storage.

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Storage

A replica of how goods would be stored beneath the boat.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Kitchen

This is where the crew eat, with two bedrooms attached.

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Stove

The crew on the Lois McClure use this stove for most of their meals, said a crew member.

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Will Muoio | wmuoio@syracuse.com

Anchor

One of the anchors of the Lois McClure. This anchor is located at the bow of the boat.

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Life buoy

A life buoy, with the name of the boat engraved inside. This replica was built in 2002.

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Steering wheel

The steering wheel of the Lois McClure. Many members of the crew take turns during their trip across the Erie Canal.

Here's a way to find out more about the event:


Canton, N.Y. -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer called on the federal government Friday to require that trucks be equipped with "underride guards" to prevent the kind of accident that killed four people on Interstate 81 in Sandy Creek July 6.

Four people, including three members of the RB Lawrence Ambulance Co., were killed when a milk tanker jack-knifed on I-81 and their two vehicles slammed into the underside of the truck.

Schumer, D-NY, said energy-absorbing underride guards can help prevent cars from going under large trucks during crashes. He called on the federal government to update existing truck rear-underride guard standards, require trucks be equipped with side underride guards and conduct new research into front underride guard standards.

"Requiring trucks be equipped with underride guards is a proven technology that will save lives and make our roads safer," he said at the RB Lawrence Ambulance Co. on Route 11 in Canton.

State police said the driver of the tanker truck swerved to avoid deer on the highway and jack-knifed the vehicle, blocking the road. A vehicle carrying three members of the RB Lawrence Ambulance Co. returning to Canton from Syracuse went under the jack-knifed truck, striking its underside. Killed were Corey E. Moore, 50, of Canton; Gregg P. Williams, 58, of De Kalb Junction; and Roderick C. Cota, 63, from Norwood.

Moon John Kim, 52, of Ellicott City, Maryland, was also killed when his car hit the underside of the same truck moments later.

"Drivers and passengers in this most recent crash could have been better protected if the truck was equipped with side underride guards," Schumer said. "The devastation of crashes like these - a result of a gap in truck safety standards - could be reduced."

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
Inaugural Blues & BBQ event in Fayetteville was a special night

To the Editor:

Our inaugural Blues & BBQ was a huge success. Over 1,000 residents turned out for a night of great food and music, as well as 25 displays from civic and business groups in our village. I hope the residents also enjoyed all the local businesses that opened their doors for the evening. We have always known that Limestone Plaza is a special place and it was so gratifying to see so many residents enjoy a great evening in this special place in our village. A special thank you to Grover's Table, Hornets' Nest, Arad Evans Inn, Carrabba's Restaurant , Craftsman Inn and so many other local vendors who made the night a huge success.

This night would not have been possible without the incredible effort by the Fayetteville Fire Department and Fire Chief Paul Hildreth. Chief Hildreth took an idea I had an ran with it. I would also like to acknowledge the help from our Greater Manlius Chamber of Commerce. All night long I heard from hundreds of residents what a great idea this was, all the credit goes to Judy Dardzinski and Hildreth for their hard work and talent in putting this event together .

We have already talked about what went well and what could make the event even better, stayed tuned for more information, rest assure this will now become an annual event in our village, hopefully for years to come, maybe even more than once a year if we can make it happen.

Thanks again for all the residents who turned out and enjoyed a special night in the village.

Mark Olson

Mayor

Fayetteville

Johnson Park roof already aiding Liverpool performances

To the Editor:

The Liverpool Is The Place Committee sincerely thanks Liverpool Mayor Gary White, the board of trustees and especially Trustee Christina Fadden Fitch who, as the board's liaison with the Department of Public Works, personally coordinated arrangements for installation of a roof at Johnson Park this year.

On June 15, members of the Town of Salina Highway Department joined a Village of Liverpool Department of Public Works crew and representatives of Colorado's WeatherPort Shelter Systems to install the durable fabric cover over the stage at Johnson Park.

A grant from Onondaga County Department of Transportation paid for the new stage roof. The Liverpool is The Place Committee, which books 24 concerts every summer at the park, had long lobbied for the canopy which would allow musicians to set up, plug in and keep their equipment dry in the event of rain. Over the past three years, 13 concerts were canceled due to inclement weather.

Since it went up, the new roof has already functioned as planned. Three 2017 events - the June 19 concert by Matt Chase & Thunder Canyon, the June 26 concert by the Stock Market Swing Orchestra, and the July 12 concert by the Easy Money Big Band - were performed regardless of wet weather. Those shows would've been canceled had the roof not been there to keep the musicians dry.

The Liverpool Is The Place Committee sincerely thanks: Onondaga County 4th Ward Legislator Judy Tassone; Liverpool Mayor Gary White and the board of trustees; Liverpool Village Trustee Christina Fadden Fitch; Onondaga County Director of Purchasing Andrew Trombley; Liverpool Village Codes Enforcement Officer Bill Reagan; Liverpool Village DPW Superintendent Bill Asmus and crew; Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra; Salina Town High Department Superintendent John Vito and crew; WeatherPort Shelter Systems; Liverpool Is The Place Chairperson/First Ward Town Councilor Colleen Gunnip.

We look forward to finishing the project with new stage lights to be installed soon. Meanwhile we applaud the village and its DPW for moving ahead with construction of a short stairway to help our audience members access the park from Oswego Street.

Russ Tarby

Program Director

Liverpool Is The Place Committee

Liverpool

The Silent Veteran

What secrets did he protect?

What demons did he hold?

In battle he had not been,

nor had he suffered physical wounds.

Yet, clearly his fight had been fierce and some parts of him had been killed.

His silence about the war was deafening.

Questions were met with "Don't ever ask!" or "None of your business!"

In this way of sheltering himself from the horrors of war,

he sacrificed so much more.

He never heard me say:

"My daddy was in the army, too!"

"Daddy, you must have been so brave!"

"Daddy, you helped to win the war!"

"Daddy, you must have been the best plane mechanic ever!"

"Dad, I am so proud of you and your military service. Thank you, Dad."

Thankfully, no longer do I need to worry about those unspoken words.

Today, July 9, 2017,

in a small American Legion Hall in a little town in New York state,

My dad received all those words and so much more.

Honor Flight recognized my dad

as a Flags of Our Heroes recipient.

"I love you Dad and I am so proud of your service to our country!"

Thank you Honor Flight Syracuse, New York.

Carole A. Bildstein

Camillus
Microsoft and Johnson Controls this week unveiled Glas, a smart thermostat that runs on Microsofts Windows 10 IoT Core, a special operating system designed specifically for smaller devices. Glas also utilizes Microsofts smart voice assistant Cortana and its Azure Cloud to help users save energy while monitoring air quality in the home.

Heating and cooling of a residential home accounts for around 48 percent of energy use, making it the largest energy expense for most families, noted Johnson Controls, a provider of HVAC, fire and security systems, and maker of the first electric room thermostat.

In commercial buildings, heating and cooling accounts for approximately 40 percent of energy costs.

With Microsofts Cortana voice services built-in, Glas could become a core part of a smart home play.

More Than Temperature Control

Thermostats that can be controlled remotely via a smartphone or other device generally have been increasing in popularity, but a key plus for Glas is that it is more than a thermostat. It includes sensors that can detect when people are in the room, and adjust the temperature accordingly.

Like competing smart environmental devices, including those from Nest and Hive, the Glas smart thermostat is designed to lower energy costs by maintaining desired temperatures in parts of a building that are used more, while maintaining appropriate temperatures in areas that are infrequently accessed.

Unlike other wall-mounted units, Glas provides continuous monitoring of both indoor and outdoor air quality.

From the little we know, this looks like a Nest-comparable device, said Roger Entner, principal analyst at Recon Analytics.

Smart home thermostats with some value-add is a growing market, especially in states like Massachusetts that subsidize intelligent thermometers, he told TechNewsWorld.

The air quality and AI is just a value-add to the dumb thermometer most Americans have in their home that drives their air conditioning and heating, Entner added.

Glas Talking

Voice control could be a distinguishing feature for Glas. Users can tell it the temperature that they want and adjust other settings.

Johnsons Glas is the first thermostat to use Microsofts Cortana technology to support voice commands/controls, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

That sets it apart from Google Nest, which doesnt support voice directly  though it can be managed vocally with a Google Home device, he told TechNewsWorld. Similarly, the Eccobee4 thermostat can be used with Amazon Alexa.

Crowded Smart House

For Microsoft and Johnson Controls, it is now a question of whether its partnership product is coming to the market too late or is arriving just in time for the smart home revolution.

This looks mostly like catch-up ball to me, suggested Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates.

Amazon and Google are already in this market. Both have cloud services, smart assistants and AI capabilities, he told TechNewsWorld.

Microsoft is a latecomer, but not too late, because the IoT market is just taking off  sort of better late than never,' Kay added.

The smart thermostat market is still a niche market, however, and may stay that way for a while, due to costs.

At US$250, a Google Nest is about 10 times the cost of a basic digital, programmable thermostat, noted Pund-ITs King. Thats likely to change as digital assistants, like Google Home and Amazon Alexa become more common and provide voice-enabled equivalents of universal remote controls.

Home or Office

From the information available so far, it does seem that Glas targets commercial properties more than consumers homes.

That makes sense strategically, since Johnson is known for its HVAC, fire and security systems  but it also underscores some key Glas features, including air quality controls and the ability to sense when people are present in a space and automatically adjust its settings, said King.

While those points may interest some consumers, theyd be more valuable to businesses looking to better manage their facilities and related costs, he explained.

This could be a product that finds itsr market in business settings, but then reaches homes in another version, especially if it should become the central command station in either environment.

The battle is for the IoT hub in the home, office or other building, said Endpoint Technologies Kay.

Apple wants in on this, too, he added. This is mostly about not being outflanked in an evolving market  really the least tapped market of the big three: endpoints, cloud and IoT.
The Karner blue butterfly is a small butterfly that became a state and national endangered species a quarter of a century ago. Today, it continues flapping its wings and fuels hope for full recovery at a nature preserve.

The butterfly continues to grow in numbers in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in New York, located a couple of miles west of the state Capitol and near the urban jungle.

Surging Population

Back in 2007, the tiny creature was only a few hundred in numbers, but today it has reached a population of around 16,000.

Last Thursday, wildlife authorities gathered at the preserve to celebrate its resurgence since entering the federal endangered species list in 1991.

The Karner blues recovery was largely attributed to using fires in managing the sandy area, as well as the planting of the native flower blue lupine for larvae to feed on during that life phase.

The butterflys former decline was undoubtedly due to their habitats decline, said conservation director Neil Gifford.

Every summer from 2008 to 2014, staff at the Albany Pine Bush released hundreds of butterflies from a federal butterfly haven in New Hampshire, as they were deemed capable of repopulating on their own.

Prospects For Karner Blues, Other Species

The Karner blue butterfly was first identified in the 1940s by novelist and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov when he visited the West Albany hamlet. It has two hatchings every year, with the creatures living only for a few weeks.

Their landscape needed natural fires, but then the land started to be taken over by massive trees and scrub when fire started to be regularly controlled in the Pine Bush over the last century.

Today the butterflies have spread to a 600-acre forming 58 sites.

State officials remain optimistic, also announcing this month the record number of bald eagles in the state or around 323 nesting pairs.

"New York is committed to protecting the state's natural resources and environmental treasures for future generations, including endangered species like the Karner blue butterfly," said Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) commissioner Basil Seggos.

For Seggos, the butterflys comeback shows the wonders of science-based habitat management, which also benefits rare bird and turtle species, to name a few.

Across the United States, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) established recovery sites in states such as New York, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and New Hampshire.

The Karner blue needs to show in other areas that it is bouncing back in order to be removed from the endangered species list.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung is offering users a deal that could save them a lot of money on the Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus.

Samsung is currently offering customers a discount of $150 when they buy an unlocked version of the S8 or S8 Plus on the company's website. This means the S8 will cost $574.99 and the S8 plus will cost $674.99. Of course, that's still a fairly hefty price to pay for a smartphone, but there is a way to lower the price even more. Users who trade in an eligible smartphone will receive an additional $150 off the price of either phone.

Eligible smartphones include

iPhone 5 and above

iPhone SE,

Galaxy S5 and above

Note 5

LG G4 and above

Google Pixel

Google Pixel XL

The selection of eligible phones is somewhat limited, but there's a wide enough variety that a lot of people stand to benefit from this deal.

One more added benefit to this deal is that the recently released Blue Coral S8 is eligible for purchase.

While the price of the S8 is still a bit pricey, users won't have to pay it all upfront. Samsung is allowing users to make monthly payments of $17.71 over a two-year period.

S8 Sales

Despite the current hype surrounding the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8, the S8 and S8 Plus remain two of the of the best smartphones on the market and the sales numbers back that up. Samsung recently reported that the S8 was outselling the S7 by about 15 percent. Undoubtedly, the majority of these sales come from the fact that S8 is simply a great smartphone, but it doesn't hurt that Samsung has offered some pretty nice deals throughout the course of the phone's lifecycle.

Pure discounts like the one featured today are a bit rare, but there have been several buy-one-get-one opportunities from Samsung and individual cellphone carriers. The high price of the S8 is a real barrier to entry for a lot of consumers, but deals like these make the price a bit more bearable. Beyond that, it appears that these deals have paid off for Samsung as the company is on track to supplant Apple as the world's most profitable tech firm.

One thing to keep in mind with Samsung's current deal is that the phone will be an unlocked device so users will need to sign up with a carrier in order to get service. Using an unlocked phone isn't for everyone as some people simply don't like dealing with the hassle of negotiating with carriers, but it can save some money in the long run.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Legendary Pokemon are finally confirmed to be heading their way into Pokemon GO, with their first appearance to be at the Pokemon GO Fest on July 22 in Grant Park, Chicago.

The hype surrounding the addition of the Legendary Pokemon reached fever pitch due to recent clues and datamines, blowing up even more as developer Niantic Labs rolled out the reveal video for the powerful Pokemon.

Legendary Pokemon Reveal Trailer

The reveal trailer for the arrival of Legendary Raids and Legendary Pokemon to Pokemon GO was accompanied by a Niantic Labs blog post that explained how players can capture the powerful Pokemon.

According to Niantic Labs, players should watch for Legendary Eggs that will appear at certain Gyms. After the countdown ends, the Legendary Eggs will crack and reveal the Legendary Pokemon inside. Players can then team up to try to take it down, and if they are successful, they will be able to catch the Legendary Pokemon. They can be used to take on Raid Bosses and fight in Gym Battles, but they will not be able to defend Gyms.

Niantic Labs added that at Pokemon GO Fest, players in Grant Park will need to work with players from all over the world to make the first Legendary Pokemon appear at the event. If the players in Chicago succeed in defeating it, the Legendary Pokemon will start appearing in Raid Battles everywhere else.

Train Up Your Golems!

The reveal trailer focused on Zapdos, Articuno, Moltres, Lugia, and Ho-Oh, the Legendary Birds from the franchise's first two generations of Pokemon. Mewtwo makes a quick appearance at the end of the video, but it is very likely that the first Legendary Pokemon of Pokemon GO will be one of the five Legendary Birds.

As Pokemon GO players prepare to battle a Legendary Bird, the community has identified Golem, a rock/ground-type Pokemon, as the best one for the job.

Golem is not a popular option in the main games, but in Pokemon GO, he is expected to be a vital piece in taking down either one of the Legendary Birds. The Legendary Birds are weak to Golem's type, and Golem's Rock Throw, Stone Edge, and Rock Blast are powerful attacks that can hit flying opponents.

Golem is no slouch either, with a max CP of 2916 and an attack of 211.

Players planning to join the Pokemon GO Fest and those looking forward to their first Legendary Raid should consider training up a Golem to deal massive damage to the Legendary Birds, whichever one would be the first to arrive in Pokemon GO.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
SPRINGFIELD -- Everyone knows Abraham Lincoln as the great emancipator, self-made man or even country lawyer. But what about Lincoln as political boss?

Historian Matthew Pinsker will discuss Lincolns partisan skills and accomplishments when he visits the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Tuesday.

His presentation, Boss Lincoln: Understanding Lincolns Partisan Leadership, is free and begins at 5:30 p.m. It takes place in the multi-purpose room of the ALPLMs library building, 112 N. Sixth St.

For seats, visit www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov and click on special event reservations.

Pinsker teaches history at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., and is the author of Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and The Soldiers Home. He is working on a new study of Lincolns organizational skills and the style of partisan command that he developed in Illinois politics.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to telling the story of Americas 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history. The museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors.

You can follow the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The iconic music from the 1975 film "Jaws" may strike fear into the hearts of swimmers everywhere, but giant sharks arent the only things to worry about when swimming. Even in a neighborhood pool, smaller threats lurking in the water can be just as scary as anything broadcast next week during the Discovery Channels Shark Week.

If you swim in pools, hot tubs, water parks, or any other water contaminated with germs, youre at risk for a recreational water illness (RWI), says Michael Wahl, M.D., medical director, Illinois Poison Center (IPC). Diarrhea is among the most common RWIs, but they can also cause other gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections.

Even with proper pool maintenance, some germs like Cryptosporidium, which can cause diarrhea, are able to survive for up to 10 days in treated water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 32 outbreaks caused by Cryptosporidium linked to U.S. swimming pools or water playgrounds were reported in 2016, double the number reported in 2014.

Rather than avoiding the pool altogether, the IPC urges everyone to take the following precautions to keep themselves and their fellow swimmers healthy:

Avoid swimming if you have diarrhea;

Shower with soap before swimming to help remove germs that could contaminate the water;

Do not swallow water;

Do not sit on water jets; and

While at the pool, take children and infants on bathroom breaks and check for dirty diapers every hour.

Swimmers arent the only ones who need to be conscious about safety this summer. Those who own or operate pools should be mindful of the chemicals in pool disinfectants, which can be dangerous when used improperly. If pool cleaner is ingested, touches the skin or is inhaled, it can cause a range of medical problems such as organ failure, loss of vision, severe abdominal pain, low blood pressure, or throat swelling. These dangers were recently highlighted by incidents at a waterpark in Northwest Indiana. Nearly a dozen children reported suffering from chemical burns after swimming at the waterpark, purportedly due to too much chlorine in the water.

To avoid medical complications:

Always use the correct amount of pool cleaner and other substances;

Handle and store pool cleaners as indicated on their packaging; and

Unless directed, never mix materials, which can create toxic substances like chlorine gas.

IPC experts are available to provide information and treatment advice 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, including holidays. If you suspect that you or someone you know has been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, please call the IPC at 800-222-1222. The call is free and confidential. For more information, visit the IPCs website: http://illinoispoisoncenter.org.

The Illinois Poison Center is a nonprofit health service that provides the people of Illinois with comprehensive and trusted information and treatment advice on potentially harmful substances via a free, confidential 24-hour helpline staffed by specially trained physicians, nurses and pharmacists.
"Dialogue and negotiation in Venezuela, found at the Paris Forum for Peace, three friends: the governments of France, Argentina and the Republic of Colombia," said the president... | Read More
The world faces the prospect of more tension with China over trade, security and human rights after Xi Jinping awarded himself another five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party and called for self-reliance in technology, a stronger military and protection of core interests abroad. At a party congress, Xi gave no sign of plans to change the "zero-COVID strategy that has frustrated Chinas public and disrupted business and trade. He called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that strain relations with Washington and Asian neighbors. Xi is tightening control at home and trying to use Chinas economic heft to increase its influence abroad.
CHARLESTON -- A case accusing a Mattoon man of having methamphetamine was dismissed after a judge ruled that police found the drug during an illegal search.

Christopher L. Peoples was accused of having pipes with drug residue in the vehicle he was driving that was stopped for a traffic violation in Mattoon on April 9.

The judge's ruling sided with Peoples' attorney's contention that a police officer tried to detain him at the site of the stop for longer than necessary.

Coles County Circuit Judge Brien O'Brien's decision meant anything found during the search couldn't be used as evidence in the case against Peoples.

State's Attorney Brian Bower said the ruling was what led to his decision to dismiss the case.

Peoples, 36, for whom court records list an address of 2212 Charleston Ave., was stopped by Mattoon police officer Devin Patterson for failing to signal before turning, according to records in the case.

Public Defender Anthony Ortega, who represented Peoples, challenged the legality of the search that followed and reportedly led to the discovery of the drug materials.

The challenge was based on Peoples' request to leave after Patterson searched a passenger in the vehicle but found nothing illegal.

Patterson told Peoples to wait at the scene until the officer could summon a police K-9 unit to conduct a search of the vehicle, according to the motion Ortega filed.

That led Peoples to say he didn't want to wait that long and he then allowed Patterson to search the vehicle himself, during which the drug items were found, the motion says.

Ortega argued that such a stop by police can be illegal if it's "prolonged beyond the reasonable time to be completed." He cited a legal precedent that said a K-9 search shouldn't take more time than it would for an officer to write a traffic citation or warning.

In his response to the motion, Bower said Patterson had reason to believe there could be illegal items in the vehicle, so the stop was for what amounted to more than a traffic violation.

Patterson said he saw Peoples and the vehicle's passenger apparently trying to put something on the vehicle's floor before it stopped, Bower said.

That and other, similar behavior by Peoples and the passenger meant there was "reasonable suspicion" that there were illegal items in the vehicle, he argued.

However, O'Brien agreed with Ortega's contentions and granted the motion, called a motion to suppress evidence.

The prosecution dismissed the charges during a court hearing on Thursday, which was a week after O'Brien announced his decision on the motion. The attorneys made their arguments on the motion during a hearing on July 5.

Case records indicate that one pipe with methamphetamine residue and another with marijuana residue were found during the search.

However, the only drug charge against Peoples was possession of methamphetamine, though he was also charged with obstructing justice for allegedly trying to hide evidence from police.

Both charges were felony offenses and the more serious, the methamphetamine charge, could have brought a prison sentence of two to 10 years had Peoples been convicted.

Prison time wouldn't have been required, but Peoples had been eligible for twice the normal maximum prison sentence because of his criminal record.
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A woman from New Mexico was accused of stabbing her boyfriend in the head and neck multiple times while he slept on Saturday morning, according to a Baton Rouge police report.

Police say 20-year-old Chelsea M. Ellington attacked the man around 4 a.m. before two witnesses intervened and stopped Ellington from injuring him further. Police spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely identified the victim as Ellington's boyfriend.

Investigators say Ellington admitted to attacking the man with a knife, but told them she didn't know why she did it, the report says. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. McKneely said the injuries did not appear life threatening.

Ellington, of 2313 18th St., Alamogordo, New Mexico, was booked into Parish Prison Saturday on attempted second-degree murder.

Ellington was arrested in March in Assumption Parish after she and 20-year-old Elijah J. Evenson, of Madison, Tennessee, led deputies and White Castle police officers on a nearly 15-mile chase with a car that was stolen from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She had been booked in Assumption Parish jail on misdemeanor resisting an officer, illegal possession of stolen things, illegal carrying of weapons and felony resisting an officer with violent force.
Police are looking for 26-year-old Shykeem Tyshawn McNeal who was involved in a scuffle with a father, his daughter and the daughter's boyfriend after the father accused McNeal of burglarizing his home in the 900 block of North Donmoore Avenue on Thursday.

L'Jean McKneely, a spokesman for the Baton Rouge police, said McNeal is not a suspect in the home invasion, but ended up with warrants being issued for his arrest over the scuffle he had with the father, daughter and her boyfriend.

Police said McNeal, who has been convicted of a felony and cannot legally have a gun, had a weapon that discharged during the fight, wounding the father and daughter.

Police did not say why the resident thought McNeal committed the robbery. Apparently, the father went home around 1 p.m. Thursday after he was notified that his wife had been held at gunpoint by two people during a home invasion robbery, according to a Baton Rouge police report.

About 45 minutes after he arrived at home, he left the house and walked to a parking lot in the 6800 block of Rembrandt Avenue where he found McNeal and accused him of the home invasion, the report says.

Two injured in Thursday afternoon shooting that stemmed from confrontation about home invasion Two people were injured in a shooting Thursday afternoon that stemmed from a confrontation a

The father told detectives that during the argument McNeal pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and began to threaten the father for falsely accusing him and "his associates" of the home invasion, according to the police report.

The man's daughter and her boyfriend tried to intervene, but McNeal struck the boyfriend in the head with the gun, according to the report. A struggle ensued over the gun, which discharged twice, striking the daughter and her father. The father was wounded in his forearm, and the daughter was shot in her right hand, police said.

The two drove themselves to a hospital where they were treated.

McNeal, of 644 North Donmoor, apartment four, Baton Rouge, is wanted on aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated second-degree battery and possession of a firearm by person convicted of certain felonies.
A State Police trooper was suspended for two weeks  and docked an additional 80 hours' pay  earlier this year after investigators determined he improperly removed several pieces of evidence from a state vault and gave some of the property to a retired State Police lieutenant.

Lt. Sheldon Perkins admitted taking the items, which included fishing equipment and a $400 ice chest, without a court order or consulting his superiors, according to State Police records obtained by The Advocate on Friday. But he was not charged with theft or any other crime, even though internal investigators concluded his actions amounted to malfeasance in office, a crime under Louisiana law.

The items in question had been recovered during a 2015 theft investigation in Grand Isle and had been in storage for several months at State Police headquarters when Perkins loaded them into his pickup.

Perkins had "jokingly commented several times that the Yeti ice chest would look good" on his 18-foot bay boat, the records show. But he insisted that he intended to donate the property to Goodwill and told investigators "he was not a thief."

"I just never did it," Perkins told authorities when asked why he kept the items in his pickup for two days rather than donating them. He added that he was not aware of the State Police policy governing the disposal of unclaimed property seized in criminal investigations, even though his duties as evidence supervisor dealt with the purging of unneeded evidence.

State Police determined that Perkins violated a number of policies, including one requiring troopers to "maintain a competency level sufficient to properly perform his duties." But while he was suspended without pay for two weeks and transferred to a new position, he was not arrested or even demoted.

The records show that Mike Edmonson, the State Police superintendent at the time, ordered troopers to conduct an administrative investigation into the matter, but there is no mention in the internal affairs report of a criminal inquiry. Edmonson did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Former State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson begins new career in private sector Mike Edmonson knew one pace during his nine years as superintendent of the Louisiana State P

Asked why Perkins was not prosecuted criminally, Maj. Doug Cain, a State Police spokesman, said, "We don't have that answer. This case is from 2016."

Perkins' suspension is at least the second time in recent years that State Police have disciplined an evidence custodian.

Ronald Thomas, an 18-year veteran of State Police assigned to an evidence room in Monroe, pleaded guilty in 2015 to money laundering, obstruction of justice and malfeasance in office after the agency determined he had been selling packages of cocaine he was supposed to incinerate, making hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit drug proceeds.

That investigation exposed lax oversight in the way State Police purged evidence no longer needed in criminal cases  deficiencies the agency said it addressed following Thomas' arrest in 2013.

Perkins, who now works as an executive officer in the State Police Bureau of Investigation, served as the agency's "evidence supervisor" from November 2014 until he was caught removing the unclaimed items in April 2016.

His duties in that job included supervising the headquarters evidence custodian and performing those duties in her absence, working with evidence custodians around the state and developing a training program on the handling of State Police evidence.

Internal investigators identified a number of improprieties in Perkins' handling of the fishing equipment and ice chest.

For one thing, he did not order the items to be entered into the State Police evidence tracking system after they were recovered during the Grand Isle theft investigation. Many of the items stolen in that case were returned to the victims, but several were stored at State Police headquarters for months because investigators could not locate their owners.

Perkins told investigators he considered the items to be "property that was being held onto," as the items were no longer needed in the closed case. But he "acknowledged that he was never given authority by his supervisor to discard the items" or to give some of the evidence  a fishing rod and reel  to a retired State Police lieutenant who helped Perkins remove the property from the evidence room.

The retired lieutenant, Bruce Dykes, told investigators he "immediately began questioning having the rod and reel because it just didn't seem right."

Internal affairs investigators found that Dykes, who was working as a part-time employee at the time, also committed malfeasance in office and "should have at the very least informed his supervisor" about the removal of the equipment.

"Maybe I did break the law. I'm not sure," Dykes said, according to the report. He added that he "felt (that) Lt. Perkins definitely broke the law for taking the items."
CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- A rural Coles County man who allegedly battered a pregnant woman was arrested Thursday once he was located after fleeing into a corn field.

David M. Stites, 33, was also arrested for reportedly having methamphetamine, according to a news release from the Coles County Sheriff's Office.

The release said deputies responded to a report of a domestic battery in progress just after noon Thursday at Stites' residence at 5329 N. County Road 2200E in Hutton Township.

There were also indications that Stites tried to prevent the woman from reporting the battery, and he fled into a corn field when the deputies arrived, the release also said.

Stites returned to his residence just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday and was arrested at that time, it said.
Here's something you can take to the bank: If politicians are issuing letters to one another in public, they're not talking in private. At least, not in any particularly productive way.

So consider the two-page missive that Gov. John Bel Edwards sent to House Speaker Taylor Barras last week a sign of how far apart the major parties remain on a plan to steer clear of the looming "fiscal cliff."

As Edwards pointed out, we're now less than a year away from the expiration date on a temporary sales tax increase passed in 2016, and from seeing more than $1 billion in revenue disappear. But despite having heard from a bipartisan task force set up to make recommendations on revamping the tax laws, scaling back those pesky exemptions everyone complains about and coming up with a more sustainable long-term plan, the Legislature made no progress during this year's regular session, which was the last fiscal session before the temporary tax expires.

It's not like nobody knew this was coming, or like the "cliff" is something that appeared out of nowhere. Facing an imminent budget catastrophe, lawmakers in 2016 intentionally adopted a short-term fix and gave it an expiration date, the idea being that it would force them to get down to work. Edwards tried, as did a number of legislators, including some vocally frustrated House Republicans. But the controlling faction instead opted to kick the can again.

Now the only option is to go into yet another special session, which is what everyone involved assumed would happen.

The Democratic governor's letter, though, follows through on an earlier hint that he might not call one unless he gets a guarantee that the hard core anti-tax Republican cadre that controls the House, and that blocked any movement this year, will play its part.

"Despite repeated attempts, the Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives, has been unwilling to discuss solutions to this looming problem or offer a viable alternative to plans I have proposed," Edwards wrote.

"Given the Legislature's past inability to move any legislation to replace this revenue, I am hesitant to convene another special session without meaningful input from, and a concerted effort by, House leadership to help identify a viable path forward. Specifically, I need a good faith commitment to remove the partisan barriers and solve this problem," he continued.

That's awfully confrontational language from a governor who generally prefers collaboration to conflict, let alone showdown, but who is fed up with what he's calls the caucus of "no."

There are obviously policy differences underlying the division. In theory, Edwards is more averse to cutting back on state services than the House Republicans are, although they have been reluctant to identify specific cuts and want to keep providing full funding for the popular TOPS scholarship programs and other needs.

The wider gap, though, is clearly political.

One way or another, taxes will clearly be going up, even if that just means that the temporary sales tax  which now gives Louisiana the unenviable distinction of holding the nation's highest combined state and local rates  becomes permanent. One thing this fight is about is who will bear the brunt, businesses and high income individuals or the population at large. It's also, of course, about who will get the blame.

And the political angling should only increase as times goes on. By not acting this year, all these politicians have pushed whatever decision they make closer to 2019, when Louisiana will next hold gubernatorial and legislative elections.

Edwards didn't say so in his letter, but if anything, that could be an even more daunting deadline than the fiscal cliff.

Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
Dwanya Hickerson is escorted into the Jackson County Adult Detention Center in Pascagoula after being arrested Monday, July 25, 2016, in Pascagoula, Miss. Hickerson, Navy seaman in training, has been arrested and charged with capital murder in the weekend stabbing death of a transgender woman. (Amanda McCoy/The Sun Herald via AP)
The gloves came off last week as New Orleans residents filed lawsuits attempting to oust seven candidates for various municipal and parish off
Canberra Airport has expressed safety concerns over the use of drones to deliver goods in Googong, which falls under a flight path.

A spokeswoman for the airport said they were not consulted prior to the drone trials, despite the test area falling less than two kilometres from the airport's controlled airspace.

Kerrie and Russell Whitford with their horses at home at Fernleigh Park. The couple are unhappy with drone delivery testing by Project Wing. Credit:Elliot Williams

Nearby residents of the drone delivery testing site have also expressed concerns, saying they don't want the trials to continue due to noise disturbance and privacy concerns.

It was announced last week that a US-based sister company of Google had moved the primary testing of their drone delivery system to Fernleigh Park at Googong, with the hope of eventually expanding to Canberra.
Sydney and Melbourne are closing in on the top four after both teams scored impressive wins today.

The Swans were rarely troubled by St Kilda at the SCG tonight as they cruised to a 42-point win.

Callum Sinclair acted as the unlikely architect of the victory with his career-best game that saw him kick five goals and take eight contested marks  the first player to do that since Barry Hall in 2008.

The result was Sydney's seventh win in a row and after starting the year 0-6, they have now won 10 of their last 11 and their bid for one of the most remarkable premierships in VFL/AFL history is well and truly on track.

The Swans are now in fifth position on the ladder and have the Demons to thank for being behind fourth-placed Port Adelaide by percentage only.

Melbourne booted the first seven goals in their encounter with the Power at the MCG today and it was ultimately a bridge too far for Ken Hinkley's men to cross as they ended up losing by 23 points.

The Power have now won just two of eight matches with top-eight teams this year and their credentials as a genuine flag threat took another hit.

Melbourne, too, are only outside the top four by percentage now.

Essendon climbed back into the top eight after eventually overcoming a spirited North Melbourne outfit by 27 points at Etihad Stadium in the early game.

The Western Bulldogs kept in touch with the top eight as they piled on the final eight goals of their match with Gold Coast in Cairns to win by 54 points.

And Hawthorn kept their glimmer of finals hope alive with a comprehensive 52-point win over Fremantle at Domain Stadium tonight.

St Kilda were the big losers from Saturday. They are currently 11th on the ladder and could find themselves a game and plenty of percentage outside the top eight by the end of the round.
Professor John Blaxland is critical of the proposed Home Affairs ministry. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos What is incontestable is that since its inception in 2006, the integrity commission has not held a single public hearing into any of the agencies it oversees: the AFP, the Criminal Intelligence Commission, Border Force and the Immigration Department. Due to a lack of resources, Australia's least-known corruption fighting body relies on one of the agencies it oversees, the AFP, to actually carry out its major investigations. Several of these joint investigations are under way. They include a probe into a Melbourne-based government agency insider suspected of helping an international criminal syndicate bypass border controls. A second ongoing inquiry is targeting a network of Sydney contraband traffickers who have had highly irregular dealings with government officials. An associated case involves a government official who authorities suspect tipped off a notorious Sydney drug importer about a police operation.

Other major inquiries have been shelved for lack of evidence. These include a case in 2014 involving a now-former official from a government agency and a money launderer connected to a senior Asian politician. In its most recent corporate plan, the integrity commission, known by its acronym ACLEI, says the corruption risks it confronts have "high potential impacts on individuals, Australian society and the economy  including by: aiding the illicit drug, counterfeit and contraband trades [and] facilitating money laundering and terrorism financing". The impact on the joint investigations of the reforms unveiled by Turnbull is unclear. One senior official says the shake-up is "logical" and likely to enhance the integrity commission's focus as it shifts from Justice Minister Michael Keenan's portfolio to that of the Attorney-General, George Brandis. But several officials in Canberra say there appears to have been limited thought, if any, about what the reforms will mean for the fight against corruption. Professor Blaxland proposes an alternative: "I find the idea of a national ICAC [independent commission against corruption] attractive. There is a compelling case for it." Senior staff inside Border Force also believe the current oversight model is failing. The agency referred serious allegations to the integrity commission two years ago. Since then, it has been left in limbo, unable to conduct its own internal inquiries and remove suspected staff.

"We want to get rid of them or do our own investigations, but we can't," says one senior official. Despite intensive investigation work over many months, the two most serious corruption cases being investigated by the integrity commission and the federal police have yielded no public hearings and no criminal charges. A report released on Saturday by the Australia Institute claims corruption commissions which hold public hearings are far more successful at exposing and prosecuting corruption. The biggest user of public hearings is the NSW ICAC. Since 2012, it has held 123 public hearings and referred 76 people to the state Director of Public Prosecutions, far more than any other state commission. The institute's figures are open to interpretation. Queensland's corruption commission (which held its first public hearing this year) has referred 32 people for prosecution without the use of a single public hearing. Former NSW director of public prosecutions Nicholas Cowdery argues the lack of accountability in the existing model is grounds for a national ICAC. So too is the fact that no agency has dedicated responsibility for investigating those outside of ACLEI's jurisdiction, including federal politicians. ACLEI also has no oversight over the Australian Tax Office, defence or other public sector agencies.

Mr Cowdery says concerns about the unfair smearing of reputations via public hearings can be managed by a commissioner who exercises his discretion carefully. "Any half-competent commissioner can do it. Public hearings are vital because they give the public confidence that this work is being done," he says. Senior officials who back the existing system of secret federal police and integrity commission investigations say it safeguards the reputations of those suspected of corruption but later cleared. The Coalition opposes an ICAC, with politicians wary of the risk of a corruption commission chasing political scalps. Veteran corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald, QC, who is working with the left-leaning Australia Institute as it campaigns for a national ICAC, says those opposed to public hearings "demonstrate a fundamental ignorance of democracy".
Victoria's former police chief has spoken out in support of supervised injecting rooms for Melbourne, saying drug use is not an issue to "arrest your way out of".

Ken Lay, now Ambulance Victoria chairman, told Joy FM's Saturday Magazine program that drug users were sick, not criminals.

Drug use is an issue you "can't arrest your way out of", says former Victoria Police commissioner Ken Lay. Credit:Eddie Jim

"We probably weren't brave enough to go into the safe injection rooms but, speaking as an individual, there is a real attraction to harm reduction to me," he said.

"Forget about trying to arrest your way out of this.
It was the last day of March 1975, and there was a loud banging on the door of my house in Colonia Granja, Comyaguela, Honduras. I had just finished watching the TV news and was ready to go to bed. I went to the door and there Special DIN operative Luis Galindo, who rushed inside.

Andy," he said, youve been in Olancho and know Olancho. I just learned about a clandestine drug strip in the jungles of Olancho that drug traffickers have built. They have a two-engine Cessna and make two trips a week from it. You can help me find it.

He gave me a rough direction of a road that led toward Paraiso but I was tired and told him to come back in the morning and I would find it for him.

The next morning after breakfast, I got out the huge census maps of Olanche and Gracias a Dios Territory made for taking an accurate census of Honduras that showed every little track to any collection of people. Workers from the Department of Statistics went over every inch of trail, track, and road to record names, births, and deaths. The road Luis Galindo gave the description of showed no clandestine air field except there was a far line extending into Gracias a Dios territory which had a square and "AP" on it.

We decided that "AP" stood for Aereo Puerto and it was the clandestine air strip.

Luis asked to use my phone and made a call for a meeting that afternoon and I drove him to a graveled entrance to some concrete block buildings. Luis got out and was greeted by several entering the building and I took off.

A week passed before Luis came to my door again. I ordered coffee and some yogurt and we sat at a table while he told me that it was the clandestine air field. The military made it a tactical operation with two columns coming from both sides and a parachute drop. The military called for them to surrender and they yelled back, Come and get us.

All were killed except for a badly wounded woman who was taken away by helicopter. From her they learned the most important man of Honduras, President-General Oswaldo Lopez Arellano, allegedly was involved, along with President General Omar Torrijos of Panama, the woman alleged. The drug traffickers were from Jamaica, tied to the Harlem drug lord in New York City.

How soon? I asked as to when word could get out that I was involved and Lopez Arrellano killed hundreds of his officers when he took power one time because he couldnt depend on there support and I was just one American with no support from the DEA, FBI, CIA, or US Embassy, all of which have been used to cover drug trafficking by the United States, I have learned.

The United States of America has become the biggest market for drugs and this has been going on since the opium wars between Britain and China where an Anglo-American doctrine for global supremacy was created. I, myself, dislike drugs and taught my bilingual classes in Houston (who were coming from war-torn Central America) the drugs are "estupificantes" in Spanish that make you stupid; "narcotics" in Greek that put your mind to sleep; and "intoxificantes" in French that poison the brain and the body.

Drugs have been used for all recorded history to finance wars and still are. Who are those responsible? Well, the government, Pentagon, and afore-mentioned agencies keep a lid on it (censorship). Which presidents have been involved? Thats for the president who cleans up the mess.
100 years ago, July 22, 1917

Sunday. No paper.

50 years ago, 1967

MATTOON -- Motorcycles may seem to be a bit of a problem to drive by most women, but not so with Mrs. Karl (Frances) Mehner, formerly Frances Phillips of Mattoon. She and her husband, along with his sister, Gretchen, visited this week at the home of Mrs. Mehner's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Phillips. The couple just completed their second trip to Mattoon from their home in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. They plan to ride the motorcycles to California next year. Mehner works for an office supply warehouse while Mrs. Mehner is employed as a cashier and attends school. The motorcycles are 500- and 600-cc BMWs, German-made bikes. Besides being economical, the motorcycles provide more pleasure for the Mehners' travels... MATTOON -- Bill Checkley, son of W.E. Checkley of Mattoon, was navigator on the "Diavolo," a large sloop in the Chicago to Mackinac yacht race on Lake Michigan. With corrected times computed for the 10 ships, Diavolo led with an elapsed time of 45 hours, 43 minutes and 34 seconds. The younger Checkley is hoping to be on the crew for the Miami to Nassau race coming up later this year.

25 years ago, 1992

MATTOON -- The JG-TC is rolling into the future of recycled newsprint. The Journal Gazette and Times-Courier newspapers are approaching the 40 percent mark in the use of recycled newsprint. That exceeds the 1991 statewide average of 23 percent, reported by the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources. And it exceeds the 22 percent figure for recycled newsprint for 1991 required by the states Recycled Newsprint Use Act. The Journal Gazette and Times-Courier use about 970 tons of newsprint each year MATTOON -- Officials at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center gathered for a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony yesterday evening to begin three years of construction that will add 115,000 square feet to the health center. Another 50,000 square feet will be renovated. Included in the $25.5 million project are expansion of the emergency department, intensive care unit, outpatient surgery department and cardiac rehabilitation ward.

100 years ago, July 23, 1917

MATTOON -- Gus Degler, a well-known farmer living north of Mattoon, delivered last week to the Big Four Elevator and Milling Company in Mattoon 3,800 bushels of corn for $2 a bushel. He is said to be holding back for a higher price an additional 8,000 bushels. According to information received from Charleston, the firm of Wyeth and Hardin of Charleston bought last week 2,000 bushels at $2 a bushel. The rush on the part of Peoria distillers to make as much whiskey as possible, while making whiskey is permitted, is said to be the cause for the sudden increase in the price of corn. Peoria is the largest whiskey manufacturing center in the country... CHARLESTON -- Loyal Rayburn, an Arcola young man, a hospital apprentice of Company C, of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station near Chicago, was killed Sunday morning when an automobile which he was driving at high speed turned a double somersault. Several young men in the car with him escaped with slight injuries. The accident occurred about a mile north of Bushton in the northern portion of Coles County. This is said to be the first fatal automobile accident in Coles County... MATTOON -- The fourth annual session of the Mattoon Chautauqua closed Sunday night. From standpoints of attendance, program, enthusiasm and finance, it was the most successful that Mattoon has conducted. The guarantors of the 1918 session have pledged themselves to purchase 1,800 season tickets, thereby assuring a better program for next year. At the business meeting Sunday evening, officers for the ensuing year were elected. They are S.R. Evans, president; W.F. Cavins, vice president; M.P. House, secretary; N.V. Bratton, treasurer. Rev. Arthur T. Ewert, the platform manager, was extended a vote of thanks and invited to return as manager of the 1918 season. His acceptance was closed with an expression of hope that the 1918 Chautauqua would have a tent colony of at least 100. A colony of 100 tents will a community fraternal life that nothing else can furnish, Rev. Ewert stated.

50 years ago, 1967

Sunday. No paper.

25 years ago, 1992

VANDALIA -- Democrats staged a traditional stand-on-the-stump political rally Tuesday, complete with candle lighting, song, dance and an enthusiastic hand-clapping crowd. With Illinois first Capitol as the stage, Democratic presidential contender Bill Clinton and his running mate, Al Gore, attracted a variety of supporters among the 10,000 or so people who converged on the Fayette County community in what reportedly was one of the best-attended stops on their six-day tour CHARLESTON -- Music lovers, both performers and listeners, were treated this summer to the delightful sounds of the community band. Tonight marks the last of the bands eight-week concert series. The summer band program, under the direction of John Daum, began in the summer of 1974. After a two-year absence, the Charleston Playground and Recreation Board agreed to restart the music. Daum, former band director in the Charleston schools, still is the band director. About 60 instrumentalists of all ages have performed Thursday evenings at the Kiwanis Park bandshell. Daum said the concerts have been well-received in the community. People were happy to have it again, he said CHARLESTON -- Law enforcement officials are urging people to watch for suspicious or unusual devices in mailboxes or around homes. Recently, the Charleston arson investigative unit has discovered several homemade devices designed to explode or damage personal property. Arson Investigator Paul Cottingham warned people not to move or touch anything that would be unusual in their mailboxes in order to avoid serious personal injury.

100 years ago, July 24, 1917

MATTOON -- John Price, whose home in the Jonte addition near the Clark Foundry was torn completely away by the May 26 cyclone, claims the honor of being the first storm sufferer to get a new home erected and his family safely housed therein. Others in the storm zone have moved back to their old homes before this but their dwellings were not entire wrecks. Mr. Price's home was entirely swept away, very little salvage remaining... MATTOON -- The quota of military service from Coles County is 233, and it is likely that 466 men whose names have been drawn will be called for examination before the county's quota is filled. The quota for other area counties includes Champaign 353, Clark 110, Cumberland 70, Douglas 86, Edgar 112, Effingham 56, Macon 176, Moultrie 76 and Shelby 160... MATTOON -- The storage coal of the Big Four Railroad Company, which is piled on the railroad's property abutting the west side of South 27th Street, has been on fire for about a week. Residents in that area say that the gases arising from the coal at times almost drives them from their homes. The fire is deep on the south side of the big pile where the first coal car was unloaded is said to have been due to spontaneous combustion. Coal was unloaded for several days after the fire was discovered. The pile contains about 525 rail cars of coal.

50 years ago, 1967

MATTOON -- Officials in Mattoon expect an expenditure of about $15,000 to make fluoridation, now required by state law, a part of Mattoon's water system. Eli Storm, commissioner of public improvements, said the addition of fluoridation to the system will require new equipment. Illinois is the third state -- and the largest -- to initiate a fluoridation program for all of a state's public water supplies. Connecticut and Minnesota have enacted similar legislation... FLAT ROCK, N.C. -- Carl Sandburg, who rose through the ranks of working men to achieve a delicate and humane touch in the literary world, is dead at age 89, but remembered for a wide assortment of successes. Sandburg won two Pulitzer Prizes for Literature, one for his Lincoln biography and a second in 1951 for his "Complete Poems." Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Ill., in 1878.

25 years ago, 1992

CHARLESTON -- The Coles County Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Services and Country Companies Insurance recently completed their move to new offices at 719 W. Lincoln Ave. Officials hope the location will be convenient and successful to provide another 75 years of service to the areas agriculture community. The three agencies have been housed in a building at the corner of Seventh and Monroe on the Charleston square. Founded in 1916, the Coles County Farm Bureau now has 2,800 members in the county SPRINGFIELD -- Eastern Illinois University shined brightly yesterday morning when Bruce Guernsey, professor of English, received the Board of Governors Distinguished Professor Award. After receiving the award from BOG Chairman Robert Ruiz at the BOGs monthly meeting, Guernsey said his published poems and books are accomplishments, but his teaching record is his forte. I do feel thats what I do best, said Guernsey, who has been at EIU for 15 years MATTOON -- The 1992 Bagelfest royalty was selected last night. Those selected to reign over this years festival include Little Miss Bagelfest Ramie Paul, Miss Pre-Teen Bagelfest Brooke Alexander and Miss Bagelfest Angela Turner. Murray Lender, president of Lenders Bagels, will be part of the Bagelfest Parade. Bagelfests free bagel breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday when 50,000 bagels will be served.
Bryan police are asking the public's help in identifying a person of interest in an investigation into debit card abuse.

According to police, a victim's debit card was used to make an ATM withdrawal on June 11.

Those who recognize the person of interest are asked to call Investigative Assistant Nani Santos at 979-209-5320 or Crime Stoppers at 979-775-TIPS. Refer to Case No. 17-0600601.
A College Station woman was arrested after authorities say a traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs.

According to the Brazos County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call regarding a theft in progress at a business in the 10000 block of Texas 30. The person who reported the incident described a car backed into the parking lot at the business that authorities later spotted on Texas 30. The car was pulled over at the intersection of Elmo Weedon Road and F.M. 158.

According to a report, Sarah Elizabeth Lindsay, 39, was sitting in the front passenger seat and a deputy saw an open purse with what appeared to be a small plastic bags of methamphetamine. During a search, deputies say they found two plastic baggies containing meth and two bags with meth residue. Eleven pills were also found in the purse, authorities said, which were later identified as hydrocodone and alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax.

Lindsey is charged with one count of manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison and $10,000 in fines, one count of possession of a controlled substance that is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and one count of possession of a controlled substance that is a Class A misdemeanor.

Lindsay is being held at the Brazos County Jail on $37,000 bond.
Longway Home Pit Bull Rescue, located in Bryan, is tending to the wounds of a dog whose body was severely burned by either acid or a hot liquid. The dog continues to recover slowly but surely in foster care, but the rescue organization is asking for the public's help in fundraising.

According to the rescue organization, the pit bull arrived in College Station on July 16, after he was found wandering through the streets of Houston. The dog has been burned across his body, and was missing much of his fur and skin. His current caretakers are treating his wounds, along with the assistance of three local veterinarians and a Texas A&M veterinary student. The dog is being dressed in "puppy pajamas," dog-specific clothes that cover the exposed flesh, and has been named Stark, after the Marvel comic book character Tony Stark/Iron Man. He is expected to make a full recovery and will be put up for adoption.
President Donald Trump must get over his excessive concern about what people think and say about him. The Trump Presidency will be severely damaged if he does not stop his Tweets and his statements that attach and demean the caricature of people that oppose him or say derogatory [Bad] things about him.

When he ran for president, he knew, or should have known, that over 50 million people would not vote for him and those people disliked him, many hated him and many would say derogatory [bad] things about him. That is the turf that a President must play on, but Trump did not understand it.

During the debates he said, about Carly Fiorina, Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? About Ted Cruz, Trump called him Lying Ted. Trump even attacked Ted Cruz wife. Trump tweeted about Rand Paul Truly weird Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky reminds me of a spoiled brat without a properly functioning brain. And now Trump wants senators Paul and Cruz to support his agenda. People seldom forget when their character is attacked and demeaned.

About Dr. Ben Carson, Trump said, "He wrote a book and in the book, he said terrible things about himself," Trump said of Carson. "He said that hes pathological and hes got basically pathological disease ... I don't want a person thats got pathological disease." What Donald Trump said about Dr. Carson is despicable and shameful. At a televised rally Trump is shown waving his arms and mimicked a physically disabled reporter. That was shameful.

During the run-up to the election those that supported Trump failed to understand an old but true axiom. Past Behavior is the Best Predictor of Future Behavior.

Even as President, if anyone says anything derogatory about him, Trump is right on twitter stirring up a big fight. Its like pouring gasoline on a fire to put it out. It only makes it worse. Demeaning a persons character is not a formula for winning friends and influencing people as Dale Carnegie wrote in his famous book. It is a formula for making enemies. If President Donald Trump continues to demean people's character with his statements and Tweets his followers will slowly drop away, as some have already done and his presidency will be severely damaged.

My message to Donald Trump is, get over it and do the job we elected you to do, drain the swamp.

Don Searles, Mattoon
What kind of role should Washington play in Venezuelas crisis? Well, what kind of role should Russia play in U.S. politics and elections? The answer to both questions is the same: None at all.

Unfortunately, recent U.S. involvement in Venezuelas domestic affairs has dwarfed anything anyone has even accused Vladimir Putin of doing here.

According to the U.S. State Department, Washington provided training, institution building, and other support to individuals and organizations understood to be actively involved in the 2002 military coup against former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that ultimately failed. And since the coup, Washington has provided tens of millions of dollars to the Venezuelan opposition.

In 2013, when the opposition initiated violent protests to overturn the results of a democratic election, Washington supported the protesters. The same was again true in 2014.

Today, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, openly threatens governments in the region  including those of the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Haiti  with punishment if they do not cooperate with Washingtons abuse of the Organization of American States to delegitimize the government of Venezuela.

And the administration of President Donald Trump is threatening more economic sanctions against Venezuela, which only will worsen shortages of food and medicine there.

Deeper involvement is dangerous. Venezuela, after all, remains a divided country. President Nicolas Maduros approval rating has been about 21 percent over the past year, but other numbers show things arent so simple.

A recent poll from a widely cited pro-opposition pollster, Datanalisis, shows 51 percent supporting the current ongoing protests, with 44 percent against.

Some 55 percent continue to approve of the late Chavez, which reflects the decade of economic and social progress the country had before it fell into recession in 2014.

Despite the current crisis, there are millions of Venezuelans, especially those associated with the government and the governing party, who have reason to fear an opposition takeover.

After the 2002 coup, with the short-lived opposition government in power, government officials were detained and dozens of people were killed. And todays opposition leaders rarely have denounced the sometimes-fatal violence their supporters have carried out in the current wave of protests.

Because of this political polarization, Venezuela needs a negotiated solution that provides credible, constitutional guarantees that whichever side loses the next election will not be persecuted politically by a party that controls all three branches of government.

International mediation can help, as was seen earlier this month when opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was transferred from prison to house arrest after former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero played a constructive role. But the mediators must be nonpartisan, which rules out the OAS so long as it is dominated by the Trump administration.

There is a real risk Venezuelas current strife could escalate into civil war.

Those who are familiar with the tragedies of the Washington-fueled civil wars of the 1980s in Central America, which took hundreds of thousands of mostly innocent lives, must take this threat seriously, particularly because the Trump administration could block or sabotage a negotiated solution if it appears within reach.

Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Write him at CEPR, 1611 Connecticut Ave. NW, suite 400, Washington, D.C., 20009. Distributed by Tribune News Service.
There are not enough tear gas canisters or bullets in Venezuela to sustain the regime of dictator Nicolas Maduro, which is so cash-strapped it cant even import food. And although his Cuban and Russian masters are willing to see hungry Venezuelans beaten into submission, the international community is not.

There is an emerging consensus among key nations in the region and among bipartisan leaders in Congress that Venezuelans can resolve this crisis if they are able to choose a new government that will end violent repression, respect democratic institutions and rebuild a free market economy. Urgent action by the administration of President Donald Trump can ensure this outcome.

This past Sunday, more than 7 million Venezuelans  one third of the countrys voters  took part in an opposition plebiscite, or unofficial referendum, repudiating the regimes plan to convene a so-called constituent assembly and destroy the remaining vestiges of democracy and the rule of law.

Voters also overwhelmingly endorsed elections to choose a new government and called on the military to respect the constitution.

Most observers predict that regime cronies in the electoral counsel will rig a July 30 referendum to empower Maduros unconstitutional assembly with the aim of dissolving the opposition-controlled National Assembly and placing all power in the hands of the president.

Rather than waiting for this coup de grace, the international community should help the opposition plan a democratic transition that will pick up the pieces when Maduros bankrupt dictatorship

collapses.

The opposition is already united in demanding the liberation of all political prisoners, respect for the authority of the National Assembly and urgent national elections.

Through the Organization of American States, the United States and key regional countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Argentina can reinforce that unity by convening a working session with leaders of the democratic opposition to draft an urgent plan for a democratic transition, internationally supervised elections, humanitarian relief and economic recovery.

The United States and like-minded governments should declare that if Maduro goes forward with his plan to dissolve democracy, they will withdraw their official representatives from Caracas and treat the National Assembly as the legitimate representative of the Venezuelan people.

This ad hoc coalition also should begin building a case at the International Criminal Court against leaders and security officials of the Maduro regime for their systematic use of murder and physical violence against protesters.

The Trump administration should follow up on its February sanctions against Venezuelas vice president, Tareck El Aissami, with targeted measures to freeze the assets of other individuals who are responsible for repression, drug trafficking and looting public assets.

Washington should share with Latin American and European authorities what it knows about rampant corruption in Venezuela  its state-run oil company is but one example  and press for strong multilateral sanctions.

Treasury officials from these governments also should form a task force responsible for locating, freezing and repatriating the hundreds of billions of dollars stolen from the Venezuelan people by Maduro and his cronies.

This international team can ensure that Venezuelas transitional government has access to urgent financing to import food and medicine, deal with crushing international debt, and rebuild a collapsed economy and infrastructure.

President Trump can ensure strong domestic support for these measures by working with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, to enhance and pass the Venezuela Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act of 2017, which they introduced months ago.

This urgent rescue mission to help a South American neighbor may be a rare opportunity for broad-based international and bipartisan cooperation.

Like-minded democratic allies in the Americas and beyond must not wait for Venezuelas tragic collapse to deepen further. Nor should they hesitate in telling Russia, China and Cuba to get on the right side of the Venezuelan people or stay out of their way.

Roger Noriega, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States and assistant secretary of state for Western hemisphere affairs, is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Write him at AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20036. Distributed by Tribune News Service.
It is immoral to victimize people with pre-existing conditions

Don Connealy (Eagle, July 14) claims that Obamacare was designed to fail and lead to a single-payer health care. Actually, it was designed by the conservative Heritage Foundation to avert a single-payer system, and tested at the state level by Gov. Romney of Massachusetts.

President Barack Obama tried to meet the GOP halfway and rudely was rebuffed. I'm not a liberal so much as I am a number cruncher, but the numbers seem to have a liberal bias. Connealy's "best health care system on the planet" doesn't measure up to European standards on life expectancy and infant mortality, even if you restrict the U.S. figures to the white population. I'd recommend he consult some Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development comparative data, but I suspect his mind is made up and he doesn't want to be confused with the facts.

This is also personal to me because I have a pre-existing condition -- Type I diabetes (cause by genetics, not lifestyle) -- and before Obamacare would have been victimized by the cherry-pickers and gatekeepers (the real Death Panels) if I wasn't fortunate enough to work for a university.

I have lived under the German health care system (which is much like Obamacare with one crucial difference: insurance companies are all non-profit), and was served very well. They were doing a test for long-term blood sugar control a couple of years before my American caregivers started administering it when I returned, first giving me some weasel excuse when I requested it.

I consider it immoral to victimize people for pre-existing conditions, and there is no way to protect them without an individual mandate (the kind of personal responsibility Republicans claim to believe in). It's somewhat of a moot point for me now because I'm old enough for Medicare, but in a way it's more personal than ever: two of my niece's young children are living with cystic fibrosis.

WALTER D. KAMPHOEFNER

Bryan

Perhaps the city owes College Station taxpayers $2.1 million

Curious thing: The College Station City Council rejects a contractor's low bid because the company was found guilty of a second-degree felony (bribery) in 2009 and restitution was made to the city.

And then we have, " The city purchased the property (Chimney Hill Shopping Center) in 2008 for $9.6 million with a convention center in mind. After that idea fell out of favor, the City Council directed city staff in 2011 to sell the property. In 2014, the city closed the sale of Chimney Hill with Houston-based developer PM Realty Group for $7.5 million."

Was not the price of property on an increase in 2014 and not a decrease? And council members also decided to terminate the 2013 economic development agreement for the shopping center.

According to my calculations, the city owes the taxpayers about $2.1 million because it doesn't know how to manage finances.

SHIRLEY DUBLE

College Station
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NORWALK  Yvette Goorevitch is Norwalk Public Schools new chief of specialized learning and student services.

Goorevitch, who has served as the director of special and alternative education for the New Rochelle, N.Y., school district for the past 25 years, was appointed to the position Saturday during a specially scheduled Board of Education meeting at the Maritime Aquarium.

Im feeling really excited by the challenge and really inspired by the vision, Goorevitch said, just moments after being hired. What brought me here is some of the visionary work thats happening.

Members of the Board of Education, who had met with Goorevitch late last month during a series of closed-door meetings at Norwalk City Hall, seemed eager to appoint Goorevitch. They voted to hire her unanimously, with minimal comment.

Superintendent of Schools Steven Adamowski attended the meeting and appeared delighted by Goorevitchs hiring.

Its very gratifying to be in the position where weve been able to identify a top person nationally and be able to have them come to Norwalk, Adamowski said ... We feel very fortunate to be able to hire somebody of Yvette Goorevitchs quality, track record and level of accomplishment. This was a happy day for us.

Jeff Spahr, a member of Norwalk SPEDPartners and city deputy corporation counsel, reacted positively to the hiring.

Were really excited to have her come here, Spahr said. She comes with impeccable credentials, a good work ethic and, more importantly, just the right attitude.

Spahr said it was his understanding there has been a generally positive attitude among special education parents in the district, with some ingredient of lets wait and see.

I think the parents are really committed to make this work, Spahr said, and I think the parents are committed to work with her to make sure we get what the children deserve.

The school districts former chief of special education Lynn Toper started with the school district last July and was tasked with overhauling the districts issue-laden special education programming. The high hopes of her tenure never fully materialized.

Toper went on partial leave in October to provide assistance to her family following an unexpected family illness before she tendered her resignation Dec. 7, as her leave of absence was scheduled to end in mid-December.

Goorevitch will officially start in the position as of Sept. 1, but will work Thursdays and Fridays before then, Adamowski said, in order to lay some groundwork and get oriented.

She already has meetings set up with parents, Adamowski said.

Goorevitch brings more than 40 years of public special education experience to the position. Before her work at New Rochelle, Goorevitch spent 12 years in special education for the New York City Department of Education. She started her career as a special education teacher in New York City.

Goorevitch was named the 2016 New York Council of Administrators of Special Education Special Education Administrator of the year, an award that recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and accomplishment for the benefit of students with disabilities.

She earned a masters degree in special education and a masters in supervision and administration in special education from Columbia University Teachers College. Goorevitch additionally has a bachelors in psychology from Brooklyn College.

She is known for having taken a similar school system to Norwalk, with its special education challenges, and transforming it into a model district for students with special needs.

I know that she has been in her current district, New Rochelle, for a long time, Adamowski said during the meeting. I hope shes going to make this her new home and pursue this with the same dedication and enthusiasm and level of accomplishment that she has there. I hope that this will be her last and best chapter as a special education leader, and an advocate for our students of greatest need.
Picture use

Unless otherwise stated all photos on this site are copyrighted  Jim Budd. They should not be used without authorisation and due credit. Please contact me on budmac@btinternet.com for all use. There will usually be a charge for use in commercial publications  papers, magazines, websites etc. and for other commercial uses. Photos that are used for commercial use without permission will be charged double  the fee for the use of photo and for breach of copyright. Commercial organisations asking to use photos for no payment may not always receive a polite response.
A few Grand Island City Council members have made it clear they do not want to see the personnel cuts proposed by city administration.

As a result, two City Council members have come forward with alternative solutions that would not only save these positions, but would also save on personnel costs that currently make up 80 percent of the citys budget.

Mayor Jeremy Jensen previously told The Independent that since the city became a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in 2013, step 3 police officers and firefighters have gone from making $40,266 and $38,840 a year, respectively, in 2012, to step 8 and making $58,824 and $58,742 in 2017. This equates to respective salary increases of 46 percent for police officers and 51 percent for firefighters.

An employee proceeds to the next highest salary step each year.

One solution put forward by Councilwoman Linna Dee Donaldson is to have a wage freeze for all city positions. She said she was told by the citys finance team that this could potentially save $1.1 million.

My whole focus is that I dont want to see people lose their jobs, Donaldson said in an interview Thursday. I am mostly concerned about the public safety aspect of it. There isnt anybody who wants to see those jobs be lost, but we need to figure out how we can afford to maintain those forces the way they are.

At Tuesdays City Council meeting, Jensen decided to put Donaldsons idea to the test with feedback from those in attendance.

We have a lot of city employees in here, Jensen said. If it meant keeping all the full-time equivalents (FTEs) and staffing positions exactly the way they are (currently), raise your hand if you would be open to a city-wide wage freeze?

The majority of those in attendance raised their hand in support of Donaldsons idea.

In an interview Friday, Jensen said he would certainly support this idea as well, but emphasized he would like to see a three-year wage freeze. He added he would also like to see the salary step increases be frozen.

While it might help us now, I dont want to create a big problem again three or four years down the road, Jensen said.

Councilman Chuck Haase, who previously served as the citys finance director, put forward a budget amendment of his own with 10 alternative ideas of how the city can balance its budget while also saving the fire, police and horticulturist positions the city has proposed cutting.

In his amendment, which Haase released to the City Council Tuesday evening, he recommends eliminating the currently vacant assistant to the city administrator position, the public information officer position, the maintenance worker position at the cemetery and the two life safety inspector positions at the Grand Island Fire Department. The amendment recommends assigning GITV duties to college or high school students for training opportunities.

His proposal retains four of the six firefighter positions that would be cut under the city administration propoal, as well three police officer positions and the horticulturist position.

Haases amendment also calls for the computer tech staff to be reduced from three positions to two, and the custodian and maintenance worker I positions at the library to be consolidated into one position. The amendment also addressed the Heartland Shooting Park.

Haase said the shooting park is a huge economic development tool that brought in $2.5 million in revenue from 2010 to 2017, but spent $3.5 million. Over this same period, it took a tax subsidy of about $1.05 million.

What I would like to see is that subsidy come from our annual subsidy of economic development programs of $750,000 a year that we are already spending, Haase said Tuesday evening. I would like to see that money come from that economic development so that the value of that economic development  Heartland Shooting Park  is then compared with other projects that are economic development projects.

Haases amendment also calls for changes to the citys HR specialists by recommending the elimination of the HR benefits and risk management coordinator position.

My thought is you can take the risk management position and move it to the finance department, Haase said. If it is financial in nature, it should go over there, and if its HR in nature, it can be split between the other two remaining HR specialists who are there.

In an interview Friday, Haase said he is more customer-oriented and would rather lay off support staff rather than front-line staff who have a direct impact on Grand Islanders.

My intent was to provide the council with an opportunity to swap eight for eight. It was just to swap more support staff that would not be citizen-affecting, Haase said. I am less likely to close Fire Station No. 3 or stop putting flowers in parks. That is terrible. I dont want to affect citizens if I can help it. My intent of the amendment was not to affect citizens as much as the (city administrations) proposal.

Jensen said the intent of Tuesdays City Council meeting was to get the budget conversation going and possibly look at alternative solutions, which is what happened. He emphasized Tuesday evening, and again Friday, that he does not care what decisions the City Council makes, so long as they balance the citys budget.

One thing Jensen said will not happen, as far as he is concerned, is getting rid of the public information officer or reassigning the GITV duties.

When weve got an organization the size that we do, such an important part of that is communication with the media, as well as the public, he said. There is certainly no way intern college students can run GITV. And I certainly cannot imagine life without a public information officer trying to coordinate all of the things that we try to do in the form of transparency. Those two things will not happen.
Richard Loften of Grand Island is the sixth winner of a 2017 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew Flex Fuel truck in the 22nd edition of the Nebraska Lotterys $2 Truck$ & Buck$ scratch game.

Loften purchased his winning ticket from Ampride at 3210 W. Potash in Grand Island.

Nebraska Lottery officials presented Loften with his prize Wednesday at Ampride. He said that he regularly purchases his tickets at Ampride, but didnt expect to win a new truck. His winning Truck$ & Buck$ ticket contained matching numbers in Game 3 to win the truck prize.

I scratched off the ticket and there were two nines, so I thought Id at least won a few bucks, said Loften. Then I saw the prize was a truck. It was astounding.

As for his plans for the new vehicle, he said he plans to take it on a trip to Minnesota in August.

This is the second Truck$ & Buck$ truck-winning ticket sold at Ampride in recent years. In March 2014, Andrea Fuehrer of Grand Island won a Chevrolet Silverado on a Truck$ & Buck$ ticket she purchased at Ampride.

The truck prize is valued at $53,500, which includes $1,289 for costs associated with ownership and state and federal withholding paid by the Nebraska Lottery of $2,675 and $13,375, respectively. The odds of winning the top prize in Truck$ & Buck$ are 1 in 300,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.17.
Union Pacific already inspects most of its bridges twice a year, which is double the amount mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration.

However, the Omaha-based company is always looking to improve safety, which is why it has partnered with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to continuously monitor a bridge near Columbus.

The goal is to come up with an easily deployable and cost-effective method of detecting bridge problems, such as structural cracks, at early stages when they can easily be fixed and before they cause any problems.

We want to know about potential problems between regular inspections, and if theres a way to detect issues we want to take advantage of that, said Union Pacifics Director of Bridge Maintenance Todd Martindale.

At the Columbus bridge, postgraduate students in UNL's Civil Engineering program are using sensors on the bridge's steel support members to collect data and try to detect anomalies.

The project has been going on for several months.

The team of students first installed sensors on specific bridge components, and after testing, created an analytical bridge model. This serves as the baseline, allowing them to revisit the site and continue collecting data. Any change in behavior could signify a potential defect.

The project so far has not detected any anomalies, "which is a good thing," said Daniel Linzell, chair of UNL's Department of Engineering.

Linzell said the bridge project not only seeks to gather data but also come up with new ways to package and use that data.

And while the goal is not necessarily to produce a commercial process or project, it is not purely an academic study.

"My goal is to put something together that they (UP) will use," Linzell said.

Of course, any system like that would supplement, not supplant, human inspectors.

"This doesn't mean we are taking human beings out of the process," he said. "Humans still need to be involved."

But humans can inspect bridges at most a few times a year. If anything goes wrong between inspections, it could be months before it's discovered.

By monitoring bridges with sensors, "Theoretically, there's always an 'inspector' there," Linzell said.

In addition to the safety factor, there is also the issue of efficiency in where to deploy both physical and financial resources for Union Pacific, which has about 18,000 bridges spread out over more than 32,000 miles of track.

"We have a pretty large inventory of bridges, and we try to make smart decisions on where to spend our money," Martindale said.

A system that constantly monitors bridges and identifies potential problems could help the railroad, "prioritize where we're going to do our work."

The bridge in Columbus, which crosses the Loup River just west of the city, was selected for a number of reasons.

That includes its age (it was built in 1908), its construction (steel plates and girders) and the fact that it is used a lot by trains with varying loads and weights.

It's also on a main line and "representative of other bridges in the system," Martindale said.

The bridge-monitoring project with UNL has no set time frame, so it will continue until one or both sides decide it is no longer worthwhile.

Union Pacific also is doing a similar project with the University of Michigan, which is monitoring two bridges near Memphis, Tennessee.

And it has collaborated with a company, SENSR Monitoring Technologies, on a system to detect movement or impact to a bridge pier.
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 22, 2017 08:45 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9e9e27 1 Books children-books,child-development,childhood,tolerance Free

Children may see a lot of things in everyday life, but they do not yet understand much of it, according to a discussion panel that stresses the importance of the role of adults, especially parents and teachers, in teaching children tolerance early on.

Writer Sekar Sosronegoro emphasized that adults are a point of reference for children to understand how the world works.

Speaking during the launch of her new children's book series on tolerance on July 19 at @america, Jakarta, Sekar said she had purposely invited adults to the event as a way to raise awareness of the importance of the issue and encourage caretakers to engage with children, including through reading together, to convey tolerant values to them.

Although the books are targeted at young children, Sekar said she wanted the reading material to be a conversation starter among families as a whole. The opportunity, she said, could be a way to explain a recognition and acceptance that differences exist, while avoiding fostering a sense of discomfort and discrimination.

"In order to feel secure, sometimes without even realizing, we reject something that is different or become resistant toward new things, which usually are easily identified by what we see, for example, in skin color or eye shape. What becomes dangerous, in my opinion, is since we like to be in groups, what began with 'me and him/her' becomes 'us and them'," Sekar said.

The book, titled Kitu: Kucing kecil bersuara ganjil (Kitu: The small cat with the odd voice), tells the story of a cat who moved into a new environment and learns about the differences among other cats in the neighborhood.

It is the first book in a series, with two more in the pipeline to be released, that is aimed at teaching different topics related to tolerance.

"Since the beginning, I was always going to write on the issue of tolerance. The reason is that I realized in our daily lives, as adults, people live with prejudice," Sekar explained.

"What differentiates is that there are those who nurture prejudice and those who don't. Meanwhile, the same thing does not necessarily happen to children - at least not until a certain age," Sekar said, adding that early education could help determine future direction.

Najeela Shihab, a child psychologist and education expert, said that while children are very good observers, they are also actually still very bad interpreters. The children's main caretakers, including parents and teachers, are those who must help to interpret their observations.

"We must make sure that the interpretation of the world we give them is an interpretation that does appreciate and celebrate differences, lest we reinforce the fear and discomfort in the differences," Najeela said. (asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) San Francisco, United States  Sat, July 22, 2017 16:31 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9f05ea 2 Science & Tech Facebook,mobile-phones,smartphone,Mark-Zuckerberg,technology Free

Facebook could be working on a smartphone, according to paperwork recently spotted by cyber sleuths which the tech giant filed earlier this year.

A Facebook unit devoted to hardware filed a patent application in January for a mysterious "modular electromechanical device" that could have speakers, cameras, microphones, touchscreens, and displays.

"A user can change the functionality of the modular electromechanical device based upon the different functional modules that are connected," read the summary portion of the somewhat cryptic paperwork filed with US patent officials.

Speculation has swirled for years regarding whether the leading social network would try to capitalize on its popularity with is own smartphone.

Facebook has repeatedly dismissed such talk as rumor, and declined to comment for this story.

Read also: Facebook to test news story paywalls: report

Facebook has a hardware team led by Regina Dugan, a former director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency -- DARPA -- the US agency tasked with identifying and funding breakthrough technologies for national security.

Dugan previously headed advanced technology projects at Google, which dabbled with modular phones in a project call Ara. Google tested Ara but gave up on the project late last year.

Facebook in April launched a mission to sync smartphone cameras' windows with augmented reality, focusing on what people have in hand instead of waiting for high tech eyewear.

While kicking off an annual developers conference in the heart of Silicon Valley, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg called smartphone cameras an initial and promising platform for augmented-reality features in applications tailored to synch with the social network.

"I am confident now we are going to push this augmented-reality platform forward," Zuckerberg said.

"We are going to make the camera the first mainstream augmented-reality platform."

Previously, Facebook had been focused strongly on virtual reality as the next big computing platform, particularly using Rift headgear made by its Oculus unit.

gc/sg/jm
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 22, 2017 19:29 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9f1f5f 1 Politics Indonesia,Israel,Palestine,Palestine-Israel-talks,violence,Jerusalem,Foreign-Affairs-Ministry Free

Indonesia has condemned a crackdown by Israeli security forces that has cost the lives of three pilgrims and injured more than 100 people at the complex of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

"Indonesia rejects all forms of violence and human rights abuses, including the killing of pilgrims who seek to exercise their rights to worship at the Al-Aqsa mosque," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said in a statement released on Saturday.



Arrmanatha said the government and the people of Indonesia expressed their deep condolences to the victims and the families of the victims, and were praying for the injured to quickly recover.



Jakarta was calling on all parties to restrain themselves so as not to exarcebate the situation, he added.



Indonesia had also called upon the United Nations Security Council to urgently convene an emergency meeting and take measures to halt the violence by the Israeli security forces, the offical further stressed.



The same gesture was directed at the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, which Indonesia urged to "immediately" convene in an emergency meeting to discuss the unraveling situation.



The world's largest Muslim-majority country has increased its tone of concern following the shooting in front of Al-Aqsa, which began as an attempt by Israeli forces to disperse Muslim worshippers congregating for night prayers in an act of defiance against the restrictions placed on Palestinian Muslims to exercise their right of worship.(dmr)
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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 22, 2017 11:37 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9ec7cc 1 National Jokowi,drug-trafficking,sanction Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has instructed law enforcement officers to impose the sternest sanctions on drug dealers operating in Indonesia, including gunning them down if necessary.

I have told you, just be firm, especially with foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist [upon arrest]. Gun them down. Give no mercy, he said in a speech on the United Development Party (PPP) national working meeting (Mukernas) in Jakarta on Friday.

The statement came following the largest seizure of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, weighing one ton from Taiwan last week. The police arrested four Taiwanese men who allegedly attempted to distribute the drugs in Greater Jakarta and shot dead one for resisting arrest.

"We are indeed in an emergency situation in dealing with drug trafficking," Jokowi added.

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said a lot of drug dealers thought that Indonesia was a potential market because they considered its drug laws weaker than those of Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

On this occasion, we want to emphasize that the police would act firmly and toughly, especially against the foreign [drug dealers]. I even told [officers] to act by custom,' which means if they resist [arrest], shoot. In this case, one Taiwanese was shot dead, Tito said earlier.

Tito alleged that the suspects had used a cruise ship, called the Wanderlust, to smuggle one ton of crystal meth from Taiwan to Indonesia. After dropping the drugs off, the Wanderlust travelled to the Java Sea, Karimata Strait and Batam. (ecn/dmr)
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Sat, July 22 2017

The Riau Islands Police have been closely watching the 1,102 uninhabited islands in the province to prevent them from being used as hideouts by transnational criminals.

Riau Islands police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Didi Haryono told The Jakarta Post recently that many transnational criminals such as drug traffickers and terrorists were using areas around Batam as transit points because of the vast sea and numerous uninhabited islands in the region.

Improving patrols on the sea and listening to information from the locals have become important for the police, Didi said.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Bogor  Sat, July 22 2017

Sarjiya Antonius, a researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is worried about whether farmers will be able to grow crops if soil quality becomes too degraded by the continuous use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Nowadays, farmers have become chemical fertilizer oriented, which will be very dangerous in the long term, he told reporters on the sidelines of the International Conference for Sustainable Agriculture in Bogor, West Java, on Monday.

Should the use of chemical farming products continue, severe soil damage will occur within 25 years, he said

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 22, 2017 11:29 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9ec11c 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,expo,pageant,#RegionalAutonomy Free

The first Puteri Otonomi Indonesia 2017 (Autonomy Princess 2017) pageant was recently held during the Indonesian Regency Administrations Association (APKASI) Autonomy Expo 2017 on July 19 to 21 at Jakarta Convention Centre.

The competition does not just look for physical beauty, she also needs to be smart and skillful in promoting her regions potential, said Esthy.

One the judges, Hariyanto, added that the winner has to be knowledgeable about culture, autonomy, and tourism.

Read also: Four Indonesian destinations named best dive sites in Asia by CNN

Tourism ministry's archipelago marketing development deputy Esthy Reko Astuti said the winner of Puteri Otonomi Indonesia 2017 will have the main task of promoting every regional potential of Indonesian cities. The pageant itself is hoped to become the staple event at every APKASI Expo.

27 contestants were chosen for the competition, 10 of them were selected to go to the next stage where only one of them would come out as the winner. The other nine candidates would be given titles such as the first and second runner ups, most favorite, most photogenic, Puteri Hospitality (Hospitality Princess) and Puteri Apresiasi APKASI (APKASI Appreciation Princess).

Tourism minister Arief Yahya said, "One element of Indonesia's tourism industry development is the support from endorsers. The chosen Indonesia Autonomy Princess will have to have the same mission as the tourism ministry's and that is to promote the Indonesia tourism." (asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 22, 2017 16:04 1939 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9f02e3 1 News cruise-ship,destination,#destination,cruise Free

The Indonesian archipelago, home to breathtaking nature and diverse culture, increasingly serves as one of the globe's best destinations for cruise tourism.

A luxurious cruise ship company, Princess Cruises, is reportedly planning to offer trips to Bali, Lombok, Komodo Island, Makassar, Semarang and Probolinggo between 2017 and 2018.

According to the firm's Southeast Asia region director, Farriek Tawfik, there are still many areas in Indonesia that can be explored as cruise tourist destinations. However, based on Cruise Line International Association data from last year, Indonesia has the lowest number of seaports in Asia with only 172. Topping the list is Japan with 1,526 seaports, followed by China (850), South Korea (745), Vietnam (466), Malaysia (422), Singapore (391), Thailand (291), Taiwan (234) and Hong Kong (185).

"Indonesia is not only Bali," said Farriek as quoted by Antara news agency on Thursday, adding that the Island of the Gods remains the archipelago's most popular destination with 20 cruise visits by Princess Cruises.

Read also: Indonesia welcome maiden docking of cruise ship

The real issue here is that not all of the potential cruise tourist destinations have adequate infrastructure. In order to become a parking port, a city not only has to prepare an adequate seaport, but also other facilities that can accommodate the passengers, such as the transportation to take them to tourist attractions and foreign-language guides.

Farriek is confident that the company would be able be attract more than 60,000 foreign tourists to Indonesia in 2017 and 2018.

Most of the tourists who prefer cruise ships to explore Indonesia's beauty include those from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and China. (dan/kes)
It went up for the first time last summer, a creation by Kevin Anderson, the owner of the Auto Connection, that required a mere 20 characters from the shops bin of marquee letters. Terry Hinkle, the general manager of the repair shop at 2037 P St., first saw it once passing drivers could, too.

YOUR WIFE IS

HOT

WE FIX AC

Ah, now thats gonna draw some attention, Hinkle remembered thinking.

Indeed it did. Hinkle said the sign, which went back up this summer on the first day it hit 85 degrees, has probably drawn us a lot of air conditioning work.

Such is the allure of the punny business marquee. For some Lincoln companies (and churches and schools), the white backdrop and all-caps lettering offers a creative outlet to employees while drawing the attention of potential visitors.

Bill Budler, owner of Nebraska Outdoor Living Center, said he first decided to try comedy on his marquees after reading an article 10 or 15 years ago about the effectiveness of a good joke as opposed to, say, a 20 percent off offer when it came to drawing customers.

The one thats up at the 1742 N. 48th St. location this week?

YOUR WIFE

IS HOT

BUY HER AN AWNING

Im sure I didnt dream that one up, Budler said, noting that hed seen the Auto Connection sign, too.

But thats just the latest one. The business, which offers baths to attract wild birds among its offerings, goes to the bird pun well with some frequency. During winter, the sign has advertised a heated brrr bath, for instance. At the south location at 5362 S. 48th St., near the construction-heavy Old Cheney Road, Budler was particularly proud of this one: Hate traffic? Stay home on some new furniture.

At Auto Connection, Hinkle said they dont stick to humor on their sign. Theyve thanked veterans, congratulated the Cubs, welcomed back University of Nebraska-Lincoln students and avoided politics. But then again there was also that one that said, Jeff needs a raise.

Hinkle said that a bit of humor can ease the likely high level of stress that a customer is experiencing. Odds are if youre taking your car in to get work done, he said, youre not having the best day.

We try to lighten their load a little bit, he said. We fix cars; youve got to be entertaining as well.

These days, Hinkle said the shop is doing AC work on about 10 to 15 vehicles per week. While he couldnt say for sure how responsible the sign is for bringing in customers, he said it gets mentioned by almost every one of them.

That's a main goal of a clever marquee, said Charlie Stephan, one of the people responsible for providing material for some of the area's oft-funny ones -- Runza's.

Here are some of the Runza marquee greatest hits, with the slash marks representing line breaks on the signs:

* Anyone named / Ndamukong / eats free

* $1 ice cream / and no we / dont put / cabbage in it

* French dip / burger with / au jus / oh you fancy now

* Rain drop / drop top / $1 soda pop

* If you dont / want a / Runza you / are lying

* Buy a / $1 large drink / get a / free straw

Its a chain-wide philosophy, to the point that there is a process with which Runzas marquees get their material. It starts at Lincoln advertising firm Swanson Russell, which won the Runza account in 2009. Stephan, a vice president and creative director at Swanson Russell, is part of the team that works on Runza marketing materials. He remembered being slightly surprised to find that one of the requests from the company was to provide a monthly Microsoft Word document of potential marquee messages.

I never thought that was someones job, he said.

Now, he and the Swanson Russell team embrace it, he said. Stephan said he writes about 120 potential Runza signs per year, and then theyre reviewed and sometimes tweaked by senior art director Greg Bousquet and about 50 of them are submitted by the account manager, Belinda Pabian. Sometimes interns get involved in the process, too. Many of the marquee messages are tied directly to new menu items or seasonal promotions. Stephan described the process in a blog post on Swanson Russells website.

For each monthly promotion in the store, were tasked with writing little sayings to go on the letter board marquees outside their restaurants, Stephan wrote. Its a seemingly minute detail, but then again, theyre giant words on a giant sign outside of one of the regions most recognizable fast food names.

And its a process filled with limitations, thanks to the size of the marquee.

At most, a Runza sign offers the space to post about 43 percent of what a tweet allows. On the signs that allow for four lines of text, youve got at most 60 characters to work with. On the three-line marquees, 45 characters. But Stephan said you also want to leave a little bit of white space on the sign to make it easy on a passerbys eyes. Also there are no commas. Its a welcome challenge, he said.

Yeah its almost a puzzle disguised as a writing exercise, Stephan said.

Runzas marketing team gets the final say on which lines make the big boards. Stephan said about 60 to 70 percent of the Runza signs come from Swanson Russell copywriters. Some of the rest are straightforward announcements. And then there are signs created in-restaurant from Runza employees. After Swanson Russells submissions get approved, they go out to store managers who get to decide which ones theyll use at their restaurants.

Or, they can make their own. Stephan said that some of the best submissions come from teenagers and 20-somethings who work at Runzas, because they know the zeitgeist and how to write short thanks to tweets and texts and the like. Those are some of the ones that get shared the most on social media.

The idea of them sitting around the kitchen and thinking of something funny to write is great, Stephan said. Best thing is to see a marquee thats super funny and I didnt write it.

Something like that happens often at the Runza at 7131 S. 27th St., where Joe Niedbalski, the stores managing partner, said they like to create as many in-house marquees as possible.

Sometimes they poke nearby bears, like when they did a Four out of five guys prefer Runza, a playful allusion to a nearby competitor.

Other times, they play off the topical. On Mothers Day, it was, Your mom called / she wants Runza. They recently had a sign up imploring people to scream for $1 ice cream, so we have people come through the drive-thru and yell, Niedbalski said.

They also noted that they were a Pokemon Go stop a year ago when that was a thing. There have been a few "promposals," too.

Havent had any marriage proposals yet, but were open to that, Niedbalski said.

Though hes responsible for many of the signs, Niedbalski said some of the best come from the youngest members of the crew, who often try to tie together Runza with the most current of current events.

Whatevers popular, Niedbalski said. I know when that ape, Harambe? I think we put that up.

Yes, they did briefly put up a Save Harambe sign in honor of the late Cincinnati gorilla, David Bustamante, 20, confirmed. Hes worked at the Runza for about a year, and is responsible for more than a few of the stores letterboard. An offering that hes particularly proud of? Our new fish sandwich is off the hook.

As for the biggest defeat, his submission for a salsa-topped Junior Chicken Wrap was rejected.

You like salsa -- true or falsa, Bustamante said. I fought for that one hard. I was really proud of that.
LGBTQ+ narratives have been part of fringe theatre for decades. But this year, Angels in America has asserted itself as one of the biggest events in the arts calendar, bolstered by two star turns from Andrew Garfield and Russel Tovey and accompanied by a nationwide cinema release.

[Rotterdam]

In the year which marks the 50th anniversary of the Sex Offences Act, which partially decriminalised homosexuality in the UK, gay theatre has gone mainstream.

Or so it seems. As cisgender gay men are claiming the spotlight, transgender characters, actors, and directors are still massively underrepresented in theatre. However, a few productions that explore the transgender experience have enjoyed modest success.

Rotterdam, the story of a lesbian couple where one half is transitioning, won an Olivier award at the 2017 ceremony and, after a sell-out run in New York, returned to the West End in July for a short re-run.

Meanwhile, Hir is being performed at the Bush Theatre this weekend, with Doctor Whos Arthur Darvill taking on the lead role.

In August, the National Theatre of Scotland will be putting on two plays, titled Adam and Eve, after they premiered last Autumn; both explore transgender lives in contemporary Scotland, blending the personal with the mythical. Clearly, transgender stories are getting more recognition, both nationally and internationally.

[Eve]

When we look at film, TV, and popular culture, several role models emerge: Laverne Cox has become a figurehead for the transgender community after her breakout performance in Orange is the New Black, and Caitlyn Jenner brought trans issues to the attention of millions of Kardashian fans during her transition, even if her politics are outdated. But are there any trans role models in theatre? Of course  but even the wokest of theatre fans might struggle to name even one.

In the past few years, one strong voice in the UK transgender theatre scene has been emerging. Kate ODonnell is the artistic leader of Trans Creative, a pioneering new trans led theatre company supported by the Arts Council's Elevate Fund, a new initiative designed to develop diverse arts organisations.

The company aims to increase the representation of trans people in arts leadership positions, cultivating a diverse trans audience and engaging and educating cisgendered audiences in trans narratives which will equip them to be better allies.

Two of the most mainstream transgender plays that are showing in London this summer  Rotterdam and Hir  are written and performed by people who are cisgender. By nurturing transgender actors, writers, and directors, Kate ODonnell is searching for authentic voices in transgender theatre, in order to capture transgender lives realistically and with a sense of humour that doesnt euphemise their experiences.

[YOU'VE CHANGED]



This August, Trans Creative will premiere ODonnells show, YOUVE CHANGED, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After her previous autobiographical show, which explored trans issues during a time in which no one knew what being transgender meant, YOUVE CHANGED explores how trans issues have developed  and, more importantly, where we should take them next.

Elsewhere in the UK, last Thursday saw the Marlborough Theatre, which featured in our cultural guide to Brighton, host Trans Art Night in honour of Pride. Featured on the lineup was Travis Alabanza, the 2016/17 Artist in Residence at the Tate, Jak Soroka, whose play We Will Remember explored the erasure of trans lives in queer history, and a performance from artist Hester Chillingworth.

As always, fringe theatre is where the most authentic trans performances are found: both Trans Creative and the Marlborough Theatre, amongst many other companies and venues across the UK, are changing the way audiences from all sexualities and gender identities perceive trans issues.

The mainstream, once again, is playing catch-up, although Rotterdam and Hir are paving the way for fringe theatre to sashay onto the West End.

In an interview with The Independent, Rotterdams writer Jon Brittain said that he is part of a "nightmare of snowflake theatre makers. And, with many more trans plays forecast for the next few years, we better prepare for a brilliant, glittering blizzard.

For more information on all plays and organisations mentioned above, visit the links below:

Rotterdam  https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/rotterdam

Hir  https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/hir/

Adam  https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Adam

Eve  https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Eve

YOUVE CHANGED  https://www.northernstage.co.uk/edinburgh/2017-shows/youve-changed

Trans Creative  https://www.facebook.com/pg/TransCreativeUK/about/?ref=page_internal

Marlborough Theatre  http://www.marlboroughtheatre.org.uk
A few things before we get started. For the purposes of this list, a trilogy will be defined as three movies that share a combination of characters, story elements and/or settings that when taken as a whole, tell a complete, finished story. As much as I love Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End) or Sergio Leone's The Man With No Name Trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) - and they are fantastic - they don't fit the bill. Additionally, while movie series like Indiana Jones or Mad Max have recurring characters and story elements, they're just too episodic - not a criticsm, just an explanation as to why you won't find them on the list.The most disappointing thing about the year 2015 was the lack of mass produced self-lacing shoes and flying cars - plus, we never got to see what Jaws 19 was all about! The Back to the Future trilogy is a sci-fi comedy staple. Whether Doc and Marty are in 1955, 1885 or the far away future of 2015, you're always in for a great time. Part III may be not quite as good as the other two (a recurring theme of this list), but there's still plenty to enjoy about it.Christopher Nolan's grounded, realistic take on The Caped Crusader was a welcome return to form after the cinematic abomination that is Batman & Robin. Many consider the middle chapter in the trilogy, The Dark Knight, to be the greatest superhero movie ever made and with good reason - and it's not just Heath Ledger's stellar performance as The Joker (although that certainly helps). As for Batman Begins, it may not be the masterpiece that is its sequel but it's still a fantastic retelling of Batman's origin story that really dives into the psychology of Bruce Wayne. Why is it so low on the list? Because The Dark Knight Rises is deeply flawed and massively overrated.2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes was surprise hit, but what was even more surprising is that it kickstarted one of the best modern film trilogies. Making full use of groundbreaking motion capture technology and with fantastic actor/motion capture guru Andy Serkis in the lead, the Planet of the Apes prequel/reboot series revitalized a franchise that many thought was dead way before Tim Burton's poorly received take on it. Like many trilogies before it, the Apes fell victim to the dreaded "second sequel curse" - compared to the stellar Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes is fairly underwhelming - but all three movies are still firmly in the realm of good-to-great. It made for an unexpected, but undoubtedly welcome return for an old sci-fi franchise."Two people wak and talk for about an hour and half" sounds like it would make for a pretty boring movie, let alone three of them, but Richard Linklater's Before trilogy is a masterclass in how excellent writing and terrific acting can be mesmering all on their own. A man (Ethan Hawke) meets a woman (Jilie Delpy) on a train and the two spent a day together in Vienna. Nine years later, their paths cross again in the sequel and nine years after that, they're a married couple. Each movie is about a defining moment in their lives and in their relationship and all of them consist more or less of one long conversation. These are fascinating people brought to life both by the richness of their dialogue and the talent of the actors playing them. Their conversations are so interesting, you really just don't want them to ever end.Toy Story was a watershed moment not just for Pixar, the studio that would go on make some of the best animated movies of the last twenty years, but for computer animation in general. It paved the way for so many others, including two fantastic sequels. Each movie is full of Pixar's trademark charm, wit, creativity and heart. The Toy Story trilogy also holds a special place in many people's hearts because they grew up with the characters - by the time Toy Story 3, in which Andy has to say goodbye to his toys because he's going to college, many people that saw the original as kids were at or around that age, making it strike a very personal chord.I didn't grow up with the trilogy myself and therefore I never had that same personal connection with it - otherwise, it might have ended up even higher on this list.The Bourne series reimagined the movie superspy for the 21st century in a big way. Gone was the invincible James Bond-type with the clever gadgets and witty one-liners. In his place, a gritty, grounded and hard-hitting action thriller about an amnesiac assassin out of answers - and revenge. James Bond usually gets a cool watch, but Jason Bourne can kill you with something as common and ordinary as a pen. You might get a little lost in the tangled web of covert government operations and deep shadow operatives, but at its core, the Bourne series is tense, gripping and utterly terrific. It's a good thing they never made any pointless, mediocre follow-ups after Ultimatum brought the trilogy to a satisfying close. That would be really stupid. Chems.Because of the larger context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's weird to think of the Captain America series as a trilogy - and for that very reason, its inclusion in the list a bit dodgy, since Captain America's story doesn't end with Civil War. Still, the three movies do tell a complete arc, showing Steve Roger's transformation from dangerously skinny patriotic do-gooder to impressively jacked superhero with a mean anti-establishment streak. The series is also noteworthy for its variety of genres and styles - The First Avenger is an old-school pulpy action-adventure from the director of The Rocketeer, The Winter Soldier is a gritty modern-day political action-thriller and Civil War is a ensemble superhero epic. The Captain America trilogy is not only fantastic, it's one of the rare examples of movie trilogies that gets progressively better with each entry.Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and its sequel, The Godfather Part II are often regarded as some of the best movies ever made and if you've seen them, it's hard to ague with that. They are absolute masterpieces that have had a profound influence both on cinema and on people's popular perception of the mafia. With a career-best performance from Al Pacino, as well as Marlon Brando in one of his most highly regarded and arguably best-known roles, and a stellar supporting cast, these movies are timeless classics. As for The Godfather Part III, it usually gets a pretty bad wrap, but honestly, it's not that bad of a movie. It falls short of its predecessor's greatness, succumbing to the dreaded second sequel curse, but it's still a very good movie that brings closure to one of the greatest film trilogies ever made.The original Star Wars saga is a global cultural milestone that changed the landscape of both cinema and pop culture forever. It's one of the most popular and well-known film trilogies out there. What else is there to say? It's Star Wars. it's as iconic as iconic gets - what could possibly be better?Well...2008's Taken was a solid, straightforward action thriller about a former CIA operative rescuing his daughter from human traffickers. You would think that any sequels to it would be nothing but cheap, lifeless cash-grabs with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsover - and that's where you'd be wrong. Taken's two sequels raised the bar for action movies everywhere. Taken 3 in particular showed us that no task is too mundane for a true action movie auteur like Olivier Megaton - see his genius at work as he makes this simple scene of Liam Neeson jumping a fence into a thing of absolute beauty.The whole series is a non-stop thrill ride and it undobtedly deserves to be named the Greatest Film Trilogy ever made.... just kidding.One trilogy to rule them all, one trilogy to find them, one trilogy to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's bestselling works, is a sweeping fantasy epic like no other. Much like Star Wars, The Lord of The Rings film trilogy is a monumental cultural milestone. It was an incredibly ambitious undertaking back in the day and the fact that it ended up as great as it is is simply astounding. A lot of The Return of The King is tied for the largest number of Academy Awards won, having taken home all 11 that it was nominated for, including Best Picture. It has an amazingly talented cast and is also gorgeous, grand and gripping all the way through. It is simply the greatest film trilogy ever made.
The historical capital city of Hungary has so much on offer the foodie scene. With authentic regional cuisine available around every corner; inspiration has been taken from Italy and the Middle East to create an exciting fusion of flavour.

Budapest draws large interest from students; the VERY affordable food and drink prices may have something to do with its appeal!

Although it might be easy to get drawn into one of the buzzing tourist hotspots, if you delve a little deeper and try some of the local cuisine and established restaurants that aren't bursting with holidaymakers, you won't be disappointed.



Cheap Eats and Sweet Treats

Langos (Great Market Hall) | Budapest, Vamhaz krt. 1-3, 1093 Hungary

You can't go to Budapest without trying langos at least once! But just be warned, just once won't be enough. Deep fried flatbread, that seems much like a savoury doughnut is an authentic taste of Hungary. You'll spot langos on sale along most streets.

Traditional langos is served with garlic, sour cream and a generous sprinkling of cheese - pick and choose your favourite extras to personalise yours (or even try a sweet option - these are available at The Great Market Hall). Always cheap and freshly made, you can pick up a langos to devour on the go.

Hummus Bar | Budapest, Bartok Bela ut 6, 1111 Hungary

Gettin ready A post shared by Hummus Bar Budapest (@hummusbarbudapest) on Oct 19, 2015 at 9:56am PDT

The Hummus Bars of Budapest are popular amongst locals and tourists alike, the extensive menu has something to offer everyone; with big portions at a low cost. If you're veggie or vegan they have plenty of choices. The Hummus Bars offer a relaxed, informal vibe; the ideal location to enjoy a quick lunch or early dinner, to leave you plenty of time to keep exploring.

Molnar's Kurtoskalacs | Budapest, Vaci u. 31, 1052 Hungary

A post shared by Catalin Mihai Sandu (@casandu23) on Jul 18, 2017 at 6:12am PDT

Kurtoskalacs, a traditional treat, is made by spinning sweet dough over hot charcoal to form the caramelised outer shell and a soft centre.

Often flavoured with vanilla, coconut or cinnamon; this is a delicious delicacy not to be missed. You can find chimney cake all over Budapest but it's well worth a trip to Molnar's for a fresh and fully authentic kurtosakalacs experience. At Molner's they keep the flavours simple and focus on serving up high-quality treats, made right in front of your very eyes!

Evening Dining

Ket Szerecsen | Budapest, Nagymezo u. 14, 1065 Hungary

Bummmm #hello#wednesday#new#weekly#menu#on#ketszerecsen#foodie#budapest#hungary#goodmorning A post shared by Ket Szerecsen (@ket_szerecsen) on Jul 4, 2017 at 11:34pm PDT

This place never ever fails to disappoint. I've been on two separate occasions and everyone has always been thoroughly impressed with the food.

It's hard to fault somewhere that when you get tapas you get more and more excited and bowled over with each dish you try. Or somewhere you can get a beautifully cooked fish dish AND wash it down with a glass of house white for under 10, all in rather upmarket surroundings. Not to mention the staff are super friendly!

Would recommend booking in advance, as it can get busy, especially come the weekend.

Dobrumba | Budapest, Dob u. 5, 1074 Hungary

Situated in the city's Jewish Quarter, Dobrumba has such a cool feel and a pretty interesting menu to match. If you fancy something a bit different, be sure to give it a try. With inspiration taken from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, they have dishes to suit everyone with great veggie and vegan options. If you're not too hot on spicy food, be warned as many of the dishes are fairly fiery.

Comme Chez Soi | Aranykez utca 2. Budapest 1052, Hungary

monday vibes #commechezsoi #commechezsoibudapest #creamcaramel #welovebudapest #budapest #foodporn #foodie A post shared by Judi Tamara (@tamarajudi) on Mar 21, 2016 at 6:10am PDT

Awarded the Tripadvisor ' Certificate of Excellence' in 2012, this rustic, family run restaurant completely deserves such rave reviews. With an inviting menu of French/Italian cuisine and is conveniently located in the heart of Budapest's inner city, Comme Chez Soi is an absolute must for any visitor . They even offer diners complimentary lemon sorbet, limoncello and a sweet Hungarian wine.



Late Night Hang-Outs

360 Bar | Budapest, Andrassy ut 39, 1061 Hungary

#nofilter #theweekendiscoming #360bar #comeupstairs #weekendchill #360highlife #sunnyday #rooftopbar A post shared by 360 Bar (@360bar_budapest) on Apr 29, 2017 at 2:46am PDT

Enjoy a cocktail at Budapest's highest rooftop bar, looking out at spectacular views of the city. A great place to go any time of day, but especially impressive to watch the sunset. At the weekends they charge you 1,000 forint (2.80) on the door but the stunning view and reasonably priced drinks are certainly worth it.

Szimpla Kert | Budapest, Kazinczy u. 14, 1075 Hungary

#eavesdropping #mrbean A post shared by szimplapiac (@szimplakert) on Jul 12, 2017 at 3:43am PDT

This place is unmissable! You could spend hours exploring the different rooms with all their charming quirks. There's a very good reason Szimpla Kert is Budapest's most popular ruin bar. If you're after a chilled vibe try visiting during the day as the evenings can get lively.

Do you know any other places in Budapest that are worth visiting? Don't hesitate to comment!


The group in question was approved by the faculty in April, but is still waiting to be recognised by Samfords board of trustees. The group, named Samford Together, hopes to give students an open-minded and accepting environment [] to discuss topics relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. The Alabama Baptist Convention, an association of the states churches, has said that it was saddened by the facultys decision to approve the group and has said that they will withdraw the funding offer if the trustees approve Samford Together. The association continued to say that the university had "voted to affirm the recognition of a student group that identifies with values contrary to biblical teachings on sexuality. In a joint statement, Joh Thewatt, the conventions president, and Rick Lance, executive director of its board of missions, added: When addressing same-gender sexual relationships, the Bible without exception never affirms such behaviour as an approved lifestyle." The statement also said that they believe that the Old and New Testaments are "unequivocally against homosexuality." In response to this, the university has voluntarily refused the donation which it was supposed to receive in January. This decision has been approved by the universitys executive committee. University president Andrew Westmoreland has said that the refusal to accept the money will "serve the best interests of both Samford and the Alabama Baptist State Convention." Although Dr Westmoreland did not offer a formal recognition of Stamford Together, he did say that the university would "work to accomplish each of the groups worthy goals."
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They're made of cardboard. They cost a dollar, maybe two. And they'll keep your eyeballs from feeling like they've been rubbed with sandpaper.

Eclipse glasses, which contain filters to protect the wearer's retinas from the sun's rays, have been flying off shelves in advance of next month's total solar eclipse, when the moon's 70 mile-wide shadow will sweep across Nebraska.

In Beatrice, the tourism office at 218 N. Fifth St. ordered 30,550 pairs and was down to its last box Friday, said Karm Reese, director of member services for the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce.

She expects another order of 15,000 pairs to arrive in time for the Gage County Fair, which starts Wednesday.

Lincoln stores also reported brisk sales.

"We just sold our last pair," said John Zrust of Rockbrook Camera, 4333 S. 70th St. "I think we've sold more than 600 pairs here in Lincoln, and both of the Omaha stores are selling them as well."

An order for 1,500 more should arrive sometime next week, Zrust said Friday.

The Discovery Shop at University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Morrill Hall, 645 N. 14th St., was also sold out but expected to get more soon.

Staff at Pioneers Park Nature Center, 3201 S. Coddington Ave., said it has plenty left.

"I don't know how many we have sold so far, but we did get a thousand of them," said naturalist Jamie Kelley.

The special shades are also available online  just Google "eclipse glasses," but be sure to order a pair that meets the ISO 12312-2 international standard.

Five manufacturers make glasses that meet those standards, according to NASA: American Paper Optics, Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold film only), Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17.

Regular sunglasses won't work.

And while it's safe to look directly at the eclipse during the brief period of totality  when the sun is completely blocked by the moon  special eye protection is necessary during the much-longer partial eclipse.

Reese said Beatrice-area employers and schools have purchased the glasses in bundles, and the tourism office has about two dozen customers each day seeking eyewear themselves.

The chamber is also selling T-shirts and boxer shorts with the phrase "got mooned in Beatrice, Nebraska." Its eclipse glasses say "Get Eclipsed" on the side, with an image of the moon printed on the front.

"They're totally super cute," Reese said. "You literally have an eclipse on your face."
Months after state lawmakers sent a two-year budget to Gov. Pete Ricketts' desk, one state senator said the Legislature did not have the necessary data to make an informed decision when it comes to the state's third-largest expense.

Unfortunately, the University of Nebraska cannot detail how over half a billion dollars of state funds are spent each year, state Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell wrote in a letter to his District 38 constituents.

While NU outlined how it divided its $583 million in state appropriations across its four campuses and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Kuehn said it failed to provide granular detail showing how state funds are effectively used to further the universitys mission.

The university disputed Kuehns claim, asserting it provided the information Kuehn requested in thousands of pages of budget books, salary rosters, audited financial statements and monthly financial reports filed with the Department of Administrative Services.

Not only do we comply with state and federal reporting requirements, we go above and beyond in making budget and salary information widely available in order to be fully transparent and accountable, NU President Hank Bounds said in a statement Friday.

The way we report our financial information is no different than any other state agency, he added.

But Kuehn, who clashed with university officials during budget hearings earlier this year, said as state tax receipts fell $34 million below projections for the 2016-17 fiscal year, the information turned over by NU was not enough.

He said the Legislature should be able to track how effective its investment of tax dollars is in promoting workforce development and research important to Nebraskans, or in evaluating how removing that funding could negatively impact the states economy.

University leadership made a variety of dramatic claims and generalizations about the impact of this reduction, he wrote. However, they provided no clear evidence of direct, specific impacts to programs, much less harm to the overall mission of the university.

Other lawmakers who met with NU leaders in committee hearings disagreed, saying the university was responsive to requests for information about various facets of its budget.

The university has a robust accounting system and theyve always been able to provide me the information Ive requested, said Sen. Kate Bolz of Lincoln.

Bolz also said overhauling the universitys accounting system to meet Kuehns request could be burdensome and have unforeseen implications on other state agencies  the state and community college system, in particular.

Its my understanding that state colleges and community colleges also have the same way of approaching funding streams, she said. Were not just talking about the university and pulling apart the general fund and other sources, were talking about those agencies, too.

Bounds also seized on that point, saying Kuehns proposed change to NUs accounting practices would mean adding administrative and infrastructure costs, adding to the red tape that the Governor has called on state agencies to cut.

Kuehn said those additional costs would be justified if lawmakers had more information on how a half-billion dollar agency spends taxpayer money, however.

Just how much authority the Legislature can exercise over the universitys general fund operations was the subject of a Nebraska Supreme Court decision handed down in 1977.

A 1976 funding bill contained numerous statements directing the Board of Regents or employees of the University to take certain actions ruled outside the Legislatures authority.

Justice Leslie Boslaugh, who sat on the bench from 1961 to 1994, wrote that the states constitution clearly established the university free from political influence and control by vesting its governance with the Board of Regents.

In prescribing the powers and duties of the Regents a legislative act must not be so detailed and specific in nature as to eliminate all discretion and authority on the part of the Regents as to how a duty shall be performed, Boslaugh wrote.

Kuehn had a different take:

How restricted or privately raised donor dollars are spent is not my concern. How tuition dollars are spent is under the influence of the Board of Regents, he said. Tax dollars are a whole different ballgame.

NU officials said they plan to meet with Kuehn to better understand his request and how the information they shared with him earlier this year did not meet his request.
Omaha resident Krystal Gabel will challenge Gov. Pete Ricketts in the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary, outlining plans Saturday to decriminalize marijuana possession and allow for growing industrial hemp for commercial purposes.

The Akron, Iowa native previously ran for a seat on the Metropolitan Utilities District board and ran unsuccessfully for an Omaha City Council seat this year.

Gabel announced her candidacy Saturday in a news release as she toured the state with Legal Marijuana Now, a third party established in 1998 to oppose drug prohibition.

Gabel's platform includes addressing the state's tax dilemma by "making Nebraska the primary producer and manufacturer of hemp biofuel and biodiesel."

She would support a medical marijuana program for use by adult patients, child patients with permission from a guardian and veterans with a medical card.

As governor, she would reinvest in the state's public K-12 education system.

A graduate of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, Gabel most recently worked as a technical writer.
Several public meetings this week in Watertown

Here's a look at who's meeting this week and what they'll be discussing.
The last time Erin Thomas saw his mother, he told her he was never coming home.

"Lie to someone who doesn't know you," Denise Lange remembers telling him.

The 20-year-old was deploying to Afghanistan in the next few months, but in a twist of fate, he never made it out of the states.

Thomas died in a car crash, a devastating event Lange said forced her to take her life in a new direction. She raises money for veterans' charities and has found that she's able to give support to other military families.

"We didn't get better, but we got more focused," Lange said.

Lange joined others in Lincoln on Saturday, focusing on the faces of soldiers at the Remember our Fallen display outside Pinnacle Bank Arena. In each photo, she saw the families that the soldiers left behind.

"I think about the holes they left," she said. "And I pray for those families every day that they're strong enough to come out and see this and get healing from it."

The exhibit featured photo towers of military members killed since Sept. 11, 2001. The traveling display drew visits from numerous veterans and Gold Star families Saturday morning.

Spending time with other Gold Star mothers gives Lange hope.

"You know that they feel a similar pain, but they're moving forward," she said. "And it gives you strength to move forward."

Lange's father and brother were both in the military. It seemed only natural for Thomas to grow up dreaming of the day he'd have the chance to serve.

Fresh out of high school, he enlisted in the Army. He married after completing basic training.

He was the kind of guy who loved to laugh and make others laugh, his mom said. She remembers running down the streets of their small town, Augusta, Kansas, and calling him "Snookums" to embarrass him in front of his friends.

He was the kind of guy who would stop to change a stranger's tire, or help pull their car out of the ditch.

"Whether they could do it or not, he felt it was his job to do it for them," Lange said.

His daughter was born while he was in high school, and she was the light of his life. He loved his wife, although his determination to join the Army strained their marriage.

It was hard, too, for Lange, who felt like she was finally getting to know her son. At 20, their relationship was changing. Thomas would call her just to chat or ask for advice.

She remembers waiting by the phone on June 19, 2009.

It was her birthday, and she was looking forward to Thomas' call. When he didn't call, she wasn't worried, because sometimes Thomas would intentionally not call, just to joke with Lange.

Instead of a call, Thomas' mother-in-law showed up in the middle of Lange's work day. She refused to believe that he had died.

"I saw a whole future for his family, and for me," she said.

Since Thomas was not killed in the line of duty, she said that he's sometimes forgotten.

"We glorify those killed in action so much, there are so many that fall through the cracks," she said.

Even though Thomas died eight years ago, Lange doesn't spend a day without him. Exactly three years after his burial, she had a portrait of him tattooed on her forearm. And when she bought a motorcycle so she could help ensure veterans' funeral services go uninterrupted, she had a photo of Thomas embedded into the frame.

She's raised nearly $14,000 for different organizations, including the Operation Freedom Memorial in Kansas, by selling In Honor of Fallen Soldiers medallions.

Not a day goes by that Lange doesn't miss her son, but she feels grateful to have a close relationship with her granddaughter and her daughter-in-law. She's lucky, she said, to have so much support from other military families.

"Before, it was just about getting through my day and worrying about my family," she said. "And now I have a much bigger family."
Actor Kunal Kapoor says he channelises his restless energy in acting.

The actor, who has worked with popular filmmakers like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Rahul Dholakia, Pradeep Sarkar and Gauri Shinde, doesn't take up acting projects in bulk. Why is he so choosy?

Kunal told here: "I get this complaint from well-wishers 'Why such less number of films?' But honestly, I always do films that I believe in, and they are very few and far between. These days, my kind of films are happening so, I am working quite a lot."

He added: "Since last year, so far, I have done some films. I did Veeram', Dear Zindagi', an English language film The Noblemen', Raagdesh' is coming and there are two more projects I will be working on. So yes, it's quite an interesting phase of my career."

Starting as an assistant director with Mehra, Kunal made his Bollywood debut with the film "Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities", directed by M.F. Husain.

Talking about his true calling in acting, he said: "I was a restless child from the beginning and I didn't know where to channelise that. And then when I started assisting and working on a film set, I understood that film is the platform

"Even though I was an assistant director, most of the time I was in front of the camera rehearsing with actors. Gradually, I realized that I actually want to be in front of the camera, I want to be an actor. I channelise my restless energy in acting."

Kunal is quite excited about "Raagdesh", in which he plays Major General Shah Nawaz Khan of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army.

Talking about the Red Fort trials, he said: "Isn't it quite shocking? I mean how come we were not taught about an important part of our history in school? It's really sad that our generation knows so little about the Indian National Army that contributed to the Indian freedom movement nothing less than any other political parties or individual."

"After reading the entire story, I felt there's a deliberate attempt to wipe it out of our history books. It is unfortunate," said Kunal.

Kunal went the extra mile to get under the skin of the character. The actor read up a lot on Major General Khan, met his grandson, spent time with their family to get a better insight into his personality and worked on an Urdu-Punjabi accent to capture a certain speaking style of the 1940s' era.

What about his experience of working with the film's director Tigmanshu Dhulia?

"I always wanted to work with Tishu sir (Dhulia), and the interesting thing I have observed is that all actors perform well in his filmEveryone acts the best in his film! You know why?"

"Because he is an amazing actor, director and writer. Being an actor, he understands what exactly I need to know to perform the characterit's a dream come true to work with him," said Kunal.

The story of "Raagdesh" revolves around three soldiers.

"I loved all the three characters in the film, whether it was Shah Nawaz, Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon or Prem Sahgal, I love them all," he said.

"Tishu sir was looking for a combination of Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor in these three characters. While Dhillon's character played by Amit (Sadh) is an emotional man who is ready to give his life for the country at any point of time, Sahgal is a little romantic by nature like the image of Shashi Kapoor. Shah Nawaz is calm, composed and intense," he added.

"Raagdesh" will release on July 28.
Every literary work has its significance, for good or bad, but sometimes only its negatives receive focus, leading to some striking creations being disparaged, damned and doomed. Like this ornate Urdu tale of fantastic marvels, very popular and praised in its heyday but then long criticised as devoid of merit. Why did this happen?

The case of "Fasaana-e-Ajaib" (c.1843) is a good example of how the fierce struggles in literature, especially on the issues of style and tradition, between rival schools can doom some works. This was rather unfortunate as this "dastaan" by Mirza Rajjab Ali Beg 'Suroor' (c. 1786-1867) had one of the most attractive heroines ever seen in Indian literature.

The work is representative of Urdu's Lucknow style, which, for its practitioners, was intricate and highly-polished, but was derided by rivals (usually of the Delhi school) as convoluted, conceited, frivolous and decadent.

And then he rendered it in "moqouffa ibarat" (rhyming prose), quite prevalent and appreciated in his own era of pre-1857 India but less than easy for readers in subsequent ages. (The style can be understood from Suroor's chapter headings, eg. "Rihaa hona us giraftar-e-dam sehr ka jadugarni ki jaal se aur mulaqat honi Malka Mehr-Nigar sahib-e-husn-o-jamaal se. Malka ki tabiyat ka lagao, tazah shamseer-e-ulfat ka ghao. Baham ki cherh-charh, banao ka bigarh.") or briefly experienced late in the first episode on 1857 in Shyam Benegal's iconic "Bharat Ek Khoj" as a rebel soldier (Om Puri) explains the events at Meerut.

Suroor was also unwise to pick on his contemporary Mir Amman 'Dehlvi', who under British direction, sought to pioneer a simpler form of spoken and written Urdu with his "Bagh-o-Bahaar/Qissa-e-Char Darvish".

Maulana Abdul Halim 'Sharar', in Guzashta-e-Lakhnau", his magisterial tome on all facets of Lakhnavi culture, credits Suroor with developing Urdu prose, but notes "unfortunately, the author made an attack on Mir Amman in his preface, with the result that he was a failure in the eyes of the people of Delhi so much so that a refined and distinguished man like Maulvi Muhammad Husain Azad (whose 'Ab-e-Hayat' is the first history of Urdu literature), called him 'that vagabond from Lucknow'. It is impossible to say how long it will be before the late Rajjab Ali Beg is forgiven for his impertinence"

Quite long.

In her "A Critical Survey of the Development of the Urdu Novel and Short Story" (1945), Shaista Akhtar Banu Suhrawardy holds that "apart from the fact that it is the first original romance in the Urdu language, there is little to commend" the work "whose rhymed prose makes it difficult to read, and this difficulty is further enhanced by the extensive use of every literary conceit". She doesn't think much of its plot or characters too, save one

However, in more recent times, experts like Gyan Chand Jain ("Urdu ki Nasri Dastanen") and Ibne Kanwal ("Dastaan se Novel Tak") take a more balanced view of Suroor.

Suroor's story tells of prince Jaan-e-Alam, finally born to long-childless King Firoz Bakht (like of "Bagh-o-Bahaar"), whose horoscope predicts a turbulent period in his 15th year. One day, at this age, he sees a prattling parrot in the market and buys it. His wife, Mah-Tilat cannot resist, a la Snow White's wicked stepmother, asking if she is the fairest of all. No, replies the bird, it is actually princess Anjuman Ara of a faraway kingdom. An entranced Jaan-e-Alam leaves forthwith to win her hand.

Braving (and besting) evil magicians (both male and female), jinns and devs and picking up magical skills like transferring himself into another living being's body, he accomplishes his mission despite Anjuman Ara turning out to be a little coquettish.

But, on his way, he meets and falls in love with the beautiful and wise Malka Mehr-Nigar, who is also patient, understanding and brave. Letting him continue his mission and waiting for his return, it is she who saves the day when Jaan-e-Alam is betrayed by his close associate, the wazirzada, who accompanied him on his mission but gets separated early on.

When reunited, he grows jealous of Jaan-e-Alam, who remains oblivious and even teaches him magic. Figure how that will turn out, when after a demonstration, 'Jaan-e-Alam' returns to the camp and orders all monkeys in the area to be captured and killed!

One of the rare works that has never been translated into English, and even difficult to read in Urdu save for accomplished exponents, an abridged 'children's version' is available and tells the story with a flavour of the original language. If even this is beyond you, a transliteration is available at my blog vahshatedil.wordpress.com.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday registered two cases in the alleged gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Himachal Pradesh and formed a 3-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under a SP on Saturday.

The two cases are of alleged gangrape and murder of minor girl and subsequent custodial death of an accused were registered on the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, dated July 19.

On July 6, Himachal Police had registered the rape and murder of class 10th minor girl of Kotkhai (Shimla district) where Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was also invoked. On July 19, the custodial death of an accused took place following which another case was registered. The CBI had now taken over both the cases.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of CBI will be headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) and Additional SP and DSP. The team has visited the crime spot.

Even the state government had recommended for CBI probe.

A minor girl had gone to school on July 4 but did not return home. Her naked body was found on the morning of July 6 from Kotkhai tehsils Halaila village.

So far, 6 accused were arrested in this case by the local police- Ashish Chauhan (29) and Rajinder Singh (32) of Sharaal village, Subash Singh Bisht (42) of Pauri Garhwal, Suraj Singh (29) of Nepal, Lok Jan (19) of Nepal and Deepak (38) of Garhwal.

Bisht is a priest in a temple at Pauri Garhwal. Suraj Singh died in custody under mysrerious circumstances.

There had been widespread protests in Shimla and other districts of HP over the alleged shoddy investigations and the people were demanding for CBI probe.

After the death of Suraj Singh, the locals in Kotkhai even vandalised the police station. The entire staff of Kotkhai police station were suspended after the death. Also, the government transferred members of SIT it formed and also Shimla SP DW Negi. It was alleged that Suraj Singh was to become an approver in the case.
Kerala Congress legislator M Vincent was on Saturday arrested, a day after being charged with sexual harassment and stalking of a 51-year-old woman who attempted suicide earlier this week.

Before being arrested, Vincent, a first-time legislator, was grilled for over two hours by a team of police. He was later taken for further interrogation.

The police team arrived at the legislator's hostel here around 12.40 p.m. and left after more than two hours of questioning. He later was moved to an undisclosed location for further interrogation and then arrested.

Vincent has moved for anticipatory bail from a court here.

The police team will now meet up with Kollam Superintendent of Police S. Ajeetha Begum, who heads the probe team.

The woman's husband had filed a complaint with the local police station near here accusing the legislator of threatening and harassing his wife over phone.

Vincent, who represents Kovalam Assembly constituency in the state capital district, said he has done no wrong and claimed he was a victim of political conspiracy.

The case surfaced after the woman attempted suicide by consuming excessive dose of sleeping pills on Wednesday. She was rushed to a hospital in the city suburbs and was saved.

The police has taken the statement of the woman.

The woman told the media on Saturday that she has been facing severe mental harassment from the legislator and he has misbehaved with her on two different occasions.

Senior women leaders in the Congress party M. Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman have asked Vincent to step down as legislator and face the probe.

Meanwhile, angry youth activists of the CPI-M took to the streets in the state capital and burnt an effigy of the legislator.

Thiruvananthapuram district CPI-M secretary Anavoor Nagappan told the media that Vincent should quit in the wake of the serious charges against him.

Leader of opposition and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the legislator has told the party that he is innocent and is ready to face any probe.

"Now a free and fair probe is required, and no politics should creep into the probe," said Chennithala.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday outrightly rejected the suggestion of Farooq Abdullah, National conference MP, of third party mediation to solve the Kashmir issue.

Talking to media persons at Anantnag on the sidelines of inspecting various development works, Mehbooba said let the US and China mind their own business. They should not interfere in Kashmir.

She was reacting to Abdullahs Fridays statement that India should seek help of friendly countries to defuse tension with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. He said that the US President Donald Trump and also China had offered to intervene to settle the Kashmir problem.

"What is the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq today where the third party intervention led to massive destruction? Does Farooq sahib want same thing to happen to us?," she asked.

Mehbooba stressed that India and Pakistan should talk to resolve our matters in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration.

Farooq Abdullah had on Friday triggered a controversy when he reportedly said that India should approach other countries including US and China to mediate in the Kashmir issue.

His remarks generated criticism by the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh who accused Farooq Abdullah of double faced approach. When he (Farooq) was chief minister then he talked of attacking Pakistan.

The Congress that is an ally of the National Conference also did not support Farooqs statement when the party vice-president Rahul Gandhi refuted the assertion on third party intervention.

Coming in support of his father Farooq Abdullah, Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted my father isn't a Congress party member & doesn't need it's permission or approval before he voices his opinion. It's called free speech.

Omar tried to set the record straight by pointing out Dr Abdullah didn't call for mediation he said "Trump offered to help & China offered to mediate". How is that the same as him asking for it?

A senior functionary of ruling PDP, Sartaj Madni, who is closely related to Mehbooba Mufti, had on Friday said he was happy if Farooq Abdullah is asking for talks with Pakistan. If you want to resolve Kashmir issue there is no other way.
The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) Central Youth Wing expressing resentment over the alleged 'political coup' committed by the state Governor organised a beef feast at NPF Central office here on Thursday.

Hundreds of party men and women joined the feast, where the NPF Youth Wing had prepared different delicacies.

In a letter addressed to the Governor PB Acharya, NPF Youth Wing president Vihoshe N Swu and working president Bendang Longkumer said, "Your Excellency has been terribly busy in the last few days breaking all democratic norms playing politics and installing your party BJP-friendly government in the state."

They accused that Acharya has forgotten that the office of the Governor should be apolitical and stay away from politics, and have been acting as the leader of the dissident NPF group.

"Your attempts to cloak your political decisions with some semblance of legality are transparent and the nakedness of it all is most repulsive and loathsome," they said.

Expressing that Nagas are patient people, but there is a limit to their patience, the NPF Youth Wing said, "We are now in a jubilant mood because not only has the NPF severed ties with the BJP for good, you yourself have shown how low you can stoop to achieve your political and religious agenda in the last few days."

They said, in order to celebrate Acharyas latest political coup and to mark the severance of ties with his political party  BJP, the NPF Youth Wing organised a beef feast.
Newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Goa Vinay Tendulkar will continue to head BJP's unit in the coastal state till the party relieves him from the post.

I will continue to be the Goa unit chief of BJP till my party wishes. Although I have become a member of the Rajya Sabha, I will continue working for the party organisation in the state. The ongoing party programmes will continue, Tendulkar told PTI today.

Tendulkar yesterday won the sole Rajya Sabha seat from Goa, defeating his Congress counterpart and sitting MP Shantaram Naik.

Tendulkar said it is for the party to decide whether to continue him as the chief of the state unit or relieve of the charge.

Though I am Rajya Sabha MP, my area of operation will always remain Goa. I will not leave Goa politics, he said adding he would be in Delhi only during the Parliament session or for important meetings.

(My) first priority will be do works in 22 constituencies whose MLAs voted for me. Also in two constituencies of Panaji and Valpoi where by-election is pending, he said.

To a question, Tendulkar said the works in the constituencies of opposition legislators would be a second priority.
Did Dhananjoy Chatterjee who was hanged on 14 August 2004 for the rape and murder of schoolgirl Hetal Parekh deserve to die?

He had already spent 14 years behind bars at the Alipore Correctional Home. He was waiting for presidential clemency for a long time and honestly hoped he would get it. His was the first death sentence imposed and applied on a civilian in independent India where the convict was sentenced to death solely on the basis of circumstantial evidence. His body, after execution, was not handed over to his family.

Why? Twenty seven years after the gruesome crime on 5 March 1990, this particular case appealed to the cinematic and social instincts of filmmaker Arindam Sil to create a fictionalised account of the events leading to the execution of Chatterjee, which he has made into a full-length feature film called Dhananjoy, produced by Shree Venkatesh Films. Why was Sil suddenly inspired to make the unique case into a film?

I was sent a book entitled The Court, Media, Society and Dhananjoy Chatterjee's Death Sentence in Bengali authored jointly by Paramesh Goswami, a human rights activist, Debashish Sengupta, and Probal Mukherjee who are professors at the Indian Statistical Institute. These three were deeply involved in researching the entire case. Fimmaker Atanu Ghosh sent me the book.

He suggested I make a film on this unique subject from a different perspective. These three authors visited Dhananjoys family again and again, spoke to them and went through sheaves of documents during their research. They also helped them regain some of the land Dhananoys father was forced to sell off to pay the legal costs to defend him. My scriptwriter Padmanabha Dasgupta, myself and our research team created a file that ran into 5,000 pages of research material. I asked Padmanabha to bring out the core and write a full-length script for a film. He managed to do it and now the film is ready, said Sil.

Dhananjoy is slated to release on 11 August, a few days before the 13th anniversary of his execution. Both our research over several months and the book convinced us somehow that this story is open to a different interpretation and can be narrated from a different perspective. We are not trying to establish Dhananjoys innocence or guilt at any point in the film.

We are only opening this strange story to the audience and leaving it to them to draw their own conclusions about whether he should have been executed at all or whether he should have been freed after having served 14 years in solitary confinement, said Padmanabha Dasgupta.

Sil has gathered a formidable cast of 48 characters. Veteran actors like Paran Bandopadhyay who portrays Dhananjoys father, Sudipta Chakraborty who plays the victim Hetal Parekhs mother, Kanchan Mullick as the public prosecutor, Koushik Sen as the Supreme Court advocate and Masood Akhtar as the liftman. Then there are relatively young actors such as Mir Afsar Ali and Mimi Chakraborty.

Complete newcomers, more than the established names, expressed their reservations about acting in this film in the beginning of their careers but compromised in the belief that it was not just a film but had a larger social agenda. The main cast and technical team have been to Chhatna, the village where Dhananjoys family resides and spoke to them. The actual shooting was done on sets constructed within a studio setting with some location shots within Kolkata. Anirban Bhattacharya, a theatre actor who has recently made a mark in films, plays Dhananjoy Chatterjee.

He said that this has been the most challenging and difficult role of his career. He said, There were times when I felt I just could not take it anymore because there was no frame of reference to fall back on while fleshing out the real Dhananjoy. Firstly, I had never met him in person. Second, he was sentenced for a grievous crime that comes nowhere close to my personal life or professional career as an actor. Third, I had to pick up the dialect, diction, body language, pitch, way of dressing based on the directors vision and my own internalising of the character.

Some years ago, MS Sathyu made a documentary called The Right to Live jointly produced by PSBT and Doordarshan under the auspices of the ministry of information and broadcasting. The film questioned the validity of the death sentence using the Dhananjoy Chatterjee case as a frame of reference. In the film, PP Rao, senior Supreme Court advocate, cited a case about some Naxalites who went to a timber merchant disguised as dealers and stabbed and killed him the minute he turned around to bring them tea.

But the singlejudge High Court bench did not grant the killers a death sentence because they had killed for an ideology and they were not ordinary criminals.Has society changed in any way because of their ideology and the killing? Rao asks. Sathyus film also carries interviews with Dhananjoy and his father.

The most pertinent argument placed by Nitya Ramachandran was that awarding the death sentence to a person, never mind the gravity of the crime, is tantamount to punishing the family of the convict that is completely innocent. Dhananjoys parents, brother, sisters, wife whom he had married just a month prior to the crime, are in a devastated state financially, emotionally and socially. Why? Is not the state that has awarded the death sentence also responsible for the care of the family he leaves behind?

The death sentence in this country is completely skewed. On one hand, a dangerous, self-confessed rapist and killer like the boy among the five rapists of Nirbhaya was set free though his partners in crime were sentenced to death.

On the other, a young man like Dhananjoy Chatterjee was hanged for a crime that was never physically proved in any court of law.

The debate will be opened up once again with the theatrical release of Arindam Sils Dhananjoy.
We had Messerschmitts flying overhead, thousands of extras on the beach, minesweepers in the background, a 350ft destroyer and torpedo boats all in the same shot.

That is Neil Andrea, marine coordinator on Dunkirk, who was standing alongside director Christopher Nolan on a single-camera boat with a crane and Imax in the middle of the action last year. Andrea is convinced this was the biggest naval film shoot ever. Where most use the magic of CGI to fill in backdrops, Nolan and his team actually filmed on location in Dunkirk with real war ships and fighter planes.

On certain days, there were up to 60 ships in the water, enthuses Andrea, veteran marine coordinator of major movies including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Captain Phillips and National Treasure. It didnt matter what the crew had worked on before; when we headed to such scenes, with explosions going off, we were all blown away like never before. It was basically a re-enactment of the real events.

Dunkirk was a famous World War II evacuation effort of the Allied troops from the beaches in and around the Northern French commune, which took place over 10 days in 1940. A quickly assembled fleet of more than 800 boats including motor yachts, pleasure steamers and fishing boats  rushed to Dunkirk and rescued nearly 340,000 British, Belgian and French soldiers from the shore.

Then Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the evacuation as a miracle of deliverance. And that is an apt way of describing what Nolan and his team have achieved with their re-enactment. Andrea had been briefed before the film began shooting and had read the script, which caused a number of expletives to leave his mouth in awe, but nothing could prepare him for the true scale of what he was to work on from January to September 2016. I was within four feet of Chris (Nolan) from start to finish of the shoot.

He is a brilliant director, but demands perfection and was insistent the film had to look real, not using visual effects in front of a screen above a tank somewhere.

That meant the experience wasnt a bed of roses and proved hugely challenging for all concerned, but everyone mucked in to do whatever was needed to be done.

For Andrea, it meant finding and coordinating 60 ships from nine different countries over five months. No easy task. Finding a World War II ship is not that hard but finding ones that actually work and are able to manoeuvre on a daily basis is tough, he explains.

The biggest find was the 350-foot long French destroyer, the Maille-Brez  a museum piece from Nantes that had to be towed using a pair of 200 foot tugs.

We moved the destroyer around manually, and were able to hide the tug boats from shot because the ship was so big, explains Andrea, It took a lot of work and we had to be so careful, especially in bad weather, as the ship was being forced to do things its not used to.

The same went for the little boats, which were actual originals used in the real Dunkirk evacuation. They were piloted by the owners who had little filming experience and so had to be briefed beforehand. It was like herding cats, laughs Andrea.

The centrepiece of those little boats is the Moonstone, on which Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphys characters are based throughout most of the movie.

It was such an intimate environment on that boat, which is just 43ft long, says Andrea. Aside from the actors, there was just myself, Chris, the first assistant director, cinematographer and the two camera assistants above deck, the sound, prop and hair and make-up guys below deck.

There were some pretty hairy days heading to the set in this wooden 1930s boat, which would shake violently when struck by waves. Chris would turn to me and say What do you think? Should we turn back?, remembers Andrea. Much like the original guys 76 years before, they chose to carry on and complete the mission. But safety was the watchword.

As a Warner Bros Studio-led project, there had to be checks and balances, and safety boats on hand at all times. All the departments (stunts, special effects, marine) worked closely together to make sure the process was as smooth as possible. Andrea had to draw on all his experience in and around the water. Fortunately, that was plentiful. Having grown up near Miami Beach, the sea was always close by.

Fishing and diving have always been passions. His first big project was Castaway with Tom Hanks. But he was second unit and had little involvement. Then it was Oliver Stones Any Given Sunday. That was a crazy experience. Working with Al Pacino on Miami Beach in the 1990s! There were politics with the actors and Stone was pretty intense, but he also knows how to get things done.

However, it was working on the Pirates films where he got a real flavour of dedicated marine work on a large project, as he was involved in shooting every day.

To be a part of those films has been incredible, admits Andrea, They also involve big boats, but there are only four or five at a time, and theyre built over steel ship structures  some of them half ships, others fake ships. By contrast, for Dunkirk the scale of actual working boats being operated by people was much larger.Typically, in most films you would have a ship that creates a wake, then visual effects would come in and take that boat out and put in the real boat featured in the movie. Not for Dunkirk.

Everything happens in real life in real time. Everyone on set was permanently aware and alert  no one was looking at their cell phones or sitting around. They were all completely absorbed in the action as we hope the audience will be when they see this spectacular film, concludes Andrea.

(The independent)
BSP president Mayawati has convened a meeting of senior party leaders in the national capital on Sunday to capitalise on her recent resignation from the Rajya Sabha and chalk out fresh strategy.

All important leaders of the party, including its coordinators, MLAs , MLCs and Rajya Sabha members have been invited for the meeting, a party leader said here.

The BSP chief will be issuing directives on how to go about in the changed atmosphere arising out of her resignation from the Upper House.

The party president is likely to tell the leaders as to how to apprise her supporters about the reasons leading to her resignation, a party insider said.

Mayawati had tendered her resignation on Tuesday, hours after the chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh.

I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits, she had said.

Mayawati was forced to resign when she was not allowed to speak about the issues relating to Dalit atrocities in the BJP-ruled state (of Uttar Pradesh)when she, as the Rajya Sabha member, was not given an opportunity to speak about their problems, there is a slim chance that these problems will be redressed by this government, a party leader said.

It is the duty of the party leaders now to redraw their strategy so as to uphold the dignity and honour of the Bahujan Samaj, the leader said, requesting anonymity.

Mayawati (61) will also be taking feedback from her party leaders about her decision to quit the Upper House. She might also decide on holding a rally or a meeting so as to directly communicate with her supporters, party sources said.

On the mood in the party over her resignation, the BSP leader said workers were very happy as they feel she will now be able to give her full time to organisational matters, which would definitely help in strengthening the party.

Mayawati's action is seen as an attempt to consolidate her core Dalit support base and re-establish herself as the community's pre-eminent leader, after facing a massive defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year, with the BSP finishing a poor third.

Her party could win only 18 seats, while the BJP came to power by winning more than 300 of the 403 Assembly seats.

The BSP had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Back home in Uttar Pradesh, her resignation has evoked mixed response from different political parties, with the BJP terming it a political stunt, and the Congress and Samajwadi Party holding the Centre's attitude responsible for her abrupt decision.

Mayawati is unable to digest the results of the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 UP Assembly elections, UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, adding people of the state have rejected partisan and communal politics.

Apna Dal (Sonelal), an ally of the BJP-led NDA, attributed her decision to massive erosion in her support base.

The Congress said the Dalit leader took the sudden decision as the BJP had unleashed autocratic rule throughout the country.

Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said Mayawati's right to speech and expression was violated in the Rajya Sabha.
An unknown person returned a painting by eminent artist Jatin Das which was a part of Air India's collection, sources said on Friday.

According to sources, the painting was returned to the airline via a courier addressed to Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani around two weeks back.

"We received a courier around two weeks back. It was addressed to the CMD. The package contained the missing painting by Jatin Das," an airline source said.

The source revealed that an extensive investigation is underway and suspected former officials of the airline are being questioned.

On July 6, Air India said that it has initiated an inquiry to verify allegation about theft of paintings from its vast collection.

The investigation was initiated after eminent artist had written to Lohani to inform him about the missing painting which was available on the black market.

"Jatin Das has recently written a letter (June 24) to the CMD (Air India) asking for photographs and details of the paintings in our collection that were made by him," the airline had said in a statement on July 6.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday amid tension among the alliance partners.

According to reports, Nitish discussed the existing political situation in Bihar with the Congress vice president.

The Bihar CM will be in Delhi for four days to attend a farewell dinner for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday evening and to attend the oath-taking ceremony of new President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.

The meeting between the two leaders comes at a time when Bihar's ruling grand alliance is witnessing a crisis after CBI raided RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's premises over an alleged benami land deal.

The JD-U, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal are partners in Bihar's ruling grand alliance, which is in the throes of a political crisis due to the CBI raids on Tejashwi Yadav's premises.

The JD-U, in its efforts to portray a corruption-free image, has demanded that Tejashwi Yadav shuld quit, a demand rejected by the RJD and the Congress.
The BJP on Thursday criticised Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his allegations against the Modi government on its Kashmir policy, saying these are "absolutely incorrect and utterly irresponsible" and terrorists are on the run due to its tough measures.

Hitting out at Gandhi, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said many problems of Jammu and Kashmir are the legacy of the Congress and its role in creating complications in the state is "too well known".

The Congress leader had earlier in the day said Kashmir is "burning" due to the government's policies.

Reacting to it, Prasad told PTI, "His allegations are absolutely incorrect and utterly irresponsible. Because of highly proactive measures taken by the Modi government with the state government's cooperation, terrorists are on the run today."

Security forces have an upper hand now, he said, claiming that the government had taken tough measures against illegal flow of funds, terrorists and separatists.

Pakistan stands isolated in the world today, Prasad said, noting that the US had called it a safe haven for terrorists.

He credited the central government's diplomatic and pro- active steps for the development, including freezing of funds meant for Pakistan.

He said the people of the state trusts the Modi government and it was "evident" from the fact that many young people were joining armed forces and the state police and becoming central government officers.
London's Buckingham Palace has unveiled an intimate tribute to Diana, the Princess of Wales, marking the 20th anniversary of her death.

In one of the palace's state rooms, curators have carefully recreated a desk the princess worked at in her sitting room at Kensington Palace, complete with family photos, cherished items and music cassettes.

She wrote letters here, read briefings and took care of other correspondence.

Many of the items shown on and around the desk were selected by her sons, William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.

"It was chosen to reflect an aspect of Diana, Princess of Wales' official duties. So the work that she would undertake at her desk before and after engagements," said curator Sally Goodsir. "So, we've really tried to recreate her desk as it was in her sitting room at Kensington Palace.

And using objects that she had upon her desk and from memories that her sons, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have of her."

The desk features a leather frame which contains photographs of family and friends. There's also a case of cassette tapes and a radio reflecting her love of music, along with her ballet shoes, which hung on the door of her sitting room at Kensington Palace.

"Some of the pieces on display really reflect the princess' personal interests," said Goodsir.

"These include her ballet shoes, she was well-known as a lover of dance, and then also her set of cassette tapes, popular music such as Elton John and George Michael, but also pieces from classical repertoire, including Pavarotti."

Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

"It will be an important anniversary at the end of August, marking the 20th anniversary of her death," said Goodsir.

The tribute to Diana is part of Buckingham Palace's annual summer opening, which also includes the exhibit "Royal Gifts," a special display of over 200 gifts presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her 65-year reign.

The gifts include a Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award presented to the queen in 2013 for her patronage of the film and television industries. Some items were presented to the queen during state visits and overseas tours, such as a model of a warrior presented in 1974 from Papua New Guinea, and a portrait of the queen made with woven banana leaves, given to her in Rwanda in 2006.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday condemned Israel's excessive use of force against Palestinians in East Jerusalem, urging an immediate end to its new restrictions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

It is "unacceptable" that Israel imposed new restrictions including placing metal detectors at the entrance to the Al-Aqsa compound, President Erdogan said in a written statement released on the Presidency website.

"As the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Term President, I condemn Israeli forces' use of excess force on our brothers gathered for Friday prayer, the Friday prayer not being allowed in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and Israel's persistence in its attitude despite all warnings," he said.

The Turkish president urged Israel to return to the status quo before the latest move.

Erdogan also called for the international community to immediately end the measures that restrict freedom of worship.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a phone conversation on Friday with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki about the recent tension after Israel imposed restrictions on the Al-Aqsa compound.

Israel's placement of metal detectors on the site this week triggered protests that left at least three Palestinians dead and hundreds wounded as clashes between Palestinian and Israeli forces broke out in several cities across the West Bank after Friday prayers.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says the Trump administration was too restrictive in deciding what family relationships qualify as close enough to avoid the ban on travel from six mostly Muslim counties.

Ginsburg said at a Duke Law School event yesterday in Washington that the court decided in an order this week that close relationships include grandparents and other relatives the administration initially left off its list of family members who would not be covered by President Donald Trump's 90-day travel ban.

Her comments provided a bit of insight on the court's opaque practice of dealing with emergency appeals.

The administration appealed a federal judge's order from last week that vastly expanded the family members who could help a visitor from the six countries gain entry into the US.

The countries are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The justices will hear argument in October on the legality of the ban. Two federal appeals courts said the ban violated the Constitution or federal law, but the Supreme Court in June allowed the ban to take effect in part.

Also included is a 120-day ban on refugees from around the world. The justices this week sided with the administration in blocking the part of last week's court ruling that eased entry for refugees who have relationships with refugee resettlement agencies in the US.

Ginsburg said the term that begins in October will be momentous.

It includes important cases on the limits on partisan redistricting of electoral districts and a clash of religious rights and gay rights over a Colorado baker's refusal to make a cake for the marriage of a same-sex couple.
US Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims he was killed in an air strike.

"I think Baghdadi's alive And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said.

"But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," he told reporters on Friday.

In June, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.

Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as "caliph" in 2014, he has not been seen.

Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations. Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.

Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet.

He said he has not used the presidential authorisation to increase the troop number in the war-torn country by 4,000.

"You fight wars for a reason. You don't just fight wars  I'm going to go fight a war now. There's got to be some end state to it, especially when you take a democracy that does not want to go fight wars and have to be able to compel the people to think. Maybe they got their act together here. Maybe this makes sense. So, you come up with a political reason for it," he said.

"There was a political reason for going after Osama bin Laden. He attacked New York City. So, there's a decision at the political level," Mattis said.

"Once you get the policy right, then you have to get the strategy right Because if you don't know where you're going, good luck when you take off on your journey," he said.
Nelson Mandela's widow threatened legal action over a book by his personal doctor that laid bare intimate details of his final illness and death in 2013.

Mandela's Indian-origin physician Vejay Ramlakan revealed several undignified episodes at the end of Mandela's life as well as bitter family squabbles over his care and legacy.

"I condemn the book in the strongest terms," Graca Machel said in a statement released by her charity foundation, local media reported.

"I am taking legal advice on whether to institute legal proceedings against the author and its publisher."

Machel accused Ramlakan of breaching patient confidentiality with his candid book, which was released to coincide with Mandela Day on July 18, an annual day to honour his memory.

Machel said she planned to meet the executors of Mandela's will to discuss how to "best protect Madiba's good name and reputation", using Mandela's clan name.

In the book, titled "Mandela's Last Years", Ramlakan reveals that an ambulance transporting Mandela to hospital during his final months caught fire on the highway forcing him to wait 30 minutes to wait for a backup.

He also detailed how the liberation hero regurgitated blood due to a lung infection and disclosed that after Mandela's death at the age of 95, a spy camera was found in the morgue where his body was held.

Mandela married Machel, his third wife and the widow of Mozambique president Samora Machel, in 1998.
The Pakistani army said that security forces have "killed many terrorists" during an on-going major operation against militant groups.

"Many terrorists have been killed, a few fled to Afghanistan. Terrorists hideouts dismantled, cache of Improvised Explosive Devices, arms and ammunition recovered," said the statement on Saturday.

Security forces launched a major operation on July 16 in Khyber tribal region near the Afghan border to choke passages of armed groups, especially the cross-border movement of Daesh or Islamic State, Xinhua news agency reported.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said earlier that the operation codenamed "Khyber 4" was started after some arrested terror suspects revealed their links with Daesh on the Afghan side of the border.

"Operation continues with major achievement last night when troops, including Special Services Group, successfully cleared the highest and craggiest mountain top Brekh Muhammad Kandao near Pak-Afghan border," the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a nearly 2,600-km common border, mostly porous, and the militants use inaccessible routes in mountains for cross-border movements.


The Philippine Congress sits in a special session to vote on President Rodrigo Dutertes bid for longer military rule over the southern third of the country in a bid to defeat Islamist gunmen.

Duterte is widely expected to win approval for martial law in the region until the end of the year, with troops having failed to wrest back the southern city of Marawi following two months of fighting.

The military said only about 60 Islamic State group-inspired gunmen are left in a 49-hectare (121-acre) area of Marawi, but Duterte said he needed martial law powers to rebuild the city and ensure the war did not spread elsewhere.

"I cannot afford to be complacent," Duterte told reporters on Friday adding the military will be conducting further "mopping up operations" even after they recapture Marawi.

"If there is a spillage it will not be as bad if you have this stopgap," he added.

Duterte imposed a 60-day martial rule  the maximum period allowed by the constitution  over the Mindanao region on May 23 within hours of the gunmen beginning their rampage.

On Monday he asked Congress to extend it until the end of the year, along with the continued suspension of a constitutional safeguard against warrantless arrests.

A slide presentation accompanying Duterte's request compared the Marawi crisis to the IS takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Most of the militants' leaders remain at large, it said, while about 90 of the gunmen have slipped past security cordons and can link up with other armed groups in the regionto mount similar wide scale attacks.

Marawi itself could now become a magnet for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, it added.

Martial law allows the military to establish control with measures such as curfews, checkpoints and gun controls in a country where civilians are authorised to keep licensed firearms in their homes.

However, any martial law extension must be approved by Congress.

The subject remains sensitive in the Philippines decades after the late deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos put the country under military rule for part of his 20-year term.

Thousands of critics, political opponents as well as communist guerrillas were killed, detained or arrested during the period, according to historians.

"I am amenable to it," House of Representatives justice committee chairman Reynaldo Umali, a key Duterte ally, told ABS-CBN television on Friday.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said previously he sees no roadblock to its swift approval by both chambers of Congress.

Duterte had already beaten back a Supreme Court petition to declare martial law in Mindanao illegal. But opposition politicians have criticised Dutertes proposal for a martial law extension, with some alleging it is part of a Duterte plot to eventually bring the country under a military-backed dictatorship.

"Once he feels that there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it, Senator Antonio Trillanes said on Tuesday.

After this he could declare a revolutionary government toallow him to stay in office beyond his six-year electoral term in mid-2022, Trillanes says.

Duterte, 72, insists he has no plan to stay in office beyond his term.
The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any "coercive aspects".

"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman said.

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension "free of any coercive aspects".

Notably, in the past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later in July. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

"The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said in written response to the questions
But the tribe has a long way to go
On June 14, it rained heavily in Jalna district, about an hour's drive from Aurangabad. Dr Shaibal Dasgupta sat in a car, and through the glass window, peered at a large, boxy enclosure with wooden floor and legs. In the heavy rain, the only thing that made it conspicuous was the green net that covered the entire enclosure. This, said Dasgupta, is the world's largest cage for the Aedes aegypti mosquito. There's nothing quite like this anywhere in the world.

Built on a budget of about 035 lakh, the enclosure is a set of six cages placed on a platform of 580 square metres. Each cage is 6X6X3 metres, enclosed in a cover of 8X8X3 metres, and contains thousands of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes caught from nearby areas. The buzzing insects are fed sucrosemale mosquitoes feed on sugar, female on bloodat regular intervals, and left to multiply. The green cover, imported from Taiwan, protects the insects from extreme temperature and ultraviolet rays, while the ant traps fixed on the wooden legs prevent other insects from infiltrating.

Few among us would reckon that the life of a mosquito holds much value. But inside the warm environs of this laboratory at Gangabishan Bhikulal Investment and Trading Company, the mosquito is an unlikely ally in the war against its own kindthe deadly Aedes aegypti, known to be a carrier of dengue, chikungunya, and as India has learnt lately, the zika virus, too. GBIT started working on the project in 2008 after signing an agreement with Oxitec, a British biotechnology company that specialises in producing genetically-modified insects. As part of the project, GBIT has imported eggs of a genetically modified strain of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. When males of this strain (OX513A) mate with the local mosquito, they produce an offspring that would die before reaching adulthood. Ultimately, it will lead to a reduction in the mosquito population, claim scientists.

Dr Prabhakar Patil, medical entomologist, has been working on the project since its inception in 2008. He shows a brown-coloured paper strip of 15cm X 10cm which contains close to 8,000 eggs.

Every time Patil needs insects for the experiment, he cuts a strip of paperthe 8,000 eggs look like fine ash spread on paper to the naked eyeand immerses it in water. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae are fed tetramin [larvae feed], he says. Patil then closely monitors their life cycle, mating habits with the wild strain, and the progeny they produce.

Oxitec's insects have a gene that prevents them from surviving to adulthood. This pest control gene produces a protein called tTAV (tetracycline repressible activator variant) that acts as a switch to control the activity of the other genes. It is a gene variant that has been optimised to work only in insect cells, says the Oxitec website. In the engineered insects, when the tTAV gene is expressed, the non-toxic protein ties up the cells machinery so its other genes arent expressed. And the insect dies.

To keep the mosquitoes alive inside the laboratory, and offset the effect of the self-limiting gene, tetracycline, an antibiotic that binds itself to the tTAV protein and disables it, is used.

There are around 3,000 species of the Aedes in the world, says Patil, as he shows us around the GBIT lab. However, only twoAedes aegypti and Aedes albopictusamong the species are harmful.

Controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito is difficult because of its breeding habits, says Dasgupta, project leader at GBIT, which is owned by Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company. Dr Neena Valecha, director of National Malaria Research Institute at Dwarka in New Delhi, shows pictures of old, abandoned tyres at different sites in the city, including those at puncture shops, where the mosquito breeds easily. Which is why scientists like Dasgupta are placing their bet on the transgenic mosquito. The technology has had varying degrees of success in different countries; Oxitec's biggest factory producing mosquitoes is currently being tested in Brazilian neighbourhoods.

This, however, isn't India's first tryst with genetic control of mosquitoes. According to an article published on the website of Third World Network, a transnational alternative policy group, a similar experiment was done in the 1970s in India. In the article, veteran medical entomologist Dr P.K. Rajagopalan highlights how in 1975, the WHO was forced by the Indian government to wind up its Genetic Control of Mosquitoes Unit (GCMU) in New Delhi. The GCMU's planned release of millions of modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in urban Sonepat, north of New Delhi, was declared to be not in the national interest and aborted.

Rajagopalan, former director of Vector Control Research Centre and WHO consultant, is a strong opponent of the genetic sterile male technique. He argues that releasing competitive, sterile males [to overwhelm the wild males] has worked in the case of insects such as screw worm and Mediterranean fruit flies, because the females cause no damage, and sex separation systems are not required. For the mosquito, however, it is essential to ensure that no females, not even sterile ones, are released because the female (even if sterile) bites and transmits diseases. In the GCMU experiment, Rajagopalan says that a contamination of 2 to 5 per cent females was observed with the males.

Experts at GBIT, however, insist no females would be released, and even if they were the probability of them transmitting infection is next to nil. Studies carried out by the GCMU show that the sterile males were unable to compete with wild males, says Rajagopalan.

Also, there is no way to ensure that the synthetic DNA would not cause any harm when transferred into humans by the transgenic mosquitoes.

In the laboratories of the Vector Control Research Centre in Puducherry, the stage is being set for another innovative method. A fresh batch of Aedes mosquito eggs, infected with a bacteria, is set to be imported from Australia, as part of an agreement between the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Monash University. Scientists will test whether the bacteria can help reduce the ability of the mosquitoes to be infected by the dengue virus. Unlike the GBIT project, this project does not aim to reduce population. Instead, it aims to stop the virus from growing inside the vector.

Researchers part of the Eliminate Dengue Programme at the Monash University told THE WEEK that the bacteria approach worked in two ways. It boosts the immune system of the mosquito to make it harder for it to support the dengue or zika infection. The other way is by competing for key molecules like cholesterol, which both the virus and wolbachia [a bacteria] need. When wolbachia is there, it consumes those molecules and makes it harder for the viruses to grow. If the viruses cant grow, they cant be transmitted, say the researchers.

The imported eggs would be hatched in clean water. Simultaneously, colonies of wild mosquitoes will also be raised, and the two strains will be backcrossed (cross a hybrid with one of its parents or an organism with the same genetic characteristics as one of the parents). The wolbachia infection is inherited maternally. We will experiment with 5 to 6 generations of the mosquito before we know how it will work, says Dr P. Jambulingam, director of VCRC. The mosquitoes will be fed on dengue virus, and the experiment will check whether the virus reaches the salivary gland of the insect from where it is passed on to others, he says. Wolbachia is safe for humans and the environment, insist experts. Unlike the Oxitec technique, this effect is self-sustaining in the mosquito population, making it an affordable, long-term intervention.

The success of these strategies will rest on community engagement, says Dr Soumya Swaminathan, director of ICMR. According to Dr T. Mariappan, scientist at the ICMR-Centre for Research in Medical Entomology in Madurai, improving sanitation and increasing awareness would play a key role. It is being predicted that by 2025, diseases such as dengue and chikungunya will overtake malaria. There is no vaccine that protects against the four dengue virus strains. The fight against the mosquito is not the government's alone, says Mariappan. It is everyone's fight.

WHY INDIA NEEDS TO WAIT FOR A DENGUE VACCINE

Last year, 245 people died of dengue in India. This year, 11,402 cases have been reported so far. Finding a vaccine is the need of the hour. There are two candidates in the frayan indigenous tetravalent vaccine being developed by scientists at International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, and another vaccine developed by Francebased Sanofi Pasteur.

There are four serotypes of the dengue virus. Our vaccine protects against all four, says Dr Navin Khanna, group leader, recombinant gene products at ICGEB.

The other vaccine, Dengvaxia, has been approved in 16 countries (in Asia and Latin America), but is currently under review in India, according to Jean-Pierre Baylet, country head, South Asia, Sanofi Pasteur. It is the only dengue vaccine to have completed three phases of development and is now approved for use in 16 dengue-endemic countries, says Baylet.

However, according to World Health Organisation's position paper on dengue vaccine, in defining populations to be targeted for vaccination, prior infection with dengue virus of any serotype, as measured by seroprevalence, should be approximately 70 per cent or greater in the age group targeted for vaccination in order to maximise public health impact and cost-effectiveness. The paper that was published in July 2016 says that vaccination of populations with seroprevalence between 50 per cent and 70 per cent is acceptable but the impact of the vaccination programme may be lower.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, director of Indian Council of Medical Research, says that over the next year, a seroprevalence study for dengue virus would be conducted in ten states with about 70,000 to 80,000 samples, before the introduction of a vaccine can be considered. We need to invest more in development of a vaccine. Since it is a complex area that requires a lot of research and development, not many good vaccine companies are willing to invest in it, she says. The mosquito is adapting much faster, and more research in this area is needed.
A ministerial group formed to look into the modalities of national passenger carrier Air India's divestment process met here on Friday.

The group -- Air India-specific Alternative Mechanism -- headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met here for the first time after its formation. Apart from Jaitley, the meet was attended by Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and some other ministers.

The group has been mandated to guide strategic divestment process and to decide on key issues such as treatment of AI's debt and hiving-off of its assets.

The demerger and strategic divestment of three profit making subsidiaries, the quantum of disinvestment and the universe of bidders is also on the group's agenda.

The meeting comes after the Union Cabinet's June 28 decision, giving in-principle approval for divestment of AI, whose debt has mounted to Rs 50,000 crore besides huge losses.

The decision was based on NITI Aayog's recent report to the Civil Aviation Ministry recommending strategic disinvestment in the loss-making national career.

The airline in 2015-16 had posted an operating profit of Rs 105 crore. For the last fiscal (2016-17), the company is expected to report an improved operating profit margin.

The flag carrier had got a new lease of life on April 12, 2012, when the then UPA government had approved a Rs 30,000 crore turnaround (TAP) and financial restructuring plans (FRP) package spanning up to the year 2021.

After the cabinet's in-principle approval for Air India's divestment, budget passenger airline IndiGo expressed its interest in participating in the stake sale.

On July 18, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, in a letter to the airline employees, said the government's decision to consider AI's divestment stemmed from the fact that the airline is unable to service its "huge accumulated debt of over Rs 50,000 crore".

"This huge debt has accumulated due to continuous losses over the years. You would however appreciate that unless a solution is found to this huge debt, survival in the long run is almost impossible and the proposal to consider disinvestment is a step in this direction.

"It is the firm conviction of the government that the process of disinvestment is only meant to make Air India a much stronger world class airline capable of competing with others successfully. This would indeed be a win-win solution for employees," he wrote.
The recent views expressed by Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy that he regrets quitting Infosys indicates that he may not be satisfied with its present value system. Murthy had seen the company grow from scratch to become the jewel of the Indian IT industry. Time and again, Murthy has expressed his concern about certain board decisions and the high pay package to its CEO Dr. Vishal Sikka.

The values which Murthy, as the founder of Infosys, had inculcated have changed now. There has been a deviation in the company's present inherent value system that were there when Murthy was at the helm of affairs, Alok Shende of the Mumbai based Ascentius Consulting told THE WEEK. It is very difficult to create a company the size of Infosys, and when the Infosys board and CEO do not function the way Murthy and other founders want, there are bound to be differences. Though market conditions are different from what they were when Murthy was there, Sikka's performance cannot be termed as exceptional as he has taken many decisions that have not gone down well with Murthy and other Infosys founders.

Experts such as Prasanna Kumar, the CEO of Bengaluru based HR firm Bellfast Management Private Limited, is of the view that most of the companies in India are driven by entrepreneurs who have a vision for that company. Any organisation gets disturbed or shaken if its founder leaves the company. Murthy had a clear road map for Infosys and was a proven head of the organisation. He may not be satisfied with the vision of the present CEO and the board, said Kumar.

Kris Lakshmikanth, the founder of Head Hunters India Limited, feels that even if Murthy wants to come back to Infosys, he will not get a chance as he is now over 70. I feel that he is a shareholder himself and he keeps giving statements and questioning the functioning of the company as he may want more dividends. Moreover, when he was there, Infosys had a monopoly in the market, but today, the market conditions are very different and the market is tough, said Lakshmikanth.
Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has rejected the state Cabinet's recommendation to extend the tenure of seven MLAs as chairpersons of various government corporations, in what is set to aggravate the tussle between the Congress-led government and the LG office.

"No mid-term performance appraisal and year-end review reports of the corporations and the other statutory bodies were available for extending the tenure.

"Hence the Lt Governor returned the proposal sent by the chief minister recommending renewal of tenure of the seven MLAs appointed as chairmen of the corporations and statutory bodies in July last year," said a release from the lieutenant governor office today.

The release said the seven MLAs - five of the Congress and two of its ally DMKwere appointed chairmen of the government undertakings for a period of one year last July.

While granting approval for the appointment of the MLAs as PSUs' chiefs last year, Bedi had stipulated that the performance of the statutory body under the leadership of newly-appointed chairpersons should be reviewed before considering their continuance.

The LG had also stipulated that "a mid-term measurable performance appraisal of the institution should also be carried out engaging professional in the field after six months," the release said.

The release added that "the LG's secretariat received a note from chief minister containing his recommendation that the performances of chairmen were satisfactory and hence the tenure be renewed."

"The note from the chief minister was, however, without the mid-term performance appraisal and year-end review report as was required under conditions of the appointment," the release said.

It also stated that the council of ministers which had a meeting on July 14 also recommended that "the MLAs should continue to be chairpersons until further orders without any appraisal reports."

Bedi invoked the provisions of the Government of Union Territories Act 1963 and also Rules of Business of Government of Puducherry 1963 and has directed that the seven MLAs should cease to function as chairpersons from the date of completion of their tenure of one year from July last year.

The release said as "a difference of opinion between Lt governor and Council of Ministers has arisen in the matter of continuance of the seven MLAs as chairpersons of statutory bodies, the Lt governor had referred the matter to President of India for a decision through the Central government."

"The Lt Governorissued orders today directing the secretaries to the administration concerned to function as chairpersons of the undertakings pending receipt of the decision of the Central government," it added.

According to another Raj Nivas press release, the names of the seven legislators whose term as chairmen of corporations has not been extended are as follows:

S. Dhanvelu (Chairman of Puducherry Agro Products and Civil Services Corporation), M.N.R. Bhalan (Puducherry Transport Development Corporation), T. Djeamurthy (Puducherry Planning Authority), E. Theepainthan (Puducherry Slum Clearance Board) and V. Vizeaveny (Puducherry Distilleries Limited) (all belonging to Congress).

R. Siva (Pondicherry Industries Promotion Investment and Development Corporation) and Ms Geetha Anandan (Puducherry power Corporation Limited, Karaikal) (both DMK).
The Indian Army is battling critical shortage of ammunition, especially for its tanks and artillery, and 121 out of the total 152 types of munition do not meet the minimum levels needed to fight a full-scale war, the government auditor has found.

In its latest report on the Army and ordnance factories tabled in Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said that in the last few years, no significant improvement was made in the availability of War Wastage Reserve (WWR), which is ammunition needed to meet the requirements of 40 days of intense war or a full-scale war.

"Out of 152 types of ammunition, only 31 (21 per cent) met the authorisation of 40 (days). Balance 121 types of ammunition were still below the authorisation level," the CAG said in its findings.

According to Defence Ministry approved standards, the Indian Army is supposed to store ammunition expenditure for at least 40 days of an intense war.

The Army has also set ammunition level required for what is called the Minimum Acceptable Risk Level (MARL) - that is the amount of ammunition required for 20 days of war.

But the CAG found that even this level was not maintained in most of the types of ammunition.

The CAG criticised the Ordnance Factory Board OFB for the highlighted inadequate quantity of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013.

"Scrutiny of category-wise details of ammunition revealed that the WWR level had increased mainly on account of increase in the stock of explosives and demolition items while majority of high calibre ammunition relating to Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) and artillery ammunition meant for sustaining superior fire power were under critical level," the report said.

The CAG said it had raised serious concerns in a report on ammunition management in 2015 but still "no significant improvement" has taken place in the availability of WWR ammunition supplied by the OFB.

"Shortfall in meeting the production target by OFB continued. Further, majority of the procurement cases from other than OFB which were initiated by Army headquarters during 2009-13 were pending as of January 2017."

The CAG report also highlighted that "excessive shortage of fuzes" - the "brain of the artillery ammunition" - was also a matter concern. A fuze is fitted to the shell just before firing.

The report said that 83 per cent of high calibre ammunition for tanks and artillery with the army were not in a state to be used because they don't have fuzes.

"As the ammunition remain unusable without fuzes, only 17 per cent of scarcely available ammunition would be gainfully utilized for operational requirements."
State goes to polls in April







Putting all apprehensions over an early poll at rest, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the assembly elections would be held in April 2018.

Siddaramaiah, addressing the newly-appointed office-bearers of the party at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office recently, said, The elections for Karnataka will be held in April 2018. Let there be no doubts about it. I have even informed the high command about the dates."

The chief minister exhorted the party workers to work hard, educate the voters on the popular programmes and schemes of the Congress government.







Lingayat, a separate religion?

The tussle for better political representations in Karnataka, known for caste-based politics and identity politics, is not new. The latest to launch an agitation to show its strength is the dominant Lingayat community, which is seeking its own religious status.

Last week, more than 50,000 Lingayats from Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra gathered at Bidars Nehru Maidan to demand a separate 'religious minority' status. They contested that the Lingayats were not part of the Hindu religion nor the Veerashaiva sect.

The rally led by the Lingayat Dharma Samanvaya Samithi, represented by various Lingayat religious heads and elected representatives, urged the state government to represent their case before the Centre to accord independent religious status to the Lingayats.

The movement to delink the Lingayats from the Hindu religion is not new. Karnataka is estimated to have about 60 lakh Lingayats belonging to more than 60-odd sub-sects. The community is also accorded Backward Class status.

During the 2011 Census, the community leaders had made an appeal to its members to reject their classification under Hindu and opt for others.

Says Mate Mahadevi, head of Basava Dharma Peeta, Lingayats are not Hindus, as we have a separate guru (Basavanna) and follow his Vachanas and not the Vedic scriptures followed by the Hindus. Our's is a secular cult that is based on social equality.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, assuring the Lingayat leaders of placing their demand before the Centre, has irked the BJP. While, the Lingayat community has been a traditional vote bank for the BJP, the Congress government's enthusiasm and support to the agitation has unsettled the saffron party.







'Ban Hindi in Namma Metro'







The row over usage of Hindi in the signboards across metro stations continues, with the government still awaiting a report on the language policy followed in other states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the protesters who consider it as an act of 'imposition of Hindi' set out to blacken the Hindi boards across the metro stations. Six Kannada activists were arrested last Wednesday for blackening the signage boards at K.R. Market metro station. While the arrested have been sent to judicial custody, activists have threatened a rail roko if their demands are not met.

We had given a deadline to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) and the government to remove the Hindi boards. We are forced to continue the agitation as the government has not taken any action, said Karnataka Rakshana Vedika President T.A. Narayana Gowda.

A Twitter campaign'#NammaMetroHindiBeda' (Don't want Hindi in Namma Metro)that began last month against the Centre's three-language policy, which promotes use of signages in Hindi, English and Kannada in the metro stations, was opposed by pro-Kannada groups.







Water politics

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has blamed the Goa government for the inordinate delay in resolving the dispute over the sharing of Mahadayi river water.

Siddaramaiah asserted that the Karnataka government was keen that the issue be resolved out of court. But the stubborn attitude of the Goa government is delaying the resolution, he lamented. I had written to my Goa and Maharashtra counterparts Manohar Parrikar and Devendra Phadnavis, respectively, last week, inviting them for talks at a place and date convenient to them, to find a negotiated settlement to the inter-state water dispute through talks. But Goa has rejected the offer.

Siddaramaiah's move for negotiations comes following the suggestion of Justice J.M. Panchal, head of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal, who advised the three states to try for a negotiated settlement in the spirit of brotherhood in the federal system.

In a reply to Siddaramaiah's letter, Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar said, There will be no compromise or out-of-court settlement on Mahadayi case with Karnataka. Palyekar also accused Karnataka of playing dirty tricks from behind on the one side even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, is asking for an out-of-court settlement for the dispute.

The decision of the Goa government has put Siddaramaiah in a fix as the ongoing agitation over Kalasa-Banduri Nala project (part of Mahadayi dispute) in north Karnataka, which completed two years, would now get intensified.
An Indian soldier was killed and another was injured in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Jammu district, defence sources said.

According to the sources, Pakistan army violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovked firing across the LoC in Chhamb sector at 6.05 p.m.

"One soldier identified as rifleman Jaidrath was killed while another rifleman identified as Sachin Kumar was injured," a source said, adding Indian troops were "effectively and strongly retaliating".

The sources said Pakistan army initiated firing from Pimpal border outpost on their side of the LoC, while the Indian soldiers killed or injured were deployed at Goga-2 border outpost on the Indian side in Bhattal area of Chhamb sector.
The special counsel investigating the possible collusion between President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia has asked White House officials to preserve any records of a meeting last year between the president's eldest son and a Russian lawyer, according to a source with knowledge of the request.

Special counsel Robert Mueller sent a document preservation request to the White House, saying the June 2016 meeting that Donald Trump Jr. had at Trump Tower in New York is relevant to his investigation, the source said on Friday.

The White House counsel's office relayed the request, a routine part of the early phase of any investigation, to other members of the White House staff on Wednesday, the source said.

News earlier this month of the meeting between Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer, whom he was told had damaging information about his father's presidential rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, fuelled questions about the campaign's dealings with Moscow. The Republican president has defended his son's meeting as simple politics.

Trump's son-in-law and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting.

The senate judiciary committee has called for Trump Jr. and Manafort to testify next Wednesday at a public hearing in its Russia probe.

The committee said in a statement late Friday that Trump Jr. and Manafort had agreed to negotiate with the panel over whether they will be interviewed by committee members and over documents it is seeking. The committee said it had not issued subpoenas for them to appear at Wednesday's hearing but reserved the right to do so.

The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said it would interview Kushner on Tuesday.

Mueller, appointed by the Justice Department in May, is probing allegations of Russian interference in the election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign, an issue that has engulfed the six-month-old administration.

Trump has long expressed frustration with a probe that he has called a political witch hunt, and he has denied any collusion. Moscow has denied it interfered in the election campaign to try to tilt the November 2016 vote in Trump's favour.

RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR OVERHEARD

Document requests of the type sent by Mueller generally cover emails, text messages, voicemails, notes or records. The counsel is looking for any indication that the president knew the meeting his son had was planned and might have suggested topics for discussion, the source said.

Mueller would also be inquiring into whether Trump was briefed on the meeting afterward, as well as what was discussed, the source said. Mueller would be interested, the source said, in topics such as any discussion of US economic sanctions on Russia, possible Russian investments in the United States or elsewhere, or a possible lifting of a Russian ban on Americans adopting Russian children.

Russia imposed the adoption ban to retaliate for the 2012 Magnitsky Act, which imposed sanctions on Russian individuals to punish Russia for human rights violations.

Russia's ambassador to Washington was overheard by US spy agencies telling his bosses that he had discussed campaign-related matters with Trump adviser Jeff Sessions last year, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing current and former US officials.

Sessions, who was a US senator at the time and is now the attorney general, initially failed to disclose the contacts with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak and then said they were not about the campaign.

Under pressure over having not disclosed the meetings with Kislyak, Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe in March. The recusal angered Trump, who said in a New York Times interview this week that he would not have chosen Sessions for attorney general if he had known Sessions would recuse himself.

Newspaper reports said Trump's lawyers are reviewing ways to limit or undermine the special counsel.

The Washington Post and The New York Times on Thursday cited unidentified people familiar with the strategy. A Trump attorney contacted by Reuters, John Dowd, denied the reports and praised Mueller. We think he's a straight, honest guy, Dowd said.

Dowd said communications with Mueller were productive and we have confidence hes going to do the right thing.

Another Trump lawyer, Jay Sekulow, told the Times that addressing possible conflicts of interest in Mueller's team would be appropriate but declined to comment on specifics.

Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway referred on Friday to reports that members of Mueller's team have made donations to the Democratic Party. People should know what folks paths and motivations and political motivations are, she said in a Fox News interview.

According to the Post, Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the Russia probe. Trump's lawyers have been discussing the presidents pardoning powers, a second person told the newspaper.

Dowd dismissed the pardon report as nonsense. It's just not true, he said.

Separately, the spokesman for Trump's legal team, Mark Corallo, confirmed his resignation on Friday. And lead attorney Marc Kasowitz will take on a reduced role on the outside legal team, according to media reports.

Other recent changes included the hiring of veteran Washington lawyer Ty Cobb to a White House job to handle responses to the Russia probe.

Sourced from Reuters
In the trailer of Madhur Bhandarkars Indu Sarkar, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh says, Emergency mein emotion nahi, mere orders chalte hain (During the emergency, emotions do not matter, only my orders do). His resemblance to Sanjay Gandhi is unmissable. The film, scheduled for release on July 28, hit the headlines after the Congress party voiced its reservations over the portrayal of Indira Gandhi and other leaders in the trailer. On YouTube, the trailer has already racked up more than 56 lakh views.

But, Bhandarkar is not new to such rows. Known for his hard-hitting and realistic films, the Mumbaikar has often made movies against a backdrop of the glam world. This time, he wanted to make something very different. The Emergency (1975-77) has not been debated in Indian cinema very strongly, he said. There have been films that have discussed the period in the backdrop, but a film fully dedicated to the 21-month period has not been made.

Bhandarkar and Anil Pandey wrote the story and screenplay, while Sanjay Chhel wrote the dialogues. The threesome together placed the protagonist, Indu Sarkar (Kirti Kulhari), against the backdrop of the Emergency. The titles of Bhandarkars filmsPage 3, Fashion, Jail, Corporategive away a lot about the premise of the story. Indu Sarkar follows the trend; Indira was fondly called Indu. Indu is the protagonists name and Sarkar is the surname of her husband, said Bhandarkar. Hence, Indu Sarkar. But, you can look at it metaphorically.

The pre-production took more than seven months. Bhandarkar travelled to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bengaluru to collect memorabilia from the 1970sposters, gramophones and telephones. A set resembling those times was created at ND Studios, Karjat. Books such as The Emergency: A Personal History by Coomi Kapoor and Emergency Retold by Kuldip Nayar were used as research material. The background research also included a visit to the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library at Teen Murti Bhawan. We also read the Shah Commission report [the commission, headed by Justice J.C. Shah, was appointed in 1977 to look into the excesses committed during the Emergency], Bhandarkar said. We met many victims and based on our interactions, we developed our protagonist. She is an orphan. A poetess with a stammer, who is married to a bureaucrat. According to him, a lot of intricate details about the period like the laws that were discreetly included in the Ninth Schedule have been weaved into the story. The movie also shows the stories of the underground activists and their modus operandi.

The trailer of the film has disturbed many, including former Congress MP Jagdish Tytler. After watching the trailer, Tytler felt that a character was modelled on him. Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification asking for the movie to be screened for the party before it is censored. (Bhandarkar responded that those raising concerns must let the CBFC take a call on it). CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani had reportedly congratulated Bhandarkar for blowing the lid off one of the most shameful chapters of Indian politics. The CBFC normally demands filmmakers to get no objection certificates from concerned people when the film is about real incidents and situations. But, Bhandarkar was not asked to provide an NOC.

Kirti Kulhari in a scene from the movie.

However, when the censor screening eventually took place on July 10 (Nihalani was absent), Bhandarkar was shocked at the 14 changes (12 cuts and two disclaimers) suggested by the committee. The lines which the censor board wanted removed included: Ab iss desh mein Gandhi ke maayne badal chuke hain (The Gandhi name now holds a different meaning in this country) and, Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandi banaya hua hai (One of Indias daughters has enslaved the country). Bhandarkar said: We are disappointed with the CBFC and will now approach the revising committee. It is appalling that they are asking us to remove or change dialogues that were part of the censored trailer. Taking the suggested cuts will change the essence of [those] scenes in the film. Recalling his funny tryst with the CBFC over the years, Bhandarkar talked about Page 3 (2005) and Traffic Signal (2007) that got U/A certificates with minor cuts or tweaks. Then I made Fashion (2008) and got an A certificate. I asked them why A and they said the actresses were smoking in the film, he said. But so were the actresses in the other two films. News about it [CBFC] being arbitrary has started coming out on a frequent basis these days.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Jyotiraditya Scindia made the row political. While condemning the false depictions in the trailer, he said the film was fully sponsored. Bhandarkar said Indu Sarkar was a small-budget film (under Rs 9 crore) and that he had to struggle to complete it. Had my movie been sponsored, I would have released it during the elections, either in 2019 or earlier this year when the five states went to polls, he said. It would have been easy for me to do that. I am releasing my film when there is no election. As it is, the impact of a movie is for a week or two. It fizzles out after that. Bhandarkar said he does not stand by a political partys ideology, but follows individuals. He has been a staunch Modi supporter, but he said he has favourites in other parties too. For me, the nation comes first, he said. I have been in the industry for the last 17 years. I have achieved my commercial success and National Awards on my merit and not by any political diktats. My credibility is more important than anybody for my film.

He cannot understand why people are getting rattled. There have been letters, books, which have taken names, articles and documentaries about the Emergency, he said. But I dont know why people get upset when a film is made. He said he has been getting understated threats. People call up and say things like, Why do you want to take panga [trouble]? Change the names. It is okay. It is ultimately only a film, he said, adding that people should support his film that is trying to make the younger generation aware of one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. I also want the government to make this film tax free.
It might make your blood boil, but we are used to it by now. We are prepared for it. Its always our fault. No matter what we say or do.

But lets just present a few simple facts to the world:

Last Friday morning, three Israeli police officers were shot by gun-wielding terrorists on the Har Habayis (Temple Mount)  killing two of them in cold blood.

Israel rightfully reacts, and places metal detectors at all entrances to the Mount. (In fact, this writer was STUNNED to hear that there had never been metal detectors there beforehand.)

The Palestinians respond by vowing not to pray on the Temple Mount.

Then they threaten violence and declare a Day Of Rage.

On Friday, they rioted all day. More than 200 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli Security Forces. Three Palestinians were killed.

On Friday night, a terrorist broke a window in home in the Settlement of Halamish (Chalamish), surprising a family of about 10 inside as they were finishing their Shabbos Dinner and began his stabbing spree.

The animal murdered a 70-year-old grandfather and his son and daughter, in their thirties; A grandmother, aged 68, was badly wounded.

One of the women in the house hid a number of children in one of the rooms, from which she called the police and began shouting into the neighborhood that a terrorist was inside the home.

A neighbor entered the home and shot the terrorist dead.

Palestinian media identified the terrorist as Omar Al-Abed al-Jalil, 19, from the village of Kaubar, near Ramallah.

Now remind me, who started this? Israel, or the animals last Friday who shot up the Har Habyis?

Dont expect the BBC, Al Jazeera or the anti-Semitic New York Times to present the true facts to you. Its all Israels fault.

May Hashem avenge their blood speedily and send Moshiach soon.

Yosef Kuperman  Los Angeles

NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.

DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE POSTED ON YWN? SEND IT TO US FOR REVIEW.
Britain's budget airline boom has prompted an upstart airport to start using mobile phone data.

London Southend Airport in Essex is using mobile phone technology to monitor where locals are flying as it embarks on an ambitious strategy to reach 2.5m customers by 2018.

It can map where they are flying and set up new routes as a way to pinch customers from rivals such as Gatwick and Stansted.

Destination unknown: The Essex airport is using mobile phone technology to monitor where locals are flying

Airports are braced for a fierce war to win customers, with existing terminals rammed to capacity. Yesterday was the busiest day for UK air space with 8,800 flights taking off and landing.

The Government is holding a consultation in a bid to find ways to increase airport capacity.

And with Gatwick and Heathrow locked in war over who should build a new runway, smaller airports are desperately trying to expand.

This week Stansted said it plans to offer budget flights to New York with a little known Icelandic airline, Primera Air.

Southend, which is owned by logistics company Stobart Group, is the first known to be monitoring travel patterns in a bid to ramp up the number of flights it offers.

The phone tracking technology has seen the airport launch routes with EasyJet to Malta and Murcia in Spain, and with Flybe to Manchester, Dublin and Glasgow. It is also in talks with four different airlines to offer routes to Rome, Naples and Croatia.

Glyn Jones, chief executive, said: What I can say to EasyJet is, for example, 100,000 people in a year in our catchment area are flying to Rome.

But what I can also say to them is, of the 100,000 people, 70,000 live closer to London Southend than anywhere else. Therefore there is a rational offer  its easier for them to choose.

Jones, 58, added that the company doesnt know the individual names of the customers that are travelling, but simply has access to big bundles of data which tell them where groups of customers are going.

Southend Airport is forecast to break 1m passengers this year, and has even built its own train station so commuters from London can get to the airport.

NATS, the UKs leading provider of air traffic control services, said the UK aviation network will handle 777,000 flights this summer  the highest number in its history at 40,000 more flights than last year.

Also, 500,000 passengers are expected to pass through Heathrow this weekend, 335,000 through Gatwick, 136,000 through Stansted and 85,000 through Luton. London City Airport said it had deployed additional staff in its security, baggage handling and customer services in order to cope with the surge.

The Department of Transport has also proposed a mechanism that will allow travellers to dump their bags at a depot in advance and pick up boarding cards before making their own way to the airport at their leisure, or have suitcases collected from their homes.
In the extreme southwest corner of what was the state fairgrounds and is now Nebraska Innovation Campus, sits a small, almost nondescript, brick building with a stone inscription of State Arsenal.

One of only a few buildings on the old fairgrounds not to be razed, few people know of its existence or why it survived destruction let alone why it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1854, the first year of Nebraska territorys existence, Acting Gov. Thomas Cuming issued seven proclamations, one calling for establishment of two volunteer regiments  one north and one south of the Platte River  to keep arms and ammunition and establish night sentinels not to be used for force but only to provide self-defense.

The following year John Thayer was commissioned brigadier general to oversee two colonels who would command the two regiments. The legislature then passed an act creating the Nebraska Volunteer Militia with the colonels upgraded to brigadier generals and Thayer to major general.

During the Civil War, Nebraska supplied 3,307 men for the Union Army leaving the territory without sufficient protection from Indian attacks. This led Gov. Alvin Saunders to issue a proclamation calling for all males from 21 to 45 to sign up for independent militia companies and ordered army recruiters from other states to stay out of Nebraska.

In 1869, Nebraska, then a state, established the position of adjutant general and the following year passed an act to allow raising troops under extraordinary conditions.

Then, in 1881, although the term National Guard had been used previously, a legislative act passed a military code which officially changed the state militia to the Second Regiment of Infantry, National Guard of Nebraska.

Congressman Charles W. Dick, a major general in the Ohio National Guard, promoted an act which authorized the federal funding of the National Guard and the guards wearing of U.S. Army uniforms, but left local governors controlling mobilization. What became known as the Dick Act was passed by the 57th Congress.

In Nebraska, land near Ashland was rented in 1908 creating what was first called William Poynter Camp, named for Gov. William Poynter, and later as land was purchased, as Camp Ashland.

During the formative years of the Nebraska National Guard, material and equipment were stored in the basement of the capitol building in Lincoln. This became increasingly inefficient as it was nearly a mile from any railroad connection and dangerous, as stored ammunition brought the increased possibility of fires or explosions which was noted in a detailed report in 1912.

The following year the legislature responded and land adjacent to the west of the 17th Street entrance to the state fairgrounds on Court Street was set aside. Completed on the site, the State Arsenal, designed by Omaha architect Burd Miller, was a fireproof, two-story, brick and concrete, 30-by-52-foot building with a full basement, a second floor two-room caretakers apartment with outside staircase, a hand-operated Kimball elevator and loading dock on its own railroad siding.

Just two years later a 40-foot extension was added to the north giving the building a total of 5,475 square feet, allowing for all the guards storage with the exception of vehicles which were housed in the nearby cattle barns except during the week of the fair. At that point, the Nebraska National Guard had 25 armories around the state, but all in rented quarters, meaning that the State Arsenal was the first building financed by the legislature for the National Guard.

In 1915, the State Arsenal even housed two airplanes not officially owned by the state which were disassembled when stored. The air contingent had headquarters in an adjacent building and used the fairgrounds as an airfield.

As the Nebraska Air National Guard formed and numerous other buildings were erected for the National Guard, the State Arsenal became redundant and in 1963 was transferred to the Nebraska State Fair board, which used it for storage. In 1981, the building became a museum of the Nebraska National Guard Historical Society. It opened only during the fair or by appointment. Also in 1981 the building became officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2007, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln proposed converting the fairgrounds into an innovation campus, leaving the State Arsenal as a museum and otherwise retaining only the 4-H Building and the Burd Miller designed Agriculture Hall/Industrial Arts Building of the dozens of the then existing fair-related structures.

In 2010, the title to the fairgrounds was transferred to UNL, the fair relocated to Grand Island and in 2014 the National Guard museum moved to Seward. Today, the State Arsenal building still exists just southeast of the Devaney Center, empty and awaiting a new use.
Swatch has ticked back into growth as it fights back against Apples smart watches.

The worlds biggest watchmaker saw sales of its watches and jewellery grow 2.9 per cent over the latest half year, with income for the Swiss group up 6.8 per cent to 227m.

It marks a comeback for the Omega and Longines owner, whose profits fell 47 per cent to 480m during 2016.

Fighting back: Swatch saw sales of its watches and jewellery grow 2.9 per cent over the latest half year

Swiss watchmakers have been hurt by declining sales in Hong Kong amid a crackdown on gift giving and corruption.

Sales have also slowed in London while there is increased competition from products such as Apples smart watch. But yesterday Swatch said demand in China and Europe was improving, with Hong Kong sales stabilising.

Bosses said sales for the whole group had grown 1.2 per cent over the latest half year, with growth in all brands, in particular prestige and luxury.

Jon Cox, luxury goods analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux, told Reuters: Most people expect the watch market to improve in the second half of the year, but they dont expect any fireworks.
A budget champagne sorbet looks to have landed Aldi with a nasty five-year hangover.

The German discounter has incurred the wrath of Frances champagne region for taking the name of champagne in vain.

It landed the group in a five-year legal dispute that only now looks to be coming to a head.

Punch drunk: Aldi has incurred the wrath of Frances champagne region for taking the name of champagne in vain

The Champagner sorbet dessert contained 12 per cent bubbly and featured a picture of a champagne bottle and flute.

As a result the French appealed to EU judges to protect it, and have accused the German group of demeaning their fiercely protected product. The battle has made it all the way to Germanys Federal Court. Now EU Court of Justice advocate-general Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona says Aldi may have been trying to hijack the drinks good name.

Champagne is made only from grapes grown and harvested in the Champagne area of France.

Sanchez-Bordona said: By their use and the name Champagner Sorbet the producer and the distributor wants to bring to the consumers mind the quality and the prestige associated with this protected label, and extend it to the sorbet.
Lloyds Banking Group has made more than 10m of compensation offers and hardship payments to customers affected by the HBOS fraud scandal.

Thirty customers  nearly half of all those affected by the scandal  have either received a compensation offer or are in the detailed stages of assessment and will receive an offer shortly, the lender said.

Fast forward: Lloyds Banking Group has set aside 100m for those affected by the fraud

Lloyds, which rescued HBOS at the height of the financial crisis, has set aside 100m for those affected by the fraud, which took place between 2003 and 2007 at the hands of former HBOS Reading staff.

The crooks were jailed earlier this year for the 245m scam which destroyed several businesses, before they squandered the profits on prostitutes and luxury holidays.

Among the victims of the fraud is TV host Noel Edmonds, who has launched a 50m-plus compensation claim against Lloyds.

Adrian White, chief operating officer for commercial banking, said they are continuing to make progress in getting offers to victims of the fraud.
AstraZeneca's boss played down rumours he is planning to leave for an Israeli rival  telling staff he plans to work together to see the company succeed.

In an internal memo dated July 16, the drug giants chief executive Pascal Soriot did not confirm or deny reports he had accepted a job with Israels Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.

Staying put: Astrazeneca boss Pascal Soriot said rumours were part of everyday business

But he said rumours were part of everyday business. Astra would not comment.

The 58-year-old indicated he was still committed to driving the firm forward, saying: Together, we are poised to achieve something remarkable.
MBABANE  After having received a salary of over E1 million for 27 months for doing nothing, Judge Mpendulo Simelane has been fired.



Simelane, who has been on suspension since April 2015, was fired by His Majesty the King for serious misbehaviour.

His services were terminated through a Legal Notice dated July 6, 2017.



In exercise of powers vested in me under Section 158(2) of the Constitution of Swaziland Act, 2015, I, King Mswati III, King and Ingwenyama, hereby remove Justice Mpendulo Simeon Simelane from office of the High Court of Swaziland for serious misbehaviour, with effect from date of signature of this Notice, reads part of legal notice.



Section 58 (2) of the Constitution provides that: a Justice of a superior court shall not be removed from office except for stated serious misbehaviour or inability to perform the functions of office arising from infirmity of body or mind.



Simelanes dismissal by the King comes after he was impeached by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for misconduct.

Impeachment is a formal accusation of wrongdoing against a public official.



The impeachment proceedings were prosecuted by senior lawyer Zweli Jele from Robison Bertram. This is the same lawyer who successfully prosecuted in the impeachment of former Chief Justice Ramodibedi.



Judge Simelane was found guilty of serious misbehaviour in that he knowingly and willfully presided over the matter involving the then Chief Justice Ramodibedi versus the Swaziland Revenue Authority, knowing that he was precluded from presiding over the matter.
Saturdays this summer, we invite you to Racines historic Downtown for a Heritage Walking Tour.

You will be able to experience Racines rich industrial and architectural heritage in and around the Downtown, lakefront and Root River valley.

Learn the significance of buildings that remain, hear echoes of structures no longer present, and discover notable residents.

The 1.3-mile-long route will take you along the lakefront and down Main Street, then wraps along the Root River and back to Racine Heritage Museum by way of Sixth and Seventh streets.

You will find out more about companies like Western Coil and John Oster Manufacturing; the transformation from the original path of the Root River and the public dumping grounds that once spanned the lakefront to todays bustling recreational port; how Racines abolitionist activities gained national attention; some famous, and infamous, visitors; and more.

Tours are held on Saturdays, until Sept. 9, at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are by reservation only. Reservations must be made at least one week in advance. Tours are limited to 20 participants and reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are $8 per person and are payable securely online via PayPal. Visit the Heritage Walking Tour tab on the museums website, www.racineheritagemuseum.org, to reserve.

The Heritage Walking Tours are sponsored through a grant provided by Real Racine.

Summer ducks

The ducks are back and they brought friends.

This year there are 15 rubber ducks hidden throughout Racine Heritage Museum for a popular all-age scavenger hunt. Spend a free afternoon at Racine Heritage Museum this summer with the kids or grandkids. This hunt, and several others, are available at the front desk.

Schoolhouse open house

Mark your calendars for the Schoolhouse open house, the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 16. We will feature Laura Ingalls Wilder re-enactor Lynn Urban, as well as other exciting additions to our annual open house.

The origins of the World War I

By the time the United States joined The Great War in 1917, the conflict had already been raging since August 1914. On Aug. 4, Racine Heritage Museum will open the exhibit Racine County in the Great War that will feature stories such as Racines Lusitania survivor and the Last Mans Club.

In conjunction with this exhibit, on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at Racine Heritage Museum, Dr. Laura Gellott will examine the long-term causes of World War I: nationalism, imperialism, militarism and the entangling alliance system between the Great Powers. The lecture will also look at the immediate causes of the war, beginning with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, culminating in mutual declarations of war across the continent.

Dr. Laura Gellott is professor emeritus of history at the University Wisconsin-Parkside in Somers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Here's how you know summer is on its way out:

The sidewalks in Saratoga Springs begin to fill up. Refrigerator trucks carrying Pepsi and Coca-Cola grumble over to the city's East Side, where horse manure perfumes the air. Kids line up their coolers along Lincoln Avenue, selling "ice cold!" water and sodas for $1. The men don straw hats and binoculars. They chomp cigars. The women don heels and sundresses. They compare hats.

"I just can't believe it," said Tony Skotnicki, a regular fixture at the Saratoga Race Course each summer. "It's here already."

The 149th thoroughbred meet at the Saratoga Race Course kicked off Friday, marking the first of 40 days of racing at one of the oldest horse racing tracks in the country and a time for tourists and locals alike to get their fill of betting, fashion and sun in before autumn's arrival.

Some 32,730 people flocked to the race course on opening day, with hundreds partaking in an annual ritual of storming the gates at 7 a.m. to save a picnic table in the backyard area of the track. The all-sources handle was $20,332,051, a 14.47 percent increase over the 2016 opening day total, according to the New York Racing Association. Overall, last season drew a record 1,123,544 people to the races, an average of just over 28,000 a day.
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SCHENECTADY - About a dozen youngsters, many of them Muslim, sat in front of laptops engrossed in their school work while some younger ones played educational games inside a non-descript building in Woodlawn on Friday.

"We give the child the chance for accelerated learning according to the space and according to the ability," said Walid Hawana, principal of the burgeoning kindergarten through 12th grade Bright Hope Center Academy, explaining the private school's general philosophy.

The state Board of Regents is reviewing Bright Hope's application for a provisional charter to run an independent school, according to the state Education Department. Until, they are approved for that charter, the institution is considered an education center, added a State Education spokesman.

The academy has adopted the Schenectady school district curriculum.

Right now, Bright Hope, which opened on State Street in May, has nine students, ranging in age from 5 to 17 years old with a small classroom sizes of about six students. French is also taught as part of the regular curriculum.

Before that Hawana and his wife, Elizabeth Zahdan, co-founder of the academy, operated for several months as a home school on the top floor of the building. A third teacher, Asma Kerris is part of the staff. Their motto is 'Today's Knowledge is Bright Hope for Tomorrow.'

Tuition at Bright Hope is $550 a month but scholarships, some of them based on income eligibility and for single parent, are available. The school, open seven days a week, also offers tutoring, religious studies in Islam, and Arabic language at a separate cost.

"We are Muslim, but we are open to Muslims, Christians and Jews, " added Hawana, a native of Lebanon. Zahdan, who is from Kuwait, noted that they have children of Indian, Pakistani and Guyanese extraction attending.

The education center also offer English as a Second Language and welcomes refugee children, and are looking for sponsors who want to donate scholarship money for a disadvantaged student or refugee.

Hawana, who has doctorate in education and curriculum, said they work aggressively with the kids to help them finish high school early with an eye toward college and a career in the technology and health care industry.

"Our goal is to help students achieve in a shorter time than the traditional time," said Hawana, 67, of their high school years. "We try to have them focus early, that's what we want."

The couple also touted the importance of also having parents actively involved in their child's education.

"If the parents feel that the number one priority in my home is to teach my children and give them the best education, that's what we want here because then our effort will be really fruitful," added Zahdan, 42, who is pursuing her master's degree in psychology online."We know that the solution in this world is education, that's how we get everybody to live a peaceful life."

Maryam Zorqane, 14, who was home schooled before coming to Bright Hope, said she Zahdan has helped her become more proficient in math while Hawana works with her and the others on improving their vocabulary.

"It's like a family here," said Zorqane, who will start the school year next month. "She (Zahdan) teaches us like we're her own kids." Her older brother, Anas, who wants to become an aeronautical engineer, echoed those sentiments, saying that the teachers explain the sometimes difficult material well. Two other Zorqane children are students at the academy.

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The husband-and-wife educators were formerly at the Annur Islamic school where he served as the principal and she as the vice principal before they parted ways with the institution.

Hawana has taught as an adjunct professor at colleges in Iowa and Kuwait. She has helped to establish Islamic schools in Texas and Illinois.

The couple, who have been married since 2009, have a 7-year-old daughter.

Anyone wanting to contact the school can call 372-2004 or email them at brighthopecenter.adm@gmail.com. The web site is www.brighthopecenter.org
Successful companies are always changing, and their logos and branding often reflect their new approaches or innovations.

Getty Images compiled some cool then & now photographs that track the logo changes of some the world's top companies.
New York

Are Americans getting a raw deal on sugar prices?

President Donald Trump called a recent agreement on sugar with Mexico a "very good one" for both countries. But companies that make candy, cakes and other foods containing the sweetener say it will lead to Americans paying more than they already do.

The split perspectives underscore how U.S. policies have long put sugar producers at odds with the rest of the food industry. Food makers say federal policies already inflate U.S. sugar prices, and the new agreement will make things worse. The sugar industry, meanwhile, says food companies are trying to drive down prices to sweeten their own profits, not to make treats more affordable.

To understand if the sugar deal might affect grocery bills, here's a look at how sugar prices work.

Trade rules

U.S. policies on sugar support higher prices in a couple ways.

Limits on sugar imports help shield domestic producers from competition. The government also effectively guarantees U.S. producers a minimum price for their sugar if the market price falls below that level.

The latest deal with Mexico traces back to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which opened the U.S. market to Mexican sugar imports in 2008. But a few years after that, U.S. sugar producers said Mexico produced too much and got rid of it by dumping it in the U.S. for lower prices than in Mexico, which was a violation of trade laws.

That triggered an agreement in 2014 that limited the amount of sugar Mexico could send to the United States, among other things. Trump's deal this month tightens the terms of that temporary agreement.

The prices

It's difficult to pinpoint how much more Americans pay for sugar as a result of U.S. policies, given the complexity of factors that influence prices at home and globally. Much of the sugar people eat also comes from foods where the cost of sugar is just one factor in the price.

That's why a government agency in 2000 cited a range of $600 million to $1.9 billion in estimating the potential benefit to American consumers if federal sugar policies weren't around. The agency noted that it wasn't clear how much of any potential savings food makers might immediately pass on to consumers.

Still, a food industry lobbying group in 2011 estimated that federal sugar policies cost Americans as much as an extra $4 billion a year The Sweetener Users Association, which represents food makers that use sugar, says its calculation is based on the difference in the average price for U.S. refined sugar and the average world price, multiplied by the amount of sugar Americans consume. The estimate would vary depending on the gap between U.S. and world prices.

Rick Pasco, the group's president, says people might not notice the extra cost because it it's spread out across the population, amounting to about $9 to $11 a year per person.

The deal

The deal with Mexico tightens the 2014 agreement. It says more of the sugar imported from Mexico will be raw, meaning more work for U.S. refiners.

It also raises the minimum price for sugar from Mexico. The U.S. government will review whether it should be extended in late 2019.

According to the Sweetener Users Association, the new terms could mean an additional $1 billion in costs to consumers. Other critics say federal policies only enrich domestic sugar producers. And while other commodities enjoy federal protections, sugar is among the most protected, says Gary Hufbauer at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, which favors free trade and gets funding from companies including PepsiCo.

Either way, shoppers may not detect any price hikes directly because of the Mexico deal, in part because manufacturers and retailers consider so many other factors before adjusting the price of that chocolate bar.
Los Angeles

The U.S. Labor Department has ordered Wells Fargo & Co. to reinstate another former employee who alleged she was fired after reporting part of the widespread fraud that engulfed the bank in a major scandal.

The whistleblower, a former branch manager in Pomona, Calif., will be reinstated and paid $577,500 in back wages, damages and other compensation, the agency said, based on an investigation by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Labor Department does not release the names of whistleblowers.

San Francisco-based Wells Fargo issued a statement saying that, while "we take seriously the concerns of current and former team members," the ruling announced Friday "is a preliminary order and to date there has been no hearing on the merits of this case. We disagree with the findings and will be requesting a full hearing of the matter."

The government's ruling came three months after OSHA ordered Wells Fargo to reinstate another former manager, this one in Los Angeles, and pay him $5.4 million in back earnings, damages and attorneys' fees.

"No banking industry employee should fear retaliation for raising concerns about fraud and practices that violate consumer financial protections," Barbara Goto, OSHA's regional administrator in San Francisco, said in a statement Friday.

"The U.S. Department of Labor will fully and fairly enforce the whistleblower protection laws under its jurisdiction," she said.

The scandal erupted after a Los Angeles Times investigation found that bank employees, driven by onerous sales goals, opened millions of unauthorized checking, savings and other accounts in customers' names, often without their knowledge. Regulators following up on The Times' reporting levied a $185 million fine against Wells Fargo last year.
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Girls are Strong story hour at Hudson Area Library

Rally in the Valley will present a Girls Are Strong Story Hour at 11 a.m. Saturday, at the Hudson Area Library, located at 51 N. Fifth St.

Children's librarian Janice Scali will read stories and facilitate related craft activities centered around the theme of empowerment. Refreshments will follow.

Rally in the Valley is a three-day festival of art, education and action in support of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood.

For information, go to http://hudsonarealibrary.org.

'Golden Phoenix' rising at Museum of Dance

"The Golden Phoenix," a mash-up of classic French-Canadian fairy tales performed by an ensemble of young and young-at-heart actors, will be presented this weekend in the Riggi Theater at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs.

Performances will be held on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15 for children and $25 for adults.

For information, call 518-584-7780 or go to http://www.dancemuseum.org.

Tang Museum awarded $160,000 in grants

Two major grants totaling $160,000 from the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts were recently announced by the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College.

The funds will be used to support the fall 2018 exhibition and catalogue, "The Imagist Object: New Dimensions in Chicago Art, 1964-1980."

On view from September through December at the Tang, the exhibit will explore sculptural work and dimensional paintings by Chicago artists who invented their own kind of pop art, Chicago Imagism  warm, personal and humorous with a contrasting feel to the cooler, more neutral varieties in New York and London.

The Terra Foundation for American Art awarded $100,000 to the Tang as part of Art Design Chicago, a yearlong initiative to explore Chicago's role as a catalyst and incubator for innovations in art and design through more than 25 exhibitions, hundreds of public programs, as well as scholarly publications and a four-part documentary.

The Andy Warhol Foundation awarded $60,000 for the exhibit to foster innovative artistic expression and the creative process.

For information, go to https://tang.skidmore.edu.

Broad Street Chamber Players bring Bach, Brahms to Hillsdale

The Roeliff Jansen Community Library will host the Broad Street Chamber Players at 5 p.m. July 30, at 9091 Route 22.

The concert will include selections from Bach, Haydn, Lefebvre, Gaubert, Brahms and Faure.

The trio  Elizabeth Chinery on flute, Jay Shulman on cello and David Smith on piano  has performed around the Capital Region and beyond with its diverse repertoire, including European and American works from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Roeliff Jansen Community Library is chartered to serve Ancram, Copake and Hillsdale. For information, call 518-325-4101 or go to http://www.roejanlibrary.org.

Williamstown theater, museum unite for 'Smart People' reading

The Clark Art Institute, in collaboration with Williamstown Theatre Festival, will present a reading of the new play "Smart People" in a segment of WAM Theatre's 2017 Fresh Takes Reading Series at 5 p.m. Aug. 1, at the Clark's auditorium in Williamstown, Mass.

The play reading is free, but reservations, through 413-274-8122, are strongly encouraged.

"Smart People," written by Lydia R. Diamond, sets the stage on the eve of Obama's first election in 2008. Four of Harvard University's brightest  a surgeon, actress, psychologist and neuropsychiatrist  are all interested in different aspects of the brain, particularly how it responds to race, while also searching for love, success and identity in their own lives.

For information, go to http://clarkart.edu.

'Living Poetry' featuring Holiday, Kearney set for Hudson

Two acclaimed poets, Harmony Holiday and Douglas Kearney, will present multimedia performances starting at 7 p.m. Aug. 1, at Hudson Area Library, located at 51 N. Fifth St., as part of "Living Poetry at the Library." A reception with refreshments will follow.

The program is a collaboration between four local arts and education organizations: the New York State Writers Institute, Fence, the Hudson Area Library and the Poetry Home School.

A recipient of a Ruth Lilly Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation in 2013, Holiday is the author of three books of poetry. Holiday is also a choreographer and the founder of Mythscience, an arts collective devoted to cross-disciplinary work and creating an Afrosonics archive of jazz and everyday diaspora poetics.

Kearney is a poet, performer and librettist whose work defies labels and expands boundaries by bridging themes like politics, African-American culture and hip-hop music while employing nontraditional layouts he calls "performative typography."

The New York State Writers Institute and its affiliate, the University at Albany-based literary press Fence (publisher for Holiday and Kearney), are sponsoring the event along with the Hudson Area Library and Poetry Home School, an annual poetry conference in Hudson.

For info, call 518-828-1792, Ext. 101 or go to http://hudsonarealibrary.org.

 Jennifer Patterson
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SARATOGA SPRINGS  The Pan-Mass Challenge, which each year sees riders traverse nearly 200 rugged miles of Massachusetts road in support of cancer research, may itself seem a considerable undertaking. But the journey dentist Mark Moreau of Saratoga Springs plans to embark upon this summer dwarfs the typical ride in the bike-a-thon supporting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

In an effort to honor his wife and daughter-and-law, both of whom he and his family lost to cancer, the 67-year-old Moreau intends to bike 500 miles starting July 29 and concluding at the end of the Pan-Mass Challenge in Provincetown, Mass. on Aug. 6. Moreau will be joined by longtime friend Larry Jenne, who once worked as a schoolteacher with Moreau's wife, Carole Moreau.

Mark Moreau has already completed the regular annual bike-a-thon three times, but he said this year's extended trip will not "just" be a bike ride. Leaving from Canton, St. Lawrence County, where he and his wife lived for most of their 43-year marriage, Moreau plans to ride through the Adirondacks to Saratoga Springs and then on to Sturbridge, Mass., where the Pan-Mass Challenge originates. Jenne, 56, said the upcoming ride will be "more of a tour than a workout."

Moreau first took part in the cross-state biking fundraiser in 2014, joining his son who had participated the previous year when his son's wife, Jessica Arnold, died following a battle with rhabdomyosarcoma. Now, Moreau said he hopes that as he stretches out his biking journey, he can carry his loved ones with him, evoking the E.E. Cummings poem "I Carry Your Heart With Me," which he said his daughter read at his wife's funeral service in 2015.

More Information How to help Find Mark Moreau's fundraising page here: http://profile.pmc.org/MM0630; or on facebook.com by searching for PMC Ride for Life. Details on the Pan-Mass Challenge are here: http://www.pmc.org/. See More Collapse

"It's almost like a pilgrimage of me going into this more deeply," Moreau said of his upcoming ride. "I carry the wishes of my wife for the happiness of my children. I carry my daughter-in-law and her wishes for my son's happiness."

And, he said, he carries the dreams of children with cancer. He said he plans to donate the money he raises to pediatric cancer research.

Michael Moreau, Mark's younger brother, said that Mark is "driven," but still expressed surprise when he learned of the plan to traverse 500 miles. Yet, he said he's never doubted his older brother's ability to complete the goal.

Mark Moreau said he walks away from the event each year with "one word: it's gratitude. Just the gratefulness (of) having the opportunity to ride with my son. Having the opportunity to ride with a lot people."

This year, Moreau's ride will begin long before he joins thousands of cyclists in raising money for cancer research. That whole group, he said, is together "one heart" and "one body" in the goal of fighting cancer.
RACINE COUNTY  More than half of Wisconsins state legislators demanded on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration restore funding to put homeless veterans in two state homes, warning that the funding cut would worsen veterans suffering.

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs received word in mid-June that the funding will end in September for the Veteran Housing and Recovery Programs at homes in King and Union Grove. Funding for the program at the Chippewa Falls veterans home will continue on a conditional basis.

WDVA officials say it isnt feasible to run the programs without federal funding. As a result, the King and Union Grove homes have stopped accepting new homeless vets. The WDVA has started working with veterans advocacy groups to find new housing for 21 King vets and 28 Union Grove vets in the programs.

The Union Grove-area program began operation in 1997 at the Southern Wisconsin Center campus, 21425 Spring St., Dover. It has the capacity for 30 people to stay at a time.

A bipartisan contingent of 81 state representatives and senators sent a letter Friday to Jeffery Quarles, director of the program that funds housing for homeless vets. The letter, which was circulated by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, notes that the programs have been in effect at King since 1995 and at Union Grove since 1997 and said ending them will cause more suffering.

For some homeless veterans in our state, especially those in more northern and rural areas, there is simply an absence of necessary resources available to assist these individuals, the letter said. Without the funding for these programs at King and Union Grove, there will be a lack of options for homeless veterans in certain areas of Wisconsin.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Jill Snyder said the agency hadnt received the letter but takes the legislators concerns seriously and will respond to them.

Its unclear why federal funding for King and Union Grove wasnt continued.

Under the programs, the federal government reimburses states for the cost of housing homeless vets. The program provided about $1.3 million annually for Wisconsin in each of the last two fiscal years, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

WDVA spokeswoman Cara Vigue said in an email Friday that the agency applied for reimbursement for fiscal year 2018 ahead of an April 4 deadline and was told in mid-June that there would be no money for King or Union Grove. Vigue said the agency hasnt received an explanation, other than that the decision was part of a transformation of the reimbursement program.

Snyder wrote in emails to The Associated Press on Friday that a review found some projects the program funded were out of date and dont reflect community needs and/or take into consideration current community resources. She added that USDVA has created more programs for homeless vets during that span.

VA is simply allocating its resources differently in order to better serve veterans, she said.

Snyder didnt immediately reply to a follow-up message asking why money wasnt specifically allocated for King and Union Grove.

The legislators also sent their letter to every member of Wisconsins congressional delegation. House Speaker Paul Ryan and U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher sent their own letter to USDVA Secretary David Shulkin on Thursday saying they want to better understand why Union Grove and King didnt qualify for the reimbursements for the first time since the mid-1990s. They asked for a response by July 28.
A call has gone out from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland for midwives and mothers from Tipperary and all over Ireland to share their pregnancy and birth memories for the 100th anniversary of the Midwives (Ireland) Act in 2018.

The call to mothers and midwives in Ireland comes as the RCM in Northern Ireland prepares a series of events in 2018 to celebrate 100 years of the Midwives (Ireland) Act. The RCM will be organising a number of events, some of them in collaboration with their colleagues in the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The Midwives Act in Ireland received Royal Assent on the 6th February 1918. Midwifery became legally recognised in England and Wales in 1902 and in Scotland in 1915. These Acts were the birth of a regulated midwifery profession and established standards for education and training for midwives.

As a showpiece of the celebrations, the RCM is aiming to collect 100 accounts, experiences and photographs from midwives throughout Ireland. They are also interested in collecting birth stories from women.

The RCM is asking midwives and women to share their stories using things such as diary entries, photographs, written experiences and memories. The aim is to capture interesting stories which reflect how midwifery and childbirth have changed over the years. This includes the impact of the introduction of the NHS and stories relating to Northern Irelands traumatic times of the troubles.

We would encourage women to speak to their mothers and grandmothers and send us their birth stories.

The events will highlight the role of midwives and the crucial part they play in supporting mothers, babies and their families, showing how midwifery has changed, developed and moved forward over the past 100 years.

Commenting on the celebrations, Breedagh Hughes the RCMs Director for Northern Ireland said: This is a significant anniversary for midwifery in both countries and a fitting moment to celebrate the contribution, dedication and commitment of midwives to the women, babies and families they support and care for. We have 100 years of memories to celebrate and I am looking forward to this enormously.

Mary Higgins, Vice-Chairperson of the Midwives Section at the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, said; The Section is delighted to be included in the celebrations. We look forward particularly to the All Ireland Annual Midwifery Conference in 2018; an opportunity for midwives from the north and south to celebrate together.

To contribute to the book send stories and photographs by post to the Royal College of Midwives, 58 Howard Street, Belfast BT1 6PJ or by email to centennial@rcm.org.uk no later than the 1st September 2017

To contact the RCM Press Office call 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk
The president of the Allied Pilots Association , Daniel F Carey, who has Tipperary links, is hoping to make Qatar gently weep with his riposte to comments by the head of Qatar Airways about cabin crew on US airlines.

In a full page advert is this Saturday's Irish Times, titled Who Hates Grandmothers? Mr Carey, whose family hail from Ballyporeen, says that apparently the head of Qatar Airways, Sheik Akbar Al Baker does following comments he made at the the launch of the airline's new Dublin to Doha route. Sheik Baker is reported to have told guests that cabin crews on US airlines are "grandmothers" and characterised US carriers as "crap".

"I have news for Mr Al Baker: We love grandmothers, and we're proud of our co-workers' skill and experience. We rely on it every day on flights across the globe," says Mr Carey, who flies for American Airlines.

"By the way, we also love grandfathers, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews . . . Well, you get the idea," Mr Carey finishes.

Capt Carey was born in Rockville Centre, New York, as the youngest of James and Dorothy Careys seven children. His father was an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II and a TWA captain from 1945 to 1975. His brother, Philip, retired from American Airlines in 2015 as a 757 captain.

He grew up in Levittown, New York, and graduated from South Side High School in Rockville Centre before completing the professional pilot programme at Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona. He also completed a Negotiation Master Class jointly offered by Harvard and MIT while serving on the Negotiating Committee in 1998.

When hes not working, Capt Carey splits his time between Ballyporeen and Rockville Centre, where his wife, Alison, manages a dance studio.

The couple have three daughters. Jenna is the marketing director for a fitness clothing company; Jamie manages a catering company; and Clare is a senior at the University of Arizona.

Capt Carey is based at LaGuardia Airport, where he pilots the Boeing 777 on international routes.

As president of the Allied Pilots Association, he represents 15,000 pilots in American Airlines.
[July 21, 2017] Books-A-Million Kicks off Annual Back to School Book Drive on July 23

Bookworms unite! Books-A-Million is calling all literary enthusiasts to participate in Books-A-Million's Annual Book Drive. From Sunday, July 23 through Saturday, August 26, community members will have the opportunity to share the love of literacy by selecting one of their favorite children's books to be donated to schools and libraries in their cities. Local schools throughout the country have teamed up with a Books-A-Million store in the community to supply students with brand new books for the upcoming school year! "Books are a highly valuable resource to children and access to them is often taken for granted," said Scott Kappler, vice president of marketing at Books-A-Million. "As one of the largest book store companies nationwide, it is our obligation to ensure that children from all walks of life have the tools they need to succeed in school, starting with the gift of literacy. With our annual drive, we hope to bring increased access to thousands of kids across the U.S., in turn building confidence and educational potential." Readers interested in sharing the love through the annual program will be able to choose from the many suggested novels placed near the store checkout or select one of their personal favorites for donation. Fan favorites to consider include the entertaining "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio, J.K. Rowling's thrilling adventure novel turned major motion picture "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and John Green's highly anticipated nw novel, "Turtles All the Way Down," which is available for pre-order at the end of July in any Books-A-Million store or online at booksamillion.com.



Participants must purchase new books from Books-A-Million to be considered for donation. For more information on how to participate in the book drive, please visit booksamillion.com. ABOUT BOOKS-A-MILLION

Books-A-Million, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is the second largest chain of bookstores in the United States. Books-A-Million got its start in 1917 as a magazine stand in Florence, Alabama and now operates over 250 stores in the 32 states as well as an online store at booksamillion.com. While Books-A-Million's presence has grown, the goal has remained the same: to serve each community with the best selection of books, toys, tech and more, all at great prices. Find the nearest Books-A-Million at booksamillion.com/storefinder. Follow Books-A-Million on Twitter and like us on Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170721005625/en/

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RACINE  In 2017, climate change is a deeply political issue in the United States, especially at the federal level.

Motivated by that federal division, former alderman Melissa Kaprelian-Becker has proposed that the City Council approve a resolution recognizing global warming as a national and local threat.

Kaprelian-Becker is concerned that some in Congress and the federal government dont recognize climate change as a real issue.

Congress responds to and prioritizes the will of their constituents, Kaprelian-Becker said. How do you show the will of your constituents? One way to go about that is through local government.

Kaprelian-Becker, who leads community outreach efforts at the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO), is a member of the local chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby. She feels Racine appropriately prioritizes climate change as a community.

I believe that with the citizens not only of Racine but across the nation, were seeing some fantastic things that have happened, she said. I think its gaining momentum.

For Kaprelian-Becker, the importance of addressing climate change lies with the well-being of future generations.

I want my children and their children to be able to experience things that Ive experienced, she said. Im fearful that there is going to be extreme hardship. We need to be responsible for future generations.

Kaprelian-Becker suggests those wanting to get involved in the effort attend a meeting of the local Climate Change Lobby. The groups next meeting is on Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave.

Council support?

Kaprelian-Becker said several aldermen have asked to be co-sponsors of the resolution, including 1st District Alderman Jeff Coe, 2nd District Alderman Mollie Jones, 11th District Alderman Mary Land and 14th District Alderman Jason Meekma.

Local municipalities are truly bearing the financial brunt of whats happening, Kaprelian-Becker said. This is one way to get that support nationally. We should not be bearing this brunt if theres not going to be national change.

Mayor Dennis Wiser, whos also in the midst of his fourth term on the City Council, said while he has no personal opinion on the resolution, he sees it as a potentially divisive item for the council.

Those kind of resolutions come forward a couple of times a year and the debate is always real similar, Wiser said. A portion of the council will say we need to support this because we value it, another portion will say we shouldnt support it because it doesnt reflect our values, and a third portion will say this isnt within our scope of business, we should disregard it.

Aldermen will take up the issue at a future Committee of the Whole meeting. The next Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled for July 26, although its unknown at this time if the resolution will be on that agenda.
[July 21, 2017] Baron & Budd Investigating Detwiler Fire Near Yosemite National Park

The national law firm of Baron & Budd announced today it is investigating the Detwiler fire in Mariposa County near Yosemite National Park that has grown to more than 70,000 acres since Wednesday, destroying at least 45 homes and forcing more than 4,000 residents in Mariposa and Coulterville to evacuate. The cause of the fire has not been determined. "Events like this are truly devastating, and while residents of this particular area are more accustomed to wildfires, nothing can prepare you for the impact of such a rapid eacuation and both the physical and emotional distress associated with leaving one's home under such unknown circumstances," said Baron & Budd Attorney John Fiske. "Our firm is dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals who have lost property or the ability to use and enjoy their property, and are monitoring the situation closely as efforts are made to determine the cause of the fire."



With the fire only 10 percent contained, current weather conditions are unfortunately expected to create favorable conditions for sustained growth as it continues moving eastward toward areas where trees have been killed off by bark beetles. More than 1,500 residences remained threatened. Experienced Wildfire Attorneys John Fiske and Jason Julius, who have represented victims of California's destructive 2015 Butte Wildfire against Pacific Gas & Electric, are investigating the cause of the fire. For legal help, representation and questions, call 209-600-7345 or email [email protected].

ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C. The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., with offices in Dallas, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego, is a nationally recognized law firm with a nearly 40-year history of "Protecting What's Right" for people, communities and businesses harmed by negligence. Baron & Budd's size and resources enable the firm to take on large and complex cases. The firm represents individuals and government and business entities in areas as diverse as dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices, environmental contamination, the Gulf oil spill, financial fraud, overtime violations, deceptive advertising, automotive defects, trucking accidents, nursing home abuse, and asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170721005631/en/

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GEICO Names Hank Nayden Vice President, General Counsel and Legislative Counsel

GEICO has named Hank Nayden vice president, general counsel and legislative counsel at the company's corporate headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md. Nayden will assume responsibility for GEICO's general counsel's office and will continue to oversee the company's office of legislative counsel, a role he has served in since 2000.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170721005637/en/

GEICO has named Hank Nayden vice president, general counsel and legislative counsel at the company's corporate headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md. (Photo: Business Wire)

Nayden joined GEICO in 1992, as an attorney in the legislative counsel's office. In 1997, he was selected for the company's Executive Assistant Program, serving in a number of rotational positions and assignments.

A year later, Nayden helped launch GEICO's National Print Mail Center in Fredericksburg, Va. In 2000, he transitioned to the role of regional claims liability director in Fredericksburg prior to being elected as vice president of GEICO's legislative counsel later in the year.

Nayden holds a degree in economics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and received his J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He earned his hartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation in 1995.







GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the second-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 15 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 24 million vehicles (auto & cycle).

Using GEICO's online service center, policyholders can purchase policies, make policy changes, report claims and print insurance ID cards. Policyholders can also connect to GEICO through the GEICO App, reach a representative over the phone or visit a GEICO local agent.

GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.

For more information, go to www.geico.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170721005637/en/
[July 21, 2017] FLEETCOR SHAREHOLDER ALERT by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit against FleetCor Technologies, Inc. - (FLT)

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until August 14, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against FleetCor Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FLT), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 5, 2016 through May 2, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. What You May Do If you purchased securities of FleetCor and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850, via email ([email protected]), or visit us at http://ksfcounsel.com/cases/fleetcor-technologies-inc-nyse-flt/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by August 14, 2017.



About the Lawsuit FleetCor and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company's growth and earnings were the result of overbilling its customers; (ii) it utilized deceptive marketing materials; (iii) it utilized other predatory sales schemes including, but not limited to, failing to clearly disclose its contractual fees; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, FleetCor's financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170721005003/en/

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Mega Millions numbers for Friday, Nov. 11, 2022

Here are the winning Mega Millions numbers and results for the lottery jackpot drawing on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.
RACINE  A man accused of shooting up an Uptown neighborhood was charged Friday after his arrest in a gang task force investigation.

Jordan Goines, 19, of the 900 block of Racine Street was charged Friday with first-degree reckless endangering safety, a felony.

According to the criminal complaint:

Goines was allegedly the trigger man in a drive-by shooting in the 1500 block of Packard Avenue on July 18. Police report finding 18 9 mm shell casings and five parked vehicles with bullet holes located at the scene. No one was hurt in the incident, although police said in the report that pedestrians were present on the street.

Police said they believe the shooting was part of an ongoing feud between rival gangs known as the Dirty Ps and the Northside For Life gang.

Goines was arrested Wednesday. He remained in the Racine County Jail as of Friday evening on a $2,500 cash bond.

Goines is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Racine County Circuit Court on Wednesday.

If convicted, Goines could face up to 7 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
SALON-DE-PROVENCE, France  Edvald Boasson Hagen showed that brawn and speed dont guarantee victory at the Tour de France. Winners do their homework, too.

Going right around a roundabout while others took the left and longer route proved to be the key that enabled the Norwegian to finally win a stage at this Tour on Friday after two second-place finishes.

Only Boasson Hagen and Nikias Arndt took the shorter route. The Norwegian then eliminated the German rider with a burst of acceleration and sped to the line in Salon-de Provence.

Arndt placed second, five seconds back.

Third-placed Jens Keukeleire was among those who went left around the roundabout in the last three kilometers (under two miles) and immediately realized their mistake, as Boasson Hagen motored away.

Thats when it struck me: We should have taken right, Keukeleire said. Hes one of those riders, give him 10 meters and hes gone.

It was Boasson Hagens third career stage win at the Tour, after his first two in 2011. He said hed studied the finish and identified the short cut.

I was hunting for opportunities, and then the roundabout arrived, he said. I understood that going right would be quicker.

Riding at a leisurely pace far behind them, race leader Chris Froome and other top contenders for the yellow jersey were happy to let others contest the victory on the Tours longest stage.

Boasson Hagen was part of a 20-man group that Froome and Team Sky gave freedom to escape from the peloton because none of them presented a threat to his overall lead. After two energy-sapping days of climbs in the high Alps, Froome and his rivals had their sights set instead on the time trial on Saturday in Marseille that will determine the podium order before the race ends in Paris on Sunday.

Froomes group was still riding as Boasson Hagen celebrated his win. The peloton eventually rolled in more than 12 minutes after Boasson Hagen claimed the first stage win for the Dimension Data team at this tour.

The overall standings remained unchanged at the top, with Froome leading French rider Romain Bardet by 23 seconds and Rigoberto Uran of Colombia by 29 seconds.

With no major difficulties, the 222.5-kilometer (138-mile) stage from Embrun in the Alps offered no real opportunity for Froomes rivals to claw back time. Instead, they and Froome let the 20 breakaway riders do the hard graft.

We could just sit on the wheels and recover a little bit, Froome said. Everyone was quite happy to sit back.

The breakaway group split again with 20 kilometers (12 miles) left. Boasson Hagen was among nine riders who ditched the others with a furious burst, leaving him in the right group to contest the stage victory. But among that leading nine, everyone but Arndt and Boasson Hagen then went left around the roundabout, essentially eliminating themselves from the running.

On Stage 7, Boasson Hagen lost to Marcel Kittel by mere millimeters in a photo finish at Nuits-Saint-Georges. He was also second on Stage 16 and third on Stages 11 and 14.

I didnt have to do a photo finish this time, he said. I finally got my victory.
Verizon Wireless doesn't have a great sense of timing. Shortly after tech companies, digital rights organizations, and individuals banded together in support of net neutrality, the wireless network provider has reportedly capped data transfer speeds from video services like Netflix and YouTube.

The Verge reported that several Reddit users have complained about Verizon Wireless capping Netflix data transfer speeds. We were able to confirm this ourselves using Fast.com, which is Netflix's download speed tester. When we were connected to Verizon Wireless our download speeds peaked at 12Mbps; over Wi-Fi they hit 46Mbps. Testing via Speedtest.net, however, resulted in almost identical download speeds over cellular and Wi-Fi.

That means Verizon Wireless is currently throttling data transfer speeds from Netflix to about one-fourth of their potential, at least on our connection. (We suspect the company is shooting for 10Mbps and that it's just a coincidence that our home Wi-Fi is roughly four times faster.) Others have said that Verizon Wireless is also throttling download speeds from YouTube, too, so it seems the company is targeting popular video services.

It makes sense for wireless network providers to want to cap streaming video download speeds. Watching something on Netflix or YouTube puts much more of a strain on their networks than, say, scrolling through Twitter. But this throttling violates the tenets of net neutrality, which insists that a byte is a byte and that data shouldn't flow slower or faster based on its source. Limiting Netflix and YouTube is the exact opposite of that position.

Like we said at the top, this wasn't a great time for Verizon Wireless to limit Netflix and YouTube. Earlier this month, more than 100,000 "websites, internet users, and organizations" protested the FCC's plans to roll back Obama administration net neutrality protections. Supporters included Twitter, Amazon, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, among many others. (And, yes, Netflix was one of the companies backing this protest.)

We've reached out to Verizon Wireless to learn more about the extent of the download speed limits and why they were put in place. The company hasn't responded to our request for comment. Netflix told The Verge that it isn't responsible for the download limits, which means it's taking place on Verizon Wireless' end. We'll update this post if the company gets back to us. In the meantime, it seems Netflix and YouTube will be just a bit slower.
Kansas City Takes Its Sidewalk Network More Seriously Than Denver One of the remaining points of contention in Denver's transportation bond coming up in November is the amount of funding for sidewalks. Mayor Michael Hancock has recommended $30 million for the citywide sidewalk network. If we really wanted to make progress on the city's patchwork pedestrian infrastructure, we'd be aiming a lot higher.

In an alternate universe where politicos keep their promises and the City Hall General Fund isn't eaten up by development schemes and lawsuits . . . Kansas City spending real money on sidewalks is a nice idea that's never gonna happen to the extent in which it has been sold to equally gullible voters amid an election that was most likely rigged.In the meantime, here's a happy thought:
"Nick Haines, Lynn Horsley, Barbara Shelly, Steve Vockrodt & Dave Helling discuss Sen. Jerry Moran's impact on the new healthcare bill, the executive order of Gov. Greitens to create a drug monitoring program, the potential for privatizing Westport streets, KCPD chief candidates, the Kansas Supreme Court case on education funding, KCI bids, the three streetcar ballot issues & Lyft returning to KC."

Here's a look atoffering their opinion on topics that we've already discussed in great detail and where TV newsies have already reported most of the facts to much bigger audiences . . . Yet still, public TV offers this pedestal in order to enforce a narrative that's losing influence at the ballot box and among local audiences.Description:You decide . . .
Police report the victim was shot inside a silver Honda Kia at about 6:30 p.m. at a car wash located on Van Brunt Boulevard near Independence Avenue. This is the 82nd homicide in Kansas City so far this year, compared to 56 at this time last year.
Kuwait's trade surplus with Japan expanded by 46.1 per cent from a year earlier to 25.6 billion yen ($228 million) in July, up for the sixth month in a row, thanks to brisk exports, said state news agency Wam citing data from Japanese Finance Ministry.



Kuwaits overall exports to Japan grew 20.4 per cent year-on-year to 38.8 billion yen ($346 million) for the sixth consecutive month of expansion, the ministry said in a preliminary report.



Imports from Japan fell 10.2 per cent to yen13.2 billion ($118 million), down for the first time in two months. As a result, Kuwait maintained monthly black ink with Japan for nine years and five months, the report added.



However, the Middle East's trade surplus with Japan increased 9.6 per cent to yen350.5 billion ($3.1 billion) last month, with Japan-bound exports from the region rising 1.4 per cent from a year earlier.



Crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas, LNG, and other natural resources, which accounted for 93.8 percent of the region's total exports to Japan, edged up 0.5 percent, according to Wam report.



The region's overall imports from Japan declined 10.4 per cent, due to weaker demand for vehicles, steel and machinery, it added.
Oil ministers of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will be meeting their counterparts from the non-Opec countries in Saint Petersburg in Russia on tomorrow to assess conformity with a recent output cut resolution, said the Emirati news agency Wam, citing Kuwait's oil minister.



They will look into a report of a key panel of the joint Opec-non-Opec ministerial monitoring committee (JMMC), on the compliance of Opec and non-Opec members with output cut levels for June 2017, stated Essam Al Marzouq.



Opec and non-Opec members had signed a declaration of co-operation in Vienna last December.



The committee will also review during the meeting an Opec report on the situation of the global oil market in June, in addition to more relevant suggestions by member states, revealed Al Marzouq, who is also the Minister of Electricity and Water, said the Wam report.



At the end of the meeting, the JTC will send a report to member states on the outcomes of Saint Petersburg meeting, mainly proposals and recommendations, the Kuwaiti minister noted.



During a meeting in Kuwait in March, the JMMC had recommended the extension of an oil output cut for another six months to keep the global oil market stable.
Election fervour in Sarlahi: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav has said the Madhesi people are excited about the upcoming local level elections in Province 2.
Eyes wide shut

Shes dead, she said, as I stuffed my mouth with the panipuri she had thrust before me on a tiny steel plate.I asked, who, through my stuffed mouth. And she said, Taateythe dog with black and white patches.
Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, July 21

The police have booked four persons for allegedly manhandling the hospital staff, including a woman doctor of a private hospital, in Dera Bassi.

The police sources added that all the four accused have been booked under various Sections of the IPC after the CEP of the hospital, Sanjay Attri, lodged an FIR at the Dera Bassi police station. Giving Details, Investigation officer Kuldeep Chand said the incident dated back on April 19 when the accused along with his three other accomplices tried to barged into the room where four burns patients were admitted. He further added that when the hospital staff, who were on duty, tried to stop them as the patients were not in a condition to give their statement, Madal Lal along with his three others accomplices allegedly manhandled the staff, including one woman doctor. Sanjay Attri, CEO of Apna hospital, in his complaint to the police alleged that the accused, who is currently working with one of the Hindi daily newspaper, had stored the CCTV footage recordings of the hospital and on the basis of that used to blackmail us. Following which he lodged an FIR at the Dera Bassi police station. The police going with the statement of the complainant had registered a case against Madan Lal and three unidentified accomplices and investigations were under way.

Four booked for assault

Dera Bassi: The police have booked four persons for allegedly assaulting a man at Mubarikpur village. Sanjeev Rana, a resident of Mubairkpur, in his complaint to the police had alleged that he was brutally beaten up by Kapoor Khan and his goons. The victim in his complaint also alleged that Kapoor Khan had called him up and asked him to come near the crusher unit at Mubarikpur on the pretext of some work. He alleged that when he reached there, Kapoor Khan along with his goons first broke the windshield of his car and then allegedly attacked him with rods and sticks. The police going with the statement of the victim, Sanjeev

had registered a case against four persons under various Sections of the IPC at the police station and investigations are under way.
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 22

Four medical students from different countries visited Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) under the student exchange programme of the International Federation of Medical Students Association recently.

The students, including Eve Usenicnik from Slovenia, Gabnela Baksova and Krisztian Kanocz from Slovakia, and Johan Estrada Perez from Mexico, were given a warm welcome by Principal, Dr Sandeep Puri. During the first few days, students were taken for a round to different specialty and super-specialty departments of the hospital.

Eve Usenicnik said, An institution like DMCH has advanced medical facilities. All physicians and consultants here are well-versed with their specialty field. Sharing similar views, Johan Estrada Perez from Mexico appreciated the role of doctors, who showed them services available at the hospital. Another medico Gabnela Baksova said they were overwhelmed by the hospitality of the DMCH and appreciated the vibrant culture of Punjab, which had many amazing things, especially the Punjabi cuisine.

Krisztian Kanocz from Slovakia praised the hostel and mess facility at the DMCH. He made a special mention of DMC Youth Club, which was works for weaker sections of society.
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 22

Judith Kan'goma Kapijimpanga, High Commissioner, Zambia Embassy to India, visited PCTE.

Till now, the institution has welcomed 27 Ambassadors of different countries who interacted with students on various economic and business aspects in Your Excellency Lecture series.

During the visit she attended the parent teacher interaction organised for the parents who had enrolled for session starting from Monday.

This meeting aimed at encouraging greater involvement of parents in their child's education. Through this, parents will have the opportunity to interact one on one basis with teachers to discuss their child's learning and progress.

The High Commissioner thanked the management for her welcome. She further added that it is good to see that students are getting hands on practical knowledge while they are studying.

Dr Gautam Bansal, principal of the institute, said: We are trying our best to bring students around the world closer and help students to understand the mix of different cultures, which will eventually strengthen the learning base. He said PCTE has students from 37 countries. These students make PCTE different from other institutes because there is exhibition of different culture at a same point of time.

Dr KNS Kang, Director General, PCTE Group of Institutes, said: It was wonderful to have Judith Kan'goma Kapijimpanga here. This will extend hands of education bonding between Zambia and India. PCTE is always ready to entertain such relations for future prospects.
Ahmedabad, July 22

Incessant rains in some districts of Saurasthra in Gujarat have led to a flood-like situation in the region, leaving three people dead, the state government said on Saturday.

The highest rainfall of 350 mm in the last 24 hours was recorded in Chotila of Surendranagar district.

According to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the weather department has given a warning of heavy rain for the next 48 hours and state administration has been asked to remain alert.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Air Force (IAF) and teams of other agencies have been pressed into service and they have so far rescued 214 stranded people. More than 6,200 people in the region have been shifted to safer places.

Ten state highways and many roads have also been damaged.

Rupani on Saturday held a review meeting with the government officials at the state disaster control room in Gandhinagar and took stock of the situation and the rescue operations.

Surendranagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir and Somnath districts in Saurashtra region have received heavy rain in the last 24 hours. Ahmedabad and other parts of North Gujarat till Mandal are witnessing heavy rain since this morning, the chief minister told reporters.

Vadodara and parts of central Gujarat received good rain last night, he said.

The highest rainfall of 350 mm was recorded in Chotila of Surendranagar district, while Vadia in Amreli district received over 250 mm rainfall, he added.

Three people have died due to drowning in the last 24 hours, Rupani said.

While one of them died in Rajkot, the details regarding the two other deceased were yet to be known.

The NDRF, IAF and state rescue teams have so far rescued 214 people, stranded at different places, Rupani said, adding that 6,235 people had been shifted to safer places from low-lying areas near rivers and dams.

Ten state highways and 65 roads have been damaged due to the rain. Work is on to restore roads, he said.

Rajkot-Ahmedabad national highway has also been closed due to water-logging, which led to traffic jams.

We have instructed district administrations to be alert and all help is being provided to the people affected by heavy rain, Rupani said.

Heavy rain has thrown life out of gear in many parts of the state.

Rajkot district collector Vikrant Pandey said one person drowned in rain water in Jasdan town in the district.

Over 700 people have been shifted to safer places. The NDRF team has rescued over 16 people, who were stranded in flood waters in various parts of the district, he said.

Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner BN Pani said a two-storey building located in Hathikhana area of the city collapsed, but no causality was reported.

The city received over 72 mm of rainfall as Lalpari reservoir has overflowed and nearly 60 people living in the surrounding areas have been shifted to safer places, Pani said.

Surendranagar is the worst-affected district in the Saurashtra region. The NDRF team has rescued over 15 people in the town.

Dharoi dam in Chotila has overflowed, prompting the authorities to close Rajkot-Ahmedabad national highway as the rain water has flooded the road, Surendranagar flood control room said.

Catchment areas of most dams and reservoirs in Saurashtra region received good amount of rain water.

Heavy rain also continued to lash Ahmedabad and the city received over 100 mm of rainfall since Friday night. Water-logging was observed in several low-lying areas of the city. PTI
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 22

When Indian and Chinese National Security Advisers meet in Beijing next week, New Delhi will be armed with solemn treaties and old Britishera maps to argue that Dolam, or Doklam, is a disputed territory.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

NSA Ajit Doval will be in China from July 27-30 for a BRICS NSAs meeting where he is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi.

The two had met briefly in July first week at Hamburg on the sidelines of G-20 summit. The Beijing meeting is being watched internationally and could set the future course in the recent military stand-off between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. It could ease the ongoing tension played through media on both sides.

New Delhis argument is that Peoples Liberation Army of China walked into Bhutans territory to make a road in an area that is disputed. The Indian Army in consultation with Royal Bhutan Army is there to help a friend.

A mutual withdrawal of forces is the way forward is the sense in New Delhi.

India is expected to argue that China is going back on a commitment made in 2012 to maintain status quo at border tri-junctions. The road being built by China would change the situation at Doklam tri-junction, a point where the border was never demarcated.

Despite China citing the 1890 treaty with the British, no demarcation exists on ground and it was Beijing that vacillated on demarcation with the British and also later.

Article VI of the 1890 Sikkim-Tibet boundary treaty says Mount Gipmochi (14,300 feet high) shall be the point where Tibet and Sikkim territories converge. After the 1906 treaty of Tibet getting the Chumbi valley, China assumes Mount Gipmochi as the tri-junction. India considers Batang La to be the tri-junction, around 6.5 km north. Bhutan and China have failed to sort out the matter despite 24 negotiations since 1984.

Global Times, the mouthpiece of Chinas Communist Party, today published a comment of Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum think-tank. He said, Dovals visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.

Both Doval and Yang are also the Special Representatives for India-China boundary talks. The two sides have already held 19 rounds of talks to resolve their differences.

For India, the demarcation of the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control, the de facto boundary, is a solution on two parameters. One is to use the watershed principle while second is on present actualities, such as the one suggested in April 1960 by then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.
Washington, July 22

The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any coercive aspects.

We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects, Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension free of any coercive aspects.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

Read: China justifies construction of road in Sikkim sector

China trying to change status quo on border, says India

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later this month. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters, Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As Chinas military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance Chinas influence, General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing Chinas decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations, he said in written response to the questions. PTI
New Delhi, July 22

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Saturday discussed the potential for cooperation in areas like banking, digital finance, tourism and innovation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

During the meeting, Modi recalled the successful visit of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to India in October 2016, and appreciated the follow-up action by both sides on the decisions taken at the summit, the PMO said.

Shanmugaratnam congratulated the prime minister on the successful roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it said.

He briefed Modi on the progress in bilateral relations, especially in the economic domain.

The prime minister appreciated the close bilateral cooperation in sectors of investment, urban development, civil aviation, and skill development, the PMO said in a statement.  PTI
Ginger exports to India back on track, for now

Ginger exports to India resumed on Thursday after the Indian government unilaterally halted movement of the Nepali product for two weeks. Traders are exporting the high-value spice produce through the Kakarvitta border point in the eastern region.
Mumbai, July 22

A woman claiming to be the biological daughter of Sanjay Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking a stay on filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkars upcoming film Indu Sarkar.

Priya Paul filed a petition in the high court on Friday seeking a direction to Bhandarkar to explain what was fiction and what was fact.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Bhandarkar had recently said only 30 per cent of the film, which is set against the backdrop of the Emergency, was factual and the remaining was fictional. The film is slated to release on July 28.

Pauls petition has sought the court to stay the release of the film till Bhandarkar deletes the factual part of the movie.

The petition has also sought the court to set aside the certificate granted to the movie by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) until the makers delete the factual parts.

The censor board has granted a U/A certificate to the film after ordering 12 cuts, which has been complied with.

Pauls petition was mentioned on Friday before a division bench headed by Justice Anoop Mohta, which has posted it for hearing on July 24.

Bhandarkar had recently said that he would put a disclaimer in Indu Sarkar, stating that the film is mostly fictional. PTI
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 22

In a rare case, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear afresh a petition filed by a murder convict from Punjab even after dismissing his appeal, review and curative petitions as it got to know that a co-accused with identical role in the crime was convicted of a lesser offence and given just 10-year imprisonment.

A bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notice to the State of Punjab after advocate Rishi Malhotra, representing convict Darshan Singh, pointed out that there were serious anomalies in the case decided by the top court.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Malhotra submitted that an anomalous situation had been created in the case as the appeals filed by Darshan Singh, co-accused Surain Singh and complainant Amrik Singh  which arose out of the same verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High Court  were not taken up together by the Supreme Court.

As a result, the top court on January 6, 2016 dismissed Darshan Singhs appeal and confirmed his conviction for murder. It further dismissed his review petition and curative petition  the last legal recourse available to a litigant  on May 3, 2016 and January 11, 2017, respectively.

Interestingly, three months later it converted accused Surain Singhs conviction from that for murder to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and reduced his sentence from life imprisonment to 10-year imprisonment.

The Supreme Court categorically held that the crime in question was committed at the spur of the moment and without any intention and pre-meditation to cause death. It said the incident took place out of grave and sudden provocation and the accused persons had no intention to kill the deceased persons.

Malhotra said, if the crime was not pre-meditated, his client Darshan Singh could not have been given life sentence for the same incident. He demanded that the benefit given to co-accused Surain Singh should be extended to his client as well on the touchstone of constitutional principles of right to equality and right to life and liberty.

The incident dates back to February 17, 1995 when seven accused, including Surain Singh, Jhanda Singh, Jasmail Singh, Darshan Singh, Pal Singh and Boota Singh had gone to the court of Executive Magistrate, Faridkot, to attend proceedings in connection with a case of breach of peace. Complainant Amrik Singh was also there along with his relatives.

As they all were waiting outside the court, an argument broke between the parties and accused Surain Singh struck blows on Bhajan Singh with his kripan. Darshan Singh struck Santa Singh with the Kripan.

On March 26, 1998, the trial court acquitted three accused persons namely Darshan Singh, Boota Singh and Lachhman Dass but convicted co-accused Surain Singh under Section 302 of IPC for murdering Harbans Singh and Santa Singh. It also convicted the other accused persons.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 2, 2008 upheld accused Surain Singhs conviction for murdering deceased Harbans. It also convicted Darshan Singh under Section 302 IPC for murdering Santa Singh.
Harish Khare

In a few days, Pranab Mukherjee will cease to be the President of India. His successor has already been elected and would get sworn in on July 25. He will no longer be entitled to be called Mahamahim. He will become the familiar and likeable Pranabda.

What will Pranabda do? Rather, what should he do? Unlike a prime minister, who is deemed to be a practising politician and, therefore, never goes out of business, a president, in the Indian context, is presumed to have detoxified himself/herself of all political affiliations.

President Mukherjees predecessor, Mrs Pratibha Patil, was content to retire to a quiet and isolated spot in Pune. Her predecessor, Abdul J Kalam, continued to remain active in the public domain, pushing for ideas, igniting young minds, effortlessly returning to his role as the nations motivator. Earlier, KR Narayanan did not live long after leaving the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was still in the process of sorting out his papers when assorted illnesses took their toll. R Venkataraman tried for a while to carve a public role for himself, but that did not add up to much.

Tradition and history do not encourage an activist role for former presidents.

In the United States, laws and political traditions encourage former presidents to set up their foundations and libraries, all intended to ensure that historians and scholars take a kind view of their presidency.

We, in India, are extraordinarily cussed in providing for ex-presidents. For five years, a man or a woman is parked in one of the worlds most envious surroundings, a sprawling mansion, an army of underlings in attendance. The President of India gets to live in style and just as well  after all, the head of the republic personifies the pomp and splendour of the country. But the moment the presidents term comes to an end, we condemn him to dignified poverty. Maybe, we resent putting the president up for five years in such grandeur.

It would be interesting to watch what Pranabda makes of himself outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He has opted to stay put in Delhi. Pranab babu is a hardcore politician. There was some loose talk of him being asked to lead the Congress. This is foolishness. There may be a leadership vacuum in the Congress, but there is no leadership vacancy.

When the NDA government was voted to office in May 2014, President Pranab wisely resisted the temptation to convert the Rashtrapati Bhavan into a rival centre of power and influence, even though he had often crossed political swords with Narendra Modi and his party.

During these last three years, he was able to maintain a reasonably correct relationship with the Modi government.

In fact, many purists were dismayed that he was seen enthusiastically enlisting himself in the government programmes, such as the Swachh Bharat or yoga events. The Head of the State was not obliged to lend presidential presence to the governments every public relations exercise.

Yet, from time to time, he stumbled upon the moral authority of his office. He spoke up, in measured tones and, rightly so, when things seemed to be getting out of hand.

It is fair to assume that these five years in the Rashtrapati Bhavan have made him into a kind of an elder statesman. He can provide the much-needed gravitas in our public life and political discourse.

***************

If one were to subscribe to the quasi-official terms of abuse and denunciation, then Indira Gandhi could easily be hailed as the only Hindu ruler to have inflicted a decisive and comprehensive defeat over a Muslim ruler. Her marshalling of the national resources and national political energy in a systematic manner was one of the finest chapters of statecraft in the long history of this ancient land.

Yet, it is ironic that while Pakistan continues to smart under that defeat and continues to feel that the 1971 humiliation has to be avenged, we in our own country have turned against her.

In the post-May 2014 era, history is being re-written. Revisionists, pamphleteers and propagandists are tirelessly at work. Their brief is clear: belittle Indira Gandhis leadership and her contribution to the consolidation of the Indian State at a time when the Cold War was at its hottest and making fierce demands on our national space. When as an uncompromising nationalist, she persevered.

In this context, the Indian National Congress has done itself  and the nation  a service by bringing out a book on Indira Gandhi to mark her centenary. Indias Indira  A Centennial Tribute is a handsomely produced book.

There are thoughtful essays by President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan, former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, and former Namibian President Sam Nujoma. These names affirm her stature and the respect she enjoyed in the neighbourhood.

But the best thing the books editor, Anand Sharma, has done is to put together 12 of her best speeches. Read together, these speeches give us a fairly good idea of her coherent and clear worldview. She was a leader for those times. And, those were trying and troubled times.

A nation that seeks to forget, or worse, belittle, its leaders cannot possibly hope to get respect and recognition from others.

***************

Honest journalism in India has always been a hazardous enterprise. Besides producing and processing news, journalism involves unearthing facts and patterns which may not be so easily observable. An honest journalist often runs the risk of annoying powerful interests and individuals.

In the good old days, there was a simple way of dealing with an annoying journalist: get him physically harmed, even bumped off. As the democratic assertions and practices have become more entrenched, intimidation and threats have become rather nuanced. Since we officially began subscribing to the market, with a capital M, many values and ethical codes of yesteryear stand revised. The journalist is no longer an unafraid functionary.

Yet, the pressure on the journalist remains unabated. In the last three years, the government has done a splendid job of not only taming the media but also converting it into its barking dog. The so-called national news channels, in particular, have suddenly stopped questioning the government. Instead, the accent is on going after the Opposition.

Still, stray voices of dissent persevere  but these are not to be tolerated. The latest and, probably, the most painful evidence of the new form of intimidation comes from the Economic and Political Weekly. This is a small weekly magazine, catering almost entirely to an academic-oriented readership. Despite its limited circulation, it is highly respected. Early this week, the EPW editor found himself constrained to put in his papers. What is painful about the EPW episode is that this liberal-left journal is overseen by a trust, consisting of some of the most respected and distinguished social scientists and historians.

The editor, Pranjoy Guha Thakurta, had managed to annoy the very, very rich and very, very powerful Adani group. Pranjoy had written two longish articles, detailing how windfall profits came the Adani groups way and suggested that, perhaps, the groups proximity to Narendra Modi had something to do with the bonanza. The Adani group resorted to a very intimidating and very effective manoeuvre: it slapped a case of defamation. Lawsuits are expensive; the idea, possibly, was to threaten the EPW with a financially bleeding legal battle.

Thakurtas forced departure from the EPW is a definite warning, especially to all those who dare poke their nose into the corporate shenanigans. Sad and dismaying.

***************

News reports suggest that those who manage the affairs at Harmandar Sahib have asked them to be exempted from the GST on the plea that langar is a free, charitable rite.

The government cannot possibly make an exception in the case of one religious institution. Instead, it has been suggested: why not ask the devotees to donate an extra 17 per cent. Perhaps, there can be a separate golak for GST?

That is an out-of-the-box idea and calls for coffee. Do join me.

kaffeeklatsch@tribuneindia.com
Sumit Hakhoo & Amir Karim Tantray in Jammu

They represent a counter-narrative of Kashmir conflict: young soldiers belonging to various parts of Jammu and Kashmir fighting Pakistan-sponsored insurgency in hinterland and aggression along 740-km Line of Control (LoC) for the last 27 years.

Despite threat of militants, thousands of young Muslim men have come forward to join the Army and paramilitary forces in Kashmir in recent years. This is a direct challenge to the separatist agenda.

Apart from Hindus and Sikhs, Muslim soldiers from plains of Jammu to mountainous district of Rajouri, Poonch and erstwhile Doda district and from militancy-affected south Kashmir districts have died in the line of duty.

Although J&K government continues to ignore the sacrifice of the soldiers as there is no official policy to take care of soldiers families nor is there any compensation policy. Outside J&K, respective governments have implemented a definite policy for the soldiers killed in the line of duty and announced monetary compensation and special incentives for the children of the soldiers.

According to an estimate, nearly 5,000 Kashmiri youth are serving in the Army and paramilitary forces at different levels. There are nearly 8,500 ex-servicemen. These men are fully aware what it means to challenge death while living.

Naik Mudassar Ahmed (37) from Tral, in volatile south Kashmir district of Pulwama often described as liberated zone due to high concentration of militants and radicalization among the youth, lost his life on July 17 during intense shelling by Pakistani Army in Tarkundi area of Rajouri. Tral is also the native place of Hizbul Muhajideens social media warrior Burhan Wani, eliminated by security forces on July 8 last year, plunging entire Kashmir into violence. What went largely unreported was villagers emotional farewell to the soldier despite threats from militants.

Similarly, Lance Naik Mohammad Naseer (35), a resident of village Ajout in Haveli area of Poonch district in Jammu region, was killed on July 15. He died fighting bravely against Pakistani aggression while posted at a forward post on LoC in Poonch-Rajouri axis. This area has seen some of the deadliest artillery and small arms duels since attack in Uri on September 18, 2016.

Both the districts are Gujjar and Pahari-dominated areas and share ethnic affinity with people living across LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). This has not deterred youth from joining armed forces.

On July 8, a Territorial Army soldier Showket Ahmed from Rajouri died after Pakistani army shelled his villages close to LoC. He was on leave. His wife also died while two minor daughters were seriously injured. On July 12, Lance Naik Ranjit Singh and Rifleman Satish Bhagat from Jammu died in the Keran sector in North Kashmir, in an ambush by enemy snipers.

Lieutenant General (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain is one of the decorated Muslim generals of Indian Army who once commanded the strategic 15 Corps tasked with anti- insurgency operations in Kashmir and alone LoC with Pakistan. The nation is indebted to these men. At the heights of Uri and Gurez sector or in the hinterland operations of Rashtriya Rifles, I have seen their smiling faces, happiness writ large with the honor of safe and honourable jobs and the pluralistic and tolerant faith of the Army, said Lt. Gen Hasnain.

Major General (redt) Sunil Razdan, a Kirti Chakra recipient, is a Kashmiri who served the elite Parachute Regiment till 2012 supervising training of several youth from the Valley. He says boys from heartland of insurgency are defying the separatists and joining the Army which needs to be projected to defeat the Pakistani propaganda.

Rural areas do not have many economic openings but to say that Muslim boys from Kashmir are joining army for only employment is wrong. They are joining forces and the police knowing fully that they will have to deal with life and death situations. I have trained nearly 130 youth at the commando training centre in Bengaluru and they are fighting militancy in Kashmir, says Maj Gen. Razdan. Even now when Kashmir is facing heightened militancy attacks, recruitment drives organised by the Army and police in Kupwara, Baramulla and South Kashmir districts have attracted hundreds of youth.

There are several martyrs whose families and their sacrifices seldom find enough space in newspaper columns.
Kandahar, July 22

A US airstrike killed 16 Afghan policemen and wounded two others in Helmand province, officials said today. The incident took place yesterday around 5 pm as Afghan security forces were clearing a village of Taliban elements, Salam Afghan, Helmand police spokesman, told AFP.

In the strike, 16 Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded, he said.

Omar Zwak, spokesman of the Helmand provincial governor , confirmed the strike and gave the same account. It occurred in Gereshk

district in Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control.

NATOs mission in Afghanistan issued a statement. During a US-supported (Afghan security) operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound, it said.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident, the statement said, adding there would be a probe into what happened.

The US is the only foreign force in the coalition conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan. Acting interior ministry spokesman Najeeb Danish gave a lower death toll than the provincial officials.

The toll we have received is that unfortunately as a result of the strike, we have 12 police forces martyred and no one wounded, Danish told AFP.

He said a ministry delegation had been sent to the area to investigate the incident and help families of the victims.  AFP

Wrong hit: Not the first time

In February, a US airstrike in Sangin killed at least 18 civilians, mostly women and children

Last November 32 Afghan civilians were killed in a US airstrike in the northeastern province of Kunduz

In October 2015, a US air strike during fighting hit a hospital operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres, killing 42 persons and sparking international outrage

MSF reopens Kunduz clinic

Medecins Sans Frontiers in Afghanistan on Saturday reopened a small medical clinic in northern Kunduz province where nearly two years ago a US airstrike destroyed their hospital, killing over 40

The new facility, which has one doctor and five nurses, will only provide outpatient treatment of minor and chronic wounds and is not located at the site of the bombed hospital

The organisation stopped its activities in Kunduz after the October 2015 bombing that killed 42, including 24 patients and 14 staff, seeking assurances from the US and Afghan military, as well as the Taliban, to protect their facilities

Taliban chiefs son among killed
WASHINGTON, July 22

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to complain about the special counsel investigating possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia while insisting that he, as president, has "complete power to pardon".

Trump, who defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in last year's presidential election but continues to use her as a foil, questioned why his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, and special counsel Robert Mueller were not investigating former FBI Director James Comey or Clinton, for her email practices as secretary of state.

"So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Counsel looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 emails deleted...," he wrote on Twitter.

"My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & the authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!"

The Federal Bureau of Investigation decided last year not to recommend criminal charges against Clinton for her email practices. Trump fired Comey in May.

Sessions had been Trump's first supporter in the Senate before being named attorney general, but recently has become a lightning rod for Trump's anger over the probe into allegations of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Sessions recused himself from the probe in March after having failed to disclose at his confirmation hearing that he had held meetings last year with Russia's ambassador.

The US Senate Judiciary Committee said on Friday that Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort had agreed to negotiate whether to be interviewed by the panel in its Russia investigation.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump had inquired about his authority to issue pardons to aides, family members and perhaps himself as Muellers Russia probe widens.

Trump cited his power to pardon in the series of tweets on Saturday that focused ire on leaks to the news media.

"While all agree the US President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," he wrote.

Scholars have raised questions about the scope of the president's legal authority in issuing pardons. If sometime in the future Trump moved to pardon himself, the US Supreme Court might have to decide on the constitutionality, some have speculated.

Trump also had words for Republican senators who have not been able to agree on a way forward to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, which has become known as Obamacare and which Trump promised to do away with as president.

"The Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace. Next, Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!" he tweeted.

Trump left on Saturday morning for a short trip to Norfolk, Virginia, where he will be present for the commissioning ceremony for an aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, named after the former US president.

Ford, who became president after Richard Nixon resigned, in 1974 pardoned Nixon for any crimes he might have committed stemming from the Watergate scandal that led to his resignation.  Reuters
Washington, July 22

US Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims he was killed in an air strike.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said.

"But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," he told reporters on Friday.

Also read: IS chief al-Baghdadi killed in air strikes: Reports

Last month, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.

Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as "caliph" in 2014, he has not been seen.

Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations. Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.

Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet.

He said he has not used the presidential authorisation to increase the troop number in the war-torn country by 4,000.

"You fight wars for a reason. You don't just fight wars - I'm going to go fight a war now. There's got to be some end state to it, especially when you take a democracy that does not want to go fight wars and have to be able to compel the people to think. Maybe they got their act together here. Maybe this makes sense. So, you come up with a political reason for it," he said.

"There was a political reason for going after Osama bin Laden. He attacked New York City. So, there's a decision at the political level," Mattis said.

"Once you get the policy right, then you have to get the strategy right... Because if you don't know where you're going, good luck when you take off on your journey," he said.

Later, President Donald Trump accused The New York Times of "foiling" American attempt to kill the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security," Trump tweeted.

The president, however, did not give any other details in support of his claim.  PTI
Insufficient rainfall hits rice farmers

A majority of farmers in Morang are unable to transplant rice seedlings as there has been insufficient rainfall to prepare the paddies.
Sales volume for Tulsa-area multifamily properties (exceeding 25 units) was 67 percent higher during the first six months of 2017 compared to the same period a year ago, according to a report released by an Oklahoma-based apartment brokerage firm.

Total transaction volume in Tulsa was $115.6 million, up from $69.1 million for the first six months of 2016, according to Commercial Realty Resources Co., headquartered in Norman. The overall average price per unit in the area was $55,277 versus $43,486 at mid-year 2016.

The majority of sales (87 percent) occurred in 1980s-or-newer properties.

The prices that were achieving just jump out for everybody, said Darla Knight, Tulsa branch broker for CRRC. Its kind of a sellers market.

French Villa is a 50-year-old, all-bills-paid property. To sell it at $58,500 a unit is amazing.

She is referring to the $5.845 million sale of the 100-unit French Villa at 4752 S. Harvard Ave., which was built in 1962. That was among four transactions involving pre-1980 properties. The other three were Willowbend (3038 S. 101st East Ave.), Melrose (6321 S. 82nd St.) in Tulsa and the Venue Apartments (512 E. Madison St.) in Broken Arrow.

The three sales in the 1980s category were the former Westport on the River  now known as Waterside Apartments (1703 S. Jackson Ave.), Creekwood and Columbine Apartments (along 77th East Avenue) and Prescott Woods Apartments (1337 E. 61st St.).

The one sale in the post-1990s classification involved the Marquis on Memorial Apartments in Bixby, which sold for $13.5 million, or $102,272 per unit, for the 132 units that were built in 2009. The seller had acquired the property in December 2014 for $12.75 million, or $96,590 per unit, a 6 percent increase over a 30-month period.

For some time now, everybodys been after the value add, which a few years ago was the guy who ran out of money or steam, turning a property, Knight said in a telephone interview. Today, value add is like strangely, Westport, Creekwood  80s products with good occupancy. The goal there is put some money in.

The forever-changing value add has been really interesting to watch, with people attempting to justify the lower cap rates and what they are willing to pay.

Overall, compared to mid-year 2016, total units sold were 32 percent higher, average price per unit was 27 percent higher and the number of transactions was 11 percent higher, according to the report.

We took kind of a breather a year ago with the oil recession, Knight said. That didnt seem to put a dent in multifamily. Weve just had this perfect little storm thats been going for a couple years now. Maybe the when-is-it-going-to-end is what keeps pushing it  that and the lack of product.

People, if they are going to buy, they have to get in there and compete. And people are willing to pay premium prices.
OKLAHOMA CITY  A Muskogee physician will be banned from prescribing opioids and other potentially dangerous drugs and must serve a six-month suspension from practicing medicine after a number of his patients died of overdoses.

Scott Gregory Lilly, an oncologist who treated chronic pain patients at Cardiac Clinic of Muskogee, also will have to pay a $20,000 fine and seek state approval before taking any new job in medicine.

Lilly said he hasnt practiced medicine since the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency visited the clinic in 2015 but would like to do so again.

Since 2010, 14 of Lillys patients have died of overdoses, according to a complaint filed with the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.
A man accused of shooting a teenager during an alleged fireworks theft on Independence Day pleaded not guilty Friday to first-degree manslaughter.

A Tulsa County judge scheduled an Aug. 21 preliminary hearing for 32-year-old Johnny Mize Jr. At that hearing, a judge will determine whether the evidence is sufficient to bind him over for trial.

Mize is charged with shooting Jake Ulrich, 15, at a west Tulsa fireworks stand on July 4.

Ulrich and his 27-year-old cousin, Jack Ulrich, are alleged to have stolen a box of fireworks valued at $600 from the fireworks stand, which was operated by Mizes father.

Detectives from the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office say Mize told them he saw two people in a green pickup steal the fireworks, which prompted him to jump over the counter and point a gun at the thieves to scare them.

Mize told investigators he thought someone had fired a shot at him because he heard a pop, and that he then fired his gun but wasnt sure what, if anything, he hit.

Mize said he then jumped into the bed of the pickup and that the driver subsequently swerved in an effort to throw him out, according to an affidavit from investigators. Mize said he then shot out one of the pickups tires and that the driver fled on foot after the truck came to a stop, the affidavit states.

Authorities said they found Jake Ulrichs body slumped over in the cab of the pickup in the 6500 block of West Edison Street. The fireworks stand was at 65th West Avenue and Charles Page Boulevard.

Jack Ulrich eventually surrendered to authorities and was charged with larceny, a misdemeanor, on July 14.

After Mizes arrest, he was released from the Tulsa Jail on $50,000 bond.
Three people allegedly involved with the Irish Mob were arrested after police seized guns and methamphetamine at a south Tulsa apartment Thursday.

Officers with the Tulsa Police Departments Organized Gang Unit served a search warrant at an apartment near 71st Street and Memorial Drive, where they say they found 14 guns and a quarter pound of meth.

Police determined at least two of the guns were stolen, and another two were sawed-off shotguns with the serial numbers removed.

After the bust, police arrested Cody Alan Willis, 28; Morgan Cole Womack, 34; and Christina Marie Koons, 30. They face complaints of trafficking meth and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony or after a felony conviction.

Police say the three are known members and associates of the Irish Mob.

 Kyle Hinchey, Tulsa World
An earlier version of this story had a mislabeled picture for First United Methodist Church in Tulsa.

Tulsas three biggest United Methodist churches are all pursuing a method of church growth that is becoming increasingly popular.

The First United Methodist Church and Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, both downtown, and Asbury United Methodist Church, in the Woodland Hills area, are all developing satellite campuses.

Life.Church in Edmond pioneered the satellite campus concept and now has 27 campuses, including six in the Tulsa area.

The Rev. Tom Harrison, pastor of Asbury, said there are several ways to start a new congregation.

Least effective, he said, is what could be called the parachute drop, in which church planters are given some financial support and dropped into an area cold to start a new church.

In the mother-daughter model, he said, the planting church watches and offers assistance, but the new church is independent.

The satellite model, he said, retains the DNA of the sending church, which stays in partnership and relationship with the new church. He said that model gives the new church the opportunity to pursue its mission without the burden of handling administrative matters such as human resources, payroll and boards of trustees, which remain with the sending church.

Harrison said Asbury is in negotiations now to establish a satellite campus and will have more information this summer once details have been worked out.

Were Methodists, he said. We dont do anything quickly. Were methodical.

Setting goals

The First United Methodist Church was the first large United Methodist congregation in Tulsa to pursue a satellite campus.

The church was charged with developing a plan for the use of the Trinity United Methodist Church property, 3737 S. Peoria Ave. in Brookside, which closed in May 2015.

After extensive studies, the church determined that renovation of the existing Trinity building was not practical, and it was bulldozed.

The Rev. Matt Morgan, Brookside lead pastor at First United Methodist Church, said the short-term goal is to build a park and bandstand on the property this summer that will be open to the public.

The downtown church will hold events there as it begins to develop a presence in Brookside.

Morgan said the long-term goal will be to put a church building on that site as a community of worshipers is established, he said.

Sod and trees have been planted on the site. The church leased part of the property to the Pop House, a private business that built a small building to sell a gourmet frozen dessert on a stick.

Negotiations are under way with another private vendor, he said, and playground equipment has been installed.

Morgan said First United Methodist also is looking at possibilities for another property, the recently closed Epworth United Methodist Church in west Tulsa.

First United Methodist will hold a community dinner and barbecue at that site on Sunday, he said.

Weve invited the neighbors to meet with us and see how we can serve them.

Reaching more people

The Rev. David Wiggs, pastor of Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, said the impetus to launch satellite campuses came from the Council Oak District of the United Methodist Church, which oversees churches in the greater Tulsa area.

He said the districts Mission Strategy Team is exploring how we can use our strongest churches to reach more people for Christ.

Theyve asked Boston Avenue to investigate and evaluate and see if we can discern where God might be leading us to create a new ministry in north Tulsa.

Wiggs said Boston Avenue formed a task force several months ago to explore how it can serve the north Tulsa community.

Im not sure if that will be another traditional church offering worship services, he said.

Were trying to identify unmet needs, things we do well and have a heart for, spreading the love of God.

The Rev. Dan Peil, former district superintendent of the Council Oak District, now pastoring in Norman, said: For several years we have been encouraging our strong, vital churches to extend their presence, witness and resources into satellite locations around the metropolitan area.

With district realignment a few years ago, we developed a District Mission Strategy Team to lead the Council Oak District efforts for growth and revitalization. Satellite campuses are one of our emphases.

Peil said the council also developed a ministry through Owassos First United Methodist Church and a satellite campus in Catoosa.
Fire at KL Dugad's godown in Nepalgunj under control

The massive fire at the godown of KL Dugad Group at Bhuai in Nepalgunj has been doused after three hours.
If there is any better version of the American dream than Bama Pie, we are hard-pressed to think of it.

The Bama Companies have been in Tulsa, and a mainstay of 11th Street near Delaware Avenue, for 80 years. Bama has been there for so long and is so close to the University of Tulsa campus that TU is often affectionately referred to by longtime locals as Bama Pie U.

The company has grown to become a worldwide supplier of pies, biscuits and dough. First known for its frozen bake-in-your-own-oven pies, the company has become the main supplier of hand-held fruit pies for McDonalds. The company also supplies dough and other items to Pizza Hut and Nabisco. Bama produces one million pies and more than two million biscuits daily. A new hotcake line is producing 150,000 hotcakes per shift.

The company is celebrating its 80th year in Tulsa, but its roots began 10 years earlier in Texas. Henry and Alabama Marshall began with a small pie shop in Dallas and soon expanded to other parts of Texas, selling pies door-to-door during the Great Depression. Their son, Paul, opened a branch in Tulsa in 1937, which became the companys headquarters, and the rest is history. Over the years, Bama has become one of the nations largest manufacturers of flour-based products.

Amazingly, the company has remained in family hands all these years. Now led by Paula Marshall, other members of the family are learning the ropes and taking an active part in the daily production of Bamas products. Fewer than 30 percent of family businesses survive into the third generation. Those that do are usually successful.

Bama always has been a terrific member of the Tulsa community. Its decision to remain here has been valuable to Tulsa, and we hope just as valuable to Bama. Happy 80th anniversary, Bama. We hope your version of the American Dream continues for a long, long time.
NC CWC meet underway in Sanepa

The Central Working Committee meeting of Nepali Congress has begun at the party office in Sanepa on Saturday.
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Published July 21, 2017

The University of Louisiana Monroe welcomes the world-famous Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps for a day of rehearsal and a performance of its competition show on Tuesday, July 25.

Based in Caspar, Wyo., Troopers is a founding member of Drum Corps International, one of the largest organizers of youth activities in the world. The corps members are high school and college musicians.

In the summer, the Troopers travel to competitive shows and camps throughout the country. The stop in Monroe is on the way to a competition in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Wednesday.

Their goal is perfection, said Dr. Derle Long, Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. The band is brass and percussion with a color guard. They have rigorous rehearsals to do these shows. We host them for a day and in return they do a complete run through of the competition show.

The Troopers compete in Dallas on Monday then travel to ULM where they will spend the night on campus and Tuesday rehearse on the Sound of Today practice field and in Malone Stadium.

Rehearsals are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3 p.m.-7 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. the Troopers will perform the competition show in Malone Stadium.

All rehearsals, including the 6:30 p.m. show, are free and open to the public. No videotaping is allowed due to copyright laws.

After the show, the Troopers will shower and have supper before boarding buses bound for Mississippi.

For more information, check out ULM's Visual and Performing Arts Facebook Events page or the Troopers Facebook Page.
Nepal, China trade halted due to landslide

Rasuwagadhi-Kerung, Nepals only gateway to land trade with China has been obstructed due to landslides. The Pasang Lhamu Highway in Rasuwa district has been hammered by incessant rainfall since Thursday, triggering landslides.
Sangam Prasain is Business Editor at The Kathmandu Post, covering tourism, agriculture, mountaineering, aviation, infrastructure and other economic affairs. He joined The Kathmandu Post in October 2009.


Minus5 Ice Experience, the company that launched Americas first ice experience, has debuted its third Las Vegas location inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas. Known as the coolest venue in Las Vegas, the all-new location features the spirit of vintage Las Vegas, a beach-inspired paradise, and more, allowing guests to celebrate the summer season and beat the heat on the Las Vegas Strip (Photo credit: Minus5 Ice Experience).

We are thrilled to open our third Las Vegas location in the heart of The Strip. Each location has a different experience, and in our newest venue, we have brought the beach to Las Vegas, said President Noel Bowman. From our Surf Shack to the glitzy ice-dAcor that pays homage to Las Vegas new and old, we are excited to share some fun surprises with our guests that we havent done before. With summer in full swing, Minus5 Ice Experience is the perfect place to beat the heat this summer!

Minus5 Ice Experience at the Grand Canal Shoppes features a 1,500 square-foot ice attraction made with more than 100 tons of 100% pure Canadian ice, complete with a walk-up warm bar  totaling 3,000 square feet. Named for its constant frosty temperature of minus five degrees (twenty-three degrees Fahrenheit), guests are able to touch, feel and explore handcrafted ice sculptures and architecture, creating the ultimate winter wonderland experience, available 365 days per year.

VIDEO: Minus5 Ice Experience at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas (photo credit: courtesy of Minus5 Ice Experience).

From the walls to the benches, sculptures to chandeliers, guests are invited to have some cold-fashioned fun inside Las Vegas newest attraction. Minus5 Ice Experience has partnered with Blue Chair BayA Rum created by Kenny Chesney to create a one-of-a-kind Surf Shack, made completely of ice. Featuring an eclectic mix of palm trees, beach chairs, surf boards and more, guests can ride the ice-wave and sit on the oversized Adirondack chair, for the ultimate beach-inspired experience in the desert. Plus, guests can enjoy select signature cocktails made with Blue Chair Bay Rum served in coconut-style ice glasses.

The new location also transports guests to the 1950s with vintage Las Vegas flair including an ice-made electric chair, police line-up wall, and figures inspired by Sin City icons such as Rat Pack performers and showgirls. In addition, guests can enjoy hand-carved ice sculptures that pay tribute to the surrounding Las Vegas areas such as Joshua Tree and Arches National Parks, the gondola rides at The Venetian, and of course, the historic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.


Henderson-based Festival, Last Friday, Just Add Water Street, announces its official summer launch date that will take place on the streets of the historic Water Street District.

Beginning Friday, August 25th, festival attendees will come together in celebration of local live artists, various musicians, critically acclaimed chefs, and family-oriented activities that are encompassing of the entire Henderson community. This event is a not for profit event which will benefit 3 to 4 local area charities each month.

Founded in 2017 and as titled, it will be scheduled for every Friday of the month and encompasses all aspects of the emerging arts, culinary and performing arts in historic downtown Henderson at the Water Street District. More than 290,000 people now call Henderson their home which is why a dedicated festival for the community at the historic Water Street District, was a natural choice.

Our vision was simple yet concise. Creating a sustainable community-driven event by celebrating downtown historic Water Street, which also gives back, has always been important to me, said board president, Antonio Nunez. I am a true local; born and raised in Henderson which is still my home today, so giving back is the natural, next step.

Says, Board Member and Celebrity Chef, Scott Commings, The Water Street District in Henderson, Nevada is a unique setting where Main Street USA meets progressive, dynamic thinking. It converges culture, commerce and authentic small-town sensibility with forward-thinking redevelopment policies carried out by the City of Henderson, making it the perfect location for the festival.

The festival hours will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. but for the first event, there will be a special VIP pre-event starting at 6 p.m. for media, sponsors and donors. General admission to the event will always be complimentary.


Cleveland rapper and actor Machine Gun Kelly returns to Rehab Beach Club at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an unforgettable performance on Sunday, July 23 (Pictured: Machine Gun Kelly performs at TAO  Photo credit: Al Powers).

WHEN:

Sunday, July 23

Red carpet at 4:15 p.m.

Red carpet located across from Vanity Nightclub

WHERE:

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

4455 Paradise Road

Las Vegas, NV 89169

DETAILS: Tickets to Rehab start at $20 for females and $40 for males. The dayclub is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older with a valid form of identification to attend.
Pho, which was in 20th place on the list, is virtually the national dish and can be found all over Vietnam, though it is more of a Hanoi specialty and may taste a little sweeter and thicker in the south.

It is a bowl of soft rice noodles in a broth carefully prepared with different herbs and served with beef or chicken, and shallots, with chili and lemon on the side.

But its greater than the sum of its parts - fragrant, tasty and balanced, CNN said.

Eating pho in Hanoi was also found on a bucket list of 50 travel experiences you try in Asia by US news site Business Insider last October.

According to the site, the dish is considered one of the most nutritious in Vietnam and possibly its best hangover cure. It is loved by locals and tourist alike, so much so that there were heated online debates last year about how it should be served.

While pho is more of a main dish and a common breakfast choice, goi cuon, or fresh summer rolls, are a popular snack in the south.

Rice paper is wrapped around pork, shrimp, herbs and rice vermicelli, and the dish is best served after being dunked in sweet and sour fish sauce or a thick peanut dip.

Although the dish finished at the bottom of the list, it was named the Number 1 appetizer for a full-course party and featured on the first episode of Snoop Dogs cooking show Potluck Dinner Party, which first aired last November.

A video of him making the rolls went viral on Facebook in just a couple days. CNN readers called it meat light and the very definition of moreish.

The Top 50 was dominated by Asian dishes as well as Italian lasagna and pizza, Mexican fajitas and tacos, French croissants, Turkish kebabs, and American ice cream and cheeseburgers.
Nepal, US to seal $630m deal in September

The government of Nepal will sign a $630-million investment agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent US government agency working to reduce global poverty through economic development, in September to build a robust energy and transport infrastructure in the country.
The presence of a Chinese Navy spy ship monitoring large U.S.-Australia war games on the Queensland coast has been described as provocative by senior Australian military officials.

The Chinese Navy ship  an Auxiliary General Intelligence vessel (AGI) of the Type 815 Dongdiao-class  eavesdropped from international waters on this months Talisman Sabre war games being held on Australias northeast coastline, reported the ABC.

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The Chinese vessel has remained outside Australian territorial waters, but inside the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone in the Coral Sea, the department told the ABC in a statement.

Exercise Talisman Sabre is currently taking place in the vicinity. The vessels presence has not detracted from the exercise objectives, it added.

The U.S.-Australia exercise also has service personnel from New Zealand, Japan, and Canada participating in the three-week-long maneuvers. As part of the war games is a 33-strong fleet of multinational warships and submarines, including a carrier strike group led by the USS Ronald Reagan.

The ABC reported anonymous senior Australian defense officials who were unimpressed by the Chinese Navy spy ships presence, which they said was provocative and unfriendly.

International security expert Euan Graham from the Lowy Institute told the national broadcaster that he was unaware of any publicized appearance of an AGI off the Australian coast before.

33k+ #TalismanSaber participants hone abilities across range of mission sets, from combat to humanitarian assistance https://t.co/lDXHUSwRzA pic.twitter.com/beG5SkUxOn  U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (@INDOPACOM) July 21, 2017

Chinese Navy spy ship not illegal

Associate Professor Justin Hastings, from the University of Sydney, told Fairfax media that the deployment of the Chinese Navy spy vessel to the area was not illegal, but agreed it was provocative and aggressive.

In general, China has been more aggressive in monitoring the U.S. and its allies movements through its naval vessels in the past five years or so, Associate Professor Hastings said.

They are sort of putting the U.S. and Australia on notice that they are more carefully and more aggressively surveying what the U.S. and Australia are doing, he said.

MT @PacificCommand: By sea, air, & land 30,000+ multinational forces trained together in variety of warfighting exercises at #TalismanSaber pic.twitter.com/bhGLEFZqih  Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 20, 2017

The appearance of the Chinese spy ship lurking off the Australian coast came just days after similar vessels appeared off the coasts of Alaska, India, and Guam, reported news.com.au.

This has likewise occurred amid other international tensions involving Beijing  a current stand-off on the China-India border, Beijings aspirations in the South China Sea, and disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

Watch this episode of China Uncensored about Vietnam-China tensions over oil in the South China Sea:

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Tsahal has revealed part of the Good neighbour operation that it has been leading in Syria for the past six years.

According to the Jewish News Service, the Israeli Defence Forces have brought aid to more than 4,000 Syrians that have been injured, more than 500 of which are children. The Israelis have delivered more than 450,000 litres of fuel, 40 tonnes of flour, 225 tonnes of foodstuffs, 12,000 kits for babies, 1,800 packets of nappies, 12 tonnes of shoes and 55 tons of clothes to face the cold.

The communication from Tsahal seems intended for internal usage to calm its population, troubled by the support Tel-Aviv is lending to the jihadists. It is accompanied by a video that has no hesitation in mixing authentic videos with clips that MI6 has filmed in the North of the country (in other words, outside the zone covered by the Good neighbour).

In actual fact, if we concede to Tel-Aviv some credit for saving the children of jihadists injured during the fighting, a careful evaluation of this operation shows is to be nothing other than an effort to bolster the jihadists in their fight against the Syrian Arab Republic, a sovereign state.

In August 2014, Shin Beith (the Israeli military secret services) had organized for al-Qaeda to attack the United Nations Force (UNDOF) charged with observing the release. Some jihadists had imprisoned Fijian soldiers whose mission was to keep apart the Israeli and Syrian armies at Golan, under occupation. During a negotiation filmed live on Syrian TV, the UN representative paid a ransom to Al-Qaeda by internet bank transfer, without the beneficiary of this account ever being worried. Following this, Shin Beth installed al-Qaeda in place of the UNDOF provoking the anger of the United States and Russia.

Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, appeared on Israeli television congratulating the injured al-Qaeda combatants that were being looked after in the Ziv Medical Centre.

More recently, the Mossad has tried to create a Druze uprising against the Syrian Arab Republic modelled on what the United States and France have achieved with the Kurds in the North of the country. The Syrian Major Khaldoun Zeineddine had suddenly demanded the creation of a Druzistan at the Israeli border. But, after three months of uncertainty, all the Syrian leaders who are Druzes, have reaffirmed their support for the Republic. This is despite appeals to secession by the Lebanon pro-US Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt.

The humanitarian aid that Tsahal is boasting about does not fall within international humanitarian law, as defined by Henri Dunant, who established the Red Cross. This is because the aid only benefits one party to the combat. So for example, all beneficiaries of the Israeli aid are jihadists belonging to al-Qaeda and their families.

Another example is that delivering tonnes of flour is not useful because this product is available anywhere in the country at a price subsidized by the Republic. However, where jihadists control certain territories, then the flow of aid is stopped. In delivering flour, Tsahal only allows the jihadists to cross from Damascus and to strengthen their power over the populations.

This is exactly how Tsahal helped the Kosovan militias, during the war against Serbia. The infants that it had brought to Israel to care for, subsequently joined the Tel Aviv secret services.
The regional stage: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have announced breaking off diplomatic relations with Qatar; Qatar is now relying on the support of Iran and Turkey. Enter a new diplomatic crisis between Kuwait and Iran.

Whats happened is that the Supreme Court of Kuwait has just declared harsh prison sentences against 20 persons (see photo) accused of preparing attacks on behalf of Iran. Then the Kuwaiti government expelled 15 Iranian diplomats from the country and reduced the activities that the Iranian embassy has the authority to undertake.

The Iranian government has denied any involvement in this matter. In response to the Kuwaiti measures, the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs has summoned the Kuwaiti charge daffaires in Tehran, but Iran has not yet taken any reprisal measures.

As the Chairman of the Heads of State of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and enjoying the image of a moderate, Emir Sabah IV al-Ahmed al-Jabr al-Sabah of Kuwait appeared to be the most qualified to negotiating a solution to the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Two thirds of the Kuwaiti people are Sunni Muslims, or rather, Salafists. The remaining third are Shiites. This is why the Kuwait press has abstained from describing those sentenced as Shiites, preferring to define them simply as criminals.
Putting the JOY in Greyjoy. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Fridays Game of Thrones Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con brought together many of the shows most beloved actors, including, in a nice touch, the dearly departed Hodor (Kristian Nairn) to moderate. But the show was completely and totally stolen by Alfie Allen, the actor who plays Theon, when he brought to the stage what might be, objectively, the worlds cutest puppy, a tiny canine named Abby. (Spelling unconfirmed.) No word yet on whether the dog might be a direwolf, though if she did show up in a Game of Thrones episode, it would officially be the nicest thing to ever happen on the show.
Photo: Photo Credit: Alex Bailey/Twentieth Century Fox

This piece was originally published during San Diego Comic-Con 2017.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Giada De Laurentiis broke bad? I started to after an infamous appearance on Ellen where the Food Network host struggled to wrangle Nicole Kidman and Ellen DeGeneres during a cooking segment gone oh so wrong. As De Laurentiis tried her best to whip up some risotto balls and focaccia, DeGeneres and Kidman continually shaded her, refused to follow orders, and ultimately mocked her focaccia for being too tough. The audience laughed as De Laurentiiss stock plummeted, and though she kept a smile plastered on her face, there was murder in her eyes.

Maybe De Laurentiis will find viewing Kingsman: The Golden Circle to be cathartic when it comes out this September. Fox teased the spy sequel at San Diego Comic-Con yesterday, and while co-star Halle Berrys bourbon-soaked brio had audiences buzzing, I was even more taken with a few clips from the film, including a high-speed car chase with hero Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and, most delicious, the introduction of Julianne Moores new villain Poppy, a honey-voiced, hamburger-fixing crime boss that Moore plays like a demented Giada. Whatever shes cooking up with this performance looks good enough to eat.

You get only the briefest glimpse of Moores baddie in the new Kingsman trailer, so let me fill you in on what we saw of her during the extensive sneak peek. Poppy is a drug baron who lives in a hidden jungle outpost shes transformed into a sunny replica of 1950s Americana, adding a bowling alley, a salon, and a retro diner that serves as her headquarters. When we meet her in the clip, shes in the middle of a sales pitch to one of her henchman and his friend, a brand-new bad guy whod like to become part of her operation. Moores voice has the upbeat, overly familiar tenor of a television host, and as she beckons the two men over to the diner counter  pulling on a stylish apron as she moves across the set  she lets the axe fall even though her friendly demeanor never changes. Poppy tells the newcomer that if he wants to work for her, he must kill his friend in the next ten seconds.

Put him in the mincer, kay? she says.

As the henchman realizes his number is up, he tries to escape, but smiling Poppy summons two robot dogs named Benny and Jet to guard the exit of the diner. Perhaps she didnt need to bother, since the new baddie leaps into action to punch his friends lights out, then maneuvers the doomed henchman into the churning, stainless-steel mincer. His legs kick as he goes in face-first, but his top half is spit out the other end as hamburger meat.

Well, Poppy is just delighted by her new goons drive and eagerness to please. Go next door for your makeover! she coos. (And truly, too few movies have Julianne Moore coaxing murderous thugs to get a makeover.) Once the man has returned from a teeth-sanding, fingerprint-scrambling salon session, he finds that Poppy has scooped his friends remains into a patty, grilled it with some seasoning on top, and is now offering it to him between two buns as a beautifully plated human hamburger. Eating it will be the last test of his loyalty, and if he spits it out like Nicole Kidman did with that focaccia, he might as well leap into the mincer next.

Moore is clearly having a ball with this role, just as Samuel L. Jackson did in the first Kingsman with his lisping mass murderer. We wouldnt even think about doing a sequel unless we had a great bad guy, co-writer Jane Goldman told me after the panel. When she and director Matthew Vaughn were brainstorming for the sequel, they knew they wanted a drug-lord foe that Eggsy could go toe-to-toe with, but they didnt even think to make her a woman until Goldman misinterpreted one of Vaughns white-board scrawls. Matthew had written Poppy, as in heroin flowers, and I said, Oh, are you thinking of a female villain?

Though Poppy isnt the most intimidating name a bad guy could possess  its not exactly Doctor Doom  Goldman and Vaughn decided to lean into it, playing up Poppys performative femininity and mining her perfect veneer for chills. You dont have to have masculine traits to be terrifying, said Goldman She runs a business where absolutely everyone is terrified of her, but she doesnt have to be militaristic and tough.

In the footage we saw, Moores Poppy never got upset or modulated her voice, keeping that Giada smile on at all times even when ordering a hit. Whether youre running a drug empire or a cooking show, you cant lose your cool, suggested Goldman. Like in Devil Wears Prada, where Meryl Streeps Miranda Priestly spoke in a hushed whisper that nevertheless intimidated everyone around her, its such a fascinating dynamic, because all of those allegedly feminine traits that are associated with gentleness can, with the right person, be quite menacing.

And by investigating those qualities, Moore had the crew members of Kingsman quaking in their boots every time she spoke in a happy sing-song. As Poppy, people were quite terrified of her on set, said Goldman. And shes the loveliest, most gentle woman!
Photo: Patrick Harbron/Netflix

Despite an ongoing debate about cultural appropriation, white-washing, and  as with all comic-book adaptations from time immemorial  whether its actually any good or not, Marvels Iron Fist will be back soon. Marvel Television executive vice-president Jeph Loeb announced today at San Diego Comic-Con 2017 that the Netflix show, which stars Finn Jones as martial artist/superhero Danny Rand, will return to Netflix for a second season. Loeb also noted that Luke Cages Detective Misty Knight, portrayed by Simone Missick, will join the cast for season two alongside Jessica Henwicks Colleen Wing; in the Marvel canon, the pair team up as a private-investigator duo known as the Daughters of the Dragon. Between that excellent-sounding spin-off (bruised, highly trained fingers crossed) and Iron Fists role in Marvels upcoming series The Defenders, there is currently no limit to the fists, iron or otherwise, headed your way in the future.
No amount of unreliable narration could prevent us from telling you that the latest writer getting his very own bio-drama is J.D. Salinger. The first trailer for the outing, Rebel in the Rye, promises to pack in the punches for Salingers scattered early life, which begins with being a prolific student in New York City, warms up to his experiences serving on the front lines of World War II, and climaxes with the creation and release of his most famous novel, Catcher in the Rye. Nicholas Hoult will be tasked with breaking out an American accent to play the controversial writer, with the film being released on September 15. High-school English teachers are ecstatic!
Christmas comes in July for the pop-culture geeks of the world, and this years Comic-Con did not disappoint, with a slew of new trailers. Think 90s-cartoon reboots, superheroes with weaponized hair, and horror mayhem. Below are all the major trailers that premiered at Comic-Con, including American Horror Story: Cult, Marvels The Defenders, and Stranger Things.

Bright

Will Smith and Joel Edgerton star in this new buddy-cop film about an LAPD officer and an orc (yes, an orc), fending off human and otherworldly bad guys alike. You can watch them do their thing  clubbing fairies and all  on Netflix on December 22.

Rockos Modern Life: Static Cling

Nineties kids, rejoice: The new trailer for Nickelodeons Rockos Modern Life TV-movie reboot doesnt shy away from addressing the fact that 20 years of culture and technology have passed since the titular wallaby last graced television. It skewers the 21st-century obsession with new iPhones and hazardous energy drinks, as Rocko concludes, This century is a very dangerous century. Rocko 2020?

Inhumans

The trailer for Marvels newest rollout shows the Inhuman Royal Family as they flee a coup against their king Black Bolt (led by his brother Maximus) and find refuge in Hawaii. Watch Medusa strangle Maximus in another example of female badasses taking over the superhero genre. The first two episodes of Inhumans will be released in IMAX theaters on September 1, before premiering on ABC on September 29.

American Horror Story: Cult

The hotly anticipated new season of Ryan Murphys horror anthology is supposedly inspired by the 2016 election. A lone blue clown among a horde of red ones  is that a metaphor? The trailer is cryptic, but promises lots of culty clown fun. American Horror Story returns to FX September 5.

Jigsaw

The Saw franchise returns from the dead with the new trailer for Jigsaw, which features a lot of screaming and ominous quotes, like Help and Thats not creepy at all. Spend your Halloween with the infamous serial killer, who comes to haunt theaters October 27.

The Walking Dead

Things get violent in the new trailer for The Walking Deads latest season. Watch through the carnage to catch a cut to the future, featuring a much-older Rick with a big ol beard. Why? Only time will tell. The Walking Dead returns October 22.

Pacific Rim: Uprising

In another edition of Here Comes the Sequel, 2013s robot action flick gets the treatment with Pacific Rim: Uprising. The trailer (or  advertisement?) invites you to join the Jaeger uprising. If you so decide, its in theaters next February 23.

Game of Thrones

The latest Game of Thrones season-seven trailer welcomes back Melisandre who, through her powerful magical insight, knows Daenerys has an important role to play  as does another. If youre a fan, you might have foretold the exact same thing.

The Gifted

The new trailer for Foxs upcoming drama introduces the Gifted universes mutants, identifying their monikers and extraordinary abilities  that is, except for the shows lead siblings Lauren and Andy Strucker, who are so new to the mutant game, they dont even have cool nicknames yet. The show premieres on October 2.

Marvels The Defenders

On Friday, Comic-Con attendees got to see the series premiere of Marvels The Defenders, which youll be able to watch August 18 on Netflix. Between Sigourney Weavers city-destroying villainy; the sardonic camaraderie of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Iron Fist; and the dubious role of Daredevils Elektra, your mouth must be watering. Oh, thats actually a mouthful of blood from all the nonstop brawling? Cool, cool. Even better.

Preacher

What show wouldnt be improved by a deadpan German assassin with an immaculate white suit and nipple chain? The new Preacher trailer focuses heavily on Herr Starr, one of the comic-book seriess main villains. Dont take our word for it, though. Like all the best things in life, youll need to see it to believe it.

Vikings

As you might recall, Jonathan Rhys Meyers has joined the fifth season of History Channels Vikings, though you could be forgiven for missing him, what with all the decapitated heads rolling through the shows new trailer. Okay, its only the one head, but one is plenty to establish that the shows upcoming familial war will be anything but civil. The show returns on November 29.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

Six teens! One ninja master! Will they be able to defeat an evil warlord  while balancing their homework? Find out on September 22.

Ready Player One

Ready Player One welcomes director Steven Spielberg back to the sci-fi genre after over a decade away. Based on the Ernest Cline novel, the movie casts Tye Sheridan as a virtual-reality player whos intent on finding a hidden fortune left by game guru Mark Rylance. Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, and T. J. Miller co-star in the movie, which will be out next March. Will Spielberg find the virtual-reality setting to be as high-stakes and murderous as Jessica Fletcher once did? Stay tuned!

Riverdale

Who shot Fred Andrews? is the new and improved teen version of Who shot J.R.? But we only have an answer to one of those questions, with Riverdale getting into an increasingly dark place with the impending arrival of its second season. It will premiere on October 11.

Justice League

Now with more Wonder Woman.

Stranger Things

If you really thought Stranger Things was never going to use Thriller as a music cue, you havent been paying attention.

Star Trek: Discovery

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If you thought the reboot series was in trouble after Bryan Fullers abrupt departure, this very good trailer might just change your mind.

Westworld

Back in the saddle!

Thor: Ragnarok

The new trailer for the upcoming Thor threequel gives us our best look at Cate Blanchetts villain Hela, who is serving up some serious fantasy lewks.

The Orville

Seth MacFarlane begs the question: What if you had a Star Trekinspired sci-fi series, but also made it a workplace comedy?

Arrow

A heros duty never ends. Not even in season five.

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2017

Another bittersweet holiday gift from everybodys favorite Time Lord: This years Christmas special, Twice Upon a Time, will be the last episode for Pearl Mackies Bill Potts and the twelfth doctor, Peter Capaldi.

My Friend Dahmer

Before serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer became infamous, he was a troubled teenager living in Ohio. Adapted from Derf Backderfs acclaimed graphic memoir, Dahmers life as a social outcast in high school, and his disturbing behavior in the classroom and at home, are an eerie foreshadowing of what was to come, and could have possibly been prevented. Ross Lynch stars as Dahmer.

The Last Ship

TNTs postapocalyptic seafaring drama is returning for a fourth season next month, and humanitys survival is dependent on some special seeds.
Im.not Batman? Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

The sun may be setting on Batfleck. While Ben Affleck is playing Batman in Warner Bros.s Justice League, The Hollywood Reporter claims the studio is working on plans to usher out Afflecks Batman  gracefully, addressing the change in some shape or form in one of the upcoming DC films. While it would be strange for Affleck to step away as the DC franchise starts to rev up, it wouldnt entirely be a surprise. War for the Planet of the Apes Matt Reeves recently took over the role of director from Affleck in Warners stand-alone Batman film, which will no longer be using Afflecks script either. Earlier this week, Affleck also dropped out of Netflixs Triple Frontier to focus on wellness and family, which might mean hes looking to cut down on his work obligations generally. Still, Warner Bros. insisted to THR that Ben is our Batman, and Reeves also said he plans to keep Affleck in the role. Perhaps Bruce Wayne will be sidelined, as has happened in a few comics, and another character will take over the cowl and serious voice of Gothams no. 1 crime fighter, or maybe this is all fuel for a big Ben Affleck comeback narrative. Vulture has reached out to the relevant parties, and will update this story if we hear whether Affleck is na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na not playing Batman anymore.
Oli off to Tibet for week-long visit

CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has left for Tibetan autonomous region of China for a week-long visit on Sunday.
Wacos jobless rate crept upward in June, as did figures from metropolitan areas all over the state, according to monthly reports the Texas Workforce Commission and the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday.

Unemployment in the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Falls and McLennan counties, reached 4.8 percent last month, up from 4.0 percent in May and 4.5 percent in June of last year, according to the TWC.

The number of people employed in those two counties stood at an estimated 116,400 in June, about 800 fewer than in May and 300 below the total of 116,700 in June of last year, according to the TWC.

Job losses reportedly reflect a decision by General Dynamics Information Technology to cease operations in Lacy Lakeview by May 31, eliminating an estimated 840 jobs. General Dynamics had staffed a call center there since 2013, with employees providing information to those pursuing insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

General Dynamics sent a letter to the TWC, notifying the agency of its intentions to shutter the operation and saying, We regret that the closure will impact employees, their families and the community at large.

Shortly thereafter, local real estate agent Brad Davis confirmed he had brokered a deal with Phoenix-based Empereon-Constar to move into the 68,312-square-foot building on North Loop Drive. It will bring 900 full-time customer care, customer service and tech support jobs to the Greater Waco area with an expected annual payroll impact of approximately $20 million, according to a company announcement on its website.

Davis confirmed Friday that Empereon-Constars lease went into effect July 1, but the company has not yet begun to place staffers in the building.

Waco was selected after beating out 15 other cities across the U.S. due to its impressive labor force, a beautiful plug-and-play facility, and a welcoming city leadership team, said Toby Parrish, senior vice president for inbound operations, in a statement on the company website. As Empereon continues to invest in the U.S. labor force, Waco will play an important part of our 2017 domestic growth strategy.

Statewide, the Texas economy expanded in June for the 12th straight month, with the addition of 40,200 seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs, the Texas Workforce Commission announced in a news release.

The adjusted jobless rate fell from 4.8 percent in May to 4.6 percent in June. The TWC does not apply an adjustment to rates for municipalities.

Texas employers added 319,300 jobs over the past year, with 10 out of 11 industries adding jobs in the dynamic Texas economy, TWC chairman Andres Alcantar said in a news release. TWC will continue to support strategies that boost the job creation efforts of Texas employers and equip Texas students and workers with in-demand skills.

The Amarillo and Austin metropolitan statistical areas recorded unemployment rates of 3.4 percent in June, the lowest among the states MSAs. That was followed by the Midland MSA, with a rate of 3.5 percent. The Bryan-College Station MSA registered a rate of 3.8 percent for June.

Still, these four MSAs joined 22 others around the state, including Waco, in showing a jump in the jobless rate between May and June.

The TWC also reported Friday that the number of unemployed in Texas stood at 631,068 in June, a drop of 4.8 percent from June of 2016.

The number of people filing initial unemployment claims reached 68,513 in June, a 6.8 percent increase from May but a 16.5 percent jump from June of 2016. Continued claims dropped fractionally from May and 21.8 percent from June of last year, according to TWC figures.
Class acts

Sophie Pavlas is the 2017 valedictorian of West High School.

She is the daughter of Michael and Stephanie Pavlas and will attend Texas Tech University to major in psychology and then go into physical therapy.

Among her top achievements are being admitted into the Honors College at Texas Tech; receiving the Terry Foundation Scholarship to fund four years of her college career; maintaining a part-time job since age 13; attaining at least an A through high school; and graduating with 30 college credit hours.

Braden Riemenschneider is the 2017 salutatorian of West High School.

He is the son of Jackie and Donald Riemenschneider and plans to attend Texas A&M and major in biology.

Among this top achievements is involvement in UIL academics; participating in the Technology Student Association at the regional, state and national levels; received a Brazos Education Foundation scholarship; member of Key Club, Science Club, Student Council and National Honor Society, as well as a class officer.

Students were named to the honor rolls at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches for the spring semester.

Named to the presidents list are:

Blum  Holly McKinney, interdisciplinary studies.

China Spring  Bree Monson, marketing.

Clifton  Deanna Hedges, interdisciplinary studies; Bethany Terral, music.

Mexia  Hannah Yeldell, marketing.

Morgan  Brandy Vailes, sociology.

Waco  Hayley Lechler, interdisciplinary studies; Lindsay Mansen, interdisciplinary studies; Marian Midgett, theater; Ashli Thornton, interdisciplinary studies.

West  Sarah Zahirniak, communication disorders.

Named to the deans list are:

China Spring  Renee Cleghorn, music.

Clifton  Brittany Townley, interdisciplinary studies.

Gatesville  Corinna Hogan, music.

Groesbeck  Dalton Longenbaugh, kinesiology.

Hewitt  Cara Jones, accounting.

Lorena  Emily Craig, pre-nursing.

Mart  Sidnee Wilson, nursing.

Mexia  Hogan Chambers, fashion merchandising; Sarah Jones, psychology.

Moody  Joshua Price, agriculture development production.

Robinson  Rebecca Frescas, interdisciplinary studies; Andrew McNew, kinesiology.

Waco  Callee Guffey, kinesiology.
During its annual conference in Austin, the Texas Digital Library honored Pattie Orr, who recently retired as Baylor Universitys vice president for information technology and dean of University Libraries, for her leadership in academic libraries and support of the organizations mission.

Since Orr arrived at Baylor in 2007, she has worked with TDL leadership to further innovation across the state of Texas in the area of digital scholarship.

During her tenure on the TDL board, Orr helped oversee the implementation of the Texas Digital Repository, its preservation storage architecture and the implementation of the Electronic Theses and Dissertations System.

She also has served as a technical consultant to the board, assisting with the technical implementation of several key initiatives.

Baylor was one of the initial universities to join the Texas Digital Library when it was founded in 2005. Today, the TDL has 22 members whose partnership represents both large and small research institutions across Texas.

During Orrs service at Baylor, the university hosted several TDL training sessions, and the digital collections of the Baylor Libraries are preserved using storage provided through the consortium.

Of all of the things I was able to accomplish during my tenure at Baylor, moving its libraries forward on its digital initiatives has been at the forefront, Orr said. The future of academic libraries is directly tied to its ability to allow researchers worldwide the most immediate access possible to its collections. Digitization is a bridge to this future. My hope is that the Baylor Libraries will continue to lead the way in digitization .
Baylor Universitys board of regents approved a 4 percent tuition increase for the 2018-19 academic year during its quarterly meeting this week at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative. It is the lowest annual increase in more than 20 years.

The board was also briefed on ongoing investigations into the schools sexual assault scandal during regents first meeting under a new governing structure.

Regents set tuition at $41,194 for next year with a $4,348 general student fee, totaling $45,542. Officials said tuition is more expensive at Rice University, which is at $45,608 for tuition and fees; Southern Methodist University, which is at $52,498 for tuition and fees; and Texas Christian University, which is at $44,670 for tuition.

We continue to look at how we build scholarship dollars and raise money for scholarships to try to reduce the overall cost of education for students so they can afford to come to Baylor and afford to finish at Baylor, President Linda Livingstone said to reporters Friday. Its certainly something we spend a lot of time talking about: continuing to look at ways to ensure the affordability of the education at Baylor while maintaining the high quality academic experience we want for our students.

The Baylor increase rounds out a five-year plan meant to gradually scale back tuition increases. At the July 2016 meeting, regents set tuition at $43,790 for 2017-2018, up by 4.25 percent.

Regents, led by Chairman Joel Allison, also set a 2018-19 guaranteed tuition option of $43,194. The option locks students into a fixed tuition price for four years instead of the rates set annually. As of July 2016, 20 percent of students were on the guaranteed tuition option.

We know weve still got to move through those, and thats OK, Allison said. That is what we should do. We are cooperating in every way possible. Our general counsels office is handling that along with Dr. Livingstone. We talked about the fact that were going to be the best at compliance. We should be the most compliant. Thats what we do. Again, well continue to get those updates and be made aware of them.

Bill Whitaker: Can new president set new accountability standards for embattled Baylor? Linda Livingstone dropped no major bombshells during her teleconference interview introducin

Livingstone said her meetings with Baylor constituent groups continue as she works to learn what theyre thinking, what theyre feeling, what theyre experiencing.

They want Baylor to be successful, she said. In fact, thats part of the reason people have reacted so strongly to all thats gone on here, because it was very painful and hurtful to people in the family. At the core, people love the university.

Jackie Baugh Moore, president of the Baylor Line Foundation, an alumni group with a history of tension with Baylor regents, issued a letter this week expressing hope for the new university leadership.

We are set to renew our focus on the future and on working with Baylor stakeholders to provide encouragement, support and resources to help Baylor be all she can be, Baugh Moore wrote.

Because of new voting privileges given to certain regents under the governance reforms, the Baylor Line Foundation gained a fourth voting regent. Gordon Wilkerson, a 1982 Baylor graduate, will serve a nine-month term before an annual alumni election. The selection was triggered because of a March 2016 settlement agreement between the board and the group that was called the Baylor Alumni Association at the time.

Baylor Line Foundation Executive Vice President Allen Holt echoed Baugh Moores optimism Friday, saying it ushers in a new relationship between the Line Foundation and the board of regents.

Its great to be at the stage we are now, Holt said. Were looking forward to a bright future.

Along with her other work, Livingstone is evaluating organizational structures of senior administration  a process she expects to continue, she said.

In her first major administrative appointment, Livingstone last month selected Michael McLendon as interim provost. McLendon was serving as dean of the Baylor School of Education at the time.

Livingstone also plans to unveil new academic objectives in coordination with Pro Futuris, a five-year plan slated to end in 2018.
After sifting through the aftermath of Waco crimes for 12 years, former Waco police crime scene technician Angie McCallister wanted to become more proactive in fighting crime.

I wanted a new challenge, and this was a great opportunity to still help our community, McCallister said. This is just a different way to bring crime down in a new approach.

She and her new partner, Bret Page, were hired in March as Waco police certified crime analysts. The duo will research and use historical and real-time crime data to identify trends and find hot spots of crime to inform proactive approaches to policing.

This is a stratified method, a more proactive rather than reactive approach, Page said.

They will work to identify needs in specific areas of the city and help direct police resources to meet the needs, he said.

The city has never had crime analysts designated for this specific task. Page and McCallister underwent training and are working with new resources to build the new division from the ground up.

Page, who worked as a criminal intelligence officer with the U.S. Coast Guard, has worked in intelligence operations throughout the world.

He took on a domestic role with the Department of Homeland Security and worked in El Paso before coming back to Waco, his hometown.

I actually used to come see my doctor in this building when I was a kid, Page said, referring to police headquarters in the former Hillcrest Tower at 3115 Pine Ave. My wife and I decided that it was time for us to come back home.

McCallister graduated from Baylor University, then joined the Waco Police Department in 2008 as a crime scene technician. She said her experience on the ground throughout Waco and Pages analytical experience will complement each other as they come up with proactive responses for officers.

I think we have a pretty good balance and we making a good partnership, McCallister said.

Waco Police Chief Ryan Holt said police administrators have been considering adding crime analysts to the department for several years. Now the resources are in place, the work is underway and Holt hopes it will make the department more efficient and effective.

Historically, weve been answering between 100,000 and 125,000 calls for service a year and what these analysts will be able to do is to help deploy resources in a manner that is economically efficient, Holt said. We know police are a significant cost to the citys general fund, so we think these two folks and the skills they bring to the table will be crucial as we move forward.

Holt became police chief after former chief Brent Stroman retired last year. Holt said Stroman had been pushing for crime analysts positions for several years, and administrators were able to secure approval for the positions from the city this spring.

We had been talking about this for years when we were in Chief Stromans staff, and it was clear to us that even when the economy got better, we were still going to have to do more with less, Holt said. By the nature of policing, we are serving a lot more visitors, dealing with a lot more business. We are dealing with things with explosive economic growth, which are great things, but we are always about 18 months behind.

The analysts will also strengthen the link between Waco police and other agencies in McLennan County and surrounding areas as they share information, Holt said.

Our bad guys are the same bad guys that do stuff in Robinson, Hewitt and vice versa, and even Temple and Killeen, he said. Right now, between Dallas and Austin this doesnt exist and this will give us a tie in with the Austin (Regional Intelligence) Center and the Dallas Fusion Center to develop actionable intelligence by using analytical data.
Maude O'Dell

Sept. 15, 1923 - July 18, 2017

Maude Justice Raper O'Dell, 93 years, peacefully entered a new life Tuesday, July 18, 2017. A Memorial/Birthday Celebration will be from 2 to 3 p.m., Saturday, September 16, at Brentwood Oaks Church of Christ, 11908 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 76759, one day after Maude's 94th birthday. Maude will be laid to rest among five generations in the family cemetery, Fair Oakes, in Donie, Texas.

Maude was the fourth of five children born on the family farm in Donie, Texas, to Marcus and Lurley Oakes Justice. The family moved to La Vega where Maude started third grade. Madge (as she came to be known) was third in her 1941 graduating class.

After secretarial school in Oklahoma City, she returned to Waco, working at the Justice Cafe and Triple X Root Beer. During this time, Maude married and had three children. She then started in the secretarial pool at Phillips North American Rockwell/Rocketdyne, attaining the position of Tactical Editor. Maude worked for 23 years until she was laid off, and went on to continue her career at Firmin Business Forms.

Retirement brought a renewed friendship with high school friend Lonnie O'Dell. They married in 1987 and enjoyed almost 20 years of travel, church outings, and comfortable companionship. After Lonnie's death, Maude filled her days reading, quilting, and pulling weeds (a relaxing pastime for her). She especially enjoyed playing Mexican Train dominoes with a dear circle of church friends. These friends include Susan Chambers and Tricia Brock, which Maude considered daughters of her heart.

Maude's last two years were spent in Waco, living with Nada and John Jones. During this time, the family continued the tradition of game night every Sunday evening. She was able to travel with the family on several memorable vacations. One particular vacation saw Maude swim with dolphins during a 91st birthday cruise.

Thank you Mother for giving us all a strong sense of family loyalty, commitment to friendships, appreciation of hard honest work, the ability to laugh in any situation, and the knowledge that yesterday's regrets will not cloud tomorrow's joy. Our Mother's faith was deep and that faith sustained her during many difficult situations. We love you Madge.

Awaiting Maude in Heaven are her four siblings; the father of her children, Ralph Raper; bonus husband, Lonnie O'Dell; and precious grandson, Bryan Raper.

Left behind to laugh and cry are Nancy and Mickey Williams, Randy and Debbie Raper, Nada and John Jones, Mike and Jeanne O'Dell, Jill and Joe Farmer, Randy and Sharon O'Dell; along with a combined 19 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.
President Donald Trump seems to live atop his own petard. Every time it seems he should have an advantage, he squanders it by torpedoing a legislative package, firing a government official, making absurd utterances to foreign leaders or ranting on Twitter, often against the better judgment of many who work for him. No wonder that, since Inauguration Day, his approval rating has never risen higher than the 46 percent of the vote he won last November; a Washington Post-ABC News poll out last weekend showed it at 36 percent.

But these unforced errors dont quite explain his inability to take advantage of a boost in economic confidence or to expand, even slightly, the passionate base that carried him to victory. The problem lies with that very victory  the one that won him not only the presidency but also 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton. The legacy of such deficits suggests theres little he can do to gain the trust of the majority.

American history is clear: Presidents whove lost the popular vote dont win popular support.

The four previous presidents who finished second in votes cast all struggled to convince Americans that they were doing a good job. Each battled the perception that his victory was undemocratic and illegitimate; each soon lost the confidence of his own partisans in Congress and led an administration that historians regard as a failure. Each faced an uphill struggle to keep his base happy and mobilized while also reaching out to the majority, which preferred policies his own voters detested. Most, like Trump so far, did not even try to square that circle.

Only George W. Bush seemed to escape this fate, at least for a time. But his temporary success had more to do with the acclaim he received after the attacks of 9/11 than anything else he accomplished in office. And this crisis-induced honeymoon didnt last: During most of his second term, Bushs rating stalled far below the 48 percent of the vote he had won in 2000, when more than half a million Americans actually preferred Al Gore.

The three other presidents who lost the popular vote all lived and governed in the 19th century. None managed to overcome his initial political deficit or to enact any of the major policies he desired. In the 1824 election, John Quincy Adams drew just 31 percent of the popular vote. The conditions of that contest have never been repeated: Adams was one of four candidates, all of whom nominally belonged to the same party, the Democratic-Republicans.

Because no man won an electoral-vote majority, the decision fell to the House of Representatives. Adams triumphed, largely because he agreed to appoint Henry Clay, one of his erstwhile rivals, as secretary of state. Andrew Jackson, whose popular-vote count had easily topped that of Adams, screamed that his rivals had made a corrupt bargain; if citizens accepted it, he charged, they may bid farewell to their freedom.

Old Hickory need not have worried. Adams was a brilliant man but a clumsy politician. He urged Congress to enact an ambitious program of public works and to establish a national university. But Adams sabotaged his own cause by declaring, in his first annual message no less, that if voters did not like such expensive measures, lawmakers should not be palsied by the will of our constituents. It was an oddly cavalier way to talk about what American voters wanted. After all, how courageous was it to turn away from their desires when youd never reflected them in the first place?

Politicians who believed Jackson had been cheated out of the presidency took full advantage of this unintentional gift. They organized a formidable coalition to oppose Adams at every turn, touching a deep popular reserve of resentment against the president. In 1828, Jackson took the presidency, carrying nearly every state outside the incumbents home region of New England.

Half a century later, President Rutherford B. Hayes, the Republican nominee, proved unable to banish the specter of his own highly controversial triumph. In 1876, his opponent, Democrat Samuel Tilden, won a clear majority of the popular vote. But the result turned on disputed ballots from three Southern states where Republicans had clearly committed fraud yet where white Democrats had also violently intimidated many African Americans, keeping them from voting. A divided Congress threw the power to decide a winner to a special commission, which narrowly sided with Hayes.

Unhappy Democrats branded the new president His Fraudulency and vowed to resist his agenda in Congress. Hayes actually helped the opposition party by removing federal troops from most of the South, where they had at least tried to stop racial terrorism by former Confederates, nearly all of whom were Democrats. Neither was the president a friend to wage-earners, many of whom were suffering amid a long depression. In the summer of 1877, Hayes dispatched soldiers to break up a national railroad strike, which morphed into riots in several big cities.

A year later, the Democrats captured the Senate and maintained control of the House; Hayes only power was the veto, which he used on 13 occasions. In 1880, Republican operatives were relieved when the unpopular president honored his earlier pledge not to run for reelection. Hayes must have known he stood no chance.

GOP pols were sorry a dozen years later when President Benjamin Harrison declined to do the same. In 1888, Harrison had defeated the incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland by winning every big industrial state in the Northeast and the Midwest. But his share of the popular vote, at just under 48 percent, lagged behind Clevelands. And, like Adams, Harrison lacked the ability to appeal to voters who had not warmed to him before.

In fact, Harrison was such a stiff, pompous fellow that even officials of his own party dubbed him a refrigerator and a human iceberg. Although Republicans enjoyed a majority in Congress throughout his term, they failed to enact the only bills Harrison really cared about: to give federal aid to public schools and to protect black voters in the South.

Come 1892, the Democrats nominated Cleveland again. This time, he thumped Harrison in both the popular and electoral votes, and his party seized back control on Capitol Hill.

Trump is the very opposite of a human iceberg, but he shows a similar reluctance to alter his style of political persuasion. When the president lies that millions of votes were cast illegally for Clinton in 2016, he betrays an insecurity that stems both from his personality and from knowing that most Americans wanted someone else to run the country. If Trump had begun his administration by reaching out to Democrats on a plan to rebuild the nations infrastructure, he might have had a chance to confuse, if not divide, the opposition.

Instead, he decided to wage a relentless battle against the federal bureaucracy and the news media. Such an approach comes off as defensive instead of confident. Any chance Trump has to gain majority support and get reelected probably depends on changing his behavior. That is a difficult task for any politician, much less an inexperienced one in his 70s.

And the knowledge that millions of Americans consider his 2016 victory undemocratic and illegitimate could render it impossible.
Our lives dont matter

A ten-year old girl dies when she falls in an open manhole while another school kid barely survives. We are all angry at our chors but they seem to have other priorities at hand.
The recent results of a Pew Research Center survey on the publics views of colleges and universities are disheartening. Pew found that during the past year, Republicans perceiving higher education in a negative light has increased 13 percentage points.

Among Republicans, 58 percent now perceive colleges and universities negatively, while 36 percent viewed them as positive. Among Democrats, 19 percent see higher education as negative while 72 percent see it as positive.

Its no secret that one likely cause of this change is the 2016 presidential election and the political climate that followed. College campuses were, and still are, the sites of protests leading up to and following the election. This is part of the role that universities have historically played as sites of social activism, from Edward R. Murrows leadership of the National Student Federation of America back in the 1930s to student protests over Vietnam and civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s.

But whats different now are the ways in which we understand events taking place on campuses.

Besides these results, Pew also reported similarly wide gaps in the perception of the national news media between Republican/Republican-leaning respondents and those on the other end of the political spectrum. Americans are accessing other sources such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs for news, which can radically skew ones perception of what is actually occurring at the nations more than 4,000 campuses.

In the 1960s, former University of California president Clark Kerr introduced the term multiversity to describe higher education, with manifest ideas of knowledge production and dissemination, for a multitude of constituents: The university is so many things to so many people that it must, of necessity, be partially at war with itself.

Universities, by their nature, are chaotic places, but one of the few where the purpose is to bring together individuals with diverse identities and beliefs to engage in a better understanding of the world. It is tragic to think that a sizable population of Americans view this opportunity as adverse or, worse, nondesirable. And especially at a time when a larger proportion of historically underrepresented students  students of color, low-income students, immigrant students and nontraditional adult students  are comprising the higher education landscape.

Another cause for these results likely relates to the increasingly high costs of college. Researchers have detailed the 30-year trend of declining state appropriations to colleges and increasing tuition at public and private institutions. Coupled with increasing amounts of student debt and a diminishing number of full-time faculty members, the recipe for dissatisfaction is a potent one.

More of us need to understand that universities are learning organizations that are often at the forefront of longstanding social challenges. There are, at times, missteps in how to engage with one another, but it often starts with inaccurate or partial information. Civil and productive discourse is essential to the development of critical thinking, and hopefully the solutions to problems that bedevil our society will originate when people engage, debate and analyze different perspectives.

Yet the mentality that seeks to find both sides of an argument is often thwarted when one side denigrates, obfuscates or demeans the humanity of the other. All members must cultivate an approach that seeks to elucidate and educate, rather than insult and intimidate.

Social injustice  such as racism, sexism and homophobia  persists. But if we cannot summon the courage to engage and discuss the causes, effects and solutions of these ills, we are fated to perpetuate them. By their very nature, colleges and universities are not sites to uncritically absorb dogma or ideology. The marketplace of ideas only functions with a full understanding of the histories and lived experiences of all those who inhabit it.

If anything, the results of the Pew survey suggest that we need greater engagement with ideas across the political spectrum  with less of the vitriol endemic to the political arena. With so few institutions that purposefully engage with diverse perspectives and experience, the role of the university has become more critical than ever.
The critters run through forest floors throughout the eastern United States, snatching up acorns and other tree seeds, berries and bugs.

White-footed mice  known for their wide eyes and ears, long tails and snow-white bellies and the feet  live by the billions in U.S. forests, shrubby thickets and even wooded wetlands. But theres one creature that knows them well: the tick.

Scientists say white-footed mice, which are primary carriers of the Lyme bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, are a highly popular host of black-legged ticks  which consequently makes them a key culprit in the spread of Lyme disease.

For Lyme disease transmission, essentially, the only way people can get infected is through a tick bite, said Richard Ostfeld, senior scientist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

Scientists say that white-footed mice are posing a particularly high risk to humans this year. A bountiful acorn harvest a couple of years ago gave them the sustenance needed to reproduce in greater numbers and climate change may be pushing them to expand their range north.

Thats something of a worry because where the mice go, so too go the infected ticks, said Ostfeld.

Ostfeld said there are areas in the United States where Lyme disease is rare and, in those places, few or none of the white-footed mice are infected. .

There are about 30,000 reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, because many cases are never reported, studies suggest that the number may be closer to 300,000, according to the health protection agency.
Pillion rider killed in Bhaktapur mini-truck-bike collision

A teenage girl died in a mini-truck-motorbike collision at Kausaltar in Bhaktapur on Saturday.
The southern New Zealand city of Christchurch has declared a state of emergency amid a severe storm that has already resulted in hundreds of homes evacuated across the nation, highways cut and soldiers called in to help provide emergency services.

The New Zealand Defence Force mobilised additional troops overnight to help rescue those trapped by rising floods.

Christchurch declared a state of emergency after the Heathcote River burst its banks and flooded southern parts of the city on Saturday morning, becoming the fourth area to do so after the storm lashed the South Island during the past 24 hours, causing widespread flooding.

Local media reports about 1500 people in settlements further north were told to leave their homes as water levels rose overnight, while more than 100 homes were evacuated outside Dunedin, the South Island's second-largest city.
Bill Shorten is preparing to unveil a major new economic policy as soon as next weekend which could raise billions of dollars for the budget and rival the party's bold negative gearing and capital gains tax crackdown in terms of political risk.

Senior Labor figures were tight-lipped on Friday about what the new tax policy will be but Fairfax Media understands it could be signed off by shadow cabinet next week and has been pencilled in for an announcement at the NSW Labor Party conference on July 29.

The move signals Mr Shorten's willingness to take on the Turnbull government over the politically fraught topic of tax, rather than play it safe and attempt to preserve Labor's commanding lead in the opinion polls.

Mr Shorten dropped hints during a speech in Melbourne on Friday, saying Australia must examine the "old and growing faults" in the tax system and pursue "reforms that in the past we might have dismissed as too politically difficult".
Former High Court justice Lionel Murphy pictured in 1975. Credit:Fairfax Media Upon his acquittal, Murphy's determination to return to the High Court was not greeted enthusiastically by some of his fellow judges, who were rumoured to be threatening to boycott sitting with Murphy. Facing a potential judicial crisis, the Hawke government ordered a secret inquiry to examine fresh allegations of misconduct on Murphy's part  that he had offered a bribe to federal police officer Don Thomas. Also being examined by the parliamentary inquiry was a secret report produced by the Stewart Royal Commission into The Age tapes. From 1976 through to late 1983 the NSW police had been running an illicit phone-tapping operation which targeted drug boss Bob Trimbole and underworld figures George Freeman and Saffron.

They were also tapping Ryan's phone. What they heard was astonishing. It appeared that corruption within the state had reached the very highest levels. In early 1984, Melbourne's Age newspaper had published excerpts from the phone taps. The identities of Murphy and Ryan were soon revealed. This secret volume of Justice Don Stewart's contained further damaging allegations including that Murphy and Morgan had pressed then NSW premier Neville Wran to appoint a mate to the Ethnic Affairs Commission. As the group of men that May night as they enjoyed the view across the waters of Sydney Harbour from Ryan's home on the tip of Kurraba Point in Neutral Bay, an abode funded by a winning bet on Dream King in 1961, they were completely unaware that the NSW police knew all about their dinner plans. In March, 1979, two months before the dinner, the police taps revealed Murphy asking Ryan about "this bloke [Briese]" who was replacing Farquhar. "Is he the right fellow?"

"Yes, you're going to dine with him." "He's a good fellow, is he?" repeats Murphy, to which Ryan responds that Murphy would be able to assess Briese himself at the dinner but warns Murphy that they had "better not talk about it right now." As Briese was later to testify, he felt the purpose of the dinner was to determine if he would be as "flexible" as his predecessor. Rumours that Farquhar was bent were rife in the judiciary. The year prior to Ryan's dinner a photographer had snapped "The Chief", as Ryan referred to Farquhar, at the races with crime kingpin Freeman, and Dr Nick Paltos, who was later jailed for a drug importation. Only days after Ryan's dinner, Farquhar was to sit on his last case  one which involved Ryan's clients.

Ryan had first come to the notice of police when his clients Roy Cessna and Timothy Milner were caught with a massive quantity of Indian hemp. Over the next few weeks police listened in as Ryan and Farquhar regularly talked on the phone about Cessna-Milner case. They also heard him discuss the case with Murphy. The taps on Ryan's phone not only led them to Farquhar but also to Lionel Murphy and to the sickening realisation that their boss Commissioner Wood appeared to be part of a corrupt network. Known as "the Sculler" because of his Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medals in rowing, Wood was also heard on the phone talking to Ryan about the Cessna-Milner case. Wood later tried to get information from his police department. Five days after the dinner, the head of the police prosecution department was shocked to receive a call from the police commissioner himself instructing him that he had spoken to Farquhar and that the Cessna-Milner case was to be heard summarily rather than by way of indictment. This guaranteed a lesser sentence. That same day Farquhar moved the case to a court with no sound equipment. He gave Milner an 18-month sentence, of which he served only six, and Cessna received a $1000 fine.

The taps on Ryan's phone also led to Ryan's arrest in August 1981 over an immigration racket where he was accused of forging documents to allow 22 Koreans to gain residency. Conspiracy charges were later added. In 1981 Ryan was heard ringing Murphy about this case. This wasn't the first time Ryan had sought favours from his friend. In 1974, while attorney-general, Murphy organised for the release of Ryan's client, suspected drug trafficker Ramon Sala, and the return of Sala's passport. Using the passport, which was a forgery, Sala left the country. The following year Ryan also spoke to Murphy about downgrading Customs surveillance on Saffron, which was achieved. In late December 1982, after Ryan's committal hearing had started, Murphy rang Clarrie Briese, who was now the chief magistrate. Murphy said he wanted to talk to Briese, but not on the phone.

In early January 1983 Lionel and Ingrid Murphy dined at the Brieses' house during which Murphy raised the topic of conspiracy cases. He then allegedly said: "I'll tell you about another weak case of conspiracy too, and that's the Morgan Ryan case." The Ryan case concerned him, said Murphy. Briese offered to make inquiries. At the end of January, Murphy rang Briese and they spoke at a legal function later that day. Briese told Murphy that it looked likely that magistrate Kevin Jones would commit Ryan to stand trial. Murphy allegedly said: "The little fellow will be shattered." The following day, 28 January, Murphy is alleged to have uttered one of the most notorious lines in Australian judicial history when he said to Briese: "And now, what about my little mate." Murphy's phone was not being tapped so there was no way of determining whether he had used those words. At his later criminal trial Murphy denied referring to Ryan as his "little mate". Murphy's efforts to help Ryan didn't stop there. In April, after Ryan had been committed to stand trial, Murphy rang the chief judge of the District Court Jim Staunton to see if Ryan's trial could be expedited.

In July 1983, District Court judge Paul Flannery was listed to preside over Ryan's criminal trial. As Flannery's son-in-law, now retired District Court judge Stephen Walmsley, later wrote: "A few days before the trial began, out of the blue, Flannery received a phone call from Murphy inviting him to dinner. Paul and Rosemary Flannery went to dinner at the Murphys' Darling Point unit on the Saturday night before the trial began. They were the only guests. "The trial was not mentioned, but a legal issue highly relevant to the Ryan case was raised by Murphy. Flannery said to Rosemary on the way home: 'He's trying to nobble me.'" The bombshell of The Age tapes in early 1984 was the beginning of the end of Murphy's illustrious career. After two parliamentary inquiries, the DPP charged him with two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The two key witnesses in the trial of the High Court judge were the then chief magistrate, Clarrie Briese, and District Court judge Paul Flannery. The jury convicted Murphy of the Briese count but found him not guilty in relation to the Flannery matter. Murphy's 18 months' jail sentence was put in abeyance while an appeal was heard.

A second trial was then held  only on the Briese count  and, on April 28, 1986, Murphy was found not guilty. At this trial Murphy gave an unsworn statement from the dock, a move which raised eyebrows in legal circles. As to the other diners that fateful night in May, an anonymous dossier of allegations about commissioner Wood had been handed to parliament only days before the dinner. He resigned the following month. In August 1987, Wood was charged with perverting the course of justice over the Cessna-Milner affair but before his trial started the key witness died and the case did not proceed. In March 1985, Farquhar was jailed for four years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice over dismissing fraud charges against rugby league boss Kevin Humphreys. After his release he beat a charge of receiving stolen artwork. At the time of Farquhar's death in 1993 he was on trial over stolen passports. Ryan, now 96, was found guilty over the Korean immigration racket. On appeal, a new trial was ordered but it never took place. He was later beat a charge for knowingly giving false evidence to the 1985 Stewart Royal Commission into The Age tapes.
A mixture of people and experiences inspired Grecko's writing, including the breakdown of her marriage to the Melbourne-based disgraced doctor, 74, whom she married in April 2015 and split from five months later.

As well as fashion designer, invoicer, DJ, and estranged wife of Geoffrey Edelsten, the 28-year-old is about to release her first rap song, Call My Bluff.

Happier times: Gabi Grecko after she got engaged to her now estranged husband, Geoffrey Edelsten, in 2014. Credit:Scott Barbour

Grecko regrets how she treated Edelsten's second wife, Brynne. Credit:Paul Rovere PTR

"It relates to people who try to hold me back or who think that I can't accomplish things in life," she said.

"I was inspired about what happened during my marriage breakdown. When we split and I got back to the US  that was really hard. I thought that I would live in Australia forever and that would be my home. When I got back, it took a long time to find myself again."

The pair have yet to divorce.

She also drew inspiration from what she calls the "plane incident", when she was named in a New York corruption case for having group sex with two NYPD officers and three other men aboard a private plane to Las Vegas four years ago.
Akin to bird migration patterns, once temperatures cool Down Under, Australians flock north in their droves in search of summer sun, leaving nothing in Sydney's eastern suburbs but tumbleweeds.

"If you don't boast about your trip to Europe with carefully curated, incessant Instagram posts, are you even in Europe?" many of Australia's better known faces ask themselves.

Sun follower: Bambi Northwood-Blyth soaks up the sun in Sicily. Credit:Bambi Northwood-Blyth/Instagram

Their answer seems to be a resounding, "no".

If there was a #humblebrag checklist, Seven's Sunrise host Samantha Armytage, 40, ticked the box for posting a shot before she even left the country as she sat in first class sipping a wine ahead of her jaunt to the island of Spetses, Greece.
The family and supporters of a 14-year-old boy who was hit and killed by a car in a West Australian gold mining town have vented their anger following a three- year sentence for the man who ran him over.

A violent riot erupted outside the Kalgoorlie courthouse last August when the 56-year-old father-of-six was charged with manslaughter over the death of Aboriginal boy Elijah Doughty, with indigenous locals calling for a murder charge.

Demonstrations are being held in Kalgoorlie after the verdict. Credit:ABC Goldfields-Esperance

On Friday, the anger again erupted after a jury found the man, who has been given name supression for his protection, guilty of the less serious charge of dangerous driving occasioning death, which attracts a maximum penalty in WA of 10 years.

Some yelled "murdering dog" and "you white c*** jury" before storming out of the courtroom, and were not allowed back in for the sentencing.
Two men have been injured - one seriously - in an early morning brawl at a home in Wanneroo in Perth's north.

Joondalup Detectives are investigating the incident, which happened at an address on Downing Crescent, close to Lake Joondalup.

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information or may have seen or heard the incident to contact Police. Credit:Marina Neil/Fairfax Media

Police said at about 2:30 on Saturday morning an fight broke out at the address with up to seven males involved.

During the incident, police said two men were injured, with one sustaining serious injuries to his chest.
Senator Derryn Hinch may have to refer himself to the High Court over a citizenship question. Credit:Fairfax Media Nearly 200 Western Australian women have responded to a survey conducted by Victorian consumer health advocacy group, Health Issues Centre, for a submission to the inquiry representing the experiences of more than 2200 Australian women implanted with pelvic mesh devices. More than 700 women are part of a current class action against major pelvic mesh manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, in the Federal Court in Sydney. Perth woman Stella Channing spoke to WAtoday earliet this year about the "total destruction" of her life from a pelvic mesh implant. Sue Turner, of Perth, has sought legal advice about a class action against an Australian manufacturing company, after she was implanted with an Australian-developed pelvic mesh device at Armadale Hospital in 2007.

"I had a prolapse. I just trusted the doctor and our health system when he told me it would be a pretty easy fix," Mrs Turner said. "I was never told the device was high risk. I was never told about trials. I would never have consented to being part of a trial. If I was told there was a risk that if things went wrong I would never have a sex life again, or live a life of sometimes unendurable pain, or be left with mesh and anchors in my body that have moved and embedded into tissue very close to major blood vessels and nerves, I would never have consented. But I wasn't told." In a statement to Fairfax Media Mr Cook said he would ask the Department of Health to "make some enquiries into the research undertaken, and the cases where the implants have been used", after two senior Western Australian doctors released a series of papers from 2005 about trials in Western Australian public and private hospitals, including Armadale Hospital, using the Australian-developed pelvic mesh device. In a statement by a WA Health Department unit, Fairfax Media was advised there are no records of research approvals for trials involving surgery on women at public hospitals using the Australian-developed pelvic mesh device. Mrs Turner and Perth-based Australian Pelvic Mesh Support Group founder Caz Chisholm were angered by Mr Cook's statements that the "WA Government understands the concern this has caused for some patients", but "there have been very few complaints received by WA Health and the Health and Disability Complaints Office".

"What are we? Guinea pigs?" Mrs Turner said. "I want this stuff out of my body but my doctor's told me the surgery could be life-threatening. This isn't about numbers. It's about how our health system allowed these devices onto the market, and how these doctors were allowed to do this surgery in public hospitals without telling us of the risks." Ms Chisholm said the lack of complaints was a consequence of women being told for years that their chronic problems, including often debilitating pain, repeated serious infections, and erosion of mesh into organs including the bladder and bowel, were not linked to mesh surgery, or not being told they were implanted with mesh. "Many women who have presented to their doctors with pain and complications have been told it is not the mesh that is the cause. It is only because of recent media attention about stories of women's pain and complications that women are realising their own complications are identical to the media stories," Ms Chisholm said. "The minister says there have been very few complaints by women, but what about the doctors treating the women? Obviously doctors aren't reporting complications either, and are they supposed to?"

Mrs McKinnon has spent more than a decade on antibiotics. "I came out of hospital not very well in 2004 and had my first urinary tract infection shortly after that. Then it was one urinary tract infection after another. If I come off the antibiotics I get a urinary tract infection," she said. She had another four major surgeries over the following year to relieve the pain and address mesh erosion into organs. In 2009 Mrs McKinnon was diagnosed with the auto immune condition lupus, requiring steroid treatment. "I was normal, healthy and fit before I had that surgery. I'm only 59 and I feel like a 100-year-old. I thought all these years it was just me. It's just the nightmare that you live."
Rajbhandari claims RPP owes him Rs40m

A property row in the fourth largest Rastriya Prajatantra Party has come to the fore again as the partys Central Working Committee member Dil Bikash Rajbhandari has accused the leadership of not paying Rs40 million he lent for party office construction and to the party leadership during elections.
Washington: Russia's ambassador to Washington was overheard by US spy agencies telling his bosses that he had discussed campaign-related matters, including issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race.

Both The Washington Post and Reuters sources confirmed that ambassador Sergei Kislyak held two conversations with Mr Sessions, then a key foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump, that were intercepted by US intelligence agencies.

One US official told Reuters there was nothing inappropriate about Mr Sessions, at the time a US senator and Trump supporter, discussing policy matters or even Mr Trump's thinking with a foreign diplomat.

"The question is whether he crossed the line and discussed classified information or talked about deals like lifting sanctions if the Russians were interested in investing in the US or had dirt on (Democratic presidential candidate Hillary) Clinton," a second official said. "His memory is another matter."
Five families, living in three separate locations, were displaced after a severe thunderstorm damaged their homes in Ocala.

At 7:36 PM, Ocala Fire Rescue was dispatched to the 4000 block of NW Blitchton Road in the Oak Run community. Firefighters found a large tree on top of two mobile homes. Each home held two units; one which was vacant. Three families were displaced.

"I'm standing by my kitchen and I just hear this whoosh against the door, really hard," said Sheri Potter. "I just thought it was rain. I open the door and it's a tree!"

Potter said she was home watching TV when the thunderstorm hit. The tree fell onto her 53-year-old neighbor's mobile home.

"I ran to his door and told him to get out. Your roof is gonna fall in. Get out," she said.

Less than an hour later, at 8:17 PM, units were dispatched to another fallen tree at the 1300 block of NE 12th Avenue. The renters of the home were away when a large tree crashed onto their roof and into their kitchen.

Once the storm passed, the calls continued. At 9:21 PM firefighters responded to the 1400 block of NW 24th Avenue, where, yet another tree, fell on a rooftop causing moderate damage. One family was displaced.

All of the homes are within a five mile radius of one another.

"Even if it is a mobile home then just try to stay away from the windows and if there are tree limbs that stand above your home go to areas that are clear of trees," said Ashley Lopez, a spokesperson for Ocala Fire Rescue.

"It rains everyday, it's Florida. It's summer, but no nothing like this," Potter said. "A lot of blessings here. A little damage on some property, but no lives, you know?"

Potter's neighbor was taken to a local motel six, shaken up but otherwise okay.
RJP-N to hold first central body meeting from Aug 5

The first meeting of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal presidium held after the partys registration with the Election Commission decided to organise its first central committee meeting from August 5 in Kathmandu.
The post-Adhunik minstrel

Listening in to Rajan Shresthas debut EP, Cinema, you are bound to be transported to another time and place. In the four tracks that make up the EP, Shresthawho performs under the moniker Phatcowleehas taken samplings of the Adhunik Music that burst into the Nepali consciousness in the 60s and 70s, and used it as a springboard to invite listeners onto a sonic rollercoaster that traverses through the depths of melancholia, the heavy fog of nostalgia and the lightness of partaking in a novel experiment.
Track opened to link Taplejung with China border

The Nepal-China border point at Tiptala Bhanjyang is closer to getting connected via road network with Taplejungs Olangchungola with the completion of track opening works.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 18, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 18, 2017 | 06:50 AM | PADUCAH, KY

The Friends of the McCracken County Public Library summer book sale concludes today at St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Paducah.



Proceeds are donated to the McCracken County Public Library to enhance its collection and programming.



This years sale includes more than 20,000 books sorted by subject, hundreds of audiovisual media titles sorted by format, and a selection of local and special interest books.



The sale will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.



Most hardback books and trade edition paperbacks are offered at $1 each. Most of the other paperback books are sold for 50 cents each. Media materials are individually priced. The special interest and collector titles are offered at prices well below market value.



Saturday is Bag Day. Grocery sacks are provided and book sale patrons are invited to fill them with books for $5 per bag.



Cash or check is accepted for all sales. Credit cards are accepted for purchases worth $10 or more.



This year the Friends of McCracken County Public Library celebrate 25 years of supporting the library. The organization was established in February of 1992 with 22 members. Today, more than 360 households are represented in its current members.
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

Vote

View Results
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/07/2017 (1939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WITH stories about the effects of climate change in the news almost every day  despite loud denunciations by naysayers  it was inevitable that speculative fiction writers would test the warming waters for immersion.

Science-fiction authors have always explored If this goes on as a way of criticizing political or societal problems, and climate change has been a topic for many books and short stories, some of which have been turned into films such as The Day After Tomorrow, Snowpiercer and even the kids movie Wall-E.

Cli-Fi is an anthology of speculative fiction stories about climate change, all written from a Canadian perspective and several with strong Indigenous themes. Editor Bruce Meyer explains that the anthology is the result of a challenge by Margaret Atwood in 2015 who, at a discussion around the Al Gore film An Inconvenient Truth at a literary conference, asked pointedly: Where are all the Canadian writers who should be addressing the greatest crisis of our age? Theres some small irony here, as cli-fi is a term coined by Dan Bloom, an American environmental activist who was invited to provide an afterword to this volume.

Cli-Fi: Canadian Tales of Climate Change Edited by Bruce Meyer Exile Editions, 304 pages, $20

Many stories are by award-winning authors whose works have already won acclaim, whether in poetry, theatre, literature or music. The story You Need Me at the River, by internationally recognized poet Linda Rogers, gives a brief glimpse into the life of a woman who becomes pregnant in a future world where children are raised together, away from their parents and where food and luxuries are scarce. Tell me about ice cream, one character implores.

A variant of this is the case in Degas Ballerinas, by Leslie Goodreid, where everything bad predicted about climate change has come true. The weather has changed dramatically, and dust storms roll across much of Canada. Food is also scarce here, but procreation is frowned upon and abortion pills are a commodity. American drones patrol the skies and gangs control territories, holding the fate of many in their hands.

The story After by John Oughton centres on a group of survivalists called Woodmen who need to protect their tribe from belligerent outsiders such as the Christers of Alberta. Food is scarce and ammunition is the currency of the day.

In almost all of the stories in Cli-Fi, climate change has brought misery to everyone. Agriculture has become impossible, flooding is everywhere, disease has wiped out flora and fauna, cities are ruled by warlords and science is unable to provide solutions. Government is either ineffective or nonexistent, and the perseverance of the human spirit is the only possible shred of optimism in a bleak future. Some of the stories are less approachable than others  and a few contain overtly hard science fiction takes on the future  but most explore the emotional and spiritual ways in which humans in Canada will likely be dealing with predicted coming changes to our way of life.

The theme of cli-fi is not new; most of the ideas in this anthology have been expressed many times before as post-apocalyptic stories, such as in American author Cormac McCarthys 2006 novel The Road. But in using Canada as the setting for depressing end-of-the-world visions, Meyer allows the voice of Canadians to join the chorus of those concerned with the future of all who live on this fragile planet.

Cli-Fi might well be required reading for educators and students who need to be made more aware of the danger of not paying attention to what Mother Earth is trying to tell us.

Chris Rutkowski is a science writer and former president of the Winnipeg Science Fiction Society.
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This article was published 22/07/2017 (1939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The powerful trade association that represents champagne makers has sued bloggers, water bottlers and haute couture fashion brands. They warned Apple against calling the gold iPhone champagne and spent three years making sure that no one but French producers could snag champagne-related wine URLs.

But on Thursday, the Comite Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne scored an even more significant victory when Europes highest court suggested in a nonbinding ruling that even products containing the French sparkling wine may not be able to use the name champagne.

The opinion from the European Court of Justice  on a product sold by the discount grocer Aldi as champagne sorbet  reinforces and expands the reach of European Union laws that dictate that only Portuguese dessert wine can be called port, and that only the British-made blue cheese can be called Stilton.

While the opinion is not final, experts say it furthers the Champagne regions effort to protect its brand.

Champagne is fighting this battle in Europe, and they seem to be winning, said Bernard OConnor, a managing partner at a European law firm who specializes in trade and agriculture law.

It seems logical that theyll next take the fight to global markets.

The case in question involved champagne sorbet, which Aldi sold at a number of its German stores in 2012. The dessert contained 12 per cent champagne  the real kind, from France  but the Comite Champagne claimed the use of the protected name on a non-wine product risked cheapening it.

Under long-standing European law, hundreds of traditional foods, wines and spirits that are closely linked to a specific region enjoy special protections: theyre granted exclusive use of the regional product name, and legally guarded against a range of infringements.

Stilton cheese must be produced in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire in Britain, using pasteurized local milk. (It cannot, ironically, be made in the nearby town of Stilton.) Port specifically describes a fortified wine produced in Portugals Douro Valley. Feta, Manchego, Roquefort and Asiago must come from Greece, Spain, France and Italy, respectively.

Even indirect or passing uses of protected names are illegal, in many instances. Food producers cannot misuse, evoke or imitate a protected name, which has been interpreted in several national and EU-level cases to mean that they cant use it to label, advertise or draw a comparison to other products.

In other words, Miller High Life  the champagne of beers  would not fly in Europe.

In this case, however, the product contained the ingredient: It was 12 per cent champagne. Aldi  which has long since stopped selling the dessert in question  has argued that its product couldnt possibly be said to exploit the champagne brand or mislead consumers.

Aldi and Galana invoked the right to use a correct and non-misleading trade denomination, a lawyer for Galana, the sorbet manufacturer, said in a 2014 statement. According to the defendants, the use of champagne for a sorbet containing champagne was justified.

But the opinion released Thursday by Advocate General Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona took a broad interpretation of name protections, ruling that food manufacturers may only use the name of a protected ingredient if the final product also captures its essential characteristics.

They may also not market the product on the basis of its protected ingredient.

The producer and distributor (of the champagne sorbet) hope to evoke in the mind of their consumers the quality and prestige associated with this designation of origin, and extend it to the sorbet, he wrote of Aldis product.

The Advocate Generals opinion is not the end of the matter: a final judgment will be issued by the European Court of Justice within a few months, and is expected to mirror Bordonas position. The case will then return to a German court, where it began, though the Court of Justice precedent will stand throughout Europe.

 Washington Post
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Another week, another scare for the German car industry.

What began with Daimlers massive recall of more than three million diesel cars to lower their emissions ended on Friday with Audi also embarking on a voluntary recall of 850,000 vehicles.

Adding to the spate of bad news was a report in Der Spiegel magazine that the biggest car manufacturers  Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen as well as VWs Audi and Porsche brands  may have colluded for decades on technology.

The companies declined to comment.

Shares of BMW, VW and Daimler tumbled on the report, which cited a document submitted by Volkswagen in July 2016 and referenced another from Daimler. The German cartel office said in a statement that it searched the car companies last year as part of a probe into a possible steel cartel. It didnt elaborate on a possible follow-up probe on car technology, saying it cant comment on ongoing investigations.

For almost two years now, the German car industry has sought to get out from underneath the cloud of the diesel scandal that erupted first at VW and has cost it billions of dollars in fines and has since threatened to engulf other carmakers, tainting the image of German engineering and hurting the industry thats among the countrys biggest employers.

The scandal comes as automakers wrestle with an unprecedented technology shift in the industry, with electric cars made by Tesla or Toyota finding more buyers and German manufacturers trying to catch up with the battery-powered vehicle trend.

According to the Der Spiegel report, the five German car brands met starting in the 1990s to co-ordinate activities related to their vehicle technology, costs, suppliers and strategy, as well as emissions controls in diesel engines.

The discussions involved more than 200 employees in 60 working groups in areas including auto development, gasoline and diesel motors, brakes and transmissions.

Talks may have also involved the size of tanks for AdBlue fluid for diesel autos, the magazine reported, which is at the heart of the emissions case.

These allegations look very serious and would mean more than 20 years of potential collusion, said Juergen Pieper, a Frankfurt-based analyst with Bankhaus Metzler. There seems to be a never-ending story of bad news about the industrys bad behaviour.

Volkswagen shares fell as much as 4.9 per cent, while shares of Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, declined as much as 3.2 per cent and BMW slid 3.4 per cent.

Mercedes has struggled to shake off allegations that it also tampered with emissions standards, an accusation the company has routinely rebuffed and said last week it would legally contest.

Still, Daimler announced a surprise recall on Tuesday, following a meeting with German government officials last week to discuss emissions technology. Audi followed on Friday with its own recall to update the software in Euro 5 and Euro 6 engines.

European carmakers are shoring up diesel because they need it to bridge the gap between tightening rules for greenhouse-gas emissions and ramping up electric-car plans.

Authorities are scrutinizing the technology after Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to rigging cars to cheat on emissions tests.

Cities such as Paris, Madrid and Mexico City are looking into banning the models because of air pollution concerns.

According to the cartel office, the raid took place exactly a year ago and targeted six carmakers and suppliers. Der Spiegel said the followup probe was essentially a by-product of that raid, which involved 50 employees of the cartel authority, aided by local police and regional law-enforcement officers.

The Spiegel article said that one aim of the collusion was to obstruct competition, with the carmakers agreeing on costs for components or technical details such as convertible roofs.

The allegations are quite detailed, so its unlikely theres this much smoke without fire, said Christian Ludwig, an analyst at Bankhaus Lampe in Germany, who estimates any fines could run into the billions. In the current environment, thats a another hit.

 Bloomberg News
Opinion

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Summer is when recreational horse owners are apt to load up their steeds and hit the road, getting together at events to compete or simply enjoy the carefree company of fellow enthusiasts on a backcountry ride. But this year, horse owners and event co-ordinators are facing some difficult choices.

Several horses on five premises in the province have tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA) so far this season. Also known as swamp fever, it is a viral disease that can be fatal to members of the equine family  even if it doesnt make them sick.

Its a global problem, but as far as anyone knew, the disease hasnt been these parts for decades. Or has it?

John Paul Henry / The Paducah Sun Files Several horses in Manitoba have tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA) so far this season, a virus often likened to HIV/AIDS.

Infected horses may not survive the acute phase, and if they do, they can be chronically compromised and prone to secondary infections.

However, some horses do recover. And some, including the positives identified this year, can have the virus in their blood cells, show no symptoms and never get sick. Even so, they are carriers, which makes them a risk to uninfected horses if they come into close proximity.

Often likened to HIV/AIDS in humans because there is no cure and no vaccine, the virus is most often transmitted from one horse to another by biting flies. It doesnt affect humans or other livestock.

If a horse tests positive, federal authorities require it to be euthanized or permanently kept apart from other horses. Horses on the same premises are quarantined and retested.

Thats a heartbreaking outcome for the owner of a horse that, for all appearances, isnt sick.

The best response the industry has come up with so far is a blood test, named the Coggins test after the vet who developed it, which identifies the EIA antibodies in the horses system. Horses being transported into the U.S. are required to have a clean test. Now, many equine event organizers, training barns and riding facilities in the province are requiring horses to have a clean Coggins before allowing them on their sites.

However, the problem with the test is that it only gives a snapshot of the horses health status at the time the blood was drawn. If a fly carrying the disease bites that animal an hour later, it could be infected and still have clean test results. Therein lies the dilemma.

Some event co-ordinators in the province have opted to require a Coggins on every horse attending, which means they stop every trailer at the entrance to check documents.

Other organizers have decided against it. Either decision is likely to hurt attendance. Some competitors stay home because they dont want to spend the $50 to $70 it costs to have a horse tested, or they fear their horse might be one of the asymptomatic carriers. Others dont want to run the risk of exposure.

In Europe, some are asking whether its time to re-examine efforts to eradicate the disease in equine populations.

A 2015 editorial in the Equine Veterinary Journal cited research that suggests carrier horses are at relatively low risk for transmitting the disease. It also cites U.S. data that shows out of eight million horses tested between 2007 and 2012, only 485 positives were identified. That puts the cost of finding each positive at US$685,000.

It is certainly time to ask questions about the optimum approach to EIA, the article said. For example, is all the money invested in systemic testing (in the countries that apply it) really worthwhile and cost effective?

Testing can reduce the risk of exposure, but as long as it is voluntary, it is unlikely to reach all the carriers. Mandatory testing seems draconian when the disease only affects a recreational industry and only surfaces once in awhile. Live with it, or eradicate it? the article asks.

No one is asking that question in Canada, at least not officially. The strategy here is eradication.

It has a lot of horse enthusiasts in this province carefully weighing their risks before they load up and go this summer.

Laura Rance is editorial director for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at laura@fbcpublishing.com or 204-792-4382.
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PEGUIS FIRST NATION  Two distinctive hats were exchanged on Friday as chiefs marked the bicentenary of the Selkirk Treaty with the current Lord Selkirk.

Lord Selkirk repatriated the floor-length headdress given to his uncle who held the title before him.

And, in return, Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson gave him one of the highest honours of Ojibway society, an otter-skin hat decorated with beaded symbols of peace and friendship.

The 200th anniversary of the Selkirk Treaty is being celebrated in Winnipeg, Selkirk, Brokenhead and Peguis in a whirlwind series of events all week. Five chiefs, four Ojibway and one Cree, signed the treaty, giving farmland two miles back from the Red and the Assiniboine to Selkirks people as a gift, not a land sale. It was the land-sharing aspect that made the Selkirk Treaty distinct in Canadas history of treaty making.

The headdress presented on Friday carried the symbolic weight of a war bonnet worn by chiefs. The otter-skin hat, on the other hand, symbolized peaceful diplomacy.

Its an Ojibway traditional hat, rarely given except to leaders with a long history and a long experience of leadership, Hudson said following the presentation.

Newly elected AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas and Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson holding the headdress presented to Hudson by Lord Selkirk, Friday, July 21, 2017. (Trevor Hagan / Winnipeg Free Press)

Chief Peguis was a great man, said James Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, the current Lord Selkirk, who travelled from Scotland. I think this trip has given the relationship with indigenous people and the settlers a great lift.

Several chiefs met with Lord Selkirk at the Peguis pow-wow arbor, including Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs leader, the newly elected Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, Southern Grand Chief Jerry Daniels and direct Peguis descendant Brokenhead Chief Jim Bear.

There, before a gathering of local Peguis residents and descendants of the original Selkirk settlers, Lord Selkirk officially handed over the 50-year-old headdress to Hudson.

The treaty is a very significant document . . . And Chief Peguis always kept his word to the settlers in the Red River, Lord Selkirk told the gathering.

My uncle had a great love of Canada and made numerous journeys here and to be made an honorary chief of the Red River Saulteaux was one of the honours he cherished. I feel very privileged to hand back this bonnet to the people of Peguis.

The master of ceremonies for the day, Dave McPherson, said there was a great deal of symbolism with the events at Peguis.

The essence is that of friendship which has stood the test of time. Lord Selkirk with his visit here today shows hes still willing to make treaty and to remember the agreement that was set out so many years ago.

The special bond between the Selkirk family and Peguiss people was also honoured with the return of a pipe bowl once owned by Peguis.

A pipe and other artifacts displayed as Lord Selkirk visits Peguis. (Trevor Hagan / Winnipeg Free Press)

Hudson said the pipe bowl will be smoked again in ceremonies at Peguis. A grandson of Peguis sold the pipe bowl to the Hudsons Bay Company in 1929 and it was eventually housed at the Manitoba Museum.

The treaty itself is a living document, Hudson said.

It was the first treaty indigenous people made here with the newcomer settlers and it shows the relationship for people here, not only for our people but for all people, Hudson said.

The Scottish farmers originally affected by the treaty were unusual, too, victims of a cruel period in Scottish history known as the Highland Clearances. Farmers were kicked off lands their ancestors had held for hundreds of years in the highlands of Scotland.

At least one member from Peguis remarked Friday on the similarity of the clan and totem systems that were the traditional social framework for both peoples.

Two hundred years ago, Selkirk felt the settlers had been betrayed and he worked to find them new homes, using his own fortune. He secured the land, and the dispossessed refugees brought the labour in Ontario, P.E.I. and Manitoba.

All this week, both his descendant and Peguiss direct descendant, Chief Bear, have reminded people that Peguis and Selkirk were friends, with similar outlooks and despite the vastly different worlds they came from they had a solid understanding of what they wanted from this treaty.

The land sharing agreement was crucial to establishing peace in the Red River. The year before it was signed, the settlers fled after the violence at Seven Oaks in 1816 and it had been Peguis and his people who helped the settlers find safe haven in Norway House for the winter. They also buried the dead, giving rise to an endearing image of Peguis holding the body of the slain Hudsons Bay Co governor Robert Semple in his arms, and weeping.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
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OTTAWA  Federal data suggest the number of asylum claimants from the U.S. who are crossing into Canada near Emerson continues to drop, but a federal NDP politician said Friday residents told her they remain worried about safety.

On Friday, the RCMP released the number of interceptions it made in June, recording just 63 that month, a steady drop from the peak of 170 crossings in March.

Refugee activists have long suggested these numbers would rise alongside the temperature, but last month the federal Liberals said this appeared to not be happening.

RCMP intercepted 63 people attempting to cross the border in June, continuing a steady drop from the peak of 170 crossings in March. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press files)

While Fridays data include only those police have intercepted, the number appears to be dropping in Manitoba and British Columbia.

In recent years, people have crossed outside of the border station at Emerson to claim asylum through a legal loophole. The number of these claimants rose during former U.S. president Barack Obamas increased deportations, and intensified under current President Donald Trump.

Since 2004, the Safe Third Country Agreement has forbidden most people from making an asylum claim at the Canada-United States land border. But a 1951 United Nations agreement prohibits countries including Canada from prosecuting or deporting people who cross illegally in order to make an asylum claim.

Critics say that provides a perverse incentive for people to cross along remote, unpatrolled parts of the border, before reporting themselves to Canadian police. At least one woman died of hypothermia in May while attempting the crossing near Minnesota.

Fridays data show the phenomenon growing in Quebec, with some 781 interceptions recorded in June  the highest of any month this year. Media reports suggest dozens of claimants make their way from New York City to Montreal through organized transit routes.

The federal NDPs immigration critic visited Emerson on Friday and said residents are wary of strangers knocking on their doors at 3 a.m. She said they worry criminals could pose as asylum seekers.

Right now, its chaotic, Vancouver MP Jenny Kwan said. Its not a sustainable situation. People dont feel safe.

Kwan said Ottawa should use the agreements 90-day temporary suspension to examine the issue and process refugee claims safely. The numbers may have dipped a little bit, but it doesnt mean that the problems gone away, she argued.

In March, the federal government pledged $30,000 for Emersons firefighters, but Kwan says thats not enough for the town and the Welcome Place shelter in Winnipeg, where hundreds of claimants have stayed.

My hat falls to the people of the community, because theyve managed to handle this situation extremely well, Kwan said.

Federal Conservative MPs visited the town in May and called for a change to the agreement.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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Hannah Taylor, a 21-year-old Winnipegger, will be one of six 2017 recipients of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in September in recognition of her work to combat homelessness and empower youth.

Im so incredibly honoured, Taylor said. I can hardly speak. Im getting teary right now thinking about it. He (Ali) is an incredible inspiration and a hero, and to be mentioned with his name and be honoured by his centre, its really incredible.

Taylor founded The Ladybug Foundation, a registered charity, at the age of eight. The charity has since raised more than $3 million dollars to help provide food, shelter and safety to the homeless across Canada.

SUPPLIED Hannah Taylor2017

She is also the founder of another charity, The Ladybug Foundation Education Program, which seeks to empower youth to make positive changes in the world.

The program is in 11,000 classrooms in Canada, and has spread to the United States, France and Singapore.

Taylor is a full-time volunteer and full-time student at McGill University, where she studies political science. She hopes to go to law school to become a human rights attorney.

I remember this one quote of his (Ali) that has been really dear to me forever, Taylor said.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth. That could not be more profound or profoundly true. He was an incredible example of acting on the responsibility we have to one another.

The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, founded in 2013, are awarded annually to recognize and celebrate the greatness of people around the world.

The awards will be presented on September 23 in Louisville Ky.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca
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Premier Brian Pallister says he doesnt believe the province is in danger of losing out on new federal funding for home-care and mental-health services  even if it fails to negotiate a deal with Ottawa.

The federal government would not permit a two-tiered system in which every other jurisdiction got federal cash and Manitoba didnt, he said Friday.

But community activists and the provinces NDP Opposition are worried patients who need the services on offer will suffer as the premier digs in his heels in a dispute over health payment transfers.

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Premier Brian Pallister

On Thursday, Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said in Winnipeg federal funds for home care and mental health are about to be distributed to all Canadian provinces and territories  except for Manitoba, which has yet to sign an accord with Ottawa.

At a news conference Friday, Pallister said it would just be wrong for the federal government to fund all other jurisdictions except his.

He added that his fellow premiers agree with him  and told him as much at a meeting in Edmonton earlier this week.

There is an important thing to understand here: there are two different debates happening simultaneously, two different discussions happening, and theyre not linked. They shouldnt be linked, Pallister said, referring to funding for home care and mental health and the decision by Ottawa to reduce the size of annual federal health transfer increases to three per cent from six per cent.

All provinces opposed the new health-transfer plan and continued to balk at it when the federal Liberals sweetened the pot by offering them $11 billion over 10 years for mental-health and home-care services.

Eventually, every other province and territory signed a deal with Ottawa  with several negotiating extras, such as additional supports to battle opioid addiction.

Manitoba remains the one jurisdiction out in the cold.

A federal official reiterated Friday the province must come to the negotiating table before the mental-health and home-care funds flow.

We hope that Manitoba will be able to sign an agreement with the federal government, as funds will be available to them for mental health and home care. However, the transfer of those funds cannot occur until an agreement is reached, said Andrew MacKendrick, Philpotts press secretary.

Kate Kehler, executive director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, said Manitobans need the money sooner rather than later.

The lack of availability (for mental-health services) always falls on the most marginalized in our community, she said, and the need for home care is overwhelming.

Patrick Doyle / The Canadian Press Files Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott

We want to keep people out of hospitals. We want them out of hospitals sooner rather than later. And we want to keep them from entering long-term care (nursing homes). That is what home care is designed to do, Kehler said.

Pallister said he doesnt feel compelled to sign a phony accord, as Ottawa arbitrarily lowered the annual increase in federal health transfers without consulting the provinces and territories. He said the new funding arrangement is unsustainable for Manitoba, where his government has axed several health programs to rein in burgeoning costs.

NDP health critic Matt Wiebe said even if Pallister were correct that home-care and mental-health funds could flow to Manitoba without a signed agreement, the premiers tactics are questionable.

It defies logic This isnt better negotiation It really does seem that political gamesmanship is overtaking any kind of real effort on behalf of the premier to get a better deal, he said.

Meanwhile, MacKendrick said in signing a deal with Ottawa, Manitoba wouldnt so much be acquiescing to the lower transfer increases it so strenuously objects to, but agreeing to certain conditions before receiving the mental-health and home-care funds.

The conditions relate to agreeing to conduct health outcome assessments and other accountability measures, he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 22/07/2017 (1939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  As on-reserve child-welfare services grind under a federal funding gap, Manitoba social workers are taking note of an Alberta move this week to strong-arm Ottawa to bridge the shortfall.

For more than a decade, Indigenous groups have observed a roughly 30 per cent gap in child-welfare funding for those living on First Nations.

That means short-staffed agencies limit visits to fly-in communities, according to Rhonda Kelly, executive director of Southeast Child and Family Services.

Winnipeg Free Press files First Nations reportedly receive 30 per cent less in child-welfare funding from the federal government than non-Indigenous children.

Were just providing a Band-Aid service all the time, dealing with the crises.

The federal government funds all on-reserve care, while the provinces fund all other agencies.

In Manitoba, many First Nations agencies provide services to children both on- and off-reserve, meaning they receive a mix of federal and provincial funding.

Last year, a landmark Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found that gap amounted to racial discrimination  and its since ruled the federal government has been slow to bridge the gap.

The tribunal found limited funding for family-based programs made an incentive to instead put children under public care. Last October, Manitoba MLAs from every party voted unanimously to condemn Ottawas funding shortfall.

Stella Bone, executive director of West Region CFS, says the issue has persisted throughout her 28-year career. She recently returned from a bush retreat  an event organized through fundraising that strengthens family bonds but could never fit in existing budgets.

If there was more money to help the kids, we would accomplish so much more, she said. There are little lives at stake.

On Wednesday, Albertas deputy premier, Sarah Hoffman, announced the province would start topping up funding for children living on reserves, and later fight with the feds, if we have to about the cost.

Cindy Blackstock, a prominent social worker who helped steer the tribunal case, said Manitoba should follow Albertas lead.

Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files Cindy Blackstock, executive director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, says Manitoba should follow Albertas lead.

This is morally wrong. You cant just say to little kids: You get less because of your race in 2017, said Blackstock, executive director of the Ottawa-based First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. Its good to see people rise above that, and just do the right thing.

Blackstock said Albertas funding announcement follows the spirit of Jordans Principle, a directive that Indigenous children should receive public services they need, instead of waiting amid payment disputes.

The case is named after Jordan Anderson, a five-year-old boy from Norway House Cree Nation who died in a Winnipeg hospital in 2005 while the federal and provincial governments spent two years fighting over who would pay for his home care.

The office of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett noted there are consultations going on with First Nations groups in Manitoba and provincial officials, specifically around the tribunals findings, to pinpoint solutions.

Ottawa budgeted $640 million in new spending for First Nations youth programming, with $70 million slated for immediate relief, plus another $380 million for Jordans Principle cases.

We know that the child-welfare system on-reserve needs to be overhauled, wrote Sabrina Williams. We will continue to work with First Nations, provinces and agencies to achieve real reform which moves from child apprehension to child well-being.

But Blackstock said CFS groups need more funding. She argued it makes economic sense for Manitoba to close the shortfall, because children who receive inadequate care are more likely to have troubled adult lives that use provincial hospitals, jails and police resources.

Yet, Manitobas Families Department said no ones asked the province to fill federal funding gaps.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / Winnipeg Free Press Files Ernest Andersons five-year-old son, Jordan Anderson, died in hospital in 2005 while the federal and Manitoba governments fought over who would pay for his home care.

Instead, a spokesperson said Manitoba has worked with Ottawa and reserves for a decade to develop a co-ordinated and harmonized funding formula for all agencies in the province, especially in remote areas.

Our commitment is ensuring streamlined services exist to support families.

Kelly and Bone said they need more time to study Albertas move  but theyre both confident Manitoba needs more funding.

We just feel that were fighting a losing battle unless things change, both at the federal and the provincial level, Kelly said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
It was a formality, but a notable move nonetheless.

On Thursday, Winona school board members voted to hold a special election this November  a referendum that will decide the fate of the districts plan to close and consolidate its elementary schools.

The board voted 4-2 in favor of the election, which has been in the works for months, and which proposes the closure of Jefferson and Madison elementary schools. Under the boards plan, all of the districts grade-schoolers would be housed in Goodview, W-K and Rollingstone elementaries by the 2020-21 school year.

What this plan does, it puts one elementary school in the city of Winona, one in the city of Goodview and one in the rural community, said board member Allison Quam, who has expressed fierce opposition to closing any of the districts elementary schools. This current direction will harm education long-term. I will be advocating against it until the day it passes.

That day would be Nov. 7, when area residents head to polling stations and cast their votes.

In the coming weeks, WAPS will launch a campaign meant to inform residents about the plan. As part of the campaign, residents will have the chance to speak to board members at a public hearing.

The board has heard a fair amount of criticism already.

At hearings and board meetings this spring, disgruntled community members questioned the logic in closing Jefferson, the districts largest elementary school, and voiced skepticism that certain district programs  from daycare to the Spanish Language Immersion program at Madison  could be adequately relocated.

Resident concerns have centered upon academics and programming, but theyll also absorb a tax hit if the referendum passes.

According to district documents, the owner of a home valued at $150,000 would pay an additional $150 in annual property taxes.

On top of their current property taxes, non-homestead farmers would pay between $2.13 and $4.27 per acre, depending on the value of their property. (Homestead farmers would pay between $1.07 and $2.13.)

WAPS will release more details about the election, and rehash the details of the facilities plan, as the referendum draws closer.

Rich Dahman, the districts new superintendent, has called the closure and consolidation of elementary schools an important step for WAPS. It will ease the districts budget problems, he said, and lead to better instruction and care for students.

But its incumbent upon the district, he said, to convince voters that this is the best way forward.

Anytime theres a decision where theres a change in facilities, its going to hit people emotionally, he said. As we move into the referendum, we have to be real clear about our reasons for moving forward.
Winonas YMCA has announced a tentative schedule to break ground for a new building and the sale of the old building.

A late Thursday announcement laid out a groundbreaking for the new location on Winonas east end on or around the first of November, while the official sale of the old building would finalize at the beginning of 2019.

The Y has been finalizing the design of the new building, and plans to showcase plans in the coming weeks.

The buyers of the current facility, autism treatment group Partners in Excellence, has finished the due diligence period of their agreement that began in May.

The timetable is official and will need the 2017 start to meet their goals, YMCA CEO Derek Madsen said in their announcement.

With due diligence ending, we know we will close on the sale of this facility and need to vacate in January of 2019, Madsen said. Given our construction timelines, we need to begin our work on the site this fall.

The Y is still working towards its goal of raising $13 million dollars, and is currently about $3 million short of that goal, though fundraising has started in earnest.

Madsen said they are courting about 200 larger donors, but still accepting other gifts for funding the Y.

Weve got a group of volunteers that are working on a lot of solicitations, Madsen said. Were talking more and more to people.

Since they officially announced the move and new building in spring 2016, it has continued to evolve.

Last week, the Y announced two new partners who will be sharing space in the new facility.

In addition to the previously planned partnership with Winona Health, the building will also house offices of the American Red Cross and Live Well Winona.

The organizations all said that the partnership will enhance their individual goals and help in the areas that they overlap, particularly in their commitment to health and wellness.

The initial plans for the YMCA include pools, gymnasiums and an expanded fitness center, along with the physical therapy location for Winona Health, and now the addition of the new offices.

It will also include a community room named in honor of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, as a component of the partnership.

The Y also announced the design build services will be done by Schwab LLC, a commercial construction firm with offices in Rochester and Winona, along with contracted architecture firm TSP, which has offices throughout the upper Midwest.

Madsen said when announcing the involvement of Schwab that the Y was glad to have a familiar business involved.

They have been involved in previous projects, and know us well, Madsen said. They bring a strong focus on value and making sure our facility meets both the budget, and the needs of our members and participants.

The completed designs are expected to be revealed in late-July or August, and the building is expected to go to bid by the end of 2017.

The new facility will be located near Winona Health, between Lake Winona, Dairy Queen and the former-Wells Fargo building.
Submit an event for Around Town by emailing calendar information to bnr-news@wiscnews.com at least three business days before the event date.

Today

Circus event: 9 a.m. to noon, Circus World Museum, corner of Oak and Fourth Streets, Baraboo. Circus Palooza will take place before and during the Big Top Circus Parade with a breakfast of pancakes, sausage, coffee, milk and juice for $5.

Circus event: 9:45-10:30 a.m., International Clown Hall of Fame, 102 Fourth Ave., Baraboo. Performance of pre-parade clown antics in front of the hall of fame.

Brat fry: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., People Helping People, 805 Broadway St., Baraboo. Grilled brats, burgers, franks, pulled pork and barbecue chicken sandwiches will be available for sale. Proceeds will support PHPs Work Ready program.

Brat fry: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Merrimac United Methodist Church, Piggly Wiggly, 724 Phillips Blvd., Sauk City. Hamburgers and cheeseburgers will also be available. To place a large order for pick-up at a specific time, call Jim Kratzke at 608-512-9022 before 9:30 a.m.

Hike: 10 a.m., Lodi Valley Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Gibraltar Rock Slack Road parking lot. Slow- paced Tyke Hike of one mile (or less) designed especially for young children and focuses on exploration of nature. Free and open to all; children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Patti at 608-843-3924 or email billpatti@charter.net.

Parade: 11 a.m., Big Top Circus Parade, Downtown Baraboo.

Circus event: Noon to 4 p.m., Circus World Museum, corner of Oak and Fourth Streets, Baraboo. Circus Palooza will take place after the Big Top Circus Parade with grilled cheese sandwiches, chips, beer and water for $5. Live music will be performed by Tommy Bentz Band at noon and by JP Roney at 2 p.m.

Fort building: 1-2:30 p.m., Sauk City Public Library, 515 Water St., Sauk City. Kids can build a family reading fort in the library and enjoy a game of hide-and-seek. For more information, call 608-643-8346 or visit www.saukcitylibrary.org.

Lunch train: 1 p.m., Mid-Continent Railway Museum, E8948 Diamond Hill Road, North Freedom. The Macaroni Express Train will feature salad, macaroni dishes, homemade cookies and beverages by Elite Catering served during a 55 minute first class train ride. Tickets are $47 for adults, $32 for children 3-11 years of age and free for children two and younger. For more information and reservations, call 608-522-4261 or visit www.midcontinent.org.

Concert: 5-7 p.m., Al. Ringling Mansion, 623 Broadway St., Baraboo. As part of the Big Top Parade and circus homecoming celebration, banjo and harmonica musician Brett Goetmoeller will perform. Cash bar with no cover charge.

Dinner train: 5:15 p.m., Mid-Continent Railway Museum, E8948 Diamond Hill Road, North Freedom. Margarita and Taco Train will feature tacos, salsa, chips, alcoholic and non-alcoholic margaritas, beer, wine or soda and dessert. Train ride will last approximately 1 -2 hours. Cost is $47 per person. For more information and reservations, call 608-522-4261 or visit www.midcontinent.org.

Rope rescue program: 7:30-8:30 p.m., Devils Lake State Park. Members of the Baraboo District Ambulance Service will demonstrate the techniques and equipment used in rope rescues on the bluffs. Meet at the Chateau. For more information, call 608-356-8301.

Art exhibit: 5:30-7:30 p.m., River Arts on Water Gallery, 590 Water St., Prairie du Sac. Art exhibit featuring local artists, Kurt Eakle and Briony Jean Foy; runs through Sept. 30. Both artists will be present for a discussion at 6 p.m. and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 608-643-5215, email info@riverartsinc.org, or visit www.riverartsinc.org.

Concert: 7 p.m., Friends of Mirror Lake State Park and the park staff, Amphitheater stage at Devils Lake. Beautiful Buzz, an acoustic duo hailing from Baraboo, will perform; featuring John Swamy and Susan Renee Thiede, playing a mix of indie rock and standard folk, with blues covers and originals. Bring chairs, blankets, bug spray and flashlight. A Wisconsin State Park sticker is needed. For more information, call 608-254-2333.

Circus show: 7:30 p.m., Al. Ringling Theatre, 136 Fourth Ave., Baraboo. Sawdust & Spangles and Dreams show will feature circus performances for children of all ages. Tickets are $15, $30 and $45. Proceeds will benefit Circus Traveling Show Retirement Project & Showpeoples Winter Quarters, International Clown Hall of Fame, Al. Ringling Theatre and Circus World. For tickets and more information, call 608-356-8864 or visit www.alringling.com.

Sunday, July 23

Circus mass: 9:30 a.m., Al. Ringling Theatre, 136 Fourth Ave., Baraboo. Father Gerry Hogan, National Circus Chaplin, will lead the interfaith non-denominational circus mass. Seating limited and available on a first come-first serve basis.

Free meal: 4-6 p.m., St. John Lutheran Church, 307 Sixth St., Reedsburg. Open Table Community Meal sponsored by Oakdale and WCCU credit unions.

Monday, July 24

Blood drive: 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., American Red Cross, VFW, 200 Veterans Drive, Reedsburg. To make an appointment or for more information, call 800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org.

Senior iPhone workshop: 12:30-3:30 p.m., Baraboo Area Senior Center, 124 Second St., Room 24, Baraboo. Cell Plus Device Specialist, Gene Rolland, will lead the workshop which includes a class booklet, instruction about calls, messaging, email, apps, settings and more. For more information call Diane Pillsbury at 608-356-8464.

Hearing aid cleaning: 1-2 p.m., Baraboo Area Senior Center, 124 Second St., Room 24, Baraboo. Lisa Zimmerman will offer a courtesy hearing aid check and cleaning. There is no fee. For more information call Diane Pillsbury at 608-356-8464.

Animal show: 1 p.m., Ruth Culver Community Library, 540 Water St., Prairie du Sac. Natures Niche will bring live animals for children of all ages. For more information, call 608-643-8318 or visit www.pdslibrary.org.

Tuesday, July 25

Travel discussion: 10-11 a.m., Baraboo Area Senior Center, 124 Second St., Room 24, Baraboo. Travels on Tuesday will present co-speakers Manatsu Sato from Hokkaido, Japan and her hosts Kay and Roger Hobler. Sato is in Wisconsin serving as a chaperone for a dozen Japanese youth on the state 4-H exchange. She will also lead a hands-on craft or food prep activity. For more information call Diane Pillsbury at 608-356-8464.

Lego club: 1-3 p.m., Ruth Culver Community Library, 540 Water St., Prairie du Sac. Drop-in to build with the legos provided For more information, call 608-643-8318 or visit www.pdslibrary.org.

Teen Tuesday: 6:30 p.m., Ruth Culver Community Library, 540 Water St., Prairie du Sac. Building Challenge: Strawctures, where teens can build structures from drinking straws. Suited for grades 6-12. For more information, call 608-643-8318 or visit www.pdslibrary.org.

Wednesday, July 26

Brewery tour: 1 p.m., Sauk City Public Library, 515 Water St., Sauk City. Meet at the library to tour the Vintage Brewery construction site for a behind-the-scenes tour of the building process and ask questions about the construction. For more information, call 608-643-8346 or visit www.saukcitylibrary.org.

Free meal: 4:30-6:30 p.m., Advent Christian Church, 200 La Valle St., La Valle. The meal of pulled pork, brats, coleslaw, salad, and desserts will be prepared by Summit Ridge Restaurant and Hartje Farm & Home volunteers will serve and provide dessert.

Concert: 6:30 p.m., Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Concert in the Park series at City Park. Wheelhouse will perform. Bring a lawn chair or blanket; food, refreshments and Farmers Market products will be available; no vehicles or pets allowed in park. For more information, call 608-524-2850. In case of inclement weather, signs will be posted indicating a new location.

Support group: 7:30 p.m., Al-Anon Family Group, The Comfort Zone, St. Vincent De Paul Resource Center, 1906 North St., Prairie du Sac. Support group meets every Wednesday.

Thursday, July 27

Open house: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Central Wisconsin Community Action Council, Inc., First United Methodist Church, 615 Broadway St., Baraboo. Project Homeless Connect-Sauk County open house will offer free of charge lunch, haircut coupons, health screening and vision checks along with information and services on housing, employment services, financial help, youth education opportunities, veteran services, domestic violence, sexual assault services and more. Everyone is welcome, including children. For more information and for transportation needs, call Wendy at 608-254-8353.

Book club: 1 p.m., Sauk City Public Library, 515 Water St., Sauk City. July pick: Coop by Michael Perry. All are welcome; copies of the book available for check out. For more information, call 608-643-8346 or visit www.saukcitylibrary.org.

Bingo: 2-3 p.m., Sauk City Public Library, 515 Water St., Sauk City. Bingo every Thursday through Aug. 31. Prizes from book sale coupons to chocolate bars. Free event open to the public. For more information, call 608-643-8346 or visit www.saukcitylibrary.org.

Hospice training: 5-9 p.m., Agrace Hospice and Palliative Care, 1670 South Blvd., Baraboo. Volunteers are needed to visit and provide companionship to local hospice patients. For more information, an application and to schedule orientation, call 608-327-7163.

Guided Hike: 6-7:30 p.m., Aldo Leopold Foundation, E13701 Levee Road, Baraboo. During the hike with the staff of the Leopold Foundation learn about the Leopold-Pine-Island Important Bird Area and the ongoing management improving breeding bird habitat along the Wisconsin River. This free program is open to all ages.

Concert: 7 p.m., Sauk County Courthouse lawn, 515 Oak St., Baraboo. Concerts on the Square concert series will present the Hert Alpert Band. The Al. Ringling Theatre will serve as the rain site. For more information, visit www.barabooconcertsonthesquare.com.

Friday, July 28

Seminar: Noon to 1 p.m., Aldo Leopold Foundation, Leopold Center, E13701 Levee Road, Baraboo. University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire English professor and author B.J. Hollars will lead a discussion on extinct birds from his book, Flock Together: A Love Affair with Extinct Birds. The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information, call 608-355-0279 or visit www.aldoleopold.org.

Movie: 1 p.m., Sauk City Public Library, 515 Water St., Sauk City. View a free family-friendly movie, rated PG; 2 hours 10 minutes; call for title. Adults must accompany children 5 and younger. Popcorn and bottled water will be served. For more information, call 608-643-8346 or visit www.saukcitylibrary.org.

Art Crawl: 5-9 p.m., Reedsburg Artslink, downtown Reedsburg. Reedikulus Art Crawl, free walking tour featuring local and regional fine artists exhibiting in retail spaces, vacant storefronts, back alleys, galleries and city parks. There will be live music, food, free arts activities, wine, and beer available. Visit LK Design & Photography, 170 E. Main St., Reedsburg, from 4:30 p.m. to pick-up an Art Crawl Map/Passport.

Artist show: 5-9 p.m., Wormfarm Institute, Woolen Mill Gallery, 28 E Main St., second floor, Reedsburg. Resident Artist Show includes work by current or early season Artists in Residence showing weaving, book art, wearable art and installation art.

Concert: 6-10 p.m., Full Throttle Night, FloodZone Bar & Grill, 109 W. Broadway, Rock Springs. Performance is by Flip City Live. All proceeds go to the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue to help care for the animals. In addition to live music, there will be classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, food, arts and crafts vendors. 50/50 raffles and prizes. For more information, call Jeff Kozlowski at 608-697-8643 or email jeff@wisconsinbigcats.org.

Lyme disease support group: 6:30-8 p.m. Hillsboro Public Library, 819 High Ave., Hillsboro. Monthly meeting for people afflicted with lyme borrelia burgdorferi and other tick-bourne diseases in Vernon, Monroe, Sauk and Richland counties. For more information, call Gary Cepek at 608-489-2725, email sudywessos2@mwt.net or mail Gary Cepek, S1468 Cepek Road, Elroy, WI 53929

Paint night: 7-9 p.m., River Arts Inc, River Arts on Water Gallery, 590 Water St., Prairie du Sac. Attendees will etch patterns and designs into glass water bottles. The fee is $40 and includes all necessary supplies, a class instructor, and two drink tickets. For more information, contact Kristina at kcoopman@riverartsinc.org, 608-643-5215 or visit www.riverartsinc.org/crafts-drafts.

Movie night: 7:30 p.m., The Village Booksmith, 526 Oak St., Baraboo. Featured movie will be the 1957, The Smallest Show on Earth with Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna and Peter Sellers. For more information, call 608-355-1001 or visit www.villagebooksmith.com.
Wisconsins attorney general says Sauk County is a leader in law enforcements battle with a drug epidemic.

Attorney General Brad Schimel visited with local law enforcement and government officials Friday in Baraboo. Many expressed concern about the spread of opioids.

In Sauk County, one out of every 140 residents needs opiate treatment. Its one of only 255 U.S. counties that reported more than 10 opioid poisoning deaths per 100,000 people from 2009-2013.

Schimel said Sauk Countys proactive efforts to treat people addicted to heroin and prescription pills like oxycodone are a model. Programs in Baraboo and the Sauk Prairie area offer medication and counseling to treat addicts. Meanwhile, the countys Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is working to identify evidence-based strategies to address the root causes of crime and prevent recidivism. The approach follows a gradual nationwide shift toward treatment over incarceration for nonviolent offenders.

Sauk County is very far ahead of the curve, Schimel said. They have a really healthy network.

In roughly a year of operation, Tellurian counselors contracted by the county have treated 160 addicts in Baraboo, surpassing the programs goal of 130. The program boasts a retention rate of 59 percent.

A key challenge in the fight against drug addiction and the crime it creates, Schimel said, is a shortage of mental health care providers and dependency counselors. America needs to support funding for treatment of addiction as it would any other illness. These are diseases that cause great human suffering, and we should cover them, he said. We need to treat these mental health issues the way we treat cancer.

Schimel said the state needs to take a proactive, preventive approach to the drug problem. Even well-coordinated programs like those operating in Sauk County are expensive, as addicts need medical care, mental health treatment, housing and job placement services. Theres so much to clean up, and its costing us a fortune, he said. Were still trying to find the most effective means of prevention.

The public has grown more aware of the addictive nature of prescription painkillers, and doctors and drug stores have become more vigilant about controlling access. Were seeing positive results coming, Schimel said. Were moving in the right direction.

The trouble is that some addicts previously hooked on opioids have switched to methamphetamine, which though highly addictive, isnt as likely to produce fatal overdoses. Schimel compared law enforcements anti-drug efforts to squeezing a water balloon: Clench one end, and the water rushes to the other.

Sauk County is one of those counties thats been having to deal with both, he said.

What meth users may not realize is that the drug causes brain damage. Its going to kill them, Schimel said, its just going to take longer.
MAYVILLEThe three women were strangers when they joined the 50 people who came to the first Blue Zones cooking demonstration at NOLA North Grille in Mayville.

They came to learn more about how to make tasty plant-based dishes in their own homes. They left committed to sharing potluck meals with one another over the coming 10 weeks.

Shelli Haipek, Stacey Braemer and Kim Kemeny answered the invitation to form a Blue Zones Project Potluck Moai. Moai roughly translates to meeting for a common purpose and it is a means of social, emotional and financial support for Okinawans. Blue Zones Project has adopted this idea to help people in the community create social connections around the common purpose of enjoying plant-based meals together through Potluck Moais.

Moais were discovered In Okinawa, Japan, where parents put their young children into these social groups. Okinawa is one of the originally discovered Blue Zones.

Dan Buettner, along with National Geographic Magazine, discovered The Blue Zones, places around the world where people are living longer and with greater vitality than the average American. Buettner discovered that people living in these areas had strong social connections to like-minded people that supported each other in their healthy lifestyle choices.

Since mid-May, the three women have been meeting almost weekly. They meet at one anothers homes, delegating main dish responsibilities to the host while the others bring the side dishes. Often, their meal planning is themed, allowing them to explore tastes from around the world. Sometimes they share favorite plant-based dishes they have made before while other times they debut their latest Pinterest attempt.

Being a part of the Moai pushes them to try new ingredients and flavors and provides an opportunity to look at foods a little differently. For example, during the Potluck Moai fruit is served as a dessert.

Haipek, Braemer and Kemeny have not only added to their repertoire of plant-based dishes, they have built new friendships and expanded their social circle.

As the three conversed throughout the meal, it became evident that they have formed a bond and understanding of one another. They share stories about their families, their friends, and their work. They share tips of where to travel next, what restaurant to check out or whats happening in the community.

Before departing for the evening, plans were made for the next time and place they would meet as well as what cuisine theme they would enjoy.

Haipek said, Ive thoroughly enjoyed eating with these ladies. I look forward to it. I look forward to the new recipes and the good food and the conversations. Its surprising, for the fact that we were strangers, how well we can sit and chat.

Ready to join a Potluck Moai? The next opportunity will be at 1 p.m. Sunday following the free Blue Zones Project cooking demonstration at Beaver Dam Piggly Wiggly, 810 Park Ave. Unable to attend, but want to join a Potluck Moai? E-mail bluezonesprojectdodgecounty@sharecare.com or call (920) 212-8511.

To learn more about Blue Zones Project Dodge County, visit dodgecounty.bluezonesproject.com.

Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through improvements to a citys environment, policies, and social networks. The project has been brought to Dodge County by Beaver Dam Community Hospital. Blue Zones Project is a division of Sharecare. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.
HORICON  A small pavilion in Discher Park has stood for more than 100 years. Its now at risk of being torn down due to a lack of maintenance and possibly a lack of community support.

If the building falls down, nothing will be put in its place, said Dan Buchner, Horicon Phoenix Program member.

Horicon Phoenix Program is a civic group that organizes events in the community and promotes the city. Horicon Phoenix hopes to raise at least $30,000 by October to prove to Horicon Common Council that residents support the pavilion. The group estimates that it will cost $60,000 to complete all the renovations.

There is a long list of improvements to bring the pavilion back to its former glory. The problems plaguing the property include deteriorating footings, electrical issues, peeling paint, a bad roof and a sagging structure. Under one footing, there is a street sign used as a wedge to keep it level.

Thats from when [someone] had to do something quick to help the building, said Tory Harmuth, a Phoenix member.

In addition, the pavilion does not meet accessibility requirements. There is a ramp to enter the building, but it requires people to travel over grass.

Despite the pavilions problems, it still gets plenty of use. The pavilion is rented out for private parties and its a hub for events like Jersey Street Music Festival and Autumn Art On the Marsh.

Even though it is still used, the city of Horicon has no plans to fund repairs.

Mayor Steve Neitzel said the property hasnt been maintained by the city for years.

It going to take it more money than its worth to bring it back, he said.

He added that he understands the historical significance and the reasons why the group wants to preserve it. However, he said during the last two years not many people in Horicon have stepped up to help. He has been willing to give those who wish to see it saved an opportunity, but there is a deadline. Its in October, which is when city officials create a budget for 2018.

As a city we need to financially look at what the cost and uses are, he said.

He estimates that it will take $32,000 to raise the structure and place a new foundation for the sinking building. This doesnt include the cost to bring the building up to ADA requirements and other repairs. Beyond the immediate repairs, if the city is to invest in the upkeep for the property it also needs to invest in the future of the property. With that come additional costs.

Later this year, the city will have to inspect the property. Neitzel said that it is getting close to being too much of a risk to continue renting it out. However, the city is still allowing people to rent the pavilion and according to him, the city hasnt heard of any safety concerns with the structure.

Neitzel said that there are alderpersons on the council who dont want to see the building destroyed.

There is some weird disconnect in the city that they dont want to reinvest in preserving the building, Buchner said.

So far, the group has received a $12,000 gift donation from a patron who does not wish to be named. Currently, the group has $15,000.

Lahnie Neu, Phoenix member said, Discher Park has been a hub for activity going back to 1890s. The small pavilion was built in 1909 and it was then known as the New Park Pavilion. It later became known as the Teen Center. It cost $1,000 to build.

She said it is one of the oldest public buildings in the city. Neu said she thinks this is emblematic of a growing problem in Horicon. Historic properties such as the Manolis and boat houses along the river are being lost.

As a city we are losing a lot of our historical identification, Neu said.

Her childrenLahn and Autumnjumped into the effort this past spring. The children were able to obtain a small grant for advertising material. Since then both have been handing out fliers in the community to spread awareness.

All of the members of the group agree that there is a path in sight. The only question is will the group reach its goal in time.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke has quashed speculation that he might run for U.S. Senate in 2018.

I want to put this to rest because its becoming a distraction: no, I am not running for U.S. Senate, Clarke told conservative radio host Vicki McKenna on Friday.

Clarke fueled that speculation in May, saying he had not totally closed the door on a run in 2018, when Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin will seek re-election.

Clarke has run for Milwaukee County sheriff as a Democrat but allies with Republicans and conservatives; he has been a particularly outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.

In the interview, Clarke slammed what he called a scam PAC, or political action committee, that has raised money by touting him as a potential Senate candidate. He did not specify the PAC to which he referred; multiple ones have used Clarkes name and the possibility of him running for Senate in fundraising appeals.

Hang on to your money, Clarke said.

Republicans who are considering a U.S. Senate bid next year include state Sens. Leah Vukmir and Scott Fitzgerald, state Rep. Dale Kooyenga, businessman Eric Hovde and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kevin Nicholson.
A Madison man arrested following an April traffic stop that turned up marijuana and bags of individually sorted and labeled bags of heroin on Interstate-39 near Caledonia, will face trial following a Thursday preliminary hearing.

Marquell Calloway, 18, is charged with felony possession with intent to distribute heroin, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and obstructing an officer, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years.

In court Thursday Assistant District Attorney Crystal Long called Wisconsin State Trooper Timothy Larson to testify about the traffic stop. Larson explained that he followed up on a call of a driving complaint with a trooper making the initial stop and Larson arriving shortly after.

In the trunk, in a Walmart bag was a bag of Tostitos tortilla chips, and inside the bag of tortilla chips was a plastic food saver vacuum sealed package, and inside that vacuum sealed package was a white grocery bag with writing on it, said Larson, and inside the grocery bag was a package of suspected marijuana and three other packages containing small, what I would call bindles, of gray rock-like substance that tested positive for heroin.

Long asked Larson how much heroin was found.

In combination of all those packages was 65.7 grams, said Larson, adding the number of bindles in each package was roughly 35, 38, and another of between 22 and 28.

During questioning, defense attorney Mark Frank asked Larson to clarify that the driver was Donte Johnson, 22, who was not the owner of the vehicle, which was linked to a woman in Superior, reportedly purchased recently by Johnsons aunt.

Frank asked about a conversation between Johnson and Nicholas Calloway that had been picked up by a state vehicle recording device, in which they referred to the Walmart bag in the trunk.

And that conversation did not involve Marquell in any way did it? Frank asked.

No it did not, Larson answered.

Long asked Larson about the three packages of heroin, labeled: Rob, Dog and Nick. Larson confirmed they were labeled as such, that one could attribute Nick to Nicholas Calloway and that the Calloways are brothers.

Were there any guys in the car by the name of Rob? Frank asked.

No.

Did you overhear any of them refer to each other as Rob or Dog while you were on the scene?

No.

Although according to the details of the criminal complaint and testimony, Marquell Calloway had the least connection to the vehicle and the drugs found there, Long argued that there was a reasonable inference, that there were three of them and three bags of heroin packaged to sell, and they would be the ones planning to sell them.

With three people in the car and one of them having the name Nick, said Judge Todd Hepler, and Marquell Calloway being with them, and at least two of the three of them pretty assuredly knowing what was in that bag, it is a reasonable inference that Marquell was aware of that and participating in this.

Notwithstanding Marquell Calloways position with least connection and sitting in the back of the vehicle at the time, Hepler found probable cause and ordered him to be bound over for trial, with an arraignment scheduled for Oct. 3.
The public learned on March 10, 2015, that Hillary Clinton had more than 60,000 emails on her private email system, and that she had turned over about half of them to the State Department and destroyed the rest, which she said were personal and not in any way related to her work as secretary of state.

The public learned later the lengths to which Clinton went to make sure the personal emails were completely and permanently deleted. Her team used a commercial-strength program called BleachBit to erase all traces of the emails, and they used hammers to physically destroy mobile devices that might have had the emails on them. The person who did the actual deleting later cited legal privileges and the Fifth Amendment to avoid talking to the FBI and Congress.

Clintons lawyer, David Kendall, told Rep. Trey Gowdy, chairman of the House Benghazi Committee, that investigators could forget about finding any of those emails. Sorry, Trey, he said; theyre all gone.

Still, there were people who did not believe that Clintons deleted emails, all 30,000-plus of them, truly were gone. What is ever truly gone on the internet? And what if Clinton were not telling the truth? What if she deleted emails covering more than just personal matters? In that event, recovering the emails would have rocked the 2016 presidential campaign.

So if there were an enormous trove of information potentially harmful to a presidential candidate just sitting out there  what opposing campaign wouldnt want to find it?

There have been recent reports that last summer a Republican named Peter W. Smith made some sort of effort to find the missing Clinton emails, getting in touch with hackers, some of whom may have been Russian. But nothing came of it, and no evidence has emerged that Smith was connected to the Trump campaign. (The 81-year-old Smith later committed suicide, apparently distraught over failing health.)

In a recent phone conversation, Corey Lewandowski, the Trump campaign manager who was fired on June 20, 2016, said he never heard of or communicated with Smith, and wasnt aware of any effort to find the missing Clinton emails.

I never solicited, or asked anybody to solicit or find a way to get these potential emails, Lewandowski said. And to the best of my knowledge, nobody (in the campaign) did either.

Still, Lewandowski added that, In the world of cybersecurity, its fairly well known that when you delete emails, theyre not gone.

Lewandowski stressed the greatest political value of the missing emails, as far as Trump was concerned, was that they gave Trump a way to poke and troll his Democratic opponent. The Clinton team was BleachBitting and swinging hammers to smash devices  and she says everything was on the up and up, that she has nothing to hide? Candidate Trump could riff on that all day.

But at least one high-ranking Trump team member apparently did believe the missing Clinton emails still existed. In August 2016, Gen. Michael Flynn, then the Trump campaigns top national security adviser, discussed the emails with a conservative radio host named John B. Wells.

Does somebody have the 30,000? Flynn asked. The likelihood somebody has all of those emails, at a nation-state level, meaning Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, or even other countries, or some other large hacktivist group, like the WikiLeaks group that we know exists  the likelihood is very high, and Im talking, like, better than 95 percent.

Which leads to a question. Would it have been appropriate for the Trump campaign to try to find the emails? After all, the emails were under congressional subpoena, under FBI investigation, of intense public interest, and a potentially explosive issue in the presidential campaign. What opposing campaign wouldnt want to know what was in them?

Talking with a number of veteran Republican operatives, the answer is: Yes, of course, the campaign would want to know what was in the emails. More importantly, they would want the emails to become public. But the campaign wouldnt want to touch them, would want no fingerprints on them.

None would have met with Russians, as Donald Trump Jr. did in June 2016, because they would want nothing to do with shady people offering information. (That information was not, as far as we know, related to Clintons emails.) But the operatives would have searched for a third-party, arms-length way to get the information to the media.

You can get easily burned with bad info, said one operative. This is why everyone outsources research.

And that is what baffles some of them about what Trump Jr. did. Why put the campaigns fingerprints  and palm prints and footprints, too  on such a sketchy enterprise? Terrible political judgment is not against the law. If it were, the operatives suggested, the Trump team would be guilty.
The Reedsburg School District will have four new buses for the coming school year.

School Board members voted to authorize funding during a July 17 meeting at the Central Office.

One bus would have a lift and serve special education purposes, said Business Manager Pat Ruddy. Jeff Bindl, director of special education and pupil services, has offered to pay for the bus with special education funds. The bus is expected to cost about $92,000.

Three regular buses would be purchased with extended five-year warranties, plus adjustable pedals and mirrors, from Blue Bird, Ruddy said. Each bus would cost $86,436.

Darrin Frye, transportation director and school safety coordinator, received bids from three providers: Blue Bird, Thomas Nelsons Bus Service and International Mid-State Truck Service.

Ruddy said hes heard of bus prices rising to well over $90,000 per vehicle, so he was relieved to see lower bids.

So far the fleets life has been exceptional at 9.7 years, Ruddy said. He said he hopes to see the average life expectancy increase to 15 years.

Anything close to 7.5 is great, he said.

Three buses will be retired once the new ones arrive, Ruddy said. The fourth will be used for a mock mass-casualty crash this fall.

Some meal prices to rise

The cost of meals at the high school will increase a little this fall.

The board approved a recommendation to raise the price by 10 cents, to $3.10, to meet DPI average criteria, Ruddy said. Elementary and middle school meals will stay the same at $2.75 each.

Ruddy said another increase is likely for the 2018-19 school year. He said the district has not raised prices for at least two years.

Title funding

Reedsburg will get a boost in Title I and Title II funding, much to the surprise of Linda Bruun, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. She said she had braced for cuts of 4 percent and 5 percent but the district received increases of 6.5 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively.

I have triple checked this with DPI and others because I was just so astounded, she said.

Unfortunately, the increase is due to more poverty in the school district, Bruun said. Determinations are based on census data from the 2015-16 school year rather than free- and reduced-price lunch rates.

Its a nice thing that we got an increase so we can do more for students in our district, Im glad to say, she said.

The state has not yet released Title III funding.

Extra-curricular pay

The district is looking into how to compensate staff for extra-curricular activity work. District Administrator Tom Benson said a committee was formed to research possibilities.

Vine Street Program

The district needs to find a new home for its Vine Street Program, which helps credit-deficient teens earn a high school diploma. Benson said it will need to move out of the old library, at least temporarily, due to renovation. Work could be done by the end of the calendar year.

Benson said hes hopeful there might be some additional space in the new Boys and Girls Club across from the Reedsburg Police Department. The club is set to open in September.

Were optimistic that well find an appropriate space, he said.




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Gun ownership in the United States has significantly increased over the last few decades. It is speculated that the number of guns in the US surpasses the countrys population. As the number of guns owned rises, so do the fatalities caused by the use of firearms. Despite the increasing number of deaths caused by gun related injuries, American citizens continue to buy and use firearms for various reasons. The United States Constitution protects its citizens' right to own firearms under the Second Amendment law. The state with the highest number of deaths from firearm injuries is Alaska. Other states that top the list include Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas.

United States Firearm Death Rates Ranked by State.

Alaska

Alaska is the USs largest state by land area. The state has the highest rate of deaths from gun injuries. As at 2015, it is estimated that 23 people per 100,000 residents died from firearm injuries. The high number of deaths can be attributed to the lenient laws on the purchasing and ownership of guns in the state. People in Alaska need no license or permit to purchase, own or carry any type of firearm. The only restriction is for buyers to be above 18 years of ago and have no criminal records with law enforcement for the past ten years. Guns are also banned in most public places, such as schools, courts, government buildings, and correctional facilities. Although Alaska abides by the federal gun laws, it is easier for people to obtain and use firearms in Alaska than in other US states.

Louisiana

The state of Louisiana has the second highest death rate resulting from firearm injuries. In 2015, 20 deaths were caused by gun related injuries per 100,000 people. These deaths were as a result of little regulation on gun ownership in the state. Louisiana is often known as the gun loving state due to its lenient gun laws. The state does not demand any permits or registration for gun owners. It is very easy for individuals to purchase a firearm in Louisiana in comparison to most other states. It is equally easy for gun dealers, as they encounter limited restrictions. Furthermore, the state does not restrict the bulk purchasing of firearms.

Alabama

Alabama is located in the Southern United States and has the third highest number of deaths caused by the use of firearms. The state suffered 19 deaths related to gun injuries per 100,000 residents in 2015. Alabama is known for its liberal stance on gun regulation. In fact, Alabamas constitution provides for every citizen of the state to own a firearm for self-defense or defense of the state. There are restrictions on gun ownership for convicted persons, people under 18 years of age, people suffering from mental illness, and domestic violence convicts. Additionally, firearm dealers are required to conduct background checks on all their clients and keep records of all buyers of hand guns.

Mississippi

The state of Mississippi ranks fourth in terms of the highest number of firearm deaths in the United States. In 2015, the state recorded 19 deaths by use of firearms for every 100,000 residents. Mississippi exercises a considerable amount of regulation on gun ownership. A license from Mississippi Department of Public Safety is required to carry a concealed firearm. The license expires after five years. In addition, concealing firearms are prohibited in public areas like schools, polling stations, recreational facilities and government buildings.

Use of Firearms in the United States

In the United States, firearms are acquired for variety of uses. Most people buy guns for self-defense. A record number of gun-owners acquire the firearms for outdoor activities. Nonetheless, there are individuals who buy guns for illegal, criminal purposes. In order to reduce the number of deaths from firearm injuries, the United States needs to implement laws that prevent or reduce firearm ownership by criminals.
The Andean States is a group of countries in South America that are linked by the Andes Mountain range. The term is often used to refer to the seven South American countries that the Andes run through, regions that share culture, or to designate countries that are members of the Andean Community. The Andes Mountain Range extends through the western part of South America. However, Andean State puts emphasis on the mountainous regions of these countries. Argentina and Chile are, therefore, not considered to be Andean States, but are part of the Andean region. The five Andean States are listed below.

Colombia

Colombia is situated in the northwestern part of South America, with part of its territories in the Central America. It shares its borders with other Andean states, including Venezuela and Ecuador. Colombia is divided into six natural regions, including the Andes Mountain range region, Amazon Rainforest region, and the Pacific Coastal region. The Andes Mountain is the most populated area in Colombia and forms the countrys urban center. The Colombian Andes divides into three branches known as cordilleras. Colombia is one of the founding members of the Andean Community.

Ecuador

Ecuador is composed of lowlands, the Andes Mountains, and Galapagos Island. The country shares its borders with Peru, Colombia, and the Pacific Ocean. Ecuador covers an area of about 109,500 square miles. It is subdivided into four main geographic regions, namely La Costa, La Sierra, La Amazonia, and La Region Insular. Ecuador, together with Peru and Bolivia, forms part of the Central Andes. Ecuador is one of the megadiverse countries in the world, with the most biodiversity per square meter. With so many mountains and coastal land, the only viable activity in the country is fishing. Mining and agriculture also play an important role in the economy of Ecuador. Ecuador is a member of the Andean Community of Nations.

Peru

Peru is situated in the western part of South America. It is an extremely biodiverse country, with regions including the Pacific coast, the peak of the Andes mountains, Amazon Basin, and the Amazon River. Peru covers an area of approximately 496,225 square miles. The Andes Mountains defines the countrys three regions: coast, highlands, and jungle. Fishing, farming, and mining are the countrys main economic activities. Perus foreign relations have been characterized by border conflicts with neighboring countries, including Chile and Ecuador.

Venezuela

Venezuela is a country located in the northwestern portion of South America. The Venezuelan Andes refer to the very northernmost portion of the Andes Mountains. It covers an area of around 5% of the total Venezuelan area. The Andes in Venezuela can be divided into the Sierra de Perija and the Cordillera de Merida.

Bolivia

Bolivia is a landlocked country in western-central South America. It has an area of approximately 424,160 square miles, with about one-third of that total in the Andean Mountain Range. It stretches from the Central Andes to as far as the Amazon. Bolivia is divided into three physiographic regions, including the Andean, Sub-Andean, and the Llanos regions. The Andean region spans over 28% of the countrys territory, while the Llanos region comprises 59% of the country. Bolivias economy is dependent on mining, the exploration of natural gas, and agriculture. Bolivia has had a maritime dispute with Chile that strained their relationship. However, the dispute has since been resolved. Bolivia remains a contributing member of the Andean Community.
Student Support Scheme in Wrexham Continues to Go From Strength to Strength

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jul 22nd, 2017

A successful partnership which supports vulnerable students in Wrexham has been praised by a local politician.

Wrexhams Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths AM, recently visited the Venture in Caia Park to hear more about the Venture Alternative Learning (VAL) Programme, which has predominantly helped pupils from Rhosnesni High School for almost eight years.

The project works with young people between the ages of 13 and 16 who are disengaged with education, emotionally vulnerable or most at risk with becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Currently the Venture offers three courses; Joinery & Construction, Art & Craft and the Princes Trust Achieve programme. The projects provide a range of experiences, qualifications and accreditations that aim to nurture the young people and their families, re-engage them with education and help them focus on their move into further education or employment. The courses are delivered by staff at the Venture.

Welsh Government funding will support the VAL courses until March 2018 and the Venture are confident new funding sources will be secured due to the success of the scheme.

Moving forward, the Venture has ambitious plans to launch additional courses and is keen to further involve Rhosnesni School in the design of future projects to utilise their expertise, as well as ensure key priorities and the needs of the students are met.

Lesley Griffiths AM, who is patron of the Venture, recently visited the facility to speak with participating students. She said: For almost 40 years, the Venture has provided a wide range of support services for countless children and young people in the area.

The VAL courses are a perfect example of partnership working. The scheme has achieved excellent results and undoubtedly had a positive impact on students, helping break down barriers to improve young peoples learning, health and wellbeing.

I congratulate the Venture and Rhosnesni School on everything they have achieved so far and I will do all I can to support the arrangement moving forward.

Venture Co-Founder and local councillor, Malcolm King commented: We have worked very closely with local schools over the years, particularly Rhosnesni, and together have helped many children and young people, who had been struggling, to achieve their best.

As a result, for the last 7 years, every one of our VAL students have gone onto college, work or training which is a brilliant achievement. We are very proud of them.

Nic Harrison, Head Teacher at Rhosnesni School added: Ysgol Rhosnesni is grateful for the work that The Venture has undertaken with so many students over the years in supporting them to achieve valuable skills and experiences, which have in turn supported every student to move forward and secure further education and training opportunities.

Pictured  Lesley Griffiths AM and Rhosnesni students in front of mural painted by the students as part of the Art & Craft course at the Venture.
Speaking on the BBCs Andrew Marr show Sunday, Labours Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that those responsible for social murder at Grenfell Tower should be held accountable for their actions.

McDonnell was asked by Marr whether he stood by earlier remarks made at the Glastonbury Festivals Left Field tent debate, when he said that the victims of the June 14 Grenfell Tower inferno had been murdered by political decisions that were taken over recent decades.

Asked if he regretted these statements, McDonnell replied, No, I dont regret that... Political decisions were made which resulted in the deaths of these people.

Later he continued, Theres a long history in this country of the concept of social murder where decisions are made with no regard to consequences of that, and as a result of that people have suffered.

Thats whats happened here, and Im angry... I believe social murder has occurred in this instance and I believe people should be accountable.

McDonnell did not say so, but he was citing Friedrich Engels in The Condition of the Working Class in England (1845). Engels wrote condemning the British ruling class for the impact of fetid water supplies, cramped housing and disease on the working class:

When society places hundreds of proletarians in such a position that they inevitably meet a too early and an unnatural death, one which is quite as much a death by violence as that by the sword or bullet; when it deprives thousands of the necessaries of life, places them under conditions in which they cannot liveforces them, through the strong arm of the law, to remain in such conditions until that death ensues which is the inevitable consequenceknows that these thousands of victims must perish, and yet permits these conditions to remain, its deed is murder just as surely as the deed of the single individual.

When asked to explain who the murderers were, McDonnell replied, I think theres been a consequence of political decisions over years that have not addressed the housing crisis that weve had, that have cut back on local government so proper inspections have not been made, 11,000 firefighter jobs have been cut as welleven the investment in aerial ladders, and things like that in our country.

Asked directly if those responsible for the cuts were murderers, he added, I believe politicians have to be held to account. I remain angry at how many people have lost their lives as a result of political decisions made over years.

McDonnell was subjected to denunciations from the Conservatives, while various Labour MPs dissociated themselves from his comments.

Chancellor Philip Hammond told Marr, It is a disgraceful suggestion in line with many other things John McDonnell has said over the years. There is not a shred of evidence to support that.

Former Tory party leader Iain Duncan Smith told the Sun, Its quite appalling really that he goes on doing this, before asserting that it was part of a plot by the supporters of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and McDonnell, who are looking for revolution.

For Labour, Emma Dent Coad, the newly elected Kensington MP, where Grenfell Tower is located, said McDonnells accusation of social murder is not a view I share.

Blairite darling Jess Phillips said, Politicians should pick their words carefully and you can be passionate without the potential to incite... I think we should be very, very careful about the things that we say and I have watched people, their expectations being raised up by politicians and wrongly so.

The combined message from Phillips and Duncan Smith is: Be careful, dont raise public expectations of justice delivered that will not be met, as this raises the spectre of revolution.

Everything McDonnell says is true. Grenfells dead are the victims of social murder and those guilty are the politicians whose decisions turned the tower block and hundreds of others nationally into death traps.

But McDonnell should be judged by his actions, not just his words.

Having said that the guilty should be punished, workers should demand to know what he is doing about it.

McDonnell, Corbyn and any politician who presumes to speak on behalf of the working class has the responsibility to name the guilty and fight nationally and within parliament for them to be brought to justice.

Among those whose political decisions led to the Grenfell inferno are the leadership of the Conservative Party, past and present, and of the Labour Party tooall those who have jointly presided over endless privatisations and savage social cuts that have continued unabated since 1979. The culpable include Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and her likely successors, such as former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who laid waste to Londons fire service.

These are the forces responsible for eliminating essential health and safety legislation and destroying the jobs of not just firefighters, but of 1 million public sector workers since 2010who turned Britain into a playground for the super-rich while workers were left in death traps. But instead of demanding these figures and those most directly involved in the Grenfell tragedy in the Kensington and Chelsea Council are brought to account, McDonnell and Corbyn are instead lending crucial support to the fraudulent public inquiry convened by May.

The consultation document for the inquiry clearly states that it will not itself result in any criminal prosecutions and is intended solely to provide facts and recommendations to Government and other authorities. For their part, the Metropolitan Police have not even questioned anyone under caution, let alone made an arrest in connection with Grenfell.

However, all Corbyn has said in response is that the inquiry should have an ethnically diverse panel, advising judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick! Addressing the series of systemic failures that may extend from local to national government and beyond should then be done in a longer-term, more wide-ranging inquiry that would supposedly help to both build trust and deliver justice.

No confidence should be placed in either Mays rotten whitewash of an inquiry, or in Labours attempt to make it more palatable. The Grenfell fire is a crime of capitalism against the working class. It must be answered with the development of a political movement of the working class independent of all the political defenders of the profit system.

The demand must ring out that all those guilty of social murder at Grenfell in both political and business circles are arrested, charged and put on trial.

The Socialist Equality Party calls for this to be linked to a broader socialist programme of demands to meet the essential needs of working people for safe and secure housing, decent jobs, education and health carethat will involve the immediate requisitioning of empty accommodation in London to properly house those made homeless and the reversing of all cuts to the fire brigade and other vital services.

Hundreds of billions of pounds must be allocated to strip the cladding from tower blocks, install sprinkler systems and make them safe and secure. This should be part of a massive programme of public works paid for by seizing the assets of the super-rich and taking control of the major banks and corporations.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley pledged to oil industry executives attending the 49th Annual Global Petroleum Show that her trade union-backed New Democratic Party (NDP) government will join forces with Justin Trudeaus federal Liberals to ensure that the pipelines they need to get tar sands oil to overseas markets are built.

Notley spoke to the high-profile Calgary gathering last month, the day after the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) said tar sands production will grow to 3.7 million barrels per day by 2030, up from 2.4 million barrels per day last year.

Performing her assigned task as the representative of Albertas Big Oil companies and Canadas financial elite, which has banked heavily on Canadian capitalisms role as a major energy exporter, Notley declared, I have very little time for any conversation that seeks to shut down or significantly limit our oil sands. The oil sands are massive job and wealth creators here in Alberta and quite frankly across and throughout Canada, and we need to protect the good jobs they create.

Notley went on to discuss the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, which would greatly increase the amount of untreated bitumen transported to the British Columbia coast for export to Asia. Trudeau, said Notley, has indicated he is still very much committed to seeing the matter through, and I believe that is the case. I feel very confident we have the undivided and unequivocal support of the federal government on this matter.

Late last year the Trudeau government gave the Trans Mountain project federal approval, but it faces massive popular opposition, including from indigenous and environmental groups. To Notleys dismay, BCs new Green Party-supported, NDP minority government is publicly committed to doing everything in its power to prevent the pipeline expansion.

Notleys declaration of solidarity with Trudeau amounts to an explicit commitment that her government will cheer on the ramming through of the Trans Mountain project over popular opposition, including by resorting to state repression. Last December, following protests against the Liberals approval of the project, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said that the federal government would deploy the military, if needed, to ensure the pipeline project proceeds. (See: Canadas Resources Minister threatens to use army against pipeline protests)

Notleys groveling to the major oil corporations illustrates the right-wing, pro-big business character of the NDP government she leads. Underscoring her loyalty to Big Oil and its pipeline projects, Notley banned Alberta NDP staffers from campaigning for the BC NDP in that provinces recent election.

Since coming to power in 2015, the NDP has offloaded the economic crisis, which costs tens of thousands of workers in oil and ancillary industries their jobs, onto the backs of working people.

Notleys government has imposed a series of austerity budgets, starving critical public services like health and education of resources, while upholding the so-called Alberta advantagerock-bottom taxes on big business, the rich and super-richand handing over subsidies to Big Oil as part of its climate change policy.

Albertas tar sands industry currently emits about 70 megatons of greenhouse gases annually. Under Notleys Climate Action Plan, industry emissions will be allowed to rise to 100 megatons, a 42 percent increase in carbon emissions, without any consequences for the heavy tar sands emitters. Upgrades of existing tar sands facilities started after 2015 will be subject to a separate 10-megaton cap.

Earlier this year, Notley traveled to Washington to establish working relations with the new Trump administration and lobby for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. The Globe and Mail, the mouthpiece of Canadas financial elite, took notice of her role, describing Notley as a crucial member of Team Canada.

The corporate elite and its media outlets were no less enthused by her performance at the Global Petroleum Show. Notleys speech encapsulates the shift in the governments view of the industry, gushed Gary Leach, president of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada. She has probably realized the premier of Alberta has a key role as a spokesperson for this industry, a key role as a defender of this industry. Shes really the only one who can deliver those messages to a national and international audience.

Alberta industry representatives are adamant that pipelines be built to tidewater, because the rise of the US shale oil industry has dramatically cut into projected US sales and because concerns about pipeline capacity are deterring the investments they claim are needed to seize the opportunities presented by growing demand for oil in Asia.

CAPP President Tim McMillan complained last month, Were seeing increased capital moving south of the border to the US, as Canadas competitive position is deteriorating relative to our largest customer, trading partner, and now competitor for energy markets.

It is imperative, added the petroleum producer association head, that Canada gets its products to market, that Canada becomes a secure, reliable supplier of choice in growing markets around the world.

In their insatiable drive to boost corporate profits, the major oil corporations have a loyal handmaiden in Albertas NDP government.

During the Global Petroleum Show, the NDP government revealed that environmentalist Tzeporah Berman, a former Greenpeace director, would be leaving the government-appointed Oil Sands Advisory Group, a body established to recommend penalties on emissions exceeding the 100-megaton cap imposed under Notleys climate change policy. Industry spokesmen and right-wing opposition politicians had been clamoring for Berman to be removed from the panel, citing her comparison of the oil industry to the fiery fictional wasteland of Mordor and her support for the BC NDPs stance on blocking the Trans Mountain pipeline project.

From the outset, the NDP stacked the Advisory Group with representatives of Big Oil and the financial elite. The groups industry caucus includes executives of six tar sands companies, while the community caucus is led by Melody Lepine, director of government and industry relations at the Mikisew Cree First Nation, which itself has lucrative relations with the oil industry.

Suncor Energy, one of the biggest oil sands producers, has equity partnerships with the Fort McKay and Mikisew First Nations. This is part of the Canadian bourgeoisies strategy of cultivating a native elite that can be used to give political cover for environmentally destructive resource development projects and to suppress opposition among the largely impoverished indigenous population.

As would be expected, the nonbinding consensus report that the Advisory Group recently produced is tailored to the needs of the oil producers. It recommends emissions above the governments cap be legal, as long as fines are paid to the province, and advances proposals for the government to help the oil companies avoid reaching that point.

While the NDP bends over backwards to meet the needs of Big Oil, the provinces workers confront demands for pay cuts and other givebacks. 300 workers at Evraz Canadas Calgary plant, which makes well casing and tubing for the oil and gas industry, voted unanimously in favor of strike action last month to oppose company demands for sweeping contract concessions, including cuts to pensions, survivor benefits and wages.
Bradford Council announced last Friday that a sample of external cladding taken from Landmark House, a seven-storey building in the northern city of Bradford, failed government fire safety tests.

The city centre building contains 91 apartments. A number of commercial units have also had cladding removed.

Landmark House is not being evacuated, but hourly patrols have been put in placenot by qualified fire officers, according to the West Yorkshire Fire Service, but appropriately trained security officers.

The leader of the Labour-run council, Susan Hinchcliffe, said, We have been advised that there is no need to immediately evacuate the premises. ... the Department for Communities and Local Government confirm that we are acting in accordance with their guidance and they are satisfied with the action being taken.

One resident told the local Telegraph & Argus, I noticed when they took the piece of cladding off, it was just like cardboard or brown wrapping paper, thats all that was behind it. Its taken a disaster for something like this to be done.

Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to John, who has lived there since 2003. He said that many residents in Landmark House were Asian or eastern European and any information letters produced for the tenants should be in their own language. He noted that in Grenfell Tower 46 victims had been found in one room. They were all one nationality and he guessed they had congregated together for mutual support. John said that there should have been notices in the various languages spoken in the block so everyone was aware of what they needed to do in a fire.

Reporters also spoke to workers who lived in the high-rise flats situated at the bottom of Manchester Road. Built in the late 1960s as part of a massive expansion of social housing to replace slums, the flats were initially coveted as the place to live. Following the oil crisis in 1973 and the subsequent hike in electricity prices, workers who lived there faced considerable debt. Many had no choice but to stop using the under-floor heating systems installed, which then caused widespread damp.

Things have worsened ever since. In 2003, as part of the privatisation moves of the Blair Labour government, all council-owned housing was transferred to Incommunities, an arms-length social housing company which owns and is responsible for tower blocks such as Douglas and Evans Towers, 15-storeys high, and the Courts, which are all 12 storeys.

John, who lives in Windsor Court, said, What really irks me about what has happened at Grenfell is you have the Archbishop of Canterbury commenting on it. But where was he before? Has he walked around there? Has he heck! Putting people back into flats that have just had such a traumatic experience. They would have been better off asking me to sort it out!

John explained, Recently we had a lot of problems with kids setting off alarms, smoking in stairwells, etc. So what Incommunities did was to take out the fire alarms from the apartments, in the kitchen or near the kitchen, because it was costing them too much money for callouts. Instead of tackling the actual issue of the children or the people setting them off, or educating people, they decided to take them away instead because its cheaper. But my rent has not gone down.

I work and its very high rents round here. It's social housing, but it is 105 a week. They have been trying to get me out. I have been in and out of work. I had four jobs in one year. I need two bedrooms because I have my children on a weekend.

I dont have to pay bedroom tax now [a penalty on claimants in an under-occupied council home] because I am working. But when I am not working I do, and I then have no money to feed the children on a weekend. They did it to satisfy the middle class, who dont understand.

This is not a bad place to live. I just wish people would stop driving past thinking we are all scum. I know lots of people in there that help people out. The working class club together more. They look after each other.

David, who lives in Evans Towers, described the dangers of living in the block:

If you go on every single landing and look at the fire doors they have all got gaps under them. The fire brigade was parked up the other dayan open day where you could go and speak to them. I told the fireman about the gaps under the fire doors. He told me they should be flush or have rubber sills. The fire door is there to prevent fumes getting out. He asked me if I had reported it. I told him I had, but had been no response yet.

The wind that comes through the windows blows them open a good inch in winter, when there are high winds. It can take two people to even close the window and if you call them out and it is deemed to be not an emergency they charge you 80.

The fire engines can only get to the seventh floor. I am at the twelfth floor. And when I get a shower you are lucky if you get a trickle out sometimes.

We pay for a concierge and for each flat thats 10.80 a week. The concierge is based in Ravenscliffe (4 miles away). Its a complete waste of money. If you ring up he says, There is nothing I can do. I am not allowed to leave the office. All I can suggest is that you or I ring the police. Part of that 10.80 each flat pays goes to the retirement scheme for Incommunities directors. So because a lot of people are unemployed the taxpayer is paying this. They have flats all over Bradford and elsewhere, all contributing.

Just think if you are a full-time worker in Bradford paying tax and you knew that part of that money was going to pay Geraldine Howley, chief group executive for Incommunities retirement scheme!

Some of the smaller blocks near the towers are being demolished. These are all getting knocked down by Incommunities, David said. On the land here they are rebuilding a small estatemulti-bedroomed occupancies with three, four, five, six bedroomsowned by Incommunities. They know it is going to get funded by the government, because who around here can afford a six-bedroom house?

People living here are all being moved out. The ones that are still living here are mortgage holdersabout two in each block. The people that moved out got paid about 6,000 each and a free move. They kept it at 6,000 because, above that, you have to declare it and you could lose benefits. The taxpayer will be basically paying the rent.

A few months ago gale force winds blew a lot of the cladding off that was damaged. They have had to replace the cladding, but since the Grenfell fire there has not been a person [living] there and that had been put up has been taken off!

Socialist Equality Party campaigners spoke to these and many other workers about attending the July 30 public meeting, Grenfell FireSocial Murder: A crime against the working class. Expressing her support for this appraisal, Jane, a shop worker, said, We should be protesting outside the town hall as we are all affected by what has happened at Grenfell. Its us and them and things have to change.
British Airways (BA) mixed fleet cabin crew began the latest phase of strike action against the company Wednesday. The workers, employed at several London airports, are fighting poverty pay and the imposition of punitive sanctions against around 1,400 colleagues involved in previous industrial action.

The strike is scheduled to last 15 days. It is the latest in one of the longest running industrial disputes in the European airline industry. The crew memberswho work a combination of long and short-haul flightscarried out an extended stoppage from July 1 to July 16. The dispute began last year, with the crew having already struck for a total of 46 days in a series of strikes.

Another two weeks of strike action is planned beginning August 2.

Despite the determination of the cabin crew to oppose BAs attacks, the disruption to flights remains minimal. The airline has been able to transport every booked passenger to their destination during the strikes.

In July, management stepped up their strike breaking operation and intimidation of workers by organising the wet-leasing of 20 planes and their crews from IAG majority shareholder, Qatar Airways financial group. Qatar Airways holds a stake of over 20 percent in BA. IAG subsidiaries include Aer Lingus, VueLing, EasyJet and Iberia. Crews that once flew with British Midland also work under IAG.

BAs mixed fleet crews are composed mainly of young workers, numbering around 3,000. They are on a basic salary beginning at just 12,100 and generally earn no more than 16,000, with expenses. Some crew members sleep in their cars between flights to save on accommodation expenses, while others come to work while sick to avoid losing pay.

The World Socialist Web Site spoke to pickets at Hatton Cross London Underground station, the commuting point for cabin crew to pick up work at Heathrow airport.

Paul from Luton is 25 years old and three years into the job. He said, We are striking to the end. Management removed our benefits and staff travel for more than 1,500 of us over this year. It was to intimidate us from striking. Poverty pay is tyranny already. We are on poverty wages; we cannot afford buying or renting houses around the airport, as we are supposed to be within a two hour radius commuting distance. We live in rooms and share flats.

BA ramped up the exploitation of its workforce with the introduction of mixed fleet contracts following the defeat of the national cabin crew strike in 2010. Fully one third of its cabin crew are now under inferior contracts. Prior to that defeatimposed as a result of the betrayal of the Unite unioncontracts at BA were worth a minimum of 30,000.

A cabin crew member for five years, Natalie, left Hull to become a flight attendant in London. She said, With our BA poverty wages, there is no way we can build families, let alone find suitable housing.

While management is stopping at nothing to defeat the workers, they are only able to proceed due to the role of Unite, which has exerted all its efforts toward limiting the strike. While BA employs about 5,500 mixed fleet cabin crew, only 1,500 are on strike.

Just 8.75 percent of all BA cabin crew struck in June around its three London basesLondon Gatwick, London City and London Heathrow airports. The remaining 14,500 cabin crew, employed on both pre-2010 contracts and mixed fleet contracts, are being kept separate from their striking colleagues, with BA forcing them to cover extra flights.

Unite is seeking to divert the struggle of cabin crew into the dead end of legal appeals of BAs actions and futile appeals to Members of Parliament.

Unites national officer, Oliver Richardson, boasted this week of the support the strikers are receiving from the public and politicians. The latest strikes began with Unite hailing what it openly described as a photo opportunity in parliament to coincide with the tabling of early day motion (EDM) by MPs expressing concern over low pay and British Airways penalising striking members of cabin crew. Richardson said of the motion, Theres already been fantastic support from politicians who have grown increasingly concerned about the bullying and belligerent behaviour of our national carrier, British Airways.

In reality, the motion is a token gesture, committing the signatories to nothing. It calls only for British Airways to engage in constructive relations with Unite to resolve the dispute. And far from winning widespread support of MPs, just 33 MPs of 650 signed the motion, with only 28 Labour MPs of 262 endorsing it. Nominally left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn did not sign and neither did his closest ally, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. McDonnell, who is the local constituency MP for the borough of Hayes and Harlington, told striking cabin crew in January, We will be winning this.

What BA has achieved in creating a super-exploited, two-tiered workforce is being used as a template for airlines throughout Europe. This month, Dutch-French airline Air France-KLM, along with the trade unions for cabin crews and pilotsSNPL (Societe Nationale des Pilotes de Ligne)collaborated in announcing a new productivity and cost cutting plan. The plan, to be rolled out under a new low-cost subsidiary airline, project-named Boost, aims at boosting profits by driving up productivity. Launching this September, Boost will employ cabin and flight deck crews on lower wages, pensions and terms and conditions. They will be as flexible as BA mixed fleet crews.

Seeking to emulate the substandard conditions imposed on workers at BA/IAG and at Lufthansa in Germany, Jean-Marc Janaillac, the CEO of Air France-KLM, has laid out a strategy to generate higher and consistent earnings. Air France-KLM is imposing the contracts in order to reverse a situation in which it is not profitable on 35 percent of its routes.

Janaillac announced on taking over at Air France-KLM in May 2016 his intention to lower costs by 20 percent at a new subsidiary, compared to the parent group. Boost cabin attendants will earn 40 percent less wages. But over time, all new recruits at AF-KLM will face the same fate as at BA since 2010where all new recruits end up with the poverty wages and mixed fleet working contracts.

The experience of BA workers demonstrates again the urgent necessity for airline workers to break out of the straitjacket of the trade unions by building new organisations of struggle.

Cabin crew workers at BA have shown for the past eight months their resolve and determination. But if they are to avoid defeat, it is imperative that they turn to a new strategy based on the fight to unite airline workers throughout the worldwho face the very same attacks on the jobs wages and conditionsagainst the global airline corporations. Only on this basis can they oppose the dead-end class collaborationist perspective of the trade unions.
The Chinese government is sending strong signals to India that it must unilaterally withdraw its troops from a Himalayan ridge claimed by both China and Bhutan or face a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations, even war.

More than five weeks ago, Indian troops interceded on the Doklam or Donglang Plateau to prevent Chinese construction workers from expanding a road in the disputed area. Since then, Beijing and New Delhi have exchanged bellicose threats and taunts and rushed thousands of troops to the remote region where the borders of China, India, and Bhutan intersect.

Beijing, according to Tuesdays Indian Express, briefed foreign diplomats late last week and emphasized that Indias intervention against Chinaon territory New Delhi does not even claim to be its ownis unprecedented; that there can be no substantive talks until the Indian troops withdraw; and that Chinas patience is being sorely tested.

Our colleagues, said a diplomat only identified by the Express as from one of the five permanent UN Security Council states, attended the briefing and were given the impression that the Chinese side will not be waiting for an indefinite period. This is quite worrying, and we have conveyed it to our Indian colleagues in Beijing and Bhutanese colleagues in Delhi.

Initially Beijing refused comment on the Indian Express report. Later Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang conceded China had made its views on the border dispute known to other countries, saying Some foreign diplomats in China, feeling shocked and confounded, reached us for facts through diplomatic channels.

With the obvious intent of underlining the warnings Beijing has made in private, the PLA Daily, the official mouthpiece of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army, reported Monday that its forces had carried out a live fire exercise in southern Tibet near to the site of the current border standoff. The report said a key element of the exercise was to test and enhance rapid troop deployments and noted the PLA brigade that conducted it has previously mounted frontline combat missions.

As New Delhi and Beijing have traded charges of illegal border incursions over the past month, the Global Times, another Chinese government-owned daily, has made frequent veiled and not-so-veiled threats of military action against India, including through repeated references to the month-long border war the two countries fought in 1962.

Yesterday, the Global Times published a bellicose editorial titled Military conflicts to escalate if India refuses to withdraw troops. It began by denouncing a speech Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj gave to Indias parliament Thursday, in which she claimed Chinas road-building in the Doklam is a direct challenge to our security and vowed India would withdraw its troops only when China does.

The Global Times urged India to abandon the fantasy of a long-term standoff at Doklam, warning that otherwise China may opt to resolve the conflict through non-diplomatic means. Following boasts about Chinas military prowess and its ability to bring more force to bear at the remote site of the current dispute because of its greater mobility and logistics capability, the editorial concluded: the later India withdraws (its) troops, the greater the risk that it will face from a military counteraction and the more clout it will lose politically.

The Doklam Plateau border dispute both expresses, and represents a new stage in, the deterioration of relations between Beijing and New Delhi. While the elites of India and China are competitors for resources and investment, this deterioration has been principally driven by Indias ever deeper integration into Washingtons military-strategic offensive against China.

Under Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, India has emerged as a veritable frontline state in American imperialisms drive to encircle and militarily pressure China. India has opened its military bases and ports to routine use by US warplanes and battleships, parroted the provocative US stance on the South China Sea dispute, and greatly expanded bilateral and trilateral ties with Washingtons principal allies in the Asia-Pacific, Japan and Australia.

Earlier this month, the US, Japan and India conducted what they boasted was the largest ever Indian Ocean naval exercise.

Keenly aware of Washingtons plans to use India to thwart Chinas rise, Beijing long sought closer relations with New Delhi and responded relatively benignly to actions by India it deemed hostile or provocative. But over the past two years, Beijing has begun to push back aggressively.

A key element in this has been the strengthening of Chinas strategic partnership with Indias arch-rival, Pakistan, as exemplified by the central role Beijing has given Pakistan in its trillion-dollar One Belt, One Road infrastructure-building scheme.

Emboldened by Washingtons military-strategic support, India, under Modi, has adopted an aggressive stance against Pakistan. But its attempt to rewrite the rules of Indo-Pakistani relations have been undercut by Beijings continued and expanding support for Islamabad.

This has frustrated and angered Indias ruling elite. Last fall, shortly after the BJP government ordered Indian Army Special Forces to mount cross-border raids inside Pakistan and proclaimed the end of Indias purported policy of strategic restraint vis a vis Islamabad, Hindu right organizations with close ties to the BJP sought to initiate a boycott of Chinese goods to protest Beijings support of terrorist Pakistan.

The head of Indias Army, General Bipin Rawat, has, for his part, repeatedly boasted that Indias military is ready to fight a two-front war against China and Pakistan.

While Beijing has been the more vocal in the current dispute, both China and India are adamant that they cannot back down from the stand they have taken on the Doklam Plateau.

Beijing claims that it cannot accept India violating its national sovereignty in the name of a third country, Bhutan.

India claims that Chinese control over the contested Doklam would position it, in the event of war, to seize the Siliguri corridora narrow slice of Indian territory, squeezed between Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, that links West Bengal and the rest of India with its seven northeastern states.

The Siliguri Corridor is in fact some 50 kilometers away from where Indian and Chinese troops are arrayed against each other. Moreover, India dominates the strategic high-ground surrounding the Chinese-held Chumbi Valley. This has led some commentators to argue that New Delhis real concern is not so much with the Siliguri Corridor, but that China is seeking to break Indias special relationship with Bhutan.

The tiny Himalayan kingdom is effectively an Indian protectorate. It does not have diplomatic relations with China or most other major powers, including the US. India claims its military interceded on Bhutans behalf and at its request, but it was not until some two weeks later that Bhutans government officially protested the alleged presence of Chinese construction workers on its soil.

In response to the current border stand-off, a chorus of retired generals and think-tank fellows are calling for New Delhi to strengthen strategic ties with Washington, Tokyo, and Canberra.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop discussed the Doklam border standoff in separate talks with Modi, Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj during a visit to Delhi this week. Indian government sources claimed this was the first time Indias government had discussed the border dispute with a foreign leader.

Bishop urged a peaceful resolution of the dispute, and warned a further escalation could lead to a dangerous miscalculation or misjudgment, but she also made it abundantly clear that Australia is intent on deepening ties with India as part of a US-led anti-China bloc. She hailed the supposed convergence of strategic interests and values between India and Australia, touted the rules-based order imposed by US imperialism in the Indo-Pacific region, and expressed hope that Australia would soon become a partner in the Malabar Exercise, the annual Indo-US-Japanese naval war game.

Washington has remained almost totally mum about the standoff between India and China. In response to a question at a regular US State Department briefing this week, spokeswoman Heather Nauert made a pro forma call for direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions.

However, there is no question that it is American imperialisms reckless military-strategic offensive against China that is playing the principal role in the surge in tensions between India and China and the perilous enmeshing of the Indo-Pakistani and Sino-Indian strategic conflicts.

Indias National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is to travel to Beijing for a July 27-28 meeting of the NSAs of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.) While reiterating that prior to meaningful negotiations India must withdraw its troops from the Doklam Plateau, a Chinese government spokesman said Doval could engage in talks over the border dispute with his Chinese counterpart, State Councilor Yang Jiechi. The two also double as their countries special representatives, i.e., lead negotiators, in the long-stalled Sino-Indian border negotiations.
Following the G20 summit in Hamburg an unprecedented campaign has taken place against what has been described as a new quality of left-wing violence. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader and its leading election candidate, Martin Schulz, spoke of attempted murder in Hamburg, while Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel (also SPD) went so far as to describe those taking part in riots as terrorists.

One and a half weeks after the clashes between protesters and police during the summit, it has become clear that police, leading politicians and the media systematically exaggerated the scale of what took place and invented a number of incidents.

The facts have only emerged in drip-feed, but now make clear that the damage caused and the plundering which took place was comparable to what occurred following clashes in the city on the first of May. In particular, it is clear there were no severe attacks on civilians by protesters, despite assertions to the contrary.

The claims of a new quality of violence were mainly based on the clashes that took place in the Schanzenviertel suburb of the city on the evening of the July 7. Police claimed that they had not been able to enter the neighbourhood because they confronted life-threatening danger. The alleged threat came from violent anarchist protesters who had taken to the roofs in order to attack police with paving stones and Molotov cocktails.

In fact, there is no proof to back up such horror stories. Speaking to the press, police chief Hartmut Dudde, in charge of the operation, presented a pixelated video from a thermal imaging camera recorded by a police helicopter just before midnight. It allegedly shows a man on a house roof throwing a luminous object down onto the street. Nothing else happens.

According to Dudde, the object was a Molotov cocktail that failed to explode on impact. The Suddeutsche Zeitung recorded someone who was present on the street at the same time who could not recall seeing a failed Molotov cocktail. The camera recording was so fuzzy it was impossible to say whether the object in question was an incendiary device or not, although the recording was made at a time when the police had long since stormed the allegedly inaccessible neighbourhood.

In addition there is no evidence of the paving slabs and Molotov cocktails supposed to have been carried onto the roofs by the alleged rioters, although the Suddeutsche Zeitung noted the police had been given clear instructions to secure such evidence. Up to now there exists no report on these alleged criminal acts, nor are there any photos, the newspaper writes. The NDR news channel cites local residents who state that onlookers had simply taken to the rooftops in order to observe what was taking place on the streets.

Last week, 15 owners of shops from the area affected published a statement in which they sharply rejected the police version of events. It was drunken youth we saw on scaffolding throwing bottlesit makes no sense to talk about a planned ambush and a threat to the life and limb of police, the text reads. As local residents, we were more afraid of the armed special units targeting our neighbours with machine guns than the drunken idiots who charged around here yesterday.

Meanwhile, a number of reports based on sources inside the Hamburg police force maintain that the anarchists had carried out an effective counter-operation and eliminated decisive evidence. This claim is absurd. Imagine that a special commando unit (SEK), equipped with heavy armament, storms a house while rioters on the roof have nothing better to do than transport heavy paving stones, which no one can find later!

This preposterous notion also contradicts SEK commandant Sven Mewes statement in an interview with Spiegel Online. Mewes stated that a total of 13 people were arrested during the storming of the houses and there was no resistance given. Afterwards the neighbourhood was quiet, with no rioters or stone throwers to be found.

This statement also contradicts police claims that it had been impossible to regain control of the neighbourhood for several hours, as well as the assertion by Hamburg Interior Minister Andy Grote (SPD) that the persons on the roofs were part of an armed ambush.

The 13 detained suspects have all since been released from custody. The police did not apply for arrest warrants against any of those arrested. A court spokesman told the Hamburger Abendblatt that the police had been unable to pin a criminal offence on any of those arrested.

Word of the allegedly horrendous number of police officers injured has also largely disappeared into thin air. Shortly after the G20 summit, the figure of 476 injured policemen was circulated. It is now clear that this number has been enormously exaggerated to fuel the fiction of massive left-wing violence.

Hamburg police officer Holger Vehren indicated that this total refers to the entire period of the police operation in the cityfrom June 22 to July 10i.e., almost three weeks. In the phase of the police operation during the summit, from July 6 to 9, 231 police were reported to have suffered injuries, according to the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior.

According to the Hamburg police, however, the number of injured includes all casualties incurred during the G20 operation. Such injuries included dehydration, circulatory problems and similar illnesses due to the summer temperatures. According to Spiegel Online, just two police officers were reported as having suffered serious injuries and only 21 police officers were not fully fit for work after reporting sick.

The fiction of excessive left-wing violence against allegedly prudent and unsuspecting policemen finally explodes when one takes into account the number of injured civilians. Referring to data from hospitals in Hamburg, the taz newspaper reports that a total of 189 people with injuries typical for those resulting from demonstrations were hospitalised; i.e., they had to remain in hospital after initial medical treatment. Injuries suffered included broken bones, bruises, wounds or cuts. The taz quoted a spokesman for the Asklepios-Kliniken who said that the list included everything that could be brokenknees, shoulder, pelvic ring, ribs, wrists.

Just how many people were injured by police will probably never be known. During the demonstrations, many of the casualties were already treated by paramedics, while others visited hospitals and doctors outside Hamburg. But even the number of injured at hospitals in Hamburg suggests that the total exceeds that of injured policemen many times over.

Against this background there is a growing list of criminal charges being filed against police officers. Die Welt reported last Friday that a total of 35 preliminary investigations were taking place against policemen, with 27 accused of bodily injury. A total of 44 criminal complaints had been received, Hamburg Attorney General Nana Frombach stated. In some cases it was still necessary to examine whether a number of the charges were related to the same incident.

All the facts now known confirm that politicians and the media have launched a systematic campaign of disinformation based on lies and exaggerations in order to justify the brutal police operation against the G20 protesters. Above all, however, the aim was to shift the entire political climate to the right a few weeks before the beginning of the federal election campaign, and to ensure that the necessity for the build-up of suppressive police and security forces takes centre stage.
Three Palestinians were killed in incidents that followed violent clashes between protestors and thousands of heavily-armed Israeli police near the al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday. Palestinians gathered for Fridays prayers but refused to enter the compound in protest against the installation last weekend of metal detectors and additional security cameras at the entrances.

The imposition of the extra security measures followed the killing of two Israeli police who were guarding the compound entrance on July 14. Three Palestinians allegedly emerged from the mosque, fatally shot the two police and were killed in the subsequent exchange of gunfire. Israeli authorities took the rare step of closing all access to the compound, only reopening it on Sunday after installing the metal detectors.

The provocative additional security measures threaten the precarious compromise that followed the seizure of East Jerusalem during the six-day war in 1967. The hill-top compound of the al-Aqsa mosque is regarded as sacred not only by Muslims, but also by Jews, who know it as the Temple Mount, the site of two ancient Jewish temples. Under the arrangement between Israel and Jordan, the site continued to be managed by the Islamic Waqf trust and Jews were allowed to enter, but not pray, inside the compound.

Jerusalem-based Muslim clerics and Islamic groups issued a call for Muslims to boycott the site until the metal detectors were removed. Worshippers, it stated, should pray in front of the gates of the al-Aqsa mosque and in the streets of Jerusalem and its alleys in protest. Demonstrations and clashes with police began on Monday. Various organisations and clerics across the Middle East, including the Palestinian party Hamas, condemned Israels actions and called for making yesterday a day of rage after Friday prayers.

The Israeli government added further fuel to the fire. Ignoring international appeals, the security cabinet met late into Thursday night and issued a statement declaring that it was up to the Israeli police to decide when the metal detectors would be removed. The Israeli army and Shin Bet, the internal intelligence agency, reportedly supported their removal but were opposed by the Israeli police and Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan.

At least 3,000 police were mobilised yesterday around the al-Aqsa compound. Clashes erupted as officers attempted to prevent Palestinians from entering the Old City, in which the compound is located. The police also announced that no males under the age of 50 would be allowed to enter the compound itself.

While Friday prayers in the streets surrounding the compound passed quietly, clashes with police broke out soon after. The latter responded to stone throwing and taunts with water cannon, rubber bullets, tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition. Protests also erupted elsewhere in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which were also violently suppressed by police.

Three Palestinians were shot dead in separate incidents, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, and more than 100 people were injured. The Palestinian news agency, Maan, reported that 17-year-old Mohammed Mahmoud Sharaf was shot by an Israeli settler in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Ras-al-Amud. Muhammad Abu Ghanam died in a clash with police on the Mount of Olives, and 18-year-old Muhammad Lafi was killed in the West Bank town of Abu Dis.

On Friday night, a Palestinian allegedly broke into a home in the Israeli settlement of Neve Tsuf, north of Jerusalem, and attacked the occupants with a knife. Two men, aged 60 and 40, and a 40-year-old woman, died of their wounds. Another woman was seriously injured.

Palestinian protesters were angered by the additional security measures, regarding them as a thinly-veiled step, by the Israeli regime, to assert greater control over the al-Aqsa mosque compound. Zionist extremists, including Israeli parliamentarian Yehuda Glick, have been agitating for Jews to be able to pray inside the compound, as well as visit it.

Jowad Dibis, 50, from the Shufat Palestinian refugee camp in East Jerusalem, told the Washington Post: This is all part of the Israeli plan. Little by little, they want to take al-Aqsa away from us and put up their own temple.

Asked about the metal detectors at Muslim holy sites such as Mecca and Medina, Dibis said: Mecca is completely different. That is Saudis for SaudisSaudi Arabia protecting Muslims. This is an occupation, a big difference. You think they want to protect us? Everything is about controlling us.

In a bid to contain the mounting anger, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas postured as an opponent of the new measures on Friday night, declaring that his government would freeze contact on all levels until they were removed. His statement did not explicitly refer to the close collaboration between Palestinian police and intelligence units, and their Israeli counterparts, in suppressing anti-Zionist opposition on the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have clearly been encouraged to take a more provocative and aggressive stance over East Jerusalem and the al-Aqsa mosque by the Trump administrations strong pro-Israeli stance. Trump made his first overseas trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, in a bid to forge a reactionary regional alliance against Iran involving both countries, as well as other Sunni oil monarchies and dictatorships. During his visit, he became the first US president to visit the Old City of Jerusalem, which is regarded internationally as illegally occupied territory.

The divisions within the Israeli security cabinet on Thursday night, over whether to remove the metal detectors, make clear that the decision to leave them in place was taken on political, not security grounds. Sections of the security apparatus, notably the army and intelligence agencies, fear that inflaming Muslim sentiment across the Middle East could disrupt plans for an anti-Iranian alliance.

The explosive character of the issue was underscored by the comments of Israeli lawyer Daniel Seidemann to the Financial Times. While dismissing Palestinian claims that the Israeli government was intent on a radical revision of the status of the al-Aqsa compound, he warned: This creates a situation where there could be a regional war that would break out over an event that was only a rumour, but didnt really happen.
Asia

Freeport Indonesia workers remain on strike

At least 4,000 workers at PT Freeports Grasberg mine in Papua, Indonesia have now been sacked after two-and-a-half months of strike action. Several hundred more have been dismissed from PT Smelting, a joint venture between Freeport and Mitsubishi that processes copper from Grasberg, the third largest copper mine in the world.

More than 8,000 permanent and contract workers at the mine struck on May 1 over 2,000 previous lay-offs. Freeport claimed that the industrial action was illegal, that strikers were absent without leave and all those who had struck for five days would lose their jobs. The company issued voluntary resignation notices with a final payment of just one months salary. Workers were told they would not be reemployed.

Freeport claimed that the sackings prior to the strike were necessary due to production cuts caused by an ongoing contract dispute with the Indonesian government. Under new rules the company has to obtain a new mining permit, divest a 51 percent stake, build a second copper smelter, relinquish arbitration rights and pay new taxes and royalties. Freeport claims that production at Grasberg could be reduced by 60 percent.

PT Freeport Indonesia, the local subsidiary of Phoenix, USA-based Freeport-McMoRan, employs 12,000 permanent workers, and 20,000 contractors. The union accused the company of implementing the terminations as part of its negotiating strategy with the government.

The Indonesian government announced last week that it would facilitate negotiations between the union and the company. Freeport meanwhile is attempting to reach agreement with the Indonesian government which guarantees mining rights at Grasberg until 2041.

South Korean auto assembly workers vote to strike

A total of 87,000 workers at GM Korea, Hyundai Motor and sister company Kia Motors have voted to strike following stalled negotiations over new contracts.

Some 65 percent of the more than 50,000 union members at Hyundai Motors Ulsan plant voted on July14 for strike action and on Monday 72 percent of Kias 28,200 workforce ratified strike action. Their unions, which are affiliated to the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU), want the monthly basic wage increased by 154,883 won ($US136) and 30 percent of the company's 2016 full-year net profit as a bonus.

On July 7 over 11,000 GM Korea workers voted 79 percent in favour of striking. The GM union, also affiliated with the KMWU, is demanding the same pay increase as Hyundai and Kia workers plus 500 percent of their basic wages or 4.25 million won as a bonus. Other demands include the implementation of a salary system instead of hourly wages and an 8+8 shift schedule, with an eight-hour second shift.

Contract negotiations are currently occurring at Renault Samsung Motors and SsangYong Motors.

Filipino jeepney drivers hold more strikes

Five hundred jeepney drivers in the Philippines capital Manila struck on Monday over government plans to phase out passenger jeepneys 15 years or older. The strike followed national stoppages in February and May over the issue. The industrial action was coordinated by PISTON, Stop and Go Coalition and the No to Jeepney Phase-out Coalition. Strikes were also held in several districts on the island of Luzon.

The Duterte government claims it wants to modernise transport vehicles and make them environmentally friendly. The union groups allege that only big companies can afford the vehicle replacements demanded and called for an upgrade of their jeepneys and improved enforcement of road-worthiness rules.

Under the draft plan, a jeepney operator will be required to have 7 million pesos ($US140,393) for a franchise, have 20 units by 2018 and double that number the following year and install GPS and wi-fi into the vehicles. The jeepney phase-out, which was due to begin in July, will impact over 600,000 drivers and 250,000 operators.

Bangladesh: Police attack protesting textile workers

A demonstration by 2,000 textile workers on the Dhaka-Barisal highway was attacked by police using teargas and batons on July 14. At least 18 workers and two policemen were injured.

The demonstration was sparked when workers at the Madaripur Spinning Mill heard of a decision by the district administration to shut down the mill due to a loan default. Factory management said employees had not been paid the last two-and-a-half months wages and benefits and claimed that they were ordered by the district administration to shut down without any prior notice.

Bangladeshi river transport workers call strike

River transport workers employed on privately-owned ships and vessels carrying cargo and passengers will begin an indefinite strike from July 23 if employers fail to meet 21 demands made by the Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation.

These include the issuing of appointment letters, identity cards and service books to all workers, an end to the harassment of workers by filing legal cases against them for accidents, overloading of boats and other charges, and the prevention of extortion and robbery on waterways.

A major demand in the union memorandum handed to the prime ministers office on July 12 was for the repatriation of eight transport workers detained in an Indian jail since March 22 and the immediate release of eight other workers tried and convicted following the capsize of the MV Koko-4 passenger ferry and death of 81 people in November 2009. Workers accused the government and ship owners of scapegoating workers to cover up the continuous violation of basic safety rules and regulations.

India: Kerala nurses continue state-wide strike over wages

About 80,000 private hospital nurses in Kerala took mass leave on Thursday in defiance of an Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) ruling that their industrial action was illegal. United Nurses Association (ANU) members decided to take action following failed mediation talks with the government and the Private Hospitals Association on Wednesday.

ANU nurses from 326 private hospitals and striking members of the Indian Nurses Association (INA) at government hospitals want a 20,000-rupee ($US314) minimum monthly wage. The nurses rejected a 17,500-rupee pay offer, which included allowances, from the government and private hospitals.

The current 9,500-rupee monthly minimum wage for nurses was established in 2013. Nurses claim that most hospitals are paying below this. Private hospital nurses claim that some hospitals keep them as trainees indefinitely and only pay a 6,500-rupee monthly stipend.

Thousands of UNA nurses marched to the Secretariat in Kochi on Thursday and joined up with INA members who are holding a hunger strike. Some private hospitals have begun hiring nurses without pay, promising to issue them with working certificates.

Delhi rural health workers strike

Thousands of anganwadi (rural health) workers are maintaining strike action begun on June 30 despite a recent assurance from the government that their demand for a pay and allowance increase will be granted within a week. The rural health workers accused the government of making false promises, recalling that, Such verbal assurances were given even in 2015 but nothing changed.

A Delhi Anganwadi Worker-Helper Association spokesperson said that their wages have not increased since 2015 when they were being paid 5,000 rupees per month and helpers 2,500 rupees. The workers want the minimum wage brought into line with a March 3 notification issued by the government13,350 rupees, 14,698 and 16,182 rupees for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour respectively.

There are around 11,000 anganwadi centres in Delhi employing about 22,000 workers and helpers.

Andhra Pradesh municipal workers end strike

Striking contract workers from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) ended a three-day strike on July 14 after the corporation offered a pay increase and suspended its plan to privatise sanitation services.

Called by the GVMC Contract Workers Union, the strike was part of state-wide action coordinated by the Joint Action Committee and Centre for Indian Trade Unions to oppose the Andhra Pradesh governments proposed sanitation privatisation order GO279.

GVMC gave an assurance that the monthly pay scale will be set at 12,000, 15,000 and 17,500 rupees for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers respectively. Permanent workers were promised health cards and pensions.

Mumbai bus drivers vote on strike

Some 36,000 employees of Mumbais commuter bus fleet are voting to decide whether they will strike over irregular wage payments from their state-employer BEST. Workers are demanding that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bail out the cash-strapped BEST, prevent entry of buses on wet lease, a form of outsourcing, and stop the administration from cutting salaries and allowances.

BEST workers struck on June 22 over unpaid wages after BMC refused to fully implement a court order directing it to pay overdue wages. BEST had paid only 50 percent of the wages. A company spokesman told the media that it had no funds to pay all the wages. BEST was forced to pay overdue wages in March after workers threatened to strike for their pay.

Pakistan: Government employees protest

Pakistan Public Works Department workers demonstrated this week to demand the immediate payment of wages. Workers in Islamabad, who were protesting for several days outside the department headquarters, have not been paid for three months.

In Peshawar, 1,200 employees protested inside a department office building on Tuesday holding banners and placards denouncing the government for ignoring their living conditions. They threatened to lock down the offices and launch a protest campaign if wages were not immediately paid. The lockdown of offices was avoided by the department management promising to resolve the issue.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa welfare board workers demand permanency

Contract employees of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Workers Welfare Board have been demonstrating outside the Peshawar Press Club since July 5 for permanent jobs. The protest is part of a long-running campaign, which began in 2013. At least 3,000 employees are affected.

The protesting workers demanded that the government act on a Supreme Court decision which declared their contracts should be no longer than one year. The current government has refused to give permanent jobs to those appointed during tenure of the previous government. Workers said they would continue their protest until they are all made permanent.

Punjab state-government hospital doctors protest

Doctors from eight state government hospitals demonstrated in Lahore and Rawalpindi on July 13 with several demands, including permanency and a new service structure previously agreed to. The Young Doctors Association (YDA) members also want the withdrawal of the central induction policy imposed by the Punjab government.

In Rawalpindi, doctors at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and District Headquarter Hospital demonstrated and blocked traffic on major city roads. They oppose delays in appointing doctors to hospitals, poor conditions of hostels, shortage of necessary facilities in hospitals and harassments and the victimisation of doctors.

A similar protest in Lahore affected the General Hospital, Childrens Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Jinnah Hospital and Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Outpatient departments at these hospitals were partially closed because of the protests.

Cambodian bicycle workers strike

Around 2,000 workers at the A&J (Cambodia) bicycle factory in Svay Rieng stopped work on Monday and Tuesday to protest the owners proposed scrapping of a $100 annual bonus. A $25 bonus is paid quarterly to each worker if they do not strike or join protests.

Workers complained that the company increasingly refused to pay the bonus if workers missed a days work and that the bonus has now been abolished. Management told the media it would discuss the issue with workers.

Australia and the Pacific

Brisbane bus drivers strike

Bus drivers from the Brisbane City Council walked off the job for two hours on Tuesday and Wednesday over the councils proposed enterprise agreement (EA). Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) members want the EA to include improved safety, a say in shift arrangements and a better pay offer.

The councils offer included 2.5 percent annual pay increases over three years, back-pay and a signing bonus of $400. The council responded to the strike by offering to double the number of council-funded security guards and survey drivers on other improvements to safety. It said, however, that it would not increase the pay offer or negotiate on the roster issue.

An RTBU spokesman said the pay offer did not address their claim for increasing the hourly rate of drivers to a decent level and said the drivers deserved an input into rostering schedules.

Australian meteorological staff on strike

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) staff began three weeks of rolling strikes on Thursday in a dispute over the governments proposed enterprise agreement (EA). The BoM has over 1,600 staff and maintains 50 field offices. Housing was provided to staff and their dependents at 15 remote locations. Up to one third of the bureaus staff will participate in the protected industrial action.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) members will stop work without notice in the early mornings and evenings, refuse to answer phone calls, and not respond to non-urgent media inquiries.

A CPSU spokesperson said the dispute was due to the bureaus failure to provide a pay rise over three years, and its plan to cut allowances for staff in remote locations.

The majority of the 160,000 federal public servants have been in dispute with the Liberal-National government for more than three years over proposed new work agreements. The government has demanded all annual wage increases for federal public sector workers be capped at 2 percent and that these be combined with cuts in benefits or working conditions and without any back-pay from the previous agreement.

In recent weeks workers at the Australian Tax Office, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Staff, the Department of Defence, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources have accepted agreements they previously rejected.

These results are the direct outcome of the CPSU leadership which has divided federal public sector workers along department lines and confined all industrial action to limited stoppages and protests to wear down workers resistance.
The news first reported by the Washington Post on July 19that the Trump administration is winding up a five-year-old, formally covert CIA operation to train, arm and even pay the salaries of Islamist militias in Syriahas further fueled the ferocious political war in Washington over allegations of collusion between Trump and Moscow.

Senator John McCain, the Republican chair of the Armed Services Committee, issued a statement from Arizona, where he is recovering from surgery related to brain cancer, that any concession to Russia, absent a broader strategy for Syria, is irresponsible and short-sighted.

A more hysterical denunciation came from Washington Post columnist and former chief speechwriter for George W. Bush, Michael Gerson, who accused Trump of carrying out a complete surrender to Russian interests in Syria and acting precisely as though he has been bought and sold by a strategic rival with his ignoble cutoff of aid to American proxies.

The claims that cutting off the spigot of arms and money to the so-called rebels in Syria represents some kind of a strategic capitulation to Russia are ludicrous. The decision, reportedly taken by Trump together with his national security advisor Gen. H.R. McMaster and CIA Director Mike Pompeo in advance of the G20 summit in Hamburg, was a foregone conclusion.

What used to be referred to as the Free Syrian Army has ceased to play any major role in Syria. Syrian government forces, backed by Iranian-aligned militias and, since September 2015, Russian air support, have driven the rebels out of every major urban center and into the rural areas of Idlib province, where they have been engaged in bitter internecine combat against each other.

The governments retaking of eastern Aleppo in December 2016 spelled the final debacle for the US strategy of carrying out a war for regime change using CIA-backed Sunni Islamist militias as Washingtons proxies.

This criminal strategy was initiated in the wake of the 2011 US war for regime change that toppled the government of Libya and ended in the lynch-mob murder of its leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Islamist fighters and huge quantities of weapons were funneled from the eastern Libyan port city of Benghazi into Syria.

By 2013, this had turned into what one US official described to the New York Times as a cataract of weaponry, poured into Syria by the CIA, working with Saudi Arabia and the other right-wing Gulf oil monarchies, together with Turkey. Tens of thousands of Islamist foreign fighters were also funneled in to wage a bloody sectarian civil war, whose victims now number in the hundreds of thousands of dead and millions of displaced refugees. Some of these same elements, whose crossing of international borders was facilitated by Western intelligence agencies, returned to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe.

The CIA claimed to have vetted some 40 moderate rebel militias deserving of US arms and money. In reality, most of these groups were largely indistinguishable from elements like the Al-Nusra Front, and either ended up in an alliance with this Syrian Al Qaeda affiliate or surrendered their American weapons to it.

The defeat of the CIA-backed rebels was a function not merely of the increased firepower supplied by Russia and Iran, but of the hostility toward these militias of broad layers of the Syrian population, which viewed the Assad regime, despite its repression and corruption, as the lesser evil.

Contrary to the propaganda put out by the US State Department and its pseudo-left apologists, the rebels were not the champions of some struggle for democracy or revolution, but rather right-wing sectarian gangsters, who systematically looted the areas under their control and beheaded those who expressed any opposition to their obscurantist ideology.

The ending of the CIAs arming and funding of the largely spent Al Qaeda-linked rebels signals not an end to the conflict in Syria or any significant rapprochement with Moscow, but is rather part of the preparations for a wider war.

The Pentagon is continuing to train and arm its own proxy forces, both the so-called Syrian Democratic Forcescomprised primarily of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militiain the north, and Sunni militias in the southeast, near the US special forces base established at al-Tanf near a strategic Syrian border crossing with Iraq and Jordan.

This is only one of a string of bases set up by the US military in what amounts to a stealth invasion and occupation of Syria. The Turkish state-run news agency, reflecting the hostility of the regime in Ankara to the US alliance with the Syrian Kurds, published an article pinpointing the location of 10 secret US bases in the north of Syria, along with detailed information about the number of troops and type of weaponry and equipment deployed at each of them. Earlier this month, the Trump administration asked Congress to vote its approval for the building of new temporary bases in both Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to carry out deadly airstrikes against Syrian targets, with the independent monitoring group Airwars reporting at least 415 civilians killed by US bombs and missiles last month alone. This estimate undoubtedly leaves many of the dead uncounted, and the numbers will rise dramatically as the US escalates its siege of Raqqa.

While the Reuters news agency quoted one US official as saying that the scrapping of the CIA program was a signal to Russia that Washington wants to improve ties, the real aim is to drive a wedge between Moscow and Iran in order to better prepare for war against the latter. This is the central purpose of the US military buildup in Syria and Iraq, where Iranian influence has steadily grown.

Those setting policy in the Trump administration, largely the cabal of retired and active duty generals who hold all the key security posts, see Iran as the principal obstacle to the bloody and protracted US campaign to establish its hegemony over the Middle East and Central Asia. The American military brass is particularly bitter over the fact that Washingtons war of aggression in Iraq served largely to strengthen Iranian influence in the region.

Two days before the report in the Washington Post on the ending of aid to the rebels, the Trump administration provided formal certification that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear agreement it negotiated with the US and five other powers. The move came only after hours of wrangling in the White House, with Trump agreeing reluctantly to certify only on the basis of a decision to impose a new set of unilateral US sanctions against Tehran that are themselves in violation of the accord and designed to provoke a confrontation.

Washington is also reportedly mounting a campaign to pressure the European powers to toe the US line by adopting a punitive policy toward Tehran. But the other signatories to the agreementBritain, France, Germany, China and Russiaare all looking to conclude major trade and investment deals in Iran, with the French energy conglomerate Total leading the way with a $1 billion agreement to develop gas production.

Such tensions with Europe will only fuel Washingtons drive toward a wider war. Faced with the decline of its economic and political global dominance, the parasitic and criminal American ruling class, personified in the figure of Trump, increasingly sees war as the only way out of economic and social crises for which it can offer no progressive solution.

A US war against Iran, a nation of over 77 million people, would eclipse even the bloodbaths carried out by the Pentagon and the CIA in Iraq and Syria, while posing the real threat of a nuclear third world war.
Extraordinary events over the past week point to a concerted campaign to use the reactionary provisions in the Australian Constitution to remove third party members of the Senate elected at last Julys double dissolution election.

A witch hunt has been launched, led by the Murdoch media, to identify every member of parliament who was born overseas or might have acquired foreign citizenship from their parents, and demand they provide proof of having renounced their dual citizenship.

Two Greens senatorsparty co-leaders Scott Ludlam and Larissa Watersabruptly quit their seats, without a fight, after being accused of breaching section 44 of the Constitution by failing to realise that they held dual citizenships.

Both were born overseasLudlam in New Zealand and Waters in Canadabut arrived in Australia as infants. It appears that they automatically became, and remained, citizens of those countries.

The two Greens became the third and fourth senators disqualified this year under various provisions in section 44an unprecedented figure.

Now, question marks have been raised about Greens leader, Senator Richard Di Natale, who has an Italian family background, and two other Greens senatorsNick McKimm, who was born in Britain, and Peter Whish-Wilson, born in Singapore.

Also in the firing line is Malcolm Roberts, elected to the Senate for Pauline Hansons anti-immigrant One Nation, because he was born in India.

Earlier in the year, the Labor Party applied to the High Court, the countrys supreme court, to disqualify independent Senator Lucy Gichuhi because of her previous Kenyan citizenship, but the court rejected the application for lack of evidence.

Prominent overseas-born MPs, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, have scrambled to issue media statements asserting they had formally renounced their dual citizenships before standing for parliament. More than 20 other MPs, including some from Labor and the Coalition, have been reportedly investigating whether they remain dual citizens.

True-blue Australian MPs only, was the headline of an Australian editorial on July 20, highlighting the nationalist character of this crusade. It insisted that patriotism, loyalty and national pride are essential pre-requisites for sitting in parliament. The editorial claimed that the requirement of sole Australian citizenship was both elementary and easy to fulfil.

In reality, this campaign is anti-democratic to the core. In effect, it is seeking to nullify the ballots of the tens of thousands of people who voted for these candidates. It also disqualifies millions of citizens from standing for parliament.

No reliable figures exist for the number of dual citizens in Australia but the 2016 Census reported that 6.9 million residents28.5 percent of the populationwere born overseas. Australia has always been an immigrant country but this is a growing trend, with the overseas-born numbers increasing from 5 million over the past decade.

Section 44 (i) of the Constitution, like the document as a whole, is a colonial-era provision, imposed when Australia was still part of the British Empire and all residents of the continent (except for the indigenous population) were classified as British subjects.

The clause is a sweeping one, disqualifying any person from standing for election who is under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power.

These words could be used against anyone accused of adherence to a foreign power. This could extend, particularly in wartime conditions, to someone with an overseas family heritage or to anyone who opposed a war.

In several tenuous and divided rulings over the past 25 years, Australias supreme court, the High Court, has interpreted section 44 (i) as requiring all candidates to take reasonable steps to renounce their foreign nationality. What is reasonable remains undefined.

The threat of disqualification has now spread to the Greens candidate who may be in line to replace Waters, former Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett. He could fall foul of another part of section 44clause (iv)which declares ineligible anyone who holds any office of profit under the Crown.

Bartlett had a part-time research job at the Australian National University while he was number 2 on the Greens 2016 Senate ticket in Queensland, behind Waters. Constitutional experts have said that whether employment by a university constitutes an office under the Crown is a grey area not yet tested in the High Court.

There is an anti-democratic precedent however. In 1992, independent Phil Cleary won former Prime Minister Bob Hawkes seat but the High Court disqualified him because he was a Victorian state government schoolteacherdespite Cleary being on leave without pay.

Earlier this year, the High Court disqualified two other crossbench senators on the basis of far-reaching interpretations of further provisions in section 44. One Nations Rod Culleton had been convicted of larceny, an offence punishable by more than 12 months jail. The court ruled this meant he was in breach of Section 44 (ii), even though the conviction was later set aside.

In the case of Family Firsts Bob Day, the court radically widened its previous interpretation of Section 44 (v), which prohibits anyone with an indirect pecuniary interest in an agreement with the Commonwealth. Days electorate office was leased from his family trust, even though the federal government actually paid no rent to the trust.

Increasingly, what appears to be unfolding is a purge aimed at ousting or undermining smaller parties that won seats at the 2016 double dissolution election, which backfired spectacularly for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls Liberal-National government and produced a highly unstable parliament.

Turnbull called the election to try to break through a parliamentary impasse produced by the blocking of key budget-cutting measures in the Senate. Opposition members feared the popular backlash they would trigger if they voted for the most blatant moves to gut public health, education and welfare.

Such was the deep public hostility, however, that the election saw the Coalition reduced to a fragile one-seat majority in the House of Representatives, making its survival constantly precarious.

The result was even worse in the Senate, where a record 35 percent of the electorate voted for the Greens or crossbench candidatesmostly right-wing populists who claimed to oppose the political establishment. Following the subsequent defection of Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi, who formed the Australian Conservatives, the Coalition holds only 29 seats in the 76-member Senate.

Over the past year, this result and the continuing political crisis has produced numerous media and corporate commentaries bemoaning Australias ungovernability and the failure of parliament.

One of the first to voice these sentiments was billionaire businessman Gerry Harvey. Straight after the election, he suggested the installation of a dictator or something like that in order to impose anti-working class austerity measures. Harvey declared that our democracy at the moment is not working.

There are indications that this hostility within ruling circles toward the election outcome, and democratic forms of rule, is now taking the form of a drive to subvert the 2016 result by using anti-democratic constitutional provisions to remove a number of senators.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions introduced a directive early on Wednesday that will encourage state and local police to seize cash and property from people who are suspected of a crime, even without a criminal charge.

The practice is known as civil asset forfeiture. As opposed to criminal forfeiture, where a person must be convicted of an actual crime in a court of law before their property or assets can be seized, civil forfeiture offers no such protections. Instead, government agencies can simply seize the property if it is suspected of being connected to a crime.

In these scenarios, the property, an inanimate object, is treated as if it were charged with a crime. The owner of the property is often not charged with any crime. Since the action taken against the object is a civil action, it is not afforded the protections given to people, and thus the property is arbitrarily confiscated.

Legal cases of civil forfeiture have names such as U. S. vs. $15,000 or State of Florida vs. AK47. The inanimate objects do not often win their cases, which must be fought for at the expense of their owner.

Civil forfeiture has a long history in the United States. It was introduced in the very first Congress of the United States based on the British precedent of the seventeenth century Navigation Acts that mandated that all imported and exported goods from Britain be transported on British vessels. If violated, the ships cargo would be taken by force and added to the kings possessions. In those early days of the country, civil forfeiture was used as a means of collecting customs duties and was restricted to customs collections, piracy laws, and admiralty laws.

The modern rise of civil forfeiture as it is currently practiced began with the War on Drugs in the 1980s. A financial incentive was placed on the confiscation of property related to illegal drugs: law enforcement was now allowed to keep the money that civil forfeiture produced.

This was a massive change in policy. Before the change, proceeds had gone into the general fund of the government that seized the property. In 1984, under an amendment to the 1970 Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Prevention Act, Congress created the Assets Forfeiture Fund, which allowed the U.S. attorney general to put the money gained through civil forfeiture into this new fund and then use it to finance law enforcement agencies.

This process quickly escalated over the years. The types of things that civil forfeiture proceeds being put toward greatly expanded. Law enforcement used the money to acquire new policing vehicles and even to finance overtime pay with little to no oversight.

Today, law enforcement agencies confiscate all types of property on a regular basiscash, cars, homes, even entire businesseswithout convicting anyone of a crime. Only mere suspicion is required to justify a seizure. Property owners are then left to prove their own innocence to get their property back, turning the long-standing democratic principle of innocent until proven guilty on its head.

These policies have resulted in some of the most outrageous cases. In 2008, police raided the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit because it did not have a liquor license. During the raid, they seized 44 cars in the parking lot under civil forfeiture laws. They claimed that simply driving vehicles to the location of an unlawful sale of alcohol was sufficient to seize a car.

In another well-publicized case, a familys house was seized in Philadelphia after their 22-year-old son was arrested on drug charges; he allegedly sold $40 worth of heroin. Police and prosecutors came for the house a month and a half later, armed with a lawsuit against the house itself. Authorities said the house was tied to illegal drugs and therefore subject to civil forfeiture.

In 2014, the Washington Post issued a report showing that there were nearly 62,000 cash seizures worth more than $2.5 billion since September 11, 2001, all made without search warrants or indictments. The investigation also revealed that more than 500 task forces and departments had seized the equivalent of 20 percent or more of their annual budgets. In 2010 alone, more than $500 million was distributed through the program. Over $5 billion has been collected since the program began in 1984.

Many media sources are reporting Sessionss directive as repealing Obama efforts to curb civil forfeiture. This is incredibly deceptive, it is much more accurate to report that Sessions is embracing the policy of former President Barack Obamas Justice Department regarding civil forfeiture. Under the first five years of the Obama administration, civil forfeitures more than doubled.

The Obama administration, in the face of mass popular protests against police violence and other rampant abuses, issued modest restrictions on forfeitures in 2015. Sessionss directive is lifting those restrictions and encouraging state and local law enforcement to take part in more civil forfeitures going forward.

To justify the change, the Sessions stressed that this policy is aimed at going after criminals. In a statement announcing the Justice Departments new policy directive, Sessions described civil forfeiture as a key tool that helps law enforcement defund organized crime, take back ill-gotten gains, and prevent new crimes from being committed.

This is a well-worn tactic used as a cover for attacks on the working class, carried out on a large scale during the War on Drugs and more recently with the attacks on immigrants. In fact, by nature, civil forfeiture targets people who have not been convicted of anything.

A report from the Justice Departments own inspector general looked at a sample of 100 seizures by the Drug Enforcement Agency. It concluded that more than half were not related to any identifiable criminal investigation or prosecution. Instead, police took the cash and let the purported criminals walk free.

The push to revitalize civil forfeiture is in line with the fascistic law-and-order campaign of the Trump administration and the overall movement to the right of the entire political establishment, which has little popular support. A recent survey found that 84 percent of Americans oppose civil forfeiture.
A judge in White County, Tennessee has offered inmates the possibility of shaving off 30 days from their time in jailunder the condition that they receive either a vasectomy or a birth control implant. General Sessions Judge Sam Benningfield signed the standing order for inmates on May 15.

The program is reminiscent of eugenics programs widely implemented in the US during the first part of the 20th century, in which government officials coercively sterilized criminals, the mentally challenged, impoverished individuals and minorities.

Since the order was put into practice a few months ago, 32 women have gotten a Nexplanon implant, and 38 men are waiting to have a vasectomy procedure. The Nexplanon implant is able to prevent pregnancy for up to four years, and the vasectomy makes a man infertile unless he receives a separate surgery to reverse the procedure.

Hedy Weinberg, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, stated, Offering a so-called choice between jail time and coerced contraception or sterilization is unconstitutional. Such a choice violates the fundamental constitutional right to reproductive and bodily integrity by interfering with the intimate decision of whether and when to have a child, imposing an intrusive medical procedure on individuals who are not in a position to reject it.

The White County District Attorney Bryant Dunaway has also stated concerns that the order is unethical and potentially illegal. He told NewsChannel 5, Its concerning to me, my office doesnt support this order. Its comprehensible that an 18-year-old gets this done, it cant get reversed and then that impacts the rest of their life.

Judge Benningfield has attempted to justify the program as a means of preventing men and women from having children born addicted to drugs and preventing petty criminals from having to pay child support.

He told NewsChannel 5, I hope to encourage them to take personal responsibility and give them a chance, when they do get out, to not be burdened with children.

The White County jail also offers a State of Tennessee, Department of Health Neonatal Syndrome Education Program for inmates. Prisoners who complete the program are able to have two days taken off his or her sentence. Benningfield has stated, Hopefully while theyre staying here we rehabilitate them so they never come back.

Such arguments are merely a cynical cover for the resurrection of reactionary conceptions and undemocratic policies of an earlier era. Under the eugenics programs of the 20th century, upheld by the US Supreme Court, those convicted of crimes were targeted for sterilization based on claims that they had inferior genes or that their children would be a burden on the states budget.

Sterilization programs were implemented in the early 1900s. Adolf Hitler later praised the US for implementing sterilization programs in his book Mein Kampf. Even though eugenics theories fell out of favor after the Second World War, sterilization programs remained in effect for decades.

Between 1909 and 1979, the state of California sterilized 20,000 patients in mental institutions. California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill in 2014 officially banning sterilization of female inmates without their consent.

In December 2015, the US Senate unanimously passed the Eugenics Compensation Act to aid victims of these policies. North Carolina and Virginia also passed bills to provide funds to the surviving victims of eugenics policies.

Benningfields order is a return to these ultra-reactionary policies as a solution to the immense poverty and ongoing opioid crisis in Tennessee. According to recent US Census Bureau data, just over 18 percent of White Countys residents live in poverty.

Tennessee has also seen a tenfold increase in babies being born with drug withdrawal symptoms known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) over the past ten years.

The opioid crisis, which is the product of the impoverishment of large sections of workers and rampant prescription of opioids, has generated an immense public crisis and extreme rightwing response. Last month Middletown, Ohio Council member Daniel Picard suggested his county should refuse to use the drug naloxone to save overdose victims more than two times.

The position of Benningfield and Picard reflect the sentiments of large sections of the political establishment that feels it is more cost effective to sterilize drug addicts or simply let them die rather than provide treatment to them or their children, let along address the underlying cause of the drug epidemic.

This author also recommends:

The opioid epidemic in the US: A national health emergency

[18 July 2017]
Amid reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expanding his investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US elections and collusion by the Trump campaign, the intensifying conflict within the American ruling class and state is bringing long-simmering conflicts within the Trump administration to the boiling point.

The internal crisis erupted Friday with the resignation of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. This followed by one day the resignation of the chief spokesman for President Donald Trumps outside legal team, Mark Corallo, and the demotion of the lead attorney, Marc Kasowitz.

These developments came after Trumps extraordinary interview with the New York Times, in which the president denounced his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself in the Russia probe, and criticized the deputy attorney general and acting head of the FBI. Trump went on to accuse Mueller of conflicts of interest and attack his decision to investigate his business dealings as well as those of family members and close associates as a violation of the special counsels mandate.

Washington insiders suggested that Trump was seeking to create a justification for firing Mueller, prompting the Los Angeles Times to editorialize in favor of impeachment should that occur.

Spicers resignation was triggered by Trumps appointment of Anthony Scaramucci, a multimillionaire Wall Street hedge fund operator, former Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers banker and Fox News commentator, as White House communications director. Spicer, who had been filling that role since the resignation last May of Mike Dubke, vehemently opposed Scaramuccis appointment, according to multiple media reports. In this he was joined by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and chief White House political adviser Stephen Bannon.

Aligned against them and pushing for Scaramuccis appointment were Trumps daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, generally regarded as Trumps top White House aide.

Priebus, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, had a long association with Spicer, who served as the RNCs spokesman. He brought Spicer into the White House. While Priebus declared his support for Scaramucci following the announcement of his appointment, Priebuss own position is increasingly problematic and his departure is widely considered only a matter of time.

With the elevation by Trump of a fellow member of the Wall Street kleptocracy to head White House communications, the billionaire president is increasingly narrowing his circle to fellow oligarchs and close family and distancing himself from the Republican Party establishment.

This appears to coincide with a decision to adopt a more aggressive posture toward Mueller. Mark Corralo, the legal spokesman who resigned on Thursday, was known to have opposed public criticism of the special counsel.

Both the Washington Post and the New York Times escalated the factional warfare against the White House on Friday with front-page reports, citing anonymous administration sources, of efforts by Trump lawyers to document conflicts of interest within Muellers team of prosecutors. The Post reported that Trump is making inquiries about his powers to pardon potential targets of the investigation, including himself.

These actions are in response to aggressive moves by Mueller to expand his probe. On Thursday, Bloomberg News reported that Muellers team is looking into Trump business operations going back a number of years and has subpoenaed banks for Trumps financial records. Media reports say Trump is particularly agitated over the likelihood that Mueller will obtain his tax returns, which the president has refused to release to the public.

Parallel investigations by congressional committees are also expanding. On Monday, Kushner is scheduled to be interviewed in private by the Senate Intelligence Committee on the meeting held in June of 2016 involving him, Donald Trump Jr., then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin as well as other prominent Russians. The Senate Judiciary Committee has summoned Trump Jr. and Manafort to testify in a public session next Wednesday to discuss the meeting, and the Republican chairman, Charles Grassley, has said he will subpoena them if they balk at appearing.

It was also reported Friday that Mueller instructed the White House and the Trump campaign members who attended the June 2016 meeting to preserve all records relating to it.

It is increasingly unlikely that the factional battle within the ruling class will end in a peaceful compromise. There are powerful sections of the corporate-financial elite who would like to see Trump removed, but are not sure how to do it and fearful of the implications. At the same time, the longer the impasse drags on, the greater the dangers.

At some point, the political crisis will trigger an implosion of the massively inflated financial markets, plunging US and world capitalism into an even deeper crisis than that of September 2008. And the longer the political warfare in Washington continues, the greater the danger that it will provide an opening for the pent-up anger and frustration of the working class to explode into mass struggle.

This is a crisis of class rule without historical precedent. It unfolds against the backdrop, and is fueled by, intensifying economic, social and geopolitical crises. American and world capitalism remains mired in economic stagnation, intensifying the descent into trade war and, ultimately, military conflict among the major powers. Militarism and war are on rise in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and the American military is operating without any civilian restraint. Class tensions are rising in parallel with relentless austerity and growing social inequality.

American global hegemony is breaking down. Large sections of the ruling elite are appalled and frightened by the growing isolation of the United States in the affairs of world imperialism, as demonstrated at the recent G20 summit in Germany.

And at the summit of the state, the White House is occupied by an outright gangster, the product and embodiment of the degraded and criminal state of American bourgeois political culture. In Trump, the ruling class confronts a nightmare of its own makinga Frankensteins monstera would-be Bonaparte who has brought into the White House the mafia methods he employs in his business operations.

Scaramucci summed up the outlook of the oligarchy both he and Trump represent when on Friday, at his first White House press briefing, he wished Spicer well and said, I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.

Nor is there the slightest progressive or democratic content to the anti-Trump opposition of the Democratic Party and major media outlets, in alliance with the intelligence agencies. The Democrats are not conducting a struggle against Trumps brutal social attacks or his onslaught on immigrants and democratic rights. They are entirely focused on their hysterical campaign against Russia, attacking Trump for refusing to prioritize and intensify the warmongering drive against Moscow initiated by the Obama administration. They demand an escalation of the war for regime change in Syria and the military confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia in Eastern Europe.

At the same time, Trumps ruling-class opponents are concerned over the new administrations open and unabashed corruption, fearing that Trump is subordinating the basic geopolitical interests of American imperialism to his own business interests and those of his family.

It is imperative that the working class take advantage of the political crisis to intervene independently in defense of its own interestsfor jobs, health care, education, immigrant and democratic rights, and peaceagainst both factions of the ruling elite. It must not allow its opposition to Trump to be channeled behind the Democratic Party.

There is a real danger that Trump will respond to the isolation of his administration by escalating the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan or initiating new ones to channel political and social opposition against a foreign enemy and undercut his ruling-class opponents.

Without a revival of working-class struggle on the basis of a socialist program in opposition to the entire economic and political system, the outcome of the crisis, whoever is president, will be a further shift to dictatorial methods of rule and an expansion of militarism and war.

The conditions for such a struggle are rapidly maturing. The urgent task of the day is to consciously prepare that movement by building the Socialist Equality Party as the new political leadership of the working class.
Two days of trade talks between the US and China this week have produced nothing in the way of concrete results, only a commitment by both sides to continue the discussions on specific items amid growing tensions.

The talks, which were agreed upon at the meeting between US president Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April, got off to a somewhat acrimonious start when at the end of the first day both sides cancelled scheduled press conferences.

At the opening of the discussions, US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross struck a belligerent tone as he demanded action by China to reduce its $309 billion trade surplus with the US.

Standing beside Chinese vice-premier Wang Yang, he said: China now accounts for nearly 50 percent of the US goods trade deficit. If this were just a natural product of free market forces we could understand. But its not and so it is time to rebalance our trade and investment in a more fair, equitable manner.

Ross did not elaborate further but the implication of his remarks is that the Chinese state plays a central role in unfair trade practices detrimental to the US. But this kind of accusation goes beyond China. The core of Trumps America First trade agenda is that the global trading system as it is currently established is detrimental to the interests of the US and must be changed in the interests of fair trade.

Following the blast from Ross, Wang tried to strike a conciliatory tone. He acknowledged that discussions had become more difficult and that the talks were an even more daunting task and then added:

We can think like a champion but we dont need to defeat each other in [tackling] our differences. Pursuing co-operation is the best way forward.

The US maintained its aggressive stand as the talks concluded. US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin told the Financial Times the US had taken a very big step toward reducing its deficit with China and that Beijing had heard  the marching orders.

Once again Wang tried to put the best face on a bad situation saying in a statement issued after the meeting that both sides had agreed to work constructively to reduce the deficit and that they had reached a broad consensus on a wide range of issues. They shared the view that the most important outcome of this round of dialogue is that it has charted the course of China-US economic co-operation.

But these remarks cannot cover up the fact that the two sides are deeply divided. As Evan Medeiros, a former Asia adviser under the Obama administration noted, in a comment reported by the Financial Times, the meeting had all the signsno joint statement, or press conference, no outcomesof serious and sustained tensions rapidly emerging due to deep differences.

Under the agreement reached between Trump and Xi in April, there was to be a 100-day plan to address the trade issues. The process appeared to have got off to a good start when China lifted restrictions on US beef imports due to an earlier cattle disease scare. But since then nothing has emerged.

Reports of the discussions said they had been quite tough and the US was not prepared to settle for the crumbs the Chinese were offering.

Mnuchin said very specific targets would be discussed sector by sector in coming discussions. Ross elaborated further saying those targets would have to be defined along with a reasonable period of delivery, citing opening financial services, the placing of tech companies on a level playing field with the objective of substantially increasing US exports to China.

One of the key issues hanging over the talks was the question of steel. At the direction of Trump, the US commerce department is working on, or has already prepared, a report to the president on whether to use a section of a 1962 piece of legislation giving him the power to impose tariff or other restrictions on steel imports on national security grounds.

It had been thought that Trump may have announced a decision around the time of the G20 meeting earlier this month. Questioned by a reporter on Wednesday on whether tariffs would be imposed on steel, Trump responded that it could happen.

Pressure is mounting on Trump from the US steel and aluminium firms. On Tuesday a group of these companies delivered an open letter to Ross calling for remedial action on national security.

Commenting on the letter, Michael Stumo, chief executive of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, one of the signatories, said: For too long, America has tolerated Chinas massive and strategic subsidising of its state-controlled industries, including steel and aluminium. Other countries take action on national security grounds to preserve industries but the US has not, as yet, done so.

And the push goes beyond steel. It was time for the US to assert its rights more forcefully in manufacturing and agriculture, Stumo said.

While the issue on steel is largely being couched in terms of action being necessary against China, any tariff or other restrictions will have a much broader impact. The countries which could be hit include Brazil, Canada, South Korea and the European Union. They may be even more adversely affected than China, because Chinese exports are concentrated in low-grade products which US steel companies are reluctant to manufacture.

If the US does invoke bans on national security groundsa measure which has been described as the nuclear option on tradeit could rapidly lead to an all-out trade war with retaliatory action directed against American firms in other areas.

At the time of the G20, when it was expected that the US could order steel bans, it was reported that EU officials had drawn up a list of US goods, including whiskey, orange juice and dairy products as possible targets for retaliation.

Speaking on the eve of the G20 summit, which subsequently revealed the widening divisions between the US and Europe, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker did not spell out details but said the EU would respond to any US steel sanctions.

Our mood is increasingly combative he said, warning that any response would come in days, not months.

That is, if Trump does go ahead with steel restrictions it could bring about an all-out trade war. The tensions surrounding the two days of US-China talks indicate that this prospect has moved closer.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Students at Florida State University are discussing ways to keep young professionals in the Capital City.

Florida State University Master of Applied American Politics and Policy students held the Roundtable at City Hall. Participants discussed current and future strategies.

According to organizers, FSU's MAAPP program, and other applied graduate programs, give working professionals the opportunity to pursue a career while furthering their education contributing to the retention of young talent.

Representative Al Lawson was present for today's discussion.

Other local leaders present for today's meeting included Leon County Commissioner John Dailey as well as City Commissioner Curtis Richardson.
Michael Ganor, a representative of German ship manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, who is considered the main suspect in the submarine affair, has agreed to become a state witness.

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As part of the agreement, Ganor will spend a year in prison and pay a fine of NIS 10 million.

Michael Ganor (Photo: Raanan Ben Zur)

Ganor, the police and the State Attorney's Office all agreed to the deal, but after an indictment is filed against Ganor, the court will also have to approve it.

Ganor was in full detention for ten days. The Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court ruled Friday that Ganor would be held in a police facility under supervision for two weeks. He will be free to watch television and get family visits.

He was forbidden to leave Israel for three months and was forbidden to contact the people involved in the case for two months.

He also deposited half a million shekels in bail.

According to sources involved in the investigation, Ganor in his testimony holds a large amount of material related to Israel's security transactions and can implicate other people in the defense establishment.

According to the same sources, it appears that Ganor's testimony will lead to the incrimination of other officials in the IDF and the Defense Ministry.

Photo: Motti Kimchi, IDF

Since the beginning of the month, several senior officials were arrested and interrogatedamong them Netanyahu's confidant and personal lawyer David Shimron , former Navy commander Maj. Gen. (res.) Eliezer Marom and former Israeli National Security Council (NSC) senior member Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Avriel Bar-Yosef

According to suspicions, deals for the purchase of vessels and submarines included large sums of money illegally transferred to private pockets as bribes.

Shimron has already been released from house arrest and took off for a private vacation abroad. Marom's detention ended Saturday night, and he was also released without restrictions. Ganor's right-hand man, attorney Ronen Shemer, was released to two weeks of house arrest.

As of now, only two detainees remain in the hands of the police: Ganor and Bar-Yosef.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on Ganor's arrest, saying "I do not know who he is," he said. "I have never met him."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday declared a freeze on all relations with Israel in response to the Temple Mount crisis. "Relations with Israel will be frozen at all levels until Israel commits itself to canceling all its steps against the Palestinian people as a whole and against the city of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, and to committing itself to preserving the historical and legal situation in Al-Aqsa," he said in his statement.

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Abbas continued to say he opposes the new security measures at the entry gates to the Temple Mount, set up by Israel following the deadly terrorist attack that took the lives of two Israeli police officers last week. The added security measures caused a wave of backlash in the Muslim community, with a deadly terrorist attack on Friday in which a teenage Palestinian murdered three family members in the West Bank settlement of Halamish, clashes with Israel Police in which three Palestinian protestors were killed, as well as wide scale protest prayers and riots around Jerusalem.

Muslim protestors pray, riot throughout Jerusalem (:  ,  ,  , )

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"We reject to magnetometers, as they are political moves presented in the guise of security measures, whose sole goal is to take over the Al-Aqsa Mosque and escape the peace process, turn the conflict from a political one to a religious one and break up the mosque based on time and place.

Abbas (Photo: EPA)

"We support the residents of Jerusalem and allocate $25 million to do so. We call upon Palestinian businessmen everywhere, the Arab and Palestinian foundations that support Jerusalem, to contribute to Jerusalem," said Abbas. He also appealed to his political foe the Hamas "to overcome the gaps and unite for the sake of our people and supporters around the world. We call upon everyone to stop the media debates and defend our holy places and our national plan, and I call upon Hamas to dismantle its administrative committee in the Gaza Strip and to participate in general elections.

Rioters outside the Temple Mount (Photo: AFP)

"I am in contact with the King of Jordan, the King of Saudi Arabia, the President of Egypt, the King of Morocco, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Secretary General of the Arab League," Abbas added.

Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Hamas, for its part, responded to Abbas's announcement by saying that "Abu Mazen's (a common nickname of Abbas'sed) announcement regarding the severing of relations with Israel are meaningless without the lifting of the restrictions on Gaza, stopping security coordination (with Israel) and an end to reigning in the resistance to the occupation."

A senior Palestinian official spoke to Ynet about the severance of relations with Israel: "The situation in the (Gaza) Strip is on the brink of explosion, and Abbas statement is directed internally, to Palestinian society, in order to release steam. Over the last few days, there's been some wild incitement against the Palestinian Authority (which is led by Abbas), which is out of the ordinary and very irregular. Abu Mazen had to reassure the Palestinian public, since people in the streets were already talking freely against him and against the Palestinian Authority. Israel must calm the situation by removing the magnetometers from the Al-Aqsa gates."
Jerusalem Police reported that four suspects (including a minor) from the Old City of Jerusalem were arrested for participating in riots during Friday.

In Silwan, a number of Molotov cocktails and rocks were thrown at policemen.
At about 21:30 on Friday, Omar al-Abed, 19, from the village of Kobar, broke into a family home in the West Bank settlement of Halamish while they were sitting for a Friday night meal, and proceeded to murder a 70-year-old grandfather and his son and daughter, both in their thirties. A few hours before he embarked on the murder, he wrote a post on his Facebook page, as a sort of "last will and testament" aimed at other Palestinians.

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"My will to you. I am a boy who has not yet reached 20. I have many dreams and aspirations, I know that with my Allah's help my dreams will come true. I've loved life, making people smile, but what kind of life is this? They kill our women and young people, soil Al-Aqsa while we stay asleep," wrote al-Abed.

IDF arrive at terrorist's village and home

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"Take up your weapon and resist, declare war for Allah. They closed Al-Aqsa, and what about your weapon? I have only a knife, and it will respond to Al-Aqsa's cry. You are spreading a civil war among us and Allah will judge you for this. We are all sons of Palestine and Al-Aqsa. The sons of monkeys and pigs do not open the gates of Al-Aqsa. I hope that men will come after me to strike me with an iron hand. I am going to heaven to be next to Allah. My mother, my father and my sisters, I am going to heaven, that is my home. I do not want anything beyond that.

"Allah will judge those who do not fulfill my will," ended al-Abed. "We are all one, we have one blood, one enemy and one Al-Aqsa."

Eisenkott (C) briefed following attack (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Hamas praised al-Abed's attack and called it a natural response to the recent developments at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, referring to the metal detectors installed by Israel following last week's deadly attack at the site. Hamas's statement said that it "welcomes the heroic attack that comes in the wake of Israel's violation of the rights of our people in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

New security measures were set up at the entry gates to the Temple Mount by Israel, following the deadly terrorist attack that took the lives of two Israeli police officers last week. The added security measures caused a wave of backlash in the Muslim community, with Friday night's deadly terrorist attack carried out by al-Abed, earlier clashes with Israel Police in which three Palestinian protestors were killed, as well as wide scale protest prayers and riots around Jerusalem.

A senior military official said that "the terrorist was loyal to Hamas but was not an activist," and that "he had bought the knife in the last two days with the intent of causing harm in response to the events at Al-Aqsa. He apparently infiltrated (Halamished) by jumping over (its security) fence. He posted on Facebook a few hours before the attack."

Following the attack, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkott and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived at Halamish and were briefed of the situation.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued a statement early Saturday, saying that in response to the Halamish attack, the IDF's Binyamin Brigade embarked on an extensive operation in his hometown village of Kobar.

IDF forces briefed following attack (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

As part of the operation, the IDF brigade, special units and the Shin Bet encircled the village and the exit from it will be possible only in humanitarian cases.

So far, IDF forces have mapped out the terrorist's home in preparation to its demolition, as well as carrying out extensive weapons searches, confiscating terrorist funds and arresting the terrorist's brother Monir, 21.

IDF forces move in following attack; the aftermath of the Halamist terror attack (Photos: IDF Spokesperson's Unit; Yair Sagi)

Israel's military said it has sent more troops to the West Bank after a Palestinian infiltrated a settlement and stabbed three Israelis to death in their home.

The decision came Saturday after high-ranking military officials met overnight following the attack.

The IDF did not elaborate beyond the above statement, but said it was in addition to hundreds of soldiers in place Friday over tensions at a major Jerusalem shrine.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

In addition, Jerusalem Police reported that four suspects (including a minor) from the Old City of Jerusalem were arrested for participating in riots during Friday.

IDF forces in Halamish (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

In the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, a number of Molotov cocktails and rocks were thrown at policemen.
Israel's deputy minister for public diplomacy says Palestinian leaders must call for calm as tensions soar over security measures at the Temple Mount.

Michael Oren, who works in the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke a day after a Palestinian stabbed three Israelis to death in their home and three Palestinians were killed during clashes over metal detectors Israel set at the entrance to the shrine following a deadly Palestinian attack there.

Oren said Saturday that the Islamic militant Hamas and other groups are exploiting the tensions to incite to violence. He said their claims that Israel is changing the delicate arrangement at the site, holy to both Muslims and Jews, are "emphatically untrue."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he is freezing ties with Israel until the devices are removed. Oren said Abbas' declaration may serve a political need but it "cuts off the limb on which he sits."
As details of the murderous terror attack in Halamish began to emerge, it came to light that the family whose home was attacked in the West Bank settlement was gathered for what was supposed to be a happy occasion: the birth of a new grandchild.

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The attack took place on Friday night at around 9:30pm, when ten members of the family sat down for Friday night dinner as well as to celebrate a new grandchild.

A preliminary investigation found that that the terrorist, 19-year-old Omar al-Abed from the nearby village of Kobar, surprised the family and managed to stab four of its members.

The day following the attack (:  )

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The family's 70-year-old grandfather, who lives in the house that was broken into, was murdered by al-Abed, as were his 35-year-old son and his daughter, who was in her 40s.

The family's grandmother, 68, was seriously wounded and evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Following surgery, she was stated to be in good condition. She was given the news of the deaths of her husband and children after she awoke.

The terrorist arrested at the scene of the attack

The wife of the murdered son managed to save herself and the five children who came to visit their grandparents by hiding them in a nearby room, after which she called the police and shouted there was a terrorist in the house who was stabbing those still in the living room. Rescue teams were alerted and rushed to the scene.

A childhood friend of the murdered man told Ynet that his wife, whose resourcefulness secured the children's safety, "is an amazing woman, and anyone who knows her is not surprised that this is how she acted." The murdered son and his family live in the central city of Elad.

The scene of the attack (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

The victims fought the terrorist and shouted for help. A neighbor who is also a paramedic serving in the IDF's canine Special Forces unit Oketz heard their cries and quickly responded by shooting the terrorist through a window, thereby preventing more casualties among the family.

The scene of the attack (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

Another paramedic, who treated the victims of the attack, said the terrorist was lying next to his victims after being shot. He then tried to attack the paramedics, but was stopped by security forces who had also arrived at the scene. The terrorist was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva for treatment, and has since been released and taken into custody.

Terrorists wrote 'will' on Facebook before attack

Before going on the attack, he wrote a post on his Facebook page, as a sort of "last will and testament" aimed at other Palestinians.

"My will to you. I am a boy who has not yet reached 20. I have many dreams and aspirations, I know that with Allah's help my dreams will come true. I've loved life, making people smile, but what kind of life is this? They kill our women and young people, soil Al-Aqsa while we stay asleep," wrote al-Abed.

"Take up your weapon and resist, declare war for Allah. They closed Al-Aqsa, and what about your weapon? I have only a knife, and it will respond to Al-Aqsa's cry. You are spreading a civil war among us and Allah will judge you for this. We are all sons of Palestine and Al-Aqsa. The sons of monkeys and pigs do not open the gates of Al-Aqsa. I hope that men will come after me to strike me with an iron hand. I am going to heaven to be next to Allah. My mother, my father and my sisters, I am going to heaven, that is my home. I do not want anything beyond that.

"Allah will judge those who do not fulfill my will," ended al-Abed. "We are all one, we have one blood, one enemy and one Al-Aqsa."

The terrorist, Omar al-Abed

Immediately after posting to Facebook, the terrorist made the 2.5 km journey by foot from his village of Kobar to the Halamish settlement, which took him about an hour and 40 minutes. He was carrying a bag that contained a wallet and a Quran. The terrorist told his brother was going to visit friends.

Before infiltrating the settlement, he "purified" himself by spraying water on himself from a bottle he had, thinking he would not survive the attack.

While Halamish's perimeter fence was activated, al-Abed was still able to jumped over it. The fence did set off an electronic alert, calling security forces to the scene. He was able to reach about 100-150 meters into the settlement before entering his victims' home.

The family home where the attack took place sits on the edge of the settlement and near the perimeter fence, a fact that the terrorist apparently took advantage of. He also took advantage of the fact the door of the family home was not locked to enter.

Al-Abed was able to carry out the attack despite the fact there is an entire IDF company stationed in Halamish.

According to the terrorist's father, his son carried out the attack in response to the new security measures the were set up at the entry gates to the Temple Mount by Israel, following the deadly terrorist attack that claimed the lives of two Israeli police officers last week.

"The honor of Muslims is the only Haram," Mohammed al-Abed said. "If it's gone, the Muslims' honor is gone. This was the motive for my son."

The added security measures has caused a wave of backlash in the Muslim community, including clashes with Israel Police in which three Palestinian protestors were killed, and wide scale protest prayers and riots around Jerusalem.

In a video that was circulated after the attack, al-Abed's mother could be seen saying, "I am proud of you, my son, and I hope that Allah will receive you."

Ibrahim al-Abed, an uncle of the terrorist, said his nephew had been arrested three months ago by PA security forces. The uncle said his nephew had spent two weeks in detention and was violently interrogated about alleged plans to attack Israelis before he was released.






A Palestinian man was killed during clashes in the West Bank on Saturday night, the fourth to die this weekend in violent protests against Israel's decision to set up metal detectors at the entrances to the Temple Mount, following a deadly terror attack at the site.

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A 24-year-old Palestinian was killed in uncertain circumstances in the village of al-Eizariya east of Jerusalem in uncertain circumstances.

Following a relatively quiet day, violence resumed late Saturday near the epicenter of the current crisis in the Old City of Jerusalem. After hundreds of Muslim worshippers defiantly held their evening prayers outside the Jerusalem holy site, resuming their protest against security measures Israel imposed after a deadly attack there, clashes unfolded with police firing tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters.

Clashes at the Lions' Gate on Saturday night ( :  )

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Violent clashes raged in Jerusalem's Old City by the Lions' Gate on Saturday eveningwith protesters throwing stones, bottles and other objects at security forcesas rioting continued elsewhere in the capital and in various hotspots in the West Bank.

On route 444 near Tayibe rioters burned tires. Protesters set a tire on fire in Kafr Kanna as well and then pelted police forces that arrived at the scene with stones.

There were also clashes Saturday afternoon and evening in Qalandiya, At-Tur, Shuafat, Isawiya and in the village of Kabor, the home of the terrorist who killed an Israeli grandfather and his two adult children in the nearby settlement of Halamish on Friday.

Rioters also threw stones and glass bottles at Israeli forces near the Mount of Olives.

An IDF officer was lightly hurt when a stone hurt his upper body during clashes in Kafr Qaddum in the Samaria region of the West Bank.

Clashes at the Lions' Gate on Saturday evening (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Late Friday, masked men blocked several roads in At-Tur, burned tires, launched fireworks and threw stones at policemen and Jewish houses. Clashes also took place in the Silwan and Salman neighborhoods, with hundreds of protesters trying to reach the Lions' Gate.

Clashes in A-Tur late Friday

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Another terror attack took place Friday night when a 19-year-old Palestinian man snuck into the West Bank settlement of Halamish and attacked a family sitting down for Shabbat dinner, killing three. His attack was reportedly in response to the new security measures set up at the entry gates to the Temple Mount.

The added security measures has caused a wave of backlash in the Muslim community. On Friday, three young Palestinian protestors were killed during clashes with Israel Police at Jerusalem's Old City and wide scale protest prayers and riots happened in different areas of the capital.

Violent clashes outside Temple Mount (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Police reported that a masked person threw a bottle at the policemen in At-Tur, and that there were no casualties. The police dispersed the rioters using stun grenades and did not allow worshipers to approach the Lions' Gate. Instead, protestors remained on the main road and shouted: "Allah Akbar, we will sacrifice our lives for the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Clashes in At-Tur

Before prayers, two young men threw bottles at the policemen, who used stun grenades to disperse the worshipers. Several Molotov cocktails and stones were also thrown at the police in the Silwan neighborhood, as well as in the Salman neighborhood. The police also reported that four other suspects from the Old City were arrested overnight, including a young man, for participating in Friday's disturbances.

Clashes in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters)

"We will not go about quietly after the killings of three martyrs. I think the war has begun. Starting now, we will weigh very serious decisions, even if they cost us our lives," said a resident of At-Tur, where one of the killed rioters is from.

He added that in east Jerusalem "there are many young people who are ready for a serious struggle to the death. We will not hesitate in these matters. The government must understand that it is playing with fire."

Clashes in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters)

Following the deaths of the three Palestinians on Friday, a general strike was declared in east Jerusalem neighborhoods, and a partial strike was declared in the Old City.

Demonstrations were also taking place in Arab communities throughout Israel, among them the Arab city of Tayibe, with another demonstration planned there for Saturday evening. Additional demonstrations are planned in the Arab cities of Nazareth, Umm al-Fahm and Qalansawe.

Clashes in Jerusalem (Photo: EPA)

Balad faction leader MK Jamal Zahalka (Joint List) said Saturday morning that Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan "insists on leaving the metal detectors at the Temple Mount, causing bloodshed. A different decision would have prevented Friday's killings."

Clashes in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters)

There was a great deal of vigilance ahead of Friday's prayers, due to fears of disturbances following the installation of the metal detectors at the Temple Mount. The Security Cabinet initially sought to let the police decide whether to remove the added security measures, but the Jerusalem Police insisted the political echelon is responsible for making this decision.

Clashes in At-Tur

Mohammed Sharaf, 17, was one of the Palestinians killed in east Jerusalem. Though circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, Palestinian sources claim that the teen was shot by a "settler" who also wounded another Arab protestor.

Clashes in Jerusalem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Mohammad Hassan Abu Ghannam, who is in his 20s, was killed in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of At-Tur. A police spokesman said the police were looking into the circumstances of his death.

Clashes in At-Tur

Mohammed Lafi, 18, was killed in clashes in the town of Abu Dis near Jerusalem. He was fatally wounded after being shot in the chest, succumbing to his wounds shortly after being rushed to a nearby hospital.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said 41 Palestinians in total were taken to hospitals or clinics with injures from live ammunition, rubber bullets and beatings. About 150 Palestinians were treated for tear gas inhalation. The IDF and the Border Police also arrested 17 people in the West Bank, as dozens of Palestinians were injured in several incidents on the Gaza Strip border, with participants burning tires and throwing rocks at the fence and IDF forces.
BEIRUT - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained a Saudi Arabian fishing boat and arrested its crew, an Iranian state news agency reported on Saturday, at a time of increased diplomatic tension between the two regional powers.

Five Indian nationals on the vessel were detained on Friday after they crossed into Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf, Ardeshir Yarahmadi, a spokesman for the fisheries department of Bushehr province, was quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

Yarahmadi said it was the second time in the past month that a Saudi boat and its crew had been detained.
BEIRUT- Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday an agreement has been reached with the Syrian opposition on the boundaries for a de-escalation zone for the eastern suburbs of the capital Damascus while the Syrian army command said it has ceased military operations in several areas near the capital.

The announcements in Moscow and Damascus came after days of bombardment and airstrikes on the area that is known as eastern Ghouta. Activists reported relative calm in the afternoon in the area despite some violations.

The Russian ministry statement did not give details, but said the agreement includes the zone's borders as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of civilians. It said the agreement was reached during talks in Cairo, with Egyptian mediation.

The zone is one of four proposed in a plan approved in May by Russia and Iran, which support Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Turkey, which backs rebels fighting his forces. Under the Russian plan, President Bashar Assad's air force would halt flights over designated areas across the war-torn country.
President Reuven Rivlin on Saturday evening sent his condolences to the family of the three Israelis murdered in a terror attack Friday night in Halamish.

"At this difficult time our hearts go out to the bereaved family in Halamish, and to all the community there, after the incomprehensible loss they have endured last night," Rivlin said in a statement released after the end of Shabbat.

"The difficult pictures, and the thoughts of the children who fled for shelter now dealing with the terrible news  it is truly heartbreaking," Rivlin added, praising the bravery of the children's mother, who saved them, and the neighbor, an IDF soldier who shot and neutralized the terrorist.

He called on the international community, including the region's leadership, to condemn the attack and join forces with Israel in the fight against terrorism and incitement.
TEHRAN - Iran has demanded that the United States release all detained Iranian citizens, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday.

The report quotes Iran's deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi as saying he raised the issue Friday during a meeting with an American delegation in Vienna, on the sidelines of a meeting on 2015 nuclear deal.

"We raised the issue of the release of Iranians who are detained under the meaningless accusation of bypassing sanctions," on Iran, Araghchi was quoted as saying. He did not elaborate.
YORK  Eleven probation officers, the lead officer for District 5 and the field officer for the state sat down with the five York County Commissioners this week to continue an ongoing conversation about office space in York.

The commissioners have been questioning, for years, whether they should be paying for all the office space and utilities for a probation office in York  out of which officers also serve Hamilton, Merrick and Polk Counties.

Probation officials say the office is located in York because this is where the most clients are and this is where the majority of services for the clients are offered.

The probation officers from the York office introduced themselves, told the commissioners what they do and where they live. All of them live in York, with the exception of two who reside in Geneva and Sutton.

Carrie Rodriguez, District 5 director, said there are several other staff members from the York office who were unable to attend the commissioners meeting.

She was joined with Shane Stutzman, the former District 5 director, who is now the field officer for the state of Nebraska.

Stutzman told the commissioners that the Nebraska Supreme Court chief justice will be visiting York on Aug. 3, and this could be a prime opportunity for the commissioners to tell him their concerns about how the state law is written in which counties are financially responsible for housing state agencies.

She and Rodriguez also told the commissioners about the many services that are provided by the probation office in York.

Stutzman pointed out that York County now has a Problem Solving Court, which saves millions in tax dollars, and recent legislation created post-release supervision terms which essentially replaced parole and is now overseen by probation officers.

Added to that the inclusion of juvenile services to probations list of duties . . . all of it has resulted in literally doubling of staff and changes in the way probation does business.

It was noted that probation worked with 276 people in York County alone, in 2016. Of that number, 216 were adults and 60 were juveniles.

Services included treatment programs, monitoring services, transition housing from prisons and treatment center, victim classes, employment classes, pre-treatment classes, classes for managing emotions and reducing impulsiveness, cognitive behavioral groups, supervision groups, trauma groups, drug testing and relapse prevention groups.

The goal is to reduce the number of people who are behind bars, which will save substantial money in the long run, and to reduce recidivism.

Cost figures show that it costs 45 cents a day for a person to be on probation  compared to $91.16 a day that it costs to house an inmate in prison and $111.23 a day it costs to house an inmate in county jail.

All programs are evidenced based to reduce recidivism, Stutzman said. It is important to keep in mind that our services to the court save the county money when it comes to housing people in the county jail.

The people you are working with, out of this office, are they from York County or do they also come from other places? asked Commissioner Kurt Bulgrin.

Both, from here and from outside communities, Stutzman said. Sometimes residents of other counties come here for services, but when they are here they also stop and spend money here.

The sales tax goes to the city, not the county, so there is no benefit to the county, Bulgrin responded.

The bottom line in this discussion is that we have clients coming in from other counties, said Commissioner Bill Bamesberger. When we established your new office in the downtown building, the other counties said they were going to contribute to the cost and they never did. We are taking the hit. We are paying $30,000 a year to take care of other counties and I have a problem with that. I have a hard time realizing that we get more benefits from the cost.

My understanding is that the cost is $19,000 for the rent of that office, Stutzman interjected. I chose to bring that office to York because the majority of services were in York. We approached the other counties about financially participating, but they are not statutorily obligated to do so. Thats the problem.

Well, then we arent obligated to them either, Bulgrin responded.

By law, you are obligated to provide space here and we outgrew the space in the courthouse. We would have outgrown that space, regardless, Stutzman said. We are willing to always consider options for space . . . but also remember, the first two years of that rent on that building was paid for by a grant.

The county board members contended that the grant only paid for one year.

What are the other counties providing for space? Bulgrin asked.

She said Polk County provides space in their courthouse, but we have only had seven or eight clients there so we didnt focus much on space there. Hamilton County provides an office and Merrick provides a large office with a reception area.

Are these offices being manned? asked Commissioner Chairman Jack Sikes.

The majority of the business there is after 4 p.m., so no, officers are not in those offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week, Stutzman said. Many clients have jobs, so a lot of programming takes place after 4 p.m., in the evenings, and on weekends. And I want to remind you that another reason the office here was moved from the courthouse to off site was because you did not want people in the courthouse after hours. The state statute says each county has to provide a space. A cost share on this office would make it easier for everyone, but the statute doesnt provide for that.

We, you and I, read through the statute and it is very vague, said Commissioner Randy Obermier. We can ask our legislature to change that. We should contact Senators Kolterman and Friesen and ask them bring that up in the next session and have that clarified.

I appreciate what you are saying, Randy, but the legislature keeps cutting things out that the state spends money on, and a change could take years and meanwhile we will still be spending money, Bamesberger said.

And it is easier for the state to balance their budget on the backs of the counties, Bulgrin added.

This has come up with every county, Ive had this conversation with every county in District 5, Stutzman said.

We need to talk with legislators so they can write the legislation, Obermier said.

And I need to stress that we are doing our best to provide great services, Stutzman said.

No one has ever doubted that, Sikes responded. The issue is about having to rent property and some limit needs to be set about how much space is needed. Where do we stop and say how much we are going to spend? Or how much the probation staff is going to expand? The commissioners here are worried about what it is costing York County and not the other counties.

Bulgrin asked, as an example, if this particular office could be moved to Polk County instead of having it in York.

You want your 200-plus residents to go to Osceola for probation services? Stutzman asked. None of the services (such as treatment counselors, etc.) are in Osceola.

We realize that we will have to go another year with this arrangement, Bamesberger said. We need to talk to state senators so we can get some funding back from other counties.

Yes, we need to do that, Sikes said. I still feel you are not making a budget request but rather a payment request. I personally do not want to see the probation office in the courthouse because of the after-hour issues and security is a priority for me. We need to keep you in a building where you have access until 9 p.m. or whenever.

We are providing a service of value to you, your community and your county, Stutzman said. We are working for community safety. Safety is not free. I have always conveyed to you that I will work with you and answer any questions you have but I dont want you to think we are railroading you.

Youre not, Bamesberger responded. But the state is.
Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face "new and serious consequences" unless all unjustly detained American citizens are released and returned, the White House said in a statement on Friday.

Trump urged Iran to return Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran, and demanded that Tehran release businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer.

The statement capped a week of rhetoric against Tehran. On Tuesday, Washington slapped new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and said

Tehran`s "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear accord.

Those measures signalled that the Trump administration was seeking to put more pressure on Iran while keeping in place an agreement between Tehran and six world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.

Friday`s statement said Trump and his administration were "redoubling efforts" to bring back all Americans unjustly detained abroad.

An Iranian court sentenced 46-year-old Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi to 10 years in prison each on charges of spying and cooperating with the United States.

Iran`s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detained Siamak in October 2015 while he was visiting family in Tehran, relatives said.

The IRGC arrested the father, a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official in February last year, family members said.

Levinson, a former FBI agent and DEA agent, disappeared in Iran in 2007 and the U.S. government has a $5 million reward for information leading to Levinson`s safe return.

An Iranian court sentenced Xiyue Wang, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen graduate student from Princeton University, to 10 years in jail on spying charges, Iran`s judiciary spokesman said on Sunday.

"Iran is responsible for the care and wellbeing of every United States citizen in its custody," the White House statement said.
New Delhi: Amid tensions in Bihar's grand alliance, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday met Congress vice preisdent Rahul Gandhi to discuss the current political situation in the state.

The JD(U) leader also attended a dinner later in the evening hosted by Prime Minister Naredra Modi in honour of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee.

The meeting comes amid tensions in Bihar's grand alliance over allegations of graft against the Yadav family, including Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi.

The two leaders reportedly held discussions on the current political situation in the state.

Party sources said Kumar drove to Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence here and discussed about graft charges against Tejashwi Yadav.

Talks between Nitish and Tejashwi last week do not seem to have smoothed the political ripples.

Kumar's meeting with Gandhi comes days after Congress President Sonia Gandhi spoke to the Bihar CM and RJD chief in a bid to prevent a collapse of the ruling coalition.

While the RJD supremo has rejected demands of resignation of his son, Kumar is learnt to have reservations about Tejashwi's continuance as it dents his "anti-corruption" image.

Kumar-led JD(U) had also crossed swords with the opposition over its support to NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind. The opposition had pitched for Meira Kumar as its joint candidate for the presidential polls.

The JD(U) leader will be in Delhi for four days, during which wil also attend the oath taking ceremony of Ram Nath Kovind as new President.
New Delhi: A man was killed and two others were injured after a flyover fell on a railway track in Bihar on Saturday.

The incident took place in Bihar's Sasaram.

Reportedly, the flyover was under construction.

As per ANI, few more people are feared to be trapped inside the debris.

Further details are awaited.
Even before his political career could take off, it seems Rahul Gandhi  the heir to the throne of the Nehru-Gandhi family  has lost the battle. Lost because it seems he is not interested; not interested in taking responsibilities, not interested in working hard; in fact, not interested in politics altogether. Rahul seems to have lost the plot. He seems to lack focus, does not seem to have a plan or an aim. It appears he is just shooting in the dark.

I have written some pieces about Rahul Gandhi earlier as well. However, this one is different; different because this one does not have any element of hope in it. I, like many Congress supporters, have lost all hope from the party and the man who is projected as its leader, not by virtue of his talents but his name.

In politics, being in the opposition can be a blessing many times. All one has to do is cry foul and win sympathies of the public. Unfortunately, Rahul is not even able to do this. How can he when he does some vanishing acts on a regular basis? One day he is seen visiting violence-hit Mandsaur, the other day he is seen holidaying! One day he is seen making big speeches, the other day he is seen sleeping in Parliament! One day he is seen making promises to farmers and Dalits, the other day he is seen taking off to some foreign locale!

Gone are the days when the Gandhi name alone could win votes. In todays times, people are talking about deliverables. Promises, if not translated into reality, immediately lead to a defeat in the next elections.

Rahul Gandhis image could not get any worse from what it is now. He is still seen to be in his mothers shadow, incapable of taking any independent decisions. Whatever little decisions he has taken independently, have not borne fruits. The latest news doing the rounds is that Rahul would not be the face of the party in the next general elections. Sonia Gandhi, again, is seen to be leading from the front. Well, why not? While Rahul Gandhi was busy holidaying, his mother was seen getting the Opposition together in her quest to fight the growing powers of the BJP. Recently, at the time of deciding the presidential candidate, it was Sonia Gandhi who was seen running around, not Rahul Gandhi.

It is sad that in spite of being given high posts within the party, Rahul Gandhi is not able to deliver. Some time back, it was Rahul who had suggested some steps for the democratisation of the Congress party. What happened to that? Instead of seeing some progress on that front, what we see is an elevation of the Gandhi scion! How can the image of the party and Rahul Gandhi improve?

It would be better for Rahul to stay away from the limelight if cannot stop being in the news for the wrong reasons. Recently, he had met the Chinese envoy amidst the India-China standoff. Given the mood of the country, he could have avoided this meeting.

However, since he had anyway gone ahead with the meeting, he could have projected it better. Instead of earning some brownie points by saying that he was trying to work things in favour of our country, his party simply denied it, only to retract later. Really? Wasnt it naive of them to think that in this day and age of hyper-journalism and mobiles with cameras, there would be no proof of his meeting? All such things tarnish his image even further. If Rahul Gandhi does not want to be the butt of jokes, or being trolled on the social media, or not being taken seriously even by his own party men, he will have to wake up.

Wake up not in some luxury hotel in a foreign location, but wake up from his dreamland where he will be the prince forever. He has the potential and the means to do something for the country. He should not let opportunities slip by like he did by not accepting a position in Manmohan Singhs government. Had he taken some position back then and shown some deliverables, he would not have shared the hashtags on Twitter along with Alia Bhatt as the nations favourite joke.

He wanted internal democracy in the Congress party. There will be no better time than now. Instead of holding on to his designation, he can give it away and call for elections. This way, he would be seen walking the talk. Also, he would earn the respect of all like Sonia Gandhi did when she renounced prime ministership in 2004. He has nothing to lose because he can always return to the party once his image is improved. After all, the Congress party can never say no to a Gandhi!

This should in no way be construed to suggest that he can go away on yet another holiday. Instead, he can use this time to work on the ground and deliver on the promises that he has made. It is only then can he stand a chance to stand in front of the BJP, not in the 2019 general elections, but those in 2024! A long way, indeed... If only he has the will!

Disclaimer: Shobhika Puri is a freelance writer. The views expressed in the article above are her personal opinion and does not reflect the stand of Zee News.
New Delhi: A 15-year-old girl delivered a premature baby inside the washroom of a government school in Mukherjee Nagar area here and her neighbour who had allegedly raped her repeatedly over a period of one year has been arrested, police said on Saturday.

The class 10 student had gone to the school to give an exam on Thursday. She experienced stomach ache and went to the washroom, where gave birth to the baby.

The girl was rushed to a hospital by the school authorities and police were informed.

The girl told the police that she was raped four-five times by her 51-year-old neighbour during the past one year. The accused used to give money to the girl asking her not to inform about his activities to anyone, police said.

The accused was later identified by the girl and arrested yesterday. He hails from Bihar and works as a autorickshaw driver in Delhi, they said.

The man told the police that he gave the girl some abortion pills after she told him about her stomach pains but did not realise that they failed to work, a police official said.

The pills created complications due to which the girl delivered the premature baby in its 26th week only, the official said.

Even the girl's parents did not realise that their daughter was pregnant and ignored it thinking that her stomach problem was merely a gastric ailment.
New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly masturbating in front of a German woman, who is pursuing PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The incident took place in Greater Kailash area of south Delhi at around 2.45 pm on July 20.

The 33-year-old scholar had taken her dog out for a stroll in Greater Kailash-II when the incident occurred.

She stopped for a while when she saw the man looking at her in a weird manner.

However, when he looked away, she moved ahead. But as soon as she reached closer to where he was standing, he pulled his trousers down and started masturbating while looking at her, the police said.

She shouted at him but before she could try and catch him, he drove off in his car. The woman managed to capture a picture of the car and its number plate.

The woman informed the police following which the accused Tarun was arrested on Friday evening from Palwal in Haryana. Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said a photo of the accused's car helped police nab him.

"She displayed the sharp presence of mind by taking a snapshot of the vehicle which led to cracking of the case. We need more such girls who know how to speak and stand up for themselves," Baaniya said.

Tarun was later produced before a court that sent him to judicial custody.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: A motorcyclist on Friday dodged death by inches after his neck was slit by a 'Chinese manja'.

The 35-year-old man was on his way to work when the incident took place at Geeta Colony flyover in the national capital.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital. Following a proper medical treatment, the man was out of danger.

Chinese manja, which was banned in the city by the Delhi government last year, had caused several fatal injuries on birds and humans.

(With ANI inputs)
Berlin: Germany sought on Saturday to reassure the country`s three million people of Turkish descent it would stand by them as a political row with Ankara escalates, saying they were not the target of changes to government policy on Turkey.

In a letter published in German and Turkish on Saturday in daily newspaper Bild, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Germany had no quarrel with Turkish people in either country but could not stand by as "innocent" German citizens were jailed.

On Friday German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble compared Turkey`s detention of six rights activists, including a German, to the authoritarian former communist East Germany.

"However difficult the political relations between Germany and Turkey, one thing is clear: you, people of Turkish roots in Germany belong here with us, whether you have a German passport or not," Gabriel wrote in Saturday`s open letter.

"We have always striven for good relations with Turkey, because we know that good relations are important for you (German Turks)," he added.

He said Germany would review cooperation and especially economic aid for the fellow NATO member and campaign for Europe to take a clear position on Ankara.

Bilateral tensions were already high prior to the activists` arrests after recriminations during a referendum in April on extending the powers of President Tayyip Erdogan and a pullout of German troops from a Turkish air base that began this month.

The arrests are part of a sweeping crackdown across Turkish society since a failed coup against Erdogan last year.

German officials are also increasingly concerned at what they say is large-scale covert activity by Ankara`s security services among Germany`s Turkish diaspora.

On Friday, Germany`s head of domestic intelligence said Turkish agencies were carrying out influence operations in Germany, including targeting opponents of Erdogan.

Germany has warned citizens who travel to Turkey that they do so at their own risk and on Saturday the radical Left party urged the government to stop deportations to Turkey in view of the arrest of government opponents.

"If the German Foreign Ministry warns against going on holiday in Turkey, then there needs to be an end to deportations of Turkish citizens," party co-leader Bernd Riexinger told Die Welt newspaper.

At the end of May, 6,514 Turkish citizens - criminals and rejected asylum seekers - were required to leave Germany, Die Welt said.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said 23.2 percent of Turks applying for asylum were granted some kind of protection in the first half of 2017, up from 8.2 percent last year.

Anton Boerner, the head of Germany`s BGA trade association, said the Turkish people were the biggest losers in the row, with tourism in Turkey and new investments at risk.
New Delhi: Top Congress leadership on Saturday discussed the situation arising out of Shankarsinh Vaghela's exit even as state leaders exuded confidence that it will have no effect on the party's prospects in the upcoming assembly polls in Gujarat.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had convened a meeting of top party leaders from Gujarat to discuss the impact of Vaghela's exit.

The meeting was attended by party chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel, general secretary in-charge of Congress in Gujarat Ashok Gehlot, PCC chief Bharatsinh Solanki, and other states leaders.

When Rahul Gandhi asked about the bearing of Vaghela's exit, Gujarat Congress leaders assured him that his quitting the party will have no effect on the party's performance in the Assembly polls slated for November-December.

The Congress has been out of power for the last 22 years in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is striving hard to regain power there.

During the meeting, the party leadership also exuded confidence of winning the Rajya Sabha seat in August 8 polls.

The party needs 47 votes to win the seat and it has 57 legislators in the 182-member assembly.

The Rajya Sabha seat is currently held by Patel, who is in his fourth term since 1993.

The Gujarat Congress has been divided between factions of PCC chief Solanki and CLP leader Vaghela, who was seeking replacement of the PCC chief.

Gehlot has termed Vaghela's decision as "wrong" and "unfortunate" and said "I fail to understand Shankersinh Vaghelaji's sudden decision. He seems to be acting under some pressure from BJP leaders".

Amid indications of a rapprochement with Vaghela, Gehlot said, "The Congress party hopes that any misunderstanding he has will be resolved".

He said, "Vaghelaji's decision at a time when Congress is about to win majority in the Gujarat assembly is absolutely inappropriate".

Gehlot said the party has good prospects of winning the polls, claiming there is huge anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP which has been in power in Gujarat for nearly two decades.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday took up the sensational gang-rape and murder case of a school girl in Shimla that has led to massive protests in the hill state.



The investigation agency said it has registered two cases on the July 19 orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in connection with the gang-rape and murder of the girl and into the custodial death of an accused.



"On order dated July 19 of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation of murder and rape of a minor girl in Shimla," the agency said in a statement.



The investigating agency said that it has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has left for the crime scene in the state.



The agency`s action comes in the wake of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the state High Court. The HC ordered a CBI probe into the case on July 19.



The 16-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang-raped on July 4 after she was offered a lift in a vehicle by the accused when she was returning home from school.



On the way, the accused gang-raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her body was found two days later by police from Halaila forests of Kotkhai.



The autopsy report mentioned injuries on the girl`s body.



Earlier, the police arrested six accused in connection with the case. The arrested accused have been identified as Rajinder Singh, who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Surat Singh and Lokjan.



However, a new twist in the case came after Rajinder Singh allegedly murdered a fellow accused Surat Singh in the police lock-up in Shimla on July 19.



Following the gang rape of the girl, people held massive protests in Himachal Pradesh. The family of the victim alleged that the `real culprits`, who belong to high-profile families, have gotten away `scot-free`.



Last week, the state government agreed to recommend a CBI probe into the case.
Jaipur: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said the party was in favour of holding Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously.

Shah, who is a on a three-day visit to Rajasthan, said all political parties should discuss the issue and take it up with the Election Commission.

"We definitely want Lok Sabha and state assembly elections to be held together. The BJP believes in the concept," he said at a press conference here.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised the issue with all political parties for discussion," he said when asked about the party's stand on holding the polls together.

Shah said his party wants the Ram temple in Ayodhya to be constructed in a legal manner after mutual dialogue.

"The party's stand is clear and mentioned in the last four Lok Sabha election manifestos. The temple should be constructed in a legal manner and there should be mutual dialogue," he said at a press conference here.

On suggestions that the creamy layer among SCs/STs should be excluded from reservation benefits, the BJP supremo said a decision can only be taken after discussion with all parties in Parliament.

Shah referred to major steps by the BJP-led government in Centre, including demonetisation, GST implementation and shutting down shell companies.

He said the BJP was never against GST implementation by UPA-led government but it was against the way it was being implemented.

"The states were demanding that losses incurred by them should be fully compensated by the Centre. We accepted their demands while implementing the GST and now the states are with us," Shah said in reply on a question.

"There were apprehensions raised by the opposition, but people of the country have accepted it," he said.

Asked whether the government intends to bring any legislation on cow protection, Shah said such laws already exist in BJP-ruled states.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that National Conference (NC) supremo Farooq Abdullah's suggestion of involving a third party to resolve Kashmir issue reeks of sheer irresponsibility.

BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi said that it is the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Abdullah family who are responsible for the incumbent crisis in Kashmir.

"Farooq Abdullah's statement is very irresponsible and condemnable. Abdullah's and the Nehru-Gandhi family are the reason that Kashmir is still under fire," said Trivedi.

Treading similar path another BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said that Abdullah's political comments are of no use.

"Farooq Abdullah's politics is of no use. He sometimes speaks in favour of the separatists and sometimes in favour of Pakistan. So we should not trust or levy attention to his statement," said Ghosh.

On Friday, Abdullah had said that India should approach third parties, such as the United States and China, to mediate in the Kashmir issue.
New Delhi: Consul General of India in Frankfurt (Germany) Raveesh Kumar will be the next Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, according to several reports. This comes after Senior diplomat and current MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay was appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.

Baglay was appointed to the post only five months ago. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Baglay's appointment to the post for three years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

Baglay is a 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service officer. The ACC has also approved that Kwatra and Baglay would work together in the PMO for an overlapping period of two weeks to facilitate smooth transition of work, it said.

(With inputs from ANI)
New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) tabled a report in Parliament on Friday and flagged critical shortage of ammunition in the Indian Army. The CAG found deficiencies in the performance of the Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) and no improvement in the functioning of its factories in comparison to what it was in 2013.

"We observed no significant improvement in the availability of ammunition (September 2016)..availability of 55 per cent types of ammunitions was below MARL i.e. minimum inescapable requirement to be maintained for operational preparedness and 40 percent types of ammunitions were in critical level, having stock of less than 10 days," the CAG report noted.

The report pointed out two critical shortages in the artillery and tank ammunition and blamed the OFB for failing to deliver as per the roadmap that was set in 2013.

Talking to news agency ANI, former artillery officer Lieutenant General V. K. Chaturvedi (Retired) said that the report highlights shortages in ammunitions, especially in the electronic fuses that are used for explosives and missiles.

"The issue is more to do with the critical scarcity in electronic fuses. Only ammunition required for small weapons don't use fuses or chargers. Thus the ammunitions used in artillery explosives, missiles, mortars are going to suffer due to this scarcity," he said.

Highlighting the situation, another expert (Retired) Major General D. K. Mehta said, "Deficiency across the board is alarming. We have to maintain war wastage reserve and also have to cater for the practice ammunition which is done annually. Thus the scarcity as projected by the CAG report further adds to the criticality."

A former officer also noted that the scarcity in ammunitions in war wastage reserve would severely hamper the training of army.

"Ammunition is critical piece of operational preparedness and therefore we must assure that the minimum acceptable level of ammunition is always available. And where there is a shortfall I am given to understand that government is making efforts to make it up," former Armored Corps officer Retired Lieutenant General A .K. Singh told ANI.

The report said there was a wasteful expenditure on procurement of 'incompatible' Outboard Motors that cost Rs. 1.26 crore.

"Outboard Motors (OBM) costing `1.26 crore, which were procured by invoking Army Commander Special Financial Powers to meet immediate requirement in Northern Command, could not be utilised. 46 out of 50 OBMs have been used for less than 10 hours in seven years," the report states.

(With inputs from ANI)
Jaipur: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Saturday defended External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and said that the search operation of 39 missing Indians in Iraq`s Mosul is underway and the Centre is not misleading the nation.

"The search is underway to locate 39 missing Indians in Iraq`s Mosul. The Government is not misleading the nation," he said, while addressing the media on the second day of his three-day Rajasthan tour.

The BJP has organised Akhil Bharatiya Pravas Yojana - Shah`s 110-day visit to all states in the nation - with an aim to take "party`s ideology to booth," he said.

Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party`s decisive and the transparent ideology.

"India has become the fastest growing economy in the world due to the party`s most decisive and transparent ideology," he added.

Amit Shah added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje`s government are working together as a growth engine to take this nation forward.

Iraq`s Ambassador to India Fakhri-H-Al-Issa on July 20 had said that he has no information regarding the 39 Indians, who were abducted by the Islamic State (IS) even as EAM Swaraj said that they were last located in a prison in Badush.

"I don`t want to say anything. I have no information. Sometimes no news is good news. They might be in Badush prison," Issa told ANI.

Sushma, along with Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) MJ Akbar and MoS MEA Gen (Retd) VK Singh, met families of 39 Indians who are missing in Iraq since 2014 on July 16.

Sushma had assured, "Once fighting stops in Badush and the area is cleared, we can probably find out about the whereabouts of the missing nationals."
Ghaziabad: In one of the Nithari serial rape and murder cases, a local CBI court on Saturday held businessman Maninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surender Koli guilty of rape, murder, abduction and criminal conspiracy in a case relating to the killing of a 20-year-old woman.



The case, the eighth of the several lodged in the serial rape-murders, was registered by the CBI under sections 302, 376, 364, 201 and 120 (B) of the IPC on December 29, 2006.



CBI special judge Pawan Kumar Tiwari pronounced the judgment and held the two guilty.



Both Koli and Pandher who were present in the court were taken in to custody. Pandher was earlier out on bail.



The court is to pronounce the quantum of sentence on July 24.



The court took stock of the arguments from prosecution lawyer J.P. Sharma who argued that scientific evidence has proved that Koli abducted, killed and raped the woman and tampered with the evidence.



On October 5, 2006, the woman was returning home from work and passed by the road outside the D-5 residence of Pandher.



Koli after killing her, beheaded her and threw the skull behind the house, which was recovered by the CBI.



The DNA of the skull matched with the parents of the deceased.



Her clothes, which were recovered from Koli, were identified by the parents.



Pandher was involved in the conspiracy of the crime, the court ruled.



Defence lawyer Devraj Singh contradicted the prosecution argument and said that on the date of crime Pandher was not present at the crime spot. He said Pandher's presence has been proved that on that date he was in Dehradun.



However, after taking stock of arguments from both sides the court held them guilty.



The gruesome cases came to light in 2006 when the police discovered the skulls and bones of 16 persons, mostly children, from near Pandher's house in the Noida village of Nithari.



Earlier, many children had gone missing from the nearby slums of Nithari and their parents alleged that police had ignored their complaints.



It was alleged that Koli would lure the children to the house, offering them sweets and chocolates, murder them and have sex with the corpses. He was also accused of cannibalism. He would throw the bones and other belongings into a ditch behind the house.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hosted a farewell dinner for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee and presented him a memento on the occasion.

"In keeping with tradition, PM Narendra Modi presents a memento to President on the occasion of farewell hosted by him for the President," a Press Information Bureau tweet said.

The dinner was attended by President-elect Ram Nath Kovind, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, senior ministers and various opposition leaders.

Mukherjee will be given a farewell by MPs on Sunday in the Central Hall of Parliament.

Also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he was given a farewell by the Chiefs of Staff Committee on Friday.

In a simple function held at the Manekshaw Centre, the President interacted with senior military officers and in his farewell address, extended his best wishes to all members of the armed forces and their families. He also paid tributes to the martyrs and their families for their sacrifices for the nation.
New Delhi: A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former minister in the NDA government, Sanwarlal Jat, on Saturday collapsed while attending a meeting of party MLAs and MPs with party President Amit Shah. Talking to IANS, a BJP official said,"As he got up to speak, he suddenly collapsed and fainted. He was rushed to SMS Hospital where a team of doctors has been attending him. He has been shifted to the ICU."

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her cabinet colleagues rushed to the hospital to meet the Ajmer MP. He had defeated the Congress`s Sachin Pilot in Ajmer in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

A former minister in the Modi government, Jat is currently the President of Kishan Ayog Rajasthan.

Shah, who arrived here on Friday on a three day visit to the state, is busy holding meetings for strengthening the party at grass root level.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi after he slammed the Centre by digging out issues including the Rohith Vemula suicide case, Dadri lynching case and demonetisation drive. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Smriti showed her sarcastic side and said, "However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP!????"

However, thank you @officeofRG for all that you do. Sincerely from the BJP  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 21, 2017

Yesterday, Rahul raised the Rohith Vemula case, saying that he didn't commit suicide and was murdered for being a Dalit. "I don't call it suicide; I call it murder. Rohith (Vemula) was crushed and murdered by the indignities he suffered," said Gandhi while speaking at DR. B.R. Ambedkar International Conference.

They say Rohit Vemula committed suicide.I call it murder.He was murdered by the indignities he suffered.He was killed because he was a Dalit  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

Hitler,once wrote: Keep a firm grasp on reality, so you can strangle it at any time

This is what is happening today-strangulation of reality  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

Thousands of businesses are wiped out due to demonetization,hundreds die,but instead of speaking to the Parliament, Modi spoke to Coldplay.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 21, 2017

Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at the University of Hyderabad, allegedly committed suicide last year sparking a nationwide outrage. Vemula's suicide gained widespread media attention as an alleged case of discrimination against Dalits.

Rahul also alleged that most of the institutions in the country have been captured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the bureaucrats and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

"What is happening today is the systematic capture of India's democratic institutions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bureaucrats and the RSS," he said.

The Congress vice-president also targeted the Centre by raising the Dadri lynching case. "Mohammad Akhlaq was butchered because they say he stole a calf. It was a lie. Instead of questioning his (Akhlaq) brutal killing they asked whether the meat in the fridge was mutton or beef," he added.

Last year, a mob of villagers attacked a 52-year-old man named Muslim man Mohammed Akhlaq, who they suspected of stealing and slaughtering a stolen cow calf, in Bisara village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh.

Akhlaq died in the attack, and his son, Danish, was seriously injured. Rahul also took a dig at the Centre over its demonetisation drive which was introduced on 8 November last year.

"Publicly they called it a stroke of genius and privately they called it insanity," he said.
Washington: The United States has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any coercive aspects.

"We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects," Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman told PTI.

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension "free of any coercive aspects".

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later this month.

During his visit, he is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

"We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters," Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China. Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

"The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China's military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China's influence," General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China's decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

"To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations," he said in written response to the questions.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday criticized National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah for his remarks on Kashmir issue and said that the situation in Kashmir Valley would be same as Syria and Afghanistan if America intervenes on the matter.

"China, America should mind their own business. We all know what is the situation of the countries wherever they intervened be it Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq," Mehbooba said.

"Only bilateral talks between India and Pakistan can help resolve the Kashmir issue," she added.

"As Vajpayeeji said in the Lahore deliration, India and Pakistan should hold talks to resolve Kashmir issue," she said, and questioned, "Does Farooq know what happened in Syria and Afghanistan?

Mehbooba's statements came in response to Abdullah's remarks wherein he had asked for third party countries like China and U.S to mediate in the Kashmir issue.

On Friday, the National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that India has so many allies across the globe, which can be approached for settling the Kashmir issue and act as a mediator between India and Pakistan.

"For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns. The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world and can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," Abdullah said.

However, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi criticized Abdullah's remarks and said India doesn't need any third party's involvement in Kashmir.

"India is Kashmir and Kashmir is India. This is our internal matter and no other country should have any say in it," Rahul said.

On July 13, China said it was willing to play a constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan, but the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday rejected any external help.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday hit out at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for cornering the Centre over the Jammu and Kashmir unrest and appealed for cooperation to resolve the issue.

"The Kashmir issue emerged at the time India was just divided. This issue emerged because of the then Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir Government. Had they dealt with this problem in a right manner, then there would not have been any such issue today. Rahul Gandhi is creating more trouble. This is unfortunate," RSS leader Indresh Kumar told ANI.

He further questioned the Congress vice president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah as to what steps they have taken to improve the situation in the Kashmir Valley.

"I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah what steps they have taken to bring peace and harmony in Kashmir. Those who have not done anything to bring peace in the Valley, during their governance, have no right to create unrest," he added.

Appealing to the political parties to cooperate in improving the turbulent situation in the Kashmir, Kumar further said they should not worsen the situation by making such statements.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi came in the firing line of the BJP also for his barbs against the saffron brigade.

Gandhi scion in Bengaluru had slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Centre while digging out issues including Rohith Vemula suicide case, Dadri lynching case and demonetisation drive.

The BJP leaders questioned Rahul Gandhi`s leadership abilities and attacked the functioning of the Congress.Farooq Abdullah on Friday had said that India should approach third parties, such as the United States and China, to mediate in the Kashmir issue.

Adbullah said India has so many allies across the globe, which can be approached for settling the Kashmir issue to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan.

"For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns. The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," he said.

Rahul refuted this assertion and said, "I have been asserting for long that it`s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies at the Centre that have destroyed Jammu and Kashmir. And the point that is being mentioned that a third party`s intervention should be invited for the settlement of the issue, it`s wrong. India is Kashmir and Kashmir is India."

"It`s our internal matter and no other country should have any say in it," he added.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress MLA M Vincent, who was arrested on charges of rape, stalking and abetment of suicide of a 51-year-old woman, has blamed the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] for the indictment.

"I am the prey of the CPI(M)`s conspiracy. The police did not arrest Thrissur Councilor even though there was the woman`s statement. This is due to the pressure of the Chief Minister`s Office. My fight to prove my innocence starts here," Vincent said.

Earlier in the day, Vincent, who was booked on the aforementioned charges, was arrested and presented in a local court.

He was then sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The woman had reportedly attempted suicide after being allegedly sexually harassed by Vincent.

Sections 376 and 354(d) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been slapped against the MLA.

The decision was taken after the woman gave a statement in this regard to the police on Thursday.

The woman`s husband reportedly complained that the Kovalam MLA used to harass her over phone.

The police will now take the Kovalam MLA`s statement only after the medical examination of the complainant.

Meanwhile, Vincent has filed a complaint requesting a detailed probe into the matter. He has alleged that the whole sequence of events involving the suicide attempt appears scripted.
Mumbai: Superstar Aamir Khan took time off from his shooting schedule of "Thugs of Hindostan" to spend some quality time with his family.

The 52-year-old actor, who was in Malta to film the first schedule of the Yash Raj Films project, flew to Rome for a vacation.

He posted two pictures on Twitter. In the first photograph Aamir posed for a selfie with wife Kiran Rao and in the second picture the couple were seen with their son Azad.

In the pictures, Aamir was seen sporting the movie's look. The actor has got his ears and nose pierced for his role.

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharaya, "Thugs of Hindostan" also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Sheikh.
Mumbai: Actress Kriti Sanon, rumoured to be dating her "Raabta" co-star Sushant Singh Rajput, is super excited to see him "flying high" and he being in space.

Sushant tweeted his photo, which seems to have been taken at a NASA facility in the US, on Saturday.

He captioned it: "From a miniature rocket to a life size one, this grown up kid will never cease to dream. My mother always wanted her 'Sushant in Space'!"

Kriti was thrilled. "Woah! Flying high literally? I'm sure your mom will be really proud! Keep shining Sush. Super excited to see Sushant in Space."

Woaahhh! Flying high literally!! I'm sure your mom will be really proud! Keep shining Sush..superrr excited to see Sushant in Space !  BITTI (@kritisanon) July 22, 2017

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also went down memory lane and shared his dreams as a child.

"My dream as a kid was to be an astronaut, staring at the night skies for hours, dreaming of finding friends in a milky way. So take me there," he wrote.

Sushant had earlier shared his excitement about heading to a NASA centre to prepare for his next film, "Chanda Mama Door Ke" -- a space adventure.
Amritsar: Actress-musician Shruti Haasan made a brief visit to the Golden Temple here and found the experience unbelievable.

"It was such an unbelievable experience. I've been wanting to come here since I was a child, but never got a chance. The energy and atmosphere is just indescribable. The people here have also been so lovely and hospitable. I'm so thankful for this incredible feeling," Shruti said in a statement.

According to a source, she was in Chandigarh for an appearance for a brand that she endorses.

"Since she had the next day off, she decided to make the most of it and dash off to Amritsar and pay her respects at the Golden Temple," said the source about her visit to the city on Friday.

"She has always wanted to visit Amritsar and of course the Golden Temple. She was meant to do so during the promotions of her last film, but due to change in plans, it didn't happen. So when she saw the opportunity with this trip, she decided to take it. She attended the night Aarti at the Golden Temple," added the source.

She will be next seen on the big screen in Tigmanshu Dhulia's "Yaara".
New Delhi: Manveer Gurjar became a household nameall thanks to the baap of all reality shows 'Bigg Boss 10'. He lifted the winner's trophy making it a dream come true for any commoner. Now, Manveer is currently busy with yet another reality show 'Khatron Ke Khiladi'.

However, more than his professional work, it is his personal life which is grabbing the headlines. After link-up rumours with 'Bigg Boss' participant and good friend Nitibha Kaul, his name is now associated with popular television face Kamya Panjabi.

In fact, Kamya after winning an award even thanked his fans and Manveer on Instagram. So, this further fuelled rumours of them being an item. Manveer has finally spoken on the issue and clarified his stand.

In an interview with India Today Online, Manveer said, People have been linking me to one person or the other since the time I have landed in India from Spain. People talk about Nitveer more than they talk about Manveer. As for me, whenever I meet Mona Lisa, Nitibha, Lokesh, I treat them in the same manner. I like hanging out and partying, and I guess people will continue to link me up with someone or the other. But the thing I don't want such rumours to crop up because it might harm my career. What if I get a Bollywood movie and I get linked up with someone? I won't be able to explain myself.

Addressing whether he is dating Kamya or not, Manveer has been quoted as saying, If I say nice things about her, you will feel there is definitely something cooking between us. But I want to praise this lady who rooted for me when I wasn't even aware of her support. She approached my family, made a video, tagged Colors, Endemol and everyone. My family couldn't do all that because we didn't have any social media accounts. I made my Instagram account in February. She arranged all the promotional activities. Her support definitely made a difference. I also supported her and tagged her when she got nominated for an awards show recently. When she won the award, in her speech, she said that she would like to thank someone special and that is Manveer Gurjar. People should not misconstrue our bond. The fact is that we are good friends, we hang out together, just the way I hang out with Nitibha."
New York: NASA has invited citizen scientist to participate in a nationwide science experiment by collecting cloud and air temperature data and reporting it via their phones during the total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21 and pass through the US.



NASA's Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Programme Observer (NASA GO) is a citizen science project that allows users to record observations with a free app.



Using the free app and a thermometer, citizen scientists can observe how the eclipse changes atmospheric conditions near them, and contribute to a database used by students and scientists worldwide in order to study the effects of the eclipse on the atmosphere.



"No matter where you are in North America, whether it's cloudy, clear or rainy, NASA wants as many people as possible to help with this citizen science project," Kristen Weaver, deputy coordinator for the project, said in a statement on Friday.



"We want to inspire a million eclipse viewers to become eclipse scientists," Weaver added.



Observers in areas with a partial eclipse or outside the path of totality are encouraged to participate alongside those within totality.



Crossing the country from Oregon to South Carolina over the course of an hour and a half, 14 states will experience night-like darkness for approximately two minutes in the middle of the day.



The eclipse enters the US at 10.15 a.m. off the coast of Oregon and leaves US shores at approximately 2.50 p.m. in South Carolina.



All of North America will experience at least a partial eclipse.



In order to participate, one needs to first download the GLOBE Observer app and then register to become a citizen scientist.



The app will instruct to make the observations, which will be recorded on an interactive map. A thermometer may help to measure the air temperature, the statment said.
Chennai: The Sri Lankan Navy on Saturday apprehended eight Tamil Nadu fishermen and seized their boat near Delft Island.

As per reports, the Sri Lankan officers took the fishermen to the Kankesanthurai Naval camp for further investigation.

Last Sunday, four Indian fishermen were arrested for allegedly poaching in the Colombo territorial waters.

According to the Sri Lankan Navy, the Fast Attack Craft of the Northern Naval Command of Colombo arrested the fishermen about 9 Nm northwest of Kovilan.

The fishermen were taken to the SLNS Elara, naval base and handed over to the Jaffna Assistant Fisheries Director for further legal action.

Earlier on June 13, at least seven Indian fishermen were reportedly arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy on for trespassing in their waters.
Hyderabad: The Telangana Education Department has approved a government order which caps the weight of school bags for students in primary schools.

As per the new rule, students up to class five will not be required to carry bags weighing more than five kilos.

This new order has been welcomed by faculties from the teaching sector.

While speaking to ANI, Manjulatha Narra, the principal of a government school said, "It's a very good decision and all schools should implement it. Private schools give lot of work, so they should implement this. In our schools, we have digital classrooms where they are learning easily," hinting at digital classrooms will replace heavy school bags.

"As a teacher, I'm in for this motion as this will help students health wise. We have tiny kids in the class and the bags weigh more than then at times," Naina, a primary school teacher, was quoted as saying.

Telangana has 42,632 private and government schools.
Chennai: Actor Jr. NTR's son Abhay Ram turned two on Saturday. He paid his father a surprise visit along with his mother and some family friends on the sets of Telugu Bigg Boss, a source said.

"Abhay, NTR's wife and some of his friends paid him a surprise visit on the sets of Bigg Boss. They celebrated Abhay's birthday on the sets of the reality show in Lonavala," a source close to Jr. NTR told IANS.



Jr. NTR tweeted on Saturday: "Happy birthday to my happiness. Your blessings are always a boon." He also shared a picture with Abhay from the sets.



NTR is hosting the Telugu version of Bigg Boss, which marks his television debut. On the career front, he is currently shooting for upcoming Telugu actioner "Jai Lava Kusa", in which he plays a triple role.
Kolkata: HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said education is a national agenda and should be the top priority of all political parties.

The Union minister also expressed his firm resolve to not compromise with the quality of teachers at any cost.

"Education is not a political agenda, it is a national agenda. Education should be the top priority of all political parties," Javadekar told an Indian Chamber of Commerce discussion- 'Way forward For Education Sector In Eastern Region', here.

"When we organise inter-state meets, West Bengal is at times absent. Everybody must participate (in such meets). I hope good sense will prevail," he said.

While talking to reporters later, Javadekar said he had referred to a recent specific brainstorming programme on education which was attended by all important officials of state governments, prominent NGOs and teachers who had innovations to their credit.

"I myself sat through the deliberations. But unfortunately one state (West Bengal) was not there. It is for you to decide," he said.

Stating that the government is keen on ensuring quality of teachers, Javadekar said, "I have asked affidavits from 15,000 odd BEd colleges all over the country and gave July 15 deadline."

Between 10,000-11,000 institutions have submitted the affidavits and those who have not will not be allowed to function any more, he said.

"All such teaching shops will go out of business, we will drive them out. We will not compromise on quality," he added.

He said there are a large number of untrained teachers and 11 lakh teachers are not properly qualified.

"In the next two years we are going to give them a last chance to get qualified. We will give free education to them - online and offline and only ask for examination and workshop cost," he said.

Javadekar said, "The three priorities of our government in school education is quality, quality, quality. In Right to Education we ensured expansion of education, since the casualty was quality.

"In the next two years, our aim is to bring every child into the education system and we plan to make it a community movement," he said.
Washington: US Defence Secretary James Mattis believes Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims he was killed in an air strike.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him. But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," Mattis told reporters on Friday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime conflict monitor, last week said it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

With a USD 25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile but was rumored to move regularly throughout IS-held territory in Iraq and Syria.

Last month, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.

Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as caliph in 2014, he has not been seen.

Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations. Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.

Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet.

He said he has not used the presidential authorisation to increase the troop number in the war-torn country by 4,000.

"You fight wars for a reason. You don't just fight wars - I'm going to go fight a war now. There's got to be some end state to it, especially when you take a democracy that does not want to go fight wars and have to be able to compel the people to think. Maybe they got their act together here. Maybe this makes sense. So, you come up with a political reason for it," he said.

"There was a political reason for going after Osama bin Laden. He attacked New York City. So, there's a decision at the political level," Mattis said.

"Once you get the policy right, then you have to get the strategy right... Because if you don't know where you're going, good luck when you take off on your journey," he said.
Beirut: Iran demanded on Saturday that the United States release Iranians detained there, a day after US president Donald Trump called on the Islamic Republic to release three US citizens.

"America should quickly release Iranian prisoners in the country," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, according to the Iranian Students` News Agency (ISNA).

On Friday, Trump urged Tehran to return Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared in Iran more than a decade ago, and to release businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer, both jailed on espionage charges.

Trump warned that Iran would face "new and serious consequences" if the three men were not released.

The statement capped a week of US rhetoric against Tehran, which announced last Sunday that another US citizen, Xiyue Wang, a graduate student from Princeton University, had been sentenced to 10 years in jail on spying charges.

On Tuesday, Washington slapped new economic sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program and said Tehran`s "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear accord.

Last October, an Iranian court sentenced 46-year-old Siamak Namazi and his father Baquer Namazi, 80, to 10 years in prison on charges of spying and cooperating with the United States.

Iran`s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detained Siamak in October 2015 while he was visiting family in Tehran, and Baquer, a former Iranian provincial governor and ex-UNICEF official, in February last year, family members said.

Levinson, a former agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and for the Drug Enforcement Administration, disappeared in Iran in 2007. The US government has a $5 million reward for information leading to his safe return.

Robert Levinson left Iran years ago and the Islamic Republic has no information about his whereabouts, foreign ministry spokesman Qassemi said Saturday.

"The statements of the White House, as usual, are an example of interference in Iran`s internal affairs and the demands are unacceptable and rejected," Qassemi said, according to ISNA.
Beirut: Iran announced the launch of a new missile production line on Saturday, according to state media, against a backdrop of tension between the United States and Tehran.



The Sayyad 3 missile can reach an altitude of 27 km (16 miles) and travel up to 120 km (74 miles), Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said at a ceremony.



The missile can target fighter planes, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and helicopters, Dehghan said.



Last week, the United States slapped new economic sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program, and said Tehran`s "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from a 2015 Iran nuclear accord.



The measures signalled that the administration of President Donald Trump was seeking to put more pressure on Iran while keeping in place the agreement between Tehran and six world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.



The U.S. government said it was targeting 18 entities and people for supporting what it said were "illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity".



Those sanctioned had backed Iran`s military or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by developing drones and military equipment, producing and maintaining boats, and procuring electronic components, it said. Others had "orchestrated the theft of U.S. and Western software programs" sold to Iran`s government, the Treasury Department said.



On Monday, the Trump administration said Iran was complying with the nuclear agreement but that it was in default of the spirit of the accord.



It was the second time Trump has certified Iranian compliance with the agreement since he took office in January, despite having described it as "the worst deal ever" during his 2016 presidential campaign, criticising then-President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the accord.



Dehghan said at the ceremony on Saturday that the recent $110 billion military deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia, announced during Trumps visit to Riyadh in May, was intended as a threat to Iran.



"We recently witnessed an immense purchase that some countries in the region paid as a ransom to America and they intend to bring weapons into the region, and this purchase was done with the goal of threatening Islamic Iran," Dehghan said according to the website for state TV.
Beitut: Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained a Saudi Arabian fishing boat and arrested its crew, an Iranian state news agency reported on Saturday, at a time of increased diplomatic tension between the two regional powers.

Five Indian nationals on the vessel were detained on Friday after they crossed into Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf, Ardeshir Yarahmadi, a spokesman for the fisheries department of Bushehr province, was quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

Yarahmadi said it was the second time in the past month that a Saudi boat and its crew had been detained.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are at their worst in years, with each accusing the other of subverting regional security and supporting opposite sides in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Riyadh, along with other Arab governments, has severed ties with Qatar, citing its support of Iran as one of the main reasons for the move.

Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for being behind deadly twin attacks on June 7 in Tehran claimed by Islamic State. At least 18 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the attacks, in which Riyadh has denied any involvement.

Iranian media reported last month that Saudi border guards had opened fire on Iranian fishing boats in the Gulf, killing a fisherman and arresting three others.

Iran has urged Saudi Arabia to release the trio, who Tehran said had legal documents but lost their way.

The Saudi Information Ministry said it had intercepted the boat in Saudi waters on June 16 and that three members of Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards had been detained in the incident.

It said the seized vessel was carrying explosives and those captured intended to conduct a "terrorist act" in Saudi territorial waters. Iran has denied the allegation.
Vienna: Iran would maintain its right to respond to US if it dose not comply with the nuclear deal in the future, an Iranian official said after the meetings with world major states in Vienna.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi on Friday told media that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal should be implemented completely in all aspects, noting that Tehran is not satisfied with US regarding the sanctions imposed on Iran on Tuesday over its ballistic missile program.

He stressed Tehran maintains its right to show any reaction if US dose not follow up its obligations under the deal, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the US presidential election, Donald Trump doubted the Iranian nuclear deal which was achieved during Obama`s administration. Trump administration now is reviewing policy on Iran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday new US sanctions contravened the nuclear deal reached after a lot of diplomatic efforts with world major states in 2015.

Iran and six world powers, namely Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US, reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in July 2015, which put it on the path of sanctions relief but with more strict limits on its nuclear program.

The Obama administration sent no new detainees there, and though it didn't fulfil a promise to shut it down, whittled the population from 242 to 41. That includes seven currently facing charges by military commissions. All are in the pretrial stage, including the five men charged with planning and aiding in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates, one of four Arab countries that have imposed sanctions on Qatar, said on Saturday that Doha needed to change its policies before a dialogue could take place.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar and imposed an economic boycott last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and supporting terrorism, charges Doha has repeatedly denied.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said a call for dialogue by Qatar`s emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani was welcome, but this could only happen after Doha had made changes.

He did not specify these, but the four countries involved have issued more than a dozen demands, telling Qatar to close down Al Jazeera television, curb relations with Iran and shut down a Turkish military base.

"Dialogue is necessary and needed but its backbone has to be revision," Gargash said on his Twitter account.

He expressed disappointment with a speech by Sheikh Tamim on Friday, the first the emir had given since the start of the crisis.

"I had hoped that the speech of Sheikh Tamim would be an initiative for revision," Gargash said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of Qatar, will visit Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar during a two-day mediation trip that begins on Sunday.
Islamabad: Amid talk that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may have to quit over the Panama Papers case, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday said the notion of appointing a new Prime Minister was just a speculation.



A Geo TV report, citing high-level sources, said Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of Nawaz Sharif, is expected to replace him if the latter is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the Panama Papers case.



The report added that since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly -- the lower house of Parliament -- he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.



Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim Prime Minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls.



Asif, however, said the notion was just a speculation and there was no truth in the report.



He said Nawaz Sharif was being held accountable when the names of his children were mentioned in the Panama Papers.



Asif said that Nawaz Sharif presented himself for accountability when he could have taken immunity.



He said the Prime Minister has presented the financial record of three generations and four decades.





The Supreme Court on Friday concluded hearing in the sensitive Panama Papers case against Nawaz Sharif and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict which could jeopardise his political future.



A six-member JIT was set up in May by the apex court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.



So far Nawaz Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators` report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions".
Iraq: A US Army sergeant stationed in Hawaii has been indicted on charges of trying to provide material support to Islamic State, allowing the case to move to a federal trial without a preliminary hearing, officials said on Saturday.

Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, is being held in jail and is scheduled to appear in court in Honolulu on Monday to face charges. He was arrested on July 8.

The indictment, from a US grand jury, accuses the military air traffic controller of four counts of attempting to provide material support or resources to a "foreign terrorist organization."

Islamic State, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for suicide bombings and other attacks on civilians around the world, controls territory in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this month, Iraq`s prime minister declared victory in a battle to drive Islamic State out of the city of Mosul.

Kang`s arrest followed a year-long probe involving undercover agents and other "confidential human sources" who posed as Islamic State operatives and sympathizers, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

He is accused of trying to provide classified military documents, a small drone and training in firearms and hand-to-hand combat to people he thought were associated with Islamic State, according to court documents. The alleged contact occurred in June and July, court papers state.

He also swore allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, FBI officials have said.

If convicted, Kang faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each criminal count, the US Department of Justice said in a statement.

His attorney, Birney Bervar, has said Kang was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental problems the Army failed to address after he returned from deployments to Iraq in 2011 and Afghanistan in 2014.

FBI agents exploited those mental issues when they targeted him in the undercover operation, Bervar told reporters earlier this month.

Bervar could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Kang was raised in Waimanalo, Hawaii, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. During a press briefing today, Vice-Speaker of Armenias Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov touched upon Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusolgus statement regarding the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Artsakh.

Sharmazanov particularly said: A state which has openly supported and is supporting the terrorist policy of Azerbaijan has nothing to do in the settlement issue of the Artsakh conflict. The Artsakhi military will always remain in Artsakh for one simple reason: it must defend the peace of its holy and free country. And one more thing, it is ridiculous when an occupier speaks about the peaceful solution of a problem. Free Cyprus from your occupying presence instead of making ludicrous calls.
YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian-Russian relations agenda should be maximally free from artificial questions, chairman of the parliamentary foreign relations committee Armen Ashotyan told a press conference on July 22, commenting on the recent suggestion of a Russian official on granting an official status to their language in Armenia.

From this point of view Armenia has adopted a very clear policy since independence regarding the language-policy. This policy hasnt changed and wont change, this is clear, Ashotyan said.

According to him, there is a tendency in Russia whereby it is engaged in a somewhat language policy with some of its former USSR compatriots in terms of maintaining contacts.

There is no similar issue in Armenia even under the Council of Europes Language Charter. There are no legal and political reasons to comment on this issue from this perspective as well. The issue over an official, constitutional status is out of question, he said.

Ashotyan says he was also following the Azeri and Ukrainian press coverage over the discussions on the matter in the media.

The Azerbaijani media was trying to present our stance as an anti-Russian expression, while the Ukrainian press was using this case from a bit other perspective, like the Armenians got out with their head held high and gave the correct response to the Russians. The Armenian political thought must be guided by its own interests, he said.

Earlier in July, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russias State Duma (lower house of parliament) suggested Armenia to grant the Russian language an official status in order to solve the driver license problem, whereby the Armenian licenses will be considered valid in Russia.

The Armenian parliaments speaker, Ara Babloyan, and Armen Ashotyan, who were present at the meeting with Volodin, opposed the latters idea.
YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armen Ashotyan, the chairman of foreign relations committee of the Armenian parliament believes Russian arms supply to Azerbaijan to be one of the most complicated issues in the Armenian-Russian relations.

During a press conference on July 22, Mr. Ashotyan mentioned that this issue is regularly raised during meetings of Armenian and Russian officials, be it formal or informal.

The Russian side is justifying it as an economic tool, a tool for supervising the military-political situation, however these [justifications] arent convincible, Mr. Ashotyan emphasized.

The senior lawmaker mentioned theyve had closed discussions with their Russian colleagues over the matter.

He said the Russian arms supplies to Azerbaijan is harming Russia itself, therefore this issue needs a solution.

At the same time, the MP says he doesnt want the discussions over this matter to become a reality show, but the society must be informed about this issue.

Ashotyan emphasized that Armenias political agenda is different from that of any other country, perhaps with the exception of the Republic of Artsakh.
YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. During a July 21 meeting with children of the Sirius educational center in Sochi, President of Russia Vladimir Putin made a remark about his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which was to take place later in the day.

At the end of the meeting, a Russian TV host from NTV made a humorous remark that the lengthy meeting with the children might cause problems because Putin has prepared presents only for the 4 kids who have birthdays on July 21, to which the Russian President responded Im gonna have a problem in an hour. In one hour I will meet with the Azerbaijani president. (transcript according to official website of the Kremlin)

Earlier in February, Jean-Claude Juncker  the European Commission president had made a similar remark about Aliyev.

At the end of a press conference, Juncker thanked the reporters and said Thank you, have a nice day. Now I will meet the Azerbaijani president: therefore the nice part of the day is over for me.

Baku hasnt yet commented on Putins statement, just like it never commented on Junckers remark.
YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Iran is a country having ancient cultural heritage, and its culture and history are very important for Armenians, Aram Ananyan, director of ARMENPRESS news agency said during an interview with IRNA news agency, the official media service of Iran.

Mr. Ananyan reminded that recently the photo-correspondent of ARMENPRESS visited Iran and photographed the rich and ancient cultural legacy of the country, and the Armenian cultural monuments. These unique photographs can be presented as an exhibition in the future.

The director of Armenias state news agency emphasized the need for developing the relations between Yerevan and Tehran in all directions, and mentioned that some developments already exist, namely the establishment of joint Armenian-Iranian companies in various branches, including in the tourism branch. Various Iranian venues, restaurants and shopping facilities can be spotted in Armenia.

This is all a sign of the friendly relations between the two countries. However this is also a sign that we must enhance these relations, Mr. Ananyan said.

According to him, one important aspect is also increasing the level of knowledge of one another between the two peoples.

Due to the expansion of tourism cooperation of the two countries, Iranian language can be heard in Armenian tourism destinations, which is very pleasant, Mr. Ananyan said.

The ARMENPRESS head also touched upon media issues of the modern world, mentioning that impartial news coverage of global developments can help in solving problems. According to him, news agencies which have tradition, ARMENPRESS being one of them, seek to present real facts and events, as well as expert evaluations.

ARMENPRESS and IRNA have considerable history in the information area, their news coverage is based on the principles of transparency and clarity, Mr. Ananyan said, reminding that the role of news agencies in the 21st century is very important for the development of the Armenian-Iranian relations.

The two news agencies continue to enhance and strengthen their relations.

Mr. Ananyan also recalled his visit to Iran in early 2016, when issues of future cooperation were discussed with IRNA executives.

Mr. Ananyan also mentioned that 2018 will mark the 100th anniversary of establishment of ARMENPRESS. On this occasion we will be glad if representatives of international news agencies participate in the celebrations, he said.
NEW YORK CITYWriter/filmmaker Bruce LaBruce has built a career exploring themes of sexual and interpersonal transgression against cultural normsand now CockyBoys is collaborating with him. He's known for frequently blending the artistic and production techniques of independent film with gay pornography not unlike that of CockyBoys' owner and acclaimed director Jake Jaxson. This short film anthology is LaBruce's first gay adult project since L.A. Zombie over 7 years ago.

Jake Jaxson is currently on location in Berlin with an all-star cast and production team who, with LaBruce, are producing an anthology of four short films featuring a cast of star performers including gay porn legend Francois Sagat, Colby Keller, Dato Foland, and Arad WinWin, along with CockyBoy exclusives Sean Ford, Levi Karter, Calvin Banks and Allen King.

"Working with Bruce on this anthology is a dream come true," said Jaxson. "I have been a fan of his work from the first time I saw Hustler White. A few years ago we met at a retrospective of his work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and since then we had discussed ways to possibility work together. So a few months back he sent me some scripts to consider, and it was everything I have always loved in his work: irreverent, satyrical, funny and sexy. And once we added some of our performers to the mix, I was all in. I'm thrilled with what they have been shooting and what's to come: a true Bruce La Bruce film experience for both our performers and our members!"

The first two films were shot on location in Madrid, Spain and the final two are being completed now in Berlin. The first two shorts will premiere only on CockyBoys the last week in October, with the final two short films being released before Christmas. The DVD of the as-yet-untitled Bruce LaBruce CockyBoys anthology will be released before the end of the year.

Since the release of his sexy 1991 film No Skin Off My Ass, we at TLA have been huge supporters of Bruce LaBruce, said Erik Schut, Managing Director and CMM at TLAgay.com. From his classic Tony Ward-led Hustler White and Raspberry Reich to his forays into the world of actual all-male porn with the explosive Skin Gang and erotically blood-soaked L.A. Zombie starring Francois Sagat, all of his films are unique experiences. Hes a true visionary, and his films never cease to amaze, antagonize, challenge, confront, rile up, teach and entertain. What more could one want from an artist?

Schut continued, As a retailer, the fact that Jake Jaxson and LaBruce are now collaborating on projects feels like artistic destiny. As a fan, this collaboration fills me with kick-ass excitement! New Queer Cinema is about to be upended and reinvented.

Bruce LaBruce stated, "I've always been intrigued by the CockyBoys brand, and as I like to keep my hand in the porn biz, I met with Jake and the boys in the spring in New York to discuss a collaboration. Jake is always open to new ideas, so I proposed a kind of omnibus film, a package of four short films with interrelated themes. Things move fast in the porn world, so we shot the first two films in Madrid in early June, and now two more in Berlin in July. We flew in some of my very favorite CockyBoys, including Colby Keller, whom I had been eager to work with for some time. The concept includes more high-end production values than are usually found in porn, with an emphasis on characters and narrative. The resulting four filmsDiablo in Madrid, Uber Menschen, The Purple Army Faction, and Fleapitrepresent an attempt to return to more classical forms of porn storytelling.

All of the shorts in this groundbreaking anthology will appear exclusively on CockyBoy.com this October.
BROOMFIELD, COEldorado Trading Company has been awarded the Marketing Campaign of the Year trophy at the 11th Annual StorErotica Awards for its e-learning series, Elevate U. The award was presented Monday night at the award ceremony which took place during the Adult Novelty Manufacturers Expo (ANME) in Burbank, California. The sexual health certification series that launched at the beginning of the year was developed in partnership with the non-profit organization, The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH).

It is a tremendous honor to receive this esteemed award and rewarding to be recognized amongst all the other great companies who were nominated, said Eldorado Marketing Communications Director Allison Travers. A huge thank-you to StorErotica, our loyal customers and industry partners for your support. As competition in our industry continues to intensify, Eldorado is committed to helping our customers stand out in their communities and be a true resource for consumers.

Elevate U is a comprehensive, 16-lesson e-learning series that covers a variety of sexual health topics. The program is designed to go beyond product focus to give adult retail owners and their employees the tools and knowledge they need to become a sexual health resource in their community.

The lessons are intended to empower Eldorados retailers with accurate sexual health information so they can confidently and correctly answer sexual health-related questions. With this knowledge, retailers can offer customers an excellent in-store experience that will help create repeat business, help the retailer become a trusted community resource and give the retailer have a competitive advantage.

Kira Manser, Clinical Director of The CSPH and one of the main personalities featured in the program said, "We're beyond thrilled that Eldorado is being recognized and celebrated for Elevate U. This innovative program stands alone in the industry in its commitment to comprehensive sexual education. Eldorado is setting a new high standard for the industry in sexual health education and outreach."

Elevate U is dedicated to the memory of Eldorado founder Larry Garland, to commemorate his longtime passion and commitment to sexual health and wellness education that was always at the forefront of his mission.

The e-learning series is available to active Eldorado customers as an added value to working with Eldorado, and lessons will continue to be released throughout the remainder of the year. For more information about Elevate U and to enroll in the program, visit Eldorado.net/ElevateU or email [email protected]. To learn more about The CSPH, please visit TheCSPH.org.
The U.S. government today said that Americans will be prohibited from traveling to North Korea because of an elevated risk of "long-term detention" in the country, where an American student was jailed last year while traveling there, and later died.

Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed a "Geographical Travel Restriction" that forbids Americans from entering North Korea, his spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

"Once in effect, U.S. passports will be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea," said Nauert.

She says the move was due to "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea's system of law enforcement."

Reuters:
A scrap dealer cleaning out a deceased engineer's basement in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania found two massive 1960s computers, magnetic tape data storage systems, and hundreds of tape reels, all of which was marked as the property of NASA. The scrap dealer called NASA to report what he found and the agency's Office of the Inspector General investigated. It turns out that the fellow was an IBM engineer who worked for NASA in the early 1970s and was given permission to save the stuff as it was being discarded. One space agency's trash is another maker's treasure From Ars Technica:



"Please tell NASA these items were not stolen," the engineer's heir told the scrap dealer, according to the (Office of Insepctor General's) report. "They belonged to IBM Allegheny Center Pittsburgh, PA 15212. During the 1968-1972 timeframe, IBM was getting rid of the items so [redacted engineer] asked if he could have them and was told he could have them."



NASA investigators picked up the 325 magnetic data tape reels on December 8, 2015. The cassettes measured 14 inches in diameter and were filled with half-inch magnetic tape. The tapes "were in poor condition and almost all were affected by moderate to severe mould."





Most of the tapes were not labelled, but "of the tapes that were labelled, the content appeared to be space science related with missions including Pioneer and Helios and the inclusive date range was 1967-1974."





NASA told the family of the deceased that it was not in the junk removal business. "No, we do not need the computers," NASA told the family of the deceased. "We have no use for [them]."
Shipping giant FedEx has quietly moved to close retail office stores in all Canadian cities putting more than 214 people out of work and ending three decades of doing business in the country.

FedEx will continue to ship within Canada, but its copy and office supply stores will close Aug. 18.

"We reached the decision to exit the Canadian market after thoughtful evaluations of our business operations and considerations about our future," a company statement said.

FedEx has 24 stores in Ontario, Nova Scotia and B.C., with the bulk located in Ontario.

The news came as a shock to customers wondering where they will do business.

"I needed to ship a parcel to New York yesterday and I was told by the woman at the counter that all the office stores in Canada were closing," London customer Jeff Blake explained.

"I find it puzzling," he said, noting that FedEx had recently built a new store in the city.
By Tom Allard JAKARTA (Reuters) - As a lengthy, urban battle drags on between Philippine forces and Islamist militants in the southern city of Marawi, a new report by a think-tank has warned of more attacks by radicals in Southeast Asia, including on foreigners. A coalition of Philippine militant groups, augmented by foreign fighters, stormed Marawi, on the island on Mindanao, nearly two months ago. The militants, who claim allegiance to Islamic State (IS), still control a portion of the city despite a sustained military offensive. There have been similar attacks in the Philippines since last year, but the duration and ferocity of the fighting in Marawi has alarmed Southeast Asian nations and led to fears the assault could inspire and unite the region's disparate Islamist groups. "The risks won't end when the military declares victory," said Sidney Jones, director of the Institute of Policy Analysis of Conflict, adding that threats would mount in neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia, both Muslim-majority nations. "Indonesia and Malaysia will face new threats in the form of returning fighters from Mindanao, and the Philippines will have a host of smaller dispersed cells with the capacity for both violence and indoctrination." The Marawi siege had united two feuding pro-IS factions in Indonesia, the world's most-populous Muslim-majority nation, and led to soul-searching among militants there "about why they cannot manage to do anything as spectacular", the report said. "Once the battle for Marawi is over, it is possible that Southeast Asian ISIS leaders (in Syria) might encourage Indonesians to go after other targets, including foreigners or foreign institutions  especially if one of them comes back to lead the operations," the report added, using another acronym for the Islamic State. Asked about an elevated threat in Indonesia, including for foreigners, police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said: "We will stay cautious, increase our alertness and monitor the movement of those who come home from Marawi." Malaysia's police counter-terrorism chief declined comment. Authorities in the Philippines did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Authorities estimate about 20 Indonesian militants were involved in the fighting in Marawi but it is not clear how many survived. About 565 people have died in nearly two months of fighting in Marawi, according to officials, including over 420 militants, 45 civilians and almost 100 Philippines military and police. After missing several deadlines for re-taking Marawi, Philippine officials say it is not possible to say when the fighting will end. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon told reporters on Friday a hard core of fighters has been hemmed in to three barangays, or urban villages, down from the 12 they held earlier. Marawi has 96 such barangays. CHAIN OF COMMAND In a key revelation, the IPAC report tracked the chain of command for the Marawi operations. At its apex was Islamic State "Central" in Syria, represented by Katibah Nusantara, the IS military unit made up of fighters from Southeast Asia and led by Indonesian militant Bahrumsyah, likely the highest ranked member of IS from the region, it said. Bahrumsyah organized funding and helped find international recruits, liaising with Malaysian militant Mahmud Ahmad, a former university lecturer and Islamic scholar believed to be in Marawi. Mahmud "controlled recruitment as well as financing and has been the contact person for any foreigner wanting to join the pro-ISIS forces in the Philippines", the report said. Tactical decisions on the ground were made by local militant commanders but the report said "the Syria-based Southeast Asians could have a say in setting strategy for (the) region when the siege is over." The report warned the devastating damage to the city from Philippines military air strikes was being exploited by militant ideologues. It cited a post on the social media platform Telegram, a message presumed to be from a militant, that said: "We did not bomb it to ashes". "We ordained good and forbade evil ... but the response of the Crusader Army was brutal." The Philippines military has defended the use of air strikes in its offensive, noting that militant snipers positioned on top of buildings made it difficult for ground troops to make headway in the dense urban environment. (Additional reporting by Stefanno Reinard in Jakarta, Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur and Martin Petty in Manila; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
FRIDAY, July 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Nobody wants the flu, but it can prove deadly for frail residents of nursing homes.

Now, new research suggests that giving this population a high-dose flu vaccine -- one with four times the usual amount of immune-spurring antigens -- can greatly cut their risk of hospitalization from the flu.

The shot, called Fluzone, seemed to help even the oldest old, the Brown University team said.

"In our study, a quarter of the sample was over 90. So we asked if the high-dose vaccine also would work better than regular-dose vaccine in the population we consider least able to respond," explained study lead researcher Dr. Stefan Gravenstein. "This paper says, yes, it can."

The study was published July 21 in the journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine. It was funded by the vaccine's maker, Sanofi-Pasteur.

One expert in caring for very ill people said that influenza poses special dangers for nursing home residents.

"Patients who are already suffering from other chronic diseases are helped with a better quality of life because they are not moved out of their comfortable environment to a hospital," noted Dr. Theodore Strange.

"This [new vaccine] is a huge in terms of cost of care and in quality of life for these patients," said Strange, who is associate director of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City.

In the new study, the Brown team analyzed Medicare claims data from more than 38,000 residents of 823 nursing homes in 38 states during the 2013-2014 flu season.

A high-dose flu vaccine was given to residents of more than 400 of the homes, while residents in the other homes received the standard dose.

The result: Overall hospitalization rates were 3.4 percent for residents who received the high-dose vaccine and 3.8 percent for those who received the standard dose.

The risk of hospitalization for respiratory illness, in particular, was nearly 13 percent lower in the high-dose group. That group also had a much lower rate of hospitalization for any reason, respiratory or otherwise, Gravenstein's group said.

"Respiratory illness as the primary reason for hospitalization accounted for only about a third of the reduction in hospitalization that we measured," noted Gravenstein, who believes the shot may help ward off hospitalization for causes beyond lung troubles.

Breaking it down another way, the study found that for every 69 residents who received the high-dose vaccine vs. the standard-dose vaccine, one more person avoided hospitalization during the flu season.

However, the overall death rate was not affected by which flu vaccine the participants received.

One prior study found that a high-dose flu vaccine can benefit older adults, but it focused on relatively healthy people. "It still needed to be established that it would help even the frailest folks, like those who reside in nursing homes," Gravenstein noted.

For his part, Strange called the study "well-designed," and after reviewing the findings he concluded that "even though the cost of the high-dose vaccine is significantly more, the benefit of keeping patients out of the hospital far outweighs its cost."

Dr. Alan Mensch helps direct medical affairs at Northwell Health's Plainview and Syosset Hospitals in New York. He agreed that until now, "little [has been] known about the efficacy of the flu vaccine in the frail elderly, such as those that reside in long-term health care facilities."

Mensch, a pulmonologist, also believes that death rates weren't affected because "the study was done during the 2013-2014 flu season, during which a relatively mild strain of flu predominated."

According to Mensch, it makes sense that frailer individuals might benefit from a tougher flu shot.

"What we can learn from this study is that in medicine, as in life, one size does not fit all," he said. "Medicine must strive to tailor therapies to individuals with different biology, gender and ages. This study is a step in the right direction."

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about the flu.
FRIDAY, July 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 1 in 5 American adults deals with a mental illness or substance abuse problem each year, a U.S. government study says.

Oregon has the highest rate, and New Jersey the lowest, according to 2012-2014 data analyzed by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Overall, almost 44 million Americans 18 or older had a diagnosable mental, behavioral or emotional disorder in the past year, researchers said. They reviewed national surveys on drug use and health.

"The figures in SAMHSA's report remind us how important it is to take mental health as seriously as any other health condition," Kana Enomoto, SAMHSA acting deputy assistant secretary, said in an agency news release.

The overall national rate of mental illness was about 18 percent.

In Oregon, almost 23 percent of the state residents had any type of mental illness. Utah, West Virginia, Maine and Rhode Island were next, with rates above 21 percent.

In New Jersey, the mentally healthiest state, fewer than 16 percent of adults had a mental health condition, according to the report. The other lowest rates were in Illinois, North Dakota, Florida and South Dakota (all about 16.5 percent).

Rates varied within states, too. For example, northwestern Oregon had a high of almost 24 percent. South Florida came in with less than 15 percent having a diagnosable mental illness in a given year.

"The presence of [any mental illness] in every state reinforces that mental illness is a major public health concern in the United States," the report noted. "Overall treatment levels remain low, and addressing the mental health of U.S. adults remains a concern for state and national public health officials."

Highlighting the percentage of people with a mental illness at state and local levels can help policymakers assess mental health needs in their communities, the researchers noted.

Examining changes over time is a key part of such assessments. The report said that rates of past-year mental illness among adults rose in California, Maine, North Carolina and Rhode Island between 2010-2012 and 2012-2014. There was no change in other states.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on mental health.
President Rodrigo Duterte (left) and President Joko Widodo, Jakarta, 2016

JAKARTA: President Joko Widodo has issued a shoot-to-kill order against foreign dealers and traffickers, as he called for tougher action in Indonesia's war on drugs.





"The police and TNI (military) have been firm, especially when dealing with foreign drug traffickers entering the country," said the President, popularly known as Jokowi. "If they resist arrest, just gun them down, show no mercy."





Joko, who was speaking at an event in Jakarta on Friday night, also warned that the drug situation has put the country in a national emergency.





But his comments have drawn comparisons to his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte, who has been criticised for his drug war killings, which have left thousands dead.





Indonesia has one of the world's toughest drugs laws, and remains one of 33 countries that still use capital punishment for drug-related offences.





Since the country lifted a four-year moratorium on the death penalty in 2013, 18 people - all drug traffickers - have been sent to the firing squad.





Among the 15 foreigners executed were Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, both of whom were part of the Bali Nine, a name given to a group of nine Australians convicted for attempting to smuggle 8.3 kg of heroin in April 2005.





Indonesia has struggled to contain the drug problem, with officials estimating that there are at least 1.2 million drug-abusers in the country.





Ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine, better known as crystal meth, are the drugs of choice for substance abusers in Indonesia, similar to those preferred by drug users in many other countries in the region.





On July 13, a suspected drug trafficker from Taiwan was shot dead by Indonesian police as he tried to escape.





Lin Ming Hui was one of four Taiwanese men found in Banten, a city near the capital Jakarta,with one tonne of crystal meth, better known by its Indonesian street-name 'Shabu-shabu'.





Indonesian National Police chief Tito Karnavian said following the incident that he had ordered his officers not to hesitate when having to use their firearms against drug dealers who resist arrest.





Indonesian National Police chief Tito Karnavian

General Tito, citing the example of the Philippines, said he believes the death penalty was an effective way to combat drug dealers, despite the controversies surrounding capital punishment.





"From the practice in the field, we see that when we shoot at drug dealers they go away," he added, referring to President Duterte's shoot-to-kill order to the Philippine National Police. "So if such a policy were implemented in Indonesia, we believe that the number of drug traffickers and users in our beloved country would drop drastically."





His remarks, however, drew a strong response from some observers such as Human Rights Watch deputy director for Asia, Phelim Kine.





Kine said General Tito should "denounce the Philippines' war on drugs for what it truly is - a brutal, unlawful assault on the rule of law, human rights, and basic decency that has targeted some of the country's poorest, most marginalised citizens".





He also called on Joko to send a clear message to the police that efforts to address the complex problems of drugs and criminality require the security forces to respect everyone's basic rights, not demolish them.





He added: "Duterte's drug war is not about 'capital punishment' - a judicially imposed sentence after a criminal trial - but a police-led summary killing campaign that that has killed more than 7,000 Filipinos since Duterte took office."

Jokowi orders police to gun down foreign drug traffickers

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has instructed law enforcement officers to impose the sternest sanctions on drug dealers operating in Indonesia, including gunning them down if necessary.





I have told you, just be firm, especially with foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist [upon arrest]. Gun them down. Give no mercy, he said in a speech on the United Development Party (PPP) national working meeting (Mukernas) in Jakarta on Friday.





The statement came following the largest seizure of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, weighing one ton from Taiwan last week. The police arrested four Taiwanese men who allegedly attempted to distribute the drugs in Greater Jakarta and shot dead one for resisting arrest.





"We are indeed in an emergency situation in dealing with drug trafficking," Jokowi added.





National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said a lot of drug dealers thought that Indonesia was a potential market because they considered its drug laws weaker than those of Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.





On this occasion, we want to emphasize that the police would act firmly and toughly, especially against the foreign [drug dealers]. I even told [officers] to act by custom,' which means if they resist [arrest], shoot. In this case, one Taiwanese was shot dead, Tito said earlier.





Tito alleged that the suspects had used a cruise ship, called the Wanderlust, to smuggle one ton of crystal meth from Taiwan to Indonesia. After dropping the drugs off, the Wanderlust travelled to the Java Sea, Karimata Strait and Batam.



Indonesia to Implement Duterte's Drug War Approach

Indonesian police seized a ton of crystal methamphetamine

worth $112 million in Serang, Banten, on July 13, 2017.

Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ordered law enforcers to shoot drug traffickers to deal with what he called a narcotics emergency facing the country.





"No mercy for them [foreign drug traffickers]. We are currently in an emergency in terms of drug abuse," Jokowi said in Jakarta on Friday (21/07), as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.





The president spoke after police seized a ton of crystal methamphetamine worth Rp 1.5 trillion ($112 million) in Serang, Banten, on July 13. The narcotic, locally known as shabu-shabu, was smuggled from China and constitutes the Indonesia's largest seizure to date.





Police arrested four Taiwanese men who allegedly attempted to distribute the drugs in the greater Jakarta area. One of them was shot dead while resisting arrest.





Jokowi said the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) are working together to act decisively against drug traffickers.





"Now, the police and the TNI are really firm, particularly against international drug dealers who enter Indonesia. Just shoot them if they even show a little resistance," he added.





National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian was quoted by Antara on Thursday as saying that drug smugglers are targeting Indonesia because they deem the country's law enforcement efforts weak, unlike Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.





"They [drug traffickers] have noticed that, apart from the potential market, we [law enforcement officers] may be weak to act. Our laws are considered weak; that causes them to become rampant in Indonesia," Tito said in Jakarta.





He said international drug traffickers have been given a stern warning not to consider Indonesia as one of their main destinations for the illegal drug trade.





"I have ordered the police to crack down and act tough, especially against foreign drug dealers. I have also told [officers] to act in accordance with their standard operational procedure, which also means shooting them if they resist arrest," Tito said.





Indonesia is not the only Southeast Asian country under threat from the widespread distribution of illicit drugs. The Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte declared war on drug pushers last year.





Warning From Rights Activists





Extrajudicial killings in the Philippines have drawn condemnation from the international community and human rights groups.





Usman Hamid, country director for the United Kingdom-based rights group Amnesty International in Indonesia, said the statements by Jokowi and Tito may result in law enforcement officials on the ground committing unlawful actions, such as extrajudicial killings or summary executions, which constitute gross human rights violations.





"Duterte's war on drugs is the wrong kind of approach for a democratic country. Indonesia must look for a better approach or best practices from other countries," Usman told the Jakarta Globe.





He added that Duterte declared war on drugs after the state imposed martial law with the parliament's approval. The implementation of Duterte's shoot-on-sight policy violates the country's constitutional law and other regulations.





Usman said Jokowi and Tito's remarks could be regarded as a move to implement martial law in Indonesia. He added that their statements show a lack of understanding of basic norms of human rights and the rule of law.

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In his recent keynote address in Warsaw, President Donald Trump spoke of the fight waged by the Polish people in the twentieth century against the totalitarian forces of Nazism and Communism, and praised Poland as an example for others who seek freedom and who wish to summon the courage and the will to defend our civilization. He celebrated the cultural and political values of the West, as well as challenges now confronting their survival.

Americans, Poles and the nations of Europe value individual freedom and sovereignty. We must work together to confront forces, whether they come from inside or out, from the South or the East, that threaten over time to undermine these values and to erase the bonds of culture, faith and tradition that make us who we are.

Who we are, said President Trump, are people who pursue innovationtreasure the rule of law and protect the right to free speechempower women as pillars of our society and our success:

And above all, we value the dignity of every human life, protect the rights of every person, and share the hope of every soul to live in freedom.

President Trump emphasized the necessity of a strong alliance of freenations to best defend our freedoms and interests. That is why the United States, he said, insists that all NATO members meet their financial obligations, and why the United States has demonstrated not merely with words, but with its actions, that we stand firmly behind Article 5, the mutual defense commitment.

The current adversaries of our civilization and values, President Trump said, include radical Islamic terrorism, which seeks to export its violent oppression around the globe; as well as powers that seek to test our will, undermine our confidence, and challenge our interests through cyber warfare, financial crimes and propaganda.

He called for a unified effort, including from the leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations, to defeat radical Islamic terrorism; and he urged Russia to stop its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and join responsible nations in their fight against common enemies and in defense of civilization.

But that defense, said President Trump, demands a commitment of will: The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost?

If that answer is yes, then, President Trump declared, like the courageous Polish people of the twentieth century, Our values will prevailAnd our civilization will triumph.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Azerbaijan increases pressure on the OSCE Minsk Group member countries, including Russia, Sergey Markov, Russian presidents confidant, member of Russian Civic Chamber, told Trend July 22.

He was commenting on the July 21 meeting of presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, in Sochi.

Russia is simply more active than other OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, Markov said, adding the other member countries, France and the US, do nothing.

He noted that when the meeting is not announced, it means that the sides plan to have a brief meeting due to the need to quickly solve certain issues.

After the killing of civilians in the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district, the pressure of public opinion in Azerbaijan is so high, that the countrys leadership should communicate this to the mediators and take certain measures if the negotiations remain frozen, Markov said.

On July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces again violated ceasefire and, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives, namely the Alkhanli village of the countrys Fuzuli district. As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The leadership of Azerbaijan asks the Russian leadership to exert pressure on the leadership of Armenia in order to bring it back to the negotiating table, said Markov.

It is known that the Armenian leadership is not against negotiations, but is against profound talks, he added.

And President Ilham Aliyev wants meaningful progress. I believe that the issues on how this progress will happen and when the next negotiations will take place were discussed and agreed on by the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan.

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, July 22

Trend:

President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte has congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

I extend my warmest greetings to you and your people on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Azerbaijan, said Duterte in his congratulatory letter.

I also take this opportunity to express the Philippines desire to further strengthen our bilateral relations and hope that our ties will expand across more areas of mutual interest in the coming years, he noted.

I wish Your Excellency the best of health and continued success in leading Azerbaijan to greater progress and prosperity, added the Philippine president. Accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Details added (first version posted on July 21, 23:50)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Sochi.

Dear Ilham Heydarovich, I am very pleased to see you in Sochi, said President Putin greeting President Aliyev.

I have just met with children from our new Sirius Educational Center. I am very happy with the development of this project, and I will tell you about this with great pleasure. I am glad to have this opportunity to discuss both our bilateral relations and the situation in the region, said the Russian president.

The situation in the region is complex. I hope that our meeting today will allow us to find ways of solving all difficult problems, and, of course, we will also talk about how the bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation are developing. We have a great deal of works and joint projects for the future. I am glad to have this opportunity to meet and talk with you on all these issues, noted Putin.

Thank you, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, said President Ilham Aliyev for his part.

I am also very glad to meet with you. We meet on a regular basis. These meetings give a good impetus to the development of our bilateral relations, which successfully continue. We are satisfied with the level, high level of our relations. We enjoy active cooperation in political, trade and economic, humanitarian areas. There are good prospects in the fields of transport and energy. Our relations are multifaceted, and cover almost all areas of our life. Of course, we need to regularly conduct consultations on important issues  regional affairs, global politics, bilateral relations and the strengthening of security in our region, noted the Azerbaijani president.

Therefore, I am glad to see you again. I am confident that our meeting will give a good impetus to the development of our friendly relations, said President Aliyev.

The presidents once again emphasized the existence of the relations of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Russia. They pointed out successful development of the bilateral relations in political, economic, humanitarian and other areas.

The heads of state discussed the issues relating to settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

They also exchanged views over international and regional problems. Both presidents expressed their confidence that relations of friendship and strategic partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan will continue to develop successfully.

On July 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev completed his working visit to the Russian Federation.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Yesterday's meeting between presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, in Sochi has once again confirmed the obvious postulate  no external forces can and will be able to hinder strengthening of relations between the two countries. This does not only have to do with Armenia but also certain Western forces who believe that Baku must be turned away from the policy of systematic building of strategic relations with the Kremlin.

This is not surprising as the question Who Baku is friends with? is becoming more and more topical for world powers. Over time, Azerbaijan has become an increasingly significant factor of global and regional politics, and this is due in no small part to the presence of internal political stability in the country, developing economy and Bakus foreign policy. In other words, building relationships with such a strong, predictable and reliable partner is advantageous for everyone, and this is why, the desire to get Baku into one of the political camps is politically quite understandable.

However, the strengthening of strategic relations with Moscow has always been on the agenda of Baku, and therefore, that is unlikely to be changed. Especially, Yerevan, which has numerously tried to spoil Azerbaijani-Russian relations by complaining, whining and using hidden hints and open blackmail, will never manage to do this. Firstly, Moscow hardly listens to Armenias whining and secondly, it never fulfills Armenian requests and demands that are contrary to Russian national interests.

And the fact that strengthening of ties with Baku is in the interests of Moscow raises no doubts.

Modern relations between Azerbaijan and Russia represent an excellent example of a strategic partnership, when two countries have identical views on most key issues. Moreover, these relations are even stronger as they are based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Azerbaijan and Russia signed more than 200 interstate, intergovernmental and interregional agreements. In addition, there is an important economic factor  Russia is one of Azerbaijans main trading partners, and the development of mechanisms for regional cooperation in a trilateral format generally includes the two countries similar approaches to many issues.

By the way, the Russian language occupies a special place in the strengthening of relations between Baku and Moscow, as Azerbaijan, unlike neighboring states, treats with respect the preservation and development of the language in the country. This has the most positive impact on the life of the Russian diaspora in Azerbaijan. And, certainly, Baku trusts the Kremlin in the issue of mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement for a reason.

Based on Moscow's actions, Baku pins certain hopes on Russia not only as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the country, which is geographically and historically closely connected with the South Caucasus, but also as a strategic partner with whom the relationship is time-tested.

---

Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agencys Russian news service, follow her on Twitter:@EmmaTariver
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 20

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Czech companies are interested to participate in the modernization of the Baku Refinery, said Czech Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vitezslav Pivonka in an interview with Trend.

"We know that a project is being prepared on modernization of the Baku Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev," said the ambassador adding that Czech companies have vast experience in this sphere.

Even during the Soviet era, Czech companies participated in the construction of refineries throughout the USSR and in many countries of the Middle East, including the Baku Refinery, noted Pivonka.

The refinerys modernization project is interesting for the Czech companies, which can participate in it.

The diplomat noted that Czech Republic also wants to accelerate the work on signing a memorandum of understanding in the energy sphere. The work on the project has been continuing for a long time.

Unfortunately, the work on it was slowed firstly by the change of the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and then the premature death of Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, said Pivonka.

He expressed hope that despite these unfortunate events, the work on the memorandum will be completed successfully.

It should be noted that the Azerbaijani oil meets about a quarter of the annual consumption of the Czech Republic, therefore, Azerbaijan, which has made a significant contribution to the diversification of Czech energy resources, has become an important strategic partner of this European country.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, the two countries trade turnover amounted to $201.011 million in January-June 2017, increasing by $10.056 million or 4.8 percent as compared to the same period of 2016.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

A project has been started in Turkmenistan to improve the system of seismological observations in Ashgabat and around the city, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper writes July 22.

The project is being implemented under the joint statement signed by Turkmenistan and Japan to further develop friendship and partnership.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency will give Turkmenistan modern seismological equipment, digital seismic stations and software tools for processing and interpreting data. It is planned to install three digital seismic stations in Turkmenistan.

Turkmen experts are expected to undergo training in Japan to familiarize themselves with modern technology for processing of seismic data.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Romanias President Klaus Werner Iohannis sent a letter to Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulating him and the people of Turkmenistan on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Turkmen government said in a message.

During these years, the Romanian-Turkmen cooperation has reached a level of strategic partnership, says the letter.

I assure you of my commitment to deepening bilateral relations through the implementation of joint initiatives, especially in the energy sector and establishment of direct transport links between the ports of the Black and Caspian Seas in order to enhance our trade exchanges, noted the Romanian president in his letter.

Earlier, it was reported that the two countries had agreed to study the optimal ways of the Black Sea-Caspian Sea trade and transport corridor using the advantages of Constanta and Turkmenbashi ports.

This is about the formation of the Eurasian transport corridor. Particularly, the State Service of Maritime and River Transportation of Turkmenistan in recent years has been studying the possibility of transporting goods, including liquefied gas to Constanta. The delivery route involves the use of special containers and runs through the Caspian Sea to Baku (Azerbaijan), then by rail to Batumi or Poti (Georgia, Black Sea region) and from there to Romania by sea.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 22

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree On measures to radically improve tax administration, increase tax collection and other compulsory payments.

The document, published in the countrys media outlets, outlines the main areas of reforming the system of bodies of the state tax service  wide introduction of modern ICT, strengthening responsibility of officials for the timely provision of reliable information related to tax matters, developing efficient mechanisms for the prevention of tax offenses and increase of taxpayers legal culture.

Measures will be implemented to expand the tax base by restoring the activities of non-functioning enterprises and improving financial state of low-margin enterprises, according to the document.

Tax monitoring will be introduced in the country since early 2018. It is a modern form of tax control, providing for enhanced information exchange between tax authorities and conscientious taxpayers.

It also envisages the provision of assistance to taxpayers in solving taxation issues. Taxpayers facing temporary financial difficulties may be granted tax holidays.

An inspection for control over the completeness of revenues to the state budget, which will analyze the data on collection of tax and customs payments, will be created in Uzbekistan. A working committee will also be established in the country to improve tax legislation.

In accordance with the decree, a set of measures will be implemented by the beginning of 2018 to provide business entities with a digital signature, as well as taxpayers with access to all services provided by the Uzbek tax authorities.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Irans Ports and Maritime Organization has loaded and unloaded more than 3.9 million tons of oil products at its ports across the country over the last Iranian calendar month ending June 21.

According to the latest data available on the organizations website, the figure has dropped by 11.41 percent year-on-year.

The available data indicates that Iran exported about 2.159 million tons and imported about 1.75 million tons of oil products through 20 ports.

The country currently produces 513,500 tons of crude oil per day of which 230,000 tons are refined.

Iranian ports saw loading and unloading of a total of 12.93 million tons of various goods and commodities, including food and metal products between May 22 and June 21.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iran is preparing to sign contracts with French Total and Royal Dutch Shell on petrochemical projects, Marzieh Shahdaei, head of Irans National Petrochemical Company, told IRNA.

The sides are negotiating the final issues to sign contracts, according to her.

Both Total and Shell have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran on Petrochemical sphere in 2016.

Shahdaei said that the worth of the contract with Total will be $2 billion. The worth of Shells MoU with Iran is estimated at $6 billion.

Iran plans to attract $10 billion investment in petrochemical sphere in the current fiscal year. The country projected to double the petrochemical production capacity to 120 million tons per year by 2021.

Total and Iran earlier signed a 20-year contract worth $4.8 billion to develop South Pars gas fields 11th phase.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

An Iranian parliamentary commission is pushing a drugs decriminalization bill through the legislative assembly in a bid to bring down the illegal narcotics trade in the country.

Hassan Norouzi, a spokesperson for the parliaments Judicial and Legal Commission, has said that the commission approved a bill that would allow the Iranian government to distribute drugs among addicts, ILNA news agency reported.

He added that Justice Ministry and Iran Drug Control Headquarters will jointly issue regulations to make clear the details of the bill.

Before becoming a law, the legislation needs to be approved by the parliament and ratified by the Guardians Council, the countrys constitutional watchdog body.

Earlier in July, Irans parliament approved generalities of a bill to restrict the number of death penalties for those convicted of drug offenses.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iran has inaugurated the industrial and massive production line of the Sayyad-3 missile, Defense Ministrys official website reported July 22.

According to the report, the Sayyad-3 missile is meant to defend the Iranian air space against threats.

Iran announced in August 2015 that it fully indigenized the missile system Talash by removing the Russian S-200 missiles from it and replacing them with homemade Sayyad-3 missiles.

The system is now capable of destroying long-range, high-altitude targets, Tasnim news agency reported August 31.

The system was unveiled August 29, 2015 by Commander of the Khatam ul-Anbiya Air Defense Base Farzad Esmaili.

Sayyad-3 is an updated version of Sayyad-2, a missile for air defense, capable of destroying mid-range, long-altitude targets, such as helicopters and drones. No detail has been given about the specifications of Sayyad-3.

Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines and fighter planes.

The inauguration of the industrial-scale manufacture line of a missile by Iran comes several days after the US imposed new round of sanctions on Iranian entities and individuals, allegedly involved in the missile program.

The US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 entities and individuals for engaging in support of illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity, the Treasury Departments official website reported July 18.

This is the third time the US imposes sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities after Donald Trump took office at the White House.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Just one day after US President Donald Trump warned the Islamic Republic over Americans detained in the Middle Eastern country, Tehran called for the freedom of Iranians who have recently been arrested across the world at the US request.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi has said that a group of Iran nationals have recently been arrested in several countries across the globe on the charges of bypassing the sanctions on the Islamic Republic, ISNA news agency reported.

Speaking about the details of a recent meeting between Iranian and American officials in Vienna, he added that Iran has urged the US to release the detained Iranians.

The representatives from six world powers and Iran met in Vienna, Austria, on July 21 to discuss the latest developments regarding the implementation of Irans nuclear deal.

Donald Trump on July 21 warned that Iran could face "new and serious consequences" if Tehran refuses to free "unjustly detained" American citizens.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

Trend:

The meeting of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev and Russias President Vladimir Putin as part of a working visit shows the trusting relations between the two countries leaders, Elkhan Alasgarov, head of Expert Council of the Baku International Policy and Security Network (Baku Network), told Trend July 22.

He made the remarks while commenting on the July 21 meeting of the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Sochi.

Relations between the countries have strategic nature, and the fact of holding this meeting of the presidents in a confidential form gives reason to believe that topical regional and international issues were discussed, noted Alasgarov.

Naturally, the issues of cooperation in the Caspian Sea, the legal status of the sea were considered, after all, the work on the Convention on the Caspian Seas status will be completed soon, said the expert.

Azerbaijan and Russia are linked by a lot of ties: the relations in the political sphere are at a high level, the two countries support each other on international platform, they have close economic, military, political ties and interests, added Alasgarov.

Of course, consideration of settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is topical for Azerbaijan. Armenia in every possible way hinders the establishment of warm relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, however, the results of the visit indicate that all these efforts are vain and dont work, he noted.

The expert added that Russia and Azerbaijan are inclined to develop relations and the two countries leaders discussed the issues of deepening cooperation in all spheres, as well as within the framework of regional projects.

The visit took place at a time when the Russian-Turkish relations are developing, said Alasgarov.

Meanwhile, the relations in the formats Azerbaijan-Russia-Turkey, Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran, and, undoubtedly, the meeting of the two leaders will give positive results for the development of cooperation, added the expert.

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.
A Cairo criminal court on Saturday sentenced to death 28 people over the 2015 killing of Egypt's top prosecutor after the death penalty was approved by the country's top religious authority, and it also jailed 15 others for 25 years each, Reuters reported.

Public prosecutor Hisham Barakat was killed in a car bomb attack on his convoy in the capital, an operation for which Egypt blamed the Muslim Brotherhood and Gaza-based Hamas militants. Both groups have denied having a role.

The court had in June recommended passing the death penalty to Egypt's top religious leader, the Grand Mufti, who can approve or reject the recommendation. The mufti's guidance is required when a court seeks the death penalty but his decision is not binding..

The sentences, confirmed by the court in Saturday's hearing, can be appealed.

"The verdicts were shocking today," said one of the defense lawyers, Ahmed Saad. "Others who had nothing to do with the assassination of martyr Hisham Barakat received life sentences. They had nothing to do with the incident."

Egypt's Interior Ministry released a video last year showing several young men confessing and admitting going to Gaza for training from Hamas, but some later denied the charges in court.

The defendants said they were forced to confess under torture and their lawyers asked that they be medically examined.

Egypt faces an Islamist insurgency led by Islamic State in North Sinai, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed. But the group has increasingly targeted Egypt's Christians with church bombings and shooting.
"The Secretary-General deeply deplores the death of three Palestinians in clashes today with the Israeli security forces and calls for these incidents to be fully investigated," the statement read, Sputnik reported.

The head of the UN said he was concerned by the unfolding violence in the city and urged both sides to refrain from actions that could further escalate the situation.

Palestinian media reported that between 200 and 400 Palestinians had been injured in clashes with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Tensions soared after Israel tightened security at the Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif, a compound that hosts Islams holiest Al-Aksa mosque. The measures include installing metal detectors at the gate to the shrine and barring men under 50 from entering the site.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has dismissed the allegations about his forthcoming arrival on a visit of Moldova aboard a warplane as utter nonsense, TASS reported.

He plans to visit Chisinau at the head of a Russian delegation in connection with the 25th anniversary since the start of the peacekeeping operation in the much-troubled independence-minded Transdniestria, also known as the unrecognized Dniester Republic.

"Strange people, arent they?" Rogozin twittered on Friday. "First they invented a story about my flying their on a warplane (a Tupolev-160, I think?), and then they believed in that nonsense and staged a real hullabaloo."

Moldovas Prime Minister Pavel Filip said earlier Rogozin should not come to Moldova aboard a warplane.

"He doesnt have any restrictions as regards the entry of Moldova but what matters is how he really comes," Filip told reporters on Friday. "If wants to come to Tiraspol on a warplane. Then he wont come there on a warplane, and if he plans to come in a normal mode by a scheduled flight, then we welcome his visit of course and no one will ban his trip to Moldova."

"Moldovan Prime Minister doesnt want me to arrive by plane. OK. Moldovas authorities have a choice to offer - a helicopter or a bike," Rogozin wrote.

Moldovas Foreign Ministry offered the Russian delegation, which includes performers and journalists who planned to take part in the anniversary events, to cancel the visit altogether. Its objections stemmed from the plans of the delegations to use the jets belonging to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Moldovan President Igor Dodon denounced the governments refusal to receive the jets of the Russian Defense Ministry with a delegation from Moscow in Chisinau.

"When a jet of the U.S. Department of Defense brought a group of generals to the neutral Moldova recently, this didnt cause any questions on the part of the government somehow," he told TASS.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face "new and serious consequences" unless all unjustly detained American citizens were released and returned, the White House said in a statement on Friday, Reuters reported.

Trump urged Iran to return Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran, and demanded that Tehran release businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer.

The statement capped a week of rhetoric against Tehran. On Tuesday, Washington slapped new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile program and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear accord.

Those measures signaled that the Trump administration was seeking to put more pressure on Iran while keeping in place an agreement between Tehran and six world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.

Friday's statement said Trump and his administration were "redoubling efforts" to bring back all Americans unjustly detained abroad.

An Iranian court sentenced 46-year-old Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi to 10 years in prison each on charges of spying and cooperating with the United States.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detained Siamak in October 2015 while he was visiting family in Tehran, relatives said.

The IRGC arrested the father, a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official in February last year, family members said.

Levinson, a former agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and for the Drug Enforcement Administration, disappeared in Iran in 2007 and the U.S. government has a $5 million reward for information leading to his safe return.

An Iranian court sentenced Xiyue Wang, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen graduate student from Princeton University, to 10 years in jail on spying charges, Iran's judiciary spokesman said on Sunday.

"Iran is responsible for the care and wellbeing of every United States citizen in its custody," the White House said in the statement.

Separately, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Oman's foreign affairs minister, Yusuf bin Alawi on Friday.

Washington has in the past sought Oman's mediation to help in securing the release of detained Americans abroad. Last year American prisoners held captive by Yemen Houthi rebels were released after Omani mediation.

Oman also paid bail that ultimately helped in the release of three American hikers in 2010 and 2011.
Although North Korean leader Kim Jung-un has demonstrated concerning behavior he makes rational decisions to ensure the survival of his regime, US National Intelligence Director Daniel Coats said at a security forum, Sputnik reported.

"Hes demonstrated behavior publicly that raises questions about who he is and how he thinks and how he acts and how his behavior is," Coats said on Friday. "Our assessment has resulted in the fact that, well, hes a very unusual type of person, but hes not crazy. Theres some rationale backing his actions which are survival."

Coats added that the North Korean leader weighs the survival of his regime and country in his decisions.

He added that the dictator is aware of the "deterrence" capabilities that exist as a result of having nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang said on July 4 that it had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). US officials have also said the test marked North Korea's first successful firing of an ICBM.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey will continue the fight against terrorism, TRT Haber quoted Turkish Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu as saying July 22.

Fighting terrorism is a priority for Turkey, Soylu noted.

He said the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has become much weaker inside Turkey in recent years.

A complete elimination of terrorism in Turkey will contribute to the development of those regions where the PKK has earlier been active, the Turkish interior minister said.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
A total of six PKK terrorists were killed in Turkey's southeastern Siirt province, Anadolu reported.

The statement said PKK terrorists opened harassing fire on Turkish soldiers in the rural area of Siirt's Pervari district early Friday, while the soldiers were passing through the area. The soldiers immediately responded, and one terrorist was killed.

Later on Friday, an air-supported operation was launched against the terrorists in the same area, who were found to be preparing to attack military posts. Five terrorists were killed in the operation.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.

Since then, more than 1,200 victims, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives.


Yahoo Finances call of the week is a bullish one on Chipotle (CMG) following news that the chain had temporarily closed one of its locations in Sterling, Virginia after some of its customers fell sick.

On the same day two Wall Street analysts downgraded the Mexican restaurant chain, analysts at Telsey Advisory group said nows the time to buy. Analyst Bob Derrington upgraded the stock to outperform from market perform while reiterating his $440 a share price target.

Since Derringtons upgrade on Wednesday, Chipotles week went from bad to worse. The number of customers saying they had fallen ill after eating at the chains location in Virginia has reportedly jumped to more than 130, renewing peoples fears about eating at the companys restaurants. Remember, this isnt the first time Chipotles dealt with a health crisis. In fact, the chain is still struggling to recover from the E.coli and norovirus outbreaks that hit its restaurants in 2015.

But the latest spate of illness reports isnt affecting Derringtons outlook on the stock  at least not yet. While he did tell Yahoo Finance that the recent outbreak adds risk to future earnings expectations, he was also quick to point out that investing in Chipotle is not for the faint of heart.

If Derrington is right, and Chipotles stock does bounce back, investors will be kicking themselves for not taking his advice and buying this weeks dip in share price. The stock recorded a weekly loss of 12.8%, hitting its lowest level in more than four years.

Wall Street will get a better glimpse inside Chipotles business when the company reports second-quarter earnings on Tuesday after the closing bell. Analysts are expecting earnings of $2.19 a share on revenue of $1.19 billion.
Colgate-Palmolive Co. CL posted adjusted earnings of 72 cents a share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate and up 3% from 70 cents earned in the prior-year quarter.



Including one-time items, earnings came in at 59 cents a share compared with 67 cents reported in the year-ago period.



Despite earnings beat, Colgates shares are down 2.3% during pre-market trading hours, as investors remained skeptical about the companys top-line performance that fell short of expectations for the fifth straight quarter. In fact in the last three months, the stock has declined 2.1% compared with the broader industrys growth of 2.9%.





Deeper Insight



Total sales of $3,826 million dipped 0.5% from the year-ago period and came below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,885 million. The benefits of 1% increase in prices were offset by a 1% drop in global unit volumes and a negative impact of 0.5% from currency fluctuations.



On an organic basis (excluding foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestitures), the companys sales were flat with last year. The flat results were due to the persistence of softness in North America and challenges in Asia-Pacific. This was considerably mitigated by strong organic sales growth in Latin America and the return to positive organic sales growth in Hills Pet Nutrition.



Adjusted gross profit margin was 60.7%, up 50 basis points (bps), driven by benefits of cost-saving initiatives under the companys funding-the-growth and 2012 Restructuring Program, along with better pricing. These were partly neutralized by increased raw and packaging material expenses, including currency exchange transactions costs.



In the reported quarter, adjusted operating profit of $995 million dipped 1%, with the adjusted operating margin contracting 10 bps to 26% on 40 bps increase in adjusted selling, general & administrative expenses as a percentage of sales, offset by improved gross margin.



Year to date, Colgates market share of manual toothbrushes has reached 32.8%. Further, the company continued to lead with market share in the global toothpaste with a gain of 43.6% year to date.



Segment Discussion



North America net sales (20% of total sales) fell 3.5%, reflecting a 2% drop in unit volume and 1.5% decline in pricing. However, currency fluctuations were flat with the prior-year quarter. On an organic basis, sales declined 3.5% on account of market share losses in the dish liquid business and increased slowdown in category growth, both in the U.S.



Latin America net sales (26% of total sales) jumped 7% year over year gaining from 4.5% increase in pricing and 2.5% volume gains, while currency fluctuations were flat with the prior-year quarter. Volume growth can mainly be attributed to increase in Brazil, the Andean region and Argentina. On an organic basis, sales increased 7%.



Europe net sales (15% of total sales) slipped 3.5% year over year, due to 1% decline in unit volumes and negative impact of 3% from currency fluctuations, partially offset by 0.5% increase in pricing. Unit volumes were hurt by declines in Germany and Norway, offsetting gains in the Netherlands, U.K. and Poland. Europe organic sales dipped 0.5%.



Asia Pacific net sales (18% of total sales) declined 5%, attributable to 2% decline in unit volume and 1.5% fall in pricing and 1.5% negative impact from currency fluctuations. Unit volumes declines in India, Thailand and Australia were partly offset by gains in the Philippines, Vietnam and New Zealand. On an organic basis, sales for Asia Pacific decreased 3.5% due to the inventory reductions by wholesalers in India in anticipation of the new Goods and Services Tax that went into effect on Jul 1, 2017. Additionally, increased competition related activities in Australia and lower consumptions in Thailand acted as headwinds.



Africa/Eurasia net sales (6% of total sales) inched up 1% year over year, fueled by 4.5% jump in pricing and positive currency effects of 4%, partly offset by 7.5% drop in unit volumes. Volume declines in the Sub Saharan Africa region, Turkey and South Africa were partly offset by gains in Russia. Organic sales for Africa/Eurasia dropped 3%.



Hills Pet Nutrition net sales (15% of total sales) were flat with the year-ago quarter. During the quarter, positive impact from 2% increase in pricing was neutralized by 1.5% decline in volumes and 0.5% negative impact from foreign exchange. Unit volume declines in the U.S., Japan and Canada were slightly countered by gains in Russia, Latin America and South Africa. On an organic basis, sales rose 0.5%.

Colgate-Palmolive Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Colgate-Palmolive Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Colgate-Palmolive Company Quote

Other Financial Details



Colgate ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1,241 million and total debt of $6,519 million. Net cash provided by operating activities came in at $1,305 million for the six months ended Jun 30, 2017.



Outlook



Looking forward, Colgate anticipates the backdrop to remain challenging due to uncertain global markets and slowing category growth worldwide. Consequently, the company reiterated net sales projection for 2017 anticipating low-single digits growth. However, on account of the soft first half 2017, management now envisions organic sales growth for 2017 to be in the low-single digit range, compared with the previous forecast of moderately below 47% range.



Nevertheless, the company remains encouraged by the progress on its 2012 Restructuring Program and continues to pursue additional savings opportunities under the program. In this regard, the company stated that the additional opportunities identified in the second-quarter provide visibility for reaching the upper end of its previously announced cost and savings guidance range.



Consequently, on a GAAP basis, management forecasts gross margin expansion for the year. Further, it expects GAAP earnings per share, on a dollar basis, to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range, compared with the previously stated flat guidance.



Excluding charges related to the 2012 Restructuring Program and the other 2016 one-time items, Colgate continues to project low-single-digit earnings per share growth on a dollar basis for 2017. Further, the company anticipates robust operating cash flows, gross margin expansion and rise in advertising investment for the year.



Zacks Rank & Key Picks



Colgate currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the same industry include Unilever Plc UL, Church & Dwight Company Inc. CHD and The Clorox Co. CLX, all carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Unilever, with long-term EPS growth rate of 11.7%, has increased nearly 13.5% in the last three months.



Church & Dwight has a long-term EPS growth rate of 9.3% and has increased 5.5% in the last three months. Moreover, the company has to its credit a spectacular earnings history as it delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 6.3% in the past four quarters.



Clorox, with long-term EPS growth rate of 6.8%, has grown 9.1% year to date.



Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?



Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.



With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.



It's not the one you think.



See This Ticker 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



Unilever PLC (UL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Church & Dwight Company, Inc. (CHD) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Clorox Company (The) (CLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Lemonade stands run by kids can be found in many American small towns, but dont try setting one up in London.

Andre Spicer, a professor of organizational behavior at Cass Business School in the City University of London, says his five-year old daughter was fined ?150 (or nearly $200) for setting up a stand on the corner of her street. The charge? Selling without a permit.

My daughter burst into tears, repeating again and again have I done a bad thing?, Spicer wrote in the Telegraph.

The Tower Hamlets Council, which was responsible for issuing the ticket, has since cancelled the fine and apologized, but its still a baffling, ridiculous example of oversight run amok.

Spicer says it all started the way most lemonade stands do: With no school, he was looking for ways to prevent the plaintive cry of Im bored that kids have perfected. His daughter actually came up with the concept, which is less common in the U.K. She originally planned to sell toys and food, but decided to hang onto her toys.

Sign up: Click here to subscribe to the Broadsheet, Fortune's daily newsletter on the world's most powerful women.

The father/daughter duo spent 30 minutes making up four jugs of lemonade, then the five-year-old drew a sign to advertise their venture. Finally ready, they walked to the end of the street and set up shop.

A nearby park was having a music festival, so there was plenty of foot traffic and brisk sales. Thats when the local council enforcement officers rolled up and issued the citation.

Spicer says after he and his daughter had walked home (with her crying all the way) and she had calmed down, he told her they could get a permit and try again, but she refused, saying, No. Its too scary.

There is a happy ending here, thankfully. Spicer and his daughter have received a stream of support on social media since he told his story. And her street corner venture might actually turn into a booming business.

Story continues

Organizers of LeeFest, a music festival that takes place in nearby Kent each year, have invited her to sell her lemonade at the event next month. And Dinerama, aglobal street food market in London, has invited her to sell there as well.

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
Talk about a good investment.

In 2015, Nancy Carlson, a Chicago resident, bought a bag used by Neil Armstrong during the first mission to the moon (he put moon dust in it, of which traces still remain) for $995.

On Thursday, the 48th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, she sold that bag for $1.8 million at a Sothebys auction in New York City (pre-sale estimates had the bag fetching between $2 million and $4 million).

Nearly all of the equipment from that historic mission is housed in the US National Collection at the Smithsonian, Sothebys category note reads. This is the only artifact available for private ownership.

Its on sale today because of a mixup, reports the New York Times. In 2003, investigators found the bag in a garage, specifically the garage of then-Kansas museum manager Max Ary (he was later convicted of stealing artifacts from the museum). The bag was mislabeled, and put up for sale on a government auction, where it received no bids until finally, at its third auction, Carlson purchased it for $995.

NASA caught wind of the mistake when Carlson sent the bag to the space agency for authentication. Realizing how valuable (and historically significant) the bag was, NASA kept itwhich resulted in a court battle. In February, a U.S. District judge ordered the agency to return the bag to Carlson. In a statement, NASA expressed its regret about the decision, saying the bag was never meant to be owned by an individual as it belongs to the American people and should be on display for the public.
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. ORLY is set to release second-quarter 2017 earnings after the markets close on Jul 26. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in one of the trailing four quarters, with a negative average surprise of 2.3%.



Lets see how things have shaped up for the forthcoming announcement.



Factors Influencing this Quarter



OReillys stores are concentrated in certain locations in the U.S. Thus, its business is exposed to the economic and weather conditions of these regions. The companys strategy of lowering the time-to-market for its products to meet the demand in the professional installer market, places it at a logistical disadvantage against competitors.



Additionally, much of OReillys cash is locked in inventories, which can affect its short-term liquidity in periods of low sales. Further, the company expects selling, general and administrative expenses to increase in 2017 from 2016 on rising costs.



However, for second-quarter 2017, OReilly projects earnings per share in the range of $3.10$3.20, compared with $2.65, recorded in second-quarter 2016. The company expects consolidated comparable store sales to increase 35%. For full-year 2017, it expects earnings per share in the band of $12.05$12.15, higher than $10.73 earned in 2016.



OReilly projects a consolidated comparable store sales increase in the 3%5% range, during the year. The company anticipates revenues in the band of $9.1$9.3 billion, higher than $8.59 billion, recorded in 2016.



Earnings Whispers



Our proven model does not conclusively show that OReilly 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 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. But that 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. OReillys Earnings ESP is -0.68% because the Most Accurate estimate of $2.91 is pegged below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.93. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Story continues

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. Quote

Zacks Rank: OReilly currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Note that we caution against Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) from going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.



Price Performance



OReilly has lost 29.9% over the last three months, underperforming the 24% decline of the industry it belongs to.





Stocks to Consider



Here are some better-ranked 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:



Cummins Inc. CMI has an Earnings ESP of +3.1% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to report second-quarter 2017 results on Aug 1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



CNH Industrial N.V. CNHI has an Earnings ESP of +12.5% and a Zacks Rank #2. The companys second-quarter 2017 financial results are expected to release on Jul 26.



BorgWarner Inc. BWA has an Earnings ESP of +1.12% and a Zacks Rank #3. The companys second-quarter 2017 financial results are scheduled to release on Jul 27.



Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?



Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.



With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.

It's not the one you think.



See This Ticker 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



CNH Industrial N.V. (CNHI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



BorgWarner Inc. (BWA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Cummins Inc. (CMI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
An errant U.S. air strike, confirmed by the Pentagon, killed 16 Afghan National Police personnel and injured two others in Helmand Province, officials said on July 22.

The death toll was determined after the compound in Gereshk District of Helmand Province was inspected.

The Pentagon confirmed on July 21 that a U.S. air strike in Helmand Province mistakenly killed a number of Afghan security personnel.

Afghan forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory in Helmand Province, which remains largely under the control of Taliban extremists.

The governor of Afghanistan's northern Badakshan's Province also announced on July 22 that 11 policeman were killed and six wounded during a fight with Taliban insurgents.

Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said that 20 other members of the local police force in the remote region of Tagab were missing after the firefight on July 21.

The area where the fighting took place is inside a mountainous region, which is difficult to access and telephone contact is erratic.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
RFE/RLs Gandhara website has obtained some details of the gruesome murder of a 12-year-old girl killed over maligning her familys honor by reportedly eloping with a young man last month.

Villagers in Ashraf Khel, a dusty hamlet near the famed Khyber Pass, have sketched out a grim picture of how the mentally disabled Naghma was allegedly killed by close relatives after a failed attempt to run away.

A 40-year-old woman, a resident of Ashraf Khel, recounted details of the tragedy on the condition that her name and identity be protected because of fears of reprisals from the alleged assassins.

She told Gandhara that Naghmas fate was sealed after officials in their Khyber tribal district handed her back to the family after an alleged botched attempt to elope with a young man in late June.

On June 28, Naghmas uncle, Dadul Khan, and his son spread the news in our village that she would be killed at 11 a.m., she said. While the whole village waited to hear gunshots, no one had the courage to come forward to save Naghma or even inform the authorities.

The woman, a neighbor of Naghmas family, recounted that around the announced time they heard five shots being fired. We knew then that the hapless life had come to an end, she said.

A male villager said Naghma was taken to an empty compound near her house in Ashraf Khel. While requesting anonymity because of fear and cultural sensitivities, he said Naghma was surrounded by several male relatives armed with AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifles.

He said most of Ashraf Khels residents believe Naghma was killed by one of the five men inside the walled compound. One of them supposedly fired the fatal shots, he said.

The woman said she thought even Naghma had guessed her fate when her uncle and other male relatives took her from her mother, Bakht Meena, who is believed to suffer from a psychiatric disorder. Villagers say Naghmas father ekes out a living by driving a truck in the port city of Karachi some 1,000 kilometers away.

Naghma asked her uncle, Are you going to kill me? And the uncle replied, No, I am going to wed you to my son, the neighbor recounted, citing details she said she had heard from relatives about conversations in the home.

She said Meena is in shock after her daughters murder.

She is often seen wailing, crying, and running from corner to corner in her mud house asking why her daughter was killed and what her sin was, and vowing revenge, the neighbor said.

Like everyone else in the close-knit community, the man and woman who shared details with Gandhara are members of the Khogakhel clan of the Shinwari Pashtun tribe. Such proximity to Naghmas family gave them insights into her murder.

In late June, Niaz Muhmmad, a local administration official in Khyber, told RFE/RL that Naghma was killed despite her family promising officials that they wouldnt harm her.

Muhammad said the authorities have detained some of the alleged killers and others involved in the murder.

They did not respect the guarantees theyd made, and they killed the girl," he told Radio Mashaal. "Weve arrested the uncle and his son, and we also arrested the brothers of the boy with whom Naghma had eloped.

Locals say Naghma eloped with an 18-year-old with the help of a 23-year-old. They are still in hiding. Gandhara was unable to reach them or their families because few in the remote Pashtun community are willing to talk about an issue considered highly sensitive.

Naghmas case is rare in the sense that authorities have caught the alleged killers. But it is not clear whether they will be punished. Some locals say they are likely to be released in the near future because of a settlement at a Jirga, or tribal council. The region is still ruled by a century-old colonial-era law, the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR), which allows for such settlements.

Some tribal leaders in Khyber are already petitioning the Political Administration, the formal name of the local civilian authorities in Khyber, to free the alleged killers because, they argue, local customs allow for honor killings.

Naghma is among hundreds of victims, most of them women, of so-called honor killings reported in Pakistan each year. The country has weak legal provisions to prevent the practice and a weak record of prosecuting perpetrators. Powerful local figures such as feudal lords, tribal leaders, and clerics justify such murders in the name of protecting family or community honor. They typically invoke local traditions and cultural practices to justify the violence.

It is not clear whether intervention from senior government officials can alter the outcome. Last month the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the de facto chief executive of Khyber and six more tribal districts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, ordered an inquiry into Naghmas murder.

When contacted, an official at the governors office said they are still waiting for the inquiry report nearly three weeks after it was ordered.

Meanwhile, locals in Ashraf Khel speculate that the saga of Naghmas murder is unlikely to end soon. They predict that once the two men are released, her relatives are likely to go after them for allegedly convincing Naghma to elope with them.

If found, their fate will be certain death, the villager said.

Such murders invariably spark an unending feud that goes on for generations.

as/fg/cr
NEW YORK, July 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Milost Global Inc, an American Private Equity firm that is Headquartered in New York announced today that it is forming a subsidiary company in Africa, Milost Bank Africa Limited (MBAL) a privately held company to seek buyout opportunities in the Banking industry in Africa with a strong focus in ECOWAS and SADC regions. MBAL will seek to do outright buyouts of operating banks with the aim of rebranding the same to the MBAL brand. Milost has also appointed Mr Cansi Jabez Lisa as the Chairman of MBAL. Mr Lisa is a veteran of the African National Congress (ANC) who has served in senior leadership in the South African local government structures for over two decades.

Egerton Forster, the Co-founder & CEO of Milost Global Inc, stated, "We are delighted to be making this move at this juncture. Africa is an emerging market with an enough room to grow and our intent is to penetrate this market at the current prices with a long-term growth approach. We also welcome Mr Lisa to the Milost family and we look forward to benefiting a lot from his experience commercially and otherwise."

Milost Bank Africa Limited Chairman, Mr Cansi Lisa, stated, "I am quite exhilarated by this opportunity to lead MBAL on behalf of Milost Global, we are looking forward to actually explore Africa through its resources and the productiveness of its people and in that respect we recognize Africa to be having a great potential to make a significant economic impact in the world. We live in a global world and Africa should play part in that. From the African continent and integral communities that we will be working with, we would like to build great partnerships, the same will include investment partners and communities that will benefit from our presence. As a bank we understand that we can only grow through partnerships and not isolation."

About Milost Global Inc

Milost Global Inc is an American Private Equity firm that is headquartered in New York City, with more than $25 billion in committed capital. Milost is at the intersection of creative investing and value creation. Milost is also a provider of alternative capital, mezzanine finance, and alternative lending to a broad range of industries across the globe including Technology, Transport, Cannabis, Education, Distribution, Mining, Oil & Gas, Financial Services, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate, Alternative Energy and Infrastructure Development. www.milostglobal.com
A couple of days ago I submitted my team's introductory blog post to the competition organizers over at the Breast Cancer Startup Challenge. It's since been published, and talks about the members of my team and why we are participating in the challenge.



Read the blog post here.

In addition, you can find my introduction on what the start challenge is in this post.



For the next week we'll be focused on the competition deliverables as recruiting winds down for us MBA students. The final deliverable will consist of a business plan that contains details of our business and R&D strategy and a live pitch that we'll be doing over Skype to the competition judges.



It's been close to six months since my team has started on this project and we've learned so much. We've really got a great team of students and advisors. It's been a wonderful experential opportunity for all of us and we're thankful for the support we've gotten from the Fuqua faculty and alumni, Duke Medicine professors, and local Research Triangle Park biotech professionals.



Wish us luck!
U5UWZLP5 wrote:

Dear ,



OK, so this post sort of turned into the War and Peace of What are my chances? threads. I hope its not a TL;DR! And I realize that I just sent a long post your way too.



Thank you for all the help you have already provided. It has definitely helped me navigate the complex world of MBA admissions, and has also given me a lot more confidence.



First, here is my background (though if you remember if from previous questions you can just gloss over it):





26 y/o white American male

3.63 GPA (magna cum laude) from a top-5 LAC; graduated in 2013

Currently in a Master of Social Work program--will graduate in May 2018

780 on the GMAT (Q50, V48, AW 6.0, IR 8) (took it in November of last year)

Past work experience: 1.5 years (40 hrs/week and received a stipend to cover living expenses) as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. I researched and gave presentations on unaccompanied child migration from Central America. (Before that, I had been in a religious order for a year, and although I wouldn't really count it as work experience, I figure I should put it on my resume so schools aren't wondering what I did the year after I graduated from college)



Future work experience: after I graduate with my MSW, I plan to practice clinical social work (case management, mental health care, or a combination of the two) with a social services organization for about 26 months before matriculating into an MBA, bringing my total experience up to 44 months/3.6 years.



Intern/volunteer experience: The MSW program entails about 1,000 hours of field experience. I worked at a mental health center for the first half of those hours, and for the second half, I plan to do a combination of mental health and social services work. I'm also interning at a men's transitional home this summer, and am working on a project to see how we can improve the program. I also spent 3 months living and working with immigrants from Central America at a shelter in Houston back in 2013.



I am looking forward to graduating with an MSW, getting my license, and engaging in clinical social work on the 'micro' (direct practice) level. However, I am ultimately hoping to pursue an MBA and specialize in nonprofit management, as I feel that I can serve more people by being an effective administrator than I can doing one-to-one meetings with clients. Following graduation, I would like to join the administrative team of a regional branch of a social services nonprofit organization. I envision myself serving as a department director or vice president of social services.



So, heres whats new : I had a good couple of conversations with my Very Wise Parents this week. They pointed out that I must take finances and debt into account when choosing an MBA program, since I cant expect the sector Ill be entering (nonprofit social services) to pay very well. $100K or more in debt wouldnt be as big a problem if I were going into venture capital or investment banking, but if Im only making $60K or $80K a year after school, I would have a lot of trouble paying back those loans. They also pointed out that I shouldnt go into heavy debt at a school just because its prestigious or highly ranked.



In order to reduce or even eliminate the amount of debt Ill need to repay, I see two paths towards getting an MBA education at a Top-25 school thats also affordable:



1. Enter one of the 9 MBA programs that offers a Loan Forgiveness Program/Loan Assistance Program for MBA students. These programs offer somewhere between $2,000 to over $10,000 a year, for 5-10 years, to students who work in the nonprofit sector after they graduate. Although Ill have to read the fine print very carefully, these programs could substantially reduce my debt burden. If I got a scholarship at one of these programs and/or need-based aid, that would also help.



2. Enter a program that doesnt have loan forgiveness, but has a lower program cost than other schools and/or gives me a great scholarship/financial aid package. I cant expect a full ride, but I know that some programs have a reputation for being generous with scholarships.



With those goals in mind, here is my current list of schools. Ill be applying in 2019 in hopes of matriculating in 2020. The Poets and Quants resources on average debt and scholarship funding helped me narrow down the list, but I could see myself narrowing it further.



Round 1:

For round 1, I want to apply to 5 or 6 schools that offer loan forgiveness. Ideally, some of these programs may be willing to offer a scholarship or need-based aid as well. If my chances seem particularly good or poor at any of the schools, please let me know. I would get started on the applications early so that I could send in all 6 by the deadlines.



1. Columbia (I would apply as early as possible, maybe even in June and July, given their rolling admissions program. This would free up time for other rounds.)



2. Stanford (Im choosing the GSB over Harvard as my long shot school. It seems like Stanford would be a better fit.)



3. Michigantheir loan assistance program isnt as generous as the other schools, but theres always the chance of a scholarship too



4. Yale



5. Duke



6. UPenn



[Note: the other three schools with a Loan Assistance Program are Berkeley, NYU, and Harvard. I dont have the same sense of fit at these schools as I do at the above six, but Im definitely open to considering them.]



I know these schools are very selective, but if I can make a solid case for why Im pursuing an MBA, I think I have a shot in getting into at least 3 of these. If the financial package at any of these schools looks really good, I probably would accept their offer and not apply to Round 2 schools.



If not, here are the Round 2 schools Im thinking of:





1. UVA (I may have in-state status)



2. UT-Austin (I may have in-state status, and even if I dont, its one of the more affordable programs)



3. Georgetown



4. UNC



However, Im much less certain about my Round 2 schools, since there are a lot of other programs in the top 25 that may offer a generous scholarship/aid package, including:



1. Washington University in St. Louis (20.5% of their students got full-tuition scholarships in 2013!)

2. Indiana University (also awfully generous with scholarships, and 19% of their students got full rides, although attending out-of-state would make the cost higher)

3. Emory

4. Carnegie Mellon



Also, Rice and Notre Dame are tied for 29th in US News, but theyre still great programs with much lower average debt loads than many other top schools.



My hope is that by April 2020, I can evaluate the financial offers these schools give me with the Round 1 schools that admitted me. Of these 10 potential round 2 schools, are there any that have an especially high chance of giving me a generous scholarship/aid package, or any that you think would be a poor fit?



Thank you so much for helping me come up with a preliminary list of schools! Even though Im a couple years away from applying, I want to start cultivating relationships with schools now so that they know Im interested in their programs.

Nisha Trivedi

mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant

35 positive reviews on GMATClub, 2020 Top 20 of admissions consultants across the industry per P&Q: https://poetsandquants.com/2020/08/26/best-mba-admission-consultants-of-2020/



Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/

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Hi there - thanks for writing! Given the level of detail you have provided (which is all very helpful) I highly recommend signing up for a free 30-min consultation, where we can discuss school selection with respect to finances, as well as your overall profile to get a sense of which schools to prioritize. You can sign up here: https://www.mbamission.com/consult/?dis ... admissions I hope to connect with you soon - you have such a fascinating profile and I look forward to discussing it with you!_________________
vivektripathi wrote:

Thomas Eakins powerful style and his choices of subjectthe advances in modern surgery, the discipline of sport, the strains of individuals in tension with society or even with themselves was as disturbing to his own time as it is compelling for ours.



(A) was as disturbing to his own time as it is

(B) were as disturbing to his own time as they are

(C) has been as disturbing in his own time as they are

(D) had been as disturbing in his own time as it was

(E) have been as disturbing in his own time as





Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Pronouns + Tenses + Comparison

A:

B:

Correct.

C:

D:

E:

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

Dear Friends,Here is a detailed explanation to this question- The simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past. The present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present. The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. A comparison must always be made between similar elements.This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun phrase "powerful style and his choices of subject" with the singular verbs "was" and "is" and the singular pronoun "it".This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun phrase "powerful style and his choices of subject" with the plural verbs "were" and "are" and the plural pronoun "they". Further, Option B correctly uses the simple past tense "were" to refer to an action that concluded in the past. Moreover, Option B correctly uses the simple present tense verb "are" to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame. Additionally, Option B correctly compares the verb phrase "were...disturbing to his own time" with the verb phrase "they are compelling for ours".This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun phrase "powerful style and his choices of subject" with the singular verb "has been". Further, Option C incorrectly uses the present perfect tense verb "has been" to refer to an event that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present.This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun phrase "powerful style and his choices of subject" with the singular verb "was" and the singular pronoun "it". Further, Option D incorrectly uses the simple past tense verb "was" to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame; please remember, the simple present tense is used to refer to actions that take place in the current time frame, and the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.This answer choice incorrectly uses the present perfect tense verb "have been" to refer to an event that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present. Further, Option E incorrectly compares the verb phrase "have been...disturbing in his own" to the adjective phrase "compelling for ours"; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):All the best!Team_________________
- A Nigerian man named Marvyn Iheanacho has gotten hefty prison sentence for beating up girlfriend's son to death

- Marvy was left to look after his girlfriend, Lilya Breha's 5-year-old son, Alex Malcolm

- Iheanacho brutally attacked Alex for losing one leg of his shoe

Nigerian man Marvyn Iheanacho living abroad has bagged a hefty prison sentence for beating up his girlfriend's 5-year-old son for losing his shoe. According to reports, Marvyn had always had a case of violence and had been in prison countless times for various charges tied to violence.

READ ALSO: Tekno splurges on some new expensive jewelry

Lilya Breha had thought that her five month relationship with the x-convict was the real thing. This drove her to let him watch over her son and take him out for play date. Her heart came to a halt upon finding that her son had been brutally battered for losing one leg of his shoe.

Little Alex was with his potential step dad when he lost the shoe and an angry Marvyn beat him up as per African parent style. However, he took it overboard and did major damage to the little boy who was heard by witnesses saying "sorry" to the disciplinarian.

Marvy, Lilya Breha and her son Alex Malcolm Source: Dailymail news

READ ALSO: Flavour speaks on how God led him to a young blind singer in Liberia

The lost shoe which led to the eventual death of 5-year-old Malcolm is the justification for getting the beating of his life from Marvyn. After beating him up, Iheanacho lifted the body and headed to his girlfriend's instead of a hospital.

The lost shoe found in bush Source: Daily news

The terrified Lilya managed to call the police and Alex was rushed to the hospital. Time wasted however couldn't do much to save the little boy who passed two days later following bleeding in his brain.

Legit.ng earlier reported how man celebrated four birthdays in the walls of a prison cell.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Watch Legit.ng video on what do men really want from women:

Source: Legit.ng
BY Damali Mukhaye:

The ministry of Education is to reopen Old Kampala Secondary School next week after it was closed over a students strike.

On Friday last week, students went on strike protesting plans to transfer their head teacher Ms Azidah Ntegane Nsubuga.

According to the ministrys permanent secretary Alex Kakooza, they reached consensus with Kampala Capital City Authority, which runs the school, that it should be reopened next week.

However, students are to report on different dates with those in Senior six and senior four expected back on Wednesday. This will be followed by their counterparts in S 3 and S 5 who are to report on Thursday and those in S1 and S2 on Friday respectively.

However, Kakooza notes that each student must be accompanied to school by a parent.
In the late 1980s, a group of intellectuals commenced works to create an extraterrestrial settlement  a colony of people on another planet  in their lifetime. For many years they tried to persuade everyone of the feasibility and necessity of this idea.

Joinfo.com publishes an exclusive interview with Rick Tumlinson, one of the worlds top space influencers.

Rick visited Kiev at the invitation of Archer Software. During an interview with Rick and during his meeting with space enthusiasts, UkraineIS Chair Sergiy Vakarin learned many interesting details about forthcoming innovations in space exploration.

 NASA has officially announced the launch of the Mars mission. Asteroids are another priority. How can other countries and Ukraine participate in these projects?

Rick Tumlinson:  Even such a powerful country as the United States cannot cope on its own with these huge tasks. International cooperation will play an important role in such projects. There are rich space exploration opportunities for the national space programs  in particular, of countries such as Ukraine and Luxembourg.

 Experts from Ukraine played a big role in the history of space exploration. What perspectives can our country have in space exploration projects?

Rick Tumlinson:  Ukraine has every chance to use its versatile experience. Here we can talk not only about the construction of missiles, but also about research, development of software products, training, etc. At the same time, for a full-fledged development of the industry, significant changes in a number of laws are needed.

 You are a well-known expert on the development of bills related to space exploration and often talk about this in various forums, on CNN and elsewhere.

Rick Tumlinson:  In the US Congress, I acted as an expert in considering several bills related to the space industry. But on a global scale, in order to implement space projects, governments must change their laws. I also spoke about this at the UN. While development of many terrestrial technologies is sometimes restrained in order to reduce environmental damage etc., development of technologies for the outer space should, on the contrary, be stimulated by law.

Asteroid mining is not far away

Asteroids and other space objects are excellent potential sources of rare minerals and other resources that can be used to produce a wide range of products here on Earth.

Rick Tumlinson told about the program for the extraction of resources on asteroids after 2020. This program is of great interest all over the world. His company Deep Space Industries is expected to start an exploratory mission as early as in 2017 with the Prospector-1 launch.

Peter Diamandis and Eric Anderson founded Planetary Resources for the same purpose of the commercial use of asteroids. They received investment from Larry Page, the co-founder of Google.

As we have already reported, NASA has already launched a program to study the resources of asteroids. In 2016, the MarsHopper team, which, with the assistance of UkraineIS, won the NASA Space Apps contest, participated in the launch of the OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft from Cape Canaveral to the asteroid Bennu. Upon arrival, the device will test the feasibility of mining, study the movement of the asteroid and its geological composition.

About Rick Tumlinson

Rick Tumlinson is one of the worlds 100 most influential people in space (according to the Space News magazine), one of the founders of the Space Frontier Foundation and Orbital Outfitters, the first company for the commercial production of space suits. He is the Chairman of the Board of Deep Space Industries, and he recently founded two new space exploration organizations  the EarthLight Foundation and the New Worlds Institute.

The organizers of the Space Apps Challenge in Kiev Andrey Begunov and the COO of Archer Software Alexander Sharko also spoke at the Kyiv meeting. During the visit to Ukraine, Rick Tumlinson also spoke at the National Technical University of Ukraine Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (NTUU KPI), and earlier visited Dnipro  the space capital of Ukraine, where he was the keynote speaker at the ITEM Conference.
On June 28, the Day of Ukraines Constitution, leaders of NGOs and businesses and representatives of government agencies met to discuss the concept of an international forum that should open the way to the revival of Ukraine as one of the main aerospace hubs in the world, according to Joinfo.com.

The Ukrainian Youth Aerospace Association Suzirya, UkraineIS and the Ukrainian-Norwegian Bridge (UNB), which have extensive experience in aerospace and international events, agreed to hold the Space and Future International Youth Forum. At the Forum, representatives of different countries  space youth, scientists, thinkers, business people and public figures will discuss space as an integration platform for the future. The Forum participants will develop a new paradigm of space exploration and research.

The idea of the Forum has already been supported by many international organizations and participants. The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the organization leaders  Oleh Petrov and Sergiy Yatskov (UMAKO Suzirya), Andrii Miroshnychenko (Ukrainian-Norwegian Bridge), Sergiy Vakarin (UkraineIS) and the organizer of the famous eco-cultural festival Trypilske Kolo  Center for Creativity Development Lilea represented by Svitlana Oleksienko.

Top experts from Germany, Sweden, India, Ukraine and other countries will speak at the Forum, the organizations of cooperation with other countries are expected to join the Memorandum, negotiations are under way with Japan, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and the countries of South America. Recently, Sergiy Vakarin has met with one of the worlds leading industrial space exploration leaders Rick Tumlinson.

We will inform you about the preparation of the Forum. More information can be found on Facebook in the Ukraine Space group and on the page of Ukrainian Information Society.

Organizations that have already joined the Memorandum

The Ukrainian Youth Aerospace Association Suzirya has been actively engaged in the organization and implementation of aerospace education in Ukraine for 25 years. The first Ukrainian astronaut Leonid Kadenyuk and other famous space influencers participate in the work of Suzirya. The organization already has experience in holding similar events, especially the All-Ukrainian Youth Aerospace Forum Ukraine Space held in 2016. The traditional Space Fantasy humanitarian contest, which Suzirya conducts in order to search for versatile talents among young people, has already become traditional.

UkraineIS promotes high technologies and the image of Ukraine in the world. The management of the organization has experience of high-tech projects in the EU and North America, its powerful media resources are popular in Ukraine and English-speaking countries. UkraineIS held many high-tech events, in particular, the UAtronica-Industry 4.0 conference, where modern aerospace technologies were widely represented. The team of Ukraine won a global victory in the NASA Space Apps Challenge with the support of UkraineIS.

The Ukrainian-Norwegian Bridge (UNB) actively develops agro-industrial, IT, biotechnical and space cooperation between Ukraine and Norway. UNB CEO Andriy Miroshnychenko was one of the organizers of NASA Space Apps Challenge 2017 in Kyiv.

Center for Creativity Development Lilea is an organization that conducts events for young people, including socio-psychological, actively develops Ukrainian-Polish cooperation. Lilea conducts, in particular, famous international events such as the eco-cultural festival Trypilske Kolo.

This year, Ukraine will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the flight of its first astronaut.
On 20 July Costa Ricas finance ministry cited Alvaro Pereira, the director of Country Studies at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)s Economics Department, as saying that Costa Rica was playing with fire and warning that without reforms, the countrys fiscal situation could pose a threat to its economy.

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A species of armyworm has spread to over 20 African countries and threatens Africa's main food crop -- maize.

The warning comes from the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Joseph Huesing works as an advisor to USAID. He suspects the fall armyworms were transported to Africa from the American state of Florida or islands in the Caribbean.

Huesing says the insects are attacking maize crops -- also known as corn -- in African countries south of the Sahara desert.

"From Nigeria and Ghana, all the way to South Africa to Ethiopia, he told VOA. The most recent one is South Sudan, which reported fall armyworm infestation toward the end of June.

Huesing thinks fall armyworms are a big threat to African agriculture. When they invade a maize field, he said, the insects can eat 30 percent or more of the crop. They also eat other crops.

A Challenge to Control

The fall armyworms got their name from fall, or autumn -- the time of year when they do the most damage in the northern United States. The first published report describing their presence in Africa appeared in early 2016. It suggested the insects had already been there for a year.

For several reasons, the fall armyworms may pose more problems for farmers than the African armyworm, which is native to Africa.

Fall armyworms can reproduce continuously under warm, moist conditions, says Yene Belayneh of USAID. He noted that they can feed off of more than 80 species in 27 plant families.

As adults, fall armyworms can fly up to 100 kilometers a day if pushed by winds. Some armyworms have found a ride on modern aircraft.

For this reason, Belayneh said, communication is especially important. If there is an outbreak, for example in Ethiopia, alerting Sudan or Eritrea would be a wise thing, he said.

In fact, the insects are in Ethiopia. The country's Plant Protection Directorate reported that as of July 10, fall armyworms have infested more than 440,000 hectares of crops. It said that about 305,000 hectares had been protected.

Harder to detect

But chemical treatments may be less effective with the new invaders than with the African armyworms. The fall armyworm enters the plant and feeds from inside," says Belayneh. This makes the insect harder to recognize and harder to kill.

The species is defenseless in cold weather, but freezing conditions are rare in much of Africa.

Regina Eddy heads USAID's armyworm response team. She says her teams goal is to provide training and technical choices. She identified Brazil as a model for fighting armyworms. A recent USAID report noted that Brazil spends an estimated $600 million each year to control the insects.

One control measure experts are taking is to more carefully inspect food arriving at African airports. The fall armyworms may have arrived on the continent through a food shipment from overseas.

The fall armyworm is not causing a crisis yet. But Belayneh told VOA no one is taking the situation lightly.

Im Mario Ritter.

Sora Halake wrote this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted the story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

species  n. a group of similar, animals, insects or plants

infestation  n. the act of spreading on or over (something) in a troublesome way

pose  v. to create; to ask

moist  adj. moderately wet

response  n. an act of answering or reacting to something

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.


Washington, D.C. has a complex relationship with graffiti and street art.

Local street artist Gobi knows this well. Not long ago, a police officer caught him spraying colorful paint on the side of a building. Gobi did not get permission to put his design on the building. What he was doing, then, was illegal.

The police officer arrested Gobi.

Then, he asked Gobi for his business card. The officer said he was interested in hiring him for a street art project in the future.

Americas capital city is trying hard to control its illegal graffiti problem. At the same time, city officials recognize the value and importance of street art.

There is a high demand for more artists to make street art legally. But the city offers few chances for young D.C. street artists to develop their skills without breaking the law.

Some local programs, however, are trying to change that.

A long history

Graffiti and street art are forms of art created on walls or public surfaces. This art is often considered illegal because it is done without the permission of the building owners.

These art forms have existed since the times of ancient Greece. But the more modern style began forming in the 1960s in the cities of New York and Philadelphia.

Graffiti often appears as words -- usually the names of the artist or their art crew. Graffiti artists write the words in creative ways and with colorful spray-paint.

Street art is more based on images. Artists try to communicate a message through these images. Large pieces of street art are also called murals.

Graffiti and street art can be controversial. They are sometimes used to mark gang territory or damage someones property.

Washington has tried to increase its fines for illegal graffiti. Yet it is also encouraging the creation of public art and murals.

Bridging the public and the artists

Cory Stowers is a D.C.-based graffiti and street artist. He is president of the D.C. graffiti crew Double Down Kings, or 2DK. He is also the art director for Art Bloc D.C., a local street art organization.

With Art Bloc D.C., Stowers is trying to create a bridge between the street art community and the D.C. public. He helps get permission from building owners to organize large mural projects around the city.

The projects give local street artists the chance to create their art in public, without fear of breaking the law. They also give younger artists a chance to develop their skills.

These projects are important, Stowers says. D.C. is making it more and more difficult for graffiti street artists to get practice. Construction projects and increased security have taken away important practice spaces throughout the city.

Practice is extremely important, Stower explains. Many artists who paint popular murals in communities today got their start by painting graffiti.

Theres always this conversation that you have to have with folks and explaining to them that that young person that wrote a signature on their wall 10 years ago may be the same person that theyre asking to come paint a mural Without one you dont get the other.

Street artists with Art Bloc D.C. ask community members for their opinions on the murals. They want to create pieces that are meaningful for local residents. Stowers says interacting with the local community helps to humanize graffiti and street artists.

I think as communities start to recognize the value of public murals and they start to understand who actually can paint them, the idea of cultivating graffiti artists will become a little bit more popular.

Beautifying the city with murals

In 2007, the city government created the program MuralsDC. The program hires artists to paint legal murals around the city.

Nancee Lyons is MuralsDCs art director. She says the program has two goals. One is to try to prevent illegal graffiti. The other is to beautify the city. Program officials believe that, if murals already cover city walls, graffiti artists will not paint over them illegally.

Aniekan Udofia is a D.C.-based artist. He often paints for MuralsDC, and is known for his large works of art around the city.

He says the logic of the program is correct. Unofficial rules in the street artist and graffiti community say that the more complex the work of art, the more priority it has on a wall. Large murals, then, often take priority over simpler graffiti art. They are usually not vandalized or damaged.

... Going over a well-done beautiful mural -- it goes outside of graffiti and at that point its just that you hate either the artist or you hate the work that has been created.

Udofia and his art director, Mia Duvall, agree that communicating with the local residents is very important.

I think anything you do in a public space you have to consider the community. We have to consider who is seeing this, how its going to affect them and whats important to them So every piece we do, we really do our best to make sure that we are being sensitive and thoughtful about who has to see this every day and how they are going to embrace this

Udofia recently finished a major MuralsDC project. It covers one of the walls of Bens Chili Bowl, a historic D.C. restaurant. The bright and colorful mural features 16 well-known African Americans, including Barack and Michelle Obama, Harriet Tubman, Muhammed Ali, and Dave Chappelle.

The work was introduced to the public in a ceremony on June 21. 

Actor and comedian Dave Chappelle attended the ceremony. He told VOA that public art is an important part of a citys culture.

Public art gets right to the heart of a culture of a city who they love, who they represent, whats the neighborhood about...

Im Phil Dierking

Phil Dierking wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

Do you think street art is good or bad for a city? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

controversial  adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument

conversation  n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people

cultivate  v. to grow and care for

embrace  v. to accept (something or someone) readily or gladly

feature  v. to have or include (someone or something) as an important part

gang  n. a group of criminals

graffiti  n. pictures or words painted or drawn on a wall, building, etc.

hierarchy  n. a system in which people or things are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status

hire  v. to give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary

interact - v. to talk or do things with other people

mural  n. a usually large painting that is done directly on the surface of a wall

priority  n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first

sensitive  adj. aware of and understanding the feelings of other people

vandalize  v. to deliberately destroy or damage (property)
The World Health Organization (WHO) says almost one in 10 babies worldwide received no vaccines in 2016.

That means almost 13 million babies missed the first of three required injections of a vaccine to protect against the diseases diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. It is called the DTP3 vaccination.

An additional 6.6 million infants got that first injection, but failed to get the other two doses last year.

Since 2010, the percentage of children who received their full course of routine immunizations has stalled at 86 percent, WHO said in a statement on Monday.

This falls short of the worldwide immunization coverage target of 90 percent, the statement noted. It said there were no important changes in any countries or areas during the year.

Present immunization levels prevent two to three million deaths worldwide every year from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles, WHO said. It called routine vaccinations one of the most successful and cost-effective public health actions that can be carried out.

One-hundred-thirty of the 194 WHO member states have reached the 90 percent level for DPT3 vaccines. Most unvaccinated infants live in countries where there is conflict or high levels of poverty.

Eight nations had levels below 50 percent for DPT3 shots in 2016. They were Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.

If we are going to raise the bar on worldwide immunization coverage, health services must reach the unreached, said WHOs Jean-Marie OkwoBele. Every contact with the health system must be seen as a chance to protect children against disease.

The good news is that WHO reported gains in vaccinations against rubella, a virus that can cause severe birth defects in children. But the vaccine must be given to pregnant women before they give birth.

Around the world, coverage against rubella increased from 35 percent in 2010 to 47 percent in 2016, WHO said. It called the improvement a big step toward reducing the condition that results in hearing loss, heart problems, and blindness.

The fight for higher vaccination rates is not just happening in developing nations or those experiencing war. In France, the government passed a measure requiring that by 2018, French parents will have to vaccinate their children against a number of diseases. They include pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella.

France already requires vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, and poliomyelitis. Exceptions are made for infants with a few medical conditions.

The French law is a reaction to the movement against vaccinations in developed countries. In the United States, Britain, and France, the measles vaccination rate has fallen below the 95 percent level. That is the level that stops the spread of the disease.

Children are still dying of measles, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told Parliament. He called that not admissible in the homeland of Louis Pasteur, the scientist who discovered vaccines.

Im Anne Ball.

Lucas Sczygelski reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

routine  adj. done very often

immunization  n. a vaccine given to someone to prevent infection by disease

stall  v. to stop and not move forward because of a problem

raise the bar  phrase. increasing the standard by which something will be judged

defect  n. a problem or fault that makes something not perfect
Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed a law Friday making New Jersey the third state to raise its smoking age to 21.

Christie cited the strain on the health care system caused by tobacco-related illnesses. He also noted his mother died from the effects of smoking.

"By raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21, we are giving young people more time to develop a maturity and better understanding of how dangerous smoking can be and that it is better to not start smoking in the first place," Christie wrote.

Previously, the age was 19. The restriction applies to tobacco products and electronic smoking devices. Christie vetoed a similar measure last year.

Hawaii and California are the only other states where the smoking age is 21. A bill raising the age in Maine from 18 to 21 is awaiting Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who has not said whether he will sign it.

Reports show smoking causes about $4 billion in health care costs to New Jersey each year, said Democratic Sens. Richard Codey and Joseph Vitale, co-sponsors of the bill Christie signed into law. That amount doesn't include costs related to secondhand smoke or smokeless tobacco use, they said.

"Data surveys show that if individuals aren't smokers by 21 years of age, they will most likely not start later in their lives," Vitale said. "Making it harder to buy cigarettes by raising the age to legally purchase them in New Jersey will help prevent our youth from becoming lifelong smokers and suffering the long-term effects of the habit.'

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Irish government is setting up a fund to manage the estimated 13 billion euros ($15.2 billion) it will collect from Apple Inc. in back taxes, nearly a year after the European Commission ruled the country had provided a sweetheart deal on tax to the U.S. firm.

The government and Apple will jointly appoint a custodian to hold the money to be deposited by the iPhone maker, the finance ministry said in an emailed statement. The funds will be held in escrow pending appeals by Apple and Ireland, which could take years. One or more investment managers will also be hired to manage the money.

Commencement of this procurement process represents a significant milestone and follows months of intensive discussions between Ireland, Apple and the European Commission on the recovery process, the finance ministry said.

The EUs Competition Commission ruled in August that Ireland gave Apple a special deal on corporation tax, breaking state-aid rules. That meant Apple would have to pay as much as 13 billion euros in back taxes.

Ireland was supposed to have collected the funds by January. Irish officials are working intensively to comply with its recovery obligations as soon as possible, and remain in regular contact with the European Commission and Apple on all aspects of this process, the ministry said.

The European Commissions case against Ireland has never been about how much Apple pays in taxes, its about which government gets the money, said Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock. The United States government, the Irish government and Apple all agree weve paid our taxes according the law. Since virtually all of our research and development takes place in the United States, according to the law, we pay the majority of our taxes in the U.S.

Now read: Apple joined by smartphone makers in legal battle against Qualcomm
EU offers natural gas price cap assurances amid disagreements with member countries

Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms

Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians

Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO

Erdogan signs decree on appointing Turkey ambassador to Israel

Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade

Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia

Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible

Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty

Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army

Texas woman sentenced to death for killing pregnant woman, removing fetus from victim

Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million

Gentiloni: EU countries have accumulated enough gas to get through the coming winter

Several dozen activists detained at protest rally in Baku: They chant slogans 'Freedom!', 'Resign!'

Princess Haya seeks asylum in Wales

Pashinyan: Iran is concerned about the presence of other actors in our region, which are not in the territory of Armenia

Pashinyan: Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan listened to presented proposals

Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover

Pashinyan: Yerevan supports Russia's proposals for Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement

Pashinyan: Russia cannot withdraw from Karabakh unless it creates additional guarantees for peacekeeping mission

Pashinyan: We will do everything to Armenia-Azerbaijan sign peace treaty by end of year

Russia bans entry of Biden's family and White House press secretary

Pashinyan: We believe there should be a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh

Pashinyan says positions voiced by some member countries of CSTO are unacceptable

19 countries that use euro currency will slide into recession over winter

Pashinyan to Baku: If 1991 border is mutually recognized, what are your troops doing near Jermuk?

Pashinyan: If the Karabakh issue is solved, why is Azerbaijani Armed Forces shooting at Karabakh residents?

Pashinyan: Russia should say whether their version of peace settlement is still circulating?

Pashinyan: Maybe Azerbaijan doesn't want Armenia to receive revenues?

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from Armenia

Pashinyan: My yesterday's speech served its purpose, Azerbaijani MFA no longer uses 'corridor' term

Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces sold for $1.6 billion

Public TV of Armenia hosts Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan

China shows drone killer

Armenian FM meets his French counterpart

Rishi Sunak decides to close hole in British budget through austerity

Delegation of Russian MPs visits Jermuk resort town

Lavrov and Mirzoyan discuss regional agenda

Harut Sasunyan: The best way to achieve peace is to be prepared for war

Turkish prosecutor demands court to ban Istanbul mayor from political activities

German business leaders warn against leaving China

Sasunyan: Russia and US pursue their own interests in South Caucasus

British economy shrinks in three months, foretelling prolonged recession

Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan summoned to Foreign Ministry

Euro rises above dollar for first time in long time

Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister calls Council of Turkic States 'forum of peace' and praises Turkey

EU embargo on Russian oil will be a boon for OPEC

Armenia defense minister receives China ambassador, military attache

Lemkin Institute condemns Azerbaijan president's genocidal rhetoric

Dollar goes up, euro rises sharply in Armenia

U.S. warns Europe that conflict over Taiwan will cause massive global economic shock

EU calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to moderate their rhetoric

Erdogan says Turkey has been waiting at door of EU for 52 years and will give answer when time comes

U.S. fears that European support for Ukrainian strategy will begin to weaken

Armenia, Iran emphasize need to quickly implement agreements reached (PHOTOS)

Armenia soldier wounded by Azerbaijan shooting undergoes surgery

Gas over morality: Hungary guards Azerbaijan's interests

U.S. quietly seeks concessions from Saudi Arabia after Mohammed bin Salman humiliated Biden

Italy's Ambassador to Armenia visits Gyumri

Russian Armed Forces complete redeployment of grouping from right bank of Dnieper

IRGC: Adversaries are frightened and on alert

Armenia appoints ambassador to Sri Lanka

Kremlin doesn't consider leaving Kherson 'humiliating'

Israeli president thinks the world is concerned about Netanyahu's far-right coalition partner

Chinese MFA: China is not distancing itself from Russia, as Biden believes

Ukraine will seek help from its foreign partners in financing Starlink satellite internet systems

Erdogan: Situation in South Caucasus remains fragile

Marukyan: Azerbaijans Aliyev admitted that his country started 2nd Karabakh war, despite previously insisting opposite

Azerbaijan blackmailing Armenia through Lachin corridor

Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus becomes observer in Organization of Turkic States

Armenia PM: In his latest speech Aliyev flagrantly violated agreement on refraining from threat or use of force

World Bank official: Armenia is one of best countries in terms of credit portfolio performance

Azerbaijan president makes repeated accusations, threats against Armenia

Iran citizens injured in Armenia road accident

China reveals new giant drone that could point to the future of air warfare

US embassy in Armenia closed today

Karabakh MOD: Defense Army did not fire at Azerbaijan positions located in occupied territories

Israel and U.S. counter threat of hypersonic missiles together

U.S. and EU plan to publish new roadmap on artificial intelligence

Armenia ombudsperson meets with Belgium colleagues

Newspaper: Armenia parliament opposition seats to no longer be empty

Newspaper: Armenia parliament committee of inquiry into 2020 war circumstances is inactive

U.S. will no longer consider Russia a country with a market economy

US intends to protect Azerbaijan from threats of Iran

Aliyev, Erdogan discuss results of tripartite meeting in Russias Sochi

Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia positions, uses mortars as well

UAE is going to launch flying cabs from airports

Volvo Cars expects to introduce electric SUV by 2024

Amazon becomes world's first public company to lose $1 trillion in market value

EU's odd couple: Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel can't stand each other

US, China set first benchmarks ahead of presidents' meeting

Iranian MFA summons Azerbaijani ambassador to carpet in connection with anti-Iranian propaganda

Washington to resist any attempt by new Israeli government to annex West Bank

Biden thinks Elon Musk's relations with other countries are worthy of being looked at

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Polish senator about consequences of Azerbaijani aggression

Armenian deputy in Vilnius talks about goals of Azerbaijan's aggressive policy

Taliban bans women from gyms

U.S. to send Ukraine another $400 million in military aid
Over 400 people gathered in Pasadena for the funeral of 5-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr., whose body was found in late June after being missing for months.

Mother carried his hat into the Holy Family Catholic Church Tuesday, ABS 7 Chicago reported.

Thank you for bringing my baby home. It wasn't the way that I wanted, but he's home, Estevez said during the funeral.

A police officer searching for the boy said they feel sense of a tragic loss.

Boys mother reported him missing on April 22, after his father, with whom she shares custody, failed to show up to their arranged meeting point to drop off their son.

Aramazd Andressian Sr. was found unresponsive in Arroyo Park early morning on April 22, a short distance from his vehicle. The toddler, however, was not with his father at that time.

Aramazd Andressian Sr. pleaded not guilty to killing his 5-year-old son. The next hearing on the case will take place on August 16.

It was reported earlier that Aramazd Andressian Sr. tried to commit suicide and was getting ready to flee the US to a country from which he could not be extradited.
YEREVAN.  There are no economic and political reasons for Armenias withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union, deputy chairman of RPA Armen Ashotyan told reporters.

Commenting on the statement by the member of parliamentary opposition bloc Edmon Marukyan who spoke about the need for Armenias withdrawal from Eurasian Union, Ashotyan noted this was not a statement of Yelk bloc.

Individual deputies can express an opinion. I'm not going to comment on the statements of some MPs, this is the opinion of one MP, not the political force represented in the parliament,Armen Ashotyan said.

In his opinion, the Eurasian Union is a format for economic cooperation, which, of course, has a geopolitical character.

Small countries are not competitive in the world unless they have free economic relations in broader formats, Ashotyan said.

He added that European Union is not expecting either Armenia, or other countries that have signed the Association Agreement, such as, for example, Georgia, Ukraine or Moldova.
YEREVAN. - The domestic and foreign policy of Armenia is conditioned by the Karabakh issue, political scientist, President of Modus Vivendi Center, Ara Papian, told journalists Saturday.

According to the political scientist, the Karabakah issue is a very important issue in the Armenian reality.

Therefore, it should be said that the greatest issue for us now is the sale of weapons to Azerbaijan by Russia. Especially because of their offensive nature, Papian noted, adding that the statements of the Russian side on the possibility of Azerbaijans acquiring of weapons from other countries, which can seriously destabilize the situation in the region, does not stand up to any criticism.

According to the expert, there are not many countries in the world, which have in their arsenal weapons of such quality acquired at such low prices.

If Azerbaijan decided to purchase weapons from other countries, it would have acquired them in significantly less amount than from Russia, he noted.

The expert also noted that all armies of the world have the issue of combining weapons of various kinds.

If you buy a weapon of the same kind but from another country, it will be hard for you to combine everything. It will be necessary to hire specialists, who will train the servicemen to correctly operate the given equipment, Papian noted.
Istanbul Armenian writer and linguist Sevan Nisanyan has published in his blog the story of his 3.5-year imprisonment in Turkey and his prison break.

In his book the author tells that his lifestyle wasnt approved by the prison administration and he was moved to a closed prison a month later, Arevelk reports.

In the closed Buja prison the renowned linguist shares a prison ward designed for 40 people with 120 prisoners. He is then moved to Sakran closed prison, where he spends one month in one ward with Diyarbakr landowner and his accomplice convicted to 56 years in prison for mass slaughter. In July 2014, Nisanyan is moved to Aydin Yenipazar closed prison. Here he is placed in a single-person ward and provided with the opportunity to use computer and Internet for 6 hours five days per week.

In these conditions, he works for 14 years on his dictionary, studying hundreds of Turkish and Ottoman sources. During the time, the criminal cases against the linguist continue and his punishment reaches first 11 and then 17 years.

Upon moving to Soke open prison in August 2015, Nisanyan gets the right to a one-week vacation. The second of that vacation corresponded with his birthday. I decided to organize a party for my friends and relatives. I dont know from where a dancer and a journalist appearedI dont know why they were thereand took a photo of us. And someone unremarkable, who I dont know why lives, enlarged the photo and published it in the corner of his newspaper.

A few weeks later, Nisanyan is caught when using a computer and his Internet is disconnected. He is then again moved to a closed prison, where he receives various disciplinary punishments. In March 2016 he is moved to Menemen closed prison, where the work on his book in the form of letters addressed to his younger daughter Anahit saves him from depression.

Thanks to the amendments to the law made in February 2017, Nisanyan is moved to Foca open prison. Finally, his patience runs out. He realizes that nobody is going to release him. Moreover, new criminal cases are being brought against him for certain statements he made on TV years ago, the period of punishment gradually extending.

Actually, two years ago it was already clear that this was to be the end of all this. I was ready to escape back in 2015 but my friends urged me to wait still for a while. In reality, if you want to make an abrupt step, you should never listen to the advice of clever people. One should be a little crazy for such a step and not think much about the beginning and end, the linguist writes.
YEREVAN. - Everything on the desk of famous Armenian psychologist Ruben Poghosyan has remained in the same state as on July 17, the day when Hrant Hambardzumyan, 34, attacked the former in his own office.

There are unfinished notes, documents, and spectacles on the table. There is also a book, which the patient brought with him and used for hitting the psychologist. The book is covered with traces of blood. Such traces can also be seen on the wall, which has been painted. When looking closely, one can also notice them on the carpet, which has been washed.

Psychologist of AYG Center for Psychological Services Arshak Gasparyan told Armenian News  NEWS.am that on that day the young man was to come to Ruben Poghosyan for consultation at 4:00 pm but he came earlier, at about 1:45 pm. While waiting for the psychologist, he took a book written by Ruben Poghosyan from the neighboring room.

The psychologist came nearly at 2:00 pm. He entered his office, while the patient followed him and closed the door after him. The psychologist never closed that door and thus a young employee of the center felt something was wrong and went to see why the door was closed.

Entering the room, she saw the psychologist lying on the floor completely in blood, while the patient was stabbing him. The girl didnt lose courage: she took a book from the table and hit the man in his head. When the former got distracted and left the psychologist, she rushed out to call for help.

Hrant Hambardzumyan stood up and went after her, but he was not going to harm her: he simply asked to tell the administration that he would return in the evening.

The wounded psychologist was taken to hospital by Ambulance, while the attacker was arrested by the police and soon released.

Founder of the center, Varuzhan Melknoyan, told Armenian News  NEWS.am that this came as a shocker to the psychologists.When we heard that he had been released, we were seriously worried, Melkonyan said.

Hrant Hambardzumyan was again arrested in two days, but during this period he never turned up in AYG Center, the fears of the employees turning to be groundless.

According to Melknoyan, the employees of the center have no information on whether Hambardzumuan has files in any psychiatric hospital. In his words, if he had apparent mental issues, an experienced specialist like Ruben Poghosyan would have noticed that. Melkonyan also added that it is yet unknown what exact work the psychologist was conducting with that patient: even if the psychologist made notes, they are most likely written in a way, which would be incomprehensible for other people. In any event, the center employees have neither touched the psychologists things not read his notes.

After the incident, Ruben Poghosyan was taken to Heratsi hospital, where he died three days later from cardiogenic shock and heart attack as a result of blood loss.

A criminal case has been launched in the Investigative Committee of Armenia.
Day two of the Country Thunder lineup was stacked with unbelievable talent, like almost unreal. From old school, long-established favorites like Restless Heart, to newbies including Michael Ray and Frankie Ballard, to whats new but hot in the form of Dan + Shay, and finally the incomparable Keith Urban, some serious chops were set up for Fridays main stage show, right?

For sure.

Michael Ray took the stage shortly after a weather-related abbreviated, but still great, set by Restless Heart. His set was amazing, crazy upbeat, musically beautiful. Next up was Frankie Ballard, who pulled out his hits plus added in everything from Johnny Cash to some hard rock.

Towards the end of Ballards set, the rain started in earnest (Restless Hearts delay had been due to lightning.) By the time Dan + Shay took the main stage at 8 p.m., what was a survivable, modest rain turned into an absolute deluge. Its a good artist that can push through weather to create a decent set. Its a great artist who can embrace the weather and create an epic set.

Enter Dan + Shay.

These guys took the stage and did not fear the water. I mean, hey, some people do, but these guys, I swear if there had been a slip and slide on the catwalk, they wouldve been the first ones taking runs at it. They said somewhere in the middle of their almost 90-minute set that Country Thunders show on Friday was their best show ever  in their lives. And I gotta say, we, too, had a blast. Everything they played, the crowd knew and sang  to from "All Nighter" to Bon Jovi to Cee Lo Green to Rascal Flatts, all the way back to "19 You + Me."

All of it during a Noahs Ark-style storm complete with lightning and thunder. Their set would have been fantastic without the rain. But the rain made it outstanding, epic even. Seriously, the boys were soaking wet on fire. Probably my favorite moment of the Dan + Shay set was the reboot of "From the Ground Up." They played the song and were so moved by the perfection of the crowd singing it in the pouring rain with lightning in the background, they rebooted the song and filmed it for social media.

When Dan + Shay wrapped, my partner today looked at me, and we both said pretty much at the same time, "Keith Urban is gonna seriously have to bring it in order to top Dan + Shay."

Enter Keith Urban.

Keith was weather delayed. The cables running from the sound board to the stage had to be pulled from under the catwalk because they were starting to sit in the water. Electricity plus water, not a good combo.

Despite the half hour delay, Urban hit the stage with a bang literal on both fronts (his music and the actual thunder). The lightning streaking across the sky, plus the absolute pouring rain, again, created a set that will never be replicated. Ever.

Opening with "Gone Today (Here Tomorrow)" and then launching right into "Long Hot Summer," Urban changed up the lyrics to sync with the rain. He later commented, "You guys are crazy! This is why we come back to Wisconsin. Its been bucketing rain  all night  and you guys dont give a crap!"

Which was true. No one did. Its also true that rain is nothing new at Thunder. And the mud creates and adds to the fun (it really does, I promise). So no one did care. Plus, we are, as he said, from Wisconsin. Its rain. It was 85 degree rain, not 45 below, sideways ice pellets. Even then, we probably would have stayed put.

My notes say that watching Urban on the video screens was sort of like watching an actual music video with the rain in front of him, or soaking him, depending on where he was. Plus theres the whole, tight t-shirt, wet Keith Urban thing that Im pretty positive played well with every single (and married) woman in the Thunder Bowl.

But it was Urban himself and his music that carried the deluge off into the epic evening. I expected a lot of ripping banjo and guitar, and he gave that, plus so much more. His songs are appropriately weighted with both. But Friday night, we were treated to extended versions of a lot of his songs featuring Urbans wicked guitar skills. Im shaking my head because I cant even adequately describe it all.

Oh, but I can say that he passed along one of his insane electrics to a little boy, maybe 8 years old. Urban walked off the catwalk and made his way back to what he called "the masses" in the lawn seats where he stood on a four foot retaining wall and sang directly to them without the encumbrance of the lighting tower blocking the mainstage. When he was done, he sang that he wanted to give his guitar away. And this little, blonde boy was jumping up and down trying to get Urbans attention. When the boy got the guitar, I totally thought hed fall over from the weight, but he picked it up like it had always been his and started to fake play it. Just brilliant.

Urban added another sweet family moment towards the beginning of his show, as well. His eye was caught by Olivia, age 10, holding a sign "Blue Aint Your Color." Wed met Olivia earlier in the day when we were shooting photos in the pit. Someone told us that she came every year and had gotten a ton of mainstage artists signatures. At any rate, Urban knelt down and brought Olivia up to the catwalk, where he then mini-interviewed her whole family. Olivia has four siblings which prompted Urban to burst out with, "Wheres Dad? I bet hes exhausted!" Olivia and Urban took a quick selfie. While it would have been cool at any time in any concert, the fact that he stopped the show in the pouring rain, continuing to get soaked himself to talk to little Olivia, well that was just sodad-like. So sexy dad-like.

Urbans almost 90-minute set didnt contain one song that the audience didnt know. Even all the new stuff from "Ripcord" was a sing along  well, except for the song where Urban forgot the words, which Im pretty sure was "Sun Dont Let Me Down." He jokingly sang about it later, saying, "I forgot the words, but you forgive me because I gave it a shot!"

Closing his set by earnestly saying that tonight was "a blessed cheesehead baptism and we felt honored," its safe to say that Urban and his band are welcome in Wisconsin anytime.

So, hey Keith! When are you coming back to Wisconsin?

Setlist - Keith Urban

"Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)"

"Long Hot Summer"

"Break on Me"

"Somewhere in My Car"

"Good Thing"

"Blue Aint Your Color"

"Put You in a Song"

"Where the Blacktop Ends"

"Little Bit of Everything"

"You Look Good in My Shirt"

"Sun Dont Let Me Down"

"The Fighter"

"Cop Car"

"Somebody Like You"

"John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" (with mashup "Jack & Diane," (John Cougar cover) "No Woman No Cry" (Bob Marley cover), "So Lonely" (The Police cover))

"Wasted Time"

Encore

"But for the Grace of God"

"Raise Em Up"

Setlist Dan + Shay

"All Nighter"

"Nothin Like You"

"Stop Drop + Roll"

"You Give Love a Bad Name" (Bon Jovi cover)

"Road Trippin"

"Parking Brake"

"Show You Off"

"From the Ground Up"

"I Like the Sound of That" (Rascal Flatts cover)

"Lately"

"How Not To"

"Mr. Brightside" (The Killers cover)

"Obsessed"

"Around the Clock"

"Forget You" (Cee Lo Green cover)

"19 You + Me"
News

Some Intel PCs Can't Support Windows 10 Creators Update

PCs running Intel's "Clover Trail" Atom processors are effectively blocked from running the Windows 10 "Creators Update."

The issue revolves around Microsoft's plan, disclosed Thursday, to extend Windows 10 support to PCs running the Atom Clover Trail chips, but only via the older Windows 10 "Anniversary Update," not the current Creators Update.

The statement of support isn't posted anywhere at this point. It's just been provided to some press outlets, or to press that requested it. In essence, Microsoft is promising that machines using these Intel Atom processors can continue to run the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (version 1607), which was first released in August 2016, "until January of 2023, which aligns with the original Windows 8.1 extended support period," according to Microsoft's statement. Microsoft is promising security patch support through this period.

These Atom chip-based machines won't be supported on the current "Creators Update" version of Windows 10, though. The Creators Update (version 1703) was first released in April.

Essentially, Intel stopped supporting its Atom Clover Trail chips, a platform that's part of "Cloverview," which Intel first launched in 2012 and 2013. The lack of support is signified as the "end of interactive support" in this Intel table. These low-power processors feature long battery-use spans, and were perhaps found more often in consumer mobile laptop devices than in business machines.

End users who have devices with these Intel Atom chips will be blocked from upgrading to the Windows 10 Creators Update.

"Microsoft is detecting these [Atom] machines and blocking the Creators Update for them," a Microsoft spokesperson clarified via e-mail.

This latest twist on Windows client support stems from Microsoft's decision to make a single operating system, called "Windows 10," and deliver it in an agile fashion, like a service, with major features arriving biannually. The decision seems to have affected the "Wintel" pact, where collaboration between Microsoft and Intel was perhaps on a more workable schedule.

Last year, Terry Myerson, executive vice president for Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, had announced modified Windows support plans, based on the processor used, including Intel Skylake chips, although the Intel Atom chip weren't mentioned at that time. Microsoft later published a list of Intel Skylake PCs with truncated Windows product support. A few months later, Microsoft relented and reinstated its traditional support policies for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines with Intel Skylake chips.

The only public notice about Microsoft's support plans for Atom chips seems to have been this April support forum post. It tells people experiencing a specific problem to "please wait and allow Windows Update to install the Creators Update after compatible drivers are released." However, those Windows 10 Creators Update compatible drivers won't be coming for Intel Atom users. They're stuck with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

Microsoft's principal statement, so far, on Windows 10 Atom support reads as follows:

With Windows 10, we introduced Windows as a Service, a model for continuous value delivery via twice annual feature updates and monthly quality updates. Along with this updated delivery cadence, we adjusted our support lifecycle policies to reflect the Windows as a Service model. Recognizing that a combination of hardware, driver and firmware support is required to have a good Windows 10 experience, we updated our support lifecycle policy to align with the hardware support period for a given device. If a hardware partner stops supporting a given device or one of its key components and stops providing driver updates, firmware updates, or fixes, it may mean that device will not be able to properly run a future Windows 10 feature update. This is the case with devices utilizing Intel Clover Trail Atom Processors1 today: they require additional hardware support to provide the best possible experience when updating to the latest Windows 10 feature update, the Windows 10 Creators Update. However, these systems are no longer supported by Intel (End of Interactive Support), and without the necessary driver support, they may be incapable of moving to the Windows 10 Creators Update without a potential performance impact. We know issues like this exist and we actively work to identify the best support path for older hardware. As part of our commitment to customers, we will be offering the Windows 10 Anniversary Update to these Intel Clover Trail devices on Windows 10, which we know provides a good user experience. To keep our customers secure, we will provide security updates to these specific devices running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update until January of 2023, which aligns with the original Windows 8.1 extended support period. 1Intel Atom Processors Z2760, Z2580, Z2560, Z2520 (Products formerly Cloverview)
A German 16-year-old girl suspected of joining the Islamic State jihadists in Iraq was arrested last week in Mosul, a German judicial source said Saturday. "The Dresden prosecutor confirms that Linda W. was identified in Iraq," where she is receiving German consular assistance, said the prosecutor's office in Dresden, near the teen's eastern hometown of Pulsnitz. German media earlier reported Iraqi soldiers had captured the teenager last week along with several other suspected IS 'brides' in a tunnel where they had taken refuge and where weapons and explosives belts had also been uncovered. Linda W. disappeared last year after apparently making contact with IS members via internet messaging and reportedly converting to Islam. German weekly Der Spiegel reported Saturday Linda W. had been detained in Baghdad with three other German women and that they had been questioned following the liberation of Mosul from IS control which Iraq reported on July 10. Spiegel said the Iraqi authorities handed the German embassy a list of names of German women in the area "at the start of the week" and added consular officials had since visited four of them at a prison at Baghdad airport. The magazine said one of the four was of Moroccan origin and that another was believed to be of Chechen origin but had a German passport.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday that Budapest would defend Poland as the European Union threatens Warsaw with sanctions over its plans to extend government control over its courts. Poland is overhauling its supreme court despite street protests against the move and the threat of EU penalties. "The inquisition offensive against Poland can never succeed because Hungary will use all legal options in the European Union to show solidarity with the Poles," Orban said in an annual speech that was televised from Baile Tusnad, Romania, where he was attending a gathering of conservative leaders. Like Polish leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Orban has locked horns with the EU for years over what Brussels sees as disrespect for democratic freedoms. Orban has increasingly posed as a freedom fighter against what he sees as EU overreach. Orban, 54, is a runaway favourite to win a third straight term in an election in April 2018. Calling for "patriotic governance" against the EU, he said Poland was a victim of harassment from Brussels, in the same way he said Hungary had been in its sights since he took power in 2010. Citing a voter survey his government ordered in the EU's 28 member states, he said European leaders were out of touch with the public on issues such as migration and said it had forced pro-migrant policies on eastern European nations. "When a political elite turns against its people it always needs an inquisitor, who steps up against those who speak up," he said, branding EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans as the inquisitor. He said Timmermans was involved in an "effort to weaken patriotic governments", adding Poland was now his target. He said migration was now Europe's main issue. "Will Europe be inhabited by Europeans? Will Hungary be inhabited by Hungarians, Germany by Germans, France by the French, Italy by Italians? Who will live in Europe?" he said. He said Brussels was wrong to demand solidarity among EU states over issues such as a mandatory quota that aimed to spread hundreds of thousands of immigrants across the continent. "We can never show solidarity with ideas and peoples whose goal is to change our lives. We cannot show solidarity or we risk losing our identity," he said. He said Martin Schulz, the former European Parliament president now seeking election as German chancellor, was "shameless" for demanding such solidarity. Shulz, who has criticised Orban in the past, said countries which did not show solidarity should face financial sanctions. French President Emmanuel Macron has also said the EU was not a "supermarket", and has said EU rules and values must be respected. Orban said Hungary had spent about 260 billion forints ($1 billion) in recent years to deal with waves of migrants and said the EU had not offered compensation. He said Hungary was also contributing to the EU's success by providing German and other EU firms with cheap labour for their factories that have been set up in the east European nation. ($1 = 261.5500 forints) (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by David Clarke and Edmund Blair)
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hit back on Friday at U.S. lawmakers opposed to the prospect of his visiting the White House, saying he would never go to the United States, which he called a "lousy" country.

Duterte was responding to remarks by Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern, who told a hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission that he would protest against such a visit if U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on an invitation to the firebrand Philippine leader.

The commission, made up of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, convened on Thursday in Washington for a hearing on Duterte's deadly, year-old war on drugs, which has killed thousands of Philippine citizens.

Human rights groups say many of the deaths were executions by police, an assertion the authorities reject.

"There will never be a time that I will go to America during my term, or even thereafter," said Duterte, who has made no secret of his grudge against the United States, his country's oldest ally.

"So what makes that guy think I'll go to America?" he told reporters, referring to McGovern.

"I've seen America and it's lousy... it would be good for the U.S. Congress to start with their own investigation of their own violations of the so many civilians killed in the prosecution of the wars in the Middle East," he added.

"Otherwise I will be forced to investigate you also. I will start with your past sins."

Trump came under heavy criticism in Washington when he invited Duterte to the White House during a telephone conversation in April. He did not say when.

Duterte's spokesman said Trump had told his Philippine counterpart he was doing a "great job". A leaked transcript obtained by the New York Times backed that up, quoting Trump commending Duterte for his "unbelievable job on the drug problem".

(Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Polish flags in hand and the icon of the Holy Virgin on their chests, a handful of government supporters gathered outside parliament to cheer the controversial court reform just backed by the ruling conservatives. The parliament pushed through the change to the Supreme Court, which gives the government power to select candidates for the court, despite protests by thousands of people and unprecedented sanctions from the EU. There are many more opponents of the reform gathered outside parliament. They rail against what they see as "a dark day for democracy", "a coup" and "the end of judicial independence," saying the court will now be subject to political pressures. But though they may be fewer in number at the rally, the supporters of the Law and Justice (PiS) are far from alone. The party, which is led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski and took power in late 2015, continues to enjoy solid support and is far ahead of the opposition parties in opinion surveys. Many of the PiS supporters believe Poland's courts are still tainted by the nation's communist past and thus applaud the reform, which is now under debate in the senate, as a way to clear out the old system. "I've been waiting 28 years for this last bastion of the communist regime to finally fall. For all those anti-Polish, communist judges to be sacked," said PiS supporter Zygmunt Poziomka. The 59-year-old retired miner, who once worked at the well-known Wujek mine which in 1981 saw communist anti-riot units kill workers, has no doubt that both the senate and the president -- a close PiS ally -- will give their stamp of approval to the reform. "The law will pass. They (the opponents) can protest all they want, night and day. We have a democracy," he told AFP, denouncing the government opponents carrying EU flags as "anti-Polish trash". "It's an opportunity that might never come again and I hope nothing will divert the PiS from this path, even President Andrzej Duda," Poziomka added. "We want normal courts at last. We need to be done with this caste," he said, ending his sentence with a word often used by the conservatives in power. - 'Caste' - Such claims may seem tough to understand 28 years after the fall of communism in Poland, when the average age of a judge is 30-40 and former members of the Communist party belong to the PiS itself. One of them, Stanislaw Piotrowicz, is even an ex-prosecutor from the communist era and, for an added twist, is the politician who tabled the contested Supreme Court law. None of that makes any difference for the PiS supporters. "Yes, there are young judges but most of them are descendents of the caste of communist judges, genetically infected by an anti-Polish mentality," said art historian Izabella Galicka. "Jaroslaw Kaczynski is the only man able to free Poland from the remnants of communism. Yet we give him the label of fascist and dictator. No, he's a real democrat. Today he has to resort to semi-democratic methods in order to lead the country towards a real democracy," she told AFP. Galicka is ready to forgive him his unusual methods. The Supreme Court law, for example, was passed in parliament extra fast, without debate or consultation. For Galicka, Kaczynski is a man who has no other goal but "the good of Poland". The controversial reform led tens of thousands of Poles to take to the streets in the capital Warsaw and other cities across the country in protests organised by the opposition parties, who chose to unite for the occasion. But for Marian Srebrny, a computer science professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences, the judicial reforms was just a pretext for the rallies, not the real reason. "The point is to harm PiS, even as the opposition has no alternative solution" to propose, he told AFP. The PiS has picked up an additional three percentage points in support since June, according to an opinion survey carried out Tuesday and Wednesday by the Ibris institute for the Rzeczpospolita daily. It also found that 37 percent of Poles would vote for PiS if elections were held today, while 21 percent would back the Civic Platform (PO) main opposition party. PiS critics are well aware of the party's strength. "I don't have much hope regarding the president's veto but we have to stick together and show unity," said Agnieszka Wolfram, a 50-something opponent of the reform.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face "new and serious consequences" unless all unjustly detained American citizens were released and returned, the White House said in a statement on Friday. Trump urged Iran to return Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran, and demanded that Tehran release businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer. The statement capped a week of rhetoric against Tehran. On Tuesday, Washington slapped new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear accord. Those measures signalled that the Trump administration was seeking to put more pressure on Iran while keeping in place an agreement between Tehran and six world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions. Friday's statement said Trump and his administration were "redoubling efforts" to bring back all Americans unjustly detained abroad. An Iranian court sentenced 46-year-old Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi to 10 years in prison each on charges of spying and cooperating with the United States. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detained Siamak in October 2015 while he was visiting family in Tehran, relatives said. The IRGC arrested the father, a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official in February last year, family members said. Levinson, a former agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and for the Drug Enforcement Administration, disappeared in Iran in 2007 and the U.S. government has a $5 million reward for information leading to his safe return. An Iranian court sentenced Xiyue Wang, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen graduate student from Princeton University, to 10 years in jail on spying charges, Iran's judiciary spokesman said on Sunday. "Iran is responsible for the care and wellbeing of every United States citizen in its custody," the White House said in the statement. Separately, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Oman's foreign affairs minister, Yusuf bin Alawi on Friday. Washington has in the past sought Oman's mediation to help in securing the release of detained Americans abroad. Last year American prisoners held captive by Yemen Houthi rebels were released after Omani mediation. Oman also paid bail that ultimately helped in the release of three American hikers in 2010 and 2011. (Reporting by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by James Dalgleish, Toni Reinhold)
(Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement authorities on Friday were seeking six teenagers from Burundi who went missing after a robotics competition in Washington, two of whom had been spotted crossing the border into Canada. The teens, aged 16 to 18, were last seen Tuesday after the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge, Washington, D.C., police said. "We have been in touch with the Metropolitan Police Department; they told us that they are doing what they can to find those teens," Benjamin Manirakiza, first counsellor in the Burundi Embassy in Washington, said in a phone interview on Friday. "We have confidence in the capacity of the police." A Washington police spokeswoman said the teenagers' disappearance was still under investigation on Friday, and declined to say what U.S. state they were spotted crossing from. The teens left their hotel room key cards in a chaperone's bag, but took their clothes with them when they left, according to FIRST Global, the U.S. non-profit that organised the competition. Police have said they do not believe foul play was involved. Two of the teens - Audrey Mwamikazi, 17, and 16-year-old Don Ingabire - were spotted crossing the United States border into Canada. The other missing Burundians were named as Nice Munezero, 17; Kevin Sabumukiza, 17; Richard Irakoze, 18; and Aristide Irambona, 18. Officials at Canada's Border Services Agency, the immigration and refugee ministry and the Burundian embassy in Ottawa, said they had no information on the teens' whereabouts. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police declined to comment on the teens' whereabouts and said that anyone who crossed the border illegally would be returned to border services. "Crossing the Canadian border without reporting at a port of entry is illegal," said spokeswoman Annie Deslile, in an e-mail. "If the individual who has illegally entered between ports of entry claims to be a refugee, he/she is then transported to a port of entry." A spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency had no information about the missing teens. High school students from more than 150 countries took part in the competition. An all-girl squad from Afghanistan drew worldwide attention when President Donald Trump intervened after they were denied U.S. visas. Burundi has long been plagued by civil war and other violence. Fighting has killed at least 700 people and forced 400,000 from their homes since April 2015. (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

Posted on 22 July 2017 by John Hartz

Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. A chronological listing of news articles posted on thepage during the past week.

Editor's Pick

The Planet Is Warming. And It's Okay to Be Afraid

Why being fearful can be part of a healthy, heroic response to the climate crisis

Climate warriors from around the world, like those facing rising seas in the Pacific islands, have turned the fear of lost homes and future devastation into the courage to confront the most powerful industries on the planet. (Image: via 350.org/Medium )

Last Week, David Wallace-Wells wrote a cover story for of New York Magazine, "The Uninhabitable Earth," on some of the worst-case scenarios that the climate crisis could cause by the end of this century. It describes killer heat waves, crippling agricultural failures, devastated economies, plagues, resource wars, and more. It has been read more than two million times.

The article has caused a major controversy in the climate community, in part because of some factual errors in the piecethough by and large the piece is an accurate portrayal of worst-case climate catastrophe scenarios. But by far the most significant criticism the piece received was that it was too frightening.

"Importantly, fear does not motivate, and appealing to it is often counter-productive as it tends to distance people from the problem, leading them to disengage, doubt and even dismiss it," wrote Michael Mann, Susan Joy Hassol and Tom Toles at the Washington Post.

Erich Holthaus tweeted about the consequences of the piece:

"A widely-read piece like this that is not suitably grounded in fact may provoke unnecessary panic and anxiety among readers."

"And that has real-world consequences. My twitter feed has been filled w people who, after reading DWW's piece, have felt deep anxiety."



"There are people who say they are now considering not having kids, partly because of this. People are losing sleep, reevaluating their lives."

While I think both Mann and Holthaus are brilliant scientists who identified some factual problems in the article, I strongly disagree with their statements about the role of emotionsnamely, fearin climate communications and politics. I am also skeptical of whether climate scientists should be treated as national arbiters of psychological or political questions, in general. I would like to offer my thoughts as a clinical psychologist, and as the founder and director of The Climate Mobilization.

Affect tolerancethe ability to tolerate a wide range of feelings in oneself and othersis a critical psychological skill. On the other hand, affect phobiathe fear of certain feelings in oneself or othersis a major psychological problem, as it causes people to rely heavily on psychological defenses.

Much of the climate movement seems to suffer from affect phobia, which is probably not surprising given that scientific culture aspires to be purely rational, free of emotional influence. Further, the feelings involved in processing the climate crisisfear, grief, anger, guilt, and helplessnesscan be overwhelming. But that doesnt mean we should try to avoid "making" people feel such things. Experiencing them is a normal, healthy, necessary part of coming to terms with the climate crisis. I agree with David Roberts that it is OK, indeed imperative, to tell the whole, frightening story. As I argued in a 2015 essay, The Transformative Power of Climate Truth, it's the job of those of us trying to protect humanity and restore a safe climate to tell the truth about the climate crisis and help people process and channel their own feelingsnot to preemptively try to manage and constrain those feelings.

Holthaus writes of people feeling deep anxiety, losing sleep, re-considering their lives due to the article but this is actually a good thing. Those people are coming out of the trance of denial and starting to confront the reality of our existential emergency. I hope that every single American, every single human experiences such a crisis of conscience. It is the first step to taking substantial action. Our job is not to protect people from the truth or the feelings that accompany itits to protect them from the climate crisis.

I know many of you have been losing sleep and reconsidering your lives in light of the climate crisis for years. We at The Climate Mobilization sure have. TCM exists to make it possible for people to turn that fear into intense dedication and focused action towards a restoring a safe climate.

In my paper, Leading the Public into Emergency Modea New Strategy for the Climate Movement, I argue that intense, but not paralyzing, fear combined with maximum hope can actually lead people and groups into a state of peak performance. We can rise to the challenge of our time and dedicate ourselves to become heroic messengers and change-makers.

I do agree with the critique, made by Alex Steffen among others, that dire discussions of the climate crisis should be accompanied with a discussion of solutions. But these solutions have to be up to the task of saving civilization and the natural world. As we know, the only solution that offers effective protection is a maximal intensity effort, grounded in justice, that brings the United States to carbon negative in 10 years or less and begins to remove all the excess carbon from the atmosphere. That's the magic combination for motivating people: telling the truth about the scale of the crisis and the solution.

In Los Angeles, our ally City Councilmember Paul Koretz is advocating a WWII-scale mobilization of Los Angeles to make it carbon neutral by 2025. He understands and talks about the horrific dangers of the climate crisis and is calling for heroic action to counter them. Local activists and community groups are inspired by his challenge.

Columnist Joe Romm noted, we aren't doomedwe are choosing to be doomed by failing to respond adequately to the emergency, which would of course entail initiating a WWII-scale response to the climate emergency. Our Victory Plan lays out what policies would look like that, if implemented, would actually protect billions of people and millions of species from decimation. They include: 1) An immediate ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure and a scheduled shut down of all fossil fuels in 10 years; 2) massive government investment in renewables; 3) overhauling our agricultural system to make it a huge carbon sink; 4) fair-shares rationing to reduce demand; 5) A federally-financed job guarantee to eliminate unemployment 6) a 100% marginal tax on income above $500,000.



Gradualist half measures, such as a gradually phased-in carbon tax or cap-and-trade system, that seem "politically realistic" but have no hope of actually restoring a safe climate, are not adequate to channel people's fear into productive action.

We know what is physically and morally necessary. It's our jobas members of the climate emergency movementto make that politically possible. This will not be easy, emotionally or otherwise. It will take heroic levels of dedication from ordinary people. We hope you join us.

The Planet Is Warming. And It's Okay to Be Afraid by Margaret Klein Salamon, Common Dreams, July 17, 2017

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

Margaret Klein Salamon, Phd is co-founder and director of Climate Mobilization. Klein earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Adelphi University and also holds a BA in Social Anthropology from Harvard. Though she loved being a therapist, Margaret felt called to apply her psychological and anthropological knowledge to solving climate change. Follow her and Climate Mobilization on Twitter: @ClimatePsych /@MobilizeClimate

Links posted on Facebook

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Without the help of humans, baby harriers almost always die during harvest.

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The members of Raptors Protection in Slovakia are walking around grain fields during these days of harvesting to reveal nests of precious and endangered Montagu's harriers. The birds usually raise their babies on the ground and predators like foxes, wild boars or even strong rain may cause harm.

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Environmentalists succeeded when revealing the field of nests in Chtelnica near Piestany.

The biggest threat for them is a combine when harvesting because it does not miss an inch, said Michal Noga from the Raptors protection organization, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Members of the organization have checked the locations with the most sightings since June.

As he stated, there is about from five to twenty pairs of harriers in Slovakia but the ornithologists are not always successful in finding them. However, without the help of humans, the baby animal almost always dies.

After finding a nest, members of RPS usually inform the local agricultural cooperative and state nature protection. There are several possibilities, such as postpone harvest by a only few days so babies can fly or to cut the grain around the nest. However an uncut swath of grain allures predators, explained Noga.

Environmentalists feel relief when they see harriers fly above fields, according to Noga.
The project is expected to restore the activities in tourism and promotion of cultural traditions.

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The joint activities to support tourism, culture and traditions of national minorities are among the main goals of the memorandum on cross-border cooperation signed by 10 mayors from Slovakia, four from Austria and one from Hungary.

The memorandum is part of the Regional Partnerships as a basis for the Active Cross-Border Collaboration (REPA) project.

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Project REPA is not intended for one-time use, but its rather a stepping-stone for further activities and bigger development projects that cannot be realised by individual municipalities, said Vladimir Palfi from the Euroregion Danube Initiative organisation, as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding that the cross-border municipalities have to join forces.

One good example is building cycling routes.

For the Slovak side, the memorandum was signed by mayors of Bratislavas city boroughs Jarovce, Rusovce, Cunovo, Dubravka and Devinska Nova Ves, and the mayor of Chorvatsky Grob village. For Austria, it was inked by the mayors of Parndorf, Neudorf and Pama; the mayor of the village of Bezenye signed the document for Hungary.

The potential of our region is big, thus we believe that the project will restore the activities in tourism and promotion of cultural traditions, Jarovce Mayor Pavel Skodler said, as quoted by TASR.

The mayors also stressed the importance of cross-border events.

We want the REPA project to be a stepping-stone towards more intensive collaboration of Slovak, Austrian and Hungarian municipalities situated close to the borders, said Cunovo Mayor Gabriela Ferencakova, as quoted by TASR.

Also several seminars in Jarovce and Cunovo were held as part of the project, which resulted in the creation of a platform for national minorities living in border areas. They were represented particularly by the Croatian minority, TASR wrote.
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Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Snow showers. High 38F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with snow flurries and snow showers, especially overnight. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Credit Management LLC, AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe Holdings S.a.r.l, AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Operations Inc., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund II GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund III GP LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund IV GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American International Group UK Limited, American International Realty LLC, American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A. en Liquidacion S.A., Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., C.A. de Seguros American International, Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Glatfelter Underwriting Services Inc., Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Illinois National Insurance Co., Inversiones Segucasai C.A., Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, Lexington Specialty Insurance Agency Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PCG 2019 Corporate Member Limited, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SAFG Capital LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., and Western World Insurance Company.

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First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company also underwrites bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities eligible for underwriting by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers various services, such as mortgage banking; title insurance and loan-closing; brokerage; correspondent banking; nationwide check clearing and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency; equipment finance; and investment and financial advisory services. Further, the company sells mutual fund and retail insurance products; and credit cards. It operates approximately 500 banking offices in 22 states under the First Horizon Bank brand; and 400 banking centers in 12 states under the FHN Financial brand in the United States. The company was formerly known as First Horizon National Corporation and changed its name to First Horizon Corporation in November 2020. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
BWX Technologies, Inc. manufactures and sells nuclear components in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Nuclear Operations Group, Nuclear Power Group, and Nuclear Services Group. The Nuclear Operations Group segment provides precision naval and critical nuclear components, reactors, nuclear fuel, and assemblies for the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration's Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and other uses; missile launch tubes for United States Navy submarines; close-tolerance and equipment for nuclear applications; and converts Cold War-era government stockpiles of high-enriched uranium, as well as receives, stores, characterizes, dissolves, recovers, and purifies uranium-bearing materials; supplies research reactor fuel elements for colleges, universities, and national laboratories; and components for defense applications. The Nuclear Power Group segment offers commercial nuclear steam generators, nuclear fuel, fuel handling systems, pressure vessels, reactor components, heat exchangers, tooling delivery systems, and containers; engineering and in-plant services for nuclear power plants; designs, manufactures, commissions, and services nuclear power generation equipment; in-plant inspection, maintenance, and modification services, as well as non-destructive examination and tooling/repair solutions; and supplies medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic uses. The company was formerly known as The Babcock & Wilcox Company and changed its name to BWX Technologies, Inc. in June 2015. BWX Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia.
ANGOLA  Jaime Walker and Adam Miller were officially named to the Steuben County Community Foundation board at its annual meeting Thursday.

Walker is the director of membership at Steuben County REMC and has been active in the community with various projects through her job.

She is passionate about education of youth through career development and affordable, quality childcare.

She currently lives in Edon, Ohio, with her husband and their daughter.

Miller is employed at Croxton & Roe Insurance, having previously been a deputy with the Steuben County Sheriffs Department.

His hopes with the community foundation are that with the right investments and infrastructure Steuben County will attract and retain young families.

Miller is part of the Angola Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Network and lives in Steuben County with his wife and two children.

Board members Randy White, Dave Goodwin and Jim Ingledue were all elected to serve a third three-year term on the board. White is the new vice chairman.

Kevin Stoy was board chair for two years, and he welcomed new chairman Jim Burns to the position. The officers for 2018 are Burns as chair, White as vice chair, Julie Troyer as secretary and Doug Bomba as treasurer.

In 2017, the foundation completed a $250,000 matching campaign that benefited 16 area organizations, granted over $1 million to charitable organizations, received over $600,000 in gifts, generated nearly 12 percent return on investments and concluded the year just shy of $27 million for the long term benefit of the county.

We have a great community, Stoy said.

Burns echoed Stoys sentiments in his speech: Its been a great year and things are looking bright.

As outgoing chair of the Steuben County Fiber Network Board, Burns addressed the successes the network has seen in the last year.

Weve rebranded it from iMAN to hopefully let those coming to Steuben County from outside realize its fiber optic being offered, said Burns.

The year for the network concluded with 88 customers and 147 connections, over $92,000 in net profits and $16,500 given back to the community foundation for grant making.

Isaac Lee joins the fiber network board as its newest member, with John McCoy as board chair, Chris Snyder as vice-chair and Kathy Armstrong as secretary and treasurer.

The meeting was held at the new facility of the Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County. Community Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Danic said the purpose of the meeting location was to see the building that will soon house the Humane Society.

The hope is to have the building open sometime in August.
By Laila Bassam and Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched an offensive on Friday to drive Islamist insurgents from their last foothold on the Syrian-Lebanese border, a pro-Damascus military commander said. The operation targeted insurgents from the Nusra Front group in the mountainous outskirts of the Lebanese town of Arsal and areas near the Syrian town of Fleita, the commander said. Media run by Hezbollah reported significant gains by its side in the early stage of the operation. It later said Hezbollah fighters had captured the Sahl al-Rahwa area, taking over a Nusra operations centre, after driving militants out. At least 23 of the militants had been killed in the first day of fighting, a security source said, as well as five Hezbollah combatants. The Lebanese army, which assumed a defensive position around the town of Arsal, raised its alert level and was carrying out strict security measures including patrols and guarding the entrances to the town. The army later stopped an attempt by militants to breach its defences, military sources said. A Lebanese security source said refugees living in the area were fleeing towards Arsal and the Lebanese army was facilitating their passage with U.N. supervision. U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) spokeswoman Lisa Abou Khaled said only a small number of people had fled to Arsal so far. "UNHCR has only received confirmation ... that two Syrian families have arrived in the town of Arsal from the outskirts." Several thousand Syrian refugees occupy camps east of the town in an area known as Juroud Arsal, a barren mountainous zone between Syria and Lebanon that has served as a base for Islamic State militants and other jihadists and rebels fighting in Syria's six-year-old civil war. Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said Nusra militants were under attack in Juroud Arsal and in areas near the Syrian town of Fleita. A military news outlet run by Hezbollah reported Syrian army air strikes on Nusra positions near Fleita. Al-Manar broadcast footage showing an artillery gun being fired from the back of a truck flying the Hezbollah flag. Plumes of smoke were shown rising from the hills. Hezbollah, a Shi'ite Muslim group backed by Iran, has played a critical part in previous campaigns against Sunni Muslim insurgents along the border, part of the much wider role it has played supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian war. The Lebanese army is not taking part in the operation, according to the commander in the pro-Damascus military alliance and the Lebanese security source. The Lebanese source said the army had assumed a defensive position, was monitoring militant movements, and would fire if it came under attack. The Lebanese National News Agency later reported that the army had fired on a group of militants trying to flee the fighting towards Arsal. ARMY REINFORCEMENTS The Lebanese army, a recipient of U.S. and British military support, deployed reinforcements on the outskirts of Arsal in anticipation of the operation this week to prevent militants crossing into Lebanon. Hezbollah's role in the Syrian war has been a major point of contention in Lebanon, drawing criticism from opponents including Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. Hariri's Future Movement said on Thursday the anticipated Arsal battle was part of "the services" offered by Hezbollah to "the Syrian regime". Hariri said on Tuesday the Lebanese army would carry out a carefully planned operation in the Juroud Arsal area, but there was no coordination between it and the Syrian army. The Nusra Front was al Qaeda's official affiliate in the Syrian war until last year when it formally severed ties to al Qaeda and renamed itself. The group now spearheads the Tahrir al-Sham Islamist alliance. In 2014, Arsal was the scene of one of the most serious spillovers of the Syrian war into Lebanon when jihadists briefly overran the town. Negotiations failed to secure the militants' withdrawal from the Juroud Arsal area to other rebel-held parts of Syria. Earlier this month, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said time was running out for Syrian militants along the border near Arsal to reach deals with Syrian authorities. He said it was "high time to end the threat of militant groups in Arsal". (Reporting by Laila Bassam/Tom Perry additional reporting by Lisa Barrington and John Davison; writing by Tom Perry; editing by Mark Heinrich)
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 Albuquerque Community Foundation recently awarded more than $160,000 in scholarships and aid to New Mexican college students and recent high school graduates. About 60 of over 100 recipients attended a ceremony Friday at the Journals auditorium to receive recognition for their achievements.

The foundation has been distributing scholarship funds for over 30 years, according to Foundation president and CEO Randy Royster. However, this is only the third year that a related event has been held. The groups board of trustees includes Journal publisher, president and CEO William P. Lang.

Scholarship winners and their families were provided with lunch, after which students were called up to receive a certificate and the small gift of a cell phone wallet. The student awards are sent directly to their schools.

Its just a nice way to get them interested them in philanthropy really early, said Denise Nava, the scholarship coordinator for the foundation who started the event in 2015. It was something I wanted to do to engage young people.

The awards the students receive, some of which are renewable over several years, ranged in value from $500 to $2,500, said Nava. They were provided by 18 programs whose funds are managed by the foundation. Recipient winners are determined by a committee assembled by the foundation.

One of the 18 programs was the Sussman-Miller Educational Assistance Fund, which fills gaps in college aid that students receive from other sources. Nava said that awards granted through the program this year totaled about $40,000 that was divided up amongst over 40 individuals.

Its a terrific award designed to benefit a lot of people, and its an honor (to receive it) to say the least, said DeShawn Vaughan, one of the recipients.

Some of the awards were given to nontraditional college students, including the Trythall Family Scholarship for Excellence in Continuing Education. The scholarship was started by Barbara and Duane Trythall as a way to help students who work more than 20 hours a week. Such individuals can include those who are above the traditional college students age. For example, the Trythalls said that one of this years three winners has taken couple of the same classes as her son at Central New Mexico Community College.

All of the award winners seemed excited by their achievement.

The first time I got it, I was just crying I was so happy, said Naudiea Davis, who received the Carl F. Scott Scholarship for Tucumcari Lodge #27 A.F. & A.M. for the third time this year, the first and two renewals. It was really like having a dream come true.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.<br>
About 200 young social activists from around the nation capped off two days of learning how to mobilize protests on behalf of undocumented immigrants with a 1.5-mile march through Downtown Albuquerque, ending up in Civic Plaza Friday.

There the group hosted speakers, most of them undocumented immigrants themselves, and state Auditor Tim Keller, who advocated against recent threats to the federal program that gives special visa status to children who were brought to the U.S. without immigration papers by their parents.

That program, Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrival Program, or DACA, came under fire during President Donald Trumps campaign and more recently after 10 state attorneys general, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sent a letter to Trump asking that he dismantle the program or prepare for Texas to challenge it in court.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas on Friday joined 19 other Democratic attorneys general around the country urging Trump to keep the program.

In a letter to the president, the Democratic attorneys general said the 800,000 immigrant students covered under the Obama-era DACA have been a boon to universities and employers.

Keller, in his address to the protest group Friday afternoon, said the same thing.

For the protesters, though, the issue is more emotional.

Our parents gave everything they had to give us this opportunity, one protester said in her speech. We are here to stay.

The group chanted frequently their main refrain: undocumented and unafraid.

The protest was led by the NM DREAM Team, part of the larger United We Dream immigrant rights advocacy group.

United We Dream field communications manager Sheridan Aguirre said at the protest that about half of the protesters and participants in the prior days workshops were from New Mexico, and the others came to Albuquerque from 12 states to learn organizing and activist strategies so they can continue the fight.
SANTA FE  Santa Fe County deputies who served an eviction notice on a man the day before he was fatally shot by Santa Fe Police found fireworks, a propane torch and rotten food inside the apartment.

Anthony Benavidez, 24, was shot and killed by Santa Fe Police Department SWAT officers Wednesday morning after he broke into his old apartment at the Tuscany at St. Francis complex near St. Francis Drive and Siringo Road. The State Police, which is investigating the officer-involved shooting, said Thursday that Benavidez stabbed a social worker and threw homemade explosives at police before SFPD officers entered the apartment and fired at Benavidez. He later died at the hospital.

The day before, Deputies went to the apartment complex around 10 a.m. to evict Benavidez and were not able to get him to answer the front door, according to an incident report released Friday by the sheriffs office. The maintenance crew didnt have keys to the apartment and tried to get in by drilling a hole in the door handle, but that didnt work either. A deputy was able to get in through an unlocked window.

Foil stretched across the width of the window, the report says. Deputies saw a thin male, later identified as Benavidez, sitting on the floor in front of a computer monitor and who was looking at deputies with a blank stare. The report describes Benavidez as 5-foot-5 and 100 pounds. Deputies wrote that he was acting strangely but was also calm and cooperative.

The apartment was pitch black inside with the only light source being a red and blue light bulb. It appeared that all the windows and most of the doors and walls were painted black, the report says.

Deputies saw numerous amounts of packages containing salt and flour, various batteries and electronics taken apart, multiple razors in the bathroom and rotten food in (the) kitchen and refrigerator. Several fireworks and a propane torch were found in a closet, according to the report.

SFPD Officer William Perdue arrived at the scene shortly after deputies called for backup due to the uncertainty of the situation. Perdue called SFPD Sgt. Chris McCord to rule out the possibility that meth was being made in the apartment, the report says. McCord then called the city fire department hazardous material battalion chief, who later determined that no dangerous materials were in the apartment.

SFPD spokesman and records custodian Greg Gurule didnt release reports by Perdue or McCord Friday. There are reports, but they are being reviewed by the State Police to decide whether they will be used in the investigation, Gurule wrote in an email. We are holding them until we are advised by the State Police Investigators so it wont affect their investigation.

Benavidez was taken to the hospital for further evaluation, the SFCSO report says.

State Police have not identified the two SFPD officers who fired at Benavidez the next day.

He was evicted because he owed $277 in rent and $24 per day until his debt was paid, according to a Magistrate Court filing from June 22. .
SANTA FE  A Rio Arriba County man charged with killing three family members and two strangers he encountered in a shooting rampage last month is now accused of locking a jail guard in a cell and striking another guard with a flashlight.

According to a sheriffs office report, 21-year-old Damian Herrera told a booking officer at the Rio Arriba County Jail around 11 p.m. July 15 that his toilet was not working properly. When the officer went into the cell, Herrera closed the cell door from the outside, locking the officer inside. Herrera then got a large mag light and hid around the corner in the booking area.

As another officer entered the booking area, Herrera began to hit him in the face with the flashlight, the report says. Herrera then threw the flashlight at the officers face when the officer picked up a chair to defend himself, creating a hole in the chair. Multiple officers responded and were able to take control of Herrera, according to the report.

Herrera is accused of killing three family members  brother Brendon Herrera, 20, mother Maria Rosita Brenda Gallegos, 49, and stepfather Max Trujillo, 55  at the familys home in La Madera June 15. He fled the area and later killed 61-year-old Michael Kyte in Tres Piedras and 59-year-old Manuel Serrano at a gas station in Abiquiu. He was arrested after crashing a truck he stole from Kyte and trying to fight with Rio Arriba deputies.

Herrera told a State Police investigator just after his arrest that stepfather Trujillo had shot at him during an argument before Trujillo shot and killed Brendon Herrera and Gallegos. Herrera also maitained he had to shoot Trujillo after that, according to a transcript of the interview.

But Herreras 16-year-old sister told officers that she was with Brendon and Gallegos in the house when she heard a gunshot outside. She went outside and saw Trujillo on the ground with wounds to his chest. Herrera then shot Brendon and the neck and her mother in the head, the teen said.

He also maintained that he shot Kyte and Serrano Kyte had given him a ride after Herrera ran out of gas in a family vehicle and Serrano just happened to be at the Abiquiu gas stattion when Herrera pulled in with the truck he stole from Kyte  in self defense.

A call to the Rio Arriba jail director was not returned Friday. The Journal had filed a public records request with Rio Arriba County government for information about the incident earlier this week.

Friday, Miles Conway, the communications director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union in New Mexico, which represents corrections officers, said the incident a thte county jail where Herrera locked up an officer shows the danger of understaffing in correctional facilities, which has been a hot-button state issue in recent years.

There shouldnt have been just one officer with that particular inmate, Conway said.

He said there are frequently just five corrections officers working at the Rio Arriba County facility, which houses more than 100 inmates.

The jail cant continue the way it is  its just a powder keg, Conway said.

Journal reporter Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
With school less than a month away, the New Mexico Immunization Coalition is hosting Got Shots to help ensure all students are up-to-date on their vaccinations.

Participating providers will open their doors to kids from July 29 to Aug. 12, regardless whether they are patients or have insurance. Those who do have insurance are asked to bring their insurance cards and shot records.

Clinics across Albuquerque are taking part, including a number on the West Side.

Albuquerque Public Schools communications director Johanna King encouraged families to participate.

Immunizations protect children from serious illness, so its important that students are up-to-date on their shots before starting school, she said.

Just what shots to get and when to get them can be confusing, which is why we encourage families to visit their health care provider, a New Mexico Department of Public Health office or one of the Got Shot clinics.

New Mexico law does allow for medical and religious immunization exemptions for children entering school. Parents must submit an approved Certificate of Exemption Form in order to register their child without proof of current vaccinations.

For more information on required vaccinations, go to www.aps.edu/nursing.
There was a fundraising event last week in Rio Rancho that we were not able to attend but will support in every way we can. It was designed to raise money for bulletproof vests for New Mexico police dogs, those wonderful animals that assist our police officers in so many ways. We would like to tell you we were shocked that these dogs didnt already have them; in reality, we had probably not thought much about it. But we should have. Now is obviously the time to think about it, donate and spread the word.

We only learned recently that very few police dogs in New Mexico have bulletproof vests to wear while they are on the job. How sad is that? We understand that the costs to operate a police department are high and that payroll, cars, equipment, etc. coupled with the limited resources of most government agencies today make it difficult to find money for everything. But this seems like a very important piece of equipment that should be funded.

Vests for New Mexico K-9s, the New Mexico Jeep Group, New Mexico 4 Wheelers, ABQ 4X4, and Pet Food Gone Wild of Rio Rancho sponsored the event. Vests for New Mexico K-9s not only raises money for vests, but they also raise money for GPS monitors for the dogs, cooling devices for cars when the dogs have to be left in the car and specials costs associated with K-9 units. Although this group works closely with the National Police Dog Foundation, all the money it raises will stay in New Mexico.

Fred Hawkins of the New Mexico Jeep Group says the group originally thought it would do one fundraiser and then move on to other police needs, but the group discovered how great the need was and how few bulletproof vests are available for the dogs and are more involved than they expected to be.

Vests for the canines cost $2,200 each and are well worth the money. These dogs provide an immeasurable amount of assistance to police officers, and their superb training allows them to do tasks their human counterparts arent always capable of doing. They deserve the best treatment and the best protection we can give them.

Hawkins says most state police departments do not have bulletproof vests for the dogs because of budget limitations, so it is important to support this cause. Police departments needing vests for their K-9 units can submit a request to the Vests for New Mexico K-9s, and it will be considered. The group is raising money for police departments throughout the state.

We all love our pets and would do almost anything for them just because of the love and devotion they provide us, but police dogs do so much more. They literally save lives, of both the victims of crimes and also of the police officers involved in fighting crime. Their training is awesome, their skills are far beyond what we think dogs are capable of, and we must provide them with the best. Thats what they do for us.

To donate, you can go to the groups website at vests4nmk9s.newmexicojeepgroup.com and follow the instructions. All money will stay in New Mexico.

Contact the Ryans at ryan@abqjournal.com.
WASHINGTON  It is no surprise, but it is still a shock, to see how little President Trump understands about the independence of the Justice Department and the importance of the rule of law.

Trumps jaw-dropping interview with The New York Times featured an unprecedented and unvarnished invitation to Attorney General Jeff Sessions to quit, an invitation Sessions on Thursday declined, at least for now.

Sessions sin is failing to do his job, which, as Trump sees it, is not overseeing the impartial administration of justice but assiduously protecting the legal interests of Donald J. Trump. Thus, in Trumps view, it was very unfair to the president  actually, extremely unfair, and thats a mild word  for Sessions to have recused himself from overseeing the departments probe into Russian meddling in the election and the possible role of the Trump campaign.

Let us review the facts and the law.

The facts: Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump and served as a close campaign adviser. That is conflict enough, but he piled conflict on conflict by meeting during the campaign with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and then omitting to inform the Senate Judiciary Committee of the meetings when questioned about it.

The law: Justice Department regulations provide that no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with the subject of the investigation or any person or organization which he knows has a specific and substantial interest that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation or prosecution. A political relationship means a close identification with an elected official  arising from service as a principal adviser thereto.

So Sessions situation and the question of whether he could oversee the Russia investigation isnt a close call. As Sessions told the Senate Intelligence Committee last month, That regulation states, in effect, that department employees should not participate in investigations of a campaign if they have served as a campaign adviser. In other words, its a no-brainer, at least if you understand basic concepts of conflict of interest. What Trump perceives as betrayal is Ethics 101.

Trumps related argument  that Sessions at the very least should have given him a heads-up in advance so that he could have picked a different attorney general at the start  suffers from a similar flaw. A different attorney general might not have needed to recuse himself, but in the end that attorney general would have come to the same conclusion as the deputy left acting in Sessions place, that a special counsel was required to oversee the investigation.

Again, the law: Justice Department regulations require appointment of a special counsel when the attorney general, or someone acting in his stead, determines that investigation through the normal departmental processes would present a conflict of interest for the Department. How could this not be true of the Russia matter? Even leaving aside the question of whether the president himself is under investigation, it involves the presidents campaign and closest advisers, including relatives. The special counsel regulations were not put in place to torment presidents but to reassure the public that, even in politically sensitive cases, justice would proceed impartially and unimpeded.

Which raises the question of what Trump hoped to achieve by taking his beef against Sessions public. What does the president imagine would happen if, as he seems to hope, Sessions goes and, along with him, Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein? In confirming their successors, the Senate, even this Senate, would no doubt want some assurance that special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation would be allowed to continue unimpeded. When the Senate confirmed Elliot Richardson as attorney general in the midst of the Watergate scandal in 1973, it conditioned approval on Richardsons commitment to appoint, and protect, a special prosecutor. At least a few Republican senators ought to be willing to make their support for a Sessions replacement contingent on similar backup for Mueller  who remains Trumps chief problem, and for that reason perhaps his ultimate target.

He was up here, and he wanted the job, Trump said of interviewing Mueller about the possibility of resuming his former role as FBI director. After Mueller was named special counsel instead, I said, What the hell is this all about?' Trump said. Talk about conflicts. But he was interviewing for the job. There were many other conflicts that I havent said, but I will at some point.

This is the essence of Trump  exquisitely sensitive to conflicts, real or perceived, when they may work against him; resolutely obtuse to the imperative of independence when unquestioning loyalty better serves his needs.

E-mail: ruthmarcus@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
Puja Mehta, a native of India, loves cooking.

And students in her Indian cooking classes, as well as people at events she cooked for, had asked where they could buy ingredients to make their own Indian meals.

That gave me the idea to make meal kits, Mehta said in an interview at the Coulee Region Business Center at 1100 Kane St. in La Crosse.

She prepares and assembles the ingredients for her vegetarian Indian Meal Kits in the commercial kitchen at the center, which also is known as the small business incubator.

So far, the kits are available at three food stores, a local farmers market and online.

Indian Meal Kits have been available at the Peoples Food Co-op in La Crosse since last November, at Woodmans Food Market in Onalaska since March and at the Peoples Food Co-op in Rochester, Minn., since last week.

Since early June, Mehta and her family also have been selling the kits as well as prepared Indian food and beverages on Fridays at the Cameron Park Farmers Market.

Mehta, who hopes to get her several varieties of meal kits in additional grocery stores, also sells them to area residents through her www.indianmealkit.com website.

Delivery of the refrigerated kits is available within the greater La Crosse area, and customers also have the option of picking up their online order at the Coulee Region Business Center. For details about picking up online orders there, visit Indian Meal Kits website or Facebook page.

The meal kits are for people who enjoy Indian food and are interested in vegetarian cooking at home, Mehta said. Each kit contains the ingredients to make a healthy and delicious vegetarian meal for two to four people, she said.

Most of the vegetables are washed and already cut up, spices are pre-measured, and the meals will be ready to eat in 30 to 40 minutes.

Two of Mehtas most popular meal kits are Pav-Bhaji, which includes buns and spiced vegetables; and Chana-Masala, which is chickpea curry with rice and Indian bread.

I try to promote healthy food, Mehta said of her meal kits. For example, she uses organic brown sugar when possible, and tries to use yogurt instead of cream. And she tries to buy fresh, locally grown produce as often as possible.

People have been very kind to me, Mehta said of her business. Its been going very well.

Mehta continues to teach Indian cooking classes at the Peoples Food Co-op in La Crosse.

While she owns the Indian Meal Kit business, Mehta said her husband, Pavak Mehta, has been a very big help. He works at Trane in La Crosse.

The Mehtas live in La Crescent, Minn., with their daughters, Arya and Adiya.

Pavak Mehta came to the United States from India in 2000 and received his masters degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University in 2002. He has lived in the La Crosse area since 2003, when he began working at Trane.

Puja Mehta came to the United States in 2001. She graduated in 2004 from The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, where she studied web design and multimedia. She was a web designer in Chicago when she married Pavak, also in 2004.

Pavaks mom and my mom were childhood friends, Puja said. My mom told me about him and Pavaks mother told him about Puja, after both were already living in America. That prompted Pavak to call her one day.
Whom should government protect:

A.) Voters who deserve to know who is shelling out cash to get someone elected, or

B.) Campaign contributors who shell out big money in secret to get someone elected?

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, is unequivocally answering A. She just finished up a three-city tour on proposed changes to the states campaign finance rules  changes crafted from the bipartisan bill passed by the 2017 Legislature to beef up the states campaign finance laws, which have been gutted by the courts. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed that legislation.

Toulouse Oliver gets that in this hyperpartisan world its direly important for voters to know whos funding dark-money organizations. In part, such transparency allows voters to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

Dark money refers to funds donated to nonprofit organizations that can receive unlimited donations from individuals, unions and corporations but are not required to disclose donors. Foes of transparency rules say they curtail free speech and discourage donors who could be criticized or face other punitive action for supporting controversial causes.

Yet public support for more disclosure is unquestionable: Polls conducted by Albuquerque-based Research and Polling over a four-year period consistently show New Mexicans favor increased disclosure requirements on independent political expenditures. And its gained support in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Courts Citizens United decision, which basically said organizations, corporations, unions and others can spend as much as they want as long as they dont coordinate their activities with candidates.

Toulouse Olivers proposal attempts to address both sides concerns.

Under the proposal, groups active in New Mexico elections have to disclose their donors if they spend more than $1,000 on political advertising during an election cycle  however, only the names of donors giving more than $200 to the group in the previous 12 months would have to be disclosed. And donors who mark their gifts as not for political purposes do not have to be revealed at all. Groups that give more than $3,000 would face additional disclosure requirements.

It is important to remember the rule only applies to independent expenditure groups; candidates and political parties must list the names and addresses of all their donors, regardless of donation amounts, with the Secretary of States office under state law.

So whats the definition of political advertising? Under the proposed rules, it:

 Expressly advocates for the defeat or election of a certain candidate or ballot measure, or

 Makes any type of reference to a candidate or ballot measure within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election, or

 Is susceptible to no other reasonable interpretation than an appeal to vote for or against a certain candidate or ballot measure.

And while reasonable interpretation is in the eye of the beholder  one contributors electioneering is anothers educating  and will undoubtedly end up in court, its a solid start that could improve with judicial guidance.

New Mexico has an important record of transparency and accountability when it comes to government, from open meetings to public records to sunshine portals. It also would do well to lead the charge for more transparency and accountability when it comes to letting voters know whos spending big bucks to get someone elected.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
The program specialist at the LGBTQ Resource Center at the University of New Mexico has been fired after an investigation revealed the misuse of the organizations funds, according to documents reviewed by the Journal as part of an Inspection of Public Records Act request.

Alma Rosa Silva-Banuelos had been with the resource center since 2010. She was terminated as of June 17, after the universitys Division of Human Resources found that she violated university policy and procedures requiring prior approval for travel expenses.

The LGBTQ Resource Center provides support, advocacy and education to UNM students, faculty and staff of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

An internal audit summary, as well as documents and receipts related to an HR investigation, indicated that in 2016 Silva-Banuelos failed to receive prior approval for 19 of 22 trips, incurring more than $50,000 in unapproved expenses.

All travel expenses were supposed to get prior approval from her supervisor, Josephine De Leon, formerly the vice president for equity and inclusion.

According to the documents, Silva-Banuelos submitted non-allowable receipts for expenses and in some cases failed to produce receipts at all; took inappropriate cash advances; used her university-issued credit card for unapproved lunches and the purchase of groceries and gifts; allowed someone else to use it in violation of policy and then denied it; and authorized a student scholarship without following policy.

Attempts to reach Silva-Banuelos were unsuccessful. But her attorney, Stephen Curtice, said in a written statement his client categorically denies all of the allegations against her, citing wrongful termination and violations of the Whistleblower Protection Act.

Her firing, Curtice said, is retaliation for Silva-Banuelos going to then UNM Provost Chaouki Abdallah, now president, to complain of the gross mismanagement of her department by her supervisor and asking that the LGBTQ Resource Center be transferred to a different unit within the university.

All the travel Silva-Banuelos undertook to grow and develop the center was prior approved by De Leon, Curtice said. After Silva-Banuelos blew the whistle on her supervisor, she was subjected to an internal audit, where the university claimed she had not obtained approval for her travel.

He further claimed UNM denied him access to files, documents and emails that would show the allegations against his client were false.

According to the audit, the accusations against De Leon were separately investigated and deemed unfounded.

Specific improprieties cited in the documentation included:

 Silva-Banuelos authorized a students airfare for a study abroad trip to Cuba, knowing that students were supposed to pay their own airfare. There was no record of reimbursement from the center staff/student, who at the time of the trip was no longer registered at UNM.

 Questionable expenditures of $380 for items were categorized as books and gifts during a trip to Ojo Caliente, and people she identified as participating on that trip later denied they were present.

 Silva-Banuelos incurred $3,095 in non-refundable expenses for an unauthorized trip to Thailand that was subsequently canceled.

 Silva-Banuelos made two unauthorized trips to Standing Rock, N.D., site of an oil pipeline protest, costing more than $5,000 for no approved center business purpose, the documents said.

UNM spokeswoman Dianne Anderson said a decision on any future action (including criminal charges) will not be made until after the audit is formally presented to the UNM Regents Audit and Compliance Committee, which is scheduled to meet sometime in August.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Though environmental groups are relieved to see an updated recovery plan for the endangered Mexican gray wolf that was more than 30 years in the making, theyre dissatisfied with its recommendations.

A state cattle ranchers group doesnt think much of the plan, either.

A draft of the new plan, which will replace one created in 1982, was released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on June 20 as part of a settlement reached with environmental groups.

Were not happy with it, said Bryan Bird, director of Defenders of Wildlifes Southwest Program. We think its essentially a deal based on politics and not on the best available scientific information.

Groups on both sides of the debate have been critical of the plan, including ranchers, environmental groups and members of New Mexicos congressional delegation. FWS maintains its research and plan is scientifically valid.

The proposal suggests the subspecies be taken off the endangered species list once its U.S. population reaches 320 individuals and its population in Mexico reaches 170.

At last count, there were 113 Mexican gray wolves in the U.S. at the end of 2016 and 28 in Mexico as of April 2017.

Bird said FWS research by wolf experts in 2012 had concluded that three U.S. populations totaling 750 individuals would be optimal for the subspecies recovery.

We think 320 in the U.S. is not enough to get the genetic recovery that is going to be required to take the animal off the list, he said.

Both sides of the debate criticized the plans consideration of the size of the Mexican gray wolf population before delisting could occur.

Genetic diversity

The genetic diversity of the wild population of the wolves has been a cornerstone of many groups concerns.

You cant go many generations at the level of kinship there is, said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity.

A July 14 letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service from Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity and 29 other pro-wolf reintroduction groups called for the more frequent release of wolves from captivity, including a female that was captured after crossing into Arizona from Mexico in March.

Democratic U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich also voiced concerns over the populations genetic makeup.

I am concerned that the current plan will not achieve the genetic diversity that is critical to a successful recovery of the Mexican wolf, Heinrich said in a statement.

The plan also stipulates that the U.S. population be restricted to an area south of Interstate 40 from New Mexicos eastern border to Arizonas western border, which Bird said will further limit the recovery. The 2012 federal research team had recommended areas in the northern Grand Canyon and southern Rocky Mountains as ideal population sites.

The scientists recommended that because those are the best habitats available, meaning the highest populations of deer and elk, the lowest density of roads and the lowest density of cows, Bird said.

The states of Colorado and Utah expressed extreme opposition to the habitat reaching north of the interstate, as that area is outside of the wolfs historic range, which is mostly in Mexico.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., said in a statement he believes Mexico should be expected to take on more responsibility in the recovery of the subspecies.

First and foremost, Mexico is not being forced to carry their weight in recovery, he said. The plan straps all of the burden of recovery on New Mexico and Arizona even though the majority of the historic habitat is in Mexico.

The plan gives ultimate authority to New Mexico and Arizona to determine the timing, location and circumstances of releases of wolves into the wild within their respective states.

The state of New Mexico sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2016 to require releases to be permitted through the states Department of Game and Fish. The litigation is pending.

Defenders of Wildlife will voice opposition to the plan during a public meeting today at the Crowne Plaza hotel at 1901 University Blvd. in Albuquerque, where representatives from the Fish and Wildlife Service will present plan details and answer questions. They are not taking comments to include in the official record.

Ranchers view

Caren Cowan, executive director of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association that opposed the original endangered listing of the wolf, said she has discouraged members from attending the public meetings.

We have found them to be valueless, Cowan said. Ranchers get verbally abused by the other side at these meetings.

She does, however, expect association members to be active in submitting public comments on the plan.

Its completely unacceptable, she said.

The plan expects the subspecies recovery to take 25 to 35 years and more than $262 million to complete, with a change of status to threatened to take 16 to 20 years.

I would like to think we could resolve this within my lifetime, she said.

Official public comments will be accepted electronically at www.regulations.gov (Docket FWS-R2-ES-2017-0036) and in writing through Aug. 29.

The plan must be finalized by Nov. 30, according to the settlement agreement.

Mexican wolf public meeting

What: Public informational meeting hosted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

When: 2-5 p.m. today

Where: Crowne Plaza hotel, 1901 University Blvd., Albuquerque
SANTA FE  Gov. Susana Martinez fired back Friday at top-ranking legislators for challenging her vetoes of 10 different bills, saying they were grasping at technicalities and could have tried to override the vetoes instead of going to court.

In a court filing, the states two-term Republican governor also defended her vetoes of the 10 bills, arguing the states Constitution does not require her to provide an explanation for every piece of vetoed legislation.

Reading such technical requirements in the New Mexico Constitution as mandatory prerequisites for preventing a bill from becoming a law would be contrary to the framers intent, because it would mean that bills can become law based on nothing more than a clerical error or technical oversight, rather than the merits of the proposed legislation itself, Martinezs attorneys wrote in the brief.

Top New Mexico lawmakers filed the lawsuit in June, after a contentious 60-day session in which the Democratic-controlled Legislature frequently clashed with the Governors Office over budgetary matters.

The legislators argue the 10 bills Martinez vetoed  all approved during the session  should be declared to be law because the governor did not follow proper procedures. She either took too long to act on the bills or did not provide a sufficient explanation for the vetoes, the suit claims.

At stake are bills dealing with industrial hemp research, local government broadband expansion, drug testing for racehorses and allowing computer science to count toward math and science requirements for New Mexico high school students.

Six of the 10 bills were vetoed in a flurry of action on March 15, the day after the Senate voted to successfully override Martinezs veto of a teacher sick leave bill. A similar override attempt in the House of Representatives came up short.

Since Martinez vetoed the bills, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has declined to chapter them into law. If successful, the lawsuit would compel that action, a needed step for the bills to take effect.

The Legislative Council, a group of leading legislators from both political parties, authorized the lawsuit in April via a closed-door vote. It wasnt filed until June because lawmakers wanted to first resolve a lingering budget impasse  a task that was completed in a May special session.

State District Court Judge Sarah Singleton ruled last month the veto lawsuit could proceed and set a hearing date for next month.

A key question  and point of debate  in the lawsuit is whether the governor has to provide her reasoning for vetoing a bill. The Constitution says governors should return vetoed bills to the Legislature with their objections, but does not lay out a process for doing so.

Martinezs attorneys, including Paul Kennedy of Albuquerque, also said in their Friday court filing it should be up to the governor and the Legislature  not the courts  to decide which bills become law.
PILAR  Coming out here, its like no other its like our church, said 18-year-old Damian Aguilar about the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

The Kewa Pueblo tribal member cited the northern New Mexico monuments peacefulness and said it was sacred to tribes and residents. We need to protect our church, he said.

Aguilar was among monument supporters and others invited to meet Friday with U.S. Sen. Tom Udall at the Orilla Verde Recreation Area, along the Rio Grande south of Taos.

Udall, who showed off his fly-fishing skills at the event, said federal Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will be coming to New Mexico next week to evaluate both Rio Grande del Norte and the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks monument near Las Cruces. Zinke has been tasked by President Donald Trump to review numerous national monuments and make recommendations about whether they should be pared back.

Udall, who supports the New Mexico monument designations made by President Barack Obama, said hell be spending time with Zinke  maybe even taking him for a horseback ride in the area  and will plead with the secretary to leave both monuments alone.

Udall said he believes both New Mexico monuments have a good chance to pass the federal review. But, evoking what has become a national legal and political debate, Udall also said Zinke and Trump cant legally revoke a prior presidents monument designations under the federal Antiquities Act.

If that does happen, the Democratic senator told the Journal, Hes got a fight on his hands. Were going to fight tooth  including in court  and nail to make sure this monuments protected.

Some of those on the river Friday, including officials from Taos Pueblo, asked if they also could be a part of Zinkes visit. Taos Pueblo War Chief Curtis Sandoval broke down in tears while discussing the possibility of losing the monument designation. It doesnt matter what race we are, he said. Were all human beings. We like being out on public lands. Protect it, thats who we are and thats what we stand for.

The 2013 Rio Grande del Norte designation was supported by a coalition of chambers of commerce and businesses, local governments, hunting and fishing groups and conservation and environmental organizations. The Northern New Mexico Stockmans Association opposes the monument, arguing it can limit grazing and traditional uses like gathering firewood and pinon nuts despite specific language in Obamas presidential order protecting those activities.

Udall met and fished with area children and talked with community leaders about the Rio Grande monuments significance, its importance for attracting tourists and for area economies, and what could happen if the monument designation is at all changed.

Without the tourism industry, wed be almost nothing, said Taos Town Council member Darien Hernandez. He said the tourist dollars the monument attracts pay for roads and libraries and police officer and firefighter salaries. According to Udalls office, the Bureau of Land Management reported a 40 percent increase in visitors in the first year of the monument designation.

Also present to support the monument were the mayors of Red River and Taos Ski Valley and the former mayor of Questa.
People who have worked closely with the man tapped to lead Minneapolis embattled police department say he has qualities that will fit well with the role: Hes friendly, forthright, has deep city roots and is African-American, which could help improve sour relations between police and the citys black community.

But Medaria Arradondos rise from school resource officer and patrolman to assistant chief during 28 years on the force has some wondering whether an outsider would be better suited to changing the culture of a department accused of being too quick to use force.

Facing public anger over an officers fatal shooting last weekend of an unarmed, white 40-year-old Australian woman who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home, Mayor Betsy Hodges asked police Chief Janee Harteau to resign, which she did Friday. Hodges nominated Arradondo as Harteaus replacement and dismissed protesters calls for her to resign, too.

Inside the department, outside the department, fans, critics, everybody  he builds relationships with people, which is going to be crucial as the department moves forward, Hodges told The Associated Press Saturday. Whats needed at this time is someone who is good at making change and helping usher people through change, which Arradondo has done and is doing,

The police department has stepped up training in recent years, focusing on community policing, Hodges said. She said Arradondo will work to cement those changes.

Arradondo, nicknamed Rondo, needs the city councils approval before he can begin the job. He served as the departments public face for most of a week after the July 15 police shooting of Justine Damond, until Harteau returned from vacation on Thursday.

Linea Palmisano, a city councilwoman who represents the ward where the shooting happened, said shes impressed with Arradondo, but wonders if someone from outside the department would be better able to make changes and enforce procedures such as turning on body cameras.

Neither the Somali-American officer who shot Damond, Mohamed Noor, nor the officer with him, Matthew Harrity, turned on their body cameras.

Others say an insider is exactly what the department needs: Someone who was brought up in the Twin Cities and can spot the dysfunction beneath Minnesota nice.

Hes a fifth-generation Minnesotan, and hes appreciated and well-respected as a police officer, said Raeisha Williams, a 5th Ward city council candidate and the former communications director for the local NAACP. Hes African-American, obviously, and he knows the climate, he knows the community, he knows the culture.

Thats vitally important when policing a region where 40 percent of residents are people of color, Williams said.

Arradondo has also experienced discrimination: He and four other officers sued the city in 2007 alleging they were the victims of systemic racial discrimination and a hostile working environment. They contended black officers were offered fewer training and overtime opportunities and received fewer appointments than white counterparts, among other problems. The city settled two years later, paying the officers a total of $740,000.

Williams dealt closely with Arradondo following the 2015 police shooting of Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black man whose death sparked large protests and an 18-day occupation outside of the north side police station. The officers involved werent charged.

Williams said Arradondo was respectful. Arradondos hometown experience contrasts with many officers who live outside the city, in mostly-white communities, Williams said.

So they come in with bias because theyre not racially diverse in their own environment, she said. It feels like theyre the predators and were the prey.

Large police departments like Minneapolis often struggle with bureaucracy, inertia and political pressures, said Remy Cross, an associate professor of criminology at Webster University. Arradondos department history gives him more credibility to make changes, Cross noted.

But its still going to be a real up-hill kind of fight, he said. He has to walk carefully here and not alienate (fellow officers).

Police Lt. Bob Kroll, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis president, frequently criticized the former chief and the mayor. Kroll says Arradondo is smart and respected by the rank and file.

One of the first calls he made was to me yesterday. We had a good talk, Kroll said.

Kroll said the department is understaffed, with 30 authorized positions going unfilled. He says Arradondo should fill those positions immediately and seek authorization to hire more.

It hurts your engagement with the community  the officers are short tempered, they dont take time on the calls, Kroll said.

Kroll says the department should focus on what he calls proactive policing, where officers stop people for minor infractions or suspicious behavior. Critics point out that approach easily turns into police profiling, which contributes to increased police violence.

The only people that are using the term profiling are committing crimes and they want to get away with the little crimes so they can commit the bigger crimes, he said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is overseeing the investigation into Damonds shooting. Noor is not required to submit to an interview with the bureau and has not agreed to one or provided a statement, the bureau said Friday. The bureau also said a cyclist who was nearby when the shooting happened spoke to investigators.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that an unnamed source with direct knowledge of the investigation said a witness filmed part of the encounter. It doesnt say whether that video includes the actual shooting or only the aftermath.

___

Follow Rebecca Boone on Twitter at https://twitter.com/boiseboone . Sign up for the APs weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas at http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv .
NORFOLK, Va.  A defiant President Donald Trump unleashed a flurry of nearly a dozen tweets Saturday morning, asserting that he has the complete power to pardon aides, family members and possibly even himself  an apparent response to the special counsels widening Russia probe.

The president also decried illegal leaks in the FAKE NEWS. He lashed out at a Washington Post report of previously undisclosed alleged contacts between Attorney General Jeff Sessions  at the time a U.S. senator and senior adviser to Trumps 2016 presidential campaign  and Russias then-ambassador to the United States. In a tweet, Trump called the disclosures an illegal new intelligence leak. The charge was part of his continuing effort to try to shift the public focus to what he claims is a partisan attempt to undermine his presidency.

The presidents assertion of his pardoning authority came days after The Post reported that he and his legal team have discussed his power to pardon those close to him and even himself.

Shortly after his barrage of tweets, which started just after 6:30 a.m. and lasted nearly two hours, Trump flew to Norfolk, where he injected a small dose of partisan politics into the ceremonial commissioning of an aircraft carrier.

Speaking aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, Trump extolled the virtues of the wonderful, beautiful but very, very powerful nuclear-powered warship named after the 38th president. We will win, win, win, Trump said. We will never lose. But he also decried the budget compromise known as sequestration, which requires mandatory and corresponding military and domestic cuts.

Trump promised to try to restore higher levels of military funding but also urged the audience of about 6,500  many in uniform  to help him push through Congress this years spending plan, a budget in which he said he will seek an additional $54 billion in defense spending.

I dont mind getting a little hand, so call that congressman, and call that senator, and make sure you get it, he said to applause. And by the way, you can also call those senators to make sure you get health care.

But Trumps brief appeal created a potentially awkward tableau at a ship-commissioning event largely intended as ceremonial: a commander in chief offering political remarks and what could even be construed as an order to the naval personnel he commands.

The presidents 17-minute speech aboard the massive vessel, as well as his frenzied social-media assertions Saturday  which veered between proclamations of innocence and expressions of frustration  came as Trump struggles to stabilize his presidency, just six months in. He and several family members, including his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, are potentially facing mounting legal questions in special counsel Robert Mueller IIIs investigation of Russias attempt to tamper with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

And on Friday, Trump set off the most dramatic, if potentially unintended, overhaul of his White House staff so far when he installed financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. That move triggered an unexpected chain reaction of one resignation (White House press secretary Sean Spicers) and one promotion (that of deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to Spicers former spot at the briefing room lectern).

Trumps early-morning tweets Saturday revealed a president who is still exasperated, if not downright angry, over the cascade of controversies muddling his tenure, including a Russia probe so expansive that the question of presidential pardons has spilled out into public view.

Although one of Trumps attorneys, John Dowd, described as not true and nonsense the notion that Trumps legal team was working to undermine Muellers probe  including by exploring the presidents pardoning authority  Trumps Saturday tweets seemed not only to confirm the Post article but also to signal the potential of future issues emerging. (The only crime so far, Trump wrote, is leaks against us.)

Trump aides said the president is merely curious about his powers and the limits of Muellers probe.

The Trump legal teams discussion of pardoning authority is purely theoretical, according to two people familiar with the ongoing conversations. But if Trump pardoned himself in the face of Muellers investigation, he would set off a legal and political firestorm, first around the question of whether a president can use the constitutional pardon power in that way.

Trumps hypothetical questions, however, may be further complicated by a recently unearthed 1998 memo obtained and published by the New York Times, in which the legal scholar Ronald Rotunda wrote to independent counsel Kenneth Starr opining that on the basis of his extensive analysis, a sitting president can be indicted on a charge of a criminal offense.

That conclusion contradicts a 2000 Justice Department memo finding that to indict or criminally prosecute a sitting president would undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions.

The rediscovered 56-page analysis was written in the context of Starrs investigation of Bill Clinton in the Whitewater real estate affair. It examined the U.S. Constitution and existing laws and legal precedents, including Supreme Court opinions involving Clinton and President Richard Nixon. The Rotunda memo concludes that no legal precedent has ever concluded that the president is immune from the federal criminal laws. In fact, the cases have suggested the contrary.

The analysis notes that the Constitution carves out certain limited immunities from prosecution for members of Congress, proving that the framers were aware of how to draft immunity language  but did not do so for the office of the president.

The contemporary sources suggest that the Constitution provides no criminal immunity for any president who commits crimes in his personal capacity, the memo states. Elsewhere, it adds: No federal statutes recognize, or purport to recognize, any presidential immunity from criminal indictment.

In no small irony, this chain of reasoning emerged in the context of a Republican desire to prosecute Clinton  yet now could be neatly used by Democrats to make a case against Trump.

On Saturday, in one of his many tweets, Trump continued his campaign to discredit Muellers Russia investigation as based on leaks of information from political enemies aiming to undermine him. The Post reported late Friday that U.S. intelligence officials had intercepted communications in which Russias ambassador to the United States told his superiors in Moscow that he had discussed campaign-related matters and policies important to Moscow last year with Sessions, then a U.S. senator who had endorsed Trump.

Trump also restated on Twitter his view that Hillary Clintons campaign for the presidency should be under greater scrutiny, and he contended that his son Donald Jr. openly disclosed emails concerning a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer during the campaign  even though the younger Trump did so only after the New York Times obtained the emails and was preparing to publish a report on them.

Sessions, who is now attorney general, had failed to disclose his meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his confirmation hearing; when the occurrence of the meetings was made public in news reports, he insisted that he had met with Kislyak only in his capacity as a senator and had not discussed campaign issues.

But The Posts reporting indicated that U.S. intelligence intercepts showed Kislyak telling Moscow that he had had substantive discussions with Sessions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and on prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Trump was not the only member of his administration attempting damage control on Twitter this weekend. The newly installed Scaramucci also began deleting his previous tweets  some of which had been critical of Trump and the policies that Scaramucci will now be promoting. And he announced his decision, of course, on Twitter.

Full transparency: Im deleting old tweets, Scaramucci wrote, explaining that his previous views had evolved and that he does not want them to be a distraction from the presidents agenda.

  

Chris Mooney contributed to this report.

  

Can the president pardon himself?

Video embed coding:

http://wapo.st/2tn5ng9
DENVER  A Colorado man was arrested Saturday in connection with the 2012 death of his 13-year-old son, police said.

Mark Redwines arrest in Bellingham, Washington, followed a grand jury indictment for second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.

Redwine is being held on $1 million cash-only bond, KDVR-TV in Denver reported (http://bit.ly/2uLOZt4).

Mark Redwine and Elaine Hall, the boys mother, had gone through a contentious divorce and custody battle. Mark Redwine has denied any involvement in Dylans death.

Some of Dylan Redwines remains were found about 10 miles from his fathers home in Vallecito in 2013. The boy had reluctantly traveled to be with his father for a court-ordered visit the previous Thanksgiving. Dylans skull was found by hikers in 2015, and forensic anthropologists said the skull had injuries consistent with blunt force trauma at two locations, the indictment said.

Surveillance video from the airport where Dylans flight arrived shows little or no interaction between the boy and his father, according to the indictment. Several witnesses said Dylan did not want to visit his father, after the two argued and fought during his previous visit.

Text messages showed that Dylan had asked to stay with a friend on the night of his arrival, but Mark Redwine denied the request, the indictment said. Next morning the boys friend sent a text to Dylan asking where are you and got no response.

Mark Redwine and Hall leveled accusations at each other during appearances on the syndicated Dr. Phil TV show in 2013 as the case drew national attention, the Denver Post reported (http://dpo.st/2uLvUId). TV host Nancy Grace also did a show Dylans disappearance.

Shortly after his disappearance, bracelets imprinted with Find Dylan Redwine sold for $5 each to raise money for the search, the Post reported. Volunteers scoured a forest near Lake Vallecito. A benefit dinner, Crime Stoppers and assorted donors raised $50,000 in a single month to offer as a reward, the newspaper reported.

___

Information from: KDVR-TV, http://www.kdvr.com
WASHINGTON  Congressional Republicans and Democrats announced Saturday they had reached an agreement on a sweeping Russia sanctions package to punish Moscow for meddling in the presidential election and its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 House Democrat, said lawmakers had settled lingering issues with the bill, which also includes stiff economic penalties against Iran and North Korea. The sanctions targeting Russia, however, have drawn the most attention due to President Donald Trumps persistent push for warmer relations with President Vladimir Putin and ongoing investigations into Russias interference in the 2016 campaign.

Passage of the bill, which could occur before Congress breaks for the August recess, puts Capitol Hill on possible collision course with Trump. The White House had objected to a key section of the bill that would mandate a congressional review if Trump attempted to ease or end the sanctions against Moscow. But if Trump were to veto the bill, he risks sparking an outcry from Republicans and Democrats and having his decision overturned. The sanctions review was included in the bill because of wariness among lawmakers from both parties over Trumps affinity for Putin.

The precise mechanics of how involved House Democrats would be in the review process had been a key sticking point, but Hoyer said hes satisfied with the outcome.

The legislation ensures that both the majority and minority are able to exercise our oversight role over the administrations implementation of sanctions, Hoyer said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the sanctions legislation strong and he expected the legislation to be passed promptly.

Given the many transgressions of Russia, and President Trumps seeming inability to deal with them, a strong sanctions bill such as the one Democrats and Republicans have just agreed to is essential, said Schumer, D-N.Y.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy posted a legislative business schedule that shows the sanctions bill will be voted on Tuesday. McCarthy, R-Calif., had pushed to add the North Korea sanctions to the package. The House had overwhelmingly passed legislation in May to hit Pyongyang with additional economic sanctions, but the Senate had yet to take up the bill.

The Senate last month passed sanctions legislation that targeted only Russia and Iran. Congressional aides said there may be resistance among Senate Republicans to adding the North Korea penalties, but it remained unclear whether those concerns would further stall the legislation. The aides were not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

North Korea, Iran and Russia have in different ways all threatened their neighbors and actively sought to undermine American interests, McCarthy and Rep. Ed Royce of California, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a joint statement. The bill the House will vote on next week will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions.

The House and Senate negotiators addressed concerns voiced by American oil and natural gas companies that sanctions specific to Russias energy sector could backfire on them to Moscows benefit. The bill raises the threshold for when U.S. firms would be prohibited from being part of energy projects that also included Russian businesses.

Although there is widespread support for the legislation, the bill stalled after it cleared the Senate over constitutional questions and bickering over technical details. In particular, House Democrats charged that GOP leaders had cut them out of the congressional review that would be triggered if Trump proposed to terminate or suspend the Russia sanctions. But Republicans rejected the complaint and blamed Democrats for holding the bill up.

The review requirement in the sanctions bill is styled after 2015 legislation pushed by Republicans and approved in the Senate that gave Congress a vote on whether then-President Barack Obama could lift sanctions against Iran. That measure reflected Republican complaints that Obama had overstepped the power of the presidency and needed to be checked by Congress.

According to the bill, Trump is required to send Congress a report explaining why he wants to suspend or terminate a particular set of sanctions. Lawmakers would then have 30 days to decide whether to allow the move or reject it.

The North Korea sanctions bill included in the package bill cleared the House by a 419-1 vote and House Republicans became frustrated the Senate didnt move quickly on the measure given the vast bipartisan support it received. The measure bars ships owned by North Korea or by countries that refuse to comply with U.N. resolutions against it from operating in American waters or docking at U.S. ports. Goods produced by North Koreas forced labor would be prohibited from entering the United States.

The sanctions package imposes mandatory penalties on people involved in Irans ballistic missile program and anyone who does business with them. The measure would apply terrorism sanctions to the countrys Revolutionary Guards and enforce an arms embargo.

___

Contact Richard Lardner on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rplardner
KABUL, Afghanistan  A U.S. airstrike mistakenly hit an Afghan police unit in the southern province of Helmand, killing 16 police officers and wounding two others, the provincial governors office said Saturday.

The Pentagon confirmed that coalition forces had launched the errant strike on Friday near the town of Gereshk, where U.S. and Afghan forces have been engaged in close combat with Taliban insurgents.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident, the U.S. military in Afghanistan said in a statement.

The statement said the airstrikes came during a U.S.-supported Afghan operation in which Afghan security personnel had gathered in a compound. The U.S. military said it would conduct an investigation.

Officials in Helmand said that the police unit that was struck had reached Gereshk to support Afghan soldiers and police fighting to keep Taliban insurgents from entering the town.

As the battle unfolded, Afghan forces requested an airstrike by their U.S. allies, which hit a compound where the police unit was gathered.

We are still trying to find out why the incident took place and whose fault it was, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the Helmand governor.

Police officials said they were investigating the incident, which occurred about five miles outside Gereshk, north of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Most of Helmand, a poppy-growing region that has long been strategically important for the Taliban, is controlled by insurgents. Afghan forces, backed by U.S. warplanes and ground troops, have battled for months to regain territory and keep the provincial capital from falling into Taliban hands.

Also Saturday, officials said that more than 40 Afghan government-backed militiamen were killed in a Taliban raid that captured a district in the remote northeastern province of Badakhshan.

Ahmad Faisal Begzad, governor of Badakhshan, said that members of the Afghan Local Police, a U.S.-funded government militia, and other pro-government fighters were killed in the attack Friday in the district of Tagab.

Sultan Mohammad Awrang, a former lawmaker from the province, said the Taliban staged the raid days after Afghan Local Police ambushed a group of insurgents and killed eight, including a commander.
At first glance, this appears to be a simple wooden crate with writing on the side. As soon as its rotated onto its side and opened, however, it goes from being a simple crate to an easily transportable Civil War field desk used by a general.

Cadwallader Colden Washburn was born in Livermore, Maine, in 1818. During his early adulthood, he moved to the Midwest and moved between Illinois and Iowa, until finally settling in Mineral Point, Wis., in 1852. Washburn worked as a schoolmaster, surveyor, lawyer and U.S. congressman before settling in La Crosse in 1861.

In February 1861, Washburn served as a delegate to the Washington Peace Conference in a final attempt to prevent the Civil War. The conference served as a good-faith attempt to reunite the United States and resolve differences between the two sides through compromise. The South already had planned to secede from the Union and was preparing a new government, and ultimately a decision about slavery could not be made that would satisfy both sides.

A few months later, in April 1861, the Civil War started after a Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. Washburn accepted an appointment as colonel of the 2nd Cavalry and led it to Arkansas in spring 1862. He was promoted to brigadier general in June 1862, and was put in command of the entire 2nd Cavalry Brigade.

Less than a year later, in March 1863, Washburn was commissioned a major general with command over all the Union cavalry in West Tennessee.

After the war, Washburn left the military and returned to Congress from 1867 until 1870. In 1866 he co-founded the first flour mill in Minneapolis, the Washburn-Crosby Co. Today that flour mill is known as General Mills.

Washburn also served as the 11th governor of Wisconsin from 1872 to 1874. He died in Eureka Springs, Ark., in 1882, while recuperating from an illness. This former governor and Civil War general is buried in La Crosses Oak Grove Cemetery.

In 1885, more than three years after his death, the Washburn estate erected the obelisk beside his grave. The 55-ton monument is engraved on all four sides of its base with a description of Washburns accomplishments. He made significant contributions as a public servant to his home of La Crosse, to the state of Wisconsin and to the United States, through his military service, political career and generous philanthropy.

The black text on the front of the field desk reads Maj. Genl. C.C. Washburn U.S. Vols. and dates from after his promotion in 1863 to major general. It would have aided Washburn in organizing the paperwork required of a major general. This desk would have likely been used by the general for the writing of correspondence and reports.

Washburns obelisk commemorates his life story and ensures he will not be forgotten. This field desk does the exact same thing without weighing more than 100,000 pounds. It is a part of the story of Cadwallader Washburns life and La Crosses involvement in the Civil War.

This artifact can be viewed in our online collections which is accessible through the historical societys website.
After capturing the audience adoration on the big screen with zealous performance in Baahubali and The Ghazi Attack , young actor Rana Daggubatis television debut as No.1 Yaari host is raising his popularity in a big way on Television.

According to the latest weekly TRP his show No.1 Yari in Gemini TV has been ranked as the most watched show and zoomed to No. 1 spot in its 3rd episode in 28 BARC ratings.

Rana is driving television viewers to tune-in religiously, episode after episode.Alright now this is really cool!! Thank you all for watching me on multiple platforms!!, will do my best to keep entertaining you!!" Rana tweeted.

The producers of No. 1 are equally excited as the program is garnering tremendous TV viewership. According to the producers of the program - No.1 Yari is been able to accomplish this position with its high quality television programming and their ace presenter.

While for actors to get face time with those viewers who arent going to the movies as often, the television is a fantastic way to do so and Rana certainly found a way to get his popularity extend to millions of home through his Yaris.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is due to debut on August 23rd, after Samsung begun sending out press invites to its Unpacked event earlier this week. Now the rumor mill is going into overtime to drum up some hype on the new device that Samsung will be unveiling in about a months time. Now, according to well-known leakster, Roland Quandt, it looks like the colors for the Galaxy Note 8 have been unveiled already. According to Quandt, the Galaxy Note 8 will be available in Orchid Gray, Deep Blue and Black. Those are similar to the colors of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus that the company unveiled earlier this year, but the Deep Blue is the new comer this time around.

In his tweet, Quandt also notes at least, hinting that there could be more colors to come for the Galaxy Note 8, which is definitely possible. Samsung typically does release its flagship devices in a number of colors, albeit the US usually only gets 2-3 of those colors due to the carriers. The Galaxy Note 8 will likely get a whole handful of colors, but these three will likely be the most popular ones. Samsung has been making its flagship smartphones into all kinds of different colors in recent years, which has really made its devices appeal to even more people.

Samsungs Galaxy Note 8 doesnt have a lot of concrete information about it yet. But users are expecting it to carry the design language that Samsung debuted with the Galaxy S8. Which includes that Infinity Display, and itll likely be a bit more squared off than the Galaxy S8 which is a bit rounder. Internally, many are expecting it to be powered by the Snapdragon 835 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Itll still have the all-important S Pen as youd expect and it should also have a fairly hefty battery. But not too hefty, since that is what caused Samsung so much trouble last year with the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung will be looking to be extra careful with the Galaxy Note 8 this year, and make sure its users know that it takes safety seriously and that the Galaxy Note 8 wont explode, like its predecessor did, quite often.
AMG

SUV

Youd better believe it because thats exactly what happened at the Chichester Police Station Open Day. In a bid to showcase the Black Badge treatment for the Ghost , the British automaker agreed to dress the full-size luxobarge up in police overalls just for one day. The vehicle, Im afraid, has been returned to its original paint finish and had its light bar removed.We were delighted to support Sussex Police at the Open Day. As a proud member of the local community, Rolls-Royce recognizes the importance of the emergency services, including the police, declared Andrew Ball, the global corporate communications manager of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.The Andalusian White vehicle with black-and-tan leather interior wasnt turned into a police car just for the hell of it. Rolls-Royce , on behalf of Chestnut Tree House, collected donations from visitors, with all proceeds heading to the childrens hospice for Sussex. What a noble deed indeed.While on the subject of police vehicles, it should be noted that a Phantom serves as an interceptor in Abu Dhabi . Because why the hell not? It is joined by your usual assortment of Lamborghini, Mercedes-, Bentley, and other exotica us poor mortals could only dream of owning, let alone driving.If I may turn the focus of this story on Rolls-Royce, the automaker is preparing to take the wraps off the all-new Phantom . The eighth generation has been spied, teased, and leaked numerous times already, but were still waiting for Rolls-Royce to showcase the palatial brute in all its glory.Following the world debut of the Phantom VIII, the automaker will do something unnatural by launching a sport utility vehicle. Cullinan is its name, and dont even dare to call it anas I did. According to Rolls-Royce, you should refer to the upcoming Cullinan as an all-terrain, high-sided vehicle.
AOPA awarded its Sweepstakes Cessna 172 to its new owner, Gary Walters, at Henderson Executive Airport this week. As in past years, the sweepstakes winner was lured to meet his new airplane under false pretenses, sort of. In Walters case, he was expecting to meet a potential home buyer at the FBO for a possible real estate transaction. Mark Baker, AOPA president, was there to present Walters with a set of keys to a very large poster. The actual Sweepstakes 172 will be spending next week on display at Oshkosh for AirVenture 2017.

The Sweepstakes 172 has become a bit of a demonstration airplane for many of the best Supplemental Type Certificate upgrades available for the classic Cessnas. Walters plane began life as a 1978 Cessna 172N. After decades of use it was refurbished to like-new condition by Yingling Aviation and received a new 180-HP motor from Lycoming, but with an electronic ignition system from ElectroAir replacing one magneto. The panel is decked out with Garmin avionics: G5 attitude indicator, GTN 650 navigator, GTX 345R transponder and GI 260 angle of attack indicator. AmSafe seatbelt airbags replace the old three-point harnesses. Comparably equipped Ascend 172s refurbished by Yingling sell for about $250,000.

Walters, a pilot for Allegiant Airlines, hasnt flown a Cessna 172 in about 25 years, but says hes looking forward to flying to visit family in Southern California soon.
Owners impacted by the recently announced Lycoming connecting rod bushing service bulletin will be on their own to pay labor charges, the company told AVweb this week. However, Lycoming will provide the necessary parts. Customers who bought factory engines still covered under warranty will be afforded a labor allowance, according to Lycoming.

As we reported earlier this week, Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin 632 requires owners and operators of all Lycoming enginesregardless of modelto check them for off-spec connecting rod bushings within the next 10 hours of flight. According to the SB, the bushings were shipped from the factory between Nov. 18, 2015, and Nov.15, 2016. In addition, Lycoming also shipped defective connecting rod assemblies during periods between Nov. 20, 2015, and Feb. 2, 2017. These are also subject to the SB. The FAA is considering whether to issue an AD requiring the inspection and replacement of the problem bushings.

Lycoming says it doesnt yet have a count on how many individual bushings and rod assemblies are affected. This week, AVweb polled three engine shops who were reviewing their records to see how many engines might be impacted. All three shops told us theyve received many calls from customers seeking clarity on the SB requirements and thus far, none had heard from Lycoming concerning factory support for defective parts and labor charge reimbursement.

The suspect bushings are improperly machined and allow the piston end of the connecting rod to move side to side, potentially causing rod failure. Lycoming says there have been engine failures and two of the three shops we contacted said customers had experienced complete or partial engine failures as a result of the defective bushings. In December 2016, the New Zealand CAA issued a continuing airworthiness bulletin warning of the problem bushings after at least two failures were reported.

The SB provides a long list of serial numbers and models that must be checked. For many owners, this will be a paperwork exercise to rule out or in the use of problem bushings. Engines equipped with aftermarket PMA bushings from other sources arent affected.

If the engines bushings fall within the specified serial/date ranges, the SB describes an involved inspection process that requires removing the cylinders and using a special, Lycoming-provided tool to determine whether the bushings dimensions allow side-to-side movement. Lycoming has been manufacturing the tools for field distribution. The SB specifies that the piston not be removed from cylinder assembly to avoid additional labor and parts requirements.

If bushing movement is detected, the rods have to be removed and returned to Lycoming for replacement. If the bushings dont move, the engine can be reassembled and returned to service. Lycoming will supply the required replacement parts, but labor is up to the customer or field shop unless the engine is covered under factory warranty. Lycoming told AVweb earlier this week that customers should contact their engine shops to inquire about warranty performance from the shop.

For factory warranty purposes, SB 632 allows 12 hours of labor for a four-cylinder engine and 16 hours for a six-cylinder engine. If problem bushings are found, owners should expect some downtime to allow for the rods to be shipped back to Lycoming for replacement and processing. With labor billed at at least $80 an hour, shops or owners not covered by warranty can expect charges between $1200 and $2000 on the low side and as much as twice as that on the high side, according to one shop owner we spoke to.
Senate and House Dems, after an intensive process spanning seven months, on Monday will unveil a new economic agenda, Axios has exclusively learned, meant to counter the perception that Democrats are only the anti-Trump party, with no message of their own.

Top Dems see the new message as the key to turning things around after their losses in the presidential race and this year's House special elections.

An opening theme/frame: "excessive corporate power and its impacts."

Pollster Geoff Garin writes in a memo kicking off the project: "[T]he Democratic policies related to curbing excessive corporate power that are being highlighted in the first day of the rollout have real resonance with voters and are strongly supported by a significant majority of Americans."

The agenda's big idea: "Too many families in America today feel that the rules of the economy are rigged against them. Special interests have a strangle-hold on Washington  from the super-rich spending unlimited amounts of secret money to influence our elections, to the huge loopholes in our tax code that help corporations avoid paying taxes."

"If the government goes back to putting working families first, ahead of special interests, we can achieve a better deal for the American people that will raise their pay, lower their expenses, and prepare them for the future."

See Garin's two-page memo.
Jeff Sessions discussed campaign-related matters with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, including policy issues important to the Russian government and the potential relationship between the Russian government and a Trump administration, according to current and former U.S. officials, The Washington Post reports.

The evidence: This report is based on U.S. intelligence intercepts of Kislyak's accounts of two conversations with Sessions, who was a foreign policy advisor to Trump at the time of the alleged conversations.

One big caveat: Russia is known to create false intelligence reports to sow confusion in the U.S., and Kislyak may have exaggerated his meetings.

One U.S. official said that when Sessions testified that he had no recollection of an April encounter with Kislyak, he was giving "misleading" statements "contradicted by other evidence."

Sessions in March when he recused himself from the Russia probe: "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."

Why it matters: Recent reports have shown that Trump is irritated with Sessions for recusing himself from the probe in the first place.
While companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook are favored by most of the world, they are blocked in China. There, the titans of the internet are Alibaba and Tencent. Below are some of the most popular social platforms in China and their U.S. equivalent.

WeChat

U.S. equivalent: Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Parent Company: Tencent  one of the two major companies in China.

Tencent  one of the two major companies in China. # of users: 938 million (compared to 2 billion for Facebook)

938 million (compared to 2 billion for Facebook) Details: WeChat is the most popular messaging app in China, similar to iMessage, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

Weibo

U.S. equivalent: Twitter or Facebook

Twitter or Facebook Parent Company: Sina Corporation

Sina Corporation # of users: 340 million (12 million more than Twitter)

340 million (12 million more than Twitter) Details: Weibo means "micro blog," and users can post to the social media site. Weibo tracks and blocks sensitive material posted to the platform.

Baidu

U.S. equivalent: Google

Google Parent company: Baidu

Baidu # of users: 665 million active mobile users last December

665 million active mobile users last December Details: Baidu was the first Chinese company to be included in the NASDAQ-100 index. Microsoft is currently teaming up with Baidu to work toward autonomous cars.

Alibaba

U.S. equivalent: Amazon, Walmart

Amazon, Walmart Parent company: Alibaba

Alibaba # of users: 454 million over all three properties  Alibaba.com, Taobao and Aliexpress. (Amazon has 65 million users who have bought Prime memberships.)

454 million over all three properties  Alibaba.com, Taobao and Aliexpress. (Amazon has 65 million users who have bought Prime memberships.) Details: Alibaba, founded by Jack Ma, is the 6th largest retailer in the world and the only foreign retailer to make it into the top 10, according to Forbes. Alibaba.com focuses on businesses, connecting suppliers and buyers all over the world, while the company also owns online shopping companies Taobao and Aliexpress which oversees purchases by public consumers.

Taobao

U.S. equivalent: Amazon, Ebay

Amazon, Ebay Parent company: Alibaba

Alibaba Stats: 40 categories of goods, buyers and seller send 100,000 messages on a daily basis.

40 categories of goods, buyers and seller send 100,000 messages on a daily basis. Details: Taobao was founded 4 years after Alibaba.com is a consumer-to-consumer retail website, similar to Ebay or Craigslist.

Tmall
The rapid growth of Armenias information technology (IT) sector employing thousands of engineers accelerated to 38.2 percent last, according to government data.

The tech industry had already expanded by an average of over 20 percent annually in the previous decade, making it the fastest-growing sector of the Armenian economy. According to government estimates, the countrys 500 or so mostly small and medium-sized IT firms earned over $550 million in combined revenue in 2015.

The sector is dominated by the Armenian branches of U.S. tech giants like as Synopsys, National Instruments, Mentor Graphics and VMware. But its steady expansion is also increasingly driven by homegrown Armenian companies.

The most successful of these startups is PicsArt, one of the worlds leading mobile photo editing and sharing applications. The company now has more than 350 employees in Armenia and boasts 90 million active monthly users worldwide.

Another, smaller startup founded in 2013 attracted $5 million in funding from two U.S. venture capital firms earlier this year. The company called Teamable develops special software used by businesses for hiring skilled workers. Like PicsArt, Teamable has offices not only in Yerevan but also in San Francisco.

Another Armenian firm, SoloLearn, won this month the Grand Prize of Facebooks annual Apps of the Year event, which attracted 900 submissions from 87 countries. SoloLearn offers a free online app for people interested in learning computer programming.

Karen Vartanian, chairman of Armenias Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), stressed the growing importance of such startups. Our local products are increasingly emerging and proving a success in the international market, he told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Vahan Shakarian, the executive director of the Yerevan-based company Technology and Science Dynamics manufacturing smartphones and tablet computers, said the sectors has been rapidly developing because it is export-oriented. He also cautioned: Booms are possible in economics. They key thing is to at least stay at the same level after they are over. Its quite a challenge.

For Vartanian, the key challenge is a continuing lack of skilled IT personnel in Armenia. Our growth is now stunted by a serious shortage of personnel, he said. The education system is in tatters.

Industry executives have long complained about the inadequate professional level of many graduates of IT departments of Armenia universities. According to their estimates, there are now between 2,000 and 4,000 job vacancies in the sector employing about 15,000 people.

Successive Armenian governments have pledged to tackle this problem. Vartanian insisted, however, that there is still no comprehensive, strategic cooperation on the matter between the authorities and IT companies.

In January, Prime Minister Karen Karapetian met with a team of government officials and tech executives that proposed a wide-ranging reform of engineering education in Armenia. One of those executives said only half of 1,300 IT students graduating from Armenian universities each year are qualified enough to work in the sector without undergoing further training.
22 July 2017 10:08 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Today, Azerbaijan restores a normal life in its village of Jojug Marjanli, which Azerbaijani army liberated from the Armenian occupation in April 2016. Residents of the village, who lived there over two decades ago, have already started their return to Jojug Marjanli, and everything is being done for their comfort. Azerbaijans Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ministry reported on July 21 that the state communications provider Aztelecom LLC has created cable and sewerage facilities in Jojug Marjanli.

Aztelecom created a local network infrastructure with a length of 1,200 meters in the village, and involved an automatic telephone station with the number capacity of 64 units, the report says.

The provider constructed a 10-kilometer optical line to Jojug Marjanli. Fifty houses, a school and objects of national importance are already connected to the telephone network and Internet.

Thus, the main work on the creation of telecommunications infrastructure in the village has already been finished. Given the fact that 100 houses will be additionally built in the village, the telecommunication network will be expanded in the future.

Aztelecom Director General Suat Pashayev noted that the provider is ready to promptly restore the telecommunications infrastructure in other Azerbaijani settlements, which will be liberated from occupation in the future.

The return of Jojug Marjanli was an important step in Azerbaijans liberation of native lands from the Armenian aggression. In late January 2017, President Ilham Aliyev ordered to restore the village. Under the order, 4 million manats were allocated for the construction of 50 private houses, a school, a mosque and other relevant infrastructure at the first stage. Moreover, President signed an order on additional measures to construct the road leading to the village and allocated 4.3 million manats from the state budget for the construction of a 9-km long highway.

This work has been finalized in Jojug Marjanli, now people return to the village, and the government moves to the second stage of its restoration, which envisages construction of 100 more houses in Jojug Marjanli.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 July 2017 23:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Sochi.

Dear Ilham Heydarovich, I am very pleased to see you in Sochi, said President Putin greeting President Aliyev.

I have just met with children from our new Sirius Educational Center. I am very happy with the development of this project, and I will tell you about this with great pleasure. I am glad to have this opportunity to discuss both our bilateral relations and the situation in the region, said the Russian president.

The situation in the region is complex. I hope that our meeting today will allow us to find ways of solving all difficult problems, and, of course, we will also talk about how the bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation are developing. We have a great deal of works and joint projects for the future. I am glad to have this opportunity to meet and talk with you on all these issues, noted Putin.

Thank you, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, said President Ilham Aliyev for his part.

I am also very glad to meet with you. We meet on a regular basis. These meetings give a good impetus to the development of our bilateral relations, which successfully continue. We are satisfied with the level, high level of our relations. We enjoy active cooperation in political, trade and economic, humanitarian areas. There are good prospects in the fields of transport and energy. Our relations are multifaceted, and cover almost all areas of our life. Of course, we need to regularly conduct consultations on important issues  regional affairs, global politics, bilateral relations and the strengthening of security in our region, noted the Azerbaijani president.

Therefore, I am glad to see you again. I am confident that our meeting will give a good impetus to the development of our friendly relations, said President Aliyev.

The presidents once again emphasized the existence of the relations of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Russia. They pointed out successful development of the bilateral relations in political, economic, humanitarian and other areas.

The heads of state discussed the issues relating to settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

They also exchanged views over international and regional problems. Both presidents expressed their confidence that relations of friendship and strategic partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan will continue to develop successfully.

On July 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev completed his working visit to the Russian Federation.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
22 July 2017 16:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

A ceremony has today been held in Baku to mark the 142nd anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijan's national press and award the winners of a journalistic articles contest.

In his remarks, Executive Director of the Fund of State Support of Mass Media Development under the President of Azerbaijan Vugar Safarli noted that the 142nd anniversary of the national press is being widely celebrated in the country. He recalled a ceremony to inaugurate a residential building for journalists, held a couple of days ago.

A total of 255 journalists received apartments in the ceremony which was attended by the President of Azerbaijan.

This humane step has been greeted with great admiration by the public, Safarli said.

He noted that 147 articles were submitted to the jury of the contest by journalists from 69 media outlets. The contest featured 19 categories, and the jury determined six winners in each category.

The Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov noted that this year's celebration is a double joy for journalists as 255 media representatives received apartments in a new residential building inaugurated two days ago.

Following the speeches, the event featured a ceremony to award winners of the journalistic articles contest.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
22 July 2017 10:21 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Tehran has denied any scheduled meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his American counterpart, Rex Tillerson.

The spokesman of Foreign Ministry of Iran, Bahram Qasemi, has said that Zarif had no plans for meeting with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his recent visit to New York, IRNA news agency reported.

Zarif who has visited New York to attend the United Nations' High-Level Political Forum 2017 had earlier denied having any intentions to meet with the US officials.

Unconfirmed social media reports have suggested that the top Iranian diplomat was given the task of meeting Rex Tillerson.

Back in 2013, Zarif met former Secretary of State John Kerry during Irans nuclear talks with the world powers, marking the highest-level discussion in three decades between the two nations.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
22 July 2017 10:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkeys president on Friday condemned what he called baseless remarks by Germanys economy minister scaremongering investors away from Turkey, Anadolu reported.

I strongly condemn the German economy ministers baseless [...] message aimed at frightening companies investing in my country, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a signing ceremony in Istanbul.

He said that Turkeys National Intelligence Organization and the Interior Ministry had told him there was no investigation of German companies operating in Turkey.

Erdogan's remarks came amid heightened tensions between Ankara and Berlin.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday that Berlin would not encourage German businessmen to invest in Turkey, nor would it provide investment guarantees to German firms.

The same day Germanys government announced several economic measures in an attempt to increase pressure on Ankara, and demanded the release of several German citizens arrested in recent months.

I would like to remind my German friends and the entire world: You do not have the power to defame Turkey, Erdogan said, offering reassurances to German companies doing business in Turkey.

Their guarantee is us and their assurance is us, he said. Our countrys doors and nations hearts are open to German companies to the end."

Erdogan added that the German government "hides terrorists and should first account for this.

Terrorist networks

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in recent months as Turkish leaders slammed Germany for turning a blind eye to the activities of outlawed groups and terrorist organizations hostile to Turkey.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which organized the foiled coup bid in Turkey last year that martyred 250 people, has a large network in Germany, which is home to more than 3 million Turkish immigrants.

Since the coup attempt, nearly 4,000 FETO suspects have come to Germany from Turkey and other countries, according to local media reports.

Apart from FETO, the terrorist PKK also has a large network in Germany and carries out significant propaganda, recruitment, and funding activities.

During the recent tension, the German Foreign Ministry also told German travelers it could no longer guarantee their safety in Turkey.

In his statement, Erdogan called the warnings "baseless and malicious".

Governments cannot be run by gossips," he said.

The president also blasted the European Union on stalling Turkeys membership bid, saying that those "who dont want Turkey to enter the union include other countries whose conditions are unsuitable."

He added, We have nothing to do with those who destroy their own trustworthiness with their own hands.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz




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
Millennials are asked why they're leaving church and their answers are challenging

Nearly one year ago, Sam Eaton, a millennial from Minneapolis, wrote a blog post detailing "12 reasons millennials are over church." Since then, he has received thousands of hateful and angry comments. But what he wants Christians to know is that that was his love letter to the American church.

"I got a lot of hate for this," said Eaton, an elementary school music teacher and founder of a suicide prevention ministry called Recklessly Alive. "I love the church like Christ loved the church. I want to see it prospering and I look around and I see my generation has left."

Eaton was joined this week by two other millennials to discuss his controversial blog post on "The Table" podcast, hosted by Dr. Darrell Bock, executive director for Cultural Engagement at the Hendricks Center at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Bock invited them to try to better understand what millennials are thinking and why so many are leaving church.

For one, millennials want to be mentored, not preached at.

"Preaching just doesn't reach our generation like our parents and grandparents. See: millennial church attendance. We have millions of podcasts and Youtube videos of pastors the world over at our finger tips," Eaton wrote on his 2016 blog.

"Millennials crave relationship, to have someone walking beside them through the muck. We are the generation with the highest ever percentage of fatherless homes. We're looking for mentors who are authentically invested in our lives and our future. If we don't have real people who actually care about us, why not just listen to a sermon from the couch?"

Eaton clarified on the podcast that he's not advising churches to stop preaching the Gospel to the younger generation.

"But if you're relying on that to drive millennials into your church, it's just not going to work because if I'm struggling with fear today, I can sit at home with my sweat pants and find 50 sermons by Francis Chan about fear," he explained. "Yes, keep preaching but also come around us ... teach me how to live these things out."

Millennials not only want to be mentored but they also want to be heard and valued for who they are in a world that says they're not good enough.

Another reason millennials are "over church" is that they're sick of hearing about values and mission statements.

"Stop wasting time on the religious mambo jumbo and get back to the heart of the gospel," Eaton wrote.

Expanding on that, Eaton said this week that though churchgoers need a common mission, they're not impressed when the church spends more time talking about the mission statement than putting it into action.

Kat L. Armstrong, executive director of Polished, a ministry for young professional women, believes integrity is a big issue among millennials.

"I think millennials are serious about integrity in a way we've never seen before," she said on the podcast. "Let's have some integrity behind our words."

Part of that includes serving the "least of these," Eaton noted.

While many churches schedule countless "church-type activities" such as Bible studies, social functions and planning meetings, very little time is being devoted to helping the poor or least fortunate, Eaton argued.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't be studying the Word of God; we should be studying that every single day. You should be in a Bible study ... [or] in a small group but if that's it, you're kinda missing the point of this book (Bible)," he explained.

"I just don't know how you can read James or Matthew 25, the least of these, and just go back to your normal American life and not live it out."

Millennials are also tired of the church blaming the culture for everything, Eaton noted.

Nika Spaulding, director of Women's Equipping and Curriculum at Watermark Church in Dallas, said the young adult generation needs help interpreting the culture.

"Rather than hearing it's evil and dangerous, help us interpret it," she said on the podcast. "That kind of teaching requires nuance ... to help you navigate this world that is utterly broken and yet has redemptive value throughout it that we can find."

The church also needs to start addressing controversial issues rather than avoiding it.

Issues include career, education, relationships, marriage, sex, finances, children, purpose, chemicals and body image.

"We don't like how the world is telling us to live, but we never hear from our church either," Eaton, who once struggled with suicidal thoughts, lamented.

"Tell us what the Bible says about these issues and then give us some space to wrestle with it ourselves and let us talk to God about what the Bible says," he said.

Another big issue millennials have with churches is distrust and misallocation of resources.

"Over and over we've been told to 'tithe' and give 10% of our incomes to the church but where does that money actually go? Millennials, more than any other generation, don't trust institutions for we have witnessed over and over how corrupt and self-serving they can be," Eaton wrote.

What millennials want is "painstaking transparency"  such as a document on the church website tracking every dollar, he suggested.

Spaulding noted, "We're being lectured all the time, 'you're living beyond your means' and then you look at this $5 million debt of a [church] building."

She said her church has a rule "where if my budget went on the front of the Dallas Morning News, would I be comfortable with that?"

"I think that holds me to a different level of accountability," she noted. "Would I feel comfortable telling the 20-year-old who gave 10 percent of their $12,000 salary and the 60-year-old who ... also gave me 10 percent of their $150,000 salary, am I valuing their contributions?"

According to a 2013 Barna survey, 59 percent of millennials (born between 1984 through 2002) who grew up in the church have dropped out at some point. Over a third said they left because of the church's irrelevance, hypocrisy and moral failures of its leaders. Meanwhile, two out of 10 said they feel God is missing in church.

Armstrong said she hopes that churches can put "some defenses down" and "take some ownership on this" as they try to bring millennials back to church.

Bock agreed that change is needed.

"How can we preach and teach transformation and then not be willing to change? That doesn't make sense at all," he said. "So to be challenged to do better is not something that should threaten the church, it's something the church should welcome."

This article was originally published in The Christian Post.
Mid-Summer Provincial Nominee Program Update Hugo O'Doherty Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

From coast to coast, Canadas Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) continue to allow workers, graduates, entrepreneurs, and their families with a pathway to Canada. The first half of the summer has seen plenty of activity, particularly from Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Alberta.

Through the PNPs, Canadian provinces can nominate individuals for immigration to their province. Some PNP streams, known as enhanced streams, are aligned with the federal Express Entry selection system. Streams that are entirely separate from Express Entry are known as base streams. An enhanced nomination results in the applicant receiving 600 additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the pool.

Under Canadas Immigration Levels Plan for 2017, the government has set a target to bring in up to 54,000 new permanent residents this year alone.

[metaslider id=9343]

Ontario

The government of Ontarios immigration department has been busy on the over the past few weeks, inviting a range of applicants to settle in the province via the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

A new strategy introduced towards the end of June for the Express Entry-aligned Human Capital Priorities stream allowed OINP officials to search the Express Entry pool for candidates with experience in an Information Technology (IT) occupation. This strategy lasted one week but may be rolled out again, either for IT professionals or with other occupations in mind.

Candidates with experience in one of the following occupations were prioritized for selection, even if they scored less than 400 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Normally, Ontario only invites candidates with 400 or more CRS points.

NOC 0131: Telecommunication Carriers Managers

NOC 0213: Computer and Information Systems Managers

NOC 2133: Electrical and Electronics Engineers

NOC 2147: Computer Engineers (Except Software Engineers and Designers)

NOC 2171: Information Systems Analysts and Consultants

NOC 2172: Database Analysts and Data Administrators

NOC 2173: Software Engineers and Designers

NOC 2174: Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers

NOC 2175: Web Designers and Developers

NOC 2241: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians

NOC 2281: Computer Network Technicians

NOC 2282: User Support Technicians

NOC 2283: Systems Testing Technicians

NOC 5224: Broadcast Technicians

NOC 5241: Graphic Designers and Illustrators

All the while, under the Human Capital Priorities stream Ontario continued to issue Notifications of Interest (NOIs) on a weekly basis to a broad range of candidates who may not necessarily have IT-related experience. (Update: On July 25, Ontario paused the intake under this stream, which may reopen at any time.)

Moreover, the OINP continues to welcome applications under its other streams, which include options for French speakers, tradespersons, graduates, and entrepreneurs. On July 20, Ontario announced that foreign workers and international students/graduates could now apply for a base OINP nomination under the Employer Job Offer streams.

Nova Scotia

On July 5, Nova Scotia reopened its Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream. This was welcome news for candidates in one of the 16 target occupations, which includes occupations in finance, health care, engineering, information technology, academia, social work, and law.

For just a few hours after the stream reopened, certain Express Entry candidates in the following occupations were able to submit an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) without a job offer.

NOC 1111: Financial Auditors and Accountants

NOC 1114: Other financial officers

NOC 1123: Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations

NOC 1241: Administrative assistants

NOC 1311: Accounting and related clerks

NOC 2131: Civil engineers

NOC 2171: Information systems analysts and consultants

NOC 2174: Computer programmers and interactive media development

NOC 2281: Computer network technicians

NOC 2282: User support technicians

NOC 3012: Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

NOC 3233: Licensed practical nurses

NOC 4021: College and other vocational instructors

NOC 4211: Paralegal and related occupations

NOC 4212: Social and community service workers

NOC 6235: Financial sales representatives

The intake period closed the very same day, proving again the perpetual popularity of this particular immigration stream.

British Columbia

Over recent weeks and months, BC has joined the ever-growing group of provinces that are looking for IT/tech professionals. In BCs case, the advent of tech-only draws through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) was announced after six such draws had taken place from May through to July. It should be noted that BC also continues to invite workers and graduates in non-tech occupations.

BCs strategy may be seen as an effort to leverage the BC PNP into a wider goal to make the province, in particular the Greater Vancouver Area, one of the largest and most successful tech hubs in North America.

Manitoba

Skilled workers and business immigrants have been the big winners so far this summer under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). Most recently, on July 11, a total of 494 workers were issued a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA). With this letter, an individual may submit an application for a provincial nomination certificate under the MPNP.

The MPNP for skilled workers includes two categories, one for overseas workers and one for workers in Manitoba. These immigration options may be attractive to individuals who may not necessarily be eligible under the federal Express Entry selection system, as the eligibility requirements are different. For example, the MPNP awards points for language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 to candidates in certain occupations, a much lower threshold than what is required under the Federal Skilled Worker Class. Manitobas skilled worker stream operates on a unique points system, and potential applicants must first register an Expression of Interest before they may be invited to apply.

For entrepreneurs, earlier this month Manitoba announced that 90 LAAs had been issued through May and June for its business stream (MPNP-B). This stream allows Manitoba to nominate qualified business people who have the intent and ability to make a significant investment in a new or existing business and hold an active managerial role in Manitoba.

Alberta

At the time of writing, Alberta has issued 3,150 provincial nomination certificates so far in 2017 under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), which has an allocation of 5,550 nominations for the year. Though Alberta does not currently align any AINP with Express Entry, individuals with a nomination certificate may apply to the Canadian government for permanent resident status.

The AINP consists of three main streams:

The Strategic Recruitment Stream is for tradespersons, engineers, and post-graduate workers.

The Employer-Driven Stream comprises of three categories for skilled workers, international graduates, and semi-skilled workers.

The Self-Employed Farmer Stream is a way for individuals to purchase and develop a farm in Alberta.

To find out if you are eligible for immigration to Canada, please fill out a free online assessment today.

 2017 CICnews All Rights Reserved
Normally, Republicans are in favor of giving consumers more choices.

Normally, Republicans are all about law and order.

And normally, Republicans claim to be strong defenders of the Constitution.

For some reason, though, the idea of giving consumers the choice to participate in a court of law  a right enshrined in the Seventh Amendment  leaves some GOP legislators quaking in their loafers.

Thats the implication of a resolution introduced in both the Senate and House on Thursday. While you were busy pondering President Donald Trumps views of Napoleon, members of Congress were working to keep you from your day in court.

Heres the context:

When you get a new bank account, credit card, payday loan or auto lease, theres a lot of fine print. Often, the fine print says that if the company harms you  say, charges you a questionable hidden fee, blocks your ability to access your own money or opens a sham account in your name without your knowledge  you cant sue it in court.

Instead, you have to resolve the dispute outside the court system, bound by a decision made by a private individual rather than a judge or jury. Sometimes this private individual, called an arbitrator, is selected and paid by the very company that you believe ripped you off.

Which does not exactly suggest that this is a neutral party.

Another consequence of this fine print  called a forced arbitration clause  is that it prevents you from bringing or joining a class-action suit against the company that harmed you. Thats true no matter how many other people were victimized by the exact same company, even if they were victimized in the exact same way.

Wells Fargo, for example, opened millions of fake accounts in the names of unsuspecting customers. But because these consumers had other accounts that included forced-arbitration clauses, Wells Fargo repeatedly tried to use this fine print to block class-action suits over those bogus accounts.

The Wells Fargo case is perhaps the most notorious recent example, but there are lots of others. Tens of millions of Americans are bound by these forced-arbitration clauses, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The vast majority dont realize theyve signed away their rights until something goes wrong.

Removing the ability to join a class-action suit is a big deal. Joining others who have been harmed is often the only sensible strategy if the harms are small but widespread.

As federal Judge Richard Posner once wrote, The realistic alternative to a class action is not 17 million individual suits, but zero individual suits, as only a lunatic or a fanatic sues for $30.

Once upon a time, Congress recognized that the proliferation of mandatory-arbitration clauses was a problem.

As part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law, Congress gave the newly created CFPB the authority to ban or limit forced arbitration in connection with consumer financial products or services, though the law said the agency had to do a study first.

Since then, the CFPB has conducted two studies examining the prevalence of these clauses, and their effects on consumers and the financial system. After an extended comment period, the agency issued a final rule this month saying such clauses can no longer be used to block class-action suits.

Consumers can still go through arbitration if they wish. But they also now have the option of banding together with other consumers if a lot of people have been hurt similarly.

In other words, the CFPB gave consumers more choices.

Which, again, sounds like something Republicans should support.

Instead, on Thursday, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, announced legislation to kill the CFPB rule using the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to nullify executive-branch regulations by a simple majority vote, so long as they act within 60 legislative days.

The Trump administration also appears to be developing a Plan B, should Congress not act in time.

A Trump appointee, the acting comptroller of the currency, has suggested he might try to obstruct the rule through a regulatory route, based on the absurd argument that the rule could threaten the stability of the financial system.

Note that the CFPBs rule only applies to financial products and services, since those are what falls under the agencys jurisdiction. The Trump administration has meanwhile also begun to repeal or re-examine other Obama-era regulations designed to curb forced arbitration for disputes involving nursing homes and for-profit schools.

So much for the presidents pledge to look out for the little guy.
Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farms in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
The following companies are subsidiares of Newmont: AC40689 Limited, Administradora de Negocios Mineros S.A. de C.V., Australian Capital Territory, Battle Mountain Resources Inc., Cayman Pampas Ltd., Con Exploration Ltd., Datawave Sciences Inc., Dawn Mining Company LLC, ELLC Grazing Membership LLC, EMH (BVI) Inc., Elko Land and Livestock Company, Empresa Minera Maria SRL, Fronteer Development (USA) LLC, Fronteer Development LLC, Fronteer Royalty LLC, GCGC LLC, GMK Investments Pty Ltd, Galore Creek Mining Corporation, Galore Creek Partnership, Glamis Rand Mining Company, Gold S.p.A., Goldcorp (Barbados) Inc., Goldcorp America Holdings Inc., Goldcorp Aureus Inc., Goldcorp Aurum Argentum Inc., Goldcorp Canada Ltd., Goldcorp Capital Corporation, Goldcorp Exeter Ltd., Goldcorp Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp General Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp Global Services Inc., Goldcorp Holdings Europe B.V., Goldcorp Holdings GmbH, Goldcorp Inc., Goldcorp Insurance Company Inc., Goldcorp Internacional S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Kaminak Ltd., Goldcorp Latin America Finance Limited, Goldcorp MC Holding S.p.A., Goldcorp Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Porcupine Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Red Lake Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Stratum Inc., Goldcorp Tesoro Inc., Goldcorp Trading GmbH, Goldcorp USA Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp USA Inc., Goldcorp USA Services Inc., Goldfields Power Pty Ltd, Hemlo Gold Mines (Ghana) Limited, Holdco S.p.A., Honduras Holdings Ltd., Hospah Holdings Company, Idarado Mining Company, International Mineral Finance S.AR.L., MMC Acquisition Limited, Mexicana Resources Inc., Minera Alumbrera Ltd., Minera BMG, Minera Choluteca S.A. de C.V., Minera Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Minera Los Tapados S.A., Minera Newmont (Chile) Limitada, Minera Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Minera Yanacocha S.R.L., Miramar Gold Corporation, Miramar HBG Inc., Miramar Northern Mining Ltd., Montana Exploradora de Guatemala S.A. de C.V., Moydow Limited, Musto Explorations (Bermuda) Ltd., N.I. Limited, NP Kalgoorlie Pty Ltd, NVL (USA) Limited, NVL Haiti Limited S.A., NVL PNG Limited, NVL Solomon Islands Limited, Nevada Eagle Resources LLC, Nevada Gold Mines LLC, New Verde Mines LLC, Newmont (Guyana) Incorporated, Newmont AP Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Australia Investment Limited, Newmont Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Bolivia Limited, Newmont CC&V Mining Corporation, Newmont Canada Corporation, Newmont Canada Holdings ULC, Newmont Capital Limited, Newmont Capital Pty Ltd, Newmont Colombia S.A.S., Newmont Euronimba B.V., Newmont FH B.V., Newmont GTR LLC, Newmont Galore Creek Holdings Corporation, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Newmont Gold Company, Newmont Gold Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Australia Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Integrated Services Inc., Newmont Goldcorp Red Lake Holdings Ltd., Newmont Goldcorp Services Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Tanami Pty Ltd, Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, Newmont Holdings ULC, Newmont Indonesia Investment Limited, Newmont Indonesia LLC, Newmont International Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont International Group BV, Newmont International Services Limited, Newmont Investment Holdings LLC, Newmont Landco Pty Ltd, Newmont Latin America Limited, Newmont McCoy Cove Limited, Newmont Mineral Holdings B.V., Newmont Mines Limited, Newmont Mining Finance Pty Ltd, Newmont Mining Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont NGL Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont Nevada Energy Investment LLC, Newmont North America Exploration Limited, Newmont Nusa Tenggara Holdings B.V., Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited, Newmont Pacific Energy Pty Ltd, Newmont Peru Limited, Newmont Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Realty Company, Newmont Second Capital Corporation, Newmont Suriname LLC, Newmont Technologies Limited, Newmont USA Limited, Newmont Ventures Limited, Newmont Woodcutters Pty Ltd, Newmont Yandal Operations Pty Ltd, Newmont de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Normandy Company (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Normandy Overseas Holding Company Sdn Bhd, Nusa Tenggara Partnership B.V., Orcana Resources Inc., Oroplata S.A., PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, Pequop Exploration LLC, Peridot S.A., Pittston Nevada Gold Company Ltd., Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Corporation, Red Lake Gold Mine Services Ltd., Resurrection Mining Company, Saddleback Investments Pty Ltd, San Juan Basin Holdings Company, Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation, Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V. <0.0010% Sermineros Zacatecas S.A. de C.V., Sociedad Contractual Minera El Morro, Suriname Gold Project CV, Takari Mining SAS, Talapoosa Mining Inc., The LeClair Consolidated Mines Company, The Matoa Gold Mining Company, US Mineral Company Inc., Vol Mines Limited, and West Pequop Project LLC.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Better Financial Services GmbH, Better Payment Germany GmbH, Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a. r.l., Chapel Funding, China Recovery Fund LLC, Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Cartera de lnmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Impact Investment Fund I. LP., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Limited, DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Jersey) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios lnteractivos Agrupacicm de lnteres Econemico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB Print GmbH, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services (Jersey) Limited, DB Services Americas. Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB US Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a. r.l., DB Value S.a.r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita SA., DB lmmobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG i.L., DB lo LP, DBAH Capital. LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management 18 Ltd., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a. r.l., DBX Advisers LLC, DEBEKO lmmobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK AS., DI Deutsche lmmobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Shanghai Private Equity Fund Management Limited, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anenima lnstitucien Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico. S.A., Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank Polska Spelka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Societe per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche Bank. Sociedad Anenima Espanola, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur lmmobilien-Leasing mit beschrenkter Haftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.El r.l., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche India Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a. r.|., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities SA. de C.V.. Casla de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Services (Cl) Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. SA., Deutsche lmmobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsches lnstitut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a. r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.l., Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, European Value Added I (Alternate GP.) LLP, Fiduciaria Sant Andrea S.r.l., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., German American Capital Corporation, Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer LandstraBe GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Miesbaden LuisenstraBe/Kirchgasse GbR, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF l Manager S.a.r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul lnkasso GmbH, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo lll Initial GP Limited, MEF I Manager. S. a r.|., MIT Holdings Inc., Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgagelT Inc., MortgagelT Securities Corp., OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentIe", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, PADUS Grundstcks-VermietungsgeseIlschaft mbH, PB Factoring GmbH, PB Spezial-lnvestmentaktiengesellschatt mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Plantation Bay. Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank lmmobilien GmbH, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, RREEF, RREEF America LLC., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisers Private Limited, RREEF Management LLC., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables. LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermielungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sharps SP l LLC, Stelvio lmmobiliare S.r.l., Suddeutsche Vermeigensvewvaitung Gesellschaft mit beschrenkter Haftung, TELO Beleiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Umited, VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., lmmobilienfonds BuroCenter Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, lmmobilienfonds Wohn- und Gescheftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, and norisbank GmbH.

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Devon Energy Corporation is an independent oil and gas company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The company was incorporated in 1971 by John Nichols and his son J. Larry Nichols and later went public in August 2000. The company has since grown to be included in the S&P 500 and is one of the first energy companies to introduce resolutions requiring the company to monitor its impact on global warming. One time a major player in the global oil market, Devon has since sold off its offshore holdings in an effort to focus on US production and its transition to a lower-carbon future.

Devon Energy merged with WPX in early 2021 in an all-stock merger of equals. The new company is primarily engaged in the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the US midwest. The company operates more than 5,100 wells in Oklahomas Delaware Basis, Eagle Ford Group, and the two locations in the Rocky Mountains. As of late 2022, the company laid claim to 1.625 million barrels of reserves including 44% petroleum, 27% natural gas liquids, and 29% natural gas. Daily production was running in the range of 300,000 BPD in petroleum liquids, 125,000 BPD in natural gas liquids, and 920 million cubic feet of natural gas.

Rick Muncrief, formally CEO of WPX, is now the head of Devon Energy. Mr. Muncrief comes to the table with more than 40 years of experience including 27 years with one of the US Big Three Oil Companies. WPX Energy (Williams Production and Exploration) brought properties in the Williston and Permian Basins to the combined company. Its proven reserves were roughly 527 million barrels of oil and equivalents. The company also owns and operates a midstream network of pipelines and storage facilities it uses to market and deliver its products.

Devon Energy Corporation has pledged to reduce its GHG impact to net zero by 2050. This will be done by a variety of methods that include improving efficiency and leakage, a reduction in flaring, and the electrification of its operations. Near-term goals include a 50% reduction in GHG by 2030 including a 65% reduction in methane release and a 100% reduction in flaring. The company is also focused on reducing its environmental impact by relying on recycled water wherever possible and plans to reduce freshwater usage by 90% in the most active areas. Total greenhouse gas emissions have been in decline since 2018 and fell 17% between 2018 and 2020 alone.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.
The Vernon County Health Department is urging residents that experienced recent flooding to take precautions to protect their health.

The Health Department recommends that if you have a private well that has been submerged by flood waters, do not drink the water. Wait until the waters recede, disinfect your well, and then sample the well for bacteria.

Sample kits may be obtained from the Vernon County Health Department at 318 Fairlane Drive (Hwy. BB), Viroqua, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and at other sites affected in Vernon County. If samples come back as having unsafe levels of bacteria present, it is recommended that the well be disinfected again and then re-sampled. Information on how to perform well sanitizing and sampling can be obtained from the Department of Natural Resources web site at: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/flood.htm .

Below are some additional tips for homeowners when cleaning and repairing their flood-damaged homes:

Carpeting, drywall and other building materials affected by flood waters will in most instances need to be removed and discarded. Any poruous materials that cann not be dired n 48 hours should be discarded.

A 20-page booklet and a poster (in Spanish and English) are available online from the EPA that gives simple instructions for safely cleaning your home after a flood. It can be found at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/flood/index.html

Do not rush to replace drywall and carpeting. The home must be thoroughly dried before installing new materials.

Using dehumidifiers and fans can hasten this process. Weather permitting, open windows to further assist with the ventilation and drying of basements, crawl spaces and living areas.

Walls typically need several days to dry and floors may take several weeks. It may make sense to remove wet sub flooring.

If using a portable generator, keep it outside and far away from the building. The exhaust or fumes from a portable generator could kill you in minutes if you breathe it in.

Remember to protect yourself while cleaning. Wear work boots, eye and hand protection and, if working with mold, respiratory protection.

If youre not sure when you had your last tetanus immunization please contact the Vernon County Health Department at (608) 637-5251.

Do not swim in flood waters, as flood water can have dangerous currents or cause illness. Water also increases the risk of electrical shock or other injuries as physical hazards may be hidden.

If you have questions or concerns about flood-related issues, contact the Health Department at 608-637-5251.
American and European authorities have shut down two of the largest online black markets, AlphaBay and Hansa Market. The AlphaBay takedown involved officials from six countries and Europol, led by American authorities. Dutch police led the takedown of Hansa Market.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the seizure of AlphaBay at a news conference in Washington. Visitors to AlphaBay and Hansa Market found messages from the authorities announcing the seizure of the sites. News of the joint operation sent the dark net community into a panic. AlphaBay and Hansa Market were successors to the first and most famous online black market, Silk Road, which was taken down by authorities in October 2013.

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AlphaBay was taken down in early July. The site had about 200,000 users and 40,000 vendors, roughly 10 times the size of Silk Road. According to recently unsealed legal documents, the reported founder of AlphaBay, Canadian Alexandre Cazes, reportedly enlisted about 10 deputies to administer the site and resolve disputes. Those 10 were not identified in the document, but authorities said the investigation was ongoing.

The authorities arrested Mr. Cazes at his home in Bangkok on July 5. Officials said they found Mr. Cazes because he had posted his personal email address in some early messages from AlphaBay. Mr. Cazes had his laptop open and was logged in to AlphaBay at the time of his arrest, providing the authorities with access to all of AlphaBays hidden servers and financial accounts. The authorities moved quickly to seize Mr. Cazes substantial assets, including properties in Antigua, Cyprus and Thailand; 10 vehicles; and financial assets of about $18 million. Mr. Cazes committed suicide in his jail cell shortly after he was arrested

AG Sessions said, This is likely one of the most important criminal investigations of this entire year, I have no doubt about that. Most of this activity was for illegal drugs, pouring fuel on the fire of the national illegal drug epidemic. Many vendors on AlphaBay were selling synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, which has played a central role in the nationwide overdose epidemic. The authorities said 122 vendors had been advertising fentanyl on the site. Hansa Market had about 1,800 vendors selling drugs of all sorts

The Dutch national police recently announced that they had taken control of Hansa Market in June and arrested two men accused of operating the online marketplace in Germany. Authorities said that in the days after AlphaBay went down, the number of vendors operating on Hansa Market jumped to 8,000 on an average day from 1,000.

Dutch authorities have been operating the site for the past month, gathering identifying details on the vendors and customers involved in the 50,000 transactions that took place. Dutch police released a statement saying, In the past weeks, the police have intercepted tens of thousands of nonencrypted messages between sellers and buyers about orders. They were also able to identify the delivery address for a large number of orders. The statement went on to say that about 10,000 foreign addresses of Hansa Market buyers have been passed on to Europol.
Regulation P requires credit unions to create a privacy policy that describes the information that it gathers and shares from and with third parties. Credit unions must disclose this policy to new members and to all members on an annual basis. Generally, credit unions that wish to share sensitive information with non-affiliated third parties must give affected members the right to opt out or block such sharing. This general right to opt out, however, is subject to three large exceptions.

The first exception found in section 1016.14 allows credit unions to disclose nonpublic personal information to nonaffiliated third parties for processing or servicing transactions in without triggering the notice and opt out requirements.

Section 1016.15 provides other general exceptions to Regulation Ps general rule. For example, a credit union may disclose nonpublic personal information where a consumer has consented and does not revoke the consent to the specific disclosure. A credit union may also disclose nonpublic personal information under this exception to comply with a properly authorized subpoena or with federal, state or local laws.
Vipshop Holdings Limited operates online platforms for various brands in the People's Republic of China. It operates in Vip.com, Shan Shan Outlets, and Others segments. The company offers women's apparel, such as casual wear, jeans, dresses, outerwear, lingerie, pajamas, and maternity clothes; men's apparel comprising casual and smart-casual T-shirts, polo shirts, jackets, pants, and underwear; and skin care and cosmetic products, including cleansers, lotions, face and body creams, face masks, sunscreen, foundations, lipsticks, eye shadows, and other cosmetics-related items. It also provides shoes and bags, which comprises casual and formal shoes, purses, satchels, luggage, duffel bags, and wallets; handbags; apparel, gears and accessories, furnishings and decor, toys, and games for boys, girls, infants, and toddlers; sportswear, sports gear, and footwear for various sporting activities; home furnishings, such as bed and bath products, home decor, kitchen and tabletop items, and home appliances; and consumer electronic products. In addition, the company offers food and snacks, beverages, fresh produce, and pet goods; beauty products; and internet finance services, including consumer and supplier financing, and microcredit. Vipshop Holdings Limited provides its branded products through its vip.com and vipshop.com online platforms, as well as through its internet website and cellular phone application. Further, it offers warehousing, logistics, product procurement, research and development, technology development, and consulting services; software development and information technology support solutions; and supply chain services. Vipshop Holdings Limited was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, the People's Republic of China.
Travis Perkins plc distributes building materials to the building, construction, and home improvement markets in the United Kingdom. It operates through, Merchanting, and Toolstation segments. The Merchanting segment distributes interior building products, which include drywalls, ceilings, external envelopes, fire protection products, flooring and partitioning products, and tools and accessories to professionals within the construction industry; civil, drainage, and heavy building materials to specialist contractors and trade professionals; and pipeline and heating solutions. This segment also distributes building materials, plumbing and heating products, landscaping materials, timber and sheet materials, painting and decorating products, dry lining and insulation products, doors and joinery, and hand and power tools to trade professionals and self-builders. The Toolstation segment supplies products to the trade, home improvers, and self-builders industry through approximately 500 branches, as well as online, call centers, and a mobile website. It also offers kitchens and joinery products to specialist joiners, kitchen fitters, house builders, local authorities, and national house builders. The company was formerly known as Sandell Perkins Public Limited Company and changed its name to Travis Perkins plc in October 1988. Travis Perkins plc was founded in 1797 and is headquartered in Northampton, the United Kingdom.
The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

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Best Buy Co., Inc. retails technology products in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Domestic and International. Its stores provide computing products, such as desktops, notebooks, and peripherals; mobile phones comprising related mobile network carrier commissions; networking products; tablets covering e-readers; smartwatches; and consumer electronics consisting of digital imaging, health and fitness, home theater, portable audio comprising headphones and portable speakers, and smart home products. The company's stores also offer appliances, such as dishwashers, laundry, ovens, refrigerators, blenders, coffee makers, and vacuums; entertainment products consisting of drones, peripherals, movies, music, and toys, as well as gaming hardware and software, and virtual reality and other software products; and other products, such as baby, food and beverage, luggage, outdoor living, and sporting goods. In addition, it provides consultation, delivery, design, health-related, installation, memberships, repair, set-up, technical support, and warranty-related services. The company offers its products through stores and websites under the Best Buy, Best Buy Ads, Best Buy Business, Best Buy Health, CST, Current Health, Geek Squad, Lively, Magnolia, Best Buy Mobile, Pacific Kitchen, Home, and Yardbird, as well as domain names bestbuy.com, currenthealth.com, lively.com, yardbird.com, and bestbuy.ca. As of January 30, 2022, it had 1,144 stores. The company was formerly known as Sound of Music, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1966 and is headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota.
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The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the largest, and most recognizable, stock exchanges in the world. The NYSE is in New York City, New York at 11 Wall Street. The NYSE has been in existence since the earliest days of the United States becoming a nation, in 1792 and is primarily made up of blue-chip companies with large market capitalizations. In fact, many of the stocks that make up the Dow Jones Composite Index (i.e. The Dow) are listed on the NYSE.

This article gives a brief history of the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, it covers topics such as what kind of stocks trade on the exchange, what are the listing requirements, how trading is performed, and what the daily price movement of the NYSE tells investors about investor sentiment.

What Were the Origins of the NYSE?

Today, the New York Stock Exchange is known as the center of the financial universe. However, the exchanges origin is far more humble. On May 17, 1792, 24 stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement creating a centralized exchange to help provide order to the securities market in what was still a young nation. The "Buttonwood Agreement comes from the tree of the same name under which the founders signed the agreement.

An initial benefit of the exchange was how it removed the need for auctioneers when trading commodities like wheat and tobacco and to set a commission rate. The exchange initially focused on government bonds.

However, the exchange had no formal home. Business was usually conducted informally in the local coffeehouses. In 1817, the exchange changed its name to the New York Stock & Exchange Board which later became the New York Stock Exchange. At this time, the exchange adopted a constitution that set the rules for trading. A group of stockbrokers met twice a day at 40 Wall Street to trade 30 stocks and bonds.

Over time, the exchange moved became the financial hub of the country and moved to its current location in 1865.

What Kind of Stocks Trade on the NYSE?

As of June 2022, the NYSE includes approximately 2,400 companies with a market capitalization of over $28.2 trillion. Although the NYSE trades stocks of all market capitalizations, its best known for trading the stocks of large cap companies. These have the benefit of being mature companies in mature industries. And many of these companies reward shareholders with dividends.

However, that also means that many of these companies are better suited for value investors as opposed to growth investors. In bear markets this stability can be a benefit for investors as these stocks tend to perform less bad than more volatile stocks. But in a bull market, these stocks are not likely to provide investors with the growth that they look for.

An interesting fact about how the NYSE and NASDAQ operate is that the companies with the five largest market caps on the NYSE are also listed on the NASDAQ exchange.

What Are the Listing Requirements For the NYSE?

The NYSE has strict guidelines that govern the types of companies that can list on the exchange. Here are the major requirements that all companies must meet:

The company must have at least 2,200 shareholders

The company must trade over 100,000 shares per month

The company must have a market valuation of over $100 million

The company must generate more than $75 million in annual revenue

However, there is at least one advantage of having such stringent requirements. That is the companies that meet the requirements generally find it easier to get more investors funds when they hold their initial public offering (IPO).

Once a company begins trading on the NYSE, it must continue to meet these requirements. If it doesnt it can be delisted. In addition to these requirements, the stock must continue to trade above $1. If the price of a stock drops below $1 for more than 29 consecutive trading days, the stock receives an Initial Price Violation Notice.

At that point, the company has 10 days to provide the exchange with a plan for bringing their shares above $1.

How are Trades Executed on the NYSE?

For over a century, the floor of the NYSE was the place for investors to be. This meant trades were conducted by traders who ran buy and sell orders across the trading floor looking to broker a deal for their clients. But with the birth of the NASDAQ exchange in 1971, the New York Stock Exchange began conducting electronic trading.

However, the NYSE continues to conduct trades in an auction style. Brokers purchase stocks on behalf of their clients or firms. Every order features a broker who will enter the order electronically and a specialist who serves as the market maker for that stock. The specialist posts bid and ask prices and manages the actual execution of the trades. And there are still a handful of stockbrokers who still traffic buy and sell orders physically on the floor of the exchange.

How Does the NYSE Signal Investor Sentiment?

Like its counterpart, the NASDAQ, the NYSE measures the risk appetite of investors. When the NYSE is moving higher over a length of time, it signals that a risk on environment. Conversely when the NYSE moves lower over a significant period, it signals that investors are moving to a risk off position.

Some Final Thoughts on the NYSE

Financial news networks plan their programming schedule around the opening and closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Its still considered a distinguished honor when individuals or groups are invited to ring the opening bell. In fact, Warren Buffett is attributed with saying that in the short term, the stock market acts like a voting machine. A fact that many U.S. presidents will attest to.

The NYSE is the oldest and most recognizable of all the stock exchanges. It also has the most stringent requirements for inclusion. And those requirements must be maintained even after a stock begins publicly trading on the exchange.

Although the NYSE still has a small in-person Trading Floor, much of the trading is done electronically to provide traders with the speed to execute trades.
HFF, Inc. provides commercial real estate and capital market services to the consumers and providers of capital in the commercial real estate industry in the United States. The company offers debt placement services, such as construction and construction/mini-permanent loans, adjustable and fixed rate mortgages, bridge loans, entity level and mezzanine debts, forward delivery loans, and tax exempt and sale/leaseback financing to the owners of various properties comprising office, retail, industrial, hotel, multi-housing, student housing, self-storage, nursing homes, condominiums and condominium conversions, mixed-use properties, and land, as well as senior, independent, and assisted living facilities. It also provides investment advisory services to commercial real estate owners; and equity placement, as well as assists clients in the sale of their commercial real estate debt note portfolios. In addition, the company offers private equity, investment banking, and advisory services, including equity capital to establish joint ventures relating to identified properties or properties to be acquired by a fund sponsor; structured finance; institutional marketing and fund-raising services for public and private commercial real estate fund sponsors; advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, sales and divestitures, management buyouts, and recapitalizations and restructurings; and private placements of preferred securities. Further, it provides loan sales and commercial loan servicing to life insurance companies. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
A farming union has labelled Michael Gove's vision for farming under a 'Green Brexit' guise as a cause for concern.

The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) has said the Defra secretary's vision 'neglects' food production.

The union said Gove's vision 'does not recognise' the role farmers are playing in maintaining the countryside.

FUW President Glyn Roberts commented: The union has concerns about the strong focus on environmental schemes, which neglect the need for food production.

His vision also does not recognise the role our farmers are already playing in maintaining the countryside.

For the last 2 years we have been calling for evidence to act as the basis for decision making and for recognition that decisions should not be seen in micro-terms.

Changes to farm support for example could have wide ranging impact across rural communities. These impacts need to be understood by decision makers, especially if they want to see the continuation of countryside management and safe food production.

'Foundational commitments'

FUW said it welcomes the vision of supporting farmers to undertake works that are seen to be of benefit to the public.

However, the farming union said this should not be limited to transactional support, for a one off scheme for example, but should be for longer lasting foundational commitments.

Mr Roberts continued: It has to be understood that under World Trade Organisation rules, farmers can only ever be compensated for income foregone, an acknowledgement that is clearly missing in Mr Goves speech.

Further to that, our environment will need to be protected forever, not just in a one or 3 year programme and our farmers have a crucial role to play in that process.

They can however only be a part of that process if their businesses are viable and have not gone under in dramatic and harsh changes to agricultural policies, which favour environmentalist over food production.

Mr Roberts also said the responsibility for agriculture and the environment was a matter devolved to the Welsh Government.
Lynx UK Trust has submitted plans to Natural England for permission to carry out lynx re-introduction in Kielder forest, Northumberland.

This is the first ever application made in the UK for the species to be re-introduced.

Lynx UK Trust believes the lynx is a native species that belongs in the UK, having been hunted to extinction around 500-700AD.

The Trust believes reintroduction is vital in re-storing a natural balance in the British countryside.

However, the possibility of a re-introduction has made some in the farming industry worried, particularly the sheep sector.

The National Sheep Association said the Eurasian lynx are classed as dangerous wild animals under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.

Risk to sheep

The organisation said it would therefore be a 'criminal offence' to keep them without a local authority licence.

Currently, these licences are only available for zoo and captive animals, not for those being released into the wild.

The current law would also allow farmers to legally shoot lynx causing distress to their animals.

Since lynx's are natural predators, there is a real risk of damage to farmers' livestock if a re-introduction were to happen.

'Very different place'

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker said: This country is a very different place to what it was 1,300 years ago and NSA does not believe we have enough largescale, suitable habitat to support the minimum population of 250 lynx that is needed for true genetic sustainability.

Animal welfare and disease biosecurity, as well as unconsidered changes in ecology if we were to see pastoral farming decline, also present huge problems.

We stand to lose the beauty of an area like Kielder if farming, grazing and human activity cannot continue as it has done for centuries in this area.

Eurasian lynx have already been reintroduced in countries including Germany, France and Switzerland.

The Trust will now wait on a response from Natural England.
Producers see losses increase to 26-28 per pig, estimates show
Abhisheks Work Commitments

Abhishek returned to Mumbai a week back owing to his work commitments. The actor is gearing up for the upcoming season of Pro Kabaddi League and is seen promoting the same on his social media.

Aishwarya Rai Returns With Aaradhya

Whereas, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to Mumbai, along with Aaradhya Bachchan.

Shes Glowing..

Going by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's pictures, one can assume that the actress has rejuvenated herself to the core and all set to indulge herself in her upcoming project.

Why Aaradhya Is So Sad?

While, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was all smiles, baby Aaradhya look extremely tired. Awww, we miss her cute smile.

Did You Miss Abhi-Aishs Vacation Pictures

For those, you missed these super sweet pictures of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, roaming on the streets of New York.

Abhi-Aish With Fans

From talking a selfie with fans to strolling with Aaradhya on the streets of New York City, Abhi-Aish did it all.

How Sweet!

As reported by the sources, the duo really wanted to take a break before getting busy with their upcoming film so that they can relax and spend some quality time together.

They Also Bought A Flat In New York

According to Pinkvilla, "Ash and Abhishek bought the apartment in NYC more than a year ago. Only people in the family and close friends know about it as the couple don't want their privacy to be invaded."

'Its Close To Central Park

"It's a beautiful and spacious apartment with a great view of Central Park. CP is very close and the Bachchans love going for a walk there. They have been spotted by many while roaming around the city or Ash and Aaradhya on a swing."

The Apartment Is Tastefully Done By Ash

"The apartment has been tastefully done up by Aishwarya who has done up their Dubai villa too."
Dadi Wants Kriti & Naksh To Get Married Soon

Dadi, who believes in astrology, gets to know that either Kriti-Naksh's marriage should happen within a month or only after 1.3 years. Dadi wants Kriti to decide about her marriage as soon as possible.

Dadi Forces Kriti For The Marriage

Dadi will also be seen pressurising Kriti. When Kriti asks the family members to do as they wish, she fixes the muhurth' of Kriti and Naksh's marriage.

Kartik

At the marriage ceremony, Kartik is seen in yellow sherwani and looks at his best. He will be seen busy arranging for his sister Kriti's marriage. He wants his sister's marriage to be a grand affair.

Naira Teases Kartik

Naira, who looks beautiful in pink lehenga and will also be seen wearing a turban, trolls Kartik. She takes pride of being from the boy's side and jokingly asks Kartik to make proper arrangements.

Kriti & Naksh Interfere

Kartik tells Naira that she belongs to Goenka family and should support them. At the right time, Kriti and Naksh arrive and jokingly tell that they can't marry.

Kriti & Naksh

When Kartik and Naira look tensed, Kriti asks Naira and Kartik to decide as to whose side they belong to and then make the arrangements for the marriage!

Kartik & Naira In Hum Apke Hai Kaun Style

Naira and Kartik have enacted scenes of various films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam on the show, and now they are inspired by Salman Khan-Madhuri Dixit's Hum Apke Hai Kaun!

Naksh & Kritis Marriage Promo

Well, this was just a promo shoot, 'picture abhi baki hai mere dost'! We have seen Kartik and Naira's month long grand wedding, with this promo shoot, we are sure that makers are planning something big for Kriti and Naksh's marriage.

Aditya To Create Trouble?

There are also reports that Kriti's ex-husband Aditya will be creating trouble in the marriage. Also, Bua Dadi doesn't like the marriage! It has to be seen, how Kriti and Naksh will overcome all these problems!

Kriti-Naksh & Kartik-Nairas Honeymoon

We had also reported that the team might shoot abroad. Apparently, along the Kriti and Naksh, Naira and Kartik will also be going on a honeymoon, to a foreign destination!
Samsung might showcase Airpod like headphones on Galaxy Note 8 Launch News oi -Vijeta Samsung may showcase its potential rival to Apple AirPods coinciding with the launch of Galaxy Note 8 and the wireless headphones will have support from Bixby.

Samsung might come up with a pair of wireless headphones similar to Apple's AirPods. If reports are true, Samsung will also integrate Bixby assistance with the product. The headphones may be released along side Galaxy Note 8 by the end of August.

The headphones will reportedly feature noise cancellation features. However, there are substantial challenges for Samsung to come up with a pair of headphones that perform in compatibility with Bixby. Samsung's virtual assistant still has a lot to learn and it is certainly not yet ready for providing a seamless experience. Samsung still needs to work on Bixby to raise the bar to Siri's or Alexa's level.

Recently there were also reports of Samsung working on a Bixby speaker, however, there is now word that the product has been declined.

Although, there is no official word on the accessories' launch date, and they may not come as soon as we expect them too. Since Bixby is yet in a very rudimentary phase as compared to Siri or Alexa.

Samsung may come up with an update focused at Bixby before it launches the accessory.

Apple on the other hand hopes for an increase in the sales of AirPods once the brand's latest smartphone flagship heads out in September. Recently, Apple also provided an upgrade to AirPods' functions.

AirPods retail for Rs. 14,999 in India and the headphones have received positive reviews throughout the globe for their simple and innovative design. It will indeed be a great to see a potential competitor of the technology from Samsung.

Best Mobiles in India

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Find out using IP Address

You can find the sender's location using their IP address, which will be available on Google mail. In order to find it out, open the sender's message in Gmail and click on 'Show Original'. Now open it in another tab and search for 'Receiver' and copy the IPV4 address of sender's computer. After this, you can go to Wolfram Alpha and paste the IP address to find out.

Find out using time

Another method is to find the time of mail received from the sender. Once you get the time, go to 'Time Zone Map' and enter the time. By this way, you can find out the countries and cities of the related time zone. Even though you cannot find him accurately, you will have an idea about it at least.

Search on Facebook

You can search the mail ID on Facebook from your account to know more details about them. In case, if he has the same email ID, then its a bingo.! You can get the location and other info of that person by viewing his profile.

Search on Social Media

Apart from Facebook, you can search in all social media network including Twitter, Instagram and much more to find his identity. If the concerned person uses the same email ID, then once you search, it will show you their profile in front of you. If not, there is a website called 'KnowEm', where you can search the profile of them.

If nothing above works...

There are two websites, where you can search for a name, email or phone and you get the result quickly. One is 'Pipl' and another one is 'Spokio'. With these two options, you can find the location as well as other details about that person belonging that email.
Reliance Jio in talks with Intex and Micromax for making JioPhone News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Intex and Micromax to make the Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone.

Reliance Jio's chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the JioPhone on Friday at their 40th Annual General Meeting.

The JioPhone was announced with the aspiration to migrate the 50 million 2G feature phone users in India to use the 4G network. It is known that this Jio feature phone will be available for pre-booking starting from August 24 and that it will be free of cost except for the Rs. 1,500 security deposit.

Even before the launch of the JioPhone, there were talks that Reliance Jio is in talks with the domestic handset manufacturer Intex to make the feature phone. A recent report by The Mobile Indian suggests that the company is in talks with both Micromax and Intex to manufacture the 4G feature phones. The report citing sources familiar with the development claims that Reliance is in the advanced stages of discussion with Micromax and Intex for the 4G feature phones.

The report further states that Jio is in plans to tie up with the Indian brands for the 4G feature phones. It is likely that the company will make another announcement by October - November time frame. For now, Jio is focusing hard on negotiations for the feature phones in order to make sure that they get the best out of the brands without a great change in the pricing strategy.

The JioPhone that was launched yesterday will be made available from the first week of September. As mentioned above, the pre-order will be debut on August 24.

Best Mobiles in India
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) will be getting Android Nougat update soon News oi -Chandrika The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) came with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow at the time of the launch.

While high-end Samsung smartphones receive software updates on a regular basis, the company is not that consistent when it comes to mid-range devices.

However, it seems like Samsung is trying its best to change that. We say this as the Galaxy J7 (2016) running on Android 7.0 Nougat has just received its Wi-Fi certification from Wi-Fi Alliance. The handset is seen carrying the model number Samsung SM-J710F. So although no official confirmation has been made, the smartphone should be updated to Android Nougat soon.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) came with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow at the time of the launch. Now that we know that it would get an Android Nougat update, the question is when exactly it will happen.

Once the Android 7.0 Nougat update hits the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) users should experience some new features. So the overall user experience will be improved to a great extent. For example, the updated Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) will have support for split screen multitasking or multi-window mode. For those who are not aware, this split screen view will allow for more than one apps to be arranged in the said mode.

Other than that, the addition of the Quick Reply feature will let users reply from the notification bar itself without opening any app. Under the hood, Google also incorporated new and improved features that would result in a better device performance and battery life.

Major updates to the Android operating system usually are more than 1GB in size. Hence, you should make sure that your device has sufficient storage space. Once the Android Nougat update arrives, the smartphone should also be fully charged to last the entire update process.

Also, it is better to use a Wi-Fi connection rather than the mobile data connection for installing the Nougat update.

Best Mobiles in India

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Aircel launches news plan for its Kolkata users News oi -Priyanka The specially designed product will offer all calls (Local and STD) at 20p/min

Telecom operator Aircel has announced its most economical calling rates priced at just Rs 31 for its customers in Kolkata on Friday.

"The specially designed product will offer all calls (Local and STD) at 20p/min. Now, Aircel customers will be able to do Aircel to Aircel and Aircel to others calls at the lowest tariff of 20p/min with a validity of 27 days," the company said.

Elaborating on the insights behind the product, Anil Gupta, Regional Manager - East, Aircel, said, "Our constant efforts in providing our customers with innovative and affordable products in this market have continued to pay off well, and we're delighted to launch RC 31 which will offer users with uninterrupted experience, maximum affordability, and simplicity in usage.

Gupta said that "The newly introduced recharge is a simple product with the powerful offering that beat most other products in its category in the market in terms of affordability for local and STD calling. We're certain that like all our other products, RC 31 will offer the best value for money to our customers."

To recall the company has recently launched a new tariff plan of Rs 333 for its customers in Karnataka.

The special product offers 30GB of 3G data with the validity of 30 days and no daily limits. All Aircel customers with 2G, 3G or 4G handsets can avail this incredible offer and enjoy the best ever value data proposition in the region.

Meanwhile Reliance Jio has recently has revamped its both prepaid and postpaid plans, as we all know that Summer Surprise and Dhan Dhana offer is going to end on July 15 and user have to recharge further to enjoy the benefits.

Best Mobiles in India
Washington : Pakistan created terror groups such as the Taliban, the Haqqani network and the Lashkar-e- Taiba to keep India off balance and protect Islamabads interests in war-torn Afghanistan, according to former US diplomats and officials.

William Milam, a former US ambassador to Pakistan, and Philip Reiner, a former senior director for South Asia at the National Security Council during the Obama administration, said Pakistans notorious spy agency, the ISI, continues to protect and assist these groups, according to The Cipher Brief.

The online intelligence news and analysis portal on Thursday carried interviews and opinion pieces deciphering the double game of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Milan told the portal that Pakistan has no interest in a peaceful Afghanistan that would be under the influence of its arch enemy India and feels keenly the need for a proxy to protect its interests there.

We know that Pakistan was present at the creation of the Taliban in the mid-1990s and gave them much support in their fight to take over the country. And we know that the Haqqani network, which is allied with the Afghan Taliban, has become a good substitute proxy, he said.

Milam said the argument that the ISI supports hostile groups such as the Haqqani network, the Taliban, and the Lashkar-e-Taiba are generally believed by Western experts to be correct but evidence for them is all highly-classified and held closely.

As for the Leshkar-e-Taiba, it is a reminder that Pakistan still sees India as its primary existential threat and still relies on proxies to keep India off balance.

A virulently anti-Indian extremist organisation, Leshkar-e-Taiba serves as one proxy. Inside India, in the last several years, it has carried out very serious raids which appear to have had ISI help. (Could they have been rogue ISI units? We dont know), he said.

Milam was US ambassador to Pakistan from 1998 until 2001.

According to The Cipher Brief, despite denials from senior Pakistani officials, many experts agree that the ISI continues to protect and assist the three US-designated terrorist groups, as part of its strategy to keep Afghanistan unstable and advance its ambitions in the Kashmir region.

In an Op-ed for the portal, Reiner wrote that ISIs role over time has included brutal suppression of anti-state rhetoric, fomenting insurgency, providing illicit channels for drug smuggling, acquiring nuclear weapons components, and developing proxy outfits to splinter domestic political parties.

The primary argument made by Pakistani Generals is that due to historic and growing disparities with India in the conventional military balance, these proxy groups are essential for keeping India off-balance, as well as for ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a Western-aligned and India-dominated neighbour encircling the Pakistanis, he wrote.

According to him, since 9/11, the ISI has assisted in taking down a number of al-Qaeda leaders, but it has at the same time allowed safe passage for other terrorists, permitting India-focused terror groups to remain active, and ensuring that the Afghan Taliban could regroup and become a more effective and

equipped fighting force than ever before.

The US has found Pakistan to be a partner and an adversary at the same time, the former White House official said.

Pakistans double game is clearly illustrated by the ISI and its role, Reiner said.

According to Bennett Seftel, the deputy director of analysis at the online portal, the ISI exerts a strong grip on Pakistans national security apparatus. It pulls strings behind the scenes to dominate Pakistanis foreign and domestic policies.

Many Americans are wary of the ISI, accusing it of providing safe havens to the Haqqani network and Taliban, which are responsible for many US and allied deaths in Afghanistan, Seftel said.

Source : Economic Times
Image: Google Maps

Guwahati, July 22 (IBNS): At least four students and a police personnel were injured in a clash between students and security personnel in Manipuras Imphal on Saturday, while the students of a higher secondary school protested to demand roll back of the transfer of eight teachers.

The protest march turned violent when police tried to stop the students of CC higher secondary school in Imphal as they tried to march towards the Chief Ministers bungalow to demand for immediate revocation of the transfer order of eight teachers.

According to reports, the protest turned more violent after protesters pelted stones, targeting security personnel who were stopped.

To bring the situation under control, police personnel fired tear gas cells and also used mock bombs.

In the clash, four students sustained injuries and a police personnel was hurt.

Later, police and district administration brought the situation under control after discussing with the student leaders about the issue.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
New Delhi, july 22 (IBNS): Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The Prime Minister recalled the successful visit of Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, to India in October 2016, and appreciated the follow-up action taken by both sides on the decisions taken at the Summit.

Shanmugaratnam congratulated the Prime Minister on the successful roll-out of GST.

He briefed the Prime Minister on the progress in bilateral relations, especially in the economic domain.

The Prime Minister appreciated the close bilateral cooperation in sectors such as investment, urban development, civil aviation, and skill development.

The two leaders also discussed the potential for bilateral collaboration in banking, digital finance, tourism, and innovation.
New Delhi, July 22 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hosted a a farewell dinner for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee here.



Modi presented a memento to the President.

"In keeping with tradition, PM @narendramodi presents a memento to President Pranab Mukherjee at the farewell hosted by him for the President," PMO India tweeted.

Hosted a farewell for President Pranab Mukherjee. @RashtrapatiBhvn pic.twitter.com/YeGtwFIetS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 22, 2017

"Pranab Mukherjee signed the visitors book at Hyderabad House on the occasion of the farewell hosted for him by Modi.

Mukherjee, who became the 'first citizen' of the country in 2012, will have to vacate his office as his tenure expires this month.

The outgoing President was a Congress leader for decades and also held several important portfolios like finance and defence ministries earlier.

The swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Ram Nath Kovind will be held on July 25.

He was named as the newly elected President on Thursday.

Kovind secured 7,02,044 out of 10,69,358 valid votes polled, which is approximately 66%.

Image: PMO India Twitter page
New York, July 22(Just Earth News): To meet the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India should prioritize women's empowerment and education, the United Nation's development chief in the country said.

Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator based in New Delhi, spoke to UN News while in New York this week for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which is reviewing progress made so far on the SDGs ahead of their 2030 deadline.

He said that India's progress is essential for the global effort to meet the Goals, which include ending poverty and hunger; as well as providing universal education and quality healthcare for all, key targets agreed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

India's importance is underlined by one startling statistic, said Mr Afanasiev, who is also the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Resident Representative. The country, which has a population of more than 1.3 billion, is responsible for around 50 per cent of the total global development needed to meet the SDGs.

The UN Coordinator said that whatever we do with our relatively small resources, especially for a country like India, needs to be scalable, it needs to be impactful, and it needs to be focussed.

He said the challenges India faces in order to reach the SDGs by 2030 remain tremendous and daunting but the rate of growth, change, and national commitment, meant that the future was looking positive for India.

Afansiev said that it might appear counter-intuitive to prioritize women's empowerment and education, ahead of infrastructure and economic growth indicators, but if you don't have those two, all the rest become impossible.

Photo: Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, July 22(Just Earth News): Yemen is facing the world's largest cholera outbreak, the United Nations health agency on Friday warned, with 5,000 Yemenis falling sick every day a the majority of them children and the elderly.

The cholera outbreak is far from being over, Fadela Chaib, spokesperson for the UN World Health Organization (WHO), told reporters in Geneva. The rainy season had just started and would exacerbate the situation in terms of transmission.

WHOs office in Yemen said that since 27 April 2017, over 372,900 suspected cholera cases and 1,837 associated deaths have been reported in over 91 per cent of Yemen's governorates.

UN agencies, including WHO and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), are scaling up access to clean water and sanitation, and setting up treatment centres for oral rehydration therapy and other measures.

The response is also focused on providing food as the country remains on the verge of famine. Seventeen million people are currently hungry in the war-torn country, making then more vulnerable to catching the bacteria.

It is necessary to break the vicious cycle of malnutrition and diarrhoea, Chaib said.

Children aged 15 and under accounted for 41 per cent of all suspected cases, and people aged over 60 for 33 per cent of all deaths.

Asked if the number of cases could rise about 600,000, as projected by the non-governmental organization Oxfam, Chaib called the current toll heavy and said the situation remains alarming.

In 2011, some 719,377 suspected cases of cholera were recorded in Haiti, and 8,767 people died, according to national figures citedby the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UNICEF/Fuad

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, July 22(Just Earth News): Wrapping up a four-day mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations humanitarian chief on Friday urged the world anot to forget the DRC,a and called for scaled-up relief funding to help millions of people suffering from violence, diseases, and malnutrition.

I urge and encourage the international community not to let down the millions of people in need in the DRC. How many more clues do we need to step up?  said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien in a press release on the visit.

Some 3.8 million people are now displaced within the DRC. An appeal for $748 million launched earlier this year has so far received less than 25 per cent of funding, the lowest level in the past 10 years.

Separately, a $64.5 million emergency appeal was made for the Kasai crisis. To date it has only received 11 per cent.

This is not just insufficient  it is unacceptable for the global community to leave this very real suffering of the Congolese people unaddressed  just because of a shortage of money, stressed O'Brien, who is also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

During two days of travel outside of the capital, Kinshasa, O'Brien visited some of the communities most affected by the massive crisis, including Tshikapa in the Kasai region, where a year of conflict has led to serious human rights abuses and displaced some 1.4 million people.

The violence in the five provinces that make up the Kasai region has also pushed thousands of children out of school. Some 600 cases of sexual-based violence have been reported since last year, while several schools and health clinics have been commandeered into temporary shelter for the displaced.

In the Komba IDP site, I met young Mangasa Kalone who told me how she was almost burned alive when her village was attacked, O'Brien highlighted.

He also visited a school compound where NGOs are providing protection and recreational activities to some 1,000 unaccompanied minors. I am deeply concerned for the health of these children, many have been stunted by malnutrition, he said.

He also held talks with a wide range of actors in North Kivu and South Kivu, two of the traditional hotbeds of humanitarian needs.

In Kinshasa, he met with the Congolese Prime Minister, Bruno Tshibala, the ministers for interior and humanitarian affairs, representatives of donor countries, and senior officials of UN agencies and of the peacekeeping mission, known for its French acronym MONUSCO.

In addition to the 3.8 million IDPs, the country is dealing with a steady flow of refugees from neighboring Burundi, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

All we need now is the funding, O'Brien concluded.

Photo: Yvon Edoumou/OCHA

Source: www.justearthnews.com
The Ho-Chunk Nation enjoys strong support for an off-reservation casino in Wisconsin that's been in the works for years.

Members of Congress, state lawmakers and local officials say the casino in Beloit will boost the economy. But the Bureau of Indian Affairs hasn't done much to advance the environmental impact statement for the project beyond a scoping report released in January 2013.

Then there's Gov. Scott Walker (R), whose approval will be required if the BIA takes action while he's in office. He rejected a similar off-reservation casino for another tribe and hasn't offered a position on the Ho-Chunk project, The Beloit Daily News reported.

The tribe is pursuing the casino under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act . The law requires approval by the state governor in addition to the BIA.

Even if the state and the BIA agree, there's still one more step in the process -- the casino site must be placed in trust. Secretary Ryan Zinke , the leader of the Department of the Interior , has ordered such decisions to be made by political officials in Washington, D.C.

Jim Cason, the Associate Deputy Secretary at the department, has repeatedly told tribes and Congress that off-reservation acquisitions will be subjected to additional scrutiny. The Trump administration is in fact considering a new rule to erect more hurdles in the process.

The site in Beloit is more than 170 miles from Ho-Chunk headquarters in Black River Falls but the tribe also maintains a governmental office about 49 miles away in Madison. It's located off I-39, a major highway.

Read More on the Story: State, federal reps support Beloit casino plan (The Beloit Daily News 7/21)

Join the Conversation

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Business The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 22)

A man takes a rest while working in a brick factory at the outskirts of Yangon. Productivity as well as salaries are often low in Myanmar industries and efforts are being made to introduce improvements. / Reuters

Myeik Islands to Offer More Hotel Rooms

Nine local and foreign companies with permission to build hotel accommodation on twelve islands of the Myeik Archipelago will be in a position to offer rooms to visitors in the coming high season, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

The archipelago has more than 800 islands and is an area of world-class outstanding natural beauty that was little visited during the decades when Myanmar was under military rule.

The permissions were granted by the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). Businesses setting up in the region need permission from the MIC and also from relevant ministries, according to U Hsan Myint, deputy director-general of the MIC.

The new hotels will be ready before the coming high season on Nyaung Oo Phee Island, Wa Ale Island, Hlainggu Island, Ngakhinnyogyi Island, 115 Island, Phoni Island, Balar Island and Thahtay Island, according to U Hlwan Moe of the Kawthaung District Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.

A total of some 200 rooms will be available, he said.

Plans for Myeik Archipelago are being developed in collaboration with the Tanintharyi Region Development Committee and include a provision that only one kind of business will be allowed on each island, to protect the natural environment, said U Ohn Myint, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

The majority of visitors to the region are currently from Thailand, according to U Hlwan Moe. Of 300,000 foreigners who visited the region last year, 250,000 were from Thailand, he told the paper.

Logistics Firm Opens Base in Thilawa

Japanese firm Yusen Logistics has opened a 68,000 square-foot logistics center in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone with an eye to contribute to cross-border trade between Myanmar and Thailand.

The base features temperature-controlled storage areas and an assembled vehicle storage yard, and it offers pre-delivery inspections and customs procedures, according to the American Shipper website.

This logistics center will be a cornerstone of our logistics business in Myanmar and an important part of our global network, including the connection to surrounding countries, said Kenji Mizushima, president of Yusen Logistics.

Yusen Logistics operates around the globe with services in air, sea and land transportation networks.

The announcement follows the opening of another logistics facility at the Thilawa SEZ in June by Nittsu Logistics Myanmar.

Micro-lenders to Receive Cash Boost

A Luxembourg-based provider of financial services to social businesses will extend loans to three microfinance operations in Myanmar, a trade website reported.

The Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF) will provide loans on a phased basis over three years to Proximity Finance (US$2.9 million), BRAC Myanmar ($1.6 million) and VisionFund Myanmar ($1.3 million).

Proximity Finance is a microfinance program of Proximity Designs, a nonprofit that works to reduce poverty. As of December 2015, Proximity Finance reported a total of approximately 48,000 rural customers and a loan portfolio of $8.4 million, according to the report.

BRAC Myanmar is an affiliate of Bangladesh-based Building Resources Across Communities (BRAC), while VisionFund Myanmar is a unit of the US-based non-governmental organization World Vision, with operations reportedly in almost 100 countries.

GCAMF was founded in Luxembourg in 2008 by Credit Agricole SA, a French retail bank, and Grameen Trust, a nonprofit microfinance organization affiliated with the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. The fund is active in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Myanmar Rice to Help Ease Shortage in Sri Lanka

A shortage of rice in Sri Lanka due to drought followed by floods will be eased by a deal to import rice from Myanmar and Pakistan, according to a news report.

A total of 55,000 MT of rice will be made quickly available to Sri Lanka after a government team visited Myanmar and Pakistan earlier this month.

After the successful tour, it is clear there will be no more rice shortages in the domestic marketsor even any likelihood of it, Sri Lankas industry and commerce minister Rishad Bathiudeen said. The minister added that some elements were trying to create an artificial shortage in the Sri Lankan market, according to the report.

Myanmar was ready to supply 30,000 MT immediately and Pakistan had agreed to provide 25,000 MT without delay, the report stated. The rice samples tested in Pakistan were already milled and in good quality. Myanmar rice was of good quality also but needed to be milled before shipping, the report added.

Sri Lanka has also entered deals to secure rice from Thailand and India, according to another report, but some imports from Thailand might be held back because of higher prices quoted there.

A severe drought followed by floods has slashed agricultural production in Sri Lanka this year, leaving some 900,000 people facing food insecurity, the United Nations said in June.

Production of rice, the countrys staple food, was forecast to drop almost 40 percent to 2.7 million tons in 2017, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) said, according to Reuters. Outputs of other crops such as pulses, chilies and onions, were also expected to be hit.

KBZ Expands Capacity on Satellites

The KBZ group of companies has expanded its capacity on two satellites, the AsiaSat 4 and AsiaSat 7, to meet growing demand from clients in its banking, finance and oil and gas sectors for faster and more efficient broadband services, AsiaSat reported.

The Myanmar conglomerate and bank launched services on AsiaSat in 2016, and has since expanded its high-speed broadband network which connects 300 remote sites across its bank branch network and ATM services, and also serves communications for remote oil and gas exploration sites.

With the expanded capacity, KBZ will be offering advanced broadband services, enabling it to expand into the hospitality sector, according to AsiaSat.

It added that the new AsiaSat 9 is being planned and will enable further improved services by KBZ for broadband services across the country.

Japan Invests in Myanmar Human Resources

Employees of telecoms operator Myanmar Posts & Telecommunications (MPT) will start long-term skills training with the Japanese firm KDDI, which, along with Sumitumo, is a partner with MPT.

Initially, four MPT employees (two working in business management and two in a technical field) will join KDDI for one year starting this month.

The training will include three months of Japanese language study and basic lectures, and technical trainees will undergo practical training in network design and development, maintenance and operations, and information systems.

Business management trainees will study in the sales, marketing and new services planning departments. After completing the program, the trainees will return to Myanmar and use the techniques, know-how, and business skills acquired in Japan.

In a separate human resources initiative, the Tokyo-based Japan Productivity Center and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) have launched a project to establish a National Productivity Organization to promote enhanced productivity in Myanmar.

The project will seek to introduce Japanese practical Kaizen methods (these translate roughly into a philosophy of constant, continual improvement) into Myanmar businesses.

Senior project staff are currently being sought and more information is available on the UMFCCI website.
Dateline Dateline Irrawaddy: Development of a Country Depends Greatly on Leadership

The Irrawaddy

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! July 19 is Myanmars historic Martyrs Day and this year marks the 70th anniversary of the day when nine martyrs including independence hero Gen Aung San were assassinated. It is said that Gen Aung San chose his cabinet and colleagues based on their capacity, capability, expertise, experience and virtue. On the occasion of Martyrs Day, Ive invited two grandsons of martyrs U Ba Win and U Razak to discuss how exemplary those leaders were. Ko Khaing Win, the grandson of U Ba Win, who was the elder brother of Gen Aung San, and Dr. Myat Htoo Razak, the grandson of U Razak, join me for this discussion. Im Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ko Khaing Win, it is said that those leaders of the past had vision and capability. But before talking about their characteristics, can you tell me about your childhood memories and the relations between Gen Aung San and your grandfather, according to your elders?

Khaing Win: What I remember is my grandfather teaching Gen Aung San. My grandfather was 14 years older than him, so he was like a big brother or father figure to him.

He taught his two brothers, Gen Aung San and U Aung Than, in Yenangyaung Township, where he was a schoolteacher at the time. Although they were brothers, my grandfather was a strict teacher. He taught them English and asked them to read English newspapers and write down what they read every morning.

KZM: Ko Myat Htoo, we heard that Gen Aung San chose U Razak [as a cabinet member] on his merit. He was a local leader in Mandalay and had a range of experience, including serving as the headmaster of National High School. What impression did he leave you with?

Myat Htoo: As his grandson, Ive known him largely through his books and speeches. My grandmother didnt talk much about him because it made her sad. But I can imagine how much he was respected, especially when I go to Mandalay. I came to understand more about my grandfather after I read the book Students Account of Their Teacher U Razak by the Mandalay Association. He was a strong patriot and decided to fight for independence and to improve the country by promoting education and patriotism. He told his students that weapons alone would not defeat the British and that independence must be claimed in meeting rooms. Like Saya U Ba Win, he was a teacher who promoted patriotism. At the same time, he not only taught from school textbooks but also about social and moral obligations. Looking at the actions of his students, I can imagine the kind of teacher my grandfather was. I respect him as a leader in the country rather than as my grandfather.

KZM: It is notable that both U Ba Win and U Razak were teachers. U Ba Win also served as the trade minister and one of his biographies said that as businessmen approached ministers to get permits, U Ba Win never looked at the names of the applicants seeking business licenses. He was concerned that he would be biased in favor of his friends. It seems like honesty was an important virtue at that time. What more do you know about your grandfather?

KW: Yes, as Ko Kyaw Zwa has said, my grandmother told me that merchants approached him after he became the trade minister. But before that, he told his wife not to interfere with his job and made it clear that he would not receive any of his students if they came to visit him for business purposes. My grandmother told me that one of his students, who was a businessman, came with our family when we moved from Yenangyaung to Yangon, despite my grandfathers refusal. He was a regular guest at our house in Yenangyaung and my grandmother and family members didnt want to upset him, so they let him go along. My grandfather was in the front car and realized that he had joined them after they were already on the way. He railed at him and bluntly told him to go back to Yenangyaung. He was a leader who was not afraid to offend, and who did not take personal ties into consideration when it came to the interests of the country.

KZM: They were very disciplined. It seems like all of the ex-ministers from previous eras could learn from them regarding corruption. Ko Myat Htoo, Gen Aung San didnt accept religious meddling in politics. Society was largely secular and there were no radical religious views. U Razak was a Muslim, but he was portrayed as a leader in the community and the country. There were also Christians among the assassinated martyrs. What is your assessment of those leaders in that regard, as we are witnessing radical religious movements 70 years after their assassination? What should we take from them?

MH: They focused on independence and the development of the country. In the nation-building process, they chose people who could benefit the country regardless of race, religion or faith. They, especially U Razak, had close ties with Buddhist monks in Mandalay. He learned Pali and taught the monks as well. At the same time, he maintained friendly ties with Muslims and Christians without discrimination. His mother, Daw Nyein Hla, was a Buddhist and all of his siblings were Buddhists. He said he believed in Islam because his Islamic father asked him to do so, and he wanted Muslims to be united. But according to his books, he viewed state affairs as the top priority before religion. He was a visionary leader in that regard. Now, religious extremism is high not only in Myanmar but around the world. Considering this, it is clear that U Razak was a man who could focus on state affairs rather than religion. My personal view is that if those leaders were alive today, they would certainly find ways to prevent extremism.

KZM: It is fair to say that Myanmars strong and visionary leadership was lost after their assassination. So, people always long for them. There is talk that Myanmars history would have been different if they had not been assassinated. We have undergone many dark eras. Ko Khaing Win, what do you think Myanmar would be like today if those leaders had not died?

KW: Many have imagined how Myanmar would be doing if they were alive. They wonder if Myanmar would be like Singapore. Some compare Gen Aung San with Lee Kuan Yew, saying that he was a brave, decisive, and selfless leader, and that his colleagues were also far-sighted. Development of a country depends greatly on leadership. It is critical. When a country is rich, it might not need good leadership, but for developing countries, good leadership is necessary.

KZM: Yes, it is especially true for a country that is at a crossroads. Please continue.

KW: It is critical that those holding political power have vision. I believe the country will improve when it has many leaders who consider the future of the country from various aspects rather than focusing on their electoral victories.

KZM: Yes, it will also depend on how good their economic and foreign policies are, aside from the separation of religion and politics. It is important that they have the right policies as they navigate the 50 million people on the ship that is Myanmar. Ko Myat Htoo, what should leaders, including military leadersas Gen Aung San founded the militarylearn from the martyrs for the sake of the people and the country?

MH: Leaders need to consider the interests of the people and the future of the country. When we say the vision of the leaders, it is not only about their vision. The whole country needs to share that vision. When we talk about martyrs, we usually refer to those nine martyrs, but more than 30 million people made sacrifices [to regain independence]. The people recognize those nine martyrs among many others. There were other leaders like Pyawbwe U Mya who didnt die, although they were at the cabinet meeting, and therefore, were not recognized as martyrs. In rebuilding the state, there are many leaders who go unrecognized. In the military, there may be military leaders who are not popular, but who want to transform the army into peoples army. I want leaders in the economic, education, legislation, health and development sectors to work together to find ways to improve the country.

KZM: Ko Khaing Win, Ko Myat Htoo, thank you for sharing!
Burma UN Envoy Strongly Urges Myanmar to Accept Fact-Finding Mission

Yanghee Lee takes questions from the journalists at the end of her 12-day visit to Myanmar on Friday. / Thet Htun Naing / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee told reporters on Friday that she would strongly urge the government to allow an international independent body to investigate allegations of rights abuses particularly in Rakhine State, and in conflict regions in Myanmar at large.

The comment was made during a press conference in Yangon after Lee wrapped up a 12-day visit to Myanmar. She went to Yangon and Naypyitaw and toured conflict-torn Rakhine State, but noted that in Shan State, she was only allowed to visit the northern city of Lashio, and the capital of Hpa-an in Karen State. On her trip, Lee met with internally displaced people as well as with civil society organizations, but noted that many of the places she had proposed visiting were denied access to her by the authorities.

I regret Myanmars decision to refuse the fact-finding mission, Lee said in reference to the UN body appointed by the Human Rights Council to investigate rights violations in conflict areas in Myanmar, the participants of which have seen their applications for visas refused. Reporters raised questions about why Lee felt the mission was necessary.

She noted that her own mandateextended for one yearis separate from that of the fact-finding mission. But she pointed to evidence that requires an independent international mechanism in order to be verified, and the need to collect data and just knowwhat really happened.

Of particular concern to the fact-finding mission are clearance operations carried out by security forces in northern Rakhine State in response to militant attacks on police outposts in October 2016; during this time, tens of thousands of self-identifying Rohingya Muslims were displaced to Bangladesh.

Lee expressed dismay that her visit was marked by many restrictions, with authorities providing the excuse of short notice in denying her access to sites, and her sources reportedly facing intimidation by special branch police officers.

Those who met with her, Lee said, were photographed, questioned before and after meetings, and in one case, even followed. This, she added, was unacceptable.

I am disappointed to see the tactics applied by the previous government still being used, the Special Rapporteur said.

She acknowledged that the general situation for the Rohingya has hardly improved since her last visit in January, and that she continues to receive reports alleging violations by security forces. Lee lamented that she has also learned that some Rohingya who had collaborated with the authorities have been harmed or killed by unknown assailants.

During her visit to Rakhine State, Lee faced protests in Buthidaung Township, and in the capital Sittwe, as local Buddhist Rakhine said they felt she stood for the rights of the Rohingya community but portrayed the Rakhine as villains on the international stage. In her statement, she explained that members of the Rakhine community emphasized to her that the Rakhine community as a whole should not be judged for the action of its most extreme members.

I am here to report what I see and what I can clarify myself for the all people, not just one side, she said.

Lee said her delegation had planned to meet with community members in northern Shan State, as well as three journalists currently detained in Hsipaw prison, accused by the Myanmar Army of violating the Unlawful Associations Act for gathering news by contacting the ethnic armed group the Taang National Liberation Army. The authorities did not allow her to visit Hsipaw, she said, although it is a known tourist destination.

During her time in Myanmar, Lee met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and officials from several Union ministries, but was unable to meet Tatmadaw commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, or the ministers of defense, home affairs, transportation and communication, or religion and culture. She did not comment on the content or outcomes of these meetings.

The State Counselors Office issued an official response to Yanghee Lees statement on Friday defending its disassociation with the Human Rights Councils resolution to appoint a fact-finding mission, and expressed disappointment with Lees conclusions, claiming that her remarks contained sweeping allegations and a number of factual errors. The Office stated that during meetings with Lee, representatives had explained to her the steps that the government has taken to promote development and communal harmony.

On Tuesday, Myanmar National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun and Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe of the State Counselors Office held a press conference at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, inviting dozens of foreign counterparts from Yangon-based embassies, including US Ambassador Scot Marciel. But the advisor declined to take questions from reporters and requested to leave the conference room before a discussion began between diplomats.

In his opening remark, U Thaung Tun said that the UNs fact-finding mission would only aggravate tension between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine State and described it as less than constructive.

Yanghee Lee is scheduled to submit a report on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in October.
News Voice Dailys Editor, Columnist Charged Under Media Law

The newspapers chief editor Ko Kyaw Min Swe (front) and columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing (back) are seen attending a June 16 court hearing in Bahan Township / Thet Tun Naing / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The Voice Dailys chief editor and columnist have been charged under Article 25(b) of the Media Law for publishing a satirical article questioning the countrys ongoing peace process.

The pair had previously been charged under controversial Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law over the same story after Lt-Col Lin Tun of the Myanmar Army filed a suit against them at the Bahan Township police station on May 17.

The Burmese language publications chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe and papers regular satire columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing, also known by his pen name British Ko Ko Maung, were arrested on June 2. The columnist was acquitted of violating 66(d) on a June 16 court hearing and released, but the chief editor has remained in detention and continues to face charges under Article 66(d).

Columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing was granted 2 million kyats bail under the Media Law charges, but chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe did not appeal for bail during Fridays court hearing. He had been refused bail at least four times since his arrest in June.

Legal adviser U Khin Maung Myint said as the same plaintiff had opened the second suit in the Bahan Township court, the 66(d) case must therefore be closed.

He said he would propose to the regional parliament that they drop the charges against the chief editor under Article 66(d).

It is the first time that journalists are being sued under the Media Law. We can say the Media Law has come into practice, he added.

The Media Law was enacted in 2014 under ex-president U Thein Seins government. Despite the laws suggestion that complaints and disputes over publications or broadcasts be settled or negotiated outside of the courts with the Myanmar Press council, very few cases have been resolved in this manner.

Article 25(b) of the Media Law prescribes fines ranging from 300,000 to 1 million kyats for violations of the statute. These can be applied if a journalists writing style deliberately affects the reputation of a specific person or an organization, if a news outlet publishes others intellectual property without permission, or if photos or voices are modified in improper ways.

Additional reporting by Tun Tun.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller at WaPo report from a US intelligence source that former Russian ambassador to the US, Sergei Kislyak, told Moscow that he had discussed campaign-related matters with Jeff Sessions twice in the summer of 2016. This revelation directly contradicts Sessions testimony before Congress. If the allegation is correct, Sessions is guilty of a crime, perjury, the same crime of which the Republicans in the House of Representatives impeached Bill Clinton. Only, like, Sessions may actually have committed, like, a crime.

Me, Im angry. Im angry because the US intel community had this information in summer of 2016 and theyre only leaking it now. You mean they could have blown the whistle on the Trump gang over the Russian contacts and they didnt bother? It is too late now. Getting rid of Sessions wont change anything. Trump will just appoint another stealth white supremacist.

Now, their bosses are Trump appointees and most of this stuff will be ordered suppressed.

Second, lets acknowledge the hypocrisy of all the condemnations of Ed Snowden over leaking the *illegal* activities of the National Security Agency, and the acceptance of this leak about Sessions. Nobody is threatening the WaPo journalists with jail for publishing the information on Sessions, and nor should they. But tell me how all this is different from the Snoweden affair in form (Snowden obviously released lots more information).

Observers are pointing out that all the intel community has is Kislyaks cables back to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, not a transcript of the actual meeting. This is true. But why would Kislyak misrepresent the meetings to his bosses? Moreover, if the NSA didnt actually record their conversations, after recording millions of innocent Americans, then we want our money back.

It should be pointed out that Sessions has trouble telling the truth about his meetings with Kislyak. First, he got the number of those meetings wrong. Now, the substance.

In the wake of the posting of Don Trump Jr.s emails (by Don Trump Jr.) about the meeting arranged by the Agalarovs via Rob Goldstone with Natalia Vesselnitskya and several other Russians lobbying for a repeal of the Magnitsky Act, this revelation about Sessions takes on greater significance.

Russia had dozens of points of contact with Trump campaign officials in 2016 and one of Vladimir Putins major preoccupations was having the Magnitsky Act repealed. It allows the placing of sanctions on Russian businessmen and officials accused of major human rights violations. The Putin government is corrupt and underpinned by billionaire cronyism. Governments like that of Russia (the same is true in the Middle East) can create billionaires by granting certain licenses and smoothing the way. But this sort of corruption requires the ability to launder the money in foreign banks, which the Magnitsky Act prevents. It is therefore a major irritant to Putins crony capitalism.

When Congress passed the act in 2012, Putin responded by banning the adoption by US parents of Russian children. That is why Trump said he talked with Putin about adoption and that is why Don Jr said adoption was the topic for his meeting with Vesselnitskaya. Adoption is a code word for repealing the Magnitsky Act.

Had Hillary Clinton been elected, she almost certainly would have expanded the Magnitsky Act.

So the quid pro quo was that the FSB (Russian intelligence) and Russian white hat hackers working at least indirectly for the FSB would hack Clinton-related email accounts searching for dirt and would release the emails to the public, to help Trump win.

In turn, Trump would have Congress repeal the Magnitsky Act or order Treasury to cease enforcing it, and then the Putin cronies could again move their money around freely without fear of the US Treasury Department.

The NSA and the CIA watched all this happen in real time. The Trumpies were brazen, not bothering to use cut-outs and meeting directly with principals like Kislyak, whom any normal person would have known was under intense surveillance and had to report the meetings back home.

And they screwed us over by not revealing it. Maybe they tried to get Barack Obama to say something and the president was too much of a gentleman. If so, that was the time to start leaking, guys.

Now were screwed, Trump is president and it is too late. We spend like $75 billion a year on those intel agencies. And this is what we get. All the telephone calls in Jamaica are recorded. But a major international conspiracy to undermine US democracy? With that they couldnt be bothered. Or who knows, maybe they preferred Donald to Hillary. If so, they arent actually very, you know, Intelligent.



Related video:

Intercepted Intel: Sessions Discussed Donald Trump Campaign With Russian | The Last Word | MSNBC
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TeleSur |  

Report says Washington should consider the post-primacy milieu as a wakeup call.

A study by the Pentagon, At Our Own Peril: DoD Risk Assessment in a Post-Primacy World says the US framework of international order that was established after the Second World Wat is fraying and collapsing.

While the United States remains a global political, economic, and military giant, it no longer enjoys an unassailable position versus state competitors, the report claims.

In brief, the status quo that was hatched and nurtured by U.S. strategists after World War II and has for decades been the principal beat for DoD is not merely fraying but may, in fact, be collapsing.

The study is based on a year-long research and was released last mont by the U.S. Army War Colleges Strategic Studies Institute to evaluate the Department of Defenses approach to assessing risk at all levels of Pentagon policy planning.

Having lost its past status of pre-eminence, Washington now inhabits a dangerous, unpredictable competitive post-primacy world, whose defining feature is resistance to authority, the document says, conceding to its imperialist nature.

According to the Pentagon findings, the nations power is in decline because the world that has essentially entered a new phase of transformation, where the international order is unraveling, and the authority of governments everywhere is crumbling.

The report warns the global events will happen faster than the Defense Department is currently equipped to handle, and that the U.S. can no longer count on the unassailable position of dominance, supremacy, or pre-eminence it enjoyed for the 20-plus years after the fall of the Soviet Union.

It also recounts that competing powers, Russia and China, along with others like Iran and North Korea, have played a major role in removing the U.S. from its position of global pre-eminence.

It describes Russia and China as revisionist forces, who benefit from the US-dominated international order but now seek a new distribution of power and authority commensurate with their emergence as legitimate rivals to U.S. dominance.

The U.S. should consider the post-primacy milieu as a wakeup call and if it doesnt adapt to this post-primacy environment, the complexity and speed of world events will increasingly defy [DoDs] current strategy, planning, and risk assessment conventions and biases.

The US Army War College study concludes that its not just the U.S. that is seeing a decline, [A]ll states and traditional political authority structures are under increasing pressure from endogenous and exogenous forces The fracturing of the post-Cold War global system is accompanied by the internal fraying in the political, social, and economic fabric of practically all states, it states.

The report suggests expanding the U.S. military as the only option by which it can gain back its stature in the world sphere, and it further demands U.S. military force needs to be powerful enough to preserve maximum freedom of action, and allow Washignton to dictate or hold significant sway over outcomes in international disputes.

Via TeleSur



Related video added by Juan Cole:

CBS This Morning: U.S. troops threatened by deadly mines planted by ISIS
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By Austin Sarat | (The Conversation) |  

Speculation is mounting that President Donald Trump could issue a pardon to members of his family and close associates who are suspected of colluding with Russia in the 2016 campaign.

Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, recently cautioned about the possibility of presidential pardons in this process.

The June 2016 meeting of Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner and Russian go-betweens promising dirt about Hillary Clinton raises the specter of criminal liability under campaign finance laws. Those laws prohibit foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making a contribution or a donation of money or other thing of value  in connection with any Federal, State, or local election. Damaging information on an opponent could certainly be considered a thing of value during a campaign.

Not everyone agrees that Trumps son, son-in-law and Manafort committed crimes. We are a long way from knowing whether there will be criminal prosecutions in these matters. But the mere possibility of a criminal prosecution could lead the president to invoke his authority under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States.

My research on clemency shows how chief executives have used this power, in particular the power to pardon, to halt criminal prosecutions, sometimes even before they begin.

For any reason at all

The pardoning power, as Founding Father Alexander Hamilton explained, is very broad, applying even to cases of treason against the United States. As Hamilton put it, the benign prerogative of pardoning should be as little as possible fettered or embarrassed.

Throughout our history, courts have taken a similarly expansive view. In 1977, Floridas State Supreme Court said that An executive may grant a pardon for good reasons or bad, or for any reason at all, and his act is final and irrevocable.

In 1837, the United States Supreme Court held that the presidents pardon power extends to every offence known to the law, and may be exercised at any time after its commission, either before legal proceedings are taken, or during their pendency, or after conviction and judgment.

Yet prospective pardons are quite rare. The most famous prospective pardon in American history was granted by President Gerald Ford in September 1974. He pardoned former President Richard Nixon after he was forced to resign in the face of the Watergate scandal. Ford pardoned Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in between the date of his inauguration in 1969 and his resignation.

In other cases, presidents have halted criminal proceedings immediately after they began. President George H.W. Bush pardoned former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger just after Weinberger had been indicted for lying to Congress about the sale of arms to Iran by the Reagan administration.

Those pardons evoked public outcry against what was perceived to be an arrogant interference with the legal process. Fords action may have contributed to his defeat in the 1976 presidential election against Jimmy Carter. And Bushs pardon of Weinberger prompted accusations that he was engaging in a cover-up. Critics said that his action demonstrated that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office  deliberately abusing the public trust without consequence.

Rule of law

Given such controversies about pardons and the the fear of being labeled soft on crime, presidents have been increasingly reticent about using their clemency power before or after conviction. Thus, while President Nixon granted clemency to more than 36 percent of those who sought it during his eight years in office, the comparable number for George W. Bush was 2 percent. President Obama reversed that trend, granting more pardons and commutations than anyone since Harry Truman.

Given President Trumps commitment to being a law-and-order president, it seems unlikely that he will follow Obamas lead. Yet he may make an exception to shield Donald Jr., Kushner and Manafort from criminal liability.

Congressman Adam Schiff predicted a negative public reaction if Trump grants pardons. He said: The impressions the country, certainly, would get from that is the president was trying to shield people from liability for telling the truth about what happened in the Russia investigation or Russian contacts.

However, his prediction offers little comfort at a time when many venerable norms and rules of political life are being rewritten or ignored. No matter what explanation he might offer, any move by President Trump to pardon Donald Jr., Kushner or Manafort would not only hamper the Russia investigations, it would also deliver another serious blow to Americas increasingly precarious hold on democracy and the rule of law.

Austin Sarat, Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

Ring of Fire: Trump Is Trying To Figure Out How To Pardon Himself And His Family
French culture is most commonly associated with Paris, which is a center of fashion, cuisine, art and architecture, but life outside of the City of Lights is very different and varies by region.

France doesn't just have culture; the word "culture" is actually French. "'Culture' derives from the same French term, which in turn derives from the Latin 'colere,' meaning to tend to the earth and grow, cultivate and nurture," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.

Historically, French culture was influenced by Celtic and Gallo-Roman cultures as well as the Franks, a Germanic tribe. France was initially defined as the western area of Germany known as Rhineland but it later came to refer to a territory that was known as Gaul during the Iron Age and Ancient Roman era.

In the centuries that followed it was the home of some of the most powerful royal families of the medieval and early modern period and went on to be the center of the Enlightenment with the French Revolution . The rise of Napoleon saw French influence spread through Europe and beyond, becoming one of the major world powers through the 19th and 20th centuries, at the heart of the First and Second World Wars, all of which has shaped the France we know today.

Population of France

The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (opens in new tab) (INSEE) places the population of France at 67.81 million people as of January 1, 2022. Of that population, 87.8% are believed to be French-born citizens with a further 4.8% acquiring French citizenship after birth, according to Statista (opens in new tab). The most common nationalities of foreign-born residents in France, according to 2020 figures from The Institut National d'Etudes Demographiques (opens in new tab) (INED) are Algerian, Moroccan, Portuguese, Tunisian, Italian, Turkish and Spanish.

The INED calculates that around 48.35% of the population of France is Male and 51.65% is female, as of February 2021. Just under a quarter of the population is under the age of 20 and a little over 20% is age 65 and above.

The vast majority of French people live in urban areas, with Statista saying that 80.69% of the population lived in cities as of 2020. This is a large increase from the 61.88% that lived in cities back in 1960.

French language

French is the official language and the first language of 88% of the population, according to the BBC (opens in new tab). It is the dominant language of France, but there are a number of variants based on region.

French is the second most widely learned foreign language in the world, with almost 2 million students learning it as a second language across 50 countries, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (opens in new tab). French is also the seventh most-spoken language in the world according to Statista (opens in new tab), with around 267 million native speakers.

About 3% of the population speaks German dialects, and there is a small group of Flemish speakers in the northeast, according to the BBC. Arabic is the third-largest minority language.

Those living near the border of Italy may speak Italian as a second language, and Basque is spoken by people living along the French-Spanish border.

Other dialects and languages include Catalan, Breton (the Celtic language), Occitan dialects, and languages from the former French colonies, including Kabyle and Antillean Creole.

Religion in France

Catholicism is the predominant religion of France. In a survey by the French Institute of Public Opinion (opens in new tab) (IFOP), 64% of the population (about 41.6 million people) identified themselves as Roman Catholic. The other religions in France include Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. From 33% to 42% of people in France do not subscribe to a religion, according to the CIA, (opens in new tab) although it points out that, "France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition."

French values

The French take immense pride in their nation and government and are typically offended by any negative comments about their country. Visitors, particularly Americans, often interpret their attitude toward foreigners as rude.

"From around the 16th century, in Europe, culture became a term for the cultivation of the mind, the intellect, knowledge, learning, creative faculties and acceptable ways of behaving," said De Rossi. The French embrace style and sophistication and take pride in the fact that even their public spaces strike a regal tone.

The French believe in egalite, which means equality, and is part of the country's motto: "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite." Many say they place a higher importance on equality than liberty and fraternity, the other two words in the motto.

The French embody romance and passion, and there is an open attitude toward sex outside of marriage, according to a study by France's National Research Agency on AIDS quoted by " Time (opens in new tab)." Even the country's top politicians have been known to carry out extramarital affairs without making an effort to conceal them. As a reflection of the country's secular nature, it is not uncommon for children are born to unmarried couples.

In addition to traditional marriage, French couples also have the choice of getting a pacte civil de solidarite (PACS). This is a union that has many of the same benefits of marriage, like tax breaks, but can be dissolved with a notice or by marrying someone else or instead of a divorce. Two-thirds as many French couples are in a PACS as are married, according to "The Economist (opens in new tab)."

The French have some of the most iconic and popular food in the world, from baguettes to coq au vin. (Image credit: Massimo Borchi/Atlantide Phototravel via Getty Images)

French food

Food and wine are central to life at all socioeconomic levels, and much socializing is done around lengthy dinners in French households.

While cooking styles have changed to emphasize lighter fare, many still associate French cooking with heavy sauces and complicated preparation. Some classic French dishes include boeuf bourguignon  a stew made of beef braised in red wine, beef broth and seasoned with garlic, onions and mushrooms  and coq au vin, a dish made with chicken, Burgundy wine, lardons (small strips or cubes of pork fat), button mushrooms, onions and optional garlic.

French food is also associated worldwide with haute cuisine (which translates to "high cooking"), but its family meal tradition is equally important. "Authentic French cuisine represented by the family meal belongs to the people, and rhetorically to the provinces. Nostalgic 'cuisine de grandmere' rivals French haute cuisine for the crown of identifiably French food," wrote Maryann Tebben, professor of language and literature at Bard College, in her book " Savoir-Faire: A History of Food in France (opens in new tab)" (Reaktion Books, 2020).

French fries, interestingly enough, may not be French. According to " National Geographic (opens in new tab)," they may actually be from Spain or Belgium. The reason why Americans call fried potatoes French fries is because Thomas Jefferson discovered the treat while in France while serving there as American Minister from 1784 to 1789. He brought the idea back to the States.

French fashion

Paris is known as the home to many high-end fashion houses, such as Dior, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Many French people dress in a sophisticated, professional and fashionable style, but it is not overly fussy. Typical outfits include nice dresses, suits, long coats, scarves and berets.

The term "haute couture" is associated with French fashion and loosely means fancier garments that are handmade or made to order. In France, the term is protected by law and is defined by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, according to Eva Domjian, a London-based fashion writer and editor, writing on " Dressful (opens in new tab)." Domjian writes on her blog:

"To earn the right to call itself a couture house and to use the term haute couture in its advertising and any other way, a fashion house must follow these rules:

Design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings.

Have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time.

Each season (i.e. twice a year) present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear."

French art

Art is everywhere in France  particularly in Paris and other major cities  and Gothic, Romanesque Rococo and Neoclassic influences can be seen in many churches and other public buildings.

Many of history's most renowned artists, including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro, sought inspiration in Paris, and they gave rise to the Impressionism movement. This was followed by the Art Nouveau movement. "Based on asymmetrical, organic forms and influenced by Japanese art, the Art Nouveau style emerges in painting and the graphic arts as well as in architecture and the design of everyday objects," according to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (opens in new tab).

The Louvre Museum in Paris is among the world's largest museums and is home to many famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Paris is also home to some extraordinary examples of architecture, such as the Louvre itself, the Eiffel Tower and more.

Holidays and celebrations

The French celebrate the traditional Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter. They mark May Day, also known as Labor Day, on May 1. Victory in Europe Day on May 8 commemorates the end of hostilities in Europe in World War II. Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14. This is the day the Bastille fortress in Paris was stormed by revolutionaries to start the French Revolution.

Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor.

Additional resources and reading:

For more about the French Revolution and, more specifically, the period that immediately followed you should read about the Reign of Terror from 1793 to 1794.

One of the common questions about French history is did Marie Antoinette really say 'let them eat cake'? We can give you the answer.
Last week, during a routine inspection tour, a ski-lift technician for the Swiss adventure resort Glacier 3000 found what he thought was a collection of black rocks near the Tsanfleuron glacier in the western Bernese Alps, reported The New York Times. Upon close inspection, though, he discovered that the rocks were, in fact, mummified bodies.

DNA testing has now confirmed that the bodies are those of Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin, spouses that had been lost ever since they left home to feed their cattle the morning of Aug. 15, 1942. So how did the bodies become preserved in the glacier?

Whether the Dumoulins fell into a crevasse remains a mystery, but it may be that a snowstorm covered them, making it impossible to find the couple by sight. But regardless of what happened, the water inside their bodies eventually froze. Still, the ice crystals in their tissues likely didn't stay put, said Dan Fisher, a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, who was not involved in identifying the remains. [25 Grisly Archaeological Discoveries]

"The tissue starts out with a high water content, but that water would freeze, and in many cases,actually under those frozen conditions, when surrounded with [air] with low water-vapor content, the ice crystals in the tissue can sublimate," Fisher told Live Science. Sublimation is the process by which solid ice transitions directly into water vapor without ever becoming liquid. In other words, the tissue dried out, Fisher said.

As such, it was both the cold and the dry conditions that inhibited the work of bacteria and fungi, as well as the chemical processes that would normally break down human tissue, leaving the bodies well-preserved.

See more

Additionally, the bodies remained relatively intact likely because the Tsanfleuron glacier may be relatively stable, even though glaciers, rivers of slow-flowing ice, are in constant motion. They advance when more ice and snow are added than lost, and retreat when more ice and snow is lost, according to Martin Callanan, an associate professor of archaeology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, who was not involved in identifying the remains.

This retreat makes it possible to glimpse even further back into the past. In 2003, less than 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from Tsanfleuron, at the Schnidejoch glacier, coins, leather, a piece of a wooden bowl and a bow and arrows were among items discovered. Those objects date from Medieval times, all the way back to nearly 4500 B.C., during the Neolithic age.

"There is a definite increase in the number of objects that we're finding and in the number of different regions that are reporting finds," said Callanan, mentioning that he couldn't speak to whether this was true specifically for bodies as well.

Callanan attributed this increase in discoveries, in part, to global warming. Global temperatures in 2014, 2015, and 2016 each broke the record for the hottest year on the planet since recordkeeping began in 1880, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Live Science. This warming is causing glaciers worldwide to shrink, a 2016 study in Nature Geoscience confirms with 99 percent certainty.

The recent discovery and identification of the Dumoulins is a great relief to the couple's daughter Marceline Udry-Dumoulin. Udry-Dumoulin, one of seven children, was only 4 when her parents went missing. After their disappearance, local rescue teams searched crevasses for more than two months but found nothing.

"I climbed the glacier three times afterwards, always looking for them," Udry-Dumoulin told the Swiss newspaper Le Matin. "I kept wondering if they had suffered and what had become of them. Now I have the pleasure of having answers to these questions."

Original article on Live Science.
Among U.S. consumers, it would be difficult to overstate the current strength of Facebooks brand.

Asked about companies that connect the world, Facebook was mentioned far more than any other brand, according to fresh findings from System1 Research.

In terms of connectedness, Facebook was mentioned at double the rate of Google, nearly three times the rate of Apple, and more than 10 times the rate of Twitter.

More broadly, 81% of consumers say they use Facebook on a regular basis, according to the behavioral science and marketing company formerly known as BrainJuicer, which based its findings on a sample of 850 US adults.

advertisement advertisement

Asked about regular use, Google was cited by 79% of respondents, while 43% of consumers cited Apple and Twitter, 40% cited Instagram and 25% cited Snapchat.

As for emotional responses, however, more consumers (55%) said Googles brand inspired happiness than those who said Facebook inspired happiness (50%).

That was significantly higher than the 40% of consumers who said Apple stirred happiness in their hearts, or the 32% who linked the Twitter brand to happiness. Some 30% linked Instagram to happiness, while 25% connected Snapchat to the emotion.

Despite recent efforts to repair its brand, Twitter elicited the most negative emotions among respondents. A full 9% of consumers connected the brand with contempt, while 5% associated the brand with disgust.
The Phillies announced that Howie Kendrick has been activated off the 10-day DL, with Brock Stassi heading down to Triple-A in corresponding move. Between this hamstring strain and a strained oblique earlier this season, Kendrick has been limited to just 33 games and 139 plate appearances in his first season in Philadelphia, though the veteran has been raking when he has been able to play. Kendrick is hitting .349/.403/.476 this year, and while some regression is surely baked into those numbers (his BABIP is a whopping .443), Kendricks bat, positional versatility and respected clubhouse presence make him a valuable trade chip for the Phillies. Hell have 11 days to audition for other clubs and prove he is healthy before the deadline.

Heres more from around the NL East
Osiem (E/R), July 21, GNA - Opanyin Abraham Adusei, the Global President of the World Cocoa Farmers Organisation (WCFO), has urged cocoa farmers to see their farms as business and not a cultural way of doing things.

He said cocoa farming was a profitable business venture yet majority of cocoa farmers wallowed in poverty and not able to give their children the best of education.

'They see cocoa farming as a living culture and therefore do not invest and embrace new trends,' he noted.

According to Opanyin Adusei, who was the 2013 National Best Cocoa Farmer, many cocoa farmers refused to apply the necessary and appropriate chemicals to increase their yield, and adhere to good practices especially in drying the cocoa fruits after harvesting leading to huge loss of income.

Speaking at the first anniversary of the Saviour Church Ghana Cocoa Farmers Association at, Osiem, in the Eastern Region Opanyin Adusei who is also the Superintendent of the mission, said experience had shown that many cocoa farmers did not gain enough from their toils because of bad farming practices when it came to the planting and drying of the pods after harvesting.

The Saviour Church of Ghana, headquartered at Osiem, has large hectares of cocoa plantations scattered over Ashanti, Western, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Volta and the Eastern regions and is one of the major producers of cocoa in Ghana.

He noted that the world over, cocoa farmers did not have a say in the pricing of their products, despite the fact that the crop was the bedrock of the economy of their various countries.

Opanyin Adusei said the WCFO was formed to bridge the gap to ensure that 'cocoa farmers who are the producers of the raw material are given a say in the pricing'.

The Global President who is a former Member of the Council of State, called on the youth especially unemployed graduates to give a second thought to cocoa farming as a job because it had a lot of benefits and guaranteed a sound livelihood and future.

On the price of cocoa this year, he said farmers were expecting an increment considering the cost of inputs and other logistics in farming.

Dr Frank Amoah, the Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), who commended the Church for its contribution to the cocoa industry and the economy at large, said the objectives of the WCFO was very critical to the cocoa industry because the sub-standard practices in the sector was worrying.

He said the European Union regulation was to set a standard for cabon levels in cocoa very soon and in order not to be affected he advised the cocoa farmers to use only CRIG approved chemicals and cocoa seedlings.

Reverend Dr Emmanuel Clottey, the Deputy Director of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division, said efforts were being made to pollinate about 50,000 farms.

He urged the Association to embrace the policy because it had the potential to increase yields, explaining that 39 bags of cocoa could be attained per a hectare if well pollinated.

GNA

By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA
By Desmond Davies, London Bureau

London, July 21, GNA - The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has rebutted claims that it failed to act while alleged atrocities were being committed in The Gambia under former President Yahya Jammeh.

Fatoumatta Sandeng, the daughter of Gambian politician Solo Sandeng who died in police custody in April last year made the accusation an event organised by the Africa Legal Aid (AFLA), during the recent African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Ms Sandeng was addressing a panel discussion by victims of political violence in Africa at the seminar, which dialogued on how to carry forward the legacy of the trial of former Chadian President Hissen Habre in Senegal.

The Extraordinary African Chambers, sitting in Dakar, found Mr Habre guilty of human rights crimes in May 2016 and this was later upheld on appeal.

In a tearful statement, Ms Sandeng said that Gambians reached out to the ICC to intervene to stop the alleged excesses of the Jammeh regime.

She said they were hoping that the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, being a Gambian would have shown more interest in investigating the allegations in The Gambia.

When asked by the GNA to comment on Ms Sandeng's claims, the OTP said: 'the Office followed media reports regarding allegations of violence against civilians in The Gambia last year.

'The fact is that concerned by these reports, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda took the initiative to assign a team at the Office to assess the situation within the legal framework of the ICC given that The Gambia is a State Party to the International Criminal Court,' the OTP said.

'Following this legal assessment, and as the Prosecutor has already publicly stated, the situation in The Gambia at the time did not warrant the intervention of the Court.

'The ICC is a judicial institution with a specific jurisdiction over mass atrocities, namely genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

'These are serious crimes which have specific criminal elements which must be satisfied in any given case.

'The Prosecutor, at all times, undertakes her mandate without fear or favour and will not hesitate to take the necessary steps in accordance with her mandate wherever the Court's jurisdictional requirements are met,' the OTP told the GNA.

Mr Sandeng, a prominent member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) was arrested, along with other supporters, while leading a protest calling for electoral reform in Banjul in April 2016.

The family did not see Mr Sandeng alive again and it was only in March this year that the police announced the discovery of his body in the west of the country following a tip-off from members of the National Intelligence Agency under the Jammeh government.

The death of Mr Sandeng led to a coalition of opposition parties putting up just one candidate against Mr Jammeh in last December's presidential election, which he lost.

Mr Sandeng's death and the activism of his daughter spurred Gambians to reject Mr Jammeh in the polls after 22 years in power.

Ms Sandeng has established the Solo Sandeng Foundation to campaign for a 'just, equal and free world'.

GNA
21.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 21, GNA - Mr Pang Xinxing, Group President of StarTimes, a Chinese Multinational media company has confirmed that the organization is looking forward to expanding its territories on the African continent.

A press release issued on Friday by StarTimes said Mr. Xinxing made this known at the 2017 Youth Connekt Africa Summit in Kigali on Thursday.

Mr Xinxing said StarTimes media is ready to roll out processes of expanding their territories in Africa with the hope of employing more African Youth.

StarTimes, according to records, had engaged about 4,000 Africans in various departments, who are stationed in over 30 African countries.

Amongst these 4,000 Africans, the media organization has African local staffs occupying 75 per cent of the company's employments.

'Since Star Times entered the African market in 2002, it has grown rapidly, creating large amount of job opportunities for Africans, especially for young people.'

Mr Pang said StarTimes plans to build a television production factory in Africa capable of producing about 1 million Television sets in 5 years.

The establishment of the factory, he said, can also create more job opportunities, as well as develop skilled manpower for the African Television industry.

GNA

By Fidel Deke, GNA
21.07.2017 LISTEN

From Demond Davies, London Bureau

London, July 21, GNA - The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered a review of the decision to continue to detain the former President of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, who is accused of crimes against humanity.

Laurent Gbagbo is accused of four counts of crimes against humanity that he allegedly committed during the 2010/2011 post-election violence in that country.

Hostilities erupted after the presidential election result was disputed by supporters of the incumbent, Mr Gbagbo, and his opponent, current President Alassane Ouattara.

In March this year, the ICC's Trial Chamber 1 ruled that Mr Gbagbo, who is charged alongside his former Youth Minister, Charles BlA GoudA, should continue to remain in detention.

His lawyers however appealed to the Appeals Chamber, which ordered a review of Mr Gbagbo's continued incarceration, saying, the Trial Chamber 'committed a number of errors'.

The judgement, read by Judge Piotr Hofmanski, said the Trial Chamber was wrong to use Mr Gbagbo's advanced age, 72, against his release because 'it is generally more appropriate for age to be considered in such a manner rather than as a factor that could evidence a motivation to abscond'.

The Trial Chamber also failed to consider the length of time Mr Gbagbo had spent in detention and the state of his health, according to the Appeals Chamber.

'Furthermore, despite the presumption of innocence and Mr Gbagbo's right not to be compelled to testify or to confess guilt, the Trial Chamber erroneously relied on the fact that he has denied responsibility for crimes with which he is charged,' the judgement said.

The Appeals Chamber therefore reversed the decision to keep Mr Gbagbo in detention and sent the matter back to the Trial Chamber for a new review, adding that it was in no way 'suggesting or predetermining what the outcome of the Trial Chamber's new review should be'.

Meanwhile, the former Ivorian leader will remain in detention.

The trial of Mr Gbagbo, the first African leader to appear before the ICC, as well as Mr BlA GoudA began in January 2016.

GNA
Accra, July 21, GNA - Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, a Deputy Minister of Energy, says Ghana will by the end of 2017, have an open register of contracts in the extractive sector as well as an online data repository.

Speaking on a panel at a session on Open Contracting in the Extractive industries at the 2nd Africa Open Data Conference, held in Accra from July 17 to 21, Mr Adam said the Government was serious about the commitments it made when President Akufo Addo attended the Anti-Corruption Summit.

Key among the commitments, which could impact the extractive sector, are the legislation for the disclosure of beneficial ownership information and ensuring contract and fiscal transparency.

He stated that while Ghana was not able to get clauses on disclosure of beneficial ownership into the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill before it was passed in August 2016, the Government would include provisions for beneficial ownership disclosure in the regulations for the implementation of the Law.

He said the amendment to the Companies' Code, however, had taken 'serious note' of the need for beneficial ownership to be legislated, although though the last draft required the establishment of a beneficial ownership register, did not allow the register to be made open to the public.

'I will like to assure you that I have been part of meetings chaired by the Vice President of the country, in which he is demanding a review of those amendments to allow for the register to be made public,' he stated.

Mr Adam also reiterated the Government's commitment to open and competitive tendering and contracting as well as ensuring value for money.

He said a petroleum register will be established where all contracts will be published.

This, he said, would consolidate the publication of the contracts and ensure citizens had access to the full text and other data in the contract.

Dr Steve Manteaw, a Senior Researcher at ISODEC, said civil society organisations and the public still did not have full disclosure benefits and urged the Government to commit to opening up their work and information to the public.

'CSOs are doing the best they can but we need the Government to open up its processes,' he stated.

The second AODC opened in Accra on Monday on the theme: 'Open Data for Sustainable Development in Africa' with more than 600 participants.

The five-day conference kicked off on Monday with sector-specific site visits, aimed at setting the tone for the week's discussions.

The site visits were hosted by civic and tech hubs including, Penplusbytes, Mobile Web Ghana, Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, iSpace, Impact Hub Accra and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre.

Hosted by the Ministry of Communications and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), the conference sessions explored open data related topics in Extractives, Agriculture, media, governance, gender and education, among others.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo and Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, Minister of Communications, gave the keynote address and official welcoming remarks respectively, on Thursday.

The Agriculture Ministry addressed the issues related to implementing open data policies in the sector.

GNA

By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA
21.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 21, GNA - The government has committed itself to the establishment of a research fund for the sole purpose of funding relevant and sector specific research work, in the country's institutions of higher learning.

A draft bill for the establishment of the research fund has therefore been completed, and consultations for stakeholder inputs underway.

Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, said this on Friday, when he inaugurated the Governing Council of the University of Mines and Technology(UMAT) in Accra.

Dr Prempeh observed that the functions of UMaT, as contained in the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa Act - 2004 (Act 677), placed great responsibilities on the university, to provide quality education that would immensely improve the learning of science in the country.

'I am confident in the capabilities of the distinguished persons who have received the approval of His Excellency the President of the Republic, for appointment to the council,' he said.

The Minister observed that as a growing institution, the university had challenges that required urgent and innovative solutions.

He said the newly formed council was required by law to ensure the implementation of the aims of the University, determine the strategic direction of the University and also, monitor and determine the strategic direction of the University.

'Government expects that your leadership would not only identify problems, but also have solutions that would immediately help the University achieve its goals and provide expanded access to quality science education,' Said Dr Prempeh.

The Minister said this would help absorb the higher numbers of Senior High School graduates 'that we shall soon be witnessing due to the very laudable Free SHS policy that Government is on course to implement'.

He said with adequate funding of higher education being one of the challenges for successive governments in the country, the government had committed itself to the establishment of a research fund for the sole purpose of funding relevant and sector specific research work, in the country's institutions of higher learning.

The Minister said a draft bill for the establishment of the research fund had been completed and consultations for stakeholder inputs under way.

He urged the council to establish strategic partnerships with similar international institutions, in order for the university to gain from international best practices, and attain the 'enviable' status' as a centre of scientific advancement and excellence.

'I assure you of my unyielding support at all times, and would follow your work and progress with keen interest,' the Minister said.

The fifteen-member council is chaired by Dr Stephen Saforo Yirenkyi.

GNA

By Robert Anane, GNA
Accra, July 21, GNA - The government is committed to fight cybercrime, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekufful, Minister of Communications, has said.

She said the Communications Ministry had been tasked with the responsibility to champion cyber security initiatives in the country, which according to her, could be executed successfully.

She said government intended to scale up the digitisation of the economy, by making the national identity card (ID) system ready by end of the year, and also activating a digital property address system that would link all the databases in various sectors to enhance law enforcement.

Mrs Owusu-Ekufful said this at the first Academic Alumni day/homecoming of the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.

The event was on the theme "Reconnecting and Networking for Peace and Security".

'As a result of this, I am overseeing the development of a multi stakeholder cyber-security governance structure that would involve the different stakeholders including representatives from the national security, military, financial services, energy, telecommunications transport and logistics," she said.

Speaking on the topic "Cyber and National Security Perspectives and Challenges and the Role of Education/KAIPTC", Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said cybercrimes not only have financial or economic impacts on the country, but also social and political repercussions, hence the emerging nexus between cyber activities and national security within the context of Ghana's security landscape.

'The UK, US, and other developed countries have been victims of cyber-attacks in the past, and so Ghana is prone,' such as the reported incident of cyber-attack on the Electoral Commission's election results transmission system during the 2016 general election, she added.

Available research including some of the publications by journals at KAIPTC suggests that the cyber environment is increasingly becoming a fertile ground for criminality.

Eminence has also been established relative to the use of the internet for human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and other transnational crimes which are matters of national security.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, herself an alumnus of KAIPTC said: 'Our electronics transactions act, data protection act, and the electronics communication act defines cyber offences from the legal perspective, for example unauthorised access to a protected system or illegal interception of electronic communications which all constitute crimes under the electronics act 2008.'

'Our ability to give effect to these pieces of legislation is a little lacking, but thankfully we are doing something about it by training our law enforcement agencies, judicial officers, etc. in the application of the law and the ability to identify, investigate, and prosecute these offenders properly," she added.

Air Vice Marshal Griffiths Santrofi Evans, the Commandant, KAIPTC charged members of the alumni to preach peace in their various endeavours.

'The lack of peace and security in every section of the country would be a recipe for disaster," he said.

Mr Christoph Retzlaff, the German Ambassador, said the event was an ideal opportunity for alumni members to improve their networking by exchanging experience and skill.

He said this year alone, Germany had contributed about two million euros for 27 courses which demonstrated how important his country saw the role of the Centre in Ghana and the West African Region.

'I would also want to call on you to increase collaboration with the AU, ECOWAS, and the UN,' he said.

Brigadier General Dr Emmanuel Kotia, the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, said the Centre, introduced the PhD programme in International Conflict Management two years ago, which was currently about to interview its third batch.

'Looking at the future of our academic programmes, we want to continue with these programmes and probably look at introducing distant education for some of the courses," he said.

The Deputy Commandant charged members of the alumni to get in touch with the Research Department of the Centre or visit the Centres official website to be abreast of some of the topical issues being discussed.

GNA

By Iddi Yire, GNA
21.07.2017 LISTEN

Brakwa Afofosu (C/R), July 21, GNA - Nana Tutu Abban III, the Vice Central Regional Chief Farmer, has challenged COCOBOD to step up efforts at checking price volatility of the country's major cash crop.

According to Nana Abban III in less than a year, cocoa price has fallen by close to 40 per cent and called for drastic policies to be implemented to arrest the situation.

Nana Tutu Abban III who made these remarks at a farmer's rally held at Brakwa Afofosu in the Central Region, urged the board to ensure that the subsidised fertilisers were available for farmers to access while imploring government to ensure massive improvement in the mass spraying and cocoa rehabilitation programmes.

Mr. David Asare Oduro, a Public Affairs Officer, COCOBOD, educated farmers on the nutritional and health benefits of consuming cocoa and urged farmers to cultivate the habit for good health.

According to Mr Asare Oduro, government and COCOBOD have resolved to ensure that 50 per cent of cocoa produced in the country was processed into finished products to boost cocoa consumption in the country.

Mr Asare Oduro hinted that the move by government would prevent glut on the world market and reduce the risk of price volatility.

Addressing the farmers, Mr Isaac Adu, the Asamankese District Cocoa Officer, disclosed that COCOBOD had rolled out and strengthened several productivity enhancing programmes to ensure that the country attained and sustained over 1 million tonnes of cocoa annually.

He cited the national hand pollination, irrigation, mass spraying, cocoa rehabilitation, subsidized fertilizers and youth in cocoa as some flagship programmes being undertaken by the Board currently.

Mr Adu encouraged farmer associations to seize the opportunity in the subsidised fertiliser programme to open cocoa input shops in cocoa growing areas.

The rally was climaxed with a demonstration on how to multiply plantain suckers for planting.

GNA
Accra, July 21 GNA - Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) has been summoned to appear before Parliament Wednesday, July 26.

Mrs Osei would be in the House to respond to questions on how much the Commission raised from monies it collected from journalists for accreditation before the 2016 elections.

She would also be responding to questions on how much the Commission spent on the replacement of lost Voters ID Cards.

Mr Eugene Boakye Antwi, Member of Parliament for Subin would be asking the substantial question in the house.

The payment for accreditation became a contentious issue in the run-up to the 2016 election as the Commission in a statement charged all journalists seeking to cover the elections at the various polling stations to pay for their accreditation.

'Accreditation tags will be given to only those who have formally applied for it and for a fee to be determined by the Commission,' the statement said.

This did not go down well with a number of journalists, some of who proceeded to court with a suit against the Commission.

Subsequently, the journalists paid for the accreditation before they were issued with the accreditations.

The summons to the EC Chair comes at a time she is fighting a petition seeking to impeach her from office over various allegations.

Mrs Charlotte Osei has denied and also threatened court action against the petitioners or their counsel for defaming her.

GNA

By Christopher Arko, GNA


Sunyani, July 21, GNA - A vulkaniser, Patrick Salifu, aged 37 and an employee of the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL) at its Sunyani Depot was on Thursday arraigned before the Sunyani District Court 'A' on a charge of stealing.

Salifu pleaded not guilty to the charge and the Court presided over by Mr. Jojo Amoah Hagan admitted him to a bail of GH4000.00 with two sureties and adjourned the case to Friday, August 11, 2017.

Prosecuting, Police General Sergeant Ebenezer T. Addo told the Court that at 19:20 hours on the Saturday July 15, 2017, a Police officer who is the complainant saw the accused person behind the Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Headquarters building at Area Four carrying a load in a sack in a suspicious manner.

The complainant called the accused to disclose what was in the sack but the latter refused and when forced to comply, it was discovered that it was a 12 volt VDL heavy duty battery valued at GH935.00, a property of MMTL, P/Gen. Sgt. Addo said.

He said the accused could not give any tangible reason for possessing the item and complainant therefore arrested and sent him to the Sunyani District Police Station where he was detained and released on Police enquiry bail on the Sunday July 16, 2017

Mr Addo said on the Wednesday July 19 accused was rearrested, charged with the offence and processed for Court.

Meanwhile accused who was employed by the Company around 2005 in Kumasi has now been queried and interdicted, a source at the Sunyani Depot confirmed to the Ghana News Agency.

GNA

By Daniel Akwasi Ashietey/Stephen Ofori Kanyiri, GNA
I am sure you laugh a lot when you listen to some of the weird analysis some of our intellectuals do on the Goebbelsian channels and radio stations- this was what I told a lecturer friend this morning. These days, one can't help but laugh out really loud when listening or watching programmes by some of the radio and TV stations.

Their programmes and and attitude of their host and presenters look and sound surrealistically bizzare. With their cheap and mischievously concocted reports,these stations strike you as being kingpins of hocus and pocus rather than professional media and media men.

I told my friend that many of our intellectuals have fallen victims to the ruling government's propaganda theories.Goebbels who was Hitler's Reich minister for propaganda, used all media of education and communication to further Nazi propagandistic aims, instilling in the German the concept of their leader as a veritable god and their destiny as the ruler of the world.

Many years after his death,politicians are still using his theories to condition the masses.Goebbels propounded certain principles and those principles are still being used effectively by our contemporary politicians and they play it intelligently making it difficult for their targets to notice it (them).

To Goebbels, propaganda must have access to intelligence concerning events, propaganda must be planned and executed by only one authority, it must explain propaganda directives to important officials and maintain their morale, propaganda must affect the enemy's policy and actions, goad the enemy into revealing vital information about himself,evoke the interest of an audience and must be transmitted through an attention seeking communication medium, propaganda may be facilitated by leaders with prestige, propaganda must be carefully timed, propaganda must label events and people with distinctive phrases or slogans, must prevent raising of hopes, propaganda must reinforce anxiety concerning the consequences of defeat. Let me end here.

After going over the points enumerated, ask yourself whether you fell a victim or still a victim of these principles adopted by the Npp in opposition, and in government.

In government and beset by complaints upon complaints the NPP government and its apparatchiks have decided to completely adopt the Geobbelsian propaganda theory verbatim in their media handling of the local intifadas, have nothing to offer Ghanaians, but a pack of absurd lies.

Their jackals adopted the one of Goebbels effective tricks which is intimidation of the public and the media. They insulted and peddled blatant lies about journalists they considered anti their cause and succeeded rendering them docile. These journalists now operate outside their convictions and instincts.

They've been conditioned to comply strictly to the whims and caprices of the Npp. Some of our intellectuals are victims of this neo- Goebbel concept. They cannot freely express themselves because of fear of insults and other attacks. The few who attempt to act by their convictions, do that carefully to avoid stepping on toes and what they do is that, they equalise the issue with past events under the exited NDC regime.

So they will send text messages to radio show producers to call them for interview on John Mahama's FORD saga but will put off their phones so that the producers will not be able to reach them for their comment on the BOST saga. They preached fervently against corrupt corruption but do not see anything wrong with a procurement minister lying wickedly to his constituency executives, chastised Mahama for taking loans for infrastructure development but see nothing wrong with a regime borrowing 40billion within six (6) months, vehemently chastised Mahama for accepting Gitmo 2 to Ghana, but saw nothing wrong with the NPP bringing down Serbians and South Africans here to train the delta force and invincible forces in weapon handling.

Still referring the NDC to the murder of the three high court judges and joined the NPP to breath on the neck of President Mahama for granting pardon to montie 3 but saw nothing wrong with delta force operatives chase a female judge out of her court room, joined the npp to pour fire and brimstone on President Mahama for allowing his brother ( Ibrahim) to dredge the Odor river for free, but saw nothing wrong with Ken Ofori- Atta sitting in his bedroom with wife and friends to issue a $2.25b bond in the name of the republic. I say ask yourself if you are a victim of neo Goebbelism.

The President himself just like Goebbels, is a hypnotic orator and he uses that gift to dazzle his people. He is not working, we aren't seeing any development despite the many loans all we see and hear are promises and flow of perfect diction just like his father. It is time for our journalists to free themselves from this psychological bandage. You read articles and post by people we respect in the academia and you get confused.

They forget that their walls are public platforms that, people including their students and colleagues read read and a scrutinise what they put out.The NDC and NPP will continue to rotate on the political landscape (power) but my friends must remember they cannot be changing positions in terms of their contributions and still have their integrity unbruised.
22.07.2017 LISTEN

One sunny Sunday afternoon, Abbam a cocoa farmer in the Western Region specifically Sefwi Asempaneye sat in his chair for relaxation. His mind travelled really far away to his early days.

He thought of writing it in a book for his children and generations to read for them to be richer and fear God. He also intended that, after they had read the book, the generation after him will not also repeat the mistakes that he did in life.

Abbam was a little over sixty years. He loved to teach and farm. He called for food because he was very hungry. He has been blessed and really favoured by God. He had given birth to four children with Mistress Martha Abbam, a beautiful God fearing lady who honoured all men. Abbam's children are Akosua, a surgeon in United Kingdom, Maame Mansa, a beautician, Jesusdia, a man of God in the Methodist Church in Canada and Maame Esi Stanley, a judge in the Supreme Court. Abbam and his family loved and had a lot of reverence for God.

As soon as he finished eating, he started writing his letter for his generation. He raised his eyes and tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Dear Generation,

I am Abbam Kwesi. I was born to a lovely parents who knew and feared God. Although we were twenty children, our parents took all of to school. All of us were educated but our parents never stepped foot in any school block. They were illiterate. God blessed the twenty children. We all became prominent people to our nation. We loved to help because we were adviced always at home to offer reluctantless help to strangers and people in need. Our parents always taught us to pray and be good to all manner of people.

My journey of life began right after school. I was posted as an enginer to Northern Region. When I got there, I stayed strong to the doctrine that my parents gave me. I had several opportunities to make it big in the "worldly way" but I stood on God's word and eschewed evil. I proved that, being a christian was living for others and not yourself. I went ahead and established a non governmental organization for the brilliant but needy children. I sponsored people to go to school.

Years later, I settled with my beautiful, ever loving wife, Martha. She was a colleague worker at the office. She was a good woman and was always admirable even today as I am writing. I didn't waste time proposing to her. She accepted my proposal as soon as I said it. She had been "eyeing me" for ages as I also did. The following year by God's grace, we married and started making family.

I had now arrived when I married. I started moving out late with friends and would not attend church services. My wife, Martha would cry and plead with me to go to church but I would refuse to go to church with her and the children. I never took in any alcoholic drink. I always kept moving out every night. My Godly training at home was now shaking. I loved to stay alone and not talk to Martha. She was worried. I decided not to pay tithe, go for dawn broadcasting, have my quiet time, eat at home and not to have anything to do with God.

I was interested in taking "huge" bribes. "Nothing goes for free" were the words that, I told every client who came to my office. I had a lot of problems to deal with but instead of me to turn from my bad ways, I blamed people for my own mistakes. My Non-Governmental Organization collapsed because my thoughts about sacrificing for others had changed.

Martha never gave up on me through these battles of life. No amount of money made me satisfied. I wanted to be famous. I remember one time, my Reverend minister came to my office to check on me and pray with me. I told him to leave my office before I call the police to arrest him. He quickly left my office leaving behind his bag. Martha came there later in the day to take the phones to the man of God. The vision of being a chosen vessel of God in the end time had left me. Here I was interested in money and fame than anything. My friends introduced me to a powerful business man. He was the devil's incarnate. He introduced me to dangerous things. I had became demonic and never wanted anything than fame and money.

I had closed from work one day and was preparing for a meeting with my new business man, God father when I heard a knock on my door. I came out and here were my little Akosua and Maame Mansa holding a Bible each. Akosua said, "Dad please, we would like to share a word with you." I had a lot of respect for Akosua because she spoke like my mother. I ushered them into my room. They asked me to kneel down. They prayed for me and here I was on the ground rolling. They cast the demon out of me. I could hear Martha cry with the children. I was instantly delivered from the bondage of the devil. They sat me down and inspired with God's word. I apologized for all that, I had done. I quickly brought out my charms for it to be burnt. Akosua prayed over it and burnt it. I was whole again.

I started life all over again. Martha and my family became my best friends. I always spoke to them and consulted my wife for advice. When it was beyond me, I went to God in prayer. I led crusades and won people for Christ. I changed totally and became committed to God than never before. I kept praying and believing God everyday.

As I write, I am blessed with mansions, farms, Non-Governmental Organization, a school and multi-million investment. Indeed, "the blessing of the Lord makes human rich and He adds no sorrows."

I would plead with my generations to come after me to be zealous with God and never give up on God. He is able to bless beyond your widest imagination.

Couples and future couples should always stand in the gap for their families. Parents should always and everytime be committed to raising their children in the fear of God.

Remember, "for with God nothing shall be impossible." -Luke 1:37.

Yours granny,

Abbam Kwesi (Prof. )

Abbam called Martha and asked her to keep it (his letter) well for their great grand children. Martha took it and praised his husband. She said, "Kwesi, well done and Ilove you soo much." Kwesi laughed and responded, "Ever beautiful and God fearing Martha, I love you more." They kissed each other and went into their room.

Please, all comments on this piece should be sent to [email protected]
The Concerned Youth of Nuba in the Jomoro District of the Western Region has called on their Assemblyman, Hon Kennedy Yankey to retract his comments he made on a local radio station in the District that He Hon Kennedy Yankey consulted his town forks before voting against the President's nominee, Mr Eric Muah on the Jomoro Assembly DCE confirmation.

On Monday July 17, 2017, Hon Kennedy Yankey said on a local radio station in the Jomoro District, New Day FM political morning show dubbed, 'Adeakye ebia' that he consulted his town forks before voting "NO" against the Jomoro DCE nominee on July 12.

Hon Kennedy Yankey's comment has raised tension in his electoral area (Nuba) indicating the comment has brought total disgrace to the community.

In a press conference held at Nuba community on July 20, 2017 which was addressed by the Convenor for the group, Mr Joshua Emuah Kofie has condemned the Assemblyman's comment and described it as unprofessional, malicious and deceit indicating that the Assembly man has brought disgrace to the town.

"We are very much aware of a news with the headline, 'Withdraw your DCE nominee by Jomoro Assembly member to the President', which was published by some online portals in Ghana. This news has been circulated on almost all social media platforms"

"We wish to humbly plead on behalf of our community to the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and his government that the said Assembly member (Hon Kennedy Yankey who is also a communication team member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party never consulted the community on the DCE confirmation, neither did anyone tell him to vote against the President's nominee but rather he voted based on his parochial interest"

"The statement in the news clearly implies that we the good people of Nuba are against development, which is never true. We as one of the leading cassava and coconut producing communities in the Jomoro District but the feeder road to enable us to convey our raw materials from farms is in very bad condition. Why then do we tell Hon Kennedy Yankey to vote against the DCE nominee who is going to be in charge of developmental projects in the District"

"We wish to state emphatically that Hon Kennedy Yankey is a threat to the development of Nuba", the Concerned Youth started.

However, the Concerned Youth of the area has called on Hon Kennedy Yankey to come and render a proper account on their locally based festival's fundraising they organised this year, January 1, 2017. "Our annual festival which is popularly known as 'Nuba Y3f3' which is celebrated on every 1st January, generated an amount of money this year for the community during the non-denominational Church Service. The Committee for the fundraising handed the money to Hon Kennedy Yankey and as we speak no proper account has been rendered by him".

They also added that Hon Kennedy Yankey has mismanaged their community water system indicating that the Assemblyman has never rendered any account to the community since he took over the management of the water system. " We have no access to our water system due to improper management by Hon Kennedy Yankey, neither has he rendered accounts to the community. When he was invited by the chief and his elders for auditing, Hon Kennedy Yankey never showed up".

The Concerned Youth of Nuba also told the media that since they voted for Hon Kennedy Yankey to represent them at Jomoro District Assembly, the Assemblyman has never and not even a single day has he, met the community either before or after any Assembly proceedings. They quoted him as he said on radio that "it is not compulsory for an assembly member to meet his or her community after sitting".

Before the press conference, the youth sent a petition letter to the Jomoro District Electoral Commission calling for the Assemblyman removal (vote of no confidence in Hon Kennedy Yankey) and in that petition letter, 1000 registered voters signed from the Nuba electoral area.

Receiving the petition, Jomoro Electoral Officer, Mr Isaac Otoo assured the petitioners that the EC is going to start the process of impeachment very soon and give them the feedback if the EC is done with the process.

However, the youth have given Hon Kennedy Yankey forty-eight (48) hours to render proper accounts on the festival's fundraising.

They also added that Hon Kennedy Yankey has within forty-eight (48) hours to retract his comment he made on radio station on the rejection of President's nominee which has disgraced the community and make sure it is published and circulated wherever the news has reached not only that but also tell the community why he has refused to meet the community on proceedings of the District Assembly.

Failure of Hon Kennedy Yankey to meet the above retraction and accountability demands, would lead to legal action. "If he falls to do so, then he should get prepared for a legal action", they emphasized.
The University of Leicester conferred a posthumous honorary degree on the late Major Maxwell Mahama during its July congregation on Thursday July 13, 2017.

The late Ghanaian soldier until his demise last May had completed the Master of Science (MSc) in Security and Risk Management programme awaiting graduation. He had enrolled on the degree in 2015 and would have been part of the year group that graduated last Thursday.

Veronica Bamford, his mother received the honorary degree on his behalf.

Describing mood at the event to the the Director of the International Distance Education Centre, the University of Leicesters partner agency in Ghana, Dr. Matthew Higgins, Associate Dean of Enterprise and External Relations said,

The room erupted with applause when Major Maxwell Mahamas mother received the posthumous award - it was incredibly moving.

Claire Vanneck from the Department of Criminology said,

"We were greatly sorrowed to hear of the death of Major Maxwell Mahama. Maxwell was a dedicated and diligent student who strived to achieve his best throughout his Masters degree  successfully balancing his time between study, his military career and his dedication to his loving family.

Emmanuel Kwashie Agbodzi, Managing Director of the International Distance Education Centre which is the resource centre of the University of Leicester in Ghana, also described the late Major Mahama as one who showed great honour and a spirit of commitment to his work.

As a student of Leicester, he demonstrated the motto of the institution, Ut Vitam Habeant, so they may have life in his line of work.

Several Ghanaians graduated with various degrees at the congregation.

The University of Leicester facilitates the delivery of its postgraduate and PhD courses in Ghana through the International Distance Education Centre, (IDEC).

IDEC provides administrative support, marketing and recruitment services for the University, as well as host the learning centre for distance learning students of the University in Ghana.

About the IDEC

IDEC is an Educational, marketing and consultancy oriented Limited Liability Company serving the interest of the University of Leicester as the flagship institution in Ghana and the ECOWAS region. IDEC also serves as an education, skill and knowledge transfer conduit between the University of Leicester and Ghana. We market accredited courses and international programs that are offered by recognized universities and colleges globally and provide job recruitment and professional placement services and engage in businesses resulting from, and or related to education and exchange programs, travel and tour nationally and internationally.

Connect with us

Website: idecghana.com

Facebook: @IDECGH
Bissau (AFP) - Senegalese rapper and DJ Louis Bernard Diedhiou was just a young teenager on the day in 2001 when his love of megastar musician Youssou N'Dour nearly killed him.

Hailing from Casamance, a southern region of Senegal that has suffered on-off conflict for more than three decades, Diedhiou was shaking branches for mangoes to sell so he could buy an N'Dour concert ticket.

But he stepped on a mine, a legacy of long-running conflict between the Senegalese army and separatist rebels of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), in an accident that could have left him dependent on his family for life.

"The mine got me in both legs and both hands," he recalled. "I couldn't go back to school after that." He would permanently lose his legs and two fingers.

Senegalese rapper and DJ Louis Bernard Diedhiou has benefited from a programme for mine victims in neighbouring Guinea-Bissau

Diedhiou, now 32, is one of nearly 80 people who have crossed into neighbouring Guinea-Bissau to benefit from an initiative launched two years ago by Senegal's National Centre for Anti-Mine Action (CNAMS), a mine victims' charity, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Like him, they have all made the journey to the capital, Bissau, for treatment at the Centre for Motor Rehabilitation (CRM) -- a place dedicated to helping them establish an independent existence.

"The programme is designed to equip amputated patients, mine victims identified in (chief Casamance town) Ziguinchor," Ana Rodrigues, a Portuguese physiotherapist with the ICRC, told AFP at the centre.

Since 2015, 78 have already received help and five more are due to visit the centre by September, according to the ICRC.

Active threat

Created in 1981, Bissau's CRM was founded to care for the victims of mines laid during the independence battles and the subsequent civil wars in other former Portuguese colonies, Angola and Mozambique.

Generations of former fighters have been cared for at the Bissau centre, but the Senegalese-Red Cross initiative has extended its expertise to those living in Casamance.

The Casamance conflict began in 1982 and is technically ongoing. While no peace deal has been signed, a prevailing calm has settled over the region.

What remains an active threat to the population are mines: 826 people have stepped on them in the last quarter-century, according to official figures, at a cost of 151 lives and 85 more people without lower limbs.

"A lot of mine victims are discouraged because they can't work," observed Diedhiou, sporting khaki trousers and a heavy chain around his wrist, his hat straining to cover his dreadlocks as he waited for a prosthetic fitting.

At first, the musician was cared for in Ziguinchor, the largest city in Casamance, around 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Bissau, but the cash-strapped clinic could not give him the quality prostheses and wheelchair he needed.

"(In Ziguinchor) they ask for too much money, 15,000 CFA francs (23 euros/$26) to buy bandages," complained Diedhiou. "It costs a lot less in Bissau. We don't pay, the ICRC handle everything," he added.

A prosthetic limb can cost from 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA (152 to 304 euros), far beyond the reach of most Senegalese, and, according to orthopaedic technician Dasylva Miguel Marcal, only lasts for two to four years.

"If the patient puts on weight, or loses it, we have to change them," Marcal said, speaking to AFP in a room where every surface was covered by bandages, white powder and materials used to mould the artificial limbs.

'Got to move'

Life as an amputee in Senegal is difficult, said Diedhiou, even for someone with a relentlessly positive attitude like him.

People regularly heckle him in the street, he told AFP, and even so-called friends and neighbours make fun of his disability.

Finding solace in his music, he has rapped a special song for a campaign in Casamance that sought to highlight the plight of mine victims and bring more awareness to his community.

"You just have to see to believe. Everything is happening in your head. Relative and positive," he raps in the song.

Senegal's Solidarity Initiative for Development in Action (ISAD), a charity for mine victims, believes the government puts its limited resources into the most pressing problems but leaves victims behind.

"Billions (of CFA francs) are injected into demining," said ISAD coordinator Sarani Diatta, "but they forget the consequences of the conflict," including the long-term care required by those who have lost legs and arms.

ISAD partners with the Red Cross to help victims find work in trading and poultry farming, working against the negative image that prevails in their communities.

Sitting in his wheelchair, the DJ is getting impatient. He has business to attend to and concerts to plan, thoughts that get him through the long sessions of physical therapy and waiting for his new legs.

As he raps in another of his songs: "You can't just sit there and ask for things. You've got to move."
22.07.2017 LISTEN

ExLA Group Gender Programme is pleased to announce to all major stakeholders and the general public that Dr. Maxine Houinato, Resident Representative of UN Women for Mali will represent the UN Women and will be the guest speaker for the UN Women Day of the second edition of the Young African Women Congress.

This is in line with UN Womens endorsement of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) and general goodwill established through previous engagements. Last year, the UN Women was represented by Ms. Comfort Lamptey, the then Regional Policy Adviser for UN Women West and Central Africa Office (WCARO) who participated in almost all activities of the congress. The 2017edition of YAWC is scheduled for 23rd to 27th Julyat the University of Ghana Law School Auditorium.

Dr. Houinato once served as the Deputy Regional Director for UN Women, West and Central Africa Office (WCARO) for 6 years. He has been the Resident Representative for UN Women in Mali since 2014 and has championed several leadership programmes in the area of governance, business and peace and security to encourage and promoteyoung women in leadership.

Dr. MaximeHouinato, a Benin national, will speak on the topic,Implementation Road Map For Agenda 2030: Strengthening Womens Participation In Decision-making at the UN Women Day on Tuesday 25th July, 2017 at the University of Ghana Law Faculty.He will also officially receive the congress whitepaper that would stem from various groups brainstorming sessions at the congress.

The Young African Women Congress (YAWC) 2017 has been put together by the ExLA Group under its Gender Unit for young African women, 18 to 40 years. It is packed with a lot of exciting activities including Keynote Presentation, Panel Discussion, Personal Perspectives, Group Sessions, Career Fair, Culture Night, Exhibition of Products and Services and a full day tour among others.

These will take place under the theme, Harnessing Africas Demographic Dividend: The Case for Women in Leadership. Participation is opened to all African women within the age identified limits.Visit www.yawcafrica.org for more information.
A science teacher at Sefwi Aboduam M/A JHS in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of the Western Region William Otoo, 24, is in the grips of the Ayamfuri police for attempting to sell a first-year pupil at a cost of GH 250,000.

According to the Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Olivia Ewurabena Adiku at about 11:40hrs on Friday 20th July 2017, an extract of occurrence was received from Police at Ayamfuri in the Central Region to the effect that suspect, William Otoo met at Ayamfuri together with victim aged 18 years and mentally challenged .

This is after the suspect had wrongly placed a call to a reverend minister at Ayamfuri instead of the ritualist who was to buy the victim.

The Reverend Minister upon hearing the story of the suspect pretended to be the ritualist and negotiated to buy the victim to the tune of GH 250,000.

The revered minister then informed the police of the suspects intentions. Teacher Otoo was arrested after he had presented the victim for cash at Ayamfuri.

The suspect is in police custody whilst investigations have begun



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
In his famous 'Danquah Memorial Lectures' on the 'Culture of Silence' in Ghana, delivered in February 1988 and which were instrumental in ushering Ghana into democracy in 1992, one of the main questions the late great historian, Prof Albert Adu Boahen, set out to answer was this: why is it that Ghana, a country endowed with extremely rich natural and human resources, has been unable to develop those resources to the full extent possible?

Adu Boahens answer to this riddle that could be posed by a Ghanaian Sphinx was that our system of government at the time allowed for the suppression of thought and the consequentia absence of free discussion. It was impossible to unchain the talents of a people and utilise them for rapid economic and social development when people were afraid to point out errors they observed in the nations affairs because doing that could earn them a jail term. Or worse, get them to be disappeared.

(By the way, Adu Boahen knew at first hand, what he was talking about. His own inability to shut up about unsavoury events in Ghana earned him stints of arbitrary detention. More seriously, his own nephew, Yaw Aryeh, aged about 35 (who was working with him as his personal assistant at his Sankofa Publications in Accra, vanished into thin air one day. He has never been seen, nor heard from, ever since. The suspicion that he might have been abducted and killed because he had been secretly observed doing political work for the Prof  at a time when political disappearances were not unheard of, persists within sections of the family. It has become a sort of Adu Boahen family Riddle.)

Thoughts of another Riddle filled my mind when I attended the press conference given by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, on Tuesday 18 July 2017. A Ghanaian Sphinx might well pose the question: Why has Ghana allowed galamsey to destroy its rivers, its inherited forests and food farms and thereby exposed future generations to a life without adequate water resources?

Nana Addo did his best to provide an answer to this Ghanaian riddle. He was at his eloquent best  free-flowing, uninhibited, showing no trace of snobbishness, despite the fact that some of the questions directed at him were rather inane.

Nana Addo quoted the famous paradoxical dictum of Thomas Jefferson, in which Jefferson expressed his preference for a Free Press without a Government to a Government without a Free Press. He conveyed the feeling that he was elated when he surveyed the media landscape in Ghana today. The media were campaigning admirably against galamsey. Yet sections of the same media had vilified him in a way no other person had been vilified in recent years.

Modesty prevented him from calling himself the Teflon Man to beat all Teflon men. But if the media practitioners could analyse what he had left unsaid, they would have come to that conclusion. For who would have thought that anyone was capable of surviving a relentless propaganda assault mounted against him on the Internet by no less a person than a retired Supreme Court judge, aided by virulent lieutenants trained in agit-prop techniques?

That triumph over ruthless defamation, Nana Addo might as well have boasted, was part of the reason why he did not mind being accused of helping the media to become reckless, by leading the way, when he was Attorney-General in the Kufuor Government, to repeal the law of criminal libel.

In saying this, Nana Addo was telling the media in so many words that the cynical inventions of media practitioners would never be enough to eradicate the solid achievements of someone like himself, who had worked hard to become what he was and  is.

Solidity shows. It also works. Malignant hot air manufactured to harm a person for political reasons is destined to freeze in the cool air of reason. That cool air is radiated from the bosom of the public; it is nurtured by the ability of sensible people to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Jefferson knew this, and that was why he did not fear the Free Press.

Fortified by the knowledge that he had adopted the right stance on galamsey, Nana Addo was again emphatic that he was going ALL OUT to fight the menace. And he repeated this: he would do it even if it cost him the 2020 election (an election for which  he pointed out slyly  no candidates had as yet been selected!)

I am enthused by Nana Addos commitment. But thats only half the story. Do we fully appreciate what the struggle against galamsey will entail, in terms of its effect on our society?

Where do the police, for instance, stand on galamsey? They dont seem to be interested in the struggle at all. For they could catch the Ghanaian kingpins of galamsey, if they wanted to, and put them before the courts  by using the elementary police technique of fishing out the associations of the Chinese and Ghanaian galamseyers who are regularly arrested.

Who are the persons who fulfil the bail/surety conditions to which the culprits are subjected? Is that not a good enough lead for the Ghana Criminal Investigations Department to try and disaggregate the organisational structure of the galamsey entrepreneurs? After all, wasnt even the Mafia crippled by being decapitated, after information had been garnered from the bottom part of its structure? Are our detectives amateurs?

There is a video on the Internet, in which a former director of the presidential anti-galamsey Task Force, shares his views about why the operation mounted by the Government of former President John Mahama failed. The armed forces and the security agencies should fully debrief this gentleman in the course of the reinvigorated anti-galamsey operations that are about to take place.

Mr President, please dont allow amateurism and/or apathy on the part of state institutions (to say nothing of corruption) to defeat an objective you have set yourself, whose attainment, you say, is so important that you are prepared to put your presidency on the line for it.

If out of a reluctance to punish those who fail in their duty to Mother Ghana, you allow the campaign to falter, you wouldnt have been fair to yourself. But more important, you would have failed the future unborn generations whose water sources are being wantonly destroyed each day by the galamseyers.

So, please crack the presidential whip! Very hard.

Start with the CID.

Then go put the searchlight on the clandestine state agencies that must infiltrate the organisations of nation-wreckers and obtain accurate, hard information their about their leadership. Follow their money and cut it off.

Whoever is not enthusiastically engaged in the anti-galamsey fight, is against it  as Jesus himself would have said.

By Cameron Duodu
President Akufo-Addo left Accra Thursday evening for neigbouring Cote d' Ivoire enroute to France for a four-day private visit.

He was in Cote d' Ivoire on the invitation of the Ivorian President, Allasane Quatarra, as a special guest of honour for the 8th Francophone Games  held every four years among French-speaking countries.

Briefing the media at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) before his departure, Director of Communications at the presidency, Eugene Fiifi Arhin said the president would leave the Ivory Coast on 21st July, 2016 for France.

The President is expected back home on Tuesday, July 25, ahead of a proposed visit by the President of Malta, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

He would be paying a state visit to Ghana between Tuesday, 25th and Friday, 28th July, 2017 as part of efforts to harness the relations between the two countries.

Previously, as a member of the Labour Party, Coleiro Preca was a Member of Parliament (MP) in Malta from 1998 to 2014, and served as the Minister of the Family and Social Solidarity from 11 March, 2013 to 29 March, 2014.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent




A group photograph of Prison Service commanders and other stakeholders at the 2017 National Advocacy Session

The last thing you want to find out after serving your jail term in prison for possessing drugs is that you are HIV positive, says Fortunatus Domalale.

That is what happened to Fortunatus Domalale, a former scrap dealer whose drug addiction led him to spend two years in prison without the knowledge of his family back in the Upper West Region, where he comes from.

He left Samatugu, his hometown, five years ago to the nation's capital to seek greener pastures, leaving his old mother and other siblings back in the village.

Fortunatus contracted HIV, having unprotected sex long before he entered prison.

In some way, he had prison to thank because it was in prison that he was first diagnosed and treated, but unsurprisingly, the care he received as a prisoner with AIDs was somewhat lacking.

Getting the right drug and getting them on time are challenging, especially in Ghana, where the prison service is not medically well-resourced.

Their infirmaries cannot be matched to the standards of infirmaries in prisons of other developed nations like the United States of America, United Kingdom and the rest.

Ghana's prisons have over 15,000 inmates, including officers, but they have no hospital of their own to cater for the health needs of inmates and officers as compared to other security services that have their own health facilities that cater for personnel and their families.

The Police Hospital provides medical care for officers of the service and their dependants, while the 37 Military Hospital, belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces, prioritises the health needs of soldiers and their families.

Come to think of it, jail is a terrible place to discover that you have AIDs as an incarcerated fellow, Fortunatus declares, adding that you are thinking about how to get out of that place where you have been locked up and at the same time thinking about the sickness which will lead you to your grave, he points out.

Statistics

Records from the Ghana Prisons Service indicate that in 2016 alone, about 224 inmates, including 32 females, were diagnosed with HIV in the 43 prisons across the country.

Though records available indicate that most of the inmates with HIV were affected before they entered into the prison, incarceration offers ample opportunities to spread the virus.

High-risk behaviours such as blood covenants, sharing of unsterilised skin piercing and sharp instruments like razor blades, needles and unprotected sex are some of the imputed malpractices common in a prison setting.

The affected inmates, according to Josephine Fredua-Agyemang, Director of Prisons in-charge of Welfare of inmates, staff and their dependants, come with little or stark ignorance about HIV and TB, and these inmates are those who indulge in risky lifestyles oblivion of its implications.

Nsawam Medium Security Prison recorded the highest number of inmates with the diseased with a total of 68 inmates, including 12 females, DDP Charity Araba Magusen, in-charge of Nsawam Prisons Health Centre, discloses.

In Akuse, 11 males and one female were diagnosed with the disease, while 12 were also diagnosed with the disease at Koforidua Prisons.

Most of the inmates diagnosed with HIV are said to be having tuberculosis as well, according to reports from the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG).

At an annual national advocacy session organised for heads of the various prisons in the country and other stakeholders in Accra, Madam Fredua-Agyemang reveals that these high risk behaviours and practices among inmates have been the main cause of the spread of the diseases in prisons.

Fortunatus says sharing personal hygiene kits in prison among friends is a common practice among inmates.

Those without razors can borrow one (used ones) from inmate friends to use after which they return them.

In prison, we do things together; a good friend who is often visited by his family and friends, sometimes share their things with those of us who are not visited at all, he narrates.

There are no barbers in prisons where inmates who would want to have their hair trimmed can go for their haircuts; hence they depend on friends to shave their hairs.

Fortunatus adds that one blade can be used to shave the hair of more than two people without thinking of its implications.

He says since none of his family members knew he was in prison, he depended on friends for his needs.

HIV Stigma In Prison

In previous years, HIV has been portrayed as a disease that is so dangerous to the extent that contracting it means the carrier has signed his or her death sentence.

Persons carrying the virus were often shunned by family and friends for fear of contracting the disease.

Fortunatus says this behaviour is not different in prison.

Prison is also like a community for us inmates and so if one is diagnosed of the sickness, everybody redraws from you; nobody would want to draw closer to you, he says.

Stigmatisation is a bigger issue that the Ghana AIDs Commission (GAC) and its stakeholders have over the years been fighting against but are yet to win the war against that.

Fortunatus says, No one wants to come near you in prison if they know you have AIDs, so most people try to hide their diagnosis.

This stigma stays with many HIV patients after their release since they fear that their families will also reject them.

Some of us inmates are often rejected by our communities after serving our sentence and one cannot afford suffering the stigma of being an ex-convict and having HIV in addition, Fortunatus opines.

The Ho Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Victor Agbelengor, confirms that the issue of stigmatisation is very real, and it has to be addressed as soon as possible.

He suggests that if possible, there is the need for HIV statuses of the inmates be confidential and be treated as such at all times.

Meanwhile, Dr James Amuzu, Executive Director of PPAG, reveals that the organisation is ready to provide education and training for the prison officers upon their request.

HIV Outreach In Prisons

Health professionals posit that prevention is better than cure, and Madam Fredua-Agyemang confirms that advocacy programmes over the period have significantly contributed towards the well-being of officers and inmates.

Available statistics by Global Fund of cases involving inmates at the various prisons establishments bear eloquent testimony.

It is on record that over 10,550 inmates representing 73 percent of inmates have been reached with HIV prevention programmes, Anne Marie Affainie  Godwyll, Programme Manager of Global Fund, mentions.

A total of 181 prison officers have also been reached with the advocacy session to enable them to best handle inmates carrying the disease from spreading.

About 645 peer educators being inmates have also been selected and trained on tuberculosis and HIV-related topics to educate their fellow inmates on HIV.

Eight-six prison officers who serve as escorts during the peer educators training for the selected 645 inmates also benefitted from the training.

Fortunatus says the peer educators often held one-on-one and small group discussions for the inmates.

Other activities such as film shows, drama performances on HIV & AIDs and TB are often organised for inmates as a preventive measure to curtail the spread of the disease.

Screening Of The Virus In Prisons

Some of the commanders in the 43 prisons across the country who attended this year's annual national advocacy session organised for heads of the various prisons confirmed that some of the inmates receive their HIV test during the reporting periods and know their status, but it is done voluntarily.

In 2015, a total of 8, 601 received HIV test during the reporting period and out of that, 20 of them were discovered with the virus and were referred for evaluation and treatment, Ms Affainie-Godwyll says.

In 2016, however, the number reduced to 7,835 prisoners receiving HIV test on reporting and 106 were diagnosed of the virus and were also referred for evaluation and treatment.

Those who do not undergo the testing are later counselled by the peer educators to see the need to know their status.

State Of Prison Infirmary

Superintendent Vitalis Aiyeh, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, confirms that all the 43 prisons have infirmaries but had no assigned medical doctor to attend to patients.

He says incarcerated health professionals sometimes assist the prison officials to cater for the health needs of the sick inmates at their various infirmaries.

We do not have the logistics but we are doing our best, he admonishes.

Inmates who have special medical cases like those with HIV, TB and other diseases are often secluded from the others and given special care by officers.

Those on drugs are often given drugs that are available at the infirmaries and those who are to be transferred to see specialists are often taken to the various government hospitals for treatment.

He states that for HIV patients, the meals served them sometimes are highly nutritious than the normal meal given to the rest because they need extra nutritional support to take their drugs.

However, James Adu-Mensah Danfoku, HIV focal person at the Ghana Prison Service, confirms that not all prisons have food supplements for HIV positive inmates.

Some prison commanders also confirmed that their prisons did not have enough funds to cater for confirmatory test.

As a result, some health facilities have refused to treat inmates due to debts accrued by the prisons.

Some of the inmates who have not been enrolled on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) are often not able to access treatment at the government facilities as well.

Madam Charity Araba Magnusen of the Nsawam Medium Prisons confirms that inadequate supply of drugs of the anti-retroviral drugs at referral points is also a challenge to officers, since most prisoners living with HIV are rather being treated with Septrin at the prison infirmaries.

The Way Forward

Prison health issues, they say, are also public health issues, and Fortunatus suggests that government and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) come in to assist inmates with personal hygiene kits to discourage inmates from using others used razor blades.

Superintendent Vitalis Aiyeh suggests that since health service is a major issue in the prison sector due to overcrowding and congestion, efforts should be put in place to make screening for diseases, especially HIV, mandatory before individuals are admitted.

Fortunatus is, therefore, appealing to the Ministry of Interior, with oversight responsibility of the Ghana Prison Service to, as a matter of urgency, ensure that they also get a health facility to serve the needs of inmates.

[email protected]

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
22.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 21, GNA - The Prosecution in the illegal mining case involving En Huang, aka Aisha Hung, and four other Chinese nationals, has told the Accra High Court that Aisha's supposed Ghanaian husband is nowhere to be found.

Mrs Yvonne Atakora Oboubisa, the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the Court that all efforts to reach the supposed husband of Aisha had proved futile.

'Our investigation has shown that the supposed husband holds three passports of different countries,' she added.

Aisha has been charged with undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, (Act 703), and providing mining support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act.

She has also been charged with the illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to Section 24 of the Immigration Act, 200 (Act 573) and Regulation 18(1) of the Ghana Immigration Regulations, 2001 (L.I.1691).

The four other accused persons are Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Ju, Haibin Gao and Zhang Zhipeng. They have been charged with disobedience of the directive given under the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573).

GNA

By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
The Chairman of Parliament's Special Budget Committee, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has revealed that suspected internal squabbles within the Electoral Commission has taken a toll on some critical duties it must perform.

The Majority Leader, who heads the Special Budget Committee which has oversight responsibility of the EC, indicated that the Commission at this time must be retooling its IT department, while taking stock of the last election but the alleged frosty relationship between its Chairperson and the management and staff of the Commission has stalled these duties.

We have a pack, a whole lot of those equipment that may not be able to work and the IT section of the Commission is out of joint. Equipment that were procured were suppose to last for a period.Equipment in the IT section require replacement maybe every five years but it has been there for close to ten years now and nothing is happening. These are non election related matters that they should be attending to now in preparation to what may happen next.

Now we have some referendum proposed in some regions. What happened to those equipment that will be taken there? They are in a state of disrepair so those things should be attended to now but as we speak because of their internal squabbles, they are not attending to those matters, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu complained.

The EC chair has been under fire in the past week due to a petition to the President asking for her removal.

Charlotte Osei, EC Chairperson

Employees of the Commission have accused her of financial malfeasance and cronyism among others, which she has denied.

She has indicated that she will respond to these allegations in due course.

Ill sue aggrieved EC employees  Charlotte Osei

On Thursday, Charlotte Osei also revealed she would take legal action against the aggrieved employees seeking her removal.

She said the petitioners made unsubstantiated claims to damage her reputation.

In a letter written by her lawyers, to the lawyer of the petitioners, she demanded the list of the names of workers who had made the claims for her removal.

She said this was to enable us commence legal action against them for the defamatory statements contained in their petition

The President has confirmed receipt of the said petition seeking Mrs Osei's removal. He has however neither commented or taken any action so far.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @EfeAnsah
 

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  ,         ,       .
LEXINGTON  One familys passion for volleyball, combined with compassion for a friend battling cancer, resulted in the Joe Torres Co-ed Sand Volleyball Tournament  an annual tradition in its 24th year.

The annual co-ed volleyball tournament takes place on the last Sunday in July with this years event scheduled for July 30 at Plum Creek Park. Teams of any age and skill level are welcomed to compete for the fun of it while benefiting someone with cancer. Entry fee is $70 per team and registration is due by noon on July 27.

This years recipient is Overton resident Clarence Davis. Money raised during the event will help in his fight against hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer.

Davis said he is better known by his nicknames of "Swifty" and "Preacher."

The beneficiary for each years tournament is selected by a panel of five community members who desire to remain anonymous, said tournament organizer Jim Macias.

Davis was diagnosed with liver cancer in March 2015. "They only gave me 90 days to live," Davis recalled, along with details like a grueling eight hour surgery and follow up treatment.

"It was definitely something unexpected. I thought I was doing great," he said of his life before the cancer diagnosis.

During a routine physical, Davis was told his liver enzymes were high and it was recommended he go to Grand Island for an ultrasound. Medical providers there referred him on to Omaha for surgery and follow up treatment.

Davis is now in remission, but cancer has taken its toll, he said. He used to drive a truck and trailer to earn a living, but cant do that anymore.

"You have to have a positive attitude. If you dont take a positive attitude your whole life goes away."

Davis said his example of optimism and how to approach cancer comes from children. When he was stationed in Germany while serving in the military, he went to orphanages to visit children. Being around children was such a positive experience, that he continued to interact with children when he returned to the United States, this time visiting children in the hospital.

"Thank the Lord he took me there," said Davis.

Davis observed how one day a child could be so happy and the next day so sick. "They (the children) would always tell me that if they werent there in the morning it would be okay," he said.

He said he learned from children to have the same laughter, same love and same joy regardless of other factors.

"Thats why when they told me I had cancer, I hade a whole different outlook on it because I had been around it," said Davis.

He said cancer brings one to a different level of living. His favorite saying is "all is well."

Davis said he didnt know about the Joe Torres Volleyball Tournament until a group of women showed up at his house to announce he was selected to be this years recipient of funds raised.

He said he didnt think he was worthy of it, but they talked him into it.

"Yes, I do have a need, but I see so many other people," he said. "Pride got in the way a little bit. I never had nobody do nothing like this for me."

He said he has learned that life it to show love to others and bring joy. "Sometime God says its your time. I guess this is my time."

Macias said when he moved to Lexington in 1993, he met Joe Torres, who stood out to him in part because his best friend in high school was also named Joe Torres.

"It struck me as funny. It was just unique," Macias said, noting he and the new Joe Torres connected too.

He recalled that Torres was at least 6-feet 2-inches tall and weighed 260-plus pound before leukemia struck. Within three months, Torres dwindled to 150 pounds. Because he was a volleyball player, Macias decided to organize a tournament as a fundraiser to benefit his friend.

"We had an idea. We rolled with it and its been 24 years. It says something for this community and how our community sticks together," said Macias.

Macias said the tournaments focus isnt on who wins or loses, but instead the focus on having fun, "plus we raise money to help someone."

"For one day in their life, the person can see that other people do care and are having fun playing for him or her. It eases pain a little bit and puts it on our shoulders," said Macias.

He said he appreciates the people who come to play and the sponsors that make the tournament possible.

"If it wasnt for the city of Lexington, and Ann Luther, and our sponsors this wouldnt happen. Without the support of the community and their generosity to help a fellow man in need it wouldnt be possible to do this," said Macias.

Those sponsors include Tyson Fresh Meats, Awards Plus, Lexington Clipper-Herald, Lexington Regional Health Center, Pinnacle Bank, Black Diamond Auto, Reynolds Love Funeral Home and Service Master of Mid-Nebraska.

For more information contact Jim Macias at 308-746-3100 or Henry Vogt at 308-529-0705.

Concessions are available during the tournament and there will be items for raffle. Free will donations are also accepted.
The European Union (EU) is expected to lift the ban on some vegetable exports from Ghana by the end of this year [2017].

The move should increase Ghana's production of such vegetables to about 20 million dollars.

The EU has banned the exports of some vegetables from Ghana over concerns on their quality.

There have been subsequent reviews to correct the challenge between Ghanaian and European authorities.

But Agric minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto explains to Citi Business News a visit by a team from the EU in September 2017 should culminate in the removal of the ban.

There are five items which have been banned for two years and we are hoping that they will be lifted this year. Because there is a program including a visit by the EU officials to come and review all the things that we have been doing to reform the way we are doing all our exports and if they are satisfied, the ban will be lifted, the Minister stated.

Dr. Akoto added that the ministry together with allied agencies has intensified efforts to achieve more than 90 percent of the needed conditions to get the ban removed.

I think we are ninety-five percent there in terms of their requirement and by the time they come in September and hopefully we will get that thing resolved.

Ghana engages Czech Republic over agric investments

The Minister spoke to Citi Business News when he met a 17 member delegation from Czech Republic on Friday.

The meeting involved the Agric Minister for Czech Republic, the Czech Ambassador to Ghana among two other deputy Ministers.

The issues centered on deepening Agric investments and development both in Ghana and the Czech Republic.

On his part, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic commended the partnership between Ghana and his country.

Even though he maintained that the double taxation agreement should help both countries, he impressed on Ghanaian authorities to work to finalise the investment agreements to attract huge investments into Ghana.

I am very happy that we are finalized the agreement on double taxation it is important framework for businesses and we are looking now to finalise the investment protection treaty and other certain important documents which are essential for businesses, he stated.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Veteran journalist Kweku Baako has described a formal request calling for the removal of the Electoral Commission chairperson Charlotte Osei as an 'incompetent petition filed by a competent lawyer'.

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper tore through the 28-point concerns raised by some staff of the EC and filed by a legal practitioner Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang.

Baako pointing out several portions he considers "petty, inconsequential and flimsy" intended to trigger Article 146(3) of the 1992 constitution which outlines impeachment processes for heads of constitutional bodies.

He said the claim that the 'arrogant' EC refused to grant audience to the leadership of the National Peace Council and an AU delegation which monitored the 2016 general elections cannot be a ground for impeachment.

Charlotte Osei

The claim is also not true, he said and explained the two groups had no appointment to meet the EC who was unavailable at the time of their visits.

The chairperson, however, honoured a scheduled meeting with the Peace Council and the AU delegation which was led by former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

Baako said it is factually inaccurate, a statement attributed to the EC chair indicating her dislike for a printing company Buck Press Ltd because of its perceived ties with the NPP.

He urged the petitioners to verify with a transcript of her comments made during a BBC interview last year.

The veteran journalist said it is "no big deal" for the EC chairperson to attend a cabinet meeting unless the petitioners can prove that there is a conspiracy between the government and the chair.

He also dismissed the claim that Charlotte Osei compromised her neutrality and independence by arranging for a 2015 V8 Land Cruiser from the Office of the President.

This arrangement, according to Kweku Baako, has been in place since 1992 and cannot be a basis for an impeachment.

Kweku Baako however admitted some "big" allegations bordering on procurement, contracts and financial malfeasance are serious impeachable offences.

Except that some of these claims are also factually incorrect, he went on.

The contract with Super Tech (STL) Limited which the staff say was abrogated by the chairperson without due process, he said, is not true.

Baako said he had seen e-mail correspondence of those who signed the contract which admitted they had no knowledge of the PPA when it entered into a contract with the commission hence the cancellation.

A new contract with STL was not more than GHa21m as claimed by the petitioners but GHa 7million.

Baako expressed disappointment at the petitioner's lack of attention to facts.

"I am beginning to suspect that the concerned workers perhaps have no access to official records...these are simple things" he emphasised.

Baako, nonetheless, believes irrespective of the allegations, there is the need for some investigations because the corporate integrity of the Electoral Commission is at stake.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
22.07.2017 LISTEN

For the Sumerians the word Mumu means creative reason, in other words, that which creates all things. The Babylonian priests see the god Marduk as the creator of the world. Marduk was identified with the word Mumu. The early Greeks of the Milesian school of philosophy said: the cosmic substance is reason, wisdom and harmony. This corresponds to the qualities attributed to the word Mumu by the much earlier Babylonians. But in Nigeria the word is a slang used to describe a person who acts daft. The musician Lagbaja did a song with the word, a touching and meaningful song. He said our leaders have turned us in this country into 200 million Mumus. He said Nigerians are selling their birthrights for a bowl of soup like Esau, destroying their legacy for small change.

The song 200 million Mumus connects with events in my state, Imo. The song is laced with penetrating political messages. Since Imo is not up to 200 million persons, If Lagbaja is to sing about Imo , he will be saying 5 million Mumus. We are not Mumus in Imo but our governor thinks we are. In fact Imo has so many of the best brains in Nigeria. Governor Rochas Okorocha sees us as daft that is why there is this cacophonous plot of a "third term in office. Why is he scheming for a third term in office? Is it the phobia or fear of the unknown? Fear of what might befall on him after leaving power? Fear of probe? Phew! I am not against anyone who is qualified from running for any elective post but honestly third term agenda will not sell in Imo.

Who knows the next demeaning name Owelle will give to the entire Imolites if he succeeds in his third term plot. I remember in 2014 when he called the people of Ohaji/Egbema Ogogoro drinkers and Indian hemp smokers. He called them Ogogoro drinkers because with the help of men like Alex Ogwazua, Kingsley Uju , Rev Emma Ebomuche and Henry Okafor he succeeded in turning the oil producing areas of the state to object of mockery by subjecting them to undue deprivation and marginalization . The names I mentioned above all served as conduit  pipes in the criminal diversion and conversion of the 13% Oil Derivation Funds of the Oil Producing Communities ,the funds of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission ( ISOPADEC) . They served as the defense for the destruction of all funds meant for the development of the Oil Producing Communities of Imo State and ISOPADEC, assisted Okorocha in diverting N29,620,908,773.96 being 13 percent oil derivation funds for Imo State from June 2011 to December 2016 during their time as ISOPADEC helmsmen .

Imo received from FG as 13% Oil Derivation Funds as follows: June 2011 -December 2011 =N 4,481,947,152.28 , January 2012 December 2012=N5,326,556,426.15, January 2013 December 2013=N6,402,605,460.51, January 2014 December 2014=N6,174,968,483.12, , January 2015 December 2015=N3,726,575,580.82, January 2016 December 2016=N3,508,255,671.08 totaling N29,620,908,773.96. Where are the monies? Where is our 29 billion naira? Where is the 40 percent proceeds for the development of the oil areas? Next week I will give you details of funds received for our councils from FG from 2011-2016.

Morally challenged persons like the names I mentioned are those the late legendary Afro-beat maestro Fela Anikulapo Kuti will call ITT ,International Thief, Thief ,VIP ,Vagabonds in Power. If Owelle succeeds in his third term agenda just as he has succeeded in killing Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), maybe he will call Imolites, castrated eunuchs, ndi nachi amu naka. But trust Ndimo , they will shun and reject such plans. Imo can never succumb to the whims and threats of power mongers.

Another area giving Ndi-Imo so much concern is the worsening security situation in the State . This is connected to the current alarming rate of kidnapping, and armed robbery in the State. It is embarrassing the way and manner criminals rob banks and houses and abduct Imo citizens. The consequence is that socio-economic activities in Imo are affected negatively, leading to economic hardship for the people. Investors are scared away, while the people feel too insecure to interact and socialize.

We heard again that gunmen on Friday May 5th, 2017 attacked Diamond Bank at Item street, Owerri, the Imo State capital while trying to rob a contractor who drove into the bank to carry out financial transactions. In the process one person died while few others were injured. This is really getting out of hand. It is worrisome the ease with which these criminals are getting away with this heinous and unwholesome act in Imo State. Our streets, homes and offices have become increasingly vulnerable with virtually no where to turn to for help. At the moment we all live like prisoners wherever we are in Imo State. We sleep at night with one eye open and yet we have a governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the State. It is really sad that Imo State has degenerated to this level. It is really sad.

State security falls right on the laps of the governor. One reason of having a government in place is for the provision of security of lives and property of the citizenry. The 1999 constitution in section 14 (2) (b) provides that; the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. One of the worlds best known political philosophers of all times Thomas Hobbes also stated that one purpose of government is the maintenance of basic security and public order.

The actions of governor Okorocha make it clear that he is to be blamed 80 percent for the high rate of kidnappings and robbery in Imo State. He has so far sacked 16,000 Imo citizens from jobs. We must blame the government for putting the youths out of jobs. People opt for kidnapping because of two major reasons: greed and lack of employment. What do you expect in a state where the youths are pushed out of jobs? A state where workers are only paid 70 percent of their salaries, a state where the Governor has refused to release money into the system and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State are starved of funds. A state where LGA funds are looted,a state of escalating executive lawlessness, a state of disregard for constitutional rights. Government in Imo today is Okorocha only. Imo people are suffocating. The teachers are suffering. The civil servants are suffering. Business men are suffering. Even the traders are suffering. What we have in Imo State is the more you look the less you see.Save us oh God !

-Kenneth Uwadi writes from Mmahu-Egbema , Imo State and can be reached via 08037982714
22.07.2017 LISTEN

I rushed to the park to board a bus to Owerri. The bus was already packed. Its usual, same park, annoying now and then. I did not want to wait for another bus as I must be in Owerri by 5pm to see Jack. Seeing the bus that way I let out a heavy sigh or maybe I just looked pissed off. People piled onto the bus, trying to squeeze in as much as possible. For many years, I have been privileged to have a very dear friend called Jack. He possessed many virtues. His almost regal appearance and often stern expression seemed at variance with the mischief and laughter sparkling in his eyes. Seriously by nature he is a generator of laughter and joy. Whenever we get together, laughter cascade around us and we seemed to find some object of fun wherever we turned. Many were the late nights I would find him standing , serious and intent on some task or other when spontaneously something would trigger us both and we would collapse, speechless with laughter ,across each others shoulders.

I found a seat on the bus. We took off. The person sitting next to me opened her newspaper as wide as possible as if she was relaxing in her house. It was terrible considering how small the seats are on the bus. Maybe she wanted me to read the paper with her. I was also suffocating under the fumes of her scent. But what can I do? I had to endure till we got to Owerri and I did  na afa nna na mmuo nso Thank God!

For Jack, mealtime is a time for talking as well as for eating so it was talk, talk, talk. He took his time that night to reveal to me what has been going on between him and his boss, a governor hopeful in Imo state. Jack is a social media expert. In January 2016 , he lost his job. He wrote to his boss, the governor hopeful, he cried for help. He needed help. His boss promised to help him. Days turned to weeks and weeks into months yet no help from Boss. Boss went on telling him lies upon lies, defending his failure and deceits with pride. He forgot his usual biblical quotation which says: A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed (Proverb 11:25-28). He forgot the Chinese philosophical saying that he always quote which goes thus: He who obtains has a little, he who scatters has much. He stopped calling Jack, he stopped picking his calls. It was like do he think he was so special with his sweet crying face and special bags of problems that people are just going to part like the Red Sea for him. A year and four months has gone. Jack has not received the expected help from his Boss.

Now, in the quest to be governor of Imo State in 2019, Boss is out there deceiving the gullible. He claims he wants to rescue Imo State but he could not rescue his loyalist of so many years. Nobody can point to anyone he has empowered. Soonest he will start eating akara by road side, bathing Almajiris on the street, drinking pure water on top of dirty gutters, controlling traffic, pushing trailers, driving Keke, buying Suya , plaiting a womans hair and eating corn publicly just to hoodwink Ndimo for 2019. After the election all the bleeping pretence will end. Ndi Mmadu self!

Like I said last week, whats wrong with deception is that it is a betrayal of trust. You cannot deceive someone unless they trust you, believing that youre being truthful with them. When you succeed in deceiving them, you exploit that trust, using that person for your own ends. In every domain of life, such betrayals weaken or destroy the trust relationships essential to our vital institutions. Lying to your supporters squanders that trust and diminishes your capacity to lead. As citizens, we have a responsibility here too. We have to impress upon those who would lead us that we do care about truth and honesty and that losing our trust is an unacceptable cost of deceptive politics.

You who wants to rescue Imo State in 2019, what have you done for your LGA? Who and who have you empowered? We suffer the failure of capitalist anti poor policies in Imo. What have you said about it? Education in the state is not adequately funded. The situation from primary to tertiary levels in Imo has continued to deteriorate with no end in sight to the rot. Examples of this decay include: the collapse of structures like buildings in the public schools in our LGAs, over-crowded classes, Ill-equipped laboratories many of which have, in any case, been converted into classrooms, thus making the teaching of science subjects a problem in Imo, complete absence of library facilities and lack of necessary books in the few available ones, shortage of teachers etc. What have you said about this?

Nigerias Constitution recognizes LGAs as the third tier of government after the federal and state governments. Their functions are clearly defined. They are entitled allocation of funds from the federation account for use in carrying out their functions. Each of Imo State LGA receives millions of naira in allocations. We dont have democratically elected council chairmen and councilors in Imo since 2011. You who want to become governor what have you said about this? More so the Imo state pensioners are at the Industrial court to seek redress over the cut of 60 of their entitlement by the state government. You said nothing about this.

Demolition of peoples houses without compensation featured more prominently in the state and it draw a lot of tears. Shops of poor people were destroyed without compensation. What did you say about this? I can go on and on. Yet you want to rescue Imo state in 2019. May God open our eyes to the day-dreamers, save us from the deceivers and direct us to the serious!

-Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria
A warrant officer with the Ghana Armed Forces base in Takoradi in the Western Region, WO Asiedu is in the grips of the Takoradi Central Police for threatening to release nude photos of an SHS student.

WO Asiedu issued the threat after the student failed to give in to his demands for a sexual intercourse.

According to a journalist, WO Asiedu cunningly pestered the girl for her nude photos for months.

After she had given the photos, Officer Asiedu threatened to post her nude photos on social media if she fails to give in to his demands for a sexual intercourse.

The girl, who refused to give in to his demands reported the persistent harassment to his brother who subsequently reported it to journalists.

After informing a national security operative about the incident, they asked the girl to arrange and meet the man at a nearby hotel.

The excited officer met the girl shortly after the Police moved in to arrest him

A search conducted in his house revealed the said nude images on his computer which has since been seized together with other gadgets by the Police.

WO Asiedu is currently in the grips of the Takoradi Central Police Station assisting with further investigations.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission , Charlotte Osei has accused deputy Chairperson of the Commission of illegally signing contracts worth over GHC 40 million without her approval.

She made this revelation while responding to allegations of financial malfeasance levelled against her by employees of the EC.

It is worth pointing out, that while the Chairperson is persistently accused of arrogance and taking unilateral decisions, there is ample evidence of extreme arrogance, ineptitude and blatant breaches of the law by the deputy Chairpersons. The Deputy Chairperson F/A has signed contracts worth over GHS40m without knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson between July-September 2015, she said.

She further stated that payments were also made on these contracts in excess of her approval limits and again, without the knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson.

This, according to the EC Chairperson is illegal, criminal and a breach of the policies of the Commission and the laws of Ghana.

She indicated that the supporting documents would be submitted to the relevant investigative agencies for their further action.

No case of fraud , abuse against me

Mrs. Osei in her response, also pointed out among others that allegations against her were unfounded , saying there is clearly, no established case of fraud or abuse of office made against the Chairperson. The public purse, should be, and must be protected even at the EC.

The role of the EC is to enable the citizens to participate in free and fair elections  it has and will always remain the guiding principle of the Chairperson. It is only those that are eager to subvert the law and engage in illegal actions that will not support this mandate in its implementation and vision of creating a World Class Electoral Commission, she added.

The employees have accused Mrs. Osei of corruption, breaching public procurement regulations and disregarding administrative procedures in her management of the electoral body.

They therefore petitioned the President to dismiss her.

I'll sue aggrieved EC employees

On Thursday, Charlotte Osei revealed she would take legal action against the aggrieved employees seeking her removal.

She said the petitioners made unsubstantiated claims to damage her reputation.

In a letter written by her lawyers, to the lawyer of the petitioners, she demanded the list of the names of workers who had made the claims for her removal.

She said this was to enable us commence legal action against them for the defamatory statements contained in their petition.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @EfeAnsah
Electoral Commission chairperson Charlotte Osei, risks proceeding on leave if the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) begins investigations into a 28-point petition demanding her impeachment.

Deputy Local Government Minister, O. B. Amoah suspects EOCO might approach the petition from some concerned staff of the commission against their boss in the same way it is handling a seperate case involving two other officials of the EC.

EOCO has asked deputy EC Commissioner, Georgina Opoku Amankwaah and Chief Accountant Kwaku Owusu Agyei-Larbi to proceed on leave over allegations some 480,000 cedis is missing from the Commissions Endowment Fund.

Related Article: EOCO investigates EC; asks Deputy boss, Accountant to proceed on leave

Deputy EC Commissioner, Georgina Opoku Amankwaah

The Akuapim South MP OB Amoah told Samson Lardy on Joy FM/MultiTVs Saturday Newsfile he is aware of deep division within the EC since Charlotte Osei took over in June 2016.

"This is unprecedented but expected....there is division among the seven commissioners. The chair has two persons on her side while the other four are on their own"

He said the whole impeachment petition was started by the Chair after reporting her deputy and the accountant to EOCO and complied with an EOCO requrst that the two proceed on leave.

OB Amoah believes it is improper for the deputy ranked as a High Court judge to be directed to proceed on leave by the EC chair.

He said that directive from Charlotte Osei is "a very dangerous precedent" because it suggests a Chief Justice can ask a Justice to go on leave.

Since Charlotte Osei has complied with a EOCO request in the matter of the deputy commissioner, then same could be done to her.

"For the chair herself if you open up [the commission to EOCO] like this then you can be asked to go on leave...assuming if these allegations were not sent to the President"

In the petition submitted to the President, the workers cited issues of bad working relationships, breach of procurement law and mismanagement.

Related Article: Tension at EC as staff want Charlotte Osei removed

Deputy Local Government Minister, O. B. Amoah

In one such instance, the agitated workers claimed: Mrs Charlotte Osei unilaterally awarded a contract of about $25,000 to a South African company, Quazar Limited to change and re-develop the Commissons Logo under the guise of rebranding without going through tender contrary to the Public Procurement Act.

The Flagstaff House has confirmed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received the petition and he is studying it.

Related Article: Confirmed! President receives petition for impeachment of EC boss

A day after the President was handed the petition dated July 13, it has been revealed Acting Executive Director of EOCO, ACP K. K. Amoah (retired) was also served same petition.

The petitioners through their lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang are asking the anti-graft agency to investigate the Commissioner over some alleged financial impropriety.

Related Article: EOCO investigates EC; asks Deputy boss, Accountant to proceed on leave

Former deputy Justice Minister, Dr Dominic Ayine has also said the "EOCO root is not a good root" to have issues raised against the EC Chairperson resolved.

Although the Bolga East MP admitted the "internal wrangling" at the Commission is "very worrying," he said the petitioners made a mistake by writing to the acting EOCO boss.

Watch video below:



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | [email protected] | Instagram: @realbrakopowers
This week, some workers of the Electoral Commission of Ghana has petitioned the President to remove the Chairperson of the commission Mrs. Charlotte Osei. According to their lawyer, it is alleged that:

1. Mrs. Osei breached the Procurement Law in securing goods and services.

2. She is a one-woman show because she solely contracted the services of attorneys with disgruntle parties and their leaders.

3. The EC Boss repeal a current contract with Super Tech Ltd. (STL). She solely renegotiates and paid the contract at a sum certain of $21,999,592 without thoughtfully considering the tender process.

4. The Lawyer to the petitioners Maxwell Opoku Agyeman said, "The chairperson, Mrs. Charlotte Osei unilaterally awarded a contract of about $25,000 to a South African company Quazar Limited to change and re-develop the Commissions Logo under the guise of rebranding without going through tender contrary to the Public Procurement Act.

5. The petitioners claim, The chairperson has submitted an estimate of over 1 million for the renovation of the official bungalow for the Chairperson without recourse to the Commission or the appropriate staff in the commission."

6. Mrs. Osei compromised her position and the independence of the Commission by attending cabinet meetings during President Mahama administration.

7. She ordered for 2015 Land Cruiser with registration number WR 2291-15 from the president's office for her office use, etc.

This is a summary of the main allegations and some other charges against Mrs. Charlette Osei.

First, these are alleged claims which must be investigated to find out whether it is true or false. If they are true, is it sufficient reasons to impeach the Electoral Commissioner? And if they are false, are those who filed this petition still going to maintain their job after defaming Mrs. Charlotte Osei? There is one thing we can conclude based on these allegations, and that is the Electoral Commission needs to step up. We should not forget that politics may involve in this charges against Mrs. Charlotte Osei since the previous administration appointed her.

In the midst of these allegations, we should not forget how this woman and her team work hard for a successful election last year. It was one of the best elections conducted by the commission. Also, the claim that her appointments to the commission are political is "everyday allegation" in Ghana. Can we mention names of political individuals she appointed to the commission and remove them? What could have been different if the NPP government appointed the Electoral Commissioner last year? At least the way the Chief Justice was appointed shows that NPP could have done the same if they had the chance. Having said this, it is important to make sure we do not politicize our independent state institutions else it rather tends to serve the interest of political parties instead of the country.

It is fair to ask the following questions and see if she is guilty of them:

1. Did the EC Chairwoman breach the constitution of Ghana?

2. Has she lost confidence by the people of Ghana? What evidence support that?

3. Has the Court ruled that she is unfit to lead the EC?

4. Is the EC Chairwoman a danger to Ghana?

It is right to impeach the Electoral Commissioner or any government official if indeed there is sufficient evidence that she/he acted contrary to the Constitution of Ghana and that person worked against the will of the citizens. If there is no credible proof of malfunction, and the majority of the voters do not support the removal of such public person from the office and the Court does not provide legal grounds for such impeachment, it makes no sense to take any officer from her/his office. The essence of impeaching someone is to safeguard our country from corrupt leaders and to follow what the Constitution is saying, all things being equal. Anything contrary to this does not serve the interest of the country, the people, and the Constitution.
EOCO has began investigations into a petition against EC chair Charlotte Osei by some concerned staff who want her removed from office.

According to veteran journalist Kweku Baako Jnr, the anti-graft body is looking at some aspects of the 28-point petition following a request by some of the staff whose identities remain undisclosed.

Allegations raised in the petition range from questions about her managerial competence, political neutrality and what the staff say are breaches of contracts and the public procurement act.

The document was sent to the President who is required by law to forward it to the Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo for a determination to be made on the matter.

Photo: CJ Sophia Akuffo

If the CJ establishes a prima facie case on the matter, she is bound by law to set up a five-member committee to probe it which could lead to the impeachment of the EC chair.

The Flagstaff House has confirmed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received the petition and is studying it.

But it has been revealed EOCO, also a recipient of the petition, has gone ahead to further wade in troubled waters at the commission.

There is the matter of a missing 480,000 Endowment Fund cash which EOCO is already investigating. The matter has led to a deputy commissioner Georgina Opoku Amankwah proceeding on leave along with the commission's accountant, Kwaku Owusu Adjei Larbi.

The latest petition becomes EOCO's second investigation into a commission said to be deeply divided since Charlotte Osei was appointed in June 2015.

Akuapim South MP Osei Bonsu Amoah has suggested the EC chair may go the way of her deputy and might be asked to proceed on leave.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Rabat (AFP) - Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Saturday accused the Moroccan authorities of hindering coverage of unrest in the Rif region which has been shaken by protests for nine months.

This year has seen waves of protests and bouts of violence in the Rif, where residents have long complained of neglect and marginalisation.

"The situation of Moroccan and foreign journalists covering the events in northern Morocco keeps on getting worse," said Yasmine Kacha, the head of RSF's North Africa bureau, in a statement.

"By trying to prevent coverage of the Rif protests, the Moroccan authorities are gradually turning this region into a no-go zone for independent media."

The northern city of Al-Hoceima and the surrounding area have been the focus of the so-called Al-Hirak al-Shaabi protest movement.

On Thursday, police in Al-Hoceima fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators and stop them marching in defiance of a government ban.

RSF also called on the authorities "to free all the citizen-journalists who have been arrested and to condemn all the physical attacks against media personnel who are just doing their job by covering these demonstrations".

Dozens of people on both sides have been injured in the demonstrations.

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights reported 35 arrests.

Local journalists said that among those arrested was online journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui.

The Al-Hirak movement was born last October after a fishmonger was crushed to death in a rubbish truck as he tried to retrieve swordfish confiscated for being caught out of season.

Calls for justice later snowballed into a wider social movement demanding jobs, development, and an end to corruption in the mainly Berber region.

However, since the arrest of the movement's leader Nasser Zefzafi and more than 150 of his supporters in May, the demonstrators' main demand has been their release.
US President Donald Trump has attacked illegal leaks following reports his attorney general discussed campaign-related matters with a Russian envoy.

The Washington Post gave an account of meetings Attorney General Jeff Sessions held with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak.

Mr Sessions has previously denied discussing the election campaign.

US authorities are investigating possible collusion between Russia and the Trump team.

The intelligence services believe Russia meddled in the vote to help Mr Trump win. Russia denies this, and Mr Trump says there was no collusion.

Russia: The cloud over the Trump White House

How Trumps Russia trouble unfolded

The Posts report quoted current and former US officials who cited intelligence intercepts of Mr Kislyaks version of the encounter to his superiors.

One of those quoted said Mr Kislyak spoke to Mr Sessions about key campaign issues, including Mr Trumps positions on policies significant to Russia.

During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Mr Sessions said he had no contact with Russians during the election campaign. When it later emerged he had, he said the campaign was not discussed at the meetings.

An official confirmed to Reuters the detail of the intercepts, but there has been no independent corroboration.

Six months of Trump

The officials spoken to by the Post said that Mr Kislyak could have exaggerated the account, and cited a Justice Department spokesperson who repeated that Mr Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.

But the Posts story was the focus of one of many tweets the US president fired off on Saturday morning.

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop! Mr Trump said.

The Washington Post is owned by Amazon, whose founder Jeff Bezos has been an occasional sparring partner for Mr Trump. Comey refers to James Comey, the former FBI boss Mr Trump fired.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump told the New York Times he regretted hiring Mr Sessions because he had stepped away from overseeing an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.

Mr Sessions recused himself in March amid pressure over his meetings with Mr Kislyak. He says he plans to continue in his role as attorney general.

Several other regular targets for Mr Trump featured in his series of tweets.

He accused the failing New York Times of foiling an attempt to assassinate the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

It is not clear what Mr Trump was referring to, but on Saturday a US general complained on Fox News that a good lead on Baghdadi was leaked to a national newspaper in 2015.

A New York Times report at the time revealed that valuable information had been extracted from a raid, but the paper stressed on Saturday that no-one had taken issue with their reporting until now.

Mr Trump also said he had complete power to pardon, amid reports he was considering presidential pardons for family members, aides and even himself in response to the Russian investigation.

And he again urged Republicans to step up to the plate and repeal and replace President Obamas healthcare reforms, a key campaign pledge of his that has collapsed in Congress.

Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump

ObamaCare is dead and the Democrats are obstructionists, no ideas or votes, only obstruction. It is solely up to the 52 Republican Senators!

 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017



BBC
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenyan police on Saturday arrested a lawmaker already accused of inciting violence after he urged people to take land away from white farmers, senior officers said.

Opposition deputy Mathew Lempurkel was in custody, an officer at the Naromoru station in central Kenya, told AFP by phone.

"He is being questioned because of remarks he made recently asking locals to take away their land from white settlers," he added.

Kenya's police chief Joseph Boinnet also confirmed in comments to Capital FM radio that Lempurkel had been arrested for "inflammatory remarks calculated to stir up racist and ethnic hatred".

Several local news organisations reported that opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is running for the presidency in elections next month, was at the meeting where Lempurkel made the remarks.

For several months, heavily armed herders have forced their way into private ranches in central Laikipia, seeking pasture for their livestock suffering from the current drought.

Several people have been killed in the ensuing violence.

Already in March, Lempurkel, who represents the local constituency, was arrested and charged with inciting violence.

Lempurkel called into a local radio station saying: "There is no private land in Laikipia North. Nobody will go short of grass while I am MP."

While some have blamed the increase in land invasions on the drought others argue the reasons are more complex.

There is increased competition for land and resources as a result of population growth and a massive increase in the number of livestock.

But there is also growing anger over historical land injustices. The region has enormous tracts of land owned by white settlers and Kenyan elites.

The approach of next month's presidential, parliamentary and local elections has also increased political tension.

Lempurkel is due in court on Monday could face fresh charges.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is on a war path against three of her six deputies, accusing them of administrative incompetence and blatant breaches of various parts of the constitution.

Charlotte Osei in a response to a petition brought against her by some unnamed EC workers, accused her deputy in charge of Finance and Administration of signing contracts worth more than 40 million without authorisation.

She also said deputy commissioner in charge of Operations, Amadu Sulley bagged some 6 million from political parties without the knowledge of the finance department of the Commission. He was said to be using party primaries as a "private commercial project".

Deputy Chair Finance and Administration was accused of supervising a finance department which consistently flouts financial regulations. Mrs Osei branded the deputy as an incompetent leader who has disregard for the law.

The EC boss vowed to trigger investigations into the conduct of the three, one of whom is already a subject of EOCO investigations.

The three deputies are the latest to be roped into controversy as deep divisions at the commission escalate into a full media battle.

The commission is split four-two against the EC chair, Myjoyonline has gathered.

The Commissioners

While 'pointing a gun' at the three, some staff have also pointed a gun at the EC chair listing 27 allegations against her.

Allegations raised in the petition range from questions about her managerial competence, political neutrality and what the staff say are breaches of contracts and the public procurement act.

Spoiling for a fight since the petition became public, the EC chair said last Friday she is ready with a prepared response to EOCO and the Chief Justice.

But in what is already beginning to look like a media trial, Charlotte Osei has thrown in her response after the petitioners also threw their petition into the public domain.

The chairperson crowned a bullet-by-bullet response to the petition by including fresh allegations against the three other deputies.

Read portions of response relating to deputy chairpersons.

Deputy Chair, Corporate Services

In June 2017, the annual leave of Deputy Chair Operations was approved by the Deputy Chair CS without recourse to the Chairperson and signed on behalf of Chairperson by Deputy Chair CS while she herself was on leave. This is poor knowledge of corporate governance and managerial ineptitude. Indeed, the Deputy Chairperson CS has arrogated to herself the powers of the Chairperson, convening commission meetings and taking other ultra vires decisions in clear breach of the Law.

The Deputy Chair CS went on an unauthorised leave from May 19 - June 19 2017 without notice to the Chairperson and without prior approval. A sick leave note was subsequently submitted to the Director of HR.

While on leave in June 2017, the deputy Chairperson without authorization and notice to the Chairperson, approved 2015 financial statements of the Commission, increased in the amount for fuel coupons beyond budgeted levels and without prior knowledge of the Chairperson or the Commission. Clearly, there is ample evidence of poor knowledge of corporate governance, rules of public service financial management and general incompetence.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Chair CS, staff in the finance department have flouted many financial regulations, amended bank mandates, and made many unauthorized payments beyond their approval levels and without the knowledge of the Chairperson. Again, supporting documents would be submitted to the appropriate agencies for further investigation.

The poor financial management systems within the Commission are systemic. In some cases, Commission funds are paid into personal accounts of staff members in the region.

The Deputy Chairperson, Finance and Administration

The Deputy Chairperson F/A has signed contracts worth over GHS40m without knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson between July-September 2015. Payments were also made on these contracts in excess of her approval limits and again, without the knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson. This is illegal, criminal and a breach of the policies of the Commission and the laws of Ghana. The supporting documents would be submitted to the relevant investigative agencies for their further action.

Deputy Chair, Operations

The Deputy Chair Ops has persistently effected illegal vote transfers from his office on the Voter management System in clear breach of the law and operational policies of the Commission. Such actions have major implications for the integrity of the work of the Commission and constitute abuse of office.

The Deputy Chair Operations collected above funds GHS 6m (Six million Ghana cedis) in cash from political parties for the organization of party primaries without recourse to the structures of the Commission, without the involvement of the finance department of the Commission. Political party primaries were treated as a private commercial project by the Deputy Chair Ops, with funds paid directly into the personal accounts of key staff for functions to be performed for party primaries.

An internal audit report highlighting widespread malfeasance in the conduct of party primaries under the supervision of the Deputy Chair Operations is attached and marked CO28. This situation cannot be allowed to continue.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Mr. Kweku Addo, Director of Oddarene Christian School at Dansoman has hinted that graduation is a time when one must reflect on where one is coming from and going and how to get there.

Speaking at the 11th Junior Secondary School Valediction and 29thKindergarten Graduation of the school, he said for the BECE participants, this is a relevant point in their lives, as they transit into SHS, and it is his hope that they will continue to use the philosophy of the school as their guide.

On Friday, July 21, 2017, 13 students from the JHS and 24 from the Kindergarten Department passed out and he urged them to continue to be knowledgeable in the biblical beliefs and continue to respect authority as well as pursue Godly characters and be prepared to be accountable for all their actions at all times.

Kweku Addo who was very sure that the JHS graduates would gain admission to high schools reminded them not to lower their standards with regards to personal hygiene, etiquette, behavior and dressing.

He commended the parents, and thanked them for choosing Oddarene Christian School. He encouraged them to exercise patience when school fees issues arise and pleaded with them to be involved in the education process, rather than just paying the fees and not worry about their education.

Mr. Addo also commended the staff of the school for their love and dedication in grooming the kids. He announced that there would be innovative packages for the staff and parents.

One of them will be our mode of fees collection, where every student would be required to pay half of the total fees including tuition, feeding and books on or before reopening. A discount would be awarded to parents who pay their total fees before 31st August, 2017 he expressed.

He further announced that from next academic year, there would be the modification and reactivated Directors Award, which entails exceptional students who get 90% in all subjects all year to travel with any of the directors to a country outside Ghana for a week or more.

He also urged Oddarene students not to stop studying during the holidays and watch less TV, but continue to showcase the values of the great school.

Two students, Precious Koranteng and Afi Amenya were rewarded as Best Students, while Mr. Amavi Akakpovi, a teacher and Madam Jennifer Annan who maintains tidiness in the school were also honoured for their service.

Mr. Theo Quaye, Head Master of Oddarene Christian School said the school has produced very good students and recommended it for parents in Dansoman and surrounding areas, as they have a school bus that takes the pupils from their home to school and back.
Ouagadougou (AFP) - Senior politicians in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday called for measures to cut the birth rate in the region in order to bring the population explosion there under control.

Deputies of ECOWAS, Mauritania and Chad should be aiming to cut back the birth rate to three children per woman, said Salifou Diallo, Burkina Faso's speaker of parliament.

The idea, he said, was to cut the birth rate in half by 2030, in a region that has the highest fertility rates in the world.

He called for countries to adopt measures including universal access to family planning, improved education for women and better health care of children, to bring about "a rapid, voluntary decline" in the birth rate.

With an average fertility rate of 5.6 children per woman, the highest in the world, the population in the 15-nation West African regional bloc will reach a billion people by 2050 if no changes are made, according to UN estimates.

"We are in a situation of uncontrolled demography and we cannot hope for development with such a situation," Diallo warned.

"It is urgent to contain the demographic push in the ECOWAS space to promote real, viable and durable development."

"Young people represent two thirds of the population," said Marcel De Souza, president of the ECOWAS Commission.

"This youth, when it doesn't find any solutions, becomes a bomb: they cross the desert or the Mediterranean, die by thousands through clandestine immigration," he added.

Adrien Houngbedji, president of Benin's parliament, said the region's politicians must decide themselves on the balance between controlling the birth rate and improving the quality of life.
- Luck ran out of a 40-year-old man, Kayode Adedeji as an High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state sentenced him to death for stealing N3,420

- Adedeji however pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of armed robbery when he was arraigned about eight years ago

- The defence counsel, Tunde Adedokun, prayed the court to be merciful in the judgment

An High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state has sentenced a 40-year-old man, Kayode Adedeji, to death by hanging for robbing a woman of N3,420 in the state.

Mr. Adedeji on Wednesday, July 19, was sentenced to death after he committed the crime on April 25, 2009.

The prosecuting counsel from the state ministry of justice, Elisabeth Alabi, declared to the court that Mr. Adedeji robbed one Omowumi Adebayo at Bolorunduro area in Ilesa of the money armed with a knife at midnight.

READ ALSO: Tinubu is ignorant of situation in Kano rural areas - Aminu Gwarzo

It was learnt that Alabi also claimed that the robber also had other dangerous weapons during his attack on Mrs. Adebayos residence.

Mr. Adedeji was said to have fled the scene of the robbery immediately but he was later arrested by some members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Premium Times reports.

He however pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of armed robbery when he was arraigned about eight years ago and was granted bail.

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Mrs Alabi ruled that the offence ran foul of the law and punishable under Section 11(2)(A) CAPR II, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.

The presiding judge, Kudirat Akano, found Mr. Adedeji guilty of the crime and convicted him.

The defence counsel, Tunde Adedokun, prayed the court to be merciful in her judgment but Judge Akano later ordered that offender should be put to death by hanging.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the federal High Court sitting in Lagos state ordered the interim forfeiture of some assets linked to a former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison Madueke.

The interim order of forfeiture was in respect to an estate in Banana Island, Lagos, Channels TV reports.

Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of INEC official at Abuja court:

Source: Legit.ng
- A Fulani association has accused the federal goverment and Taraba state governments of destroying lives and properties in 19 communities in Mambilla

- In June, residents of Mambilla plateau in Sardauna local government area of Taraba state took arms against each other over a protracted land dispute

- The association has now sued the federal government $200m as compensation for the damages suffered by their members during the clash

Nigeria's federal government and Taraba state have been slammed with a $200m lawsuit by the the Fulani community in Nigeria over alleged rights violation during the recent communal clash between herdsmen and farmers on the Mambilla plateau.

In June, residents of Mambilla plateau in Sardauna local government area of Taraba state took arms against each other over a protracted land dispute and this resulted into a bloody carnage.

READ ALSO: You are toying with fire - Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB get serious warning ahead of Anambra election

In the suit which was filed at the ECOWAS court in Abuja, the petitioner demanded for a whopping sum as compensation for loss they alleged to have suffered during the crises, Premium Times reports.

The crises have been dogged with conflicting reports in terms of casualties since the unfortunate incident.

While the Nigerian government reported that only 18 people were killed in the violence, the Fulani community claimed that at least 732 people were killed or missing and 25,000 cattle were killed in the process.

Fulani leaders also alleged that they lost properties worth millions of naira as their properties were looted and destroyed.

The suit at the ECOWAS court was filed by the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria, with the federal government of Nigeria as first respondent and the Taraba State government as second.

According to complaints filed by its solicitor, Yusuf Dankofa, a Professor of Law, and three others, the Fulani association accused the federal goverment and Taraba state governments of destroying lives and properties in 19 communities in Mambilla between 17th and 23rd of June, 2017 in a well-coordinated and organized manner fit to be aptly described as Genocide.

In the filing, the applicants said that the Fulani communities on the Mambilla Plateau suffered continuous and well-coordinated attacks by the militia group of the Mambilla ethnic group under the leadership of the Sardauna local government chairman whose authority is as stipulated by the 2nd Defendant as provided by the Constitution of the 1st Defendant.

Part of the petition read:

5. NARRATION OF FACTS BY THE PLAINTIFF:

i. This suit is brought by the Registered Trustees of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (to be subsequently called: Gan Allah) on behalf of the Fulani Communities on the Mambilla Plateau of Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State; against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a member of the Economic Community for West Africa (ECOWAS) and a state party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, and other related human rights treaties and against the 2nd Defendant for its roles in permitting the carnage committed against the Fulani Communities on the Mambilla Plateau.

ii. Gan Allah is a socio-economic, political and human rights non-governmental organization registered under Nigerian laws, and whose mandates include the promotion of respect for socio-economic, political and human rights of the Fulani ethnic group in Nigerian, through litigation, research and publications, advocacy and monitoring. Gan Allah is aimed at promoting good governance, accountability, fairness to all and responsible leadership within Nigeria.

iii. The thrust of this application is the gruesome killings and destruction of properties of the 19 Fulani communities settled on the Mambilla Plateau of Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State of Nigeria. This destruction of lives and properties in the said communities went on between 17th and 23rd of June, 2017 in a well-coordinated and organized manner fit to be aptly described as Genocide.

iiii. The Fulani communities under focus being subject-matter of this suit are

1. Gembu Ardorate

2. M/Sollare Ardorate

3. Part of Mbamnga Ardorate

4. Ngubin Ardorate

5. Mayo-Dule

6. Papa Ardorate

7. Mbar Ardorate

8. Tamnya Ardorate

9. Laide Ardorate

10. Ardo Ali Nguroje

11. Ardo Adamu Nguroje

12. Ardo Idirisa Nguroje

13. Nguroje Town

14. Titong Ardorate

15. Kan-Iyaka Ardorate

16. Njabbai Ardorate

17. Leme Ardorate

18. Sherif Ardorate

19. Hainnare Ardorate

v. In this carnage, a total of 732 people were confirmed killed or missing while 25,000 cattle killed, and property worth hundreds of millions looted and destroyed.

vi. The Fulani communities on the Mambilla Plateau suffered continuous and well-coordinated attacks by the militia group of the Mambilla ethnic group under the leadership of the Sardauna Local Government Chairman whose authority is as stipulated by the 2nd Defendant as provided by the Constitution of the 1st Defendant.

vii. These wanton killings and destruction of properties orchestrated by the Mambilla Ethnic Group of Taraba State against the Fulani Communities was said to have been a protest against the arrest of one Umaru CID, a ring leader of the militia group. The arrest was as a result of on-going litigation over land dispute. A detailed report on this is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial of this suit.

viii. The Plaintiff contends that the Fulani Communities in the Sardauna Local Government Area have always been under attack by the Mambilla Ethnic Group since 1979 through 1980, 1982, 2001, 2002 and now 2017. In all of these attacks, the losses are unbearably high in virtually all conceivable terms; lives, properties, etc

ix. The Plaintiff states that in the 2002 crises alone, well over 60, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), as well as some more than 40, 000 refugees who fled into the Cameroon Republic as a consequence of the carnage engineered against them under the watchful eyes of the Defendants.

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x. The Nigerian government has continued to fail or neglected to respect, protect, fulfil and promote the human rights of the Fulani ethnic communities by among others failing to provide deserving protection and security. The Nigerian government has also failed to systematically assess the conditions and situation of the IDPs who continue to suffer after every attack against the Fulani communities all these years. In other words, the Nigerian government has failed to exercise due diligence and to act proactively to avert a recurrence and to as well unravel the complicity of the 2nd Defendant under whose government this carnage and genocide are being carried out.

xi. The Plaintiff contends that the history, complexity and manifestations of this genocidal attack on women and even children of the Fulani Communities on the Mambilla Plateau in Nigeria need to be placed within the context of a larger human rights problem in the country.

xii. The human rights challenges posed by these continuous attacks on the Fulani communities show that the Nigerian government is failing to meet its clear obligations and commitments under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and other international instruments highlighted above.

xiii. The Parliament of the 2nd Defendant known as the Taraba State House of Assembly have, sequel to these attacks, commenced the consideration of an Executive Bill tagged The Taraba State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill, 2017.

xiiii. The said bill is to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock in Taraba State and the purported establishment of ranches for purposes connected to rearing of livestock.

xv. It is a matter of common knowledge that the only known ethnic group in the world engaged in rearing of animals as part of their culture and life is the Fulani ethnic group who are scattered around different locations in the world.

xvi. As a matter of cultural heritage, open rearing/grazing of livestock having been passed onto generations to generations is the life and economy of the Fulani group on which the Fulani man survives.

xvii. The value of open-grazing of animals is expressed in not only the economy of the Fulani man but also in the social structure and framework of the Fulani ethnic group.

xviii. The establishment of ranches is a limitation of immeasurable degrees and the life of the Fulani Man expressed in nomadic rearing of animals would be curtailed and made difficult thereby threatening his survival/existence.

xix. The bill is a Fulani-targeted bill aimed at making the survival of the Fulani people of Taraba especially on the Mambilla Plateau an extremely difficult one.

xx. That allowing this bill to be passed into law only infringes the rights of the Applicants and others for whom they have filed this Application.

xxi. The Plaintiff contend that the above highlighted human rights economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rightsare recognized and guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, and other related human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.

xxii. Given other regional human rights jurisprudence in this field, the Plaintiff contends that the ECOWAS Court can play a pivotal role in addressing this unfortunate situation in order to avert a recurrence of this carnage.

Legit.ng had reported that more than 50 houses were burnt down in two communities in Taraba state.

The incident happened following a communal clash between two communities in Sardauna local government area of the state.

According to the report, 300 people were displaced in the clash which occurred on Sunday, January 22.

The Taraba state police command spokesman, DSP David Misal who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview said the incident took place in Wuro Dande and Wuro Buba Bagura, near Tamviya village on the Mambilla Plateau.

According to Misal, the incident was triggered by a court case instituted by members of the two communities against some youths of Tamviya village alleging invasion and occupation of their land.

Watch Legit.ng video of the Nigerian Air force giving details of the battle against Boko Haram:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Lagos state local government elections is currently closing as the parties eagerly awaits results

- The seats for chairmanship and councillorship positions in 57 LGAs and LCDAs are up for grabs.

- The results, the Lagos Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) chairman said, will be announced at the wards and LG collation centres

Voting is closing as various parties battle for the control of the many local government areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.

Results are being awaited for the chairmanship and councillorship positions in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.

READ ALSO: Warri pastor orders single ladies to queue, pick any man they want in church (video)

The Lagos Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) earlier announced that the results of the election would be announced at the wards and local government collation centres.

LASIEC chairman Ayotunde Philips also said the commission will monitor developments at various collation centres and locations across the state.

READ ALSO: Fulani herdsmen sue FG, Taraba state at ECOWAS court, demand $200m

Philips while in a meeting with electoral stakeholders said the monitoring will be achieved through reports sent to the election support centre at the headquarters of LASIEC by filed officers of the commission.

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Legit.ng is currently on the field as voting closes in various polling units in Lagos. Read our coverage of the election below:

READ ALSO: Why I never respond to some people on Buhari's health status - Femi Adesina

Check out details of unofficial results which details of unofficial results which Legit.ng has obtained

3pm - Voting has been completed in most parts of the state and counting of votes is about to commence.

12.50 pm - Lagos Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule votes in IBA

12. 19 pm - The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu just arrived at Ikeja, Lagos to cast his vote.

Tinubu is seen dressed in an all white traditional attire with his trademark cap.

Tinubu is seen dressed in an all white traditional attire with his trademark cap. Photo credit: Emmanuel Osodi

While casting his vote the APC national leader said: "The exercise is going smoothly, I am thanking the people of Lagos state. They respected the order to come out and cast their votes. We are pleased and we are doing well."

11.40 am - Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa was unable to cast his vote.

Obasa went home from his Polling Unit due to non-availability of voting materials.

Tinubu is seen dressed in an all white traditional attire with his trademark cap. Photo credit: Emmanuel Osodi

11.38 - APC national leader Bola Tinubu on his way to Sunday Adegun street from his residence in Bourdillon.

Tinubu is seen dressed in an all white traditional attire with his trademark cap. Photo credit: Emmanuel Osodi

Legit.ng gathered that Tinubu will be casting his vote at the Polling Unit on the street where his wife Remi already exercised her franchise.

READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu drops bombshell, reveals why Rivers state will be Biafra capital

Tinubu is seen dressed in an all white traditional attire with his trademark cap. Photo credit: Emmanuel Osodi

11.37 - Accreditation and voting has commenced fully in Ward A1 Agege, Agege local council area.

11.36 - There is low turn out of voters at Polling Unit 12, Lekki Scheme 1, however party agents are optimistic that voters will soon start coming out to cast their votes.

11.30 am - APC chairmanship candidate Sakiru Balogun dies in auto crash on Lagos LG polls eve.

Balogun was said to have died in accident which involved a LAWMA truck, a four-feet container and late Baloguns Special Utility Vehicle jeep.

READ ALSO: Royal fathers gather to discuss Obiano, Chidoka's candidacy ahead of Anambra election

Some of his supporters who were met with the news of his demise at the polling units also trooped to his residence for confirmation.

11. 29 - The Lagos LG/LCDA election has been relatively peaceful without any form of violence being reported in the parts of the state visited by the Legit.ng team

Lagosians cast their votes

Lagos LG/LCDA election in progress

11.20 am - Voting has commenced in several parts of Lagos state and some of the electorates were pictured casting their votes.

Voting process in Lagos LG/LCDA polls

11.15 am - Lagos streets appear empty as LASIEC officials commence with election process

11.06 - LASIEC officials patiently wait for voters at the Nigerian Army Resettlement Centre, Oshodi Express road.

One of the party agents said the ward is mainly for army officers.

He said: "They come out at their own convenience.

10.52 am - Governor Ambode tweets after his accreditation and voting at Ogunmodede Junior/Senior College Epe.

10.30 am - Streets in Lagos are still empty as LASIEC begins election process for LG/LCDA polls

Election in progress in Lagos state

10.05 am - Some residents in Lagos defied the rain to vote in various areas of the state.

9.54 am - Distribution of electoral materials begins at the INEC office in Egbe-Idimu LCDA.

The election in Lagos state has relatively been peace

9.50 am - Governor Ambode casts his vote in Ward A6, Ogunmodede Junior College Epe in EPE Area of Lagos state.

Also arrangement of election materials by supervisors are in progress as they (the supervisors) have promised that accreditation will commence immediately.

Officials arranging electoral materials

9.40 am - Lagos state Governor Akinwunmi Ambode queues up in a Polling Unit in EPE area to cast his vote

READ ALSO: See the face of injured Boko Haram terrorist rescued by the Nigerian army troop (Photo)

The governor in an interview said: I am happy so far so good, reports from everywhere suggests that it has been peaceful. I voted here in 2015 and Im back here today. Hope the results favour my party."

He also commended the electoral officers and the people of Lagos state for the peace and calm experienced so far.

We have done so much to make sure that the election is peaceful and I am pleased with the preparations of LASEIC, I urged everyone to come out and exercise your franchise," Ambode said.

READ ALSO: You are playing with fire - Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB get serious warning ahead of Anambra election

9.37 am - Heavy rain on Lagos Island as residents go to the poll

Heavy rain on Lagos Island as residents go to the poll

9.31 am - Preparation in progress at 41 Road, Festac town Polling Unit.

An official at a polling unit

9. 30 am - Preparation in progress at 21 Road, Festac town Polling Unit.

9.26 am - LASIEC officials sighted around Sunday Adeogun street in Alausa area of Lagos.

9.25 am - Momentum gradually building up around Alausa area of Lagos where Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may likely to cast his vote.

9.22 am - LASIEC officials seen in Ikeja City Mall Area of Lagos state but not one official were sighted from Ikeja Under Bridge to Allen Avenue.

The election process in Lagos has relatively been peaceful

9.19 am - Some residents in Oke Afa area of Isolo have vowed not to come out to vote because of the flood in the area.

The residents claimed they cannot vote for a government that is not responsive to the plight of the people.

Residents in Oke Afa area of Isolo have vowed not to come out to vote due to flood

Residents in Oke Afa area of Isolo have vowed not to come out to vote due to the floods

8.57 am - Officials present at Anifowoshe of Ikeja LGA, election materials ready and well arranged at the unit

8.36 am - Officials of LASIEC just arrived at the Ward E, Agidingbi, Ojodu local council area where voters have been waiting patiently.

Officials arrival at a Polling unit in Agidingbi. Source: Premium Times

The officials have also started setting up materials for the election process.

An official who spoke at the unit said accreditation and voting would be done concurrently.

8.12 am - Security officials have also barricaded the roads in Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos state.

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8.11 am - Rain, flood takes over Lagos mainland as Island remains cloudy ahead of LG polls

Also, houses in Sabo area of Yaba, Lagos were reportedly submerged in water on Saturday, July 22, morning.

8.10 am - At the Alausa, Ikeja, there are no signs of election officials or materials in Ward F

However, many voters were seen waiting for LASIEC officials and election materials in front of St. Anglican primary school Ikeja polling unit.

7.52 am - Officials of the LASIEC are currently present in Ward D Opebi in Onigbongbo Local council.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of Tinubu speaking on Lagos LG elections:

You can watch this short video of the flooding in Lagos Mainland below:

You can watch this Legit.ng video of former President Goodluck Jonathan saying Nigerians want PDP back in 2019:

Source: Legit.ng
- Atiku says he favours a restructured and a united Nigeria

- The former vice president however says restructuring would not immediately resolve all of Nigerias challenges

Former Nigerias Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has again said he favours the call for restructuring of the country.

According to him, he wants a Nigeria that every man, woman, and child has a chance to build and share in this great nations potential.

Atikus position was contained in a transcript of his speech at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka on the occasion of the Senior Staff Club Lecture Series on Restructuring Nigeria/Award of Excellence in Good Governance on Wednesday July 19.

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His statement read: Let me begin with a rhetorical question: why do I, Atiku Abubakar, favour a restructured Nigeria?

The answer is simple: because I am proudly Nigerian and favour a united Nigeria that offers every man, woman and child a brighter future where each and everyone has a chance to build and share in this great nations potential.

The Restructuring I want to see happen is changing the structure of our country to take power from the elite and give it back to whom it belongs: the people. It will help to bring the benefits of the change that our people were promised in the last general elections.

For a number of years now we have been making the case for the restructuring of our federal system. This is in response to the cries of marginalisation by various segments of country as well as the understanding that our federation, as presently constituted, impedes optimal development and the realization of our peoples aspirations. As you all know, virtually every segment of this country has at one point or the other complained of marginalisation by one or more segments, and agitated for change.

However, the former vice president was quick to note that restructuring would not immediately resolve all of Nigerias challenges.

READ ALSO: OPINION: PMB and the descendants of Shimei by Femi Adesina

He said: Before I proceed, let me caution us all that restructuring, by whatever name, is not a magic bullet that would resolve all of Nigerias challenges or those of any section, region or zone of the country. Listening to some people, even those who seek to dismember the country, you would think that once their dream is achieved their part of the country or the country as a whole will become paradise.

Yet, as we all know, life is not that simple. We need restructuring in order to address the challenges that hold us back and which restructuring alone can help us address, and which will remain unaddressed unless we restructure. Period. This also answers the cynics who question whether restructuring is even important since it wont solve all our problems. No system would.

To me, restructuring means making changes to our current federal structure so it comes closer to what our founding leaders established, in response to the very issues and challenges that led them to opt for a less centralized system.

Perhaps it is because I spent a decade in the private sector before coming back to the public sector as Vice President that I have the benefit of a paradigm that sees opportunity where others see a crisis, but that is my world view.

Atiku said that restructuring was beyond resource control, adding that his vision about the issue will not make states richer or poorer.

He said: The issue of restructuring is beyond resource control. There are other and even more important issues in this whole debate which I will address in this speech, but as resource control seems to be the one issue that many blocs are fixated on, let me take some time to address it first.

My vision of Restructuring, will not make some States richer and others poorer. Restructuring is a win win for all Nigerian states.

So let me make it clear beyond any possible doubt: the Restructuring I am proposing will not reduce the share of our nations oil revenues that any state currently enjoys. However, if we are to grow our revenues we need to change the way we think of our resources and nurture them for the benefit of all.

So let us start by not thinking as if our resources consist only of oil. Oil is not infinite. In fact, within the industry, the oil majors and multinationals are looking for ways to further invest in alternative energy because, in the next 10-20 years, the proportion of the energy market share that fossil fuels hold will shrink and almost vanish even as that of alternative energy is set to rise dramatically.

Automobile manufacturers such as Volvo and Peugeot have announced plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars. This is not a conspiracy. It is a fact. The man just elected as Frances President, Emmanuel Macron, has told the world that petrol and diesel cars will be illegal to make or sell in France by 2040. Norway has said it will do the same but earlier: by 2025.

On a recent visit to the United Kingdom, I noticed that senior members of the Conservative Party were driving the Toyota Mirai, a car that runs on hydrogen and emits water instead of harmful carbon monoxide. Professor Tony Seba, a world renowned global economist, has published his findings that all new cars will be electric by 2025.

So the world is not waiting for us to see reason and re-engineer our economy. If we do, they will work with us. If we do not, the world will leave us behind.

He added: For the last decade, Nigeria has made an average of $30 billion per annum from oil. This may look like a lot of money, but when you factor in our population of close to 200 million people growing at one of the highest rates in the world at 2.6% per annum, that money starts to look relatively small. We must begin to look for other and more sustainable sources of income that are also realistic.

Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, imports 82% of her food from outside the continent. Every year, Africa spends $35.4 billion on food imports from Europe, Asia and America.

I have been to virtually all the worlds continents and too many of her nations, and scientists everywhere agree with what the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says, that Africa and particularly Nigeria has some of the most fertile soils on planet earth. Why cant most of that $35.4 billion, which is bigger than our annual revenues from oil, come to Nigeria instead? It is not coming now because our focus is on how to share the $30 billion we get from oil every year and when your focus is on sharing, you cannot be creative."

Atiku noted that the main purpose of restructuring should be to eliminate those policies that feed the mindset which drives the sharing behaviour.

He said: The whole purpose of Restructuring is to eliminate those policies that feed the mindset that drives the sharing behaviour so that we can have a paradigm shift towards a mindset that drives creative and productive behaviour. We do not have to look too far. We are already seeing it in Nigeria.

I just told you that I was recently in the U.K. One of the things I learned on that visit is that Britain is very pleased with the increase in vegetable imports from Nigeria especially pumpkin leaves.You in the Southeast call it ugu. One state, Anambra, has decided to take her share of the $35.4 billion Africa spends importing food and is now exporting ugu to other nations including the U.K.

Some oil producing states are owing workers salary, Anambra is not owing. A number of oil producing states took the Federal Government bailout, Anambra did not take it. Anambra state is proof that restructuring is good for our states and will not bankrupt them.

If Anambra, a state that suffers from soil erosion and has a very high population density, can export 5 million worth of pumpkin leaves to foreign nations, 1 million tubers of yam to Europe and millions of dollars-worth of scent leaves, locally known as nchuanwu, then much larger states like Kano, Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun and Rivers should be able to do even more.

The time has come to say the truth. Whilst it might be inconvenient for our elite who are the ones profiting from the oil rent economy and the feeding bottle of our current deformed federalism, I believe we need to speak the truth. And the truth is this: our national wealth is being drained by a select few instead of building a country for all of us. It has to end. We need to return resources and power back to the local level, and from the elite to the people. Only by restructuring can we guarantee Unity, Equity and Security for our nation.

Meanwhile, the deputy national publicity secretary of the APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has warned his party leadership not to embark on a project that will anger Nigerians.

Comrade Frank who was reacting to the panel constituted by the ruling party to look into the issue of restructuring, further warned that he party should not play with the sensibility of most citizens.

He also condemned the appointment of Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as the panel chairman.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video asking Nigerians if they want the country to be restructured or to split:

Source: Legit.ng
- Some Some royal fathers in Anambra state have began consultations for the November 18, Anambra election

- The royal fathers are having series of meetings with major stakeholders in the state

- The monarchs are said to have narrowed their choices on Obiano, a former minister of aviation Osita Chidoka and one other aspirant in the Anambra guber

Some royal fathers in Anambra state have began consultations for the forthcoming election in the state, Legit.ng can authoritatively report.

It was also gathered that the politically embattled governor of the state Willie Obiano may be having more trouble than envisaged as some key traditional rulers in the state are now in intense consultations with political stakeholders.

Legit.ng gathered that the royal fathers have narrowed in on Obiano, a former minister of aviation Osita Chidoka and one other aspirant.

READ ALSO: Lagos LG polls: APC chairmanship candidate Sakiru Balogun dies in auto crash on election eve

However, the former minister is seen many quarters as the key contestant with Obiano in the race for the seat of the governor in Anambra state.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Chidoka announced his intention to run as governorship aspirant under the platform of the United Progressive Party (UPP), a relatively unknown pan-Igbo party which has since gained rapid spread and spread and acceptance in the state after his motive was declared.

Also, sources close to the monarchs informed told Legit.ng that the royal fathers, though non-partisan personalities have been holding series of meetings and consultations with key political stakeholders in Anambra.

The sources said the consultations are aimed at streamlining their support lines as well as ensure a peaceful poll in the state on November 18 amidst the backdrop of the growing hostilities between the Biafra separatist groups and the governor.

The sources also said that some influential royal fathers including those from Obiano's Aguleri area held a crucial meeting on the issue on Wednesday, July 19.

READ ALSO: Warri pastor orders single ladies to queue, pick any man they want in church (video)

Although details of the closed door meeting is not yet known, one of the sources confirmed reports that discussions are geared towards narrowing on the duo.

The source said the royal fathers considered the possible implications of the bitter tussle in Obianos party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over hiccups he is currently facing in securing the partys ticket as well as his issues with Biafra separatist groups.

The source said the royal fathers fear that these challenges might work against the governor on the November 18 election, hence the need to position an alternative.

You know traditional rulers are non-partisan entities but they have the obligation to ensure that things work smoothly and peacefully," the source told Legit.ng.

READ ALSO: Why I never respond to some people on Buhari's health status - Femi Adesina

"They are looking at a lot of issues relating to the elections; the agitations by separatist groups, those calling for no election in the state and a lot of other things. All they want is a peaceful process and they are making a lot of consultations.

The source said: "They (the royal fathers) are taking a lot of things into consideration including the fact that Chidoka is one aspirant that has shown high level preparedness and zeal for governance coupled with his experience in public service as well as extensive mobilization at the grassroots.

The sources also explained that the royal fathers are yet to foreclose on the other aspirants although consideration for a public debate is in full gear.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that 52 bishops and 144 priests alongside a representative of the acting president Yemi Osinbajo and former President Goodluck Jonathan attended the funeral of the mother of the governor of Anambra state.

The bishops including 26 from the Catholic Church, 16 from the Anglican Communion who were led by Primate Nicholas Okoh were all present at the funeral of 90-year old Christiana Obiano.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of the former minister of aviation driving Nnamdi Kanu out of Kuje Prison:

Source: Legit.ng
- Nigerian army has ordered troops fighting against insurgents in the northeast to capture Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram terror group, dead or alive within 40 days

- Mr Attahiru, a major general, was directed to employ every weapon available in his arsenal to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria

- This order however shows that Shekau has not been captured since 2009 that the Boko Haram has been waging a war against the Nigerian

Troops are to be on the move since the Nigerian army has given them a forty day ultimatum to capture Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group dead or alive.

Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, made this charge on Friday, July 21, to the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Ibrahim Attahiru.

Premium Times reports that the statement was signed by Sani Usman, the spokesperson of the army.

READ ALSO: Nigeria sells 400 cars to Mali (photos)

The statement read: ''The Boko Haram leader must be captured dead or alive within 40 days, the statement said, adding that Mr. Attahiru, a major general, was directed to employ every weapon available in his arsenal to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria.

The general public is pleased requested to also assist and volunteer information that would lead to the accomplishment of this task.

Legit.ng gathered that military had however informed the members of the public in the past that it had put Shekau to death.

The endless bragging of Boko Haram leader in videos has taken many Nigerians by surprise because that negates the military claims.

It was learnt that on August 23, 2016, Mr Sani himself issued a statement saying that in the military effort to capture left Shekau fatal injury.

He said: If you have had the opportunity to go to Sambisa (forest in Borno), you will know that Boko Haram has been defeated, go and see what is happening in Sambisa.

We have dominated the whole stronghold where they used to be, there is where we call camp zairo where their spiritual and their strong headquarters that they were using as communication base was destroyed and as at the same time occupied by our men of the armed forces.

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So, I believe its just a matter of time, it took America about seven to 10 years to get Bin Laden so we will get Shekau as soon as possible.

I told you before now, the spiritual headquarters has been ransacked and vandalized. He (Shekau) is on the run, so he may be hiding in one of the enclaves of Sambisa forest that we are dominating.

We have opened up the place; we are using it as a training area whereby the army engineers will open roads. We shall be patrolling and be ransacking that forest for the whereabouts of Shekau.''

Boko Haram has been waging a war against the Nigerian state since 2009, using its violent campaign to pursue the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in Nigerias northeast.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Boko Haram terrorist, Abba Mustapha, was rescued by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, during an cross-fire exchange between the army and the terrorists.

Mustapha, who was injured and abandoned to his fate by his colleagues in the heat of heavy fire fight with Nigerian Army troops in one of the remote Forward Operating Bases in Ngala Local Government Area.

Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of a documentary on the survivors of Boko Haram:

Source: Legit.ng
In Benue state, community leaders have come out to warn young men who have refused to get married not to spend lavishly on wedding ceremonies.

It has been reported that traditional ruler of Otukpa, the headquarters of Ogbadibo LGA Benue state, Chief Sir Sunday Ekele Jp has banned young men planning to gets married not to spend more than N100,000 on traditional wedding ceremonies.

Joy FM, Otukpe further reported that Chief Ekele made this decision after discovering that young men in the community have refused to get married following the outrageous bride price being collected from them.

Traditional wedding gifts. Source: Google

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The chief said: Money should not prevent anyone from getting married in our community. From now onward, no one should spend more than hundred thousand naira before he gets a wife in our community. We need to encourage the young men so they wont be scared of going into marriage.

READ ALSO: Meet 45-year-old high school dropout now richest self-made woman in the world (photos)

Watch Legit.ng video below:

Source: Legit.ng
- The incident occurred in Agbado-Oke-Odo area of Lagos state

- The Rapid Response Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force says a mother and her daughter were killed in the disaster

- Rescue officials took care of the scene of the disaster

A building has reportedly collapsed in Meiran, Agbado-Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos state.

The Rapid Response Squad in a press statement said the dead were a mother and daughter.

A mother and daughter died in the disaster. Photo: RRS

The statement read: "A collapsed building this afternoon claimed the lives of a mother and her daughter while they were washing cloth under an uncompleted building in Seidu Ekeleji Street, Alaro, Meiran, Agbado - Oke Odo area of Lagos.

"Although, another daughter was rescued live from the scene, the mother and older daughter were brought out dead from rumbles.

"The building, which was still under construction was in decking position when it collapsed.

"The mother and her two daughters, aged, 4 years and 2 years, according to neighbours, were washing cloth when the building collaped, killing the mother and the 2 year old daughters.

Rescue officers did their best to rescue those involved. Photo: RRS

"Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Rapid Response Squad and LASAMBUS were at the scene to offer rescue services."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported earlier that Sakiru Alabi Balogun, a chairmanship aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Ikotun/ Igando Local Council Development Area, on Friday, July 21, died in an auto crash along LASU/ Isheri road in Igando area of Lagos state.

A crowd gathered at the scene of the disaster on Saturday, July 22. Photo: RRS

According to a report on Vanguard, the accident involved a LAWMA truck, a four-feet container and late Baloguns Special Utility Vehicle jeep.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians sharing their views on where they would prefer to leave because of flooding in Lagos

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian military has attributed the mistake bombing at an internally displaced persons camp in Rann, Borno state to lack of appropriate markings

- The military said a board of inquiry was constituted to investigate the incident

- It further recommended that all locations where humanitarian activities take place in the Theatre of operation should be marked appropriately for ground and aerial identification

The Nigerian military has attributed the mistake bombing at an internally displaced persons camp in Rann, Borno state to lack of appropriate markings.

In a statement released by the Defence Headquarters on Saturday, July 23, on the bombing and two major issues in the force, the military said boards of inquiries were constituted.

The DHQ in its statement said it was provided with the reports of all the boards constituted, to investigate the various incidents.

The two other incidents are: the Armed clash between some Nigerian Army and Police personnel in Damaturu, Yobe state on April 11, and the clash between Nigerian Navy and Police personnel in Calabar, May 30.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: Tension in Lagos as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa fails to cast his vote (photos, video)

The DHQ said that by the ethics of the military professional, "all the reports were harnessed by a final Board at the Defence Headquarters, to have a clear picture of the incidents."

In its 'comprehensive reports of each incident', the DHQ said the unfortunate airstrike on Rann IDP camp on January 17, was because people were not expected to amass at the location of the camp.

The DHQ said: "The main reason that caused the unfortunate airstrike near the IDP camp at Rann, was lack of appropriate marking of the area, near the Camp where the IDPs were struck."

Hitherto, people were not expected to amass at that location. Furthermore, the location was not reflected in the operational map as a humanitarian base.

READ ALSO: I want to grant press interviews, attend rallies - Nnamdi Kanu says as he files motion to fight bail conditions

The normal pattern for Boko Haram Terrorists to form up, before attacking innocent civilians and troops is to amass," the statement said.

The military added that mass of people figured at the Rann camp appeared like the place could also be used for terrorists' activities.

"Thus, when mass movement was noticed through aerial satellite observation, it was taken for Boko Haram Terrorists activity, which needed to be neutralized with speed," the DHQ said.

The DHQ further recommended that in order to avoid such occurrence, all locations of humanitarian activities taking place in locations of military operation be marked appropriately.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

It said this will enable ground and aerial identification of activities in the area in line with international best practices.

"All locations where humanitarian activities take place in the Theatre of operation should be marked appropriately for ground and aerial identification in line with international best practices.

"The geographical and spatial coordinates of all areas of humanitarian activities within the Theatre, should be provided to the Theatre Command Headquarters.

"There should be timely and mandatory exchange of information between stakeholders, for all activities in the Theatre of operation," the DHQ added in its recommendation.

Meanwhile for the clash between some Nigerian Army and police personnel in Damaturu, the DHQ said a strict centralized operational and administrative control should be exercised on all security agencies serving under the operation

"Offenders in the incident are to be sanctioned appropriately, to serve as deterrence to other personnel in the Theatre of operation.

READ ALSO: Rivers state will be capital of Biafra - Nnamdi Kanu

"The outcome of all disciplinary action, should be communicated to other parties," it said.

Also on the clash between Nigerian Navy and Police Personnel in Calabar, the report revealed that the crisis escalated from a misunderstanding between a naval rating and a police officer.

It also recommended that: "The Nigerian Navy and Police, should institute further investigation to identify erring personnel for sanctions, security services should periodically remind their personnel to always comply with standing regulations, at all times and places.

Further on the matter, all Nigerians and the general public have been urged by the DHQ to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria to tackle security challenges, while the troops remain committed to carrying out its roles professionally.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of Nigerian Air Force operations against Boko Haram:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian Senate has denied the rumours that the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill has been dropped

- The Senate insists that the bill is still part of the Constitution Review process

- The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara gave a similar assurance recently

The Nigerian Senate has denied the rumours that the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill has been dropped

Some media reports had suggested that bill was dropped at the end of the recently concluded joint retreat of national legislators on Constitution Review in Lagos.

The reports had sparked reactions and condemnations from civil society groups and youth organisations across the country.

The Senate says it is fully in support of the Not Too Young To Run Bill

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A statement by the Senate on Saturday, July 22 stated that, The Bill to amend the age requirements to run for office (#NotTooYoungToRun Bill) is still and has always been a part of the Constitution Review process.

The #NotTooYoungToRun Bill was part of the Report that was laid on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, July 20 by the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

As directed by the Senate President, the Senate, at its plenary next week Tuesday, will begin consideration of all the Constitution Review Bills  this also includes the #NotToYoungToRunBill.

Similarly, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, recently said the bill has not been removed from the constitution amendment report.

Dogara reaffirmed his support for youth inclusion in politics, adding that though the bill was retained, the title was changed.

READ ALSO: Amuwo Odofin LG residents vote peacefully in the ongoing council polls

In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians if they support the call for the Senate to be scrapped.

Source: Legit.ng
- The leader of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) Yerima Shettima has made a U-turn on the quit notice issued to the Igbos living in the North by the forum

- Shettima said Igbos living in the Northern part of Nigeria can continue to live there without fear of any form of attack

- He had earlier led the group that issued a quit notice to the Igbos living in the North

The leader of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) Yerima Shettima on Friday, July 21, made a U-turn on the quit notice issued to the Igbos living in the North by the forum.

Shettima while speaking with the Sun said Igbos who are living in the Northern part of Nigeria can continue to live there without fear of any form of attack.

The Arewa youth leader said: "They [Igbos] are safe. You can rest assured they are safe. You can quote me; they are safe in the North.

READ ALSO: 7 months after, Nigerian military finally reveals why it bombed Rann IDP camp

Responding to possibility of attack on these Nigerians living in the Northern region, Shettima added that; "They are safe. Events and time have changed the mindset of the northerner, not even me who represents their interest.

No, they shouldnt go. They should relax. Officially, we will make an announcement to that effect because it is a collective thing. So they can rest assured of their safety and security God willing.

We have no problems with the Igbo living in the North, but there are certain things we need to put in place so that officially at the level of the coalition we can make that statement.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: Tension in Lagos as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa fails to cast his vote (photos, video)

Shettima's new stand on the habitation of the Igbos in the Northern comes barely one month after he led his group to issue a three-month ultimatum - the Kaduna declaration - on Ndigbos in the region.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the forum while giving out the ultimatum also urged all Northerners in the south-eastern part of the country to immediately start moving back to their various states.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app

The forum said the ultimatum became necessary following the growing call for the break up of Nigeria by the Nnamdi Kanu led Indigenous People of Biafra.

The group during its press conference in Kaduna said the Igbos have made much noise about leaving Nigeria and were free to go.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of Nnamdi Kanu and his agitation for Biafra:

Source: Legit.ng
Obtaining an insurance policy is one of the most important things any traveler can do for protection from health, safety, and financial risks that accompany international travel.

One of the great things about Canada is that health care coverage is paid for by the government, for Canadian citizens which makes it a great place to live.

Whether your planned visit to Canada is for a few weeks or a few months any visitor will not be covered under the Canadian government health insurance plans.

Hence it is imperative that when applying for visitor visa to Canada you obtain an insurance policy to protect yourself incase of unforeseen circumstances.

In this article, Legit.ng presents three types of insurance policy you can obtain when applying for a visit visa to Canada.

Take note: Visitors to Canada need medical insurance

1. Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a type of short-term insurance which protects the financial investment in a trip. It may include coverage for lost baggage, trip cancellation, flight accident, and/or other losses incurred while traveling.

Whether or not a travel insurance plan also covers medical expenses incurred abroad depends on the particular policy.

However, typical travel insurance for Canada covers accidental, medical and travel emergencies during your stay in the country.

2. Health Insurance

As a tourist visiting Canada you must have health insurance for the entire time you are in Canada. The health insurance must cover medical care, hospitalization, and repatriation.

People who are not Canadian residents are not covered by provincial health insurance plans. That means visitors could end up facing significant expenses if an illness or accident occurs while in the country.

3. Travel Medical Insurance

With travel medical insurance, you can be covered against emergency evacuation, medical expenses incurred on injury received during your trip, car accident, trip interruption or cancellation, loss of passport and wallet, misplaced luggage, inability to seek assistance in the event of natural disaster and other such potential risks.

To sum up, it is highly recommended that international tourists visiting Canada must get a Travel Medical Insurance for their visit to Canada, since the healthcare can be very expensive without proper health insurance coverage.

For more information here are Canadian embassy office addresses in Lagos and Abuja.

Canadian Deputy High Commission

Immigration Section,

4 Anifowoshe Street,

Victoria Island, Lagos.

Abuja office

15, Bobo Street Maitama,

Abuja Nigeria.

Canadian embassy official website, e-mail & call line:

Help desk line: +234-1-271-5650 (Lagos)

094612900 (Abuja)

Email: lagos@international.gc.ca

http://www.immigration.ca/canada-visit-tourist-visa/

READ ALSO: Here is how to renew Nigerian visa on a minors American passport

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians sharing their opinion on which country they could leave Nigeria for:

Source: Legit.ng
- The deportees were led back home by Mohammed Yahaya-Sani, the Consular at the Nigerian Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia

- The illegal immigrants were recieved by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kano

- The deportees voluntarily returned to Nigeria after receiving a three-month notice to leave Saudi Arabia

The Federal Government on Saturday received no fewer than 198 Nigerians illegally residing in Saudi Arabia at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10 am.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this number was out of the 1,800 Nigerians living illegally in Saudi Arabia, who were given amnesty to return to the country.

NAN reports that the 198 persons including women and children returned with their luggage on board a Med-View aircraft.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kano received the first batch of the returnees.

READ ALSO: Senator Sani 'confirms' APC's restructuring is a fake move

Mohammed Yahaya-Sani, the Consular at the Nigerian Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, who led the illegal immigrants to Nigeria, told newsmen at the airport that the Federal Government sponsored their return.

According to him, the illegal migrants voluntarily reported to the Nigerian Embassy to be returned to Nigeria in compliance with the three months evacuation notice issued to them by Saudi authorities, which will expire on July 24.

Yahaya-Sani said that contrary to speculations, the returnees were not deported rather they voluntarily accepted the amnesty offer granted them by the Saudi authorities for illegal immigrants to leave the country.

They decided on their own to return to Nigeria. The Saudi authorities offered amnesty to all illegal immigrants to leave the country within three months, he said.

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The official handed over the returnees to NEMA officials at the airport who witnessed and documented their returns before they later departed to their various towns and villages.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported recently that not less than 1,134 Nigerians were deported from about 9 different countries.

According to statistics released by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences, 1,134 Nigerians were deported for various immigration offences in three months.

Legit.ng gathered that the statistics covered February to April, 2017.

The agency said the offences included human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and non-possession of valid travel documents.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians sharing their opinion on whether Nigeria is still the giant of Africa

Source: Legit.ng
- The girls are headed to former vice president Abubakar Atiku's American University in Yola

- Reginald Briggs says the girls have made significant progress after being traumatized

- Alhassan says the university chose to take up the 21 released Chibok girls

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Senator Aisha Alhassan on Saturday, July 22 said the Chibok girls were ready for academic session in September and pleaded with abductors to release the remaining girls.

Alhassan disclosed this during a lunch with the released Chibok girls and their parents in Abuja.

They will be examined academically and placed appropriately, the ones that are qualified to enter into the university will be allowed to.

The American University, Yola had indicated interest in supporting 21 of the Chibok girls.

We are also meeting with the university to support the remaining girls so that they all can be in one place, she said.

READ ALSO: Donald Trump became US president by Gods divine will - Obasanjo

Alhassan said that the escaped 14 Chibok girls, who were released three years ago were given scholarships by the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

She said that the girls were properly examined academically, adding that they started a foundation courses for them.

The minister, however, pleaded for the release of the remaining Chibok girls and others in captivity, adding that the abductors should dialogue with government.

Reginald Briggs, the Assistant Vice President of America University, Yola, said the girls were initially traumatised but had made significant progress.

We have 24 of the Chibok girls with us, we try to keep their academic levels up by assessing them emotionally, psychologically, academically and we found out that they are at different academic levels.

They have foundation in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge and gradually we moved them to advanced stage.

They are studying difference courses such as journalism, computer science, accounting and law, he said.

Briggs said that the university was working toward supporting the 82 Chibok girls to be enrolled into the university.

The Chairman of the Chibok Girls Parents, Mr Yakubu Nkeki said that parents of the girls were happy meeting their children and appreciated the efforts of the government.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Catherine Udida, the Head of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Office of the National Security Adviser, said that the Chibok girls were fit psychological as they had gone through various tests.

She said that the girls were fully integrated, adding that initially they were shy but they now have confidence and ready to face the world.

One of the Chibok girls, Rhoda Peter appreciated the efforts of government and well-meaning Nigerians who had supported them.

Another Chibok girl, Hauwa Ntakai, who said she wants to be a medical doctor, also appreciated the government for helping her to achieve her dream.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the deputy secretary general of the United Nations Amina Mohammed on Thursday, July 20, met with some of the rescued Chibok girls.

The meeting which took place in Abuja was aimed at inspiring women and some of the girls cut up in conflict related areas in Nigeria.

Tweeting on her meeting with the girls, Mohammed said: "Women & girls are not only survivors but also crisis prevention agents.

"Inspiring chat with women leaders & conflict affected girls #DSGinNG."

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of children survivors of Boko Haram activities in the northeast

Source: Legit.ng
GamesRadar+ 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.
Captain America and the Winter Soldier Special #1 takes Marvel's secret history to a whole new level with a real world historical figure

If you know who Gavrilo Princip is, prepare to be shocked
Third way has a report on 48 north american companies and research institutions working on advanced small nuclear reactors.

Only five of those north american projects are considered to be in more advanced development by the World Nuclear association.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is conducting Phase 1 of a pre-licensing vendor design review on the Terrestrial Energy molten salt IMSR, which it expects to be completed in September 2017 as it moves into the engineering phase. It plans to submit either an application seeking design certification or a construction permit application for the IMSR-400 no later than October 2019 to the NRC. It hopes to commission its first commercial reactor by the early 2020s. The company and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories are considering the feasibility of siting a commercial plant at Chalk River.

NuScale lodged an application for US design certification in January 2017, and in July 2017 the NRC confirmed that its highly integrated protection system (HIPS) architecture was approved. NuScale has been engaged with the NRC since 2008, having spent some $130 million on licensing to November 2013. It expects the NRC review to take 40 months, so the first unit could be under construction in 2020 and in operation about 2023. A COL application is planned for early 2018. The company also expects to apply for generic design assessment in the UK in a similar timeframe.

Advanced Reactor Concepts LLC (ARC) set up in 2006 is developing a 260 MWt/100 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor based on the 62.5 MWt Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II). It will be factory-produced, with components readily assembled onsite, and with walk-away passive safety. Installation would be below ground level. The ARC-100 system comprises a uranium alloy metal core cartridge submerged in sodium at ambient pressure in a stainless steel tank.

Thermal efficiency is about 40% and it and could be paired with a supercritical carbon dioxide tertiary circuit to drive a turbine at high efficiency levels. Operating cost is expected to be $50/MWh.

In March 2017 GEH and ARC signed an agreement to collaborate on licensing an SMR design based on ARC-100, which will leverage extensive intellectual property and licensing experience of the GEH PRISM program. Initial deployment is envisaged in Canada, and they will seek a preliminary regulatory review with the CNSC through its Vendor Design Review process, likely to start late in 2017.

In October 2016 GEH signed an agreement with Southern Nuclear Development, a subsidiary of Southern Nuclear Operating Company, to collaborate on licensing fast reactors including PRISM. In June 2017 GEH joined a team led by High Bridge Energy Development Co. and including Exelon Generation, High Bridge Associates and URS Nuclear to license PRISM.

Holtec International has a subsidiary  SMR-160 LLC  to commercialize a 160 MWe factory-built reactor concept called the Holtec Inherently Safe Modular Underground Reactor (HI-SMUR). This has two external horizontal steam generators, and uses fuel similar to that in larger PWRs, including MOX. The 32 full-length fuel assemblies are in a fuel cartridge, which is loaded and unloaded as a single unit from the 31-metre high pressure vessel. Holtec claims a one-week refueling outage every 42 months. It has full passive cooling in operation and after shutdown for an indefinite period, and also a negative temperature coefficient so that it shuts down at high temperatures. The reactor will be offered with optional heat sink to atmosphere, using dry cooling. The whole reactor system will be installed below ground level, with used fuel storage. A 24-month construction period is envisaged for each $800 million unit ($5000/kW). Operational life claimed is 80 years.

Licensing of the SMR-160 in the USA will initially use an NRC process which involves a construction permit followed by an operating license, and later continuing to design certification under other licensing rules. Holtec originally expected to submit an application for design certification to the NRC late in 2016, but is now aiming for a license application by the end of 2018. In July 2017 a partner agreement with SNC-Lavalin based in Ontario was formalized, involving engineering support and licensing.
Indias plans to build ten indigenously designed pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs). The Indian cabinet approved the plan in May, 2017. The reactors are to be built at four plant locations  including two new sites  by 2031.

They approved the construction of ten 700 MWe units to fast-track Indias domestic nuclear power program.

Atomic Energy Minister Jitendra Singh said

* two of the reactors would be constructed as units 5 and 6 of the Kaiga nuclear power plant in Karnataka state;

* two as units 3 and 4 of the Gorakhpur plant in Haryana state;

* two as units 1 and 2 of the new Chutka plant in Madhya Pradesh; and

* four units at the new Mahi Banswara plant in Rajasthan.

They are scheduled to be progressively completed by 2031.

The estimated total cost of constructing the ten units is INR 1050 billion ($16.3 billion) at constant price level (excluding escalation and interest during construction).

Singh added that the materials, components and equipment needed to build the ten units will be sourced indigenously. When announcing plans for the new units, the cabinet said they would be a fully homegrown initiative, with likely manufacturing orders to Indian industry of about INR 700 billion.

The cabinet said the project will adopt a fleet mode, bringing substantial economies of scale and maximising efficiency. It is expected to generate more than 33,400 jobs and strengthen the countrys credentials as a major nuclear manufacturing powerhouse.

India has 6780 MWe of installed nuclear capacity from 22 operational reactors with another 6700 MWe expected to come on stream over the next five years. The first four indigenously designed 700 MWe PHWRs are being built at Kakrapar (units 3 and 4) and Rajasthan (units 7 and 8).
Cassia County

Felony sentencings

Wallace Eugene Morgan; felony possession of controlled substance, guilty, $285.50 costs, two years probation, two years determinate time, two years indeterminate time, 10 days credited, penitentiary suspended; misdemeanor driving under the influence, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Jason Joseph Bearce; felony controlled substance, manufacture or deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony controlled substancemanufacture or deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, guilty, $845.50 costs, three years probation, two years determinate time, three years indeterminate time, 23 days credited, 100 days community service, penitentiary suspended.

Larae Brady; felony controlled substancemanufacture or deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver amended felony controlled substance (conspiracy) to manufacture or deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, guilty, $905.50 costs, $100 restitution, three years probation, five years determinate time, ten years indeterminate time, two days credited, 200 hours community service, penitentiary suspended.

Felony dismissals

Deanna Larae Brady; felony possession of controlled substance, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Jordan Isaiah Vega; felony robbery, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony grand theft, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor batterydomestic violence without traumatic injury against a household member, guilty, $150 fine, $187.50 costs, 24 months probation, 365 days jail, 354 days suspended, 11 days credited.

Driving under the influence sentencings

Robert Vernon Blettenberg; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, disposition withheld.

Valentino CG Olivas; misdemeanor driving under the influence (excessive) amended misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, 90 days drivers license suspended, 18 months probation, 180 days jail, 173 days suspended, two days credited, must report to jail no later than June 30 @ 5 p.m.

Francisco P. Beltran; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $300 fine, $202.50 costs, 12 months probation, 90 days jail, 88 days suspended, one day credited, two days community service in lieu of jail.

Ashley S Pierce; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $300 fine, $202.50 costs, 90 days drivers license suspended, 18 months probation, 90 days jail, 87 days suspended, three days credited.

Jose Ramon Cordillo-Cordera; misdemeanor driving under the influence (excessive), guilty, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, 365 days drivers license suspended, 18 months probation,365 days jail, 344 days suspended, 21 days credited; misdemeanor fail to purchase or invalid drivers license, guilty, 18 months probation, 21 days jail, 21 days credited.
BELLEVUE  Joey Frye was only 7 years old when he descended into his first cave.

And hes been a regular visitor of the underground for the past 11 years.

This summer he traded in the lava tube caves found in Idaho for limestone caves carved out by rivers and water in Kentucky. Frye, 18, is a senior at Wood River High School and one of four Eagle Scouts selected for the National Eagle Scout Associations World Explorer Program. The highly competitive program launched in 2012 sends young men across the world to assisted researchers in destinations that have included the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon rain forest and South Africa.

Frye applied for the speleologist program  the scientific study of caves  where participants helped map and collect data in Kentuckys Mammoth Cave National Park. Frye worked alongside world-renowned speleologist and former NESA director Bill Steele and members of the Cave Research Foundation.

I heard a lot of great things about Mammoth Cave, Frye said. I wanted to go down and check it out and meet new Eagle Scout friends. I wanted to apply for the program because it involved two of my favorite activities  scouting and caving.

Hundreds applied for the program. In the first round, he had to write an essay. In the finals, he had to make a three-minute YouTube video.

Frye worked at Mammoth Cave National Park from June 28 to July 9. Mammoth Cave is the worlds longest cave with more than 400 miles explored. It holds the worlds record for the longest cave.

While he was there, Frye helped set a world record extending the caves record.

We surveyed virgin passage, Frye said. When you survey virgin passage you are extending the world record. We extended it about 200 feet.

Frye has been an Eagle Scout for three years and a member of the Boy Scouts for 10 years. He got into caving through his father, Steven, a member of the Silver Sage Grotto of the National Speleological Society. Frye is also a member of this group of local cavers.

Steven has never explored Mammoth Cave, but was excited his son would have the chance.

He was pretty much raised as a caver pretty much his whole life, Steven said. I think every caver wants to get into Mammoth Cave. It was a great opportunity because they got to go with a very small survey crew and find passages no one has ever been in before.

Frye helped with research on blind cave beetles inside Mammoth Cave.

We painted florescent paint on the bugs and go around the cave and see how many of those bugs we could find and see how many bugs died, he said.

He also helped survey caves near Mammoth Cave such as Wilsons Cave.

Inside Wilsons Cave, Fryes expertise was put to the test. There were several times he had to belly crawl for a mile with only about 10 inches of space

In 2014, Joey led international cavers into ice caves during the International Ice Cave Symposium in Idaho Falls. He was also a featured caver in a film about the caves at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.

As a caver, I have crawled through tight spaces, Frye said. But definitely in that cave I was scared of getting stuck. I pretty much kept my mind open and knowing that the person who was leading us into that cave had been there before and we would be safe. I kept talking to keep my mind off it.

He took six trips total inside Mammoth Cave and Wilsons Cave. He went into Wilsons Cave two different times and helped survey virgin passage there. The first time there were six people and the second trip there were only three.

The first trip they left at 10 a.m. and got back at 5 a.m. The second cave trip they were inside the cave for about 30 hours total.

The group even spent the night in Wilsons Cave as part of their research.

They do not like to use the word camping in a cave, Frye said. The word they like to use for it is bivouac. They use that word because they do not allow camping inside caves. We use that word to show we were working and not camping.

Not only does the park service not allow camping, but staying overnight in a cave is very dangerous because its pitch black and cold all year round, Frye said.

I knew he would be fine, Steven said. Not only was he fine, he was advanced. I wasnt afraid. I was proud.

Now that Fryes explored the worlds longest cave, he wants to travel to Mexico to visit one of the worlds deepest caves.

Sistema Huautla in southern Mexico is 5,069 feet deep and is the deepest cave in the western hemisphere.

I know how to go vertical on rope, Frye said. Id just like to explore more of the bigger caves and more experienced caves that cavers do.
With the number of homeless people in New York City reaching an all-time high, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a five-year plan in February to reduce homelessness and provide better services by opening 90 new shelters and expanding 30 existing ones. As the de Blasio administration rolls out the plan, where the city decides to put the additional shelters has grown contentious.

The citys primary shelter system is a patchwork of dormitories, family shelters, commercial hotel rooms and apartments in private buildings known as cluster apartments. Under the mayors plan, new and expanded shelters are to replace the hotel rooms and apartments that are scattered throughout 360 different sites across the city.

Bronx Number of people housed in shelters,

by ZIP code Man. 500 Queens 50 Brooklyn Staten Island Number of people housed in shelters, by ZIP code Bronx 500 250 50 Manhattan Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Cluster Apartments Bronx Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Bronx Manhattan Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Hotels Bronx Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Bronx Manhattan Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Traditional Shelters

The primary goal of the de Blasio administration is to house homeless people in the communities in which they became homeless, and it has chosen to use the boundaries of the citys 59 community districts to determine where shelters should be placed.

Mr. de Blasio said he believed homeless people were better positioned to find permanent housing if they were placed in shelters close to neighborhood anchors, like schools, churches, jobs and relatives.

Right now, some community districts shoulder a large concentration of homeless shelters, and residents  including those who have sued the city unsuccessfully  have questioned why the de Blasio administration chose community districts. The answer is this: Some neighborhoods share ZIP codes but are in different community districts, and it is through districts, not neighborhoods, that city services are generally delivered.

Eric Adams, the Brooklyn Borough president, has argued that someone who becomes homeless in working-class Crown Heights could live in a shelter in nearby, wealthier Park Slope without feeling displaced.

Wakefield More people became homeless here than are sheltered here Pelham Parkway Bronx High Bridge More people are sheltered here than became homeless here Soundview East Harlem Upper West Side 2,000 1,000 500 Midtown Elmhurst Floral Park Manhattan Lower East Side Queens Bedford Stuyvesant South Jamaica Brownsville Sunset Park Brooklyn Flatbush West Brighton Flatlands Bensonhurst New Springville Somerville Gravesend Staten Island More people became homeless here than are sheltered here More people are sheltered here than became homeless here 2,000 Bronx 500 Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Wakefield More people became homeless here than are sheltered here Manhattan High Bridge Bronx More people are sheltered here than became homeless here East Harlem Midtown 2,000 Floral Park Queens 1,000 500 Bedford Stuyvesant South Jamaica Brownsville Sunset Park West Brighton Flatbush Brooklyn Staten Island Somerville Gravesend Based on a census of shelter residents in Oct. 2016.

The mayors plan runs counter to efforts by the City Council to improve fair share laws aimed at distributing amenities and social services equitably throughout the city. And in a city that is already deeply segregated, neighborhood shelters are likely to be segregated as well.

Bronx Newly opened shelters under the mayors plan Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island

So far, only five new shelters have opened, and they set off controversy, especially in Crown Heights. The administration recently announced sites for two more shelters in the Bronx but has not said where the rest will go. Here are some of the factors they might consider.

Currently, the citys poorest areas have more shelter space than they need to house those who became homeless nearby.

Bronx City ZIP codes where the percentage of families in poverty exceeds 30 percent Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Percentage of citys homeless population who: Became homeless here 35% Live in a shelter here 41% City ZIP codes where the percentage of families in poverty exceeds 30 percent Bronx Percentage of citys homeless population who: Became homeless here 35% Man. 41% Live in a shelter here Queens Brooklyn Staten Island

Areas with fewer poor people, often adjacent to the poorest areas, tend to have fewer shelters than needed.

Bronx City ZIP codes where the percentage of families in poverty is 15 to 30 percent Man. Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Percentage of citys homeless population who: 49% Became homeless here Live in a shelter here 38% City ZIP codes where the percentage of families in poverty is 15 to 30 percent Bronx Percentage of citys homeless population who: Became homeless here 49% Man. Live in a shelter here 38% Queens Brooklyn Staten Island

Many people become homeless in areas that have no shelters.

Some areas, including parts of Staten Island, northeast Queens and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, produce homelessness but have no shelters at all. And they could be selected as locations for new shelters under the mayors plan. Staten Island has more than 1,200 homeless people, but only one shelter with space for 135 residents.

Bronx Number of people who became homeless in a ZIP code without a shelter Inwood Parkchester 500 Areas with no shelters 100 5 Lincoln Square Manhattan Chelsea Queens Village Queens Glendale Newly opened shelters under the mayors plan St. Albans Red Hook Laurelton Brooklyn Arlington Bay Ridge Emerson Hill Bath Beach Grasmere Staten Island Coney Island Number of people who became homeless in a ZIP code without a shelter Bronx Man. 500 Queens 100 5 No shelters Brooklyn Staten Island Bronx Number of people who became homeless in a ZIP code without a shelter Inwood Parkchester Areas with no shelters 500 Manhattan 100 5 Lincoln Square Chelsea Queens Queens Village Newly opened shelters under the mayors plan Glendale St. Albans Red Hook Laurelton Brooklyn Arlington Bay Ridge Emerson Hill Bath Beach Grasmere Staten Island Coney Island Circles are based on the number of people in city homeless shelters who identified these ZIP codes as including their last addresses. People who become homeless in a ZIP code without a shelter can be housed in a shelter in the same community district.

Areas that currently house the homeless in hotels and cluster apartments will need more shelters.

These are areas where existing shelter beds would be overwhelmed by the administrations plan to move everyone out of apartments and hotels.
BURLEY  Multiple crashes occurred late Friday afternoon on Interstate 84 in Jerome County.

According to the Idaho State Police, the first crash occurred at 5:22 p.m. at milepost 198. Sagemarie Sprenger, 27, of Burley, was eastbound on I-84 in a 2017 Volvo semi pulling two trailers. Lavonne Russell, 49, of El Cajon, Calif., was following behind Sprenger in a 2015 International semi pulling a trailer. Sprenger stopped for slowing traffic in front of her. The ISP said Russell was following too closely and struck the rear of Sprenger's trailer. The eastbound lanes were blocked for approximately 45 minutes.

The second crash occurred at 5:40 p.m. at milepost 195.5. The ISP said Iosif Todirash, 27, of Springfield, Mo., was driving a 2007 Volvo semi pulling a trailer that struck the rear a 2015 Ford F-350 driven by Glenn Combs, 24, of Filer. Combs' vehicle then struck the rear of a 2014 Ford Fusion operated by John Goodrich, 57, of Mountain Home. Todirash's semi, meanwhile, went off the right shoulder, hit a guardrail, came back into the roadway and struck a Kia Cadenza driven by Alexander Harrison, 25, of Vancouver, Wash.

The westbound lanes were blocked for approximately 2 hours.

The third crash occurred at 6:06 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-84 at milepost 194. Alice Prudent, 54, of Kimberly was eastbound in a 2012 Honda CRV. Phillip Rangel, 49, of Logan, Iowa, was following the Honda in a 2006 International semi. The ISP said both were stopped in traffic, but Rangel let off the clutch and struck the rear of the Honda. There was no blockage.

No serious injuries were reported in any of the crashes.

The crashes are under investigation by Idaho State Police. They were assisted at the scenes by the Jerome County Sheriff's Office, the Minidoka County Sheriff's Office, and West End Fire Department.
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"As a nation, our job is to move away from fossil fuels toward sustainable energy and energy efficiency," says Sanders. "This bill does the opposite."

By Jessica Corbett, staff writer



Sen. Bernie Sanders has spoken out against a bill that he says would 'provide millions of taxpayer dollars to research new offshore natural gas extraction techniques.'

(Image by (Photo: Scott P/Flickr/cc)) Details DMCA



As Senate Democrats stay silent on an energy bill that environmental groups call "a pro-fracking giveaway to oil and gas interests that would commit America to decades more of dangerous fossil fuel dependence," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is receiving applause for speaking out against it.

"As a nation, our job is to move away from fossil fuels toward sustainable energy and energy efficiency. This bill does the opposite," Sanders said in a statement.

Sanders' opposition to the bill was praised by environmental advocates who continue to pressure Democrats with thousands of phone calls to their Congressional offices.

"Once again, Bernie Sanders shows that he is a champion of the American people by reminding the Senate that clean renewable energy, not obedience to industry executives, is the future of our country," said Bill Snape, senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter called on others lawmakers to follow Sanders' lead.

"By coming out in opposition to the dirty energy bill currently looming before the Senate, Senator Sanders has once again demonstrated the real progressive leadership that is too often hard to find in Washington," Hauter said. "With our climate and a livable future hanging in the balance, Senate Democrats need to wake up, state their sensible opposition to this foolish energy bill now, and ensure it doesn't see the light of day."

Earlier this month, more than 350 green groups sent a letter to pressure Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to oppose the bill. However, according to recent reporting by Bloomberg, "no Democrat has publicly voiced opposition" to the legislation, which is nearly 900 pages, even though it "would entrench natural gas into the U.S. energy portfolio for years to come."

The bill, Sanders said, "would make us more reliant on fracking for natural gas for decades to come by expediting the review process for natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas. It would also provide millions of taxpayer dollars to research new offshore natural gas extraction techniques."

Supporters of the legislation are quick to point to its power grid updates, as well as cyber security, public lands, and energy efficiency provisions. Some senators also see it as an opportunity to work across the aisle.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), often considered one of the Senate's major advocates for the environment, told Bloomberg: "There's been no slaking of the thirst for bipartisan work because none's been available, and I think in energy, there are areas where we can work together... We're not going to agree on everything, but it's worth a try."

Environmental advocates and organizations disagree, and said in their letter to Schumer:

"No energy legislation is better than bad energy legislation that serves to increase our dependence on dirty fossil fuel production instead of advancing energy efficiency to reduce the amount of energy we utilize and building on successful policies to expand clean energy sources such as solar and wind.... In light of the current administration's overt efforts to make it easier for the fossil fuel industry to pollute our air and water, it is more essential than ever that Congress resist efforts to increase fossil fuel production."

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History is amoebic but essential. How much of it do we really know?

Dr. William F. Pepper believes that the best way to move forward is to learn from the past.

He is working on a new book that traces assassinations of high-powered rulers from ancient Sumeria through to the present.

Next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., Pepper told attendees of a press conference he held this morning, July 20, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. His focus was what moderator Andrew Kreig called "an exceptional slice of history": the assassinations of two of the prolific author's close friends, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

He said to expect many books on the subject next year, which will contain but "a small hint of what happened."

The real story hasn't been told, he said. The public doesn't know it.

But the immediate purpose this morning was to announce his 200-page petition to the Organization of American States (OAS) human rights body "to obtain under treaty rights a new trial for Sirhan Sirhan or the kind of evidentiary hearing that California and other U.S. authorities have denied him."

Since 2007, Pepper has been working to have RFK's alleged assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, exonerated. He has collected reams of evidence to prove that Sirhan's shots did not kill Kennedy. The lethal shot was to the back of his head, by another culprit still not brought to justice, he said. Similarly, the JFK assassination has been proved to have been carried out by others in addition to Lee Harvey Oswald. The "Camelot" president had, in his brief tenure, antagonized a host of powerful entities because of "radical" policies like wanting to vacate U.S. troops from Vietnam, overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba without using U.S. troops, force the resignation of war-mongering CIA and Pentagon leaders, promote desegregation, prosecute Mafia leaders, and review the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and oil depletion allowance.

Pepper is also this "dangerous." Before Pepper turned 30, he recalled this week, he worked on Robert Kennedy's successful 1964 race for a New York seat in the U.S. Senate. His photo essay on the ravages of the Vietnam War moved King to contact Pepper in 1967 to invite him to work together on a planned expansion of the civil rights movement into the fields of economic justice and opposition to war.

The danger to the establishment proved so great, Pepper said, that President Lyndon B. Johnson contacted Look Magazine editor-in-chief William Attwood, a former ambassador for President's Kennedy and LBJ, to request that Attwood kill Pepper's prospective war coverage.

It is in the spirit of this lifetime of bold journalism and legal work that Pepper's extensive research led him to believe that the convicted killers of his friends Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were innocent of fatal shots. Pepper has written three books about MLK, the most recent one published last year, The Plot to Kill King: The Truth Behind the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. But his outstanding accomplishment was, after 10 years of research and with the hard-won cooperation of the King family--Coretta Scott in particular--to win a civil trial verdict in 1999 naming Loyd [sic] Jowers as complicit in killing King, thereby vindicating the then-deceased James Earl Ray. With 70 witnesses, a 30-day civil trial exonerated Ray.

Would a similar civil rather than criminal trial exonerate Sirhan, now 74 years old? The costs would run well into six figures and there is no funding for it, said Pepper

And why has Pepper gone to the OAS's human rights body, the Inter-American Council on Human Rights (IACHR)? Because the reams of evidence he accumulated and made accessible even before the first trial concluded were not admitted into the proceedings. Instead, they were submitted to the California Supreme Court, then federal court, then to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (the most liberal circuit court in this country), and finally SCOTUS, without one of them agreeing to order retrial or a hearing on evidence. California's attorney general was uninterested. The mainstream media weren't interested. That exhausted U.S. resources.

The OAS, via its Inter-American Council on Human Rights, has the power to enforce by treaty national commitment to fair process and other civil rights now that all U.S. remedies have been exhausted. But the OAS agrees to try only 10 percent of the cases submitted to it.

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It was exactly seven years ago -- July 21, 2010. I was a professor and a witness at a Senate hearing about the TARP Wall Street bailout.



I remember that day perfectly because July 21, 2010 was also the day President Obama signed Dodd-Frank -- the Wall Street reform bill that toughened up the rules for Wall Street and created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.



The financial industry hated all of it, but they really, really hated the idea of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. They spent more than a million dollars a day lobbying against Wall Street reform, and their main target was to stop a new agency whose sole purpose is to make sure Wall Street couldn't cheat people in the fine print of mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and other financial products.





Deutsche Bank hid so much risk on its books that the International Monetary Fund said it posed a substantial threat to the global financial system.





Wells Fargo was caught opening more than two million fake accounts in an effort to pump up its stock price.





And Citigroup agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for manipulative practices that gave it an illegal advantage in trades.

Meanwhile, the big banks are still "too big to fail." Actually, some are bigger than ever.



The financial crisis is long past, yet the banking sector is still loaded with corporations that could blow up the economy? Good grief. We need stronger rules, not weaker ones. And we need a strong consumer agency in place that's fighting for some accountability and a level playing field.



Today, I'm celebrating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's birthday -- I may even have a happy birthday cupcake! And I'm giving that agency the best birthday gift I know: I'm fighting my heart out to keep it up and running to fight for working people in Massachusetts and all across this country.



Will you fight your heart out for the CFPB with me? Sign up now to say you're in.



Happy Birthday, CFPB!
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Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced the Senate will vote next week on whether to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement -- even though the bill currently lacks enough Republican support to pass. McConnell's announcement came after President Trump invited all 52 Republican senators to the White House for lunchtime talks aimed at reviving stalled efforts on healthcare.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: Before we go -- and in the next segment, we're going to be talking about Jared Kushner's wife, President Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her own businesses, not in this country, but in Indonesia, where Ivanka brand clothes are manufactured -- I wanted to ask you, Ryan Grim, about what's happening with the healthcare debate on Capitol Hill. You cover all developments in Congress closely. This week, of course, the massive news, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote next week on whether to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement, even though the bill currently lacks enough Republican support to pass.

RYAN GRIM: Right.

AMY GOODMAN: McConnell's announcement came after President Trump invited all 52 Republican senators to the White House for lunch, aimed at reviving stalled efforts on healthcare. This is what he said.

MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL: There is a large majority in our conference that want to demonstrate to the American people that they intend to keep the commitment they made in four straight elections to repeal Obamacare. I think we all agree it's better to both repeal and replace, but we could have a vote on either.

AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about the latest developments? It seemed like it was over at this point, and then, after the lunch, when President Trump said, "We're going to revive this. You're going to sign it. I'm waiting -- I'm going to sign it. I'm waiting here with pen in hand," what's happening right now?

RYAN GRIM: Right.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you believe this bill is dead?

RYAN GRIM: Yes, yes, it is over. This is theater at this point. And if you look closely at what McConnell said, he said "the large majority of people in our conference." They only have -- with John McCain in Arizona not able to vote, they have 51 people in their conference. So that's one more than they need to have the actual majority, because Mike Pence can break the votes. So, but what he says, they have a majority within their conference. So, in other words, they don't have a majority within the Senate, which is what you need.

So what he's saying they're going to do is they're going to open debate on healthcare reform, and then they're going to present two options: For the people that want some kind of a replacement bill, they can vote for that; for people that want to just simply repeal it straight up, they can vote for that instead. So that allows them to get to an actual vote, which McConnell believes is cathartic and is a necessary step to put this to rest, as the House learned that when they pulled their bill and never had a vote, it felt anticlimactic. And the kind of grassroots activists were demanding some action, and so they put together a bill in the House that was never really intended to become law. It was just a -- it was just paper that enough Republicans could sign onto and then punt over to the Senate, where they knew it would fail. And so, this is an effort to just put people on record and say, "Here, you had a chance to vote. Look, we had 40-some for this. We had 40-some for that. We don't have enough for either. Now we're moving on."

But because Trump continues to insist on all of this theater, he has burned through weeks and weeks where he could have been doing tax reform or infrastructure or any other part of his agenda. You know, we're getting close to August, and he's still on this, when we've known for months that it didn't have the votes.

AMY GOODMAN: Ryan Grim, I want to thank you for being with us, bureau chief for The Intercept. We'll link to your latest piece, "U.S. Lawmakers Seek to Criminally Outlaw Support for Boycott Campaign Against Israel," and your other pieces.

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From Foreign Policy In Focus

Saudi Arabia's puzzling effort to blacklist its tiny neighbor Qatar begs the question of who's really isolated in the Gulf.



(Image by (Photo: The White House / Flickr)) Details DMCA



The splintering of the powerful Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) into warring camps -- with Qatar, supported by Turkey and Iran, on one side, and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), supported by Egypt, on the other -- has less to do with disagreements over foreign policy and religion than with internal political and economic developments in the Middle East.

The ostensible rationale the GCC gave on June 4 for breaking relations with Qatar and placing the tiny country under a blockade is that Doha is aiding "terrorist" organizations. The real reasons are considerably more complex, particularly among the major players.

Middle East journalist Patrick Cockburn once described the Syrian civil war as a three-dimensional chess game with five players and no rules. In the case of the Qatar crisis, the players have doubled and abandoned the symmetry of the chessboard for go, mahjong, and bridge.

Saudi Insecurities

Tensions among members of the GCC are longstanding. In the case of Qatar, they date back to 1995, when the father of the current ruler, Emir Tamim Al Thani, shoved his own father out of power. According to Simon Henderson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Saudi Arabia and the UAE "regarded the family coup as a dangerous precedent to Gulf ruling families" and tried to organize a counter coup. The coup was exposed, however, and called off.

Riyadh is demanding that Qatar sever relations with Iran -- an improbable outcome given that the two countries share a natural gas field in the Persian Gulf -- and end Doha's cozy ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Indeed, if there's any entity in the Middle East that the Saudis hate -- and fear -- more than Iran, it's the Brotherhood. Riyadh was instrumental in the 2013 overthrow of the Brotherhood government in Egypt and has allied itself with the Israelis to marginalize Hamas, the Palestinian offshoot of the Brotherhood that dominates Gaza.

But fault lines in the GCC don't run only between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. Oman, at the Gulf's mouth, has always marched to its own drummer, maintaining close ties with Saudi Arabia's regional nemesis, Iran, and refusing to go along with Riyadh's war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Kuwait has also balked at Saudi dominance of the GCC, has refused to join the blockade against Doha, and is trying to play mediator in the current crisis.

The siege of Qatar was launched shortly after Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, when the Saudis put on a show for the U.S. president that was over the top even by the monarchy's standards. Wooed with massive billboards and garish sword dances, Trump soaked up the Saudi's view of the Middle East, attacked Iran as a supporter of terrorism, and apparently green-lighted the blockade of Qatar. He even tried to take credit for it.

Saudi Arabia, backed by Bahrain, Egypt, and the UAE, along with a cast of minor players, made 13 demands on Doha that it could only meet by abandoning its sovereignty. They range from the impossible (end all contacts with Iran) to the improbable (close a Turkish military base there) to the unlikely (dismantle the popular and lucrative media giant, Al Jazeera). The "terrorists" Doha is accused of supporting are the Brotherhood, which the Saudis and the Egyptians consider a terrorist organization, an opinion not shared by the U.S. or the European Union.

On the surface this is about Sunni Saudi Arabia vs. Shiite Iran. But while religious differences do play an important role in recruiting and motivating some of the players, this isn't a battle over a schism in Islam. Most importantly, it's not about "terrorism," since many of the countries involved are up to their elbows in supporting extremist organizations. Indeed, Saudi Arabia's reactionary Wahhabi interpretation of Islam is the root ideology for groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and all the parties are backing a variety of extremists in Syria and Libya's civil wars.

The attack on Qatar is part of Saudi Arabia's aggressive new foreign policy that is being led by Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman. As Saudi Arabia's "monarch in waiting," Mohammed has launched a disastrous war in Yemen that's killed more than 10,000 civilians and sparked a country-wide cholera epidemic there -- and which is draining at least $700 million a month from Saudi Arabia's treasury. Given the depressed price for oil and a growing population -- 70 percent of which is under 30 and much of it unemployed -- it's not a cost the monarchy can continue to sustain, especially with the Saudi economy falling into recession.

Underlying the Saudis' newfound aggression is fear. First, fear that the kind of Islamic governance modeled by the Muslim Brotherhood, which has elsewhere embraced elections and the democratic process, poses a threat to the absolutism of the Gulf monarchs. Fear that Iran's nuclear pact with the U.S., the EU, and the UN is allowing Tehran to break out of its economic isolation and turn itself into a rival power center in the Middle East. And fear that anything but a united front by the GCC -- led by Riyadh -- will encourage the House of Saud's internal and external critics.

Who's Really Isolated?

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From Wallwritings



Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, attends the opening of a new mosque in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on February 24, 2017.

(Image by (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)) Details DMCA



A power-sharing Gaza leadership agreement involving two Palestinian childhood friends, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Dahlan may be "slowly taking shape."

What led to the reunion of Sinwar and Dahlan is an intriguing story that involves two Palestinian leaders who have known one another since childhood.

Ynetnews reports on that history:

"Dahlan, now 55, and Sinwar, now 54, grew up in the same neighborhood of southern Gaza's Khan Younis refugee camp. They later attended the same UN school and were students together at Islamic University. "Dahlan and Sinwar took different political journeys. They joined rival political factions, Fatah and Hamas."

Those two political factions clashed in the 2006 Palestinian general election. In that election, monitored by former President Jimmy Carter, and others, Hamas won a decisive legislative majority over Fatah.

Both Israel and the U.S. misread the political mood within an occupied population. I was present for that election. Like most observors, it quickly became obvious to me that Hamas would win the election.

Why? Gaza voters resented, or more accurately, hated, control by outside political powers.

In addition, Hamas was a disciplined political party. Fatah was not. Hamas ran slates. Fatah did not. In many districts, Fatah candidates far exceeded available legislative seats. Hamas understood Politics 101; Fatah did not.

If a party wants to win, it limits its candidates to the available openings. And, oh yes, it must give voters something better than what they already have.

Israel -- with U.S. support -- refused to accept the results of that 2006 democratic election. Israel blocked Palestinian parliamentary meetings and jailed many Hamas legislators.

A year later, Israel with U.S support, led Fatah in a military assault against Hamas. The leader of that Fatah assault was Mohammed Dahlan.

Fatah, the U.S., Israel -- and Dahlan -- lost.

Dahlan has been living in exile since he split with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2010. Now, seven years later, Dahlan is back, ready to advance his Palestinian leadership ambitions against Fatah through Hamas.

Ynetnews described this week's Gaza City rally for Dahlan as the latest indication of a power shift in Gaza which "could lead to big changes in the Hamas-ruled territory, including an easing of a decade-long border blockade".

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Today our pastor referred to this tale from Kings and Prophets. ... 1 Kings 22 in the Bible. The chapter is subtitled:

Micaiah Prophesies Against AhabIt seemed to refer to us today. My version today is from me, Kevin Son of Ron.

Kevin (and Others) Prophesied against the Kings and Kingmakers (Allegory for today based on "Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab"*

Revised by Kevin son of Ron*Kevin Prophesies Against Kings Trump, Sessions, Bannon, & GOP --along with Graham , Clan and other Misled Prophets 1 Kevin 22:

1. For many years there was only war between the USA and many of the other world.

2. But in the fifteenth year Donald king of Trump Towers went down to see the kings of Wall Street, the DOD, the Swamp and Russia.

3. The king of the USA had said to his officials, "Don't you know that all of the world belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the kings of Saudi and Other Oil Lands, like Iran and Indonesia?"

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall shows us that the high-tech information revolution set the stage for a political and social evolution, the connectivity of which has the capacity to transform everything, everywhere. We have only to say 'yes' to tap [into] the power of this interconnection, participating in it from where we stand."



Dennis Kucinich, former U.S. Representative (D-OH) and 2004 and 2008 Democratic presidential primary candidate
In October, Paste reported on a disturbing story involving Newsweeks Kurt Eichenwald and Sputnik editor Bill Moran. The former, it appeared, sought to silence the latter through the use of bribery and threats.

For the uninitiated, Moran had written a piece based on a Twitter users misattribution of a damning Eichenwald quote about Benghazi to longtime Clinton ally Sidney Blumenthal. Wikileaks had just dumped Clinton campaign director John Podestas emails, and there was a mad dash among journalists and non-journalists alike to find a big story in them. One of those emails had Blumenthal sending the Eichenwald story to Podesta.

Upon realizing his mistake roughly twenty minutes after publication, Moran took the article down. However, then-GOP candidate Donald Trump used the misattributed quote in a speech to attack his opponent.

From these facts, Eichenwald inferred that the only possible means by which Trump could have come across the misattributed quote was purposeful collusion with the Russians, and that the Wikileaks documents themselves had been altered. This conclusion led him to write a piece, Dear Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin, I Am Not Sidney Blumenthal, in which he wove a sordid web connecting the GOP candidate to Russia.

The piece went viral, earning the Newsweek journalist a top spot on various cable news shows. Moran was fired.

The young journalist reached out to Newsweek and Eichenwald, asking they update the story to reflect what had actually happened. After being ignored, Moran was contacted by Eichenwald, who offered to either help him get a job at New Republic, in seeming exchange for silence, or update the piece with a paragraph naming him. This latter option came with a warning that aligning himself with Sputnik made him unhirable.

Moran chose to come forward.

Following our reporting of the incident, Eichenwald and Newsweek doubled down with a follow-up, How I Got Slimed By Russian Propagandist Site Sputnik (this story and the original have both been removed, though no correction or retraction has been published by Newsweek), which named Moran, appeared to question his motivations for coming forward, and pointing out that Sputnik is a Russian state-funded outlet.

Around that time, suspicion surrounding Trumps relationship with Russia blossomed into full blown collective hysteria with major media outlets like The Washington Post hastily publishing inaccurate stories about Russian hacking, and normalizing groups like PropOrNot, the unvetted, anonymous online collective that notoriously labeled left-wing media outlets Russian propaganda. This was also when demagogue and conspiracy theorist Louise Mensch became mainstream.

All the while, Eichenwalds original article, Dear Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin, I Am Not Sidney Blumenthal, made its way around the Internet, cited by people like the hysterical Keith Olbermann. It was even referenced by former FBI special agent Clint Watts in his Senate testimony.

To Bill Moran, it felt like a witch hunt. Outside of whether or not Russia really had interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of Trump, the young journalist saw his name become a central part of a story based increasingly on innuendo.

I felt powerless, Moran told Paste in an exclusive interview. I was afraid of suing given the political climate we were in.

Instead, he took to social media, taking shots at Eichenwald and Newsweek. He became a man obsessedmoreso after his father passed in October. This loss catapulted him into a dark place.

It was the only time I ever considered suicide, Moran explained. Eichenwalds smears were one of the last things my dad heard about me before he died. I had the same birthday and same name as my father and he always took pride in that and always told me to protect that nameit was the one thing of value he had to give me.

However, the family death also marked a turning point for Moran. The former Sputnik editor and Georgetown Law graduate decided to pursue admittance to the Maryland Bar, and sue IBT Media, Newsweeks parent company (now renamed Newsweek Media Group), for defamation and libel.

Representing himself, Moran filed his initial complaint back in February, arguing that Eichenwald had, in essence, accused him of disloyalty to his country by implying he was a mouthpiece for Russia, and thus crippled his ability to find future work as a journalist. His work at Sputnik, he claimed, was his own, rather than dictated by a foreign source.

(It should be noted that in May, a Sputnik wire service reporter, Andrew Feinberg, did allege, after leaving his job, that the outlet was more interested in hiring propagandists than journalists. But, his previous postings on social media appear to contradict this assertion. On multiple occasions, Feinberg defended himself and his colleagues from what he called accusations of treason.) Note: Feinbergs statement has been added to the end of this piece.

In any case, Newsweeks attorneys did not see fit to pursue a protracted legal battle with Moran. On Monday, after a total of 64 filings, the case was officially disposed of after the parties settled. (Details of the settlement are confidential.)

The lawsuit was settled amicably and to my satisfaction, Moran told Paste. After the settlement, the stories were removed, the parties agreed not to speak about the terms of the settlement, so I cant talk to you about what the settlement entails.

When asked how it felt to finally be done with the whole affair, Moran would only say he was relieved.

Our institutions actually do work, he said, a pensive look creeping over his face. I was a young journalist with no power, but the facts were on my side, and the system worked. Our institutions are made to last.

Paste reached out to Newsweek Media Group for comment, but they would provide none as per their company policy.

Update: Feinberg, who worked at Sputnik after Moran had left, and for a different branch of the D.C. Bureau, told Paste that he didnt see anything inconsistent about defending his colleagues, many of whom are young journalists who simply want to do a good job and are trying their best under what areI thinknear impossible circumstances. These people need to make a living, and their tolerance for the way things are done at Sputnik may be greater than mine.
Eight former workers of investment bank, Databank, have been employed at senior levels of the finance ministry since Ken Ofori-Atta was appointed as finance minister, minority leader Haruna Iddrisu has said.



According to him, the move is part of a grand effort by the Akufo-Addo-led government to cleanse the civil service.



Even at the ministry of finance, as many as eight civil service positions have been filled by officers who hitherto were working with the minister of finance at Databank and have been put on the payroll of the Ghana revenue authority. We will not accept the undue politicization of the civil and public service of Ghana, the Tamale South MP noted at a press conference organized by the NDC in Accra Thursday.



He also urged President Akufo-Addo to desist from interfering in the operations of the electoral commission.



He should stay off and intruding into the operations and activities of the independent electoral commission of Ghana. While we have accommodated him sweeping off the civil and public service and replacing them with officials of the New Patriotic Party, we unable to accept and live with any attempt by him to erode public confidence in the independent electoral commission, he said.

Source: starrfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A view from Les Orres, down to the valley, with a slice of the lake of Serre-Poncon.

It's painted for the snow season, although you get the idea of the mountain.

On the trails with a Velo Tout Terrain or without bike, Les Orres has you covered.

Present and future. By the way, the trees in the area were looking green rather than that brown tone caused by a bacteria one year ago.

We paid these guys a visit.

Bob and Fred are from Denmark and are on summer tour. Living on the road from Crankworx Les Gets to mid August, including DH and Enduro races and lots of riding in Italy and France.

The Millau crew on the privateers way.

Just a hint of the bottom section of the bike park.

The first stage will finish at Les Orres at 1,800m while the two others will finish at Les Orres, at 1,650m. Not included this Col, but Le Tour de France just passed 15kms down the road these last days.

Clouds and rain coming over in the afternoon.

Easy to read and plan this time, just three tracks to be raced this weekend.

As soon as they opened the doors it was busy at the registration office.

It's been a long time we hadn't seen Jordan Reignier at the series.

Alex Murigneux points to the race map for Saturday.

We guess he couldn't keep up with the wheel size debate.

Equipment for the marshals. Digital notes of start times for the riders.

Julie Duvert thrilled with keeping her number.

Baptiste Gaillot sits fourth overall and he is just stoked for racing. Could he gain some positions this weeked?

Nico Quere, one hundred percent eager to take the overall home.

Nicola Casadei comes back to the Series right after his win last weekend at the Superenduro La Thuile.

Estelle Charles looking happy towards a weekend of racing.

The junior leader, Albin Cambos, another Millau man ready to represent.

The afternoon storms passed by and left the mountains covered on mist.

Camille Servant looking pinned for tomorrow.

The mandatory local beer shot.

The time has come. It's the weekend of the last round of the 2017 French Enduro Series by Parts 8.3, and we are settled in Les Orres to witness a thrilling race that has been chosen to decide the best Enduro riders on French soil.Les Orres is a ski station located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, belonging to the Haute Alps department, and it's based at an altitude that ranges from 1,650 to 1,800 meters. Besides its ski resort, Les Orres has developed a wide offer for outdoor sport activities out of the snow season. Regarding mountain biking, there is a vast network of long and medium distance trails in the area, shared with the surrounding villages. Besides that, Les Orres runs a bike park with 16 trails and 27kms in total.We are not expecting any regular French riders from the EWS this weekend, since its next round, to be held in Aspen (USA), is only one week from now. Nonetheless, Les Orres counts with some of the fastest French riders, capable of placing a top 20 in an EWS event.Nicolas Quere arrives to Les Orres as the leader in the men's category, closely followed by Dimitri Tordo, Camille Servant, and Baptiste Gaillot. In the women field, Julie Duvert will defend her first place in the overall against Estelle Charles and Axelle Murigneux. Albin Cambos is the current overall junior leader with Tom de Carlo and Maxime Alessandroni behind his back wheel. Fabien Volet leads in Master 1 and Gilles Doze in Master 2. The overall titles are not decided yet, and a big error by any of the top riders could mean a big change on the final classification.This race is to be operated under the original French format, but including chair lifts for the liaisons. There are just three stages for the weekend, Grande Cabane and Magic Wood for Saturday and the Vallon stage for Sunday. Each stage will have its recce ride, where riders are not allowed to stop during their ride. The important figures for the race are: a total of 50kms of race with 26kms being stages. On the stages, the riders are facing just a total of 90 meters climbing, with 4,500 meters of descending.On Friday, the morning offered a cloudy day with temperatures over 20 degrees Celsius, but in the afternoon we were granted with a couple of thunderstorms that brought some rain to Les Orres. The weather forecast is calling for zero rain over the weekend, which leads us to dry trails for the race. Nevertheless, we're in the mountains, so rain and storms could come at any time.Will be the current leaders of the series the 2017 overall winners or will be beat just on the last round by any of their rivals? We'll find out through this weekend.
DUSTIN GILDING





A dirt shaper by trade, Dustin is part owner of Loft Bike Parks and a resident of North Vancouver. Although modest about his skills on a bike, the Fest Series and The Backwoods Jam have seen their fair share of Mr. Gilding. Dustin is one to watch, in the air and on the ground.

Who is Dustin Gilding?

Dustin Gilding is a 24 year old Canadian, part owner of Loft Bike Parks, an avid cyclist, and dirt shaper.

Where are you from and where do you live?

I was born and raised in Abbotsford, BC, and now I'm living in North Vancouver.

Who do you ride for?

DMR BikesDissent Labs

What are your strengths?

I guess building jumps would have to be the first thing that pops to mind if I'm honest.

What are your weaknesses?

Coffee.

Whos your favorite rider?

Sam ReynoldsDennis Enarson

Whats been your worst crash over the years?

I've had a few big ones by now, and some had worse results than others, but a couple years ago I had a fall in Kamloops that landed me in the hospital for a week so that one definitely stands out. I felt okay after the crash, but had a strange stomach ache and couldn't get comfortable on the subsequent drive back to Vancouver. It turned out that I'd lacerated my kidney, and lost a good amount of blood before making it to the emergency room so, in hindsight, it was pretty sketchy for sure.

What bikes are you riding right now?

BMX: Mutiny ConjurerHardtail: DMR SectDH: Transition TR 500 26"

Wheres your favorite place to ride?

It's so tough to pick just one, but probably The Backwoods jumps at Coast Gravity Park. That line offers the most air time per run that I've ever experienced, and it's outrageous fun. I have so much respect for Logan Peat and his boys for creating such a masterpiece set of jumps.

How did you get involved with the Fest Series?

I don't have any real affiliation or involvement with the Fest Series other than just being lucky enough to get invited to a few stops over the years, which is something I'm grateful for. I have a ton of respect for what the core group of Fest guys has created and it's really inspiring to a guy like me. Some of my favorite memories are from Cruz Fest and Black Sage so I'm thankful to get to be a part of the Fest experience whenever I can.

Do you have any big projects or trips planned for 2017?

This is shaping up to be a good year for me, first and foremost, I've got a bunch of sweet build projects lined up with my boys at LOFT Bike Parks. From Backyard compounds for Darren Berrecloth and Brett Rheeder to video projects with Anthony Messere and Reece Wallace, and a couple other things in between.Riding wise, when I can squeeze it in, I'll be hitting as many events as possible. I recently got back from Black Sage Fest, which was incredible, and I'll definitely be at Crankworx for Whip Off, and CGP in the Fall for The Backwoods Jam.After that, it's time to dust off the Rampage boots and get back in the dirt to make some heavy upgrades to the Carson Storch line for this year's event. It was an indescribable experience to watch him land on the podium last year, so hopefully, we can keep the ball rolling.I'm also going to be shooting with Eric Lawrenuk throughout the year for a segment in Alchemy 3, so hopefully, things go smoothly for that. I'm really motivated to put together a complete part after we were a little rushed on the last project, so it's great to have a full year to work on this one.

What does a typical day look like for you?



What do you enjoy doing away from bikes?

Seeing live music.





Seeing live music. Whats your favorite non-bike website?

Facebook?





Facebook? Whats your favorite motto or saying?

You've got to sell out to eat out.





You've got to sell out to eat out. What grinds your gears?

People who don't dance.





People who don't dance. What makes you happy?

A really good riding session after work.





A really good riding session after work. Who or what inspires you?

People who are unwilling to compromise their happiness to conform to societal pressures.



People who are unwilling to compromise their happiness to conform to societal pressures.





Wake up early, have a big breakfast (Breakfast holds a position of high priority with me) and go to work. Hopefully get off early enough to get home and hit a skatepark or jumps with one or two of my roommates, then make some dinner and chill for the remainder of the evening. Nothing out of the ordinary.

If you werent a pro mountain biker, what would you be doing?

I'm not really sure what to say because even now I wouldn't consider myself a professional mountain biker, but probably much of the same things I'm doing now. Bikes bring so much joy into my life on a daily basis that no matter what profession I'm in I'll still need that outlet to maintain balance in my life. If I never found bikes though, I'd probably be a failing musician of some sort.

Where do you think the future freeride is headed?

That's a tough question to answer, because I'm of the belief that the term "freeride" is a little ambiguous, but I think overall you'll continue to see the lines blur a little bit between what people have tended to perceive as "freeride" and "slopestyle." Big wheels or not, guys are getting very comfortable with technical tricks on downhill bikes, and likewise, really big jumps aren't near as foreign as they once were to the tricksters of the slopestyle scene. So for me, that's exciting, because I love mountain biking and want to see this side of the sport continue to grow and progress.Personally, I hope to see more people investing time into complete projects that stand to have a more lasting impression than the average web video or Instagram clip that's saturating the content these days. I miss the hype and rumors of big videos in the past, where guys would drop segments with sometimes years of tricks and lines that were kept unseen until the premiere. The success of projects like Revel In The Chaos and Deathgrip has me hopeful for the future, though.

How do you want to be remembered?

Kind of a loaded question, it's easy to sound conceited talking about something like that haha. I guess I just hope nobody has to lie at my funeral, how's that?

What does the future hold for Dustin Gilding?

I'll be focusing heavily on LOFT with my boys Austin Davignon and Alexander Chisholme, and riding my bike as much as possible. That's about all I can say for sure!
Yiannis Liperis Leads Day 2 Field at MPN Poker Tour Manchester

July 21, 2017 PokerNews Staff

Day 1B of the 550 MPNPT Manchester Main Event saw the field rise to 285, as players took full advantage of the whole-day re-entry period. Several players fought their way to Day 2 only after firing nearly a full chamber of bullets (David Lappin, for example, who ended the day with 75,000 chips).

On Saturday, the business end of the tournament begins as the money (all 150,000 of it) comes into sight. A total of 43 Day 1B survivors join 17 from 1A to form the likely full Day 2 field, unless someone with a seriously delayed flight turns up to take advantage of the down-to-the-wire late registration.

Yiannis Liperis will be in the pole position when the redrawn, combined field gets the cards back in the air. With 328,600 chips, Liperis comfortably overtakes Day 1A chip leader Jari Hurri (190,600), as do Frederick Maher (317,900) and Chun Hao Man (254,200), among several others.

Also heading to Day 2 is Grosvenor sponsored player Jeff Kimber (82,600), Betsafe ambassador Monika "@HeyMonia" Zukowicz (124,300) and the 2015 MPNPT Dublin champion Daniel Tighe (209,100). Meanwhile, in great shape for the Last Longer King competition (the winner of which receives an MPNPT Tallinn package) is Sebastian Gruszczynski. His 188,300 chips put him in front of the remaining qualifiers who won their Main Event seats via the Betsson Group online.

Live coverage continues on the MPN Poker Tour blog throughout the Main Event, with the final days action streamed live on both Twitch and Facebook Live.
In the Consolidated Commission on Utilities meeting next week, commissioners will discuss the details of the Guam Power Authoritys newest power purchase agreement with a consortium that plans to build an estimated $200 million solar power plant in Guam's Sasayan, Mangilao area.

The proposed power purchase agreement will spell out the details on GPA's commitment to buy a set amount of solar power from the investors, which is a partnership between Korea Electric Power Corp., South Korea's state-run power company, and a subsidiary of electronics and appliance giant LG CNS.

The investors' partnership, called KEPCO-LG CNS Consortium, is expected to build a $60 megawatt solar power plant that would also include a system that stores power for nighttime use.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

Under the potential deal, the consortium would pay for the cost of developing the plant and storage facility, and then recoup its money and turn a profit by entering into the power purchase agreement that would commit GPA to buy a certain amount of solar energy.

The consortium expects to make $350 million over the 25-year annual solar power purchases by GPA, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Two-tier review

CCU's approval kicks off the first of a two-tier review. Guam's rate regulator, the Public Utilities Commission, must first review the proposed agreement's impact on the cost of electricity to tens of thousands of island consumers, businesses and government customers.

The CCU on Thursday met to listen to the power authority's presentation seeking approval to submit the proposed agreement to the PUC.

In June, the CCU authorized the power authority to petition PUC to award the second phase of a renewable acquisition bid  for two 30-megawatt solar projects  to Hanwha Energy Corp.

Hanhwa and the KEPCO-LG CNS Consortium could potentially produce 120 megawatts, or nearly half the entire island's power needs.

According to GPA, the petition was filed at the Public Utilities Commission during the same month.

John Benavente, GPA general manager, said KEPCO-LG representatives have agreed to the terms and conditions of the agreement.

System impact study

According to GPA, it continues to work with its consultant on a system impact study to define the interconnection requirements under the power purchase agreement. The solar plants still must connect to the GPA power grid. However, these requirements will not change the terms and conditions of the PPA, including contract price and performance guarantees and penalties.

The KEPCO-LG CNS Consortium solar projects will be located at Sasayan, Mangilao.

GPA has been expanding its renewable energy investments this year.

Back in May, GPA signed a $42 million contract for a battery storage system with LG CNS. With the new investment, the power authority hopes to alleviate intermittent frequency in the power grid produced by the 25-megawatt solar farm in Dandan.

GPA and the U.S. Navy also entered into a lease agreement earlier this year for 164 acres of military-held lands for the construction of renewable energy facilities with a 40-megawatt generating capacity.

In June, Benavente said "GPA considers renewable energy an effective hedge against rising fuel oil prices," noting that over the course of the contract, GPA ratepayers can expect significant fuel oil savings based on current and projected (fuel surcharge) rates."

"Utility-scale renewable projects like these will make the benefits of solar energy available to all ratepayers at rates that are affordable, stable and not subjected to world oil prices," Benavente said.

GPA has a renewable energy portfolio goal of producing 25 percent from renewable energy sources  such as wind and solar  by 2035.
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.




MCIS Language Solutions Develops Innovative Solutions for the Language Sector

Contact

Zoya Khan, MCIS Language Solutions

***@mcis.on.ca Zoya Khan, MCIS Language Solutions

End

-- Hacking the Future of Canada's Language IndustryMCIS Language Solutions Develops Innovative Solutions for the Language SectorToronto, Ontario, July 21, 2017  A passionate crowd of language service providers, tech professionals, entrepreneurs and engaged citizens descended on the Centre for Social Innovation yesterday to hack the future of Canada's language industry.There for MCIS Language Solutions' The Future of Language Services (Un) conference, these participants learned about and discussed some of the challenges faced in Canada and around the globe as we increasingly communicate and engage across the world's hundreds of languages. The challenges covered included:- What are the gaps in the current language services system; who is being missed and why? Funding the future of language support  business models for the next 10 years and beyond- How tech and digital tools can effectively and efficiently help increase language access and improve outcomes- How to harness government assets to support delivery of language services in innovative waysAs an introduction to these challenges, the audience got a sneak peek at WelcomeHomeTO ( http://welcomehome.to/ home/who-we- are/ )'s upcoming report Breaking the Language Barrier: Innovative Language Solutions helping Syrian Newcomers on the Path of Integration. Some of the problems highlighted by WelcomeHomeTO:a lack of coordination between language service providers, language services that are inaccessible to those who need them most (for example, language classes for newcomers without daycare nearby) and a lack of rigorous assessment of program outcomes.Recognizing that the number of Canadians whose mother tongue is other than English or French keeps rising (Statistics Canada), it is critical to address these structural challenges now.Some bold ideas that came out of last night's session:- government should put money where its mouth is by reallocating resources set aside for official language translations to "working" languages, that are representative of our diversity thereby truly supporting its multiculturalism agenda- government should support the creation of apps that newcomers can use to navigate systems, back-ended by volunteer multilingual speakers- use of government assets such as space, cars, and equipment will help improve access to language services through professional interpreters where and when they are needed- government must support and invest in training for language service professionals to use disruptive technology, assuring Canada's position as a global multilingual hubBy investing in creative solutions to structural problems like these, Canada has the opportunity to model for the world how our multilingual, multicultural society truly is our greatest asset.MCIS Language Solutions will be posting our report and initiatives that follow on our website www.mcislanguages.com. Anyone interested in pursuing any of the ideas posted will have our support.Quotes"The face of Canada is changing rapidly as is the manner in which we are interacting and transacting with the rest of the world; fresh insights and digital tools are constantly providing new ways to support translation, interpretation and all other language services. We are committed to being leaders in bridging the language gap."- Latha Sukumar, Executive Director, MCIS Language Solutions"We want to bring not only language professionals but people from all walks of life into the conversation. This way, we bring a holistic perspective to the room and come up with the right ideas to help modernize the language services field."  Zoya Khan, (Un) Conference Event Manager"WelcomeHomeTO's English as Second Language panel chat surfaced a lot of structural challenges in how Canada offers language learning to newcomers. MCIS is taking the next step and innovating ideas to strengthen the system." Craig Carter-Edwards, Co-founder of WelcomeHomeTOAbout MCIS Language SolutionsMCIS Language Solutions is a non-profit social enterprise that has been offering interpretation, translation and language consulting services nationally for 28 years.
The Most Preferred Name In The Pharmaceutical Industry Announced Major Plans For Extending Throughout Thailand In Coming Days

Media Contact

Oddway International

sales@oddwayinternational.com

+91-9873336444 Oddway International+91-9873336444

End

-- Oddway International has announced that it will be directly meet the requirements of the Thailand Federal large, medium and small businesses and individuals for their pharmaceutical needs. Oddway International is a leading global exporter, trader, distributor and wholesaler of generic drugs and pharmaceuticals, and is known for its economic prices. Oddway International's strong and independent infrastructure makes it one of the most extensive exporters.Our aim is to maintain the relationship with the customer's health, safety and indulgence, and be able to reflect with good satisfaction. "We ensure that the various compounds are delivered on time to meet the needs of all our customers," said Oddway International spokesman.The export house has very strong ethical standards and does not have a compromise on the quality of their products. Every time the products are inspected by experts properly. The company distributes a large number of drugs, as well as life-saving medicines in hospitals and online medicine stores around the world. In addition, the buyer of the company varies from small to medium and large size, and the export house is well equipped for processing orders of all kinds for all known diseases and ailments. From Antibiotics to Antiviruses, Hepatitis to Arthritis, HIV / AIDS to Cancer and many other diseases, the medication offered by Oddway International proved to be the most effective for everyone.Oddway International has become a trusted brand of international pharmaceutical industry for over a decade. With its wholesale mechanism, distribution network, logistics infrastructure and supply chain management, the company has reached the majority of Thailand customers. The company received brilliant views, the customer's reflection reflects the company's performance and beliefs of the story. From Bangkok to Pattaya, Chiang Mai to Hat Yai, these products are popular in the community and growing. More information about Oddway International is available on their website at http://www.oddwayinternational.com
By: PR-BS Inc.

End

-- GET OUT! South Florida LGBT Radio & PodcastTo Air Live, In-Studio Interview on 850AM WFTLWith Controversial Alt-Right ProvocateurMilo YiannopoulosSaturday, July 29, 7 to 8 pm(West Palm Beach, FL  July 18, 2017) Tom Hantzarides, host and producer of GET OUT! South Florida LGBT Radio, today announced that America's only terrestrial-radio LGBTQ talk show and podcast would feature a live, in-studio interview with controversial alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. The interview will be carried live on 850AM WFTL on Saturday, July 29, from 7 to 8 pm, also streaming live on WFTL.com and on WRMF HD2."I fully expect that there will be repercussions to having Milo on our show. However, we have always been about presenting ALL opinions, not just the ones with which we agree" says Hantzarides. "As a gay man, Milo Yiannopoulos is no different than Howard Stern - except that he's a conservative Republican and really pisses people off."A former Senior Editor at Breitbart, Yiannopoulos recently self-published his new book Dangerous, after it was dropped by Simon & Schuster when an old video popped up on which Milo apparently condoned pedophilia. The video also persuaded CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference) to withdraw its invitation to Yiannopoulos to speak at its recent convention. Yiannopoulos has denied that that he was advocating pedophilia.In its description on Amazon, the new book is described this way: "The liberal media did everything they could to keep this book out of your hands. Now, finally, Dangerous, the most controversial book of the decade, is tearing down safe places everywhere."Or as Quartz Media put it: "Milo Yiannopoulos doesn't care. He doesn't care that the mainstream media hates him, that the alt-right hates him, that feminists hate him. He's so over it that he's written 250 pages devoted entirely to the various parties that vilify him Despite his distaste for victimhood, Yiannopoulos does a lot to paint himself as a victima fabulous but misunderstood personality relentlessly targeted by the media and the political left (The book's) chapters are named for other groups that reportedly hate the author, including feminists, Black Lives Matter, 'the media,' 'establishment gays,' and Muslims.""Whether you love the guy, or despise everything he says, this is the perfect opportunity to hear directly from one of the most controversial political and media personalities in today's multichannel media sphere  and people can do so by tuning into GET OUT! South Florida on July 29," says Hantzarides.About GET OUT! South Florida:Heard every Saturday evening on 850AM WFTL, this is Florida's only LGBTQ radio show and podcast. Widely received by both listeners and advertisers, it is smart, relevant and entertaining. The show is a mix of current news and topics, important interviews, cultural updates, movie and restaurant reviews, as well as intelligent opinion and discussions. GET OUT! South Florida aims to inform, entertain, empower and activate our diverse South Florida community as well as show what a positive impact the LGBTQ community has made. For more information, please visit www.Facebook.com/getoutsouthflorida.Available for Interview:Tom HantzaridesGET OUT! South Florida LGBTQ Radio561.271.1482 / TomH@GetOutSouthFlorida.comMedia Contact:Gary SchweikhartPR-BS, Inc.561.756.4298 / gary@pr-bs.net
In Shooting Ghosts (Viking, Aug.), photographer Finbarr OReilly and his coauthor, retired Marine Sgt. Thomas J. Brennan, explore how combat affects lives on and off the battlefield.

My camera shutter whirred as I photographed the rocket-propelled grenade fired at U.S. Marine Sgt. Thomas James Brennan during a Taliban ambush in late 2010. I had woken up beside Brennan that morning, the rails of our camp cots just inches apart under an open sky in the desert of Afghanistans Helmand province. Now the explosion from the warhead was about to change the course of his life, and mine.

Being under fire together forged a bond between us that deepened when he returned home in 2011 and struggled with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. By that time, I too had begun to feel the weight of too many assignments in war zones. We kept in touch and worked together as he began to write about his experiences and pursue a career in journalism.

Then, in early 2015, after more than a decade spent as a newswire photographer covering conflicts, coups, and disasters across Africa and the Middle East, I put down my cameras. It was shortly after the 2014 war in Gaza, where I photographed entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble by an Israeli offensive and the broken bodies of countless men, women, and children blown apart by bombs.

I was no stranger to violence and suffering. My career as a journalist was built on it. I bounced for years from one trouble zone to the next, a willing witness with cameras. Awards and accolades followed. But now, the conflicts Id coveredCongo, Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, and Libyahad become an unending blur. Too many friends and colleagues were being injured and killed. And I burned out. My desire to photograph faded. My work hardly seemed to help those I photographed.

This felt especially so in Gaza, with its recurring images of explosions rising over cities and of dead, dying, and grieving Palestinians. My pictures offered nothing new. I began to feel complicit in the violence I sought to condemn. Rather than capturing an image, I was maintaining one.

Since stepping back from the front lines, Ive spent the past two years collaborating with Brennan on a book about the emotional fallout of war. In Shooting Ghosts, we confront our motivations for seeking out combat and examine our different rolesmine as a witness, and his as a combatantas well as the impact that violence has had on us as we try to shape our new identities.

We didnt want to write a book that glorifies war. Our story is about how and why war changes people, and what happens as we come to terms with the things weve seen and done. Trauma untethers us from a world that was once familiar. After war, we struggle to find again the purpose, the bonds andin truththe love that exists on the battlefield. We drift and come undone. The journey back is a lonely one, but we cannot make it alone. Friendship, family, and a sense of belonging helps us find our way again.

My friendship with Brennan steered me in a new direction. I still make pictures, but writing and mentoring others has become my new focus. Some photographs may be remembered for holding history, but most wont. Instead of images, the legacy I now hope to leave behind is through those lives I might influence and touch in invisible ways.

Return to the main feature.
Last Weeks Top Reviews

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From the Newsletters

Tip Sheet

Laura Dassow Walls, author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life, gives seven reasons why Thoreau still matters today.

Childrens Bookshelf

Our preview of the springs top childrens books.

BookLife Report

Milo Yiannopoulos reports selling 100,000 copies of his self-published Dangerous, but NPD BookScan tells a different story.

PW Daily

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Podcasts

Week Ahead

PW senior writer Andrew Albanese talks about why librarians are feeling a little more optimistic, if still uncertain, about their federal funding for 2018.

More to Come

Calvin Reid and Heidi MacDonald bring you interviews with comics artists, editors, and publishers, recorded live from the floor of San Diego Comic-Con.

KidsCast

Pam Smy discusses Thornhill, an eerie novel told in alternating written and visual narratives, about a girl named Ella who is mysteriously drawn to an abandoned building near her new home.

PW Radio

Paul Lynch discusses his new novel, Grace. Then PW editorial director Jim Milliot talks about Canadian bookseller Indigos possible move into the U.S.

Blogs

ShelfTalker

Middle grade graphic novels are flying off the shelves.
Land, Ho!

Worlds Collide, which concludes Chris Colfers Land of Stories series, is the #3 book in the country. After an early stumble, first-week sales for each volume have steadily improved, with Colfers latest coming out on top.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

Prime Numbers

Among the many deals offered by Amazon on its Prime Day, July 11, was a rare 30% discount on must-have kitchen appliance the Instant Pot. It ended up as one of the days bestsellers, boosting sales of a pair of related cookbooks.

The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Laurel Randolph sold 12 times as many print copies as it had the previous week, which catapulted the 2016 title to the #8 spot in the country overall. The book has sold 234K print copies.

Sales of Instant Pot Obsession by Janet A. Zimmerman, a March publication, are up 462% from the previous week. The title debuts on our Trade Paperback list at #25.

Illustration Nation

Chris McDonnells behind-the-scenes look at the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe, a companion to the video game Final Fantasy XII, and the second collection of Marjorie Liu and Sana Takedas Eisner-nominated Monstress comics all debut on our lists.

#11 Hardcover Nonfiction Steven Universe: Art & Origins

#12 Hardcover Nonfiction Final Fantasy XII (collectors ed.)

#24 Trade Paperback Monstress, Vol. 2

New & Notable

House of Spies

Daniel Silva

#1 Hardcover Fiction, #1 overall

The 17th Gabriel Allon thriller, which earned a starred PW review, finds the hero of the series, an Israeli art restorer and spy, serving as chief of his countrys secret intelligence service.

Two Nights

Kathy Reichs

#20 Hardcover Fiction

The author of the long-running series starring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan heads in a new direction with this thriller about police officer Sunday Night, who, while sidelined by an injury, goes in search of a missing teenage girl.

Love Her Wild

Atticus

#22 Trade Paperback

Named a poet you should follow on Instagram right now by Teen Vogue, Atticus, whose followers numbers 396K, has inspired some fans to get tattoos featuring his verse.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units 1 House of Spies Daniel Silva Harper 46,726 2 The Whistler John Grisham Dell 36,234 3 Worlds Collide (The Land of Stories #6) Chris Colfer Little, Brown 35,836 4 Camino Island John Grisham Doubleday 32,019 5 The Woman in Cabin 10 Ruth Ware Scout 24,020 6 Milk and Honey Rupi Kaur Andrews McMeel 21,166 7 Wonder R.J. Palacio Knopf 18,491 8 The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook Laurel Randolph Rockridge 16,693 9 Rediscovering Americanism Mark R. Levin Threshold 16,428 10 Murder Games Patterson/Roughan Little, Brown 15,304

All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.
In the fiscal year ended Mar. 29, 2014, Indigo lost C$31 million on revenue of C$867.7 million. Three years later, in the fiscal year ended Apr. 1, 2017, the Canadian retail chain has cemented its turnaround: revenue topped C$1 billion for the first time, and net earnings were C$20.9 million.

With a firm financial foundation, Indigo now appears ready to move beyond Canada. Reports surfaced last week that the retailer is likely to open its first American store sometime in early 2018. Although a spokesperson for the chain had no comment, in its annual report Indigo noted that the company continues to look for new opportunities both within Canada and globally.

Indigos ability to increase sales has been due in part to the broadening of its product mix, which led to the May 2016 decision by CEO Heather Reisman to create what she, in her letter to shareholders, called our first true cultural department store. Sales at the first revamped store were 25% higher than the slightly smaller outlet it replaced across the street in Toronto, Reisman said. Indigo executives were encouraged by the results from the newly conceived store; Reisman wrote that Indigo has set the groundwork this year to begin a major three-year initiative to renovate our entire store network. In fiscal 2017, Indigo renovated one superstore and three smaller-format stores.

Though Indigo intends to keep books as its core offering, it is also working to become the premiere year-round gifting destination in Canada, according to the annual report. To that end, Indigo will continue to expand its lifestyle and paper offerings, as well as the selection of toys and games in all its superstores and online. Upping its proprietary merchandise linewhich includes expanding its line of gifts and lifestyle products in areas such as home, paper merchandise, and fashion accessoriesis another priority. In fiscal 2017, the general merchandise category had the highest sales gain for the retailer, with a double-digit-percentage sales increase from fiscal 2016.

As a result of the change in buying trends, the sales mix changed in fiscal 2017. The print category accounted for 58.6% of Indigo revenue, down from 61.9% a year earlier, while the general merchandise category accounted for 37.7% of sales, up from 34.5% in the prior year. In terms of books, the company refined its bestseller program and expanded the staff picks and local authors programs. Print sales remained solid in fiscal 2017, Indigo said, as sales of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child offset declines in the adult coloring book category.

As well as the stores have done, Indigos fastest growth in the year came in its online segment, where sales jumped 12.8% over fiscal 2016, with gains in both print books and general merchandise. Online sales represented 14.5% of all Indigo revenue in fiscal 2017, up from 13.4% the previous year. Indigo said it will continue to improve its e-commerce platform to maintain its position as an omnichannel retailer.

Though Indigo founded Kobo in 2009 (and sold it to the Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten in 2011), sales of digital books and e-readers have never been a significant part of Indigos sales mix. Kobo sales fell in fiscal 2017, due, the company said, to industry-wide slowing of digital book sales.

While e-book sales fell last year, Indigo added to its store count for the first time in at least five years. It finished fiscal 2017 with 212 outlets (89 superstores and 123 smaller stores), one superstore more than it had in fiscal 2016. But Indigo hasnt been immune to the challenges facing physical retailersin fiscal 2013 it had 97 superstores and 134 smaller stores.

Indigo Fiscal 20162017 Results

Segment Sales (C$ in millions) Segment Apr. 2, 2016 Apr. 1, 2017 Change Change Comp Store Sales Superstores C$695.3 C$702.1 1.0% 2.9% Small-Format Stores C$140.2 C$140.7 0.4% 0.9% Online (Including Kiosks) C$133.3 C$148.2 11.2% 12.8% Other C$25.4 C$28.8 13.4% N/A Total C$994.2 C$1,019.8 2.6% 4.1%

Sales by Product Line Product 2016 2017 Print1 61.9% 58.6% General Merchandise2 34.5% 37.7% E-reading3 1.5% 1.2% Other4 2.1% 2.5% Total 100.0% 100.0%

1) Includes books, magazines, newspapers, and shipping revenue.

2) Includes lifestyle, paper, toys, calendars, music, DVDs, electronics, and shipping revenue.

3) Includes e-readers, e-reader accessories, Kobo revenue share, and shipping revenue.

4) Includes cafes, gift card breakage, loyalty program breakage, and corporate sales.
With the recent release of Christopher Nolans Dunkirk, a big-budget film about the English armys unlikely escape across the channel during a key battle of World War II, we took a look at some of the WWII books hitting shelves. Like Nolans filmwhich depicts how the Allied forces stayed alive, against the odds, after being penned in on the beaches of France (thanks to an assist from a number of civilian boats and a tactical error by the Germans)these books offer up tales in which everyday people, in their fight to survive, committed unsung acts of heroism.

Sons and Soldiers

Bruce Henderson

Publisher: Morrow

Pub. Date: July 25

In this work of nonfiction, Henderson (Rescue at Los Banos) tells the story of a group of young German Jews, known as the Ritchie Boys, who, after fleeing Europe as children in the 1930s and growing up in America, returned to the continent as moles for the Allies. Trained by the U.S. government, the Ritchie Boysthere were roughly 2,000 of themwere taught German language skills and interrogation techniques, then sent to Europe to infiltrate the ranks of the Third Reich as American spies.

Survivors Club

Michael Bornstein and Debbie Bornstein Holinstat

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Pub. Date: Mar. 7

Bornstein, a childhood survivor of Auschwitz (he was filmed by Soviet soldiers, at four years old, being carried out of the camp in his grandmothers arms), recounts how his Polish family survived the Holocaust and the war. Written with his daughter, the book draws on Bornsteins memories, as well as interviews with various members of his family.

The Unwomanly Face of War

Svetlana Alexievich, trans. by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky

Publisher: Random House

Pub. Date: July 25

This translation of Belarusian Nobel Prizewinner Alexievichs 1985 book showcases the unsung tales of Soviet women who fought on the front lines. Their contributions to the war effort have remained largely untold and nearly forgotten.
Since American troops first deployed to Afghanistan 16 years ago, readers have been transfixed by their stories, as well as by those that have emerged from the subsequent American military engagements in Iraq and Syria. Bestselling books including Marcus Luttrells Lone Survivor (Little, Brown, 2007) and Mark Owens No Easy Day (Dutton, 2012) reflect this interest, and their success continues to spur similarly themed acquisitions.

The volume of books means that its as difficult an area to publish in as any right now in American publishing, says Marc Resnick, executive editor at St. Martins Press. Maybe eight years ago, if a Navy SEAL was willing to write a book, youd sign them up. Now, Resnick says, editors are more selective, seeking nontraditional narratives that show a more personal side of conflict.

Forthcoming titles speak to this appetite for confessional stories of military service and war. These books document the varied experiences of soldiers and noncombatants, and follow diverse narratives of predeployment experience, combat, and the often-disorienting return to civilian life that retired soldiers face.

Starting from Home

Jason Delgados Bounty Hunter 4/3 (St. Martins, Oct.), which Resnick edited, is one of several books that are as much about how citizens become soldiers as they are about military life itself. The book opens on the streets of the Bronx, where Delgado grew up amid poverty and crime before finding a distinguished career as a sniper and a military trainer in the Marines.

Though Delgados journey to military service was relatively direct, Jon Kerstetter took a more circuitous path. Kerstetter left the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin to attend college, postponed his dream of becoming a doctor, and took up a career in business. Then, in his late 30s, he entered medical school and joined the National Guard.

Written after he recovered from a stroke, Crossings (Crown, Sept.) tells of Kerstetters experience as a doctor-soldier, practicing surgery through three tours at the height of the Iraq War and putting together the joint Iraqi-U.S. forensic team to identify the remains of Saddam Husseins sons.

William Thomas, publisher and editor-in-chief at Doubleday, which is releasing Ben Blums Ranger Games in September, says an elevated nonfiction emerges from such personal accounts of the intersection of civilian and military life, leading readers to think about the choices we all make by asking, At what point are we morally culpable?

In Ranger Games, Blum explores military culture. The subject of the book, the authors cousin Alex, trained with the elite Army Rangers and then committed armed robbery in Tacoma with a small group under the sway of a charismatic fellow Ranger. Blums attempt to understand what happened results in what our starred review called an unsettling dissection of the moral corruptions, small and great, that bedevil the culture of military honor.

Thomas says the book is not condemnatory of military culture, but it puts it under a microscope, including the Armys use of deep psychological research into how you create effective soldiers.

Views of Combat

All sorts of stories emerge from war zones, and not all of them are about military service. This season brings several titles authored or coauthored by journalists whove covered combat. These books share a common theme with soldiers accounts, says Rakesh Satyal, senior editor at Atria, who edited photographer Jonathan Alpeyries The Shattered Lens (Oct.). Regardless of the atrocities you witness, regardless of the dangers that you face, he says, journalists feel called to do this work.

A veteran journalist who had travelled the world covering conflict zones, Alpeyrie was kidnapped and held hostage by Syrian rebels in 2013, during his third trip to the region to document the civil war. Unsure whether he would survive the ordeal, Alpeyrie relied on a revived sense of religious faith, and was ultimately released after 81 days captivity.

Another photojournalist, Finbarr OReilly, found strength in his friendship with now-retired Marine Sgt. Thomas J. Brennan. The two met when OReilly was embedded with Brennans squad in Afghanistan, and have coauthored Shooting Ghosts (Viking, Aug.), after helping each other grapple with the lasting psychological trauma of their wartime experiences (see In My Own Words).

Deborah Campbells A Disappearance in Damascus (Picador, Sept.) is also a story of a bond forged in the midst of conflict. Campbell saw Ahlam, her fixer (a local who helps journalists navigate foreign places), kidnapped in front of her. She recounts her feelings of guilt and responsibility and her efforts to gain Ahlams release.

James Meader, executive director of publicity at Picador, says such accounts remind the reader that most of us reading the news in the Western world have no idea what goes on in war zones. Meader says he felt that way when he read Campbells book, which was published in Canada in 2016 and received the Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize for Nonfiction. He briefly shifted roles in order to act as the books acquiring editor, something he does a handful of times each year.

Soldiers accounts, of course, also shed light on events that might otherwise go unnoticed back at home. After a troubled childhood, Matt Young joined the military, serving three tours of duty in Iraq. He has emerged with an account that draws together his personal narrative and wider questions of war, its meaning, and its effect on those who enlist to fight. Youngs Eat the Apple (Bloomsbury, Feb. 2018) uses various literary styles, and even infographics, to lay bare the absurdism of 21st-century war, according to the publisher.

Flo Groberg emigrated to the United States from France as a child and received the Congressional Medal of Honor for tackling a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. Robert Bender, v-p and executive editor at S&S, says he was taken aback by the extraordinary story of Grobergs actions, his survival, and also by the fact that hes the first immigrant to receive the medal of honor since the Vietnam days. Groberg tells that story, with Tom Sileo, in 8 Seconds of Courage (Simon & Schuster, Nov.).

Returning from War

After the hardships of war, the return to civilian life poses its own challenges, and publishers including Rowman & Littlefield have titles that aim to help. Novembers Mission Transition, by career counselor Janet I. Farley, offers financial planning advice and civilian job strategies for life after military retirement.

It joins a roster of similarly themed Rowman titles that includes the second edition of The Wounded Warrior Handbook by Janelle B. Moore, Don Philpott, and Cheryl Lawhorne-Scott (2015), which guides veterans through the necessary steps to receive support for injuries suffered during their service.

In April 2018, Potomac is releasing a second edition of 2011s Out of Uniform, updated with a new foreword, an additional chapter on social media, and new resource lists. Author Tom Wolfe, a Navy veteran, has been counseling retiring veterans on returning to civilian life for three decades.

In contrast to these practical guides geared toward servicepeople, books like Craig Grossis Craig & Fred (Morrow, Oct.) offer a narrative look at how soldiers adjust when they return from combat. After finding a stray dog wandering the streets of Afghanistans Helmand province, Grossi, then a U.S. Marine sergeant, felt such a strong bond that he enlisted the help of fellow soldiers to sneak the newly named Fred back to the U.S.

Its a story that doesnt feed us military heroism, says Rachel Kahan, an editor at Morrow. Instead, Grossi recounts his efforts to heal from his wartime experiences while traversing the U.S., dog in tow. The book will be released simultaneously in the adult edition and in a young readers edition, for ages eight and up.

Morrows bet that Craig & Fred will appeal to a wide audience resonates with Picadors Meader, who believes that readers will not shy away from difficult subjects like war and conflict, so long as there is an element that conveys an underlying humanity. Writers have come around to the idea that weaving in the personal element is something that more readers want, he says. The best hard nonfiction books always have that personal element to them.

Below, more on the subject of war and military books.

Books about the Russian Revolution: War & Military Books 20172018

One hundred years later, new books revisit the pivotal era.

In My Own Words: The Emotional Fallout from War

In 'Shooting Ghosts,' photographer Finbarr OReilly and his coauthor, retired Marine Sgt. Thomas J. Brennan, explore how combat affects lives on and off the battlefield.

Targeting History: War & Military Books 20172018

The new Casemate Short History series is a line of consumer-friendly, single-subject introductory volumes.
The Casemate Group publishes as many as 50 titles on military subjects annually, so company president David Farnsworth speaks from experience when he says that many books about war are too specialized for a general readership. The result, Farnsworth says, is that publishers run the risk of forgetting that new people are coming into the interest [area] every year.

In order to reach those readers, Casemate is launching the Casemate Short History series, a line of single-subject introductory volumes. Unlike the large, detailed, and often expensive titles many readers associate with military history, these paperbacks retail for $12.95, are each about 160 pages long, and are narrative-driven. Each book contains breakouts, sidebars, images, and quotations to make it more inviting and less dense.

The first four volumes publish in August: Tanks by Oscar E. Gilbert and Romain Cansiere, Big Guns by Angus Konstam, Fighter Aces by John Sadler and Rosie Serdiville, and Sharpshooters by Gary Yee. Four more follow in October, with another eight titles slated for release in 2018.

Casemates editorial team came up with the books subjects and commissioned experienced authors to tackle them. Tanks coauthor Gilbert, for example, is a retired U.S. Marine Corps artilleryman who spent over three decades working for the U.S. government. He and Cansiere wrote an earlier volume for Casemate, 2015s Tanks in Hell (Casemate, 2015), which won the 2016 General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for distinguished nonfiction.

The publisher is taking a reserved approach to marketing the titles in the near term. A larger push is planned after the first eight titles have published, because once the series is well underway, Farnsworth says, Casemate can present it as a whole to readers and to booksellers: There are eight books out already, there are eight books next year, and weve got the sample copies.

Already, he says, preliminary discussions with Barnes & Noble have been encouraging. They get what were trying to do.

The opportunity to publish for a general audience, says Farnsworth, a 20-year veteran of military history publishing, has obvious benefits for business. With their consumer-friendly format and price point, he says, Theres a wide possibility of markets for these books.

Return to the main feature.
One hundred years ago, Russian workers sparked the revolution that led to the creation of the Soviet Union. Now, as stories about Russo-American relations top the news, publishers are marking the centennial of the Russian Revolution with titles that look back on the events that set the course of the world as we know it today.

Self-described radical publisher Verso Books has branded and reissued roughly a dozen backlist titles for the anniversary in the last year, but a new book turned out to be the publishers surprise success. October, by science fiction author and academic China Mieville, has sold almost 6,000 print copies since it pubbed in May, per NPD BookScan.

In addition to mining its backlist and bringing out new titles, Verso has hosted online contests and seized on the anniversary as an opportunity to ask readers to share their suggestions of notable revolutionary voices. The response has guided Verso editors to writers previously unpublished in the U.S, whose work they plan to print in the coming years. All of this, says Anne Rumberger, Verso marketing manager, is part of the publishers effort to be deeply grounded in history but also with this lens of, What relevance does the Russian Revolution have for us today? 

Pulitzer Prizefinalist Arthur Herman (Gandhi and Churchill, 2008) speaks to that question in 1917 (Harper, Nov.), a study of Woodrow Wilson and Vladimir Lenins views of statecraft and war in the context of revolution. Herman proposes that the two leaders established a new kind of imperialism that has dominated global affairs for the past hundred years. Eric Nelson, executive editor at Harper, cautions against looking to history books to divine the future, but says that the relevance of the revolution today is clear in some of Hermans conclusions, one of which is that were at a moment where the major world powers are pulling back from that vision [from 1917] of trying to remake other countries in their image.

Histories, commentaries, memoirs, and ideas from the present day join newly discovered accounts from a hundred years ago, all of them lining up to mark the revolutions anniversary this fall. Heres a look at whats in store.

Bloodstained

Edited by friends of Aron Baron. AK Press, Oct.

Dedicated to Baron, a Russian anarchist who was executed by Stalin in 1937, Bloodstained is a leftist rebuke of Lenin and the Russian Revolution, which the publisher describes as a murderous dictatorship and a criminal enterprise. New and vintage essays by Mark Leier, Emma Goldman, and others challenge what the publisher calls the darker echoes of the revolution.

The House of Government

Yuri Slezkine. Princeton Univ., Aug.

Slezkine voyages through a Moscow apartment building, telling detailed stories of its residents in the years after the revolution. The book follows senior Bolshevik leaders, tracing the ways their lives change as they careen from positions of power to total loss at the hands of Josef Stalin.

Lenin 2017

V.I. Lenin and Slavoj Zizek. Verso, Sept.

Philosopher Zizek turns to Lenins obscure later works, arguing that theyre essential for understanding the revolutionary leaders views on the successes and failures of the revolution. Lenins writings are reproduced with commentary by Zizek, who contends that one of the Soviet leaders most notable intellectual achievements was his ability to remain hopeful while acknowledging that the revolution had not delivered on many of its promises.

No Less Than Mystic

John Medhurst. Repeater, Aug.

Chronicling the 19031921 period, Medhurst devotes his attention to Russian leftist groups that were essential to the rise of socialism there but whose stories are often overlooked. The author expresses disdain for Leninism in an analysis intended to provide, in the words of his publisher, a way forward for a nonauthoritarian left.

Overtaken by the Night

Richard G. Robbins Jr. Univ. of Pittsburgh, Nov.

Using archival documents and memoirs, Robbins introduces Vladimir Dzhunkovsky, a largely forgotten but highly influential member of Czar Nicholas IIs court, a governor of Moscow, and a head of the czars political police. After being shunned for turning against Rasputin, Dzhunkovsky fought in World War I and was spared by Communist revolutionaries but was executed by Stalin in 1938.

Red at Heart

Elizabeth McGuire. Oxford Univ., Nov.

The story of the rise of Communism is recast in this volume that looks at the lives of Chinese revolutionaries studying in Soviet Russia. McGuire explores connections between China and Russia through these individuals, including a son of Chang Kai-shek and Mao Zedongs third wife.

Red Petrograd

S.A. Smith. Haymarket, Nov.

Originally published in 1983 by Cambridge University Press, Smiths study of factory councilswhich were influential worker-run labor committeesprovides insight into the lives of workers, their strategies for organizing during the revolution, and their visions for a communist state.

Revolution!

Edited by Pete Ayrton. Pegasus, Sept.

H.G. Wells, Somerset Maugham, Louise Bryant, and Langston Hughes were among the writers who flocked to Russia during and after the revolution and documented their experiences. Ayrton anthologizes these travelers accounts alongside those of their Russian counterparts, sharing the daily challenges they encountered and the ideological battles they witnessed as the foundation of the Soviet state was established.

Russia in Flames

Laura Engelstein. Oxford Univ., Oct.

Russia scholar Engelstein delivers an extensive history of Russias involvement in World War I, the October Revolution, and the subsequent civil war. Through the stories of individuals, events, and institutions, Engelstein details the continuous violence of 19141921, beginning with czarist rule and progressing through the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Russian Revolution

Edited by Ekaterina Rogatchevskaia. British Library, Aug.

Published in concert with an exhibition at the British Library, this visual history uses reproductions of posters, newspapers, photographs, maps, and postcards to illuminate the revolution.

What You Did Not Tell

Mark Mazower. Other Press, Oct.

After discovering his grandfathers work as an agent for the Jewish socialist Bund, Mazower, a Columbia University historian, explored the efforts people later took to hide their involvement in the revolution. Through the story of his grandfather, Mazower reconstructs the history of this largely forgotten Jewish socialist group that, he writes, was instrumental to the revolutions success.

Return to the main feature.
FremantleMedia has selected Coty Cagliolo to take on an expanded role as managing director of the companys Mexican unit.

The executive, currently the VP of development across the Latin American and US Hispanic region, will be based in Mexico and report directly to Sangeeta Desai, COO and CEO for emerging marketsThrough this new role, Cagliolo will be responsible for the overall management of the operation, working to reinforce the companys presence in the region by developing content for the Mexican and regional markets.The Latin American markets continue to be a key focus for FremantleMedia and with Cotys drive, experience and strong relationships throughout Mexico were in a good position to explore growth opportunities in the region, pointed out Sangeeta Desai.As the growth of the business continues be a passion of mine, I look forward to working with the team to bring more of FremantleMedias iconic brands to Mexico, as well as working together to develop new creative ideas, said Cagliolo.Cagliolo has been part of FremantleMedia since 2013, when she joined the company as creative director in Mexico.Since the opening of the Mexican office two years ago two years ago , FremantleMedia has produced Cocineros Mexicanos and Mexico Tiene Talento for TV Azteca, and continues to produce 100 Mexicanos Dijieron for Televisa.
An errant U.S. air strike, confirmed by the Pentagon, killed 16 Afghan National Police personnel and injured two others in Helmand Province, officials said on July 22.

The death toll was determined after the compound in Gereshk District of Helmand Province was inspected.

The Pentagon confirmed on July 21 that a U.S. air strike in Helmand Province mistakenly killed a number of Afghan security personnel.

Afghan forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory in Helmand Province, which remains largely under the control of Taliban extremists.

The governor of Afghanistan's northern Badakshan's Province also announced on July 22 that 11 policeman were killed and six wounded during a fight with Taliban insurgents.

Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said that 20 other members of the local police force in the remote region of Tagab were missing after the firefight on July 21.

The area where the fighting took place is inside a mountainous region, which is difficult to access and telephone contact is erratic.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters


Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) has reopened a small medical clinic in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz Province, the first facility there since U.S. air strikes destroyed an MSF hospital in 2015.

An air attack by American special forces in 2015 killed 42 patients, medical staff, and caregivers at the MSF trauma center.

An American military probe found that the attack was the result of human error and equipment failure, among other factors.

The group is working to secure assurances from American and Afghan military officials that their medical facilities would be respected and protected.

The new clinic, which will provide outpatient treatment of minor or chronic injuries, is not situated at the site of the destroyed hospital.

MSF hopes to be able to build a new trauma center in Kunduz as early as 2018.

The trauma center was destroyed in 2015 during a period when Taliban militants briefly overran the city.

"The security in Kunduz is still quite volatile, and we know that the needs are really dire," Silvia Dallatomasina, head of programs for MSF in Afghanistan, told Reuters

Based on reporting by Reuters


The son of Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada died on July 20 carrying out a suicide attack in the embattled Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said on July 22.

A government official said authorities were investigating the incident and could not confirm that Haibatullah's son had been killed.

Government media and information center director Sediq Sediqi disputed the claim on Twitter. He tweeted: "They lied, it is part of their propaganda, Taliban's families & leaders are having luxuries life in Pakistan & Qatar"

Abdur Rahman, 23, also known as Hafiz Khalid, died driving a vehicle filled with explosives into a large base of Afghan security forces in Gereshk district on the morning of July 20, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told dpa.

Taliban fighters drove three captured Humvee vehicles into checkpoints during heavy fighting around Gereshk on the same day.

Mullah Haibatullah became the leader of the Taliban after his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour died in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan in May, 2016.

A government official said authorities are investigating the incident and cannot confirm that Haibatullah's son had been killed.

The Taliban already control about 80 percent of Helmand province, where thousands of hectares of poppy plants grow, earning the Taliban hundreds of millions of dollars from opium and heroin production.

Based on reporting by dpa and Reuters


In any Balkan country the names of war criminals are well-known. But the names of people who have moved humanity in a positive direction are often hidden from the public eye.

That is the case with Diana Budisavljevic, whose heroics in rescuing thousands of lives during World War II-era Croatia went unrecognized for more than half a century.



A few years ago, Croatian film producer Dana Budisavljevic was visiting the former concentration camp at Jasenovac when her last name caught the attention of the memorial center's director.

"Have you heard of Diana Budisavljevic?"

When Dana said she hadn't, the director explained that her near-namesake had been directly responsible for saving thousands of children from concentration camps run by the Independent State of Croatia's fascist Ustase regime after the Nazi puppet state was established in 1941. She also presented Dana with a copy of Diana Budisavljevic's diary, published in 2003 by her granddaughter, Silvija Szabo.

The encounter piqued Dana's curiosity, and more discoveries were to follow. It turned out after some digging that her family was related to Diana's husband, Julije Budisavljevic, a respected surgeon, and that Dana's own grandmother had known the couple.

The story of Diana Budisavljevic, meanwhile, was as fascinating as it was virtually unknown in Croatia. The Austrian woman married to a Zagreb-based doctor has been credited with organizing the rescue of at least 7,500 mainly Serbian children from various Ustase-run camps, and yet "Diana's story is not part of our collective memory," Dana told RFE/RL.

Operation DB

Struck by the story and the injustice, Dana resolved to do everything in her power to set the record straight -- which, in her case, meant directing a movie about Diana's life. The film -- whose working title is Operation DB, drawing on Diana Budisavljevic's initials -- is due to start shooting this fall, and Dana is currently scouting locations.

One of her chief inspirations is Diana's diary -- a stenographic journal in German that has survived.

The first entry in the journal reveals that Diana found out from her Jewish seamstress about a camp at Loborgrad, a castle near the Croatian capital Zagreb. When she received confirmation of the camp's existence and its mainly Serbian and Jewish female inmates, Diana set to work.

Natasa Matausic -- a historian who is currently completing a doctoral dissertation on the child-rescue operation -- also found out about Diana Budisavljevic only relatively recently, in 2003.

"One of the most powerful passages [in Diana's journal] describes her visit to the camp at Stara Gradiska. Diana and some nurses from the Red Cross were made to wait all night before being allowed inside the camp by its commander, Maks Luburic," the historian told RFE/RL.

"He then reproached them for caring about Serbian children, and not Catholic and Muslim kids who were also going hungry. Luburic threatened to have Diana and the nurses interned in the camp, saying that no one would know what had happened to them or their whereabouts. Despite this, the women insisted on entering the children's hospital -- and what they found there was truly heart-rending."

'Impossibly Thin Children'

Diana Budisavljevic gives a vivid description of the visit to the Stara Gradiska camp for women and children, a part of the notorious Jasenovac death camp, in her journal:

"Something terrible met us inside. Rooms with no furniture of any kind, only chamber pots, and sitting or lying down on the floor were impossibly thin little children. One could already see death in each one of their eyes.... The doctor said they were beyond help. But the transport leader said we should take every child who could be moved somehow. A choice was made. Those who could still stand on their own feet were taken, while those who were stumbling, who no longer had the strength to stand, were left behind."

The experience was a shock, and Diana fell ill herself, says Matausic.

"She was a mother of two, and what she saw in the camp affected her health. She even started losing her hair."

After Zagreb was liberated by the Yugoslav partisans in May 1945, security officers visited the Budisavljevic residence. They took the family car, as well as files with photos and information on thousands of children who had been saved.

While Diana is credited by historians with helping rescue 7,500 children from various camps, she had kept records of about 12,000 kids who had been accommodated in convents or private homes throughout Croatia.

Most of the children were from the region around the Bosnian mountain of Kozara -- an area that had been "cleansed" in a joint operation by Nazi German and Ustase forces.

PHOTO GALLERY: Diana Budisavljevic And Croatia's Death Camps (click on image to open)

The child-rescue operation was not ignored after the war -- it was, in fact, hailed as a triumph of the liberating partisan forces. But Diana Budisavljevic, who had risked her life and those of her family members up to that point, was erased from the narrative, as were the names of most of her associates and helpers. She was not arrested or interrogated, but it fell to the victors to write the history of the children's delivery from captivity.

The Yugoslav communist authorities subsequently managed to locate many of the children's parents, and those who had been orphaned were left in the care of foster families in Zagreb.

Diana received around 4,000 inquiries from parents looking for their children after the war, but deprived of her archive she was unable to help.

"Nothing was known about Diana's role in the operation, or that she was its prime mover -- that it was she who obtained the crucial permit to remove children from Ustase camps, and from Stara Gradiska, where they were left alone after their mothers had been sent to Germany to perform forced labor," Matausic told RFE/RL.

In 2003, when the permanent exhibit at the location of the Jasenovac camp was being prepared, Matausic discovered a pile of children's photographs and some albums in the archive that had not been looked at in years.

"It seemed that everyone before me had been avoiding this harrowing topic. I set to work immediately. There were four albums with children's photos, all dated. The pictures were haunting -- images of children in distress in Zagreb hospitals or in the camp at Sisak," Matausic says. "At that point one of the members of the team saw the albums I was working on and exclaimed: Those could be Diana Budisavljevic's albums!'" The man knew Diana's granddaughter Silvija Szabo, and was familiar with Diana's journals.

"While I was working on the albums I had many sleepless nights and frequent nightmares," Matausic says. "I can only imagine what it must have been like to see the children in person, as Diana saw them."

Undaunted

Diana was Austrian. She had met her husband Julije in Innsbruck, where he was studying medicine, and they married in 1917. Later, she used her connections in Zagreb high society to obtain permission for the removal of Serbian children from the Ustase camps. She was left undaunted even by the threats from the camp commander Luburic.

After the war she never spoke in public about the operation -- her granddaughter discovered her journal and the photo albums among her things by accident. Diana moved back to Innsbruck with her husband in 1972, where she died six years later.

The director of the forthcoming biopic, Dana Budisavljevic, says that Operation DB will be part feature and part documentary. The feature part is based on Diana's journal and will star Alma Prica, among others, while the documentary portion will include witness testimonies of some of the rescued children, who are now in their 80s. "Together they are meant to bring together on film that which politics and history have separated -- Diana and the children she rescued," Dana explained.

One of the film's working titles had been Diana's List, and Dana welcomes comparisons with the Spielberg epic Schindler's List -- which told the story of an ethnic German industrialist, Oskar Schindler, who is credited with saving the lives of mostly Polish-Jewish prisoners from the Holocaust -- if it means it will draw attention to Diana's story.

"The only thing that makes me uncomfortable is when people start comparing numbers -- Schindler saved 1,500, Irene Sandler (a Polish nurse who smuggled Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto) 2,500, and Diana 7,500 -- because all three operations were different in nature, as were many others.

"The important thing is for us to remember them all, and that it is possible and indeed imperative to stand up to such horror and destruction. In school we spend too much time learning about liberators, and not enough about those who strove to save lives and preserve peace."

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.


The European Union on July 21 criticized the two latest death sentences handed down in Belarus, saying that they "violate the right to life."

Belarus's Mahilyow Regional Court sentenced Ihar Hershankow and Syamyon Berazhny to death on July 21 after they were convicted of six murders linked to a real estate scam.

The defendants allegedly posed as estate agents and persuaded elderly homeowners to sell them their apartments at discounted prices, before killing them.

"The European Union is strongly opposed to capital punishment and expects that the legal right to appeal for both convicts will be fully guaranteed," EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said.

"The continued application of the death penalty goes counter to Belarus's stated willingness to engage with the international community," she said. "The death penalty violates the right to life and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment."

The Council of Europe also spoke out against the planned executions.

Kocijancic said the EU raised its opposition to Belarusian death sentences at the Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on July 20. She said all remaining death sentences should be commuted and a moratorium imposed on death penalties, which she said should eventually be abolished.

Belarus is the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment.

With reporting by AFP


Campaigning has not even started for Kyrgyzstan's presidential race, in fact the registration process for candidates is not even finished yet, but it already seems clear this is going to be a wild ride.



Two of the biggest parties in the country, one of them the president's former party, seem to be on the verge of splitting less than three months before polling stations open on October 15.



The number of people who have declared they wish to be candidates, as of the writing of this report, had reached 35 (RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service has a list here), though by election day most of these presidential hopefuls will certainly be long out of the race.



And although campaigning has not yet started, the specter of nationalism is already hanging over the presidential race.



One of the most unexpected twists of the presidential election so far is the seeming rifts in the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) and the Ata-Jurt party.



These two parties won the most seats in the 2010 and 2015 parliamentary elections, albeit in the 2015 election Ata-Jurt teamed up with the Respublika party in a union that has since broken up (though the Respublika-Ata-Jurt faction in parliament remains intact).



The SDPK was the party of current President Almazbek Atambaev, who was forced constitutionally to break ties with it after he was elected president in 2011.



Many people in Kyrgyzstan continue to identify the SDPK with President Atambaev, however, and it seems like Atambaev will return to the party after his term in office expires later this year.

'One Vacancy'



The SDPK officially forwarded Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov to be the party's candidate for president at the party congress on July 15 and Atambaev has clearly indicated that he backs Jeenbekov to be his successor.



The same day, the speaker of parliament, Chinibay Tursunbekov, who is also a member of the SDPK, announced he intended to run for president as an independent candidate.



Ata-Jurt has actually nominated two presidential candidates -- Kamchybek Tashiev and Ahmatbek Keldibekov -- both nominated by the party on July 18.



The move was a surprise to many in attendance at the party congress, among them well-known Kyrgyz politician Azimbek Beknazarov.

Beknazarov took the podium and questioned the nomination of two candidates.



Addressing Tashiev and Keldibekov, Beknazarov said: "There is only one vacancy for [the post of] the president, and you are two."



He repeated that sentence, adding that "you have to decide which of the two of you will run for president."



'Pure-Blood Kyrgyz'

Beknazarov seems not to have mentioned at that time that he had also declared his intention of running for president.



But what he said next has caused some commotion in Kyrgyzstan.

First Beknazarov extolled the virtues of the two Ata-Jurt candidates, noting they were "pure-blood Kyrgyz."

Then he said: "Kyrgyzstan is needed for the Kyrgyz people and the state is for the Kyrgyz people," adding that "we have to build a home of the Kyrgyz people."



Kyrgyzstan is home to more than 80 ethnic groups and unsurprisingly many in the country, including many ethnic Kyrgyz, objected to the remark, saying it incites interethnic hatred.



Beknazarov's comments have been referred to Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security for review and charges could be filed against the fiery politician.



Not that a legal battle would prevent Beknazarov from campaigning.



Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission has informed Keldibekov that he is ineligible to run in the presidential race because technically he still has a criminal record, something Qishloq Ovozi mentioned in an earlier post.

Two other people who have declared their intention to run for the presidency -- Ata-Meken leader Omurbek Tekebaev and former parliamentarian Sadyk Japarov -- are currently being detained while courts consider criminal charges against them.

And remember, campaigning has not even started yet, so stay tuned, there's plenty more excitement to come in Kyrgyzstan in the coming months.

Gulayim Ashakeeva of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service contributed to this report.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.


French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will call the leaders of Russia, Germany, and Ukraine on July 24 in a stepped-up international effort to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine.



The holding of the Normandy format talks between Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is part of a continuous effort by the four countries to resolve the conflict in which Russia-backed separatists are fighting Ukrainian troops.



More than 10,000 people have died in the conflict, which began in early 2014, with hundreds of thousands of others forced to flee their homes.



A cease-fire agreement signed in February 2015 in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, has failed to end the violence, which has recently flared up and led to at least 11 Ukrainian soldiers being killed in recent days.



The French president's announcement comes one day after the United States announced that special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker will travel to Kyiv for talks.



The State Department said Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, will meet in Ukraine with those who "have been affected by Russian aggression."

He will also visit Brussels, France, Austria, and Britain in an effort to find a "path to restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."



Moscow denies involvement in the conflict despite compelling evidence that Russia has supported the separatists financially and militarily.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Interfax
The White House on November 12 hailed Russias withdrawal from the Ukrainian city of Kherson as an "extraordinary victory" for Ukraine.

"It does look as though the Ukrainians have just won an extraordinary victory where the one regional capital that Russia had seized in this war is now back under a Ukrainian flag -- and that is quite a remarkable thing," national-security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters as he accompanied President Joe Biden to the ASEAN summit in Cambodia.

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, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Sullivan spoke hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared that Kherson is "ours after his special forces entered the strategic southern city following the retreat of Russian troops, marking another dramatic battlefield victory in Kyivs drive to recapture territory occupied by Russia since the start of its unprovoked invasion.

Separately, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on November 12 that Moscow's "strategic failure" in Kherson will sow doubt among the Russian public about the point of the war in Ukraine.

"Russia's announced withdrawal from Kherson marks another strategic failure for them. In February, Russia failed to take any of its major objectives except Kherson," Wallace said in a statement. "Now with that also being surrendered, ordinary people of Russia must surely ask themselves: 'What was it all for?'"

Video posted online showed people on the streets, flying Ukraine's national flag and chanting as Ukrainian troops arrived in the city. Photos circulating on social media on November 12 showed Ukrainian activists removing memorial plaques put up by the occupation authorities the Kremlin installed to run the Kherson region.

"We are winning battles on the ground. But the war continues," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after Ukraine's recovery of Kherson.

Speaking at the summit in Cambodia on November 12, Kuleba said that reclaiming the city was "quite an exercise.

I understand that everyone wants this war to end as soon as possible. We are definitely the ones who want that more than anyone else," Kuleba said during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the summit.

Sullivan said that the Russian retreat would have "broader strategic implications," including relieving the longer-term threat by Russia to other southern Ukrainian cities, such as Odesa.

"It's a big moment, and it's due to the incredible tenacity and skill of the Ukrainians, backed by the relentless and united support of the United States and our allies," Sullivan said.

Asked about reports that the Biden administration has started to press Zelenskiy to explore negotiations with Moscow, Sullivan said that Russia, not Ukraine, was the side that has to decide whether or not to go to the table.

"This whole notion, I think, in the Western press of, 'When's Ukraine going to negotiate?' misses the underlying fundamentals," Sullivan said.

WATCH: Local residents welcomed Ukrainian soldiers into Snihurivka on November 10, as advance forces of the Ukrainian military recaptured the town in the southern Mykolayiv region. Other footage from the village of Blahodatne in the Kherson region shows a massive cache of abandoned weapons left by the Russian troops after their retreat.

Russia, he added, continues to make "outlandish claims" about its self-declared annexations of Ukrainian lands, even as it retreats from Ukrainian counterattacks.

"Ultimately, at a 30,000-foot level, Ukraine is the party of peace in this conflict and Russia is the party of war. Russia invaded Ukraine. If Russia chose to stop fighting in Ukraine and left, it would be the end of the war. If Ukraine chose to stop fighting and give up, it would be the end of Ukraine," he said.

"In that context, our position remains the same as it has been and fundamentally is in close consultation and support of President Zelenskiy, he said.

The Ukrainian military said on November 12 that it had carried out stabilization measures near Kherson following the end of the eight-month Russian occupation.

In a regular social media update, the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces said the Russians were fortifying their battle lines on the river's eastern bank after abandoning the capital. About 70 percent of the Kherson region remains under Russian control.

With reporting by AFP
Thousands of people gathered on July 21 in Warsaw to protest against a bill sponsored by the nation's populist ruling party that would give political leaders substantial control over the judiciary. The legislation calls for firing current Supreme Court judges, except those approved by the president, and it gives the president power to regulate the courts. (Reuters)
Russia on July 21 lambasted as "buffoonery" U.S. allegations that the Russian military might leave equipment behind in Belarus after holding large-scale military exercises there in September.

U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges told Reuters in an interview on July 20 that NATO is closely monitoring the military equipment brought into Belarus for the Zapad 2017 exercise, and whether it is removed afterwards.

Hodges, who is the head of U.S. armed forces in Europe, said U.S. allies in Eastern Europe and Ukraine that have borders with Belarus are worried that the war games could be used as a means for Russia to permanently deploy equipment and personnel there.

"People are worried this is a Trojan horse," Hodges told Reuters. "They say, 'We're just doing an exercise,' and then all of a sudden they've moved all these people and capabilities somewhere."

Hodges conceded he had no indication that Russia had plans to do so, and Russia strongly denied the accusation.

"This artificial buffoonery over the routine Zapad-2017 exercises is aimed at justifying the sharp intensification of NATO bloc [activities] along the perimeter of Russian territory," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told Interfax on July 21.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax


Russia's Defense Ministry said on July 22 that its officials had signed a deal with moderate Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function.

The agreements on the functioning of the East Ghouta de-escalation zone in Syria were signed after talks between the Russian military and Syrian opposition in Cairo, the Russian Defense Ministry said on July 22.

The rebel-stronghold of Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement brokered in Astana by Iran, Russia, and Turkey.

The deal has still not been fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones.

Eastern Ghouta is a major rebel stronghold near the capital and is frequently targeted by government military operations.

According to the United Nations, some 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian war since 2011.

Based on reporting by AFP and TASS
Russia's FSB spy agency was a client of the Russian lawyer at the center of U.S. probes into Moscow's alleged attempts to meddle in the presidential election, media reported on July 21.

Russian court documents show that Natalya Veselnitskaya represented a military unit operated by the FSB in a legal dispute over ownership of property in Moscow between 2005 and 2013, AP and Reuters reported.

The Federal Security Service, or FSB, is the successor to the Soviet-era KGB intelligence agency and was headed by Vladimir Putin before he became president of Russia.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama last year sanctioned the FSB for what he said was its role in hacking the election.

Veselnitskaya has denied being employed by Russian intelligence services or the government.

She was a central figure in a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York with U.S. President Donald Trump's eldest son, his son-in-law, and campaign manager that has become a top subject of investigation in Congress and at the Justice Department.

She sought out the meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and was introduced by a go-between as a "Russian government lawyer" who had information provided by the Russian government that would be damaging to Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

E-mails show Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to the meeting and brought along Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who is now a senior White House official, as well as then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Several other Russians were at the meeting, and one of those told AP that Veselnitskaya provided Trump Jr. with a portfolio showing illegal Russian campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee.

Apparently in light of such reports, the special counsel that is investigating possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign asked the White House on July 21 to preserve any records and documents that came out of the meeting.

Committees of Congress have made similar requests and investigators in both branches of the U.S. government are also seeking to interview participants in the meeting.

Veselnitskaya has said she is prepared to testify on what transpired at the meeting, to put to rest what she called "mass hysteria" about Russian meddling in the election.

On July 21, she made light of the reports showing she once represented the FSB in court, saying on Facebook that "You'll be surprised to find among my clients Russian businessmen...as well as citizens and companies that had to defend themselves from accusations from the state."

Veselnitskaya added that she also had U.S. citizens as clients.

With reporting by AP and Reuters


A U.S. Senate committee investigating alleged Russian interference in last year's presidential election has said it will not force President Donald Trump's eldest son and former campaign chairman to testify in public next week.

The Senate Judiciary Committee said on July 21 that it is instead negotiating with Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort about appearing privately before the committee and turning over documents.

Committee leaders said they would not issue subpoenas forcing them to testify in public at a hearing scheduled for July 26, "but reserve the right to do so in the future."

Both men face questions about attending a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 that was touted to Trump Jr. in e-mails as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

Trump Jr. was told the lawyer had damaging information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Also on July 21, the committee issued a subpoena for former journalist Glenn Simpson, who compiled a salacious dossier on Trump during the campaign, to appear at the July 26 hearing.

Simpson had refused to attend voluntarily.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters


U.S. lawmakers say they have reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill that would bring new sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea.



Steny Hoyer (Democrat-Maryland), the second-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, said on July 22 that lawmakers from both parties had resolved several issues that were holding up the bill, a similar version of which was passed by the Senate last month.



Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York) said the new sanctions bill is "strong" and he expected it to be passed soon.



"I expect the House and Senate will act on this legislation promptly, on a broad bipartisan basis and send the bill to the president's desk," Schumer said in a statement.



The bill is expected to be voted on as early as July 25 in the House of Representatives.



The Senate will also have to vote on the new bill, which the White House and State Department have voiced reservations about.



The White House had objected to a part of the bill that would require a congressional review if President Donald Trump tried to ease or end the sanctions against Moscow.



Under the new bill, Trump would be required to send a report to Congress outlining why the administration wants to suspend or terminate any sanctions. Lawmakers would then have one month to decide whether to allow such a move.



Trump's optimistic view of future U.S.-Russian relations has led to concerns within Congress that he would reduce or abolish economic sanctions against Russia imposed after Moscow's invasion and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula as well as Russian support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

'Many Transgressions'



Both Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have said they have no intention of ending sanctions against Russia until Moscow reverses course on Ukraine.



Moscow has denied supporting the separatists despite evidence to the contrary.



Members of Congress were also keen to impose sanctions against Russia for its meddling in the 2016 presidential election, which U.S. intelligence agencies say is not in doubt despite Moscow's denials. Trump has also seemed less than convinced about Russian interference.



"Given the many transgressions of Russia, and President Trump's seeming inability to deal with them, a strong sanctions bill such as the one Democrats and Republicans have just agreed to is essential," said Schumer.



House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said she was concerned that adding North Korea in the legislation could lead to delays.



"It is essential that the addition of North Korea to this package does not prevent Congress from immediately enacting Russia sanctions legislation and sending it to the president's desk before the August recess," she said in a statement.

Intense Negotiations



Many lawmakers hope the bill would send a message to President Donald Trump to keep a strong line against Russia.



Senator Ben Cardin (Democrat-Maryland), a ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the deal was agreed to only after "intense negotiations."



He said in a statement that Congress "is poised to send President Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message."



The new sanctions package in the agreed-to legislation would impose mandatory penalties on people involved in Iran's ballistic-missile program and any person or entity that does business with them.



The measure would also apply "terrorism sanctions" to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and put in force an arms embargo.



The European Union said in a statement after reports of the agreement in Congress that sanctions against Russia and Iran should be coordinated with Brussels and that "unilateral measures" undermine the effect of the sanctions.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
A top U.S. general confirmed on July 21 that the CIA is shutting down its program to equip and train rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's army, but denied it is doing so to please Russia.

It was a "tough, tough decision" but "absolutely not a sop to the Russians," General Tony Thomas, who is head of U.S. special operations in Syria, said at a national security forum in Aspen, Colorado.

"It was, I think, based on an assessment of the nature of the program, what we're trying to accomplish, the viability of it going forward."

He said some critics of the CIA program had concluded that the rebels had no chance of removing Russian ally Assad from power.

The program began in 2013 as an effort by then-President Barack Obama to overthrow Assad, but produced little success. Thousands of anti-Assad fighters were trained and armed.

The CIA has declined to officially comment on the decision to drop the program, which was originally reported by The Washington Post.

The Post said President Donald Trump made the decision nearly a month ago after a meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

The Post said Trump was aiming to find ways to work with Russia in Syria, where Moscow supports Assad's government.

The newspaper quoted one current U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying that it was a "momentous decision" and that "Putin won in Syria."

Trump has said the main U.S. focus in Syria should be on eliminating the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, rather than opposing the Assad regime. He has previously suggested he might end support for the anti-Assad Free Syrian Army group.

U.S. officials said this week that some of the anti-Assad forces could be absorbed into groups fighting IS that the United States continues to train and supply with arms.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters


A gang of kidnappers, which included an Ola driver, held a doctor hostage and demanded INR 5 crores as ransom  not from the doctor, but from Ola Cabs, which is one of the leading taxi aggregator app based service provider.

Dr. Srikanth Goud, attached to a private hospital in Delhi booked an Ola cab on the night of July 6, after ending his evening shift. The cab was booked to drop him at South Delhi but instead the driver drove the car on to Dadri near Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The driver of the Ola was part of a gang of kidnappers and he was soon joined by the other members who abducted Goud.

A ransom call was made to Ola call center with a ransom demand for INR 5 crores while another call was made to the hospital where Goud was employed. Calls were made from various phone numbers and by using assorted SIM cards so as to avoid being traced. Videos of the abducted doctor were also taken and sent to his family in Hyderabad.

Ola informed the police of these calls and abduction and investigations revealed a fake license and forged documents supplied by the Ola driver. Sunday, 16th July 2017. saw the cops zero in on the gang and a shootout ensued between the UP Police, STF and Delhi Police and the gang of abductors.

However, despite best efforts, the gang managed to give the police a slip and escape along with Goud. They were later traced at Haridwar but the gang fled from there as well only to be finally nabbed at Muzaffarnagar. The four suspects have been caught and the doctor, Mr Goud rescued.

This incident puts a huge question mark over the safety of passengers who use taxi services like Uber and Ola. Yes, most drivers enrolled, do a fantastic job, which is why millions of us use their services. But, there are incidents being reported time and again, which puts users in harms way. We hope they toughen the screening process, and also continue to keep an eye on drivers against whom complaints are registered.
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A new animated video from the European Space Agency shows how the stars in Earth's galaxy have moved over the last million plus years  and tracks the movement of six special stars that are speeding through the Milky Way.

Researchers pulled the animated data from one of the first waves of information to come from Gaia, an ESA satellite on a mission to chart a 3D map of the Milky Way.

The stars in the video start at the positions they were in about 1,035,000 years ago, according to the description on the video. The animation follows the stars over the years, ending on their position when Gaia collected data between 2014 and 2015. [How the Gaia Galaxy-Mapping Satellite Works (Infographic)]

Using software that mimics the human brain and the ESA Gaia satellite, 6 fast moving stars have been tracked over the past 1 million plus years. (Image credit: ESA)

The six stars trailed by yellow lines are hypervelocity stars, which means that they move at hundreds of kilometers per second (which is hundreds of thousands of miles per hour). These stars are moving much faster than most stars in the galaxy, and were likely accelerated by interacting with the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, a statement from the ESA said.

"These hypervelocity stars are extremely important to study the overall structure of our Milky Way," Elena Maria Rossi a professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands, who presented Gaia's discovery of these six stars at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science in June, said in the statement.

Scientists can use the trajectory of these stars to characterize the gravitational field of the galaxy, from its center to the outer edges, as well as the possible effects of dark matter. One star, labeled No. 1 in the video, is moving so fast  more than 500 km/s or more than 1 billion mph  that the ESA thinks the object might someday break through the gravitational field and leave the galaxy.

But the slower five stars are even more interesting to scientists, the statement said: They are still bound to the Milky Way's gravity, and dark matter may have played a role in slowing them down, the researchers said.

Space.com senior producer Steve Spaleta contributed to this report.

Follow Kasandra Brabaw on Twitter @KassieBrabaw. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Enzyme crystals growing in the microgravity of the International Space Station will help scientists develop improved antidotes for toxic nerve agents.

In June, samples of a human enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) journeyed to the space station aboard the SpaceX CRS-11 Dragon capsule as part of the Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) project, which is an initiative led by the National Institutes of Health.

Organophosphates (OPs), a group of chemicals that includes several pesticides as well as sarin and VX nerve agents, block the activity of AChE enzymes, which allow muscles to relax after being stimulated by the nervous system. When the activity of AChE is blocked by OPs, muscles can't relax, which, in turn, can lead to paralysis and eventually death, according to a statement from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). [6 Coolest Space Shuttle Science Experiments]

"With increasing worldwide concern about the use of chemical weapons, there is significant interest in developing better counteragents," David A. Jett, director of the CounterACT program, said in the statement.

Using the AChE enzyme samples sent to the space station, astronauts are growing large crystals of pure enzyme. Thanks to the microgravity conditions of space, astronauts are able to grow larger, more uniform crystals than scientists can on Earth, officials said in the statement.

Those large-scale crystals can help researchers better understand the structure of the AChE enzyme. Once the crystals are grown to a size that's large enough, they will be returned to Earth for further study. Scientists plan to investigate the crystals using a method called neutron diffraction, which can provide an atomic-level view of the enzyme.

"Using this technique, we will be able to get a closer look at how the enzyme interacts with pesticides and nerve agents and learn about how the bond between the two can be chemically reversed," Zoran Radic, a researcher from the University of California, said in the statement. "This method would not work on the smaller enzyme crystals that can be grown here."

Because OP exposure blocks the AChE enzyme, the antidotes that are used to counteract this type of poisoning work because they directly break the chemical bond between AChE and OP, which reactivates the AChE enzyme. However, current antidotes are too slow to be fully effective. Using the large-scale samples grown on the space station, scientist hope to develop an oral antidote that can break the AChE-OP bond more quickly.

"Developing better countermeasures against these sorts of nerve agents is a major thrust of our overall program," Jett said in the statement. "This project is the kind of cutting-edge science we envisioned when we established the CounterACT program."

Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
This view of a 2010 total solar eclipse combines ground-based views (gray and white) taken from the South Pacific and space-based images from the SOHO spacecraft, which used a coronagraph to block out the sun and thus can't view as close to its surface.

With the 2017 total solar eclipse only one month away, scientists from several science organizations highlighted how studying the sun during an eclipse will help improve understanding of the behavior of Earth's closest stellar neighbor.

The Aug. 21 eclipse's totality path will span 14 different states coast to coast, taking roughly 91 minutes to cross the country. While the location of greatest eclipse is Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the time of totality will average about 2.5 minutes across all locations.

Officials from NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) came together yesterday (July 21 to discuss their plans during a press conference in Boulder, Colorado. [The Best ISO-Certified Gear to See the 2017 Solar Eclipse]

"The neat thing about this  as a scientist, and is someone who has kids  is the whole lower 48 [states] will be in shadow," said Scott McIntosh, director of NCAR's High Altitude Observatory. Some states will see only partial eclipses, while others will see the sun totally disappear. The event will provide opportunities for millions of amateurs to get involved with the science alongside professional astronomers, McIntosh added. (Make sure to observe proper eye safety during the eclipse.)

Because millions of people will be rushing to the small band of totality, however, the Department of Transportation has a special website available for the best routes. That's something people should check ahead of eclipse day, said Madhulika "Lika" Guhathakurta, the NASA lead scientist for the 2017 eclipse. "Traffic is going to be a nightmare," she said.

The eclipse is also well-timed, as the science community gears up for some major science projects that will focus on the sun. The Parker Solar Plus Probe will launch in 2018 to provide an unprecedented close-up view of the sun's corona, its superhot outer atmosphere. And in 2020, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope will act like a "microscope of the sun," as the 4-meter telescope begins gathering high-resolution imagery of Earth's closest stellar neighbor.

The science of totality

Astronomers can easily create an artificial eclipse for a particular observer using a device called a coronagraph, which blocks most of the sun except for its corona, its superheated outer atmosphere. Scientists want to study this feature of the star to better understand how energy is transmitted from the sun into space.

The corona "is a fairly blustery environment," McIntosh said, pointing out that the Earth is affected by the "space weather" that the corona's changes generate. The strongest solar flares can induce outages in satellites and power lines, which is another reason NASA and other organizations are interested in learning about the connection between the sun and the Earth's environment, he said.

The moon will provide an advantage, however, over a coronagraph when the eclipse occurs, the researchers said. The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun and, coincidentally, about 400 times closer to Earth  meaning it can cover the surface of the sun perfectly if the two bodies are aligned. A coronagraph, however, needs to be a bit larger than the sun's surface to avoid damage to the telescope.

"The moon is a perfect occulter. It blocks the surface of the sun just perfectly, so you can see very low into the solar atmosphere," said Carrie Black, the NSF's associate program director in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences.

In particular, scientists will be interested in studying the "low corona," where most of the sun's activity is generated. Black said this zone  which is also where space weather originates  is of particular interest to the federal government, which is "investing a lot of money and organizing folks" to protect communications links and the power grid from space weather event.

Additional information about the sun's behavior comes from NASA's missions across the solar system, said Guhathakurta. NASA's many orbital missions at Mars and the New Horizons mission that flew by Pluto in 2015, for instance, can provide a new perspective because they can measure how its particles have changed energy or direction as they travel further out than Earth. This provides additional information to help forecast the sun's activity, Guhathakurta said.

Incidentally, the moon's topography will also influence which regions on the Earth experience totality during the eclipse, as the moon is not a flat surface; it is full of craters and mountains that affect the shadow passing across the Earth's surface. Data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is available to help people predict where they should be standing in the United States to get the best view.

Science projects

Here is a partial list of science observations going on (a full list from today's discussion is at https://www2.hao.ucar.edu/eclipse-science-showcase-attendees-experiments):

Solar-Eclipse Induced Changes in the Ionosphere Over the Continental U.S. (led by Phil Erickson and Nancy Wolfe Kotary of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Haystack Observatory): This will look at the electrically charged region of the sun's atmosphere, which is in part affected by sunlight. During an eclipse, cold spots can cause ionospheric disturbances that ripple across the atmosphere. The team will study these disturbances across the United States using a huge network of more than 6,000 sensors on the Earth, as well as NASA's space-based Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission.

EclipseMob: Crowdsourcing for Radio Propagation in the Ionosphere (a National Science Foundation project led by Jill Nelson of George Mason University): This will measure the ionosphere's response to low-frequency radio waves to better understand this region of the atmosphere, especially how the ionosphere can block low-frequency radio broadcasts. Using two transmitters that probe the ionosphere, students and the public will operate receivers and attempt to receive the data at certain frequencies.

Chasing the 2017 Eclipse (led by Amir Caspi of the Southwest Research Institute): Two NASA WB-57 airplanes (flying from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston) will observe the sun and Mercury during the total solar eclipse, in both visible and infrared light. These aircraft will operate at 50,000 feet (15,000 m) of altitude and provide about 8 minutes of data of totality, nearly triple of what is available at ground level. Because the planes fly above 90 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, they will provide accurate measurements of the solar corona to see how energy propagates through the sun.

There also are crowdsourcing projects available, such as:

Eclipse Megamovie: This will collect images from more than 1,000 volunteer photographers and amateur astronomers (and anyone else who is interested) to make a view of the total eclipse during its journey across the United States.

Citizen CATE (Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse): This will take images of the inner solar corona, using 60 telescopes used by high schools, universities and citizen scientists. The goal is to get high-resolution imagery of the corona for 90 minutes.

iNaturalist (California Academy of Sciences): This iTunes app will let people record the observations of organisms at their eclipse-watching locations. The academy suggests people record observations 30 minutes before totality, during totality and 30 minutes after totality.

Editor's note: Space.com has teamed up with Simulation Curriculum to offer this awesome Eclipse Safari app to help you enjoy your eclipse experience. The free app is available for Apple (opens in new tab) and Android, and you can view it on the web.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
V ictims made homeless by the Grenfell Tower disaster will all be rehoused within 12 months, Kensington and Chelsea Council has said.

The crisis-stricken council released a lengthy document on Friday, in which it set out its aims to prioritise rehousing bereaved families, and those with members with a serious mental, physical or learning disability.

The third level of priority housing will be given to households with dependent children.

At least 80 people are believed to have died when a huge fire broke out at Grenfell Tower on June 14.

Second vigil in Notting Hill for Grenfell Tower tragedy 1 /13 Second vigil in Notting Hill for Grenfell Tower tragedy Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images People light candles as they observe a vigil outside Notting hill Methodist Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower, a residential tower block in west London AFP/Getty Images People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images Friends hug each other at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard A woman lays flowers at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard People arrive for a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Towe Getty Images A small child tapes flowers to railings at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard A woman leaves flowers as people arrive for a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images Reverend Mike Long leads a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard

If two families are on the same band of priority for rehousing, the council says preference will be given to those who lived in the tower for longest.

The local authority said it will rehouse anyone who "immediately before the fire" was living at Grenfell Tower or Grenfell Walk as their "main home".

This includes council introductory or secure tenants, resident leaseholders, subtenants or lodgers of leaseholders, and tenants of non-resident leaseholders.

The document also tells residents that the council's new Grenfell Rehousing Policy awards "the very highest priority for rehousing to permanent social housing", which equates to 3,000 points on its social housing register.

The council also reiterated that residents will not have to pay rent, service charges or core utility gas bills for a year, even if part of that year is spent in temporary accommodation.

At least 80 people are believed to have died in the blaze / Jeremy Selwyn

And after the initial year, even if families are rehoused to larger homes, they will not have to pay more rent than they were initially paying while at Grenfell.

The council said residents can expect to be offered properties with the same sized bedrooms as Grenfell Tower or nearby Grenfell Walk, and this will happen via a private online system they will use to bid on housing when it becomes available.

The homes will be furnished and include white goods "provided at no cost", and any moving costs for moves to temporary or permanent accommodation will be covered.

The dense three-page Q&A also assured residents that the 5,000 received by each household plus the 500 per person over 16 from the Government, and the 10,000 fresh start grant per household, will not affect their assessments for legal aid or welfare benefits.

The assurances come after the former judge leading the Grenfell Tower inquiry said a meeting with residents was "very useful and powerful", despite concerns about the make-up of his team.

In the meeting between retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick and those affected by the devastating blaze on June 14, residents repeated their desire that the inquiry team should better reflect the "diversity" of those on the west London estate.

A crowd of around 50 residents and supporters attended the meeting in White City on Thursday evening, after survivors were given a further week to make their case about which issues the forthcoming public inquiry should consider.

The consultation on the terms of reference for the probe has been further extended to August 4, the inquiry team said.

Additional reporting by Press Association
P rincess Diana's sons have revealed how their last conversation with their mum on the day she died still haunts them to this day.

Princes William and Harry had a hurried chat on the phone from Paris hours before she was killed in a car crash in the Alma Tunnel in 1997.

William admitted that that conversation now weighs "heavily" on his mind, but he refused to say what they discussed.

In the ITV film about Diana, Princess of Wales, to be aired on Monday night at 9pm, William and Harry speak of their grief as never before.

They reveal on camera the anguish they feel about losing their mother at the age of 36 - when they were just 15 and 12 respectively.

Diana, Princess of Wales, holding Prince William while pregnant with Prince Harry / AFP/Getty Images

Clearly emotional Harry admits in moving testimony that not speaking to his mum longer is something he will regret "for the rest of my life".

But looking back at the life of the princess, whose death nearly 20 years ago shocked the world, Harry said "to myself and William she was just the best mother ever" who "brought a breath of fresh air to everything she did".

The new documentary that William claims will be the last word on his mum - entitled Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy - chronicles Diana's personal journey, her campaigns supporting the homeless, Aids victims, and banning landmines, and her death.

Remarkably Prince Harry, who was deeply scared by his mum's death and sought professional help to cope with his anger - says he has only cried twice for his mother - once at her funeral and during an undisclosed occasion.

Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons 1 /32 Down the years: Princess Diana and her two sons Princess Diana and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with their newborn baby on June 21, 1982 PA Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their son Prince William AP Princess Diana and William Getty Images Prince Harry with Princess Diana and Prince William on holiday in Majorca, Spain August 1987 Rex Features Diana and Harry stand for the National Anthem at the Wales v Australia match during the 1991 Rugby World Cup Getty Images The family leave the church of St. Mary Magdalen near Sandrigham Houseon Chirstmas Day AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana and Harry at Thorpe Park Daily Mail Princess Diana with Charles and their sons at the VJ Parade in 1995 AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana with Prince Harry in London, August 1995 Reuters The Prince and Princess of Wales, with their sons Prince Harry and Prince William, at a concert in London's Hyde Park on the second day of the VE 50th Anniversary celebrations PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (right) and Prince Harry, attending the VJ Day commemorations at Buckingham Palace PA Prince William signs the traditional Entrance Book watched by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and younger brother, Prince Harry, at Eton College PA The Royal Family in the White drawing room of Windsor Castle, on the day of Prince William's Confirmation PA Diana, Princess of Wales, with her sons, Princes Harry (left) and William, aboard the Maid of the Mist cruiser near to Niagara Falls PA Princess of Wales and her two sons Prince Harry and Prince William leaving London's Natural History Museum PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry prior to boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia at Southampton Docks to sail for the Western Isles PA Diana, The Princess of Wales with sons Prince William (left) and Prince Harry leaving Portland Hospital in London after visiting The Duchess of York when she gave birth to her first child PA The Prince and Princess of Wales with sons Prince William and Prince Harry prepare for a cycling trip in Tresco during their holiday in the Scilly Isles in 1989 PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA Prince Harry joins his brother Prince William on his first day at the Wetherby School in Notting Hill, West London PA The Princess of Wales with her children, Prince William and Prince Harry on board the Maid of Mist for a close-up look at Niagara Falls PA The Princess of Wales wearing a classic black and white long dinner dress by fashion designer Catherine Walker with her two sons Prince William and Harry meeting some of the stars of Steven Spielberg's "Hook" at the Odeon in Leicester Square, London PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (left) and Prince Harry, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh as they leave their hotel in Lech, Austria PA The Princess of Wales and her two sons, Princess William (centre) and Prince Harry, ride in ski lift on the last full day of their Easter skiing holiday in Lech, Austria PA

On the day she was killed William told of the "very good time" they were having at Balmoral, the Queen's private Scottish home, where the royal brothers were playing with their cousins.

Future King William, interviewed with his brother at Kensington Palace said: "Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know 'see you later'... if I'd known now obviously what was going to happen I wouldn't have been so blase about it and everything else.

"But that phone call sticks in my mind, quite heavily."

ITV Diana, Our Mother - Her Life and Legacy

Asked if he remembered what his mother said he replies "I do" but does not divulge the conversation.

Harry described how it was his turn to chat to mum after his brother: "It was her speaking from Paris, I can't really necessarily remember what I said but all I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was.

The brothers look through the private family album and recall some of the most joyful and touching moments from their childhood (ITV)

"Looking back on it now it's incredibly hard, I'll have to sort of deal with that for the rest of my life. Not knowing that was the last time I was going to speak to my mum, how differently that conversation would have panned out if I'd had even the slightest inkling her life was going to be taken that night."

On Diana's birthday - July 1 - William, Kate and Harry, joined by Prince George and Princess Charlotte, attended a service to re-dedicate her grave at Althorp house, where she was buried on an island.

Harry said: "The first time I cried was at the funeral on the island and probably only since then maybe once. So there's a lot of grief that still needs to be let out."

Diana, Princess of Wales embraces Prince Harry while on holiday / AFP/Getty Images

Diana's marriage break-up was a major turning point in her life and the princess's close friend Harry Herbert talked to the Queen about her emotional state following a Balmoral lunch, because the monarch "was so worried about Diana".

He said: "The Queen wanted to know how was Diana feeling and was it as bad as it was, and it was a sad discussion, a sad moment really - that was everything at its worst."

The documentary, which is screened on Monday, went on to feature the moment when, on December 9, 1992, the then Prime Minister John Major announced to the Commons the couple had agreed to separate.

Unseen family photos of the royal brothers taken by their mother are shown in the programme with William and Harry seen trawling through the albums compiled by Diana.

Family photo: Prince William (top) and Prince Harry sitting on a picnic table / AFP/Getty Images

In lighter moments the princess's sons talk about her sense of humour with Harry saying: "Our mother was a total kid through and through, when everybody says to me 'so she was fun, give us an example' all I can hear is her laugh in my head..."

Reflecting on the 20 years since his mother's death, Harry said: "It has been hard and it will continue to be hard, there's not a day William and I don't wish that she was still around and we wonder what kind of mother she would be now, and what kind of a public role she would have and what a difference she would be making."

Diana never saw her work to help outlaw landmines come to fruition as she died before the international treaty to ban the military weapons was signed.

But Harry described how he found letters on the subject dated the day of her death, but never sent: "About a month ago I found a whole series of letters. Letters that she was supposed to top and tail that were dated 31 August that were sitting on her desk here.

"She knew exactly what needed to be done, she was writing letters to certain people to say 'right, this is what needs to happen in order for this whole tidal wave to change".
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Australia is buying five AISREW (Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare) aircraft based, like a growing number of recent electronic warfare aircraft on a long range business jet. In this case it is the 40 ton Gulfstream G550. This is part of trend as more and more such aircraft use twin-engine business jets rather than larger commercial transports (like the 707, 737 or prop-driven Constellation). This use of business jets became particularly attractive once the G550 was introduced in 2004. The five Australian AISREW aircraft will cost $260 million each including the cost of the aircraft, the electronic sensors and monitoring equipment, training and maintenance. .

The G550 became particularly popular for this sort of thing after Israel showed it could be successfully used as an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft. This occurred in 2008 when Israel introduced a new AWACS design based on the G550 fitted out with Israeli made radar and electronics. The Israeli Air Force ordered these CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) AWACs in 2006 and the first two entered service in 2008. Israel had already sold the AWACS electronics to India, for installation in four Russian Il-50/76 aircraft but realized the CAEW gear could work on a smaller aircraft. Singapore, Italy, Australia and the U.S. Navy later bought four CAEWs fitted to G550s.

The CAEW AWACS carries a Phalcon conformal (it is built into the lower fuselage) phased array radar, SIGINT equipment (to capture and analyze enemy electronic transmissions), and a communications system that can handle satellite signals as well as a wide array of other transmissions. There are six personnel on board to handle all this gear, plus the flight crew. The Gulfstream G550 used for this can stay in the air for over ten hours per sortie and can fly at up to 13,200 meters (41,000 feet).

The G550 AISREW uses the same basic idea of attaching the various sensors an airborne electronic intelligence aircraft needs to the fuselage of the G550 and then put most of the electronics, plus the equipment operators, inside the aircraft. By the time the G550 appeared electronics, both sensors, computers and displays, had gotten lighter, cheaper, more reliable and more powerful. A smaller aircraft was the way to go.

The G550 is a larger version of the Gulfstream G400, which the U.S. Army uses as the C-20H transport. The U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, and Navy also use militarized Gulfstreams (usually as C-37Vs). The 30 meter (96 foot) long aircraft has two engines and was built for long flights (over 11,000 kilometers). Current Gulfstream G550s cost about $40 million each.

In the midst of all this acquisition of new electronic surveillance aircraft Australia also shifted all its AWACS, maritime patrol and electronic warfare aircraft into one unit (the Surveillance and Response Group) during 2004. This new organization controlled all air surveillance capabilities including maritime patrol, aerospace surveillance and the development of new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.
The large scale battle in Marawi City (capital of Lanao del Sur province in the south) continues. It has been going on for eight weeks mainly because the Manute Group (a radical MILF faction that opposes the peace treaty) unexpectedly brought in hundreds of gunmen who were willing to fight to the death. The Manute family is one of the larger and wealthier clans in the south and seven Manute brothers got mixed up with clan politics, MILF and now ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). What dragged the fighting out for so long was the fact that the Islamic terrorists quickly split into small groups and set up positions as snipers (or machine-gunners) in many buildings. The security forces had to check out nearly a thousand buildings (including high-rises and school compounds) to make sure no gunmen were there nor were any civilians hiding from or all the violence. It has been a tedious process but there are still a hundred or so buildings to check and, based on intel (especially reports from prisoners and civilians) there are fewer than a hundred of the Islamic terrorists left in the city and some of them will apparently hide their weapons somewhere and try to sneak out of the city as a civilian. Most, however, are expected to get killed.

The battle began on May 23rd when a raid to capture or kill Isnilon Hapilon (the head of Abu Sayyaf since 2016) escalated unexpectedly. Since then nearly 450 Islamic terrorists have been killed along with about a hundred troops and fifty civilians. MILF recently reported that they had refused to help negotiate a withdrawal of the remaining Islamic terrorists (many of them former MILF members) from the city. Some Islamic clerics have visited the city and urged the Islamic terrorists to stop fighting. That failed. The government demands that the Islamic terrorists in the city surrender or die. It is believed that only a few Islamic terrorists are still fighting in the city and many of these men had made it clear that they will fight to the death. MILF leaders are perplexed at the tactics employed by the rogue MILF gunmen who are apparently fighting to the death rather than continuing to armed opposition to the MILF peace deal. Its a good news (gets a lot of rogue gunmen killed), bad news (there are probably more like this in the south) situation. Like much else in the Philippines.

Over 5,000 security personnel (most of them military) are involved in the effort to clear Islamic terrorists out of the area. Marawi City covers about 88 square kilometers (33 square miles) and has a population of 200,000. A majority of the population is Moslem but Christians are a large minority and hostile to Islamic terrorism and efforts to turn the Philippines into an Islamic religious dictatorship (which is what ISIL is all about).

While many neighborhoods have been untouched by the fighting, when ISIL gunmen suddenly show up many of the civilians flee until the troops can clear the Islamic terrorists out and make sure none are hiding in buildings. As a result of this it was obvious from that start that this was going to take a while, especially when it became clear that thousands of civilians were hiding in basements or similar refuges, afraid to come out until certain that the threat is gone. ISIL is known to take lots of hostages and use civilians as human shields. Those tactics have slowed efforts by troops and police to find a kill or capture the remaining Islamic terrorists in the city.

How many armed ISIL supporters there are in the area is unclear but over 700 are known to have made it into Marawi City or been blocked from getting there. MILF is being pressured to try a little harder to find out how many different (and pro-ISIL) members they have and who they are. Most it turned out were associated with the Manute clan but there were also members from other Islamic terror groups like Abu Sayyaf and BIFF. There were even several dozen foreigners. The Manute brothers who founded and lead the Manute Group apparently believed their operation in Marawi City would trigger a general uprising by Moslems. That did not happen, although internationally ISIL is touting Marawi City as a sign of their strength. For the Manute Group it is a major defeat and the government (and MILF) see this as an opportunity to eliminate Manute Group (and a lot of Islamic extremists in the south) once and for all. For years the Philippines had a reputation as a place Islamic terrorists could hide out. Everyone wants to make it clear to Islamic terrorists worldwide that the Philippines is not a place you come to find sanctuary, it where you come to die.

Because worldwide Islamic terrorist violence declined about 10 percent in 2016 while such violence increased in the Philippines this put the Philippines in the top five nations for Islamic terrorist violence. In 2016 over half (55 percent) of Islamic terrorist violence took place in just five countries; Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. This was the first time the Philippines made the top five. Most of the increase in the Philippines was because of Abu Sayyaf and MILF factions that oppose the peace deal establishing an autonomous Moslem region in the southwest.

Meanwhile Elsewhere

Despite the Marawi City mess and the continued bad behavior of Abu Sayyaf life goes on. Decades of effort have finally reduced the internal threat of leftist and religious rebellions leaving most Filipinos are more concerned about endemic corruption and the resulting economic stagnation. There is also the Chinese threat, with more Chinese warships showing up in what had been, until recently, unquestionably Filipino coastal waters. Most Filipinos see China as a threat but not as large as the internal problems with corruption, Islamic terrorism and unemployment. A new president (Rodrigo Duterte) took power in mid-2016 pledging to do what most Filipinos wanted, not what the politicians wanted. Duterte had been doing this locally (as mayor of a major southern city) since the 1990s and was ready to try and make it happen nationally. This has led to condoning vigilante tactics by the police to suppress the drug gangs as well as an unexpected adoption of an anti-American foreign policy and a willingness to make deals with China.

This different approach to China weakened the coalition with Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States that had formed to oppose the Chinese threat. Duterte told the Americans he would not risk war with China over it. Duterte told the Islamic minority in the south (led by MILF) that he would get behind the 2015 peace deal (that gave it more autonomy but not its own country and the expulsion of non-Moslems) and help get it approved by the legislature if MILF helped destroy Abu Sayyaf (the ultra-radical Islamic terrorist group in the south that is responsible for most of the kidnappings and terror bombings down there) and MILF factions that refused to accept the peace deal. Abu Sayyaf has integrated itself with the clan culture down there and become very difficult to eliminate. The Moslems have, as always, lots of clan feuds and internal violence which will survive the autonomy deal with the government. Duterte may not be the solution to the many problems the country faces but he is the most radical, and promising, one to come along in decades.

NPA Peace Talks Collapse

The government has apparently given up on peace negotiations with the NPA (the illegal armed wing of the local Communist Party). NPA negotiators were warned that the peace negotiations (resumed this year) would be abandoned if some progress was not made. The government kept the peace negotiations with the NPA going this year despite persistent NPA demands that hundreds of jailed NPA members be freed first. Since February the army and police have been ordered to exert maximum pressure on the NPA and that apparently worked because the operations concentrated on the NPA groups known to be hostile to a peace deal. The third round of peace talks took place in early January but it quickly became clear that there too many NPA factions that refused to make peace and that problem remains unsolved. Until the NPA can regain control over (or disown) disobedient factions the government will resume its efforts to destroy the NPA completely. Both the government and the NPA leadership are trying, in different ways, to deal with the uncooperative NPA factions and that is enough to maintain the option to resume negotiations. But at the moment the government appears to have had enough of NPA instability and recently announced that once the situation in Marawi City was taken care of (and that should be sometime in August) the security forces will turn their attention to the NPA.

Piracy Alert

Regional piracy monitoring groups are telling shipping companies to warn crews of vessels operating near southwest Philippines (Sulu Province and the Sulu Sea) to exercise extreme caution or even avoid the area if possible because of the continued piracy threat from Abu Sayyaf.

July 20, 2017: The government ordered the arrest of the fifteen NPA rebel leaders recently freed from jail to help with peace talks. The arrest order was in response to an NPA ambush yesterday, in violation of the agreement that was to get peace talks going.

July 19, 2017: In the south (Mindanao) NPA rebels ambushed two vehicles carrying presidential security personnel. The NPA justified this, and other attacks, because they objected to the government decision to extend the martial law imposed in the south recently to deal with the fighting in Marawi City.

Singapore, with one of the best equipped and trained armed forces in the region, has offered the Philippines assistance in dealing with the Marawi City situation. Singapore offered to provide ones of its C-130 transports to quickly move supplies and people to the city and casualties and others out. Singapore also offered some of its UAVs as well as the use of its urban training village facilities to prepare Filipino troops for the fighting in the city.

July 18, 2017: The government asked the legislature to extend the state of emergency (martial law) in the south until the end of 2017. This would enable the security forces to more quickly destroy the Manute Group and other Islamic terror groups in the south. The legislature is divided on how long to extend the state of emergency, which had originally been declared on May 23rd when the battle for Marawi City began.

July 16, 2017: In the south (Sulu province) 14 prisoners escaped from a new jail. Several of those escaping were Abu Sayyaf members, most of the rest were drug dealers. During the escape four of the prisoners were shot. Three died and one was captured.

July 15, 2017: In the south (Sulu province) a group of Abu Sayyaf gunmen raided a new school and sought to capture six painters working there. One of the painters escaped and alerted police who promptly went after the Islamic terrorists and their captives, freeing one of the painters and continuing the pursuit.

July 14, 2017: In the south (Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces) NPA rebels captured two police officers and are holding them prisoner.

In the north (Quezon province) patrolling soldiers encountered some NPA gunmen and killed one of them while the others got away.

July 13, 2017: In the south (Zamboanga City) a long sought Abu Sayyaf member, who specialized in supplying weapons to Abu Sayyaf factions in Sulu province, was arrested. The veteran (nearly 20 years) Abu Sayyaf man was caught with a hand grenade and had been working as a security guard in the city to provide cover for his weapons operation.

July 12, 2017: In the south (Compostela Valley province) soldiers clashed with about 40 NPA rebels, killing eight of them and wounding even more. One soldier was killed in the brief gun battle.

Its been a year since the Permanent Court of Arbitration, after two years of deliberations, ruled that that China was acting illegally with its claims in the South China Sea. Britain and other Western nations said they would enforce any penalties levied but none were. While the Permanent Court of Arbitration is universally recognized (and backed by the UN) its rulings require other nations to enforce them, or not. It this case China pushed back and nothing has really happened because of the ruling. The Philippines, America, Australia, Japan and South Korea all openly opposed the Chinese claims early on while other nations in the area (Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and India) held back for a while but eventually lined up against China. Only Japan, the United States and Australia openly called on China to obey the court rulings. The United States told China that any efforts to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal and install a military base would be resisted with more than diplomatic protests. The base was built and is still there. Another reason for the lack of success in halting Chinese aggression is because China offers to hold regular talks with the Philippines over these disputes. The Philippines refused at first because it did not consider the situation a dispute but rather a case of unwarranted Chinese aggression. But around the same time the court ruling came through the Philippines elected a new president who was willing to negotiate. Now China has offered the Philippines $24 billion in economic aid plus trade deals. This has changed attitudes in the Philippines.

July 8, 2017: In the south (Sulu province) soldiers searching for Abu Sayyaf camps holding captives clashed with a large group of Abu Sayyaf gunmen. Three of the Abu Sayyaf were killed as they fled. One soldier died and fifteen were wounded. Soldiers found one of the hostages they sought, a Vietnamese sailor, among the dead. Apparently the Abu Sayyaf gunmen were moving him, and perhaps other hostages, to a new location.

July 5, 2017: In the south (Maguindanao province) security forces encountered a group of BIFF (a renegade MILF faction) gunmen and after a brief gun battle captured six of the BIFF gunmen along with their weapons. The other BIFF men got away.

Elsewhere in the south (Basilan province) Abu Sayyaf beheaded two of the Vietnamese sailors that had taken off a passing cargo ship last November. Its unclear why they killed these two hostages, who were being held for ransom.

July 4, 2017: In the south the leader of MILF announced that his organization was most definitely opposed to Islamic terrorism and especially what the Manute Group was doing in Marawi City. While this is an accurate description of how most MILF members feel it ignores that the fact that there are, and have long been, a percentage of Filipino Moslems who are attracted to Islamic terrorism and have been for centuries, ever since Islam was first introduced to the southern Philippines. But there are other factors at work here. Many native (Malay) tribes of the Philippines developed differently since (and probably before) Islam and Christianity arrived over five hundred years ago. Those in the south encountered Moslem traders and missionaries from Indonesia, and became Moslem, while those in the north (and most of the Philippines) encountered Spanish explorers and missionaries and became Christian. For reasons more cultural than religious, the tribes in the south retained a strong clan structure, and a preference for settling clan disputes with violence and private armies. Since World War II there have been about two such feuds a year, leaving a dozen or so people dead, and often causing hundreds, and sometimes thousands, to flee their homes. The violence has become more deadly in the last few decades as automatic weapons became cheaper (and more common). Getting MILF to enforce the disarmament portions of the peace agreement are already running into problems because of rogue MILF factions and internal disputes based on clan affiliation. While religion is the main glue holding the MILF together, clan politics still stirs the pot and clans do not want to give up their guns. Even the recent battle in Marawi City that got hundreds of members of the Manute clan killed, was believed to be connected with a feud between the powerful Manute clan and a local rival. Outsiders find that sort of thing hard to believe but those who have spent a lot of time in the Moslem south know better.

June 29, 2017: In the south (North Cotabato province) a rural MILF commander got into a fight with some village self-defense forces when he tried to seize a portion of the recent harvest as part of a MILF tax. The villagers saw this as robbery, not support for MILF and fought back killing two of the MILF gunmen. The police and more senior MILF leaders were then called in to sort it all out.

June 28, 2017: China flew in some emergency military aid in the form of 3,000 CQ-A5 assault rifles (and five million rounds of 5.56mm ammo) and 80 CS-LR4 7.62mm sniper rifles (and 800,000 rounds of ammo). The aid was valued at $7.3 million. It was noted that these two weapons, while Chinese made, looked like two famous rifles from the 1960s; the U.S. 5.56mm M-16 and the Russian 7.62mm SVD sniper rifle. Both are indeed that, Chinese copies of these two weapons manufactured mainly for the export market. Filipino troops have long used the M-16 as their standard assault rifle and Filipino snipers use several different sniper rifles and like variety. The Philippines thanked China and later thanked the United States as well for providing intel resources as well as American Special Forces troops on the ground to advise and assist.

June 23, 2017: In the south (Marawi City) efforts to identify the bodies of Islamic terrorists killed there so far indicate that a man killed on June 7th was Mahmud Ahmad, a notorious Malaysian Islamic terrorist who apparently helped plan, and pay for, the concentration of Islamic terrorists in Marawi City for what turned out to be a suicidal battle for the various Islamic terror groups involved. Ahmad was known to be directing ISIL cash to local Islamic terror groups.

June 21, 2017: In the south (North Cotabato province) about 200 BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) gunmen tried to take control of two rural villages but ran into security forces that fought back. At least six of the Islamic terrorists and one of the local defense volunteers were killed as well as one local civilian. BIFF has been on the run since it was formed in 2011 after splitting from MILF. Since early 2016 the government and MILF have cooperated (mainly in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces) on destroying rouge MILF factions like BIFF and the Maute Group. That effort has prevented both groups from growing a lot larger but has not eliminated them.
Life As We Might Have Known It: What If Ethanol Was Our Primary Engine Fuel







By Marc J. Rauch

Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher

THE AUTO CHANNEL

Originally published March 7, 2016

Listen to this story

Listen to "Life As We Might Have Known It" on Spreaker.







A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to engage in an exchange of emails regarding ethanol and energy with Robert L. Bradley, Jr. Rob is the author of several books, including "Energy - The Master Resource," "Capitalism at Work: Business, Government and Energy," and "Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies." Rob is also CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute.

Our exchange began with his comments that government should not decide which fuel is the winner; that fossil fuels dominance over alternative fuels was due to consumer choice; and that society owes a great thanks to fossil fuels for giving us such a high quality of living.







In my response to these comments, I agreed that the government should not dictate which fuels win, but added that our government very definitely determined who the winner was. "The government did this," I wrote, "by placing burdensome taxes on alcohol right after the founding of the United States. The burdensome taxes became onerous in 1862. Alcohol was priced out of the market by the government. When the taxes were finally lifted for a short period after 1907, alcohol began to compete with gasoline, and virtually all objective scientists agreed it was a better fuel than gasoline." I then added that government interference culminated with the national prohibition of alcohol, which ended the competition.

I also wrote, "Consumers never had the opportunity to vote on which fuel they wanted; there was never a national referendum. And in the years since the repeal of prohibition the public has never been told the truth about petroleum oil fuels, nor has the public been given the opportunity to vote to discontinue petroleum oil subsidies." Ethanol was never given a fair chance.

On the point regarding thanking fossil fuels for our high quality of living, I wrote that any thanks owed was owed to the machines (and their inventors); alternative fuels were used and could continue to be used. The internal combustion engine wasn't invented because there was excess gasoline and diesel fuel lying around, but that gasoline and diesel fuel was developed because there was a glut of virtually tax-free cheap petroleum oil.

This response seemed to have caught Rob off guard. He replied, "I am very interested in the gasohol (ethanol) argument and taxation that you refer to... I have not studied it as much as you have. I need to."

Frankly, Rob's forthright reply caught me off guard; but it was a welcome change to the stonewalling or silence that I usually get in response to these points.

We continued our exchanges, and after providing Rob with answers to his questions, he wrote "Okay, I am finally getting educated. This is something I did not sufficiently understand when I wrote my treatise, Oil, Gas, and Government: The U.S. Experience (1996). I have written notes in my treatise and will remember this going forward."

Rob then kindly asked if I would present my thesis, in less than 1,000 words, in a more formal manner that he would post on his MasterResource.org website. The following is my position (in 1,163 words):

LIFE AS WE MIGHT HAVE KNOWN IT: What If Ethanol Was Our Primary Engine Fuel

Events of the American Civil War set in stone social and economic conditions that have been with us ever since, and they are certain to be with us long into the foreseeable future.

Perhaps the least considered of the events were the Revenue Acts of 1861 and 1862, which were passed by the U.S. Congress to fund the Union's military efforts. Ramifications of these bills included the first Federal income tax statute and the levying of excise taxes (often referred to as "sin taxes") on tobacco and ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Alcohol's tax rose to more than $2 per gallon, regardless of whether the alcohol was intended for consumption or industrial purposes. In today's money, that's purchasing power equivalent to about $120. In 1860, rent for 4 rooms was $4.45/month; land was selling for $3 to $5 an acre; and a laborers wage was 90 cents a day.

In 1872, some of the taxes were repealed - income tax, for example. The alcohol tax remained in place for decades until finally removed by the 1906 Free Alcohol Act.

The high tax on alcohol priced alcohol out of consideration for use as lamp and kitchen stove fuel, colloquially referred to as "burning fluid" or sometimes "camphene." The alcohol-turpentine fuel had come into wide spread use earlier in the 1800's as whale oil became too expensive and hard to come by.

The beneficiary of alcohol's forced decline in popularity was the nascent petroleum oil industry and their principal product, kerosene. Up until the imposition of the tax, alcohol burning fluid and kerosene were similarly priced. After the tax was levied, alcohol burning fluid cost as much as 10 times more than kerosene. Kerosene had also been taxed to help the war effort: a paltry 10 cents.

The earliest efforts at building stationary and mobile internal combustion engines used alcohol fuels: Samuel Morey in 1826; Nicholas Otto in1860; Henry Ford's Quadricycle in 1896. Other builders of horseless carriages, such as Charles Duryea, used the new fuel "gasoline" because of it's dramatically lower price. However, early automobile racers all used alcohol or alcohol blends for more power.

In countries that didn't have domestic petroleum resources and onerous alcohol taxes, alcohol fuels became the preferred engine fuel. In 1899 Germany, the price of gasoline and alcohol fuel were both equivalent to approximately 27 cents. Tests conducted in Germany and France showed that alcohol optimized engines were at least as efficient as gasoline optimized engines.

The first decade of the 20th century saw significant improvements in internal combustion engines for the new fangled automobile, as well as powered aviation. Higher compression engines were required for better performance and heavier vehicles. But higher compression engines revealed a gasoline problem: Gasoline in high compression engines caused engine knock - abnormal detonation that was so severe it could shake the engine apart. There were two solutions to this problem: The first was ethanol. The second was to add ethanol to gasoline. Either solution came with its own problem: Cost - the tax-bloated price of ethanol made it unattractive and threatened efforts to portray the automobile as a device that could be afforded by the masses.

There was another problem, a problem for the petroleum industry: they couldn't control ethanol production and supply - ethanol can be produced by anyone, anywhere, and from a variety of raw materials. But still, the oil industry was in the cat-bird seat, they had price on their side...until President Teddy Roosevelt.

The history of Teddy Roosevelt's campaign against corporate monopolies is well known. Less well known were the Congressional Ways and Means Committee Hearings held in 1906, during his administration. These hearings resulted in the Free Alcohol Act that removed the exorbitant tax on alcohol production. By removing the tax, ethanol fuel became less expensive than gasoline for the first time. This meant that the top scientists and engine builders of the day could work towards better performing vehicles that relied on low cost ethanol and ethanol blends. Henry Ford's Model T was the most famous of new vehicles that could now be powered by gasoline or ethanol (the Model T had two simple adjustments located on the dashboard and steering wheel column).

The ethanol fuel industry would now get it's time in the sun, except for three obstacles: The first was the petroleum industry's head start. Three decades of kerosene dominance gave the oil industry an overwhelming financial war chest to be used for marketing and political tutelage.

The second obstacle was the First World War. Although the war ignited the need for mechanical innovation, the innovations were primarily used for military purposes. Had the war not occurred, higher compression engines in consumer automobiles would have been introduced, and these engines would have required greater quantities of anti-knock ethanol.

The third obstacle was National Prohibition. With the war out of the way, and the public ready to roar into the Roaring 20's, ethanol was eliminated from the scene; and nothing can kill competition like a law banning one of the two competitors.

In the early 1920's, ethanol still had its supporters in the top industry scientists of the day, including those at General Motors, the world's largest automobile manufacturer. Ethanol was the only solution to engine knock. However, after the GM scientists invented leaded gasoline (tetraethyl-lead), and combined their patents with Standard Oil and Dupont Chemical, the world's two largest companies in their respective industries, the prospect of billions of dollars in profits from leaded gasoline put aside any consideration of ethanol-gasoline blends in America.

 SEE ALSO: The Rise and Fall of General Motors and the Subjugation of the Industrialized World

In countries that did not have Prohibition, such as Great Britain, ethanol did compete successfully for many years. In fact, Standard Oil (and its derivative companies) marketed ethanol and ethanol-gasoline blends in those countries, advertising them as superior to leaded or unleaded gasoline. "The Forbidden Fuel" (written by Bernton, Kovarik & Sklar) points out how the ethanol-gasoline blends were labeled as "the most perfect motor fuel the world has ever known," and providing "extra power, extra economy and extra efficiency." A Standard Oil promotional pamphlet advises that with 10 gallons of their ethanol-gasoline blend in a fuel tank it is possible to pour almost a pint of water into the tank "without the slightest trouble - in fact in some circumstances with better running."

The end of Prohibition in America did mean that ethanol could once again compete with petroleum oil fuels, but what had been a significant head start for the petroleum industry prior to the Free Alcohol Act was now an insurmountable advantage. It would require industry acknowledgement that tetraethyl-lead, and then MTBE, was deadly; economic devastation caused by foreign oil dominance; and considerable environmental damage to finally compel government action that (still only) cautiously encourages ethanol use.

In conclusion, I reiterate that the U.S. government did choose the winner in the energy fuel war, and that its continued interference has made it impossible for a free engine fuel market to exist.

But what if the government didn't tax alcohol in 1862? What if alcohol was allowed to compete freely during the second half of the 19th century and all through the 20th century without Prohibition (or without Prohibition affecting ethanol production for fuel)? What might have happened?

We may not have engaged in so many wars; we may not have lost tens of thousands of servicemen in the wars; we may not have had to spend trillions of dollars to engage in the wars. We might not have needed to pour money into the Middle East oil countries to secure their oil as we wouldn't have needed it. Instead of making terrorist regimes rich, which allowed them to fund terrorist actions they might all have remained sleepy backwater countries.

If ethanol fuel was allowed to prosper our farmers might have required less aid. Our skies may never have become smog filled; we may have had fewer catastrophic oil spills and disasters. If we didn't have National Prohibition perhaps organized crime wouldn't have become so organized.

PRINTED RESOURCES

- Bernton, Kovarik & Sklar- David Blume- Goettemoeller & Goettemoeller- William J. Hale- Korin & Luft- Tom McCarthy- Luft & Korin- Evans & Khan- Edwin Black- James J. Flink- Edwin Black- Robert Schmer- Blackmore & Thomas- CFDC & Growth Energy- Holm-Seto-Travaglini- US Dept. of Agriculture (Shapori-Duffield-Wang)- Daniel Yergin- Daniel Yergin

VIDEOS

ONLINE RESOURCES

- Josh & Rebecca Tickell- Roberts & Wagener

Gasoline and Alcohol Tests on Internal Combustion Engines - Robert M. Strong 1909

http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0392/report.pdf

Motor Fuels From Farm Products - Jacobs & Newtin 1938

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=bagoAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA11

Henry Ford, Charles Kettering and the Fuel of the Future - Wm. Kovarik 1998

http://www.environmentalhistory.org/billkovarik/about-bk/research/henry-ford-charles-kettering-and-the-fuel-of-the-future/

The Ethyl Controversy - Wm. Kovarik 1993

https://billkovarik.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Ethyl3.pdf

Ethanol versus Gasoline - The Contestation and Closure... - Michael S. Carolan

http://sss.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/39/3/421

THE MODEL T FORD CAR - Victor Wilfred Page

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Model_T_Ford_Car_Its_Construction_Op.html?id=70mJeb_q19EC
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DXC Technology Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology services and solutions primarily in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates in two segments, Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Infrastructure Services (GIS). The GBS segment offers a portfolio of analytics services and extensive partner ecosystem that help its customers to gain rapid insights, automate operations, and accelerate their digital transformation journeys; and software engineering, consulting, and data analytics solutions that enable businesses to run and manage their mission-critical functions, transform their operations, and develop new ways of doing business. It also uses various technologies and methods to accelerate the creation, modernization, delivery, and maintenance of secure applications allowing customers to innovate faster while reducing risk, time to market, and total cost of ownership. In addition, this segment offers business process services, which include integration and optimization of front and back office processes, and agile process automation. The GIS segment adapts legacy apps to cloud, migrate the right workloads, and securely manage their multi-cloud environments; and offers security solutions help predict attacks, proactively respond to threats, and ensure compliance, as well as to protect data, applications, and infrastructure. It also provides IT outsourcing services to help customers securely and cost-effectively run mission-critical systems and IT infrastructure. In addition, this segment offers workplace services to fit its customer's employee, business, and IT needs from intelligent collaboration; and modern device management, digital support services, and mobility services. DXC Technology Company is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services. This segment serves consumer and small business customers through a network of branches, ATMs, call centers, and online and mobile banking channels. Its Corporate & Institutional Banking segment provides secured and unsecured loans, letters of credit, and equipment leases; cash and investment management services, receivables and disbursement management services, funds transfer services, international payment services, and access to online/mobile information management and reporting; foreign exchange, derivatives, fixed income, securities underwriting, loan syndications, and mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets advisory related services; and commercial loan servicing and technology solutions. It serves mid-sized and large corporations, and government and not-for-profit entities. The company's Asset Management Group segment offers investment and retirement planning, customized investment management, credit and cash management solutions, and trust management and administration services for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, and their families; and multi-generational family planning services for ultra high net worth individuals and their families. It also provides outsourced chief investment officer, custody, private real estate, cash and fixed income client solutions, and fiduciary retirement advisory services for institutional clients. The company has 2,591 branches and 9,502 ATMs. The company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
YPF Sociedad Anonima, an energy company, engages in the oil and gas upstream and downstream activities in Argentina. The company's upstream operations include the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs. Its downstream operations include the refining, marketing, transportation, and distribution of oil, petroleum products, petroleum derivatives, petrochemicals, LPG, and bio-fuels, as well as in gas separation, natural gas distribution operations, and power generation. As of December 31, 2021, it had interests in 119 oil and gas fields; approximately 643 million barrels (mmbbl) of oil; and approximately 2,447 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas. It also had a retail distribution network of 1,654 YPF-branded service stations; and 18 exploration permits. In addition, the company owns and operates three refineries with combined annual refining capacity of approximately 120 mmbbl; approximately 2,800 kilometers of crude oil pipelines with approximately 640,000 barrels of aggregate daily transportation capacity of refined products; and crude oil tankage of approximately 7 mmbbl, as well as maintains terminal facilities at five Argentine ports. Further, it participates in 21 power generation plants with an aggregate installed capacity of 3,091 megawatts; offers diesel, fertilizers, lubricants, phytosanitary products, and ensiling bags; and supplies diesel, gasoline, fuel oil, coal, asphalts, paraffin, and sulfur, CO2, decanted oil, and aromatic extract. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Photo: BERND VON JUTRCZENKA/AFP/Getty Images

Ivanka Trump made her first financial-ethics disclosure on Friday night shedding light on the Trump familys often cryptic personal finances. The disclosure also offers insight into the profits of Trumps eponymous fashion line, which has recently been criticized for its labor practices.

Ivanka Trumps husband, Jared Kushner, also updated his report to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. His new form shows dozens of inadvertently omitted assets due to an administrative error. (Kushner has also, of course, failed to disclose meetings with foreign officials, including the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.)

Here is what weve learned according to reports in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal:

 Ivanka Trump or her trust earned $12.6 million since the beginning of 2016. Going forward, she will get $1.6 million in fixed payments from her various business ventures per a plan developed with the Office of Government Ethics.

 Although she officially stepped down as CEO of her fashion brand in January, she continues to profit from the company. Over the last year-and-a-half, Ivanka Trump or her trust, made at least $6 million in sales from her clothes, shoes, and accessories.

 Trump received a $787,500 advance for her book Women Who Work, although its unclear if this is the entire advance.

 She also earned $50,000 for managing the trust of some of the children of 21st Century Fox, News Corp., and Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch. (Trump is close friends with Murdochs ex-wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch.)

 Jared Kushners new disclosures show that he and Ivanka Trump hold between $206 and $760 million in assets, which include real estate, bonds, a personal art collection worth $5 million, and a New Jersey liquor license.

 According to the filing, the couple made $212 million in income since the beginning of 2016, primarily from Kushners holdings.

But despite concerns raised by some over possible conflicts of interest, the couple and their respective lawyers insist everything is above board. Lawyer Jamie Gorelick, a partner at WilmerHale who is advising the couple, told the Times:

Jared and Ivanka have followed each of the required steps in their transition from private citizens to federal officials. The Office of Government Ethics has certified Jareds financial disclosure, reflecting its determination that his approach complies with federal ethics laws. Ivankas financial disclosure form is still in the pre-certification stage, as she began the process later, but discussions with O.G.E. are proceeding in the ordinary course.
If Beijing has its way, the future of artificial intelligence (AI) will be made in China.

The country laid out a development plan Thursday to become the world leader in AI by 2030, aiming to surpass its rivals technologically and build a domestic industry worth almost $150 billion (U.S.).

Released by the State Council, the policy is a statement of intent from the top rungs of Chinas government: The worlds second-largest economy will be investing heavily to ensure its companies, government and military leap to the front of the pack in a technology many think will one day form the basis of computing.

The plan comes with China preparing a multibillion-dollar national investment initiative to support moonshot projects, startups and academic research in AI, according to two professors who consulted with the government about the effort.

The United States, meanwhile, has cut back on science funding. In budget proposals, the Trump administration has suggested slashing resources for a number of agencies that have traditionally backed research in AI. Other cuts, to areas such as high-performance computing, would affect the development of the tools that make AI work.

Chinas capabilities, especially in advanced and new technologies, have long lagged those of its better-developed neighbours as well as Europe and the United States. But a multiple-decade industrial policy to help it catch up has paid dividends.

AI is one of a growing number of disciplines in which experts say China is making quick progress.

Yet it was a foreign feat of AI prowess that provided one of the greatest impetuses for the new plan.

The two professors who consulted with the government on AI both said that the 2016 defeat of Lee Se-dol, a South Korean master of the board game Go, by Googles AlphaGo had a profound impact on politicians in China. Then in May, Google brought AlphaGo to China, where it defeated the worlds top-ranked player, Ke Jie of China. Live video coverage of the event was blocked at the last minute in China.

As a sort of Sputnik moment for China, the professors said, the event paved the way for a new flow of funds into the discipline.

Chinas ambitions with AI range from the anodyne to the dystopian, according to the new plan. It calls for support for everything from agriculture and medicine to manufacturing.

Yet it also calls for the technology to work in concert with the countrys Homeland Security and surveillance efforts. China wants to integrate AI into guided missiles, use it to track people on closed-circuit cameras, censor the internet and even predict crimes.

Beijings interest in the technology has set off alarms within the United States defence establishment. The Defense Department found that Chinese money has been flowing into U.S. AI companies  some of the same ones it says are likely to help the U.S. military develop future weapons systems.

In a timeline laid out within the new policy, the government expects its companies and research facilities to be at the same level as leading countries such as the United States by 2020. Five years later, it calls for breakthroughs in select disciplines within AI that will become a key impetus for economic transformation.

In the final stage, by 2030, China will become the worlds premier artificial intelligence innovation centre, which in turn will foster a new national leadership and establish the key fundamentals for an economic great power.

While the language in Chinese industrial policy can sound stodgy and the targets overly ambitious, Beijing takes its economic planning seriously. Experts say that even if major spending efforts ultimately waste resources, they can also produce results, bolstering technology capabilities with a flood of resources.

Top-level statements like this also work as a signal to local governments and companies across the country.

The new plan formalizes a focus that was widely known in China. Following those cues, a large number of local governments have created special plans and built out research centres to focus on AI.

Many are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, but some have earmarked even more. In June, the government of Tianjin, an eastern city near Beijing, said it planned to set up a $5-billion fund to support the AI industry. It also set up an intelligence industry zone that will sit on more than 20 square kilometres of land.

The initiative is also likely to sweep up private Chinese companies. The countrys internet search giant Baidu, which has run an AI research centre out of Silicon Valley in recent years, announced this year that it would open a new lab in co-operation with the government. The two leaders of that lab have worked on Chinese government programs with military applications.

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HALIFAXThrongs of people lined the streets of downtown Halifax Saturday to see a sitting prime minister walk in the citys Pride parade for the first time.

The rainbow-clad crowd erupted in cheers as Justin Trudeau marched in the procession with his family at his side.

Trudeau was dressed casually in a pink shirt and white pants, while wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau wore a wide-brimmed hat to shade herself from the sun.

The prime minister waved and yelled Happy Pride! to thousands of people along the parade route, stopping periodically to take selfies as members of the crowd called out his name.

A couple of drag queens decked in makeup and voluminous wigs wrapped their arms around Trudeau as they posed for a group photo, after which the buxom blonds thanked the prime minister with a hug.

What a pleasure it is to be here, he told them. We all are together.

Trudeau walked near the front of the procession, intermittently flanked by marchers carrying a rainbow flag, a group of princesses and a float spouting confetti.

As the festivities paused for a moment of silence, Trudeau raised his fist alongside several other members of the crowd.

Trudeau became the first sitting prime minister to march in a Pride parade when he did so in Toronto in 2016, then attended the same event last month.

He told reporters Friday that he longs for a day when his participation in Pride events wont be so novel.

Ill be the first prime minister to walk in the Pride parade in Halifax, but Im very much looking forward to getting that over with so there wont be any more firsts and that it just be expected that prime ministers, when their schedules allow, march in Pride parades across the country, he said.

(Its) not just diversity of backgrounds, but its a diversity of everything that makes us different as Canadians and that includes standing up strongly for the rights of the LGBT2Q community.

Sydney Augustine-Bower made the roughly two-hour journey from Antigonish, N.S., to Halifax so she could attend her first Pride parade. Augustine-Bower, who identifies as pansexual, said it was heartening to see the leader of Canada showing his support for the LGBTQ community.

I think it sends a really important message that the prime minister of Canada ... is going to dance around with a bunch of people, a part of the community that (was) oppressed for long, Augustine-Bower said. I think its great that these two groups of people who are very different can come together and have fun.

Upwards of 120,000 people participate in the Halifax Pride parade every summer, organizers said, and they expected an even bigger turnout this year thanks to their special guest.

Halifaxs police service said in February that it would not participate in this years Pride parade amid a national debate about police involvement in such events.

Pride Toronto members had voted to ostensibly ban official police floats from marches and parades in January, adopting a list of demands put forward by that citys chapter of Black Lives Matter.

Some local groups  including the Queer Arabs of Halifax, the Dalhousie Student Union and the South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre  have said they are boycotting the parade after a resolution to remove a pro-Israel campaign from the event was defeated at Halifax Prides annual general meeting last October.

The first Halifax Pride March was held in 1988 with just 75 people. Since then, it has grown to each summer.

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When Philip Alafe entered the Brantford police station at 6:50 p.m. on July 3, 2015, after being arrested, he told the booking officer he had mental health issues  depression and anxiety  as well as sickle cell anemia, a disease that leaves him in excruciating pain without his medications.

He said he was not suicidal; the booking officer described him to the court as sober and passive.

But after Staff Sgt. Cheney Venn took away Alafes blanket, mattress and, following a violent struggle, his thin, police-issued white jumpsuit, leaving him cold, naked and in pain for three hours, he tied his socks together in an attempt to fashion a noose.

They were just treating me worse than an animal, said Alafe, 27, in a recent interview. I got stripped of everything . . . I just didnt want to live anymore . . . I thought I was going to be in that situation forever.

He finally got his jumpsuit back, four and a half hours after it was taken away.

After seeing the surveillance videos of Alafes holding cell, which were made court exhibits and documented the cruel and unusual treatment, Ontario Court Justice Ken Lenz found Alafes rights under sections 7 and 12 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms had been violated. The judge stayed the charges Alafe faced: dangerous driving and assault with a weapon for allegedly driving his vehicle at others.

Lenzs scathing ruling, issued in April, condemned the behaviour of Venn, whom the judge found repeatedly violated police policies on the treatment of people in custody and people with mental health concerns.

Lenz described Alafes treatment as egregious and clearly degrading to human dignity.

There was in this case nothing the defendant could do to stop his mistreatment even when he did behave as requested for extensive periods of time, the judge said.

Venn, a police officer for 23 years, testified that removing blankets, mattresses and clothing was considered common practice in similar situations.

But, Lenz noted, Brantford police policy states that a blanket should not be provided only if there is a history of suicidal tendencies, the prisoner is exhibiting destructive behaviour and, in the opinion of the officer in charge, to provide a blanket may be harmful to the prisoner, any person, or the facility.

The policy says nothing about removing mattresses, and states that clothing may only be removed if the prisoner is suicidal, Lenz said in his ruling.

Venn admitted during cross-examination by Alafes lawyer, Josh Tuttle, that he was not concerned Alafe would self-harm until the sock incident, which came three hours after Alafe had been left naked in the cell, Lenz said.

Frankly, looking at it on an overall basis, Officer Venn was bullying someone in his control because he could, Lenz said. This looks more like punishment than an attempt to elicit good behaviour.

Without the cell videos, Lenz said, he would probably have simply believed the officers testimony.

That its a difficult job is no excuse for the type of behaviour that took place that night, Lenz said. The defendant said he felt he was treated like an animal, and he was, and that he no longer trusts the police, a perception Im beginning to share.

Brantford chief of police Geoffrey Nelson has ordered an investigation into potential professional misconduct. That investigation remains ongoing, according to a media release sent in response to questions from the Star.

Accordingly, no further comment will be made at this time, the release said. Venn did not respond to direct requests for comment. He remains on regular duties.

A review of Brantford Police Service policy and training practices related to prisoner care and handling is also being undertaken, according to the release, with the findings to be presented to the Police Services Board.

When the Star sought access to the video exhibits at the heart of the court ruling, a lawyer for the Brantford Police Service argued that the faces of all police officers in the booking and cell videos should be obscured, citing concerns about the reputation of the officers and the ongoing internal investigation.

Lenz ordered the Star to obscure the faces of only the officers in the booking video since their conduct was not at issue in the case. However, the public is entitled to see for themselves the behaviour of the officers in the cell videos, he said.

Alafe was arrested in Mississauga on the afternoon of July 3, 2015, on an outstanding warrant, and transported by OPP officers to the Brantford police station. He arrived at 6:50 p.m. His urine-soaked pants and underwear had been removed.

Alafe was given medication for his sickle cell anemia and put in a holding cell at 7:23 p.m., the videos show. He remained well-behaved until about 11 p.m., when he started trying to attract the attention of an officer to get more medication or medical attention. Venn testified officers cannot hear any audio from the room where the cell surveillance videos are monitored.

Venns shift started at 10:30 p.m., and his first interaction with Alafe was at 11:21 p.m., when Venn aggressively yelled at Alafe and told him to stop throwing wet toilet paper at the camera.

Your toilet paper will go, your mattress will go and so will your blanket. Itll be a very frigging cold night, he said.

Alafe continued being what the judge said was a pain in the neck by throwing wet toilet paper in his cell, but was not harming anyone. Venn returned to the cell and took away Alafes mattress and blanket. He gave Alafe one of his pills (Alafe had asked for more, as his prescription allows for two or three as needed) and told him hed get his things back if he behaved.

Venn came back to the cell twice more in the next three hours, warning Alafe not to tie his jumpsuit to the bars of the cell and taking his T-shirt away when he tied it to the bars.

Venn testified he was concerned about clothing being on the bars concealing Alafe in case he wanted to self-harm and said Alafe was warned several times not to put anything on the bars.

At 3:01 a.m., there was a struggle that was terrible to watch, Lenz said in his ruling, as Venn forcefully took the jumpsuit away from Alafe using three punches. Alafe was left naked in the cell apart from his socks.

I just didnt feel that he was going to be compliant with my requests, Venn testified in response to a question about why he did not return the blanket, mattress or jumpsuit when Alafe was behaving. He hadnt been all night and I didnt see at that time where anything was going to change.

Lenz found there were several times when Alafe was behaving and Venn could have returned the items, but he chose not to.

He also criticized Venn for deciding Alafe did not need medical attention without making any inquiries, or even Googling sickle cell anemia.

Venn told the court he thought Mr. Alafe was attempting to get out of the cells in order to go to a more comfortable setting, that being a hospital or mental health (ward).

In response to questions from Lenz, Venn testified that he knew Alafe had mental health issues as noted on the booking form, but never tried to find out what exactly that meant.

He also told the court that he never found out anything about sickle cell anemia, its symptoms and what could happen if medication was not taken.

A letter filed with the court by Alafes doctor said the disease causes abnormal red blood cells, which frequently block circulation to bones and joints, leading to tissue death, significant inflammation, severe pain and possibly permanent organ damage. These episodes are made worse by cold, dehydration and stress.

Alafes condition affects his hip joint in particular, his doctor wrote. He is on a regimen of strong painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.

Without these medications, even for a short period of time, his pain becomes unbearable, the doctor wrote.

Lenz found it bizarre that Venn chose not to use his crisis intervention, which emphasizes dialogue and de-escalation. If anything there was escalation and there was little or no type of reasonable dialogue as between the defendant and the officer, Lenz said.

Venns interactions with Alafe were in stark contrast to the officers on the next shift, who came to take Alafe for fingerprinting at 7:30 a.m.

Its mutual respect, one officer said in a calm voice, giving Alafe a jumpsuit and promising he would get his mattress back. Im not going to disrespect you and I dont want you to disrespect me either.

Once Alafes mattress and blanket were returned, he went to sleep.

Lenz noted in his ruling that Alafe has no criminal record and no history of anti-social behaviour.

In an interview, Alafe said he continues to deal with issues stemming from that night, which he calls the worst of his life.

He admits his misbehaving and attempts to provoke the officers into coming to his cell were not the most mature, but says he was tired, cold, hungry and just trying to get their attention so he could ask for his medication and blanket.

They say you are innocent until proven guilty, but they had already convicted me and sentenced me for the rest of my life, he said.

Alafe is from Nigeria and arrived in Canada in 2010 after his father died. He is currently applying for refugee status.

I believe if I didnt have the videos, no one would have believed me, he said.

People dont believe it happens . . . especially in Canada.

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As the sun set on C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, a tearful crowd mourned a life cut short, sharing hugs and lighting candles in memory of Jeremiah Perry, the 15-year-old boy who died too soon.

Around 100 classmates, school staff and community members joined his parents and siblings at the Friday night vigil on the grounds of the school where Perry had been a Grade 9 student.

His family gathered at the front of the crowd, embracing and lighting candles to remember the young teenager who died on what was supposed to be a harmless outdoor class trip.

Jeremiahs life was too short, said Jocelyn Anderson, Perrys aunt, speaking through tears on behalf of the family. Our family is short one of our beloved children.

Perry went missing on a Toronto District School Board canoe trip on July 4. He had been with other students when he slipped underwater and did not resurface. His body was found the next day in Big Trout Lake.

Fridays vigil for Perry was a quiet and emotional affair for the student who had been excited for a class trip into Algonquin yet, according to his father, did not know how to swim.

Abdul Shakur was Perrys science teacher, after he arrived at C.W. Jefferys late in the semester as a new immigrant from Guyana. Shakur is also from Guyana and formed a special bond with Perry, spending hours tutoring him and helping him improve his marks.

Perry struggled when he first came to his class, Shakur said. He was a polite and loving boy, but he lacked self confidence and struggled with school. But in a few short months, the Shakur watched Perry blossom  socially and academically.

He had an indomitable spirit to learn, said Shakur, noting how Perry started socializing as he marks went up. Before long, he was joking with the other kids in class and his self-confidence was soaring.

In the end he was on equal footing with the rest of the class. Its just very sad to know that in the end, he just disappeared from your life. 

A few days before the July class trip to Algonquin Park, Shakur saw Perry wandering the halls at school, trying to find out his marks.

I told him, You passed!  Shakur said. He was so excited, he gave me one of the biggest bear hugs.

It would be the last time the teacher would ever see Perry.

As classmates and family lit candles at the end of Fridays service, flames flickered in the gentle breeze.

Some of us are struggling to keep the flame alive, Jocelyn Anderson said. But thats life. Its fragile.

A funeral service for Perry will be held on Monday morning at Revivaltime Tabernacle church, said Joshua Anderson, Perrys father. The service will be open to the public. Perry will be buried at Beachwood Cemetery.

The Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Provincial Police are investigating Perrys death. The TDSB is also looking into what happened to determine if all safety procedures were followed.

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A new Heritage Toronto plaque celebrating the life of Albert Jackson  an escaped slave who overcame racial discrimination to become the citys first Black letter carrier in 1882  was officially unveiled Friday.

Today we have Black judges and lawyers and doctors . . . there always has to be a beginning, said Lawrence Jackson, Alberts last surviving grandchild. He did cross the colour barrier. And that made us so very, very proud.

The plaque was two years in the making, said Shawne Jackson-Troiano, Alberts great-granddaughter. She worked with several family members and supporters to make it a reality.

On Friday evening, several members of Jacksons family gathered for the official unveiling, near Yonge and Richmond Sts. The plaque stands at the former site of the Toronto General Post Office  26 Lombard St. where Jackson would have picked up the mail before starting his route.

After getting approval, family and friends raised the necessary $6,500  Heritage Toronto is a charitable agency, and doesnt receive core funding for plaques. For Jacksons family, coming up with the funds and helping develop the plaque was a labour of love.

Jacksons story shows that if people stick together and fight injustice, anything is possible, said Jackson-Troiano, who says Alberts struggle against racial discrimination remains relevant today.

We need to be reminded constantly that basically were all the same.

Albert Jackson was born into slavery in Delaware in the 1850s. When he was a toddler, his mother fled to Canada with seven of her children through the Underground Railroad. She made the long and treacherous journey after her oldest two sons were sold away from her and her husband had died.

The family settled in Toronto, where Jackson was raised and educated. In May 1882, he was appointed as a letter carrier, which outraged white postal workers. It caused them intense disgust, wrote The Evening Telegram at the time. They refused to show him the rounds on his first day of work and Jackson was assigned a lower position as a hall porter.

While local newspapers vigorously debated the story, Torontos Black community rallied behind Jackson. They organized a public meeting, formed an advocacy committee, and went to then-prime minister John A. Macdonald, demanding that Jackson be allowed to deliver the mail.

Being an election year, Macdonald listened  and intervened.

By early June, Jackson was out on his mail route delivering letters  a job that he did for 36 years until his death in 1918.

Its important to remember that our past was diverse, said Camille Begin, historical plaques coordinator with Heritage Toronto. There was an established Black community in 19th century Toronto, Begin said, but that doesnt mean it was an inclusive city.

This is a story about racism . . . We cannot build on the absence of memory. We need to know our history to move forward.

Lawrence Jackson, 83, said Alberts story has been a tremendous inspiration to his family. But until recent years, it was little known. As a child, Lawrence said his family wouldnt talk much about Albert, and when he went to school there was hardly any mention of Black Canadians contributions.

In 2007, Karolyn Smardz Frost published a book, Ive Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad, which mentions Alberts story.

By coincidence, the books publisher learned he was living in a house Albert once owned, and pushed to have a neighbourhood laneway named after him.

After learning of Jacksons story in the Toronto Star, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers honoured him with a commemorative poster in 2013 and David Ferry of Appledore Productions produced a play about him in 2015.

It was Ferry who first proposed the idea for a plaque. The large Jackson family quickly jumped on board, with Shawne, her brother Jay, and Lawrences daughter Rochelle McDowell taking the lead.

Nikki Clarke, president of the Ontario Black History Society, says Jackson leaves a legacy of true dedication and heroism, above all odds.

She said the plaque not only recognizes Jacksons strength and perseverance, but also the community that rallied behind him.

Behind a great man is a great family, and great supporters.

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A misconduct hearing at the College of Nurses of Ontario on Tuesday may shed light on what steps the college took after being notified about medication mistakes made by serial killer Elizabeth Wettlaufer.

Wettlaufer  who was sentenced to life in prison last month for the murders of eight elderly patients, attempted murders of four others and two charges of aggravated assault  was fired from Caressant Care in 2014 for a medication error. She went on to kill one of the victims after her 2014 firing.

The panel will likely punish Wettlaufer severely, but what many want to know is why it didnt do so well before she confessed to her crimes, without prompting, in September 2016, and voluntarily resigned her status as a registered nurse.

Read more:

Inside the troubled life of Elizabeth Wettlaufer, the nurse on the night shift

Killer nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer sentenced to life in prison

The serial neglect of a serial killer in nursing homes: Cohn

The college had been informed 30 months earlier that Wettlaufer had been fired from a nursing home for putting the life of a patient at risk. Yet she continued to work  and kill  as a fully licensed registered nurse, leading some observers of the college to bluntly question its ability to police the profession.

The college has repeatedly refused Star requests for interviews and information.

Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, a public policy advocacy group that represents 41,000 nurses and backs calls for an inquiry into the colleges actions, said the college must be transparent about everything that happened.

During the hearings, the college should tell the public who knew what, and what it did to stop Wettlaufer after learning that the nurses medication error was part of a pattern of behaviour, Grinspun said. The only way to make changes is by knowing exactly how the situation went so spectacularly wrong, she added.

We cannot bring eight lives lost tragically back, Grinspun said.

We need to honour them by doing all we can to learn for the future so it never repeats again.

Wettlaufer is accused of professional misconduct against a total of 14 patients whom she killed, attempted to kill or assaulted between 2007 and 2014  acts shes already admitted to in court.

Meanwhile, a provincial order from January that stopped the Caressant Care location in Woodstock, Ont., where Wettlaufer once worked, from admitting new patients remains in place. An inspection in March found that the home had failed to report reasonable suspicions of abuse or neglect of a resident, according to a report posted to a government database.

Caressant operates 15 nursing homes in Ontario.

Last month, Wettlaufer was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the crimes, which she committed by injecting her victims with overdoses of insulin  a gruesome method of murder, Justice Bruce Thomas noted during sentencing.

It was a painful and contorting experience on the minds of the victims, he said.

In the College of Nurses notice to Wettlaufer about the hearing, the organization said her actions were disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.

A registered nurse since 1995, Wettlaufer resigned from the profession last fall, a day after police first learned of the crimes.

During her sentencing hearing, Thomas said Wettlaufer was the shadow of death passing over her patients. He also said she had diminished public faith in the entire nursing profession.

Should the college find the professional misconduct allegations against her to be true, it could formally prevent Wettlaufer from working as a nurse again.

As well, Wettlaufer may be fined up to $35,000, to be paid to the provinces finance minister. The college may also force her to reimburse its legal costs and the money it spent investigating her and holding the hearing.

Wettlaufer, who lived and committed most of her crimes in Woodstock, was charged with the murders, attempted murders and assaults in October 2016. A month earlier, she had confessed about some of the killings to staff at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, who passed the information on to police.

Wettlaufers murder victims ranged in age from 75 to 96. Their friends and relatives said they never suspected anything untoward about the deaths, and during victim impact statements, expressed deep devastation and a sense of betrayal from both Wettlaufer and the health-care system.

In addition to Wettlaufers life imprisonment for first-degree murder, she was also sentenced in June to 10 years for each of the four attempted murder counts and seven years for each of the two aggravated assault counts. All the sentences are to be served concurrently.

Wetlauffer had a troubled life before her arrest. She told several people  including a past girlfriend and a pastor  about her crimes, but none reported them to police until CAMH did so last year.

Now one of Canadas most prolific serial killers, Wettlaufer is a recovering drug addict who has been to rehab twice and started attacking patients shortly after the end of her 10-year marriage in 2007. In court, she described feeling a red surge before killing, as well as euphoria once her victims were dead.

This hearing isnt the only inquiry into Wettlaufers case. Ontarios Liberal government has also promised to launch its own probe, and is currently trying to decide on the scope and terms of the review. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has said the provincial government should examine staffing levels, funding, long wait lists and other systemic issues affecting long-term-care homes.

With files from Sandro Contenta

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WASHINGTONRussias ambassador to Washington told his superiors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race, contrary to public assertions by the embattled attorney general, according to current and former U.S. officials.

Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks accounts of two conversations with Sessions  then a top foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump  were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, which monitor the communications of senior Russian officials in the United States and Russia. Sessions initially failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said that the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.

One U.S. official said Sessions  who testified that he has no recollection of the April encounter  has provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence. A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had substantive discussions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Sessions has said repeatedly that he never discussed campaign-related issues with Russian officials and that it was only in his capacity as a U.S. senator that he met with Kislyak.

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, Sessions said in March when he announced that he would recuse himself from matters relating to the FBI probe of Russian interference in the election and any connections to the Trump campaign.

Current and former U.S. officials said that assertion is at odds with Kislyaks accounts of conversations during two encounters over the course of the campaign, one in April ahead of Trumps first major foreign policy speech and another in July on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

The apparent discrepancy could pose new problems for Sessions at a time when his position in the administration appears increasingly tenuous.

Trump, in an interview this week, expressed frustration with Sessionss recusing himself from the Russia probe and indicated that he regretted his decision to make the lawmaker from Alabama the nations top law enforcement officer. Trump also faulted Sessions as giving bad answers during his confirmation hearing about his Russian contacts during the campaign.

Officials emphasized that the information contradicting Sessions comes from U.S. intelligence on Kislyaks communications with the Kremlin, and acknowledged that the Russian ambassador could have mischaracterized or exaggerated the nature of his interactions.

Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me, said Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokesperson in a statement. She reiterated that Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.

Russian and other foreign diplomats in Washington and elsewhere have been known, at times, to report false or misleading information to bolster their standing with their superiors or to confuse U.S. intelligence agencies.

But U.S. officials with regular access to Russian intelligence reports say Kislyak  whose tenure as ambassador to the United States ended recently  has a reputation for accurately relaying details about his interactions with officials in Washington.

Sessions removed himself from direct involvement in the Russia investigation after it was revealed in The Washington Post that he had met with Kislyak at least twice in 2016, contacts he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearing in January.

I did not have communications with the Russians, Sessions said when asked whether anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign had communicated with representatives of the Russian government.

He has since maintained that he misunderstood the scope of the question and that his meetings with Kislyak were strictly in his capacity as a U.S. senator. In a March appearance on Fox television, Sessions said, I dont recall any discussion of the campaign in any significant way.

Sessions appeared to narrow that assertion further in extensive testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June, saying that he never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States.

But when pressed for details, Sessions qualified many of his answers during that hearing by saying that he could not recall or did not have any recollection.

A former U.S. official who read the Kislyak reports said the Russian ambassador reported speaking with Sessions about issues that were central to the campaign, including Trumps positions on key policy matters of significance to Moscow.

Sessions had a third meeting with Kislyak in his Senate office in September. Officials declined to say whether U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted any Russian communications describing the third encounter.

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KABULAn errant U.S. airstrike confirmed by the Pentagon killed 12 Afghan National Police officers and wounded two others, as another 11 police were killed and six wounded in clashes with the Taliban, Afghan officials said Saturday.

The death toll in Fridays airstrike was determined after a site inspection of the compound in the Gereshk district, said Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Safi.

The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound occurred during a U.S.-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area. In the statement, the U.S. offered its condolences to the families of the security forces who were killed.

While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. NATO and U.S. troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan troops.

Safi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dead were police officers who were operating with the army in the area. He said they had recaptured the post from the Taliban when the airstrike occurred. On Friday, the Helmand Gov. Hayatullah Hayat said it was believed the police officers were not in uniform, which may have resulted in mistakenly identifying them as Taliban fighters.

Among the Taliban fighters killed in fighting in Helmands Gereshk district was Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzadas 25-year-old son Hafiz Abdur Rahman Khalid, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Meanwhile, in northern Badakhshan province Gov. Ahmad Faisal Bigzad said Saturday that 11 police were killed and another six wounded during a roaring battle with Taliban insurgents in the remote Tagab region.

Bigzad said another 20 members of a local police force were missing following Fridays firefight. It wasnt immediately clear if they had been kidnapped or had escaped.

The area in which the fighting occurred is tucked inside a mountainous region where access is restricted and telephone contact is unsteady.

In western Farah province, a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed, said Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor.

The five-hour battle Friday occurred after Taliban insurgents stormed a compound of the Afghan National Security Force in Pusht Rod district, he said.

A Taliban statement meanwhile claimed a victory and said 16 Afghan soldiers were killed. Taliban have in the past exaggerated their successes and the remoteness of the area makes it near impossible to independently verify.

Elsewhere, in neighbouring Kandahar province, insurgents kidnapped upward of 60 people in several attacks on buses that took place over the last four days, Samim Khpolwak, provincial governors spokesman said Saturday.

Seven passengers were killed, while another 20 people managed to escape, he said. The remaining 33 are still being held by insurgents.

Khpolwak said the buses were travelling from Kandahars Shah Wali Kot District to neighbouring Uruzgan province when they came under attack.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, nor is it known whether any ransom demands have been made.

Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission issued a statement condemning the attacks and warning they represented a human rights violation.

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People who have worked closely with the man tapped to lead Minneapolis embattled police department say he has qualities that will fit well with the role: Hes friendly, forthright, has deep city roots and is African-American, which could help improve sour relations between the police and the citys Black community.

But Medaria Arradondos rise from school resource officer and patrolman to assistant chief during 28 years on the force have some wondering whether an outsider would be better suited to changing the culture of a department accused of being too quick to use force.

Facing public anger over an officers fatal shooting last weekend of an unarmed, white 40-year-old Australian woman who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home, Mayor Betsy Hodges asked police Chief Janee Harteau to resign, which she did Friday. Hodges nominated Arradondo as Harteaus replacement and dismissed protesters calls for her to resign, too.

Inside the department, outside the department, fans, critics, everybody  he builds relationships with people, which is going to be crucial as the department moves forward, Hodges told The Associated Press Saturday. Whats needed at this time is someone who is good at making change and helping usher people through change, which Arradondo has done and is doing,

The police department has stepped up training in recent years, focusing on community policing, Hodges said. She said Arradondo will work to cement those changes.

Arradondo, nicknamed Rondo, needs city councils approval before he can begin the job. He served as the departments public face for most of a week after the July 15 police shooting of Justine Damond, until Harteau returned from vacation on Thursday.

Linea Palmisano, a city councilwoman who represents the ward where the shooting happened, said shes impressed with Arradondo, but wonders if someone from outside the department would be better able to make changes and enforce procedures such as turning on body cameras.

Neither the Somali-American officer who shot Damond, Mohamed Noor, nor the officer with him, Matthew Harrity, turned on their body cameras.

Others say an insider is exactly what the department needs: Someone who was brought up in the Twin Cities and can spot the dysfunction beneath Minnesota nice.

Hes a fifth-generation Minnesotan, and hes appreciated and well-respected as a police officer, said Raeisha Williams, a 5th Ward city council candidate and the former communications director for the local NAACP. Hes African-American, obviously, and he knows the climate, he knows the community, he knows the culture.

Thats vitally important when policing a region where 40 per cent of residents are people of colour, Williams said.

Arradondo has also experienced discrimination: He and four other officers sued the city in 2007 alleging they were the victims of systemic racial discrimination and a hostile working environment. They contended black officers were offered fewer training and overtime opportunities and received fewer appointments than white counterparts, among other problems. The city settled two years later, paying the officers a total of $740,000.

Williams dealt closely with Arradondo following the 2015 police shooting of Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man whose death sparked large protests and an 18-day occupation outside of the north side police station. The officers involved werent charged.

Williams said Arradondo was respectful. Arradondos hometown experience contrasts with many officers who live outside the city, in mostly-white communities, Williams said.

So they come in with bias because theyre not racially diverse in their own environment, she said. It feels like theyre the predators and were the prey.

Large police departments like Minneapolis often struggle with bureaucracy, inertia and political pressures, said Remy Cross, an associate professor of criminology at Webster University. Arradondos department history gives him more credibility to make changes, Cross noted.

But its still going to be a real uphill kind of fight, he said. He has to walk carefully here and not alienate (fellow officers).

Police Lt. Bob Kroll, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis president, frequently criticized the former chief and the mayor. Kroll says Arradondo is smart and respected by the rank and file.

One of the first calls he made was to me yesterday. We had a good talk, Kroll said.

Kroll said the department is understaffed, with 30 authorized positions going unfilled. He says Arradondo should fill those positions immediately and seek authorization to hire more.

It hurts your engagement with the community  the officers are short tempered, they dont take time on the calls, Kroll said.

Kroll says the department should focus on what he calls proactive policing, where officers stop people for minor infractions or suspicious behaviour. Critics point out that approach easily turns into police profiling, which contributes to increased police violence.

The only people that are using the term profiling are committing crimes and they want to get away with the little crimes so they can commit the bigger crimes, he said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is overseeing the investigation into Damonds shooting. Noor is not required to submit to an interview with the bureau and has not agreed to one or provided a statement, the bureau said Friday.

The bureau also said a cyclist who was nearby when the shooting happened spoke to investigators. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that an unnamed source with direct knowledge of the investigation said the witness filmed part of the encounter. It doesnt say whether that includes the actual shooting or only the aftermath.

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NORFOLK, VA.A defiant President Donald Trump unleashed a flurry of nearly a dozen tweets Saturday morning, asserting that he has the complete power to pardon aides, family members and possibly even himself  an apparent response to the special counsels widening Russia probe  and decrying illegal leaks in the fake news.

The Twitter blast came the same day U.S. congressional leaders announced an agreement on sweeping sanctions legislation to punish Russia for its election meddling and aggression toward its neighbours, defying the White Houses argument that Trump needs flexibility to adjust the sanctions to fit his diplomatic initiatives with Moscow.

The president also lashed out at a new Washington Post report of previously undisclosed alleged contacts between Attorney General Jeff Sessions  at the time a U.S. senator and senior adviser to Trumps 2016 presidential campaign  and a Russian official. In a tweet, Trump called the disclosures an illegal new intelligence leak, part of his continuing effort to try to shift the public focus to what he claims is a partisan attempt to undermine his presidency.

The presidents defence of his pardoning authority came days after The Washington Post reported that he and his legal team have discussed his power to pardon those close to him, including himself.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Shortly after his tweet storm, which started just after 6:30 a.m. and lasted nearly two hours, Trump flew to Norfolk, Va., where he injected a small dose of partisan politics into the ceremonial commissioning of a new naval warship.

Speaking aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford here, Trump extolled the virtues of the wonderful, beautiful but very, very powerful nuclear-powered warship  We will win, win, win, he said, we will never lose  but also decried the budget compromise known as sequestration, which requires mandatory and corresponding military and domestic cuts.

Trump promised to try to restore higher levels of military funding, but also urged the crowd of about 6,500  many in uniform  to help him push this years budget, in which he said he will seek an additional $54 billion in defence spending, through Congress.

Read more:

Trump calls newly commissioned $12.9-billion warship a 100,000-ton message to the world

Jeff Sessions discussed Trump campaign matters with Russian envoy, U.S. intelligence shows

Brazen liar Sean Spicer was the perfect spokesperson for Donald Trump: Analysis

I dont mind getting a little hand, so call that congressman and call that senator and make sure you get it, he said, to applause. And by the way, you can also call those senators to make sure you get health care.

But Trumps brief appeal created a potentially awkward tableau at a commissioning event intended to be ceremonial  a commander in chief offering political remarks, and what could even be construed as an order, to the naval officers he commands.

The presidents 17-minute speech aboard the naval vessel here, as well as his frenzied social media assertions Saturday  which veered between proclamations of innocence and frustration  came as Trump is struggling to stabilize his presidency, just six months in. He and several family members, including his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, are facing mounting legal questions about their involvement in possible collusion between the presidents 2016 campaign and Russia.

And on Friday, Trump implemented the most dramatic, if potentially unintended, overhaul of his White House so far, installing wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci as his new communications director  a move that set off an unexpected chain reaction of resignations (White House press secretary Sean Spicer) and promotions (deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, into Spicers spot at the podium).

Trumps morning tweets began with an assertion that the president has complete power to pardon in an apparent allusion to the ongoing probe into his campaigns contacts with Russian officials. And he lashed out at a new Washington Post report of previously undisclosed alleged contacts, calling the disclosures illegal leaks as he continues to try to shift the public focus to what he has said is a partisan attempt to undermine his presidency.

The presidents defence of his pardon powers came days after The Post reported that he and his legal team have discussed his power to pardon aides, family members and, possibly, even himself. Trump aides said the president is merely curious about his powers and the limits of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russias attempt to tamper with the 2016 presidential election.

Currently, the discussions of pardoning authority by Trumps legal team are purely theoretical, according to two people familiar with the ongoing conversations. But if Trump pardoned himself in the face of the ongoing Mueller investigation, it would set off a legal and political firestorm, first around the question of whether a president can use the constitutional pardon power in that way.

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

In another tweet, Trump continued his campaign to discredit the investigation as based on leaks of information from political enemies aimed at undermining him. The Post reported late Friday that U.S. intelligence officials had collected information that Russias ambassador to the United States had told superiors that he had discussed campaign-related matters and policies important to Moscow last year with Jeff Sessions, then a senator who had endorsed Trump.

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

As he has before, Trump also reiterated on Twitter his view that Hillary Clintons campaign should be under greater scrutiny, and he contended that his son Donald Trump Jr. openly disclosed emails concerning a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign  even though Trump Jr. did so after The New York Times obtained the emails and was preparing to publish a report on them.

Sessions, who is now attorney general, had initially failed to disclose his meetings with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his confirmation process; when they were made public in news reports, he insisted he had met with Kislyak only in his capacity as a senator and had not discussed campaign issues. But The Post reported that U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted communications that showed Kislyak indicated he had substantive discussions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.

Trump has denounced what he has called illegal leaks in the ongoing FBI investigation into his campaigns contacts with Russian officials. U.S. intelligence agencies have said Moscow meddled in the campaign, stealing thousands of emails and other documents from Democratic Party officials and releasing them publicly to embarrass the Democratic presidential nominee, Clinton, and to assist Trump. Trump has said repeatedly that he did not collude with Russian officials and called accounts of the meetings between his campaign and Russian operatives a partisan attack by Democrats to avenge their loss in the election. But he and some of his top aides have hired private criminal defence lawyers to deal with the probe.

In his tweet, Trump was referring to former FBI director James Comey, whom the president fired over his handling of the Russia probe. Comey later testified to Congress that he had felt pressure from Trump over the investigation and, after he was dismissed, released memos of his encounters with Trump to the media. The public disclosures helped lead to Mueller taking over the investigation. (Trumps tweet also refers to Amazon.com, the online retailer led by Jeffrey Bezos, who also owns The Post.)

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on what she called a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept and reiterated that Sessions had not discussed interference in the election. Trump has been angered that Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe. The president told The New York Times this week that he would not have named Sessions as attorney general if he had known he would do so.

In yet another tweet, Trump attacked the Times for reports that Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, whose death in a Russian airstrike had been speculated last month, is still alive, according to Pentagon officials. Gen. Tony Thomas has told reporters that a Times story in 2015 about using certain data to track Daesh fighters that was gleaned in the Abu Sayaf raid resulted in U.S. forces losing the trail to Baghdadi. Thomas mentioned the issue again at the Aspen security forum this week Friday and his remarks were featured in a Fox News report, according to the Times.

The Pentagon raised no objections with The Times before the story was published, and no senior American official ever complained publicly about it until now.

The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

His tweets came a day after Sean Spicer resigned as press secretary in the wake of Trumps hiring of New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as his communications director. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was promoted to the press secretary role.

Meanwhile, the new sanctions legislation announced by congressional leaders Saturday would sharply limit the presidents ability to suspend or terminate the sanctions  a remarkable handcuffing by a Republican-led Congress six months into Trumps tenure.

Now, Trump could soon face a decision he hoped to avoid: veto the bill  a move that would fuel accusations that he is doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin  or sign legislation imposing sanctions his administration has opposed.

A nearly united Congress is poised to send President Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, said Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message.

The bill aims to punish Russia not only for interference in the election but also for its annexation of Crimea, continuing military activity in eastern Ukraine and human rights abuses.

Proponents of the measure seek to impose sanctions on suppliers of weapons to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and those undermining cybersecurity, among others.

The legislation also encompasses new sanctions against Iran and North Korea, two countries the administration has been eager to punish for their activities.

There are still hurdles to clear in a Capitol where the Republican majorities have been reluctant to confront Trump.

With files from the New York Times

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Now that investors are getting over the shock of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report purchasing Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFM) for about $14 billion in mid-June, it's time to start thinking about other deals that might happen.

Former Amazon executive Brittain Ladd says he could see Amazon scooping up smaller brands that will prove popular for online and offline shopping, such as Australia-based Freedom Foods Group or fastest-growing dairy brand a2 Milk. "Amazon is looking for companies with strong fundamentals that are not only leading in their industry but also growing in their industry," he said.

As a side note, Kroger Co. (KR) - Get Free Report would be wise to consider acquiring one or both of these growing food brands as well, according to Ladd, who left Amazon in May for family reasons. Ladd worked at Amazon for two years, first as the senior manager of strategy and expansion for AmazonFresh and then as the senior manager of Amazon Global Logistics for the Special Projects unit.

Ladd said he doesn't see Amazon going after bigger food brands like Kellogg Company (K) - Get Free Report because it needs to practice its techniques on smaller food brands to see what works before eventually introducing its own private labels. In addition, people are becoming less loyal to big well-known food brands like Kellogg, which opens up the opportunity for Amazon to get people hooked on private labels.

In addition, meal kit delivery service Blue Apron Holdings (APRN) - Get Free Report would be an unwise acquisition because Amazon can create its own service for less money, Ladd said. Blue Apron's service doesn't have anything unique about it so there isn't any value in acquiring it, he said. Shares of Blue Apron have fallen 35% to $6.55 since its IPO on June 29 as competition heats up in the meal delivery space.

Earlier this week, Amazon filed trademarks for a meal kit service and started testing 17 different meal kits in select cities. Each kit is around $15, serves two people, and requires about 30 minutes of meal prep.

Further acquisitions in the food space would aid Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in his aim to capture not just the $750 billion U.S. grocery market, but the entire $1.4 trillion U.S. food industry, Ladd said. Eventually, Whole Foods will be a distributor not just for grocery deliveries, but for hotels, restaurants, and other grocery stores, he noted.

The fierce competition in the grocery sector is partially a result of Amazon moving in and saying that it will be the best grocer in price, quality, and convenience, Ladd said. Before Amazon and before people were comfortable purchasing food online, grocers only had to concentrate on one or two of the three areas. "Amazon offers a better value proposition for customers," he said.

Previously Ladd told TheStreet he recommends the following deals for the grocery space. He thinks Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s (WMT) - Get Free Report best option is to acquire Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) - Get Free Report to appeal to wealthier consumers. Together, Walmart, Costco and Jet.com, which Walmart acquired in August 2016, make a worthy competitor to Amazon, he said. Target Corp. (TGT) - Get Free Report and Kroger's best option to stay competitive is to merge, he said. Just as Target turned to CVS Health Corp. (CVS) - Get Free Report for help with its pharmacy business, Target needs to turn to Kroger for help with its grocery business.

Ladd maintains that Kroger is the best grocery retailer. "By merging, Target will gain access to a best-in-class grocery retailer to manage their grocery needs, and Kroger gains access to Target's retail products," he said. "I would combine the loyalty programs of each."

Here's a quick rundown of the two food companies Ladd could see Amazon scooping up:

Health food brand Freedom Foods generated $40.1 million in net profit for the 12 months ended June 2016, according to just-food.com. The company is known for its allergen free cereal and snacks. In addition, Freedom Foods holds the license to dairy-free beverage brand Almond Breeze in Australia as it works to capitalize on the health movement away from dairy toward almond milk and other plant-based alternatives. Almond Breeze is owned by US co-op Blue Diamond Growers.

Australia dairy brand a2 Milk Company generated $267.1 million in revenue in 2016. The company was founded in 2000 and specializes in dairy products that are naturally free from the A1 protein for people who are sensitive to conventional cow milk. Founder Dr. Corran McLachlan found that many people who were allergic to ordinary milk with both the A1 and A2 protein weren't allergic to a2 Milk with just the A2 protein.

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General Electric Co. (GE) - Get Free Report is one of the world's biggest companies, so its new CEO, John Flannery, won't be able to thoroughly familiarize himself with its operations and refine its performance targets overnight.

That doesn't mean the manufacturing giant founded by Thomas Edison in the late 1800s will be in limbo from the time the 55-year-old Flannery takes the reins from Jeffrey Immelt on Aug. 1 until he presents his strategy to investors in November.

"I'm not worried about internal paralysis," Flannery told analysts and investors during the Boston-based company's quarterly earnings call on Friday, June 21. GE has reiterated its full-year profit goal of as much as $1.70 a share, with at least $12 billion in cash from industrial operations, and will be working diligently to deliver on both targets, he said.

The former head of GE Healthcare, Flannery outlined the review he's undertaking when his promotion to the company's top job was announced in mid-June.

Immelt, his predecessor, has spent the past several years reshaping the conglomerate he inherited from Jack Welch by shedding businesses such as television, appliances and most of lending while investing heavily in digital manufacturing through the Predix software platform.

He's retiring as GE grapples with pressure from activist investor Trian Partners to boost earnings to as much as $2.33 a share in 2018, an even more ambitious target than the $2 goal Immelt has warned may be "on the high end," as well as a falling stock price and a challenging natural-resource market.

While GE is the world's 14th-largest company, according to Forbes magazine, its shares have dropped 21% over the past 12 months to $25.91 as oil-equipment sales were curbed by lower crude prices and a government debate over possible cuts to Obamacare hampered purchases of health-care equipment.

In the past month, Flannery has begun a "series of deep dives into each of the businesses, looking at everything you would expect," he said Friday. "What is the market outlook? Where can we grow? Where can we improve margins? How is the cash conversion? What returns are we getting on investments?"

General Electric, which garnered $29.6 billion in revenue in the three months through June, drew about 24% of that from its power business, 22% from jet-engine sales and 16% from medical equipment, with the rest divided between divisions such as oil and gas equipment and locomotives.

Even though the arrival of a new CEO is a comparative rarity at the manufacturer -- Immelt held the job for 16 years and Welch ran the company for 20 -- morale is strong and the company's workforce of 300,000 is committed to helping Flannery succeed, said Jeff Bornstein, who will continue as CFO and has been promoted to vice chairman.

"You're certainly going to see the organization rethinking a lot of what we do and how we do it," as the new CEO examines GE's portfolio, operating rhythms and what areas of growth it wants to invest in, Bornstein said in a telephone interview.

"That may be a little disruptive, but it's also enormously healthy," he added. "People's openness to rethinking things or thinking about things differently or challenging many things we've taken for granted is encouraged, and people get excited about that."

General Electric is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer and the AAP team buy or sell the stock? Learn more now.

Editor's Pick: Originally published July 21.

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Alibaba's (BABA) - Get Free Report Jack Ma has hit the road.

Ma visited Kenya on Thursday where he spoke to a group of 500 up and coming business leaders at the University of Nairobi (see video below). Before the address, Ma sat down with President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi to talk about supporting small businesses in the country.

To be sure, those in attendance had good reason to come away inspired by Ma.

The Alibaba co-founder and executive chairman went from being rejected for a job at Kentucky Fried Chicken to later buying part of KFC and accruing a worth of $33.7 billion.

Alibaba President Michael Evans spoke to TheStreet in June about what it's like working with such a determined leader like Ma. People like Ma don't come around often, Evans admitted. "I think Jack is a very, very unusual leader," he said. "Truly, he's a visionary."

What sets Ma apart from everyone else is his ability to have a long term vision for his company, while also maintaining a short-term, action-oriented philosophy that allows him to adapt to regulatory and market changes. "If you fall in love with the long term vision and you don't continuously adapt to be competitive. . . then you can easily get out of step," Evans explained.

Prior to his position at Alibaba, Evans earned an Olympic gold medal in rowing, worked as a Wall Street executive and then went on to run Goldman Sachs' (GS) - Get Free Report Asia operations, which is how he first met Ma in the late 1990s. "China was a huge focus for Goldman Sachs and for me personally, so we were one of the first investors in Alibaba," he said.

Evans admits that going from banking to ecommerce isn't an obvious or natural transition, but said the job at Alibaba came to him for three reasons: his passion for China, his connection to Jack Ma and his knowledge of Alibaba. "Those were all important and when Ma called after I left Goldman, that was a pretty interesting conversation," he said.

Alibaba shares fell 0.1% to $151.89 by Friday's close.

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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.
Credit Suisse Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The company offers wealth management solutions, including investment advice and discretionary asset management services; risk management solutions, such as managed investment products; and wealth planning, succession planning, and trust services. It also provides financing and lending solutions, including consumer credit and real estate mortgage lending, real asset lending relating to ship, and aviation financing for UHNWI; standard and structured hedging, and lombard lending solutions, as well as collateral trading services; and investment banking solutions, such as global securities sales, trading and execution, capital raising, and advisory services. In addition, the company offers banking solutions, such as payments, accounts, debit and credit cards, and product bundles; asset management products; equity and debt underwriting, and advisory services; cash equities, equity derivatives, and convertibles, as well as prime services; and fixed income products, such as credit, securitized, macro, emerging markets, financing, structured credit, and other products. Further, it provides HOLT, a framework for assessing the performance of approximately 20,000 companies; and equity and fixed income research services. The company serves private and institutional clients; ultra-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and affluent and retail clients; corporate clients, small and medium-sized enterprises, external asset managers, financial institutions, and commodity traders; and pension funds, hedge funds, governments, foundations and endowments, corporations, entrepreneurs, private individuals, financial sponsors, and sovereign clients. As of December 31, 2021, it operated through a network of 311 offices and branches. The company was founded in 1856 and is based in Zurich, Switzerland.
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.
Leading telecom services provider Batelco said its Bahrain CEO Muna Al Hashemi has made it to the Forbes Middle East 100 Most Powerful Arab Business Women List for the second consecutive year.

Al Hashemi has been ranked 16th in the Forbes List in recognition of her exceptional efforts over the course of the past year, said a statement from Batelco.

The list, which also included five Bahraini women in the top 100, champions trailblazing womens contribution to the organisations they represent and their vital role within the business community.

I am honoured and proud to be named in this prestigious list alongside a number of women whom I greatly admire, remarked Al Hashemi.

I believe that the efforts of HRH Shaikh Sabeeka bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad and Supreme Council for Women President, have greatly contributed to highlighting the capabilities of women in the country and raising their profile on the international stage," she stated.

"Her efforts are greatly appreciated by the women in Bahrain, said Al Hashemi.

Additionally, achieving such an accolade would not have been possible without the excellent teams of Batelco employees who support me on a daily basis. Their efforts are instrumental in all my achievements and I very much appreciate this, she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has officially begun his tenure as the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the US with the presentation of his credentials to President Donald J. Trump at a White House ceremony.



Prince Khalid is the 10th Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the US since 1945, said a statement from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, based in US.



"I am honoured and excited to represent Saudi Arabia in the US. Close friends and long-time allies, now more than ever, our two countries are aligned in shared interests and common purpose," said the new ambassador.



"We are expanding trade and investment, increasing cultural exchanges, and fighting terrorism side by side," he stated.



Most recently, Prince Khalid was a senior civilian advisor in the Ministry of Defence. He also helped execute the Ministry's strategic restructuring as part of the National Transformation Program under Vision 2030.



Previously, he was an officer in the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) where he flew F15-S combat missions in Syria and Yemen.



As a result of a back condition that prevented him from flying, Prince Khalid served as a tactical intelligence officer at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran, said the report.



He received pilot training in the US at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. He also studied advanced electronic warfare in France.



"My first priority is to build on the outcomes of the Riyadh Summit to foster closer cooperation on our collective security and to expand our economic partnership," stated Prince Khalid, who graduated from the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the RSAF.



"I also want to reintroduce Saudi Arabia to the US. Under our new leadership, the kingdom continues to change and modernize. I want to engage Americans in new ways to introduce and describe the important economic and social reforms now underway," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko informed that on Monday, July 24, he would hold phone conversation in the Normandy format and demand immediate ceasefire on the contact line in Donbas.

This is reported by the press service of the Head of State.

On Monday there will be a phone conversation in the Normandy format. I will demand immediate real ceasefire regime along the entire touch line, the Head of State said at the joint press conference with President of Belarus Oleksandr Lukashenko on Friday.

Poroshenko added that in case of non-fulfillment sanctions must be intensified under the G7 decision. We cannot and will not put up with brutal violation of the Minsk agreements. Every death of a Ukrainian hero cannot be left without a very tough response, the President emphasized.

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North Korea has so far not responded to a South Korean offer made earlier this week to engage in military talks.



The Defense Ministry urges North Korea to immediately respond to our proposal once again, said South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun on Friday.



Rejected again



South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took office in May, has advocated a dual track policy to resolve the North Korean nuclear stand-off by supporting U.S.-led sanctions against the Kim Jong Un government, but also increasing inter-Korean dialogue and assistance where possible.



The Defense Ministry in Seoul proposed holding talks with Pyongyang on Friday to reopen the military channel between the two countries to reduce the potential for miscommunication and miscalculation at a time when tensions are high over the Norths continued testing of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.



It was the first formal overture by South Korea since cross-border ties broke down early last year under the government of Moon's predecessor, who imposed unilateral sanctions on the North for its nuclear tests and missile launches.



But so far North Korea has ignored or rejected not only this request for military talks but also a proposal to hold a reunion of families separated since the Korean War, and offers of humanitarian aid.

There had been speculation and concern that Seoul might offer unilateral concessions such as suspending loudspeaker broadcasts at the border that are highly critical of the North Korean leader to re-establish contact.



South Korea may end up giving up too much to North Korea without receiving something in return, said political analyst Bong Young-shik, with the Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul.



But North Koreas state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun, on Thursday called the Souths outreach efforts nonsense and indicated that inter-Korean relations will not improve as long as Seoul supports sanctions against Pyongyang.



China has proposed that the United States suspend joint military exercises with South Korea in exchange for North Korea putting on hold further nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Neither side has agreed to this proposal, but Moon indicated he would support resuming the jointly-run Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang, projects that generated millions of dollars in revenue for the North in return for a nuclear freeze.



Wary allies



Moons outreach has so far not only been rejected by North Korea, it has also raised concerns with South Koreas main ally, the United States, which is working to increase sanctions to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program.

Washington has set conditions for engaging with North Korea, including that it take concrete steps to halt its nuclear program and agree to discuss the denuclearization issue. Earlier in the week White House spokesman Sean Spicer seemed to dismiss the idea of talks with North Korea as far away from where we are now.



Advocates for strong sanctions worry that President Moons outreach will only undermine international pressure.



This just by definition gives the North some breathing room and the potential for splitting the coalition against itself, said regional security analyst Grant Newsham with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo.



At the U.N. Security Council, the United States has called for stronger sanctions against North Korea for its July 4 test of a possible long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). However, Russia has reportedly blocked the measure saying the recent test was not an ICBM but a medium range missile, and did not warrant further punitive action.



The U.S. Congress is also working on a bill authorizing secondary sanctions on international companies and individuals that do business with North Korea, particularly in China where over 90 percent of trade with the North takes place.

Regime change



Also on Thursday the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Mike Pompeo, indicated the United States' ultimate goal is to remove Kim Jong Un as leader of North Korea.



"It would be a great thing to denuclearize the peninsula, to get those weapons off of that. But the thing that is most dangerous about it is the character who holds the control over them today. So from the administration's perspective, the most important thing we can do is separate those two, right? said Pompeo at a security forum in Aspen, Colorado.



The CIA chief said the intelligence community is preparing a range of options to end the North Korean threat. His comments seem to contradict statements by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said in May that the U.S. does not seek regime change in North Korea.

Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Actor John Heard, whose many roles included the father in the Home Alone series and a corrupt detective in The Sopranos, has died. He was 71.

His death was confirmed Saturday by the Santa Clara Medical Examiner's office in California. TMZ reported that Heard, who lived in southern California, was found at a Palo Alto, California, hotel where he was recovering from back surgery.

Heard played Peter McCallister, the father of Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He said in later interviews that he sought a movie with kids in it so his son, age 5 at the time, could come to the set and have someone to play with.

After it became a big hit, he was reluctant to revisit the role but his agent convinced him the money was too good to pass up.

"I didn't want to be the Home Alone dad for the rest of my life,'' he told Yahoo News in 2013.

He was born March 7, 1946, in Washington, D.C., and grew up performing in local theater. One of his memorable early roles was as a disabled Vietnam War veteran in the 1981 film Cutter's Way.

He was active in film for the next decade, playing Tom Hanks' rival in Big, actress Geraldine Page's son in The Trip to Bountiful and in the movies The Pelican Brief, Beaches, Gladiator, Rambling Rose and After Hours.

He earned an Emmy nomination for playing Vin Makazian in The Sopranos. Television also kept him busy. He acted in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Elementary, Prison Break, Modern Family and Entourage. One of his favorite jobs came in the original Sharknado television movie in 2013.

"I knew it was going to be a cult classic," he told the Baltimore Media Blog last year. "It's just ridiculous. I thought it would replace people calling me the `Home Alone' dad."

Fellow actor Michael McKean paid tribute on Twitter Saturday: "RIP John Heard. Never not good."

Heard was married and divorced three times, including briefly to actress Margot Kidder. He had three children.
Afghanistan's all-girl robotics team returned Saturday to Kabul after its successful trip to Washington for the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge, and several officials representing the presidential palace welcomed the girls home, calling them role models.

In the ceremony, Abdullah Abdullah, chief executive of the national unity government, said, "Despite the differences between the Afghan and other teams, Afghan girls were able to achieve a silver medal."

Abdullah promised to facilitate their participation in future competitions.

Watch: Officials Welcome Home Afghan Girls Robotic Team in Kabul

Teenagers from around the world demonstrated their skills in designing, building and programming robotic devices at the competition. The annual international robotics event aims to build bridges between high school students with different backgrounds, languages, religions and customs, and to ignite in them a passion for the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

It took an intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump and other officials to allow the girls of the Afghan robotics team to receive visas after two rejections, letting them travel to the United States to participate in the robotics event.

Washington experience

One of their biggest surprises once in Washington? The tight security.

"The security that we see here is not in Herat, Afghanistan," team member Kawsar Roshan told VOA in Washington during the last day of the competition.

"This is a peaceful city. People are not fighting each other, and it is a friendly environment," said team member Fatima Qaderian.

Member Lida Azizi said she learned "unity and teamwork" at the robotics competition.

The team made it to Washington only a day before the event began. U.S. Embassy in Kabul had refused their initial visa applications, but were granted entry to the country after the intervention by high-level U.S. officials.

On Tuesday, Trump's eldest daughter and a senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, visited he team and its sponsors. She had previously tweeted that she was looking forward to welcoming them.

Ayub Khawreen of VOA's Afghan service contributed to this report.
The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders says it has opened an outpatient clinic in northern Afghanistan.

The new facility in Kunduz province opened almost two years after a U.S. airstrike demolished the group's hospital there, killing more than 40 people, including patients and staff members.

"We decided to restart medical activities in Kunduz because the needs are big...," said Silvia Dallatomasina, head of Doctors Without Borders programs in Afghanistan.

Dallatomasina said the organization plans to open a hospital in Kunduz next year and has been seeking assurances from various sides in the conflict in Afghanistan to guarantee the safety of patients when the facility opens.

The United Nations human rights chief said the 2015 bombing of the Doctors Without Borders hospital could be considered a war crime.



The U.S. military has called the bombing "a mistake," with then president Barack Obama issuing an apology and promising compensation for the victims.
Officials in the U.S. state of California say a wildfire sweeping through the states foothills near Yosemite National Park has destroyed dozens of homes and burned through nearly 300 square kilometers.

Authorities said Friday that the fire has destroyed 58 homes in the Sierra Nevada foothills. They say the blaze also grew slightly bigger Friday as more than 3,800 firefighters race to control it.

Officials say 1,500 structures are still under threat from the fire. More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, however firefighters allowed residents in Mariposa, a historic Gold Rush-era town, to return to their residences Friday, saying the town was no longer in danger.

Officials say the fire came within three-quarters of a kilometer of Mariposa, which is largely dependent on tourism, but said firefighters used bulldozers and fire retardant to stop the blazes path.

They say the fire has also come within 56 kilometers of Yosemite, and officials have warned campers with respiratory problems there to be aware of the smoky haze creeping into the park. Officials say the park does not appear to be in the fires path.

The blaze is not the only one burning in the Western United States, with officials saying more than 40 large fires are affecting 11 states.
Two former top U.S. intelligence officials harshly criticized President Donald Trump on Friday for not standing up to Russia for meddling in the presidential election, one of them wondering aloud whether the president's real aim is to make Russia great again.



Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan didn't hold back their anger about Trump's past disparaging comments about the intelligence agencies and their assessment that Moscow deliberately interfered in the election and tried to sow discord in the United States.



Asked if he thinks Trump takes the threat from Russia seriously enough, Clapper said he wonders sometimes if the White House agenda is about making Russia great again. The comment played off Trump's campaign slogan Make America Great Again.



In a wide-ranging discussion at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Clapper and Brennan said that Trump advisers should have been more wary of meeting with a Russian lawyer and others. In June, in the heat of the campaign, the president's son, his campaign manager and his son-in-law met a group at Trump Tower in New York that included a Russian lawyer and Russian lobbyist. Emails about the meeting showed that Donald Trump Jr., attended on the premise of obtaining damaging material the Russian government had on Hillary Clinton



It would have been a really good idea to have vetted whomever they were meeting with. I think the Russian objective here was to explore to see if there was interest in having such a discussion on offering up dirt on Hillary Clinton, Clapper said. He said the meeting reminds him of standard Russian spy craft.



Brennan called the meeting profoundly baffling and wondered why Trump advisers would jump at the opportunity to meet with individuals about getting information on Clinton. The Russians operate in a very cunning manner and they will take and exploit any opportunity they get, he said.

Clapper also suggested that the security clearance held by Jared Kushner, a Trump adviser and the president's son-in-law, should at least be suspended until it can be determined why he failed to disclose all the meetings he's had with Russians.



Both said they didn't think the Trump administration should return compounds in Maryland and New York to the Russians. President Barack Obama closed them in response to the Russian interference in the election. Clapper called the compound on the Eastern Shore a Russian intelligence collection facility. The Russians have said the estates were used for recreational escapes by Russian diplomats and their families.



Both expressed their annoyance at Trump's negative statements about the intelligence agencies' assessments of Russia and the presidential election.



It's interesting that Mr. Trump and others will point to U.S. intelligence when it comes to North Korea, or Iran or Syria ... but when it's inconsistent with what I think are preconceived notions as well as maybe preferences about what the truth would be, then the intelligence community assessments, the work force and the profession are disparaged. That's when my and Jim Clapper's blood boils, Brennan said.



Brennan also said he was upset when Trump leaned over to Russian President Vladimir Putin before their recent meeting in Europe to say it was a great honor to meet him.



This is Mr. Putin, who assaulted one of the foundational pillars of our democracy - our election system - invaded Ukraine, annexed Crimea, that has suppressed or repressed political opponents in Russia and caused the deaths of many of them, he said. I thought it was a very, very bad negotiating tactic.



Both also said they were concerned about a second discussion the two leaders had in Europe with only a Russian interpreter. Clapper said Trump should have had his own translator to record the conversation and avoid any misinterpretations. Brennan said he has never heard of any other instance where a U.S. president has had a meeting with a Russian head of state without a U.S. translator.



To have this one-off and rely on a Russian translator ... It again raises concerns about what else may be going on between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin that is being held behind closed doors or outside the public view, he said.
A counterinsurgency airstrike in southern Afghanistan is reported to have left at least 12 government forces dead, including senior officers, sources told VOA.

The friendly fire incident happened Friday in the Gereshk district of Helmand province, where fighting has been raging after Taliban insurgents staged a major assault on government outposts a day earlier.

Provincial Governor Hayatullah Hayat told VOA that Afghan and U.S. forces were bombing insurgent positions in the district when a newly restored outpost in Sarband area was hit. He said the airstrike killed two officers and a number of policemen, but did not give any other figures.

The Helmand provincial police chief, Abdul Ghafar Safi, said Saturday that 12 Afghan National Police personnel were killed and two others wounded. Local media are reporting at least 15 dead.

Hayat said an investigation is under way to determine who was responsible for hitting the outpost.

U.S. military officials confirmed that local security personnel aligned with Afghan government forces were killed. Officials issued a statement calling the deaths unfortunate and pledged an investigation to determine the specific circumstances that led to this incident.

The deadly strike came after a Taliban suicide car bomb attack destroyed the same post just before the insurgents assaulted the district on Thursday.

The governor said the post was rebuilt and Afghan forces were redeployed just before it was bombed Friday afternoon.

Claims of bombers identity

Taliban sources, meanwhile, claimed that one of the three bombers who carried out Thursdays suicide attack was the son of Hibattullah Akhundzada, the fugitive chief of the Islamist insurgency.

The sources identified the 22-year-old man as Abdul Rahman, saying he drove an explosives-packed Humvee into the Afghan forces post in Gereshk.

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, but Taliban sources say Rahman had recorded a video message before going on the suicide mission and it will be released when needed.

The Taliban controls several districts in Helmand, the largest Afghan province and a major poppy growing region.

Earlier this week, Afghan forces backed by U.S. air power and military advisers recaptured the Nawa district near the provincial capital of Lashkargah, nine months after the Taliban had overrun it.

The restive Afghan province borders Pakistan and Iran.
The Carrier manufacturing facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, owned by United Technologies Company, was in the limelight during the 2016 presidential election when then-candidate Donald Trump criticized UTC's announcement it was moving jobs from the facility to Mexico. While Trump's postelection negotiations, including tax incentives, encouraged Carrier to remain in Indianapolis, hundreds of employees still face layoffs this year. VOA's Kane Farabaugh has more from Indiana.
Israeli officials say three Israelis died and one more was wounded when a Palestinian broke into a home in a West Bank settlement and stabbed its residents while they were eating dinner.

Two of the victims died Friday soon after the attack in the area known as Neve Tsuf, north of Ramallah. Another victim died later in the day.

The assailant was shot by Israeli police and is hospitalized in Israel. He has been identified as 20-year-old Omar al-Abed. His brother also has been arrested.

Elsewhere Friday, three Palestinians died when clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians turned violent.

Tensions have been rising for days after Israel installed metal detectors at a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews, after two Israeli police officers were killed there by Arab gunmen.

On Friday, Israel barred Muslim men under the age of 50 from entering the contested Jerusalem holy place for noon prayers

Officials said the clashes at the Old City shrine had been expected.

The site is known as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims, and as the Temple Mount to Jews. It is the holiest Jewish site and the third holiest in Islam.
A U.S. judge in the state of Texas has sentenced a Mexican drug cartel leader to 30 years in prison.

The judge in Laredo, Texas, also ordered Ivan Velasquez-Caballero, a high-ranking member of the Zetas cartel in Mexico, to pay a fine of $10 million for his drug-related crimes.

Velasquez-Caballero was arrested by Mexican authorities in 2012 and was extradited to the United States to stand trial. He agreed to plead guilty in 2014 to importing and distributing narcotics.

Velasquez-Caballero is expected to be deported to Mexico once he is released from prison.

Record homicide rate

Earlier Friday, Mexican officials said June had the highest homicide rate for any month in at least two decades. Officials say 2,234 people were murdered in June with the most homicides in Guerrero, a drug cartel stronghold in the south of the country, and in Mexico, surrounding the capital's federal district.

Officials say the one-month total brings the number of homicides in Mexico for the first half of 2017 to a record of 12,155. They say that is a 30 percent increase from the same period in 2016.


The police chief of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has resigned from her position after a 40-year-old Australian was shot to death by a police officer last week.

Police Chief Janee Harteau posted her resignation statement on the police department's Facebook page late Friday, saying, "Last Saturday's tragedy, as well as some other recent incidents, have caused me to engage in deep reflection. ... I've decided I am willing to step aside to let a fresh set of leadership eyes see what more can be done for the MPD to be the very best it can be."

The local newspaper, the Star Tribune, reported that Harteau stepped down at the request of Mayor Betsy Hodges, who said she had lost faith in the chief and believed the people of Minneapolis had done so as well. Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo is set to replace Harteau.

Police body cameras off

Harteau has been criticized not only for the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but for not returning early from a trip out of state when a Minneapolis police officer sitting in a squad car accidentally shot to death Justine Damond, a woman who had called for emergency help after hearing what she believed to be a sexual assault near her home.

Adding to the public outrage that erupted in Australia and the United States was the fact that the police officers' body cameras were switched off when the shooting occurred.

Bob Fletcher, a former police officer and current mayor of Vadnais Heights, just outside Minneapolis, told VOA's Somali service that he can't recall a similar shooting, in which the person who called for help became the victim of a mistaken shooting by police.

"It's rare if ever that police officers fire from their squad car," Fletcher said.

He added, "It clearly was a reaction shooting .  Some level of fear was created in the officer's mind by whatever occurred just previously to him pulling the trigger."

Officers startled by loud noise

Harteau first spoke out about the incident Thursday, saying it "should not have happened." She also said, "Justine didn't have to die."

Damond was a meditation teacher and bride-to-be. She was killed late Saturday in the alley behind her Minneapolis home.

The agency investigating the shooting, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said one of the officers, Matthew Harrity, was startled by a loud noise just moments before his partner, Mohamed Noor, fired the deadly shot from the passenger seat.

Officials say the officers' body cameras were not turned on, a violation of Minneapolis Police Department rules. The incident was also not captured by the patrol car's dashboard camera.

Harteau mentioned in her resignation letter that "other recent incidents" contributed to her decision to step down.

This is the second major police shooting in the Minneapolis area over the last year. In July 2016, 32-year-old Philando Castile was shot and killed during a traffic stop in the sister city of St. Paul in an incident streamed live on social media by Castile's girlfriend. The officer who shot Castile, Jeronimo Yanez, was recently acquitted on charges of second-degree manslaughter.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is in talks with President Donald's Trump eldest son and his former campaign chairman about holding a private interview with the two next week in its investigation of Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. election.

The committee said Friday that Donald Trump, Jr. and Paul Manafort are negotiating with the committee about being interviewed and are also discussing the possibility of turning over documents.



A statement from the committee said it will not subpoena the two men to force them to publicly testify next week, but reserved the right to do so in the future.

Both men are under scrutiny for meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign. Documents show that Trump Jr. took the meeting in June 2016 with the expectation of receiving information that could be used against his father's opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Another Senate committee, the Intelligence Committee, says it will meet privately on Monday with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, about the Russia investigation. Kushner is also expected to meet with the House Intelligence Committee the following day.

Earlier Friday, the Senate Intelligence Committee met with former U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice, one of several Obama administration officials to talk to the committee.

A spokeswoman for Rice confirmed the closed-door meeting, saying Rice met voluntarily with the panel and was pleased to cooperate with the investigation.

Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump have accused Rice of improperly revealing the names of Trump associates mentioned in an intelligence report about the Russia investigation. Rice has denied any wrongdoing.

In addition to Rice, the panel interviewed several members of former President Barack Obama's administration this week, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as any potential contacts between Trump's campaign and Moscow.

Special counsel Robert Mueller, who was appointed by the attorney general's office after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, is also investigating the role that Russia played in the U.S. election and possible ties to the Trump administration.
The Pentagon has withheld tens of millions of dollars remaining in military aid to Pakistan after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis decided that Islamabad was not taking enough action to counter the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network.

"This is simply an assessment of the current state of play," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon Friday. "It's not a policy. It is a reality."

The U.S. has declined to make military reimbursements in the past, withholding $300 million last year. Pakistan has already been reimbursed $550 million of the $900 million it was authorized to receive in fiscal year 2016.



Mattis' decision affects $50 million that was previously earmarked for Pakistan.

Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said Mattis "could not certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network per the requirement in the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA]."

Money is reprogrammed

Stump said the money is being reprogrammed to be used for other requirements.

The decision comes as President Donald Trump's administration is exploring its approach toward Pakistan in developing a regional policy aimed at fighting Taliban militants and Islamic State fighters in neighboring Afghanistan.

"This decision does not prejudge the conclusions of the White House review of South Asia strategy, which is still ongoing," Stump said, adding that the decision also "does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over previous years."

Efforts against militants

Pakistan's efforts have reduced the ability of some militant groups to use North Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas as a safe haven for terrorism, but the Taliban and the Haqqani network continue to operate in other locations in Pakistan, Stump said.

Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Asia Program, told VOA he expects Trump to take a harder line toward Pakistan than former President Barack Obama took.

"I think he'll [Trump] have more aid cuts, and I simply think he'll have less patience for the Pakistanis and their lack of movement on dealing with the Haqqani network and the Taliban," Kugelman said.

He added that the Trump administration will be more likely to take steps such as flying drones targeting Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, which some experts have called the de facto headquarters of the Afghan Taliban.

The area was previously immune to U.S. drone strikes until May 2016, when a Hellfire missile killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour.

However, Kugelman told VOA he also worries that a harder line toward Pakistan might cause Pakistan to "double down" on its support for the Haqqani network.

"The U.S.-Pakistan relationship is in for some difficult times," he said.
Philippine lawmakers Saturday voted to extend martial law on the southern island of Mindanao until the end of the year, giving President Rodrigo Duterte extra time to quell a rebellion by militants allied with the Islamic State group.

A total of 261 legislators agreed to extend military rule in a seven-hour joint special session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, accounting for more than two-thirds of Congress membership of more than 300.

Ahead of the voting, security officials told lawmakers that martial law was needed to stabilize a region where Islamic State was gaining influence, and supporters could be inspired to stage uprisings in areas on Mindanao, joined by foreign jihadists.
Polands Senate approved a contentious law Saturday that gives politicians substantial influence over the Supreme Court, in defiance of European Union criticism.

The bill proposed by the populist ruling party only needs the signature of President Andrzej Duda to become binding. Duda has so far followed the ruling party line.

The vote was 55-23 with two abstentions. And it was met with boos from protesters gathered in front of the Senate building.

End of judicial independence

EU leaders say the bill would kill judicial independence and threaten the rule of law in the EUs largest member in Central and Eastern Europe. The U.S. Department of State voiced concern Friday.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of Polands ruling Law and Justice party, contends the judiciary still works along a communist-era model and harbors many judges from that time. Communist rule ended in 1989. He says the justice system needs radical changes to become efficient and reliable.

Prime Minister Beata Szydlo says the legislation is an internal matter and the government will not bow to any foreign pressure.

The legislation calls for firing current Supreme Court judges, except those chosen by the justice minister and approved by the president. It gives the president the power to issue regulations for the courts work. It also introduces a disciplinary chamber that, on a motion from the justice minister, would handle suspected breaches of regulations or ethics.

Protesters gather again

In anticipation of the vote, crowds gathered Friday night for yet another protest in front of the Supreme Court building in Warsaw and in some other cities. About 200 protesters also gathered in front of Dudas vacation home in Jurata, on the Baltic coast, to demand that he doesnt sign the bill.

The president has 21 days to sign it, and is not expected to do it before his meeting Monday with the head of the court, Malgorzata Gersdorf.

Two other bills on a key judicial body and on regular courts also await Dudas signature.

Duda has so far not accepted an invitation for talks on the issue from European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister.

Speaking to Polands TVN24, Tusk repeated his readiness for talks and said he was a little disappointed there has been no meeting.

Tusk said the steps the Polish government is taking toward the judiciary would allow it to limit social freedoms if it wants. He said they are in conflict with the EUs principles and are damaging to Polands international standing.

European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans has warned that Poland could face a proceeding under Article 7 of the EU treaty, which makes possible sanctions in case of a serious and persistent breach of the EUs basic values. In theory, Poland could be deprived of its vote in the EUs council of governments, but such a move would have to be unanimous.


Qatars emir called Friday for dialogue to resolve a political crisis pitting his country against four Arab states, saying any talks must respect national sovereignty, but the call was unlikely to end the rift.

In his first speech since four Arab countries severed ties with Doha, a defiant Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said life was continuing as normal despite what he described as an unjust siege.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties and imposed sanctions on Qatar last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and supporting terrorism, which the emir denied.

"Qatar is fighting terrorism relentlessly and without compromise, and the international community recognizes this," Sheikh Tamim said in the televised speech.

U.S. calls for end to blockade

He spoke hours after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States was satisfied with Qatars efforts to implement an agreement aimed at combating terror financing and urged the four states to lift their "land blockade."

It also comes days before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has supported Qatar in the crisis, is to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to try to resolve the rift.

Earlier this month during a round of shuttle diplomacy, Tillerson signed a deal with Qatar to fight terrorism financing, part of efforts led by Kuwait to try to resolve the most serious rift in the Western-allied Gulf in decades.

An official comment from the four Arab countries had yet to be issued, but a Saudi royal court adviser described it as a piece of literary work written by a school student.

"Had it been written by a student in middle school he would have flunked," Saud al-Qahtani said via Twitter.

Commentators hosted by the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television also denounced the speech.

"This is a speech of obstinacy which sends messages that Qatar will not stop supporting terrorism," said Ali al-Naimi, editor of an online news website published in the UAE.

Campaign previously planned

The crisis revolves around allegations that Qatar supports Islamist militant groups, including in Syria and Libya, and hosts members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It began after a speech in late May by Sheikh Tamim appeared on the state news agencys website, which Doha said he had never made and indicated the website had been hacked from one of its neighbors, indicating the UAE.

The Washington Post, citing U.S. intelligence officials, last week reported that the United Arab Emirates had arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in order to post the fiery but false quotes. The UAE denied any involvement.

Sheikh Tamim described the sanctions as a campaign that had been pre-planned against Qatar, calling it an act of aggression against Dohas foreign policy.

"Its planners planted statements to mislead public opinion and the countries of the world," he said.

Sheikh Tamim vowed to withstand the sanctions and said he had instructed the Qatari government that Qataris should become more self-reliant and called for the economy to be opened up to foreign investments.

"The time has come for us to spare the people from the political differences between the governments," he said, urging dialogue. "... Any solution must respect the sovereignty and will of each state."
The Washington Post is reporting that Russias ambassador to the U.S. told his supervisors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters with Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year during the presidential election season, contrary to what Sessions has said.

The Post quoted current and former U.S. officials in its story, which said U.S. intelligence agents intercepted communications from Ambassador Sergey Kislyak to his superiors about the meetings.



U.S. President Donald Trump blasted the leak of the highly classified information in an early-morning tweet Saturday, saying the leaks "must stop."



Sessions said in his February confirmation hearing before the Senate that he did not recall having any contact with Russian officials while acting as a Trump foreign policy adviser last year.

In March, news reports revealed that Sessions had met at least twice with Kislyak: once in April 2016, before Donald Trump, then a Republican presidential candidate, gave a foreign policy speech, and again in July, on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

At that time, Sessions amended his earlier comments to say they had met, but had not discussed the Trump campaign in their meetings, and he recused himself from any investigations into Russian interference in the election.

The Post quotes one U.S. official as saying Sessions has provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence. A former official told the Post that the two men had substantive discussions, including Trumps positions on issues affecting Russia and what U.S.-Russia relations would look like under a Trump administration.

Post report

The Post reported that current and former U.S. officials say Sessions answers differ from those given by Kislyak to his bosses. Those officials emphasized that the Russian ambassador could have purposely misspoken if he suspected U.S. agents were monitoring his communications.

Contacted for comment, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in a statement: Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that The Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who is attending the Aspen Security Conference in Colorado, was questioned about the Post story late Friday. He said, I saw the headline. ... I have come to the point where I no longer put any stock in headlines or breaking news.

Kislyak and Flynn

Ambassador Kislyak was a factor in the downfall of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn left his job in February after news reports revealed that he had had conversations with Kislyak about U.S. policy toward Russia. He had said publicly that no such conversations took place.

But the information about Flynns conversations with Kislyak was based on recordings of phone conversations made by U.S. intelligence agents, giving them proof of what the men talked about. In Sessions case, the reports are based only on Kislyaks accounts of what was said.

Earlier this week President Trump gave an interview to The New York Times in which he expressed frustration with Sessions for recusing himself from Russia investigations. He also said Sessions gave bad answers about his contacts with Russian officials during his confirmation hearing. The comments have fueled speculation that Sessions may be asked to resign.



On Saturday, Trump raised further questions about Sessions' work as attorney general, asking why he had not looked into dealings between associates of failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Russian government and former FBI director James Comey's leaking of his notes.

Despite Trumps ire, Sessions has said he plans to stay in the job as long as that is appropriate.

VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.
The Republican push to craft a health care bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, hit another stumbling block Friday.

The Senate parliamentarian is reported to have decided Republicans would need 60 votes to keep anti-abortion provisions in the bill.

Republicans have a 52-48 Senate majority. It is highly unlikely that Democrats would vote to retain provisions that would block womens ability to receive abortions.

It is also unlikely that some Republicans would support the bill without the anti-abortion restrictions.

Medicaid savings

Senate Democrats also report the parliamentarian said 60 votes would be needed for a provision providing Medicaid savings for upstate New York counties.

Democrats say they believe the New York provision places into jeopardy bill language benefiting other states. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had placed several states into the legislation in an effort to win support from the states senators.

Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted The parliamentarians decision today proves once again that the process Republicans have undertaken to repeal the ACA is a disaster.

Republicans say the parliamentarian views are guidance only and are subject to change.

AMA: stabilize marketplace

The Republicans also received another blow to their health care bill Friday when the American Medical Association, the nations largest doctors group, urged the senators to stop their efforts to repeal and replace the ACA and instead begin a bipartisan effort to stabilize the insurance marketplace.

An AMA statement said: The Senates discussion draft fails to meet the AMAs core principles on health system reform that include ensuring that individuals currently covered do not become uninsured and taking steps toward coverage and access for all Americans including the ability for low- and moderate-income patients to be able to secure affordable and adequate coverage.

Republican lawmakers have called for repealing the ACA since 2010, when Democrats pushed it through Congress without a single Republican vote in favor of it.

About 20 million Americans have gained insurance under the law, and national surveys show Obamacare is more popular than Republican proposals to replace it. Republicans looking to overturn the law are faced with a new, independent assessment of what might happen if they do.

CBO: Millions would lose insurance

The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday if the ACA is repealed without a replacement, 17 million Americans would lose their health insurance next year and 32 million by 2026. Under a Senate Republican replacement proposal, the CBO said 22 million would lose their health care insurance coverage to help pay medical bills in the next decade, but the plan would save the government $420 million.


Qatars ruler Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani Friday in his first address since the beginning of the crisis between his Emirate and its neighbors said Qatar is open to negotiations but any talks must respect its sovereignty.

Al-Thany in his address indicated that his country was unfairly targeted and victim of a smear campaign.

We are open to dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems [so long as Qatars] sovereignty is respected, Sheikh Tamim added.

It is the first speech of the Qatari ruler since late May when Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain plus Egypt accused the leader of making incendiary remarks judged friendly to Iran and sportive of Hamas and Hezbollah; two groups deemed terrorist groups.

On June 5, the four countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and busted air, sea and ground links over Qatars alleged funding for terrorism.

Al-Thany praised his people adding that the crisis was a test but the nation overcame it.

It is clear that the campaign against us was pre-planned. We took a test and passed it, he said.

It was a true ethical trial. Our people have passed the test with colors, and we have held steadfast to our principles and traditions even in the time of trials, for the simple reason that we respect ourselves. I call on all of you to continue to hold on to that.

Qatar, through the crisis, will grow stronger, Al-Thani noted, adding We will open our economy to new initiatives and investment so that we can produce our own food and medicine and diversify our sources of income.

Following the blockades, the tiny gulf country turned to Turkey and Iran to open new commercial routes and overcome the food shortage it faced.

The Emir also thanked Turkey for its quick activation of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the two countries to help meet the needs of the Qatari market.
Lyudmila Alekseyeva, a renowned human rights activist who has challenged the Soviet regime and Russian authorities since the 1950s, tells VOA that Russian President Vladimir Putins recent surprise visit to her flat left her with an improved perception of the man.

Putin visited Alekseyeva on Thursday, her 90th birthday, reaching out to the prominent and respected critic months before a March 2018 election in which he is expected to run for a fourth Kremlin term.

According to the Kremlin website, Alekseyeva offered him a glass of champagne and a bite to eat shortly after a presidential security official quickly inspected her Moscow apartment for explosives.

I got a call from Sergey V. Kiriyenko, the head of Putins cabinet, she said. He at first said that Putin would congratulate me by phone. Then they called back and said the president would make a personal visit. Well, is it even possible to organize for the unexpected arrival of the first person? They cordoned off the whole quarter, then a man came to see me  whether I have any bombs in the room, and so on.

Soviet-era dissident

Alekseyeva, a Soviet-era dissident who was among the founders of the human rights movement in the 1960s, has been a vocal opponent of what she has described as a dramatic backsliding on human rights and democracy since Putin came to power in 2000.

Putin was full of praise for Alekseyeva, who helped found the Moscow Helsinki Group in the 1970s to monitor the Soviet Unions compliance with international rights conventions and has headed it since 1996.

I am grateful to you for everything that youve done over many, many years for a huge number of people in our country who love you very much and are thankful to you for the life you have lived for the sake of people, the Kremlin quoted him as saying.

But his birthday gift may have been chosen to make a geopolitical point: In addition to a bouquet, Putin gave Alekseyeva an engraving of her native town of Yevpatoria in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia occupied and seized from Ukraine in 2014.

In Russia today, stating that Crimea is not part of Russia can lead to prosecution on charges of separatism. In an exclusive interview with VOAs Russian Service, Alekseyeva said her latest visit with Putin left her with a positive impression.

I always have good impressions from talking with him, she told VOA. I do not know how to explain this, but he treats me with respect and sympathy. Therefore, I try not to violate this. The fates of so many people are in his hands. If Im impolite, I cant help them.

My grandmother, who raised me from childhood, always taught that if you are treated politely, then you must respond in kind, she added. What you got into your head as a child, thats forever. Even if I was questioned by nasty investigators, if they spoke politely, I could not be rude or silent. But Im always polite with everyone  with cleaners who clean our porch. With the president, Im equally polite, she said.

Upcoming election

Putin, 64, has not announced his candidacy, but he is widely expected to seek and secure a new six-year term in the election whose date is likely to be shifted by a week to March 18, the fourth anniversary of Russias takeover of Crimea.

Alekseyeva said that she asked Putin to pardon Igor Izmestyev, a former lawmaker in the upper parliament house who was sentenced to life in prison in 2010 after being convicted of funding a criminal gang authorities say killed 14 people from 1992-2004.

I told the president: This is not a gift, this is a request  do this good deed, Alekseyeva, who is frail, told a meeting of the presidential human rights council by video-link after the meeting Thursday.

The Kremlin transcript of Alekseyeva's meeting with Putin indicates she told him she believes that Izmestyev is not guilty.

But she said that his guilt or innocence was not the point because a pardon is not an act of justice but an act of mercy.

Alekseyeva said that Putin promised to pardon Izmestyev, but his remarks in the Kremlin transcript do not include a clear promise to do so.

Alekseyeva and her husband fled the Soviet Union under government pressure in 1977, but she continued her rights campaigning from abroad and returned in 1990 following Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachevs reforms.

She has participated in numerous protests during Putins long period in power, including a series of monthly demonstrations accusing the Kremlin of systematically violating the right to free assembly.

In an interview in 2012, shortly after Putin returned to the presidency following a four-year stint as prime minister, Alekseyeva told Reuters that when she first met Putin in 2002, she was impressed by his humility and willingness to listen to activists like herself.

But when they met again in 2006, Putin was a different man who had come to believe that everyone wants him to stay in power, she said. He doesnt understand. Its a terrible thing to have power. ... Very few people can handle it properly.
The appointment of a new communications director at the White House on Friday led to the sudden resignation of its high-profile press secretary.

Anthony Scaramucci, an entrepreneur and former hedge fund manager, was offered the communications job by President Donald Trump. That led to Sean Spicer, the press secretary and acting communications director, to immediately hand in his resignation, which he said will become effective next month.

On Twitter, Spicer said, "It's been an honor & a privilege to serve @POTUS @realDonaldTrump & this amazing country. I will continue my service through August."

New press secretary

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the most frequently seen face at the briefing room lectern in recent weeks, was immediately named by Scaramucci as Spicer's successor as press secretary.

Spicer had also been acting as communications director before and after the relatively obscure Mike Dubke held the job for about two months.

Scaramucci is well-known in Republican fundraising circles and had been frequently seen on television during the 2016 election campaign energetically supporting two other Republican presidential candidates before backing Trump.

Those campaign comments included Scaramucci calling Trump a "hack politician."

Asked about the comment, the newly named communications director on Friday said the president "brings it up every 15 seconds."

Scaramucci expressed regret for making the remark, calling it a mistake due to his inexperience in politics.

"Mr. President, if you're listening, I personally apologize for the 50th time for saying that," Scaramucci said.

Some key West Wing staffers have expressed concerns that Scaramucci is not qualified for the communications director job. But his supporters in the White House praise him as an organizer who has built businesses.

Scaramucci, who had been tagged earlier for a high-level White House job, last month was named as senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

"He's a terrific guy," Trump said to reporters shortly after Scaramucci's new post was officially announced.

Asked what he intended to accomplish with the staff changes, Trump merely replied, "make America great again."

Some confusion

There was immediate confusion about the chain of command for the new communications director.

Scaramucci said he would report directly to the president, but then said reporters should ask White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus to address that.

"He's the chief of staff. It would be foolish of me not to communicate with him," Scaramucci said.

Scaramucci "will report directly to the president," a White House statement issued Friday evening clarified.

Sources say Spicer was especially upset that while Scaramucci would hold the communications director title, he would have been stuck with many of his new boss's strategic and planning duties.

Watch: Spicer Quits as Trump Names New Communications Director

"Id love to have Sean here," Scaramucci told reporters, but added Spicer wanted to "clear the slate" for him.

Spicer had become a celebrity after his televised briefings were parodied and mocked on newscasts, talk shows and comedy programs. But he also became a hero to Trump's base for his aggressive pushback to mainstream media reporters and for faithfully repeating the president's talking points.

"He probably should have resigned on day one" when he was sent out to the podium to tout inflated inauguration crowd numbers, Jennifer Palmieri, a White House communications director in the Obama administration, told CNN.

Jen Psaki, who succeed Palmieri in that job, on Twitter said Spicer "has had justification to resign for months, but explanation today doesn't sound right to me."

Untested

Psaki added that Scaramucci being close to Trump is a key for his new job "but his ability to develop/oversee message strategy is untested."

Spicer's resignation comes less than a day after a spokesman for Trump's outside legal team, Mark Carallo, also quit.

The changes occur as the White House struggles to amplify its policy priorities amid the continuing drumbeat of revelations linking Trump's presidential campaign to Russia.

This has put additional stress on West Wing staffers in what are high-tension jobs in the best of times.

"Im used to dealing with friction," Scaramucci, who previously worked for the notoriously high-pressure Goldman Sachs investment bank, told reporters.

Asked about the turmoil, Sanders said she did not see the changes, including her promotion, as causing chaos.
More than 100 Somalis, recently released from Ethiopian detention facilities and handed over to the Somali government, arrived in Mogadishu on Saturday, government officials told VOA Somali.

The 114 prisoners smiled and some of them kneeled as they got off the plane and kissed the soil. Parents and relatives waiting for them at the airport cheered and burst into tears.

Government officials told local media that the Somali prisoners had been held in Ethiopian jails for various offenses, including "illegal entry."

Jamaludin Mustafa Omar, the Ethiopian ambassador to Somalia, who was with the prisoners, said the move was a sign of the good ties between the countries.

"Some of these prisoners had 20-year sentences, and their release represents the strengthening relationship between our two countries," Omar said.

The release of the Somali prisoners followed talks between Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre and his Ethiopian counterpart, Hailemariam Desalegn, on the sidelines of the recent 29th African Union Heads of States summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Somalia's ambassador to Ethiopia, Mohamed Ali Nur, who also accompanied the prisoners, thanked Ethiopia for giving them amnesty.

"We are very thankful to Ethiopia for giving these Somalis their freedom," said Nur. "Only six Somalis remain in the Ethiopian jails, and we have agreed that they will soon be released."

Government officials, including the foreign minister, Yusuf Garad Omar, lawmakers and senior security officials, welcomed the released prisoners at Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport.
A child died and 17 people were injured Saturday when a grenade went off among a group of people at an IDP camp in Somalias Sool region, a local official told VOA.



A child picked up an unexploded bomb somewhere near the camp and brought it among a group of IDPs resting under the shade of a tree and started playing with it. It went off and injured 18 people. On her way to hospital, [the] child died from her wounds, said Khalif Mohamed Ali, the police chief of Sool region.

"I heard a very loud explosion and I rushed to the scene, and I saw mothers crying and at least 18 injured people, five of them children," witness Abdullahi Nuur told VOA. The children were aged from five to 10.

The IDP camp where the incident occurred is at Ari Adeye village North of Lasanod, the provincial capital of the region. It hosts hundreds of families who lost their animals to the crippling drought that hit Somalia. The explosion happened around 10 am local time.

Somalia has been convulsed by two decades of conflict and many times children have been killed, blinded, crippled - or inadvertently caused the death of their friends - while playing with unexploded ordnance or munitions left behind on the battlefield by parties to the conflict.

Abdukarim Olol contributed to this report from Lasanod, Somalia.
The first six months of the Trump administration saw relatively few confrontations over the territorial disputes in the South China Sea; however, analysts and officials say the lack of public conflict does not mean the issues have disappeared.

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who serves on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and chairs the Subcommittee on Asian Pacific Affairs, told a conference in Washington this week that Chinas militarization of the South China Sea is real and the situation remains a crisis.

Speaking at the Seventh Annual South China Sea Conference, Gardner described the region as a test for American leadership to deter Beijings hegemony.

If the South China Sea is not resolved, what is the next step? the senator asked.

High stakes for key region

The South China Sea extends more than 3.5 million square kilometers in the western Pacific Ocean. Countries including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, as well as Taiwan, have certain claims over its sovereignty.

In recent years, China is seen to have taken actions in an attempt to secure its claim to large areas of the South China Sea for military and economic purposes.

The United States has said that it does not take sides in the rival claims but does oppose actions to militarize the region. The U.S. has been sending military planes and ships near contested islands where China has built up military infrastructure, ignoring Beijings assertions over what it says are Chinese airspace and territorial waters.

The reason so many nations are interested in an otherwise desolate stretch of open ocean is because it is a crossroads for international trade and is believed to have vast oil and gas reserves.

Whoever controls the South China Sea controls East Asia, whoever controls East Asia controls the world, said Alexander Vuving, an analyst attending the conference.

Vuving, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, compares the sea lines of communication in the South China Sea to arteries in the body. He explained to VOA that they provide a lifeline for the Asian economy and are also critical for military transportation.

Vuving believes Washington should try to halt Chinas rising sphere of influence, before brokering a potentially peaceful and enduring power-sharing arrangement among the stakeholders in the region.

Robust strategic posture

Ely Ratner, a former Obama administration official who is now a senior fellow in China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, suggests that the Trump administration adopt a much more robust strategic posture. He warned that adopting a policy with a goal of conflict prevention, reducing tensions created, in his view, a risk aversion that has led to a permissive environment for Chinese assertiveness.

Instead, Ratner proposes a policy based on deterrence, and if deterrence fails, denial.

For this to work, he says policymakers will have to be willing to bear the inherent risks and potential instability of a more deterrence-based policy. He says factions inside the Obama administration favored communication between Washington and Beijing over confrontation.

It is not yet clear to what degree the Trump administration will continue the previous administrations approach. Bonnie Glaser, China Power Project director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the U.S. Navy is on track to log 900 ship days this year in the region, up from 700 in 2016.

Ratner, the former White House official, says the notion that China is unstoppable, escalatory, willing to risk all is a myth, quite contrary to our experience over the last several years.

As if to confirm Ratners assertion, Xue Chen, a research fellow from Shanghais Institute for International Studies, told the conference that Chinas late leader, Deng Xiaoping, decades ago reached the conclusion that the South China Sea problem is intractable, that there would be no way out, only entanglements with sovereignty disputes. Xue said Deng proposed joint development instead.

Strategically ambiguous Nine-Dash Line

Xue went on to say that China has never clarified the nature or extent of what falls within the Nine-Dash Line, referring to the demarcation line used initially by the government of the Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan), then subsequently by the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), for their claims of vast areas in the South China Sea.

Instead, Xue said, there has always been a debate of the value of strategic ambiguity versus a clear statement within China.

The merit of such ambiguity, Xue said, lies in allowing room for interpretation and maneuvering concerning both Chinas sovereign rights in the South China Sea, as well as leaving a certain amount of room for imagination and future cooperation with other claimants.
The Syrian army announced Saturday the end of fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after an agreement was struck between rebels and Russia, an ally of the Syrian regime.

In a statement, the army said a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province would take effect at midday Saturday after all sides signed on to the details of a safe zone agreement.

The army did say, however, that it would retaliate in a suitable manner should the rebels violate the cease-fire agreement.

Earlier Saturday, Russia said it had signed a deal with Syrian rebels during peace talks in Cairo to outline how the safe zones would work.

Russia said the agreement would include "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents, and that humanitarian convoys would be sent within the next few days.

The Eastern Ghouta area is one of four proposed safe zones in Syria that came about after talks between Russia, Iran and Turkey earlier this year.

According to Russia, all sides have now agreed on the precise borders of the safe zone, as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the deescalation."

The Syrian civil war has killed more than 330,000 people, according to U.N. estimates, and the world body has established a commission of inquiry to document cases of torture, summary killings and other atrocities by all sides in the conflict.
Taliban insurgents have kidnapped at least 60 people from a village in southern Kandahar, Afghanistan, Afghan officials said Saturday, with seven of those prisoners reportedly killed.

Reports of the incident varied. A spokesman for the provincial governor told The Associated Press the villagers were kidnapped in a series of Taliban attacks on buses over the last four days, although the head of Kandahar provincial police told AFP the kidnappings took place Friday in the villagers' home.

"The Taliban abducted 70 people from their house in a village along the Kandahar-Tarinkot highway, Friday. They killed seven of them today," police chief Abdul Raziq told AFP. "Their bodies were found by villagers this morning."

Raziq said the insurgents released 30 of the hostages and were still holding 30 others. Samim Khpolwak, a spokesman for the governor, however, told the AP that 20 people escaped from their captors and 33 were still being held. He confirmed seven people had been killed.

Khpolwak said the buses were traveling to Uruzgan province when they were attacked.

The Taliban has not yet claimed responsibility for the kidnappings.
An al-Qaida suspect, accused of supporting terrorists, made his initial appearance in a U.S. federal court in Philadelphia Friday, following his extradition from Spain.

Ali Charaf Damache was indicted in 2011 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on charges that he aided terrorism, including a plan to kill Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who depicted the Prophet Muhammad as a dog.

Authorities believe Damache conspired with an American woman, Colleen La Rose, who was known as Jihad Jane, to recruit people to carry out terror attacks in Europe and Asia.

La Rose is serving a 10-year sentence for plotting the attacks, including the plan to kill Vilks, which never materialized.

Trial, not Guantanamo

Damache, who was known online as Black Flag, is the first foreigner brought to the United States to face terrorism charges under the Trump administration.

Trump has said he would be fine with sending terrorism suspects to the military prison in Guantanamo Bay instead of civilian courts.

It was not immediately clear why the Trump administration changed its stance.

Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior only said the U.S. has consistently used the extradition process to obtain indicted fugitives who are overseas, so that they can stand trial in our federal courts.

The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the move.

Prosecuting terrorism cases in federal courts is the right thing to do, said David Cole, the ACLU national legal director.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder, under the Obama administration, said, Its good to see that the president and the attorney general now seem to share my belief in the effectiveness of the worlds greatest judicial system and its ability to keep the American people safe.

Suspect is Algerian

Damache, who is Algerian and had lived in Ireland for years, was detained in Ireland in 2010, but a court there refused a U.S. request to extradite him and set him free.

In 2015, however, he was arrested in Barcelona, and the Spanish government agreed to extradite Damache to the U.S.
Israeli officials say three Israelis have died and one more is wounded after a Palestinian broke into a home in a West Bank settlement and stabbed the inhabitants.

Two of the victims died soon after the attack in the area known as Neve Tsuf, north of Ramallah. Another victim died of his or her wounds later in the day.

The Israeli army and news media say the assailant was shot, but it is not clear whether he or she was killed in the shooting. The identity of the assailant was not disclosed.

Elsewhere, three Palestinians died Friday when clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians turned violent, the Palestinian health ministry said.

According to the ministry, one Palestinian was shot and killed in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood, though it did not say who fired the shot that killed the person.

The ministry blamed Israeli fire for a second shooting in the A-Tur area of east Jerusalem that left another Palestinian dead.

A third Palestinian was killed in Abu Dis in the occupied West Bank, after he was "shot in the heart by live bullets," the ministry said.

Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians broke out after the recent implementation of new Israeli security measures.

Israeli police have barred Muslim men under the age of 50 from entering a contested Jerusalem holy place for prayers on Friday.

Officials say protests were expected at the Old City site where Israeli police have recently installed security devices, after two police officers were killed there by Arab gunmen.

Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said reinforcements have been deployed in and around the Old City.

A police statement said, "Entry to the Old City and Temple Mount will be limited to men aged 50 and over. Women of all ages will be permitted."

The site is know to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount. It is the holiest Jewish site and the third holiest in Islam.
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized The New York Times on Saturday on Twitter for allegedly ruining a U.S. attempt to assassinate Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The president did not provide details or explain how the Times supposedly ruined plans to kill Baghdadi, but his tweet was posted minutes after a Fox News Channel segment about information leaks was broadcast.

A Times spokesman, meanwhile, has asked the White House for details about Trump's tweet, according to a Times statement provided to Politico.

"We have asked the White House to clarify the tweet," the statement said.

Although the report Trump referred to has not been identified, the Times reported Friday that Defense Secretary James Mattis told journalists that Baghdadi was still alive.

"I'll believe otherwise when we know we have killed him. We are going after him," said Mattis, whose on-the-record remarks were also reported by many other media organizations.

The U.S. has placed a $25 million bounty on Baghdadi, who has not been seen publicly since 2014 in Mosul. It is rumored, though, that Baghdadi travels throughout IS-held areas in Iraq and Syria.

Trump has frequently criticized the Times, even though he occasionally reaches out to the newspaper  including earlier this week when he conducted a wide-ranging interview with several Times reporters. His legal team threatened to sue the newspaper in 2016 for its coverage of sexual harassment accusations against him made by several women. No such lawsuit has been filed.
The Pentagon has slammed the Turkish official news agency Anadolu for publishing a detailed article on US military positions in Syria, indicating that the move endangers the international coalitions fight against Daech.

Spokesman for the Pentagon, Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway chided Anadolu over the article in which it disclosed information on the numbers of US troops, aircrafts, types of bases and the presence of a previously unknown number of French deployments.

The release of sensitive military information exposes coalition forces to unnecessary risk and has the potential to disrupt ongoing operations to defeat ISIS.

US troops are involved in the international coalition fighting ISIS but Turkey also accuses Pentagon of supporting Peoples Protection Units (YPG); an armed group linked to Turkish PKK, blacklisted by Ankara, the US and the EU as a terrorist group.

The Pentagon considers the information top secret.

Anadolu pushed back the blame arguing that the information does not expose US troops, pointing out that the bases are located in the heart of YPG-controlled territory. The agency added that its reporters on the ground helped write the story.

Some Turkish officials also rejected the US accusations that the Government leaked the information to the agency, Daily Sabah reports.

After a review, our understanding is that Anadolu reporters prepared this story with their own resources, a senior Turkish official said on condition of anonymity.

Leaking information to Anadolu Agency? That would be very stupid. People shouldnt insult our intelligence. We obviously wouldnt leave these kinds of fingerprints, said another official who has been identified due to government protocol, the daily reports.
Anthony Scaramucci agreed in January to sell his hedge fund firm to clear the way for a job with U.S. President Donald Trump, but he has yet to receive US permission to sell to a group led by Chinese conglomerate HNA

Anthony Scaramucci, the Trump administrations new communications director, has yet to get approval from U.S. regulators to sell his hedge fund firm to a group led by Chinese conglomerate HNA, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Scaramucci agreed in January to sell SkyBridge Capital LLC to clear the way for a job working with U.S. President Donald Trump. That role materialized Friday when Trump shook up his administration, prompting the resignation of White House spokesman Sean Spicer.

But the sale of SkyBridge has yet to get the green light from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews acquisitions by foreign entities for potential national security risks.

Many of the heads of the government departments and agencies comprising CFIUS are political appointees, and it is chaired by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Scaramucci told Reuters in May that he expected the sale of SkyBridge to get U.S. regulatory approvals in June.

A representative of SkyBridge did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Reuters reported this week that CFIUS has become increasingly reluctant to approve deals. The president has the power to veto recommendations made by CFIUS although this has never happened before.

HNA is among a number of acquisitive Chinese firms under a spotlight in China over the potential risks from domestic companies going on overseas buying sprees.

Best known as the owner of Hainan Airlines Co, HNA group plans to acquire a majority stake in SkyBridge through its financial arm HNA Capital as part of an expansion into asset management.

Scaramucci told Reuters in May that he had, separate from the sale of his business, discussed partnerships with HNA.
President Donald Trump helped commission Saturday the USS Gerald R. Ford, a technologically-advanced nearly $13-billion warship that he said sends a "100,000 ton message to the world" and will cause enemies of the U.S. to "shake with fear."

After three years of delays and billions of dollars of cost overruns, Trump officially turned over the first of the next generation nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Norfolk in the southeastern state of Virginia.

"Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong," he said.

The president said the warship serves as a "deterrent that keeps us from having to fight" but added, if conflict does arise, "it will always end the same way. We will win, win, win."

After criticizing the previous administration for "a shortfall in military readiness," Trump called on Congress to "do its job" and provide "stable and predictable funding levels" for the military.

The new carrier will be the flagship of the new class of "super carriers," the first new class in 40 years and the most expensive warships ever built.

Construction of the USS Gerald R. Ford began in 2009 and was scheduled to be completed in 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy said the cost overruns and construction delays were due to the carrier's cutting-edge technology.

The ship will have a lifespan of 50 years and its nuclear power plant will allow it to operate for 20 years without the need to refuel.

The USS Ford is named after the country's 38th president, a lieutenant commander in the Navy during World War II. The warship was christened by his daughter, Susan Ford Bales, in 2013.

The Ford-class of carriers will replace the current Nimitz supercarriers, a class of 10 nuclear-powered warships named after World War II Navy Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

The Navy said it would cost $43 billion to construct the first three ships in the Ford-class of carriers, including the USS John F. Kennedy, named after the country's 35th president, and the USS Enterprise.
U.S. President Donald Trump is warning Iran to release American citizens detained in the Islamic Republic, saying if it does not he is "prepared to impose new and serious consequences."

A White House statement Friday said Trump is willing to take new measures "unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned."

The comments come after a Chinese American, Xiyue Wang, was sentenced in Iran this week to 10 years in prison on spying charges.

"The United States condemns hostage takers and nations that continue to take hostages and detain our citizens without just cause or due process," the White House statement said.

The statement mentioned Wang by name along with Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran. It also demanded Iran release U.S. businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer.

"Iran is responsible for the care and well being of every United States citizen in its custody," the White House statement said.

The announcement capped a week of U.S. statements against Iran. On Monday, the Trump administration announced it would keep in place an international nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers which lifted sanctions against Tehran. However, senior administration officials said Tehran was violating the "spirit of the agreement" and pledged to seek tougher enforcement of the deal going forward.

Sanctions

On Tuesday, the administration put new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile program and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any "positive contributions" coming from the 2015 nuclear accord.

The State Department sanctioned two groups linked to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, saying they were involved in ballistic missile research and development and test flights.

The Treasury Department also sanctioned seven entities and five individuals for their support of Iranian military purchases, plus what it described as an "Iran-based transnational criminal organization" and three people linked to the group.

The sanctions freeze any assets the targeted Iranians might have in the U.S. and block Americans from doing business with them.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responded to the new sanctions by saying "We will stand up to the United States." Without elaborating he told a Cabinet meeting, "The great nation of Iran will have an appropriate answer."

Nuclear deal

The Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was agreed to in 2015 following negotiations between Iran and a group that included the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany.

Under terms of the agreement, Iran gained relief from sanctions targeting its nuclear activity in response to allegations it was working to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has said its nuclear program was aimed only at peaceful purposes.

In exchange for the sanctions relief, Iran agreed to take a number of steps to limit its nuclear program and affirmed that it would under no circumstances "seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons."

Trump has called the agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated."
Afghan Defense Ministry officials have confirmed that Fridays U.S. counterinsurgency airstrike in the southern Helmand province mistakenly killed at least 15 government troops.

The friendly fire incident happened in the Gereshk district where intense fighting was raging between Afghan forces and Taliban insurgents.

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri says during the fighting a security outpost was hit by missiles fired by a U.S. drone late Friday afternoon. He told VOA on Saturday the strike left at least 15 security personnel dead and one wounded.

Confusion at security post

U.S. military officials confirmed that local security personnel aligned with Afghan government forces were killed. Officials issued a statement calling the deaths unfortunate and pledged an investigation to determine the specific circumstances that led to this incident.

The clashes in Gereshk erupted Thursday when the Taliban staged a major, coordinated assault to try to capture the key district.

The attack started with three suicide bombers in separate explosives-packed vehicles striking security outposts and enabling the insurgents to overrun several of them.

Speaking to local TOLO television channel, Defense Ministry spokesman Waziri said the security post hit by the drone had also fallen to the Taliban and coordinates were shared with the U.S. military so it could bomb the installation and evict the insurgents.

But they (pro-government forces) had retaken the post in the meantime. They (Afghan forces) were not wearing uniforms and that was when the unmanned aircraft mistook them with the Taliban and attacked them, Waziri explained.

Claims of a bombers identity

Taliban sources, meanwhile, claimed that one of the three bombers who carried out Thursdays suicide attacks was the son of Hibattullah Akhundzada, the fugitive chief of the Islamist insurgency.

The sources identified the 22-year-old man as Abdul Rahman, saying he drove an explosives-packed Humvee into the Afghan forces post in Gereshk.

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, but Taliban sources say Rahman had recorded a video message before going on the suicide mission and it will be released soon.

The Taliban controls several districts in Helmand, the largest Afghan province and a major poppy growing region.

Earlier this week, Afghan forces backed by U.S. air power and military advisers recaptured the Nawa district near the provincial capital of Lashkargah, nine months after the Taliban had overrun it.

The restive Afghan province borders Pakistan and Iran.
A federal grand jury in Hawaii has indicted a U.S. soldier on charges of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.



Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang was indicted Friday after he was arrested by an FBI SWAT team July 8. Kang was ordered held without bail.



Because of the indictment, Kang will no longer have a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Monday.



Kangs court-appointed attorney Birney Bervar said after his detention hearing that he will ask for a mental health evaluation.



Bervar said his client may suffer from service-related mental health issues of which the government was aware but neglected to treat.



The FBI said in their criminal complaint that Kang wanted to commit a mass shooting after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.
CONGLOMERATES

Energy markets drag GEs earnings, profit

In his final days atop General Electric Co., Jeffrey R. Immelt still cant throw off oils stink.

In his farewell earnings report, the chief executive ended his 16-year tenure by telling Wall Street that GEs earnings are likely to be disappointing the rest of this year. The culprit: sputtering energy markets.

It was the latest setback for a chief executive who never could win over investors and came under pressure this year from activist shareholder Trian Fund Management.

Oil has become a source of headaches for GE investors as well as a symbol of Immelts efforts to find a path forward for a signature U.S. company. The departing chief executive built up the crude business by spending billions on acquisitions before prices tumbled and customer demand for oil field equipment dried up. He closed a deal this month to merge those assets with Baker Hughes, but GE is hardly exiting the industry: It retained a majority stake in the combined entity.

GEs reliance on oil  along with power generation, renewable energy and aviation  became more pronounced under Immelt as he sold off finance and consumer operations. Its now the job of John Flannery, a GE veteran set to succeed Immelt on Aug. 1, to decide the future composition of the company.

With the crude and power markets weighing on GEs results, adjusted earnings are likely to be near the bottom of the companys previous forecast of $1.60 to $1.70 a share, GE said Friday.

Second-quarter adjusted earnings fell to 28 cents a share, GE said. That exceeded the 25 cent average of analysts estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales declined 12 percent to $29.6 billion, compared with $29.2 billion expected by analysts.

Revenue rose 5 percent in the power division as profit slid 10 percent. Sales fell 3 percent in GE Oil & Gas, while profit in the unit plunged 52 percent.

 Bloomberg News

Banking

Bank of America picks Dublin for E.U. base

Bank of America has chosen Dublin as its European Union base once Britain leaves the bloc, its CEO said Friday.

During a visit to the Irish capital, Brian Moynihan said the bank would add to the 700 staff currently employed there, but declined to provide details. Bank of America has about 4,500 staff in London.

Many international banks currently use London as a base for business across the 28-country EU. When Britain leaves the bloc in about two years, they could lose automatic rights to do business in the remaining 27 E.U. countries if they dont set up a base there.

So far, several major banks have opted for Dublin and Frankfurt, Germany, to be ready to service clients across Europe, no matter what outcome the Brexit talks yield.

Dublin is the home of more of our employees than any other European city outside of the U.K., Moynihan said Friday. We will move roles not only to Dublin but to other E.U. locations, with the focus on how we can best support our clients in these markets.

 Associated Press

Also in Business

The U.S. Department of Labor on Friday ordered Wells Fargo to pay $575,000 and to rehire a whistleblower the bank had dismissed in September 2011 after the former employee raised concerns over the opening of customer accounts without their knowledge, the agency said in a statement. The name of the whistleblower was not disclosed. Representatives for the bank did not immediately respond to questions. Wells Fargo was fined last year for opening as many as 2.1 million customer accounts without their knowledge over several years to meet aggressive sales targets.

Ford is fighting the latest expansion of the recall on Takata air bag inflaters. Earlier this month Takata filed documents with the U.S. government adding 2.7 million vehicles to the recall from Ford, Nissan and Mazda. All have inflaters with a drying agent that previously were thought to be safe. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that Takata tests showed the inflater propellant can degrade and will pose a safety risk if the inflaters arent replaced. Nissan agreed to recall about 515,000 Versa cars, but Ford and Mazda filed petitions to avoid a recall. Takata inflaters can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel into drivers and passengers. At least 17 people have died and more than 180 have been injured because of the problem.

A group of Democrats in Congress urged the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission in a letter this week to conduct a more in-depth review of online retailer Amazon.coms plan to buy grocer Whole Foods. The lawmakers asked that the review include consideration of what effect the $13.7 billion deal could have on access to healthy foods in  food deserts where residents may have limited access to fresh groceries. (Amazon chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

 From news services


Physical therapist Lauren Fery spots student Kamille Davis as she climbs up the playground ladder at St. Coletta. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

With a mailbag slung across his small frame and a wide-brim hat perched atop his head, Mason Wade stepped up to the catwalk. Clasping his aides hand for support, he sashayed across the gym, a sprawling red carpet under his feet.

For the 6-year-old dressed as a mail carrier, his favorite community helper, the end-of-year fashion show at St. Coletta Special Education Public Charter School in Southeast Washington was a chance to strut his stuff. For the school-based therapists looking on, it was a moment years in the making.

Mason, who has a developmental delay, used a wheelchair when he started at St. Coletta in 2015. Hundreds of physical therapy sessions and oodles of enthusiasm later, Mason is walking, able to traverse the schools black-and-white-tiled hallway with the support of an adult.



Mason Wade used to rely on a wheelchair, but he can now walk with minimal support. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Physical therapist Keith Albarillo works with Mason, 6, at St. Coletta school. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

At St. Coletta, where all students have special needs, tiny pieces of progress can add up to life-changing trajectories. The school relies on funding from Medicaid to employ a cadre of therapists. But with each twist in the health-care debate on Capitol Hill, staff members wonder whether their Medicaid dollars could be at risk.

Pride for student achievement is shadowed by anxiety over the unknown.

We would not rest easy if we knew we couldnt provide the appropriate services for our kids, said Loni Licuanan, who directs the schools therapeutic services.

The federal government allows public schools to receive Medicaid reimbursement for school-based health services required through students special education plans. Although federal law mandates that schools provide these services, Congress has never authorized the amount of funding it pledged when the law was passed decades ago. To make up that budget gap, schools have turned to Medicaid.

The District, which expanded Medicaid coverage in 2010 under the Affordable Care Act, received more than $40 million in Medicaid reimbursements for special-education services during the last fiscal year, according to the Office of the State Superintendent.

[Trump to propose cuts, slashing Medicaid and opening door to other limits]

Cuts to Medicaid would affect schools across the District, but St. Coletta would be especially hard-hit. Each of the schools 250 students is intellectually disabled, and most require multiple types of therapy.

During fiscal 2016, St. Coletta provided more than $1 million in special-education services to Medicaid-eligible students. The school was reimbursed for 70 percent of the cost through Medicaid, which helps pay the salaries and benefits of 35 service providers, including physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.

Overall, Medicaid reimbursements account for only 5 percent of St. Colettas annual budget, but the school says those funds  more than $750,000 annually  make it possible to provide services not available at other D.C. public schools.

In addition to weekly one-on-one sessions, St. Coletta students have therapy as part of their daily routines. Bathroom breaks are used as skill-building opportunities, from support walking across the hall to guidance in using a toilet independently. At lunchtime, where feeding and swallowing can be arduous for some students, therapists assist.

Antoinette Davis of Southwest Washington said school-based therapy has given her daughter, Kamille, the confidence to make new friends and to climb the spiral stairs in the familys duplex.



Speech therapist Sherelle Smith works with Kamille Davis at St. Coletta. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Kamille, 6, has Smith-Magenis syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can cause delayed speech. As a toddler, she was nonverbal. Unable to express herself, she resorted to self-harm, scratching her arms and banging her head, Davis said.

She would get mad and frustrated because we didnt know what she wanted, she said.

Since enrolling at St. Coletta two years ago, Kamille has learned to use a specialized tablet to communicate her needs and to show what shes learned.

She knows her colors, the alphabet, how to spell her name, Davis said. I can see the difference in her.

Located across from the D.C. Armory, St. Coletta educates students until they turn 22. Because of the severity of students disabilities, there are no grade levels. Students are separated by age.

Brandon Walker has learned to use an eye-gate system to communicate. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Brandon Walker, 20, is a member of the schools oldest group. A student at the school for more than a decade, he is unable to walk or speak. It took a team of therapists years to find a communication system that worked for him, said Katherine Short, the schools therapy coordinator.

Walker uses eye-tracking technology to communicate. A camera inside a tablet-like device mounted to his wheelchair monitors his eye movements back and forth, as one might a cursor moving across a computer screen. When his eyes dwell on an image for one-sixth of a second, the machine says the chosen word for him.

Using the device, Walker can tell his teacher when hes hungry, tired or in the mood to listen to his favorite jazz music. And, for the first time, he can engage socially.

The technology, purchased by his family through Medicaid, gives him access to his world, access he never had before, said Short, a speech language pathologist.

According to a report from the Office of the D.C. Auditor, the District would lose $563 million in federal funds for Medicaid in the first year and up to $1 billion annually by 2028 if Congress were to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

If the federal government reduces its share of Medicaid spending, schools might have to compete with other medical providers, including hospitals and nursing homes, for limited resources, said John Hill, executive director for the National Alliance for Medicaid in Education.

Theres going be losers, and it will be up to the states to decide who those losers are going to be, he said.



Sharon Raimo is the chief executive of St. Coletta. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

For Sharon Raimo, St. Colettas chief executive, that prospect can be maddening.

Raimo, who helped found the school in 2006, said any threat to her students safety net is worrisome. Medicaid cuts, in particular, would be shortsighted, she said.

When these kids attain these goals, it makes them easier to take care of at home, rather than being placed outside of the home, which is much more expensive, she said.

St. Coletta already fundraises for many of its needs and would seek additional support from donors if necessary.

These are the people who make my heart beat faster, she said. Everybody here who does this work, we do it because we care about them and we really think they have potential.
Led by Steve Ciprani, center left, and Pavithra Nagarajan, right, hundreds of activists march toward the Education Department building in the District on Saturday. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

As people began trickling onto the Mall in Washington on Saturday morning, Massachusetts teacher Jeff Maxwell looked around and told those nearby that he felt like the day would be history in the making.

Nolan, his 10-year-old son, had bragged to his friends when his mom attended the Womens March after President Trumps inauguration, and then he had asked his dad when he could go to a march, too.

So the family of four drove down Friday night to join those seeking to be heard at the March for Public Education, a rally and protest of the Trump administrations efforts to cut federal education funding and expand private-school vouchers.

I love a good road tip, but this ones special, said Maxwell, who was sporting a Schoolhouse Rock! T-shirt while standing next to his wife, Melissa Maxwell, 41, who was wearing a Nasty scientist T-shirt, and their two sons, Nolan and Garrett, 7.

Teachers, current and retired, parents, students, and their families began converging about 10 a.m. near the Washington Monument to march in support of public education. Similar marches took place in 11 cities nationwide, including Detroit, Austin, Miami and Lincoln, Neb., according to the marchs website.

[Teachers plan march against Trumps education agenda]

Organizers say they are marching for equitable education funding, in support of college affordability and against the nearly 14 percent cuts to education that Trump has proposed. Hundreds of people joined the march in Washington despite temperatures climbing into the 90s and a heat advisory from the National Weather Service.

During a morning rally, protesters heard from students and national education advocates before marching to the Education Department offices about noon. Saturdays protest was planned to coincide with a national meeting in the District of the American Federation of Teachers, the nations second-largest teachers union.

Its a march for educational justice, said march co-chair Pavithra Nagarajan, a former teacher now studying for a doctorate at Columbia Universitys Teachers College.

Nagarajan and co-chair Steve Ciprani, a high school social studies and Latin teacher in West Chester, Pa., said that in addition to advocating policy change and encouraging attendees to reach out to their elected representatives, they hope students and young children not yet in school become little activists in training.

Creating socially conscious young people are at the heart of this march, Nagarajan said.

Patrice Kelly, 37, is not a teacher, but she brought her 10-year-old daughter Niya Harrod along to the march in hopes that she would see that the policies she overhears her mother complaining about affect others, too.

If shes going to believe in something, I want her to be active and be an activist, Kelly said of her daughter, who stood next to her in front of the Education Department building holding a sign that said Make America Smart Again.

As protesters marched along Independence Avenue from the Mall to the Education Department, calling education a human right and chanting that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has got to go, vehicles honked in approval and buses of tourists cheered in support.

DeVos has long been assailed by some teachers and parents for her support of school vouchers and charter schools, which they see as taking away resources from public schools. DeVos has pushed back, saying she supports public schools but wants parents to have more choices in the schools their children attend.

Rebecca Cokley said it is depressing to see the unraveling of the progress she helped make while working in various roles at the Education and Health and Human Services departments and the White House under President Barack Obama.

Cokley told the crowd she has watched the Trump administration pry the teeth out of civil rights statutes one by one like a demented sort of dentist.

I adamantly protest the idea that vouchers and choice are good for disabled students. Vouchers and choice are segregation, Cokley, the former executive director of the National Council on Disability, said to cheers.

Organizers said earlier that they hoped the march would send a message that public education is essential to democracy. But 10th-grade teacher Laura Brown was thinking about how the divisiveness of the democratic process during the presidential campaign had seeped into her classroom in ways unexpected.

The social studies teacher from Liverpool, N.Y., had come to the march with her 8-year-old daughter Ruby. She recalled how one of her students had turned to a classmate of Indian descent and said he wished he could tell foreigners to get out.

They were surrounded by all this inappropriate language, and they didnt know how to handle it, Brown, 44, said. It was our job to help them figure out how to navigate this brave new world.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Sanaa Abrar said she was bullied in middle school for being Muslim and Pakistani. One day, she finally cracked and cried to her mom about never wanting to speak to those students again. When the 25-year-old masters student studying at American University took the stage Saturday, she remembered what her mom had asked her that day: If you dont talk to them, how are they going to learn?

So Abrar, who is a senior policy fellow for the immigrant advocacy group United We Dream, stood in front of the microphone and told the crowd, I am proud to be an immigrant, and no matter what Donald Trump or the extremists have to say, I am here to stay.

The crown later joined her in chanting, Here to stay.
Russia restricts Georgian Airways Moscow flights

By Messenger Staff

Russia has restricted the flights of Georgian Airways to Moscow on the pretext that Georgia does not allow Russias Ural Airways to operate in Georgia.The restriction was confirmed both by Georgian Airways and Russias relevant bodies.Georgian Airways, also known as Airzena, says the restriction can cause serious financial damage to them.The Ministry of Transport of Russia hopes that the issue related to the restrictions on the Georgian Airways flights to Moscow, will be resolved within the next week, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told TASS."The situation will be resolved in a positive way. I hope that in the near future all the issues will be solved together with our Georgian colleagues and they will fulfil the obligations that are currently envisaged by the air communication agreement, and we will therefore take any necessary measures from our side," Sokolov said.Georgian Airways announced that Russia had cancelled four Tbilisi-Moscow flights. Russias Transport Ministry confirmed this information.This restriction has been implemented due to the fact that Georgia has not allowed Ural Airlines to conduct four flights a week from the Zhukovsk airport, the Ministry reported, adding that Georgia must meet its obligations.Russian companies conduct about 60 flights to Georgia weekly, while Georgian companies conduct about 20 weekly flights to the Russian Federation. This distorts the parity envisaged by the agreement between the two countries.This raises a question of reliability of Moscow as a partner.For past decades, Russia has many times demonstrated that they use all their economic levers as a weapon when it is needed to promote their political interests.Georgia must avoid dependence and reliance on Russia in any economic direction.
Maryland correctional facilities are sorely understaffed, according to state legislative analysts and the correctional officers union. (Andre Chung/For The Washington Post)

With their union contract set to expire later this year, Maryland state correctional officers are making a case for higher pay, saying an increase in salaries would help retain stressed employees, attract new recruits and improve safety amid a major staffing shortage.

AFSCME Maryland, the workers union which represents the officers, met with department officials this week to lay out the employees concerns ahead of the contract negotiations, which are set to begin in September.

Sgt. Kyle Schanholtz, a union steward who works at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, said maintaining order at the states lockup facilities has become increasingly challenging with a personnel shortage and officers feeling overworked, particularly from overtime.

Were just surviving, not functioning in a proper manner, he said. Were worried one of us will have to lose our lives before the state starts managing the way its supposed to.

The states legislative analysts said in their budget report this year that the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services is facing a staffing crisis, with 981 vacancies, or about 14 percent of the front-line staff. They added that the shortage was contributing to record high levels of overtime spending and increasing safety concerns.

The department launched a hiring initiative last year that added three recruiters, doubled the number of recruiting events throughout the state and included a new effort to draw more women into the correctional workforce.

But Gary McLhinney, the director of professional standards for Public Safety and Correctional Services, said the agency is struggling to identify promising prospects, particularly since the state began a crackdown on corruption in its prison system.

Were not compromising our standards, because a corrupt correctional officer is worse than no correctional officer at all, he said.

Since 2016, more than 3,600 people began the application process to become correctional officers, but only 41 percent made it through the initial review and the department hired 117 of those individuals.

Many of those who failed to make the cut were disqualified because of drug history, falsifying applications, giving improper information for their background checks or failing the polygraph test.

McLhinney does not dispute that vacancies are a problem for the department but said the budget report makes the shortage seem worse than it is. He noted that the states prison population has declined nearly 7 percent since 2014 and fewer officers are needed as a result.

Weve been able to make significant changes in our facilities and how we operate them, he said.

Union officials say an across-the-board pay increase would help attract quality recruits and keep existing employees from leaving. AFSCME has not decided on a number yet, but asked for a $1,500 flat hike for all officers last year during initial discussions.

Salaries for state correctional officers start at $38,258 and reach to more than $54,100 for the most experienced personnel.

Assaults on officers in Maryland prisons more than doubled in 2016 compared with the previous year, rising to 2.07 assaults per 100 inmates.

McLhinney contends that the increase is largely due to changes in reporting standards that require documentation of violations as minor as throwing a plastic identification card at staff. He said the department is most concerned about assaults with weapons, of which there were 17 incidents last year, compared with 42 in 2014.

The department expects the numbers to continue dropping since it has begun using portable devices that help detect weapons and contraband, McLhinney said.

Schanholtz said officers still feel at risk, with staffing shortages forcing them to work extra hours and testing their ability to maintain order as they become fatigued.

Overtime spending for correctional officers has increased nearly 66 percent, to $70.2 million, since 2013, according to the budget report.

The jump tracked with a sharp rise in vacancies that started in 2014, but McLhinney has challenged the notion of a direct correlation. He noted that the department relaxed its policy on sick leave that year, saying the change meant staff more frequently worked extra hours to cover for employees taking unscheduled time off.

Schanholtz says anywhere from 15 to 35 officers generally work overtime on a given shift, with only five staff members out sick.

Its a hard and dangerous environment, Schanholtz said. And when youre forced to stay in it longer, it takes a mental toll.
At least one of two offshore wind projects approved by Maryland utility regulators in May could be in jeopardy after an amendment sponsored by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) that seeks to push the turbines farther from the coast was approved by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee in the past week.

The amendment would block the use of federal funds to conduct reviews of site assessments or construction plans for any turbines closer than 24 nautical miles from the shoreline  funding that officials from one of the projects said is crucial to executing the program.

In May, the Maryland Public Service Commission approved subsidies for two projects off the coast of Ocean City  managed by U.S. Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy  that would be the largest of their kind in the country.

The U.S. Wind project involves at least 41 turbines located at least 17 miles from shore, while the 15 Skipjack turbines would be sited at least 19.5 miles from shore, and 26 miles from the Ocean City Pier, according to the companys website.

Harris, whose district includes Ocean City, said the amendment was necessary to protect seaside views and property values. But Paul Rich, director of project development for U.S. Wind, said the amendment effectively kills the project.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

The shape and size of U.S. Winds lease plot would allow for no more than two turbines more than 24 miles offshore, as opposed to the dozens slated under the original project, Rich said. He added that the amendment negates months of negotiations and conversations with Ocean City officials.

As long as this project is to be in service by 2020, we needed review of this construction permit next year, Rich said.

A spokesman for Deepwater Wind, the developer behind the Skipjack project, declined to comment.

Harris, the only Republican representing Maryland in Congress, is known for blocking laws he opposes in the District, including the citys pro-marijuana initiatives and the Death with Dignity legislation .

In this case, Harris is seeking to alter projects that were approved by the public service commission after six years of public debate and hearings, and negotiations involving the Maryland General Assembly.

In its approval order, the commission cited overwhelming public support for the wind farms, which are projected to create more than 9,000 jobs and establish Maryland as a front-runner in the growing U.S. offshore wind-energy industry.

But Harris said the plans ignored the concerns of Ocean City Mayor Richard Meehan and others in the coastal resort town about the visibility of the turbines.

There was great concern that this company wasnt working with Ocean City in making this project acceptable with regard to the height of the windmills and the view from the shore, Harris said. Im in favor of the wind project as long as they come to an agreement with Ocean City.

Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for Gov. Larry Hogan (R), declined to comment Friday on Harriss amendment.

But Chasse noted that the Hogan administration weighed in on the issue in April, supporting subsidies for the Skipjack project but declining to back subsidies for U.S. Winds project, in part because of concerns about its proximity to land.

The [Public Service Commission] made a different decision, as is their ability as an independent board, but the administration was on record with our position during that process, and our position has not changed, Chasse said.

When it approved the subsidies, the commission estimated that the offshore wind projects would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 19,000 tons per year for 20 years.

Its got an overwhelmingly deep and transparent examination by the public, said Mike Tidwell, executive director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. He called Harris a legislator who is wildly out of step with the majority will of Marylanders.

Mike Dunn, chief executive of the Greater Salisbury Committee  a nonprofit membership organization representing businesses, nonprofit entities and civic institutions  said Harriss amendment undermines Marylands prospects as a front-runner in the development of offshore wind energy on the Atlantic Coast and is a fearful response to an unlikely decline in property values.

Ive lived here my entire life, Dunn said. I dont see a mass exodus of people selling their property, nor do I see a contingent of Maryland residents suddenly going to New Jersey beaches because there are turbines off the coast of Ocean City. Respectfully, I dont believe thats the case.
Raymond Sackler, one of three brothers who built the pharmaceutical company that introduced and marketed the painkiller OxyContin, and who used his wealth with his brothers to become prominent benefactors of science and the arts in the United States and beyond, died July 17 in Greenwich, Conn. He was 97.

John Puskar, a spokesman for Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers Stamford, Conn.-based family firm, confirmed the death but did not provide other details.

Dr. Sackler was the youngest and last surviving of three psychiatrist brothers whose names grace museum wings, medical institutes, professorships and academic and cultural prizes in the United States, Europe, Israel and Asia.

His oldest brother, the namesake of the Smithsonian Institutions Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Asian art in Washington, died in 1987. His younger brother, Mortimer D. Sackler, died in 2010. Together the brothers funded the Sackler Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which features the Temple of Dendur from ancient Egypt.

The Sackler brothers  sons of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who ran a grocery  spent their early medical careers at the Creedmor state psychiatric hospital in Queens, N.Y. In the 1950s and 1960s, they helped demonstrate the chemical manifestations of mental illness and the potential of chemical treatments to supplement or replace methods such as electroshock therapy.

In 1952, they took over Purdue Frederick, a small New York pharmaceutical company that grew into Purdue Pharma and would make them one of the richest families in the United States.

Once known for products such as the antiseptic Betadine, the laxative Senokot and the earwax remover Cerumenex, Purdue Pharma became most famous for OxyContin, an opioid produced from a synthetic form of morphine that was introduced in the mid-1990s. Sales of the drug produced more than $3 billion in revenue in 2010, according to Fortune magazine.

Employing a strategy developed by the then-deceased Arthur Sackler, the company pitched the drug to physicians through junkets and other promotional efforts, touting what they described as its minimal potential for addiction. OxyContin was designed to be released slowly into the system, avoiding the highs that made other painkillers addictive.

Prescription drug abusers, however, learned to subvert the drugs intended slow release by crushing and snorting it or by dissolving it into an injectable liquid. Although physicians describe the drug as effective and helpful in appropriate circumstances, OxyContin is widely cited as a chief factor in the opioid addiction in the United States.

In 2007, the holding company for Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony charge of misbranding for misleading consumers about OxyContins addictive potential. The company agreed to pay $600 million, one of the largest such fines ever levied on a drug company. None of the Sackler brothers faced charges of misconduct, but three company executives were fined $34.5 million after pleading guilty to misdemeanor misbranding.

Purdue Pharma later was credited with contributing to efforts to combat opioid addiction by offering rewards for reports of drug abuse and by financing initiatives including addiction hotlines and prescription monitoring programs.

Raymond Raphael Sackler was born in Brooklyn Feb. 16, 1920. After receiving a bachelors degree from New York University in 1938, he followed his brother Mortimer to Scotland where they studied at the Anderson College of Medicine in Glasgow. The London Daily Telegraph credited Raymond Sackler with serving in the United Kingdoms home guard, including as a plane spotter in World War II.

He completed his medical training in 1944 at the now-defunct Middlesex University School of Medicine in Waltham, Mass.

Sackler funded institutes including the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical and Physical Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, as well as medical research at institutions including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University in New York, Harvard University, Yale University, Tufts University in Massachusetts and the University of Cambridge in England.

The Sacklers funded astronomical research in the United States and in Europe, where Dr. Sacklers honors included a knighthood bestowed on him by Queen Elizabeth II. The cultural institutions he supported included the British Museum, the Royal Academy of Arts, and the Tate Modern, all in London, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, the former Beverly Feldman; and two sons, Richard Sackler and Jonathan Sackler.
The case of a 10-year-old girl who died of head injuries she suffered a decade before has been declared a homicide, according to Prince Georges County police.

Elanis Milfort was 6 months old when she was the victim child abuse and suffered head-injury trauma in June 8, 2006, police said.

In March 2016, Milfort died three days after undergoing spinal surgery connected to the injuries she sustained as an infant, police said.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in D.C. determined the girl's death was a homicide in June 2017, police said. It is unclear why there was a delay between the girls death and the homicide ruling.

Her father, Lionel Milfort, was convicted of child abuse and served a prison sentence, from which he was released in 2014. The Prince Georges County states attorneys office is screening the case to determine whether he should face additional charges in the girl's death, police said.
A teacher at a public school in Fairfax County was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, the county police said.

They said Christopher Jordan, 24, of Centreville, who taught at Holmes Middle School, was arrested Thursday. He was charged with six counts of possession of pornography, the police said Friday.

According to the police, Jordan has been a county schools employee since last year, and taught eighth grade English.The police quoted the school system as saying he would not return in the fall. No information was available on how the teacher came to the attention of police. No details were given on just what he allegedly possessed.

Holmes Middle School is south of the Little River Turnpike and east of Braddock Road in the Lincolnia/Annandale area.
D.C. police are investigating two shootings in Southeast within a 12 hour period that left two people dead.

In the first incident, police said a 42-year-old man was found in the 5000 block of H Street about 9:45 p.m. Friday. According to a police report, officers who arrived at the scene found a man with multiple gun shot wounds to his chest. He was unconscious and not breathing.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

He was later identified as Andre Jahmal Johnson of Southeast.

On Saturday, police said the were called to the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace about 8:16 a.m. for a report of a shooting. There they found Shameka Delephine Jones, 32, of Southeast.

Police said Jones had been shot at residence there. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ronald Randolph, Jr., 40, also of Southeast, was arrested and charged with first degree murder while armed.

Police did not provide information about a possible motive in the shooting.
Between 1996 and 2015, the number of working-age Americans who subsist on federal disability benefits grew rapidly, becoming one of the countrys most hotly debated social benefits. The rise has become another indicator of the divide between urban and rural America, where disability benefit rates are nearly twice as high.

Here are answers to some of the most important questions about this form of public assistance.

Q: What programs serve Americans with disabilities?

A: Two federal programs provide benefits to people with disabilities. One is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which was signed into law in 1956 and serves disabled workers. It is available only to people with enough work experience. The other, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which began paying benefits in 1974, serves the disabled poor and is a means-tested benefit.

Q: If the number of people receiving disability has increased so much, it must be easy to get on the rolls, right?

A: Wrong. Disability benefits, for both SSI and SSDI applicants, are very difficult to secure. In fact, only about four in 10 applications are approved. It can take as long as two years, after several layers of appeals, to win approval.

Q: So what has driven the growth then?

A: This is more controversial. Most experts agree that the primary factor in SSDIs growth is demographics. Because of the aging of the baby-boom generation, more people are at an age when disability is more likely. More women also are in the workforce. Then there is simple population growth. Some experts think those factors represent nearly all of the increase. But others point to a congressional act that broadened the definition of disability, economic factors such as recessions and approvals they criticize as too lenient as contributing factors.

Q: Is the number of people on disability still rising?

A: No. In 2015, for the first time in decades the number of people on disability decreased slightly as the demographic factors that drove the rise started to subside and older Americans aged into their retirement years.

Q: In that case, whats the problem?

A: The program for disabled workers, which Congress had to rescue from insolvency in 2015, is estimated to go broke again sometime over the next decade or so. The government this year is expected to spend $192 billion on disability payments  more than the combined total that will be spent on welfare, unemployment benefits, housing subsidies and food stamps.

Q: What sort of income, individually, does this provide for recipients?

A: A meager one. The maximum monthly payment for an SSI beneficiary is $735. The amount of money SSDI beneficiaries receive depends on how much money they made. The average monthly check is less than $1,200. For most beneficiaries, the checks are not taxable.

Q: Do they receive any other services?

A: Beneficiaries receive health insurance through Medicare, for SSDI recipients, and Medicaid, for SSI recipients.

Q: Do beneficiaries ever return to work?

A: Rarely. Some die within a few years of starting benefits. Other disabled workers try to return to work, but dont keep their jobs for long. Or they continue working, but make less than the income threshold that would put their benefit at risk. Less than 4 percent of disabled workers get off disability within 10 years of their first payment.

Q: Are disability beneficiaries spread evenly nationwide?

A: The majority of disability recipients live in densely populated urban and suburban areas, but they are disproportionately prevalent in rural America  where, on average, 9.1 percent of the working-age population receives disability, compared to the national average of 6.5 percent and an urban rate of 4.9 percent. Beneficiaries are even more overrepresented in the Southeast and central Appalachia. These are places economists have called disability belts.
Hundreds wait in a parking lot of the Wise County Fairgrounds in hopes of getting free medical or dental treatment . (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Parked at the edge of the field, they covered the windows so the little girls could sleep inside the car. The grown-ups slept on blankets outside on the grass.

Before 5 a.m. Saturday, the family joined the sleepy crowds drifting toward the fence of the Wise County fairgrounds. Soon day two of the Remote Area Medical clinic would begin letting people in. Some had camped overnight, others were just arriving in the dark. The day before, more than 1,250 people from all over Appalachia showed up for free medical, dental and vision care.

Puffs of cigarette smoke curled in the cool morning air. The sky was still dark, but at 5 a.m., workers switched on floodlights. Late sleepers got up, stretched and pulled on shirts.

The family with the little girls stood in a circle. They had driven the day before from Mount Carmel, Tenn., needing dental and vision care. Ron McGrady, 33, checked the numbers on the blue tickets theyd gotten earlier  230 through 235.

Mornings at Remote Area Medical clinics can be stressful. Theres a limit to how many people can get in on a given day. Miss your chance, and youre out of luck until next year. Hundreds were slowly gathering at the entrance, but the number system meant there was no need to jockey for position. Youd get in when they called yours. People were polite, quiet, expectant.

[Thousands flock to free medical clinic, as Washington dithers on health care]

Stan Brock, who founded the RAM program more than 30 years ago and wears an open-necked khaki shirt with epaulets like the host of a TV wildlife show, stood at the entrance and began calling numbers.

A Lions Club volunteer, Greg Hart from Winchester, worked the crowd, explaining the rules.

If you drove all night, let them know at registration that youve got that kind of stress in your life, he bellowed.

Fifty-three, Brock called in his clipped English accent. Fifty-three?

Coming! a man replied, taking a last few puffs on his cigarette.

Hart, the volunteer, meandered through the crowd and stopped at McGrady and his family. He checked their tickets, reassured them theyd have no trouble getting in. Any number under 800 should be fine. Were they there for medical care? Dental, McGrady told him.

Hart bent down to the two young sisters. You gonna get your teeth cleaned, all polished up pretty so you can go to the prom? he said.

Breanna, 8, covered her face. Everybody laughed.

Her mother, Jessica McGrady, 32, was there to have her own teeth worked on  she had the uppers treated at a RAM clinic a few years back; now the lowers needed attention.

Ron McGrady, her stepson, said theyre grateful for the care. This is a wonderful thing theyre doing. I hope they never stop, he said. But then checked himself  it would be better, of course, if the family could afford insurance and didnt have to wait in the dark for a free clinic.

Canadas got a pretty good thing going, he said. I wish we had that here.

But McGrady, a self-employed carpenter, said he had faith that President Trump would keep working to get a better national health-care system in place. Hes our president, and weve gotta support him, he said.

By 5:45, the sky had lightened to violet behind the nearby hills, birds were singing and Brock was calling out numbers in the 200s.

Any numbers less than 200 out here? Hart thundered. Unless youre trying to kill yourself with nicotine, come on in.

McGrady and his family moved closer. Breanna and her sister Jayden, 11, led them, now excited and awake. Brock hit 250 and paused in the count, but resumed a few minutes before 6 oclock. McGrady, his stepmother, the girls and two other family members pushed forward, past Brock and Hart and into the fairgrounds. The day was underway.
Joseph Sanchez looks through binoculars in at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport on June 22, 2017. BWI is the regions most used airport in terms of passenger traffic. (Kate Patterson/for The Washington Post)

As a frequent flier, Laura Wolfe is routinely looking to find the best fare, and she almost always finds it 33 miles north of her Dupont Circle home at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport.

Reagan National Airport is closer, but Wolfe said the lower fares at BWI make getting there a secondary concern.

If I had the option, I would obviously fly out of DCA, but its sometimes double or triple the cost, Wolfe said. So if I am paying for it, I am going to fly out of BWI.

The low fares and the addition of more nonstop flights and airport amenities in recent years have made BWI an attractive alternative to National and Dulles International  so much so that in 2016, BWI beat both airports on passenger traffic. It is now the regions busiest hub, with a record 25.1 million travelers.

[BWI, Reagan National airports set records for passenger traffic]

At least a third of the passengers flying out of Baltimore are from the D.C. area, according to BWI officials, and the airport is investing resources to expand that share.

We want people to be aware that BWI is a better alternative, said Ricky D. Smith, the airports chief executive. He said far too many people still think of National and Dulles as their hometown airport.

Last year, Dulles had 21.8 million people flying in and out. National had 23.6 million.

BWI officials said they have been able to cut into their competitors base by proactively marketing the airports low fares and nonstop options to Washington-area residents. Last year, a marketing campaign put ads on Metro trains aimed at changing the perception that Baltimore is not as accessible as Dulles, officials said. The airport plans to renew that marketing effort this year.

From the U.S. Capitol, it takes about the same amount of time to get to BWI as it does to Dulles  35 to 40 minutes.

Wolfe, who doesnt own a car, says she has figured it out. The consumer advocate, who flies out of Baltimore at least six times a year, said she takes Metro to Greenbelt, where she boards a bus that runs hourly  6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday  to BWI. To avoid Metros track work, she sometimes goes to Union Station and hops aboard a MARC train. Its just over an hour, on a good day, about the same time it takes to get to Dulles, she said.

Its worth the hustle, Wolfe said.

They have obviously been making huge efforts to update the airport and add new amenities, she said. Everything is nicer and snazzier than it once was.

In recent years, the state-run hub has invested more than $500 million in capital improvements, including new gates, updated terminals and major airfield work. The airport has focused on growing its international program and bringing in new carriers for low-budget transatlantic flights.

Its dining and retail options also have gotten a facelift. And the airport has made itself a testing ground for innovative ideas. An app-based food-delivery program serves the airport, and a private gym has opened a fitness center there.

The improvements are similar to those happening at airports across the United States. At National, construction is set to begin this fall on a billion-dollar revamp that will add a new concourse, new security screening areas, road improvements and a new parking garage. In New York, LaGuardia is undergoing a multibillion-dollar redevelopment that officials say will transform the airport into a world-class hub. And a $1.6 billion midfield passenger terminal is being built at Los Angeles International Airport.

Many airports also are adding a wider variety of food options and  like BWI  turning to local businesses to bring in the flavor of the region. Maryland crab cakes are available in the airport at regional favorites such as Baltimore-based Phillips Seafood and Obryckis. Small, locally owned companies also are finding a home at BWI.

We are getting our feet wet and our name out there, said Newnew Norton, who runs the New Secrets Tea kiosk in the food court between Concourses A and B and also sells natural and medicinal products she makes in Baltimore. There is a lot of foot traffic. That means there are many more noes before you get a yes.

But despite the noes, Norton said the foot traffic has meant more business for her  and more revenue for the airport. In fiscal 2016, the airports revenue increased by $9.4 million, with more money coming in not just from parking and rental cars but also from concessions, rent and increased flight activity.

Experts say the gains at BWI and other major airports are, in part, the results of the strong economy and low fuel prices. Baltimores strategy to build on that growth is to keep the cost to airlines lower than at Dulles and National. The cost of enplanement  or boarding a plane  per person last year was $9.51. At Dulles, it was more than twice that amount  $20.95. It was $13.44 at National.

Because the airport has a single terminal, it avoids the costs associated with maintaining separate buildings, airport officials said.

But chiefly, the airport hasnt spent as much as its counterparts on capital investments, which drive a large part of airport costs.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority recently completed a $5 billion capital improvement program at Dulles that included the construction of an additional traffic-control tower, a fourth runway, a new midfield concourse and parking garages.

Dulless international travel is also more than four times larger than BWIs, which likewise drives up costs. The Virginia airport serves 54 international destinations, compared with BWIs 12. And aircraft for international flights typically spend more time at the gates, moving fewer passengers through a facility per hour, experts say. Fewer passengers per hour means higher cost per passenger.

[ BWI set to begin $60 million expansion of its international terminal ]

BWI is growing its international flight business, however, with plans to expand to more cities in Canada, the Caribbean and Europe.

Flights to Asia are planned within two years. In preparation, the airport is undergoing a $60 million expansion of its international terminal that will add six airline gates next year. The three-level, 70,000-square-foot extension to Concourse E will support international traffic, which grew by 1.2 million passengers last year, more than double 2010s figure.

Already, British Airways has upgraded its service between Baltimore and London with last summers addition of a larger 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft to its daily service. Norwegian Air began service to the French Caribbean in December 2015. And the low-fare international airline Wow Air added flights between BWI and Reykjavik, Iceland, two years ago.

That investment followed a $125 million project completed last fall to connect Concourses D and E, the addition of a new security checkpoint, two new gates for international carriers, new food and retail concessions, as well as a new childrens play area, an outdoor patio space with airfield views and a gallery featuring regional artists work.

Domestic service also has grown. In the past year, the airport added flights to Portland, Ore., Seattle and Sacramento. At least five new low-budget carriers have opened shop at BWI in recent years, including Spirit Airlines, which began service in 2012 with nonstop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Dallas. And the airline recently announced it will fly between BWI and Cancun, Mexico, starting in November. It now provides service to 19 markets from Baltimore.

Southwest Airlines, the airports top carrier, has seven international destinations from BWI, including service to Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic  all added since 2015. About 70 percent of the flights from BWI are on Southwest.

BWI officials say they are encouraged by the positive trends and that they see no signs of a slowdown. And they want to keep it that way.

[BWIs new gym doesnt just provide space to exercise, but clothes, shoes and a shower]

Samuel Engel, an aviation expert based in Fairfax, Va., said BWIs history of offering lower fares has put the airport into play for a large portion of Washingtonians.

The question is, would somebody who lives in Arlington be willing to drive to Baltimore? Engel said. Clearly, that person will have a bias toward National or Dulles, but to the extent that BWI offers a better value proposition, it will be in the consideration set for that customer.
Republican Ed Gillespie and Democrat Ralph Northam staked out sharply different positions on immigration, health care, Virginias economy and President Trump on Saturday in their first debate since winning their respective party primaries for governor on June 13.

Their differences started with Trump. Northam, Virginias lieutenant governor and a pediatrician, said he had no regrets about a TV ad in which he called the president a narcissistic maniac.

I stand by what I said, he said. I believe our president is a dangerous man. I think he lacks empathy. . . . And he also has difficulty telling the truth.

Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman, lobbyist and counselor to President George W. Bush, is an establishment figure who has largely tried to keep Trump at arms length. But in recent days, he has touted his ability to work with the president and on Saturday questioned whether Northam could do the same.

What are you going to do  call the White House, Please put me through to the narcissistic maniac? Gillespie said.

Gillespie and Northam are vying to succeed Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who is prohibited by the state constitution from serving consecutive terms.

Libertarian Cliff Hyra will also be on the ballot in November but was not invited to the debate at the Omni Homestead Resort.

[Meet the candidate for Va. governor who wont be on the debate stage]

There were no obvious missteps during the debate, though it opened with unscripted drama. A man protesting the construction of two proposed natural gas pipelines rushed to the front of the room and yelled No pipelines! and interrupted Northams opening statement until he was escorted out of the room.

Gillespie supports construction. Northam said he will support it only if regulators say the pipelines can be built safely without harming the environment and that the decision ultimately is a federal one.

[As gas pipelines roil Virginia governors race, regulators backtrack on their role]

As one of just two states with a gubernatorial contest this year (the other, in New Jersey, is not considered competitive), the Virginia contest is widely seen as an early referendum on Trump. Both national parties are invested in the outcome and will lavish resources and attention on the race.

But emphasis on national politics in this first debate led to some criticism from Republicans. State GOP Chairman John Whitbeck complained that moderator Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour kicked off the 90-minute event with what he considered anti-Donald Trump questions.

She opened by asking Northam if he thought the president was unfit for office. She then noted Gillespies reluctance to talk about Trump and invited him to weigh in on several topics, including the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey and reports that the president was exploring whether he can pardon himself  although Gillespie declined to say.

Woodruff also asked Gillespie whether he would support the president if he were to fire Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel probing Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Judy, I understand and I appreciate and I respect and Ive seen your show, and I know that its very focused on whats going on Washington, D.C., but the fact is, Im very focused on whats going on in Virginia, he said. I think the people who are here, Virginians, want to know what are we doing in our state government to make things better for all Virginians.

That line drew applause, and Gillespies campaign quickly circulated a video clip of what it called the key moment of the day  Ed Gillespie: Lets Focus on Virginia.

But Northam argued that Trumps policies have an effect on Virginians, particularly immigrants who fear deportation and those concerned about losing health care provided by the Affordable Care Act.

Youve really been missing in action on all these issues, Northam said to Gillespie.

Whitbeck called Woodruff an extremely biased moderator. Northams campaign scoffed at that suggestion.

If youre complaining, youre losing, Northam spokesman David Turner said.

Asked about Whitbecks criticism, Woodruff said she posed the Trump questions at the suggestion of several members of the Virginia Bar Association, which hosted the debate.

Its the elephant in the room, she said. Lets talk about it and move past it. It comes up in every conversation Ive had with voters.

During the debate, the candidates offered starkly different views of the states economy. Gillespie noted that Virginia had slipped in business rankings and said the low unemployment rate  3.7 percent  masked that fact that many Virginians were working part time or at low-paying jobs.

Northam touted robust job creation under McAuliffe and noted that Gillespie, when he was a senior adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential bid, celebrated that states 4.7 percent unemployment rate.

On health care, Northam conceded that there was a lot to improve upon in federal law. But he also called it just immoral that so many Virginians go without medical care. He supports expanding Medicaid under Obamacare to provide insurance to 400,000 Virginians. He headed from the debate to far Southwest Virginia to volunteer at a free health clinic at a county fairgrounds where people camp out every year for the chance to see a doctor or dentist.

Gillespie said a better solution is to enact policies  his proposed 10 percent income tax cut among them  to stimulate the economy and provide people with the dignity of work and employer-based insurance. He said states that had expanded Medicaid were finding that its costs were crowding out other priorities such as education.

Ralphs answer for everything is to have the federal government do something, Gillespie said.

The candidates disagreed on offshore drilling and fracking. Northam is opposed to both, Gillespie in favor. Northam, who has an F rating from the National Rifle Association, called for universal background checks and reinstating the states one-per-month limit on gun purchases. Gillespie, who has an A from the NRA, said studies have shown that crime goes down when more people carry concealed weapons. He also said that he would roll back McAuliffes executive order banning guns from certain state buildings.

Northam spoke in favor of allowing immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children  known as dreamers  to receive in-state tuition at Virginia colleges. Gillespie said scarce university slots should go to legal Virginia residents.

Despite their differences, the tone was respectful. Northam sometimes cast criticisms in the folksy idioms of his native Eastern Shore. As we say on the Eastern Shore, he lies like a rug, Northam said of Trump.

Gillespie and Northam emerged from their primary contests on vastly different footing  Northam with a greatly depleted war chest but energized Democrats seemingly united behind him, Gillespie with nearly twice as much cash but a bitterly divided party on his hands.

[Democrats look unified, Republicans in disarray in wake of primary]

Northam fought off an aggressive challenge from former congressman Tom Perriello. While polls and pundits predicted a nail-biter, Northam beat Perriello by 12 points.

That stronger-than-expected finish and Perriellos wholehearted endorsement of Northam after the primary seemed to allay fears of a divided Democratic Party, despite continued protest from some pipeline foes.

The primary pushed Northam, whose moderate image as a state senator once had the GOP courting him to switch parties, to the left  something that could complicate his efforts to pick up swing voters. He embraced a $15-an-hour minimum wage and supported issuing drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. And the contest took a huge financial toll, as he spent all but $1.75 million of his $9.4 million haul by June 30.

[In Virginia governors race, Democratic primary takes toll on Northams war chest]

On the Republican side, Gillespie had been expected to coast to an easy victory in a three-way contest. But he barely squeaked by, nearly losing to Trump-like provocateur Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

The close call raised fears that Gillespie cannot connect with Trump voters  at the moment, the most energized slice of the Republican base. Republicans from the White House down have been questioning his campaign team and strategy. Adding to Gillespies woes: Stewart declined to endorse Gillespie and promised to keep overshadowing him by launching a bid against Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in 2018.

[Gillespies primary scare has White House, others urging Trump world hires]

Gillespie spent far less than Northam on the primary. Gillespie had raised $6.7 million through June 30 and still had $3.2 million going into July.

The candidates have two more formal debates and seven additional joint appearances before November.
HEALTH

Judge upholds that FDA can regulate e-cigarettes

A federal district judge in Washington Friday upheld the Food and Drug Administrations decision to regulate electronic cigarettes and cigars like conventional cigarettes.

In a 93-page decision, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson rejected arguments by Nicopure Labs, LLC, a Florida manufacturer of liquids used in e-cigarettes, and the Right to be Smoke-Free Coalition, which includes the American Vaping Association, e-cigarette companies and state trade groups.

They had contended that the FDA, in deciding to regulate e-cigarettes and related products, exceeded its authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. But Jackson concluded that the agency acted within the scope of its statutory authority.

Under the FDA rule, she noted, manufacturers of e-cigarettes are now required to tell the 30 million people who use the devices what is actually in the liquid being vaporized and inhaled.

The fight over whats known as the FDA deeming rule is far from over. Another half-dozen lawsuits are pending.

 Laurie McGinley

Judge orders Ky. to pay legal fees: A federal judge on Friday ordered Kentucky taxpayers to pay legal fees because a county clerk refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2015. U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Friday ordered the state to pay $222,695 in fees to the attorneys of two same-sex couples and others who sued Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis for refusing to give them marriage licenses. He also awarded $2,008.08 in other costs. Bunning said the county and Davis herself did not have to pay.

Terror suspect extradited from Spain: An al-Qaeda suspect linked to a plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist has been brought to Philadelphia from Spain to face terrorism charges. Ali Charaf Damache, 52, of Algeria appeared in court Friday and will be arraigned next month. U.S. prosecutors say Damache was part of a terror cell based in Ireland that included Colleen LaRose, a Pennsylvania woman also known as Jihad Jane. He married a Colorado woman who traveled to Ireland to meet him in 2009. Officials say the cell wanted to kill a cartoonist who had offended Muslims.

 Associated Press
IN THE beginning, the idea of Internet freedom was exhilarating. As one champion, Alec Ross, put it in a 2010 essay, the dream was frictionless communication between users, without interference by an intermediary, leading to the greatest free market for ideas and commerce in history. The reality is turning out to be far more complicated. The utopian dream is giving way to fiefdoms of interfering rules, blockages, filters, surveillance, national controls and privacy threats.

The recent announcement that Apple has signed a contract for its first data center in China raises again both the promise and peril of the digital era. Apple is complying with a new Chinese law requiring companies to store users data in the country. The data center in Guizhou, a province in southwest China, is a partnership with a local Internet services company. Apple, which derives 21 percent of its revenue from China, is not the first international tech company to do this; Amazon.com and Microsoft have also established data centers in China. (The chief executive and founder of Amazon, Jeffrey P. Bezos, owns The Post.) Nor is China the only country to demand data localization, a growing trend driven in part by a quest to improve performance and reliability, putting data physically closer to the users who need it.

The concern is the potential impact on freedom of expression. China often uses laws to punish those who speak their mind. Its leaders imprisoned Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who sought democracy, until his death; built a massive Great Firewall to keep Chinese users from seeing the digital world beyond; and every day attempt to squelch what people can say and read in social and news media.

Apple vows not to compromise its commitment to user privacy but also pledges to comply with local laws. What happens if Chinas authorities demand data from the China-based iCloud? Apple says it and its local partner will comply with requests under Chinese law if they possess the data, which might include metadata of communications, photographs and emails. But two popular Apple services, iMessage and FaceTime, are end-to-end encrypted; Apple does not have the keys  the users do.

Apples presence in China can be a force for good. But it seems likely that Chinas repressive system will pose painful choices for Apple and all the big tech companies that put their data on Chinese soil. Apple earlier complied with a government request to pull the New York Times from its China App Store. All the firms face a tension, a kind of gray zone, between the appeal of a vast market and its profits, and the Chinese peoples desire for information and contact with the world, all on one hand; and the prospect of becoming an accomplice to an authoritarian regime on the other. Tech titans that thrived in the liberal environment of abundant and guaranteed freedoms in the United States are now treading a path into the illiberal universe of arbitrary rule and dictatorship, and ought to walk very carefully.
Regarding the July 19 Metro article ACLU calls for audit of D.C. school suspensions:

D.C. Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilsons response to The Posts finding of the pervasive use of unreported high school suspensions was not only inadequate but was also dangerous for the Districts students.

There is little or no evidence that suspensions enhance school safety or improve student behavior. Suspensions set up our youths to fail by shutting them out of an education, decreasing their likelihood of graduation and increasing their likelihood of interaction with the criminal-justice system. This is the school-to-prison pipeline.

In the District and throughout the country, students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately represented at every stage of the school-to-prison pipeline. By failing to properly document all suspensions, D.C. Public Schools has denied students who are already at a disadvantage the opportunity to defend themselves against administrators accusations.

Monica Hopkins-Maxwell, Washington

The writer is executive director of the

ACLU of the District of Columbia.
ITS BEGINNING to look as though interaction with President Trump causes some governments to lose their political inhibitions. Following a May summit in Saudi Arabia, at which Mr. Trump and Arab leaders lavished love on each other, Egypt adopted a draconian law on civil society groups, while the Saudis and several allies launched a counterproductive boycott of neighboring Qatar, host of a major U.S. base. Now comes Poland, which days after being lauded by Mr. Trump as an example for others who seek freedom has seen its right-wing government push a package of laws that could eliminate the independence of its judiciary.

The initiatives by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party represent a major step in what already has been a steady campaign to erode independent institutions and legal checks and balances. The right-wing populist party, which obtained a majority in Parliament in 2015 despite winning less than half the national vote, started by subverting the independence and authority of the Constitutional Tribunal. It then converted what had been relatively independent state-owned media into propaganda outlets.

The actions brought condemnations from the European Union as well as sharp criticism from the Obama administration. Given the priority that PiS leaders place on close relations with Washington, the U.S. pressure likely had a restraining influence. But in his visit to Warsaw on July 6, Mr. Trump had nothing to say in defense of the rule of law; instead, he lauded Poland as an ally in the defense of Western civilization.

Six days later came the boldest assault yet by PiS on the separation of powers. Two bills pushed through Parliament in a single day drastically changed the procedure for selecting judges and protecting their independence. One law would restructure the National Council of the Judiciary, which selects judicial candidates, so that most of its members would be chosen by Parliament. The other would allow the justice minister to remove the chief justices of all common courts.

While the legal establishment and political opposition were still reeling from that coup, the government abruptly introduced a third and still more radical measure, requiring the retirement of all 83 appellate judges on Polands supreme court, except for those exempted by the president. Replacements would be installed by the government or by the new, party-controlled judicial council. As the vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, rightly described it, the cumulative effect would be to place the judiciary under full political control of the government and considerably increase the systematic threats to the rule of law in Poland.

Pushback from Brussels and mass demonstrations across Poland appear to be doing nothing to stop this assault. On Friday, Parliament was moving toward final passage of the supreme court law, and President Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with PiS, was expected to sign all three bills. The European Commission could try to punish Poland, but action could be blocked by Warsaws illiberal ally, Hungary.

The Trump administration, for its part, appears barely aware of the authoritarian blitzkrieg launched in the presidents wake. On Friday, the State Department issued a bland statement calling on all sides to ensure that any judicial reform does not violate Polands constitution, while saying it was confident about the strength of Polands democracy. That faith hardly seems warranted  and if Mr. Trump himself is perturbed by the impending liquidation of the freedom he lauded, theres no sign of it.
Correction: An earlier version of this op-ed misspelled the name of former defense secretary Caspar Weinberger. This version has been updated.

Laurence H. Tribe is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor and Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School. Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, was chief White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007 and is vice-chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). Norman Eisen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, was chief White House ethics lawyer for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011 and is chair of CREW.

Can a president pardon himself? Four days before Richard Nixon resigned, his own Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel opined no, citing the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case. We agree.

The Justice Department was right that guidance could be found in the enduring principles that no one can be both the judge and the defendant in the same matter, and that no one is above the law.

The Constitution specifically bars the president from using the pardon power to prevent his own impeachment and removal. It adds that any official removed through impeachment remains fully subject to criminal prosecution. That provision would make no sense if the president could pardon himself.

The pardon provision of the Constitution is there to enable the president to act essentially in the role of a judge of another persons criminal case, and to intervene on behalf of the defendant when the president determines that would be equitable. For example, the president might believe the courts made the wrong decision about someones guilt or about sentencing; President Barack Obama felt this way about excessive sentences for low-level drug offenses. Or the president might be impressed by the defendants subsequent conduct and, using powers far exceeding those of a parole board, might issue a pardon or commutation of sentence.

Other equitable considerations could also weigh in favor of leniency. A president might choose to grant a pardon before prosecution of a person when the president believes that the prosecution is not in the national interest; President Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon in part for this reason.

(Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post)

Or a president may conclude that even if a person may have committed a crime, he was acting in good faith to protect the national interest; President George H.W. Bush pardoned former defense secretary Caspar Weinberger in the Iran-contra affair in part for this reason.

In all such instances, however, the president is acting as a kind of super-judge and making a decision about someone elses conduct, the justice of someone elses sentence or whether it is in the national interest to prosecute someone else. He is not making a decision about himself.

Self-pardon under this rubric is impossible. The foundational case in the Anglo-American legal tradition is Thomas Bonham v. College of Physicians, commonly known as Dr. Bonhams Case. In 1610, the Court of Common Pleas determined that the College of Physicians could not act as a court and a litigant in the same case. The colleges royal charter had given it the authority to punish individuals who practiced without a license. However, the court held that it was impermissible for the college to receive a fine that it had the power to inflict: One cannot be Judge and attorney for any of the parties.

The Constitution embodies this broad precept against self-dealing in its rule that congressional pay increases cannot take effect during the Congress that enacted them, in its prohibition against using official power to gain favors from foreign states and even in its provision that the chief justice, not the vice president, is to preside when the Senate conducts an impeachment trial of the president.

The Constitutions pardon clause has its origins in the royal pardon granted by a sovereign to one of his or her subjects. We are aware of no precedent for a sovereign pardoning himself, then abdicating or being deposed but being immune from criminal process. If that were the rule, many a deposed king would have been spared instead of going to the chopping block.

We know of not a single instance of a self-pardon having been recognized as legitimate. Even the pope does not pardon himself. On March 28, 2014, in St. Peters Basilica, Pope Francis publicly kneeled before a priest and confessed his sins for about three minutes.

President Trump thinks he can do a lot of things just because he is president. He says that the president can act as if he has no conflicts of interest. He says that he can fire the FBI director for any reason he wants (and he admitted to the most outrageous of reasons in interviews and in discussion with the Russian ambassador). In one sense, Trump is right  he can do all of these things, although there will be legal repercussions if he does. Using official powers for corrupt purposes  such as impeding or obstructing an investigation  can constitute a crime.

But there is one thing we know that Trump cannot do  without being a first in all of human history. He cannot pardon himself.
President Trump, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), left, and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), speaks during a meeting with House and Senate leadership in the White House on March 1. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)

Kathleen Parker recognized the reality of healthy people not understanding why they should pay for health insurance that others get more benefit from, but surely this is a problem with education and communication, not an inherent weakness of the Affordable Care Act [Dont repeal, regroup, op-ed, July 19].

All insurance systems are based on spreading risk; a large pool of participants sharing risks necessarily involves some who get no immediate benefit, some who get extensive benefit and many in between. Because no one can predict the future, one must participate before the need arises. This is fundamentally true not only for health insurance but also for automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, liability insurance, etc. No insurance system can function economically if only high-risk people participate.

The real problem, at the core, is the high cost of medical care in the United States, not the basic structure of insurance. Nothing in the Republican bills thus far deals with this basic issue. There are problems with the ACA, but there are also many benefits. We need real bipartisan discussion aimed at making improvements, not more inflamed rhetoric.

Dennis Chamot, Burke

While the ironists will float that the stupidly ignored Republican female senators effectively killed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) misbegotten Obamacare repeal, Trump loyalists among the citizenry will note once again that the establishment, such as it is, is both incapable of and undeserving of governing authority.

President Trump, with all of his character flaws and ineloquence, was sent to Washington to unclog the federal sewer. His supporters do not care about the Affordable Care Act except as an example of incompetent federal overreach, failed and impervious to correction by a clownish legislature.

Mr. Trumps supporters remain perfectly sanguine that they sent the chaos president to preside over the circus that is the American governing class.

Jon Ketzner, Cumberland

What does repeal-and-replace mean? Arguably, before the Trump campaign, House Speaker Paul D. Ryans (R-Wis.) policy pronouncements defined it. The Trump campaign changed that.

Repeal-and-replace means what candidate Donald Trump said it meant: cheaper, better, more comprehensive insurance available to all. Candidate Trump did not say cheaper for the federal government; he said cheaper and better for regular people. All President Trump needs to do is give his staff and Cabinet 20 clips from his rally speeches in which he defined repeal-and-replace and order that a bill comporting with his vision be drafted immediately. He then would be in a position to advocate for a bill that keeps his promises or to explain why his promises need adjusting.

Tom Irvine, Lewes, Del.

Regarding E.J. Dionne Jr.s July 17 op-ed, History is watching four senators:

What about the 48 other Republican senators? How could any senator even consider voting for a plan that would remove more than 20 million people from health-insurance rolls? Twenty million Americans? Thats making America great again?

Wheres the plan that adds people to the rolls of the insured?

William Billy Eric Sahm, Washington
HERES A question for Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, who seems to regard himself as a bystander in the impending showdown over the fates of nearly 800,000 undocumented youngsters raised and educated in the United States, who may face deportation if Congress fails to act.

Mr. Kelly, dont you have a voice?

The secretary, a battle-hardened former Marine Corps general, has assumed a posture of virtual impotence as anti-immigrant right-wingers in Texas and elsewhere threaten legal action that would leave dreamers vulnerable to deportation. They would do so even though the young people  mainly teenagers and 20-somethings who have lived at least a decade in the United States  were brought here illegally as children, through no fault of their own.

Back in February, Mr. Kelly addressed lawmakers and said, I would just beg you . . . to change the law so that protections against deportation for undocumented youngsters, granted five years ago by President Barack Obama, were not rescinded. Since then, however, he has sounded increasingly passive, suggesting that there is little he can do to protect them.

In fact, there is. Legislation that would codify the protections granted dreamers by Mr. Obama has been introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with bipartisan sponsorship. The legislation is known as the Bridge Act  the acronym stands for Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy  and while Mr. Kelly has been briefed on it, he has not endorsed it.

Why not? Commendably, the secretary appears to have little appetite for deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation agents to round up hundreds of thousands of youths, most of whom are in school or employed and have no personal memory of any country but the United States. He has been told by lawyers that Mr. Obamas executive order granting dreamers temporary, renewable two-year deferrals from deportation, along with work permits, may not withstand the legal challenge threatened by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and officials of about 10 other states.

Yet he has made no explicit call for Congress to enact the Bridge Act, which, like Mr. Obamas 2012 executive order, would shield dreamers from the threat of deportation, in this case for three years, thereby taking that particular issue off the plate, as Mr. Kelly suggested to lawmakers in February.

As for President Trump, he has waffled on the issue, having as a candidate called for rescinding the Obama order, then in January suggesting dreamers should be far less worried, then more recently saying the issue is always tough. He, too, should make clear that Congress would do the country a favor if it let these young people continue to contribute to the nations economy and welfare.

Some officials say the administration will defer to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a pro-deportation hard-liner. But Mr. Kellys department oversees deportations and would have to cope with the upheaval that would be unleashed on families and communities by a mass deportation of youths, most of whom are American in every sense but their birth. His word would carry weight.
While Donald L. Rosss July 8 Free for All letter, Setting the record straight on Martin Luther, was on the right track in concluding that Luthers Reformation is only partially responsible for giving birth to the modern Western world, he conflated Renaissance humanism and the Reformation with a third revolution he did not mention: the scientific revolution. That observation is cemented by Rosss belief that Isaac Newtons Principia Mathematica in 1687 inspired the Enlightenment more than anything else. To say Renaissance humanism had begun at least 150 years earlier in Italy, Ross must be counting back from Luthers 95 Theses on that Wittenberg church door in 1517 to the mid-1300s, when Francesco Petrarch rediscovered the letters of Roman politician and philosopher Cicero. In fact, Petrarch was so taken with Cicero that he described the 900 years of cultural stagnation that preceded his own time as the Dark Ages.

In the 1450s, the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed using mass-produced movable metal type, marked the beginning of the printing revolution that spread information and learning to the masses and eventually played a key role in the Reformation and the Enlightenment. In 1605, the first modern newspaper was published in the Alsatian city of Strasbourg when Johann Carolus distributed a weekly journal in German by reporters from several Central European cities (giving rise to our use of the word press). The philosophical movement known as the Enlightenment came to dominate European ideas about individual liberty, progress, reason and religious tolerance in opposition to the fixed dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. But while the French like to place the Enlightenment between 1715, when King Louis XIV died, and 1789, when the French Revolution began, the case can easily be made that it actually started in the early 1600s, when the scientific revolution fostered questioning of orthodoxy  both religious and scientific  in favor of increased empiricism and scientific rigor. We all know what happened to astronomer Galileo in 1633  the Roman Inquisition confined him to house arrest for the rest of his life because he wouldnt agree that the sun circled the Earth. The scientific revolution and therefore the Enlightenment were well underway by the time Newton published Principia Mathematica.

George Diffenbaucher, Alexandria
Im not going to own it, President Trump said about the Affordable Care Act that he and Republicans, following years of bombastic promises, have thus far failed to either repeal or replace. Let Obamacare fail.

That declaration provoked an angry editorial response from The Post, which asked: Has there ever been a more cynical abdication of presidential responsibility?

To which the answer is: Of course. Trump has performed that cut-and-run act before.

Lets return to the death of U.S. SEAL Senior Chief Petty Officer William Ryan Owens, the first U.S. service member killed in the line of duty under the Trump administration.

Trump was asked by Fox News about the abortive covert mission in Yemen in January that left Owens and about 30 Yemeni civilians dead, including women and children.

Trump said the operation was something military leaders were looking at for a long time; it was something that was, you know, just  they wanted to do. And they came to see me and they explained what they wanted to do, the generals, who are very respected.

And with that, the commander in chief shifted the blame: And they lost Ryan.

Trump washed his hands of the whole thing.

This week, he resorted to that same Pontius Pilate routine following the GOPs failed attempt to destroy Obamacare.

Trump has a penchant for desertion on the field of battle when something goes wrong.

That trait was ably captured by The Posts James Hohman in his July 19 Daily 202 report, which documented how Trump talks about the Republicans involved in the health-care debacle as if hes not one of them, let alone leader of the party.

Trumps constant references to the Republicans are reminiscent of his third-person reference to the generals and the death of Owens.

But also recall Trump casting blame on Justice Department lawyers when the Muslim ban, drafted in his White House, got shot down in the courts. Remember Trump stoking anger at rallies with incendiary language and then playing the innocent victim who was not responsible for his fired-up supporters beating on bystanders?

Bottom line: Not a strand of President Harry S. Trumans famous dictum, The Buck Stops Here, can be found in Trump.

Personal responsibility is strange fruit to him. And it is a character failing that should haunt members of Congress, regardless of party, and the country. A leader without honor and credibility is a leader not worth having.

Because its pretty clear by now, if there were ever any doubt, that Trump holds true to nothing but himself. Take credit, deflect blame is his modus operandi.

Hence, he believes hes in the middle of an ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign because his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from the probe.

Hence, his family business empire is being examined (with a Trump-imposed red line potentially crossed) not because of troubling Trump-Russia connections but because of a witch-hunting, out-of control special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.

Hence, Trump was told about claims that the Kremlin had compromising information about him only because then-FBI Director James B. Comey, who briefed him on the allegations, wanted to hold it over his head.

Thus, Trump fired Comey. Thus, Trump says he wouldnt have appointed Sessions had he known Sessions would step aside.

Thus, Mueller? The Trump team is now exploring ways to limit or undercut Muellers probe, according to The Post.

Because we are talking about Donald Trump, the innocent victim who never brings problems upon himself, who wont take responsibility for his mistakes, who in a heartbeat assigns fault to any and all people under his span of control.

So wanting in leadership, so deficient in the style, skills and character required in a president of the United States.

And hes as mean as can be.

Exactly two years ago, Trump vilely declared that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is not a war hero, adding, Hes a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured. I wrote in July 2015: McCain not only served this country honorably, but also paid a price at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors that brings tears to the eyes. That a decorated Vietnam War veteran would be sarcastically put down by a loudmouth celebrity presidential wannabe who never wore the uniform, but escaped military service with a series of draft deferments, is one of the most disgusting turns of events in national politics.

I voluntarily wore the uniform of a commissioned U.S. Army officer, and proudly. Not that it matters to Trump, but I would not go into the same room with him.

I still feel that way today.

We, the American electorate, have put on the world stage a narcissistic showoff who craves applause but will abdicate and pass the buck in a heartbeat.

Just ask Capitol Hill. Just ask the commanders.

Just watch Trump for yourself. And cringe.

Read more from Colbert Kings archive.
Family members of the late Lee Kuan Yew arrive with his portrait at the start of the state funeral at the University Cultural Center in Singapore in 2015. (Joseph Nair/Associated Press)

James Mann was no doubt correct in criticizing Graham Allison for his lack of knowledge on China, as demonstrated in his book Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydidess Trap? [Deadly guessing game: Will China and the U.S. go to war?, Book World, July 9]. However, Mann inadvertently displayed this general ignorance of Asia among American scholars by calling Lee Kuan Yew the late Singaporean president. Throughout his long time in power in Singapore, Lee was never president; he was prime minister.

It is more noteworthy that Allison cited Lee as an authority on Xi Jinping who likened Xi to Nelson Mandela. Lee died two years after Xi became president of China. Xi is one Chinese leader Lee could not have known well. The character attributed to Xi may be more fitting for Deng Xiaoping, a Chinese leader Lee did know well. Deng also eschewed fancy titles toward the end of his life, in sharp contrast with our current leaders  East and West  who display such hubris.

Edward Chow, Leesburg
The aircraft arrayed around the spacious lawn of Maxwell Air Force Base, home of the Air University, mostly represent long-retired types. The largest, however, is a glistening B-52 bomber, which represents a still-employed component of the Air Forces aging fleet: The youngest B-52 entered service in 1962. Sons have flown the same plane their fathers and grandfathers flew.

But, then, the average age of all the Air Force aircraft is 27 years; fighters, more than 30 years; bombers and helicopters, more than 40 years; refueling tankers, more than 50 years. Americas security challenges change much faster  think of the Soviet Unions demise and the Islamic States rise  than technologies can be conceived, designed, approved, built and deployed. The F/A-18 and the F-16 were designed about 45 years ago.

On April 15, 1953, two U.S. soldiers in Korea were attacked and killed by a propeller-driven aircraft supporting Chinese and North Korean troops. Since then, no U.S. ground troops have been attacked by an enemy aircraft. Such has been the permissive environment guaranteed by U.S. air dominance, not since Vietnam has a U.S. pilot used his aircrafts bullets to down an enemy fighter plane (although air-to-air missiles downed enemy aircraft over the Balkans).

The Air Forces dominance in controlling the air and in supporting ground troops might have been what an F-16 pilot here calls a catastrophic success, distracting attention from the rapidly evolving challenge of multi-domain, combined-arms warfare on land, on and under the sea, in the air, and in space and cyberspace.

From Dec. 8, 1941, through Aug. 5, 1945  the day before Hiroshima  there were no radical technological disjunctions during World War II. Aircraft, aircraft carriers, tanks and radar were pre-Pearl Harbor technologies. Future wars, however, will be won by information superiority that produces superior decisions. Which means that China gave a chilling glimpse of the future when in January 2007 it successfully launched an anti-satellite weapon.

Beginning with the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, air power has been the first, and sometimes the only, recourse of presidents. In 1991, six weeks of air attacks enabled U.S. ground forces to finish Iraqs army in 100 hours. In 1999, in three months of combat over Serbia and Kosovo, air power sufficed to enable diplomacy to attain the political objectives. In 1991, in the first night of the Gulf War air campaign, U.S. air power struck more targets than the Eighth Air Force struck in Europe in all of 1942 and 1943.

These recent episodes may, however, be remembered not as harbingers of future conflicts but as punctuations ending an era. In this, its 70th year as an independent service, the Air Force, like the other branches of the military but more than any other, is being required to rethink its mission in light of rapidly evolving threats and technologies.

The Air Force is in charge of two legs of the nuclear deterrence triad  strategic bombers and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles  but also has been delivering 70 percent of the bombs against the Islamic State. For decades, the Air Forces strategic role was defined by President Dwight Eisenhowers configuration of U.S. forces for long-range deterrence of the Soviet Union in order to reduce the need for massive forward-based forces. In 2009, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who perhaps possesses broader knowledge and experience of national security matters than any American has ever had, said: If the Department of Defense cant figure out a way to defend the United States on a budget of more than half a trillion dollars a year, then our problems are much bigger than anything that can be cured by a few more ships and planes. Indeed, safety might come from buying fewer ships and planes, and more drones.

And developing hypersonic (at least five times the speed of sound) weapons that can strike anywhere in the world in less than an hour. And electromagnetic kinetic weapons (railguns) with muzzle velocities of 5,000 miles per hour, twice as fast as the muzzle velocity of a high-caliber bullet. Directed-energy laser-based weapons operating at the speed of light are about 134,000 times faster than railguns.

What Air Force people call fast movers  fighter planes, the fastest bombers  are mere plodders compared with weapons that are not far over the horizon. And compared with the pace of geo-strategic and technological changes that challenge even the fine Air Universitys capacity to comprehend them.

Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook.
The News in Brief

Ultranationalists March Against Immigration, Counter-Protesters Rally Against Occupation



Representatives of opposition parties, civil society organizations and media outlets held a protest rally against Russian occupation on July 14 near the village Bershueti, Gori Municipality, where the Russian troops seized several hundred meters of farmlands last month.



Around 500 protesters formed a human chain near the newly installed border sign and erected a symbolic banner reading 101 Kilometers to the State Border - Roki Tunnel. They also called on the Government of Georgia to take active steps to end the Russian occupation.





March of the Georgians



Later on the same day, around 2000 protesters held the March of the Georgians rally on the Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Downtown Tbilisi, demanding the deportation of illegal immigrants, toughening immigration laws, imposing restrictions on granting residence permits to foreigners and banning foreign funding to civil society organizations.



Sandro Bregadze, who served as the Deputy State Minister for Diaspora Issues from 2014  2016, was one of the organizers of the March of the Georgians rally. A number of ultranationalist groups and organizations joined the March as well. MP Emzar Kvitsiani of the opposition Alliance of Patriots party also appeared at the manifestation.



Bregadze, who leads the Erovnulebi (Georgian for the nationally minded) movement, issued an ultimatum to all illegal immigrants in his announcement of the rally on June 29, calling on [illegal] Iranians, Arabs, Africans and others to leave Georgia before July 14. We will clean our streets from foreign criminals, he wrote.



Speaking to Rustavi 2 TV at the demonstration, Bregadze said the rally would be the beginning of the new national liberation movement, against Sorosist, liberast (derogatory terms applied to social liberalism; liberast is a combination of liberal and pederasts, a slur used for homosexuals) ideology, which is no less of a danger to Georgia than the Russian occupation. The country has to be liberated from the Russian Occupation, as well as from the Sorosist, liberast ideology, he added.



Counter-Rally in Bershueti



In response to the March of the Georgians rally in Tbilisi, about 60 civil society activists from Gori and Tbilisi gathered in the village Bershueti in the evening of July 14.



Organizers said it was to point at where the real threat lies for Georgia. Exactly when the March of the Georgians is being held on the Agmashenebeli Avenue, we want to stand at the occupation line. We want to clearly demonstrate to our compatriots and foreign partners that occupation is our major problem, reads their Facebook statement.



Participants of the first rally in Bershueti were distanced from the March of the Georgians as well. We distance ourselves from any violence, any homophobia; we distance ourselves from xenophobic expressions in this country; we want to have a free country, one of the organizers of the Bershueti rally, journalist Eliso Kiladze, said.



Also on July 14, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly, visited the village of Karapila in Kaspi Municipality, bordering the occupied Akhalgori Municipality, where he denounced Russias violation of Georgias sovereignty and the ongoing borderization process.

(Civil.ge)







Constitutional Court overturns ban on gay men donating blood  again



Georgias Constitutional Court has overturned a ban on the donation of blood by men who have had sex with other men.



The lawsuit to lift the ban was filed by LGBT rights activists Gocha Gabodze and Levan Berianidze.



The ban on donating blood for a man who has had a sexual relationship with another man, was introduced by the Minister of Health in 2000, justified by the high risk of AIDS posed by homosexuals.



Initially, the ministrys official document contained that term, but in 2014 the Constitutional Court ruled it unconstitutional to include a clause which limited blood donations on the basis of homosexuality.



The ministry then changed the formulation by decree and instead of homosexuality, the law specified sexual intercourse of a man with another man, thus circumventing the Constitutional Courts ruling.

(DF WATCH)




TOTALLY IN keeping with his character, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) declared, one day after it was disclosed he is suffering from a serious form of brain cancer, that unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, Ill be back soon, so stand-by! The senator also issued a toughly worded criticism of President Trumps decision to end support for the Syrian rebels fighting the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Mr. McCain is not going quietly into the night.

We wish Mr. McCain every success as he considers his treatment options for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. It goes almost without saying that his determination and fighting spirit are legendary.

But we have another wish also: for Washington and the world beyond to pause for a moment to absorb the example that Mr. McCain sets every day. These are times of toxic, partisan warfare, where politicians will say just about anything at all, true or untrue, to gain an advantage. By contrast, Mr. McCain has been, for the most part, and more than just about any other practicing politician, true to his convictions. He is in politics not just to win but, as far as one man is able, to improve our world.

And all over this world, Mr. McCain is associated with freedom and democracy. He has championed human rights with verve and tirelessness  speaking out against repression and authoritarianism, and inviting  no, cajoling  his colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to bear witness with him on trips abroad. He has frequently welcomed victims of repression to the corridors of the capital, too, giving them succor and encouragement in the fight against tyranny.

Mr. McCain has displayed a forthrightness that stands out in the ugly atmosphere of disinformation, propaganda, spin doctoring and outright lying that now prevails. The senator, as a presidential candidate in 2000 and 2008, endeared himself to journalists with his openness aboard a campaign bus called the Straight Talk Express. It was refreshing and genuine.

In 2008, the presidential campaign turned nasty in the final weeks. Crowds were shouting epithets and pumping fists in anger upon hearing the name of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee. On Oct. 10, campaigning in a suburb of Minneapolis, Mr. McCain grabbed back the microphone from an elderly woman who had begun to say that she didnt like Mr. Obama because he is an Arab. No, maam. No, maam, Mr. McCain said. Hes a decent family man, a citizen who I just happen to have serious differences with on fundamental questions. He added, We want to fight, and I want to fight, but we will be respectful. . . . That doesnt mean you have to reduce your ferocity. Its just got to be respectful.

Thats an example for today. Basic civility and respect speak louder than name-calling, trolling, shaming and prevarication. It is not some kind of gauzy nostalgia to wish for a politics of forthrightness and decency, so lacking today and so embodied by Sen. John McCain.
Dunbar High School is one of seven D.C. high schools that underreported suspensions in the past two years, according to documents obtained by The Post. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

AFTER POST reporters raised questions about the accuracy of suspension rates in some D.C. public schools, a warning went out to principals. Inappropriate, unprofessional and fraudulent was how the systems instructional superintendent described failure to accurately record students barred from classes. Its good that such practices were soundly denounced, but more needs to be done to determine the extent of the problem as well as possible solutions.

D.C. schools, like a growing number of districts across the country, have recognized that more harm than good is done in suspending students from school. There are situations in which a students conduct is so egregious or dangerous that the only option is removal from school. But suspending students for minor misbehavior such as running in the hallways, being late for class and using profanity is counterproductive, often worsening behavior problems and leading to academic failure. The question that emerges from The Posts investigation is whether the push to reduce suspensions caused some officials to camouflage students who had been excluded from instruction.

Emails and other documents obtained by The Posts Alejandra Matos and Emma Brown under the Freedom of Information Act showed instances at some of the citys 18 high schools of students who had been kicked out of school for misbehaving but were not recorded as having been suspended. Students who were on do not admit lists were found to have been marked present or attending an in-school activity or absent without an excuse. Seven schools were implicated in the analysis that examined documents from January 2016 and January 2017.

D.C. Council member David Grosso (I-At Large), who chairs the education committee, called the findings concerning and said they need to be investigated. The education committees working group on discipline will undertake a review, and a spokeswoman for the D.C. schools said the system will undertake its own complete audit.

Mr. Grosso told us he doesnt think there has been a systemic effort to show false results. He is confident that initiatives put in place under school reform  such as restorative justice and other supports for students  have helped to reduce the number of students suspended. That is good to hear, but the questions that emerge from The Posts report demand a careful airing and clear-cut answers.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, above left, walks into the West Wing on Friday after abruptly resigning his position in protest of President Trumps decision to install Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

President Trump overhauled his White House on Friday in a dramatic shake-up of his senior team at the six-month mark of his presidency, which so far has been beset by a special counsels widening Russia investigation, a floundering legislative agenda and seemingly constant chaos and infighting within his West Wing.

Trumps decision Friday morning to install wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director set off an unexpected chain reaction, with White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigning in protest, according to people familiar with the departure. By afternoon, Spicers deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, had been named to replace him.

As the reorganization unfolded throughout the day, Trumps communications shop  not known for finely tuned messaging  offered its best attempt at a display of unity, a Kabuki-theater performance juxtaposing polite public statements with sniping and complaints behind the scenes.

The president wanted to bring on some folks, to add to the team, Spicer said in a brief interview on Friday. This is something you dream of. I cant thank the president enough.

Asked if he had any regrets, Spicer replied: None.

(Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)

In a statement Sanders read during the daily briefing, Trump said he was grateful for Seans work and wished him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities  just look at his great television ratings.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus called a private meeting of the White House communications staff Friday morning and said that Spicer, who will remain through August to help Scaramucci transition into the role, is leaving to give the new communications director a clean slate, according to someone briefed on the meeting who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Priebus also tried to play down any tensions between him and Scaramucci, saying the two have known each other for a long time, and Scaramucci told his new team that he is not a top-down manager, this person said.

Scaramucci and Spicer then attempted an awkward hug, with Spicer stiffly accepting Scaramuccis embrace, the person said.

Spicers abrupt and angry departure  which caught even senior West Wing staffers by surprise  reflects the latest upheaval in a White House that has been consumed by tumult and warring factions since almost the day Trump took office. Bringing Scaramucci into the White House could further heighten tensions among Trumps senior staff.

Scaramucci has a contentious relationship with both Spicer and Priebus, each of whom vehemently objected to Trumps decision to install him in the top communications job. Scaramucci has coined a particularly crude nickname for Priebus and, in private conversations with associates in recent weeks, repeatedly savaged both the chief of staff and the entire White House press operation.

Scaramucci has argued to confidants that the media operation mobilizes aggressively whenever critical coverage of Priebus emerges, but that it is far less diligent about defending the president himself, which he characterized as disloyal.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

Priebus, meanwhile, previously blocked Scaramucci from several key White House jobs, including director of the office of public liaison. In a last-ditch attempt to keep Scaramucci out of the communications director role, Priebus offered him the public liaison job, a senior White House official said.

A Priebus ally, however, rejected the notion that the chief of staff had tried to block Scaramucci, saying he was simply trying to slow down the process.

Some Trump loyalists inside the West Wing view the hiring of Scaramucci over Priebuss wishes  and the sudden resignation of Spicer  as a blow to Priebuss already fraught standing with the president and his leadership of the senior staff.

This exposes Reince as neither a leader nor a manager, one senior White House official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment.

Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps senior strategist, also opposed the hiring, according to two people familiar with the discussions. Although Bannon  the former chairman of the conservative Breitbart News website  likes Scaramucci personally, he worried that the financier does not have the right set of skills for the job and symbolizes the corporate Wall Street interests that Bannon and others in the nationalist wing of the White House have railed against.

The communications post had been open since Michael Dubke vacated it in May.

The latest staff changes come amid growing legal headaches for Trump, as well as his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who during the campaign attended a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer promising incriminating information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trumps legal team, which underwent its own shake-up Thursday, has begun working to undermine the investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia by looking into ways to highlight alleged conflicts of interest on Muellers team, The Washington Post reported Thursday. The president has also inquired about his pardon authority  including his ability to pardon aides, family members and even himself, according to people familiar with the effort.

Another wave of controversy washed over the administration late Friday when The Post reported that U.S. intelligence intercepts show Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed Trump campaign-related issues with the Russian ambassador.

[Trump legal team seeks to control, block Muellers investigation]

Scaramucci addressed reporters Friday afternoon during a news conference, thanking Spicer for doing an amazing job and adding, I love the guy. I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.

Scaramucci insisted he has a good relationship with Priebus and said he offered to bring him on board as chief operating officer at his SkyBridge Capital company following the 2012 presidential campaign. Priebus, then the head of the Republican National Committee, declined the offer, he said.

Were a little bit like brothers, Scaramucci said. We rough each other up a bit, and thats totally normal for brothers. Hes a dear friend.

But in the same briefing, he also made clear whom he views as his ultimate boss, saying he has no problem working for Reince, but adding: The president said I report to him directly.

Several times during Fridays briefing, Scaramucci said he loved the president and that his goal is to make sure Trumps message is heard by the public and better represented in the media.

I think theres been, at times, a disconnect between the way we see the president and how much we love the president and the way some of you perhaps see the president, he said. And I certainly see the American people probably see the president the way I do. But we want to get that message out there.

Ivanka Trump, her husband, Kushner, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had all been pushing Scaramucci for the job  and on Friday, as some West Wing officials made a final plea to the president to rethink his decision, both his daughter and son-in-law reached out to Scaramucci, to reassure him, according to a senior White House official.

The president has been particularly taken in recent weeks with Scaramuccis hard-charging defenses of his administration on cable TV news, several people familiar with his views said. The president was impressed with how Scaramucci  known as the Mooch  fought back against a CNN article about himself, ultimately leading to the resignation of three CNN staffers involved with the story. Trump views Scaramucci as a natty combatant with a smile.

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, complimented Spicers service to Trump and praised Scaramucci in a brief interview. Like the president, Anthony is a tough, self-made, successful New Yorker who can be both a street fighter and run a C-suite meeting, she said. The president likes that.

Scaramucci was slated to join the White House in another capacity earlier this year, but he had challenges resolving ethical conflicts associated with SkyBridge Capital, which he sold to a Chinese conglomerate with ties to the government just before Trumps inauguration.

On Friday, he told reporters he has been assured by government ethics officials and the White House counsel that there should be no obstacles to him joining the administration now.

My start date is going to be in a couple of weeks, so that its a  100 percent totally cleansed and clean, he said.

Spicers allies, in explaining his departure, said he feared Scaramucci would be communications director in name only because he has little experience working in either communications or politics. Spicer also wanted the new communications director to report to him, which would not have been the case with Scaramucci. Instead, Spicer worried he would find himself serving in two roles simultaneously, even while Scaramucci fell outside his chain of command, these allies said.

This is a joke, said one person close to the press office. Trump wanted Scaramucci on television as a surrogate for the White House and wanted to give him a more formal title.

Spicers resignation marks a sudden end to a short and rocky tenure. The press secretary undercut his credibility during his first full day on the job when, at Trumps urging, he publicly made false statements about the size of the presidents Inauguration Day crowds.

Trump regularly nitpicked and criticized Spicers on-camera briefings, polling his friends about how long he should retain Spicer in the high-profile role. There were other slights. During his first trip abroad, Trump pointedly kept Spicer, a devout Catholic, from a meeting with Pope Francis.

Spicer, a longtime Republican communications operative in Washington, began his time at the podium with a warm relationship with the press corps. But just six months later, many now associate him primarily with his red-faced shouting binges and his caricature on Saturday Night Live, where he was ruthlessly parodied by actress Melissa McCarthy dressed as a man.

In private, Scaramucci seemed to have at least entertained the idea of the top communications post since June. Speaking at former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romneys private retreat in Deer Valley, Utah, last month, Scaramucci said that he believed the White House was faltering in part because the communications director job was empty and that communicating directly with the public was the key imperative of this White House, according to one attendee.

If he were in the role, Scaramucci continued, he would consider starting a daily administration television broadcast at 7 a.m., complete with a desk on the White House lawn and guests that included Democratic leaders.

I like Anthony, but Pelosi and Schumer arent going on his state-run morning show, the attendee said, referring to Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The attendee spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of a private discussion.

Spicer, meanwhile, said in the brief interview that he hopes he is just midway through the book of his life. This most recent chapter, he said, might best be entitled, Exciting Times.

Rosalind S. Helderman, Philip Rucker and Ben Terris contributed to this report.
(Patrick Martin/The Washington Post)

Jared Kushner failed to disclose dozens of financial holdings that he was required to declare when he joined the White House as an adviser to President Trump, his father-in-law, according to a revised form released Friday.

A separate document released Friday also showed that Kushners wife, presidential daughter Ivanka Trump, had been paid as much as $5 million from her outside businesses over an 84-day span this spring around the time she entered the White House as a senior adviser and pledged to distance herself from her private holdings.

Kushners new disclosure, released by the White House, detailed more than 70 assets that his attorneys said he had inadvertently left out of earlier filings. The new document comes as the presidential aide faces increasing scrutiny as part of investigations into alleged Russian influence in the 2016 campaign.

In recent months, Kushner also has updated a national security questionnaire in which he had failed to disclose more than 100 calls or meetings with representatives from foreign countries  and he is scheduled to appear Monday at a closed-door meeting of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The new filing reveals Kushners past and current investments in an array of entities, including a real estate trading platform now valued at $800 million in which he continues to hold a large stake. He and his wife also disclosed that their contemporary art collection is valued at between $5 million and $25 million.

Kushners financial disclosure has been updated 39 times since his first filing in March.

Frequent revisions are not unusual for appointees with many holdings.

Their attorney, Jamie Gorelick, said in a statement that Kushner and Ivanka Trump followed each of the required steps in their transition from private citizens to federal officials.

The Office of Government Ethics has certified Jareds financial disclosure, reflecting its determination that his approach complies with federal ethics laws, Gorelick said. She added that Ivanka Trumps financial disclosure, which was filed in June, is still being reviewed by the agency.

The filings underscore the enormous wealth of the young couple, who stepped down from day-to-day management of their companies before assuming their public posts.

Kushner resigned from 266 corporate positions, and Trump stepped down from 292 positions, the documents show.

But they still control assets worth at least $139 million, along with another $66 million, at minimum, of assets that are tied to Trumps stakes in her fashion brand, the Trump hotel in Washington and other real estate projects, according to the filings.

And they both continue to draw large sums from outside interests: The couple has jointly made at least $19 million in income from business ventures and listed more than $80 million in real estate and other revenues since the start of 2016, the documents show.

Trump gave up her right to performance-linked payments from three Trump real estate companies and instead receives fixed payments totaling $1.5 million a year. But she continues to reap a share of the profits from her fashion brand, where executives said sales climbed more than 20 percent last year and continue to rise this year.

Ivanka Trump no longer directly oversees the company, which has come under criticism from labor advocates for its lack of oversight of its operations overseas, but she has retained ownership of her brand and is benefiting from its revenue.

Between March 9 and May 31, Ivanka Trump made between $1 million and $5 million from a trust valued at more than $50 million that now holds her fashion businesss collection of shoes, clothes, handbags and other goods.

The business earned her more than $5 million between January 2016 and March 2017, disclosures show.



(Ivanka Trump public financial disclosure report)

Ivanka Trump also listed receiving $2.4 million in hotel-related revenue from the Trump International Hotel in Washington. She said she earned $787,500 from a publishers advance for her book Women Who Work, which debuted in May. And she reported $2.5 million in salary and severance from her continued participation in employer-sponsored 401(k) plan of Trump Payroll Corp., a side entity that handles Trump Organization wages.

For his part, Kushner earned millions from his familys real estate over the past year, his filing shows. He pulled in between $1 million and $5 million between January 2016 and March 9 of this year from BFPS Ventures, a holding company valued at between $5 million and $25 million.

An earlier version of Kushners disclosure form described BFPS as a company focused on real estate in New York. However, public documents revealed, and Kushners legal team later confirmed, that it held a wide range of entities, including an Oklahoma oil and gas firm that has been sold.

[Kushner keeps most of his real estate but offers few clues about potential White House conflicts]

In earlier correspondence with the ethics office, White House lawyers indicated Kushner wished to sell BFPS, adding that if he retained the company, it would disqualify him from participating in particular matters that will have a direct and predictable effect on the technology and electronic sectors.

But Kushner and his legal team reversed course on selling the entire company.

Instead, Kushner sold off a number of its assets, including an investment in an Argentine venture capital firm and a stake in FabFitFun, a beauty and wellness subscription company.

He retained interests in more than two dozen properties in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Maryland.

The holding company now also includes a $5 million to $25 million stake that Kushner has in Cadre, an online real estate investment platform he co-founded with his brother, Joshua.

Last month, Cadre raised $65 million in venture capital from investors that included Goldman Sachs and Andreessen Horowitz. Cadre is now valued at an estimated $800 million.

As a senior adviser to Trump, Kushner has vast purview, including a role heading the newly formed Office of American Innovation, which collaborates with the private sector to improve government.

On his updated disclosure, Kushner said he has been and will continue to be recused from particular matters in the broker-dealer, real estate, and online financial services sectors to the extent they would have a direct and predictable effect on Cadre.



(Jared Kushner financial disclosure)

Among the assets Kushner sold were corporate bonds that he held in ExxonMobil, as well as public bonds from Israel and more than two dozen states and municipalities, including Boston, Westchester County, N.Y., and the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Kushner did not report in his disclosure a $285 million loan that his company received from Deutsche Bank one month before the election. Kushner signed as a guarantor of that loan under certain circumstances, such as fraud or misapplication of funds.

Kushners lawyer, Blake Roberts, has said that government rules do not require the disclosure of such loans because he doesnt have a present obligation to repay it.

A Kushner representative said Friday that the OGE did not indicate that the loan had to be reported.

The Deutsche Bank loan resulted from the refinancing of four retail floors of the former New York Times headquarters at 229 43rd Street in New York.

Amy Brittain and Michael Kranish contributed to this report.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) left, speaks with reporters during the Speaker's weekly news conference on June 8 on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) is to the right. (Cliff Owen/AP)

A weeks-long impasse over imposing new financial sanctions on Iran and Russia was broken late Friday, with the House preparing to vote next week on a bill that would prevent President Trump from lifting measures against Moscow.

House leaders agreed to vote on an expanded version of the bill after adding sanctions aimed at freezing North Koreas nuclear program and draining the government of revenue to fund it. The measures against Pyongyang, which passed the House 419 to 1 as a stand-alone bill in May, were inserted at the request of House Republican leaders.

Should the bill pass the House and Senate, it would pose a difficult veto dilemma for Trump, whose presidency has been enveloped in questions about his ties to Russia. The administration has not issued a formal veto threat, but several officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have spoken out against it.

While some details have yet to be finalized, congressional aides said, the bill is set for a vote Tuesday, according to a schedule circulated Saturday by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The legislation will move under special, expedited procedures for noncontroversial bills expected to pass with a two-thirds majority  enough support to overcome a presidential veto.

The bill, however, has hardly had a smooth ride.

[The man who drives Trumps Russia connection]

An initial Senate bill  which slapped new sanctions on Iran in response to its ballistic missile testing and on Russia for its meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election  passed in June on a vote of 98 to 2. Critically, the punitive measures against Moscow could be lifted only with congressional approval, a departure from the flexibility that presidents are traditionally given to conduct foreign policy.

But the bill hit an immediate procedural snag over claims that it ran afoul of the constitutional requirement that revenue bills originate in the House. The roadblock came as Trump administration officials stepped up a lobbying campaign against the bill, prompting Democrats to accuse House GOP leaders of stalling on Trumps behalf.

New obstacles emerged earlier this month. House Democrats objected to Senate changes to the bill that could freeze out the House minoritys ability to block sanctions relief. And the oil-and-gas industry raised concerns that U.S. companies could be frozen out of projects with Russian partners.

Last week, McCarthy added a twist by proposing that the sanctions against North Korea, which the House had already endorsed, be attached to the Senate bill. Democrats accused them of trying to delay the legislations progress through Congress, and even Senate Republicans seemed surprised by, if still potentially amenable to, the request.

But according to multiple congressional aides, negotiations continued behind the scenes this week, with McCarthy and House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) working to strike a compromise, along with Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

[Sometimes its normal to meet with foreign officials. For Jeff Sessions and the Russian ambassador, it wasnt.]

(Anna Fifield,Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

The version of the bill posted on a House website just before midnight Friday addresses House procedural concerns about in which chamber the bill would originate, removes the provision that blacklists energy companies from entering into oil development projects if any Russian firm is involved, and delays defense and intelligence sector sanctions while asking the administration to clarify which Russian entities would fall within those sectors.

The bill also protects a 30-day window for Congress to take steps to block the president if he tries to roll back any sanctions imposed against Russia  a sign that lawmakers were unmoved by the Trump administrations lobbying effort to get them to scale back the congressional review power in the bill.

McCarthy and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Edward R. Royce (R-Calif.) said in a joint statement Saturday that the revised bill will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions.

The new version does not, however, give House Democrats an expedited mechanism for getting resolutions objecting to the presidents proposed actions to the floor. Only in cases where the Senate has already passed a resolution of disapproval does the sanctions bill insist that it be put to a House vote in short order, regardless of the whims of the House majority leaders.

Hoyer, the bills chief negotiator for House Democrats, nevertheless defended the bill as strong. The legislation ensures that both the Majority and Minority are able to exercise our oversight role over the Administrations implementation of sanctions, Hoyer said in a statement. Other changes made to the bill will ensure effective and unified implementation among partners and make provisions more workable.

Some House Democrats are worried about another potential snag: that the last-minute insertion of a new roster of North Korea sanctions will cause further procedural delays in the Senate, according to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). If the House passes the bill that leaders unveiled late Friday night, senators would be forced to start from scratch and take up the bill again. The Senate has not yet had the chance to vet the sanctions against Pyongyang.

But Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued a statement Saturday praising the breakthrough and calling for swift passage.

Given the many transgressions of Russia, and President Trumps seeming inability to deal with them, a strong sanctions bill such as the one Democrats and Republicans have just agreed to is essential, he said.

Read more at PowerPost
Vice President Pence speaks to a group of grass-roots organizations calling on the Senate to take action on health-care legislation, during a meeting in Washington on Friday, July 21, 2017. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The Senate parliamentarian signaled Friday that Democrats could block several key elements of the Senate GOP health-care bill, including abortion coverage restrictions, a one-year ban on funding for Planned Parenthood and changes to Medicaid coverage requirements, if the legislation comes up for a vote next week.

While not a final ruling, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonoughs assessment threatens to further anger conservatives such as Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who say the GOP health-care bill does not go far enough in repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Democrats released the guidance Friday after weeks of consultations with GOP leaders and MacDonough, who determines whether legislation is in line with complex Senate rules. MacDonough advised party leaders that roughly a dozen provisions in the bill may not meet the requirements and would need 60 votes to pass, meaning the 52 Senate Republicans could not pass the measures on their own.

Senate Republican leaders plan to hold a vote next week on some version of the health-care bill but it is unclear what that legislation will include. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has struggled to convince his badly divided party to coalesce around a single option for repealing the ACA.

Leaders planned to vote on a version of a repeal measure that passed the Senate in 2015 before being vetoed by then-President Barack Obama. Under heavy pressure from President Trump, McConnell reopened negotiations over a version of the plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act similar to the one that was the subject of MacDonoughs assessment.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the top Democrat on the Budget Committee, celebrated the guidance as a potentially fatal blow to the Republicans already troubled attempt to gut the Affordable Care act.

The parliamentarians decision today proves once again that the process Republicans have undertaken to repeal the Affordable Care Act and throw 22 million Americans off health insurance is a disaster, Sanders said. It is time for the Republican leadership to junk this bill and work with the American people on legislation which improves the Affordable Care Act, not destroys it.

Republicans sought to downplay the guidance as a preliminary review that was based on an earlier version of the legislation. Leaders could still amend the troubled measures before a vote next week.

This is just guidance on an earlier draft of the bill to help inform action on the legislation going forward, said Joe Brenckle, a spokesman for Senate Budget Committee Republicans.

A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on the parlimentarians deliberations.

Republican leaders chose to use the budget process to pass the health-care rewrite because Senate rules allow budget legislation to pass with 51 votes rather than the 60 votes necessary to pass most other bills. That would allow the 52 Senate Republicans to pass the bill without the help of Democrats. But budget rules also require that the legislation be limited to matters dealing with taxes, spending and the deficit.

MacDonough advised Friday that Republicans long-sought restrictions on abortion funding and a one-year freeze in Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood did not meet those standards. The decision came as a surprise to many Republicans after MacDonough allowed the abortion-related cuts to be included in a 2015 ACA repeal.

But a new estimate from the Congressional Budget Office showed that the measures violated Senate rules by directly targeting a single health provider, according to a Democrat familiar with the deliberations who was granted anonymity to discuss the confidential session.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America hailed the parliamentarians guidance, saying it showed Republicans were singling their group out for punishment.

No amount of legislative sleight of hand will change the fact that the primary motivation here is to pursue a social agenda by targeting Planned Parenthood, said Dana Singiser, the groups vice president for public policy and government affairs, in a statement.

MacDonough also suggested she would block plans to allow states to spend unused Medicaid funds on nonhealth projects like road construction or schools. She signaled similar objections to a proposal that would require people who have gaps in their health coverage to wait six months before buying a plan on the individual market and plans to allow states to drop some coverage requirements in 2020.

The guidance could complicate GOP attempts to convince conservatives to voice their support for the legislation.

On Friday, Vice President Pence hosted representatives from organizations such as the Concerned Women for America, the National Taxpayers Union, American Conservative Union, Club for Growth, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses in his ceremonial office.

Every one of the groups that are gathered here today  the millions that you represent  are here to speak with one voice to say to the Congress: Its time to vote. Its time to act, Pence told the assembled group. Its time to get on with a debate to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Democrats also believe that guidance suggests MacDonough would strike down a slew of state-specific provisions intended to win support from reticent Republicans like Alaskas Lisa Murkowski. The assessment cast doubt on a measure that would limit New York states local Medicaid contribution requirements.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) called it a rebuke of all state-targeted measures.

This will greatly tie the majority leaders hands as he tries to win over reluctant Republicans with state-specific provisions, Schumer said in a statement. We will challenge every one of them.

Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb) was among the senators applauding president Bill Clinton in 1998, but he and Clinton had strong tension in 1993 when Kerrey was the last holdout on Clintons domestic agency. From left to right Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun, D-Ill., Sen. William V. Roth, Jr., R-Del., Rep. Charles B. Rangel, D-NY, Rep. Bill Archer, R.-Texas, Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, Clinton and Kerrey. (Robert A. Reeder/The Washington Post)

It was 1993, and a former rival from the previous years campaign held the presidents first-term agenda in the balance, serving as the last vote on the ambitious domestic policy agenda barely six months into office.

The senator hemmed and hawed, sometimes hiding out, before finally rising to speak. President Clinton, if you are watching now, as I suspect you are, I tell you this: I could not and should not cast a vote that brings down your presidency, Bob Kerrey, the Nebraska Democrat, said in early August as he provided the crucial vote to pass the Clinton economic plan.

President Trump could learn a lot from how Kerrey made the final decision to support his partys president on a major vote early in his term. It could provide guidance on the current battle to find the 50th vote for the floundering health-care legislation or the even tougher legislative efforts to come on taxes and trade.

Trump has struggled mightily with this aspect of his job.

Rather than rallying GOP senators around common cause, Trump often uses his Twitter feed to talk about Republicans as if hes not even a member of their party, In a highly touted White House meeting Wednesday, Trump belittled three Senate Republican holdouts, seeming to threaten their political futures, and he castigated another, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), for making too many television appearances.

The problem is, he thinks the way to get something done is to start off by insulting them, Kerrey, now working for a Manhattan investment bank, said during a 30-minute telephone interview last week.

Kerrey, who won the Medal of Honor from his service in Vietnam, recounted how it took an enormous pressure campaign to win him over despite his complaints that the economic proposal focused too heavily on tax increases and not enough on spending restraints. His closest Senate friends let him know that, if the proposal failed, nothing better was waiting in the wings on a bipartisan approach with Republicans.

One of the central tensions, similar to todays Washington clashes, was the feeling that an early failure on such a big proposal would derail the rest of Clintons first term.

Its the sort of loyalty play that presidents have made for several generations to recalcitrant would-be allies from the same political party, but one Trump is particularly bad at now. His Republican resistance comes from a bloc of senators who refused to endorse his presidential bid  including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Dean Heller (Nev.) and Rob Portman (Ohio)  along with Paul, a former GOP presidential primary rival.

Trumps dismal popularity does not help matters, with last weeks Washington Post-ABC News Poll putting his approval rating at 36 percent.

But those conditions are not all that different than what Clinton faced in the summer of 1993, when his stumbling start left him with just 43 percent of voters approving of his performance.

But one by one, the holdouts sided with Clinton, and finally the entire fate hung on whether Kerrey would deliver the 50th vote and allow the vice president, Al Gore, to break the tie and pass the agenda.

In some ways, Kerrey serves as a composite sketch for todays Republican holdouts against Trump and his health-care overhaul. Kerry was a first-term senator in a state drifting from his own party, much like Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), and he was a war hero along the lines of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has also hesitated to embrace the GOP plan

Kerrey had run against Clinton in the previous years primary, and this had become a running undercurrent in the coverage, as it is now with Paul and Trump.

Kerrey lost most of a leg in Vietnam, and news coverage contrasted his war hero status with Clintons efforts to avoid the draft. Kerrey adamantly said, then and now, that he was not trying to sabotage Clintons presidency. Moreover, given the trajectory of Clintons entire two terms, Kerrey thinks it is ridiculous to see that 1993 proposal as a definitive point if it had failed.

That was an exaggeration. That wouldnt have brought down his presidency, Kerrey said.

Still, Clinton did his best to make Kerrey believe that the failure would signal a collapse of his presidency.

If I dont get this, Im just going to go back to Little Rock, the former Arkansas governor told Kerrey, according to the Nebraskans recollection.

There, things get confusing. One historical account has Kerrey cursing out Clinton, but Kerrey swears it was the other way around. Kerreys account is that he made a joke that Little Rock was an option for Clinton, but the president responded with a forceful curse.

And then hung up.

The courtship didnt end there. As he told The Posts Dan Balz in an interview a day after the vote, Kerry began as a solid no but White House officials kept working him. And despite the clashes with Clinton, Kerrey appreciated the presidents deep knowledge of the policy  quite a contrast to Trumps grasp on details.

He knew it cold. He knows policy backward and forward, Kerrey said of Clinton.

When Kerrey finally decided to vote yes  I just thoughts just the best we could get done  he wrote his speech and decided he needed space.

He went to Union Stations now-shuttered movie theater and watched Whats Love Got To Do With It.

By himself.

It was just much easier to cast a difficult vote then than it is today, he said. If it was today, there wouldve been someone in the movie theater with a phone.

Kerreys final concession was getting Clinton to agree to appoint a commission to study the long-term cost effects of entitlements. He returned home, fought hard and explained why he voted to raise taxes in a state trending Republican. He won by 10 percentage points.

To those wavering senators today, the former Navy SEAL has very succinct advice on approaching big votes.

Dont be last and dont be afraid, he said. Theyre not firing live rounds.

Read more from Paul Kanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
The Polish Parliaments move on Saturday to subvert judicial independence has opened a searing debate about whether a nation once held up as a paragon of post-communist democracy has slid back into a darker era.

The Senates 55-23 vote on the measure, which is widely expected to be signed into law by President Andrzej Duda, capped a 20-month procession by the right-wing ruling Law and Justice party to bring Polands independent institutions under its control. The swift offensive has left leaders who toppled communist rule in 1989 to question whether they succeeded in embedding democratic norms in a state that was under Soviet domination for decades.

Lech Walesa, a former Polish president and leader of Solidarity, the labor union that helped precipitate communisms fall across Europe, called Saturday for a mass effort to reengage citizens about the importance of the separation of powers.

Our generation managed, in the most improbable situation, to lead Poland to freedom, he told a crowd gathered in Gdansks Solidarity Square. You cannot let anyone interrupt this victory, especially you young people.

The erosion of the rule of law also raises difficult questions for the European Union, which once saw Polish democracy and prosperity as its biggest success after the 2004 expansion that encompassed much of Eastern Europe. Now, E.U. leaders are threatening to suspend Polands voting rights in decisions of the bloc, though they may be thwarted by the veto of Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, another post-communist prime minister who has centralized power in defiance of democratic norms.

Opposition supporters shout slogans and raise lights and candles as they protest in front of the Supreme Court against a law on court control in Warsaw, Friday, July 21. (Alik Keplicz/AP)

Polands disregard for the E.U.s warnings  and the opposition of tens of thousands of protesters who have taken to the streets in recent days  comes amid a global wave of nationalism that crested last year with Britain's decision to leave the E.U. and the election of Donald Trump. Saturdays vote, which unfolded soon after Trump visited Warsaw and praised its populist leaders, may be another measure of the transatlantic echoes of the American election.

The U.S. State Department sounded an alarm about the measure, which would cast out all current justices of the Supreme Court, except those handpicked by the governing partys justice minister. But Trumps visit was tacit support for Law and Justice leaders, said Michal Kobosko, director of the Atlantic Councils Warsaw Global Forum, and encouraged them to move forward with their offensive against the courts. Another measure would dissolve the independent body that selects judges. And the Constitutional Tribunal, the authority capable of invalidating the legislation, has been filled with government loyalists.

Behind the monument to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, the backdrop for Trumps speech, sits the Supreme Court. Its top judge, Malgorzata Gersdorf, said she will probably lose her job as a result of the changes. She is scheduled to meet Monday with Duda, the president and a former Law and Justice member of Parliament. He is a close ally of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the architect of the effort to bring the courts to heel.

Gersdorf said the judiciary is the last independent institution protecting citizens from an authoritarian state whose aim, she said, is removing legal obstacles to interference in elections. The government has already clamped down on public media and restricted democratic assembly

The last barrier is the Supreme Court, she said in an interview. This change would undo our democratic system based on the independence of the courts. Each citizen has to know that a judge wont fall in front of political power.

According to Law and Justice, however, the courts are riddled with corruption, a product of lingering communist influence. The charge, said Jan Gross, a Polish-born professor of Eastern European history at Princeton University, is total nonsense. He called the proposed changes an indigenous assault on democracy and decency.

Law and Justice calls them democracy in action. A professional and honest system of justice is a dream of many Poles, said the ruling partys justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro. Poles chose our program. This is democracy.

Polling suggests that a majority of the country wants Duda to veto the legislation. At the same time, there is strong support for Law and Justice, which leads its closest competitor, the center-right Civic Platform, by double digits.

Zygmunt Poziomka, a former coal miner who stood wrapped in a Polish flag outside the Senate building Friday, said Law and Justice was returning control of the courts to people ill-served by negotiations in 1989 over Polands post-communist future.

The communists are still there  just the sons instead of their fathers, said Poziomka, 58. Its been 72 years since World War II, and they still wont let Poland have a chance. Finally Trump let the world see that Warsaw had an uprising, that we fought and had a vision.

Kaczynski, the leader of Law and Justice, is the son of a veteran of the uprising, and his political vision is defined by national victimhood, not just in World War II but in the decades since, Gross said. The most powerful politician in Poland, Kaczynski continues to insist that a 2010 plane crash that killed his brother, Lech Kaczynski, then the nations president, was orchestrated by the Russians, with the help of Civic Platform and its leader at the time, Donald Tusk, who is now president of the European Council.

This is the underlying dispute that defines Polish politics right now, said the Atlantic Councils Kobosko.

Conspiracy theories, as well as the governments broadside against the courts, have found support among people left out by the transition from communism, said Rafal Trzaskowski, a Civic Platform member of Parliament. These are people who dont travel or use the infrastructure that came with integration, and we failed to communicate with them.

Law and Justice, he said, uses that resentment to deny the legitimacy of negotiations in 1989 that brought a peaceful end to communism  talks in which Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his brother played a minor role and later dismissed as the collusion of elites.

This is the beginning of the end of a democracy, Trzaskowski said, lamenting that opposition lawmakers could do little beyond joining the demonstrations.

One protester, Radomir Szumelda, a leader of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy, a civic group promoting liberal values, said the aim is to sustain public outcry until the government takes notice. In particular, he said, they are seeking to pressure the president to veto the legislation, which remains unlikely even though Duda expressed some concerns Saturday through a spokesman.

We will show that we refuse to live without freedom, said Szumelda, 45. Young people who didnt live under communism may not know what that was like, but they are also joining us, and together we are saying that we cant go back.

Protester Sasza Reznikow, a 31-year-old actor, immigrated to Poland from neighboring Belarus in 2006 to escape the dictatorship. Now, he said, he sees Poland lurching to the East.

Klaudia Kocimska and Magdalena Foremska in Warsaw and Michael Birnbaum in Brussels contributed to this report.

Read more

It only took two years for a robust European democracy to fall apart

Trumps visit to Poland seen as a snub to the E.U. and Germany

Europe is starkly divided over whether democracy is working

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Israeli security forces frisk a Palestinian man outside Lions' Gate, a main entrance to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, on July 22. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images)

Israeli forces fanned out across East Jerusalem and the West Bank on Saturday, carrying out raids and arrests a day after three Palestinians were killed in violent protests and after three Israeli settlers were knifed to death in their kitchen during a birthday celebration.

Israeli soldiers blocked access to the village of Khobar in the West Bank, home to the 19-year-old Palestinian assailant who hopped the fence surrounding the Jewish settlement of Halamish on Friday night and stabbed to death three Israelis  a father and his two adult children  who had gathered for the Sabbath meal.

Israeli officials blamed the killings on Palestinian incitement. It is a terrorist act committed by a human animal, infused with abhorrent hatred, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Palestinians in turn said it was Netanyahu who was acting recklessly.

Israel and the Palestinians are locked in a showdown over Israels decision to install metal detectors at the entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalems Old City after a shooting rampage at the site eight days ago. Three Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli police officers outside the mosque before being shot dead themselves.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Friday night that his government would freeze contact on all levels with Israel until the detectors are removed.

Israeli officials say that the detectors are vital for security after the gun attack outside the mosque. Palestinians say they will refuse to pass through the devices, which they condemn as another implement of control employed by a hostile force.

On Saturday, Abbass political party, Fatah, asserted that the protests will not stop until a Palestinian victory and the release of the holy sites from Israeli occupation.

Envoys from the Middle East Quartet, representing the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, urged maximum restraint by all sides. American diplomats were involved in talks with Israel and Jordan, which oversees care of the mosque.

Israeli leaders downplayed Abbass threat to cut off contact, saying the Palestinian leader was bluffing to rally support on the street. The Israelis said that if Abbas really did end security coordination between Palestinian police and their Israeli counterparts, it would be Abbas and his people who would suffer the most.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited the scene where Fridays deadly knife attack took place. Israelis were shocked by photographs released by the army that showed the kitchen floor of the home covered in blood of the three victims: Yosef, Chaya and Elad Salomon.

Lieberman called on Abbas to condemn the massacre that was carried out yesterday against an innocent family that didnt endanger anyone, according to the Defense Ministry.

Abbass deputies said Israel had unleashed the violence by provocative changes to security at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as the Temple Mount, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews.

Just hours before he stabbed the Jewish family in the West Bank, the assailant, Omar al-Abed, typed a last testament on his Facebook page

All I have is a sharpened knife, and it responds to the call of al-Aqsa, he wrote. Shame on you, you who preach hate. God will take revenge on you. We are all sons of Palestine and sons of al-Aqsa. You, the sons of monkeys and pigs, if you do not open the gates of al-Aqsa, I am sure that after me they will come after you and beat you with an iron first, I warn you.

Abeds father told the Associated Press his son believed he was defending Muslim honor. An uncle told reporters that Abed had spent two weeks in a Palestinian jail, where he was interrogated by Abbass security police, who suspected that Abed was plotting to attack Israelis.

Read more

With a push from Trumps envoy, Israel and the Palestinians make a water deal

As Palestinian leaders fight over Gaza, Israel worries Hamas will go to war

A new Jewish settlement begins to rise in the West Bank

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Two former senior Obama administration intelligence officials on Friday expressed anger at President Trumps statements disparaging the intelligence community and disbelief at his embrace of Russia.

In remarkably strong terms and in their first extensive remarks on the topic since leaving office on Jan. 20, former CIA director John Brennan and former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. let loose on Trump, who before taking office had compared his intelligence community to Nazi Germany.

That was a terrible, insulting affront to the rank and file  completely inappropriate, over-the-top, Clapper said at the Aspen Security Forum. He said he could not let that pass and had called Trump to register his displeasure.

Brennan said its interesting that Trump will invoke U.S. intelligence when it suits his foreign policy aims in North Korea, Syria or Iran. But when its inconsistent with . . . preconceived notions as well as maybe preferences to what the truth would be and the analysts conclusions are disparaged, thats when Jim Clappers blood and my blood boils, he said.

A case in point is the intelligence communitys assessment made public in January that Putin ordered a campaign to meddle in the 2016 U.S. election, sow discord, undermine Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and help Trump win.

The intelligence chiefs, including then-FBI Director James B. Comey, briefed Trump on Jan. 6 at Trump Tower in New York.

What we did do is give him the benefit of the evidence, which they could not share with the public, Clapper said. He added: I thought it was pretty compelling.

That day, Trump did not push back on it, Clapper said. But since then, Trump has expressed doubts that the intelligence showed Moscows culpability. I think it could very well have been Russia, but I think it could well have been other countries, Trump said at a speech in Poland a day before he met with Putin this month. Nobody really knows for sure.

That contradiction of his own intelligence community, Clapper said, put him at a great disadvantage in the run-up to his meeting with President Putin.

The veteran intelligence figures  whose years of service together total more than seven decades  were remarkably candid, with Clapper showing some gallows humor. I was kind of hopeful that after [Trump] got rid of the two chief Nazis  John and me  then maybe things would have improved.

He added: Its liberating to be a former official.

Brennan said he was dismayed by the photo op of Trump leaning over and telling Putin its an honor to be with you. That, he said, was not the honorable thing to say. The Russian leader assaulted one of the foundational pillars of our democracy  our electoral system . . . invaded Ukraine, annexed Crimea, has suppressed and repressed political opponents in Russia and has caused the death or killed many of them.

Said Brennan: For someone who knows the art of the deal, I thought it was a very, very bad negotiating tactic.

Asked by the moderator, CNNs Wolf Blitzer, why Trump seemed so uncritical of Russia, Brennan said that he found incongruous Trumps position toward the Kremlin and the negative things he says about U.S. intelligence agencies.

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III is conducting an investigation into whether Trump or his associates coordinated with Moscow in the election meddling. The probe has upset Trump, who in May fired Comey, who was then running the probe. Trump has accused Muellers team of having conflicts of interest that undercut their credibility, and he has not disavowed the possibility that he might fire Mueller.

If Trump attempts to fire Mueller, I hope that our members of Congress are going to stand up and say, Enough is enough,  Brennan said.

He added that he thought it would be the obligation of executive branch officials to refuse to carry out such an order.

On Dec. 29, the Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia over its election interference. The sanctions included the seizure of two Russian compounds that the administration said were used in part for spying. The Trump administration reportedly is considering returning them to Moscows custody.

What have the Russians done to deserve getting them back? Clapper said.

I dont see any earthly reason to do that, Brennan added.

At the end of their panel discussion, Clapper and Brennan received a standing ovation.
Calling the targeted enforcement action an expansion of President Donald Trumps crackdown on illegal immigrants, Reuters reported the action targets teenagers between the ages of 16- and 17-years-old.

Reuters cites an internal memo obtained from an unnamed source at ICE. The news service claims the move is an expansion of the deportation policy previously established under the Obama Administration where teens were only arrested for deportation if they had been convicted of a crime. The new action targets teens allegedly tied to criminal gangs.

The memo lists criteria for determining gang affiliation, Reuters stated. To be designated as a gang member the person must meet two of the following:

The targeted enforcement operation is scheduled to begin on Sunday, the memo states. While the agency does not officially comment on pending law enforcement actions, an unnamed official told Reuters the operation is still scheduled to begin Sunday but could be rescheduled.

Immigration lawyer David Leopold of Ulmer & Berne told Reuters they are concerned that innocent teens could be arrested during the operations.

In many cases, children dont freely decide to join a gang. They are threatened by older gang members and forced to get a gang tattoo if they live in a certain neighborhood, he told the news service.

The memo states the operation will also target parents who crossed the border illegally with their children and who are the subject of an order of removal from an immigration judge, along with people who originally crossed the border illegally as children without their guardian and have since turned 18.

Enforcement and Removal Operations officers have been directed to identify people in their specific areas of operation who meet the above criteria.

President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have made the targeting of criminal gang members a priority. In April, Breitbart Texas reported Sessions sent a warning to MS-13 gang members, saying, We are targeting you.

The MS-13 motto is kill, rape, and control, Sessions said during a speech at the U.S. Courthouse in Central Islip, New York. I have a message to the gangs that are targeting our young people: We are targeting you. We are coming after you.

In June, an FBI official testified before the House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence and called MS-13 the most violent and most organized criminal gang in America.

MS-13 is not the largest street gang in the United States; it is increasingly the most violent and well-organized, FBI Assistant Director for New York told the representatives.

On June 10, Breitbart Texas reported that the numbers of unaccompanied minors (UACs) being apprehended at our southern border with Mexico, particularly from El Salvador, was once again on the rise. Although there had been a six-month downtrend, 8,005 UACs from El Salvador have been apprehended after crossing the border illegally since October 1, 2016. There were 1,493 apprehended in May alone  nearly a fifty percent increase from the previous month.

MS-13 members frequently recruit children who are illegal immigrants. The FBI assistant director from New York told members of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence that MS-13 members are typically much younger than those connected to other street gangs. They take cues from the gang instead of relying on a productive family structure. Also, those emigrating from El Salvador to the United States are known to be exposed and desensitized to extreme violence at an early age.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook





An American immigrant is not someone supported by government funds in a "relocation" center; flown over here at government expense; given a cash allowance, free housing, and medical care; and then eased onto local public assistance: Section 8 rental grants, food stamps, WIC, AFDC, clothes from one government-sponsored charity or another, Medicaid, and public schooling, with free lunch and breakfasts and even help with furniture. That's not an immigrant. That's a future Democrat voter. ----- RICHARD F. MINITER  AMERICAN THINKER.com













July 19, 2017





Can we stop with the 'nation of immigrants' mantra?









I have a strong stomach, but if I hear one more Democrat justify the government's importation of Syrian, Roma, Somalian, Afghan, and Libyan peoples, and their grandmothers, by mindlessly chanting that we're a "nation of immigrants," I'll retch.

An immigrant is my great grandmother trotting off a sailing ship in a snowstorm in Lower Manhattan with nothing in her purse, surprised that she couldn't walk the miles to where her aunt had a job for her in Brooklyn and having to spend a day hungry and freezing until a priest paid her ten-cent ferry fare. An immigrant is the very successful Chinese woman I did some business with who came over in the nineties with her extended family. She was on public assistance "two weeks," she told me proudly, before they founded "two corporations" making things by hand for the aircraft aftermarket in their tiny apartment. An immigrant is the Jew jammed into a tenement on Lower East Side (then the most densely populated place on Earth) at the turn of the last century  a worker in the "needle trade" who lived cheek by jowl with the other workers in order to save the few dollars necessary to bring his family over. These are families who, once they arrived, all went to work themselves. An immigrant is the Palatine German clearing a farm in the Mohawk Valley in the 1700s and starving until he and his wife and children could bring a crop in. It's the Cuban who fled Communism and labored sixty hours a week in the building trades in order to pay his son's freight in law school.

An American immigrant is not someone supported by government funds in a "relocation" center; flown over here at government expense; given a cash allowance, free housing, and medical care; and then eased onto local public assistance: Section 8 rental grants, food stamps, WIC, AFDC, clothes from one government-sponsored charity or another, Medicaid, and public schooling, with free lunch and breakfasts and even help with furniture.

That's not an immigrant. That's a future Democrat voter.

The American immigrant was never a burden  which is why we raised the lamp beside the golden door for them. They made us all richer with what they gave, with how they gave of themselves in America. But transporting a class of people here who believe we owe them a good living has nothing to do with what made America great. That's doubly true when so many of these "immigrants" despise our most closely held beliefs and insist we acquiesce to certain ugly practices.

So stop already.

They're not immigrants.

Richard F. Miniter lives and writes in the colonial-era hamlet of Stone Ridge, New York and may be reached at miniterhome@gmail.com . The acclaimed author of The Things I Want Most, his most recent book, What Sort of Parents Should We Be?: A Man's Guide to Raising Exceptional Children, is now available here . The Things I Want MostWhat Sort of Parents Should We Be?: A Man's Guide to Raising Exceptional Children





IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT A STATE OVERWHELMED



WITH IMMIGRANTS LOOKS LIKE, JUST COME TO



MEXIFORNIA!







THE CA STATE GOV HANDS ILLEGALS $30 BILLION IN



SOCIAL SERVICES WITH COUNTIES HANDING OUT



EVEN MORE. LOS ANGELES COUNTY HANDS MEXICAN



ANCHOR BABY BREEDERS MORE THAN A BILLION!!! IN



WELFARE.







MEXICANS COMMIT 93% OF ALL MURDERS IN LOS



ANGELES AND NEARLY HALF OF ALL MURDERS IN CA



ARE NOW BY MEX GANGS.







ISN'T IT TIME WE WORRIED ABOUT OUR OWN



INVADED BORDERS AND STOPPED WORRYING ABOUT



BORDERS OVER THERE?!?













UNDERSTAND THE INVADERS.....BASIC FACTS ON LA RAZA:





La Raza has an operating budget of nearly 100 million per year. This comes from big business, such as La Raza donors Bank of America and Wells Fargo, both of which illegally open bank accounts for illegals and make billions off sub-prime mortgages to them. Another is La Raza donor Bill Gates, an advocate of open borders to depress wages for stupid gringos. La Raza also receives millions of dollars in your tax money. Yes, I repeat; your tax dollars go to support this racist party of the invaders. Harry Reid recently went to Congress and easily obtained another 5 million dollars for this racist organization. The Mexican government is obviously a major financier of La Raza and is spending 100 million in PR costs to keep the invasion in full momentum. Mexico has their surge as well. Its on our undefended borders!

La Razas doctrine is that the American middle class should be Mexicos welfare system. We pay for the free delivery of millions of illegals (now 1 in 5 in Los Angeles), educate their children, pay out welfare, which in Los Angeles County is 40 million per month, and house their criminal drug gangs in the largest prison system in the United States. The cost of depressed wages for Americans from the Mexican invasion and occupation is calculated to be 200 billion annually.

Mexico is listed by the Christian Science Monitor as one of the most corrupt nations in the world with more billionaires than even Saudi Arabia. To maintain the oligarchys control on their economys monopolies, they must dump their poor, pregnant and criminal classes over our border so we pick up their welfare and education costs. An example of Mexican economics is Carlos Slim. Slim controls Mexicos phone monopoly. Mexicans pay the highest phone rates in the hemisphere. Carlos Slim has assets of over $70 billion.

While we are Mexicos welfare system, the second biggest stream of money Mexico takes in is transfers from illegals working in the United States back to Mexico. This is another reason Bank of America and Wells Fargo violate Federal laws and illegally open bank accounts using fraudulent IDs. The transfer fees are a huge cash cow for these La Raza donors. The government of Narco-Mex had set up nearly 50 Mexican consulates (compare to the UK which has 8) to hand out their phony consulate IDs the banks are happy to pretend are legit.









July 16, 2017

Europe Must Resist Third-World Migration









Bill Gates has recently commended Germany for allocating 0.7% of GDP for payments to fight poverty in less developed developing countries (LDDCs). With his infinite browser wisdom, he asserts that the developed world, especially Europe, must increase these contributions or face a flood of migration from the LDDCs that will overwhelm the continent. We all understand that by "overwhelm," he is referring to crime, housing, health care, education, and cultural viability of European identities. In short, the Europe we know will be crushed. Gates's vocabulary includes terms like "unfolding tragedy," "migratory pressure," and "development aid payments." He is fixated on drama ("tragedy"), demography, and the tired category of development that has become a cliche in use for the last 72 years since the end of WWII. These terms out of the business and administrative glossary fail to capture the depth and danger of the situation Gates is referring to.

Gates thinks the migration can be stopped by an even greater effort to rehab (read: buy off) the LDDCs under the decades-old rubric of development. Again, according to the guilt-ridden, weakened leftist mindset, it's so sad to see those sub-Saharans and Arabs living in great poverty and under-development that we need to throw more money at the problem, and thereby save ourselves. So Gates is not really changing his tune. He's not worried about obliterating European identities or economies. Rather, he is still singing the old liberal-left song. Throw money at vast social problems, and your peace and stability will be assured.

Building up the LDDC economies is not a new idea. This has been the cliched response since the end of WWII when the U.N., the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank were founded. Going back to the 1960s, Walter Rostow, one of Harvard's eminent economists, projected his theory of the "take-off stage." With economic development support through the three above-named institutions, the poorest countries would be subsidized and finally move to the take-off stage, where they could generate sufficient surplus capital to manage and grow their own assets and begin to develop viable economic projects and infrastructure without "development funds" and without the currency undergirding of the IMF.

These take-off stages never materialized.

Nevertheless, the United Nations has intensified its commitment to saving the LDDCs from self-destruction. The latest round of this utopian vision is the formulation by the United Nations of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the developing world. For the purposes of this article, it is worth noting that their goal of the elimination or radical reduction of poverty acknowledges that despite the efforts of the United Nations for 72 years, there are 867 million people in the world living in poverty defined as income of less than $1.25 a day.

The implementation of programs in support of the U.N.'s SDGs involves providing the people in the least developed countries with welfare in every area of their lives. It is projected as a global welfare system that will make the welfare systems of the U.S. or even Europe look like child's play. Housing, food, health, employment, childbearing, childrearing, education, gender equality, etc. are areas for dedicated U.N. action. Multiple sectors of third-world economies will be upheld by a vast global welfare bureaucracy. Do you think we as taxpaying Americans (45% do not pay any tax) are burdened now? Wait and see what is moving to the front burner! Obviously, Bill Gates, former boy wonder, and now the richest man in the world, sees a speedup of the SDG implementation as essential for stemming the tide of migration. But instead of talking about an explosion of economic support and world governance beyond anything ever dreamed of on planet Earth, he hides the horrific reality behind abstractions like "increasing the percentage contributions of national GDP by developed countries."

He says nothing about confronting the "small matters" of governmental corruption, governmental waste, and tribal conflict in the LDDCs. Inter-tribal warfare is a norm in sub-Saharan Africa. We give money despite the fact that genocide and civil wars in many countries is the norm. Likewise in the Middle East. We see Muslim against Muslim as well as Muslim against infidels for 1,400 years. All they know is the fight for power.

Instead of increasing the amounts of "developmental assistance," there should be increased resistance to terrible third-world governance and to migration. This resistance must be multi-pronged. There must be pushback against the U.N.'s SDG Programs, there must be pushback against the corrupt World Bank and IMF, and there must be pushback against migration from Africa and the Middle East.

Europe is experiencing an invasion. Powerful segments of political leadership in North America are attempting to open the doors to invasion. What should be done? There should be a lessening of welfare payments to refugees and migrants to Europe, Canada, and the USA as a disincentive to leave the home countries, and as an incentive for refugees and migrants to leave these wealthy areas and go back to their native lands. Additionally, some boats will have to be turned away since the occupants do not have papers. Extreme vetting of refugees from war-torn sub-Saharan and Middle Eastern countries must be instituted.

A massive campaign of literature should be dropped on those countries with high migration telling them that there are no facilities for them in their goal countries, and they will be turned back. Matchbooks should be dropped by the millions (this matchbook technique has been used on other occasions, notably when they were searching worldwide for Ramzi Yousef, the bomber of the World Trade Center in the early 1990s) announcing that the immigration venues have been closed. Get this message to the people. The matchbooks could be in French, English, Arabic, and Swahili.

Let us learn from history. Migration of Germanic tribes was the undoing of the Roman Empire. The Romans could not stem the tide. Various strategies were undertaken, but they failed in the end. The Vandals, Franks, Saxons, Angles, Ostrogoths, and Visigoths just kept coming. Eventually, the migrants, called "barbarians" by the Romans, were brought into the military to help support the Roman defense against border crossing, but the Germanics who were in the Roman army coalesced and fought against that selfsame army...and won! Embracing a threat, even a supposed controlled embrace, leads to an undesirable endgame. Rome was sacked and destroyed in the 5th century.

We are facing a threat of this magnitude, whether Bill "The Genius" Gates realizes it or not. His genius in business may not translate into wisdom or a grasp of historical realities.





FORMER LOS ANGELES MAYOR AND NOW CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF CA, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS A MEMBER OF THE MEX FASCIST PARTY of M.E.Ch.A.



Mecha's (M.E.Ch.A.) own slogan reads, "For the race everything. For those outside the race, nothing."





The comparison to the Nazi Party is well deserved. La Raza openly supports pushing all but Latino Americans out of a portion of the United States (ethnic cleansing), they call for 'Reconquista' or the re-conquest of the American Southwest by Mexico (the re-occupation of the Sudetanland), and the establishment of 'Atzlan' which is the utopian all-Latino version of the American Southwestern states (Adolf Hitler planned to called his utopia Germania).





"Despite the fact that the majority of documented hispanics oppose illegal immigration, as do the majority of Americans, Aztlan and La Raza race hate groups have become the self-appointed voice for a separatist movement that threatens a violent overthrow of the Constitutional system and a barbaric program of ethnic cleansing.





This is held up by the media as 'diversity' and to vociferously oppose it is scorned as racism."





Jose Pescador Osuna, Mexican Consul General We are practicing "La Reconquista" in California."





"Weve got an even more ominous enemy within our borders that promotes Reconquista of Aztlan or the reconquest of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas into the country of Mexico."





"Remember 187 -- the Proposition to deny taxpayer funds for services to non-citizens --- was the last gasp of white America in California." --- Art Torres, Chairman of the California Democratic Party NOW THE PARTY for LA RAZA SUPREMACY do a search for Barack Obama and LA RAZA.





"The American Southwest seems to be slowly returning to the jurisdiction of Mexico without firing a single shot." --- Excelsior , the national newspaper of Mexico





The watchdogs at Judicial Watch discovered documents that reveal how the Obama administration's close coordination with the Mexican government entices Mexicans to hop over the fence and on to the American dole. Washington Times



FOR 8 YEARS BARACK OBAMA USED AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS TO FUND THE MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY OF LA RAZA WHICH OPERATED OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE UNDER LA RAZA V.P. CECILIA MUNOZ.









Make no mistake about it: the Latino community holds this



election in your hands. Some of the closest contests this



November will be in states like Florida, Colorado, Nevada and



New Mexico -- states with large Latino populations.







BARACK OBAMA





I know how powerful this community is. Just think how



powerful you could be on November 4th if you translate your



numbers into votes. BARACK OBAMA





OBAMAS HISPANICAZATION of AMERICA  The rise of the Mex welfare state in America









BARACK OBAMA and the RISE and FUNDING of the MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY of LA RAZA The Race









Acting more like Hitler every day, Obama's strategy to destroy America to build his Muslim-style dictatorship.



OBAMAS LA RAZA BUNKER





OBAMAS SECRET STEALTH HEADQUARTERS to manage AMNESTY SURRENDER





We are trying hard not to be heavy handed about what we are doing, said Cecilia Munoz, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and the presidents point person on immigration. (CECILIA MUNOZ IS A V.P. FOR THE MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY of LA RAZA)













FIFTEEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LA RAZA THE RACE Obama-funded Mexican fascism in our borders!





by Michelle Malkin









"The American Southwest seems to be slowly returning to the jurisdiction of Mexico without firing a single shot." --- Excelsior, the national newspaper of Mexico









STATE by STATE 49 more mexifornias





WE ARE MEXICOS WELFARE and PRISON SYSTEMS!





Mexicos government has provided its nationals with valuable tools to help them cross the border safely but Dominguez is the first American resident, with a salary provided by U.S. taxpayers, to openly promote such a gadget. A few years ago Mexican officials published a 32-page booklet (Guia Del Migrante Mexicano) with safety tips for border crossers and distributed hand-held satellite devices to ensure the violators complete their journey safely.





In Mexico, a recent Zogby poll declared that the vast majority of Mexican citizens hate Americans. [22.2] Mexico is a country saturated with racism, yet in denial, having never endured the social development of a Civil Rights movement like in the US--Blacks are harshly treated while foreign Whites are often seen as the enemy. [22.3] In fact, racism as workplace discrimination can be seen across the US anywhere the illegal alien Latino works--the vast majority of the workforce is usually strictly Latino, excluding Blacks, Whites, Asians, and others.





UNDERSTAND THE INVADERS.....BASIC FACTS ON LA RAZA:





La Raza has an operating budget of nearly 100 million per year. This comes from big business, such as La Raza donors Bank of America and Wells Fargo, both of which illegally open bank accounts for illegals and make billions off sub-prime mortgages to them. Another is La Raza donor Bill Gates, an advocate of open borders to depress wages for stupid gringos. La Raza also receives millions of dollars in your tax money. Yes, I repeat; your tax dollars go to support this racist party of the invaders. Harry Reid recently went to Congress and easily obtained another 5 million dollars for this racist organization. The Mexican government is obviously a major financier of La Raza and is spending 100 million in PR costs to keep the invasion in full momentum. Mexico has their surge as well. Its on our undefended borders!

La Razas doctrine is that the American middle class should be Mexicos welfare system. We pay for the free delivery of millions of illegals (now 1 in 5 in Los Angeles), educate their children, pay out welfare, which in Los Angeles County is 40 million per month, and house their criminal drug gangs in the largest prison system in the United States. The cost of depressed wages for Americans from the Mexican invasion and occupation is calculated to be 200 billion annually.

Mexico is listed by the Christian Science Monitor as one of the most corrupt nations in the world with more billionaires than even Saudi Arabia. To maintain the oligarchys control on their economys monopolies, they must dump their poor, pregnant and criminal classes over our border so we pick up their welfare and education costs. An example of Mexican economics is Carlos Slim. Slim controls Mexicos phone monopoly. Mexicans pay the highest phone rates in the hemisphere. Carlos Slim has assets of over $70 billion.

While we are Mexicos welfare system, the second biggest stream of money Mexico takes in is transfers from illegals working in the United States back to Mexico. This is another reason Bank of America and Wells Fargo violate Federal laws and illegally open bank accounts using fraudulent IDs. The transfer fees are a huge cash cow for these La Raza donors. The government of Narco-Mex had set up nearly 50 Mexican consulates (compare to the UK which has 8) to hand out their phony consulate IDs the banks are happy to pretend are legit.





Wherever theres a Mexican, there is Mexico!... President Calderone.





THE LA RAZA AGENDA





TAKEN FROM TRANSCRIPTS DATED 1995. MANY OF THESE LA RAZA POLITICIANS HAVE WON HIGHER OFFICES WITH THE VOTES OF ILLEGALS.





Agendas of MEChA, La Raza, MALDEF, and Southwest Voter Registration Projects These are transcripts of live, recorded statements by elected U.S. politicians, college professors, and pro-illegal alien activists whose objective is to take control of our country "by vote if possible and violence if necessary!" 1. Armando Navarro, Prof. Ethnic Studies, UC Riverside at Latino Summit Response to Prop 187, UC Riverside, 1/1995





"These are the critical years for us as a Latino community. We're in a state of transition. And that transformation is called 'the browning of America'. Latinos are now becoming the majority. Because I know that time and history is on the side of the Chicano/Latino community. It is changing in the future and in the present the balance of power of this nation. It's a game - it's a game of power - who controls it. You (to MEChA students) are like the generals that command armies. We're in a state of war. This Proposition 187 is a declaration of war against the Latino/Chicano community of this country. They know the demographics. They know that history and time is on our side. As one community, as one people, as one nation within a nation as the community that we are, the Chicano/Latino community of this nation. What this means is a transfer of power. It means control."





THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF THE AMERICAS... IS MEXICAN!





REMEMBER: (PROPOSITION) 187 IS THE LAST GASP OF WHITE AMERICA IN CALIFORNIA! Art Torres

2. ART TORRES

Art Torres, former CA state senator, currently Chair of California Democrat Party at UC Riverside 1/1995 "Que viva la causa! It is an honor to be with the new leadership of the Americas, here meeting at UC Riverside. So with 187 on the ballot, what is it going to take for our people to vote - to see us walking into the gas ovens? It is electoral power that is going to make the determination of where we go as a community. And power is not given to you -- you have to take it. Remember: 187 is the last gasp of white America in California. Understand that. And people say to me on the Senate floor when I was in the Senate, 'Why do you fight so hard for affirmative action programs?' And I tell my white colleagues, 'because you're going to need them.'"





WE ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS THAT CAME FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY....WE ARE FREE TO TRAVEL THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE AMERICAS BECAUSE WE BELONG HERE.





3. Jose Angel Gutierrez, Prof. Univ. Texas at Arlington, founder La Raza Unida Party at UC Riverside 1/1995 "The border remains a military zone. We remain a hunted people. Now you think you have a destiny to fulfill in the land that historically has been ours for forty thousand years. And we're a new Mestizo nation. And they want us to discuss civil rights. Civil rights. What law made by white men to oppress all of us of color, female and male. This is our homeland. We cannot - we will not- and we must not be made illegal in our own homeland. We are not immigrants that came from another country to another country. We are migrants, free to travel the length and breadth of the Americas because we belong here. We are millions. We just have to survive. We have an aging white America. They are not making babies. They are dying. It's a matter of time. The explosion is in our population."





WE HAVE TO BAND TOGETHER, AND THAT MEANS LATINOS IN FLORIDA, CUBAN-AMERICANS, MEXICAN-AMERICAS, PUERTO RICANS, SOUTH AMERICANS, WE HAVE TO NETWORK BETTER......





BILL RICHARDSON. WE ALL WERE WITNESS TO OBAMA, ALWAYS THE HISPANDERER, ATTEMPT TO PUT RICHARDSON IN HIS CABINET TO SIGNAL THE ILLEGALS THAT AMNESTY WAS COMING. LIKE MOST HISPANIC POLITICIANS, RICHARDSON WAS TOO CORRUPT TO PASS EVEN THE CORRUPT CONGRESS AND WITHDREW HIS NOMINATION.

4. Bill Richardson, New Mexico Governor, former U.S. Congressman, U.N. Ambassador, U.S. Secretary of Energy interviewed on radio Latino USA responding to Congressional Immigration Reform legislation in 1996 "There are changing political times where our basic foundations and programs are being attacked, illegal and legal immigration are being unfairly attacked. We have to band together, and that means Latinos in Florida, Cuban-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, South Americans, we have to network better - we have to be more politically minded, we have to put aside party and think of ourselves as Latinos, as Hispanics more than we have in the past."





WERE GOING TO TAKE OVER ALL THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS IN CALIFORNIA. IN FIVE YEARS THE HISPANICS ARE GOING TO BE THE MAJORITY POPULATION OF THIS STATE.... ANYONE THAT DOESNT LIKE IT SHOULD LEAVE IT! --- Mario Obledo





Mario Obledo, founding member/former national director of Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), former CA Secretary Health/Welfare on Tom Leikus radio talk show "We're going to take over all the political institutions in California. In five years the Hispanics are going to be the majority population of this state." Caller: "You also made the statement that California is going to become a Hispanic state and if anyone doesn't like it they should leave - did you say that?" Obledo: "I did. They ought to go back to Europe."





WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA... THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION STATE!





6. Mario Obledo CCIR commentary on Mario Obledo: When CCIR, the California Coalition for Immigration Reform, erected a billboard on the California/Arizona border reading, "WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA, THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION STATE", Mario Obledo, infuriated, went to the billboard location and threatened to blow it up or burn it down. Even after this threat to deny American citizens their freedom of speech, President Clinton awarded Obledo the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. CCIR question to Obledo: "Jose Angel Gutierrez said, 'We have an aging white America, they are dying, I love it.' How would you translate that statement?" Obledo: "He's a good friend of mine. A very smart person."





THEYRE AFRAID THAT WERE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THEY ARE RIGHT, WE WILL TAKE THEM OVER....





7. Richard Alatorre, former Los Angeles City Councilman at Latino Summit conference in Los Angeles opposing CA Prop. 209 ending affirmative action in 9/1996 "Because our numbers are growing, they're afraid about this great mass of minorities that now live in our community. They're afraid that we're going to take over the governmental institutions and other institutions. They are right, we will take them over, and we are not going to go away - we are here to stay, and we are saying 'ya basta' (enough!) and we are going to turn... and de... not elect or re-elect people that believe that they are going to advance their political careers on the backs of immigrants and the backs of minorities."

MEXICAN SUPREMACIST LA RAZA PARTY REP. FROM INLAND EMPIRE WHERE HE WORKS HARD TO THE EXPANSION OF THE MEXICAN OCCUPATION AND WELFARE SYSTEM.





THE LATINOS ARE COMING... THE LATINOS ARE COMING!!! AND THEYRE GOING TO VOTE!





8. Joe Baca, former CA Assemblymember, currently member of Congress at Latino Summit Response to Prop 187 UC Riverside 1/1995 and Southwest Voter Registration Project annual conference in Los Angeles, 6/1996 "We need more Latinos out there. We must stand up and be counted. We must be together, We must be united. Because if we're not united you know what's going to happen? We're like sticks - we're broken to pieces. Divided we're not together. But as a unit they can't break us. So we've got to come together, and if we're united, si se puede (it can be done) and we will make the changes that are necessary. But we've got to do it. We've got to stand together, and dammit, don't let them divide us because that's what they want to do, is to divide us. And once we're divided we're conquered. But when we look out at the audience and we see, you know, la familia, La Raza (the family, our race), you know, it's a great feeling, isn't it a good feeling? And you know, I started to think about that and it reminded me of a book that we all read and we all heard about, you know, Paul Revere, and when he was saying, 'The British are coming, the British are coming!' Well, the Latinos are coming, the Latinos are coming! And the Latinos are going to vote. So our voices will be heard. So that's what this agenda is about. It's about insuring that we increase our numbers. That we increase our numbers at every level. We talk about the Congressional, we talk about the Senate, we talk about board of supervisors, board of education, city councils, commissions, we have got to increase out numbers because the Latinos are coming. Because what's going on right now, with 187, the CCRI (CA Civil Rights Initiative against affirmative action), and let me tell you, we can't go back, you know, we're in a civil war. But we need to be solidified, we need to come together, we must be strong, because united we form a strong body. United we become solidified, united we make a difference, united we make the changes, united Latinos will win throughout California, let's stick together, que si se puede, que no? (it can be done, right?)

IF THEYRE SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT DENIES THE UNDOCUMENTED DRIVERS LICENSE, THEY DONT BELONG IN OFFICE, FRIENDS. THEY DONT BELONG HERE!





9. Antonio Villaraigosa, Chair of MEChA (student wing of Aztlan movement) at UCLA, former CA assemblymember, former CA Assembly speaker, currently Los Angeles City Mayor, and formerly Councilman at Southwest Voter Registration Project Conference in Los Angeles, 6/1997 "Part of today's reality has been propositions like 187 (to deny public benefits to illegal aliens, 1994), propositions like 209 (to abolish affirmative action, 1996), the welfare reform bill, which targeted legal immigrants and targeted us as a community. That's been the midnight. We know that the sunny side of midnight has been the election of a Latino speaker - was the election of Loretta Sanchez, against an arch-conservative, reactionary hate-mongering politician like Congressman Dornan! Today in California in the legislature, we're engaged in a great debate, where not only were we talking about denying education to the children of undocumented workers, but now we're talking about whether or not we should provide prenatal care to undocumented mothers. It's not enough to elect Latino leadership. If they're supporting legislation that denies the undocumented driver's licenses, they don't belong in office, friends. They don't belong here. If they can't stand up and say, 'You know what? I'm not ever going to support a policy that denies prenatal care to the children of undocumented mothers', they don't belong here."





GLORIA MOLINA, RACIST MEXICAN SUPREMACIST IS NOW ON THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. A HUGE PORTION OF THE COUNTYS REVENUES ARE PAID OUT TO ILLEGALS. LOS ANGELES COUNTY CALCULATES THAT THE TAX-FREE MEXICAN UNDERGROUND ECONOMY IS ABOUT $2 BILLION PER YEAR AND GROWING FAST.





IM GONNA GO OUT THERE AN VOTE BECAUSE I WANT TO PAY THEM BACK!

10. Gloria Molina, one of the five in Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at Southwest Voter Registration Project Conference, 6/1996 "This community is no longer going to stand for it. Because tonight we are organizing across this country in a single mission, in a plan. We are going to organize like we've never organized before. We are going to go into our neighborhoods. We are going to register voters. We are going to talk to all of those young people that need to become registered voters and go out to vote and we're are politicizing every single one of those new citizens that are becoming citizens of this country. And what we are saying is by November we will have one million additional Latino voters in this country, and we're gonna march, and our vote is going to be important. But I gotta tell you, there's a lot of people that are saying, 'I'm gonna go out there and vote because I want to pay them back!' And this November we are going to remember those that stood with us and we are also going to remember those that have stood against us on the issues of immigration, on the issues of education, on the issues of health care, on the issues of the minimum wage."





LONG LIVE OUR RACE!





11. Vicky Castro, former member of Los Angeles Board of Education at Southwest Voter Registration Project Conference, 6/1996 "Que viva la raza, que viva la raza (long live our race)! I'm here to welcome all the new voters of 18 years old that we're registering now in our schools. Welcome, you're going to make a difference for Los Angeles, for San Antonio, for New York, and I thank Southwest for taking that challenge. And to the Mechistas (MEChA students) across this nation, you're going to make that difference for us, too. But when we register one more million voters I will not be the only Latina on the Board of Education of Los Angeles. And let me tell you here, no one will dismantle bilingual education in the United States of America. No one will deny an education to any child, especially Latino children. As you know, in Los Angeles we make up 70% of this school district. Of 600,000 -- 400,000 are Latinos, and our parents are not heard and they're going to be heard because in Los Angeles, San Antonio and Texas we have just classified 53,000 new citizens in one year that are going to be felt in November!"

I STARTED THIS VERY QUIETLY BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE THAT IF THEY KNEW THAT WE WERE CREATING A WHOLE NEW CADRE OF BRAND NEW CITIZENS IT WOULD HAVE TREMENDOUS POLITICAL IMPACT.





WE HAVE PROCESSED A LITTLE OVER 78,000 BRAND NEW CITZENS.





12. Ruben Zacarias, former superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District at Southwest Voter Registration Project Conference, 6/1997 "We have 27 centers now throughout LAUSD. Every one of them has trained people, clerks to take the fingerprints. Each one has the camera, that special camera. We have the application forms. And I'll tell you what we've done with I.N.S. Now we're even doing the testing that usually people had to go to INS to take, and pretty soon, hopefully, we'll do the final interviews in our schools. Incidentally, I started this very quietly because there are those that if they knew that we were creating a whole new cadre of brand new citizens it would have tremendous political impact. We will change the political panorama not only of L.A., but L.A. County and the State. And we do that we've changed the panorama of the nation. I'm proud to stand here and tell you that in those close to three years we have processed a little over 78,000 brand new citizens. That is the largest citizenship program in the entire nation."





I HAVE PROUDLY AFFIRMED THAT THE MEXICAN NATIONAL EXTENDS BEYOND THE TERRITORY ENCLOSED BY ITS BORDERS....





13. Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Mexico announcing the Mexican constitutional amendment allowing for dual citizenship on 6/23/97 "I have proudly affirmed that the Mexican national extends beyond the territory enclosed by its borders, and that Mexican migrants are an important - a very important part of it. For that reason my government proposed a constitutional amendment to allow any Mexican with the right as he desires to acquire another nationality to do so without being forced to first give up his or her Mexican nationality. Fortunately, the amendment was passed almost unanimously by our federal Congress and is now part of our constitution. I am also here today to tell you that we want you to take pride in what each and every one of your Mexican brothers and sisters are doing back home.





WERE HERE... TO SHOW THE WHITE ANGLO-SAXON PROTESTANT L.A., THE FEW OF YOU WHO REMAIN, THAT WE ARE THE MAJORITY, AND WE CLAIM THIS LAND AS OURS, ITS ALWAYS BEEN OURS, AND WERE STILL HERE, AND NONE OF THE TALK ABOUT DEPORTING. IF ANYONES GOING TO BE DEPORTED ITS GOING TO BE YOU!





WE ARE THE MAJORITY IN L.A. THERES OVER SEVEN MILLION MEXICANS IN L.A. COUNTY ALONE.

LA RAZA  THE (MEXICAN) RACE.





THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA

1126 16th Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C.

202-785 1670









14. Augustin Cebada, Information Minister of Brown Berets,

militant para-military soldiers of Aztlan shouting at U.S. citizens at an Independence Day rally in Los Angeles, 7/4/96 "Augustin Cebada, Brown Berets, we're here today to show L.A., show the minority people here, the Anglo-Saxons, that we are here, the majority, we're here to stay. We do the work in this city, we take care of the spoiled brat children, we clean their offices, we pick the food, we do the manufacturing in the factories of L.A., we are the

majority here and we are not going to be pushed around. We're here in Westwood, this is the fourth time we've been here in the last two months, to show white Anglo-Saxon Protestant L.A., the few of you who remain, that we are the majority, and we claim this land as ours, it's always been ours, and we're still here, and none of the talk about deporting. If anyone's going to be deported it's going to be

you! Go back to Simi Valley, you skunks! Go back to Woodland Hills! Go back to Boston! To back to the Plymouth Rock, Pilgrims!

Get out! We are the future. You're old and tired. Go on. We have beaten you, leave like beaten rats. You old white people, it is your duty to die. Even their own ethicists say that they should die, that they have a duty to die. They're taking up too much space, too much air. We are the majority in L.A. There's over seven million Mexicans in L.A. County alone. We are the majority. And you're going to see every day more and more of it, as we manifest as our

young people grow up, graduate from high school, go on to college and start taking over this society. The vast majority of our people are under the age of 15 years old. Right now we're already controlling those elections, whether it's by violence or nonviolence. Through love of having children we're going to take over." Other demonstrators: "Raza fuerza (brown race power), this is Aztlan, this is Mexico. They're the pilgrims on our land. Go back to the Nina,

the Pinta, the Santa Maria."





(FABIAN NUNEZ ACCOMPANIED GOV. JERRY BROWN TO MEXICO ON AUGUST 1, 2014)





Gov. Jerry Brown, on a trip to Mexico, seeks to position California as a more welcoming place for immigrants... $25 BILLION PER YEAR IN WELFARE NOT WELCOMING ENOUGH?!?









Weve got an even more ominous enemy within our borders that promotes Reconquista of Aztlan or the reconquest of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas into the country of Mexico.





BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IF WE DO NOT MOBILIZE OUR COMMUNITY WE ARE NOT PUTTING TOGETHER A SETTING - THE PARAMETER IS TO ESTABLISH A MASSIVE MOVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THATS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THATS WHY I AM HERE TODAY.... TO TALK ABOUT WHO HERE WANTS TO ORGANIZE THE MASSES....





15. Fabian Nunez , formerly Alliance for Immigrant Rights, political liaison for L.A. School District, currently Speaker of the CA Assembly at Latino Summit Response to Prop 187 at UC Riverside, 1/1995 "There's only two forms of power in this country and in this world. One is economic power, We certainly don't have the economic power because we don't own the means of production, but there's another form of power, and that's the power of the masses.





So you can be as revolutionary as you want, you can be Chicano nationalist, you can be Mexican-American, you can be Hispanic, you can believe in the concept of Aztlan, you can believe in the concept of multi-culturalism.





Somebody can say 'Everybody here is wrong, I am the only one that has reached revolutionary completeness'. But the bottom line is that if we do not mobilize our community we are not putting together a setting - the parameters to establish a massive movement in our community. That's what this is about. And that's why I am here today - to talk about who here wants to organize the masses, and who here is interested in developing that movement that somebody earlier said that the sleeping giant is in a coma.





17. Tom Tancredo, U.S. Congressman from Colorado,, speaking on CSPAN, 6/27/2001 "In the June 21 issue of Time Magazine, the lead story of which is titled, "AMEXICO".





It describes the de facto elimination of the border between Mexico and the United States. I believe that the debate revolving around our immigration policy should reflect the fact that this phenomenon is underway. President Fox (of Mexico) yesterday stated that he came to the United States to "play a more active role in establishing the new international architecture". I believe that this new "international architecture" can be described as AMEXICO.





18. Gray Davis, former governor of California, recalled by the voters 10/2003, speaking to a Latino audience in 1999 "In the near future, people will look at California and Mexico as one magnificent region. GRAY WAS CORRECT IN ONE RESPECT. CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO, NOW KNOWN AS MEXIFORNIA, the Mexican welfare state, IS ONE REGION, BUT MORE GRAFFITI DRENCHED DUMPSTER THAN ANYTHING MAGNIFICENT.





WHO ARE AMERICAS OCCUPIERS?

THE LA RAZA THE RACE INVADERS:





AMERICA vs MEXICO: CLASHING CULTURES





By Frosty Wooldridge





more at this link  post on your Facebook and email broadcast

Illegals cheat, distribute drugs, lie, forge documents, steal and kill as if its a normal way of life. For them, it is. Mexicos civilization stands diametrically opposed to Americas culture.

The legal age of sexual consent in Mexico is 12 years old. Sex with children at this age and younger is socially acceptable in Mexico. For example: A Mexican Lopez-Mendez pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a 10 year old girl in West Virginia.





REP. XAVIER BECERRA and the LA RAZA-

OCCUPIED Mexican dumpster of LOS

ANGELES





HOW LA RAZA FASCIST REP. XAVIER BECERRA HELPED MEXICO TURN LOS ANGELES INTO LA RAZAS BIGGEST WELFARE OFFICE.. they also get all the jobs in L.A. and are VOTING FOR MORE!









WE WILL TAKE CONTROL OF OUR COUNTRY (U.S.) BY VOTE IF POSSIBLE AND VIOLENCE IF NECESSARY!





WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, MEXICO WAS LOOTING.





THE COUNTY OF MEX-GANG INFESTED LOS ANGELES PUTS OUT ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO ILLEGALS!









THE RISE of the MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY of LA RAZA THE RACE in MEXIFORNIA  LA RAZAS FIRST OCCUPIED WELFARE COLONY.





.. your tax dollars at work FOR ILLEGALS!









BELOW ARE LA RAZA SUPREMACIST ON ABOVE POSTING:





STATE SENATOR RICARDO LARA (LA RAZA DEM  LOS ANGELES) and the rise of the LA RAZA fascist welfares state for Mexicans in CA.





Your state is next!





ANTONIA HERNANDEZ

MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE and LA RAZA FASCISM in MEX-OCCUPIED CA  NOT ENOUGH WELFARE OFF GRINGOS BACKS?





LA RAZA FASCIST (FORMER) GOVERNOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA





CAN EVERY MAJOR AMERICAN CITY BE ANOTHER MEXICAN DUMPSTER LIKE L.A.?

LA RAZA IS LOOTING ON IT!





VIVA LA RAZA FASCISM and the MEXICAN WELFARE STATE IN MEXIFORNIA?





ASSEMBLYWOMAN LORENA GONZALEZ (LA RAZA DEM- SAN DIEGO) and LA RAZA SUPREMACY off the gringos backs





California State Sen. Kevin DeLeon (LA RAZA DEM. L.A.) and the rise of LA RAZA SUPREMACY in the Mexican welfare colony of MEXIFORNIA 





MEXICANS LOOTING ON THE RISE!





Sen. Ed Hernanez (LA RAZA DEM WEST CONVINA) sees a LA RAZA party controlled state of California.









Assemblyman Rocky Chavez (La Raza GOP - Mex-occupied Riverside) sees the MEXICAN FLAG FLYING OVER MEXIFORNIA (formerly the State of California).









if you still think illegals are not electing LA RAZA SUPREMACIST youre still asleep and Mexico is still looting!





HILDA SOLIS  The Mexican Fascist Party of LA RAZA THE RACE building LA RAZA SUPREMACY over Legals and the Mexican welfare state in Americas open borders.









SHE WAS APPOINTED BY HISPANDERING BARACK OBAMA TO EASE MILLIONS OF MEXICANS INTO OUR JOBS AND VOTING BOOTHS.





DURING OBAMAS FIRST TERM ALONE TWO-THIRDS OF ALL JOBS WENT TO IMMIGRANTS, BOTH LEGAL AND ILLEGAL!





Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, a former California congresswoman with close ties to the influential La Raza movement, announced the We Can Help project with great fanfare a few days ago.









SHE IS A LA RAZA SUPREMACIST AND SUPPORTER OF MEXICAN FASCISM AND THE EXPANSION OF THE MEXICAN WELFARE STATE in AMERICA  THEY ALREADY GET OUR VOTES.





WE WILL TAKE CONTROL OF OUR COUNTRY (U.S.) BY VOTE IF POSSIBLE AND VIOLENCE IF NECESSARY!





more at this link  post on your Facebook and email broadcast









FOOLS STILL THINK MEXICANS ARE NOT VOTING FOR LA RAZA SUPREMACY. THEY VOTE IN DROVES FOR RACIST LA RAZA SUPREMACIST GIL CEDILLO!

WHEN ILLEGALS ELECT MEXICANS, THAT LA RAZA SUPREMACIST CONSIDERS MEXICANS THEIR SOLE CONSTITUENCY, BOTH LEGAL AND ILLEGALS!









But that nickname diminishes Cedillo, who should be taken seriously. When it comes to representing the interests of illegal immigrants Gil Cedillo is a true believer.





LAs own secretary of state not looking after our interests





By Doug McIntyre , Los Angeles Daily News

Our secretary of state was one busy diplomat last week scrambling to get ahead of a mushrooming crisis.



A Question of Citizenship IN MEXIFORNIA, ILLEGALS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN LEGALS!

A Commentary By Debra J. Saunders





Trust Republicans to go too far. They take a good idea -- such as the notion that the federal government should enforce immigration laws, and states should be able to help -- and then drive it into the fringes. Witness a Fox News interview in which Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., declared, "We should change our Constitution and say if you come here illegally, and you have a child, that child is automatically not a citizen."





Graham has supported a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He opposed the new Arizona immigration law. So why would he advocate repealing part of the 14th Amendment -- which, by the way, exists because the Grand Old Party wanted to stop efforts to keep freed slaves from becoming citizens?





Graham's right about this much: Illegal immigrants have taken advantage of the law. The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday that 60,000 babies are born annually in Texas to illegal immigrants. Last year, these "anchor babies" accounted for 16 percent of the state's births.





But it's not clear how many illegal immigrants are coming here to have babies as opposed to having babies in America because they are here.





Then there's the recent Washington Post story about "birth tourism" and affluent expectant mothers paying offshore consultants a $14,750 fee to obtain tourism visas that allow them to give birth in the United States and win U.S. citizenship for their babies.

No one likes to see adults game the system. In June, pollster Scott Rasmussen found that 58 percent of voters say a child born to an illegal immigrant should not automatically become a citizen of the United States.





But there are better ways to deal with those abuses. Direct the State Department to deny visas to would-be birth tourists. Keep the heat on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. The new Arizona immigration law is designed to achieve "attrition through enforcement." Deport more adults who, unlike children, knowingly break the law.





But some Republicans want to keep going. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, is arguing that the 14th Amendment does not and never did confer automatic birthright citizenship.

Section One states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."





"There are two elements, birth and subject to the jurisdiction," Chapman University Law School Dean John C. Eastman told me. "For about 50 years, we've just assumed birth was all you needed." But a review of the original debates and early court cases demonstrates a recognition that parents had to "show allegiance." If they broke federal law, they "never qualified" as being under U.S. jurisdiction.





This is where the argument gets dicey. Eastman has argued that a child born to a Saudi in the United States on a temporary student visa was not under U.S. jurisdiction, as the father had not declared allegiance to America. Eastman's answer is to let people come here to study or work, but as something less than guests.





This path could turn a melting pot nation into an empire of the native born and law-abiding foreign workers who never have a chance to belong. Think Old Europe. Think Saudi Arabia.





Mexican Gangs "Ethnic Cleansing" Blacks In L.A.













Latino thugs indiscriminately murder blacks



regardless of gang membership, genocidal



purge aligns with radical Aztlan theology

Paul Joseph Watson

Prison Planet





Racist Mexican gangs are indiscriminately



targeting blacks who aren't even involved in



gang culture, as part of an orchestrated



ethnic cleansing program that is forcing



black people to flee Los Angeles. The culprit



of the carnage is the radical Neo-Nazi



liberation theology known as La Raza, which



calls for the extermination of all races in



America besides Latinos, and is being



bankrolled by some of the biggest Globalists



in the U.S.



A story carried on the liberal website Alternet, charts an explosion in brutal murders of blacks by Hispanic street gangs in L.A. Far from being gang on gang violence, the Latinos are targeting innocent blacks in accordance with a concerted ethnic cleansing campaign that seeks to eradicate all blacks from Hispanic neighborhoods.



In one instance, 21-year-old Anthony Prudhomme was shot in the face with a .25-caliber semi-automatic while lying on a futon inside his apartment, slain by a Latino gang known as the Avenues as part of a racist terror campaign in which gang members earn "stripes" for each black person they kill.

In one typical case," writes journalist Brentin Mock, "Three members of the Pomona 12 attacked an African-American teenager, Kareem Williams, in his front yard in 2002. When his uncle, Roy Williams, ran to help his nephew, gang member Richard Diaz told him, "Niggers have no business living in Pomona because this is 12th Street territory." According to witnesses, Diaz then told the other gang members, "Pull out the gun! Shoot the niggers! Shoot the niggers!"

The fatwah against blacks began in the mid-





nineties, with a 1995 LAPD report concluding





that Latinos had vowed to "Eradicate black





citizens from the gang neighborhood." In a





follow up report on the situation in east Los





Angeles, the LAPD warned that "Local gangs





will attack any black person that comes into





the city."





The author notes that since 1990 the African-American population of Los Angeles has halved, partly as a result of rampant illegal immigration and that there are noticeably fewer blacks walking the streets because many have been forced to relocate in fear of the racist gangs.





"The LAPD estimates there are now 22,000 Latino gang members in the city of Los Angeles alone. That's not only more than all the Crips and the Bloods; it's more than all black, Asian, and white gang members combined. Almost all of those Latino gang members in L.A. -- let alone those in other California cities -- are loyal to the Mexican Mafia. Most have been thoroughly indoctrinated with the Mexican Mafia's violent racism during stints in prison, where most gangs are racially based," writes Mock.





Mock blames the "Mexican Mafia" for ordering the campaign of ethnic cleansing from prison, as part of a turf war with the Black Guerilla family, another prison gang, but fails to pinpoint the racist creed from which the Mexican kingpins draw their inspiration - the long standing Aztlan invasion agenda.



Aztlan's goal, known as La reconquista, is to cede





and take over the entirety of the southern and





western states by any means necessary and impose





a Communist militant dictatorship. President





Bush's blanket amnesty program goes a long way





to helping the extremists achieve their aim.









LOS ANGELES GANGS





WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, MEXICO WAS LOOTING, MURDERING and SENDING BILLIONS BACK TO MEXICO!





THE COUNTY OF MEX-GANG INFESTED LOS ANGELES PUTS OUT ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO ILLEGALS!









(FYI  LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS A MEMBER OF THE FASCIST SEPARATIST MOVEMENT OF M.E.Ch.A.





HE IS CONSIDERED HIGHLY RACIST AND A MEX SUPREMACIST. HE PLANS TO RUN FOR GOV OF MEX INFESTED MEXIFORNIA, AND WILL BE ELECTED BY THE VOTES OF ILLEGALS!!!)







Despite the fact that the majority of documented hispanics oppose illegal immigration, as do the majority of Americans, Aztlan and La Raza race hate groups have become the self-appointed voice for a separatist movement that threatens a violent overthrow of the Constitutional system and a barbaric program of ethnic cleansing. This is held up by the media as 'diversity' and to vociferously oppose it is scorned as racism. Aztlan and Mecha groups advocate killing all whites and blacks and driving them out of the southern states by means of brutal ethnic cleansing. Flags and placards carried at marches depict white people having their heads cut off, as seen in the picture below.



Those that protest such groups are then attacked by the establishment media and labeled as racists, despite the fact that the Plan of San Diego, a rallying cry for the hispanic Klan groups, advocates total eradication of any race but hispanics.



Mecha's own slogan reads, "For the race everything. For those outside the race, nothing."

TV stations owned by rich white industrialists erect giant billboards in Los Angeles claiming the city belongs to Mexico, as seen below.



Mainstream hispanics who love America abhor the virulent racism that the Mexican klan groups embrace.



And who bankrolls these pocket radicals? Billionaire tax-exempt foundations and NGO's owned by white men. Organizations like the Ford Foundation, groups who are zealous in their quest to eliminate the middle class and destroy America, turning it into a cashless society, compact city, surveillance control grid where only two tiers of society exist - the elite and the poor slaves.



During the May immigration protests, The Aztlanwebsite carried the following statement.



"If the racist "Sensenbrenner Legislation" passes the US Senate, there is no doubt that a massive civil disobedience movement will emerge. Eventually labor union power can merge with the immigrant civil rights and "Immigrant Sanctuary" movements to enable us to either form a new political party or to do heavy duty reforming of the existing Democratic Party. The next and final steps would follow and that is to elect our own governors of all the states within Aztlan."



Here is the open call for violent separatism and the overthrow of existing state government structures.



During the immigration demonstrations, which were orchestrated by Rob Allyn of Rob Allyn & Co. who is closely tied with George W. Bush, alarming reports of illegals carrying out violent beatings began to surface. In Santa Ana California, illegal aliens swarmed around in mobs invading schools, carrying out violent beatings and in one incident a county worker had a Mexican flag plunged into his chest.

The violent protests that began on May 1 last year were characterized by throngs marching under Mexican flags, many of which were illegal aliens, as a "day without gringos."



Imagine what the reaction would be if white middle class Americans marched in their millions and called the event "a day without blacks."



The media continues to run defense for a violent militant movement that seeks nothing less than the eradication of blacks and whites through ethnic cleansing and the takeover of the southern and western states. This is a separatist junta that has over 30,000 ruthless gang members at its disposal once the call for mobilization is heard, along with millions of illegal aliens pouring across the border.



*

In Mexico, a recent Zogby poll declared that the vast majority of Mexican citizens hate Americans. [22.2] Mexico is a country saturated with racism, yet in denial, having never endured the social development of a Civil Rights movement like in the US--Blacks are harshly treated while foreign Whites are often seen as the enemy. [22.3] In fact, racism as workplace discrimination can be seen across the US anywhere the illegal alien Latino works--the vast majority of the workforce is usually strictly Latino, excluding Blacks, Whites, Asians, and others.

*





Brown then let her true MSM colors show with a softball question to Murguia implying that opposition to illegal immigration is veiled racism: "What are the racial undertones to this debate for many people? Is that something that worries you?" Murguia was only too happy to be worried, alleging that there are "racial undertones, anti-ethnic overtones." That's when Dobbs got off perhaps his best line of the morning. "The National Council of La Raza is talking about race? La Raza - what does that mean? It means 'the race'!"





SOME HISTORY OF THE MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY of LA RAZA:





ON THE GROWIN POWER OF LA RAZA FASCISM FOR MEX SUPREMACY









Now you sound off. Should the United States taxpayer be funding the National Council of La Raza? THE MEXICAN FASCIST PARTY of LA RAZA FOR MEXICAN SUPREMACY





By Dave Gibson





2006  UNDER BARACK OBAMA, FUNDING FOR LA RAZA HAS SOARED.









In 2005, the Latino group known as La Raza (The Race) was given $15.2 million in U.S. federal grants.





American Taxpayers Being Forced To Support Latino Nazi Party





By Dave Gibson





In 2005, the Latino group known as La Raza (The Race) was given $15.2 million in U.S. federal grants. La Raza also received an additional $4 million in so-called 'earmarks' tucked into the 2005 Housing Bill, which our Congress passed and President Bush signed. Considering the racist agenda of La Raza, giving federal funds to this group is tantamount to the U.S. funding the Nazis in the 1930's.









The comparison to the Nazi Party is well deserved. La Raza openly supports pushing all but Latino Americans out of a portion of the United States (ethnic cleansing), they call for 'Reconquista' or the re-conquest of the American Southwest by Mexico (the re-occupation of the Sudetanland), and the establishment of 'Atzlan' which is the utopian all-Latino version of the American Southwestern states (Adolf Hitler planned to called his utopia Germania).





Karl Rove was one of the keynote speakers at this year's annual National Council of La Raza Conference. The event was held in Los Angeles (the eventual capital of Atzlan). Other speakers included Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, and the virulent racist L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The fact that Karl Rove is the President's top political adviser and addressed the group with Bush's blessing, is a strong indicator that this nation is being subverted at the very highest levels.





If La Raza was a white supremacist group with equally deep pockets, the U.S. government would place them on a terrorist watch list, infiltrate them with undercover FBI agents, and subject them to constant harassment by the Internal Revenue Service. Eventually, the group's leaders would be jailed and the group itself would be rendered irrelevant. However, because La Raza is a Latino supremacist group, the Bush administration and most of Congress offer them financial support!





One of La Raza's biggest supporters is Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV). In 2001, Reid asked the Senate Appropriations Committee for $5 million to help further the racist goals of that organization. That same year, La Raza gave Sen. Reid their Capital Award for "his commitment to advance legislation priorities of the Latino community." Reid in turn praised La Raza by saying: "La Raza is like the biblical David, fighting all these Goliaths."





Taxpayer funds are also funneled to La Raza through the Department of Health and Human Services, The Environmental Protection Agency, and even NASA. Tax dollars are hidden in these government agencies, earmarked to be specifically given away to La Raza. Inside the halls of Congress, the practice is known as discretionary funding...In the real world it is known as money laundering!





In 2005, $7.9 million was stolen from the American taxpayers and given out to Latino-only charter schools in the form of U.S. Department of Education grants. The following is a list of a few of those schools:

-La Academia Semillas del Pueblo (Los Angeles) -Atzlan Academy (Tucson, AZ)









(FYI  LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS A MEMBER OF THE FASCIST SEPARATIST MOVEMENT OF M.E.Ch.A. HE IS CONSIDERED HIGHLY RACIST AND A MEX SUPREMACIST. HE PLANS TO RUN FOR GOV OF MEX INFESTED MEXIFORNIA, AND WILL BE ELECTED BY THE VOTES OF ILLEGALS!!!)







Despite the fact that the majority of documented hispanics oppose illegal immigration, as do the majority of Americans, Aztlan and La Raza race hate groups have become the self-appointed voice for a separatist movement that threatens a violent overthrow of the Constitutional system and a barbaric program of ethnic cleansing. This is held up by the media as 'diversity' and to vociferously oppose it is scorned as racism. Aztlan and Mecha groups advocate killing all whites and blacks and driving them out of the southern states by means of brutal ethnic cleansing. Flags and placards carried at marches depict white people having their heads cut off, as seen in the picture below.



Those that protest such groups are then attacked by the establishment media and labeled as racists, despite the fact that the Plan of San Diego, a rallying cry for the hispanic Klan groups, advocates total eradication of any race but hispanics.



Mecha's own slogan reads, "For the race everything. For those outside the race, nothing."

TV stations owned by rich white industrialists erect giant billboards in Los Angeles claiming the city belongs to Mexico, as seen below.



Mainstream hispanics who love America abhor the virulent racism that the Mexican klan groups embrace.



And who bankrolls these pocket radicals? Billionaire tax-exempt foundations and NGO's owned by white men. Organizations like the Ford Foundation, groups who are zealous in their quest to eliminate the middle class and destroy America, turning it into a cashless society, compact city, surveillance control grid where only two tiers of society exist - the elite and the poor slaves.



During the May immigration protests, The Aztlanwebsite carried the following statement.



"If the racist "Sensenbrenner Legislation" passes the US Senate, there is no doubt that a massive civil disobedience movement will emerge. Eventually labor union power can merge with the immigrant civil rights and "Immigrant Sanctuary" movements to enable us to either form a new political party or to do heavy duty reforming of the existing Democratic Party. The next and final steps would follow and that is to elect our own governors of all the states within Aztlan."



Here is the open call for violent separatism and the overthrow of existing state government structures.



During the immigration demonstrations, which were orchestrated by Rob Allyn of Rob Allyn & Co. who is closely tied with George W. Bush, alarming reports of illegals carrying out violent beatings began to surface. In Santa Ana California, illegal aliens swarmed around in mobs invading schools, carrying out violent beatings and in one incident a county worker had a Mexican flag plunged into his chest.

The violent protests that began on May 1 last year were characterized by throngs marching under Mexican flags, many of which were illegal aliens, as a "day without gringos."



Imagine what the reaction would be if white middle class Americans marched in their millions and called the event "a day without blacks."



The media continues to run defense for a violent militant movement that seeks nothing less than the eradication of blacks and whites through ethnic cleansing and the takeover of the southern and western states. This is a separatist junta that has over 30,000 ruthless gang members at its disposal once the call for mobilization is heard, along with millions of illegal aliens pouring across the border.





In Mexico, a recent Zogby poll declared that the vast majority of Mexican citizens hate Americans. [22.2] Mexico is a country saturated with racism, yet in denial, having never endured the social development of a Civil Rights movement like in the US--Blacks are harshly treated while foreign Whites are often seen as the enemy. [22.3] In fact, racism as workplace discrimination can be seen across the US anywhere the illegal alien Latino works--the vast majority of the workforce is usually strictly Latino, excluding Blacks, Whites, Asians, and others.




Welcome to The Independent Herald E-Edition! Check back each week on Tuesday to see our[Read More]
Spectris plc manufactures and sells measuring instruments and controls worldwide. It operates through Malvern Panalytical, HBK, Omega and Industrial Solutions segments. The Malvern Panalytical segment provides measurement and materials characterization and efficiency in R&D and manufacturing sectors. The HBK segment offers differentiated sensing, testing, modelling and simulation solutions for product development. The Omega segment provides process improvement, specialist sensors, and omni-channel distribution services. The Industrial Solutions segment operates high-value precision in-line sensing and monitors businesses. It also provides particle measuring systems, a solution to measure and monitor contamination levels in clean and controlled environments. In addition, the company offers red lion controls, an industrial automation tool that provides solutions to connect, monitor, and control disparate assets, as well as provides servomex, a specialist in gas and moisture analysis solutions. Further, it provides data and insights, test equipment and software for industrial applications. Additionally, the company offers sensor, instrument, software, and services technology, as well as provides training, technical support, spare parts, calibration, and maintenance services. It serves pharmaceutical, automotive, electronics, semiconductors, technology-LED, and primary and advanced materials industries. Spectris plc was incorporated in 1986 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.
Halma plc, through its subsidiaries, provides technology solutions in the safety, health, and environmental markets. It operates through three segments: Safety, Environmental & Analysis, and Medical. The Safety segment provides fire detection, specialist fire suppression, elevator safety, security sensors, people and vehicle flow technologies, specialized interlocks that control critical processes safely, and explosion protection and corrosion monitoring systems. This segment serves elevator safety, fire suppression, people and vehicle flow, fire detection, pressure management, industrial access control, and safe storage and transfer markets. The Environmental & Analysis segment offers optical, optoelectronic, and spectral imaging systems; water, air and gases monitoring technologies; instruments that detect hazardous gases and analyses air quality; and systems for water analysis and treatment. It serves the optical analysis, water analysis and treatment, gas detection, and environmental monitoring markets. The Medical segment provides critical fluidic components used by medical diagnostics and original equipment manufacturers; laboratory devices and systems that provide information to understand patient health and enable providers to make decisions across the continuum of care; technologies and solutions to enable in-vitro diagnostic systems and life-science discoveries and development; and technologies that enable positive outcomes across clinical specialties. This segment serves the life sciences, health assessment, and therapeutic solutions market. The company was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Amersham, the United Kingdom.
An 18-year-old Ohio cheerleader was charged after the remains of her newborn baby were discovered buried in her backyard, according to reports.

Brooke Skylar Richardson was charged with reckless homicide on Friday after evidence showed the child was not a stillborn baby, according to Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said.

Read: Panicked Dad Puts Baby in Refrigerator After Pulling Her From Hot Car

The babys remains were found earlier this month and they appeared to be buried more than two months before their discovery, according Lieutenant John Faine of the Warrens County Sheriffs Office.

The babys remains were reportedly discovered because of a tip from a doctor's office.

Law enforcement is continuing to treat this as an ongoing investigation, Fornshell told Dayton Daily News.

The prosecutor's office is still waiting on the coroner to determine the babys official cause of death, NYDailyNews reported.

Richardson pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.

Her attorney, Charles Rittgers, told reporters on Friday that Richardson is a good student who graduated high school a few months ago.

Read: 14-Year-Old Girl Dies After Using Cell Phone While in the Bathtub

She didnt drink. She wasnt a partier or smoker, Rittgers said. By all measures, a very good girl who helped children... Shes by all means a very good person.

Richardson was bonded out of the Warren County Jail. Her preliminary hearing date was set for Aug. 1.

Watch: Baby Dies In Hot Car While Mom Gets Hair Done: Cops

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Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention. (Photo: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

Ivanka Trump no longer runs her eponymous fashion line, but that hasnt stopped the first daughter from proudly wearing her designs.

On Friday, the one-year anniversary of the Republican National Convention, Ivanka posted an Instagram photo of herself at the event wearing a $138 dress from her brand. Flashback to one year ago today, delivering remarks at the 2016 Republican National Convention, she wrote on the post with 58,000 likes. So grateful for how far weve come on this amazing journey, and even more excited for the future of this Administration and this country!

Flashback to one year ago today, delivering remarks at the 2016 Republican National Convention. So grateful for how far we've come on this amazing journey, and even more excited for the future of this Administration and this country! #FBF #MAGA #2: AP A post shared by Ivanka Trump (@ivankatrump) on Jul 21, 2017 at 9:09am PDT

Describing her father as a colorblind and gender-neutral champion of womens issues at the RNC on July 21, 2016, the first daughter wore the blush-pink Ivanka Trump sleeveless studded sheath dress. The morning after the convention, she tweeted a link to Shop Ivankas look, and by the afternoon, the dress was sold out at Macys and Nordstom, two companies that subsequently dropped the line.

Here are nine more times when Ivanka modeled her brand.

Ivanka headed into the office on Sept. 6, 2016, wearing a light pink knit A-line dress from her brand, which she paired with white heels and a white-and-gold clutch.

Story continues

Ivanka Trump. (Photo: Jackson Lee/Splash)

In November 2016, after her father was elected president, Ivanka appeared on 60 Minutes wearing a $10,800 bracelet from her Metropolis collection. After the segment aired, her brand released a style alert to journalists to promote the jewelry and triggered an outcry about her using the presidency to sell her merch.

Ivanka Trump wearing the bracelet from her 60 Minutes interview. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Heading off to a weekend at Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 10 of this year, Ivanka added a pop of blue to her oversized white coat with her namesake $150 Mara Velvet Cocktail Bag and $126 Blue Brita shoes.

Ivanka Trump with her husband, Jared Kushner. (Photo: Shutterstock)

For a mother-daughter day with then-5-year-old Arabella Kushner at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 22, Ivanka bundled up in a $325 wool asymmetrical Walker coat with a detachable brooch from her collection.

Ivanka Trump and her daughter, Arabella Kushner. (Photo: AP/Molly Riley)

For a Feb. 23 White House meeting with manufacturing CEOs, Ivanka stayed cool in a white short-sleeved, fringed peplum top from her line.

Ivanka Trump sits in a White House meeting. (Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

After landing in Orlando, Fla., on March 3, Ivanka stepped off Air Force One wearing a black-and-white fringed skirt from her line.

Ivanka Trump; her daughter, Arabella; and her husband, Jared Kushner in Orlando. (Photo: AP Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.)

Ivanka led a May 17 meeting with members of Congress about global human trafficking wearing a powder-blue top and a $2,720 Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry diamond drop Y necklace.

Ivanka Trump leads a White House meeting. (Photo: AP Images)

During a May trip to Jerusalems Western Wall, Ivanka accessorized her Cedric Charlier navy pleated skirt and black long-sleeved top with black pumps and a black clutch, the latter two from her own collection.

Ivanka Trump in Israel. (Photo: Getty Images)

On July 7, while attending the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, Ivanka wore an emerald jumpsuit by Gabriela Hearst while carrying her namesake $151 Mara clutch and $135 black Carra pumps.

Ivanka Trump attending the G20 Summit in Hamburg. (Photo: AP Images)

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

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Anthony Scaramucci has not always been an unequivocal admirer of new boss Donald Trump: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trumps new communications director Anthony Scaramucci has not always been an enthusiastic supporter of the President, having previously expressed support for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The combative Wall Street financier has had a few choice words to say about his new boss on Twitter in the past.

But within hours of his appointment some of his most critical posts, questioning Mr Trump's decisions had been deleted.

In December 2011, Mr Scaramucci referred to the Trump spectacle when he tweeted in support of Mitt Romney, who was fighting for the Republican presidential nomination.

@Mitt Romney: Praise for the Governors decision to stay out of the Trump spectacle," said Mr Scaramucci.

Uh oh! @Scaramucci is deleting old tweets that criticized Trump. Don't worry, the internet is forever! pic.twitter.com/ksCeBVIzU5  Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) July 21, 2017

In February 2012, Mr Scaramucci, a Wall Street millionaire who gave money to the campaigns of both his former Harvard classmate Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, both Demoecrats, also tweeted a comment about Mr Trumps decision to endorse Newt Gingrich for President

Odd guy," he wrote. "So smart with no judgement.

The deleted tweets were first noticed by the freelance journalist Josh Billinson, who found himself briefly blocked by Mr Scaramucci.

Mr Billinson told the Daily Beast: Im shocked he hadnt deleted them earlier. That he couldve been in the running for communications director and not even thought to check what he had publicly said about Trump in the past is wild to me.

If Mr Trump decides to push ahead with his promised and highly controversial wall between the US and Mexico, Mr Scaramucci will find himself having to defend a policy he has publicly objected to.

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In December 2015, he tweeted: Walls dont work. Never have, never will. The Berlin Wall 1961-1989 dont fall for it.

The words were posted alongside a picture of the German symbol of the iron curtain.

He also went as far as to say he hoped Hillary Clinton became the next President, saying: I hope she runs, she is incredibly competent, he said back in 2012 in reference to the 2016 contest. He added that she was the real deal.

On another occasion he also tweeted: I like Hillary. Have to go with the best athlete. We need to turn this around, again in reference to the possibility of her seeking the Democratic nomination in 2016.

He had changed his tune by 2015, however, when he said of Ms Clinton: Hillary will be out of race before Thanksgiving [the] democratic nominee will be a governor.

However, he had not converted to being a Trump fan at this stage, calling him a hack politician with rhetoric that is anti-American and very, very divisive.

He also tweeted a quote from David Cameron where the former Prime Minister criticised Mr Trump for making a fundamental mistake of trying to blame all of Islam and all Muslims for what is the ideology and the actions of a minority.

Mr Scaramucci converted from being a Democrat to being a Republican by 2012, when he served as a served as the finance co-chair for Mr Romneys unsuccessful campaign against Mr Obama.

But he endorsed first Scott Walker and then Jeb Bush for the Republican nomination before finally getting on board with the Trump team, joining his campaigns finance committee in May 2016.

Shortly after his appointment, Mr Trumps press secretary Sean Spicer resigned from his position of press secretary, bringing to an end a stormy six month spell in the job.
A candidate challenging Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake for his seat said Thursday that she hopes John McCain  the states senior U.S. Senator who has been diagnosed with brain cancer  will step away as quickly as possible.

Kelli Ward, who is challenging Flake in the 2018 Republican primary, also said that she hopes Arizonas governor would consider appointing her to fill McCains seat. Ward ran an unsuccessful campaign against McCain in the 2016 primary.

I hope that Senator McCain is going to look long and hard at this, that his family and his advisers are going to look at this, and theyre going to advise him to step away as quickly as possible, she said on Indiana radio WOWO 1190 AM, according to audio published by CNN. So that the business of the country and the business of Arizona being represented at the federal level can move forward.

McCains office has said he is now considering treatment options, and McCain himself said he plans to return to the Senate soon. I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support  unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, Ill be back soon, so stand-by! he said in a tweet on Thursday.

Ward said President Donald Trumps agenda will be held up in McCains absence due to fewer Republican votes in the Senate.

That cant stand, she said in the radio interview. We cant have until the 2018 election, waiting around to accomplish the Trump agenda, to secure the border and stop illegal immigration and repeal Obamacare and fix the economy and fix the veterans administration, all those things need to be done and we cant be at a standstill while we wait for John McCain to determine what hes going to do.

McCains office declined to comment on Friday.
After 55 years, two women made history as the Navys first female candidates in the selection process to join two special operations forces previously not open to women. One woman is in the running to be a Navy SEAL and the other is trying to become a Special Warfare Combatant Crewman (SWCC), Military.com, an independent website, reported Wednesday.

The Navy declined to release the identities of the two women for security reasons, according to NPR. It confirmed that they are the first two to progress as far into the selection process.

Read: Navy SEALS Could Accept Women By August As US Military Brings Gender Balance To Armed Forces

Both women will have to complete the same training male candidates complete. No special treatment will be provided for differences in physical capability. Over two years passed since all combat roles became open to women. Fifty-five years passed since John F. Kennedy began Navy SEAL teams in 1962.

Its different for everyone, Lt. Cmdr. Mark Walton, spokesman for the Naval Special Warfare Command, told the Two-Way when asked what makes training so difficult. It could be the physical stuff, it could be mental, it could be medical. There could be a lot of different reasons.

women in combat yes

Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Military.com listed some basic qualifications necessary to become a Navy SEAL. Some included being 18-28 years old, being a U.S. citizen, being a high school graduate and having both eyes correctable to 20/20 eyesight. Several education aptitude tests concerning science, math and foreign languages are also required to become a Navy SEAL candidate.

Prospective Navy SEAL candidates are required to pass the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALS (BUDS) test after boot camp. However, they are encouraged to enter boot camp already in shape. In the physical screening tests (PST) necessary to have around an 80 percent chance of graduating BUDS, candidates must be able to do 80-100 pushups in 2 minutes, 80-100 situps in 2 minutes and complete a 1.5 mile run in 9-10 minutes, among other physical activities. The difficulty of these qualifications is increased when applying to be a Navy SEAL officer.

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One woman was in the boot camp necessary to apply for the Navys Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman program, reported Naval Special Warfare Center Deputy Commander Captain Christian Dunbar to members of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service in June. Another woman, a junior in an ROTC program at an undisclosed college, applied for a spot in the SEAL officer selection process for 2018. The process is scheduled to begin Oct. 1 and she will also complete special operations assessment and selection, an early step in the process, later this summer.

Thats a three-week block of instruction. Then the [prospective SEAL officer] will compete just like everyone else, 160 [applicants] for only 100 spots, Dunbar said.

Read: Are There Female Snipers? 'Lady Death' And Other Female Snipers

However, despite these women who reached a historic milestone, it is unclear when they will actually join the forces.

It would be premature to speculate as to when we will see the first woman SEAL or SWCC graduate, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Command, Capt. Jason Salata said to Military.com. Managing expectations is an important part of the deliberate assessment and selection process; it may take months and potentially years.

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Yesterday, major movie news broke from San Diego Comic-Con when The Hollywood Reporter wrote that, public denials to the contrary, Warner Bros. was looking for a way to replace Ben Affleck as Batman immediately after the release of this falls Justice League  meaning that Matt Reeves upcoming The Batman would feature a new star in the Dark Knights cape and cowl. Given that Affleck is at the center of the studios entire DC Extended Universe, such a move would have major reverberations for the superhero series future. And today, on stage at Comic-Con on behalf of Justice League (and alongside his co-stars Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, and Ray Fisher), Affleck shot those rumors down.

In front of an audience eager to hear how the Oscar winner might confront the growing speculation that his big-screen crime-fighting days were numbered, Affleck made it clear that he had no intention of giving up duties as Gothams protector, stating:

Let me be very clear. I am the luckiest guy in the world. Batman is the coolest f**king part in any universe.  Its f**king amazing.

Then, bluntly talking about an upcoming collaboration with Reeves (whose last film was the critically acclaimed War for the Planet of the Apes), Affleck  who was originally slated to write and direct The Batman, before stepping aside in both capacities  stated that I would be a f**king ape on the ground for Matt Reeves.

After Affleck proclaimed, How many people in their life get to come to Hall H and say, Im Batman? the panel concluded on a high note, with the debut of a brand-new trailer for the forthcoming tentpole (watch it above). While Justice League has undergone significant changes in recent months, with director Zack Snyder handing over directing duties to Joss Whedon, the latest promo  full of action and banter  was well received. Plus, it ended with the return (albeit just off screen) of Henry Cavills Superman, following his death at the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Story continues

Justice League arrives in theaters on Nov. 17.

Justice League: Up Close With the New-Look Movie Costumes:

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Memories of Cecil the Lion and his untimely demise in 2015, at the hands of an American dentist on a hunting trip, are resurfacing after a national park in Zimbabwe reported Thursday that the famous lion's son was shot and killed.

SEE ALSO: Cecil the lion will live forever  as a Beanie Baby

Xanda, a 6-year-old lion living in Hwange National Park, was reportedly shot on a trophy hunt organized by a professional hunter, Richard Cooke, who has a Zimbabwe-based safari service listed online.

The park reported that Cooke had previously hunted Xanda's brother in 2015, who was a 4-year-old lion. Xanda has several young cubs.

In an interview with the Telegraph, a researcher who was monitoring Xanda's movements with an electronic collar explained that Xanda was killed outside the park and that Cooke's hunt was legal.

Cecil, who was similarly killed outside park boundaries when he was 13 years old, left behind 13 sons and daughters, including Xanda.
The official Twitter account of Chester Bennington's wife Talinda Ann Bentley may have been hacked, social media users speculated after a series of disturbing tweets were sent out from her account, and then deleted moments later, following her husband's apparent suicide. The Linkin Park frontman died Thursday at the age of 41 and his body was found hanging in the bedroom of his Los Angeles home.

"I guess this is the time to say it but I have been cheating on Chester with Mike Shinoda....," one of the deleted tweets read, while another said: "I never really loved him and I'm not hacked I just was in love with the money hurts to say."

Read: Who Is Mike Shinoda? Chester Bennington's Wife Talinda Bentley Confesses To Cheating

One of the tweets on the account hinted that Bentley might also harm herself as the message read: "Im going to see chester tomorrow in hell.. I hope my kids the best."

Screenshot

Photo: Twitter screenshot

Another message sparked concerns over the circumstances in which Bennington killed himself. He didnt kill himself, he was already did [sic] before he hung himself, I have proof...

While there has been no official statement from Bennigton's family or by Bentley regarding the tweets, many social media users said her account was hacked. Some Twitter users slammed the hacker, while others thought the messages were being posted by Bentley herself.

Whether her Twitter account was hacked or not, Bentley is also yet to respond publicly to her husband's death.

Read: Who Is Talinda Ann Bentley?

All the messages related to Bennington's death and the alleged cheating scandal were deleted moments after being posted. It remains unclear if they were being deleted by Bentley or an alleged hacker. Twitter users urged the micro-blogging site's support team to look into the alleged hack. Many others called on the hacker to stop sending out the insensitive messages.

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Bennington, who is survived by his wife and six children, suffered from drugs and alcohol addiction.

Let me give you a typical day. Im a recovering alcoholic, thats the first thing. I have a big family. Ive got three kids in college, one in high school, one in fifth grade and twin girls who are 5; they are in pre-K. I have two pigmy goats, three bantam chickens, a tortoise, six dogs, two cats, fish, so I have a farm, he said in a 2016 interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Linkin Park bandmate Mike Shinoda took to Twitter to confirm Benningtons death Thursday, saying he was shocked and heartbroken" after learning of his death. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one, he wrote.

The band, which has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, was due to begin a tour for its American leg July 27. It remains unclear at the moment whether Linkin Park will go ahead with the tour.

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Colin Firth cant say a thing. The surprise returning star of Kingsman: The Golden Circle joined his cast mates at San Diego Comic-Con to help hype Matthew Vaughns sequel to 2014 spy adventure Kingsman: The Secret Service. And the first question from Yahoo Movies is probably yours too: How the heck is his character, Harry Galahad Hart, back after getting shot in the head in Secret Service?

Ive come 6,000 miles to promote it and then Im not supposed to really talk, he replies. Im decoration.

Fortunately, the rest of the ensemble  returning star Taron Egerton (Eggsy, a.k.a. the new Galahad) and the American secret-agent force known as the Stateman played by Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal  was much more forthcoming about the new film, breaking down the plot for Yahoo Movies. (Watch above.)

The sequel finds Eggsy traveling to the U.S. to team up with the Statesman to bring down the notorious drug gang called the Golden Circle, led by the nefarious Poppy (Julianne Moore).

Bridges explained who the Statesman are. Our cover [is] were booze-makers. We distill bourbon in Kentucky. These guys, he says gesturing to Egerton and Firth, are named after Knights of the Roundtable. Were named after booze. Im Champagne

Tequila, says Tatum.

Whiskey, says Pascal.

Im a mixer, adds Berry. Im Ginger Ale.

As evident in the trailer released at Comic-Con, the film amps up the action. But can they top the signature scene from Secret Service, where Hart takes out an entire church full of attackers.

There is a church fight, it goes on about a quarter of the movie, Bridges deadpans.

The one [scene] from the first movie, they just dropped in, quips Egerton.

Adds Bridges, But its in a synagogue.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle opens Sept. 22.

Keep coming back to Yahoo Movies for the latest from San Diego Comic-Con 2017.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Watch a trailer:

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Baby Rey From Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Photo: Yahoo Movies)

San Diego Comic-Con is known for big stars, previews of movies and TV  and costumes. This year, its safe to say you could assemble your own Amazon army with all the Wonder Women walking around San Diego, and who knew there was enough Adamantium in San Diego to outfit claws on all those Logans? And yet, while there are definite favorite characters, the variety of costumes is as big as the assembled imaginations of the people whove made the weekend trip to celebrate their favorites. Yahoo Movies will be in San Diego all weekend, looking for costumed fans that have dressed to impress and pose for the cameras. Click through to get a feel for the fashion and vibe at Comic-Con 2017.


via @ngameztorres

Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director has traveled to Cuba several times to explore the possibility of doing business on the island.

Scaramucci, whose appointment on Monday led to the resignation of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, is the founder of the global investment firm SkyBridge Capital. He also is behind the annual SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference that brings together business and government leaders. In 2016, the conference  for the first time included a panel on Cuba in which the Cuban-American businessman Hugo Cancio was one of the speakers.

At the offices of OnCuba in Havana, a digital media outlet owned by Cancio, Scaramucci was quoted in an interview published in May 2016 about his idea of creating an investment fund for Cuba, adding that, we are eager to exchange (ideas)... about the best ways in which we can contribute to the development of the country, the services and the quality of life of citizens.

Scaramucci told OnCuba that he first traveled to the island in 2012.

When I saw that the U.S. policy of rapprochement was heading to reconciliation and the ease of the embargo, I started to get in touch with people to get an idea of whether it was really possible to implement my projects here, he said.

On his Facebook page, Scaramucci shared the interview on a May 4, 2016 post and wrote that during his visit to Cuba he "saw a very beautiful country. I am very hopeful for the future of Cuba and excited to welcome the Cubans to the SALT Conference!

More here.

Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
A couple includes their recently adopted 35-pound cat in wedding photos. (Photo: www.kristiodomfineart.com)

An adorable 35-pound cat named Vito was the center of attention at Kiah Berkeley and Paul Sorkins wedding photo shoot.

The cute snaps came to life thanks to professional photographer Kristi Odom. Odom was hired by the couple to be the photographer on their wedding day. However, once at the wedding, guests kept on referencing the newlyweds cat.

Photo: Darren Gustaveson

Photo: Kristi Odom

After the wedding was over, I went home and did a little research, Odom shares with Yahoo Style. To my surprise, Vito was an Internet celeb.

Vito, formerly named Symba, went viral last month when Washington D.C.s Humane Rescue Alliance shelter was looking for a home for the chubby animal. Odom knew she had to do something special with the newlyweds and their new family member.

Photo: Kristi Odom

So she scheduled another photo shoot days after their actual wedding day. I told them to throw on their wedding-day outfits and we were gonna do it at their home, says Odom. They were so excited.

Odom adds: They are extremely sweet people. To think they gave Vito a home  what people need to understand is that this cat needs extra attention and looking after him is a lot of work, but they stepped up to the plate and are doing such a tremendous job.

Photo: Kristi Odom

Berkeley and Sorkin are also parents to two other cats. They dont really know the backstory of how Vito gained so much weight, as his previous owners have been unidentified. But the couple is doing all they can to bring Vito to a healthy weight.

Hes lost several pounds and is tremendously happy, says Odom. He bounces around, jumps on the bed, and sleeps between them every night.

Photo: Kristi Odom

Odom felt she had to include Vito in the couples wedding photo shoot because she is passionate about animals. I am a huge nature lover and conservationist, she says. That is why I was drawn so much to this story. 

She adds: Kiah and Peter have such huge hearts. You can see it in everything they do, especially in their love for this cat in need.

Photo: Kristi Odom

Yahoo Style reached out to Berkeley, who said their focus right now is on giving Vito the best healthy life they possibly can.

Story continues

Photo: Kristi Odom

Vito is one lucky cat, says Odom. He truly is living the fairytale ending.

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Madrid (AFP) - Surrealist master Salvador Dali's trademark moustache is in perfect shape in its "ten past ten" position, officials said Friday, a day after his remains were exhumed to settle a paternity claim.

"I was very anxious about what I would see," said Narcis Bardalet, the forensic expert who embalmed Dali back in 1989 and who was at his grave the moment he was exhumed on Thursday night for DNA test.

"I was absolutely stunned. It was like a miracle...his moustache appeared at 10 past 10 and his hair was intact," Bardalet added during an interview with the public television station TVE1, referring to the positions of the hands on a clock.

The arduous task of exhumation involved removing a slab weighing more than a tonne that covered his tomb at the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueras in northeastern Spain where the eccentric artist was born.

Bardalet was one of only a handful of people including a judge allowed to watch the removal of samples from Dali's remains.

"It was a moving moment for him and for us," Lluis Penuelas Reixach, the secretary general of the Salvador Dali Foundation, told a press conference, in a reference to Bardalet.

DNA samples were taken from Dali's hair, nail and two long bones, he added.

A Madrid court last month granted Pilar Abel a DNA test to determine whether she is Dali's child, as she claims.

Abel, a 61-year-old who long worked as a psychic in Catalonia, says her mother had a relationship with the artist when she worked in Cadaques, a picturesque Spanish port where the painter lived for years.

If Abel is confirmed as Dali's only child, she could be entitled to 25 percent of the huge fortune and heritage of one of the most celebrated and prolific painters of the 20th century, according to her lawyer Enrique Blanquez.

But the Dali Foundation's lawyer has indicated Abel could get a big bill if her claims are proven false.

"If Pilar Abel is not Dali's daughter then we must ask this woman to reimburse the costs of the exhumation," said Albert Segura.

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- 'Act of violence' -

Before work in the crypt began on Thursday, mobile phones were put in a deposit and a marquee was installed under the museum's glass dome to prevent any photography or video from drones.

A crowd of onlookers gathered outside the elaborate museum of Dali's work to watch as police escorted the experts into the building, which is topped by a huge metallic dome decorated with egg shapes. Dali designed the building himself.

The Dali Foundation had tried to fight off the exhumation with an appeal, but there was not enough time for all parties to present their case, a court spokesman told AFP.

Penuelas, the secretary general of the foundation, said the exhumation was "almost an act of violence against a dead person".

"The foundation will reopen the crypt in a private act to restore the integrity of Salvador Dali's body," he added.

Abel has already provided a saliva sample for comparison and the results are expected within a matter of weeks.

The foundation blasted the court's decision to order the exhumation, saying in a statement that it was based only on Abel's claim that her mother once had a relationship with Dali.

The foundations said that before carrying out an "invasive" exhumation of Dali's remains, Abel's DNA should have been compared to her brother's.

If they both matched, it would mean they shared a common father, who was not Dali.

"The court ruling that ordered the exhumation lacked any basis," the statement said.

Dali's estate, which includes properties and hundreds of paintings, is entirely in the hands of the Spanish state.

The foundation says it was worth nearly 400 million euros ($460 million) at the end of 2016.
A man said goodbye to his wife and four children as he was deported from the US to Mexico after 16 years.

Campaigners, lawyers and politicians arrived at Cleveland airport to denounce Jesus Lara Lopezs removal as one of the darkest times in our nation.

Mr Lara Lopez comforted his children, who will now grow up without a father present. He will not be allowed to return for at least 10 years.

The father-of-fours deportation is part of a crackdown by Donald Trumps administration on all undocumented immigrants. Under President Barack Obama, Immigration and Customs (ICE) had focused on deporting only illegal immigrants who had criminal records. Mr Lara Lopez does not have one.

Mr Lara Lopez, 37, arrived in Florida as an undocumented immigrant in 2001 after leaving Chiapas, Mexico, because he could not find work.

Mr Lara Lopez comforts his son before being deported to Mexico after 16 years in the US (Lisa DeJong/ The Plain Dealer)

He has worked several jobs in the US, from picking vegetables to most recently packing cookies for Pepperidge Farm, a bakery company owned by multinational Campbells Soup.

He has raised sons Eric, 14, Edwin, 11, Anuar, 10, and daughter Elsiy, 6, all born Americans. He has never taken public welfare assistance. Last year, he and his wife Anahi bought a house.

Jesus Lara Lopez was escorted onto a flight from Cleveland by ICE agents. The officers chose to wait for their client after the security checkpoint, in order to avoid contact with the protestors.

Mr Lara Lopez will not be allowed to return to the US, where his wife and four children live, for at least 10 years. (WKYC)

"How is this making us any safer? How is this making America a better place? These are the darkest times I have ever seen," his lawyer David Leopold said at the airport, in scenes captured by US television station WKYC.

"I contacted the governor and [Ohio Attorney General] Mike DeWine, but it did no good. This good man is being deported and I have to ask how this makes our country any safer."

"Since 2008, Jesus did everything ICE asked him to do. He showed up every time he was asked, and did whatever they wanted."

"He presented all his tax records since 2002, showing he has been a taxpayer, which is more than our president has done,'' Mr Leopold told Cleveland paper The Plain Dealer.

Story continues

"He held down jobs and raised a family. He never collected welfare, food stamps, unemployment compensation or housing assistance. He has never been in trouble with the law, he attends church and is the kind of person we want to live here."

Mr Lara Lopezs 14-year-old son Eric has launched an online crowdfunding campaign to help his mother pay the mortgage on her familys new home without her husbands US income.

I am only 14, I am not ready to be the man of the house, but I have to help my mom out somehow, wrote Eric.

My dad will work in Mexico as soon as he can get a job, but the money he makes there wont be enough to support us all."

MrLaraLopez saying goodbye to his wife and six-year-old daughter at Cleveland airport. (WKYC)

My mom, siblings, and I dont know what to do without him here."

Erics campaign has raised almost $22,000 (17,000) in five days.

After a traffic stop in 2008, police reported Mr Lara Lopez to ICE. It issued a deportation order, but after an appeal to an immigration judge, he was allowed to stay and work.

In 2011 his appeal finally failed, but he was permitted to stay until the deportation order was activated. His case was given low priority.

But in March, Mr Lara Lopez was summoned to an ICE office, given an ankle tag and told to prepare for deportation.

"Homeland Security Secretary John F Kelly has made it clear that ICE will no longer exempt any class of individuals from removal proceedings if they are found to be in the country illegally, says a report by ICE.

The bishop of Toledo, Ohio, has advocated for Mr Lara Lopez and his family.

While I recognise the federal government's role in upholding immigration laws, deporting people who have lived, worked and raised a family in this great country is not the American way," said Bishop Daniel Thomas in a statement.

This is one more tragic example of how our immigration system is broken and how essential it is to immediately reform that system in order to guarantee the dignity of all persons and the integrity of the family."

During President Trumps first 100 days in office, ICE arrested more than 41,000 people suspected of being in the US illegally. This is almost 40 per cent more than over the same period in 2016, according to the ICE website.
Donald Trump has insisted he has "the complete power to pardon", fuelling speculation he is considering using the device to extricate himself and members of his team from an investigation into collusion with Russia to interfere in the US election.

The President made the statement during an early-morning stream of posts on Twitter, saying: "While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS."

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Although the President's tweet hinted there was no need to use the power at the moment, because nothing wrong had been done, his rhetoric has raised concerns among senior opposition politicians and academics.

Scholars have raised questions about the scope of the President's legal authority in issuing pardons. If Trump moved to pardon himself sometime in the future, the US Supreme Court might have to decide on the constitutionality, some have speculated.

Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, said: "The possibility that the President is considering pardons at this early stage in these ongoing investigations is extremely disturbing. Pardoning any individuals who may have been involved would be crossing a fundamental line."

A Democratic Party spokesperson told the BBC that the claims were "extremely disturbing".

Mr Trump has also claimed that leaks regarding Attorney General Jeff Sessions are illegal. A recent report in the Washington Post quotes Justice Department insiders, who say that Mr Sessions met with the former Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 campaign and discussed key policy positions toward Russia. Mr Sessions claimed that he had not met with Russians during the campaign; he also later recused himself from oversight of the investigation into Russia's 2016 election influence.

Story continues

It comes amid mounting pressure on the President and his administration over their alleged links with the Kremlin's purported attempts to influence the vote last November in his favour.

Just yesterday, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to rule out the possibility Mr Trump would use his pardon power to shield himself, his family, and his administration from federal lawsuits.

Ms Huckabee Sanders addressed reporters during her first press briefing following the resignation of Sean Spicer, who had announced his resignation as White House press secretary earlier that day. She is reported to be the favourite to take his place as press secretary.

"I'd refer you to the comments that have already been made by the outside counsel," Ms Huckabee Sanders said when asked about the President's position on pardons.

Hours earlier, the emergence of Russian court documents seen by Reuters showed that the Russian lawyer who met Donald Trump Jr before his father's election counted the country's FSB security service among her clients for years.

There is no suggestion that Natalia Veselnitskaya was an employee of the Russian government or intelligence services, and she has denied having anything to do with the Kremlin.

But the fact she represented the FSB in a court case prompted intensified questions of the Trump administration.

Following the tweet about his power to pardon, the President embarked on a familiar tirade about Hillary Clinton emails and the sacked FBI director James Comey.

He went on to suggest Ms Clinton, the Democratic candidate he defeated to enter the White House, had "deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 emails".

Mr Trump compared this with the fact his son, Donald Jr "openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities".

Following Mr Trump Jr's release of the emails, it emerged he had done so minutes before the New York Times was due to publish details of their contents.

The President also urged Republican senators to "step up to the plate" in the ongoing but so-far unsuccessful effort to repeal and replace Obamacare.
By Antonio Parrinello and Steve Scherer CATANIA, Italy (Reuters) - A dozen far-right millennials from Europe and North America plan to set sail next week to "defend Europe" from what they call a migrant invasion from Africa, using social media as their weapons. The supporters of the Identitarian movement, which says it wants to preserve Europe's identity, have rented a ship to take them to international waters off the Libyan coast so they can monitor humanitarian rescuers, who they say collude with people smugglers who cram migrants onto dangerous boats. "There is a difference between saving lives and smuggling people to Europe," Martin Sellner, an Austrian who is leading the effort, told Reuters at Catania's port. "What they are doing in fact is making millions of dollars for human trafficking rings," he said. The activists, who are all in their 20s and early to mid-30s, will stay at sea about 10 days, but may renew the mission if it is successful, Sellner said. Charity groups operating rescue ships are concerned that the activists will try to disrupt them and put lives at risk. The mission, which critics call a publicity stunt, is the latest in a series of accusations and media attacks against the non-governmental rescuers. In carefully choreographed videos posted on YouTube, the Identitarian message sounds much like that of Europe's far-right politicians, but Sellner characterizes the group as a "patriotic NGO" that is the "avant-garde of this patriotic shift in mainstream politics in Europe". The group is tapping into growing unease, especially in Italy, about immigration from North Africa that has brought more than a half a million impoverished migrants and refugees to Europe in less than four years. In that time, more than 13,000 have died trying to make the crossing. Next week the nine NGOs operating rescue missions are to meet with the Italian government, which wants them to sign a "code of conduct", capping months of controversy. The charities have repeatedly denied any ties to smugglers. "As a humanitarian organization, our biggest concern is the women, children and men that we rescue from unseaworthy boats," a spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee, which operates the Aquarius rescue ship, told Reuters. "Any attempt of interference would endanger the lives of people in need of protection." "VIGILANTES" So far this year sea migrant arrivals are approaching 100,000, 13 percent higher than last year, and some 200,000 asylum seekers are living in state-funded shelters. "I'm starting to have serious difficulties," Catania's mayor, Enzo Bianco, told Reuters. The city's port took in 10,000 migrants during the first half of the year. An Ixe poll on Friday said 78 percent of Italians thought they had been abandoned by their European Union allies. But Bianco, a member of the ruling center-left Democratic Party, said he will seek to keep the C-Star, the ship rented by the Identitarians, from entering the city's port and "pouring fuel on the fire". "They are like vigilantes, people who take the law into their own hands without having any authority... the situation is too tense to be turned into the Wild West," he said. The Identitarians are young and media savvy, quick to post their protests -- like when they hung a banner reading "secure borders, secure future" on the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin -- to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. North American conservative YouTube pundits Lauren Southern and Brittany Pettibone are also supposed to go on their sea mission, but no mainstream news outlets will be on board. To raise money for the operation, the Identitarians launched a website in May and have gathered some $170,000, enough to rent the 40-metre (yard) C-Star, which has been repeatedly delayed on its trip from its home port of Djibouti. "This massive immigration is changing the face of our streets, of our cities, and soon the people who have been living here for thousands of years will be an endangered minority," Sellner said earlier this month when he announced the sea mission. Emma Bonino, a former foreign minister who is calling on Italy's government to come up with better integration policies, said the Identitarians are trying to capitalize on increasing discomfort among Italians. Poor migrants "sleep in the rail station or in the street or they cannot work, so people see them doing nothing. This is what makes people uneasy," she said in an interview in her Rome home. Italians "would like this problem to be managed in a more human and regular way," she said. (Additional reporting and writing by Steve Scherer in Rome; Editing by Toby Davis)
Berlin (AFP) - Germany on Thursday vowed stinging measures hitting tourism and investment in Turkey and a full "overhaul" of their troubled relations, signalling its patience had snapped after Ankara's arrests of human rights activists.

The government stepped up its travel advisory for the NATO ally as Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned it could no longer guarantee its citizens' safety in the face of "arbitrary" mass arrests, a step set to hit a sector crucial to Turkey's ailing economy.

A day after his ministry summoned Turkey's ambassador, Gabriel interrupted his holiday and returned to Berlin to deliver his unusually strong comments towards President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Relations between Turkey and Germany, home to three million ethnic Turks, have been badly strained, particularly since the failed coup a year ago against Erdogan.

Gabriel said Germany would review state guarantees for foreign investment in Turkey and urge businesses not to put their money there, and also reconsider its support for billions in EU financial flows earmarked over coming years for the long-time aspirant to membership of the bloc.

A Social Democrat, Gabriel made clear he was speaking for the coalition government led by conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, and her spokesman soon tweeted that the steps were indeed "necessary and indispensable".

Gabriel recalled that Turkey, having long seen itself as "a member of the European family", had levelled Nazi jibes at Germany, and accused Erdogan of worsening a crisis that Berlin had repeatedly sought to ease through dialogue.

He accused Erdogan of trying to muzzle "every critical voice" with mass arrests in sweeping crackdowns over the past year.

Gabriel stressed that Germany still wanted to rebuild relations with its long-time ally but that first Erdogan's government must "return to European values".

Turkey's presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin accused Germany of "great political irresponsibility" in stepping up its travel warning and said: "We do not accept this."

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He pointed to Germany's general election in September, saying: "It's unacceptable to try and damage economic relations, try and arouse doubts in the minds of German investors, for the sake of petty electoral calculations."

The Turkish foreign ministry later said that bilateral relations could not be based on "blackmail and threats".

- Activists held 'hostage' -

A Turkish court on Tuesday ordered six rights activists to remain in custody for allegedly aiding a "terror" group -- among them Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser and Berlin-based activist Peter Steudtner.

Turkey in February arrested, on similar charges, German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel of Die Welt and is holding several other German citizens.

Erdogan has demanded Germany extradite people he blames for conspiring against him, mostly alleged followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating the coup, a charge Gulen denies.

Germany has granted asylum to some Turkish dissidents, journalists and military officers who feared being swept up in the post-coup arrests.

German politicians and media have accused Erdogan of detaining German citizens as "hostages" to trade for Turks in Germany, but Gabriel said he "had heard of no official exchange offer".

News weekly Die Zeit said Ankara's blacklist also includes large German companies such as Daimler and BASF, claims dismissed as "absurd" by German security sources.

Gabriel, without referring to those claims, said that "you can't advise someone to invest in a country where there is no legal certainty and even completely innocent companies are linked to terrorism".

- Escalating row -

German-Turkish relations have steadily deteriorated in recent years, soured by a free speech dispute centred on a German TV comedian and a German parliamentary vote on the sensitive historical question of the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman troops during World War I.

Erdogan has fumed over Germany's decision to deny him and other Turkish politicians opportunities to campaign in Germany, home to the largest Turkish community abroad due to its "guest worker" programme of the 1950s and 1960s.

The NATO allies have also clashed over thwarted visits by German lawmakers to troops stationed at Turkish bases.

The spat has cast clouds over Turkey's long-term push to join the European Union, and threatened a 2016 deal between Ankara and the EU that has stemmed the mass influx of migrants and refugees into the block.

Top-selling Bild daily cheered that Gabriel "has shown Erdogan what happens when you break the rules. Finally! That took far too long! Hopefully he will get the message."
A California girl who shut down her lemonade stand after a stranger reprimanded her is refusing to let him rain on her parade, telling InsideEdition.com it has inspired her to help victims of bullying.

Jasmine LaRoche, 13, set out to meet fellow kids in her Discovery Bay neighborhood while providing a treat that was safe for children who normally cannot have sugary snacks.

Shes a type 1 diabetic," her father, Richard LaRoche, told InsideEdition.com. "She was trying to have a diabetic-friendly lemonade stand and have a positive impact on our community."

But the budding entrepreneur had spent only 10 minutes selling lemonade and cookies when the unidentified scrooge approached and demanded to know what right she had to set up shop in the neighborhood, her dad said.

When Jasmine couldnt come up with an answer good enough for him, the man said he was calling the cops.

I was kind of scared because I thought I might have gotten in trouble by the law, Jasmine said.

The teen ran home crying and told her parents what happened.

Read: Man Threatens to Call Police on Girl Who Set Up Lemonade Stand: 'Sad and Pathetic'

I was angry  I wanted to go and threaten him back and let him know, 'Youre not going to threaten my daughter,' LaRoche said. Then I realized, I have to set an example. This is a learning experience.

"So I figured I can teach Jasmine that other people supporting you is more powerful than being intimidating to someone or having a physical confrontation.

LaRoche convinced his daughter to set up a second stand and continue working to achieve her goal. He also took to social media to vent his frustrations toward the man who threatened his daughters dreams.

Whoever the man (I wouldnt call you that if I didnt have to) was that threatened to call the police on my daughter for her lemonade stand, you are seriously pathetic, he wrote in a Facebook post that quickly went viral.

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Its been amazing. Ive been getting messages from people in London, from people in Germany, from people on the East Coast, as far north as Washington saying how much they support Jasmine or know someone whos been in that situation, LaRoche said.

Read: 17-Year-Old Girl Creates Moving Video To Speak Out Against Cyber Bullying

Jasmines second attempt at a lemonade stand was a hit, and dozens of neighborsas well as a few police officersflocked to the stand to buy a drink and a cookie.

It was actually amazing to know that the cops were trying to support me as well and it was OK for me to do the lemonade stand in the community, Jasmine said. It made me feel happy inside to know the cops are also there for me.

The show of supportboth in person and onlinehas resonated with the teen and her family, who plan to create a foundation that tackles bullying.

The foundation will be a lemonade stand anti-bullying movement, LaRoche explained. For us, what were trying to do is let people know that people like that gentlemen is, thats a bully. To bully a child is wrong."

Though the details of the organization are still being ironed out, LaRoche and his daughter said theyre looking forward to the opportunity to empower other children to stand up in the face of bullying.

Just try and stay happy and strong, Jasmine said, speaking to those who have also been bullied. Even if you feel scared at the moment, just basically try to stay strong.

Watch: Mom of Olympian Gabby Douglas Opens Up About 'Hurtful' Social Media Bullying

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By now, fans of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 know the films biggest, saddest surprise: Michael Rookers roguish Yondu Udonta sacrifices himself to save surrogate son Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). It is arguably the first major death in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and, naturally, the cast and crew went to great lengths to keep audiences in the dark. Even if that meant taking a page from the Star Wars playbook and planting false spoilers.

As Rooker informed us while visiting with Yahoo Movies at San Diego Comic-Con, a few fanatics were close to sniffing out the major plot point. So he and director James Gunn concocted a plan to make it seem like Yondu would be alive and well post-Vol. 2 and join the Guardians for their next outing in Avengers: Infinity War.

I visited the set with my Infinity War cap on just to throw off audiences, the sly Rooker recalled (watch above). What was going on was people were figuring out that I did not survive Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, and we had a big spoiler toward the end. And so we really, really wanted to do something.

I just visited Dave Bautista [Drax the Destroyer], and we shook hands, gave a big hug, and I walked off. Somebody took the photos and posted them.

That someone was Rooker himself, who posted a handful of photos on Instagram, including one in the makeup trailer. When told that because of the photo he was listed on IMDbs Infinity War cast page as rumored, Rooker broke into a big grin: It is a rumor. Its a rumor that I started!

Early morning in the make up trailer at some location in Atl and yes they made me put the tape on A post shared by Michael Rooker (@michael_rooker) on Feb 27, 2017 at 5:24am PST

Having a great morning so far at my lovely local Starbucks in Peachtree city Georgia..ShitYes!!! A post shared by Michael Rooker (@michael_rooker) on Feb 25, 2017 at 8:19am PST

Rooker was making the Comic-Con rounds with fellow Guardians Karen Gillan (Nebula) and Pom Klementieff (Mantis) to promote next months release of Vol. 2 on digital and Blu-ray. And while Rooker only pretended to be in the movie, both Gillan and Klementieff are in it for real  theyre expected to hang around for Marvels climactic panel on Saturday night along with other key cast members for a replay of the trailer that premiered a week ago at Disneys D23 Expo  and the actresses were downright giddy when talking about making the team-up movie.

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Its like meeting your extended family after spending most of your time with your immediate family, gushed Gillan.

The Avengers: Infinity War cast assembles at Disneys D23 Expo. (Photo: Disney)

Its a crazy cast, added Klementieff. Theres Thor, Iron Man

Theres Spider-Man getting coffee, Gillan continued. And then Iron Man walks past, and youre like, What is this?'

Gillan also told us she has one major goal before the film wraps: I really want to take the [Captain America] shield. I might try and touch it at some point.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 arrives Aug. 8 on Digital HD and Aug. 22 on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. Avengers: Infinity War is due in theaters on May 4, 2018.

Keep coming back to Yahoo Movies for the latest from San Diego Comic-Con 2017.

Watch: Avengers: Infinity War Cast Just Cant Get Along:



Read more from Yahoo Movies:
Kos (Greece) (AFP) - The Greek holiday island of Kos on Saturday was struggling to recover from a quake that killed two people and injured hundreds, with tourists facing flight delays and the damaged main harbour closed for a second day.

The 6.7-magnitude tremor also left hundreds more injured in the Turkish resort of Bodrum, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) across the sea from Kos.

"Given the amount of people outside at the time, having only two victims is a miracle," deputy Kos mayor David Yerasklis told Kathimerini daily.

The undersea quake struck at 1:31 am Friday (2231 GMT Thursday) between Kos and Bodrum.

At the time, tourists in both places were out enjoying the nightlife.

On Kos, the upper facade of a two-storey nightclub collapsed on people outside, killing a 22-year-old Swede and a 39-year-old Turk.

Another 120 people were hurt, seven of them seriously, while some 360 people were injured in Bodrum -- many after jumping out of windows.

The badly injured on Kos were flown to hospitals in Athens and Crete, including two men from Sweden and Norway who are in critical condition.

The hospital on Crete on Saturday said the 23-year-old Norwegian -- who had lost his lower leg early on -- had to have his other leg amputated.

The 21-year-old Swede has serious head injuries and broken bones.

Police on Friday had given their nationalities in the inverse order.

Another 20 people remained hospitalised in Turkey, said Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who sent his sympathies.

"Hardship, like joy, is shared where neighbours are concerned," Yildirim said.

Kos is one of Greece's top travel destinations, and particularly popular with British, German and Scandinavian tourists.

- No 'dramatisation' -

The quake struck at the height of the tourism season, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday warned against "dramatising" the issue.

"Creating a climate of exaggeration and dramatisation does not help restoring normality in daily life on the island," Tsipras' office said in a statement.

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Government officials and expert divers on Saturday were inspecting Kos's harbour, which was cracked by the tremor and has been declared unsafe for use.

But the rest of island's infrastructure network including roads is mostly intact, they stressed.

Ferries have been rerouted to the smaller port town of Kefalos in west Kos until repairs are made.

"All scheduled ferry services are now running from Kefalos, both incoming and outgoing," a Kos coastguard operator said.

Many people spent the night outdoors as a precaution, setting up tents in parks and squares, but officials noted that the majority of hotels were unaffected by the quake.

Deborah Kinnear, a 35-year-old psychologist from Glasgow, said her family initially thought of returning home but no flights were available.

"I think calm is being restored," she said after spending the night outdoors.

"Last night wasn't too bad. Hoping the worst is over... this has been one of our best holidays," she told AFP.

At Kos airport, delays continued for a second straight day with over 50 outgoing flights scheduled. Over 20 flights had landed by midday Saturday.

"There is no problem at the hotels, the tourists have dealt calmly with developments," Constantina Svynou, head of the local hotelier association, told Ta Nea daily.

- Monuments closed -

Some areas of the port town were still without water, however.

The UN refugee agency said no injuries were reported among the 800 migrants and refugees housed on the island, which is one of the main gateways into Europe for people fleeing war and poverty.

But asylum procedures have been curtailed until at least Monday as the quake damaged passport inspection facilities at the harbour.

Many archaeological and medieval monuments -- including the medieval Knights of St John fortifications near where the deaths occurred -- have also been closed until further notice.

The quake toppled the minaret of a historic 18th century mosque, damaged a church and knocked boulders off the fortifications.

In Bodrum, three buildings collapsed and another 32 were damaged, the Turkish PM said.

Turkey and Greece sit on significant fault lines and have regularly been hit by earthquakes in recent years.

On Saturday, researchers at Thessaloniki's Aristotelio University said Friday's tremor had been caused by a fault line that sparked a 1493 quake estimated to have killed some 5,000 people.

This year alone, Turkey's western Aegean coast was hit by several significant tremors.

In June, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake gutted a village on the Greek island of Lesbos, killing a woman and leaving more than 15 injured.

lg-od-jph-gkg/pg
By Gabriella Borter

(Reuters) - A single mother of four has taken sanctuary in a Connecticut church after federal authorities ordered her deported to her native Guatemala as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on unauthorized immigrants.

Nury Chavarria, who moved to the United States in 1993 to seek asylum from political turmoil and violence at home, had been ordered by immigration officials to leave for Guatemala by Thursday, said Sidd Sinha, an attorney at Formica Williams, the New Haven, Connecticut law firm representing her, by phone on Friday.

Instead the 43-year-old housekeeper took sanctuary at Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal in New Haven.

Churches have historically offered sanctuary to refugees, making them immune from arrest. While that no longer has legal effect, the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement spokesman Khaalid Walls said in a statement on Friday that the agency avoids making arrests at "sensitive locations" such as places of worship, schools and hospitals without prior approval from a supervisor.

"We have opened the doors of our congregation to serve Ms. Chavarria as a sanctuary church," Pastor Hector Otero of the church said at a press conference on Thursday.

Chavarria is a single mother of four U.S.-born children aged 9 to 21, who have birthright citizenship. Her eldest has cerebral palsy.

Chavarria was allowed to voluntarily depart after a review of her case in 1998, but has stayed on illegally since 1999, Walls said. She has been granted stays of removal on humanitarian grounds as she has raised her children.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, who met with Chavarria at the church on Thursday, tweeted on Friday, "#NuryChavarria is a mother and has no criminal record. She is welcome in our state."

New Haven is one of hundreds of U.S. cities, counties and states that have declared themselves sanctuaries that refuse to cooperate with Trump's efforts to deport millions of immigrants.

Story continues

In the first months after his election in November, arrests have risen, but actual deportations have fallen by 12 percent compared with the same period under President Barack Obama.

The two Democratic U.S. senators representing Connecticut, Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, have written letters to Immigration Customs Enforcement urging a review of Chavarria's latest application for a stay of removal.

At a press conference on Friday at the church where Chavarria was staying, Blumenthal called her situation "a symptom of Trump's cold and callous immigration policies that lack all sense of reason and rationality."

New York immigration attorney Glen Raj said by phone that U.S. immigration agencies are very rarely persuaded by communities and state governments to revoke a deportation order.

(Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Richard Chang)
For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page
Jezebel

Its been nearly two decades since actress and former Scientologist, Leah Remini, has been looking for Shelly Miscavige, the missing wife (and First Lady) of the Church of Scientologys de facto leader, David Miscavige. Shes dedicated entire episodes of her A&E series to her investigation, mentioned it innumerable times in the press, and even confronted church officials with questions at Tom Cruises 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes. Now, via viral thread on Twitter, Remini has detailed a new devel
By Luke Baker and Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Palestinian worshippers on Friday clashed with Israeli security forces outside a Jerusalem shrine in violence prompted by the installation of metal detectors at its entry point, and at least three Palestinians were killed. There have been daily confrontations between Palestinians hurling rocks and Israeli police using stun grenades since the detectors were placed outside the sacred venue, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, on Sunday, following the killing of two Israeli policemen. The shrine includes the al Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, and the golden Dome of the Rock. It was also the site of an ancient Jewish temple, the holiest place in Judaism. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Mohammed Sharaf, 17, and Mohammad Hassan Abu Ghannam, age unknown, died of gunshot wounds in two neighborhoods of East Jerusalem somewhat away from the epicenter of tension in the walled Old City. It reported a third Palestinian fatality, Mohammed Lafi, 18, later. It was not immediately clear who fired the shots, with unconfirmed media reports that an Israeli from a settlement in the nearby occupied West Bank was responsible in Sharaf's death. Israel's Channel 10 reported that a child of eight had died from tear gas inhalation, but that could not be confirmed. Despite international pressure to remove the metal detectors, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet decided in Friday's early hours to keep them in place, saying they were needed to prevent arms being smuggled into the shrine. In protest, thousands of worshippers gathered for Friday prayers at various entrances to the sacred compound, which sits on a marble and stone plateau in the Old City. They refused to enter, preferring to pray outside, in some cases filling the narrow alleyways of the Old City's Muslim quarter. "We reject Israeli restrictions at the Aqsa Mosque," said Jerusalem's senior Muslim cleric, Grand Mufti Mohammad Hussein. Muslim leaders and Palestinian political factions had urged the faithful to gather for a "day of rage" on Friday against the new security policies, which they see as changing delicate agreements that have governed the holy site for decades. But by early afternoon, with police mobilizing extra units and placing barriers to carry out checks at entrances to the Old City, there had been little serious violence. Access to the shrine for Muslims was limited to men over 50 but open to women of all ages. Roadblocks were in place on approach roads to Jerusalem to stop buses carrying Muslims to the site. At one location near the Old City, stone throwers did try to break through a police line, and police used stun grenades to drive them back. INJURIES Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said four officers were injured in the sporadic clashes and the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service said at least 377 protesters had been hurt, some suffering from tear gas inhalation. Ahmad Abdul Salaam, a local businessman who came to pray outside the Noble Sanctuary, said: "Putting these metal detectors at the entrance to our place of worship is like putting them at the entrance to our house. Are you really going to put me through a metal detector as I go into my house?" The hilltop compound has long been a source of religious friction. Since Israel captured and annexed the Old City, including the compound, in the 1967 Middle East war, it has also become a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. "This is our place of prayer, we have sovereignty here," Salaam said. On Thursday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to press for the removal of the metal detectors. Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East, appealed for calm and the White House called for a resolution. Jordan, the custodian of the holy site, has also been involved in mediation efforts. But Netanyahu's 11-member security cabinet opted in a late-night meeting to retain the metal detectors to ensure no weapons were smuggled in, a week after three Arab-Israeli gunmen shot dead two Israeli policemen in the vicinity of the complex. Far-right members of Netanyahu's government - which relies on religious, rightist and pro-settler parties for support - had publicly urged him to keep the devices in place. "Israel is committed to maintaining the status quo at the Temple Mount and the freedom of access to the holy places," the security cabinet said in a statement. "The cabinet has authorized the police to take any decision in order to ensure free access to the holy places while maintaining security and public order." As well as anger at having to submit to Israeli security policies, Palestinians are alarmed at what they see as a slow chipping away at the status quo at the Noble Sanctuary. Since Ottoman times, while Jews are permitted to visit the area, only Muslims are allowed to pray there. Over the past decade, however, visits by religious-nationalist Jews have increased sharply and some attempt to pray. While police are supposed to eject them if they do, the rules are not always enforced, angering Muslims. In 2000, a visit to the site by then-Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon triggered clashes that spiraled into the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) in which about 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis died in four years of violence. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; writing by Luke Baker and Ori Lewis; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If John McCain's illness requires a long absence from the U.S. Senate, his colleagues will be deprived of a dealmaker and leading voice on national security, while America's allies will lose one of the few Republican critics of President Donald Trump's foreign policy. The 80-year-old lawmaker and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, who was elected to a sixth Senate term last November, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He is vowing a quick return to the Senate. McCain, a former U.S. Navy pilot who spent 5-1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, is outspoken on a range of issues, from defense spending to immigration to demanding a thorough investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Asked how the Senate was different without McCain, his close friend Senator Lindsey Graham said: "It's quieter. John is a fighter and John's into every cause no matter how hard it might be." A Russia hawk, McCain has expressed deep skepticism of Trump's effort to improve ties with Moscow, and emerged, with Graham, as perhaps the most vocal Republican critic in Congress of the president's foreign policy. He chairs the influential Senate Armed Services Committee. McCain has traveled the globe on trips some analysts say are efforts to soothe the concerns of U.S. allies that fear Trump's "America First" policy means a retreat from international engagement. "I realize that some of President Trump's actions and statements have unsettled America's friends," McCain said in a speech in Australia in May. "They have unsettled many Americans as well." McCain is also known for an independent streak and a willingness to work with Democrats. He has participated in almost every major bipartisan legislative effort in the Senate in recent years, such as the "Gang of Eight" immigration push in 2013. In 2015, McCain, who was tortured while a POW, worked with Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein to pass legislation banning torture. This week, he called for a bipartisan effort to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system. DEFENSE SPENDING While McCain has made clear his desire for more spending on defense, he has criticized what he sees as inefficiencies in U.S. weapons programs. Some analysts said defense contractors might have an easier time with another Armed Services chairman. "McCain is McCain, and he has needled people and programs that he does not think are performing," said Mark Cancian, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security program. McCain has criticized defense programs like the Littoral Combat Ship made by Lockheed Martin Co and Australia's Austal Ltd . "LCS has been one thing that has been in his sights, and arguably there has been an effect," Cancian said. To carry out Trump's goal of repealing and replacing former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs the backing of at least 50 of the 100 U.S. senators. Republicans control the Senate by a narrow majority of 52 to 48. As McCain weighs treatment options in his home state of Arizona, his absence makes it more difficult for McConnell to muster the support he needs to advance healthcare legislation expected to come to a vote next week. "Obviously, I think more people are worried about his health than thinking about the math, but you know, you understand the math," Republican Senator Bob Corker told reporters. "Obviously, it makes things difficult." Sarah Binder, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, said that with the slim Republican majority, the absence of any senator could be potentially "catastrophic" for the party's effort to pass its agenda. She said the problem was compounded by McCain's absence. "His colleagues perceive him as a 'giant' of the Senate, whose expertise and perspective on foreign and military affairs is arguably irreplaceable," Binder said. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Mike Stone, Richard Cowan and John Walcott; Editing by Caren Bohan and Peter Cooney)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - At least eight suspected gang members died on Thursday in a gun battle with Mexican marines in Mexico City, which has largely been spared the worst of the country's drug violence.

Mexico's Navy said in statement that a patrol of marines in Tlahuac, in the southeastern part of the capital, was attacked by suspected gang members, sparking the gunfight. The Navy said that among the dead was Felipe de Jesus Luna, whom it described as the head of a violent criminal organization.

The Navy said the gangsters were suspected of drug dealing, extortion, murder and kidnapping. It did not say if any of the marines were injured.

Maries were in the area to follow up on intelligence about the whereabouts of local criminal gangs, the Navy said in the statement.

The exchange was one of the most violent clashes between security forces and gangs since 17 suspected gangsters were killed in northwestern Mexico at the end of June.

Since 2007 when former President Felipe Calderon launched his assault on drug cartels, Mexico City has largely avoided the violence that has plagued much of the country and resulted in more than 100,000 deaths.

But violence has been rising in Mexico City, according to Interior Ministry data. In the first five months of 2017, there were 438 murders in the capital, up nearly 20 percent from the same period last year.

(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter and Lizbeth Diaz)
IBMs quarterly revenue continued to decline, but its still one of the biggest companys around.

On Tuesday, IBM (IBM) reported its 21st consecutive quarterly revenue decline. Thats more than five years without revenue growth. And at least one prominent business professor thinks Big Blue might be better of simply shrinking by allowing its legacy businesses to fade away, rather than trying to push itself to grow.

I think IBM has had a good run, NYU Stern School of Business professor Aswath Damodaran told Yahoo Finance. Not all companies last forever. There is a life cycle to a company. They are born grow and then decline. They [IBM] have been in decline for 10 or 12 years.

Damodaran, who teaches corporate finance and valuation, says trying to force growth in older companies like IBM could actually have a negative impact on them, because they might end up simply throwing good money away.

When youre 75, youd love to be 35 again, but youre not going to, Damodaran said. So thats the way I think of aging companies. Trying to turn them around might be the most dangerous thing you can do.

We continue to believe IBM will merge  much stronger

So how exactly is IBM trying to turn itself around? By focusing on what it calls its strategic imperatives. Those include businesses like the cloud, cybersecurity, mobile, analytics and its Watson AI solution. According to IBM vice president of finance and issues communications Ian Colley, the companys strategic imperatives have grown from $13 billion in business in 2010 to $34 billion.

Unfortunately, the firms legacy portions, which are made up of hardware and software offerings, are still weighing it down.

Year-over-year revenue was down 4.7% in the second quarter of 2017 to $19.3 billion. That, according to Reuters, is the largest decline in the companys last five quarters.

Still, the firms cloud business saw a 15% revenue increase to $3.9 billion, while the analytics division saw a 4% increase to $5.1 billion.

And as Colley points out, IBM divested itself of more than $8 billion in annual low-value revenue in recent years.

Story continues

IBM is focused on delivering high value tech solutions to clientsand increasingly that means apply new IT models, such as Cloud, AI, etc, to help enterprises unlock and leverage their enterprise data in new ways, he said.

IBM is still the 20th most influential company on the Dow in terms of market cap. Whats more, the during an interview with CNBC, IBM CFO Martin Schroeter said he is confident IBM will grow again, adding that the company is taking time to invest in the right places.

Some analysts were also somewhat optimistic about IBMs future following its earnings, with Brian White of Drexel Hamilton saying the company is showing progress in its transition away from its legacy business and towards its strategic imperatives, which include its cloud division.

We continue to believe IBM will emerge from this transition a much stronger IT organization, White said in a research note.

Steve Milunovich of UBS meanwhile wrote in his own note that IBM is showing signs that it is stabilizing.

Challenges from Amazon, Microsoft and Google

Still, not everyone is so high on IBMs Watson. Jefferies analyst James Kisner issued a report prior to IBMs earnings saying that while the companys AI platform is among the most mature on the market, setting up the service requires significant consulting work. That can seem unattractive to customers, pushing them to similar offerings from the likes of Amazon.

IBMs cloud platform meanwhile has to contend with the likes of Amazons (AMZN) Amazon Web Service, Microsofts (MSFT) cloud and Googles (GOOG, GOOGL) enterprise cloud services. Amazon is the big dog in the cloud space, though, thanks to its decision to jump headlong into the business before many of its competitors.

Still, IBM is a 106-year old company that has proven it can weather incredibly volatile changes in the technology industry ranging from the birth of the personal computer to the mobile revolution and now the war for the cloud.

In other words, dont count out the Big Blue just yet.

Related:



More from Dan:

Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldovan lawmakers on Friday called on Russia to pull troops out of the pro-Moscow breakaway region of Transdniestria, speaking out in a stormy parliament session that underlined the split in the nation's loyalties between the West and Russia. Sixty-one MPs in the 101-member assembly approved a symbolic statement that called for Russia to withdraw troops, weapons and other military equipment from Transdniestria, which seceded from the ex-Soviet republic in 1990. The main opposition Socialists left the chamber in protest, calling it a provocation that would worsen relations with Russia and damage efforts to achieve a lasting settlement of Transdniestria's status. Parliament "calls upon the Russian Federation to recommence and finalize the process of withdrawing its troops..., its munitions, weapons and military equipment from the territory of the Republic of Moldova," the statement said. Moldovan politics is divided between a pro-Western government that has forged closer trade and diplomatic links with the European Union and Washington, and a pro-Russian president who wants to move Moldova back within Russia's orbit. The Russian-speakers of Transdniestria seceded from Moldova one year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union amid fears that Moldova would shortly merge with neighboring Romania, whose language and culture it broadly shares. The separatist region fought a brief war with Moldova in 1992 and declared itself an independent state, but it remains unrecognized by any country, including Russia. Attempts to resolve the dispute have made little progress. A 2006 referendum in Transdniestria, which borders Ukraine but not Russia, produced a 97.2 percent vote in favor of joining Russia. Moldova has been governed by pro-Western leaders since 2009 and inked an Association Agreement with the EU in 2014. Russia retaliated by halting the import of Moldovan farm produce. Relations between Moldova and Russia suffered further this year in a row in March over the treatment of Moldovan officials traveling to or through Russia, and the expulsion of five Russian diplomats in May. There was further tension in the run-up to Friday's vote when Moldova barred Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin from flying to Transdniestria in a military plane. (Writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Nearly 30 years after his burial, Salvador Dalis mustache has retained its exquisitely twisted appearance.

Forensic researchers exhumed the surrealist painters body this week to remove bones, nails, and hair for a court-ordered paternity test. Dalis embalmer, Narcis Bardalet, witnessed the exhumation, and upon seeing the well-preserved mustache, told Catalan radio station RAC1, It was like a miracle his mustache appeared at 10 past 10 exactly and his hair was intact. The 10 past 10 reference alludes to the way Dali bent and waxed his mustache to point as a clock does at 10:10.

The seemingly death-proof mustache, however, is no miracle, and its unlikely that embalming techniques had anything to do with its preserved state.

The embalming has nothing to do with the survival of the hair, Todd Howell, a licensed Tennessee embalmer, told Inverse.

Hair is already mostly dead, anyway. It contains no nerves, muscles, or blood vessels, which are required for infusing a body with embalming fluid. Theres no way to distribute embalming fluid into the hair itself, explains Howell.

Salvador Dali's "Oasis "(1946)

After 27 years, Dalis hair should be expected to be in good shape, anyhow, says Howell. Hair simply decays at a much slower rate than organs and flesh. Locks of baby hair, for instance, retain their shape and color decades after being snipped off.

His distinctively bent mustache was likely molded in place by an oil-based product, or perhaps beeswax. They probably put some product in it to give it its signature shape  which may have provided protection to the hair itself, said Howell.

Dalis exhumers reported that his body was in pretty good shape, too, suggesting that the embalming process was successful. Its a tricky process: Before the formaldehyde-based embalming fluid is injected into the body  often through the carotenoid artery in the neck  all of the blood is first drained from the deceaseds body. The fluid, when injected, hardens the tissue and creates an environment that is inhospitable to most bacteria, delaying the decomposition process.

Story continues

Dali's mustache has stayed at 10:10, even after 27 years in the grave.

But not all corpses are so lucky: The bodies of people who had poor eating habits, Howell says, often have compromised vascular systems. If you eat a pound of bacon every day, the fats are going to clog your arteries  like crimping a water hose, he says, explaining that this reduces the effectiveness of embalming.

Embalming delays decomposition for an indefinite amount of time, he continues. Compromised vascular systems will have limited effects. The remains can last for two weeks, two years, or two days.

Dalis body is going on 27 years of preservation, so the embalming seems to be doing the trick. But even when his body finally does succumb to a hungry ecosystem of bacteria, his trademark mustache will likely remain bent upwards in its trademark twisted, surreal fashion.

Photos via Flickr / Cea., Flickr / Keith Vaughton, Wikimedia Commons
Photo credit: NASA Langley/Advanced Concepts Lab, AMA, Inc.

From Popular Mechanics

Electric cars are coming into their own. Every major car company in the world is researching battery-powered vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and a variety of fuel-battery hybrids-if they haven't already brought one to market.

Things are going to be more difficult with aircraft. The challenges of electric flight are multifold, stemming from the fact that modern batteries can't put out enough juice to compensate for their weight. NASA's newest experimental plane, however, is designed to crack the code of battery-powered aviation.

Unlike an electric car, an electric plane will need fundamental changes to not only the propulsion system, but also the aerodynamic design of the aircraft itself. NASA's solution? An X-plane with 14 electric motors-12 of which will make up a "distributed electric propulsion system" on a thin composite wing. Say hello to the X-57 Maxwell.

A Dozen Little Motors

Photo credit: NASA

When it comes to airplane wings, bigger means more lift, but it also means more drag. It's the great catch-22 of aircraft design: Make a wing big to produce enough lift to take off on a standard runway, and you inevitably increase drag and efficiency suffers in cruise. Make the wing smaller so you get more efficient flight at high speeds, and you have to take off at high speeds to achieve enough lift to get into the air, requiring a longer runway. A thin wing also means you need to land at high speeds, which can be dangerous.

"What we're doing with all of this distributed electric propulsion is we're making the wing at low speed much more effective," Nick Borer, technical lead on the X-57 Maxwell, told Popular Mechanics at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia. "A big wing turns into a whole lot of drag at fast speed. So we're just saying, why not make the wing much more effective at low speeds? And then that way you can get away with that tiny wing at higher speeds."

Story continues

Borer and the X-57 team's solution is to use a dozen small, electric "high-lift motors" that accelerate airflow over the wing. This extra airflow will provide more lift at slower speeds, ultimately allowing the plane to take off on a normal runway. Once the X-57 gains altitude and velocity, the 12 lift motors shut down and the propellers fold back into a more aerodynamic position. The actual propulsion of the craft will come from two larger electrically-driven propellers mounted on the tips of each wing.

Upon landing, the dozen high-lift motors fire up again to provide the necessary lift to approach the runway at a slower speed than cruise. The 12 little motors are not intended to propel the craft forward at all, says Borer, but rather "are there only to provide lift during takeoff and landing."

Photo credit: NASA/Lauren Hughes

Electric flight has been studied for over a century, but even today the only electric aircraft you see are experimental demonstrators. The wing-size conundrum is only the beginning of a long list of compromises. More power and more range requires more batteries, for example, but lifting a plane full of lithium-ion batteries into the air isn't the same as bolting a battery to the undercarriage of a car.

"Batteries are a huge portion of our weight right now," says Borer-about 850 pounds pulling the aircraft down.

Tesla's Model S can hit up to 779 bhp, 920 ft-lb of torque, and a range over 250 miles-partly because the electric automaker can mount the enormous battery under the car and get away with the extra weight. The heavy battery on a Tesla lowers the car's center of gravity, providing more traction, and lighter materials can be used elsewhere in the chassis to make up the difference. On an airplane, you can't just bog down the craft with heavy batteries and strip down the frame to compensate. The X-57 is a bird that requires a little more get-up-and-go.

The Long Road to the X-57 Maxwell

The X-57 Maxwell program incorporates a number of prototypes. In fact, the first test of the X-57, known as Mod I, wasn't an airplane at all-it was a semi truck. To test the high-lift motors that will be used on takeoff and landing, NASA drove a semi with a mounted test wing along Rogers Dry Lake, the famous aircraft landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of Southern California.

The experimental wing had 18 small electric motors designed to accelerate air over the wing and produce extra lift as the truck drove down the hard-packed dirt runway. The tests, conducted in May 2015, validated the technology, demonstrating the high-lift engines could be used to produce more than twice the lift as a conventional wing and propulsion system.

Photo credit: NASA/Tom Tschida

Mod II will be an actual airplane, but it won't have the small high-lift motors. It also won't have the thin composite wing that the final iteration of the X-57 will have. The X-57 is based on the Italian twin-engine Tecnam P2006T. The P2006T's fuselage will be used to build the all-electric X-57 with a thin composite wing and 12 high-lift motors, but NASA is going to take that aircraft transformation one step at a time.

First things first-make it electric. Mod II of the X-57 will look much the same as the Tecnam P2006T, but many of the internal components will be ripped out and replaced with electric systems, including additional instrumentation that will take up the co-pilot's seat-and that 850 lbs. battery pack, built by Electric Power Systems (EPS), which fill up the back seat and baggage area. The two inboard combustion engines will also be replaced by two electric motors. The P2006T airframe that is to be modified arrived at the Mojave Air and Space Port last year, where Scaled Composites is currently working to convert it to an electric airplane. According to Borer, the team hopes to start flight testing the Mod II in late winter or spring of 2018.

Photo credit: NASA/Ken Ulbrich

Then comes the next major transformation of the aircraft: Mod III. NASA and its aerospace industry partners, including prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) out of Pismo Beach, California, will outfit the aircraft with a thin composite wing, move the primary cruise engines to the wingtips, and install dummy pylons on the wing in place of the 12 high-lift motors. Composite manufacturer Xperimental designed the thin carbon fiber wing, which will be subjected to wing loading pressures of 45 lbs. per square foot compared to 17 lbs. on the stock aluminum P2006T wing.

NASA will then replace the motors mounted on the inner wings with lighter, 60-kilowatt motors developed by Joby Aviation out of Santa Cruz. The new electric motors, however, will be mounted out at the tips of the carbon fiber wing. Then 12 dummy pylons will be installed to simulate the weight and drag of the high-lift motors.

"The Mod III aircraft, we're designing it for 150 knot cruise at 8,000 feet," says Borer. The stock P2006T has an equivalent cruise speed of about 140 knots. The aircraft will be limited by battery power, achieving only about 40 minutes of flight, but Borer mentions he "calculated if we had the energy to actually climb that high, we could cruise at 40,000 feet."

Photo credit: Dtom/Wikimedia

Without the high-lift motors, Mod III will require a long runway for takeoff and landing. NASA plans to flight test Mod III on Rogers Dry Lake, where the Air Force famously tested the first rocket-powered X-planes. Aircraft have miles and miles to take off and land on the flat, dry lakebed. The tradition of X-plane testing at Edwards that started in the 1940s with Chuck Yeager and the Bell X-1 will continue with the X-57.

"What we're trying to do, basically, is risk reduction. So we had to invent a new electrical system for the airplane, so Mod II tests that electrical system," says Borer. "We get a flight sign off for that. Then Mod III, we put on this new skinny wing, put those motors out at the wing tips. We want to test a lot of things out about that, get that sign off. Then we can go to Mod IV and say, 'Now can we really put these all together?'"

Mod IV, which is currently being reviewed for funding, is where the X-57 completes its transformation to a full-fledged efficient electric aircraft. After Mod III flight tests, electrical engineers will work to pull off the dummy pylons and replace them with the real deal-the 12 high-lift electric motors, similar to what were on the semi back in Mod I. With 14 motors total, 12 just to provide lift on takeoff and landing, the X-57 Maxwell will be ready to test the whole package, and we will learn if the future of flight is indeed electric.

Maxwell's Future

When Mod IV flies in all its electric glory, potentially as soon as 2020 or 2021, the X-57 Maxwell's contributions to flight won't be done yet. Borer has big plans for the Maxwell.

If Mod IV works in the air like it does on paper, the future benefits could be enormous. NASA has stated that the X-57 could result in a "five-time reduction in the energy required for a private plane to cruise at 175 mph." Not only that, but an electric plane could fly faster and higher more efficiently. The closer a conventional airplane flies to top speed, the worse the fuel efficiency is, and the higher it flies, the less power it can put out. Both of these problems could be mitigated by electric flight.

Photo credit: NASA

"So you take a Cessna today, and you fly at sea level. That motor will put out, depending on what type of Cessna you have, 160 to 180 horsepower," says Borer. "You fly out of Denver where the air is much thinner, and that engine might only be putting out 120 horsepower. If you take an electric motor that doesn't need air, a 160 horsepower motor, it will put out 160 horsepower no matter what altitude you're at."

These types of calculations are considering personal piston-driven propellers, like Cessnas, and to a certain extent business jets. The small plane market is surely going to reap the benefits of electric flight first, and then aerospace engineers will see if some of the technology can be integrated on larger planes, perhaps even airliners.

But there remains a huge problem: batteries. The range of electric planes is just not going to be practical until battery technology improves. An electric plane is taking on too much extra battery weight. Of course, battery technology is relevant to hundreds of industries, and electric aviation will no doubt benefit from next generation battery research.

Until that time, Borer has an idea: Make the X-57 a hydrogen fuel cell aircraft that runs on diesel.

"We're going to pitch that as a flight program. And what will be kind of interesting about that is, for the same weight as what we have for batteries on X57, we go from 40 minutes of flight to about three and a half hours."

Fuel cells generate electricity to power electric motors, generally with oxygen from the air and compressed hydrogen. The resulting emissions are nothing more than heat and water. But you don't need hydrogen fuel to power a fuel cell-you can use diesel. "You can store diesel fuel on this airplane, and it converts that," Borer says. "It rips the hydrogen off of the diesel fuel." The diesel fuel cell system does end up producing some carbon dioxide, but only about half as much fuel is needed compared to piston engines.

Such a diesel-powered fuel cell vehicle would allow the aircraft to fly all over the world, considering hydrogen fueling stations are still few and far between but diesel is fairly common. NASA is also researching new ways to mount batteries in the fuselage or wings, mitigating the burden of carrying a large battery pack in flight.

Photo credit: NASA

And one more thing-computers. If the high-lift motors work as advertised, then they present a new opportunity for advanced flight controls.

"When you go from two to 12 to 14 motors, there's a whole bunch of new stuff that as an aircraft designer you never really thought about before that you can start to think about," says Borer.

Instead of having all the high-lift motors run at the same speed, as they will on Mod IV, a future iteration could include a computer control system to automatically vary the speed of the small motors. Running at the same speed, the lift distribution across the wing isn't exactly uniform, explains Borer, but that could possibly be corrected by running the inner motors faster and the outer motors slower. In rough weather, the lift-motors could automatically fire up on one side of the airplane to stabilize the craft. And if a main engine should blow out, the lift motors could be used to compensate in an emergency landing situation. All of this is much too complicated for a pilot to deal with-no one can operate 12 throttles with such adroit finesse-but a flight control algorithm might be able to solve that problem.

Will future airliners run on batteries with a dozen engines distributed across a thin wing? It's anyone's guess. The X-57 Maxwell, however, will put the technology to the test for the first time over the dry lakebed at Edwards, where the future of electric flight could take form.

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Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

From Popular Mechanics

NASA's future Deep Space Gateway would be a research station in orbit around the moon. It could be used to aid the construction of lunar infrastructure and ultimately serve as a waypoint for a journey to Mars. Although it seems increasingly unlikely that NASA will land an astronaut on Mars in the 2030s, the Deep Space Gateway is a much more manageable mission with widespread support from the private space industry.

Yesterday, NASA put out a request for information (ROI) regarding propulsion systems that could be used on the future moon station. The agency hopes to launch the first piece of the station-a power propulsion bus upon which the rest of the Deep Space Gateway will be built-in 2022, on the second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule known as Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2), according to Aviation Week.

NASA is looking for a solar electric propulsion (SEP) system or ion thrusters for the power and propulsion bus. The bus would allow the station to change its orbit around the moon, supporting a variety of missions with a focus on telerobotics. That would involve astronauts on the orbiting moon station controlling rovers and robots on the surface to build structures and harvest lunar resources.

Exploration Mission-3, the third flight of SLS, would loft a habitation module to the Deep Space Gateway. Work on the habitat has already begun, as Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been awarded contracts to develop prototypes of the habitation module and other components of the Deep Space Gateway. The final piece would be a logistics module that would be launched on EM-4. The moon station would allow astronauts to stay in orbit around the moon for 20 to 60 days, with the station itself orbiting for two or three decades.

"We are busy doing the propulsion activity right now and figuring out how to get it acquired to support EM-2 in roughly 2022," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator at NASA for human exploration and operations, at a July 12 forum held by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "What's exciting is that with electric propulsion it doesn't have to stay in one orbit around the moon. It can be equatorial, polar or halo to allow telerobotic activities. So this is not a space station. It is a research facility that can be moved to alternate locations with the power propulsion bus and which stays in orbit for roughly 20 to 30 years. It is also the transportation node potentially for going to Mars."

Story continues

Gerstenmaier recently suggested that a crewed landing on Mars in the 2030s is likely unrealistic, and the agency seems to be refocusing its resources on developing a permanent station at the moon. The timeline for an orbiting lunar research station, however, depends entirely on the completion of NASA's SLS heavy-lift rocket, which has been delayed multiple times. One advantage NASA has in trying to develop a lunar station is significant resource contribution from companies like Lockheed Martin, which see a potential for profit in lunar industry, primarily by manufacturing rocket fuel on the moon.

It might be some time until we get to Mars, but the space institutions of the country-and indeed the world-are set on returning to the moon as soon as possible.

Source: Aviation Week

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The Pentagon is withholding hundreds of millions of dollars meant to reimburse Pakistan for its fight against terrorist groups, citing Islamabads failure to take sufficient action against the Haqqani Network, an offshoot of the Taliban based in Pakistan.

The announcement on Friday comes as Defense Secretary James Mattis and the White House debate a long-delayed strategy for the war in Afghanistan that could adopt a tougher line toward over Pakistans role in the conflict.

Defense officials and congressional aides have for months said that the new strategy wont focus solely on Afghanistan, but take a more regional approach. This includes stepping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle Taliban and Haqqani sanctuaries in western Pakistan, both of which use the mostly ungoverned area to launch attacks into neighboring Afghanistan.

At issue is over $300 million in funding that U.S. officials say will be used to fund other priorities.

The funds could not be released to the Government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary could not certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network, Adam Stump, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement.

Of the $900 million originally marked for Pakistan, $550 has already been disbursed.

The 2018 budget, which has yet to be finalized on Capitol Hill, seeks $800 million in funds for Pakistan. No decision about that request has been made. Since 2002, Pakistan is the largest recipient of what is known as Coalition Support Funds reimbursements, designed to assist the government tackle extremists, receiving roughly $14 billion.

The Department recognizes the significant sacrifices the Pakistan military has made in the fight against terrorism, and appreciates Pakistans continued support for transit of materiel to coalition forces in Afghanistan, Stump said.

Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee last month, Mattis said we are not winning in Afghanistan, and promised a more regional strategy, one that takes into account Afghanistan as part of South Asia, not look at it in isolation.

Story continues

The announcement follows the release this week of the State Departments annual report on terrorism, which charged that Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten U.S. interests in Afghanistan, although Pakistan supported efforts to bring both groups into an Afghan-led peace process.

The report also listed Pakistan as a safe haven for terrorist organizations.

Pakistan rejected the charges on Thursday. We have taken indiscriminate and all out action against terrorists, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told reporters.

Photo Credit: FARIDULLAH AHMADZAI/AFP/Getty Images
As the special counsel investigation swirls around President Trump, the Washington Post reported that hes trying to learn about his pardoning powers. But could he actually pardon himself?

Probably not.

The Constitution says that the president shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

Its true that this text doesnt explicitly rule out the possibility of a self-pardon. (And its also an unanswered legal question as to whether a president can be indicted while in office.)

But a self pardon would run afoul of a bedrock legal principle in the United States, according to a 1974 memo written by the Office of Legal Counsel under President Nixon. (The Supreme Court has never actually ruled on the issue.)

Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the President cannot pardon himself, the memo declared days before Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal.

The document does say there could be a loophole.

If under the 25th Amendment the President declared that he was temporarily unable to perform the duties of the office, the Vice President would become Acting President and as such could pardon the President, it says. Thereafter the President could either resign or resume the duties of his office.

Outside of the legal questions, there would certainly be political complications if Trump tried to pardon himself, and the blowback could result in the Republican-controlled House impeaching him to remove him from office.

Important to remember that the pardon power is legallybut _not_ politicallyabsolute, Steve Vladeck, a national security law professor at the University of Texas School of Law, wrote on Twitter Thursday. Q, as ever, is how congressional Republicans respond.
President Trump is considering pardoning family members and staffers caught up in the Russia investigation, but legal experts warn that it could backfire by making it harder for them to avoid testifying.

Under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, Americans are protected against self-incrimination, but people who have been pardoned are no longer under any legal jeopardy, Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe told TIME.

Anyone pardoned by Trump would lose most of the 5th Amendments protection against compelled testimony that might otherwise have incriminated the pardoned family member or associate, making it much easier for DOJ and Congress to require such individuals to give testimony that could prove highly incriminating to Trump himself, Tribe said in an email.

Still, that could lead to another constitutional standoff, if the recipients of the Trump pardons refused to testify before Congress. Mark Osler, a University of St. Thomas Law School professor who has written about the presidents pardon powers, said Congress might respond by holding them in contempt, leading to a second pardon.

We could go to a second round of the abuse of the pardon power, Osler said. I mean if youre willing to do it in the first place and abuse it that way I dont see what the break would be in doing it at the second level.

A pardon would also strip special counsel Robert Mueller of a tool that prosecutors often use to get witnesses to cooperate: the plea bargain. In exchange for cooperation and an admission of guilt, targets of an investigation can get a more lenient charge and reduced sentence.

It takes the hammer away, Osler said. It would deprive Mueller of the ability to use cooperative defendants.

Still, other legal experts said that a pardon would look bad for the president, bringing up the parallel of President Ford preemptively pardoning Richard Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

I dont know if he would want to do that because that could suggest guilt exists, said Yale Law School Professor Cristina Rodriguez. So, politically and strategically it would not be good for anyone involved.

So would pardons be a strategic move for the President? Osler says that in the long run, it will catch up with Trump.

I think its playing chess thinking one move ahead, he said. And I think Robert Mueller thinks three and four moves ahead. The legal minds on the Mueller team have considered this long ago.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions gestures while testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee - Michael Reynolds

Pressure on Jeff Sessions, the under fire US Attorney General mounted amid claims that, despite his denials, he discussed the election campaign last year with the Russian ambassador to Washington.

Within hours or Donald Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, resigning, the position of another key member of his administration was looking increasingly vulnerable.

The Washington Post reported that the US intelligence agencies intercepted communications between Sergey Kislyak and Moscow, detailing two conversations with Mr Sessions regarding the election.

At the time Mr Sessions was an Alabama senator and one of the first members of Congress to back Donald Trump's bid for the White House.

The latest allegations come within days of the president rounding on his Attorney General in an interview with the New York Times for recusing himself from a Justice Department inquiry into reported links between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Mr Sessions had to step aside after it emerged that he had failed to disclose the meetings with Mr Kislyak.

The last month, appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, he described his meetings with the ambassador as little more than "an encounter".

During heated exchanges, he angrily denied trying to work with the Russians to influence the outcome of the election.

The suggestion that I participated in any collusion or that I was aware of any collusion with the Russian government to hurt this country, which I have served with honour for over 35 years, or to undermine the integrity of our democratic process, is an appalling and detestable lie, he said.

But according to the Washington Post Mr Kislyak painted a very different picture.

One intelligence official told the paper that the intercepts suggest the two men had "substantive discussions" on a range of issues including US-Russian relations should Mr Trump win the election.

"If these reports are corroborated they are clearly damaging to Jeff Sessions, in fact devastating," Dick Blumenthal, a Democrat senator from Connecticut, said on CNN.

"They demonstrate he was clearly untruthful in his confirmation hearing," he added.

Responding to the allegations, Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said: "Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources described in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me.
By Alex Dobuzinskis

(Reuters) - St. Louis will install temporary air conditioners in a city jail known as "the workhouse" after temperatures in the city topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering protests outside the lockup, the mayor's office and local media reported on Saturday.

Police used pepper spray to disperse about 150 demonstrators outside the city's Medium Security Institution (MSI) protesting the sweltering conditions in which inmates were being held, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other news outlets. At one point, some protesters scaled an exterior fence around the jail.

To provide relief, the city will install temporary A/C units starting as early as Monday, Koran Addo, a spokesman for the mayor, said in an email on Saturday.

St. Louis voters in 2015 rejected a bond measure that would have paid for more air conditioning at the jail and other public works projects.

Civil liberties groups have long criticized conditions at the jail, which has a capacity to hold more than 1,100 people. Most of those held are awaiting trial and cannot afford to pay bail required for release.

The conditions in the St. Louis Jail are a horrific reminder of how dehumanizing our criminal justice system is for everyone involved," Marbre Stahly-Butts, an advisory committee member of the activist group National Bail Out Fund that lobbied for the change, said in a statement.

The mercury in St. Louis was expected to climb to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued heat warnings and advisories for parts of the U.S. Midwest. The heat wave is expected to last through the weekend, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Oravec.

Areas of the jail where women and inmates with medical issues are housed do have air conditioning, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said in a statement. Inmates are relying on cold towels and fans in other areas, she said.

Story continues

State Senator Jamilah Nasheed, a Democrat from St. Louis, joined the protesters on Friday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Protesters chanted "shut it down" outside the jail's barbed-wire fence, according to video posted to social media.

Representatives for the jail and the city's police did not return calls seeking comment about the protests.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler and Chris Reese)
New York (AFP) - Anthony Scaramucci, named Donald Trump's new White House communications director, is a millionaire former hedge fund investor who shores up the stable of bankers in the president's inner circle.

It is the first administration role for the 53-year-old Republican fundraiser with telegenic looks who has long been an articulate surrogate for the president and who was first named to his transition team last November.

The son of a middle class Italian-American family from Long Island, Scaramucci cut his teeth in high finance at Goldman Sachs, the leading investment bank for which several senior Trump allies once worked.

Nicknamed "Mooch" on Wall Street, the always slick and dapper Scaramucci spent seven years at the bank before co-founding investment partnership Oscar Capital Management, which was sold in 2001.

In 2005, he founded global investment firm SkyBridge Capital, which for years ran a prominent annual conference in Las Vegas, which united the great and good of finance, international politics and the celebrity world.

Making no secret of his desire to join the Trump administration, the Harvard and Tufts-educated Scaramucci moved to avoid any potential conflict of interest by announcing in January that he had sold his stake in SkyBridge.

He was last month named in a CNN article -- which was later retracted and led to the resignation of three journalists -- that claimed Congress was investigating links between Trump's administration and a Russian investment fund.

His tough response to the article reportedly won the admiration of his new boss.

In public he cultivates a polite and friendly persona, an agile figure on television as a former Friday night host of "Wall Street Weekly" on Fox Business, and as a former contributor at CNBC.

Reportedly respected by Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, he was the sole emissary from Trump's transition team at the World Economic Forum in Davoslast January .

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Having initially raised funds for the president's early Republican rivals Scott Walker and Jeb Bush in last year's election, he later joined Trump's national finance committee and his transition team in November 2016.

In 2012, he was national finance co-chair of the Republican nominee Mitt Romney's failed presidential run in 2012.

He is the author of three books: "The Little Book of Hedge Funds," "Goodbye Gordon Gekko" -- the greed-obsessed fictional tycoon played by Michael Douglas -- and "Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole: How Entrepreneurs Turn Failure into Success."

"If you decide to be an entrepreneur, the number one thing that you have to have in your personality is grit and perseverence," he said in a video posted to his official Facebook page to promote the book last year.

Skills that might come in useful for his new job.
The controversial spokesman was known for testy exchanges with reporters amid tumultuous tenure as administrations public face

Sean Spicer has resigned as White House press secretary, bringing to an end a tumultuous six months as the public face of Donald Trumps administration.

Spicer stepped down after the president tapped Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financier and longtime Trump supporter, as the new White House communications director. In his farewell comments, Spicer said there were too many cooks in the kitchen.



The White House had been without a communications director since May, when Mike Dubke resigned from the role in the first personnel shakeup of the Trump administration. Spicer had taken on the responsibilities associated with the job in the interim and strongly opposed Trumps decision to hire Scaramucci, according to reports.



In his first public comments since the news broke, Spicer told CNNs Dana Bash: I wanted to give the president and the new team a clean slate.

Trump has lost the public face of his administration after just six months, one of the shortest tenures of any White House press secretary. This will fuel questions over the president's judgment and whether being his spokesperson is an impossible job.



Sean Spicer's sudden departure was triggered by the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, a move likely to deepen divisions among White House staff. Divisions are likely to mean more leaks to the media from competing factions and a greater sense of turmoil. What began as "made in America week" has instead been a rough ride including revelations of a second meeting with Vladimir Putin, a bizarre interview in the New York Times (which apparently blindsided Spicer) and now Spicer's resignation.





Among the president's diehard supporters, however, the loss of Spicer seems unlikely to have a major impact. He had hardly made himself indispensable and Trump remains his own spokesman.



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Speaking to the Associated Press, Spicer complimented Scaramucci, saying: Itll be great, hes a tough guy, and in a tweet, Spicer said it was an honor & a privilege to serve President Trump.

Late on Friday, Trump said in a statement: I am grateful for Seans work on behalf of my Administration and the American people. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities: Just look at his great television ratings.

In a separate statement, he said of Scaramucci: He has been a great supporter and will now help implement key aspects of our agenda while leading the communications team. We have accomplished so much, and we are being given credit for so little.

When Scaramucci appeared in the White House briefing room for the first time, he praised Spicer for doing a great job and told reporters that the president was not off track but there was some media bias against him.

The deputy press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, appeared with Scaramucci, who announced she would be replacing Spicer as press secretary.

Scaramucci offered a marked contrast to Spicer. The hedge fund mogul seemed relaxed at the White House lectern and expressed a desire to improve the administrations relationship with the media.

The newly minted communications director also lavished accolades on his new boss, saying Trump had some of the best political instincts in the world and perhaps in history. Scaramucci also said several times that he loved the president.

Trumps plan to hire Scaramucci was first reported by Axios late Thursday, kicking off a fresh round of allegations of infighting within the White House. Scaramucci is a major Republican donor who supported Trump in the general election, but initially backed the Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, and the former Florida governor Jeb Bush in the Republican primaries.



His appointment was apparently fought not just by Spicer, but also by Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, according to a source close to the White House. But the prominent Wall Street financier had the blessing of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, the presidents son-in-law and daughter, who maintain a strong influence in the West Wing. Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, was reportedly also against the move, but sought to downplay the discord, telling the AP he was 100% behind Scaramucci.

The shakeup was nonetheless considered a sign of Priebuss diminished power in the administration. If Trumps legislative agenda on Capitol Hill had been more successful, the chief of staff might have had more sway, a Trump ally said, while noting the White House had been aware Spicer would resign if Scaramucci was hired.



They needed to make a change. They needed someone who could go on television, the ally said.



This was the presidents decision.

Spicers future behind the briefing rooms podium had long been tenuous, as his tenure was marked by almost continuous controversy.

From his very first appearance before the cameras, when he angrily chastised the media over the crowd size at Trumps presidential inauguration, Spicer swiftly emerged as a ridiculed figure for his aggressive attitude toward journalists, false statements and a series of gaffes.

He was memorably mocked by the actor Melissa McCarthy on NBCs Saturday Night Live, an act that deeply irked Trump, who saw Spicers portrayal by a woman as a sign of weakness and questioned Spicers loyalty early on his in tenure. Reports would frequently surface of the White House searching for possible replacements for Spicer, and in perhaps the most damaging blow to Spicer, the press secretary, a devout Catholic, was shut out of a meeting with Pope Francis duringTrumps first foreign trip as president.

Spicers presence behind the podium was substantially scaled back following the trip, with Huckabee Sanders, the principal deputy White House press secretary, regularly conducting the daily briefings.

The Trump-Spicer marriage may have been destined for an early divorce from the start. Spicer, who previously worked as the communications director of the Republican National Committee, was the choice of the former RNC chair Priebus, who, following the election, was appointed as Trumps chief of staff. Long part of the Washington establishment, both Spicer and Priebus have often been viewed with skepticism by Trump supporters, even as they have proven fiercely loyal to the president.

On his own first day on the job, Scaramucci largely played it safe, dodging policy questions and noting the Russia investigation was not in his zip code.

He lent credence, however, to Trumps unfounded claim of massive voter fraud in the 2016 election, saying: If the president says it, let me do a little more research on that but theres probably some level of truth in it.

Eventually, Scaramucci left the lectern to Huckabee Sanders  but not before blowing an air kiss to the assembled press.

Spicers resignation, first reported on Friday by the New York Times, comes amid a turbulent period for the Trump administration, even by its raucous standards.

The White House has been plagued by the federal investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, with fresh revelations involving a meeting with a Russian lawyer that included the presidents son Donald Jr, Kushner and Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

According to emails released last week, Donald Jr accepted the meeting under the pretense that he would be offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton and was explicitly informed of an effort by the Russian government to prop up his fathers campaign.

The exchange offered the first glimpse of the Trump campaigns willingness to collude with Moscow. Kushner, Donald Jr and Manafort will all give testimony to Congress next week.

It was disclosed on Thursday that Trumps longtime personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, will no longer lead the legal team tasked with responding to the Russia investigation.

Also this week, Trump publicly regretted appointing Jeff Sessions as attorney general over Sessions recusal from matters to do with Russia, and for his deputys appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel investigating the Russia links.

As for Spicer, he and Priebus sat down with Fox News Host Sean Hannity on Friday. Calling the president gracious throughout the process, Spicer said about his decision to leave: I just thought it was in the best interest of our communications department, of our press organization to not have too many cooks in the kitchen, according to excerpts from the show, airing Friday night at 10pm ET.

Spicer took a farewell swing at the Washington press corps, accusing it of liberal bias and a click-bait mentality. Theyre not there for the facts and the pursuit of the truth. Rather, theyre trying to figure out, how do I get on TV, how do I become a YouTube star. And thats disappointing.

Priebus said: Sean leaving doesnt mean that Sean isnt going to be out there supporting President Trump and it doesnt mean that President Trump isnt going to be out there supporting Sean Spicer. Ive seen how the world around the president works and its very healthy and he cares about his people.




By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Exiled South Sudanese opposition figure Riek Machar declined to renounce violence or declare a unilateral ceasefire and instead demanded new peace talks outside the war-torn country, an international mediator told the United Nations on Thursday. South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir fired Machar as his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines. Former Botswana President Festus Mogae told the U.N. Security Council that he visited Machar, who fled to Democratic Republic of Congo a year ago after fierce fighting in South Sudan. He is now being held in South Africa to stop him stirring up trouble, diplomatic and political sources told Reuters in December. Mogae chairs the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which was set up to monitor a failed 2015 truce and peace deal implementation. South Sudan has since launched its own national dialogue, while fighting has continued across the country. "The message I conveyed to Dr Riek Machar was to renounce violence, declare a unilateral ceasefire and participate in the national dialogue. He declined to do so," Mogae said. "He demanded a new political process by the region outside South Sudan." The United Nations has warned of a possible genocide as millions have fled their homes, the oil-producing economy is in a tail-spin, crop harvests are devastated because of the worst drought in years and millions face famine. U.N. sanctions monitors reported to the Security Council earlier this year that South Sudan's government is mainly to blame for famine in parts of the country, yet Kiir is still boosting his forces using millions of dollars from oil sales. In December, the Security Council failed to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo and further sanctions on South Sudan despite warnings by U.N. officials of a possible genocide. The 15-member council remains split on how to try to bring an end to the conflict in South Sudan. "I appeal to (East Africa regional bloc) IGAD, the African Union, the United Nations and our international partners to adopt one voice in our engagement with the leaders of South Sudan," Mogae said. He added that there was a "need for the regional leaders to align their messages and actions to prevent the situation in South Sudan from further deterioration." Rather than speaking with one voice, regional leaders have largely worked on South Sudan on a bilateral basis. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Damascus (AFP) - Syria on Saturday announced a ceasefire in one of the last rebel strongholds near Damascus after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on a safe zone for the besieged opposition enclave.

With many of its towns and villages ravaged by bombardments in the six-year conflict, Eastern Ghouta near the capital is one of the last bastions of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in a deal reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

But the accord has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on policing the safe zones, and Eastern Ghouta is just the second zone to see a ceasefire come into force.

The army "announces a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province from midday on Saturday (0900 GMT)," it said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The army will retaliate in a suitable manner to any violation" of the ceasefire, the statement warned, without specifying what areas were included.

Russia said hours earlier it had signed a deal with "moderate" Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone would function in Eastern Ghouta.

But no rebel group said it had signed the Cairo agreement, with one influential group saying it was not involved.

The Cairo meeting "follows on from the ceasefire deal for the south of Syria" that took hold on July 9, said Wael Alwan, a spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

That ceasefire for southern areas of Syria was brokered by Russia, the United States and Jordan.

Russia said it and the rebels had signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation".

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It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents".

- Humanitarian convoy planned -

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate wounded "in the next few days".

The two other "de-escalation zones" included in the May deal are the rebel-held province of Idlib and northern parts of the central province of Homs.

More than 2.5 million people are believed to live in the four zones.

The May accord roughly laid out the areas where rebels and government forces should halt hostilities, including air strikes, for six months.

However, Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to meet a June 4 deadline to set exact boundaries for the zones.

One major stumbling block appeared to be who would ensure security in all four areas, with Turkey and Iran in particular reportedly wrangling to bolster their influence.

A new meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana is expected during the last week of August, with rebels as well as representatives from Turkey and Iran to attend, Russia has said.

Moscow has argued the zones agreement would provide moderate rebels with security and help focus attacks against jihadist groups such as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front and the Islamic State group.

In neighbouring Lebanon, a mediator was killed in a second day of fighting Saturday in the Jurud Arsal area near the border between the powerful Hezbollah group, which backs Assad, and militants, officials said.

Lebanon's army said Ahmad al-Fliti was killed in shelling by "the terrorist organisation of the Al-Nusra Front", referring to Fateh al-Sham.

Eleven Hezbollah fighters killed since the Shiite group's operation began were buried in Lebanon on Saturday, AFP photographers said.
With its latest move to purge the countrys Supreme Court and turn judges into political appointees, Polands ruling Law and Justice party has ramped up its assault on democratic checks and balances.

Buoyed by U.S. President Donald Trumps recent visit to Warsaw  during which no mention was made of the nationalist partys defanging of another major court, the Constitutional Tribunal, earlier this year or any of its numerous anti-democratic actions since winning power in 2015  the government appears to have been emboldened to hasten its march toward authoritarianism.

Its latest parliamentary initiative, likely to be signed into law next week by President Andrzej Duda, would trigger the immediate dismissal of all of Polands current Supreme Court judges, except those the president decides should stay. Additionally, this month, the government decided that members of the National Council of the Judiciary  a body that picks all of the countrys judges  will now be selected by parliament, rather than by other judges as used to be the case. These moves together effectively hand politicians full control over the judicial branch, leaving the path clear for the ruling party to rest assured that whatever bills it passes will essentially be rubber-stamped by Polands most important courts.

The move prompted nationwide protests and renewed criticism from European Union officials, who have repeatedly castigated Polands ruling party for undermining democratic institutions and rule of law in the country since it came to power. The first vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, stated in a press briefing in Brussels that the changes would abolish any remaining judicial independence and put the judiciary under full political control of the government. Judges will serve at the pleasure of the political leaders, and be dependent upon them, from their appointment to their pension. He warned that the EUs executive is very close to triggering Article 7, a procedure assessing systematic threats to the rule of law and potentially triggering sanctions, including the suspension of Polands voting rights in the Council of the European Union. Were this to happen, it would set a major precedent and serve as a huge knock to Polands standing within the EU: No other EU country has ever been subjected to the process.

But sanctions require the consent of all EU members, and Warsaws European illiberal bedfellow in Budapest is likely to veto any such moves. Hungarys autocratic prime minister, Viktor Orban, has already sent a letter of support to Warsaw expressing dismay that Poland was being insulted and attacked by the European Commission. And while the U.S. State Department expressed concern about the Polish governments continued pursuit of legislation that appears to limit the judiciary and potentially weaken the rule of law, the White House is unlikely to come out strongly against arguably the most pro-Trump government in Europe.

The only player capable of nudging the Polish government to reconsider its assault on democratic institutions remains the European Union. But to get anywhere with Warsaws current authorities, the EU would need to show far more decisiveness in defending its values than it has so far. Right now, the Polish government simply doesnt believe Brussels has the will or ability to carry out its threats. When, in July 2016, the European Commission issued Warsaw a three-month deadline to address threats to the rule of law or face potential sanctions, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the ruling party leader and Polands most powerful politician, dismissively described the ultimatum as amusing. Indeed, nothing much came of it. The Polish government dismissed the European Commissions recommendations as political interference and largely ignored them, leaving the EU only with its so-called nuclear option of Article 7.

As long as Kaczynski believes the EU is unable to take any action that could cost him politically, he will continue to ignore protestations at his partys policies. And he is likely to go even further in dismantling any remaining checks and balances he views as standing in the way of his party assuming total control of the Polish state and its institutions. Kaczynski is adept at exploiting genuine public dissatisfaction with many aspects of the Polish state to justify actions he portrays as necessary to eliminate the corrupt post-communist system, with its complicit liberal elites, whom he points to as the root cause of all of Polands ills. For instance, a recent survey revealed that 51 percent of Poles have a generally negative opinion of their justice system, which they see as inefficient and, indeed, sometimes corrupt. Law and Justice therefore argue that its changes to the justice system will make courts more efficient and honest.

But the fact that many Poles are unhappy with their courts does not mean they approve of the specific changes Law and Justice is forcing through. Besides the thousands of people protesting on the streets, a poll released July 20 showed that 56 percent of Poles are against the governments machinations with the Supreme Court, with only 22 percent in favor and 22 percent unsure.

The European Union owes it to this majority of Poles to deploy the only tool at its disposal realistically capable of getting Law and Justices attention: its purse strings. In the 13 years since it joined the European Union, Poland has received 135.7 billion euros in EU funds, an average of 10 billion euros a year, far more than any other member state. Considering Polands total budget revenue for 2017 is projected at 77 billion euros, its clear how significant a role EU funds play in state spending.

As long as that cash flow continues unhindered, Kaczynski and his party couldnt care less what EU officials think about their actions. To them, Brussels is run by fanatical lefties who hate them because they are a conservative party. Their you are with us or against us attitude means they have scant regard for opposing opinions, whether from Poles or foreigners. This week, Kaczynski labeled Polands opposition scum during the parliamentary debate over his partys Supreme Court legislation. They will not cease their authoritarian actions unless they perceive a high cost to not doing so.

Cuts in EU funding would force the Polish government to cut back its spending plans significantly, which would more than likely have a negative effect on planned infrastructure projects and the economy in general, a development unlikely to score Law and Justice many points with voters back home. Of course, there is the risk that Polands ruling party would dig its heels in and portray the country as being unfairly singled out for punishment by Brussels, further escalating the situation. However, in the long run, the public would be bound to start conducting a cost-benefit analysis of its governments policies and their consequences, especially as this would be the first time since it joined the EU in 2004 that Polands funding would be affected.

In fact, such a move by Brussels is already being floated. This week, Vera Jourova, an EU commissioner, suggested cutting EU funds for Poland, saying, If a country gets money from the EU, it has to respect the rule of law. I cant imagine German or Swedish taxpayers would want their money spent on creating some kind of dictatorship in another EU country. While unanimous consent is needed for imposing sanctions on an EU member, budgetary negotiations are different: The biggest net contributors to the EU kitty  of which Germany is at the forefront  get a significant say in which of the net beneficiaries get how much, thus making funding cuts a credible threat in a way that sanctions are not.

Realistically speaking, significant cuts would likely be feasible only for funds slated to be allocated to Poland for the next budgetary period, starting in 2021. However, negotiations for the future budget are already underway, and Law and Justice could be made to start feeling some costs for its actions now to impel it think twice about its policies going forward. Hopefully, the mere credible threat of funding cuts would be enough to make the ruling party reconsider. The fact is, the louder the signals from Brussels of potential financial consequences for the governments anti-democratic practices, the tougher the questions Law and Justice will face at home. Contrary to popular stereotypes of Poles as sentimental romantics, the average Pole is very pragmatic when it comes to pocketbook issues directly affecting them: They will not tolerate for long any government they see as costing them money or delaying potential development, were Brussels indeed to wield the financial ax against Warsaw.

Polands opposition politicians are well aware that the money argument is the only one capable of moving Law and Justice. They are, however, reluctant to voice this out loud; the ruling party would quickly label them traitors  colluding with foreigners to Polands disadvantage. Realistically though, without some decisive action from Brussels, Poland under Law and Justice will continue to drift further away from liberal democracy, further backwards and eastwards as Donald Tusk, European Council president and former Polish prime minister, described it. There is much more than money at stake here; after a quarter century of painstaking institution building after the collapse of communism, the very future of Polish democracy is on the line. The European Union needs to act now, for the long-term sake of Poland and for the sake of its own credibility.

Photo credit: ADAM CHELSTOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
The president at a Made in America event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

President Trump went on a Twitter tirade Saturday morning, lashing out at multiple targets, including Obamacare, Hillary Clinton, two newspapers, his own administration and the investigation into whether his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

Notably, he announced that all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon.

The Washington Post reported Friday that, according to a source, Trump has asked his team about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the Russia inquiry. Another source told the Post that Trumps lawyers have been discussing the presidents pardoning powers among themselves.

Constitutional lawyer Laurence Tribe and two former White House ethics lawyers contended Friday that presidents cant pardon themselves.

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Trumps Saturday Twitter flurry began with an attack against the Post. The paper reported the day before that, according to intelligence intercepts, Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed campaign issues with Russias ambassador. Sessions has repeatedly denied having such discussions with Russian officials.

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions, Trump tweeted. These illegal leaks, like Comeys, must stop! (Amazon refers to the Posts owner, Jeff Bezos, who founded the online retail giant.)

The commander in chiefs Twitter feed quickly moved on to attack the New York Times.

The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security, wrote Trump, who earlier this week granted the Times a wide-ranging interview.

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President Trump leaves the White House on Saturday morning. (Photo: Zach Gibson/Reuters)

His tweet was apparently referring to a Fox News report on Gen. Tony Thomas comments the day before at the Aspen Security Forum. Fox reported that Thomas, who heads the Special Operations Command, said the U.S. military had a very good lead in 2015 on Islamic State terror group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Unfortunately, it was leaked in a prominent national newspaper about a week later and that lead went dead, Thomas recalled, according to the report.

Those comments seemed to refer to a summer 2015 Times story, in which the paper reported that the U.S. gleaned a trove of information about ISIS from a Delta Force commando raid.

The Pentagon raised no objections with the Times before publishing the story in 2015 and no senior American official ever complained publicly about it until now, a Times spokesperson told Yahoo News on Saturday, adding that the paper has asked the White House to clarify the tweet.

President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence greet military personnel at the Pentagon. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Trumps Saturday Twitter tirade moved on to Clinton, his 2016 foe.

So many people are asking why isnt the A.G. or Special Council [sic] looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted? the commander in chief asked. What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc.

The social media outburst is striking for including a public shot against Sessions, a longtime Trump loyalist, though the president undermined him in a recent Times interview. In that interview, Trump said he wouldnt have appointed Sessions to his Cabinet if he knew the Alabama lawmaker would recuse himself from the Russia probe.

Sessions recused himself in March after the Post revealed that he met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the campaign. In his confirmation hearings, Sessions had insisted he had no such contacts. Since then, he has maintained that he never met with Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign. The Posts Friday report suggested that also was not true.

Trump has repeatedly complained about the Russia probe, which is now overseen by the Justice Departments special counsel, Robert Mueller, who was named to the investigation after Trump fired James Comey as FBI director. (Trump has misspelled counsel in two prior tweets as well.)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The president has also repeatedly attempted to deflect the spotlight of the Russia investigation back onto Clinton and her campaign, though Clinton was defeated over seven months ago.

Continuing the effort, Trump exclaimed Saturday, My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!

Donald Trump Jr. earlier this month disclosed emails arranging a 2016 meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer and others to obtain dirt on the Clinton campaign. Despite the presidents claim, the disclosure came only when the Times was about to publish a story about the emails. And Trump Jr. has repeatedly shifted his story about that meeting.

On Saturday, Trump also attacked Democrats and Obamacare, urging Republicans to repeal the law. He further defended his new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, for disparaging him during the campaign.

View Trumps full Saturday-morning tweets in chronological order below.

A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post,this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions.These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

This morning I will be going to the Commissioning Ceremony for the largest aircraft carrier in the world, The Gerald R. Ford. Norfolk, Va.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

My son Donald openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

In all fairness to Anthony Scaramucci, he wanted to endorse me 1st, before the Republican Primaries started, but didn't think I was running!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

The Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace. Next, Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

ObamaCare is dead and the Democrats are obstructionists, no ideas or votes, only obstruction. It is solely up to the 52 Republican Senators!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

Read more from Yahoo News:
There may not be a lot that Donald Trump likes about the special investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election ran by Robert Mueller, but the President is especially unhappy that it now includes a look at his tax returns.

The President has been disturbed by the disclosure that Mr Mueller could access his personal tax returns without even requesting them from him, according to the Washington Post, since the Internal Revenue Service could provide those documents. Mr Trump has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns publicly, a break in tradition for presidents dating back several decades.

While more and more information has become openly available through reports from media organisations, Mr Muellers investigation has trudged silently on and has reportedly broadened considerably. The investigation has begun to take a look at Mr Trumps business transactions, reports earlier this week indicated.

The news of that expanded focus came just after Mr Trump conducted an on-the-record interview with the New York Times in which he accused the Mueller investigation of being riddled with conflicts of interest. During that interview, Mr Trump indicated that the investigation would be crossing a line if it were to expand to include a look at his familys finances.

Mr Trump is now reportedly considering his options, alongside his legal counsel. Those options reportedly include the possibility of Mr Trump using his presidential pardon powers to shield his family and close allies from potential legal fallout from whatever the investigation dredges up. He is also reportedly considering if it is possible for him to pardon himself as president  although it is unclear if the Constitution would allow such a manoeuvre.

Should Mr Trump decide to do so, a final decision likely wouldnt be made until after he leaves office. It appears unlikely that Mr Mueller would attempt to prosecute the President while in office, so he would have to wait until after he left. At that point, it would be up to the courts to decide if Mr Trump was legally capable of pardoning himself.
What does the world look like today if youre Robert Mueller, the special counsel tasked with examining whether the Trump team aided Russian efforts to undermine the 2016 presidential election?

Youve got a huge, sprawling, immeasurably complicated job, and the president of the United States has just warned you of what you already have long suspected: You may not have much time.

A pair of stories published last night by the New York Times and Washington Post reported that the White House is looking to undercut Muellers investigation and is scouring for information on potential conflicts of interest on the part of Muellers team. The stories described a systematic effort to comb through the backgrounds of Mueller and his office in the hope of finding material damaging enough to merit firing Mueller, requesting the recusal of members of his team, or at the very least discrediting the independent investigation in the eyes of the public.

The White House is also examining the possible scope of the presidents pardon power and pushing the argument that the special counsel investigation should be sharply limited to exclude President Donald Trumps finances. The attacks on Mueller and his office have been going on for a while now, but this new wave of hostility from the White House appears to have been instigated by concerns that Muellers probe will widen to include Trumps business transactions  or that it already has.

These reports follow Trumps own sharp criticism of Mueller in an extensive interview with the New York Times on Wednesday, along with his attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for appointing Mueller following Sessions recusal. After expressing his belief that a special counsel should never have been appointed in this case, Trump suggested that Muellers meeting with the White House to discuss the possibility of becoming the FBI director following James Comeys dismissal from the position constituted a conflict of interest. He also hinted darkly at other, unnamed improprieties on Muellers part: There were many other conflicts that I havent said, but I will at some point. And he seemed to call into question the integrity of Muellers staff as well, presumably in reference to the fact that some of them have donated to Democrats: [T]here are so many conflicts that everybody has. The White House has also tried to discredit Mueller as a close friend of Comey, which Trump himself described as very bothersome.

Story continues

Beyond attacking the integrity of the investigators, Trumps aides are also seeking to cramp the scope of the investigation itself. While the new head of Trumps personal legal team, John Dowd, has denied any discussion of the pardon power within the White House, the Washington Post writes that both the president and his lawyers have inquired about Trumps ability to pardon aides, family members, and himself.

Likewise, the White House is doing its best to telegraph its intent to police the boundaries of the special counsels activities. When asked by the New York Times how he would react to Muellers investigating the Trump family finances unrelated to Russia, the president said that such a step would be a violation. And Sarah Huckabee Sanders  then a White House spokesperson, who succeeded Sean Spicer as White House press secretary on Friday  said, The presidents making clear that the special counsel should not move outside the scope of the investigation. In an interview with the Washington Post, Trumps private counsel, Jay Sekulow, said, The scope is going to have to stay within [Muellers] mandate. If theres drifting, were going to object. Sekulow pointed to the presidents past real estate dealings as an example of material off limits to the special counsel.

It all adds up to a systematic pushback on the independence and integrity of the special counsel investigation. As one Republican in touch with the administration quoted in the Washington Post suggests, the White House may well be laying the groundwork to fire Mueller.

So put yourself in Muellers shoes. You are both a highly experienced investigator (youve run the FBI for 12 years) and a highly experienced prosecutor (youve headed the Justice Departments Criminal Division, served as a U.S. Attorney, and prosecuted murder cases as perhaps the most overqualified assistant U.S. attorney in American history). You have staffed your investigation with a group of lawyers of remarkable depth and range of experience. You have on your staff Russian language capability. You have truly remarkable appellate capacity. And you have first-class expertise in money laundering, campaign finance, organized crime, and other relevant areas.

But it all may not matter, because the president may decide either to issue a bunch of preemptive pardons or to try to either fire you or rein in your jurisdiction. And the talent you have collected is under attack.

How do you play it? Here are six things that Mueller may be considering as he decides how to do his job under these highly unusual conditions. To be clear, the following is not based not on any communication with Mueller or his staff, but on our own assessment of the law, the problems Mueller faces, and the incentives the White Houses activities create for someone in his position. We assume in everything that follows that there are serious matters under investigation. If, by contrast, LAffaire Russe is all nonsense, the situation is far easier: Mueller can wrap up the investigation and go back to his law firm.

Investigative design

Muellers mandate is broad. Under the terms of his appointment letter from Rosenstein, he has jurisdiction not merely over any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump, but also over any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation. He also has jurisdiction over any crimes that may arise as a result of interactions with the investigation itself: perjury, obstruction of justice, and the like.

It is only if wholly new matters arise requiring additional jurisdiction beyond that specified in [this] original jurisdiction, according to the regulations that govern his service, that Mueller must consult with the [acting] Attorney General, who will determine whether to include the additional matters within [his] jurisdiction or assign them elsewhere. The regulations elsewhere specify that the special counsel is not subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the [Justice] Department, and while Rosenstein can request that [Mueller] provide an explanation of any investigative or prosecutorial step and rescind it if it is patently inappropriate or unwarranted under department policy, he must affirmatively seek that explanation  Mueller does not have to go to him for permission. Moreover, Rosenstein is obliged to give great weight to Muellers views  and notify Congress should he decide to countermand Muellers proposed course of action.

In other words, as long as Mueller can reasonably conclude that the new matters in question either arose or are arising out of his original investigation, he doesnt need anyones okay to look into them. And at least under the current rules, the burden is entirely on Rosenstein to come to him, ask for an explanation, and then object to the expansion. By contrast, if Mueller wants to look at something that cannot be said to have arisen out of the existing investigation, the burden is on him to seek out the authority. Given Rosensteins own precarious posture with respect to Trump, and his less than honorable behavior towards Comey, making sure all expansions fall into that first category will likely be the attractive alternative for Mueller.

This observation has two implications: The first is that we should expect Mueller to be cautious about new investigative opportunities that walk in with no relationship to the earlier mandate. Dont anticipate Mueller latching onto Monica Lewinsky-type matters that may find their way to his door. Rather, look for him to be disciplined and take on such matters only if Rosenstein refers them to him.

The second implication is that Mueller will likely interpret broadly the phrase in Rosensteins appointment letter any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation. Trump seems to be furious that Mueller might look at his business transactions. But of course Mueller will. If youre trying to understand any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with Trumps campaign, looking at the business ties between those individuals and Russian interests is a no-brainer; it would be malpractice not to do so. If along the way, Mueller finds evidence of criminal activity unrelated to that those links or coordination, he will surely interpret that evidence as constituting a matter that arose  directly from the investigation and thus will not feel the need to consult with Rosenstein before taking on such a matter. Mueller may well consult with the acting attorney general anyway in the general course of keeping Rosenstein informed and assured that the investigation is proceeding appropriately, but given his mandate and the language of the regulations, hes very likely to regard that consultation as a courtesy, not as an obligation.

Inverting the pyramid

In a normal, complex criminal investigation, the prosecutor starts at the bottom of the organizational pyramid and works his or her way up. The prosecutor indicts the drug runners, flips them, goes for the middle managers, flips them, and continues to use each layer to go after the one above  eventually targeting the people at the very top. A prosecutor investigating the president of the United States, who is threatening in two ways to nuke the investigation, might not feel the luxury of working up from the bottom of the pyramid. Such an approach takes time, after all. The bottom of the pyramid involves a lot of people whom the president, unlike a crime boss, can pardon.

Notwithstanding the fact that pardoned individuals can be compelled to testify, a broad pardon eliminates much of the prosecutors leverage in obtaining the truth  leverage that relies on the criminal jeopardy of the underlings. And quite uniquely among criminal investigative subjects in the federal system, the president can also fire his own prosecutor, meaning that time may not be an available commodity. In an environment in which Trump is openly toying with both of these steps, the prosecutor may be tempted to invert the pyramid and focus on presidential conduct first.

To be clear, Mueller might well not do this. He might decide that his job requires him to act exactly as he normally would and leave the consequences of his removal or any pardons to the political process.

But there is another approach, too: a focus first on the conduct of Trump himself, particularly with respect to obstruction of justice. That is, Mueller could  for now, anyway  de-emphasize or relegate to the background the components of the investigation that rely most on underlings whom Trump might pardon. Or he could conclude relatively quick (and that means generous) plea deals with those underlings, securing their cooperation along the way. This could insulate the investigation, to some degree anyway, against the possibility of pardons.

Speed

An investigation of this type is enormously complicated and takes a lot of time. Under normal circumstances, the order of the day would be a very long, methodical slog. In an environment, however, in which Mueller doesnt know if hes going to be there tomorrow or if he might lose leverage over his potential witnesses, look for him to act as quickly as possible. That means focusing on the portions of the investigation that are less complicated. It also might militate towards relatively generous plea deals. The goal would be to lock in now what he can before the president steps in to wreck things.

Note that this point is also a choice. Again, Mueller might well decide that his job is to carry out the investigation exactly as he would under all other circumstances, accepting that the investigation may never be completed. But he also might decide to bifurcate things, creating a fast track and a longer-term track. In other words, a reasonable prosecutor would run this investigation very differently if he knew he only had three months than he would if he knew he had three years. Mueller might well choose to operate on both assumptions simultaneously.

The impeachment referral

If Mueller is contemplating acting quickly, inverting the pyramid and focusing early on presidential conduct, a major problem will quickly confront him: Its at least a serious question whether the president can be indicted while in office, and present Justice Department policy is that he cannot. This puts a huge premium on a question to which Mueller has probably, as a consequence, given some thought: What authority does he have to refer potential evidence for impeachment to Congress?

The Justice Department regulations governing Muellers appointment and investigation do not specifically detail what should be done regarding information related to possible impeachment. This is clearly by design. It marks an obvious departure from the previous Independent Counsel statute, which Congress allowed to expire in 1999. That statute, widely reviled by the time of its demise for permitting runaway investigations  even Kenneth Starr, the prosecutor who headed the investigation into former President Bill Clinton, testified in favor of its expiration  included a provision, 28 U.S.C.  595(c), that explicitly granted independent counsel the authority to directly advise the House of any substantial and credible information  that may constitute grounds for an impeachment.

Starrs expansive understanding of the type of report that this provision authorized him to provide to Congress was the subject of great contention in the run-up to Clintons impeachment. His interpretation prompted a battle between Starrs office and the White House, which expressed the view that any report filed by independent counsel under  595(c) should stick to the facts and stay away from recommendations, and that it would be inappropriate and at odds with fundamental fairness for the document to purport  to summarize or analyze evidence. Starr firmly disagreed with this narrow formulation, arguing in a letter to Clintons attorney that the language of the statute did not limit him to providing Congress with factual evidence alone.

Starr made good on his defense of an elaborate and argumentative impeachment report. The baroque document he eventually produced was entirely unlike the report prepared by Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski, which has never been made public but is known to have been highly restrained  containing no accusatory conclusions  no recommendations, advice or statements that infringe on the prerogatives of other branches of government  [and] no moral or social judgments.

The fact that the current special counsel regulations make no mention of impeachment referral authority in part reflects the historical consensus that Starr went too far. The existing regulation reporting requirements are written in such a way as to confine the special counsel to his or her mandate. Specifically, the regulations require the special counsel to report to the attorney general for purposes of determining budgeting needs and in the case of Urgent Reports, and to provide the attorney general at the conclusion of the investigation a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel. (As a matter of normal Justice Department practice, Urgent Reports are brief updates that must be submitted to the attorney general and deputy attorney general to notify them of (1) major developments in significant investigations and litigation, (2) law enforcement emergencies, and (3) events affecting the Department that are likely to generate national media or Congressional attention.) It is then the attorney generals obligation to notify both the chairman and ranking member of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees of the investigations close and to provide an explanation of any instances where he has concluded that the special counsels proposed action should not be pursued. In short, to the extent any information about the presidents conduct with bearing on impeachment arises out of the special counsels investigation, identifying it as such lies with Congress.

But for Mueller, the absence of any reporting provision for impeachment material creates a strange lacuna that now requires a strategic judgment. What if he amasses evidence that Congress needs to know about pursuant to its impeachment authorities yet the president pardons the people through whose prosecutions that information would normally emerge? What if theres no basis for anyones prosecution but there is damning evidence of an abuse of power? What happens if he develops evidence that would support an impeachment but his office is suddenly shut down?

One possibility is for Mueller to take the view that the absence of authorization for such a referral does not preclude it. That is, he can do exactly what Jaworski did: dump information in Congresss lap without telling Congress how to analyze it.

But Mueller may also take the view that he cant do that, or that he has to go through Rosenstein to make any kind of referral to Congress. In any event, the sword of Damocles Trump dangling over his head  both in the form of potential pardons and in the form of removal threats  could make Mueller think hard about how he wants to handle a possible impeachment referral, and to do that thinking much earlier than he would otherwise. After all, if somethings got to be done and one doesnt know whether one will be there tomorrow to do it, the temptation is to do it today.

Defending his staff

The White Houses attacks on Mueller and his staff are disgusting, but they are also par for the course. Clintons White House did the same thing with Starr and his staff.

Attacking the prosecutor is as American as apple pie in criminal defense. And as long as the attacks are no more than criticisms of campaign contributions by a number of Muellers staffers, the best approach may be to ignore it. With Starr, however, the attacks turned into something much more than griping: ethics complaints, litigations, leak charges (at least one of which had merit), and other matters that actually took a lot of time and energy to respond to. Its reasonable to anticipate that the allegations against Mueller and his staff will end up going that direction as well. For Mueller, that means both running an investigation that is utterly beyond reproach and being prepared to respond to whatever comes. This may well involve having a wing of the investigation that is itself devoted to defending the investigation.

Resisting removal

The regulations provide the special counsel some measure of protection against removal by specifying three conditions for it. The special counsel may be removed only by the (acting) attorney general for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or for other good cause, including violation of Departmental policies, and the specific reason for his termination must be laid out in writing. As Jack Goldsmith has highlighted, although the regulations purport to give the attorney general alone removal power, it remains an open question whether as a constitutional matter Trump may nonetheless fire Mueller himself  for example, if Rosenstein refuses to do it (as he has vowed to in the absence of good cause). Both Goldsmith and Marty Lederman have explained that there is case law to support the principle that regulations are binding so long as they are in force and the president has not sought to revoke them, along with good arguments that only the agency head who appoints the officer, not the president, can remove that officer.

That said, Trump might revoke the regulation itself and in so doing obliterate Muellers whole office. So one way or another, a president who really wants to get rid of Mueller could probably do so.

In any event, Mueller has to operate on the assumption that Trump could get it done. And that means hes probably given some thought to how he would handle a removal. What does that consist of? Theres actually not that much Mueller can do about it. The protection against removal is ultimately a political one, not a regulatory or legal one, and that means Mueller cant do much more than to try to condition the politics so as to make the constraints on the president as binding as possible. That means having the sort of relationships with the relevant committees in Congress such that any firing would be considered politically unacceptable. Here Muellers reputation is key, but liaison with Congress  without, of course, discussing the substance of the investigation  is probably going to be important as well. Its crucial not merely that Congress is unwilling to tolerate a disruption of the investigation, but that Trump knows that it is unwilling to do so.

Finally, being prepared for a removal probably requires contingency planning for what happens if Trump pulls the trigger. One would assume, for example, that Mueller and his staff have documented everything theyve done, that they are creating work product that Congress could demand in the event the office ceased to exist, and that there is some mechanism  if only the calling of Mueller to testify  by which Congress could learn what it needs to know.

If youre Robert Mueller today, youre probably thinking about how to make sure that even if you are fired, critical information finds its way to where it needs to go.

Photo credit: ALEX WONG/Getty Images
The White House hosted a week celebrating products made in the United States. Do Trump branded products make the grade? (Photo: AP)

This week the White House played host to a series of events dubbed Made in America Week. The themed events notably included a roundtable discussion and a product showcase on the the White Houses south lawn, where products ranged from sandwiches, to wool blankets, to firetrucks; each business connected by the common thread of American excellence, according to the White House blog.

It was also an excellent opportunity to see Donald Trump in a Stetson hat.

ICYMI- This week we hosted a #MadeInAmerica event, right here at the @WhiteHouse! If it is MADE IN AMERICA, it is the BEST! USA pic.twitter.com/q4vB9GdE5y  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2017

Its a curious event for a brand and family that has so publicly profited from foreign business and resources. Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, where he spends much of his free time, hires numerous foreign workers. The company requested permission to hire dozens of new foreign employees recently, including housekeepers, waiters, and cooks.

When one of the goals of the Made in America Week is to ensure that the interests of the workers in the United States would not be pushed aside for global projects, according to the White Houses description of the campaign, its easy to wonder: Which of the various Trump brands and companies would pass the Made in America test? Not many.

Example: Its a well known fact that some of the Trump Make America Great Again caps ($25) are embroidered here in the United States  in a factory in Los Angeles. But thats not where theyre manufactured. That honor goes to China, or Vietnam, or Bangladesh.

Another Trump brand  Ivanka Trumps namesake line of apparel and accessories  is also exclusively made in foreign countries, including China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and more. The list goes on, in fact. The presidents collection of suits and ties sold in various department stores in the past were also all manufactured overseas. As far as we can tell, there are no Trump brand products completely and exclusively made in America.

Story continues

But it turns out most Americans, and so most ardent fans of Donald Trump, dont seem to care. Despite the lip-service love given to Made in America products, most people do not express that love with their wallets. A poll conducted just this week by Reuters shows that consumers may like the Made in the USA sticker, but fewer than 30 percent are willing to pay an American price tag. The remaining percentage shop with price in mind, and that means dropping endless products from foreign lands in their Walmart shopping carts.

For those who wish to Make America Great Again, it apparently doesnt matter if the making happens in America or not.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.




With the Russia probe gathering steam, President Donald Trumps legal team underwent a major shake-up, with the presidents longtime personal attorney Marc Kasowitz resigning Thursday, multiple reports claimed.

Kasowitz, the presidents lawyer since the past 15 years and the lead lawyer in Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russia's meddling in last year's presidential election, would take a diminished role, a CNN report stated.

Attorney John Dowd, along with Jay Sekulow, will now be the president's primary personal attorneys for the investigation, CNN reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the situation.

Read: Trump Lawyer Marc Kasowitz Threatens Stranger In Email: 'Watch Your Back Bitch'

However, CBS News took to Twitter to announce Kasowitz was no longer a part of the presidents legal team.

Kasowitz recently made headlines for threatening a public relations professional, who had asked him to resign from Trump's legal team.

According to ProPublica, one of Kasowitzs emails read: And you don't know me, but I will know you. How dare you send me an email like that? I'm on you now. You are f------ with me now. Lets see who you are. Watch your back, b----."

In another email, he wrote: I already know where you live, Im on you. You might as well call me. You will see me. I promise Bro.

He later apologized for the emails.

Besides Kasowitz, Mark Corallo, spokesman and communications strategist for Trump's legal team, too announced his resignation.

Although the reason behind his exit is unclear, Politico, citing an unnamed source, reported Corallo complained too much fighting all the time in the White House and that there was a constant conflict between the lawyers.

Meanwhile, USA Today reported that Trump has tapped a highly experienced corruption and white-collar crime lawyer Ty Cobb to be a part of his team.

Story continues

CNN reported attorney Cobb will take the lead from inside the White House on the probe when he formally starts his job July 31.

He brings to the White House a lot of experience the president has not had, Dowd said, USA Today reported.

Read: Trump Lawyer Broke Ethics Rules By Telling White House Staff Not To Hire Attorneys, Complaint Claims

Prior to his new role, Cobb worked with the Washington, D.C., law firm Hogan Lovells. His bio on the companys website said: Ty Cobb, a long-time leader at Hogan Lovells, has been widely recognized as one of the premier white collar, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement, and congressional investigations lawyers in the world. Clients managing crises, allegations of corruption, and other critical matters turn to Ty to guide them.

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In his Saturday tweets, Trump had words for Republican senators who have not been able to agree on a way forward to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, which has become known as Obamacare and which Trump promised to do away with as president. "The Republican Senators must step up to the plate and, after 7 years, vote to Repeal and Replace. Next, Tax Reform and Infrastructure. WIN!" he tweeted. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Richard Cowan and Jeff Mason; Editing by Diane Craft and Leslie Adler)
By Orhan Coskun and Michelle Martin ANKARA/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany said on Friday it was reviewing applications for arms projects from Turkey, accusing its NATO ally of ramping up covert operations as an attempt by a Turkish minister to calm a deepening bilateral crisis fell flat. While one minister in Berlin compared Ankara's behavior over the detention of six rights activists to the authoritarian former communist East Germany, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Germany to "pull itself together". Bilateral tensions were already high after bitter recriminations during a referendum in April on extending Erdogan's powers and a pullout of German troops from a Turkish air base that began this month. They rose further after Turkey detained the activists, including a German national, in custody two weeks ago. Turkey's economy minister sought to calm matters but Erdogan, renewing earlier criticism, accused Berlin of trying to scare German companies away from investing in Turkey. Germany, home to three million people with Turkish roots, said it would review Turkish applications for arms projects. "We're checking all applications," an Economy Ministry spokeswoman said. That means the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (Bafa) probably cannot issue new export approvals, but projects already agreed will not be affected initially. In 2016, the German government exported armaments worth 83.9 million euros to Turkey. In the first four months of 2017, business worth 22 million euros was approved, for navy deliveries and joint projects with other NATO partners. Germany has warned Germans traveling to Turkey that they do so at their own risk, and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted on Friday as comparing Turkey with the former communist East German state - the German Democratic Republic (GDR). "Turkey now makes arbitrary arrests and no longer sticks to minimum consular standards. That reminds me of how it was in the GDR," he told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper. Schaeuble said those who traveled to the former Communist East before it collapsed in 1990 were aware that "if something happens to you, no one can help you". German officials say they have not had full consular access to arrested German activist Peter Steudtner, who was accused of terrorism - an allegation Berlin has dismissed as absurd. Another German citizen was arrested on charges of links to terrorism earlier this year. TURKISH SECRET SERVICES Germany's domestic security chief said Turkey had been carrying out ever more covert operations in Germany, especially since a failed coup attempt against Erdogan last July. "Since the coup attempt and domestic political changes there, we no longer see Turkey's intelligence service purely as a partner but also as an opponent," BfV chief Hans-Georg Maassen said. Covert activities included influence operations targeting Germany-based Turks, with attempts to intimidate opponents of Erdogan. In March, German authorities barred Turkish ministers from speaking at mass rallies of expatriates backing the president's referendum campaign. He responded by accusing Berlin of "fascist actions". The activist arrests were part of a broader crackdown across Turkish society since last year's failed coup. More than 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in Turkey's civil service, military and private sector and more than 50,000 have been jailed. Rights groups and some Western governments say Erdogan is using the crackdown as a pretext to quash dissent. The Turkish government says the measures are necessary given the gravity of the security threat it faces. They may have extended to German companies. A security source told Reuters Turkey had sent German authorities a list of over 680 firms it suspected of supporting terrorism. Turkey's Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci told Reuters Germany's behavior in cautioning its citizens over travel to Turkey was "unfortunate", but he did not see harm accruing to tourism. So far this year, bookings from Germany have accounted for some 10 percent of Turkey's tourists. Last year, the number of foreign visitors to Turkey fell 30 percent amid bombings by Kurdish and Islamist militants, the lowest in nine years. The travel sector contributes about $30 billion to the economy in a normal year. Commercial links are close. Germany was Turkey's top export destination in 2016, buying $14 billion worth of Turkish goods, and the second biggest source of Turkish imports, at $21.5 billion. German news broadcaster n-tv said it would no longer run adverts that aimed to attract investment in Turkey. (Additional reporting by Thorsten Severin and Thomas Escritt in Berlin and Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Ralph Boulton and John Stonestreet)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States and seven allies have held their first meeting to map out plans for joint operations of the new Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 stealth jet fighter in Europe in coming years. The two-day gathering in Germany this week included officials from Denmark, Israel, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey and Britain - all of which are buying the F-35, according to U.S. Air Force and Pentagon officials. Several other European countries, including Belgium, Finland and Switzerland, are looking at possible orders of the aircraft at a time when tensions between NATO and Russia have increased. Officials from Lockheed, the largest U.S. weapons maker, gave officials an update on the $379 billion program, the Pentagon's costliest arms project, as allies in Europe move toward increased use of the jets in coming years, they said. "We've come together as a team of allies and partners to begin to set the conditions on ... operating the F-35 in the European theater," Major General Timothy Fay, deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, said in a statement. Italy, which participated in the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, was the first nation to fly the new fighter outside the United States, and already has three jets in Italy. Norway will have jets in country by the end of the year, Israel already has five on hand, and Britain will have jets flying in Europe next year, according to a Pentagon spokesman for the F-35 program. Several Dutch jets are participating in testing in the United States, he said. Turkey's first aircraft is still being built, and Denmark last year decided to buy 27 jets in coming years. Air Force General Tod Wolters, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, said the F-35 was a "force multiplier" and "game changer for missile defense". Wolters urged military leaders to codify common tactics, techniques and procedures to prepare for joint use of the aircraft in Europe, which will mark the first time that U.S. allies are flying stealth aircraft. Officials will meet again in October to address issues such as operations, maintenance, logistics and intelligence. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Despite growing unrest and threats from the E.U., the government of Poland is on the brink of adopting a contentious law that critics say will unravel the countrys democratic institutions by giving politicians influence over the courts.

Weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump hailed Poland for its democratic values during a foreign policy speech in Warsaw, tens of thousands protested across the country against the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) partys erosion of the judiciarys independence.

It follows a Thursday vote where lawmakers in the lower house of parliament passed a draft bill that would dismiss all members of the countrys Supreme Court and let the president on the request of the justice minister make new appointments and influence their work.

The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate on Friday before being signed into law by President Andrzej Duda. Heres what you need to know:

Why is this happening now?

It is part of a wider campaign to dismantle the countrys democratic checks and balances on the government by the populist Law and Justice party (PiS), co-founded and chaired by former Prime Minister Jaros?aw Kaczy?ski. Since winning a majority in 2015, PiS deputies have effectively turned the countrys state media into a propaganda arm, purged the armys leadership, placed loyalists in the civil service and weakened the Constitutional Tribunal which rules on whether legislation violates Polands constitution.

The rightwing PiS says it is only following through election promises to reform the judiciary. PiS supporters have criticized Polish courts for taking too long to hear cases. In a speech to the lower house on Thursday, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said the new legislation was a reaction to the courts alleged inefficiency while insisting that the government will not bow to pressure from Polish or from foreign defenders of the interest of the elites.

Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is the current president of the European Council and a bitter critic of Kaczynski, accused the government of dragging the country back in time. It is my belief that its most recent actions go against European values and standards and risk damaging our reputation Tusk said in a statement. They transport us  in the political sense  in time and space: backwards and eastwards.

Story continues

Will the bill become law?

It looks like it. PiS has a majority in both the lower house and the upper house (the senate) of parliament. The vote comes after two other laws passed in July. Under one, members for the body that chooses judges, the National Judicial Council, will be selected by parliament instead of other judges. The second bill empowers Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro to appoint and dismiss the heads of regional and appeal courts.

How is the European Union responding? Is this why the E.U. threatening to revoke Polands voting rights?

The political and economic bloc is threatening to revoke the voting rights of member state Poland. Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European commission warned on Wednesday that the E.U. was very close to pulling the never-before-used sanction Article 7, which would deny the country a vote on European Union business. But that provision needs to be adopted unanimously by every other member state. Hungary, which is led by Kaczynskis ideological ally, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has said it would not go against Warsaw.

The problem is that the EU doesnt really have the tools to deal with a member state that is threatening to leave the path of democracy, Marcin Zaborowski of Visegrad Insight told the Financial Times. The EU has a stick to deal with aspirant members, but once countries are members, there is a limit to what it can do to persuade them to change course.

The bloc has also clashed with Poland on issues ranging from a logging initiative in one of Europes oldest forests to the countrys refusal to take on any refugees.

Can this be stopped?

Not in parliament. Polands opposition parties lack the majority to block PiSs legislation and there isnt a unifying political figure to counter the euroskeptic partys clout.

But if popular rage builds further, the PiS could back down. Recent polls suggest that 76% of Poles oppose a politicized judiciary. It may be the countrys most popular party, but PiS only won by a slim margin in the 2015 election. Their majority is weak and the party has backed down in the past when faced with popular pressure  specifically, after massive nationwide protests in 2016 against a strict abortion law.
Something sinister is happening at a handful of luxury Mexican resorts  at least according to one lawyer and some tourists whove vacationed there. After a young woman died under mysterious circumstances at the Iberostar Paraiso Resort in Playa Del Carmen, her family and attorneys have been looking for a plausible explanation for what happened to her.

Abbey Conner, 20, died in January within just a few hours of arriving at a resort with her family. She and her brother, Austin Conner, 23, were drinking and swimming in chest-deep water at the hotel pool. The last thing Austin remembered was taking some shots at the bar. The next? Waking up inside an ambulance.

Read: Woman Dies After Taking Mystery Alcohol Shot In Mexico Resort, Drowns In Pool

An attorney hired by the Conner family to investigate the situation visited the resort and noticed numerous young tourists hanging out drinking at the bar. But he also noticed something else.

Abbey Conner

Photo: Facebook/Abbey Conner

They serve alcohol drinks with alcohol of bad quality and in great amounts, mixing different types of drinks, he wrote in a report, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Austin and Abbey were found unresponsive inside the hotel pool and taken to a nearby hospital. Austin suffered a broken collar bone and was able to recover. Abbey, however, was in a coma and later died.

Ive been in college for five years and had my fair share of drinks before, Austin told the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel last week. No way in hell Im putting my face down in a pool and going to sleep.

The investigation into Abbey's death by Mexican authorities was limited: Only three hotel employees were interviewed, according to the Sentinel. Abbeys father, Bill Conner, said he thought she may have been drugged.

Somebody just had to slip them some type of drug, he said.

Story continues

The Conners were not the first to report mysterious events and ultimately, tragedy, during their time at a luxury resort in Mexico. An investigation by the Journal Sentinel revealed other tourists found themselves in unexplainable situations with no memory of what had occurred.

One Wisconsin woman told the Journal Sentinel she was assaulted while she and her husband were unconscious. An ob-gyn confirmed she had, in fact, been assaulted. Her husband woke up with a broken hand. Neither had any memory of what happened. In another incident, two brothers from Minnesota were vacationing with their parents when they awoke covered in mud to find their wallets and cellphones gone. Neither had any memory of what happened.

In at least three cases, travelers reported that local hospitals, part of the Hospiten chain, appeared to be gouging them, demanding large sums of cash, the Journal-Sentinel reported. One man was told to take a cab to an ATM. The vacationers suspected Iberostar might be in cahoots with the medical company.

It remained unclear, exactly, whether the motive for these incidents was extortion, assault or robbery, or who was perpetrating the alleged crimes.

Maureen Webster launched the site Mexicovacationawareness.com after her 22-year-old son Nolan died at a resort almost 10 years ago.

Every time, every single time, something bad happens, [the Mexican resorts and authorities] blame the victim, she told the Journal-Sentinel. They say, They were drunk, they were drunk, they were drunk.

Read: Family Wants Answers After Womans Mysterious Death At Mexico Resort

Karen Smith, another mother, connected with Webster after her own adult son, Brian Manucci, drowned in the same pool as Nolan Webster.

Theres no accountability, said Smith. Even if its over-serving, they promote this risky behavior but have no means to handle it when it occurs. Its just so mind boggling that something like this could occur, and its just like  Oh, well.

Iberostar

Photo: Iberostar Paraiso Beach

Related Articles
Patty Jenkins directs Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman (Photo: Warner Bros.)

With Wonder Woman continuing her assault on the box-office record books, its no surprise that the films brain trust is already cranking away on a sequel. Although no details have been announced yet  we expect some news at Saturdays Warner Bros. panel at San Diego Comic-Con  director Patty Jenkins and DCs Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns are teaming up for the Amazon princess second solo outing.

Im working right now on the Wonder Woman 2 script, Johns told Yahoo Movies. I just started.

Johns has huddled with Jenkins to hash out some story points, but he refused to divulge any details beyond the return of Gal Gadot in the title role.

Jenkins, meanwhile, tweeted back on June 30 that she was not officially signed for the sequel but excited and hopeful about her return.

Hey All. Thanks for the excitement but that wasnt a confirmation. Just talking about ideas and hopes. But still excited and hopeful #WW2 https://t.co/oaFZcPrRWl  Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) June 30, 2017

Johns has several other projects on his to-do list, from overseeing post-production on Justice League to new TV projects such as the Superman prequel Krypton to his DC Comics event Doomsday Clock  a crossover between the main DC Universe and the classic Watchmen series which was announced Thursday at Comic-Con and will arrive on stands in November, the same month as Justice League.

Despite being in theaters for over a month, Wonder Woman has been among the buzziest films at Comic-Con, with dozens of cosplayers flocking to DCs booth to pose with Gadots costume. Catwoman herself, Halle Berry, told Yahoo Movies that Im Gal Gadots biggest fan right now.

Keep coming back to Yahoo Movies for the latest from San Diego Comic-Con 2017.

Watch: Catwoman Halle Berry Crushes On Wonder Woman:



Story continues

Read more from Yahoo Movies:
Samsung may be preparing to unveil its sequel to the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. The South Korean electronics giant just sent out invitations for its next Unpacked event, which will take place in New York on August 23.

Samsung traditionally uses these events to make big announcements around new products, especially those in its Galaxy smartphone line. The company has been known to debut new Note phones around the August and September time frame in years past.

The event invite doesnt say much, but does tease a phone with a stylus and barely existent side bezels like those found on the Galaxy S8. The graphic is accompanied by the tagline Do bigger things, hinting that the phone could potentially have a larger 6.4-inch display like rumors have indicated. Samsung hasnt revealed any details about its future products, but other rumors also suggest a dual camera system and a new design that curves on all sides might also be in store.

The launch would serve as evidence that Samsung doesnt intend to give up on its six-year-old Note line after last years disastrous launch. The company was forced to recall the Note 7 shortly after being released because of battery issues that caused the device to sometimes dangerously overheat.

It was particularly bad timing for Samsung, as it had no new flagship smartphone to go head-to-head with Apples iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which launched around the same time.
Demonstrations in support of Palestinian worshipers in support of their struggle against the new Temple Mount security measures were held Friday in Jordan and Turkey.

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In Amman, Jordan, thousands gathered and shouted epithets against Israel.

Friday's anti-Israel protest in Amman, Jordan

According to reports, the crowd shouted, among other things, "How beautiful it is to kill soldiers from Jerusalem," with some waving a model of a cardboard missile with the words "Al-Aqsa - Red Line."

Another demonstration was held in Istanbul, where Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim condemned the use of metal detectors at the entrance gates to the Temple Mount.

"The security measures taken by Israel are wrong ," he said. "Blocking Muslims from entering the compound will not contribute to finding a solution to the issue."

Anti-Israel protest in Amman, Jordan

X

In his weekly sermon, senior political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh appealed to Arab nations to intervene.

"Where are you, a nation of a billion people, while the prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque are being prevented? Where are the Arab summits while the mosque is filthy with settlers?"

Haniyeh went on to say that "the campaign in Jerusalem is a campaign of the Palestinian people and of the Arab and Islamic nation. The anger in the streets of Jerusalem is a response to the Palestinian issue. The metal detectors are harming the Palestinian people and we will not allow it."

Haniyeh then praised the residents of Jerusalem and the Arabs of Israel "for refusing to surrender to the steps of the occupation in the Al-Aqsa Mosque," claiming that "this campaign will end with the victory of the Palestinian people. We can withstand any challenge."

According to Haniyeh, "the cameras, the checkpoints and the gates, are aimed at establishing Israel's control over the mosque and restoring the plan to divide it."

He expressed his support of Muslim faithful who refused to enter the Temple Mount through the metal detectors, saying "the only language that the Israeli occupation knows is the language of force," and so Palestinians must speak in their language, as "the decision of the Israeli cabinet proves that the dreams of peace and normalization have collapsed."

'Al-Aqsa - Red Line'

Haniyeh then called on Turkish President Erdogan, who is also chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to formulate a comprehensive plan to combat the "Israeli conspiracies" regarding the Temple Mount.

The Hamas leader then appealed to King Abdullah of Jordan and called on him to shoulder his responsibility for the recent events in Jerusalem.

Shortly after the protests and Haniyeh's sermon, clashes ensued between Palestinian protestors in the West Bank and Israeli security forces, which later escalated into riots in which 3 Palestinian protestors lost their lives , dozens more were injured and several Israeli police officers were wounded.
Former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus is encouraging patient and polite persistence in the case of a University of Montana student detained in China this week.

Baucus, who was the U.S. Ambassador to China from 2013 to 2017, is in touch with diplomats in both the U.S. and China to help bring UM student Guthrie McLean back home.

The UM senior was arrested Sunday in Zhengzhou in the Henan Province after an altercation five weeks earlier over cab fare between his mother, who is deaf, and a taxi driver. Both Guthrie and Jennifer McLean were originally detained, though Jennifer McLean was released that same day.

Her son is being held in detention for assaulting the taxi driver, which resulted in an injury to the drivers knee, according to information relayed to his mother by Keith Devereaux, who works for American Citizen Services within the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

Jennifer McLean reads lips and speaks softly.

Baucus said his heart goes out to her. China has made advances when it comes to improving accessibility for people who have disabilities, but this is a country which developed very quickly.

"China flashed forward 40 years," Baucus said.

The embassy will do all it can to help her and has a trained and dedicated staff, Baucus said.

Baucus saw similar incidents during his time as ambassador and has seen them reach a positive resolution. He can't predict the outcome in this case, but said China is sensitive when it comes to Americans detained in the country.

"We're working with friends here to get Guthrie released," Baucus said.

Jennifer McLean said she is still in negotiations with Chinese authorities, who were seeking money for the taxi driver, and is being helped by both U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester.

Tester's office did not respond to questions about the ongoing situation, but a spokesperson with Daines' office, Katie Waldman, said the senator would update the public as information became available.

UM said McLean is a senior enrolled in East Asian studies with a minor in media arts.

Jennifer McLean said her son's return ticket to Montana is for Aug. 29.

She teaches and lives in China. Her son spent most of his childhood there, but returned to the U.S. to complete college. He left Montana on May 24 and flew to Zhengzhou to visit his mother.

He had planned to tour historical sites and spend time at a panda rescue center before returning to Missoula at the end of August.
Some 50 Palestinians on Saturday clashed with IDF forces surrounding the village of Kobar in the West Bank, home of the terrorist who murdered a grandfather and two of his children in the settlement of Halamish the night before.

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Border Police forces on the scene used crowd dispersal measures against the rioters, who were throwing stones, burning tires and blocking roads.

Earlier, IDF forces raided the terrorist's home, mapped out the structure for demolition, searched for weapons and confiscated money used for terror purposes. They also arrested the terrorist's brother, 21-year-old Monir al-Abed.

IDF forces operating in Halamish and in Kobar (:  ")

X

The terrorist himself, 19-year-old Omar al-Abed, was released from the Beilinson Hospital at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva after being treated for injuries suffered when he was shot and neutralized. He was taken by security forces for questioning.

Al-Abed was able to jump over the fence of the Halamish settlement and enter a home, surprising a family during their Shabbat dinner. He killed a man and two of his adult children, while a woman was wounded. A neighbor heard the screams, rushed to the home and opened fire, wounding al-Abed.

Clashes at the terrorist's village Kobar (Photo: Ofer Meir)

Al-Abed posted a note on Facebook prior to the attack, writing: "I am going there and I know I am not going to come back here, I will go to heaven. How sweet death is for the sake of God, his prophet and for Al-Aqsa mosque." He also wrote that he wanted his body to be covered by a banner of Hamas and a photo of Yasser Arafat, founder of Hamas' main rival, the Fatah movement.

His father said his son had been angered by the escalating violence at the Jerusalem shrine, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary, and to Jews as the Temple Mount.

"The honor of Muslims is the only Haram," Mohammed al-Abed said. "If it's gone, the Muslims' honor is gone. This was the motive for my son."

The terrorist's house in Kobar (Photo: Ofer Meir)

"This is a natural reaction to what's going on at the al-Aqsa Mosque," the father continued. "He saw the news, saw the martyrs and the elderly and women who were so barbarically attacked, and he as a young man just wanted revenge. If (the clashes) hadn't happened, he wouldn't have done this."

The father condemned the attack, but blamed Israel for it. "I don't support any terror attacknot the kind done by the occupation and not the kind done by our side. But I told youthe reason for it is the occupation," he said.

IDF forces operating near Kobar (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

Dozens of the terrorist's relatives and neighbors gathered at his home on Saturday afternoon. His parents and siblings were busy emptying the home before its upcoming demolition.

Unlike homes of other terrorists, the family did not hang signs praising the terrorist around their home and did not fly the flags of any of the Palestinian factions.

The father said his son did not belong to any of the Palestinian factions, even though Palestinian security officials claimed after the attack the family was affiliated with Hamas.

IDF forces operating near Kobar (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

Earlier, Israeli security forces have begun works to establish a closure around the terrorist's village.

"Movement out of the village will be limited to humanitarian cases only," police said.

Following the attack in Halamish, large reinforcements were sent to the West Bank on Saturday from the Paratroopers' Brigade, the Nahal Brigade and special units and placed on high alert in an effort to stop any attempts to carry out additional attacks.

Liberman (Front) and Eisenkott (Back( arrive for a briefing in Halamish (Photo: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

Following the attack, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkott and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived at Halamish and were briefed of the situation. Afterward, Lieberman instructed to speed up proceedings for the demolition of the terrorist's house.

"We demand the Palestinian Authority President Abbas (issue) a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the slaughter that took place last night, of an innocent and innocent family who did not endanger anyone. A a terrible slaughter carried out during the family's Shabbat meal."

Eisenkott (C) briefed following attack (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said after initial questioning, it appears the terrorist was acting alone and decided to carry out the attack following the clashes on the Temple Mount over the past week.

"We identify a negative trend in which every day new inciters and assailants join in, and we're conducting a great effort to prevent further deterioration, including in the Gaza Strip, as there is a possibility terror organizations would try to launch an attack from there," Manelis said.

"The reinforcements sent to Judea and Samaria will continue operating there in the coming weeks and possibly beyond that," he added.

"There is an outburst that is expanding and gaining momentum," Manelis added. "The 6,000 protesters in Judea and Samaria on Friday were a lot more than the 2,500 who protested at the height of the prisoners' strike. There are religious elements at play that we did not see before, and all of this is done while there's consensus in the Arab world and the Palestinian public supports the terrorist."

The IDF spokesman said the army will not impose collective punishments on the population and will not revoke work permits for Palestinians in Israel, despite the escalation in violence.

"You have to understand that for the first time since 1969, there were no Friday prayers on the Temple Mount, and in the Arab world this is seen as something that cannot go unanswered," he said.
The three Israelis murdered in the terror attack in Halamish on Friday night were named Saturday as Yosef Salomon, 70, and his children Haya Salomon, 46, and Elad Salomon, 35.

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Yosef's wife Tovah Salomon, 68, who was seriously wounded in the attack, "was close to the front door, saw the attacker coming in and remembers the entire incident wellfrom the moment the attacker came in to the stabbing of the other family members," said Dr. Ofer Merin, the head of trauma at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.





Dr. Merin said Tovah's situation has improved. "She was stabbed several times in the back and was brought to us bleeding but stable. Shortly afterwards she underwent surgery," he said.

Elad Salomon was living in the city of Elad in central Israel and working in computers. He is survived by a wife and five children.

"Elad was a happy man and a devoted father of five," his friend Assaf said. "He took a break from to be with the twins who were born a year ago, while his wife went back to work. He was friendly, a family man. Elad was salt of the Earth, with strong ties to the Land of Israel. He was a moderate man who didn't like talking politics."

Elad Salomon

Haya Salomon was a second grade homeroom teacher at the girls' school Noam HaMeiri in Lod.

The attack took place on Friday night at around 9:30pm, when ten members of the family sat down for Friday night dinner as well as to celebrate a new grandchild.

A preliminary investigation found that that the terrorist, 19-year-old Omar al-Abed from the nearby village of Kobar, surprised the family and managed to stab four of its members.

The terrorist arrested at the scene of the attack

Elad Salomon's wife managed to save herself and the five children who came to visit their grandparents by hiding them in a nearby room, after which she called the police and shouted there was a terrorist in the house who was stabbing those still in the living room. Rescue teams were alerted and rushed to the scene.

The victims fought the terrorist and shouted for help. A neighbor who is also a paramedic serving in the IDF's canine Special Forces unit Oketz heard their cries and quickly responded by shooting the terrorist through a window, thereby preventing more casualties among the family.

The scene of the attack (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

Another paramedic, who treated the victims of the attack, said the terrorist was lying next to his victims after being shot. He then tried to attack the paramedics, but was stopped by security forces who had also arrived at the scene. The terrorist was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva for treatment, and has since been released and taken into custody.

The scene of the attack (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

"During Friday night dinner with my family we heard screams from the neighbors' home," recounted 22-year-old Staff Sgt. A., who neutralized the terrorist.

"Me and my father went outside, and when I realized it was a serious incident, I ran inside to bring my weapon," he continued. "I stood outside and saw the terrorist through the window. I realized I had to be level-headed and professional. I shot him one bullet that hit him in the stomach and neutralized him. Mainly, I was at the right place at the right time."

Staff Sgt. A.

He said this wasn't the first time he experienced such an incident. "Three years ago, something similar happened in my home with my younger sister, when a terrorist came in and attacked her. It was a miracle that incident ended less seriously than this time," he said.

The soldier's mother also recounted the attack against the Salomon family. "We were afraid, we didn't know if there was more than one terrorist. My son told him father, 'don't run in there without a rifle.' He took the gun from the safe, jumped into their yard and shot one bullet through the window. My husband kicked the knife (away). I told my son, 'You're a great hero!' He tried to save them afterwards, but there was nothing he could do," she said.

Halamish residents criticized the defense establishment over the fact the terrorist was able to climb over the settlement's security fence.

"There were decisions made that weren't carried out. Things were budgeted but not implemented," spokesmen Viktor Vaknin and Ofir Steinbaum said. "The defense minister and IDF chief were here today. They know where the failures were."

The Halamish security fence (Photo: Ido Erez)

They explained that "seven months ago, a terrorist burned 15 houses in the community and came through the same route the terrorist from last night came through. Now, the defense measures failed again."

They vowed to "do whatever it takes to return the sense of security. Part of this is closing that route, so it is no longer a threat to us."
- The Ghanaian legend has been sick for four months

- Benjamin Paapa Kofi Yankson was born on June 22, 1944 at Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana

YEN has learnt that Highlife legend Papa Yankson has died.

The 73-year-old has been ill for some time now. He is reported to have died in his sleep at his Dansoman residence in Accra, Friday.

Ghanaian highlife legend, Paapa Yankson is dead

READ ALSO: GAF screening for 2017/18 recruit

His last public appearance was at the 2017 edition of the VGMA, where he gave a touching speech about coming back to the music scene soon in a wheelchair.

Profile

Benjamin Paapa Kofi Yankson was born on June 22, 1944, at Winneba and for over 40 years, hes kept highlife alive with the release of 15 albums that spurned a deluge of hit songs including 'Wiase Mu Nsem,'' Show Your Love,' 'Wo Yere Anaa Wo Maame,' and 'Tena Menkyen' among others.

Get more YEN news here.

He was also instrumental in the projection of music bands into critical national acclaim; the Western Diamond Band, The Gold Nuggets Band and the Carousel Seven Band.

He has lectured and performed in many countries around the world including the US, Canada, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Holland, Nigeria, Benin and the Ivory Coast.

Do you have any stories to share with YEN? Get featured! Contact us on Facebook and email via info@yen.com.gh.

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-A Prophet has lamented governments alleged spending during Ghana @ 60 celebrations

-He indicated that the NPP government had deceived Ghanaians to vote for them

-He threatened to take legal action against the president for going against his word to protect the state treasury

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The founder of the Glorious Wave Ministry, Prophet Badu Kobi has criticized the Akufo-Addo-led administration over its alleged use of some GHc 5.24 million of state money to support the Ghana @ 60 anniversary.

Prophet Badu Kobi

READ ALSO: Dr. Kwabena Donkor recounts his time in office as Power Minister

The Man of God indicated that it was clear deception on the part of the government who had earlier purported that the no money was going to come from the state for the celebrations. He said he was a tax payer and had every right to lambast the government for going back on its word.

On Thursday, July 20, the deputy finance minister, Kwaku Kwarteng, speaking in Parliament indicated that an amount of GHc3.1 million of the proposed GHc 20 Million for the celebrations was sourced from governments coffers and another whopping GHC2.16m was gathered from the District Assemblys Common Fund amounting to the overall amount of GHc 5.24 million alleged to have come from the government.

READ ALSO: 7 Celebrities who do not believe in the existence of God

The prophet quizzed what the money was used for and wanted the usage to be made public. He said he was acting in his right as a well-meaning Ghanaian. He added that the nation was without focus if it finally came to light that the reported amount did truly come from the government.

He added that the NPP administration only deceived the electorates to get their votes with the assurance of guarding the public purse. He also said that the NPP before assuming the governance mantle for NDC indicated that they were not going to borrow but in less than 7 months, they have gone on a borrowing spree.

He indicated that most of the promises of the NPP administration including the flagship, One District- One Factory were yet to be actualized.

The man of God later said if care was not taken, he would be forced to take serious legal action against the president for his actions.

READ ALSO: John Dramani Mahama could well be adjudged the best dad on planet earth

In spelling out the break down for the Ghana @ 60 celerations in February, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo mentioned that the proposed GHc 20 Million which was budgeted for the celebrations was going to come from Corporate Ghana and private individual contributions.

However, some government functionaries have come out to rubbish he claim that the said amount came from government coffers.

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- Mr. Stanislav Xoese Dogbe has pointed out an error in an appointment letter written by Presidential Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare

- He's accused members of the NPP government of incompetence

- He's stated that the law quoted in the appointment letter was repealed nine years ago

Mr. Stanislav Xoese Dogbe has tweeted a message pointing out an error made in a letter signed by President Nana Akuffo Addo's Chief of Staff, appointing a former New Patriotic Party National First Vice Chairman to the position of Board Chairman of the Ghana Lands Commission.

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Former NDC presidential aide, Mr. Stanislav Xoese Dogbe

READ ALSO: EC Chairperson finally releases her response to petition vying for her dismissal

According to a letter signed and date July 18th,2017, by Presidential Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Mr. Stephen Ayesu Ntim, a former NPP First Vice Chairman, has been appointed to the position of Board Chairman of the Ghana Lands Commission.

"Pursuant to Section 5 (1) of the Lands Commission Act, 1994 (Act 483), the President of the Republic of Ghana in consultation with the Council of State hereby appoints you as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Ghana Lands Commission." Reads Mr. Ntim's appointment letter.

But according to Mr. Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, a former NDC presidential staffer, the piece of legislation quoted in the appointment letter written by the President's Chief of Staff was repealed nine years ago.

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According to Mr. Dogbe, such errors are a mark of "how inappropriate, illegal, and incompetent the authors and signatories" of government appointment letters have become.

"We have seen letters signed by the President of our Republic appointing lower level employees of Limited Liability Companies. I even saw another last week or so appointing the MD of a bank when the bank has a Board of Directors and shareholders who have not been informed and no AGM held," writes Mr. Dogbe.

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Mr. Dogbe's comment is in relation to Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare's use of the repealed 1994 Act as opposed to the Lands Commission Act, 2008, Act 767 in the appointment letter.

READ ALSO: Jon Benjamin takes a final swipe at John Dumelo, calls his comments "sexist"

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Source: YEN.com.gh
Flames from the Goat Creek wildfire crept to within 200 yards of several homes in the Rock Creek area east of Missoula on Friday as the Granite County Sheriffs Office stood by to help with evacuation notices and pre-evacuation warnings for area residents.

Those notices apply to homes between mile markers 5 and 13 on Rock Creek Road. A long portion of the road is limited to local traffic only from just south of Interstate 90 to the upper portion at about mile marker 45. People wanting to fish the popular and scenic creek were being turned back in droves.

The lightning-caused Goat Creek blaze was up to 443 acres as of Friday afternoon and burned about one mile east of Rock Creek Road and about six miles south of I-90. The fire was driven by strong and gusty winds, including some sustained gusts of over 25 miles per hour, which caused sheriffs deputies to issue a red mandatory evacuation notice for residences in the Brewster Creek area.

A yellow evacuation warning, meaning residents must be on stand-by, was issued to other homeowners in the area. Fire information officer Kale Casey said he wasnt sure how many residences were affected by evacuations or warnings.

It was a little mini-blowup on Thursday night, he said.

On Friday, several homeowners stood on their decks watching the blaze creep through the forested hills.

The Clinton Rural Fire Department, the Missoula Rural Fire Department, the Montana Department of Natural Resource Conservation and U.S. Forest Service fire suppression resources are staffing the fire, including two Hotshot crews and several engines. Several airplanes are assigned to the fire, as well as helicopter bucket operations. A total of 70 people are working on the fire.

***

The weather didn't help Friday, as a dry cold front continued to pass through the area, which resulted in breezy winds from the southwest and hot and dry fire weather conditions. A red flag warning was in effect for western Montana through Friday night, meaning low humidity and gusty winds could create erratic fire behavior and potential new fire starts.

Granite County Sheriff Scott Dunkerson said he hadnt heard of any injuries or structures catching fire as of Friday morning. He was on scene with several of his deputies. The fire is burning in the Lolo National Forest, and a Northern Rockies Type 2 Incident Management Team is managing resources assigned to the blaze.

A community meeting concerning the Goat Creek Fire was set for 7 p.m. Friday at the Clinton Fire Department, 12300 U.S. Highway 10 East in Clinton.

Casey said that the meeting was designed for fire managers to give a broad overview of the fires behavior and planned responses, and for officials to answer any questions.

The nearby Little Hogback fire, burning about 27 miles southeast of Missoula and nine miles south of Beavertail Pond, had reached 1,719 acres by Friday morning, driven to the east by wind and high temperatures. That fire is about 5 percent contained.

Crews used Friday to gather intelligence, and air resources monitored the fire.

The 347-acre Sliderock fire nearby advanced to the east but did not create any areas of concern on Thursday.

Another blazed called the Sunrise fire, about 10 miles south of Superior on the Ninemile Ranger District, was pushed to an estimated 482 acres by Friday afternoon. It was zero percent contained, and homes located along Quartz Creek received an evacuation warning. A community meeting will be held at the Lozeau Lodge Pavilion at 7 p.m. on Saturday, which can be reached by Exit 55 on Interstate 90.
Missoulas newest grocery store welcomes the public on Saturday with a grand opening celebration, with free food and more than 8,000 products on hand.

Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice, a warehouse-format store that caters to restaurants, the food service industry and those buying in bulk, is part of a Portland, Oregon, chain that has been in business for more than six decades.

The 26,600-square-foot Missoula store, the companys 62nd store, is at 2501 Brooks St. in the old Staples store site. It features fresh produce, fresh meats, cheeses, dairy and deli products, as well as a frozen foods walk-in freezer and an entire meat freezer where things like ribeye are for sale in bulk. The meat is for sale at prices cheaper than regular grocery stores but requires cutting to separate the individual portions.

Huge buckets of Kikkoman soy sauce are lined up next to pallets of massive rice bags. Theres an entire shelf dedicated to coffee flavorings, and the huge buckets of ice cream look just about right for a large family picnic.

Our stores provide food service operators high-quality products at the right prices, said John Mathews, vice president of sales and marketing for the company in an email. We are excited to open our newest store in Missoula. Our unique layout and product offerings provide customers with large food service needs the opportunity to quickly and easily navigate our store and get the products they are looking for.

Marketing manager Ryan Weedon said that they offer an easy, affordable option for nonprofit organizations, schools, church groups, caterers and individuals looking to purchase larger product quantities at lower prices.

We are a low-cost warehouse with not a lot of frills, he said.

The grand opening on Saturday, July 22 runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features free hot dogs and ice cream, along with a grand prize drawing for a $250 Cash & Carry gift card and is open to everyone.

People will eat hot dogs at 6 a.m. for sure, Weedon joked. He said the company is growing fast, and theyve already opened three other stores in the region this year.

Providing a consistent and wide variety of goods at competitive wholesale prices will allow our customers to be confident that Cash & Carry can be a long-term solution for all of their needs, Mathews said.

Despite the name, the company does indeed accept all major debit and credit cards.
Plans to shutter half of Colstrip Power Plant will move ahead with little input from Montana after Republican Attorney General Tim Fox chose not to make recommendations to a board overseeing the matter.

Fox had been granted a seat at the bargaining table in Washington where Puget Sound Energy is laying out its multi-year plan for future rates and the shutdown of Colstrip Units 1 and 2, among other things.

Montana legislators were shocked to learn the attorney general hadnt filed testimony on the states behalf. In March, the Legislature set aside $80,000 to cover Foxs costs of arguing for a proper shutdown, as well as benefits and pensions for Colstrip workers, and opportunities for Pugets future investment in Montana energy.

Most were unaware, until contacted by The Gazette this week, that no testimony had been filed. The deadline was June 30.

It takes us out of the drivers seat and puts us in the backseat, said Rep. Denise Hayman, House Energy Committee vice chairwoman. We do not as a state have too many options that impact Puget Sound Energy. This was one of our few options, other than taking them to court directly.

Billings Republican Rep. Daniel Zolnikov, House Energy Committee chairman, speculated that Fox blew the deadline for filing recommendations. Steps were being taken by the Legislature more than a year ago to make sure the attorney general had what he needed to represent the state in the matter.

Records show that as early as last summer, five months before the 2017 Legislature convened, work on the bill establishing the funds for Foxs testimony in the Puget Sound rate case was being done.

But Foxs staff this week told The Gazette that it was intentional not to file testimony in the rate case. The attorney general planned to build his testimony around a bill that died in the Legislatures final days. Without it, Fox chose not to file testimony on Montanas behalf. Foxs staff refused to talk about their plans on the record, then issued the following statement from the AGs communications director Eric Sell:

Attorney General Fox is determined to mitigate the broader societal costs imposed on the state of Montana by the closure of Colstrip Units 1 and 2. Although the Montana Legislature narrowly failed to pass a law that would have allowed for recovery of such costs, and was the primary basis for our intervention in the rate case to begin with, we are still actively engaged in an attempt to advocate for the people of Colstrip and the interests of the state of Montana.

Fox did not speak to The Gazettes questions directly.

Fox had initially indicated that "many thousands of Montana residents will be economically impacted, directly or indirectly" by the shuttering of the Colstrip units and that the state would be representing those interests in Washington as Puget Sound Energy, which serves 4 million customers, finalized its plans for closing Colstrip's two oldest units within five years.

Last year, Puget Sound Energy agreed to shut down Colstrip Units 1 and 2 no later than 2022 under settlement terms with the Sierra Club and the Montana Environmental Information Center. That lawsuit centered on clean air.

The utility is also under consumer pressure to drop coal power. But shuttering Colstrip will cost Puget's customers. How much consumer rates increase and how Puget Sound Energy proceeds is a big part of the rate case before the Washington Utility and Transportation Commission.

Its important for the state of Montana to have a seat at the table "throughout this rate proceeding so our interests can be adequately represented, said Fox in February. The state of Montana wants to make sure the company makes good on its legal obligations to Montanas communities, workers and environment affected by the operation and potential retirement of coal-fired generating units in our state.

The attorney general had hired a Seattle attorney, former Washington State Attorney General Robert McKenna, to represent Montana in rate case proceedings. McKenna told The Gazette last week he filed no testimony for Montana because Montanas attorney general didnt direct him to.

Washington officials told The Gazette that moving forward, Montana wont be allowed to comment on Puget Sound Energys rate case as the final terms are set for the closure of Colstrip Units 1 and 2. Those plans require the approval of Washingtons Utility and Transportation Commission, which in February granted Fox a say in the matter because shutting down two of Colstrips four units is certain to have economic and environmental consequences for the state, especially the power plants namesake community of 3,000, which operates the power plant and mines the coal that feeds it.

The Washington commission also gave nine other organizations the right to intervene. Only Montana didnt file testimony by the June 30 deadline.

Montana can question witnesses for other intervenors, said Amanda Maxwell, WUTC communications director. Montana could cross examine witnesses for the Sierra Club, which filed testimony proposing remediation plans as well as renewable energy development that could benefit Colstrip and Montana economically.

Doug Howell of the Sierra Club said he was surprised that Montana didnt file any testimony in the rate case. Many of the economic development and environmental cleanup issues Sierra Club addressed are ones Montana likely would have also. Howell said his group would have worked with the state.

Intervening parties sometimes do take WUTC rulings to court when they disagree, but those lawsuits are grounded in the testimony and evidence that intervenors submitted during the rate case.

One of the things you almost always want to do is build up the body of evidence to make your case. Thats so important, Howell said. That body of evidence starts with the testimony filed in the rate case. The process of the court is always based on record. If they were going to appeal, they should have submitted testimony.

Zolnikov said it was never the intention of the Legislature that Fox not advocate for Montana. The failed bill that Foxs staff said the attorney general needed was Senate Bill 338. The bill put forth a transition plan for closing the Colstrip units, while also putting Puget Sound Energy and co-owner Talen Energy on the hook for local property value losses resulting from the shutdown, plus other penalties.

Zolnikov said SB 338 was tabled after Montanas Chamber of Commerce and renewable energy companies said the penalties would discourage investment in Montana.

The exit fees that would have been created would have sent a signal to industries not to invest here, Zolnikov said. It was a thumbs-down from industries wanting to invest in Montana.

The same legislators who tabled that bill still voted to fund Foxs defense of Montanas interests in Puget Sound Energys rate case. The attorney general should have filed testimony on Montanas behalf regardless, Zolnikov said. There was another bill, Senate Bill 339, nearly passed unanimously, that addressed the decommissioning and remediation of Colstrip Units 1 and 2. That bill was estimated to result in a $200 million investment in Montana during the remediation process. The attorney general had options. The $80,000 set aside by the Legislature was supposed to pay for representing the state.

There is no correlation with SB 338, Zolnikov said. They were supposed to represent our state.
MONTGOMERY, Ala.It is said that America's armed forces have been stressed by 16 years of constant warfare, the longest such in the nation's history. For the Air Force, however, the high tempo of combat operations began 26 years ago, with enforcement of the no-fly zone in Iraq after Desert Storm. With an acute pilot shortage, particularly in the fighter pilot community, and with a shortfall approaching 4,000 among maintenance and staffing personnel, the service is, as Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson says, "too small for what the nation expects of it."

At the Air University here at Maxwell Air Force Base, officers are studying what expectations are reasonable. Technological sophistication  America's and that of near-peer adversaries (Russia and China)  is changing capabilities. This, and the political and military primitivism of some adversaries (e.g., the Islamic State), are reshaping the environment in which airpower operates, and the purposes of this power. The traditional U.S. approach to warfare  dominance achieved by mass of force produced by the nation's industrial might  is of limited relevance.

Gen. Steven L. Kwast, president of the Air University, recalls that Gen. George Marshall, who in 1939 became Army chief of staff, asked a two-star general in the horse cavalry how he planned to adapt to the challenges of tanks and planes. The two-star, who replied that the horses should be carried to the front in trailers so they would arrive rested, was retired in 1942.

Kwast notes that in 1940 the Navy was preparing to devote most of its budget to building the sort of battleships that had been "kings of the sea" since President Theodore Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world. After Pearl Harbor the Navy turned toward aircraft carriers and away from big battleships. Twenty years earlier, Gen. Billy Mitchell had used an airplane to sink a battleship, but changing the trajectory of military thinking, and hence procurement, often requires changing a service's viscous culture.

Kwast wonders: What are the horses and battleships of our age? Some say: Aircraft carriers, because they are too vulnerable to long-range weapons and too expensive for the budget constraints of America's entitlement state. Also, some say, remotely piloted aircraft, aka drones, flown from, say, Nevada are many times cheaper than most manned aircraft, and are capable of loitering over a contested area to conduct "find, fix, finish" missions for up to 48 hours without refueling.

Now, says Kwast, war is shaped by the digital networked age, where power does not flow in industrial-age channels. U.S. forces can spend millions to kill one high-value target in Syria, where the enemy, for a few hundred dollars, can recruit 10 men who flow up from entry-level positions.

Nuclear weapons are still essentially a 70-year-old technology delivered by a 60-year-old technology, ballistic missiles. Before long there will be space-based sensors and directed energy (DE) weapons  war at the speed of light, 186,000 miles a second. It is preferable to shoot down an enemy's cruise missiles, which cost a few hundred thousand dollars, with space-, ground- and sea-based DE weapons rather than with defensive missile interceptors costing up to $20 million apiece.

The Air University's military intellectuals are impressive enough to be forgiven for using "architect" as a verb: Hitler was defeated using great violence, but it would be better to architect responses to threats by projecting power in ways that are less expensive and much more efficient than even today's precision-guided weapons  never mind World War II gravity bombs, 80 percent of which fell at least 1,000 feet from their targets.

Viewed from the not-too-distant future, Kwast says, today's Air Force, although it is a century distant from the Flanders trenches, might seem to have dug into the equivalent of trench warfare by operating below the altitude of 70,000 feet. Such thoughts are considered here at a university where "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces" are serious matters.
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On Friday morning, Steve Smith and his daughter, Julie, sat by each other on a loveseat at the Billings home Steve shares with his wife, Sue.

He frequently put an arm around Julie. The two talked and laughed as though theyd been doing it all their lives.

In truth, the father-daughter reunion has been more than 40 years in the making. That it happened at all is due to the international reach of Facebook.

Steve, 61, a Montana native, has lived in Billings for much of his life. Julie, 42, although born in Great Falls, has spent most of her life in the Netherlands.

For years I always had a feeling that I wanted to know who my birth father was, and off and on I did a little research, she said.

But life has a way of getting in the way, and Julie put off the search for a while.

And then Facebook came, she said.

Young life

Steve picked up the story of how the two became separated so many years ago.

He grew up in Kalispell and eventually moved to Billings. Steve met Julies mom, Patricia, in 1972 when the two were students at West High.

They got married in 1973, the same year their son, Shane, was born. Steve joined the Air Force, and he and his wife and son moved to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, where daughter Julie was born in 1974.

Then I got stationed in (the Netherlands) as a security police and my wife divorced me, Steve said. I wasnt a nice person at that time. Were friends now.

Around that same time, Steve got into a car accident, sustained a head injury and was hospitalized for about a year. By the time he was released from the military hospital, he had lost track of his ex-wife, his daughter and son.

One side-effect of the crash was that Steve developed epilepsy. He received an honorable discharge and moved back to Billings.

Steve held a series of jobs, got remarried and had three sons, Josh, Will and Kenny. Steve and his second wife eventually divorced. The side-effects from the medication he took for his epilepsy eventually rendered him 100 percent disabled, and now he is basically retired.

He met Sue, a native of England and mother of one grown son, online in 1999. They got together in 2000 in England. The couple married and in 2001 and relocated to Billings.

But Steve always wondered about the children he never knew.

'I hope you find him'

Julie, who still uses her maiden name, Smith, spent much of her time growing up in Soest, the Netherlands.

I really had a wonderful childhood and a really good time, and I grew up in a safe, warm house, she said. I grew up with a stepdad, who I called Pa.

When she started her own family, she thought Soesterberg would be a nice place to raise her two boys, Sidney, who is now 17, and Nick, 13. Thats the same town where Steve had been stationed in the Air Force.

Julie grew up knowing her biological father lived in Montana. Once in a while she and her mother would talk about Julies desire to possibly track down her father.

Id tell her, Im curious. I said, Im going for it,  Julie said. She said you have my blessing. I hope you find him. 

Turning to social media

In the days before the internet and social media, locating a father using only a name could be daunting, especially if that name is relatively common. At one point a friend brought Julie a copy of a Montana phone book and she turned to the white pages.

I looked up the name Steve Smith and there was a whole list, she said.

But Facebook opened up a whole new world of possibilities, despite the plethora of Steve Smiths on the social media network. Julie had another ally to help in her search.

Amy, a cousin on her mothers side who lived in Billings, didnt know Steve. But she tried to help Julie when the two talked via Skype and looked at Facebook profiles of Billings men named Steve Smith.

"I'd look at the profile and you think 'do I look like him? It could be him,'" Julie said.

She sent a Facebook message to one of the Steve Smiths, who it turns out wasnt her father. She was vague in the note, telling him he might be the man she was looking for.

He never responded, though, she said.

Then Amys father, who knew Steve years before, looked at the Facebook profiles with his daughter and pointed one out.

He said this should be him,  Julie said.

A message

The first message Steve got about Julie came through Facebook from Julies partner, Maurice Verloot. Julie also sent a message, but Steve happened to open Maurices first.

He said hes living with somebody he thought was related to me, Steve recalled. He said I think its your daughter. I had to look at the message two or three times before I responded.

Steve checked out Maurices Facebook page, and Julies. One look at her and he knew it was his daughter.

She looked almost exactly like her mom did when she was younger, Steve said.

Sue remembers that day. The couple had tried a few times with no success to locate Julie and her brother Shane, not knowing Julie had retained her maiden name.

Then he came in the room and said guess what? Sue said. When Steve told her he had gotten a Facebook message from his daughters partner, I nearly fell on the floor.

Digital first meeting

The first time Steve tried calling Julie via Facebook messenger, I freaked out, she said.

Though Julie had been searching for Steve, when the moment came to connect she panicked slightly and rejected the video call.

I phoned Maurice and asked what am I going to do?  Julie said. He said give yourself a little breathing time. I did, then we decided to Skype all together.

That first call, there were a couple minutes of quiet, with nobody saying anything, Maurice said, except a quick "hi" and a wave. Sue and Maurice got the conversation going.

I think I was mostly scared, Julie said. I was thinking what if he doesnt like me? 

And though Julie speaks fluent English, she grew up speaking Dutch. She has to constantly translate in her head from English to Dutch as shes speaking.

If youre emotionally overwhelmed, somehow translation doesnt work, she said. I was really a nervous wreck.

Steve shared her nervous feelings, also worried what Julie would think of him. But after that awkward first online gathering, over the next year, they started Skyping on a regular basis.

'Hurry up and get here'

Then an opportunity arose for Julie and Maurice to use their KLM air miles to fly to Montana, with their only option to land in Great Falls. So Julie, Maurice, Sidney and Nick flew from Amsterdam to Paris to Minneapolis to Great Falls, arriving at 10:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Steve and Sue drove to Great Falls to meet them, along with Steves son, Will, and granddaughter Grace. Waiting was difficult, Steve said.

I was thinking hurry up and get here,  he said.

Finally, Julie, Maurice and her two sons stepped into the waiting area.

We had a big, big hug, Steve said.

I cried, Julie said.

Me too, Steve agreed.

Your heartbeat goes way up, Julie said.

When I got a hug from her, I didnt want to let go, Steve added.

Reunited

The next 3-1/2 weeks will be spent together, getting together with family in Billings and traveling to Columbia Falls for a big family reunion. On Friday, Julie also planned to meet with Amy, the cousin who helped her connect with her father.

Julie is enjoying every moment of her visit.

It feels good to connect with family, she said. All those times I was worried what they would think of me  its been awesome. They really make you feel like family.

Nick, Julies younger son, shared an observation with her not long after they arrived in Montana.

He said right away your hands move the same way  Julie said, referring to her and Steve. I thought it was nice that my youngest son noticed it.
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Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
President Donald Trumps Made in America week was doomed from the start.

In survey after survey, Americans claim that they care whether their shoes, toasters or cellphones are American made. Their actual spending habits, however, tell a different story.

American shoppers want a good deal. And when they shop, everything other than price tends to be a distant second on the list of priorities.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll out this week found 69 percent of people surveyed said price is very important when they buy something. Only 32 percent said making sure something is made in the United States is very important to them. The poll was done online, but research consulting firms and other polls finds similar results.

Walmart executives understand price is king for most American consumers, and theyve used that knowledge to build one of the worlds most valuable companies: Our customers tell us that where products are made is most important second only to price, a Walmart spokesman said when asked whether Americans care if something is made in the United States, China or elsewhere.

Trump keeps talking up Buy American, hire American. Its part of his plan to create the most jobs of any U.S. president yet. He brought a firetruck to the White House lawn all the way from Wisconsin this week to try to promote U.S. products. He jumped in the drivers seat, grinning and giving the media a big thumbs up.

Many have pointed out that Trumps words dont match his actions. He promotes American-made at the same time that he and his daughter Ivanka Trump manufacture their own products overseas, in countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and China, as a Washington Post investigation detailed. This very week, Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club applied to hire 70 foreign workers.

The problem is a lot of Americans do what the Trumps do: They say they want to buy stuff made in the U.S.A., but when asked if they would be willing to pay more for it, they reconsider.

An Associated Press-GFK poll last year found nearly 75 percent of Americans prefer to purchase American-made goods, but only 30 percent were willing to pay more for them.

The Boston Consulting Group has studied these trends for years and concluded that companies can only charge about 5 percent more for products made in the United States. The Reuters-Ipsos poll out this week found that Republicans are the most likely to say they would be willing to pay more, although they also balk at paying more than a 5 to 10 percent premium.

Casey Bradford of Oklahoma knows that it is going to take a lot more than Trumps firetruck show to change years of American shopping habits. He runs HomeGrown Manufacturing in Bixby, Okla. Its exactly what Trump wants more of: a 100 percent American-made clothing company.

Im not doing this to become a multibillionaire. Im doing this to bring back manufacturing, says Bradford. A T-shirt made in China costs $1 or less wholesale, he says. His company can do it for about $3.50. Shipping costs are lower from Oklahoma than China, but its still a hefty premium.

Still, Bradford said the prices are close enough, especially on more custom-made items, that he has started to get inquiries from big brands like L.L. Bean. They love the idea of American-made, but their first question is always: Whats the price?

The motto at HomeGrown Manufacturing is We make it like they used to.

Americans have become accustomed to just going to Walmart to buy a new one when something breaks, says Bradford, a U.S. Army veteran. We want to produce a product that you can have for years.

Bradford stresses quality. Its a good strategy. Eighty-five percent of U.S. consumers think American-made products are better quality than those made overseas, consulting firm BCG found. Its part of the reason some consumers are willing to consider paying more.

As a 26-year-old, Bradford has also found a growing trend where his millennial peers want to buy custom-made and local products. One of the companies HomeGrown works with, for example, is Mikes ProLids, a specialty helmet brand that started a few years ago.

Consumers are shifting toward values not value, consulting firm A.T. Kearney wrote in a recent report. Gen Xers, millennials and Gen Z are more likely than baby boomers are to look for brands and retailers that do good for the world.

Its a trend that began before Trump but appears to be picking up momentum, A.T. Kearney found. Buy local is part of that movement and fits the presidents Buy American push.

Walmart has noticed it too. In 2013, the company pledged to buy more U.S.-made products. It has committed to sourcing $250 billion more in American-made products over the next decade.

That works out to around $25 billion annually, a small fraction of the nearly half a trillion in sales the company did last year alone. But, the retailer says, not only does manufacturing products domestically create jobsin many cases, its more efficient.

Americans are eager to support American-made products, says Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta on a call with reporters this week.

Bradford only started his company last year, but it already has 38 employees.

He wishes Trump would follow through on his promises to put extra taxes on imports. A tariff could make his prices look even more competitive and help his bottom line, especially as his company is looking to expand.

Weve been waiting, he says. We need some kind of action on their part.

The Trump administration has stalled on trade. The Trump administration launched two separate investigations in April into whether imports of steel and aluminum compromise U.S. national security, for example. They were supposed to issue their findings but June, but that hasnt yet happened.

While small domestic manufacturers like Bradford want tariffs to help their businesses, economists say costs would go up for many products, a risky proposition when customers care more about price than country of origin.
YOUNTVILLE  It was not, perhaps, the Bill Murray the audience filling the Lincoln Theater was expecting to see: a somber, white-haired man in a suit, wearing reading glasses attached to a band that clicked together over his nose.

If the famed comedian and actor was in character on Thursday night, it would have been that of a rumpled English professor, wandering out of a library to address a lecture hall filled with students, with hopes of imparting knowledge, if not wisdom.

The possibility remains, however, that this was simply: Bill Murray.

Murray and a trio of classical musicians were at the Lincoln Theater for the U.S. debut of a new musical show, New Worlds, which goes on tour after Thursday nights show. The performance was part of Festival Napa Valley, a 10-day series of classical music and culinary events throughout the valley.

The work premiered in Dresden, Germany on June 4.

Murray, 66, first gained fame (and an Emmy) for his work on Saturday Night Live and went on to star in films such as Meatballs, Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation and Groundhog Day.

This was a serious Murray on the Yountville stage.

New Worlds juxtaposed readings by Murray, with music from the trio made up of German cellist Jan Vogler, Chinese violinist Mira Wang, and Vanessa Perez, a Venezuelan-American pianist.

Walking onto stage with his musician companions, Murray began by reading an excerpt from an interview by George Plimpton of Ernest Hemingway for the Paris Review, followed by J.S. Bachs Prelude from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Unaccompanied Cello.

Without asides or introductions of the pieces, Murray went on to read selections like Walt Whitmans Song of the Open Road and Song of Myself, James Fenimore Coopers The Deerslayer, and Truman Capotes Breakfast at Tiffanys.

The readings segued into musical selections by Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel and Astor Piazzola.

In instances, the pairings had a poignancy, such as when he read from Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn and the trio followed with Henry Mancinis Moon River.

Murray also sang, although not quite with the polish that he read, songs that included George Gershwins It Aint Necessarily So, Stephen Fosters Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and Van Morrisons When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God.

The only time Murray the comedian showed faint signs of flickering into view was with the concluding selections as he read James Thurbers If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox (in which a hung-over General Grant surrenders his sword to General Lee) and then sang from Leonard Bernsteins musical, West Side Story. His pirouette as he sang I Feel Pretty evoked a room full of ready laughter.

In the absence, however, of any explanations or comments as the show moved from piece to piece, the audience was left to draw their own conclusions as to whether the show reflected Murrays own favorite choices in American literature or carried a deeper meaning.

In an interview with Jon Blistein for Rolling Stone, however, Murray was quoted as saying that he and the four musicians are from four different continents. And when the continents come together, the music moves right across the peninsulas from one to the other. Its just a short journey from one continent to the other.

The audience received the show with enthusiasm and standing ovations, but comments as the audience left the auditorium reflected a degree of puzzlement.

A young woman attending the show with a girlfriend confided, We thought it was going to be a comedy show.

Yes, replied another man, I wasnt sure what it was going to be but I thought he might, at least, say a few funny things.
Napans with an urge to see jellyfish could have saved themselves a drive to the ocean or Monterey Bay Aquarium or some other far-flung location.

The Kennedy Park dock along the Napa River proved to be the perfect location for resident Renae Lamb and her 11-year-old son A.J. who discovered tiny jellyfish by the dozens last Monday morning.

They were everywhere, all over the water, Lamb said. Immediately I took my dog out of the water. I didnt want him to get stung.

They caught a jellyfish in a clear container A. J. had brought to catch lizards. The delicate creature, a little larger than a dollar coin and pinkish, floated in these confined waters. Lamb created a video and they returned the jelly to the Napa River to rejoin its translucent brethren.

Lamb and A.J. saw the jellyfish again on Tuesday evening, though locating them amid the murky Napa River waters can be a challenge depending on lighting and other conditions.

Kind of eerie, Lamb said. I was thinking maybe its a climate change thing, where they are suddenly showing up.

Biologist Cathleen Cannon has had that feeling of discovery before.

In 1993, I noticed jellyfish which we call jellies because they are not fish  I noticed them in the Petaluma Turning Basin, Cannon said. That species of jellyfish had not been reported on the West Coast of North America.

Cannon contacted researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the University of Washington Friday Harbor Laboratories.

The jellies turned out to be maeotias inexpectata that are native to the Black Sea in Russia and may have come to the Bay Area in ballast water. The creatures also go the by names maeotias marginata or Black Sea jellyfish.

These jellies are brackish-water jellies, Cannon said. They are not salt water jellies.

Nor are they jetting around like ghostly torpedoes.

They cannot swim, Cannon said. Jellies are like a canoe without a paddle. You go with the flow.

Cannon said Lamb acted wisely by taking her dog out of the river when she saw the jellies, just in case.

By definition, a jellyfish stings, Cannon said. Does it hurt a human? It depends.

Shes seen researchers place this type of jellies on their arms and suffer only a little redness. Someone with an allergic reaction might have suffered more harm, she added.

Cannon also praised Lamb for returning the jelly she and A.J. captured to the Napa River after looking at it. She hopes others will do the same.

The jellies make terrible pets, she said. Leave them in the river.

Cannon has seen the jellies in years past in the Suisun Slough of Solano County near Suisun City and in the Napa River. The Petaluma Argus Courier reported they showed up in the Petaluma River again this July.

Napa River jellies have at times caught other peoples attention. A letter-writer to the Napa Valley Register in September 1998 said he had seen them in a tide pool behind his apartment at River Park Manor along South Jefferson Street.

But how often they show up in the Napa River is unknown. Jellies evidently dont have to be an every-year occurrence to survive in an area.

Eggs for jellies lie at the bottom of the river until conditions are right and they hatch, Cannon said. The questions are what induces the eggs to hatch and how long they can remain in the silt.

One thing is for certain  jellies have been in the Napa River this year. Whether or not their presence extends beyond this past week, Lamb has documented the event in photos and videos.

It was a really interesting sight, Lamb said. I wouldnt have believed it myself if I hadnt seen it.
Australia's prime minister has demanded answers to the "inexplicable" killing of an Australian-American woman shot by police in Minneapolis.

"This is a shocking killing. It is inexplicable," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Channel 9's "Today" program Wednesday, in his first public comments since Justine Ruszczyk's death on Saturday.

"I mean, how can a woman out in the street in her pyjamas seeking assistance from the police be shot like that?" he said. "We are demanding answers, something clearly went tragically wrong."

Ruszczyk had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home, her fiance, Don Damond, said Monday.

Two police officers responded, and one of them, Mohamed Noor, shot her in the abdomen, killing her, according to police and an autopsy report.

Police have not explained how the shooting happened, leaving friends, family -- and now the Australian government -- demanding answers.

Vigil

Australian friends and family gathered on a beach near Ruszczyk's childhood home to honor the 40-year-old yoga teacher and spiritual healer in a silent vigil at dawn on Wednesday.

Around 200 friends and family gathered on Freshwater Beach in the northern Sydney suburbs as the sun rose, holding candles in silent memory of the Sydney native, according to CNN affiliate Seven News.

At 7 a.m. local time (5 p.m. ET), mourners silently laid her favorite pink flowers into the swell in a low key ceremony led by her father, John Ruszczyk, Australian media reported.

Members of community where she grew up, including former school friends, ex-colleagues and their families, attended the vigil. The community is still coming to terms with her unexpected death on the other side of the world.

Questions asked

In a press conference held by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, several Australian journalists probed officials about the experience and training of the officers involved, as well as deeper questions about the country's gun and law enforcement cultures.

Seven News reporter Ashlee Mullany demanded to know why Ruszczyk's family in Australia was being kept in the dark as to the progress of the investigation.

Hodges said that the victim's father and brother would be informed when the independent body investigating the shooting had any information that it was able to release.

Another reporter asked why two relatively inexperienced officers were responding to the call, and questioned the effectiveness of their training.

"Why do you have a law and order culture in this city where you have two rookie youngsters arrive in a patrol car late at night, with guns they don't seem to know how to use?" asked Paul McGeough, chief foreign correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, one of the country's largest-circulation dailies and the hometown paper of Ruszczyk before she moved to the US.

Hodges admitted that the question spoke to the wider culture of policing in the US.

"We are in a country where people have guns but... these were two fully trained police officers," she said.

"What I can say is that, even before we had an officer-involved shooting a couple of years ago, even before that, we as a city were doing everything we could to put a foundation of 21st century policing in place."

In his televised interview, Turnbull said that Australian Consul-General Michael Wood, based in Chicago, is demanding answers of the Minneapolis city government.

"We are providing all the support we can, but this is... it seems inexplicable, but note, there will be some answers given in due course.

"At this point, it is a tragic loss, this young Australian woman and again, our hearts go out to her family with sorrow and with condolence and with love."

CNN's Carma Hassan, Dakin Andone, Stella Ko, Brad Parks, Jessica Suerth, Dani Stewart and Ryan Young contributed to this report.
At a town hall for National Security Council staffers last week, their boss, H.R. McMaster, had a message for those assembled. "There's no such thing as a holdover," the national security adviser said, referring to the career professionals who served under stayed on the council after the presidential transition in January. McMaster went on to say that career staffers are loyal to the president.

He was responding to a series of tweets from the blogger Mike Cernovich, who singled out some lower-level staffers, by name, as alleged leakers. He was standing by the people who worked for him.

And while it's admirable when a boss backs his workers, this event also highlights McMaster's own precarious position at the six-month mark of the Donald Trump administration. Behind the scenes, McMaster has had trouble replacing career staffers with new people from the Pentagon and the State Department. Until recently, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis had blocked many career public servants in their departments from being detailed to the National Security Council. This meant, in practice, that officials who served in Barack Obama's White House who were supposed to return to their bureaucratic homes stayed on longer at the council than their initial terms.

Most of the time, this would not be much of an issue. But the Trump White House is obsessed with leaks and the disloyalty of the administrative state. It's touchy. When McMaster came into the job in February, he declined requests from other White House senior staffers to purge holdovers perceived to be disloyal to the new president.

This sub rosa conflict punctures a bit of Washington conventional wisdom about the court politics of the Trump White House. Call it the axis of adults. It includes McMaster, Tillerson and Mattis, and is seen as a counterweight to the populists such as senior strategist Steve Bannon. It's the pros against the amateurs, the restrainers against the encouragers.

And it's a comforting thought to the foreign policy establishment. But like most conventional wisdom in the Trump era, it's not exactly right. White House and administration officials tell me that McMaster has become estranged from Mattis and Tillerson in particular. As a result, he has seen much of his influence over the policy-making process diminished, and has become isolated inside the government.

Some of this is because of Trump himself. The president, as he showed again this week in the interview with the New York Times, is mercurial. (See Jeff Sessions).

In the case of McMaster, administration officials tell me he is perceived not to be a reliable messenger of the president's wishes. What's more, administration figures tell me, principals including Tillerson, Mattis and CIA Director Mike Pompeo have a direct line to Trump. They can go around McMaster and make their case on interagency disputes directly to the commander in chief.

For a national security adviser, this dynamic is deadly. Traditionally, this job is supposed to coordinate policy throughout the government to meet the directives of the president. That job is next to impossible if the adviser isn't seen as speaking for the president. While all administrations experience infighting, rarely has a national security adviser been this weak.

Some of this has made its way into the press. This week, there were reports that McMaster opposed the meeting Trump held with Putin earlier this month at the G-20 summit. A senior White House official told me this was wrong and that he encouraged the bilateral meeting in planning discussions. Still, it was Tillerson and not McMaster who attended the small Russia parley with Trump and a translator.

This dynamic has played out on other issues too. McMaster, for example, has asked the Pentagon for contingency plans for Syria on how many U.S. troops will be needed once Islamic State strongholds are cleared. The Pentagon has slow-rolled the requests. On Qatar, Tillerson has run the diplomacy to diffuse the crisis with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with little input from the NSC.

McMaster has also seen his authority wane inside the west wing. Since taking the job in February, he has gone through four executive assistants, an important post that serves as the gatekeeper to the national security adviser and oversees his schedule.

McMaster has also clashed with Tom Bossert, the assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. On the organization chart for the White House, Bossert reports directly to Trump. He has key NSC directorates report to him as well, though Bossert and McMaster share responsibilities on counterterrorism. At the last minute, McMaster tried to cancel a trip Bossert took in June to Israel to address a cybersecurity forum, reflecting concerns from other department heads that NSC staffers were overstepping their roles in foreign travel. McMaster eventually withdrew his objections, and Bossert attended the conference in Tel Aviv.

None of this necessarily means that McMaster will soon be relieved of his duties. As anyone following the palace intrigue of the Trump inner circle knows, the status of the president's aides and advisers can turn on a dime. But it does help explain why foreign policy so far has been chaotic for the Trump administration. The man who is supposed to be coordinating it is being undermined from outside and within the White House.
Donald Trump  who seemed to be trying to intimidate the Justice Department and the special counsel in a New York Times interview this week  is reportedly considering a variety of dramatic moves against the Russia investigation, perhaps including firing special counsel Robert Mueller (something many have been reporting on for some time) and pardoning members of his family, campaign and administration (something which, up to now, appeared to be just the speculation of some of the most hair-on-fire observers).

These are extremely fraught waters for the president to travel in. Its certainly possible that this is just more bluster. But its also possible hell act. If so, heres the legal and constitutional situation, as I understand it  with the major caveat that much of this is untested. Presidents just havent done these things.

The issue with firing Mueller is that he was hired, and probably must be fired, by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is the acting attorney general for all matters in this case as Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself.

Trump could fire Rosenstein. Its not clear, however, whether he could find anyone in the chain of command willing to fire Mueller. I suppose Trump also could attempt to fire Mueller directly despite not having the authority to do so, which would be something close to a constitutional crisis; presumably, the courts would have to rule whether Mueller was fired lawfully, and then we would see whether Trump would defy the courts as well.

The issue with pardons is a little clearer, at least to begin with. The constitutional power to pardon for federal crimes (even if no one has yet been charged) is essentially absolute, with the main question being whether the president can pardon himself. The constraint on this power is political, not legal.

Pardoning those around him might be great for them, but it wouldnt necessarily help Trump. Thats because removing them from legal jeopardy would also remove the protection of the Fifth Amendment: Because they could no longer incriminate themselves, they could be compelled to testify in court or in Congress and be held in contempt if they refused, or charged with perjury if they lied. At least, it appears that is the case. Whats more, once they had been pardoned, they would have little incentive to stay silent.

Whatever the answers to all of those questions, the big picture is that Trump has already obstructed justice; he did that just by firing FBI Director James Comey for continuing the Russia investigation, and he further obstructed justice by threatening those properly conducting the investigation today. But impeachment and removal of a president is a severe remedy, one that should be used only when necessary.

Up to this point (and pending potential further information to be revealed), there are strong arguments that even if Trump has acted criminally, it still hasnt reached that point of necessity. Pre-emptive pardons? Firing the investigator? Thats when obstruction moves from something that could be perhaps overlooked to, well, something that really would have to be countered in order to ensure the rule of law.

The only remedy for inappropriate pardons would be political. Would congressional Republicans move to impeach and convict Trump if he took these steps? We dont know. Would they otherwise move against him? We dont know. It seems fairly likely that these sorts of acts would drive Trumps popularity further down and at least (depending on what he actually did) move everyone further down the road toward considering impeachment and removal, but theres no way at all to know for sure.

The ball would be in the court of Republicans in Congress  and citizens of a democracy in grave danger.
Letters such as the lengthy one by Robert Wilkinson ("Proving my point," July 2) disturb me, partly because they spend much time denigrating the writer who disagreed with his letter, partly because the gist of his argument is that Democrats havent tried to fix the Affordable Care Act -- more on that later.

The tone of the letter distresses me for this reason: my best friend and roommate during our first collegiate years is a life-long Republican and University of Chicago-educated economist trained by Friedman, and was a member of every Republican administration from Reagan through Bush, holding such positions as second in command of HUD, and the economist in charge of writing the national budget under George Bush. Yet though we disagree greatly concerning political issues, weve never denigrated the others viewpoint. (Our fundamental disagreement is that I believe in a larger government role then he does.)

In our most recent meeting, the only mention of Trump from him was that he was concerned about the hundreds of government positions unfilled -- he didnt see how the U.S. Government could run under these conditions.

Though there are many statements Mr. Wilkinson makes that I disagree with, Ill focus on those concerning The Affordable Care Act. He describes it as a crashing and failinghealth-care program. The gist of his argument is that Democrats have failed to work with Republicans to fix it. Before responding to that, I think it useful to look at its history.

The initial health care program was developed by The Heritage Foundation --one of the two leading Republican think tanks in Washington D.C. (My best friend has held fellowships in both institutions.) In 2006, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney introduced and led passage of a health care reform law that mandated that nearly every resident obtain a minimum level of health insurance, with free health care for residents earning less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level, along with other measures that made sure that nearly everyone had insurance. This legislation was based on the Heritage Foundation healthcare program.

When President Obama decided to provide healthcare to the nation, the Democrats held numerous meetings -- well over 100 hours -- in Congress, trying to work with Republicans on the details of this program. They took the Massachusetts healthcare reform law as the basis for the legislation and tried to work with Republicans on the details. Most unbiased observers would agree that the Republicans did not try to work with Democrats on the details of the legislation. The legislation passed with no Republican support.

And now that Republicans control both the Senate and the House, as well as hold the presidency, their efforts are to repeal and replace it. When the Senate got the bill that failed to pass in the House, Senator McConnell held secret meetings with a small number of members (most of the Republican senators knew no more than the Democrats the details of the bill). No attempts were made to let Democrats meet with Republicans to discuss details of the legislation.

So Mr. Wilkinsons final statement that Democrats havent offered one concrete idea to fix The Affordable Care Act is moot -- theyve not been given an opportunity to, though Congressional Democratic leaders have offered to meet with Republicans on ways to fix its flaws.

Dan Wolter

Napa
A statement that I heard recently disturbed me sufficiently that I thought it merited public comment. What was disturbing to me was the comment itself and particularly the setting in which it occurred. It was in a local courtroom during jury selection for a trial concerning driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

During the questioning of prospective jurors, defense counsel several times made the assertion, You can have a few drinks and still drive legally. He stated this as if it were a fact. It is not.

Assume that he meant by a few drinks a small number more than two. Even if we consider legally to mean with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of less than 0.08 percent, his statement would be false much of the time.

A number of sources, including Wikipedia, present tables for estimating BAC. Using Wikipedias table, just two drinks would render any woman less than 140 lbs legally drunk and any man less than 200 lbs impaired (BAC between 0.04 percent and 0.08 percent). Three drinks would render men of 140 lbs or less legally drunk. Even men of up to 240 lbs would be rendered legally drunk by more than four drinks. Moreover, things are not quite so simple as such tables imply.

Focusing just on the 0.08 percent legal limit ignores the fact that blood alcohol concentrations well below that limit still can seriously degrade ones ability to drive safely. Some years ago, when I was flying regularly for recreation, I was a subject in a University of Wisconsin experiment to assess the effect of a 0.04 percent BAC on pilots skills, using a flight simulator.

I learned two important things from that experiment. The first was that formulae for BAC can underestimate alcohols effects. The experimenters gave me a cocktail calculated from my gender and weight to raise my BAC to 0.04 percent.

When they tested my BAC with a breathalyser, it was well above that. The second was that even 0.04 percent seriously degrades piloting (or driving) skill. Compared my sober flying, with just 0.04 percent alcohol in my blood I was way behind the airplane, meaning that I was not seeing things I should have, not anticipating things I should have, and reacting too slowly to fly an airplane safely.

The lesson that I took from that experiment was to apply the FAAs rule of no alcohol within eight hours of flying to my driving as well. As one who has both flying and driving experience, I have concluded that at times driving a car can be as demanding as flying an airplane. It is utter foolishness to think that anyone can have a few drinks, get in a car, and drive safely. Lawyers should not pretend otherwise.

Thomas G. Gans

Napa
The residents of Napa County are fortunate to have the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy of Napa County (LECNC), a nonprofit organization that provides immediate crisis response in cases of extreme difficulties. Their crisis intervention services includes post-traumatic counseling and support to all law enforcement personnel, firefighters, community agencies, and local citizens.

LECNC, is a nonprofit 501 c (3) organization funded by private donations from individuals, businesses, and churches. Over the past 21 years, chaplain Lee Shaw and Napas other chaplains have selflessly served our fellow citizens during their darkest hours.

Often, the chaplains services can extend weeks, or even months, after the initial incident, providing ongoing comfort and support. They receive no funding from the city or county of Napa.

Please join us Thursday, July 27 at the Napa River Inn Terrace/Silo's from 4-7 p.m. for great food and wine, silent auction, and lively music by the Rhythm Method 4. The Napa Police Department, Napa County Sheriffs Office, Napa City Firefighters, Napa City Firefighters Association Local 3124, and American Medical Response (AMR) will host the event.

To make a donation or reservations, please contact Mary Shaw at chaplainbbq@gmail.com or 241-3173, or Sweeneys Sports, 1537 Imola Ave., Napa. For donations only, please make checks payable to LECNC, P.O. Box 2022, Napa, California, 94558.

Gaylon Kastner

Napa
California moves to grant immunity to rapists, child traffickers and weapons smugglers as part of new Sanctuary State insanity

There are now more than 3 million illegal aliens living in the state of California (mostly from Mexico and Central America) , and Leftist legislators there want to keep it that way. In direct defiance of the directives issued by the Trump administration to address the illegal immigration problem, a cohort of legislators in Sacramento has introduced a new bill that would effectively bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from doing their jobs in arresting and deporting illegal immigrants, many of whom are a direct threat to American citizens.

Known as Senate Bill 54, the legislation would make it so that local and state police would be prohibited from working with ICE to enforce federal immigration law. ICE agents would no longer be allowed to enter jails and prisons to deport convicted criminals who are illegal aliens, for instance. ICE would also have very restricted access to state databases on illegal aliens under the bills provisions.

Its all part of a coordinated effort by Leftist legislators in California to keep the Golden State a so-called sanctuary state, meaning it will continue to welcome illegal immigrants with open arms and offer them protection and benefits  really anything that legal citizens living in California are afforded. Its a policy thats been in place for years, though unofficially. But now that President Trump is starting to crack down on sanctuary cities all across the country, some in California want to solidify the states position on the matter. [RELATED: To keep up with President Trumps actions against sanctuary cities, visit SanctuaryCities.Fetch.News]

During the Trump administration, the first 100 days, arrests of undocumented immigrants with no criminal record has jumped to 150% during the same period as last year, stated Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, a Democrat from Los Angeles, as quoted by CBS Sacramento. De Leon is spearheading the passage of SB 54, which has already received glowing approval from the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

We will protect those who contribute to making California the sixth largest economy in the world, he added.

SB 54 will protect criminal illegals from deportation, warns California senator

While De Leon contends that his bill will still allow authorities to respond to ICE inquiries as they pertain to convicted violent offenders, some of his colleagues disagree. Senator Jeff Stone, a Republican from Temecula (near San Diego), recently stated on Fox & Friends that SB 54 will actually protect illegal aliens who have been convicted of human trafficking, child abuse, or assault with a deadly weapon from deportation. If solidified into law, this policy will put millions of legal Californians at risk. [RELATED: Sanctuary cities have already put more than 17,000 murderers, rapists and drug dealers back on U.S. streets.]

Basically we are going to be putting these dangerous criminals back into our streets and neighborhoods, Sen. Stone stated.

Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, a Vietnam veteran, agrees. Hes already calling on his countys Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution that would declare Kern a law and order county, signifying its stance to work with, rather than against, the president on enforcing federal immigration laws.

Sheriffs deputies dont enforce immigration laws and we dont go on federal immigration sweeps, he told The LA Times. But we do have to allow our federal partners to do their job.

Back in April, Sen. Stone wasted no time cutting to the chase in condemning California legislators who support SB 54. He told them that by passing the bill, they would effectively be kicking the president right in the groin. He added that, knowing how the President typically responds to such assaults, I can imagine hes going to strike back.

Sources for this article include:

NewsTarget.com

ZeroHedge.com

LegInfo.Legislature.ca.gov

Sacramento.CBSlocal.com

DailyCaller.com

Insider.FoxNews.com
Editors note: Each summer, hundreds of students from the University of Miami participate in study abroad programs that take them to numerous countries in nearly all continents across the globe. Dispatches from Abroad highlights some of those students and their impressions about experiencing new cultures.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

August 7, 2017

Hey everyone! Today, Im both equally excited and sad to be writing you my last blog from Changchun. Ive successfully completed the Critical Language Scholarships eight-week program for the second time. Since Ive been here, I feel that my Chinese language has improved exponentially and so has my understanding of Chinese culture (northeastern Chinese culture, in particular).

For our last meeting of the summer, my language partner and I went out with a bang! Together, we visited the Jingyuetan National Forest Park. In the middle of the park sits a gigantic man-made lake surrounded by forest, hiking trails, wetlands and mountains. The lake was formed in the early 1900s when the Chinese government built a dam in an attempt to provide water to Changchun. Now, the park has been named a scenic destination by the Chinese government. The best part of the lake is not only that its beautiful, but the temperature of the water is extremely comfortable. My language partner took me to a section of the lake where visitors can freely swim and walk in the shallows. Though we only dipped our feet, we spent about a half an hour hanging out in the water. Afterwards, we went to our favorite noodle shop across the street from our school for lunch. Overall, going to Jingyuetan was a great way to get away from the bustle of city life and enjoy one of Chinas more relaxing natural areas.

I want to thank everyone again for following my adventures throughout the summer. If you (or anyone you know) is interested in studying a critical language and travel to another country for the summer, please visit http://clscholarship.org/ for more info on how to apply. The program provides such amazing opportunities, dont miss out! J

Best,

 (Asia Cadet)

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

August 7, 2017

This weekend marked the beginning of the end of my time in Morocco. The nostalgia has been rushing in hard. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to experience Morocco and learn Classical Arabic as well as the Moroccan dialect. My time in Morocco has opened my eyes to certain things that I used to take for granted; one example being toilet paper. However, I'm torn because I am undoubtedly excited to see friends when I return to UM; but there are many things both tangible and intangible that I will miss about Morocco. For one, during my time here I've come into contact with some very generous people and witnessed remarkable acts of kindness. Also, I've become accustomed to how cheap taxi rides are here. A typical taxi across town in Tangier only costs about 80 cents in U.S. dollars. If I were to request such a fare from a Taxi or Uber in Miami, people would assume I had lost my mind. Also, Tangier has incredibly cheap and delicious Canary melons which I've never seen in the U.S. Canary melons are similar to what we would call honeydew but they are much sweeter and bright yellow.



My friends and I took one last beach trip this weekend. On Sunday, we went to a beach about an hour east of Tangier called "Dalia." Dalia had crystal clear water and a gorgeous view of Spain. My friends and I stayed there for hours just enjoying the refreshing Mediterranean water. Even though Miami has beaches aplenty, being able to view another continent from the shore is something I'll definitely miss.



Overall, my summer in Morocco has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Besides making tremendous language gains, I have made countless new friends whom I'll be sad to leave. Tangier has taught me that deep down I do, in fact, like cats. Tangier also promptly taught me that I am allergic to cats. The stories and smiles from this trip are infinite. Even though I'll be saying goodbye this weekend, I already can't wait to come back.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

July 31, 2017

Hi all! This week Im excited to share my experiences at the Chinese Northeast Ethnic and Folk Custom Museum of Northeast Normal University.

This museum, an extension of my school, was built to document the history of Northeastern Chinese ethnic minorities. China is an interesting country, and very different from the U.S., in part because it is about 90% homogenous. The majority of people who live in this country are exactly the same race, Han Chinese! The other 10% of the population is composed of 56 different Chinese ethnic minorities that have their own culture, language, and cities.

One ethnic group, the Kazakhs, are very interesting to me because the only thing that separates them from their Kazakh family in Kazakhstan is the Chinese border. The Kazakhs were also one of the few civilizations on earth (along with the Mongolians) to hunt prey with golden eagles and some still continue this practice in Inner Mongolia today.

In addition to visiting this amazing museum this week, this has also been a great week for food! Ive eaten everything from sushi to Shanghai-style dumplings to squid.

One of Chinas ethnic minorities are the Hui people, who are predominantly Muslim and whose ancestors are from Persia, Sri Lanka, and Inner Mongolia. This weekend, I also discovered that there is a Hui/Halal restaurant across the street from my school (its a wonder I missed the Arabic sign on top of the restaurant for the last six weeks). The noodles and dumplings at this restaurant are amazing! One of the things Ill definitely miss when I come home is the food J. See you all next week!

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 31, 2017

This weekend my parents came to visit me in Tangier. Despite only being in town for a few days, there was no shortage of excitement during their time here. Each day was equal parts hilarious, adventurous and wild. Acting as their official tour guide, we explored the Old Medinah, the New City, the beach and even took a day trip.

On Saturday, we traveled to Chefchaouen. My Dad was impressed by the beautiful mountain scenery that surrounds the city, and my Mom was fascinated by Morocco's beautiful crafts. For them, the heat certainly took some getting used to, but nevertheless, they were troupers as we sauntered through the city's blue hallways. On Sunday, back in Tangier, my parents rode camels on the beach. It was exciting, as well as nerve wracking to see them saddle up and gallop down the beach. On foot, I ran after the camel ready to catch anyone if they fell. Over the course of this weekend, my parents were able to witness me bargaining with shopkeepers, switching between Classical Arabic and Moroccan Dialect depending on the situation. My Dad was able to utilize his French skills and even picked up a few phrases in Arabic.

It was amazing to watch my parents keep up with me as we hopped in and out of taxis, climbed up and down mountains, and negotiated deals in markets. We had stimulating conversations with fellow travelers as well as curious locals. In my program, only two weeks remain. After that, I will be back in Miami preparing for a new semester. The nostalgia has already hit even though I have not yet left Tangier. When asked today what I will miss most about Tangier, the answer was simple. The melons.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

July 24, 2017

Hi all! So this week has been slow on activities but Ive had some very interesting class discussions. Our recent textbook chapters have, in large part, covered Chinese idioms.

Idioms are my favorite part of Chinese language because most idioms consist of only four characters but they have an entire backstory that gives them meaning. For example, this Chinese very popular idiom  (huashetianzu) means to go too far. The literal translation however is to add feet to a painting of snake; the logic behind this phrasing is that if one was to paint a picture of a snake that was already perfect, why add feet? Another idiom that I love is  (duiniutanqin) which means to play a flute for a cow. The story behind this idiom is that once an ancient Chinese musician, whom everyone loved, saw a cow grazing in the field. The musician decided to play beautiful music for the cow but the cow paid no attention to him. This confused the musician until a wanderer approached him and explained that cows have no ability to appreciate the music of human beings, as they are just animals. The modern day meaning of this idiom is sometimes when you talk to others about things they dont understand, its almost like playing the flute for a cow. While English is also full of idioms and odd sayings, the precision with which Chinese can present these idioms in a concise, but deep manner, is truly amazing!

All in all, Im officially five and a half weeks into CLS Changcun and Ill be returning home in two and a half weeks! Im very excited to return home but I know I will definitely miss China. Getting to spend 90 percent of my time speaking Chinese while Im here is not an experience I will get to have in the U.S, so Im going to make the most of my time while Im still here J .

Until next week,

Asia ()

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 24, 2017

This weekend I made my way to the south of Morocco to visit the desert. Before I recount the wild adventures that ensued, I feel I must explain something I find funny about the "Sahara Desert." In Arabic, Sahara means desert, any desert, not just the one in North Africa. So when someone mentions they're going to the Sahara in Arabic, it could be anywhere from Jordan to China. Taken literally, the name is quite redundant and rather vague. However, North Africa's desert is approximately the size of the United States, and the largest hot desert in the world, so people tend to correctly assume which desert you'll be traveling to.

In the desert town of Merzouga, I went camel riding. The trip took about an hour to reach the camp site at the base of a sand dune. To call the ride bumpy would be an understatement. Camels move slowly but sitting on top of an animal's hump certainly can bring about some motion sickness. It was hot up until about 1 in the morning and then a cool breeze brought the temperature down from 105 degrees to a chilly 85.

After camping, I explored the local town and spoke to locals about life in the desert. They mentioned that Moroccans from all over the country come to Merzouga to take advantage of the healing properties of the sand. I asked a kind stranger if I could drive his motorcycle and he was more than happy to oblige. It was my first time on a motorcycle but it definitely won't be my last. In my opinion, the motorcycle was a much more efficient means of transportation than the camels.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

July 21, 2017

This week in Changchun has been much more of a culture shock than the previous weeks. My resident director said that this is most likely because the honeymoon phase of coming to a new country has passed and the differences between Chinese and American culture are becoming much more obvious. Its very interesting being a black woman with long braids in China, as many people in this region have not seen a person of color before and dont know what to expect. Many people here are quick to stare and eager to touch my hair or rub my skin. We are often told that as members of the CLS program, we are American ambassadors responsible for representing America to the people around us. For that reason, I try to approach interactions about my hair or my skin with a measure of grace and understanding. About 99 percent of the time, peoples curiosity doesnt come from a place of malice but from lack of experience with non-Chinese people. I believe that if I can educate at least one person about hair or dispel one persons negative perceptions of people of color, then I have, in part, accomplished one of the greater goals of the CLS program. At the University of Miami, we value diversity and I hope to share those values, even abroad!

In terms of program activities, this week has also been chock-full of cultural adventures! On Friday, I was able to see the Chinese rural countryside for the first time. The older women of the village were happy to teach us Chinese crafts such as weaving baskets, furniture and small toys out of dyed corn husks. We were then invited to some of the villagers homes to get a glimpse of their living situation. The families in the village were extremely kind; they gave us ice cream, fresh fruit and water and let us tour their home and farms. Additionally, this weekend, my classmates and I had the opportunity to hike Changbai Mountain which is the border mountain between China and North Korea. Though the mountain is normally covered in thick fog, I was lucky enough to be one of the few people to clearly see Heaven Lake. This lake, rumored to have a lochness monster living within, is partly Chinese territory and partly North Korean family. I can officially say that Ive seen North Korea with my own two eyes! I cant thank CLS enough for that amazing experience.

So thats it for my experiences this week!

Until next time,

Asia Cadet ()

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 21, 2017

Someone asked me earlier this week, "Well, aren't you just visiting?" This question truly made me ponder my time in Tangier and I have come to the conclusion that my experience in Morocco has been so much more than just a visit. As a matter of fact, my program goes above and beyond just visiting a new country.

Realistically, I am learning two languages at the same time; Classical Arabic or "Fusha," and the Moroccan dialect, "Derijah." Derijah differs quite heavily from the classical form and incorporates many romance languages, such as French or Spanish. At first, I was hesitant about learning Derijah, viewing it as an unsurmountable challenge. Nevertheless, I dove right in and I can now say I operate almost smoothly in this conglomerate language. I've learned Derijah mostly through osmosis, soaking in all the vocabulary I hear in the street or around my host family. At times though, my teacher is horrified to hear me repeat some of the new vocabulary I bring in from the street.

I also walk to school each morning and take taxis around town, each time meeting new people. My day-to-day activities at school and with my host family more closely resemble that of the average "Tangerino." Due to the rigorous nature of weekdays, I eagerly look forward to weekends where I have more time to bond with my host family and explore other cities in Morocco.

Saturday morning, I cooked an American breakfast for my host mom, her three children, her two sisters and their two children. This was their first time having an American breakfast so, of course, I had to pull out all the stops. I ended up preparing pancakes, pastries, orange juice, eggs and fruit salad. It felt amazing to finally share a tangible piece of American culture with my host family. More often than not, I am on the receiving end of the cultural exchange, but Saturday morning presented a unique opportunity for me to be the teacher rather than the student. Thankfully, the whole family loved the breakfast I prepared; now the children light up at the slightest mention of pancakes.

On Sunday, I ventured out to the blue city of Chefchaouen once more. My visit this time included more pancakes and browsing art exhibits. Over the course of this past month, I believe I have acclimated to Moroccan culture pretty well. I have many Moroccan friends both in and outside of Tangier, my Arabic skills have flourished and I feel comfortable traveling alone to cities all over Morocco. At this rate, it might take some convincing to bring me back to Miami.

Landon Mediavilla is a rising junior majoring in biology. Jeni Curley is a rising junior majoring in nursing. They both are participating in a semester study abroad program at Sophia University in Tokyo. Landon shared the news about the couple in this recent post, and he and Jeni wanted to share it with readers of Dispatches from Abroad.

July 10, 2017

As you may or may not know I have been in Tokyo, Japan since March with my girlfriend of many years, Jeni. We are a part of a group of University of Miami students participating in a semester long exchange program to Sophia University in Yotsuya, Tokyo. Since we have arrived we have had a great number of adventures such as: Visiting over 50 shrines and temples in Kyoto. Flying to Okinawa and catching a giant tuna. Watching the cherry blossoms bloom. Having dinner with the United States ambassador to Japan. And my most recent adventure  climbing Mount Fuji. On this adventure Jeni and I hiked to the summit during the night to catch the sunrise the next day. Mind you the hike up took over 8 and a half hours! At the top just when the sky had become the most beautiful blend of pink orange and blue I asked her a question I had been waiting a long time to ask. On July 9th 2017 I asked Jenivieve Marie Curley to marry me, and she said yes!

Didnt want you to hear from anyone else! Please spread the word.

Hope to see you soon

Landon

"""".

"Love" is simply "love". It cant be explained

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 10, 2017

This past weekend I continued my journey of eating my way through Morocco, this time in the beautiful city of Chefchaouen. Chefchaouen (which by the way is much easier to spell in Arabic) is situated only 2 hours outside of Tangier, on the side of a mountain.

Known as the "blue pearl" of Morocco, this city is unique for a number of reasons, one of the most salient being its blue complexion. The history behind the blue dates back to 15th century Spain when Muslims and Jews were expelled; many fled to Morocco and settled down in the mountain town of Chefchaouen. Buildings were painted blue to symbolize the hope that the new settlement represented.

On my first day in Chefchaouen, my friends and I hiked 3 hours up a mountain to swim in the cascades of Akchour. The view at the end was well worth the intense hike and profuse mosquito bites.

Perhaps my favorite part of my trip to Chefchaouen, however, would be meeting a new friend, Youssef. Youssef owns "Cafe-Teteria" in the heart of the old medinah and just happens to have graduated from the school where I now study Arabic in Tangier. After I mentioned I was homesick for some pancakes, Youssef not only made me American-style pancakes but went as far as to add them to his menu. I am incredibly grateful for the kindness demonstrated by Youssef and other Moroccans who have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome in their country. On account of the beautiful scenery and even more charming people, Chefchaouen now permanently occupies a space in my heart.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

July 10, 2017

Hi all! I cant wait to share with you an amazing experience I had in Changchun this past weekend.

On Friday I had the opportunity to visit a Chinese retirement home for the first time. Retirement homes are a burgeoning market in China. Traditional Chinese family values are derived from the Confucian thought; the Confucian family structure dictates that children always stay close to home and take care of the elderly, this way multiple generations of a Chinese family all live in the same household. As Chinas younger population begins to stray from traditional family values, the need for retirement homes has continued to grow. While some retirement homes can be depressing, this home, whose name translates as home of respect for the aged (), is an entire community for the elderly. The  featured an on-site academy where the elderly could partake in craft classes or learn how to use modern electronics, a karaoke hall, a mahjong recreation room, modern art, small markets, and even a large outdoor swimming pool adorned with two gigantic golden dragons.

As part of our trip to the retirement home, we had the opportunity to participate in the homes activities and interview some of the tenants. Ms. Deng, or Aunt Deng (as the Chinese refer to elderly men and women as aunt and uncle), was a very exceptional woman that I got to interview on Friday afternoon. Though talk about the Cultural Revolution is sometimes seen as an inappropriate topic of conversation with strangers, Aunt Deng was very open about her life in China during the 60s and 70s. After she graduated from a Changchun high school at the age of 18, Aunt Deng was sent to the countryside to do hard labor. During the Cultural Revolution, the focus of Mao Zedong and the Red Guards was equality; living in a large city or never having done manual labor was seen as unfair and many city youths were sent to the countryside to experience that lifestyle. So, Aunt Deng spent the next 10 years in the countryside, separated from her family who remained in the city. When Deng Xiaoping took power in 1978 and opened China to the West, Aunt Deng was able to return to Changchun and start a successful business. She then worked prosperously for many years until her retirement in 2011.

Last semester, I was able to take Politics in China with the accomplished Professor June Dreyer, who was recently given the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award by the University of Miami Faculty Senate. So to talk to a native Chinese person about the real life implications of what Ive only studied in books and in class is an extremely rare and valuable experience. Just another reason why I believe any language student should, by any means, find a way to immerse themselves not only in their target language but also in that culture.

Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 5, 2017

This weekend brought my first large ventures outside of Tangier. Friday and Saturday, my classmates and I ventured out to a beach town called Asilah. Living in Miami has certainly spoiled me when it comes to beaches, however, Morocco's beaches have not let me down. Tangier itself has exquisite beaches similar to South Beach, yet, part of Asilah's allure is its small population. Another one of Asilah's attributes? Its seafood. I am not afraid to say I ate calamari for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Asilah. In between lounging on the beach and eating, my group explored the old city or "medinah," as groups of ancient buildings are called in Morocco. Excellently preserved, Asilah's medinah featured blue and white buildings with ocean views.

Sunday, we drove out to Lksar Sghir which lies about 40 minutes outside of Tangier. Lksar Sghir used to be a fort for whoever ruled the region at the time. The castle shifted between Arab, French, Spanish, and Portuguese control frequently over the course of centuries. Now, the castle remains under Moroccan control; its picturesque beaches once used for international trade and commerce now host the few locals who journey over mountains for the impressive view. From the beaches of Lksar Sghir one can actually view Spain; only seven miles separate the two continents.

For those considering visiting Morocco, the food is reason enough to go. If you need more convincing, consider the rich architecture or unique culture as a result of Morocco's intercontinental roots. Either way, there's surely something for everyone to enjoy in the "maghreb."



Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

July 3, 2017

Those familiar with UM's Coral Gables campus all know of a rowdy group who inhabit the campus and run amok. No, I am not talking about UM's freshmen residents, but rather the stray cats on campus. Presumably, somewhere upwards of 50 cats are visible across campus as students walk to class. Surprisingly, Tangier appears to have even more felines per square foot. It's hard to walk around Tangier without stumbling into one, two, or maybe four feral cats.

It can be heart-wrenching to see countless animals on the street. However, like many things about studying abroad, one must simply adjust. There are abundant stark differences between Miami and Morocco, yet, it is unreasonable and perhaps foolish for me to want to tweak each scenario so that it suits my comfort. The single most valuable skill students receive while studying abroad is the ability to quickly adapt and respond, often in a different language. Sometimes the challenges I run into lead me on a wild goose chase to find antibacterial soap, paper towels or trash bags. I may even have to ask how to say something in Arabic only to find out the French word is more commonly used. However, increasingly often I find myself just laughing and going with the flow.

Here in Tangier, tacos are a "French" delicacy, only certain taxis will go outside city limits, and business hours are spontaneously decided. Nevertheless, despite frequent culture shock and relentless mosquito bites, much like the resourceful cats of Tangier, so far I've managed to land on my feet.

Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

June 28, 2017

My first week of class in Changchun has been amazing so far!

One of the best things about Critical Language Scholarship Program (academically) is the small class sizes. My class has two professors and six students; the class size makes it so much easier to practice my Mandarin pronunciation and we are able to do fun activities together like debates and weekly presentations. The hardest part of the program though, is the language pledge.

On Monday, every student signed a pledge that we would not speak English with each other or faculty at any time over the next 8 weeks. Outside of class, me and my classmates spend a good amount of time mastering non-verbal communication (and looking pretty silly while doing so).

It would honestly take three whole pages to share every activity and strange encounter from this week, but I can give you all some examples!

On Tuesday, as part of our culture class, me and my classmates were able to paint traditional Chinese opera masks and wear them around campus. On Wednesday, a few friends and I decided to go the school track to do homework and watch other students learn Tai Chi. Twenty-five minutes after we arrived, a torrential downpour started (even worse than in Miami, I promise). With nowhere to go and no umbrellas, we decided the best use of our time was to take a jog in the rain.

On Thursday after class, my language partner, a native Chinese speaker, and I went to the citys best Korean BBQ restaurant and ate an insane amount of food for only $6 per person. Then on Saturday, as part of another CLS activity, we woke up at 5 a.m. to dance with the elderly in the park. In China, it is common for the elderly to dance, do Tai Chi, and practice kung fu/sword throwing in public areas early in the morning/evening as a form of exercise. In the northeast, this is even more common in the morning because the sun rises around 4:00-4:30 a.m.

Afterwards, we ate an authentic Chinese breakfast of dumplings, rice porridge, eggs, potatoes, and chicken feet (to name a few dishes). I think what makes the Critical Language Scholarship Program so unique, aside from the fully paid for experience, is that, even though we are here for 8 weeks, the program is not shy about throwing us right into the midst of Chinese culture. Immersion is the absolute best way to learn any culture and language and, by the end of this program, I know my understanding of China will have grown so much!

Until next week,

Asia Cadet ()



Ashley Brooks is a rising junior with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. Her minors are Arabic Studies and Modern Languages and Literature.

June 23, 2017

My passion for Spanish piqued my interest in Arabic, and this summer my studies of the Spanish-speaking world have led me to Tangier, Morocco.

It was during a Spanish class about the culture of Spain that I was fascinated to learn about the centuries-old links between Hispanic people and the people of the Middle East. The modern day similarities between the two languages, despite being from completely different language families, are a visible remnant of this relationship.

Upon learning this, I began taking classes in Arabic and immediately I began to see connections. The interconnectedness of languages and cultures in places where we least expect it is what motivated me to continue my studies of Arabic in the Middle East and North Africa.

I'll be studying in Tangier as part of the Critical Language Scholarship program, a scholarship that encourages students to pursue their passion for languages that not many Americans study. For example, Persian, Urdu, Bangla, Korean, Arabic, Hindi and Chinese; these are just some of the languages that students can study for an 8-week period over the summer.

I arrived in Tangier on the 18th of June and the adventures have already begun! Every morning, I walk about a mile to the school I study at. As my roommate and I careen through busy alleys and markets piled high with watermelon, ("deleh" as it is called in Darijah) we learn more and more about the nuances of Arabic and Moroccan culture. I am fluent in Spanish and have studied Arabic for over a year, yet nothing could prepare me for the dialect of Arabic that is "Darijah," a fast-paced swirl of French, traditional Arabic and even a little Spanish. Overall, I'm quickly adjusting and learning my way around Tangier. Over the next few weeks, I can look forward to camel riding, desert camping, traveling across the country and all the watermelon I can eat. I cannot wait to update the UM community with more stories of my time in the "Maghreb."



Asia Cadet is a rising senior with a double major in Criminology and Political Science, and a minor in Modern Languages. She also is president of UMs Haitian student organization, Planet Kreyol.

June 21, 2017

This week was the first week of my Critical Language Scholarship Program in Changchun, China. After pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C., our CLS Changchun group (28 people total) spent almost a day travelling from D.C. to Beijing, and then Beijing to Changchun. Whats amazing about Changchun is that it is in the northeast of China, and is extremely close to both the Russian and North Korean borders!

This city is so far north that no American airline flies to it and we had to switch to Air China after landing in Beijing. The last few days have honestly been so hectic. Weve had to participate in orientation, a citywide scavenger hunt, and placement tests for our Mandarin classes. But weve also been getting to know each other and this CLS group is one of the funniest and most charming groups of people Ive ever met!

I can already tell we will all be friends long after the program ends in August. So far our group has been out to eat hotpot, a popular Chinese meal where everyone eats out of one boiling hot pot of meat and vegetables, and our scavenger hunt involved eating chicken feet and learning the Chinese national anthem.

Later this week, the program will get even more intense when we sign our language pledge, a pledge stating that we will not speak English to each other or to teachers for the next eight weeks! All in all, its been a really eventful time in Changchun thus far. I cant wait for classes to start this week!
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 00:18:43|Editor: yan

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JUBA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Three Western countries on Friday condemned continuing violence in South Sudan and urged the government to end offensives against opposition forces near the Ethiopian border.

In a joint statement issued in Juba, Norway, Britain and the United States which are members of the Troika (peace deal guarantors) condemned the current offensive against SPLM-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) forces near Pagak, as well as ongoing road ambushes and attacks by the SPLM-IO.

The countries backed regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which had urged President Salva Kiir to ensure that his forces respect the unilateral ceasefire, for the armed opposition groups to reciprocate the ceasefire, and for all groups to allow the unfettered delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need.

"We also welcome IGAD's announcement of a high-level revitalization forum for the South Sudan peace process," the countries said of the forum which will be held in Juba on Monday.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions that have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

The Western nations called into question the government's commitment to reach peace through the National Dialogue, albeit the sincere efforts undertaken by the leaders of the Steering Committee.

"The Troika and EU agree with IGAD that the Forum should focus on achieving a ceasefire and resuming political dialogue that focuses on updating the agreement's timelines and other provisions that are now obsolete in light of the expansion of conflict since 2015," it said.

"The proliferation of violence, displacement, and food insecurity renders any discussion of elections in the foreseeable future as an unnecessary diversion from the primary goals of achieving peace and reconciliation," Troika said.

They called on South Sudan's leaders, neighbors, and regional and international partners to first focus on achieving peace in order to create the conditions needed to hold credible elections.

"To achieve these urgent goals, we look forward to the prompt revitalization of an inclusive and credible peace process by IGAD; such progress would be required in order for the Troika and EU to commit further resources to institutions designed to implement the agreement," the countries said.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to fighting that pitted mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital forcing Machar to flee into exile.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 00:38:57|Editor: Yamei

Pakistani soldiers stand guard beside a damaged police van at the attack site in southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, on July 21, 2017. At least four people including three policemen were killed and another was injured on Friday evening when unknown gunmen opened fire at a police vehicle in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, police said. (Xinhua/Masroor)

ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Xinhua) -- At least four people including three policemen were killed and another was injured on Friday evening when unknown gunmen opened fire at a police vehicle in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, police said.

Raja Umar Khattab, a senior police official of the counter-terrorism department, said the incident took place when a group of six gunmen riding on three motorcycles sprayed bullets at a police vehicle in Korangi area of the city.

A police officer, his two constables, and a 12-year-old passerby were killed on the spot, while another passerby was wounded.

Police, security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to the Jinnah Hospital of the city.

The police mobile was on its routine surveillance mission when it came under attack, the officer said.

Seemi Jamali, a spokesperson for the hospital, said that all four victims received multiple bullet wounds, especially at their head and chest.

Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the attack and asked the authorities concerned to complete a quick inquiry into the matter and arrest the culprits.

Police and security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation in the nearby residential area.

No group has claimed the attack yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 00:59:10|Editor: yan

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VIENTIANE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- New Chinese Ambassador to Laos Wang Wentian on Friday presented his credentials to Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit in Lao capital Vientiane.

At the ceremony, the Chinese ambassador said the China-Laos relationship is at its best in history, adding that the two countries are good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.

Wang stressed that the China-Laos ties go beyond ordinary bilateral relations, as the two countries belong to a community of shared future with strategic significance.

Wang pledged to join hands with the Lao side to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, and promote the China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new height.

The Lao president, for his part, said the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries have always maintained sound momentum of development.

Laos is pleased with the fruitful results achieved by the two countries in pragmatic cooperation in various fields in recent years, and believes that the ambassador will make greater contribution to the development of the bilateral relations in his tenure, Bounnhang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 02:29:46|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Representatives from six world powers and Iran attend a meeting on Iran's nuclear deal in Vienna, Austria, on July 21, 2017. Iran would maintain its right to response to the United States if it does not comply with the nuclear deal in the future, an Iranian official said on Friday after the meetings with six world powers in Vienna. (Xinhua/Pan Xu)

VIENNA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran would maintain its right to response to U.S. if it dose not comply with the nuclear deal in the future, an Iranian official said on Friday after the meetings with world major states in Vienna.

Abbas Araghchi, deputy foreign minister of Iran, told media that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal should be implemented completely in all aspects, noting that Tehran is not satisfied with U.S. regarding the sanctions imposed on Iran Tuesday over its ballistic missile program.

He stressed Tehran maintains its right to show any reaction if U.S. dose not follow up its obligations under the deal.

During the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump doubted the Iranian nuclear deal which was achieved during Obama's administration. Trump administration now is reviewing policy on Iran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday new U.S.sanctions contravened the nuclear deal reached after a lot of diplomatic efforts with world major states in 2015.

Iran and six world powers, namely Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.S., reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in July 2015, which put it on the path of sanctions relief but with more strict limits on its nuclear program.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 02:34:45|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department said on Friday that American citizens will soon be banned from travelling to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The ban on all U.S. citizens' use of a passport to travel to, through or in the DPRK resulted from "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention" of Americans there, said State Department spokesman Heather Nauert in a statement to Xinhua.

According to Nauert, the ban was expected to be formally declared next week and would take effect 30 days after the formal declaration.

For Americans seeking to travel to the DPRK for "certain limited humanitarian or other purposes," they may apply to the State Department for a special validation passport, Nauert added.

Before the introduction of the travel ban, the State Department had for long strongly warned Americans against travelling to the DPRK.

"The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities," said Nauert.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 02:54:57|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

U.S. White House spokesman Sean Spicer speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington D.C. May 16, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned Friday, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump appointed New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

Spicer stepped down after telling President Trump he strongly disagreed with the appointment of Scaramucci, U.S. media outlets reported.

The New York Times said Trump had asked Spicer to stay on but Spicer believed that hiring Scaramucci was a major mistake.

Should Spicer have stayed on, he would have worked under Scaramucci.

"It's been an honor & a privilege to serve @POTUS @realDonaldTrump & this amazing country," Spicer tweeted after the multiple U.S. news outlets broke the news of his abrupt resignation.

"I will continue my service through August," Spicer said.

Spicer has been a controversial figure in the White House since he started his early press briefings with a confrontational manner toward journalists.

Spicer was also known for giving the cold shoulder to the traditional mainstream media and calling on previously lesser known outlets more often.

The rocky start with the press have led to mockery and criticism from the media and spurred rumors of his possible departure just weeks entering the new administration.

Spicer, 45, has served as the communications director of the Republican National Committee. He was brought into the White House by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus after Trump was elected president.

Scaramucci, 53, is a U.S. political figure and financier who have taken jobs in various banks and other financial institutions.

He was previously involved in a story released by CNN, which linked him to a Russian investment fund. CNN later retracted the story citing unmet editorial standards.

Scaramucci is set to fill in the position vacated by the previous communications director Mike Dubke in early June.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 05:31:35|Editor: yan

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LONDON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The British government is to call for stronger efforts for Nazi-looted art to be returned to original owners, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said Friday.

The call will be made in London in September when hundreds of experts meet at the first European conference in five years dedicated to World War II looting.

The international conference will attract experts from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria and around the globe.

The conference, "70 Years and Counting: The final opportunity?" aims to strengthen partnerships, build greater cooperation on spoliation and examine how the process of returning stolen artworks can be accelerated.

The conference comes as the government said it wants to extend the Britain's Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act, which gives national museums powers to return works of art found to be looted during the Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.

John Glen, parliamentary under secretary of state for arts, heritage and tourism, said: "More than 70 years after the end of the Second World War, some families are still waiting for their cultural property to be returned. We want countries from across the continent to help right this historic wrong.

"I hope this conference will raise awareness of this important issue and help to reunite people with their precious heirlooms. We will do everything in our power to return Nazi-looted art to its rightful owners."

DCMS said it was estimated 20 percent of Europe's cultural treasures were stolen or plundered by Nazi Germany, most notably from Jewish families, and over 100,000 of the works are still lost, presumed to be in both private and public collections.

In Britain, 17 national institutions including the British Museum and the National Gallery, have power to return items lost during the Nazi era to their original owners or their heirs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 05:31:38|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (C) speaks during an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on July 21, 2017. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced Friday a freeze of all contact with Israel until it commits to cancel measures in Jerusalem, especially at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. (Xinhua/Palestinian News and Info Agency)

RAMALLAH, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced Friday a freeze of all contact with Israel until it commits to cancel measures in Jerusalem, especially at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"We reject the so-called e-gates as political measures that are covered by a false security cover," Abbas said in a speech after an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership.

The meeting included members of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the central committee of its Fatah movement and security chiefs.

Abbas said that these gates "aim to impose control on Al-Aqsa Mosque and evade the peace process and its entitlements."

He called East Jerusalem their "eternal capital," and said will "continue to protect it and work for its liberation from the occupation."

He added that the Palestinian leadership will remain adjourned until further notice, urging Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Arab League, UN and other world powers "to shoulder their responsibility towards Jerusalem."

Abbas called on Palestinian factions, especially Islamic Hamas Movement to "unite the compass towards Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa and defend our sanctities and our national project."

He called on Hamas to respond to Al-Aqsa's appeal and dissolve the administrative committee it formed that manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip, so that to enable the consensus government to carry out its tasks.

He also pointed to a goal of allocating 25 million U.S. dollars to strengthen the steadfastness of Jerusalem residents, citizens, institutions, merchants and others.

Abbas urged unity effort of Palestinian businessmen and other national institutions, as well as the Arab and Islamic funds related to Jerusalem towards the goal.

Palestinian Health Ministry said three Palestinians were killed Friday and nearly 400 others injured in clashes with Israeli forces after the Friday prayers.

The first two were killed by Israeli gunfire in East Jerusalem and the third succumbed to his wounds in a nearby town of Abu Dis.

Palestinians called for a day of rage protesting against Israel's decision to enforce new security measures at the entrance of Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the installing of metal detectors and surveillance cameras.

The Israeli measures came in the aftermath of a shooting attack last Friday, which killed three Palestinians with Israeli citizenship and two Israeli security officers in the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israeli forces fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protestors in different West Bank cities and towns.

Nearly 400 Palestinians were also injured in the clashes, according the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Health Ministry.

In Gaza, two Palestinian demonstrators were lightly injured by Israeli gunfire east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.

Chief of the Islamic Hamas movement Ismail Haneya, who joined the rally in Gaza city, said in a public speech that "the Palestinian resistance is the only mean that would deter the occupation from carrying out such measures against Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Palestinian Muslims held prayers elsewhere inside East Jerusalem, as they refuse to use the metal detectors to enter the mosque, and in several places in the West Bank, ahead of expected marches towards Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli cabinet meeting Thursday night concluded with a decision to keep the new metal detectors and access control measures into Al-Aqsa Mosque after being installed last Sunday.

The measure was opposed by Palestinians, who called on world powers to intervene to halt tensions in the region.

Ramallah based political analyst Mohammad Daraghmeh told Xinhua that he believes that this row and tensions may continue for a while.

"The people are united, and they feel their identity is threatened by the accumulating Israeli measures and interventions in Al-Aqsa Mosque," said Daraghmeh.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 05:36:38|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon said on Friday that the United States was withholding 50 million U.S. dollars in payment to Pakistan due to Islamabad's insufficient counterterrorism action.

"The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the Secretary (of Defense Jim Mattis) could not certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network per the requirement in the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act," said the Pentagon in a statement, referring to a branch of the Afghan Taliban.

The funds being withheld is part of a Pentagon program called Coalition Support Fund, which aims to reimburse U.S. allies and partners for their counterterrorism operations.

In the Fiscal Year 2016, 900 million dollars were marked for Pakistan, among which 550 million dollars had already been reimbursed.

However, before withholding of 50 million dollars announced on Friday, Mattis' predecessor Ash Carter decided last year to withhold another 300 million dollars of the funding.

The announcement also came days after the U.S. State Department in a report on global terrorism accused Pakistan of not taking "substantial action" against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani.

The United States in 2012 designated the Haqqani Network as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan argued that it had done a great deal to help Americans in tracking down terrorists, saying that it had suffered hundreds of deaths in Islamist militant attacks in response to its crackdowns, Reuters reported.

"It may be noted that the funds in question are a reimbursement of the expenses incurred by Pakistan towards achieving our common objectives in the fight against terrorism, and not an assistance," Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, said in a statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 06:37:13|Editor: yan

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GAZA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement hailed on Friday night the stabbing attack carried out by a Palestinian attacker into an Israeli settlement near the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an emailed press statement that "Hamas hails and blesses the heroic operation that was a response to the violations of the Zionist violations and all its crimes against our people in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."

He added that "the operation reiterates that our people's target is Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque and their only choice is resistance to defend our lands and liberate it."

He said Hamas holds Israel responsible for all consequences.

Palestinian and Israeli sources said three Israelis were killed and another one injured Friday night in a attack in Jewish settlement near West Bank city of Ramallah.

A 20-year-old Palestinian man, called Omar el-Abed, reportedly infiltrated the Jewish settlement and stabbed at least four settlers, three of whom died and the fourth was injured.

The Palestinian perpetrator was moderately wounded at the scene and arrested by Israeli forces.

Tensions remain high after Israeli authorities installed metal detectors and surveillance cameras at the entrance of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Sunday, two days after closing down the holy shrine in the wake of a shooting attack that left three Palestinians and two Israeli officers killed.

Earlier on Friday, three Palestinians were killed and more than 400 were injured in the "Friday of Wrath" which was called by Palestinian factions to refuse to erect electronic gates at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 06:52:20|Editor: yan

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JERUSALEM, July 21 (Xinhua) -- A knife-wielding Palestinian man sneaked into a West Bank settlement home, killing three Israelis and seriously injuring another on Friday night before he was shot, Israeli officials said.

The incident took place in the settlement of Halamish, north of Ramallah city, the military said in a statement.

The assailant managed to enter the guarded settlement, and sneaked into a house when ten family members were inside having dinner, the statement said.

A man in his forties and two women in their sixties and forties succumbed to their wounds at the scene, said a spokesperson with the emergency medical service. The fourth person, a 60-year-old woman, was evacuated to a hospital with moderate injuries.

Another woman hid several children in a back room before a soldier on vacation heard screams, arrived and shot the assailant.

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson's unit released a photo from the scene showing a blood-stained kitchen floor.

The condition of the stabber was not immediately clear. A military statement said he was "shot and neutralized." A later report on Walla news site said he sustained moderate injuries and an ambulance evacuated him to a hospital in Israel.

Palestinian media identified him as Omar Abd al-Jalil, an 18-year-old from the village of Kuber in the Ramallah district.

A screenshot of a Facebook post reportedly posted by al-Jalil indicates that he attributed the attack to the recent measures imposed by Israel in one of East Jerusalem's most volatile holy sites.

"I have many dreams and I believe they will come true," he wrote. "I love life and I love to make others happy, but what is my life when women and children are being murdered and when our Al-Aqsa (Mosque) is being stained?"

The attack came at the end of a deadly day that saw the death of three Palestinian youths during protests over metal detectors installed by Israel in the holy compound. At least 367 more Palestinians were injured, according to the Red Crescent.

Anger across East Jerusalem and the West Bank boiled after Israel limited Muslim access to the compound on Friday, allowing only women and men over 50 to enter.

The detectors are perceived by the Palestinians as a violation of the status quo at the volatile site, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 07:17:29|Editor: Yang Yi

Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, speaks during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on July 21, 2017. Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

KIGALI, July 21 (Xinhua) -- To achieve win-win situation in Africa, Chinese companies have to build business and develop local partnership in Africa, said Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, on Friday.

"We have to build business here. Spending time training and developing local people, and developing local partnership," he made the remarks at a press conference after attending YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda from 19-21 July 2017.

Because you cannot build your own business by your own people in Africa, you have to partner with African people, said Ma, who is also the special advisor of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

"If I come to Africa, I will think about first, how many jobs I can create, how many taxes I can pay, what other things I can do that other companies can't do, when I leave here, can I also leave experienced Chinese or African experts that stay in Africa and continue to do business," he said.

The three-day summit was organized by the government of Rwanda, UNCTAD and United Nations Development Program.

The summit is dubbed "Realizing Africa's Youth Potential."

It has attracted over 3,000 participants including top executives from multinational companies, leaders of civil society organizations, Africa's development partners, members of the academia and youth entrepreneurs from 90 countries to interact and discuss on enhancing the potential of the youth in Africa, according to the organizers.

At the summit, Ma shared his experiences and gave advices on African youth participants. He also announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa.

The four projects are supporting 200 African entrepreneurs in the next five years, working with universities and governments to develop training program for African young people on e-commerce and cloud computing, setting up a conservation award for conservation rangers and donating 10 million U.S. dollars to establish a young entrepreneurs development fund.

The summit facilitates a platform for all partners involved in youth development to synergize around policies, programs and partnerships that will help unleash Africa's youth potential.

The event has attracted more than 2,500 delegates including Heads of State, government leaders, executives from multinational companies that operate in Africa, leaders of civil society organizations, Africa's development partners, members of the academia, successful young entrepreneurs, artists and youth opinion leaders from across the continent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 07:26:54|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Israeli soldiers fires tear gas canisters at Palestinian protesters at the main entrance of the West bank city of Bethlehem, on July 21, 2017. People protested against new Israeli security measures implemented at the entrance to the al-Aqsa mosque compound, which include metal detectors and cameras, following an attack that killed two Israeli policemen the previous week. (Xinhua/Luay Sababa)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 07:27:32|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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MENDOZA, Argentina, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) trade bloc seek to recover the group's trade dynamism by boosting free trade among themselves and with other regions, a senior Argentine official said Friday.

Leaders and envoys from Mercosur's founding nations -- Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay -- were gathered in the Argentinean city of Mendoza for a summit of the once thriving bloc, which has been weakened by recent economic crises and political clashes.

"We have to recover Mercosur's trade dynamism, and to recover that dynamism we have to promote a number of connections, the first being the one we are negotiating with the European Union, and the one we are pushing forward with the Pacific Alliance," Argentina's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Faurie told reporters following the summit.

The Pacific Alliance (AP) is a younger Latin American trade bloc that gathers Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia.

Mercosur is also looking to strengthen trade ties with the Near East, Oceania and East Asia, members said at the summit, with "progress made in expanding the existing accord with India, designed to grant preferential trade status to a larger number of goods."

According to Mercosur, since last summit, "there have been new channels of dialogue with Australia, New Zealand and Japan, to identify niches and areas of mutual interest for exploring potential partnerships."

However, Mercosur members said they still faced the challenge of strengthening free trade between the member states and perfecting the customs union as a tool towards greater international competitiveness.

They also needed "to strengthen the region's exporting competitiveness by reducing the production, logistics and administrative costs, both regionally and nationally."

Mendoza's local minister of finance, Lisandro Nieri, told Xinhua, "for us, it would be very important to lower logistical costs through better agreements with neighboring Chile."

The presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay attended the summit, traditionally held every six months.

Political squabbling, mainly between Brazil and Argentina and former member Venezuela, over the latter's handling of its political and economic crises, delayed this summit by a year and a half.

The bloc addressed the issue by calling for renewed dialogue between Venezuela's government and opposition forces.
Green economy which requires economic development without sacrificing the environment proves to be a critical means to eradicate poverty worldwide, said UN Environment Program Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw. (Xinhua/Yuan Yue)

UNITED NATIONS, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Green economy which requires economic development without sacrificing the environment proves to be a critical means to eradicate poverty worldwide, said UN Environment Program Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw.

"The environment is one of the major contributors to poverty eradication because the poorest people in the world have assets related to the environment, such as soil, water, fisheries, and forests," Thiaw told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We are convinced that poverty eradication may be achieved best when the environment is well protected," he said.

An annual high-level forum on sustainable development concluded earlier this week at the UN headquarters with an outcome document which calls for the expeditious implementation of a set of global goals to lift millions out of poverty and also conserve the environment as well as achieving social equality.

The document acknowledges that 1.6 billion people still live in "multidimensional poverty," though extreme poverty has fallen globally; and climate change, as well as land degradation, are posing threats to small-scale food producers, thus leading to possible hunger and poverty.

Thiaw said the green economy is an idea that can offer a viable solution in the long run; it requires economic growth which can create jobs continuously and meanwhile protect the ecosystems which can reduce harms and risks to the most vulnerable people around the world.

Noting that green financing is a critical part of the idea, Thiaw said that it involves investments in projects that are climate compatible or resistant to climate shocks which are believed to be beneficial to both businesses as well as the environment.

Earlier this month, the UN Environment Program has launched a partnership with 11 of the world's leading banks, representing over 7 trillion U.S. dollars, to develop analytical tools and indicators to strengthen assessment of climate-related risks as well as opportunities.

It will enable information disclosure to financial industries as well as non-financial sectors including energy, transportation, agriculture, food and forest products to better cope with environmental challenges.

Thiaw said the move is an important and innovative endeavor to develop the green economy and combat climate change with the participation of lower level actors such as the financial institutions, the private sector and the NGOs instead of governments or nations.

"They are small steps, but they are very important," he added. "Without the private sector, local authorities, local states, (or) communities, we will not achieve what we want to in the reduction of emissions. Actions will have to be mobilized from those actors of the economy."

Thiaw said that to fight poverty and to address environmental pollution, sustainable production and consumption patterns of food and energy are essential. However, the problem of food waste is still serious and progress seems to be lagging behind.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 09:23:00|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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KATHMANDU, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's participation in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has opened up new opportunities in multiple fields including trade, connectivity, physical infrastructure development, tourism and investment, various speakers said here on Friday.

Speaking at a seminar entitled "China's Shared Prosperity Dream of President Xi: Opportunities for Nepal" in Kathmandu, the eminent personalities of Nepal were of the view that the country should chalk out strategies and plans to reap benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative.

"I believe that our involvement in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative will greatly contribute to enhance socio-economic development of the country," former Home Minister Shakti Basnet, said.

Basnet said that Nepal's participation in the initiative has opened up new opportunities in multiple fields such as trade, connectivity, physical infrastructure development, tourism and investment.

Former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey said that Nepal should chalk out strategies to reap benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Of course Nepal needs better railroad and transport connectivity for its socioeconomic development. But the question is what Nepal is doing to reap benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative? Time has come to work out development strategies and apply them in practice for the good of the country's long-term interests," he said.

Highlighting salient features of the Belt and Road Initiative, Former Nepali Ambassador to Russia Hiranyalal Shrestha said that the aim of the Belt and Road Initiative is to share development and prosperity with friendly and harmonious relation to China's neighboring countries and the rest of the world.

Nepal has officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative, Shrestha said, hoping that the Himalayan nation will be able to bring huge investments from China to develop infrastructure and connectivity projects.

Former Nepali Ambassador to China Dr. Mahesh Maskey said that Nepal should sincerely work to improve border infrastructures on its side to enhance railroad connectivity with China under the Belt and Road framework.

Security expert Dipak Prakash Bhatta said that countries like Nepal who are still in the phase of socio-economic transformation can be benefitted from the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China and usher to achieve socio-economic development.

The program was organized by Peace Building Initiative, a leading think-tank in Kathmandu.

Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road Initiative on May 12 in Kathmandu.

Introduced by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 10:08:05|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

President of Bolivia Evo Morales (3rd R) attends the Presidents' meeting during the Summit of Heads of States of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and Associated States, in the city of Mendoza, Argentina, on July 21, 2017. Members of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) trade bloc seek to recover the group's trade dynamism by boosting free trade among themselves and with other regions, a senior Argentine official said Friday. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala)

BUENOS AIRES, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Southern Common Market (Mercosur) should have a bigger share in China's food imports, said Diego Guelar, Argentina's ambassador to China, on Friday.

Mercosur, which groups Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, has been the leading farm product exporter to China, representing 24 percent of China's total imports, followed by the United States with 20 percent, said Guelar.

However, Mercosur's share could be bigger by having a common agenda and sitting down with China to negotiate free trade terms, Guelar added.

"It is a market with a robust appetite for foreign products, especially for food," said Guelar, indicating China is home to more than 300 million high-end consumers, presenting exporters with untapped opportunities.

Guelar was in Buenos Aires for a presentation on meat and poultry exports during an agricultural expo.

China is Argentina's leading agricultural trade partner, its second largest trade partner overall, and its third-largest foreign investor.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 11:03:14|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump warned Friday that Iran will face "new and serious consequences" unless imprisoned Americans are released.

"President Trump is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imposed American citizens are released and returned," said the White House in a statement.

The warning came days after the Trump administration slapped new sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program and other non-nuclear activities and called Iran "one of the most dangerous threats to U.S. interests and to regional stability."

On the other hand, the Trump administration declared for the second time on Monday that Iran was complying with a 2015 nuclear deal struck between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 11:53:30|Editor: Yamei

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CARACAS, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Assembly and Supreme Court of Justice on Friday were emroiled in a power struggle ahead of a contraversial national vote.

The opposition-controlled assembly claimed its right to make key appointments, and announced a designation of 33 judges to replace the entire Supreme Court.

The move was swiftly denounced by the Supreme Court, which accused the assembly of attempting to "usurp powers."

The court, many of whose judges were hastily appointed shortly before the ruling party lost its majority in congress, called on military and civic agencies to take "coercive measures" against the assembly's attempt to overstep its boundaries.

Venezuela's armed forces are deploying troops across the country to guard a July 30 vote for a special assembly to rewrite the country's constitution.

President Nicolas Maduro claims the constituent assembly will resolve the political crisis in the country, but the opposition considers the vote an attempt by Maduro to grip power and has refused to participate.

Some 150,000 troops will be guarding 14,515 voting stations, as the country's 20 million registered voters go to the polls.

Due to violence potentials in Venezuela's highly charged political atmosphere, the nation's electoral body has set up "contingency centers" to serve as alternative voting sites should designated voting stations be blocked or attacked.

Stepped up anti-government demonstrations have left at least 102 people dead, including protesters, government supporters, police and other security personnel, according to official data.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 12:03:29|Editor: Yamei

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WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Six teenagers from Burundi have gone missing after attending an international robot contest held in Washington earlier this week, and two of them were reported to have entered Canada, police have said.

The four males and two females, who took part in the contest as a team, were last seen late Tuesday afternoon when the FIRST Global Challenge ended, authorities said Thursday.

Police have issued photos of those missing teenagers, and a spokesperson with the D.C. police said that 17-year-old Audrey Mwamikazi and 16-year-old Don Ingabire were seen crossing the U.S. border into Canada, without giving details about how the two Burundians were spotted or the nature of their border-crossings.

Canadian authorities said they could neither confirm nor deny the pair of teenagers' reported entry into the country.

Burundi has long been troubled by civil war. The Burundian Embassy in Washington said that neither did it know about the robot contest nor the participation of a Burundian team.

The organizer said the teenagers, who were granted one-year visas, put the keys to their rooms in their mentor's bag but took their clothes with them.

The other missing Burundian teenagers were Nice Munezero, 17; Kevin Sabumukiza, 17; Richard Irakoze, 18; and Aristide Irambona, 18.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 12:08:36|Editor: Yamei

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Michel Temer said on Friday that he understands the criticism to the tax hike announced by the government, but reiterated the necessity of the measure.

The Sao Paulo Industry Federation, an association of industrial leaders which usually supports Temer, released an official statement criticizing the tax hike and saying that raising taxes at a moment when the economic activity is only beginning to resume will make the crisis worse.

"It is a normal reaction, as no one wants more taxes. But I am sure this will pass when everyone realizes this is essential to boost growth, reach the fiscal target, and give stability to the country," said the president, who is attending a Mercosur summit in Argentina.

Temer added that no other tax hikes are in the government's plans for the near future, but noted that it is not off the table. "I do not know whether more raises will be necessary. Naturally there will be conversations about that, but for now there will be no more," he said.

The Finance and Planning ministries announced on Thursday that the government will increase tax on gasoline, diesel and ethanol to raise about 10.4 billion reais ( 3.3 billion U.S. dollars), while freezing 5.9 billion reais (1.9 billion U.S. dollars) in federal spending this year, in a latest effort to cut its long-standing budget deficit.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 12:58:50|Editor: Yang Yi

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by Xinhua writers Gao Pan, Jin Minmin, Jiang Yujuan

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The just-concluded inaugural China-U.S. Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) has charted the right course for economic cooperation between the world's two largest economies as the two sides eye a one-year plan to deepen pragmatic cooperation and resolve outstanding problems.

CHART COURSE FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION

"The two sides shared the view that the most important outcome of this round of dialogue is that it has charted the course for China-U.S. economic cooperation," the Chinese delegation attending the one-day dialogue said in a statement after the conclusion of the talks Wednesday.

The two sides agreed to take "win-win cooperation" as the basic principle for developing bilateral economic relations, "dialogue and consultation" as the basis means to tackle differences, and "regular communication on major economic policies" as the basic way of dialogue and cooperation, the statement said.

Although the high-level talks, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, ended with no joint statements, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao described the talks as "very candid, very friendly and very constructive" with positive outcomes.

Both sides "spoke highly" of the significant and balanced outcomes achieved under the 100-day economic cooperation plan, an important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April, Zhu said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Major outcomes of the 100-day plan includes U.S. beef returned to the Chinese market after 14 years of suspensions, and policy restrictions on U.S. liquefied natural gas exports to China began to be loosened.

After the U.S. presidential election last year, many fretted that China-U.S. trade relations would "enter a stormy season of winter and even run the risk of a trade war," Wang recalled Tuesday at a luncheon to the Chinese and U.S. business communities.

But the recent fruitful cooperation between the world's largest two economies has proven that China-U.S. economic cooperation is sailing on the right course, he said.

The CED is one of the four major dialogues the two sides established in April. The first round of the dialogue allows the two sides to focus not only on concrete economic and trade issues, but also on long-term and strategic policies that are important to bilateral economic relations.

ONE-YEAR COOPERATION PLAN

China and the United States discussed a one-year plan of economic cooperation in areas such as macro economy, trade, investment, and global economic governance during the dialogue, Zhu introduced.

Both teams would take follow-up actions to identify issues of the one-year plan, and look forward to determining the substance of an early harvest as soon as possible, he said.

"I don't think there's been enough negotiation to have a lot of concrete results," David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former official with the U.S. Treasury Department, told Xinhua, expecting the two sides to develop specific plans within the year.

He also noted that a high-quality U.S.-China bilateral investment treaty would help U.S. export its services to China and build a foundation for a better bilateral trading relationship. "The U.S. primarily exports services. It's hard to export services if you cannot invest," he said.

China has agreed to further open up its service sector and expand bilateral trade in services with the United States, as the country is shifting its economy toward a growth model powered by consumption, services and innovation.

"Despite a huge deficit in services trade with the United States, China nevertheless believed that trade in services between China and the United States is mutually beneficial," said the statement from the Chinese delegation.

Given the differences between China and the United States in the size and structure of their services industry, it remains possible for both sides to exploit their own comparative advantages and complement each other, the statement said, adding that "expanding bilateral trade in services can also promote balanced trading relations between the two sides."

In order to address trade imbalance, a top priority of the Trump administration, China has also urged the United States to remove its outdated regulations on export control and increase the exports of high-tech products to China, said Zhu, stressing that China will push for this demand in the one-year plan.

If the United States were to liberalize its export barriers against China to the same level as those applicable to Brazil or France, the U.S. trade deficit with China would narrow by up to 24 percent and 34 percent respectively, according to a research from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

STEEL EXCESS CAPACITY

Talks on steel excess capacity between China and the United States are watched closely by the international community as the Trump administration is about to release a report on the national security implications of steel imports in the coming weeks.

China shared the same view with the United States that steel overcapacity is a global issue, which requires a global collective response, Zhu said, adding China also emphasizes that the excess steel capacity has been a result of sluggish global economic recovery.

Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation told the U.S. side that China has actively taken measures to cut steel overcapacity, Zhu said, citing China's plans to reduce steel capacity by 100 million to 150 million tons from 2016 to 2020.

In defense of the U.S. steel industry, the Trump administration in April invoked a decades-old, rarely used trade tool, known as a Section 232 investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, to look into all foreign steel imports.

If the investigation concludes that steel imports would undermine U.S. national security, the trade law would allow the U.S. government to impose tariffs, quotas, or other measures to restrict the imports.

"I think an honest assessment of the national security issue would conclude that there is no national security issue because we mostly produce steel ourselves or we get it from Canada and Mexico, which are close allies of the United States," said Dollar.

In his view, it won't have much effect on China if the Trump administration imposes new tariffs on imported steel, as the United States only imports "a tiny percentage of" steel from China.

As the world's two largest economies and co-chairs of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity, China and the United States have maintained policy dialogue and communication regarding the steel glut, according to Zhu.

At the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany earlier this month, G20 leaders called on the forum to fulfill their commitments on enhancing information sharing and cooperation by August, and to rapidly develop concrete policy solutions that reduce steel excess capacity, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 13:54:05|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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KIGALI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A Rwandan mayor has been arrested for preventing people from attending presidential campaign rallies, police said Friday.

Jeremy Sinamenye, mayor of Rubavu district in western Rwanda, was arrested following complaints about breach of presidential electoral laws, Assistant Commissioner of Police Theos Badege told reporters in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda.

The suspect is accused of violating presidential candidates' rights, Badege said, adding that there are other suspects who are still at large as cases were reported in Nyagatare and Kirehe districts in eastern Rwanda, Nyaruguru district in the south and Rubavu district in the west.

"We urge all local leaders to uphold electoral laws during the campaign to avoid prosecution," Badege said.

Violation of electoral laws is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years, according to the penal code of Rwanda.

There are three candidates in the Aug. 4 election: incumbent President Paul Kagame of the Rwanda Patriotic Front, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philippe Mpayima, an independent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 14:09:10|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Federal troops will be shipped to Rio de Janeiro state to help local police tackle a serious public security crisis, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said Friday.

"We are activating a joint command with the armed forces to support an integrated security plan which will involve all federal and state police forces," the minister told RJTV.

The troops will remain in Rio state at least through the rest of the year and the joint operation will be funded by the defense budget.

Criminal activity is on the rise in Rio state. Shootings are commonplace in many neighborhoods, killing 90 police officers so far this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 14:39:17|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has released an environmental protection plan covering the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the latest move to protect the country's longest river from pollution.

The plan was jointly released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Water Resources.

It places an upper limit on the usage of water resources along the belt, said Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of environmental protection.

An ecological "red line" will be put in place to protect and restore the environment of key areas, Zhao said.

This is in line with government guidelines issued earlier this year on a nationwide ecological "red line" strategy that will place certain regions under mandatory and rigorous protection.

Water quality management will be based on a "bottom line" system to strengthen controls on pollution along the belt, especially at drinking water sources, according to Zhao.

The plan also demands improved responses to environmental emergencies and closer regional coordination, he said.

Stretching from southwest China's Yunnan Province to Shanghai, the Yangtze River Economic Belt covers nine provinces and two municipalities in an area of 2.05 million square kilometers.

In 2014, China made developing the economic belt a national strategy. The move was expected to boost development in riverside regions and provide new growth stimuli for China's slowing economy.

Authorities have stressed that environmental protection should be a priority in the development of the belt, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the country's population and economic aggregate.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 14:59:25|Editor: ying

Photo taken on July 22, 2017 shows Afghan military vehicles near the site of U.S. airstrike in Par Chawa village of Gereshk district, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Sixteen Afghan police personnel were killed in Friday's U.S.-led coalition forces airstrike which accidentally struck their position in southern Helmand province, the provincial government confirmed on Saturday. (Xinhua/Abdul Aziz Safdari)

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Sixteen Afghan police personnel were killed in Friday's U.S.-led coalition forces airstrike which accidently struck their position in southern Helmand province, the provincial government confirmed on Saturday.

"The incident occurred during an operation against Taliban militants in Par Chawa locality of Gereshk district Friday afternoon. And an investigation has been launched into the incident to determine the facts behind the regrettable incident," said a government statement.

The district, laying in north of provincial capital Lashkar Gah city, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and Taliban since early Thursday after Taliban attacked security checkpoints with suicide car bombs and heavy weapons.

The bombing took place shortly after Afghan forces captured several areas from militants in the restive district, local officials said.

U.S. military also confirmed the incident in a statement released here overnight, saying that "we would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident."

Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold.

Such incidents had also happened in the past. Two police were killed and four others wounded in similar incident in outskirts of Lashkar Gah late last month.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been on the rampage since late April when the Taliban launched its annual rebel offensive and intensified attacks across the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 15:04:23|Editor: Liangyu

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GUIYANG, July 22 (Xinhua) -- An international fly-in air show opened Friday at Jiuzhou airport, in southwest China's Guizhou Province, former base of "Flying Tigers," the First American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force during World War II.

The event was organized by the Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association of China.

More than 200 aircraft, including some from the United Kingdom and South Africa, are attending the five-day event.

In addition to an aerobatics display and night-time hot air balloon show, a simulated WWII air battle is also scheduled, according to the organizers.

The "Flying Tigers" were formed in 1941 by General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the U.S. 14th Air Fleet, to transport arms and other materials, and support China in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 15:44:38|Editor: Liangyu

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CHANGCHUN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Two police officers have gone missing after being sent to evacuate villagers from a flood-hit region of northeast China's Jilin Province on Friday.

The two, Cao Zhiyu and Wang Yansong, fell from their moving vehicle into floodwater at around 2:40 a.m. Friday, while driving over a bridge in Antu County, Yanbian Korean Prefecture.

The men were returning from evacuating villagers after torrential downpours since Thursday night caused two rivers to flood threatening the safety of nearby villages, said Ding Weicai, deputy chief of the local police bureau.

As of Saturday noon, their vehicle had been retrieved, but Cao and Wang had not been located, Ding said.

"The two officers, both born in the 1990s, had just graduated and started working. They were both diligent workers. We will find them no matter how much it costs," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 15:54:39|Editor: ying

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KABUL, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani congratulated the Afghan girls' robotics team on a big win during an international robotics contest held in the United States earlier this week, said the presidential palace on Saturday.

The six-member team won a silver medal Tuesday during the First Global Challenge event, a robotic contest that encourages youth to pursue careers in science.

"The president congratulates the Afghan girls' robotics team, their families, students and all people of Afghanistan on this breathtaking win," the palace said in a statement.

The Afghan leader has attributed the impressive win to the intelligence, courage, endeavors and creativity of the Afghan girls, the statement said, adding, "the participation and magnificent win of Afghan girls in the international robotics contest reflects the new image of Afghanistan."

"This win shows that despite problems, the Afghan girls are a role model for their peers in the fields of education and technology," Ghani was quoted as saying.

The Afghan youth should bring out the best of their ingenuity and ability and present the realistic image of Afghanistan to the world, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 17:00:13|Editor: ying

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MANILA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A joint session of the Philippine congress on Saturday approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend a 60-day martial law he imposed in the entire Mindanao in southern Philippines.

After debating for seven hours, 261 lawmakers, 16 from the Senate and 245 from the lower house, voted in favor of the extension. Only 18 voted against the motion - four senators and 14 members of the House of Representatives.

The vote came hours before the 60-day martial law proclamation ends on Saturday night.

In a letter to the congress last week, Duterte stressed the need to extend the martial law until Dec. 31, 2017, saying terror threat continues to hang over the Mindanao region and that more time is needed to crush the terror network that plans to establish a caliphate in that region.

On May 23, Duterte put the entire Mindanao under martial rule for 60 days after an estimated 700 extremists allied with the Islamic State (IS) group laid siege to the southern Marawi City.

"Upon a thorough personal assessment of the current situation in Marawi City and other parts of Mindanao, I have come to the conclusion that the existing rebellion in Mindanao, which prompted me to issue Proclamation No. 216 on May 23, 2017, will not be quelled completely by July 22, 2017, the last day of the 60-day period provided under section 18, article 7 of the 1987 constitution," Duterte said in the letter to the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Moreover, Duterte said terrorist groups Da'watul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masriq (DIWM) Islamic State-inspired elements of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf, the Ansarul Khilafah Philippines and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) continue to persist in Mindanao.

In his letter to the Congress, Duterte also said the Islamist militants' nearly two-month occupation of Marawi City has introduced an evolving type of "urban warfare" that may spill over to the other nearby provinces in Mindanao.

"Indeed, the crisis in Marawi City has introduced a newly evolving type of urban warfare - one that is characterized by the rebels' total disregards for civilian lives, cruelty to combatants and non-combatants alike, and widespread looting and pillaging of occupied communities," the letter read.

Despite the progress and significant strides against the extremists in Marawi City, Duterte claimed "the rebellion persists and a lot more remains to be done to completely quell the same and bring back the public order and safety in Mindanao."

The president said the terrorists continue to possess reinforcements, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies from outside Marawi.

"The rebels have been found to possess high-powered and military grade weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades and a large supply of ammunition. There have been reported entries of reinforcements, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies from outside Marawi City through clandestine routes," Duterte told the congress.

The militants are reportedly holding about 300 civilian hostages in Marawi.

The military said the ongoing Marawi conflict has so far claimed the lives of nearly 600 people, including 428 terrorists, 105 security forces and 45 civilians.

The Health Department said 40 more civilian evacuees who fled Marawi have also died from illnesses. It said nearly 500,000 civilians have been affected by the 60-day conflict.

More than 800 soldiers have also been wounded in the fighting to retake the rest of the city where around 80 militants are still holed up.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said there are 1,200 Islamist insurgents in Mindanao, specifically in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Jolo and Sulu.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 17:05:20|Editor: Song Lifang

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CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court on Saturday has confirmed death sentence against 28 persons over killing former public prosecutor in a bomb attack on his car in 2015, the Egyptian state TV reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 17:25:35|Editor: Song Lifang

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LUSAKA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has announced extra regulations to be implemented by the police following the declaration of a state of threatened emergency, state media reported on Saturday.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu announced a state of threatened emergency early this month by invoking Article 31 of the constitution in to give the police extra powers to deal with a spate of damage to public properties.

The declaration will be in force for three months after lawmakers approved it.

Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said among the regulations include imposing of curfews, blackouts and controlling of electricity, closing of premises, prohibiting certain activities at dwelling places and in public places, according to the Zambia Daily Mail.

He further said people could lose their passports and be held up to seven days in police custody instead of 48 hours during the extended powers given to the police.

The regulations had also extended the powers of other defense forces, he added.

He however assured that the regulations we're not meant to interfere with freedoms and liberties of the law for citizens.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 17:45:42|Editor: Song Lifang

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CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court on Saturday has confirmed death sentences against 28 people over the murder of a former public prosecutor in 2015, the Egyptian state TV reported.

Cairo Criminal Court also sentenced 15 to life term, which refers to 25 years in Egypt, eight to 15 years in prison, and 15 others to 10-year-imprisonment for the same case.

The defendants were convicted of premeditated murder, association with a terrorist organization and possessing weapons and explosives.

The same court last month referred the sentence of 31 to Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic official who gives the religious judgment of all preliminary death sentences.

Though the Mufti's opinion is non-binding as it is usually considered a formality, he confirmed death sentences against only 28.

Former prosecutor Hisham Barakat was killed in a car bombing in Cairo on June 29, 2015. The bomb targeted his convoy as it was leaving his home in Cairo.

Some 67 defendants were charged in the case, but one of them passed away before the sentence was confirmed.

A little-known group calling itself "the Giza Popular Resistance" claimed responsibility of the attack.

Before the attack, the Islamic State affiliate group in Sinai, known then as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis urged followers to attack judges.

Barakat was appointed as chief prosecutor following the ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 17:55:54|Editor: Song Lifang

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DAR ES SALAAM, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli has threatened to shut down foreign gold mining companies if proposed negotiations aimed at ending long-standing disputes continued to be delayed.

The disputes between the government and the mining firms center on royalties, which President Magufuli says Tanzania has been denied its due payments for a very long time.

Recently, the government and Barrick Gold, the largest shareholder of Acacia Mining, agreed to hold talks seeking to end the long standing dispute over royalties Acacia allegedly owes on gold exports but the talks have not been held to date.

Magufuli had in mid June this year during his meeting with Barrick Gold executive chairman, John Thornton in Dar es Salaam agreed to initiate formal talks to resolve the dispute between the government and Acacia mining.

This follows after two presidential committees revealed that Tanzania had lost over 45 billion U.S. dollars in royalties since the company started to operate in the country in the 1990's.

Addressing a public rally at Kakonko in Kigoma region soon after he had laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 50-kilometer road from Nyakanazi to Kibondo, Magufuli said Tanzania has been losing billions of dollars in exports of copper concentrates which mining companies were taking abroad for smelting.

"The current war against economic crime is aimed at benefiting poor citizens who have had their minerals stolen by few wealthy people in the name of investors," he said.

Magufuli added: "It is therefore unfair for the mining firms continue to benefit while our people have no medicines, electricity and struggle to get clean and safe water."

Magufuli asserted that the gold mining firms should consider the imminent talks as a priority or else he will not hesitate shutting down the mines.

The president said the government may resolve to give the mines to local investors so long as they paid appropriate taxes.

"This country wasn't supposed to be poor; it has been endowed with minerals which were stolen through export of copper concentrates," said Magufuli, appealing to Tanzanians to support him in his fight against economic crime, which he said was the toughest undertaking ever.

He said that if the country was getting its appropriate royalties since the mining companies started their operations, Tanzanians would have better social services, with improved infrastructure across the country.

In June this year, Magufuli met with John Thornton, Chairman of Barrick Gold Canada, parent company of Acacia Mining, to discuss the mineral sand saga after Magufuli received two reports on the exports of copper concentrates.

Magufuli said the meeting was successful and Barrick had "repented" for what had happened and they were now ready to compensate Tanzania for the loss that the country had incurred over the years.

In March this year, Magufuli formed two committees which probed the technical aspects of the gold concentrates and the economic and legal frameworks around the exports.

Early this month, the National Assembly approved laws aimed at forcing mining companies to renegotiate their contracts. Magufuli has already assented the laws.

Acacia Mining said recently that it was seeking an adjudicator to resolve its dispute with the government.

Acacia, Tanzania's largest miner, said in a statement that notices of arbitration were served on behalf of companies that own its Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi mines, hit by an export ban.

And the South African-based Anglogold Ashanti, owners of the Geita Gold Mine (GGM) in the Lake Zone, also announced intention filing for international arbitration over legislative changes in Tanzania which entitle the government to re-negotiate all existing mineral development agreements.

Among the changes passed by parliament and swiftly signed into law by President Magufuli on July 5 is a provision for the government to take ownership of a minimum 16 per cent stake in all operative mining companies at no cost, with the right to buy shares equal to half the business.

A host of mining companies operating in Tanzania requested share trading suspensions on July 3 following the emergence of the terms of legislation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 18:05:59|Editor: Song Lifang

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KABUL, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Up to 56 insurgents have been killed and 30 others injured during military operations conducted by Afghan security forces across the country, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"In past 24 hours, Afghan National Security and Defense Forces launched several cleanup and military operations to clear some of the areas from enemies. As a result, 56 armed militants were killed and 30 others were wounded," the ministry said in a statement.

The raids were conducted in parts of Nangarhar, Kapisa, Ghazni, Logar, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Kunduz, Faryab, Baghlan, Badakhshan and Helmand provinces, the statement said.

Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations recently as militancy and counter-militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in the Central Asian country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 18:31:07|Editor: ying

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MOSCOW, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian military officials and the moderate Syrian opposition have signed agreements regarding the de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Syria's capital Damascus, Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday.

"These documents define the borders of the de-escalation zone, the deployment sites and powers of the de-escalation control forces, as well as the routes for delivering humanitarian aid and free passage to the residents," said a statement released by the ministry.

The documents, a follow-up to the Astana agreements, were signed as a result of negotiations held in Egypt's capital Cairo between deputies of the Russian Defense Ministry and the moderate Syrian opposition with the mediation of the Egyptian side, according to the statement.

The first humanitarian convoy to the de-escalation zone and the evacuation of the wounded are planned in the coming days, the ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 18:51:14|Editor: ying

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YANGON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A motorbike explosion killed one and injured four others in Moe-Mauk town in Myanmar's northern Kachin state, according to the local police.

The accident took place near Moe-Mauk market at 9:10 a.m. local time (0240 GMT) on Saturday, a source from the Kachin police force told Xinhua.

The motorbike exploded near the car of U Lagai Naw San, an officer of local people's militia, while he was opening his car door, the source said.

The motorbike and the car were parked in front of a tea-shop outside the Moe-Mauk market.

The injured have been brought to hospitals for urgent treatment and U Lagai Naw San was reportedly dead in hospital.

The cause of the explosion was still unclear and the accident was under investigation, said the police force of Kachin state.

Moe-Mauk, located in the south of Kachin state, is 13 km to the east of Bhamo city.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 19:06:25|Editor: ying

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by Raul Menchaca

HAVANA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States' sanction threat against Venezuela could backfire by reviving its image as an arrogant imperial power in the region, Cuban political observer Manuel Yepe has said.

"The United States does not gain very much by imposing sanctions against Venezuela and the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro," Yepe, a former diplomat and ex-director of Cuba's Prensa Latina news agency, told Xinhua on Friday.

The United States took a more explicit stance to back Venezuela's opposition in its struggle for power earlier this week, echoing the opposition's demand that the government cancel the July 30 election for the members of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to review the constitution and possibly draft a new one.

The government reckons the July 30 election as the best way to lead the country out of the current political and economic crisis, while the opposition sees the move as a power grab by Maduro.

On Monday, a White House statement from President Donald Trump warned: "If the Maduro regime imposes its Constituent Assembly on July 30, the United States will take strong and swift economic actions."

However, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said "it is not the first time we have denounced and confronted crazy threats such as those contained in this unusual document," and vowed to hold the vote as planned, despite this latest "brutal threat."

"If (the U.S.) goes through with it, Latin America would react in a big way," said Yepe.

Some 150,000 Venezuelan troops will be guarding 14,515 voting stations, as the country's 20 million registered voters go to the polls on July 30.

While "the sanctions would make Venezuela's domestic situation worse, it would not benefit the United States to add difficulties to its cracked hegemonic power," said Yepe.

The right of calling for a constituent assembly is consecrated in the country's 1999 constitution, he said.

"The Venezuelan state has the power to do what it is doing. There is nothing illegal or punishable about it," he said.

However, Yepe said, Venezuela's aspirations clash with those of the "U.S. establishment, which wants to remove from the top the problem that an independent Venezuela presents for its hegemonic plans in Latin America."

"After the constituent (vote) we will know if it is an effective measure, because right now it is being questioned by many people," he said.

The clash between the government and the opposition became a constitutional crisis in January 2016, when the latter won control of the National Assembly and ended a 17-year control by former president Hugo Chavez and his successor Maduro.

According to Yepe, the opposition has erred in resorting to escalating violence and disregarding the opportunities for a negotiated solution to the political stalemate.

"Dialogue would be the solution that benefits everyone, especially its people, who are paying for the increasingly violent clashes with blood," he said.

Anti-government demonstrations have claimed more than 100 lives since April, with several government supporters lynched by angry mobs of protesters.

A destabilized Venezuela is bad for Latin America, but a civil war or foreign military intervention would be much worse, said Yepe, who hopes the country will be able to overcome the protracted political crisis peacefully.
Nigerian soldiers participate in an operation in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, March 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Wale Salau)

LAGOS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has directed troops to capture Abubakar Shekau, self-styled leader of the Boko Haram sect, "dead or alive."

In a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub on Saturday, Buratai directed Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, to do so within 40 days.

He said the Commander should employ all arsenal at the disposal of the Theater Command to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria.

He appealed to members of the public to assist in providing information that would rid the society of these insurgents.

In November, 2016, the Nigerian army declared leader of the Boko Haram sect, and 54 insurgents, wanted for various "terror acts."

The development comes two months after Sani Usman, an army spokesman, claimed Shekau was fatally wounded during a raid on Sambisa forest.

Shekau has always debunked the claims of the military that he had been killed.

In September, 2014, security forces announced that one Mohammed Bashir, who had been posing as the "eccentric character" Shekau, had been taken down. It maintained that the sect leader was killed during a military raid on Sambisa forest.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame (C), Jack Ma (R), founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi attend the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on July 21, 2017. Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

KIGALI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday advised African youth entrepreneurs to think out of the box and create a bigger e-commerce on the continent.

He made the remarks while delivering his keynote address at the inaugural of YouthConnekt Africa Summit in the Rwandan capital Kigali that focuses on promoting job creation through entrepreneurship and skills development among the youth in Africa.

"Africa is a home and solution for inclusive economy that the world needs. Think big and think about future. You have a great potential, the future of e-commerce in Africa is bigger than Europe and U.S.," said Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

"Think big for the future. It took me 18 years to build e-commerce, but it could take you 5 to 8 years to build e-commerce in Africa since the continent has already laid a conducive environment for you to thrive," said the special advisor of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

He said that African entrepreneurs should learn from failure. "Africa has to get used to failure. If you can't, then how can you win?"

The three-day summit is organized by the government of Rwanda, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and UNDP. The summit from July 19 to 21 is dubbed: "Realizing Africa's Youth Potential."

Participants listen to the speech delivered by Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on July 21, 2017. Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

It has attracted over 3,000 participants including top executives from multinational companies, leaders of civil society organizations, Africa's development partners, members of the academia and youth entrepreneurs from 90 countries across Africa and beyond to interact and discuss on enhancing the potential of the youth in Africa, according to the organizers.

At the summit, Ma announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 20:01:47|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has concluded his state visit to China, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward a new four-point proposal on the Palestine issue.

Analysts said that Abbas paid his visit to China, from July 17-20, at a time when the Palestine-Israel peace talks remain stalled, U.S. President Donald Trump's policies towards Palestine and Israel remain elusive, and China is pushing the Belt and Road Initiative in the Middle East.

Currently, the Palestine issue seems to have been marginalized as frequent conflicts have been popping up in the Middle East in recent years after the last round of peace talks between Israel and Palestine stalled in 2014.

Palestine wishes the world would pay attention once again to its issue and provide assistance.

During the talks with Abbas on Tuesday, Xi made a new four-point proposal that had more content than the previous version, which Xi made in May 2013 during Abbas's visit to China.

In the new proposal, Xi not only reiterated that China supports a two-state solution to the Palestine issue and supports Palestine in building an independent, fully sovereign state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, but also introduced new initiatives.

These initiatives include China's concrete measures to back Palestine's economic development, such as supporting Chinese companies to invest in Palestine and build industrial parks and solar power plants together with the Palestinian side.

Meanwhile, as Palestine's border, customs and infrastructure facilities are currently under Israel's control, China has proposed ways to ensure the implementation of these measures, such as a tripartite dialogue mechanism among China, Palestine and Israel to promote major projects to assist the Palestinian side.

Under the proposal, China will host a symposium on peace between Palestine and Israel later this year.

Chen Shuangqing, a Middle East expert from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that promoting contacts and communications between Palestine and Israel through non-governmental channels might help re-start the Palestine-Israel political dialogue.

During Abbas's visit to China, China's new thinking on the Middle East issue -- promoting peace through development -- was clearly reflected in China's new moves on the Palestine-Israel issue, said Wu Sike, China's former special envoy to the Middle East.

President Xi mentioned the new thinking for the first time in a speech delivered at the headquarters of the Arab League in Egypt in January 2016, Wu said, adding Abbas's just-concluded visit made this new thinking clearer.

On the Palestine-Israel issue, China has its own advantages as it maintains good ties with both Palestine and Israel and is able to mediate between them, Chen said.

China is expected to play a bigger role in the Middle East in the future, especially as the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative advances in the region, said Wu Yihong, a Chinese expert on the Middle East.

China's constructive role is necessary to help the international community to find a way to ease unrest in the Middle East, he added.
Jack Ma, founder of the world's largest e-commerce trading platform Alibaba, attends a meeting with local entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kenya, July 20, 2017. Ma is visiting Kenya in a tour arranged by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), to promote global entrepreneurship and to mentor young and upcoming entrepreneurs. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

KIGALI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa.

"I will work with UNCTAD to support 200 African entrepreneurs in the next 5 years," said Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Ma, also special advisor of UNCTAD also announced that he will work with universities and governments to develop training program for African young people on e-commerce and cloud computing.

The third project is to set up a conservation award for conservation rangers. Every year, the award will be used to recognize 50 African wildlife conservation rangers who has been guarding natural heritages, said Ma.

"We plan to have the program lasting for 10 years to initiate a closer link in the conservation world between China and Africa," he said.

According to him, the award will be contributed by Alibaba Foundation and Paradise Foundation, a China-based conservation organization.

Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, speaks during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on July 21, 2017. Chinese billionaire entrepreneur Jack Ma on Friday announced four projects to support African entrepreneurs, African young people and efforts of conservation in Africa. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

"I'm going to personally donate 10 million U.S. dollars to establish a young entrepreneurs development fund, to support young people like you! To support hope today, and it becomes prosperity for tomorrow," he said.

Ma made the announcement at the YouthConnekt Africa Summit being held in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda. The three-day summit is organized by the government of Rwanda, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and UNDP. The summit from July 19 to 21 is dubbed: "Realizing Africa's Youth Potential."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (4th R) meets with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem (3th L) in Moscow, Russia, on April 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

MOSCOW, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian military officials and the moderate Syrian opposition have signed agreements regarding the de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Syria's capital Damascus, Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday.

"These documents define the borders of the de-escalation zone, the deployment sites and powers of the de-escalation control forces, as well as the routes for delivering humanitarian aid and free passage to the residents," said a statement released by the ministry.

The documents, a follow-up to the Astana agreements, were signed as a result of negotiations held in Egypt's capital Cairo between deputies of the Russian Defense Ministry and the moderate Syrian opposition with the mediation of the Egyptian side, according to the statement.

The first humanitarian convoy to the de-escalation zone and the evacuation of the wounded are planned in the coming days, the ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 21:02:13|Editor: ying

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ISTANBUL, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's intention to purchase Russian-made S-400 air defense system may leave its NATO allies with the feeling that Ankara is drifting away from the West, analysts told Xinhua.

"Such a move would be perceived as getting away from NATO," said Haldun Solmazturk, a retired army general in the Turkish military.

The deal over Russia's sophisticated S-400 system is at the final stage now, with only some details remaining to be settled, according to latest statements from Turkish and Russian officials.

If finalized, the deal may send out a message that Turkey is moving away from NATO, remarked Celalettin Yavuz, a security policy analyst from Istanbul Ayvansaray University.

Reports of the deal being close to be done appeared one after the other in the Turkish media last week.

The negotiations for the long range S-400 missiles that started last year are about to be concluded in a positive way, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik told reporters on Tuesday. He underlined, however, that it would be wrong to say the deal is done before the final signatures are put.

Solmazturk feels that Isik's remarks may imply that Turkey could give up shopping the Russian system in the end, while remarks by a high-level Russian official on Wednesday raised doubts about the deal as well.

"Despite having reached an agreement in principle, our negotiations with Turkey about the S-400 are going on," Dmitry Shugayev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, was quoted as saying by Sputnik.

Under U.S. and NATO pressure, Turkey backed away in 2015 from a deal with a Chinese firm for the supply of an air defense system.

"Buying an air defense system from Russia would be a historic move," Solmazturk stated, noting air defense system is the one area in which integration among NATO countries is the highest priority.

If the deal is concluded, Turkey would be increasingly seen by NATO as an outsider despite being officially part of the defense bloc, he maintained.

NATO and the U.S. flatly reject the integration of a foreign air defense unit to the NATO's radar system. Turkey said the Russian system will not be incorporated into the NATO defense system.

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis underlined at a press meeting last week that the Russian system would not be interoperable with the NATO systems. "We'll have to see, does it (the deal) go through? Do they (the Turks) actually employ it? Do they employ it only in one area?" he said.

Turkey awarded its first tender for a long-range air defense system to a Chinese firm in 2013, criticizing its grumbling NATO partners for failing to include transfer of technology and asking for a higher price in their own bids for the tender.

"The U.S. would be disturbed by the Russian sale of weapons to Turkey," said Yavuz, a retired captain in the Turkish Navy. "It may also try to exert pressure over Turkey."

Turkey's ties with some of its NATO partners, including the U.S. and Germany, have been strained in recent years, as Ankara accuses them of hosting terrorists or providing weapons to them.

As to Washington, its continued arming of and reliance on the Kurdish militia forces in Syria in the battle against the Islamic State is an anathema to Ankara in particular and has alienated bilateral ties.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken several times over the years of Turkey's willingness to be part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, of which Russia and China are leading members.

As a regional power, Ankara said it urgently needs a long-range air defense system.

In 2015, the U.S., Germany and the Netherlands removed their Patriot missiles stationed on Turkish soil on the grounds that Syria was no longer posing a serious threat to Turkey.

Russia's S-400 system can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously and shoot down aircraft at a range of up to 400 km. It is also effective against cruise and ballistic missiles.

Some reports said Turkey would buy four batteries of S-400 missiles for 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. The Hurriyet daily reported, however, that the country is actually planning to buy a total of 24 batteries of the defense system for the same amount.

All technical issues regarding the supply of the air defense system to Turkey have been resolved, a top Russian defense official said on Tuesday.

The statement by Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Russia's state-owned Rostec Corporation, appeared on news portals several hours after Isik's remarks on the same day.

Only administrative and financial issues remain to be settled by the two governments, Chemezov was quoted as saying.

Noting the negotiations with the Russian Ministry of Finance are underway, he reportedly added, "Most likely, some funds for this project will be provided by Turkey itself, and some will be received in the form of a loan."

According to press reports, Turkey is asking for a loan from Russia for the purchase.

The most striking detail in Chemezov's statement is that Russia would not agree to the production of the S-400 system in Turkey, as Moscow has no plan to do so.

Turkey, for its part, has been insistent on co-production and transfer of technology since it first launched the tender for the air defense system.

Buying the Russian system does not make sense if there is no transfer of technology, said Solmazturk, who currently chairs the Incek debates at the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute.

Echoing the sentiment, Yavuz said that it is highly important as well for Russia agreeing to provide technological assistance in upgrading the system in the future.

As opposed to its first attempt to acquire a long-range air defense system by a tender, Turkey has been directly negotiating with Russia without a tender.

A NATO member since 1952, Turkey has many NATO facilities and radars installed on its territory.

Buying a Russian air defense system not compatible with the NATO system would not be all that functional and cost-effective, some feel.

Edogan Karakus, a retired air force general, partly shares such a concern.

Noting Turkey has radars not integrated with the NATO system, Karakus said, "We would integrate the S-400 missiles with those radars and get satisfactory results."

The Hurriyet daily reported that the first batch of the missiles, half of the 24 batteries, would be delivered by Russia in 2019, while the rest would be jointly produced in Turkey thereafter.

An unnamed Turkish officer, cited by Bloomberg.com, also claimed that half the batteries would be produced in Turkey.

In the view of Karakus, Turkey should buy the S-400 system even if it is just a single battery and Russia would not agree to the transfer of technology.

Noting the Turkish military has a highly advanced electronic warfare base at Konya where jet pilots are trained, he said, "So our pilots would also acquire skills in electronic warfare against the S-400 if such a system is available there."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 21:27:26|Editor: ying

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DAMASCUS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army declared a ceasefire in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus starting at noon Saturday, according to state news agency SANA.

The army said that any violation of the ceasefire will be responded to accordingly, stopping short of giving details on how long the ceasefire will last.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its officials had signed a deal with moderate Syrian opposition at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function.

"As a result of talks held in Cairo between Russian defense ministry officials and moderate Syrian opposition brokered by the Egyptian side, agreements have been signed on how the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone will function," the defense ministry said.

"The documents fix borders of the de-escalation zone, locations and authorities of the forces observing the de-escalation, as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and for free movement of the civilians," the ministry said.

It added that "the first humanitarian convoy to the de-escalation zone and evacuation of the injured are due within days."

Meanwhile, the rebel group Jaish al-Islam, the main rebel force in Eastern Ghouta, said it agrees to the de-escalation deal in Eastern Ghouta.

According to the Russian Sputnik, Muhammad Allosh, an official in Jaish al-Islam, said the deal entered into effect and will contribute to breaking the siege on Ghouta and allowing the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel to the Ghouta areas.

He added that there will be a separation points between his group and the government forces, "and that is considered a part of the political solution and a prelude for the political settlement according to the international resolutions."

The opposition stronghold of Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by Syrian government allies Iran and Russia and opposition backer Turkey in May.

However, the deal wasn't fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism of the de-escalation zones in the four Syrian areas.

Earlier this month, a ceasefire reached by the US and Russia went into force in southern Syrian areas and was seen as a prelude to fix the ceasefire in the de-escalation zones in Syria as a prelude to any political settlement to the country's long-running conflict.

Eastern Ghouta is a sprawling terrain, largely agricultural, which was among the first areas to fall to the rebels in the early times of the over six-year conflict. Rebels in Ghouta have been responsible for the blind mortar shelling that targeted the capital on daily basis.

Several truces failed to take hold in that area, until last May when the de-escalation zones' deal went into force, which largely contributed to a sharp decrease in the attacks against the capital.

Still, the Syrian army has recently been on a wide-scale offensive to dislodge the Qatari-backed Failaq al-Rahman rebels from Ayn Tarma area in Eastern Ghouta.

Those rebels have been excluded from the deal, as they are allies with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.
People walk past a huge banner for Egypt's army chief, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in front of the High Court of Justice in downtown Cairo, on Saturday. Poster reads, "We love and support you. You are our president and leader". (Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated on Saturday the largest military base of the Middle East in the coastal city of Alexandria.

The president raised the Armed Forces flag on the new base in el Hammam city, west of Alexandria.

The military base was named after late president Mohamed Naguib, who orchestrated 1952 revolution which ended the royal regime in Egypt.

The new military base is the biggest in the Middle East and Africa regions, according to official news agency MENA.

The base, which is built on what used to be a military city, constructed in 1993, consists of 1,155 buildings established and renovated over the past two years, the spokesperson of the armed forces Tamer el-Refai said in a statement.

The military base will also serve as a headquarters to some forces of the Northern Military Unit, which expected to increase its efficiency in protecting west of Alexandria, the North Coast, the currently under construction Al-Dabaa nuclear power plant, and oil fields, the statement added.

The 72-km long road base will also be used in military exercises with the armies of other countries.

The statement added the new base has 72 integral battlefields for training, along with complexes for electronic shooting platforms.

It also accommodates 27 rest houses for top officials, and 29 buildings for officers, as well as a large camp for housing 1,000 soldiers, and 50-bed hospital, as well as a conferences center, museum and mosque.

"In light of what the Middle East witnesses of direct threats to the national security, especially coming from the western strategic part, the armed forces was keen to promote its capabilities at the western part to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons," the statement added.

The armed forces continue to modernize its battling system, developing the performance of its fighters and protecting its national security, it reiterated.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Egypt's top officials as well as Arab princes and ambassadors.

The Arab delegation included Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nuhayyan, Saudi King's adviser Prince Khaled al Faysal and Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

In his speech Sisi stressed the importance of constructive cooperation to confront the challenges besetting the Arab nation.

The nature of wars has changes and the enemies have adopted indirect confrontation to terrorize civilians and incite frustration, the president said.

"Terrorism is a complicated phenomenon with diversified faces. No one could tolerate terrorism of those financing or sheltering terrorists," Sisi added.

Since Sisi stepped into office in 2014, he worked on rebuilding the armed forces, concluded many arm deals with the United States, France, Russia and other countries.

Egypt faces security threats which require diversifying the army resources and improving the army preparations, Samir Ghatas, chairman of the Middle East Forum for Strategic and Security Studies told Xinhua.

Ghatas also said that there are challenges on the borders with Libya, Sinai and Sudan. Also preserving the security of Bab al-Mandab strait threatened by the tensions in Yemen is essential for the security of the new and the old Suez Canal, in addition to the necessity to secure the new gas discoveries on the Mediterranean Sea.

Egypt should be ready also for entering any war in support of its "Gulf allies, which constitute the defense line for Egypt," the strategic expert added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 22:07:57|Editor: Liangyu

A child attends the drinking competition in a shopping mall in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, July 22, 2017. The shopping mall held a drinking competition to bring people coolness in this hot summer. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
A truck drives down a destroyed street in a rebel-held area in Daraa on July 19, 2017, as civilians started to return to the area following the July 9 agreement ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan creating a de-escalation zone in Syria's southern Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida regions. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army declared a ceasefire in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus starting at noon Saturday, according to state news agency SANA.

The army said that any violation of the ceasefire will be responded to accordingly, stopping short of giving details on how long the ceasefire will last.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its officials had signed a deal with moderate Syrian opposition at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function.

"As a result of talks held in Cairo between Russian defense ministry officials and moderate Syrian opposition brokered by the Egyptian side, agreements have been signed on how the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone will function," the defense ministry said.

"The documents fix borders of the de-escalation zone, locations and authorities of the forces observing the de-escalation, as well as routes for delivery of humanitarian aid and for free movement of the civilians," the ministry said.

It added that "the first humanitarian convoy to the de-escalation zone and evacuation of the injured are due within days."

Meanwhile, the rebel group Jaish al-Islam, the main rebel force in Eastern Ghouta, said it agrees to the de-escalation deal in Eastern Ghouta.

According to the Russian Sputnik, Muhammad Allosh, an official in Jaish al-Islam, said the deal entered into effect and will contribute to breaking the siege on Ghouta and allowing the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel to the Ghouta areas.

He added that there will be a separation points between his group and the government forces, "and that is considered a part of the political solution and a prelude for the political settlement according to the international resolutions."

The opposition stronghold of Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by Syrian government allies Iran and Russia and opposition backer Turkey in May.

However, the deal wasn't fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism of the de-escalation zones in the four Syrian areas.

Earlier this month, a ceasefire reached by the US and Russia went into force in southern Syrian areas and was seen as a prelude to fix the ceasefire in the de-escalation zones in Syria as a prelude to any political settlement to the country's long-running conflict.

Eastern Ghouta is a sprawling terrain, largely agricultural, which was among the first areas to fall to the rebels in the early times of the over six-year conflict. Rebels in Ghouta have been responsible for the blind mortar shelling that targeted the capital on daily basis.

Several truces failed to take hold in that area, until last May when the de-escalation zones' deal went into force, which largely contributed to a sharp decrease in the attacks against the capital.

Still, the Syrian army has recently been on a wide-scale offensive to dislodge the Qatari-backed Failaq al-Rahman rebels from Ayn Tarma area in Eastern Ghouta.

Those rebels have been excluded from the deal, as they are allies with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 22:32:50|Editor: ying

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TEHRAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Revolutionary Guards detained a Saudi Arabian fishing boat and arrested its crew, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Saturday.

The vessel was detained on Friday after it crossed into Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf, the report said.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are at their worst in years, with each accusing the other of subverting regional security and supporting opposite sides in conflicts in Syria,Iraq and Yemen.

Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for being behind deadly twin attacks on June 7 in Tehran claimed by Islamic State. At least 18 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 22:32:52|Editor: An

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HANGZHOU, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Residents of Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, have flooded into local blood donation centers, following an explosion that killed two and injured 45 others on Friday.

As of Saturday morning, seven of the injured, two males and five females, remained in critical conditions, and doctors have traveled from Shanghai to assist with their treatment, according to provincial health authorities.

Yang Jing, director of the provincial health and family planning commission, is leading the treatment plan.

The explosion ripped through the ground and second floors of three restaurants at around 8:30 a.m., destroying an area of 200 square meters on Gudun Road near West Lake. The blast shattered the windows of passing vehicles, including a bus, which caused most of the injuries.

Bottled liquefied petroleum gas has been blamed for causing the explosion.

Liang Chao said he was lucky as he took a detour on his way to work on Friday morning to avoid a traffic jam.

"I drive along that road every day, and could have been one of the victims," he said, while waiting in line to donate blood along with his wife, surnamed Chen.

After hearing about the explosion, the couple rushed to a blood donation center just 300 meters from the blast site.

"We often eat at these restaurants. Many of the injured were here to have breakfast or wait for buses outside," said Chen. "I hope we can help them by donating blood."

Simon Quirin, a German national working in Hangzhou, was among the donors waiting at the center. "I saw a news report about the blast, and as it's been enough time since I last donated blood, I am able to donate again now," he said.

Hao Weichen and many others who regularly donate blood were quick to arrive at the blood donation centers.

"As experienced volunteers, we know we are needed following the accident like this," said Hao, who has donated blood over 200 times.

According to the provincial blood donation headquarters, 1,448 people had donated blood as of 11 p.m. Friday.

The blood donation centers have announced they will extend opening hours on Saturday.

As of 8 a.m., the six hospitals treating the blast victims had used 21,600 mm of red blood cells and nearly 30,000 mm of plasma as transfusions for the injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 22:52:53|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government has decided to establish a new Aviation Holding Group with various diversified aviation strategic business units, Ethiopian Airlines announced on Saturday.

"The Ethiopian Government has decided to establish a new Aviation Holding Group with various diversified aviation strategic business units: Ethiopian Airports Enterprises, Passenger Airline, Cargo Airline and Logistics Company, Ethiopian Aviation Academy, Ethiopian In-flight Catering Services, Ethiopian MRO Services, Ethiopian Hotel and Tourism Services," state news agency ENA quoted Ethiopian Airlines as saying.

The new Group Structure will allow all the fully owned companies to pursue shared long-term vision and common planning platform while they provide high quality global standard services to their mutual customers, it was indicated.

Ethiopian Airports Enterprise has joined the new Aviation Group in a bid to leverage the strong synergy among the group member companies, it was noted.

The report, however, indicated that the Ethiopian Airports Company will maintain its internal autonomy, its own brand, and its functions playing an important and central role to integrate the services of all stakeholders such as airlines, immigration services, customs, security services, ground handlers and others.

According to the report, passenger satisfaction is the main focus of all service providers, noting that "the ultimate aim is to upgrade the customer experience at the airport to meet global standard and thereby making Addis Ababa airport the best connecting hub in Africa."

Tewolde GebreMariam, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, also lauded the move saying that it is "an important decision in paving the way for the formation of the Ethiopian Aviation Group as a holding company in line with international best practices which will enable to transform all airports in Ethiopia."

Ethiopian airline flies to more than 100 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 22:57:55|Editor: yan

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RAMALLAH, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigodor Lieberman said Saturday that the attacker's home would be demolished swiftly.

He called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn the attack he described as a "slaughter." Lieberman and army chief Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, visited the scene of the attack.

Israel's defense minister consulted with senior commanders in the West Bank on Saturday, a day after a Palestinian stabbed to death three members of an Israeli family in their home.

The father of the 20-year-old Palestinian assailant said he believes his son was upset over the loss of Palestinian lives and wanted to protect the "honor" of the Jerusalem holy site.

The Israeli military said the assailant killed a man and two of his adult children, while a woman was wounded.

On Saturday morning, Israeli troops searched the assailant's family home in the West Bank village of Kobar and detained one of his brothers, the army said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 23:17:59|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah group kept advancing against the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Fronts in barren areas on the Syrian and Lebanese side of the borders on Saturday, said a military source.

The military source told Xinhua that the military forces and Hezbollah captured around six areas in the Qalamoun mountainous region northwest of Damascus, coupled with the advance of Hezbollah also on the Lebanese side of the borders in the Juroud Arsal barrens, which borders the Syrian Qalamoun region.

The Syrian Air Force took part in the battle, carrying out five air raids on the Flaita barrens in Qalamoun.

On the Lebanese side of the borders, the Nusra militants hoisted white flags as a sign of surrendering in the Okab al-Dub area in Arsal amid a state of confusion among their ranks as many of their left their weapons and fled.

The battle was anticipated as it aims to end the presence of the al-Qaida-linked militants in the barren areas of both countries, as the militants used to smuggle weapons and explosives to both countries using the barren areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 23:18:00|Editor: yan

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HARARE, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Friday appealed for youths to register in their numbers ahead of national elections next year.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF, which has relied more on the women's vote, is targeting the youth vote to win next year's polls.

"We are going towards the election date. Are our people registered as voters, all of them even those young ones who yesterday were 16, 17 years old and have become 18 and therefore now able to vote?" Mugabe said while addressing his fourth provincial youth interface rally in Lupane, Matabeleland Province.

He tasked the party's youth wing to ensure that all party youths were registered, including those in colleges and universities, local media reported Saturday.

"Our universities have lots of young people, we should not ignore them, approach them," he said.

Mugabe has been endorsed by his party as its presidential candidate for next year's polls, when he will be 94.

His party, however, is riddled with intense factionalism as senior members vie to succeed him.

He praised the youths for shunning factionalism, saying they, together with the women's wing, remained in support of his presidency.

"There is no back biting (among the party youths), no factions and they have no desire at the moment to be successors when the president is still there," Mugabe said.

Mugabe berated the opposition MDC-T as a "zero" party that was bankrupt of policy programs to develop the country.

"People should look at what these so-called opposition parties really are. What are their proposals and programs for the nation?" he said.

Mugabe is likely to square off with his perennial rival, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in next year's presidential polls.

Meanwhile, Mugabe condemned violence by his party supporters ahead of the election.

He said the party must not tolerate perpetrators of violence, warning that members should decisively deal and stop "those small groups in the name of ZANU-PF that were beating up people."

"That is not our mode of operation. We should not allow those small groups to spoil our name. If you see them, hold them, kick them and give them the punishment they deserve and then call police afterwards," Mugabe said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 23:28:10|Editor: Yurou Liang

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PHNOM PENH, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian police arrested a Laotian man on Saturday for allegedly smuggling nearly 5 kilos of crystal methamphetamine from Laos into Cambodia, an anti-drug police officer said.

Yin Panharith, head of an anti-drug team at the Interior Ministry's Anti-Drug Department, said Chakly Chertaly, 22, was caught in northern Cambodia's Stung Treng province which borders Laos.

"Five big packs of illicit drug totally weighed nearly 5 kilograms were seized from the suspect during the raid," he said in a report released to the media.

Cambodia has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, a person who traffics more than 80 grams of drug will face life imprisonment.

The Southeast Asian country had arrested 9,694 suspects in 4,334 drug-related cases during the first six months of 2017, said a National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) report, adding that more than 120 kilograms of illicit drugs had been confiscated.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-22 23:43:25|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday condemned Israel's excessive use of force against Palestinians in East Jerusalem, urging an immediate end to its new restrictions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

It is "unacceptable" that Israel imposed new restrictions, including placing metal detectors at the entrance, to the Al-Aqsa compound, President Erdogan said in a written statement released on the Presidency website.

"As the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Term President, I condemn Israeli forces' use of excess force on our brothers gathered for Friday prayer, the Friday prayer not being allowed in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and Israel's persistence in its attitude despite all warnings," he said.

The Turkish president urged Israel to return to the status quo before the latest move.

Erdogan also called for the international community to immediate end the measures that restrict freedom of worship.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a phone conversation on Friday with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki about the recent tension after Israel imposed restrictions on the Al-Aqsa compound.

Israel's imposition of metal detectors on the site this week triggered protests that left at least three Palestinians dead and hundreds wounded as clashes between Palestinian and Israeli forces broke out in several cities across the West Bank after Friday prayers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 00:13:31|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian Minister of Transport Ahmed Shide, who hailed his country's overall relations with China, has called for further strengthening the existing inclusive partnership between the two friendly countries.

Shide, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Saturday, hailed Chinese engagement with the east African country both in business and people-to-people relations.

"We have broadened the partnership in so many areas with infrastructure cooperation being one area, industrial development cooperation another area, agricultural development cooperation is another one together with cooperation in capacity building," he said.

Ethiopia's Ministry of Transport supervises the country's overall infrastructure development endeavor that includes airport construction and expansion activities, railway construction projects and road infrastructure developments.

"In the last 20 years the level of economic cooperation has grown very fast. It will facilitate industrial manufacturing development, boost Ethiopia's competitiveness," Shide stressed.

"Chinese engagement in Ethiopia is harmoniously contributing to the development of Ethiopia," he said, adding that "Chinese personnel, be it workers or business people, are contributing to the development of Ethiopia."

Referring to Chinese-funded and built infrastructure development projects in Ethiopia, Shide further noted that the current partnership between Ethiopia and China needs to be strengthened.

"Interaction of Chinese with Ethiopians is very positive and it's growing. The integration process will continue. Business to business, people to people engagement, cultural exchanges have to be strengthened," he said.

He also commended the people to people relations between the two countries, saying that "Chinese people have become well known in Ethiopia as they engaged in industrial development, infrastructure, roads, rails along with Ethiopians. Some Ethiopians have even started speaking Chinese," he said.

The Minister, who was previously Ethiopia's Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, also lauded Chinese support to Ethiopia's ambition to be a manufacturing hub of the African continent.
A Free Syrian Army fighter holds his weapon in al-Ghariyah al-Gharbiyah town, in Deraa province, Syria July 22, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

DAMASCUS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian rebels have never been more confused with the change of international approaches toward the Syrian crisis.

One of the most recent moves deemed as a blow to the Syrian rebels is the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the CIA's covert program to arm and train "moderate Syrian rebels" battling the government of Bashar al-Assad.

The CIA program was launched in 2013 by the Obama Administration to arm, fund and train "moderate" opposition fighters in the Free Syrian Army (FSA) to oust the Assad government.

The program, which involved an estimated number of 10,000 fighters over the past four years, is thought to have achieved little success and was met with many snags after Moscow intervened to support the Syrian army in 2015.

"Trump's decision is considered a turning point toward the political reality and this shift existed at the time of former U.S. President Barack Obama, who apparently realized that the rebels in Syria are unreliable," Osama Danura, a Syrian political expert who was a member of the government delegation to Geneva talks, told Xinhua.

Danura said the U.S. administration, the Pentagon and the CIA reached a conclusion that the so-called moderate rebels cannot represent a strong ally on the ground in Syria.

The U.S. realized that the weapons provided for such moderate rebels will end up in the hands of extremist groups such as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and the Islamic State (IS), he noted.

Abdul-Bari Atwan, a London-based journalist, wrote recently that the CIA has been training and arming Syrian factions in Jordan and Turkey as well as Syria, while pumping hundreds of millions of dollars and tons of weapons and ammunition without achieving the desired goal of bringing down the Syrian regime.

"This decision wasn't a surprise in the light of the change of the U.S. political priorities, the U.S.-Russian understandings after the advent of the Trump Administration, the failure of the opposition to oust the Syrian regime and the emergence of extremist groups such as IS and Nusra," he explained.

After failing to create a unified front of rebels in making progress in Syria and after the fact that the alliances of the rebels with the terror-designated militants couldn't be vetted completely, the U.S. started searching for a reliable ally in Syria when the Kurdish forces emerged into its view.

During battles in the northern countryside of Aleppo, the Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) fought as a united force against IS militants and with the help of the U.S., the group proved trustworthy to Washington.

Later on, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) emerged and became the main force fighting IS under the leadership of the YPG and the support of the United States.

Consisting of Arab, Kurdish and Assyrian fighters, the group received heavy backing from the U.S. and is now launching a crushing offensive on the IS de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria, with notable gains against the terror group.

There are several reasons behind choosing Kurdish-led groups. The first is the fact that most of these groups are unified on an ethnic background, not a religious one.

The second is that the U.S. has already established military bases in northern Syria in Kurdish-controlled areas.

In turn, the reliance on the Kurds is also one of the reasons why the U.S. has halted its support to other rebel groups.

Videos of U.S. weapons reaching the Kurds have recently emerged online, showing the U.S. promising more aid to its Kurdish-led allies in Syria.

The diplomatic crisis between Qatar and Saudi-led Arab countries has also reverberated negatively on the rebels in Syria and the political opposition groups in exile, creating an obvious rift between Saudi-backed rebels and Qatar-backed ones.

The crisis came as Saudi Arabia accuses Qatar of supporting terrorism in the region, mainly the out-lawed Muslim Brotherhood, to which both the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in Syria belong.

Their clashes in Syria have been obvious in the Eastern Ghouta area of Damascus between the Saudi-backed Islam Army and the Qatar-backed Failaq al-Rahman.

Maher Ihsan, a Syrian political expert, told Xinhua that the Gulf crisis benefits the pacification in Syria because the Gulf states supporting the rebels in Syria have now split into a Qatari team and a Saudi team.

"We will witness more pacification and a push toward the political solution due to the dwindling support to the rebels," he said.

Speaking of the U.S.-Russian understanding, Ihsan told Xinhua that the cease-fire sponsored by the U.S. and Russia that has gone into force in southern Syria recently is so important for the future of the understanding between both powers to resolve the Syrian crisis.

The current situation in Syria could shed light on their understanding, as both the U.S.-backed Kurdish groups and the Russian-backed Syrian army are fighting the terror groups without collision on the horizon, the Syrian expert noted.

"Regarding post-IS era in Raqqa, I don't think there will be a fight between the Syrian government forces and the Western-backed Kurdish forces for control of the IS-held areas because the conflict between the U.S. and Russia for sharing influence in Syria has ended," Ihsan said.

The Russians and Americans seem to have agreed that the eastern city of Deir al-Zour will be entered by the Syrian army while Raqqa will be entered by the Kurdish-led forces of SDF, he added.

Besides, the U.S.-Russian agreement is more than the existing ceasefire, as it is expected to expand to include more areas, such as the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus and the northern countryside of Homs Province in central Syria.

"The recent meeting in Hamburg between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled for 40 minutes but lasted two and a half hours and later there was information that the two men met again for one hour, and these extensive meetings indicate an agreement, not disagreement," Ihsan explained.

Moreover, Emmanuel Macron, the new French president, also expressed what is perceived a change in the French policy toward Syria, as he recently said removing Assad from power shouldn't be a precondition for a peace deal in the war-torn nation, contrary to his predecessor's policy of "Assad must go."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 00:38:50|Editor: An

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ACCRA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has handed over a support package for small-scale agro-processing initiatives in northern Ghana.

Through its grants for agricultural development in the West African country, the Chinese government Friday donated 13 sets of corn grinders, two sets of soya bean flour milling machines as well as one set of millet milling machine to the Development Authority in charge of the Northern Savannah zone.

Presenting the items meant to help initiate community-based agro-processing in the northern parts of the country, China's Ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baohong, stressed that her country's high achievements in agriculture had been a result of the high premium the Chinese government places on the sector, with advanced technology and effective policies.

She lauded the government of Ghana for launching such initiatives as "One District-One Factory"; "One Village-One Dam"; and "Planting for Food and Jobs", which she said demonstrated the government's great attention to agricultural modernization.

"Over the years, China and Ghana have conducted win-win and fruitful cooperation in agriculture. China provides a good number of training opportunities to Ghana for bringing up the agriculture talents," she noted.

About Chinese achievements in agriculture and food security, the ambassador said, with only about nine percent of the world's land, China produced 25 percent of the world's food to feed 20 percent of the world's population.

She said following the visit by Ghana's Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia to China, more credible Chinese enterprises were willing to come and explore investment opportunities in the West African country.

"A number of Chinese enterprises are also here investing in agriculture, from planting to processing. As an important partner, China will strengthen cooperation with Ghana in agriculture in the future," Sun pledged.

Receiving the donated items, Ghana's Minister for Special Development Initiatives Mavis Hawa Koomson observed that the arrival of the equipment was timely, since they would support the flagship programs of the government.

"The recent visit of Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia to China and the presence of senior leadership of the Chinese government during the inauguration of President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo signals a new era of win-win bilateral relationship between our two counties," the Ghanaian minister said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 00:48:53|Editor: yan

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HIROSHIMA, Japan, July 22 (Xinhua) -- "It's important to tell people what happened in Nanjing and to pass on the historical truth to younger generations so as to prevent war tragedies from happening again," said Toshio Yamamoto, son of a Japanese veteran who had participated in Japan's invasive war against China in the 1930s.

Yamamoto made the remarks on Saturday as he told Hiroshima citizens about his father's war experiences at the "Sealed Memories: No More Nanjing" exhibition held in Hiroshima through Sunday.

Yamamoto's father Takeshi Yamamoto was sent to China in November 1937 as a soldier of the invading Imperial Japanese Army.

Takeshi Yamamoto kept a diary of his experiences during the war, in which he depicted the atrocities committed by the Japanese troops and how himself was turned from an ordinary man being to a killing machine by the war.

"(We) brought the eight people we captured ... we kept stabbing them, and they were soon turned to eight bodies. I felt great. Back in Japan, I dared not even killing a snake. But these were human beings, just like us, living human beings ..." he wrote.

He also wrote in details in the diary what he had heard about the massacre in Nanjing, including how the Japanese troops brutally killed tens of thousands of Chinese civilians and captives, burned their bodies and dumped a large amount of bodies into the Yangtze River.

Takeshi Yamamoto returned to Japan as a farmer after the war, but the war-time atrocities kept haunting him. To pass on the memories to future generations, he wrote a memoir based on his diary and showed it to his children and grandchildren.

Toshio Yamamoto and his brothers published their father's diary. "It was also my father's wish to publish the diary and it's necessary to pass on the true history to the younger generations so as to prevent the war tragdies from happening again," he said.

He also said that it's particularly significant to tell the truth about Nanjing Massacre in Hiroshima, a city that also suffered the bombing of an atomic bomb in 1945 because of Japan's invasive war against its neighbors.

"The Japanese government should reflect on the war and let the younger generations know about the truth about war," he said, adding that he was opposed to the Abe administration's attempts to revise the pacifist Constitution and other moves that could bring Japan to war again.

Eiji Yoshiki, member of the Hiroshima Japan-China Friendship Association and one of the organizers of the exhibition, said Hiroshima had served as a base for the Japanese army during Japan's invasion of China and the city would not have suffered atomic-bombing if Japan did not start invasive wars.

He said the Japanese people shall not forget that this year marks the 80th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, and Japan shall pass on the historical truth to younger generations and promote friendship with China while reflecting on the war.

"Sealed Memories: No More Nanjing" exhibition was held in Hiroshima on July 15-23. The exhibition, jointly organized by groups from Nanjing, China and Hiroshima, Japan, displays photos and evidences that show the various atrocities that Japanese invaders committed in China.

The invading Japanese military brutally killed some 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers following the capture of Nanjing in 1937. Japan has been trying to downplay its atrocities by claiming that the number of killed was not as many as 300,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 01:54:14|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Jordan said Saturday it considers to hold an emergency meeting for Arab ministers of foreign affairs over continued Israeli violations in Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi discussed in a phone call with his Egyptian Counterpart Sameh Shukri measures to put an end to the tension and prevent any further escalation though canceling all unilateral Israeli measures.

They stressed on the need to fully reopen the mosque and end all Israeli measures and warned Israel against any attempts to alter the status quo in the holy sites in Jerusalem.

In phone calls with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir and officials from Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon, Safadi said Jordan will continue efforts to end the tension.

He called for the immediate removal of electronic gates that Israel places at the entrances of the mosque.

Safadi stressed on the need for intensified efforts by the international community to remove all Israeli obstacles against worshippers.

He also called for swift measures to end the escalation by Israel.

Three Palestinians were killed Friday and nearly 400 others injured in clashes with Israeli forces after the Friday prayers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The first two were killed by Israeli gunfire in East Jerusalem and the third succumbed to his wounds in a nearby town of Abu Dis.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 01:59:17|Editor: Yurou Liang

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ALGIERS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Algeria condemned on Saturday the "violations and overruns" by the Israeli authorities on Friday against Palestinians in Jerusalem.

"Algeria condemns the serious violations and overruns, including killings and arrests of Palestinian worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdelaziz Benali Cherif was quoted as saying by APS news agency.

The spokesman also called upon the international community to "act immediately to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and their sacred sites."

Cherif expressed Algeria's solidarity with the Palestinian people, saying his country supports the Palestinians' "just cause for regaining their legitimate rights, including the right to establish an independent state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital."

Three Palestinians were killed on Friday in Jerusalem's Old City during violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces, after Israel barred Palestinian men under 50 from access to the the holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known as the Haram al-Sharif compound by Muslims and the Temple Mount for the Jews.

The measures were taken after last Friday's shooting, in which three Israeli Arab gunmen killed two Israeli police officers near the compound before being shot dead by Israeli police in a chase.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang (C) addresses the first China-U.S. Comprehensive EconomicDialogue in Washington July 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Xinhua writers Gao Pan, Jin Minmin, Jiang Yujuan

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The just-concluded inaugural China-U.S. Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) has charted the right course for economic cooperation between the world's two largest economies as the two sides eye a one-year plan to deepen pragmatic cooperation and resolve outstanding problems.

CHART COURSE FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION

"The two sides shared the view that the most important outcome of this round of dialogue is that it has charted the course for China-U.S. economic cooperation," the Chinese delegation attending the one-day dialogue said in a statement after the conclusion of the talks Wednesday.

The two sides agreed to take "win-win cooperation" as the basic principle for developing bilateral economic relations, "dialogue and consultation" as the basis means to tackle differences, and "regular communication on major economic policies" as the basic way of dialogue and cooperation, the statement said.

Although the high-level talks, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, ended with no joint statements, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao described the talks as "very candid, very friendly and very constructive" with positive outcomes.

Both sides "spoke highly" of the significant and balanced outcomes achieved under the 100-day economic cooperation plan, an important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April, Zhu said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Major outcomes of the 100-day plan includes U.S. beef returned to the Chinese market after 14 years of suspensions, and policy restrictions on U.S. liquefied natural gas exports to China began to be loosened.

After the U.S. presidential election last year, many fretted that China-U.S. trade relations would "enter a stormy season of winter and even run the risk of a trade war," Wang recalled Tuesday at a luncheon to the Chinese and U.S. business communities.

But the recent fruitful cooperation between the world's largest two economies has proven that China-U.S. economic cooperation is sailing on the right course, he said.

The CED is one of the four major dialogues the two sides established in April. The first round of the dialogue allows the two sides to focus not only on concrete economic and trade issues, but also on long-term and strategic policies that are important to bilateral economic relations.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin addresses the first China-U.S. ComprehensiveEconomic Dialogue in Washington July 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

ONE-YEAR COOPERATION PLAN

China and the United States discussed a one-year plan of economic cooperation in areas such as macro economy, trade, investment, and global economic governance during the dialogue, Zhu introduced.

Both teams would take follow-up actions to identify issues of the one-year plan, and look forward to determining the substance of an early harvest as soon as possible, he said.

"I don't think there's been enough negotiation to have a lot of concrete results," David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former official with the U.S. Treasury Department, told Xinhua, expecting the two sides to develop specific plans within the year.

He also noted that a high-quality U.S.-China bilateral investment treaty would help U.S. export its services to China and build a foundation for a better bilateral trading relationship. "The U.S. primarily exports services. It's hard to export services if you cannot invest," he said.

China has agreed to further open up its service sector and expand bilateral trade in services with the United States, as the country is shifting its economy toward a growth model powered by consumption, services and innovation.

"Despite a huge deficit in services trade with the United States, China nevertheless believed that trade in services between China and the United States is mutually beneficial," said the statement from the Chinese delegation.

Given the differences between China and the United States in the size and structure of their services industry, it remains possible for both sides to exploit their own comparative advantages and complement each other, the statement said, adding that "expanding bilateral trade in services can also promote balanced trading relations between the two sides."

In order to address trade imbalance, a top priority of the Trump administration, China has also urged the United States to remove its outdated regulations on export control and increase the exports of high-tech products to China, said Zhu, stressing that China will push for this demand in the one-year plan.

If the United States were to liberalize its export barriers against China to the same level as those applicable to Brazil or France, the U.S. trade deficit with China would narrow by up to 24 percent and 34 percent respectively, according to a research from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

STEEL EXCESS CAPACITY

Talks on steel excess capacity between China and the United States are watched closely by the international community as the Trump administration is about to release a report on the national security implications of steel imports in the coming weeks.

China shared the same view with the United States that steel overcapacity is a global issue, which requires a global collective response, Zhu said, adding China also emphasizes that the excess steel capacity has been a result of sluggish global economic recovery.

Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation told the U.S. side that China has actively taken measures to cut steel overcapacity, Zhu said, citing China's plans to reduce steel capacity by 100 million to 150 million tons from 2016 to 2020.

In defense of the U.S. steel industry, the Trump administration in April invoked a decades-old, rarely used trade tool, known as a Section 232 investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, to look into all foreign steel imports.

If the investigation concludes that steel imports would undermine U.S. national security, the trade law would allow the U.S. government to impose tariffs, quotas, or other measures to restrict the imports.

"I think an honest assessment of the national security issue would conclude that there is no national security issue because we mostly produce steel ourselves or we get it from Canada and Mexico, which are close allies of the United States," said Dollar.

In his view, it won't have much effect on China if the Trump administration imposes new tariffs on imported steel, as the United States only imports "a tiny percentage of" steel from China.

As the world's two largest economies and co-chairs of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity, China and the United States have maintained policy dialogue and communication regarding the steel glut, according to Zhu.

At the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany earlier this month, G20 leaders called on the forum to fulfill their commitments on enhancing information sharing and cooperation by August, and to rapidly develop concrete policy solutions that reduce steel excess capacity, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 02:54:47|Editor: yan

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ALGIERS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Islamist political party of the Front of Change on Saturday has officially merged into the Movement for Society of Peace (MSP) ahead of local elections due on November.

Abdelmadjid Menasra, who dissolved his party, the Front of Change, on July 1, has become new leader of MSP for a period of six months, until January 2018, during an extraordinary congress held in Algiers.

Menasra replaced Abderrazak Makri who should resume his duties as head of MSP during the ordinary congress of the party in May 2018, which will see the election of a new leader.

Menasra is a founding member of MSP, but established his own party in 2009, on the pretext that MSP deviated from the guidelines of its spiritual and late leader Mafoud Nahnah (1942-2003).

Political observers are sceptical over the success of this unity amid the existing divergence of ideas among senior officials of the MSP.

In fact, Makri rejected to join the government after the parliamentary election of May 2017, despite calls from prominent members of the party, including former leader Aboudjerra Soltani who vainly struggled to return to the government.

The first real test to Abdelmadjid Menasra as a new leader of MSP is due during the forthcoming local elections later this year, as the Islamist party aims to grab maximum seats at communal and prefecture assemblies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 02:59:49|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has captured a Saudi vessel in Tehran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, an official said on Saturday, Press TV reported.

Five Indians on board the vessel were arrested and handed over to judicial officials of the province, said Ardeshir Yarahmadi, an official from the Fisheries Organization of Iran's Bushehr province.

No detail has been reviewed on the activity and type of the vessel.

This was the second Saudi vessel captured in July for trespassing on Iranian territorial waters, he said.

On July 7, the IRGC seized a Saudi vessel, which had set off from the Saudi port of Dareen.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 03:04:53|Editor: yan

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JERUSALEM, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday condemned a Palestinian knife attack in a West Bank settlement that claimed the lives of three members of an Israeli family.

He denounced the assault as an "act of terrorism committed by a reprehensible person incited by wild hatred," and urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn the attack.

"The security forces are doing their utmost to maintain security and, to this end, will take all necessary measures," Netanyahu said in a statement.

On Friday night, a 20-year-old Palestinian entered a family home in the settlement of Halamish, stabbing to death a father, his daughter and his son before he was shot and injured by a neighbor.

In a post on Facebook, the stabber said he was deeply concerned about the recent violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in annexed East Jerusalem and wanted to protect it.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a visit to Halamish that the assailant's family home would be demolished in the next few days.

The incident occurred amidst widespread Israeli-Palestinian clashes over the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, East Jerusalem's most contested site. The site is known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and the Jews as the Temple Mount.

The dispute started when Israel installed metal detectors at the entrance to the site on Sunday, following a shooting attack that killed three Israeli policemen last Friday. The detectors are seen by the Palestinians as a violation of the status quo at the Muslim-run compound and an attempt to gain more control over the site.

Anger reached a boiling point on Friday, when Israeli restricted access to the shrine to men under 50. Three Palestinians were killed in the clashes with Israeli security forces that ensued, and hundreds were injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 03:19:56|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue full support to Iraqi government and nation to establish security and stability, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said Saturday.

"We have cooperated and will cooperate with the Iraqi government and nation and will continue our support," Dehqan said in a meeting with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Erfan al-Hiyali.

"We will also use our utmost political, economic and military capabilities along with Iraq's capabilities to establish sustainable security and stability in the country and create a powerful Iraq," he added.

The Iranian minister hailed the Iraq's recent achievements in the fight against terrorism and liberation of the northern city of Mosul.

"A regional and international consensus must be achieved against terrorism and its supporters," Dehqan stressed.

National unity and integrity in Iraq would guarantee stability, security and interests of all ethnic groups in the country, he said, adding that Iran would never accept disintegration of Iraq.

For his part, the Iraqi defense minister hailed Iran's full support for the Iraqi government, nation and the armed forces and called for the further development of defense and military cooperation with the Islamic republic.

Iran has been providing military advisory assistance to Iraq in its counter-terrorism campaign.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 03:45:09|Editor: yan

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BAKU, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Iranian and Kazakhstani naval vessels arrived in Azerbaijan's territorial waters on Saturday, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said.

The Iranian Paykan and Joshan missile boats and Kazakhstan's rocket-artillery ships Kazakhstan, Sary-Arka and the hydro graphic vessel Zhaik have berthed at a Baku port, the ministry said in a statement.

The warships will take part in the international Sea Cup 2017 competition to be held in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea on August 1-11, according to the statement.

The competition will involve warships of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran and Kazakhstan.

The competition will be held in three stages, namely artillery fire, fighting for the survivability of the ship, and rescue and maritime training, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry said in March.

In June, Baku hosted a planning conference of the international contest Sea Cup 2017 with the participation of Azerbaijani, Russian and Kazakhstani naval forces' representatives.

The conference highlighted the rules of the contest, security issues, as well as social and cultural events to be organized during the competition.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 04:40:17|Editor: Yurou Liang

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KHARTOUM, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Around 47,000 Sudanese expatriates are expected to return home from Saudi Arabia within coming days, Sudanese Expatriates Organ announced Saturday.

"Around 33,000 Sudanese will return from Riyadh and 14,000 from Jeddah, 60 percent of them workers and craftsmen, maximally by Monday," said Karar Al-Tuhami, Secretary General of the Sudanese Expatriates Organ, at a press conference.

Al-Tuhami added that the returnees would hold right to go back to Saudi Arabia in case they adjusted their status.

"We are working to avoid any economic impact for the return of this great number, where all the state's bodies and institutions are working harmoniously to reintegrate the returnees in the society," he said.

He further noted that Sudan's Embassy in Saudi Arabia has completed all procedures for the Sudanese returnees, saying that some of them will leave Khartoum for other states of Sudan.

Last March the Saudi authorities launched a "Nation without Violator" campaign, availing illegal expatriates three months to adjust their status or leave the country if they fail to pay penalties.

The illegal expatriates who don't leave within the time frame will be forcibly deported or face punishment.
Damavand destroyer of Iranian Navy arrives at Baku port, Azerbaijan, Oct. 19, 2016. Iran's naval fleet, including Damavand destroyer and Joshan missile vessel with 200 navy forces on board arrived here for a three-day visit. (Xinhua/Tofik Babayev)

BAKU, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Iranian and Kazakhstani naval vessels arrived in Azerbaijan's territorial waters on Saturday, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said.

The Iranian Paykan and Joshan missile boats and Kazakhstan's rocket-artillery ships Kazakhstan, Sary-Arka and the hydro graphic vessel Zhaik have berthed at a Baku port, the ministry said in a statement.

The warships will take part in the international Sea Cup 2017 competition to be held in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea on August 1-11, according to the statement.

The competition will involve warships of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran and Kazakhstan.

The competition will be held in three stages, namely artillery fire, fighting for the survivability of the ship, and rescue and maritime training, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry said in March.

In June, Baku hosted a planning conference of the international contest Sea Cup 2017 with the participation of Azerbaijani, Russian and Kazakhstani naval forces' representatives.

The conference highlighted the rules of the contest, security issues, as well as social and cultural events to be organized during the competition.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 05:15:57|Editor: An

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The first China-U.S. Comprehensive Economic Dialogue is held in Washington July 19, 2017. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang on Wednesday called for cooperation between China and the U.S. instead of confrontation to address their differences. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Xinhua writers Xia Lin, Guo Shuang, Huang Chao

LAS VEGAS, the United States, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. expert highlighted the progressive cooperation between the United States and China in cyber security, as companies strive for better solutions and top hackers started their annual meetings here on Saturday.

U.S.-CHINA CO-OP HIGHLY VALUED

Susan Shirk, Chair of the 21st Century China Center of University of California, San Diego, noticed that the bilateral cooperation evolved since leaders of the two countries met in April.

"Then we went to the G20 and tried to make it a global norm. So I think this is a great example of how the U.S. and China through frank negotiation can address a very difficult topic to make progress and then to move forward," she told Xinhua.

As enterprises need to strengthen their defense to make their own systems secure, government efforts are equally important to address the issue, said Shirk.

"I do think it's the governments' responsibility to try to work at the government to government level. We'd like to see government crack on it," she added in a recent interview.

TECH FIRMS ALWAYS ON ALERT

While governments remain active, IT producers are on high alert and intensively prepared to counter any attack.

"We have many layers of open security, encryption capability, fault tolerance capability, buffering, and so on. There is a lot of capability that Intel can bring, but there a lot of third parties out there that will bring that to the table," Jon Marshall, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer of Intel, told Xinhua.

Keith Shank, Director of Advanced Technology Labs of Ericsson, also took a hardened stance.

"Ericsson is working to make extreme robust networks that can tell what's been hacked. Not necessarily stopping, because that's really hard to do. However, you (can) know what's been impacted, so you can avoid it," Shank said.

Thorsten Held, managing director at White Encryption Code and Data Protection, emphasized the importance of web safety for automobiles.

"If anyone tries to modify the application, our system will set off some kind of alarm, which will recognize there is a modification, which can be classified as an attack and stop the execution," Held said.

On Wednesday, the Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI) was launched as a joint project between the Center for Global Enterprise and the Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade.

The non-profit organization will bring together senior leaders of global companies to discuss best practices for managing security employees, processes and technology.

HACKERS ARE RESTLESS

In the battle field of IT, winner is always closely followed by challengers. Winner can be turned into underdog any minute.

In the city known as the gambling capital of the world, the annual Black Hat Conference opened on Saturday with its training session in the traditional high-stake style, where the bettors are cloak and dagger and the outsiders including the media are hard to get a chance to peek into the risks they take.

The conference was initiated in 1997 to involve system and network administrators, hackers and computer security experts, as a pal event of DEF CON, whose annual meeting will start on July 27 when the Black Hat is concluded.

DEF CON was created in 1993 as one of the world's largest hacker conventions, held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During the Black Hat Conference, researchers will release an open-source SS7 firewall that aims to bolster security of mobile operators' core networks.

SS7 vulnerabilities, which can allow cyber criminals to hijack two-factor authentication codes texted to mobile phones, read and re-direct text messages, eavesdrop on phone calls, and track a phone's location, have existed since 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 05:21:01|Editor: yan

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ADEN, Yemen, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Shiite Houthi group said on Saturday night it had fired a new long-range ballistic missile and struck oil refineries in Saudi Arabia's Yanbu.

The Houthi rebels, through their official satellite channel Al Masirah TV, said that their armed forces fired a ballistic missile into Aramco Oil Refineries in Yanbu, a port city on the Red Sea coast of western Saudi Arabia.

The Yemeni rebels claimed that the new ballistic missile Burkan-2H was used for the first time and successfully hit the refineries.

There was no immediate comment from the authorities in Saudi Arabia on the reports released by the Houthis.

Meanwhile, local residents told Xinhua that warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition struck the international airport in the western port city of Hodeida with eight strikes on Saturday night.

No immediate reports of casualties were reported.

Yemen's government, allied with a Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for years been battling Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels for control of the impoverished country.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a mostly Arab military coalition and imposed an air and sea blockade to prevent weapons from reaching Iranian-backed Houthis, who invaded capital Sanaa militarily and seized most northern Yemeni provinces.

Statistics showed that more than 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen's conflict, most of them civilians, since the Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in 2015.

The country has also been hit by a deadly cholera outbreak and is on the edge of famine.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 05:30:59|Editor: Yurou Liang

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CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers discussed in a phone call on Saturday the possible Arab steps and measures to be taken against the recent Israeli assaults against the Palestinians in Jerusalem, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The phone talk between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi "addressed the deteriorating security conditions in Jerusalem and around Al-Aqsa Mosque and the serious aggressions of the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians," said Egyptian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid in the statement.

The two sides stressed the urgent necessity to stop the Israeli escalation against the Palestinians and remove the restrictions imposed on religious practices at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Jordan considers holding an emergency meeting for Arab foreign ministers over Israeli violations in East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to Jordan's state-run Petra news agency.

Israel shut down the holy site on July 14, and installed checkpoints and metal detectors at its entrances after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot two Israeli policemen. The attackers were later killed by Israeli police.

On Friday, three Palestinian protesters were killed and hundreds others were injured in clashes with Israeli troops over Israel's restriction on the Muslim entrance to the holy site, which sparked anger throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Later on Saturday evening, clashes renewed between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli police outside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Live broadcasts near the compound showed a group of policemen beating and kicking a protestor lying on the ground.

The Arab League repeatedly condemned the Israeli practices at Al-Aqsa Mosque as a blatant breach of the right of worship and violation of relevant international laws and UN resolutions.

The recent Israeli measures added tension to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that has lasted for decades, since the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the Western-backed creation of Israel in 1948.

Israel is blamed by the international community for the deadlock of the peace process because of its settlement expansion policy, which is rejected even by the United States, its strongest ally.

The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital city in the light of the UN-proposed two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders.

Egypt and Israel reached a U.S.-sponsored peace treaty in 1979, when Egypt started working to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and mediate intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 06:56:16|Editor: An

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Image taken on July 19, 2017 shows finished photovoltaic panels at the Ernesto Che Guevara Electronic Components plant, in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. With China's help, Cuba hopes to produce more solar panels, as part of a larger government effort to promote renewable energy sources and bring electricity to remote areas. Chinese raw materials are guaranteeing production at Cuba's only photovoltaic panel manufacturing plant, the Ernesto Che Guevara Electronic Components, in the western province of Pinar del Rio, 160 km west of Havana. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

by Raul Menchaca

PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba, July 22 (Xinhua) -- With China's help, Cuba hopes to produce more solar panels, as part of a larger government effort to promote renewable energy sources and bring electricity to remote areas.

Chinese raw materials are guaranteeing production at Cuba's only photovoltaic panel manufacturing plant, the Ernesto Che Guevara Electronic Components, in the western province of Pinar del Rio, 160 km west of Havana.

"We buy raw materials from China that are the same quality as those from the United States or Europe," the plant's director, Ivan Gonzalez, told Xinhua.

Gonzalez, 50, studied electrical engineering in the town of Lvov, in what was then the Soviet Union. Since graduating in 1990, he has worked at the plant.

After 27 years in the field, few people know the plant's ins and outs quite like Gonzalez, who jokes that he began at an entry level job "tightening screws" and gradually worked his way up the ladder to where he is today, supervising some 500 employees.

The plant was inaugurated in September 1987 to develop the island's microelectronics, but the dissolution of the Soviet Union soon after practically brought operations to a standstill.

In 2001, the facility was readapted to make five-watt solar panels instead of semiconductors, and now makes some 60,000 solar panels a year with a 15-megawatt capacity.

Cuba aims to generate 24 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030, but the plant's annual output is currently too limited to help meet that goal.

"We are looking for technological variants to increase capacity," said Gonzalez, adding that Cuba plans to invest 10 million U.S. dollars over the next three years to boost production.

According to a 2012 census, some 20,000 homes in Cuba have no access to electricity. The results of the survey led officials to devise a program to outfit those homes with solar panels.

The plant in Pinar del Rio is in charge of making the roof-mounted panels, and with production at 75 percent, they are expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2018.

The plant, which can currently make about 200 panels a day, is also set to begin making one-kilowatt panels for the domestic market, and has diversified production to include induction ovens, electronic automotive parts, LED lights, and water treatment and desalination plants.

Cuba's trade ties with China have been instrumental in helping the Caribbean country work towards its renewable energy targets and development goals.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-23 07:26:03|Editor: Yurou Liang

People visit tall ships docked for the Tall Ships Races in Turku, Finland, on July 21, 2017. The Tall Ships Races is one of the largest sailing events in Europe, attracting millions of sailing fans. (Xinhua/Li Jizhi)
Attic advises on insurance fraud

When you visit their offices the registration should be displayed in a location that is easily visible and; contacting the Insurance Company to verify that the person is contracted to sell motor insurance on their behalf.

Do not assume, ATTIC said in a release, that a person wearing clothing with a Companys logo means that he or she is an employee of that company. A document such as a Motor Certificate with the Companys logo is authentic as these can be easily produced via sophisticated computer software.

A person with a call card bearing the Companys name and logo to mean that he or she is an employee or representative.

These can be easily created via computer software.

When paying premiums, ATTIC advised, if payment is by cheque  write it directly to the Insurance Company or agency. Avoid writing a cheque in the personal name of the agent or salesperson.

Ensure you receive an official receipt at all times, ensure you have contact details for the person handling your transactions and ensure you receive a policy document.

If you purchase insurance from an unauthorised person, your insurance will not be honoured and therefore claims will not be paid and you may become liable for any damages. The ATTIC release reminded the public that should they have any further questions to contact the Association at 625-2940/624-2817 or email mail@attic.org.

tt The Central Banks website can also be used to see authorised agencies and insurance salesmen. The banks website is http://www.

central-bank.org.tt/ content/insurance-sector
Minister sues CNC 3s Morning Brew host

In the letter issued to Ramkissoon, attorney Annabelle Sooklal who appears with attorney Devesh Maharaj for Smith, said that on July 20, on her morning programme Ramkissoon caused to be broadcast, comments by Wilson which included assertions and implications that the minister had a foundation which received a substantial donation from a contractor who in turn received a contract from the Sport Company (SporTT).

Video of that interview is now available for worldwide consumption on YouTube, Facebook and other social media and on your companys website, Sooklal said.

The true meaning and clear implication of those public comments is that my client has been engaged in some corrupt dealing or otherwise unethical or immoral conduct. The comments and implications are false, malicious and highly defamatory of my client, the attorney wrote. She said the broadcast of Wilsons comments caused Smith and his family great distress and has brought him into public odium and contempt. Ramkissoon was given until 10 am yesterday to delete the video clip of the interview with Wilson. In her letter to PNM activist Wilson, the attorney set out several of his comments made on his (Wilson) Facebook page relating to Smith.

She also spoke of the interview he gave on Ramkissoons The Morning Brew programme. Sooklal said Wilsons assertions implied that Smith was engaged in corruption and were false and malicious.

I have advised my client that your repeated public comments amount to a malicious public campaign against him such that he would be entitled to substantial damages against you in an action of defamation, Sooklal wrote.

Wilson was also given until 10 am yesterday to delete any posts relating to Smith on his Facebook page. Checks yesterday revealed that CNC3 appeared to have removed video footage of the morning show from its website. However, posts relating to Smith on Wilsons Facebook page, including those quoted by Sooklal, were still up.
Fmr Speaker Griffith guilty

However, because of his age (71), health concerns and good character - having served as a minister of government and the Speaker of the House of Representatives - Griffith will not have a conviction recorded against him. In accordance with provisions of Sections 144 and 145 of the Summary Courts Act, Justices of Appeal Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Mark Mohammed reversed the decision of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in 2013, to dismiss a charge against Griffith. The Appeal Court also amended the original charge.

Griffith, who was also MP for Toco/Sangre Grande, was charged with using insulting language to the annoyance of persons on March 8, 2012, at Dock Road, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

This charge was amended by the appellate court judges to read that he used insulting language with intent to or which might tend to provoke another, to commit a breach of the peace.

In January 2013, Ayers-Caesar dismissed the charge of using insulting language to the annoyance of persons saying such a charge did not exist in law. The State appealed this ruling. Griffith was accused of using insulting language toward PC Larry Joefield while the officer was in the process of issuing a traffic ticket to the Ministers driver for breaching a red light. Griffith, according to evidence given in court, told the officers he was a minister and would speak to the Commissioner of Police to, make an example of him (PC McKenzie). PC Joefield intervened and asked Griffith to allow his colleague to do his job. Griffith shouted to Joefield, You is a stupid police...allyuh is a set ah stupid police. I doh know how all yuh get in the service.

Somebody must be help all yuh to get in the service, all yuh too stupid. Griffith was charged by way of summons. He was represented by Senior Counsel Israel Khan.
It's clear that this time, there will be many petitions, given the surfeit of flaws in the election, even if some of them are perennial problems.

Typically, following PNG's five-yearly election, dozens of petitions end up in the court of disputed returns, taking years to be processed.

For those who have enjoyed watching the action so far, the shambolic polling period giving way to a testy vote counting process that is still underway, don't fret: the election never really ends.

Omissions of names from the electoral roll has been a feature of previous PNG elections, but the problem has been widespread in this year's edition and appears to have disadvantaged key voter bases.

There are also claims the electoral commission created nearly 300,000 'ghost voters' in electorates controlled by the ruling People's National Congress, allowing for more instances of double voting and ballot fraud.

The electoral commissioner Patilias Gamato is also under huge pressure to answer questions about the printing of many extra ballot papers in excess of the number of voters on the roll, dubious ballot box distribution and scheduling hiccups.

But for now, with lobby camps forming, the focus is on the question of who will be the prime minister.

Of course, it's still early in the vote count. Only about a quarter of the 111 seats have been declared. But the way things are shaping up, PNG has a rough idea of who the main players will be, ahead of an expected flow of most final results next week.

The People's National Congress, led by incumbent prime minister Peter O'Neill, stands a good chance of emerging with the most MPs again. But their number is likely to be far less than the 56 MPs it ended the last term of parliament with.

Individually, both the former ruling party, the National Alliance, and the rejuvenated Pangu Pati, are not too far behind PNC in the count, based on current results. Together, their numbers would surpass the PNC. Throw in other parties opposed to the PNC plus a bunch of independent MPs and there is a very real possibility of a new-look coalition government emerging.

It was always expected that there would be a large number of independent MPs and one-man parties in the new parliament who could collectively hold the balance of power. The PNC supported a number of independent candidates through their campaigns, explaining why a couple of those who have already won their seats have immediately joined the PNC camps.

Various opposition leaders have called for independent MPs-elect not to be swayed by financial inducements when deciding on which coalition to support. According to Pangu Pati's leader Sam Basil, the PNC is offering K1 million each to independent candidates who commit their support to its coalition.

That's a tempting offer for candidates who have spent every toea they have on campaigning. But as any teacher, nurse or policeman in PNG will tell you, they have trouble getting paid regularly these days, such is the cash shortage in the government machinery. Therefore, any independent candidate expecting that million kina payment to actually materialise is advised not to hold their breath.

Still, there are positions up for grabs, distribution of which could well decide which coalition the smaller parties go with. For instance, with the prospect of more big investment in PNG's liquefied natural gas sector on the horizon, the United Resources Party leader William Duma could be reasonably expected to demand to take back the minister for petroleum and energy portfolio.

But enough talk, it's time to look at the likely contenders for the post of prime minister when the new parliament sits next month.

Note, some of the following "contenders" haven't yet been declared winners of their seat. Also note that unfortunately there are no women in this list - at time of writing it looks like two of the three female sitting MPs have been ousted, and not many of the other women candidates remain in the race in their electorates.

CONTENDERS

Peter O'Neill

As savvy a political player as any in PNG, O'Neill has defeated pretty much everyone who has tried to break his grip on the prime minister's position since 2011. But having now completed his first full five-year term at the top, his public image is nothing to write home about, the economy is under immense strain, and his free education and health policies have been patchy, to put it mildly.

It's not easy being incumbent prime minister, almost everyone takes shots at you. O'Neill has often responded to criticism by saying that he should be judged by people at election time. Ideally, that's how it works in a free and fair election, but there's a growing perception in PNG that the flaws of this election were by design, something this prime minister could find difficult to shirk should he prevail in the next week or two.

Although still the favourite, O'Neill may yet fall short of the numbers he requires in parliament, given the enemies he has created - enemies who are now converging, driven by a common aim: to remove the PNC from government.

Sam Basil

Having rejuvenated PNG's oldest political party into a serious national political force after years in the wilderness, Basil has gained significant momentum in this election and is spearheading a people power movement seeking change. Few politicians have done as many hard yards travelling out to remote rural parts of their constituencies as the Bulolo MP.

Basil was a key part of a tiny parliamentary opposition for the last parliament term, making admirable efforts to hold the government to account in the face of increasing power amassed around the executive.

He and the new-look Pangu have been given the blessing of PNG's father of independence, Sir Michael Somare, in a tacit endorsement of opposition to Peter O'Neill. Given that Sir Michael stormed across the floor of parliament a few years ago threatening to kill Basil, that's quite a turnaround.

Yet anyone who saw the grilling he gave the government during the debate over a controversial, albeit unsuccessful, vote of no-confidence in the PM last year will know that Sam Basil has the chops to lead.

Kerenga Kua

Kerenga Kua is another leader who has not been afraid to direct stinging criticism at the government when most MPs stay silent because they are afraid of jeopardising their access to district funds. He has intellectual and political clout which marks him out as a leadership option for those looking to remove the PNC.

A sound legal mind, he was briefly attorney-general in the last term until falling out with O'Neill when the prime minister refused to go in for questioning by anti-corruption agents probing a major fraud case.

His National Party may not end up with as many MPs as the National Alliance or Pangu Pati but, should he enter into a coalition with them, Kua could be that middle option for the prime minister's role. An outside chance.

Patrick Pruaitch

Not to everyone's liking, due to his odd brush with the leadership code and having been a central part of two governments that became unpopular, Pruaitch is nonetheless the leader of a well-established and well-financed party, the National Alliance, which could end up with the second highest number of MPs.

He has steered the NA ship for several years now following Sir Michael Somare's departure from the party. Sir Michael and his family's links to Pruaitch and the NA remain strong.

A problem for Pruaitch's image however could be his history of links to the logging industry. He did however signal some sort of a break with the past when he spoke out a few months ago as Treasurer, revealing that PNG's economy had "fallen off a cliff", following which he was sacked by Peter O'Neill.

Some say Pruaitch was just posturing before the election, asking why he didn't speak out sooner given the depth of the problem. His answer: "Imagine if I was not there - it would be far worse than what it is today. I was there making sure that the prime minister limits himself." He certainly believes in himself.

Sir Mekere Morauta

Avowed political enemy of O'Neill, particularly through their ongoing wrestle over Ok Tedi and the lucrative Sustainable Development Program, Sir Mekere had retired from national politics after the 2012 election.

He was prompted him to come out of retirement and contest this election over his deep concern at the PNC's management of the national economy and what he alleges is a corruption network with octopus-like tentacles in charge of government. He stood as an independent in the Moresby North-West seat where voters have emphatically rejected the sitting MP, health minister Michael Malabag.

Sir Mekere is a former prime minister with a background as an economist and he was widely credited with bringing PNG back from the brink of economic collapse at the turn of the century. He introduced economic and political reforms which helped lay the foundations for a period of economic and political stability in the decade that followed.

Sir Mekere says tough decisions now need to be made to rescue PNG's economy. An independent MP can technically be PNG's prime minister, and he is certainly an option for any coalition with like-minded parties who wish to, in his words, "kill the octopus".

Don Polye

Enga's "favourite son" cannot be underestimated. His Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party is not faring as well as expected so far in this election. But as the incumbent opposition leader, and having held various senior positions in government, Polye has significant mana and commands an almost messianic following among his supporters.

Not without his critics, and a serial defendant in election disputes, he has nonetheless been a strident opposition leader who, unlike many MPs in PNG's parliament, has formulated coherent policy platforms, notably on agriculture, economy and education.

His THE party is not likely to get anything near the 12 MPs it won in the last general election, half of whom were stolen by O'Neill's party within months of the polls. A man who does not give up and who is still relatively young, Polye could yet be the man to lead the nation.

ONES TO WATCH

Charles Abel

There are elements within the People's National Congress who would like to see the Alotau MP as their party's leader. Widely respected and clearly above the rump of the PNC pack in terms of work ethic and talent, Abel has youth on his side, but must soon decide whether to push for it. Does he even want it? Unlikely to launch a coup against O'Neill any time soon, Abel is still a key to their chances of future success.

Gary Juffa

If the election of PNG prime minister came down to a social media poll, the young governor of Oro province would likely make the playoffs. Juffa has shown rare gumption in the PNG political scene by standing up to illegal loggers, thinking outside the tribal mentality and generally holding power to account.

Articulate and connected to the grassroots, his tendency for straight talk has won him many admirers, although he probably currently lacks the money base to be able to build a coalition behind him. One for the future.

James Marape

Very influential and one of O'Neill's trusted deputies, the People's National Congress strongman has been flying around the countryside to welcome newly-elected independent MPs. He's a friendly face, if you will, to help initiate them into the big whanau that is parliament. You could call him a political human resources manager.

Frankly, Marape's political nous has been incredible as his winning figures in Tari Open indicate. Marape was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission with just over 50% of a total of 60,000 votes that were reportedly cast in his constituency - which is amazing given the electoral roll had only about 40,000 eligible voters in the electorate.

Paul Paraka

A lawyer by profession who hasn't let being at the centre of one of PNG's biggest fraud scandals hold him back from embarking on a political career. Showed his intent by creating a political party with the most number of candidates in this election.

The Grassroots United Front party, or GRUF (not to be mistaken for GRAFT) fielded candidates in all 111 seats, none of whom are understood to have made it anywhere near the top five in vote counting so far.

Nothing if not ambitious, Paraka has however launched a petition against the conduct of the election in the National Capital District regional seat where he is seeking to be Governor. He's not out yet.

Unpredictable

If any learned commentator of PNG politics is still reading this article, they'll be shaking their head. They will tell you that no one can ever predict what twist PNG politics will take next.

There's also no guarantee that the overall vote counting, with all its disruptions to date and grievances yet to be resolved, will finish as expected next week. In fact, the PNG Electoral Commission has repeatedly shown that deadlines can be flexible.

Indeed it is a brave person who bets on the outcome of a PNG election. But one thing is for sure: it is never a dull ride.
Unruly ISIS member killed

The victim has been identified as Jelani Martin, 24, a father of one was the nephew of Allan Skanny Martin who himself was shot dead during the failed Port of Spain Prisons jail break last year. Police described him as killer and big player in the underworld .

According to police reports, at about 4 pm, Martin was outside the home of a relative of a well-known car dealer along Caroni Savannah Road in Chaguanas when he was spotted by members of the Central Operations Unit. Well-placed sources said Martin had gone to the house to collect tax (a form of payment businessmen make to criminals to forego being robbed and kidnapped) .

Reports are that on seeing the police, Martin attempted to jump over a fence but failed. He then turned and fired a shot at officers who returned fire, hitting him. Martin was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police had to caution friends and relative who gathered outside the Health Centre, when they shouted threats and accused police of killing an innocent man .

Additional police officers and soldiers lined the street outside the Health Centre to ensure law an order .

Police said Martin was originally from Diego Martin but moved to Crown Trace in Enterprise .
3 years jail for dad on sex charge

When he had appeared two days later before a magistrate, the father pleaded guilty but the polices written summary of the facts was not available. He was remanded into custody to reappear yesterday.

The father of three stood before magistrate Indira Misir-Gosine yesterday and again pleaded guilty to the charge of indecent assault on the woman who is 31. Court prosecutor Sgt Krishna Beedassie, in revealing the incident to the magistrate, said that the victim was asleep in a bedroom at her home at about 3.30 am on Saturday April 29.

She was awakened by her father who was lying on top of her. He was at the time naked.

The woman managed to free herself and raised an alarm. She then ran out of the room.

Magistrate Misir- Gosine heard from Sgt Beedassie that later that morning the woman went to the San Fernando Police Station where she made a report and Police Constable Maraj was detailed to investigate. When confronted, the victim pointed out the accused father and said, This is my father. He tried to have sex with me. Misir-Gosine heard from the prosecutor that the defendant father had been charged with sexual offences before, but was acquitted.

The magistrate ordered him yesterday to serve three years hard labour.
Damages toward prison reform fund

The fund - which can be administered by the court or an NGO or charity - will divert State funds towards positive and therapeutic programmes which will serve to benefit both prisoners and prison guards, Justice Vasheist Kokaram said.

The novel approach to the award of exemplary damages was articulated by Justice Kokaram who held that the beating of five prisoners at the Remand Yard of the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca on June 16, 2015, by a number of prison officers carrying out a search of the cell block was unlawful and unjustified.

He ordered that each prisoner will receive damages to compensate for the injuries they sustained during the beating.

Jason Raymond will receive $65,000, Marvin Scott will receive $75,000, Ryan Stephens will receive $70,000, Christopher Lewis will receive $70,000 and Junior Collins will receive $55,000.

In keeping with his ruling of a split award of exemplary damages, Justice Kokaram ordered a total sum of $250,000; one third of which will be divided among the five prisoners and two thirds (or $166,667) will be paid into the court for the Prison Reform Fund.

Attorneys for the prisoners and the State have three months in which to advise the court of the options or programmes available to give effect to the judges order and if they fail to do so, the money put aside for the Fund will go back to the prisoners, half of which will be paid immediate and the other half when they are released or within two years.

As a matter of policy, for a small society witnessing unprecedented levels of violence and crime, every effort must not be spared in ensuring that our prisons are not a breeding ground for further violent and aggressive behaviour.

The violence that is bred within those walls quite easily spill out. The degree of institutional violence is a direct product of prison conditions and how the State operates its prisons, he noted.

Of course, overcrowding and inadequate facilities simply make violence inevitable, he added. He has also suggested that Parliament introduce legislation to give effect to the split in exemplary damages, but he noted that there was nothing preventing the courts from making such an order in future cases.

The Courts have repeatedly called for change in the approach in the prisons, Justice Kokaram noted. Representing the five prisoners were attorneys Gerald Ramdeen and Darryl Heeralal while Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein, Rishi Dass and Gitanjali Gopeesingh appeared for the Attorney General.
FORGIVE ME SON

Gorkin spoke to his child during the funeral service at the Tranquillity Methodist Church on Tragarete Road in Port of Spain. Gorkin said while the event has left him deeply traumatised, he is convinced God knows best. I want to let everyone know that I love my son. I listened to people who lost their sons and felt their pain. But I never thought this pain would be mine to experience. Please! Please forgive me Messi, Gorkin said. Messi, I carried you to the beach. I carried you and did not bring you back, Gorkin added.

Gorkin said that on Thursday night he was unsure if he would have the strength to attend his sons funeral yesterday, as he began to experience chest pains and dizziness. But through the strength and support of his family and friends, Gorkin said, he was able to attend Messis funeral and give him a final send off.

I spoke to God last night because I was suffering with some high blood pressure. I was feeling really sick and I felt I would have to call the ambulance. But Im here right now by the grace of God. I dont want to fly in Gods face because He knows best...

but Im really hurting right now, Gorkin said.

Officiating minister, Acting Reverend Peter Lubsey said that he too was deeply saddened by Messis passing and assured mourners that the toddler was in a better place. I doubt what I have to say this morning will offer you any instant peace. After a while, the pain eases but there will always be grief.

There is an unnaturalness when parents have to bury their children. We might ask, why only three years? but I want you to know that God created Messi for an eternity. He belongs to God, Lubsey said.

Messis mother Patricia Gibbs was beyond consolation at the end of the service, as pall bearers wheeled her sons tiny casket onto the Church foyer for a brief viewing.

Gibbs was not ready to say her final goodbyes just yet as she stretched her arms out to stroke his little face. Moments later, relatives had to hold her to prevent her from falling.

Messi get up and talk to me, she screamed. Get up! Allyuh dont hold me back, I want to hold my child. Messi and his relatives were on a family lime at the Boardwalk in Chaguaramas last Sunday when tragedy struck.

Messis father was speaking to someone on the boardwalk with Messi at his side.

When he turned around, Gorkin realised his son was nowhere to be seen and a frantic search was carried out for the child. A missing person report was made to the Carenage Police Station that night and hour later on Monday morning, Messis body was found floating in the sea at Pier 1. An autopsy later confirmed he died by drowning. The little boy was later laid to rest at the Lapeyrouse cemetery.
Body cameras for police

These include the extent and nature of compliance with the use of body worn cameras, the quality of hotspot patrols, the use of force by police officers whilst out on duty. Firearm discharge by police officers, injuries caused to police officers during police civilian interactions, injuries caused to civilians during police civilian interactions. Complaints against police officers, the issues around police legitimacy within the realm of society, he said.

Sixty cameras were provided to the TTPS by TSTT for free, for the initiative. Williams said TT will become the first country in the world to commission a national level study on the use of body cameras by police. He said there were many studies commissioned globally on these cameras but there was none commissioned across an entire country.

He said previous studies have shown the use of body cameras have impacts that relate to police behaviour, police use of force, citizen behaviour and other issues, however those findings were generated from studies in the United States and other western countries.

We now have an opportunity to find out how effective is the use of body cameras in Trinidad and Tobago, he said.

Williams addressed the issue of police officers turning the cameras on and off saying they are trying to allow their experiment to run with the cameras being on all the time with the exception of an officer going to the restroom.

While an officer is out on duty we would love to have all events captured, he said.

TSTT Chief Executive Officer Ronald Walcott described the initiative as ground breaking. He said the programme will enhance the relationship police have with the public and will aid in building the public confidence needed to effect good policing. He said they partnered with Motorola to provide the TTPS with the Motorola Digital Evidence Management Solution.

He said footage from these cameras cannot be modified by anyone as it is encrypted and once images are captured it will be sent straight to the command centre. The command centre has a vault with several layers of security which restricts access to most people so the footage is encrypted and access to the video is highly secure, Walcott said.
Jeremie: Bring it on

Responding to claims that the State is moving to initiate disciplinary action against him, Jeremie told Newsday, I welcome an opportunity to deal with any matter of this sort in any forum. He said it would be an entirely novel but fulfilling experience to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the Law Association, which would hear any complaint filed by the State.

A report in yesterdays Express newspaper quoted an unnamed source who said Jeremie had a conflict of interest and a complaint could be made against him under the Legal Profession Act, as he would have been privy to all Government information with respect to the intervention into CL Financial. The newspaper report also quoted the unnamed source who pointed out that Jeremie, as attorney general in the Patrick Manning administration, would have instructed that legal action be commenced against CL Financial chairman Lawrence Duprey on behalf of the State.

It is not clear what legal action was initiated against Duprey by the PNM administration of which Jeremie was attorney general from 2003 to 2007, and again in May 2009 to September 2010. Following the PNMs loss at the September 2010 polls to the Peoples Partnership, a commission of inquiry into the collapse of the CLF subsidiary Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) was initiated by then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

COWARDLY ATTACK

For his part, former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, who also appears with Jeremie for the CLF shareholders, said their legal team will not be intimated.

Maharaj, in a statement on the claims of a conflict of interest by Jeremie, said he carefully studied the conflict of interest principles which are abundantly clear. They (the principles) suggest that Mr Jeremie has not only the right to represent his clients but his clients have the constitutional right to representation of their choice.

Mr Jeremie is a critical element of the team, Maharaj emphasised. He accused Government of mounting a desperate and cowardly attack on the integrity of a Senior Counsel while hiding behind the title of the anonymous source. An analysis of the proceedings thus far reveals his importance to the team. We shall not be intimidated by yet another of what can only be described to be ham-fisted efforts which were not pursed in court to defeat the claims of our clients and we shall continue to vigorously defend the interests of our respective clients in this matter.

This is an attack on the independence and fearlessness of attorneys- at-law to defend their clients in the interests of justice. It is also an attack on the rule of law and the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Maharaj said.
JTUM backs Venezuela assembly

This democratic and participatory movement only serves to bring the people of Venezuela closer. Describing this position as continued solidarity for the Venezuelan people and Venezuelas democratically elected President Nicolas Maduro, JTUM condemned the United States for continuing, to align itself with the violent and extremist sectors of Venezuela who continually use violence against the very people they claim to want to serve. Saying it will not be moved by what appears to be a threat to Venezuelas sovereignty, JTUM declared.

We will not lose heart as we battle on to protect international sovereignty and self-determinat ion for any country in the Americas. Earlier this week, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Moncada condemned a statement by US President Donald Trump that, if the Maduro regime imposes its Constituent Assembly on July 30, the United States will take strong and swift economic sanctions.
Musical send-off for Fr Harvey

He hosted about 50 people in a session of singing and speeches where he gave encouragement to this group of his parishioners that were largely destitute/ homeless, who in turn thanked him for his past help in each of their lives.

I will not be around but we started something that will never end, a brotherhood of the streets, said Fr Harvey. Youve got to know everybody. You dont save everybody, but wherever you can share the little that you have. He urged people to help each other. When you can save somebody from arrest, help them. Harvey recalled some marvellous stories about how much people helped each other in the flooding at East Dry River, an occasion that has claimed lives .

These are little things that you dont need me. Do it for each other. Whenever you find a wallet and the only thing in it is the ID card, take the ID card to the police station.

Take the ID card to the station, even if you had thieved it.

Take it to the station, drop it in something.

Make life a little easier (for others). Some of the most fantastic expressions that I have heard is when I call up somebody and say, Are you So-and-So? And they say yes and I say Im Fr Harvey and I just found your credit card. He said such small actions bring great happiness to people.  A whole set of people are getting angry. If you can lower the anger a little bit, you do a whole world of good. Earlier, Harvey was presented with two mementos, a coffee mug and a small TT flag by church volunteers.

Retired police inspector Sheila Prince recalled what a pleasure Fr Harvey had brought and said how sad she was that he was leaving. Fr Harvey would look after you until his last breath, she related, hailing his compassion and mercy for the disadvantaged.

I never see scorn on his face. Hes real.

Wherever he goes his heart will be for the homeless and downtrodden.
Put country before politics

Newsday spoke with Griffith yesterday, who said he was optimistic that a recent meeting between Rowley and Persad-Bissessar would yield long-term results for national security but stressed that the success of any initiative would hinge on both parties putting aside their differences and uniting for the common good.

I do believe both of them have the country at heart, unfortunately, sometimes they have lieutenants that will only be thinking about politics.It is hoped that in that meeting they forget about politics and just do what is right for the country.

The Prime Minister has serious concerns that he needs the support of the opposition to push certain bills to reduce crime. There should be no reason why the Opposition Leader should disregard those things because those are the same things that we had when we were in government and it helped us in reducing crime drastically. Griffith added that the Opposition leader should also make every effort in cooperating with the Prime Minister in the policy- making process, citing a drasatic decrease in violent crime during his tenure as National Security Minister, he said that the Opposition leader had a lot to offer the Prime Minister, by way of implementing crime plans.

On the other hand, the Opposition leader has shown there were dozens of policies that she implemented as prime minister that played a part towards the year 2014 having the lowest number of serious crimes in 31 years. Every crime was reduced from 23 per cent-35 per cent it was the highest visibility of law enforcement ever seen in the country. Griffith said that unless both parties are able to find common ground, the meeting would have been an effort in futility.
NEW YORK  A lawyer for former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is counting on the U.S. Supreme Court reviewing the case before the once-powerful politician endures a second trial on corruption charges.

Attorney Steven Molo notified the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Thursday that he'd like to ask the high court to review last week's ruling, which wiped out the conviction but also provided the government with assurance that there was sufficient evidence to convict Silver if a jury is properly instructed on the law and decides to do so.

Meanwhile, the government said in a filing Thursday that it is prepared to proceed with the retrial rather than appeal the 2nd Circuit's findings to the same three-judge panel or to the entire appeals court.

The 2nd Circuit tossed out the conviction, citing the legal rationale in a recent Supreme Court decision that reversed the public corruption conviction of Virginia Republican ex-Gov. Bob McDonnell.

In its ruling, the high court narrowed the definition of what constitutes an "official act" by a politician, making it more difficult for prosecutors to obtain convictions in cases in which it cannot be made clear to jurors exactly what a politician did in return for money or services received from someone or an entity hoping to improperly influence government.

Silver was sentenced last year to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of collecting $4 million in kickbacks from a cancer researcher and real estate developers in return for using his powerful post to help them. Prosecutors said he made another million dollars by investing the $4 million.

He has not had to report to prison while he awaited the outcome of his appeal.

Silver's former state Senate counterpart, Republican ex-Majority Leader Dean Skelos, was found guilty, at a separate trial, of using his position to arrange payments and a job for his son. His appeal is pending.

After the 2nd Circuit ruled last week, the three-judge panel hearing the appeal in the Skelos case asked lawyers to submit additional legal arguments in light of the Silver decision. Oral arguments had already occurred in the Skelos appeal. The additional papers are due in August.
UNC MP: Foreign Affairs in shambles

Turning to the situation in Venezuela, Charles claimed TTs foreign policy here lacks focus and direction and is based on short term considerations. He alleged that were there a change in government then, our cross border energy agreements may be at risk. Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young has refuted this allegation made by Charles and other Opposition MPs. Charles claimed that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowleys recent criticisms of the Organisation of the American States (OAS) Secretary General has caused Venezuelan opposition forces to see TT as being too close to Maduro.
Regrello assures return of commerce to Mucurapo Street

Several days into the implementation of changes in the flow of traffic and relocation of problematic taxi stands, owners of businesses that line the upper half of Mucurapo Street, San Fernando complained that the decreased traffic around Library Corner also inadvertently led to decreased sales in their stores as the travelling public is now being diverted to High Street.

What happened there on Mucurapo Street is we removed the Marabella stand to put it on Pointe-a-Pierre Road side so there was no taxi presence there, so they would have had a decrease in traffic, Regrello explained in an interview with the Newsday.

But we have put the Diamond taxis there now. So they will start there from tomorrow so there would be a presence of people and activity in the area. There are other plans we are working on to bring more activity in the area and I want to give you that assurance. The Diamond Village taxi stand is expected to be on the city-end of Mucurapo Street from yesterday.

Another change implemented within the last week was the change in traffic flow on Short Street, San Fernando.

The changes have since decreased traffic and has also left a small part of the roadway blocked off between the corner of Library and High Street.

And isnt that exciting? said Regrello. In every city there should be a free space where you can do something impulsive, do something at the drop of the hat.

You could have street theatre there. You now have a space that is readily available to do anything with. But let us leave it as a space for now until somebody could come with a great idea as to how it could be used. Regrello said that the traffic plans were the result of a very scientific approach, as they had people drive cars along the new routes during peak hours to time how long it took. As the days progress, Regrello said further changes would be made until an optimum solution is reached..
Garcia: No lay offs at Ministry

Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday told Newsday it was not a laying off  of some contract workers who had completed their one-year, two-year or three-year contracts.

They are now retained on a month to month basis to complete specific assignments.

Their original contractual period has come to an end.

If it was necessary to retain their services, then we offered them a month-to-month relationship with us, he said. Garcias comments were in response to a former short term contract employees who told Newsday in a letter dated July 20 that within the next two weeks about 250 short term contract employee will come to an end.

The former contract worker said among those who will be affected are technical officers, school social workers and student support service staff.

Garcia said, I am not aware of any effort by the ministry to retrench or lay of anybody, he said. He was not aware, he said, that there were 200 or more employees working on a month to month basis with the ministry.

It is just a small number. The former contract employee who said he was retained on a month-to-month basis for the last 14 month said that whenever the short term was coming to an end, short term workers would be asked to submit a justification for their retention.

They would then proceed on a three-day break before returning to work.

Recently, he said, we did our justifications and sent it up. Strangely though we have not been told anything. He said that when a couple of us inquired from the Human Resources Department when they would receive notice of approval, they were told the ministry has no money to pay them and as such we would not be returning back to work. He said the administration was not telling them anything and they were experiencing a sense of discomfort.

According to Garcia, Short term contract are for fixed periods.

When those periods have come to an end.

It means automatically that their contracts have come to an end.
Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

In a blockbuster story, the Washington Post reports that Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, told his superiors that he had detailed conversations with Attorney General Jeff Sessions about Russian policy during the run-up to the 2016 election. If true, it means that Jeff Sessions directly perjured himself during his confirmation hearings in January, then repeatedly lied when he tried to explain why he hadnt.

The Post reports that Kislyaks comments to his Russian bosses were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies. An anonymous former official told the Post that Sessions and Kislyak had substantive discussions on United StatesRussia relations and then-candidate Trumps positions on the issues facing the countries relationship.

The account is not corroborated by other sources, and it is possible that Kislyak was misrepresenting his conversations with Sessions  though the Post notes that Kislyak has a reputation for accurately relaying details about his interactions with officials in Washington.

Under oath in his hearings to become attorney general back in January, Sessions said he hadnt had any contact with Russian officials at all over the course of the previous year  a claim he had to retract when the Post reported in March on the existence of two meetings with Kislyak in 2016. Sessions, who was one of Trumps earliest and most influential supporters, made the shaky assertion that the meetings did not involve U.S.-Russia policy, and that he was only involved in his capacity as a senator.

Nevertheless, the revelation of the contact with Kislyak led Sessions to recuse himself from the ongoing probe involving President Trump and Russian interference in the 2016 election, clearing the path for special prosecutor Robert Mueller to take over. President Trump was furious at Sessions for bowing out of the investigation, and remains so; he told the New York Times on Wednesday that he would not have appointed Sessions as attorney general if he had anticipated the recusal.

Sessions is already in the presidential doghouse. As the Mueller investigation swirls around Sessions, the disclosure that he lied even more than people thought about Russia would seem to bode ill for his job security  which has led to speculation as to who fed the Post the damning information:

Every GOP figure I've spoken to at #AspenSecurity assumes Trump leaked this to force Sessions out. "Certainly not a Mueller leak," one said. https://t.co/5WjsCLkQks  Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) July 21, 2017

It could be a very exciting weekend!
NEW YORK  A seaplane made a hard landing in New York's East River on Friday and passengers including TV producer Bill Lawrence, the creator of "Scrubs" and other shows, were rescued.

The plane went down near Manhattan's east side shortly after 5:30 p.m.

The Fire Department says 10 people were on board. All of them declined medical attention.

Ephrain Diaz was fishing in the East River and saw the plane go down.

"When the propeller hit the water, you heard all the water splashing, all over the place," said Diaz, who said he then called 911. He said other boats quickly responded as the plane drifted northward.

Carter Craft was on a boat after finishing up an environmental project when the seaplane made a hard landing and one of its pontoons broke.

He said he saw the plane approach from the south, come in to land in choppy water and then come to a "dead stop."

"I knew something was wrong when it was stalled there in the water," Craft said. "I could see it was completely stopped and there were a lot of people out on the wing and one of the pontoons that didn't break off."

He was traveling on a former U.S. Navy police boat and rushed to the fallen seaplane. He said the passengers all had life vests on and he asked if they needed a ride.

Craft said the travelers' spirits were high despite the hard landing.

"One guy said, 'Are you going to the Hamptons?' And I said, 'Not that far, sorry, but I can take you to 23rd Street.'"

He said he asked the captain if anybody needed to be rushed to the hospital but the captain said that "everybody appears to be OK."

Craft said police and fire boats arrived shortly after.

The plane was operated by Tailwind Air LLC. Michael Siegel, the executive vice president of Tailwind, said all the passengers and crew members were evacuated safely and the seaplane was towed to a nearby dock.

Manhattan resident Leroy Farmer said he was watching as the seaplane's left pontoon seemed to hit a wave.

"It went into the water and never came back up," Farmer said. But then the propeller blades began to hit the water, and the plane got caught in the river current, he said.

He didn't hear yells for help or see anyone come out of the plane. "It looked like (the pilot) had everything under control, from here," Farmer said.

Lawrence, whose work also includes "Spin City" and "Cougar Town" in addition to "Scrubs," posted photos and a video of himself aboard the plane on social media.

Lawrence joked in one tweet, "Going to drink tequila continuously. #Lucky."
President Donald Does What He Wants Trump. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump unleashed a maelstrom of feisty tweets early Saturday morning, playing some old hits (Hillary Clintons emails, the stalled effort to repeal Obamacare) and cranking out a few new tunes (the New York Times culpability in the survival of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi?). He also appeared to confirm the accuracy of a Friday night Washington Post report that Jeff Sessions lied about the nature of his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

But the most newsworthy of Trumps indignant proclamations was his assertion that he has the complete power to pardon himself, should the need ever arise. (You know, totally standard stuff at the six-month mark of a presidency.)

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

That tweet came in the context of other complaints about the scope of the investigation into Trump and Russian electoral interference headed by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, a frequent target of Trumps ire.

Its part of a broader effort by Trump and his team to disrupt and discredit Mueller and his associates  and, if that fails, to lay the groundwork for self-acquittal. One source told the Post this week that the president has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe, and another person said that Trumps lawyers have been discussing the presidents pardoning powers among themselves.

Of course, Trump may fire Mueller before such powers need to be put to the test. In a New York Times interview on Wednesday, Trump warned Mueller not to overstep his investigative boundaries by poking into Trumps byzantine business transactions. The next day, Bloomberg reported Mueller was doing just that.

The possibility of an imminent clash between Trump and Mueller  with all its damaging and unknown consequences  seems more likely now than ever.
COPYRIGHT NZCIVAIR

All information and photographs used on this blog are copyright to NZCIVAIR.


Prime Hugh Grant and Always Prime Rachel Weisz.

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hoult and collette singing with their eyes closed makes me lol every time i think of it. he was so into it

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I haven't seen that movie in forever -- I need to do a re-watch now..

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I love that move so much. The killing me softly talent show moment? Melt melt melt

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i really can't get over jonathan from buffy being a bigshot hollywood writer... what kind of superstar teas...



edit: bc he directed this!! imagine him winning an oscar. wow @ 2017



Edited at 2017-07-22 06:28 pm (UTC)

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lol same.

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Me and you both tbh.

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I know! I'm surprised every time

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Same lol

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That's one of my favourite eps. Jonathan is probably my favourite minor Buffy character too.

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For some reason I thought he had won an Oscar but he's won a couple of emmy's.

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for a sec, i thought that gif was tswift in a wig

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hoult needs to pick better projects. and catcher in the rye was garbage

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i checked it out from the library when i was 16 and absolutely fucking hated it, then someone must've knicked it off the returns shelf when i gave it back before it could get scanned in, so the library tried to fine me for "stealing" it. i got so angry like this book was bullshit i would never ever steal such a bad book!!

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I really don't know what he's doing. Fine if he's going wherever he wants, but can't he add some taste then.

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MTE! I've tried to read it multiple times and always get to about half of it before putting it down... *I still do not understand how it is an American classic tbh...

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Hoult needs to prove he can open a film on his own before he gets better offers. It often isn't a matter of an actor "choosing" roles so much as it is them taking what's offered.



TBH, I don't think he has what it takes to carry a film (he's like a few others, he keeps getting cast in films (because he was part of a big franchise), but his films never find an audience and get terrible reviews.



This is not Oscar bait, it isn't going to get anywhere near the Oscars. He comes across as weak in the trailer--if he isn't compelling in a trailer, he sure isn't going to be riveting for 2 hours. This movie is a stinker.

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It is, though. This is the time of the year for movies that will try to compete for the awards at the end of the year and the beginning of the next one. No one premieres movies around these months if they don't want to enter the race.

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Oh, a biopic about a white male 'genius' living in the mid-20th century that has fewer than three female characters with lines? Sounds riveting.



AND it's an American character played by a British actor? Please take my money.



I swear this film looks more boring and eyeroll-inducing than Salinger's writing.



Edited at 2017-07-22 06:30 pm (UTC)

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aahahah i was going to use something like that as my post title: "oscar bait trailer about another white male struggling with life"

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There's nothing problematic about it as far as I can tell. I'm just bored of weird-looking upper-middle-class white British men who went to the right London school/Cambridge college monopolising big roles. Like, are there no actors to be found anywhere else?



I'm neither American nor British btw.



Edited at 2017-07-22 07:20 pm (UTC)

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lmao mte

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i am so sick of biopics about straight white men!!! j.d. salinger sucked and catcher in the rye was a waste of paper. i literally have a long list of all the women i would kill to have biopics about.

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List em sis? I'd watch films about Nellie Bly and Yoko Ono for sure

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there's soooo many lol. Nellie Bly for sure! Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, Ida B. Wells, Eartha Kitt, Josephine Baker, Artemisia Gentileschi, Julie d'Aubigny, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Olga of Kiev, Queen Lili'uokalani, Ada Lovelace, Hedy Lamarr, Sappho, and the list goes on and on.



i might actually make an ONTD original

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Hell, make an ONTD original!

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whenever i think of jd salinger, i think of a teenage joyce maynard. and i will never be able to get that image out of my head over his various failed attempts to penetrate her (she wrote about it, okay!).

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I was advised at a very young age to avoid this book so I have. Now I only know it as the book that helped kill John Lennon.



That said, I adore Nicholas Hoult.

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If someone told me that, it would have encouraged me to read it more. It's a well written book but not my favorite.

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I think I just put it on my "maybe later" list and simply forgot about it. Maybe this movie will actually inspire me to give it a try.

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Yawn! I'm only here for Sarah paulson's continued success.

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Oh, so That's where nicky went.

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yeah he doesn't look like himself. he reminds me of someone else but i can't think of who.

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ummmm what? Do I even want to wiki this shit? :/

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Looks basic...but goddamit if I don't just love Nicholas Hoult. Get that oscar nom bebs!

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this looks interesting and i like the cast.

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LOL, this, word by word. Read it at 20, liked it, don't remember a thing about it now.

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President Trump has a different view of climate change than the previous administration. His decision to disassociate the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accords has received the lions share of recent publicity in this regard. Now the Presidents March 28th Executive Order (EO) could harm the U.S. nuclear power industry (although we doubt that was his intent).

The EO directs the EPA, among other things, to review the previous administrations Clean Power Plan. There are two main parts to the CPP with respect to electric power generators: 1) carbon pollution emissions guidelines for both new and existing generation and 2) federal efforts to measure the social costs of carbon (SC-CO2) as well as nitrous oxide and methane. It is the latter that concerns us here.

Two states, New York and Illinois, have recently taken steps to subsidize aging nuclear generating stations. Both states used a variant of the SC-CO2 concept to justify above market payments to these base load power stations. The states rationale was simple. This subsidy was not related to either capacity or energy production. Rather it was an indirect payment for power produced with certain environmental attributes, in this case, low carbon emissions.

Regulatory personnel in NY have argued that nuclear subsidies, called Zero (carbon) Energy Credits were no different than the state program supporting renewable energy via Renewable Energy Credits. In addition, these so-called RECs fall within the states jurisdiction. However, the administrative price setting mechanism for nuclear ZECs was based on benefits ascribed to the social cost of carbon.

Section 5 of the March 28 EO is intended to Review Estimates of the Social Cost of Carbon, Nitrous Oxide, and Methane for Regulatory Impact Analysis and shift federal policy. The intent of this EO, plainly stated in its first section, is to promote clean and safe development of our nations vast energy resources and perhaps equally important, avoiding regulatory burdens that unnecessarily encumber energy production.

Unfortunately for the advocates of SC-CO2, Section 5 also lists a number of Obama-era Technical Support Documents which shall be withdrawn as no longer representative of government policy. These documents, the product of a federal interagency working group, also disbanded, provided the underpinnings and rationale for the SC-CO2 methodology. In effect, the federal government has renounced the previous administrations SC-CO2 methodology. Related: Is Big Oil Betting On The Wrong Horse?

Nuclear subsidies based on environmental criteria will probably remain in place in New York and Illinois. However, other states like Ohio and Pennsylvania are facing a similar dilemma of aging, uneconomic merchant nuclear base load generation in often economically depressed regions. The pressure to keep these plants open will be considerable. But they wont be able to claim any benefit from the non-carbon emitting nature of nuclear power. That policy is being rewritten literally as we write.

We dont blame the nuclear power industry for attempting to rebrand itself as providing energy and environmental improvement. However, the federal government has taken the latter rationale away from the industry. If carbons no longer a problem, who cares if relatively high cost nuclear power plants provide a solution?

By Leonard Hyman and Bill Tilles

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
First person arrested in Pananma leaks tempering case

ISLAMABAD: The chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) was arrested on Friday over allegations of forging documents in Panama Papers case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.



Zafar Hijazi was accused by a Supreme Court-appointed joint investigation team (JIT) of doctoring the records of a sugar mill owned by the Sharif family.



Hijazi, who is seen as a trusted ally of Sharif, had appeared in court on Friday morning for a bail hearing and was arrested after his plea was rejected.



Hijazi appeared in Islamabad special judge central Malik Tahir Mahmoods court to get his pre-arrest bail extended. His counsel, while presenting arguments, claimed that his client was being victimized and that those accused of tampering the record were included in the case as witnesses.



Hijazi has been declared main accused in Chaudhry Sugar Mills record tampering case unjustly. Therefore, my client should be granted bail so that he can cooperate in the ongoing investigation, argued Hijazis counsel.



He added that Hijazi did not want to go to Adyala jail due to ailment. However, the judge rejected Hijazis plea and he was arrested from the court room by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).



It may be mentioned here that FIA had lodged an FIR on July 10 against Hijazi for allegedly tampering with the record of Chaudhry Sugar Mills on the order of the Supreme Court. The FIR was registered under sections 466 (forgery) and 471 (using of forged documents as genuine) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read with Section 5(2)47 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, at FIAs Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in Islamabad.



Soon after arrest by the FIA, the health of the SECP chairman deteriorated and he was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for medical check-up.



Zafer Hijazi was brought to the hospital at around 12:30pm. A doctor, who wished not to be named,said that the senior FIA officials pressed upon the administration to admit Hijazi to the hospital. However, their requests were denied by the hospital.



He said that Hijazi was having minor kidney problem and for such a minor issue, any patient could not be admitted to the hospital.



When contacted, PIMS chief Dr Javed Akram confirmed the arrival of the SECP chairman to the hospital. He, however, refused to share details related to Hijazis disease. I can share details only after medical examiners reports is finalized, he said.



Journalists who reached the hospital for coverage were allegedly harassed by the FIA officials.



A female reporter, Saba Kabeer, claimed that an FIA official snatched her mobile phone and held her hostage in the hospital. I was the first among other journalists who reached the hospital to cover Hijazis visit. Seeing me alone, they (FIA) insulted me and virtually harassed me, she said.



Meanwhile, the federal government on Friday issued termination notification of Hijazi after his arrest by the FIA. He is likely to be replaced by senior commissioner Tahir Mahmood who will take charge as acting chairman of the SECP. Tahir is in US on an official visit and will return by Monday.



According to the SECP regulations, the senior-most commissioner is appointed as the acting chairman. In the past too, Tahir Mahmood has worked as acting chairman in 2014.



In Lahore, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the Lahore High Court will hold preliminary hearing of a petition seeking removal of Zafar Hijazi from office of the SECP chairman on July 24.



A citizen, Zahir Ali, had approached the court, arguing that the JIT had found Hijazi guilty of tampering records of the companies owned by the Sharif family.



Hijazis arrest comes just over a week after the investigating team, tasked by the Supreme Court with probing the graft claims, said that documents naming Sharifs daughter Maryam as a trustee for several of the familys high-end London properties were also falsified.



Dated 2006, they were typed in Microsofts Calibri font, which was not released for commercial use until 2007, the joint investigation team (JIT) said, citing forensics experts.
Nawaz Sharif not to quit office

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided over a meeting of the PML-N and reiterated his stance that he would not quit office.



The PML-N also decided to file a civil miscellaneous application before the Supreme Court to challenge Volume-10 of the report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) about mutual legal assistance sought from different countries.



The second consecutive absence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from the PML-N meeting confirmed that he has some reservations with the party leadership. According to media reports, he remained busy in some work in Punjab House, but did not attend the meeting.



Talking to reporters, Prime Ministers Adviser Barrister Zafarullah said the meeting was focused on the Panama Papers case and did not consider the option of a new prime minister. Why should we consider the thing which will not happen.



In fact, he said, it was a routine meeting in which the PML-Ns legal team gave details of Fridays proceedings of the Supreme Court.



Barrister Zafarullah said the prime minister and the partys legal team expressed satisfaction that Nawaz Sharif would not be affected in the Panama cases decision as the JIT could not establish his direct link with offshore properties of the Sharif family.



However, some private TV channels claimed that some names, including that of Khawaja Asif, were considered in the meeting for the post of prime minister in case Mr Sharif was disqualified.



In reply to a question about Volume-10 of the JIT report, he said it seemed that the Supreme Court had not considered it and without cross-questioning on it the court reserved its judgement. The law says that a document without arguments of the respondents cannot be used in any case, he said. We do not believe that there was any atom bomb in Volume-10.



PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz, while talking to mediamen, said his party would soon file a civil miscellaneous application in the Supreme Court to challenge the JIT report, especially its Volume-10.



He expressed dissatisfaction over the apex courts proceedings. It seems that the proceedings were one-sided, he said.



He said the British Virgin Islands had confirmed in its letter that it had not provided any document to the JIT as the requirement of mutual legal assistance was not fulfilled. Now it has been proved that the JIT only acted upon a letter of the Dubai government which also seems to be a fixed match, he said.



Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said Mr Sharif reiterated in the meeting that he would not resign as he was elected by the people.



She said the Supreme Court had also expressed dissatisfaction over the JIT report. The report is based on assumptions and not a categorical investigation, she added.



The minister said the JIT report had failed to prove any direct link of the prime minister with the Sharif familys property in London and any other corrupt practice.



Later, a spokesman for the interior ministry rejected media stories about Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and announced that the minister would hold a press conference on Sunday to tell the media why he skipped two important party meetings.



Media reports said Chaudhry Nisar had decided to quit the PML-N. However, the interior ministry spokesman said Chaudhry Nisar refuted all news about his resignation attributed to sources close to him.



The spokesman said media was requested not to make speculations regarding the interior minister.



Marriyum Aurangzeb also rejected any possibility of Chaudhry Nisars resignation and said running such stories without any confirmation from the minister or his spokesman was not fair.
SC closed Panama Papers case,reserved its ruling 22 July, 2017



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Ways that Players Used to Take Advantage of Slot Sites ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday formally closed the Panama Papers case when it reserved its ruling, but the most significant facet of the hearing was an assurance on the part of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to resurrect the Hudaibya reference by a belated challenge to its quashment.



The second significant part of Fridays hearing was the hint of invoking Section 12 (2 a and f) of the Representation of People Act, 1976, a provision under which the intending candidate in his nomination papers had to undertake fulfilling the qualifications under Article 62 of the Constitution and that he was not subject to any disqualification under Article 63. The matter exclusively falls within the domain of the Election Commission of Pakistan.



The new aspect is in addition to the earlier perception that even if the Supreme Court may consider not treading into the domain of the disqualification of the prime minister, it will refer the entire material for initiation of corruption references against the accused by the NAB, commented a senior lawyer who watched the court proceedings.



Judgement is reserved, observed Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan while wrapping up Fridays hearing after listening patiently to a number of counsel for respondents as well as for petitioners.



On Friday the Supreme Court also summoned Volume 10 of the report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which was sealed earlier that contains details of mutual legal assistance (MLA) with different countries. The document was opened for the perusal of the prime ministers counsel, Khawaja Haris, and Salman Akram Raja, who represents the children of Mr Sharif, only to remove confusion about certain communications between the JIT and Attorney Generals Chambers, Government of the British Virgin Islands. The document was taken back to the registrars office again by the court staff.



Additional Prosecutor General of NAB Akbar Tarar told the court that since the JIT during its 60-day inquiry had collected additional and fresh evidence into the allegation of amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of income, NAB was considering filing an appeal before the Supreme Court against the 2014 quashment by the Lahore High Court of the reference 5 of 2000 in the Hudaibya Paper Mills case. The reference was made against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for money laundering worth over Rs1.2 billion by Mr Dar for the benefit of the prime minister.



Are you considering reopening of the reference, Justice Khan asked with an observation that thinking remained abstract till it was translated into action. Mr Tarar said the challenge would be made by NAB within a weeks time.



The high court on Dec 3, 2012, had quashed the reference through a unanimous judgement, but the judges disagreed with each other over permissibility of reinvestigation of the matter after which the same was referred to a referee judge who held on March 11, 2014, that reinvestigation of the case was not permissible.



Moreover, when senior counsel Naeem Bokhari, representing Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, came to the rostrum and highlighted the new allegation gathered by the JIT that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also served as the chairman of the Dubai-based Capital FZE but did not declare the same in his nomination papers, Justice Khan inquired whether not the matter fell within the domain of the ECP when the prime minister who was bound to disclose the information did not do so.



The payment or non-payment of the salary to the prime minister from the accounts of the company would have different impacts, observed Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed.



Mr Bokhari, however, argued that the JIT probe led to an inevitable conclusion that the prime minister was not honest and truthful not only to the Supreme Court but also to the nation as well as to the National Assembly.



The existence of the Capital FZE, its work permit as manager in favour of Mr Sharif and the information of being the chairman of its board and his entitlement to the salary had not been disclosed, the counsel emphasised, saying that by accepting employment the prime minister had violated his oath.



When Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan asked the counsel to refer to any specific restriction that the holder of public office could not continue his business, the counsel replied that it came under the conflict of interest.



Additional Attorney General Mohammad Waqar Rana, however, told the court that there was no such express opinion in the law in this regard.



Mr Bokhari argued that in his speech to parliament, the prime minister made a positive assertion that the Gulf Steel Mills was sold for UAE Dirham 33 million which later proved wrong because after meeting all the liabilities nothing had been left for the Sharifs to set up Azizia Steels in Saudi Arabia.



Similarly, there was no Rial 63 million when Azizia was liquidated besides no document was shown that the share of Rial 14m each of three heirs was not distributed among them.



The counsel said from 1993 to 96 the prime ministers children  Maryam, Hussain and Hassan  were minors when four upscale Avenfield London flats were acquired, besides the emphasis that the patriarch Mian Sharif made all family decisions and ran the family businesses was not the stance taken during the earlier round. This was also not true that Hassan started his business in 2001 when the Azizia mills from which the money came to him was sold in 2005, he added.



Moreover, Hussain gifted over Rs1 billion to his father through the remittance from the Hill Metal Establishment (HME) in Saudi Arabia. If remittance from the son was not subject to tax in Pakistan it certainly did from HME because it was income from other sources.



He said 88 per cent of the profits of HME were coming to the prime minister then what was left to run the business. This was unbelievable, he said, adding that Saudi laws restricted movement of more than 25pc of the total profits of an entity.



Awami Muslim Leagues chief Sheikh Rashid pleaded before the court to pardon the Sharifs if it decided not to disqualify them. Sending of a reference against them would be of no use since they had huge money and were in the habit of buying everything, he alleged.



Salman Akram Raja also removed the misconception that no law firm in London worked on Saturday and said the relationship between Hussain and his longtime retain solicitor Jeremy Box was such that he could even ask Mr Box to come home on holidays for official business work.



Dr Tariq Hassan, counsel for Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, also defended his client and brought a big carton with inscription Senator Dar 34 years of tax record. Is the writing on the box for our consumption? asked Justice Ahsan, adding that it should have been shown to the television cameras also.
Former Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has admonished Government to exclude wards of the elite in society from the Free Senior High School Program scheduled to take off later this year.



He argues that rather than focusing on every school going child in the country, government should focus solely on the deprived in society and assist them through school. He maintains that the wards of Ministers, Members of Parliament, and other government officials by virtue of their positions are poised to cater for the educational needs of their wards and hence do not need governments assistance in that regard.



I dont believe that children of MPs, Ministers, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Managers of institutions, corporate giants, their Chief Executives should all be benefitting from free SHS.



Though he lauded the idea of funding students across the country at the Senior High level, he maintained that the method of implementation of the program was a lazy one.



According to him, the approach to funding is not feasible considering the current state of the countrys resources.



I think that it is not well thought through, excuse my language but thats a lazy approach. It is good but it is about how you implement it . . . you dont have all the resources. When you look at this years budget for instance, only GHC 400 million was found for free SHS which can cover not even all the first years, not even to the second year and third year students."



Rather he suggests, government should identify the vulnerable and poor in society and invest the monies in their education to be able to reserve some of the limited resources and channel them into other equally important areas of education.



Government cannot argue that we dont have vulnerable people, poor people in second year and third year . . . we can identify the vulnerable who need the support so that we can spare some of the support and invest in these critical areas. Teacher motivation, logistics, learning materials, all these things are critical . . . You need the resources to have a holistic program for education in Ghana and if you want to move all the resources to free SHS which clearly you are struggling to find the resources for, and it is not targeted, I dont think it is judicious use of money, he explained.



The Free Senior High School Program is scheduled to take off in September this year. The program will ensure that all students of public senior high schools (SHS) in the country will receive free funding from the first to the third year.



The government of Ghana will fund the cost of public Senior High Schools for all those who qualify for entry from the 2017/2018 academic year onwards, he said.



President Akufo-Addo assured that the program will cover tuition, admission , library, examination, computer lab and utility fees. It will also cater for text books, boarding house fees, and meals which will cover day students as well.

Source: ghanaweb.com









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Putting aside their constant rivalry and mutual distrust, Mayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo came together to confront a dire threat to New York's well-being.

Too bad that mayor and governor staged their Monday hug-in to take on an easy target  the Republican Congress' Trumpcare proposal, which collapsed hours later.

The far direr threat to New York's well-being is the crisis in the subways.

De Blasio says that Cuomo is ultimately responsible for running the subways. De Blasio is correct  and Cuomo now agrees he's in charge.

Cuomo says that de Blasio is underfunding the subways under ancient formulas. Cuomo is correct  and de Blasio needs to pony up more.

It's past time for the pair  who both express the highest confidence in new MTA Chairman Joe Lhota  to unite to fix the trains.

Lhota is feverishly working on an assessment of the subways and buses, due within weeks.

The stations, tunnels and tracks are city-owned and leased to the Transit Authority to operate, under a 1953 agreement. And the gov runs the TA.

The law, which no one seems to have read in decades, makes the city pay capital funding for its asset. During the years when the city was broke, it only gave pennies for capital, forcing Albany to step in. Yet the days of city penury are long gone.

Tens of millions here and there aren't going to solve the MTA's funding problems, billions are more like it. If Cuomo and de Blasio can't make peace on paying for the small stuff, war will erupt once Lhota delivers what could be his hefty price tag for the upgrades.

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There is simply no credible way to address climate change without changing the way we get from here to there, meaning cars, trucks, planes and any other gas-guzzling forms of transportation. That is why it is so heartening to see electric cars, considered curios for the rich or eccentric or both not that long ago, now entering the mainstream.

A slew of recent announcements by researchers, auto companies and world leaders offer real promise. First up, a forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance said that electric cars would become cheaper than conventional cars without government subsidies between 2025 and 2030. At the same time, auto companies like Tesla, General Motors and Volvo are planning a slate of new models that they say will be not only more affordable but also more practical than earlier versions. And officials in such countries as France, India and Norway have set aggressive targets for putting these vehicles to use and phasing out emission-spewing gasoline and diesel cars.

Skeptics may see these announcements as wishful thinking. After all, just 1.1 percent of all cars sold globally in 2016 were electrics or plug-in hybrids. And many popular models still cost much more than comparable fossil-fuel cars.

The skeptics, however, have consistently been overly pessimistic about this technology. Electric cars face challenges, yet they have caught on much faster than was thought likely just a few years ago. There were two million of them on the world's roads last year, up 60 percent from 2015, according to the International Energy Agency. The cost of batteries, the single most expensive component of the cars, fell by more than half between 2012 and 2016, according to the Department of Energy.

Some parts of the fossil fuel industry will no doubt try to sabotage the electric car revolution. In the United States, the industry is lobbying states to eliminate subsidies for the vehicles. And many analysts expect the industry to seek similar changes at the federal level from President Trump and Republican leaders in Congress, who have already made clear that they do not see climate change as a major threat. They should know, though, that the most they can do is slow down the process. The electric car has already left the garage.

 The New York Times

In the 1960s and '70s, very well-intentioned programs were introduced into prisons to turn guards into officers who would work toward correcting the prisoners, hence the evolution of the name "correction officers."

It hasn't exactly worked out that way, as most of us can observe.

But a Press-Republican Lookback entry this week reminded us that having inmates do something useful and good is not a new concept. Exactly a century ago  in 1917  the Clinton County sheriff was applying that thinking to his operation.

In case you missed it:

"The demand for farmhands in all parts of Clinton County is far beyond the supply, and in order to somewhat relieve the situation, Sheriff Fiske has arranged to have the majority of the men confined in the County Jail under short sentences employed on some of the farms close to the city, where the men can be taken each day and returned to the jail for confinement at night.

"The men receive $1 per day for their labor, in addition to dinners and suppers. The county is thus saved the expense of providing two meals each day for every man sent into the fields.'"

Imagine how life-changing that work may have been for the men. They learned skills that could make them potential employees once they left jail, and they had reason to feel pride in their efforts while still imprisoned.

Franklin County Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill recently introduced the practice of raising chickens on the jail grounds to occupy some of the better-behaved inmates and to save taxpayer money by providing eggs for some jail meals.

Clinton County Sheriff David Favro's jail recently inaugurated a counseling program for inmates to help them toward a better start when they are released.

We're all for the concept of rehabilitation of inmates. We're also all for putting the inmates to work, both for their own sakes and for the benefit of the public.

 The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh












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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!


Ecuador increases oil output breaks OPEC quota

Agreed cuts to oil supply



Source: Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Intelligence

Nation must boost production to raise revenue, minister says. Ecuador accounts for just 1 percent of the Vienna Group's agreed output cuts

ECUADOR/LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 19 2017

Ecuador has dealt a blow to OPEC unity by announcing it will start raising oil production this month, arguing it needs the money.

OPEC has for years cheated on its own agreements, particularly when oil prices fail to recover after an output cut. But Ecuador has taken the rare step of saying publicly it will increase production, making it impossible for the group to conceal the desertion.

The Latin American country won't be able to meet its commitment to lower output by 26,000 barrels a day to 522,000 a day, as agreed with OPEC last year, Oil Minister Carlos Perez said in an interview with Teleamazonas late Monday.

There's a need for funds for the fiscal treasury, hence we've taken the decision to gradually increase output, Perez said. What Ecuador does or doesn't do has no major impact on OPEC output.

On Tuesday, after speaking with Saudi Arabia's energy minister, Perez issued a statement saying Ecuador and the Saudis remain committed to reducing inventories to a normal level as part of OPEC's strategy to boost crude prices.

We are taking collective action as an organization so that the market will continue its process of stabilization, Perez said in the ministry statement. Ecuador and Saudi Arabia, OPEC's biggest member, both expect the cuts to have a positive impact on prices by late this year, he said.

Ecuador's exit would be largely immaterial when considering the size of the global oil market, as the amount it agreed to cut accounts for less than 25 seconds of daily consumption. Still, it does create a dangerous precedent in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, opening the door for other, perhaps bigger producers to follow suit.

The country's pullout will not matter for global balances but it shows the challenges for OPEC members given the cuts failed to raise prices, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at London-based Energy Aspects Ltd. The announcement may again give rise to fears of the deal falling apart, she said.

Benchmark Brent crude has erased most of the gains it made after OPEC's November deal, dropping 14 percent this year to settle at $48.84 a barrel on Tuesday.

Ecuador says it had a non-written agreement with OPEC that gave it flexibility on output because of its fiscal needs. The Vienna-based group, however, hasn't disclosed such an accord.

For a rundown of output-cut commitments by country, click here

Ecuador isn't the only OPEC member struggling to bolster its finances, with others such as Algeria also relying heavily on petrodollar reserves built up during the 2000-2008 oil-price boom to plug fiscal deficits. Many require prices significantly higher than today's level to balance the books, according to non-partisan New York think-tank the Council on Foreign Relations .

Other small OPEC members may now argue they also need extra money, said Torbjorn Kjus, an analyst at DNB Bank ASA in Oslo.

They should understand that this might hurt the whole deal, he said, suggesting OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia could decide: If you guys don't want to participate then let's just dump the oil price down into the $20s and see how funny that is.

OPEC's implementation of its deal to curtail output is slipping after a strong start earlier this year. The International Energy Agency put compliance at 78 percent in June, a six-month low, as Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador and Venezuela pumped more than agreed. Iraq produced 4.5 million barrels a day, meeting just 29 percent of its commitment.

See graphic: OPEC quietly opened the taps in June

Ecuador, OPEC's third-smallest member by production after Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, is now pumping close to 545,000 barrels a day from its oil fields in the Amazon rainforest, Perez said in the interview. That's not far off the 548,000 barrels a day it produced before the OPEC deal kicked in.

OPEC and several non-member countries agreed to curb output by almost 1.8 million barrels a day, starting in January, to reduce global inventories and boost prices. So far the group, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, has achieved little, with stocks well above the five-year average, in part due to rising U.S. shale supply.






PAWLET, Vt.  A Pawlet, Vermont man was charged with a felony in recent days for allegedly injuring a 3-year-old girl with a knife last month.

Benjamin Gates, 33, was charged with cruelty to a child younger than 10 and reckless endangerment for an incident in June that was investigated through the New York State Child Abuse Hotline.

Vermont State Police were notified about a head injury the child suffered, allegedly when Gates was swinging a knife that was connected to a rope. The injuries were described as minor by Vermont State Police, and Gates was not accused of intentionally injuring her.

Gates was charged and released to appear in Rutland, Vermont District Court on Aug. 28.

Pawlet is just east of the New York state line.
HAGUE  A marine search for a missing paddle boarder was suspended Friday night near Prison Island in northern Lake George due to safety concerns and was scheduled to start again Saturday morning.

The Ticonderoga Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Squad responded to the Baldwin Road side of Lake George on Friday evening. Through witness interviews, it was determined that an approximately 60-year-old man was on Lake George and had become separated from his paddle board. He was last seen about 40 yards from shore.

Scanner reports said rescuers were searching in about 10 feet of water for the man.

Names of parties involved are not being released due to the continuing investigation, police said.

Lake George Park Commission, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Warren County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police, Lake George Fire Department, Putnam Fire Department, North Queensbury Fire Department and Essex County Emergency Services assisted with the search.
TICONDEROGA  Searchers on Saturday morning found the body of a missing 61-year-old man who fell off his paddle board Friday evening at the northern end of Lake George.

Michael J. Butler III of Patchogue, Long Island, was found in approximately 8 feet of water about 40 yards from the shore line on the Baldwin Road side of Lake George, according to the Ticonderoga Police Department.

The search had been suspended Friday night and resumed early Saturday. With the assistance of the Warren County Sheriff's Office SCUBA unit, Butler was found at about 7:30 a.m., according to the Lake George Park Commission.

It is believed he fell off his paddle board early Friday evening near Mossy Point, police said. Essex County Coroner Frank Whitelaw responded to the scene and an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death.

Ticonderoga Police, Lake George Park Commission, local firefighters and Warren County Sheriff's Office divers were involved in the search.

Check back to poststar.com for more details.
FORT EDWARD  The handmade replica of the flag carried by Washington County volunteers during the Civil War was dedicated Friday in a ceremony that memorialized the soldiers.

The original flag of the 123rd Regiment is too tattered for public display, with only the left side of the flag remaining. So historians commissioned a flag that was sewn by hand with raw silk, just like the original.

Each star in the flag varies slightly because they were made by hand.

The replica now hangs in the Washington County Municipal Center, near the Board of Supervisors chambers.

During the Civil War, the county was asked to find 600 volunteers to fill the ranks, local historian Edith Meikle said at Fridays dedication.

When recruitment centers opened, 950 people volunteered. Their wives and loved ones quickly made a flag for them, which they carried with them during their three years at war. They lost it during their first major engagement, at Chancellorsville, but another regiment saw it and brought it back to them, Meikle said.

The regiment went on to fight in most of the biggest battles of the war, including Gettysburg, the battles for Atlanta, the march to the sea through Georgia and the campaign through the Carolinas.

After the war, the regiment paraded in D.C. in the Grand Review. The regiment was first in line behind Gen. William T. Sherman. He loved the regiment so much that they were known as Shermans pets, said historian Al Cormier.

In June 1865, the regiment came home. Of the 950 who had left, 600 returned. They were disbanded on June 8.

Among the notables who came to the dedication ceremony was Assemblywoman Carrier Woerner, D-Round Lake, who spoke to remember those who died and those who made it home.

She also praised local historians as unsung heroes.

You make sure that we remain connected to our common history, she said.
Despite pleas from across the political spectrum that he stop his 140-character outbursts, President Trump cant stop tweeting. Indeed, he has defended his incessant online exclamations as essential to the conduct of his office. My use of social media is not Presidential, he tweeted earlier this month, its MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL.

Taking Trump at his word about the importance of these communiques, a group of Twitter users who have been blocked from seeing and responding directly to his tweets has filed suit in federal court in New York seeking to regain access to @realDonaldTrump, the account Trump established before he became president and still uses. (He also tweets, but less provocatively and to fewer followers, on an official @POTUS account he inherited from Barack Obama.)

The plaintiffs legal argument strikes us as debatable. But their sense of grievance rings true. If Trump is going to treat Twitter as a means of engagement with the public, he shouldnt muzzle voices that disagree with him.

That is just what Trump, or his social-media staff, did to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed this week by lawyers from the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. For example, Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, a writer and legal analyst, was blocked after she responded to a Trump tweet about his election victory with: To be fair, you didnt win the WH: Russia won it for you.

Buckwalter-Poza and the other plaintiffs argue that the president and his social-media team are violating the 1st Amendment by preventing them from viewing Trumps tweets, replying to them and participating in the associated comment threads. Its an intriguing but not conclusive argument.

The idea that the plaintiffs are being kept in the dark about what Trump has tweeted is doubtful; his tweets  especially the factually challenged ones  tend to be copiously quoted by others on Twitter and in the news media, and can easily be viewed by the plaintiffs on Twitter if they log out of their accounts.

The plaintiffs are on more solid ground in complaining that theyve been barred from arguing with Trump in his own feed. But to turn that into a constitutional claim, they must argue that @realDonaldTrump is a designated public forum controlled by the 1st Amendment, and thats much harder to establish. The longstanding account is personal even though he uses it to post about government and politics.

Then there is the fact that Twitter is a private company, not a public utility. It should have a 1st Amendment right to set its own rules  even though, as professor Eugene Volokh of UCLA law school has pointed out, a federal judge has ruled that a Facebook page set up by a local government was a limited public forum. Facebook, like Twitter, is a private company.

Twitter created the blocking tool as a countermeasure to disruptive users, in the spirit of promoting civil debate. Whatever the courts say about the constitutional issue, Trump is acting childishly by excluding citizens who dare merely to disagree with him from @realDonaldTrump  a forum what he considers an important channel of communication. Such pettiness isnt presidential  or even MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. If Trump is going to use this forum to speak to the world, he needs to let the world talk back.
The Board of Directors of Friends of Flagstaff's Future recently announced that it has hired Dawn Tucker as the group's next executive director. She will start her new job Aug. 1.

Tucker currently serves on the F3 board, regularly attends and speaks at Flagstaff City Council meetings, has thoroughly studied the transact zoning code, the regional planning code, and Prop 207. She advocates for policies related to land use and growth, historic preservation, economic prosperity, affordable housing and other livability concerns.

Tucker was raised in and still lives in the Southside. Before stepping down from teaching at the end of this school year, Tucker had spent the past six years teaching English, literature, speech and debate, drama, and poetry at three Arizona schools. She founded and is the current executive director of the non-profit Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Letters in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature from Mary Baldwin University in partnership with The American Shakespeare Center.
Editor:

The July 19 Post-Star was full of articles about my least favorite deadbeat  Deadbeat Donald. What a study in contrasts!

On health care, he was for it (no cuts to Medicaid or Medicare; House bill is mean). Then he was against it: Kill it. Starve it. I wont own it. Then Deadbeat Donald, tired of the real work involved in governing, I can almost hear him whining, Who knew how hard governing can be?

He says he wants tax cuts for the middle class, but his budgets cut the heart out of support for anyone but himself and his few wealthy friends.

Jefferson Beauregard wants to encourage more asset forfeiture by police agencies by finding a way for the feds to help avoid state laws against asset forfeiture without convictions. I thought Deadbeat Donald and Jefferson Beauregard were for states rights. Deadbeat Junior has shown where he gets his honesty and transparency. The secret meeting now is one person short of a softball team.

The first half of this year is second warmest on record, yet Deadbeat Donald and his Climate Denial EPA say it isnt so. He has threatened U.S. interference in Venezuela, but he already wants all of our rules changed in his favor.

Deadbeat Donald served the Chinese president (his personal cake tester?) with the most beautiful chocolate cake, but he cant close a deal with China on North Korea or on trade.

The only thing missing from todays paper was Deadbeat Donald congratulating Doug Irish for urging Republicans to avoid being friendly with Democrats.

To those who couldnt or wouldn't vote for Hillary, let me remind you that when you step in the stuff, sometimes the smell just doesn't go away. Maybe after three more years the stink will finally be gone.

Al Muench, Chestertown
















The Palestinian Authoritys ruling Fatah party called Saturday for a continued struggle to take control of the Al-Aqsa mosque.





In a statement sent to supporters, the movement of PA President Mahmoud Abbas said the campaign for Jerusalem has effectively begun, and will not stop until a Palestinian victory and the release of the holy sites from Israeli occupation, the Walla news site reported.





Fatah commended Palestinian protesters who rioted in the streets of Jerusalem on Friday against the deployment of metal detectors at the Temple Mount compound, with three reportedly killed by Israeli security forces in the violence and some 200 others wounded.





The party hailed those demonstrators initifada (or armed struggle) against the enemy, their acts for the protection of Al-Aqsa and their struggle against the Israeli plans, while sacrificing souls and blood. Th group called for three days of mourning as well as a general strike in honor of the dead protesters.

Abbas said the installation of the metal detectors was falsely presented as a security measure to take control over Al-Aqsa mosque. The steps taken by Israel are leading to a religious confrontation and an evasion from a diplomatic process, Abbas was also quoted by Haaretz as saying. Abbas said he had spoken with several heads of state, including from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, and asked them to intervene in the Temple Mount conflict.

The PA president said the Palestinian Authority would finance all costs of treating those wounded of Fridays clashes. We will spend $25 million supporting the Palestinians of Jerusalem, he reportedly said.





He also called on Hamas to rally around the cause of the Temple Mount and reconcile with his own party.

























The drastic escalation on Friday came a week after two Israeli Border Police officers were killed by terrorists at the Temple Mount. In the wake of the attack, Israel closed the site for 48 hours as it searched for more weapons, and then installed metal detector gates at entrances to the compound.

































Three Israelis were killed and another was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack in the West Bank settlement of Halamish on Friday night when a terrorist broke into their home and began stabbing the family as they ate their Shabbat dinner. The IDF said a Palestinian assailant killed a man and two of his children, while his wife was badly wounded and taken to hospital. The mans grandchildren were present but not harmed, the army said.

According to a preliminary investigation, the terrorist, a Palestinian in his late teens from a nearby village, arrived in the settlement on foot armed with a knife, climbed a fence and chose the last house on a street near it.





The perpetrator broke a window and entered the home, surprising a family of about 10 inside as they were finishing their dinner, and launched his stabbing spree.





During the attack, another daughter hid several of the grandchildren in one of the rooms, where she called police and began shouting that a terrorist was inside the home. Paramedics said the the victims, a father in his 60s, his son in his 40s, and his daughter in her 40s, died of their wounds.

Palestinian media identified the terrorist as Omar al-Abed, 19, from the village of Kaubar, near Ramallah. An IDF soldier on leave in a nearby home responded to the screams and shot and wounded Abed through his window, according to Magen David Adom rescue service officials. An MDA paramedic at the scene told The Times of Israel the attacker was wounded by the shooting and was evacuated to hospital in moderate condition.

In initial questioning, Abed said he bought the knife two days ago, wanting to commit a terror attack because of events surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.





Hamas praised the attack as heroic, and said it came after Israels attacks on the rights of our people in Jerusalem and at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

































IDF forces early Saturday morning raided the home of the Palestinian terrorist who murdered three members of an Israeli family the previous evening, and arrested his brother. Troops were searching the village for weaponry and suspects. They also mapped the family home of the 19-year-old killer in preparation for its likely demolition.

Following Fridays terror attack, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot had held an emergency meeting of top army brass to discuss events.





Military leadership decided to temporarily enact a closure on terrorist Omar al-Abeds hometown of Kaubar, north of Ramallah, and to conduct searches in his familys home.









An army official told Ynet the 19-year-old assailants parents were known to be affiliated with the Hamas terror group. Hamas hailed the attack late Friday as heroic. Ibrahim al-Abed, an uncle, said troops searched the family home and arrested Omars brother Monir, 21. Officials said they suspected Monir had aided his brother in carrying out the attack. Security forces said they were looking for any additional suspects in the Halamish attack.

























Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman visited the site of Fridays terror attack in the settlement of Halamish, which claimed the lives of three Israelis , and said Israel was demanding prompt condemnation of the attack by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas, he said, must issue a clear condemnation of the massacre committed yesterday against an innocent family that posed a danger to no one, a terrible slaughter carried out during the familys Shabbat dinner.

Abbas has so far been silent about Friday nights attack. Before news of the attack broke, Abbas had said he would freeze all contacts with Israel over its actions in Jerusalems Temple Mount. Friday saw riots around the Old City and the Jerusalem area in response to Israels installation of metal detectors at the Temple Mount compound. Three Palestinians were reported killed and some 200 others were wounded in the confrontations with Israeli security forces.

































"The government's brutal actions at the Al-aksa Mosque, changing the status quo by placing metal detectors, will necessarily lead to a third Intifada, that already began today," Joint List Member of Parliament Taleb Abu Arar, said Friday afternoon. The lawmaker warned of a major Palestinian uprising and accused the police of killing three Palestinians in clashes following weekly prayers in Jerusalem.



"Those who initiated the violence and killed three Palestinians were the Israeli police," he said.





MK Ahmad Tibi, also from the Joint List party, said that the responsibility to the clashes to those who died is the government and its head, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.









Muslim leaders and Palestinian political factions had urged the faithful to gather for a "day of rage" on Friday against the new security policies, which they see as changing delicate agreements that have governed the holy site for decades.



Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein posted on Twitter two screenshots from videos of Arab MKs from Friday and wrote: This is a shame! It is a shame that the precious time of our security forces is being wasted.





Protests also broke out in the Gaza Strip.



According to the Israeli military, dozens of Palestians were burning tires and throwing rocks at troops along the border fence. The soldiers returned fire towards the instigators.



"Today we are acting to bring the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem back into the embrace of the the Arab World," Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said during his weekly sermon in Gaza. "We shall not enter the Temple Mount through metal detectors."





































The brutal stabbing attack at Halamish, which left a grandfather of 70, his son and daughter dead while still in their 40s and a grandmother of 78 badly injured - when the family was gathered for the Sabbath Eve meal on Friday, July 21 - was no random act of terror. It followed directly and consistently on the murder of two Israeli police guards on Temple Mount exactly one week earlier.

The planners of the first outrage, perpetrated by three Israeli Arabs, knew exactly that such action would ignite flames which would claim many Israeli and Palestinian lives.



Halamish is a small Orthodox Jewish community of 250 families, not far from Ramallah, which is walled, gated and guarded. Nevertheless, a 19-year old Palestinian from the nearby village of Kubar, was able to scale the wall, burst in on the family and repeatedly slash four of its members. The wife of the murdered son grabbed the five children who were visiting their grandparents, hid with them in another room and phoned the police, while a neighbor, a 19-year old soldier on leave, shot the terrorist through a window and so finally stopped the carnage.

The paramedics, though experienced in terrorist atrocities had to overcome their horror at the bloodbath in which they went to work to save laves. For the grandfather and his son, it was too late. His daughter died under their hands, and the grandmother was removed to hospital in serious condition.



Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas decided to profit from the high tension around Temple Mount since the July 14 murder of the Israeli policemen. Accusing Israel of declaring a religious war (sic), he announced earlier Friday that he was suspending all Palestinian security cooperation with Israel. This demonstrated extreme hutzpah, considering that it is this cooperation which keeps him in power. He deals directly with American and American parties which support his security forces and serve as go-between for Palestinian ties with their Israeli counterparts.

If the Palestinians choose to continue along the path of violence, their American and European backers will face the dilemma over whether to continue to sponsor terror. Making a public issue of this will effectively put paid to all efforts at diplomacy for ending the dispute  whether local or regional.

And that is exactly what the three Muslim gunmen were after when they shot dead three Israeli police guards at the Lions Gate entrance to Temple Mount.

The Palestinians are consistent in their tactics: First shed Israeli blood, then tell the world they are victims and as martyrs are justified in seeking revenge  especially against the sons of apes and pigs who defile Al Aqsa. This was how the Halamish killer Omar al-Abed, 19, a Hamas sympathizer, described the Jews in the will he posted on Facebook three hours before the murders. Except that instead of dying with a martyrs halo, he survived.

The whole week, it was dinned into Palestinian and Israeli Muslims by their leaders, including elected members of the Israeli parliament, that the Al Aqsa compound, an artificial mountaintop platform built as the site of the Jewish Temple more than 2,000 years ago, is exclusive Muslim property and no Jew has the right to set foot in the Noble Sanctuary. This claim also applies to Jerusalem, known in Arabic as Al Quds.

The most notorious metal detectors in Middle East history became emblems that objectified their rage that Iover Israeli sovereignty in Temple Mount and the holy city. This has exposed the dispute as being a national rather than a religious dispute.

For Israel, sovereignty over its capital and the site of the Jewish temples, which was won at great cost in a war of defense after millennia of exile, is not in question. The governments reiterated pledge to preserve the status quo on Temple Mount and the cities holy places is solidly backed up. But it cuts no ice with the Palestinians since the pledge is offered by an entity they consider a usurper.

Nothing less will satisfy them than Israel relinquishing Temple Mount to the full control of the Waqf Muslim Authority.

But this presents another problem. For decades, Israeli governments has provisionally quelled endless outbreaks of violence, by rescinding pieces of control to Muslim authority - the Waqf or Jordan, allowing the Hashemite King to claims custodianship of Al Aqsa. But it was never enough to keep Palestinian violence down for long. The Waqf was even permitted to build an extension to Al Aqsa, which they rewarded by trashing the relics of the Jewish Temples discovered by the builders.

But Israel has now reached the end of its tether. It is obvious that even if the metal detectors installed at Temple Mount gates are removed or replaced, the violence unleashed at Temple Mount on July 14 was just an opener, followed a week later by the Halamish murders.

A surge Palestinian clashes with police across Jerusalem earlier Friday left three Palestinian rioters dead. Israels Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gady Eisenkott Saturday ordered a massive call-up of IDF and police reinforcements to try and put a lid on the violence and protect the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria.

































During the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli military actions were limited by the broader diplomatic situation. The expulsion of Syria from Lebanon had taken place a year earlier.



The government of then-prime minister Fuad Siniora in Beirut was considered one of the few successes of the US democracy promotion project in the region. As a result, pressure was placed on Israel to restrict its operations to targets directly related to Hezbollah activity alone.









Ten years is a long time. Today, the view in Israel is that the distinction between Hezbollah and the institutions and authorities of the Lebanese state has disappeared.



But while the government of Lebanon is no longer a particular protege of the US and the West, the position taken in Western capitals regarding the Lebanese state and, notably, its armed forces remains markedly different from that taken in Jerusalem. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) continues to be a major beneficiary of US aid.





This gap in perceptions reflects different primary security concerns. For Israel, altering this perception in the West before the next conflict with Hezbollah is a primary strategic task.



So what are the facts of the case? One of the basic expectations of a functioning state is that it exercise a monopoly on the use of violence within its borders.





What has happened in the intervening decade, however, is that Hezbollah and its allies, rather than simply ignoring the wishes of the state, have progressively absorbed its institutions. The events of May/June 2008 in Beirut finally demonstrated the impotence of official Lebanon in opposing the will of Hezbollah and its allies.









Then, on the official political level, Hezbollah and its allies prevented the appointment of a Lebanese president for two years, before ensuring the ascendance of their own allied candidate, then-Gen. Michel Aoun, in October 2016. For good measure, the March 8 bloc of which Hezbollah is a part ensured for itself eight portfolios in the 17-person Lebanese cabinet. Of these, two are directly in the hands of Hezbollah.



So at the level of political leadership, it is no longer possible to identify where the Lebanese state begins and Hezbollah ends.





In particular, there is deep disquiet in Israel regarding revelations of an Iranian- supported, homegrown Hezbollah arms industry. This, combined with what may be the beginnings of a slow winding down of the Syrian war, raises the possibility of renewed tensions with Hezbollah.









The intention will be to dismiss any distinction between Hezbollah and the Lebanese state, and to wage a state-to-state war against Lebanon, on the basis that the distinction has become a fiction. This would involve an all-out use of military force that will be intended to force a relatively quick decision.



For this to be conceivable, a diplomatic battle has to first be won. This is the battle to convince the West, or at least the US, that an Iranian proxy militia has today effectively swallowed the Lebanese state, making war against the former, by its very nature, involve war against the latter.





































Following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, armchair pundits determined that the age of the tank as king of the battlefield had come to an ignominious end. They argued that the introduction of anti-tank guided missiles rendered the tank obsolete. How wrong they were. Several post-war studies of the conflict demonstrated that the tank was still indispensable to modern warfare and when employed in a combined arms manner with artillery and mechanized infantry, still reigned supreme.









Israel learned many lessons from the Yom Kippur War and incorporated those lessons into the development of its own indigenous tank, the Merkava (Chariot). The Merkava 1 entered service with the Israel Defense Forces in 1978 and first saw action in 1982 during Operation Peace for Galilee when it engaged and destroyed no fewer than nine Soviet-made, Syrian T-72 tanks without sustaining a single loss. It also reportedly succeeded in downing a Syrian anti-tank helicopter with its main gun.





Since that time, the Merkava has undergone several modifications and improvements, the latest iteration of which is the Merkava 4. The Merkava 4 is considered by armored warfare experts to be among the finest tanks in the world, and in terms of crew survivability, the safest.





In the summer of 2006, Israel was forced to go to war again, this time with the notorious terrorist organization Hezbollah. On July 12, two Israeli reservists were killed and their bodies snatched during a Hezbollah cross-border attack. Israel could not allow the outrage to go unanswered and decided to launch an offensive against Hezbollah. Nearly 400 Merkava tanks, mostly of the older II and III variants, were haphazardly deployed in the latter stages of the 34-day conflict.





During the course of the war, Hezbollah guerrillas fired thousands of anti-tank missiles  from the first generation Sagger to the highly advanced Kornet  at static Israeli infantry and tanks but only succeeding in damaging some 40 tanks and of these, there were only 20 penetrations. Despite these encouraging numbers, so-called experts began to once again challenge the utility of the tank and its place in modern warfare.









IDF planners saw things differently. They went back to the drawing board in an effort to draw conclusions from the performance of the Merkava and tactics employed by its crew members.





With at least 1/3 of its fighting force permanently stationed in Syria, the probability of Hezbollah initiating war against Israel in the near future is low. Even in the absence of the Syrian conflict, Hezbollah will soon not forget the thrashing it took at the hands of the IDF during the 2006 campaign. Nevertheless, most experts agree that the next Lebanon war is not a question of if, but when, and when it does begin, Israels latest Merkava variant, the vaunted Merkava 4 will be in the thick of it.

















The Merkava 4 incorporates many sophisticated design features including advanced electro optics that ensure a 100% first-hit kill capability from its formidable 120mm smooth-bore gun. The Merkava also features an internally operated 60mm mortar to deal with missile-armed infantry. The Merkava is also capable of firing the long-rang, third generation LAHAT laser homing, guided missile from its main gun, an advantage lacking in the Merkavas contemporaries. Another feature possessed by the Merkava but lacking in its competitors is the ability to accommodate up to eight infantry soldiers or three litter patients.





But among its most outstanding features is its emphasis on crew safety and ability to negate anti-tank missile threats. The tank, whose well-sloped armor is composed of advanced spaced and composite materials, is arguably the best protected in the world.









Unlike other tank designs, the Merkavas 1,500hp diesel engine is located in the front, providing the crew with an additional layer of protection from frontal hits. Learning from past experience, the Merkavas vulnerable underbelly was up-armored to provide additional protection against anti-tank mines and Iranian supplied explosively formed projectiles (EFP), which have been used to devastating effect by Iraqi and Afghan insurgents against American forces, claiming no fewer than 500 American lives. In addition, the Merkava 4s armor is modular, allowing for quick battlefield repair and tailoring the armor for the tanks mission-specific purposes.





But perhaps the Merkavas most outstanding feature is its use of the Trophy active self-protection missile defense system, which acts like the tanks personal Iron Dome missile defense shield. The system is designed to shoot down incoming missiles before the projectile reaches the tanks armor. The IDF is the first military to deploy such a platform and all Merkava 4s and Namer (leopard) and Eytan armored personnel carriers (APC) are equipped with it. The United States Army is currently testing the Trophy system for use and adoption in its M1A2 Abrams tanks and other armored fighting vehicles such as the Stryker wheeled APC and the Bradley tracked APC.
































It is shaping up to be a landmark year for Flagstaff Mormons (the nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). This past May, the churchs leadership from Salt Lake City, Utah, officially created a second stake in Flagstaff. A stake is a geographic unit of the church. It is composed of multiple congregations (called wards or branches), and is presided over by an ecclesiastical leader called a stake president, who is assisted by two counselors.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a long history in Flagstaff. The first Latter-day Saints to move to the Flagstaff area came in 1881 when a party of men, led by John W. Young (a son of Brigham Young), came to fulfill a contract with the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. This was contemporary with the earliest permanent settlements by westerners in Flagstaff. At the time John Young arrived with 60 Mormons, the total population of Flagstaff was about 200 people. In 1915, the church organized the first formal congregation (a Sunday school) in Flagstaff, but it was not until Sept. 23, 1956, when the first stake was created in Flagstaff.

At that time, the Flagstaff Stake consisted of a total of 2,386 members spread throughout congregations located in Flagstaff, Williams, Winslow, Bagdad, Chino Valley, Prescott and the Verde Valley. As membership grew over time in these different towns and cities, the Flagstaff stakes administrative territory was also reduced. By 2017, the Latter-day Saint community in Flagstaff had grown to about 5,200 members, who were served by 14 congregations located in Flagstaff, Williams and the Grand Canyon.

On May 7, 2017, church leaders Elder Larry EchoHawk (former assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs under President Obama) and Elder Maxsimo Torres presided over the creation of the Flagstaff Arizona East Stake. The new Flagstaff Arizona East Stake will split administration of congregations with the renamed Flagstaff Arizona West Stake. Stakes, wards and branches of the church are led by a lay clergy.

Leslie Seaman, a local dentist, was installed as stake president of the new Flagstaff Arizona East Stake. He is assisted by counselors Rick Rice and Sam Fisher. Local engineer Kevin Tingey retained his position as stake president of the Flagstaff West Stake. Tingey is assisted by counselors Kevin West and Scott Walton.

In celebration of its heritage and history, the church in Flagstaff also sponsored a float in Flagstaffs recent Fourth of July parade. The floats theme was bridging generations and featured the churchs emphasis on genealogy and family history work, represented by historical characters spanning a bridge between the past and present.

Continuing the festivities, Flagstaff Mormons will be putting on a celebration event today (July 22). This event will mark the 170th anniversary of the relocation of Latter-day Saints to the west, when the first company of Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley in Utah on July 24, 1847, after they had traveled more than 1,200 miles fleeing persecution in Illinois.

The general public is invited to join in the festivities, which will include food and games for the whole family to enjoy. The celebration will be held today from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the LDS Stake Center at 625 E. Cherry Ave.
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Moline-based QCR Holdings Inc. has announced that its net income for the second quarter ending June 30 is $8.8 million.

The profit for second quarter, announced Thursday, is $2.1 million over the $6.7 million in net earnings the company earned for the second quarter of 2016.

During the first quarter of 2017 that ended March 30, QCR Holdings reported a net income of $9.2 million. That brings its net earnings for the first six months of 2017 to $18 million.

Last year during the same six-month period, the company earned $13.1 million.

Our operating performance for the first half of the year was strong and we continue to strategize and pursue ways to improve our profitability through our ongoing key initiatives," said Douglas Hultquist, president and CEO of QCR Holdings.

"Our return on average assets has improved to 1.08% from 1.00%, when comparing the first six months of 2017 to the same period of the prior year," Hultquist said. "This is the result of strong organic loan growth, robust growth in core deposits, reductions in wholesale borrowings, margin improvements, modest operating expense growth, and solid fee income.

Hultquist said acquisition of Community State Bank in Ankeny, Iowa, in the third quarter of 2016 also contributed to improved profitability.

QCR Holdings' total assets increased $76.2 million, or 2 percent, to a total of $3.46 billion, while total loans and leases grew $117.7 million, or 4.8 percent during the second quarter, according to the news release.

Net interest income totaled $28.0 million for the second quarter, while net interest income totaled $27.7 million for the first quarter, bringing the total net interest income for the first six months of 2017 to $57.7 million.

By comparison, the company saw a net interest income of $41.6 million during the first six months of 2016.

QCR Holdings is a multi-bank holding company with operations in the Quad-Cities as well as the Cedar Rapids, Cedar Valley and Des Moines-Ankeny regions of Iowa and Rockford, Illinois.
New feature: 'Faces of Faith' to launch soon

A new feature, "Faces of Faith," will begin on an upcoming Saturday on this page. It is coordinated by Deirdre Baker, reporter, and filled by readers like you.

If you are willing to be interviewed about your faith, and why you choose to follow that faith, Baker would like to speak to you. Contact information: Call 563-383-2492; email: dbaker@qctimes.com, Facebook: "Deirdre Baker" and Twitter "@deirdrebaker.

A story and photograph is planned as a regular addition to the Beliefs page.

Dixieland jazz this weekend at St. Mark's Lutheran

St. Mark Lutheran Church, 2363 W. Third St., Davenport, presents Mark Johns and the "Prodigal Sons" Jazz Band on Sunday, July 23, at the 9 a.m. service. The band will play special music and lead the singing of hymns in the Dixieland style. The Vacation Bible School children will also present a message and sing.

First Presbyterian will help German refugees in 2018

First Presbyterian Church, 1702 Iowa St., Davenport, will host a rummage sale in August to benefit the outreach efforts of its nationally renowned music program.

This will aid the adult Sanctuary Choirs trip in the summer of 2018 to work with refugees in Germany.

The sale is in the fellowship hall on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4-5, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church invites residents to take part in the sale and to consider donating items to the sale.

This includes: Furniture, kitchenware, art, antiques, books, instruments, costume and fine jewelry, collectibles, linens, and tools. Clean designer clothing will also be accepted, but items not considered outerwear should be packaged in their original packaging.

Contributions may be dropped off at the church on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon through the end of July. To schedule a different time, or for a bulk or oversize drop-off, contact Matt Bishop, music director, 563-326-1691, or bishop@fpcdavenport.org.
When the First Day Fund started in 1992, it was a venture by Claudia Robinson, a social worker who noticed that some families could not afford school supplies for their children.

Robinson, who retired in 2015 as executive director of Gilda's Club in Davenport, ran what was called the First Day Fund until 1998, using her family, friends, and volunteers to assemble packets of supplies for students in need.

The program that began in the Illinois Quad-Cities, now is called the First Day Project, and aids students in Scott and Rock Island counties.

The school supply drive is a collaboration among area school districts, local businesses and volunteer groups. More than 25,000 students in the Quad-Cities are eligible for the free and reduced lunch program; some districts have as many as 90 percent of the student population who qualify for the program.

"We have many families who struggle economically to provide school supplies for their children at the start of the school year," Rock Island-Milan district Superintendent Mike Oberhous said. "Through the generosity of many individuals in the community, we are able to provide these supplies to our students.

One group, for example, is what Oberhaus calls the "very active Kiwanis Club" in the district. The club has taken on school supplies as a civic project, and provides the district with $60,000 worth of supplies each year.

This is just one of the organizations who helps out. "All the businesses, and others ... their efforts make a great difference to us," Oberhaus said.

School supplies used by all Quad-City school districts include crayons, colored pencils, spiral notebooks, pocket folders, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, scissors, and backpacks. Donations are accepted week days at these locations:

Iowa

Bettendorf Administration Center, 3311 18th St., Bettendorf.

Davenport Administrative Service Center, 1606 Brady St., Davenport, (closed Fridays).

Pleasant Valley High School, 604 Belmont Road, Bettendorf

Illinois

Moline-Coal Valley Administration Center, 1619 11th Ave., Moline

Rock Island-Milan Administration Center, 2101 6th Ave., Rock Island

Chris Elsberg State Farm Insurance Agency, 855 46th Ave, Rock Island

Blackhawk Bank & Trust, 38th Street and Blackhawk Road, Rock Island

Blackhawk Bank & Trust, 301 W. 4th St., Milan

East Moline area, (First Day Fund Inc.)  First Presbyterian Church, 777 25th Ave., East Moline, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Other 2017 sites:

Ascentra Credit Union, supplies collected July 1Aug. 3: 1710 Grant St., Bettendorf; 2339 53rd Ave., Bettendorf; 1515 W. 53rd St., Davenport; 1710 W. 3rd St., Davenport; 1800 Brady St., Davenport; 949 Mississippi View Court, LeClaire, and 3005 7th St., Moline.

Carpetland stores, where supplies may be dropped off on July 30: 4337 Brady St., Davenport and 4201 44th Ave., Moline.

Ruhl & Ruhl, school supplies donated through July 30 at the following locations: 1228 Middle Road, Bettendorf; 4545 Welcome Way, Davenport; 1701 52nd Ave., Moline; corporate office, 5403 Victoria Ave., Suite 100, Davenport

"Back to School Pack the Bus" events: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Devils Glen Road, Bettendorf; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 30, Utica Ridge Road and 53rd Street, Davenport.

Monetary donations may also be made to specific districts or the project through the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend at http://bit.ly/FirstDayProject.

Bikers for Backpacks QC is hosting its second annual Bikes for Backpacks ride on Sunday, July 30. More information is available on Facebook at bikersforbackpacksqc.

Other project supporters include United Way of the Quad-Cities Area, Johannes Bus Service, the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend and QC Family Focus.

Follow the First Day Project on Facebook and Twitter at FirstDayProject
Felon gets 15 years for possessing firearm

A Davenport man with felony burglary convictions from Wisconsin has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Devonte Darnell Holston, 22, also was sentenced to a five-year term on supervised release after he completes his prison sentence during a sentencing hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court, Davenport.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the case file, on June 26, 2016, Davenport police seized two firearms from a vehicle occupied by Holston.

According to Scott County District Court records, Holston was charged with carrying weapons for the firearms found in the vehicle, and bribery after he offered a Davenport police officer $20,000 in the hopes the officer would not arrest him.

Federal authorities took the case when police discovered Holston's criminal record.

Holston pleaded guilty to the federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm on March 7.

On May 9, 2012, Holston was found guilty of felony burglary in Waukeshaw County, Wisconsin, according to online court records. He was sentenced to three years on probation.

Holston was arrested in Milwaukee County later that year after committing two burglaries on Sept. 19. He was found guilty of two counts of felony burglary on Jan. 25, 2013. Holston was sentenced to two years in prison and five years extended supervised release, according to electronic court records.

 Thomas Geyer

Charges not expected in pedestrian crash

Davenport police said Friday that injuries sustained by a Davenport man hit by a vehicle Wednesday night when he was crossing Brady Street are no longer considered life-threatening.

While the investigation is ongoing, no charges are expected to be filed in the case, police said in a news release.

At 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, police, fire and EMS were dispatched to the 6400 block of Brady Street for an accident involving a single vehicle and a pedestrian.

Police say Bruce Hamilton, 61, was crossing the roadway when he was struck by a pickup truck that was driving north in the western most lane of northbound Brady Street.

He was taken by EMS to Genesis Medical Center-East Rusholme Street, Davenport, and later transferred to University Hospitals, Iowa City, for serious, life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the pickup truck, James Fisher, 59, also of Davenport, was uninjured.

 Times staff

Dentist pleads guilty to drug, gun counts

A dentist who operated clinics in West Des Moines and Des Moines has pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges.

Court records say Shawn Kerby pleaded guilty to obtaining a painkiller by misrepresentation and being a user of a controlled substance who also possessed firearms. Prosecutors dropped several other charges in return for Kerby's pleas. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Prosecutors say Kerby had prescribed drugs to at least nine patients without properly recording them and that he regularly prescribed addictive drugs to patients he hadn't examined in more than a year. His clinics: Kerby Family Dentistry and Bright Smiles Family Dental.

 Associated Press
The office of U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is seeking Iowa college students and recent graduates for internship opportunities in the Washington, D.C. and Iowa offices for fall 2017.

Internship applications are available at https://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/internships. Applications for fall 2017 can be submitted to Ernst_Internships@ernst.senate.gov. For student/parent questions, contact Erica Wenig at Erica_Wenig@ernst.senate.gov.

Interns will have the opportunity to experience a wide-range of responsibilities. In the Iowa offices, interns will assist constituents and attend local events. In the Washington, D.C., office, interns will learn about communications, the legislative process, give tours of the U.S. Capitol and help with constituent services.

Sen. Ernst was elected as the first woman to serve in federal elected office from Iowa and also became the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the United States Senate. In Washington, Sen. Ernst serves on four Senate committees: Armed Services; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Environment and Public Works; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
The heavy rains spawned by summer storms are pushing the Mississippi River to near flood stage later next week, while the Rock River is expected to rise to major flood level, according to the National Weather Service, Davenport.

Thursdays storm produced winds up to 70 mph that are being blamed for knocking down a section of steel framing that had just been erected at the Sterilite plant site.

Meteorologist Dave Cousins of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said that storms that have reached into northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois and central Wisconsin have put a lot of water into both the Mississippi River and Rock River basins.

But those forecasts did not include the rains that fell from the strong storms that blew through the region Friday, so the numbers could rise higher.

As of Friday night, the Rock River at Moline is expected to climb to 14.9 feet Monday night into Tuesday and remain above the 14-foot stage at least through Friday. The Mississippi River is expected to climb to 14.1 feet Thursday night into Friday.

The storms that rolled through the region Thursday into Friday morning.

The National Weather Service, Davenport, reported that a thunderstorm rapidly developed into a high precipitating supercell near Mount Pleasant around 7 p.m. The storm produced torrential rain, damaging winds, and large hail in Henry and Jefferson counties.

The Weather Service reported that numerous streets in Mount Pleasant were inundated with water and one vehicle was disabled by water.

There also were downed branches, as well as a Dumpster, fence and large road detour sign and a large barn that blew over, according to the weather service.

Additional storms developed along outflow boundaries, which produced heavy rain, lightning, and damaging winds to portions of eastern Iowa, according to the Weather Service.

Winds at the Davenport Municipal Airport reached 61 mph at 10:29 p.m. Winds in Eldridge reached 70 mph at 10:19 p.m.

In Davenport, there were some downed trees and large tree limbs. There also were reports of hail just north of Kimberly Road and west of Division Street.

At the Sterilite plant in northwest Davenport, the winds felled a section of steel frame, said Steven Callendar, regional vice president of Harrison, Walker and Harper, the company that is building the plant.

We had just begun steel erection Monday, Callendar said Friday. We really just started standing that steel up on Monday. Everything was braced off. Our steel erector has a plan and everything was checked off about 4:30 p.m. Everything was exactly as it was supposed to be.

All weve been able to confirm is that there was wind up to 70 mph, but we suspect a microburst in there, he said.

A person across the street from the construction heard it come down about 11:30 p.m. Callendar said.

A team of engineers will be in Monday to inspect the damage, and then workers will begin setting the steel again Tuesday, he added.

Had we had more than two sections up it would have been able to resist the wind better, but having only two frames up, Callendar said.

This will be a small bump in the road, he said. It wont have any impact on the opening date.

The storms that rolled through Friday afternoon spawned heavy rains, high winds, and possibly a couple of tornadoes.

Cousins said the dew point on Friday reach 78 degrees, which, he said, is air you can wear, and why it felt so heavy outside. It also provided the energy for the storms.

The dew point is that the atmospheric temperature below which dew will begin to form. The higher the dew point temperature, the more oppressive, and hotter, it feels.

Cousins said the heat and humidity will remain for Saturday with the high climbing into the lower 90s and the dew points reaching the lower to middle 70s.

There is some relief on the horizon, Cousins said. The high Sunday is expected to reach 87 degrees while the high Monday will reach 82 degrees. The dew points should drop into the 60s which will make if feel more comfortable, he said.
Profit reports were the music to which investors danced last week. Dozens per day came from high visibility companies that told of second-quarter revenues and profits for their own company, but also spoke of industry-wide conditions as well. Where revenues, profits, profit-margins, or company outlooks for coming quarters may have exceeded expectations, investors often danced in to buy. Disappointments brought the opposite. For the full week, our Quad-City Times Key 15 danced to a 14.68 gain, closing at 2140.10 (1).

Remarkably, none of the Key 15 companies posted profits in the just finished week. Making up for that, four will report this week, starting with Arconic and HNI Corporation on Monday.

Instead, some nationwide housing market data brought insight to that sector, in the days following hearty home sales data from our own Quad-City Area Realtor Association. Remember that existing home sales closings were up a healthy 5.7 percent in June from June 2016. Tuesdays report, then, from the National Association of Homebuilders was a contrast, retreating from Junes 66 reading to Julys new 64 read. The association says it surveys builders on their opinion of the outlook for single-family homebuilding for the next one-month and six-month periods. Results showed members were increasingly concerned about rising raw material prices, notably for lumber, as construction has grown. They say such prices must be passed along to consumers. And, they are concerned that rising prices could hurt affordability.

Wednesdays report on housing starts was the perfect follow-up report then. Reported by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, June starts rebounded from May by 8.3 percent. Single-family starts (excluding apartment units) rebounded by 6.3 percent from May. The rebound followed three months of sequential declines, which had confused many observers, coming in the midst of a growing U.S. economy and relatively healthy consumer confidence.

Single family starts are now up an impressive 10.3 percent compared with last June, suggesting a continuation of the nations economic growth.

Among Quad-City area firms, FedEx with extensive package shipping operations here, shook up investors on Monday morning, telling them that last months cyberattack that invaded its European operations has so increased disruptions and costs that full fiscal year results would be hurt. In the past year, FedEx acquired Netherlands-based TNT Express with broad-based European operations. Remarkably, FedEx said that TNT was still experiencing widespread delays following the attack, and the company was yet unable to estimate when services at the unit would be fully restored.

This was the Petya cyber virus that was believed to have originated in Russia, spreading from there throughout Europe and invading the computer operations of governments and several major multi-national firms. FedEx said the business costs and losses were not covered by insurance. FedEx stock fell steeply on Monday and Tuesday, down 6.46 for the full week to close at 212.53 (1), and injuring Quad-City Times Key 15 index readings as well.

Better news emanated from Chinas Agriculture Ministry, which on Monday reported approval of a new variety of Monsanto biotechnology developed corn seed. The corn is Monsantos glyphosate-resistant corn, with event code 87427, and approval is for three years. For Monsanto, with herbicide operations in Muscatine, the approval represents new revenue potential. Monsanto shares were up $.30 to close at 117.37 (1) for the week.

Also in agribusiness, Archer Daniels Midland announced early on Wednesday that it has just completed its planned acquisition of a controlling interest in Israel-based Industries Centers, now to be known as ADM Israel.

Joe Taets, president of ADMs Agricultural Services unit, explained that this is yet one more way that ADM is expanding global origination and distribution in grains and feed. With major port facilities in Ashdod, the new ADM Israel operations offer a wide array of products, from soybean meal to grains, to feed ingredients. And, Archer Daniels Midland shares were .26 lower last week to close at 41.24 (1).

You can expect that housing will again be a major insight into the U.S. economys strength this week. Watch Monday for the report on existing home sales and Wednesday for the latest on new home sales. How will they compare to Quad-City strength? And will six corporate profit reports for area firms create some investor dancing?
A close confidant of Pope Francis, writing last in a Vatican-approved magazine, condemned the way some American evangelicals and their Roman Catholic supporters mix religion and politics, saying their worldview promotes division and hatred.

The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, editor of the influential Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, said a shared desire for political influence between "evangelical fundamentalists" and some Catholics has inspired an "ecumenism of conflict" that demonizes opponents and promotes a "theocratic type of state."

Spadaro also took aim at conservative religious support for President Donald Trump, accusing activists of promoting a "xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations." Trump has sought to bar travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border.

The article, "Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism: A Surprising Ecumenism," was co-written by a Presbyterian pastor, the Rev. Marcelo Figueroa, who is editor of the Argentine edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in the pope's native country.

Articles in La Civilta Cattolica are reviewed and approved by the Vatican Secretariat of State. Under Francis, who is a Jesuit, the publication has become something of an unofficial mouthpiece of the papacy.

The political alliance between Catholics and American Protestants that is at the heart of Spadaro's article emerged in the late 20th century.

Anti-Catholic bias once split members of the two traditions, both religiously and politically. But in the 1980s and '90s, some conservative religious leaders built an affiliation over such issues as abortion and marriage, culminating in a 1994 declaration written by the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran who converted to Catholicism, and Chuck Colson, the Watergate felon turned born-again Christian.

Spadaro said this relationship has "gradually radicalized," dividing the world into only good and evil and providing theological justification for a type of "apocalyptic geopolitics" advocated by such figures as White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is Catholic.

Spadaro specifically criticized the far-right Catholic American media organization ChurchMilitant.com. Spadaro said the media outlet framed the presidential election as a "spiritual war" and Trump's ascent to the presidency as "a divine election."

Michael Voris, who founded the outlet, said in an interview that he was shocked by the article.

"Here's a fellow who is accusing us of trying to use the church to push a political agenda, which is completely absurd," Voris said, when "they are using a leftist agenda to pursue leftist goals."

Some political conservatives have accused Francis of promoting socialism or Marxism, a characterization he rejects. The pope has frequently lashed out at the injustices of capitalism and the global economic system, and has urged governments to redistribute wealth to the poor.

Spadaro's critique also appears aimed in part at America's Catholic bishops, who have fought for religious exemptions from gay marriage laws and other measures church leaders consider immoral, and have often characterized those with opposing views as wishing to persecute Christians.

Spadaro wrote that "erosion of religious liberty is clearly a grave threat." But he warned against mounting a defense of religious liberty in "fundamentalist terms."

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who leads the U.S. bishops' advocacy on religious liberty, said in an interview that the article doesn't mention the U.S. bishops and refers only to "a very narrow band of ecumenical relationships."

American bishops work on a broad range of issues that reflect Catholic social teaching, not any other theology, Lori said.
A dispute over metal detectors is escalating into a new showdown between Israel and the Muslim world over a Jerusalem shrine that has triggered major Israeli-Palestinian confrontations in the past.

Israel says installing the devices at the gates to the walled compound after Palestinians launched an attack there last week is a routine security measure. Palestinians claim Israel is trying to expand control over the Muslim-run site that is also revered by Jews.

Muslim worshippers have stepped up protests following an appeal from clerics to pray in the streets rather than submit to the new procedures.

WHAT CAUSED THE LATEST TENSIONS?

Three members of Israel's Arab Muslim minority fired from the sacred compound at a police post near one of the gates on Friday, killing two Israeli officers before being shot dead. Israel's police chief said they had hidden weapons in the compound beforehand and ordered it closed for two days of searches. The closure marked only the third time the shrine had been closed since Israel captured Jerusalem's Old City and its holy sites, along with other territories, in 1967.

On Sunday, Israel began gradually reopening the site. By Tuesday, five of the eight gates used by Muslims had been fitted with metal detectors, and three of those five gates were open, Muslim officials said. A ninth gate, used by non-Muslim visitors, previously had been fitted with metal detectors and was also open Tuesday.

WHY IS THE SHRINE IMPORTANT?

The Jerusalem landmark is the centerpiece of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, looming large in rival national and religious narratives.

Jews revere it as the Temple Mount, or home of biblical Temples destroyed two millennia ago. It is the holiest site of their religion. For now, Jews worship at the Western Wall, a retaining wall of the compound.

Muslims believe the hilltop compound marks the spot from which Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. Known to them as the Noble Sanctuary, it is the third holiest site of Islam and houses the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosques.

WHO CONTROLS IT?

After capturing east Jerusalem, including its Old City, and the West Bank in 1967, Israel sought to avoid a confrontation with the Muslim world. It allowed Muslims to keep administering the Jerusalem compound. Jews could visit, but not pray there.

Jordan, east Jerusalem's pre-1967 ruler, remained custodian of the shrine. Employees of the Muslim administration, or Waqf, stayed on Jordan's payroll.

For decades, the status quo held, in part because leading rabbis, citing religious purity laws, banned Jews from entering. In recent years, religious opinion has shifted, and growing numbers of Jews are visiting the compound, with Israeli police and Waqf guards enforcing the no-prayer rule.

This shift has stoked Muslim fears of a purported Israeli plan to expand Jewish control there. Israel has denied this, most recently after the weekend attack when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the "status quo will be preserved."

WHO IS THE GATEKEEPER?

The two sides disagree.

Jordan and the Waqf have said that after 1967, the Waqf remained in charge of who can enter the compound. They said this rule was in place until 2000, when a provocative visit to the site by then-Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon helped trigger a Palestinian uprising that only ebbed in 2005.

Israel says it has always been in charge of security at the compound, including the gates.

In recent years, Israeli security forces have typically been posted outside the gates, conducting spot checks of some of those entering or holding the ID cards of suspected troublemakers until the end of prayers. At times of heightened tensions, police enforce Israeli access restrictions, such as an entry ban for men below a certain age.

Waqf guards are posted inside the gates and have the right to turn any visitors away.

THE ISRAELI VIEW

Israel says the metal detectors are a routine security measure.

"Two Israeli police officers were just murdered on the Temple Mount by terrorists who smuggled in guns," government spokesman David Keyes said Tuesday. "Magnetometers are vital for security. That's why they are at the Western Wall and at holy sites around the world."

Police would not say what was found in the search of the compound. On Sunday, Israel's Army Radio quoted the Jerusalem police chief as saying officers found dozens of knives as well as slingshots, stun grenades and binoculars, but no guns or live ammunition.

Israel previously accused Waqf officials of allowing Palestinian protesters to hoard stones, sticks and firecrackers for use in confrontations with police.

THE PALESTINIAN VIEW

Muslim clerics and Palestinian politicians contend Israel is changing the status quo under the guise of security,

Ikrema Sabri, a top Muslim official, said installing the detectors "is an attempt to impose Israeli sovereignty over the mosque" compound.

Rami Hamdallah, the prime minister of the Palestinian autonomy government in the West Bank, expressed his "absolute rejection of Israel's security pretexts in changing the status quo." He also warned of a "deterioration of the security situation" if the measures continue.

The local Muslim leadership and the Jordanian-run Waqf have urged the faithful to pray in "streets and alleys" rather than pass through the metal detectors.

Since Sunday, there have been sporadic clashes between small groups of Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli security forces in and near the Old City. Meanwhile, worshippers have lined up in the streets, dozens at a time, to perform prayers in the streets.

MUSLIM ARAB WORLD

The Arab League, an umbrella group of Arab countries, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have issued separate statements calling on Israel to lift the security measures.

Jordan's King Abdullah II spoke by phone with Netanyahu on Saturday, before the reopening of the shrine, to condemn the attack but also call for de-escalation. The two countries have discreet security ties, but frequently clash over Israel's policies at the Jerusalem site.

Jordan's ruling Hashemite dynasty, with ancestry said to go back to Prophet Muhammad, derives much of its legitimacy from custodianship over the shrine.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi talked about Jerusalem tensions Tuesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Jordan's state news agency Petra said.

Safadi called for "fully and immediately reopening the holy site to worshippers without hindrances," the agency said.
VBS at Trinity Lutheran

Trinity Lutheran Church at 402 Kansas City St. in Rapid City will hold vacation Bible school for 3-year-olds through fifth-graders.

The VBS will last from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 24-27. The theme is Jesus Heals," and the VBS is free and open to everyone. Call 342-9302 to register.

Praying soldier silhouette must be removed from city park

A Minnesota community caught up in the debate over religious symbols in public places will eliminate a free speech zone at its veterans' memorial park.

Privately owned displays in the free speech zone, including the silhouette of a soldier praying over a grave marked with a cross, must be removed within ten days.

The Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation threatened to sue the city of Belle Plaine over the silhouette. The cross was removed once the issue was raised, but more than 100 residents rallied to put it back.

The Star Tribune says the Satanic Temple of Salem, Massachusetts petitioned the city to install a monument to honor nonreligious service members. But it was never erected.

Belle Plaine is about 45 miles southwest of Minneapolis.

Christian teenager detained in Pakistan for blasphemy

Pakistani police say a Christian teenager has been detained on blasphemy charges for allegedly using derogatory remarks against Islam's prophet Muhammad.

Umair Ahmed, a police officer in the town of Kharian in eastern Punjab province, said Saturday that the teenager, 16, was booked a day earlier and relocated for his safety. Ahmed said the youth was working at a local hospital.

Under Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting God, Islam or other religious figures can be sentenced to death.

Rights organizations say the law is often misused to settle personal scores.

Earlier this year, a university student was lynched in northwestern Pakistan for alleged blasphemy. The charges were later found to be baseless.

EU criticizes Russia over Jehovah's Witnesses ban

The European Union is criticizing Russia over its nationwide ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination, saying all must be able to practice their religion without interference.

Tuesday's EU comment follows the ruling of the Russian Supreme Court, which rejected an appeal against the ban.

The rejection of the religious group's appeal allows Russia to liquidate the 395 Jehovah's Witnesses congregations and seize their property. The group claims about 170,000 adherents in Russia.

The EU said: "Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, must be able to peacefully enjoy freedom of assembly without interference." It added that Russia was bound by its constitution as well as its international commitments to provide such guarantees.
SIOUX FALLS | A South Dakota lawmaker says he still disapproves of President Donald Trump a year after he expressed disdain against the Republican National Convention's support for the then-candidate.

Republican Rep. Isaac Latterell of Sioux Falls was among the nearly 30 delegates who cast South Dakota's votes for Trump at the July 2016 convention, the Argus Leader reported.

But the lawmaker made it clear he wasn't happy about the party's decision when he rolled his eyes and put his hand over his face in an act of protest at the convention.

"I just think that it's a sad day for the Republican Party," Latterell said following last year's convention. "I don't think that the candidate that was chosen has a chance of winning the election, or being different than the other nominee."

Latterell said Tuesday that Trump surprised him by winning the presidency, rolling back restrictions on energy producers and following through on nominating a conservative to the Supreme Court.

He said he's disappointed the president is failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, pass a budget or bring tax reform.

"He's been drowning in the D.C. swamp and failing on his promise to drain it," Latterell said.

He said that rather than pushing against the Republican establishment and GOP leaders in Congress, Trump joined them when taking office.

"I could see who he really was and what was behind all the things he was saying and a lot of other people were believing him," Latterell said. "I think he's a result of the problem, but he isn't the solution."
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small, non-farm businesses in nine South Dakota counties are now eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans from the SBA due to ongoing drought conditions in the state. Those counties include: Corson, Perkins, Butte, Campbell, Dewey, Harding, Meade, Walworth and Ziebach.

Eligibility for these loans are based in the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. For more information or to apply for a loan, click here. You may also apply by contacting SBA's customer service center at (800) 659-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | Several Airmen from the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed in support of multiple overseas operations July 9 and 12.

The Airmen are deploying to 10 different countries in the U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Central Command areas of operation, making this the largest deployment the squadron has been involved with in over 10 years.

I think the young Airmen who are deploying for the first time are excited, said Staff Sgt. Scott Higginbotham, the unit deployment manager assigned to the 28th CES. I believe that engineers think it is a privilege to deploy. They get to do new things and see new places around the world. They are anxious to show their leadership downrange what they are made of and show that they can do the job no matter what.

The 28th CES is supporting the Air Forces infrastructure needs, which includes but not limited to heating and cooling systems, airfield repair and rubber removal.

The main mission they are doing is the airfield repair and rubber removal, Higginbotham said. They are going to forward operating bases and overhauling their runways to support current and future Air Force missions.

The civil engineers will be repairing neglected areas which will enable units operating in these locations the ability to conduct missions vital to the success of Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedoms Sentinel.

The 28th CES provides good training so we can do our jobs (in a contingency environment), said 1st Lt. Conor Favo, officer in charge of operations engineering. There is always something to do and they prepare us to accomplish the mission.
LEAD | A group of scientists joined the state's governor and congressional delegation Friday afternoon to launch the Long-Based Neutrino Facility at the Sanford Underground Lab, a milestone that will lead to the largest scientific experiment ever conducted on U.S. soil.

The LBNF at the Sanford Lab and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory outside Chicago will eventually become home to the billion-dollar Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment  dubbed DUNE  a global mega-science experiment that heralds a new era in physics and the continuing search to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

The groundbreaking, broadcast simultaneously to the Fermilab, signaled the start of an experiment that will witness scientists at the Fermilab fire a beam of tiny neutrinos at near-light speed. It will carry the subatomic particles through solid rock 808 miles away to the Black Hills, where scientists deep underground at the Sanford Lab hope to catch the particles using four of the most sophisticated detectors ever built.

But first, workers must remove 875,000 tons of rock  more than twice that removed in carving nearby Mount Rushmore  from nearly a mile underground to create three massive caverns that will house the DUNE. The excavation alone is expected to last three years, and the $300 million South Dakota portion of the project represents the largest single investment in state history.

To date, the unprecedented collaborative international experiment has attracted nearly 1,000 scientists from dozens of institutions in 31 countries, said Sanford Lab Executive Director Mike Headley.

This project serves as a model of what the future of mega-science research looks like, said Michael Kratsios, deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and deputy U.S. chief technology officer, who was on hand for the groundbreaking. This is an intensely collaborative effort between local, state and federal governments, international partners, enterprising corporations and philanthropic pioneers.

The states congressional delegation, including Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds, and Rep. Kristi Noem, joined Gov. Dennis Daugaard in lauding visionary leaders and scientists who developed the experiment, which they said would create thousands of jobs, have a projected $1 billion economic impact on the state, result in high-tech advances and put South Dakota at the forefront of new-age scientific discoveries.

The DUNE just put South Dakota on the map for world-class discoveries in research and technology, Thune said. It will allow South Dakota to play a role in the science of tomorrow, a role that is both unique and distinctive in all the world.

This was a vision started almost two decades ago, noted Noem, before alluding to the history of the former Homestake Mine in which the underground research facility is located. This gold mine is still mining knowledge.

Rounds, whom Thune labeled the father of the Sanford Lab because its origins are traced to his governorship, said the Sanford Lab and DUNE would encourage South Dakota students to stay in-state in the pursuit of world-class science. Rounds also thanked billionaire T. Denny Sanford for making a personal $70 million commitment to the research facility when its future was undetermined, and Berkeley scientist Kevin Lesko for getting the scientific community to back the Sanford Lab in its infancy.

International representatives expressed their support for DUNE and a collaboration that would expand a shared pool of knowledge and reflect a partnership between European and U.S. scientists engaged in groundbreaking particle physics experiments.

Daugaard said he remembered when the National Science Foundation declined to fund the Sanford Lab years ago, a move that could have led to desperation due to the 2003 closure of the Homestake Mine and the resulting loss of hundreds of jobs. But the governor added that the U.S. Department of Energy stepped up, diverted funds and kept the idea of an underground research facility alive.

Its a great lesson that sometimes patience and persistence are required to accomplish a great thing, Daugaard said shortly after the underground ceremony concluded.
Editor's Note This is the seventh installment in our "Eight Over Seven" series exploring the eight named peaks in the Black Hills that are 7,000 feet or higher in elevation. The series has been publishing on Saturdays since June 10 and will conclude July 29.

If not for the actions of a South Dakota woman 49 years ago, the peak now recognized as the second-highest in the Black Hills might be nameless and unknown.

But because of that woman and a letter she wrote to a U.S. senator, the peak is now known as Odakota Mountain, and its elevation  7,206 feet above sea level, give or take several feet, depending on the source  ranks behind only Black Elk Peak among the highest named places in the Black Hills and all of South Dakota.

The woman responsible for the peaks name is the late Loretta Bradfelt, who began her letter of May 28, 1968, to U.S. Sen. Karl Mundt, R-S.D., with the salutation Dear Karl.

In the letter  which is still on file with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, along with other related documents  Bradfelt wrote that she and her husband, Harold, had purchased a small ranch west of Hill City and had been advised that the mountain towering above it had no name.

Not knowing the proper procedure to go thru, I am writing to you to ascertain if it could be named Odakota an Indian word meaning Establishment of Peace, wrote Bradfelt, a white woman whose full name was Evelyn Loretta Bradfelt.

The letter inspired fast action, perhaps in part because Bradfelts relative, Duke Tufty, helped raise money for Mundts campaigns. Mundt forwarded Bradfelt's naming request to the Department of the Interior, which sent the request to its partner organization, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Further information about the peak, which is in the Black Hills National Forest, was soon sought from Forest Service officials.

In one reply letter, the supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest wrote, the peak is Murphy Mountain. Nevertheless, everyone else considered the peak nameless, perhaps because its name had never been certified by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. When the board met on Feb. 11, 1969, and considered Bradfelts naming request, a case brief prepared by the boards staff called the mountain an unnamed feature.

The board approved Bradfelts request, and the unnamed feature  aka Murphy Mountain  officially became Odakota Mountain. The decision came less than nine months after Bradfelt wrote to Mundt.

Bradfelt and her husband, Harold, had no children. They operated several successful businesses before they retired around age 50 in 1967 and acquired 80 acres at the base of what became Odakota Mountain. According to their nephew, Ted Tufty, a well-known former automobile dealer from Sioux Falls and son of the late Duke Tufty, the Bradfelts split their retirement years between the Black Hills and Sun City, Ariz.

The Bradfelts were also philanthropists whose gifts included a six-figure donation to help fund the construction of a shelter for the Humane Society of the Black Hills in Rapid City. Tufty, their nephew, said the Bradfelts were inspired to donate the money after finding some abandoned puppies and dropping them off at the Humane Society, where they were disheartened by the condition of the facility.

Mr. Bradfelt died in 1999, Mrs. Bradfelt died in 2012, and their Black Hills property was long ago sold.

The surviving documents from the peak-naming process do not explain why Loretta Bradfelt chose the name Odakota," or how she came to believe the word meant establishment of peace. Harvey Markowitz, an associate professor of sociology/anthropology at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., said in recent email correspondence with the Journal that Bradfelt was essentially correct about the word's meaning.

Odakota is the Dakota variant of the Lakota term olakota, both of which being nouns meaning friendship, alliance, or a peaceful relationship, Markowitz wrote. I am also aware of a Lakota form, wolakota, which means the same things.

Feelings of peace are natural byproducts of a trip to the out-of-the-way yet relatively easy-to-reach peak, which is 45 miles west-southwest of Rapid City.

The most direct route is U.S. Highway 16 to Hill City and then Deerfield Road, followed by a succession of gravel and dirt roads: East Slate Road/Forest Road 300, Medicine Mountain Road/Forest Road 297, Six Mile Road/Forest Road 301 and Long Draw Road/Forest Road 693.

Go about a half-mile on Long Draw Road/Forest Road 693 and park at a pullout along the roadside. The summit of Odakota Mountain is only about 500 yards due east from there, and although there is no trail and there is some barbed-wire fence and some downed trees to contend with, its all public land in the Black Hills National Forest.

The summit is near the edge of a high, east-facing plateau rimmed by limestone cliffs, with a drop of about 800 feet to the gulch below. The third- and fourth-highest named places in South Dakota, Bear Mountain and Green Mountain, are both within several miles of Odakota Mountain along the same plateau. Bear Mountain and its lookout tower are visible from the summit of Odakota.

Black Elk Peak and many of its neighboring granite formations are also visible from Odakota Mountain, as is a man-made lake far below the mountain on the grounds of the Medicine Mountain Scout Ranch & Adventure Base. The old Bradfelt property is in a gulch directly below the summit, but from our vantage point, we didnt see it through the forested terrain.
Montanas proposed plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) received mixed reviews from two Bitterroot school administrators.

The plan was shared July 12 by the Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, who is seeking public input on the proposal. Arntzen said the plan was a collaborative effort by Montana OPI, education stakeholders, policymakers, tribal leaders, diverse schools, businesses and communities across the state.

Montanas plan will put Montana students first by creating a comprehensive, transparent system of individual school accountability, promoting long-term student growth and moving beyond the strict federal mandates of the previous federal No Child Left Behind Act, she said. Strategic use of these federal funds is critical to supporting Montana students. Local Montana communities know best how to educate our students. I welcome input on the plan from all Montanans.

Stevensville Superintendent Bob Moore agrees with the proposed ESSA plan. He said that since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, Montana's educational leaders have insisted that single tests and arbitrary bench marks cannot accurately measure student achievement.

He said the testing measures, required by the state and federal government, have significantly eroded instructional time and have provided small measures of school quality.

The draft Montana ESSA plan is a step in the correct direction, with emphasis on student growth and multiple growth measures such as reading, science, attendance and graduation rates, Moore said.

He said the Stevensville School strives to help students succeed and thrive as productive citizens and lifelong learners, using multiple measures and individualized student growth models.

We will continue to use multiple school improvement measures to enhance our programs, with the ultimate goal of helping our students attain college and career readiness standards upon graduation, Moore said.

Corvallis Superintendent Tim Johnson said that after reviewing the plan, he is disappointed.

The states plan to address the federal Every Student Succeeds Act is a recipe for mediocrity, Johnson said. While proficiency is an admirable goal for those performing below the benchmarks, ESSA does nothing substantial to address the needs for those above or below, or increase the motivation for students to extend beyond mediocrity/proficiency.

Johnson said the ESSA draft does not address the problem of top and bottom performing students.

Its ironic that the superintendent of OPI speaks of being an A-plus educational system, and yet the draft state plan for Every Student Succeeds as proposed, is centered around mediocre terminology, philosophy and accountability structures, Johnson said.

He criticized the plan to grade schools on a curve to determine who receives comprehensive support from OPI, stating that comparisons of bottom performing schools is not the best way to determine accountability interventions.

Its ironic and deeply flawed that schools are held to a lesser standard than are students, Johnson said. When students take the Smarter Balance Assessment, they are determined proficient or not based upon their own test score, not the scores of the bottom 5 percent. If a student doesnt meet the benchmark, there is no 'grading on a curve' to reduce the number of students that qualify to receive additional help within a school. And yet OPIs draft is set up to operate on a curve in identifying schools most in need.

Johnson acknowledged that OPI and schools operate with finite resources and are unable to meet at the needs based on a benchmark system like the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

He said not calling out schools that dont meet minimum standards stunts the performance of state, district, school and student. Johnson adds that Corvallis is dedicated to more than the latest federal mandate or trending program and that the school views ESSA as a starting point.

We are determined and committed to increase each students capacity to succeed and contribute to our community, Johnson said. Our interests as a district include the basics, as often described in ESSA and other programs, but go deeper into improving agility, resilience, empathy, and accountability for ourselves and our students.

No other superintendents in the Bitterroot Valley responded to an inquiry for feedback.

To read OPIs draft Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan visit online opi.mt.gov. Comments, questions and input can be directed to ESSAinput@mt.gov, 444-3095, or 1227 11th Ave., Helena, MT 59601, through August.

The Montana OPI website also includes Arntzens July 13 reaction to President Donald Trumps federal budget proposal.

I am concerned by the proposed budget, Arntzen said.

The budget, which will affect Montana schools for the 2018-2019 school year, calls for a $21.5 million reduction - 11.7 percent - of funding for all elementary and secondary level programs, including Impact Aid.

Among other items, the budget would eliminate Title support for teachers and principals ($9.2 million); eliminate 21st Century Community Learning Centers - after school programs ($5.6 million); eliminate Title IVA student support and academic enrichment grants ($1.8 million); and reduce Title IA grants that support students ($2 million).

It is important to note that this budget is just a proposal and Congress is ultimately responsible for creating and passing a federal budget, Arntzen said.
KATHMANDU: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has left for Tibet  an autonomous region of China for a week-long visit on Saturday.

Chair Oli, also the former Prime Minister, is scheduled to visit Kailash Manasarovar, a famous shrine of Tibet, it has been learnt.

According to UML central committee member, Hikmat Karki, Oli will hold informal talks with the leaders of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and take stock the operations of the local units of Tibet as well.

Chairperson Oli has designated Vice-Chairperson Bamdev Gautam as the acting head of the party.RSS
Intro

Greetings! I am a political scientist , specializing in International Relations , my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations . I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy.


" " Scientists are reimagining ways we can set standard units of measurement, relying on mathematical, measurable constants rather than physical reference objects. WIN-Initiative/Neleman/Getty Images

If you're familiar with the basics of metric conversion, you know that 2.2 pounds are equivalent to 1 kilogram. But how much does a kilogram weigh, exactly? How does one define an abstract concept like a unit of measurement? Since 1875, the exact weight of a kilogram has been defined by the International Prototype of the Kilogram, a cylinder made from an alloy that's 90 percent platinum, 10 percent iridium, and sits locked in an environmentally regulated vault outside Paris. Every 40 years, it's removed and compared to a half-dozen copies around the world, which in turn are used as models for replica weights around the world.

That system was OK in the late 19th century. But today, with super-precise measurements needed for pharmaceutical production, chemistry, astrophysics and other endeavors, it no longer works so well. Add to that another problem  after nearly a century and a half, it's gained weight, thanks most likely to contaminants that gradually have accumulated on its surface.

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" " The work of German physicist Max Planck (1858-1947) has helped scientists define and understand the universe for decades. Hulton Deutsch Collection/Corbis/Getty Images

That's why the International Committee for Weights and Measures, the governing body that controls what it means to weigh a kilogram, is interested in switching from a physical standard to one based on some fundamental standard in nature  something that scientists can replicate in laboratories across the planet.

Researchers for the U.S. government's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say that they've made a breakthrough that could solve the problem. Using a new machine called the NIST-4, they've determined a more precise value for Planck's constant, a really tiny number (and a fundamental physical quantity) used in quantum physics to calculate the amount of energy transmitted by a single photon.

Planck's constant also can be used to define the kilogram, because it too is a fundamental constant  something that doesn't change in our universe  and scientists can conduct experiments to determine what it is. "We can fix the unit and ask nature, 'What is the numerical value of the fundamental constant using these units?'" said NIST physicist Stephan Schlamminger in an email. "Or else, we can fix the numerical value and use the experiment to determine the size of the unit."

To calculate Planck's constant more precisely, NIST researchers employed a device called a Kibble balance, named for the British physicist who invented the technique. The device "compares electrical power to mechanical power," said Schlamminger. "Power is measured in units of the watt. Mechanical power is given by force times velocity. In the balance the force is the weight of a mass standard. Electrical power can be measured as a product of two frequencies and the Planck constant. These have to do with two quantum mechanical effects that are being used to measure voltage and resistance. Hence, the unit of mass can be linked to the Planck constant."

Here's a video in which NIST physicist Darine Haddad uses a cup of coffee and sugar cubes to explain the significance of Planck's constant:

In 2016, NIST scientists published a measurement of Planck's constant with an uncertainty of just 34 parts per billion, which is, well, pretty darn precise. But they kept experimenting, and now that they've got several years with of data to work with, they've honed the tiny number even further. The new NIST measurement sets Planck's constant at 6.626069934 x 1034 kgm2/s, with an uncertainty of only 13 parts per billion.

The NIST researchers are one of numerous scientific teams in countries ranging from Canada to South Korea who are vying to come up with the most precise value for Planck's constant. Some also are performing experiments with the Kibble balance, while others are using the X-ray crystal density method, in which they infer the number of silicon atoms in an extremely round silicon sphere, Schlamminger said.

The NIST physicist noted that it might be possible to reduce the degree of uncertainty in their measurement of Planck's constant even further than the published value, down to 11 parts per billion. But they're hoping that the published number is sufficient to redefine the kilogram, he said.

Now That's Interesting Max Planck, the Nobel-winning German physicist who devised Planck's constant in 1900, had a son Erwin who was involved in the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Erwin was executed in 1945, despite a letter that his father wrote to the Nazi dictator to plead for his life.
After eight days of screenings and round-the-clock BBQ, the 21st edition of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) held its closing ceremony at Bucheon's City Hall on Friday, July 21st. Topping the awards during the night was The Endless, the third feature from Screen Anarchy favorites Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. The winner in the Korean section was the debut film Behind the Dark Night by Shim Chan-yang.

In Bucheon Choice, Sadrac Gonzalez-Perellon's Black Hollow Cage was awarded the Jury prize while Giddens Ko's Mon Mon Mon Monsters took home the NH Audience Award. A special mention was reserved for Hentaida (I Am a Pervert) by Anzai Hajime.

Looking at the Korean Fantastic section, Park Ji-soo earned the Best Actress accolade for her role in The End of April while Oh Ryoong and Ryu Seong-hyun shared the Best Actor prize for playing in, appropriately, The Gravity of Acting. Im Heung-soon's documentary Ryeohaeng won the Audience Award.

Other feature prizes included two for Taiwanese films, the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF) Asian Award, which went to Godspeed by Chung Mong-hong, and the NETPAC Award, given to Chen Yu-Hsun's The Village of No Return. The Save Energy, Save Earth Film Award was taken by Wolfgang Groos' Roby and Toby's Fantastic Voyager and the BIFAN Children's Jury Award, which was bestowed on Andreas Dresen's The Legend of Timm Tyler or The Boy Who Sold His Laughter.

The Bucheon Choice: Shorts jury (which included our very own Shelagh Rowan-Legg) gave its top prize to Alonso Ruizpalacios' Green and its Jury Prize to Natalia Siwicka's 16.03, while the Audience Award was snatched up by Hong Heng-fai's Crash. Jo Ba-reun's Vibration earned the Best Korean Short Film prize and Lee Soo-ah's Weight of the Hand was the Korean Short Audience Award recipient.

The ceremony was followed by a presentation of the closing film Gintama, the latest from Hentai Kamen director Yuichi Fukuda, and the festival is still on throughout the weekend with encore screenings. After that, just 350 odd days until we find ourselves once more lost in the long Bucheon nights. Until then, check back in the coming days for more reviews of some of what the fest had to offer this year.
Earlier this month The Criterion Collection rereleased Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy on Blu-ray and it is one of the year's essential sets. The three included films, Rome Open City (1945), Paisan (1946), and Germany Year Zero (1948), are not only landmarks of world cinema, they are also incredibly brave and eye-opening works of art even all these years later. I'm not going to pretend that I have a lot to add to the mountains of critical and sociological analysis that already exists out there, I can definitely share why these films are so special to me. First, though, a basic rundown.

Rome Open City is the story of the Italian resistance in Nazi-occupied Italy. The film was shot in 1945, shortly after the Nazis had been expelled from Rome by Allied forces, but the damage - both emotional and physical - was still an everyday reality for the people of the city. We see various characters from all social strata attempting not only fight back against the Nazi oppression, but also to retain some sense of a normal life, all while the underground fighters are persecuted, tortured, and killed for trying to defend their country.

Paisan is an anthology of six different stories exploring the complicated relationships between the Italians, both common and partisan fighters, with the liberating Allied forces, overwhelmingly Americans in this case. Each of the six stories explores a different facet of the interplay between the Italians, who were reeling from years of unwanted war and a recently toppled fascist government, and the Americans who, in spite of their best intentions, were still essentially an invading force. No one comes out completely clean, and the complex conversation and interpersonal relationships between the soldiers, chaplains, common Italians, and the partisan fighters trying to dispose of the Nazi threat is incredible and offers a view of the war through a fascinating lens.

In Germany Year Zero, Rossellini moves the action to post-war Germany. Unlike Italy, where there was a massive underground faction that opposed the government, in Germany the public by and large accepted the fascist regime as a force for positive change. Rossellini explores the emotional toll on the citizens of a Germany in ruins, starting over from scratch after their thousand-year-reich was crushed by the Allied forces. Germans not only had to deal with the fact that their country had lost the war, they had to find ways to survive in a nation whose infrastructure was devastated. All of these impossible challenges are seen through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy named Edmund, who shoulders the weight of his family's survival.

As an American, every history lesson I've ever had in school was told from our point of view. Those lessons were very black and white, there were the Axis enemies and the Allied friends, and among the Axis powers were both the Italians and the Germans. Of course, the majority of the education that I had regarding the war had to do with the battles with the German and Japanese armies, but it was always understood that Italy and Germany stood together, and we conflated thoser armies with their citizens because we didn't know any better. The War Trilogy does a lot of humanize the evil Axis powers and provide context and shades of grey, and that's a crucial step in developing compassion, an emotion that the world seems to find less and less useful every day.

Rossellini's goal in his filmmaking was to hold a mirror up to the audiences. He didn't want to tell flowery stories to get his point across, he didn't feel they were necessary. Reality is dramatic enough without attempting to embellish the truth. The Italian neo-realist movement, with filmmakers like Rossellini, De Sica, and Visconti at its head, was an attempt to make sense of the world as it was, rather than as they wished it might be. In the the case of the War Trilogy, Rossellini succeeded in not only holding up a mirror to his own people - though the films didn't find huge success until they showed in France - but also opening a window to international film audiences into the state of post-war Italy as it happened.

These films, along with the the works of the other above mentioned filmmakers, allow outsiders to see into these worlds that are so literally foreign even seventy years later. They are a way to come to terms with the whole reality of World War II, and by extension the reality of war everywhere. It seems silly, in this day and age when we seem to have every waking moment of our lives recorded and shared, that it can still be surprising to see the real lives of people struggling to stay alive in these regions, but focusing on these common people is essential because that is the realest part of war.

For many, many generations now, Americans have had the very fortunate luxury of not having to deal with war on our territory. Not since the Civil War have we had to struggle or fear for our lives on a daily basis. It's difficult to understand what that is like, but art has the power to not just show you what happens, like we might see in a YouTube video or news report, but also to immerse you in a world where these kinds of struggles and atrocities are commonplace. This is the power of The War Trilogy, even today. Art has the powerful ability to foster compassion from those who you see as different, and if we all worked on that a little bit harder, maybe we could slow down the cycle of violence.

The Discs:

The new Blu-ray re-issue of The War Trilogy from Criterion is largely identical to the previous DVD release from 2010. The upgrade in this case is a trio of new restorations, 4K in the case of Rome Open City, 2K for Paisan, and HD for Germany Year Zero. The results of the restorations are apparent from the opening frames of each film. The new transfers show great improvement in detail, contrast, and black levels. There is still a noticable amount of print damage on these transfers, but not so much as to be distracting. The audio is now uncompressed Mono PCM, which sounds pretty good, and in line with other films from the era.

Frankly, I was surprised when Criterion released this trilogy back in 2010 as a DVD-only set. They'd already been releasing films on Blu-ray for two years at that point, and this seemed like an easy HD pick, but I'm guessing that they understood what lay in store in terms of the restoration and chose to get it out on the market. These films, in spite of a bit of print damage, really benefit greatly from the HD upgrade and this is an easy recommendation.

All of the extras from Criterion's DVD set are repeated here, all upgraded to HD. While it would've been relatively easy to cram a bunch of features onto a bonus disc, Criterion have instead chosen to pack each disc with material averaging well over an hour per film.

Rome Open City gets a commentary track with Peter Bondanella (a bit dry but very informative), and 2006 documentary called Once Upon a Time (featuring interviews with people like Fellini, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman, and many more), a taped introduction from French television by Rossellini (a feature that each film gets), as well as several other scholarly interviews from academics far more eloquent than I.

Paisan gets another Rossellini introduction, and interview with scholar Adriano Apra, excerpts from a discussion with Rossellini hosted by Rice University in 1970, and a visual essay from Tag Gallagher.

Germany Year Zero also gets a Rossellini introduction, a wonderful documentary by Carlo Lizzani titled Roberto Rossellini from 2000 which features interviews from luminaries like Trauffat and Scorsese, as well as family members and frequent collaborators, a discussion with Lizzani from 1987 titled Letters From the Front, and numerous other interviews with scholars like Apra, and filmmakers the Taviani brothers.

The set finishes up with a great set of essays from writers like Jonathan Rosenbaum, Colin McCabe, Irene Bignardi, and James Quandt.

It is impossible to overstate the essential nature of this set. I cannot recommend The War Trilogy enough.
Credit: James HartleyA Day to Remember has revealed the lineups for this year's Self Help Fests, held September 10 in Philadelphia, September 30 in Orlando and October 7 in Detroit.

The Detroit festival has the biggest lineup, featuring Rise Against, Pierce the Veil, Of Mice & Men, Falling in Reverse and Underoath. The Philly lineup also features Underoath and Falling in Reverse, while Orlando has Underoath, plus ska bands Less Than Jake and Streetlight Manifesto. A Day to Remember will play all three festivals.

Self Help Fest was founded by A Day to Remember in 2014. The festival will take place in three places this year for the first time, and a fourth one is planned for March 2018 in San Bernardino, California.

For more info, visit SelfHelpFest.com.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Everardo Gonzalez, documentary filmmaker best known for Ladrones viejos and Drought (Cuates de Australia), is visibly enraged when he starts talking about the case of Javier Duarte, a Mexican politician who in early 2017 was detained for a huge corruption case.

We all know the man is absolute dirt and yet the first hearing quickly reminded us that Mexico is the land of impunity. Thats why Gonzalez is angry, though the very idea that Duarte might beat justice is hardly a surprise in the Narco-state that is our country.

Everardos latest documentary, Devils Freedom (La libertad del diablo), tackles the consequences of the Mexican Drug War from the personal perspective of several individuals. There are testimonies of victims who lost their familiars or have been kidnapped and tortured, offenders who pulled the trigger for money, policemen who have decided to do justice by their own hand due the impunity, and soldiers who followed orders from organized crime.

The film is minimalist, as Gonzalez only shows us the faces of the interviewees covered by a mask, while each shares their reality. Theres no need for more in order to achieve one of the most brutal and powerful Mexican films in recent memory.

Since Devil's Freedom is now playing in Mexico City  as part of Cineteca Nacionals 37 Foro Internacional - I sat down with Everardo Gonzalez for the following conversation.

ScreenAnarchy: A couple of months ago I interviewed filmmaker Tatiana Huezo about her documentary TEMPESTAD, just days after the murder of journalist Javier Valdez. She told me her interest in making a film on the drug war and the impunity began when this complex problem practically knocked at her door. In your case, what was the main motivation behind DEVILS FREEDOM?

Everardo Gonzalez: I dont know what to say. Javier Valdez contributed to this film, but everything is behind now. I dont think thats relevant, to compare myself with a victim would be even immoral. I think my job is in some way related to yours, to the people that make narrative journalism, and I think thats the value of the documentary - beyond its aesthetic, its legitimation in foreign countries, its recognition with the critics and the film unions -, that it leaves a testimony of the times.

We all have a direct bond with the organized crime in one way or another, from the side of the victims or the offenders. We all have some story connected with violence and the idea of living with fear. Though its not an obligation that you leave a testimony of this only if bloodshed happened on your side.

The reason why I made this film was related to a moral obligation I had with the documentary. During Felipe Calderons term as president, I wondered what kind of movie I could make to capture what was happening, but I felt that a lot was going on and there was little room for reflection. Since the movie was not based on a case in particular, it was more of a philosophical project.

What really detonated the film was when the media began referring to the killings of civilians as collateral damage. A book written by a friend was a motivation as well: Fuego cruzado by Marcela Turati, which is a testimony of the people involved with the theme of death that questioned the medias way to handle it, just before the pact signed to stop generating news about the organized crime under the argument that the media was turning into the cartels spokesperson.

The project started a long time ago but it took a different direction once I filmed El Paso, a documentary that began with the exile of a friend who was the correspondent for the El Norte newspaper in Ciudad Juarez, right when it was announced the Operativo Conjunto Chihuahua.

It was also important the relationship I had for many years with the police source and the connection I have now with people who cover violence, like Marcela Turati, Diego Enrique Osorio, Daniela Rea and Manuel Almazan, all who became part of the media right when the country became what it is now: a common grave.

The conversations with friends, the close people that were murdered, the relationship I have with the Mexicanos en el Exilio organization, talking with people who are in hiding with fear, and the idea that a documentary is relevant for the future and not necessarily for today. Thats why I made this movie.

Other recent documentaries on the drug war explore particular cases, like NARCO CULTURA and its two main characters, or CARTEL LAND, which is about the autodefensas movement. In that sense, how complicated it was to propose a different type of documentary, told from several individual perspectives?

When I started making documentaries I didnt have the need for reflection, the notion of not depending on the circumstances to make a movie, or the interest in concepts like empathy and the truth. Im not sure I would have been able to make this film when I started. The producers really only trusted me based on my previous work. But it wasnt easy. The project went down a couple of times, even before I made El Paso, in fact two stories in El Paso were extracted for this project.

This kind of work is always interesting for me; in fiction I think in something like THE WIRE

I love The Wire, its my favorite TV series, for sure.

It exposes all the sides and it doesnt give you easy answers. When did you decide that DEVILS FREEDOM needed to be told not just from the perspective of one person? We see the victims, the criminals, the soldiers

I didnt want to make a film with only one responsible. The social chorus always shouts at the State, but thats like asking God for rain, its an abstraction, the State is many things but its also us. So I wanted that the frontier between a victim and an offender faded away. In an extreme situation, we all are capable of committing atrocities.

One case only wouldnt have worked became I was experimenting with the idea of empathy. Its practically impossible not to empathize with the victims; I wanted to explore the possibilities of empathizing with those that commit direct atrocities. Its a complex risk, going across ethical limits, but I didnt want to make a simple movie.

The victim is always welcomed by the society, but thats not the case for the offender, though we live in a society that praises and idealizes the criminal. That exposes the double standards of the Mexican, perfectly capitalized by the producers of the narco series.

For me it was important to have a chorus to say to the viewer that we are also direct responsible for whats going on; either because we ignore it, keep voting for the criminal, lack the capacity for organization, or feel indifferent.

One or two stories wouldnt have allowed me to do that, because the film is not based on the anecdote but on reflection. Its maybe closer to an essay than to a narrative movie because it doesnt rely on character or plot, rather on concepts like fear, obedience, vengeance and forgiveness.

Theres a testimony of a man that was tortured by the police; he says that its the very first time he shares the story with someone. How is the process to manage this atmosphere of trust?

The relevant thing is that they feel theres a genuine interest. I allow them to have moments of silence, for reflection or memory. When they break the silence, complex stuff is coming, because theres introspection.

The presence of the mask allowed a lot of freedom; the mask was not really an element for anonymity, rather a possibility of having a testimony closer to the truth. There was a mirror and a dark curtain, and who was in front of the camera had the sensation of being alone in front of a mirror.

The process of introspection allowed us, as spectators, to see maybe the very first moment of reflection for many of them, not only of this man that had been incapable of talking about torture and harassment, but also of the guy that reflects on what it meant for him to murder a child. That was one of the questions I had, if they we aware of the damage they were provoking.

It also allowed to have valuable and powerful testimonies to understand this society, like the one of the girl who can think of herself as a torturer due the need for vengeance. Thats extremely important, the continuous acts of vengeance that confirm the State is not responsible for everything; theres also human nature.

Talking about the testimonies of the sicarios, its interesting that you want to know what they felt exactly in the moment when they took someones life. But what do you feel when they are sharing with you these striking stories?

Making the film is complicated, emotionally. Every documentary is complex because of the emotional bonds one establishes with the respective reality. In this case, everything was very psychological.

Im the first filter of what the viewer will later feel. Its a bomb full of doubts. Its not just feeling indignation, or erasing the indolence, but also questioning if its right to do it, if you have the right to share a confession. The sensation of sharing a secret - though everyone is aware that Im there with a camera - is complicated and involves the ethical concepts of making a documentary.

Of course its difficult to go home and worry about the cereal, paying the bills, because it touches your daily life, and you start losing interest in the simple things like the reunions with friends or just going out to the cinema, at least during the process.

Watching evil to the eyes is complicated because it goes beyond the fear and the judgment. Its something that you live in solitary, because the close environment cant understand, and its only shared with the people who have been through the same; I talked with Daniela Rea about this, how it affected me, and she talked about her own experiences.

Tackling the esthetic of the documentary, I imagine not everyone asked for the anonymity through the masks

Not, only two actually, the soldier and the federal policeman asked for anonymity.

Though everyone wear the masks, their feelings are clearly expressed when they tell the stories. The masks sort of indicate everyone is afraid and in the end theres the testimony of the woman who says she is no longer afraid

Because she already lost everything. Thats it. The mask is the image of terror, and I thought it was going to be unforgettable. My main concern was in two things: if the mask reduced the possibilities for empathy, as the spectator is not looking the faces, becoming only an exercise in form, not even esthetic. I dont believe in documentary when everything relies on the form, because for me the important thing is the testimony.

My other concern was in the idea that I was making a film that removed the names and faces of the victims, in a country that demands quite the opposite. It was risky. I spoke with organizations to know their opinion, because thats the only judgment I think is legit in the ethical sense of erasing the victims faces or putting them on the same level with the offenders. When they [the organizations] agreed with me, my ethical concerns ended.

The esthetic can help the narrative because the esthetic was not irresponsible. I think films like this one, made in this country, are a little irresponsible if they dont think like that, because the things are happening and its not the same to make Cartel Land, traveling to Mexico for six months and then returning to another reality, as to live in Mexico being part of the problem.

The mask, which emulates a medic mask, has a lot of meanings and symbols, so the lecture that you make of the film can be even more complex than what I was thinking when I was making it. Thats cinema.

In terms of structure, the documentary starts with the victims and before knowing the outcome of their cases, we see everything thats going on - with the sicarios, the soldiers, the policemen - to later return to the victims and find out theres no hope at all. I cant ask you whats going to happen, but where do you think the situation is going to?

The present indicates this is going to continue. Justice is corrupted, impunity is the right of the power, everything has an economic value and peoples top aspiration is possession and accumulation. So this will continue.

Like in all wars, because this was a war, I think commissions of the truth will be created. I believe we will have to do that exercise soon, and I just hope victims have a voice and complex subjects like forgiveness and vengeance are discussed.

Justice by own hand is what federal policemen do, as well as the autodefensas, many of the victims and the criminals themselves. The sicarios doesnt enter to the organized crime just because theyre bad, or maybe not even because of that, they also enter in order to commit an act of vengeance, wanting to avenge the murder of a brother. Thats a never-ending chain.

The ending of the film is distressing, but I dont see another scenario thats not hopeless, at least not today. Hundreds of victims without an answer, more than thirty thousand families without finding their bodies, with a direct or indirect participation of the forces of public order, of the authorities I cant find a different scenario.

Unlike other films, I cant find the beauty in this. For me this is atrocious. Thats also why I decided to make a film with few elements, raw, because for me theres nothing lyrical about whats happening.

During the screening I attended there was complete silence during the entire duration of the film, something that nowadays is definitely rare.

Each screening of this movie invites the spectator to a requiem. Theres respect and empathy for the person that is giving the testimony. It generates a very particular type of silence, I would say indelible. Theres compassion, even for the sicarios.

Thats relevant, that catharsis that makes us think as a society if we are responsible for the atrocity, the corruption, the impunity, the exercise of power, the classicism because thats terrible: you dont see businessmen talking here.

The victims are mainly people that lived the Operativo Conjunto Chihuahua, the arrival of the army and the federal police there, the construction of international bridges, the forced displacement to exploit the land, and so forth. All the madness that was the so-called war on drugs.


Police are seeking three teenage males today, after the trio shot a bus parked in the Mission District with paintballs, then turned their weapon on the woman inside it.

According to the San Francsico Police Department, the attack occurred at 10:07 a.m. Tuesday, at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Mission Streets.

Police say that three suspects described only as male juveniles walked up to a bus "parked on Cesar Chavez at Mission St...and started shooting the front of the bus with paintball guns."

A 36-year-old woman who was inside the bus then stepped out of the parked vehicle, causing the trio to flee.

As they ran off, one of the teens "turned and shot [the woman] several times to the body," police say.

The woman was not seriously injured, police say. The suspects, who successfully escaped from the scene of the crime, remain at large as of Wednesday morning.

Previously: Man Loses Sight In Mission Street Paintball Attack
Just hours after Thursdays report that UC Berkeley was denying conservative pundit Ben Shapiro a campus venue for a proposed September 14 speech, the Chronicle reports that the university has agreed to host the Shapiro on that date, albeit at a smaller venue than requested, and even offered to underwrite the venue fee if the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) agree, depending on various venue and security accommodations. While Shapiro himself may not be particularly high-profile, these discussions come after the cancellation of a Milo Yiannopoulos speech in February and the disintegration of an Ann Coulter event in April.

We want Ben Shapiro to come to Berkeley, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof told CBS 5.

Neither I nor YAF have heard from Berkeley, nor have College Republicans. Let's hope Berkeley keeps their word. https://t.co/hcS7sK72zI  Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 20, 2017

Shapiro and the Berkeley Republican groups' attorney Harmeet Dhillon claim they still havent heard from UC Berkeley Student Affairs, and found out through media reports. But in a statement to the Daily Californian Mogulof said the BCR did agree to a change in plans for the event that would provide a venue of less than the requested 500 seats. That probably ought to be enough, given Ben Shapiros less-than household name status on the conservative blowhard circuit.

The number of seats inside the facility is probably not the major issue here. Its the potential for mayhem outside the facility that more likely concerns the university, after looting, mayhem, and riots broke out the date of Milo Yiannopoulos scheduled speech.

Still, the aspiring young conservatives seem pleased with the arrangement as currently stands, The Berkeley College Republicans and Young Americas Foundation are pleased to learn that the university has been able to identify several open venues for Mr. Shapiros proposed speaking date after stating to the press that there were no available locations, Berkeley College Republicans Naweed Tahmaz told the Daily Californian.

According to CBS 5, the matter is prompting Berkeley to require new expectations of student bodies who invite speakers to campus, including eight-week advance notice, publicity materials submitted to campus advisers five weeks in advance, and a potential requirement to meet with campus police to discuss event security.

Over the years, we have hosted literally dozens of speakers from both conservative and libertarian movements without incident, UC Berkeley chancellor Carol Christ told the Daily Californian. The key is for the hosting organization to work collaboratively with the campus through a detailed planning process. I am confident the event will be safely and successfully held.

Ben Shapiro, I suppose we should note, is the editor of something called the Daily Wire and is a former Breitbart editor who resigned from that publication when then Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski shoved a Breitbart reporter in March 2016.



Related: The New York Times Found Five Republicans At UC Berkeley And Talked To Them
The same day, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that the NPA will be the next target of the government after the countrys security forces killed pro-IS extremists.Previously, on July 19, Duterte directed not to resume peace talks with the NPA unless the group promises to stop attacks on government soldiers in the southern province of Mindanao.The Philippine government blamed the NPA  a branch of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in the southern Compostela Valley province, for attacking two Presidential Security Group vehicles along a highway on the main southern island of Mindanao.The peace negotiations between the government and the NPA have been interrupted since Duterte took office last year while unilateral and bilateral ceasefires were not effective

VNS
SIOUX CITY | Police have arrested a Sioux City man in connection with the recent spree of armed robberies.

Jason Lee Marlin, 36, was located in South Sioux City hours after police released to the public he was a suspect Friday.

He has been booked in the Woodbury County Jail and charged with second-degree robbery and first-degree theft.

Police said they are not releasing any details on which case or cases Marlin he is allegedly involved in. More suspects are still at large and the investigation is ongoing, the release said.

Police were assisted in Marlin's arrest by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office and the South Sioux City Police Department.
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) conducted its regular meeting Thursday, July 20, at Del Mar Race Track.

Chairman Chuck Winner presided. First Vice Chair George Krikorian, Second Vice Chair Madeline Auerbach and Commissioners Jesse Choper, Araceli Ruano and Alex Solis also were in attendance.

The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB website (chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief:

 Executive Director Rick Baedeker described significant steps being taken by the CHRB, Del Mar management and other stakeholders to protect horses and riders. In addition to major improvements to the racing surface and maintenance procedures, an increased number of Official Veterinarians and CHRB safety personnel working with track veterinarians are scrutinizing horses entered in races as well as other horses training in the mornings. Horses deemed unfit will not be permitted to run. A complete list of safeguards is posted on the CHRB website.

 Rick Baedeker also announced that several new videos focusing on safety in horse racing that should be of interest to the general public will soon be posted on the CHRB website.

 The Board approved the license for the California Authority of Racing Fairs to conduct a fair meet at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton from September 20 through October 3. This meet is called Oak Tree at Pleasanton.

 The Board approved the license for the Big Fresno Fair to operate a fair meet in Fresno from October 4 through October 17.

 The Board approved the license application for Lien Games Racing (OffTrackBetting.com) to conduct Advance Deposit Wagering for 17 months  placing it on the same licensing schedule as other previously approved ADW providers.

 The Board began the regulatory process for scratching any horse that has not been properly reported within specified time frames as having been gelded. A public hearing on this proposed amendment will be conducted following the required 45-day public notice period.

 The Board referred to its Legislative Committee for further discussion a proposed regulatory amendment that would prohibit any horse claimed in California from racing in another state until 60 days after the close of the meeting at which it was claimed except in a stakes race.

 City of Arcadia officials asked the Board to support their effort to obtain a share of wagers placed through ADW accounts while the bettor is physically located at Santa Anita Park. The Board referred the matter to legal counsel to review current law in this regard.

 Representatives of Northern California Off Track Wagering Inc. (NOTWINC) gave a presentation on the organizations operations and responsibilities, including its efforts to develop new mini-satellites in Northern California.

(CHRB)
The Saturday evening feature promises to be a lively one at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as it is jam-packed with top pacers who just met in Governors Plate elimination action two weeks ago in Summerside.

Saturday's 12-dash card gets underway at 6:00 P.M. with the featured pace, sponsored by McWade Racing, capping off the card in the finale. Invictus Hanover gets respect as the morning line favourite from post six with Jason Hughes training and driving for Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S. The six-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser was a fifth-place finisher in the recent $22,000 Governors Plate Final, pacing in 1:55.3 -- a time that puts him in full contention with his Saturday rivals. Fellow Hughes trainee Jeb is fresh off a 1:55.1 victory and gets the services of Kenny Arsenault in the bike this week, while Smiley Bayama has post two for trainer-driver Ron Gass.

Not a single horse can be discounted in the field as Give Em Heck has previously defeated this group and gets the services of Brian MacPhee from post one. MacPhees daughter, Ambyr Campbell gets the catch-driving call on Trevor Hicken trainee Adkins Hanover from post five for Gordie Hennessey. Eagle Jolt has been ultra-consistent this year, with Ryan Desroche picking up the drive as trainer Marc Campbell is racing in stakes action in Truro, N.S.

Race analyst Les MacIsaac likes the chances of Invictus Hanover to defeat Saturdays talented group.

While this is a nice group theyre not quite up to the level of his usual opposition, MacIsaac said of Invictus Hanover. The post might curb your enthusiasm and while wed prefer to see him on front, hes got the versatility to handle any style so he gets top billing.

The $2,250 Open Mares pace in Race 11 will see the return of Dixie Lullaby, who has been racing in Ontario the past two seasons after being one of the most talented two-year-old fillies the Maritimes has seen in recent years. The now four-year-old daughter of If I Can Dream was raised by Meridian Farms in Milton and was a recent winner in 1:53.4 over the half-mile oval at Grand River Raceway in Ontario, putting her into potential Charlottetown track record territory. Gary Chappell will drive Dixie Lullaby from post 8 for trainer Kyle Fellows of Ontario, who co-owns with Carl Stafford of Newfoundland And Labrador. Good Lucky Kathy has been installed as the favourite in the race with post 6 for driver Hughes and conditioner Jennifer Trainor.

The program also features the Clan MacPhail Reunion 2017 Pace in race six.

Check out redshores.ca for live video, race programs and promotional information including the $100,000 Dash For Cash promotion being offered again this weekend.

For entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(with files from Red Shores)
A compact group of five will contest the Sunday afternoon featured pace at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway and the opening quarter is sure to be lively.

First race post time is 1:00 P.M. for the 12-dash card. Machinthesand has rail control and the nod from classifier Gerard Smith as the morning line choice in the $2,250 race 11 top class. Ken Murphy drives the pacer for trainer Hughie Murphy and Summerside owners Noon Holdings Ltd and Russell & Karen Noonan. The eight-year-old son of Mach Three was victorious in this class the last time he had rail control by setting up shop on the front end, but this week he has to contend with the front-running Minor Wisdom from post two with Wade Sorrie in the bike for Kristina McCourt of Kensington. The seven-year-old American Ideal mare was a winner in her latest outing in the $2,250 Mares Open. Instant Shadow (Jason Hughes) gets post five shipping in from New Brunswick and riding a two-race win streak over Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John for trainer Sifroi Melanson, while Pictonian Storm was a sharp 1:55.2 winner in his latest and gets Gary Chappell this week from post four. Mando Fun leaves from post three with Dale Spence in the bike for trainer Paul Biggar.

Ultimateflyingnun will put her undefeated season to the test from post one in Race 10 on the card for trainer Melanson and driver Spence. The five-year-old daughter of Driven To Win has three wins from as many starts so far in 2017. Old Buck is the favourite in that $1,800 event for driver Hughes and owner-trainer Alan MacDonald of Summerside.

Race eight has a newcomer to Island racing with Come On Eileen leaving from post five in the $1,600 dash with Ambyr Campbell in the bike for new trainer Trevor Hicken. The four-year-old daughter of Sportswriter has seven lifetime wins, $28,724 in earnings and a mark of 1:57 over the five-eighths Rideau Carleton oval outside Ottawa, Ont. The mare will have stiff company in her Island debut including Bowyer Hanover (Walter Cheverie), Rash B Havior (Murphy) and Ultimatelyhandsome (Dale Spence).

Check out Redshores.ca for live video, race programs and promotional information including the $100,000 Dash For Cash promotion being offered again this weekend.

For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Red Shores Summerside.

(with files from Red Shores)
July marks my first anniversary as the President and CEO of Standardbred Canada. So, I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to provide some key learnings and also share with you what we have been doing this past year...read on / continuer a lire
NJ Bill Enforces LGBT Agenda in Public Schools

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit

TRENTON, N.J., July 21, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- A bill that directs the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to review and modify public school guidelines to accommodate and promote the rights of "transgender" students, in accordance with current State or federal laws and regulations, has passed the Senate and the Assembly and goes to the Governor for consideration. Liberty Counsel sent a letter to Governor Chris Christie encouraging him to veto the bill.

The bill, known as S3067/ A4652, mandates the commissioner to provide school districts with guidance and resources regarding LGBT-related professional development to teachers, administrators and school staff. This "transgender education bill" also requires schools to work only with "the student," and not the parents, related to gender dysphoria issues, and requires school staff and other students to address a "transgender" student by false gender pronouns. S3067/A4652 bill ignores biological and physical differences between girls and boys and permits gender-confused students to participate in opposite sex physical education activities and other formerly gender-separate activities, and further allows them to room on overnight trips with members of the opposite sex.

"The State of New Jersey has no business invading the privacy and jeopardizing the safety of students by forcing them to use restrooms, showers and hotel rooms for overnight events with someone of the opposite sex," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "Nor does the state have the right to force students and school personnel to participate in a delusion by requiring them to pretend that people can change their sex. This policy is harmful to everyone. S3067/A4652 violates the religious, privacy, safety and First Amendment rights of students and staff and oversteps parental authority. It is parents, not school officials, who have the right to guide their children in making informed choices about what is best for them. Parents do not want their daughters changing and sleeping in the presence of biological boys, and vice versa. S3067/A4652 is state-sponsored child exploitation and Liberty Counsel urges Governor Christie to veto this bill," 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.
Alexander considered his slaves cure for yaws to be part of a body of medical knowledge derived from Africa, referring to the slaves cures as Negro Materia Medica. And, indeed, historians writing about slave medicine often assume an African origin of a cure. Did Africans bring medicines and medical techniques with them from their homelands or did they experiment with new plants and cures found in the West Indies? More generally, how did knowledge circulate in the Atlantic World?

An extraordinary experiment pitted purported slave cures against European treatments in Grenada, a small island south of Barbados, in 1773. Plantation owner A. J. Alexander experimented with his Negro D r s medical techniques in an effort to cure yaws, a horrid tropical disease infecting the skin, bone, and joints bred of poverty and poor sanitation. When Alexander tested his slaves cure, what was he actually testing? African cures transported to the Americas? Remedies developed by Amerindians and transmitted to African slaves, who, unlike Europeans, were familiar with what we today call tropical medicine? Cures developed by plantation slaves in the Americas? Or, by some great twist of irony, cures communicated by Europeans to the slaves via the plantation complex?

The Circulation of Knowledge in the Atlantic World Medical Complex

.The Atlantic World medical complex fused African, Amerindian, and European knowledge traditions.

Three major routes characterized the dynamic multidirectional trade in people, plants, and medicines between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The European colonial nexus linked Europe and the Americas. The African slave trade nexus joined Africa and the Americas. The Amerindian conquest nexus carried Amerindian knowledge into plantation complexes. The Atlantic World medical complex arose from a fusion of African, Amerindian, and European knowledge traditions. Knowledge of African and Amerindian origins developed in the West Indies shipped along with other cargoes into Europe, often transshipping out again back to the colonies and beyond.

European colonial doctors, enslaved and indigenous peoples avidly collected, cultivated, and tested medicines to create new and, occasionally, effective cures. Yet these healers were not mere medical innovators, but men and women situated in the push and pull of life and death struggles for political, economic, cultural, and personal survival. Some, such as the European doctors and surgeons, were employees of empirewhether private contractors to plantation owners in the British islands or pensioners of the king in the French islands. Others, such as Alexanders Negro Dr, were enslaved in the plantation complex.

The origin of Alexanders enslaved mans cure and its route of transmission exemplify the complexities of the circulation of knowledge in the Atlantic World. The plant at the center of his cure for yawsthe bois feris indigenous to the Americas, and data suggest that French doctors collected knowledge of the plants use from Amerindians in Saint-Domingue and French Guiana. Yet, if the cure is Amerindian in origin, how did this knowledge circulate to an African doctor in Grenada? Did the slave find African flora he was familiar with again in America? Did he, through trial and error, devise a new cure using an American tree, or did he learn the medicinal uses this plant from the Amerindians or, perhaps, even from the French and then pass the knowledge along to his British owner, Alexander?

Secret Cures of Slaves  examines medicine and human experimentation in the Atlantic World, exploring the circulation of people, disease, plants, and knowledge between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

What we do know is that the flow of knowledge in the Atlantic World was promiscuous and multidirectional, but it did not always move freely. Amerindians and enslaved Africans strategically held much knowledge secret. Bertrand Bajon, French military surgeon and later private physician working in Cayenne, envied the numerous plant cures known to Indians and Negroes, but remarked that it was impossible to discover their secrets. This was particularly true of cures for snakebite, a grave danger in South America.

Bajon was devoted to experimentation, but he could test only those remedies available to him. When one of his slaves was stricken by a snakebite, Bajon resorted to the colonial remedy eau de luce because he could not crack local secrets. He very much regretted that he had not entrusted his slave to an Indian woman in the neighborhood who always treated poisonous bites with success. In this case, the new empiricism was thwarted by colonial power struggles, fears, and secrecy. Bajon noted that especially Negroes possessed a multitude of cures that they kept secret. He pleaded that trials be made of these astonishing remediesby, he wrote, persons more educated than are the Negroes. In a remarkable passage, he noted that a particular Negro (unnamed), who was owned by the former governor of Cayenne practiced a successful cure for tetanus made from local plants. But, alas, Bajon could not discover the active ingredient.

The flow of knowledge in the Atlantic World was promiscuous and multidirectional, but it did not always move freely.



Alluding to the violence and mistrust endemic to the Atlantic World medical complex, Bajon remarked that much controversy arose concerning slave cures in general and this one in particular. Many colonists and a great number of Negroes, he wrote, claimed this tetanus cure to be infallible, but, they cautioned, it was enough for a licensed physician or surgeon to prescribe it for it to lose all its value. Physicians, for their part, warned against the remedy and rejected it without any examination.

Bajon pleaded that for the good of humanity the slave be obliged to communicate the plants he used and the manner in which they are employed to some local physicians for testing in the most impartial and unprejudiced manner by gens de lart who sought nothing but the public good. This, Bajon proclaimed, was the only means to know the truth. In return, Bajon recommended that the slave be offered his freedombut not until a great number of experiments confirmed the cures virtue. Bajon was here perhaps thinking of Dr. Papaw in Virginia or, more famously, Graman Quassi, the slave in Suriname, for whom Quassia amara is named and who had won his freedom for revealing his cure.

It is important to keep in mind that knowledge is fragile and often suppressed. Barriers of prejudice, violence, and conquest created agnotological ripples in the Atlantic World. Obeah, healing practices developed by slaves in the British West Indies, provides a prime example of African knowledge that did not circulate throughout the greater Atlantic. Europeans, rather than seeking to understand Obeah, attempted to destroy it. Although they recognized the power of a patients state of mind to heal the body, they tended to deride the spiritual aspects prominent in slave healing regimes. Europeans were interested in the material aspects of African healing traditionsthe specific herbs or bathing techniques usedbut they shied away from the spiritual or mystical aspects of Obeah.

Agnotological Barriers in the Atlantic World Medical Complex

The circulation of medical knowledge in the Atlantic World was blocked by prejudice, enslavement, exile, and the extermination of peoples and their knowledges.

This is surprising since European physicians understood the potential benefits of what we today call placebos. In 1799, the well-known English physician, John Haygarth, preformed a placebo-controlled trial to understand the role imagination plays in the cause and cure of disorders of the body and to unmask the fraud of Elisha Perkins tractorsmetallic conductors of electricity purported to cure a variety of diseases. European physicians often depended on what they called medical faith to enhance the effects of their medicine. In the Caribbean, the British, however, did not often see (or at least did not acknowledge) the continuities between their beliefs and practices and those of Obeah doctors. What was diagnosed as imagination in Europeans was judged superstition in Africans.

What was diagnosed as imagination in Europeans was judged superstition in Africans.



The fear of Obeah, revolt, and revolution was so great that experiments with electricity were conducted on Obeah men alleged to have instigated Tackys Rebellion in Jamaica in 1760. The condemned men were submitted to experiments with electrical machines and magic lanthorns [lanterns]. The report of the experiments noted that these produced very little effect. While a strong tradition of experimenting with prisoners condemned to death still prevailed across Europe and its colonies, no results benefitting medicine were recorded from the so-called experiment.

The Atlantic World set in motion people, plants, and medicine from three continents. The very populations West Indian medical men treatedslaves, soldiers, sailorswere created by the political and economic ambitions of European states. And the diseases physicians sought to cure were bred in the mixing and melding of peoples, the disruption of environments, and the squalor of plantations and urban ports. The Atlantic World represents a step in globalizationthe potential enrichment of the human experience when worlds collide. But the extinction of people, such as the Amerindians in the Greater Antilles, coupled with the fear and secrecy bred in the enslavement of Africans, carved contours into medical knowledge and practices that continue to shape our world.

Londa Schiebinger is the John L. Hinds Professor of History of Science at Stanford University. She is the author of Secret Cures of Slaves: People, Plants, and Medicine in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World, among many other works, including the award-winning, Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic World.
At least two Woodland City Council candidates want to see the citys ban on recreational marijuana stores lifted, and a third said hes open to the idea, too.

Candidates Nate Cook and Keith Bellisle say removing the ban could boost tax revenue for the cash-strapped small city. Dave Plaza said he is open to removing the ban, but before taking a position either way, he would want to study state and federal laws more thoroughly.

Marijuana is just one of many topics the three candidates have to debate as they compete to replace outgoing council member Marilee McCall for the Position No. 3  one of several posts on the Council up for election this year. How to create a business-friendly environment, improve public safety, reduce traffic and fix roads are challenges facing the growing city, too.

Dave Plaza

Former police detective Dave Plaza said hes long held an interest in city politics, but this is the first election hes been able to run for a council seat since moving to Woodland in 2005.

Plaza couldnt run for office while worked for the Woodland Police Department from 2008 to 2015. His tenure ended on a sour note: He was fired following two years of acrimony wherein Plaza reported alleged wrongdoing by then-interim police chief and current Woodland police Sgt. Brad Gillaspie in 2013. Plaza was subsequently accused and later cleared of theft.

He filed a $2 million retaliation lawsuit against the city. After his lawyers decided a federal case was warranted, they dismissed the local suit and filed a $5 million federal case. The matter was settled outside of court last fall and Plaza isnt allowed to discuss the details. His personnel file was scrubbed clean, and then he retired on his own accord.

With new leadership at the city and police department, Plaza said theres no axes to grind with the city.

What happened with the lawsuit and certain people in the city administration, thats done its in the past, Im trying to move forward to make the city that I live in and my kids live in even better than it already is, Plaza said.

As a council member, Plaza said he would seek new sources of city revenue beyond raising taxes. He thinks Woodland needs to find ways to attract new companies to expand the citys tax base.

Woodland has a really bad reputation for being anti-business and we need to turn that around and bring more businesses in, Plaza said. He said the citys new mayor and administrator have helped start making the city more business friendly, and he wants to continue in that direction.

Plaza said he would work with local companies to make it easier for new business to start and stay in Woodland. He doesnt want Woodland to miss out on the economic growth in the region.

Plaza said his service as a police office and in the Marine Corps helped him develop a thick skin, so he could handle the scrutiny of the public eye.

He said his employer and co-workers would describe him as someone with attention to detail who is honest with a high level of integrity. Im the type of guy who wont ask someone to do something unless Im willing to do it myself.

Nate Cook

A passion for local politics spurred Nate Cook to file for election this year. Cook was appointed to Toledo City Council in February 2011. He was elected just months later for a four-year position. He ran unsuccessfully to be Toledos mayor in 2015, but his interest in city government never waned even when he moved to Woodland a year and half ago.

While on Toledo City Council, Cook relished in wading through financial budgets and attending conferences for city government professionals. He served as Mayor Pro Tem and in 2014, he became the first elected official in Toledo to be awarded a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities.

That is a joy to be involved and invested in my community, Cook said Friday. Although he has more to learn about Woodland, he said, his council experience in Toledo will translate well.

I know how to go through budgets and save money. I like being able to try and keep taxes low and not spend other peoples money. I can run a city like I run a business, he said.

A Toledo native, Cook worked at a family logging business since high school, running the operation for three years before he closed it when the business was victim to fraud and a major client shuttered its doors. Now he is a driver and construction worker for Columbia Pacific Construction.

Cooks said his co-workers would describe him as someone with a strong work ethic who knows how to look at the big picture when planning. That helped when developing long-range plans of the city in Toledo.

Even when you think you have it all figured out ... Theres a lot of failure that comes before the victory and you got push through that and keep trying, Cook said.

Although he generally doesnt consider himself conservative, Cook said he is big on being fiscally conservative. He criticized the city for putting a sales tax increase on the ballot for road work this year after voters already rejected a similar measure last year. However, he did support asking voters for their say on whether the city should raise property taxes to fund three new police officer positions.

Cook thinks the city could increase its tax revenue by tapping into the retail marijuana market.

Theres a lot of cities bragging lately about the revenue theyre bringing in from the marijuana industry, he said. In the meantime Woodland is missing out on taxes.

Keith Bellisle

Bellisle agrees the city shouldnt lock itself out of the taxes from retail marijuana stores, yet he said thats just one of several ways to increase city revenue. Attracting more industrial development and supporting the Port of Woodlands efforts to grow will also help the city expand its tax base, he said.

A former health care professional, Bellisle now works in special education as a para-educator in Woodland schools. His work with the public exposed him to high poverty populations.

This is a high poverty area so we need to acknowledge that segment of our population and include them in finding the solutions, Bellisle said. As a council member, Bellisle said he wants to work with community agencies to find solutions for housing and homelessness. He would like to establish a city-sanctioned commission on fighting poverty.

Bellisle said he has a passion for people and communities. As a spiritual humanist minister, hes often called upon to minister at weddings and funerals, although he doesnt serve a congregation. While working in a group, hes often the one to find cohesion and solve problems with a proactive, collaborative approach, he said.

Bellisle said he hopes to boost civic engagement by encouraging the establishment of more neighborhood associations. While living in Clark County, Bellisle said he saw how well neighborhood associations can work to get a lot of stuff done when no one else does.

Improving communication between the public and the city to build inclusive solutions would be a top priority for Bellisle.

Its been said that things dont change very quickly around here because the same voices have been heard. Theres a bit of resistance to growth, he said. I want to help bring the people together help them find common ground rather than reason to be divided.
tech2 News Staff

Nokia is expected to release another phone which will be priced below the Nokia 3. According to a picture posted on Chinese site Baidu, the company is expected to bring an ultra-affordable smartphone to the market. The website featured pictures of two phones side-by-side named as Nokia 3 and Nokia 2 respectively.

The picture shows a render of a Nokia 3 beside another phone marked as the Nokia 2. Both the phones look similar, i.e, have an equal size of display and screen. The only difference between the phones is the placement of the navigation buttons on the screen. The device marked as the Nokia 2 has a virtual navigation buttons as compared to the Nokia 3 that comes with physical navigation buttons.

Since the Nokia 3 has a 5-inch display, the Nokia 2 too is expected to come with the same size of display. According to a report on droidholic the phone is expected to have a similar back panel as the Nokia 3. The Nokia 2 is said to be an ultra-affordable phone and is expected to feature a non-metal body.

Nokia 3 was recently launched in India at a price tag of Rs 10,200 in offline stores across India. The phone runs on Android nougat 7.0 and is powered by a Mediatek MT6737 processor paired with a Mali T720 GPU. The Nokia 3 comes with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB internal storage, a 2,650 mAh battery and an external card support of upto 128 GB.

Nokia offered a discount of 7 percent and the phone was available at Rs 9,499 in the store at the time of launch. HMD Global also confirmed that the device will soon get an Android 7.1.1 update.
When Mimi was nowhere to be found

Tolly Bffs, Nusrat and Mimi, were recently in California attending an awards ceremony. When we got in touch with Mimi to ask how her trip was, the actress shared with us an anecdote that we cant get over!

It so happened that Mimi and Nusrat were out and about one night in Las Vegas and Mimi, who was craving ice cream, asked Nusrat to her some for her. While Nusrat was away to her her bestie a scoop of Vegas best gourmet ice cream, Mimi, who was jet lagged and sleepy, spotted a bench on the other side of the road. Overpowered by tiredness, the actress thought of taking a short nap on the bench till Nusrat came back. But as luck would have it, she dozed off and didn't wake up till the next morning! Nusrat, frantically looked for her friend till the wee hours! It was hilarious and scary at the same time. I was so tired that I helped myself to a bench not worrying that I may fall asleep! I got an earful from Nusrat the next morning! said Mimi.


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina exchanging pleasantries with Hajj pilgrims at the inauguration of Hajj activities at Ashkona Hajj Camp in the city on Saturday. BSS photo
Russian military could force US out of Syria, army command says

The head of Special Forces said Friday that Russia had established a more credible foothold than the U.S. in Syria, and that Moscow could use this influence to essentially expel his forces. Addressing a security conference at the Aspen Institute, Special

Newsweek :

The head of Special Forces said Friday that Russia had established a more credible foothold than the U.S. in Syria, and that Moscow could use this influence to essentially expel his forces.

Addressing a security conference at the Aspen Institute, Special Operations Command chief Army General Raymond Thomas said that, while counterterrorism remained a priority for his forces, international law could prevent the U.S. from maintaining a long-term presence in Syria, where its intervention has been declared illegal by the government. Russia is also involved in the fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and other jihadists in Syria, but entered at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, something that Thomas said could allow Moscow to make a solid case for the U.S.'s departure.

"Here's the conundrum: We are operating in the sovereign country of Syria. The Russians, their stalwarts, their backstoppers have already uninvited the Turks from Syria. We're a bad day away from the Russians saying, 'Why are you still in Syria, U.S.?,'" Thomas said.

"If the Russians play that card, we could want to stay and have no ability to do it," he added.

Russian soldiers, on armored vehicles, patrol a street in Aleppo, Syria, February 2017. The Syrian military's successful recapture of Aleppo has widely been considered a turning point in the war and demonstrated how Russia's support was crucial to Assad's efforts to reestablish control over areas lost to rebels and jihadists. Omar Sanadiki/Reuters

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The U.S. and Russia are both battling ISIS in Syria, but they back different factions that hold opposing views on Syria's political future. The U.S. backs the Syrian Democratic Forces, which Thomas said Special Forces helped name in order to distance themselves from the Kurdish nationalist People's Protection Units (YPG). Thomas also confirmed that the CIA has cut ties with other Syrian rebel groups that have attempted to overthrow Assad since 2011. Russia and Iran support the Syrian military and its allies, which reject the national aspirations of Kurdish groups, the ultraconservative Sunni Muslim ideology of jihadists and calls for political upheaval by the opposition.

Assad, along with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, has continually demanded that the U.S. and other countries opposed to the Syrian government respect the country's national sovereignty. While President Donald Trump appeared to adhere to this view more so than his predecessor, he took a more aggressive approach in April when he ordered an unprecedented attack on a Syrian air force base, claiming it was the origins of chemical weapons strike on civilians days prior. Assad and Putin have denied these allegations, and the legality of the strike has come into question among experts.

A U.S army soldier holds a gun as he stands guard next to an armored vehicle as Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State militant group (ISIS), visits the town of Tabqa, Syria June 29, 2017. The U.S. is also involved in the fight against ISIS, but backs a different faction from Russia not associated with the Syrian government.

The U.S. argues that it does not intend to target pro-government forces, but has done so on a number of occasions, arguing self-defense of its unilaterally declared "deconfliction zone." A series of attacks on fighters supportive of Assad in the country's south and the shooting down of Syrian military jet in the north have been met with fury by Russia, which went as far as to say last month it would begin targeting U.S-led coalition aircraft. Thomas alluded to this and other incidents between pro-government and U.S.-backed forces, calling them "close calls" that could ultimately lead to Russia questioning the U.S.'s presence in Syria once ISIS is defeated.




MOULVIBAZAR: A memorandum was submitted to Tofayel Islam, DC, Moulvibazar protesting filing of case against General Secretary of Moulvibazar Press Club Syed Umed Ali and others recently .
Chinese university inks MoU with CUB

Prof William H Derrenger, Vice Chancellor, Canadian University of Bangladesh and Xu Ying, Vice President, Liaoning Communication University, China signing a MoU on behalf of their respective University in the capital on Thursday.

Campus Report :

Canadian University of Bangladesh (CUB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Liaoning Communication University, China (LCU) at CUB campus on Thursday. Prof William H Derrenger, Vice Chancellor, CUB and Xu Ying, Vice President, LCU signed the MoU on behalf of their respective University. Dr Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, Founder and Chairman, CUB was the chief guest and Prof Emeritus Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, former Chairman, UGC and former VC, University of Dhaka and Honorary Adviser of CUB was special guest in the ceremony. LCU is one of the best universities in China for Communication, Film, Media, Journalist, Animation and related studies.

Under this MoU, the representatives of both universities agreed to exchange students, faculties, academic activities, joint research and publications from October 2017. In addition, both the universities will send students for summer camp starting from September 2017 and internship will start from 2018 for the students of both universities.

Among others Anjuman Ara Shahid, Vice Chairman, BoT and Chowdhury Raheeb Safwan Sarafat, Member, BoT, CUB, Brig Gen Md. Asaduzzaman Subhani (Ret), Registrar, CUB, Chen Yongqing, Secretary General of Liaoning Provincial Association of International Education Exchange and Wu Ningning, Executive Deputy Dean of International Education College of LCU were the special guests in the ceremony.

SM Arifuzzaman, Associate Professor and Head, School of Business, Hanif Mahtab, Associate Professor, School of Business and Proctor and Head of Career Service Wing and Md. Latiful Khabir, Assistant Professor of School of Business and Head of Student Service Wing and Students' Directorate and Tusher Nabi Khan, Coordinator, Program of Film and TV, CUB were also present in the occasion.






Britain's Johnson hails 'record high' Japanese investment

AFP, Tokyo :

Japanese investment in the UK has hit a "record high" since last year's shock Brexit vote, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Friday, during a visit to Tokyo.

Johnson, who backed Britain's campaign to quit the European Union, also pledged London would "build a fantastic relationship with our friends and partners in the EU" after talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

And referring to growing regional tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, he called on China to pressure Pyongyang to agree to fresh negotiations.

After the second round of contentious talks on Britain's exit from the political bloc ended this week, the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that "fundamental" differences remained between London and Brussels.
DU female teachers altering course of history

UNB, Dhaka :

Although Dhaka University (DU) began its journey without any female teacher or student, women currently account for over 31 percent of its teachers.

There was no female teacher or student when the university launched its journey in 1921. Even a decade ago, the number of female teachers was very insignificant.

But, the things started changing in 2009 when the number of female teachers has seen a significant rise.

For the first time in its 96-year history, Dhaka University now has a female pro vice-chancellor, Prof Dr Nasreen Ahmad. She has been working as Pro-VC (Academic) since June 6, 2012.

According to the DU administration, the total number of teachers at the university is now 2012, including 630 women.

In the last eight years, the ratio of male-to-female teachers' appointments has decreased to a large extent.

During the 2009-2017 period, a total of 621 teachers were appointed to the university. Of them, 195 were women. Now, the ratio between female teachers and their male counterparts is 1:3.18.

DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said teachers are appointed to the university based on merit. Besides, those who are more skilled and competent in making presentation are given priority, he said. "The university authorities never appoint any teacher on special consideration," he said.

The DU VC said their female teachers are enough qualified and meritorious. "These days women are outshining their male counterparts in all the sectors like politics, economics, education and administration," he added.

At present, the heads of DU's 16 departments are women. The departments are Economics, English, History, Psychology, Bangla, Music, Dance, Chemistry, Microbiology, Fisheries, Education and Counseling Psychology, Geography and Environment, Meteorology, Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Television, Film and Photography and Art History.

Besides, five institutes-Education and Research (IER), Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Social Welfare and Research Institute, Modern Language Institute (ILM) and Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies-have got female directors.

More importantly, female teachers are now more active in teacher politics than in the past. Prof Najma Shaheen led the pro-Awami League Blue Panel of the university teachers for a long time.

Under her leadership, the panel won 33 seats out of 35 in the last senate election held on May 22 last.

The Blue Panel also swept all the 15 seats in the last election to the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) held on December 8 last under her leadership.

Riffat Ferdous, head of DU Television, Film and Photography Department, said the stereotype concept that women are weak and that they cannot take challenge has become obsolete. "They (women) have proved their worth in all sectors." Women are going ahead on all fronts, she said hoping that the women power at Dhaka University will encourage the other fellows across the country to come up.




Raid in `militant den`

2 women surrender, 1 held in Meherpur

Staff Reporter :

Two women surrendered along with two kids during a police raid in a two-storey suspected militant hideout at Bamondi village in Gangni upazila of Meherpur district on Saturday morning.

They were identified as Mabia Khatun, 33, of Bhabanipur village in the upazila, and Rajani Khatun, 40, of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia district, Superintendent of Police, Meherpur, Anisur Rahman told reporters in a press briefing after ending the raid in the afternoon.

The law enforcers entered the house which was owned by Mestak Ali, but found nothing suspicious inside, the police official said, adding that they cordoned off the house at 8:00am during heavy rainfall.

The two women, Mabia and Rajani, wearing burkas, came out of ground floor of the house with two children when police asked them to surrender around 12:30pm, the SP said.

Earlier in the morning, the law enforcers detained Mostak Ali, 33, the son of the house owner who lives in Saudi Arabia, he said.

Mostak however failed to inform about the profession of his tenants, who rented the house one year and a half years ago, he said.

The women and their husbands were being interrogated in this connection at Gangni Police Station, the SP said.

Anisur Rahman said that there is no one in the house so that police ended the drive.
Preventive measures suggested to combat chikunguniya

Staff Reporter :

Speakers at a discussion in the capital on Saturday urged the government to take preventive measures for combating chikunguniya in cities rather than curing the viral disease of the affected dwellers.

They suggested formation of a powerful investigative committee who will identify the players responsible for the spread and take legal actions against the authorities who had averted such public health threat irresponsibly.

A demand was also raised that the government create a public health department to formulate laws on public health and look after the public health issues in the country.

The discussion was organised by the Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) at its city office.

Chaired by Chairman of POBA Abu Naser Khan, it was addressed, among others, by General Secretary Engineer Abdus Sobhan, Member of POBA Rajia Samad, Shamsul Islam Chowdhury, Kaiser Ahmed, Secretary Ferdous Ahmed Ujjal, Co-secretary MA Wahed and Nishat Mahmud. Dr Lelin Chowdhury presented the key-note paper at the programme.

Abu Naser Khan underscored the need for taking coordinated actions among authorities for preventing spread of chikungunia in the cities and alarmed that other viral diseases like dengue, bird's flu, nippah fever are also spreading. "Immediate attention, preventive measures and awareness generation among citizens by the authorities like the Department of Health and City Corporations can combat such public health threats," he said.

"A silent genocide is going on in the country, We have to collectively take actions to combat such disaster. It is an emergency state of public health threat," Khan mentioned.

"The government should take the issue more seriously and concentrate more on preventive measures rather than curing such public health threats before it takes valuable lives of the citizens," suggested Dr Lelin Chowdhury.

Engineer Abdus Sobhan said separate, independent public health department formulation is a demand of the time, who will coordinate among authorities among government and private organizations to combat such public health threats.


Mayor Khokon vows to free city from chikunguniya in 10 days

Staff Reporter :

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon on Saturday vowed that chikungunya will be eliminated from the areas under his jurisdiction within the next 10 days.

"My mother has also been affected with Chikungunya. So I feel the pain of all mothers. I assured all of you that DSCC will have chikungunya under control within the next 10 days," Sayeed Khokon said while inaugurating a chikungunya awareness rally of councilors, civil society members and NGO delegates from the Nagar Bhaban.

Sources said, Sayeed Khokon's mother Fatima Hanif was suffering from the chikungunya for the last few days.

On July 14, the DSCC mayor said that it could take three to four weeks to control the disease.

"Eight days later I stand before you and say the DSCC area will be free from chikungunya within the next 10 days," the mayor said.

He said the rapid pace was possible, thanks to the determined efforts by city corporation workers and the increased awareness of the city dwellers.

The mayor also cautioned that the people should not loose their guard after the abolition the disease. He laid stress on the need for vigilance to prevent the return of the disease.
Siddiqur may not get back eyesight

Seven DU affiliated college students blocked the road at Nilkhet corner near New Market protesting police assault on them including Siddiqur Rahman in city\'s Shahbagh area. This photo was taken on Saturday.

Staff Reporter :

Government Titumir College's student Siddiqur Rahman, who received serious tear shell injuries in his eyes in police action at Shahbagh intersection in the city on Thursday, will not be able to get back to eyesight, a physician said on Saturday.



"The hope for getting back Siddiqur's eyesight is now faint. We have conducted a surgery on his eye from 9.30am to 11am. But the possibility to get back his normal eyesight is dim. His one eye has been surgically repaired while the other was washed", Dr Iftekhar Md Munir, an associate professor at the National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO), told journalists yesterday.



Replying to a query, the physician said they have formed a five-member medical board for his treatment.



"But Siddiqur needs a long time for his eye treatment," Iftekhar said, adding that the student's eyes received injuries by some thick and heavy objects. The physician also said his eyes and face were swollen due to the injury.



Police on Thursday lobbed tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets to disperse the agitating students from newly affiliated seven government colleges with Dhaka University.



The students clashed with police as the law enforcers intercepted while staging demonstration to realise their demands.



During the clash Siddiqur received serious injuries in his eye when police lobbed a teargas shell on the students. Siddiqur is undergoing treatment at the NIO.



Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia on Saturday said, "Police claimed that Siddiqur might have been hurt by heavy object hurled by his fellows when law enforcers tried to disperse them firing teargas canisters."



"We will take proper actions after investigating the incident," he added.



But the students, who were agitating at Shahbagh intersection on Thursday rejected the police's claim saying the cops lobbed several rounds of tear gas shells targeting them.



They said Siddiqur was hit by the teargas shell lobbed by police.



Police also filed a case against around 1,200 unnamed students of seven government colleges on charges of attempting to kill policemen, rioting with lethal weapons and damaging property.



Meanwhile, Students of Dhaka College on Saturday staged demonstration in front of the college in the city protesting attack on fellow students of seven colleges.
Police are for fighting crimes and not for guarding official buildings

ANOTHER rape victim succumbed to her injuries after being rescued from a city hotel on Wednesday following two other rape incidents at another hotel in the capital's posh localities. Concurrently, five people were arrested in two separate cases for killing two girls after rape in Dhaka's Kadamtali.



The incident of rapes and post-rape murders are not stopping. Last Friday a bullet-hit body was found at night in Khulna. What is important to note and more disturbing is that the criminals do their crimes bravely without fear. Those who are arrested later for the crimes could be the right ones or even wrong ones because nobody knows how long they will be in jail without trial, meaning without knowing the truth.



Prosecution is satisfied if the arrested persons are kept in jail. Arrest by police has to be taken as conviction though in law nobody is guilty till found so by a competent court of law. Whole justice system is dreaded by the innocent people for fear of police arrest, better known as police justice system and the courts refusing bail.



Filing of police cases without helping speedy trial is not a success story for the police. The success of police in combating crime is in the conviction and not in mere arrest of some people at their sweet will.



The police is everywhere but criminals are also busy everywhere committing crimes almost freely. Our judges are under pressure to show justice and not to grant bail to alleged offenders kept in prisons. We say it with a large amount of certainty that if bail is granted liberally the number of police cases will be declined drastically.



The nation is bearing the burden of heavy expenses for the huge contingent of police. The main role of the police cannot be guarding the official buildings. For guarding official buildings such highly trained police are unnecessary. Thousands of police are idly passing time guarding official buildings. Another huge number of police are with the VIPs for their individual protection and show of power. In short, we are not anxious to use police force in preventing crimes in public life.



For crimes in public life police are seen quick and active after the crimes have already committed. The arrests will be made sweepingly and authorities will want us to believe that our police have been very successful in arresting the criminals. After that the very need for their early trial will be forgotten.



It is also to be mentioned that politics and crimes have become enmeshed in our country for making justice difficult. Knowing this the judges should retaliate by releasing FIR named parrots arrested using their legal discretion.



The police should be anxious, as the people's force, to know what their responsibility is and how to safeguard their own reputation as people's police. We believe police can effectively act to prevent crime if they are engaged to do so for the general public.



We suggested it before also. Let there be VIP police for the VIPs. So that the regular law enforcers can act impartially for protecting the people from the miscreants and hard criminals.






Declining export earnings passes wrong signals

THIS newspaper reported yesterday that the overall export growth of the country has fallen considerably in the outgoing fiscal which only belies the tall claims of making big achievements in most areas, particularly in the economy. In effect, the situation seems to be alarming. Export earnings' growth of the country in 2016-17 fiscal hit a 15-year low at 1.69 percent as the earnings from readymade garment products witnessed a sluggish growth in the major destinations including the European Union and the United States. Available data showed that export earnings in FY17 stood at $34.83 billion with a shortfall of more than $2 billion from the government-set target of $37 billion. Despite the prevailing comparatively stable political environment and infrastructural development, the failure to meet the export targets exposes the fact that a dark cloud is gathering over the economy while the government is untiringly propagating its economic success. Almost all the macro-economic variables of the economy are shrinking when the government claims its success to ensure re-election.



Available data showed that the earnings' growth was the lowest since the FY 2001-02 when it was negative 7.43 percent. The export earnings from goods in FY17 fell short of target by 5.85 percent. Officials said that export earnings from goods in FY17 stood at nearly $35 billion with about 2 per cent growth. Export earnings in June 2017 stood at $3.04 billion with a 15.27-percent negative growth against $3.59 billion in the same month of FY16. There were both external and internal factors, including, shrinking global demand for apparel products and devaluation of currencies, behind the undesirable export earnings growth. Worried exporters said that the negative growth has sent a signal to Bangladesh that the country is losing its competitive edge while other competitors are doing well. Experts suggested that the nation should go for productivity-driven growth, diversification of markets and products and cut the cost of doing business.



According to the provisional data, export earnings from RMG products in FY17 stood at $28.15 billion with a minimal growth of 0.20 percent, which fell short by 7.34 percent the government-set target of $30.38 billion. Export earnings from knitwear stood at $13.75 billion with 3.01 percent growth while earnings from woven fell by 2.35 percent to $14.39 billion in FY17. In last 15 years, the export earnings registered a poor growth of 3.35 per cent in FY 2014-15 while the earnings registered highest 41.47 percent growth in FY 2010-11.



If the government provides policy support, ensures gas and electricity on a priority basis, the export earnings growth would rebound in the new fiscal. Bangladesh would have to focus on ensuring the quality of products as well as on diversifying markets and products. The government should work to increase the export earning as it is the life-line of economy and the largest sphere which can generate employments.


Beatrice Public School administration will receive a bump in pay with the coming school year after the School Board approved a 1.5 percent pay increase.

The School Board held a special meeting on Friday afternoon when it approved the salary increase following a 30 minute closed session.

Board President Lisa Pieper said school administration deserved the increase.

Im pleased that we were able to give an increase to our administrators, she said. I think over the last year theyve worked very hard and Im pleased that we were able to offer them an increase and still see our budget maintain status quo with just a slight reduction. I think thats beneficial to the district as well.

The increase does not apply to Superintendent Pat Narouth, whose salary will be approved at the boards regular meeting in August.

A list of specific staff salaries was unavailable at the meeting.

Despite passing an increase, Narouth said at the special meeting that the total salary amount for administrators will actually decrease .03 percent. This is due to staffing changes, including the retirement of elementary principal Theresa Smith.

The reason that equates to a negative is the change in personnel and administration, with Theresa Smith retiring and us bringing in new people, he said. When you look at it comparing last years staff with this years, that equates to a negative overall impact.

Pieper said the board was pleased to give administration a pay increase, while still lowering the overall budget figure.

We wanted to reward our administrators with an increase, she said. We have a very tight budget that were working in the confines of. We knew we wanted to keep that budget number. We didnt want to see a big increase in the budget, even with the change in staff.
HARRISBURG  When Phyllis Walker got a call from the U.S. Army saying they had found remains for her Uncle, U.S. Army Reserve Cpl. Edward Lee Borders, she thought it was a joke. After all, the U.S. Army had declared Borders deceased in 1954, after he was declared missing in action in Korea.

However, after Walker did some checking, she found that the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) had indeed identified the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for from the Korean War, as Corporal Borders.

According to Walker, all three brothers from the family joined the military.

My dad, James Timothy, had just returned from WWII but was not yet discharged, so they shipped him to Korea. The youngest brother, Robert Charles, had forged his dads signature to enlist because he was too young to do so on his own at the time, and he went in the Navy. Edward Lee was in the Army Reserves in Japan, so they shipped him to Korea as well.

Walker said that when it was discovered that all three sons from the same family were serving in the conflict, they sent her father home. After all, he was the brother who had a baby at home.

That baby was me, she said.

The circumstances that took his life

According to a historical report from the DPAA, in early February 1951, Borders was a member of D Battery, 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Automatic Weapons), 2nd Infantry Division, at the time when American units began supporting South Korean Army attacks against units of the Chinese Peoples Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in an area known as the Central Corridor in North Korea.

D Battery was part of a group known as Support Force 21 (SF21) and provided artillery fire support for the South Korean Army during its attack north on Hongchon.

On the evening of Feb. 11, 1951, the CPVF launched a massive counter offensive against the South Koreans, who were forced to withdraw, leaving Borders unit and the rest of SF21 behind at Changbong-ni.

The SF 21 marched south along Route 29, fighting through ambushes and roadblocks, to Hoengsong and eventually to the city of Wonju. Borders was reported missing in action as of Feb. 13, 1951, when he did not report with his unit in Wonju.

A list provided by the CPVF and Korean Peoples Army (KPA) on Dec. 26, 1951, reported Borders died while a prisoner of war.

Then, 65 years passed. During that time, Borders' father and step-mother continued to write letters and seek information about their son.

My grandfathers first wife, Edward Lees mother, died in 1931. At that time my grandfather bought a plot in Cottage Grove cemetery and buried my grandmother, Edith, there. He also bought a plot for himself and for my step-grandmother. When Edward Lee was finally declared dead, he put up a monument for him, even though he held out hope that he would be returned.

Walker said that when the military came to talk to her they asked her if Walker and her family wanted him buried in a military cemetery.

I said no. My grandfather bought that monument with the hopes that he would return home, so I want him buried there, Wright said.

Identifying the remains

According to a historical report from the DPAA, between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which when combined with remains recovered during joint recovery operations in North Korea, account for the remains of at least 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war.

Of the 208 boxes, 14 were reported to have been recovered from Ryongpho-ri, Suan County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea.

This village is believed to be in close proximity to the Suan Bean Camp, part of the Suan Prisoner of War Camp Complex, which was a temporary holding area for a large number of soldiers captured by the CPVF during the war, and where Cpl. Borders was believed to be imprisoned.

To identify Borders remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mtDNA, Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-SYR) and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, which matched his family, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.

What helped was that my other uncle, my dads middle brother, made a career in the Navy. At a certain year, they started doing DNA testing, so they were able to use his brothers DNA to identify Edward Lee, Walker said.

The journey to his rest

Army Cpl. Edward L. Borders, 20, of Harrisburg, will be buried July 29 in his hometown. On Thursday, July 27, His remains will be flown from Hawaii where they have been held, to St. Louis.

Once on the ground, plane-side honors will be conducted and then Cpl. Borders will make the final leg of his journey home, escorted by an honor guard and members of the Patriot Riders. Flags will be placed in Harrisburg along his route home by Larry Eckert, the Flag Man.

This is an honor, Walker said.

I wish it could have been sooner. I wish my dad and his two brothers could have seen this. I wish my mother, who always kept his picture next to my dads picture, could have seen this day. But he is coming home, and I am touched by how this all came to be.

Walker said at least Borders' nieces and nephews, Linda Becker, Cindy Easterlin, Fred Borders and Rusty Borders will all be together again to see Edward Lee laid to rest.

Services for U.S. Army Reserve Cpl Edward Lee Borders will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at J.M. Weirauch Funeral Home in Harrisburg, with the Rev. Chris Winkleman officiating.

Internment with full military honors will follow at Cottage Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. Saturday, July 29 at the funeral home.
HERRIN  Joy Rainey King is no stranger to awards. Recently, the Herrin poet-songwriter received another prestigious award, an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from the Marquis Whos Who Publications Board.

The award is reserved for those who have achieved career longevity and demonstrated excellence in their chosen fields. Less than 5 percent of Marquis listees qualify, according to King.

To qualify for the lifetime achievement award, a person must be listed in Marquis Whos Who for 20 or more consecutive years, accrue more than 30 years in a particular career field or industry, be published in at least two articles highlighting expertise and receive at least one award outside of Marquis Whos Who.

King has won numerous awards, but here are a few highlights. In June 2014, she received an Official of Dignity Award from the United Nations. In December 2014, she received a Circle of Light Award. Other Circle of Light awardees include Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver and Leah Spielberg, Steven Spielbergs mother. She was awarded the International Peace Prize in 2002 from United Cultural Convention. Shes also been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Poetry three times.

Many of the awards are for work King does with the Songs of Love Foundation. The foundation provides songs to sick children in hospitals in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

They send me a biography of a child. All the things on the biography have to be included in the song. I would send lyrics to New York, and they send it to a musician to put to music. Then, they would send it to the child at no charge, King said.

King said it takes her 10 to 15 minutes to write a song. She has to include all the information from the childs biography and use the childs name at least four times. King and the child receive a CD of the song.

I have gotten two or three letters, and maybe the child did not make it. The family says they used childs song at funeral, King said.

Some children take their songs to treatment. King added that the letters can be really, really sad.

These songs mean so much to the children. They always send me a copy. They are really happy-sounding, upbeat songs, King said. I cry every time I get a thank you letter.

One parent wrote that her child didnt make it, but she plays the song in the car on the way to work.

Its worthwhile. We dont charge anything, we just do it. Period, King said.

At one the award dinners, King met a man from Mongolia who was putting together a poetry anthology with 20 American poets. The book was going to be used at a university, so she agreed. The other poets are people like Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

They are really, really important,  King said. When I was in school I read Poe and Dickinson. I never dreamed Id be in a book with them.

King feels fortunate to have been in the right places to meet people. She believes it is the kind of contacts you have that opens doors.

Kings career goal is to write a country song that will be recorded by a popular female artist. That has not happened yet, but she continues to write country songs, poetry and meet people.

I have met so many poets from around the world. Its amazing how many people you can meet accidentally, King said.